So some of you may remember that two years ago I got hit by a bus while riding my bike. A bus that ran a stop sign and hit me in the bike lane and sent me flying about 10-15 feet in the air.

Yeah, I know - old news.

Today I'm riding my bike back into our apartment complex and this big monster truck that's sitting parked by the curb all of a sudden throws it in reverse and, and - just barely misses me. The whole time I'm yelling "Hey! Look Out Here!" It was close enough that I had to do one of those jump to the curb things on the bike. And this was the exchange:

"Dude, you totally scared me there."

"Dude. You almost hit me."

"Yeah, but you were screaming."

"That's because you almost hit me."

This is getting weird - I mean really! We've all seen someone put their car in reverse and just go without looking - that's what this was and he almost hit me.

I'm not going to stop riding my bicycle but I'm pretty sure the law of averages are going to catch up at some point.

See, here's the thing;

I have never voted for a winning presidential candidate.

My first chance to vote, I should've voted for Bill Clinton but something happened on the way to the polls and I found myself voting for Perot.  How did that happen?  I'm not quite sure. 

Moving forward.

In 2000, I of course was shocked and awed by what happened there. 

And again in 2004 I found myself discouraged and saddened by 1/2 of this country.

So here I am in 2008.  I am so Pro-Obama that I almost think it's my moral imperative to start supporting McCain.  I suppose I can get behind McCain.  It's kind of like supporting your crazy uncle at the family reunion when he starts telling old war stories and then you find out things like - man, he told this *great story about going through the Panama Canal but then you find out that he didn't in fact go through the Panama Canal, but it was such a good story, I wanted to believe it!   And you know - he believes that he went through the Panama Canal, so...

WAIT, NO!!  I CAN'T DO IT!!

I can't do it.  Voting for McCain is like voting for the Bartles & James guys.  Yeah, they will thank you for your support but they're really just sitting on a fake front porch coasting on past glories, propped up by a big company pretending to by your drinking buddy.  Oh, and they won't stop telling stories that may or may not have happened to them!

*actual story told to me at a family gathering

New TV date & New music!

Before I forget - Thanks to everyone who emailed and called the t.v. station to complain. We got a call saying "please take down our contact info from your site - we will reschedule you" So now we will be on Daybreak OC on Tuesday August 5th. We will be doing two songs; one at 6:45 am and the other at 7:45 am. Woo-Hoo!!

O.K. so it's been a little while since I've posted about some new favorite music of mine.

First up: Mayson Greyson. I met these folks in Austin and they play some straight up great rock and roll. Yeah, I hear a little bit of Son Volt in their recent release but it ain't a bad thing! They will be coming through LA the end of August so I'll be letting you know that about that later. Recommended listening: "20th Century Accidents"

Secondly: The Jayco Brothers. I met their guitar player Grant on a guitar discussion board and knew by the way he talked that I'd like their music. And you know what? I do. I picked up Asbestos Fibro and if you like the Jukebox Junkies or some Buffalo Tom - pick up this disc from Aussie-Alt-Country-Americana-Rockers. It's a great listen with some great guitar playing. Recommended listening: "Even the Sweet Things Die"

So we take the train from Garmish in Southern Germany to Vienna, Austria. It’s a nice train ride; I’m kind of bummed because it really doesn’t weave through the mountains like I had hoped. I mean, it’s still beautiful and I spend most of the ride just staring out the window, but I was hoping for snow capped mountains and stuff.

Get off the train in Vienna and its kind of late at night and Tracy navigates the train system like a pro – she’s good, really good. We come up from the subway system and turn around and the Pension (hotel) is right there. Couldn’t ask for closer! We ring the bell and we’re buzzed in – we make our way up to the second floor and find our way in. Cutest little room, there’s an older woman (mid 60’s?) that runs the place and she asks us if we want breakfast in the morning.

We wake up early and make our way down to St. Stephen’s Platz – it’s a big open square that is open to both traffic and pedestrians – got to stay alert! Continuing our tradition of eating as the locals do – we make our way to an open air restaurant and order up some food. Tracy has coffee and bread, cheese and meat and I get their version of ham and eggs. Delicious! We wander through the streets and make our way over to Der Music Haus (music museum). All kinds of cool stuff and Tracy and I are wondering – what the hell are we going to do in Vienna for 3 days?!?

Before we left I was talking to a friend of mine on thegearpage.net (a site for guitar players to discuss gear and what-not) and I had become friends with this one guy in Vienna, (We met on an alt.country discussion board) and he said to me “when you’re in Vienna, look me up, I’ll show you around.” I took his info with me and I thought to myself “this won’t work out, why you bringing that?” So I said to Tracy “I have this friend here in Vienna – why don’t we contact him?” So I email him and he emails back and suggests meeting for lunch – he lives nearby. This is where people surprise you with how awesome they can be.

My friends name is Roman. We meet up and he says, “Do you like Turkish food?” We’ve never had Turkish food but again, we’re open to new things. We eat Turkish food for lunch (all the while thinking of the Pogues song!). After lunch he says “My friend Ronnie’s going to meet us and we’ll show you around." We meet up and they start showing us their city and how to blend in and not look like tourists. Some tips:

1) Wear pants. Quickest way to stand out as a tourist is to wear shorts. In Europe shorts are for the beach, swimming and for soccer players.
2) Tennis/Running Sneakers or flip flops.  Are never worn.
3) Fanny pack.  Never, never, never.  It screams "Rip me off!"
4) Stay to the right. Yes, you read that correctly. Almost everyone in Europe when riding on an escalator steps to the right to let those in a hurry walk by. This seems so obvious but once they pointed it out, not only did you see that everyone did this but you noticed when someone didn’t even more and they were always a tourist in shorts and sneakers.

So we adapted quickly. Tracy and I had read some about this and were blending in already but this last tip about the staying to the right was a good one. And we noticed all through Europe that this was the *norm.

So we walked about with Roman and Ronnie and we talked about all kinds of things. Ronnie had just published a book about Vienna called Time and Vienna – so he knew a lot of the hidden Vienna and Roman knew a ton of history and just overall stuff, hell he was once a tour guide and now they were showing us around!!

One of the things I had noticed in St. Stephen’s Platz was things like McDonald’s and Starbucks signs and this bothered me. Now, understand – I’m very proud to be American. I’m not always proud of some of the things we as a country do but I’m still very proud. I’m also aware of how other people are proud of their own country – and thinking of the song “I’m so bored with the U.S.A.” by the Clash. Now, the moral of that song is not them saying they don’t like the U.S.A. but they don’t like the Americanization of the U.K. So looking around seeing McDonalds and Starbucks, I said to Ronnie; “I hate seeing McDonald’s signs here.” And he asked me why. So I started with my “Americanization of European cities and how corporate America is taking over the old church in Vienna” and he stopped me and said “It’s not all bad, I understand what you’re saying but the people here, they could’ve said ‘No’ to McDonalds and Starbucks – but they wanted them here.”

Eyes widening. Mind learning.

I was so quick to hate the fact that they were there I didn’t even think that maybe someone in Vienna might want a Big Mac or a double latte mocha frapachino thingamajig.

That said, I still hated seeing the golden arches anywhere in Europe.

We wander through a flea market with all kinds of stuff for sale, I’m pretty sure I saw a Russian pilots helmet, lots of weird stuff, records, cameras and then the outdoor food market where there were live fish in a barrel and as we stood there watching them one tried to make a run for it but was only able to get us all wet and then landed back in the barrel!

Then we meet up with Roman’s girlfriend Nicole – she’s been busy studying – she’s doing her thesis on people that hear voices. (I can’t help but think of how I hear voices but it usually just sounds like my mom so I don’t think that counts!) We go check out this band that a friend of a friend of theirs is in. It’s this cool outdoor festival type thing and then we go get some dinner. I don’t remember what we ate but I do remember that it was here that we discover that it’s cheaper to drink wine than it is to drink diet coke. Amazing. As we’re saying goodnight they ask us what we’re doing tomorrow. We have nothing planned.

“Want to go out to the country with us? We’re going out to see my parents, there’s a cool old castle we can hike up to.”

Sounds good to us!

Next part 2.2 The Wachua Valley of Austria.


*Except when we got off the train in London – but I’ll get to that later.

So Tracy and I went to Europe for 3 weeks. You might have noticed that you didn't get any emails from me for a few weeks. We were originally supposed to have 3 shows while we were there, this didn't happen. I somehow managed to lose a guitar in Europe (thanks DHL!) and two shows didn't happen - the third one kind of did. But that's it for the unhappy part of the trip. The rest was out of this world.

How do I tell this story? Beginning to end? It's too much.

Chapter 1
Germany

One of the first things you're struck by is how clean and organized everything is. I understand clean - my mother once vacuumed the inside of one vacuum with another one - but this is clean. Side of the highway, airport, restrooms, and train stations - everything! I felt like wiping my feet everywhere we went!

I have relatives in Germany. They are way cool. Family is Marty, Petra, Martin and Natalie. My uncle Marty also plays guitar and we hung out and had a jam at their house. Petra's mother lives down stairs and upon our arrival she showed up with shot glasses and Schnapps. I've never been one to do shots, in fact I don't think I've ever had one, come to think of it - I've never had Schnapps! Well, there's two firsts in one gulp!

Tracy and I believe in living by what we call the "Applebee's Rule". This rule started out as a gesture and is now almost a maneuver. Everyone knows that Applebee's is pretty much a Denny's with crap on the walls. No one goes to Applebee's because they want a steak; you go there because you're hungry only have a few bucks and it happens to be where you parked your car. This brings me to the Applebee's Rule - When eating at Applebee’s you get a hamburger and fries. You don't go there for fish, steak or vegetables. They don't know how to cook them.

Applebee’s Rule = eat what their specialty is.
Applebee’s = hamburger and fries.

So we decided to try what came to us and not try to find "American" food wherever we were. This proved to be the best thing ever. More than once I pointed to someone else's plate and said "whatever that is, I'll have it!"

German breakfast is meats and cheeses and dark bread. They drink Apfelshule (apple juice and mineral water) which is quite tasty and it's served everywhere! The bread here is the way bread was meant to be - my favorite was called Louganstrange, it’s very much like a pretzel but yet very different. Make a sandwich out of it and it’s awesome! German wines are very tasty light and sweet.

Then we went and saw some churches and stuff in Wurzberg. I don’t mean to downplay this part of the trip but Tracy will be posting pictures and will cover it in detail. The churches and the Residenz in Wurzberg were stuff that you just have to see to believe. It was great to hang out with my cousins too – we never get to see each other.

Our last night with the family we all went out to dinner – Tracy and I both had Weiner schnitzel. If you hear that and think of the fast food chain – you are sooo far off! Mine was a breaded pork chop with some kind of mushroom sauce over it. I think we drank *Riesling that night but I could be wrong – it was definitely something local. We slept well that night, woke up, looked out the window at the castle across the valley and got in the rental car and headed south down the Romantic Strasse (romantic road) towards Rothenberg. We promise we’ll be back – Germany and the Bavarian region were too awesome for such a short visit.

Remember how I said how organized Germany was? I’m not experienced at driving on the Autobahn, plus I’m in a little 4 cylinder rental car but it didn’t matter. There are signs for everything. The hardest part of driving is the thinking of what each sign means. Speed Limit signs are a certain shape and only have a number on them. Like “120” or “120” with a slash through it. (120 Kilometers per hour is like 75 mph) If it just has the number, that’s the speed limit, if it has a slash through it, that means that it’s no longer 120 kmph but probably much less. Lots of signs. So, when you drive in Germany – you stay to the right unless you’re passing. It’s easy. We should really try this here! It’s easy to get used to and really keeps the flow of traffic moving. Organized!

Oh, and Rothenberg. It’s this medieval city, still has the wall around it. We wandered about. Climbed this ancient bell tower – lots of stairs and the staircases kept getting narrower and smaller – it ends with a ladder that goes out to the outside of the top of the tower. Tracy has the pictures. Rothenberg also had a Criminal Museum where they had all the primitive means of torture, including a detailed account of how to waterboard. Man, it’s a good thing we are so more civilized now that we don’t…what’s that you say? Oh, we still waterboard? Crazy. In the middle ages they called waterboarding torture and these were people that tortured bakers if their loaves of bread were too light or too heavy! People who took the mayor that was responsible for the building of the town and making it as modern as it was capable at that time – they threw him in jail, where he died. Yeah, he died in the jail that he designed. There’s got to be something wrong with that.

What was I talking about?

We leave Rothenberg and head South to where the big fancy castles are.

It’s starting to rain a bit and I am the slowest guy on the road. I’m trying to go faster but rain, slippery road, not knowing where I am – I’ll go slower! Tracy and I have a hard time finding the B&B that we are staying at. One thing we seem to have a hard time finding on maps is the star that says “you are here”. What’s up with that?

At this point we realize that it’s still bright out, Europe is so far North that it’s light out until almost 10 pm. This messes with your brain. We go to the local restaurant and have a different kind of wiener schnitzel and more *wine and make our way back to the B&B. The shower seems kind of confusing, there are two knobs outside the shower that Tracy has told me have something to do with hot water. I have a nice shower and then get yelled at in German something about turning on or turning off the main drain for the shower! Whoops! We go out our bedroom window/balcony and look up – we couldn’t see it last night because of the clouds but today we can and already – it’s our second destination and we wake up looking at a castle again!  We go downstairs for our breakfast that the old German woman has prepared. More meat, cheese and bread. I'm kind of picking at it and she comes over and yells at me to eat more - in German! I understand a few German words - nichts, nothing; Ich, I; krank, sick; krankenhause, hospital; hausaufgaben, homework; and I can count in German. But I couldn't understand anything she said but I knew that she was telling me to eat more breakfast! Which is fine but when said in a raised voice and in German - can sound kind of threatening!

Too many castles! Didn’t these people believe in small modest housing? Umm, No. From one castle you can see the other. I forget the names of these ones but we have pictures. Then we leave and have to drive through the mountains in Southern Germany to get to Garmish to catch our train to Vienna. I could’ve driven this road forever – it’s so amazingly beautiful.

Next up: Vienna!

*Much wine was consumed on this trip. I did not always know what I was drinking.

I am sick over this.  I've had this guitar for over 10 years.  It was in the studio where we record/rehearse with other stuff and it disappeared last week.  I'm posting pictures everywhere and just hoping someone sees it and realizes.  I don't care how it came their possesion - I just want it back.

Here's a picture.  Thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder.

Yeah, so I’ve been into a couple different things lately. Two new cd’s that couldn’t be more opposite of each other and a new painting. Here goes!

Daniel Lanois new cd "here is what is". Tracy and I went to the Vista Theater to see the premier of this film - the film goes along with the cd - and Daniel Lanois performed before the movie - 45 minute set of just amazing stuff! The new album has a song called "Sacred & Secular" and it’s the kind of music I hear in my head when I try to sleep. Here’s a sampling;

And then I went and got Linda Ronstadt’s "The Capitol Years" double cd - it covers the years 1969-74. What a talent! I can’t stop listening to "Long, Long Time." I mean, C’mon!! It really is amazing.  Check this.

Oh, and then I’ve been painting this weekend too. It took about 4 days to complete and I’m still trying to get the paint out of the carpet but I think it was worth it. I call it "Inamorata". It looks better in person - it’s really hard to photograph.

They just did a reissue of this album with outtakes and what-not.  I love this album.  I think it's my number 1 favorite of all time.  And here's a recent article about it.  That's all for today.

Have you heard about this?  Out of control!  Two whales kept beaching themselves and a Dolphin saved them!!

It's right here.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKWEL1524120080313

I wanted to say something about Robert Kinsler and how awesome he is to us and to local music.  He wrote this great thing about us in the OC Register and then put a picture of us and the article in his blog.

Also wanted to say Happy Birthday to our friend Rami Jaffee.  We celebrated by going out to sushi with him today.  Pretty much my first time having sushi - I mean, I've had California rolls before but we all know that that's just sushi lite.  Today I had Poki Tuna, Miso soup, teriyaki salmon, albacore w/ jalepeno sauce, some California rolls, some tempura.  Yeah, I chickened out a little - I had the Cali rolls, I was playing it safe in case I hated the rest but I didn't - it was really good.  And this new place is right near our house!  Before I forget - be sure to watch Jay Leno Thursday night - Rami's going to be on there.  He's playing with Minnie Driver.  If you want to play along the song goes F# - C#m.

There's so much cool stuff happening.  I can't even remember it all.  So I'll stop there.

Oh, yeah!  We're playing Saturday night in Long Beach at DiPiazzas for the OCMA finals for "best live band" competition.  We had a great show Sunday doing the acoustic version of the band.  I love getting both sides of a review too - One person said "that was amazing, the best show I've ever seen you do."  and the other (a fan of another band) said "can I give you advice?  those first two songs were boring."  Awesome!  Nothing keeps you grounded better than someone telling you they didn't like your stuff!  Love it!

In case I didn't tell you - we're recording a live album Thursday night in San Juan Capistrano at the Coach House.

You should totally come.

We're opening up for Michael Ubaldini and he's doing a live album as well.

We have $7 tickets to sell for the night. Hit me up and I'll leave some at the door for you.

Oh, and we're doing video too.

It's going to be something!

See you there!

-Bobbo

So when Tracy and I were in Canada a few weeks ago we caught a tv show that was hysterical. It was called "Rent-A-Goalie."

Some of you may or may not know this but I've been a hockey goalie since I was about 8 years old and so this just cracked us up.

2 Things about this.

1) The t.v. show was really, really funny and this one episode featured Tie Domi - here's a preview.

2) There really is a "Rent-A-Goalie" business!! They service the greater, Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary areas! Why didn't I think of this!!  So if you need a goalie for your beer league game - you call them and they supply a goalie.  For a fee of course but it's better that a bunch of guys throw in a few bucks and get a goalie then flipping a net on end.

I'm going to see if they offer franchises opportunities.