amanset european tour journal

06/21 CLUB ROEMER YOUR LIMO IS OUTSIDE WAITING, MR. KENNY

I love movies about music. Almost Famous...amazing. I saw Rock Star in the theater. That Thing You Do?...I can't turn it off but that's got Steve Zahn so it's a whole other story. Man...I saw Glitter. Do I need to continue? And there's always that point in the story where they know. They know the music is more than a sum of its parts and they know people recognize it. However they chose to define it, they know. They've "made it." For some, it's making a gold record. For others, it might be buying a nice home. For a few, it's just being rockignized at the grocery. Isn't this your favorite part of VH1 Behind the Music?...

"Steve Perry, Hall & Oates, Ann Wilson, Mick Fleetwood, Nikki Six,
when did you know?"

No, I'm probably not going to get asked that question by anyone ever, but that's ok. I can still think about it. When did I know? Well.. I'll tell you. I knew in Bremen. I know this day.

But it wasn't a room full of satisfied kids as the last chord rung out. It wasn't selling through a grip of records after the show. It wasn't the promoter fawning over us as he handed me a stack of 20-euro notes it takes me three minutes to count. No...but not just because none of these things happened. The moment came later.

This club saved on hotel expenses by having an apartment down the street for traveling bands. [this is another formerly Euro specific tour phenomenon that thankfully is finally catching on in the states. It's handy...] And I "knew" the minute I walked in the door.

That's when it happened. I said to myself, "Kenny...I can see how this dank cellar room with four moldy mattresses [there are six of us, by the way] no soap, no t.p., and no hot water might be ok for another band, but not your band. You've earned better than this." And this wasn't a horrible thing. It wasn't just a tired band complaining. This was legitimately unacceptable. And as I confidently wrapped my hand in my shirtsleeve to sweep roach droppings off the couch and make room for another body, I didn't despair. I didn't pout. I did it with pride.

AK, you have arrived.

on the ipod: "Talby" Pinback

previous day [close window] next day