Fall Is The Time To Write Again

10/3/14 – Ill last night, and slept over 13 hours. Better now. It’s gray and rainy outside, that part of Fall that makes me so reflective…where do these falling leaves go? The cycles keep repeating, but seemingly faster and faster. The past is misty to me, my brain can’t keep all my lifetimes remembered clearly now…how many faces have I worn while in this body? And what, if anything, have I learned? Have I done enough good to be worthwhile here? And what do I do now? So many questions, and who to ask them of…I just don’t know. The path is covered with leaves, I can’t see where I’m going.

I know that I’ve had some kind of an evolution in my life, but in so many ways I feel just like that kid I was down by the river at the Arboretum, out with my parents on a Saturday for a walk and a picnic, looking into the river and wondering where it came from and where it was traveling. Now, my Mom is down that river, around the bend, far from my sight. And my Dad is headed that way too, and so I suppose am I. All the scenes since that time, all the various parts I’ve played in life’s little movies, it’s all been so fascinating and beautiful, so heartbreaking, so strange. And I’m closer to where they roll the credits than before, but I don’t know if I’m any wiser about the plot than I was. And I’m still not sure about the writer and the director…if I get a chance, I’d like to talk to them a bit. I’ve got some questions about the story.

Post-Tour Life And Future Plans

Playing at Chelsea Sounds & Sights.

 So here I am, long after the big European road trip, still trying to collect myself and get it all together!! For those who were just checking out the last Road Journals and haven't heard the latest, I've been back, working with my wife Cynthia at our non-glamorous day job (I have a small cleaning company...and have had it for about 10 years), fixing up our farm, taking care of my aging Dad, and playing with my band The Shelter Dogs as well as doing a few gigs with friends on the side. It's been REALLY busy, but a good deal of fun too. With the help of my brothers we had a great 90th Birthday Party for my Dad in April, and much festivity was had...I don't know how much time I've got left with him, so I'm trying to make every day a good one.

The Helltown Blues Band is dispersed to its various component parts for now...Johnny Bee is back at it in Detroit, and we communicate by Facebook posts here and there. Mike, sadly, lost his Dad this spring, and is spending a lot of time with his family...I talk with him on the telephone, and he's itchy to play out, but here in the States he's not that well known, and getting a decent gig is like pulling teeth (believe me, I know this all too well!)...although that may change for him soon. Tanya moved to Michigan to live with her boyfriend (and Mike's protege) John Burkhart, and is off the road for a while, which I think is going well for her. I miss these guys, and everybody out in Europe too. Hopefully it won't be another 11 years before I see you all again!!

The Shelter Dogs have had some great shows since I've been back...that really is a great band too, and I'm proud to be a part of it. We had a fun gig out at the Chelsea Sounds & Sights Festival last week, playing in the bright sunshine for what looked like half the town!! I think everyone had a good time, and that's what I'm trying for...as many good moments as I can generate. The band was tight, high-energy and funny as hell. When I liken them to the 3 Stooges, I'm not far wrong! But who is who? Well, I do most of the booking and organizing, and I'm sort of a control freak, so I guess I come off as Moe. Tom Twiss is definitely Curly, there's just no doubt about it. Which leaves Pete Bullard to play the part of Larry...not a bad part, either, although his hair is much better. 

What's next in my plans? Well, musically, I'm studying the 6-string bass and playing it a lot on stage (see photo). It's really a different instrument in a lot of ways, and playing it opens up a lot of possibilities...and of course, a lot of frustration too! I'm slowly rebuilding my Upright playing chops again, and hopefully I'll be taking that out on shows soon as well. I've got a new solo CD that I'm having mastered (well, it was finished some time ago, but life got in the way)...I know CDs are passe, but I'll print up a few and make it available online too. And I'm starting to gird up my loins to get started on the next one! How exactly does one gird a loin, anyway? I've always wondered. These are things I do largely for myself, but I think some of them have worked out well, and I do want them out for people who are interested.

There's a whole lot more...much going on, but really, my concentration now is on centering myself, spending time with my family and my friends, working on my creative projects...oh, yeah, and making enough cash to survive. Not an impossible trick! But one I'm workin' on. More on all this later!!


   

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 3/5/14

Monday, 3/5/14 – On the flight back home. The airplane is a claustrophobic's nightmare…the seats are small and tight, and the people are close and way too many…but I’m OK really. I have my little nest and some books, and I’ve made it for 6 hours, I should be able to cope for another 3. We had to get up at 4 AM to make the flight, which I would have liked to avoid, but still, what the hey. We’re headed back home!! Wahoo! Back to the snow! Freezing cold! Bills! Stress! Yay!

 Downtown Bluesclub, Hamburg.

We got done with our gig at Helldorado in Vittoria Spain and back in our hotel rooms at 6 AM. People were still swarming around the streets, wandering into nightclubs that were all still open, socializing, happy and still in outrageous costume. I was getting ready to go to bed when an ENORMOUS explosion shook the windows. I looked out from my 6^th story window, and apparently someone had just set off the mother of all firecrackers out on the street. Nothing to worry about!! But it was a bit strange. Afterwards, I slept like a rock!

 At Manni's place, before the tour.

And of course after that, for some reason, we had to drive STRAIGHT THROUGH  back to Henny’s place in Beek, NL. Don’t ask why about that, either. I think it was because there was wine at the end of the road! A 14-hour drive through Spain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Boy, do we know how to have fun or what? It’s really a huge drive. I remember seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night, from the highway…which actually sort of encapsulated the vibe of the tour. We’d been really busy this time out, and for most sightseeing, well, there was no time. We saw England, Scotland, Wales and Europe from the windows of the tourbus, mostly. Not that it was bad!! But we were on the move ALL the time.

 Tanya nurses Johnny Bee, who's lost some weight on the tour.

Bremen afterparty.

Got to Henny’s at some late late moment in the evening, and we spent the next two days there, recovering, talking, drinking wine and eating some wholesome food. Tanya and Mike had to get with Manni and work out the bookkeeping, although I’m not in the loop for that part. The Dutch version of Carnival was happening while we were there, and the parades and celebration were literally just down the street, but no one in the band but me was remotely interested. So I went out exploring by myself and had a delightful time!! It’s a crazy tradition and it kind of makes me wish I could be in the Netherlands more…actually many things about that country make me wish that. Folks were having a VERY festive time! The parades have some extremely creative floats, each of which seem to have enormous twin stacks of speakers on the back. The music seems mostly to be a strange combination of Electronica and…well…Polka, as well as other odd trad local tunes, and they are just BLASTING this out over the twin towers of speakers on each float. I mean, really loud. No, REALLY. I was glad to have some earplugs in my pocket leftover from the gigs!! Seriously, they’re louder than Michael Katon & The Helltown Blues Band, and that’s saying something. Lots of candy was thrown for the kids, lots of hijinks and laughter from the very costumed crowd, and LOTS of beer being drunk, even at this early afternoon parade. They’re not just foolin’ around with these festivities! From what I understand, this goes on for days. 

Antics at Netherlands Carnival time.
 

After the parade, the floats drive off…to another parade in the bigger city the next day, although the evenings are still very crazy in the clubs, several of which are very close by. It’s much quieter the next day, most of the shops are closed in Beek, except for some pubs, where people are celebrating locally. There are a few brass bands that seem to be making circuits of these pubs…I’m guessing their performances are recompensed with drinks. A few of these bands seem to have started this early in the day, and their playing is a bit, well, haphazard by mid-afternoon! Nobody seems to mind though. They parade in colorful costumes from bar to bar, several members visibly staggering but still gamely playing away. Walking back to Henny’s the streets are deserted, leftover candy, streamers and costume regalia littering the usually pristine streets. I think there’ll be a special cleanup crew that’ll come through after this whole circus is done, the Dutch being a tidy though crazy bunch. Back in my office space, sitting looking out the window I see one of the floats returning home…and between the two speaker towers, one of the riders has dropped his trousers and is pissing down into the street as the float drives off!! He’s gone before I can get it for the camera. Ah, hell, it’s a party.

 With Jean-Paul, at Henny's, after the tour.

The party continues through the night…at one point somewhere around 3:30 AM some genius starts playing a snare drum outside my window, but he’s off to the club, which I’m sure will appreciate his enthusiasm. If I had the time I’m sure I’d go check all the festivities out, but we’re up in another hour to drive to the airport, and home. We bid farewell to our much-more-than-friends Henny and Tanya with hugs and love, and get in line to board the plane.

Time to say goodbye, alas.

 

So it’s all over and done!! Really, even though it was the most down-scaled, strenuous, all-work-no-play tour I think I’ve ever done with Mike, it was still one of the best road experiences I’ve ever had. And it really had to be one of his most rockin’, best sounding bands he’s ever worked with too, if I say so myself (and indeed I do). MANY great experiences were had, many old friends reconnected with, lots of crazy fun and insane trials were gone through, as should be done with a good Rock tour. I feel really, really lucky to be able to have the times I’ve had on this trip!! And, as I just said, the chance to see some old friends, and to make some great new ones too, has been a wonderful thing. I’ll freely admit that a lot of the time, we all were asking ourselves “What the HELL is this I signed on for!!”…but really, it was what it was, and what it was wasn’t bad. I know Mike may not tour again for a while, and when he does I’m not sure if I’ll be going out with him, but I’m very glad I did this one. We never know how long we’ve got to do this kind of thing, especially as the years pass and we grow progressively more grizzled and grouchy. Where I want to go from here – what I want to do – the insights I can take from this experience – all this remains to be seen. Right now I’m just looking forward to getting back on the ground, to seeing Cyn, and to be chillin’ out with a few oyster shooters and a Faz Pizza!! The rest I can figure out later.

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 3/2/14

3/2/14 – Our last gig of the tour was in Vittoria, Spain at the appropriately named Helldorado…a great big warehouse of a place in a warehouse district. We loaded in with the help of one of the opening bands and their large and genial tour manager Heavy D, who had been ferrying these young Australians around Europe for a few months. The Helldorado is really a classic rock palace…very few places to sit, a big bar, a huge stage, and a VIP area upstairs with a catwalk to the lighting booths and offices. Behind the stage was the dressing room, pretty large as well, and a good thing too since there were 3 bands playing and we were sharing the space. As usual, of course, you don’t leave too much precious stuff unattended, no matter how nice everybody is. Don’t want an unhappy moment later! But it’s a fine place to change and relax, have a beer, and talk with the other acts.

Backstage at Helldorado.

 We got done pretty quickly with soundcheck (with a good crew, it’s not hard at all) and drove through the crowded streets to our hotel. Once again, Tanya had to drive blocks away to park the damn tourbus, and of course it’s raining, too. Plus, to complicate matters even more, it’s Carnival season and many of the roads are blocked off to accommodate the many parades and crowds of partiers. Carnival is essentially the Mardi Gras of Europe, and they celebrate it very intensely indeed…it must go on for weeks. Here in Spain I’ve seen some of the most elaborate costumes ever. And people dress alike much of the time…sometimes because they’re all part of a float crew, but apparently also just because they like to do that with their friends and families. So you’ll see a knot of Musketeers go by, then several pandas, a guy dressed as a rooster, and some people in mushroom costumes. It’s pretty surreal. Sadly, with the rain most people are covering these get-ups with clear plastic ponchos, which diminishes their effect somewhat. I assume there are indoor parties happening as well that will be going on, well into the morning.

Helldorado from the catwalk.

 And for even MORE complication, the promoter had arranged us to have dinner at someplace far from both the hotel and the club!! I would have much preferred to eat at the extremely nice hotel we were being put up in (4-star accommodations! Such a nice thing for a last gig with this exhausted band), but perhaps he had an in with the restaurant or something. Anyway, we managed with some difficulty to get to the eatery, and it was indeed very nice…I think the Australian band was already playing at Helldorado, but the second group, a rock ensemble from Sweden, was eating when we got there and very kindly gave us tips on the menu and what they’d found good. Very nice guys! So we had an excellent meal, and made it back to the Helldorado in plenty of time for our showtime, which was scheduled at 1 AM! It’s kind of crazy in Spain. 

Helldorado stage from the catwalk.

Being there early allowed us to check out our Swedish friends band, whose name I’ve forgotten if I ever knew it, alas. We stood up on the catwalk above the crowd with some Spanish beer and watched their set. They were a good, extremely well rehearsed group, reminiscent of Deep Purple perhaps. The stage show was, to us, hilariously histrionic, and they ended their show all grouped around the drummer, guitars in the air, in a highly practiced pose. But the crowd loved ‘em, and they were rocking just fine! I knew we’d follow them with some power…we had been honing our playing all through the tour, and we were well ready.

Final encore of the tour, with hats.

It was definitely our best show of the tour…we really put out all we had for them there! Mike, Bee and I pulled out all the stops and went over the top for this performance. It’s always the state I want to be in, when you’re onstage, where the music is just flowing through you like some Cosmic essence, and you’re not thinking about it at all, you’re really just a vehicle for something more, something much bigger. That’s how I was feeling! The Blues were extra greasy, the Rock was heavier, the hits were harder, the dynamics were more three-dimensional, and everything sounded amazing. Mike was rocking masterfully and his slide playing was just wonderful…he’s gotten better and better over the course of the tour, now he’s sort of a force of nature, like a tornado or hurricane. It didn’t hurt that we had a great, rowdy, crazy crowd of over three hundred people, too!! They’d been at it since 8 that night and they were still going strong when we came on. They were shouting and screaming, totally ready for the Boogie we had in store. The energy bounded back from us to them and back, building in intensity till I thought I might just blow up…and that might not be a bad thing, I figured. There are worse fates. On our final encore, the crazed bar owner (he was out of his mind, by the way, on drink and who knows what – and Spanish too, remember, which makes for Extra Crazy) jumped onstage and jammed a sombrero on Mike’s head, and some crazy oversize Biker Leather Daddy hat on me, to finish off the night with some style. There’s some video of that I’ll try to include when I post this, it may be the only film record of Katon in a sombrero anywhere. A memorable night!! We got back to our beautiful hotel rooms at about 6 in the morning, and people were still out on the streets in costume, drifting in and out of nightclubs, socializing and partying. As I said, Carnival Madness!  But for us, we’ve got to get 5 or 6 hours of sleep…and then we drive non-stop to the Netherlands!! 

My 7th floor suite in Vittoria. Man, I loved that room! 

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/28/14

Thursday, 2/28/14 – Well, we're in Donostia, right up in the Basque country on the northern coast, a very beautiful place. We are literally on the coast, too…the B&B we’re staying in overlooks the ocean, and although it’s rainy and windy, it’s also gorgeous. It IS damp in our rooms, though…even the sheets are mildly damp from the humidity, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t slightly uncomfortable. But the location really makes up for that! I’m betting in the summer this is a spectacular spot. The owners, as usual in Spain, speak no English, but also as usual we make our way by smiling and pantomime.

The venue we played at, Sala Doka, was a very big place, with good lights and an excellent sound system. The people were really nice and friendly too…our opening act was a group called The Inductions, who were very good indeed. We talked (only one of them was fluent in English, but we managed) and had a good conversation about music, the Basque world and life. I got a couple of their CDs, which I’ll have to listen to when I get back home…I have nothing to play them on now.

We were presented with a cold smorgasbord of food backstage, which infuriated Johnny and Tanya, who really wanted a hot meal. They left to find something else in town, which I can understand I guess, but Mike and I were tired and the food at the club was actually pretty good…essentially cold Tapas…and we both figured we probably wouldn’t find anything better elsewhere. Looking for a decent restaurant when you’re in a foreign country with limited time is a real crapshoot, as we’ve found out before. Plus, it allowed me to eat and have a bit of a lie-down before the gig, which I badly needed. I’m pretty much over this horrible cold, but I’m still so weak. This touring stuff ain’t for sissies!

 Both The Inductions and the Helltown Blues Band put in great performances for a medium-sized crowd…I don’t know how much promo had been done for this gig, but the place was about half full. Still, you play the same no matter how many people, and try to rock the house, and I think we did, too. Mike was telling the crowd “It’s been a while since we played in Spain”, and I got on my mic and shouted “And we love the Basque Country!!” which got a huge response. We can’t forget this isn’t quite Spain! These days it seems the Basques are cool with Spain, but they really like to have their culture acknowledged. And there are a lot of differences…I’d have to be here longer to really define it, but I can tell. Beautiful part of the world, and really nice people. One of the things I regret about touring with a schedule like this is that we can never stay long enough to really appreciate a place, its people and its culture. But that’s just how it is.

Tomorrow is the last gig of the tour!! Seems impossible, but true. It’s been seeming like an endless string of dates, but now there’s just one more.

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/27/14

Mike takes a break midset. Not really.

 Wednesday, 2/27/14 – Here we are in Madrid…the Big City!! And it IS a big city. Driving in I was reminded of Chicago or New York, but with many more examples of really good architecture. I’m just glad I’m not driving! People here take the Free Jazz approach to automobile operation, I think. “I’ll just do what I feel is right!”

Got to the club, La Boite (I don’t know what that means and Google Translate couldn’t help) and found another subterranean place with several sets of stairs to negotiate…but we were helped by the promoter Pepe, and the sound man Ishmael. Both very nice and fun people, and very willing to join in the fun of the load-in. With Ishmael’s expertise we got soundchecked quickly in this very large, nice underground Rock Palace, and went out to dinner with Pepe. Again, no one spoke English in the restaurant, but with his assistance we managed a good meal. Still no Tapas, but one can’t have everything, I guess.

 At La Boite..."Someday your name will be up in lights..."

Really good show!! For a rainy Wednesday we had a pretty good turnout, and the people there were cheerful and rowdy. Everyone in the band is either sick or recovering, but we certainly rallied for this show. Johnny Bee was especially energetic and played brilliantly…such a pleasure to jam with him! And Mike sounded as good as he has all tour, rocking that Stratocaster and pulling sounds out of it I wasn’t aware were possible. Singing great too! You’d never guess that he was getting over the Cold From Hell.

Got back to the hotel too late to do a Skype, but I did post up a video giving my Dad a shout, which I know Cyn will show him later. She’s been taking care of everything back in Michigan while I’ve been here, and that includes watching out for my Pop. He’s getting older and weaker, and this winter has been challenging…they’ve run out of propane again due to the extreme cold, and Cyn has had to cut her way through the chest-high snowdrifts to get to the tank. I did that too before we left, but I was so sure that the worst was over then. Man, was I wrong!! It’s officially the worst winter there in history. I owe my wife much more than I can say…she’s the best. 

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/26/14

 The castle in Monzon.

Tuesday, 2/26/14 – A relatively short drive today to Monzon, a small city in the Aragon region. It’s one of those places that is just THERE for no discernable reason…not a port, no real reason to exist except that people moved in and stayed there. At one point it was used to hold a parliament for the various bits of Aragon, perhaps because it was centrally located or because it was seen as a neutral ground. And I guess it had a connection with the Knights Templar, too. But now, it’s just an average Spanish city, with a large ruined castle high on the hill. Lots of strange history in these places, much that I may never know about.

 Got into our hotel rooms…nice enough…in the middle of town, and had a meal in the connected restaurant below. Unfriendly looks from the local elders in the bar, but nice enough staff. No one speaks any English, though. Had an amusing moment watching Bee trying to score some beet juice from the baffled waitress!! Tanya tried to help with her phone’s translator, but apparently “beet juice” either doesn’t translate, or it was just too strange a request. I did use the translator to request a fish dinner, and they brought me out a large slab of squid! No tentacles, just a bit off a large squid body, with a potato to accompany it. Just grilled squid, no real seasoning…but I ate it, I was starving. So far the dreams of  Sunny Spain and delicious Tapas have not come quite true…the food has been unremarkable and it’s been raining a lot. But there’s a few days left!

Another twisty drive to the small club Serjo’s Zona Rock, which was actually a pretty nice little joint. Small but well appointed, a nice bar with many interesting photos of various American Rock musicians, and Serjo himself working both the bar and the sound system, with the help of his mom and wife. His kids were there early on as well, and very cute they were too. I learned from him (he speaks some English) that he’d bought the club just this year, and seems to be working hard to get it going. Hope it turns out well for him, they seem like a really nice family.

Nice night playing!! The acoustics were surprisingly good, the crowd very responsive and the PA sounded great from onstage. I think we played a great show…Mike was sounding fantastic, even though he was very very ill. He really doesn’t let it stop him, and indeed you wouldn’t know it to seem him onstage, which I find amazing. We had a good time, sold and signed some CDs, and made our way through the narrow streets to our beds.

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/25/14

 Actually a shot from the Meisenfrei show...I didn't get pictures from Barcelona!

Monday, 2/25/14 – Rock Sound - We’re in Barcelona!! We drove ALL day yesterday, through the Netherlands, Belgium, part of Germany, and most of France. It’s a really long way. Stopped at an Ibis Budget hotel and got decent rooms and crashed hard. I remember we were all pretty goofy from the drive, and everything that Mike said seemed really funny. I didn’t bother the folks at the desk to get into the Internet or anything, just crawled into my room and slept. Had a good breakfast (most of these are buffet style, and there was plenty of food), and somehow an orange got into my pocket for lunch, which wasn’t really a bad thing. Road survival tactics.

 The Autobahn.

More driving all through the day and we were in Spain. I think I’ve said it before, but Spain is beautiful…the north here has a mountain range, the Pyrenees I believe? And it looks to me much like Montana does in the Rockies, except with olive groves and the occasional castle up on the hill. This tour has been so busy, but I’ve seen amazing stuff from my little nest in the back of the tourbus. Perhaps another trip will afford us more time to sightsee the country more.

 The remarkable Johnny Bee Badanjek.

In fact, we got to Barcelona and were already in a hurry to get to the club…my dreams of seeing the city and the fabled Gaudi architecture bit the dust, again! Frustrating to say the least. But negotiating the winding narrow streets to the Rock Sound was very difficult, and poor Tanya was cursing them in very creative ways. She’s sick again, as we all are actually, but right now I think she and Mike may have it the worst. I really thought we’d left this horrible cold behind us in England and I was appalled when it suddenly reappeared! But we are tough, and we’ll make it through.

Got to the venue…a difficult load-in, and a very small club with an even smaller stage.  People were packed in though, which made it fun. I was pumped up with antihistamines (Alka-Seltzer Cold Plus, actually…if that company wants to give me an endorsement deal they should call me), and the actually performance is a pretty hazy memory, although folks seemed to like us! Many people showed up at the stage after the show with old vinyl for both Mike and Bee to sign! Old Katon albums, which I’d never even seen in that medium, and for Bee, old Rockets, Edgar Winter, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels…even an old Montrose record. Amazing fandom!

Manni Kusters and Tanya Williams.

 

No parking for the bus at the hotel!! Tanya insisted on dropping us off and parking blocks away at the oversize lot, then walking back unaccompanied…we all objected, but she can be very forceful. I know she’s tough, but I was worried. Plus, she’s pretty ill and it’s raining now. But she did it and got back fine, proving once again that she is the hardest working woman in show business. Wound up sharing a hotel room with Mike again…I was too sick to hear him snore.

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/23/14

Sunday, 2/23/14 – Eibergen, De Stier – This bar (De Stier is I believe “The Steer” or “The Bull”) is nestled in a very small town, actually rather charming and quiet. It’s a very high-ceilinged oblong-shaped place as so many seem to be, medium sized, with curtained street windows and unfinished floors, polished by many years of foot traffic. A surprisingly high stage was a bit challenging with several of our crew down with what appears to be the second half of a monumental cold…that we thought we’d shaken off in England, but now has resurfaced and seems to want to kill us all. Still, we got set up and soundchecked, and talked to the owner (a very pleasant guy) for a while over coffee…then he walked us down the street to our rooms.

Understand that last night, we’d been staying again at Henny’s, and Mike was not looking too well at all. And usually he has the constitution of a rhinoceros, so I could tell this wasn’t great. Today he was pretty quiet, and I sensed that he was just holding it together as well as he could. The bar owner got us to the B&B, and talked with the elderly proprietor, who only spoke Dutch. She directed Mike and Johnny to somewhere upstairs and away they limped into the darkness. Tanya and I were taken to a cinder-block building behind the house, which I guess was for overflow traffic. Where this traffic would come from, and why it would come into this obscure town, remains a mystery. But this rather strange woman (who was prone to speaking to us as though we could speak the language, and then bursting out into rather loud creepy laughter) left us to our rather strange home away from home, which I documented on a short film.

After cleaning up as best we could (I was not brave enough to use the shower), we returned to the club and went into the upstairs for dinner. This had been cooked by the owner…when we mentioned that some of us had difficulty with red meat, he assured us there would be none in the dish that he was making. What it actually was, though, was a very strange casserole, made with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, onions and…ham and hamburger. That was the entirety of the meal. I was too tired and ill to argue, just smiled and after he left picked as much of the meat out as I could. I actually really have trouble digesting red meat, but I also hadn’t eaten much that day.

It’s important to remember that we are on a really rigorous tour…we have 30 shows in 35 days! Our schedule has been so hectic, and we’ve been so focused on just getting the next gig, that most of our meals have been either at the hotels or clubs we’ve worked, or bought at gas stations on the highway. These highways snacks and sandwiches all seem to be made by the same company, all across Europe, and they all seem to be both expensive and either disgusting or flavor-free, sometimes both. So like many bands, we keep a box with the leftover stuff from the occasional backstage hospitality trays…usually we have some apples, or tangerines, and maybe some crackers or bread, as well as bottled water and sometimes beer. Often rather than spending $10 for a lousy sandwich, I’ll opt for a few bites of stale bread and an apple. Better and cheaper. Ah, the romance of the road.

  Poster from Skegness. We're in there somewhere.

Strangely enough, the show was really good! Quite a few people materialized, ready to party, and they certainly did, too. Mike, who I’d been kind of worried about, rose to the occasion. Ever the performer, he played to the audience, especially the pretty girls dancing in the front row, who I think really enjoyed the attention. The whole crowd was really festive, especially for a Sunday in a small town! Considering we were so spent, we rocked hard and had a good time…there were some really good moments, notably  during “Luv a Dawg” and “Motorcycle Blues”. But after the encores were played, and the equipment packed up into the bus, we were ready to sleep the sleep of the just! I grabbed my extra quilt (that I borrowed from Henny at the beginning of the tour, and believe me I’m really glad I did), and walked with the rest of the band back to the house of Laughing Grandma and my rather lumpy bed.  

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/21/14

 Friday, 2/21/14 – We stayed over at Henny’s place the night after our show in Hamburg…it really, really helps to have both an evening off and a good friend who’ll put up with you, after a string of challenging gigs with a band that’s fighting a pernicious cold bug. We got some rest, went out and ate at a decent Greek restaurant, had a couple of glasses of wine and some laughs, and a relatively early bed. I’ve been bunking in Henny’s office on the spare bed there, and the many shelves of books there are strangely comforting to me. Plus, I had both the time and the Internet bandwidth to Skype with Cynthia, which was also a huge comfort. It’s just so nice to be able to talk with her face to face! She’s holding up pretty well in the frozen north, considering everything…her car’s undercarriage BROKE IN HALF when she hit one of the many potholes that Michigan is sporting now. The auto is done in, I’m afraid. Fortunately my van is still working, so she’s got that.

On Friday the 21^st we hopped back in the van and drove to France…not a terribly long drive, maybe 2 1/2 hours…to Arras, where we were booked to play at the Blue Devils. Found the place to be a small shotgun shack of a bar, with the stage at the far end, and the bar itself along the opposite side. Kind of a drag to load in through the customers at tables and the taps, but we’ve had plenty of that. Even in a biker oriented club like this, people get out of the way, and a few smiles and “Excuse me’s” go a long way. The stage itself was really quite a mess…I hadn’t seen so much clutter on a working stage, well, maybe ever. Cords and mic stands were strewn around in tangles, along with paper trash and some broken glass. We took a while and straightened up the place, just to have some order onstage and a little space to put up the equipment!

Nice enough people (although the language barrier was a bit of a problem, they spoke enough English to get by), and a decent club really…just kind of run down and dirty. Funky, one might call it! But really, no worse than plenty of Blues bars in the States. The leather-clad, goateed owner had a friend of his cooking us dinner…not an appetizing meal, but I suppose there were essential proteins and carbs and such in it, so we managed. The gig itself was surprisingly good…by now the Helltown Blues Band is such a well-oiled, powerful machine that we can have a good performance wherever we are, I think. The PA was a bit of a problem, but we found enough mic stands and cords in that pile onstage that were functional, and the sound guy of the night was able to get us what we needed in the way of monitors and all, so we were all right. The crowd was happy and enthusiastic, which made the night much better! I was amused that after the show a male fan ran up to Mike, kneeled, grabbed his hand and kissed his ring…I always thought that stuff was reserved for the Pope. Must be a French thing.

One odd thing…the bar had no wine whatsoever!! We were expecting some plentiful delicious choices, it being France and all. Bee was just shocked. I guess if you weren’t drinking liquor, the alternative was Belgian beer, which seemed quite popular. I had one before the show, and two after…not realizing at the time that these were the famous deadly Belgian Tripel beers. I felt fine, but on the way back to Henny’s (we opted out of the rather mildewed hotel, although we did change clothes there) I was lying back on my seat in the bus, and looking out the window saw not one but TWO moons!! I knew something was a bit askew then. Closed one eye…one moon…both eyes…two. Dang. The Belgian Tripels made me see double!!   

Road Journal- Michael Katon Tour - 2/18/14

 Rockin' the Downtown Bluesclub.

Wednesday, 2/18/14 – Hamburg, Downtown Bluesclub – What can I say? I love this place!! Drive through lovely, crazy Hamburg…I wouldn’t call it downtown actually, it’s in an area near a large public park, in a fairly quiet neighborhood…and you see the place unfold in front of you as you come in through the ornamental archway. It’s a large property, which includes a really rather vast Beer Garden and several outdoor bars, a large indoor bar, at least two substantial dining rooms, and of course the Bluesclub. The Bluesclub is a big, high-ceilinged room, with tables and chairs on one side, a large bar on the other, a dance floor and standing area in the center, and a very nice stage on the end, about 4 or 5 feet high, well-appointed with good stage lights and a non-reflective floor, and a connecting stair that leads to the Green Room and to the load-in doors. The wall opposite the stage has large doors that lead to another bar and one of the dining rooms.

One really fascinating and lovely thing about this place is its many photos which cover the walls. The owner Uwe, a beautiful guy, was also a piece of Rock history…as a teen he wound up working for the old Star Club, that place of legend, and assisted the bands that were booked there…including an early rock band called The Beatles. He’s also a photographer, and while at the Star took pictures of EVERYBODY that played there! These pictures include local and visiting acts like Chuck Berry, Screaming Lord Sutch, Ray Charles, Tony Sheridan, Jimi Hendrix, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, The Pretty Things…and of course The Beatles. Many others, too. Just walking around looking at the photos was a big treat for me. Uwe was also a friend of Astrid Kirchherr (and still is, I guess…he said she stops by occasionally), and has wonderful huge prints of her iconic pictures of John, Paul, George & Ringo…and of course of her fiancé Stu Sutcliffe.

Really the best thing about the Bluesclub is the staff, though, and their wonderful hospitality! You could not find friendlier, more professional people anywhere on earth, I’m sure of that. We got there and several of them were there to help us with load-in, getting the heavy speaker cabinets up onto the stage and in position. All these folks are people I remembered from over 10 years ago, which says something for their dedication and Uwe’s managerial style, too. We got the gear up and soundcheck done in record time, thanks to their competence…and then a bottle of good champagne appeared, and we all had a toast to welcome a good night!! Michael of course toasted with sparkling water, but Johnny, Tanya and I all happily availed ourselves of the bottle. Actually there were two bottles, as I recall.

A quick stop to the hotel to freshen up and change, and we were back to the club for dinner. By this time Uwe had arrived, as delightfully cordial as I had remembered him always being. He has a first-class kitchen and we had a FANTASTIC dinner, while Uwe regaled us with tales from the old Star Club days. I have to admit I was totally fascinated. He’s such a nice guy and a good raconteur, but also, I mean, what a life!! I mentioned Rock History before, but really, the man was there. He had hilarious stories about the early Beatles (“At first, when they came here, they were a terrible band! They got better, of course”); Lord Sutch (“Very nice. Quite insane”); and Tony Sheridan (“If I see him in heaven, I’ll have to say ‘Tony, I loved you, but you were a pain in the ass!’”)…it really doesn’t get much better than this. After dinner he walked around the dining room with us, looking at photographs, commenting and telling stories. Quite a delight and a privilege to spend time with him!

 I have said this before, but it’s true…if you want a band to give a great performance, treat them as well as the Bluesclub does!! We got out on stage absolutely psyched to knock this one out of the park, and I think we really did. Mike, Bee and I were just a tornado of energy that night…the open sections were stunningly creative, with stylistic references to Hendrix and Cream flying back and forth; the complicated Katon arrangements were tight as a drum; and the boogie was shining off us like light from the Biblical saints. Mike took the dynamics down to a whisper, and up to a thunderous roar, tearing it up with his sweat-drenched Stratocaster. Bee and I were right with him. I don’t know what the audience was expecting, but they certainly seemed to think they saw something special…their energy was a big part of the performance too. There’s something synergistic about being in a concert, playing or watching, that I always love…the power and energy goes from stage to crowd and back again, building and building, making for experiences that leave you lamely trying to explain them later…as I’m doing now, I guess. Ah, hell, it was a great night, that’s all I can say!! I loved it, it’s why I keep wanting to do this stuff.

 This last one is a picture from summer...it was still a bit chilly for Beer Garden time in February!

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/17/14

  

Tuesday, 2/17/14 – Last night we were in Nuremberg, at a place called Degnitzbuhne – our smallest club yet on this tour!! Almost a closet, down in a basement. Filled with atmosphere, nice people and a very friendly cat, but very very tiny. I think there were 42 people there, and I know we played for the door…so what are Mike and Manni thinking? Well, a few of the guests are rather prominent journalists from prestigious Blues magazines, and I’m pretty convinced the strategy is to work this for the press. Which makes sense…Mike was on hiatus for around 4 years taking care of his father’s medical problems, and aside from a short tour last spring, hasn’t been out in Europe. Getting a good publicity buzz going involves more than just getting out and playing kick-ass shows (although that’s the main thing of course). There’s getting it out in print, or often these days its digital equivalent; and getting good word of mouth from music aficionados.  So rocking some of these smaller clubs is actually cool and smart!

And playing these intimate gigs is really fun, too…a different vibe, and one I’m used to from playing gigs back in SE Michigan. Fun to rock the house, no matter what size, no matter what day. Monday night in Nuremberg? Point me to the stage. Only 9 more gigs to go for the tour. In some ways I want this tour to be done, and in others I never want it to end – I love traveling and I love playing, even if sometimes the details are awful or hilarious, and of course they often are. But it’s also so much fun, and it feels like this is what I’m supposed to be doing, there’s a feeling of certainty about my direction in life when I’m doing this that I don’t find anywhere else.

  

Road Journal - Michael Katon Tour - 2/16/14

 Lit by the flash of the camera...we're waiting for the power to come back on!

Monday, 2/16/14 – On the road to Nuremberg!! Last night at the lovely little Blues club De Weeburg, the power went out four times! The nice owner (who, by the way, had cooked a very nice meal for us herself, and was very kind and funny) apparently was having some serious trouble with the electricity for the stage, the lights, and the PA…well, actually the whole bar. Our first blackout was disconcerting, and the very full club had a slightly alarmed vibe, since we were suddenly almost totally in the dark. The sound man ran around frantically and after maybe 5 minutes (it seemed like more though, of course), got the lights and power back on. We started playing again, got maybe halfway through a song…and bam! In the dark again. A longer pause this time, and then light, and maybe a song and a half…and then once again, the night! At this point, the staff started to light candles for the patrons, and the little bar took on an intimate, eerie look. Everybody stayed around, though, and as the poor soundguy proceeded to troubleshoot cables in the ceiling on a stepladder, the atmosphere was actually quite cheery and party-like. I think the audience was happy that we hadn’t given up and just left, and we were happy that THEY hadn’t given up and left!

 Mike & fan, lit by candlelight and camera flash.

While the repairs continued we mingled and talked with folks by candlelight. Many beverages were consumed (I’m not sure how the staff were working, as the registers must have been shut down, but they seemed to be managing), many laughs were had. Then, hey, lights on! Everybody cheered and we jumped back onstage…for about one song. Shut down again!! But the tech kept at it, and wound up with this one long extension cord that had power. I’m pretty sure it was snaking out from a shop down the street!! So we had one tenuous line, which the amps, PA and one small table lamp were plugged into. The lamp wound up on the floor of the stage, adding yet more semi-dark eerie-ness to the ambiance, but the power held for the rest of the set, and we managed to play through our show and a few encores too. Actually I think we did a great set…something about having these difficulties and rising above them gave an excellent spark to the proceedings!! And the fact that the fans ALL stayed around and were so supportive and responsive made the big difference.

 Boogie in the dark.

The next night was at the Calluna, a club outside the city of Ommen. Kind of a charming big log cabin-y club sort of out in the woods of nowhere, but adjacent to a community of A-frame houses that I think were mostly summer homes for folks in town, with some permanent residents. And, not unexpectedly, one of these rustic residences was allocated for us! I think the owner of the Calluna also owned this of course…and while a little worn and a bit chilly (we got the heaters working though and cured that), not a bad little place. Once again, Mike and I got doubled up. There were only three rooms, and Bee has trouble sleeping at the best of times, let alone with snoring roommates…and Tanya was still recovering from the virus that we’d all been sharing. Pretty small bedrooms at the top of the A-frame, but hey, we’ve had worse.

The Calluna turned out to be a fun gig, although we got there exhausted and were grateful for the break in the cabin to recoup first. The owner Bert was a really nice, VERY enthused guy with a shaven head, long goatee, penchant for constant cigar-smoking and a pretty loud manner…boisterous but very pleasant! We had for an opening act a local band led by Cigar Box Henri, a cool gentleman who played, not unexpectedly, Cigar Box Guitars of his own invention. The band sounded great playing some very rootsy slide guitar based Blues Rock, fun to listen to for sure. We were entertained in the dressing room (well, OK, the kitchen) by Bert’s parrot, who was very talkative and actually a very friendly and cool bird. Funny as hell, too! I thought our show that night was great…I know we were all recovering from this strange virus that we got first in England and now has resurfaced again, but we rose above it and rocked the house. Fun place to play too…the log cabin, biker-y feel reminds me of playing in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We had a nice, if strange, breakfast of eggs and cheese on toast made by Bert this morning, and it’s back on the road.

 Calluna owners and band, after the gig.

Nuremberg is an unknown…we’ll see what’s up when we get there! And there’s another gig after that…but I’m really looking forward to getting to Hamburg and the wonderful Downtown Club, where they have always welcomed us in with hugs and champagne. Who knows what’ll happen, though? It’s the Road, baby.