Necessity is the mother of detention
And I am in hand detention. The show must go on? Last night I played at The Old Fire Hall in Rossland BC and I was somehow able to eke out 90 minutes on stage. It was mostly stories and then songs. I felt like I was starting over trying to fit a glass slide on my pointer finger and play the guitar in open tunings flat on my lap. It wasn't pretty but I made it through the night. At one point I had my friend Mark Pollard come up and play the chords with his left hand while I finger picked.
I have a lot to learn in the next 8 weeks of healing time. Shiza Minelli this sucks royally but what else am I going to do? Cancel shows? One time my friend Frag told me saw me play a show for 2 hours and I only did about 6 songs. But I wasn't forced into that. This time is different. So I'll do my best to weather my detention and then I'll be back with a vengeance like Chuck Norris.
Detentionally yours,
Steve
I broke my left hand!
My fourth metacarpal has a spiral fracture. I did it skiing in Rossland, BC. I crashed and heard it break right when I hit the ground. So now here I sit totally bummed typing with my right hand like a chicken pecking at some bird seeds. I'm wearing bright pink cast on my left hand.
What does this mean for me and the upcoming shows?
Glad you asked.
It means that this Friday night's show in Rossland is just going to be stories and acapella stuff. I can't play guitar which is my favorite thing in the whole world. This hurts my heart real bad.
No shows will be canceled! The show must go on. My Belly Up Bday show WILL STILL HAPPEN! I'll be one of those guys in a band that just sings. Like Aerosmith? AC/DC? I don't know. I'll do my best. Once the cast comes off I'll have to do rehab work to get me back to normal. That's the way the skis tumble. At least I can still sing. And tell jokes and act like an idiot. The idiot part seems to come really easy to me.
Here's a pic of my pink cast.
The diagnosis is "an undisplaced spiral fracture of the fourth metacarpal in tthe left hand and did not involve a joint"
I like the part that says "did not involve a joint." I guess that means I wasn't smoking weed.
I hope to see you beautiful friends and neighbors real soon.
Good thoughts,
Steverino (ski idiot who thinks he doesn't need his hands) Poltz
Good to be home
Drawing by Laura Barnard
It's always good to come home but I sure do love Australia. I'm gearing up to leave for Canada and trying to get ready for my Belly Up Tavern show on Feb 19. John Castro is flying in to San Diego for The Rugburns extravaganza debacle and I'm finishing all the last details for my new CD Dreamhouse which will be available for the first time on that Friday night.
Life just seems to keep pumping along and along the way I meet cool musicians like this Canadian guy named Dan Mangan. He played at a couple of the same places I played in Australia. Very cool gent and a good entertainer as well. I also saw Folk Uke! Man, are they ever funny! If you get a chance, don't miss their show. They're sweet and bawdy and touching and crude all in one package.
The drawing at the top of this entry is by a really cool artist from England named Laura Barnard. Check out her site and hire her for work.
I'm also in the midst of finishing up a second cd that I was working on in Perth. It's being mixed as I type this. Totally different vibe from Dreamhouse. I hope you like them both. I don't have a title yet for the Perth record or a release date but it will be this year. I also just got word that Malcolm is flying out from Perth for my Belly Up show. He recorded and is mixing my Perth record. You're going to love him.
Ciao,
Steve
Summertime in a park in Perth
It's 42 degrees here today which I think is 107 in my language. It's freaking hot I tell you. My friend Dominick took this picture in a park overlooking Perth. Today's my final day recording and then I fly to Melbourne. But I'm fixing to get up at 5:30 am Monday to watch The Charger game before I leave for my 5 hour Qantas flight. I'm going to watch the game on my computer via live streaming. It'll be Sunday at 1:30 pm in San Diego and I'll be all alone cheering and jumping up and down. Sometimes I get a little homesick but then that feeling goes away. I'll be home soon enough. Do I even have a home? If you guys ever get a chance to visit West Australia then I suggest you do it. Miles and miles (kilometers and kilometers) of beautiful coastline.
Thanks for always being so cool and coming to my shows. I really appreciate it.
SjjP
Recording in Perth
I took this picture in a haunted hotel somewhere in The Blue Mountains. I survived and now I'm on the west coast. I'm in Perth finishing up a 2nd record. The first one was recorded in Halifax. It's been a fun time but I leave Perth on Monday for Melbourne. I wanted to post some video action of the recording session. We were working on a new song called Spirit Hands. Chris Modl shot and edited this stuff. The 2 guys that own the studio are Malcolm (red shirt) and Sibbsy (white shirt). I only have one show left -Melbourne on the 20th of Jan at The Builders Arms in Fitzroy.
Go Chargers
Steve
Watch Steve talk about UFOs and a chance encounter with an alien
Did I ever tell you guys about the time I saw a UFO and then later saw an alien? It was crazy and exhilarating and strange as hell. Rather than type it out I think I'll tell you about it in a video. It's a true story. Bushwalla filmed this little documentary and edited it. We're having fun here in Australia.
Believe!
Steve
Pals for life (Rugburns added to Feb 19 Belly Up show)
You guys are my pals for life. That means that I've taken out life insurance on all of you. We're all in this together like flies stuck on that yellow sticky paper you sometimes see in truck stop toilets. I have a feeling that if you're friends with me then you'll have a good 2010. Of course, I'll have to "dispose" of one or two of you in order to reap the proceeds and continue to live this privileged life I've been gifted.
I'm staying in a hotel right now that's haunted. I'm scared of ghosts and I feel a couple hovering around me now. Perhaps I'll make friends with them and make them a cup of tea. I walked upstairs and to my room #38 at the end of the hall and my door slammed shut but I never touched it. I got chills.
The Rugburns have been added to my birthday extravaganza blowout show at The Belly Up Tavern! John Castro is flying out from NYC and he's bringing his bass geeetar with him. This is going to be my new cd release for "Dreamhouse" and I'll play a set with The Cynics and then rest for 15 minutes and finish off the night with The Rugburns. Of course, don't forget that the wonderful Mojo Nixon will start off the evening with a rare performance. If you've never seen Mr. Nixon then in you're in for a treat like you can't imagine.
I'll be on ABC radio this Saturday January 9th being interviewed by the illustrious Simon Marnie. 9:40 am Sydney Australia time. Listen here cobbers.
I'm a day ahead you peeps in The USA so if you're in California that would be Friday the 8th at 2:40 pm. It's all so confusing but we're 17 hours ahead.
Carry on,
Steve
I've seen the light
Headed to the blue mountains today to play at The Clarendon and I'm thinking it's going to be the best day of my life. I hear Katoomba is pretty cool and that the people there all eat leaves and drink extra virgin olive oil. There is money hidden in a vault in the local pub and I'm going to crack the safe. It's going to be the biggest heist in years. Word has it that there's like 90 bucks stashed in the back in a bag underneath some rare African diamonds and an original Picasso. I'll leave that crap and take the cash and buy everyone some pies at a roadside stand. I'll send some free pies to you if you send me your pin numbers and credit cards. Also, I'd like to have the passwords to your online bank accounts. I've seen the light and it's really bright and my eyes hurt and I might need to "purchase" some Prada sunglasses.
I hope I see you guys soon somewhere. It's quiet this morning and I slept well and missed yoga. I don't know what to do with the extra 2 hours I've now been given. I think I'll build a model airplane. Come meet me in The Blue Mountains and sing songs with me.
***ALSO***
Just added a show!
20th January, 2010 - 8PM
Builders Arms Hotel
211 Gertrude St
Melbourne
Fitzroy VIC 3065
Ph: (03) 9419 0818
Love ya- mean it- bye
SjjP
Who the #@#%^&* is Steve Poltz?
Happy New Year people! I love you all so much that it hurts my kidneys. Owwww! I'm overflowing with love. Or maybe I just have to go pee. This is a view from where I played a New Years Eve show in Sydney. So much fun. The fireworks were amazing and the pies at Harry's Cafe De Wheels were yummy.
Here's a video I made of me interviewing Aussies.I wanted to show you just how well known I am down here. Hope to see you guys at some shows. Tonight I play at the Northcote Social Club in Melbourne and attendance is compulsory. Check the tour dates for other shows.
Happy New Year!
Free Music from a guy named Steve Poltz
If you go to The Daytrotter site you'll be able to download some free music. I think it's me that you download. Yes it is! I'm playing some songs and singing. Check it oot.
On the last blog entry I wrote I said My Mom drove my wounded dog Bojo to the vet. I also said my Dad drove. How could they both drive you ask? Well let me splain it to you.
ahem ahem....
They both love driving so much that they always fight over who gets to drive the car. They're like a couple of 16 year olds who just got their drivers licenses. Meanwhile my dog was dying in the backseat on my blood stained Levis that I bought with my paper route money. So I screamed " you two knock it off! Dad! You drive first and then when we get to Ruth Hardy Park, pull over and let Mom drive down to Ramon rd past Palm Springs High School (go Indians!) to the vet on highway 111. You guys have to learn to share for Chrissakes!"
They both shook hands and agreed with me. This was back when Richard Nixon was President and there was a war. He was spying on his political rivals and I was spying on Megan Hanlon who lived down the road from us. She loved Bojo too so I knew I'd get a sympathy kiss. Me and Mokie and Megan would play football in the dirt lot behind Shakeys Pizza.
To this day my parents still fight over who gets to drive to Costco for jumbo packs of root beer. Sometimes when I come home for lasagna and cookies they let me drive their car to the movies while they sit in the backseat holding hands and pretending we're in the movie Driving Miss Daisy. Only it's Mr. and Mrs. Daisy.
So that's how they both ended up driving Bojo to the vet.
Thanks for reading this latest entry.
Just for sticking around you get a free car.
Love,
Oprah
Australia Tour
image by Megan Carter
Headed out to play The Peats Ridge Festival for the next couple of days. Hope to see you there.
I love you all almost as much as I loved my dog Bojo when I was a kid in Palm Springs. He got runover by a woman in a Cadillac with a martini between her unshaven legs while wearing a silk nightie. This was back in '71 of course when Elvis was still alive. The car rested precariously on Bojo's sweet little neck while I screamed in horror for her to "Back up! Back up!" After what seemed like an eternity she drove the car forward and Bojo popped up like an adreneline fueled jack in the box an made the most horrible barking/yelping sound I've ever heard in my life. My Dad drove him to the vet in our Ford Pinto station wagon while blood leaked from his torn neck all over my 11 year old lap as I held him crying. Mom drove like she was Mario Andretti and we rushed our little dog in and he was stitched up in the nick of time. It took him a few weeks to recover and he slept next me every night even though I was allergic to him. I cradled him to sleep each evening. Gosh dang it I loved that dog. He lived to be 17 and grew fat and old and eventually died of AIDS complications. ( just kidding about that) he died of dog cancer. My parents put him to sleep while I was off to college. I cried in my dorm room while my new roomates consoled me by laughing at me. I still hate them.
Wow. This went on a little longer than I thought but I feel much better now. Today I'll let the rest of my anger go.
This is what music sounds like in Australia
Wandering around Chinatown in Sydney I found my new sound. I want to learn how to play this thing. I think you'll even see Milan wiping a fake tear from his smart ass crocodile eye. Bushwalla dug it and then Milan mocks it and then Modl looks scared.
Do you come from a land down under
Just landed in Sydney, Australia after a 16 hour flight. Bushwalla was on the flight with me and will be opening all the shows. My tour mgr Chris Modl was on a different plane like he was Joe Biden. Delta has great movie selections. I watched 5 flicks. Jesus Christo my eyes hurt. The French Connection, Wall Street, Citizen Kane, District 9 and Shine A Light. Gonna go to a Bikram Yoga class and then eat. Tomorrow we play The Peat's Ridge Festival and then I don't know what's happening. Perhaps I'll sleep and then go shoplifting. I love shoplifting and littering and The Chargers.
New Tour dates and Steve Poltz dog trainer part 2
photo by Matt Noellert
There are new tour dates being added. On the road is where I'll be. If you're in the San Diego area I'll be near you in December. If you're in Australia, I'll be there in January. If you'd like a house concert in Australia we have a couple dates open. Contact Milan We're especially looking for something in Perth. But we wouldn't mind other parts as well.
I'll be releasing my new cd Dreamhouse on Feb 19 at The Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach Ca. This also happens to be my birthday. It's all coming together as we speak. 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 50 is the new black. I don't feel like I'll be 50. I feel 60.
SXSW in March in Austin Texas! I'll be there. There'll be lots of shows. Then I'll be heading east. Let's book a house concert. Give me a reason to keep the tour going forever.
I'm finally playing in Oceanside California. Dcember 18! At The Royal Dive. My sister lives there so she's happy because she won't have far to drive. This show is in December as is Ramona Ca at Cheers. Cheers will be my 6th annual Christmas show. Sheesh! Where do the years go?
I'm a world renowned dog trainer. Let me train your dog even though I'm allergic.
Good day!
Steve
I'm Giving Thanks It's Thanks I'm Giving
Howdy,
Here's a little ditty I made up yesterday.
love,
steve
I can’t stop now I’m in water too deep
I’m in the middle of a storm
From my head to my feet
But I’m in love with every body I meet
If there’s a God I she’s good to me
I know she’s seen me in my dark days
Stumbling on my knees
if I’m a believer
it’s usually when I’m in need
I’m giving thanks it’s thanks I’m giving
I’m letting go of all self pity
i’m introducing myself to the world
just wanna say
hello world its very nice to meet you
I hope to stick around with brand new eyes
I got good friends they’re like family to me
I got good family they’re like strange weird friends to me
I guess I’m thankful for all the people I see
I can’t stop now I’m in water too deep
I’m in the middle of a storm
From my head to my feet
But I’m in love with every body I meet
I’m giving thanks it’s thanks I’m giving
I’m letting go of all self pity
