Damo

Damo Suzuki with French Doctors: Edward Perraud (Drums), Sébastien Borgho (Guitar, Electronics), Nicolas Marmin (Bass, Electronics), Olivier Manchion (Guitar, Bass, Electronics) and Frank le Quengo (E-Drums)

To stay at someone who is expecting baby is kind of positive flow. Nick picked me up from Charles De Gaulle Airport to his new house, outside Paris, quite closer to the airport. He and Verginia lives here since two years. 30Km to Paris, quiet place with country ambiente. I came a day before the performance day as I couldn’t find any possibility to come on the performance day. There was one possibility from Cologne, but it’s too late for sound check. So, I arranged to come here a day before from Dusseldorf, which is just neighborhood to Cologne where I live…around 35 km distance.  

The venue is at outside Paris….for me it’s part of Paris as you cannot find city border. I and Nick went there in time, but you know, sound carriers were coming one after another. I perform tonight with French Doctors, in year 2002, with initiative of Nick as curator, pick up line-up for my first performance in Paris since 30 years, they find chemistry and after that performance they formed the band French Doctors. Sound engineer Etienne was already there when we arrived. Frank and Sebastian came, then Edward in Red shirts just came back from China tour, then Olivier from Reggio Emilia…Most of them I didn’t see for almost 5 years (Hew…time fly so fast) since then Edward became two times father of two girls and Now, French Doctors were complete also Arte (French-German culture TV) team were there to documented our live and interview with me …it will be shown in three months. (Broadcasting date January 30 2009)

So, I’m looking forward to it even I found that I didn’t say anything about Network project. (after man get clever). At sound check, everybody of us felt if we performed together yesterday. I made with French Doctors 2 Paris performance and small French tour with 4 dates. The venue has nice atmosphere as nice people are working there. Also they have gallery around 150 meter from the venue.

As I heard the venue will moved to gallery place, then they have much bigger venue. This was the day everything went well, friendly people, nice venue…after show everybody had smiles on their face. What I need more…… I slept really deep.

Damo Suzuki with Cristian Calcanile (Drums), Paolo Cantu (Guitar), and Xabier Iriondo (Guitar)

Luca and Ricci brought me to Reggio’s rail station. They looks so good future parents. Met Xabier, Varentia and Paulo came from Milano at Piacenza rail station. Before they came I had talk with an old man, who was very curious to know about Japanese language, so I gave him short lessens. Funny named venue “For Sale” was not yet open..(Already sold?)but, we had luck to go to Wobbling market just cross the street run by social aides. I bought very tiny cafe set. Every time interesting to see old toys, watches, clothes, dishes…some nostalgia stuffs. Olivier expected to perform with us, but he was not able to do for any reasons.

The venue is wide than from outside. Relative huge place for city like here.

After performance all Milano teams went back to home, I stayed here at Gianluca, young music student.

Damo Suzuki with Mike Cooper (Guitar), Joe Lally (Bass), Fabrizio Spera (Drums) and Luca Venitucci (Electronics) http://www.myspace.com/sinisternoiseclub  

This is 2nd performance visit to Roma. Across under high grow up thin trees and antique buildings. You feel in ancient at this part is not that much tourists. Rome is truly the MUST… belongs to all those places you have to visit at least one time in your life time. That atmosphere hugs you from every side. Southern dull sun and worm wind, busy street, quite a relaxed people, barking cars…it’s the world of Fellini’s Rome….. around you. This performance is arranged by Massimo, the bass man from Zu. And he was expected to perform with me tonight.

I was waiting for venue owner Maxi at Piramide-Porta station, I changed at the central station. It took while to meet him. I don’t have cell phone (avoid Electro smoke, also I don’t like telephone), so sometime difficulties but, not that often, I have to say…maybe once or twice in year? He asked me what to drink… He seems to waiting my voice create words “cappuccino” next, but there is only one answer when somebody ask me in Italy . Nothing but, “Grappa!!!” Grappa, Vodka, Tequila and Rice snaps “Syoucyu” are my favorite alcohol drinks. I saw Massimo for very short time before sound check today and he disappeared for whole night. Sound carries came, sound check….Still Massimo didn’t appear.

So, show also begun without him. He knew before or just by accident, we had already bass man…from USA. The performance went far well in first time in a couple of years in Rome….The City of Forever…Never Ending. Anna ,is living here for long, is a German lady came up after the show to me at merchandising table, very exciting. Outside, a bit talk with Piero and Eva in not-really-a-cold midnight. They both are living and studying here informed me their friend Barbara got married….congratulations!!!!

Next day I was informed by Email where Massimo were… His wife was sick and he couldn’t come.

Damo Suzuki with Cristiano Calcagnile (Drums),Paolo Cantù (Guitar, Clarinet), and Xabier Iriondo (Guitar, Mahai Metak, Taisho Koto, Electronics)

Heavy eyelid, but quite hungry, found good looking Smorrebrod (Scandinavian open sandwich)after security check at Arlanda airport. Delicious full on black bread slice covered with 2 different smoked salmon slice, one spoon of caviar, herring, Boiled egg, shrimps, cheese, lever paste, salad leaf, sour cucumber…it’s gorgeous breakfast, I guess…. Two hours fly to Riga (I found no good flight connection Stockholm – Milan), two hours transit break, two hours Riga – Milan…all these hours I mainly close my eyes and try to sleep. Just I can’t sleep in plane…at the situation feeling hanging on air without fixed floor/ground.

Paolo picked me up with his van. Went to his place at suburban Milan’s, he cocked Carbonara : pasta with bacon and eggs. The venue is kind of art space beside railway. Outside some art objects.  Francesco, the guy willing to make documentation of Never Ending Tour mailed me and wants to meet me, came before us, just loading. Drummer Christiano joined us he just came from Belgium. Between this date and Next performance, I had enough time. Xabier took me to touristy attractions in Milan. Xabier has very worm mother named Afra, one day she invited me and Xabier for lunch. Also I cooked food invited Paulo and Kiara to Xabiers place. We had good enjoyable time together.

Every time I come to Italy, I think if I could speak this language. But, due to my spontaneous schedule, it’s not easy to get plan to visit lingual school. So, I have to find some way to do this finally. Yes, I had really relaxed days at Xabiers, first break day we went to two concert, one at Xabiers Sound Metak, a percussionist and a guitarist making soundscape. Xabier, organize shows at his vintage music shop, until now around 70 shows in three years. After we went to Trok! the place I performed once. Two older improviser with saxophone and guitar was really interesting to see. Also there were two other shows, one is keyboard sound carrier from San Francisco, I performed with him in Detroit. 2nd break day Xabier invited some friends…we had grill party. I made potato salad and bean salad. His girlfriend Vanetina seems to be interesting to cook. She is a young artist. See show at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41FTN1LKBB0

Damo Suzuki with Chicken El Diablo: Johan Brolin (Guitar, Bass, Micro Korg), William Carlstedt (Bass, Philicorda) , Mathias Lillbäck (Guitar, Micro Korg), Oskar Moberg (Korg MS20) and Christoffer Narin (Drums)

Once upon a time, I was living in Sweden for two winters end of 60’s when I was teenager. Anytime I come back to Sweden I have feeling I might meet someone from that time on the street. A quite sentimental reason to visit here. Stockholm is not that city I live that time. But, feeling to be in Sweden is rather same, clean, high living quality has never changed and also Swedish girls…they’re so cute ever and they’re many.

Sometimes this is reason you move to other country. Gaven is young British guy met his girlfriend in London tube moved to Swedish capital city which has just population of 700,000 ,,this is 1/10 of this country. Stockholm is famous as Venice of North has kind charm Just two hours flight from Cologne, I arrived a day before performance. Gaven is the guy with temperament and he take care many things..he works at Indy label Airwaves and some DJ-ing in the city. His friend prepared food that night veg pasta, his friend and partner Henning at the label is at the moment in Düsseldorf he said, attending his artist girlfriend for her exhibitions there. Later joined by three members of Chickens, and enjoy chat with them slept late. Waked up with melancholy type of hangover. Red wine is not my drugs..anyway seems to drunk much last night.

As Oslo, Stockholm has tasty clean tap water, this is one of reason Gav lives here he said. Today is necessary to drink many waters. Gav picked me up from Henning’s apartment next door is his parents living in middle of the city. Fantastic weather today…since a long time I didn’t have that good weather. Walking through Gamla Stan…old town..heart of this city. Nice place to walk.

The venue is on the hill. We took elevator, to avoid much stair steps also he said he never took this so this is the chance. The venue is fantastic building with many other live hall, pubs and restaurants. From beer garden you can see skyline of Stockholm. This building is build 1815 and the venue has special charm. Typical in Scandinavian country. Simple but, has own style, not forcing.

Sound check done with guitarist from supporting band. Everybody was just friendly to me like if I am living here. Plenty time to show starts, two support acts, each has one hour…all bands signed with Airwave lavel. Gav introduced me many people that easy to forget names quickly. Leon came from Oslo for DJ-ing. He is friend of Gav, also British (half Italian)..so, within two months I met Leon again. He is worm person, he moved Oslo for his girlfriend. But, he is enjoying life there. I have to go to Airport early morning tomorrow, so I have to leave flat of Henning around 4AM. Around 8,9 people was waking together with me until I left. Gaven and Leon brought me to shuttle bus stop. they must be tired too..almost sleeping on bench at bus stop.