Diary

Damo Suzuki with the Holy Soul: Jon Hunter (Guitar), Trent Marden (Guitar), Pete Newman (Laptop), Kate Wilson (Drums) and Sam Worrad (Bass)
http://www.myspace.com/hopetounhotel

Visiting Australia in European winter time since 2004—6th year. Supposed to catch airplane from Düsseldorf to London, flight schedule display at airport shows my flight is canceled due to snowing in South East England. Oh, what can I do?…so early in the morning I’m not awake enough already problem….Once again I have to improvise, memory of last year turn back…..last year fog made my flight to London delay and couldn’t catch connecting flight to Melbourne via Singapore.

I thought this time would be fully chaos like last year. Last year…even my suitcase was missing for a week. Oh, no this time again! (History repeats often twice) London met snowing since 18 years and quite chaos in the metropolis and destination metropolis Melbourne is historical record heat..around 47 degree saw in television. One extreme to another extreme. This time also take flight via Hong Kong. This is really long stretch from Europe to Melbourne (Better next time, I arrange tour if I go to Japan then after to Australia).

There is no direct flight, so at least you have to make one stop, if you fly from Europe towards south, Singapore or Hong Kong. Then wait there for few hours (Hong Kong airport is OK…you have free WIFI, so I informed Tim that I will be late) It’s takes altogether around 33 hours (!!!) but, many times it took more than this…this time something like 37 hours. Also this stretch is crazy with temperature change beside time difference of 10 hours.

Tim promised me to pick up from Tullamarine airport, but he totally forgets. So I was waiting him for an hour. Called his place, but nobody came to phone, so I took Skybus (Shuttle Bus from airport to Southern Cross Station, bus terminal in Melbourne city), Taxi is quite expensive for this far. I used to walk from Southern Cross Station to Tim and Sally’s. Only 5 blocks, it’s easy walk even with big suitcase (Surely it has wheels). If you near to Swanston street then you may find some drunken people on the street and bars and clubs even late in mid-night. Warm air covers me, forgetting European wintertime. As I had been often here, so I feel like come back to home. Buildings, trees, street, warm air….hey, I’m here again!!!! When I arrived their place on Swanston Street after midnight.

Tim & Sallly is living really middle of this metropol on 5th floor. To get there I have to discuss with doorman, have to explain them I’m visitor of Tim and Sally and will stay here for a month, etc..as they have pub called “Cookie” most popular pub in Melbourne, even you can get Kölsch beer (Beer sort from Cologne), which is quite surprise to see barrel here at almost opposite side of globe. Also they have 2nd floor music venue ” Toff” where I also perform. I knocked the door it took quite long to wake up Sally, and she was wondered that Tim forget to pick me up from airport. He usually is very trustable and solid person. (Everyone has sometimes blackout, so what..) Many Aussies told me this year is worst year in young Australians history.

Here near Melbourne is captured by bushfire. (Normally not this part of continent.) Queensland is flooded. Catastrophically summer. Global warming? Next days it’s difficult to miss on streets, on the street and shops there are donation box for victim of catastrophe. Newspaper capture space first one to 5,6 pages only about bushfire. Otherwise Australia is very peaceful country. Few days later first show in Sydney, John and Sam from Holy Souls picked me up from Domestic airport. Went to Johns place with small garden where three other young artists are sharing house. I was still tired from jet lag…(I’m not good with this phenomena)..I went deep sleep like shell in deep sea. If you fly against rotation of planet, it’s heavier with jet lag like this time.

When I wake up everybody’s gone for party (Yeah, yeah young people of today..) Suddenly in middle in the night (Actually it was not so late…21 or 22 o’clock…my watch goes different) I woke up, somebody through small stones hit window and shouting my name…I have to open the door, the voice shouted. Then came Tara and her boyfriend came in. At this stage I was quite hungry and she was asking if I’m hungry…and she cooked for hungry Japanese man….pasta with tomato.

Next evening performance at Hope Toun Hotel, third performances at this venue. A couple of days talk of the town for some young people was which concerts they go to….as parallel to our show there is show of sound carrier friend Acid Mothers Guru Guru. Some claim why have to arrange like this. It’s true, we could put it together as an event. A couple of days before I heard that Kawabata (AMT) is sick and he and his pal Tsuyama is not able to come to Australia at all. As far as I heard, poor Mani has to arrange spontaneously his line-up. He found some old friend saxophonist in Mel and other guys. Our performance went far well and people are happy. People who went to Mani’s show have also enjoyable evening after I heard from some people. Next day will be historical heat day…forecast was 47 degrees…but, it had not happen.

I cooked for 8, 9 people vegetarian dishes (as I heard Kate, the drummer is vegetarian.) Vegetarian cooking is quite difficult. Many vegetarian restaurants cooks not that good, it’s high energy like if you cook meat. Anyway, I believe for well cooking, you need good clean water, organic materials which comes from local and select season vegetables. If I have much time maybe three or four years, I would like to study Syojin Ryori which is originally cooked in Japanese temple. Buddhist doesn’t eat meat and also Japanese tradition is not well known eat meat. Anyway …everybody seems to be enjoying my food after sightseeing together, mainly Museums, Botanic Garden, Sydney’s trademark…Opera House and beautiful but, touristy port…. Back to Melbourne…On Wednesday, Interview with Gunnar, Luneburg, Germany through Skype. There was a lot of connecting problem during interview. But, he said OK..He can use that material….. He arranged the show on April in his city.

Damo Suzuki with MKM: Norbert Möslang (Cracked Everyday-Electronics), Jason Kahn (Analog Synth) and Günter Müller (Percussion) http://www.palace.sg/

I don’t like DB (Deutsche Bahn…German rail), it’s most expensive in Europe and every time I take this, delay or canceled, I’d never had good luck…even if train go “Normal” I will be surprised and I have to mark this date on my diary. This time also as usual… not out of unfortunate. Anyhow I felt something will be happen this morning, You know sometimes you feel something before thing happen….7th inclination?

A couple of weeks before I took contact to Rainer, is cousin of excellent guitarist late Michael Karoli. Rainer and I have not seen for more than 5 years and he was really happy to meet me and experience my performance. So, I decided to go St.Galan a day before the performance since he mailed me and informed that he is living very close to St.Galan. So, our plan to meet today and go for pub and eat (is just not happened). Fortune in unfortunate, I didn’t miss my performance. My odyssey…. Cologne-St.Galan is really far.

I bought rail ticket a week ago before I flied to Italy to avoid stay on long line at ticket office. DB has bad service too, especially when you buy ticket you have to wait for around half an hour if it’s goes well. And every customer on the line looks very nerves, angry, some shout at ticket seller..it’s not good atmosphere. (Now a day I buy on net.) Always something in the air. So, I bought mine at airport, I don’t have to wait so long, also before fly generally I take enough time. My train schedule is quite mess. Cologne to Mannheim, Mannheim to Ulm, Ulm to Friedrichshafen Stadt, Friedrichhafen Stadt to Friedrichshafen Hafen, Friedrichshafen Hafen to Ferry, Then to Romanshorn in Switzerland, then from there to St.Galan. Many changes.

I feel quite skeptic, if one of those train come a bit later all my schedule will be messed up. Every change has around only 5 minutes between. DB (Deutsche Bahn) did it again!!! Already at 2nd change at Mannheim, train I have to take was delay for 70 minutes on technical problem. (Mainly this is the reason..wait, wait..don’t they check locomotive before ?…Quality Check?) So, now on I have to improvise, through all plan away! Anyhow I arrived in Friedrichshafen…I have to go to opposite side of Bodensee, biggest German Lake between Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It took not long to realized couldn’t reach last ferry of the day. I took Hotel near Friedrichshafen train station…and also went to hotel restaurant. If you had plan this kind of situation is just empty solution. Rainer called me in Hotel and we had appointment for tomorrow. The day 1st is over. 2nd day, I woke up early enough to get breakfast..I was not able to sleep. Just let my body rest. If your body is really resting then next day (This is my theory).

Early enough at harbour, ferry across Bodensee. Breakfast at restaurant on ferry. A small bottle of sekt (German Champagne ..generally far cheaper) and white sausage (strange combination!!) I could see Rainer already far as there are not that much people waiting for passenger. Through sleeping villages seeing mountains to his apartment. We had enough time to visit is his colleague and share local drink (exactly I say local snaps!). When we arrived the venue that is theater it was early enough, three sound carriers tonight were already there for sound check or preparing their self made machine that makes soft electro-mechanical sound. (Oh, We don’t have any percussion at all, not standard formation..Even no Bass and guitar….I thought in my head)

All three sound carriers are electro noisemaker, set up their instruments on desk. They look much like professors of physic or whatever. But, they produce not loud noise. So, soft..Almost like technical lessons at school or research labor. Then after all we went to eat at old part of city. Switzerland is mainly you can eat good quality things. ( I don’t mean price here, my Yams are paid by the promoter Damian a very young guy, and he got this job at the spot as booker recently. The performance was very strange sort, I say. Sometimes I felt like homeless child in sound they make. So, I left the stage and running through audience for a couple of times (Am I sporty?) They on the stage thought I escaped from this kiri kiri electro insect sounds. I tell you, I feel sometimes happiest person on this planet, have opportunity to challenge many kind of sound making.

This was truly one of most interesting performance which I’ve ever done. There are many possibilities to create and this night I won another experience, which makes me rich in my energy source. Finally I was happy to be in this sound universe.

Next day before I leave, Rainer took me to restaurant runs by two nice young ladies. Final close often like beginning. Way back to Cologne, bad situation with DB was exactly same like when I come to Switzerland. This trip was almost like from nightmare to dream and back to nightmare…….

Damo Suzuki with Maurizio Abate (Guitar), Christian Calcagnile (Drums), Xabier Iriondo (Guitar), Maikko (Effects) and Nino (Turntables) http://www.trok.it/

Now a days very difficult to find public telephone, generally people has a cell or two. I travel without and I will never be owner. Cell or normal house telephone, just I don’t like telephone. People who spoke with me on wire will never have long talk with me. So, that’s why for me not understandable, some talk hours and hours, even at party. Maybe at least once in a year, it may be necessary for emergency for me..But, I don’t miss this tool at all.

Xabier wanted me to call when I arrive beautiful and very gorgeous central station of Milan and he will pick me up. It was not easy to find public telephone, took a while. They’re stands very shy placing invisible at unattractive part of the station. (In front of Police) Flight to Malpenza, then shuttle bus to Milan Central, I did it many times and this is routine thing. Somehow, I feel quite at home here where I have good friends. I must have cuisine that is a singer at opera, I tried to find her, no success. Maybe it’s good so, I met her may be only once in my life, may be I’ve never see her, I don’t know.

Milan has lots of contracture at the moment, preparing for Expo 2015. The venue is alternative scene Milan’s, quite a ruin. Xabier, Valencia and I are there for sound check, it took a while for. You know, everywhere I go, I don’t know many people, and even I don’t know who will be Network sound carrier tonight.

Anyway there is fireplace at the middle of the venue. Some people are standing in front of fire, it’s necessary at the place like here, and also yesterday I was in Sardinia. I feel much colder if you come from south. Here is alternative scene, drinks are really cheap (I don’t talk about quality) also they had home made food after sound check.

One of guy at the fireplace was an old African guy in traditional West African dashiki. In West Africa is taboo to ask old man about his age. I’m sure he is far younger than me. I thought he belongs to supporting band. But, after I found he is an immigrant and poor. So, he is hanging around here to get some food and drink. Promoter was happy as it was full, much more than he was expected.

Damo Suzuki with Fabio Cerina (Baritone guitar, Bass guitar), Laura Farneti (Synth and Samples), Andrea Ferrari (Guitar), Valter Gosamo (Drums and Saxophone), Manuel Lain (Guitar) and Mirko Santoru (Trumpet and Clarinet)
http://www.myspace.com/sleepwalkersclub

I was in deep sea diving for pearl. I slept like respectable rock with moor sleeping for hundreds of years. When I back from trip, it was already 9am. Xabier brought me to Linate airport (Milan has two airport, this is smaller than Malpenza, an another airport) Edward explained me last night the flight company is terrible, they just sent him SMS to inform the flight he booked for Sunday has been canceled. And he had to take Monday flight, which is not good for him, he has appointment. Same airline, I take today.

At Cagliari airport, after baggage claim find the economic teacher at college I see Fabio, an economic teacher at college after baggage reclaim I cannot imagine we didn’t see us for a year. Time fly so quickly…feel like I saw him a couple of weeks before. He was a little handicapped to walk from his Kunfu training. I forgot I have interview this afternoon, after Grappa we went to radio for interview. A couple of young people at the studio, listen to my words translated by Fabio.

Then Drive to Guspini…Sleepwalker. It’s very difficult to find it if you’re not local..it placed at middle of nowhere. Just middle in Agra tourism. No, neighborhood, no houses, no police..The venue stands alone, surrounded by nature ..They have own garden and parking place. Two years before I performed here for first time and that was first time in Sardinia. Last time was even open-air festival, tonight is inner room. This time of the year even in Sardinia a bit cold, which is no compare with Middle Europe. Fabio told me people here come so late…we will start from 00:30. I don’t know from where all those come from but, lots of people inside, everybody seems to be very relaxed. We performed two sets.

Damo Suzuki with Xabier Iriondo (Taisyou Koto, effects) and French Doctors: Edward Perraud (Drums), Sébastien Borgho (Guitar, Electronics), Nicolas Marmin (Bass, Electronics) and Olivier Manchion (Guitar, Bass, Electronics)

To visit Italy is such a fun….good foods, drinks, culture, girls, history, life-style….except politic and mafia…they’re colour of my taste. Arrived in Bologna airport, found there Davide, arranged the show, a free concert at the art space. Davide and I have to wait around an hour at the airport for Edward, the drummer from Paris.

Davide asked me for drink at bar…without any second to wait my voice made „Grappa!!” I do like this sort of snaps like Tequilla, Vodka, and Aquavit strong transparent drinks. Edward!!!…Father of two daughters came from Paris. Around 30 minutes drive we arrived the venue.

Today is my birthday. It’s not bad idea to make performance on own birthday. Good personal new year begin, see many sound carriers friends at once even we perform tonight together. Also I haven’t been performing for almost a month. Hungry to perform.

French Doctor is one of bands, I have good relationship. Unfortunately Franq is not able to join us tonight. Instead Xabier came from Milan and joined us. Luca and Ricci visited me before show start. Ricci is a pregnant, so she cannot stay long. Opening performed by excellent drummer Charles Hayward solo. I performed with him last time..not long ago in Birmingham. After the show all together enjoyed good Italian food…everything was tasty and this is worth to be in Italy. Concert organizer brought birthday cake with number 59 (after 30 I forgot to count..man, time is melting so quickly). So beautiful decorated colorful fruits cake.

Tomorrow, I have to go to Sardinia, My flight is from Milan so I joined Xabier, Nick and Valencia. When we arrived Xabier’s house, I was really tired. Just I have to go to bed…..anyway already 5 o’clock in the morning. Visual :
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfmfuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=50589295

Damo Suzuki with Valentin Altenberger (Oud, Bass, Gitarre), Christian Burchard (Xylophon), CPU (Noise-Ambient-Soundscapes), Didi Foth (Sax), Johannes Frisch (Double Bass), Kosmik Klaus (Visuals) and Michael Ströder (Drums, Percussion)

I didn’t see Christian since beginning of 70’s. He is Embryo Drummer and last time I saw him was at University festival somewhere in Germany..I cannot remember which one was it? Darmstadt?.

Also joined by two concert organizers. Valentin was also member of Embryo, but later. He is a Bass player makes bass guitar by own and he sale them. I arrived here and was totally tired. This is my last concert of the year 2008, maybe all tiredness come together. Kosmik Klaus and Andreas (KOSMIK KLAUS and his Solar Sea Slide Show) were here again to show their talent, but unfortunately they cannot make their size of light show as usual for some technical reasons..and I’m sure they were disappointed.

Anything was strange this night. Gosh, it wasn’t that much worked out. Karlsruhe is world famous for ZKM (Centre for Art and Media) and seat of two of highest courts in Germany. A very important city for German law. This part of Germany (closer to French border) is one of most interesting place for gourmet. My thought is so, where good wine exists, foods are also good.

Damo Suzuki with the Whole: Member (Bass, Electronics), Stolle (Guitar, Electronics) and Christian Wolf (Drums, Electronics) http://kulturbuero.jugendamt-of.de/

Whole is getting one of my permanent band. Whenever I perform around Frankfurt, they appear as regular sound carrier band if it’s necessary. They are trio. They explained me that they didn’t perform together for a while. Member now lives with amount of musician together and he feels good. Member and Stolle are playing together for decade, there is chemistry between both of them. So, they have an another project together.

Stolle is not from Frankfurt, he lives in Karlsruhe around 1 and half hour drive by car. Tomorrow I perform there. Christian has some side project, at this stage he performs with Samba band. To perform with Whole is easy thing. Even I didn’t perform with them for a year, it’s sound like we were in rehearsing room for long time together preparing pieces. They perform psychedelic music. I have to say this kind of sounds is actually my nature. When I perform here, light shows are arranged, every time performed by Kosmik Klaus and Andreas from Knittingen. They make fantastic light show and they made a couple of times with Whole and my performances and others. Michel Koch is nice intelligent guy who books concerts here at this venue and some social arrangement for young people. He is very social, explained me that he has project with 200 young terrible teenies making music together to get them on better social. And now he have more kids and he had to separate two groups. Now 400 kids join Michaels project. I think he do great job.

I perform here for three times. All those above mentioned positive people together nothing negative things will happen. Already sound check was fantastic, even we can play further. Just wait for audience, drink sparking wine….and relax. In Germany there is not that much followers for this sort of music. Many German rock bands from 70’s has problem to arrange shows in own land…..including myself. But, tonight I had better feeling then I saw some people showed up slowly filled up the space. “..and this time “Michael said, he made much announcement about the performance. Now here is result. It’s nice to perform at least this amount of people.

UK London @ Bardens Boudoir Damo Suzuki with Makoto Kawabata (Guitar)

We arrived London, had hours to relax, and went to Gerald and Sylke.. The venue is quite complicated to reach from Crouch End, not good connection and have to walk some blocks. I’ve been performing here few times. This performance is remarkable as the club owner thought Makoto and I perform as duet and didn’t invite sound carriers at all, even not guitar amplifier for Makoto.

We start to walk on the stage, equipment was almost loaded. We should get at least guitar amplifier for Makoto. Anyhow we managed two members of Kits, an Australian band from Melbourne, now based in London, joined us spontaneously (I will meet them in two months in Melbourne)and Glyn, the flute player. I sat at merchandising spot, Shingai from Noisette said me hello but, I didn’t recognise her as she changed a lot. (Another hairstyle!) She joined Network performance in Aberdeen a couple of year before. A

ll members of Bo Ningen, London based Japanese band. Everybody of the band is so skinny…like sticks (“Bo” in Japanese), “Ningen” means human being. You can imagine 4 (young) Japanese John Cooper Clarks.

After the show as usual took taxi to Crouch End, sat at their kitchen, drink and relaxing for a while. But, I slept almost none, as I had to take my flight to get 1st train to Stanstead from Tottenham Hales. So, I didn’t have time (they’re sleeping) to say good-bye to three of them. It was short and nice trip with Makoto, an excellent guitarist. He said some days before, He is getting taste of creating time and space of the moment with ever changing local sound carriers, unfortunately it was too short……

Damo Suzuki with Joe Garcia (Bass), Makoto Kawabata (Guitar) and Statck (Drums)

Quite often I had to experience, British rail makes repair on weekend. I was supporting to pick up Makoto, when I came to the place he stayed for two days by taxi, he went already to station. I found him at in front of the station in middle of lots of passengers, all they were informed instead train, and they have to take connecting bus to next positive destination. So we had to take bus to Gloucester and change to train.

Bristol is not first time, I performed a couple of times. This time with other sound carriers. We bring ourselves into one of those business hotel, rest and eat-in. Took taxi to the venue for sound check. The venue was filled up with music fans already when a band opens the show. This time I had not that time in Bristol. We performed 2 sets with two different formations of Bristol sound carriers. Visual of concert you can see here

1st Set: Damo Suzuki with Charles Hayward (Drums, Electronics), Makoto Kawabata (Guitar) and the Courtesy Group: Dave Baker (Drums), Dave Cochrane (Bass), Chris Cundy (Baritone Sax, Bass Clarinet), Saul Hillier (Bass), Al Hutchins (Voice) and Hidehiko Nagai (Guitar)

2nd Set: Damo Suzuki with Makoto Makoto Kawabata (Guitar)

3rd Set: Damo Suzuki with Charles Hayward (Drums, Electronics), Makoto Kawabata (Guitar) and Pram: Rosie Cuckston (Vocal), Harry Dawes (Theremin, Trombone, Stylophone), Matt Eaton (Guitars, Keyboards, SFX), Laurence Hunt (Drums), Sam Owen (Bass) and Max Simpson (SFX, Samples)

One break day, moved to Birmingham. Return to London Waterloo station to Euston then Birmingham, 2nd largest city in England. Picked up by young Pakistani taxi driver, a close friend of Al, he will take care about us this afternoon. Al have to work, so Al arranged him, every time I came to Birmingham, he attends me.

Walk through city center, we went to German Christmas Market. It’s strange…why German Christmas in Birmingham? Even this is biggest and longest (early November to December 23) German Christmas Market outside of Germany. I tried some German sausages and naturally Gluhwein, which you never miss at original German Christmas Market. Gluhwein is warm wine mixed with some herbs and sugar…it makes you warm, but I guess it’s easy to get headache if you drink some glasses, take care!! It’s not my drug…just I wanted to invite both friends for a bit of German Christmas taste. I bought muffler at the market. It was quite expensive. It’s silk. My Pakistani friend was claiming the shop about high price and after he advised me,” if you buy something first you have to ask me. Price like here is not really correct to tourist like you.” (Thanks) After I’ve got very easy answer why German Christmas Market in Birmingham…Frankfurt is partner city of Birmingham since some years. Oh, all those partner city stories. It’s only good for politicians who enjoy to be invited and visit those partner cities, no relation at all for normal citizen. (By the way Cologne has around 30 partner cities all over the world.) Makoto wanted to go to friend’s record shop that has released some of Makoto’s stuff. Anyway if I travel with musicians, they like to go to record shop…is this market research? Probably Makoto is one of busiest musician on releasing records. There must be any hundreds he has done. Creativity never ends.

I stayed at sound carrier friend Al, who has been arranging Network performance in Birmingham since first show. Makoto stay at the house with four or five young people, some of them is sound carriers tomorrow night. I guess he had good time drink together with them. At the venue, the performance day, beside our space there was also band playing. Some of sound carriers I performed already here like Hidehiko, who married to English lady (I’d never see her until now) with two kids. With Charles I performed several times, we said see you in January. On January 16th, we meet again in Reggio Emilia, he will perform his solo act.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteashton/sets/72157610717158435/