Diary

Damo Suzuki with Popiro and Phased: Michael Guellinger (Bass), Marco Lehtinen (Drums), Narco Papiro (Synth) and Chris Sigdell (Vocal, Guitar)
http://www.hirscheneck.ch/

Basel is very famous for it’s chemical industry. 3rd biggest city in Switzerland after Zurich and Geneve. The city settle up both left and right banks of Rhine. It’s on three country corner, France, Germany and Switzerland. This international Geo situation was also with formation of sound carriers tonight. all four members are from Sweden, Norway, Italy and Switzerland.

In fact there is many immigrant family here. The guy who performed as supporting art, he lives in Amsterdam with his girlfriend from Finland. They come at first to the venue and I thought they will perform with me. Seems to be many Scandinavian people are living here. Climate and living standards are quite similar to their home countries. Switzerland and Norway has most high level of living standard in the world. Even now a days many Germans changed their settlement move to Switzerland. Specially medicine, doctors and any academic class people.

Four sound carriers had never instant composed in front of audience, they said and they’re looking forward to this evening show. Monday show is something not promoters likes to do. It may be geographic fortune place like here Basel. Many young people showed up. Also some of faces I know in audience. They promised me to come whenever I perform at this part of Switzerland. They brought their friends.

My accommodation tonight is at this venue upstairs. When I left venue (mostly I leave latest) still there were some people drinking and dancing. Upstairs ……tonight nobody, just me at upstairs. From window I watch at night sky and I slept slowly down. Maron, who runs this venue, came exactly in time like he said for breakfast…and he told me one interesting thing that this house is spooky, some bands who stayed here saw ghost and not for few times…many times. Did you feel OK?…..hey,hey,hey……

Phased website, you may find review in German
http://www.phased.ch/?s=reviews&c=deutsch

Damo Suzuki with Xavier Amor (Keyboards, Electronics), François Chabbey (Guitar), Stéphane Loup (Guitar, Vocal) and Guido Wiss (Drums)

Where is snow? This is the first question I had to give myself when I entered in Switzerland, expecting white dreamy snow world in mid-January…Middle in winter. After around 7 hours from Cologne by train….three changes in Basel, Bern, Visp then arrived finally in Martingny. All Switzerland through from window there few snow…even you can see here world is getting warm…….global warming. Martigny is quite closer to Italy. Small town, I guess most economical stuff is tourism..specially in winter time.

This season is so less snow you have to go higher than 1,500m meter from sea level to walk, to ski on natural snow. This area of Switzerland is gourmet temple. Franz List, Goethe were here and enjoyed foods. Even Hannibal with 37 elephant was here when they attacked Roma at around 200BC…humm quite a long ago.

I found it very peaceful here. A young guy picked me up from tinny railway station and brought me to Hotel…a very quiet hotel in middle of the city. Concert organizer Balthazar had been at Network performance in Geneva a couple of years before and he invited me…when I get invitation… Martingny?..I never heard of this town also invitation is in winter time…In Switzerland!!!…Am I able to survive there? Is there any people who has interest in my kinda music? When I come to the venue found this was not necessary thought. Some young people are working and they brought me drinks and snacks…. Most western countries, now a days, no smoke at public place. Switzerland is not so…

Sound Carriers showed up a bit later. Most of my shows I’m earliest person to come to venue. …there are many reasons. I’m traveling, so I have enough time. link to transport arrival time. Sound carriers have mainly their regular job, they come from far etc, etc. Also I’m kind of easy person like to be in venue and wait for people. Next day, a break day, continued stay here rather than to travel to city.

First time I enjoyed Cheese Fondue (Maybe some of you know this is Swiss specialty), sound carriers and some friend brought me to domestic restaurant and this was really enjoyable and yummy! Yes, in restaurant you cannot smoke even here in Switzerland…maybe this is better so. Smells of smoke is disgusting when you are eating.

Damo Suzuki with Nazim Communale (Piano), Francesco Donadello (Drums), Enrico Fontanelli (Synth, Electronic), Luca Giovanardi (Guitar, Electronics), Olivier Manchion (Bass), Jukka Reverberi (Guitar, Electronics), Luca Rossi (Bass) and Giulio C. Vetrone (Guitar)
http://www.calamita.net/

Last night I stayed at Luca and Ricci in Reggio. Today’s performance at Cavriago is few cat step from Reggio Emilia. I woke up quite late, it was already noon. Ricci wrote note that she will come and pick me up as both has appointment with Luca’s parent.

They made appointment at the restaurant which is closer to both. I was once there at that amazing restaurant, that time mother of Luca invited us. His parents were already there I see Mr.Giovanardi, the world business man for first time. Food here is really great…I forget the name of the place…I have to ask Luca next time I see…maybe end of this year. After the lunch Luca brought me to Olivier, with whom we release half of double CD HollyAris, he is calm French smart guy married with Italian lady…he really looks like French with his big nose settle in middle of face. Once I said to him or he find his joke if he is as Jean Paul Belmond…I didn’t see him for two years, in between he is proud father of Matthiew. He seems to be not good to sleep like every young parents and take care of his small cute son. Very relaxed afternoon…

The venue Calamita, I performed once a couple of years ago, last time with whole members of Julli’s Haircut. This time selection of sound carriers curated by Luca…Including Olivier.

Review & Photos: http://www.calamita.net/damo.html

Damo Suzuki with Francesco Donadello (Drums, Synths), Luca Giovanardi (Guitar, Synths, Tapes, Effects), Olivier Manchion (Bass) and Andrea Scarfone (Guitar, Effects)
http://www.myspace.com/locomotivclub

I have been here quite often for transit. Bologna is very old city and had oldest university in Italy, probably oldest one in Europe. Strange there was a bit hassle at airport even I flown from Sicily…within Italy….a civil security guard checked flight ticket and my baggage. Also small dog was sniffing my perfume.

Arrive early, had enough time to take walk in this old beautiful interesting city. Young friendly guy (Sorry I forget your name) attend me brought Lunch, where normal Italian people meet..no tourist place I mean. So, real Italian atmosphere. Everywhere else too,but specially in Italy to be in such place like here you have to have local guide.

Then He brought me to radio interview which reporter promised me to talk about I am doing NOW and further. He put on turntable a piece from Italian sound carrier friend Zu. He had only my old pieces from early 70’s.

The venue is quite new opened. Scaffo and Luka both Julis Haircut Joined.

Damo Suzuki with Nicola Giunta (Electronics, Casiotone, Bass guitar, Acoustic guitar, etc), Pietro La Rocca (Guitar, Clarinet, Drums) and Salvo Rizzo (Electronics, Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Samples, Voice, Objects)
http://www.candelai.it/

Even this time of the year I was expecting sun once I come to very southern part of Europe like here ….Sicily. I was wishing to get a bit of sunshine… No, hope whole day raining seems to be endless. Just around two hours flight from Cologne I landed at airport. Girlfriend of Giovanni pick me up from airport. Palermo was city of Mafia, was once most dangerous city in Europe, beginning of 80’s of last century every third day one person killed. Now criminal statistic changed better way and now rank 15 in Italy through initiative by politicians, artists and citizen. Palermo is 5th largest city Italians and end station of Berlin – Palermo railway line.

I come here for very first time (I was willing to come here once, now finally!!!) First I went to the venue. The hotel is near to the venue, in old town with narrow street, small family atmosphere one, I was tired from early flight and also weather is miserable, I took rest for a couple of hours…but, there is construction at the hotel, even loud music in headphone doesn’t help, so actually it was not really comfortable to take rest. Anyway it was best thing I could do even I was curious about the city. Rain was just hard rain.

The venue was until 20 years ago brothel, now is art space. High to ceiling. I never have been in brothel, first experience. Local sound carriers comes a bit reserved, after sound check everybody was comfortable. At the show found young people.

Photo at http://www.flickr.com/photos/v_/2204484538/sizes/o/

Damo Suzuki with Casper (Cello), Kid Million (Drums) and Fuzz Against Junk: Paul Allen (Electric Guitar, Audio Generator), Ian Green (6 &12 String Guitars), Billy Fuller (Bass), Keith Bailey (Drums & Percussion), Aaron Hawkins (Soprano & Alto Sax, Flute) and Tom (Percussion) http://www.atpfestival.com/

December 6 2007, left early from San Diego airport drop off by Tommy and Len. Hardest trip begun. Even I thought to order wheel chair, but I decided I try without. Trip with Wheel chair will be too much stress, I have not that much experience control wheel chair. My next destination : UK via Chicago. All together 15 hours.

Waiting for connecting flight was this day feeling very long like never ending. As usual North Atlantic flight was not comfortable, it’s shakes, twist, however…some times like rodeo..I’m not kind of person who is able to sleep in plane at such a situation anyway. At Heathrow, Gerald and Sylke were waiting for me. Specially at this kind of situation, it’s really great someone pick up you from airport. Barry, the organizer of All Tomorrow’s Parties booked van to Minehead. Europe is already December 8 2007, first day of one of most interesting festival begins. For all three days here I ordered wheelchair.

It was terrible weather, wet, rain, windy and cold….it’s typical for England, at this time of the year, this is picture of England…also dark. I share chalet with Gerald and Sylke. One of good things at this festival is everyone has own chalet with bathroom and small kitchen. Sylke brought many foods and they’re going to buy fish tomorrow. They brought even Cava…but, better I keep away from alcohol. Even I was tired and hardly sick, I went venues and watch at bands. Unfortunately I couldn’t see some bands who performed early afternoon. Gerald is a photograph and he knows a lots of bands from London, Chrome Hoof is one of the band he has contact. They asked me if I like to join their set.. This kind of situation I’m yes sayer. Then see you later at backstage. Sylke sometimes, Gerald sometimes pushed my wheelchair. Terrible thing was go with this upstairs, sometimes elevator was not working and I have to walk up with my painful foots. I found in myself at this stage disable person..who is helpless. Also if you’re sitting on wheelchair, sight is difference than normal days. You can see from different perspective. Feel so small now. Visitors asking me what’s the matter with you Damo? Are you able to perform? (or are you acting?) ….I met friends like Oren from Melbourne and other many sound carriers around who introduced me I performed with you so and so years before or I intend to perform with you one day. It was really astonishing how many people I spoke with. Oren has his performance here tomorrow, this is one of show I have to be. I know Oren for since 5 years, but I never seen his solo live. I performed with him many times he as a drummer or as a guitarist. I never seen him as solo artist. Also Oneida from NYC, with two members I performed just a month before in Knitting Factory..I wanted see.

Casper and Matthiew are persons who was working for ATP film team, they are French, sure with this nice French accent English, they are going to film me during festival for ATP documentation. Casper told me, he is a cellist and fortunately he has his cello with him…so, I asked him if he join us for Network performance on Sunday. This year I perform with Fuzz against Junk from Bristol. They had own show on Friday. This years curator Portishead invited me as last minutes and they want me and Fuzz against Junk perform. I have good friendship with Ian, the guitarist, he was many times host while I performed in Bristol. Everybody from Chrome Hoof dressed in silver, space age costume, some has mask on …even they had costume for me, if you like you can use this. I’m so tiny person, this in their norm. I looked like in silver potato sack in universe..anyway it’s their show, better people don’t realize me on the stage. Girls in silver costume dancing, energy packed exciting show is going. one of them told me I had to go to stage. So, I woke up from wheelchair and joined them for 5 minutes or so…exciting number.

After show some people come and told me it was really exciting and looking forward to my show the day after tomorrow. Humm…I might made good for my performance. One of the guy I met and spend the time with was John Cooper Clark. skinniest person I ever seen….really like a pencil. Funny and friendly guy, told me of recently he was in Australia and I heard from many people from you, about Mark E Smith, his friend. Gerald is friend of John, we were quite together. Casper and Matthiew wanted make interview with me late in the night while I was sitting together with Ian and other friends Patricia and Alex drinking just water at the smallest venue. It was not that easy to find where is silence that they can record.

Normally I’m not the person with thousands of words. This day I was talking so much about my life, experiences, philosophy and way of life. They were happy to talk with me, after they brought me back to the table Patricia, Dave and Ian placed.

The performing day: Performance with Funk against Junk plus special guest Casper (Cello) and Kid Million from Oneida..It’s a big band, Two drummers cutting rhythms, sound was huge….

To get image of our performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzjKAjRr604 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrYkbDXaA8I&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmOhIezSek8&feature=related

…it was final for 2007. Had many performances and happy year—hope I can keep this…….Never Ending Tour!!!!!

Damo Suzuki with Dan (Guitar), Len Del Rio (Percussion), Tommy Grenas (Guitar), Rafter Roberts (Electronics), Andy Roubillard (Drums) and Zach (Cocktail drums)

Tommy and Len drove me to San Diego. They will perform together with San Diego Network. I was laying at back seat try to sleep. If you have gout, impossible to sleep in the night. In the Night pain attack you harder. Today I have much pain and if I think next one week I have to keep on travel, it’s really like hell. This pain don’t let you sleep. you can imagine of hard toothache..but, it’s much more horrible, Because, with toothache you can walk. Hum…how shall I traveling alone?

When we arrived the venue, there were three FBI men with dog. One at the venue informed us there was call that someone put bomb somewhere in or around the venue. Terrorist? Panic? Supporting band comes and later San Diego sound carriers..we’re quite early there as we thought we cannot get there in time for traffic jam. Always better early than late, it’s my policy, you can do anything, look around, you can read book as well. Anyway for me it doesn’t matter with this pain. Everywhere I go this unfriendly solution bite me.

San Diego is so closer to Mexico, Many people in audience were from Mexico. They asked me when I will perform in Mexico? Humm…it’s interesting to perform there , but, I have almost no contact. After show we stayed at one of sound carriers place, small after show party until late. I have to wake up early tomorrow, so I tried to sleep.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJxa391-BAI

Damo Suzuki with Len Del Rio (Percussion), Michael Esther (Guitar), Tommy Grenas (Guitar, Bass, Keyboard), Chris Guttmacher (Drums), Ryan Kirk (Guitar, Bass), and Kevin Lee (Theremin, Moog)

With LA sound carriers, I released one double METAPHYSICAL TRANSFER and half of double CD HollyAris. I didn’t see them since 2002 (except Tommy, Len and Kevin, they performed once in between in Cologne, so I had opportunity to see them)and now, we perform together…this is one of my personal highlight for this west coast tour. To meet old sound carrier friends. Perform with them is almost perform with my own band, they know each other well and there are many characters. Fortunately this time I have time to stay few days in LA.

Yesterday afternoon, I arrived, Tommy and Michael from Farflung picked me up we went Tommy’s place where I will stay until 4th. I was his place for three times, Tommy and Cassy has now three dogs. one is small very temperamental one and very curious about anything. Tommy and Cassy brought me to Little Tokyo for shopping, you can buy anything here, there is also huge Japanese supermarket. Even there were old (maybe they are not that old…like me) collecting money as volatile. It’s kind of thing suddenly you doubt yourself where you are now? In the night, I cooked foods for all LA Metaphysical Sound Carriers.

Nice to see all of them since all these years…finally I got work permits and work visa after all these years. I was almost forgetting about my gout story. Gout is horrible pain on foot bones and such a pain, sometimes you like to cut off own foot away from pain. It was sickness for rich man, people say. Then why I? It comes also from alcohol…When you are forgetting something it’s comes suddenly unexpected. I may stop drink alcohol….no, no I’m not such heavy drinker, just I drink a bit…I mean measurement of people thoughts is no limit and difference.

This happened before performance begun. I was tired and unconscious, sitting at merchandising. Sound Check has done without Chris who was lost in traffic jam. Now I feel slowly that I’m getting Gout again… It’s horrible, if this happens in during tour. I have to go to San Diego…then long journey to UK for ATP festival… I was sleeping at merchandising and suddenly a young girl from audience waked up me…You should wake up and go onto the stage….

Was nice concert…but, that pain and if I think I have to live together with this for a couple of weeks…it’s horror movie. Next day I stayed at Tommy’s home, it’s not easy to move…. And an another next day, Tommy and Michael took me to pier Venice Beach for fishing. Tommy remind this pier is longest in California even he means longest in US…. Anyway I had to walk this long pier with that’s nuts pain. Way was so long, yes, very long. But, just sitting it may OK…..We’re expecting tonight we can eat enough fishes. Hope is hope..reality came sometimes just opposite, like comic.

After one and half hour to meet first fish, coast security guards told us we have to move quick as possible from this pier, they’re waiting big wave and it will be very dangerous. So, we had to go back no fish in basket…..on the way back we went to organic department store and bought (fresh) fish…Anyway we enjoyed fish!!!!

Damo Suzuki with 3 Leaves : Tim Cohen (Drums, Keyboard & Delay), Chris Cones (Guitar in the key of flab & delay), Diego Gonzalez (Bass, Oud, Guitar & Delay), Warren Huegel (Drums & Delay) and Josh Pollock (Sampler, Guitar & Delay)

I am a traveler, but sometimes nice to stay for two or three days at same place like now at Brian and Amanda’s. Oakland and San Francisco are so close. San Francisco is one of my favorite city. It has own charm and nostalgy..Hill up and down, all those wooden old pretty houses.. Early afternoon Brian and Betty, is a friend of Holger Czukay (Always I think world is such a small pot…I meet so often people I know or knows somebody I know) brought me to an interview in Radio station where, I guess I was a couple of years before…well…I’m not sure.

After we went to Little Tokyo..to eat some Japanese.. They dropped me at the venue, where I performed twice already, very tiny space. I orded Jameson, a pretty girl served me double..it was long time to wait, but I enjoy watching at people from smoking room with Jameson in hand. Go along the street, many drinking people, poor people..the street is living, many police car with siren. Julia is the girl, who contacted me through internet a couple of days before and she is happy to be sound engineer tonight, she was there at first.

Then my friend Bill and Sue came with their friend. Bill and Sue came from San Juan Island, Washington. He lived here in San Francisco for a couple of years during hippy time. Then today’s Network member 3 leaves came finally….I know two of them, Warren and Josh. Both I performed already once here at same venue. Warren is friend of my friend in Frisco visited her flat. Josh, last time I met him when he performed with Acid Mothers Gong on same stage, in London a couple of years ago. Audience was quite mixed young and old ..it’s nice mix. Bill wanted take me to fish restaurant..again we couldn’t make it. Tomorrow I have to leave for Los Angeles. But, I am sure I will meet Bill and Sue very soon….

Review :

Damo Suzuki with Mike Guarino, Robert MacManus, Bonnie Mercer, Derek Monypeny and Jake Rodriguez

Port of Oakland is 4th biggest port in States. Oakland International Airport is somewhere around here. Arrived from Portland. North of Oakland is famous university Berkeley and west side just drive through Bay Bridge is San Francisco. Wendy brought me to Portland International (Surprisingly there is direct flight to Japan, I found) Picked up by Chen. At Chen’s house I met two sound carriers from Melbourne (I stay there every wintertime, so feel familiar) Bonnie and Robert even their trio band Grey Daturas supported Network performance once…in early 2007 in Melbourne.

They told me they are going to join Network tonight. Most of my performance, with whom I perform is arranged by local promoter, so sometimes I don’t know until short before stage with whom I will perform with. Even if I have information it’s doesn’t help me that much as most of sound carriers I perform for first time. Chen drove me to my host Brian and Amanda. I will stay here for two days.

Tomorrow’s show in San Francisco, is just near. I had performance once in Oakland. At not interesting venue….That time I was touring West Coast with LA sound carriers. To day’s venue is art space. So, they have to improvise stage and all equipment and so on… I went quite early, it had taken quite a lot of time all slowly showed up…..

There are some visual stuff at YouTube, just to inform as follows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsorbALFJbQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7jNdY2bH_c