Sound Carriers: Jelly Planet from Dortmund Felix Guitierrez (Bass), Stephan Hendricks (Vocal, Keyboard), Jens Küchenthal (Drums) and Alexander Schönert (Guitar)
Three guys from Jelly Planet picked up us early enough on that Friday morning as I didn’t expected they come in plan. Jelly Planet is the band stopped their activities 11 years ago. Their last concert was also with me in London at 93 Feet East. (If someone can remember?) Few months ago, I contacted Alex, the guitarist if he and his former band have fun and time to perform with me at the festival in Bavaria Forest. He didn’t think twice, he was really interested perform together with his old pals and also me. I know Alex since 90’s in his early twenty. He along to perform with me for USA tour, London, Russia, Finland, Japan and last time, in Island few years ago.
He is one of sound carriers, performed in Network project for many times. Jelly Planet was one of my favourite bands at beginning of this century. Surely, I knew all of them since many years. There is also unreleased studio material during their recording we done together. They’re so happy, that I contacted them, and he reported me they made rehearsing one night, with result it was great all those years were just like yesterday.
Jens and Alex wasn’t that much changed, Felix looks totally different even I doubt if this is him who stand in front of me. I know him only with Afro hair look, instead he had short hair, he seemed me totally another person until he spoke first sentence. On the way, unfortunately we came under police control at rest area of Autobahn near Würzburg, enter to Bavaria. We wanted to have lunch, parked at reasonable place, then police 2 cars with 4 young policemen came, asked for identity card, then controlled almost everything, front to back, up to bottom of the van like crazy if they found big drug dealer or machine gun black market business man. it took around one hour. I don’t know what they’re looking for. They may want to have action, away from boring daily control. Anyway we didn’t have anything to hide. This kind of over reaction may happen sometimes, Felix, the Bass player was just telling experienced what happened with him in Bavaria, he was talking about it just few minutes ago and now it’s reality.
As you know in Germany we’ve lots of problem with refugees, some terror attack even happened few weeks ago. Still we’re cool enough not felt stress any minutes, relaxing, ate small snacks afterwards. We arrived the festival, two hours before our show time, was quite uncomfortable at the entrance through few upside down cross (anti Christ) both side of forest road. Also at artist information, there was Jesus hanging upside down. If I knew this before hand, I wouldn’t come here and perform. Due to my condition I have to rest, I didn’t have that much contact with people. Jelly’s and Elke said, people there was friendly, visitors also organisation team. We met Stephan, rest of Jelly’s and Simone at the spot, they’re in holiday in Bavaria, and so they came directly to the festival already few hours before. Stephan didn’t change that much too, eleven years is just like yesterday. I’ve since last surgery in February, artificial output on small intestine. I felt trouble, so I went to hotel to change stoma. At this point we had only one hour to performance. Also at this moment I had not that good feeling, asking myself in my brain, how is possible to perform with this artificial output?, also I have no stomach muscles. Didn’t have show for two years is not that much problem. These two components made me worry. When line-check start, my worries are fly away, I was like „old“ like two years before. I’d my voice, I felt positive energy all over my body. I felt so free, the thing I missed for last two years and it came back, I was so happy and thankful that I’ve this opportunity and I’m able to experience this very beautiful moment. This is hope for next surgery. Before next surgery I’ve few performances, I promised myself : I’ll try to bring my soul and body as much as I can. Positive energy flew, this moment on the stage, I’ll not forget, it was “something”……. miracle.
Next day relaxed driving back to home. It took quite long as I’d problem with stoma very beginning of trip. „ Steckerlfisch “ is tasty local speciality in Bavaria and upper Austria. It’s grilled skewered whole fish on grill, generally with char fish, mackerel or rainbow trout. Generally, you may find this in beer tent at local folk festivals. I love this, whenever I’m in Bavaria or upper Austria, I cannot control myself to order. I and Elke know taste, the boys never tried this before even they didn’t know. We tried to visit folk fest nearby, but it was too early and we have no fun to wait for 5,6 hours just hanging there. Instead we found one comfortable restaurant, price was really reasonable, serving personal was so friendly, and everyone found his/her favourite. Took seats outside beside a small river. I ordered glass of beer, this is really seldom for me, I’m not a beer fan, and I prefer more white wine. Strangely my „taste“ is changing : before my first surgery I was a pescetarian, then after I released from hospital I begun to eat meat even fruits and sweets, then after last surgery even I take a cup of coffee that I never take for last 30 years.
Anyway we had very relaxed lunch there and nice talk. I ordered Wiener schnitzel, just to inform.
