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.