ABSINTHE TOUR 2005 RECOLLECTIONS

I didn't get the nickname "Paisley Fog" for nothing - I have a memory like a siv. To try to recall particular names, dates, times is almost impossible for me. Nevertheless, the last tour was probably our best ever, and I'd like to try to recount some of the highlights. We'd discovered that absinthe has, after many, many years of being banned, become legal in many European countries, so of course we added it to our rider. We received a bottle maybe every 4th night or so, and to my delight, most every one was different! I tried to save most of them for my collection but found myself indulging frequently, which didn't help with my memory. Since we were debuting a (mostly) new line-up, the L.A. members (everyone but Jana) played 2 unannounced pre-tour shows in L.A. before heading over to Europe. We met Jana in Holland and began rehearsals at Igor's communal pad in Den Haag, followed by our first show, at an underground club of sorts that Igor books. The place was packed, and it was the first time the 'Tones played Holland since 1991. The audience was really receptive and it was the perfect kick off for the tour. A few days later we were co-headlining the LeBeatBespoke Festival in London with The Chocolate Watchband. We were a bit apprehensive about playing to an audience that was predominantly "mod," as they were never all that receptive to us in the past, but our fears were put to rest seconds into the first song. There was a huge turnout for this event and we had a blast. My new black Gretsch Rockjet was misplaced after the Den Haag gig and we didn't know if we'd ever see it again. I'd run into an old friend, Fabio from the Hunchback Men, at the Velvet Illusion on Camden Market the afternoon of the show, and he was kind enough to lend me his vintage Vox hollowbody for the show that night. After the show, HIS guitar was misplaced as well, which led to a melodramatic scene that lasted well into the night. Next day he discovered a friend of his took it home for him and all was well - and someone in Den Haag found MY guitar in the backyard!

The band celebrated the next night by ingesting psychedelic mushrooms (legal in London, and sold everywhere on Camden Market) and went back to see Love, who were phenomenal as always. By the way, Love's ace guitarist, Mike Randle, plays the solo in "Salem Witch Trial," one of the previously unreleased tracks on our new cd/dvd "LSD 25." We met so many great folks at the festival, and saw alot of old pals too (hi Andy, Elaine, David, Andy, Werner)!!! andmoreagain...