Archive for May, 2010

Here is a a blog I thought I posted but I didn’t.
May 12th: Studio Live, Sedona AZ

So after an amazing weekend in El Paso with Debbie and her family, we woke up early to drive to Tempe AZ. We played at the Sail Inn, a real cool venue. The people there were true original music lovers. To my surprise that night, the temperature dropped quite rapidly. 

Our old friend Lumberjack Cash came to see us and offered us and Whander Lust a place to crash but we were just beat from the drive. We went to ihop for 3am breakfast and then drove to the venue parkinglot to crash. 

We keep waking up waaaay too early. 

At 8am we were back on the road battling 40mph winds. We stopped at a rest stop for some lunch and our waitress was telling us about montezumas castle. 

So on our way to Sedona we stopped at the castle and the spring of montezuma. I took sooooo many poctures but I’m soooooo tired.I will post photos tomorrow once I get a chance to get them off the camera.

We pulled into town and were all glued to the window with our cameras. Sedona is ABSOLUTELY astonashing. Seriously, what a beautiful place. Amazing. We played at Studio Live. It reminded me of the factory in Atlanta-it’s like a compound, a community art place. Awesome sound, awesome people, just all around awesome. 

What is not so awesome is that we are all (for the exception of Steve) not feeling good at all. I was sick all week last week and still feel a bit under the weather(runny nose, sore throat, teary eyes, achy, crappy). Now Greg feels the same way and matt thinks he has a hernia(?). I think it’s allergies since we are so used to humidity, and now we are in the desert. 

Today also has not been the greatest day as far as grace goes for me. In 6 short hours: i dropped my iphone on my foot with sharp edge hitting it=bruise, Lantz and Kim’s suitcase crashed down in my foot=bruise, walked full force, dead on into metal door frame with my elbow= swelling,bruise,pain pain pain,that also resulted in pain in my knuckles, and lastly walking out of the van tripped on metal wiring sticking from the ground= big scratch.

All in all, an awesome day. We have some problems to deal with tomorrow regarding the van but will keep al yo kind folks posted.

Sleepy lil X

After much moping, silance and dumbfoundedness, and hours of waiting at a gas station stranded in Nebraska, we pulled it together. 

We called a toe company and waited for them 3 hours to come and tow the van into a repair shop in Omaha. Then thanks to Rob and his kind friend Dick, Steve and I got dropped off at the airport to rent another car, drove to the repair shop and picked up Greg, Dan, our stuff and the puppies. Then we found a hotel and spent the night watching comedy central. 

I’m not really seeing the lesson here since we’ve done this excersise 5 times now in 3 weeks. Yes we can rent a car, yes we can find a mechanic, yes we can stay together. I get it. The same blow is starting to get annoying. All we want to so is just get to these gigs, why is that so hard? 
 
We had to cancel the next 3 shows so we can just drive to Milwaukee. In a couple of hours we are gonna leave and just get there. We’ll figure out how to get around. It’s a holiday weekend so they won’t get to look at our van till Wednesday. Once they figure out what’s wrong with it and fix it and we figure out how to pay for it, we have to figure out how to get back to Omaha and get it. 

Don’t get me wrong, no amount of bullshit will make me give up, but Im getting tired of the same issue stranding us. This has turned out to be a $14,000+ piece of shit van. If we can sell it for anything, Im just thinking we should get a minivan with good gas milage and either rent a hotel every night or stay at peoples houses. That would seriously be cheaper. 

Thank you guys for donating time and time again and being kind and caring. You’re keeping me sane. 

Next gig will be among friends and family at the Greenroom in Sheboygan, see you there. 

Geri X

Roken down AGAIN in the middle of nowhere. I give up. I want my money and my life back. Are you listening International Bus Group?

866-287-4768

Hello to everyone who isn’t on the road. 
Over the course of very few days the most bizzare things have taken place. 
I will start in cronological order:
May 19th, The Stringhold, Venice CA
We drove from joshuatree to Lantz and Kim’s house in LA. We then went to grab some very overpriced Thai food, but we figured we deserved to splurge after all the crap we had been going through in the passed weeks. Then we went back to their house and practiced a bit, since Greg has been playing bass for them he needed to work some songs out. Then in a rush, unaware of the time, we traveled to Venice to play at the stronghold. Man, what an AMAZING venue. The people were cool, kind and artistic, beautiful room, AWESOME sound, an just all around great vibes. All night there were puppies running around everyone, one of which was shaved like a lion and had a mohawk. We played a short but sweet acoustic set- it was myself Greg and Steve , and Shannon who books theroom jumped up and played the big wooden box for us. We had a blast, wish we couldve stayed longer. That night we met Adam, a young film maker who asked if I would be a part of a photoshoot he was having the following day for a movie he is about go begin filming. It’s a movie about Hells Angels in San Francisco starring. Alexis Arquette, Juliet Leuis and a few more actors you may know. So the next day we went back to the stronghold and had a really fun time at the photoshoot, funny thing was the makeup and hair artists really didn’t do much to me because I already had the dirty,tired, strung out look (ha!). Before we departed to go to San Francisco, Michael who is an owner at The Stronghold have us some BEAUTIFUL hand made vintage leather boots, a pair for each of us. I couldn’t believe he gave them to us but kindly he said “you don’t have the means to get them, and Ive got them, and you need a good pair of boots,everyone does.”

May 20th, the Boom Boom Room
We left the stronghold and headed for San Fran. Like little kiddies we were glued to the car windows as we entered the city. If you’ve never been to San Francisco, go. There some breathtaking scenery.  We parked 4 blocks from the venue and walked our equipment because there was no parking. It was absolutely FREEZING. “the coldest winter I ever spent was the summer in San Francisco” – very true. 
Our new drummer Dan was supposed to fly in at 9pm but his flight got delayed so we had Eric McFadden play drums for us. He was actually really really good! He’s a famous guitarist but he also good at everything else. I am kinda jealous
After a long fun night of listening to Eric’s other band Shakewell do pat mAcdonald covers and picking up Dan from the air port and fending off drunkards, we all went back to Delfine’s home, Eric’s girlfriend. Had a nice,quiet restful sleep which is very rare for us these days and woke up, walked around downtown for a bit, got coffee and headed to Atascadero for our next gig. 

May 21st, Last Stage West, Atascadero CA
We ran a bit late due to getting lost and a bit of procrastination. This little place was charming and they had all the right ideas, but it was deep in the mountains and didn’t had a very big capacity. Dan had to jump in on an electronic drumset because all of our gear is still in the shuttle bus that is still in the repair shop. So overall, it was a peculiar place, the sound was strange, but we had fun. We then got ripped off by motel 6 because the price they were advertising wasn’t what they charged me and told mr after they had swiped my card. We didn’t care too much at that point. We just wanted a shower and a real bed. 

May 22nd, Yeah! live, Berkley CA and Biscuits and Blues, San Francisco CA
We got to the TV station on time and waited for the producer for a half hour. I will make this story very short and hopefully you guys will undertand what I mean by this: by the time the “producer” figured out how to “set up” the gear and “run the sound” and yelled at me a couple of hundred times, I played our set of songs with my eyes open, motionless staring at one single spot on the floor and speaking the lyrics. Enough said. 
However, ou show at Biscuits and Blues was awesome. The owner Steve was very nice and took good care of us and Eric McFadden came and played some songs with us. The city is absolutely breathtaking. I hope to go back there again sometime soon. 

May 23rd Near death experience in whitewater kayaking and Marcos Cafe,Caloma CA

We went to Lantz’s parents house to crash after San Francisco because Lantz has been a river guide for years and wanted to take us all rafting. His lovely mother cooked a whole spread of delicious breakfast items for all us kids and Lantz spend the good part of the day convincing us it wasn’t too cold to go rafting. Then we realized there was no raft but he had kayaks. I didn’t want to go but by confusion after much planning for where vihicles would be and stationed to shuttle back the people who went kayaking and who wanted to go and who didn’t, I got dropped off at the wrong end- the end that was going down the river. Without any instruction really Lantz put Greg and I in a bright orange hardshelled kayak. We’d never gone kayaking, yet alone in mountain stream whitewater. After the first set of rocks and waves I wanted to get out so we were trying to figure out how to paddle to shore. Lantz asked what we were doing and told us he coulndt hear us so he kept telling us to come closer and closer. Well,by the time we got close enough we were sucked in by another set of fast white water heading for a big rock. We hit the rock with the tail end of the giant orange plastic shell and fell right into 20 degree water. My whole body went numb, breathing stopped and I stared drifting away from Greg and the upsidedown kayak. Gregs foot got caught on a rope attatched for the kayak but he was able to get out of it. With one swift motion he grabbed my life jacket and put mr half way onto the raft. I couldn’t pull my self up- I couldn’t move a muscle in my body. Within 2 minutes I was able to drag myself slowly onto the kayak and just sat there shaking. It took me about a good hour or so to regain full speech and motor ability. It’s absolutely the scariest most painful thing I’ve ever been through. Then Lantz and Kim continued onto their kayak tail and greg and I walked to the venue we were playing at that night freezing,hypothermic and exhausted. An hour later we played and by the end of the night we were all mostly ok. 

We left early this morning to drive 8 hours back to Joshua tree to pick up the van from the repair shop. We have a show in Salt Lake City tomorrow night so hopefully all goes well with the van. 

We are still at this point $500 away from being able to pay for it so I will leave the donate button for those of you guys that can donate a but more to our never ending bad luck with our tour van. 

Geri X Needs Your Help!

All in all we are against all odds having fun, Steve has been awesome and a pleasure to be around and Dan is fitting right in with ou groove. We are all alive and well and that’s all that matters. 

Jetlagged 
Geri X

Good morning friends,
This are looking up :]

We dropped off the van yesterday with a mechanic and his family that have been doing transmission rebuilding for over 30 years. We finally feel its in good hands. They will have it completed by saturday. So we rented a little car and will make out shows this week in San Francisco and what not. The total for the repairs is $1,540 and we have already raise $1,120! Thats amazing. Thanks to all of you who’ve been donating. Hopefully the rest will come in by monday and We’ll be on our way.

We spent the weekend here at Wally Ingram’s house. He’s been a grasious host to us and we really appreciate it. Already we feel better about everything.

We’ll be leaving in a couple of hours to go to Venice, we have a gig there tonight. I can’t wait to play, sitting around and itching to grab my guitar.
Speaking of itching, Greg has hives. Not fun. I got hives from stress about 3 months ago and Im thinking he’s got the same thing. One big giant mosquito bite.

Other than that, I think our spirits are high and we are to the point of ” hey, lets just do what we do and not focus so much on the bad stuff”. Its hard to do that with all these road blocks, but what are you gonna do? Mope about it all day long? Nope. I say, have as much of a good time as you can. Everything will fall in its right place when its time.

So, I thank you guys, for keeping us in your thoughts and your hearts and for your unconditional help though this mess.

Miss you all,

Geri X

A mechanic is on his way here as we speak. He will take a look at the van and see what needs to get done. Chances are it going to be another hefty repair bill.

I hate feeling robbed, sad part is you guys ( our fans and donators) have been robbed as well, because only with your help were we able to pay for the repair the first time.

So many people have been telling me to repost the donate button because they would like to help again. I am starting to feel a little bit like a helpless baby, but I know when I need help, even if I hate asking for it.

Geri X Needs Your Help!

Here is the donate button again. If any of you guys out there still would like to help us, please donate. We all have been shames and swindled a few too many times with this van situation. We can thank The International Bus Group company and make them aware that what they are doing is effecting not only me, not only my band, but our fans, our well being, and our livelyhood.

I will have to cancel the show tonight because we have no way of getting there. Tomorrow, we will probably have to rent a car to get to the LA show and see what happens tuesday.

Love you guys,
Geri

So here is another one of those “against all odds” scenarios.

Against all odds, we made it to joshua tree. We literally put putted our way into California. Reason being, we were broken down in an unknown city, no one was willing to help and we needed to play the festival and be around friends at least.

We drove at mind blowing speeds of 35-55mph, the car kept smoking and we would pull over to give it rest but we needed to get there. Had we not, we would have owed the festival $500. The entire drive (of about 8hrs) I inhaled just smoke from the exhaust. At the end of the drive I felt like I was dying (not to be dramatic or anything, but it was horrible).

We got there, pulled into camp and rehearsed some songs and went to sleep.
Woke up early this morning to do an Interview over the phone with a radio station in Madison to talk about the Steel Bridge Song Fest, and our terrible luck with the van. The DJ and the audience liked what I had to say about the crooks that sold us the thing. Im hoping somehow magically they grow some hearts and help us out.

Then we soundchecked and played an INCREDIBLE set. The crowd was big, responsive, listening to every word I sang. I also had the honor of being able to invite on stage Wally Ingram and Eric McFadden to join us for a few songs. It was amazing. Lots of great great vibes. I also talked to the crowd about the bus company and our luck with the van and had a handful of people with some mechanic information approach us.

Now I am sitting in Wally’s house with Jerry Joseph, sipping some coffee and enjoying the air conditioning (finally). Greg is driving our drummer Matt to the airport in LA and I am trying to wrap my head around our situation.

Here is the breakdown:(of the breakdown)
We contacted a mechanic in town that deals with rebuilding transmitions-30 years of experience. He will need a least 3-4 days to do what needs to be done to the van just by our explanation on the phone. Tomorrow we will take it to him and leave it.
Now, we have 7 days booked solid with gigs, which means, we need to rent a van to get to the California gigs this week. That will be over $1000 easy. Also, rebuilding the transmition will cost a fortune, but we need to get it done. I just don’t know where to begin. How do we get to the gigs? how do we get the fan fixed and back?

Again these stupid corporate companies that claim to be your friend have taken all of our money. We have spent over $1000 already on gas because its running so bad and straining that its just eating up the gas.

It never ends. If anyone has ideas of quick solutions that don’t require money, or any other kind of help, Im so sorry to beg again, but we need you…again.

Wish we could find an energy drink to sponsor us and give us a goofy looking van that works.

Love you guys, we feel totally stranded in the pits of hell but I do feel you out there and I know you’re keeping us in your thoughts, don’t ever think I don’t notice. i will never take you for grated, you are all we have.

much love and tears from the desert,
Lil X.

The International Bus Group has completely SCREWED and neglected us. They are not humans with compassion but money thirsty jerks.
We have finally broken down in Flagstaff AZ, with no place to stay or go. Sitting in a parking lot at a hotel.

They will not give us our money back, pay for past and present repairs, or help pay for a rental van. The piece of shit we bought from them is the reason we are moneyless and stranded in the middle of nowhere.

I give up. Ford motors and international Bus Group are bad business dealers. Do not EVER deal with them or purchase from them, you’ll end up $12,000 in the hole and homeless.

If anyone has connections with car/vans, we need your help. It’s 40 degrees out and we’ve nowhere to go.

Calls us: 813-453-7035

homeless

Geri X

Hello from the dry city of El Paso.
The last two days have been nothing short of an adventure.
We woke up way too late at a rest stop on Saturday morning and hauled out of Houston as far as we could trying to make a 7pm load in with a 12hr drive. To our luck, we gained two hours crossing two times zones on the way. So we stopped at a Walmart a few hours outside of Houston to buy some much needed supplies, like:
a lawn chair,3 boxes of baking soda ( because our fridge smells like something died in it), some bug bit spray for Steve because he’s been getting lots of love from the mosquitos, a fedora hat for Matt and a couple of cable ties for the puppies so we can let them roam a bit further at rest stops. Then we went on our way. We were able to make our 7pm load in and safely got to El Paso. My initial reaction was a bit of alarm. The neighborhood we were in didn’t appear to be safe, and the scenery was pretty strange. But I do have to say, we all should stick to the cliche ” don’t judge a book by its cover”. The people we met here were absolutely fantastic and sweet, the second band on the bill was killer, and we had an overall kick ass night.
Debbie, the venue owner, after attempting to get me drunk ( :] ), invited us to her house, to take a shower, do our laundry, and have a nice restful night’s sleep. We came back to her place, I cooked chicken pasta florintine for the boys and finally got to bed around 4 am. Woke up around 9am to go to White Sands National park with Debbie and her family. This place was AMAZING. Its located in New Mexico, so we had to cross border patrol, but the drive was worth it. Its a big park made of sand mountains. We rented sleds and went sledding in the sand. It was the most fun I’ve had in a while. Then we went to her sister’s house for a nice cookout and an end to the evening. I can honestly say we made live long friends. These folks were amazing and we are so thankful that they invited us into their home and family, it felt more like a vacation than anything. Now Steve is tattoing their whole family and I am sitting on their couch scared to death because someone is watching a scary movie. To wrap up the night, I took some pictures for you guys, they begin when we were entering El Paso.

Adios amigos,
off to Tempe AZ we go tomorrow morning.

Lil X

Jet lagged and sweaty somehow we made it to Houston on time for soundcheck. We started around 1am yesterday and around 7am this morning our van started acting up which gave us a good scare, but against all odds we made it safe and sound. 

We are playing at Crazy Frogs tonight, this is gonna be one of those bizzare shows we look back to and laugh about. 

We have a 12hr drive to El Paso and I am so not ready for it. On the road finally. 

Love
Geri X