tag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:/blogs/skinny-molly-blog?p=1Skinny Molly Blog2013-08-29T05:17:54-05:00Skinny Mollyfalsetag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/12434102013-07-22T04:15:00-05:002013-07-22T04:15:00-05:00Friday, July 12th 2013<span style="font-size: medium; "></span>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">Woke up at 9:00 am. That's early by " Stayed out on the balcony half the night drinking wine and picking on a cheap guitar" standards. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">There was no getting around the early hour. Today I'm bound to a schedule. I made friends with the guy who drove me from the airport to my hotel in Tbilsi originally. His name is George. He speaks no English, only his native Georgian and his not-so-native Russian. He's picking me up at 10 am to take Sergio and I to Batumi, with a stop or two along the way. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">George proves himself reliable and arrives right on time. Along the way, tells us every minute detail about the sites on the ride to Gori, where we will stop and I will check out the Stalin museum. Sergio translates everything to me. Lots and lots of info, the higher percentage of which is pertinent. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">We arrive at the Stalin museum, built on the original property (including the house which holds original furniture) where Joseph Stalin was born. After perusing the Stalin gift shop (!) I hopped on the guided tour with other tourists from around the world including Israel and Russia. It was kind of surreal. The guide didn't give me much info that I didn't already know, and was moving along in a hurried manor. I saw some rare pictures, documents, one of the "Red Czar's " "death masks", his "Marshall's coat" and lots of other personal effects. It was real strange. I actually boarded and walked through Stalin's personal bullet-proof train car, taking cell phone pics of the interior, including his bedroom. The place is built like a Cat D-9 and completely air conditioned from the original period. I sat down on at Stalin's chair in the meeting room. Although it is deteriorating some, this carriage was a like a Lincloln Mark V in it's day. The phrase "Some are more equal than others" springs to mind. I have a fascination with world history during WWll and the "Stalin period" of Soviet Russia, so I'm glad I took the tour, weird as it was.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">After the "promenade dedicated to the pinnacle of world's most prolific murderer", we make for Batumi, up and down steep mountain roads. There are bulls, cows, goats, pigs, horses and all sorts of animals; crossing, standing, walking or running in and out of the road. I got hungry so we stopped at a beautiful open air restaurant, and copped some BBQ. Not barbecue like we have in the States that we all know and love, but It was delicious. Props to George for knowing the stop. It dawns on me that he is obviously a veteran of this excursion. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">There are pottery vendors, fresh fruit and veggie vendors, and all sorts of interesting locals and small towns along the way. There seems to be more of the "Soviet era" ruins of factories and buildings to be seen than in Tbilisi. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">Upon arrival to Batumi, we get to the Lion hotel, and I'm told that my room isn't ready. Not only is it not ready, but they have rented it to someone else. The rest of the hotel is sold out, save for a crap room which you enter THROUGH the side of the reception, the shower being about two feet from the reception desk. I'm less than happy with this prospect, and I pop the top off a bottle of Georgian beer with an intentionally loud, shotgun-blast of sound. I admit that this is a learned skill that I sometimes use for effect. This gets the hotel clerk's (who speaks English) attention. I explained to him (if by explained I mean used high volume, alcohol drenched speech peppered with four letter words) that I didn't come on an eight hour drive to sleep on the street. My reservations were in order and I had a confirmation number. He looks at me as if he's pleading for his life. I fix an iceberg stare on him. This wasn't going to end well, I thought. At least not for him. George immediately comes to the rescue. He looks at me and in broken English said something like "Don't worry, we have no problem." He immediately located much better accommodations at a more expensive, yet decent rate. Hotels during the summer here are NOT cheap. (250 USD per night for a decent place. 400 to 2000 PLUS (!) USD for the Radisson or the Shearaton) I was installed in a "four-star-three-room-suite (which in the States would have been a short-stock 3 star) for about a hundred bucks a night. Better-than-good-enough for me for sure. I felt lucky to get it, and this would be home for the next 40 hours or so. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">I took a walk down to the Black Sea, and it's beautiful. I felt really far from home, until I encountered a slew of McDonald's street sign ads by the beach. One can't avoid Doritos, Snickers or Lays potato chips in the shops. The USA looms large, many, many miles away. I went to a local pub that had food and ordered up. It was less than great, and I was given a cheap beer in place of what I ordered. It became painfully apparent that this place was some sort of former Soviet based brothel. I politely declined the services, finished my beer and grub, then hauled it back to the hotel for my guitar and a nightcap. Sometimes you can win and lose at the same time.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">MGE</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: medium; ">7/12/13</span></p>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11269472013-07-14T11:09:14-05:002013-07-19T04:29:58-05:00Thursday, July 11th 2013<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">Woke up Thursday morning and still hadn't found my debit card. This does not make me happy, obviously, and I tore my way through every possible place it could and couldn't be. No matter, as the card was already burned at the bank. Luckily I have some Euros and can change them in for Georgian Lari. Cash is king here anyway. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">I decided to catch a taxi over to Mtskheta, a town known as the spiritual heart of Georgia. Thirty minuets pass in the car quickly and the next thing I know I'm in yet another restaurant, eating even more Georgian food and drinking a cold beer. I started walking this fairly ancient looking road and wound up at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. To say it's breathtaking would be a huge understatement. I barely made dress code and they let me in. The place is huge, with ceilings probably 50 feet high. It was built in the 11th Century, and is surrounded by a huge wall. There's grapes growing on the property, and vegetables as well. There's a cheese whiz gift shop, but hey, this is now a capitalist country. There are monks strolling around quietly inside, keeping watch and going about running the cathedral. The paintings on the wall are beyond impressive and I'm told that the robe of Jesus is buried under this small tower inside the cathedral. I see lots of people going up to the tower, kissing it and crossing themselves. There are people reading the bible and others are lighting incense and candles. The dominant religion here is Georgian Orthadox. To me it seems somewhat like the Catholic Church but I could be wrong. My mother was Catholic, so I light a candle for her, walk around and take a few pictures. and head off to the next destination. Completely thinking I'd now seen it all. I hadn't.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">The next stop is Jvari Church. A monastery built in the late fifth century and said to be the holiest site in Georgia. It is on top of a huge mountain on an insanely long winding road in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The view is mind blowing. There is church service starting as I go in. Amazing. Beautiful music and very solemn. Lots of people around, some I'd seen back in Mtskheta. Words actually fail me to describe this place. It was a heavy experience and I'd recommend it to anyone. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">After an hour or so, I head back to Tbilisi and sit with the Gretch and a R Y J Numero Dos. The evening is gorgeous and I'm ready to pick a little bit on the balcony. That's just what I did as the sun went down. I'm working on something different. I don't want this next CD to be too "country". I'm not talking about Brantley Gilbert or anybody of that ilk. There's no chance of that happening. Truth be told I hate new country music with a passion. As bad as I hate techno. But I love George, Merle, All Hanks, Waylon, Shooter, Jerry Reed…the list is endless. But this stuff I heard before I left on tour actually made me laugh, it's so absurd. No need to name the "artists", you know who they are. That one guy with the cowboy hat and big ass earrings is a riot. The next SM CD has more of a chance sounding like Georgian Monk chants than it does these "country" clowns. But don't worry. It won't sound like Georgian Monk chants either. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">MGE</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; "><span style="font-size: larger; ">7/11/2013</span></p>
<div><span style="font-size: medium; "></span></div>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11242672013-07-13T11:03:30-05:002013-07-13T11:03:30-05:00Wednesday July 10 2013<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Woke up late. If by late I mean before noon. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">The riff I've been playing on the green Gretch is a good one, </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">maybe one of my best ever, but I'm not happy with</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">the lyrics. Time to hammer them into shape. <br>
That's the plan for tonight. The immediate plan for today <br>
is to head over to the "American Embassy" This is foreigner <br>
musician speak for the "Golden Arches", aka McDonalds. <br>
The Mickey D'sin Tbilisi looks more like some sort of "new/old" <br>
monastery. It has a "greeter" like you used to see at Wal Mart.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">I hurriedly snatched up a Quarter Pounder with cheese, </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">and jumped on the adjacent metro. This required stealth maneuvering </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">the longest, steepest under ground escalator I have ever had </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">the non-pleasure of setting foot on. It was so steep it looked </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">like it was flat when I was going down. Bad case of vertigo personified.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">I'd rather have a case of Pilsner Urquell. The metro is replete with </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Soviet Era trains, though repainted and refurbished to look "modern." </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 22px; "> </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Next stop, and I'm at Liberty Square. Without going into</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">great detail, it is a tribute to Georgias' independence</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">from the Soviet Union. Ironically, it's also the site where Joseph Stalin </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">and his cohorts robbed a bank to help finance the </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">beginning of Bolshevik Revolution, an event that would help ensure</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">the country of Georgia to be part of the Soviet Union, whether the </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">people wanted to be a part of it or not. I walked around</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">the old part of town and saw some beautiful churches.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">There is little left of Soviet Georgia even though I'm </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">in the the oldest part of town. There are some street signs and </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">buildings that let you know the Red Bear looms </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">as a dark shadow of this nations' history. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 22px; "> </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">The jaunt leads me to discover ruins, rehabs, and new buildings. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Tbilisi is a city that is moving ahead independently of the </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">rest of the world. This is good news for the city and it's people. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">I passed by the Norasheni Church, built in 1793, and the</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Sioni Cathedral which was originally built in the 7th century, but</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">had been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The Armenian </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Cathedral Of St. George was not a great stop due to it's </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">current reconstruction. Next, I stopped by the Orbeliani Baths </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">to see if they had a sauna. Not much intel. I'll look further into this later. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; "><br>
I crossed the Mtkvari River and back, and took a great walk down</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Shavteli Street, and hung in some really funky shops and buildings. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">A local matron tried to hustle me on an antique rug that I really liked</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">for a hundred USD and it was the size of a "Welcome Mat."</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">The phrase operative was no sale, Babes. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 22px; "> </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">After walking for what seemed like months, my lifetime-ago-ankle-injury <br>
had once again reared it's ugly head, and I was starting to get hungry. <br>
I decided to make for this place I call "The Barrel", which isn't its real name, <br>
but it has a big barrel-like structure shrouding it's otherwise missable entrance on </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Rustaveli Street. It's a home-style Georgian affair, and my heart and </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">stomach were set on eating some kind of fresh fish. I decided on grilled trout.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">It was a decision that I didn't regret. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 22px; "> </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Next stop was a used bookstore. As a confirmed "analog man" I'm </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">still partial to hard-copy books, shun the newfangled (if by new fangled</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">I mean ten years or so old) e-readers. I do see the value of going digital,</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; "> although I probably won't do it in THIS lifetime. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">There weren't a ton of books written in English to be had. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">I found mostly old copies of Encyclopedia Britanica, a Windows '97 </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">manual, and a New Testament that was also translated in French </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">and Russian. I did manage to dig up two books of grand interest; </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">works by Rustaveli and Gamzatov. The translations from Georgian to </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">English are excellent and will hopefully prove to be inspirational in </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">my never ending quest for perfect verse and chorus. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 22px; "> </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">After leaving the bookstore, I still had the Zep-like riff pounding in </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">my head and it just wouldn't leave me alone. Not that I want it to. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">A quick trip to "Beer Mania" resulted in me misplacing a debit card. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Must. Call. Bank. NOW. My dear friend Courtney at the bank</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; "> puts up with these mishaps out of me a couple of times a year. </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 22px; "> </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">Next stop, a super market for wine, cheese crackers, and cheap </p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Helvetica; ">cowboy killers. At least they taste better than Winston. </p>
<div> </div>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11206682013-07-12T20:20:00-05:002013-07-12T20:20:00-05:00Tuesday, July 9 2013<div id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5626" class="message content" style="position: relative; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; ">
<div class="msg-body inner undoreset" role="main" aria-label="Message body" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5813" style="margin: 25px 24px 22px 23px; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: hidden; word-wrap: break-word; ">
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<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="yiv458560530Apple-style-span" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5810" style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; ">Upon my arrival at 4:00 am to the airport in Tiblisi, I immediately felt that I was in Mexico. Starving due to the lack of good judgement on the part of the airline (a Delta partner that will not get one more dollar from my wallet) of what constitutes as edible food, I hauled it to the twenty four hour Burge<span class="yiv458560530Apple-style-span">r King. </span><span class="yiv458560530Apple-style-span" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5817">I had previously sworn off BK a few weeks ago in the UK, due to the fact that it tastes NOTHING like the BK's at home and is more like extremely over priced shoe leather. Not here. This one impressed. Mightily</span> </span></span><span class="yiv458560530Apple-style-span" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5810" style="font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px; ">
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<div id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5819"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> After receiving more than a few strange glances from the natives in the airport, I made my way to the train station to take the train to the center and on to my hotel. I met my translator/security person there and was informed that the train station was closed, for no apparent reason. Sergio is a huge fellow, I'm just not sure if he's here to protect the Russians that are here from me or me from them. At dawns first light we caught a taxi to the center and I was installed in my hotel. Not exactly the Radison, more like a Soviet Era Travelodge lost in a Mexican time warp. Funky low rent; two room Soviet wallpapered suite plus a decent bathroom. There's a great balcony, a fridge and a horrible view of a new hotel that is being built. Sergio's services weren't going to come cheap, and since I would mostly be in the hotel at night to write and sleep, I viewed it as a viable option. Plus, I like funky as long as it's clean, and this is. Room 301 will be home for the next few days. </span></div>
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<div id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5820">I had recently picked up smoking cigarettes yet again, but at a rate of about 25% of what I smoked before. Cigs here are cheap, and they taste it. I have located a supply of my beloved Romeo Y Jullietta cigars, but they aren't cheap. I picked up a pack of Winstons for about a dollar and a quarter after I woke up and had breakfast at what should have been supper time. The food here is amazing; Setsivi; chicken covered in an extremely complicated walnut sauce which I first encountered in London at a fabulous Armenian restaurant called Erebuni. Kharcho, a killin' soup that I also first tasted there. Grilled trout, which needs no further explanation, and <span class="yiv458560530Apple-style-span" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373692249799_5887">wine. Lots and lots of wine. After "brupper". I walked around to see part of the new part of town. Great market place, but an overabundance of people asking for money, and offering not so much as a "chicklet" in return, as is customary in Mexico. Great art. And the coolest McDonalds I've ever seen. People stare at me out of curiosity. They don't get many American rock and roll biker looking types here. I've also noticed that even in this eighty plus degree heat, that with the exception of tourists, nobody wears shorts. Its jeans or slacks and knock off Izod and Polo shirts. Time to head back <span class="yiv458560530Apple-style-span"> to the room and break out the green Gretch and my IPhone and work </span><span class="yiv458560530Apple-style-span">on this bluesy almost Zeppelin like track that's been haunting me for months. </span></span>
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<div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">MGE</span></div>
<div><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">7/9/13</span></div>
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</div>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11206672013-07-12T20:05:00-05:002013-07-12T20:05:00-05:00Monday July 8 2013<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Noteworthy Light'; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); "> </p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Noteworthy Light'; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); "><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>After the Summer leg of the tour came to a close in Finland, I jetted off to Central Europe to settle tour business and make the necessary arrangements for the Fall leg of the Haywire Riot Tour, which begins in the Czech Republic in late October of this year. It was also decided that there will be a new Skinny Molly CD out in the Spring of 2014, if all goes as planned and agreed upon. When asked how many songs I had ready for the CD, I hazarded a guess and said "Four or five" After checking into it further, it turned out I was right. And four or five songs do not an album make. That means one thing. If we're gonna have the record ready by then, it's crunch time. Recording HAS to be finished before the aforementioned Fall leg of the tour starts in October. </b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Noteworthy Light'; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); "><b><br></b><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>I told my European Counselor that I quickly wrote the last half of Haywire Riot in Mexico. It was suggested to me that in order not to waste time, I should consider a similar trip now to soak up some new inspiration and get to writing. "Go somewhere you've never been. Maybe a former Soviet Union country near the Black Sea. Its similar to Mexico there." It sounded like a great idea to me and after calling my youngest daughter to make sure I would still make it home in time for the day her first born arrives, I made hasty, yet semi-well thought out plans to do just that. I only hope I will not indulge myself too much at my own (and the deadlines') peril in my love of Soviet history. That could be a major distraction. It was also suggested to me that I continue my "Notes From The Road" blog, in order to jumpstart my pen. </b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Noteworthy Light'; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); "><b><br></b><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>I did an admittedly half ass job on the blog when we were touring...barely passable writing...but the entries were intended to be just notes, and that's what they were. I was tied up with the all the business of the tour (I am the bands' de facto European Tour Manager, manager, booking agent, driver, accountant, tour guide and long lost uncle. I've also been known to pick and sing a bit. </b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Noteworthy Light'; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); "><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>So now I will embark on a more in depth, much more well written blog about my summer writing vacation. I'll be armed with not much more than a Gretch "Way Out West" green colored acoustic guitar (Given to me by my buddy Fred from The Borderline in Belgium) some comfortable clothes, cheap, horrible Soviet Era tasting cigarettes, wonderful wine and food, and my trusty IPhone. Let this adventure begin. </b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Noteworthy Light'; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); "><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>MGE</b></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Noteworthy Light'; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); "><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>7/8/13</b></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); "></span></p>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11186542013-07-12T09:56:38-05:002013-07-12T09:56:38-05:00Notes From The Road Part 8<b><span style="font-size: medium;"> 7/1/12 </span></b><br>
Travel day. Nine hours over to our new Central Europe headquarters to <br>
leave our bus for the next tour and get a day's rest before flying to <br>
Finland.<br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">7/2/2013</span></b><br>
Day off. If by day off I mean doing laundry all day. It has built up<br>
to surreal proportions. At least we caught some decent food and <br>
some rest. Fly to Finland tomorrow. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">7/3/2013 </span></b><br>
Flew into Vantaa, (Helsinki) Finland and was met by my bro Sami<br>
who I haven't seen in way too long. Tonight is Tavastia, probably<br>
the most famous venue in all of Finland. Had an enthusiastic crowd<br>
show up, and was glad to play. Beer in this town in a bar is about 8 bucks.<br>
It's just after midsummer time and Finland is the place to be. The sun<br>
barely goes down at night. I have loved this country since I first came<br>
here 14 years ago. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">7/4/2013</span></b> <br>
Five hours up to Joensuu today to play La Barre. We have played <br>
here many times, and always look forward to a return visit. To bad<br>
we can't play on the roof this time, the weather is perfect. They've<br>
been getting noise complaints though, so we are inside. Spent the <br>
afternoon at Sami's eating fabulous grilled salmon and hanging out<br>
in his wigwam he built. Then we had a great real deal outdoor sauna.<br>
Unbelievably nice. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">7/5/2013 </span></b><br>
Few hours down to Heinola, Finland. Cool venue, although there<br>
were some sound problems when our buddies Slidemobile played.<br>
Not the band's fault at all, of course. Had a good solid gig with <br>
some great screaming fans. :) <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">7/6/2013 </span></b><br>
Before the short drive over to Hyvinkaa, the promoter in Heinola <br>
took us to a motorcycle museum that was unbelievably awesome.<br>
Russian bikes, Czech bikes, American bikes, English bikes, you name it.<br>
I could go on and on about it. Then we went to the top of a Ski jump<br>
tower in Lahti, Finland. What a great morning! We went on over to<br>
the gig after that and loaded in. I'm always sad to see a tour end,<br>
and this one is no exception. At least we had (for the first time in <br>
Europe) REAL American BBQ. It was SERIOUS and tasted just like<br>
somewhere in Texas. Good gig though we didn't go on until midnight. <br>
Saw some old buddies and had a blast. Tomorrow the guys are<br>
going home and I'm gonna go do some business and work on <br>
some new songs. See you in about a week. <br><br><br><br type="_moz">Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11186222013-07-12T09:54:14-05:002022-04-13T20:15:43-05:00Notes From The Road Part 7<b><span style="font-size: medium;"> 6/26/2013 </span></b><br>
Tonight we played Blue Devils in Arras France. Had a great time, and<br>
a wonderful crowd. This place is like a good biker bar /Honky Tonk/Juke <br>
Joint back home. We love the place and I keep trying to talk the owner<br>
Herve' into selling me a Telecaster that he has. So far he won't do it.<br>
maybe one day. <br><br><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6/27/2013 </b></span><br>
Travel day: And I mean TRAVEL day. We headed out of Arras<br>
for a huge bike rally called Showbike Aquatine in the south not too far <br>
from Bordeaux, France.<br>
When we reached the point for the ferry to go across to Vendays- <br>
Montalivet (where the gig was) after driving eleven hours we came <br>
to realize the ferry was closed. We had to drive three more to go<br>
go around to get to the gig. Including the CENTER of Bordeaux. <br>
It called for me to summon all my driving skills and patience, but<br>
we made it. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/28/2013 </span></b><br>
Vendays- Montalivet, France is a beautiful place. Great food and weather.<br>
There's a nudist beach here too, but if any of the band takes their clothes<br>
off for this they will be fined if not fired. Jay's sick, and needs a doctor. <br>
Luckily there was one on site and he fixed Jay up with some antibiotics.<br>
These people run a GREAT gig and a there was a great <br>
crowd. They even stayed through the rain. Wonderful sound and <br>
hospitality. This one will be hard to beat. Another long drive tomorrow.<br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/29/2013</span></b> <br>
About a nine hour drive back north near Paris France for the Bike And <br>
Roll festival. Great gig, great food Great people. Good bands here today, <br>
too. Jay's still sick, but seems to be a little better. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/30/2013</span></b> <br>
Only a few hours to Matignicourt Goncour and Le Chateau de Goncourt.<br>
Being here was like being in a movie. Tons of WWl and WWll battles<br>
were fought very near here. You can find spent shells out in the yard <br>
from the planes that were dogfighting right over the place. There's a <br>
castle there built in 1545 with a moat around it. There have been <br>
three families live in this place in it's entire existence. Our hosts were <br>
beyond gracious and the food was great. PA and sound engineers were <br>
total pros. Can't wait to come back. <br>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11186212013-07-12T09:51:59-05:002013-07-12T09:51:59-05:00Notes From The Road Part 6<b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/21/13 </span></b><br>
Short drive over to Derby UK to play the Flowerpot. The Flowerpot is <br>
one of the coolest venues in the world, and the promoters are some of <br>
the best friends we have. Upon our arrival, we were told that there was <br>
an American Beer Festival on at the gig, and that Skinny Molly had the<br>
honor of having a wonderful IPA named after the band, complete with <br>
our logo placed on the tap. Quite possibly the coolest thing to happen<br>
to us on the road for a long time. We love this venue, the staff that works <br>
there and had a fabulous audience. Can't wait to go back. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/22/13 </span></b><br>
Drove back to the Robin and got my guitar strap. Then on to Crewe, at <br>
the Box which is an AWESOME plays to play. The sound is great, the whole<br>
thing is total pro all the way around. Our goal is gonna be to sell it out next<br>
time! <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/23/13</span></b> <br>
A few hours down to London today for another gig we've never done <br>
before. The Rock Patch at Merton Manor Club. What a wonderfully cool<br>
old building, which hasn't been changed in a 100 plus years. They actually<br>
film movies in this place, as the upstairs dressing room is like stepping back<br>
to the era it was built. All the same furniture. Two huge snooker tables.<br>
Being in there was like being IN a movie. And to top it off, this was the <br>
loudest, most appreciative audience the entire tour. We love our London <br>
folks, and had a great time here. Can't wait to come back. What a great <br>
way to end the UK tour. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/24/2013 </span></b><br>
Day off today. If by off, I mean tour accounting settlement, finding a <br>
laundromat, a new hotel, (Wimbeldon is on) some <br>
accidental in the London Congestion Zone sight seeing. (OK in retrospect<br>
it was worth it) Changing Pounds Sterling for US Dollars and Euros. <br>
We ended up staying in a pub hotel run by our dear friend Marta called <br>
The Six Bells. Best jukebox for miles. Best breakfast anywhere. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/25/2013 </span></b><br>
Travel day today. And we have to pick up new T shirts. Off to Arras, FR<br>
Stay in a really nice hotel and got some great food. I had grilled salmon.<br>
it was excellent. But I have now caught a cold that is probably gonna<br>
make singing tomorrow a nightmare. Wish me luck. <br>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/11185852013-07-12T09:45:00-05:002013-07-12T09:45:00-05:00Notes From The Road Part 5<b><span style="font-size: medium;"> 6/16/13 </span></b><br>
Off today. Laid up in a London hotel, went to a South Indian restaurant and <br>
had a good meal. Looks like a "get organized" day tomorrow. It being <br>
Father's day made us that have kids miss them, of course, and our dads<br>
as well. Took some goofy pictures of us on the streets of London, and were<br>
just being lazy in general.<br><br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/18/2013</span> </b><br>
Headed off to Portsmouth UK (Eastney to be exact) for a show in a club <br>
we've never played before, called the Cellars. The first show of six in a <br>
row. Had a heck of a good time, played a barn burner of a show and saw <br>
some of our most awesome crazy friends. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/19/2013</span></b><br>
Had a few hour drive up to Wolverhampton UK to play the world famous <br>
Robin 2. One of the best venues in England. Great sound and staff. <br>
Experience has taught me to get to this gig early as to avoid traffic on<br>
the infamous M-6, which can at times resemble a parking lot. Had a <br>
good show, and it's always great to be here!<br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/20/2013 </span></b><br>
Arrived in Warrington to find the gig at Par Hall to be an awesome<br>
place to play. Very nice venue, great stage, sound and most <br>
importantly, a great audience. Had a big ol' time and a fun party<br>
afterwards at a local rock pub. Would love to play here again. Only<br>
bad part was I realized I forgot one of my guitar straps at the Robin 2<br>
last night. <br>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/10273302013-06-27T08:05:22-05:002013-06-28T15:50:38-05:00Notes From The Road Part 4<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6/14/13</b> <br></span> Hauled it from London to Crumlin, Wales to play one of our favorite venues<br>
in the world, The Patriot. We had a blast! The place was packed and rocking<br>
like usual! Saw some old friends and made some new ones! This has just <br>
about become our home base gig. Hope the show set the tone for the rest<br>
of the tour! <br><br><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6/15/13</b></span><b> <br></b> Back to south London, hell of a traffic mess, but we made it to the gig just <br>
in time to set up, sound check, change clothes and go on. Turned out to <br>
be a really fun show…lots of comedy and the show went way off the set <br>
list. Our good buddy Stretch Sickle came out and played mandolin on our <br>
version of Copperhead Road. Great crowd! London continues to be our <br>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/9569942013-06-17T10:05:00-05:002013-06-17T10:05:00-05:00Notes From The Road Part 3<b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/13/13 </span></b> <br>
We were supposed to play a venue called The Scene in Swansea tonight. Turns out, the "City Council" shut the venue down. We played there once before, and the place was admittedly lackluster at best. Not a total loss. Stayed in London, got some laundry done, and had a good party at the Six Bells. <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/14/13 </span></b> <br>
Hauled it from London to Crumlin, Wales to play one of our favorite venues in the world, The Patriot. We had a blast! The place was packed and rocking like usual! Saw some old friends and made some new ones! This has just about become our home base gig. Hope the show set the tone for the rest of the tour! <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/15/13</span></b> <br>
Back to south London, hell of a traffic mess, but we made it to the gig just in time to set up, sound check, change clothes and go on. Turned out to be a really fun show…lots of comedy and the show went way off the set list. Our good buddy Stretch Sickle came out and played mandolin on our version of Copperhead Road. Great crowd! London continues to be our stronghold on any tour we do over here. Had some younguns in the audience sporting SM T shirts! <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6/16/13 </span></b><br>
Off today. Laid up in a London hotel, went to a South Indian restaurant and had a good meal. Looks like a "get organized" day tomorrow. It being Father's day made us that have kids miss them, of course, and our dads as well. Took some goofy pictures of us on the streets of London, and were just being lazy in general.Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/9361632013-06-13T11:15:00-05:002013-06-17T13:15:23-05:00Notes From The Road 2<span style="font-size: medium;"><b> 6/12/13 9:06 am </b></span><br><br>
Band arrived short one of Mike's guitars (thanks Delta) at Heathrow <br>
airport. We were met by our dear friend and bus mechanic, Nick Smith. <br>
Nick has a vast knowledge of American cars and most cars and vehicles <br>
in general. Checked into a good hotel in West Drayton. Spent the evening <br>
getting our bus Shirley Jean organized, and the rest of the night in a <br>
fantastic pub called The Six Bells where Mike was treated to a breakfast<br>
from the Pubs' owner, Marta (who is fantastically quick witted, and a hell<br>
of a cook) at 9 PM. We will be meeting some friends there for a few pints<br>
later tomorrow. The guitar finally showed, and we have our new T shirts <br>
in! They look great! <br>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/9361592013-06-13T11:14:34-05:002022-05-06T04:44:57-05:00Notes From The Road 1<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6/11/13 1:00pm</b></span><br><br>
Band arrived at the airport in Nashville for a flight to JFK then to <br>
Heathrow airport. The flight from Nashville was delayed, which meant<br>
There was barely enough time to catch the plane to London. As a matter<br>
of fact, two didn't make it on the plane before they shut the door. The<br>
gate agent announced that we wouldn't be allowed on the plane. After<br>
a ruckus was kicked up about this, they went ahead and opened the door.<br>
we deemed it a good decision. <br><br>Skinny Mollytag:www.skinnymollyrocks.com,2005:Post/3058972013-02-10T17:20:00-06:002023-12-10T10:45:56-06:00Coming Soon!<span style="font-size: medium;">Notes from the Road coming soon!</span>Skinny Molly