i fucking crack myself up

on the bus george our merch guy complains to me :

all that frickin’ weed you smoke steve is giving me a sore throat

me : shut up man …you should be fuckin’ payin’ me for shmokin’ my stash..!

wow being on tour is weird i tell you

extended adolescence popping up in new places everyday

today we are in buffalo and its cold and clear

we go down starbucks and i suck down some huge caffeine hit

wow i am dislocated and adrift

people ask me how its going

man i don’t know what to say

its totally surreal

people come along and they venerate us

we have a sold out theatre last night in PA

but buffalo aint looking so good

we meet people on dialysis who listen to the church getting their blood changed

we get surgeons who listen to the church whilst stitching up your flesh

the people clap and cheer and we get many standing ovations

the good old blurred crusade…

who woulda thunk it all that time ago in mansfield street rozelle

the good old blurred crusade

quality then quality now

real songs thought out and planned

i’m proud of my old self for dreaming it up oh so long ago

nice work too particularly by p koppes and b clearmountain

who bring such lovely musicality to the thing

well it still sorta stands up all these years later

and the people seem to enjoy it

a bit clunky in parts but still a nice valid thing

with its own aesthetic and mojo

everyday is a day of madness trying to find food and fit things in

do yoga and get in a walk and blah blah blah

the band is pretty tight now playing wise

the crusade unravels so smoothly

its sad but i hope i never have to play it again tho in its entirety

i’m pretty much over it now

so many new possibilities

so many new songs to be written

and new musical adventures to be had

its unbelievable touring and sleeping on the bus most nights

its disorienting and all that kind of thing

makes you lose track of everything

everything builds up to the show

you go on you play

you have a pre gig drink you nibble at the chips

guitar doesn’t weigh a thing anymore

my fingers whizz around the fender bass like its a toy

so ridiculously confident the damn thing almost plays itself

so there you are

walking down a quiet suburban street in kentucky

or stumbling off a stage in new hampshire

or in the truckstop urinal with the earth still moving beneath your feet

you’re singing your words you’re playing your bass

people clap boy that makes you smile

the fans are so kind and so dedicated

sometimes its better not to meet them

sometimes tired sometimes full of a wild energy and enthusiasm

you have lost your locus kilbey

you are now along for the ride

nothing makes sense and why the fuck would it?

it doesn’t matter this is a rocknroll tour

you been doing it forever forty years worth sir

plucking that old bass guitar same as ever

you meet people you see people you talk to people

look!

a woman yelled to her husband as i dashed into the bus last night

look ! its steve kilbey and he’s escaping ..quick!

but i hit the door code and suddenly was in the quiet darkness of the bus

the driver sat there chewing on something and smiling

good evening sir and how was your show this evening?

what can you say?

the crowd stood up and applauded us heartily

and all the other implications of the nights show

but yeah gee it went good 

that will suffice for now

it makes you feel like everything and yet nothing matters

we are here to play our lovely music and thats our only purpose

4 shows left by this time next week I’m already home

where a burst water main has destroyed all my electronic gear and sound system etc

wow happy times ahead

and my teeth are in bad shape and they need more than i have

my old english teeth not doing as well as other bits

in some ways ridiculously healthy due to yoga and swimming and veg eating

in some ways I’m crumbling apart altogether

so we are all getting on you never know when its your last chance to see us

yes i am devastated by princes sudden death

i was only envying him the other day

thinking that man has more youthfulness and talent than a person should have

and now this

i was envying a man with only weeks left to live

and thats a fucking message from the universe right there folks

any of us at any time

who would have thought bowie and prince would go just like that?

their genius and youthfulness could not save them

can we mere mortals grok this tho ?

man i am so sorry because prince was a fuckin’ genius no matter what

he should have lived till he was a hundred

i feel its ludicrous he should be taken so soon

and trump and clinton battle it out out there

is this the best you got america? these two cartoon buffoons?

obviously i love bernie

yes my people i love bernie

does he still have a chance?

and prince is gone

and i’m in buffalo parked outside a club waiting to get in for me shower

us australians we love our daily shower

and man the world is crazy

and wow that shower will feel good

and wow

goodbye