pull anchor at noon. we got gray sky and drizzle. 350 klicks to last gig of tour in nijmegen in the netherlands which makes sense cuz we gotta return the boat, the backline and fly home from amsterdam, not more than a couple of hours (hopefully) from nijmegen. before getting on the autobahn, we get diesel for 1.12 euro/liter, pretty good (about five bucks/gallon u.s.) again we got fratello paolo on the wheel, I ask him why do I have to ask him not to tailgate 'pert-near every fucking day - is it communication problem? finally clear the air on this. a quick drop anchor to get koff. we head south on a1 to osnabruck - this is where I first met richard hell - from here we go east towards holland on a30. the rains gets light but doesn't stop. assholes fly by cuz most the autobahn has no speed limit. the sun starts burning through the closer we get to the border... bye bye germany, we cross twenty after two, rolling on dry road as I relate to fratello ste the schema of some of my first opera - how I wrote it on the first bike I had after twentytwo years of no pedaling (I got a car when I was sixteen and thought pedaling was for little kids - I was an asshole). right ahead of three we drop anchor for pony switch and piss stop - but not for me, I already used bottle... I ain't gonna suffer. when I gotta go, I go.
rain-style load-in at seven bells. actually there ain't been a lot of this this tour, we've been real lucky. I meet light my thys at the hatch, stageboss dennis right after that - everyone helps w/the schlep and we get the shit in the pad quick. it's called merleyn and it's rund by the doornroosje folks - I played for them many times in the 80s and 90s, I hear now it's a prac pad and their main trip is a two hall baby near the train station. makes sense. always good people. you know, carlos (he was at the first gig of this tour) being a dutch dude always had good connect w/good cats in holland. respect. I give soundman rob the spiel I've given 'pert-near every soundman this tour and he's into it. yes sir. he also is the only one who knows the punch line to the "what's the best thing about thirtynine year olds?" terrible joke. impressed. I am kreupel ('cripple' in dutch) here holland. kind of like kruppel in german but completely different language.
I get taken upstairs and I think I'll stay here 'til soundchech - see, cuz of the chow pad next door, we can set up but we can't make noise 'til nine and a half. then at ten, the hatch opens and then we're on ten minutes later. so I'll just stay up here. phototakerman ed asks if he can take a photo later and I say sure. tefka comes to talk to me about chow - chow on the road, chow at home. she's writing a book on the subject. interesting, she asks good stuff. now I chowed earlier a great gyro right close - the pad had a sign outside that said only "giro" - I mean this was a really REALLY good one, whoa - oh, actually catty-corner from our 'tel (about a hundred feet to the startboard from this pad's front hatch) was a fritts pad and I had to get a paper cone full of fritts w/mayonaise on it, chowing in rain while under a awning and looking down the street at the old town where I can see market kind of stuff. I really ain't been to the part of town to tell you the truth (of course I wanna don't wanna shit you), it's been a buttload of years since I last played nijmegen. too long. anyway, I'm pretty but this kind lady cooked us chow and so I try some of all of it so I can give some spiel for the book regarding the roasted potatoes, steamed brussel sprouts, mushrooms and gravy and finally some kind of beef stew which is all really happening, especially the 'taters and sprouts. a dilemma I had in italy cuz it's real working a gig for me too close to having chowed. arrrggghhhhhhh. phototakerman ed has me do picture and is the quickest ever, what a beautiful and righteous man. respect.
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