DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME;

"Countdown shows #30-31"

Show #30-April 2, 2002-Silverlake, Ca.-SPACELAND

Our pals, Mitch and Jen, run the SPACELAND club so, when The SINGER and his NEW
Manager (who was his old "Euro" booker from '96) Gene Kraut, were looking for a
secret place to "sneak in" a set, this place seemed right. But the secret
wasn't a secret long, as the lines around the block could attest to! I was
nervous a bit before the show but then the SINGER bought me a beer and I
lightened up a bit. Our guitar tech that night, David "Cookiehead" Jenkins, had
all the guitars ready to go and we stepped onstage and just did it. The SINGER
was great, of course. And, I've covered much of this in the ealier diaries
from about 6 months ago (OH MY GOD, HAVE I BEEN DOING THIS THAT LONG!!!!!????),
but it's worth mentioning that Gene came up with the ANDMOREAGINS name but his
original choice was THE RED TELEPHONES, but someone had that name. So, if ya
didn't know, now ya know, to quote FLAVA FLAV...

Show #31-May 1, 2002-Hollywood, CA-THE KNITTING FACTORY

Now, anyone who has lived in Los Angeles (or visited) for more than five years
can tell you how absolutely SCUMMY Hollywood Blvd. used to be. We're talking
druggies, hookers...you name it. Well, some VERY RICH people sunk a lot of
capitol into Hollywood Bl. from La Brea to Highland, put a subway stop (A
SUBWAY STOP, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?) AND PUT UP A HUGE HOTEL, A CONCERT HALL
(KODACK THEATRE), SOME MOVIE THEATRES and The Knitting Factory.

We sold that place out and no has packed it like that since. Every nook and
cranny was filled. I remember it being really fun. But the best part of the
day...and I never mentioned this in the diaries but, what the fuck, right? Ok.
Well, Rusty and I got to soundcheck around 4pm and was pulling into the
underground parking structure when we noticed that some GENIUS had gotten his
MOBILE TRAILOR stuck on the "Enter" sign. Now, the sign is clearer than day
about what the height limits are and this particular vehicle even has an air
conditioner on top. So he's stuck and then he hits the accelerator! Pulls the
sign off and it comes crashing down!!!! We can't believe our eyes! Then, out
hops this small, thin guy with very long hair, glasses and a LOVE t-shirt.
Rusty, withour hesitation, turns to me and slowly says (with FEAR in his
voice), "Mike, I think...that might...be our soundguy..." I said to him, "No
way." How could that be our sound guy, I thought? At that moment, and it's a
moment I will REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE..and you would simply have to
know this guy to understand what I mean...but imagine a guy who looks like
Chuck E. Weiss and talks like HOMER SIMPSON...ok, got the image...ok...AT THAT
VERY MOMENT Don Conka walks up to our car window, lights a cigarette and says
(In a VERY Californian voice), "THAT'S YOUR SOUND-GUY. YOU GUYS ARE FUCKED,"
and walks away. No smile. No wink. No nudge. He just walked away. Although
Don turned out to be right, we didn't really get the "encore" until we played
San Fransisco 2 1/2 months later, if ya know what I mean..and I think ya'll
do....

=====

Mike Randle
mike@lovewitharthurlee.com

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