We played the Minneapolis show – it was great. After the show, we went to an Irish bar right across from First Ave. with Dave Green and some of his friends. I got trashed. Then Frasier shit on the bus. No, Frasier didn’t actually shit on the bus. Then the next morning we drove to Chicago and had massive traffic. Barely got to the gig in time. Then, after that, the show was great, me, Daddyo and Rusty went to a soul food restaurant a block from the venue. Next day we drove to Detroit, got in the day before the gig. My friends Juliana and Joe picked me up and took me to a wedding reception. I had a good time and met some local DJs. I am a deejay. I am what I play… Went back to Juliana and Joe’s and we drank a little bit, used the internet a little bit, then went to sleep. Next morning they took me around Detroit, took me to Hitsville, USA – the original Motown studio, and then they dropped me off at sound check. After sound check all of us in the band went next door to the venue and had dinner. I had whatever, spaghetti. Show that night was great; the Zombies were great too. (I’m in the Lincoln tunnel. I’m gonna lose you. I’ll call you back.) Then, afterwards we just kind of watch some teevee and went to sleep. Next day we drove to Cleveland and met up with Fritz and his posse. He brought us some guitar strings. Everyone’s looking at the NY skyline. Wow, what a great picture! Wow, it’s beautiful… (the band is singing “New York, New York” in the background. Quite inebriated…) And wouldn’t you know it, after the first song, Johnny broke a string. Yup. But the rest of the show was magnificent. It was an amazing show. Magical. After the show we went back to the hotel and watched some movies, then went to sleep. We watched Final Destination, Part 2 which is a favorite of The Singer. It must be seen to be believed. Next day, we had a long drive to NY, got into NY, unloaded but at the Zombies soundcheck the union broke at 6 PM and we had to actually pay them to work for us because the doors opened at 7:30 and the Zombies soundcheck went long because they had strings and it went long. Before soundcheck, Rusty and Monica and I went and had pizza at John’s on 44th St. and 8th Avenue. While we were eating pizza Bob Zebra, the merch maven called asked about Frazier and after we hung up Monica goes: “Frazier? Isn’t he the guy who shit on the bus?” It was great. After that we went back, soundchecked, and played a great show. Oh, on the bus, coming in, we watched Sam Jone’s great film “I am trying to break your heart” about Wilco. Afterwards, me and Daddyo and Rusty and Monica and a few other people went to a restaurant in Manhattan for Margaritas. After that, we went back to the bus and found Sky Saxon hanging out and I kicked it with Sky for a little bit. Me and Sky were having some laughs. A bunch of people came up to us and said “Hi” to us, and Monica and asked for autographs and also Monica hated my little shoulder bag and said it was ugly so she gave me a new one. Oh, man, I think Frazier just shit in my bag. And after that we got back in the bus and drove back to New Jersey. The Singer has been better on this trip than he’s ever been, including the UK tours. It’s been a dream come true. And Troels and Kose have really kept this trip together. Talk to ya later… Special Thanks to The New Guy

Mike Randle