TUESDAY, 18TH SEPT.

So we check into the US AIRWAYS counter and things start to go wrong. Dave Chapple has left his work documents right by the door at home (but brought his bass, which is all we care about) and Todd’s keyboard MIDI console is a stone, 2 pounds over the limit (16 Lbs), and thus he has assessed a $50 fee, which sucks. Will try to pry that amount from the Italian Promoters.

Plane leaves at 6:30am on time and we nestle in. Couple of crappy movies and i’m off to sleep. 5 hours later we land in Philly. It’a about 1pm local time. We change planes and hop another US AIRWAYS plane to Milan. This time it’s about 9hours and flying. I sleep about 5 hours of it, also catch Ocean’s 13, which was just like 11 and 12 except Al Pacino is in this one. They rob casinos of hundreds of millions of dollars but somehow end up broke in the begining of each movie so for Ocean’s 14 they’ll be penniless no doubt.

I grab some shut eye and take in another 5 hours straight of sleep. Keep in mind, Hannah’s Mum gave me some Melantonin which works magic, helps the body adjust. I wake up for breakfast about 45 min. before we land. I look out the window but Italy is completely dark at 6am.

WEDNESDAY 19th, Sept.

We land about 6:30am. Go through customs (which was easy and smooth) and then get our luggage. we are then met by our driver who drives like a maniac on crystal meth and we bob and weave through Milan rush hour traffic for the better half of 90 minutes to our gorgeous, 17th Century Hotel.

We check in and get some sleep. I wonder out around noon to a mall across the street. i also meet up with London Sinfonietta Arrangers, Londoners Rupert and Matthew, as well as the Dutch Conductor, Jergen (pronounced YER-YEN but we kept playfully referring to him as “Jerkin”) We discuss some of the arrangents and possible logics, had a couple glasses of wine and then kicked back in the hotel courtyard, which was right out of Godfather 1.

Glenn Max arrived a bit later, as well as the London Sinfonietta (the “LS” from this point on). Later on that night we stayed up in the courtyard drinking beers and stuff. I don’t know if Todd really drinks. he MAY have had a glass of wine. we didn’t really know Todd too well but he’s proving to fit in really well and he’s damn talented. Baby Lemonade rehearsed with the Arrangers and Conductor (no orchestra) from 6pm to about 10:30pm to get the cues and arrangements in order. Gave Hannah a call about 11pm (2pm LA TIME) and then felt the jet lag and his the hay.)

(Need to continue this diary a different time, as I need to go over some music i need to learn, as Darian Shanahaja is producing some CANDY PANTS tracks and they want me to play Bass on one of the cuts so I must do my homework, as the session is Thursday and it’s Monday right now…)

Mike Randle