10/31/00 - Last day in Germany...

Greetings from Munich,

It is Tuesday the 31st, the day of our final concert in Germany. Last night we performed here at Circus Krone, a famous old building built many years ago just for presenting the Krone family circus, a one ring show. The building is fashioned after a giant circus tent, and has permanent shoots through which the lions, tigers, horses and other animals could be released and returned into their quarters. Kind of apropos for rock bands to, I suppose!

The most interesting photo on the wall of memorabilia was that of The Beatles performing there sometime in the mid 1960s. This is something that appealed to all us musicians, including the members of Venice, who played a Beatles sound check. They were joined by Jimmy, Greg and Mike from our crew, who often jam as a stand in for us at sound checks we don't show up for. From what I hear, the whole rhythm section was a purple jam...

After a few days in Italy, our manager Charlie and his lovely wife Cindy are back with pictures and stories that are quite impressive. He returned to the home of his great grandmother, because the house where she lived and where his grandmother was born had come on the market and his cousin there had urged him to buy it to once again have it be in the family. This was the catalyst for their journey and I think it was something he and Cindy will never forget. Looking back into the family history and seeing some of the most beautiful parts of Italy including Rome and Capri, Charlie and Cindy are a little more Italian now than they were a few days ago. Ciao bello!

Today we leave late for Furth but not to a hotel. Instead we will go straight to the gig, hang out, have dinner, play the show and then head for Frankfort Am Main, the international airport, and catch a couple of hours sleep in a hotel there. Everyone heads their separate ways early in the morning. New Jersey, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Toronto, Chicago, Perth (yes, sound engineer John Kern now lives in Perth, Australia!) and for Jeanne and me, Paris, France. We will spend a couple of nights there, head to London for two nights, THEN head back to Los Angeles.

I think you can see from the photos and notes that this has been a big trip for us. We have opened the door for the future here, whatever it will be. The world has grown since we were last here, more than I ever imagined, but why wouldn't it have? Just look at America and how much has changed in 20 years!

Lawrence, JY and I were musing as we looked out the window at the outrageously beautiful German countryside the other day, and grinned at our lives. We have chosen this Gypsy life, that's for sure, and to look out the window on a daily basis and see the world through the window, and never the same view twice, is the thing we all dreamed of as children, sitting in our rooms at our parents' houses practicing our instruments and singing along to our favorite records. Some of you might not understand how we can stand to be away from home so much, but I suppose it is in our blood. Maybe an extra, or perhaps a missing chromosome! Who knows? All I can tell you is that we are constantly renewed. This trip has completely recharged our love for the road and we can't wait to see you all in Lowell for the first November show.

See you soon!