I'm Alive

Sorry I've been so scarce. Since getting back from SW Asia I temporarily traded by journal time for songwriting time. I've been getting up at 7am almost every morning to write. There is something about the quiet of the morning combined with a good cup of coffee and a …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 21

It's always nice to avoid an international incident. We were invited to get up at 0600 and go to the bridge to watch a test firing of one of the ship's defensive weapons, the Sea Whiz (don't quote me on the spelling). However, the firing gets cancelled because there are …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 20

Reveille Reveille! 0600, the ship says time to wake up. Ouch.

Everyone up for breakfast, then an awesome tour of the ship. The Foc'sle, The Bridge, CIC, ATO, the LCACs. Awesome. After lunch, set up in the hangar deck and a special extended soundcheck for those who …

Heading Home

Leaving on a midnight plane to Georgia. Isn't that how the song goes? Ha ha! That's right. Today is the day that we finally head home after what has been one of the most amazing and life changing experiences of my life.

I'm sure it will take a few days for it all to …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 19

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL POSTS ARE 2-3 DAYS BEHIND.

Today's the day we head out to sea. Our choppers are pushed back a little bit, so we head to the Bahrain airport around 1100. Everyone is feeling pretty rested, which is nice for a change.

We check in for our …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 18

Looks like we're coming down the home stretch. This morning we had a pretty early call to head out to the APOD Kuwait to catch yet another C-130, this time to Bahrain. Actually, Alan was able to have a nice homecoming with the doctor and nurse who took care of him back …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 17

Another travel day, time for us to start working our way back as we're coming down the home stretch.

This morning we got a nice Marine wakeup call - "Get Up, it's 7 am, Get Up" - guess he didn't get the message that our wakeup was 0730. No problem, gave most of us …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 16

Since everyone needs to get up early, no breakfast at the DFAC - some cold Pop Tarts and cereal with UHT milk will do. Today, we're off to Al Qaim (known as AQ).

Around 0900, out to the LZ (landing zone) for our ride. This time, we're all going in one chopper - a …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 15

Al Asad is massive.

This was a former Iranian air force base, so all of the buildings and structures were already there, most built by a Yugoslavian company. Today we have a show here, so this morning we got another tour - this time we got a tour of the EA-6B …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 14

Sunrise over Ramadi.

I've tried to be objective about the band's travels and what's been going on, but I have to get a little personal here. Today is my birthday, and to wake up here in Iraq on that day was a little overwhelming. Almost like it was an honor to be …

Post Iraq

Iraq is now a very fond memory as I type this from the executive lounge of a very nice hotel in Kuwait. While
civilization is nice, I almost feel guilty being in such a nice hotel when so many of our troops are still out there roughing it. There are some very tough …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 13

Travel days are always long and interesting. This one started just like all the others. Up not too early, got on the bus, they took out to the flightline to wait for our Marine flight to Iraq. Yes, that Iraq. We didn't really tell many people about that part for …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 12

Did I already say that travel is a fluid situation over here?

First, I forgot to mention yesterday that we got an awesome tour of the flightline. We saw a U-2 and a Global Hawk, then went inside a KC-10 tanker and an AWACS plane. After the tour, they flashed us with …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 11

Finally, day off to go into town. What town, I can't tell you, but a big town somewhere in SW Asia. After letting the band sleep in because of the late show, in the afternoon we were taken into town for an awesome Lebanese dinner and a little bit of shopping. Maybe when …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 10

You know immediately when you get to a place that has its act together. Welcome to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, SW Asia.

Because the band was going to do 2 shows in 1 night, they wisely rearranged our schedule for the day, which didn't start until 1500. At that …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 9

That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Hello, Travel.

Our C-130 was scheduled for a very reasonable 1700, so everyone got up, hit the DFAC, said goodbyes, and headed for the APOD (ok, Air Point Of Departure). This C-130 was unblievably a better ride than the …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 8

When his kids used to complain about not having something, my grandfather would tell them "I cried because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet." This kind of sums up Djibouti.

After a rockin' July 4th set, our MWR guy took us into town for a few hours to …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 7B

4th of July. Blazing. I mean BLAZING. Most of the people on base had the day off, so there was a nice, relaxed atmosphere. Lots of special things in the DFAC to remind people of home.

The band and I got to see some cool things today which I can't say, but way cool. …

Reason for the Season

The other night in Qatar I had the pleasure of hanging out and talking with some soldiers from Afghanistan that were on a 4 day R&R leave. One of the guys was from Mobile, Al and he was kind enough to share some of his experiences and thoughts with me.

He had done a …

Tour Manager's Blog - Day 7A

Since July 4th is such a special day, this blog is going to be in 2 parts. In the first part, I want to tell you professionally about the Djibouti experience.

Everyone told us before we came here that we were going to hate it, that it was a really miserable place. …