NEWSLETTERS
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January Issue 2002 Welcome
to a new year and I hope the year was a good one for you all! As Chip
would say, “May the best thing that happened to you last year be the
worst thing that happens to you this year”. This year
was one that saw many things happen for the band. Some that exceeded
expectations and some things that you just have to chalk up to
“Murphy’s Law”. I will have a year in review as well as some bus fun
and a chat with Donnie and the show run down at The Revolution in
Cleveland in this issue. The band
did two stints in Europe for their new label aboard (Z-Records). One was a
successful tour of the UK in late spring. The other was a showcase for the
label in Germany at the Mannheim festival in late summer. Several other
bands including “The Tygers Of Pan Tang” who headlined with our own
Michael “I’m on holiday” Bendixen covering the show. Enuff Z’nuff
went on right before they did and had a good crowd and after they were
done two thirds of the room cleared out for the headliner. Seems that the
record company misjudged who should have been the headliner to me! They
also had a successful tour of Japan where the guys played to full houses
at every venue and were treated like royalty by our Asian friends. Their
record company in the Far East (Pony Canyon Records) does a good job
promoting the band and their record sales are always better their than in
Europe or the States. Maybe that’s because we just can’t wait to hear
what gems the band will put out next! (haha) I know that’s my reason but
their label there also does a great job with the artwork and the booklet
that comes with each new release. Kudos to them for their great work! Then the
band hooked up with the Glam Slam Metal Jam here in the states for a
summer long stint that ended a month early unfortunately. The bands they
played with were Poison, Warrant and Quite Riot with a couple of extra
acts down in Texas at the beginning leg of the tour where everything is
bigger! The tour saw the band play to thousands of people at many
Amphitheatres and venues across the country that had waited to see the
band for a long time and also turn on new fans to them as well. I attended
3 of the shows here in the on the east coast and the band ROCKED and was
in good spirits at each one. Donnie, Chip and the boys did a fine job even
with Ricky playing the entire tour with a broken hand and Donnie being
under doctor’s orders taking medication for inflamed vocal chords. For
the people out in California that had waited so long to see the band it
was not to be to the dismay of many because of Poison’s Bobby Dall who
is the bands bassist. Since I don’t work for them I can tell you his
back injuries were not due to him falling off the stage but rather to
extracurricular activities instead. Seems he had a mishap while riding a
go-kart, which I got first hand from a friend who knows the band well, and
does fan club work for them. It always sounds more glamorous to put into
print a reason that sounds more show related than to say the man flipped a
go-kart! Bobby is doing fine and was in Florida recuperating after the
incident. Speculation had it that the band would carry on the tour with
another headliner but that never materialized. The band then began writing material for their follow-up to “10” and doing shows on their own and FINLLLY making it out west for those of you who were going through some major withdrawal. Glad you got to see them “Javi”! Playing in California and Las Vegas the shows were a success and the band returned home for more writing and tour dates. Some which happened and some that didn’t. The shows in Cleveland were rescheduled after being cancelled due to tooth problems for Donnie that prevented him from flying. This is a “true” fact that flying and severe tooth pain DO NOT mix! The band scheduled 4 benefit shows with one in Chicago at The House Of Blues and one in Florida while they returned there for some added dates. They had two benefits scheduled for New York with one upstate and one at NYC’s Roseland but had to be cancelled because Donnie’s grandfather became quite ill. They are up still on the table for rescheduling in the future. For those of you who may or may not know Donnie’s idol is his grandfather first and foremost and not John Lennon as some may think. Not having a father around growing up his grandparents raised Donnie from the time he was 2 and he has a deep love for them and our prayers are with him that his grandfather recovers and will make a full and speedy recovery. Incidentally for those of you who don’t know, Donnie wrote the popular song “Rainy Day” off of Peachfuzz purposely for his grandfather. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I
traveled out to Cleveland Ohio for the shows at “The Revolution” right
before Christmas for the 21st and 22nd .
I thought I would do year-end review of how the shows went for
those of you who would be interested since it’s the bands first time at
this venue and being the holiday season I might get some interesting
things to report so here goes! I
arrived at the venue with Erin “Razzlerox” at 8:30 and the band
Supermint had an extended tour bus and they shared it with the boys.
Everyone was at the hotel except for Donnie and we walked on and he
welcomed us with hugs and I gave him a Christmas gift. He was in a very up
mood and had some new tunes cued up in a player for their next CD. We
listened to three tracks that included Santa Belle Island, Can’t Wait
and Falling In Love. He kept playing them over and over and was hitting
the erase button and we had to laugh because you hear this great tune and
then“oh f**k I did it again” in each song. He was keyed up for the
night and said he was nervous even after all these years! You never grow
out of pre-show jitters really. He also told us 3 possible titles to the
new disc, which were, Zentimental Journey, Anti-Depressant Music and These
Go to 11. I like the second one the best myself and the music fit that
title and as a choice for the mood of the music. It was up sounding and
all three tracks were heavy and had some great hooks and a change in the
one song that brought the song home! Also he mentioned the band doing a
tribute song for a David Lee Roth tribute disc and the choice was
“Yankee Rose” and no release on that is known as of yet. Also a story
I just can’t help but share. This was from when Derek was in the band
and they were doing a tour of the UK. Derek assured them that he had no
illegal substances on him and when they got there and were checked at
customs Derek was INDEED carrying and a rubber gloved anal search ensued!
The rest of Donnie’s comments about it will remain up in my head. (haha)
He also did several clothes changes and kept asking us what we thought. He
came out with a good choice for the night but since I am colour-blind Erin
would have to fill you in on his coordination choice… Showtime brought on The Healers followed by fellow windy city mates Supermint. I have to say we were quite impressed with them and after the show they handed out free CD’s to anyone that wanted one. Donnie introduced them and says they are one of the few bands that he likes that open for them. It
was about 12:30 before Enuff Z’nuff hit the stage and it was a cramped
one. The club was not very big and the stage left them little room to move
around. Incidentally Jani Lane and Billy Morris of Warrant who were doing
a show in Pittsburgh that night manage the club. Since there have been
many reviews of shows I’ll just give you a running order of the songs
they played which were 20 in all! Most I’ve had the pleasure of hearing
in all my years of seeing them. They played till about 2:40 in the morning
and were supposed to stop at 2:00 AM but Donnie wanted to keep playing and
the club obliged them! The
running order is as follows: Revolution, We’re All Alright, Fly Away,
Invisible, Takin’ A Ride, How Am I Supposed To Write A Love Song,
(shorter than the title suggests) Come Together, All Alone, Ain’t It
Funny, The Valentine Song, “You Got A Hold On Me”, In My Life, Time To
Let You Go, Baby Loves You, Day After Day, Blue Island, an impromptu jam
with Donnie playing drums with Ricky and John and Donnie playing back and
forth on guitar, Stoned, Fly High Michelle, New Thing and then Kerry of
Supermint came out and sang Magical Mystery Tour with the band to end the
night. I can’t believe I remembered all that! Then
the band signed autographs as usual and after chatting with Chip and John
it was back to the hotel for the boys for a much-needed night of rest for
Saturday’s show. Donnie said he only gave 60% that night so those who
were at the show the next night were in for it! He was off the hook on
Friday and my ears are still ringing! How about yours Erin? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As some of you may know we had a card made up for Donnie and his grandfather. I took names from all around the globe until the 30th of December and then the card was given to him. Donnie said he LOVED it and the whole idea started with him and trying to get paper and get all those in Ohio at The Revolution to sign a card. That didn’t happen so what better way than to have fans from around the world sign a card for him! If you would like to view it, it should still be viewable at this link, which I corrected. www.americangreetings.com/view.pd?i=251392371&m=5649&source=ag999 I would
like to apologize to Melissa “Penguin” Postolowski for making other
arrangements for the show as we discussed by phone and I WILL make it up
to you! Sorry Pengy! The staff at The Express wishes you a good new year and hoping that your holiday season was a good one!
Chris, Traci & Michael
The EZN Express www.eznexpress.com
“Sometimes if love proves real and two people were meant to be together…nothing can keep them apart”. |