Yo fuckers!

My band and I are hitting the Northeast.  Beware, we’ve been off the road for a while and are planning on blowing through like a tornado, we’ll take no prisoners!!! Highlights include:  Clare Burson opening, some seriously strange cover choices, a drummer named Lyle Molzan, Suzanna and Imre from the .org site are coming from Sweden to see the shows….

Also, it sounds like we have almost 2 full days off in Northampton, MA.  Suggestions?

More to come.  I think this time around, I’ll keep a road diary.  So all you non-northeasterners can see what you’re missing!

x

k

Who needs girly things when you can have a mando guitar!?!

It’s sweet little sound is chimey but bass ass! (think rickenbacker meets Tinkerbell farts).

In an effort to get rid of useless bills and old paperwork from many years past, I stumbled onto something pretty funny :

The first cheque I ever wrote Jim Bryson.

May 2001.  We had begun to record “Failer” at Dave Draves’ studio in Ottawa.  Jim noted that he never actually took my advice to heart.  Thank god!

(For those of you who do bad things, the account is long since gone, as is the address and I now use blood to cross my t’s.)

Baby T.

I’m an embarrassment to Blogger’s everywhere. Let it be known that I’ve never declared myself dedicated to my online responsibilities, but still. Halloween? Sheesh.

So now that we’ve covered that issue, let’s move on.

Spring solstice has arrived. Some crocus have bloomed, the daffodils and tulips are peeking through the ground to prove to the world they didn’t succumb to being squirrel snacks. Warm winds tease us and please us. I am always tested this time of year when making plans to put away my mitts and toques. And with all this change comes news. There is a new cat in the house, a new address to be had, a new record to make, and new songs to play. “Baby T”, Toronto, TBA, and April 20th, 27th, May 4th at the Drake in Toronto respectively.

I’ve been working with the fabulous John Roderick from The Long Winters, and so I’ve been many times to Seattle over the last few months. John’s town (yes, it is) is full of good sushi/bourbon bars (well, one specifically), and the Pacific Northwest has me so enamored I could easily find myself relocated… dare I say… to America. If you ever go to Seattle, a visit to the Crocodile Cafe, Zoe Restaurant, Liberty Bar, Kubota Gardens, Oddfellows, etc.. etc…, will make you a believer. It also doesn’t hurt that when you rent a car at the Seattle Airport, Dodge Challengers are available. Vroom vroom.

Oh my God! The Lady Gaga video is on and I’m seeing it for the first time. If they put a bit of makeup on that girl…..I totally need a fully studded bra and panty combo….. OH MY GODDDD! They filmed some of this at the set in Palmdale, California where I shot “Back to Me”!!! Wow. Well, I feel slightly less cool. Or cooler. Definitely more clothed. Ok, TV, off.

I played some shows in Vancouver for the Olympics/Paralympics, they were a ton of fun, although playing outdoors in the rain/cold/snow makes it hard to play and sing when you’re spending so much energy trying to make cold fingers do things they normally can when warm. It was a bit of a struggle, but a blast nonetheless. If you were one of those people who watched the shows in Richmond and Whistler, you have my deepest respect and gratitude for braving the conditions. Also, major points to the Fairmont hotel for being dog friendly. I became quite good friends with a cheery Newfoundlander. The dog, that is.

I built a “Lady Cave” over the fall to have a space to record and rehearse. “No clock, no cock”, was to be the motto of the Lady Cave until my good friend Alan said, “yeah, until something breaks”. Who could argue? Here is a picture of my Jim Scott interior inspired sari haven of good times.

I also went to New Zealand in February/March for a taping of a CMT Canada show, “Out of Country”, where I got to essentially host my own travel show set in Auckland and the surrounding area. It will likely air by the summer, I’ll for sure keep you posted, as I have no air date at this time. For anyone considering a trip: GO TO NEW ZEALAND. Never a shortage of things to do, things to eat, drink, hikes to take, boats to sail, beaches to read on, boys to look at, girls to…. well, you get the point. Definitely one upped Blackpool, UK.

In memory of our friend Dan Achen, I’m off to quilt, as he would always refer to me as the Martha Stewart of Hamilton. We love you Dan, and your memory lives as strongly as you did. We were two raging Cancers with red hair and never a quiet moment of conversation between us.

Tonight is an amazing night.  It’s warm out.  Windy and warm in late October isn’t common in Ontario, but I’ll take this last clear night to breathe deep and enjoy the smell of fall on my face.  Every tree is a bright color, and as if a memo went out, they are dropping leaves madly, determined to meet their deadline.  Bright yellow and deep reds leaves cover the cars parked beneath the trees.  My pumpkins are embarrasing.  Between the neighborhood possum and the squirrels, they have already made a significant dent in the sides of tomorrow’s carving project.

Damn possum.  Go back to America where you belong.  (only suggesting that possums are not native to Hamilton…. i’m all for immigration, however… )

Some ideas for tomorrow.

I sure love a boozy trick or treater.   Please don’t barf up candy on my front step.

Goodnight, kiddies!

So long and so neglectful to my blog. I think something happens in my brain where I want a do something well, so I choose not to just do one sentence here, one sentence there…. and so I’ve found the time, energy, and will to post some news and some photos.

First off, the most important update: my beloved Mr. T is happy healthy and a real mouser! He also is thinking about trying out for Canada’s Next Top Cat Model.

But he IS a little cross-eyed… so he didn’t make it past the auditions.

Ok, so enough about the cat.

I went to Afghanistan. A LONG time ago. December, actually. But, here are two photos from my trip. I made friends, I saw Kabul, I drank a serious amount of Strawberry Milk, and I gave up my coffee addiction for one week. Don’t be fooled by the Tim Horton’s in Kandahar, there is NO espresso.

But there are giant men who I wish I had backstage at specific shows…. if only these two had been on the Cayamo Cruise, I could have gone for breakfast without signing CD’s. (kidding)

Patate, me and Duncan in Kabul. (left to right) Keep in mind, I’m a woman, a musician, and my face is uncovered. Pretty incredible thing to think about doing if you consider what would have been done to me had I been there 7 years ago…. or less, and still. Something I consider frequently.

What else… John Doe and I had a great time touring together and I’ve been meaning to post these photos to show folks. We had a great time in Austin and here are some shots of my friend Polly Parsons, Gram’s daughter and a great woman who is working to help women get sober through her own generosity and experience. An incredible thing. You might recognize her as “officer” Parsons in the Back to Me video, thank you to Todd V. Wolfson for these photos. And here is the link for Polly’s safe haven for women trying to get sober, it’s a labor of love and life experience for Polly, so if you can make a donation, no matter how small, it would go to a great cause. Hickorywindranch.com

And then the spring brought the Juno’s in Vancouver. I LOVED the Juno Cup. I skated, I scored, and I got pushed down the ice by various NHL’ers to get me to the puck faster. Shockingly, we won the game. I took great joy in a moment that only Sidney Crosby could appreciate. Or Marty McSorley… ha…

ok.  that is it for now.  half a report.  i’m caught up til the spring, summer.

i have more details to come.  making a record, and all the other stuff coming up.

Mr. T says goodnight.

xxx

Kathleen

MR. T!!!

my new love…. what a guy.

nothing like adopting a cat you can’t believe someone else didn’t want.

he sleeps under the covers with me and sticks his head out and lays it on my pillow.

true love.

for the weird ass cookies.

more soon on the john doe tour wrap up!

in Toronto. Monday, November 3rd. Doors at 8pm.

John and I will be playing some songs for the first time live.

Some call this a “warm up” show.

I just like fucking up in a place I’m comfortable in.

And John will too.