KT Tunstall Diary

30th January, 2006

Tuesday Jan 30th, Portland, Oregon

Is that the time?! Oooh i appear to have been across America! What a ride. They certainly know how to make tour buses over here – our bus (run by ‘egotrips’ – nice) is not only posher, but possibly larger than my flat in London. You can apparently get extendable ones, and bendy ones as well. Our driver Donny has been in the driving seat for rock metal royalty for years and has been entertaining us with tales such as Tommy Lee hiring 4 strippers to caddy for him on a very respectable golf course. Gwan son.

The gigs have blown Lucky Luke & I away a little – the album isn’t out til the 7th and people are singing along…It feels really similar to this time last year in the UK. The folks at gigs are well into it, the shows are selling out everywhere, good good vibes.

We’re meeting up with the Athlete boys tonight for another round of Sambucas as they’re in town, and it’s mighty fine to see familiar faces out here in the wilds. We took it upon ourselves to watch Easy Rider on the bus last night & I’d forgotten the magnificence of it. Perhaps we could swap for bikes…

It’s been a wet dog west coast so far, but the sun is out now my morning’s work is done, and i fancy a gander. The great thing about the north west is the trees. New York is not a green city; as much as i love it, it makes me appreciate a cheese & pickle sarnie on Hampstead Heath.

So Show Dog is in London, Metal Dog is in Thailand & Scruffy Dog is in India. (refer to news page for dog info) We re-convene for Brits madness when we get back on the 10th. Must admit i’m quite relieved i’m not in the country right now as i’d be getting the uber-jitters by now. It’s all so big and shiny!!

Gonna go out n’ explore.
Random fact: Racoons can ‘see’ with their paws. They did tests on the fuzzy stripey ones’ brains and they discovered that there was the same amount of brain activity as when we process visuals. They can tell the difference between a pebble and a clam-shell in a freezing river, in the dark, in a SPLIT SECOND!!!! Ta-da.

xx

Posted by KT on the 30th January, 2006
17th January, 2006

Tuesday Jan 17th, Montreal

Chronic neglect of diary, poor discarded pursuit, i am back. I have a bunch of quality excuses however…What a ride. Ireland, Isle of Skye, Edinburgh, Camden, Liverpool, and now i sit far far away in the utter butt-niply cold, afraid to go outside as it tends to freeze your eyeballs stiff and give you an instant ice-cream headache. It’s minus 15 outside. Scotland is Brighton Beach right now.

Skye was crazy and brilliant and scary and totally exhausting. I didn’t realise what a mental idea the whole thing was until we arrived, at 1am (we’d hoped to arrive early evening and rehearse – it took us 13 hours to arrive…) Steve Osborne was already there setting up, and in i waltz going “No, no, it should be the other way round! You can’t have that there when that’s there, it’s too wierd!!” You see, i have a propensity for obsessive compulsive behaviour when it comes to positioning…Thankfully, Steve agreed, we moved shit about, drank whisky, and tried to find our cottages somewhere in the damp dark night.

I felt stressed out – i hadn’t thought about the undertaking; the technical necessities, the hours, the tiredness, but we got on with it and the oil started to flow. Magic was concocted. We stopped talking, just played and played and played. It felt electric and alive, the sound of us. It was a pretty last minute decision to do some new and old un-recorded tunes – Sam, Arnie & Kenny hadn’t played Boo Hoo or Beck’s Golden Age, and had never even heard Gone to the Dogs. But they swung in, tails blazing, heads down.

Donna was amazing – you could see her absorbing everything and deciding to be part of it instead of being privvy to it. Man, i just adore her voice. Having her open for us in Camden & Liverpool, i was so glad she was there & so proud to have friends who can do that. Inspiring.

Camden was mental, totally last minute, but i’d been feeling a bit crap that i hadn’t had a chance to do a charity gig of any sort, and with the kind of year we had it didn’t feel right to constantly self-promote. Jumped at the chance, and i haven’t felt that nervous since Glasto! I was freakin oot man! Luke & I hadn’t rehearsed the 2 piece shpw at all – we’d had a go at it for an hour that day – so i had no idea how it was going to go down. Shweaty palms i can tell you. Loved it, but felt i had to concentrate which holds you back…you want to let go, not think, let the gig happen to you, but i was strapped by the unfamiliarity of it. Still loved it.

Got to go, Montreal awaits…I am totally struck dumb with delight and awe that Willy Mason is supporting us for the whole US tour. Willy fuckin Mason!?!!!! I’ve been a huge fan for ages and so excited to get to see him play every time we do. Wow. It’s always good to be a rabid supporter of your support act i think.

Time up. Laters gators, a bientot xxx

Posted by KT on the 17th January, 2006

KT Tunstall Diary

30th January, 2006

Tuesday Jan 30th, Portland, Oregon

17th January, 2006

Tuesday Jan 17th, Montreal

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