From Justin: Tour Update

The last two long Moodies tours, last summer’s and the one that finished a few weeks ago, were the most enjoyable I can remember in our long history together. When the combination of music and personalities is right it’s a joy for everyone, and it’s all we really want to do. Being together for our music’s sake is so good.

I’ve been impressed at how our voices improve the longer we are out on a tour. If I go into the studio straight after a tour, my voice surprises me in its flexibility. The gigs I did in Greece recently were absolutely brilliant, and my voice certainly needed to be on decent form in such belting company, (opera singers no less!). Many Moodies fans are already familiar with Mario Frangoulis, and his fabulous voice (and career!), but although I knew the beautiful and moving song ‘Caruso’, I was not familiar with Lucio Dalla, also on Mario’s show, who wrote and recorded the song. What a character! Full of fun, bright and energetic, and living music all day long. What a voice too.

Mario is such a great host, and all of us on the show were looked after in the kindest way imaginable. Such late nights, as the Greeks enjoy, takes some getting used to though (the after-show meal and party would always still be going at four or five a.m!). I find that you just have to go with the flow – and relax. Something thrilling always happens. Anyway, there are some plans for the Saturday night concert at the Atinon Arena in Athens to be released on DVD. A huge thank you to those friends and fans that made it all the way there to share it. It means so much to me.

So – and then, all of a sudden, just when I was getting a little bit comfortable for a few days at home with my Collings, here I am packing my case again to make my way to Myrtle Beach for the mini epic that is the opening of the Hard Rock Park. My friend grabbed my shoulders the other day and looked me in the eyes and advised me (very wisely)  - “If you don’t like it – keep your mouth shut!” I’m sure I will !?! (like it I mean).

Coincidentally, after writing about my 335 recently, it has started to gain some kind of status in it’s own right. The word iconic (not sure what it means), has been used to describe it in a book being written about the ‘iconic?’ Bigsby arm, as well as it being featured on a new series of ‘legendary guitars’ collectors’ cards.

As Neil Young says about his D28 ‘It’s only mine for a while’.

See you on the road maybe. I’ll be the guy with the red 335.

Love,

Justin

I know it’s maybe not relevant to anything I have written above, but I thought this part of a John Donne sermon was so beautiful:

And into that gate they shall enter, and in that house they shall dwell, where there shall be no Cloud, nor Sun, no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light, no noise nor silence, but one equal music, no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession, no foes nor friends, but one equal communion and identity, no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity.

John Donne