Last day to download our new Schwervon! song DAYDREAM RATION !!
We are still releasing songs from our Memphis sessions with Doug Easley every couple weeks. Dave Shouse of The Grifters sings on this one.

Also my Lady T video has been released!!! About a year ago, I made a video for this song with the filmmaker Andrea Merkx. Me and the One Nite Stands & Andrea had such a fun weekend putting it together…she really got the essence of the song.  I remember describing to her how I wanted a group of men in the woods playing drums on the “robert bly verses” line and I was like “where the hell are we gonna get grass skirts?”  Turns out co-star Julie “props costume artmaker queen of the universe” Delano happened to have some. The video came out better than I even imagined!

Our financial situation has gotten to the point where we can’t justify paying so much rent in NYC, when what we really WANT TO DO is to get Schwervon! on the road touring more in the states. Matt’s dad lives in Shawnee, KS which is a suburb outside Kansas City. He has a large basement, and has graciously agreed to let us move in! Our plan is to get a car once we arrive and start living out Michael Azzerad’s This Band Could Be Your Life”.
Living in Manhattan, we can’t really think about of lots-of-touring-in-the-u.s, or getting a car because we are hustling to get an exorbitant amount of rent money together every month. I used to joke with my friend Tony if NYC got too expensive that we could always live in the bathrooms in the East River Park because they’re heated and well-lit. I thought about that, yes I did. And then the movie came out where Will Smith played the guy who was broke and homeless who had to sleep in the Public restroom with his kid, and he won an oscar and after that…the momentum was gone.

I’m not thinking of Kansas as “forever…” but for now it feels like a good decision.
It’s exciting to think about going someplace new and playing lots of new places.
I will miss a lot about nyc – my friends first and foremost! And our little apartment.
But there are adventures ahead. And I plan on blogging about them. And you’ll see us every few months when we pop back here to play a show and ask you to crash on your couch.

We have a Big Whopper Schwervon! NYC March show in the works, so stay tuned. Keep those ears perked like an elf running through the woods!
Also I’m working on U.S. tour dates in May so if you’re reading this and live somewhere in Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina – holler back. Hey, and
remember those recordings we did in Memphis last summer?
We’re releasing a track from those sessions digitally every other week, with free downloads available the first week.  Go HERE to listen to the first song, Truth Teller.

NYC!
My love letter to you is still being written.

(photo by dany naierman)

(Our rooftop)

So our trip to Baltimore! It’s so great we got to do this. Matt and I had a lot of fun playing with the crew down there- I felt like the Degenerettes fans and friends were a good match for us – people paid attention & seemed to dig it and the sound was good and the staff was sweet – all the stuff lined up that you want for a kickass show. And those Degenerettes were so good! Girl garage rock that made everyone in the joint dance their asses off.  We really did! You think i’m kidding but Matt did his side to side bounce and me and Jack Pinder (of Silence Kid) did lots of high kicks.  It was the Degenerettes last show with bassist Chrissy and they pulled out the stops.  Every one of the trio had their moment – Rahne’s vocals were really gutsyfierce and powerful, and Kristen was badass floor tom wizard and Chrissy was sexy cool with lead guitar basslines. She put her leg on the monitor at one point and a swarm of photographers ran in and got pics. You think I’m kidding? No, I am totally not. You wish you were there.
Plus there was cake and champagne to celebrate. Also, the perf. art improv band Snacks passed out something called “Bark” which they had made. Chocolate / nuts/ gummy bears/ caramel. BARK!  I think the drummer’s arm was broken in a cast but he was still playing. And passing out BARK. It was lighthearted art noise with jokes. I almost wrote fart noise. oops.
Oh and Saddle of Centaur – the band who played right after us – turns out I knew the drummer Cathy  because Schwervon! played with her other band Mongoloidian Glow years ago at a midtown venue called Siberia–also Pantsuit played at her house for a summertime show years ago. hoooray reunion!
This band displayed her full on monster drumming and sense of humor. They have a song called “She Wowwnt it” that made me laugh a lot. This band was full on HARD ROCK yet their between song banter was really funny….they could give black keys AND metallica a run for their money.

After the show we helped load equipment and went back to Rahne & Kristen’s house for the afterparty. I discovered really good mayo from the south (drake’s) to put on my cheese sandwich. We had some of that crazy English drink Pims, and listened to records. I had never heard sophie b hawkins. we listened to “damn, i wish i was your lover” which is not as good of a song as the title i think.
Also we heard Television….I can see how they influenced Carrie Brownstein now.  (Billy Ficca asked to borrow my snare drum once when he was playing with Lach at sidewalk. He even tuned it. What a guy.) We stayed up till 4am which is my usual post-show baltimore time. The next morning when i awoke i had a crazy sinus headache over one eye. Ow. Like the kind of headache that makes you feel queasy.  I hydrated and tried some coffee and advil was procured and we went to Pete’s grille (grits!) for breakfast.  I felt a little off though even after a hot breakfast (which usually is the healing trick for “had a late nite and am fragile” feeling).  I totally hurled back at their house but not my breakfast….only water! No food.Maybe this is TMI. oh well…too late. Sinus shit makes me nauseous…..this happened once before where i had dry heaves for one day and couldn’t figure out why…turns out I had a lil’ sinus infection. After the water hurl though I felt a lot better.  Rahne gave me a box of sourdough crackers for the bus which I proceeded to work my way through and then I slept most of the way home. Once we got back to our place I had some chicken soup and then I felt fine. Wierd. And I feel ok today – a little congested but nothing crazy. I called in the neti pot brigade just to be safe.

This afternoon I am heading over to Jason’s for radio show hosting.
I may bring my neti pot to scare him.

Backstage at the Apollo, Barcelona (with Jeff lewis Band)

I was feeling pretty good that day on the 5 week euro tour with the Band of Lewis Bros.  I love yellow light. I could’ve taken so many pictures on the tour – strange I didn’t- I think I was in a pretty daydreamy roll with it place……too lazy to take my ipod camera out.

Matt and I have a lot of plans this year. A lot of plans TO ROCK.
Get a load of the new website

SCHWERVON

Also starting January 13th we are going to start dropping our new freshly mastered songs on you. Stay tuned. AND we are looking for college gigs. If you know of any colleges within easy travel distance from the apple, comment away. We need to share out songs with the youth of today. And pay our bills.

You’re looking at two broke ass but inspired musicians here in CHEZ Roth & Turner.

In other news, I think I have to go to the dentist. I need a cleaning. Gummo’s teeth are fine.

Today I am going to Emandee Studios to keep working on those solo songs I started recording with Mark O. months ago. Then I need to go to my Radio job. Oh, a radio job you ask? My pal Jason from Norwich asked if I’d be his sparring partner for the two radio podcasts he puts together weekly. I said of course! I love to talk! I love to win!

So after practice we came back to the house – I had a quick lunch of kale/noodles and pizza (sofia pizza from rosario’s. new york knows pizza). Then the band of lewis bros. picked me up for our show at Bard College. Everyone was in high spirits from the hometown celebratory Mercury Lounge show and having a couple days off. Bard College is near Hudson, ny and only a few hours from NYC.  Jack’s food bags were in full swing in the backseat. Not sure if they were re-stocked or leftover from last week when we got home from tour. I think Jack could market snacks for touring bands and call it “JACK SNACKS”. He always has good savory and sweet snacks – wasabi dried seaweed, peanut butter pretzels, chocolate chips, coconut macaroons, veggie samosas, rice crackers….you see what I’m saying? Marks & spencer could sponsor him in the UK and whole foods in the U.S. Yes, thank you I did come up with this goldmine. Just give me a cut.

So we get up to Bard. We got chipotle burritos on the way and ate them in the Student Union.  I felt somewhere between old and young sitting at a table surrounded by college students. Like an older sister but not quite as old as a parent. Maybe the students thought I was a cougar lady dating a young student? I kept my eyes on the burrito. People were talking and doing papers and it was pretty lively in there. And warm.
Jack got the text they were ready for us so we drove to the venue. It was called “Smog” and it’s a small building (a garage with two garage doors) along a dirt road called “woods ave”.  Now I’ve been to a lot of DIY venues in NYC….like Silent Barn, death by audio, Shea Stadium, etc….I’m used to dirt and graffiti and difficult bathrooms. The boys told me it would be rough.It was pretty dusty. I didn’t know though that they wouldn’t close the Garage door for the show so that it would essentially be outside. It was colder north of the city and I remember laughing at myself packing too many layers and scarf and hat in my bag cause it’d been 65 degrees in nyc yesterday.  Turns out I needed em. The first band was sort of setting up when we arrived but it looked like the sound system would take a while to sort out. The thought of standing around outside for hours made me feel depressed, so I decided to take a walk and maybe go back to the Student Union for some hot tea.

I turned left onto the main road…..then decided walking right on the road wasn’t such a good idea….i walked into this deserted parking lot and took a dirt path right up a hill past the library. I had no idea where I was….there weren’t really many students around and it was dark and not so well-lit. I thought about all the things they tell you in college like “walk in well-lit areas….travel with others”. Then the grisly stories of women that were walking alone and were attacked. I decided to call Matt. I was laughing a bit….telling him I was lost on the Bard campus….we said “DON’T GO INTO THE WOODS!”, and stay in “WELL-LIT AREAS”.  I realized as I was talking to him I had strayed off into a hiking trail off the concrete path. Oh. ha ha. Silly me.

I walked in a big circle around that campus. Found my way to the student union and asked a couple kids how to get back to Smog.  They looked like athletes. They had that glow in their cheeks. Or perhaps it’s youth? They told me to just go follow this little dirt path that was a little sketchy and I would find it.  Oh good.
I did find it eventually….I attached myself (not too close as to freak her out) to a girl walking on the dirt  path and then followed the rock noise I heard from the first band that had obviously started.  No one even noticed I was gone.
I could’ve fallen into a ditch apparently. At least they have really good cell reception at Bard.

There were no DI’s so Jack concocted a Macgyver situtation of plugging both keyboards into one output….unfortunately the PA couldn’t handle it and the sound of both keyboards was really low. i worked with it for half a set….and then I couldn’t take it. I went to the sound guy and asked to borrow an amp. I set it up while Jeff was doing his “Mayflower” comic book video…..showed Dave and Jack that I had unplugged the keyboard from his black doohickey. This confused them – “why are you showing me the black doohickey?”. There were hand signals and whispers and probably we were really noisy and distracting for Jeff during that song. But we got it all working – amp was great – and then we only had 3 songs left. Well shit.
Not the rip roaring finish I desired as the Lewis Band’s keyboard player……but we had some good ones, didn’t we?
They’re off to the west coast very soon. If you see them, give them hugs and buy their merch!

My immediate goal for today is to keep my costs low and my mood balanced.
Tonite I’m going to the sidewalk for OJ Night. Am playing a few songs on Stylophone (? that keyboard thing) for LD.  Also advance notice for Schwervon! show on Friday, Dec. 2nd @ sidewalk. 9pm.

2 nights ago jeff & band played at mercury lounge. It was the best u.s. show we had so far, and definitely rivaled some of the uk shows with energy and turnout. I saw a lot of friends and it was a coming home reunion of sorts.  Tony and peggy brought me a piece of pumpkin pie which I inhaled post-show.
Baltimore was also really fun for me – playing with the Degenerettes (rock!) and then staying with Rahne and Kristen that night. We drank a liquor called Pim’s and deconstructed 80′s/90′s lady songwriters until 4 in the morning  – such as 10,000 maniacs, sarah maclachlan and tori amos. Come on you wish you were there.

“In My Tribe was So much better than Our Time in Eden.”
“She’s lost without the maniacs.”
“Tori – boys for pele….what’s going on here?”

sunday sloth time to do some shit now.
see ya on the flip side.

There was no clear sign she had indeed digested the chocolate for a while. She was not shaking or vomiting or displaying anything other than cute playful honeybear the dog behavior.  Jack called Betsy who was at work – I had some moments of panic and left her a message too….thinking “that’s the WORST thing an animal can eat. it’s TOXIC.” I was worried. Jack said, “Remember the Deep Survival book? Remain calm. Try to have a sense of humor.” Jeff said, “let me smell your breath, honeybear. that’s a clear sign you’ve eaten chocolate.”
Betsy called her vet who said to give Honeybear 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and she would barf within 5 minutes and get it all out. How to get a dog to drink something yucky tasting? I massaged her throat (so her mouth would open) while the lewis bros. held her and dave poured the peroxide down. We spilled half of it. Jeff took her outside to see what would happen. So far nothing.  She was playful as ever wanting to play fetch.

Jack called vet and Betsy again and it was determined we would give her another dose of the Hydrogen Peroxide. Honeybear wasn’t having it anymore…..we called her over trying to be calm. She knew something was up. Dave was very good with her -he is in parent training – I felt I could trust him to pour it down her throat. She wasn’t opening her mouth though – we had to sort of seep it through the side of her clenched jaw.  Poor doggie! Jeff took her outside and she again seemed fine. 10 minutes later Jeff brought her  downstairs. She didn’t want to play fetch anymore which was the first sign of odd behavior. She started opening and closing her mouth like she tasted something bad. She went over to the corner and calmly retched up all the chocolate! success! Jack and I cleaned up the carpet and got out the stain.

She is fine now and just drank a bowl of water. Whew. I am very relieved.

The boys want to go to Baltimore now so I am once again rushing to the car.
Honeybear the dog we love you!

I thought we might stay up late and hang out with the wiggs after the show but everyone was tired so we had a beer and tea in their kitchen and then went to bed.
This morning I could hear their dog Henry (cutest dog ever!) padding along the floor and their daughter maria laughing. I got up at what I thought was like 8am – turns out I slept late it was 10:30.
They went to a museum so we packed up and are spending a couple hours lingering in durham – time for internets and lunch and the boys are doing laundry. jack is on a hike with a friend. I hope he took notes on our deep survival audiobook from the last few days. map and a compass!

Have I mentioned our tour vehicle? I have not….or if i have, ignore this paragraph. Our car is so incredibly full of stuff that I barely have room in the backseat for my legs. Jeff’s car is a Pathfinder nissan jeep thingamajig and there are four seats and a roomy trunk….but one doesn’t usually account for heavy merch boxes of comics, a drumkit, an amp, 2 guitars, 3 big backpacks, and various food bags. the food bags! Jack is continuing to stock up at whole foods, co-ops, wherever we can get some healthy snacks. I can’t complain too much as I end up eating the snacks he buys….though there are various bags and bottles all around the seats.  Let’s consolidate. It is a daily challenge to figure out “where can I stash these boxes of sushi and crackers along with two sleeping bags and backpack that keep hitting me in the head whenever we brake?” I’ve grown accustomed to the cocoon feeling of being packed into the car.  I’ve grown used to waking up in the middle of the night disoriented and not knowing where the bathroom is. Humans are very adaptable. I also am getting used to the homeless feeling of touring……nice bathrooms with hot water and showers become important….a place that doesn’t cost money where you can read a book for a couple hours……This might’ve been the longest tour I’ve done. 7 weeks with a 5 day break in the middle….I’m healthier than on other tours – eating a lot better – especially in the states as we are whole foods addicts.  You just cannot sustain yourself eating crap.
But I do think probably the optimum amount of time for a tour is 3 weeks…maybe 4.
schwerve usually does 4 and I think while that’s long….it’s sustainable mentally….
people are tired now I can feel it and see it. Ironically our shows are kicking ass (I think)…..but the daily routine of touring (what time do we need to be there? when/where are we eating? who are we staying with?) is waring on everyone…

But today is a day off and while I know it bums this crew out (a day not playing is a day not making money, etc)……I think it is good. They (and me) need a little time and space and privacy doing our own thing to restore.
oh yes and speaking of my personal restoration – i saw the twilight movie yesterday and it was freaking awesome. not a good movie and so good at the same time.
ok off to forage for lunch.

I am surprised though how we often do not have accomodations figured out in advance, but how things just have a way of working out. Jeff has asked the audience 2 nites in a row for a place to crash and both nites (in bloomington and columbus) we were able to crash on couches/beds of clean quiet houses of NICE people. Like the last thing you want going on a 6 week tour is to have a party back at the place you’re staying. Luckily the band of lewis bros is all on the same page with this. sure, an hour of tea or a drink or snack and talk is cool if there is another spot in the same house for tired rockers to go sleep. This is why I almost had a major meltdown in Brighton – the last show before going home of the european tour. I just needed to lie down. It was a huge desperate need. I needed to not make the best of it and talk in a smoky room to excited people…. i needed to freaking lie down.  I lucked out even with that – some kid gave up his room to me for a couple hours and it was quiet and my head could recharge.

this is the emotional growth tour. that’s what i call it.
my patience has expanded into a bigger bowl than it was previously in. I am listening a lot more to people. I’m figuring out the things I want and need to do.
I am realizing more how I want to be….how I really cannot take kindness for granted….
I think sometimes my anxiety on previous tours made me react in certain negative ways to situations and alienated me from people at times…..like instead of fighting and passive aggro snapdragon behavior… it’s more like now I want to assess what I’m feeling and go TOWARDS people instead of away from them…go towards an honest connection…say “i feel this” and then the anxiety dissipates and I feel better.
maybe i have more compassion towards myself than I used to. that is an amazing thing. I don’t think I could’ve imagined how good I would feel in my 30′s when I was in my 20′s. You really can heal and things do get better….it takes time and work but what else are you gonna do?

all right on that note i’m going to run my two blocks down a columbus street for a quick cardio. my running outfit today will definitely include the pink sweater and big sunglasses.
 

I woke up around 9 today…dave and i are always the first ones up -found some coffee in the fridge and a french press. made some peanut butter toast.  the lewis bros are stirring. this probably means another hour AT LEAST until we are confronted with actually leaving. There is a sense of time that rolls with this gang that I am STILL, even after 6 weeks, not used to. When someone says, “hey let’s meet at 9 and we’ll leave at 9:15″ I actually try to meet that person at 9.  If i’m late I tell that person or apologize – trying to be sensitive to the needs of another…

with this crew:
usually one person is missing when we’re all ready to go….then everyone starts wandering around….attending to their own needs figuring – “well if so and so isn’t ready, i’m gonna go get that bacon sandwich i’ve been dreaming about” and so on and so on until no one is together and our departure is delayed by a good 30 min or hour….
there is usually no frustration involved though. it’s a very easy….”oh well we’re just leaving now” vibe in the air…..

We have missed every “soundcheck” time on the u.s. tour so far.  On the European tour….we would usually show up an hour  or two AFTER they said we should be there – and that usually worked fine as the soundperson was still setting up mics and would need another hour after our arrival anyway. This tour has definitely softened my time anxiety. I just can’t care…..i mean, of course I can care…but in the end the only one getting worked up is me and what’s the point of that? I would be talking to myself in the car while everyone else is like “what’s the problem?” it’s out of my control to a large extent with this crew…..I brought along the 2nd book in the game of thrones series as usually i’m ready to go before everyone else.

When they stopped at a comic store in Toronto yesterday – Jack said “this is a quick stop”……Jeff said once Jack was in the store, “I think we have like an hour till we have to be there”. Dave said, “i’m not sure”. I decided to get something to eat (not knowing if we’d have food at the venue. oh yes take care of my food needs!)

I actually ordered green curry and sat down at a restaurant and looked at the clock. it was 5:30 – I thought back to a previous conversation in the car where someone said we had to be there at 6. I got my order to go and decided to go back to the car JUST IN CASE they were waiting. Turns out they were all in there (surprise!) but no one was concerned at all. I told them maturely “Hey if we stop somewhere how about we all pick a time to meet back at the car?” They agreed.
I hope this works.
Anyone wanna tour manage this band?