Chapter 14: HillsZenburgerSoiaHalloween

I woke up in Brooklyn with my first day in weeks just to do anything. The band has been cranking out tunes at full force and they are sounding great. The presence of Ted, producer extraordinaire, has kicked the songs from good to the next rung. Thanks, Ted.

Monday found me in Brooklyn with a day to clear my head. What should I do? I woke up and while checking messages I noticed the day becoming more and more amazing out the window. Luckily I had borrowed Bryan's skateboard in case the day turned out to be sweet. We had a great visit the day before with the legendary and iconic Arturo Vega. You may not know the name but you have definitely seen his work. He is known as the fifth Ramone. He created the Ramones logos and most of the artwork. Maybe all of it. He was with them from the very beginning and hanging out at his place is amazing. There are pictures laying on the table of all of the Ramones hanging around in his the same loft in the 70's. He always tells some great story about each thing you take notice of: incredible stuff. Arturo has lived at the same loft apartment located near CbGbs since 71. His apartment is full of amazing and inspiring artwork. We were there because Arturo is working with Bryan designing some new cool stuff for the 20 year reunion. It's all pretty amazing.

Anyway.. Bryan rode his bike over and I skated from Bryan's place in the afternoon to finish up on some stuff. When we were done with the work Arturop brought us to an amazing Mexican place right next door The Holiday Cocktail Lounge on St. Marks. After a great dinner of extremely authentic Mexican food I I made my way to a friends place in Brooklyn.

A sunny Atlantic Ave greeted me at around noon the next day. I was headed for the F train. "Central Park, I'm starting there," I thought as I rumbled underneath the river towards the busy island of Manhattan. With nothing but Bryan's skateboard and a few bucks. I realized how its rare to just walk outside and do whatever like I use to when I was a kid. Remember when we use to just go outside and play. That's what I was thinking about as I looked around the train at all the different types of faces, staring, sleeping, listening, talking, thinking.

I learned skating from the nw corner of central park all the way to the se corner is rad. The hills are good going down and easy to walk up. The weather was perfect and I visited some turtles getting some sun on a rock in one of the ponds… Cruising down Lexington on my way downtown my eye caught a sign that said ZenBurger. I crossed the street to check it out and went in to find a fast food burger joint. Cool. I had been thinking about stopping at this amazing vegetarian Indian place on 23rd and Lex. But I had to give this a shot. It was good and it was all vegetarian. On the wall of the place was a tv screen spewing unbelievable facts about meat and meat production. The energy it takes to create beef is outrageously wasteful. In other words if we all eat just a little less meat it will make a HUGE difference for all kinds of people and things.

Skate Skate Skate…I kept cruising east and enjoyed almost getting wasted by some trucks and taxis. I skidded up in front of a few snarling pedestrians too. I figured I might as well stop at the Halloween store on 4th ave to see if I could come up with any costume ideas for our show in Gainesville coming up. It was an optional stop. I called Pete when I got inside the busy store to see if he had any costume ideas cuz I was blank..nothing. Bry didn't have any either but a guy behind the counter heard me talking. When I hung up the phone and looked across the counter at him he said, "Hey, You are in the Souls right? Are you guys doing a Halloween show this year? I haven't seen you guys in a few years." "YES!!" I thought to myself but I tried to contain my excitement a little bit. His name was Josh and he helped me get some things for the show(which will remain a secret for now. I wouldn't want to ruin the gig for the Gainsvillians)
Josh hooked me up with 10% discount which was good but even better he brought me to the back of the store, downstairs, through the warehouse and into the area that was not so busy. The rest of the store was packed with huge lines. That was sweet, Thanks, Josh. Drop a line next time we play in Ny and you can get a guest list spot.

Dusk was approaching on 4th ave as I made my way out on to the street. I started writing a few text messages and got the boot off of the step I was sitting on when a minute later who taps me on the shoulder but Lou Koller, the singer of Sick of It All. YES! How cool is that. I love Lou! We talked for about a half an hour about this and that. He said SOIS is leaving soon for a European tour and I told him the Souls songwriting is going well. I told him I missed Shanti a lot because we haven't seen each other much in the past 2 months. I might sound like a broken record but what can I say. She is my favorite person to be with. There is something amazing about finding a person you really really love and something extremely torturous when you can't be together. That's life. It wouldn't be life without a little torture in there somewhere.

Lou and I gave hugs to each other goodbye after trading a few more tour stories and I was skating again.. This time I was on my way to Max Brenner's chocolate shop that I just remembered was right near the Halloween store. Man, It was good. I sat and drank a dark chocolate drink..MMMM. People, It was gooooood! I recommend that place to desert lovers. It's pretty close to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory in there.

Skate Skate Skate..I cruised down 2nd ave through traffic slowly enjoying the sun going down on a sweet day. I made my way just past Houston and thought about going to my favorite pizza place on Orchard but I wasn't really in the mood. Right about then I spotted a park where some kids were playing soccer on one of those mini astro turf fields. I took a seat on a bench for a little rest before my final push over the Brooklyn Bridge. It had to get dark before I went over the bridge anyway so I could enjoy the lights of the city. Right when I sat down the referee blew the whistle for the end of the kids game and I heard a kid say,"Did we win?"

I noticed a guy right near me getting up from sitting against the fence and start talking to another guy with a French accent. A pick up game was brewing, I could see it from a mile away. "Do you guys need anymore players?" I said through the fence. Yes, they did. I made my way around the fence and put my things in a safe pile under Bryan's skateboard. It was a great game. Six on Six and I even scored a couple of goals. My skills have been sharpening up a bit since I have played on the Jersey Shore FC a little more regularly. I played until dark and then I thanked a few guys and asked them if they played regularly. They said this was the last day of the year but usually they played on Mondays at six. Cool. I'll remember that. When I left in the dark they were still playing.

I made my way through strange little streets in Chinatown that I had never gone down knowing I was heading in the general direction of The Brooklyn Bridge. I turned to go under the bridge to the Brooklyn Banks, a well known skate spot. There were a few kids down there skating. It has a cool underworld vibe there and its fun to roll around on the banks and on the little ramps. I'm not much of a skater but I have fun rolling up and down on ramps and other stuff sometimes.
Across the bridge
I went. It was beautiful. What a day. See ya out there on tour! We are leaving tomorrow.

Love and Love Some More,

Greg

Chapter 13: Sunrise

The darkness is slowly fading to reveal the greens and blues of the morning here in Idaho. I arrived yesterday to a cold but very warm house to enjoy three days at home before I fly back to Nj for more tracking and song writing.

I just looked down at the valley and all around me, half looking half thinking about what I want to write about. A whole lot of bits and pieces came flying through my mind but nothing seemed to stick so I just have to start.


The BS played a show in Chicago on Friday which was a great time. A BS show is really a second home in so many ways..we are all there for each other, or I like to think we are. I took a picture of some poetry I found written on the wall in the backstage bathroom at the show . Some of its hard to read so I'll just have to do my own creative editing:

"Self conscience is shaking the soul…deriding flagrant anxieties where there is a burden beyond sentrals of a black holes power against the light rituals of the sinicle... …dribble politic fiscals, damage by breeding passions for pistols in the adolescent mental state… effecting character traits.. used like bait to lure a future of subliminal warriors structuring a ?"

It's a little anti-climactic but I can't figure out the last word. I kind of like it without the last word too. It becomes a kind of fill in the blank. I'm not sure why I like this enough to post it but I do like it. Its describing something I haven't been able to describe in an enjoyable way. Its reaching out on some level that is not so easy to communicate on so when someone strikes you there, you feel a sense of truth coming to our everyday level of communication. It feels good.

Underneath the writing there is a name. It says "poet name" and its signed "Life," I think thats what it says. I really enjoy it and thanks to the poet for adding something insightful and interesting to a wall full of cocks and balls drawings. Actually the wall in the House of Blues backstage didn't have to many cock and ball drawings. Some back stage rooms have outrageous amounts..

The sun is up now. I have three days to enjoy on the mountain. Here I go.