Diaries news

Our mobile home is called Jo , she's been broken into twice, scratched and dented
(not mentioning any names ), she's been towed twice, clamped twice, and slapped
with numerous parking fines . Jo has been used and abused but has never missed
a beat (touch wood). The best 800, well actually it's probably cost us a little more now,
but initially the best 800 pounds we've ever spent , and we can't forget the grande
feature .....ta da...the sun roof!
Words and photo by Mitchell Connelly (the drummer)

Scotland...We had missed a ferry already by now and this was our tenth ferry ride. Everyone has to be there an hour before hand otherwise they don't let you on... and you may have to wait all day to get on another ferry. So we were there bright and early. We watched a mother who could have been twelve get crazy with her kids and dogs all over the place having a good old time... winding themselves around the wheels of prams... winding each other up, a time of heightened excitement one might say. We sat and chatted
with our new friends from Strike the Colours and then boarded the great ship. Three hours later we arrived in the very lovely town of Stornoway, where we were greeted by the rush to get to sound check and by great joyful people... who made the rush very relaxed.

Julia

We've been taking photo's throughout our latest tour of Scotland, Ireland and England....recording our miraculous journey into the wonderland of the North!
The Market Bar - Imagine the smallest room in your mind.... imagine a teeny stage upon which can only fit a couple of kids playing guitar. The drums are below the stage... sitting amongst the crowd... the piano a resting place for the wicked. Clay our bass player is huddled in behind Mitch on drums ...the heat of a room like a hot summers day in Australia... though no one is dressed for the beach. Everyone is snug, hot and happy... with a Guiness and a few bodies pressed against theirs.

Julia

Me and my little brother have been in Japan for two weeks.
Its so awesome over here! The culture, clothes, style- DOPE!
Right now we are in Osaka, I got a rose panther tattooed yesterday and then
went out on the town.
Oh! I have a painting in a show at the moment, so if you live in or are visiting
New York stop by 31 Grand's new spot on 143 Ludlow in Lower Eastside.
I wish I had a picture of the painting but don't have any good pictures of it with
me here. I'm also doing a solo show at 31 Grand next year. I'm really excited
about that!
Well, Sayonara for now...

The typical adult suffers three colds and takes an average of nine sick days a year. Most people expect to get sick during the winter. Exposure to more germs and being stuck inside with everyone in the known universe just make it more likely. Last week, another annoying research study revealed that none of the classic remedies such as Vitamin C and Echinacea actually work. BUT being given a placebo is a fair amount better than no treatment at all- so the very act of thinking you’re taking something that will help your cold, helps. That might explain my friend who swears that if you EAT a teaspoon of Vicks, it will cure you. Try these more sane remedies for size.

Recently I was lucky enough to have a free apartment in the very bourgeois Marais area of Paris. As a fairly impoverished artist from Australia, I’m extremely grateful for such an opportunity, made possible by a government grant. While Paris certainly lives up to it’s glam reputation, it’s been particularly heartbreaking to see the huge number of highly visible homeless people around the city, many living semi-nomadically in tents and with shopping trolleys containing a few possessions. Adding a tarnished dimension to the “city of love”.

Last weekend I met the two guys from New York band Cocaine and Able at a barbeque. They were pretty funny, until I spilt beer on either Cocaine or Able- not sure who was who. We ended up in a Polish dive bar in Greenpoint Brooklyn where the beer only cost two bucks, sweet!
Aside from reporting on my weekly drinking escapades, I'd like to introduce you to John Copeland, he's my man and a totally fucking awesome artist. He's going to teach me how to tattoo... more about that later.