More News From Nowhere

The end of January is almost here, we're heading into the coldest part of the year right now. At least in Germany. The snow doesn't look like it's going to go away for another while. I wasn't gonna write another one of these blog entries 'til February but then I came down with a cold a few days ago and wasn't able to do anything really. No training, no singing, no clear head for writing. It's slowly getting better and I'm drinking a lot of tea right now. Usually green tea with ginger and lemon in the morning and fennel-camomile tea with honey in the evening. Or peppermint. I love herbal tea. There's so much good the earth gives us and I truly believe in the healing powers of herbs. Still I'd rather be somewhere warmer than here right now. Florida maybe. Yesterday, a friend from Florida told me there was an alligator sitting in the pond outside the house so all the dogs and children have to stay inside the house until they figure out what to do. It's not the first time for them that something like that happens, probably not the last. So they're getting the ropes and guns ready.

I didn't watch the Grammys last night. Didn't want to. I figure that looking at the artists nominated and the ones who won these awards over the last few years, it's very much like awarding the artists who made the most money which has nothing to with artistic integrity or good music. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that anyone nominated or winning a grammy has no artistic integrity or good songs, but I am saying that it's not what's being recoginzed at the Grammys. So they shroud the commercial ceremony in appearances by legendary performers to cover it up and make it look like the most meaningful event. Oh well... 

I'll be going back to Hamburg at the end of March. I took a liking to that city. The Pretty Reckless will be playing there around that time, so I might go see them. Taylor Momsen, she's interesting. Taylor Swift is playing in Berlin in 2 weeks. Looks like if you're a young, blonde singer named Taylor, now's your time. ;-) Princess Victoria of Sweden will be in Hamburg soon too. So was Obamas sister. It seems to be the place to be. There's something happening there. I'll figure out what we're into. 

I was passing by a demonstration the other day, I think it was workers wanting more money. I heard two of them talking about a third ones clothes. He was coming to demonstrate in a suit, straight from work I guess. They weren't too happy. Apparently you can only demonstrate looking like you don't have much of anything. And don't miss the keffiyeh. I can't believe some people are actually spending money for clothes that make them look like activists or protesters and then demonstrate 'cause they're not having enough money. What's wrong with you?
I'm following the demonstrations in Kyiv on TV. There's an update every morning. Apparently, last night the protesters cleaned up a government hall in the city center, forcing out the cops who were in it. They want the President to resign. Ex professional boxer Vitali Klitschko is involved too. I heard him say he's ashamed of the corruption and the lies. I'm not there, but from what I hear this feels like the people taking back the power, which hasn't happened anywhere for a long time. That's why this is interesting to me. I hope the good guys will win, and I think Klitschko is a smart guy who's doing the right thing. speaking of boxing, I was recently reading Mike Tyson's biography. It's really an impressive story. I'm not much of a fan of wither Tyson or boxing, but I enjoy reading stories that life wrote. I'm reading a lot of biographies. Just recently finished one on Nick Drake which was quite good, though I wished he had written one himself. Such an interesting guy and great writer! Right now I'm reading "Sentimental Education" by Gustave Flaubert. No one else describes Love this way. I was shocked to recognize myself between these lines now and then, and I'm still figuring out what that means.

 

About music, I've got all the songs I need by now. And a new Martin guitar. Recorded all of them as acoustic demos, now I'm trying to figure out what each song needs. Some piano, maybe bass, maybe cello or violin. It's hard deciding, so it'll take a while before the album's finished. Some song titles: Boneyard, Shadows & Lights, Some Hearts, And Then The Night, Wayward Wind, Trouble, Summer's Gone, Dead End Road...
Soon as I got the recording done I'll be out to play some gigs in and around Germany. I'm looking forward to that, 'cause it feels like I haven't played in forever. 

Alright then, take care everyone! 

Dani A.