BluesBro's World Downunder

I've just uploaded my latest podcast, which was very late:(

The podcast includes a way to make sure that you keep working on your career, 365.

I played at the Handlebar & Grill in Longwood Fl and recommend the good folk there to any visitors or locals. Check out their website. Many thanks to Mama Chris for her hospitality and a call out to 7 and Lil' Laura of Dreams The Band who want to do a Steveie Nicks tribute tour. Come on down!

Brickbats to United Airlines who damaged my guitar and told me it was my brand new case that I bought for the trip that ripped itself and damaged my $2,000 guitar. Also brickbats to Dreamer Catamaran Cruises in Montego bay where my watch was stolen while I and all the passengers were doing some wonderful snorkling. All I got after reporting it stolen was a complaint about how small my (deliberate considering the circumstances) tip was and that they should frame it.

Kudos to Air New Zealand who took awesome care of my guitars and the 2 guys who delivered one each to me when I got home.

Kudos to Charly Nice who played some awesome sax accompaniment to my new song which you can hear on this podcast called You Oughta Run.

You can listen or download it for free by searching for A Kiwi Songwriter at iTunes or your favorite podcast place, or listen or download at http://luigicappel.libsyn.com

I just took 2 guitars around the US and Jamaica flying with 3 different airlines.

One of them was my Takamine which has been lovingly modified by Zel Tate ex Fender. It was covered in fragile stickers to the point that you could hardly see the case.

When I got to Orlando, my guitar case arrives off the belt and there is a big rip in the bottom of the case. I showed it to the crew who basically said it was a faulty case. Really I said, I bought it new especially for the trip because it has loads of padding. No it is definitely faulty they said. Yeah right, like who gives a damn, its just a guitar and guitar players are probably druggies or freaks anyway, was the attitude they gave me.

I took it to George's Music in Orlando, having to rent a car for the day because it was going to cost around $100 return by taxi (not that it saved a lot) because I was playing at the Handlebar & Grill in Longwood the following night and I needed my guitar.

They said the guitar tech had his day off, but I could use his bench and tools. No problem, I went and got the tools and fixed the guitar. The 9 volt battery holder for the piezo mike had been flung loose by impact (its actually hard to get out when you want to), it had gone flying around the inside of the guitar damaging wiring and the cable input posts.

Anyway the guitar was fixed, but I am pretty disappointed with United Airlines who really didn't give a shit.

Kudos though to Air New Zealand. Having grabbed my suitcase I was waiting at the fragile area and 2 guys came through genly carrying one of my guitars each with great care. Man it was good to be home where people care about music and musicians gear!

Seems like I've been away for ever and I could write a book about my journeys, but I won't. I have hundreds of pics and I will try to sort out the best ones to share.
In short, in the last 15 days I've been to LA, Orlando (for the world Cheerleading Champs where Tracy and her senior girls team came 6th in the world. I had the pleasure of playing at the Handlebar & Grill Bar in Longwood which was an absolute pleasure and I made some great new friends there.
After the champs we rode prety much every ride in all the Disney theme resorts, some like the Space Mountain roller coaster 3 times.
Then off to Jamaica where I had the pleasure of playing with the house band at the Holiday Inn in Montego Bay and then had a 12 hour day making a pilgrimage to Bob Marley's homeand Tuff Gong studio, although they wouldn't let us inside the studio itself. Almost forgot to mention going snorkling from the Discovery catamaran out of Montego Bay, which was out of this world, with visibility underwater I have never experienced before and amazing coloured fish. While we were all in the water someone stole my watch out of my bag on the boat which was the one sour note. I complained to the crew who all went quiet and embarassed and said they would report it to the skipper Moses. All he had to say to me was that my tip was so small that he would have to frame it on the wall, while I responded that having had my watch stolen was my tip. Everyone warned us about having things stolen in jamaica, but I didn't expect to not be able to trust the crew on the boat. I'm not saying they stole it, but all the passengers were in the water at the time.
Anyway, the snorkling was worth the cost of the watch I guess. Then Denver, La and back home over 30 hours. I am still jetlagged and missing the heat, although its pretty good here today. Watch this space for photos:D