With that in mind, it’s easier to appreciate the following update from guitarist Steve Morse:
Well, it's been a long time on the road. I've been able to use up every minute of every day without ever catching up on all the things I should get done. This tour seems like 2 lifetimes ago that it started, and indeed it's close to 2 months gone by the time I get home.
Musically, things have been great, we started with a different set list, with a lot of different songs in reserve to change around. Most everybody liked the list that we settled on in the first 2 weeks, so it's sort of stayed that way. For the first time I can ever remember, I have been able to get online, in some fashion, almost every day, albeit sometimes unfathomably slowly.
We have had a lot of really good bands playing with us, and had Marillion with us for all of Germany, as well. In Eastern Europe we had a very musical trio, and currently, a great rock trio of Americans headed by Phillip Sayce (OK, he's Canadian, but close enough to feel like home to me) with some seriously smoking guitar work! We have had some wonderful backstage comraderie.
On a trip of this length, many band and crew get sick 2 times, instead of the usual once, on a winter tour. I will be glad to be home and well. I actually got excited and happy that the worst part of my 2nd time was during a 'no travel' day off, followed by a nearby gig. The theory is, in my mind anyway, that there is a chance that I will have gotten every Country's virus antibodies by the time I go home, and maybe won't get sick there. On the road, I lose the work callouses from my hands, since I'm only playing guitar, and not doing any rougher work with my hands. Now, to replace it, I have the dry calloused hands of somebody who actually washes their hands every time they blow their nose, in order to not spread whatever it is......
Christmas shopping? Some by internet, but I can't really seem to do it very well from a distance, when I don't know what I'm looking for. Oh, did I say Christmas? It is not politically correct to say Christmas, is it? I heard that if I say it, the Wikileaks guy is going to release all of the embarrassing performances I've ever done...............oops, looks like he's already done it, and called it "YouTube".
Have a great holiday season, and remember to let those you love know it.
Steve
Deep Purple – Lazy
Hala Stulecia - Wroclaw, Poland – October 31, 2010
