As I write this, We're on a 747 bound for new York. We've been flying for over five hours and we're not even halfway there yet. Just watched a movie. There's two hours out of the way right there. In a little while I might watch "Austin Powers". Shag-a-licious, Baby!

Last night was our last show in Japan. We decided to pull out all the stops, raid the closet, and play some songs we haven't seen hide nor hair of, for eons. Well, some of them anyway. We added One Way Street, Seasons of Wither, and Song and Dance, all three of which we've been playing on and off. We also did Thighs and even Get the Lead Out which we haven't done in, like I said, eons. We finally learned how to nail those songs live. The fans in Japan have been incredible. The music is such a soul experience for them. I don't know, it's probably the same everywhere but it just seems so out in the open there. Or here. Which is it?!

I guess part of me is still in Japan but the rest is already touching down at JFK.

We'll be taking some time off so, even though I'll think of something to write, it may be stuff like how I took the trash out or what color socks I'm wearing. Whatever fills the page, Baby!

By the way, did you catch our live chat yesterday? Was it coherent? We haven't seen the transcript yet. Hopefully it was at least entertaining. I wasn't going to bother you with this but I can't stop myself. On the way to the airport we drove by an indoor ski area. It's like somebody took a shopping mall and lifted one end about ten stories into the air. Wild. We've got a TV thing coming up in the States which you may have heard of. Other than that, we'll see you next month in Salt Lake City and beyond.

Sleaze ya,

TH

Man, somebody in the room above me is making a racket. I see my night's sleep drifting away. Not only that but most of us are finally groovin' on the time schedule. Just in time to go back to the States and go back into body-clock-train-wreck mode.

I practically wore my shoes out pounding the pothole-free Tokyo pavement today. I think everybody else did the same thing.

The other day I took a cab over to an area called Harajuku. Fifty minutes and forty dollars later I made it over there. Today Brad and I took the train. Fifteen minutes, a buck apiece.

We ran into Joey over there. Steven went to the Ginza, another really cool area. Joe was out continuing his quest for the ultimate Samurai Sword. I hope he found one. The boy sure is into sharp objects.

We went to a party tonight at a club in another interesting part of Tokyo called the Roppongi district. The record company set it up for the purpose of giving us our Triple platinum awards. We went through the crowd with translators and did about a half hour of hand-shaking along with our attempts to get the bowing thing right. You wind up doing it sub-consciously. It's very different at first but then you just find yourself doing it. It's kind of cool to see that, even with the shrinking planet, the Internet, and American burger, soda, and cigarette companies trying to take over the world, that there's still plenty of unique-ness to check out.

Tomorrow is our second Yokohama show and then it's home for some R and R. I can't believe how many people we ran into on the street today who have been to one of our gigs here. I thought this was a big city.

Sayonara for now, babe,

TH

Just got back from the Yokohama show. The venue there holds about 10,000 people, a mere fraction of what we've become accustomed to on this tour of Japan. Just kidding, but I'm serious.

I was anticipating this gig as being shockingly smaller than the domed stadiums but, to be honest, it wound up not feeling that way. When we walked in, it looked like a pretty big place, which it is. I guess I'm not as jaded as I thought.

These two gigs we're doing in Yokohama were added because we wanted to do a couple of shows for the fans who are used to seeing us at the Budokan. The Budokan, as mentioned in the book, is a 9000 seater that was once used only for highbrow cultural events. The last time we did Japan we played there for seven nights. This time it worked better for us to do the Gi-gunda Dome tour. (hey that kind of sounds Japanese)

The show tonight was more intimate and casual. Steven was at once relaxed and absolutely spot on. His singing was awesome. The difference tonight is that he did some of his bawdy word substitutions. It's a riot when he does it and looks around the stage to see if anybody in the band picked up on it. Sometimes it isn't fame, fortune, and room service that makes this so worth it. It's the stuff we get away with doing in public.

The plank spankers got to stretch out too. We did Rats, Red House, Last Child and, of course, Stop Messin' 'Round, all with beau coup guitar solos. Before we left for the show, we did an article for a magazine that featured us interviewing, and being interviewed, by a band from Tokyo called Yellow Monkey. Right now they're the hottest Japanese band and supposedly have had the good taste to mention us in some of the press they do here. We asked each other questions through an interpreter who recorded it all and will make a story out of it. Afterwards we all lined up for a photo. It was interesting to notice how good everybody was at getting their picture taken. And you thought all we had to do was record music and play live.

Bye now,

TH

Yeah!! We did it!!

Sorry, I'll calm down now.

Last night was our second of two shows at the Tokyo Dome. We got word before the show that some people from the Stones entourage were going to be there. It added a nice little edge to the proceedings. At 7:00 we took the stage and blasted out another one. Some of you might have noticed a little trick that Steven does with the silhouettes at the beginning of the night. Because of the way we're positioned before the Kabuki drops, he can do this bit where he squats down and makes his silhouette swallow Joey's head into...let's say....the lower regions of his body. I've been wondering if it's really visible out in the house but(t), judging from the reaction of the fans here, it definitely is. They flipped out.

We made some set changes for the repeat people and had a great time. Thanks to Chuck and Darryl from the Stones for coming over and thanks to Maude and Hester for bringing some back home vibes from the States-side contingent of AF1.

Today was a day off so everybody spent some time hanging over in the Harajuku area which has some killer shopping. the only thing is, the exchange rate makes things so expensive here, everybody winds up "just looking".

That's it. I promised myself I was going to crash before 3:00 A.M. tonight. Like I have any choice in the matter...

TH

The Tokyo Dome has been a goal of ours for a long time. In all the years of playing here in Japan we've probably driven past it a hundred times and thought about the bands that have played there and wondered if we'd be one of them some day. Tonight we got our chance.

We started out early today doing some TV interviews. The first one wasn't so much an interview as a skit for a show called "Papa Papa Puffy. Get it? Pop a Puffy....I wonder how many people here know what that refers to. If any of you don't, go ask your older brother. Or somebody else. The premise was that we were sitting in our room hanging out and the four girls who are the stars of the show were supposed to infiltrate the hotel and find us. They wore these orange space suits and played the part of space fairies or something. First they were filmed sneaking past Mike, our security chief. They pretended to crawl around him and between his legs. Then they came running into the room and ran over to us and announced that they were going to levitate Steven. The whole time they were chatting away while the interpreter struggled to keep up. You know the old trick you learn at summer camp where somebody sits in a chair and four people put their fingers under the person's knees and armpits? Everybody grunts and groans while they fail to lift him (or her). Then they hold their noses and scrunch up, summoning all their energy and try again, only this time they magically lift the person way up into the air. I guess it makes for good TV. Hopefully better than it looks in print. Right now I'm debating with myself over whether to leave this part in. Actually it was pretty funny.

After this they presented us with a box of Taiyaki which is a dessert that's kind of like a pancake stuffed with beans. It's gotten around in Japan that everybody in the band loves these things, so people are always giving them to us. We should have told them we like cars and real estate. I haven't fallen for Taiyaki yet. The only way I like my beans is with a hot dog.

The next bit was for a show called WOWOW. The twenty support people, cameramen, director, producer, our people and us crammed into a room at the hotel and did what was basically a serious interview centered around our tour in Europe, particularly the big festivals in Germany. At one point Steven and Joe were chatting away answering a question when suddenly I felt my chair shaking and heard kind of a rattling sound outside. This went on for about thirty seconds. At first I thought a really high wind was doing it. Then I thought maybe an extremely low flying helicopter. Only I didn't hear wind and I didn't hear an engine. I looked around the room and nobody seemed to be reacting. Joe and Steven just kept talking and the interviewer kept asking. The camera was rolling so I kept myself from making any strange faces. Finally the shaking trailed off but I could still feel it for another minute or so. After all these years of touring places like L.A., San Francisco, Mexico and Tokyo I've never experienced an earth tremor, but that's what it was. Like a virgin-shook for the very first time. After the interview I asked everyone in the room if they felt it and only one other person did, another American. People here must be immune. I guess it's pretty common. Later I heard that it was mentioned on the news and that there was another one this morning at 5A.M.

We had one more TV thing and then about 30 minutes later we were on our way to the show.

We were playing to 43,000 people tonight so we figured we better be good . What can I say? They turned on a bunch of colored lights, they cranked the P.A. up really loud, we played a few songs, did meet and greet, ate some Sushi and that was it.

Actually the show went really well and we had a killer audience. The fans here really know the songs and hang on every note. For some bands it's disconcerting because even though they clap and cheer, it's virtually silent between songs. We've come to learn that it's because they don't want to miss anything. Feedback on the show and the audience reaction was excellent so we're psyched. We're going to do it again tomorrow night.

A couple of other things I almost forgot to mention: Larry from U2 was at the show tonight. They're touring Japan too. Joe went to a club and watched a demonstration by a friend of his that's a Samurai. The Samurai are a warrior organization that goes back centuries. They do things with swords that are like what Jimmy Hendrix did with the guitar. Just don't sit in the front row.

Schlong (that's Aeroslang for "so long"),

TH

Just got back from having dinner with Mr. Udo. Every time we come to Japan he takes the band, management and crew out for Kobe beef. Kobe beef is a really expensive kind of meat that comes from special cows that get pampered all their life until the big day when it comes time to meet that great milking machine in the sky.

Yesterday we took the train from Fukuoka to Tokyo. The trip was about five and a half hours. Remember that movie called "Planes, Trains and Automobiles"? We're livin' it.

Today we did a couple of fan oriented events. Brad and Joe went to a soiree for the people who distribute Gibson Guitars in Japan. They signed and signed only this time it was mostly musical instruments. They also played a few songs for the folks. Pretty ballsy.

Steven, Joey and I went to a big meeting of AF1. It was actually at the same place the other guys had done their thing. There was an Aerosmith cover band that played both parties. Nobody knew we were there so it was really funny when we snuck onto the stage and all the fans saw us. The guys in the band freaked which made for a pretty comical situation. We took questions from the crowd of about 400 people for a few minutes then sat to act as judges for a couple of contests.

The first one was a sort of fashion show where the contestants paraded around and kind of did their impressions of Steven. Most of them were girls. Interesting. We held up our scores Olympic style. The next bit was a lip-sync demonstration that went from absurd to pretty close. One of the acts was a duo that was supposed to be Steven and Joey. The drummer sat on a stool and spun around a la Joey's twirling drum riser. He had a hat with a plastic hatchet sticking out of the top. I didn't quite grab the symbolism. When they were done he went to bow and smacked the hatchet right into the live microphone making a loud thump. Priceless.

It was a fun time and great to breathe in the passion of the fans. From there we went to dinner and packed in the groceries. Nothing like a great meal to get ready for the Tokyo Dome shows.

The Stones are playing here too and decided to stay at our hotel. Haven't spotted any of them yet but we sure noticed a few scary looking body guards. I guess body guards are only scary looking if they're not yours.

Later

TH

We just finished our show in Fukuoka. Careful how you say that. We did the usual half- run through Osaka Train station only this time we arrived at the platform early. Pretty soon a swarm of (over)eager fans had us surrounded and were snapping away and thrusting all sorts of magazines and pieces of paper and cardboard at us for signatures. It got really chaotic but it's nice to know people are interested.

I'm really starting to like this train thing. It's easy. The seats are nice and big and you get to watch the countryside practically flying by. When you arrive you just get up and walk off and you're right in the middle of the city. Like I said, easy.

The show at the Fukuoka Dome went really well . You know, your average impossibly gigantic indoor Stadium. I still can't believe we're playing "Nobody's Fault". After all this time. I thought that song was going to be part of our distant past. Now here it is, heavy as "Led". Well, pretty close. We've also been doing Sick as a Dog with Joe on bass, me on guitar and Steven picking up the bass on the end so Joe can go back to guitar and play the lead, just the way we recorded it.

Before the show some of us watched the Mr. Creosote part of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. It's the part where the unbelievably huge guy throws up all over the restaurant. Hey, you know, it's the little things. We're camping out in Fukuoka for the night and then taking the Bullet up to Tokyo tomorrow. It'll be our home for the next week.

TH

Not that much to report this morning or last night or tonight or whatever the hell it is.

Yesterday was a day off so everybody kind of went off on their own. Russ and I went downstairs and got intercepted by this guy who had been doing magic tricks in the dressing room the other night. It was truly amazing. If you put your face two feet from where he was doing his stuff you couldn't tell how he was doing it. He did this one where he put a cotton ball in you hand, lit it with a match and out of nowhere a bunch of coins were flying all over your hand and the table. Anyway, he volunteered to drive us around Osaka for a while. We went to some music stores and electronics stores where you see the future of what's going to be sold in America, then decided to go to the movies. We wanted to see Titanic again. The movie stays in English with Japanese subtitles, so that's convenient. I asked the guy if they had popcorn here and he said he didn't know. My interest in the movies went down to about half. As it turned out we didn't have time anyway because we had to get our bags ready.

Walking around became the planned activity. They have these enormous covered arcades here that are crammed with every kind of shop, noodle house, Pachinko parlor and game arcade you can think of. We went into one to try and make some "Photo Club" stickers where you put some money in this machine, get your picture taken and then wait a couple of minutes. Out comes a sheet of stickers with your picture on it on some inane background. It is great.

We went in there and realized that before long there would be too many fans approaching us to get it done so we bagged it. We were just about to leave when we noticed Joey standing next to a car racing machine where, of course, Brad was fiercely concentrating on his latest lap time. It's funny, when he gets really intense his tongue starts sticking out the side of his mouth. When he was finished we all just wandered for a couple of hours winding up, of course, in one of the incredible music shops they have here.

I'll write again tonight after the show in Fukuoka.

TH

Oh Yeah!!

Osaka!

Got up at the usual time this morning (none of your business). Ordered room service. Real good, real fast. At least we didn't have to pack. I did my bags the night before, stared out my window, watched the neon lights go out all across Nagoya and then crashed.

Thanks to my not reading my sheet properly we left late for the station and almost missed the train to Osaka. It was a scene right out of a movie with everyone at a full run through the station and fans right with us asking for autographs and pictures. The timing was perfect. The minute we all caught our breath the Bullet Train pulled up and we walked on. In case I didn't explain it last night, the Bullet Train, true to it's name, is a super high tech machine that eats up the rails at an average of about 125 miles per hour. You can hardly tell you're moving if you don't look out the window, and then when you do, you notice that the buildings are going by awfully fast. They took us straight to the gig where we had some time to cool out before the show. The Osaka Dome is even more gigantic than the Nagoya Dome. I'm telling you, they could have helicopter practice there. We hung for a while and then did a classic high energy Japanese meet and greet. By the time we finished, our Sharpie scarred hands were filled with presents. That's the custom here. (hint, hint).

Amazingly, the sound was completely under control when we took the stage. It wasn't the acoustics. Our sound guy simply kicks ass. We had a blast running out along the 100 foot wings on either side of the stage. When we played Angel, the first lighters appeared way in the distance and then worked their way forward all the way to the front row. Am I rambling? Sorry, that's the way the images are popping up in my memory. After all, it's 3 A.M.

Have you looked at the back cover of the Big Ones album? There's a picture of a Sumo Wrestler on the back named Konishiki-sen. He was there tonight and we snapped a few pix after the show. Our security chief, Mike, is a big guy but he looks almost puny next to this man.

Hasta Manana,

TH

We finally made it to Japan after our long, arduous, torturous flight. Actually it wasn't bad at all. I kind of like the long flights. It's like a mini vacation. You're in this little enclosed island, 31,000 feet up and there's really nothing you can do but eat, listen to music watch movies and sleep. Afterward you walk off and realize you've been in this thing that stayed up in the air for thirteen hours straight! Amazing. We hung out in a room in the airport for a while, got a train to Tokyo and then transferred to the Bullet train for the last leg of the trip to Nagoya. Bullet trains, as many of you probably know, are unique to Japan. They are designed to travel at over 150 MPH. They are fast, sleek and extremely comfortable, however after all that traveling we were glad to arrive at our final destination and check into our hotel.

It's kind of weird. After a full day of being in constant motion you find yourself alone sitting still in a hotel room and your body clock has just been reversed by fourteen hours. Or ten depending on how you look at it. Luckily Japanese hotels are great and you can at least get something good to eat and know you have a bed worth sleeping in.

One thing you can always count on is that there will be a bunch of fans waiting for the plane to come in. The enthusiasm is awesome. Definitely a stimulant. Another thing you can count on is that a lot of the faces you see are going to be there for the whole time you're here. True dedication.

Anyway, everybody got something resembling sleep and then woke up for a day off. Luckily it's very entertaining to walk the streets and after a while you come across a music or electronics store. Watch out! Toys R Us for semi grown-ups.

Our first show was at a gigantic place called the Nagoya Dome. It's an indoor stadium as are all the shows here. Still, even though I was fully aware of this I was still freaked when I saw how big this place was. They play baseball here.

We got over there early to do press. It was about a ten minute walk from the dressing room to the pink set where the TV cameras were set up. And when I say pink, I mean pink. For a second there it felt like somebody turbo-charged the jet lag. We got the interview started using an interpreter. Halfway through it they handed us the Japanese version of our book which was just about to be released. I tell you, back when I envisioned what it would be like to be in a band it didn't occur to me there'd be a book about it someday. Now here I was looking at one in a language that looked to me like somebody dipped a chicken's legs in ink and let it run across the paper (I'm sure that's what our writing looks like to the people here too.)

As we walked back to the dressing room I noticed that the vast sound system was being held up by these two massive cranes. They reminded me of the ones Joey and I bungee jumped from in Australia.

A little while later we ambled up onto the stage for a soundcheck party. There were about fifty fans and a camera crew up there waiting for us. We played a few songs and adjusted levels and tweaked a few things then got all of them around us to help us receive an award. While the cameras rolled we were presented with The Gold Disc award for Best International Rock Album. We recorded a little acceptance speech as we fondled these really cool green glass trophies they gave us. They were nice!

The show that night went off without a hitch especially considering how time lagged we were. Joe pointed out that one of the good things about going on stage was that we wouldn't notice how tired we were.

For such a big place the sound was pretty good and even though the audience was kind of far away we could still make a solid connection with them. The next day we ran into a lot of them in the street and they all said they had a great time. Great, same with us!

On to Osaka...

TH

What a great vibe tonight. People came to the show ready to go nuts and they succeeded. In case you didn't know it, we're in Anchorage, Alaska. We got here a couple of days ago and right away I realized the error of my ways when I made the Polar bear and Igloo comments the other night. I wasn't serious anyway, so there.

The people up here are really cool. Everybody I've talked to loves living here. One thing kills me though. The short sleeve shirts. It was pretty nippy yesterday but the sun was out so people were walking around like it was the middle of June in the Lower Forty-eight. They must have Tabasco Sauce for blood. If I were to point out how beautiful it is here it would be too much of an understatement so I won't even try.

Joe, Steven and a few other people went fishing yesterday on our day off. I think everybody in town knows because they were all asking how it was… Actually I just remembered why everybody knows and it brings me back to the show. After about the third or fourth song, a couple of girls suddenly appeared on stage carrying a gigantic stuffed Halibut. Steven proceeded to claim it was the one he caught yesterday. Yeah right. The thing looked hard as a rock and it had dust and scratches all over it.

The audience had a great time and they showed it. It was their gift to the band. Steven's always spontaneous and outrageous on stage but tonight I could see he was really having a blast. Same with the rest of us.

Talk ta ya,

TH

We've emerged from the North. We've migrated.

After a five hour flight, we pried ourselves out of the plane, into the cars and into the hotel in Minneapolis. (This city is a one-word spelling test. My computer says I got it right.)

Alaska was an experience we put off for way too long. The people up there are great. They made us feel at home the whole time. There's definitely no shortage of cool stuff to do up there. The longer you stay, the longer the list grows until you feel like you haven't even scratched the surface. I hate being cold but by the time we left I was thinking about what it would be like to go out camping in the middle of winter. There's something about it that makes you want to test yourself that way.

The shows were a gas. I'll tell you one thing, you couldn't tell where you were by looking at the audience. They were dressed to the nines and shakin' their stuff like anywhere else. Not even the tiniest whiff of whale blubber. When we got to the first show we heard this rumor that some guy went on the radio and cut his finger off just to get tickets. We were starting to get worked up about it until we did "meet and greet" and realized we got hoodwinked along with everybody else. There was a guy in there with a missing finger and, yes he did win tickets, but the digit departed this world a long time before we ever showed up. It was all a PLOT and he was part of it. I went and got one of my grotesque, rubber fingers that I give out to people, and presented him with it. We started to chat and finally he gave me his card. SURVIVAL EXPERT!! Here I am razzing this guy who knows how to stay alive by eating rocks and sticks and turning woodland creatures inside out with his fingernails and…what if he got really hungry once and…ATE HIS OWN FINGER!! AAARRRRGHHH!!! I DON'T WANT TO GO CAMPING ANYMORE!! I started to think he was one of those militia guys until he told me he was in the Air Force. Cool! My respect deepened considerably. The trip was one to remember even though Steven had a minor war with his mike stand.

We're shooting the video tomorrow and I just found out I have to get up at eight o'clock. In other words the middle of the night, so…..

SSSSSNNNNAAARRRFFFFFGGGLLLLLAAAHHHH (snoring sounds)

We got over to the video shoot around nine o'clock this morning and we've been here all day. Right now it's two A.M. and there's no end in sight. I think we're going to see the sun come up on this one.

I think most of you have heard, by now, that Steven injured his knee on stage the other night in Anchorage. It's not terrible but it's not great either. He tore some ligaments in his left knee. We were in the middle of the first encore, when near the end I turned around and saw Steven lying on his back in the middle of the stage. Not that that's anything unusual. He does it a lot in the heat of the moment. The difference was the look on his face. Instead of the usual ecstatic expression, he had kind of a grimace. He got up on his feet, made it through two more songs, like the pro that he is, and the next thing we knew, he was on his way to get x-rays.

All the doctors he's talked to say he has to stay off it for a while. After that he has to go back in and see what's up. We've had to postpone some dates, which is sheer agony, but they'll be re-scheduled. For the band, I'd like to express our regrets to the fans that were looking forward to the next run of shows. The fact is, there's absolutely no other choice. I'll keep you posted.

How can we still do a video shoot, you might ask? We've got a great director and an energetic, creative lead singer who together have gotten a brilliant performance on film without doing any further damage. I can't say much in the way of describing the video but I think you're really going to like it. It's going to be blended with cool footage from the movie so it seems it could be part of it. In the near future we'll be posting some of the zillions of pictures that we've been taking all day.

We had a symphony orchestra in the shot we just finished. This was their second day on the job and they were starting to look a little ragged so Steven, of course, started telling jokes to keep them amused. Pretty soon we were taking turns. First one from us, then one from them. It was really trippy being on this futuristic looking set, in this huge building with nasty punch lines reverberating off the walls.

Hopefully they'll call us in a couple of minutes to do another take. We can't wait to get this one in the can and see what it looks like when it's done.

I guess it's been a while.

Most of you have heard the news. We'll be off the road for a few weeks until Steven gets his knee back into shape. I think we've gotten over the initial shock. Now we're focusing on the kind of stuff we can do close to home.

Number one: The live album. We had a meeting with the producer Jack Douglas on Monday and listened to a bunch of the proposed mixes. Most of them are right in the pocket and the rest will be coming along soon. It's going to be a good one. Steven came up with a great title idea but we're going to have to make you wait to find out what it is.

It's hard to describe the feeling of knowing how people must have felt when they heard we weren't going to be coming to play. First we want to say thanks to all the people who bought tickets. Believe me, the hardest thing for us is thinking about all the disappointment out there. We hope you'll stick with us. We're going to making those shows up and we can't wait.

We'll be continuing the tour in mid-August. We had a big conference call a couple of days ago to discuss the schedule and we're looking forward to going back out with the engines revving higher than ever.

In the meantime, we just released "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" to radio and it is getting a great reaction. Later in the summer we are going to release another song from the Soundtrack called "What Kind of Love are You On". It's a cruncher and we can't wait to put it in the set.

Meanwhile, we'll be getting a head start on some stuff for the future and if we get something ready in time, maybe you guys will get a sneak preview of the next album.

The Armageddon soundtrack album comes out at the end of June. It'll have those two songs plus "Sweet Emotion" and "Come Together". They'll all have cool placements in the movie.

Keep the faith, baby,

Here I am again! Back from the void.

Today we all went to Joe's house to do some video interviews. We mainly talked about our role in the music for Armageddon. It'll be cut down into bits that can be used on TV and yes, maybe even the net. Whaddya mean, maybe?

It was basically the first time we were all together since we unexpectedly put the tour on pause. It was good because it's the first step in getting everybody's take on what kind of work we all want to do while we're home. I bet I could get a lot of yard work in my neighborhood. I could go door to door, offering to do bass solos at parties, weddings, etc.

But seriously folks, there are some interesting things coming up. The single "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" in climbing up the charts and the video is out this week. We're all psyched about the upcoming premiere for the movie. We'll be makin' that scene dressed in our best clothes, sure as sh*t!

Steven's knee is coming out of the fog so let's keep everything we have a pair of, crossed until further notice.

Get to work on those tans,

TH

I wrote this while we were all on a huge bus heading over to the Armageddon premiere (which took place Monday night) - surrounded by people talking, catching up and comparing notes on the incredible day we had on Sunday....

We took an early flight down from Boston to Orlando, where we got into a bus for the hour's drive to the Kennedy Space Center. Just writing those words is a rush. They're words that we grew up with. They were there before words like "The Beatles", "The Stones", and others that represent everything that we thought was cool.

The first thing we did on arriving was check in to get our official NASA passes. Whoa! Then an official got on the bus and proceeded to give us a mind-blowing tour. First we went into a building where they are getting a Shuttle ready for it's next flight. It was so surrounded by equipment we could only see the bottom where all the famous tiles live. We walked right under it, from one end to the other, with it hanging from a giant crane ten feet over our heads. The next stop was the Vehicle Assembly building, where they mount it to those giant fuel tanks and rocket engines. (Now I know what a stick of dynamite looks like to a flea.) There were signs all over the place reminding people not to touch things or drop wrenches into them, where to run in case something gets dicey. (The only one I didn't see was "Shoplifters will be prosecuted".) After that, they took us to the Launch control center where all those people sit behind computer screens and say things like "go for launch" and "did you say go for launch or go for lunch?" We've all seen it on TV for eons. There we were, right in the middle of it and they even let us touch stuff.

The highlight of the day was when they took us over to the launch pad. As we drove over there they told us that way back when, when this whole place was built, they put everything really far apart because they didn't know where all the blast and smoke would end up. Way in the distance we could see other launch pads and you really got the vision of the place as the world's first spaceport. Science fiction, only true and right now.

Finally we got to "Pad A" and circled around it. I thought for a minute they were just going to give us a drive-by but all of a sudden they took a left up a huge concrete ramp and there we were, right where the whole thing happens. As if that wasn't enough, one of the guides then said something about breaking a few rules, and the next thing we knew we were on elevators going to the top. That's right, the Penthouse. We all wandered around with our jaws dropping. The sight that blew my mind was a walkway leading to a set of double metal doors. That's where Astronauts take their leave of this planet. Wild.

Getting back to the blast and smoke thing, there was another cool sight back down at the bottom: there are these gigantic concrete ditches right under the shuttle that divert all the flame and smoke out to the sides. You've seen it. Next time you see footage of a launch, you'll notice it spraying out of these things.

We did actually do some work yesterday. After the tour we went over to the sight where the premiere was held. We did a bunch of press and then went on-stage for a sound check. Did I mention we were playing? Well now you know.

There was a full sized stage but we were only be playing to about 500 people. Imagine taking our arena set-up into a medium size club… Anyway, before I explain more, the bus just stopped and we're at the Kennedy Space Center the day of the premiere and… Wow, a couple of guys in blue jumpsuits just got on the bus. They've got flight insignias all over them and they're wearing sunglasses. They must be…

I'll let you know in the next installment,

TH

…As I was saying, two guys in blue jumpsuits got into the bus. A minute later they picked up a mike and told us they were astronauts. The usual reaction would be: yeah right, I'm Luke Skywalker and these guys are the Rebel Alliance. Considering that we were on our way into a heavily restricted area, we decided to believe them. They proceeded to tell us all about what they do, what missions they've flown on and what missions they're going to fly on.

We got over to our dressing room area and started doing the hair and make-up thing (everybody does it so shut up) so we'd all look nice and pretty for the press. One thing nobody was really prepared for was the heat. It was at least 95 degrees and there was a smoky haze from all the forest fires that were burning in Florida. All them fancy clothes started going right back in the suitcase.

Did I mention the broadcast that's going to be on Album Network? I should have. It came out really good, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Okay, now it was time to do the "Red Carpet" bit for the press. We all got into a limo, drove around a corner and stopped about 200 feet from where we started. Numerous TV crews, photographers and reporters were arranged in a gauntlet, on, you guessed it, a red carpet. A big long red carpet. We paused after getting out of the car so the still cameras could blast away for a minute and then continued on. Up ahead of us I could make out some extremely well dressed, familiar looking people smiling away and talking while television cameras threatened to swallow them whole. A lot of them were dressed in suits in the hot sun. They chatted away, pretending not to notice how unbelievably uncomfortable they were as the sweat burst out of their faces like popcorn. I shouldn't talk. We were shpritzing a little ourselves. After a bunch of TV stuff we made our way down the line and caught up with some of the international press and some of the many radio people that were there. We were starting to make headway when somebody noticed that Liv had shown up and was at the beginning of the line. Steven went down to say hi and of course the photographers went nuts. God bless 'em but sometimes they act like a pack of coyotes on a fresh rabbit.

Finally we got all the way through and into the air conditioning of the Visitors center. Right above our heads was a full size Saturn 5 rocket, which is the biggest flying object ever made. This thing looks like something out of the future but it's virtually an antique. The first one flew in the early sixties. Somebody told me that this particular one had been outside, rusting away before they took it inside and restored it. How come everybody loves to see movies about space travel but the government keeps cutting off money for the real thing?

After a few more photos we were finally ready to do what we all came down here to do. See the movie.

There was a big tent set up with a full scale movie theater inside. The scuttlebutt had been that Bruce Willis wasn't going to be there because of trouble at home but sure enough, he showed up and the picture was complete. All the other stars in the cast were there, sweating away with the rest of us. That's just one of the things that sets this film apart. The quality of the performances takes it to another level. It was really cool. I tried to look non-chalant as my eyes scanned the room.

The movie blew our minds. We had seen a bunch of footage before we recorded the songs but the final version was overwhelming. Great story, great cast and special effects that are beyond state of the art.

Now we were the act that had to follow it. After a quick bite and a short schmooze, we took off for the dressing room area to warm up. Steven had a big brace on his knee, which was a new sight. I could tell he was on edge, but determined to do his job. No different than it ever has been.

As we walked to the stage I could see the launch tower, way in the distance, all lit up like they said it would be.

We got up there and started the set with Fallin' in Love is Hard on the Knees and, bang, just like that we were back into it. We were a little concerned that we would be playing to a jaded Hollywood audience but that wasn't the case. They got down and rocked. Even in the heat they were just down in the dirt of it all. I saw numerous beer and wine bottles along with the effects of their contents. People were just ready to wallow. YEAH!! It was an honor to know that the people who had been involved in such an amazing project were digging what we do.

After the show, which was actually only about forty minutes long, we got to meet and hang out with more astronauts and actors. Steve Buscemi, one of our major favorites, came back for a while along with Liv. We did the picture poses for a while and then went into the recording truck to hear the playback. Sounds pisser. (that means good in New England) Anyway, for two days we went back and forth from musicians to space tourists. I don't know which I liked better.

Onward and upward,

TH

We just got back from the show in Raleigh, N.C.

We've been in Nashville, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Columbus since the last time I wrote so, yes, I'm finally getting up to speed here.

We've been on a quest for the perfect plate of ribs lately. Sounds exciting, you say, with your eyes rolling up to the ceiling. Well, I didn't say what KIND of ribs so I'll just leave that to your twisted little imagination.

Let's see here, what can I talk about that I haven't covered a hundred times. We stayed at a different hotel in Columbus than the one we usually stay in. Good thing, because there was a fire at the old one. Nobody was hurt but the smoke supposedly ruined everything on the first ten floors. Didn't mind missing that one.

Steven went to St. Louis a day early so he could throw out the opening ball at a Cardinals game. He got to meet Mark Mcgwire, who apparently seemed completely relaxed in spite of all the people around him nervously warning that he only had a couple of seconds to say hello. I didn't see the game but I heard Steven's throw was right in there.

Joe and Brad did an in-store appearance at Thoroughbred music in Nashville on Wednesday evening, which I hear was a great time. After that everybody went to see Lenny Kravitz play at a local theatre. Everyone came back thoroughly impressed. I'm still kicking myself for not going. I wound up having a cozy night at home with Mrs. Palmer and her five daughters.

Anyway, the Raleigh show was great, at least from our perspective. I don't want to speak for the audience, but they did seem to enjoy it. It was loose as a goose and the audience was nuts to butts so everything was in its proper space in the cosmos. The people at meet and greet were unusually civilized and well mannered. I was wondering if someone lectured them before we got there.

Tonight was our second to last show with Monster Magnet and they seemed to be in that end of the school year party mode. I saw their drummer pounding on their dressing room door. The rest of them were locked inside with all the lights off. They must have had guests. Good to see them carrying on some of the old traditions.

That's gonna do it for the moment.

Later, y'all, TH

I'm freaking about this Webcast we're doing on Saturday night. I'm sure you've already heard about it but just in case you forgot or something, I'll tell you what we're doing.

A couple of weeks ago these mysterious people came to a show and fitted us for some ultra small video cameras with microwave transmitters hooked up to them. No, not for cooking hot dogs. They'll transmit the signal for each camera so the pictures can be sent in real time to our web site.

I'll be wearing one built into a hat, Brad will have one in a specially made pair of glasses, Joe will have one hanging around his neck, Steven will have one on his mike stand and Joey's going to have one on his chest. The signal from each camera will be kept separate so that people at home can "direct" their own show. The audio is being mixed by Jack Douglas with help from Jay Messina . You may remember them as the guys we made some of our early albums with and also put together our new live album, which is coming out next week. As a matter of fact the order of songs on the web cast will be close to the way it is on the album. You'll be able to choose different cameras for different angles and views of the show. Should be very cool.

We just finished two shows in the New York area that went really well. Very distinctive audience. A rather serious lot even though it was obvious they were having a good time. Actually, the crowd from tonight's show was a little more loose with their feelings. I think that's just very healthy. Better to just let it all out so you can get on with your life.

So anyway, be near your computer on Saturday night for something that could be really fun or at least interesting.. I wish we could do it,

See you in Space (Cyber that is),

TH

10/22/98

We just did the gig in Montreal, (pronounced: Mo-ray-ahl for you culture freaks) and what a gig it was. I don't know whether it was the crowd or the fact that it was our first indoor show in a while but it had an extra intensity. The audience was definitely happenin' so let's just give them the credit.

We can still feel the afterglow of the webcast. The first figures show that we had at least 120,000 people tuned in so we're really psyched. I really think it's only the beginning of a whole new way to bring music and visuals to the world. There's no borders. People in Japan or South America or anywhere can participate in the same show in real time. Community, baby, I love it! Oh yeah, the live album came out today. Another reason to stay awake! What a week. I hope everybody out there likes it. We feel that it's a really accurate picture of where we're at on tour. Jack and Jay did a great job of mixing it. If there's anybody who knows what we're supposed to sound like it's those guys. In case you don't know who they are, they're the guys we made most of early albums with. A lot of people are telling me they're hearing it on all different kinds of radio stations, which feels good.

Don't forget to watch the Fashion Awards on VH-1. Joe and Steven are going to present an award so check it out.

See ya lately

PART I

We're on the plane on our way to Florida. We just played Toledo Sports Arena, on of the original Rock and Roll houses. I can't even imagine how many times we've played there.

We just finished a spurt in Canada-Montreal, Quebec City and Hamilton. I don't know why, but the name of that last one has a certain ring to it. Toledo was a general admission show, our first one in a long time. What a gas. One giant mass of human froth at the boiling point. It was like being at a big party in someone's basement. It used to be that GA shows would start with a mixed crowd up front but by the middle of the show all the girls would be pushed to the side and replaced by a bunch of sweating shirtless males. Now the girls hold their own. I don't know how they do it. The gender's getting stronger. Yay.

Speaking of shirtless males, there was on who held a sign for the whole show begging to make his dream of singing with us come true. W were about to start "Come Together" when suddenly Steven invited the guy on-stage! He worked his way through the GA crowd, pushing people aside like an oil tanker's wake. Steven reached out his hand and the guy came on-stage like a giant tuna. In a second he was grabbing the mike and singing, proving his destiny. Steven alternated between trying to get the mike back and letting him get it out of system. Finally Steven called out "Thank You" and the guy took a running, head first plunge into the front row.

Anyway we're going to Florida to watch the Space Shuttle launch, something we've all wanted to do for a long time. When we did the Armageddon premiere down there we met a bunch of astronauts, some of whom are on the crew of this mission, and they invited us to come down. "Wait, let me think about it for a €OKAY!!"

I can't wait.

I'll tell ya€,

TH

PART II

About 9am we all climbed into a big Disney bus and departed for Kennedy Space Center. Not a bad itinerary.

They told us the ride out there could be up to four hours long because of the traffic but we were there in about an hour.

Things started to look interesting when we went right past the main entrance of the visitor's center and down a very private looking dirt road. When we got near the end of it the guide said not to worry about the SWAT team that was down at the end. We turned the corner toward where we would be watching, while craning our necks to see a bunch of guys standing around a helicopter with machine guns strapped around their shoulders. It was at this point that everybody checked to make sure they were wearing the security passes that were given out at the beginning of the trip.

We arrived at the same place where we played at the "Armageddon" premiere. There was a set of bleachers that were the same ones people sat on to watch us play. This time we would sit there and watch them put on THEIR show. I love the irony.

People sat around eating sandwiches and sneaking peeks at some of the celebs who showed up. It all seemed like a company picnic until about an hour before lift-off. There was a big tent for members of congress. I didn't hear of any arrests or sordid behavior in there so I guess everything was A-OK. There was a huge pile of silver shopping bags outside the tent that, I guess, were door prizes or something, so some of us snuck over and grabbed a few. Hell, we're taxpayers. We bought 'em, right?

About a half hour later the vibe changed completely as everybody took their seats on the bleachers and let it dawn on them what was about to happen. We looked out over this idyllic swamp, habitat type scene that just happened to have a huge rocket ship sitting at the other end of it. There were birds flying around. Fish were jumping so high it almost became the main entertainment. Even an alligator assumed a position as if to say: "This is the front row, baby, and I think I'm gonna be the only one sittin' here!"

The big mission clock stopped and restarted a couple of times. When it re-started at the 5 minute point there was a definite "Here we go" vibe in the audience. That thing just ticked away like nothing could stop it until finally everybody there started yelling: Ten, Nine, Eight, etc. all the way down to "Lift-off!" and then they were silent. The silence continued as gigantic clouds of smoke and steam poured out from each side of the launch platform. Out of this immense cloud rose a distant spot of light as bright as the sun, rising and accelerating. It was so bright it was hard to see the shuttle. A few seconds later came a deep crackling rumble that just took control of everything and everybody. People started screaming and cheering as others just sat there, garage mouthed. Within a couple of minutes the little sun had accelerated out of view and the silence returned as people began trying to express their awe. Within a few minutes the company picnic returned as we made our way to the buses. By the time we left, Discovery had already circled the Earth and was somewhere over our heads. Boy, if only we could tour that way.

IBBY

TH

Been a good week.

We left Florida after seeing the Shuttle Take off and getting used to the warm weather. Now we're in Minneapolis, which must be another word for "reality".

I kid. I actually really like it here. The only thing is, it's cold, so you have to crank up the heat in your hotel room which makes it really dry. Sometimes when I wake up, I feel like a potato chip.

So anyway, we played the Minneapolis show a few days ago. The place was huge and the crowd rocked. Some of the people who have played for "The Artist" came to the show and were right up front. It added another level of inspiration. I was having some technical problems with my monitors, which was kind of disconcerting. In situations like that you have no choice but to push on and make like nothing's happening. Luckily it sorted itself out.

I did a couple of radio interviews before the show. The first one was way up in one of the press seats. Man was it up there. It was so weird to look down onto the stage and check our stuff out at that angle. It was kind of hard keeping my mind on what I was saying. The next one was in one of those luxury boxes. It was way down at the end of a long hallway so, as we walked, we passed room after room of people hanging around scarfing food from fancy looking buffet set-ups with the televisions tuned to a football game or whatever. I guess my picture of what the audience is doing during a show needs to be updated. We finally got to the one where I was to do my interview and here's a roomful of freaks looking like they crashed some posh party. I felt right at home.

The next night was off so we went to a local club to see Cheap Trick. We've been friends with those guys since the beginning and it felt so good to hear them play. We haven't had any contact with them for a while so it was a big reunion. They played a lot of songs that I forgot about, that I love. They got up there and put their foot right into the ass of that place and tore it apart. At the end, they invited us up onto the stage for "Train Kept a Rollin'. Half of us couldn't even hear what we were playing but it didn't matter. It was about the moment.

The following night was in Mankato, Minn. It was a GA show and I think you may have already heard me try to describe what that's like. Someday I'm going to get an artist to paint a picture that captures the chaos of it. There was one girl up front that kept sticking out her tongue, Gene Simmons style. That thing was so long it had an elbow in it.

Today was a day off and some of us went to the Vikings-Saints football game. We have a friend that does security for the team. He got us right onto the field. I've never watched a pro game from that close and I'll never forget it. If I were any closer I would have needed a cup.

TH

The other night we went to a radio station here in Minneapolis to do a live radio show called "Rockline". There was a control room with the usual console and other accessories and adjacent to that was a tiny room with a round table in it. On the table were six headsets with built in microphones and the network of wires that attached them to a device that was the link to the hundreds of radio stations that were carrying the show. We've done this show many times in the past. It's one of those timekeepers you run across now and then. Every time you do one, it reminds you of that last time you did it and how long it's been. The walls were covered with black foam sound insulation with a surface of perfectly spaced, soft stalactites.

Once everybody was finished making bathroom runs, getting something to eat or drink, checking mic levels and clearing their throat, they brought in an audience of about twenty people to watch the broadcast from the control room. One minute we were all shuffling around shooting the sh*t with the DJ, Bob, the next minute we snapped into the interview stance and started the show.

We took a lot of calls from listeners around the country and that was gave it its main energy. One of the first calls was from Jesse Ventura who just got elected as Governor of Minnesota. When they said it was he I thought they were joking but then I heard his voice and there was no question. We started talking politics and all of a sudden it started to sound like talk radio. Luckily we realized that and got it back to the proper tone. He said he was a fan and invited us to play at his inauguration. When we tried to explain that our schedule wouldn't allow it, we suddenly felt the sensations of a virtual headlock coming on - sadly we will be off the road by then, so we'll just have to wait till he runs for president.

Next Report: Fargo. Hey, no woodchipper jokes.

TH

Fargo.

Not the movie, the town.

We were supposed to play there last Wednesday night but Mother Nature, like she often does at this time of year, had other plans, in the form of a major snowstorm. We got the call the night before. The trucks and buses were pulled over to the side of the road in a classic whiteout with winds just this side of a hurricane. Luckily we have the good buses, as opposed to the four-wheeled woodchippers you see out there sometimes. The crew all hunkered down for the wait. It would wind up lasting almost twenty-four hours. They were well stocked with food - mostly potato chips and candy, but at least it was edible. They also had the company of a satellite dish with a GPS system so they could keep track of news, weather and Brady Bunch re-reruns.

At some point, early on into this ordeal, somebody noticed a car stuck on the side of the road just up ahead. Some brave soul decided to go check it out and found an elderly couple huddled in their vehicle, freezing, with no food and no way to get help. A few minutes later they were in the crew bus watching "Kingpin" and snacking on, you guessed it, potato chips and candy. They wound up spending the night.

Meanwhile, we were at headquarters in Minneapolis trying to figure out if we had a gig the next night. As each hour went on, the possibility of us being able to play with our full production got smaller and smaller. Hmmm, how about no spotlights? Hmm, how about no lights at all. Hmm, how about no amps? Hmm, how about doing the show with two flashlights and a pair of headphones? We finally realized that there was no way to do the show on schedule, so we pushed it back one night and did it right. Don't fool yourself, Fargo might not be the biggest city in the country but the place where we played is gigantic. They could probably fit at least a thousand woodchippers in there. It was a big show and we wanted to be at our best.

Everything wound up great. We had a great audience and a great time. Plus we got to hear all the crew's exciting survival stories. Like trudging off into the blizzard toward a distant light and having it turn out to be a 7-11 where they could buy more potato chips and candy. Kind of like a modern "Balto" but without the fur.

The next night we played in Duluth, which was, yet another of the gigs that was postponed last May. Only a hundred people had turned in their tickets and at least some of them must have bought them back because it was a sold out show. An awful lot of people kept the faith all summer long. I can't even describe the feeling of knowing that. It's about as pure as the spirit gets.

About halfway through the show Steven announced that a girl was in the Lobby of the hall having a baby. I've heard of some pretty creative ways to sneak people into a show but this is a first. Seriously though, everything turned out okay. They took mother and child to the hospital and as far as we know there's a healthy new Aerosmith fan in the city of Duluth. If this keeps up we'll have to start doing a maternity meet and greet.

Mama!

TH

Man, this is distracting! There's some old biddies in the next room making a freakin' racket. Every couple of minutes one of them lets out a crackling, cackling blast of laughter. I think I'll set up my portable stereo by the adjoining door and treat them to a little late night sample of the Beastie Boys. I can't believe we're getting to the end of this phase of the tour. One minute we're in the shank of it and the next minute we're coming up to the exit ramp. It still feels like it's building. Well just have to take the momentum into the studio.

Some of us went to the circus in Chicago last week and, sure enough, one of the performers was an actor who had been our "Love in an Elevator" video. He was a "little person" named Mitsou. Anybody remember his part in the clip? They also had the usual person getting shot out of a cannon. Joe swears that the device was one of our old obsolete potato guns from early in the tour. Scandalous.

We based in Minneapolis for a week ,which was cool. I've always liked that town. People there couldn't get why we were still there a week after we played. From there we went to Chicago and did the same thing. We were camped out there for the Thanksgiving holiday period. It's pretty weird shifting out of the road pirate mode when all the families come out. You know in a science fiction movie, when they retrieve somebody from deep space and they still have all the alien slimy stuff on them from whatever life form they've encountered. Similar.

One of the shows was in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. Months and months ago, a local radio station started a petition to get us to come play there. It had a definite effect on why that one got routed in. Then came the knee. Now after all these months we finally play it and everybody forgets to even mention the petition. Well here's my chance. Thanks to everybody who signed it because we had a great time there. Also, thanks for sticking with us 'til we finally showed up.

Another milestone along the way: We played in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, the home of the Fort Wayne 55. "What was that?" say all you people that haven't read the book yet. Why I'll tell you. Back in the seventies, when we read the newspaper after a show, there was always a report on all the arrests that took place. Nothing about the show, just a blurb about all the troublemaking that went on in and around the venue. We were pretty sick of the newspapers looking down their noses and trying to incite the local citizenry to ban Rock and Roll. Anyway, one night in Ft. Wayne we were just about to go on when we got a report that the police were arresting anyone in the building that was caught smoking. They took 55 kids who were looking forward to the show down to the station and threw them in jail. We were pissed so we told our accountant to go down there and bail 'em out. The next day we found out that the story was all over the news wires and reported in countless papers all around the country. The last thing we had on our minds was "publicity stunt" but I have to admit it doubled the satisfaction.

While I'm on the subject of oppression, let me tell you something that happened at a show just last week. You see, sometimes girls in the audience whip their shirts off in a display of healthy self-liberation. I actually feel kind of proud that one of our shows is the kind of place where someone can feel safe enough to express themselves that way. Anyway, I found out that some girl did it out near the soundboard somewhere and was promptly arrested. Gee, don't we all feel safer now.

We didn't find out about it until it was too late to do anything about it. Okay, enough about crime and punishment. Tomorrow night we get back to the business of stretching the cultural standards of our society. Somebody's got to do it.

Viva la Libertad,

TH

Crowd insane at Nutter Center
Aerosmith Show no Fluff at Nutter
Aerosmith: Night in the Rutter


Just trying out a few suggested Headlines for the day after our show at the Nutter Center the other night. It was really great. We had a blast on-stage and the crowd seemed to take the medicine just right. As a matter of fact, it seemed like half of the crowd was out in back of the hall after the show, screaming their lungs out and chasing us down the road on foot. It reminded me, dare I say it, of the seventies. That "over the boiling point" reaction is one we're seeing more and more lately. The fun part (not) is when they make it to their cars and chase us down the highway to the airport, half in their car and half out. Same with their clothing. Hey, if that's the meter that tells us how we're doing, I guess it's good 'cause that sucker's pegged! Seriously though, GO BACK TO YOUR HOMES ,YOU'LL BE SAFE THERE.! Except from yourselves, of course.

Same thing in Knoxville. Maybe because we did a spontaneous version of "Red House". I think that sent them over into "planet of the apes" mode. As we pulled away for yet another hair-raising, police escorted sprint to the airport, we felt like we were leaving one huge DEFCON 1 party back there. It was ok though because they sent their mobile representatives along, weaving in and out, waving and screaming just so we could take the vibe with us. Hopefully the local emergency room didn't get too busy, later that night in Knoxville Tenn.

Serenely yours,

TH

We played in Louisville the other night and I can't believe how all the elements came together. First of all, the crowd was amazing. That was probably the main ingredient. The sound was perfect, at least on-stage. How it sounded in the audience is one of the great mysteries of doing what we do. Everybody knows but us. That's where faith comes in and our soundman has created an awful lot of that. The monitor sound was right on. That's a world unto itself. The rest is our job. It was absolutely effortless.

We did a sound check party too. Have I told you what that is? Do you think there's any way I can hear whether you answered yes or no? I'll assume you said no so I have something to write about.

After an hour of the crew chasing down a mysterious hum, we climbed onto the stage where a group of about twenty contest winners was assembled. Ten were on stage left and ten were on stage right. We set it up with tables so it becomes a kind of Aerosmith Café. After a few minutes of schmoozing we played 'Adam's Apple'. We're thinking of putting it in the set at some point. We haven't played it in a while so doing it in front of an audience, even twenty people, is kind of a contest for us. The object is to avoid being the first one in the band to screw it up. If somebody does, it just makes it more entertaining. After that we played 'Kiss Your Past Goodbye', which is so exquisite to play live we just melt into it. From there we did "Pink" just to give it that lascivious feeling.

Maybe that's why everything came together so well when we did the show. It was like priming the pump. Meet and greet was a trip too. It was full of totally uninhibited Aero-freaks. Sometimes I think that the vibe at meet and greet is a sneak peek at what the vibe of the whole night will be. Maybe we could get a government grant and have it studied. It would probably be a lot more relevant than a lot of the science that goes in nowadays.

All right, I'm starting to drift here. I think I better drift over to the TV and veg out for a while.

It's about 3:00 A.M. and we just got in from the show in Champagne, Illinois. It was another one like the one in Louisville the other night. Pure reflex. We added "Get the Lead out" and did an unplanned rendition of "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix. You could see from the stage that a lot of people in the audience didn't know what it was but got swept up in it anyway. The moment du jour came when we played "Dream On". The building we played in was a big domed shape with the seats going way up into the rafters and all around to the back of the stage. It seemed like almost everybody there did the lighter thing and the effect was beautiful. I stood on the front of the stage taking this all in and suddenly felt like I was in a giant IMAX theater. I let my focus drift out into the crowd and suddenly it felt like I was floating in space, surrounded by stars. The stage seemed to disappear and I became hyper aware of all these lights going way back into my peripheral vision. Maybe I should have it checked.

On nights like this it kind of seems like WE should be buying the tickets.

Psychedelically yours

TH

Man I've got a lot of catching up to do. The Christmas break put a huge hole in my work ethic.

Let's see. We played in Philly for the fourth time on this tour. I guess we always have a job there. The crowd is always pretty rambunctious if you know what I mean. You probably don't but just let your imagination run free.

The next show was in Washington. We left early because a couple of guys in the secret service thought we might like a tour of the White House. They were right. The timing was pretty amazing because the President had just been impeached. It feels weird writing those words. I guess the tabloid aspect of society is pretty much having its day these days.

As usual we were late so they got us right in there. We checked out some of the historic rooms with furniture and dishes and paintings that must have been there for a couple of hundred years. I guess they don't like to throw stuff away. I can identify with that. Actually it was cool to think that a president might have sat in this chair when he declared war or another one might have used that coffee urn to help him stay up all night during some crisis or that president might have used this love seat to uhhh€never mind. At one point we emerged onto the lawn that faces the Washington monument and noticed about fifty TV cameras being set up a few feet away. One of the secret Service guys said that the President and some members of congress were going to give a press conference in reaction to the impeachment vote. There was a lot of suspense in the air because it was a possibility that he might resign or something. They told us that we might want to stick around for what would be an historic speech. Great, we're in. In the meantime the tour continued and I noticed an increase in how often they put their fingers to their earpieces and spoke into their sleeves. Suddenly they asked us if we'd like to go see the briefing room in the building next door. They led us into a basement entrance and through a long hallway that still had the smoke stains from where the British burned the White House in the war of 1812. Finally we got to the subterranean lair of the President's bodyguards and lo and behold, there was a tiny room where they sold lots of cool stuff with the White House and Secret Service logos on it. We spent some time there and then started wondering when the big press conference was going to start. When we asked, they told us that they had gotten word from upstairs that they didn't want us any where in sight when the cameras started rolling. I suppose they saw a problem in having a bunch of longhaired musicians with a questionable past hanging around when the president was in the process of trying to salvage a smidgen of respectability. I guess the White House-showbiz connection only goes so far.

We had some important business anyway over at the gig. Namely, the gig. We meeted, we greeted and then we mounted the stage and blew it out. We've been adding more old stuff lately. After using "Nine Lives" for the opener for most of this tour we decided to shake it up a little and do "Back in the Saddle".

Maybe someday we'll try "Make it". "Good evening people welcome to the show"

Yo, ho ho ho, y'all,

TH