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Someone's yelling fire in a crowded theatre

and there's 3 dead in Charlottesville.

If things had been different

we'd have been there to watch

knowing that this isn't Virginia. Or is it?

Or is it us all?

That we are what we think

the story well tell ourselves

that we tell each other

a program to function by

rules to guide us.

Have we strayed so far from North

that we cannot feel our way back?

or were we always at centre

but distracted

scared,

made anxious

and not knowing that it was down to us

not to hate

not to anger

not to fear

and that strength is in the stayed hand

no matter how righteous.

#charlottesville.

For reasons left off the page it turns out that our rescheduling of the US tour to next year was the right move in many many ways. No one is happy about the necessity but the necessity was very...um...necessary.

Trying to make the right call, in the face of so much effort to get there, leads to some degree of post-fact assessment and self doubt/questioning, even when you think you've done the right thing. After further review, it turns out to have been a Boss Level Move.

And so, in safe harbour of Canada Bay, the Captain did relinquish said title and adopt the correct In-Port-Appellation of Quartermaster.

Also, did the Quartermaster buy pickles.

The crew arranged a debrief and meet last night and we examined what we're up to.

I noted in the ships log that the votes were cast: 

1. That we shall be in favour of US tour 2018 and commence work in September.

2. That a shake out voyage for a local port shall be established to continue to work the crew to Ship Shape & Bristol Fashion.

3. That the 5D project shall now receive additional work, subject to Lynchy being available or finding another studio. Also MJEB to keep adding video components.

4. That more units of Defiance shall be ordered for AU

5. That the 3 part Mid West Triptych containing the 3 albums and some additional stuff shall be released. When we're ready. With additional discussion to follow.

6. That Project J shall commence, and that should Mr Wizard prove resistant to the vote of his crew, that he shall be given a certain amount of ribbing from his crew mates:-)

7. That the new songs as yet unfinished shall receive work

8. That MJEB shall seek additional funds for project S.

A burger with pickles was served and some red wine was drunketh.

The Quartermaster proposed a toast to the health of the crew and in observance of their great effort this last 4 years.

A toast was proposed also for the exemplary work of Brother Bill and the health of the Quartermaster was drunk for services to the crew.

Our meeting was concluded in love and harmony and praise of the Quartermasters pickle selection, which included some Ginger Sushi Pickles.

Meanwhile, I have managed to get some forward progress on...

NEW VIDEOS!! WOOT!! WOOT!!

(also I got some Joomla Tech Love from Sozzled but I already said that but I am repeating it cos I'm happy).

Chuck has agreed to dance for us. - I'd show you a sample but it will spoil the surprise.

Plus I've finally got some help from some online artists for my Heavy Weather Clip - which has so far eluded me.

This bodes well for some fun stuff over the next little while, and I feel like we're still doing useful things, whlst being bummed about not going on tour.

We're best when we're working, and we're working. You can expect some updates as we try, fail, learn, try again, repeat and smile :-)

The tour you have when you're not touring. I dig it. Thank you Monte for the correct perspective.

Also thanks to Sozzle for answering my tech questions.

Good question. I usually start by consulting key advisors.

Ah.

So....yeah.

By now I would be doing my last minute prep, stocking up on Harmonica's, trading pacific peso's for US Dollars and/or doing/not doing/worrying about not doing the myriad tour things.

But nope.

The release of pressure has been recorded in different ways. A few of the crew are chilling, the rhythm section said 'the hell with that' and they're already working on other things.

Mr Wizard is brooding about it and I am trying to figure out what next.

We've been very fortunate that the venues and festivals have been understanding and have been willing to shift our shows to next year. That's some good vibes right there.

The discipline and effort to make these tours over the last four years has been beneficial. We'll be back at it sooner than we might realise. It's a full years work for us to get it done and we usually start arranging the next tour after we get back.

But why worry about that today.

I have a few weeks off and I'm in the mood to make some more stuff, maybe to add a few more layers to the 5D project. 

I've been trying for a Heavy Weather video for a while. I didn't like version 1, so I have been trying another approach for the last two weeks and struck out again.

This is pretty much normal stuff. A lot of different ideas and approaches don't make it past the research stage. It's fun to try and I don't mind failing, it's part of the system...

Ahh...relaxing.

As I write, it's winter in Sydney, cool, sunny.

It's one of the things I miss when we're in the US Summer - I may be the only one of us who does. I get a chance to enjoy a little more of that right now. That's fine by me.

We start gigging again in September and don't be too surprised if we use this time to crank out more things. As Friend Of The Band Monte said, this is our De-Tour time :-)

After great deliberation and in full recognition of the huge effort and work already put in by Bill, Ange, Tafiya, Mark and all of the venues and festivals who had welcomed us, I’m pulling the pin on the tour for this year.

Going on tour to the US is a big job for an independent band. As I write, we’re ready to go, itinerary sorted, CD's and promo stuff happening, accommodation booked, I've spent the last weeks solving problems, which is why the blog was quiet.

By Monday, I had sorted them all. Victory. Thunderbirds are go.

And we're not going.

One of the lads had a health scare on Monday, they've run tests and as of today he seems fine, but they want to run more tests and we want to let them.

To push it further is one step too far.

So we stop.

We've done so much work to get ready I could cry, but it took me less than a nanosecond to make this call.

My friends in the stormcellar have made a monumental effort and sacrifice over 5 years of effort to tour the US and make albums, refusing to let the other members down, even to the point of self sacrifice beyond anything that someone who loves them can ask.

So I stop, and I ask them to stop too.

I have never been more proud of anyone than I am of Rosie, Bill, Theo, Jo & Paul. They have represented their country and acquitted themselves masterfully.

Making the right call is hard, and I've only gotten there reluctantly, but in certainty.

We will be back, of that I am equally certain, but right now I choose the well being of the crew.

We will take this next month to regroup and recover, and there is no shortage of work in progress.

Thank you to everyone who worked on our 2017 Tour, in particular to Bill for his tireless efforts, to Mark, Johnny R and all those who have made it possible for us to do this.

We look forward to seeing you in 2018.

MJEB