SEPTEMBER - 2004

Road notes below - scroll down for previous post.
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09/25/04 -  I LOVE THIS CRAZY WONDERFUL LIFE - Home

Hello friends, and how! If a man is judged by the number of friends he has, I must be the luckiest man in the world. I'll start the night Vic and I went with friends to see Van Halen. It was the best show I've seen to date and it had me literally in tears by mid show. I seen a few dozen old friends at the stadium including Alan Widener (ex Van Dells crew member) and not to mention the faithful RedHeads that I've seen at EVERY Sammy/Halen show since 1999. It never fails, in a mass of 20,000 plus, we always seem to find each other. I spotted one of them on the video screen onstage. Sammy came out in full 5150 Red mode as he dawned a Cincinnati Reds jersey, the crowd dug that! The next day wasn't my day as always, after a great Sammy/Halen show, I've got a slight depression from it just being over. Coming down from such an incredible high, makes for a really rough landing. Also, the next day, the Dolphins lost...the second time, the second game of the season...TO CINCI FRIGGIN NATI!!!! GRRRR!, just wasn't my day. Ok, the next day made it all better as the we headed to Indianapolis for a concert. The crowd was loud and ready for a show, I was ready to play a show too. A great night all around with plenty of friends and fans. With Brian Flannery now back on board playing sax, it's a great feeling onstage. We threw Paul a party that night as it was his birthday. I don't know how or at what point a pumpkin had been brought into our third story hotel room, at sometime around 3 AM, we were trying to figure out how to knock the locks off the window to throw it into the parking lot for Paul's wife Laurie to video tape it. The locks on the window won. I guess those locks are on there because of people like us. The next night we made our way to Nashville, TN. I had the guys drop me off to meet up with a old childhood friend Jon Luttrel. He's a drummer also and we went to his house and jammed out a little bit and caught up on what's going on in each others lives. That was a long over due reunion. He showed me his work and explained the coarse of his normal work day, then it was my turn to take him out on Nashville to show him my work day. We first had a Van-Dells band meeting, it was about the reunion, the first thing we talked about was keeping everything top secret, so I can't tell ya anything, actually I can, but I would be killed and buried in a grave out in Vegas somewhere. Everyone went out to eat where Jon and I split out early to hit a few music shops and then on to broadway to see some bands. One band really caught my ear and the drummer in particular. I thought he was a fabulous player and mentioned it to him when he come off stage. Conversation started and when he found out I was with the Van-Dells, he said, "O my gosh, actually I play with Butch Wax"...(original bass player for the Van-Dells). What a small world it is. Butch came to the show in Manchester, TN the next night then invited me down to see them play later in the night. Once I arrived, I was immediately asked to join in on a jam session, and I hardly ever turn down this offer. I jammed through about five to seven songs and Chip finally came back to play to end the night. We had a few laughs and traded stories before we all made our way home, for me it was to the hotel. While in Nashville, I called good friend of a friend Stick Davis of the Amazing Rhythm Aces. I know him through Larry Grisham of the Beat Daddys. www.beatdaddys.com Stick was going to come to the show but had a session he was working. He mentioned that he was also busy with his project Burrito Deluxe. www.burritodeluxe.com It's a great band that contains ex members from many bands such as ARA, Gram Parsons, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Moody Blues, The Band, and many countless other connections. I suggest you check them out. Back at home now with my wonderful family. I'm enjoying my daughter even though she's been sick with a cough and sneezing a lot lately. Vic, Dustin and I are nursing her back to health, but she still smiles a lot. She's a very happy baby and that makes for a very happy mommy, daddy and big brother. Everyone is excited about the reunion show coming up next month. There are a lot of things happening and in the works. Ticket sales are tremendous from what I hear. There were fans camping out outside the theater to get tickets. It was on the news like four times. Get your tickets now if you haven't through www.ticketmaster.com We hope to see you there. There will even be a after show party the next day, but no details have been worked out for that yet. Thanks for reading...dp

09/14/04 -  TOUR WINDING DOWN, BUT STILL RUNNING HOT - Home

Hello friends, with my family life and crazy schedule of my touring life, it's hard to find time to post, however, I do try. The shows in Wauseon, OH and Barberton, OH were packed, people just everywhere. We love those enthusiastic crowds. Wellston, OH and Hamlin, WV had some rowdy fans also. Even though we've been worn down from the touring the last few months, everytime I go onstage, it makes me feel like a million dollars. I've been spending mostly all my down time at home with my family. Dustin, Vic and Hailey have been keeping me very happy as well as busy being a husband and father.
I wanted to post to the fans that I will be not be in Dunbar, WV this Saturday night with the Van-Dells. Kasey Todd will be filling in for me as I requested that night off. I will be using that time to spend with my wife attending the Van Halen concert in Cincinnati. I will return to the tour in Indianapolis, IN on Monday the 20th. Yes I'm disappointed in the Dolphins, but will not give up on being a fan. Hailey is even a fan...you'll see a photo very soon. Until then, thanks for reading...I'll post more soon...dp