NP: The Soft Boys, Nextdoorland (MP3)

Okay, I can't make this kind of thing up. Along with my bill for my cell phone was this little gem:

You may currently be using *55 to check Voice Mail. However, if you dial *55 while traveling in or near Missouri, you will inadvertantly reach the Missouri State Police.

Didn't quite make it to Missouri last night, but I did get as far as Rockford, IL. I continue to help out some friends as a drum tech/roadie/tour manager when they need it. Which has me privy to a whole bunch of stuff I can't tell you about, but suffice it to say I know a lot more about the A&R power structure at one of the major labels. And I continue to be disappointed at the lack of Internet rumors about this thing.

Anyway, as part of this whole deal, I really need a video camera, 'cause there have been way too many moments that scream out for documentation. One involved the guy who did all the metal work for this particular Rockford nightspot attempting to cut the top off the hi-hat post while it was still within the friendly confines of the rest of the drum kit on the stage. Could have been a Great White moment, to say the least.

Speaking of friendly confines, I need to check to see why Dusty lifted Farnsworth in the ninth inning last night. I was all for Borowski coming in on Sunday, when the Cubs were winning, but I'm not sure if I see the advantage of bringing him out of the bullpen in a tie game. Especially when it means you have to rely on the likes of Alfonseca and Guthrie in extra innings.

But back to the rock and the roll. Or to the trip home, where we stopped off at tiny little shack called Uncle Nick's for, allegedly, the best gyros in Rockford. For whatever that's worth. Anyway, they had a billboard of sorts up behind said shack that read, and get ready for this one, "see you next gyros." If that makes no sense to you, it's not pronounced "jai-roh."

Finally, we did decide that, if I'm going to continue helping out, the band has to get me a cricket bat.