Spring 2001:
"Pardon me sir, could I get the key to the restroom?" 

April 26, 2001

 Just got done watching CSI.  I have a special crush on co-star Marg Helgenberger.  It looked like she was wearing riding pants tonight.  It didn't bother me.  

Noon shove-off tomorrow.  First stop on this tour is the world-famous Black Cat in Washington, DC.  I cannot wait to ask proprietor Dante if he will be manning the skins when his old band Iron Cross plays our burg next month. 

Practiced earlier today.  Boy, did we need it.  Jim was so out of practice that he was blowing into his guitar.  Have I already used that one in a previous diary? Who cares, I stole it from Woody Allen.  Ran through some of the old chestnuts and some of our new art.  I think I'm going to refer to our music as 'art' from here on out.  Songs shall be referred to as 'pieces'. You got a problem with that?  Take it up with management.  

The major drama happening in our camp at the moment stems from the horrible fact that DC fruit-eaters (yeah, that was the best I could come up with) Fugazi are also playing in Government City tomorrow night.  Will we be hearing crickets during our show?  Laura said Dante made Ian promise to mention our show during theirs.  I think they're done by 10:00.  All I can say is I don't play for less that 400 people in DC.  It's up to you now. 

April 29,2001

In Allentown, PA now.  Just arrived from the "secret show" we played at SUNY Purchase earlier in the evening.  "Secret show" translates into: "a show we played at a college that was for students only." These shows are always a little unfulfilling because although you've been hired by a well-meaning student on the entertainment committee who is a big fan,  you usually show up to find that most kids on campus are more excited about the prospect of: A) watching the guy who randomly throws paint at a canvas while "Purple Haze" blares from his boom box and at the end of the song you realize that he's somehow painted a fairly recognizable portrait of Jimi; or B) playing hacky-sack. 

Tonight's show was actually one of the good school gigs.  The kids were cool and a good number of them actually knew who we were.  I told the comedian who introduced us to include that we just came off the road with Buck Cherry in our intro.  I felt bad about it right after I did it but it was worth it to see the look on Mac's face when he heard him say it. 

In retrospect it might not have been a good idea to play so many new songs tonight in an outdoor setting.  Our plan was to do two of the slower ones at the end and then finish with "Slack" but right as we were ending "Drool Collection" (the second part of a new one-two punch that will no doubt replace "We Will Rock You"/"We Are The Champions" as a classic rock staple) and I look over and see the stage manager holding a sign which reads "END." No arguing with that, I guess. 

Let's talk DC! I was in another of my patented bad moods after I got hit in the head with a bass when the van stopped quickly to avoid a car. Gotta let go of that anger quickly, son. We get to the club and the first person I see is Bernie, the long-time production manager/hospitality guy at the Black Cat --a fabulous fellow.  He tells me he has seen the April 26 entry of this diary and not to worry, there will be 400 people in the club.  Everytime I see him throughout the night he gives me an update: "we're at 300/375/390."  At around 11:45 or so he informed me that there were 500 people in the club.  I stood up, put my fists in the air and proclaimed, "I WILL PLAY!" Thank you DC! I will never forget you for this great night and also for giving us Pudwak and Steel Knickers.

The DC crowd was great -probably the best response to the new stuff we've yet heard.  Seemed like people had listened the demos online. I clammed the intro to "New Low" -it's just one stroke but I forgot where it went.  I was fined a buck by Jim.  He still owes me for a bet regarding the actor who plays "Jankis (sp?)" in the film Memento. I can't recall this guy's name right now but he played Ned Ryerson (sp?) in Groundhog Day. Jim is convinced that this man was a star of the early seasons of Law & Order. I say no.  Any help?

Speaking of TV -I am eagerly anticipating the next installment of Bands On The Run.  I avoided this for weeks but the other day I was flipping channels, came to VH1, and was horrified to find that I was able to recognize Cleveland's The Grog Shop from a shot of several 8X10 band photos behind the bar. I watched and I was won over. The sad truth is that I think I like it because it makes me feel better about my life.  Hmmm.

Ok, nite-nite.  I should mention that I signed a petition at the Quakertown Mall in 1982 to get Billy Joel to come to Allentown.  But don't hold that against me, ok?

April 30, 2001

You have no idea how upset I am.  I was paging through the Pittsburgh weekly after dinner earlier in the evening and there it was in glorious full color: "SUNDAY, APRIL 29  AT 'M' ***COME WATCH BANDS ON THE RUN ON THE BIG SCREEN AND THEN SEE SOUL KRACKER AND THE JOSH DODES BAND LIVE ONSTAGE!***" I was so close to seeing  the latest episode and two of the actual bands in the flesh. We had to split town and here I sit in a hotel that doesn't even have VH1!  Man, all those bands over the years were right when they said the road is hard, but they certainly never had to go through what I'm going through right now.

Tough show today.  We played outdoors in a quadish area in the late afternoon on the fair campus of Carnegie Mellon University.  The kids putting the show on were great but there was one minor hitch. From what I can gather, a pro PA company was hired to bring in their equipment and then turn it over to a small group of CMU sound engineering students who would then run it.  

The students were really trying their best but there were problems with the sound.  It took a while to get the monitors working --this meant Mac and Laura were standing there on the massive stage going "check 1-2" for 15 minutes in front of everybody.  Luckily our spirits were high and we were able to laugh at the situation.

The show was a struggle.  The blazing sun was directly in our faces for the entire set and the monitors were not really much help with the sound bouncing off all the buildings.  The PA completely shut down a couple times too. What we couldn't understand was why the guys from the PA company didn't intervene when things went awry.  Maybe the show was some kind of final exam.  The show went on and we actually had a good time although it seemed like we were onstage for 5 hours (we weren't). 

I have no idea what it sounded like out front.  Our sound man Kurt said it was actually pretty good. People seemed to like it ok, although it was weird playing to a couple hundred people sitting on a lawn. One nice man was kind enough to lend me his Pirates cap for the encore section.

I'm gonna go apply a salve to my face to relieve my sunburn as soon as I can tear myself away from Extra: Sex Sells. 

May 1, 2001

Had a little too much to drink after the show last, but that's ok because I've been good on this tour.  

The drive from Breezewood brought me back to my roots.  I grew up in the farmlands of eastern PA, and although we didn't drive through eastern PA, it sure as hell looked like it.  I still love the smell of manure.  Jim got mad at me because I wanted to stop at a Dairy Queen.  I saw a sign for it but didn't catch the exit number.  So we stopped at the next exit and it wasn't the right one.  He was sure it was the next one and it wasn't that either.  The DQ was actually four exits up.  We eventually got there and I got a cone.  Jim asked for a lick.  I handed my cone to him, he took a lick and then threw the cone on the roof of the DQ.  

That didn't really happen but it puts me in mind of a story I heard recently involving a drummer in in a band that is well-known on the independent music scene. The drummer's band was playing a show in the South at a very small club.  A bunch of bands were  also on the bill and gear was packed tightly all over the venue.  The drummer began untangling his mass of drums and hardware in a dimly lit area of the club when it was time for his band to play . A fan came over to lend a hand.  The fan presented his lighter to the drummer so he could use it to see better. The drummer took the lighter, held it to his ear, began to bop his head around like he was grooving to a transistor radio, then threw the lighter across the club.  

And no, that drummer was not me, although I did once punt a birthday cake someone gave me at a show because I was in the middle of a game of Ms. Pac Man.

I think our show last night was one of our best Maxwells gigs ever.  That's just on my end. I have been meditating for the last year and I've found that it makes playing a little easier. People were friendly and responded to the new stuff pretty well.  Maybe tonight we can have  the lights up a little bit more.  It seemed really dark -kinda like that Minor Threat video where halfway through the set Ian asks the lighting person  to dim the lights because it's too hot and then all you can see are four red figures on stage for the rest of the night.  

Some dink yelled out for the Josh Dodes Band and people booed! They don't know.

Saw lots of friendly faces after the gig.  The Yahoo! gang was present as were Tony, Brian, Ally and several other longtime gig-goers.  Thanks everybody. 

We're doing a taping for WFMU today for Terre T's show.  It will air May 10th at 3:00 pm.  I really love FMU but I wish they'd bring back that guy who had Scharpling's old slot --Hot Rockin' Ronny. He seemed to be a little more "with it." 

Ok, gotta eat pizza.

May 3, 2001

Home.  Caught the tail end of Bands On The Run when I got in.  Seems my boys the Josh Dodes Band just might pull this one out.  They kicked major ass in Pittsburgh and are on a roll.  Watch and learn, Flickerstick!

The drive back to Chappy was uneventful and went by very quickly for me thanks to the four old issues of Matter I picked up at See Hear.  Great 4-man reviews of classic 80s records by Cosloy, DeRogotis, Testa and Ayers. Albini shines brightest with the following pronouncements: re: Let It Be --"...a sad pathetic end to a long downhill slide...I used to love these guys...now I hate this guy" ; re Slip It In: If you can overlook the guitar solos, a few loser songs, rotten production, and all-too-excessive song length, this record is a motherfucker";  re: Candy Apple Grey: "...the overall effect is one of audio cellulite.." and finally re: Wire Train's In A Chamber: "Hand me my shotgun, boy.  Blam.  I'm done with it."

The FMU taping was somewhat strange.  We recorded it at the Museum of Radio and Television in Manhattan.  There were a bunch of people in the studio while we were doing it and at first I was a little confused by their presence.  I think they were people who just happened to be in the building and stopped in to see what was happening.  A couple people actually seemed to know our songs and applauded when we finished each number.  They weren't applauding after we played our new old-timey blues number "Daddy's Walking Blues." 

Maxwells show #2 was another good one.  Or goal was not to duplicate many songs and I think we succeeded. Hadn't played "Her Royal Fisticuffs" since that crazy girl requested it at Brownies last time (just kidding...you know I love you).  

Up yours, Jim!  I've received several e-mails regarding the Memento bet.  Stephen Tobolowsky is the actor in question and it seems he was not a star on Law And Order. That will be one fat dollar, my friend. Ah, just by me 3 boxes of Chiclets and we'll call it even.

Ok, thanks to all who came out.  We start mixing tomorrow.  New one should be out on Sept 19th.  Goodnight now ladies and gentlemen.

"Hands up, who wants to stop for boiled peanuts?"

February 15, 2001

We leave tomorrow for our first tour since last May.  Sure, we played a few shows over the summer in Philly and New York but those don't really count...because they just don't.  Our actual last performance took place in early August on the campus of UNC in Wilmington.  Let me just say that 15 people (I'm actually being generous here) have never been rocked so hard by a band playing 7 songs in the rain under no covering.  

I don't think we've ever rehearsed this much for a tour.  I knew synching up the pyro would be hard but this is ridiculous.  I'm really beginning to doubt if we'll make enough money to even pay for the airplane hangar we rented to practice the new show in.  What he heck, you guys are worth it.

Alright, I'm tired.  The Queen City lays in wait.

February 17

Back at the hotel. I must say I thought the show went pretty well. I really enjoy having a few "not-so-rocking numbers" in there to change the set up a bit and allow me the chance to smoke a couple big fat ganja doobies. Good crowd. We did the traditional pre-tour attendance predictions at dinner önot sure who won tonight.

Letās hear it for our new president and his decision to commence bombing. You sir, can eat me.

Going to check out a potential studio in Atlanta tomorrow. Iāve made it perfectly clear to the others that I will only work in a studio in which the Marshall Tucker Band has recorded.

Oh man, just saw an ad for Journey: Behind The Music. Why is it that I canāt wait to see the behind the scenes story of a band I absolutely cannot stand? I think Iām going to sleep on that.

Morning. Had dreams about Bob Dylan, Razzles and the XFL. The Journey Theory is no clearer.

February 18

Thank God, a day off finally.  We're so burnt out from those last 48 hours of touring. Not sure what we're going to do today.  Laura says she wants to go shopping for make up.  I've already got enough, although I guess I could use some more rouge. 

There is talk of going to see Hannibal this afternoon.  The other day I made the mistake of asking someone what the "horribly outrageous ending" was because I was probably never going to see the film.  I think I'll still see it in an attempt  to further wash away the rancid taste of Dude, Where's My Car? from my being. The makers of Dude will be happy to learn that their film has earned a place in the Jon Wurster Top Five Worst Films Of All-Time (now available in pamphlet form), coming in third, just behind Immortal (an indie rock Vampire film shot in Chapel Hill) and Jane Austen's Mafia. Baseketball rounds out the top five, although a movie we saw last night on Showtime called Angel 4:Undercover (about a death-by-guitar heavy metal murder involving a singer named Piston) is threatening to dislodge it . 

Last night in Atlanta was the first show with Spoon. What a great band. The kids seemed to know a lot of their songs and really roared when they were done.  It's a shame they're off the tour.  Rule #1:  Never tour with a band that the audience might like more than you.  They're not really off the tour, although I will be doing my best to sabotage their sets with violent outbursts and unintelligible ranting.  

We were joined onstage last night by Matt Gentling and Eric "Erich" Bachman, two-fourths of the legendary Archers of Loaf ( AOL can actually be seen performing in the aforementioned Immortal, although I hold them in no way responsible for the film's awfulness),  for a spirited yet somewhat shambolic version of AOL's "Harnessed In Slums." Mac introduced the event by likening it to the "Beatles reunion" at Live Aid "where two of them were there, one was dead and the other guy didn't show up." The response was so great that  we're going to spend a large portion of today learning more Archers songs. 

I somehow managed to break two cymbals during last night's show. Gotta get on the horn to the fine folks at Paiste and plead with them to send me some replacements. Guess I better stop using that hammer and go back to sticks. So much for art.

Gotta eat food and get ready for Steve Perry's bombshells.

February 19

Remind me to never see a movie in a major metropolitan area.  What kind of person brings a child to see a movie like Hannibal?  The same kind of person who leaves their cell phone on during the movie and takes calls on it.  And let me add they are many.  The film? Don't waste your money.  If I wanna see a guy cut his own face apart and feed the pieces to dogs I'll walk down to the local park where I live.  I go to movies to take me out of reality.

Sitting backstage now in Jacksonville with Spoon.  Britt (singer/guitarist) just told a great story involving a new band from somewhere in the deep south which is also called Spoon.  He said he sent the other Spoon a discography about a year ago and received a response informing him that they were changing their name.  Ten months go by and he receives an e-mail from the same guy basically saying "you guys have had more than enough time to get somewhere with the name but you haven't, let us have it."  The writer signed off with "we are the real Spoon, not you turds." Priceless.

Tour manager Jason today placed the entire Cracker Barrel restaurant chain on his "banned list." We ended up waiting 1:45 for our cruddy breakfast foods.  After about 45 minutes our waitress was all "your food is just being put up in the window," and then the manager came out and was all "the cook lost your order but your food is coming up (he did give us some free dry biscuits and jam)," and then the waitress comes out again (much later) and is all "I don't know what's going on back there,  we're really busy," and we were all "this sucks crap."  We made things right by stealing 200 bucks worth of country crafts.

Jacksonville.  Home of my newest favorite celebrity --one Frederick Durst.  Fred actually lives in Hollywood now although his bandmates remain here.  God bless 'em.

Never did see Journey: Behind The Music.  We ended up eating at a nice restaurant  that featured the most eclectic dinner music I've ever heard: Lynyrd Skynyrd's "That Smell" into Kool and The Gang's "Get Down On It" into the Sex Pistol's "Submission" into Billy Joel's "Allentown" and so on.  We left before they played anything by Atlantic Starr or The Vibrators.

Back at the hotel after the show.  A nice fellow was kind enough to make a sign for me that read: "He Hate Me: Wurster #30."  This is of course a reference to one of the players on the Las Vegas Outlaws XFL football squad.  I read today that the XFL's ratings are plummeting.  Guess America wasn't that blown away by the high caliber talent the XFL got when they raided the European Football League.  You'd think being the star wide receiver for the Lisbon Bengals would count for something.

Goodnight. 

February 21

Not a great showing on our part tonight in St. Pete.  Broken strings and all around fuggedupedness were the order of the night.  I played a bunch of bum notes on the keyboard during "Phone Sex."  Rick Wakeman I ain't.  Hell, I'm not even close to Brian Dimmons territory.  Brian (he plays in a Utah-based band called Funk Face) was voted worst professional keyboardist in Ivory Tickler magazine this year. Mac screwed his ankle up loading out tonight.  It is pretty swollen.  Hope he'll be ok.

Met a fellow tonight who filled me in on the status of the fellow pictured with Jim and I on the index page of this site.  Our hero came to see us us several times in the Tampa/St. Pete area over the years and managed to wreak a special brand of havoc.  Seems he's doing well and keeping his nose clean.  This is good news in my book,  although I will miss the sight of him hanging off our van door while we sped out of the club's parking lot. Best wishes to you friend.

Forgot to pass this along last night.  It's from a club-produced flyer for a band called Good Charlotte that was playing at Jack Rabbits in Jacksonville:

"This East Coast band is just barely distinctive from the likes of Blink 182 and Third Eye Blind." 

I'll sign off with a bit of graffiti Jason told me he once saw in a college restroom:

"Kiss rules -- with songs like: 'Black Diamond,' 'Deuce,' 'Strutter' and 'Rock and Roll All Night.'

February 22

Post-show back at the ho.  I don't feel that tonight's show was much to write home about either. People seemed really bored during most of the show -kinda hard to stay inspired with everybody just staring at you.  Maybe it was just Wednesday Nightitis.  The Sapphire is nicer than it was before --lots of cool little nooks to hang out in.  The stage seemed bigger too.  Mac's ankle is still pretty swollen so he wasn't really able to move around.  He gave it his all.

It's Laura's birthday!  42 --not bad.  Just kidding.  She's really only 24.  Still kidding.  

Don't know who won Grammies tonight. Is it possible Steely Dan won "Best Album?" I hope they did.  I can't say I've heard Two Against Nature but I love the idea of those two guys beating out Eminem and Beck. 

Had my tarot cards read after dinner.  Seems I'm about to really start kicking ass on this world.  All I can say is look out.

I'm in need of a beer and some birthday cake.  Is vomit far behind?

February 23

Scored fabulous stuff at Park Ave Discs in Orlando today, my favorite being the latest Celebrities at Their Worst  which features a recording of Courtney Love throwing one of her patented hissy fits onstage in Holland.  Sister, take a massive chill pill, wontcha?

Drove Jim crazy on the ride to Tallahassee when I broke out the MDC CD.  He came around by "Corporate Deathburger."  Saw tons of "#3" references on the drive.  They sure do love their racing down in the Sunshine State.

Rocked the food court on campus in Tallahassee tonight.  Always a weird venue to play.  You really feel like you're in school.  Bunch of guys holding up signs that read "Slack Motherfucker" and "We don't play that anymore."  Guess they haven't seen us in 8 years.  Hard to tell if people are into the new stuff.  We appreciate people hearing us out.  

Saw a guy whose T-shirt had "1,000 Pounds" written across the front.  I asked him afterwards  what it was all about. He said it was his intramural softball team jersey.  I still didn't quite get it and asked him why they called themselves that.  He replied it's the name of one of his favorite songs by his favorite band.  I couldn't believe it.  He showed me a team photo.  11 kids all wearing "1,000 Pounds" T-shirts.  Crazy.

February 24

On the way to Carrboro, NC.  Pretty good night in Athens.  Spoon joined us onstage for a Rockestra-style version of "Fishing."  If only Peter Buck had been on hand to do that slow-mo leg kick maneuver we all like to imitate.   Went to Ox Barbe's new studio before the show.  Local Chapel Hill heroes The White Octave were in session.  I screwed things up when I fell into the tape machine and the tape came completely unspooled.  Sorry about that, guys. 

Longtime friend and co-worker Dewitt Burton was also in the house.  Dewitt toured with us for many years as a guitar tech/bouncer.  He hung up his mag light a couple years ago and joined the world of academia at the front office of a prestigious southern college. I'm proud to say Mr. Burton has once again donned his "show blacks" and re-entered the rock and roll ranks.  You will be able to see him getting yelled at by Robyn Hitchcock this spring when he goes on the road with The Soft Boys.  Just kidding (hopefully).

We're about to stop at a Dairy Queen.  T-shirt mistress Becky has gotten me hooked on DQ ice cream these last few days.  But why the hell can't I get chocolate anywhere?  They only have vanilla.  I'm seriously thinking of writing a letter to the founder of the company, Mr. David P. Queen.  

I also need to write one to Thomas L. Inn, the founder of Holiday Inn and thank him for the wake-up call Mac and I didn't receive this morning.  We showed up at breakfast just as everyone was leaving and because we were late, we only had time to split a bag of chive-flavored potato chips. Maybe the vanilla cone will make it all better. 

February 25

The tour is over and I'm sitting in my Jacuzzi watching the XFL on my giant 45" jumbo TV.  Ok, Ok, I'm actually sitting in my cold basement listening to "Car Talk." Spoon joined us once again for the "powerhouse rock-out" grand finale.  Jim and I did some dirty dancing with Eric, the keyboardist from Spoon. I hope he wasn't as repulsed as he appeared to be. Many people joked that the encore was longer than the set.  Many people need to shut up. 

Many many thanks to the following:

Jason, Becky, Jim/Eric/Britt/Roman/Ben (hope you're feeling better)=Spoon; Tony and his friend for coming to just about all the shows; the fellow from Athens who did the same; and all  yooose who came out.  Thanks, friends!

March 6

A short run-down of our California trip:

Band flies to San Francisco. Band checks into world famous rock and roll hotel (the Phoenix) expecting to see famous rock and rollers lounging poolside (over the years we've had the pleasure of rubbing elbows with various members of The Fleshtones, Sleater-Kinney, Gene Loves Jezebel and the tall guy in Nirvana).  Band sees nothing of the sort, just a group of older women drinking Long Island Iced Teas. 

Band splits up with the cool group (I was in this one) going to eat at a seafood restaurant.  Cool group goes to see emotional rock and roll show at the Great American Music Hall.  Cool group sees Bright Eyes perform.  Rhythm guitarist returns to hotel.  Drummer tries to stay for at least five songs but finds it hard to watch young singer have melt-down.  Drummer returns to hotel and sleeps. 

Cool group (minus rhythm guitarist) goes to Amoeba records.  Drummer finds long lost Mrs. Miller album (imagine your grandmother singing "A Hard Day's Night" while backed by a passable high school rock and roll band from the late-60s),  goes for celebratory slice of pizza.  

Band goes to Bimbos Rock and Roll Club.  Band soundchecks. Drummer is told that drums may not be moved from riser and other bands will set up in front of him.  Drummer does not like this because he fears it makes him look like a dick. Band goes out for dinner.  Drummer has minor melt-down of his own when he returns and realizes opening bands are using his drums.  Drummer takes chill pill and listens to Who compilation for inspiration. 

Band plays adequate set but is allowed time enough for only one encore song. Drummer is shown Noise Pop Fest program, is appalled to see his obvious joke about the next record being their last reported as truth in a humorless story on the band.  Band is hurried out of club by staff.  

Drummer, soundman and friend drive from San Fran to Los Ang and are bombarded with tumbleweeds for almost entire trip.  Passengers fear for own lives.  Trio arrives at club and finds out singer, guitarist and bassist are still in San Fran because of weather problems.  Drummer starts preparing for solo drum clinic/stand-up routine.

Drummer checks drums and spots acclaimed singer/songwriter Ryan Adams at rear of club.  Drummer and singer/songwriter exchange hellos (drummer and singer/songwriter shared the stage during somewhat turbulent tour several years ago when singer/songwriter's group opened for John Fogerty -drummer has always felt bad for his less than pleasant demeanor at end of tour due to massive toothache which required emergency root canal -this is true).  Singer/songwriter offers his services when club employee announces that the highway scheduled opener Matthew Suggs is driving on has been closed. 

Singer, guitarist and bassist arrive in time for soundcheck.  All agree that it would be wonderful to have singer/songwriter play.  Noted video director and commercial actor Norwood Cheek's band will play first.

Drummer does mildly-funny introduction for unannounced second performer.  Is startled by audible gasp emanating from crowd after saying the words "you loved him in the rock group Whiskeytown." Singer/songwriter comes out and proceeds to knock audience dead with only guitar and harmonica. 

Drummer is thrilled to see Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris stroll through the door.  Keith has been very ill recently and band was pleased to contribute a song (a cover of the Jerks' "Group Sex" also featuring the lovely and talented Jane Wiedlin) to an upcoming benefit record.  Later, drummer watches as singer/songwriter goes apeshit when he realizes who Keith is. Outstanding comedian/hacky sack champ David Cross also graces band with his sexy presence. 

Band plays what drummer would call one of their recent best.  Drummer has just reread previous sentence 5 times, is convinced it is grammatically incorrect, but will let it stand. "Born To Run" is played again -people seem to like it but it's interesting how people on the east coast go absolutely insane for it.  Maybe band should have done "Break On Through."  Morris later comments that he loved the show but "could have done without the Bruce Springsteen song." 

Back at the hotel pool area for a somewhat unusual yet extremely touching scene. Mr. Adams (who happens to be staying at the same hotel as the band) proceeds to give a nice speech about seeing Mac play in the Slush Puppies and Wwax in the late '80s. (A little bit of trivia: "Inn Town", the lead-off track on Whiskeytown' s Stranger's Almanac was also the title of a Wwax song.) Adams presents each band member with a trophy. Three of the trophies have "Hollywood Superstar" on them.  The drummer's reads, "World's Best Babysitter."  Bless you sir.  Band thanks Adams and retires for refreshing 5-hour sleep.  

Band flies home and prepares for recording of monsterlicious eighth album.

Thanks to Phil, Dave, Luc, Kenny, Lucinda, Dean, Ryan, Norwood, Spoon, Suggs, Keith and David.