A Tour Between Two Moons

I was so moved by the love from everyone on this tour, it was magical. As we headed up to Boston and back down to New York where i spent the final 8 days staying in one hotel driving out and back each day to the shows. With my son Riley at the wheel! He is a careful driver, and the opposite of Dennis in many ways, it was so great to have him drive me. The final week is the killer for us all, and i could feel the strain as we walked on stage each night, but we were they for each other and thats something new in our repertoire. A nice feeling all round. We were hanging between two Moons, a harvest and a hunting Moon. So i should not be so surprised by the love and coming together.

We had been on tour on and off since June it was now almost the end of October. Home seemed a flicker away as time dragged its heavy feet along the New York cobbles. I was in the foetal position in my room and then in a suit the rest of the time, i could not bare the build up to a another flight, my head went on danger watch, i was in the prediction state, i was useless. Five weeks on the road these days is a big ask but we have to do it to make ends meet, we have a big crew and a band to feed. Simon was always so positive on tour, he played well and smiled into every dressing room, a real pleasure to be around. Melvin was so wonderful and is a great addition to the band, he plays with his heart and gives all of his love. Stephen and Lucy somehow managed to cradle a baby a young son a Nanny and a small RV all the way around America, top hats off to them both. Glenn and Miles, his driver, as ever leading the ship, and i feel we got on better than we had for many a year, or possibly for ever. It was a joy to be on stage with Glenn and feel that the equality of our partnership was coming together. Its only been 43 years. Happy days. Our crew were supportive and without whom, the list goes on. Having Riley drive me was fun and seeing Nat, my daughter was lovely too, such great kids, im so proud of them both.

When im in the swing of it i feel ten feet tall, its like no other feeling on earth, but when its not it feels like depression, i wake up and i hate myself for waking up, and for having another new day, im disappointed. After breakfast things lighten, but i have to be aware that there is darkness just around my corner. On tour there are moments like this, there always has been but with some prayer and consideration, gratitude and love i get through each shadow. On this tour i have been graced with wonderful hugs from the band and support from home, my wife picks me up even if she is low herself. Being back in New York at the end of the tour phased all the living daylights out of me, i was zonked. I slept every waking moment that i could and tried to lock out the sound of a New York day, horns blowing, trucks picking up from the hotel, people shouting in the street below. Sirens and doors slamming on the 7th floor. One way to achieve some level of silence is to leave the A/C running, its hum is constant and phases out the peaks and troughs of the constant wonderful life below and around me. We had some great shows on the East Coast, notably Port Chester and Huntingdon Beach. After a sleepless night into day i flew home, the Captain made me aware of the bumps on route by showing me a weather map. I am a a handful. I took some drugs and passed out. At the other end of my journey was Louise. Home and life in the reality of each day soon embraced my feelings once again, and i was safe. The sound had changed. Nothing to be heard here. Silence of the countryside deafened me in a completly different way and i was a drift in my sleep once again. Another tour scorched into the Difford history book, another moon on the horizon and life clearly never changes. When im back in the swing of life its a beautiful thing and im grateful for the commitment i made from yesterdays loneliness to the comfort and joy of today.