We stayed outside Boston somewhere. I woke up a little hung over. Cage woke up feeling sick. We jump in the rickety van and head out to Providence, RI. Meet in the lobby sans Sean but now we have Deefy, who jumped in the van in Boston, while Sean jumped out to ride with his girl for the remainder of the trip. Good thing because shit was getting really REL and we were seeing signs of the infamous Meltdown Martin in the last couple days. Timmy pulls over because he see’s a sign for a Picadilly’s Pub and Todd is like what the fuck is that? Timmy goes “Goot Fout Tot.” And we just kept saying that the whole time after. “Goot Fout Tot” We circle around to find it and when we do we do, it’s on because we are fucking starrvinggg. We all order. The food comes out and when Cage’s steak is placed in front of him, it’s covered in mushrooms actually looks gross, but everyone elses food looked good. He was furious and sent it back because the menu never said it came in a bowl of soupy mushrooms. It was actually funny but he didn’t find it funny in the least. Eat and dip. So we head to Rhode Island and get there a few hours before we had to and check in the hotel. While we are in the lobby waiting Chauncey and I are cracking jokes. Chauncey likes to make up fake names for places to eat like “Chachki’s, Rippers, Zippers, Flingers, Nate’s, and Jims Sandwhich Emporium.” One time we were starving and driving he told Todd to look for Jims Sandwhich Emporium and Todd actually started looking it up on his phone. The joke is so great and one of my favorite stupid jokes of his that I told him we should just start making up fake venues that we are playing at on the “Gas Galaxy Tour,” which is another joke we have because the Gas Galaxy tour obviously doesn’t exist, except in our minds, and who knows if it ever will? Nevertheless the joke is that we are on the Gas Galaxy tour at the same we are on the DFM tour. So we start coming up with fake venues and we agree that addition to playing Jerky’s tonight, we will also be playing Legends, Corner Pocket, The Furnace, and The Lilly Pad. We know that there has to be venues with these names or some of them, somewhere, but it doesn’t matter. We made them up. We’re all pretty relieved to be able to check into a hotel before the show because we’ve been running around like headless chickens for a while now and this may be one of the few times where we’ve actually made it with time to spare. We get to our rooms and I take a nap until Todd wakes me to get ready to go to the venue to check sound etc. We begin unloading and B. Dolan of Strange Famous Records comes strolling up and we kick it with him. He’s opening tonight and I know him from Paid Dues shows with Sage so it’s cool that someone I actually know is playing the show with us.

We soundcheck and I have a feeling it’s going to be a lowkey night compared to last night in Boston. After soundcheck, Chauncey and Deef hang around the venue and I take a ride with Todd to drop off Cage at the hotel. We drop him off and Todd and I hit this spot down the block from the venue called Roadhouse BBQ. It was really good. We head back to the venue and there is time to kill. Sean is hanging out with Jessica as well as Deef, Chauncey, and Andy from CT. I don’t mind if I do have a couple spritzers with Chauncey before the show. Just to kill time. I had a couple spritzers too many and now it’s showtime. Walk upstairs to a lot more people than I thought and I’m actually a little concerned because I got carried away. It was the last night of tour and we were celebrating. I get up there and basically go really hard because there are no more shows and I figure I might as well kill myself. It turned out to be a surprisingly great set. We were cracking jokes and laughing with the crowd. It is big enough for a show vibe and small enough to connect with the audience. There is a bittersweet feeling amongst us as it is the last show and it seemed like a fitting atmosphere for it to end. When I made it downstairs to the backroom, Cage had a cup of tea in his hand and was obviously under the weather. He said he threw up a few times before he got there. However, if you saw his set it wouldn’t be easy to tell. I was sick on this tour for a few shows and playing a show is one of the most difficult things to do under those conditions. When I’m sick, it is written all over my face. Cage came on and actually delivered maybe the most sincere set I’ve seen on this tour and I think most people felt the same about it. We greeted the fans for one last time and I had some Blue Moons to cap off the night. This tour was one of the most fun, self fulfilling, and challenging tours I’ve been on. It put all of our abilities to the test and I think everyone met the challenge and proved themselves. I learn a lot about others and myself on the road. LIFE TOUR. This one will go down in history as a great one. Congratulations to Cage for a successful kickoff tour and I want to thank all the fans for supporting and following us on our adventure through America. You make it all possible. Tomorrow will be spent traveling home. When I get there, I will be doing a lot of laundry.

Yours,

Yak Ballz CCWM

It took us forever to get to Boston. The traffic in Connecticut was horrible. I slept for most of the ride. What’s new? Tour has been great. Every person on this tour has their respective wild sides and it can get extremely crazy when they all come out at the same time, like on the verge of having an anxiety attack for a dude like me. I can always hear Sean yelling at the top of his lungs and Cage and Chauncey cackling behind me when I’m “SLEEP.” Todd plays backseat driver with Timmy, who’s ready to rip his head off. At this stage of the tour, all of this just means everything is normal. Never really a dull moment. When we get to Harpers Ferry in Allston, MA I’m reminded of the last time Chauncey and I played the Paper Dance Party here months back. We were late because of the traffic so there wasn’t much time to soundcheck. They start bringing the alcohol but I’m starving so I sneak out the backdoor, inconspicuously walk with my head down past the line wrapped around the corner, and get two slices of Pizza from the place next door, to go. As I walk back, Todd, who was standing waiting for me, thinks it’s funny to blow up my spot to some people on line and all of a sudden the whole line is chanting Yak Ballz while I’m waiting for Todd to open the door with a box of pizza in my hand. It is funny and equally embarrassing, but all in good fun of course. Todd is smiling from ear to ear. He gets a kick out of shit like that. He lets me in, along with my dude Frank “The Butcher” Rivera of Concepts clothing in Boston.

We kicked it backstage before showtime and swapped information on the type of camera we coincidentally both have. It was a really nerdy convo about lighting, settings, and shutter speed but if you’re into that kind of stuff it’s actually awesome. Before I go on, I hear the host of the show trying to be funny, at our expense. Cage looks at me in disbelief as he is listening to what this dude is saying. It got to the point where it was so bad and offensive that Cage went down there and physically roughed the dude up on stage, threw him down, etc. Not too long after that, and a little bit more liquor in us, Chauncey and I got on and pretty much destroyed any pre-conceived notions of anyone thinking they were coming to a regular rap show. We are not them. I actually was wasted and everything was in place for Cage to bring the house down. After he got off we all celebrated the successful, packed show, backstage. An epic night.

Went to a diner in Wilmington right by the hotel in Wilmington, PA. Surprisingly I don’t feel hung over. I’m definitely worn out even though I actually slept. Last night was insane and I don’t think I can repeat my behavior tonight. I ate eggs and french toast at the diner for breakfast. We discussed auto-tune at breakfast and how it was never meant to be used and abused the way it is now in mainstream music. There is actually a real reason why auto-tune exists other than to make you sound like a robot. Cher used it years before the fad. Auto-tune automatically brings your vocal in tune if the notes are flat. It sounds robotic when it’s bringing the vocal into the correct range. When used correctly, one would never even know it was even applied to a vocal. Since we are not far from Philly, we arrive to the venue early. As we were driving we were reciting Peedi Crack lines. CC loves Peedi. We pull up to the First Unitarian Church where we are playing tonight. I step out and walk down the black to a coffee shop called Caffeination, where I use the internet, and reflect on yesterday. On the road, days in my memory become like a roll of film that I would never fully remember if I don’t hold them up to the light. These blogs are me literally doing just that, for myself, as much as they might bring others enjoyment. This coffee shop is too hot and the employees here insist on making smalltalk with me, which is fine, but I don’t feel like carrying it on past the weather. Normally I don’t even like to get that far but it’s human nature to talk about nothing of importance with strangers most of the time if you are to ever exchange words. In this case they are asking me if I am on tour and I answer “Yes” and of course the next question is “what is your band name?” You can imagine this is usually where it gets awkward. All I want to do is relax, drink my iced green tea, and use the net.

I manage to dodge their inquiries, finish up, and walk back down the block to see everyone greeting our friends and CC brothers, Wesley Eishold (of XO Skeletons/Coldcave) and Max. We all decide to walk a few blocks to Goodburger and shred some eats. Get back to the venue and hang out until showtime. This venue is a fully functioning church. It is sweltering everywhere except for our backstage room, which is some just a huge room with nothing in it but a piano and chairs. It is not comfortable really. I have a conversation with Max about NYC in the late 90’s and different places that we used to go to that don’t exist anymore like Tramps and Wetlands. That was an era in NY that I came up in and was very much a part of so it’s always a pleasure to talk about it with someone else who I didn’t know at the time but witnessed and went to the same places I did. So it’s time to go on and Todd walks me down. Chauncey is already out there setting up. When I walk on, the humidity feels like I can cut through it with a knife. I’m actually a little taken back by how many people are in this basement of a church, transformed into a venue. I’ve played here twice before and have never seen it this crowded. It has never been this hot in here either. The walls are sweating and this crowd is fired up, yelling at me. It’s great. Chauncey is cracking jokes with me and the two of us are taking this set to the limit. Timmy came up and ripped his verse and then we all left the stage. The crowd is amped and loud by the time Cage goes on. So much so that I could hear the crowd cheer for him from upstairs when he walks out. Philly loves to party and the people here appreciate live music so much. It’s how it’s always been since I first started playing here and always look forward to playing this city. It’s not far from home. After Cage’s set we went down to the merch table to do our usual meet and greet. Head back up and hung out with our friends, Hate Your Guts, and Chauncey told them tour stories and we took group pictures like it was middle school.

photo by Todd Westphal

We were supposed to be at the van by 12 but noone was ready at that time. When we finally got it together it was probably 1, and we were all hungry. It was a crazy night and when we get back in the van it’s usually the time where we recap what happened the night before. It helps to put the pieces together because my memory of what took place last night is scattered and selective. It’s actually hilarious and somewhat shocking when you find out and see pictures of yourself in the rarest of forms. Anyway, we are starving and we love Chili’s so that’s where we go to fill our deprived bellies. When we left I regretted not getting that molten chocolate cake with ice cream or whatever it’s called, but I also think I’m done with Chili’s for a while anyway just like Denny’s and Subway. Tour is winding down and we’re headed to back up to the North East where we are going to hit a few major cities like DC, Philly, and Boston, and then finish out with a secondary market, Providence, RI. We are on our way to DC. Everyone hates that I can sleep for the majority of the long drives and I wake up to banter about my sleeping habits. I don’t normally sleep as much as they say but sometimes I sleep better in the van than I do at night. As we approach DC, I wake up and look at the Washington Monument when we make it in the city and the thought of hundreds of thousands of people filling this exact location for President Obama’s inaugural speech crosses my mind. We pull up to DC9 and it starts to pour. I’ve played in DC a few times but never played here. We are informed that it is a small place and the pre-sale is already more than half so chances are it may sell out. Cage takes a while sound checking and I can hear him going back and forth with the soundman very courteously to get the sound right. I sense that there is some difficulty and he’s feeling it out. By the time Cage got off it sounded good and I told the dude to leave the same levels because it is nearing time to open doors, however, he insisted on changing everything. At this point I’m hungry and impatient so by the time I get up there and I realize how much of an asshole this guy is while I’m checking, its proving to be difficult for me to keep my cool, but I manage and get it sounding decent all things considered. Our friend Seannie Camera’s is here and doing an interview with Cage for Vimby before showtime and asks Sean and I to spill out some words for the Cage piece and we both do, all while loading up on spritzers before showtime. Cage pisses in the garbage can backstage and it was pretty funny because he didn’t feel like walking through the crowd to use the bathroom. Time for me to go on. I get up there and I can’t believe how bad it sounds. It actually sounds nothing like it did at soundcheck. Mics feeding back and music so low. I try to signal this guy and eventually I said something but he just left me hanging. I think it’s because he kept coming backstage and acting like he was running the show and we told Todd to tell him to stop coming back because he was annoying us and he spitefully fucked with the sound as a result. The crowd was so awesome though and Chauncey and I have been vibing so well together that it just feels good to play, plus the with crowd right there with us, the soundman cant take it away from us. Smash that set and went back and told Cage to make sure to get things sounding right before he goes into full swing. He did as well as he could but I still could tell the soundman didn’t do certain things that we had asked earlier. Either way, the crowd didn’t lose an ounce of energy for Cage and he tore it down. Afterward, we kept drinking. We finished all our liquor backstage and used the rest of the drink tickets up front.

photo by Shabooty

Shabooty showed up and I got him a spritzer and show the CCWM official blogman how we party. Everyone was in good spirits and inebriated by the time we got to the van. We were definitely not done partying at that point. We irrationally cracked a bottle of red wine on the ride. I don’t know what we were thinking. At one point we pulled over on the highway and all decided to pee on the side of the highway. Instead of actually taking a few steps, Todd decides to pee right outside the doors with his back to us and I went to push him and as I did I fall off the seat. Timmy grabs my foot as I dropped to the floor of the van and almost out of the door. It’s hilarious. I can’t believe I almost fell out of the van. We then stop at the Baltimore travel center. Chauncey opens the van door, swings around, and some how loses his footing and falls directly out of the van on his side and ends up on his back and his sidekick was next to him at his feet. Karma for laughing at me. It happened so fast, and it looked so crazy, we didn’t know whether to laugh or ask if he was ok. It turned out to be a combination of both and we were crying. He hurt his elbow a little but he’s fine. We pick up some snacks and get out of there. It was so seedy. We stuffed our faces with trash all the way to the hotel and checked in. I pounded water, shot the shit with Todd, took two ibuprofens to prevent the hangover, put the AC up to a FREEZE, and went to sleep.

Set my alarm early to do laundry in the hotel as I have no clean clothes once again. It’s so humid and disgusting in New Orleans today. I told Todd he could sleep in my bed while I was out because I didn’t feel like walking over him and his air mattress as I go in and out of the room. When I come back, Cage is in shock and disbelief at manner in which Todd overtook the bed. He was asleep when I told Todd he could so he was surprised at the audacity he thought Todd had, which is funny in and of itself. Chris got up and we hit the continental breakfast and watch people around us as they pick and choose from the usual cereals, yogurts, bananas, waffles, etc. We overhear and older guy at the next table talking about Facebook, and we laugh because there is something strange hearing about people you would never think even know what Facebook is, talk about it to people who definitely have no idea what Facebook is. I imagine this increases popularity but I don’t fully understand what a 50 year old man is doing with Facebook. Maybe in 20+ years I will totally contradict myself. I sit in the lobby and Timmy is roaming around without a cause. He sat down across from me and he looks as if he didn’t get any sleep. I ask him what time do we have to leave and he says 10:30. He walks off and finishes using the net on my own laptop minutes later and head back to the room to see Cage blogging and Todd snoring. I asked Todd, what time do have to be at the van? He comes out of his slumber and says 11. Hmmmmm, Timmy said 10:30. I think to myself I bet everyone in the other room thinks 10:30, because that’s what Timmy told me in the lobby, and they are going to be pissed when we don’t show up until 11. I try and tell Todd that I saw Timmy and he said you told him 10:30 last night before we went to sleep. He doesn’t answer back. I leave to pick up my laundry, come back, and Cage and Todd are up now. Cage reads us his first blog and we laugh at certain things he mentions in it. When we finally get to the van. It’s definitely after 11, and Sean and Chauncey are pacing around beside themselves because they’ve been out here since 10:30. We jump in the van and drive. Everyone is acting weird this morning. We are running late already, have barely any time to eat, and are starving. We pull off an exit to a Wendy’s and grab some fast food. Wendy’s hasn’t tasted this good in a long long time. We drive more and trade stories of past experiences in Atlanta. Some interesting times and stories are seared in our minds forever, especially because Cage and I went to Atlanta many years ago with Camu to play a show. We arrive at the venue a half hour late and they push back doors so we can set up and get situated. The backstage looks like a backroom where mobsters might play poker. Like the Bada-bing in Soprano’s. It has a seedy strip club vibe. Cage walks back from soundcheck and tells me he feels like this place is set up like an underground wrestling ring as if they hold cage matches here, ironically.

Chauncey and I get busy making and drinking some refreshing spritzers, as previously mentioned and decide that our new bandname is called The Backstage Spritzers. I have a couple of these before showtime and we proceed to play to a small crowd, having a good time throughout. During Cage’s set I notice from where I’m standing on the side of the stage watching, that someone walked into our backroom and someone else followed behind them, when the door shut. I walk back and open the door of the room like what the fuck? I see a dude grinning because he knows exactly what was going through my head, and Todd is standing next to him laughing. It’s my boy Steph, aka P.O.S.. He’s in town for Warped Tour and came to the show to say what up. We hug and chop it up for a few. After the show we met some fans who drove upwards of 8 hours to see us. Hearing that alone made it worth it for us to play. We hit the Renaissance Marriott, which is really nice, and while we were checking in some crackhead looking dudes outside started getting rowdy with the valet guy. It was mildly entertaining. The best part was the lady behind the desk saying “oh boy, they’re getting aggressive out there” as she called for security. She said it a few times as things escalated and it made me laugh every time. We dropped our stuff off in the rooms and hit the Landmark diner, fend our way through more crackheads, and it’s back to the hotel.

photo by Todd Westphal

The drive from Phoenix to Albuquerque is a long one and we have an instore to make it to. This part of the country is dry and dusty and it’s hard to believe people spend a lifetime here without ever leaving. They could probably never imagine living where things move faster than a speeding bullet. We’re out of the hotel a little later than we should have. Todd is rushing us. We get in the van and I put on my headphones and try to zone out. It is a pretty boring and uneventful ride. We start getting hungry. When driving on highways and hunger strikes, options are limited. All of a sudden there is a sign for Del Taco. It’s amazing how I can go from amped about Del Taco one day to feeling like if I never had it again, I wouldn’t care. But here we go again and we all bite the bullet. It’s either that or some other shit like Carls Junior. While we are on line Sean got spotted by some die-hard Hatebreed fans who he took pictures with right then and there. As we were leaving another dude pulls up in the parking lot, parks in the middle of the lot, jumps out of his car, runs up to the window and says “is Sean Martin in there?” He was the brother of the dude in Del Taco who must have gotten word that Sean Michael Martin was in Del Taco. Sean being the gentleman that he is got out in the middle of his meal and took a picture with the kid. Back on the road. Long and boring drive down a stretch of road that seems like it’s taking us straight to hell. Instead we end up in Albuquerque, NM, a city in the dessert where we are parked in the back alley of the Launchpad venue, which I’ve never played before. We never made it to the instore on time and had to cancel due to some difficulties we had along the way. One thing I can say about this place is that it seems to be developing since I first came here about 5 years ago. This show is all ages and there are plenty teens and pre-teens on line so we sign and take pictures with them. Before showtime Chauncey, Todd, and I hit this diner called Lindy’s which is a small diner on the corner that I’ve eaten at before. Head back to the venue and play my set to a small but loud crowd. It was cool. I never went backstage, but just hung out at the merch table for the rest of the show. The people here are very down to earth and I even spotted a kid with an original Yak Ballz T-Shirt, the first series I ever made, and brought on my first tour with Aesop and Cage about 5 years ago. Crazy. There is a scene here and I hope to be back sooner than later. Thanks Albuquerque.

We have to wake up earlier than usual today to make it to an instore before the show in Phoenix.  It is so hot my neck is sweating.  The mood in the air is not a happy one.  Everyone is kind of irritable and weird today.  When Todd tells Chauncey and Sean to hurry up, they snap back while Cage and I are just waiting to get in the van and for everything to blow over.  As we are driving we see a sign for In-n-Out Burger and I practically beg Timmy to pull over because I’ve been craving it since we got to LA.  I got my usual double double, animal style, with fries and a root beer.  It was so good.  We get to the instore at Zia Records and there is a decent amount of people there.  This store is actually pretty awesome and we all go shopping and pick up some CD’s and DVD’s before Cage’s instore performance.  Chauncey is playing some dope 90’s tracks and we’re enjoying it.  Cage does some songs and signs some posters and CD’s and after we head to the venue, Chasers.  This venue has that local dive feel.  Sean sits right down at the bar and gets local really quick.  This place is really hot and we are there waiting around for way longer than we should have been.  Finally we can leave to eat and hit the hotel to freshen up a bit before showtime.  Sean tries to lead us to a Mexican take out, with directions from somebody, but in the process he spots another place and says

“thats it, it’s the same thing!”

“it is?”

“We’re supposed to go to Filberto’s but the guy said if we see Fiesta’s it’s the same thing and it’s probably Filberto’s cousins place.”

We are starving so it doesn’t matter.  We walk in the place and it is just as hot inside as it is outside.  We order some very below average Mexican food in the sweltering heat.  After that horrible experience we hit the hotel.  It is a Double Tree and I back it.  Wash up and head back to Chaser’s with very little time to spare before I have to go on.  Showtime and this show is redemption for me.  I felt like I had something to prove.  When I got off I was exhausted and dripping.  Cage went on and plowed through his set and altogether we had a great show in Phoenix.  The rest of the night was a blur.

photo by Todd Westphal

Me, Sean, and Cage wake up at Aes’s and meet Timmy and Chauncey outside. We still have to pick up Todd at his uncles in Oakland. SF was good to us. We drive a few hours and we’re starving our asses off. We opt for Del-Taco instead of Subway. I like some Del Taco every once in a while so I’m into it. There is a stretch of road when you are driving from SF to LA on I-5 where it gets super hot, like desert hot, and there are signs for you to shut your air conditioner off because chances are you will overheat somewhere along the way. And without fail there are always cars on the side of the road steaming with their hoods open. This time there was a cab of a truck smoking and it was obvious by what was left of the skeleton that it went up in flames and burnt to a crisp not too long before we got there. We finally pull up to the El Rey theater after sitting in LA traffic. Tonight seems like it will be the biggest show of the tour. The El Rey is an awesome venue; really sick sound, floor, staff, backstage. It’s just top notch and a prestigious place to play. I’ve played here once before with EL-P also. This time I think I’m more prepared but a little more anxious about everything, especially since still I’m trying to bounce back from feeling like shit from days before. There are already some fans outside. The night is underway and my good friend, and founder of SCIFEN, Barmak Badaei, came through and we kicked it. Also surprise cameo’s from our Cardboard City brother Shia “Beouf” LaBeouf as well as EL-P. LA Weekly was also there covering the show and took some awesome pictures which you can check out HERE. Showtime and I walked out to a screaming mob. Adrenaline took over and by the time I got off I was soaking wet to the point where I had to towel off and change clothes. Cage went up and lit the place up, literally, as the strobe light flashed through his set. It was a great performance solidifying LA as one of the best cities of the tour, if not the best, yet. We take it to the afterparty at an undisclosed location and cap off the night. WE WIN.

photo by Todd Westphal

Wake up feeling a little better, not much. We drive to Seattle today but first stop at Denny’s for what was to my surprise, a decent meal. Chauncey orders a nice raspberry lemonade drink thing and I notice he loves an assortment of refreshing drinks. At a gas station or rest stop Chauncey will always get a frozen drink or something interesting. It’s amazing the little things you learn about people when traveling together. Chauncey tells me he always gets the Superbird at Denny’s, which is basically a grilled cheese with tomato, bacon, and turkey. I get mine without bacon and when it comes, it gets housed. Cage does not feel good today. It seems like we all caught some form of the same bug except Sean AKA Destructive Force AKA Speedo, and Todd. We finally make it to Seattle and hit traffic until we get to Nectar. A friend of mine, Shaina Foley, who used to work for a company that brought us out to Seattle a bunch of times, now works as the booker for Nectar and it is cool see her in that position after many years of coming here. Familiar faces are great on tour, most of the time. I hit up a diner down the street and get back in time for soundcheck. After soundcheck Chauncey and I do a photoshoot on the 2nd level of the venue with a sick photographer named Darien Chin. The photo’s came out amazing and we were psyched. I’ll have them soon. Time for me to go on and I still don’t feel great. But the sound is probably the best yet on the tour and I attribute it to their soundman Bill, who is excellent, and actually cares. During soundcheck, Cage went to the hotel since he was feeling under the weather. He calls me from the hotel and says “yooo we’re staying in The Shining” referring to the Stanley Kubrick movie. He explains that we are staying in a mansion-like hotel with very old, classic decor that looks just like where Jack Nicholson’s character goes crazy in the movie. I’ll see it when I get there. I watched Cage’s set from the stairs, and for as miserable as he felt earlier, with a fever and body aches, you would have never known as he performed with poise and control. It is important to be able to perform when things are not 100%. More times than not, it is usually the case with most performers to have to work through problems as if they never existed. After the show I got to meet several fans from Vancouver who drove to Seattle because the Vancouver show was canceled. So to the boys and girls who drove down and had to go through the border, thank you. After the show we head to the Marqueen hotel. Cage was right. This place is creepy. The rooms have green doors, the wallpaper is a old floral pattern, and there is no elevator. Instead of an elevator there are stairs with a huge chandelier hanging in front of them. When we get inside the room, Cage tells us the guy at the front desk told him Ted Bundy used to live in this building, and the bar he used to pick up his victims from is still there, around the corner. Todd then goes downstairs to get an extra blanket and comes up like this place is really weird. He tells us he saw an employee in the hallway and asked him if he ever saw any ghosts here. The man tells Todd no but he always gets chills on the third floor. He also said that years ago, a woman hung herself in the room right below ours. Not too long after Todd turns to me and says “I kind of like this place, it reminds me of staying at someones Grandmas house.” While this is happening Cage is on the phone dealing with Chauncey and Sean who are complaining that their room smells like dirty diapers. Cage is rolling his eyes while I’m laughing because that is just funny to me. It sounds horrible. I lay down and watch a panel discussion/debate on whether or not Michael Jackson was murdered. Apparently Latoya has just accused doctors of murdering her brother. This whole thing is blowing my mind and I think our country is so sick when I realize that this breaking news is on every news channel. I’m guilty for being sucked in and succumbing to what is feeding my eyes and ears with useless slop. I watch this until I’m too tired to keep my eyes open.

Not much to report today. It’s a drive day and I still have a fever, in and out of sweats, and coughing my lungs out. We go out to breakfast and I still can’t eat normally. This is the way I come home from tour 10 pounds lighter. Chauncey also has not been feeling well, puking. Last night Todd had another one of his “Buddies” come to the show. This buddy was much cooler and he works for Skullcandy, the company that makes edgy ear-bud headphones for iPods, etc. Todd’s buddy gave both him and Cage free headphones, but for some reason they weren’t Skullcandy ones. Anyway, Todd broke them out during the drive and a good part of the ride is spent making fun of how hideous these headphones are. First, they look like suspiciously like skulls from the Terminator movies. They stick out so far when they are in your ears, they look like the bolts in Frankenstein’s neck. And the funniest part of all is how ridiculous they look on a grown man. We all had a good chuckle and that was the highlight of this day and ride, to me. We pull up to the Red Lion hotel and it keeps reminding me of Mad Lion the 90’s reggae-rapper if you know who I’m talking about. This place looks good. Waste no time…crash.