Last week I got a copy of the new U2 album.  I wasn't too thrilled with Boots when I first heard it but I was excited to hear what Bono and the boys had been working on so enthusiastically for the past couple years.

Let me tell you my 2 U2 stories and then I'll tell you about seeing them live on Letterman yesterday.

In August of 2005 I quit my day job and planned an independent tour with my band NAVAR.  We booked 45 shows in 14 states.  When most parents would shudder at the thought...mine dipped into their savings and bought an RV and trailer and bridged the gap in the live gear we had and the live gear we needed.  I can't tell you how blessed a person can be and should be when they have that kind of support.  That kind of unconditional trust in your talents, vision, judgement and passion.

Anyway, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.  We played great shows and shitty ones.  We set out to keep it all just rollin'...me and my 3 best friends playing the music that we slaved over for 3 albums and 3 years.  I got kicked out of Harvard.  I played on streets and passed out free CDs.  We slept in Walmart parking lots.  We camped at Wompatuck.

I am kind of getting off on a tangent and should save the full tour re-cap for another blog.  To cut to the chase (which may lessen the impact of the U2 connection...but oh well), Timmy got sick, gas prices went up $1 overnight and our journey ended in November.  The idea was that Timbo would get fixed up and we would re-group and hit the road again in January.  We mailed out 3000 flyers to college campuses all over the US, hoping to land better paying...more consistent gigs.  What actually happend is we got home and it was done.  Skipster went back to work.  Tim went back to work.  Benny and I worked on tunes, drank cheap beer/played darts with Drewbie and Rock Bottom Jay/mastered the jukebox at JC's.

The band fell apart that Fall.  Nothing was certain.  I didn't have a job.  I had burned all my khakis in a ceremonial bonfire.

-------I GOT TIRED...WILL FINISH TOMORROW----

---PART ONE---- :)