Homeless. . . by choice.

It's official. We have recently moved out of our apartment and will be hitting the road in a few short weeks!  In October and November we’ll be heading to Europe for our second overseas tour. Check out the tour schedule on the website and please relay the info to all your European friends/family/ancestors. When we return from Europe in December we’ll move into a refurbished Previa van and start our year-long tour of the US.

Starting in the Southeast, we are planning to spend approximately 2 months in and around several major cities, including Atlanta, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Austin and Seattle. The idea is to get to know the music scene in each region of the country, while playing at as many venues as possible and meeting as many musicians and music-lovers as we can.

Here’s where you come in. We hope to see all of your smiling faces on this trip, but before we even set out we must plan financially and logistically. How can you get involved? Well I’m glad you asked. Here are a few options:

1.     Donate.  Any amount is helpful. Just click the paypal "donate" button

2.     Stay in touch.  During our travels, we’ll be keeping extensive blog postings, videos, photo journals, etc. Some of it will be available to everyone via Facebook and the website (www.joshharty.com). But if you want the real behind-the-scenes look at life on the road (if you’ve ever wanted to be a roadie for your favorite band and have all the best stories to tell friends at the next cookout) consider membership in the new “Josh Harty Sub-Continental Road Club” at one of these levels:

a.     $15/month (or save 10% & get 6 months for $81):

-Free hand printed poster when you sign up(while supplies last)

-Weekly email with videos, photos and updates

-Access to our Podcast featuring stories from the road, live songs

            and more!

b.     $20/month (or save 15% & get 6 months for $102):

-EVERYTHING from the previous level plus

-Monthly digital mixed tapes featuring music from our friends and    favorites

-2 free tickets to any show around the country

c.      $25/month (or save 20% & get 6 months for $120):

-EVERYTHING from the previous 2 levels plus

-Free t-shirt when you sign up

-Bi-weekly postcards from the road

d.     Name Your Own Price:

-We’re open to suggestions!

 (check out the Membership page to sign up!)

3.     Host a house concert. In the last year, these have become our favorite types of show to play because they’re intimate, always fun and we get to meet new people. So if you have at least 15-20 friends who like music, and a space big enough to accommodate them, we can put on a great show and make you the coolest kid on the block! Not sure you’re house concert material? Trust me, it’s easier than you think. Basically a pot-luck party with music. If you’re curious, here’s a great resource on house concert basics: http://www.concertsinyourhome.com/

4.     Host a couple of professional road-weary travelers. That’s us! We’ll be looking for places to stay all over the country.  So if you have an extra bed, couch, beach house, loft apartment in Manhattan. . . we’d love to stay for as long as you’ll have us. And in exchange we’ll cook for you!

Hope to see you on the road!

take care,

Josh

Liverpool:The City

The day after Grateful Fred’s we wandered around Liverpool. Colin brought us to the train station to leave our bags, which was the first time since the tour began that I’d left my guitar out of sight…well, since the flight over where it was handed to a flight attendant on the plane and still ended up getting in a scrape somehow. But this time, the baggage attendant I handed it to looked like a former rugby player with a keen eye for an instrument and remarked that by the looks of the case, it didn’t need to be tossed around anymore. He then cleared a spot by his desk and left it there. I was sure nobody would mess with him or consequently, the guitar.

I got my watch fixed, and we had the local dish called scouse which is also what you’re called(Scouse) if you’re from Liverpool. It’s much like goulash topped with red beets or red cabbage. It was amazing but I’m having a tough time deciding which I like better, it or a jacket potato. After a bit more rain and a trip through the Tate Modern at the Albert Docks we headed to the Cavern Club.

Yes, the Cavern Club. Well, it’s actually a remake in the same location. The original was demolished in 1973 to make way for an Underground ventilation tube, which was never built, but the new has been built exactly like the original. I didn’t really think too much about it as I was walking down the steps since I’d heard anyone who wants to can pay to play there these days. However, as soon as I saw the stage with the Vox amps and the Ludwig drum kit, I caught the Beetle bug a bit.  Really, it looks just like the black and white photos…but in color.

We stayed with Peter and Gabi, of the Good Intentions, that night and had a great meal with them.  We stayed up late talking about music, recording, traveling, and even Toby Keith. I’m sure you can assume the direction of conversation related to the latter.  There may have been wine involved but I can neither confirm nor deconfirm that. 

The following morning Peter informed me that we should take a drive. We piled into the car, drove a few blocks and pulled over at Paul’s house. MaCartney that is. 

 Drove a bit further to Penny Lane.

Made a stop at John’s place.

 Quick stop at the church hall where the previously mentioned dudes met, and then saw Eleanor Rigby’s grave. 

Oh, and a place you may have heard of called Strawberry Fields.

 Yes, a real tour and very cool. Thanks so much Peter and Gabi.

Here's a video of me hanging out with Jim and Sarah on Leith FM in Edinburgh, Scotland a couple weeks ago.

Berwick-Upon-Tweed....the gig.

Last night was in a great venue in Berwick. Now, to say it properly you musn't pronounce the W....much like not using the L when you say Milwaukee. If you do use the W, you will be corrected. The venue was in the lower level of a pub called the Barrels Ale House and was very much like a rathskeller kind of place. The crowd was great and believe it or not they were drinking ales and scotch. I should mention that Berwick is located 1 mile south of the Scottish border and has been fought over for hundreds of years over whether is was an English or Scottish town. Currently the English are maintaining control.

After the show I was invited to Dave's house (Dave is originally from Mississippi) which was across the street from the hostel where we stayed. He used Laphroaig 10 year and a 1935 Gibson Advanced Jumbo. I bit on both

Two things about this guitar other than the fact that it was amazing. First, it's worth somewhere in the ballpark of $50,000. Second, the last dude to play it was Mark Knopfler. That's right, Mark Knopfler. Apparently Mark was in the market for a new acoustic guitar but decided the Advanced Jumbo he already had was enough. As you can imagine....it was awesome...see photos.

Now, we're in Edinburgh and about to head out. I'll keep you posted.

Hello England

Hey there,
Well, it's been an interesting first week of the tour. Where to begin.....
We flew in a week ago today and it seems the jet lag has just now let go. However, the jet lag has not been so forgiving with my watch as it appears to have died. We spent the first night in London and rented a B&B's broom closet for the evening. The  place was called the Good Wood and they even offered a boiling pot for water...for the tea, of course.

We rented an adorable little Fiat Panda and on my first day of driving, I was amazed at the number of roundabouts. . . I was just starting to think I'd figured out mostly how they worked when I entered yet another one. The SatNav(English for GPS) informed me that I needed to take the 3rd exit rather than the 2nd. I figured that since I was out of the way of the fast moving traffic in the second and third lanes I could continue on to my desired exit. However, the following screeching of tires,  blowing of dust,  abrupt turning of the wheel, and the stearn announcement from the navigator led me to believe something wasn't quite right. It was then I realized I'd nearly smashed into another car that was exiting the roundabout. Now, you might think crash averted so everything is just fine. The same thing was in my mind until I noticed the car I nearly hit was a police car and by this time the lights were on.
At this point an annoyed and somewhat perplexed looking police man and his partner came walking towards the Panda and I figured I'd be deported shortly. Instead, he took pity on me and offered a tutorial on the intricate workings of the roundabout.
Since then things have gone pretty smoothly- I've had great radio sessions with Mick Smith in Nottingham and also with Barry Everett in London on the House Of Mercy. Both sessions will be available very soon and I'll put up a link for anyone who'd like to check them out.

 Hanging out at the House of Mercy, London

The Square and Compass is one of the best pubs in the UK and is the only venue I've ever been to that provides it's clients and musicians the opportunity for a 3 mile seaside hike should you like the adventure.

 The Square & Compass, Worth Matravers

Monday night came Sheffield and the Greystones with Rod Piccott. Rod is a great writer and player from Nashville, TN and I suggest you seek him out quickly.

That brings us current and I'll be back with more tales of adventure and roundabouts when we get to Berwick-Upon-Tweed for the next show on the 21st!
take care
Josh