HI EVERYBODY,

OKAY, OUR PLANE HAS BEEN IN THE AIR FOR NEARLY HALF AN HOUR, AND THE "LAVATORY OCCUPIED" SIGN HAS BEEN LIT FOR THE ENTIRE TIME. I AM SECOND IN LINE, BEHIND CLINT BLACK, AND WE ARE BEGINNING TO WONDER, AND DREAD, WHAT MIGHT BE GOING ON IN THERE, AND TO RECONSIDER HOW BADLY EACH OF US HAS TO GO. AT LAST WE HEAR THE TELL TALE SOUND OF THE RESTROOM DOOR BEING UNLOCKED, AND OUT COMES AN ENORMOUS OLDER GENTLEMAN, LOOKING LIKE HE HAS SEEN BETTER MORNINGS. NOW, CLINT AND I FACE THE INEVITABLE, AND UNAVOIDABLE, MOMENT WHEN ONE OF US MUST BE THE BRAVE ONE TO FOLLOW THIS DUDE. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE EACH BEEN HOLDING IT FOR QUITE A WHILE, BOTH CLINT AND I ARE A BIT GUN SHY ABOUT VENTURING INTO THAT TINY, UNVENTILATED CUBICLE. OUR ONLY CHANCE IS TO STALL, (GET IT?), SO WE WHIP OUT THE FAMILY PHOTOS, AND CONTINUE DISCUSSING THE CHALLENGES AND JOYS OF BEING A PARENT OF YOUNG KIDS. FINALLY, WHEN WE DEEM IT SAFE TO PROCEED, CLINT ENTERS THE UNOCCUPIED POTTY...HEY, HE WAS FIRST IN LINE.

ANYWAY, THIS MORNING I SAID GOODBYE TO MY CHILDREN FOR THE LAST TIME THIS YEAR...YEP, THIS IS THE FINAL RUN OF THE 2008 TOURING SEASON.THE DEF LEPPARD SHOWS AND OUR SPRING EUROPEAN TOUR SEEM LIKE ANOTHER LIFETIME, (GET IT?). THE SUMMER DATES ARE A BLUR. EVEN OUR RECENT CARIBBEAN SHOWS SEEM LIKE THEY HAPPENED LONG AGO. ROCK TOURS HAVE A WAY OF WARPING TIME. BEING IN DIFFERENT CITIES EVERY DAY, CRISSCROSSING TIME ZONES, MEETING SO MANY PEOPLE...IT ALL HAS A WAY OF MESHING TOGETHER AND PLAYING TRICKS ON THE ROAD WEARY MIND. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT IS ALL SO MUCH FUN THAT IT IS A PLEASURABLE STATE OF CONFUSION, ONE TO WHICH I HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED OVER THE PAST THIRTY-FIVE YEARS. AS CLINT BLACK AND I WERE JUST SAYING, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO GET PAID FOR DOING WHAT WE LOVE TO DO.

THIS FLIGHT IS QUICKLY TURNING INTO A PARTY. MEATLOAF JUST STOPPED BY MY SEAT FOR A CHAT, AND SAYS HE PLANS TO BE AT OUR SHOW IN NASHVILLE TOMORROW. TOM PETERSON IS ON THE FINAL LEG OF HIS JOURNEY HOME AFTER CHEAP TRICK'S AUSTRALIAN TOUR, AND HE IS PRETTY MUCH ASLEEP BEFORE HE GETS TO HIS SEAT. I LOVE THAT GUY. ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS ABOUT BEING IN A BAND IS THAT I GET TO HANG OUT WITH OTHER GUYS IN BANDS WHICH I LIKE AND RESPECT...IT'S ALL GOOD.

THE NASHVILLE SHOW WAS SO MUCH FUN. PLAYING TO A ROOM FULL OF MUSICIANS AND SONGWRITERS DEFINITELY BRINGS THE BEST OUT OF US. AFTER THE CONCERT KELLY KEAGEY FROM NIGHT RANGER, ERIC BAZILIAN OF THE HOOTERS, AND THE GIRLS FROM PISTOL, ALONG WITH ROD, JOHN, AND THE GANG AT CAA, WERE ALL IN THE DRESSING ROOM DRINKING CHAMPAGNE. I KNOW, WATCH YOUR FEET, I AM DROPPING LOTS OF NAMES HERE, BUT I CAN'T HELP IT...IT'S FUN, AND I'M NOT DONE YET!

WE HAD A BLAST FRIDAY NIGHT AT WILD BILL'S IN ATLANTA...IT'S A GREAT ROCK'N ROLL VENUE AND WE SAW SO MANY FRIENDS AND EVEN A COUSIN. THEN WE SET OUT FOR THE 500 PLUS MILE RIDE TO NEW ORLEANS. THE SHOW WAS ON A CHILLY OUTDOOR STAGE AT HARRAH'S CASINO, JUST OFF THE FRENCH QUARTER, AND AGAIN, PLAYING IN A MUSIC TOWN GETS US CHARGED UP. WHEN WE GOT OFF STAGE THERE WAS A MESSAGE FROM SAMMY HAGAR INVITING ME TO A PRIVATE BENEFIT SHOW HE WAS DOING FOR HIS BUDDY, CHEF EMERIL. I GOT THERE JUST IN TIME FOR A COUPLE OF PRE-SHOW SIPS OF CABO WABO, THEN A GLASS OF WINE FROM EMERIL'S STASH...PERHAPS THE BEST RED WINE I HAVE EVER TASTED, SO I ENJOYED ANOTHER GLASS…OH BOY, HERE WE GO. WALTER AND I WOUND UP AT OUR FAVORITE FRENCH QUARTER HANG, THE DUNGEON, WHERE THE DOM WAS FLOWING AND THE MUSIC WAS DEAFENING, ANOTHER ROCKIN' NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS.

BY THE TIME I GOT TO NEW YORK CITY ON SUNDAY I WAS MORE THAN A LITTLE TIRED, NOT TO MENTION SLIGHTLY HUNG OVER. IT HAS BEEN YEARS SINCE I HAD AN ACTUAL HANGOVER, SO I HAD FORGOTTEN WHAT TO DO. WAS IT RAW EGGS AND TOMATO JUICE? TOAST AND 7 UP? SOME HAIR OF THE DOG THAT BIT ME?

ANYWAY, BY MONDAY I WAS READY TO ROCK. WE DID AN UNPLUGGED THING WITH OUR BUDDIES "BOB AND TOM" VIA SATELLITE TO INDIANAPOLIS, AND TO THEIR 200 AFFILIATED RADIO STATIONS. WE DID 104 FM IN NEW YORK CITY, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER PRESS RELATED STUFF. THE FUN CAME THAT NIGHT WHEN WE WERE INVITED TO COME TO A PERFORMANCE OF "ROCK OF AGES".

"ROCK OF AGES" IS A BROADWAY STYLE MUSICAL COMEDY, SET TO THE MUSIC OF THE 80s, AND WE ALL LOVED IT. I WON'T GIVE AWAY THE TAKE THEY HAVE ON OUR SONGS, BUT YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT. CONSTANTINE FROM LAST YEAR’S AMERICAN IDOL HAS THE LEAD ROLE, AND HE SINGS HIS ASS OFF...HE IS THE REAL THING, AND THE REST OF THE CAST, AS WELL AS THE BAND, IS GREAT. IT IS A TOTAL FEEL GOOD SHOW, AND I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE VISITING MANHATTAN’S THEATER DISTRICT.

OKAY, WE HAVE DONE 90 SHOWS SO FAR THIS YEAR, WITH ONE FINAL CONCERT IN VEGAS THIS SATURDAY...CAN I GO HOME NOW!!!

KC

WOW,

IT FEELS LIKE WE HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR A MONTH, BUT IN REALITY OUR FIRST SHOW IN ARUBA WAS LAST FRIDAY NIGHT. WE HAVE TRAVELED SO MANY MILES, EXPERIENCED SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES, MET SO MANY PEOPLE, SEEN SO MUCH OF OUR WORLD...IT IS HARD TO DIGEST IT ALL. EVERY DAY HAS BEEN A MEAL IN ITSELF...SPICY, SATISFYING, SWEET, AND DEFINITELY UNIQUE.

MY LAST NEWSLETTER LEFT OFF WITH ME HAVING JUST AWOKEN IN PANAMA CITY...NOT THE SPRING BREAK DESTINATION ON FLORIDA'S PANHANDLE...THE CITY IN THE COUNTRY WITH THAT BIG CANAL. IT WAS SO AWESOME PLAYING FOR A FULL HOUSE, TOTALLY SOLD OUT, PEOPLE WANTING TICKETS BUT THERE WERE NONE LEFT...THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING FOR A BAND PLAYING IN A COUNTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME...QUITE A MEMORABLE WELCOME.

AS MUCH FUN AS THE GIG WAS, OUR ADVENTURE THE FOLLOWING DAY WAS EQUALLY COOL. AS SOON AS I HEARD WE WERE PLAYING IN PANAMA, I HAD EXPRESSED MY INTEREST IN EXPLORING THE PANAMA CANAL. IT IS JUST ONE OF THOSE PLACES I HAVE READ ABOUT SINCE I WAS IN GRADE SCHOOL, AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT. LUCKILY, SOME OF THE CANAL OFFICIALS MUST BE REO FANS, BECAUSE WE GOT A LEVEL OF TREATMENT THAT WAS BEYOND VIP. WE ACTUALLY STOOD ON THE GATES OF THE MIRAFLORA LOCKS AS AN ENORMOUS "PANAMAX" FREIGHTER, THE LARGEST SHIPS WHICH CAN NAVIGATE THE CANAL, STEADILY APPROACHED. THE HUMAN BRAIN, WELL AT LEAST NOT MINE, CAN'T REALLY COMPREHEND THE SIGHT OF THIS EMORMOUS VESSEL, PASSING THROUGH SO NARROW A WATERWAY. THERE ARE LITERALLY LESS THAN TWO FEET ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SHIP SEPARATING ITS HULL FROM THE CONCRETE WALLS OF THE LOCK. IT IS TRULY AN UNBELIEVABLE SIGHT TO SEE. NOT TO MENTION THE HUMAN TRIUMPH INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD. THERE ARE NO PUMPS INVOLVED IN THE CANAL'S OPERATION...IT IS ALL ABOUT GRAVITY AND RAINFALL. CHECK IT OUT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE; THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INTERESTING BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT.

MEANWHILE, HURRICANE OMAR HAD BEEN BEARING DOWN ON OUR NEXT DESTINATION FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, AND WAS ON COURSE TO HIT THE SHORES OF PUERTO RICO RIGHT AROUND THE SAME TIME AS OUR PLANE WAS SCHEDULED TO LAND...OUCH. NOTHING LIKE HUNDRED MILE AN HOUR SUSTAINED WINDS, AND A FORECASTED TWENTY PLUS INCHES OF RAINFALL TO PUT THE DAMPER ON A ROCK SHOW. I GUESS OUR WEATHER KARMA WAS DUE FOR SOME GOOD LUCK AFTER A ROUGH SUMMER OF OUTDOOR SHOWS IN THE STATES, BECAUSE THE STORM NARROWLY MISSED SAN JUAN, AND MOVED OUT TO SEA WITHOUT INCIDENT...YAY, AND OLE'!

ON OUR DAY OFF, LIKE A SALMON SWIMMING UPSTREAM TO SPAWN, I WAS DRAWN TO OUR LONG TIME HAUNTS IN OLD SAN JUAN. ON OUR FIRST TRIP TO PUERTO RICO IN 1985, WE TOTALLY CONNECTED WITH THE OLD CITY. OUR PAST HANGS SUCH AS EL BATEY, MARIAS, EL MORRO AND THE EL CONVENTO HOTEL, WERE CALLING MY NAME, AND I COULD NOT RESIST VISITING THESE NOSTALGIC PLACES. I FOUND MARIA AT HER NEW BAR, EL TORTUGA...HER SMILE AS LOVELY AS EVER, AND COUNTING THE TILL AS ALWAYS. OUR OLD FRIEND AND BARTENDER AT EL BATEY, ALAN, HAS RETIRED, BUT I HONORED HIS MEMORY WITH A GLASS OF FINE SIPPING RUM AND A GAME OF BUMPER POOL...WITH MYSELF, I KNOW, HOW SAD IS THAT? THIS BEING THE SAME BUMPER POOL TABLE, OVER WHICH I, AND FORMER SECURITY MAN, MIKEY, HAD HELD COURT INTO THE WEE HOURS, BACK IN THE DAY. WE SET FORTH A CHALLENGE TO ALL COMERS: YOU WIN, WE GIVE UP THE TABLE...WE WIN, YOU BUY US SHOTS. I AM PROUD TO SAY WE RETIRED UNBEATEN, AND HAVING DRANK OUR COMBINED WEIGHT IN RUM AND TEQUILLA THAT NIGHT.

LAST NIGHT'S SHOW AT ROBERTO CLEMETE STADIUM WAS ANOTHER MAJOR SUCCESS. OUR GOOD BUDDIES, KANSAS, SHARED THE STAGE, AND TOGETHER WE ROCKED THE JOINT, BIG TIME. THE FIRST TIME WE PLAYED IN SAN JUAN, BACK IN 1985, WAS AT A TIME WHEN "CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING" WAS NUMERO UNO ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS, AT THE PEAK OF THAT SONG'S POPULARITY. IT WAS BLASTING OUT OF EVERY SHOP, TAXI, AND BOOM BOX ON THE ISLAND. WE WERE TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY WHEN WE PLAYED THE SONG THAT NIGHT, AND THE AUDIENCE SANG ALONG WITH SUCH VOLUME THAT THEY DROWNED OUT OUR SOUND SYSTEM. WELL GUESS WHAT, IT HAPPENED AGAIN LAST NIGHT. OUR CONNECTION WITH THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO IS UNDENIABLE, AND IT HAS REMAINED STRONG EVER SINCE. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT MUSIC HAS SUCH A MAGICAL POWER TO PEOPLE BRING, AND KEEP PEOPLE TOGETHER.

OUR CREW DID AN AMAZING JOB, UNDER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TECHNICAL CONDITIONS, IN ORDER TO PULL THIS TOUR OFF. ONCE AGAIN WALTER, MIKEY, SCHAEFF, PETE, PAUL, T-BYRD, SMOOTH, GONG-SHOW, AND JIMMY...YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST. THANKS TO ALL OF THE PROMOTERS, LOCAL CREWS, RADIO STATIONS AND FANS WHO HAVE MADE THIS TOUR SUCH A SUCCESS. BECAUSE OF YOU ALL, WE WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND SHARE OUR MUSIC WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THE CARIBBEAN AGAIN SOON.

SO NOW I SIT ABOARD MY FLIGHT HOME, LOOKING BACK ON OUR TOUR, LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR NEXT VISIT TO THESE SPECIAL ISLANDS, AND IN ANTICIPATION OF SEEING MY FAMILY TONIGHT. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, THE ONLY DRAG OF MY JOB IS THAT I HAVE TO BE AWAY FROM HOME SO MUCH, SO MY PAYOFF IS IN SIGHT.

GRACIAS, BUENOS NOCHES, AMIGOS,

KC

HOLA AMIGOS...

AS I ARRIVE AT MY NEW SEAT FOR OUR FLIGHT FROM SANTO DOMINGO TO PANAMA CITY, I AM FEELING BOTH RELAXED AND RELIEVED. RELIEVED SIMPLY BECAUSE AS I BOARDED THE PLANE, I WAS PLUCKED FROM THE JETWAY BY A DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SECURITY GUARD, AND ESCORTED AWAY FROM THE BAND AND CREW, THROUGH A SERIES OF CHECKPOINTS, TO AN ISOLATED SECURE AREA. ALONG THE WAY I WAS THINKING, EITHER THE AIRPORT MANAGER IS AN REO FAN WHO IS LOOKING FOR A LITTLE PRIVATE MEET AND GREET, OR ONE OF THE ROADIES STASHED SOME CONTRABAND IN ONE OF THE EQUIPMENT CASES WHICH WAS CHECKED ALONG WITH MY LUGGAGE. I WAS LEAD OUTSIDE, INSTRUCTED BY MY ESCORTS TO SIT IN A CHAIR AND WAIT, WHILE THE CONTINGENT OF OFFICIALS GATHERED AROUND ME CONTINUED TO GROW IN NUMBER. FINALLY, MY GREY "ZERO" WAS LAID BEFORE ME AND I WAS ASKED TO ENTER THE COMBINATION SO THE SUITCASE COULD BE OPENED AND INSPECTED. AS THE FEMALE OFFICER RUMMAGED THROUGH MY FASTIDIOUSLY PACKED T-SHIRTS, GOING THROUGH MY UNDERWEAR ONE PAIR OF CALVIN'S AT A TIME, AND MAKING A MESS OF MY PROFESSIONAL PACK JOB, I SAT QUIETLY, HAVING NO CLUE WHAT WAS BEING SAID OR WHAT MISDEED I WAS SUSPECTED OF HAVING COMMITTED. THEN, AS SUDDENLY AS I HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THE FOLD, MY STEPS WERE RETRACED, THROUGH THE SAME SECURITY POSTS, AND BACK TO THE JETWAY...WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST ATTEMPT AT AN EXPLANATION. WHEN I ENTERED THE CABIN I WAS INFORMED THAT MY ASSIGNMENT HAD BEEN SWITCHED, AND I GLADLY TOOK MY NEW SEAT. I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO DEPLANE IN PANAMA CITY, AND AS I PROCEEDED DOWN THE JETWAY I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE A LARGE CONTINGENT OF SERIOUS LOOKING GUYS IN SUITS, OBVIOUSLY ON HAND TO GREET SOMEONE OF IMPORTANCE, OR PERHAPS INFAMY. I STEADIED MYSELF FOR WHAT WAS TO COME, BUT AS I APPROACHED I SENSED THAT THIS WELCOMING PARTY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. THEY WERE LOOKING RIGHT PAST ME, AND TO THE DISTINGUISHED LOOKING GENTLEMAN WHO HAD OCCUPIED MY ORIGINAL SEAT. TURNS OUT HE WAS VICE PRESIDENT OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. COINCIDENCE? WHO KNOWS? ALL I KNOW IS ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. BUT I WILL SAY I FELT QUITE HELPLESS DURING THAT THIRTY-MINUTES-WHICH-SEEMED-LIKE-THREE-HOURS. BEING DETAINED IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, WITH NO COMPREHENSION OF WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE OR BEING SAID, GAVE ME A TASTE OF WHAT IT MUST FEEL LIKE IN ACTUAL DANGEROUS COUNTRIES UNDER REALLY VULNERABLE CONDITIONS.

LUCKILY, I WAS IN THE BEAUTIFUL DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HAVING JUST PLAYED THE THIRD SOLD OUT CONCERT OF OUR CARIBBEAN TOUR THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND HAVING PARTIED WITH ONE OF THIS COUNTRY'S NATIONAL TREASURES, BASEBALL GREAT AND FORMER CHICAGO CUB, SAMMY SOSA. WE HAD MET YEARS AGO WHEN WE SANG THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BEFORE A GAME AT WRIGLEY FIELD, AND SAMMY WAS AS COOL AS EVER. ACTUALLY IN THE SHORT TIME WE SPENT HERE IN SANTO DOMINGO, I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE DOMINICAN PEOPLE AND THEIR HISTORY AND CULTURE, AND HAVE A NEW FOUND APPRECIATION FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL PLACE. BRUCE, WALTER AND I TOURED THE OLD CITY, VISITED THE HOME OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, SHOPPED FOR INDIGENOUS AMBER AND LATIGO JEWELRY, AND GOT A LESSON IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT SAMMY SOSA IS SUCH A GREAT BALL PLAYER, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS MORE PLAYERS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, PER CAPITA, THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE U.S. BASEBALL CAPTURED THE PASSION OF THE DOMINICAN PEOPLE WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED BY AN AMERICAN AMBASSADOR IN THE EARLY 1900s...AND I WALK AWAY WITH A PAIR OF SAMMY SOSA AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALLS FOR MY SONS, JOSH AND SHANE...IT'S ALL BUENO.

OUR CARIBBEAN ADVENTURE, OR AS IT HAS COME TO BE KNOWN, "THE TROPICAL DEPRESSION TOUR", (A COUPLE OF HURRICANES LURKING OUT AT SEA, COMBINED WITH SOME COLORFUL BAND MEETINGS, HAVE PROVIDED FOR SOME INTERESTING, IF CHAOTIC, ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ;-), STARTED ON THE TRULY PRISTINE ISLAND OF ARUBA. WE CO-HEADLINED THE ARUBA MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH GLORIA ESTAFAN, AND AS ODD A PAIRING AS IT MIGHT SEEM TO AN AMERICAN AUDIENCE, IT WORKED OUT "CHEVERE" HERE IN THE ISLANDS. BOTH NIGHTS OF THE FESTIVAL WERE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT, AND WERE ATTENDED BY PEOPLE FROM SEVENTEEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE U.S., VENEZUELA, COLUMBIA, MEXICO, AND OF COURSE ARUBA. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS GORGEOUS DUTCH ISLAND FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR A PERFECT CHILL OUT GETAWAY. ARUBA HAS IT ALL: BEAUTIFUL BEACHES, A VARIETY OF WATER SPORTS, THE WARM CARIBBEAN SEA, THE QUAINT CITY OF ORANJESTAAD, AND YEAR ROUND SUNSHINE. I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK THERE. THANKS TO LEE THE PROMOTER FOR TREATING US LIKE ROYALTY, AND FOR PRODUCING A GREAT, SUCCESSFUL EVENT,

OUR NEXT STOP WAS A REAL BIG ROCK SHOW AT THE CRICKET STADIUM IN PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD. I'M TALKING OVER THIRTEEN THOUSAND SCREAMING FANS, SINGING ALONG TO EVERY SONG...WE WERE AWED BY THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO OUR MUSIC. OUR FRIEND AND CONCERT PROMOTER VISHNU INVITED US BACK TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, AFTER A SEVENTEEN-YEAR ABSENCE SINCE OUR LAST CONCERT IN THAT COUNTRY. HE, HIS WIFE GAIL, AND THE ENTIRE A-TEAM, HAVE BROUGHT ROCK'N ROLL TO THIS GREAT ISLAND NATION, AND THE PEOPLE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO LOVE TO ROCK OUT. WE WISELY TOOK VISHNU'S ADVICE AND ADDED A FEW SONGS TO OUR SET LIST ESPECIALLY FOR THESE CARIBBEAN SHOWS. THE PLACE WENT NUTS FOR SONGS SUCH AS, "IN YOUR LETTER, "HERE WITH ME", "ONE LONELY NIGHT", "KEEP THE FIRE BURNING" AND "IN MY DREAMS"...AND IT WAS REALLY FUN TO DUST OFF SOME OF THESE FORGOTTEN CHESTNUTS. WE WILL LIKELY BE INCLUDING THESE TUNES ON THE SETLIST ON FUTURE U.S. SHOWS.

SO WE ARE NOW SAFELY ON THE GROUND IN PANAMA CITY. WE LANDED AFTER NIGHTFALL, BUT I AM ALREADY AMAZED BY THE SIZE AND MODERNITY OF THIS CITY.
BUENOS NOCHES,
KC

PS. I AWOKE THIS MORNING, AND WALKED OUT ON MY BALCONY OVERLOOKING THE PACIFIC OCEAN TO AN AMAZING VIEW OF PANAMA'S SKYLINE, COASTLINE, AND A LINE OF FREIGHTERS AWAITING THEIR TRIP THROUGH THE CANAL. TONIGHT'S SHOW IS ANOTHER SOLD OUT AFFAIR, AND TOMORROW WE PLAN TO TOUR THE CITY AND EXPLORE THE CANAL ZONE. TO BE CONTINUED...

HOWDY SAILORS,

I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A BIT OF A DRY SPELL SINCE MY LAST NEWSLETTER. I'VE BEEN DROWNING IN A TORRENT OF EMAIL'S. I AM LEARNING A LOT ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING, FEELING AND WANTING. I AM PRETTY MUCH KEEPING ABOVE WATER, BUT PLEASE BE PATIENT, MY TYPING IS A BIT RUSTY, NOT TO MENTION MY BRAIN.

OKAY, SO MUCH FOR SOGGY METAPHORS.... WE PRETTY MUCH TOOK THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER OFF. SPRING AND SUMMER OF 2008 WERE ACTION PACKED, AND A BREAK WAS IN ORDER. IT IS SO TEMPTING TO JUST WORK, WORK, WORK...WHY NOT, WE LOVE WHAT WE DO, BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP A BALANCE. I HAVE BEEN WAKING UP WITH MY CHILDREN EVERY MORNING, FIXING BREAKFAST; DRIVING EVERYBODY TO SCHOOL...I ACTUALLY LOVE IT, EXCEPT FOR THAT DANG ALARM CLOCK. (I AM PUSHING FOR THE MORNING BELL TO BE CLOSER TO 11:00 AM...WHAT'S THE RUSH TO GET STARTED SO EARLY ANYWAY?). I KNOW MANY OF YOU GUYS DON'T TRAVEL AS MUCH AS WE DO, AND THE DAILY GRIND CAN PROBABLY GET A LITTLE GRUELING....TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE. BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I TREASURE THE TIMES WHEN I GET TO SHARE THE LITTLE EVERY DAY STUFF WITH MY KIDS. I GUESS IT'S A "GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE" THING, BUT WE ALL DO NEED TO APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAVE.

AS WE ROLL THROUGH AMERICA IT IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO NOTICE HOW PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THE FUNKY STATE OF WORLD AFFAIRS. EACH OF US IS FACED WITH CHALLENGES EVERY DAY...SOME MORE DIFFICULT THAN OTHERS. WHEN I THINK ABOUT PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOMES, JOBS, SAVINGS, ETC., I FEEL SO SAD. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I BELIEVE IN THE RESILIENCE OF THE AMERICAN SPIRIT, AND I KNOW WE WILL GET THROUGH THESE TIMES TOGETHER. WE ALL NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BE POSITIVE ABOUT OUR OWN SITUATIONS, AND TO HELP THOSE WHOSE PROBLEMS ARE WORSE THAN OUR OWN.


WE HAVE A GREAT FRIEND OF THE BAND WHO IS CURRENTLY FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AGAINST AN AGGRESSIVE CASE OF PANCREATIC CANCER. HE IS ONE OF THE MOST GENEROUS, HARD WORKING, AND JUST ALL AROUND GOOD GUYS I KNOW. HE DID NOTHING TO BRING THIS CONDITION ON HIMSELF, HE JUST WOKE UP ONE DAY, WENT TO THE DOCTOR, AND GOT THE NEWS OF HIS SERIOUS CONDITION. WHENEVER I FIND MYSELF IN A BLUESY MOOD, I THINK OF HIM AND IT STRAIGHTENS ME RIGHT UP. WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER AN ALL STAR BENEFIT SHOW TO HELP HIM COVER HIS INSANE MEDICAL COSTS, AND PUT THE HEALING POWERS OF MUSIC IN HIS CORNER. I AM VERY HOPEFUL FOR HIS RECOVERY...
YOU BE STRONG, G.P.

OKAY, NOW I WILL LIGHTEN...

LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE IS NEW AND EXCITING? WELL, WE ARE PLAYING A SHOW IN L.A. THIS WEEKEND WITH PERHAPS THE ODDEST TALENT LINE UP WE HAVE EVER BEEN PART...CHECK IT OUT: DEVO, BILLY IDOL, TWISTED SISTER, BLONDIE, PSYCHEDELIC FURS, AND...REO SPEEDWAGON! WILD EH? I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO A KICK ASS SET, AND AN INTERESTING MUSICAL EXPERIENCE.

THEN WE GO BACK TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED, AS WE PLAY A CONCERT AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS IN CHAMPAIGN, THE BIRTHPLACE OF OUR BAND. WE GET TO GO AND HANG OUT ON OUR VERY OWN STREET: REO SPEEDWAGON WAY. WE ARE SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT SHOW...WE OWE SO MUCH TO THE PEOPLE OF CHAMPAIGN.

AFTER THAT WE HEAD OFF ON A MAJOR ROCK ADVENTURE, AS WE ATTEMPT TO PLAY A SERIES OF SHOWS ON VARIOUS ISLANDS IN THE CARIBBEAN, INCLUDING ARUBA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, PUERTO RICO, AND EVEN THOUGH STRICTLY SPEAKING IT IS NOT AN ISLAND, PANAMA. WE ARE GOING DOWN THERE WITH A BARE BONES SET UP, AND GOING TO ROCK OUT OLD SCHOOL. IT SHOULD BE FUN.

OOPS, THE KIDS JUST BURST INTO THE ROOM, SO IT'S TIME FOR ME TO TRANSFORM MYSELF INTO "DADDYMAN" GET THE HOMEWORK GOING, GRILL SOME BURGERS FOR DINNER, (OR MORE LIKELY CALL PAPA JOHN'S), AND DEBRIEF EVERYONE ON HOW THEIR SCHOOL DAY WENT. SO I'LL CHECK OUT FOR NOW ... I WON'T BE SUCH A STRANGER.
ALOHA,

KC

Hey Everybody,
Here I go with the ritualistic "on the airplane home" version of the infamous KC Newsletter. The trip home is just the first phase of the transition between the road and home. The tricky part is that the road becomes home while we are on tour...the band and crew guys are my best friends, brothers, confidants...that is how we all survive this wacky lifestyle. Luckily for us, our band and crew are family. The bond between us is so strong...and then we all go off in different directions to our other families...our actual families. So while I can hardly wait to see my wife and my children, I also miss the camaraderie of the traveling circus also known as REO Speedwagon. I know, I know, in a mere ten days I will be lamenting having to leave my friends and loved ones behind as I head out on the road again.

"The Great Egg War of 2008" was bravely fought on the highways of Wisconsin, between Milwaukee, through Fond du Lac, and on to Wausau. For this short ride we decided to eschew the traditional tour bus, and instead commandeer a pair of compact SUV's with Bruce driving an un-armed vehicle for Neal and Bryan, and Walter at the wheel for Dave and me and our four fresh, delicate, raw eggs...or as we call them: ammo.

A little background may be in order so I can properly set the stage. You see, there is a rich history of egg warfare throughout the history of REO touring. But perhaps the fiercest, and stickiest, of all battles, a masterpiece of strategy and precision logistics, and the one which resulted in the "Great 1985 Egg Treaty of New England", occurred in the great state of Maine. It began innocently, as then tour manager Tommy Consolo rolled up to a McDonald's drive-thru, and proceeded to order one raw egg. At a stop light at the next intersection, I exited our vehicle, casually aimed, and proceeded to slime the passenger side windshield of the car being driven by Alan Gratzer, with Neal Doughty riding shotgun and Bruce in the back seat. Neal had been looking forward to a relaxing drive on a crisp clear autumn afternoon, through the scenic New England countryside. Our attack spoiled everything...at that point "it was on".

The final volley of that historic day, and perhaps the pinnacle of egg fighting surprise attack strategy, was truly a thing of beauty. We had pulled over our car with the intent of a roadside attack, but our adversaries had brilliantly taken a shortcut, and gotten ahead of us. We finally remounted, and headed north along a quiet two lane highway. Then it happened, coming toward us, heading south, was Bruce and Neal's car, with Alan hanging out of the window, ammo in hand. We were sitting ducks and we paid a dear price for our earlier attack, which Neal still claims was a war crime since their car was trapped at a traffic light at the time. I, on the other hand, contend that "All's fair in love and egg fighting".

Well, we got our revenge in Wisconsin in a stunning, high speed chase which culminated in a fearless exit ramp ambush. Bruce had pulled some remarkable defensive driving moves, but when we raced ahead, doing 110 MPH, and proceeded to block the ramp, he knew there was trouble. As I ran along the shoulder, holding the final egg in full view of my intended victims, Bruce brilliantly turned on his windshield wipers and washers with perfect timing so that when my chicken missile hit, it was partially blocked...but nevertheless made a wonderful mess.

We were all laughing hysterically, so hard Dave couldn't catch his breath. Do we know how to have fun, or what?

Meanwhile, the band is sounding better than ever, sound man Neil Schaeffer has the house mix dialed in, our vocals are in tune as never before, we have tightened up a few ragged edges of some of our instrumental passages, and we love this year's set list, which includes "Golden Country" and "Son Of A Poor Man", an occasional acoustic version of "Needed to Fall" and "in My Dreams", as well as rare sightings of "Like You Do" and "Building The Bridge". We are having a blast our here.

Our "Live in the Heartland DVD" is available now. "Find Your Own Way Home" went top twenty. And we are in the advance planning stages for an exciting co-headline amphitheater tour for 2009. The new "reospeedwagon.com" is up and running, and being improved upon every day.

We play Ashville, North Carolina tonight as we head toward our New York City show with Boston at Jones Beach this coming Tuesday, and Detroit with Def Leppard and Styx later this month. In October we will be doing a grueling tour of Caribbean Islands...hey it's a tough gig, but someone has to do it. Then we will wind down for the year with a triumphant return to the Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois in Champaign. I expect you may find us wandering down "REO Speedwagon Way" through the revitalized Champaign downtown entertainment district after the show.

Okay, that's all I can think of at the moment, if you have any other questions or comments, you can reach me at kc@kevincronin.com.

Keep Pushing,

KC