What I've Been Up To on the Road...

So I know that I still have a few more posts to finish up from the Europe Trip, but I thought that you might like to see what I've been up to on my month-long Spring Tour out west. I am currently in Los Angeles, and heading up to San Francisco today, but here are some pictures from where I've been so far...The first stop was Chicago, and I got to share a show with some good friends of mine, Flame Shark. We did a radio spot at WNUR before the show, and the picture above shows Justin Jahnke of FS and myself preparing to infiltrate the Chicago radio waves.

Driving through Kansas I decided it was time for a clean-up, so I shaved off most of my facial hair and got a haircut in Emporia, KS. It was the longest haircut of my life, the old guy used only scissors, but he did a bad-ass job.

Palo Duro Canyon outside of Amarillo, TX. I stopped for a bit of hiking on my way through, as my brother and I had enjoyed this canyon last summer on tour. I believe that it is the 2nd largest canyon in the U.S. after the Grand Canyon.

I spent a weekend playing shows in New Mexico: at a roadhouse in Madrid and then a house concert in Placitas. DeeDee (pictured above) and her mom were kind enough to put me up for the weekend as couchsurfing hosts, and they threw one hell of a house concert/party on Saturday night. Here is DeeDee modeling a Mexican wrestling mask AND a John Statz t-shirt. Yes, we both ended up with masks (see my Facebook profile picture).

The house concert in Placitas, NM. I really had a good time and met tons of fun people. Thanks DeeDee and Michelle!

Slovenia Road Trip - Pt. 2

Depending on how familiar you are with my music, you may know the song, "The Isonzo Waltz". It is about a series of battles fought during World War I between the Italians and the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the Isonzo River. Well the Isonzo lies mostly in modern-day Slovenia, and is called the Socha in Slovene. The Socha is a beautiful blue river, and it starts up in the Julian Alps that you can see in the background.

The Alps at sunset. Some serious WWI battles were fought up at the top of those peaks, with trenches cut into ice, snow and rock. Crazy to imagine such warfare.

This is a mausoleum in Kobarid filled with the remains of 7,000 Italian soldiers from the Isonzo Front. It was built by Mussolini in the 1930's when this was Italian territory, and those M arches are a standard architectural design of his time period. Mussolini had a massive ego, but then again, all dictators do. Kobarid is Caporetto in Italian, and you might recognize that name if you've read Hemingway's Farewell To Arms. Hemingway actually worked as a Red Cross ambulance driver in Caporetto during WWI, and based the book on his experiences here. He was present at the Battle of Kobarid, when the German-aided Austrians pushed the Italians out of the mountains and re-took the city. Caporetto is Italy's "Alamo".

The Socha River winds its way south through the valley and past the quiet town of Kobarid.

The Julian Alps in all their majesty.

Slovenia Roadtrip - Pt. 1

So far my trip had mainly consisted of seeing capital city after capital city, which had been an amazing time. However, I was really wanting to leave the city behind for awhile and hit up those beautiful Alps I had seen from Ljubljana. I rented a car for two days and so began my Slovene road trip...Cruising up the highway towards those wonderful mountains. Most people here drive like assholes, I'm sorry to say. If you hop in the left lane for a second to pass one slow-moving vehicle they will be on your ass immediately, riding your bumper and honking. The speed limit here was like 100 kph, but everyone in the left lane was going like 140 or more.

Lake Bled. This was my original destination because I had heard things. When I got there it simply wasn't far enough away from civilization for me, it was too much like Door County in Wisconsin or another touristy area. I only spent about 15 mins. here and then headed deeper into the mountains to get lost.

This was my ride: a Renault Megane. When I said I needed an automatic they almost laughed at me. Damn European drivers and their manuals, or damn me and my lifetime of driving automatics.

Much better, I left the cities behind and hiked up to a waterfall above Lake Bohinj, seen down the valley. These are called the Julian Alps, after Julius Caesar, and everything here is pretty close to the border of Italy.

The waterfall and I. Took this one using a timer and placing the camera on the railing, so it isn't the best frame for showing the falls, but look at that deep green water!

Videos from Ljubljana concert

So my father found these videos on YouTube the other day when he typed my name in, they are from my February 10th show at Tovarna Rog in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The Rog is an old bike factory that has been taken over by squatters, and they have a really cool music venue set up there. The first video is of a brand new song I wrote on my way into Bosnia, its called "Night Train To Sarajevo", and I'm glad that someone captured the song. I also have a live recording of the whole concert, so I maybe I'll have to release that some day... "Live from Slovenia". Anyways, enjoy the videos!

Pt. 1: "Night Train to Sarajevo" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_-5S81d9aU&feature=related

Pt. 2: "Song and Dance Man" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrryhnL5jNY&feature=related

I'm Home!

So I am back home in the good ole US of A, and man what a trip that was! Obviously I still need to finish some posts, as I still have to cover my Slovene road trip, Venice, Verona, and Rome, so I'll get those pictures posted soon. I just wanted to say what an amazing time I had in Europe, and give shout-outs to some folks that made it so great. While I saw many wonderful sights, by and large the BEST thing about my trip was the great great people I met. So thanks to the folks below, I'm glad that I met you, and to many more people that aren't listed, you made my trip!

Warsaw - Katarzyna, I really enjoyed hanging out with you at the hostel, thanks for bringing your charm to the beginning of my trip

Krakow - Gosia, Gosia & Bartek, thanks for your hospitality and your warm apartment
Francisco, had a great time exploring the city with you man, hopefully we'll meet up in the U.S. some day

Prague - Rolf, you were such a great friend to me in Prague, it was truly a pleasure to surf at your apartment and get to know you

Budapest - Adam, I had a great time recording with you, and thanks so much for sharing your home with me and helping me set up some gigs

Vienna - Klaus, thank you for the amazing gig in Vienna, and for sharing some stories and beers with me

Sarajevo - Pete and Rod, you guys were a blast to hang out with, I hope we can be lucky enough some day to meet up again somewhere to party

Ljubljana - Muki, you were a great guide to the city, and thank you so much for the place to stay and for the great gigs

Parma - Guido and Francesca, your venue is a wonderful place to perform, and you were extremely kind hosts, thank you

To everyone else that I met randomly on trains and in town squares, you all made my trip! Thank you,

John

Ljubljana - Pt. 2

A view of Ljubljana from the castle.

The Julian Alps of Slovenia. The next day I rented a car and drove up into them, but you'll see that in the next post...

Enjoying a nice day by the river in downtown Ljubljana.

Some REALLY creepy installation art in Metelkova, another squatter's locale.

My second and last gig in Ljubljana, at a club called Jalla Jalla in Metelkova. I was seriously singing through a karaoke mic, and my guitar was plugged into a huge electric guitar amplifier. It was fun as hell.

Ljubljana (Slovenia) - Pt. 1

The main square in Slovenia's capital city, Ljubljana. It was a bit cold and rainy the day I arrived.

There is this famous architect that designed like half of the structures in Ljubljana, including this bridge, and I can't remember his name right now. Well, he's famous for Slovenia...

Some awesome graffiti, there were several like this.

This is where I played my first gig, at a squatter's localed called Tovarna Rog. It used to be a bicycle factory, but since that shut down its been taken over illegally by squatters who have made it their home. All electricity is powered by generators, and as far as heat goes, well, it was chilly.

Across the three bridges from Ljubljana's old town and castle.