Tuesday 29 December 2009

g'day

This is a story of 4 men in a dream like state. Out of our minds in the outback. A place called the outback for the simple reason that it is out back.

Australia is our location. Sydney to be kind of exact. Well not really.
Steve, Milan,
Motil and myself are moments away from entering the Pete’s ridge music festival to open our tour. The faint sound of exotic birds in the background, beautiful terrain, lovely weather and a dream to take over the world. One laugh at a time. These buddies that I am traveling with are a wonderful source of life.
I have been looking forward to this trip, but have been a bit distracted by my own nutty moments.
Recently, experience grabbed me by the balls and spit me out a new man. Now I don’t mean there was not a ton of tears and frustration that I created involved, but after the storm cleared I feel free again.
Okay….. My story is jumping around a bit I know , but I have not bloged in so long there is a bunch to catch up on.
First…That would be a great place to start.
I am no longer a San Diego resident. My new place of dwelling…… “Dred locks” couch. AKA Keith Benton my percussionist and life long friend .
I made the decision in England while touring there a month ago.
During this time something came over me. It’s time for a change, and to approch life with the fire that burns in the pits of my stomach. To reform, re-invent the fire of hell, and the love of heaven that burns inside all of us… what theatrics I create.
I have been living in sadness for some time. I had become recluse and an anger started to brew inside of me for no reason. I had everything going my way, but happiness. I was creating myself as a sad unworthy person. More and more people were coming up to me saying, “You alright man?” And “what’s wrong? Your not yourself.”
This is not the guy I want to hang out with. You can’t run away from yourself (the bob Marley line a nutty militant man told me in a hash bar in Amsterdam in 2003, whilst scaring the shit out of me).
I started to think of the “now” moment I was not living in. Living just in the stories in my head that the voice was telling me was true. Now I know that is not the real me. The lover of life, people, and experience. The guy that I know myself to be.
So when I got home I packed my bags, and put my whole life in storage…. almost my whole life. Something’s I let go. I miss you.
It is amazing to see your whole life in a 4x7 closet in Van Nuys.
After my relocation to LA I gathered the forces of the most supernatural musicians I know and started making a new album. I love it already. The process of being in the studio, being in LA, back on a bike with a Giraffes head horn, and a yellow “bench warmers” bike helmet that makes me look like the short bus WAS the correct bus for me to ride in junior high.
Wait, “did he say that girl? Oh, Girl yes he did girl”(I love NYC).
I am back on a bike. A Jammis Civilian 24 speed kick as red bicycle that takes me were I need to go, while toning my ass. It Is a humbling experience to go from the avocado farm and the easiness of San Diego, my coffee shop, and local lovers to sharing Keith’s couch with his cat, and re-learning the public transit system. I must say on a side note that the bus is real reality TV. I love the guys that come on and rap out load, really fucking loud. I almost want to say “shut your pie whole”, but I hold the space for them to express themselves the way god intended them to. I think Jesus was a pot-smoking hippie, and god invented LSD so the almighty can take it, and laugh at his creation. And what a creation it is. Who else could take dust and make it life, inside life, inside life…forever.
Okay we are getting there in this catch up story, can’t wait for the mustard…. Catch up story… never mind. I love you
Xmas came and went as it does. I hope all of you had, and are having an amazing journey through the season of biblical perorations.
My Xmas was great we burned a fire all day in love, watched movies, shared stories and great food that did not take that long to make.
The day after I took a cab, to a train from LA to San Diego. Then got in a cab to my local O. Side coffee pub, to a friends house. Then hitched a ride to SD airport (wrong terminal) to a bus to the correct terminal. Got on a plane BACK TO LA. (Don’t ask, or ? me)
4 hour lay over, until our 14-hour flight to Sydney. I travel for 28 hours.
BTW Delta has wonderful movie selections on over seas flights.
I started this blog yesterday, now it is today and we had our first show at the Pete Ridge festival. They may of called it the Bushwalla wet dream fest (I haven’t had a wet dream in 6 months….er….)
The festival was filled with Music, Sustainable everything, jugglers, hoopers, Bohemian circus’s, and hotties. What more can a silly American clown ask for?
Steve played at 4pm and I was blown away. I have not seen him play solo in probably 5 years, and I was so pleased to watch him. Such a great songwriter, guitar player, and stand up guy. So funny. One of my favorite moments is when he goes up to random folks and says “I’M STEVE” in a rain man type of tone…. god that cracks me up. You would probably have to be hear for that one to sink in, But I am truly honored to be with such a lover of life, and to be in the presence of someone who has not forgotten how to play with everyone.
I played in a tent called th “CHI PALACE” and that’s what it was.
You had to check your shoes at the entrance of the tent, and they served chi hot/cold and cookies. The audience in this area was able to lay down and kick back on Turkish pillows, and lil couches.
I went out as I usually do with a swing in my step and a high five for everyone. Opening line. Sung, “I come from a land up over.”


The audience was great, as I entered I heard someone say “I love you Bushwalla” and “I replied I love you too”, and I felt at home. After the show folks that were just lovely greeted me. One person handing me affirmation prayer flags. I was happy to except them, and another tied a ribbon around my arm. The whole festival is in a valley, so we are surrounded by the “out back”.
Day turned to night and we ended with amazing green curry in down town Sydney. Were I got the “big eye” from a dude…..

Now I sit ready for 2nd show at the festival. I am in my hotel 3/4 of the way done with my Crapachino. And I just ran out of words… so I will leave you with this.

In the words of HADD 1
“have a XXX mas, Kinky Kwanza, and a horny Chanukah".
Happy new year, and safe travels. If you have to much to drink or smoke or whatever you do. Give someone your keys…at the beginning of the night. JUST DO IT.


Also,…When your getting kinky at Kinkos……
Remember to laminate!

Many blessings
bw





18 comments:

  1. good luck on this next leg of life billy.
    you can make it whatever you want.
    believe in our own smile.
    you are so LOVED

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  2. sweet! so good to read your words. can't wait to hear the new album. when you get back, we need a picture of you on that bike...

    yep, this from a woman who should be on the short bus every day of her life

    glad you are finding your way

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  3. Nice to have you back. Missed your posts! Glad you are having a wonderful time at the festival and good luck on this new adventure of your life!

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  4. You're making the change you need to make. I really dig that. I've recently had some comments made in passing toward me... about me... that made me do the same thing you did. "I don't want to hang out with that person" that I've created myself to be, unknowingly, unwittingly. Sometimes you have to take change by the balls and make it happen. Good for you. Happy is a good color on your face.

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  5. Okay... this is wild....

    Earlier today, I woke up thinking how I wanted to handle my business. Then a friend of mine mentioned how he wanted to be on a beach in Mykonos. It is FREEZING here in the Northeast and they are saying another blizzard by the end of the week and I just want to cry. I know I should be grateful for another day on this earth, but I want to be warm!

    I used to think about Argentina and then I realized that I want to be a snowbird! But not just Florida...

    So while working on my business plan, I'm scrapping the one that I can kinda do from anywhere, but somewhat attached, I'm pushing forward the one that I can do anywhere and hire someone who can answer the phones. But it's something that helps people and I'm free!

    Onward and upward and work towards your goals!

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  6. I admire you for your bold move. It couldn't have been easy. It looks like you are surrounding yourself with people and environments that inspire you. Good luck on your new journey. Something tells me that you are juuuuuust crazy enough to make it all work.
    Looking forward to your new album.
    Until then. . .
    Marie

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  7. Dude! I had no idea. I'm so glad you found your path back to Optimism otherwise my T-shirts would be worthless! :)

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  8. Hey Mate!

    Since I discovered you and your music, I go from amazement to laughter (I like your farty video...). I'm glad to read that this is the beginning of a new life for you and I can tell you that there's nothing better than Australia for that!!! No I'm not Aussie.... but I love that country. That's why I'm flying to Melbourne and I was soooo happy to read that you would be there on the 2nd of Januray!!! But... my plane land the same night at 11pm, so, I won't even have the chance to see you... the real one... THE Bushwalla! What a pity.

    Anyway, I'm looking forward to hear your new album and wish you,
    luck, happiness and all that goes with a fulfilling new life.

    Take care

    Clo from Switzerland

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  9. good for you! so happy to see you're feeling better. good luck and lots of love!

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  10. i love that you still choose to blog. thank you for being true to yourself. you are not afraid of who you are, or who you will become.mekes people wonder and look at their own ways of living, you know?


    anyhow, glad to hear you're doing well b.
    take care of yourself over there and safe travels.

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  11. glad you're back Billy

    :)

    much love


    "don't drink and drive, smoke pot and fly!"
    haha! love that.

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  12. Yourself should always come first. Because once you are who you want to be, that's when you become not only a joy to be around but an influential one.

    i always believe in you and your music, and i'm glad that you are heading in a good direction.

    See you in two weeks. :)

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  13. A favourite saying of mine - 'the Heart has its reasons, of which Reason knows nothing'
    Happy New Year Bushwalla, I look forward to seeing your journey unfold xo

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  14. Don't drink and drive... smoke dope, eat soap and fly home in a bubble.

    I hope the changes you make in your life will bring the happiness you need (we all need) closer. Enjoy your time in Oz and while your here remember to have fun in the summer sun but don't forget your sunscreen

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  15. Your story, though at times off the beaten path, was one of such spontanaiety and happiness. I know your having a ball in Australia, who wouldn't. Best of luck with reigniting the fire, and more so kindling said flame. It's hard to begin again, but harder to find that point where your comfortable enough but not too much. You know, that grey area between happy and metally insane, however based off of your short bus remark, sounds like your leaning toward the mentally insane side of the spectrum, but then again...again, genius' are often thought to be mentally insane before they're understood.

    Best of luck Bush, glad to hear about people in this world who know what to live for.

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  16. aahhh...honesty...so refreshing and rings so clear.

    good on YOU for stepping out into the unknown and challenging yourself...can't wait to witness your growth in your art. xx

    P.S. soooo glad that you're gracing our Australian shores again...we love you here! hope you have a FABULOUS time and hope you'll be back again soon...and for longer!

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  17. Glad you are back to your "glass half full" self. Nature abhors both a vacuum and a depressed Bushwalla.

    Don't overlook these times of melancholy, though -- they teach us important lessons about ourselves. Many of the most influential works of literature, art, and music were written/painted/composed by SERIOUSLY depressed people. Their work was an outlet, and western culture got the benefit.

    Americans put too much of a premium on being happy every second of every day. No one can live up to that! The key, as with everything else, is balance. Life is a glorious, wild, crazy, sane, laugh-out-loud, cry-your-eyes-out smorgasbord of pleasure and pain, and our best bet is to accept the reality of the latter while grabbing up opportunities to enjoy the former.

    Peace,
    -A

    P.S. I agree; Jesus was a liberal.

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