Lily Wilson: Journal

This was a fun gig in the 105 degree weather of a Phoenix evening. I have never played in Phoenix, and was so happy to explore this desert city. The venue is really sweet. Many, many thanks to Patrick and to Dave at Mama Java's, to Kel and Meredith, and to our new Phoenix friends. I just read a poem that Kel was inspired to write from the audience that night, and I have to put it up. I'm so honored to have people like her to play for out here on the road. Check out her amazing, handmade, and eco-friendly candles at http://www.drippingincolor.com
Feet Up Off The Floor

storytelling
with love and light
lyrics of truth
music that has
a cure for
symptoms that
are unreachable
because they're
unknown until
just that one song
the one sitting
on her side has
the music down
pat he will
mesmerize you
with talent
you better believe that
a voice of clarity
seems it comes
from her core
give her back that takamine
and you'll know for sure
when the song is deep and soulful
that's when she lifts her
feet up off the floor.

posted by Kel at 2:22 PM

Broken glass and mangled steel in a rusted train car. We drive through the desert and read signs like “State Prison. DO NOT pick up hitch hikers.” And then there’s a rest stop. And I really have to stop for a bathroom break. But it’s O.K. I’ll wait till we get out of the general prison area. We’re listening to Massive Attack’s beautiful “100th Window,” which adds an even more surreal cast to the afternoon.

There are picture perfect Sonora cactus plants in every gesture welcoming us to their land. The land of no water and colorful blooms. The land of jagged and dark chocolate-colored mountains. I’m thinking about the Mexican immigrants who have negotiated their way on foot through this desert (to the south of us) to get to this promised land. I can’t even imagine leaving the comfort of my air-conditioned car here. It is picturesque and brutal. The sun is setting in the rearview mirror. It’s a two-lane freeway, and we’re surrounded by trucks. They always scare me just a little. I feel like a tiny fish swimming with whales. One is painted with a sign praising President Bush, and sites a passage from the bible. He’s driving his eighteen- wheeler like a sports car, weaving in at out of traffic at 80 miles per hour. We steer clear.

And now we are in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s dark and hot- 90 degrees at 9:00 pm. The stars are bright. We are so blessed to have a beautiful home to stay in- Thank you Betsy and Kai!!! I am amazed by the generosity of my friends. We went to a neighborhood wine bar for a glass of Syrah and some salad- pure luxury. We’re preparing our set list for tomorrow night, and cranking up our portable humidifier. We’re looking forward to seeing our friends at Mama Java’s on Wednesday night. Ahhh, I love the road...

I just want to thank everyone for coming out to Molly Malone's last night. We had such a blast!

There were some truly magical moments. When Beth and Rob played piano and accordion on 10,000 Miles, and the whole band kept playing after I sang the last chorus, it was such a joy to be on the stage so wrapped in beautiful music. And we all decided to end it at the same exact moment, so the last note hung in the air just so perfectly.

I was a little nervous about debuting my new song called “A Little Life.” Mark and I wrote this one together. He comes up with such great musical hooks, and this was one that he kept playing every time he would pick up a guitar for weeks. One day I found myself humming it, and started writing lyrics. Someone said it’s a perfect song for a teenager leaving home. I guess there’s always a need to create something real on one’s own. To have a little life of one’s own. It’s pretty universal I think... Anyway, I was so happy with the way the song turned out- and it rocked! Now, let’s get it placed in the next teen blockbuster movie about leaving home ;-)

Thanks to Alissa Moreno http://www.alissamoreno.com, to Beth Thornley http://www.beththornley.com,
and to Dal Conner for playing such beautiful music and for making the night extra special. The Dream Band was in fine form; and I think the hour I spent in the steam room at the Korean spa really opened up my voice ;-) That's going to be a routine from now on. Actually, it started with yoga for two hours in the morning in my living room. Then the spa in Korea town. I REALLY want to thank everybody who braved the stormy streets of L.A. to come to our concert. And thanks to Mark Browne, James Harrah, and Gary Fergusen, my AWESOME band.

If you’re in L.A., come to the next show at Molly’s on May 2...

I'm just settling back into the rain-soaked "Southland," after some family time in Hawaii. I don't know if I'm ready to be back...

So, while I was on Maui, I had the great opportunity of being a guest on Michael McCartney's show, "The Time Machine" on Mana'o Radio. For over two hours, we chatted, I played some tunes, AND I got to play DJ, which was my favorite part. It was such a fun time- by far the best interview I've had. It will be available on line for the next week, playing every three hours.
The link can be found near the top of our pages on both of our MySpace websites (http://www.myspace.com/thetimemachine and http://www.myspace.com/thetimemachineradioshow or at:

http://www.thetimemachine.fm
This is the direct link to the Live365 page:

http://www.live365.com/stations/thetimemachine1?site=thetimemachine1andplay

"Ever so softly it grows when you don't wear your armour
Crushing the burden and confusion sour
Trembling high on every leaf
Raining light down on your belief..."
-From "Fire" on "Shine."

Nights like last night make me love living in L.A. Daniel Lanois, one of my most favorite musicians on the planet, has been playing every Tuesday night at a small club in my neighborhood. We got there early to stand in line with all the other die hard fans. We waited in the clear night air, on the residential neighborhood sidewalk for an hour. When they let us in, they informed us that we couldn't leave and come back, and that Daniel Lanois didn't go on until 11:00. We staked out the best spot- right in front of the
sound guy on a little rise with a table and two precious chairs. I sat and guarded our chairs. Mark got our drinks and chatted with musician friends and people streamed into the dark little club with the glittery blue and silver curtains and the mirror ball that's made to look like Saturn with a ring of mirrors circling it. The two openning bands were pretty great- especially "Pedestrian" led by Alanis' former guitarist, Joel Shearer.
Daniel played with a band called "Mother Superior" from Delaware. They were awesome- perfect rhythm section and sublime harmonies. Wow. He has such a humble presence. I spent most of the time with my eyes closed just sinking into the music... I love L.A.

For those of you who aren't familiar with his work, go to http://www.daniellanois.com/ One of the most beautiful records ever made (in my humble opinion:0) is Emmylou Harris' "Wrecking Ball," which Daniel produced. His record, "Shine," has been worn out in our house.

Just back from a wonderful mini tour to Colorado. We happened to land in Denver on the coldest night there in seven years. When the pilot came on to tell us the ground temperature, he paused before saying, "... zero degrees." And that was at 4:30 in the afternoon. I think it hit 12 below that night. It was clear and still, and everything was frozen and silent. It was quite beautiful- and quite a transition from L.A. It almost felt like we had landed in Iceland- or even on another planet...

There we were the next morning, at my high school, having breakfast in the dining hall with all the kids and the faculty. Being back there did a funny thing to me. I really felt like I was still in high school. All the familiar smells of the kitchen, the feeling of getting up early and having my freshly-showered hair turn into blond icicles on my way to the dining hall...

Mark and I set up our instruments in the sweet little adobe chapel, and waited on the sunlit stairs for all of the students to arrive at "All School." The doors opened and everyone poured in and quietly took their seats. My good friend and former photography teacher, Jeff Brown, who set up my whole visit (thank you Jeff!), introduced us, and we began to play. It was such a wonderful moment. I kept thinking of myself at sixteen, and of how absolutely terrified I would have been to stand up there and to sing IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY! The sound was wonderful- the room is so beautiful and warm. (Thanks so much to the music director, Charlie Kurchinski.) I could have stood up there all day and sung every song I've ever written.

It all went by pretty fast. I visited the AP Spanish class later on and was floored by how well the students speak. They had each prepared interview questions for me in spanish. It was a blast. And a challege! Gracias Senora Kule!

I can't say enough about the students that I met while there. Thanks to all of you!
To learn more about Fountain Valley School, click here: http://www.fvs.edu
The next day, we drove through the snowy mountains to Carbodale, where we played a really fun show at Steve's Guitars. Cold, cold, cold- but the audience was warm, and it was a wonderful night. Thank you to all who came out to hear us! We'll be back in June!

Thanks to Todd, Eva, and Flora for such a fun time in Boulder! (Check out Todd Reed's amazing jewelry at http://www.toddreed.com)

Each day we were in Colorado, the temperatures climbed a little more; and the morning we left it was gloriously sunny and a balmy 45 degrees. It's funny, 45 degrees feels darn cold in Southern California.

I came home for my favorite holiday- Thanksgiving. After the harvest, before the gray cold. Everything is settling down for a winters' nap, and there's a stillness and a quality of light that are just not present during the rest of the year. I love it here, where I was born. The grape leaves are still on the vines, but they deepen in color every day. When we first got here, they were a bright and clear yellow, and within a few days, they've mostly turned to firey reds and golden browns. This place where I grew up looks like a giant patchwork quilt, with the vines criss-crossing like stitches on the valley floor. There are barns with green tin roofs at the corners of some of the patches. Horses and cows dot the soft landscape. Right now I can imagine snuggling down under that big quilt, and resting with the earth. There has been no moon- just so many stars. I had forgotten about all these stars. I am truly thankful for this valley, for this view. I look around, and the world is at peace...

Wow, that was an early call time!
Thanks to Larry Wines on 88.5 KCSN in Northridge, CA for having me in to the station this morning to play! Larry's program, "Tied to the Tracks" can be heard every Saturday morning from 6:00 to 10:00 am; and it's really a treat! You can also tune in on line at http://kcsn.org/listen/ Larry's a great supporter of original music, and has asked me back for a whole HOUR show early next year which I'm very much looking forward to!

Mark and I have been working a lot lately in the studio. I'm hoping (reaching, stretching...) for a late winter release of the new record, which is tentatively titled, "The Right Time" after a song I wrote with my great friend, Susie Hug. I think this record has a more "grown-up" kind of vibe, in the way that I'm not afraid of rocking, and also not afraid of bringing it down to almost a whisper. I love working with Mark, and I definitely feel like we've hit our stride...