Autumn tours, mini-album, “From the Basement”

Hello from the deserts of southwest Utah, where I’ve been hiking for the last week or so after returning from the Falklands. (If you’re ever out near Capitol Reef National Park, may I suggest outstanding free camping in the Dixie National Forest and hiking in Upper Muley Twist canyon?) The Falklands trip was beautiful and strange, and I’ll be posting some pictures and text about it on National Geographic’s music site in a few weeks. (You can stream an interview and short live performance I did with my friend Stacy Bragger on the Falkland Islands Radio Service).

After months of nonstop touring, it’s been great to get away from the urban world and back to some vast spaces, silences, and wild creatures. I’m still convinced that the real action is mostly out here.

But I’m also really looking forward to the next two months of touring, which start next week with the legendary Dinosaur Jr in Nashville. Please note the two headlining shows in Kansas City (with Cowboy Indian Bear) and Chicago that we’ve shoehorned into days “off”.

After that, we’re heading to Europe, beginning with the Iceland Airwaves festival, returning to places we visited earlier in the year (including the UK), and adding in a few spots we’ve never been (Budapest, for example). It’ll be a great way to finish off major touring for Animal Joy, and the most dates we’ve ever played in a single year.

We’re also already looking ahead to the first months of next year – plenty of recording is planned, including a mini-album of songs by bands we’ve toured with over the years (we’re welcoming suggestions on our Facebook page). It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since I watched Ray Janos cut the lacquer masters for Animal Joy.

Last but not least, the episode of “From the Basement” that we taped with Nigel Godrich a few months ago (ask me about that day sometime) is airing in 3D on 3net – but for those of us without the right equipment, it’ll be posted for streaming on Crackle on October 25th.

See you out there, sooner than later.

JM/Shearwater