Singapore 2 New York

arrived in NYC yesterday @ 10:30am. 13.5 hours from Singapore 2 Amsterdam, called Dad from there, another 8.5 hours from Amsterdam 2 New York. Smooth sailing through Immigration + Customs. A driver was waiting 4 me + his Towncar was parked in the no stopping zone right outside Customs, which was perfect. I was in my hotel room @ the Paramount by noon. Made calls. It was raining. Had lunch in the neighborhood w MS from Epic International. Gave him my passport + green card. The cappucino in the Italian restaurant had cinnamon on it 2 hide the inferior flavor. MS then faxed visa applications 4 Brazil + Argentinia to me which I filled out and returned.
Later that night I tried to take a cab back 2 my hotel. The 1st cab I found stopped, then took off B4 I could open the door – a reaction 2 my hair cut maybe? Am I a punk now?
Woke up this morning, shaved my chinese beard, sent unnecessary stuff (CD player, CDs, clothing, Redwings etc.) home via UPS.

During my meetings @ Sony I called CS + arranged 2 meet him around 4pm. CS introduced me 2 every1 @ Burda + we took off downtown. At the Union Square office of the Metropolitan Modelling Agency we met TZ + went 2 the Coffeeshop 4 drinks. We had a very nice conversation – three Germans in exile meet in New York City.

Shaving Head in Singapore

3 in the afternoon. Sat by the pool + read in “Music of the Mind”. It is an amazing achievement. I may dedicate a song 2 the author. Mindbridge. Had lunch w S from the record company + Yama, the engineer. They wanted me 2 pick the restaurant + I chose the Japanese 1 here in the hotel, because I heard that Yama missed Japanese food. Didn’t discuss much. Instead of babbling on I tried 2 match their silence. Once in a while something bubbled up. Record an album in Singapore: Yama – keyboards + engineering, myself – guitar + synth, an Indian by the name of Mano on percussion + maybe Jon on bass. We could record after ÃŽ95 Australia/Nu Z.land tour or maybe January ÃŽ95. I could travel from here by train 2 Bangkok + fly from there 2 India. Or do this trip reverse + end up in Singapore 4 recording.

I shaved my head B4 lunch: setting #3 on the Braun exact 6 universal. Jon used setting #2 4 a real close shave. This is close enuff. I must say, I did a good job by myself. The desire 2 C what a shaved head would look like became so strong during the last few days. It is naked, empty, w/o adornement. I like it + yet it shocks me @ the same time.

A few minutes B4 midnight on Singapore Airlines Flight 26 2 Amsterdam + New York. I made a mistake + thought I would arrive @ JFK on the 8th when I won’t get there until the morning of the 9th. 24 hrs trip. I asked somebody @ Epic 2 change the limo + hotel reservations. From the airport lounge I called E. 2 wish her a happy birthday + 2 ask her 2 make sure the reservations were changed.

Important: CD-ROMs R boring. The same old visuals. Just like videos. Just like MTV. 2 create a CD-ROM that uses visuals that R abstract enuff 2 B viewed over + over, abstract enuff 2 keep the mind on the feeling side. 2 transport the mind. These visuals could then also B used during our life-shows. Encourage imagination. Stimulate imagination. Water, wind, movement. It is not the eyes that C – it’s the mind that organizes the in4mation. If this in4mation is not linear, the mind will create it’s own order somehow + might create a different order every time it views a series of visuals.

Pony Canyon is not in the movie business, but R affiliated w movie companies. I suggested we should do a soundtrack 4 Japan. Yama also has film music experience. I just looked out the window of the airplane + saw only my reflection, because the sky is pitchblack. My head still shocks me. Maybe my hair is 2 short. I had 2 C this though + it does feel good. My hair is unbelievably soft.

Thinking about shaving head

Went 2 the pool, read in “Music of the Mind”, swam a few laps, read some more, until a pink blossom fell between the pages like a perfect bookmark. Walked 2 the quay + back, found a message from J who was waiting @ the Cantonese Garden restaurant. Changed in2 jeans + met J+ his wife 4 lunch. Didn’t want 2 eat anything, really, but J wouldn’t take no 4 an answer. We had Dim Sum. Delicious. Talked about fashion – J’s wife is a stylist – talked about photographers, models, singers, managers, the biz.

J suggested doing a record in Singapore w a Chinese Ahu (spell?) player (Chinese violin), myself, Yama + Chito. I told him he should work it out w Snake. They could market it in Asia + Epic could have 1st rights 4 the European + American markets. Chito + Yama could record some backing trax, 2 which I would add, + I could also start some songs. I could also bring a few tracks w me 4 the next Luna Negra album that they could add 2. I will mention it 2 GD in New York.

Been looking @ my head, trying 2 decide what 2 do w my hair. Think I will shave it a.s.a.p…….
I wrote these liner notes for the next album……:

“I called my new record opium ’cause it’ll work on your mind like a drug. It’ll rain on your brain. It’ll fall thru the crax + will hug your mind like fog. Give in2 it. Let it take U on a trip. Loud or soft. Let it seduce U. Play it over + over gain. Turn on + tune in. Rinse. Repeat.”

I would like 2 do a multiple answer interview w press or TV: I would give 2 or 3 answers 2 every questions + the paper or TV would run different versions. This could also work in the press release / bio 4 the next album: opium.

Examples:
1. Where were U born?
A: Cologne, Germany
B: Santa Fe, New Mexico
C: Earth

2. Y did U cut your hair?
A: At a benefit some1 offered 2 give $2,000 to charity if I shaved my head. So I did – @ once.
B: After our concerts 2 many people told me they loved my hair.
C: A Japanese recording engineer in Singapore had a haved head + this little beard. I liked it + copied him.

3. Y the title opium?
A: I imagine opium 2 B a gentle drug. It seduces U, wins U over. That’s what I would like my music 2 do.
B: I like the word, the sound of it……..

4. Have U ever taken Opium?
A: No, but I read a lot about Opium + the poets + artists that took it.
B: No, but my grandfather told me about Opium dens he had visited in China in the twenties.
C: Yes. In India Opium used 2 B available @ official government shops in the late seventies. A lot of travelers would buy it + eat it 2 make the long train rides more bearable.

5. When were U born?
A: When I received my 1st guitar.
B: 15 billion years ago this universe + all atoms were created. I am just a reshuffled deck of cards.
C: In China the conception is the astrological moment of birth.

6. Did U write all the music?
A: Yes, I did.
B: My self is every 1 that came B4 me. It is all I heard, saw, read, tasted, smelled, believed, touched, loved etc….
C: My soul is the antenna, I am the instrument + the guitar is my amplifier.

7. What inspires U?
A: Music, paintings, books, movies, landscapes, lovers, wine, moments.
B: C answer 5B
C: People like Darryl Reanney, Miles Davis, Goethe, Anselm Kiefer + Brian Eno.

8. R U a vegetarian?
A: Yes, I am.
B: No, it would make travelling so much more complicated than it already is. A good piece of beef can give a lot of energy, + eating it can make a host happy.
C: When tired I sleep, when hungry I eat.

– As the distance between particles increases, their bond decreases + their longing 4 each other increases. This is true 4 atoms + 4 solar systems.
– Gravity is the primal need 4 unity.
– The amount of positive NRG locked up in the total mass of the universe’s divided matter = the amount of negative NRG coded in2 the distances between matter that is thus devided. So the net enery of the universe is 0.

Walked around 4 a couple of hours. Orchard road, Haagen Dazs, in2 a the big Japanese department store 4 some air-conditioning, a papaya juice across the street from Tang’s + back 2 the Westin.

Singpore is freezing

it’s raining again. I don’t feel so well. That’s really no wonder, everywhere the air conditioning is turned up really high, so it’s cold + dry inside, hot + humid outside. Especially the office buildings R freezing so that the heat + humidity doesn’t get 2 the hard drives. I’ve seen ads 4 fungus resistant floppy discs.

In Singapore 4 Asiabeat

I played on a beautiful Chinese song + the combination of Chinese Lute (Pipa), Chinese violin + my guitar was very moving. I am very happy w the result. Jimmy asked my 2 do a press conference + wether I would mind if they had a photographer taking pictures while I am in the studio. I don’t think I want 2 agree 2 either. I also think I’ll have him pay as I complete work on each song. I finished 1 + started another song.

A couple of Chinese girls from the record company’s office in Singapore took me out 2 dinner last night. Nice conversation. They told me this following story that reeks of modern urban folklore: In Korea a couple is only allowed 2 marry when the woman is a virgin. I guess a doctor has 2 varify her virginhood B4 the couple receives a marriage license. So this woman, who wanted 2 get married, was no longer a virgin, but could not afford an operation that would replace her hymen – apparently a common, yet very expensive procedure in Korea according 2 these Chinese girls. The woman became a prostitute 2 earn the money 4 her virginity operation. After a while she had enough money saved up 2 get the operation, become a virgin + get married.

Other interesting topics of conversation: it is illegal 2 sell chewing gum in Singapore. It is however OK 2 buy chewing gum 4 personal use in foreign countries + bring it back here. In order 2 buy a car, a citizen has 2 buy a government permit which will cost anywhere from US$20,000-40,000. The government tries 2 limit the amount of cars in Singapore this way + indeed traffic moves very smoothly 4 a city of this size. Cars R expensive 2: a Mercedes Benz C-class costs US$110,000-140,000, the S-class model from US$300,000, a 911 Porsche will run almost US$275,000. Even a small car will cost around US$40,000. A Saab 9000 is over US$100,000. Spitting on the ground is fined around US$140. It is illegal not 2 flush your toilet after use. If caught, the police will publish your picture in the newspaper. If caught 4 the 3rd time, U will have 2 wear a bright overall + work in a public place, cleaning up. U will also B fined around US$1,000. ……

Did another solo on another song, worked on a traditional song they want 2 do w the engineer Yama, really Yamanuki Norihiko. On the trad. song I will only do rhythm guitar parts. We’ll do those 2morrow. I let Jimmy in on a secret: don’t ever let a drummer produce a record. They just want 2 play the drums, they want that direct satisfaction. They have wasted so much time Yama + I could have finished a duo recording 2gether if we tried. He is a keyboard player + plays electric guitar. He gave me 2 CDs he engineered + played on, 1 of which I am listening 2 right now + enjoy very much. Eno meets Techno. He would like Transglobal Underground.

Went 2 a herbal restaurant w J + his wife. Double boiled shark soup w ginseng. Egg white w yam. A dessert jelly w herbs 2 purify the body. Afterwards a bar in the Raffles hotel + stories of WB’s excesses of the eighties. Renting a whole palazzo in Venice 4 a party, flying in execs from around the world + 1 guest each – hookers from Bangkok, friends, lovers – hundreds of gondolas waiting 4 all the guests, the Modern Jazz Quartett 2 do 2 songs, blocking whole movie theaters etc, etc……