I'm up early this morning still on some other time zone. I am leaving the city for the great outdoors. I'm with my friend Tim Blum from The Mother Hips and we're heading up in to the Ansel Adams back country in Yosemite for an extraordinary camping trip where we teach a songwriting workshop. I'll be out of range hiding from bears and other wild animals. Swimming in beautiful lakes and eating berries and dancing in the rain and running from bears. Screaming in horror as wild hungry bears chase me up trees and into dark caves where hissing snakes await me with venom dripping from their fangs. I'll either run towards angry wildcats in one direction or wild dogs in the other direction. I fear there will also be those guys from Deliverance out there as well. Crazy backwoods inbred campers lurking in the shadows waiting for for me to twist my ankle and stray from the other hikers. I may be kept hostage for days squealing like a pig in a tree fort while pissed off hawks dive at my head and try to pick out my eyeballs. When I finally escape I'll hardly be able to run on my bad ankle and an escaped arsonist could be hiding behind a bush running after me with a can of gasoline and a look of insanity in his eyes. Yesiree! There aren't any 7/11's where I am going. Just me and my shiny knife in my teeth and my will to live.

Oh yeah- if I make it back I'll be playing a show I just added at The Belly Up Tavern In Solana Beach California on August 8th. It's an anniversary show for The Belly Up so they are keeping ticket price lower than normal so I hope to see you there. My good friend Cindy Lee Berryhill is also on the bill and we haven't palyed show together in years so I am really looking forward to it.

Australia?? Are you there? I'll be heading over for a tour at the end of December. Be on the lookout for dates.

Signing off for only a few days (I Hope)
Steverino Poltz

I had a jolly good show last night in London. I love this place and was a little sad to leave the former republic of Yugoslavia. I wanted to post this pic that was taken a ccouple of months ago in Washington DC. Ya see- Graham Parker is one of my favorites. When he put out the record "Squeezing Out The Sparks" my eyes were opened in crazy adoration. That album moved me. His writing is so clever and sarcastic and caustic and beautiful all at the same time. I love his singing and style. And he's still making great music. I was at XM studios recording a Loft session for channel 50. Graham was across the hall and I freaked out. I didn't do anything stupid this time. I just kept my mouth shut and asked for a photo.
This was my 3rd Loft Session for XM. They give me an hour to tell stories and do whatever I want. They're always fun. My latest Loft Session will debut on Monday, July 23rd at 12noon EDT. It will also play during that week the following times:

(all times Eastern)
Monday 7/23: 9:00pm
Thursday 7/26: 3:00pm
Thursday 7/26: 9:00pm
Friday 7/27: 4:00am
Saturday 7/28: 7:00pm

for more info go here:
http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/features/50-theloft-theloftsessions.xmc

If you don't have XM then get it for me. Just for that week and then cancel it like a bad check. I like XM because they have every baseball game. And they're really nice to me.

I head to the USA tomorrow for a show in New York. Piermont New York that is. The Turning Point! I'm Excited.
Cheerio
Pip pip and all that rot eh what? (Joe Poltz says that!)
Steve

Listen Here!

If the sun refuses to shine for awhile
I’ll find shelter by a window shade
It seems I know everyone in this quaint little town
I’m in Bosnia in the rain

I only walk where I’m wanted
My dreams are sometimes haunted
I’ll be missing you my friends for life
It‘s a lonely life

ooh ooh ohh **********ah ah*********la la--lal oa ahhhhhhhhhhh***laaa

Well a dog can wake anywhere that he pleases
I’m ok getting scraps in the shade
I can wag my tail at the cat that teases
I’m just a dog in the Bosnia rain

Listen Here!!!

*****Some Things I Need To Do In Life*****

1. Listen to Macedonian Bagpiper in a tunnel in some foreign land (done)

2. Meet Elvis Presley (done)

3. Make first communion (done)

4. Trick or Treat at Liberaces house (done)

5. Watch some guy get his tooth pulled by a monkey in Marrakech. (done)

6. Swim in The Adriatic sea (done)

7. Write a song with Mojo Nixon (done)

8. Read The Brothers K by David James Duncan (done)

9. Start a band and call it The Rugburns (done)

10. Write an instrumental for Kosovo (done)

I keep seeing clothes drying in the sun. Everywhere I go it's clothes, clothes , clothes. Everyone has someone they love that they call family. The war here is still fresh and when I talk to people I feel a sense of hope mixed with sadness and loss. I hear stories of former friends that were Serbian fighting thier Croatian friends. I spoke with a cab driver who said he was a Hippie and loved peace but had to fight. He didn't want to but had to. He thought the war was so senseless. I really liked him and his sense of humor. The guy who brought me my food was a drummer before the war and loves music and played with Serbs and Croats. He lost many good friends in the war and had a hope for the future but yearned for the past.

I love traveling.
SJJP

Here's a song I made up today:

Listen Here!!!

Carry the torch without me boys
I’ll be waiting for you
It’s our flame that can’t be put out
Full of pride and truth

There’s not much sand in this hourglass
Shadows are closing in
I’ll be along when I catch my strength
You know you have a friend

If it’s a dream it can’t be stopped
There’s no turning back
Leave me to rest while I catch my breath
There’s strength if you stay with the pack

Carry the torch without me boys
I’ll be waiting for you
It’s our flame that can’t be put out
Full of pride and truth

tell my wife I love her I’ll be o.k
and let go of my grip
Peace is more than just a dream
It’s within our fingertips

The sun is slowly setting
There’s not much more to do
Leave to rest while I close my eyes
Boys don’t look so blue

Carry the torch without me boys
I’ll be waiting for you
It’s our flame that can’t be put out
Full of pride and truth
Carry the torch without me boys
I’ll be waiting for you

Listen Here!

There sets the sun on the Adriatic Sea
my dogs are barking and I got sore knees
I’m ‘bout as broke as a champagne glass
I think I’ll take a nap on this patch of grass

A bum is still a bum in a new country
A cat still scratches when he’s got fleas
The boats are comin’ in and I got loose change
I think I’ll buy a fish and grill it on the range

Croatia I’m gonna miss ya
Like a bottle of wine
I’ll put my lips against ya
Hold on tight it’s a roller coaster ride
From Dubrovnik to Split it’s gonna be alright

Gather up my Kunas and wash my hair
This bus ride’s shaky but I don’t scare
Kids are playing futbol and kicking a goal
My head is the post and it takes it toll

I duck into a church to say my prayers
It doesn’t matter what religion they’re all unfair
The water looks just like turquoise foam
I can’t stay here but I won’t go home

Croatia I’m gonna miss ya
Like a bottle of wine
I’ll put my lips against ya
Hold on tight it’s a roller coaster ride
From Dubrovnik to Split it’s gonna be alright

The ghost of Tito hovers in the shade
Don’t make a lot of money but we still get paid
I try to play quiet but I end up loud
Throw some money in my case I ain’t too proud

The sun’s so hot my sweat drips down
My eyes are red and my skin is brown
I’m like a magician as the waves play tag
I’m gonna change this money to a jug in a bag

Croatia I’m gonna miss ya
Like a bottle of wine
I’ll put my lips against ya
Hold on tight it’s a roller coaster ride
From Dubrovnik to Split it’s gonna be alright
From Dubrovnik to Split it’s gonna be alright

Greetings to everyone from Slovenia. Ljubljana to be exact.
Beautiful pace in a beautiful time.
I added a show in London on the 18th of July at The 12 Bar Club.
My only European date. The rest is just R&R.
Headed to Split in Croatia.
Here's a song I made up today.
Love,
S

Listen Here!

I could while away the hours
In the light of higher powers
And I try not to complain
Just to sing a soft refrain
I know it’s days like these for sure
Make me feel like life is pure

Let the wind blow back my hair
Where this train goes I don’t care
I feel like I’m hypnotized
Maybe I just realized
This moment I can freeze
In this Slovenia breeze

There’s a castle on the hill
I can hear them ring a bell
The fighting’s done
but you can feel
There’s lots of scars
left still to heal
I wish that days like these could last
And never fade into the past

Let the wind blow back my hair
Where this train goes I don’t care
I feel like I’m hypnotized
Maybe I just realized
This moment I can freeze
In this Slovenia breeze

the lake is calling from afar
hitch a ride in some strange car
broken English can’t be wrong
when it’s mxed in with a song
I know it’s days like these for sure
Make me feel like life is pure

Let the wind blow back my hair
Where this train goes I don’t care
I feel like I’m hypnotized
Maybe I just realized
This moment I can freeze
In this Slovenia breeze

Dr. Robert Driscoll sent me this photo of his cat. Thank him.
So I made this song for that feline.

Listen Here!

Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?
Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?

I know you think it’s awesome
That you ate a day old opossum
It’s like an alien’s inside you
And everyday you have the flu

Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?
Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?

are you puking up some vicodin?
Are you sick because you’re full of sin
Is the devil in your head
Did you throw up in my bed?

Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?
Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?

Maybe you should talk to jesus
I think he talks to cats
I’ll try to get him on the phone
Because you’re driving me bats

Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?
Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?

You don’t have any thumbs
Yet you’re gacking up my rum
How’d you open up the bottle
I’d like to give your head a throttle

Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?
Hey cat! (hey cat hey cat)
Why are you throwing up?