The morning after our show at Spirit of '66 we were up early and driving back to Paris. It's at this point that it seems there is just not enough time to do anything else than drive and play. This time our entrance to Paris was easier and unloading our bags to the hotel and parking was effortless. A quick 40 mins at the hotel to get ready and we were back in the car and driving to the TV studio. The sun was shining and I think it was the warmest day of the tour so far - and it was November!!!

We were fashionably late as we just couldn't get to where we wanted with the one way systems in Paris but eventually, with the help of Nash, the program co-ordinator, we found the car park entrance and were inside the building.

The TV show is called "One Shot Not" and presented by drummer Manu Katche. Pino has played on this show a few times and thought it would be great for us to do it and luckily enough we could alter our travel plans. The other artists were Richard Bona, Air and Rickie Lee Jones - a very eclectic mix - and we waited our turn to soundcheck and rehearse. Our wonderful crew, Pascale, Thud and Raaly, had very little sleep as they had to get in to Paris early and as soon as this show was over they had to drive to Este in Italy, which is quite a drive.

Rehearsal went well and it seemed that everyone was really excited about the band. We found out that we were playing last which meant a lot of hanging around and of course tiredness creeping in after the last few gigs and travel we had done. We watched the other artists and they all sounded and looked great. This show is run beautifully and the backstage staff were so accommodating and helpful. Finally it was our turn and we were ushered to the set. Now from the moment we arrived there was a camera team following us around. Every conversation was shot - it was kind of strange but cool too. Manu announced us and then we were up. There was probably an audience of around 200 and the great thing is that this show is live - not transmitted but a full performance show.

We started with "Bela's Boogie" and that seemed to go down pretty well. Then we launched into "Flux Capacitor". When we finished the audience started clapping and we took a bow and went off to the side. Well, they wouldn't stop - they just kept clapping and after a while Manu came over and said we should play another song. For us that was easy as we were used to playing a whole set anyway so we went back and played "Vigilante". Apparently in the history of the program there has never been an encore. They loved it and it just seemed to strike a chord with everyone. Playing our kind of music, which is not stadium rock or anything commercial, yet they loved it and I don't think many people knew the band at all. Pretty amazing!

I want to thank all the crew on "One Shot Not" for being so warm and making us feel so welcome. Very unlike any TV show I have done in the past. There really is a special vibe there and I can't wait to see the final edit.

It turned into another late night followed by an early morning as we had to drive our beloved A6 to Frankfurt airport to return it to Sixt. That's about  a 5 hour journey. We got checked in for our flight to Verona and had some time for Bratwurst, Currywurst, Brezel and Pils and then we were off to the gate. We had been spoiled so far with our travel not having to fly anywhere on this tour since flying in from LA. It is such a pain in the ass these days!!! The security line was a joke and only one belt was open so now we legging it to the gate so as not to miss the flight. Once up in the air all was fine and we were in Verona in just over an hour.

Now to our Italian hire car. I love it when you hire a specific car but next to the words Audi A6 there are the words "or similar"!!!!

When I asked the agent "so we have the Audi A6" he just laughed!!!!

"No" he replied, "You hava the Alfa Romeo one-a-fifty-nine-a".

We asked for sat nav and he presented us with a portable unit!

A little different to the A6 we loved but anyway it had wheels, a steering wheel and an engine. I was designated driver and Pino was navigator and Philippe was squashed up in the back enjoying the Velour seating.

Pino put the address of the hotel in Abano Terme into the sat nav and off we went for what we thought would be a short drive. Now I was pedaling it and the car was doing a nice steady 160 kmh but it seemed like the trip was a bit longer. Unfortunately we didn't have a map of Italy - just no chance to get one at the airport and every gas station was closed apart from the gas itself. We followed the sat nav to the word and when there was no hotel in sight we stopped to ask someone directions. We knew we were in Modena - we can read signposts - but we didn't know that Abano Terme was in the opposite direction!!!

Ooops!!

What should have been a leisurely 1 hour drive turned into 3 hours. Italian road signs are not the most reliable it seems but somehow we stumbled on our hotel having missed our dinner reservation. All was good however as we went to a really cool Pizzeria which was open until 2 am and had the most wonderful meal.

Este was the gig and a very strange venue it was. Not the nicest frankly but still we did what we do and the audience loved it. Next up was a drive to Roma and I did buy a map. Same thing with the sat nav - it just didn't seem to work so it was down to Google maps and emailing the directions to the hotel so they could print it out. I love the autostrada cafes and we found one that had exceptional food. I wish that some of the restaurants in Los Angeles were as good as these - really!!!

We played Crossroads in Roma - a very cool club and a great audience and I got quite a surprise. My nanny, who used to look after me when I was about 3 or 4 years old, turned up with her son. What a sweetie she is AND she stayed until the end of the show - amazing!

Next day we drove to Firenze to the Viper Theater which is more of a dance club, and it had a great PA system. A great show but we could have done with more people there.

Milano was up next and the Blue Note club is one of my favorite sounding venues. We played 2 sets there so were pretty fried by the time we were done but the shows went down really well and a good turn out too.

Finally a day off and we were on our way to the last town of the tour - Monte Carlo.

We looked at the map and Pino realized that our route took us very close to someone he knew quite well, so he called the man in question and as it turned out we were invited to lunch with Zucchero. What a charming man and it was wonderful to have some down time and enjoy some good food and good conversation.

Then we were back in our, not so beloved Alfa Romeo, and driving to the principality of Monaco.

Philippe was driving and knows the town quite well having spent his summers there when he was a kid but things change as do road signs and one way systems.

No sooner had he turned the wrong way into a one way (just near Casino square) a policeman directed him to the side of the road. He had watched the whole manouver. Of course we were looking for the hotel and missed the little sign. I said to Phiippe "don't speak French and be as American as you can". He presented his license and US passport and the cop wrote some things down but he was cool and let us go.

Once I realized that the hotel was in fact the old Lowe's hotel - right by the tightest turn on the Formula One race calender - I had a big smile on my face.

It was our last night off so we grasped the opportunity to take the crew out for an end of tour meal. We were all pretty tired by now and quite ready to finish up this wonderful tour.

The next day we had some time to ourselves and I decided to "walk the circuit"! As some of you know I am a huge race fan and especially F1. Off I set starting at Lowe's corner down the hill and round to the right and into the tunnel which goes under the hotel. All I can say is it must be amazing to see those cars on these roads for real.

Our last show was at Moods and it was really well attended and we had a wonderful gig. Pugie Bell's band were also in town playing the jazz festival and it was great to see him and catch up.

It was a late show and by the time we were back in the hotel bar it was real late. A couple of hours sleep and then up and packed and ready for the trip home.

I had to drive the car back to Italy to drop it off so off I set off at 9.00am in the most gorgeous weather driving up the hill overlooking the sea. I drove to Genova airport without much incident and dropped the car off and checked in for my flight to Munich. Once I landed there was little time to make the connection and it was a quick hike to gate H48 - the last one and the furthest away - of course!!!

And now here I am at 38,000 feet half way through the flight to LAX.

This was the most enjoyable and wonderful tour I have done in my 40 year career - great music and great people. I hope we can do it again. I want to thank all of you who came out to see the band and gave us so much support. Please pass the word around and bring your friends to the next shows we play.

Also a mention of my new site - it was time to update it and I hope you like the new layout and design. I'll be checking in soon.