54,000 pussy fans can't be wrong and= 104 degrees in the Shade

Hello Pussy Posse!! We just got home from a fantastic little run in Europe. Sweden, Italy And France - what a blast!

First was Hulsfred In Sweden- We played here years ago with Tracy and it was good to be back, I think we were the only rock band there this year and our set was followed by none other than Ice Cube! WestSide! Personally, he should stick to acting. We met some cool people and made the best of it- It was strange playin early in the day and the weather was pretty dismal - but we had fun.

Next we flew down to the South of France and hung out at the beach near St.Tropez for a few days and got to celebrate Bastille Day with the locals - It was a party that went on into the wee hours with a local band that played every kind of music under the sun including 'Cotten Eyed Joe complete with French accent and accordian - corny and hilarious! After we all got sunburnt we took a train to Bologna for our next show - the RiotFest in Ravenna Italy. We got to spend the afternoon in Nice watching the turquoise waves crash against to pebble covered beach and overhearing more American accents than we'd heard in a while.

We happened to be in Italy on the hottest day in 50 years they said, and man it was hot. It was a small outdoor festival with only one other band and was easily a million degrees. I thought we might actually melt when we played. The thermometer said 44 degrees C- But I think it must have broken around 40 - cause that is nuts!

We got taken to one hell of a meal, maybe the best of our lives in Italy. It started with traditional cured meats and cheese as an appetizer, Parma ham, Mortadella and Pig, in about 5 other ways - so amazing. Skinny crisp bread sticks and warm soft Pita like bread. The entree was just ravioli, done absolutley perfectly. It was filled with spinach and ricotta and a light pure tomato sauce. The main course was rabbit. The meat had been flattened and rolled with procuitto then baked and sliced so each half inch thick slice was a little pinwheel of pork wrapped rabbit, served on a fresh pea puree, almost like a think Dutch pea soup with more fresh peas floating around in it and roast potatoes on the side. Of course, just when everyone is bursting the ice cream comes then espresso then a digestive herbal alcohol shot to make the 'food go down'. We then had 40 minutes to check into hotels and get our shit together before heading back to the festival site. As usual once we are filled with the best food in the world, we are led off to a stage somewhere to rock our asses off. The sun had set and it cooled off but I waited til the very last minute to put my pants off (too hot for clothes!)

While at the hotel I saw our big French festival on the Italian News - so it was going to be a big deal! The Italian show was good practice. Supposedly we'll have a French film crew 'shadowing us' as well as a few songs on National television and a pile of interviews a press conference and a few photo shoots, we had a busy day ahead.

RiotFest was a ball, an 'Intimate' evening if you will. We were dripping sweat just sitting down. The show went realy well, there were a pack of fans from all over Italy and as usual we wound up partying with the staff and the few fans who managed to sneak in backstage.

Next day we flew back to Paris and took another train to the Bretagne area of France. One of my favorite area of France because that is where Asterix is from!! (My Favorite Cartoon Gaul!) Bruce Springsteen was on the cover of every newspaper and news show as he had just played to 43,000 people the night before.

Congratulations to us! We kicked ass at Les Vieilles Charrues. We actually played to more people than Springsteen!! There were 54,000 on our night. Our press conference went very well, the translator had done us three times before at other big French festivals and is a huge fan, despite the fact he has to be in his 50's. He called Blaine a genius for his lyrics and our riffs and even referred to us as a political band. He is particularly fond of the fact we are two women and two men and he says this is what his generation was working towards with the equality of women and he sees us as a direct product of his efforts. We also did a photo shoot for Rolling Stone and I did one for Gibson and their 'I LOVE MY SG!" campaign, three radio interviews, one for Latin america and two for France We played at 12:30 at night right after 20 solid minutes of fireworks, perhaps the best opening act of all time. The audience was fantastic and to top it all off a sexy French guitar player from the very popular band before us gave me his phone number! WOW!

What a Blast - after our little tour we flew home and wound up on TV again at the Braves game! Next stop STURGIS!! See y'all down the road and hopefully at the Biker Fest!

Ruyter and the Pussies!!