Sunday - Flying to LA today at Midday. Pretty hung over from Nizas bros engagement party in Cronulla the night before(The Shire. I vomited everywhere when i crossed that stupid fucking bridge). My upgrade to business is once again denied, fuck you Qantas. 13 hours later i arrive at LAX. Through immigration and to Dollar to pick up my Dodge Charger. I've decided to roll pimp this time. Being under 25 makes this shit really expensive. But i look cool so what. Get to Adrians where i am staying. Have a sleep and miss brunch with his homeboy Ariel who used to sing in the ska band The Hippos. Good band. That night we catch up with Tom Gates who manages Brand New, we head to the show with him and have a good time. Brand New are so fucking good it's ridiculous. Head backstage after the show and say hi to the band, they don't know what i am doing there i say i saw on Myspace they were playing a show so i flew over to see them. I think they believe me?????
Monday - WGA writers strike has started today. Basically the unions have called a strike on all writers for TV and film because the networks and studios aren't paying enough royalties on DVD and new media. This shit is pretty serious. All late night TV shows have been put on hold, so Letterman and Leno are all running re runs. No one is working. I decide to strike with me fellow WGA friends. I don't even write an email today. Have a few meetings during the day and head to Virgin Megatore by Laurel Canyon to buy some cheap films. Next i am off to Il Sole to have dinner with Tony Hawk, his wife Lohtse , Bill Silva and Adrian. Apparently this place is pretty styling. This is the first time i have met Tony who has agreed to narrate my film, i am kind nervous but he is a super nice dude. Tony Hawk rules.
Tuesday - More meetings. I go out to lunch with Pat Magnarella who manages Green Day, i show him the short for my film and he really digs it. He calls Billie Joe and arranges a time for me to interview Billie, which is really exciting and is my last interview before i finish the film. Everyone seems to be digging this trailer and it's causing quite a buzz around town. That night i catch up with my friend Trinity and we go see the new Wes Anderson film Darjeeling Limited at Arc Light. It's fucking amazing. I love Wes Anderson. For those of you a little disappointed with Life Aquatic, forget about it this film is great. It seems all the reviewers who are hating on it are retarded or something.
Wednesday - My last day in LA for this short trip. I get 4 meetings in today with a few labels and film agents. Adrian takes me to lunch on Geffen(Thanks Geffen) and then i am off to Bill Silvas office. Bill has arranged for a screening of the new Joy Division documentary(Not Control) at his friend Tom's house. Tom is the manager for New Order and made this documentary, we watch it in the screening room of his 1920's Spanish mansion. The film is really cool and just premiered at Toronto. I am now in a rush to the airport to get my flight to New York. Mother fucking Red Eye.
Thursday - I get into New York at 8am. I am super tired and really uncomfortable. I get to my friend Jackis around 10am and my first meeting is at Midday. I have a sneaky 1 hour nap and head to my meetings. That night i come home and watch Californication on Demand. Probably my new favourite show.
Friday - Today is better. I am fresh and New York is on. It's cold but it's cool. I have meetings all day, then that night fly solo to see American Gangster with Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe. It's really long but it's pretty cool. Then i meet up with my friend Laura, we head to the West Village to hang out with my bro Tony who has just finished shooting his first feature and is currently editing. We have some beers, meet Lauras friend Lauren and some doppleganger that i was calling Copperfield but resembled more of a GOB character from Arrested Development and not aesthetically because he looked like a young version of Rodney Dangerfield(When i say young he was 50 or something). Anyway the bar eventually closes and i go home to sleep.
Saturday - Today we are going to New Jersey to see Bon Jovi. My friend Jacki who i am staying with has work to do because she works for Island Records, the good thing is she has 2 AAA passes so i get to hang backstage at a Bon Jovi concert in his hometown of New Jersey. We are heading to the show with Masa from Japan who is like the Japanese version of Molly Meldrum, he is interviewing Jon today before the show. Masa rolls in style and we get to head to the show in a private SUV limo. So pimp, i can get used to this. At the show i can go anywhere so i get some much needed food from catering and then head to check Bon Jovi do soundcheck. Richie Sambora(the guitarist for Bon Jovi) calls out to Masa which we find amusing. "MAAAASSSAAAA". Masa is stoked. Then the interview. I am hanging in the room to watch the interview. Jon walks in and says hello to everyone. I actually have no reason to be in the room but try to look like i am meant to be there. The whole crew is Japanese except me and i watch the interview and eat cookies. Jon looks at me a few times probably thinking "who the fuck if this guy eating cookies and laughing". Later Jacki tells me what i wasn't allowed to be in there. All American Rejects are opening tonight so i catch their set and it's really good, they have super hot model girlfriends and stuff. Then Bon Jovi comes on. Seriously it was one of the best shows i have ever seen, they play You Give Love A Bad Name and the crowd of 20,000 is going crazy. My AAA pass lets me watch from side of stage so i am feeling pretty special now. It's super fucking cheesy but Bon Jovi is alright. Next we head back to Manhatten to Wendy and Todds house warming party in the West Village. Eventually we head home and listen to heaps of Cat Stevens before passing out.
Sunday - 3pm and i wake. FUCK. I don't feel like doing anything today. Andy who is Jackis flatmate has invited us down to his studio. Before we go Jacki asks me if i would like a ticket to Jay-Z tonight in concert. FUCK YES I DO. So we go and see Andy at his studio in Chinatown, get some great Chinese food, head to a bar and then to the Jay-Z show. I have never been to a real hip hop show before and all i can say is that it FUCKING ruled. Man, Hip Hop shows rule. The crowd which was predominantly black were going nuts, dancing, singing, rhyming and having a good time. He had a lot of guests on stage and everyone went berserk when Puff Daddy came out to Jam. One of the best shows i have ever seen. We leave before the end so we can get a taxi home. And here i am. Sitting in a great apartment in the East Village writing my blog. Tomorrow is my last day in New York before heading back to LA for a few weeks.
It's all pretty good right now.
x
Jai-Z
