Linda and Joe – Joe & Linda

I Miss The Summer

Music & Lyrics by Joe
Linda – Vocals, Keyboards
Joe – Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums

I Miss The Summer – Explained

Lyrics by Joe

[Verse 1]
Here comes the cold
There goes my hope
And energy
Can’t sleep enough
And when I’m up
I’m still asleep
Stuck in a terrible mood
Eating just way too much food
I’m on the verge of losing my mind
Because…

[Pre-chorus 1]
It’s more than a feeling
Too many days of grey and rain
I need a drink or three cause it helps me
To ease the pain

[Chorus]
I miss the sun and the summer now
It’s too damn dark and depressing out
So many clouds in my head (so many clouds)
Can’t pull myself out of bed (ooh)
I miss the sun and the summer

[Verse 2]
Here comes the snow
It’s ten below can’t help but freeze
It’s so unfair how much the air hurts me to breathe
I need a warm getaway
Wish I still lived in LA
I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my mind
Because…

[Pre-chorus 2]
It’s more than a feeling
Staying inside drives me insane
I need a drink or three cause it helps me
To ease the pain

[Chorus]
I miss the sun and the summer now
It’s too damn dark and depressing out
So many clouds in my head (so many clouds)
Can’t pull myself out of bed (ooh)
I miss the sun and the summer

[Keyboard Solo]

[Chorus]
I miss the sun and the summer now
It’s too damn dark and depressing out
So many clouds in my head (so many clouds)
Can’t pull myself out of bed (ooh)
I miss the sun and the summer
I miss the sun and the summer

Travel

Our New VW Crafter

We finally picked up our new Van! After experiencing an enormous amount of trouble during our search to find a free standing house (where we could make music without restrictions), we decided to revisit our previous idea (that we already had in Chicago) and live full time in a van. So we researched which car would be the best fit and discovered that the VW Crafter (the mid-long version) was the perfect option. It was imperative that we would have enough space to accommodate all our gear, make music, and be able to cook and sleep in it. This was already the basic idea when we bought Elliot but in my opinion you have to be able to stand up in a car to really live in it. Plus, the amount of gear we have has expanded over the past year, also because we discovered the possibility of busking. During the past two years, Elliot made it possible for us to get our concert tours/music business up and running. Thank you, Pal! But to live full time on the road, we needed to expand.

Of course with our luck, we found our “dream car” in the far side of Germany (Dresden). But that wouldn’t stop us. We sold our beloved VW T4 Bus “Elliot” to a super nice couple that will take very good care of him and went on an 14 hour train ride odyssey to get to Dresden. And FINALLY here it is:

We’re still thinking of a name for this white giant… Feel free to make suggestions 🙂

The next step of the plan that’s occupying much of our time/energy is the conversion process. Fortunately, we have a good friend who is a carpenter and helps us with the difficult parts. Of course, we document every step and it’s so much fun to see how the inside slowly evolves into our home. We’re excited to see the finished product and finally pack up and go explore Europe (and the world) full time!

-L

P.S.: Here you can see highlights from our conversion process:

Ep. 1: Removing the Interior Panels

Ep. 2: Removing the Floor & Cleaning

Ep. 3: Installing the First Roof Window

Ep. 4: Installing the 2nd Window, Insulating, & Preparing the Floor

Ep. 5: Finishing the Floor

Ep. 6: Preparing the Wall Paneling

Ep. 7: Installing the Side Window

Ep . 8: Wall & Ceiling Sub-Construction

Ep. 9: Installing the Wall Paneling

Ep. 10: Painting the Ceiling

Ep. 11: Installing Our Custom Ceiling

Ep. 12: Building the Furniture

Ep. 13: Preparing the Mattress

Ep. 14: Building the Kitchen

Ep. 15: The Finishing Touches

THE FINAL EPISODE !!!

Our Power Station Has FINALLY Arrived !!!

Music

House Concert in Schmallenberg

The last stop on our mini-tour last weekend was the beautiful town Schmallenberg, in the High Sauerland District. It was our first concert booked through SofaConcerts and apparently the very first house concert for our hosts Bettina and Dietmar. Therefore, it was extra important for us that they have a nice experience.

As soon as we pulled into their driveway Bettina came out to our car and greeted us. She said she was looking forward to our performance all week, which was very flattering to be so highly awaited. Bettina and Dietmar were such amazing hosts and are marvelous people!

We brought our new PA System because we knew that we would play in their garden. Since we only bought it the week before we were really excited for the opportunity to test it. Even though it was raining a bit on our drive from Leipzig the weather in Schmallenberg was warm and sunny and so was the mood. While setting up and sound checking we noticed one of Bettina’s friends (who arrived early) had tears of joy in her eyes. It’s those small signs of appreciation that make the whole performing/touring experience so fulfilling. Driving from one town to another, connecting with kind, generous, interesting people, sharing our music with them, and leaving with a sense of mutual gratitude. What more could a touring musician wish for?

After our very successful concert (which included several encores) we enjoyed a delicious barbecue (with exquisite vegetarian options) and had great conversations with all the guests. It really was a splendid day. As we left, Bettina and Dietmar even gave us a plate of left-overs to take home.

Thank you Bettina and Dietmar! You’ve been excellent hosts and we’re absolutely looking forward to seeing you and your friends again!

– L

Music

House Concert in Leipzig

The idea for our mini-tour last weekend (Erfurt – Leipzig – Schmallenberg) began when Wohnzimmerkonzerte Leipzig booked us to play on Saturday 15th. We discovered them through Facebook, and to make the travel more worthwhile, it only made sense to book a couple shows before/after theirs. Both of us have never been to Leipzig and were thrilled to drive there and get to know the city and the people that live there.

Our hosts were Anja and Maik. Both love to travel – like us – and get to know new people and their music. They host concerts regularly and listen to the music of their former guest musicians whenever possible.

When we arrived, Maik had just come back from the big garden they rent not too far from their home. He brought bags of cherries that he picked from their cherry trees. I’ve only seen that many cherries in a super market!

While we were setting up, Anja and Maik prepared lunch for us and soon the guests started to arrive (and they continued to arrive all throughout the evening 😀 ). Before the concert, we had the opportunity to relax on their beautiful terrace, eat a bit, and get acquainted with several of their guests.

The concert was a huge success! The crowd requested a couple encores which really set a fun vibe for the rest of the evening. At one point Anja and Maik presented their vinyl/record collection which provided the music for the rest of the evening. From Metallica, to Queen, to Peter Gabriel, and Kate Bush. I got to taste the local Leipzig beer Sternburg Export, and of course, lots and lots of cherries. Somebody asked us if we’re “planning on doing this professionally,” which made us laugh a bit because we actually ARE doing this professionally. People often assume we have “a real job” and that music is our hobby. It’s fun to break it to those people that a life as a full-time musician is actually possible, and for us, the best thing ever. We’re living our dream 🙂

The next morning we had breakfast with Anja and Maik (while listening to music from their former house concert artists) and learned a bit more about the amenities of Leipzig. It seems to become more and more attractive to young, creative people that appreciate a little more green in a city. Unfortunately, we didn’t have more time to really see Leipzig since we needed to leave for our next concert. So we said goodbye to Anja and Maik and left their place, but not without a big container of cherries!

Thank you Anja & Maik for your time, hospitality, and your cherries. Hope to see you again soon! 🙂

– L

Music

House Concert in Erfurt

Last Friday we performed in Erfurt-Germany for our hosts Tanja and Tony. They welcomed us into their beautiful home that they share with their cute tortoise, Egon 🙂

Right when we arrived they greeted us with such kindness and we knew it would be an awesome experience. While setting up our instruments and eating some of their delicious appetizers, we were able to get properly acquainted with Tanja and Tony.

Their guests were very friendly and attentive. One of the guests brought her very cute dog, Alma, who checked on me while I was playing the Cajon, because she didn’t recognize this unusual sound.

What made the occasion extra special, was that we not only shared our music, but also got to make music with them. After the concert, we taught Tanja and her friend how to play some chords on the ukulele and the Blues-scale on the piano. We also had great conversation and got to know a bunch of wonderful people.

The next morning Tanja gave us an excellent tour through Erfurt. We were lucky because during that weekend they celebrated the Krämerbrückenfest. The whole city was filled with good food, medieval dressed actors, and music. Tanja showed us the best ice cream in town and they even had some vegan options which I loved! It was so nice to spend extra time with Tanja and look around Erfurt. In addition she was helpful with suggesting other local venues we could perform at. She would make a great booking-agent! 😉

Thank you Tanja and Tony for this amazing experience! We look forward to seeing you again 🙂

– L

Music

House Concert in Rotterdam

We just had another wonderful house concert in Rotterdam!

Daniël and Oliver, whom Joe met in 2016 through Couchsurfing, organized a wonderful evening in their beautiful home.

We arrived one day early to spend some time with them, since they became our dear friends in the past three years. Oliver, who loves food and has his own food-blog, made an amazing dinner (vegetarian, just for me 🙂 )!

Roasted Cauliflower, Koussa Moutabbai (pan-roasted zucchini in tahini), a yoghurt-rice dish based on a recipe called Chick Barak, and a vegetable omelet. Super tasty!

Plus the best dessert Joe ever had 🙂

The next day – concert day – Oliver and Daniël needed to work in the morning and we had time to set up our instruments and sound check. It’s always exciting to wait for the audience and set up the room so that everyone will be able to see us and have the most pleasant experience.

Finally more and more people arrived. Daniël even posted the event on Couchsurfing, which is why a group of young travelers attended as well. By show time, the living room was packed.

We played two 40 minute sets consisting of our original songs and some covers. Everyone was attentive and engaged and we all had a blast!

You could really tell that our music touched the audience, which lead to super nice conversations about our songwriting and lyrics afterwards. Even the idea of writing our own musical came up.

Thank you Oliver and Daniël for your hospitality and for organizing this fun event! We had a wonderful time at your place and feel grateful to have you as friends!

Here’s a little clip of our experience:

– L

Music

New Music Video Out Now!

We just released our new music video! We’re super excited about it and hope you enjoy! :)))

Special thanks to Adams Music in Ittervoort-Netherlands for letting us film in their super cool facility!
Video Production by – J&L Productions
Audio Recorded by – Joe & Linda
Audio Mixed by – Mat Lejeune