St Anton am Arlberg, Tirol, Austria

Well I am really sorry for the absence from writing my blogs, and I have gotten a lot of e mails asking for advice.

I have moved to St. Anton am Arlberg, Tirol, Austria for the winter to snowboard and ski. It is one of the top resorts in the world and this is my 4th season here. I also did one season in Zermatt, Switzerland as well. The snow is coming down, and the season really kicks in after Christmas, so I am looking forward to it. I will be here until April.

As you probably already know, I was touring with The Vagrants and our European tour has finally finished. It was amazing and really lifted up a level from all the previous years. We will do 2 tours of Europe next year and it looks as though that will continue for the future.

While I am in Austria, I will not be writing as much for the Blind Beatroot website. I really need a bit of a break from the music industry and that is another reason I am here. BUT… since I have had so many letters asking for advice, and for news and ideas from the last Vagrants tour, I will be doing that in the new year.

Wow, I'm salivating.... I haven't really been hungry for about 2 weeks, because I was sick but all this talk of food everywhere!!!!. I could feel the flu coming on and if you are not hungry, I think you shouldn't eat. I could loose a few kilos anyway. Which I plan on doing this winter for sure.

As you know, I am mostly a very positive person, but this Christmas has been a more somber one for me, and in life there is death, sometime joy, sometimes sadness. I am not depressed or anything, just wanted to give you the real me at the moment. So far this has been a week of reflection, and not a great one. Three things are the biggest.

Missing my wife Renate (and all my family everywhere) very intensely.
Having the flu and being frustrated at my brand new job.
My cousin Jerry dying.

Good comes from the bad:
As for missing Renate I think that it is great that after 17 years I am still madly in love!!! As for the flu, I found out my new boss is a great guy, he told me to go to bed, closed the bar and made me go to the doctors. As for Jerry Collins passing on, it made me really think of all the stupid fun we had thru the years.

I did write, "A Eulogy for my Cousin Jerry". I put that up on Facebook. The link is....
http://www.facebook.com/notes/steve-iorio/a-eulogy-for-my-cousin-jerry-collins/239064070745

St, Anton really is a special place. It is beautiful but it is like all things beautiful, more important when you can share them with the people you love. This place has memories of Renate everywhere and it is just not the same without her. People keep asking about her and she leaves her mark where ever she goes for sure. Once I can afford a ski pass it will not be as bad, but that is $1,000 and I can't see it happening really soon. Then I will get some much needed exercise and fill the lungs with healthy clean air, that is what I really need.

I love the snow, and the cold, so i will be in my element (no pun intended) I am having Christmas with Andy (bass player in The Vagrants) today and a couple of English guys that I lived with. I will go to their flat where I used to live and have a day there. No booze for me!!! I lived there and really did NOT want to leave, but.... they are all big party people and it is probably good that I have gone to live at the hotel I work in. I have a tiny room but it is mine to read, think, relax etc.. on my own. I won't be there much in the high season, but really when you want some quiet it is better to have a small room to yourself. Also, I want play guitar, write songs, and to watch German, Swedish, Spanish, French, and Italian TV and they just want to watch the BBC and SKY British Sport... not for me. I am going to put my time into my German studies and my snowboarding.

Hope all the people are happy and everyone is healthy,
Steve
--
Stephen Iorio
steve@thevagrants.com.au
www.thevagrants.com.au
www.blindbeatroot.com
www.myspace.com/vagrantsmusic

Vagrants Video

Hey Guys,

The Vagrants have finally finished our European Tour. 50 gigs in 11 weeks!!!! Ouch.

As good friendsI have a favour to ask. We are VERY close to getting a top spot on You Tube with this video. I need you to personally click on the video let it play all the way thru, and then give it a rating. Also if you could pass it on to some friends that would be great. Post it on Facebook or Myspace if you can!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rsd8tmr6i0&feature=related

Cheers,
Steve Iorio
Renate Ludwig
Andy Gardner

The Vagrants new drummer

Thanks to everyone that has been coming to the gigs, rocking out with us, buying CDs and drinking beers with us!!!

Well, we had 3 drummers on the first tour, and now we will have 3 drummers on this tour!!! Rune is a great guy and was a God Send when he filled in for Rob when he had major back problems, and and had to go hope. Rune filled in on VERY short notice and is a grea drummer, good friend and already knew the music.

Now we have to say good bye to Rune and he must go back to Denmark and we will have the AMAZING Czech drummer filling in for the last 4 gigs. Tomas Mourenec . If you want to see what this amazing drummer, singer, guitarist and songwriter does when he is not helping out The Vagrants Czech out
www.velvetrevolver.cz
www.illfish.cz
He is also a friend on my Facebook page if any of you want to say hello to him that way.

Cheers, and hope to see you at a gig!!!!
Steve

The Vagrants in Cologne

Guys,

Tonight we rock the Blue Shell in Cologne and tomorrow in Schorndorf near Stuttgart at the Engel Bar. We have done 17 shows now and only another 20 to go...
Hope to see you there, all the dates at,
www.myspace.com/vagrantsmusic
and new video at
www.youtube.com/thevagrants
Cheers,
Steve
--
Stephen Iorio
steve@thevagrants.com.au
www.thevagrants.com.au
www.blindbeatroot.com
www.myspace.com/vagrantsmusic

Vagrants on Facebook

I dont know how many of you know, but Renate is doing a www.facebook.com/thevagrants site. She is really great at communication, and if you go to this site (and/or) the www.thevagrants.com.au site and hit SUBSCRIBE, then you will get a newsletter that Renate sends out.

There are some very funny and possibly illegal pictures up there. Check it out before she has the site turned off by the FBI!"!! No pictures of James, please give him shit.

Steve Iorio
gigs at
www.myspace.com/vagrantsmusic

New gig added to tour TOMORROW!!!!

NEW GIG TOMORROW at www.kulturcafe-mainz.de
last minute gig if anyone wants to come Monday night all gigs at myspace.com/vagrantsmusic
Cheers,
Steve
www.thevagrants.com.au
The Vagrants, Steve Iorio, Renate Iorio, Andy Gardner, playing rock music, in Germany, Mainz Germany, with Lord Bishop Rocks at the Kulturcafe Uni Mainz,

Where are the Vagrants in Germany???

die Konzert mit den Vagrants ist jetzt auch überall online eingetragen:

http://www.snapscouts.de/veranstaltung-party/82671

http://www.hs-zigr.de/studenten/veranstaltungen/

http://www.vkalender.com/-/5/11/2009//veranstaltungen.html

http://www.15ost.de/mod-event/2009-11/1/

http://www.myspace.com/livemusik-goerlitz

Stephen Iorio
steve@thevagrants.com.au
www.thevagrants.com.au
www.blindbeatroot.com
www.myspace.com/vagrantsmusic