Sitting here in my hotel room in Peru reflecting on the past few years, and the next few.

Being busy making music that I love, with people that I love.

Being busy touring, learning new skills and making great contacts, helping to put on gigs in far-flung places with great bands and great people.

The advent of realising that people actually like the music I make and want to support it by making me able to take six months off ‘work’ so that I can concentrate on it to the best of my ability.

And putting all this together so I can buy a house and build a life with the person that I’ve chosen to spend the rest of my days with.

I’m a lucky boy and I try not to forget it.

In the recent-est memories though, are the tastes of two of the most AMAZING dinners I’ve ever had. Who would have thought that Peru, having been frankly a bit of a disappointment (as a holiday destination at least) in 2011, turns out to be the culinary capital of, well, my stomach. I think we were just unlucky last time, because this place is incredible.

Yesterday, the lovely promoter Coco took us to La Carreta, which was set up as a meat-feast for those who do, and a tuna feast for those who don’t (me). The most incredible tuna I’ve ever eaten – perfectly seared and with amazing thick-cut chips. Lashings of perfectly paired red wines and followed with about six choices for dessert. Some of us had a taste of all six. (me).

Today, he took us to Bravo, where the eponymous Christian Bravo, a bit of a celebrity by all accounts, fed and watered us to within an inch of our lives. Tiger soup – no big cats in sight – more tuna and a drink called The Glove, which was pisco sours crossed with a mojito. Basically a garden in a glass, and a feast of incredible tastes.

And it was all part of the gig deal. The way to a this musician’s heart is definitely through his stomach; and I have to say I am filled with love.

That said, I must have put a stone on during this tour, and due to a nasty twisted ankle, I’ve not been able to keep up with the running lately. I’m going to LA in a few days and I can’t imagine that’s going to be any less of a gastronomic celebration.

Anyway, we’re here to rock and chew bubblegum… and we’re all out of bubblegum. Etc.

It’s been a curious time with the Sisters of late. We’re constantly, albeit slowly, working on all sorts of things to update the set, sounds and songs. The Sisters machine constantly turns, like a steamroller, slowly but surely, with the aim to flatten everything in its path. Andrew did an interview recently where he said that if Donald Trump got elected, he might have to put pen to paper and voice to tape and get into the studio. He’s said before that his creativity is fuelled on spite, and a great many of the conversations on the bus are centred around what is going on in the States and what people are saying. It’s a fascinating time to be interested in politics, albeit a really scary time. It’s going to be weird going to America next week.

Oh yeah, America next week. The other week, I heard a rumour that my muckers Ugly Kid Joe were short of a guitar player for their upcoming UK/Euro tour. The lovely Sonny Mayo is busy with his (amazing) Rock To Recovery programme. So, being a cheeky bastard, with a passion for being busy, travelling around, and playing the stupid guitar, I offered up my services. Three days of rehearsal in LA, staying at Robert Trujillo’s house, and the weather forecast is for 30 degrees +? Sounds good to me.

I teched for UKJ on a tour with them and Skid Row in 2013 (that’s my other job) and we became firm friends. If you think their repetoire begins and ends with ‘Everything About You’ then check out their most recent albums ‘Uglier Than They Used Ta Be’ and ‘Stairway To Hell’. Big slabs of Sabbath-y alt-rock with big vocals and bigger riffs. Try the track ‘She’s Already Gone‘.

One of the reasons I put myself forward was because the material is way out of my comfort zones. There’s lead guitar parts, solos, clean stuff… I realised I don’t challenge myself enough with my playing, and this is a BIG challenge. Hopefully I’ll be up to it.

Plus the crew are amazing people, I worked for Solj when I came onboard with UKJ, and quickly realised how brilliant he is at his job, so brought him out with the Sisters. Sam the drum tech is the nicest bloke on the planet, and Gav is one of my best friends from all over the place. I’ve also got Matt who I’ve worked with before involved for front of house sound. Should be a jape. 37 gigs in 44 days. Good schedule!!

As well as this, I’ve spent the past year working on a ‘solo’ album. More on this later.

But for now, I’ve got to think about sleeping off this seven-course lunch before tonight’s Sisters gig in Peru.

These gigs have been amazing, by the way. It’s always fantastic to come to South America. Brasil has become a real homestead for the band. We all love the laidback atmosphere, the beer, the food, and most of all, the people’s heavy commitment to rock.

Looking forward to Chile, as we’ve never been there. Our old mate John Lydon got a glass to the face at our venue the other week, apparently from an over-exuberant ‘fan’, so we’re hopeful that the security have got their heads screwed on this time.

Remind me to tell you my Lydon stories sometime.

Signing out of my first blog post,

Chris X