Vocalist Jeff Scott Soto (ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY, TALISMAN) has issued the following update:

"Ok, where did I leave off? Ahh, yes, that's right, the beginning of the first JSS road trip here in the US. Well home for just a coupla days after recording in Tampa, I had mere hours to conjur up the setlist & make last minute arrangements for Dave Dzialak and Gary Schutt to come into LA so we could commence our one and only rehearsal before the 1st show on Friday, September 15 at Paladino's right here in my own backyard practically. Playing at home is always interesting because not only do u have a lot of family and friends, it's just a harder market to tackle since most in the audience are someone, someone in the making or someone they think they are/will be? Make that it's our first date in two years together doing a full set, it's enough to rattle the nerves so I called a little powwow, or rather, drink-fest at my pad before the gig. Anyone who knows my drink of choice, the Brazilian 'Caipiroska', knows this is the perfect thing to unwind to before, during and after a gig so I loaded up on all the ingredients and we (band and a select few guests) inducted the evening the right way. I guess we were all a bit sloshed upon arriving to the gig because from what I remember, it was a slamming show!

It was only a two week run and I did get loads of inquiries as to why so many cities were missing or as to why it was even so short. For starters, this was SOLELY booked so it would give us a chance to warm up for the Melodicrock show in South Bend, IN that my good friend Andrew McNeice was conjuring up, which incidentally was last night, more about that later. I wanted to rev the guys up again so by the time we got there, it would be honed in, I was right! The other reason I wanted to keep it short and sweet was to see just how ready US audiences were for me, or if they were there at all after the amazing year I just had with 'you know who'. I didn't want to assume I would be selling out night after night until I could go out there and test the waters. With that, I hope to be doing a hell of a lot more in the near future but also realize just how important it is to get this new album in the can 1st. We did about four new ones in the set and to my delight, they were all received well! I have about 16 done now and another five in the works to complete before I start whittling down which will make the new album. I guess a lot of that too has to do with who will release it or if I will go at it on my own the indy route, but that's not as important to me as the overall picture I need to paint of myself and where I'm at musically and emotionally.

A few highlights on the tour were 1st in SF where my new brother and good friend, Dave Meniketti of Y&T;, came up and did three tunes with us, 'Mean Streak', 'Summertime Girls', and 'Black Tiger'. I gotta start by saying Dave is one of the coolest, most down to earth bros I know, there are few I put in the category of pure class and a humble gentleman. Props to John Parker and his buds who got us up and running with gear and then some, also to Y&T;'s sound guy Tom, who donated his time with his Midas sound, as well as Jill Meniketti for all her help & Kim Dyer for the timeless energy put in booking the tour. Lastly, Timothy Drury, keyboardist of WHITESNAKE, came up during 'Summertime Girls' with us so a nice little memory in the archives that night."

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