FANTASTIC!  Thanks for posting these very revealing and completely captivating interviews. I was sad and frankly surprised to hear John admit his disappointment about living in the shadow of that other artist.  I've never heard him speak so candidly about it before and it now it will frustrate me even more any time that other guy even gets mentioned in the same breath. John is brilliant, and continuously inspires me with his insight and his tireless creative drive.

Great job!  I am always thankful to people like you who spend time shooting the show so that I can follow the tour beyond the shows I was able to see in person.

I can't get over how GREAT this is!  I need to find some money so I can attend a show during this leg of the tour and see it LIVE!

Excellent article! I really enjoyed getting some insight into how the band crafts their sound. 

Troye's contribution to "Troubled Land" (especially the live versions) is one of my favorite sounds in John's recent music.

Like everyone else, I am sad to see the end of what appeared to be a great partnership.  As a fan, I was grateful for John's continued energy and amazing creative output in 2010 (two albums, two tours, several special performances). Yet it seems it was also a year in which he suffered great loss in his personal life.  In addition to his separation from Elaine, John mentioned on the NPR World Cafe program that his good friend Mark Ripley had died in October. 

John always seems stoic and realistic about change and death ("know that dying's as natural as birth, and our troubles here don't last long") but I can only imagine that there is profound sadness lurking behind the jocular exterior we saw recently on Letterman. I hope that John will find the same comfort and peace that his music has provided to so many of us over the years.

Great slide show - I enjoyed it very much.  Thanks!

O.k. here's a new one for all of us "old" folks.  What 80's Canadian television comedy series did John and his band perform (and act) on?  Hint: it was around the time of the release of American Fool.

Hmm, are the you the person who posted the SCTV clip on youtube?  If so, many thanks!  I always love seeing old footage of John before and right around the time he achieved major fame. Plus I used to do my own impression of Ed Grimley back then, and never knew that he and John had, uh...collaborated.  The shot of him with Grimley's voice is priceless!

If you've never seen this before, it's a gem:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmCU6Iadsa4

John was seen walking and chatting with Meg Ryan in NYC during the past week:

http://www.infdaily.com/2010/10/meg-ryan-john-mellencamp-go-for-a-stroll.html

I'm always amazed at the misuse of John's music by people whose beliefs are so contrary to the messages related in his songs.  I'm glad he's being vigilant and spoke out!

These are 2 premium package seats for the 11/23 show that I don't need and that I am selling for cost. Before I post them on Craigslist, I wanted to approach fellow fan club members again first.

If your tickets aren't as close to the stage as you'd hoped, or if you only got tickets for the first night, this is your chance!

I was particularly surprised to see Edith Massey's hotel bill, and to see that the band had to double up and that John and Larry shared a room. Sure gives a window into earlier, leaner times.

Reviewing these fascinating old documents begs the question: how did they come into your possession?

Hey all.

I wrote a review of the album (it's the first one you'll see, by Rudy Palma) on Amazon.com, right here:

http://www.amazon.com/Better-Than-This-John-Mellencamp/dp/B003NWS5DQ/ref=cm_cr-mr-img

I would like to know what you all think of it. Comments and votes would be appreciated. They mean a lot to me.

I am, obviously, very impressed with this album, as I was with his last one.

Well done! I voted that your review was "helpful," but since I already have and love the album, let's just say that it was helpful in the sense that it always boosts my morale to hear people recognize John's talent and laud his work.  In fact, given the uniqueness of this album, I was pleasantly surprised by all of the favorable reviews on Amazon.

Thanks for sharing your story - it is a powerful example of resilience and of the role that John's music has had in so many of our lives. Here's hoping you get back home, and that you get to see him in concert again.

Thanks for the heads up on letting you know if we completed the survey.  I did the survey yesterday.  I went to an independent record store in Minneapolis and paid $14.99.