It's June 13, 2015 and I'm jet-lagged as hell
Just walked in the door opened my mail and there's something from Yael
The guy from Biffy Clyro says I'm one of the greatest songwriters in world
And here's a funny hate rant from some stalker hater girl
And a letter of love and kindness and affection from a fan in Singapore
Ah what can you do some people love some people hate some people of us walk tall and proud and some of
us slither around in the dirt like little garden snakes
Nature is cruel look at the way the vines curl and choke the life out of the trees
Nature is beautiful go out on your front porch smell the pines and feel the afternoon breeze
It's June 13 just like it was three years ago
When I put words down to some music written by the musical genius Jimmy LaValle
And my friend Tim had just died and everyone was going through hell
But now's a brand new June 13 and I gotta say things are going pretty well
Today's my sister's birthday and I'm gonna call her and I know she'll be pleased
But I tried to call her and she's not answering I keep trying and she's not answering
Ah there she is my beautiful sister and one of my best friends
She wants a copy of my new CD and I'm gonna send it to her on Monday and I'm gonna surprise her with a
rather large check
Now I'm off to Telegraph Hill I need to walk to get acclimated and get back into the right time schedule
I walked through the North Beach fair still dizzy I felt like I was in some strange music video
I went to Molinari's on Columbus and got the Joe Special
That was Katy's favorite I always get that one in memory of her
Oh it's coming up on my 48th summer
A few nights ago I rocked the room like Elvis Presley and had them laughing like Richard Pryor
And me and Steve went and saw the film 'Youth' on our day off in Milan
And Pitchfork gave me a 6 that day I said “man, what took them so long?”
And me and Steve laughed and we had some salad and some red mullet carpaccio
And I hugged him goodnight and the next morning I flew home to beautiful San Francisco
Oh it's coming up on my 48th summer
And I'm feeling good and my girlfriend will be here at 7 for dinner and oh my god I love her
And her cat Leona she's like a huge ball of fluff and I could squish her to d**h
Her face is so f**ing cute I swear to god I can't even stand it
And it's Friday night I'll be singing the 100th anniversary of the Civic Center in San Francisco
With Chuck Prophet and Penelope Houston and Stephanie Finch and The Kingston Trio and Jello Biafra
And for the f** of it I'm gonna read this nice letter from this Singapore fan
He's now the co-writer of this song his name is Victor and he's gonna get the songwriter's share of 25%
“Dear Mark,
Thank you for the amazing gig you played in Melbourne in March of this year.
I flew in from Singapore to see you and I don't know if you remember, but we met outside. I was wearing a
Pearl Jam T-Shirt and you said it was cool.
For me, you and Eddie are the best two vocalists and songwriters of our age.
Thank you for allowing us all to move to the front of the hall when you came onstage. Somehow the Internet
gave us a back row seat but after you let us move I was right down the front.
I love the new record and the way that you are getting more personal each and every album.
I think it's one for the fans and for the people that have listened to you for twenty years, not the hipsters who like you only because of Benji.
I bought my family members in London four tickets for the Barbican gig this week, wanting to get as many
people I know to hear and share your music. The main reason I'm writing is because of the negative press
from the gig. English press are ridiculous, just trying to get any controversial story they can. Anyone who
knows you will know you're respectful and they don't get your sense of humor. Don't let it get you down. Your real fans will always be here for you.
Please keep making the music and touring the tours. Take it easy and yes, please do come back to
Singapore:)
All the best Victor.”