things online

• Interview with Michael Galluci at Cleveland Scene
• Interview with John Soeder at The Plain Dealer
• Q&A at Mike Gasper's We Have the Technology (scroll down to 8/26)
• Q&A at John Kenyon's Things I'd Rather Be Doing
• Album reviews at Dusted, I Rock Cleveland, Next Best Records, The Agit Reader, Organizing Grievances, StL Mag Blog
• Show review at I Rock Cleveland
• Several posts, including some mp3s and scans of old 45s at the very excellent blog, One Base on an Overthrow, done by the guy who used to publish Brushback.
• If you read Japanese, a review at Kyuta's blog

My penchant for accuracy compels me to note that despite what the Agit Reader review says, Year of the Donk was not edited or recorded at different times, it is a continuous, non-edited take.

important StL driving info

If you're coming to St. Louis this Friday, particularly from the west, be forewarned that I-64 (referred to locally as "40" - the old federal number) is in the midst of a gigantic reconstruction. First off the highway is closed between I-270 and I-170. The Hampton Ave bridge is being demolished that night, with traffic re-routed to the exit/entrance ramps. More critically, the eastbound Jefferson Ave exit will not get you to the club because the Jefferson Ave bridge is closed. If coming from the east (westbound on I-64), you can still use the Jefferson exit (and the Hampton demolition won't be a factor either, it's further west).

There is no signage in the front of the Bluebird/Beffa's (a very cool bar/cafeteria mostly open during the day), there is a parking lot in back and you'll see a blue awning for the club there. It is one block west of Jefferson on Olive, on the southwest corner of Olive and N. Beaumont.

If traveling from the west via I-44 east, exit at Grand, proceed north and turn right at Olive (a few miles up the road, just past I-64). If you're taking I-70 in, take I-270 south to I-44 east and proceed as above. Unless you're a total badass, I would advise against taking the Kingshighway or Grand exits off 70, they'll take you through a pretty hairy part of north city. Alternatively, you could go 70E to 170S to 64E and exit at Grand or Market, but with the Hampton bridge demolition it might be faster to go the long way around via 270 & 44 as described above.

If taking I-70W coming from the east, just switch to I-64 (left 2 lanes on the bridge) and exit at Jefferson.

For more detail check this site.

last weekend

Well, that was quite a time. You couldn't find two more opposite shows. I had more trouble with my gear in Columbus than at any show in my lifetime. I determined the following day that there were several parallel problems, so no wonder I was totally flummoxed. But hey, when we were capable of creating sound, it was really good! The tension and frustration made the playing more vicious to be sure.


Thankfully there wasn't a camera at the back of the stage to document me totally losing my shit: "what the fuck is going on? I can't believe this shit. Goddamnit. I'm never doing this again" etc etc. After a while it started to seem completely absurd and I wondered if we were stuck in some Andy Kaufman bit. Shining Clock, with some Greenhorn and Gaunt refugees, were quite good, I was especially struck by Nick S' singing - he has a good voice, sense of melody/cadence. They rocked and seemed to have some good songs. I did a fun interview with Next Best Records' Ron Wadlinger for the Agit Reader after the show, I'll post a link when it goes up, along with pointers to some of the other pieces now online.

Cleveland went off like a charm in comparison. We did a great "Year of the Donk" - there are bits that are different every time, especially the intro, and we went to some places we hadn't been before with it. There is audio, but I haven't heard it yet. I might post some mp3s if the mix is ok. No technical difficulties beyond the ass pain of having songs in multiple tunings, some of them a bit extreme. Short of owning 5 or 6 guitars or having a full-time guitar tech there's not much way around it. I've used odd tunings off and on since Spike in Vain days, but there are definitely more of them on the new album than back when.

It was great to see Short Rabbits, Charlie Ditteaux's (Impalers, Easter Monkeys, Knifedance) new 3 piece with This Moment in Black History's Buddy Akita and his groovy drummer extraordinaire wife Christina. They've just released a 9 song 12" on My Mind's Eye that is full of Cle style punk rock goodness, real sound to it also. I'm not seeing it on the web yet in a quick google search, but plan to pick up a few to sell on the Scat site. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up at S-S, either.

John Petkovic kindly emailed me some pics:
Myself, Patrick and "utility infielder" Joe Thebeau.

hey, I think there's something wrong with your radiator

np: Alicia DeLaroccha - Granados' Goyescas
nd: New Belgium Trippel

Pianist DeLaroccha is the last word in Spanish repertory of any era and most of her recordings can be had on vinyl for $10 and under, mostly under if you go digging. NB's Trippel is like milk at our house, and it's not expensive since 1=2 with a 7.8% ABV. And delicious too. $7-$8 for a six around here. The Colt 45 of the Family Man? Nectar.

Naturally I've been busy, which is encouraging rather than a stressor - but I wanted to post a quick note that I do intend to keep this thing going, it's not totally a whoring the new album thing. I must introduce our magnificent and infinitely patient rhythm section as well as spout about the bills on these first shows, for starters. I do intend to post some oddball mp3s. And I'm always listening to records, feeling and thinking about the rocks of various girths and shapes. There are other blogs I read and links I'd like to post, I just haven't gotten to wiring them in yet. Regardless, I've always got some random ignorant crap to say too, so do stay tuned.

myspace fun

I've quickly learned that the worst part of myspace is the random band trying to glom onto your show. A-1 fuckos on the move.

But I've just realized this can be fun. Names changed to protect the nameless dumbass, I'm nice like that.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Mono Standard
Date: Sep 1, 2008 8:38 PM


hi. i sent you a message a week or so ago about hoping on the 9/26 bill you have @ the blue bird in St. louis. i contacted the venue and the told me it was your show. we could return the favor here in indianapolis.

let me know what you think.

thanks,
twitt

I think you are unnecessarily wasting my time. I owe you an answer.... why? The world owes you nothing, clown. I do not know you and I do not play this myspace whore game. I don't have enough room for people on our bills who take some inspiration from our music, but yet it is you, some random dude in a pop band who can't bother to listen, read or think about what he's asking long enough to realize how far wrong he is, it is YOU who deserves a response? Get bent.