i still hate myspace

But I did finally get the Superdrag page to load the music player. I'm happy now. Man, I hope this means they're going to record a new album. It's just two 4-tracks, but man, it's good ol' Superdrag, especially "I Only Want a Place I Can Stay."

It's been so long since I've bothered with MySpace that I noticed the change in the music player. I like that you can pop it out into its own window.

I think I'm going to go make a mix CD that I can tape for the car. Yeah, I'm all low tech. It's because the damn car adapter for my iPod shuffle never works. It did for like five days two years ago.

more than two weeks later

Let me tell you about the Superdrag concert I flew across the country for.

Oh who can remember all the little details now? But I will say that I am indeed glad I went. They totally rocked. You'd never believe that these guys hadn't played together (or any of these songs) in years. Of course, being the last show of the tour probably helped that a bit, but seriously, it brought back the rock of my youth (somebody pinch me when I'm getting nostalgic at the tender age of 24! Especially after watching Baby Boomers debate the meaning and "corrosiveness" of nostalgia on a local PBS show called Life Part Two, of which I am probably the only member of the Echo of the Baby Boom to actually watch this show when it airs. Oh but that's another story. I clearly have an obsession with PBS and absorbing all kinds of information. Perhaps I've been derelict in writing in this here blog because I've been too busy absorbing information instead. Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Okay, back to Superdrag. I was actually surprised not to see people (the guys, really: they were all male) from the old days. We'd never really talk, but we'd certainly recognize each other, the first dorks to arrive at the venue, which was usually the 9:30 Club, but a show or two in Baltimore and even a roadtrip to Philadelphia (if I remember correctly, back in the days when I couldn't even drive and my mom was such an enthusiastic supporter of her silly kids!). It was actually Allie who recognized a lot of people from her stint as a DJ at UMCP's radio station.

We got there when doors opened at 10:00 and claimed the best place in the venue: standing against the balcony at center. In other words, we had a completely unobstructed view of the stage directly over the sound board. Yes, perfect sight and sound! (And I lamented how I should have done this for Teenage Fanclub two years ago rather than pressing myself against the stage.)

The vast bulk of the set drew from Superdrag's first two LPs (which the original lineup, hence the reunion, created): Regretfully Yours and Headtrip in Every Key. There was also a track or two from their earlier EP and demo efforts, and "True Believer" from their third of four LPs (In The Valley of Dying Stars) which is not a tune from the original lineup, but voted the number one favorite by fans through an online poll. Now, I do indeed love this song and many others from their later releases, but I thought it was not in spirit with a reunion tour of the original band to vote for music they didn't all perform. I guess the bulk of voters didn't get that message. I wasn't actually surprised that it won. It's the only song I've actually seen covered by another band (The Plus Ones). In fact, I remember telling someone at the Plus Ones concert that they sound a lot like Superdrag just as they started to play "True Believer."

The first half of the set was dominated by Regretfully Yours, and while I love all Superdrag music--seriously, not one bad track--I still consider this my least favorite album. It's a bit too monotonous, which you can really feel standing at a late-night concert. But then they brought on the Headtrip In Every Key, which for the longest time was my favorite album of theirs. I still go back and forth between it and In the Valley of Dying Stars. Including the encore, I believe the total playing time was somewhere on order of an hour and forty-five or fifty minutes. Probably the best concert I've attended in years.

A special note, there was absolutely no booze on stage. Now, considering Superdrag disbanded on account of John Davis's Born-Again Christian sobriety, it's not really that surprising. But how many rock shows have you been to where no band member was throwing back beer or whiskey in between songs? There's no alcohol required to rock!

And if that cheesy line wasn't enough, here's an embarrassing plea. In August, waiting to gawk at the ever-youthful Paul Rudd at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater, I was blabbing about Superdrag to Anna when the guy in front of me turned around to tell me he is a big Superdrag fan. Well, man, if you have happened upon this in some sort of bizarre googling incident (or any other means), please email me, leave a comment, or something. I totally flupped up the follow through on that one. I'm willing to bet we've got more in common than a love for Superdrag and cool glasses.

Fin.

by the way...

It's official. I'm going to see Superdrag in D.C. on November 8! Allie and I bought our tickets on Thursday when they went on sale to the general public (since I missed the presale).

I feel like a goofy teenager, but I have to do it. I'm going to regret it if I don't.

Why don't you join us?

i've never sweated so much in my life

Last night I went to the not-so-secret and probably not just invite-only Spoon show at Little Radio (remember, I got the ticket for being an early bird at Amoeba).

First, some words to the people who run Little Radio's warehouse thing: get some fucking fans! In this day and age, I can't actually understand why I was sweating buckets. Buckets, really.

Having arrived at 9:30 I was able to snag a really good spot in the crowd, where I had a pretty good view of the stage (no small feat considering my height relative to most people) and amazing sound (in front of the sound board). I suffered through John "Boring" Vanderslice. Just a man and his acoustic guitar. It all sounded the same. His record probably isn't quite as boring, but really, who wants to stand there and watch some guy play by himself and make stupid comments. I'll give him credit for having a lot of personality and talking a lot, but it just didn't appeal to me.

Then after some more waiting and compacting (you know how that happens at shows when you're in the best place), Spoon hit the stage at 11. The temperature probably went up another five degrees. But they sounded amazing! They are one of the few bands that actually retains the distinct sound of their recordings when playing live. I don't know if that makes sense, but I was really impressed with the sound quality of the performance.

I stayed in my spot for about 40 minutes until I just couldn't take the heat. With every note they played, a massive sweat drop would descend from my hair down my body. I just couldn't take it. I made my way to the bar to try and get some water ("uh, we don't have tap water."), and found, as I suspected, it was A LOT cooler back there toward the wide open door. People also weren't packed in so much. Unfortunately, the sound quality was pretty bad, both because of the sound system and because of all the idiots talking and making noise (which wasn't happening much closer in). I managed to move closer to get a somewhat better view and improved sound so I could enjoy the rest of the show.

Final Assessment: I'm really glad I went. I'm also really glad it was free (who would pay to be so uncomfortable?)! I don't think I need to go see them in September. The rigmarole just isn't worth it. It was 1.5 hour set so it was a full show. They didn't play "Sister Jack," but the set was heavily drawn from their latest two albums with a couple of older tunes thrown in for good measure. And as amazing as they sound live, they really aren't much to look at. Don't get me wrong, they are all very attractive men, but Britt Daniel spent half of the set with his back to the audience. They just didn't move enough to make it worth watching.

The whole experience also made me re-evaluate my efforts to convince Allie and Dad to meet me somewhere else in the country to go see Superdrag. Did I love seeing them live? Hell yeah, but is the pain and suffering really worth it? Probably not. Though I'm still contemplating the D.C. show. There are other reasons to go to D.C. It's just missing a couple of school things that are holding me back.

By the way, on my way home I had to get a Slurpee. I needed the freezing cold beverage, but it also reminds me of so many trips home from the 9:30 Club or Black Cat. I'm sure we did it a time or two after Superdrag.

i just don't believe it

I'm crying just a little bit now. You're just not going to believe this! And if Allie weren't on her way to dinner right now, I'd be blabbing at her on the phone rather than typing this stream of conscious shocker. I just can't believe this.

Superdrag--THE ORIGINAL SUPERDRAG LINEUP--is reuniting for a limited six-city tour. No, they aren't stopping in L.A., but they're going to be in D.C. in November! I'm seriously, seriously, seriously, considering buying airline tickets. It's in the middle of the fucking week in the second half of the semester only a couple of weeks after I'm going to be in Portland, Maine, but OH MY GOD. I'm in love with Superdrag. We all know this. Isn't this what I've been waiting for?

Why aren't you coming to L.A. or hell, somewhere on the west coast?!

I just don't believe it. Sorry for the out of character blog, but I'm just in utter shock and conflict right now.

the benefits of working in hollywood

You can sneak out of work at 10:15 a.m. and wait in line at Amoeba to be one of the first 150 people to buy the new Spoon album (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga) and receive a ticket to a free, invite-only show. And be back at work within a half hour. Ooohh yeah!

I couldn't believe how uncrowded it was. Sometimes L.A. is a great place to live.

fountains of stream of consciousness

Check out the interview with Adam Schlesinger I've linked you to above. Although there is really no discussion of Fountains of Wayne's latest CD, it completely made me want to go listen to it with the intent to buy. The whole success of "Stacey's Mom" really put me off. I've been a fan since the "Radiation Vibe" days, though I tend to prefer "I've Got a Flair" from their debut album. They write ironic little pop ditties, that's what I love. But "Stacey's Mom" was so damn popular that when I was substitute teaching at the high school I attended I overheard some kid tell another that Fountains of Wayne could never do a serious song after that one. I butted in and told him that if you knew the band, you'd know they've never had "serious" songs. Plus, actually, I thought that album (Welcome Interstate Managers) sucked pretty badly. It was no Utopia Parkway. "Red Dragon Tattoo" is just too damn good. I used to have this humongous t-shirt that read "Red Dragon Tattoo" and "Fountains of Wayne" on either side of it that I got at a concert in 1999. I wore that shirt out. It was a night shirt that I'd run around the house in. I eventually had to throw it out when the tiny hole in the armpit stretched to the point where you could see my tits through it.

"it would be a superdrag"

Finally got my new Superdrag CD and found the time to listen to it tonight over some Sudoku.

Superdrag simply can do no wrong. Even the stuff that ends up on the cutting-room floor is superb. Though I have to say that the final versions of "Keep It Close to Me" and "Extra-Sensory" are better than the demos on Changin' Tires on the Road to Ruin.

I'm just going to have to add this to my regular rotation of Superdrag listening. The disc really showcases their melodic side...never a bad thing.

And those bastards had to go and put two live tracks on there to remind me how great they were live.

another superdrag lament

Allie may be right. In the Valley of Dying Stars just might be Superdrag's best record. I was partial to Head Trip in Every Key for so long that I sort of burnt out on it. I listen to Last Call for Vitriol a lot in the car, because I taped it for some reason (and not the others!). Oh my god this stuff is so good. Why can't they reform? It's not enough to have John Davis sing about Jesus. It lacks the edge of Superdrag.

But wait, on Tuesday, Superdrag's B-side album, Changing Tires on the Road to Ruin will be available! It's not enough, though. And I think it's either dangerous or a clever marketing technique to have the title so close to Supergrass's recent album Road to Rouen. When I blabber about Superdrag, people are usually like, "Oh yeah, I like Supergrass." So do I, but they're no Superdrag.

it might not be a superdrag...

Lately I've been thinking about how my love for Superdrag truly rivals my love for Teenage Fanclub. I generally tell people my favorite band is Teenage Fanclub, and oddly, that name actually has more recognition than Superdrag (until you maybe mention "Sucked Out"). The thing is that Superdrag doesn't have one bad track. There's not anything that I compulsively skip. Teenage Fanclub, on the other hand, has some tracks that just don't quite do it for me. They aren't horrible, I don't skip them, but particularly in their older catalog (you know, the grunge era), just ain't so poppy so I just don't listen to it very much. Grand Prix and later is solid gold, however.

Anyway, so I'm always lamenting the demise of Superdrag, but the truth is, the brilliance behind Superdrag, John Davis, is still a very productive musician producing Superdrag stuff with a twist. That twist just happens to be God. And Allie told me we should give him a shot.

I think I'm willing. I mean, I do eat at In-N-Out Burger and like it, right?

this one's for you, brian

If you remember from an earlier post this week about The Broken West, I mentioned how the last time I blogged about them there were controversial results. Well, tonight we got some closure on that issue.

Anna had organized a show at Bordello on the edge of Little Tokyo for The Sheers CD release party. John Hoskinson opened and Eugene Edwards closed. Brian, of Broken West and "insufferable rudeness" fame, plays bass in both bands. Oh yes, he read the blog those many months ago. So after he greeted Anna, he came up to me and made mention of it, but he was totally cool about it. And apparently I'm one of the few people to praise the band without mentioning Wilco (shit, I just did). I still wouldn't make the comparison, because it just doesn't occur to me to do it. "So It Goes," "On the Bubble," and "Down in the Valley" are toe-tapping fabulous on their own. So I officially take it back: Brian is not insufferably rude. We may have to work on Dan, though (to be fair, he was not there tonight). Oh and Brian and Eugene were wearing matching outfits, which I actually really like (I'm big into "concept bands"). It's John who ruined that vibe.

how did the west break?

Last night I paid a visit to Sea Level Records in Echo Park for The Broken West's record release party. I've blogged about the band before (once with controversial results); they used to be known as The Brokedown, but apparently ran into legal trouble with the name. At first I wasn't crazy about them (too twangy), but in the intervening time they became incredibly poppy and catchy as hell. They're rising stars (if a record deal with Merge is any indication of such things these days). Merge is even touting them as influenced by Teenage Fanclub. While not incompatible music at all, I don't quite hear it. Nevermind, though, I fully endorse I Can't Go On, I'll Go On.