Fanatic! I’m sitting in a tour bus, waiting to leave. It’s early Saturday morning. We’ll be on the road soon and if all goes according to plan, will arrive in Lexington, KY around 1000 hrs. The first show of the tour is tonight.
On the tour, we’ll have two books, both of them are tour editions. One is a printing of my new book Sic that has a slightly different cover than the regular one. The version of Solipsist we have features a cover that’s a reversal in colors of the regular printing, again, this is just for the tour. I thought it would be cool to make exclusive editions just for the tour.
The television is on in the front where I’m sitting and a Silverado truck ad just came on using Down On The Street from the Stooges album Fun House. I wasn’t watching the screen, it was the music that made my head snap up. It occurred to me only one person who played on that album is alive. I just wrote Iggy’s manager and let him know I saw the ad. That was cool but not as cool as whatever the car ad was that had The Fall track on it. That was surreal! All you need is a music supervisor who thinks differently and this kind of thing can happen.
A few days ago, I was asked to make a list of my favorite ten albums of the year so far. Here they are in no particular order:
- Upchuck - Bite The Hand That Feeds - Famous Class Records
- Marnie Stern - The Comeback Kid - Joyful Noise
- The Bobby Lees - Bellevue - Ipecac
- Osees - Intercepted Message - In The Red
- Lorelle Meets The Obsolete - Datura - Sonic Cathedral
- Fake Names - Damage Done - Epitaph
- Snooper - Super Snõõper - Third Man
- Kid Congo Powers & The Near Death Experience – Live In St. Kilda - In The Red
- Melenas - Ahora - Trouble In Mind
- Devo - Art Devo 1973-1977 - Futurismo
They’re all great but as far as the release that knocked me out the most was the Devo album. It’s a 3LP 1 7” set of previously unreleased Devo. Some of the tracks have been on bootlegs but these are from the source and they sound amazing. As I was on the third LP, it occurred to me that Devo was not only the bleeding edge of innovation but also the material the edge is cutting through. When you think of what their surroundings were when Mothersbaugh, Casale and the rest started out, it’s like they suddenly appeared. This is the most interesting gathering of early Devo tracks I’ve heard. There are others, like the Hardcore Devo albums, which are great but this is a one stand out. I’ve been a fan since the late 1970s when I first heard them. I dug Devo immediately.
The new Marnie album is such a great return. It had been so long since the last album, I thought she was finished. I thought that was a shame as she’s so talented and her albums are such a blast.
I’ve only had a chance to listen to the new Melenas Ahora album on vinyl one time. Great album. Looking forward to getting another chance to hear it later this year.
I reckon most of not all of these are or will be available to check out on Bandcamp if you feel so inclined. Also, a band I just started listening to I think is cool is Cherry Cheeks. If you go to Bandcamp you can check them out. I’m looking forward to digging into both albums.
Much later. Now on the bus in front of the venue. Beautiful day here in Lexington.
Fanatic, we have a great show lined up for you tonight. Hopefully I have a good show lined up for the audience here. I’m on at 1930 hrs. I’ve been looking forward to starting these shows. Enough waiting.
I hope you like the music!
Have a tremendous weekend and STAY FANATIC!!!
–– Henry