Category: Blog

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highlights of the drive

Observations from two long drives:

The next time out, I have to stop at the Wreck Room in Alabama. From what I can gather from the billboards, it’s a museum dedicated to smashed up race cars. The billboard has two pictures of horribly manged cars, underneath which is the legend, “They Walked Away!” I can’t possibly be expected to not be sucked in by something so tasteless.

Shortly thereafter, I will have to stop for lunch in the town of Chunky, MS.

I know you’re thinking now that there can’t possibly be anything better than a town named Chunky. But see, this is why America is so great, my friends… just when you think she’s through with you she smacks you in the side of the head one more time. Because what is in Chunky, MS?

The Chunky River!

Though, to be honest, I looked as I drove over it, and it didn’t appear to be particularly chunky.

The forefathers in Mississippi must have been wiped out after that little foray, since the following exit ramps merely bore the words “Lake” and “Forest,” respectively.

Also, each state has its own odor, easily recognized by stopping at the first rest area after crossing the border. Mississippi, for the record, smells like dog shit. Louisiana, on the other hand, smells like a big sweaty fat guy.

Finally, a message for Jen, who has single-handedly changed long driving trips for me forever. Because it never fails that, at some point in the trip, I become consumed with the thought of her particular way to pass the time on these things. Unfortunately, I am not blessed with the equipment necessary, so instead I just listened to Steely Dan in honor of it.

That was a joke for William S. Burroughs fans. Good night, everyone.

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on my way out again

So, last Thursday I sent out a couple of copies of the new CD (which I have in extremely short supply, basically enough to give to those who played on the CD, plus a couple of special instances like this) to Lynn Hoskins. She runs the ELO mailing list along with Rob Caiger. Rob was (and still is) in charge of the remastering that’s taking place on the entire ELO and Move catalog, working in conjunction with Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood. Back when “Jeff Lynne” (the song) started appearing on the mailing list, she had written me to say that if I was interested in getting the song to Jeff she’s try to help out. So, these two copies of the new CD are in the mail to her now, and she will be sending them along to Jeff Lynne and his manager.

I tried to make it clear at one point that I didn’t want anyone to think that I was looking for some sort of ‘big break.’ I wasn’t sending them to try and ‘get anything.’ Which is all absolutely true. What would make everything worth it, what would make me dance around like a total moron?

Dear Paul,
This CD is pretty good. Thanks for the song.
Jeff

Sometimes my desires are very simple. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Meanwhile, I’m off to Austin, TX. I have a couple of friends out there, we were in a band in college a long time ago. Aaron, one of the people there, he’s my friend who spent two years as a clown in the Ringling Bros. circus. He was my closest friend in college, he’s in a band now called the Sleepwalkers. And then Andrea, who I never really knew all that well at the time, but she’s doing some amazing pop stuff now and we stumbled across each other about a year ago online. We were both reviewed by the same site somehow, it was odd. Anyway, a little while ago I got the idea in my head that it would be a good idea to go out there just to reconnect and maybe give myself a fresh perspective on what I’m doing. Before the CD comes out and the work really begins. A little pilgrimage of sorts, which is atypical for me, but I thought maybe that was a good thing. It’s not a terribly bright trip in some respects, I can’t really afford it, but I’m keeping it as cheap as possible. Leaving this morning and stopping halfway there, staying in a cheap hotel and then into Austin on Wednesday, stay for a bit and then do the same thing on the way back. I’ll be back home late Saturday night. There may be updates along the way.

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weaklazyliar

Thursday night I went out to see weaklazyliar at 10 High. It was an odd show. It was their drummer’s last show with them, though no one knew it (well, they did, obviously). I got up and sang backing vocals on three songs, which I love to do. They always smile at me when I do it, too, which is kind of cute.

Still, there was an understandably weird feeling about the show. Bittersweet. They played a great show, I thought. I don’t think they care for playing a place like 10 High, which I can understand. They’re really the antithesis of the typcial club band. They play subtle, understated, intelligent stuff, and you have to listen to it for it to get you. It’s almost impossible to get the general crowd to pay attention at a club long enough to realize there’s something important going on, unless you’re making their eardrums bleed. But, hell, Wilco can travel around drawing crowds playing that sort of understated, smart stuff, there’s no reason in the world why weaklazyliar can’t do it, too. There’s a reason why, after they got a simple artist card shown after they used their music in the last episode of Felicity that they suddenly sold out at amazon. You have to listen, you have to hear what they’re doing in some sort of context.

I felt very special getting to play a small part in Joe’s last show. I worry about them now. I love them as a band (I honestly think the November Diaries is one of the best albums of the year, in fact, go buy it, will you?) and as people. I worry that the process of having to continually beat your head against the apathy of the typical crowd will cause them to finally say enough is enough. With Joe leaving I think they feel strange about continuing. They had really developed over the past few years and had become a band with an identity, a tight-knit group, which is rare for a local band, I think. But to me, that also serves to make it easier to continue now. The music is strong enough and has its own face now, so to speak, it has become bigger than the sum of its parts. It’s strong enough to survive such a potentially drastic change. I think the real question now is whether they feel it’s worth it to themselves.

I really do hope that, a year from now, I get to sit down and hear rough mixes from a new CD, and see where it is they’re heading. The November Diaries is a fantastic record, but it doesn’t need to be a swansong. It needs to be a preview. It’s a roadmap, not a destination.