Crayon-Forever Nearly True


Dearest Ned and everyone out there,
I am working on the Brick Factory reissue, a two cd set including at three newly discovered Crayon songs, live tracks from their final performance at Yoyo A Gogo, the Harriet demos, all the singles, cassettes, and compilation tracks, for this autumn.

It is happening.

It will be grand.

XO
Court

Crayon-Live With It Baby
A totally cute slideshow of photos from the Crayon/Softies tour:

Pitchfork

NYC Popfest 2007 at Pitchfork!

I have been super busy with organizing popfest and will do my best to blog a bit from there, but expect some super exciting news about my summer job after the fest.

Shapes and sizes at cakeshop

Shapes and sizes at cakeshop

Yellow fever

Yello fever

Yellow fever

NYC Popfest 2007

NYC Popfest 2007
NYC Popfest MySpace

All fest passes can be purchased by sending $60 via Pay Pal to paypal@nycpopfest.com

THURSDAY MAY 24, 2007
Opening night gala
98-104 Meserole Ave., @ EUROPA in Brooklyn

* BMX Bandits (Scotland)
* Pants Yell! (MA)
* Yellow Fever (TX)
* The Metric Mile (NYC)
* Lispector (France)
* Plus other surprise guests!


FRIDAY MAY 25, 2007
Kick off the weekend with Mitch Easter and a rooftop after-party!!!
168 Delancey Street, @ THE DELANCEY on the L.E.S.

* Baskervilles (NYC)
* Mitch Easter (NC)
* The Secret History (NYC)
* The Smittens (VT)
* Affair d'Coeur (NYC)
* The Reverse (NY)
* AND ROOFTOP AFTER-PARTY


SATURDAY MAY 26, 2007
FREE daytime all-ages show
Astroland Stage - Coney Island Boardwalk, @ ASTROLAND on Coney Island!!!!!

* Bunnygrunt (MO)
* Cars Can Be Blue (GA)
* Best Fwends (TX)
* The Gritty Midi Gang (NYC)
* and special surprise guests!


SATURDAY MAY 26, 2007
74 Leonard St., @ THE KNITTTING FACTORY

* Casiotone For the Painfully Alone (CHI)
* The Ballet (NYC)
* Ballboy (Scotland)
* Harvey Williams (UK)
* My Teenage Stride (NYC)
* The Besties (NYC)
* Brown Recluse Sings (PA)


SUNDAY MAY 27, 2007
361 Metropolitan Avenue, @ LUNA LOUNGE in Brooklyn

* Pipas (UK/NYC)
* CAUSE CO-MOTION (NYC)
* Human Television (PA)
* Michael Leviton (NYC)
* Pelle Carlberg (Sweden)
* Dear Nora (CA)
* The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (NYC)


MONDAY May 28, 2007
Memorial Day BBQ & show
484 Union Avenue, @ UNION POOL in Brooklyn

* Allen Clapp & His Orchestra (CA)
* The Gazetteers (NY)
* The Lil Hospital (PA)
* Surefire Broadcast (PA)
* Titans of Filth (GA)
* and special surprise guests!!

Icicles/Casper and the Cookes/Scary Monster
The Khyber, Philly, April 30 2007, be there!

I lucked out today and got the new Icicles cd at Repo Records on South Street in the discount section.

or as seen in the Motorola commercial


Then I found this great video of Jason Nesmith from Casper and the Cookies singing Don't Stop Believing karaoke with Of Montreal at the 40 Watt in Athens


And a shout out that the third band on the bill in Philly is Neal "the Snow Fairies have really broken up and this is proof" Ramirez's new band, Scary Monster.

Sooooo funny things afoot at our little Pop Inn in Philly
I got Kev to enter the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Battle of the Bands contest
and The Lil Hosptial is a finalist!



So please vote for him (or if you like the other bands)

http://www.mary-kateandashley.com/media/article.php?1170|1

Spalding Gray and Calvin Johnson

It's the time of year when I spend too much time mourning those people I loved who are no longer with us, and thinking of sitting in the Washington Center and watching Spalding Gray perform around 1999/2000 is also making me sad. I'll have to listen to It's A Slippery Slope again soon. I think about all the uncertainties I had at that time, fuck Paxil, fuck unboyfriends, fuck graduation...it was pretty much a time to listen to a wise old white guy with a New York attitude and NPR sensibilities and think maybe, maybe things would get better.

There is a new play based on his writings that has been going on in New York and getting good reviews

And it will be performed at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia on April 20 with Calvin Johnson reading and performing an original song he wrote for Mr. Gray. Bravo.

Sandman and Calvin Johnson Shootout


WTF? WTF? WTF? (okay, that seems to be all Calvin will say too)

Anyway, my buddy Justin is putting a bunch of random videos up on YouTube for our amusement...thanks!

Nicki Click at the Mill Creek Tavern

Hornet Leg at the Mill Creek Tavern

Maple Rabbit at the Mill Creek Tavern

Of Montreal sell out again

At the Trocadero in Philly

More clinic@netomat

Clinic

Clinic at johnny brendas

When the Payola scandal broke a few years ago, I was really dissapointed by the use of the word "indies" to refer to the middlemen who brokered the deals between major labels and radio to buy airtime for their artists. I felt that people who didn't know what indie rock, indiepop, or just indie music was would confuse the marketing machines with the small labels and artists who were completely irrelevant to the scandal.

If you're unfamiliar with the scandal, read Payola: The Dirty Industry Practice That is Ruining Hip-Hop or the document containing actual facts and figures about the practice.

I don't know if the use of the word "indie" meant anything to anyone else, but in an odd turn of events, the major corporate radio firms have voluntarily agreed to set aside 8400 half-hour blocks of airtime for independent artists not affiliated with the major labels.

After seeing the Apples in Stereo twice last month I really felt like it might be a magic year for an indiepop band to have a major hit single. It would be no stranger than some of the hit singles I remember coming out of regional radio (ie Harvey Danger's "Flagpole Sitta" on KNDD and Dead Eye Dick's "New Age Girl" come to mind).

And if anyone would like to hire me to program some of those blocks, I'm available.

As amazing as The Secret History were at Cakeshop on Friday night, I am too tired to write a public piece on my experience so instead, I distract you with my big Flickr project for the evening:

My Mom with the Casualties in 1995



Okay, this might be the funniest picture ever. See, my parents were driving up to Boston to pick me up from a Sonic Youth show (Helium opened btw, Bikini Kill was supposed to and cancelled). My mom saw this punk band in the parking lot of a rest stop and asked if they were Sonic Youth. "No," Jorges said, "we're the Casualties!" "My daughter has probably heard of you, can I get my picture taken with you?" And that is how I got a picture of my mommy with the Casualties.

Like mother like daughter I suppose, as the dorky photos of me with Superchunk at Princeton University attest to, this was May 5 1996
Also in that set are some far away photos of the Magnetic Fields, as I was really nervous we were going to be busted for being trespassing high school students at the show.

Evidence that the Cakeshop is my least favorite venue to take photos in even though I adored The Secret History last Friday night:


Sleater Kinney Setlist from 4/6/96 (pre-Janet) at the Unitarian Church in Philly:


And since this is so much about 1996, let's take a look at me around that time in my natural habitat, photocopying my zine at Office Max.

A Letter to Olympia:

Go have your heart broken, be saved, experience joy:
Friday at The Capitol Theater
Saturday LooksGood To Me
Chris Bathgate
Calvin Johnson
The Cave Singers
8:30
ALL AGES
at the Capitol Theater Backstage
and it's been a long time since the Backstage had a good pop show. GO GO GO

costs? I'm sad, no flyer for me, someone take a picture PLEASE

Fair warning, Fred Thomas does a lovely cover of Belle and Sebastian's "Like Dylan in the Movies". In fact, his Polyvinyl releases achieve that soul sound Stuart Murdock has been trying to find. Now he's giving it up for his own voice, probably no lovely lass on this leg of the tour, which has a kind of awkwardness and joy that makes him so damn charming. And I love his teeth, his teeth are adorable. AHHHHH!!!!! (I went to Chicago to stalk Tullycraft btw, seeing SLGTM was just a really awesome bonus)

I haven't seen The Cave Singers yet, but please let me know how they are live. I'm very much looking forward to seeing them in Philly with Xiu Xiu and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone next month.

XOXO I MISS YOU XOXO
Courtney <3's Fred

Tweekends Away-Chicago Style

So I'm safely back from Chicago today and the snow is falling in Philly. A brief recap of this weekend, although you may want to jump to the pertanent sections on
Tullycraft
The Apples in Stereo
Saturday Looks Good To Me

I arrived in Chicago on Thursday afternoon and killed several hours at the Mercury Cafe. I had an awesome turkey and avocado sandwich and coffee while I played on the internet til Leigh got home from work.

Now, Leigh and I go WAY BACK to the early days of the damned Belle and Sebastian fan list Sinister. She had organized a picnic in 1998 for the folks on the list to socialize in DC, and that is the event I made my "Fuck Me I'm Twee" shirt for. I'm no longer on the Sinister list.

Friday afternoon I hung out with Leigh's roommate Dan and made rice crispy treats for Tullycraft. I'm on some kind of silly baking for bands kick, probably out of gratefulness that I don't have to promote the shows.


Aren't they fucking cool?


I think they liked them (this girl was awesome too).


The Apples in Stereo had this Drumhead for sale at the merch table with a pricetag of $40. Since it was signed by the Apples and Casper I really wanted it. I tried to buy it and it was not for sale.


The trick was, whoever wanted to buy the Drumhead got it for free. I had Tullycraft sign it too.

Notice the dirty drawing from Corianton in the middle? Thanks Cori. I love you too.

Casper and the Cookies sounded great, but I was stuck in the back of the room and had a lot of catching up to do with my old roommate Jessica.

For the Apples in Stereo Jessica and I headed up to the balcony hoping to have a better view. A better view is debatable, but we did have fun upstairs and there was room to dance.

"Don't forget to send Pavement their royalty check."

Saturday morning I got to partake in a wonderful Chicago tradition, Drunky Brunch at Joey's Brickhouse. I believe it is now $12 All You Can Eat and $1 drinks. This resulted in a dizzying array of Long Island Ice Teas in pretty colors being passed around the table, but not to me. I gave up drinking for Lent and somehow made it through this weekend sober.
The one thing I REALLY wish I had a photo of, but felt too dorky and all, was Bob Nanna from Braid showing up and talking to his friends at our table. Poor Jess has Braid lyrics tattooed on her arm that just minutes before she was showing the table, but the sleeves went down the minute he walked in the room.


Saturday Saturday night was time for Saturday Looks Good to me. Fred announced that their next album will come out this fall on K Records which makes me very happy. I wasn't sure how many people would come out in the snow but the place was packed. We thought the show was going to start at 8:30 so we got there early, too early, and killed time playing games at the table.


I had seen the "Northwest Experimental Version" of SLTGM last year, so I was completely unprepaired for the full on, bombastic, swinging, soulful full band PLUS Betty Marie Barnes on vocals. Given our shared history, I think we were both very happy to hear their cover of Belle and Sebastian's "Like Dylan in the Movies". The place was crowded and full of dancing afterwards, so we headed home.

Brunch again on Sunday morning and then on the plane back home.


Confidential to the couple in the front row at Saturday Looks Good To Me: The reason you couldn't figure out what Modest Mouse album that song was on was because it was The Pixies

Hey, I've added an indiepop search engine to the sidebar. You can get the code for if you want to put it somewhere handy, or e-mail me suggestions for other sites to prioritize for the searches.

Also, I'm in Chicago for the weekend. Tomorrow is the Tullycraft/Casper and the Cookies/Apples in Stereo show I've been obsessing over. Saturday we're going to see Saturday Looks Good To me. All and all, a pretty incredible weekend to look forward to.


XO

Should the twee pop article on Wikipedia be merged with the indiepop article?

Radar magazine had a rather disturbing article on "tweemo" fashion in the January/February print edition. I'm not quite sure they get it, or maybe I don't get it. I think the history of twee pop was a reaction against the machismo of punk, and twee as a reaction against the gloom and glamour of emo (which I still want to call neo-emo) is fine. Summing it up with a bit of faux-vintage fashion, Dave Eggers Novels, and Belle and Sebby records? I suppose that's why I don't read magazines too often. But I have to question the tweemo thing for one major reason, how can something like that exist if it's not on Wikipedia or their own website? Does anything exist if it doesn't exist online? Let me get back to that...

Speaking of emo, I found a vintage postcard Ken Shipley gave me in the attic of my parents house. It was part of a framed collage I made including a)a b&w photo of a guitar a boy gave me in college before moving to Memphis and breaking my heart b)a b&w unintentional sillhouette photo of a boy I fell hard for in college before much too much drama to ever be recounted on this blog, or at least I'm waiting til the WTO movie comes out and I can tie it into that c)postcard from random zinester boy about live falling apart whenever you move away d)ruined polaroid I found in the street somewhere e)aformentioned vintage postcard.

So at least I have these postcards and photos. After the transcendent time I had at the Apples in Stereo show I have really been feeling, well, frustrated, that fan mail has become a lost art. I feel really strange mailing letters and presents to bands, I wonder if I'm the only one who still does this. Or if the blog or fansite has become the only appropriate place to express your love? I tried to ask Stephen Merritt about this at the EMP Pop Conference last year but everything he said was drowned out in the Song of the South controversy and I never saw a transcript. But it doesn't matter, does it?

I am glad, with all the crap that is going on my my life right now, which I am going to spare my family the embarassment of having posted to the internet, I have a bunch fo shows to look forward to. First off, Friday, I can't believe Friday is the Tullycraft/Casper/Apples in Stereo. Then Saturday we're going to see Saturday Looks Good to Me, and I'm excited to see how Fred Thomas' new material is working out. He moved to Portland last i heard.

Also, we're getting really really close to announcing the bands for NYC Popfest 2007.

And finally, after I calm down from the Chicago whammy, The Secret History, featuring members of My Favorite will be playing at Cakeshop in NYC on March 2nd. Back to what I said earlier about how does something exist if it doesn't exist on the web, I'm sorry they don't seem to have a MySpace or webpage to share, yet. It will be awesome to hear new songs and see the new band lineup from Mr. Grace. It is also My Teenage Stride's record release party, so I'm expecting some new all around goodness from Jed as well. I will probably babble about both bands much as soon as I stop freaking out about how awesome my Chicago trip is going to be.

New Love: Apples in Stereo and Kevin Devine

Last summer at the Happy Happy Birthday To Me Athens Popfest I fell in love with the Apples in Stereo. I've noticed my taste in music swaying away from the melancholy to the celabratory. I had listened to Tone Soul Evolution from the library, but it never really caught me like their live show did.

If you have an hour you can watch that set

Which is so strange that some of the most amazing moments of my life are captured online now.

I was even more excited when I saw that Casper and the Cookies were the opening act on this tour. I booked their Olympia show last year and think they are just the sweetest band. They give so much energy into their performances and have such a great ear for pop tunes. So I bought a ticket for Philadelphia.

So this was my first time at the North Star Bar and I pretty much liked it. The stage wasn't too obnoxiously high off the ground and people didn't crowd the stage so there was room to dance. I met some really nice girls and everyone was friendly. The first act, Elevator Falling, was good psychadelic rock pop, but I was really freaked out how much the lead singer looked like my ex. Casper and the Cookies sounded great. They have such a crisp sound where you can hear EVERYTHING, probably due to Jason's extrodinary engineering skills.

But then things got scary between the Casper and Apples sets. The band was taking a really long time to get onstage and it turns out Rob Schnieder had an asthma attack backstage. There was a time when we thought the show was going to be cancelled. It was horrible. John came onstage and explained they were going to come out soon, and they took to the stage around one o'clock.

It was terrific. I love pop bands, but I love bands that can record pop and play LOUD. The Apples in Stereo just have this incredible uplifting energy, something I want to be surrounded by and just drown in as much as possible.

After the show Rob was very nice and hung around talking to the fans and taking pictures with everyone. I felt a bit dorky asking, but then he asked me and I'm not that shy!

Okay, I promise you there will be more obsessing coming up this week, as I've written, Tullycraft were added to the Chicago bill...damn! I LOVE THESE BANDS!!! So that is next Friday at Subterranean, and I am going to see the bands and visit my fabulous friend Leigh.

They were also on Conan this week but NBC had the video pulled from YouTube.

Before I head off to the second part of my Apples adventure, I am going to see Kevin Devine. Kevin Devine is a Brooklyn based singer-songwriter who I can't not compare to a sunny Elliott Smith. But having seen Elliott throughout his career, I am absolutely relieved to hear someone who doesn't seem to carry the same demons with him. He's got three songs up on AOL Spinner Music right now and will be playing at the Unitarian Church in Philly on Wednesday night at 7:30.

After Yo La Tengo
I will be heading to Sugar Town at Tritone, hosted by the lovely Sara Sherr.

It’s half-off with a Yo La Tengo ticket stub.

$6 21+

9:00 Doors
9:30 Amy Quinn/Citizen Mom reads
9:45 Y-Front
10:00 Jen Hess
11:00 Voodoo Economics
11:30 Fun dance party with DJ’s Julia Factorial, Darshana & Chetena

Jonathan Richman, VIP, and Yo La Tengo

(click photo for more pictures)
Jonathan Richman at Johnny Brenda's, February 8, 2007
VIP at the M Room February 9, 2007
Tomorrow night?
Yo La Tengo at the Trocadero
I'm very happy to see my video has remained on the first page of I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass dot com.

Oh dear Jonathan!

(first draft cross posted to the indiepop list)

Highlights from Jonathan Richman's Philly show at Johnny Brenda's February 8 2006:

Opening with Salvador Dali AND later playing Pablo Picasso

If it is possible to have TOO MUCH Jonathan swinging his crotch in your face I got that last night. I also almost got wacked in the head with his guitar when I closed my eyes for a second. I almost got wacked in the head with the guitar when I was paying attention too.

He's all buff with nice arm muscles and didn't use a guitar strap for the entire performance. I can't remember if that is typical, but he was really swinging the guitar last night. Plus I realized Calvin Johnson's most enthusaistic performances are a poor substitute for Jonathan's calesthenics.

Totally weird but I wanted to touch his sneaker for good luck but I didn't. I'm not sure what else to do when someone is THAT CLOSE onstage.

People screaming "Free Mumia" during his Mumia song

Going from "Not So Much To Be Loved, As To Love" (which is a quote from St. Francis's prayer "Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace") to a song whose title I don't know, but it has a bunch of lyrics about how he prayed for love and fell in love because of his prayer, and he even got the jingle bell shaker and blesed the crowd and it was very funny and sweet.

Hearing Springtime in New York and rememembering when he played that on September 11th in Portland and not crying this time.

The spoken word part of "Let Her Go Into The Darkness" performed in French, Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew

Neal Ramirez didn't have a ticket but someone sold him one and he got in.

People congradulating Herbie on this rockstardom. His band Brown Recluse Sings had a song on Veronica Mars this week.

Meeting house photographer Katie after the show and finding out she shares my love of Tullycraft and Lil Hospital.

I bought a last minute ticket to see Jonathan Richman tomorrow night in Philly.

I was reminded of just how many amazing memories I have of 2006, and they all come in snapshots, ink polaroids if you will....

The last night of Lakefair, sitting on the roof of Lois' shed with my friend Seth and Al Larsen, watching the fireworks and talking about pop music and YouTube.

Al mentioned this video of Jonathan performing in Berkley in 1981

Yes, the movie of my life will be made of rock videos of people you've never heard of but will always remember.
On a slightly related note, I'm going to Chicago to see Apples in Stereo, Casper and the Cookies, and Tullycraft. Because I do stupid stuff like that. Because I really like the way Rob Schnieder carried a notebook around like Harriet the Spy. Because Tullycraft and me is "like having a pet, but I'm not sure who is the pet and who is the owner" (thanks Kardhym!). Because Jason and Kay are the sweetest. I'm so there.

Darren Hanlon - The Unmade Bed

Wow, a perfect "you girl" video by Darren Hanlon. Watch the whole thing, revenge is sweet. Notice the poor Jens Lekman with the smashed uke!

I play music!

100_2117, originally uploaded by Skipping Stones Records.

Okay, not really...but I think this blog should continue to provide evidence that I AM REALLY SHORT!!!!

I did go look at stripper shoes today. I'm thinking the $70 might be a good investment to be able to see bands at some of the shows I'm going to soon. I've started to keep a calendar at myspace to keep track of what I want to go to.

Hmmm, what else, I got a nice bunch of CDs from Stewart today. The new Hulaboy is excellent. Nice solid indie rock pop songs. I havent' listened to the Boyracer, Possum Moods or bonus disc yet.

XO
CB

Wanna come to my birthday party?

England Belongs to Twee: feat. special guest DJ Mon!
Join Mike McKee and Labuda, some shy art school kids and some rowdy skinheads for a night of oi anthems and the feyest of all indie pop
9pm - 2am, no cover @ the khyber (2nd & chestnut)

Yadda yadda tag 3 peeps for 5 random facts...I tag LINDSAY because he reads this, I'm not sure who else does...TULLYCRAFT boys? I comment on your bloggy blog...thank you and happy birthday to Douglas


1. When I went to summer camp in 1988 I attempted to write down EVERYTHING that happened, to the point of trying to write while hiking around camp. I would have been deadly with phone in blog posts.

2. The first cd I ever won from a radio station was a Mozart CD from a classical station. My friend Jessica's dad wanted to go to the in store promo at Tower Records' Classical Annex on South Street and I entered my name in the drawing on a whim. We were at Tower's regular store when I won.

3. Today was my first day as the token chick at the record store. This is my first record store job.

4. I was in a short lived band called Fuzzy Navel. I ran into Calvin Johnson at a coffee shop a half hour before we were going to play at the Arrowspace and he apologized that he couldn't go see us play because he was recording the Make Up that night. We opened for Fat Day and Whorehouse of Representatives, two of the best bands EVER.

5. I played fantasy baseball last year but slacked off despite drafting people such as Ryan Howard (after the draft! thats the kind of baseball smartiepants I am!!!) . I promise to not do that again.

My New Years Resolution is to get back into reviewing that which I consume. To reprocess and reflect on what I observe and where I am.

So my parents live in what I call the suburbs because it's more romantic to say that than explain the countryside where I have seen the farms give way to mansions. Or I haven't seen, as most of this construction, including the renovations on my parents' home, happened while I was in Washington.

So while I am here at their house, between the move from Olympia and the move to Philadelphia, I try to take advantage of the big flat screen tv and the entertainment
1. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (documentary, 2005)
While I enjoyed Daniel's music immensley, I have never been a completist, nor have I spent too much time learning his mythology. My telling of the story was "he is crazy and made music in his parent's basement and worked at McDonalds". I had no idea he went to college, fell in obsessive love, crashed his dad's airplane, rolled into Austin with the carnival, or was on MTV in the 80s. Sadly the interviews with Daniel himself are mostly in the form of cassettes he recorded at various points in his life.

2. Concert.TV presents "Ted Leo and the Pharmacists"
Opening with a sweet cover of the Pogues "Dirty Old Town" I had high hopes for this. Unfortunately it is not a straight through concert, but interspersed with interviews and "commercial breaks" (what is that called, when the break is just to promote the station itself?). Now, I've been meaning to see either other film by Justin Mitchell (Songs for Cassavettes or the Death Cab documentary) but I just haven't gotten around to it. I suppose it is an easy enough formula...but I hate the artsy filming of indie bands. I like talking heads, I don't like footage of blurry fingers on keyboards or random bystanders looking unusual (or usual, oh there is a gothish chick, there is a black guy in a NYC t-shirt). I blogged instead of paying too much attention to Part I, so I'll let you know if I get to part II.

Merry Christmas: Santa on a Vespa

Sorry the video is kinda shakey. I wanted to enjoy the moment as much as I wanted to capture it. Sadly the video doesn't include the part where Calvin walked by singing loudly.

So much cuteness. I'm working on uploading lots of videos and pictures over the next few days. I kinda want to feel "done" when I leave.

Courtney's Good-Bye Mix
Saturday December 16th
with
Tullycraft
Math and Physics Club
and
Special Guests
Doors at 9, Show at 10
21+ $5
at the Clipper
402 East Fourth Ave.
Downtown Olympia WA
Club Info 360-943-6300
Pioneer Music

Hyperlocal and Hypertopical

I hung out at the Brotherhood tonight with the kind folks from Oly Blog and felt a very satisfying kind of in real life community while being surrounded by internet peeps. I lurk there, don't waste your time trying to see what I post. I did get to share several ideas I have for Oly centric stuff, and some of those may be happening with my input or the assitance of more permanent locals.

But I came home and checked the indiepop list to see some YouTube links to the first gigs of a fine indiepop band in England, and it really made me feel like an amazing wee part of an international pop underground. I mean, this band just played their first shows in the UK and I can see it in WA without going through some super obscure VHS trading circle from some fanzine I got in the city?

YAHHHHH I LOVE THE INTERNETS!!!!!!!! (I'm old, this stuff hasn't always been here)

Since I'm moving to Philadelphia, I will no longer have to fool myself that falafel tastes like scrapple and fried Spam tastes like pork roll. It doesn't. Now if only Tastykakes would get Isolated Soy Protein out of their ingredients I may be able to eat like a normal person.
So here is the musical content since I can't find an mp3 of anything relative except for that damn irrelevant Burning Airlines song
"Nobody bakes a cake as tasty as a Tastykake!"

(do-da-da do do doo doo doo-doo doo doo do-da-do)

no-bo-dy bakes a cake as tast-y as a tasty-kake

Another online music award voting site. Write in Athens Popfest as the criminally overlooked vote.

I'm an archetype, not a stereotype!
Questionable Content
I read 1-100 but had to stop for sleep.

Best Shirt Ever

IMG_1425.JPG, originally uploaded by Courtoly.

I've noticed my entries tend to have thin threads connecting them unintentionally, as I should probably save up my ideas and make a rambling connected post instead.

Alas, I saw Rikky from the Besties had this shirt and I wanted one. So I ordered it from sorryimissedyourshow.com

best shirt ever.

The Besties

Vote for the Besties in this silly corporate contest so they can ride a tour bus around NYC instead of the subway.

I'm little

IMG_1151.jpg
Originally uploaded by lesabrisabri.

Sometimes I forget how little I am. This is from the Athens Popfest this summer when we were all singing Minor Threat's "Cashin In" with Bunnygrunt. Can you spot me? Hint: I'm wearing 3" heels.

Capitol Theater, March 16, 1997.

Some Gorgeous Accident
Tullycraft
Bunnygrunt
Kind Dog
Bis

Calvin got onstage with Amelia and Pete of Heavenly (aka Kind Dog) and performed Wanna Be. And here is my gift to you since I am finally digitizing these tapes.
Wanna Be

I'm a smart cookie. In procrastinating my homework I hooked up my iMac to my stereo and figured out how to dump cassettes to CDs. This means my very awesome 10 year old bootleg collection will be digitized. I'm wrassling with how to share this stuff, aside for making riot grrrl cds for the teenagers in Yelm. That should do the trick.

This is the modern world...and things I never imagined in the 90s

Kurt Cobain Dethrones Elvish as Highest-Paid Dead Celebrity

Movie about 1999 WTO Protests in Seattle in the works

Before I go to bed. I saw Calvin Johnson, D+, Karl Blau, and Mt. Eerie play at the Unitarian Church in Philly tonight. I have to take back some of the things I said in this blog earlier about Mt. Eerie, because tonight he sat down and played a straight set and it was lovely. Heck, I would have even liked a little more theatrics as long as it's not the stop start I'm writing this song onstage kinda stuff I'd been seeing him play for the past few years. I think Karl really stole the show though. He has such a big heart and an impressive vocal range and seemingly boundless creativity with the Kelp monthly label he runs. It was nice to see Washingtonians on the East Coast, so even if I'm here a while, I'll always feel like I have two homes.

So in my travelling woes I forgot that the last book in the series of Unfortunate Events came out last week, with a cd from the Gothic Archies of all the songs from the audio books + some. So I present to you, thanks to Paul Shrug for the bulletin,

Stephen Merritt on Fox Atlanta

Further Proof of the Wormhole between Mid 90s Mix Tapes and My Life at 27

Friday night was a bit surreal to say the least. I went to see Rose Melberg play with Pants Yell!!! and Brown Recluse Sings (I think that was Herbie's band's name). Andrea from My Favorite was singing with Rose. Now, I only got to see My Favorite once in their fourteen year career because they rarely made it to the West Coast and never played in Olympia, but after I saw them live last summer they went from "band with that amazing single that got me through high school" to "band I love for presenting me with the alternate view of what my life may have been like if I went to NYC instead of WA after high school". Rose holds a similar place in my heart, although I am guilty of using her lyrics as weapons of mass obsession and generally focusing on one song that I will listen to on repeat over and over and over again ("Golden Gate Bridge" and "Love You More"). The thing is, there were five years of me having adventures with boys who were obsessed with the Softies (and being obsessed with boys who had adventures with the Softies), ending in feeling like the coolest girl ever when she gifted me a t-shirt and cd at Ladyfest 2000, and then she dissapeared and went off to make babies and live in Canadia, and I was okay.

Well, in a little over a year I've seen her play seven times:

1. that gallery in Vancouver with P:ano (since she hadn't played in five years it seemed like a wonderful occasion)

2. Bellingham Pop Fest spagetti dinner (Tullycraft were playing the fest, so of course I was there!)

3. Olympia Eagles Hall ballroom with Math and Physics Club (Charles and I set up the show)

4. Vancouver BC opening for Belle and Sebastian (because I wanted to see Belle and Sebby three nights in a row and Rose opening was the deciding factor)

5. in store with Calvin Johnson and mini-Softies reunion (because I love Calvin too)

6. Olympia Midnight Sun with Jenny Jenkins and Onyx (I put on this show!)

7. Tritone in Philadelphia, Friday night

So living out in the middle of nowhere (literally, about ten miles away from the nearest Starbucks, which I know is not like the Midwest or something) as a fangirl teenager a typical fantasy of mine would be something like "Bikini Kill's tourvan breaks down in front of my parent's house and I get to sit in the kitchen with Kathleen Hanna drinking coffee while phone calls are made to try to get the tour back on the road".

So somehow during the night it was decided that Rose and her entorage would like to stay at my house. So around two a.m. we pulled into my parent's driveway and I snuck the band upstairs past my sleeping parents to the guest bedrooms on the second floor. And after we settled in, it was a little wierd to think "Dear God, these women are my riot grrrl heroines, and we're all grown up and things are going to be okay, even in this corner of suburbia. Thank you."

Unfortunately I had such a busy day ahead of me I didn't have time to make breakfast so we made do with fancy coffee machine coffee. Then I was off on other adventures....

(My inner 17 year old is so jealous of me, now if I could only always look as cute as these ladies and get through library school like Andrea)

WTF? Okay, you may know that among my many passions for music, the intersections of copyright law and online media is one area that I really would love to work in some day. So Soundexchange is an organization that has been collecting royalties on behalf of musicians for streaming music that is used online. The bullshit is they "can't find" some of the musicians to give them their payments. So please, if you know musicians or the people who support them, check the list of who is owed money from Soundexchange and makes sure they get their due.

Hope all is well out in Tweevil land. I've got sixteen boxes of cds to catalog for a massive sale, I'll post about it here so I can collect my affiliate fee :)

Yadda Yadda Crayon cd yadda yadda Lois in the library yadda yadda Yoyo is moving out of the Capitol Theater yadda yadda....come on, is anyone reading this?


-------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: jack endino
Date: Sep 25, 2006 11:46 AM

FYI, any musicians out there who released records in the past decade or so... Soundexchange is an entity set up by act of Congress some years ago to collect streaming royalties on behalf of recording artists (internet and satellite radio, NOT downloads). Hardly anyone knows how it works, and they don't make it easy. There is info at Soundexchange.com but you'll need patience to figure it out. However... you may be owed money. It's total horseshit that they JUST published the list of unpaid artists on the website. Here's some info. Good luck.
Jack Endino


An Exchange with SoundExchange on Unpaid Artists

By FRED WILHELMS

SoundExchange is the sole entity that collects and distributes license fees for digital distribution of recordings; primarily satellite radio services and Internet streaming broadcasts (but NOT downloads). Over the years they have collected money for thousands of artists who don't know about it.

Several years ago, John Simson, the Executive Director of SoundExchange, asked for my help in finding these people. I work primarily with veteran artists and have proven pretty proficient at finding people. Despite my constant prodding, SoundExchange never put me to work, and I finally washed my hands of the project when John told me he could give me the list of "unfound" artists, but only if I agreed to a Non-Disclosure Agreement. In essence, I could find out who they had money for, I just couldn't tell anyone they were on the list.

What happens to the money they can't pay because they can't find the person to pay?

They get to keep it themselves. Nothing succeeds like failure.

In my email this morning was the following note from Simson:

Fred:

Given your concern on this issue I wanted to notify you that, after SoundExchange Board approval, we have posted a list of all performers who are oweð royalties from the period February 1, 1996 to March 31, 2000 and which are subject to release under Copyright Office regulations regarding undistributed royalties.

The list is on the website. Please call me if you have any questions or any ideas regarding our continuing efforts to locate featured performers.

Thanks in advance for any assistance in locating addresses or other contact information for any of the performers on this list.

Regards,

John

This was my reply:

John,

Thank you for the note.

I have already seen the list on your website. This is truly a prime example of "too little, too late." I understand why SoundExchange waited so long to publicize the list. It is, or at least it should be, a major embarrassment to the organization, and to everyone who has publicly said what a good job the organization has done finding people.

If my comments sound harsh to you, they should. You and I know how SoundExchange has failed to keep its promise, and how much more could have been done to prevent this injustice, and I just cannot put a positive spin on this.

In the first two hours after I had the list, and even before I had gotten completely through the "A" entries, I found five people you and your staff were not able to find in six years. And just so I'm clear on this, these were people I did not know when I started the search. At most, it took three telephone calls to find a current contact and pass on the information about registration. I actually came up with one by checking Directory Assistance in his hometown.

Sadly, there is no way I can spend the time necessary before the deadline to do everything I could to see that SoundExchange does the job it was given. There are just too many people on your "unfound" list, and I have clients who need my immediate attention. All I can do is reach out to as many people as possible in the limited time left and hope that my efforts start a landslide that swamps your office before December 15.

I may be wrong, but I suspect that, with the publication of the list, SoundExchange has abandoned any proactive efforts to locate the "unfound." I hope, for your sake, that after the deadline, you never hear one story about an artist being unable to afford a prescription, or getting evicted, and then you discover they were on the forfeited list. That prospect haunted me during my AFTRA days, and it still bothers me that I didn't do enough to prevent it from happening over and over again.

I truly wish there was some penalty that SoundExchange would have to pay for not finding people. Instead, the organization profits from its own failure by getting to keep the money it should be paying out.

That's a disgrace. Every time you deposit your paycheck, or get a bonus, or give one to someone else for a "job well done," or even expense a lunch, some of that money is coming from artists who never knew it was there because SoundExchange didn't find them in time.

I know the search was not easy, and that there was really no possibility you were going to find everyone, or even almost everyone. You and I know, however, that SoundExchange didn't do all that it could to cut that list to size. I think you are a good enough man to realize the scope of this failure, and I hope that it eventually impels you to do whatever it takes to make SoundExchange responsive to those it is supposed to serve. Today, for artists, the organization is nowhere close to meeting that goal.

Fred

Here's the list of the people they can't find:

http://63.236.111.137/jsp/unpaidArtistList.jsp

I've been circulating the following message. Feel free to forward it to any mailing lists, message boards and telephone poles in your neighborhood.

AN URGENT MESSAGE TO RECORDING ARTISTS

SoundExchange is the entity that collects and distributes broadcast royalties from digital distribution of music. This includes streaming Internet broadcasts (not downloads) and satellite radio services. These royalties have been payable since February 1, 1996. If your music has been played on the Internet since that date, you are entitled to a share of the royalties.

On December 15, 2006, any royalties that are unclaimed for performances up through March 31, 2000 WILL BE FORFEITED.

If you, as an individual or as a member of a recording group, are not registered with SoundExchange by December 15, 2006, you will lose all rights to your royalties earned before March 31, 2000.

There are thousands of identified artists who will lose these royalties unless they act before the deadline. SoundExchange has listed these "unfound" artists on their website.

http://63.236.111.137/jsp/unpaidArtistList.jsp

Take the time to read the list. If you are on it, follow the instructions for filing a claim. It costs you nothing and it does not take much time. If you register now, you will receive the unclaimed royalties and will received future royalties automatically.

Friends and families of recording artists should also check the list. If you know anyone on there, PLEASE LET THEM KNOW IMMEDIATELY. You will note that there are a number of deceased performers on the list. If you know any surviving relatives, let them know about this.

This money belongs in the hands of the artists who created the music.

http://63.236.111.137/jsp/unpaidArtistList.jsp

Fred Wilhelms is a lawyer who represents musicians and songwriters. He can be reached at (email deleted by JE)

Pop Show Oly Sunday

tigerflye
Originally uploaded by Courtoly.

Yeah I know it's during Bumbershoot, but the Sunday lineup really isn't that good. I mean, if you go Saturday and see Of Montreal, and then come to Oly Sunday and see these bands, it's like full out pop bliss weekend waiting to happen.

KJA and Casper are on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, full of spirit and kindess alongside their musical prowess. That's why the tiger, they are cute and fierce, and boy can they sing. Go listen to their musics please because I can't write it justice. Josh and Jordan are the local boys sure to bring joy and song to you as well. Altogether it's going to be wonderful, of a caliber you dont' get to see every week in Oly. Maybe once a month a show this amazing happens where everything just comes together for fun and friendship and magic, I know this is going to be it.

Josh Kane
Jordan O' Jordan www.myspace.com/jordanojordanmusic
Keith John Adams (UK) www.myspace.com/keithjohnadams
Casper and the Cookies (Athens GA) www.myspace.com/casperthecookies

Sunday, September 3rd
8PM $5
All Ages
Olympia Eagles Hall
4th and Plum Streets

bah. i'm supposed to blog about every amazing moment but right now i'm drinking a sparks between circulatory system and the apples in stereo and i'm so not up to writing anything of note. however, the first few nights of popfest are photographed here. and there will be more in a day or two. And maybe i can summarize the amazingness of the fest or maybe i'll let the pro journalists take their shot at it first. whatever. I fucking love popfest and this is the most amazing festival. It's not just indiepop, but there are a lot of pop bands I"ve seen. John Darnielle said this was one of the last vestiges of indie rock culture and I couldn't have put it better. There is no difference between the most amazing bands and the fans here. We are all hardcore. Maybe it was singing Minor Threat's Cashing In with Bunnygrunt or just the MOMENTS that can never be analyzed or summarized . The energy, the buzz, the creativity that is apparent in every second. Athens is my third home. "okay," pierre pauses here, he has to come up with an exciting conclusion, "did you bring up the fact this is a family reunion? I forget your name but I remember you, but the first night at the 40 Watt was a lot of people that were hugging because they are fans or people in bands who are no longer in Athens but they're coming back. This is a family reunion. I can't believe how fast you can type without looking. Okay, 90 words a minute. Perfect, it's really perfect. And Mike and Eric have done a wonderful job. They're gonna break even, and fuck, maybe there won't be a popfest next year" "no, they're already planning it." "I talked to mike about the future of popfest is still to be decided tomorrow, popfest next year. I have to be careful because courtney is typing everything I say. And we're chatting about old friends all over the country, which is the type of converstaion you can have at popfest..."

"and I love your natural editing."

XXXOOO

Once again, boy bands bring me joy whent the real world makes me weep.
Lance Bass admits he's Gay
Washington Courts Uphold Gay Marriage Ban

Actually, the headline made me weep, the article made me nauseous. "...limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples furthers the State’s legitimate interests in procreation..." and "in this case the State has established that DOMA was enacted to codify the common law, to promote procreation, and to encourage stable families."
FUCK PROCREATION! Seriously, raise kids if you want them, but the state's interest in procreation is just a fucking front for nepotism, racism, sexism, homophobia and the whole lot of real social ills. Ideally I want the government out of marriage altogether, no fucking benefits for anyone because they're a couple. Make it really easy for individuals to make designations and benefits to whoever they want, but stop tying it up in the whole barfy coupledom.

I'd considered marriage once. I was overwhelmed with the penalties and benefits turning a relationship into a contract would incur. I could easily procrastinate the issue as long as heterosexism in marriage prevailed. Now I see that whole time in my life as one where I was trying to fit into a space that just wasn't my size. I'm gonna go listen to the Decline and Fall of Heavenly again...

All Ages Music Forum
Originally uploaded by Courtoly.

This is my attempt to move these conversations out of the bar and internet and into a place where everyone is welcome. It is a shared teaching/learning experience and if you have ideas/comments/questions/concerns and aren't coming to the meeting, I would be happy to take them via e-mail or phone and ask for you. My biggest inspiration here is the awesome class Barbara Zelano of the Midnight Sun used to teach at Evergreen called "Marketing the Arts" and the practical knowledge I got from her.

Flyer here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/courtoly/194888329/

I want to say this is a one off event and I'm not trying to start any kind of organization. I'm getting copies of the contracts from local venues and updated Olympia Music Directories. People can bring food to share.

All Ages Music Forum
Wednesday July 26th
6:30 PM
in the Olympia Library Meeting Room
313 8th Ave SE Olympia

Come talk about how to organize an all ages show, why these shows are important, and what local resources there are to help you.

never die never die never die

I don't care how small you are. I don't care how much time passes between your projects. You are genius and I love you and I can't live without you and I would rather die that to hear you are gone.

I will do whatever I can to keep your name on the lips of ladies and men. I was going to name names, but sometimes projects do fade...it's just, it is injust, you are so bright and beautiful.

I think about our detective agency and that queerpunk festival and how the people grew up grew on without the agency or the corps to keep them connected. I know things change, I don't beat the dead horse so much as mush the apples to applesauce so she can still eat the sweetness from my hand.

I love you til your dying day.
Don't ever go away.

Nostalgia is killing me.

EMERGENCY RALLY to Stop US Support of Violence in Lebanon, Palestine and Israel

Percival Landing
Wednesday, July 19th
5pm
(From the Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace

Stop the killing of civilians in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon.
Call on the US Government to support the international intervention
and negotiations to end the intensifying war in the Middle East.
End US support of Israel's disproportionate response of attacking
civilians and infrastructure in Palestine and Lebanon.

The current situation

In Lebanon...
Over 150 Lebanese were killed by Israeli air strikes. Israel
continues to bomb civilian infrastructure including factories, power
plants, grain silos, and the only international airport. There is a
sea blockade and Israel is targeting roads and border areas used by
refugees and internationals attempting to leave Lebanon. This is the
worst bombing in 24 years in Lebanon

In Israel...
25 Israelis have been killed, including 13 civilians. Numerous
Israelis have been injured. Towns in northern Israel have suffered
rocket attacks from Hezbollah. One soldier was captured by Hamas near
Gaza and another two captured by Hezbollah near the Lebanon/Israel
border.


In Gaza, Palestine ...
89 Palestinians have been killed in Operation Summer Rain since June
25. Of these, 44 are civilians, including 19 children. Nearly 300
Palestinians have been injured. The foreign ministry office, the main
power plant, a university, roads and bridges and homes were bombed.
Rafah crossing has been closed - resulting in at least 6 death and
600 illnesses. Elected officials are being help without charges by
the Israeli military. While international attention is focused on
Lebanon and Israel, the siege on Gaza continues Ministry offices.

In the US....
The US vetoed the UN Security Council Resolution to end the siege in
Gaza. At the G8 summit, the United States severely limited the scope
of participant's ability to act on behalf of all civilian casualties
in Palestine and Lebanon. The US has failed to call for an end to
violence from all sides and has yet to voice support for multilateral
negotiations. The US continues to supply weapons to the Israeli
military in violation of the terms of the US Arms Export Control Act
and Foreign Assistance Act., while suspending humanitarian aid to the
Palestinians because of the results of a democratic election.


Please join us this Wednesday to stop the spread of violence
throughout the region and call on the US to support international
intervention and negotiations.
*****************************************************************
On Wednesday, July 19th the Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace
(OMJP) will be hosting a forum entitled The US Crisis with Iran. The
event, which is open and free to the public, will be held at First
Christian Church at 7th and Franklin in Downtown Olympia, beginning
at 7 p.m. and lasting until about 9 p.m.

The panel will include a presentation by Professor Mark Jensen from
Pacific Lutheran University of a historical survey of Iran, with
particular emphasis on relations with the United States. Professor
Char Simons of The Evergreen State College, who has recently visited
Iran as a member of a delegation traveling with local peace and
justice group the Fellowship of Reconciliation, will provide a
testimonial of her experience along with photos from the delegation.

This will be followed by a an open discussion, facilitated by
Professor Larry Mosqueda of The Evergreen State College, where the
panelists will field questions and comments as well as having an open
discussion among the attendees.

Iran has been identified by President Bush as a member of the "axis
of evil" and as a critical battlefield in the global "war on terror."
It has long been a focal point of U.S. geostrategic policy, being
located in a region of vital significance to US 'interests' and
because of vast oil reserves. Currently Iran has been receiving
increased attention within policy circles, presumably due to their
attempt at developing a domestic nuclear enrichment program.

As a result, OMJP feels it is crucial to engage the community about
the possibility of future military assaults taken by the United
States. We seek to find peaceful solutions to international affairs.

We are anticipating a productive evening of historical and political
exploration, hoping to increase community awareness and knowledge
about the Middle East, specifically Iran. This event is designed
with the intent of providing attendees with the tools to participate
in sustaining a vibrant peace movement that clearly conveys that
foreign matters must be resolved peacefully and diplomatically, with
attention to securing economic, social, and racial justice.

I don't even know what to say about this. Play name that indiepopstr with your friends.

ABSOLUTE EFFIN BEGINNERS

absolutebeginners
Originally uploaded by Courtoly.

Join me and DJ Deathstalker, live and in person, not just on the radio alone in your room, at Le Voyeur tomorrow night, Sunday June 25th, for a night of popsongs, post-punk, and pure evil. Think about it. New Order, Nothing Painted Blue, Magnetic Fields, Merzbow, Boyracer, Ramones, Tullycraft, Heavenly....that sort of sordid thing.

Absolute beginners

absolutebeginners
Originally uploaded by Courtoly.

Next Sunday, post Experimental Music Festival

Minor Threat Joins the War On Drugs

Neato. Andrew Beaujon of Eggs and co-founder of Teen Beat records (according to All Music Guide, please correct me if I'm wrong, must relisten to that Mark Robinson interview I did in 96) has written a book about Christian rock called Body Piercing Saved My Life.

With much delight Tullycraft have decided to enter the 21st century with wacky blogginess. Check out those beards.

My attempt to document the joy this band brings to my life is contained in my Tullycraft photo set.

Also, new recordings in the works, at least two Tullycraft shows this summer.

Saturday, July 8th @ The Sunset Tavern w/ Racetrack, and Parenthetical Girls
Saturday, August 5th @ The Sunset Tavern (Ballard)w/ Boat

And in other pop news, Casper and the Cookies and Keith John Adams will be making their way across the country all the way to my lovely town of Olympia in September. I'm thinking an afternoon barbeque show followed by something on KAOS that night if possible, but we'll see how it actually pans out.

If anyone is morbidly following the truck crash story Matt has posted more info, links to his Flickr photos of the accident etc. A benefit show is in the works (of course).


Also, I am ALMOST done with school for this term. I am taking my time with this final, but as soon as the final is done I can get back to life. I'm looking forward to #1 Sonic Youth on June 30th in Seattle, and the fantabulous Fishboy show I'll be putting on July 21st in Olympia. And ATHENS Popfest.


For those of you who know I keep other blogs, I was thinking about moving to the East Coast. Now that school stress has died down I'm thinking of sticking around, not taking so many classes at once, and just enjoying all the things I get to do here LIKE put on shows, wear jeans to work, and pay less than $500 a month for a really nice apartment. Something about the sunshine, the farmers market, the little treasures I find on the ground (last night I found a glittery magic wand, today an unused sage smudge stick) has me feeling better.

Just a wee update:
Jeremy's report on the damage. No he didn't have renter's insurance so donations are being taken on the DailyKos front page. Jeremy was the first friend I met when I moved to Olympia and I am so grateful that the family wasn't home when this happened.

So I'm sitting here feeling pathetic that I have nothing important to blog about and that my niche blogging is distracting people from the real issues of the day etc. Mainly because my good friend Jeremy is in Las Vegas at the Daily Kos convention doing important political work. He's on the Daily Kos payroll (doing that stuff computer geeks do, programming and whatnot) and likes to rub it in that I used to criticize him for being apolitical and he ended up being a part of one of if not the most important innovations in modern Democracy.

Well, apparently he's coming home early as a truck crashed into his house last night.

FIRST OFFICER ANNOUNCES REFUSAL TO DEPLOY TO IRAQ

Thank You Lt. Ehren Watada for Resisting An Illegal War
(Official site, sign the petition, make a donation etc.)


On a lighter note, stream Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped from their official website

So sad!
Athens Popfest:
"also Darren Hanlon had to cancel due to health reasons that keep him from traveling, so his tour with Keith John Adams has been canceled. Keith John Adams will continue the tour, but Darren won't be with him this fall."

Athens Popfest Schedule is up!

My predicted top 10 will be very different from my actual top 10 by the end of the week. I feel sad putting Bunnygrunt so far down the list but Karen isn't playing with them and WTF is Bunnygrunt without her? Darren Hanlon in the afternoon is an insult but alas, who knows what will happen in the meantime. I hope that John Darnielle has time to hang out with us lowly attendees.

10. Ponies In the Surf
9. Bunnygrunt
8. Gordon Lamb
7. Cars Can Be Blue
6. Keith John Adams
5. The Cocker Spaniels
4. The Besties
3. The Smittens
2. Darren Hanlon
1. The Mountain Goats

Although I'm already falling in love with oh-OK

AND I'm reposting this message from the Olympia Punk Indie Underground Music List.

hi Oly listers:
If you have not already, please sign one of the petitions to pressure congress to preserve net neutrality.

net neutrality keeps internet access time roughly the same for us to access all sites. If we do not have this, then larger corporations, or anyone with more capital will reserve the faster channels of internet access for themselves and leave the rest of us to the congested lane. At it's worst conclusion, they could even render sites essentially useless by making them have such worthlessly slow connections, or block them all together.

here are some real world examples outlined from It's Our Net


Consumers
If you are a consumer – a Mom looking for healthcare information to protect your family; a home-school parent using the Internet as part of your education plan; an email user staying in touch with your family and friends – you will have a degraded slower Internet experience with certain Web sites. Some Web sites will even be unavailable unless additional fees are paid.

Small Business
If you are a small business, you may not be able to survive online. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, you may be impeded from provided the “next big thing” on the Internet.

Schools & Churches
If you are a small non-profit organization, like a church or a school, you may not be able to get your messages out to congregants or student families without paying more.
the internet is an oddly egalitarian phenomena in an american society ever increasingly ruled by cabals and capital.


please sign the petition!!

-justin

Charity and Popfests

Autographed Disposible Cameras with photos from celebrities For MIX NYC, a Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. I'm impressed with both the concept and the "celebrities" that agreed to do it...although "celebrity" seems a bit pompous, or something...J.D. from Le Tigre, Daniella Sea from the Gr'ups/Cypher in the Snow/the L Word, porn star Alan Cummings, Jon from Pansy Division, Vaginal Davis, author Jonathan Letham etc. basically people I find fascinating...

Mark Rothkop's Ride Across America to raise money for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Alternately, you can order yourself some goodies from his label Magic Marker and they'll donate 20% of the sale (I suggest Tullycraft, All Girl Summer Fun Band, Dear Nora, Boy Crazy, the first Kissing Book...okay, it's ALL really good)


Popfests...

The lineup for What the Heck Fest has been announced. I am seriously reconsidering pursuing a career that requires working nights and weekends. I will not be there.

Homo A Gogo is happening again this year. I'm excited to see Tender Forever (because she moved back to France) and Vaginal Davis (who I saw ten years ago at the DirtyBird Queercore Festival in SF and, well, never forgot) . I'll probably be working the concessions booth and making out with people from out of town.

I will however, be at the Athens Popfest although I am getting worried about the lack of lineup announcements, at the very least the Mountain Goats have been confirmed.

And I'm doing my best to make it to the New England Popfest because it really would make me incredibly sad to miss all those bands.

Is it just me or is the tone of this post really uneven?

On Monday Morrissey turned 47.


Tomorrow is Brook's last radio show...Jenny Jenkins will be alternating with Diana Arens on Free Things Are Cool on Wednesdays and Domenica is going to continue Ooooooo on Tuesday nights with Asa for a while.

This blog is governed by a stupid fear that things must be a certain percentage of cute before they are included. If no one else at the above show interests you, Kimya Dawson should be on your radar of tweeness.

Ummmm how often do I have a day where everything goes right?

Okay, moderately right, as I picked up the PA and the monitors were shot and there was only one mic stand. But I ran back to my apartment to grab a handstamp and my neighbor in the hall had a mic stand for me to borrow.

About forty people showed up for Rose Melberg. This is an excellent turn out where she gets money and I don't lose any as the promoter.

Happy Birthday to Neal of the Snow Fairies, who just happens to share a birthday with Dennis Driscoll. So I passed my cell phone around at the show and he got birthday wishes from Dennis, Charles, and even a Happy Birthday duet from Lois and Rose. "I love indiepop" was his indiepop-list post conclusion. Yes, Neal, I love indiepop too.

Ummmm after cleaning up from the show Seth, Josh, and I went to the BroHo for Tic Tacs (which differ from this recipie, but I'm not sharing ours.) So now I'm happy on Tic Tacs. And I came home and found Ross Beach posted this really nice tour diary about crashing at my place. It was an honor.

The epitome of tweevil might be found in the next bunch of links.
See, I've got this buddy Luke aka Lukachu.
And he is well loved. So well loved in fact, that when he decided to move back to Oly, my neighbor Keith decided he needed a grand welcome.

Sadly, I was at work when Lukachu arrived in his new cage..um...I mean, apartment.

Documenting the Process

Three bits of video:
Filling the floor
Double panic when Lexi loses her ring AND Luke calls ahead of schedule
Frolicking in the final product

Tomorrow I'll shoot something of an actual detailed tour...or a skit...suggestions?

Contemporary Poetry Review
Sell Outs and Stanzas: The Rockstar as Poet

It makes me feel old when this is called emo.
Panic! At the Disco- I Write Sins Not Tragedies
and I'm thinking of somehow educating the teenagers
THIS IS EMO
and listening to the Get Up Kids and Braid and Cursive
THIS IS NOT EMO
(holds up black eyeliner)
EMO REQUIRES CRYING, CRYING MAKES EYELINER RUN, BOYS WHO CRY DON'T WEAR EYELINER

(obvious goth problems aside, but goth sucks more now than it did ten years ago, and that's pretty bad)



I love Mirah.

np: Boyracer "It's Love" (Softies cover) from Lacy's May 2006 Indiepop Mix Tape

Things got better. Domenica called and visited and told me how "Snaptight Wars" was the last song Jim played on his KAOS show. Jim and Brooks gave me permission (encouragement?) to put "Making You Tapes Is Better Than Sex" on this blog. So now, dear readers, you too can get messed up in the drama of songs.she.heard.on.the.radio.that.she.obsessed.over.until.she.captured.it.on.tape.
and.later.on.the.band.was.nice.to.her.and.she.never.quite.gets.over.how.wonderful.
this.is.

That Stupid Club- Making You Tapes Is Better Than Sex

Is there a term for people who stay on college radio ten years after they finish college or is this a 21st century phenomenon? Somehow this led me to list of dated song lyrics.

Songs by guys I've dated is next, just kidding. I was describing that imaginary mix for Erin at Rec the Place yesterday, it's would be hysterical to make..."la la la la" song followed by "what the hell is this NOISE?" followed by some "ba ba ba ba" ditty and then "what the hell is THIS, noise?" and some "sha-la la la" song and "what the hell IS this noise?"

Hahaha I feel like I'm following the script of Too Much Too Late right now.

So I honestly feel like shit. Crying alone whenever I hear laughter in the surrounding apartments. So I thought I'd put one of those no-fail sentimental mix-tapes to feel better. But when I turned on my stereo I heard my friend Brooks on the radio announcing he is leaving his alternating spot on Free Things Are Cool on KAOS.

I should have learned a lesson from the first time I heard his band That Stupid Club on the radio. The song was "Making You Tapes is Better Than Sex".

Hilarious ESP that he just played Crayon's "Snap Tight Wars" for me and Jim, who was also in That Stupid Club.

Anyway, the point being, I'm going to wander around with my headphones on.

I had a nice phone conversation w/Tim Alborn of (the sadly defunct) Harriet Records a few days ago. That was the final blessing I was seeking before being completely, madly, obsessively able to say what I've mentioned in passing, and not so much in detail.

October 2006 there will be an expanded 2cd set of Crayon's Brick Factory coming out on Yoyo. Pat Maley's been busy with his family, so I'm taking responsibilty (or blame!) for this one. This completes my destruction of all idealism relating to fans, bands, college radio, mix tapes, indie internships, and fanzines. Plus the suspention of disbelief that I should be using these skills to help the poor and suffering in some equally grand measure. All that love is now scheduled into practical matters like mastering analog cassettes for cd...and trying not to let my manic mind oversynthesize how a punk band from Bellingham and my information science classes are the most important things in the world. Actually, it seems like the Library of Congress might not disagree with the theory. But they're busy making sure Sonic Youth (#50) is preserved for all time.

Upcoming shows where you may see me:
Mt Eerie and June Madrona at the Yes Yes, Olympia WA Saturday April 22nd
Rose Melberg and Calvin Johnson at Valoria, Seattle WA Sunday April 23rd
Stephen Merritt, keynote address at EMP Pop Conference, Experience Music Project, Seattle WA, Thursday April 27th

And next month I'm hosting two shows:
Rose Melberg with Jenny Jenkins and Onyx at the Midnight Sun, Olympia WA 7:30PM $6
Team Dresch w/guests, Jakes on 4th, Olympia WA $5

So yeah, since Jenny is silly about not rocking MySpace, I reccomend you listen to Onyx. She apparently lost all her MySpace friends when her account was deleted for bullshit copyright accusations, but I hope to help bring her back again. I love this lady.

About a half hour after I read Onyx's MySpace fiasco I screamed when I saw Suede was playing at the Triple Door in Tacoma. Then I got a good look and realized it's the !@#$%^ who sued Suede and turned then into "The London Suede". Fuckin a, I just want a Brett Anderson fix.

And I want OCLC to fix the WorldCat entry that links Courtney Love of the International Pop Underground LP to Courtney Love-Cobain. I am SO headed for a cataloging career. At the very least I'm thinking of working on the zine library problem again someday (I didn't have anything to do with the one at Barnard, except for being pals with contributor Lauren Martin, who made me a mix tape that...well...damn, okay, you'll get the My Favorite story someday. Cherchez la femme.)

I don't want to define tweevil, but let's start with the statment that it first and foremost involves pop kids with punk hearts.

Gravy Train!!! at the Yes Yes fullfilled every expectation I might have had. I won the "lunch lady" walk off, I made out with Junx, I had screamy back in the day conversations with VIP about Philly, I got on tonight's guest list.

And I've forgiven them for their excess punctuation.
!!! vs. Gravy Train!!! vs. The Go! Team vs. Panic! at the Disco...

makes me miss Therapy?

1. Crayon "Brick Factory" reissue on Yoyo in the fall. I'm at a loss
for words here. I'm going to listen to it again.
2. Team Dresch @ Jakes on 4th Ave in Olympia May 25th. Tour kickoff,
the best queer punk band ever, reuinited ...
3. Rose Melberg, Jenny Jenkins, and Onyx May 18th at the Midnight Sun
in Olympia . Triple bill of lady pop. Such amazing women, I'm in awe.

grad school? fantasy baseball?

Awesome. I just won tickets on Free Things Are Cool on KAOS to see Gravy Train!!! next week at the Yes Yes, and a cd and single.

So I retold the B&S Seattle story so many times I didn't post it here. Awesome times, Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill was on Free Radio Olympia when we left, after the show Stuart gave me the chair Sarah Martin used on the tour. So now I park my ass in a chair that's been onstage with Belle and Sebastian and try to do my library school homework. Fantasy Baseball? Horrible idea with grad school. Don't bother.