Red Eyes and Tears

I'm sad to say that tomorrow is the conclusion of what I just decided tonight was "Jonestown Week". This event has more to do with things I've done or listened to, and people I know, than anything else. In fact, if you're not me, this past week was probably not "Jonestown Week". Let's track the festivities, shall we?

1. Monday, 9/10 - I find out that the song "Guyana Punch" on the Judy's album Washarama is about the infamous Jonestown Massacre mass murder-suicide orchestrated by an American nutjob named Jim Jones in Guyana in 1978. I had stumbled upon Washarama the week before and been drawn to "Guyana Punch" without having a clue what it was about. It's just that much cooler now. By the way, the Judy's are probably the best band to ever come out of the Houston area. It's more punk than new wave, and more new wave than punk. It's got a slight post-punk proclivity, but not enough so to classify as post-punk. Eschew the classification altogether and just concede that the Judy's are awesome and if it were the early 1980s, I'd be proud to be a part of the scene that included them.

2. Wednesday, 9/12 - The Brian Jonestown Massacre have a new album out (as of 9/1, but I wasn't in the know enough to know that) and it's available for free download via the band's website. It's called My Bloody Underground and it's noisy, which likely indicates the title refers to noise pioneers (and obvious sources of influence for BJM) My Bloody Valentine and the Velvet Underground. Kevin Shields + Lou Reed = Anton Newcombe? Perhaps. He's got the leather jacket, that's for sure.

3. Sunday, 9/16 - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club play at the Annex, and since the Annex is close by and it's a relatively early show, I went and enjoyed myself. In fact, my legs hurt and my ears are ringing. Since B.R.M.C. are not My Bloody Valentine or the Jesus and Mary Chain my ears are (thankfully) not bleeding, but nonetheless it's been a long time since a show has caused that little dull high-pitched buzz that only goes away after time passes. The connection to Jonestown Week is Peter Hayes, who plays guitar and sings for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and used to play guitar for the Brian Jonestown Massacre. During the show, someone yelled out "play Jonestown" and Peter later sheepishly remarked that he didn't remember any BJM songs. They did remember a solid two hours' worth of B.R.M.C songs, and it was probably the last half hour of them that made me consider that bringing earplugs might have been a good idea (to save my hearing, not to drown out their music...). The encore consisted of something like eight songs, and while the crowd cheered loudly between tracks, their lifelessness during some truly rockoutable songs didn't deserve such a spirited performance in my opinion. I truly appreciate it, so thank you Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. To the fans in Madison, WI: with their perfectly rhythmic basslines and simultaneously crunchy and muddy guitar drone, it had to have taken more effort not to at least shuffle from side to side a bit. You could have at least made it look like you were there to enjoy the band's performance (as opposed to going for the cool factor of having seen X band live at a small club, or whatever). Seriously. I was watching a youtube video of these guys playing a show in London, and the crowd was fucking insane. Madison fans, get a fucking life.

Monday, 9/17 - Happy Birthday Jared!
Jared is a longtime friend of charz2k, and an avid Brian Jonestown Massacre fan. Jared's so fucking cool that he actually has one of the 300 copies of "Not if You Were the Last Dandy on Earth" on 12" record. I've actually touched it! Have a good one, Jared.

It's really late and my ears are ringing. Additionally I think I have to get to work a bit earlier than usual, so that means I should put my computer away, lean back onto my pillows, and say goodnight. Good night!