King of the Jews

Was a way from my papers and cafe this sunday morning - I have such a set pattern - and I wanted to get home. Hung @ Gf's a bit, watched the Sunday morning political shows, and ate a full breakfast. Eventually made my way home.

The decision was to watch #4, #5, and #6 of "Corpus Christi". I had to return the DVD Saturday to the lbrary, but wanted to watch it first. That means I have to finish it Sunday and then put it in the overnite dropbox and hope that they backdate the DVD to Saturday (They do that, but not all libraries/librarians do it).

Now I'm halfway done with the series. The whiole series now seems to revolve arounf Jesus's arrest, trial, and crucifixion. I don't think there is any Cana or anything early in here - just the endparts. The chapters in the second disc include Barabbas, The Trial, and King of the Jews. The first was Crucifixition, John the baptist, and Temple. Funny - the series startes with Crucifixion - because, as the documentary says, maybe the only thing that we can be sure about w/ this Jesus character was that there was some dude called Jesus and he was put to death via crucifixion. The rest is wonder.

Funny point - all four gospels have that what was written on Jesus's placard above his crucified body read "King of the Jews", but in varying form. Here is Jesus, TKOTJ. or Here is YKOTJ. Or This is TKOTJ. Or....what's the last?

Gf came over and we went to 8pm Mass @ St. Xaviers. Well sung mass - theere was one piano, a few singers, and a heavenly racket just behind us. The firat readiing was NOT from the OT but rather from the Acts of the Apostles - funny, a little biblical reading and I thinnk i.m Christ.......oh, wait, I always thought I was Christ...... last weeks mass was so lame, but this weks was great. AFter mass, Gf was suffered through the Corpus Christi #6.

Then, the long drawndown to the day.

The written word by Dragon

It's been done by me, it's been done by Stix, and it's been notably done by Lazers - but this is the first time Dragon's taken the cup and written the fortnightly "This Fortnite in J & B" (Cue music = 'dun/dun dun/dun daa daa daa-da dada da da da da da dada da daaa ///dun/dun dun/dun ....') J & B Update. It's usually sent around via email by teammembers and those who are in the 'J & B stream', but eventually I put cut and paste it into Security Out w/ just a bit of name tweeking by me.

So, w/ both lazers and Stix on the sidelines, Dragon decided to write up this weeks Review.

As alway, names edited by Hilts

Hammertime/Saturday

The centerpiece of this day was a trip way south to Gf's brothers place. Just a pizza day. Gf's brother who loives on belmont took CTA to GF's place, and then I met them @ her crib. Then we drove south in her car all the way to like 198 the south -yes, get it, that far, Mr. Farr? - and hung out. Gf and I, two brothers, and one sister in law.

We were going to use one of the 2-1 coupons in the book, but nothing was any good. So what we did was go to -ready? - Little Joes, a pizza shop that was in the old 'hood but like manu other store/shops had moved out. So places like Giordanos, Palermos, Gerties, Cupid Candies (maybe) and Little Joes had their starts in marquette Park but over time moved south.

It was great to eat @ Little Joes. Sure, the old building is gone - a nice little two story corner restuarent rite on 63d has been replaced by a strip mall building on something like 163rd - but stunningly - THE PIZZA TASTED THE SAME!! Is this possible? It really did, and I had forgotten the taste of it. Was a welcome reminder.

Along with seeing family, Gf's bro fixed a reciever that I had thought I'd broken. Gf's bro R. was a stereo guy growing uop and always fixed electronics gear - it's his job now. I asked if he'd look @ it, and it was ok it just needed to be 'reset'. That put me in a good mood.

We left like 10 pm op so. From 198th south we had to drive all the way to Belmont to drop her other brother off, then swing back south. By now we always stop @ James Joyce's, the Irish bar near -what, the train tracks out to La Grange and harlem. Again, not a great place, but very handy for us as it gives us a famiulier place that serves us cider and guiness. Despite it being a saturday nIte, the plavce was dead. I think it's main times of business is for commuters, since it is rite off the Harlem stop on the Metra. I surmise that it must be packed on fridays @ six or so. But saturday @ eleven? First time we get to sit by the window and watch the tracks.

We played with the camera, and yes I will post those pictures. it.s way past time for a reseedoing of flicker's security out page. Soon. It was a good time all around. To Gf's.

'the shifting of light and soil.......nothing can be held in my hands for long.....(sic)' (Hammer time/Friday)

Had one of those great practices again- we scrimmaged the varsity (and lost 5-0) and its always fun to see the girls one the pitch processing what they've been taught and trying to perform. They are not bad.

Was a north side kinda nite. Practice broke off @ 5.45 or so and I had enough time to hit Gf's. I was going to see Redmoon's Boneyard-Prayer. She cooked me up some good supper- cheese casa dias. Then, the NS1 Strasser pointed its' bows north and sailed @ a high rate of steam to make sure I was on time.

Despite pretending to be a theatre guy, I haven't actually seen any of Redmoon's stuff....ever. They are kinda a deal in Chicago, so I feel stupid. William Randolph H loves this company, and always sees their shit. He has told me before to get to see their stuff - this is the product of that 'pressure', finally.

It was also the unveiling of Randolph's new lady friend. Some fetching young thing who was met @ that great Halloween party. Seems kool. Who was there to greet her? The couples of Gunner and Treats. Chartman, Snowden, and Guitars. And I. Of course I skipped the pre play meal- concerns over the running time of my teams scrimmage and cheapness lead to that ideas on my parts destruction.

Play was stunner. Three puppets - near live size man, woman, and child. Slow, laconic, mournful songs. Lotsa drinking. Lotsa shifting soil from one cart to another. Wow, it was really different. I mean SLOW, MOURNFUL, DEPRESSING songs - no happy go lucky House play here. Everything was slow movement - from the fact that the story was supposed to be told in a dirge manner, and that the puppets needed to be handled slowly and carefully. It seemed to be about an alcholic who lost his wife and baby to the drink a long time ago, and wants to have another go @ it. I'm pretty sure.

' the shifting of light and soil.......nothing can be held in my hands for long.....(sic)'.

After the play, I swung the bows of the Strasser north yet again whilst the rest of the battle squardon hove to into the friendly anchorage of The Cobra - a local bar. I needed replenishment for the battles to come, and so found my coalier. South again, and finally was able to hang with the crowd. Cobra- in a strange 'hood (Lake and Ashland) for this type of bar I would think - (but all neighbourhoods change), it was filled with rocker hipster types. It's rite near the Redmoon Complex (the Redmoon has taken over a giant old factory (I assume) building in an industrial area that is just rite for this company. Seems to me they need a giant building to hold onto their industrial type sets.). They also had a band start to rock around 11pm or so. They did not have cider, but drank a Blue Moon and later a lite beer*.

The married types hung out for a bit. Then all three couples left - Two married, one with child - and the third only one month into the courtshiop deal. So they had reasons to go. The four boys remained and left ensemble.

What did we talk about? S X SW, which Gunners, Chartman, and Guitars had gone to . Lots of unfamilier bands and places and hills and motels, but I always love to hear their talk of this weekend. It's always a celebration for these guys. I jabbled on about the soccer team - theories of coaching and the like. There was gossip about the new lady friend of Randolph - what did you expect?? The idea that English Matt will be going back to England for a bit on passport business- and that he may not come back - we are scared. And future plans on group get to-gethers.

Strasser south, and despite my planning to go to lanigans for a drink, I collapsed in port and after a bit fell asleep.

..........................................................................

*= " yah, yah, give me a lite beer !! "

A Published Comment.

Always loved trains. Old neighbourhood had plenty - the way from the east of the continent to the Loop runs rite through the South Side. House ringed by traxx. To the East the ones just west of Western - 2/3d's of a mile. To the North the ones on 49th - 1 1/2m away. To the South, the ones along 76th - 1 5/8th mile. And to the West, the Central Park traxx - 1 1/2m away.

The North Side - not really train oriented @ all. But did manage to live rite next to those glorious Metra Traxx when I lived @ The Lunt House and then in Uptown address on Wolcott. Always prized heard was the outgusts of 'steam' from the idling trains @ both stops I lived by.

Graduate school #1 = a faved spot ot hang and hang and hang was by traxx just south of the Northern Illinois campus - huge massive long express trains careening through town just bustling and whistling. We'd hang out @ 2am just waiting for the tell tale sign - green lites on the signal box - and knew our prize would be near. We had a tradition - we'd sneak as close to the tracks as possible, feeling the woosh, and then when it passed @ 70mph or whatever, we'd jump on the tracks to feel the turbulence of the just past train.

Kids. Joker and I were main culprits, but others were in our gnostic sect.

here here.

The Gnostic Gospels

The Gnostic Gospels, finally, is being read. Just finished What the Gospels Meant (and @ a nice nice clip clip for me these days) after finally finishing What Jesus meant.

What I need to do is quit my NYT addiction. And seriously. It takes up most of my available reading time, and since I'm not a pub trans guy anymore, the reading time available on the bus and El.

Yes, I will get back to war subjects, but just a few more early Cristian history books.......

Coming @ some point!!

WRITTEN BY DRAGON

names edited by Hilts

minor formatting by Hilts

on a snowy rainy night j+b represented by chemical man, gf,virgil, and me.

there was a delay of game to due the wait for halftimeof the ncaa basketball game. the wait was made badly due to an indvidual's flatulance problem. the bar mostly was devoid of women, regular teams and occupied by guys who watch college basketball (presumeably)

at the half of one game (there were two under asimulcat) benkowski ran through a quick first half of trivia. no throws, no hangman, no drink agaist the other team either.
categories were sports, streets, entertainmentcant remember the teams. 5 i think. white sox, the bar, j+b and some other people.
john paxsons birth year

oldest DA on law and order - actors name
newspaper where ray romano worked on everybody lovesraymond.
full name of first judge on peoples court
geoge constanzas mom played by estelle ___
highest number of saves by a blackhawk
1999 golfer who tripple bogied on nearly last hole andlost playoff round .
school @ 83rd and kosner
183rd + dixie highway what is the store with initialsC & C (across from a video store)
bears # 1 in career INTs

actress who played mrs claus (some movie with john goddman)

name of establishment on 116th + pulaski which closeddown.
end 1st half

with louisville blowing out tennessee, which was supposed to be the game wainting on to end, the rain delay was extended to the wait on the ucla vs. wku. although the hilltoppers almost made a valliant comeback and a "thank you for your patience" commentby bentowski, the wait was over.

finally the 2nd half. 2 rolls per team. dont remember if hangman was available. one team departed. 4 left. really mixed up, SI covers, products + inventions.

brand new day (song from 2000)

NYSE annheiser bush stock 3 letters
Howard hughes patened this (was the source of hisfortune)
#number of exposure on 1888 kodak camera
1967 sox / cubs managers
who sung circle in the sand (1980s)
___ 2003 World series champions (Sports illustrated cover, finish the title)
schoolkid from viriginia drew this (product) character in 1916.
still used today.

J+b actually took the lead. bar tried couldnt take the lead, neither could a different team, but was running 2nd into finals.
i think Gf made a comment that the women had to roll the ball farther from the guys when rolling the ball.
at one point a glove was used and the contestant madethe comment "this isnt your cum glove?"
1986 ____ 1840 (jb)_____ 1520 _____ 1320 (bar) final round.
70s music, 1997 music or bulls.no one wanted the bulls.

chose 70s music.

who sung these songs

war

share the land

give me the night

PART II

peoples court was joseph wapner. j+b got this rightafter a blind first name guess from hilts, although other guesses werent so lucky.

guessed marlins for 2003 sports illustrated cover and was correct after an initial incorrect call from benkowski.

guessed fred thompson (was thinking of steven hill)for law and order DA. was Sam waterson, but a protestof not being the DA fell on deaf ears.

paxons birth year is 1960

Estelle Harris on seinfeld.

80 saves by a blackhawk in 3-2 loss

romano newspaper is newsday

83rd kostner school is st bedes

losing golfer van de velde

Cariboi coffee is the CC on dixie hwy

bears int is fensik

brand new day - sting

hughes- drill bit

mrs claus - delta burke

116th pulaski - frosted mug

annheiser nyse - bud

1888 kodak camera exposres - 100

drawing - mr peanut

managers - derosher/ stenky

ciricle in the sand - belinda carlisle

guessed edwin star, guess who and commodores for the war / share the land / give me the night (correct was edwin star, guess who, geroge benson) bet 1201 from1840, wasnt enough. had the song rythm down. coundt get the answer. 2 other teams in the final had the same result. some other team won ( played 1997 music and bet a lot more on 2/3 right.)

This post originally read:
Believe it or not, Dragon - another who doesn't read these ragged edges - is gonna be handeling the J & B update this week. I'm not good @ them, and am glad that cup was passed me.

Practice/Wednesday.1

Went well. Even w/ these girls I have to step on their behaviour once in awhile. But practice went well, and for the first time in two weeks I feel .....

Persepolis/Wednesday.2

Saw it @ the Beverly Arts Center avec Gf. Gf and I were supposed to go to see - are you ready?- "No Country for Old Men" in La Grange, but I'd forgotten to return DVD's from the lib so we decided (well, I decided) to catch this film instead. She came over and we heated up what she'd cooked the day before and enjoyed leftovers.

Beverly Arts Center is a relatively new building that was built in the 'hood to replace the old dilapidated B.A.C. It's built on the corner of 111th and Western - a high profile 'four corners' area that they have tried to keep urban after one of the sides was parking lotted. Not a bad building but not the most beautiful. They fronted it to the sidewalk, meaning it's 'walking city' friendly. The huge parking lot they partially hid on 111th. And it's lots of brick. But I would never say that it's perfect building. Bulky a bit too much, and not enough windows.

Inside, there was a revelation. It's been built to house art stuff, and it would seem natural that there would be a stage. And there was - a big one that is totally good towards the cinmea as well. Seats are not as bedlike as in a ciniplex, but doable for 2h. And they had a balcony !! I'm glad they built it in our hood, and on a conspicuous corner.

And the crowd?? On Wednesdays they now show films that are hard to come by in the hood. (((Funny, where I grew up, there were two movie palaces less than 1/2 miles away (the Marquette and the Colony), plus one less than a mile away that hard been converted to porn by the time I was in later grammar school (Name, guys??). Then there was the Brighton, a small bus ride away on Archer. Only the Colony still exists as a building, and it's not shown a film in years. marquette parks gotta figger it out before they destroy this beautiful urban structure. ))) So it was an interesting mix of youngsters and retirees. Cost $7 a ticket - not cheap in my book for what is essentially a second run place - but cheap enough.

And the movie?? Great. I'd read the Peresoplis books a few years back and totally loved them. Read them, but also see the movie. The movie has lots of great war scenes. Great !!

also = in case you had forgotten ( #4 and #5)

attempts @ finishing

What the Gospels meant. done
Magnetic fields Show 4. done
five resumes. Not done
essay. Not done
Not done, not done, not done...

spent nite @ home

After practice, got home by, say 6.30p. Gotta get used to the 'late' nites that soccer season brings on, again.

Gf had made a prononucement to Mom that she was coming over and making dinner. prononucement because I prize my free time, and this mite be 'an issue'. However, I was more than glad to see her. Especially this Tuesday nite. Tried to tie her up the next nite as well w/ a movie try.

School was mercifully easy. Kids were adults. Did some reading, organizing, typing up addresses for job things, and hanging out.

Believe it or not, a 'productive' day by these days standards.

we have been such slobs

we have been such slobs

Hawks are everywhere / i know

from the Lazer

unseen by me

Here was the latest rage last week in the entirnet. Haven't seen it yet. You, do it.

Both

Good to be back and school, and not good. The whole week was rough, and the endings of it were worse. Ordeal, Thursday and Friday. Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday ate the great pizza @ Rocky's. Soemehow we made it up there. Gf wanted to bring to ham, so we had the homemade pizza and ham. All was delicious. I was hungry. My mind was elsewhere.

Sunday ate ham and turkey and brussel sprouts and asparagus and beans and ham, but no pizza. All was delicious. I was hungry. My mind was elsewhere.

The German military in the news

I remember a girl in grammer school who shared my first name (The Wrap) who lent me The Prince in 6 or 7 or 8th grade. Strange as we weren't frenz or anything, but school is such a great enviroment. Read it back then. This is in the news. Danke, Wermacht Z.

This article was of course put out in part commemeration for Kinch. Again, storied are the days he used to take parts in mission in Waffen SS kit.

Rather be the devil

Went to see Stpehin Malkmus and the Jiks last nite @ Vic. I've never been a superPavementmalkmus head even back in the day, but I'm a fan. Components of the Young were there - It was Treats and wife who got the tix orig., and Vampire, Sunshine, and Guitars. We met them @ 'the place to meet' when a shows @ the Vic- the ......um............. oh, it's Matildas, 3101 North Sheffield. Totally convinent - like meeting @ Ginger Man for show @ Metro or Empty Bottle for show @ The Empty Bottle.

Good show. First four songs were both jamming and tite, and is.....well, yes, they were. Loved it. They slowed a bit and were never as impacting as those songs, but it did reach that area on a 'part a of a song' by 'part of a song' basis after.

He's great. Loved the songs, and he is a wicked guitar player. The bassist is great. Totally looks like a boy, with some curves. Funny how looking like a boy can be one very feminine. Their stage banter is dull however. Thay can come off like nites sometimes. Not as cringy as President Obama's grandma can be, but sometimes. Opener was a Treat treat. He wanted to more see them - they were vanderslice from S.F. They were good, although they were Jikked I thnk by Malkmus Malkmus.

I got footage - although not of the first four songs. Too paranoid. Gf and I hung on the floor for a bit, but eventuallywe just went way up into the bleacher areas to sit and relax. Needed it.

Although she captained Strasser north, I felt ok to go south. Sleep.

Welcome games of Volleyballl

On Thursday I had ...like the rest of the week. Nite was nice. I watched lots of the NCAA game -both live and on tape- as I returned fromSevastopol or somewhere like that.

But Gf came over and we went to see nephew.2's volleyball tournement games @ his H.S. This being easter Brerak, maybe 10 diff volleyball teams took adv. of the little holiday to play games on the nites befor Good Friday and Easter (when parents could go, etc). Watched one of his games, went home, then raced back and watched a later game. The whole little family was there - mom and dad and his two sisters. And Gf and I.

Then spent a deeply depressing nite @ Keegans. Feel like .ve been on the Hood, and it's not over yet.

one of us is gone

Kinch

'Chariots of Fire' starts with the 1970's funeral of one of the British runners from the....1928 Olympics (?). A elegy, I guess, is given by one of the other one the team, and he (parafrase) says 'there's only two of us (runners) who remain, who can close our eyes and still remember what is was like to be ....etc... the scene then immediately morphs into the famous sence of them running on the beach. Great sence.

We can say the same about those who can close there eyes and still remember what it was like to be in the top inner cicle of the Allied P.O.W.'s of Stalag 13.

We will remember him when he was German uniform and armed with an MP40. We will remember him giving orders over the air in that fake German voice. And we will remember him best as being one of that inner circle we ourselves growing up also felt to be a part of. Kinch, you take a bit of us with you.

Gallo-onetime

the Tournement

Been enjoying it.

No Theatre for Old Man

The center piece of this day was several = Gf and I would finally see "No Country for Old Men", Good Kixx, Dragon, Tedwardian, Jacob (Nee Jamie) and I would catch a drink @ Rainbo or someplace down here. It was Spring Break, so I wanted to hang out w/ peoples its normally too hard to all @ once.

Mixed results. Good Kixx opted out a few days before. Tedwardian - a 75 to regular from lanigans - opted out. Too much to get him to go to a rocker bar on the north side, but I tried. Jacob - out, as he is reunder the spell of that bible homeless guy for a few weeks again or so. But Dragon remained.

So, Gf and I met in downtown LaGrange. I am early and get a nice space in the lot. I was so early that the theatre seemed closed.

Wait - seemed closed? Seemed really closed. And it was - stupid me didn't realise that some theatres close on Monday and Tuesday - like the La Grange. Gf pulled up in a bit, and we walked to borders to see if there were any nice movies available anywhere near. No. so we decided to eat - using a 2-1 - @ Al's Char House in downtown La Grange. We decided to just eat and then i would go to rainbo to hang with Dragon. Al's was delicious , but expensive . Even with a 2-1, the cheapest item was the massive burgers -- the only thing we could afford @ $11.95 a shot (2-1 meant that it became....well, six bucks.). Huge meal, tasted rite, wonderful. Black beans were a super side. Stuffed.

The call went to Dragon to meet @ Rainbo c. 45m after the call. However, the Strasser steamed well and I was way early. Went to Myopic to see if they had a handy little catholic bible for carrying arouind purposes- I once saw a sub carrying one years ago and always wanted one - but they did not have it. Or any bibles, for that matter.

Then to Rainbo. Stayed for a long time. Dragon was there. I was able to order 'field' cider/Guinness's - instead of a carefully delineated demarcation between the cider and the Guinness, it was just dumped all into one (better than just beer). WE ended up staying for a long bit. Dragon can be draining if one is around him all the time, but this is not 15 years ago = I rarely see him these days.

Took a bunch of snaps, will publise them when I get them online - hoopefully to-nite.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Longtime ago, rite in the early early early days of ' Security.............Out! ', Gf and I were driving back from the Shipley's* south on L.S.D., and suddenly

this was on

and she was rite next to me and I understood and she understood (Je pense) and We understood and a powerful feeling of deep helplessness came over me and I never talked of it to her to this day. The power of it all, the responsibility of it all, the deeply scarey nature of it all - and I'm not talking about the song, I'm talking about ........ well, you know what I'm talking about.

I've never told her about this song and it's centrality to...whatever it's central to. And since she never reads '{ Security............OUT !! }' , she'll only hear of this from Rocky next time she sees him.

@ the Patiences much later, Vito in town, I forced this song on the record player when we were having a danse party of 7 or 8 or 9 people, and despite the moments hesitation from the seven or eight or nine, they also understood and dansed to it that nite. Gf was there.

I always thought -well, knew - that this would be a good song to danse to after that experience on the road.

I think it's th only time in /Security.................OUT !/ 's history that GF has ever been called something other than GF.

I'm still deeply afraid every time I hear this song.

............................................................................................

*=funny - it was Lake Shore drive - that I was sure of - but it was Rocky's crib, and not Gallo's. How the memory play trixx. Finally located the post from that nite. Read it and I weep - from the helplessness of it all, and from the wilde wilde west days of S.o., my favourite = when nobody read it. Now, as I drunkly noted on a pad of paper about a year ago about this blog "what my readers demand of me is production"** - not quality, nor insite, nor flourish of frase, or whatever - all I could come up w/ was 'production'. Boy, wouldn't it be fun to be able to write like I did two years ago? Or have something from that era I'd never posted and am still working on ?

**= meaning 'volume'

Obviously I'm not in a writing mood. Something about being awoken with 4h sleep yet again and again

One of my fave columnists, Gary Younge.

Younge Once

Younge Twice

God Bless America and keep it safe from its Enemies

So, Mistress Spliffe, you were writing something about how knowledge of the law is concentrated in one class - or was I writing about it? Now, how could that be a bad thing?? People would never manipulate the law, would they?? (if needed : name=securityout/pw=hilts). Especially if the laws were all written by types like them for them and they take a fantastic take from the laws they have written? They'd NEVER manipulate it further, rite?

That'd be as silly as, say, an amendment to The Constitution of the United States of America freeing the slaves to somehow be manipulated into, say, safeguarding the rights of corporations as if they were individual people. Oh, wait............

The richest country in the wrold

Bob Herbert / NYT / 11 Mars, 2008

securityout/hilts

name/pw

couplet from some months ago, never used but liked

No, not 'never'
that is not the term;
something akin to 'sever' -
like 'never', but less firm

HUE....SIT DOWN !!!!!! SIT DOWN !!!!!!! HUE !!!!!!

Stolen from Rocky

Magnetic Fields Weekend / Day the Third / Part One / The Early Show

There were several differences in my context for this, the fifth out of six Magnetic fields shows this weekend. My 'bitter anger' about Gf not being able to experience disappeared, because w/ my bought extra ticket from yesterday, she'd be able to experience.... and I was very very happy with this. Also, I gave GF my front row ticket so she could have a better view. The ticket I got was still good - upper deck, first row. It was nice to get a bit of a change for myself.

And finally, I'd gotten "Distortion" @ the merch desk last nite, so I was finally able to experience the songs as released. On the Magnetic Fields list serve i'm on, someone fwd a review of "Distortion" that was labeled something along the lines of "like the Carpenters with a vacuum cleaner on". Uh, somewhat apt. There was a lot of talk that Stephin Merrit was totally consumed w/ the Jesus and Mary Chain's "Psycho Candy" when they were recording "Distortion." "Candy" is a loud record - masses and masses of loud and wilde feedback characterize this LP. It was shocking when it was released- sure there has been feedback up the wazoo from the mid 60's on- but their total dedication to feedback was seen as new and different feedback for feedbacks sake. "Distortion"? 25y after "Psycho Candy" the waves of feedback are not shocking - nor as loud - nor is it the full point of this LP. "Distortion" is very much like the groups work since "69 Love Songs", except..... well, there appears to be a vacuum cleaner left on in the background. Wait, wait - this is not a dis - I love the Lp as much as "I" - but the feedback is simply there as a ........ I dunno. But it's not The Point of the LP - just a talking point.

Having the new LP/ this being the fifth time I've seen them this wkd - allowed me to really begin to appreciate songs that were new to me on Friday. "Xavier Says", a song i'd liked, is now a song I really like - the LP version is good. One of my favourite songs from this set is a song in the same boat - "The Nun's Litany". The audience loved it - lotsa laughs - and so did I. This was easily the best version of this song yet. And then there was "Old Fools". It's an ok song, and this version was just that = ok- but I realised that now with the LP in my possession, I will give this song more chance to win myself over. It's nice having the CD.

"Drive on Driver" is another new song that I think is good - I knew from stage remarks yesterday that Claudia loved this song, so it was fun to watch her part in it's performance. If one likes a song a lot, then one enjoys it when doing it. Usually. Good version. There was also some interesting patter before this song. Stephin said it was about death, and Claudia paused and said she never thought about it. And I could see that it was about death.... but also life....

There were many other ace performance this set - there was a LOT DIFFERENT vibe than yesterdays. They opened up with a kick ass one-two punch: The best yet version of "California Girls" was immediately followed by "I Don't Believe You", one of my personal favourites. Wow - what a start!! I love these uptempo songs, and these are two of the best in the current songlist. I could write a full 25 songs of a uptempo songs for them to perform, but most would be outside the current songlist. I don't thinnk it was this show, but Claudia was talking about that the entire band sat down and played each and every song from the various groups and sub groups that make up Merritville. They culled the llist to a workable number - reculled it - and now have about 40 songs they are happy to play. I'd say I heard about 26-7 different songs over the entire weekend. It can be very frustrating not hearing - say, "Strange Powers" - but the band has lots of songs, a new LP to sell, and ideas of what they want to prsent themselves. So to speak, 'the artists gotta have it'. And the point of playing the newer songs really did the trick for me on both "i" and "Distortion" - I know repeated hearings of some of these songs sold me on them.

To further the point of commerece and art, the band continually talked of it during the sixsets. In the first show, Claudia mentioned an EP (hard to find) from the stage that they had on thre merch table. Immediately sold out. Stephin repeated the story of a "69 Love Songs" tour show in London where he had mentioned that he loved the ginger drink @ the bar. The manager of the place mentioned to Stephin after a bit if he could mention the strawberry drink because they had sold out of the ginger drink. He did.

Other songs shone. The very old "Lovers from the Moon" was outstanding - Stephins slite backing vocals set this song (mirroring Claudias backing on "Book of Love")as one of my fave's. "Papa was a rodeo" made a nice I my mind comeback - I looked forward to a solo vocal bit by Shirley Simms, and she delivered. Sally Timms, who I described as bag lady looking last time I saw her - again sang “Give me Back my Dreams” from a 6ths LP. Sounded good. And no, she didn't look like baggish today. The "Gargoyle song" I liked. And the best non encore songs from this show was the equally cool one two punch of "I thought you were my boyfriend" / "Water Torture" "Boyfriend" rocked, as always being driven by that rapacious engine of a cello. The cello is incredible inn this song. Every time the cello opens up a drives a song, I generally prize those songs above all. But not always does the cello have to be prominent in a song for me to prize it. "Water torture", that exercise in poetry sung by Claudia, ended the fifth shows first set with everyone on a deep high as it went well - big smile from Claudia was appreciated by us all.

I missed some bits of some songs that I felt could be played better - what about the deep resounding piano and cello on "I wish I had an Evil Twin" ? Missed. And some songs didn't work @ all. "The Goat Song". "Come back to S.F.". "All the tea in China". "Smoke and Mirrors". It happens.

And the talk of drugs and substance abuse by this band. When they played "Too Drunk to Dream", (not a favourite of mine) Claudia prefaced it with a remark that she hadn't drank in years. I do not knoew her history that well - I guess I know John Lennons a bit better- but the number of drug references is huge. They talked about sniffing glue backstage in a jocular way. They sang a song about taking E. Pot, cocaine, tripping all were mentioned. Well, they're a rock and roll band afterall. But sometimes the skin crawls when I think of the punishment theymust have put their bodies through earlier in their lives. Well, great art came out if it, n'est pas?

The Happy Encore

And the good vibe of this show - contrasted w/ yesterdays downer second show - was resplendent in the encore. The band came out wearing Old Town hats, hopefully - to continue the commerce -v-art angle- to get the audience to buy them. Or maybe jusy gifts from the Old Town. But maybemy favourite part of the five shows so far happened - "THREE WAY !!!" played and indeed rocked out. But the telling point was that all five members of the band - well, four, and I won't mention who did not- broke out into broad smiles as this song played. I loved it. Such a great song. And there was GF below, where I normally sat this wkd, also being able to hear it. I was so happy.

There followed a Claudia story about Donovan. They were talking about Stephins new instrument - a bazouki (sic). Seems it's a Greek instrument. This led Claudia to talk about the extras on a DVD about the Sixties icon. Seems he was in the Greek islands totally dosed out of his mind. 60's. Stephin, worried about being reported about their stage banter, referred to a story of a few years back in New York where Claudia -thinking Tony Bennet was dead- said so on stage. This led to a story on page 6 of a New York daily. Stephin told Claudia to be careful about what she reported, because "...(half of) the audience has blogs" Well, I do, but GF does not -so he's rite by my reckoning. Claudia ended the discussion with "He's on a trip", and the band started w/ one of my faves - "Take Ecstasy with Me". They were on a roll. Last song was "Book of Love", and I enjoyed the two minutes watching Gf below enjoy the show and thinking about some of my favourite lyrics from it.

But I...I love it when you read it me
And you...you can read me anything
or
The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
or
But I...I love it when you give me things
And you...you ought to give me wedding rings


Great show.

Magnetic Fields Weekend / Day the Third / Part Two / The Late Show

And so it came to be the final show. Being immersed in the whole weekend, this was a sad moment to come upon, but 'all things must pass'. Gf and I had some drinks @ the Grafton, as had become my 'in between sets' place to hang out. I was very glad GF had been able to experience the show before, so I was happy.

And those happy feeling were not just felt by me. Maybe it was because it was their last set of the mini tour - the last of six sets on the weekend - that the band was feeling relieved that it was about over. The audience was also very into this show. As was I, as I felt the big melancholy on 'time passing' and the end of these shows. But it was a good show to go out on. I've covered this before, but whatever chemicals make certain songs better one nite than they were before was very apparent for the last set. "Where do you go?", "As you turn to go", "Castle of my soul", and the sad clown song "I looked all over town" - none of these were my favourite over the weekend - but they were all favourably received by me as "The best Version of the song" from the six various versions I'd heard over the weekend. It may have been that the songs were played best this nite - or that repeated exposure really made me appreciate the songs -or that feeling of nostalgia really riled it's way through meself - but all were appreciated by me.

And the rest of the audience shared in the Love. "California Girls" featured such laughter from the crowd - they would break out whenever some clever Merrit line was unearthed. Although I liked the earlier sets (5th set) version of "The Nun's Litany", the audience liked this version best. They again supported the cleverness of Stephin by laughing their way through the song. Other songs were good. "She doesn't believe in his dreams anymore" and "Little Uke" sounded good. he harmonies from "Book of Love". And, final proof of the good vibes of this set, the closer before intermission - "Papa was a Rodeo" - was met with it's usual raucous applause. But as the band walked off stage, Stephin turned in a unique move : a short, slite, bow from the waist from behind where he was sitting. Perhaps it was for this one song, this one show, or appreciation for the whole weekend, but it was real kool to see.

The second half brought more good vibes. The audience got into "Too drunk to dream", laughing their way through the lyrics. It's one of my least favourite songs on the new LP, but it was ok. "Yeah , oh Yeah", the periennial fan favourite, got it's usual rousing ovation. I personally rocked out to "Take Ecstasy with Me", cognisant that this mite be the last time to hear Johns grooving @ beginning of the song. I fully got into "Crows", a song Stephin did for the Lemmony Snicktes series. The thought passed that "I'll have to read the books -or @ least the first now". But the best song of the nite, and one of my favourite songs from the whole weekend - the Future Bible Hero's "No River" - was the best sort of joy to enjoy this set - the strumming, the full sounding piano, the tunefulness of it all. Really hadn't been a fan of this song- from ignorance, not dislike - until it won me over by the repeated soundings this weekend. Hmm. Gotta get the LP it's on.

And the bands choice of gear for the encore.....well, wait for that...... First, what did they talk about? Seems Claudia has a pretty big Buffy interest. She talked of watching Buffy repeats @ 3am, and Stephin talked of her constantly talking about Buffy. Claudia was trying to define someone on the show by calling her Buffy's 'familiar", but Stephin corrected that though by saying _"She's not a familiar - she's a witch". I think he's right, y' know. Buffy'd been in the news recently, so I enjoyed the talk. They also introduced "Zombie Boy" with talk of the "Z": One of them said its a song about a "Spanish Swashbuckler", and the other said "Mexican Superhero". All of this was funny, but Stephin made the whole Old Town rock w/ laughter when he followed the last line with "It's one of my more autobiographical songs". Claudia then answered the applause after the song w/ a gracias.

And then time to say good bye. The Old Town had piled the band with gifts, and one of them was winter hats for the band to wear. They hats said "Old Town School" on them, so from the left Shirley wore a hat with "Old" showing to the audience, Claudia had "Town" and John had "School" - pretty funny. The cellist had his hat on the neck of the instrument, and of course Stephin kept wearing his baseball cap. No levity for him.

And no levity at all to end the stand in the encore. Once again, my most prized for new song ,"Three Way" , was skipped over by Stephin. The band was chattering as the song started, and quickly stopped as everyone was not settled on starting it yet. They tried again, but all five stopped playing ten seconds into the song as it just wasn't right yet. The instant they all stopped, Stephin called out "Three way!" by himself -getting a laugh from the audience - but then immediately flipped the page in the songbook and started on the next song "As you turn to go". UGHH!! Once again, I'd wished they'd done the song -my favourite. I felt a little empty that the song was struck from the list. The last song played was "Grand Canyon".

Good show, despite the absence of "Three Way".

We want him Crucified !!

THEE most delightful part of the church calender is now upon us - Holy Week. It stared yesterday with Palm Sunday, the one day Our Saviour got mad love from the adoring masses as he went into the Palestinian capital city of Jerusalem and was met with adoring crowds waving palms. John Sponge rightly- well, I guess, rightly - that maybe palms weren't 'in bloom' during the usual passover time (Don't ya love scholars?!?), but it makes for a good visual.

In the catholic church, there is always a set piece in mass on Palm Sunday - the first, and admittedly less best - reading of the passion. It's a 15m play type 'reading', where the priest takes the role of Christ, there is a narrator, a second priests role.......... and US!! We get to shout shit sorta like "CRUCIFY HIM !! CRUCIFY HIM !! " and "WE WANT BARABBAS!!" and other great stuff. It's taken from Matthew, and on Good Friday - my most loved of all holidays/holy days since I was little (true too, and not the usual self aggrandizing of my past) -we do it all again, except it's from.... who, Mark?? Not sure. There are differences. In Matthew it's the lame "We want him crucified", not the deeply-grand and shouted response :"CRUCIFY HIM !! CRUCIFY HIM !! ". There are other changes - it's on Good Friday that we also get to shout "WE WANT BARABBAS!! ".

Good Friday is just so much better. Better than Christmas, Better than Thanksgiving, better than New Years Eve, better than 4th of July, better than Mai Day, better than Super Bowl Sunday, better than my birthday, better than Bloomsday, better than..........

........... well, yes, fuck it-better than Easter, St. Patricks Day, and the opening Thursday of the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament.

Holy Week indeed !!!

for claudia

Magnetic Fields Weekend / Day the Second / Part One / The Early Show

Deeply angered @ my sister for waking me up -every day, for years now, and on purpose - I was dead tired in the afternoon. Gf came over and I dragged myself to eat via a 2-1 coupon to 115 Bourbon Street, a vast barn of a bar that is sports/danse club/concert arena type place. Ate a burger. Yum. watched a spot 'o' the Sox and Illinois. Yum. Importantly I got an hour nap in. Saved me.

Battled my way to North side Strasser style and Costellos a-ten-again. I had to make the 7.30 start time, so I ate half a sandwich and stashed the rest in my again conveniently parked car. walked to the Old town, and it was strange - there wasn't the masses of people outside having their last smokes before going in. Inside - and again no one. Looked @ the ticket - it was a 7pm start. FUCK!!!! however, since I'm seeing them again and again, I wasn't deeply disturbed. Missed the fist 1/2 h, and when the applause started for whatever song was on, I entered and took up my seat in the same general area that I had been in the nite before.

At this point there is not much variation in the sets besides order of songs played. On a given day - two sets- I will hear 88% of songs played twice - maybe 3-4 songs unique to each set. The next day? Same thing. So the question that popped up in my mind this show was when I feel that this or that song was "The Best Version of the Song" played during the entire 6 show stand- meaning the 'best' version of "I thought you were my boyfriend' or "Take Ecstasy w/ me" - is it that they played better on this version this set this nite, or was I in a different mood ................ or what?? I really can't quantify why I liked this song better this set or whatever, but then again, the strings of cliche's/sayings plays into it: 'no accounting for taste', 'eye of the beholder', etc... Questions like this/generally no answers, just my reactions.

So, which song triggered this? The third time I heard "Boyfriend", I was very happy. It was the best version so far of the song. It then rolled into the fucked instruments / rhyming "Water torture", a song not new but to me. It features Claudia following some convoluted rhyme scheme while John and Sam lay their instruments flat and pick @ the strings along the bridges and strange places. Like I wrote before, it creates a sound sorta like -but of course vastly different - then that done by Big Black in the "Kerosene" introduction. The sound is fucking kool, and also is Claudias rendering of the scheme. It's something I love and started to look forward to @ the end of each version of 'boyfriend' . At a later show Stephin or Claudia mentioned that in practice the band noticed that the songs have similar....... somethings, so they decided to 'sorta-join' the songs. Again, I started to look forward to it each time - BUT HOLD IT RITE THERE !! A common faux pas happened this set on the switchover. We started to clap, including me. This brought down a quick shake of the head "No!" from Stephin, and we let the beautiful transition go on. Beautiful.

And there were plenty songs that were not my favourite that my notes on them contained two letters: 'ih'. 'ih' means, well, ih, whatever, next song please. As much as I love the Fields (and allied bands), through the course of hundred-two hundred of their songs of various LP/EP/etc etc , there are of course some I just don't feel. The danger of getting tix to six is that one may sit through six versions of one -or a few - of these songs. I noted "Grand Canyon", "Gargoyle", and "Bitter end". The "Goat song" simply had "Skip it next time" written next to it.

But during that song came Stephins most visibly enjoyable moment so far. (And yes, i fully realise I'm playing into the 'oh look @ Stephin - he's scratching his face !! ?h He's talking about fauns/ etc... ). He had a very heartfelt smile when Claudia missed a note or was off key or something. As demanding as he seems to be - very demanding - it was nice to see some levity and a huge smile from him. See? He is one of us! As we had permanent smiles on our happy faces through sixsets, so he can also smile........once.

And then there's "Rodeo". This version was an 'ih' fer sure, but as always, some of the most massive applause came after this song. What am I missing? Well, I felt it once the nite before, but not this time. S'alrite. Although the repeated exposure to this song hasn't made me a fan, exposure to other songs made me like them more and more. Again, I came into the sixsets w/out having heard a single song on the new LP, so much is all new to me. But the songs I like or and more are "The Nun's Litany", "Zombie Boy", and what I thought was "Javier says" (Turns out it's "Xavier says"). The Nun song is about a nun who wants to be, in turn, a playboy's bunny, a topless waitress, artists model, cobra danser (what?), brother worker, dominatrix, porno starlet, etc... . "Zombie Boy" is the full bodied propulsive song I champion. And I really began to fall for "Xavier". Shirley Simms, the new singer in the band who sits to the bands left and onlt has a limited role live - takes lead on this. It's somewhat of a quiet songs - though not anything like the pindrop songs that are in the set- that really showcases her singing. She's great. I love the song after being on the fence for a bit.

And then there is the Bag Lady. I know, I know, cruel, but a singer from the past - Sally Timms - came to reprise her singing part on "Give me back my Dreams", which she handled on the "6th's" LP "Hyacinth's and Thistles" (an terrible lp, much much much the lessor of the "Holiday" like grandeur/splendor of the bands earlier close to perfect "Wasp's Nests"). During a Friday set - not sure which one - Claudia mentioned that Ms. Timms was in Chicago having flown in from London. Jet lag made her miss the first nites shows. She sang this one song, and that was all. She didn't appear in the late set, and it got me to thinking "Fuck - they flew her in from London for just ONE SONG??". Although I had more wished they brought in Brabara manning for "San Diego Zoo" or Lou Barlow for "In the city in the rain" or Dean Wareham for ""Falling out of Love (with you)", she sounded great and I am now a fan of the song. I guess that is why she was brought in, n'est pas?

Bag Lady? Yeah, she was dressed much like a bag lady. I know, cruel - she is a pretty women. But the outfit................... However, Claudia did improve on hers - she took on a Sporty Spice look with an athletic top to cover her........ generally brown overalls look. Rest of the band? As always, they generally follow Stephins 'muted brown style' that he has preferred the last few years. Muted brown, he has said something about, so he doesn't have to think much about dressing choices. Or something like that.

Claudia had a great story before what has become my favourite new song "THREE WAY !!!". @ an L.A. show there was a blond girl who was on Ecstasy (see below) and alternately fondling the boy on one side of her and the girl on the other side. When it came time to introduce the song, Claudia mentioned the title (THREE WAY !!!) and got a shocked reaction from the girl as if she was thinking: "AHHHHHHHHHHH MY COVER BLOWN !!!!!!!!". Great story. Terribly titillating, too. So, the question is this : How does Claudia know she was on vitamin E ? Huh? She makes lots of remarks like this - (They were coked up ", etc) and I wonder how she knows. I'm handle this later, but I get the feeling that this band has done loads and loads of drugs. And don't care if we know. I guess one could worry, but they seem healthy.

"THREE WAY!!!" So lovely a song. My favourite new song, I know I've said (there are other great traxx on the new LP being played, but it's my favourite by farr. Get it, Mr. Farr?). and this time there was a especial fuck up that was fun to watch (Claudia talks about fauns/ we faun). The song has all the feel of a full instrumental, and the band rocks out to it -well, as much as a quiet uke, cello, acoustic, and grand piano can - and builds up to a crescendo, until it stops three times : the boys yell "THREE WAY!!!" @ the first break (literally the only time the audience hears Sam and John's voices the whole show. THE ONLY TIME.), the girls yell it @ the second break, and all five yell it to end the song. This moments levity came w/ Claudia missed cue for the girls yelling part. The girls laughed. We fawned.

And then they left, Claudia as usual collecting the bands notebooks. Why her the job? Maybe 'cause she's generally last to leave.

Next : the cranky set.

Magnetic Fields Weekend / Day the Second / Part Two / The Late Show

Some of bestus moments came during this set. But it was also, no question, the most uninspired moment of the three day stand. @ the start of the second half of this fourth show, I wrote "listless set" -and the second set was as listless as the first. However, the best performance of a song this weekend was played, @ least by my accounts. And I secured a ticket for Gf, finally.

So, couple were on my mind. I loved the first three days, and I was - again - bitterly angry that I couldn't share this with Gf. I'd gone to the box office each day with a "I know this isn't possible, but are there any extra returned tix etc...?" and finally the lady said - well, there is a guy walking about with an extra ticket. So I raced to my car to try and find change to call Gf, and tore it apart finding....... 45 cents- -a nickel short of a call. Tear tear tear again, and a dime pops up finally!! Race then to the El, a 7-11, this bar and that restaurant - no pay phones. Close to giving up, I went back to the Old Town and ran into a dude trying to get rid of extra tix. Seems that a bunch of frenz from Tennessee had gotten to-ogether when the tickets were put on sale back....whenever. He had an extra ticket for to-nite, and I asked to use his phone. No answer from Gf. I had to reach her that moment if she would have any chance of getting there ontime for the late show. Waited and talked to the Tennessee kids. There was about four of them, and were very genial. I talked to them a bit as they stood in the doorway of the Old Town. Then it turned out that they had a ticket for the next nites show, and I snapped it up. It'd be an easier trick - I thought - to get GF to come that show with time to spare rather than wait and wait and hope she'd call back some Tennessee # (from the Tn. kids borrowed mobile phone). Ticket in my pocket, I walked over to Grafton to get a drink and watch some Basketball. Unlike my double drinx between the first two sets last night, I had the one so I wouldn't have to piss buckets a few songs into the show. Experience.

On the couple scene = lots. And all over each other. No fondeling/kissing during the show, but aptly the Magnetic Fields should bill themselves "Music for Lovers", @ least this nite.

My notes rip through a lot of songs and I find myself very dismissive of most of this show. It may have been many things. It mifght have been me, but I was on a high. The band was very tired, this being their fourth full show (and a late show) in the preceeding 28h. But I list:

"When I'm not around" ('N.A.G.' , or 'not as good ' as last nites)

"Castle song" ('weak')

"Sad Clown" ('Sad song')

"Zhou" (o.k.)

"Marry Me" (o.k.)]

Even songs that were liked were not gushed over, just noted:

"Zombie Boy" ( 'great applause / last version better ')

"Papa was a Rodeo" ( 'o.k. / loud claps' )

and

"All dressed up in Dreams" (' Not the punch it was yesterday / but a great song ')

The problem, as stated above, may have been the bands tiredness. During an uninpsired version of "Book of Love", I noticed that Claudia's barelt threre harmonies were absent. She had come out to start the show with two cups of tea. She finished both and then downed some water. For a band that that plays quietly and places a huge emphesis on 'getting it rite', vocal problems could be a hard to deal to get over.

But the show wasn't all bad. I was happy with a Gfticket for to-morrow. "A Nun's Litany", after a slow start, made me smile. I finally really dug the Lemmony Snicket type song "Crows", especially what was missing from the later in the show"Book of Love" - the slite backing vocals of Claudia and Shirly Timms, sometimes 'caw-ing, sometimes backing vocals. Sounded great. There was the endless chugg chugg chugg of the cello counterpoised with soring backing to Claudia's lines in the chorous in the song "Take Ecastsy with Me". It sounded great. There was the full strumming and 'rocking' of a song that has become a fractured song of mine called something like "I'll make all the same mistakes" and is about walking on the beach - or something like that. It's originally a Future Bibles Hero's song. I'll look it up. That full 'loud' strumming by the guitar is always a vast favourite of mine. And the best song of the first four shows- 8 sets - was this nites version of "I don't believe you". There hadn't been a song yet that could match this performance, and was a total treat to experience. The whole weekend in a 2 1/2m song. I finally felt that I could 'let go' a bit, and happily moved in the confines of my seat. So good -the guitar, then the cello, etc...

And another highlight was the canonization of "California Girls'. I love the song now, and enjoyed this performance thoroughly. Although it's a catty kissoff of the stereotypical 'California Girl' archetype, the term 'California girl' always was a joyous term. I can remember one Santa Cruz (Ca) Sunday afternoon with Drax a Belgian friend. A random totally gorgeous girls happened by, we silently with our looks remarked on her total beauty, and when it was safe to speak again, Drax simply stated "California Girls". There are many truths, I guess.

There occured a 'Jesus Lizard' moment. In 1990, we ( Joker, Dragon, and Jacob (Nee Jimey, and I) took a trip out to Dekalb to see said band play @ Otto's. They came to the stage with the entire crowd holding back and standing away from the stage -scardy cats! For a band whose lead singer David Yow NEEDED the crowd @ his feet, this was unacceptable. So the drummer supplied a loud BAM !! and Yow pointed to the front of the stage and yelled "Right Here!" BAM !! "Right Here!" BAM !! "Right Here!" . We'd been sitting up in the second floor talking to an old lust Trixie when we watched this display After the second BAM!! one of us looked @ each other and said "Lets go" as we raced to the stage. It was a fabled show in my tenure as a rocker. The Fields had a different approach to this problem. Rite around me there wer empty seats. Now the shows had been sold out for months, but there were seats a plenty rite about me. Claudia asked people standing if they wanted a seat, and told people upstairs to coome down if they wished to flesh out what they called the orchastra pit. I had to make do with less space in a few minutes, but if it made the group more comfortable, that's fine.

My favourite patter came when Claudia inevitably brought up the Spitzer/Kristen scandel in N.Y. Earlier she'd talked about Kristen's (the prostitute) 'ill advised' recording career. Then she talked about Kirsten's video on Youtube that was the #1 video for that day or week. Stephin interrupted and said "What did you say? Ill advised recording career? What about us? don't have the #1 video on Youtube" Pretty funny, especially if it's out of the mouth of The Great

Man and not seconded handed to you by me.

There were no ovations for this tired group and tired crowd. The group and crowd were so cranky. And something terrible happened. Stephin always tells Claudia to stop talking to the crowd - it's always a funny riff. But it fucked this show up. Out for the encore, and the now familiar jinglings to "Three Way" started to be heard as the first song of the encore. But the band messed up, and there was a stoppage to play. Pause, a second stab @ the song, and some yahoo yells out "Three Way!!!". Immediately, Stephin stops the song, pointedly flips the page of his songbook to the next page, and they started a new song. Terrible!!!! This was my favourite song, and although I thought it was funny for a second- until I realised that he was totally cutting the song from the set. I got mad and was dissapointed. Not all was good.

But that's how concerts go. They could be great a few hours earlier, but uninspiring later. Such was this case. They were tired, sick, or just playing poor - or didn't like the rowd, etc etc etc... it happens.

As I was walking out, I got little love. Can be scandelous, but...

Pre story goes like this - long ago I'd been to some punkrock show @ the Congress Thratre on Milwaukee avenue. Maybe 1995. Total punkrock Goddess in the bellyshirt was struggling with her just bought popcorn and beer load. She stopped/paused/leaned against a wall to better gather herself and her load rite as I was passing by her in the crowded hall. A few pieces of popcorn fell down her at this moment and I plucked and ate one that had rite then been caught by her beltbuckle . We shared a laugh as I said hello with our smiles over my shouulde. And of course I never saw her again.

Magnetic fields version goes like this- I'd gotten my Aldo's haircut a few weeks before, and I intended my coiff to lie flat. However, on one of the bathroon trips I took during the first two days of shows, I ran my wet fingers through my hair and noticed it spiked up nicely. So, after that discovery, I wet and spiked it. Mindless fun for me. After the show let out I was milled about the departing crowd. As I passed a girl who was wandering to the exit, she ran her fingers though my hair. Always nice to get attention from the opposite sex-always nice to get random attention from the opposite sex - and nice to get attention from such a lady. Scandelous, but a nice random encounter. Random ?? What am I-a California Girl????

Parrots are Flocking !!!

Counted nine. Eight here.

Tulips are up !!

Finally ealised that as cold as this winter has been, maybe I should brush away the leaves that id left in the fall to protect the tuplip bulbs. Yes, Dads Bulbs returned again.

Magnetic Fields Weekend / Day the First / Part One

It wasn't just the Magnetic Fields shows that made today ok. Vacation is here, and although I have a week of getting up @ 7.30am when my sister goes out of her way to wake me by blasting music , @ least i can try to go back to sleep. Remember my sleep problems? She's such a jerk. And, for the first time, I'm going to be petty. She has her spring break the next week. It's been years of her going on like this, but i'm going to be petty*.

I know I've been avoiding writing on my soccer team (don't write about work!!!), but I had practice w/ just the JV girls by ourselves this Friday for the first time, and it went well. Also named one of the captains. Again, I feel blessed for many reasons in life, and being a coach is one of them. Lotta time and energy commitment, but I feel it is one of those things I have to do. Obv. I had years and years of seasons and seasons of coaching my nieces and nephews- sometimes two teams @ once - and i was doing my part as an uncle - but the kids in my school are also gods children, and it's also a special delight in taking part in nurturing them. It really was a rush gathering my team around me, having the captain lead stretching, and barking and yelling @ them during practice. I am not a great coach - when I compare myself to the staff @ the last school I was @ - my god, I'm worthless in many ways (really - me trying to teach an 18 superstar kid from Mexico anything about soccer is laughable)- but I fit in where I can. This team - a J-V team where many -wait , ALL- of the kids are just learning the game -I can do wonders. I used never think of the future except for my soccer teams. now of course, I think about finishing Ithica all the time.....a s well as who am I gonna put @ stopper ??

Last bit. I have coached maybe 25 different teams that my nieces and nephews have been on so far. Almost certainly, the time where I coached my kids has passed. Some of the kids have grown up and are in university and H.S. - and the other two live way out in the suburbs and probably have paid coaches in-their-posh-area. Niece.4 is still in grammer school, but since I presently have a team (and she is being coached by one of the worst coaches I have ever been around ((no, I won't tell her that))- what a disaster when this guy was foisted upon me one season ) , I'll only cheer her on. Three of them play in non competitive leagues in the summer, but I no longer want to coach there (A.Y.S.O.). An AYSO coach has to play all the kids equally, and since I'm a developer of talent these days - what, I'm not a teacher and I don't fully feel and understand my abilities in teaching and development of children?- I really don't want to play 'happy coach' and let them run around. Let someone who actually had kids play the role of happy coach - and let me use my energy reserves in the role of 'technical director'** where I can develop the kids over time.

Wait wait - my point this last paragraph was not that dirgession - it was this digression: I have coached both Sister.1 and Sister.2 's for those 25 different teams over the last 15 years, and there is a dramatic difference in their appreciation of me as their coach. Although I get along better w/ Sister.2, their kids- they Love me deeply, y'all - were a little..... Wait, maybe I should have started w/ Sister.1's kids. They have always deeply prized me as a coach, and they loved when Uncle Freak was also a freak as a coach. They were always more into soccer - Neice.1 was captain of her HS team and a starter since she was a freshman***, and Nephew.2 and Neice.3 also played/play for their hs soccer team. One AYSO summer when I still had energy to be 'happy coach' instead of Coach Ditka Coach I felt I had to spread my time around and chose to coach Neice.4's team (Sister.2) instead of Neice.3's (Sister.1) team, even though she'd been asking and begging me to coach her team from the time the season ended the year before. Truth be told, it was a bad decision on my part, and I know that now. Neice.4 didn't really appreciate Coach Freak, whearas Neice.3 missed my presence. I felt I needed to be fair to all the kids, but sometimes one must make a desision. I'll never make that mistake again/no.

Another item that has become appearent in the last 2-3 weeks. I have a real living breathing Idol in this life. Someone I really look up to, and I totally realize I'm trying to model myself after him. I'll tell you all later, but it's funny. As he has taught the kids, he has also taught me and others. The Peace of Christ is really in him- and of course, I bet he's really not a Christian. But first I must tackle The Magnetic Fields.
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*=sorry, I was in a dead sleep this morning- for the first time I was actually going to get proper rest. And now I'm awake.
**= translated from the Spanish
***=she was the one whose newspaper clippings I always emailed about - more to be annoying to my frenz, but also the pride in my blood thing.

Magnetic Fields Weekend / Day the First / Part Two - the early show

After a joyous soccer practice, I kept my word and let the girls split @ 5.15. Joyous and humbling. This day Coach had a deadline to make - 7.30 punto the Magnetic Fields show started. Eve though I have tix to all six shows, I hate being late (despite my deserved reputation, these long treks to the North Side are much much more easy that the 2h El trips from way back were. Although Lincoln Square parking can be kinda ruff, I was able to find a space, stash the soccer equipment in the boot, and go eat.

Doubleplus good the first : I had a coupon to use @ the Costellos near the Old Town School of Folk for a free side and drink, and I got something veggie that tasted great. Since I'm attempting to both fast and abstain this Lent on Fridays, I knew I had to wolf down my food so I wouldn't get terribly hungry during the show. This Friday was easy - I had a lite breakfast, and my ususal cheese pizza from the local to my school's Giordano's for lunch. Then Costellos - since I am carnivore maximus, any dish w/out meat is a suspect device. But lite on tomatoes and NO olives on whatever I had - hummus something or other - it tasted great.

Doubleplus good the second : Old acquaintance renewed. We used to go to the once a month danse party several years ago that eventually died out. There were three dj's - a kool couple, and one of the most kittenish of kittens who ever existed. Never talked to her that much, but crushed on her I did in my own hidden way. Well, all my frenz knew, and she could probably could guess @ it as well. She looked ace, she dressed ace, and she had ace tastes - most noticably she's alays play Magnetic Fields stuff in her sets. loved her presence in this world. So, saw her @ the Morrissey show in october (The 'When Morrissey addressed me from the stage 'show -oh, wait, I haven't written that up yet - check out my list) but was riding addled so ignored her. This being Lent, I was more than happy to walk over in costellos and say hello for a minute - as @ the Morrissey show, she was still hanging out w/ her Britboy. I confessed to her that I'd seen her @ that show, but "was too shy to say hello". A Lenten frame of mind can be very nice. You all like it, rite? I asked them when the show started/opening band ??, and they said - 7.30 punto !! This being 7.23, it was an easy out w/ a shout of "Have a good show/ Good Luck"*.

Got in, sat in the front seats (a row of tables in front of the first row - that's where i sat last time). The band were in their accustomed set up, w/ a guest singer. From my view, it was Stephin Merrit on uke to the right, Sam Davol on cello to his left, John Woo on the acoustic, Claudia Gonson on the grand piano, and finally the extra singer to the right. That's how they set up. No movement on stage - a lot like a folk show. @ the Old town school of Folk.

The band. Thee new singer sang only on 40% of the songs. I know I should know her name, but I'll have to get it later. Stephin - during clapping, he always holds his left ear - he's got a Pete Townsend type ear thing. Clapping?? He puts a finger in it and turns away from the crowd. Sucks. Claudia. I've always been attracted to her. Despite her always terrible wardrobe**, I loved her new haircut. Claudia is hot and a delight to watch her perform. I like her a lot and always enjoy her presence. The haircuts in this band. The silent Guitar player and Cello player (John and Sam sing only on one song, and it's two words - see below) have full sets of hair - especially Sam. How the hell does that mop stay up ?? It doesn't look like Morrissey's quiff from say '83, but the phenominal physics of keeping his hair up must include glue or something.

They started with a new song, "California girls" Not bad. Then they kicked into last Lp's "I don't believe you" one of y fave from that LP "I" . It totally got my head nodding, and I'd wished I'd saved getting my hair cut for two more weeks so I could have thrown it about while I rocked to it. Sounded great and it got me moving slitely in my seat. "Come back to San Francisco" a slite song, not that interesting.

Sm is famously a 'princess' on stage. All eyes look to him. Every time he makes any sort of move, the audience erupts w/ laughter. Any que from him and the whole band halts and looks to him for direction. It's part of the dynamic of the band and the audience, so I enjoy it. But sometimes 'the centrality of stephin' is a little silly:

Stephin scratchs his ear? Applause!!!!
Stephin looks sideways? Mad laughter!!!
Stephin mentions a faun? The audience fauns.

It can get silly, but in all honesty it's part of the show, and I've never seen a bad Magnetic show yet. This time there was a a lite that shown in his face. Digression for a minute about lites in faces etc. There were others. A part of the deal. Another part of the deal is the endless repartee on musical notes and scales between SM and Claudia. @ least five time a show they will discuss "c"'s or scales or what have you. Wasted on me, but it is an insight into their practices.

There were lots of songs I'm not familier with. Now, I'm a pretty big fan of the band - I have their LP's, I have now seen the band seven times- but I also have not gotten their new LP yet. So there are lots of traxx spread across the many bands and projects he is involved in that I do not know. There was a song about bitchy queens that was good, another about a gargoyle. There was a song about paris - no, not that most wonderous song about pais (Paris in the Spring), thqt got gobbs of clapping.

There was one of my favourite songs that was brand new to me - a song where Claudia linked to-gether a bunch of rnyming words, and between each links there was an fucked up sonics instrumntal break sounded akin to the "keroscence" intro. Real kool to experience.

There occured the intermission. Bathroom??

I wandered the crowd. As usual, I imagined everyone looked @ me like I was gonna jump them or assault them. My paranoia, or...... the fact I looked so ragged. I was gonna dress nicely for the show, but ended up wearing what I had for school - a Loyola U. t shirt, black jeans, and my Lotto shoes for soccer practice. Dressd own. Plus, it was the same outfit I conducted practice in, so I just bet I smelled.

The t-shirt was kinda tuff to wear. A nice t shirt to be sure - Fridays are "College days" for teachers to encourage the kids to go, and this was the first time I actually wore not the tie and jacket that makes me look so sharp (je pense), but a t shirt. I spend an endless amount of time extolling UNIVESTIY!!! to the kids - all the time, least once a class, many time many times a class. With the college expericnces I had, how could I not tell them?? To better take part in the culture of my school, I'll wear my t's on Friday - Gotta replace the rotten N.I.U. one, and get a NEIU and CSU o t's as well. Grew Mainly @ my first two universities MOST, but also the latter two were important. However, I wanted to dress abit for the show, and i'd left my intended shirt @ home. To-nite. However, since the band was uninspiringly dressed as well - SM wore a Yankee's hat this time around ( not the 'kool guy' cap he had on four years ago ) so I didn't feel so bad about being 'branded' @ the show. Again, I'll feel ore comfortably dressed to-nite - and showered.

And yes, I know - hey Hilts, what about you living yr life as an artist and all that***? I can only sing, with the word drawn out in joyous song: "/Co-la-raaaaadooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo............"

Not to-nite. I'll let the featured artists be the stars to-nite.

second part of the early show got lots of love form the people and from me. There are a lot of songs that I love and want them to play - but only get a few each show. Four years ago one of my fave songs was "Evil Twin", a slow winding song, but whatever it is that Blackie id's that i like -was it rythm or melody- it's got. I think. Loved it. I realize that i really like their last LP "I", and since it is their last LP, they are playing lots of songs from it. Good. "I" like that. I remember more piano in the part where it gets louder - loved it last time when it kicked in heavy, and wish it would get LOUDER this time around. I'm sur they'll play it again to-nite- let's see.

Theyn also played "Papa was A odeo", a song which I generally hate. Why do they bother to pay this song?? Boring. BUT - it got the biggest aplause of the first show. WHY?? And they played it again in the second show.

Funny, that. Check later for my appraisel of that take. Funny.

NO REQUESTS!! Some people yelled out for this or that, but the fields are a totally- well, mainly - scripted stage performers. The grandly haired celloist John Davos and Claudia the sexy pianist have sheet music in front of them - well, maybe they all do. My guess is that thier shows are as scripted as any of the the Rolling Stones or Beatles shows @ Comiskey Park were. Claudia had funny bits about Midwestern niceness - she said "we take no requests, whearas on the East Coast we practice stony silence". I know better than open up my mouth, though it's be a treat to hear "Paris in the Spring" or the F.B.H's vampire song again, or "Young and Insane" etc...

Did get to hear a track from that GREATEST of all Magnetcic Fields LP's , 'Holiday'**** = "Take Extasy with me". It took a long time for me to get into that song even after I'd flipped about the LP, but it sounded great in concert. The cello action was great - i've come to realize that I love when the band is all playing to-gether. It picked up during the fade ot - the guitartist full strumming, not picking as he usually does (85% of the time). Some quiet songs are great, but i like the ensembleness of it all. A new song (or @ least new to me) called "Zombie Boy" ditto's this feeling of mine - it had that nice full sound.

My favourite song of the set?? "Three way" An almost full instrumental, kick'n groove, punctuated by the three boys shouting "THREE WAY!!" @ a break as one would yell "Ole!!" to a wonderous soccer maneuvere seen, then the regroove, then "THREE WAY !!!" by the two girls, then the groove again............. Thing is, as I sit here, I bet they will pay that song @ least twice - and probably four more times this weekend I can't ficking wait.

OLE !!!

And who says the Fields adhere singly to a script? SM outed with "We'll play one more song" and played an ace version of "Book of Love".

And who says Hilts adhere singly to loudhardandfast songs? "Book of Love" is as quiet as it gets. John Woo'sslite guitar, the singing, and my favourite art - Claudia the sexy backup singer's almost inaudible harmonies. Sweet.

The whole first show was sweet.

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*=the grand Northern Irish version of "Good Bye". Use it this weekend.
**=and one knows the importance I attach to clothes on females.
***=and yes, I know it's from Joyce.
****= think, um.............."Sister" for its impact.