This Changes Everything.
My love affair with the desert looked like it would only last a year. With my new position at the law school, those of you braving the heat would be without me. After reading this line-up taken from Productshop NYC, things are beginning to change. Yes, I would cross the country to see Weezer, New Order and Gang of Four in the matter of two days. Toss Arcade Fire, Shout Out Louds, Bauhaus, Wilco, The Faint, Black Star and British Sea Power on the fire, and now I'm scrambling.

posted by jayloose at 11:39 AM 98 comments   

Giving Money to Jesus Fucking H. Christ.
Last night I returned home after the party at Eleven and proceeded to listen to the new Trail of Dead album, World Apart straight through. Now there are bags under my eyes like I’m some sort of seasoned drug addict, but I wouldn’t change one piece of last night. Thanks so much to all the kids who braved the wicked cold weather to come have a beer with me. You guys made my night. Thanks also to Audrey for giving me a shot to rock Atomique and for putting up with the few hipityhopity tracks that were played. It was awesome to the max. There will be more to come on the whole evening, but I have to get some work done before rambling on about the semi-drunken exploits of last night. In the mean time, here is a list of a few songs I played in no particular order:

- New Order, Regrets
- Michal Jackson, Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough
- LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
- The Libertines, Don’t Look Back Into The Sun
- Gang of Four, Return the Gift
- Guided by Voices, Glad Girls
- The Go! Team, Power Is On
- 50 Cent, In Da Club
- Broken Social Scene, KC Accidental
- The Pixies, Umass
- Superchunk, Beat My Guest
- Joy Division, Digital
- The Faint, Glass Dance World
- DJ Shadow, Organ Donor
- David Bowie, Rebel Rebel
- The Thermals, How We Know
- ESG, Dance
- Mark Ronson, On The Run
- The Undertones, I Gotta Getta
- Weezer, Paperface

There may have been more, but considering my typical memory that list is pretty fucking good. Again, thanks soooooo much to everyone who took a second to stop in or stuck it out and danced like a monkey with me, (I'm pointing to you Mr. Rothfeld). You make me warm inside. Now go away. I need to be alone. I kid. I kid.

Fight For Your Right.
So it’s Friday which means there are a few announcements I have to make regarding this evening. Tonight you have the opportunity to get a little cultured followed quickly by getting a lot of drunk. First up is an art show featuring a Mexican Santa Clause who may or may not be played by my big brother. Last night I vaguely remembered promising that if we took a picture with me on his lap, my tongue would be in his mouth. Don’t worry mom, I’m still straight. If Nate in a Santa costume isn’t enough to get your panties in a bunch, there will be work on display by David Black and Brendan Donnelly. These boys are the Real-Deal-Holyfield when it comes to the bustling young art scene. Ok, that sounded terrible, but they do great work. Trust me. Here is the information from a Brendan MySpace post, but what’s with his math:

Come to an art show on Friday. Its 3 hours out of you’re night and you'd be doing the same thing from 8-10 with you’re bros: drinking shitty beers, clowning around and telling stories of last nights romps around town. But here’s the catch; you get to see some awesome work by a group of talented people.

149 Reade St. (between Hudson and Greenwich)
Friday night, the 28th of January (8-10pm)

Brendan Donnelly
Jason nuncio
David Black
Dave Toro
Blake Connelly Lamar
Rebecca vet
Katherine Hillier
Matt Lopez
and a bunch more…

Photos, illustration, painting, instillation and I think the dudes Vietnam might Dj (and do trucker speed) but not sure if their in town yet.

Once you’re done at the art show, expect a bit of an after party, but at 11:00pm it will be time to hop a cab back to the neighborhood to see Karl, Scott, Simon and Sascha’s band, The Stammers at the Luna Lounge. This will be their final show at the famed L.E.S. club, so come show them love in a venue that’s done nothing but. As you know Luna Lounge is going the way of Old Yeller, (so is Mighty Robot, Fez and Plaid). This is all to disappointing so you’ll want to go support the clubs as they fade away into the memories of us all, (fuck, I couldn’t be lamer this morning). Anyway, don’t think I’m lazy because there are so many emails posted here, but if it matters, I feel lazy. Check out what Mr. Cardinal had to say:

Hey everybody,

We're playing a show on Friday the 28th at Luna Lounge (171 Ludlow bet. Houston and Stanton). The set will begin at 11:30 so you should be nice and early and there is no cover... so you're all on the list. I (Karl) will also be drinking any beverage one wishes to buy me before, during and after the show.

If you send this email to 10 people I'll give you $1000. If any of those people send this email to 10 other people they get $1000 AND you get $200.

See you there!

Karl is bringing his checkbook so make sure you bring the properties of your sent emails. I plan on making 50k today. Ok, dress warm or stick to the credo, ‘Fashion before comfort’ and have a great time.

One more note: You should buy the Trail of Dead album. I shit you not.

posted by jayloose at 9:38 AM 1 comments   

posted by jayloose at 3:33 PM 1 comments   

The ‘D’ Stands For Death.
Don’t be alarmed. There were no deaths in the band, but be aware that DFA 1979 has dropped off of tonight’s bill at the Mercury Lounge. Man Man will now headline the show. Refunds are offered at point of purchase. If this news puts a black cloud over your evening, then put on your dancing shoes and join me:

ATOMIQUE @ Eleven (Downstairs Lounge)

Thursday January 27th :: Filter Magazine presents... .
The Trail of Dead: "Worlds Apart" listening party with tons of giveaways!
+
Guest DJ: J Good Times. (Loose Record)

:: Party starts at 10pm
:: Beers and Well Drinks 1/2 off for the first 2 hours!
:: NO COVER! - 21+
:: 152 Orchard St. between Stanton and Rivington St. (East Side)

And as always the Blue Light Specials! Every 1 1/2 hour, you get FREE drinks for 15 minutes!!


Additionally, warm yourself up with the lovely new video for the first single off of Beck’s forthcoming record titled, Guero. The song is called Hell Yes and the video was directed by Mumbleboy, (WindowsMedia or Real). This message is to Tumbleweed: Eat an eighth of mushrooms, put this on repeat and call me to tell me how much you love it.

posted by jayloose at 9:09 AM 4 comments   

He Put The F-U-C-K-Y-O-U In Sensitive.
Oveis just sent me this little piece of dickhead capitalism. Holy bulldog. Could these people be more ridiculous. Another brilliant idea. Please feel free to email or call this asshole to let him know he's taking the express train to hell.

Our lead singer committed suicide in his hotel room while we were on tour. Why don’t you give it a try?

INXS, the multi-platinum international Rock band is looking for their next lead singer. Mark Burnett Productions, the creator of Survivor and The Apprentice has created a new TV reality series on CBS that will give singers and songwriters the opportunity to become the next lead singer of INXS. We are looking for Men and Women of all styles that are ages 21 and up. Auditioners will be asked to perform up to 3 songs (INXS songs are NOT required.) They may perform to a CD track (w/ no vocal) or with 1 musical instrument.

Auditions will be held in:
NEW YORK, NY
On 1/30/05- Open Call
ON 1/31/05- Industry Referral/Appointment Only

To schedule an audition or for more information, contact:
Peter Cohen
Talent Producer
310-471-3781 x202-Off
pcohen@markburnettprod.com
www.INXSrockstar.com

posted by jayloose at 4:41 PM 3 comments   

Girls Just Want To Have Fun.
A typical Monday night…

As the clock approached quitting time, I received a distressing phone call from one of the students. There was a mistake on their registration which ultimately led back to me. It could be easily fixed if the paper work existed. By the grace of tequila, I found the paperwork around 5:35pm last night. The error was corrected and a sigh of relief exited my lungs. It was ten times more nerve racking than I can convey in words. This is exactly the type of bullshit I don’t want to deal with so if you are independently wealthy and looking for a new person in your crew; give me a call.

I quickly maneuvered through the ice and pedestrians with the hope of making it home in time to cook some dinner. As I barreled into the subway, Denise called out to me. It was a top notch run in. We decided to grab some dinner at a vegetarian joint on Allen just below Stanton. My curried vegetables with vermicelli were delicious. With happy bellies we said later on, and I cruised back to 186. Builder quickly showed up, and we decided DBA on 1st Avenue would suit our needs. DBA is a bar that has free internet access, tons of beer on tap and a cute blonde bartender. What else do you need? We managed to release Loose Record Mailer #2 before settling into a long discussion about the direction of our project. Miriam joined us later, and we called it an evening.

Around 11:30pm Builder returned to 186 and popped in the Can DVD he recently purchased at Etherea on Aveune A. We sat there mesmerized by the weirdness of the way before their time kraut rockers. I’ve listened to their records before, but putting faces to the music helped it all make sense. The one time lead singer, Damo Suzuki, looks like a strung out Yoko, but it didn’t take away from the Gallagher looking bassist, Holger Kzukay. One thing I can’t get over is how amazing their drummer sounds at all times. He has such great control, but rarely looks interested in the pounding beats he’s using to force the jammers forward. Since this introduction to Can, I played Tago Mago straight through twice at work yesterday. Now its time to move on to the record, Monster Movie. Check them out and learn to love.

Sidenote: Pitty Sing’s We’re On Drugs is currently streaming on KEXP, and it blows. Are people willing to get into this band? It would surprise me.

Still Wearing Dickhead Shoes.
My mom once called my Chucks, ‘Dickhead Shoes.’ It sometimes feels that her biggest concern in the world is the footwear protecting her son’s feet. She drives me crazy with it, but it’s nice to know she cares. The point is, do any guys have suggestions for man boots or some sort of protective sneaker that will keep mi toes warm? After last nights adventure out to Park Slope, I realize my ‘Dickhead Shoes’ might not cut it.

At 6pm I rolled down to Delancey to meet up with Nate. We hopped on the F Train, and made our way to the 4th Avenue stop. We finally caught up with Rick from The Hot Snakes, and I had to complete a longstanding interview. The plan was to meet him at a neighborhood joint called Buttermilk. Well, Rick gave us the wrong address so we were wondering around 5th Avenue aimlessly. It ended up being quite funny, but my feet weren’t laughing. We finally found Buttermilk, and Rick walked in a minute later. We scored some drinks, got cozy in the back and I proceeded to ask him questions that didn’t provoke the desired reaction. After a couple drinks, the tape was stopped and we cruised back to the city.

Having yet to score my evening does of the proper nourishment, I jumped at the chance to have dinner with Builder and Gabe. We decided the AKA Café would fit our needs. We enjoyed some delicious nachos, and I had the Sirloin Sloppy Joe which knocked my socks off. Dinner flew by and at 10:30pm I was back home watching more of the Can DVD and slipping off into a much needed full nights rest. I never made it to the benefit at Rothko, but everyone has been telling me it was a great show. My apologies to Dana if I in any way fucked up her night taking the last minute interview with Rick.

Bands You Should Love.
#1.) If you don’t love everything James Murphy touches, then you, my friend, are a fool. Throughout many discussions with friends, I feel like the minority on this one, but then again, we aren’t the coolest kids in school. Well, I might be. Anyway, you should check out the great article in this month’s Wire. Mr. Murphy scored a sweet cover and the article explains why he is such an elitist dick who recently decided to sand his edge at the behest of his label partner. So LCD Soundsystem is dropping a new album soon. Stay up to date with their new website and check out the awesome video for their new single.

LCD Soundsystem: Daft Punk Is Playing At My House, (Quicktime).

#2.) In keeping with #1’s theme, if you don’t love the forthcoming Shout Out Louds full-length debut, Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, you may want to see a doctor. This Swedish five-piece is putting out their record on Capitol. Some of you may already own the Oh Sweetheart Ep or even some of their vinyl singles, and if you dig that work, you’ll love the new stuff. It’s a definite extension of the earnest and loveable sounds from a purely pop band. Their upcoming release will make mixtapes obsolete. Stop worrying about what tracks will grace your Valentines Day mix. Just burn that special someone this disc, and you’ll become a hero. Check out these clips.

Shout Out Louds: The Comeback, (mp3).
Shout Out Louds: Shut Your Eyes, (mp3).

#3.) Finally, a band that’s been dubbed as KEXP’s ‘Your New Favorite Band’ The Go! Team has been captivating listeners across the pond and making friends with Pitchfork and the kids at Other Music. A few months ago I picked up the debut Ep Junior Kickstart on a whim at Virgin Megastore. Later that same afternoon, Kyle and I popped it into the kitchen stereo during an intense knifer session. After the three songs finished, we collectively pealed our jaws off the floor and realized this band would be huge. They have recorded a full-length called Thunder, Lightening, Strike which has been available at import prices in New York’s independent record shops. The first single off the record is titled, The Power Is On, and it delivers on it’s promise. With The Go! Team scheduled to play SXSW this year, you can expect their first United States show to be at a venue near us, (rumors are abound about a Bowery performance). You can hear a bunch of their tracks at the Memphis Industries web site.

So I realize this isn’t the newest of the new, but it’s the best of the new so check it out and thank me later.

Are You In A Band? Want To Travel?
Chris Davies dropped this email newsletter in my box today, and it sounds like a great opportunity for anyone in a band who is looking to expand their fan base overseas. This is an especially tight offer if you are lacking in the agent realm. Check out the goodness:

Planetary Presents: Tour Scandinavia!

The Planetary Group has been presenting shows in the Scandinavia regions for the past several years. Shows have been at the club, theatre and special event level. The NYC band The Realistics are one of the bands that recently rocked Scandinavia. Along with them as part of a competition, the Unicorns and Ovali Virta played shows in parts of Sweden as well.

Planetary and Sonicbids are now excited to be offering the opportunity for more artists to perform and tour in Scandinavia. Genres accepted include Rock, Pop, Reggae, World, Jazz, Singer/Songwriter and Hip-Hop.

The tour will be in Denmark, Sweden and Finland and you will likely travel through London or part of Europe to get there. The tour will be from 1 to 2 weeks in length, depending on the amount of dates confirmed. Planetary takes care of all logistics: visas, airfare, equipment rentals, permits and housing. All members must be over 18 years of age to participate.

The Scandinavian tour follows the successful recent Planetary/Sonicbids China tour (December '04) of Superhoney, who recently completed 5 shows in Shanghai and Beijing. You can read about their tour and view photos from the tour (and the eight other China tours) in the China section of this website.

If you are interested in submitting for the Scandinavian tour, you may do so through either Sonicbids.com - or directly through us. Just go to the tour section of our website. Be sure to read the FAQ section to answer any questions you may have.

Don’t miss this solid opportunity to get your name out to the international market.

Tonight’s Specials Include.
*** First of all let me say that The Stands have canceled their set at Mercury Lounge because they didn’t get their immigration papers done properly. I don’t understand how bands manage to fuck this up, but if we learned anything from The Libertines, besides the fact that crack breaks up bands, you best have your papers straight or you aren’t going anywhere.

*** Tonight is the last installment of the Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah residency at Pianos. They are a decent local band that is guaranteed to blow up. Playing an early showcase is another local favorite, Orange Park. If you want to be in for the long haul, stick around for This Blue Holiday or pop upstairs to say hello to Nora who will be rocking her weekly party Savvy.

*** Finally if you are feeling adventurous, (I say that ever time Brooklyn comes up), stop by Northsix to catch a set by the Philly freak out’s known simply as Man Man. Ace Fu released their debut record and The Fader loves them which should be enough reason for you to throw on a white belt before heading to the club. Don’t expect to catch them tomorrow night because their show with DFA 1979 at the Mercury is sold out. Instead come by Eleven and to have a drink with me.

posted by jayloose at 3:33 PM 5 comments   

You’re Covered In It.
Winter finally caught up with Manhattan. This season has been particularly mild with little snow to report. The past week changed everything. During the first half of the week it was so cold I could not stand to be outside for an extended period of time, (unless working). As the weekend approached, word of a blizzard flooded local and national newscasts. On Saturday around noon the snow began to fall and it didn’t quit until 9pm that evening. The snow caused a massive reshuffling of plans, but the weekend still ended up on the great side.

Indie Guys Love Sports.
Friday night began at a slow pace. After a horrendous day at work, I returned home with the hope of shedding all remnants of the crazy work week. Some grilled cheese and a nap certainly did the trick. By 9pm I was revved up to see And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead at Rothko. Thank god my apartment is a stones throw away from the club because Friday night’s temperature was no joke. I met with Audrey and Dennis who were kind enough to help me get into the club, (thanks so much!). We hustled into the already jam packed venue and took a spot way in the back. As we waited, familiar faces poured into the club. Stephen Culkin joined us in the back corner while we waited for the Texans to blow us away.

It didn’t take long for the five-piece to take the stage. They warmed the crowd up with a minute long intro that lead into a run of a couple new songs. Lacking knowledge of their entire catalog, I thought the first song was an old one because I’ve heard it a couple times, but it turns out they played a lot of their new tracks at the CMJ Bowery show and the post (or pre?), Siren Festival Rothko gig. As they continued to impress me with their new material, we were joined by DJ Del who has been under the radar for quite some time. I didn’t realize he shares the exact same birthday as Mia. They both turned 30 last Monday so if you see him, buy him heaps of drinks.

One of my favorite aspects of Trail of Dead is their split personality. On one hand you have a deeply melodic pop group that uses odd time signatures and some atmospheric guitar sounds to create some beautifully dark tunes. On the other hand Trail of Dead is a hardcore band paying homage to acts like D.C.’s Gorilla Biscuits and Black Flag. This duality is pulled together by a love feedback and Sonic Youth type noise. It is easy to tell which style they are playing. It is often indicated by whoever is taking the vocal duties. If Conrad is singing expect to hear the more melodic side of the band, but if Jason comes out from behind the kit to sing, you can bet on hearing an aggressive track rooted in hardcore.

I’m thinking of starting a self help group for indie kids who hate sports. We need to get to the bottom of this because too many of you despise a good contest. In an effort to disprove the common misconception, I leaned into Craig Finn (The Hold Steady’s lead singer) to ask him why he had to hate on the Yankees during his introduction of Hostile, MA at last weeks Mercury Lounge show. The can of worms opened by this comment caused me to miss the last few songs of Trail of Dead’s set though I did manage to hear their cover of I’m Too Sexy in between poetic waxing about the Vikings and Twins. Craig sure knows his shit and is an avid fan of all sports sans hockey. This conversation along with a few others over the past few weeks make me believe its no longer ‘uncool’ to love both indie rock and sports. So quit fronting. If you were never into sports, that’s cool, but keep it to yourself, because even if some kids don’t wear it on their sleeves, deep down they may love a good game.

Never Say Goodbye.
Once Trail of Dead finished, a sea of people dumped onto Suffolk Street. Adam and I cruised up to the Mercury Lounge with the hope of catching Say Hi To Your Mom’s set. We were greeted by Beach who was handling a sold out room. We caught a quick drink and slipped into the back were Tumblehawk and Lucy were hanging out. Mobius Band took the stage and played a somewhat unimpressive set. I’m a big fan of theirs, but Friday night didn’t move me one way or the other. I’m glad to hear they are putting out an EP with label support. They have great future in front of them, but Friday was all about Sea Ray.

During change over I shot the shit with a Dirty On Purpose crew that included DJ, Doug, Joe and Jin. They were all present to lend support to their friends and fellow musicians. Speaking of Dirty On Purpose, if you missed your chance to score a ticket to their Sold Out, February 4th show with Sam Champion and Rogue Wave at the Mercury Lounge, don’t fret. They were added to the second night which will take place on February 7th at the Mercury. Get your tickets here or by stopping by the Mercury Lounge during the day while the box office is open. Pick them up soon because these shows are sure to warm you up in the dead of winter.

Sea Ray took the stage to a huge ovation. On Friday night they played their stunning shoegaze pop for the last time. The announcement of their breakup came at a somewhat prosperous time for the band. The surprising nature of the news was facilitated by the success of their previous full length release that was highly regarded in various publications. From what I hear most of the members decided it was time to move on after nearly 10 years of playing together. Jordan is heading to Chicago to start a new band, Colin is now the drummer for The Stills (I’m wondering how this will effect their songs since their old drummer played a heavy role in writing) and Jeff is now playing keys on Longwave’s next tour. Don’t worry, they are keeping busy. Their set felt awfully emotional and despite my fatigued body, I did my best not to fall under the spell cast by their dreamy sound and intoxicating visuals. Though I’m not too familiar with all of their work, Sea Ray was a band I’d jump at the chance to see. After their set we stayed in the back for cake They were a fantastic break from the New York norm that will be sorely missed.

The Great White Adventure.
Saturday was the Blizzard of 2005. As the snow began to fall, Builder and I met Mandel at Clinton Street Bakery for some delicious brunch. They had a special salad dish that was basically a Cesar with seared scallops. Always a sucker for the delicious mollusks, I ordered the dish and started my day off right. With the snow falling at a good clip, I decided it was time to get a move on. Earlier last week I made plans with Diane aka Jenna to hang at the Museum of Natural History, but with the bad weather we decided sitting inside with bottles of wine would be better. I trudged my way through the snow to the Bleeker Street 6 Train without falling on my ass. Quite a feat for a man in Chuck Taylors. A short subway ride later and I was out of my league on 95th Street.

It was my first time on the Upper East Side in a number of years, but I managed to keep my bearings. Jenna lives steps away from the train station on which suited my needs dye to the inclement weather. We had planned on throwing in a movie, but with her roommate Lisa and friend Jamie hanging out, we opted for school girl banter about boys and the guidelines for being a slut. Do you know my catchphrase, “Jay Belin: A Girl’s Best Friend.” Yeah, I’m a sorry sack, but it was fun. We drank the afternoon away and by 8:30pm I realized it was time to get out of the high altitudes and back down town. On my way back to the hood, I got the bright idea to stop at Red Lobster to pick up the boys of The Upwelling some biscuits because they were part of the giant Endless Shrimp pilgrimage to Times Square. Fortunately I scored a cab driver who persisted on telling me about how when he was 23 years old he was fucking everything. I humored him for awhile until he began giving me details. At this point I ducked out of the conversation to make phone calls.

As I entered the Red Lobster take out door on 41st Street, Phillip, the super helpful employee, gawked at my request for four dozen biscuits. He asked me why I only wanted biscuits so I proceeded to tell him the story that brought me to Red Lobster. While waiting I perused the menu in search of something for dinner, but when I read the words shrimp scampi it reminded me of how sick I got after the last trip. I grabbed my biscuits and jumped another cab back to the L.E.S. This cab driver decided to tell me about how the snow makes everything beautiful. Since he was in great spirits even though the driving conditions were shite, I tipped him 2 bucks and 2 biscuits. I took the next couple hours to rest up for a big evening.

Around 10pm Alister, Builder, Miriam and Elise came by the apartment to pick me up on our way to the Mercury Lounge. We were greeted by Captain Beacheros and the Forty Thieves. We stashed the biscuits and settled in for a couple songs from the King of France. They play interesting pop songs that have definite roots in Frank Black’s music. Their lead singer’s humorous deadpan front got me involved in a conversation with Miriam about the difference between ‘taking the piss’ and ‘taking a piss’. You got to love your foreign friends. Throughout the course of the evening I ran into the always awesome Christian and the lovely Nora who joined us (or should I say helped us) for a huge tequila shot, (thanks Richard). This set the tone for the rest of the evening that included an off his ass funny appearance by Sean Bones who was reveling in his night off. Skye and Rob joined us during the later half of our evening. This came post Culkin (at the hands of Builder and Beach) that almost resulted in a scuffle because I was running my mouth. Tequila makes me crazy.

As for The Upwelling, I can’t remember specific things about their songs, but they have a great sound anchored by three guys who flash definite skills. They are a drums, guitar and keys trio, but the bass isn’t missed because in addition to playing sweeping keys parts and various samples, Scott plays the bass notes on foot pedals. Then Josh has a huge kit that he utilizes to the max, (I say ‘to the max’ now). The best part about his drumming is the use of all these different cymbals that have the ability to change the feeling of a song in a heartbeat. Ari, their singer / guitarist, has a great delivery that reminds me of a Paul Banks (who doesn’t need to be punched in the stomach) meets the lead singer of Longwave. If I’m correct, he also manipulates his vocals and guitars through a penal of pedals that sits in front of him. Give them a shot; you may like what you hear.

Later that evening we were joined by Adrian and Cami for drinks post rock show. After we finished said drinks at the Mercury, we stopped by 2A where Jen was holding down the upstairs bar. She is grand. We were joined by the whole Bowery crew that just finished closing The Fever show, and we got silly. Frank B. might be the coolest guy you don’t know. Go see his show with Sam Champion at the Luna Lounge. On our way out of the bar Beach decided to take down Builder which led to a pile on by me. Builder claims that I rubbed his face in the snow ala Daniels in Dumb and Dumber, but I couldn’t remember. We stopped into Gracefully for a Mr. Nice then called it an evening.

The Season Is Nearly Complete.
With a mini-shitshow weekend behind us, I ventured into Sunday looking for brunch. Thankfully Brenda, Jordan and Stevo were doing the same. Boca Chica pulled a pussy move by remaining closed on Sunday so we cruised down to some joint on Orchard and Stanton. Both brunches this weekend were fantastic because everyone was being fucking hilarious. It’s always nice to fight a hangover with a bunch of equally hurt friends who are simply looking to forget. After brunch I walked through the snow to Christina’s house. We met for a Loose Record meeting with plans to keep it brief for football. Builder and I saddled up and got back to 186 in time for kick off.

The house filled up awfully quick yesterday. Builder and I were happy to have Beach, Daylen, Dan, Matt, Dana and Mya on board for most of both games. Mya is John and Jamie’s puppy who is smart as a whip. I’ve never seen a dog as smart as her. I might have to steal her. We managed to squeeze in some Mario Tennis during both half times, and by the end of the evening everyone was exhausted from sitting around and watching the Eagles and Patriots pave their way to the Super Bowl. It should be a hell of a match up. I only wish we didn’t have to wait 2 weeks to see it. My evening ended watching the Ken Burns documentary on Jack Johnson on PBS. He was a crazy American hero. Check it out.

posted by jayloose at 4:59 PM 1 comments   

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posted by jayloose at 3:23 PM 2 comments   

Anyone Up For An Apartment Swap?
Ok, so I’m not exactly serious with that line, but if you have an amazing offer or you are a pretty lady who would like me to move in with you to split the rent; then drop me a line so we can work this out. Seriously, I cook. I clean. I’m terrific at cuddling. Don’t you need a nice big body pillow to get you through the winter months? I’m on the verge of taking offers from dudes.

Down By Da Beach, Boi!
Last night I hustled home to whip up some delicious dinner before trudging through the snow to the Bowery. Dave and I once again gave the 2nd door a collective bitch slap as we braved the cold for all you Ray Lamontagne fans. Last night was nearly 10 degrees warmer than Tuesday which made me feel like I was on a tropical island. Ok, so my toes still froze, but we were lucky enough to have two coffee deliveries tonight. Thanks to Noah and Beach who hooked us up on back to back evenings. Anyway, everyone at RCA was great so the night ran smoothly. Once we shut down, Merida hooked me up with my post shift whiskey and I said hello to Bango and Noah who were hugging the bar. On my way upstairs I noticed that Dan stepped up to merch table for the second evening in a row, but he honestly has to stop using the reading of this blog as a reason for self deprecation. You love it.

As I settled into the back corner with the likes of Tumblehawk, Lucy, Daylen, Beach, Gigs, Sarah, Kara and Lumberyard, there was a bit of drama going down. Some kids were rocking the no class rule and thought it would be awesome to be dicks. It’s quite unfortunate when a couple of people have too much to drink and decide it’s funny to be assholes. Granted I’ve been on the other end of this stick, (too many times to count), but seeing it sober just made me pissed. The problem wasn’t exactly them disrupting the crowd, but they were heckling the artist which isn’t the coolest chapter in the handbook, (unless it’s Sam Champion). Thankfully everything was handled professionally, and the onlookers were able to enjoy the rest of the show sans incident. Ray is a singer songwriter who doesn’t push my buttons, but was able to captivate the room minus said dicktards.

Around 11pm we saddled up to leave the club. After James stole my bag one more time, we cruised to catch a quick cab ride so we wouldn’t miss the Hold Steady’s set at the Mercury Lounge. We cruised in to find DTL manning the fort. As I sipped the first of a few vodka tonics, a wave of drunkenness came over me. Sure, I’d only had 3 or 4 drinks, but shit, I was plowed. As the five boys who make up the Brooklyn via Twin City band, it was decided that Jay would be home well before the set ended. They began their set with some new jams which had me feeling confident about my recent, “I’m over them,” comment, but by the time they rocked out Hostile, MA I was eating my own words. The one thing that bothered me was the crowd’s excitement over Craig Finn’s negative Yankee comments that introduced the track. What the fuck is wrong with you New York? Have you no soul? Must you cheer when someone gives props to the Red Sox? At any event, they also threw down Knuckles before I left the club which was superb. Their big riffs and high energy sets are the good stuff kids go for. Unfortunately I bailed before hearing Killer Parties and Most People are DJs, but the reports that came in are all leaning towards rock.

Take Advantage, (Of Me).
Tonight there are a few beeps on the radar, so get set for some solid rock, but first a couple cancellations. The first comes from The Giraffes camp who canceled their second show in a row, but with good reason. This email landed today:

On Monday January 3rd I had two episodes of "Sudden Cardiac Death" (thats a heart attack kids) while sitting in the rental car on my way to drop off my girl (Maggie) at work and the car back at the rental place. What did it feel like you ask? Remember that first hit of a cigarette, whoosey and sick? Multiply by ten thousand, i blacked out behind the wheel on that street that leads to First Ave. off of the Manhattan Br. right behind a cop. Now thanks to my girl getting attention and explaining what was happening (namely that i was not wigging out on dust) the cop put up with me unconsciously fighting him, screaming at the top of my lungs (none of which i remember) and did CPR on me when i finally stopped fighting, and called an eps team from the fire house around the corner (lucky fucking bastard that i am) who zapped me with big voltage to get the heart working again. At this point i was sitting shirtless in an ambulance on my way to Beth Israel, talking shit with two big welts on my chest (don't remember any of this either). Got to the hospital, had another Sudden Cardiac Death moment and got shocked back to the living again, fighting like hell with the hospital staff wherever I went ( don't remember none of it) winding up in 4 point restraints in the cardiac ward of the hospital, and stayed there under sedation for the next day.

Woke up on Wednesday? Maybe Tuesday? Whatever, had the tubes in my dick and throat, little suction cups glued all over me an apparent heart efficiency of 15% (normal is 60%) and slowly.... slowly came back. i don't really remember most of this. as far as my brain is concerned i went out in the car and woke up a day or so later in the hospital, no near death shit, didn't give my regards to Rodney Dangerfield, or any other dead folk , nothing. Nap time, blank so don't ask me about that stuff... woke up with lots of friends, lots of family from around the country in the room staring at me like i just ate a kid or something....

OK so the doctors put me through the battery of tests catheters up my groin veins, into my heart, MRI's (which to me were quite relaxing) EEG's etc. after a day or so my heart efficiency was about 65% (better than average), and after a week in the cardiac care unit at Beth Israel Hospital, with awesome nurses, doctors, family and friends I was let go, to a extremely clean apartment, a new sofa, and an x-box (don't get much better than that)

The doctors tell me as soon as the scars heal I will be 100% again, which is good 'cause I am bored sitting at home all day. So I am no longer smoking. I am taking it easy and will be getting back ASAP, because I got some big ass medical bills to pay off.

Immune to heart attacks,
Aaron Lazar
The Giraffes

In less dramatic cancelationg news... According to Manic Mess, Diamond Nights’ lead singer has fallen ill and must rest his vocal chords for their opening slot with The Fever this Saturday at the Bowery Ballroom. Diamond Nights will not be appearing this evening at Delancey


This evening the boys of RANA will kick off a three week residency at Tribeca Rock Club. Tonight’s opener is Hell Is For Children featuring Scott Metzger (RANA-guitar), Joe Russo (Duo-drums), Claude Coleman Jr. (Ween-drums), and Dave Dreiwitz (Ween-bass).

Don't forget about Atomique. This week Audrey is splitting her time on the decks with the Husky Gentleman. Make sure not to blow your wad tonight because next week I'll be kicking the shit out of you. Clear your calendars.

And Finally, Ms. Sivan Harlap sent me this message:

Get wasted on inauguration day (which is really what you want to do) with the friends you love and not feel bad about it. The other option is me sitting all alone at B-side and you being sober and Jonesing to shop.

Our movie tomorrow is: Napoleon Dynamite
Followed, of course, by: The OC
Happy Hour 3-8pm
Half off Beer and Well...
$1.50 Bud and Rheingold
$2.00 Amstel, Brooklyn, Woodpecker, Lowenbrau
$2.00 Well Drinks
$2.50 Stella, Heineken, Corona, Red Stripe
$5.00 Bloody Marys and Margaritas!!

posted by jayloose at 4:02 PM 3 comments   

posted by jayloose at 11:27 AM 1 comments   

Taking The Proverbial Ride.
By the end of today President Bush will give his 2nd annual inauguration speech. He is scheduled to be sworn in around 12pm this afternoon. This reminds me of the 2000 inauguration during which we took to the streets of our nation’s capital to protest the swearing in of George W. Bush. We pushed and scrambled to gain a sightline of the action, but the protestors where systematically corralled. Since we weren’t anywhere near the true dissonance, we opted for Subway sandwiches and a hilarious incident that lead to Dan clogging the toilet before a police officer could use it. There were also instances of Whitney telling little kids that he liked to eat children. One of the best moments that was caught on tap involved me protesting by pulling the trigger. Actually, I got sick from my 6inch tuna sub and had to get rid of it. While I’m standing in front of some government facility shoving my fingers down my throat to induce vomiting, Lee ran up and punched me in the stomach. This aided in my mission, and gave me the leverage to chase him down only to wipe my fingers on his jacket. The reason I’m bringing this up the large amount of “Fuck Bush” chants, that emanated from our group, amidst a sea of unhappy protesters, couldn’t be more appropriate on a day like this. Join me in a collective sigh and mutter “Fuck Bush” to yourself. It kills the sting better than a nice stiff glass of whiskey.

posted by jayloose at 10:52 AM 0 comments   

(Not So) Fat Of My Land.

So my home town is getting more famous by the minute. Yesterday Oveis sent me a link to a blog that posted pictures of a 100lb Princeton, NJ girl traveling to Clearfield, PA to take down the 6lb burger at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub. She did what many, including my father and me, couldn’t which was finish the massive meal. She probably scored a t-shirt for her efforts. Over Christmas break I stopped by Denny’s to wish my friend Shazz a happy birthday. They had a poor tequila selection, but let’s put that aside and plan a road trip. I’ll be taking bets on how many pounds of burger I can take down before puking. The line is 2.5lbs. Be still my heart...


Frozen Toes And Blowing Nose.

New York City has been dangerously cold the past couple days and that whore Mother Nature isn’t letting up any time soon. Tomorrow may hit above freezing which would be a treat, but don’t hold your breath. After work I scurried to the subway instead of walking back to the L.E.S. Kyle and Dan cruised through after finishing a shift at the Mud Truck. Lou and Stevo also showed up to do some sort of practice space keys hand off. We took some time to discuss the future of the Jets. I couldn’t be happier to sit in a room with a bunch of kids, most of who love the Jets, and talk football. Around 6:30pm I threw on some thermals, and walked to the Bowery.

The whole crew was working last night. You had D.D.D. (Noah and I), two lovely ladies behind the bar and one surly merch table guy. Ok, Dan wasn’t surly, but he called himself lame for reading this blog. Dan, on the spectrum of awesome this blog registers an 8 so it can only help your personal quotient. Anyway, Dave and I were subject to the harsh conditions while we worked the 2nd door. It really wasn’t all that bad except for my toes. If you have any suggestions or long time secrets about keeping your toes from freezing, please pass them on. I’m all ears. Around 10:30pm or so, the 2nd door got shut down and I feverishly sipped a glass of whiskey with the hope that feeling would soon return to my piglets.

After a quick chat with Noah and Mia, I nestled into the corner with Gigs, Beach, Lucy and Tumblehawk. The six piece Swedish rock band, The Soundtrack of Our Lives was a few songs into their set. Apparently Little Steven stopped into the Bowery to announce the band prior to them taking the stage. They sounded pretty great. Over the past few years the press has given a lot of attention to the idea of a garage rock revival touting bands like The Mooney Suzuki, The Hives, The Von Bondies and various other Detroit bands as the leaders of this movement. While listening to TSOOL, I couldn’t help but think those journalists missed their opportunity to expose a band that was playing some great Nuggets esque garage psych. Fuck all the theatrics of their fellow Sweds or Sammy James, TSOOL were living the sound embodied by those bands rather than simply playing it. They have a cool mystique about them, but they don’t go overboard. Granted the lead singer, Ebbot Lundberg, reminds me of a cross between Tim Harrington and Tim DeLaughter, (maybe in appearance and actions only), but he belts out a sound that pays homage to the 60’s English sound. Though they rarely give you too much to get excited about, they are worth checking out if you are the type of kid that chooses The Stones over The Beatles.

One note from the show: David Fricke loves TSOOL. He was back in our corner doing the scotch hop their entire set. This should indicate to most of us what kind of rock they deliver. My night ended swiftly. On my way out of the club, James played a dirty trick on me by hiding my knapsack. I nearly had a heart attack. My walk home was broken up by a slice at Rosario’s, and my night ended quickly once I was back in our sauna.

For The Brave Rock Lovers.
Tonight a there are a couple shows scheduled that are worth battling the elements. First up is a Mercury Lounge appearance by the always hilarious Hold Steady. If you haven’t seen these guys construct anthem rock around the rants of Craig Finn, stop by the club to check them out. And just incase you weren’t aware, one half of the band is ex-Lifter Puller. Openers White Hassle will grace the stage with their country fried blues with a pinch of punk around 10pm.

If you are looking to be apart of the scene, then stop by Pianos for the second installment of Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah’s residency. They were pretty decent last Wednesday, but some people think they’re all the rave. Stop by upstairs to have a drink at Ms. Nora’s Savvy Party.

Additionally, tonight will be the second installment of Shindig! at the art space on 6th Street between Avenue B and C. For only $10 you get access to an open bar until the liquor’s gone and you get to hear sets from The Five O’clock Heroes (who just announced UK dates) and The Go Station. That and it’s so packed that you can probably get away with a few ass grabs.

Words From The Street.
*** Audrey is helping to put on a SpinArt benefit for Sarah Flynn at Rothko next Tuesday that will include Ted Leo, Apollo Sunshine, The Benzos, The Head Set and The Chinese Stars. My homeboy (I wish) James Murphy will be making you sweat with his moves on the decks. You are highly advised to purchase your tickets soon. They go on sale tomorrow at 12pm.

*** Some upcoming Mercury Shows include the new IT! band from the U.K. The Kaiser Chiefs on February 12th and the wackiness of Lansing-Dreiden on the 17th, (buzz via Melody Nelson via The Wicked).

*** If you've been flaking on purchasing your Rogue Wave Tickets (almost sold out!) don't worry, they will be playing a second show on February 7th (via The Wicked). No word yet as to whether or not Sam Champion will play the second show.

*** Check out Zach's band Octagon. This is the first I'm hearing of the "much praised by Sean Bones" band. Hopefully they'll update their show listing soon so we can see them live.

*** In Issac’s most recent email, he proclaims that the new Brendan Benson single, What I’m Looking For, can be downloaded from the Startime International website. The song will be on the March 22nd release of Alternative To Love.

posted by jayloose at 2:31 PM 0 comments   

I Knew It Was You. Doug Broke My Heart.

There were so many shows this past weekend, but my love of all things football prevented me from seeing most of them. You may have seen me at the Mercury or Sin-e, but I definitely didn’t retain any rock due to a massive Doug Brien induced binge. So many of my friends had shows that for one reason or another got bailed on. My apologies to the members of Arbor Day, Demander and Jesuschmesus for not making it to your gigs. Next time you can count on me. My weekend was spent focusing on a Jets win that should have happened, but never did. On Sunday evening the realization came over me that I’m obviously in the wrong place. Why didn’t I go to a school with a program? Why am I not writing for a sports section? Why am I wasting all my time on rock? When Zana (sp?) asked me on Sunday if I had to, “Choose between never seeing rock or sports again?” My answer was simply, “I cannot live without football.” Maybe my approach to life is all wrong, but complaining isn’t going to help anything.

Keep Things Moving Forward.
So a quick recap of the weekend will make me look like a bastard, but I’m going to attempt it anyway. Friday night began with Noah and I meeting up with Merida and Dana at Epstein’s which is a new bar/restaurant on Allen and Stanton. They have cheap burgers that smell delicious so I advise checking it out. Around 9:30pm Dana and I headed to Magician Bar on Rivington and Essex where we met Jamie, John and Sylvia for cocktails. John was starving so I introduced to an old friend named Guaco Loco. On our way out of San Loco the cashier with the bitching haircut recognized me from the whole Perry incident the week before and we exchanged hellos. There’s nothing like being known for a crazy naked friend. We returned to the Magician for a few more drinks before I realized we had completely bailed on both the Arbor Day show and the Mission of Burma show at the Bowery. Once Dana and I hit the streets we decided to meet with the crew at the Mercury where Mia was kicking off her 30th birthday festivities. My time at the Mercury is a bit of a blur, but we managed to pack a few drinks away with the regulars before I said good night and cruised down to Welcome to the Johnson’s to have drinks with Dan, Christie, Erin, Leah F., Vin and a few others who I can’t seem to place at the moment. The night ended with a stumble home and a likely pass out.

Excited? You Bet Your Ass.
Saturday started out great. Christie and I met for brunch at the AKA Café on Clinton Street before going to Key Foods to grab some munchies and beer for the afternoon game. Around 4pm kids started arriving for the Jets versus Steelers game. Our huge crew included: Dan, Oveis, Erin, Daylen, Beach, Noah, Lucy, Tumblehawk, Dana and a brief appearance by Leah. We had a killer time pounding tequila and PBRs while the Jets came back from a 10 point deficit only to lose on a Doug Brien missed field goal, (make that two misses). It was so disappointing that my night began to spiral at the close of the game. We drank so much tequila by 8pm it was amazing I made it anywhere. At 8:30pm we shot over to the Mercury Lounge to see The Head Set who sounded fantastic. They sound wonderfully practiced, but not to the point where they lose their edge. From what I remember, they played a great set. In between sets, Steve and I got a bit of a hang on before Saints and Lovers took the stage. At this point I’m 0 for 2 in remembering their sets, (my apologies Dennis). If only the Jets had won, my night would have been less messy. After their set I returned home and attempted to pass. After much prying from Dana, I got out of bed and headed to Sin-e with Builder and Sky. The club was packed upon entry so I snuggled up to the DJ booth where Jin was rocking out. She played some great hits while I shot some shitty shit with Anna, DTL and Diane (aka Jenna). Dirty On Purpose was the first band in awhile that sounded great at Sin-e. They played sanz Erika which made their set a bit harder, but it was still laced with that D.O.P. goodness we’ve come to love. I was lead to believe I returned home to sleep after their set.

Sunday Was A Bum Day.
Sunday’s can be so awesome. After some walking through the cold, Dana and I settled on brunch at Rue B. I had a delicious omelet while crying over the NY Post’s coverage of the disastrous Jets game. We returned to 186 just in time to watch Randy Moss play like garbage on the way to a loss at the hand of Beach’s Birds. Speaking of Beach’s birds, he poured a beer on my head for calling bullshit on his love of two teams. Retribution is in the cards, but will come swifter and more surprising than a Builder Culkin. Anyway, Dana couldn’t have been happier to see the Moss meltdown after they outplayed her Packers. The second game between the Colts and the Patriots had me in complete awe. Bill Belichick is the best coach I’ve ever seen. He had the Peyton Manning looking like Eli Manning. His strategy to disrupt their offense through a series of defensive audibles blew me away. But I digress. After the game, Loose Record had a long and much needed meeting. We made some great progress. By 11:30pm it was time to head to Mercury to help Mia usher in her 30th birthday at midnight.

Mike and I cruised in to find all the kids rocking out waiting for the countdown. Beach, Oveis, Denise, Gigs, Zana, Greg, George, Mark and a bunch of Mia’s Burlington crew was on hand to congratulate her. We sang her happy birthday and threw back tequila in her honor. Around 1am Beach, Oveis and I stopped by 2A to have a drink. We sat upstairs and talked some serious football for nearly an hour before calling it a night. With the snow on the ground Oveis asked to crash on the couch, but before returning home, we popped back into the Mercury Lounge for a couple of nightcaps. Around 3am we called it a night and watched my tape of Arrested Development, (aka the funniest show on television).

Built For Lounging.
On Monday, my office observed Martin Luther King Day so my day began around 1pm when I met up with Dana so we could brave Key Foods together. I managed to get some solid shopping done before returning home to watch Sid and Nancy and finish Less Than Zero. Brian and Dan stopped by for a mini hang before I dove into Transformer the Lou Reed biography Builder has been raving about. Around 8pm Builder and I began doing Loose work which prevented me from getting to the Jesuschmesus show, but Jeff said it was top notch. Sorry I missed you Pat!

Around 10pm Dana, Josh and I met up with Christie at the L Train and headed out to the official Mia birthday at Barcade. We were lucky enough to find guidance in a fellow subway rider, and we managed to get to the bar way before most. We were greeted by Lucy and Tumbleweed who spent most of their night at the Mario Bros. machine. Dana and I sparked an amazing Arkanoid rivalry that I hope will continue well into the future. She has some serious skills to pay the bills, but I am happy to report we left the bar with me having the high score for the day, (ladies, please take a number). There were tons of sweet games at this Union Street (or is it Avenue) bar in Brooklyn. Empty your quarter jar and rock it out. Mia showed up around 11pm and we proceeded to get a bit rowdy with a huge crew. At one point Beach was buying carbombs for what felt like the entire bar. Every time I saw him he was throwing something back. As 1am grew near, Dana and I said later on to all the kids before sharing a cab back to the neighborhood.

It was a solid weekend of little remembrance, but all and all I can’t complain. Who’d listen?
Drink Free Red Stripe.
This little ditty showed up in my inbox this afternoon:


THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES
After Party @ Happy Endings (Broome btw Eldridge and Forsyth)
Following their show at Bowery Ballroom tonight!

FREE RED STRIPE Beer 11:00pm -12:00am
DJ Spencer Product and special guests

FREE! NO NEED TO RSVP, JUST SHOW UP EARLY!!

Brought to you by addVICE.

posted by jayloose at 3:54 PM 2 comments   

Only The Strong Get Culkined.
Another week is over and once again I’m heading into the weekend tired as a grandpa who just climbed off a hooker. Some of my moves are incredibly moronic. Why would I return home a little before 2am and proceed to watch Easy Rider? Is my mind ignoring every plea from my body for rest? Either way, I’m tired today, but at least we scored some free pizza for lunch. Our office parties have the same feel as what you’ve seen in a Judge film or Gervais series. We even have our own Milton. Everyone mingles about making small talk and I sit in the corner telling tales of make out sessions and fake Friendster profiles. Along with this, my friend and coworker Lauren entertains us with a story that includes the phrase, “hookup central”. It’s actually quite humorous.

I have a huge project that has to get done before our early close at 4pm, so I’m going to try to make this quick. Last night I worked the second door at the Bowery for the Razorlight show. They shut me down once the band started so I was able to cruise into the club to have a couple drinks with the crew that included: Mia, Beach, Daylen, Sarah, Tumblehawk (welcome back), Lucy (ditto), Dana, Juan and Gigs (yeah gigs). The band was quite humorous. They play the role of a Next Big Thing British rock band perfectly and though I doubt they’ll see many records in the states, their live show didn’t turn me off. This is probably due to the fact that I was in good spirits, and they played my two favorite songs, Rip It Off and Stumble and Fall. Their last song (pre-encore) sounded exactly like G-L-O-R-I-A, and some drunk guy in the back insisted on making it known. Funny stuff. After the show I stopped by Atomique to check out Audrey’s digs. Mark from Filter hooked me up with some free gear from a hilarious site called The 2 Headed Dog. I bothered Ms. Nelson while she spun some Kaiser Cheifs, Libertines and Franz Ferdinand before saying goodbye to Dennis and heading home.

Guess who joked around with Mick Rock last night. I felt like I was talking to God. And if you're wondering, his ID actually says Mick Rock. Gigs put it best, "He has a whole genre named after him."

Catch Me If You Can.
So the next couple evenings are going to be a bit of a run around, but see if you can keep up. If I don’t completely crap out tonight I’ll be appearing at the Arbor Day show at the Luna Lounge before cruising down to Bowery for the Mission of Burma set. Not to bad right?

Saturday will look a bit crazier. Barring a Jets win (if you want to come by 186 to watch, just drop me a line), I’ll be at the Mercury Lounge for The Headset and Saints & Lovers before stopping into Sin-e for some Winter Pageant and Dirty On Purpose. Hopefully I’ll get a second to cruise through the shitshow at the Tribeca Grand for the Kaiser Chiefs set. Then we are all meeting at 6’s & 8’s to dance the night away for Sarah Bones’ birthday party. Check out what Sean Bones had to say:

- - AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT - -
- -from the immaculate desk of sean bones - -

This Saturday is Sarah’s 2 years older than me birthday party (yeah!), and I am hoping to get everyone to show up at the same place on the same night in her honor. We're going to try out a place called 6's and 8's at 205 Christie St.- I’m not sure if it's got a sign, but it sort of does a spread eagle on the corner of Christie and Stanton. Show up at around 10:30 - 11:00 o’clock at night. The place does fancy Dalia drinks and cans of PBR. High and low brow!

Things to bring: dates, flasks, dancing shoes, a smile, toothbrush, maybe some pocket peanuts, dancing pants

Alright. See you soon. Hope everyone is doing well.

Love always,
Sweet Oden's Raven.

So that’s the tentative rundown. Get out and rock out. I’ll see you on the trail.

posted by jayloose at 2:42 PM 0 comments   

The Shit You Don't Want To Miss.
First of all, get your ass down to the Luna Lounge this evening for a set by my friends in Arbor Day. Your chances to attend gigs at the Luna are coming to an end, so go support the club that supported the scene for so long. If you like Pavement, Dilly or the Beach Boys, you will probably dig on Arbor Day. They hit at 10:30pm and Luna is located on Ludlow between Houston and Stanton.

If you missed the last Shindig! you don't know the goodness of this new DIY party. Next week you are getting another opportunity to check out some great bands for only $10. Did I mention an open bar? Unfortunately I have to work, so no dice for me, but I strongly recommend you checking this one out. Just look at the bitching line up!

posted by jayloose at 11:58 AM 0 comments   

Take Your Time. Hurry Up.
As one worthy Culkin recipient might say, “Holy Bulldog.” I don’t want to scare my mom with this post, but with all the drinking that’s been happening I feel ready for a Warrior Mania. There’s no way I’ll be able to keep it up for the 4 months before the champ returns, but if Perry were still in this hemisphere a gauntlet would be laid. It’s a bold and easy claim when he’s currently somewhere in Japan. It’s just another attempt to keep my ‘all talk’ style intact. Since the New Year has started, my resolution to take care of myself has meant dick. As long as we keep logging nights like last night, this resolution will remain a distant thought.

Say Yes. Don’t Say No.
So last night began with some indecision. Unfortunately, Walk Humongous was in Brooklyn, and I wasn’t ready to fill my one trip a month quota to the other borough just yet. Cami called me right after work so we decided to meet for a drink. She asked me to choose a destination equidistant from our respective apartments. I called out The Edge bar on 3rd Street just West of First Avenue and she obliged. Upon entering the bar, we both realized that neither of us had been there since we got kicked out back in 2000 or something for blatant use of fake ID’s. We scored some whiskey, got the only table in the house and played a game of Rummy 500. Cami, the tenacious competitor that she is, destroyed me.

Something inside me wishes I could spare you the following Dashboard esque rant, but I’m going for it anyway. Last night I realized something about Cami, (and I can write this knowing she doesn’t read the blog). Through all the back and forth and mixed emotions we shared throughout the years, I’m psyched to finally look at her as my best friend. In the past we have both expressed feelings for each other, but being wise it was always put on the back burner. A year or so ago, that shit boiled over and things got a bit messy. It was unfortunate because for a couple months I had to live without someone in my life whose company I cherish. Anyway, in over the latter half of 2004 I began to realize that our friendship is definitely worth its weight in gold, and that if we were going to be in the same city, we had to make it simple. Now that’s exactly what it is; simple, and I love every second of it.

Whoa, sorry, I’ll leave that kind of shit to Greg the Boyfriend. Anyway, Beach joined us for a quick beer before the three of us headed down to Pianos to catch their new flavor of the month. As we cruised into the bar, we found Sean “Man About Town” Bones at the bar. This kid gets kisses hello from Christian Bishop Allen who might be the hottest girl in the NYC rock scene. Envious? You better fucking believe it. We said hello to the Plus 1 crew and strolled into a packed backroom for Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah! It was the first night of a month long residency for the new five-piece that includes the regular package along with an extra guitar and some keys. Despite the hilarious name, these boys meant business. It’s difficult to pin down exactly what this fresh faced act sounds like because a million bands could be name checked, (Television, Talking Heads, Inouk, Modern Lovers, James, Violent Femmes and Interpol were a few of the bands whispered in my ear). CYHASY are great song writers. It’s definitely a case where the whole is only strengthened by each part. Though Pianos could do a little better sound wise, it was a good show and you should make an effort to see them this month.

After their set we retired to the front room for massive tequila and debauchery. Cami soon left me hanging, but I found Beach the butterfly and camped out at the bar. As the night moved forward things got dizzy. We popped upstairs to indulge in some of Nora’s party appropriately called Savvy. We had tequila shots with Kari and I got to catch up with the lovely Maya before heading downstairs to hang with more kids like Zach Octagon and whoever else was drinking heavily. The Five O’clock Heros had taken the stage so we hustled back in the stage area. I’ve been meaning to check these guys out for quite awhile, and last night won’t really count because I was hammered. Again the mix was pretty damn loud, almost to the point of hurting my ears, but they have some great potential. They are lead by a Brit named Antony who belts out some serious anthems with a confidence and swagger that can only help them get noticed. Behind him is a wall of rock noise that I’m sure to love once it’s heard on record or a better room. They got the look, the moves and sound to win over this city in a heartbeat. My night ended quickly there after and I desperately raced home in need of sleep.

Tonight you should come have a drink with me at Atomique. Melody (Half) Nelson is hosting the afterparty for the Razorlight, Features and Asobi Seksu Bowery Ballroom show.

How To See The T.O.D. Show.
From Oh My Rockness...

SPECIAL ...TRAIL OF DEAD SHOW 1/21 AT ROTHKO (with pre-order of their new CD)!

To get a free pass to the show, just stop by any of the record stores mentioned below and pre-order the new ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead record "Worlds Apart." The pass will get you into the show at Rothko (116 Suffolk St.) on Friday, January 21st at 8:30 PM. You want the CD anyway... might as well get a free show out of it!

Note: Each pre-order is good for one pass to the show. This is a 21+ event. Limited space available. Eligible pre-sales begin on 1/13/05 at these locations:

Virgin Megastore
Union Square Location (@ 14th and Broadway)
52 East 14th Street
New York, NY 10003

Vintage Vinyl
51 Lafayette Rd.
Fords, NJ

Looney Tunes
31 Brookvale Ave.
West Babylon, NY

Get Your Dirty On Purpose Fix.




This show is selling out so get your tickets ASAP.

Words From The Street.
*** If you were ever a Unicorns groupie read this and learn why you are a bad lover, (Thanks Mr. Bones).

*** If you're like me, you dug the last Kings of Leon record. Well, guess what? A new record is coming out in February and the good folks at Cornerstone want you to see their new video. Check it out in Real, WMP or Quicktime. I could get used to this.

posted by jayloose at 4:29 PM 3 comments   

You'll Thank Me Later.
WARNING: Pretensions and white cowboy boots must be checked at the door. If you're in search of a good time, get yourself to one of these Peelander-Z shows on their Let's Bowl 2005 Tour. They are a riot. If you like crazy Japanese kids playing some hilariously great punk rock, check it out. I promise you'll walk out of the venue with a smile on your face. I couldn't be more serious about a single show. Make sure to grab a tambourine when they call for audience participation. And don't forget; when they ask you, "How do you like your steak?" Be sure to answer, "Medium Rare."

1/14/05 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
1/15/05 Indianapolis, IN @ Bubba's Bowling (All Ages)
1/15/05 Indianapolis, IN @ Melody Inn (21+)
1/16/05 Toledo, OH @ The Underground
1/17/05 Louisville. KY @ Uncle Pleasant's * w/ Dead City Rejects
1/18/05 St. Louis, MO @ Creepy Crawl (All Ages)
1/19/05 OKC, OK @ Green Door (All Ages)
1/20/05 Little Rock, AR - TBA
1/21/05 Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves * w/ The Svengalis
1/22/05 Austin, TX @ Beerland (21+) w/ The Svengalis
1/23/05 Dallas, TX or Fort Worth, TX - TBA
1/25/05 El Paso, TX @ The T Lounge (18+)
1/26/05 Lake Havasu, AZ @ Havasu Underground (All Ages)
1/27/05 Los Angeles, CA @ Lava Lounge (21+)
1/28/05 San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord (All Ages)
1/29/05 Davis, CA @ Davis Indoor Sports Center (All Ages)
1/30/05 Fallon, NV @ Jive 'n' Java (All Ages)
2/01/05 Berkeley, CA @ Blakes (18+)
2/02/05 San Francisc, CA @ Thee Parkside
2/03/05 Anaheim, CA @ Doll Hut
2/04/05 San Luis Obispo, CA @ The Dwelling (All Ages)
2/05/05 Los Angels, CA - TBA
2/06/05 CA - TBA
2/07/05 CA - TBA
2/08/05 Phoenix, AZ - TBA
2/09/05 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
2/11/05 San Antonio, TX - TBA
2/12/05 Houston, TX @ Rhythm Room (18+) * w/ The Octopus Project
2/13/05 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
2/14/05 Oxford, MS @ Two Stick
2/15/05 Memphis, TN @ Young Avenue Deli
2/16/05 Nashville, TN @ Muse * w/ The Octopus Project
2/17/05 Huntsville, AL @ Flying Monkey Arts * w/ The Octopus Project
2/18/05 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl (21+)
2/19/05 Athens, GA @ Tasty World * w/ The Octopus Project
2/20/05 Knoxville, TN @ The Pilot Light (18+) w/ The Octopus Project
2/21/05 Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero (All Ages) w/ The Octopus Project
2/22/05 NC - TBA
2/23/05 Richmond, VA @ Nanci Raygun (18+) w/ The Octopus Project
2/24/05 Baltimore, MD @ The Mojo Lounge * w/ The Octopus Project
2/25/05 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar (21+) w/ Guitar Wolf
2/26/05 NYC - TBA

posted by jayloose at 9:58 AM 0 comments   

posted by jayloose at 4:13 PM 0 comments   

posted by jayloose at 2:49 PM 4 comments   

All Eyes Face Front.
Last night my evening was completely ruined. Plans involving a Flavorpill party and a stop by the Mercury Lounge crumbled in the wake of a welcomed diversion. After my horrendous day at the office came to a close, I hustled home to grab my laptop before heading to some bar on 1st Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets. The internet connection at 186 is spotty at best, (and if you live in that building, have a network, and want to split payment, please email me!). With this chip hanging off my shoulder, it was a necessity to hole up at the bar to get my Flavorpill listing in on time and to catch up on a back log of emails. My apologies to those of you who got neglected. After a couple whiskeys and a short book to Whitney, I took off in search of dinner. My hunt lead me to some tiny Vietnamese sandwich shop just east of Avenue A on 2nd Street. With dinner in hand, I headed home, but ran into Sir Loco who had a copy of the new Shout Out Louds record for me. We were discussing the evening’s events when Ms. Nelson cruised by on her way to Rothko. I joined her on the short trip back to my house while we discussed the blowing up of my night at Atomique.

Back to the lecture at hand. My night was destroyed because of that handoff made by Mr. Nacho. I proceeded to return home and listen to the record straight through nearly four times in a row. Never have I so anxiously anticipated the receipt of a record. Wait, that’s an exaggeration. Sorry, sometimes I get ahead of myself. When Weezer put out Pinkerton, I skipped that day of High School and sat in the Clearfield Mall parking lot for three hours waiting for NRM (National Record Mart) to open its doors. The Shout Out Louds debut full length is finally in my possession, and I couldn’t be happier. There is a strange honesty to their work which makes me want to bottle them up and send them to a loved one. Their music makes me want to dance, cry and figure out life before it leaves me behind. Hopefully you’ll feel the same way. Otherwise, you’re deleted from my phone. So the rest of my evening was spent in the living room reading while the record repeated in the background.

Look At Max Expressing All His Opinions.
To drunk people, but do we even think for ourselves. I hope that you don’t let nobody do not thinking for you, except for may Jay, Colin, Noah and Steve. Oh, wait, I’m not in Walk Humongous, but sometimes I wish it were true. Get out to Northsix tonight and pack the downstairs for another ridiculously good time with Walk Humongous, (they play early!).


Sharing the bill is the Ohio based, Nintendo dance punk of Stylex. They were kind enough to hook me up with some of their music earlier this year after I stumbled upon their website in search of a Midwest scene. Unfortunately, my contact with them has been minimal due to the business of 2004, but I hope to catch up with them this evening.


Check out what the Village Voice had to say:

The musical equivalent of the Japanese hero Godzilla, Stylex are at war with the same technological nightmare that spawned them and that threatens the very existence of humankind. But instead of battling nuclear fallout monsters from outer space with fire breath and eye lasers, they use guitar and screaming with Devo/Trans Am synth sounds in reverse.

If you are heading to Northsix from Manhattan, let me know. If you have a car, I’ll be your girlfriend. If we ride the subway, I’ll be your boyfriend.

Words From The Street.
*** Good Goddamn. Not only do we have a whole season of great pitching to watch, but the NY Post will surely print some of the best, most inappropriate headlines all year long. God bless the Big Unit.

*** People on the street are saying that the Sam Champion, Dirty On Purpose, Two Gallants, Rogue Wave show at Mercury are selling faster than the Green Day album. Pick your's up at the Mercury Lounge (weekdays 12-7pm) or from Ticketweb.

*** This is one fucked up way to get a little press. When I die, someone please burn me and toss me in the ocean. I wouldn’t want anyone to have to go through this.

*** This record should be hotter than Kyle’s after work shit. With Prefuse throwing down the beats, these lyricists can’t go wrong.

*** Oh… I can’t wait for Beverly Hills to hit stores. If you have an advanced copy of this upcoming Weezer track, I’ll swap for sexual favors.

*** Anyone care to join me on a trip to the U.K.? Think about it. Fish, chips and these shows.

*** Can I get a collective Shit Yeah!

*** Junkmedia’s abbreviated history of the influential German group, Can.

*** Patti Smith gets paid while Legs McNeil is the man. If you don’t think so, then read Please Kill Me.

*** Check out the video for the Kaiser Chiefs first single, I Predict A Riot, (Real Media). NYC will do a collective underwear change in under a month.

*** We hear at Good Times Roll are big fans of The Music. Check them out on tour as they comb the U.S. in the next couple months.

*** Be still my heart. I love you even more.

*** Hopefully Ronnie can pull and OJ, but things aren’t looking in his favor.

*** I don’t understand. I already drink this shit like it’s my job. It’s delicious. And so is Mr. Cent if you work at Spin.

posted by jayloose at 11:56 AM 0 comments   

Reading is F-U-Ndamental.
Monday nights without football are like a hamburger without French fries. It’s probably safe to say that most of you don’t feel this way, but it’s such a tease for people like me. For a mere 16 weeks out of every year, I have a solid reason to stay glued to the couch at least one night a week, (lest we forget The O.C.). Now it’s over and in a few weekends we’ll gather for the Superbowl before having one last hurrah with the Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl is such a sham. It’s like break up sex. Sure sex can be considered sex, but when you’re in the thick of it something doesn’t feel right. Such is the Pro Bowl. Last night was the second Monday night without football, and I was at a bit of a loss. This lack of entertainment drove me to finally finish up The Catcher and the Rye which I may have been reading for the better half of a year. Then I picked up Less Than Zero with the hope of rebounding from my Holden induced depression. After the first 50 pages I realized this book was a whole lot sexier than Mr. Caulfield’s escapades. Were Hollywood kids always so sexually liberated? I hope to breeze through the bulk of the novel tonight so I can move on to the Lou Reed biography.

Mr. Disney Knew It All Along.
Around 10pm Captain Bulldog and I met on Avenue B and 4th Street and proceeded to Avenue C in search of the bar Nublu. An email friend of mine dropped me a line regarding an event he was putting on a New Releases Presents production. As we approached the venue I quickly realized that my email friend was actually an old classmate of mine. In fact he was in the first course I ever took at NYU. Justin C. has been putting out emails along the lines of a DIY Flavorpill format that focuses on independent rock within the city. Beach was also a friend through various long winded NYU family connections. The small world part to this story is that Justin was chatting up James who is another kid who attended that same course at NYU.

We had to throw together a quick reminiscing session because we all shared similar experiences. The course we took was a core requirement called Humanities and for each of us, it was our first actually class as a college student. I’ll never forget this class session because I walked out of it thinking I was completely in over my head. If you think about it, walking into your first college class is no easy task. I didn’t know a sole on the island of Manhattan. I was a fucking country boy who was totally naïve to all forms of city living. Upon entering the room, I spied a seat next to a pretty girl, Tara Grando, who I later befriended, and sat down next to her and Leah F. Everyone was busy introducing themselves when Professor Hildebrant cruised into the classroom carrying a giant instrument that I later learned was a sitar. He took the long string instrument out of its bag, sat lotus style on top of his desk and began to pluck the strings in syncopation with an absurd chant. I couldn’t help but laugh. The Professor proceeded into dissecting the Iambic rhythms found in Homer’s greatest work. With little or no idea how to process this first class, I pressed on praying college would not be a series of crazy son-of-a-bitches forcing their academic will on me through song.

Anyway, we eased into Nublu and I caught up with James who is currently playing in a three-piece Brooklyn band whose name has slipped my memory. The bar had a conspicuous layout. The layout was basically a rectangle, but unlike most venues of this shape, the stage was placed along the middle of one of the long sides. Next to the ‘stage’ was a raised DJ booth that seemed equipped with all the necessary means for a solid party. The loosely stacked bar found itself nicely tucked in the front corner where we made our scene for most of the evening. Before the Epochs got to playing we were joined by Liz D., Laura, Virginia, Daylen and Elise. With the warmth of the whiskey and a healthy tequila shot from Mr. Carter coursing through my veins, I was ready to hear some rock.

Sidenote: The first half of this blog post was written this morning. This was well before the shit hit the fan at work, and my ulcer started acting up. I’m going to attempt to close out strong, but forgive me if it’s lacking the usual charm.

A few of The Epochs warmed things up by playing some ambient sounds rooted in the superb drumming of Beach’s friend Kotchy. It had a great feel to it. The danceable beats had the familiar feel of The Postal Service while the soundscape being constructed by the keys and other equipment had a late Radiohead feel to it, (without Thom I might actually like that band). The noise sounded very improvisational which gave it this delicately honest nature. After 15 minutes of introduction the entire band took to their instruments. They are a group of five musicians who’ve made New York their home over the past few years. The great part about this is they’ve starved off the temptation to become a band characterized by the New York sound. The Epochs have created their own identity around lush guitar parts and a rhythm section that refuses to let up. There were times where their music sounds like its coming from tucked away portions of Sweden or Iceland. Just when you begin to close your eyes and wonder, they bring you back to reality with something so reminiscent of the Talking Heads without being an obnoxious carbon copy.

The other great aspect about last night was the speakeasy feel of the entire event. Here you are in a tight room with many oddly familiar people checking out a band with no stage and no obvious reason for being there. As the headliner Akron/Family took the stage, this atmosphere continued to expand. They passed out shakers and called for audience participation. The whiskey matched with my sober inability to keep time kept me from getting involved, but the few songs I saw were a lot of fun. Around 1am I decided to call it an evening and headed home to hang with Builder and Miriam in a collective drunken stupor.

In any event you should stop by Nublu on either Monday, January 17 or Monday, January 24 to see The Epochs and support the good thing Justin has going on.

Do You Like The Hippity Hop?
Tonight there is a great show happening down at the Mercury Lounge. If you are a lover of all things hip hop, then check out the underground love being spread all over your broke ass. Tonights show is presented by Def Jux and features Hanger 18, Rob Sonic and Daylen's boy Beans.

If hip hop isn't tickling your fancy, stop by Rothko to check out another production put on Ms. Melody Nelson. Tonights installment of Vicious include The Cloud Room and The Harlem Shakes. Clike here for details. Look out for an upcoming Atomique featuring a listening party for the upcoming Trail of Dead record and yours truly playing the songs that make you want to punch me in the stomach!

posted by jayloose at 3:48 PM 2 comments   

Awww Guys, Let’s Bring It In.
If you were unfortunate enough to blink, then you missed this weekend. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow never extends far enough. Even with my work week being a day short, I was in desperate need of this past weekend. My week of self-imposed, sick induced exile had to end no matter what the cost. I pumped my body full of roots and vitamins before taking a post work nap in hopes of facilitating an about-face. My options were slim due to it being Perry’s last weekend before jet setting to the Far East for the next few months. Around 9pm I headed to Motor City to meet with Beach, Perry and Daylen who stopped in for a couple drinks while DJ Del was manning the decks. As if he heavily anticipated my appearance, Del tossed on some Libertines as I crossed the threshold. After the obligatory hugs and hellos, I started sipping whiskey with the hope of sweating out my nasty cold. No such luck, but my spirits were lifted at the sight of kids like Allie, Angel, Tim, Colin and Hal. It was nice to run into so many people I haven’t seen in ages. I’m a kid who loves to catch up. Everyone had their Friday smiles on, and they were setting up for their respective good times.

Beach, Perry, Daylen and I finished up our beverages and made way for the Mercury Lounge. Ambulance Ltd stepped up in the pinch because of a cancellation by The Giraffes earlier in the week. With little or no publicity, Ambulance Ltd was still able to fill the club on a Friday night. It’s just a small testament to the great strides the Brooklyn based band has made in the past year or so. After some quick hellos to Dennis, Pedro and Keagan I slipped into the back corner to prepare for the set. Ambulance kicked things off with a tune that channeled late Lennon lead Beatles. It led into a broad stroking of Stay Where You Are which is one of my jams from their full-length. With the confidence that probably stems from playing a small room packed with familiar faces, Ambulance Ltd graced us with some new tracks that interlace their atmospheric shoegaze pop with some jangley guitar progressions. I later found out from Benji, a guitarist in the group, that this stems from their current infatuation with Neil Young. The new songs immediately won me over. They have a very inviting feel to them, but it’s an inclusiveness that doesn’t push the boundaries of being considered ‘pop’. As overused as it may sound, Ambulance Ltd projects an earnest attitude not fully relevant to the four-on-the-floor sound coming out of Brooklyn and the U.K. As the set grew older Greg leaned in and said, “These guys are actually pretty good,” I just nodded in sincere agreement as they busted into my favorite track, Primitive.

By the end of the Ambulance Ltd set a good crew had assembled to embrace weekend. I was lucky enough to meet Perry’s lady friend Christine and her friend Juls. Sarah, Dan and Mia also squeezed into the back corner with us. Dan and Mia were intent on busting my balls for keeping this blog. Mia refused to tell me stories out of fear that they would end up posted for the world to read, while Dan and I engaged in a cosmetic tiff over this bullshit activity. Yes, it’s a diary. It all ended in hugs and tequila. Eventually Liz and her friend Kiarra joined us to watch some of the Neon Thrills set. At this point in the evening, my head was spinning due to a massive amount of cold pills, Afrin and whiskey that were gracing my blood stream. As the Neon Thrills finished their set, Cami and Leah stopped in for a quick drink before I followed Liz and Tiarra to Red and Black, (or is it Black and White… the bar on 10th St). It was my first trip to the small East Side bar, and despite the obvious influx of NYU style kids (no offense, I’m one as well) it was a decently rad bar. The Dj’s were spinning some stellar one off hits, while Liz and I got dizzy sitting at the bar. Jo Divestar cruised through with her friend Sarah and her sister Julie(a?). Around 2:30am Liz decided to throw in the towel so I said my goodbyes and hopped a cab back to Mercury.

Most of the previous warriors were still intact along with the additions of Kyle, Dee and Marc. We drank healthy tequila shots and PBR’s until closing time. Beach tried to teach himself how to pour a beer, but empty kegs and jackass friends prevented his success. At one point Beach tried to get a little emo on Perry and me, but my asshole ways wouldn’t allow it. The joke will now live in infamy. Around 4am the bar had considerably emptied out, and free Guaco Locos were offered to Perry if he ran to San Loco in his underwear. Never one to shy away from this kind of bet, Perry stepped out to the doorway of the club, stripped down to his briefs and set out for the eatery. (Un)Fortunately he took the long route by crossing Houston before proceeding down 1st Street in front of Pun Jaabe and hanging a left at Katz’s. He came back to the front of the club where Mia, Beach and I were nearly pissing our pants before setting a course down Ludlow. I gathered his clothes and we met him across the street from San Loco.

A fellow night owl peeped the incident and was quick to snap a few photos of the number one warrior that will hopefully make their way to Good Times Roll. Perry quickly got dressed and we proceeded to be the loudest kids in the after hours establishment. We stuffed our faces with various forms of Loco while jamming out to Zeppelin and gawking at the employee with the killer rock mullet. We even went as far to complement him on our way out of San Loco. A few instances I vaguely remember include Perry puking into a napkin and me standing on the bench to applaud San Loco. My Puma jumper still reeks of Loco. We returned to 186 to close out the night and we were pleasantly surprised by a present left on the stove. After some rocking out to Dirty on Purpose, I attempted to write a drunken blog post that will never see the light.

By The Beard Of Zeus.
If Friday was any gauge of the weekend, then surely my cold would be raging by its completion. Saturday started slowly around 4pm when I made my way to the couch to get my Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs started. By the second half of the Seattle game, Noah, Dana and Builder had joined me for the festivities. We eased into the Jets game with some Nice Guy Eddies grub and by the end of the first half the room was filled with Matty G., Sean, Sarah, Miriam and Mike. Despite Sean’s futile attempts to sneak the Nirvana DVD onto the television, we managed to get rowdy during the Jets game. The Jets had me feeling confident when they headed into the fourth quarter with a 10 point lead. The moronic defensive play of Barton gave the Chargers a second chance to tie the game which they did. Overtime was a rollercoaster ride. With the Jets facing certain elimination, the Chargers rookie kicker missed an opportunity to put the game away. The Jets marched down the field and kicked the game winning field goal to catapult them into the second round against the Steelers. I’m considering returning to Clearfield this weekend for the one chance to watch my Jets upend the Steel City warriors.

After the game, we made our way back to the Mercury Lounge to meet up with Beach, Perry, Oveis, Daylen, Sarah and the rest of the monkeys. Sub Pop artists The Constantines was on tonight’s bill, but the ensuing shitshow prevented me from fully taking in their set. Someone must have spiked Noah’s drink because he was off his ass crazy, which fueled the crazy nature of Ian and the rest of the crew. We danced. We Culkined. We got covered in beer. If I do recall, Noah may have been on Perry’s shoulders at one point in the evening. It was a rowdy night complimented by the Canadian rock that I was expecting to be much louder and harder. In any event they were great, and I can’t wait to have the chance to see them and fully take in their sound.

Following The Constantines encore, we set up camp in the front room while taking donations for Mohawks for Relief. This was a one trick pony where Perry was willing to get a Mohawk if we could muster up $100 to donate to a relief fund. After some canoodling, we managed to pull together enough cash. We stopped to pick up PBR reinforcements before returning to 186 for the shaving. The joint hawk effort was kicked off by me mowing down the left side of Perry’s hair. Then I was joined by Beach and Sarah who each took a turn chopping for relief. To be honest, Perry’s hawk looks quite good. It’s a bit of a butthawk, but that’s what the kids are wearing these days.

Around 4am we decided to call it a night and I followed the kids out in search of food. For some reason I had lugged my PBR with me, and after crossing in front of Red Square I found it appropriate to throw a grenade Perry’s way. With pinpoint accuracy, I nailed him a few inches from the family jewels sending beer shrapnel onto unsuspecting passersby. Expected Perry retaliation came in the form of a bull charge. He attempted to pull the hockey move by pulling my shirt up, but an on target eye gouge prevented his move. He backed off, regrouped and went for it again only to be met with another thumb to the eye. He then shot for the moon and took me down by ripping my Converse apart. The bastard won. Perry always wins. Bring it in.

Finish What You Started.
Once again, Sunday was all about football. Oveis, Perry, Beach, Daylen and I met at Boca Chica for some early afternoon brunch. I managed to talk them into hooking me up with their delicious coconut shrimp even though they weren’t on the brunch menu. It was a strong decision if I may say so. We finished our meal and headed back to 186 to ease into the afternoon while watching the Colts offense dismantle the Broncos. As it became time for the big NFC North showdown between the Packers and the Vikings we were joined by Dana who was adorning her Reggie White jersey for good luck. Unfortunately, Brett Favre didn’t have the performance needed to put them into the second round of the playoffs. By the end of the first half he had thrown two interceptions and made a ridiculous play in the red zone.

In the second quarter Julia and Christie joined us. It was Julia’s 21st birthday so halftime carbombs were in order. As time expired we threw on our coats and hastily made way for Nice Guys where we scored a 2 for 1 deal on the top notch cocktail. Perry must have had a great run in the porn industry because that kid can gulp. Before my shot found the bottom of my glass, he was slamming his down on the table. The kid is an animal. There’s no denying that. We returned to the crib to watch Brett throw two more interceptions in the Packers loss. It’s a really hard to watch a player like Favre have such a rough day. He is one of the greats and I find it hard to root against him. This and the fact that Dana was sorely disappointed made the final minutes quite difficult to watch.

After the game Dana and I scored some grub at Juanita’s on Rivington. Though her sandwich was quite the bomb, I’d highly advise staying away from their shrimp, (sorry Builder). Their Jalapeño slaw helped rebound my sorry sandwich. Dana had to continuously bark at me while I tried to sing along to the various classic rock tunes playing through the house. It was a nice way to bring a close to a crazy weekend. I returned to 186 and indulged in some conversation with Builder before we closed out the evening with The Big Lebowski.

Nice work all around. I’d like to commend everyone who had something to do with the sending off of Warrior Perry. My best wishes go out to Perry and his lady as they venture through the Far East. Be safe Perry, and we’ll see you at the May birthday party.

A Slow Word From The Streets.
*** Everyone’s favorite, seldom seen, most offensive folk rock duo, Jesuschmesus has confirmed a show at Lit Lounge on January 17. Be there or be square.

*** Everyone’s favorite, most ridiculous folk rock trio has disbanded. Get ready to read bills with the phrase (x-Unicorns) in them, (Link via the always on top of it Productshop).

*** Free speech? Freedom of expression? Hmmm… I’d like to see the ratio of pornography subscriptions to library memberships in the state of Mississippi. I bet this library still carries Henry Miller novels.

*** I hope this doesn’t mean the band is coming to an end. I loved their first record and eagerly await another release. It was tough and delicious.

*** Let’s hope they don’t air this at 8pm on Thursday nights. I’m praying this sees the light of day.

posted by jayloose at 1:59 PM 3 comments   

Maybe You’re Born With It.
Maybe it’s Jay Belin. Ok, so it sounds better if you have some sort of accent. This morning I was lucky enough to score a ride to work with Builder and Miriam. As Miriam and I waited in the lobby of our building, she came up with my jingle. You are supposed to sing it like Maybelline ads. Anyway, last night was again wasted in the friendly confines of 186, but this time I had some lovely company. Dana stopped by after work to partake in the beauty that was The O.C. Are you still a hater? Do you not believe in the prime time soap opera? Are you more bullheaded than TBA Keyetian? If so you should check yourself because that show is off the chain, (note: I don’t really know what off the chain means but my ex-coworker Vanessa used it all the time). Sure its tough to tell what’s going on if you jump right in, but seriously do yourself a favor and invite the Cohen’s into your life on Thursday night.

Last nights episode didn’t disappoint. There was some solid make out scenes. There were some drunken teenage mishaps. And on a sad note we had to say goodbye to the man who helped us cultivate our hate for that vile Julie Cooper. Yes, its true, Jimmy Cooper has set sail for Hawaii. He has left behind a whorish wife, a crazy daughter and a life most of us can only dream about. Dude lived on a boat and got to make out with hot crazy girls all the time. Sign me up. Many of you have expressed your love for the line when Marissa exclaimed she had a thieving father and a slut for a mother. Granted that was gold, but let me remind you of the instance when Marissa and her gardener boyfriend DJ first arrived at the party, (thankfully the cameraman got all Soderbergh with the camera, otherwise we wouldn’t know she was drunk). She cruised up to Julie, who immediately recognized her daughter’s inability to stand up straight and proclaimed, “You’re drunk!” Then she looked at DJ, who is obviously Mexican, and said, “Let me guess, Tequila?” What a cunt! Anyway, one last word because I know kids like Beach are pissed that I’m writing so much about the show, but damn, I’m in love with the new girl. Head over heals. Does anyone want to drive out to LA with me to find her?

Oh, wait, how could I forget? Modest Mouse made an appearance last night. Dana, being close to the Modest Mouse camp, was on the fence in terms of their performance, and though it was anticlimactic, I thought they looked great. They played some oldies and some new guys, but I was just happy to hear The View because it’s my favorite song off the last record. Yeah, that’s right; it’s no longer the “new” record. It’s the “last” record. I’m sure for most it will remain the “new” record until the Emmys or Grammy’s or whatever are distributed.

In case you are interested, here is Whitney’s before and after take on the MM appearance:

Before: So, did you watch The OC? I heard somewhere that Modest Mouse is going to be on it. I sincerely hope not. I know, I know its lame to call people sell outs or to knock a group for trying to get their music in front of new audiences but Jesus tits. I don't care if they want to get paid, that's fine but whatever happened to just being cool. If I was watching a fucking 90210 re-run on FX and saw fucking Sonic Youth playing the Peach Pit, I'd be pissed. People always get pissed when I get upset by bands doing stupid promotional things, like "dude, they got to eat just like you." Fucking bullshit.

After: Hey, sorry to clog your inbox with another of these mother-f'ers but I
did want say that the Modest Mouse shit on OC wasn't that bad. Pretty fucking-rad selection of tunes. I made a t-shirt with an American flag on the front that says in white letters over the old stars and stripes, "US Power, Flex It." I think it would have been a bigger hit than "Hey Ya." Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba Yeaahhh.

Don’t worry kids; I reminded him that The Flaming Lips played a gig at the Peach Pit. It was fucking choice.

Words From The Street.
*** I’d ask Ultragrrrl to be my date to this film, but I’m sure she already has one lined up. This is going to be the best thing since Sid and Nancy.

*** Please tell me Will is going to be on the O.C. Sivan, are you reading this? I thought he quit the band, but he’s in that picture. Though it may be old, that would be amazing news. Big Hassle sure is doing their job. Isn’t Will cute with all his tattoos?

*** People are creaming about this band and in a few weeks you’ll get a chance to see why.

*** After this incident, we have a new #2 on the “To Culkin” list; Aaron Carter.

*** Oasis has confirmed that they will be releasing a new record. Everyone is on the edge of their seat to see what T Rex songs are left for them to rip off, (no pun intended). I mean seriously, have you ever heard Cigarettes and Alcohol?

*** Yes, Rogue Wave is on the road, but where is the Sam Champion mention? Gawd!

Have a killer weekend. If you don’t see me at the Mercury tonight or tomorrow, give me a call, we can watch football. Some options include:

Friday:
*** Ambulance Ltd @ Mercury Lounge
*** Keren Ann, La Laque & DJ Melody Nelson @ Southpaw
*** Elkland, Bad Wizard & Tarts of Pleasure @ Knit Tap Bar

Saturday:
*** Walk Humongous @ Lit Lounge
*** The Constantines @ Mercury Lounge
*** The Occassion @ Sin-e

posted by jayloose at 3:26 PM 1 comments   

Did You Hear That? Me Neither.
Having a cold sucks with a miserable intensity unparallel to all other physical ailments. Pain is no big deal. If you get burned, break a bone or get punched in the face, you experience pain, but you know how to deal with it. When I get sick, I’m fucking helpless. Friends and family members often ask, “Did you take anything”. My answer is usually an affirmative “No”. What is my aversion to over the counter drugs? Well, it’s my contention that these drugs only mask the illness that’s plaguing my system. What could be wrong with that? You have to understand who you’re dealing with. If guys like me feel even the slightest bit of bodily placation, we’ll step up and push it to the limit. Unless I’m completely enraptured by an illness; vodka tonics will find a way into my belly. So I’m not some holistic hippy who believes nature has to run its course with the aid of various roots and tea, but rather I’m some stubborn asshole who thinks if I don’t let nature run its course then I’ll be sick forever.

Fuck. Sorry, I don’t know where this is going. A few days of substance free existence makes me think a little too much. As you can probably guess, I didn’t do a damn thing with my Wednesday night. Christie and I didn’t get to watch Anchorman. I didn’t get to say later on to Michelle over at 2A. Beach and Builder dined without me. And most importantly, I didn’t get to stop by Cheap Shots to say a big happy birthday to my big brother Nate Martin. It was a wasted evening. Thank god Kyle was present to keep me occupied. You got to love that kid.

What I’d like to do now is to give you a run down on some of the things I saw while channel surfing between the hours of 8:00 and 10:00pm. First I started on Fox who was airing an episode of That 70’s Show. A few questions come to mind. When did these kids grow up and have kids? Jackie dumped Hyde because he won’t marry her. Quit trying to tame the beast. Why the hell is that exchange student still in the country? We also watched a portion of some show where girls compete to be swimsuit models. Kyle knew a little too much about this show, but I shrugged it off and watched while jackass girls got emotional because some judge belittled the shape of their face. If any of those girls are looking to be consoled, then look no further. Then we stumbled upon 60 Minutes Wednesday where they were doing a socially poignant piece on the porn industries move into the world of publishing. Some of the interviews were hilarious. One publisher tried to justify a good story being a good story. Ahhh, America might be the only place coaxing Red States back to literature through the use of porn star biographies. There were other crappy sitcoms flooding the tube. John Goodman stars in some half hour puke-a-thon while Andy Richter and a cast of marginally talented youngsters brings new meaning to the word shitshow. The icing on my poorly layered cake was B.M.O.C. which is known to some of you as Big Man On Campus. This show is pure genius. Take one douchebag frat boy. Mix in a number of big titted, dumb witted co-eds and a bunch of challenges that give them the option to strip down to bikinis. Bake for one hour setting the oven to hot. By the time its finished college freshmen across the country will be scraping babies from their pants.

My mother often wonders why I go out so much. Well, right there is your reason. If sports. The O.C. or Arrested Development isn’t on, then prime time doesn’t mean a damn thing to me.

They Shook The Hips In Hipster.
Jinners just dropped me a line to let me know that TV on the Radio is playing a not-so-secret show at Trash Bar tonight. I’m sure it will be packed. I’m sure it will be hot. I’m sure it will be the place to be. I’m sure I’ll be home on the couch. If you want to get in, it’s probably best you go mega early.

Words From The Street.
*** Do you like Brendan Benson? I know Mia does. Here are some details on his upcoming release.

*** Do these guys ever take a break? Maybe Noah and DTL are just cracking the whip. Either way, get set for more Modest Mouse dates. Hopefully they’ll grace crowds with some set variations.

*** Films are good. Films are goooood. Check out the A.V. Club’s recap of 2004.

*** Where’s the Beef? Apparently we’re surrounded by it. This one’s for Noah.

*** PopMatters gives a brief recap of 2004’s best live experiences.

*** Talk about emo, (thanks Allie)! Wow, now I can’t wait to be old and lonely.

*** Some new music is on the way. Adam Green is hitting us in February while the Hot Hot Heat hope to warm things up in April. You can check out the latter in this studio clip of Island of The Honest Man.

*** Hey Dickheads!!! What about NYC?

*** In breaking news: Red States hate homosexuals. Sorry Oliver if it isn’t Gladiator, it won’t fly. I hate it when filmmakers try to portray the truth.

*** And finally, I know this has been said before, but why did it take me so long to figure out Built to Spill kicks so much ass?

posted by jayloose at 10:34 AM 9 comments   

posted by jayloose at 4:37 PM 3 comments   

Just Added: Ambulance Ltd.
Due to what is being called "Top Secret Stuff," The Giraffes had to back out of their show this Friday at Mercury Lounge. Stepping up and taking their place is the Brooklyn boys of Ambulance Ltd. If you have yet to see this band in a small club, you should jump at this chance to check them out within the friendly confines of the beloved (except by Coolfer) Mercury Lounge. If you are a big Giraffes fan, don't worry, they will be back on the attack soon enough so check their website for further information.

Who: Ambulance Ltd*
When: Friday, January 7th, 10:30pm
Where: Mercury Lounge (Houston btwn Ludlow & Essex)
*No Advance Tickets Are Available

posted by jayloose at 1:31 PM 3 comments   

Wash And Wash But Never Clean.
The title for this post is paraphrased from a Frenzel Rhomb t-shirt I purchased at one of their shows during my ninth grade shit punk years. It actually reads, “I wash and wash all day long, but I’ll never be clean,” and it has a drawing of a shit family. Awfully witty innit? So what if they only wrote one good song, Run, and it was on a compilation, (Survival of the Fattest)? The t-shirt still kicks ass, and I felt rebellious wearing it because my high school teachers never got close enough to make me turn it inside out. The dress code was the most hilarious part about my high school, (well, that and all the rednecks). If you had any sort of offensive clothing on, you were instructed to turn it inside out, and if the situation warranted it detention was issued. My friend Todd wore a t-shirt for quite some time that had a screened sunflower and the phrase, “I’m a Little Fucking Ray of Sunshine.” Ms. Coons discovered this one day and nearly shit a house. They also tried to stop kids from wearing chain wallets, but after my father died none of the teachers ever said much to me. Things were strict, but it typically didn’t apply to me.

(Lt: Holtmeyer) My high school changed all their rules after the big murder during my 11th grade year. Yeah, there was a big murder in our little town of Clearfield, Pennsylvania. In 1998 Jessica Holtmeyer, a 16 year old who attended the same Catholic Grade School as me, killed a young girl named Kimberly Dotts. The 15 year old victim caught wind of Holtmeyer’s plans to run away with a few kids to Florida and threatened to tell. Holtmeyer and her crew drove Dotts to a secluded area where they proceeded to hang her. After two attempts let Dotts still gasping for air, Holtmeyer took a rock and bludgeoned Dotts to death. They covered the body with nearby brush and were on their way. This kind of incident sends huge shockwaves through a community no bigger than 8000 residents. There were a couple bomb threats called into the school which resulted in free afternoons drinking and smoking at Bilgers Rock. The most severe threat came in the form of the cousin of the victim threatening to snipe out attendees of the 1998 graduation. They beefed up security and would not allow anyone in without specific invitations.

This lynching along with a few other incidents and threats forced the administration to tighten their grip. This translated into a pain in the ass for kids like me who often cruised in late or coordinated skip efforts through the exit behind the gymnasium. Gone were the days of covert operations to meet Megan and her Bronco at the edge of the school so we could smoke cigarettes and get ice cream during 7th period study hall. Kids were no longer able to use the emergency exit in the shop classroom to run down the hill to catch a quick buzz. It even became difficult for me to skip class to go hang out with Todd while he jammed in the band room closet. Hall passes became a privilege rather than a right. Our principle, Dr. Wunder (his real name), even went as far as banning backpacks. I drew up a petition to this rule, but the school board heard nothing of it. Everyone was on edge and poop t-shirts were no longer funny.

So is there a point to any of this? Sorry to disappoint you, but the answer is no. It’s merely a practice in me trying to pull some memories from behind the cobwebs. There will be more to come, so make sure to remove me from your bookmarks.

Wax On. Wax Off. Wax On.
Wait, it’s all coming back to me… poop shirt phrase… last night… I’ve got it. There was a purpose, but it got lost in my rant. The wash and wash phrase had me thinking about our attempt to clean 186. After work and some mild grocery shopping, I returned home to find Kyle, “Going for it,” in our bathroom. If you’ve been over lately, you know our bathroom was beyond disgusting. There were numerous discussions regarding its cleanliness, but little resolve. Kyle summoned the gods and knocked out an impressive effort in the bathroom. He even managed to get the last bits of Stevo’s puke from behing the toilet, (this was from Thanksgiving Eve). Kyle’s exertion inspired me. I took to the kitchen and made it my bitch. No cabinet, surface or shelf went unclean. We even tackled the tile floor. Kyle and I wiped down the floor three times after vacuuming it. Then we decided to push it to the limit. We cleaned the living room ceiling fan which is kind of like flying to Pluto; no one has ever attempted it. It took us a half hour to clean that nasty bitch, but with Jesus on our side, we destroyed that motherfucker. We completed the job in the living room and basked in our cleaning supply high of glory.

Despite all our efforts, 186 is still pretty nasty. It’s nearly impossible to make an apartment shine especially if it was previously occupied by slobs. So next time you stop by, please comment on how nice it looks. We need some sort of reassurance that a deep clean, like the one accomplished last night, is well worth our time. Thankfully Noah and Sean stopped in to watch the first half of last night’s Championship massacre. They commented on the pungent smell of bleach and the slickness of our coffee table. Maybe they didn’t, that’s the cleaner talking. Either way, we have washed and washed all day long, but 186 will never be clean.

Yes, I Still Listen To Music.
*** SXSW 2005’s lineup is beginning to see light. It already boasts some stellar acts. I just hope someone can get The Go! Team to stop in NYC before they head south.

*** Clap you hands and say, “Yeah”! No, I’m not talking about the band, I’m just rejoicing at this bit of news, (via Productshop).

*** The Saga Continues.

*** Brits battle for an honor a bit more useless than being Knighted. Which is your favorite “Brit Pop” song? I’m leaning towards Mr. Curtis.

*** I truly hate shit like this. Hipster this. Hipster that. Who gives a shit. Look at my Top 10 favorite records of last year. Does that make me a hipster? Do I care about the label? I just wish it would go away. People make too big of deal about what’s hip. Since when did voicing an opinion become attached to a movement known for white belts, bad haircuts and a delicious beverage.

*** Paul Reuben carefully avoids questioning.

*** Just in case you missed the Pixies reunion, get the scoop from Filter.

*** In case you were wondering, here is Noah Champion’s Top 10 of 2004:

1. A Ghost is Born – Wilco
2. Good News for People who Like Bad News – Modest Mouse
3. Real Gone – Tom Waits
4. Bob Dylan – Live at Carnegie Hall, Bootleg Series
5. Loretta Lynn – Van Lear Rose
6. AC Newman – The Slow Wonder
7. Iron & Wine – Our Endless Numbered Days
8. The Thermals – Fuckin’ A
9. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Shake The Streets
10. Animal Collecitive – Sung Tongs

That’s it, I’m going to lunch.

posted by jayloose at 1:29 PM 0 comments   

posted by jayloose at 8:53 AM 0 comments   

Armen Cadillac Belin.
Effective Immediately: I no longer go by the name Jay Michael Belin. As of last night around 9pm, I made the decision to change my name to Armen Cadillac Belin. It has a nice ring to it. In additional name change news, Mr. Beach has changed his name to Johnny TBA Keteyian. I’m currently lobbying for him to change his middle name to TBC as opposed to TBA. To-Be-Culkined has a nice ring to it. Shall we move on? Much like the rest of you, my long, Union induced, winter break is now over. I’m back in my office, and life has returned to its mundane normalcy in under 3 hours. Why don’t we take a few minutes to relive the glory that was the week after Christmas?

Nothing Could Be Gayer Than Loving Mayer.
Ok, that statement is completely unfair to the gay community. My apologies to all of you who decided the same sex is the right sex. Mayer is beyond artists associated with the gay community. Elton John would kick his ass. In any case, last Tuesday was the first of two sold out nights of John Mayer Blues at Webster Hall. Around 6pm, I picked up Gigs in my rented Taurus and dropped her off at the club before returning the car to Hertz. It was an emotional goodbye, but I said a few words, kissed the AM/FM radio and made way for Webster. The line was completely out of control. We had Mayer hungry fans wrapped around the block and all the way to 12th Street. It had all the makings of a shitshow, but thankfully the line moved smoothly and we got everyone in on time. All of us Indie rock kids should take a page from these middle aged pop rock types. Please make it easy on the door guy. It will only help your cause.

It was extremely hilarious to see a couple of frat boys get tossed from the show. What the hell do you have to do in order to be ejected from a John-fucking-Mayer show? The kids were bold enough to put up a fight while security escorted them off the premises. I suspect they were pitting too hard, but who knows. After the show, Noah gave me a ring so I shot down to Bowery where he was finishing up his shift for the Fab Faux. Merida was kind enough to get me shithoused with Michael. We sat at the end of the bar drinking tequila like it was our job while everyone basked in their post holiday glee. About midway through the night, the coolest thing ever happened. Noah spied a lonely can of Bud Light in the back of the freezer. Being one to always drink the cheapest beer possible, I asked for the lone wannabe Silver Bullet. As I drank the beer through my straw, Noah and Michael were giving me shit so I decided chugging the beer would be best. The second I finished, a large belch from within pushed the beer out of my stomach and onto the bar making a perfectly symmetrical circle. Noah and Merida were the only two to see this incident, and I quickly wiped it up to avoid further embarrassment. The night grew blurry with each downed drink, and by 1:30am I knew it was time to remove myself.

On Wednesday, I decided to get up early to cruise around to cross a few lines off my to-do list. After a stop at a bank in Chinatown, I saddled up and road down to the offices of Inland Empire Touring. Noah and DTL were inching through a slow day when Robin showed up. Hopefully her cat is doing a bit better (one way or the other) than it was that morning. Noah and I popped into Socrates diner for a quick bite before heading back to the neighborhood. Thanks goes out to Empire for hooking me up with a few new CDs including the much anticipated Futureheads disc that hasn’t left my stereo since. With a Christmas gift card in my wallet, I decided to pop into Tower Video to make a purchase. I scored the hilarious Anchorman and the “We put the emo in emotional,” Garden State. It took the goddamn clerk nearly 30 minutes to figure out my American Express gift card which had me fuming. Luckily I returned home and was greeted by our long lost friend Matty G. Matt took a semester abroad in Ireland and came back with stories of his home country and a Grizzly Adams type beard. He also showed up with a Guinness glass for 186 and a pile of hash for the head. Dan and Kyle also cruised in so we sat around getting silly for a couple of hours while cracking up to Ron Burgundy.

The call for Wednesday’s show was a bit before 7pm, so I packed up and made way for Webster. This evening was a lot warmer than the previous which made my shift 100 times better. Noah was also downstairs for the first hour or so, and then he came up and got his hang on with me. Around 11pm we were both dismissed. On our way down the block Beach called and asked if I wanted an extra ticket to Clutch. It had been ages since I saw the infamous jamcore band so I met him on 14th Street and we headed to Irving. Upon entering we said a quick hello to Andy then met up with Sarah and Mia who were all too psyched for the big rock show. We slid upstairs and had a few Budweiser’s while gawking at the large number of metal (and meat) heads in attendance. As Clutch took the stage, my ears started to bleed. Not only is Clutch a seriously loud band, but couple that with 1200 fans belting out every word and you have a recipe for eardrum disaster. By mid set we joined with Jomo and Kerri who were also part of the head banging crew. Clutch, though no longer my particular brand of whiskey, were still pretty damn good. They are a tough as nails band enjoyed by a tough as nails fanbase.

After the show Beach and I popped into some bar on 15th Street called Revival to score a couple drinks before calling it a night. We rambled on for quite some time before my drunk ass decided to take a cab to Gracefully where I introduced myself to Mr. Nice, (aka Chicken, Ham and Cheddar). Another great day was in the books.

Get Served Lest Ye Be Served.
Now is the portion of the break where days become foggy and nights get blacked out. It is my contention that Thursday was spent dicking around, but on further review, I actually got some killer hang time in the books. First of all, there was brunch with Miriam and Josh who a lovely couple to share a dining experience with. Both are very interesting creatures who complement each other well. Then around 1:10pm Carbomb call time at The Library. I showed up a little early and chatted up the bartender before I was joined by Beach, Builder, Gigs, Mia and Sarah for a quick afternoon pick-me-up. Following this early afternoon debauchery, I stopped by the Mud Truck to chill with Kyle during his shift. He let me play Mud DJ for a bit so I blasted Astor Place with some !!! (Chk Chk Chk) goodness. We bounced around the truck asking customers what their party plans were before Noah showed up and the two of us headed back to 186. The Carbomb and ensuing bowl packs took their toll so I decided it was time to pass out for awhile.

(Lt: Pic From Melody Nelson) When I woke up it was time to rock. The punk-funk jammers known as !!! (Pow Pow Pow) were slated to play two shows at the Mercury Lounge. Noah, Builder and I arrived as the opener to the early show was finishing up. I quickly caught up with Audrey and Dennis who dropped the dime on a Pianos Wilco performance that I neglected to attempt to hit up. Greg was working the bar and dished me a nice tall PBR before I slid to the back to meet up with Beach, Lucy and Tumblehawk. We waited in anxious anticipation while the opener finished and changeover began. As the crew began to take shape, we were joined by Machia, Uncle Mike, Sarah, DTL, Daylen and a few others before !!! hit the stage. I must confess that !!! (Chk Chk Chk) is my absolute favorite live band. There are others that make me go crazy (i.e. Iggy Pop, The Black Keys, The Libertines), but nothing compares to the pure dance-ability of this Brooklyn/Sacramento 6 piece, (or is it 7). They were magic, but I decided to save myself for the second dance.

During change over, I returned to 186 with Danny, Lucy, Builder and Noah. After we downed some Sparks and PBR, Noah, Tumbleweed, Lucy and I got our Mario Tennis on. Lucy and I were a bit shaky at the start, but we turned it up and kicked their asses in the end. Around 11pm, Noah headed for RANA while the three of us returned to the Mercury. The crew grew since the previous set, and we had the back corner on lock down. By the time they ripped into Hello, Is This Thing On? the entire room was going all out for the rock. It is great to see kids letting go and giving into an undeniable force. Though the onstage banter of lead singer and the drummer come singer is a bit off point, their dance moves and opposing vocal styles gives their music some added depth. As their set came to a close with Me and Giuliani followed by Intensify, there wasn’t a body in the club that wasn’t bobbing along to the beats. They are such a kick ass band that I hope they play a NYE party in NYC next year. I can’t think of a better way to ring a new year. Hopefully we’ll get them sooner than later since they claim to have written a bunch of new tracks. My night ended quickly after the show in hopes of filling my tank enough to get me through the next couple days.

We Have A Confirmed Bang.
(Lt: Carlos and da moneys) That’s right boys and girls, 2004 went out with a bang, but before I get to the party, let me discuss the sloth like day. After getting up on the later side, I managed to sneak out one last email to the kids in hopes that a few of you would make it to Bside. Then I returned home to waste the afternoon with Baldass and Builder. As the hour grew closer more people began calling and stopping by with one thing on their mind; party time. Around 9:30pm Mike helped me take all the gear up to Bside where we were greeted by an always awesome Carlos. At the time, he was the lone bartender so he helped set up the equipment needed for Jin, Josh and I to spin some CDs. The equipment was awfully weird, but after some practice we figured it out. This was helpful because by 10:30pm the bar was packed out the door. I know Bside isn’t the biggest bar on the East Side, but holy shit, I don’t think its been that packed in a long time. You could barely move through the bar let alone get a beer or take a piss. Thankfully Sivan helped bar back until Danny showed up to help out for the rest of the evening.

I want to take a quick second to thank everyone involved with NYE at Bside. Not only were the DJ’s great, (me included), but all of the kids who showed up were in great spirits and ready to party, (minus Sean Bones who I continually reminded that it was New Years). I’d like to sit here and give shout outs, but that would run the page entirely too long. Thanks to all those who buckled down and stuck out the duration of the night and to those of you who passed through on your way. Some funny highlights include running around kissing random girls, Dana’s shirt, Chris’ poppers, Tumbleweed’s brownies, Sivan’s NYE decorations and last but not least, the count down. As 2005 approached, Jin and I decided !!! (Chk Chk Chk) would ring in our New Year. I asked Danny to change the TV to a channel with a countdown, and as he did, we took note that it was 11:59:52 which didn’t leave us much time so everyone just started yelling. The noise continued for another half hour while everyone scrambled for kisses and champagne. It was truly a glorious event. It was also great to see kids from out of town like Jenny, Evan, Gabe and Rebecca make an appearance. Again, thanks to all of you. It was really great. Thanks for the extremely blurry memories.


Josh and Sivan (Our Lovely Host)!


Lt-Rt: Noah, Matt, Sean (kneeling), Ryan, Pooj, Emma, Sarah
Around 4am we decided to close up shop and meet up with Beach at the Mercury Lounge. The Mercury opened its doors at 2am for the extended drinking hours the NYPD permits on NYE. What I can remember involves more dancing in the back of the club to more !!! and The Thermals. If I’m correct, I broke about 3 strings on my air guitar. We had a great time back there, and yes, “2005 the year Belin kisses on the lips,” was in serious affect. Around 7am Beach delivered on his egg and cheese promise. To be honest, I could have eaten 10 of them and not realized. They were the perfect end to a perfect evening. As I stumbled home from the Mercury in broad daylight, I managed to eat the final half of an egg and cheese that I promised would be delivered to Builder. Sorry DJ Build It.

Somebody Please Make It Stop.
So the big night was officially over. Saturday became a grim reality along with the massive bags hanging below my bloodshot eyes. With the hope of regaining some balance, I cruised over to Cami’s to sit around and recuperate. Our brilliant plan involved finding a copy of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, but we came up empty. Not to be discouraged, we decided to refuel at the Yakaniku West also known as the Japanese Steak House that makes you take off your shoes and cook your own food. We ate delicious steaks and filled our bellies with something non-alcoholic, (scratch that, we had a Sapporo). After dinner we parted ways and I returned home for some much needed nap time.

Around 10pm it was time to turn it back up to 11. At this point I met up with Perry, Beach and Daylen who were finishing up their first coconut shrimp of 2005. Perry, being the constant gentleman, bought the group a gigantic shot of tequila that set the page for the rest of the evening. After leaving Boca Chica we headed south for the Bowery. I knew it would be a big night, but my body was praying for some time off. As we entered the Ballroom, we ran into many of the previous night’s kids who were out to prove their warrior status. Sherri, Mia, Dan, Sarah, Gigs, Jomo, some dude whose name I can’t recall and a few others were all present and accounted for. Thankfully Mr. Bango tended the bar and kept me inline with some serious vodka tonics.

A little after 11pm the Drive By Truckers took the stage and blasted out 3 solid hours of down home American rock. They reminded me of Cash without the Religion, My Morning Jacket without the reverb and Lynyrd Skynyrd without the Confederate Flag. They played a set of deep fried, south of the Mason Dixon style rock that had the crowd in an uproar. Though some might disagree, I think they are at their best when the seldom used vocals of the skinny guitar player get the lead. He sounds more like Cash; a deep draw with a salty after taste. It didn’t hurt that they had a cute bass player and were passing gigantic bottles of whiskey around the stage.

We were acting up throughout their entire set, especially Perry who could be seen swinging girls from left to right in typical down-home Perry fashion. Around 2am or so, I decided to go meet up with Hawkins. On my way out of the club, Dexter and Sam both instructed me to get the hell back in the club. Upon asking what for, they opened the front door and the most hilarious sight was on stage. First off I noticed Beach running to the front to pat someone on the back. That someone was Jomo and he was adorning a girlie DBT tank top with his belly hanging out while pumping his fist of fury. It was piss your pants funny. He was attempting to sing back up vocals, but whiskey and flailing prevented him from every getting his voice through the PA. It was glorious. I’m severely disappointed about my exit because I heard Perry took Jomo out on his shoulders even later in the evening. I ended my night with a few drinks at Welcome to the Johnsons with Hawkins, Jeraline and her cute friend, (Stephanie?).

That’s It. Cut Him Off.
Sunday was spent in regular fashion. Beach, Daylen and I gathered for the Jets game at Daylen’s crib. We were later joined by Builder, Baldass, Julia and Francesca. The Jets played a disappointing game, but they still managed to back into the playoffs. This weekend they start their improbable run for the Superbowl in San Diego. It’s a long tough road, but if Chad Pennington is able to step it up, we have a chance to go deep especially if our defense keeps up the good work. The rest of my day was spent on the couch lamenting the previous few nights drunken abyss.

Monday was such a treat. The Union managed to negotiate an extra day off for the University employees so I slept till 2pm and then sat around watching Fresh Prince. As the night fell, I met up with Lizzy for some delicious steaks at Cafecito. I haven’t gotten in a good Liz hang for quite some time, so our dinner was top notch. We shared stories of off the chain siblings and our love and/or reluctance of higher education. Later that night I returned to the aforementioned couch and wasted the evening watching the Auburn versus Virginia Tech game. Tonight is the BCS Championship Orange Bowl so you know tomorrow’s blog entry won’t be too eventful.

Take care kids. Happy New Year! Thanks for reading. It’s people like you who made me a Person of the Year. That’s right, Person of the Year. I’m going to make all my blogging friend’s t-shirts.

posted by jayloose at 3:42 PM 1 comments   

Did You Miss Me?
So the question is… what have I been doing? There is a lot to catch up on and if you aren’t interested, don’t waste your time reading this post. It may just go on forever, but I’ll do my best to keep it concise be minimizing the rambling. Ok, buckle up. It’s go time.

My last couple days in NYC prior to my departure were a severe nightmare. On Tuesday evening the plan was to meet with the Loose Record crew for a few drinks to celebrate the holiday season. Before meeting up with the kids, I finished off the leftovers from the previous Sunday’s big dinner at 186. Josh, Mike and I headed to The Hanger where Christina would soon join us for a few drinks. Natalka was (wo)manning the bar and hooked us up with some cheap booze. By the time Christina showed up, I was nearly doubled over in pain. About a half hour later, I removed myself from the bar and hustled home to lie down. The next couple days of my life were spent hugging a toilet bowl. I don’t know if it was the flu or food poisoning, but it didn’t matter. I was extremely sick and the simple act of breathing became difficult.

The next evening Frank and Noah stopped in hoping to rally me. Matt Leafcutter was in the neighborhood so he popped in for a quick hang as well. Wednesday night was the big Bowery Presents Holiday Party at The Mercury Lounge. All the elements of a killer evening were assembled. Mia lined up a karaoke machine, various employees were playing short sets, there was tons of food and the bar was open. Unfortunately, I could only stay for one drink. After a quick vodka tonic with Paul, Christine, Merida and Noah my ship had set sail. My stomach was destroyed so I returned home to sweat out the next few hours while I awaited Trevor’s arrival.

Around 5am I received a phone call from my good pal from Clearfield. Trevor managed to get some leave time before he has to report for duty upstate. He is now attached to a Reserve Unit that will be sent out west for some advanced war gaming before they take off for the Middle East. He was in the 16830 for about a week and came up huge with my ride home. On Thursday morning I woke him up around 11am and we hit the road. My stomach was still awfully shaky, but it treated me fine on the ride home. It was the worst ride back to Clearfield in recent history. It pissed rain for a good four hours and then we hit traffic due to an accident. The icing on the cake was a passed out Trevor for 75% of the trip back. Regardless of the ride, Trevor delivered me to the 203 by 5pm.

A Very Belin Christmas.
(Pic Lt: Momma B.) So my first night back in Clearfield was awfully slow. It was good to be home because my stomach began acting up. Mom hooked up some grub and we took to the couch. After some hang time with Mom and Bruce, they took off for the evening leaving Christine, Trevor and I to the living room. We spent the next couple hours smoking and watching Chris Rock’s new DVD titled Never Scared which was really hilarious. Around 11pm we stopped down at my old neighborhood best friend Brian’s house. I was psyched to see him since he is taking Natasha, his lady, and moving to Florida by the middle of this month. We shared some old stories over some Bourbon. I’m really happy to see him finish school and move on from the county. We also took some time to introduce him to knifers. I predict a global phenomenon to emerge. As the night pressed on, we picked up Evan and attempted to stop by the bar.

If you know me on a less cosmetic level, I’m often frightened or adverse to situations to that involve me running into anything that reminds me of the past. As we walked up to the entrance of Buster’s, this aversion became apparent. We opened the door and three fleece covered backs spilled out of the door. I quickly declined this option and we marched back to the car. A minute later we drove past the bar as a redneck fight spilled out onto the street. Thank god we decided to return to my house to waste the evening in front of the big screen.

The Christmas buzz was felt throughout the Belin house on Friday morning. Marie had dressed up the house in the typical lovely fashion. The tree looked fantastic and it filled me with a little of the old Christmas spirit. This fueled my desire to get in the kitchen to help bake some cookies. Most of the afternoon was spent baking with both of my sisters while mom oversaw the entire project. I kept proclaiming that I was saving Christmas. This is when my mom asked me how much of this would be on the blog. I told her that by asking for its inclusion would definitely get it mentioned. Later that afternoon, Trevor and I made the rounds. We stopped at the liquor store, the beer distributor and Walmart to finish our errand list. We then popped into Dingers for a couple beers. Some guy, Mr. Anderson, came up to me at the bar. He claimed to recognize me because I looked like my dad. He bought Trevor and I a shot because he was a friend of my dad in the latter years of his life. It was a strange feeling, but it was nice to know he is remembered.

Later that evening, I returned home to hang out with my Aunt Suzanne and Uncle Andrew who came into Clearfield for the holiday. After dinner, Trevor, Christine, Rachel, Mom and I played some games like Scattegories and Guestures. We were drunk by the time Matty showed up, and it was great to have him along for the ride. Later that evening, Matty, Trevor, Rachel and I cruised up to Buster’s to continue our drunken Christmas Eve. There was a hint of awkwardness in the air because the bar received news of a kid’s death that evening due to alcohol poisoning. The kid was the older brother of a former football teammate, but I had fallen out of touch with them. Either way, some kids were in bad shape. I did manage to shoot some pool with Green Teamer Todd and Weather Ninja Mike. Rachel was kind enough to act as DD, so around 2am the bar closed up and we took a very drunk Trevor home for sandwiches.

(Pic Lt-Rt: Jay, Bruce) The next morning the family gathered in the living room to exchange gifts. Our family always seems to over do the gift-giving portion of the holiday and 2004, despite my poverty stricken attempts, proved to be no different. We took nearly an hour to get through all the presents stuffed under the glowing tree. I pulled in some much-needed loot like a humidifier, but I also scored some killer films and books. After we cleaned up, Bruce, Christine and I cooked up a big breakfast for everyone. By 2pm mom had the big Christmas dinner ready. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling my best, but I was able to put back some turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole and some sautéed mushrooms. After watching the Shaq versus Kobe match up, Trevor and I took a ride to the cemetery to pay our respects to big Mike. After some an emotional ride, I hit the sack for a good portion of the day. I must say Christmas was pretty kick ass. Much thanks goes to the friends and family members for all the gifts and good times. Later that evening we once again found ourselves at Busters. Matty and I ruled the pool table for hours. We attributed our success to our Dodgeball inspired secret handshake.

A Nice Family Dinner,(Lt-Rt: Aunt Suzanne, Jay, Chris, Rachel)


Can You Feel The Love, (Lt-Rt: Rachel, Trevor, Jay, Chris)
The Storm After The Calm.
It’s funny how disconnected I get while at home. It is nearly impossible for me to get phone calls, and my email rarely gets checked. This prevented me from wishing many of you a Merry Christmas, but I’m sure you felt me in spirit. The next couple days in Clearfield went very quickly. On Sunday Matty, Evan and I had plans to drive Trevor down to Pittsburgh so he could catch a flight to the base. Around 9am Matty stopped by to catch some breakfast with my family before we walked down to Trevor’s to meet up with the other guys. Upon our arrival we learned that Trevor had called the base and was granted an extension of his leave time. We were happy for Trevor, but pissed about being awake at 10am in the county. We then cruised by McDonald’s to watch Trevor eat burrito’s before going over to Matt’s house to once again watch Dodgeball. We eased into the afternoon football games. At halftime of the Steelers game, Trevor took Evan home and Matt and I to my house so Matt could get his car. Since my family locked me out and went to the casino for a day, I went back to Matt’s and passed out on the couch.

Later that evening, we stopped into yet another local bar called Legends where a group of older friends were locally premiering their film short titled Just Add Alcohol. It was an interesting crowd of kids who showed up to check out the 15 minute film about a young rednecks obsession with sasquatch. Though the film barely made sense it was great to see some kids actively pursuing the arts. After the film I caught up with Eric who runs a design company out of Raleigh called Malachi Inc. Check out the link if you are interested or in need of his services. He does great work. I’ll have you note that during the film I bought Bonnie, Evan’s mom, a beer. You probably had to be there, but I thought it was hilarious. After the film Matt and I went to Denny’s (yes, the place with the huge burger) to have a birthday drink with Shaz. Later that night we went back to Matt’s house to meet up with The Weather Ninja, Todd, Shaz, Stu, Danielle and Tommy Taco for an evening of gambling. My money didn’t last very long, but we had a great night dicking around. Unfortunately I had to walk home through the freezing cold ghost town that is Clearfield, PA at 4am the day after Christmas.

As December 27th became a reality, I was struck with a feeling not often felt on my trips back home. I didn’t want to leave. My time back in the county was well spent. On my last full day back home, I hung around the house doing a little bit of laundry hoping to complete my packing so I wouldn’t be rushed the next morning. As the evening rolled around the family gathered for a dinner of leftovers before Mom and Suzanne drove me to Phillipsburg so Rachel could drive me to the State College airport to pick up a rent-a-car. By 8pm I was back home and Matt was on his way to pick me up. We cruised out to our friend Ryan’s camp where he was chilling with our buddy Joel. It was a bit strange hanging in the room with those kids because we were such an inseparable group back in the day. For nine years we shared the same classroom at St. Francis. We were all from families involved in the church and we were a tight group of friends. As the years passed, we obviously grew apart, but we’ve been lucky enough to remain friends.

(Pic Lt-Rt: Jay, Evan, Heather, Matty, Jeanette) Kids continued to trickle into the camp. By 9pm we had a solid crew going. Around 11pm Matt and I finished our game of bumper pool and decided it was time to head to the bar. Buster’s was once again packed with a number of good friends. We finally got to see Jeanette who avoided us for most of the holiday. We drank tequila like it was our job before the 2am last call. So you know, I represented the best of both worlds while I was in the county. Every night at Busters I could be found drinking a Busch Pounder through a straw. Thanks to Brad for taking care of us during our late nights at the bar. A quick bunch of shout outs to the kids who kept me happy throughout my stay, but I neglected to mention: Lana, Mike, Janelle, Melvin, Olink, Heather, Jen and the rest. Another big thanks to my family for making 2004 a memorable one.

On Tuesday, mom woke me up and helped me pack the car. My ride back to the city was near flawless, and by 5pm I was completely settled and hanging with Kyle.

More Holiday Season recap on the way. You won’t believe some of the happenings. Before I sign off, I want to send a shout out to Cindy. Thanks for reading! Hopefully I’ll have a chance to include you in a future entry.

posted by jayloose at 11:22 PM 6 comments