Dear Friends,
Today would have been the Breathmint’s 54th birthday. It’s sad that she is not here to see it, but to be honest, I wouldn’t have been reaching out to say “Happy birthday” if she was. Some people just can’t be a part of your life after a while. It’s the reality of the situation. This was one of those times where I had to cut ties.
Funny how you always think of certain people, though, on their birthday. I have a few people that I always remember their big day even though we don’t talk anymore. People make impacts on our lives, and like marriage, it’s often for better or for worse. Unlike marriage, though, you don’t have to keep hanging on when things are not great, or even good.
*****
Michael and I are off to L.A. to see Les Savy Fav. I’m stoked. It seems like we made these plans a while ago, but the day is here. We’re off across the desert and I’m ready to be footloose and alcohol-free.
I’m curious what kind of get up the singer of Les Savy Fav will have on tonight. I watched some recent video where he was in full Pope regalia. I wouldn’t be bummed if that were the case again. I wonder if he would wear a Kermit the Frog costume?
*****
Yesterday was a pretty decent day at school. The kids mellowed out a bit and I put some situations with my new reading students into a nice perspective for all of us. Next week should be a busy week and I have a lot to do to get ready for being away for a week, but I will get it all done.
It will be strange being in Maine for two weeks, I’m sure, especially with the adjustment of there being no Doug, but I can help Rhondi out a lot and we can start looking at what our new life will be like. Things are definitely going to change.
*****
The Decline of Western Civilization soundtrack turned me on to all of first group of favorite punk rock bands not called Sex Pistols. Kevin and Mark B turned me onto that record, as well as Never Mind the Bollocks, in the summer of 1982 or 83 and those days in their grandparents living room listening to punk rock changed the course of my life. It’s strange to think of what might have happened if they hadn’t gone out to California and met some punks.
I’m guessing I would have found punk in a different way. It did take me a few more years to really find it, to be honest, but the seeds were planted. I sought out the bands on the Decline sound track as I became more adventurous in my musical taste. Eventually, I landed on Los Angeles by X.
Some of the songs from Los Angeles were also on the soundtrack to Penelope Spheeris’ mildly exploitative love letter to LA punk. I didn’t care, though. Los Angeles is a scorching, barn burner of a rock and roll record that just happens also be a punk rock record, too. X was something different than the rest of the bands on the Decline soundtrack. They had way more soul.
I can’t help being even more of a fan of X now than I was in the 80s. I appreciate their musicianship and the lyrics so much more, but it is more than that. We were lucky enough to play a couple of shows with them when we were doing The Father Figures and John Doe was super cool to us.
They were all nice, but John went above and beyond. The last time we played with them, they were up on stage just ruling it as usual and they dipped off to take a short break before their encore songs. I was standing on the side of the stage at Crescent Ballroom kind of leaning up against the back wall of the building. John came up to me, toweling off a little sweat, and told me how much he liked our set.
How fucking cool is that. They guy is up there killing it and he makes a point to come over and talk to me. I was floored and still am. He was super great to us when he came back with the Flesh Eaters and I think I’ve already mentioned our extended hangout at Punk Rock Bowling before we played our set. Great, great dude.
He’s also a bad ass bass player and co-front person. The interplay between John and Exene on Los Angeles is one of the things I love most about that record. X was kind of the band from the early L.A. scene that clearly thought about what they were doing and how they were doing it.
Certainly, the title track, “Los Angeles” is a fantastic song, but I think my favorite track on the record right now is the closer, “The World’s a Mess: It’s in My Kiss.” There is something about that one that just gets me. “Nausea” is great, and “Sugarlight” is sneaky good, too. I think Ray Manzarek (RIP) did a fantastic job producing this one.
How cool is it that they collaborated with a guy from Doors?
“Johnny Hit and Run Paulene” is another one that I just can’t really live without as I’ve been enjoying it for over forty years now. That song just has a certain something. The French would call it a “Je ne sais quoi.” Some of that “quoi” can be given to Billy Zoom’s killer guitar and DJ Bonebrake’s drumming. Those guys should not be ignored. Both of them are monster players.
I’ve heard that the latest (and, sadly last) record X is great. I haven’t listened yet because I don’t want to admit they are going away for good. X has been a part of my life for so long. It’s been a privilege.
*****
See you tomorrow.
AI went deep on me.
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