Sometimes I don't thrill you
Sometimes I think I'll kill you
Just don't let me fuck up, will you
'Cause when I need a friend, it's still you
Freak Scene
This slacker anthem was by Dinosaur Jr, some while before a certain Seattle trio arrived on the scene, and it provided something of a soundtrack and catchphrase for our teen years. I loved Dinosaur Jr, especially J Mascis, the mournful Eeyore of rock, and his groaning, whining, apathetic voice (that made Neil Young sound like Barry White), and his absolutely spectacular guitar playing that made the guitar solo seem not like an obsolete art-form but a thing of beauty.
And particularly with an album called 'Where You Been' which (if this is not a debased term) was a kind of concept album, inspired by the death of his dad. It raised their game considerably higher. 'I know you're out there... I know you're gone' he groans/sings and it's an exquisitely painful experience listening to it. (They did have a sense of humour too - their version of The Cure's 'Just Like Heaven' stomps over quite a fey little pop tune with big heavy metal boots. It is funny. )
Despite my love for them, I always managed to miss them in the 80s. But Last FM has a handy little feature, which shows which bands on your playlists are currently touring.
'Wow, Dinosaur Jr have re-formed and are playing in London! I must go! When is it?'
A horrible thought struck me. Hadn't I actually bought a ticket for it a month ago?
Yes, I had. I checked frantically amongst the millions of bits of papers on my desk. There it was. When was it on? Um, now. In Hammersmith. The other side of London. I'd missed them again, even though this time I'd actually got a ticket. Doh! Stupid, stupid, stupid! And again, stupid!
Still, they've just released a new one, and surely will be touring here again. Do me a favour, and email me, text me, leave comments if you see they're playing, just remind me or I'll forget to go again.
About teaching and crying
1 day ago
8 comments:
Awww, that's very sad. I used to love that song - it was a staple of Friday night indie nights at the Lemmy in Exeter. I shall keep a look out for new tour dates and remind you.
Good grief! What shall we do about you?
How about the mother of all calenders? ;-
Sorry you missed out. I had a similar experience on missing a gig that I'd bought a ticket for and I know the feeling of wanting to kick yourself.
What's that new D-Jnr album like? Have you listened to it yet?
Oh no - that's terrible to miss a gig you really wanted to go to. I'll look out for you. And before I forget - let's do that Barbican exhib - there was another one I read about the other day and thought of you but for the life of me I can't remember what it was now! Do you think we've got pre-senile dementia?? What? Eh? Uh?
Thanks, P. Sad, and also dopey.
Greavsie, right, now I own a calender...
Cheers Istvanski, so glad it's not just me. Who did you fail to see then? I haven't heard it yet, though all the reviews seem to suggest it's as though they are in a time-warp...
Cheers RoMo - yes let's go let's go! (I like to think it's because we live dynamic, highly busy and important lives, and that if you spin a lot of plates some are bound to come crashing down, though perhaps we are kidding ourselves and are in fact on the slippery slope to having our names and addresses attached to our clothes on little labels.)
If it's any consolation, I saw Dinosaur Jr live some time in the early '90's and they were bloody awful, a real disappointment. Freak Scene is still bloody wonderful though.
Nope. Not any consolation really, is it?
Anne!!!
Betty, lalala, can't hear you...
Em - I know *hangs head*
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