Antics

My senior year in high school I took a class called "Athletic Training".  It would be wrong to call it a "class", though; it was more of a one-hour workout in the middle of the school day.  I liked Athletic Training quite a bit.  There wasn't any homework, and it turns out that picking up and vigorously moving heavily weighted objects is a good way for an 18 year-old testosterone slave to blow off some steam.

Somewhere around the end of the semester we had a substitute teacher come in to supervise our workout.  But, this wasn't just any substitute.  It was Mr. Gove.  Mr. Gove was the previous Headmaster of the high school who had retired a few years earlier.  By all accounts, Mr. Gove was an upstanding and well-respected dude; and, as I would find out a little later on, he had a set of real brass ones.  Anyway, I guess I was feeling quite senior-y that day, because I decided I would not be participating in the workout.  Instead, I went into the locker-room to get dressed and I never came back out.  I just sat there in that locker-room and did nothing.

Looking back, it was kind of wonderful just sitting there in that smartphone-less world... doing nothing...

About 20 minutes later, though, my tranquility was disturbed by a commotion outside of the locker-room door.  Someone was coming in.  I bolted for the nearest bathroom stall and quickly stood on top of the toilet.  The best hiding spot of all time.  I would be safe there.

I braced myself as the door creaked open.  It was Mr. Gove.  He began walking through the locker-room in a slow, deliberate manner peering between the rows of lockers.  He was methodical.  I didn't make a sound.  Mr. Gove then ever-so-slowly made his way toward the bank of toilet stalls where I had taken up shelter.  I didn't even breathe.  Surely, he would recognize that there were no feet under the stall doors and that would be enough to satisfy him.  Surely, he would be gone soon and I would be able to return to my peaceful solitude.

No.

Impossibly, Mr. Gove sauntered up to the bathroom stall where I was hidden and looked through the cracks.  He ACTUALLY looked through the cracks.  The AUDACITY.  I was shocked; offended, even.  But, I would be remiss if I did not admit that I was also a little bit impressed.  He was a worthy adversary.

For a moment there was silence.  We stared at eachother through the crack of the bathroom stall.  Finally, Mr. Gove bellowed out, "Doug..."

Nothing.

"What are you doing?"

With my dignity still fully intact, I looked Mr. Gove straight in the eye through the crack in the stall door and I responded, "This is how I poop."

Booyah Achieved

I bought my reasonably priced $15 ticket at the door because I procrastinated and didn’t utilize the Internet, and arrived at the venue about 25 minutes before the show. Tonight, I’m riding solo because I procrastinated and didn’t attempt a coordination effort with my friends in Austin. Ten years in the making brought me here…ok, my piece of shit truck literally brought me here, but I was not going to miss this show for anything. My excitement grew as the masses piled into the bar per usual, however, this time was different. I’ve seen this group of musicians gather numerous times, however, this time was different. This was the night I saw Minus the Bear celebrate their 10^th year anniversary of ‘Highly Refined Pirates.’ A celebration capped by performing the entire album from start to finish.

I love this band. This is not a blanket statement, like “I love cashews!!1” This group opened my eyes to the intricacies of music. Don’t let the eccentric song titles deter you, frontman Jake Snider (much cooler than Schneider) knew how to capture the feeling of a single memory in time. Their sound has grown over their long musical tenure, but their vivid song-writing, unique rhythm-guitar tapping and swirling synths style can always be found. Listening to “Hooray” you can feel the warm of whiskey in your belly on a snowy night back in your hometown for Christmas break. It just takes you there. 

This is music. This is feeling. This is Minus the Bear.

TV on the Radio Returns With New Single "Mercy"

TV on the Radio have returned with their first work since the tragic death of bassist Gerard Smith.  The new single "Mercy" is vintage TVotR with their signature blending of distorted guitars and melodic synths.  Take a listen:



I am especially excited about the return of TV on the Radio because they hold a very special place in my heart.  TVotR once saved me from a strange phase in my life.  Somewhere around my fourth or fifth year in college I got into dubstep; a little too into dubstep.  Then TV on the Radio released "Nine Types of Light", an indie rock masterwork.  I sat down to listen to the album and was immediately awakened to a harsh realization: I had been wasting the last six months or so of my life listening to some pretty crappy music.

I owe TV on the Radio a debt of gratitude for helping bring me back to my musical roots.

RIP Gerard Smith

Here's the particular track that brought me back to my senses:



Let's hope that the release of "Mercy" signals more to come from these guys.