How Geds Got His Groove Back

Every year when I start to think it’s about to be summer I make a new summer driving mix. Within two days it usually snows again here in Chicago, but it’s the principle that counts. I don’t drive as much as I used to, now that I no longer have a 30 mile one-way commute to work, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still important. This be my list for 2009: 1. Mike Doughty, “Ways and Means”* 2. Seneca, “The Outside”[1] 3. Glasvegas, “Go Square Go”[2] 4. Local H, “White Belt Boys”[3][3a][3b][3c] 5. Camper Van Beethoven, “Pictures of Matchstick Men” 6. The Refreshments, “Banditos”[4] 7. Jason Boots, “Crazy Girls”[5] 8. The Saw Doctors, “Macnas Parade”[6] 9. The Fratellis, “A Heady Tale” 10. Dead Hot Workshop, “A” 11. Alternate Routes, “The Future’s Nothing New”[7] 12. Screaming Trees, “Shadow of the Season” 13. Monster Magnet, “Silver Future” 14. Lovehammers, “Straight as an Arrow”[8] 15. Audioslave, “Broken City”[9] 16. Richard Ashcroft, “Keys to the World”* 17. Lucky Boys Confusion, “Closer to Our Graves”[10] 18. Raine Maida, “Careful What You Wish For”* 19. Stone Temple Pilots, “Interstate Love Song”[11] It’s actually the first time I’ve done one of these and not thought, “Man, I screwed this up,” the first time I played it. Apparently after all these years I finally know what I’m doing… ----------------- *You might know Mike Doughty better from his former band, Soul Coughing. Richard Ashcroft is better known as the lead singer of The Verve. Raine Maida is the lead singer of Our Lady Peace. [1] We’ve covered Seneca. [2] I was under the impression that no one had heard of Glasvegas. They were doing a Monday night show at the Bottom Lounge on the west side on April 6th. I showed up the night of the show to buy a ticket and they were sold out. On a Monday night. I went home and watched that night’s Chuck off my DVR. Midway through the episode they started playing Glasvegas’s “Daddy’s Gone.” I was telling that story to a buddy of mine at Chili’s over the weekend. Suddenly I realized I was listening to “Geraldine.” Apparently Glasvegas has hit the big time… [3] One of the best songs ever. [3a] If you go to Local H's website there's a new video of "Machine Shed Wrestling." I was at the show where the filmed the live clips for that video at a place called Chicago City Limits in Schaumburg. You'll notice they only do about a second or so in each clip. That's because they most definitely did not play "Machine Shed Wrestling" that night. [3b] If you watch the trailer for the new DVD, 68 Angry Minutes, pay attention to the right side of the screen at 15 seconds, when the words "For the First Time Ever..." are on the screen. The dude in the hat? Me. Yeah, baby. I'm also right under the Local H logo at 18 seconds. Sadly, I doubt they'll have the clip from the Pack Up the Cats show when Scott Lucas made fun of me for about a minute and a half. You can find that on the Internet Archive, however... [3c] Oh, and they play a clip from "White Belt Boys" when there were two other guys on stage next to Brian St. Clair playing extra drums. That was awesome. [4] Every summer drive mix includes “Banditos.” It’s like a rule or something. [5] My unofficial theme song. Seriously, I am fucking sick of crazy girls. [6] First time I heard this was at the Saw Doctors show in March. I thought it was called “Loch Ness Parade.” That didn’t make any sense at all. [7] There’s a really cool percussive effect in this song. It’s not readily apparent what it is if you’re just hearing a recording. They’ve got a tackle box filled with what I’m guessing are screws and nails and other such things with a mic stuck in it. The lead singer holds the tackle box loosely at his side, then at the appropriate time pulls his arm up about a foot, then drops it back down again. It’s cool. [8] The only time I’ve seen the Lovehammers live was at a club show on Valentine’s Day at a place on north Clark called Angels & Kings. I was about ten feet away from Marty Casey. He sounds like Bobcat Goldthwait when he talks, but I swear he seemed HUGE. The man has a stage presence like no one I’ve ever seen. He can just project himself. Also, when I left the club there was a whole line of people waiting to get in. It marked the first and, I’d assume, last, time I’ve ever been in a trendy club. And I didn’t even know it until I’d left… [9] As far as I’m concerned, “Broken City” is pretty much the best demonstration of what Tom Morello and Chris Cornell were capable of doing when working together. [10]My other unofficial song. There are a lot of reasons for me to say, “I had the best time of my life without you” these days. Also, as a big fan of Local H, the Lovehammers, and a Chicago rock kid going back to Veruca Salt, Dovetail Joint, Urge Overkill, and probably a whole bunch of others I can’t think of right now. For some reason, though, nothing screams, “Chicago!” to me quite like Lucky Boys Confusion. They are thoroughly and relentlessly Chicago. [11] I honestly can’t remember the last time I’d listened to STP. But when I was making the CD I thought, “This needs ‘Interstate Love Song.’” I couldn’t have been more correct.