One of our songs is featured on this comp. Lots of cool bands.

You know, I think it just might take an angry-yet-intelligently-thoughtful-and-realistic post from Ben Weasel to finally get me off my I’ve-given-up-on-caring-about-the-disaster-occurring-in-the-music-world kick.

And, hot damn, I’m in luck. Ben reminds us little guys that we actually have a say in this, too.

An excerpt:

The music industry is still evolving (or mutating, if you prefer) but one thing that isn’t changing - and that never will change - is that the little guy (those of us who have nothing to do with, and are of no interest whatsoever to the RIAA) is still getting the short end of the stick…
…what I want to know, again, is who’s going to be paying for the recording of all this free music dreamed up by small-timers (which description, if you’re not aware, covers most of us)? And if the answer is “nobody,” that means that music made by people who are even a little bit outside the mainstream, off the beaten path, or just plain fucking weird, is going to disappear (save, of course, for those with disposable cash - the hobbyists and the rich kids - but those people tend to make music that people can’t even be bothered to download for free). Long term, this isn’t going to work out well for music fans. I’m not scolding. I’m not trying to stuff the genie back in the bottle. I just want the emperor’s distinct lack of clothing noted: the alleged death of the music industry is in actuality the death of interesting music.

And… I love this part, too:

I said the same thing six years ago when I first wrote about this stuff. And what’s happened since? Music has become more boring than ever, that’s what. Even punk rock has become more mind-numbingly mediocre than I ever remember it being before… I haven’t seen so many bands playing it safe and copying what’s popular since the skulls and anarchy-symbol craze of 1984. If I hear another band aping the Dillinger Four and shouting their Cookie Monster vocals at me through their hobo beards I may begin to sob.

Seriously, one day it’ll be clear to everyone: those beards are not helping a thing.

Well, it’s official: Mountain Dew is now just Mtn Dew according to a bottle I just saw. I’ve never been so equally appalled and ecstatic in my entire life. Well played, Mtn Dew. You bastards.

What’s this? This Kills Me is gearing up again? Weird.

Hell yeah.

So, yeah, the original lineup of 41 Gorgeous Blocks have started a new band called This Kills Me (www.thiskillsme.com) and are playing a show:

Something’s happening. And it’s happening July 19th. I can’t say any more right now. But soon.

The Star-Telegram would eat us again.

Here’s a little something to do while our band continues its hiatus or whatever it is we’re up to (which is nothing):

I just posted 6 songs over at our MySpace page - all of them cover songs. Info below.

“Whopper” by Henry Holt. Our version of this HH song appears on HH’s album Lines and Letdowns (2004). Recorded on Super Bowl Sunday of 2003.
me - guitar/vocals
Matt M - drums
Tanner - bass
Deedle - guitar/ vocals
Duane Deering - piano, vocals and most likely other stuff that I’m not aware of.

“Going To Pasalcqua” by Green Day. Recorded in Jan. 2003 while doing the Well… EP, this song was for a Green Day tribute album, although it wasn’t used.
me - guitar/vocals
Matt M - drums
Tanner - bass
Deedle - guitar/ vocals

“Baltimore” by Cleveland Bound Death Sentence. Recorded in a moment of procrastination while working on Querulous. Though I certainly don’t do it justice, this is a terrific song about friendship. Some of my favorite lyrics ever. Written by Aaron Cometbus.
me - acoustic, singingish

“Hey Jealousy” by the Gin Blossoms. This appears on our 2002 Swallow the Sandwich EP. It was recorded on a whim after, if I recall, Deedle picked up a Gin Blossoms CD at Half Price Books. I was never a fan of the song when it came out but loved it when I heard the used CD. It contains one of my favorite lines: “If you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down.”
me - guitar, voc
Deedle - lead guitar
Matt M -drums
Matt Pittman - bass guitar

“Out the Window” by the Violent Femmes. We recorded this on even more of a whim in 2005 while doing an acoustic session for the Adventure Club with Josh radio show. He asked us to play a cover and for some reason this came out. We’d never played the song together and I hadn’t sung it in years (which might be why I shamefully screw up the lyrics a couple times). Anyway, one of my favorite VF songs for sure.
me - acoustic, singing/whining
Matt M - snare, singing
Josh Venable - faint background singing

“Sloop John B", traditional, though considered a Beach Boy cover. Recorded live in December 2004 at Deedle’s last “official” show with us. We started doing this song in 2003 after I saw Brian Wilson perform it on Letterman. One of my favorite songs.
me - guitsing
Deed- guitsing
Tan- bass
MatM- drums

KDGE has gotten rid of the only reason to even go near music radio these days: Josh Venable. Sadly, his night shift and, more devastatingly, “The Adventure Club” have been eliminated from the lineup.

Not only has Josh been a longtime champion of countless bands - certainly ours - by offering radio play and opportunities that would never have existed without him, he actually played the music that he cared about. And there’s just no room for that on KDGE anymore.

I know his talent - and his insanely vast knowledge of music - will allow him bounce back very soon with something better and more satisfying; but still: this really sucks.

(via Zac Crain)

UPDATE: Unfair Park has this.

The book I’ve been going on and on about, which will feature some of my brother’s cartoons, is having a party:

Wide Array Presents Upstart Crows

Please join Wide Array for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres to celebrate the release of the new book Upstart Crows.

Friday, November 2, 2007
Seven o’clock in the evening

3217 Chapel Downs Drive
Dallas, Texas 75229

RSVP contact stephaniemreid@gmail.com

For more information please visit www.widearrayonline.com.

To see some more of Bobby’s art, visit the Simply Titled Yuck myspace site. An actual website is also in the works.

Sadly, Lance Hahn has passed away.

(Thanks to Chad for the information and The Sweethearts for the link.)

I am a huge fan of Lance and his music thanks to my brother. I have no idea how Bobby managed to get a hold of J Church’s Arbor Vitae, but it absolutely changed our lives. It had everything we were desperately seeking in music: GREAT lyrics and never-boring music that sounded simple (until you tried to recreate it on your own guitar), all in the form of 13 rough-yet polished, two-minute bundles of pure, self-effacing passion. Still one of my top albums. And I still hold standing a foot away from Lance as he slammed out the guitar solo for “Racked” as being the ultimate live show moment of my life (which, by the way, I hate saying, because it sounds like I’m only “saying” it. But, for what it’s worth, I promise I’m not).

From there, Bobby special-ordered every other J Church release that Off Beat Records could locate. Great songs everywhere you turned. I actually finally got a copy of Cringer’s “Greatest Hits, Vol. 1″ (Lance’s band before J Church) the night before my brother passed away. After hearing “If I Had Your Pen” for the first time, Bobby simply shrugged as if he wasn’t surprised in the least and said, “Perfect.”

Since then, I’ve kept up with Lance through his music and his monthly-if-not-more-than-monthly newsletter. I am not bending a single fact when I say that Lance Hahn was the real deal. Humble, passionate, kind and influential as they come.

I wish I knew what to do now, other than this: Thanks, Lance.

UPDATE: Lots of nice comments here.