A list of topics that went through my head last night while watching the Dandy Warhols.
- These people haven’t aged. It’s amazing.
- These people sound the same. It’s amazing. The new songs sound like the old songs.
- That’s really impressive. These people knew at a young age what they wanted to do and they just did it and here they are still doing it. Good for them.
- I remember back then when I used to go see them all the time that that’s exactly the life I wanted. And god. I remember saying exactly that. “If I could be in a band that could fill mid sized rooms and live off of touring I would be happy. That’s all I want in life.” I’m kinda envious of these people.
- But Jesus how many different life goals have you had in the intervening 20 years? How many times have you changed what you wanted. The problem is not that the Dandy Warhols were a better band than yours (though they were), it’s that you were, and continue to be, schizophrenic about what you want out of life.
- Look at these guys man. They just did it. It is simple. It is pure.
- That’s a Big Muff going through a Small Stone set to hi color mode, slowest speed. Doing that ringing swoosh over the whole song you used to do and everyone kept telling you it was too loud. And you know, hearing it in this other band, it is kind of too loud. I wonder how many people in this audience think that Big Muff through Small Stone is too loud right now. Weird that 20 years after the fact I am revisiting the constant band debate about the Big Muff and Small Stone. And I am simultaneously vindicated (look! The Dandy Warhols are doing it and it’s awesome!) and vanquished (it kind of is too loud).
- Man I seriously doubt anyone else at this concert is thinking about this this much.
- It is very amazing that this band hasn’t had any lineup changes in 20 years. Wait. Have they? That second guitarist guy looks the same but a little different.
- It’s also amazing that they haven’t even really changed their hair in 20 years.
- Zia has a new white modular synth though. New. Ha. It’s probably like 10 years old.
- Didn’t the drummer like marry some woman and take her name or combine it or something? It was like 15 years ago? It was the first time I’d heard of anyone do that. That was pretty cool. Except I was reading an article and he only has one last name now. Maybe I got it wrong. Maybe it was Courtney Taylor Taylor. That would make more sense. Except the reason it makes sense is why I think it was the drummer instead because I remember it not making sense. Maybe they got divorced. That would be sad.
- Divorce is sad I hope I never get a divorce. But I suppose I would live.
- Like Jeremy Irons in Damage. I could move to Majorca.
- My wife is pretty cool. Look at her standing there. She looks cool. I bet other people are thinking she looks cool. She would not like that.
- Remember how you and Jussi (or was it Mike? Or all of you?) used to shout out for “It’s a Fast Driving Rave-up with the Dandy Warhols Sixteen Minutes” at every show? That was kind of obnoxious of us.
- But it was an awesome song! And they played it a lot!
- It would be awesome if they played it right now. I haven’t heard that in so long. I have to listen to it tomorrow. (n.b. I did. It was awesome.)
- Oh my god some dude in the front just requested it. That is amazing.
- Those people in the front seem to be really into this show. I wonder if they are old or young. This crowd seems to be a mix of old and young.
- My god you and your friends were really into this and and the Brian Jonestown Massacre back then. We must have seen each and like 20 times. And then they made that movie about them and it was so weird that someone made this popular film about these random bands you guys were obsessed with. But it all took place in the west (except that awesome scene in Georgia with the dude from BRMC). And it’s like. It really kind of was a national scene, wasn’t it? Kids all over the country super into this weird burgeoning drone psych thing. Ahh youth.
- When Courtney said at that Axis show “Hi we’re the Dandy Warhols it’s good to be rocking first thing in the morning” it really stuck with us. For years. Craig and I used to say it before like every practice.
- His banter is still pretty good.
- I have this backstage pass I could tell him how great that quote was.
- That would be ridiculous. Pull yourself together.
- I wonder if there’s an etiquette manual on backstage passes. There should be.
- Oh wow Courtney just mentioned Treble Charger and I cheered out loud. Alone. I am old. Or weird. Or something.
- Mental note: listen to that great Treble Charger record it’s probably been 15 years.
- Jesus. Time. It’s a bitch.
- Did Zia used to play guitar bass? I don’t remember that.
- I’ve not aged as poorly as some people and I consider myself lucky in that regard but here is a band that has lived a full on rock and roll lifestyle for the last 25 years and they look fucking great. Life is not fair, but I suppose you got yours.
- Oh huh. They slowed down Bohemian Like You. I like the slow version.
- It must be a bitch to mic his low breathy vocals
- But they do a good job with it.
- You know who could use that? Jason Pierce. The difference between his studio vocals and live vocals is one of the most jarring things about Spiritualized live when you first see them. This sound guy does a good job.
- Man I really think too much about this band. Do other people do this?
- I know more of their post-Dandys Rule output than i realized. It occurs to me now that for the last 20 years I have consistently been giving every new Dandys album a chance.
- That would be a good answer for the “hobby” line on a resume. “Consistently giving every new Dandy Warhols album a chance.”
- Do people still have a hobby line on resumes?
- [Brief tangential thoughts about a long conversation Emma and I recently had about the hobby line on resumes]
- I thought they were gonna play “Boys Better.” It was on all the set lists in setlist.fm.
- “Boys Better” is such a weird choice of first album songs. I’d assume it’d be “Ride.” They probably got sick of playing “Ride” after twenty years. With other bands you’d think maybe it was cuz they couldn’t do the high vocal harmonies anymore as they get older but not only have these guys kept their looks they’ve kept their voices.
- I don’t even remember all the songs on there. I need to listen to it again. (n.b. I did. It was awesome.)
- Oh shit. “Boys Better” is way better than I remember it. I get it now.
- Those people up front are so into this. I hope they are kids. I hope this band can keep touring forever.
- 90's creative output has a good chance to be the end of common tastes. It was the last decade that you could go and consume all the touchstones. I heard some kids recently mention “Gremlins rules” (no water etc. who was that anyway? I don’t remember). It seemed weird they all knew Gremlins. Why not some 2011 movie? Because there’s just too much now.
- We should teach a class in 1990's cultural output as society’s metaphoric touchstones. A class that teaches you about big salads and soup nazis and cromulent and bitties in the bk lounge so we all know what everyone is talking about.
- Slang is a way more culturally sensitive topic than I ever realized.
- I am kind of overwhelmed by how much I’m thinking about while watching the Dandy Warhols.
- Remember that college essay you wrote about seeing Dead Can Dance play “Severance” at Berklee Performing Arts Center in 1991? It’s kind of like that feeling.
- How would I even answer someone if they asked me how this show was.
- I gotta text Jussi. Weren’t we supposed to see them together a few years back?
- Jussi says yes. Wow. I wonder if this would have been more or less intense as a shared experience with someone with whom I used to see the Dandy Warhols all the time in 1994 or so.
- I’ll probably just say “I saw the Dandy Warhols tonight and it was awesome.” No way I could ever write down all of these thoughts. I’ll probably forget them.
- This is kind of what it is to be human isn’t it? A torrent of thoughts at all times. Without a hope and a prayer of ever capturing them all. You could write a book on every second.
- Or is that just me? Well, you know. Not just me, but just some people.
- How can anyone ever know another human being? (Robert Smith: “No one ever knows or loves another.”)
- “Boys Better” was awesome. I can leave now. The Dandys don’t really play encores. Too bad I have to teach tomorrow and fly to NY. We go out and the Dandy Warhols are DJing a dance night and I have to go home and go to bed. Boo.
- Where has my life gone.
- Was Courtney always a hollow body Gibson guy? I thought he played fender.
