Nov 2
posted by Majestic Ape at 3:02 PM
Nov 2.
For some reason, I don’t sleep well on Tim’s wood floor. I want to go to a coffee shop by 9, since Tim is only a tea drinker. He is leaving for work so he walks me over to the business district in his neighborhood. I get some coffee and wander for an hour, before going back to shower. We get to The Brother’s studio around 11:30. The Brothers were out late and we got a very slow start. Today was organ day and there were lots of distractions in the studio. I set up right next to Josh and his computers and we work until we leave for Maxwell’s around 5pm. Josh and Eric continue to make a very warm and hospitable environment for recording. Eric makes excellent coffee, too, I must add!
The ride to Hoboken is a nightmare. We are playing another CMJ show with The Slits and Genghis. The Slits had asked us to be there by 5 pm with the equipment so they could sound check but we assure them this isn’t going to happen.
On the way into Manhattan, I have to go through a toll. I don’t notice the EZ Pass has fallen again. I get up to the toll gate. Nothing happens. I wave the pass at the light but I have missed the camera. Honking starts. The boys yell different things at me. I just sit there. Eventually, an officer comes over and takes my pass and waves it at the camera. I thank him. He says, “If you had stuck your pass on the windshield, you wouldn’t a had that problem!” Duh.
We take the mid-town tunnel into Manhattan and cross over to the Lincoln tunnel on 34th Street. This would have been a good idea except it literally took an hour to cross 10 blocks. I can’t believe how many people there are in this city. And why are they all crossing the street at the same time? Why don’t they adhere to the pedestrian signals? Why don’t the drivers of the sanitation trucks respect the left turn lane rules and why don’t they wait to turn until there aren’t little old vans moving legally straight through the intersection? Why do they make angry gestures when the female driver looks disturbed by their dangerous and illegal maneuvering? With patience and love, I eventually arrive at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey.
There are no Slits in sight. We load in. I go look for parking. It takes me 20 minutes of driving around downtown Hoboken till I find something. When I get back to the club, we are sound checking. It hits me how hungry I am and I hear Jeff grumbling about starving as well. With all of his vomiting from yesterday, he has been extra ravenous all day.
Sound check takes forever although the sound man is genuinely helpful and pleasant. I ask if Jayme can put in our food order but the wait staff requires that all members of the bands be present before taking our order. Even after sound check is over, Erick still dicks around on stage with tuning. Jeff and I have wicked low blood sugar and I can’t eat anything substantial within 2 hours of playing. We order food and then it takes another 20 minutes to get the appetizer. I take 4 bites of the veggie chili and the waitress takes it away because everyone else is done. I don’t even see what’s going on and I look down and it’s gone.
The regular food arrives. I had ordered a chicken and bean burrito, no cheese. They bring me this massive plate-sized thing that looks like a whale brain and it’s full of cheese. I want to cry. I take a few bites, put the thing in a box, and dump it in the basement. Just then the Slits walk in. It’s almost 9 pm. It doesn’t bother me in the least that they arrive so late. I’m just glad that we didn’t get to the club at 5:00 pm.
My very good friend, Dave Leto, Rye Coalition drummer, has arrived and we spend some time hanging out before I have to change into my costume. After we get levels, I have a great time doing my introductory audience “get to know you” warm-up. I wish so much I could have gotten it right at Knitting Factory! It ends up being quite entertaining.
We play great. We are mentally locked and I do slightly less thrashing so I can focus on accuracy. It is a hard balance to achieve but tonight I feel like less wiggling is worth it. Afterward, I walked away from that stage feeling pretty fantastic. All four of us are in agreement.
I hang out with Dave for a while longer and after he leaves, I go change into my street clothes. I am delighted when I find that Erick has placed his sweat -soaked costume on my dry street clothes. I push them off and don’t notice that they drop on the floor. I start munching that burrito and experience a moment of terror about body weight. I’m hungry. I eat.
Erick comes down and sees his clothes on the floor. He is not happy. He tells me that I’m not too popular with the band right now. I had eaten 2 of Breck’s apples the night before and forgot to tell him. I apologized during dinner but still, it was not cool. Erick and I speak in raised volumes toward each other and I end up just feeling like a total piece of shit. High highs and low lows. I may as well go for a walk, alone in the cold and dark, to raise my spirits.
I find an open liquor store. I buy some almonds. I wish I was more attracted to drugs and alcohol. Any substance other than food seems easier to deal with. Then there is no balancing act.
Back at the club, The Slits are still playing. I read the Village Voice in the restaurant. After the show, we notice the bassist for Pavement and the drummer for Sonic Youth were in the audience.
On the drive back to Brooklyn, I see the same police officer that yelled at me earlier about the EZ Pass. This time we make eye contact and I sense that he is leering at me sexually. The boys confirm this. Then Jayme sings, “Redemption Song,” in the voice of a child with Cockney English. We laugh like crazy. The exit we need to take is 5 lanes over after the tunnel and there is no earlier sign. We miss it totally. Jeff and I bicker till we get back to Brooklyn. My eyes are heavy. I want to sleep so badly. I need a break from myself. The sleep rehab hospital fantasy begins and I do sleep some.
For some reason, I don’t sleep well on Tim’s wood floor. I want to go to a coffee shop by 9, since Tim is only a tea drinker. He is leaving for work so he walks me over to the business district in his neighborhood. I get some coffee and wander for an hour, before going back to shower. We get to The Brother’s studio around 11:30. The Brothers were out late and we got a very slow start. Today was organ day and there were lots of distractions in the studio. I set up right next to Josh and his computers and we work until we leave for Maxwell’s around 5pm. Josh and Eric continue to make a very warm and hospitable environment for recording. Eric makes excellent coffee, too, I must add!
The ride to Hoboken is a nightmare. We are playing another CMJ show with The Slits and Genghis. The Slits had asked us to be there by 5 pm with the equipment so they could sound check but we assure them this isn’t going to happen.
On the way into Manhattan, I have to go through a toll. I don’t notice the EZ Pass has fallen again. I get up to the toll gate. Nothing happens. I wave the pass at the light but I have missed the camera. Honking starts. The boys yell different things at me. I just sit there. Eventually, an officer comes over and takes my pass and waves it at the camera. I thank him. He says, “If you had stuck your pass on the windshield, you wouldn’t a had that problem!” Duh.
We take the mid-town tunnel into Manhattan and cross over to the Lincoln tunnel on 34th Street. This would have been a good idea except it literally took an hour to cross 10 blocks. I can’t believe how many people there are in this city. And why are they all crossing the street at the same time? Why don’t they adhere to the pedestrian signals? Why don’t the drivers of the sanitation trucks respect the left turn lane rules and why don’t they wait to turn until there aren’t little old vans moving legally straight through the intersection? Why do they make angry gestures when the female driver looks disturbed by their dangerous and illegal maneuvering? With patience and love, I eventually arrive at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey.
There are no Slits in sight. We load in. I go look for parking. It takes me 20 minutes of driving around downtown Hoboken till I find something. When I get back to the club, we are sound checking. It hits me how hungry I am and I hear Jeff grumbling about starving as well. With all of his vomiting from yesterday, he has been extra ravenous all day.
Sound check takes forever although the sound man is genuinely helpful and pleasant. I ask if Jayme can put in our food order but the wait staff requires that all members of the bands be present before taking our order. Even after sound check is over, Erick still dicks around on stage with tuning. Jeff and I have wicked low blood sugar and I can’t eat anything substantial within 2 hours of playing. We order food and then it takes another 20 minutes to get the appetizer. I take 4 bites of the veggie chili and the waitress takes it away because everyone else is done. I don’t even see what’s going on and I look down and it’s gone.
The regular food arrives. I had ordered a chicken and bean burrito, no cheese. They bring me this massive plate-sized thing that looks like a whale brain and it’s full of cheese. I want to cry. I take a few bites, put the thing in a box, and dump it in the basement. Just then the Slits walk in. It’s almost 9 pm. It doesn’t bother me in the least that they arrive so late. I’m just glad that we didn’t get to the club at 5:00 pm.
My very good friend, Dave Leto, Rye Coalition drummer, has arrived and we spend some time hanging out before I have to change into my costume. After we get levels, I have a great time doing my introductory audience “get to know you” warm-up. I wish so much I could have gotten it right at Knitting Factory! It ends up being quite entertaining.
We play great. We are mentally locked and I do slightly less thrashing so I can focus on accuracy. It is a hard balance to achieve but tonight I feel like less wiggling is worth it. Afterward, I walked away from that stage feeling pretty fantastic. All four of us are in agreement.
I hang out with Dave for a while longer and after he leaves, I go change into my street clothes. I am delighted when I find that Erick has placed his sweat -soaked costume on my dry street clothes. I push them off and don’t notice that they drop on the floor. I start munching that burrito and experience a moment of terror about body weight. I’m hungry. I eat.
Erick comes down and sees his clothes on the floor. He is not happy. He tells me that I’m not too popular with the band right now. I had eaten 2 of Breck’s apples the night before and forgot to tell him. I apologized during dinner but still, it was not cool. Erick and I speak in raised volumes toward each other and I end up just feeling like a total piece of shit. High highs and low lows. I may as well go for a walk, alone in the cold and dark, to raise my spirits.
I find an open liquor store. I buy some almonds. I wish I was more attracted to drugs and alcohol. Any substance other than food seems easier to deal with. Then there is no balancing act.
Back at the club, The Slits are still playing. I read the Village Voice in the restaurant. After the show, we notice the bassist for Pavement and the drummer for Sonic Youth were in the audience.
On the drive back to Brooklyn, I see the same police officer that yelled at me earlier about the EZ Pass. This time we make eye contact and I sense that he is leering at me sexually. The boys confirm this. Then Jayme sings, “Redemption Song,” in the voice of a child with Cockney English. We laugh like crazy. The exit we need to take is 5 lanes over after the tunnel and there is no earlier sign. We miss it totally. Jeff and I bicker till we get back to Brooklyn. My eyes are heavy. I want to sleep so badly. I need a break from myself. The sleep rehab hospital fantasy begins and I do sleep some.
1 Comments:
you, like eve, made the mistake of eating the apple
now you pay. great seeing you guys. it was awesome. i like
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