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Utica, NY! not too far away.

in typical fashion, here i am again to offer up some stupid, silly fluff video content to divert attention from the actually worthwhile posts (the great Drago/Hearne interview and the subsequent discussion, in this case).

James’s answers to my interview questions have been added to my Sobriquets piece.

I met Dan Drago probably around ninth or tenth grade, which I think was about the time he and James Hearne, whom I had known from earlier back, got together and began playing music.  Their high school band, G.G. Schwae, blended pop rock hooks with rootsier explorations, and captured the swirl of hard-edged alternative, eighties college rock, and freer-form jamming that populated the cooler part of the Rochester radio dial during the mid- to late 1990s.  Schwae became the sort of unofficial house band of an extended group of friends at Fairport High School – I have fond memories of James, Dan and company playing in my parents’ living room at my high school graduation party, and of Schwae convincingly winning Fairport’s Battle of the Bands in 1996 or 1997.

Through the magic of Facebook, I recently got back in touch with Dan and James, and learned that they’re still playing together, in the Philadelphia-based rock band The Sobriquets.  They generously agreed to get me and Roaring Shark up to speed in interview format.  The conversation that follows looks back at the Schwae years, gets in depth on the music they’re playing now, and tackles more general questions about regional music scenes, the industry, and the business of being in a touring band in 2009.

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I was thinking about passing over the latest round of rock show listings for the Fire Escape in Sacramento, but when I saw that September 11th would feature the triumphant return of Sexrat (note: not “Sex Rat,” as previously reported), I decided to wade once again into the waters of comically terrible band names.

By the way, Sleepnoise – Fire Escape veterans – played a double bill with Broken Poet at Bislo’s Sports Bar on the 4th…

Rage against math:

9/12 features a show with The Collected, supported by three bands with math/measurement-related names.  In typical Fire Escape fashion, they all communicate a sense of misplaced, futile, somewhat creepy and generally dumb-as-dirt anger:

- The Stalking Distance (can this be quantified?)

- Nine Even (nine is of course not even…right guys?)

- Zero for zero (assuming this refers metaphorically to a win/loss record, it’s not badass or mopey to imply that you’re a loser because your record is 0-0.  That just means the season hasn’t started yet)

“My precious!” Generally unctuous:

- One Dying Secret

- Eyes of Noctum

Strangely underwhelming:

- Grey Atlas (I can’t possibly think of a less compelling object)

- Damage Over Time (sounds repurposed from a public service announcement about second-hand smoke)

Reliably disgusting:

- Killgasm

- Motorgrater

Guys, I did the legwork on what we need to create green jobs.

0:12, lower right coffee cup
0:58, just whats back there do you think
1:05, T_T
1:46, not how you play guitar
3:30, v(^_^)v

My girlfriend and I have just finished watching two seasons worth of Mad Men.  Here are a few things I’ve learned from the show.  Note that these lessons largely ignore the distinction between the “real” early 1960s and the time period as it’s portrayed on the show – sort of like I choose to believe that Tommy Carcetti from The Wire is the actual mayor of Baltimore.  Don’t take this too seriously, in other words.

1. Toxic social mores and standards of formality seem to be inversely related.  Don Draper and company are actively sexist, passively racist, sometimes homophobic pigs.  They also wear incredible suits.  Hopefully this is coincidental, as I’d like to wear cool suits without acting like a bastard.

2. Whether someone is an alcoholic is as much a social determination as it is medical. 

3. If there is one area in which we’ve improved as a society since the era of Mad Men, it’s in…our attitude toward littering.*  If there’s something we’ve lost, it’s an acceptance of our God-given right to drink on the commuter rail.**

4. Guns seem to have been as available during the 1950s/early 1960s as they are now, and yet homicide rates were lower then.  This would seem to challenge the argument that it’s the over-abundance of guns that’s the problem.  Then again, Pete Campbell just might kill somebody with that shotgun of his.

5. Straight American men have become progressively less comfortable with form-fitting clothing.  For further evidence, see old NBA footage.  

6. Golf was nearly as lame in 1963 as it is now.  What makes it even lamer now? The golf cart.  

* = Women also seem to be better treated in the workplace.

** = And I mean actually purchasing a cocktail on the commuter rail and drinking it in your seat…while smoking.