Nurse the Hate: Hate Mistakes

I was talking to someone about what happens when we go play shows. There is a great misperception about the perks of being in a small time indie rock band. It is always disappointing to people to find out that it’s not like a Bon Jovi video. For example, I can’t recall ever having a tour bus with poodle haired/leopard mini skirt clad ladies waiting for our return from the Mohawk Place stage. Maybe if we had made a real commitment to arena rock in the early 90s, that would have turned out differently… Usually what happens is we play a show, and end up in a dirty dressing room covered with stickers of bands you never heard of (unless of course you are a fan of Low Sunday Ghost Machine). We load out our gear around 2:30am while the bar staff yells at the stragglers to “get the fuck out“. But every once in awhile something interesting happens, and we can fall into some behavior that is considered “rock n roll”… Here’s a quick story that‘s our version of a “Behind the Music” episode.

A number of years back, we had a show at the Grog Shop. We played second on a three band bill. After we finished, we hung out in the packed club and knocked back some beers amongst everyone else watching the last band. An unnamed member of the band was approached by a couple of girls. “Hey, were you dancing with that other girl over there?”

“Huh? No…”

“Yes you were! What was her name?”

“Huh?”

After this awkward introduction, this band member soon fell in with the ladies and proceeded to drink beer and hang out until the club closed. Afterwards, he joined them as they headed to Lakewood for a late night diner meal. “Why didn’t you admit you were dancing with that girl?”

“What girl?”

“The blonde with the leather jacket!”

This unnamed band member had no idea of what she was talking about. It didn’t add up. He was on stage, and then was standing at the bar. Not only was she confused as to who he actually was, in fact, he was pretty sure she had mistaken him for someone else entirely. Now the moral dilemma presented itself. Did he clarify with her that he wasn’t who she thought he was, or did he shut his mouth and ride it out?

Well, the decision was made and he kept his mouth shut. They left the diner, and soon he paired off with one of the girls. They slipped into her apartment, and quickly wound up in her bed. After discarding their clothes, she climbed on top of him and the sex began. Suddenly, a moment of clarity washed over her face as she rocked on top of him. “Hey, wait a minute. You’re not Bill, are you?”

He immediately replied.

“Nope”

She slowed down for a second, looked down at him, thought about it, and then continued until completion. They went to sleep, and he got up in the early morning and left quietly. He never saw her again. Try that on for size Bon Jovi!

This is known in band lore as “The Mistake”.

Random Notes: We are headed full force into the greatest doomsday scenario I could have ever imagined. Am I talking about the total worldwide economic collapse? Am I talking about the continued rise in radical Islam? No, I am talking about something much, much worse. The possibility of a Manny Ramirez led LA Dodgers taking on the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. You thought that this summer’s Bret Favre situation on ESPN was bad? That’s nothing compared to this three ring circus. Peter Gammons will somehow be pre empting all regular programming across all channels to provide minute to minute updates on Manny’s batting practice His giant white head will be like a 21st Century Max Headroom. It will be awful. It will be a bloodbath. There will be no way to avoid it. I think you’ll join me when I say “ Let’s go Rays!”… Dexter Romweber was really terrific at his Cleveland show a couple weeks ago. I bought a live CD he had put out for the tour called “It Feels Peculiar” that captured him with his sister Sarah on drums at a gig this summer. Really great stuff. If you can track it down, please do so…The MLB Playoffs have been like my own personal ATM machine. By saying this out loud, I have no chance of continuing this run, but I had to tell somebody…I’m watching the debate right now. Both of these guys are full of shit, but at least Obama seems bright. McCain seems like a guy that is always pissed off at his neighbors. “Fucking teenagers next door with their hippity hop music…” It’s not as clear cut like last election when you knew George Bush was a complete dumbfuck. Honestly, do you ever think about how a full 50% of this nation thinks it was a good idea to have him in charge? “Yep! I’m voting for that fuckup kid of George Seniors. He may have bankrupted a few companies, but it’s not like he can do it to the whole country!”... oh yeah, I like the Dodgers and the Red Sox to win their respected series.