Hot on the heels of two shows with Boris, one with Jesu and one with the Melvins, I leave
 for the next leg of the Comedians of Comedy tour. This time I fly up to Boston for our first show at the Roxy. The comedians are staying at the Liberty Hotel which is a recently converted prison in one of the richest parts of downtown. It pays to have a good travel agent.

The show tonite was at the Roxy and was a fantastic way to start off the tour except for the fact that we were up against game two of the World Series with the Red Sox in the game. For fear of sounding cheesy, the city was absolutely electric, but it didn’t seem to affect our show much. Patton closed the show by bringing a new comic (some kid named Ploof) onto the stage to do a few jokes. Not bad. Patton also spent a good bit of time talking about the herculean security guards that were keeping our backstage safe. Absolutely enormous guys. Patton’s main observation was that it seemed like a case of reverse Darwinism where these fine human specimens were protecting his doughy ass. The gutards really seemed to like it.

Brian gettin’ down on the way to Hartford…

Immediately after the show, we head to Hartford without Patton and the next morning head on to Dickenson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Horrible traffic the whole way. So bad, in fact, that we went directly to the show and go tthere just in time for doors. My mom, sister and one uncle decide to make the 20 mile trek up to see me which was a great treat.

The show was in a school lecture hall which was certainly one of the more peculiar venues we’ve ever done. The one thing that was odd to all of us is that it was the first COC show that Patton wasn’t attending. Still, the show was surprisingly good. Fun crowd. After the show, we immediately made our way back to Harrisburg to our hotel to get some sleep before heading to NYC in the AM.

Congrats Maria! Guest of the Day!

The only other funny thing is that Maria was granted "Guest of the Day" status at our hotel which basically meant she got a free bottle of fizzy water. Good times.

An email from my buddy Andy from the Athens band The Dumps: "YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS. It is something being done with your Pelican poster."

And to think that the poster was a simple challenge from Laurent in Pelican. He wanted Rambo on their show poster, and well, I obliged with Rambo on a unicorn. Simple.

The original….

But man, can you see some of the other art on this guy’s back?

They come up to Roswell after a night of rockin’ the kids of Georgia, they get a night of fun in bumper cars and then the "official" game happens and then everybody but Team Chunklet walks home a loser. This time? The Shins!

Team Chunklet & Team Shins

Sure, they can fill up the local civic arena, sure they get teenage girl’s hearts a’twitter, but do they have team skills? Uh, sure? Maybe?

Before our game, The Shins played versus their crew and lost in sudden death 6 to 4. Our game was slightly more lopsided at 16 to 6. James was their big score monkey and Jesse played good defense. Dave and Marty? Well, consider Team Chunklet the big cat and them the little mouse that we play with our paws before destroying.

Because things were so hectic around the time, I didn’t get a chance to mention that we had a rematch versus Queens of the Stone Age and clocked in another victory. That took us to 40 and 0, and with the Shins, we’re now 41 and 0.

I’m 99% sure there’ll be a rematch in December when they’re here for some new-style payola gig for 99X.

But all in all, a fun night. The rematch awaits!

This comes from my buddy Andy Harward. Man, it’s like a week full of crew dudes contributing to the chunklet.com site!

Flaming Lips shirt (front)

Andy writes: "So one of our drivers just got off tour with the Lips and brought this in. [It’s] pretty amazing!  Apparently the local dudes loved them too. In case you can’t make out the text on the back of the shirt from the pic, it reads: " I LOADED IN WITH THE FLAMING LIPS AND THEY WERE A BUNCH OF PUSSIES" and then in lower case: " Thanks to all the great load in/out crews of the world "  They caricature is of a ogre looking crew dude and then 4 pussies with arms and legs! with an arrow and text "band" !!!"

Flaming Lips shirt (back)

Man, leave it to the Flaming Lips to come up with yet another inventive gimmick. And hey, can anybody score me one of these?

To say that I worshipped Pylon in my younger days is a gross understatement. After quickly cross-referencing them with R.E.M. from their cover of "Crazy" back in ’84 or ’85, I was sold. Within weeks I had all their albums, singles and even their 10" from the UK all which I purchased straight from Danny Beard at DB Records in Atlanta. Within a few more weeks, I was in the Pylon Fan Club which, to this day, is still the only music fan club I’ve ever joined. Hell, I still have my club membership card. So yeah, for being 16, I was immersed in Pylon.

My devotion didn’t change much over the following years. I’d receive newsletters (the era’s own "myspace" if you can believe it) in the mail, became pen pals with Michael and drove countless miles to see them in DC, New York and even Richmond opening for R.E.M. in ’89. When I finally moved to Athens, it was the week of their "final" show where they actually sold off their equipment to the highest bidder (the "eBay" of its era) through silent auction. Subsequent years living in Athens would just have the random Curtis or Randy sighting, but it was Michael who was always around DJing at the 40 Watt during those years. Vanessa was busy being a mom and a nurse, I only saw her once when Fred Schneider did a solo gig at the 40 Watt, but other than that, not a peep.

To justify my adoration of the band in the "lean" era of Athens, I was able to convince Man or Astro-Man? to record a version of "Italian Movie Theme" for their UFO 7" that I issued in 1996. I still think it might be the best single they ever released if only for that Pylon cover alone.

Pylon live

As my life has been, I was out of town when Pylon decided to reunite (again) a few years back. I blew seeing their first show back at Little Kings and all but two other shows. The Comedians of Comedy have put quite a cramp in my social calendar. However, I will say that every show I see by Pylon is still unquestionably incredible. They’re even playing a few shows here and there which, if you’re wise, you’ll go and check out.

Regardless, I have been anxiously awaiting their "Gyrate" reissue that came out today on DFA. In honor of "Gyrate" re-issue day, I’m posting a few live mp3s of Pylon live at the Memorial Hall Ballroom at UGA back in 1982. I was lucky to catch a rebroadcast of this back in ’95 when I was working at the university.

Play it loud, play it often, and be sure to pick up the reissued "Gyrate". Fidelity-wise, it’s been remastered and blows the collection "Hits" completely out of the water. An absolutely perfect album if there ever was one.

Pylon – Working Is No Problem (Athens ’82)

Pylon – Cool (Athens ’82)

Pylon – Danger (Athens ’82)

Pylon – Gravity (Athens ’82)

Pylon – Stop It (Athens ’82)

Pylon – M Train (Athens ’82)

Pylon – Italian Movie Theme (Athens ’82)

My buddy Mark Duston was talking to me about a year ago about this game, and now I finally get the email from him making it materialize. I’ll let you read below and then add your own suggestions/entrees/apps/desserts in the comments section. Should be fun. Take it away, Mark!

"I started this game on a flight from Orlando to NYC a few years ago after seeing at the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando a menu item called Steven Tyler Quesadillas. I was afraid to tell Nick across from me on the flight what I was laughing so hard about cause it was so stupid but once I did it spread through the band and crew like wildfire and for days i was taking notes from everyone and even getting middle of the night texts… a new one comes in now and again still.

(Editor’s Note: I’ve only included the first 20 or so he typed for sanity’s sake)
Crooked Chicken Fingers
Frank Blackened Catfish
Sole Asylum (alternate: Sole Coughing)
Husker Stew
Kyle Mignon
Gang of Four Cheese Pizza
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Prawns
Nine inch Snails
Catherine Cheesewheel
Cornish Game Hendrix
Death Crab for Cutie
Superchunk Chocolate Cake
Teenage Fanclub Sandwich
Hot Not Meat (veggie menu)
Soundgarden Burger
Fleetwood Mac and Cheese
Shrimpbizkit
Stew Order
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Breadsticks
The Afghan Wings
Rites of Spring Rolls
Archers of Meatloaf
Pjork with the Gravery"

Okay…..Go forth and make me a menu, dammit!

There’s no shortage of "songs" such as this, but this one really busted my gut. What we have here is a prime example of a regional el’ pee that never made its way out of the mid-west…(not that it had aspirations to in the first place).

4. Hi, Jimmy….this is Mr. Truck.

At first glance I thought it was an Elliott Smith bootleg.

“Jesus, This Is Jimmy”

Note: You can’t see her face for 50% of her set because of the trumpet. The other 50% she’s "dancing". Genius.

The day before he was to get his photo taken for Fader Magazine, Bradford was over at the house looking through records and basically bein’ best bros with our dog Bun E. Carlos. I jokingly suggested that he take his photo with Bun for the shoot and he immediately (and sincerely) concurred.

Bradford and Bun sprawling out in Grant Park

I had a doctor’s appointment at the predetermined time, so I just dropped Bun off with Cole Alexander from The Black Lips who was to interview Bradford. When I returned an hour later, the photographer was happy with the photos with Bun, but I didn’t know HOW good it turned out until I checked out Fader on Sunday on our way back from the airport.

With Sarah and me being the proud puppy parents that we are, we’ll have to (obviously) recommend you pick the new issue up. And who knows? You might actually care about Spank Rock or Band of Horses or whatever.