First, I want to thank everyone who came out to the show last night! I was having a great time, we all were, and I hope you were too. And congratulations to The Lights Out for their CD release. If you weren't there last night to pick up a free copy of their EP ¡Heist!, then you can download it for free directly from their website: http://www.thelightsoutband.com. Thanks again goes to Brian McGee & the Hollow Speed from North Carolina and our buddies from Buffalo Johnny Nobody (who are currently on tour... East End Cafe in Newark, Delaware tonight, kids... be there).

Spent today moving out of our rehearsal space. There's nothing that will remind you how heavy a Rhodes keyboard is like trying to lug that down two sets of stairs. I swear, by the time I'm 35 I'll probably be popping the ibuprofen like nobody's business.

We got all that done with Hugh "1 kudos" Wyman's assistance, who we later went with to get some Mexican food (we were in the mood for burgers, but you know how that goes... "How about Mexican?" "Yea, okay, that sounds like a better idea!"). There's this place out in Somerville/Medford called Rudy's Cafe, which was brilliant— Jen observed that all the patrons and staff were full-fledged Irish (Irish who knew how to make excellent Mexican food). Half the drink menu is dedicated to tequila, too, which isn't my thing, but it might be yours. Tequila makes me cry. Mostly from my mouth.

By the time we got back home, I was knackered and decided to take a nap. It's 1:15am right now, so you can assume it was an awesome nap. I'll probably be up for a few hours now... crap.

I've been listening to the new Coldplay album awhile, and now that the initial period of listening is over, I have to say this is a really good album (sorry Shemp!). They should have put this out in '05 instead of X&Y. It's just better. They pretty much throw all the Verse-Chorus-Verse-Wave Flag in Arena Here-Chorus and any and all sons of Clocks out the window. Yes is a particularly good song (posted below, excuse the mono sound and AWESOME video effects... it's YouTube). In fact, I think what I like about this is that the casual Coldplay fan will hate it.

Okay, off to Movie Editing Land... that is, if my PC doesn't explode. I should probably delete some shit off the computer.

Cheers,
Henry



P.S. Still hate MySpace. Seriously, how can a site this big and used by so many be fraught with so many dumb errors? (Fucking News Corp, that's why.)

Last night the four of us bade farewell to our home for the last year. In some ways, I'm going to miss the place— not least of all the fact that it had a window and a rarely used refrigerator. We spent last Saturday working on a couple of new lumps of clay that resemble songs. Nothing urgent, nothing remotely finished, and they may never even see the light of day. It was great, though. We have zero obligation to work on any new music at the moment, but to have that pressure off and just dick around was very fun.

Finally started reading Eats, Shoots, & Leaves. Before we go on, yes, it's a book about punctuation and how people just don't know how to use it. For example, CD's, BOOK's, and DVD's and BOB,S PET'S = WRONG. The book's been kicking around for a while and now that I've finally starting tearing through it I find I'm not digging it as much as I thought it would. I find it's more about the author passive-aggressively complaining that while her friends were off having fun, she wasn't— specifically, "Around this same time, when other girls of my age were attending the Isle of Wight Festival and having abortions, I..." blah blah blah bling bling bling blah.

Seriously, what is she on about? Sounds like abortions were passed out like candy back in the 70s or something (Were they? I wasn't around, I could be wrong). No wonder she didn't have a life, she sounds like she was a right drag to be around, probably pointing out usage of double-negatives in conversation.

I don't know about you, but I would've rather been at the Isle of Wight festival than, I don't know, obsessing over semicolons or something. And I like semicolons; they're grossly underused and underappreciated. Anyway, I've put the book down. If I wanted to read about misspent youth while turning a nose up at everyone I'd read The Rise And Fall of Harry & Leona Helmsley.

Before I go, I just saw this and it made me laugh before it made me cry. If this offends you then don't watch it and pretend like our governmental operations are running smoothly. Me? I think I may have figured out a way to get out of doing most things.



xoxo,
Henry

P.S. I'm obligated to mention that we have a lot of shows coming up, including tomorrow's Boston show (our last for a while... how long? I don't know, geez, back off!).

P.P.S. I can't stress enough how much I hate doing anything on MySpace... the interface is terrible (maybe I should write a self-serving book about it?)

It is with sadness that I write what so many bloggers who got up earlier than me have already written: the great George Carlin is fuckin' dead.

I had the opportunity to see him in March on his last stand-up tour, and even at 70 (or "69, with a finger up my ass!") the man was so sharp and prescient. The show was certainly thrown onto the great big list of moments that had an impact on me, and for that I gotta thank the guy. His obvious love of the nuances of language and his abhorrence to bullshit was amazing and something to look up to. Who would've thought the guy I knew as "Rufus" as a child turned out to be The George Carlin? (For that matter, who would've thought Keanu Reeves' career would survive beyond that?)

Anyway, I won't go on too long.. Anyone who's seen George in action knows how much the man hated posthumous sentimentality.

Of course there's nothing he can do about it now. The old fuck's expired.

So George, as your spirit travels to the gaseous ball of fire we call The Sun, which you so worshiped in life, please know that I forgive you for Jersey Girl.

Rest in pieces,
Henry

Currently reading :  When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?  By George Carlin  Release date: 2005-10-19

One of our favorite breakfast places in Allston caught fire yesterday. Sucks. I hadn't been there in a few months, but their breakfast there was amazing (particularly their pancakes).
After months and months of being told how awesome it is, I've been using Pandora for a good week now and I'm really enjoying it. The downside of it is after a while you just start hearing the same music over and over again (and really, my whole intent was to get some random new music into the mix), but you can always create a new station and start over. Anyway, it's pretty cool and I think everyone should try it out as I figure out how to get our music on there. Say what you will about royalties, all I need is a few of those pennies to go dunk in a wishing well and have a genie grant me three wishes... or something.. that's how it works, right?

Aside from the shows this summer, our land-grab of the United States continues this Fall with a tour through the Northeast and Midwest. We've already confirmed Buffalo (9/20) and Ewing, NJ (10/1). Now we've just got to fill in the blanks. We're working on hitting a bunch of new places this time (like Iowa, Cleveland, Detriot, Wisconsin, Indiana) and revisting a couple of other places (Chicago, your mom's house... OH! BUUURN!).

Too soon to tell, but afterwards we're going to see if we can squeeze another trip through the South before the year is up. Stranger things have happened. The great thing about blogging is that I haven't promised anything to anyone, so if anything falls through I will not be held accountable.

We're moving out of our "new" space after a year. 'Twas a great little space and most of our neighbors are awesome. However, as cheaper alternatives present themselves, we've gotta take them. Gas ain't getting any cheaper, kids, and viable alternatives haven't been invented yet (oh wait, yes they have!). Still, bookends are nice. We moved in there during the bunker-insano-songwriting phase of Fan The Fury last June/July. Most of the work was done at Ross' basement in June, but we did manage to squeeze out Hard Up In The 2000s and Nero, and July through mid-September was spent tightening the songs. That was a great summer. I didn't even give a shit about the heat.

And now, here's a picture of our website getting crashed.

Cheers,
Henry

For your eyes only: The new teaser for the tour documentary, Hard Up In The 2000s. Henry's been working hard on this thing for the last couple weeks, so he thought he's put together a little trailer for it. Check it out on our website. There's also a hi-quality version here.

You dig clothes... and music? Who doesn't! We're going to Rock The Runway next Thursday, June 12, a baller event. Models and bands. You'll love it.



Cheers,

Jen

PS. Many reviews came in for Fan The Fury over the last couple of days. Thanks to the Claremont Eagle Times, Revolt Media, and the Noise!! Check those out here.