Here is a pretty interesting Modest Mouse Documentary made right before we moved up to Seattle in 1998. The guy in the first part of the video is a dude names Chris Takino, he was a sweet man and wanted to sign us to UP while we were in Seattle, but sadly got diagnosed with cancer and died shortly after we met him. What a rad dude, RIP.

Reflecting today on my youth, back in the 90’s trying to figure out how to be in a band and all that stuff. Moved up to San Francisco in 1996 and had evolved into such a “cool” machine, read died black hair, black stay pressed levis and Juno 60’s with beatle boots, that I was ignoring all bands that were bigger than the VSS unless of course you were Unwound or the Make up. Along came a young dude in the band I was in around the time of starting the Rapture named Michael Talbot who was in The Calculators with Vito and I. This kid would not say no and besides turning me onto OK Computer which I was too “cool” to listen to, he also made Vito a cassette mix tape of Modest Mouse songs at the time, all his favorites. Those dudes can definitely write some songs. I remember being in awe/jealous that they had come to the Bottom of the Hill and sold that out, I went to the show, and came back like two months later and then sold out the Fillmore, then sold it out twice like a year later, I didn’t go. That was mind blowing and I had to admit that making a record with a producer would actually be a good idea. While I didn’t get around to doing that right so fast it still lasted in my mind. Here is to album 3.

Love from Paris,

Luke

Man I loved this band so much when I was a kid. Now that I think of it that Fugazi, Blond Redhead, Unwound show totally altered the course of my life. Sometime in the mid 90’s. What a great drummer, what a great power trio, no slackers. Hardcore meet shoegaze in the best possible way, with somehow, black flag et al. thrown in.

Zdar: Genuis de Piano from gdruzzi on Vimeo.

Last night as I lay in bed reading my book, “Teenage: The Prehistory of Youth Culture” by Jon Savage, I received a text message. The familiar stock “bell” sound of my cellular phone chimed and I immediately began to wonder, “Who could this be? Another text from my service provider informing me I am late on my bill? A junk text keeping me abreast of the latest Gov’t fleet/repo car sale?” No, it was my new, very wonderful friend Philippe. I should have guessed this as Philippe sends me texts nightly, often extolling the virtues of his genius as a producer and elaborating on his idea that The Rapture was a “terrible shit band from Cincinnati” until we crossed his path. Last night’s text was a bit out of the ordinary, it read “Yo bro tell the others that the album is gonna be fantastic and tell it to yourself by the way. I love you my new friends and I’m proud to be part of this adventure…”

This song got stuck in my head a while ago and I couldn’t remember who it was. It drove me nuts then I remembered, Cracker. Song still holds up. Video really takes me back, Sandra Bernhardt…wow. I think I’m going to grow a ponytail and buy a pick up truck, again.

Here is a party that my long time friend Ben White, ex-Go Go Go Airheart, has in Los Angeles. It’s pretty rockin’ I’m told. Above is a video of some pretty awesome bands playing a pretty awesome party.

Here is some music from one of my mentors in music, Mike Vermillion. I met this guy a long time ago in San Diego growing up when I had Billy Corgan hair, circa Gish, and he turned me on to all kinds of stuff like Gang of Four and PIL Metal Box and more obscure stuff like that. Also Happy Mondays and tons of other good bands that eventually influenced the crud out of me.

Here is a nice review from The Village Voice about my friend Carlos’ band Ava Luna.

Luke