(6:05 am)
("confessions of a futon revolutionist" - the weakerthans)

ever find yourself wondering what you can do to make me a happier person?

even further, ever find yourself wondering if my love can be bought?  well, not surprisingly, it can be.

that said, why don't you buy me one/two/three/all of the following:

-fugazi; 13 songs; repeater + 3 songs
-jimmy eat world; clarity; static prevails
-faith no more; angel dust
-mr bungle; california
-weezer; maladroit
-velvet underground; velvet underground and nico; white light/white heat, volume I: bootleg series - quine ta
-the clash; clash
-bob dylan; live 1966 - bootleg series volume 4; time out of mind; john wesley harding
-aphex twin; selected ambient works 85-92
-mulholland drive; dvd or vhs
-tape; dvd or vhs
-the usual suspects; special edition dvd
-the man who was not there; dvd

you know i love you anyway, even if you don't buy me any of these things.  i'd just love you a little more if you did.

___

so, yeah.  reel big fish was the best concert i've been to in a long time, maybe ever.  the energy was just incredible.

jason, lou and i got there a little early, in time for the opening act, a three-piece punk band called home grown.  they were pretty cool, typical popunk, but hey.  punk is what it is and it doesn't really care.  and i do enjoy it.  so i bought a couple of home grown's eps and also a sticker.

rbf's merch table only had t-shirts and sweatshirts, no stickers, which sucks.  i need one for my car.  anyway, the theme from indiana jones plays with all the lights out, and then there they are.  "we're chaka khan," says scott as they blast off into an hour and forty-five minute set.

it was orgasmic, truly.  the entire place seemed to be reel big fish fans.  almost everyone in the crowd sang along to every song.  i know i did.  jason sang a lot too.

they did a few covers here and there - the specials, pilfers, ah-ha of coursee, run-dmc.  sometime between here and their last album, rbf got a black guy namned tyler playing trumpet for them, and he was cool as hell.  the new album, cheer up, is out june 25th, and they played five new songs from it, the only ones i didn't know by heart.

it was just a beautiful evening.  god bless ska.

___

"if someone came up to me tomorrow and told me junior was murdered in any number of bloody and horrible ways, i wouldn't feel a thing," he said as i watched him cook the burger.  i nodded, he sort of chuckled.  "not a thing."

"here's your order sir.  take care."

a one-eighty.  "scratch that.  i would feel something:  joy."

i nod again, watching as he looks with pure hatred at his next costumer.  the cook smiles.  the customer winces.  "plain burger, please."

"certainly sir," and he turns to help the customer.  muttering to me, "i hate these people.  i hate every goddamn one of you, you maggots."  turns around, burger in hand.  "here's your order sir.  take care."

this is who runs you, corporate america.  this is who cooks you the food you need to survive.  this is who you spit upon.  this is who you cast the condescending look upon when your fries are a little cold.  this is who give your money to.

he hates you.  each and every one of you.