Even as a kindergartener I thought it was weird that Jim was always Markin Perkins' enforcer. "Jim checks the crocodile's teeth while Marlin stays in the Land Rover," or "Marlin waits in the Land Rover while Jim goes in to order two McChicken value meals."

We opened for James in…. '90? Not the most humble, approachable people.

Heavily recommend Joy Formidable. They're a bit… um formal? Formulaic? There's a certain "This is what we do" quality to their music, but they do it well and seem to believe in it. Also they are dynamite live.

Codeine were almost unlistenable live. I could appreciate the tension of waiting for the next note, but it was a tough slog to get through a set.

That was much more interesting (as was the music) that I'd expected. I frankly was like most people, dimly remembering "Cars" and knowing I'd seen a recent photo of him looking a long younger than he should. I'm going to check out a bit more of his music now… he comes across as being very self-aware, able to know what…

JDL, I should have thought of you when I walked by Joe Strummer Subway, which leads to the Edgeware Road station. http://tinyurl.com/d236u37

Paging Julie Delpy's Lipstick…

As has been mentioned in other threads, the average AV Cub reader probably makes Matthew Sweet look like George Clooney. But it is such FUN to throw stones in our glass houses!

Uncle Green. Damn. Talk about a cautionary tale… nicest guys ever, really good songs, tight live. Got signed to Atlantic, or was it Epic? Anyway, Brendan O'Brien produced them, as he had their previous DB Recs releases, I figure next time I see those guys they'll be huge, but the label basically decides not to bother…

And thusly was Thomas Ruggles Pynchon discovered to be lurking on the comment boards of the A.V. Club.

What's the documentary? Hah, it was Selmanaires, Snowden and Deerhunter I'd assume? I want to watch it and point and laugh and then remind those youngsters of The Jody Grind, Smoke, James Hall, Jarboe, and a few of their predecessors…

Bradford is a nice guy in person. Still, I'm a little puzzled by the uniform praise handed out for everything he does, as it's all over the map and I find it hit-or-miss. Apparently he's sequenced the music reviewer genome.

Yeah, add a Phoebe Cates interview, or maybe Jennifer Beals and It's a very pleasant flashback.

"only want to be as good as the Pixies" is a funny enough ambition. Adding "happy they ended up beyond that," goes into theater of the absurd.

Agreed. Also one hell of a live show. Was fortunate enough to see her in a smallish venue in Cleveland Heights a few years ago.

Nearly any cut off Sea Change counts. It's one of those albums where the artist seems exhausted, but in a way that makes it better.

They appeal to the same demographic. 35 to 45, middle management or maybe works in an ad agency or some kind of media company, sporty 4-door import car, a kid, a 401(k), likes to think s/he is in tune with what's happening in music (but isn't,) drinks good beer.

I'd call The Flaming Lips the world's premier Flaming Lips satirists. I used to think they could do no wrong through Clouds and Transmissions. Rocked hard without being hard rock, made crazy sounds without being pretentious art assholes. Then Ronald quit and they were kinda on hiatus and Wayne did those parking lot…

I'm trying to make up a smartassed reply but can't. +1

I have some problems. Seriously, when G'nR got big I was amazed that adding some nasal falsetto hair metal vocals to recycled Aerosmith was somehow ballsy. Hell, a bunch of those New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands were way more rockin.' G'n"R was and is just Def Leppard with worse hygiene.