May 21, 2009.

I recently received an email from a pen-pal of mine, formerly in Cambodia, now living in Washington, D.C.; he wondered if we might be performing some Galaxie 500 songs at our upcoming shows (in Philadelphia, D.C., and at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City). Yes, we are planning on playing a bunch of Galaxie 500 songs; we did this at the Zipper Factory last year and it was fun and I managed to hit all the high notes. The Galaxie 500 video “Fourth of July” ran on New York Noise last week, followed by amusing comments from some young children. Warning: the video contains violent war imagery in addition to gorilla and clown suits. You can view it here; click on Episode 89, Section 1:

http://nyc.gov/html/nycmg/nyctv/html/music/nynoise.shtml

We rehearsed this week with drummer Jason Bemis Lawrence, who usually sits behind the traps for the Caledonia Mission, and is (like Anthony Lamarca), a graduate of the New School’s jazz program.

June 30 will find us performing the Andy Warhol Screen Test show at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles June 20. We will also be doing a live radio session on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic – June 18. And I’m doing a book reading at Skylight Books 5pm Sunday the 21st (Father’s Day). One father wrote to us this week – said that he was clearing the table after dinner and stumbled upon this drawing of yours truly, created by his 10-year-old son Lucas. Thank you Lucas.

- Dean

May 2, 2009

Yesterday was May Day, International Workers’ Day, which we do not recognize here in the United States. I spent the morning at the periodontist. She installed a titanium post where I had a tooth last year. It’s an odd sensation having that screwed in; I didn’t really enjoy it, and she did not reward me with good painkillers.

Wednesday last we played another show, sitting in with Cheval Sombre at Death By Audio in Williamsburg, a club that reminded me of 8BC in years gone by. Once again I watched the first three songs from the audience before getting on stage, and Cheval Sombre played a hypnotizing set.

Thursday night I went to the premiere and after-party for the new Jim Jarmusch film. Bill Murray was there (he’s in the film for about a minute near the end) and Tilda Swinton, and Gibby Haynes from the Butthole Surfers (who is not in the film). I don’t know any of those people; instead I was there with film producer (and high school classmate) Jason Kliot. Jason directed me in Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit back in twelfth grade. Now I am remembering that my former band-mate Damon had a small part in the play too (he played the valet). Jason and I got to talking about high school, and he reminded me that we first met in 1977, at age 14, at a model U.N., which took place in a big hotel right across from Penn Station. At model U.N.’s high school students come together and pretend that they are diplomats arguing the important issues of the day. I was lost, knowing nothing about disarmament, strategic arms limitation treaties, the plight of Yemen; all I remember is someone yelling at me for eating their draft resolution.

I do not have a personal Facebook account, but my paperback, Black Postcards, does.  I set the page up a couple of weeks ago and my book now has 373 fans. You can visit it here

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Postcards/65987958881

and learn about upcoming activities. Penguin releases the paperback on May 5, and at 7pm next Friday night (May 8th) I’ll be doing a reading at the newly-expanded Book Court in Cobble Hill. This is a book release party, which means wine will likely be involved, you could stop by for a drink on your way home from work.