RIP - Bob Bogle (The Ventures)

(Thanks to Ben for the link)

I'd like my buds on the eastern seaboard of the US to read this. The guy is 150% correctamundo. Try to attend one of the shows... (Thanks to Lovisa for the info)

"Hello Friends

Here is a story. If you don't want to read the story and just want the quick info, skip to the bold section at the bottom. But it is a pretty good story. If you are in the music biz, as many on this email are, please take the time to check this out, as it is about a band that I think will be big in America. OK, the long version:

At the beginning of May I went to Umea Sweden for a festival. It was really boring for the first few days, and Swedish people are pretty cold and hate Americans. Which made me love America. Or New York at least. But that is a different story.

In this story, my trip picks up on that Thursday night, the first night of the Festival, when my hosts over there take me to see their friends' band... TWO WHITE HORSES. The stage is set up with a keyboard, a snare drum, and assorted little bells and such. When the band, which consists of only a brother and sister dressed all in white and carrying wooden horse heads on sticks, does a tour of the room to synthesized Renaissance music I mumble to myself "uh oh" as I assume the worst...that I am now stuck watching a Swedish Indie Hipster band.

What actually happens is this: I am treated to 30 minutes of the most beautiful, honest, and heartfelt music I have ever seen played on stage. I know that sounds like a gross exaggeration, but remember...I grew up in the 80s. And live in the 00s. Which means the pickins have been slim indeed for me.

After their set I sat down with the band (Lovisa and Jakob) for drinks, but being a true lightweight and having had three glasses of Swedish wine (which comes either on tap or in a box!), I came across as an American. Which they fear and mistrust. But I was charming and enthusiastic enough to at least pique there interest when I offered to bring them to America. I was given one of their CDs and thanked for my enthusiasm, and then told "please tell us this when you are not drunk on Swedish wine." Fair enough.

Friday and Saturday of that weekend were very busy with SOR shows and rehearsals, so I did not listen to the CD until Sunday which was a day off in Sweden. On Sunday I listened to the CD 2 times all the way through, which is AMAZING for me, considering I skip songs on LZ4. Halfway through time number 3 I am now 100%convinceded that I have discovered a band that will be huge in America. I know that sounds like a gross exaggeration, but I go to Lolla, ACL, NAMM, etc every year and see tons of US bands trying to play music like this and not coming close to the majesty of this band. I am now officially excited.

I get on the phone, and after a bunch of calls discover that TWO WHITE HORSES are playing a tour finale show in their home village of Gbubenjungherteven. Or something like that. So I grab 3 SOR kids, get in a way overpriced Swedish cab, and go to that town. They are playing in a town hall in a tiny village and their mom is serving apple juice at the door. Awesome. They arsurpriseded and excited to see me. They play another 30 minutes of magic music, I laugh, I cry, and the three kids are blown away. Or at least they pretend to be because they want to impress me.

We go out to dinner that night, and now completely sober I repeat my offer. They start to get excited as well, I can tell, but in their own cautiously Swedish way. I get back to America and play the CD for my wife, who I trust most of all. She LOVES it and insists that I personally manage this band, even though I have no real experience with that, because I won't try to change them because I love them. I play it for my dear friend Jake Szufnarowski, the legendary NYC concert promoter. He sees it right away, becomes co manager, and we decide not to wait til the fall because we are too excited. So we buy them tickets and book them shows and they are coming over next week and I think its awesome."

June 19 @ 9:00pm - Southpaw, Brooklyn
June 20 @ 8:00pm - The Black Lodge, Philadelphia
June 21 @ 3:00pm - Rocks Off Concert Cruise, aboard the Half Moon NY
June 22 @ 9:00pm - Pianos, NY
June 24 @ 7:30pm - Union Hall Brooklyn
June 26 @ 8:00pm - Mercury Lounge, NY

I kept hearing the expression "lessons learned" this morning on the wireless.

Sadly though there was no follow through with the Matt & Kim anthem of the same name. No, it was more governmental guff, taking it ever beyond something that would be far-fetched if it was penned by that Armando Ianucci (sp? I can't be arsed checking it) bloke. We're being bled dry by a vast army of parasites. Get over it, right? Er, no... best way to deal with it, of course, is not to vote. Or to display any signs of teaching these leeches any sort of lesson that they'll never learn anyway because they're pathologically and morally bankrupt. I would have gone out the door in a much better mood if they'd just played the bloody M&K tune. That was then, this is now and I have some info to compile whilst listening to NoFoSo that will be appearing overhead later on today. Unless I get sidetracked.

SO MANY RECORDS... has moved. Update them bookmarks!!