Posted Monday, February 17, 2003 @ 05:35 AM  

J'espere.....

Posted Tuesday, March 25, 2003 @ 08:19 PM      

I went to college in central NY, a 5-hour ride from home (NYC), and during my senior year I saw AD at CBs either during a break or a weekend trip. My friends were going and I had no idea what to expect. One look at Tom's coat (I always thought of it as a lab coat) and I was riveted. I think I saw a flash of his scrotum that night. Normally not a big deal, but the two guitar co-lead thing and Steve's drumming and Tom's voice just caused something in my brain to explode. After that, I was taking Greyhound every time AD was playing in NYC during the weekend (ten hours of hell total for each gig--a worthwhile exchange, I think). Then I was thrilled to find the back of my head prominently positioned in the inside photo of the "Bucketfulls" CD. (I'm the one with the head not unlike a large black tribble, standing next to the balding blond guy, whose surname, incidentally, is "Egg."
I moved back to NYC after I graduated and a few years later saw an ad in the local weekly that said: Bassist wanted, backing vocals, preferably female. Influences: Alice Donut. I meant to call, but somehow got distracted, and a few weeks later, there was another ad: Alice Donut seeks a bassist... etc. This time I made sure I called. I talked to Michael and he scheduled me in for an audition at Big Fun on 23rd. I got there and found a bunch of guys waiting for their auditions--I think I sat through hearing every single one played "Mother of Christ." I couldn't find a copy of Mule and only had the first 2 albums (yeah, vinyl), so I told them I only knew a limited number of songs, and they were cool with that. I had so much fun playing with them and was so nervous that I don't really remember much. All I remember was the excitement, but also feeling like "why the fuck was I so nervous?" so I called Michael and talked to his brother, explained that I wasn't up to par or something like that. He was very nice and said he'd put in a good word for me. He must've, 'cos Michael called be back to do a second audition at their rehearsal space.
I was a little more relaxed this time, buy my "brilliant" plan to keep cool that time was to show up with a sixpack--most of which I drank during the audition. It went better--I actually remember that one! I kept playing "Sky of Bones" too slowly and Steve kept making me stop and start over again a bunch of times! But it was fun, and loud, and how many poeple get to play with their favorite bands? Tom even said to me at the end, "You have a really good voice." (Most people usually compare me to Yoko Ono--"but not in a bad way"--okay?)
So that, right there, remains as one of the highlights of my pathetic little life.
I admit I was thoroughly heartbroken when Michael called to let me know that they picked Sissi, but she's really good and has a way better voice and I sure can't play banjo! She made great albums with them, and who knows if she & Tom might not have hooked up otherwise, so that's cool, too.
So I ended up playing in some other band, as usual, that goes really well composing-wise, but always breaks up after you've spent a lot of cash on recording...story of my life.

But a few months later, I was really bored and hyper and went out--for the first and only time ever--by myself to bars. I found AD at Wally's--they had just been to see the ridiculous Monster Trucks show at Madison Square Garden and couldn't stop talking about it. I needed to socialize and was grateful for their entertaining accounts of their recent experience. I don't know if I was cramping their style by intruding on their boys' night out, but they certainly were good sports about it because I couldn't tell.

Since before then, my life has been full of AD coincidences, too many to bore you with. Some highlights: One of my ex-funeral-home-housemates knew them. I went to college with someone who knew them. The man in my life now, when we first hooked up, was in a band called Mary Asparagus, its name inspired by AD. He and I later moved into a sublet on 37th Street and found out our neighbor was Michael's brother. And most recently, after moving out of my hometown to Boise, ID, was in a friend's farmhouse, hanging out, when Alice Donut starts playing out of their stereo--turns out I was with two other big-time AD fans. And, with an irony only people who know me well can truly appreciate, I end up working part time for the Idaho Catholics (nothing evil, just transcribing interview tapes of people with screwed-up marriages) and my theme song, which had usually been "Bottom of the Chain," has now become "Mother of Christ" (hey, I can't help it!). Well, the latter isn't any coincidence, but I had to mention it

I just read about the possibility of more to come from Donut and I've been quaking with anticipation since. That's the best news I've had in a long time! I always thought they broke up just as they were starting to get to that next level of attention that might actually make them a little bit of money. I'm glad there are so many people with exquisite taste out there!

I'm sorry if this comes across as self-indulgent and pompous--I'm just trying to be entertaining while sharing some things for which the average person holds no appreciation. If I can't say this here, I don't know where!

Posted Saturday, March 29, 2003 @ 07:43 PM      

Quote:

Originally posted by some guy I hope I wasn't harshing on you too much

Hey, Steve

You weren't harsh at all. I love a musical slave-driver :-) I was playing it too slowly (must've been all that beer). You were very nice about it.

I just got my bass to Boise last month, so I have a lot of catching up to do. I have to re-learn how to write, too. I pretty much quit around 97 after I went to grad school to study rocks.

I plan to shake up the Boise music scene...maybe a bass-cello kind of thing with headgear made out of junk parts that I could con the audience into wearing and believing they control the musicians by brain waves. Of course, my original idea was to do a cello-bass-klezmer-hunting-horn (the kind that plays only one note) kind of thing, but including a few Alice Donut covers (just to start out), only even much more fucked up. But now that you're active again, I wouldn't want to steal your thunder. :upsidown:

Seriously though, it's hard to find serious people who like to work hard at making music (or anything else, for that matter). Either that or they're shy.

Posted Sunday, March 30, 2003 @ 11:45 AM  

Gwen, can AD and the other 50 people signed up on the site have a party at your place this
summer? Axelcaroli is French, so he can cook. Everybody else brings beer.

Posted Sunday, March 30, 2003 @ 12:06 PM      

Quote:

Originally posted by Antona Fuck touring. Gwen, can AD and the other 50 people signed up on the site have a party at your place this summer? Axelcaroli is French, so he can cook. Everybody else brings beer. Boise, so nice they named it once.

Fuck, yeah! Just a reunion, rather than a whole reunion tour. You could play an extra gig to subsidize the travel expenses for the people in Europe. Everybody should just move here and set up fan club HQ. I grow most of my own food, and Bob and I are awesome cooks, so we can give AxleRoseCaroli a hand. There's even a town for sale: Ola. You could change its name to Alice Donut, Idaho. (Kind of like Truth or Consequences, NM.)

I've got lots of dandelion wine I made last year I've been trying to get rid of... I better get back to mindin' my potatoes now. I'll start making the beer tonight.

Spudolia

Posted Monday, March 31, 2003 @ 11:57 AM      

Well, if you can't cook, you can always help out by digging some potatoes...