baby basquiat kids

14Nov09

I went and saw Champagne Champagne at the Showbox last week. I would love to show you some pictures from the night, but I didn’t take any. You already know what the fellas are looking like, anyway.

I have known Thomas for a long time now. I met him way before he became the poster boy for this modern grime. He’s always been larger than life, an amazing character with an infectious laugh. In all the years I’ve known T-Mo, he’s always treated me with love and sincerity.

Dude gets wild, but his heart is pure.

I’m pretty sure I met Laprell at the Block Party, a couple of years ago. He was wearing an ancient Nirvana t-shirt, that original design, the black fabric all faded and worn. I’ve never forgotten it. I’ve seen that shirt a lot of times over the years, on a lot of different folks. No one looks better in it than a good looking brother rocking a natural.

You probably know him as Pearl Dragon.

Pearl has been making music for a long time now, and continues to expand his repertoire. He recently started playing guitar, and I’m curious about his progress. I love these boys that do not confine themselves to specific genres or artistic beliefs. It is good to mix things up, and surprise people.

Did you ever see this?

Equally compelling is the magic that Gaja brings to the game. Mark spent a decade banging out the drums in the Blood Brothers, a band that formed when he was just a teenager. Their shows are legendary, and the group really was a hotbed of talent. It’s funny — Mark and I have a million mutual friends, and have crossed paths for a really long time, but it’s only recently that we’ve gotten to know each other better.

I really like his style.

I’ve been helping put together the Caffe Vita GIVE project, and we release it November 17. It’s a pretty great little compilation of Seattle artists, all of whom have donated tracks. Available as a download card, online and through a variety of retailers, GIVE will benefit Arts Corps and local area food banks.

Every penny will go to charitable functions. Virtually every service involved with the production of GIVE has been donated, from printing and packaging to the mastering of the final product. The costs that we weren’t able to get for free will be covered by Caffe Vita, and through a benefit show on December 3 at the Crocodile.

The variety of artists is pretty amazing, and there are some truly great tracks. I have some favorites, of course. The Cave Singers song, Growing Palm, is very much in the style of Bramble, off their last record. My heart soared when Derek sent it my way. I would go see them play every week, if I could.

Obviously, I’m crazy about the tracks from Mad Rad and Fresh Espresso. There is a reason why I am their manager. I firmly believe in the art and music they create, and absolutely love them to pieces as humans. This very fact seems to bother some people, especially the anonymous commenters on Line Out.

Man, who cares? Haters need to get over it.

Only a real coward goes online and talks anonymous shit. Speaking of which, I saw my ex at Devo last week. It was the first time I’ve seen him in years, and it bummed me out. He didn’t show up at either court hearing last summer, when I had to get a restraining order against him. His online harassment is the least of his crimes.

The song from Gibbard makes me forget all that nonsense, though. Recorded at the Crocodile earlier this year, with an audience of three, this version of Neil Young’s Harvest Moon will soothe anyone’s soul. Eli and I sat with Ben’s dad, Allen, while it was filmed in one take in the mezzanine. We all were teary-eyed by the end.

I saw Allen at Devo, too. Chad, Roderick, and I had dinner with him and Steve before the show. Steve is Nick Harmer’s dad. They’ve done a good job with their boys.

Of all my favorite GIVE tracks, the offering from Champagne Champagne is right up at the top. Pearl played me the rough version a few weeks ago, and it immediately grabbed my attention. It’s haunting, and bittersweet, and unlike anything I have heard from that group. The additional vocals from Fences really change the game.

Mark sent me the final version a week later, and I am still not sick of it. According to my i-tunes, I have already listened to it 147 times. Almost as many times as I’ve played Mad Rad’s Caveman song, which is not on the GIVE compilation. When I like a song, I will play it over and over and over again.

You wouldn’t even believe how many times Didn’t I by Darondo has made it across my airwaves.

You can hear both of those tracks live and in person next month, at GO! MACHINE. On December 4 and 5, Champagne Champagne and Mad Rad will headline the Crocodile, respectively. Both groups are at the forefront of Seattle’s always-evolving musical landscape, and the bills for both nights are solid.

GIVE will hit the streets (and internet) on Tuesday, November 17. It will retail for $7, and I hope you will support the efforts that went into making this project. In the meantime, enjoy Victim of The Modern Age, the exclusive Champagne Champagne x Fences GIVE track.

I sure do.

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