"It's just a dream he keeps having, and it doesn't seem to mean anything."- Wilco

Here is one for the record books. It takes a bit of set-up, believe me, but the pay-off is worth it. So here goes: There is a music message board that is pretty nerdy but also fairly interesting called I Love Music, ILM for short. I usually check in to see what is being chatted about every workday. Anyway, they have some great posts and discussions, like this one about the best records of the '90s, and often I will be reminded of great music I once had that I should get again, etc. A couple months ago I even posted on one forum that I was looking for a specific Jawbox track, their version of "I Got You Under My Skin" that was on the "Cooling Card" CD single, from what I recall. I encountered the song while doing a summer college DJ stint at Villanova's WXVU, and I taped one of my WXVU shows (which included said song) and used it as my audition tape once I got to Wesleyan as a junior transfer. Stan Lam, the chap running Wes's WESU at the time, LOST MY AUDITION TAPE. I was very disappointed by this, as it was probably my greatest radio show ever.

We're getting close to the end I promise. Anyway, observant readers may recall my discussion of Rob Meltzer, his role in creating the Kam Fong video posted a couple months ago, and his new film I Am Stamos. This becomes important to this story. Flash forward to yesterday morning... After posting on ILM two months ago or so that I was searching for the Jawbox song, I received an email yesterday morning from a nice chap who saw my request and emailed the MP3 to me. As my man Cube says, goddamn, today was a good day. Anyway, I emailed the chap back and thanked him and asked him if I return the favor. He said no, he's cool. And that was that. Until the end of the work day yesterday when I began to suspect that this guy's name was familiar to me. So I Google him. The first hit that comes up is an IMDB listing, and the first credit on the IMDB listing is for I Am Stamos.

SO I email this guy and tell him hey are you the guy who worked on Stamos, 'cause I am down with Rob Meltzer and have been since like '90. It turns out Mr. Boyer attended film school with Rob and roomed with him, and as a result knows about all the peeps I grew up with back in RadNasty. He even remembers I gave Rob a mixtape of indie rock stuff back in like 1993, which had some cool stuff like Evan Dando's "My Divan" and another awesome Jawbox song "Paint Out The Lights" on it.

Small f'n world, right? That's just crazy. Anyway, in celebration of re-acquiring the song, here it is. I know now that you can buy it on this record. And while I am in a giving mood, here is a Torgo number for KoomDogg, called "Dull."

Speaking of the Koominator, we saw Wilco last night and they were superlative. They played cuts from the last three records and two Woody Guthrie numbers over the span of two hours. Highlights definitely include a pretty solo Nels Cline took during "Ashes of American Flags." The songs were all great, and I only regret not being seated closer to the stage. Also, I was a bit disappointed that Nels Cline's and Jim O'Rourke's efforts were not more prominent. Cline in particular was doing some amazing stuff, but it was mixed low so that Tweedy's soloing was the most prominent. As I explained to Housher, Wilco is like the Superfriends, except that musically I would say Tweedy is more on par with an Aquaman type, whereas Cline and O'Rourke are more Superman/Batman types, and as such should be given more spotlight during the shows. This is not to belittle Tweedy's songwriting, which I think is splendid. It is just that when there is the capability to go totally "nucular" on listeners' asses with your playing, it is a shame to let your biggest guns get close to the action but not fire. Anyway, enough of that. Though I would point out these tickets were the most I ever spent on a single performer, and it was well, well worth it.

The pre-show meal was fun, and we all got a chance to slag on Bush's debate performance for the prior evening. Speaking of slagging on our top executive of the land, this Onion article from this week is hysterically ironic. As the Noizers like to say, it's funny 'cause it's true.

I remembered the other day the AOL's Eric Bachmann had been in Small/Small 23. I'd just forgetten, is all. Evidence.

One other good bit of writing this week. Brian Wilson's SMiLE was released this week, and Pitchfork's review was particularly refreshing, as it was markedly free of their typical snark. Check it out.

That is all.