Redd Kross and Dale Crover in Vancouver: quick notes on a great night, plus Bev Davies and her cat Vincent

I've never paid much attention to Redd Kross. Maybe when I heard Greg Hetson was in the band, I wanted them to be more punk rock; or maybe their music was too tuneful and retro and joyous? (Which is odd, because I'm a Young Fresh Fellows fan, and they have some things in common with them; but the Fellows are snarkier, more sarcastic, while Redd Kross are more musical). Maybe I'm just an idiot about some bands? But I got an invite to see them the other night and totally loved them. Great live energy. I'm told that live is the way to go, with this band -- it's certainly the best way to first experience them. My photos were dodgy, but here's Stephen McDonald (also now in the Melvins, apparently) looking a bit like Kevin James Howes. He's very expressive!:

Speaking of the Melvins, Dale Crover was drumming for Redd Kross and did a few acoustic songs off his upcoming album, Glossolalia (a term for speaking in tongues). I may interview him about that, not sure. I am not a huge Melvins follower -- it is not possible for me to follow every band, even great ones, with equal enthusiasm -- but I did see them in some of their earlier appearances in Vancouver, once pre-Ozma, presumably with Matt Lukin on bass. Can't say exactly when or where (the Cruel Elephant?) but my buddies bought a Gluey Porch Treatments cassette, which was all they had put out at that time (it came out in 1987); that may have been their first show here, in fact? I also caught them at least once (maybe at the Town Pump) with Lorax, because we all remarked on, "Hey, now they have a girl on bass!" My friends bought Ozma, too -- they were more taken than I was. I gave them points for uniqueness, thought they were a great live act, and was definitely curious about the music, which was like nothing any of us had heard at that point, but songwise, I only really loved "At a Crawl." I've only seen them once, since, backing Jello Biafra. Had a ticket to a show on their tour for A Senile Animal and actually sold it so I could go make music myself, taking up the bass at a jamspace with some friends; I'm a shitty musician -- even that makes me sound more musical than I am -- but I do enjoy trying to play bass occasionally. I actually kinda think I made the right call that night; I've only ever done that a few times in my life and it's better to make music than it is to consume it. 

Thought I'm sure that show was great. The one I kick myself for missing was a later one, at the Venue, where they covered "Youth of America." I think I might still have been nervous that, like, maybe people would remember that Straight article and out me to the band and King Buzzo would be pissed? I almost asked Dale how Buzzo took it but I was too busy getting my Ozma signed (I'm checking it out again). 

Oh, by the way, Matt Wood said hello while I was waiting to bug Dale. Matt's an amazing drummer and he and Shane Clark, both Bison alum, have a band called WORSE now (and a big show coming in September). Take note! Hi, Matt! (You'll never recognize him if you see him now, if you only know him from Bison. He has short hair, for one!).

Back to the gig on Tuesday... Dale actually did a Melvins cover, explaining that though not many people know his, he was a guitarist before he was a drummer, learning guitar in the Aberdeen Public Library ("kum-ba-yaa," he sang, to illustrate). The song was "The Bit," off Stag, and had a kind of loping, almost oud-like guitar pattern to it. He also did a song called "Jane," about Jane Birkin, a 60s/ 70s fashion icon, singer and actress. I actually got her wrong in my head -- I thought I knew her from Skolimowski's Deep End, but that's Jane Asher! I know her from Antonioni's Blow Up. She seemed an interestingly obscure person for Crover to focus on. 

Enjoyed his set, and thought he looked a bit like Neil Young circa 1995:

But that's about all I have to say. I shot some video of Crover -- it actually sounds more like Nirvana (or Jeff Buckley?!) than it does the Melvins -- doing a song off his new album, but I couldn't tell you what it's called. Also shot one clip of Redd Kross, of "Huge Wonder" and "Annie's Gone," but my cellphone died just before that song could end. 

Anyhow, thanks to Bob Hanham for gettin' me to go out to this show. It was nice seeing so many people I knew at it! And fun that Bev Davies made it down. I shot a photo of her that I thought was pretty good but it's actually not. Here's Bev and her cat Vincent, however. I like this once. (Vincent is much shier than Nicholas, even though they're related). He was trying to weasel his way out of her arms here: 

Bev's new haircut suits her surprisingly well! I didn't know what I'd think of it but I like it. 

End transmission.