Rode Hard And Put Away Wet

my God, where do these days go?

Thursday, July 06, 2006



Once upon a time (well, really, about four years ago), I was a leader for the youth group at church. Our youth group, which consisted of about 10 kids, was pretty rad. We had some unique teenagers. The hip thing among the hip kids was emo. They've long since stopped being emo, of course. The last thing I knew, they were "hardcore." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but there was a lot of screaming. A lot. I'm an open minded guy, but there was a lot of screaming. Really. A whole lot.

Anyway, one day, at church, a couple of them gave me a burned CD with no writing on it. I was told to go and listen. That CD held an album by a band that has since become very famous and, coincidentally, much maligned by the snobby music-types out there (of which I usually am one). So, here am I to admit something that may not win any brownie points with you guys.

I am a Dashboard Confessional fan. I like the stuff. Carabba can flat-out write a tune. Hands Down is a fantastic song. The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most is a great album. I know, I know, emo has come and gone (not that I was ever hip enough to latch on to the term - I'm an old fart, plain and simple). In fact, Borders puts Dashboard in the Adult Contemporary section! And the kids that turned me on to DC, well, they aren't kids any more. They're in college, and I'm still old.

So they have a new record, Dusk and Summer, that's excellent. Here's the star track, for me (it doesn't hurt that it features Adam Duritz, my one true man-crush - take that Jack Johnson, Mr. I Don't Return Phone Calls...):
So Long, So Long

(bonus points if you know who the picture is of - "Just call me Mr. Butterfingers..")

4 Comments:

Blogger Janna Barber said...

i can't believe you just told the world about your man crush(es)!!

6:30 AM  
Blogger Buck Webb said...

Isn't that guy's name Emo? He was a wierd (like pedifile kinda wierd) stand-up comedy guy in the 90's. No?

6:38 AM  
Blogger John Barber said...

Buck wins the prize! Of course, there is no actual prize...

That's Emo Phillips - one of the greatest comedians in the history of the world. Including a brief appearance in the funniest movie of all time... UHF!

10:31 AM  
Blogger Nathaniel said...

Emo Phillips was also consistantly the best guest on Arsenio Hall. Arsenio had him on about once a quarter. There are some vintage videos on Emo's site. I just happened to be there about a week ago.

5:45 PM  

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