Mission Mission

Just got back from a fight with one of my best friends. We went to dinner at Chino and then had a drink at ABV and got into a long thing about political participation and net neutrality and revolution and convictions. He told me I don’t give enough of a shit, I made fun of his corporate job and BMW.

Then I got home and opened an email from Adam, of Jawbreaker (the most legendary Mission-based band of all time):

I just uploaded this to the Jawbreaker youtube page. It’s from a roll of super 8 film that i found over 20 years after I shot it — shots of Valencia and Mission between 16th and 24th. I set it to our song “Boxcar.” Check it and feel free to post if the spirit moves you

Man, it moves me like crazy. I love the Mission. I love how it changes. I love remembering how it was one decade ago, and I love watching videos about how it was two decades ago. I love reading articles about how it was in the ’80s, and I love my parents’ foggy remembrances about how it was in the ’70s. I love Burrito Justice’s futurist visions of how it will be in the ’20s and in the ’30s and ’40s and beyond. (I even love when I almost get run over by a Ferrari while it’s looking for parking outside Trick Dog.)

I love Obama and I love net neutrality and I love the Mission and I love my friends.

And I love a girl I know, a Mission girl, and how I got to see her sing “Boxcar” at karaoke in another state once upon a time, and how that was basically the best night of my life, so far away from home but feeling super-connected via this girl and this song… and thus feeling connected to everything and everyone, ever, and just loving life.

The thing is that I basically missed out on Jawbreaker, like most of us did probably, because we’re just a little too young or a just a little too from-somewhere-else or whatever. But Jawbreaker persisted, thanks to older pals talkin’ shit and making mixtapes and blog posts and playlists, and thanks to Thorns of Life shows at Thrillhouse Records and thanks to Forgetters shows at similar spots in Brooklyn or wherever — and thanks to lovable midwestern girls who dug Jawbreaker early and did whatever it took to make their way to California and San Francisco and into our hearts.

Why can’t we all just get along and save the world and abolish government and be in love forever?

Ugh. Let’s rock:

Thanks, Adam!

Let’s rock:

[Photo by Nicole, via It's Always Sunny in San Francisco]

There’s something comforting to me about a raspy-voiced man singing his heart out, and telling us small secrets of his life through his crackling words. It reminds me a lot of the hours I’ve spent driving long distances, and exploring strange rural places, and a feeling of bittersweet happiness. Hiss Golden Messenger are a folk-country-rock group from Durham, North Carolina fronted by M.C. Taylor, and listening to their songs evokes that feeling in me, even in my city apartment. Touring after releasing their latest album, Lateness of Dancers (Merge), they’ll be at the Independent tomorrow night, with opener Phil Cook of Megafaun.

Watch Hiss Golden Messenger’s video for “Mahogany Dread”

You can get your tickets here!

Here’s what it’ll be like:

The show is at Hemlock around 9ish. RSVP and invite your friends!

And perhaps play around with this online mosh pit simulator to get in the mood.

THREE ANDREW W.K.'S SINGING KARAOKE 🙌 I CAN NOW DIE HAPPY

A video posted by Therese (@omgdannydevito) on Nov 11, 2014 at 3:33pm PDT

While perusing the CMJ best-of lists from the past week, I discovered this fun duo from LA. They’re called Girlpool and they play cool songs filled with constant harmonies and straight-forward lyrics. Looks like they played Brick and Mortar earlier in October, so hopefully they’ll be back soon. They’re also releasing an EP on Nov 18. For now, you can hear two of their songs on their bandcamp page from their split with Philly/LA-based Slutever.

@missionmission we will do our best!

— KING TUFF (@KINGTUFFY) October 29, 2014

Go Giants! Looks like tickets are still available.

Let’s rock:

(That’s 13 DJ Purples, yep.)

I asked the legendary DJ Purple what his top 5 favorite Halloween-related jams were, and I got this hot list of 13:

1. Spooky – Classics IV
2. Strangelove – Depeche Mode
3. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker, Jr.
4. Monster Mash - Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
5. Monster – Lady Gaga
6. The Purple People-Eater – Sheb Wooley
7. Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
8. Runnin’ with the Devil – Van Halen
9. Sweet Transvestite – Rocky Horror
10. Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo
11. Love Potion #9 – The Searchers
12. Psycho Killer – Talking Heads
13. Superstition – Stevie Wonder

Thanks, DJ Purple! Get practicing, everybody! Singin’ & Pingin’ Halloween Edition (starring DJ Purple) is this Friday (which happens to be Halloween) at Verdi Club in the Mission:

There’s a band called Metacomet that live right here in the Mission, and they create ambient, soothing, experimental songs that will make your mind drift softly into space; I’d personally enjoy listening to them while on the moon. Hailing from the East coast originally, they blend dreamy guitars, synths and almost chilling vocals, which are even more powerful live. Earlier this month they released a brand new three-song EP called Say Goodnight, which you can listen to here.

I don’t know quite what to expect from this show, but the poster art is awesome. And more importantly, The Magician is at least partially responsible for this, which I think is basically the best song of all time:

Get tickets here.