R.I.P. Jay Bennett

For those who don't know of Jay Bennett, he was a guitarist and instrumentalist, a former member of Wilco. He died about a week ago, I think.

"He was in the middle of recording another solo album in Champaign when he died over the weekend at age 45....A cause of death was not immediately available, nor was information on survivors. The Champaign County coroner's office did not return messages, according to The Associated Press."
-Chicago Tribune



This really saddened me. Jay had an unfortunate run. What most people don't know is that Jay was responsible for the change in Wilco, the style and aesthetic changes that led to their masterpiece, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I say his run was unfortunate because he was kicked out of the band shortly after they finished the album. Also, Jay was a great songwriter. If you haven't heard "Venus Stop the Train," you must hear it. It's a Jay Bennett track that never made it to the album. I recommend the version with Jeff Tweedy on vocals. That's the thing. Jay had gargantuan talent, but he wasn't a front man. To be successful, he needed to work through someone with that indefinable quality. It's a shame. You are truly born a singer and front man. It cannot be taught. The origin of it, the aura and inflection of a good singers delivery, is truly a weird mystery. When Wilco dropped him (probably due to power struggles between he and Tweedy) Jay had no place to go. He really was forced to start over again, playing the songs he wrote with Wilco and making solo albums, which in my opinion he was not fit to deliver correctly. It's a great loss.

Male and Female

I had a dark, dark dream last night, the kind of dream where you wake more tired than before, being forced to exert yourself all through the night. It reminded me a little of H.R. Geiger's work, particularly his version of the Book of the Dead.

A male and female, two halved parts of my whole, sat at the top of the floor of this elaborate dark home. I had a woman with me, but she could not visit them there. And to me, the two things were beautiful. They were human forms but moved through the air. And watching them was like viewing film slowed down, frame by frame. The male and female moved like poured oil and then froze up all the sudden, halted in the shell of black wax figures. Like that, back and forth like film. The creatures turned more hostile when I led her up to the top floor. They chased us around. I tried to hop over the balcony to get away, but turned back suddenly. I remember thinking I'd be able to will them to desist. The dream ended then. I understand that most dream accounts are vague. I hope I was able to convey the visceral quality of it all, how powerful it was.

A cropping of an H.R. Geiger piece:

New Calculator Watch

Here at TFB...

We are behaving like a sleeper cell. Actually, I've just blocked YOU'RE ability to read all my blog posts. But really, we are resting for a bit. After the tours and all that great stuff, we're cooling down. I can't tell you what I'm doing, but I guarantee it's relaxing.

You ever meet people with unfortunate last names? I know a few. I recently met this girl named Mary Sinister. That was unfortunate. Mary sounds like Very, Very sinister.

This girl beside me is the most boring person in the world. Her aura sweats it, boredom and being boring. Her drink has been almost empty for fifteen minutes. I had to swivel my computer to get this shot. It bothers me when people nurse the final small sip of liquid. Just drink it; get it over with. Such people are weak.

Interview: zap! bang! Magazine

The Frontier Brothers
People interviewed: Marshall Galactic
2009-05-19



The Frontier Brothers have landed. Nobody can deny this fact, but from where it is exactly they originate is still a mystery. Their debut album Space Punk Starlet is proof that there is far more to them than any other American Indie Rock band out there at the moment. In fact, upon hearing the 14 gems on what is an album with no fillers, it is hard to confine them to the indie box. Could this trio really be from a different planet? I spoke to Marshall Galactic to find out a little bit more about what we can expect from this latest space invasion.

First off, tell us a little about your background…
My name is Marshall Galactic. I am from Texas, I live in Texas. All of my life I have lived here. But my spirit animal is from outer-space. Travis and Brett are the same.

How did the group come together?
Brett and I wrote “T.E.S.S.” together. That was our first song. We also did a Meat Loaf cover and a song called “Face Up At The Funeral”. We went with the lighter theme. Travis joined a few months later. He is my real brother.

What first got you into making music?
My brother started playing guitar. I got one, too. I don’t remember why I started writing songs. Must have been too young. I was 14 or 13. At that age, we can think and solve problems and believe we are people. But I was not sentient then. I was not a real person, not yet. I hadn’t seen death. So that is why I don’t know the precise reason why I wanted to make music. I guess the whole thing seemed natural. I never listened to a lot of music. I just liked guitar.

Read the rest of the interview at zapbangmagazine.com