John Roderick Is A Towel-Hogging Dick

The Long Winters are as awesome live as they are on record -- at least, they were awesome when I saw them this past Saturday night.  I mostly love the Long Winters because they are a great band with amazing songs and lyrics (e.g., "But she never says 'I love you'/ Til I say 'I love you'/ Like we're exchanging hostages;" "Twice you burned your life's work/ Once to start a new life/ And once just to start a fire;" "It never rains enough to cool my fever/ All it does is rain;" "You can't play nursemaid and be the crazy patient;" "Are you still training for the big race/ By hoping the runners will die?"), but also because I'm so completely out of touch with modern music that maybe on some level I've decided to latch on to this band as my token hip, contemporary thing to like.

Also, singer and songwriter John Roderick is a funny sonofabitch, with between-song banter that I wish I could remember better.  Commenting on the heat in the club, he said (I'm paraphrasing), "It may be hot in here now, but we're gonna turn it up!  'Cause that's the kind of band we are, with our twee-ass Northwestern indie-pop."   And after he finally located a towel onstage with which to wipe himself down, he goofed on not sharing it with the rest of the band, commenting on rumors going around the Internet about him being a bastard and difficult to work with.  He wanted to keep those rumors going.  "So, if there are any bloggers in the audience," he said, "I'd appreciate it if you'd blog about what a towel-hogging dick I am."

I'm sure I can't have been the only blogger in the audience.  I probably wasn't even the only blogger within arms' reach of myself.  If I had swung a dead cat in there, I surely would have hit at least a dozen other bloggers.  So we'll see how quick we can get this meme out there.

John Roderick: talented musician, insightful songwriter, expressive vocalist -- and towel-hogging dick.

I will probably regret for the rest of my miserable life the fact that I didn't stay until the end.  But my back was in horrifically intense pain that night; I could barely stand up.  Of course, I started feeling better as soon as I got home.  This is probably also John Roderick's fault.  Because he is a bastard.

And, hey, check it out: there's a documentary about the band in the works!

Photo by Autumn de Wilde

Comments

[Amanda]

DAMN IT. They played here on Friday and I missed it, having promised long ago to go see Ladytron with my old roommate. I spent the whole time being pissed off and texting people to pass the time.

[xta]

oh, thank you thank you for the review!
i saw john roderick -solo- in NYC in august. i had never heard of him before he took the stage (i was attending a multi-star talent-fest) and when he opened his mouth i instantly fell in love with him. that voice! wow! and between-song patter! stupendous!

anyway, i found myself in a big hole of lameness that night and didn't go out. i'm glad you did. and i'm glad to read your report. and i promise to go --with you!!-- the next time he's in the area.