i wish god were alive to see this

On Love And Other Difficulties.

To celebrate the release of 'Weirdo Rippers', No Age played at Amoeba.

David Kramer hunting for hugs.

Weirdo ripping.

Congratulations my friends!

Ragers.

Post teen fury.

And then, strangely, Nate Walton interviewed the dude circle for Tiny Creatures.
It was Dean, Randy, John Weise, DSS, Jim Smith and myself talking about each other. Just plain weird, and silly and very funny and lots of laughter. It was kind of like a nice roast.

Nate is the Tom Brokaw of the neighborhood.

And we all agreed that Jim Smith is the heartbeat. Tirelessly running the Smell for nearly 10 years. Unbelievable.

In fact, all of those guys are tireless and unbelievable. I am just an admiring fan.

Never stop. Don't forget.

On A Bench With Your Twisted Fingers In Me, In The Rain With My Sundress Torn Off Of Me, Sliding Down Grassy Slopes Where We Can Be Alone.

Anthony Anzalone sleeps with all the lights on, in his jeans and baubles, and with his mouth wide open. Very uncomfortable looking to these eyes.

And today he flies back to Japan. Always with the trips to Japan, this kid. Let's all wish him a safe trip, free of injuries, free of being committed to an asylum, as he searches the world for his place in it, and a little peace of mind.

She's My Joy And Sorrow Too.

Abe Babe.

Day 2 of the fest. Abe V. go on early.

And set a very high standard for the day. Thier time is fast approaching.

Pay Dean.

Meanwhile, upstairs.

Pissed Jeans delivered honest misery direct from Philidelphia!

And as a fan of honest and bare misery, I was delighted.

Jesse Spears was here.

Confused, kicked out and bleeding.

Oh Jesus, Jay Reatard was incredible.

When his first band, The Reatards, put out their debut record 10 or 12 years ago no one could believe how much vile frustration was coming out of what was then a 16 yr old. Everything he's done since has been gold, and his most recent solo stuff is the best yet.

Clearly a lifer. Recognize.

Summer night overflowing with the good people.

Hurricane!

Anticipation peaks. The night peaks.

And No Age comes on.

They were huge. It was huge.

Their full length, Weirdo Rippers, was released yesterday. Get it, get the soundtrack to Evolution Summer.

The landscape is changing, and it's spreading fast.

What a joyous time! Do you feel as lucky as I do to be here?

While My Heart Is Still Beating

4th annual Fuck Yeah Fest was this weekend. The fest you can walk to if you live in Echo Park! We went down early, full of coffee, with the best intentions.

Early birds Anthony and Chelsea drove all the way from Tuscon! Whoo! But what's up with those shirts?

As the sun went down it was time to go over to the rec center for this band-

Wooden Shjips! They had never been to LA, I had never seen them, but I've been loving their records and wasn't dissapointed at all.

Blown out psych.Excellent.

The crowds were growing rapidly.

Entrance played next. As a full band, I must admit, I was impressed.

Total Hendrix action.

Anzalone and Polar Bear.

Drunk kid.

On my way up the street to the Echo I came across a real smelly ranting guy from Arizona.

What is it with young Arizonians these days?

I'm not sure.

Taco break with the kid. He is explaining 'AMOG' to me here. AMOG = Alpha male of the group. As in, "Shit dude, don't go all AMOG on me.".

And then to the Echo, finally, for what was maybe the best Brother Reade show i've ever seen.

It was effortless, and it was inspiring.

Thanks boys! Then I had to run downstairs to watch the one time only Fuse reunion.

And like a time machine back to 2002, they were on.

They were as violent a mess as they ever were.

And as exciting as they ever were.

So negative!

Actually, seriously, the negativity stood out to me for a minute as kind of out of place and of another time.

All the same, it was awesome to see them again.

20 minutes of danger.

Marselino and AJ.

And Luis Baby.

Dan Monick and Anthony in an Anthony shirt.

And finally, we capped it all off with Lavender Diamond.

And in honor of the fest, Becky Stark cussed a lot, and told people to fuck off.

Randay Randall was having the time of his life.

Which Dean was quick to point out was beer induced. However it happened, that joy, it was real.

It was in the air. Community.

While Time, The Endless Idiot, Runs Screaming Around The World.

The Sads have been rehearsing at the Choke Motorcycle Shop.

So this isn't some kind of set. This is a natural habitat.

They sound incredible.

The day got me thinking about the idea of working on something until it becomes fully realized.

I love to watch my friends, who I admire, practice anything. I love to watch things evolve. You can't predict how they will evolve either, because the thing, whatever it is, takes on a life of it's own.

And this goes for everything, from music, to painting, to relationships. Everything evolves when it's practiced.

I thought about this in all areas of my own life.

Because I don't feel fully realized in any area.

Does that sound depressing? I don't think it does.

I think it's what subconciously drives me. The idea that practice will get me closer to being the best person I can be, and that practice is an everyday thing, and it should be exciting because what you think you will find and what you will find are seperate and unpredictable.

Of course you can never get there. Hopefully you never will anyway. Wouldn't that be boring? To peak and to be able to go no further? At that point you may as well take the big sleep.

So I will continue to surround myself with people who I admire, and people who struggle everyday to find a fully realized life.

Because inspiration is endlessly exciting, and you find it in work and practice and imagination. You find it everywhere if you pay attention.

So pay attention.

I'm Not The Kind Of Man Who Gives Up Just Like That.

Your Optimistic Eyes Seem Like Paradise.

Waiting in line in the Mayan is fun when you got Baby Kid Congo and Jesse Spears with you.

Why did we brave the Mayan? Because the No Agers were playing with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Influential trailblazing artists.

We stayed mostly posted up at the merch booth.

Jesse hates to stand. She seriously hates it.

Whoa! Pretty big stage for our little guys!

Pretty big room full of pretty regular people doing pretty regular things, like trying to sexy dance to No Age.

They ruled. Duh. The right people knew it, and the less devoloped were confused. It's OK, their children will be in No Age cover bands.

Years and years and years and years I have been watching shows with these two.

And Little Nate, are you out on a date??

They're Lighting My Way Tonight.

Run Juan!

Run for your life!

There is wild animal at your heels!

You feel safe up there at the top of that hill?

You shouldn't.

Oh God It's Raining

But I'm Not Complaining

It's Filling Me Up With New Life.

From Now On I Can See The Sun.

For the birthday celebration we drove to Dockweiler Beach for a night fire and a 10pm swim.

You got your Spears.

You got your Rene.

Fire walk with me.

Birthday girl.

Make a wish!

Make it a good one!

Walk it out.

Dockweiler was cool. Crawling with Yahoos and drum circles, soot dirt everywhere, but stll fun and kind of oddly private. The ocean was freezing though and I suffered major heart attack action.

I love to watch things burn. Who doesn't?

Chief Smoka-Lotta-Doobies.

There Was A Grown Man Dying Of Fright.

The second Evolution Cinema took place last night. Aaron, Ingrid and I spent the afternoon making perfect tiny appetizers.

I didn't want anyone touching them for awhile. I was feeling prideful of our piles.

Pre-movie breather, next movie plotter.

Hi Pete Weiss.

50 chairs!

Who Are You Polly Magoo? Seldom seen, seldom screened. A French movie from 1964 making fun of the fashion industry.

Lovesick prince.

This is my favorite picture of Sammy Harkam.

Red kids.

After midnight, and you are looking at the birthday girl.

Citronella candle, blow it out.

Expect It To Stay On, And On, And On.

Family / Teardrops breakfast. What are we talking about making? Oh, something totally awesome. Wait and see.

Abe Babes at The Smell later on..

Look at Reggie. Feel love for him.

Take a 20 minute joy bath. Soak it up.

Hot, hot Smell last night. Sweat lodge.

I can't wait to see what happens when they record all this new stuff. There will be AV imitators next year. There will.

Viva Los Angeles. Viva right now.

I Wonder If She'll See What I See?

Spencer Moody in town for one night.

He was playing a show at the 6th street wearhouse, which is right down the street from the gun range. 10:45 PM gun range jam.

In Spencer's own word's , " Look I'm not drunk, but i've definitely been drinking, and i've had a harder time renting a go-kart." He was marveling that in a matter of minutes he was handed a gun. Also, he hadn't really shot one before either.

Idle hands.

He took to it real quick.

Boys.

I definitely handled my tactical encounter.

You're an old pro now, Spencer.

And for those who live in the Pacific Northwest, be sure and visit Spencer's Seattle store, The Anne Bonney, for the finest in curio and inspired housewares.

And off to the show we go.

AJ was there. Look at him! I love AJ!

And AJ clearly loves El Monte!

Zollo and Hotdog, more people to love.

"Pull it down!"

Triumph of Lethargy.

Skinned Alive to Death.

I wish they would move to LA so I could see them more often. One of the great unsung bands of the era.

So come on you guys. Move here already.

I'm A Bad Captain, I Know.

Triumph Of Lethargy Skinned Alive To Death are playing at the 6th st wearhouse tonight. What do you have to do that is more important than that?

The Street Is Full Of Punks, They Got Spikes.

I wanted a pie burger real bad. Suddenly starving after days of no appetite.

Pie & Burger in Pasadena.

It's an oasis.

We even got malts with delicious malt hunks inside.

Sidewalk digestion party.

New band. Alien Poison rehearsing thier first single, 'Solarize My World (The Psychedelic Song)'.

Yes.

Total yes.

I was all cheered up for an hour.

Thanks you guys. Thanks for the pie burger.

So This Is Where I Ran For Freedom.

It's hard to believe that this glamorous and fierce specimen of woman just finished, not 7 hours before this was taken, giving birth to her first child.

But it is true. Apple and Anton are now parents.

Welcome to Earth! He is a beaut! Nameless still, let's just call him 'Baby Anton' for now.

A natural baby haver apparently, Apple only pushed for 15 minutes, and was cracking jokes for us the whole visit.

Uncle Rene.

New Dad.

Via Baby Boy. Note the wrong birthdate.

The Family.

I've known Anton for 20 years, but never as a Dad!

Get that potassium pal. You've earned it.

Birthday.

Ingrid holding Baby Anton in the same hospital she was born in.

Congratulations to my extended family! I am an Uncle again!

Elevate Me Later.

Can't sleep, can't stop sleeping. I have gone insane from interferon detox? I guess? Anyway, I went and ran around Echo Park lake in the middle of the night which was painful, but still no sleep really.

Your Home Now Is Here With Me.

We worked on our scared kid all day yesterday.

Long time, long term.

At midnight we wrangled up a five car caravan and drove to Angeles Crest Forest and right up Mt. Wilson to watch the meteor shower.

Meteors or not, it is incredibly satisfying to pile all your friends in the dirt in the middle of the night and just lay down.

Aaron read us a story from Nelson Algren.

Time travel.

Life is too much, too beautiful.

Cherish it.

I'll Go And Play With Words And Pictures, I'll Admit I'm Feeling Strange.

Summer sidewalk party.

Luis Farfan.

Oh dear God, Randy Randall is finally home.

Little Nate and his big ideas.

Spears and Rose, handsome the both of them.

Night moves.

Jesse set up a tattoo shop and got paid.

Pizza club.

DSS and Pete Weiss.

Apple and the late baby. Come on baby! You were supposed to be out last Sunday!

Baby Daddy.

Aging pals.

Welcome home tat.

Of course there were homemade shirts being made as well.

Yeah, I think you might.

Aska.

Jeff says goodnight from the Choke Mobile, and we all go home.

Our Hands Make This.

The reason Ingrid and I needed those glass eyes should begin to become more clear. We are making people. Well, person anyway. Maybe people later.

The hand that didn't work.

Skin grafts on my pillow.

The hand that might work.

Rene came over and we went to Roscoe's to pound foods of the world. After we were done we noticed that the place was crawling with cops and the street was closed off. The cops asked us if we witnessed the crime scene, the shooting, that happened while we ate? It is a real testament to the grits and waffles at Roscoe's that we saw nothing, and didn't even hear a gunshot! That is some truly delicious food. I like to imagine bullets whizzing by my oblivious head while I pound my dinner..

Good morning hairless sculpy head.

I'll Leave Them To Do What They Want, I'll Leave Them To Do What They Need To.

There was a party at Family to celebrate the release of RJ Shaugnessy's book, Deathcamp. Brother Reade played, the feeling in the air was, obviously, electric.

Charlie and Atticus.

Best friends.

And best friends.

Anton and Lily. Anton and Apple's baby was due on this day, so any day/hour/minute I should be at the hospital smoking cigars.

Handsome man, into hugging.

The Joan Didion of rap music.

Jamz Joliff and Bobby Evans.

Birthday boy Atticus Boyle.

4 years old!

Explosive buddy vibes.

RJ signing his book.

Here comes another baby! Let's all have babies. Baby army concieved in Evolution Summer.

Babies to throw sky high.

Babies to work in the ice cream trucks!

Dark Yoga.

Even Though They Let Me Out Of Jail Years Ago, I Still Sleep In A Cage.

Ingrid and I, in our weekend hunt for good glass eyes and real teeth found this amazing place deep in the SFV.

It's not exactly a store, but we called from outside and they let us in.

Trussed up half finished beasts were all around.

I wonder why more people don't get their relatives taxidermied? Mom, Dad, I want to taxidermy you so we will never have to part.

And my friends, I want to taxidermy you as well. A house full of trouble free loved ones!

Stuffed Uncles drinking beer, stuffed Rene watching cable.

Those are real living people playing foosball.

Ingo lives, the Bison lives on.

When I was little, because of cartoons, I thought everyone had a bearskin rug except for my family.

The man who runs this joint was a real peach, and very helpful. He got us the eyes and teeth we needed.

And he got it together for us for what seemed like a fine price.

Real non-traditional animal lovers these guys.

4 glass eyes and a bag of deer teeth later, and we were good to go.

Jesse and Juan, Chinatown.

Googles abound.

Like I said, googles abound.

Fascination with piles.

Pile shower. And later on..

What.

A.

Melon.

I See You Standing There.

Mika Miko played at the Echo in between the end of their European tour and the beginning of their West Coaster.

Welcome home!

Yes, I got to feel good again.

And so did Juan.

Later on w/ Nate Walton and Luis Farfan.

Where Water Comes Together With Other Water.

Abe Vigoda came home from their smashing first US tour.

Whoo! They played first at the Smell, of course.

This kid jumping up and down in his Mom's old jean jacket from 1987 was screaming for 'Search And Destroy' and just general Iggy Pop. He was a real bone job.

Waterfalls.

And the next night they played at The Echo. Double homecoming!

"Add a layer to your life."

I am happy you guys are home, guys.

Afterwards I went to Cantors to meet Aaron and Jesse.

Half and half.

Hi guys!

Bye guys!

Also, I'm A Trekkie.

I'm Hiding Out In The Big City Blinking.

After 4 months tour managing Dinosaur Jr., David Scheid is home for a week!

Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Scheid.

He sat on my bed and showed me his pretty sweater and played with his one true love, the interweb.

Also returning for a final two days in LA were my friends from Denmark, Hans and Maj!

We went for the world's best Mexican dinner at a secret location.

Discussion about the hot dogs in Copenhagen.

And the world's best nachos.

They were polite about it, but I could tell that their Danish palettes found the food to be way too hot. Too cute.

So I welcome David home, if only for a week, and to Hans and Maj I say goodbye, and we will meet again!

Let Your Teardrops Fall From Your Eyes.

Ooga Booga turned 3 years old on Sunday! Whooo hoo!

L to R- Great, not great, great.

Spot the sunglasses theme.

Bingus Khan.

Tick Dent and Matzah.

Soft Circle played.

Up from down under.

Go ahead, bedazzle your Sads shirt. I dare you.

Spears and Rose.

Wendy Yao is a saint, and without her there would be no Ooga Booga, so yes. Respect.

Hisham and Nate. Separated at birth.

And Dan, always with Dan.

Jennifer Clavin.

And birthday girl Jessie Clavin. Whoo!

Arlie Carstens or Christian Bale? I can't tell anymore.

Whoever he is, Little Nate seems to have a lot of affection for him.

Deathcamp.

RJ Shaughnessy made a photo book! Come to Family this Sunday to celebrate the release of Deathcamp, and watch Michael Runion and Brother Reade perform in it's honor.

On A Bed Of California Stars.

One year anniversary group show at Tiny Creatures.

Sidewalk hanging.

This fan was part of Jenna's piece. That means that she is officially a conceptual installation artist. Whoo!

Hi Will.

Blow the Shofar.

And Matzah.

Baby C.

Push up contest. I told you it was a sidewalk party.

Little Nate, the party bloodhound.

Shofar doobage.

Lotta googly eyes around this Summer.

Hard boiled / Soft boiled.