Ha. Langford doesn't exactly have a small noggin himself. But seriously, Mekons banter is the best.
The last time I saw the band with Tom, who lately doesn't seem to travel much, Jon made fun of him a bunch for being a Hobbit farmer, tending to his many kids in the country. And Tom was rail-thin and mustached! The last time I saw them with him before that he was jetlagged and drunk and a mess, but so was the rest of the band.
Lu I know about. What does Susie do in her downtime? I love Rico's art. Steve is ... a paralegal or something like that?
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 16 November 2013 14:56 (ten years ago) link
Susie co-runs (or ran?) an art gallery, it seems. Dunno about Goulding.
Jeezus, Tom and Sally were primo sexbombs in the '80s. (which I remember, but it's nice to be reminded)
Luc Sante and Melvin Van Peebles (director's last film subject) were apparently in the audience too.
Steve pointed out that Kevin Lycett's head looked even bigger.
― eclectic husbandry (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 16 November 2013 15:52 (ten years ago) link
Wow, the Mekons doc is great. I actually learned quite a bit! Not least that the cover of "Curse" is written partly in Jon's blood but also features an honest to goodness pagan curse scribbled in real runes. I never thought about it before.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 1 May 2014 03:54 (ten years ago) link
http://brooklynbugle.com/2014/07/10/this-is-the-greatest-rock-n-roll-song/
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 10 July 2014 20:34 (nine years ago) link
documentary gets week run in NYC late October, presumably treks across the US after.
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 31 July 2014 20:50 (nine years ago) link
good to hear! Thanks, will keep an eye open, very much wanna see this one.
― pauls00, Thursday, 31 July 2014 23:19 (nine years ago) link
Me too.
Langford was/is just doing some gigs in the UK. What's Sally Timms up to these days?
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 5 August 2014 13:41 (nine years ago) link
opening UK shows for Robbie Fulks the next two weeks
https://www.bloodshotrecords.com/tours-events/205
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 5 August 2014 13:45 (nine years ago) link
(Langford appears to be on most of those as well)
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 5 August 2014 13:48 (nine years ago) link
It's more than opening for Fulks. It's a full-on self-proclaimed "Mini Mekons," with the line-up of Jon Langford, Rico Bell, Sally Timms, Susie Honeyman *and* Robbie Fulks.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t1.0-9/p370x247/10491065_10152326095011475_1453763667825830305_n.jpg
They had a send-off for Fulks, Langford and Timms here a week or so ago.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 5 August 2014 14:52 (nine years ago) link
Oooh nice...
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 5 August 2014 15:05 (nine years ago) link
has to be said, if you follow jons facebook, the man looks to be loving every minute of his world at the moment.
its a joyous insight into the world of a man happy with his art and music.
― mark e, Tuesday, 5 August 2014 18:09 (nine years ago) link
He's a force of nature, and we are lucky to have him in Chicago.
He has a new band called Bad Luck Jonathan. Of course.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 5 August 2014 19:56 (nine years ago) link
re chicago : yup.
used to be a constant presence of excellence in leeds during my time there.
you f*ckers got lucky.
(dont think we had the pleasure of a FAP when i was there a few years back josh ? shame .. was a great night !)
― mark e, Tuesday, 5 August 2014 20:13 (nine years ago) link
that said, if you were there, that just proves the night was even better than i thought !
met several of the chicago ile crew that night ..
― mark e, Tuesday, 5 August 2014 20:14 (nine years ago) link
some very nice clips of the mini-Mekons & Fulks expedition to Orkney, Jura, etc are on the Youtubes. Implied in this one is that they are making a recording there. "One of the best 100 records ever made on Jura...until they make more than 100": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMQZUahnahU
― pauls00, Tuesday, 2 September 2014 21:11 (nine years ago) link
Hadn't seen this thread, or I would've already mentioned how Jon Langford & Skull Orchard's Here Be Monsters hooked me right away. An ever-timely track, not nec. the best, but 'twill serve:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJO6KR5A9wg
― dow, Tuesday, 2 September 2014 22:07 (nine years ago) link
"Drone Operator" (above), one of the best of his recent songs, definitely
― pauls00, Wednesday, 3 September 2014 02:14 (nine years ago) link
That latest Skull Orchard effort is very impressive
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 4 September 2014 14:05 (nine years ago) link
His extracurricular activity has been uniformly excellent: love Three Johns, his stuff with Sally, his collaboration with Richard Buckner is a hidden gem, and his solo albums. Oddly, the one he did with The Sadies fell completely flat for me.
The debut Mekons albums deserves a deluxe reissue with all associated singles - a singular vision for sure.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 4 September 2014 15:47 (nine years ago) link
yeah I'm sure that Virgin CD with the 6 extra singles tracks is oop, might be tough to get licensing for the two Fast singles though
― sleeve, Thursday, 4 September 2014 16:08 (nine years ago) link
I don't know about that, EMI have put that stuff out on more than one occasion (most recently I think all 5 songs came out on that "Rigour, Discipline and Disgust" CD) and since EMI = Virgin these days it wouldn't seem impossible. Of course I've no idea about the actual licensing arrangements, so for all I know it has got more difficult since the last time.
― Tim, Thursday, 4 September 2014 16:20 (nine years ago) link
The October 30th Mekons Symposium in NYC, listed below on the press email, looks interesting
REVENGE OF THE MEKONS will play for one week, October 29 – November 4, at Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St (W. of 6th Avenue), with screenings daily at 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, and 9:30.
Mekons-related events in NYC on opening week: After-party concert by Mekon Jon Langford at Bell House in Brooklyn on Wed, Oct 29 at 9pm.Go to www.thebellhouseny.com for tickets/more info.
Mekons Symposium at Columbia University Thurs, Oct 30 at 7:30 pm. Panelists include: Langford, Vito Acconci, Mary Harron, Jonathan Franzen, Greil Marcus, & Luc Sante. Free and open to the public. At Buell Hall, Maison Francaise (via main entrance, 2960 Broadway).
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 30 September 2014 20:10 (nine years ago) link
Ha, basically the "cast" of the film minus all the Mekons save Langford.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 30 September 2014 20:59 (nine years ago) link
I guess none of the rest of them can make it to NYC
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 01:21 (nine years ago) link
I imagine not. Tom can barely make it to Mekons gigs these days!
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 01:30 (nine years ago) link
Wait doesn't Steve Goulding live in NYC? Think sometimes he plays drums for my neighbor. Maybe he's not considered a Mekon anymore.
― The "5" Astronomer Royales (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 1 October 2014 02:58 (nine years ago) link
Steve is a Mekon for life at this point. Maybe in the studio? Touring? Working his real job?
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 03:15 (nine years ago) link
Must be doing something else those days as the press release says re folks involved with the movie:
Jon Langford will be in NYC for interviews October 29-30; Joe Angio and Steve Goulding are based in NYC; Sally Timms and the other Mekons are available for phone interviews
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 15:21 (nine years ago) link
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10678669_10205021437838721_3332215468360547687_n.jpg?oh=7a5d6065e9333e829daace7443bf996a&oe=54B930AB&__gda__=1421025748_2d94d0f056147bf263f2559e6dfebad0
Just Jon Langford, hangin' with Robert Plant, as he is wont to do.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 2 October 2014 18:37 (nine years ago) link
sort of Mekons week in NY, tho i'm not sure i'll have time for anything
― this horrible, rotten slog to rigor mortis (Dr Morbius), Monday, 27 October 2014 16:20 (nine years ago) link
Ed Roche, the manager of Quarterstick, an independent label that has released more than a dozen of the band’s albums, says that a “good-selling” Mekons record amounts to about 8,000 copies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/26/movies/a-documentary-celebrates-the-mekons.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
So Sally Timms is a paralegal by day
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 28 October 2014 16:58 (nine years ago) link
Nice article in the Voice by Stephanie Zacharek:
The Mekons are Still Here, Still Great -- and In a New Doc
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Thursday, 30 October 2014 16:52 (nine years ago) link
I wonder how that panel with Marcus, Harron, Sante et. al. was last night?
― curmudgeon, Friday, 31 October 2014 15:05 (nine years ago) link
chickened out, too far upown. :/
Zacharek Voice doc review:
http://www.villagevoice.com/2014-10-29/film/the-mekons/
― this horrible, rotten slog to rigor mortis (Dr Morbius), Friday, 31 October 2014 15:12 (nine years ago) link
Guessing James Redd didn't make it up to Columbia U either
― curmudgeon, Friday, 31 October 2014 16:18 (nine years ago) link
Nope, but thanks for thinking of me.
― Thackeray Zax (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 31 October 2014 16:37 (nine years ago) link
http://www.vulture.com/2014/11/franzen-marcus-and-harron-on-the-mekons.html
Here's some of what they talked about
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 6 November 2014 02:52 (nine years ago) link
"Revenge of the Mekons" doc will be showing at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto, Saturday, Jan 24. With beer, appropriately enough. And a "post-screening Skype Q&A with band members from the Mekons"
http://boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/WebSales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=33548~fff311b7-cdad-4e14-9ae4-a9905e1b9cb0&
― pauls00, Monday, 5 January 2015 16:03 (nine years ago) link
Jon's mom just passed. :(
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 5 January 2015 16:05 (nine years ago) link
Oh, hadn't seen that. Sad.
Gonna see Jon do a solo gig out in DC exurb Gaithersburg tonight. Have never been out there or even knew they had gigs in the 99 seat theatre.
Oh, and Josh in Chicago posted this nice interview Sally did of Kim Gordan on the thread for Kim's book, but it is also of interest for Sally and Mekons fans I'd say http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/kim-gordon-girl-band-memoir-interview-sally-timms-cuddy/Content?oid=16661865
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 7 March 2015 16:01 (nine years ago) link
Gonna miss the workshop Jon is doing out there today--
The afternoon workshop offers an extraordinary opportunity to get to know the artist and his process as well as the performer and his completed works. It is a memorable chance for music students to exercise creative muscle and hear Langford’s valuable professional perspective.
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 7 March 2015 16:05 (nine years ago) link
Can't believe no one (including me) mentioned "Beaten & Broken."
― Jazzbo, Saturday, 7 March 2015 19:19 (nine years ago) link
x-post--Turns out the solo gig was actually Jon with violinist Jean Cook from the Skull Orchard band. A great show. They did a bunch of songs from the 2014 Langford & Skull Orchard album; a Waco Brothers tune; "Millionaire" from the Mekons; The Go-Betweens song "Streets of Your Town," a Roger Know song (he's an Aboriginal singer who did a record with the Pine Valley Cosmonauts) and lots of great and funny stories
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 March 2015 22:45 (nine years ago) link
Roger Knox
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 10 March 2015 22:47 (nine years ago) link
Got tickets to the Chicago show before it sold out, I believe NYC tickets are available now. Sad to miss Mekonception, but $75 plus a flight to NYC is a little steep.
― JoeStork, Friday, 8 May 2015 16:16 (nine years ago) link
hey, I'm here, but the Mekons don't need my help in making an album. I'll go to the 'normal' show at Bowery Ballroom if I can.
― the increasing costive borborygmi (Dr Morbius), Friday, 8 May 2015 16:40 (nine years ago) link
hmmmmm, so this is what you folks are talking about
July 23, 2015 at Red Hook, NY, United States in Red Hook, NEW YORK. mekonception is a once in a lifetime event for the mekons…we will record our new album in the presence of 75 audience members at a cost of $75 per person. the audience will form a mekon feral choir and participate and be featured on the final release. all attendees will also be named and thanked on the record when it is released…songs will be performed and played in real time into a solitary microphone, there will be experimentation, there will be brand new songs never before heard in public, there will be communal singing, there will be strangeness, there will be libations to keep us going at the bar…there will be no overdubs and the album will be done and finished by the time we all go home. the event will last about two hours…
― curmudgeon, Friday, 8 May 2015 19:34 (nine years ago) link
Mekons - 2015 Tour Dates 05/21/2015 - Jersey City NJ - Monty Hall (Revenge of the Mekons screening) 06/02/2015 - Denver CO - Sie FilmCenter (Revenge of the Mekons screening) 07/11/2015 - Chicago IL - The Hideout 07/13/2015 - Chicago IL - The Poetry Foundation 07/14/2015 - Mineral Point WI - Mineral Point Opera House 07/16/2015 - Cleveland OH - Music Box Supper Club 07/17/2015 - Harrisburg PA - Herr Street Stage 07/18/2015 - Rehoboth Beach DE - Dogfish Head Brewing and Eats 07/20/2015 - Philadelphia PA - Boot & Saddle 07/21/2015 - New York NY - Bowery Ballroom 07/23/2015 - Brooklyn NY - Jalopy 07/24/2015 - Portsmouth NH - 3S Artspace 07/25/2015 - Cambridge MA - Middle East
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 9 May 2015 12:55 (nine years ago) link
Now I understand the Dogfish Brew connection
http://firstwefeast.com/drink/dogfish-beer-labels-jon-langford/
His first label for Dogfish Head was for their Olde School Barley Wine, which depicted a Woodie Guthrie-type of character brandishing some hops.
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 9 May 2015 13:07 (nine years ago) link