Sleater-Kinney were better than I expected. The best thing about them was that they sold their own t-shirts. I bought one from the drummer. They sat at their merchandise table and signed CDs and chatted with fans until about 10 minutes before they went on. No rock star posturing for them. It was refreshing. I’m not a huge fan of their music (actually, it’s just the singing that annoys, they sound like a hard rock Go-Go’s), but they were so tight live that I actually enjoyed it more than the shaggy Modest Mouse show the night before.
Evidence wrapped up in the trial today. Tomorrow, we the jury face the closing arguments from 5, count ’em, 5 lawyers. That should take most of the day. On Monday, most probably, the judge will give us his final instructions and we’ll be sequestered until we unanimously decide on a verdict (on each of the 40 counts). Should be a blast…
Things bought recently:
- Buzzcocks – Operators Manual – This is a great compilation with 25 songs from these Manchester punks. I’ve always been a fan but never owned any of their CDs. I also want to buy more from early Buzzcock Howard Devoto’s band Magazine.
- This Is Spinal Tap – This brings to 8 the number of DVD movies I now own, without owning a proper DVD player. Sure, I can watch them on my roommate’s computer, but it’s not the same. Couldn’t resist this one. I even have the Voyager CD-ROM with the Quicktime version of the movie…
- Please Kill Me, The Uncensored Oral History of Punk, by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain – This is a great book, compiled from many many interviews with pioneers of the mostly American punk scene in the 70s. There’s stuff here about the Velvet Underground, MC5, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, New York Dolls, Ramones, Bowie, Dead Boys, Patti Smith, Television, Blondie, almost everyone involved in the birth of the punk movement in the US. If only there were a book like this about the UK scene. Anyone know of one??