Rememberies 2013

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Welcome to a very special edition of Rememberies for the year 2013. Why is this one so special, you ask? Because unlike most Rememberies installments, which are written shortly after the year in question has reached its end, I completely forgot to do one for 2013 in 2014 or 2015 or 2016 so I am now attempting to relieve 2013 in 2017. Is it even possible? Let’s find out.

January

We started off the year in full two-piece mode and would stay in that mode for … most of the year. I think we were recording at this point, just at the house and nothing any good and now that computer is a kaputzer. Hey, looks like we played a couple of shows with the band Twin Peaks! They were really starting to build a buzz back then, I hope we keep hearing more from them.

February

A couple of more shows, with the Bingers and Today’s Hits! I sure do like those bands. It was a short month.

March

We did a session of Pure Hype on WHPK in south Chicago. It was fantastic and Max filmed it all, I bet you can find some videos on the tube if you’re interested. I was wearing a The Who t-shirt.

April

Hahahahahahahaha. Brent booked the Beets at Animal Kingdom and he made sure he got the Lemons to open. It was the first ever Lemons show, with JL, JJ and CT. Even Slushy had a couple of shows.

May

Hey, my birthday is in May! Happy birthday, me! The day after we played a sandwich shop and I remember not having very much fun but who would blame me for preferring my birthday? The Lemons also played a show featuring Brent Z sitting under a shawl playing an omnichord. A recording exists of that somewhere around here….

June

Holy smokes, 5 shows in one month? We must have been nuts. This included a great street festival appearance with not only Slushy, but 2 other bands that we were not expecting to be in but were in for the day — The Sueves and Max Clarke (pre-cut worms). What a nice day. Then we went up on Jason’s rooftop and hung out for a while and then?

July

Slushy played one show. The Lemons played two. What was I doing? Probably being the perfect boyfriend or some garbage.

August

Hey we went on tour! Second and so far last Brent and Chris Slushy tour. Brent, what are you doing this summer? We went to Detroit, and Cleveland (now that’s class) and Mishawaka and that’s it. Yes, at this point I was still an office boy and belonged in an office and could only get a weekend off of work because they are obliged to do that every weekend (thanks, labor unions!). Oh and then later in August we played 2 shows on the same night, a birthday party at Space Club (Hi Bart!) and an unbirthday party at FeelTrip (RIP). Almost as if people liked us!

September

Remember that subtle foreshadowing about keeping the 2 piece for most of the year? Brent moved to Seattle in this month and things just weren’t the same ever since. But before he could do that we had to release our debut single because that’s how timing always works out. Candy b/w Pocket came out on Randy Records including with some limited artwork by Goon$. I think Five Little Leaves would up getting released around this time too on Tripp Tapes. We had a nice going away show at the Owl and I finally figured out who Justin Vittori was! What a long time it’s been since then. Hi JV!

October

Must have been hanging with Max and Raff at this point. What did I dress up as for Halloween?

November

Oh yeah, the Lemons were pretty busy at about this time. We released the first ever tape called “Hello, We’re the Lemons” on Tripp Tapes in November and celebrated with a show at Bric-A-Brac with Guantanamo Baywatch and a show at the Subterranean with Nobunny featuring Pookie all in one day. What a nice day!

December

Brent came back halfway into the month to visit from his new home in Seattle. We went over to Matt Riley’s and experimented with eating and recording. Everything worked out great, and we left for a little two-show tour to Omaha and Minneapolis. We played Omaha and it went overall pretty great. We played the Middle House and a lot of nice people were there including my Uncle Bill (peace) and then the next day our vehicle broke down in a snow storm. Friday evening, about 5:30, about 20 miles from Mason City, IA, and by the time you get a tow into town everywhere is shut down, so you have to wait 3 whole days til the mechanic opens on Monday, and he’ll take all day to tell you to take it to the dealership in town, who will take all day to tell you to sell it to the salvage yard. Luckily, Mason City has more going for it than a lousy way to make $350, namely the Pastime Gardens and all its denizens. Wayne Z picked up his boy early on the first morning so I had a few days on my own and boy was that a cold and nice place, the kind of place that makes you as nice as it is. On the morning of the 31st I took a bus from the Clear Lake Airport (where Buddy, Richie, et al made their final boarding) and spent the evening in Des Moines because I missed my connection for the megabus. Hi Brad, Hi Julie, Hi drummer for the Silver Jews!

Unless I’m thinking of a different year, which is entirely likely. Goes to show you never can tell!