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Lias Saoudi is a musician and writer from Northern Ireland/Scotland. I was obsessed with his blog “Life Beyond the Neutral Zone” during early lockdown. Before Covid, he toured with this pretty unhinged band called Fat White Family and the blog describes his difficulties adapting to life without catharsis. It’s really funny and really sad. Made me feel good when everything sucked.
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Its the same author as come as you are, the nirvana book, and if you have any interest in indie bands or indie music this is a real page turner. admittedly I’ve only turned about 15 of those pages but I already can tell I love it. didn’t realize how many of these guys were truly DIY, indie to the bone, pressing Their own records type indie.
Jan 6, 2025
As entertaining as you think it would be, and more. (Dude is a fantastic and funny conversationalist; even better over a Spanish coffee or four).
One snippet I fully support (ha) --
Stephen, you’re a pretty beloved figure at this point—does that annoy you at all?
Malkmus: No way. For all that shit, I still wouldn’t want to be taking strays from people, or if it got back to me that there’s people saying I’m a dipshit or I don’t tip well enough or whatever, just this internet world. If people are like, “I met that guy, he’s a fucking dick,” that shit hurts. I’ve had people come to me with preconceptions occasionally, and it was no fun. Not like I needed a bodyguard or anything, but still, it’s just like, Dude, you don’t even know me. You want to have a clean record if you can, unfortunately. [laughs]
Maybe another reason why [being a big-headed rocker] doesn’t completely work now is that musicians get more rapid feedback, and sometimes it can be beneficial. In the ’80s, some musicians made these bloated albums that just them and their seven friends thought were brilliant. But now people are instantly like: “You’re old and you suck,” or, “Your jams are flaccid”—and it can help! I’m not saying [the Rolling Stones’ 2024 album] Hackney Diamonds is a genius record or anything. [laughs] But I bet Robert Plant’s new music is better because of the internet.
Sweeney: Because it’s keeping him in check?
Malkmus: Yeah, or he’s listening to younger artists. I mean, Robert Plant seems to be genuinely interested, and he’s a fan of bands like Low—unlike Eric Clapton, who just says he likes the newest guitarist, and then his records sound awful.
Feb 1, 2025
“It’s not much fun to be the guy by yourself,” Malkmus explains. “You start feeling selfish, like a Scientologist or something."
See what I mean tyler? SM was funny with a few Huber's Spanish coffees in him.
Mar 1, 2024
Top Recs from @isaac
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makes me wanna cry :'(
Feb 6, 2024
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Emma is actually a genius and I enjoy recording her conversations with friends and sometimes foes.
Mar 8, 2023
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I saw this recently at The Roxy with my friend Ben and it hit so hard. I really liked this one in high school but seeing it for the first time in maybe 10 years, I was kind of shocked by how great it was. To enjoy Lost Highway, you have to shut your brain off and just submit to the movie. At the end, two characters drive out to the desert in the middle of the night looking for a burning cabin they’ve seen in visions and then have sex on the sand, illuminated by the headlights of their parked car. This Mortal Coil’s version of ‘Song To The Siren’ plays. We were in the front row it was crazy.
Mar 8, 2023