Today I recorded a cover of R.E.M.’s “Fall On Me” to test out some new software. I love that song. I wish I had Stipey’s voice (or even Mike Mills’)!

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Okay, it’s been a while. But in the world of Alex Arrowsmith and His Pugs, there really hasn’t been much going on besides a few shows and learning new songs for the next album. I’ve also been super busy with The Shaky Hands. In fact, we just played a heroic show at Burgerville last night. And since the last time I updated, we’ve mostly finished the next Shaky Hands album.

But! Having said that, here is some actual content. Videos from the Pugs set at the Banana Stand on June 26:

Hey! I’m in The Shaky Hands now! Jake Morris left their drum throne a couple months ago, so with the lineup in flux anyway, they decided to bring on a jack-of-all-trades of sorts. I’m playing mostly keyboards, but also guitar on some songs. I’ll probably get to rock the floor tom at some point too. Basically, whatever is needed for a given song. The possumbilities are endless.

Here’s the story the Willamette Week music blog posted today about the line-up change with some quotes from my bandmate (three times over!) Mayhaw Hoons.

I’m completely excited. I’ve loved The Shaky Hands ever since Mondo Hollywood first played with them at the Shakies’ second ever show in Jeff’s basement in February 2004. I’ve wanted to be in the band for almost as long. Nick Delffs is the best songwriter in town (at the very least), and I feel superchuffed to be able to contribute to them songs both past and future.

Be sure to catch our shows coming up! We’re playing a house show this Saturday at an undisclosed (but not if you try to find it) location, and then June 12 at the Doug Fir. I’m freaking READY.

Okay, so it’s been a bit. What. Huh? What now. Well put this in your bubble wand: Alex Arrowsmith and His Pugs are playing at The Know (NE 20th & Alberta in Portland) on June 11! Also on the bill is Tiger House and Yellowstar. It’s gonna rule. Get all your friends and family out to picket it! Get us on the news! I want Jeff Gianola to see me play!

Also, I set up a Band Camp page. Go nuts. Download my songs for free.

And last but definitely not worst! Today I wrote a song based on a kind of inside joke for the podcast by Jorge Garcia (Hurley from Lost) and his podcast partner/girlfriend Beth. It’s about how Jack always manages to talk about dural sacs on Lost, which Jorge and Beth were talking about on their most recent installment. They offhandedly said, “someone should write a song about that.” So I took them up on that challenge. It’s called “Dural Sac Jack.” Yes, the whole thing is way way dorky. But you know, I can never resist dorky. I heard the podcast this afternoon and finished the song by dinner (which was enchiladas…hell yes?!). I emailed it to them, and Beth was super rad enough to post about it on their Facebook! Eeeek! Awesome! Thanks guys! Seems from the comments that other people liked it too. This is the kind of thing that only super insane Lost fans like myself probably give a crap about, but it was lots of fun, and it made my day just the same!

Here are the lyrics, in case I garbled the words a bit:

Jack wants to open up my back
And get his hands in me, fixing up my dural sac
No one else has got the same knack
Watch him count to five
Working magic on my sac

Jack wants to open up my back
And put his hands inside me, fixing up my dural sac
Jack always pines for a spine
He’s always working magic
Fixing up my dural sac

I’m busted. One of my earliest lasting contributions to the internet: my review of the 1996 Portland Cure show.

I had just turned 14 and it was my first time seeing a real show (I don’t count questionable Hood River local rock shows). The Cure was my favorite band, and they’re still in my Top 3 (though the exact position depends on the day). I was there with my best friend (Mayhaw), my girlfriend (Leslie) and my dad (Curt). It was pretty much the best group of friends I could have asked for.

That night was awesome then, and even though some may write off my excitement over it as silly teen follies, I still defend its awesomeness now. It’s one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, although I’m sure it’s mostly because of the time in my life that I saw it. Shows were just better when I was younger. And not to diminish anyone else’s show experiences, but growing up in Hood River and having to go to Portland to see them…it brings an extra element of exoticism to it. This was true for The Cure in July 1996, They Might Be Giants in November 1996 and September 1999 and maybe even the first shows I went to when I moved to Gresham in 2001 like John Spencer and various K Records shows at the old Meow Meow. It’s sad, but seeing shows just doesn’t have the same magic as they did in el days of yore. If I must blame someone for this tragedy, I blame Weezer.

However, I do think my review was pretty cool for a 14 year old. I actually criticized musical elements of the show. I wasn’t just some teen fan saying OMG!!!! (although if I had, I might have revolutionized the internet with that acronym). By then, I was already a Cure bootleg hound, so I knew my Cure shows. I didn’t know much about any other band except They Might Be Giants, but I at least knew my Cure more than anyone else in Hood River, except for maybe Shawn Ewers (who was also at that 1996 Cure show).

So yeah, July 31, 1996 is a day that will live in infamy in my world, and hopefully the few I know who experienced it with me.

Here’s a video of “Freeze Tag,” our set-closer from me and My Pugs’ Ash St. show last Sunday. Thanks to Margie (video-taker) and Ky (video-poster) for the video!

And for the sake of massive contrast, here’s the music video of the album version, made by Mark Young back in 2003:

A video from last weekend’s Alex Arrowsmith And His Pugs show at the Ash St. Saloon here in Portland. Thanks to Colleen Perkins for the video!

In other news, PDR is now on CD Baby and iTunes. Go nuts and use your 401K on buying it multiple times.

Dudes! I updated the discography with pages for Public Domain Rainbow and Modernity Leave…finally! Which means all the lyrics are up, too (except for the improvised songs from Modernity Leave, for now at least). I know some people care about lyrics, and for those of you that do, you can see how little I care about mine! I hear a preschool in Cleveland is using the “New Times And Fire Road” text for the spring term of AP Story Time.

NEWSFLASH: I have submitted PDR to CD Baby, so it should be available in its physical form within the week. YES.

Also, don’t forget that Alex Arrowsmith and His (aka My) Pugs are playing at the Ash St. Saloon next Sunday the 28th. 9 pm, $5 at the door, 21+. I know it’s a Sunday, but we ARE playing FIRST. So it’ll be an early set if you need to be in bed by 11 pm to wash dishes the next day, like Mayhaw does.