Notes for July 15, 2024.

July 15, 2024. Day .

I haven't written any notes in a while. Let me start with the ones that mean the least to me personally.

First: the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. I've seen a couple of people trying to make the case that this was some kind of plan of Trump's. I don't believe it. This is a guy who wasn't willing to get his hair wet to lay a wreath at a cemetery for veterans in Normandy. Not a chance he would risk letting his hair get messed up by a little squib.

This was a suicide-by-cop, by a kid whose personality was the gun he owned (or had control of). If it had been Biden on that stage, he would have shot Biden. There was nothing personal or political about it. This was an attempt to create the greatest internet troll post or meme ever, or die trying. The kid just missed.

It wasn't Joe Biden's fault for saying Trump should be in the "bull's eye"; nobody knew about that until the soft-spoken christo-fascist Mike Johnson mentioned it. And this shooting wasn't Biden's plan either. This was a by-product of the world boys live in now.

The Stacks went "on tour" with our brother band Mercyland this weekend. (The Stacks' bass player Andrew is also the guitarist in Mercyland.) I bet we would do this more if David didn't have to drive from Athens (9 hours?) and Joel didn't have to drive from Asheville (100 hours?).

We had a blast at both shows, though I have to say....the Intracoastal Club in Houma, Louisiana totally rules, and Poor Boys Bar in New Orleans is just fine. I did not know the night life on St. Bernard Avenue after 11 was so busy. If I had known that I would have parked somewhere else.

Andrew's crew of suburban dads from Destrehan showed up in Houma, and as funny as that may sound to some, they were great fans to have. Another guy named Ian, who Steve invited, said he came to the Intracoastal because it has a great vibe. He came to the other show too, so: thanks Ian.

mercyland in houma

Poor Boys is cool. Their Instagram has 35,000 followers, which must cover the whole Bywater and Treme (I'm kidding, I have no idea where their followers are from). They didn't mention our show which is....all right, I get it; we're not the target audience. I would have liked to have the show promoted to 35,000 followers, but why would a bar bother, it's an IG post, it's a lot of work. It probably would have not attracted even one person in the door. Maybe I was supposed to pay the instagram poster. (Was I? If so, drop me a line so I know what to do next time.) They also don't give any deals to the band, like, not even two-dollar High Lifes, like every other club in the Milky Way. I guess it's a very exclusive gig. Whatever; we had fun. But the room, despite its mirror ball, reminded me of a show my band played in 1984, at a community center where I'm not sure the management even knew we were playing.

mercyland on stage

mercyland setlist

Last and best: Buddy, my cat who had eye surgery (enucleation, or removal), got his stitches out today. The incision is still not fully healed; it's closed up but I think the removal of the sutures actually left him with a lot of redness that needs to come down before he can safely go out. But Buddy listened to and remembered my promises that he could go out today, and naturally, he's mad. I feel like a politician. Buddy: I promise: tomorrow. I like that he's trying to defy me. I think it's the best sign.

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