ALUMNI HOUSE 8-12-06

We hadn't played in over a month, and it felt really good to do it again. And the
Alumni House is an interesting place--I lost count of how many TVs they have. TVs on tables, on the walls, in the bathroom. All tuned to different channels. At one point, some talent show was on and it was showing a bunch of dancers on this giant screen in the same room as the stage, and it was interesting to see if the dancers on screen matched tempos with us at all (not really).

But the AH food is good, the atmosphere is really nice. They have these really tall beer dispensers that they will put on your table--I didn't think to ask what they're called and last night was the first time I've ever seen these things. It's like a tap for your table with a very tall tube on the top that holds the beer. I'm not even sure how they got the beer in there...

Anyway, we had fun playing. Virgil Brawley of the Juvenators made an appearance, and our good friend Natalie Long was in the house.

The Stomach
Chris said that our new song "Dust Of The Seventies" gives him "the stomach" (or one part of it does). So we talked about which of our songs give him/us the stomach more than others. I should explain what "the stomach" is--it's kind of a rush of emotion from the pit of your stomach accompanied by goose bumps and/or a feeling of connection with all things, an epiphany-ish feeling.

I first heard the term from my friend Ken Hall (he's shopping a novel, if you can help him in that regard, let us know) to describe the feeling he got from listening to U2 songs--particularly "Joshua Tree" stuff. As soon as I heard him use the term, I instantly knew what he was talking about and have used the term ever since. I like all kinds of music, but my favorite music is the kind that gives you the stomach.

And my nominee for new Buffalo Nickel song that gives you the stomach is Chris' tune "Carolina Divorce Song," particularly in the chorus--"Oh my, what are you doing tonight?" An elegant, emotional question...

Set List

Pretty typical set list--started with "Willin'" and ended with "Purple Rain/Freebird." Did the new originals, shook the rust off of "East Bound And Down" (can't remember the last time we played that--when it got to the solo, especially) and so forth.

Got a busy September on the way...and we're starting to make significant progress toward beginning to work on the new album (as R.E.M. might say, we're about to "Begin the Begin"), which is going to be called one of the following (if last night's "Whiskey Talk" session has any lingering effects):

1. The Greatest Record Ever Made (or The Greatest Record Of All Time)
2. The New Originals (a nod to Spinal Tap)
3. The New Originals: The Greatest Record Of All Time

And there were a few more bandied about between sides of Chronic Town, Don Williams Best Of, Toto, Doobie Bros., etc. Oh, and America.

But my nomination for title of the new album is "What Now, Little Brother"...