YOU'VE GOT TO LIVE, QUEEN
That last post really took it out of me. But look, here we are– it's an actual Wednesday.
In the spirit of "hey, look at not shitty things, sometimes!", here's some stuff that's come through the shop, again.
I designed and printed these riso posters for my pals at STIGMA cannabis. This gets interesting because remember my Drone Not Drone post? No? Go read it, it's pretty good. I'll keep this brief, but somehow after the fact I put together the dots that my pal at STIGMA was (unwittingly) a large reason Drone Not Drones exists. Back in 2001 (I think?), an event happened in my hometown of Duluth. It was called ELEGY, and it was a benefit/ rememberance for a local guy who'd dealt weed and been murdered in a situation that went south (because, you see, sale of cannabis used to be illegal, and many, many people went to prison for it, for many years). Horrible stuff. I didn't know him personally, but I knew the guy who was putting on the benefit a little, and so did my bandmate Alan. So we hopped in. I'd never heard of anything like ELEGY– 24 hours of sound and drone; just get up there and join in with whatever's happening, totally freeform. So I packed up my guitar and headed to the Norshor theater (where I once broke in to play a show, when I was a teenager, because the guy who booked it had split town. That happened a lot at the Norshor, back in the day), and jumped into the fray for...an hour? Something like that. I remember that I just played with the buzz off the live end of my cord and my finger for 20 minutes before ever plugging in. Regardless, the whole deal was simultaneously somber and uplifting and great. But, it only happened once.
22 years later, I'm talking to Luke, who started and organizes Drone Not Drones, and of course, he was there. And that ELEGY event put the idea in his head. So, 2 decades later, this thing that I played at 20 years ago and really didn't think too deeply about at the time became something that changed ME. Funny how that works.
Anyway, the guy who put on that benefit is Tim, my pal at STIGMA. I'm in no way shilling for them by saying that the THC beverages they make are fucking delicious. Best I've ever tried. It's just true (the iced tea/ lemonade...I'd drink it all day, but I can't, on a...functional basis). And they are good folks, small and ethical. Check them out.
Ok and another poster I designed and printed, for the 25th anniversary of the Compassionate Ocean Zen Center. My very good old pal Ben (another Duluth guy; in fact, he was in the teenage band who had to break in to the Norshor with me, come to think of it) is part of that center and helping to organize this event. He took the photo. Im still wrapping my head around the finer points of high dither photo-style reg on my machine, but I think it looks pretty nice.
Now, I've been to the center for a lookaround/ visit; it's less than a mile from my house and a really beautiful place. Folks who run it seem wonderful. So come and check this out if you're around here (I'll certainly be there). I keep meaning to go there for a real sit, but I inevitably lazy asshat it and end up doing my thing in my regular spots, at home. But there's something (a lot, actually) to be said about sitting quietly, in a room of people.
In fact, I've said it. Probably numerous times. I'll quit saying it when it's no longer true (which is, I suspect, never).
I honestly didn't realize this was going to be an "all my oldest friends from Duluth" post when I started this, but that's how it's working out and it's fine by me.
My old friend (and bandmate) Alan has a new record out on Sub Pop: With Trampled by Turtles (MORE Duluth folks? enough, already!). I asked if he wanted a poster for and he said "sure!" So I whipped one up for the just-announced show at the Fitzgerald Theater. It's not until December, but they asked to use the image for ads and such so I had to reformat the poster design for web legibility and all of that. I won't be printing them until closer to the actual show, but here's what it will (probably. I have a tough time leaving things alone/ simple) look like:
Ok. Somehow it snuck up on me that I've been doing this newsletter for just over 6 months now. Longer post about that (and some other related stuff) very soon, but in the meantime– thanks again to all of you for choosing to hang out here a bit.
Really.
--Z
(Apologies in advance if i got some details about ELEGY wrong)