I Forgot What I Was Drinking To Forget

Friday already? Damn. So much for keeping up on the posting.

Oh well. I've been battling with stains and leakers. I mean the people who don't seem to realize that going to see Free Hot Lunch at Shank Hall is more important than work, or some stupid seminar, or that lousy 'wedding'....

Since Zelmo canceled on the tickets, everybody is having troubles coming through. Oh well, their loss...


Next Thursday, for the Wa-Ha inclinated. AND Saturday in Madison. We're going to both, because we don't know how long this has to last us. One year? Two Years? Ten? Hard to tell with these guys, their focus is completely shot. One lives in Madtown, one in Hawaii, and one in Fort Myers Beach.


This Barely Random is dedicated to the Wa-Ha!

1. Bird Of Paradis from the album "Barrymore Reunion Careen" by Free Hot Lunch That's 'Paradise', Mike. Jeez. Can't trust these jam band tapers, canya?. Taped from about four years ago, at the same place we're seeing them next Saturday night.
2. Xerox Line from the album "Barrymore Reunion Careen" by Free Hot Lunch
3. Half from the album "Studio Sessions" by Free Hot Lunch
4. I'll Stay Out Tonight from the album "World Tour R" by Free Hot Lunch
5. Yo Yo Ma from the album "I Forgot What I Was Drinking To Forget" by John Corning
6. Money Tree from the album "World Tour R" by Free Hot Lunch A Wa-ha classic.


Interlude: There are thousands of FHL stories, but this is mine. The first time I saw them was in a little college town in the middle of FuckAll, Wisconsin. A friend was visiting for the weekend, and we started the Saturday by playing a weird version of croquet that involved cheap brandy. After it started getting hot, we started wandering down to Main Street looking for a bar with A/C to get some food. We stopped at the music store and banged around on some guitars until the owner got tired of us, then went to a joint called the Hoist House. After trying to drink a few beers, someone walked by with a nice, icy ginantonic. So we switched to G&Ts, and hung around the bar drinking and having a burger.

About 6 PM, the band showed up to set up, and we decided to stay. I only knew from the name that they were a Madison band, but the bar comped us in cuz we had been drinking there all afternoon.

When they started playing, we played the part of drunken hecklers, as ordained. The band not only took it in stride, they took glee in ridiculing us and nearly spent more time doing that than playing music. They have a natural comedic chemistry, and a Wa-Ha show is as much comedy as music.


7. Telephone from the album "World Tour 1" by Free Hot Lunch From an old cassette-only release.
8. I Forgot What I Was Drinking To Forget from the album "Barrymore Reunion Careen" by Free Hot Lunch Ah, the title song. "I think I used to have a job/ showed up every day/ Christ I think I used to be married/ but it all worked out okay."
9. Sex In A Volcano from the album "World Tour R" by Free Hot Lunch An update to the old Genesis song? Sadly, No!
10. Sailor's Prayer from the album "Barrymore Reunion Careen" by Free Hot Lunch One of the classics. an a capella tour de force. The audience used to participate by throwing ice during the stormy parts, but the band got tired of enduring the welts and instrument damage.

Once, we traveled 5000 miles to see the band. Hawaii, 2003. They hadn't played together for twelve years, and didn't remember how to play the songs. 30 people came from the Midwest for the show, to the befuddlement and amazement of the bar crew.

11. Money Tree from the album "Studio Sessions" by Free Hot Lunch A different version of above. Obviously.
12. Penguin Love from the album "Studio Sessions" by Free Hot Lunch
13. Good Time Lady from the album "Barrymore Reunion Careen" by Free Hot Lunch


I could keep doing this all day.

14. Wouldn't You Like To Be An Alcoholic? from the album "I Forgot What I Was Drinking To Forget" by John Corning
15. You're Eating For Two Now from the album "I Forgot What I Was Drinking To Forget" by John Corning


I sure do wish Zelmo was going to be there though.


One for my homies, one for libations:

16. Jive Medley from the album "Barrymore Reunion Careen" by Free Hot Lunch This one is about marijuana! Weed! Betcha didn't know that jazz musicians smoked reefers. It's True, Believe It Or Don't! No Pshaw!
17. Hymn #694 from the album "World Tour R" by Free Hot Lunch


Have a wa-ha or two this weekend, and check in here for hangover news after the show.