Xiu Xiu for life
b/w
Jack Kerouac Lowell High Football #35 2013 bobble-head doll spotted above the bar at Old Pro sports bar in Palo Alto, the home town of Beat poet Lew Welch
The toy idol was created as publicity for UMass -Lowell English department and Lowell Spinners minor league short season baseball team
edit to add: Jamie Stewart as a duo called Xiu Xiu posted a performance of a unique version of ZZ Top “Sharp Dressed Man” which set me to nostalgizing about The Cubberley Sessions at Palo Alto from 1994-2001 and Jamie’s role in it, and his role in the Palo Alto scene in that era, which was considerable. He had some miscellaneous relationship with KZSU and maybe the University. I first heard of him thanks to their dj Glenn Smith who sat in with IBOPA. IBOPA played my series in support of Oxbow I think (and Idiot Flesh) but also with Marginal Prophets. Ten in the Swear Jar (XITSJ) was his vehicle for a while there; I saw them but never booked them. Likewise Xiu Xiu — named for the saddest movie in the world — whose fame peaked after I went on hiatus as a promoter. I did catch up to Jamie and Xiu Xiu at Tonic in NYC.
I hit Jamie by email and he wrote me write back so who knows, maybe I will do a show with him or them or it.
Also, I remember talking to Jamie the day Allen Ginsberg died and he suggested that there should be a concert spontaneoulsy forming in reaction, perhaps at Lytton Plaza then known as Burger King Plaza.
Since I’m processing the Beats anew recently I should ask Jamie what he thinks.
(There’s also a Jamie Stewart Nina Simone vehicle that features among others Mary Halverson)
(There’s also a Jamie Stewart Eugene Robinson Oxbow thing that references Sal Mineo — movie star, played in Rebel Without a Cause, maybe died young; I also saw a weird book, on sale at Beat Museum, called “The Delinquent the Beat and The Square” or something from about 1960 on an obscure Christian Press or put out by a church that Sal Mineo contributed to that tried to argue against the Beats and convert young hip people back to being squares. Which leads to a wonder about Huey Lewis “Hip to Be Square” did it reference the Beats.
Indestructible Beat of Palo Alto references South Africa but maybe it can be reprised as Indestructible Beats of Palo Alto referencing Beatitude.
Jamie also had a thing about AIDS virus and “hives” which predates rock band of same blame.
And1: Got to give it up for the catalyst in Santa Cruz for back-to-back bookings March 16, March 19, Stephen Marley and flogging Molly.
I think I mean “confused” not “accused”. Forgive me I was prepping for a coffee klatch with a famous defense attorney.
I saw something in the paper about a new documentary about the former Raiders receiver Warren Wells, a hardluck case. I never saw him play but I saw Fred Biletnikoff and cliff branch catching balls thrown by Ken Stabler. Here is the detail of a 1979 promotional poster touting 20 years of raiderism ( it was before “raider nation”).
Plastic Alto with Mark Weiss 