Ode to the Unified Scene (put on yr nerd shoes)

[motörben]

I had a proper meltdown in the middle of January and panic-bought a plane ticket to America. Heidi, Noah, A!mee & co., Joelle & family, Stephanie, Brendan & Kim and 33.3% of Demander let me into their lives, homes, bars and laundry cycles. They fed me, got me drunk and took me to shows. I didn't escape my problems but I had a fucking killer couple of weeks.

I've seen loads of great gigs like Parts & Labor, Phosphorescent, Richard Swift and more for absolutely free thanks to Manish. 2009 is the first year in 3 that I haven't abused his hospitality and spare room in Islington.

I've had dinner with three of my favourite lyricists in the world and sweet talked my way into a few sold out gigs because of a loose affiliation with The Hold Steady. I've been extraordinarily drunk with the Art Brut posse at least twice and I think there was a hazy third time somewhere too.

I went to Dublin to watch the Pixies and John K & family put me up, fed me and drove me around. Me and my friend Dug needed a housemate and theblondette introduced us to Christina who is lovely and whose Peroni's we polished off when he got home from a bar last week.

Howard Roberts took me and a couple of friends to the 'executive suite' of an FA cup game last week and we got hammered and had steaks and eyed up Andy Preece's wife. Tonight I'm off for a couple of pints with wealdstone. The long lost disgruntledgoat has invited me and my girlfriend to go and stay with him in the lake district at some point and we're going to take him up on it and in a couple of weeks I'm going to see D4 and Leatherface with our homeboy mike.

Say what you will about internet communities but my 2009 has been markedly better because of this one. Unificado!

[john k]

well said ben, you are a true scene leader. because of this board i have heard music that i prob would'nt have otherwise. people have sent me CDs from the four corners of the world ( i thought the planet was round ! ). i have had invites from people in the US, UK and Oz to come and stay. this is the board i most visit. all round good eggs. united we stand .....

[jwd]

Ben was the first to welcome me to the UK on a while back. He met me at a pub (yes, the joint was called "The Famous Cock") and proceeded to get me drunk on Pimms cup and introduce me to vinegar on fries. Then our man in London Manish hooked the three of us up at the famous Uncut magazine gig, which you can still check our drunken selves raging on youtube. The three of us took a train to Portsmith, stayed in an inn where I met Lord Nelson's ghost after yet another raging gig. Then Ben opened his house in Manchester to me and the whole of THS, including Rustun (we miss ye!).

This is just one story of friends I made in real time because of this board. All in all, The Unified Scene is pretty damned unique. Keep ya head up. Stay positive....

[hoodrat]

Ben, you're the best.

A bit of my unified positivity:
There have been good gigs and good rages and good times from the very start. The first time I wore my Unified Scene shirt (to a Lucero gig), I was leaped upon (by a certain star of a certain Lucero music video). And after Bowery and I jetted off to ybor city on a whim to meet the rest of the scene properly, there were good friends. I'm pretty sure that over the half the East Coast scene has been in my house this year. I also met Rob Sheffield (and narrowly resisted the urge to embrace him and tell him his book made me bawl and then be extra-nice to my husband for awhile). Rawkguitars and somuchjoy both show up in DC from time to time apparently to make sure I am drinking properly. I show up in Charlottesville to do the same. Last year, few scenesters were in my sister's house and met my wee niece. I have received notes and goodies and CDs from around the world. A goodly number of folks have bought me a drink. I jumped international borders to see the Steady for the first time this fall and there were friends I knew and loved on the other side and new kindred spirits. In DC, where most of my close friends are of the lawyers-parents-non-concert-going sort, I almost never go to a gig anymore without running into someone I know from here.

And while there have been quarrels and flame-outs along the road, that just makes it all the more a real group of friends. I miss stephanie and joelle and lilhan like mad, but I can track them down from time to time. These intertubes are positive, yo.

[yesterdayspapers]

same here, I met some really cool people in Toronto, it was a really positive experience.

[katieee]

One of my favorite nights of this year was that show in brooklyn I came to alone with the tequila in my purse. There were sauerkraut and fries involved, rob sheffield signing my book (THS 4-EVER love, rob) and taking pictures (i did not have the self-control of amy. there were hugs and gushing), i got told to use my "inside voice", and I made it back to my bed in Philly by 4am.

you guys have always welcomed me with open arms and hearts and homes when i impulsively decide to take public transportation places and i love every second of it.

[toastie]

When I first met the Unified Scene, I wasn't too sure about who people were behind the psyudeo-names. But soon I was comfortable and happy talking with Lilhan and Disgruntled Goat about hamsters. Of course I met some non US-ers who were just as cool. There was Ben, who needs no introduction and incedentally saved me sleeping between Mike and Myke on an airbed when he was taken home.

I love you all and there is nothing can do you about it.

[theblondette]

Oh, Unified Scene. You guys mean a lot to me. I haven't met as many of you as I would like, but that's okay. I think we can care an extraordinary amount about people we've never met in the flesh, and whilst our meetings may be virtual, our friendships are real. I have received a beautiful Hold Steady poster, a t-shirt and an anchor necklace, and marshmallows and a handknitted scarf from ladies I have never met. Through the medium of private messaging I have co-authored noir thrillers and played games of Truth and exchanged photographs of snowy gardens and high heeled shoes. I have received words of great kindness in times of distress, and I have laughed so hard at the things people have said and done. Many of you I may never have the chance to meet; I hope we do, but whatever happens, we have forged so many connections here, and that is a joyful sort of thing.

And, of course, I have great memories (and photos!) of those of you I have met. Thanks to Ben for setting up this sweet thread. The most recent memory I have of Ben is of him telling people off on the bus for listening to Baker Street whilst Christina and I shushed him. This was after he headbutted me. (Accidentally... One hopes.) Good lad.

[mattjs]

I loves Ben

[missalabamanobody]

frannyglass <3 essbee <3 emily<3


holy trinity

[Rich Tarbell]

Dec 5, 2009 8:00:22 GMT -5 hoodrat said:

Ben, you're the best.

i guess i should pay more attention ... rrodstewart is ben?

is somuchjoy still that assjack from nyc that pushes everyone?

what happened to that chick that used to post in prose?

"and all the little ants are marching,
red and black antenna waving,
they do it the same,
they do it the same way!"

[seann]

I love this thread. Cheers to you, Ben, and to all you scenesters!

Good people = good times.

[mike]

what can i say? those of you who have been around here for a while will know that i've not exactly had the easiest of times over the past couple of years, and i've consistently been humbled by the understanding and generosity of people here. i'm hardly the easiest person to get along with some of the time, but i feel like there's people here who understand what i'm like and tolerate me as if i was family. i'm not gonna start naming names 'cause people'll just get left out, but i've got a lot of love for you guys. f'realzies.

[toastie]

All I can say on Mike is: Ginger Wine and Aldi's!!!

[mike]

i'm sure there's plenty more you could say if you thought hard enough, although it is true that you drank some of my ginger wine, and we did go to aldi's together.

[toastie]

Oh yeah there was Big Hands, THS, Big Hands, Charlies and Dot Info giving you, Hannah and Ant a lift to the station. For the record, the wine was not brilliant though alcoholic.

[mike]

*shrugs*

it's ginger wine. you like it or you don't. i'm pretty much into anything gingery.

[toastie]

True.

[bex]

This year has certainly had a lot of ups and downs for me, actually more downs. But the support and love from some of the people here has been incredible. I've been quite humbled by these folks that have never met me, or danced and drank with me but somehow know that we have a connection.
And anyone who can make it over here to Oz is welcome to my couch!

xx

[hoodrat]

as some of y'all may have gathered, this holiday season has been kind of taxing. i went by my mailbox for the first time in about a week today. and found several surprises - my unified mix and also some other gifts -- all from friends i made here. the new year is looking up. hugs all around!

[stringer]

The only thing I can say is, what I was thinking earlier today:
I'm so glad you guys exist.

[howard]

Ben - this is a truly magnificent thread. And well worthy of you. (You forgot our efforts at the pub quiz in Manchester which was also a great night, even though I must make a mental note that a cheeky beer with you often becomes a whole lot more).

In the same spirit, I'm off to a New Years party with Andy from the old board whose name I forgot, but who I saw hug a policeman whilst Andy did his Ali G impression at the Leeds test match this summer. Our kids are greatest of friends ("the kids at the shows will have...")

The spirit of this community is quite incredible. Even though my life has become ever more hectic, I love being able to pick up these threads. (And still wish I could understand more about the Blondette's PhD).

I went to the the sold out THS gig in Islington on 3 hours notice in September courtesy of the amazing Wealdstone. It wasn't until I was an hour into my 2 hour train journey that I remembered to ask if it was ok to stay at his that night (or more exactly - following several drinks with the boys at their hotel - from 4am until 10am the next day).

I lost Keith at the gig but had the usual wild time down the front with Caz. LilHannah where were you ?!

Jamesjesus jangleton remains a mine of useful information about drinking locations in London. I'm not sure about whether he ever deserved to be threatened with shin kicking.

Was it only February when Matt, that girl form the states who was travelling and I found ourselves watching Chillout Tent and Knuckles in wolverhampton (recently voted one ofthe 10 worst cities in the world by lonely planet but I had a blast there)?

John Dill doesn't know that I regularly - and I think, effectively, in the sense of out puzzling the other side - use Hold Steady lyrics when writing to oppoents in hostile insolvency litigation (I blatantly pinched John's "Your client thinks he is hardcore; he might want the scars,but he won't want the war" after Ben had told me about it). Whilst at it, john's story of the barmaid who had never heard of Led Zeppelin and raised the point with Tad is one of my favourites ever.

Even though, we often don't hook up for months on end, its dead easy to pick up and have good times with some of the great people here - a constant inspiration.

Take it easy.


PS I'm fairly sure 2010 will see me going stateside to see the boys, but its difficult to work out where to go to meet as many of the Scene as possible.

PPS Note to self. Check in at the boards more often. Why didn't I check the board on the day of the greatest band playing an extended acoustic set at my favourite bar in Leeds?



And we had a cracking day at the FA cup game the other week, although you forgot our subsequent trip out in Manchester when we took on all comers at the pub quiz.