So I bought a digital camera. It will be nice to have when we hit the road again in September. Thanks to everyone who has emailed or Facebooked us with venue suggestions or a place to sleep. You all are truly the best.

A few pictures…

I’m sitting in my room, chomping on a Freeze Pop, listening to some crunchy tunes. I am antsy to play some shows. We will have some soon.

Meanwhile, I have been listening to a lot of SongSuns, my brother’s side project along with Chris Hansen, a very talented friend of old. Check out www.myspace.com/songsuns. Mostly folk-oriented, catchy melodies, definitely Bowie-influenced…good stuff, you should listen to it. And consider purchasing the album as it is a name-your-own-price deal for the download (nod to Radiohead). Plus Nathan’s getting skinnier by the day, he could use the food money I reckon.

On an unrelated listening note, my current guilty pleasure is the new Lil’ Wayne album. Weezy.

I’ve gone to DC a number of times recently to visit Jeremy. Last time we witnessed a nude bike ride in protest of the gas prices and saw two homeless guys get into an all-out fist fight. And Adams Morgan of course brings its own adventures. Going to DC again this weekend for the 4th, O Say Can You See.

But I’m not packing heat, don’t worry.

Our producer John Painter has come up with a fun game. Take movie names and add “in my pants” to the end of them. Here are a few to get you started:

Great Expectations
Free Willy
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
No Country for Old Men
Outbreak

If you come up with some good ones, email me at john@shapiropeople.com (or leave a comment if you’re reading this on Facebook). I will pass them along.

I finally broke down and ordered a digital camera; maybe I’ll start posting some pictures on here. I feel like life is passing by and I should be documenting it in some fashion. Just an attempt to slow down for a second the moments that lurch forward through time like so many of my comrades in Adams Morgan at 3 a.m. with jumbo slices.

Awwww yeah

Saw Radiohead last night at Nissan Pavilion. What an adventure. Sold out show (capacity there is 25000), we were on the lawn, and it poured rain the ENTIRE time. The sidewalk became a river basically. But cold and windy and wet as it was, it was worth it for Thom and the gang. Next time I will get better seats somehow. But I must say, there was something beautiful about 20,000-some people singing “Rain down, Rain down, come on, rain down on me / From a great height” in the middle of that torrential downpour.

But I’m still jealous, Lydia.

Jeremy is in Iceland. I’m going to try to get him to post some amusing Icelandic anecdote on the site. But he gets distracted easily.

I’m going to the beach this week (thanks Wilkins family!) and I should come back several shades darker than I am now. Currently my skin is a color I have termed “Moonlight Cream.”

Music is coming, I swear. Live tracks on the Ecclesiastes card soon. Jeremy and Nathan made great progress on the full length on their last trip to Nashville. There is still much more to be done, but we are very pleased with how it’s coming together and we are anxious to get it into your hands. Here is a rare shot of Nathan and Jeremy at work in the studio:

I’m attempting to integrate this simple philosophy into my life. My reasoning is partly influenced by my current reading of Verses From the Center. A small step in relinquishing desire, perhaps? Perhaps not?

My “who cares” philosophy is also largely influenced by Adam Baber. It may be a bit nihilistic, perhaps, but it makes everything easier.

“What time is the show?”
Who cares.

“When is the CD going to be done?”
Who cares.

“John, some random drunk dude just pushed you into the hotel pool.”
Who cares.

Actually that last one happened on Saturday at the Hyatt after the show at George Mason. I tried not to care. I would like to thank Jesse for sticking up for me though, as well as the hotel staff. Especially Charles. Thanks for hanging out. And to everyone else who made it a memorable night - Austin, Vanessa, Anthony, Joe, Carol, Justin, Justin’s friend (name? - sorry), Christina, Hyatt bartender…who am I forgetting…

Lots of shows since my last blog post. NC - good to see all our friends again. MACRoCK - always awesome. Blue Nile afterparty was fantastic. So many great bands I wish I could’ve seen. But awesome hanging out with the 50 or whatever people on our front porch. Thanks to Drew Worden for his kind words about the set. We actually recorded the set and we plan on releasing 2 live tracks on the Ecclesiastes card in the near future. If you have already bought the card and downloaded the three songs on there right now, you just use the remaining 2 credits for the 2 live tracks. We’ll let you know when they’re up.

Taste of Takoma - great to meet Colin and Marika (hope the spelling was close). And thanks to George Mason for treating us right as always. I met Ralph Nader after our set and while he didn’t come straight out and ask us to be his political “house band,” I could tell he was thinking it.

Nathan and Jeremy fly to Nashville this week to finish up some things. Who cares.

Tyler J. Binsted
April 10, 1988 - March 27, 2008

On behalf of the whole band I want to say that our love and support goes out to all of Tyler’s family and friends. His life was tragically cut short, but I must agree with Seth when he says that in his 19 years Tyler lived as full and complete a life as anyone.

I have nothing but wonderful memories of Tyler. I remember hanging out with him at all the local shows. A fellow drummer, people would actually get us confused at times; we both wore similar glasses and our hair length was about the same. Tyler would instantly brighten up any room he entered. Even Captain Tee’s seemed a little more joyful when Tyler was around. He was never without that infectious grin and he was always giving huge hugs to everyone.

I can only hope that one day humanity will evolve past the senseless violence that took his life. Tyler himself was the embodiment of that evolution. His final moments are an inspiration to me–entirely peaceful, and yet exhibiting incredible bravery in the face of death. Tyler may not be with us any more, but his example lives on and he will never be forgotten.