Music As Time Machine: At the Drive-In “Napoleon Solo”
I think I’d been living in LA for like 5 years and was bummed out on music. Because there was so much going on musically (quantity not quality-wise) there seemed to be much less of a scene then I was used to. In the north east you get used to driving two hours to see bands in tiny little venues because otherwise you’d spend your time going nuts and making dolls out of dried apples.
This was before the internet of course. I suppose now kids could spend their time just jerking off.
Anyway, one of my roommates at the time worked for this record lable Kung-Fu Records (ugh) and suggested I go see this band At the Drive-In. I drove down to the Glass House with a buddy and had my face exploded.
While people can talk shit about what happened to the band and what the musicians in it went on to do, they can’t take away the greatness that was during the tour supporting In Casino/Out.
It also proves my point that the best rock music is made by skinny guys–except for TAD of course.
Jenn’s Note: This is why the two-headed-machine Travis and I have works so well. Around the time At The Drive In hit the scene, I was burnt on the rock that was out. Korn? Limp Biskit? I mean… come on. I had heard a buzz about these guys, and then started dating a guy that worked at Grand Royal who gave me an advance copy of the Relationship Of Command CD and a burned CD of a bunch of older stuff. I flipped. Insta-fan-for-life. (The relationship with that guy got filed away in the “what the fuck” file, and I often say the best thing that came out of it was my intro to At The Drive In)
Relationship of Command went triple-platinum in my ears. I listened to it while driving, cooking, skating, showering, sleeping…. damn, I need it back in the car TODAY. I actually have my ATDI shirt on right now, as I type this. Its been washed a million times and is hands down my one single favorite article of clothing. Below is an AMAZING performance from the Late Show. Sadly, I never got to see them perform live… this is the closest I got.
Travis. You fucking rock dude. Really.
