Snake’s Albums That He Left Me For A Song (Part Won)

While I’m writing this I am making a podcast from a pile of records that I got from Snake for a song.

The entire time I’ve lived in Chicago, I’ve been engaged in long farewells with a series of close musical collaborators. The first was my brother (this would be the year I often refer to as “the worst year of my life”). The next was with Bob Taylor who I played with in THE LATEST –perhaps you’ve seen him play in Texas; early on with the Hamiks and these days with the Carnys or his own Bob Taylor’s LATEST review. The last has been with Jake “the Snake” Boyitzlong. This farewell has tasted the least bitter.

This is sort of surprising since Snake is probably the most cynical of the three. But Snake’s cynicism isn’t snarky or the Eeyore kind; his is humorful (well I guess Eeyore’s is too but you’re laughing at him more than with him). With Snake, you’re glad to join in his dystopia. It didn’t hurt either that he and his little family became my neighbors; that I spent a good deal of time with his little daughter from the day she was born; and that he did the same with my daughter (okay, that sounds creepier than it was). I have also stayed at his mom’s house and he has stayed at my mom’s house –this being particularly unusual for people who met in their late thirties.

When a close collaborator breaks free, you can’t help but reflect yourself on what you are doing. And as you get older you wonder where these collaborators are going to come from. These are somewhat melancholy thoughts don’t you agree? On the other hand our friendship has shown me a benefit of age. We both had long histories before we’d even met. With Snake, histories don’t come out in gushes, gloatingly, or repetitively. They are on slow release and the prize comes to the patient one. The one who sticks around.

segue

But Snake isn’t sticking around the bastard He demands so much and gives so little except for this record collection which I got for a song and which is really his.

Thanks Snake
I’ll be seeing you.

Snakecast 01 Song List

some Taj Mahal nonsense

 Snakecast 01: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (86)