Category: Too Much Joy

Quirk Persists

A couple of quotes from Tim Quirk’s 10 year old interview the The Onion’s AVClub that came to mind earlier this week.

I was mis-remembering them, posting them here so that happens less.

“We were always trying to put out slick rock records. Even the crappily recorded stuff on Green Eggs And Crack was our attempt at being slick.”

This one really changed my view of the world. There’s such a significant difference in the sound between Green Eggs… and TMJ’s follow-upthird album Cereal Killers – that to declare that a similar polished intention existed between both made me think. To me, this is like George Lucas saying – the Start Wars prequels are what he was aiming for when he did the original trilogy. Makes you revisit what you liked and didn’t like about the work.

“If it’s so stupid that it becomes transcendent and beautiful, or if you write something and you’re like, ‘Okay, I know I’m gonna hate this the 100th time we play it, but it’s gonna be really good for 99,’ I lean that way.”

This is something that I enjoy about Quirk’s work – knowingly, purposefully, and deliberately, with tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek exploring a cliched, trite, cheesy realm until you find the tiny bit of beautiful truth that made it a cliche in the first place.

May 4th: Too Much Joy’s First Show in 10 Years

True to their word, Too Much Joy never broke up – they just stopped having gigs. Until now.

Friday, May 4th
The Knitting Factory
74 Leonard Street
New York, NY

“It’s all ages. TMJ will be playing as a 5-piece, as both Sandy Smallens and William Wittman will be joining the celebration of drummer Tommy Vinton’s retirement from the NYPD after 20 years on the beat.”

Congrats to Sandy, William, Tim, Jay and especially Tommy.

Reliving My Past Lives

So, rewind a week or so Jen asks;
“What’s this $40 charge for Susy Q Hat Co?”
Me: “Susy Q? Huh? I have no idea….Oh, I ordered some Too Much Joy bootlegs and their tour/video DVD.”

Three discs, 2 from 1993 and the third from 1991 loaded into the iTunes a few days ago. I’ve been rocking out since. Odd thing is – unlike the polished, studio recordings I have – the bootlegs take me back 15 years. As soon as I hit play.

Which presents a fair question: Why would you want to be taken back 15 years?

In a lot of ways, the early 90s could have been better for me. Yet somehow, it’s the sunny, optimistic memories that are brought back.

  • Blaring TMJ on my dual cassette boombox sitting in my sunny bedroom.
  • Snowboarding the back hills of northwestern Wisconsin.
  • Blaring TMJ on my dual cassette boombox driving a raised Ford Ranger through the rural back roads

Thanks TMJ.

Looks like things in fact, have not gotten worse.

Tuesday’s Triple Play – Let’s Go Shopping

The day after Thanksgiving (or Halloween, or Arbor Day, or St. Patrick’s Day) marks the start of the holiday shopping season. This week’s Tuesday Triple Play is dedicated to the entertainment of retail.

Tuesday’s Triple Play – Road Trip Songs

I’ve always found road trip songs energizing and refreshing – even if I’m just at my desk working. This week’s Tuesday Triple Play is a trio of classics: