Steve's Tour

Come to the Rock

The Detroit Bar - Costa Mesa, CA 07.25.2004
Ok, on the 25th we (Janachka and I) attended Steve's Detroit Bar venue. (Well, it wouldn't make sense for me to be writing if we didn't :p )

We got there about a half hour later than we planned to, but never-the-less we still ended up getting there 15 minutes before anybody got on stage. We didn't have to wait around very long before I spotted Steve. Trying to look as cool as possible, I swaggered over to him, calling out his name about half-way there. I introduced myself (but unfortunately I forgot to introduce my wife--- bad Tom, bad Tom). He immediately recognized my name due to our correspondence; or maybe he recognized my dorkitude I spread all over the net. Either way, he recognized me, and that's good enough.

We shook hands, I gave the camera to Janachka, she took a couple pics of us smiling at her, and then just chatting. He's such an easy-going guy, it just blows me away that he can do all the touring and not show the immense stress it all must put him under. I asked him about MLM and found out it's about the wonderment of the invention of the television. I think that already came out in an interview so that may not be news to some folks. I showed him the Hai Matau (?sp) that puppylove gave me and asked if he'd gotten the one she sent him. He seemed genuinely confused and said that no, he'd not gotten one. I asked him if he'd seen any more of my webby besides the cartoons and asked for his honest opinion. He said he'd seem most of it and it was great. I know it's not cool to tell your fans that you hate their work, but I kind of felt he was telling the truth when he said it was great. I reminded him of the time last year when I was bugging him at the Casbah, and he told me how tired he was... How he put his hand on my shoulder and said, "You know, I'm really tired, so anything I would have to say would just not make sense." A light seemed to go off in his head, and he said "Oh, I remember that." I think that was his own way of telling me that yes, I had bugged him at the Casbah last year. "Even if it was just a brush-off," I told him, smiling, "It was a really nice way of doing it." He smiled and we laughed. We talked a bit more. Just kind of me gabbing and him answering. Later he gave me a t-shirt, and signed a poster (which I'm having framed).

Some of the time while we were chatting, he seemed to be looking for someone or something-- Perhaps it was JustaPixel, ‘cause a short time after we parted company, JustaPixel, Meshel, and Lynn showed up and talked to Steve and hung out with him and the drummer, Katchi (sp?). I guess due to the happenings on the Buzz, I found myself on the other side of the rift than they. They didn't seem to want to talk to me. Oh, well.

A couple of bands played before Steve. Kendall being one I liked. Check out their music. Then Steve got on. WOOOO!!! The first song was a new one. It began with the vid of Steve's face. In high-contrast b/w as most of the vids were. Just his face. He got real close and began making some kind of "woob woob" noise. His voice was synthesized, or at least taken down a few octaves and the "woob woob" became part of the music. I like that song. It goes, "Everyone wants to live forever, but no one really gets it together."

Next he played WIDOS. The last couple lines he changed. I kind of like it. "I swear I made it up. I did it myself. Thank you for asking."

Then came a very funny video in parody of the medicine videos. It's Steve's voice in a very calm tone. With a guy, some non-descript, brown-haired guy in a blue suit and bad tie.

"Are you anxious? Frightened? Do you find yourself looking at the world in terror on a regular basis? You may be suffering from OIAD: Over Information Anxiety Disorder. And you're not alone. Over-information is an increasingly common disorder that affects dozens, if not hundreds of Americans. Fortunately, there is hope. Relief is simple and readily available thanks to a new treatment called "paper bag". Simply by breathing into a paper bag for moments a day you can minimize the flow of oxygen to the brain, and reduce your overall level of awareness and anxiety.

Paper bag is for external use only. In a study versus placebo, paper bag was no more effective at reducing anxiety, but twice as effective at holding snacks. People taking placebo should not take paper bag. Common side-effects include: dry mouth, embarrassment, asphyxiation, and persistent paper bag taste. Pregnant women should not look at, consider or even think about paper bag. If your erection last for more than 4 hours, congratulations. There is hope. Ask your doctor about Paper Bag. Remember Dizzy is better than scared."

Right after that bit, he played the breathing in a paper bag song. I couldn't hear all the lyrics, but It seemed like a funny song.

Next he sang Maintain.

Then came the Merch M.I.L.F. vid. This was pretty funny... ...I think.
Voiced by Paul Ford.
Leanna is the blode in the pic on the last page.
Joel here, is the guy in the vid whose happiness is made complete. (Thanks to MLmom for the correction)

"My My! You look like you're having a remarkable time. I'm glad to see it. Maybe your happiness is incomplete. Maybe you're missing a little something. What could it be? I'll tell you what you're missing, and I'll make you whole again. Merchandise. It's the secret balm of all rock music. Tiny buttons, spacious t-shirts with meaningless images on them, all the remarkable dross of rock, spread in a thin trail across the country out the back of a van. How can it be yours you ask? Simply walk over to the merch table. Notice the smiling, lovely face of Leanna, our merch M.I.L.F. That's Mother I'd like t.. (Zip) emerge with a smile, and a free cookie with every CD. She bakes them herself. I'm going to eat one right now. Mmm. And now you've done it! You've attained true happiness! GOOD FOR YOU! " Invariably, right after that, Steve apologizes for the vid. I honestly don't see why. I thought it was hillarious.

Ok, ok, I do see why. But it's still funny.

He goes on to sing Henry Krinkle's lament. But he has the superman "S" projected onto his chest. Great effect.

This is where the mp3's and my report will differ. At the Detroit Bar, he went on to play the song "I wish I wrote" as he says. "Why's everybody look so funny? Why's everybody look so strange? Why's everybody look so pretty? What do we want with all these things?"
Good song. I really like it. Interesting, and sad almost.

After that song he does this video that's a short admission to the enslavement of gnomes for the production of Sweet Sounding Songs of Science and Love.
(That phrase, I'm sure, is copywrited by Steve, so I'll make that note here.) The vid shows NASA guys preparing to launch a rocket. As the countdown goes to zero, the rocket launches and the song begins. The video plays out with old NASA videos how they showed how a satellite is deployed. But when the satellite comes out, it's a dustmite. Then it goes on to show the dustmite satellite sending and receiving signals to earth via the great big dishes, and other satellites. It's really well thought out.

I swear it looks like he's flipping someone off. But I'm sure he's pointing to the mic. A few times that evening and the next, he was asking to have a mic adjusted.

Then came the moment I'd been waiting for. ... Well, second to meeting Steve. He sang "A Song for Dustmites." He played my vid and it was beautiful. The first half had been converted to black and white. It was kind of "Wizard of Oz"-ish.

If you want to skip my verbose description, scroll down, until you see the next bold print.

The scene opens with a tight angle on a few blades of grass, with some mountains and a cludy sunrise in the background. Steve sings, "Nano you and nano me" and a pair of dustmites come in at the appropriate times. As He continues with, "Livin' beside the micron sea", the angle widens to show a small portion of beach beside the dustmites. At this point you might notice a flower growing among the blades of grass.

"Will the stars spin round..." brings a shooting star out of the sky. The song continues "...The earth again? I don't know, It's up to them. They'll get to it later." During these last few words, the mites seem to kiss. And the one on the left blushes. (In black and white - heh)

"The biggest, baddest world, you've ever seen is smaller than a tear." A dewdrop falls from the flower and splashes right in front of the mites. The release of the dew shakes the flower, releasing a single petal. It drifts down as Steve Sings, "Where all the kids have robot hearts and dustmites fight with micro gears." When the gears are mentioned, a half-dozen gears come bounding over the hills careening toward the hapless dustmites. The poor darlings mug a "Whacked" for the camera. The drifting petal swiftly scoops up the mites, saving them from the destruction that is wrought upon their little patch. And the poor flower is crushed by the emotionless gears.

The mites, seemingly surprised that they still live, look around at the scenery below them. Seeing but not realizing, they float above the valley. When the mites look again at each other, they find something within one another that each recognizes. The love seems to have carried through their harrowing experience.

"Remember when the earth was still, and the universe spun round and around just for us." The petal drifts back down to the place they left. Their once peaceful home has been decimated, yet they see only each other. They draw close together. And the song repeats, "The biggest baddest world you've ever seen is smaller than a tear. Where all the kids have robot hearts, and dustmites fight with micro gears."

As Steve sings this line, the one surviving gear rises out of the sea and comes after the mites. The two lovers take flight. Up into the clouds they soar. Their love transcends all laws. Even gravity. They reach the troposphere and they punch into the clouds as fireworks burst around them, timed almost perfectly with the drums. As Steve sings the final lines, the dustmites escape the atmosphere and launch into orbit. "Leapin' without lookin' baby I hope you're holding on. Leapin' without lookin' baby I hope you're holding on."

As Japan swings around, look for a surprise.

OK I'M DONE.

That would have been the last song but folks called out for an encore. So he finished off with mighty Little Man, and a video version similar to the one played behind that song last year, with the same smoking ugly guy, but with more variety.

Janachka is slightly hypoglycemic, and was very woozy (hadn't told me that he blood-sugar was low until the middle of MLM - poor dear) so we left as soon as the song was done. I hope Steve didn't feel like I was being rude by leaving so abruptly. He probably felt relieved the babbling idiot was gone. (I mean me)

Casbah - San Diego, CA 07.26.2004
The night of the Casbah, my cousin and his wife went with me. We ended up being there an hour too early. We decided to go get some food, but as we passed the Casbah, I happened to see Steve loading his stuff into the bar, and he waved me over to him. We stood around and we talked a bit, a small transaction took place, and we talked some more. Just kind of small talk. I asked Steve if he was tired, but my cousin's wife (I'll refer to her as my cousin as well from now on - even though, by blood she is not - just to cause more trouble) did something that caught my attention and I looked over at her, so Steve, thinking I was referring to her, said, "I am!" And he sure looked it. I asked how his travels had been and he said that it had been hard. A window had been smashed out the night before. I hoped to myself that it wasn't vandalism. I should have asked. I was concerned for his safety; as a person, not just the rock-godlet we all go to scream at on stage.

After introducing my cousins (who are new converts to the Steve love) to their new idol, we left and got some bad food and bad service at a local restaurant. Steve, sadly had to continue unloading his van. I should have invited him, nonetheless. But, I guess we saved him from a rotten restaurant by not asking. Most of the time we waited for the waiter. Heh. Ain't it supposed to be the other way around? So, all we ate were appetizers and an hour later we left. We got to the Casbah just as they were letting people in.

As we got in, Daniel, my cousin, noticed someone he used to know. When he finally caught up with him, it turned out that Daniel's friend was in one of the bands who were opening for Steve. They hadn't practiced together much. They lived in several different cities in So Cal, and this was the first stop on their tour. The music was good, when they had it, but occasionally they lost it. The beat, the tune, the lyrics. But they really tried. It was all very "High School" but I can definitely see them getting better. I bet by the end of this month they will rock.

The next group did Rock! Sushirobo. Check them out. Good music. The instruments were so loud it was hard to make out the lyrics, but the sound was REALLY good. I bought a CD.

I spent a lot of the time that Steve wasn't on stage bothering Leanna. Just yacking to her about this and that and Steve. She Really does make the cookies herself. At one point we were just sitting there quietly. (Those who know me, know that silence is rare with me :D ) Leanna looked right at me and asked, "Do you have any gum?"

I didn't. I hate gum, but I told her I'd find some. But instead of spending the rest of the evening wandering around the bar going, "do you have gum? Uh, excuse me, do you have gum? It's for Leanna. Hey! Do you have..." (you get the idea) I left the bar and ran down to the local gas station and bought 3 or 4 different kinds (didn't know what she liked) and brought them back to her, fanned them out like a deck of cars and said, "What do you like?" She laughed so hard. I guess I'm just the kind of dork that some folks like, maybe. (I swear in another life, I was a court jester.)

So, she told me that Steve was out and his favorite is Orbits. It's the only kind he'll buy. "What flavor?" I asked. "I dunno. He likes the original flavor." "What color is the package?" "Blue." "Ok." I said and trotted out to get one for him as well. When I got back with it, she said it was the right one. I tried to hand it to her, and she said, "No, you give it to him." "Where is he?"

She pointed to the back room that had the pool table. "Back there." She said. He was back there. Signing autographs and posing in pictures. I waited quietly. When he was done, I got his attention, handed him the Orbits and said, "Leanna said you might be out."

He got this big grin on his face and said, "Alright!" with a chuckle as he punched my shoulder lightly, as guys do when the other has done something cool, or whatever.

Then Steve got up on stage. I'm surprised by the reaction of the crowd in general. Last year they all crowded up to the stage. I found myself hard-pressed to get a good pic. This year people were a lot more laid back. That's why Steve invited attendees to "come to the Rock" He seemed a bit bothered by it, but I may be "just projecting." lol

So... he began the vids and people didn't seem to be responding so, he prompted them with, "These are the jokes..." Which brought a few scattered screams and yells. Personally, I thought they were hilarious. As the first vid ended with "I AM REASONABLY PREPARED TO ROCK!!" they first song began.

As someone explained to me, it was a Flaming Lips song called "Talkin' Bout the Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues". Personally, I love it. I keep looking for the Flaming Lips version, but something tells me I'm not gonna like it as much as Steve's version.

Next he sang WIDOS after that song ended, he said, "OK I know this is obnoxious, but this is gona happen several times throughout the show. Uh.. Some very good friends of mine, both of whom are drummers, are celebrating their birthday tonight. Jason Gergin (?sp) please come to the stage. Jason Gergin, please come to the stage; you're wasting valuable time. Step up to the camera." Where Jason got a shot and had "Happy Birthday" sang to him. Then he got his shot, and did his salt and lime. (Not necessarily in that order - I just woke up, so I'm kinda tired)

He played the OIAD vid. Which I still think is funny as hell. That of course led to the paper bag song.

Then came Maintain. After which he introduces Katchi(?sp) who was also celebrating his birthday, 27th. "Let's make him throw-up" Steve says. Then Katchi also got his shot, lime and salt. (Again, not necessarily in that order :D - I'm too tired to think about what order they come in.) Right after that came a science vid that had Einstein's face in it. I tried to get a pic of Steve in front of Einstein, but I was too slow. But, I got a really interesting one of the face on his guitar and hand as he played. Thought it was cool, so here it is.

I love the Merch Milf vid. The Peanuts theme played lightly in the background is very nice touch to it, mixing old childhood memories and adult-childishness together with a touch of satire I think.

Henry Krinkles lament began softly, with a relieved kind of , "ah", from Steve and "Hi Katchi. Happy birthday"

"Hello again." began the next vid, "Are you having fun? Have you been drinking?" with a Burns-ish (from the Simpsons) "Excellent" then the infamous admission to enslaving those poor gnomes. This song is cool, and the vid Steve made to go with it fits so well.

I swear it looks like he's crying here.

My fav song came. Yes, that one. ASfDm. I think this song will always have a lot of meaning for me. It's quiet beginning and sweet lyrics. The fact that I made a vid for it, yes, has made it very special to me, but it had always held some mystery to me and I was thrilled when Steve asked me to do the vid for this song. Having done it, it's lost some of the mystery, but it's gained so much meaning in my eyes.

Lastly, he sang the song he wishes he wrote. There's something about this song that reminds me of highschool.

As they were gathering up their things and putting them back in the van, I got a pic of Joel and talked with him a bit. I commented on how tired he and Steve looked. "Yeah," he said, "Being on the road is tough. We're tired all the time. Even if we do get a full eight hours. We're either driving to a gig or playing. Even on days we're at a gig, we spend most of the day just driving to it." -- I don't remember exactly how he said it, but that's pretty close. Maybe not word for word, but it's close.

I don't see how Steve ever has time for fans. But somehow he makes the time. I hope that Steve knows how appreciative we all are of the time, energy, talent, and love he pours into the "Sweet Sounding Songs of Love and Science" that is Songs for Dustmites.

just another tattoo pic... oh you know I had to.

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