I'm Happy in Providence
The Rosemarys was a band from San Francisco in the '90s known for their light-tastic live shows. They were generally categorized as "Shoegaze" in style (Wikipedia calls then "shoegaze-dreampop").
I had never heard of them when I used to trade cds at my local used record shops, and I came across a used copy of their second, eponymous album. Some of these shops had listening stations where you could sample the used product before buying it. I picked up "The Rosemarys" based on the cover, and I went and put on the headphones. The vibro-guitar and the understated vocals grabbed me immediately, and I bought the disc. I, too, was dreaming of Manchester, and it really "struck a chord" with me.
This was in the '90s (they were probably still playing shows at the time) before the internet was a household thing, so all I knew about them was what was printed on the sleeve of the cd (come to think of it, I might have started with a cassette and bought it on cd later, I liked it enough). I was the only person I knew who was listening to them. I found their first album on a cd with a cardboard cover, though I assumed it was a later album, since this one had a name. Providence was the name. It took a little longer for this one to grow on me, but it did.
So here I was with two albums from this group I had otherwise never heard of, never seen playing locally, never heard on the radio, never seen a video for. I somehow found out that they had a song on the soundtrack for the film PCU with Jeremy Piven and David Spade, but I don't remember hearing the song (I might have seen the movie before I knew the band).
Years later, after one of my bands broke up, my drummer and I went looking for someone to replace the bass player. We ended up at a studio with Ian Parks, guitarist/vocalist for The Rosemarys. He was just getting his Frog Town Folk thing together. I kept trying to get him to play my songs, and he kept trying to get me to play his songs. It wasn't clear who was auditioning for whom. So we never met again. I wouldn't say it's one of the great regrets of my life, but as far as The Rosemarys goes, that tops the list.
I've since become friends with most of the members of the band on social media (thank you, internet!) and one night I had an extended chat with Tim Ong (bass/lead vocals). Matt Greenberg (keyboard)'s new band Whale Fall was playing a show with a band that I had seen once, Batwings Catwings, and I mentioned in a post comment, "Hey, you're playing with one of the guys from The Rosemarys" (directed at BwCw) and J. Matt responded with, "I know, I was in The Rosemarys." It was a little awkward, but I explained myself and there were no hard feelings.
In the last few days I've seen a lot of activity from The Rosemarys' Facebook account, and Tim posted a video of himself doing an acoustic version of their song "Dizzy Girl". Today the band's account posted some comments on the Providence album cover image, and a discussion started including the band members, and there was talk of re-releasing an album. Then someone mentioned that the live show is what they were all about, and that a lot was missing in a recording. They also talked about ownership of the recordings, etc. So I piped up with "Why not do a reunion show?" That got them talking about it. Everyone seems to be considering it (the drummer Patrick is the only one not on FB), and they're talking about a small tour. I guess Ian's in Mexico, Tim is in Washington, and I think Matt and Peter are in L.A. But just the fact that they're talking about it (based at least in part on my comment) is exciting. I never got to see them play. I was REALLY into them, and even included the second album on my 10 Days/10 Albums series. Now there's a slight chance that I'll get to see them, and I could probably even meet them and become actual friends.
Another funny thing that happened: my friend Josh had a birthday this month. Some guy I don't know posted a Beachwood Sparks album cover and mentioned Josh. I noticed that Tim had "like"d the post. Seemed odd, since I'd never known those worlds to collide. But then Josh met the Rolling Stones, so it's not unrealistic that they crossed paths at some point. Of course, unlike the '90s when I first caught wind of The Rosemarys, I IMd Tim and said, "how do you know these guys?" Turns out he's friends with the guy who posted the thing, but didn't know Josh or those guys. But crazy, right? I have a direct line to someone whose work I truly admired anonymously for decades, and he responded right back to me. Wild times we're living in.
On that note, I tried to look up a word that means "someone [you're] a fan of", but short of "idol". Having trouble finding a contemporary word for it. Some say "celebrity" but that's not right either, for at least two reasons: 1. they're hardly celebrities in the larger sense, and 2. just because someone is famous doesn't warrant my liking them. So, it's someone I'm a fan of, have followed for years, but isn't well-known outside of their local circles. The object of my fandom. One of my favorites (but not "favorite"). What is a word for someone I'm a fan of but who isn't a celebrity, and I don't idolize them? He's an influence, but it's more than that. More than influence but less than idol.
There I go ranting again.
Incidentally, in those same '90s, I used to pick up a lot of albums from groups I'd never heard of, and I became a fan of several of them (Poster Children among them). The internet has helped me to come in contact with them as well. I once had the chance to "interview" the members of PC for a report I was writing for a college class. That was the show where I saw Batwings Catwings. I also met/talked with/bought a shot for the band State to State, who has done well on KROQ's Locals Only show. Yep, wild times.
I had never heard of them when I used to trade cds at my local used record shops, and I came across a used copy of their second, eponymous album. Some of these shops had listening stations where you could sample the used product before buying it. I picked up "The Rosemarys" based on the cover, and I went and put on the headphones. The vibro-guitar and the understated vocals grabbed me immediately, and I bought the disc. I, too, was dreaming of Manchester, and it really "struck a chord" with me.
This was in the '90s (they were probably still playing shows at the time) before the internet was a household thing, so all I knew about them was what was printed on the sleeve of the cd (come to think of it, I might have started with a cassette and bought it on cd later, I liked it enough). I was the only person I knew who was listening to them. I found their first album on a cd with a cardboard cover, though I assumed it was a later album, since this one had a name. Providence was the name. It took a little longer for this one to grow on me, but it did.
So here I was with two albums from this group I had otherwise never heard of, never seen playing locally, never heard on the radio, never seen a video for. I somehow found out that they had a song on the soundtrack for the film PCU with Jeremy Piven and David Spade, but I don't remember hearing the song (I might have seen the movie before I knew the band).
Years later, after one of my bands broke up, my drummer and I went looking for someone to replace the bass player. We ended up at a studio with Ian Parks, guitarist/vocalist for The Rosemarys. He was just getting his Frog Town Folk thing together. I kept trying to get him to play my songs, and he kept trying to get me to play his songs. It wasn't clear who was auditioning for whom. So we never met again. I wouldn't say it's one of the great regrets of my life, but as far as The Rosemarys goes, that tops the list.
I've since become friends with most of the members of the band on social media (thank you, internet!) and one night I had an extended chat with Tim Ong (bass/lead vocals). Matt Greenberg (keyboard)'s new band Whale Fall was playing a show with a band that I had seen once, Batwings Catwings, and I mentioned in a post comment, "Hey, you're playing with one of the guys from The Rosemarys" (directed at BwCw) and J. Matt responded with, "I know, I was in The Rosemarys." It was a little awkward, but I explained myself and there were no hard feelings.
In the last few days I've seen a lot of activity from The Rosemarys' Facebook account, and Tim posted a video of himself doing an acoustic version of their song "Dizzy Girl". Today the band's account posted some comments on the Providence album cover image, and a discussion started including the band members, and there was talk of re-releasing an album. Then someone mentioned that the live show is what they were all about, and that a lot was missing in a recording. They also talked about ownership of the recordings, etc. So I piped up with "Why not do a reunion show?" That got them talking about it. Everyone seems to be considering it (the drummer Patrick is the only one not on FB), and they're talking about a small tour. I guess Ian's in Mexico, Tim is in Washington, and I think Matt and Peter are in L.A. But just the fact that they're talking about it (based at least in part on my comment) is exciting. I never got to see them play. I was REALLY into them, and even included the second album on my 10 Days/10 Albums series. Now there's a slight chance that I'll get to see them, and I could probably even meet them and become actual friends.
Another funny thing that happened: my friend Josh had a birthday this month. Some guy I don't know posted a Beachwood Sparks album cover and mentioned Josh. I noticed that Tim had "like"d the post. Seemed odd, since I'd never known those worlds to collide. But then Josh met the Rolling Stones, so it's not unrealistic that they crossed paths at some point. Of course, unlike the '90s when I first caught wind of The Rosemarys, I IMd Tim and said, "how do you know these guys?" Turns out he's friends with the guy who posted the thing, but didn't know Josh or those guys. But crazy, right? I have a direct line to someone whose work I truly admired anonymously for decades, and he responded right back to me. Wild times we're living in.
On that note, I tried to look up a word that means "someone [you're] a fan of", but short of "idol". Having trouble finding a contemporary word for it. Some say "celebrity" but that's not right either, for at least two reasons: 1. they're hardly celebrities in the larger sense, and 2. just because someone is famous doesn't warrant my liking them. So, it's someone I'm a fan of, have followed for years, but isn't well-known outside of their local circles. The object of my fandom. One of my favorites (but not "favorite"). What is a word for someone I'm a fan of but who isn't a celebrity, and I don't idolize them? He's an influence, but it's more than that. More than influence but less than idol.
There I go ranting again.
Incidentally, in those same '90s, I used to pick up a lot of albums from groups I'd never heard of, and I became a fan of several of them (Poster Children among them). The internet has helped me to come in contact with them as well. I once had the chance to "interview" the members of PC for a report I was writing for a college class. That was the show where I saw Batwings Catwings. I also met/talked with/bought a shot for the band State to State, who has done well on KROQ's Locals Only show. Yep, wild times.
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