Rich Tarbell's Eternal Mixtape

:: 88 lines about 44 bands ::

carroll was a catholic boy
he held out until the bitter end
exene was a different type
she’s the one who put it in
violent femmes sand about black girls
never been afraid of a girl like that
david lowery painted pictures sitting down
like the buddhists sat

stipe was an aimless man
With geographic memory
tweedy wasn’t a jesus freak
but he seemed to dig the misery
liz had this special way
of turning sex into a song
bun e. couldn’t sing
kept the beat and kept it strong

suicidal were the archetype
A voodoo king, king of rap
mbv were just loud as shit
no rhyme goes with this
rotten was an anarchist
he really had that gift of gab
devo’s point of view was this
can’t take whatever you can grab

mclusky was another band
who left their mark upon the map
material issue tied me up
then left us all hanging by a strap
urge overkill had this nightclub walk
that made grown women feel underage
chrissie who had a son
said “i must go” but finally stayed

mick had the last taboo
shattered by his tongue one night
iggy brought the taboo back
and held it up before the light
alex chilton who knew little fame
was never satisfied
d. boon came and went so fast
he couldn’t even say goodbye

well dulli had a house in n’awlins
lived on brown rice and cocaine
alejandro had a house in Houston
shot cough syrup into his veins
paul thought his life was empty
filled it up with alcohol
lftr pllr was much too pretty
they didn’t do that shit at all
uh-uh. not lftr (yeah right)

lou said that love was simple
turn it on and turn it off
bowie was complicated
like some french filmmaker’s plot
sweet was like a perfect lady
always kept their stocking straight
julian was a rich punk rocker
silver spoon and china plates

david byrne was a modern dancer
lean pristine transparency
morrissey wrote bad poetry
in a crazy kind of urgency
lux interior liked to fuck
while wearing leather biker boots
craig’s strange obession
was for certain alcohols and fruits

mark sandman was an artist’s son
the deeper image shook him up
dee-dee’s mother left her father
took his money and his truck
bill carter had no such problems
perfect norman rockwell home
black francis had his band
then he kind ended up alone
kim joined a new wave band
and changed her name to the breeders

bob mould who played guitar
sang songs of loss and regret
killing joke didn’t give a shit
just a nihilist
joe was much more my style
he wrote songs just like this
kim gordon went 40 days
drinking nothing but perrier
jello drove his chevrolet
into the san francisco bay
gbv came from ohio
i am a scientist
the nails – here’s a kiss
i chose you to end this list.

:: endnotes ::

jim carroll band – “people who died”
x – “Johnny hit and run pauline”
violent femmes – “black girls”
camper van beethoven – “tania”
r.e.m – “maps & legends”
wilco – “jesus, etc.”
liz phair – “Stratford on guy”
cheap trick – “surrender”
suicidal tendencies – “institutionalized”
my bloody valentine – “sometimes”
public image ltd. – “fff”
devo – “uncontrollable urge”
mclusky – “to hell with good intentions”
material issue – “Valerie loves me”
urge overkill – “sister Havana”
pretenders – “tattooed love boys”
rolling stones – “can’t you hear me knocking”
iggy pop – “the passenger”
big star – “watch the sunrise”
minutemen – “king of the hill”
afghan whigs – “rebirth of the cool”
alejandro escovedo – “last to know”
replacements – “here comes a regular”
lftr pllr – “nice nice”
velvet underground – “pale blue eyes”
david bowie with arcade fire – “life on mars”
sweet – “ballroom blitz”
strokes – “new york city cops”
talking heads – “life during wartime”
the smiths – “what difference does it make?”
the cramps – “goo goo muck”
the hold steady – “barfruit blues”
morphine – “buena”
ramones – “Havana affair”
screaming blue messiahs – “wild blue yonder”
pixies – “tony’s theme”
breeders – “hellbound”
husker du – “makes no sense at all”
killing joke – “eighties”
the clash – “the right profile”
sonic youth – “kool thing”
dead kennedys – “too drunk too fuck”
guided by voices – “shocker in gloomtown”
the nails – “88 lines about 44 women”