Bad Brains Straight from Spokane

Today I’d like to talk a little bit about my friend and musical touchstone, Tom Jenner. About three years ago I ordered a Lyle Lovett’s The Road To Ensensda on Amazon but when it came Pontiac was in the case. Although Pontiac is his classic album and I think everyone should own it, I already had it. I wrote that in a little note, packed it in with the CD and mailed it off to one Tom Jenner in Spokane, Washington. A week later the mailman brought me a package with not only my Ensenada CD but also two burned Townes Van Zandt CDs! He also included a little note apologizing for the mix up and wanted to make up for with the Van Zandt albums suggesting that if I like Lyle I should get to know his influences. This began a CD trade that has lasted for years with no end in sight. This is how I got started mailing out music to people all the time.

Tom and I have bonded over artists that we love and introduce each other to ones we think the other will enjoy or that we think are culturally significant. This Friday when I got home, still riding high from my Paul Rudd sighting, I found a package including a Bad Brains bootleg and an early Robert Earl Keen demo (I am already fans of both but these rarities are a real treat). See, that’s the thing, we are both constantly craving new music and are always open to being turned onto somebody or something new. There are a few exceptions of course. We both agree that Ska and Reggae are not only overrated but repetitive in lyrics and melody. Neither of us wears our musical tasted on our sleeves and we mutually dislike any type of music that requires a type of dress or commitment to a scene. At the same time while we hold onto these ideas we are hoping someone will come along and show us how wrong we are. I felt this way about Bluegrass but Tom opened this door to a whole genre for me and changed my mind. I turned him onto WXPN and now he listens to it as he works from home as a CPA and small business consultant. He also writes a music column for a small independent weekly in Spokane and occasionally sends me clippings of show reviews of artists I like.

Our relationship is entirely based on music. We have never met and we do not know what the other looks like although sometimes Tom will include pictures of his two adorable young sons with my CDs. We also correspond solely by mail as I think email will ruin it and also make it kinda weird since Tom is married and luckily Amanda is totally cool with his little music penpal in Philadelphia.

Today I mailed out two CDs from local Philly bands The Teeth and Dr. Dog, both of whom I am convinced are going to hit it big time any day now. I also included a note suggesting he visit my blog since I often talk about music and I know he will check it out.

Hi Tom! Once you are done listening to these bands you will no longer think the City of Brotherly Love peaked in 1776! Say hi to Amanda and the boys for me!

Music is for everyone and we share the love.