It’s hot and only getting hotter here at Drag City — and we aim to keep it that way.

THE MERRY MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
We don’t have any releases in September — but trust us, whatever is going to happen after that, it all starts here! This is a month where plans are made, tracks is laid, phone calls are placed, group emails sent, and ultimately, promises twisted out of the willing and unwilling alike. We’ll prepare book stores and book distributors for books, record stores and record distributors for LPs and CDs alike, press agents far and wide for books, LPs, CDs and live shows!!! Plus, we’ll work on future releases! We’ll talk about the earth-shattering year that may turn out to be 2004! And we won’t stop.

See, September isn’t just all about woodshedding — not here in the office and not out on the road. Yeah, almost everybody’s got a show somewhere or another this fall. Dig the live litany —

The big news is the national tour that Alasdair Roberts is embarking upon starting September 26. The former Appendix Out frontman (and once and future Amalgamated Son of Rest) is making his first-ever US tour, bringing his pure Scottish sounds to our home soil. It’s the kind of tour that might not happen twice — so do your memory in the years to come some justice, and come see the show! Alasdair will be playing songs of his solo records (including this year’s Farewell Sorrow), as well as Appendix Out favorites and other songs from the mist of history.

Starting Sepember 12th, Neil Michael Hagerty will be at large in the Midwestern territories, from El Paso to Des Moines, and points between! Those wishing to see another side of the multifaceted guitar man are advised to repair to the interior, as he’ll be making appearances in a number of unlikely ‘burgs in the central USA. Two weeks of bush beating and our inner continent too will know The Howling Hex. After that, it’s the Pacific Coast’s turn. They’ll get theirs, down worry. Neil’s on it…

Scene Creamers just want to celebrate! With a second album freshly in the can, they’re hitting a month-load of cities, from the south-east to the north-west. No matter where they are, it will be a party every night, for audience members and bands alike. We’re not kidding — the plan is to deliver a constant source of heavy energy and high times every night, both onstage and off. If you’re looking for a good time, look up Scene Creamers — creaming to your town soon.

Good news! Back on the circuit after a year or of servitude (to the man, who else?) is good ol’ Papa M. He’s booked from coast to coast, and at all stops along the way, he’ll be playing classics, recent hits from his singles series, new songs from the forthcoming singles in the series, and of course, more. It’s an all-new Papa M with a new lineup and new songs — you know what that means. It means you don’t have any idea what that means! You can’t be sure until you actually see it for yourself, so…you better check out the show to make sure.

Then there’s Joanna Newsom. The latest Drag City signee (see below) will be touring around the Bay area in early September. If you haven’t seen a good old-fashioned harp on the stage of your local club in awhile, go immediately to San Francisco, and hang out with all the other losers until it’s time for Joanna to pluck your heart out. Cause she will, hear?

Not on the road at all, but playing live nonetheless, is (Smog), who will enjoy freaking out the crowd when he opens for Wilco at a sold-out show here in Chicago. Meawhile, in LA, The Red Krayola emerge from a long silence on the day of most silence (9/11), asking you to join them in giving history the thumb at the venerable Spaceland club (they’re still standing!).

That’s a lotta shows! Yeah…we’re like proud parents — we don’t love one more than another — we’re looking forward to all of them. Anyway — the point is, don’t count September out, dude. There’s more to it than meets the eye, don’t you think?

KING HARVEST IS SURELY COME
OK, so we plot and plan, and then what? Do the crops come in, or are we stuck like a bunch of farmers in the ever-weakening heartland, with nothing to show? Nope! This fall, we’ve got goods for you! And what’s more, they goods are good! Freshly ripped from the almanac, here’s the plan.

October 7th — a day to live in infamy. Any day you put out a new U.S. Maple LP is a day for the old infamy-hole — and this is another one of those days. For the third time ever, we’re preparing to spring a new, improved U.S. Maple on this fucked-up world. The record is called Purple on Time.. Yes, with a period. And that’s not all. It’s a monster, people — an absolute monster. Just to make sure you get the point, we’re releasing it twice. October 7th is the day it comes out on vinyl — and such vinyl! Packages seldom come more opulent than this. Combining full-color inner and outer sleeves, a lyric book, a giveaway poster (suitable for hanging), a die-cut sleeve and, underneath it all, a deadly disc of pure 180gm vinyl, Purple on Time. may just be the most intense U.S. Maple experience that you’re duty-bound to buy yet! Oh and wait! We haven’t told you the best part, you vinyl connoisseur, you. Purple on Time. LPs feature one extra song! It’s not anywhere on the CD — the only way you can find this song is by purchasing the vinyl! Or by checking on-line somewheres. These kids today, I swear. Lousy hackers…

Also on the date of October 7th, we’re proud to reintroduce North America to The High Llamas. Silent for the most part these past three years (since the release of Buzzle Bee in October 2000), the High Llamas have been preparing a grand return. When you drop the needle down on Beet, Maize and Corn, you’ll realize that the new Llamas is nothing if not grand. An adage of ‘less is more’ seems to have carried the session. Lighter than air, sheer and breathable, austere and of course, compellingly melodic, Beet, Maize and Corn is new-phase Llamas. Leader Sean O’Hagan’s vocal stands foregrounded, guitar or piano alongside. The rest of the arrangement is alternately a frame, a backdrop, an accompaniment that threads in and out of the performance. It’s almost not there, unlike the kitchen-sink productions of yore. Gone too are the machines — where once the sounds of beats and oscillations ruled supreme, now we find the gentle rub of maracas, the organic sounds of strings. It gets to the point that when you do hear a bit of wah-wah effect, it’s almost shocking. 20th century composition, hah! Try 19th, for a change. Verily, the High Llamas have gone back a ways for this one. And they’ve pulled out a plum.

Our triple-threat of new releases for October 7th is completed with the simple addition of a paperback book. This however is not just any paperback book — it’s a book many us of never thought we’d see! For you see, it’s a book from the late John Fahey, whose stellar musical career was capped with the release of How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life back in 2000. It wasn’t meant to be that way — at the age of 61, he intended to carry on with his work, which included not only continuing to play music, but also continuing the writing of his memoirs as only he could! When Bluegrass was issued, many of us (humans) marveled at the seeming combination of autobiography and pure fiction — or was it? You just couldn’t tell. The only thing you could tell was that light was being shed on all kinds of topics through Fahey’s magical prose. Like his records before it, Bluegrass informed of an American life in gristly, yet esoteric fashion. So like I was saying, John Fahey liked writing the book, but almost immediately he was disappointed with it and wanted to write another that would focus on the more important things and set the record straight. He was about a year into it when, bang! He died. But he left behind a book. It wasn’t as long as Bluegrass Music. He wasn’t there to edit it. But by golly, it’s another volume of the priceless observatory writing that John Fahey made famous with How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life. It’s titled after the piece he completed shortly before his death, the jacket is adorned with one of his paintings (another side of Fahey…John, we hardly knew ye! Really!) and it’s filled with his weirdly hilarious, cryptically entertaining writing. Fans of Fahey — to the bookshops! At midnight on October 7th, Vampire Vultures will be yours.

JUST SAY YES — TO NOVEMBER
Whew! Now that’s a spicy October. But wait! October is followed by November, and we have even more releases planned for then, too! Set the dial on your good old time machine to November 4th — and follow us down, please…

November 4th! It’s code red! Isreal is in exile! Bush is in “a safe place”! Saddam rules the entire Middle East! NASA is history! It’s hard to believe all the changes over the last eight weeks  but somehow, it feels like all the chickens have come home to roost. The economy is coming back, and records are selling like the proverbial hotcakes! Now is the time  the time for us to strike again! Our weapons of choice? New CDs from U.S. Maple, Brother JT3 and Papa M. The world is our oyster — our trembling, supplicating oyster!

Yes…so as I said above, U.S. Maple’s Purple on Time. will be released on CD on November 4th, exactly four weeks after the release of the ultra-deluxe vinyl version of Purple on Time.. The CD doesn’t feature the die-cut sleeve, the bonus track, or a poster included, but hey  it’s got that smooth digital rendering of the music, the poster images in mini-form, and all the lyrics and everything. Plus, you can play it in your CD player, your DVD player, your computer…try doing that with a stupid old vinyl album! Anyway, round about this time, U.S. Maple will probably hit the road, seeking to promote this awesome album with shows that will prove to be only more awesome. It’s their way. More on these tour-dates as time goes by.

Another CD we’ll be pumping at you on November 4th is a brand-new disc from Brother JT3. When last heard from, JT and crew were offering Spirituals, an acoustically flavored set of tunes both light and poppy. This was a turnaround from the heavy liquid rock of Way to Go and so, in turn, Hang In There, Baby turns back into the heavy — just the way JT’s fans like it. Hard and jamming with a bit of sunlit pop for variety, Hang In There, Baby thrives on the message statements of his previous two Drag City releases. In his musical maturity, JT still likes to rock the house, but his moods have become central to the songwriting — and attempting to still the racing heart of today’s world is topping his personal charts these days. Fighting for freedom, reaching a feeling hand toward the madding crowd, offering alms to a power — any power! — that feeds with light, JT is a man on a mission. With a pocketful of tunes and a towering mountain of feedback, power chords and solos, Brother JT3 hits deep with Hang In There, Baby. The rock will be there for you — in November.

From the far side of the pond come Movietone, with their first new release since 2000’s The Blossom Filled Streets. As Movietone have grown, they’ve moved away from lo-fi and noise, keying on folky melodies and arrangements as a starting point for their handmade brand of psychedelic music. Words like ‘nocturnal,’ ‘pastoral,’ ‘atomospheric,’ and ‘sub-aqueous,’ all describe Movietone’s organic bent; whether recording near the beach or actually on the beach, Movietone emit a chilly coastal vibe, complete with light breezes, overcast skies, the sand and the stars. This probably explains the title of their new album — The Sand and the Stars. Look for it both LP and CD formats in November.

On vinyl only comes a mysterious new release from The Howling Hex (featuring Neil Michael Hagerty). There will be three successive releases, each on vinyl and each one limited to 500 copies. More on this as we come closer to the reality of the situation.

Finally, after a brief respite, the Papa M singles series marches on — and marches into fresh territory. The first three singles seemed of a piece — an extension of “Whatever, Mortal,” and that little 3” CD that came out last year. It was cool, there were lots of cover tunes scattered among the M-songs…but hearing him decidedly different is also pretty damn cool. Papa M is all about change — change and strange. In just a few short minutes, he’s gonna showcase both — nay, all sides of the mysterious M — when single “Four” hits the stands in early November.

MEANWHILE, IN THE MAIL ORDER DEPARTMENT…
Hey, have you checked out the Catalog page recently? If you haven’t, do so now! In the Special Offers category, there’s this Faun Fables CD up there that’ll really folk you up. Along with Brightblack and Joanna Newsome, Faun Fables are fellow travelers of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy — in terms of making organic music and entertainment in the new, weird America in which we live in. Live and in person, Dawn the Faun will burn you with the white heat of her performance — but until you get the chance, the Mother Twilight CD we’ve got for sale delivers with sirenesque intensity as well! Faun Fables offer the ultimate in retro — this music goes back to the Middle Ages, evokeing images of the Black Forest, the days of knights and other things we have only visceral memories of. And yet, it’s in the here and now, most for thy pleasure. Get the CD, and when Faun Fables rambles through your hamlet the next time around, grab the tunic and get thee hither!

Also on the Special Offers page is a dwindling supply of Neil Hamburger souvenir baseball caps! Since his The Show Must Go Off (Live at the Phoenix Greyhound Park) DVD hit the market, everybody wants to say they were there, too. One way to say it is in ‘slogan-on-hat’ form, people — so act out now, and get one of the last copies we have in stock! Don’t delay — Hamburger waits for no man.

Then, when you get tired of listening to CDs and outgrow wearing baseball caps (it'll happen someday, little Charlie), check out the Book Nook. That's where copies of the limited hardcover edition of David Berman's Actual Air can be found. We've placed them in shops around the globe and are offering what we have left to you, the mailorder customer. Priced to move at $28 (list price is $36!), this a great opportunity for you to buy the several extra copies to give away to friends and potential lovers around the high holidays. Shy a gift? Time to book it.

THE O’ROURKE REPORT
Meanwhile…what about Jim? There’s so much going on, but none of it seems to be about O’Rourke, right? O’Wrong! As usual, James has his fingers up in a number of pies. Let us chant you the ways.

The next O’Rourke album has been in the works now for eighteen months, and there's a ways to go yet. If you need something to get you through until this unspecified time, let's just say this — nothing so far will prepare thee for the onslaught. Keep shitting bricks, people. In the interim...check him out on the big screen!

Jim can be seen on the screens coming this October 3rd — in a manner of speaking, that is. Watch as a bunch of mere children ape all the moves and grooves taught to them by Music Director O’Rourke (ahem) in Richard Linklater (and Jack Black)'s School of Rock.

Olivier Assayas' Demonlover, with a score by Sonic Youth featuring Jim O'Rourke (shouldn’t that be their name by now? Or how about “Jim O’Rourke’s Sonic Youth”?) will finally be opening stateside in September. It stars Chloe Sevigny and Connie Nielsen — as well as Jim O'Rourke on bass, guitar and electronics.

Loose Fur is penning their new album as well. Expect it hot on the heels of the new Wilco album — if all goes well, sometime in the year of their lord, 2004.

October, Jim tours Japan with Kim Gordon, Ikue Mori, and DJ Olive.

There will be some limited pressing LPs of old O’Rourke stuff coming out over the next year. Already there is Scend from ‘91 on Christoph Heemann (Mr. Streamline!)'s "Three Poplars" label. Next up, on actual Streamline, is Two Organs from 1990. A rather noisy affair called Fey from 87-88 will be offered soon as well, where, not sure yet....is there anyone out there who can make room for another young Jimmy?

And that’s it on the O'Rourke Report, 2003...although we might add, ladies — he’s still single…

SCENE CREAMERS LATEST CASUALTIES OF WEIRD WAR
Washington, DC's psychedelic, folk-rock funkateers Scene Creamers are no longer — in name that is. After threats of legal action by the 1960's French organization "Lettrist International" who coined the term, the trio have decided to return to the name WEIRD WAR, the moniker under which their first recordings were made. As agreed upon by representatives of both parties, the group will go by both names for their numerous nationwide appearances in the coming months, finalizing the transition with the release of their new album, If You Can't Beat 'Em, Bite 'Em here on Drag City in January 2004. When asked for comment, one Scene Creamers/WEIRD WARrior was overheard to declare "Zut Alors! Le monde, c'est la confusion".

Don't forget, both Scene Creamers and WEIRD WAR are a next-wave detachment of Washington DC's legendary dance-floor punks, The Make-Up. Fans of all these snappy outfits are exhorted to unite under one banner for the days of WEIRD WAR ahead.

WIN SOME/NEWSOM
The latest member of the Drag City extended family is 21-year old harpist Joanna Newsom. Joanna hails from Nevada City, California and now lives in San Francisco. She knocked everyone out opening shows for Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (including the Bonnie ‘Prince’ himself!) so much so that we here at Drag City asked if we could put out her records. We enjoy her songs and singing, the singular sensation of seeing them performed on a big concert harp as well as the charm with which she delivers all of the above. She’s got a couple releases that you can find out more about by riding the link to her own webpage which can be found on her page on this very site. She’s got shows this month in greater San Francisco — we’ll keep you informed as her recording moves towards realization!

Welcome, Joanna…

COME THE HOLIDAYS
Before you go filling up your gift-sac, there’s more! Come December, we’ll have more. Names may or may not include Papa M, Galactic Zoo Dossier, Red Krayola, Silver Jews. Who can tell? Just keep your mind open.

Hang on as loosely as you can. We’ll be back at you — in October.

Cheers!

Rian Murphy
Drag City Inc.
September 2003