CLOSING THE BARN DOOR
OK, so what really happened since the last time around? Let’s see…the sun rose and fell on a pair of new release dates, bands toured and went home, Neil Hamburger appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show for a second time, and a splendid time was had by all. Nuff said? Hardly!

THE DRAG CITY CHECKLIST
Wow, we have been busy. Here’s the new titles to add to your Drag City checklist:

The High Llamas Beet, Maize & Corn DC211 LP/CD
John Fahey Vampire Vultures DC245 Paperback Book
U.S. Maple Purple on Time. DC250 LP/CD
Papa M “Four” DC247 CD5
Brother JT3 Hang In There, Baby DC254 CD
Neil Michael Hagerty and The Howling Hex Introducing the Howling Hex DC255 LP
Movietone The Sand and the Stars DC260 LP/CD

Got ‘em all? If so, Damn you! A healthy damning, that is: You’re making our job awfully easy. If you don’t have ‘em all yet, Damn you! Get your unhealthy, damned ass current! Here’s an inspirational word or two about each.

The High Llamas we’ve talked about a bit already – and with good purpose. Beet, Maize & Corn may be The High Llamas’ best album yet. It’s certainly their most different record since perhaps Santa Barbara — which bears little resemblance to their run of acclaimed records in the 90s, don’t you think? On Beet, Maize & Corn, Sean O’Hagan’s arrangements go discreet, leaving the overall sound deceptively stark. The space makes us the listener feel, and emotions burble forth from our frozen souls quite naturally. It would be hard to replicate this sound live, but that’s not going to stop Sean and co — they’ll be back in the USA sometime in Spring 2004, playing these new tunes and other of their classics in proper venues around the country. Stay tuned…

John Fahey’s Vampire Vultures contains further adventures from the late guitarist whose first book, How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life shocked the world back in the year 2000. Mixing autobiographical fact with the seemingly improbable, Fahey’s writing style matched his unique musical fusions. Vampire Vultures goes a bit further down the path, including a few letters never sent in the mix, giving the reader a darker, more vulnerable portrait of the man and the artist. Storm the local bookshelf and stuff your stockings with Vampire Vultures this Xmas!

U.S. Maple are always attracting attention (and rookie NSA agents testing out their new surveillance equipment) whenever they do anything, be it new album, live show or brisk walk down the street. There’s something unnerving about these boys, and even after eight years and four albums, it’s no less unnerving. This is good news for all of you with ears — this, and their new album Purple on Time.. Original drummer Pat Samson left the fold after Acre Thrills, but with Adam “The Kid” Vida on skins, Purple on Time. is as tight and focused a collection of Maple tracks as you’ll find on any of their releases. It’s rock and roll, straight up – in the unmistakable Maple style of course, and dripping with the vocal/lyrical revelations of consummate front man, Al Johnson. In the U.S. Maple tradition of excessively beautiful vinyl packages, Purple on Time. may just beat ‘em all. Certainly an extra track won’t hurt its chances, eh? The record is out on the streets now and U.S. Maple are preparing to follow it into the cold, touring for three weeks in December as part one of an extended trip through the world.

Papa M is back in action, bringing all of his energy to the world according to Papa M. This means that, after a little break, the Papa M singles series is moving forward. In case you lost count, “Four” is the new one that you just have to have. It’s a new sound for the singles series, with more electricity, rock, wiggy soloing, and funky left-turns in the mix, extremely cool. Papa took to the road in celebration of the moment, touring the USA with a new Papa M band, thrilling M-starved MF’s everywhere. Coming up: more singles, more live dates, and the Papa M singles compilation, Volume One – !

Brother JT3 is how you say Brother JT when he gets his rock band together and records in a studio and releases the record on Drag City. Long known for mysterious and haunting home recordings, JT is also amazing when he’s done up in electrifying hi-fi. Some of his catchiest songs ever can be found on the JT3 records – Way to Go was heavy-electric, Spirituals was light-acoustic; both were packed solid with great sounds and great tunes. Now, Hang In There, Baby culls a bit more of all of the above, to provide salve for the soul, balm for the brain and a heavy dose of rock for your rump. He’s done his bit, now do yours – buy this album (and save a little for an eighth, too).

Neil Michael Hagerty continues his exhaustive journey into the future with a new record, Introducing the Howling Hex. This vinyl-only release shouldn’t be confused in any way with The Howling Hex which came out earlier this year. The Howling Hex is an epic trip across the Hagertian galaxy, encompassing a variety of rock and roll fashions ranging from bumping rhythm to acoustic; song to collage; studio to live. It’s a sure mind-blower, but Introducing the Howling Hex is a different set – music for the already-blown mind, let's say. Integrating all the styles listed above into one hazy nonstop mashup, Introducing the Howling Hex offers further musings from the NMH camp in a limited-edition vinyl-only album. Only 500 were pressed, and most of those are gone – so rush you out and obtain one, hear? (webmaster update 12/4: sorry, they're all gone...) The good news is, after it’s all gone (ed.: it's gone! listen, damn you!), there will be another volume sometime next year – and another one after that! The bad news: they too will be limited to 500. So stay on your toes – don’t let Neil Michael Hagerty and The Howling Hex slip past you unnoticed. Don’t let the tour dates get by you, either  NMH&THH dates in the far west are bearing down hard on us as we speak!

It had been a few years since the shadow of Movietone passed over our door – but no longer. In other words, they’re back! The Sand and the Stars is an all-natural postcard from the west coast, UK. Over the course of their previous releases, Movietone have created music both nocturnal and aqueous, but with The Sand and the Stars, they shine a little light onto their sounds. Always weirdly folky, they’ve stripped down to bare essentials in their new music, tapping a deep vibe in their British coastal existence. Inspired, but never really influenced by a diverse set of traditional sounds (from The Carter Family to Jefferson Airplane, with Nina Simone and Sandy Denny thrown in for good measure), Movietone express themselves as never before on The Sand and the Stars. Plan a trip to seaside – pick up the new Movietone. And, if we’re lucky, we’ll see them on U.S. shores sometime next year.

What else has happened since September? There was lots of touring – and America, you revelled in it! We brought Alasdair Roberts over here for a full month of dates. He had a great time, and those lucky enough to see the shows had their haggis blown – Scottish style. Alasdair’s distinctly Scottish songs and singing are a rare thing in these climes, whether he’s performing with a band or solo (or a cappella, as he did every night) and when you hear it, you’ll know you’re in the presence of something different. Everywhere the tour went, new friends and fans were made and there will be a next time, so – be there.

Also big on the touring front in October was Weird War – aka Scene Creamers. With a year of high-energy shows behind them as well as an acclaimed debut LP, I Suck on That Emotion, those crazy kids were compelled to revert to the name Weird War, which some of you may know is a name previously used by a slightly different band with some of the same members. Who knows when we’ll see Scene Creamers again? As a parting gesture, they forged a tough dance record and sold it on tour. The weird part is that the A-side, “AK-47,” will also appear on the forthcoming Weird War album, due out in January. Scene Creamers, we barely knew ya – but long live Weird War! We anticipate more freaky flip-flopping in the year to come – as well as more high-energy shows and another acclaimed album.

Then, there’s the Jimmy Kimmel LIVE show. On November 4th, they hosted Neil Hamburger in his triumphant return to network television. “America’s Funnyman” delivered an all-new routine featuring new jokes and a few classic Hamburger routines. You could see it on their faces — the audience was shocked and awed. Did you catch it? If not, wait a few months and check back with us — because we have the feeling Neil will be back on the airwaves before too long. 

As if that weren’t enough, Tenacious D appeared two days later with Jack Black resplendent in a Drag City t-shirt! He sat and kibitzed with Jimmy, then took it to the stage – all the while wearing the awesome design available right here! Check it out ON THE MAILORDER PAGE!

THE END
…and that’s it! We’re done for the year. Of course, there are a number of groups touring right up until Christmas Eve – namely, U.S. Maple, Papa M, Neil Michael Hagerty, Neil Hamburger, King Kong and fresh new signee Faun Fables – more on them below. See the Tour Page for yer up-to-date info on all the shows coming up. And of course, we’ll still be here, sending out the holiday restocks as they occur. It’s all fine and well – but really, the focus around the office is definitely…

NEXT YEAR!
Next year starts in January! As per usual, we’re starting the year at the top with a handful of great new releases. Here’s the lineup: Ghost, Weird War, Galactic Zoo Dossier, Minus Times, Papa M. And here's the lowdown:

GHOST COMPLETE TRIP
For the first time in just about five years, we’re talking about a brand-new Ghost album! Time clearly has no meaning to them. But then again, Ghost did release two albums simultaneously back in the Spring of 1999 – and one of them was a double album. Since that time, Batoh and Kurihara have worked with Damon & Naomi and played the odd Ghost show here and there. What they’ve done also is stockpile songs and sound for what is clearly the best Ghost album ever made! Hypnotic Underworld has a new take on everything Ghost have been acclaimed for in the past – and starting with the 23 minute title track, they dig into their bag of tricks and tracks with great energy. Spanning a universe of sounds in a streamlined craft, Hypnotic Underworld will surprise and delight fans of psychedelic rock, folk-rock, world-beat, classic-rock, and classic Ghost – it’s just that good! Batoh and company have outdone themselves. Schedule a trip for January – to Hypnotic Underworld.

WEIRD WAR=SCENE CREAMERS 
With a tour under their (white) belt, Weird War (aka Scene Creamers) are set for interdenominational domination in the year 2004. To that end, they’ve completed a new album set for release in January. If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Bite ‘Em is next wave Weird War, replete with heavy beats, rapping, drugged guitar solos (played with martial precision, of course), Svenonious’ brain-tickling flights of vocal and lyrical fancy, and group chant-alongs that you are invited to chant along with — all wrapped in an exquisite multicolored painting reproduced for your viewing thrills and chills. There’s a new tradition kicking up in this country – and the steadily rising collection of releases from Weird War/Scene Creamers are cultural artifacts of the same. It’s just as you feared – in January, we march to war...Weird War.

GALACTIC ZOO DOSSIER
Back in the Spring of 2001, the Earth moved again – and from it sprung forth the Galactic Zoo Dossier issue #5. An ultimate work of rock fandom, the Galactic Zoo Dossier is a psychedelic rock (and culture) zine rendered entirely by hand. The text is hand-written – the graphics hand-drawn. The subject matter ranges from the commonly known (The Lovin’ Spoonful, Eric Clapton) to the more obscure (The Smoke — both US and UK!). Issue #5 came with 50 “Damaged Guitar God” trading cards, as well. Truly, the GZD is a labor of love. And it is with love that we reach into the hallowed past of the ‘Zoo Dossier to reprint the original four issues in one gigantic volume. Square-bound, and with a CD of appropriate soundtrack music enclosed, The Galactic Zoo Dossier Compendium will be your coffee-table companion for the next few ounces you smoke. Look for its majesty – in January.

THE MINUS TIMES
It was a different world the last time The Minus Times hit newsstands — the post-apocalyptic time immediately following the World Trade Center disaster. We mention this only to illustrate how far in time (and otherwise) everyone has come. Hunter Kennedy and his staff of best and brightest have come a long way as well… and yet The Minus Times itself inches forward one issue number only, from 27 to 28. For a magazine that pushed seven issues out in the four years previous, this is significant, is it not? Well, dear reader, so is the upgrade in quality. The Minus Times is back, and better for it! But what’s inside? Why, more fiction from Sam Lipsyte, Jeff Johnson, Hudson Bell and Hunter Kennedy! New poems from David Berman and Jeff Rotter! Illos by Brad Neely and Harrison Haynes! Mixed tapes from Spoon, Califone, Decemberists and Songs:Ohia! Stephen Colbert, interviewed! This minus is a plus – add it to your life in January!

ON THE MAILORDER PAGE
In case you haven’t read between the lines and taken note of the interesting little items we have available for your mailordering pleasure, here’s a clue or two.

1) Check out the Special Orders page! Here you can find limited quantities of things that pass through such as the Appendix Out “Lieder Für Kasper Hauser” 7” single, the Scene Creamers “AK-47” 7” single, and the Faun Fables Mother Twilight CD. You’ll also find staple items from Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Papa M, David Grubbs, Neil Hamburger and more!

2) Look for new releases! As they come out, they’re immediately logged into our catalog – meaning fresh new items from Brother JT3, Movietone, U.S. Maple, Neil Michael Hagerty and Papa M are now available, from us to you.

3) Don’t forget the t-shirt page, home of best-selling t-shirts from Silver Jews and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. New this month is a (Smog) t-shirt left over from his last tour. The "Oh! (Smog)" shirt is our hottest new seller! We’ve also got a pair of rare designs for Neil Michael Hagerty, as well as Jack Black’s t of choice, the Drag City t-shirt AND a brand-new color scheme for Silver Jews’ cartoon t-shirt!

That’s it! We can lead you to water, but we can’t buy it for you, can we? Whip out your payment device of choice – hurry, and you might just have your heart’s desire stuffed in your box by Christmas! 

WHAT ELSE?
Yeah, there’s more! But you’re going to have to wait to find out about it. We’re talking about the Aerial M / Papa M singles compilation, the sophomore release from Faun Fables, the debut album from Joanna Newsom, the rest of the Papa M singles series, the AZITA record, the Royal Trux video compilation, The Silver Jews Lo-Fi years collection, and more!

See you in January…

Rian Murphy
November, 2003
Drag City Inc.