Tune Tag #107 with Brain of J-Hawk: Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, Neil Diamond, Blondie, All-American Rejects, Jethro Tull, Glass Animals
Unexpected highlight: Paul Shaffer's "When the Radio is On" leads us on a journey where we find links from Ellie Greenwich's classic '60s hits to Blondie's Debbie Harry, and when the two of them meet!
“Hey, Brain, do you know ‘How to Play the Piano’?”
“No, but if you hum a few bars, I’ll fake it!”
Welcome to Tune Tag, of !
Brain: “One of the things I covet in my life is the collection of music. Growing up in the 1990s, I was captivated by collecting CDs. There was something personal about owning music. Just listening to it on the radio or a mixed tape didn’t make me truly appreciate the artistry of the musician(s) or the message they were trying to get across.
“It also made me an individual who was more interested in listening to an album than just the ‘hits’ of the artist or band. For me, listening to an album is like reading a book. The gist of this is that I love buying albums and understanding them.
“In December 2023, my wife and I brought our first child into the world. For several reasons, we waited until I was 42 to start having a family. One thing I would like for my son to know is this part of my life. Hopefully he’ll have in interest in me sharing it with him, but if not I want this to be one of the things he remembers me by.
“ will be written in the perspective of me writing to him specifically about one album in each post that has had an imprint in my life. The name of my Substack, Music of My Mind, is my favorite Stevie Wonder album. At some point, I will have a post dedicated to that record, but my first post was about the one that I first received as a Christmas gift from my late mother.”
Last week, we enjoyed the musical company of :
Next week, join us for the return Tune Tag of of !
Brain’s song #1 sent to Brad: Pearl Jam, “In Hiding,” 1998
Brain’s rationale: I would be remiss if I didn’t go in with a Pearl Jam song. My Substack handle is largely based on one of their songs, “Brain of J.” This song became very personal to me 7 years ago. I won’t go into detail why, but 2018 was the toughest year of my life. This was a song I always enjoyed listening to when putting on Yield (album the song is on), however I never really dug into the lyrics and origins of the song.
Eddie Vedder wrote the lyrics to music that guitarist, Stone Gossard, had made on a micro-cassette recorder. The lyrics were inspired by the work of Charles Bukowski, who described that, at times in his life, he needed to “check out for a few days – no people, no nothing.” He would go into hiding and then come back with the will to live once again. There were so many times that year, but also throughout my life, that I wanted to do just that….go into isolation when my anxiety was too much for me to handle, a feeling I still have to this day.
The lyric that speaks in the loudest volume to me is “I swallowed my breath and went deep, I was diving, I was diving. I surface and all around me was enlightened.” Not everyone handles anxiety the same. Some benefit from being able to talk upfront about their issues. I’m not one of those people. I need time to myself to get myself right.
“‘In Hiding’ is actually written about [Charles] Bukowski. Sean Penn gave me a quote that Bukowski had said to him once, and it was written directly from that. He told Sean that sometimes he just has to check out for a few days—no people, no nothing. So he goes in hiding, then he gets back and has the will to live once again. Maybe because society takes you down. For all the good things we offer each other, sometimes we beat each other down.”—Eddie Vedder, in a 2009 interview with Seattle Sound Magazine
Brad’s song #1 sent to Brain: All-American Rejects, “Dirty Little Secret,” 2005
Brain’s response: This was a little bit puzzling at first: When I think of “Dirty Little Secret,” I figure this song is about someone singing about their mistress. Not at all what I would chalk up “In Hiding” to be about. However, when I watch the music video, I change my mind on the meaning.
Wikipedia describes the music video as a montage of random people holding up secrets that were written down by individuals on postcards. These postcards were mailed and then posted onto a website called PostSecret:
“I had gay sex at church camp 3 times.”
“I’m a peaceful person who happens to be filled with violent rage.”
“I fear I have an undiagnosed mental illness.”
“3 years ago, I tried to kill myself…now I’m 18 and people say I’m happy…but I still want to die…”
“I feel ugly because I’m half-black, half-white.”
“I cheated on my SAT and got a scholarship.”
“I take more than the suggested dose…”
“I only love 2 of my children” (the card has three child figures, with one crossed out)
“My family i$ rich, but I $hoplift everyday!”
Some of the secrets that were sent in were perceived as cries for help. The creator, Frank Warren (above), teamed up with 1-800-Suicide to try to answer these submissions.
Brad’s rationale: All these folks in the Rejects’ video, with their “dirty little secrets” seem like they are, or would like to be, in hiding, or more to the point, feel invisible to some degree (or wish they could be).
Most of these notes are heart-breaking to the nth degree, especially to this former grade school teacher and youth minister to high-schoolers (who’s seen and heard more than his share of teen angst and sorrow, and the frustrations of kidhood). There’s good news, though, in the story behind the video and song:
Intriguing first coupla songs, as we have 2 “new rock” bands (whatever genre someone might actually assign them) that are straddling the landmark 21st-century marker.
Brain’s song #2: Glass Animals feat. Bree Runway, “Space Ghost Coast to Coast,” 2021
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