real people are overrated

Happy 2003 everyone!

I can't start the year without talking about our brilliant new year's eve, a rare instance in my lifetime. we headed to the mercury lounge for drinks, friends and rock'n'roll. The Shetland Pony opened, a band with familiar faces, but usually the ones we see "off" stage, not "on"... Ryan Gentles, Matt Romano, you get the picture. and surprise, they were good! who would have thought? of course, in the crowd hanging, the local nyc bands came out to support the pony. needless to say that we all fell in love with Drew, she's just so unbelievably cute and cool. our eyes also popped out when we saw Ben, someone explains to me please.
Next, Longwave took the stage, and again surprise, they were so much better than the last 3 or 4 times i saw them... they did a great cover of a Rolling Stones song (which one was it?). i may even go buy their EP now... the best part was when Dennis jumped on stage to sing Sweet child of mine with the Longwave guys, that was just classic.
A few minutes before midnight, The Realistics took over the stage and counted down til the new year, and oh boy, all hell broke loose... the band was great, rocking, jumping, reaching those high notes... the crowd was so enjoying it that everyone was dancing and jumping, yes dancing at a new york show!

and look at the picture below, yes, you are seeing right (actually, you probably can't see, but whatever)... Dennis honored us by wearing our very own melody nelson pin... turns out mr. Dennis is a huge Serge fan! i love it... keep spreading the serge & melody love bro!

[photo by Jo]

Because it's the new year and i'm feeling nice, if you want your own melody nelson pin, email me, i'll send you one...

Top of the 2002 Pops

Here are the albums that did it for me in 2002...
I think there's no surprise with my #1. Interpol is, in my humble opinion, the best new band of the year and Turn on the bright lights is the best album. The surprise came more from the fact that, after two years of hearing about them and seeing them open for other bands, i never expected to like their music...

Top 15 albums of 2002:
1. Interpol Turn on the bright lights
2. Spoon Kill the moonlight
3. Hot Hot Heat Make up the breakdown
4. Doves The last broadcast
5. Ben Kweller Sha-sha
6. Sleater-Kinney One beat
7. Idlewild The remote part
8. Coldplay A rush of blood to the head
9. Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man Out of season
10. Neil Finn One all
11. The Libertines Up the bracket
12. Brendan Benson Lapalco
13. Haven Between the senses (uk version)
14. Radio 4 Gotham!
15. Queens of the stone age Songs for the deaf

Top 10 concerts of 2002:
1. The Strokes / The White Stripes @ Irving Plaza on august 14
2. Interpol @ Bowery Ballroom on december 20
3. Morrissey @ L'olympia on september 30
4. Doves @ Hammerstein Ballroom on september 20
5. South / Elbow @ Bowery Ballroom on march 6
6. Ed Harcourt @ Joe's Pub on march 28
7. Idlewild @ Irving Plaza on november 1
8. Sleater-Kinney / Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Irving Plaza on october 15
9. The Ratpure / LCD Soundsystem @ Bowery Ballroom on december 14
10. Múm @ Knitting Factory on july 26

This is it for 2002...
i wish you all a very happy new year and let's all meet up in the year 200-3!!!

this was my year

Top 10 coolest/funniest moments of 2002 - in chronological order:

1. March 7: Starsailor plays The Vanderbilt, and somehow i was handed a backstage pass to hang out with fans and band in honor of drummer Ben's 25th birthday... only my friend Jocelyn didn't get a pass and the security guards were assholes. when i got backstage to the somewhat lame party, Barry (keyboardist) overheard me say that she couldn't get in and went outside to get her... now that's what i call a cool "rock star".

2. April 8: The White Stripes' last night of 4 consecutive shows at the Bowery Ballroom. i think we all remember the amazing sets, the awesome crowds, the flowers handed at the end... we also remember the coolest tour manager around: John Baker, without whom we wouldn't have been able to attend the shows. in case you didn't know, he's also responsible for exposing The Datsuns to our side of the world, one cool guy indeed.

3. April 15: Andrew W.K plays Irving Plaza. Rosalind loves him so much that i couldn't refuse to accompany her for the second time. Andrew came down in the audience at the end of the show, and in the heat of the moment, we hugged his sweaty self, ewww... don't ask why, but he made Rosalind so happy that she couldn't stop smiling for days, aww...

4. May 1: Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Liars play mercury lounge. i met Laura and Greg outside the venue... at some point, we all noticed that James Iha was standing there, and i see Greg going insane, was he such a big fan that he couldn't contain himself?!? well kinda, but also as a complete coincidence, under his jean blazer, Greg was wearing a limited James Iha t-shirt designed by Anna Sui... how weird was that!?!? and that's exactly what Greg told James inside the venue, who was surprised someone other than himself actually owned that t-shirt. did i mention how nice James is?

5. July 16: despite the fact that we're completely over The Vines, it was very cool (for them but especially) for us to finally see a gig at CBGB's.

6. August 12 : Coldplay plays the bowery ballroom. i'd never seen that many people freak out over the Gallagher brothers... we even heard Liam, himself, freak and jump out of his seat when Chris Martin started the first notes of Songbird. oh yeah, and some actress named Gwyneth was there too, drooling over Chris and singing all the words.

6. September 5 : Christian Joy's first fashion show... if there was one moment that could crystalize 2002, this would be it. Karen O's own designer made all the electro fashionistas and other downtown rock hipsters come out to see her first collection. the place was packed with virtually every new york band and the usual faces we see everywhere... with Karen O on the runaway, and Justine D on the turntables, the new yorkers in attendance were in heaven.

7. November 1: CMJ Marathon night three... this one has got to be Jo's favorite moment of 2002... after Sahara Hotnights finished playing, i was asked to take a picture of Pelle... as i was getting frustrated with the camera cause i couldn't see shit, the DJ played hate to say i told you so and for some weird reason, i started doing my now famous Pelle impression, completely forgetting that the man was in front of me watching... he then looked at us and politely said "i have to go now"... i hope i didn't embarass you Pelle... call me, ok?

8. December 12: Spin Magazine Party (in honor of The Strokes)... call me naive, but this is the day that i realized that no matter what you look like, if you are in a so called rock band, you can meet a girl and in no less than 4 minutes, make out with her in front of all your peers. one of the most hilarious and unpretty moments of the year. [for legal purposes, the "rock star" in question shall remain anonymous].

9. December 21: Tiswas... Justine D, Michael T, Imposters 1/2/3, Divestar girls, Fauxhawk, Greg and the night we all became common people who just love to sing and dance together.

10. 2002: the year i met some of the coolest new yorkers and music lovers around the world. i could name each one but i think you all know who you are. i hope to keep seeing all of you at the shows in 2003, and for those who don't live in new york, you'd better come visit soon! Cheers :)