An Open Apology to TacocaT

Dear TacocaT,

Ben, the lovable, affable bassist in H Is for Hellgate, told me that I almost got a drunken phone call on Saturday night questioning a recent comment I made on The Stranger's Line-Out blog post regarding TacocaT and Seattle music chicks. I kinda wish I would have gotten that call. I would have laughed a lot.

Whenever the topic of females in music is raised on Line-Out or other blogs, I feel compelled to comment because it's a topic that is close to home to me given that 1) I'm a chick and 2) I play music. However, I try to choose my words carefully as not have my point be misunderstood. It seems as though I failed when I commented on the blog post in question (and I'll be goddamned if I can find that post now on Line-Out).

I recall that I was attempting to direct my comment towards the general discussion going on within the commenters. I, sadly, have not seen TacocaT play a show, so I don't have any right to agree or disagree with the strange review you were given because you played a couple cover songs. My hunch is that I would enjoy your band because I tend to do things that are pro-lady-rocker like volunteer at Rock 'n' Roll Camp For Girls and I cut my indie music appreciation teeth on riot grrrl bands.

Someone in the string of comments had brought up pretty girls (and also pretty boys) and how sometimes the beautiful people get special treatment. My comment was directed toward that idea because 1) I'm a nerd and not hot and 2) I have an overlying belief that, when it comes to female musicians, the community needs accept that our numbers are thin, but judge us by the same measurements and dudes.

From what I hear, you are very nice. I hope to meet you soon. I'm really glad you like the "Tina Fey" song. Tina Fey is hot. Feuds are not hot...unless they are one-sided feuds with Sean Nelson or the very real We Wrote The Book On Connectors / Mountain Con feud.

Please accept my apology for my unclear statement.

Hearts,
Jamie

F*ck you, Caffe Vita

Ben and I thought we were soooooooo smart. We headed up to Capitol Hill on Thursday and plastered the light poles in the area with propaganda promoting our forthcoming album (left) so we would subliminally, or maybe consciously, be on the mind grapes of the hordes of Capitol Hill Block Party attendees. We even brought along the ladder and put them as high on the poles as we could so they would be out of the tearing-down range of evil, evil Poster Giant.












I went to the Block Party the next day and almost all of our posters had been covered by Caffe Vita.


Caffe Vita, why? WHY? Why couldn't you just cover up the Poster Giant posters? Everyone hates those guys. Pick on an organization your own size. We used to have a good relationship with you, Caffe Vita. We held ALL of our interviews for new band members at your Capitol Hill and Fremont locations. We supported you. You took my $3.73 plus tip that I spent several times over, plus the $50 I spent on posters and pissed on it with your stinky, coffee roaster stenched urine. Drink more water. Your pee stinks. Ummm, I don't even know where this is going.

Anyway, yeah, it sucked seeing all of our posters covered.

In other news, the block party was fun. Check out my review on the KEXP Blog.

While we’re off working on our tans this summer...

I made a myspace page for Henkensiefken, the band that was the precursor to H Is for Hellgate, to tide you over until our next album comes out in October. I put up six songs and made them all downloadable, free for you! If ya dig, you should buy the whole album(s). They were forged from my sweet, sweet sweat.

In other news, I'm playing a solo show on Sunday, August 3rd at the Skylark, in case you can't read the picture to the left. I'll be jamming on some of the more mellow Hellgate songs like "Next 50 Winters," "Soundtrack To The Summer," and a folked-out "Tina Fey" as well as some of my solo gems. The show is also free. See how I try to hook you the hell up!?

Lastly, I f-ing love red wine.