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What better way to start than with a double header. A pair of two parters; both singles feature one long cut spread out over both sides of the disc.
By now everyone’s heard the tail of Little Johnny Jewel…New York in the 70’s…Blah Blah Blah… Max’s Kansas City… Blah Blah…Juke box.. Blah. I’m going to make a wild guess, and say that no one has heard the TRUE story of The Christa Min…
Named after a notable local sports columnist, The Christa Min were a “supergroup” of sorts. The band featured members of Vancouver BC’s high 90’s early 00’s underground rock scene, most notably singer Jason Grimmer, lead guitarist Alan Forrister, and bassist Matthew Lyons, all of whom had played together in the critically lauded rock with a capital R rock band Nasty On. Filling out the ranks were none other than C.C. Rose of VU devotees The Cinch, out from behind the traps to supply keys for the Min, guitarist, singer and songwriter Paul Malcome of Video Tokyo, and Joshua Stevenson, then of -outhernacific+, but previously of Staked Plain, Bug, and Jackie-o-Motherfucker and currently the man behind Magneticring, Von Bingen, and Otic Sound Studios. The Devil and Tex Watson, the bands sole released recording was produced by vancouver label RUNDOWNSUN. Manufactured with much care but in ridiculously limited quantities, the single likely never made it past Vancouver city limits, where despite the low number of copies produced it can still be had for a bargain at most of the local record peddlers. As evidenced in the bands last communique(below), the “West Coast” lifestyle the group had become accustomed to was taking it’s toll. Drug induced paranoia, financial strife, and ludicrous rumours of involvement with a shady cult plagued the groups final days.
“Lessee…walking down Robson…hot summer day. Never go near that street usually, but woke up in some dude’s penthouse near Hooter’s. I woke up, grabbed a shirt off the floor and put it on…and some sunglasses…and a leftover Heneiken from the fridge. Tiptoed out, stepping over the sleeping bodies on the floor. Now I’m outside in the part of town that most needs a firebombing….and the sun is so…fucking…bright! Still stoned…no cash in pocket. Had enough money for a dollar store keyring that reads “Take me to Yr Dealer” with a drawing of an Alien smoking a joint. Bought it and immediately afterwards wished I bought a hot dog instead. Hot dogs. Swamps. Tex Watson. To my right there’s an Asian businessman eating a hot dog. Drank the Heinenken down in one long drink. My mind’s in the everglades. My mind’s on Tex and Squeaky and Susan and Krenwinkel and dunebuggies and Ed Sanders and the Fugs…and that fucker Bugliosi…swamps. Swamps can hold you under. Until you can’t breathe. Wouldn’t want to fall into one…but I did. So hot! The sun is on it’s way out, but not soon enough. Gotta shield…myself. “
With the disbanding of the group following a brief and ultimately unfruitful courtship with the legendary Siltbreeze and shortly after the release of their debut single, Jason the bands primary songwriter enlisted former co-worker and Jibes bassist Steven Balough, guitarist Daniel Coloussi(formerly of the most excellent Victoria BC band Fuck Me USA, who’s split 7” release with Channels 3+4 will be covered shortly) and partner and former member of The Cinch Kathy Dube to form the now defunct Anemones, whom in their short time on this earth managed to release a CD on 1777rex, one excellent 7” single for great pop supplement, and an incredible 12” for the St. Ives label.
Ha! Awesome.
Read “brief and ultimately unfruitful courtship with the legendary Siltbreeze” as “terrible review of the single was posted on Siltblog”.
(via cowards-cowards)
