Lunachicks & Candlebox
Sitting in a tree!
Kanopy is a free streaming service you can watch with your library card.
If you don’t have a library card, jump off a bridge go get one!
The site features tons of (once again, completely free) titles I don’t encounter on other services, with a solid selection of indies and docs; Pretty Ugly: The Story Of The Lunachicks ticks every one of those boxes.
For those who didn’t grow up within the Coney Island High fallout zone, Lunachicks are an all-girl punk crew who made a name for themselves mashing lowbrow theatrics (ofc they met at Fame school) with Noo Yawk chaos and “babysitters on acid” charm.
The filmmakers lean into that spirit of sisterly mayhem. Every shot of the band kicking around the East Village as teenagers — an endless stream of sitcom references and goofy song ideas to crack each other up — is priceless.
Lunachicks were very much outside, from early Sonic Youth days (Kim and Thurston were set to produce their debut) to Warped Tour’s cultural peak; I caught them opening for No Doubt and Weezer in scenic Holmdel, NJ circa ‘97. But the commercial success of their peers remained elusive.
Midway through Pretty Ugly, we see The Offspring start touring with Lunachicks as an unknown, hair-braided support act. Their roles reversed once “you gotta keep ‘em separated” became an arena chant, seemingly overnight.
The Opener’s Journey is a product of fate.
For the Mountain Goats’ latest, John Darnielle (his episode of Poker Face is excellent btw) starts out riffing on one of the true ya had to be there ‘90s phenomenons and ends up with the best song Fountains Of Wayne never wrote, a big-hearted picaresque of kids with guitars (and “Ben, our friend who worked the business end”) stumbling through their own breakthrough: a summer spent warming up festival tents for a soon-to-be alt rock footnote.
You know exactly how this story ends once they touch the (flannel) hem of greatness, but the mood remains gently wistful rather than Tom Petty bleak. Their A&R man still don’t hear a single, “but if we ever find Ben we'll probably do it again, like we were young men — as we were then — with Candlebox.”
Every band’s realest opp is the indignity of time.
The paper of record asked Mick Jagger (!!!) if there’s anything good (“physically or metaphysically”) about getting older. His answer? “Nothing.”
There’s a particularly vulnerable moment in Pretty Ugly when guitarist Gina Volpe — fresh from visiting an enormous Vans billboard featuring a vintage (and sanitized) live photo of the band — wonders aloud about “the struggle of always being broke, and always trying to figure out, ‘what am I doing, this is crazy, I’m too old to be piecemealing my life together, I should have a real job…’ but that’s just not me. I’ve never stopped creating. If I stopped, I would probably die.”
There’s an even better one as she waffles over a (then theoretical) Lunachicks reunion with L7’s Donita Sparks, who immediately cuts her off and borderline screams, “stop thinking! Because thinking has never helped. You just go do what you’re built to go do.”
Sage advice at any age.
Just go do what you’re built to go do.
A bunk on the Candlebus awaits.
Masego, “Recommend” — delightful one man (VHS) band showcase. Keytar!
Bruno Berle, Sem Frontieras + Go Kurosawa, soft shakes (wild peaceful)
Nirosta Steel, MY SKYSCRAPER (hard agree)
DJ Shadow, “Ubu” (big one for Family Ties enjoyers)
Jojo Lorenzo, Book Club Radio mix (Santana Woodstock drum solo?!?!?)
Confidence Man, “Young London” (transcendently mundane five-and-a-half minute dance oner, wish i could shuffle…)
The Sweet Life Of Tom Carvel — improbable tale of the Greek immigrant / real life Cookie Puss who accidentally invented soft serve, followed by the entire concept of “ice cream chain” as a business model. If this is your type of hype plz follow with the History Of The Costco Hot Dog and the unique challenges of starting a national bagel franchise.
Jenkem spends a day with teen skaters (adorable)
DJ Drama 1995 mixtape (“FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL NOW”)
Playlists updated!