CONTEST TIME - TRI-COLOR GIVEAWAY!
Brendan Benson
“Half a Boy (And Half a Man)” b/w “Big Kid Face”
179 tri-color copies, unlimited quantity on black vinyl
I just want the whole world to know, I am so incredibly excited to have a Brendan Benson record on Third Man.
Yeah yeah, I know we put out Raconteurs and JW and the Bricks stuff that he slays on, but this is different.
Brendan was the first musician I ever really met who I considered having “made it.”
He was signed to Virgin! He bought a house with record label money! He opened for the Wallflowers! He got fan mail from Japan! He jammed with Dave Grohl!
For me, at 16 years old, that was eye-opening.
And as his career has progressed, both solo and in bands, he’s never failed to make a record that was interesting or tuneful or compelling.
Dude just does good work. And this a-side is quintessential BB like he has not lost a step. You need this in your life. Much respect to the first lyric in the song referencing his obscure b-side “Son of a Welder.” Also, so stoked that we’re pressing tri-colors in Detroit and how sick they look!
Side notes: in the height of my Sub Pop collecting phase I bought a copy of the Flaming Lips 7” off of him. He gave me a bowl of blueberries and cream (or was it milk?) It was, at the time, the most exotic thing I had ever eaten. He was amazed I had never eaten a salad. I would not eat my first salad until the age of 21.
On the way to a JW & the Bricks rehearsal back in ’99 I wrecked my car. I was 17 years old. I asked all the other band members how old they were the first time they’d wrecked a car. Jack and Kevin both responded “16.” Brendan responded “15” and I thought that was BADASS. Like he stole the car or something.
I hopped in the Whirlwind Heat tour van for a day back in 2003 when they were opening for the Dirtbombs. They put in the “Lapalco” CD and all three of them together just got SOOOO EXCITED to be listening to it, like it was some long waited-for treat. So I asked them how often they listen to “Lapalco” and they said “Once a day, every day.” They just loved the album so much they couldn’t contain themselves.
I sing “Jet Lag” to my daughter Violet usually 4th or 5th in my setlist of “Shit I Know All the Words To While I’m Trying to Get This Booger To Bed.”
I’m giving away one copy of the limited edition tri-color of this record. In the comments below, do whatever…tell a story about Brendan, make me laugh, make me cry…it’s free reign to impress me. Whichever comment I like most gets the prize. SIMPLE!
I think it was record store day 2013, but Brendan’s son grabbed my hand and pulled me down to try and pull the vinyl out of the apoxy by the bathrooms like he thought I have some kind of magical powers. I was the cutest thing ever.
Just like Jacks’s new single, Brendan’s latest is infectious. Pure ear candy that even my kids sing along to.
Nice Song
Doin’ the Time
Jungle scene on the neuronsTraveling inside, a self-induced adventure,
Screaming, Singing, Screeching, Soothing,Experiencing…
Send me those funky ass rhythms you can’t tap your foot to,
Come home with me in Insanity’s car, Valium up to 10,(voices indecipherable)
Animals singing in lustful, shrilly voices of instinct, as that crazy Cat puts on the sly and pimps out.
Give me a man with talent beyond his hands (ahead of his time).Puts you in the mood, gives you that jivin’ feeling of,
Sweating, standing on Ellis Island while screams in the night die to an exotic murmur.Inhibitions let go, swank bodies busting on beat.
Music that crawls on through
(written around age 21 while immersed in the Chicago music scene. Everything was about the next show or your friend’s band.)
My first thought of Brennan Benson was that he was some reincarnation of Kurt Cobain. His golden locks with piercing stare followed by a voice that must talk in melody. Always good stuff. Glad he joined the Third Man family.
The first song I ever listened by Brendan was Cold Hands (Warm Heart) when I watched the video for it in 2006ish. I still feel so bad for the guy who hung himself so he can meet with his girlfriend on heaven but when he goes there she is already with another man.
June 5, 2008: It’s 10:00 am and I arrive for my first in line spot to see The Raconteurs play the Kool Haus (now demolished, but once a staple in Toronto’s music scene). I notice there’s already one guy in line ahead of me. I’m kind of bummed. I wanted to be first, but no big deal. I’ll still get front row when the gates open.
As time passes a few more people line up. Then a few more. The before noon crowd at any concert lineup always consists of the most passionate of fans. I would recommend it to anyone looking to meet like-minded people.
We’re all getting to know each other and sharing stories of past White Stripes concerts we’ve been to, when suddenly a guy rides up next to us on a motorcycle. We all know who it is, but no one says a word. Our silence was a mix of both awe and respect. He smirked, revved up his engine and rode off just as quickly as he’d arrived. Being the cool kids we were, none of us wanted to overact that Brendan Benson had just acknowledged us, but you could tell everyone was very excited.
Though a small moment, it’s one I’ll always remember. Oh, and by the way, the guy who beat me being first in line, is now my fiancée. So, a pretty memorable day indeed.
Mr. Blackwell! Thanks for the opportunity, so many of us are so far from your storefronts and it is impossible to get them so this is really cool of you, I was lucky enough to visit TMR in nashville for my 16th birthday and ran into you and told you how important TMR and Jacks music were to me, and you were very nice and I purchased everything I could afford that week, and I have to say my favorite thing I found was on one of the Johnny Cash 7" you had for sale, I purchased it and found that etched in the center is “Wrong Kid Died” and anybody who gets the jokes must know great that is, your attention to detail at TMR is amazing!
Wow – that’s an impressive attempt to endear himself to Mr Blackwell by Mr Martin below…
Brendan Benson has never been talentless… thats just down right false to say he ever was talentless… point blank the guy has aid his dues…. whatever the commercial world feels about the guy reflects nothing of his talent and to say such a thing would set any real TMR fans on edge >>> Drama Not Needed so dont come knockin because behind the scenes negativity does no one any good … He deserves Honor and Appreciation based upon what Ben shared alone and i suspect the song bears value even as an acoustic rendition