7 inches, tour, meattown, etc

Hey!

So it is getting closer and closer to tour time. Most of the tour is pretty filled with amazing shows. There are some gaps but hopefully that will be corrected soon. Even though I've been spending most of my free time booking this tour it still doesn't feel real. It probably won't feel real until we actually get in the van.

In addition to the 2 new 7 inch splits that we are going to have out Marissa is also going to be releasing a Noun 7 inch. Its going to be put out by Devildance Records. Not sure when that one is coming out but I'm excited. I wish I had had the money to do a 7 inch for Marissa.

All the housemates that were gone for the summer have moved into MeatTown USA. The house is not only full with them it is also constantly full of other people. Seems like every time I come home there are 15 people in the house. It was a little shocking at first but I'm liking it. I got our wireless working which was a huge accomplishment since I don't know shit about computers! Watch out for shows at MeatTown USA. New Brunswick's home to the smallest percentage of macho hardcore.

I got my change of address and absentee ballot stuff into the county clerk. The called about something and tried to suggest that I keep my voting address as my parents' permanent address. She thought I was a student. This is fucked up. First off, my parents live in NC now. Second, and more important, it is not at all their place to make a judgement call about which residents should register to vote in New Brunswick. This is an obvious attempt to keep students out of local politics.

Screaming Females will have been an entirely self sufficient band up until the new 7 inches come out (they are both on labels). I believe that all bands should have the option to run all of their own affairs. To make a long story short it has become more and more apparent to me that there are some walls that I may never be able to bust down. Media, venues, etc that won't listen to a band who speak for themselves instead of having agents do it. I think this is fucked up because keeping everything else equal Screaming Females having a booking agent, publicity agent, etc would be reaching far more people then Screaming Females running our own shit. And a lot of this has nothing to do with my effort to reach these venues and media. Many of this places simply will not pay attention to a band representing themselves. All the props in the world to the journalists and bookers and DIY bands out there that are willing to surpass the BS. On the other hand I feel as though the underground world has become too underground. The division between punks and DIY people and the good old everyday independent music fan is widening. That isn't a good thing. I think its causing a lot of self contained unoriginal art. So I'm beginning to wonder how to bridge that gap. And what steps we can take to connect the two while still retaining a feeling of control and the respect of those that have been willing to work with us without any representation whatsoever.

-jarrettD