I paid for this song. I don’t mean I bought the album, or I bought the track through iTunes. I mean I had seen this song so many times live, and it meant so much to me that I literally funded the mixing and mastering of the record and got it out, because I loved this song so much.
I remember the first time I heard it. I remember the last - at SXSW in 1999 when the Drops were on their final legs. I drove down from Boston in a rented SUV with my friend Elizabeth. We almost died on the drive. I drove back with Elizabeth, and my friends Jill and Vicki and Dave, the lead singer of the Drops.
The Elevator Drops were one of the most important bands in my life. I remember the first time I saw them, at the MIddle East Downstairs in 2004. I remember the year because my sister had just gotten to town and we went together. They opened for Experimental Audio Research and Spectrum. Then again for Stereolab. They were the best local band by far. Later I got to know them and we all became great friends. I played with the lead singer in his next band, The Texas Governor. My label put out two posthumous Elevator Drops records - one of early material and one of the unfinished last album, after BMG had dropped them, burned by a major who never gave them much of a chance, just like so many other indie bands. That’s probably not entirely fair, since they did appear on MTV, and they got to tour with some of my favorite bands around the country.
Weirdly I don’t remember if they played “Catastrophe” at the reunion show. I would do anything to see another reunion show. I miss them terribly.
This is in honor of Dave, the lead singer, who was supposed to be my house guest next week but now, sadly, can’t make it down to New York. I hope I see him soon. And Fitts. And Josh. Even better, I hope I see them all together.
Edit:It occurs to me I already wrote about this song. Oh well. Second time’s the charm.
(Source: Spotify)
