The Agenda

Point: My Band, The Jacobins, Slays with Unparalleled Heaviosity

by John Taraborelli

A lot of rock bands are into the music for the fame, the money, the women, the piles of free, pharmaceutical-grade coke—and I can understand that mentality. Those are the kinds of things they care about, but not the Jacobins; we care about one thing above all: melting your face.

[This article first appeared in The Agenda #14, January 2006]

Point: Bruce Springsteen: The Emo Meatloaf

by Eric Smith

With the recent release of a Bruce Springsteen concert DVD shedding new light on his dim early ‘70s output and allowing hordes of rock scribes to wax ad infinitum on the staggering Boss-ness of the Boss, please allow me—a non-fan—to speak from my heart as a non-believer of the highest order while imparting some much-needed sense into the thick skulls of you poor, poor, sad fucks.

by (the infamous) Eric Smith

Slouch — Viva

iTunes | Emusic | Napster | Beatport | Rhapsody

On this impressive debut from one of the younger members of the Cozy roster, Slouch (a.k.a. Ian Bradley) creates a smoky, cinematic landscape for the stoned listener. Dark beats and acoustic instruments color the tracks but leave enough space for them to breathe. This is crucial for trip hop. DJ Shadow perfected the form, but albums like this remind us that there is still life in the genre, and there are still avenues to explore.

The Strange Story of the LUV's

by Eric Smith

On September 2nd, 2005 the L.U.V.’s reunited for the first time since their breakup in 1999.

Providence, Rhode Island, April 28th, 1998: The L.U.V.’s were on the Met Café stage, a few weeks after winning the WBRU Rock Hunt and nearing the pinnacle of their short and frustrating career when their dancer, Roxy Lady, having just quit the band onstage in front of several hundred people with a vitriol-laden kiss-off, emptied a can of mace into guitarist Kevin Bowden’s eyes. A riot ensued and the Met’s entire audience emptied into the street. What was supposed to be a triumphant celebration of their newfound local domination had reached its dark zenith. Although the band would play on for another year or so, the descent had begun and the good times were ending.

William Wood a.k.a. Loud Billy, a.k.a. The Mayor: Future mayor

Age: 1 score and 8 years
Zodiac sign: Scorpio
Occupation: Receptionist, Federal Hill Tattoo

What did you hope to accomplish by 28?
You don't get to a lofty position like mine by planning ahead, but here's some stuff I tried to do:
-Bristol Community College: Dropped out.

Kevin Patrick Leavitt: Lost in a man forest

Age: 30
Zodiac sign: Pisces
Occupation: Retail Clerk

What did you hope to accomplish by 30?
To finally have that mysterious lump removed from my back.

What have you actually accomplished?
I watched the first season of Battlestar Galactica in one night

Most embarrassing moment

Aaron Thomas: The champagne of assholes

Age: 27
Zodiac sign: Scorpio
Occupation: Jerky’s DJ, guitarist for The Honeymoon’s Over

What did you hope to accomplish by 27?
A financially stable lifestyle, a really nice girl, a swimming pool in the backyard and a couple of my platinum records on my wall

What have you actually accomplished?

Michael David Brousseau: Pictured with his svonce

Age: 31
Zodiac sign: Scorpio
Occupation: tattoo artist

What did you hope to accomplish by 31?
A wife, a job, a ridiculously large collection of records, a masters degree, a dog and rent.

What have you actually accomplished?
An ex-fiance, a job, a marginal collection of scratched hip hop 12 inches, six years of college and six credits shy of a bachelors degree in fine art, a dog ... my ex-girlfriend's dog. Can I borrow, like, 50 dollars ’til next week?

Robert William Albanese III: Borderline eligible

Age: 27
Zodiac sign: Gemini
Occupation: adjunct professor/writer/video store clerk

What did you hope to accomplish by 27?
To have made a feature-length film and/or written a published novel

What have you actually accomplished?
Maintaining somewhere between $50 and $1500 in my bank account; earning a masters degree; teaching a college class; writing a column about music in the local wine-and-cheese magazine; being moderately handsome.

Edward Joseph Rao: Reservoir Jerk

Age: 29
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
Occupation: Former cook, current Student, professional drinker and/or over-analyzer.

What did you hope to accomplish by 29?
I would like to have an occupation that helps people while paying the bills (such as a school teacher), be happily in love, playing music regularly, and have lived somewhere other than Providence for once in my life.

Jimmy James Caruso: Lecherous old man

Age: a haggard-ass 25
Zodiac sign: “Saggitarious”
Occupation: freelance sound engineer, cook at the Red Fez

What do you hope to accomplish by 60?
I consider myself in training to become a lecherous old man. I have been leaning towards older women lately. Figure I get ’em out of my system now so that I can forgo them in my "golden years”.

by Eric Smith | photos by Rachel Silver

Money. Success. Respect. All overrated. Our peers in publishing will have you believe that they have a lock on what is “eligible,” or even “readable,” but we know otherwise. Let no other magazine tell you the measure of a man — but let us tell you. We’re different. You can trust us, for we have glimpsed the darkened bar corner, stared stoically into the smoky dens of shame, forked over, like, 200 bucks to bail you out the time you peed on that cop car. That was our rent.

Kevin Joseph Bowden: Has posted "raves" of self on craigslist

Age: 29
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Occupation: Futon salesman, DJ, bass player for The Cold War

What did you hope to accomplish by 29?
World touring rockstar, professional stuntman

What have you actually accomplished?
Failed musician, intermittently employed, currently homeless. I'd say things couldn't get any worse, but my pee has been smelling funny.