OPO: Mekons

Nothing at all from Curse... you folks are weird!

Though it's tough not to vote for "Thee Olde Trip To Jerusalem," "Slightly South of the Border," or "Bob Hope and Charity."

almost split my ballot for that one...

Where Were You: 26
Chivalry: 13
Last Dance: 12
Hard To Be Human Again: 9
Trimdon Grange Explosion: 8
Snow: 8
Memphis Egypt: 7
The Building: 6
Never Been In A Riot: 5
Ghosts of American Astronauts: 4
I Am Crazy: 4
Learning To Live On Your Own 4
Orpheus: 4
Brutal: 4
The Curse: 4
Millionaire: 3
Hole in the ground 2
Fight The Cuts: 2
Dan Dare: 2
If They Hang You: 2
Trouble Down South: 2
Letter’s In The Post: 2
Not A Bitter Man: 2
Darkness and Doubt: 2
Chop That Child In Half: 2
Last Night On Earth: 1
King Arthur: 2
Big Zombie: 1
Hello Cruel World: 1
Rescue Mission: 1
Garage D’or: 1
Psycho Cupid: 1
I’ll Have To Dance Then On My Own: 1
Only You And Your Ghost Will Know: 1
Blow Your Tuneless Trumpet: 1
Funeral: 1
Revenge: 1
Oblivion: 1
Fantastic Voyage: 1

Obvious, but come on.

Why no love?

1. Lost Highway - 625
2. Where Were You - 583
3. Chivalry - 313
4. Hard to Be Human Again - 225
5. Last Dance - 206
6. Darkness and Doubt - 189
7. Country - 184
8. Flitcraft - 170
9. Club Mekon - 167
10. Dancing in the Head - 166

(ie., "Fear and Whiskey" is far and away the most popular album among this group of youngersters.)

Documentary is on:

“Revenge of the Mekons” Documentary Reaches
And Exceeds Kickstarter Campaign Goal

After an outpouring of support from around the world, the Kickstarter campaign for the forthcoming documentary film “Revenge of the Mekons” has concluded. Not only did the project meet its initial goal of $20,000, but exceeded it by a staggering $15,000! The film will now be completed and see release in the near future thanks to the help of its 301 backers.

With funding now an overwhelming success, rewards for the film are now guaranteed. Rewards ranged from CDs from the Mekons extensive catalog to dinner with the band. Two fans even pledged $5,000 and will receive Executive Producer credits and tickets to the film’s world premiere. Some famous fans of the band have also supported the documentary, including SNL’s Fred Armison, Hugo Burnham of Gang of Four, former REM manager Jefferson Holt and author /comedian John Hodgman.

“Revenge of the Mekons” is directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Angio, who also directed "More than a Game," and "How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)." According to Angio, the successful campaign would not have been possible without the great support from the Mekons themselves. Jon Langford said that the Kickstarter campaign “really energized” the band and reaffirmed why the Mekons should keep doing what they do so well.

Trouble Down South is about to drive me to tears.
The backing vocals are soo gorgeous.
Fear and Whiskey friday.

I've been loving "Myth" from Journey to the End of the Night lately. The whole album has such a great, bleary-eyed, defeated, 4 AM sort of atmosphere.

Yeah, that one, "OOOH" and "Natural" are downright post-apocalyptic in their sadness.

Earlier last month, Mekons announced their return with the band's 26th record, Ancient & Modern, which will be released on September 27th on the band’s own, newly reformed Sin Record Label. The band are taking their new (and old) songs on the road, and have divided up their shows, billing the performances as “A quiet night in with the acoustic MEKONS" or "A wild night out with the electrified MEKONS".

I really like the new song on first listen, nice to hear them sounding more charged-up.

Don't get *too* excited. The new album is mostly mellow - only a couple of rockers - though of course, still Mekons, still a bit weird and still good.

That's too bad. US tourdate list is pretty short so far, but it says they're gonna addd more.

Plus you've got to figure there'll be more shows when the movie comes out.

divided up their shows, billing the performances as “A quiet night in with the acoustic MEKONS" or "A wild night out with the electrified MEKONS".

Where was this from, and have they announced which of the announced shows are which category?

never mind, found it, and they have:

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/Story.aspx?storyID=50641

Just purchased a&m (heh), anyone else? Seeing em in Brooklyn Friday.

Seeing them tonight. If Evanston wasn't a pain in the ass, I would have seen them last night, too. Though acoustic Mekons shows can be a mess (or messier).

Can't make the Sat night acoustic show here, maybe they'll show up at Occupy Wall St. (who?)

In Arlington VA at Iota outside W. DC tonight Thursday for an acoustic gig. I might skip it and go to a Latin Colombian thing instead (love the Mekons live though; it's a tough call)

did you make it? shoulda! mekons live is a greatthing

taking my cue from D Wolk:

Mekons shows are heavily populated by grouchy old guys.

PRESENT!

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/reviews/albums/15869-mekons-ancient-modern-1911-2011/

x-post -I did the Colombian (Pernett) thing instead. Have seen the Mekons a number of times plus a great, tiny room Sally Timms gig.

They were not only totally together in Chicago (not surprisingly), but they were even funnier than I've ever seen them before. Literally tears in my eyes, I was laughing so hard. Totally ridiculous.

the choice between hanging out with the Mekons and hanging out with John Lydon is a pretty easy one tbh

oh hey cool

Facebook Container has disabled this button and blocked Facebook from tracking your visit to this page.

"I'm on this cruise for the buffet, not Johnny."

now that I could see

Looks like the PiL tour starts in September, so ... maybe?

https://outsideleft.com/main.php?story=the-mekons-the-outsideleft-sunday-interview

Interesting interview with Tom there . They have a bunch of projects going on and coming up. His talk about the past spelled out a few things for me to.

There’s a new Mekons song out with Sally on vocals that will be on the Tony Maimone done dub like remix album coming in June when they tour the US again

https://www.firerecords.com/mekons-reveal-new-single-before-the-ice-age-from-their-new-album-horrorble-mekons-vs-tony-maimone-in-dub-conference/

A good recollection of "Where Were You?" here.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/may/25/bowie-t-rex-couldnt-the-mekons-on-how-they-made-where-were-you

That said, I've seen this happen a lot with the Guardian lately, where there is a pull-quote in the headline that's different from the one on the body. In this case, the pull-quote is

It was the total opposite of that “It’s Friday night, let’s have sex” macho mentality that was in most rock music at the time’

Where Were You? was the total opposite of that “It’s Friday night, let’s shag” macho mentality that was in most rock music at the time.

"let's have sex" to make it more international?

I stumbled across the Me (MEkons) album recently and tried it out. It’s really good! They’re one of those bands where I’ll pick up their stuff occasionally out of a sense of obligation and then I’m surprised by how much I like it.

yep I was very late to that one and I love it

Two concerts today, one early, one late. Two concerts next weekend in New York City, one earlier, one late. I am all in on the Mekons! Even bought a special t-shirt. Maybe it is nostalgia, maybe it is mortality, but this is one of those bands I have loved so long and I know they cannot do it forever.

case in point, tom apparently just had surgery for something, so isn't here!

They've got ANOTHER gig in NYC, this time in Brooklyn on (Sunday) June 14, but it's a bit different - I think they're backing David Nagler but I'm not sure what the setlist will be. Could be sea shanties or maybe that's a joke on their advertisement? And it takes place in a bar right above one of the nicest steakhouses in Brooklyn - it actually threw me for a second because I know the steakhouse but not the bar and wondered how they were going to play in a place that was uncharacteristically posh for a rock show?

Actually seafood AND steak, but I just remember the steaks being amazing.

Not least because Tom wasn't there they played some deep cuts, btw. Like "I Am Crazy" from "Rock 'n' Roll." Susie sang "Last Dance."

xp they played Sunken Harbor last year with Nagler as well, but didn't learn about it until after the fact. that said sea shanties as well. hopefully we'll still get a Sally and Jon show at Good Fork again in the near future.

Interesting observation in some newsletter:

It’s also worth mentioning Langford’s extended universe of projects solo and with the Three Johns, Waco Brothers, Men of Gwent, Pine Valley Cosmonauts, et al. because between them, no one person has had their work A-listed by legendary music critic Robert Christgau more times at 25 instances, not even Neil Young (23), Willie Nelson, or Bob Dylan (tied with 18 apiece). And yet the favorite of his fellow legendary music critic Greil Marcus (2000’s Journey to the End of the Night) isn’t even among those 25.

I saw the Mekons in Baltimore last night. A good show although Tom Greenhalgh wasn’t there. Sally said that at the last minute Tom couldn’t make it but he is fine. Jon and Sally both noted that Rico would be busier and handling some of Tom’s spots and he was .

They had a special mic thing to dub echo voices on a few tracks ala the dub version of the Horror album.

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-mekons/2026/ottobar-baltimore-md-13752171.html

Mekons did 4 songs from Horror and 3 from that Griel Marcus fave Journey last night in Baltimore

I recall being disappointed in Journey: Langford bragged about using ProTools, which was maybe it sounded finicky and disheveled, like he was picking at old piles of underwear. Did kind of like that Kelly and Niko sounded like Children of the Air Ducts, keening through digital metallic spaces, but that was mostly background.

which was maybe *why* it sounded

Mekons make some of those Journey to the End of Night songs work well live now. Plus lots of between song chatter as always. Langford last night dismissed ai, made jokes about fans being more attracted to Rico and compared Rico's appearance to a French actor, condemned the "racist administration," referenced old poets, and chimed in also regarding part of Ohio near where their Cleveland gig was.

My two favorites from last night in Rhode Island. No Tom Greenhalgh, unfortunately. Susie Honeyman was wearing a Scotland football jersey and kept checking the score during their set. (Her team won, 1-0).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtrhUfZP2FE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47mMJqQpbM