Royal Trux : Classic or Dud ?

Charges sound fairly serious. I wonder what kind of representation he has (public defender?)

I don't think the dude's even on a record label anymore, and I have the impression (from a few places) that he's cut various personal ties over the past few years... I hope he has someone in his corner.

Yeah, hoping for the best for him, sounds like he's hit a really rough patch. Hard to read between the lines with the cops' version of events, seems weird that Hagerty would just seemingly come out of nowhere to rip the badge off, and I'm speculating here, but can't help but wonder what the outcome would have been had we lived in a country where trained mental health professionals responded to this instead of cops.

The story is totally weird... but considering they apparently didn't end up shooting him or anything (thank god), I'm not sure what incentive they would have to tell a CYA-type story(?) Like even if the cops had initiated the contact (and did it poorly), wouldn't they at least say he was resisting arrest or something? I say this not b/c I'm Mr. Trust-a-Cop, but rather b/c (in trying to make sense of it) my fear is that the narrative may be accurate, and that it illustrates how seriously bad his state of mind may be.

Yeah, you may be right. I'm just naturally distrustful of cop pushed narratives, it's just weird that it doesn't really explain whether the initial call even had anything to do with Hagerty or if he just burst out onto something else? Can't help but speculate a little since I'm concerned for him.

I will say I don't think he looks that great in his mugshot, he looks a little scared and confused to me.

They said they were making a "welfare check." Not sure I'd ever want the police to come check on my welfare.

Not sure I'd ever want the police to come check on my welfare.

I am very certain I would not want the police to come check on my welfare, unless I was being held hostage by other men with guns, and then it would basically be a shitshow no matter what.

My mind keeps going (perhaps needlessly) to an old interview where NMH used the phrase "suicide by cop" – as a metaphor, to refer to a band member who purposefully got himself fired – and that increases my concern.

also the charges are ridiculous ... like a cop, with a gun, "fearing for his life" because someone threw a bottle or a rock at him ... ugh, fuck cops.

like, if it were actually serious, there would be mention of the assaulted officer being hospitalized and to which hospital supportive members of the public can send flowers ...and how the department wishes Officer whatever a speedy recovery.

and ofc the only reason dude is alive right now is because he's white, yeah

― Perverted By Linguiça (sleeve), Friday, April 14, 2023 7:50 PM (six days ago)

OTM

all cops are liars and should never ever be believed for any reason

kind of blows my mind that I even have to reiterate this common knowledge

IM thread w/ sarahell, reposting for the lols

basically this is why legal aid is important

because this is total bullshit

i am sure the cops know it

it's like, "uh, we fucked up, but hey, we're cops!"

You sent
"better make some shit up"

i mean, if it was a random person, and not a cop ... it would have been an unpleasant situation but they would have just walked away

You sent
well the wellness check was called in, but social services should have responded

like, say, it was a neighbor dude ...

You sent
lol this gets into our ACAB corrolary (sp?) which is "never call them"

two dudes get in a fight, one gets a scratch and a button ripped off his shirt ... does anyone get arrested?

no, it's not worth the energy

but because it's a cop and his omg his badge!

You sent
badg is sacred
badg is great
if u touch badg
we get quite irate

lol

it's like his ballsac

You sent
lolol otm

the gun is the dick, the badge is the ballsac

in conclusion, ACAB and NMH is a hero

Maybe a year before that though he played one of the stranger shows I've ever seen, on the second floor of a French wine bar on South Broadway in the middle of the afternoon with all the window blinds closed. With a small band that played a very peculiar style of almost Ranchera type instrumental music. Neil played hidden behind a Japanese screen, and then talked about brunch a lot in-between songs.

i saw this show! was not what i expected at all but felt really special. i'd say there were 6-7 people there

you were there? i was there, too! Or at least I was at the show referred to ... it was like a NMH afternoon residency for a little while. and yeah it was very weird.

pee is stored in the badge

I'm fairly sure this was the last time he played L.A. (I was there, as usual). It was similar to the set seen here.

(I've always enjoyed these two semi-professional live clips from around the same time)

also the charges are ridiculous ... like a cop, with a gun, "fearing for his life" because someone threw a bottle or a rock at him ... ugh, fuck cops.

Kinda gross to be celebrating this event... I don't know the details but a welfare check at 12:30am is most likely noise and/or domestic violence. Friends mentioned he still lives with his wife & daughter, so I wouldn't rush to call Neil a hero, I'd rather hear the whole background first. Like others have said upthread, he's lucky he's white... many less privileged folks die everyday in this country over far less. He needs serious help.

TW, have you heard any details?

my central point is that the cops should not have been the first responders and almost certainly made things worse, given that yes I find his actions inspiring although staggeringly reckless and tbh privileged as I already noted upthread

xxp Policing isn't even in the top 25 most dangerous jobs in the United States, ffs.

The cops in this situation haven't claimed they "feared for their lives" (yet / as far as we know), or were seriously injured. This is all the DPD said in its statement (issued the same day as the arrest):

The three officers involved suffered cuts and abrasions during the struggle. All have been released from the hospital.

you were there? i was there, too! Or at least I was at the show referred to ... it was like a NMH afternoon residency for a little while. and yeah it was very weird.

― tylerw, Thursday, April 20, 2023 4:44 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

well, i attended one of those shows, at least, perhaps not the same one

xp - okay, but the thing is ... like, dudes get in a fight and a few dudes get "cuts and abrasions" ... generally they walk away and go "fuck that dude" and that's that. But, because one of the dudes was a cop ... I mean, are we just talking past each other here? Or are there folks on this thread who are actually pro-cop?

This wasn't a "fight," I don't know what to tell you. My concern is his condition / state of mind, and how serious trouble he may be in. If we're going to talk about the charges, may as well be accurate.

(and ppl do get charged with assault in "fight" situations, fwiw)

I wonder if we’ll see bodycam footage of the arrest?

Is there a way to find out what happened at yesterday's advisement hearing? Apparently that's when bond is set.

Here is the Denver County Court case history, looks like bond was set for $500?

https://public.denvercountycourt.org/Case/CaseHistory?CaseNumber=23CR02253

Here's a GoFundMe for Neil's legal defence and mental health help: https://www.gofundme.com/f/suk3t-neil-hagerty-mental-health-legal-defense

Thx, just saw Jennifer tweet that (Gerald Cosloy, First donation).

$500 bond seems reassuringly low.

Looking through the names of folks donating, hard not to fantasize about what a kickass benefit EP they could record if they somehow got together in a studio.

Bummer revive, I know, but I've listened to more Royal Trux in the last couple days than I have in decades. Gotta come up w/ a POX...

really glad people are focusing on the legal defense/mental health support fundraising ... my instinct is that the bail was set so low because the charges are mostly bullshit, but we can save the ACAB discussion for another thread

couple of good things if y'all haven't seen them yet — three lobed is donating all proceeds from the (great) hagerty-toth band record to the gofundme: http://threelobed.com/tlr/tlr115.html

same goes for this killer hagerty / ryley walker / ryan jewell collab: https://ryleywalker.bandcamp.com/album/fried-in-denver

and yeah, that $500 bail got my hopes up that maybe it won't be quite as bad for NMH as those charges looked (though I really don't know much about how all this works)

thanks for sharing these Tyler, I've just picked up a copy of the Hagerty-Toth Band record, which I hadn't heard about, sounds like it should be great!

That one is great, I’ve never heard of the other thing, gonna pick it up now…

Auction for Hagerty-Toth Band test pressing to raise funds for NH's GoFundMe:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166050120840

Here’s a question for those in the know: is there much out there (ie formally released, not bootleg) of live Neil solo stuff from any era?

If not, putting out the best of that might be a good way to raise money for him if a label could swing it.

NMH is one of those totemic indie figures who I’ve just not gotten ‘round to in a meaningful way (including Pussy Galore and Royal Trux, and it’s embarrassing to admit that it’s only starting to happen now.

BUT:

That self-titled album of his from 2003 is the one I own and know inside and out. Brilliant and confounding, with tunes that pop up on the mental jukebox at random moments.

Raymond: you might be interested in this--

https://www.discogs.com/master/594330-Neil-Michael-Hagerty-The-Howling-Hex-The-Hildreth-Tapes

Sorry, this is the record I meant

https://www.discogs.com/master/316960-Neil-Michael-Hagerty-The-Howling-Hex-The-Howling-Hex

Thanks HSH, will look into it!

I'm seeing a "campaign not found" msg re NMH from gofundme. Uh oh. I was wondering if this might happen given that gofundme "prohibits raising money for the legal defense of an alleged violent crime." I don't know if that's what is happening here — I hope not.

xxp Raymond that is the best one imho

xp Oh shit