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INSIDE THE GOLDEN DAYS OF MISSING (THE SILVER JEWS)
by Sean
Please note: MP3s are only kept online for a short time, and if this entry is from more than a couple of weeks ago, the music probably won't be available to download any more.
This is a special Saturday post because I am extremely bummed out by David Berman's announcement that he is more or less wrapping up the Silver Jews. Berman wants to turn to writing - books? poetry? screenplays? - and is haunted by the fact that his band are "too small of a force to ever come close to undoing a millionth of all the harm" that his father, a right-wing lobbyist, has "caused". I want to wish David well in all his undertakings - and I'm as excited as anyone about a possible follow-up to his poetry book, Actual Air. But like Carl, I hope he is making his own glad choice - and is not directed by his father's sour one. In any case, the Silver Jews are one of our favourite bands, and Berman one of our favourite lyricists. He is one of my favourite poets too, but as Berman has often insisted, these are two separate things. He is among the most beloved artists to Said the Gramophone, and in honour of him - in honour & celebration, not a memorial, as Berman has centuries left in his heart, - we have re-uploaded every Silver Jews song we have ever written about. The first was almost four years ago, the most recent just six weeks. May the wind be at your back, David. Said the Gramophone & the Silver Jews: Dan on "Party Barge" and Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea. Sean on "Strange Victory, Strange Defeat" and the Silver Jews live. Dave Berman himself! On our blog! Answering questions! Sean on "Frontier Index". Dan on "Night Society". Rachell Sumpter's painting for "Horse Leg Swastikas". Dan on "How Can I Love You (If You Won't Lie Down)". Dan on "How to Rent a Room". Comments
I too miss the passing of this great band. Anybody who can write one of my fave openings to a song ever: Where's the paper bag that holds the liquor? Is someone to whom I will always listen. That couplet pretty much summed up my hs years in two lines. Posted by Michael Brett at January 24, 2009 4:12 PMFirst five links are broken. (An extra " Also, just wanted to mention that we foresaw this! (Sort of!) http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/2008/12/bermans_thoughts_on_silver_jew.php Posted by Steve H. at January 24, 2009 4:31 PMOops, that didn't display. An extra line-break tag at the end of the URL code is what I was trying to say. Posted by Steve H. at January 24, 2009 4:33 PMThanks for the head's up, Steve H. Links are now fixed. Posted by Sean at January 24, 2009 4:59 PMawful news. urgh! Posted by ben at January 26, 2009 10:54 AMPost a comment |
 about said the gramophone
this is a daily sampler of really good songs. all tracks are posted out of love. please go out and buy the records!
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all songs are removed within a week or two of posting. said the gramophone launched in march 2003, and added songs in november of that year. it was one of the world's very first mp3blogs. if you would like to say hello, find out our mailing addresses or invite us to shows, please get in touch: montreal, canada: sean toronto, canada: jordan montreal, canada: dan please don't send us emails with tons of huge attachments; if emailing a bunch of mp3s etc, use a service like MailBigFile. if you are the copyright holder of any song posted here, please contact us if you would like the song taken down early. please do not direct link to any of these tracks. please love and wonder. "and i shall watch the ferry-boats / and they'll get high on a bluer ocean / against tomorrow's sky / and i will never grow so old again." we are a member of MBV.
about the authors
Sean Michaels lives in Montreal, where he is writing a novel. His work also occasionally appears at McSweeney's. Follow him on Twitter or reach him here.
Dan Beirne is an actor and writer living in Montreal. He writes fiction fiction fiction on here. It may feel true, but it is never True. He is most proud of his most recent project The Bitter End. Email him here Jordan Himelfarb lives in Toronto, where he is editor in chief of The Mark. Jordan's posts appear at Said the Gramophone only on the last Wednesday of every month. Email him here. Site design and header typography by Neale McDavitt-Van Fleet. The header graphic is randomized: this one is by . 
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