Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: 17/18 - 2001

17

2001/08/25, Pukkelpop, BE, no recording, just traumatic recollection

It can't all be good news.

I hadn't heard anything of concert tapes or radio sessions when the time came to see the Jicks live myself. If I had, I might've shrugged it off more easily. But I didn't, and as a Pavement fan, having enjoyed myself immensely at the two Pavement shows I'd seen, and as a great fan of the self-titled debut, I was massively dissapointed that day. To such an extent that it's only in recent years, having immersed myself in the live tape archive, that I figured I must've seen a particularly off afternoon, and not a typical 'performance', and that I started keeping an eye out for Jicks shows where I live again.

Going by setlist, though I can't recall the specifics, I saw a typical Jicks show for the time (I can't even remember if they played 'Pink India' that day! You can imagine how disappointed I must've been.) Setlists aren't everything though.

I had the great displeasure to see the Jicks as a five-piece. Stalking the stage, carrying cans of beer around for herself and sometimes for other band members (who really didn't need them!), shouting random out of tune sentences into a microphone, there was the fifth Jick. I mean, she must've been somebody's girlfriend – and I suppose she was Stephen's. The term most readily coming to mind to describe her function in the band is 'Yoko'. It's just that I happen to love a couple of Yoko albums and think she's a swell artist, so I wouldn't want to drag her into it, but that day somebody was definitely yoko-ing on that stage.

Malkmus soon got dragged into it. There was terrible slackness – I mean, more than I'd ever seen at a Pavement show. It ended up with Stephen tossing a malfunctioning guitar (or maybe he just couldn't remember how to play it) in the air and letting it crash on the stage. Some bands can carry demolition – S.M., not so much. It was terribly pathetic. I can't recall what the other Jicks did, I imagine they felt as much shame standing there as I did witnessing it.

It doesn't sound so bad when you write it down. Now you just think, ah, festival, booze...
But hell, I still followed the albums, but between late 2001 and 2007 I was more of a distant fan. All on account of one slack show. Showbusiness is cruel like that.

18
2001/10/04
Jenny and the ess-dog (live on Letterman)

'It's terrific' – do you think he really means it?

The Jicks deliver a decent version of their most catchy song on prime time tv. Stephen redefining the parameters of pop singing, as he does (and long may he do so). But there's nothing in this version you can't hear on a ton of other versions, or the original studio version for that matter.

The only noteworthy feature is the piano thumping on the bridge by someone with a bad case of uncontrollable headbangs who certainly looks the part of a talk show session band leader.

Well, it could have been worse. It could have been 'Later...with Jools Holland'.
Which leads me to the question which, if any, Malkmus song would benefit from some good old boogie woogie piano?
'Mama'