Morning morning. Bit later than usual, but turns out I am writing today what a splendiferous surprise. Slept till 8. Jane and I went to breakfast at the bicycle-themed cafe. We read a Reddit post recently that said the owners were mean but honestly the whole thing was a bit iffy and… you know what? Not gonna worry about it for now. Social media is not real life.

Then we went to the ENT to pick up the allergy drops I have been taking for, oh, ten years. They say you only need to take them for five, and then you are protected against the allergies, but I just keep taking them, my doctor hasn’t stopped me, and, hey maybe I’ll get SUPER PROTECTION, right? While we were there Jane found the kids toys in the waiting room so I inexplicably spent 30 minutes of my life in a doctor’s office waiting room with absolutely no need to be there. Little kid named Nehemiah came in and played with her. Gotta love the biblical names.

Then to Walmart because I got paranoid I would need more corn meal. Reader, I did not need more corn meal. My god we have so much corn meal. I need to tattoo it onto my hand or something: You do not need more corn meal.

There was an old lady there who asked for help with a wreath and my god I love helping old ladies so much. She told Jane she had a very nice dad and Jane hugged me and said “I love my dad” and the woman asked Jane to pray to god to keep me safe. I was wearing my BELL WITCH death metal shirt. Which is great because this morning my friend Nick received his BELL WITCH limited-edition cassette in the mail. We sure do love BELL WITCH. But she wanted Jane to pray for me all the same. Jane looked confused.

Man actually. Lotta strangers talking to Jane this morning. Everywhere we went.

Now we are in my office. I have elected to “chill” for a bit before we start the long thanksgiving dinner process. Today we make the roux, the herb butter, we brine the turkey, we bake the corn bread, we make the stuffing.

But first, we write.

Emma said last night that she loves it when people ask her what she’s doing for Thanksgiving and she gets to tell them I am doing it all and all she does is help with the dishes. Gets ‘em jealous. That was nice.

Join the GMHHAY slack! Reply to this email and ask for an invite if you’re a human who likes chatting with other humans about topics such as these within!

We are listening to TTSSFU this morning. Shoegazey. Don’t know much about them. Nügaze. Probably like twelve or something. Part of my never-ending quest to know every Shoegaze band in the world. Let’s look em up. Hrm. Not far off:

In addition to being the lead guitarist for rising Manchester band Duvet, TTSSFU aka Tasmin Stephens (she/they) has been recording, producing, mixing and mastering all their own music on Garageband since they fell in love with classic shoegaze music as a teenager.

This album, Blown, is their only album. Don’t know this Duvet band though might have to check em out. Hrm. This seems impossible actually. Lotta bands named Duvet. None match the Discogs link, which is a band that hasn’t put out an album in 23 years, seems unlikely it’s the same band. A MYSTERY. You don’t run into Discogs being wrong very often.

RIP Udo Kier. Man I loved that guy. Ever since I saw Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein at the Coolidge Corner Theater in, eh, 1997 or something as part of their annual Halloween film marathon — that year the theme was Vampires. First time I saw Near Dark and The Fearless Vampire Hunters. Great day. Went with Craig and Annie. But Udo Kier was the big winner and I became a lifelong fan. Has 275 acting credits in IMDB. Born at the end of WWII in a hospital that was bombed just after his delivery and he and his mom were pulled out of the rubble. Truman can’t bring him down. Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein, Just Jaeckin’s The Story of O (second Jaeckin film mentioned in a week here at GMHHAY), the majestic and absurd 70’s sci fi erotica Spermula, the OG Suspiria, My Own Private Idaho, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (shockingly hard film to find these days could really use a reissue), Ace Ventura, Red Shoe Diaries, Johnny Mnemonic, Barb Wire (OMG I might need to re-watch this), The End of Violence, Armageddon, Shadow of the Vampire, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville, Grindhouse, Melancholica, Nymphomania (von Trier was obviously a big fan), The Kingdom and seventeen episodes of Scoopy-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. I mean this dude’s career had it all. Three different Hollywood re-discoveries and renaissances.

Wrote some very important Fabergé Egg discourse on Bluesky last night that I think it is important you all see:

On a Slack I’m in, everyone was raving about the Substack of one Joanne McNeil, author of the great book Lurking: How a Person became a User. Joanne used to be a friend of mine she was just great I always really liked her. Went and checked out this newsletter she was writing and they were all absolutely correct. It is great:

I’m not sure if it helps anyone—I’m not sure if it even helps me, but for the past couple years, whenever the world has felt especially topsy-turvy, I’d think well, everyone is a loser right now. Because everyone is a loser. The world’s richest man. The president. Everyone…

Everyone in culture industries. Those kind of shadowy figures, “producers” and “execs,” the kind you’d hear about from the 80s or 90s or even the 00s or 10s, who could ruin your career if you crossed them—who has that power today? Perhaps some people have constructed Good Bye, Lenin!-style but evil simulations of 2003 or 1983, and believe they still have that power now, but you can only lie to yourself for so long. Like I said, I don’t know if it helps, but I have found myself thinking about power differently lately as I realize there are no kings, if there ever were—just people who represent ideas with purchase over the minds of others, with hands on various levers to reach these minds. Levers that have grown rusty.

Just great. Though she does say you gotta hold your nose and deal with this shit as an artist to promote your work. And that got me thinking: I… I don’t disagree with the practicality and reality of that.

But I reject it utterly.

I am never, under any circumstances whatsoever, going to sign some deal for my art. I am never going to sign with a publisher. I am never going to sign with a label. I am just gonna do it myself and if no one ever years it or reads it, then so be it. Is this aspirational? Cope? Ethical? Yes all of them!

I cannot fucking deal with the art/industrial complex.

Of course I say this with the privilege of someone in a job that has nothing to do with their art. But I guess that should tell you how much I hate the art/industrial complex: I would choose working in fucking AdTech over dealing with the art/industrial complex.

Jane got selected for the North Carolina School Boards Association Art Contest and she received an Honorable Mention. I am not sure I took a picture of the piece of art she submitted. I think Emma did. I hope we get it back, because it’s one of her best. It is about READING. We are very proud parents. Even if the shine is wearing off of the tooth brushing streak board. Stall stall stall. Might have to include a “no stalling” rule on the streaks.

Excited to bake with her today. Let’s go!

Special playlsist of Nepo Babies who make good music. Been working on this one for ages. Some are obvious. Some are not. The parent has to be in the entertainment industry, with some success. This is the distinction between “trust fund baby” and “nepo baby.” For example Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake and Clairo are trust fund babies. Rich parents, but not in the entertainment industry. And we are basing their success level loosely: enough to give their kid a leg up in the business. Not many people have heard of Oliver H. Straus Jr. but when you have produced everyone from Melissa Etheridge to Harry Nilsson to Biohazard and the Residents, you know enough to give your princess a leg up.

Laura Marling is mayhaps the most contentious. Her father is a Baron, but he also owned a recording studio. Hard to find too much info on it, but I have tracked down a few connections to Van Morrison and UK soul singer Chris Farlowe so, you know, combined with the Baronetcy, close enough.

This mix is partially the product of mainstream media and partially the product of too much time on Wikipedia. Did you know that Sarah Cracknell of Saint Etienne’s father was Kubrick’s first assistant director and her mom was a singer? I did not.

I have probably missed a few.

I hope you have a lovely thanksgiving. And an excellent weekend. Hug your loved ones for me.