you made my slop guitar sound like something...

a privilege to be part of this tribute... RIP Max Friedenberg

History in song. You captured a brief moment on the timeline. 

[featuring jh0st on guitar and guitar synth solo and Darow Han on acoustic guitar]

We were raised in a school by the C.I.A. 
Made out, had house parties while the parents were away 
We learned to play together in those basement shows 
We dreamed we'd change the world with the songs we wrote 

In the malls we blew the wages of youth (like they told us to) 
We looked as good as we felt 
We were so in tune 
Suburban scenes and forest drives 
Not all of us would arrive alive 

We took it to the max 
In the script of the bridge 
With a perfect kiss 

We took it to the max 
In spooky rooms 
Under killing moons 

We took it to the max 
Standing on a beach 
With our New Gold Dreams 
We took it to the max 

Oh boy, I heard the news today 
I'd take it to the max 
But you've gone away 
Empty and dark, the malls stand silent 
The basements all flooded 
Old dreams have rusted 

It's so hard to believe it's true 
I want to sing our songs 
but I can't remember the tunes 
Endless crying skies 
and wondering whys 
You never were much for goodbyes 

You took it to the max 
The birth of truth 
Forever sonic youth 

You took it to the max 
The hungry wolves 
and banshee screams 

You took it to the max 
Clinging to the sun 
You were the only one 
You took it to the max

Pantemonium!

To The Max [featuring jh0st and Darow Han]

In 1984, people were talking about the “new wave” in rock music. Talking about those hairdressers. A bunch of guys named “Taylor.” That blonde woman. 

And of course, Sid Luscious. 

Sid Luscious and The Pants had the look and the sound the world didn’t know it craved. Teenage prodigies, they quickly rose to prominence in 1983 – barely able to drive themselves to rehearsal! 

Showcase performances around the world followed, as did a recording contract. Sid Luscious and The Pants were primed for great success. The press machine had geared up to prepare everyone for what the band called “Maximum New Wave”.

And then the bottom fell out of their world. Holed up in various studios for almost a year, they struggled with technology, the record business, and each other. For reasons unknown, their record company decided not to release the completed record and dropped the band from their contract. 

Sid disappeared shortly thereafter and the band went their separate ways.

And just as suddenly as they had been headliners, 1984’s “next big thing” became an all-but-forgotten footnote. 

We didn’t talk much for the next 20 years. One of the guys became an accountant. One became a lawyer. Our original keyboard player developed a mental illness and retired. And so on. Sort of like high school – everybody just…grew up. The usual things happen: marriages, kids, happy and unhappy lives, successes and failures, comedy, tragedy, triumph. You know how it is.

Now, 20 years later, the band has re-formed, minus a few original members and plus some new folks: a local musician once famous for performing with a dancing steak, a punk rock escapee, and a hot new keyboard player.

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Josh Jacobs

Jh∅st

Jh∅st

jh∅st rep∅st

IReverend Brainskan XIII