Years ago I had worked on a project similar to Gunk. It was called Showpaper, and it had a missed connections section, so I decided to write some missed connections spanning my lifetime of going to and throwing shows. — Jordan Michael
Spring 2007 - I met you at the Mountain Goats show at Sound Fix in Williamsburg. I got to go on stage to remind the band of the lyrics to an old song. You had dyed-black hair cut into a bob with bangs, and if I remember correctly, had moved here after college two or three years ago. You walked me to the Bedford stop and gave me your phone number on a piece of paper ripped out of your Moleskine. I am sorry I never called you, but I lost my wallet with your phone number in it the following week. Also, I didn’t tell you this, but I was still in high school at the time. Anyway, I’m a grown-up now.
August 2021 - You stumbled upon a show I was doing at dawn on the Williamsburg Bridge. I was wearing an all white outfit with short-shorts, a giant LBI sweatshirt, and a needlepoint hat. After the show was over, you asked if you could read some poems, and I said yes because the sun had come up and we were on a bridge. What was I gonna say? No? In my head I was like, “Fuck, a stranger wants to do Surprise Poetry.” But it was actually very good, which honestly, is so much crazier than if it was terrible. You said you’d find me on IG after, but you never did! Thank you for only being weird in the good ways.
October 2012 - I was working the door at Death By Audio and you came in to see PC Worship and Weasel Walter. You were on vacation from Australia, and were staying with your parents at a hotel across the neighborhood. In between sets you came to the door and we talked about noise rock bands we liked. We were going to go to a bar after, but I couldn’t leave until the artists loaded out, which they were not doing because they were all getting high in the back with Edan and Gavin. You were so nice about it, and hung out and talked with me for at least an hour before you had to give up and go back to the hotel. I hope the rest of your trip was fun, and that you still have great taste in music. Let me know if you somehow see this New York only newsletter!
New Year’s Eve 2013 / 2014 - There was an Elvis Depressedly & Spook Houses show at David Blaine’s the Steakhouse that got really out of control. You were drinking Fireball from the bottle all night, and at some point found a ladder to climb so you could stand over everyone as you took off your shirt and spun it around over your head while no music was playing. We became Facebook friends and I saw that you were from Bayonne, which explained everything. At the time you were on some proto Joe Rogan shit. Lots of “nobody can tell a joke anymore” type stuff, and I recall you getting mad about Cancel Culture back in the Tumblr days when it was still called Callout Culture. Shortly after the 2016 election you stopped posting, which was for the best, probably. Wussup, bro? Did you finish college? Did you calm down? Were you at the Capital Insurrection? Did you get really into Phish? What the fuck happened to you?
June 2010 - Your stage name is Don Lennon, but I don’t know your real name. You played a show of mine with Jason Trachtenberg’s jazz band and this random hardcore band called Waxeater. I don’t know if you remember this, but I was incredibly nervous to meet you. That entire year I was listening to your album Downtown on repeat, although my favorite song of yours was on Routine. I’ve written about this on my blog before, and it’s called ‘The Death of My Imagination.’ That song feels as much about being in your early 20s as it does about approaching middle-age. I love it as much now as I did fourteen years ago. Forever.
Almost nobody came to the show. I had $10 for you at the end of the night, however you left right after your set. I think you were disappointed that the show was poorly attended, and I think you were disappointed that the other acts did not seem that interested in your music. Shortly after, I stopped seeing your name advertised for shows around town, and you stopped updating your MySpace page. I emailed you about the $10 a few times, but you didn’t respond. That old email address is inactive now.
If you are any of these people, or any of the people I might lament losing contact with in the future, please call me.
914.261.3199
Your good friend,
Jordan Michael
and now, ceci and hannah here.
did you get GUNK’s Comp for Palestine yet? we’ve raised around $2384 already, from 189 individual purchases. and we got some press! dang! cool! we’re so grateful for what we can do, together.
but its still good. i went to the helena deland show this weekend and i was so moved, i think it was one of the best arrangements i’ve seen this year. they spoke in french to eachother between songs and it was so hot
show’s we’re excited for this week:
11/20 al menne, renny conti, mallory hawk @ house show (email us for address)
11/22 precious human, margaux, isaac stalling, alex harwood thanksgiving potluck @ sundown bar
11/24 lily konigsberg x sweet baby jesus x bueno (email us for address)
and, as always, we need distro help for december gunk, email us <3