Wednesday Wadio: The Last Stand Of Shazeb Andleeb.

“Being killed does not make someone Notable.” – Wikipedia

I saw this performance when it first aired in 1996 after the Cult of Ray came out. Frank Black and his annoying unwelcome twin, former MTV Matt Pinfield, chat mindlessly and strum respectively. I always wondered what this song was about, and dug this performance, so it seemed like opportunity knocking when I found it on YT. I also saw Frank live at the Beachcomber in Wellfleet Friday night, so all these factors collided into the first in a series of new and impwoved Wednesday Wadios – which will continue to ripple into the ether, like the opening chords of Hermaphroditos, week after week.

Shazeb was apparently an immigrant from Pakistan who moved to California with his parents around 1992. From the FrankBlack.net forum:

“Shazeb Andleeb, age 17, attended Narbonne High School in Harbor City, California, where he was kicked and beaten to death in the hallway on May 18, 1995. Renee Nieves and Christian Bremmer (Both 18) were two students who took part in the beating.” A forum member tried to make a Wiki about Shazeb, but it was deleted by the admins because being killed does not make you important. I can’t say I disagree with that, but I’m glad to have finally solved the mystery after 10 years. And, as Frank says in the video clip, Shazeb spoke 5 languages. That alone might just be worthy of a Wiki. So I hope the Wiki man lightens up in between games of Unreal Tournament.

Frank plays the guitar like Neil Young – crazy adept knowledge of the most obscure power chords with an almost mindless confidence behind them. He also loves to alternate between minor and major, and will frequently announce the change while he’s playing. I have seen him do this a few times live, and Friday was no exception. “OK, I’m gonna play you guys a song now that doesn’t depress you by ending in a minor“. I wanted to tell him I really didn’t mind. Not even remotely.

Speaking of remote, did I mention where we frigging were? Big surprises for me at the Comba were a version of Western Star which flowed seamlessly into the Pixies’ Where is my Mind? – but the real treat was getting to see an acoustic version of Massif Centrale, which has flown to the top of my favorites in the last couple of years. Screaming “That’s the sound… of your love behavior” with a Harpoon IPA in my hand and the completely inaudible sound of the waves licking the shore just outside was an experience I won’t soon forget.

Watch the clip and then have a look at the Frank Black at the Beachcomber (a pause for SEO) gallery. I desperately wanted to get a photo with him, and upon entering the bar I saw him to my left playing Sopranos pinball with some yunguns. I chickened out, but really didn’t want to be ‘that guy’. Anyhew, I’ll wrap this up lest I begin to sound like I’m lusting after Lance Bass or something. I tend to only write anonymously on the TigerBeat or Out forums when I do that.

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