1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: Cool Zone Media. Hello and welcome to another episode of 2 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:13,239 Speaker 1: the Cool Zone Media book Club, the only podcast where 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: you don't have to do the reading because I do 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: it for you. And today we are finishing our breezy, 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: beachy summer read that's not actually very breezy, and it's 6 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: only beachy in the fact that it's about San Diego. 7 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: But it's a cool book and I really like it, 8 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: and I hope you do too. You probably like it, 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: all right, You're on episode four out of four. You've 10 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: made it to the end. We're reading Locust House by 11 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: Adam Gannatti. It's a novella that was published in twenty 12 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: sixteen by Pioneer Press and you can buy a copy 13 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: for your aging punk friend from Bread and Roses Distro. 14 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: Last week we found our main characters, James and Francis, 15 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: partners who are young, drunk and full of punk, and 16 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: they're at the last show at Locust House before everyone 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,319 Speaker 1: gets evicted. You've also got this character, a guy named 18 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: Tyler who's a straight laced med student from nine to 19 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 1: five Monday through Friday, but into hardcore the rest of 20 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 1: the time. And there's also this asshole named Ted. We 21 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,279 Speaker 1: don't really know too much about besides that, he's drunk 22 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: and annoying. And there's Agnes, who just got back from 23 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: her uncle's funeral, who is the closest she ever had 24 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: to a parent, with a side quest to visit her 25 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: dickbag of a boyfriend. And there's the whole San Diego 26 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:34,199 Speaker 1: punk scene writhing with angst and potential energy. And there's 27 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: the cops who are about to bust up this party, 28 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: and Agnes is probably pregnant, so let's finish it up. 29 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: James is well, I'm narrating, but James is the character 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: that's narrating. It's complicated. I believe in you. And also 31 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: here's a fun fact. I don't remember what voices I 32 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: did last time, so they might be the same and 33 00:01:54,200 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: they might be different. Locust House by Adam Gannatti, Part four. 34 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: I lost Frankie and Tyler in the crowd and ended 35 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: up alone in the house. I remember walking through the 36 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: various rooms and it was like they were circus funhouse rooms, 37 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: each its own realm. The rooms were packed so tight 38 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: you'd have to climb over people just to get to 39 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,679 Speaker 1: see the bands. Ratty punk kids with bullet belts and 40 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: patched up black denim, older scene, kids in perfect Levi's 41 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: jackets and tight jeans and high soul creepers. A famous 42 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: artist from La very tall, vampiric and all black and 43 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: sunglasses in the corner talking to a couple of girls 44 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: and trying to play at low key. Lots of cool 45 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: Mexican goths with greased up hair, Cleopatra eyeliner and a 46 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 1: million tattoos. Lots of people were drunk, lots of people 47 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: making out. Upstairs. There were so many kids in the 48 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: main room and the bands played that the floor felt soft, 49 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: like it was going to give way at any second. 50 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: The halls were just as crowded, people shoving to get through, 51 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: kids writing on walls, broke glass everywhere. I remember Cedric 52 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: and Omar from at the Drive In playing some kind 53 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: of deep, heavy, weird improvisational dub under the name De 54 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: Facto on the first floor. The room was very dark 55 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: and people were jammed in like cigarettes in a pack, 56 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: pressed up against each other, too close to move. Moving 57 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: units played downstairs too. It was dance music as punk 58 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: and punk as dance music in the most spectacular way, 59 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: the scuzziest of new wave, the catchiest too. You could 60 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: tell they wanted to be there, wanted to be doing 61 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: exactly what they were doing, and that was a fine 62 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: thing to see. The Blood Brothers set was manic and shaky. 63 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: They were doing a lot of songs off March on 64 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: Electric Children, and they the songs, I mean, were as 65 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: frantic as they were heavy. It was so loud. Not 66 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: all of it made sense, but that was beside the point. 67 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: It felt right and anyway, disorder and correctness are not 68 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: mutually exclusive. Like a lot of people will say, Francis 69 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: seeing the Locust play was always pretty fucking amazing. Of 70 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: all the bands in our scene, their lyrics were the 71 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: most political. They were anti cop anti authoritarian. I don't 72 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: think a lot of people got that at the time 73 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: because most of the bands in our scene weren't very political. 74 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: In contrast to other scenes happening at the time, San 75 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: Diego Kids were more about pushing the boundaries of art 76 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: and music and fashion, and that was good too. Something 77 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: I've learned these past few years is you need to 78 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: have art with your activism, and activism with your art. 79 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: It's essential. If you don't find a little pleasure to 80 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: offset the strain of fighting for a better world, you 81 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: burn out. These days. Most of my friends are either 82 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: radicals or journalists who cover activists stories. They're believers, their 83 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: staunch and they get up every morning without much sleep, 84 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: and they do battle. But they're strained and they're overwhelmed, 85 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: almost across the board. You see it in their eyes. 86 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: They're hurt, they're tired. I try to tell them we 87 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: need to be more like people our age from Paris 88 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,679 Speaker 1: in the nineteen twenties, you know, active, informed, but still 89 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: down to party, still into art for enjoyment's sake. Sometimes 90 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,279 Speaker 1: they take my advice for a minute, but it never sticks. 91 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 1: I don't even take my advice most of the time. 92 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: I know it would be healthy for me to slow 93 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: down for a second and get drunk and go dancing, 94 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: or just chill the fuck out and read a novel 95 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: or something. But in the end, the pull of my 96 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: work makes recreation feel self indulgent. I know how that sounds, 97 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: I do, but yeah, I don't like feeling frivolous, or 98 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: that I'm wasting my time on things without meaning. Looking back, 99 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: I feel like that party was a thousand years in 100 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: the past. The me that was there is the me 101 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: that's here now. But it's not been easy I've been 102 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: trying as hard as I can, but some days I 103 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: feel like a sinking ship. It's been a rough couple years, James. 104 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: After the band's played, I wandered back to the front 105 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: of the house, excited and in love with the world, 106 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: in love with everyone I saw, and all the possibilities 107 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: of being alive and willing to take risks, try bold things. 108 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: As I walked through the house alone, I looked at 109 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: everyone and I loved them all. Who were they? All 110 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: those kids, drunk, sober, laughing, bickering, smoking, hooking up, arguing. 111 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: I wanted to be everyone's friend all at once, to 112 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: take each one aside and say, look, here we are. 113 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: We're together for this one great thing. Why don't we 114 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: all know each other? Who are we in this place? 115 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,799 Speaker 1: And most of us strangers? I'm a nice person. Life 116 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: is lonely. Let's be friends. My eyes were filled with tears. 117 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: I was happy and drunk, and I wanted so much. 118 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:09,119 Speaker 1: Outside the house, kids were getting violent. Someone had pushed 119 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: a couch off the second story balcony, and somebody else 120 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: tossed a handful of firecrackers into the yard, and a 121 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: few people got hurt. I walked down the porch steps 122 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: to see Frankie holding a white T shirt to our 123 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: sweet neighbor Jessica Colvin's face. She Jessica, was sitting up 124 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: against the white picket fence and blood was soaking through 125 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: the shirt. By then, the cops had begun to arrive 126 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: and they were out front questioning Omar and Cedric from 127 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: de Facto next to their van. And that seemed like 128 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: the funniest thing in the world. I stood on the 129 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: porch and snapped a picture with my disposable Kodak box camera. 130 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: It felt like an important moment, was it. Who knows 131 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: what's important and what's not. At the time, I thought 132 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: to myself, things are happening right now, and we're alive, 133 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: and the world is funny and okay, and we can 134 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: do whatever we want. The world that's happening now is 135 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: a world we can change and control. We can make 136 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: this world whatever we want it to be. We can 137 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: rebuild the world in our image if we work together, 138 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: and we can crush the very foundations of the old order. 139 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: It's a good feeling to have that kind of confidence 140 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: and optimism at least once in your life. I've had 141 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: it since, but never that idyllic. Never that sure, But 142 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: do you know what else will give you an unfiltered 143 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: and whole feeling. That's right, it's the products and services 144 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: that support this podcast, with the exception of sports gameplay. 145 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:55,119 Speaker 1: Don't do that and reback, Tyler. Fuck the police forever, Francis. 146 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: What was it? Eight ten squad cars? So many for 147 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: just a house party. It was asinine. We were having 148 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: so much fun, dancing to the bands, going crazy in 149 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 1: the pit, drinking wine and everyone laughing, meeting new people, 150 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: talking to strangers, cheering after each song like we were 151 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: at a gladiator arena. As soon as the cops got there, 152 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: it was like a bucket of ice water thrown in 153 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: our faces. James, even those hundreds of billions of cops 154 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: didn't bring me down. Maybe I was too drunk, but 155 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 1: I didn't feel all bloozy until the walk home, Francis. 156 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: The thing about James is he is always very hard 157 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: to find after a party, Tyler. San Diego cops are 158 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: the ugliest cops you'll ever see, which is funny because 159 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: there's a city with a lot of attractive people. San 160 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: Diego cops looked like giant, dickish war hoogs of mirrored 161 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: sunglasses and mustaches. People call cops pigs, but San Diego 162 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: cops really do look like pigs. I used to have 163 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 1: fantasies of just going out and killing a bunch of cops, 164 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: killing off the entire San Diego police force as a 165 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: service to humanity. I mean, of course i'd never do it, 166 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: but if I did, I don't think i'd ever feel bad. James, 167 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: I might have puked on someone's mailbox. Half on purpose, no, 168 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: totally on purpose. It was so gross funny though, Francis. 169 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: After I found James and Tyler, we stood on the 170 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 1: sidewalk and James and I tried to talk Tyler into 171 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: not driving home. We told him he always had a 172 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: place on our couch, and he told us he knew 173 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: that it was something he knew he could always count on. 174 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: But he left anyway. James hugged Tyler, I hugged Tyler, 175 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:51,439 Speaker 1: and he left. I was kind of mad, to be honest, Tyler. 176 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,439 Speaker 1: Frankie called out to me as I was walking down 177 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: the sidewalk, and she was like, Tyler, you're totally going 178 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: home to study, aren't you admit it? I turned around 179 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: and shrugged and played it off. She was right, I 180 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: had a test on Monday. James Tyler would always go 181 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: home after parties or shows and study the hardest fucking subjects. 182 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 1: No one else in the world understands Tyler. Sometimes I 183 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: would go home after a party and I'd be out 184 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: of my head on speed or ecstasy, usually dropping Joey 185 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 1: Carr off first, who would be just as destroyed, and 186 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: I'd go do my homework and listen to Boussy Debussy 187 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: in organic chemistry and cocaine. It was some surreal shit. 188 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: The raven was right never more, James. I remember driving 189 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: around with Tyler and Joey Carr and both of them 190 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: were doing lines at every stoplight like a couple of idiots, 191 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: and Tyler had Wagner or some dumb bombastic crap blasting 192 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: out of his speakers. It was horrible. I hated that shit. 193 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:59,439 Speaker 1: Those two were on a whole different wavelength Tyler. After 194 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: I said good by to James and Frankie, I walked 195 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: to my car and saw two people having sacks in 196 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: the back seat of a jeep. You could see the 197 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: souls of the girl's sneakers pressed up against the glass 198 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: and the back of the guy lurching against her. The 199 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: jeep was rocking side to side. Someone else walking down 200 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,839 Speaker 1: the sidewalk. There were a lot of us said Yo, 201 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: get a room of fuckers, and everyone laughed. Driving home, 202 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: I was so high the lights of the Sea World 203 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: Tower were blurring, like a three hundred foot tall flashlight 204 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: on the skyline. Remember watching it move and thinking it's 205 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: gonna fall. It's gonna fall, and crushed poor Shamoo. Mint 206 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:43,440 Speaker 1: didn't James. I was very drunk. When Frankie and I 207 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: walked home. She had her arm around me and held 208 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: me up and we didn't say much. There was a 209 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 1: gravity to the silence. We were both mixed up inside, 210 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: and it would be days before we talked about it. 211 00:12:55,160 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: Francis years later, thinking back on it, the hardest thing 212 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: for me was watching everyone leave. For a few hours, 213 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: it felt like we were all in this thing together 214 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: and there was some kind of greater commonality between us. 215 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: But we left. We left in pairs, were alone. We 216 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 1: left drunk, high, sober, happy, sad, afraid, laughing, But we 217 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: left while the cops were inside breaking up the party, 218 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: and Tyler was who knows where, and James was up 219 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: the block. I remember standing on the porch alone with 220 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: everyone coming out of the house behind me, just filing 221 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 1: right out of the place as they were told to 222 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: Where were they going. They were going home to parties, 223 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 1: to tj to sleep it off, to eat, to fuck 224 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: each other, to get more beer. I saw a very 225 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: drunk ted Boon staggering down E Street toward twenty fourth, 226 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: walking in the street light, all yellow gold around him, 227 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: then into the shadows below the trees. At some point 228 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: he put his hands on the trunk of a tree 229 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: and vomited for a very long time. After that, he 230 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: walked on and at the end of the block. By 231 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: then he was barely there in the fog. I saw 232 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 1: him open the passenger side back seat door of his 233 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,719 Speaker 1: car and climb in. It was the last time I 234 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: saw him. I watched a couple teenage boys walk past, 235 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: holding hands, rubbing up against each other, pulling at each 236 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: other's clothes, talking quietly. I'd seen them hook up earlier, 237 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: and now they were headed off to make out or 238 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: have sex. They were very much in love, or at 239 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: least lust, and you could tell how much they wanted 240 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: each other. It was sweet. I was envious. Coming out 241 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: of the house, there were groups of drunken girls and 242 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: fucked up eighties cocaine, business women attire or stupidly tight 243 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: low rise jeans and torn up shirts. Younger girls, older ones, 244 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: but whoever, they were together a pack, a gang. They 245 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: walked past me, groups of them talking and laughing, and 246 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: then they filed down the street to smoke on the sidewalker, 247 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: piled into cars, or kept walking until the fox swallowed 248 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: them up. Guys from the bands who played earlier walked past, 249 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: holding guitar cases or carrying amps. A young girl the 250 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: Chelsea haircut, thick blonde bangs, a long strand down each 251 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: cheek like sideburns shaved in the back, walked down the 252 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 1: steps with a huge watermelon in her arms. I heard 253 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: people talk as they walked past me. Let's go get 254 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 1: fucking burritos, Go go as sick. Huh dude, Fuck those 255 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: whack ass East County kids in a pit at Reagan Youth. 256 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: What time do you think Lapasta closes? Did you really 257 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: hook up with Susan Newell? You, sir, are a god. 258 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: I am way too stoned for this many cops. Jeff 259 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: and Shanna totally made out in the alley. Finally, right, 260 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: I have school tomorrow. I'm so hungry. I want to cry, 261 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: my feet hurt. I hope we don't get a ticket. 262 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: Taylor's band is hell a lame, but I'd totally bone him. 263 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: I have to call my mom. Where did we even park? 264 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: I'm as sleepy as a little baby frog. My bike 265 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: better still be there or I'll kill the world. We 266 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: should get pizza. How much is a taxi? Watching them 267 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: all leave was a heavy thing to see. It was 268 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: an army retreating, leaving the front and going back to 269 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: the world, already concerned with the next thing. Where are 270 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: they now these days? I don't see anyone from that time, 271 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: not even James unless he visits a lot of them. 272 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: Most of them, I think, were sucked into the great 273 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: pneumatic tube that takes you from your hopeful, idealistic youth 274 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: into the dull drags of adulthood. They go mainstream. They 275 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: have mainstream jobs, mainstream sex, mainstream relationships, mainstream families, mainstream tastes, 276 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: which isn't bad, but it's not what I wanted back then, 277 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: and it's not what I want now. So they disappear. 278 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 1: They drop out into a bland, safe, lifeless normalcy, or 279 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: they don't make it. Kids die, or they burn out. 280 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: They stay in the scene, but they stagnate and age 281 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: badly and never make good on the promises of their youth. 282 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:32,399 Speaker 1: They waste the wonderful things inside them, or they kill themselves, 283 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 1: or do I have a fucking overdose like poor Marlon 284 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: Garfield on the floor of a Burger king bathroom. When 285 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,640 Speaker 1: I do see someone from the past, someone has let 286 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: go of what they were. They look old. They look 287 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: tired and swollen and bloated, like a blurry yearbook photo 288 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: of themselves. All those fresh faces and confidence, all those 289 00:17:54,880 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: dreams they failed or stalled or changed. The ones that 290 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 1: didn't change, the ones that stuck it out have had 291 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: it harder. They still have their ideals. They've kept touring 292 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: and making records or writing books or going to shows. 293 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,719 Speaker 1: But life isn't easy on those who resist letting it 294 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: bend them. A lot of them are doing even better 295 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,199 Speaker 1: than back then. Those are the ones who look like warriors, 296 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: wounded but still standing. Those who still burn inside like 297 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: a nuclear goddamn blast, and live for their dreams and 298 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: feel it on a daily fucking basis. They may not 299 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: look as fresh faced, but they look strong. They look 300 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: savage and beautiful and pure and they shine with a 301 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: different kind of light. I still want to see a 302 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,439 Speaker 1: better world, and I want to have that kind of 303 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: community I thought I had in those days, But at 304 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: least lately life has shown me a lonelier road. I 305 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 1: hope it's not like this forever, because for now my 306 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: ideals are just as strong, but my hope is fading. 307 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: Did I make the right choice? Am I making enough 308 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 1: of a difference to warrant the strain I've placed on myself? 309 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: Would my life have been better had I stuck it 310 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 1: out in San Diego, found another job after the magazine 311 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 1: went down, rolled with the punches, changed as life wanted 312 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: me to change. Who would I be? What would I be? 313 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: Fall is here and to day I'm taking the bus 314 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 1: to pick my boys up from pre school. As soon 315 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: as there is sleep to night, I'll get back to work. 316 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 1: Right now, I'm researching local factory farms with water pollution 317 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: violations as possible sights for my partner's drone investigations. Doesn't pay, 318 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: but it's the right thing to do, and I'll work 319 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: on it until morning, setting everything else aside for it. 320 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's like dropping stones into a deep well where 321 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: you don't get the satisfaction of hearing them hit the water. 322 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: Other days it's better, but I would be lying if 323 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: I said it hasn't been the former more than the 324 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,120 Speaker 1: ladder for a while. Now it can be thankless and frustrating. 325 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: Still I work, I fight, I believe. Like yesterday and 326 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: the day before, I'll sit and type at my laptop 327 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,160 Speaker 1: by the window while the boys sleep in their room 328 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: in this big rented house that's not mine, in this 329 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: city where I know no one, And when the dawn comes, 330 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: I'll stop, make more coffee and start the day. But 331 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: dear listener, much like a pot of coffee, here's an 332 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: abrupt and artificial ad transition to jolt you back a week, 333 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: just as you were falling asleep. And we're back, James. 334 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: Things have changed so much for me since then. Only 335 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: thing is I hardly ever see Frankie and Tyler anymore. 336 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: Sometimes on holidays, birthdays if one of us is passing 337 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: through the other city. I never thought life would turn 338 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: out like this, which is not to say I'm upset. 339 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: I miss them every day. I miss them, but I 340 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,879 Speaker 1: like how I'm living. The life I have isn't easy. 341 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: Money is always a problem, and like the old song 342 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: goes the Future's got me worried such awful thoughts. But 343 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: I'm doing exactly what I want to be doing, and 344 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: that makes me feel pretty okay. I mean not okay 345 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: in the fair at a midlan sense, but okay is 346 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 1: in secure and happy and excited about what I have going. 347 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: I'm in love. It's new love, the kind of love 348 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: that can make you feel like you're truly in the 349 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: right place. And I'm doing exactly what I hoped I 350 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:46,159 Speaker 1: would be doing back in the days of the party. 351 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 1: It's happening, not exactly as I hoped it would happen, 352 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,679 Speaker 1: because the world is a different place, but it's happening nonetheless. 353 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: Still there are things I miss. I miss the feeling 354 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:58,719 Speaker 1: of being in a room where everyone is losing their 355 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,919 Speaker 1: shit to a band that sounds like nothing else. When 356 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: I remember most from that night was the upstairs room 357 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: and how good the music felt. It was so loud 358 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: you could barely hear it, but you could feel it. 359 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: You felt it in the center of your stomach and 360 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: in your muscles and deep inside your chest. The pit 361 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 1: was far too big for such a small room, so 362 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 1: many people in that tiny space throwing themselves left and 363 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 1: right in the middle of it all, this pale, brown 364 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 1: haired girl caught up in the crowd, push eyes closed, 365 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: blood smeared around her mouth and down her neck, screaming 366 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: and punching and kicking like her life depended on it. 367 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: You knew there was something deeper going on, There was 368 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 1: an important thing at the center of it all. She 369 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: had some kind of horror in her, and she was 370 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: there to force it out. She was there to heal, 371 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:51,960 Speaker 1: but in a powerful and scary and violent kind of way. 372 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 1: I'll never forget the way she moved through the room, 373 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: and how the room bent out of her way and 374 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: moved around her. Epilogue, Agnes as bodies knocked against hers, 375 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: and people fell down and were pulled back up again, 376 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 1: as she was soaked in the sweat of everyone else 377 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: and they in hers. Agnes shut her eyes and let 378 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: the music hid her, like holding your arm out a 379 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 1: car window to feel the air push back. She thought 380 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: of the wind and her face on the roller coaster, 381 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: and she thought of the time she rode on the 382 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,119 Speaker 1: back of Stephen's motorcycle. He took her up into the 383 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,679 Speaker 1: hills above Old Town to see the Spanish Mission, and 384 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: she held on to him, and felt the air as 385 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: a physical thing, an angry force, a strong hand, and 386 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 1: a door slammed, a magnet's pull, or a jet taking off, 387 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: or the churning swell of the sea. Agnes was thrown 388 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: to the side and held back up, shoved forward and 389 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 1: stopped by the damp wall of a body. Blind, she 390 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 1: felt the music and the people around her as she 391 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: was knocked this way in that, grabbed by the waist, 392 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: elbowed in the lip, blood, she thought, as a wave 393 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: of pain throbbed from her teeth to the back of 394 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: her neck. She could taste blood. Then another elbow caught 395 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: her in the stomach, the wind knocked out of her. 396 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: She punched back, sightless and it didn't connect, and fell 397 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 1: forward and was pulled into a standing position again. And 398 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 1: her eyes opened, and she saw the dim lights of 399 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: the room and the people moving around her, and the band, 400 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: vicious but elegant. She raised her face to the ceiling 401 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: and spit out blood and saw it break into a 402 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: spray of droplets in the yellow light. Agnes shut her 403 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: eyes again and was thrown to one side, then the other, 404 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 1: and the world broke in on itself like a clap, 405 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: like two hands coming together, and she spun wild circles, kicking, punching, laughing, 406 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: laughing as she cried for Michael to bear loyal and 407 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 1: true and dignified, and for Stephen, weak and mean in 408 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: his uncle's store, and for Big Marcos, who didn't know 409 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: what time the weddings were, and for her parents and 410 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: everyone's parents, and for everyone everywhere. The crowd pushed, Agnes 411 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: pushed back the end. That's the end of Locust House 412 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: by Adam Gannatti, and Hazel, who helps him with the script, 413 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: says this about it. I really love this ending. I 414 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:25,959 Speaker 1: think Adam does a fabulous job pulling all the threads 415 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 1: back together that he's been so carefully weaving. And the 416 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: way that he describes being a young punk feeling like 417 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: you're on the brink of something is so vivid and real. 418 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: The prose shines just like Adam's characters, savage and beautiful 419 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 1: and pure. I'll be honest. When Margaret first sent me 420 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: this book, I was pretty put off by the violence 421 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 1: in the first part of the book, even as someone 422 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: who enjoys a really good and gross story. But I'm 423 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: glad I held on that last image of Agnes pouring 424 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: out all her fury and hurt into the pit. She 425 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 1: was there to heal, but in a scary and powerful 426 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: and violent of way. Is such a resinous line. What 427 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: Agnes goes through is a relatable kind of violence to 428 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: so many of us, unfortunately. And I love how Adam 429 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 1: ends this book that is in so many ways about 430 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: growing up and moving on with this character who refuses 431 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 1: to lose her edge. She's on the precipice of adulthood, 432 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 1: she's just lost her father figure, considering parenting herself, and 433 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: here instead we get this moment of rebirth of ferocity 434 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 1: and wildness. It's incredible, well done, Adam. What do I 435 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,879 Speaker 1: have to say? Well, I'm Tierri, but you all are 436 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: used to that because a lot of books make me cry, 437 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: especially when I read them out loud for some reason. 438 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: But yeah, the two things that really drew me to 439 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: the book. I also like, Hazel, like, thanks you all 440 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,120 Speaker 1: for trusting us to make it through part one, right, 441 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: Like I tend not to write sexual violence in my 442 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 1: own writing, but it's something that I have experienced, and 443 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,120 Speaker 1: that so many people I know, the fucking almost every 444 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 1: woman I know and a lot of the men I know, 445 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: have experienced. You know, and I think that Adam makes 446 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:15,440 Speaker 1: it worth it narratively because of that experience. That's saying like, yeah, 447 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: I had an everyday horror happened to me, this thing 448 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: that will like change me and sit with me the 449 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:25,120 Speaker 1: rest of my life and fuck with all my relationships forever. Right, 450 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: But it's so every day, like every day like one 451 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: word as an adjective, you know. And yet the Catharsis 452 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 1: is too right, because this is a book about everyday magic. 453 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 1: This is describing a single punk show, a house show 454 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: that like, bad stuff happens, that people get hurt, the 455 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 1: couch just pushed off the thing, there's fireworks whatever, right, 456 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,679 Speaker 1: And it's this like everyday magic. I think all the 457 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: time about well, the world that lives right underneath this 458 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:57,679 Speaker 1: world that we all experience and we all pretend we 459 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: don't experience. And ecstatic dancing part of that. I grew 460 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 1: up mashing, right. I grew up going to punk shows 461 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 1: a lot like this one. And we say I grew 462 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: up Actually I didn't as a young teen. But when 463 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: I became an anarchist and started going to like basement 464 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: punk shows, that's where I found this. I didn't find 465 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 1: this at like radio punk shows other people did. That's great, 466 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: that's fine, good for you. I found this here. I 467 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,919 Speaker 1: found this in this scene three thousand miles away but 468 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 1: the same year, you know, And it's ecstatic dancing. Like 469 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: sometimes you just need to be part of the world 470 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: and lose yourself to it. And that's violent, right, But 471 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: I still like a washing thing where you don't kick 472 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 1: or punch, where it's more like shoving and people fall 473 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: and stuff like that personally, but like that's the kind 474 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: of thing that we shouldn't lose and that I think 475 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: every culture has some version of ecstatic dancing, and whenever 476 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: we try to strip it out of our lives, we 477 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: find ways to put it back. You know. There's so 478 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: much more I have to say about it. I love 479 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: the way that Adam talks about when Francis is like, 480 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: I'm an activist now and the people who are still 481 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 1: doing it are beautiful and ragged. Yeah, I don't know, 482 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: that's how I feel. So like this is a book 483 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: for me. I hope you all enjoyed it too, But 484 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: I like, I read this book and one sitting one night, 485 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,280 Speaker 1: you know, and the two main images I left with 486 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: were the two images from this part being like well, 487 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 1: I guess I'm musa stay up all night finding ways 488 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 1: to fuck factory farms. And also just like Agnes, the 489 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:42,479 Speaker 1: crowd pushed, Agnes pushed back. Adam, the author of the book, 490 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: we asked him what he had to say about this book, 491 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 1: and he told us quote, it came out of a 492 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: very painful part of life, the worst year of my life, 493 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 1: and it happened fast and was over fast. The most 494 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: I remember is Justin Pearson, who runs three one g 495 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: as Jesse, my publisher now through Bretton Rose's pre Us, 496 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 1: also my longtime best friend. If their two companies could 497 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: release something together, it was decided I would do a book, 498 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 1: and I wrote it in a week, and I don't 499 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: remember anything about the process. I've read it once since then, 500 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: and that was years ago. I will say I've been 501 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: very involved in making its audio prequel and sequel. All 502 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: the books and recordings are connected, but these even more so. 503 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 1: Locust House is the first in a set of three 504 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: books about Agnes mccanty. The prequel to Locust House is 505 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:30,959 Speaker 1: called Life is the Meat Grinder that Sucks in All Things, 506 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: and the sequel is called Voicemails from the Great Satan. 507 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: You can find audio of both stories on band camp 508 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 1: and also Adam said quote there's also a two hundred 509 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 1: page chapter about her I wrote in a very long, 510 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 1: ongoing book that I've always been working on and will 511 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: be called Panorama, but don't release until I'm dead book. 512 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:55,239 Speaker 1: So yeah, that's Locust House. Thanks for coming with us 513 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: on our beach reads. But don't worry, We're soon I 514 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:00,479 Speaker 1: have to do more beach trees because we all know. 515 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: Soon there's only going to be two seasons. There's going 516 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 1: to be Summer, which will last from about August September 517 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: till May, and then Hellmouth, which will be what it 518 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: used to be called summer, so much time we get 519 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 1: spent on the beach. Marder Kildoy strikes again. Okay, Adam Gannatti, 520 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 1: here's a bio. Adam Gannatti's writing is released as a 521 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 1: connected series of books and audio recordings of writing with 522 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: musical accompaniment, self described as talking songs aimed at creating 523 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 1: a personal history of life as I knew it when 524 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: I lived. Gannatti's work is published and issued by Brett 525 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:37,479 Speaker 1: and Roses Press three to one g Hello America Stereo 526 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 1: Cassette and the Numero Group. Ganatti intends his books to 527 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 1: be seen as one long, interconnected novel in the way 528 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 1: of Proust's autobiographical writing. The recorded album should be considered 529 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 1: a vast hours long soundtrack, running parallel with the stories 530 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 1: in the books, continuing plotlines and further explaining the characters 531 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 1: as they navigate a lifetime. Recent works have inclcluded the 532 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: Home and Away Quartet, which is comprised of the novels 533 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 1: After Tonight Everything Will Be Different twenty twenty two, The 534 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 1: Internet Newspaper twenty twenty three, I Wish to Say Lovely 535 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: Things twenty twenty four, and Your Friends Will Carry You 536 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:18,479 Speaker 1: Home twenty twenty five, and the Talking Song's collection The 537 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 1: World of Today and the World of Tomorrow, issued on 538 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 1: cassette twenty twenty one and lathe Cut CD twenty twenty six. 539 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: On September twenty sixth, twenty twenty six, The Numeral Group 540 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 1: will reissue Gannatti's two thousand and five debut Talking Songs record, Run, Hide, Retreat, 541 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 1: Surrender on twelve inch final On October of twenty twenty six. 542 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: His fourteenth book, Wild Horse Shit, will be released by 543 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: Brett and Roses Press in conjunction with three to one g. 544 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: Born in San Diego, California, Adam Gannatti now lives on 545 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: a six acre farm in rural Kansas, near the towns 546 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 1: of Lawrence and Tanoxie and a half an hour outside 547 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 1: Kansas City, Missouri. And Yeah, I'm murder Kiljoy. You can 548 00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: find me on my other show, Koope Booted Cool Stuff. 549 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 1: I also write a bunch of fiction. You've probably heard 550 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: it on the show, or if not, you can go 551 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 1: back and listen to it on this show. My most 552 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:11,320 Speaker 1: recent book is called The Immortal Choir Holds Every Voice, 553 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: and it's maybe a similar in tone, only it has 554 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 1: demons in it. I don't know how else to describe it. 555 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: We will be back next week with more short fiction 556 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:24,680 Speaker 1: and some surprises in the pot. Until then, in the 557 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: words of doctor Tyler Bonaghan, fuck the police, forever and 558 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: ever Amen. It Could Happen Here is a production of 559 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, 560 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: visit our website Coolzonemedia dot com, or check us out 561 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 562 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 1: to podcasts. You can now find sources for It Could 563 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 1: Happen Here listed directly in episode descriptions, Thanks for listening,