Hour of Slack #1319 – 14X-Day 2: First Meows

Aside from the song with which Evolution Control Committee closed their fantastic X-Day Drill set, this episode edited itself. The live Wisteria café-stage Hours of Slack (begun on last week’s broadcast) unexpectedly took off into a lively discussion by Dr. Hal, Papa Joe Mama and Priestess Pisces about CATS and the Conspiracy — which provided the perfect framework for a “jam meme” from the first night’s excellent jam/ranting recordings: the ongoing “Meow Mix,” which grew from Pisces getting the crowd to sing along with SOMETHING into a horrible clinging inside-joke for this whole X-Day Drill (though certainly not the only one, BUTT-HURTEDNESS being another). There is actually some beautiful music included from that 6-29-11 jam, thanks to singers and musicians who happen to be actual touring professionals (such as Rev. Stick and Phat ManDee) as well as gifted amateurs like Princess Wei, Rev. “Suds” Pshaw, Rev. Hazel (on SITAR!), Rev. Catfeather and others. Collages by The Large open and close the show, but it climaxes with a variation by Pisces of “The Star Spangled Banner” that has to be heard to be believed. It sounds like Kate Smith backed by Hendrix.