Hombre Nuevo

Hi all. It is time. Time to introduce Tom O'Neill.

He's the "guy at work," the "forbidden guy to date," blah blah. This is the only pic I have of him (behind the set on the right.) The pic is from the River Front Times Nov. 22nd edition, and accompanied the interview of Mike Benker, Tom's lead singer and long time BFF. The article was in salute to the conformists 10th birthday, which was consumated with a 10th birthday show with their fav bands at The Ground Floor in Belleville, Illinois. Cool punk show, crazy punk kids. Lots of vodka and Paps Blue Ribbon 2 x 4s, and for some weird reason, lots of balls. Go figure. So to close this little intro, I leave you with a quote from Benker's interview:

RFT: While recording Three Hundred [The Conformists third album], did you get the feeling that Steve Albini liked you? Like, you know, like-liked you?

Benker: "He wore sunglasses the whole time, because the music we recorded was bursting with radiant light that resembled angels fucking. We were not four guys in a room, we became one omnipresent force that only a master cocksmith could harness to tape."

Yeah, they are funny fuckers.

SOOOOOOO... onto the beef of this blog.

I met Tom at Porter's Steak House in Illinois. He was unimpressed with the fact that he had to train, and said a blunt, "hey" and walked by. He was like anyone else that had been a trainer for years: he knew his tutorials to me would fuck up his night and slow him down, yet smiled that fake-ass smile that read "You'll LOVE this place! Porter's is the place to be!! WHOO!"

He was a nice trainer, and we had about five minutes to interview each other a little. I found out he was a drummer. I told him I was too, and then NOTHING! Finally like 2 hours later, he was like, "So... tell me about..." I was like CUTE! He actually cares!

Minutes later, someone mentions MySpace. The world comes to a screetching halt--Porter's is MySpace savvy! Oh nooooo.

So I gave it a few days... waiting, waiting for Tom or some of the girls included in that conversation to "find me" on MySpace (I'm a nerd I know, but I didn't want to seem eager, THEY had to find me!)

So, five days later, there it was: "New friend request." Hmm. Who could it be? W-O-W, TomO wanted to be my friend. His page was minimal yet funny, charming and real. So, the chatting began. I began learning. Began making a "friend."

So, long story short, we connected, became chummy (and apparently everyone noticed!) and made a date for a drink thing. We had gone for drinks with the crew before, but THIS particular night, he was coming up there just for me. So we went to the Horseshoe in Collinsville, IL (a c-ville gem) for a drink, and ended up having a nice conversation. Definitely a spark there. And you know, that was kind of it! We have a nice compatible report going on, and share the same social-political views, same religious views, and actually have quite alot of things and PEOPLE in common. It's a wonder we hadn't met before.

So, to play catch up, the other day was very interesting! Tom and I went to Denny's for a late lunch, came back to my house to chill before I had to go to work at 3:30, and lo-and-behold, there's my dad outside raking my leaves! I was like, "What are you doing here??" and he said, "Well, you said you needed help with your yard work..." So daddy met Tom. Maybe that wasn't awkward enough, but my dad starts off this conversation with, "So, Tom, are you the one that just got back from Iraq?" NO NO NO DAD!! That was the OTHER guy I accidentally thought I could date for five minnutes! AHHHH. Tom was like, "well no sir, uh... uh, I'm the firefighter." LOL It was priceless.

So, later that hour, daddy was gone, we were inside chatting, and Dave calls. "Hi Dave! What's up?" Lets preface this next quote by saying that Tom and Dave are aware of each other, just as I am aware of Dave's new girlfriend thing. "So what's up?" I say.... and there it was: "Well, Denise, I was hoping to come by and get this blah blah blah I left at the house..." COME BY?

So I say, "sure" and then let Tom in on the good news: "So,... now you get to meet the ex! LOL GEEEZ that day couldn't get better for him. They were nice and cordial, shook hands, and then Dave was gone in a flash.

I look at it like this: now there's no pressure to "meet the parent" AND now Dave and Tom can be adult about the whole situation (as they had been) and call each other by their first names and not "that one guy" :)

So, since that magic day, we have just been squeezing in a few hours here and there during both of our busy schedules. Mine you know (Porter's and the clothing store) but he has a plateful! He's an arson investigation tech by day, and then splits his nights with a volunteer fire department and managing/serving at Porter's. AND, remember, he's in a band that's been touring for ten years!! Since I've known him though, their guitarist ran off to Chicago and got married. So... less practice, less concerts.

HOWEVER, I was treated to being "on the list" at last nights show. The Ground Floor is a veryyy cool place, full of not-so-knowing-that-they-are-hipsters punk kids and all different types of people. I enjoyed the people watching as much as the music. Tom's band is "experimental punk"--this being "music that doesn't always make sense or follow a beat." I think I can love it, I just have to hear it a few more times. Nonetheless, each of the four gentlemen in The Conformists are WONDERFUL musicians.

Kudos on ten years guys!!

FINALLY--I wanna give a shout out to my boys LOJIC (STL grown, now LA based) who recently flew all the way to Hong Kong to be honored with the "World Battle of the Bands" top honor!! OMG guys! Congrats!

Talk to you soon everyone!

Much love,
D