Knuckel Drager!

Unless I am mistaken, for the first time in my nearly five and a half years of living in Athens, a band from my adopted hometown of Madison, WI (where I graduated from college and lived 1991-2001) is playing at the 40 Watt.

Knuckel Drager is playing at the 40 Watt tomorrow night. I probably won't go because they are opening for Exene Cervenka of X fame, which will make the cover a little too steep for my wallet these days. Also, I have to proctor exams for the classes I teach from 7 to 10 p.m. After that, if everything goes my way, I'll head to the Caledonia for the Battle Royale Guitar Hero tournament.

I originally dismissed Knuckel Drager as another (boring, retro, therefore lame) surf band. For some reason, Madison Wisconsin in the mid and late 90s spawned an inordinate number of surf bands. I blame Man or Astroman. Of course MoAm was a great fucking band, but we only needed one of them.

Sometime around 1998 or 1999, Knuckel Drager won me over with their cover that fused Telstar with Don't Fear the Reaper. Listening to their tunes on their MySpace page (see above link) now, I see they have come a long way since I first heard of them about ten years ago. I have to admit, perhaps there is room in Madison (and everywhere else) for at least one more surf band. But don't the rest of youse get any funny ideas!