Plain White T’s - Sunlight
I make a mini-cameo at the very end of the video.
About
My name is Aileen. Born and raised on O'ahu, Hawaii, graduated from New York University in 2006, and currently living in Southern California. I manage merchandise on and off tour for a band called Plain White T's. This is my photoblog and general word vomit.Links
TwitterTour Dates
6/12 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music HallFollowing
Plain White T’s - Sunlight
I make a mini-cameo at the very end of the video.
Thursday morning I’m flying back home to Hawaii. My grandma has been in the hospital and is coming down to her last days. I got to see her a few times at her care home when I was in Hawaii with Plain White T’s, she wasn’t doing great but she was more like her usual self. The doctors aren’t sure she’ll even make it to Thursday at this point, but I almost don’t want to see her in the condition she’s in now, just sleeping in the hospital bed til it’s her time to leave us. She’s 94 years old and I know she’s ready, but I try to put myself in her shoes and it’s scary to think about so I always force my brain to move to other thoughts before it becomes overwhelming.
This is my grandma circa 1935.
miss u, ghostwriter.
I used to be obsessed with Ghostwriter. But my God, how fucking GREAT is the name Sheldon Turnipseed?
![Jay Bennett, a rock musician with deep ties to Chicago best known as a former member of Wilco, died early Sunday morning in downstate Urbana, where he had been running a recording studio, according to a spokesman for his family.The singer and multi-instrumentalist was 45 years old.“Early this morning, Jay died in his sleep and an autopsy is being performed,” said Edward Burch, a friend and musician who collaborated with Bennett on the 2005 album “The Palace at 4 a.m.” “The family is in mourning and is unavailable for comment at this time.”Born in the Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows, Bennett began playing in bands as a teenager. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned multiple degrees in secondary education, math and political science. In between, he co-founded the Replacements-like power-pop band Titanic Love Affair, which released three albums during the alternative-rock heyday between 1991 and 1996, when it was dropped from its label.Bennett was working at a VCR repair shop in Champaign when he was tapped to join Wilco as it toured in support of its first album, “A.M.” A talented arranger and versatile musician who could play virtually any instrument he picked up, from mandolin to Mellotron, Bennett formed a fruitful partnership with Wilco bandleader Jeff Tweedy. His contributions over a seven-year period were key to the albums that resulted in the band’s national breakthrough, including “Being There” (1996), “Summerteeth” (1999) and “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” (2002).Relations between Bennett and Tweedy, both painstaking perfectionists, soured during the latter recording, as documented in the film “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” and Bennett left the band. Earlier this month, Bennett filed a lawsuit against Tweedy for breach of contract and unpaid artist’s royalties, stemming in part from his role in the film.In late April, Bennett wrote on his MySpace blog about dealing with intense pain from a hip injury suffered during a dive from the stage while playing with Titanic Love Affair. He was preparing to have surgery, but was concerned about his lack of health insurance. However, he also was looking forward to finishing his fifth solo album, “Kicking at the Perfumed Air,” at his studio, Pieholden Suites, named after the song on “Summerteeth” that best encapsulates his talents as an arranger.“This whole experience [with the hip pain] has really taught me to look both inward and outward for support, and I’ve learned things about myself that I thought I had completely figured out years ago,” Bennett wrote. “Family and friends have helped me to keep faith in a future that will actually be much more carefree than my constricted present state. I encourage you all to tell me stories of recovery, as they really do help… All in all, I’m ‘in a really good place’ right now; I’m just waiting until I can make it all happen.”Bennett’s former bandmates in Wilco are touring in Spain and could not be reached for comment. But Burch said he had spoken to bassist John Stirratt, and the band was “broken up” about the news.“He was an extremely talented musician and a great person, and I’ll miss him terribly,” Burch added.
Source
-Wow, this is shocking news. RIP.](http://3.media.tumblr.com/m5S6ZwAKInwnjyn0euDLUQtTo1_400.jpg)
Jay Bennett, a rock musician with deep ties to Chicago best known as a former member of Wilco, died early Sunday morning in downstate Urbana, where he had been running a recording studio, according to a spokesman for his family.
The singer and multi-instrumentalist was 45 years old.
“Early this morning, Jay died in his sleep and an autopsy is being performed,” said Edward Burch, a friend and musician who collaborated with Bennett on the 2005 album “The Palace at 4 a.m.” “The family is in mourning and is unavailable for comment at this time.”
Born in the Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows, Bennett began playing in bands as a teenager. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned multiple degrees in secondary education, math and political science. In between, he co-founded the Replacements-like power-pop band Titanic Love Affair, which released three albums during the alternative-rock heyday between 1991 and 1996, when it was dropped from its label.
Bennett was working at a VCR repair shop in Champaign when he was tapped to join Wilco as it toured in support of its first album, “A.M.” A talented arranger and versatile musician who could play virtually any instrument he picked up, from mandolin to Mellotron, Bennett formed a fruitful partnership with Wilco bandleader Jeff Tweedy. His contributions over a seven-year period were key to the albums that resulted in the band’s national breakthrough, including “Being There” (1996), “Summerteeth” (1999) and “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” (2002).
Relations between Bennett and Tweedy, both painstaking perfectionists, soured during the latter recording, as documented in the film “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” and Bennett left the band. Earlier this month, Bennett filed a lawsuit against Tweedy for breach of contract and unpaid artist’s royalties, stemming in part from his role in the film.
In late April, Bennett wrote on his MySpace blog about dealing with intense pain from a hip injury suffered during a dive from the stage while playing with Titanic Love Affair. He was preparing to have surgery, but was concerned about his lack of health insurance. However, he also was looking forward to finishing his fifth solo album, “Kicking at the Perfumed Air,” at his studio, Pieholden Suites, named after the song on “Summerteeth” that best encapsulates his talents as an arranger.
“This whole experience [with the hip pain] has really taught me to look both inward and outward for support, and I’ve learned things about myself that I thought I had completely figured out years ago,” Bennett wrote. “Family and friends have helped me to keep faith in a future that will actually be much more carefree than my constricted present state. I encourage you all to tell me stories of recovery, as they really do help… All in all, I’m ‘in a really good place’ right now; I’m just waiting until I can make it all happen.”
Bennett’s former bandmates in Wilco are touring in Spain and could not be reached for comment. But Burch said he had spoken to bassist John Stirratt, and the band was “broken up” about the news.
“He was an extremely talented musician and a great person, and I’ll miss him terribly,” Burch added.
-Wow, this is shocking news. RIP.
4am and I found a bunch of old photos that I thought I would post up here cause they bring back good memories, and some of them are pretty funny.
Punchline at Knitting Factory NYC, summer 2004. Check out the Nightbeast in action.
KT and De’mar at Witches Brew. Long Island, July 2004.
Sorry De’mar.
Derek, me, Danny, Hoopes
It’s embarrassing, but it took about 3 outfit changes before I settled on what to wear to the Christian music festival I’m going to today to see Relient K, Seabird, and Needtobreathe play. I also get to see my Lindsay, she drove all the way here from Salt Lake City and I haven’t seen her since the fall. So excited!
If anyone asks, today my JSF tattoo means “Jesus Super Fan” mkay?
