This space once housed a fold-up 42 LCD TV.

This space once housed a fold-up 42" LCD TV.

MENACING HEARTLESS MONSTERS! Saturday night, the entire staff of The Skyline Network was enjoying a cocktail or two at our beloved neighborhood Big Star Bar, when we decided that the prudent thing to do was to catch a ride and leave our tasteful Hummerzine parked there overnight so that our chauffeur and co-pilot might partake in the festivities. Following an excellent lunch the next early afternoon, we returned to find our front passenger window destroyed, and many contents of the vehicle missing, including the radio and our irreplaceable 60GB iPod Photo (yes, we were one of the clowns that bought that brick during the six days or so while it was available). Along with that loot, our garage door opener, and lord knows how many half eaten kolaches, the pirates of 19th street made off with a stack of CDs including Luna’s The Days of our Nights, Bewitched, Penthouse and Pup Tent, Austin up-and comers Future Clouds and Radar’s Peoria, Queen’s Classic Queen Volume 1 and most tragically of all, The Best of George Jones: 1955-1967.

CDs Deemed not as Good as Luna, Queen or George Jones

CDs deemed not as good as Luna, Queen or George Jones

HOWEVER, oh those needing a CSIsh clue as to who the perpetrators might be, they are decidedly not fans of sustainable living or local music, as they left the following stack of CDs beneath a disheveled pile of of those poly-fiber grocery bags that fill up your back seat instead of a landfill:

  • Graustark – Live Demonstration Field Recordings
  • Over Sea, Under Stone – Five Songs are Not Enough
  • Ghormeh Sabzi – Cockroach Graveyard CDr
  • Sprawl – America is Dying of Wetnurse
  • Circuit Slomo – Unreleased demos CDr
  • Anya Marina – Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II

Now, that last one isn’t local, so we’re guessing it wasn’t their thing, but otherwise, we kid you not:  the thieves took Luna, Queen, Future Clouds and Radar and George Jones, and left behind every single local recording.  We’re not sure if that’s an indictment of the criminal’s tastes or of the reputation of local music generally, but either way we simply cannot stop laughing our asses off at it.   In the meantime, we have self organized a benefit to cover our costs, the lineup and cover for which we will announce as soon as our insurance adjuster calls us back with our deductible amount.  Atleast one member of Black Congress can has visually indicated a strong desire to consider playing.  Complete information on the benefit found here.

Big thanks to DRG who gave us all a life home that evening, and especially to eternal friend of the Skyline Carrie Murphy who waited with us at the scene of the crime for the nearly three hours it took for the police to arrive.  We should also stop here and thank HPD officers Martinez and Floe for not giving us a ticket for our foolishly expired window stickers.  In closing, this is not meant as a warning about leaving your car at a bar when you’ve had too much to drink.  Many will testify to the fact that the minor cost and inconvenience we are/will experience is nothing compared to a DUI. Be smart and safe out there. We love you.