For a while in the 90's, Jim O'Rourke was around Georgia a lot. He did a number of live performances and more than a couple radio sessions in Athens. One in particular I remember is when he mic'd up a refrigerator up at the WUOG station and that was his "performance" for an hour.

It wasn't until I met Jim at a chance encounter at Albini's house in '94 that I realized what a joker he was. We were talking about pranks that we've pulled (by that time, I was knee deep in my prankster phase) and he told me of how to kill a fax machine's toner by sending a taped up loop of black paper to somebody. Ah, the good ol' days.

Honk.

A couple years later, 1997 to be exact, I found myself at the first Terrastock in Providence. It was a great weekend. A ton of friends from all over the world. My Athens buddies in Neutral Milk and the Olivias were finally being fawned over and playing out to a huge group of fans. I got to see the first Major Stars performance (!!!!) and the final Magic Hour one as well. I put out a recording (called "Providence" fittingly enough) which was a one-time drone out with the Gibbons brothers from Bardo Pond, the two Jasons from The Azusa Plane, Carl Hultgren from Windy & Carl and Dave Pearce from Flying Saucer Attack.

Dave Pearce @ Terrastock '97

Speaking of Flying Saucer Attack, Terrastock was the only time I ever got to see him/them perform. And who was playing guitar along with Dave? The joker, Jim O'Rourke.

Any time I ever bring up this "routine" that Jim did that weekend, I'm surprised more people don't know about it which is why I'm posting it here 12 years later. I apologize for the fidelity, but Jim was speaking into a mic that wasn't particularly loud in the mix. However, it does improve. Just bear with it for a while.

Jim O'Rourke - Fuck You Clown