Oh Oxes…..
I met and became quick friends with the guys in Oxes upon their first visit to Atlanta at the EARL in (I believe) 2000. They didn’t have so much as a record out, but Dave B. from the Chicago band Neutrino was about to put out a split release with them and 90 Day Men and wouldn’t shut up about them.
And so the story goes.
What has always struck me is how this was one of those bands that were known almost exclusively for being a spectacular live band. And not just spectacular in their performance, but man, they were FUNNY. AS. SHIT. ON. STAGE.
One of my regrets is not recording that first show they did at the EARL as they spent the majority of their set making fun of how ugly two people in the crowd (not including me) were. Oxes ended up coming to Georgia numerous times and our friendship blossomed. I ran into them on the Mr. Show tour while in Minneapolis when they were opening for Isis at the 7th Street Entry. They came back and crashed at my super swank hotel room a mere block from the club and we ran up the room service bill (at David Cross’s specific request). The next morning I had to start my drive to LA (yes, Mpls to LA) and we went to the Mall of America and found Cereal Adventureland where we all got personalized Wheaties boxes. My signed Oxes cereal box still sits proudly among my treasures on my shelves. Sadly, Cereal Adventureland wasn’t open long, but I have personalized boxes by Enon, Oxes and Les Savy Fav in my collection. It MIGHT be the largest collection of its kind in North America. MIGHT.
Not sure whether Oxes are DOA (I heard they reunited a year ago), but man, I’m happy to say I saw them do their zany performances all over the world for at least five years and they were always dead on. Love them.
Anyway, I didn’t want this entry to be an appreciation of Oxes but more an enthusiastic paragraph or two. Dave McG (of the legendary Yakuza zine and former Vineland drummer!) asked for the Peel session that they did, and so I now oblige with BOTH Peel seshs less one track from the ’04 one (due to site design, I can only put up ten tracks). Feel free to hit me up for the final track.
ADDENDUM: Here’s a sendspace link to the "Territory" cassette that was released by the band (I’m presuming) from before the first album. Two unreleased tracks included. Neat!
Oxes – Rikki Creem (Peel Session 11/3/04)
Oxes – Top Tucker (Peel Session 11/3/04)
Oxes – Take Care, The Song (Peel Session 11/3/04)
Oxes – Boss Kitty (Peel Session 5/6/02)
Oxes – Half Half and Half (Peel Session 5/6/02)
Oxes – Panda Strong (Peel Session 5/6/02)
Oxes – Everlong (Peel Session 5/6/02)
Oxes – And Giraffe Natural Enemies (Peel Session 5/6/02)
Oxes – Dear Spirit I’m In France (Peel Session 5/6/02)
Oxes – I’m From Hell, Open A Windle (Peel Session 5/6/02)