God Don’t Like Him But the Devil Do (May 19, 2000)

Well, one thing is for certain: God has shitty taste in music. How do I know? Well, he burned down the house of one of San Diego’s best guitar players: Bruce Clark.

Would you like further evidence? How is it possible that a good and just deity allows Sisqo -- that platinum-haired, heinous creation of the record companies -- to prosper in excess, while Professor Longhair dies unheard of and broke?

Because God has shitty taste in music, that’s how.

That’s why Kathy Gifford is permitted to release a horrific, pathetic, wailing album -- laced with marital expose, and lyrics about Special Journeys, while Barefoot Hockey Goalie starves and finally disbands because they couldn’t fill a tortilla shell, much less a night club.

God dispatched Randy Rhode’s by crashing his plane into Ozzy’s house, yet Peter Frampton continues to live off a 20 year-old guitar solo.

Nick Drake, Buddy Holly, JimiJaniceJim, Warhol, all cut in their prime, yet Phil Collins, Clint Black, Sting, and Starship continue on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and ona dnon andon andon a ndon an don adon adonanon anon and onononon.

GRRRRRRR.

And why is Bruce Clark’s home, his clothes, his photo album, his CD’s, his porno collection, reduced to ashes, when Jewel Kilcher’s ranch house, and her stupid poems, and her stupid acoustic guitar, remains untouched. Actually, thank God her house didn’t burn down. Because then she would write a song about it. Imagine that horrorshow. And you can bet the Almighty himself will produce the single! But where was he when Superunloader needed a high-ranking producer?

However . . . just because God has shitty taste in music doesn’t mean we have to buy his compilation album. What we should do, instead, is spend that money in a better place. What we should do, if any of you bastards have a sense of "The right thing," or a sense of community, or a sense of Karma, is come down to the Bruce Clark’s benefit and help him get through these difficult times. Be a part of the community, and maybe someday, the community will be a part of you.

Bruce Clark has played with Wise Monkey Orchestra, Po’ Boys, Blues Ambassadors, Hot Monkey Love and Cowboy’s and Indians. The benefit is going to be a sort-of open jam, featuring The Po Boys, Joey Bowen, Barney Roach and the Lease Breakers, Aristotle Georgio, and many, many more. Of course, Bruce himself will grace the stage and unleash an inferno of his own, blazing from his guitar, as if to flip God the bird.

So please join us for the "God Don’t Like Him but the Devil Do" benefit for Bruce Clark. He’s on the crossroads now, which way will he go, which way will he go?