JANDEK: IT’S TRUCK MONTH

Uh. We, and everyone else on the Corwood Industries media list, got this in our inboxes this morning. Uh. We’re just going to reprint parts of it. Uh:

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Jandek Track Licensed by Mazda for Ad Campaign

April 1, 2007 (Houston, TX) Corwood Industries announces that the Mazda USA Motor Corporation has licensed the Jandek composition ‘Fork in the Road’ (from the 2005 CD Khartoum) to use in a series of ads to promote the Texas Limited Edition of the 2008 B-Series Mid-Sized Truck.

Uh. Uhh. We’re going to skip the part of the release that talks about things like the B-Series’ class-leading low-end torque and get right to the PR mouthpiece:

“Like the state itself, the Texas Limited Edition B-Series Truck is authentic and rugged. In advertising the truck, we wanted to tap into that spirit, plus the fierce individualism that all Texans share,” said Carol Amherst, VP Regional Marketing, Mazda Motors USA. “Jandek is the perfect embodiment of what Texas and the Edition stands for, and we’re excited to use his music and have him as a spokesman for this campaign.”

Uh. Yeah, we added the emphasis. Go read it again. So actually not just the song, but, um, will Jandek be driving the truck in the commercials? Will he get a catchphrase? Minds are blown. Trust us when we say we will be checking YouTube every ten minutes for the rest of our lives until this commercial is posted. You’ll see it when we do. Ok, we need a nap now.

JANDEK BLOWS UP!

If SXSW is about anything, it is about getting the word out about acts that are still under the proverbial radar (well, for the bands – for the rest of us it is about the proverbial wicked free day parties). Exactly how low that radar goes, of course, depends on what level of Chuck Taylor and beard density one is looking for in their fan-base – so it therefore might come as some surprise (or perhaps not, but we were surprised) to find that the Houston’s SXSW media winner was none other than the Whole Foods-shopping man of mystery himself, Jandek (congrats to Bun-B, who was a close second, but as a consolation prize will sell millions more records).

In addition to mentions in the Chronicle and the Austin American Statesman, our friend on Corwood picked up mentions in old media outlets across the country, including Style Weekly(!) , Canada's National Post and the old grey lady herself, the New York Times. And let us not even begin to talk about the eZines and the blogosphere. Ok, just kidding, let’s begin to talk about that.

Posts that contain Jandek per day for the last 30 days.


The chart above shows the number of posts that Technorati has found on blogs where Jandek is discussed (a big thanks to Jandek for being named Jandek and not something completely un-googleable like Joe Smith). Go here for a list of blogs. And of course you know that the kids over at Pitchfork got some coverage (they also have the best pictures of his set). Add on to that the several Chron.com blogs about waiting for and going to the show, and it’s clear that, in terms of publicity, our local recluse was the one with the big spotlight. Congratz to Jandek. Alanis Morissette is writing a song about it as we speak.

MORE FRIDAY & SATURDAY TEXT MESSAGE UPDATES!

OH ME OH MY! Many more good updates came in yesterday and today from our tireless field reporters. Here are thee updates:

FRIDAY
7:04 PM Will Adams (The Ka-Nives)
Wiggins confuses the crap out of a bar full of working class Mexicans on the East side.

8:25 PM John Adams (Fatal Flying Guilloteens)
Beauty Bar was mini Houston and Kiss Kiss Kill Kill Played. Free drinks, my new fave is whiskey and grapefruit.

8:50 PM Chris Ryan (Dead City Sound)
Stood in line for Les Savy Fav for 3.5 hours. Got 4 people from the front and then they told eveyone to go away. Pissed!

SATURDAY
2:59 AM Will Adams (The Ka-Nives)
Ran into Thurston Moore at a party. He asks "Hey are you in the Ka-Something?"

6:32 AM Jana Hunter
[Jana sends us a video of Health playing, but we can't get it from our phone to YouTube]

10:20 AM John Adams (Fatal Flying Guilloteens)
Jordan Graber is throwing some d's on it. Taking pics of basketball players at the hotel.

2:37 PM Will Adams
A wasted Ariel Pink was man-handled by a sound man because he wouldn't stop playing.

2:38 PM Will Adams
I'm having difficulty finding [the right accessories] to take before the Jandek show.

2:39 PM Will Adams
Boris [unprintable]ing ruled.

REVEALED: 713 @ SXSW

Having put the poo poo on day party schedulers and festival attendees for long enough, the mighty and predicatble SXSW official band list has finally been revealed. Though not un-deserving, the list of Houston rock kids getting wrist bands of their own is to be expected (with a few notables snubbed again). Take solace in the fact that you are already digging on the best in the city, and that there isn't some whip-ass scene in Jersey Village that you have been missing out on. Possible exception is Pekaboo Theory, whose electro-chill-whatchamacallits might be an new unknown up your alley. THE LIST:

Ceeplus and the House of Bad Knives, Fatal Flying Guilloteens, Jana Hunter, Jandek, Indian Jewelry, The Jonbenet and Rusted Shut.


ALSO, while we here at The Skyline Network don't know thing one about the rap game in our city, far more of them will be at SouthBy than their guitar toting area-code sharers. Let the assasinations begin:

Billy Cook, Chingo Bling, Devin the Dude, DJ Chill, Young Samm, Short Texas, Kenika, Lil Boom, 2 Deep, DJ Domo, 14K, Rob G, Magno, Big Tike, Lester Roy, Lil Mario, Big Pic, Lower Life Form, Southern Intellect and the Studemont Project.