"We're gonna start it with a positive jam..."

- Man, busy tonight.
- Right, right.

Band's pretty good though.
- What? Oh, yeah, yeah.

(...)

- You see that guy over there?
- Hm? Which guy?
- That guy, there, beer, skynyrd tshirt?
- Oh, Charlemagne?

- ... That's Charlemagne?
- (nods)

- ... Man!

God, name to a face.
- Can't really miss him, can ya.
- You know him?
- You kidding? Everyone knows Charlemagne. Kind of gets around. Big into the scene. Almost got killed a couple dozen times.
- Yeah?
- At festivals, that guy buzzes, he fucking generates the power. Oh yeah. Charlemagne. Founder of civilisation.
- Civilization, you mean.
- Yeah, yeah, sorry.
- Who's the chick?

- (shrugs)
Blonde?
That's about all. All that static buzzing round ya, ya turn to pick up some fluff on the way. Rolling stone like him gathers all kindsa shit.

- That girl keeps lookin at him.
- You want another drink?
- How much for a double whisky coke in this place?
- .......
.......

I'll get ya another beer.
- That girl keeps lookin at him.
- Who? ... Oh, man, Holly. Ha! Hallelujah.
- ... She's not that hot-
- No, no, her name is Hallelujah.
- ....
I mean, who the fuck is called Hall-
- Who the fuck is called Charlemagne?

- Yeah, ok.
- Man, Holly could tell some stories. I'm not one to give away endings, but...
Man.
And who the fuck are you to say she ain't that hot. She still looks incredible.
- Despite what?
- (laughs) Despite everything. Despite a multitude of casualties. Despite the Mississippi.
Despite the Sabbath. Despite Charlemagne and Gideon.

- She looks high to me.
- And I look like fucking Nina Simone.

- Who's Gideon? Guy shes dancing with?
- (nods)
- So hows he fit into all of this?
- ...

Listen, no-one really fits into this whole scene. Everyone just kinda seems to spin round again and again and bounce off each other like dodgems.

...

If they didn't, sometime they'd just stop spinning.

Fuck, I need another beer.
Man, it's so busy tonight.
- Yeah.
Band's pretty good, though.
- Hm? Oh, yeah, you said.

...



mp3: The Hold Steady - Multitude of Casualties
(from Separation Sunday)