Please parden my French.

Lots of people make art and music for lots of reasons. You may be fimiliar with the list; adrenaline, sex, drugs, talent, career choice. For some of us it's the basic pursuit of writing and performing the song with a straight, no bullshit here's-my-song-I'm-going-to-poor-my-heart-into it-fuck-you-if-you-don't-like-it approach. After that it's cotton candy,

I think Sam Nation was in the some of us group.

Sam was killed Sunday morning. Now I didn't know Sam as well as a lot, and, as testified by the bloom of endearing online posts, a lot of people new and were touched by Sam. This is a great way to be on this earth. As a sculptor and a musician, it's natural that you accumulate a lot of friends and aquaintences and leave behind impressions, documents and artifacts. I did have the great fortune of playing a number of shows with The 13's and putting them on at the Garage, our former and somewhat infamous (hey! I read that in the newspaper!) rehearsal space where we hosted a party now and again. Man, Sam always tore it up. 20 people or 200, he put it into his song and goddamn you if you didn't care enough to give it back. The man always brought a shine to the Garage and like the renters of that joint, had a good inclination on what it takes to have a party and play live, passionate music. And though he wore his days like the accumulation of moss and silver bark on a Great Maple tree, his vitality brimmed and it's that life, Sam's joie de vivre (I warned you about the French), that we can continue to celebrate.

In the coming weeks and months there will be opportunuites to help with a donation. Len's Lounge will be passing a coffee can at our Northside Tavern show on Thursday (02/09), please buy a drink for Sam by putting a donation in the can. The money will be donated to the memorial to be established and then used as needed for Sam's arrangements and towards expanding and securing his legacy of art and music. The 13's show at the Holy Grail in Cincinnati on March 24 will be turned into a loving tribute and benefit to Sam. Along with the already scheduled acts for that night The Hiders and Pictureshow, other acts will be added.

Join us Thursday night at the Northside Tavern as we welcome from Lafayette, Indiana, Mike Reeb and the Consequences and Cincinnati's own, The Hinges.