I feel that I have been so excited about this month’s “Fascinating Ginger” that I can hardly express my feelings in words. I was so looking forward to this day, to this post, and now I can’t seem to string together sentences about my deep and true love for this month’s redhead.
I’ll have to admit off the bat that I am a late-blooming Neko Case fan. Most of the people I was around didn’t listen to much “indie” music as I came of age the past few years and it was up to me to search for it. Somehow, Neko Case and I never crossed paths on my journey for new music; and oddly enough, it wasn’t until I worked at Barnes & Noble that I’d ever heard of the broad. Her album Fox Confessor Brings the Flood was on an endcap, looking all amazing, and I took a chance and bought it without listening first. And I listened to it on repeat for, probably, months and months.
In this time, I also took it upon my law-breaking self to find any and every song she’d ever recorded. Some random live tracks, some guest appearances with the Sadies – anything and everything.
I finally had the chance to see her live in 2007, when she played a free concert in Central Park. If I didn’t love her too much already, this show put me into almost-stalker mode. I wanted to be on stage with her, I wanted to be her backup singer, Kelly’s, daughter or niece, I wanted to be the maid that cleaned her room at her hotel the next morning. Her voice carried on, in all its dreamy, for miles and across state lines. Not only was her vocal ability outrageous, she was also funny and one of the cutest things I’d ever seen.
Finally, Middle Cyclone was released this year, satisfying my itch and fix for new Neko. We saw her again, in concert, a few months ago, and I just feel like I never get enough. Her concerts end too soon (though, they last the normal amount of time), the songs end too soon, I become used to her albums too soon. I just find myself wanting her to sing the soundtrack to my life, every single boring day.
No hard feelings to anyone out there, but I’ve never been a fan of the “band/artist” tattoo. I never understand getting a band’s logo inked on you for eternity, or having their name permanently written anywhere on your body. I didn’t understand that until now (and, really, I still hardly understand most of it). I’ve planned on getting myself a Neko Case tattoo, but nothing as ridic and creepy as getting her face on my face or anything. Just something that fans would know and others would find beautiful.
We’re seeing her again at the end of the month and I already find myself longing to fast-forward through time, which I never want to do. And I want to cover all of her songs. And I want to be her backup singer. And I want to write a movie whose soundtrack will only be Neko Case.
I wanted to post my favorite Neko Case song here, for those who aren’t familiar and those who love listening to her nonstop, but I don’t even think I have one. Being a true fan, I can admit to having my least favorites (though, of course, still written and sung wonderfully), but every time I think a song is my favorite, the next one starts and I forget all about that first one. This one, though, I never ever forget:
I love you.