u/taterwilliam

I first saw the black lips in 2009, they played Fitzgeralds in Houston. $12 at the door. They were on top of the world in those days.

Cole and Jared prowled through the crowd during the opener, asking us for coke and free drugs. Very nice guys. They played an incredible set, blazing through their roster of garage punk bangers with  joyful intensity. Cole hawked loogies high into the air and caught them in his mouth or at least on his face. Jared and Cole spat loogies into each other's mouths from across the stage. Cole dropped his drawers and strummed his guitar with his penis. He drank from his own urine stream with an arc like a school water fountain, and spewed his piss into the adoring crowd (pictured).

It was one of the best shows I've ever experienced. They were scumbags, but they were our scumbags.

Things have changed since then. Gone are the lucrative Vice recording contracts, Kia commercials and Conan O'Brien features. But they soldiered on, weathering lineup changes and "me too" allegations.

Now that they are down to just one original member, I hope they continue on into the abyss, no matter what highs or lows await. Los valientes del mundo nuevo, indeed 🖤