Earlier this month, Danish punk rockers Iceage released their great new album Seek Shelter. If you follow me on Twitter or know me in real life, you’ve probably already heard me gush about the album opener, “Shelter Song.” It’s one of those songs for me that when I first heard it, it felt like I had known it forever. I feel like it’s always been there waiting for me, and when I found it, it was like a small puzzle piece of my life fit into place.
The first time I heard the song’s massive chorus, I got chills. How the hell is it possible for a band to level up this much? It’s Iceage’s “Champagne Supernova.” I can just picture thousands of festival goers at Glastonbury, arms raised and flags waving singing this song right back at the band. I honestly didn’t think Iceage – normally a raucous, fuzzy around the edges post-punk band – had something like this in them. It’s one hell of an album opener.
The video for the song is a crucial part to this as well, in which the band invites us to see a glimpse of their home lives with family and friends. I think that’s part of what stirred up so many emotions within me. We’re all still trying to reestablish what normalcy is in our lives, and the video for “Shelter Song” (which I assume was recorded post-pandemic) a heartwarming reminder of what normalcy can look like. It’s as if Iceage is telling us to appreciate the people we have in our lives, especially after everything we’ve had to endure since March 2020. This is what it feels like to be home.
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For the first time since 1997, the house that I grew up in – the only place I really knew as home – was suddenly under new ownership. My immediate family was finally moving to the warmer climates of Central Florida. Being the nostalgic and sentimental schlub that I am, I would be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult saying goodbye to that place. It was borderline torturous going through all my old shit I still had stored there, although admittedly it was probably about time to get rid of my beat up old Pokémon cards and the decaying goalie pads of my illustrious roller hockey career (I kept my sticks though, to my fiancé’s chagrin). I was going to miss that place. It always felt like home, even when I moved out. I was going to miss running those roads. I was going to miss pulling up that driveway, knowing my family was waiting for me on the other side of that door with a warm meal and a hug. I was going to miss those summer nights on the deck, listening to Genesis with my dad after everyone else went to bed, staring up at whatever clear sky was uninhibited by the nearby lights of NYC, and pointing out the satellites that would glide by.
To say goodbye to these moments of home wouldn’t be easy, but this is what happens. Time keeps on moving, and life gets in the way sometimes. Rooting against either will only get you a sore throat. What I’ve learned recently is that being home isn’t necessarily dependent on a place.
In the past few weeks, I’ve been reminded about what the power of good company can do. The pandemic has made it all too easy to forget the joys of in-person interaction, and my social skills have gotten a bit rusty in the meantime. More importantly, it’s also made me appreciate the meaning of what home is to me. Since my parents moved out of that house back in the summer, my idea of home has shifted. I always thought it was a place you live; a physical shelter. But now I’m beginning to think it’s not really that at all. Maybe being home is more about the people around you. It’s a feeling, not necessarily a destination. Yeah, we’ve all been stuck inside our homes for the better part of a year, but that’s not really what I mean. What I’m talking about is where or when you feel most at home. Its about the good feeling you get in the company of others. It’s about knowing that you are exactly where you are meant to be in the moment. Home is wherever you want it to be. It’s in that feeling of togetherness.
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I’ve been trying to incorporate more togetherness with running. On some level, it might be why I started this newsletter – to share thoughts and stories about running with other people. I’ve always liked talking to people about running. The problem is, I’ve always been a solo runner. I’ve enjoyed how much of a singular experience it can be, and how I can close my mind to the stresses and bullshit around me when I run. Running with other people has never been something I’ve wanted to do. Maybe it’s because I’m an introvert by heart. I like my alone time, and running provides plenty of it. Because I get intimidated by others so easily, it’s been hard to agree to a group run with other people. How fast are they going to make me run? What if I can’t keep up? Do I really have to have a 30-minute-long conversation? Just let me get lost in my headphones and I’ll be happy.
Again, running for me is a very insular activity, as I have written extensively about so far. I like the time I spend with myself in my head with my music. I like running at my own pace, at my own effort. I don’t need to keep up with the runners around me. I just worry about myself and no one else. It was part of the reason why I was so hesitant to join the run club in my town in the first place. The thought of making small talk with a stranger while you’re gutting out a run at a faster pace than what you’re used to sounded awful. I’d rather play hacky sack with a hornet’s nest. I save the conversations for celebratory beer at the brewery afterwards. I guess that’s why I was never cut out for Cross Country, in which group runs were part of the whole experience. Well, that and the fact that I actually had to run…a lot.
I know this isn’t the best attitude to have, and I swear I’m not a total introvert. I just like my alone time sometimes, but if there is anything the past year has been good for, it’s that it has made me appreciate the people in my life. It’s made me appreciate the need for camaraderie and companionship more than ever. I even miss small talk, and small talk decidedly sucks. Plus, as much as I love and need to run by myself, it’s easy to get too much in your own head. Sometimes, the music in your headphones isn’t enough of a distraction. The worst runs I have had are when I’m battling my own inner self about whether to start walking or keep going. The walker in me usually wins. Sometimes it’s just too much.
I’d be lying though if I said I didn’t occasionally get jealous of the folks I see on the trails who run in tandem, smiling and conversing like they’re having the time of their lives. They look like they’re having fun. Surely, I can do that too, right? And really, I can. I have friends who run. We talk about running all the time. Why can’t we all run together? Is it the threat of embarrassment from running too slow or getting too smelly and sweaty? That’s all part of the experience! Not to mention, that’s what friendships are for, to have people who will be there at your side both at your best and at your smelliest.
So, I’ve decided that I want to try to run with friends more. I need a bit more of that companionship and support on the running trail, one that won’t let me quit and keep me going. It’ll keep me accountable. To be fair, a friend and I did run together a few times over the winter when the weather would allow. We would meet up, run for a little, then head to the brewery for a beer. It always helps to have a promise of a well-earned beer at the end, right? Nothing brings people together more than alcohol. It felt good though, because it was something different. It didn’t feel like exercise for exercise’s sake. It was a bonding experience, and a chance to have a conversation somewhere other than a Zoom room or a text message. And for the most part, you never focus on the run itself. When you’re deep in discussion with another person, the run goes by quicker. It can feel effortless. It’s something I don’t do quite as often as I should. I want to try to do that more often now that the weather is warmer, we’re all getting vaxxed, and more places are opening up. Things feel more hopeful than they have in a long time, and what better way to experience this hope than to do it together, right?
But if there’s one thing I know is that it isn’t always easy to get together. Life gets in the way sometimes, you know? I tend to use that phrase a lot when there isn’t any other excuse to be made. Sometimes no matter how hard you may try, circumstances turn against you. I never understood that John Lennon lyric until recently… you know the one, “life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” But I get it now. As the years go by, our priorities change. Our schedules and our lives become more complicated. You wanna go out but you wanna stay home. I understand how that goes. It gets too easy to let social obligations or family activities fall through the cracks. Sometimes to find that feeling of home, you have to travel a little further than intended, and it’s up to us to work with what life hands us.
Certainly, life has handed us a hefty dose of change over the past year-plus, but it’s funny what perspective it will give you in return. I never pictured my family all moving to Florida at the same time (during a pandemic, no less), but when my parents came to visit my fiancé and I in our new house last week (or when we go visit them over the holidays), it never felt like a piece of us was missing. The venue changed, but the feeling of being home remained. I also never intended for my best friend’s sister’s family to move into my old house and make it their own like we did 24 years ago, but when I went to visit them two weeks ago to hang out on the same deck I used to spend nights catching satellites, I was pleasantly surprised about how good it felt. It felt normal, and I have my friend’s family to thank for that. And this past weekend, as I sat on the deck at Conshy Brewery with my fiancé our friend, beer in hand, basking in the warm Spring sun, and watching the runners and bikers fly by, I was exactly where I needed to be. I was once again reminded of what good company can do. I had reached that driveway. I made it home.
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Running Buds Vol. 5: Joe Robinson, Cassettes
Musicians on running. Runners on Music.
Philly pop-punkers Cassettes make great running music. Their 2019 Ace Enders produced Wild Heart is jam packed with bangers like “I Wanna Know” and “Born in the 90s” that harken back to the (new found) glory days of alternative radio when bands like Sum 41, All-American Rejects, and Jimmy Eat World ruled the airwaves. It’s fun, catchy as hell, and full of youthful energy. Back in April, the band released a new song “Do You Remember Places?”, a song they recorded remotely about all the things we’ve been missing since the pandemic, including “singing in crowded places” which Cassettes have done quite well over the years. The good thing is, it shouldn’t be long until we can do that again.
In the meantime, Cassettes bassist Joe Robinson will be running like he has been for years. Robinson was one of the first running musicians I met in the Philly area. He and I pass each other on the Schuylkill River Trail quite frequently, that is if we don’t bump into each other elsewhere around Conshohocken, of which he is one of our town’s greatest ambassadors. Throughout the years, I’ve seen Joe put in the work and the miles to become the avid runner he is today, and I wanted to ask him about it.
When did you start running?
I probably started seriously running in 2012 once I decided to call it on the touring band lifestyle. I found an office job and was working out at home, but had plateaued in my fitness. If I'm being honest, I was probably slipping backwards a bit with the more sedentary lifestyle. I decided to try to supplement with running a mile or two a few days a week and it was really helpful. I found friends at work that started running with me at lunch or after our shifts and we eventually signed up for The Savage Race, a 5mi race around an obstacle course. I had so much fun doing that, I haven't looked back since.
What do you like about running?
I don't have anyone to answer to while I'm running. I'm only competing with myself and my success is only based on how happy I am. Plus, when I'm doing it regularly I can eat and drink whatever I want and still stay in relatively good shape!
What's the furthest you've ever run?
Probably 15 miles training for a half marathon. I think I could do more, but I honestly don't know where people find the time. Definitely the primary reason I've decided not to run a marathon. My video games aren't going to play themselves.
Where are your favorite places to run?
I love running along the Schuylkill River Trail and the Chester Valley Trail because of how nice they are and their proximity to my house and work. Any time I travel, I try to find a nice lake or park to run. So far my favorite non-Philly trail has been around Lake Scranton up in Central PA.
Can you think of a specific memorable run you've had? Why was it so memorable?
There are lots of great runs, but my most memorable run was a 10 miler I decided to do with my friend Sarah. She was training for a run and I had just completed my first Broad Street 10-miler the previous week, which was also the furthest I'd run up to that point. I thought to myself, "I totally got this. Already did it last week." I totally didn't have it. Sarah's pace was a little faster than I was used to and it was the first warm day of the season. I gassed out about halfway through and she left me in the dust. Worse, we had gotten dropped off in the town next door to meet with a group and run back to our town to have a beer at the local brewery. I walk/jogged the last half back home completely dejected and dreading the litany of insults I was sure to get when I finally met up with our friends much later than scheduled. To my surprise, no one mentioned me being late and when I finally felt bold enough to chat about the terrible run I had just had, my friends and fellow runners consoled me and assured me they'd all been in the same place. It was a really powerful turning point in the way I viewed running. From then on it's been all about my health and happiness, not a competition to be the fastest or be able to run the farthest.
Why do you run?
Almost 100% for health, both mental and physical. Luckily, I've been able to fall into a few groups over the years where I've also made really great friends.
What do you listen to (if anything) when you run and why?
I like to mix it up. For me, it's a really great time to listen to a new album I haven't had the time to digest yet or a long lost gem I want to get reacquainted with. If there's nothing that stands out in those categories, I'll jam out to metal or punk. I try to stay mid-tempo and up because it tends to match more closely with where I want to be pace-wise. I've also experimented with podcasts. I find that they're really great when I'm trying to run slower than my natural pace.
Any tips for people who are interested in starting running?
Join your local running group (even if it's just online for now)! Other runners are a wealth of information and encouragement. Groups have also been universally beginner-friendly in my experience.
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IT KEEPS YOU RUNNING: Music for Your Miles
Music and running go hand-in-hand. Here’s what you should be putting on your running playlist this week.
(Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t…) THESE GUYS SOUND LIKE NIRVANA!! Gah! Sorry, but it’s true. It’s eerily uncanny. I now that’s such a lazy comparison. Normally, I try to steer away from comparing new bands to obvious references like Nirvana, U2, Radiohead, or Led Zeppelin (except when it comes to Greta Van Fleet because screw those guys, even Robert Plant himself is probably like cool it with the hippy stuff).
But yeah, Superbloom… the dude sounds like Kurt Cobain, and the guitars are straight out of the Nevermind sessions. But you know what? It rules. I love it. I want to hear more of it. I mean, come on, listen to “Whatever” and tell me that song isn’t killer. It makes me wanna run through a brick wall or two. Their debut full-length Pollen comes out June 1st, and it is produced and mastered by two of Philly’s best: Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Dogs on Acid, most Headroom Studios productions) and Wil Yip (Menzingers, Nothing, Mannequin Pussy, etc.). Now there’s a match made in indie rock heaven. You’re going to want to get Superbloom on your radar and into to your running playlists this summer.
On the flip side of the vibe spectrum, NYC’s Jacuzzi Jefferson released a new album last week titled moonlit, a set of beautifully zoned-out trip hop at it’s best. I’ve been following Jefferson for a while, especially during his main gig as beat master in Pool Cosby, which over the years has become more of a collective of talented instrumentalists living in New York City. It’s hip-hop, but with an organic twist. Last November, Jacuzzi Jefferson released the Disclosure-reminiscent jam “like that,” which even though it came out in the Fall, it’ll be a Summer playlist staple for me. It was one of my favorites from last year.
It’s weird, I don’t normally post about this kind of music. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that I don’t know enough about it to talk extensively about it. I don’t pretend to know a whole lot about the scene, lo-fi beats, electric soul(?), trip-hop, or whatever. What I can say is how much I enjoy Jacuzzi Jefferson’s new album moonlit. I love how each song he creates is its own little world. He never chases any trends. Instead, Jefferson invites you to meet him on his level. There are plenty of sublime moments on here to get lost in. So, let your mind wander these worlds on an evening run this summer, or just kick back and vibe out.
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Be sure to follow the Running On Nothing Spotify Playlist here.