One weekend earlier this month Aidan and I picked up a growler of Space IPA at Half Acre Brewery on Chicago’s north side. We decided on an experiment. With no advanced calls or texts, bring the growler unannounced to the places of friends or acquaintances and share it with the first one(s) who are home and willing. And why in God’s name wouldn’t they be? It’s a growler of Space IPA for fuck’s sake. First stop (we had a car): Somewhere in Rogers Park where our mutual friend Ray lived. We couldn’t find parking. It was unseasonably frigid night, so walking far was out of the question. While driving around looking for a spot we spotted Ray, his girlfriend, and a few other people…
Essays, Interviews, Observations, Pop Culture, Stories, and other Dodginess
Posts from the “Reclusive Author Clive Javanski” Category
The Asshole Book Club has reached a point where it no longer brings books to the party. To quote Aidan, “I don’t have fuckin’ time to read.” Aidan was never much of a reader. What he most enjoys reading is the upcoming band list at The Empty Bottle. I like to read, and write, and Chicago reclusive author Clive Javanski and host of this final Book Club likes to do both. Lately we’ve all been bringing more writing than reading material. Even Aidan, who the last time brought a short story he wrote on his about a much older Chicago tour guide he, in his words, “banged.” So from hence forth these gatherings will be known as “The Asshole Writer’s Club.” For our final…
Chicago. Several years ago in a Wicker Park loft. The first and last gig of UK Grief. “You assholes are in a band?” That can’t be the worse thing you hear when you’re getting in a lift with your bandmates and instruments. Especially when it’s from the mouth of Beer Belly Bob, a local nit who apparently left his bar stool at Mickey’s Tavern to be a pain in our ass at our friend’s Wicker Park loft. The “our” is UK Grief, a newly formed band consisting of myself (vocals), Chicago reclusive author Clive Javanski (keyboards), Aidan (bass), Franz (guitar) and Sasha (percussion and vocals – and back from living in Paris for a year). We were having what businesses call a “soft opening.”…
The Dodgy 