View Point Music: I Hate Banks

While in college, I dabbled in radio as a DJ at the local college station. All new records received by the station were placed in a box in the booth and us DJs were encouraged to play them freely. One day, the box contained an album from an odd duo: Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper. Mojo does the walkin' talkin' blues on his guitar with Skid providing percussion using a washboard. The songs are crude, profane, irreverent, and brilliant. Unfortunately in later albums, Mojo became more of clown (and joke) with songs about Debbie Gibson, Martha Quinn (one of the first MTV VJs), and Don Henley. Due to problems with the record label, the original album is no longer available for purchase.

I've seen Mojo perform live twice. Once in the early days in a dive bar near Wrigley Field. It was a great show. Nearly a decade later I saw him with his band, The Toadliquors, but he was in full clown mode and not nearly as good.

Here's a song off the original album that shares a common sentiment lately: I Hate Banks.