I've had two songs dedicated to me in my entire life.

The first one was mid-February of 2004. The Fiendre had a radio show on KUMD and he played "Ball & Biscuit" by the White Stripes for me. I sat outside the radio station in the music hallway and listened through the glass. It was a geeky little thrill to hear my name announced on the radio and then hear my song play.

The second one was the end of May of 2004. I was not yet managing the Hardcore Jollies, but I think I was doing their website. Megan K and I drove up to Duluth for a weekend to see them play at the Norshor. In front of about fifteen people in the main theater-like room of the Norshor, Zachary dedicated Sly & The Family Stone's "If You Want Me To Stay" to myself and Megan. It was superb, especially considering there was a lot of alcohol in my system.

I saw Low play tonight in the Rafters at UMD. At first, I was under the impression that it was only Al Sparhawk, but when I got there, a giddy Dan Sarles informed me that they had just left to get Mimi and the whole band would play. All the wannabe hipster UMD fuckers were really starting to get to me, laughing and giggling and trying to draw attention to themselves and how cool they were. I stared up at Al and Mimi and Matt from the sound/lighting booth, watching Clay do his thing and reminding him that he was talking to Al Sparhawk and setting up a mic for Al Sparhawk and he just deafened Al Sparhawk.

After the opening song, the hipster bastards started to sit down, and Marisa and I followed suit. I was trying to concentrate on the show -- I obviously get pretty wrapped up in them -- but I kept getting distracted by the chatter and giggling that I wasn't quite sure of the reason for. They played "Monkey," "California," "That's How You Sing (Amazing Grace)," and "Dragonfly." Al made some awkward small talk about going to UMD and that weird fucking sculpture and eventually got around to playing "Pissing."

All of a sudden, I felt like the only one in the room. The hipsters and chatter and colored lights and pressure on my bladder and Burly Burlesque and That One Dude I Had A Major Crush On Part Of Freshman Year And Most Of Sophomore Year all faded away as they poured themselves through their instruments. Even my hero worship for the individuals melted away; it was just me and the song, me and the harmonies, me and the guitar reaching for a crescendo, me and the pounding drums, me and the screeching solo.

It wasn't dedicated to me, but that one was for me.