Lo-fi legend Lou Barlow has played in three of the most influential indie bands of the last quarter century: Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh and the Folk Implosion. And while he’s still recording and touring with the reunited Dinosaur (whose Farm was released this summer), his main concern these days is his solo career. Goodnight Unknown (Merge), Barlow’s second album under his own name and the follow-up to 2005’s Emoh, is his best collection of songs in a decade and features guests including Dale Crover (Melvins) and Lisa Germano. Barlow also recently joined Lara Meyerratken in Ben Lee’s new incarnation of Noise Addict, which released It Was Never About The Audience for free last month. Barlow (backed by the Missingmen) is opening for Dinosaur throughout October and part of November. As if that double duty wasn’t enough, Barlow will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with him.
Barlow: White wine—it’s for wimps. Everybody knows it. It’s bourgeois. It’s for ladies. It’s for me. I can’t handle my liquor anymore. Hangovers feel like armageddon/medical-emergency/nervous-breakdown time. Enter Veramonte. Unsweet (does that make it “dry”? I don’t know my wine-speak), reminiscent of grapefruit (but not fruity). It’s got as much alcohol as an average red wine so you feel it, but it doesn’t burn my guts and flush my face. It’s refreshing, like an ocean breeze. I pour a pint glass full of ice and drink it with a straw while the sun goes down. It’s from Chile and is too expensive: $14. But it’s the only alcoholic beverage I’ve ever consistently paid more for. Good champagnes are cheap (Domaine Ste. Michelle), red wines are all the same to me. Veramonte is magic; light but it kicks—kicks, but the bruises fade before daylight. The guy at the only store that carries it in my neighborhood said, ‘Why don’t you just buy a case? It’s cheaper,” but I can’t go that far. Plus I’m a fool. But Veramonte makes that easier when 5 p.m. rolls around.
