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From The Desk Of Jon Wurster: The Angriest Guitar Player In The World

JonWursterLogoTo call Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster “Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster,” while true, is a bit limiting. He also keeps time full-time (and tours constantly) with Bob Mould and the Mountain Goats, contributes hilarity to The Best Show On WFMU With Tom Scharpling and maintains one of the most reliably funny Twitter feeds. Superchunk is on the road supporting its 10th LP, I Hate Music (Merge); while traveling from gigs to home and to more gigs, Wurster filled some rare empty space in his hectic schedule by guest editing magnetmagazine.com this week. Read our brand-new Q&A with him.

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Wurster: The first time I saw this video, I thought it was one of the funniest things I’d ever seen. “The Treeman,” a guitar-playing Englishman who could pass for Santa Claus, nearly masters a tricky tune but is ultimately unable to nail the final single-note run. What follows is a colossal series of tantrums that would shock John McEnroe.

But when I got to the end, I realized something: I come perilously close to this level of fury at least once a week. Jammed car locks, falling cymbal stands, scratched DVDs, overheating laptops—they all conspire to ruin an otherwise peaceful day. I want things to work correctly and when they don’t, look out, there’s gonna be a smashin’ party!

Now, when I get flustered by my inability to find my wallet, instead of going on a cushion/magazine/chair-throwing rampage, I repeat a simple mantra: “Remember the Treeman, remember the Treeman,” and I gradually chill out. And if that doesn’t work I just stare at this picture of a mini piglet licking an ice cream cone.

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