In the early ’90s, the Jesus Lizard—vocalist David Yow, guitarist Duane Denison, David Wm. Sims and drummer Mac McNeilly—was untouchable. Not literally, of course—if you were at one of its hundreds of shows in that era, you could very easily touch ’em. And given the amount of time Yow spent slithering on top of the audience, you probably didn’t have a choice in the matter. Denison and McNeilly will be guest editing. Read our new MAGNET Classics feature on the band’s Liar album, one of the most important LPs of the ’90s.
Denison: Having kids makes one reconsider food. I’m an “old dad” (my first child at 46), so I should know. I’ve gone through phases, diets, kicks, all that. Nothing extreme, but far removed from my parents’ generation of midwesterners. My mom has never had Indian or Thai and never will. My dad left this planet without ever sampling sushi. I don’t remember ever even having fresh asparagus until well after I’d left home. My parents’ generation thought carryout Chinese was exotic, so compared to them I’m a galloping gourmet. Having a kid will bring you back to square one. Once they get past the early stages and actually eat real food, you’ll find yourself gobbling down all sorts of things you’ve long abandoned. Mac and cheese? Salami? Forbidden and forgotten, they beckon with explosions of flavor. Tater tots? Peanut butter and jelly? Grilled cheese? Really, these fattening artifacts of youth, these echoes of a carefree past—they await you and invite you. Go ahead, dig in. Just this once. Are you gonna finish that?
