Lou Barlow is my Boyfriend
As a youngster, I was introduced to Lou Barlow’s catalog in a backwards way… I didn’t start with Dinosaur or early Sebadoh. My introduction to Lou was the Folk Implosion – specifically their bedroom pop masterpiece “Take A Look Inside”. And from there I expanded in all directions. I remember being shocked as a Freshman in high school when I realized that Lou was a founding member of Dinosaur Jr. I’m a youngin, 28 years old currently, so I didn’t have the privilege of living through Dino’s early years. When I encountered Dinosaur Jr. it was “Feel The Pain” era, and I was one of the many people who purchased “Without A Sound” on compact disc in the late 90s. At the time it never crossed my mind that the dude from Folk Implosion and Sebadoh could have any commonalities with Dinosaur Jr. In any event, the point is, I was a fan of Lou’s songs long before I understood his importance to the wider history of indie rock.
I first got to actually talk to Lou when he was Indianapolis about 2 years ago. It was prior to the release of the Dinosaur Jr. Cassette Trilogy, but after the release was well confirmed. So I had a reason to talk to him… a reason other than just being a dickhead fan. To my surprise Lou was selling merch right when we walked in. I b-lined it for the bar, got drunk, and probably annoyed the shit out of him. But that night we also came up with the idea of including “Weed Forestin” as a free bonus for every 10 random people who ordered the Dino box set. So, time well spent I guess.
The songs I’ve chosen for this playlist are some of my favorite Lou tracks from his bands over the years. I have chosen to omit his solo material, and instead to cram together diverse recordings from Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr., and Folk Implosion. Enjoy!