Thanks to the intervention of “The JB,” I was spared the unreal act of waking up in the 5:00 a.m. hour, to co-pitch “Rocket 88” on KDHX yesterday. Perhaps that extra sleep, a bracing dose of sugar and a full moon all helped me to a superhuman energy level, which added to the mania of the “rare third KDHX pledge drive” last night. The energy didn’t go for naught and I think I can speak for Amanda Doyle in saying “thanks.” With a bravura return of pledges, we exceeded our goal by a bit, with some outrageously generous memberships granted. Fantastic stuff for the station and quite gratifying on a personal basis, I must say.

The only question, of course, being: when is it too early to begin stressing over the “true” spring pledge drive? Think I’ll start in, oh, a week.

I think this has something to do with my “flexible schedule,” but I’m down for four appearances on 88.1 fm in the next week, asking listeners for some additional membership dollars. You can hop over to the KDHX site for the full details, but here’re my talk-talk slots in coming days:

Thursday, 10 a.m.-noon, “Greaser’s Lunchbox” with Al Swacker
Friday, noon-2 p.m., “Bob’s Scratchy Records” with Bob Reuter
Monday, 6-8 a.m., “Rocket 88” with Darren Snow (oh my! the time!)
and of course
Monday, 7:30-8:00 p.m., “The Wire” with Amanda Doyle and… me

Amazing, this has already been reported on the web. (That crazy web!) So, yeah, I’m spinning on Sunday, February 19, 5-8 p.m., at the Hartford Coffee Company, where co-owner James Fox will be officially opening his art show. It’ll be a cobbled-together little PA system, but should be fun day, all the same.

Looking forward, more, to touring the adults-only space upstairs. Man, the baby invasion’s been nuts lately.

I feel particularly responsible for publicizing my spin at The Royale on Saturday, February 18 because the business at The Royale has been so anemic on the weekends. I mean, without my ability to generate four or five people to attend the club’s open hours… well, there might only be three times the 49-person capacity. That would be a shame.

So I better mention it: me spinning, The Royale, February 18, no cover, 10 p.m.-close, all of this assuming that I find my copy of AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” which seems to have come up AWOL, but is critical to any set.

Just this morning, I came back from Downtown with about eight boxes of books, given to me by a nice couple that’s moving to Chicago. The selection included everything from Wolfe to Franken, from poetry to architecture. A whole bunch of stuff, really.

This batch will be a nice, starting base for the 52nd City Book Sale, coming up in, oh, two months, let’s say. We’re looking to compile a nice, treasure trove of books to sell, to support the publishing efforts of 52nd City in the coming year. If you happen to have a few titles to part with – and, people, what you’ll get in trade at the used-book shops is scarcely worth the gas money in driving them there – feel free to drop me a line and we can meet up to make the exchange. My basement, already in chaos, has room for more.

For those of you in the sometimes-lamentable position of having to interact with me – especially via cyber means – please let this note reflect the fact that I have lost one of the two-dozen e-mail accounts which I’ve picked up over the years. Have your electronic storage systems note that tcrone @ sbcglobal.net is no longer in existence. The use of thomascrone @ yahoo.com, though will assure swift and thorough responses.

Thank you and happy February.

An article and story in Playback St. Louis on tattoo artist Carrie Davini.

A pair of articles and stories in Sauce Magazine; one on the band Red Eyed Driver and another on cold-weather vendors at Soulard Market.

A co-written web article on artists’ first trips to St. Louis on the St. Louis Magazine site.

Upcoming Post pieces, including bar reviews of Foley’s, Maryland House and the new Mike Shannon’s; plus a feature on Wall Ball.

Upcoming St. Louis American features on SLU basketball coach Petra Jackson and wrestler Phil E. Blunt.

Timesaver Trivia
Sponsored by 52ndCity.com

Where: Hartford Coffee Company, 3974 Hartford, 314-771-JAVA
When: Thursday, February 23; game @ 7:00 p.m., check-in @ 6:30 p.m.
How much: $20 per team of four players
Why: To benefit the publishing efforts of 52ndCity.com

What: If you’ve played marathon, night-long trivia contests, don’t fear. This one’s a quick-moving, pop-culturally-themed evening of trivia, with four-person teams. Game’s beginning at 7:00 and we’ll roll through 50 quick questions, which a heavy emphasis on that pop-cultural clutter in your head.

Some particulars:

Teams need to pay the total of $20 before the game’s start. No individual payouts of $5 per player, please! Registrants/team captains are responsible for entry fee.

Though alcohol is not sold at Hartford Coffee Company, you may bring your own. Because we’re not paying for space usage, please patronize the HCC counter for all your other drink and food needs. Can’t stress it enough: BYO beer, wine and spirits, but no outside food and liquid refreshments.

Winners receiver their cash back, plus absolutely fabulous, yet-not-necessarily-expensive, STL-related gifts.

Full rules will be provided at the door, which opens at 6:30 p.m.

Only 15 tables of four are available, so please register early.

Please contact 52nd City for details (rather than the good folks Hartford Coffee). Direct questions and registrations to: thomas@52ndcity.com or 314-776-6929.

Thanks!

(Update: as of Friday, January 27… only 12 tables remain! Book yours immediately!)

* Unlimited Toppings * with DJ Akita *
* New Wave * Rock * Downtempo * And So Forth *
* Fourth Wednesdays * Atomic Cowboy * 9 til close *
* 4140 Manchester * The Grove * atomic-cowboy.com *

* Bis * Bloc Party * Public Image Ltd. * Denali * Tracy Shedd * UNKLE * DJ Krush * Duran Duran * The Police * American Analog Set * The Killers * O.Rang * DJ Cam * The Aluminum Group * Radio 4 * Prince * Sigur Ros * Sugarcubes * DJ Shadow * Thievery Corporation * Ivy * N.E.R.D. * Interpol * Autolux * James Combs * Elastica * Metric * Kill Hannah * Dandy Warhols * Elastica * Tricky * Alpha * Beth Orton * PJ Harvey * Calliope * Berlin * Cranes * Hood * Monade * Human League * Massive Attack * New Order * Breeders * Cocteau Twins * Macha * Plus/Minus * Saint Etienne * Swervedriver * Hooverphonic * Ride * Flaming Lips * Fila Brazilia * The Cure * Ladytron * Veruca Salt * Talking Heads * Love and Rockets * Sly and Robbie * Three Mile Pilot * Gorillaz * MC Solaar * John Parish * Luscious Jackson * Jungle Brothers * Lush * Helium * Client * Bjork * The Angel * Pylon * The Method Actors * Mary Timony * ABC * Talk Talk * Lisa Germano * Morrissey * Eisley * Suede UK * The The * WaterWorks * Truly * Joy Division * Blinker the Star * Jeff Buckley * Majesty Crush * Pale Saints * Moonshake * Perfume Tree * Sugarplant * We Rigazzi * Longwave * Earlimart * The Clash * M-83 * Siouxsie & the Banshees * Si-Se * Squeeze * Ministry * James Hall * Baxter * 60 Channels * Franz Ferdinand * Luna * Mojave 3 * Failure *

(Update: part of the attendance issue at this event may’ve been the stupid, stupid name I came up with for the night. Why did no one tell me? Thanks to Amy, Fred, Claire, Michael and Eric for coming down and to the 24 people who asked, “how did that spin go?”)

Hmm, how’d this happen?

Tonight, I’ll be spinning records at my favorite new(ish) club in town, The Atomic Cowboy: 9 p.m.-close, 4140 Manchester, www.atomic-cowboy.com. From here on, every fourth Wednesday, same time and place. Plus some slots at other joints; those’ll be announced as they come.

It’s 1997, all over again.