... still amazed at how accurately the phrase “cop a squat” would help me predict how much I would end up hating a coach when I played sports.

... except for the coach that pulled bongs with us on the back of the team bus--from a bong disguised as a cheese puff canister that he had confiscated, naturally. On the way TO A GAME.

.... he said “cop a squat” a lot. And I liked him.

.... I think I might have even felt sorry for him. Being so “in over his head” and all.

.... the rest of the “cop a squat”-ers turned out to be a-holes.

Me standing next to RZA on the other size of the fold.

... doing a cover shoot for Spin magazine in the late aughts with a bunch of other artists. It was their summer festival issue and the premise was that we were all in line for a port-a-pot.

... it became clear after a while that they were probably going to try for a fold-out cover, because there were too many people to fit on the front page.

... publicists and managers were swooping in and demanding better placement for their artists. Everyone wanted to be in the back of the line because the port-a-pot was going to the punchline reveal when the cover was folded out.

... I don’t even remember how I ended up where I did.

... but I did meet RZA!

... “your shoe's untied” pointing down at my dirty white low-top Converse tennis shoes.

... “um… yeah I know, thanks” I said.

.... “that your thing?” He queried.

... “yeah, kinda” I said. Truth being, I’d given up on trying to keep them tied.

... “cool” he nodded, adding, “That used to be my thing”.

... I love that guy. Might be the coolest I’ve ever felt.

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This Week In Wilco, Etc.

1991 / April 24: Uncle Tupelo opens for Billy Bragg at the Graham Chapel at Washington University in St. Louis.

2002 / April 30: Wilco appears on Late Night With David Letterman and performs “War on War”.

1994 / May 1: With the Bottle Rockets opening, Uncle Tupelo play their last-ever show at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis, MO.

2011 and 2017 / May 5: On the same day, six years apart, Wilco plays the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Starship Casual

Cop a Squat (Rememories 15)