mellowmas2010

Jason: So. Ten years of Mellowmas.

Jeff: It seems like a lot when you say it that way.

Jason: But it’s more than that.

Jeff: More than 10? Wait, we’re not stopping?

Jason: It’s actually our tenth anniversary of being friends!

Jeff: OH THAT. Yes, that’s true! Such a blissful decade of friendship.

Jason: I’m a nostalgic person, as you know.

Jeff: I do know this. I’ve seen you tear up at the sight of a 3D Santa.

Jason: Don’t you start with me! (sniff)

Jeff: Let it out, little buddy.

Jason: That Radio City Santa opening number is BEAUTIFUL.

Tito, get me some tissue.

Anyway, thinking about our ten-year bromance got me to thinking: when did our relationship go from just being acquaintances, to being mutual fans of the same music, to going out of our way to send each other awful music?

Jeff: Within the space of about four days, I think, although I could be remembering that wrong.

Jason: Do you remember how it started?

Jeff: I feel like we went from you sending me the Jellyfish box to me sending you the collected works of Benny Mardones in less than a month.

Jason: That’s not it. It’s okay, I’m already crying from 3D Santa. I’ll just keep crying since YOU DON’T REMEMBER.

Jeff: I’ll just be drinking silently in the corner.

Jason: It started because I sent you the Paris Hilton album.

Jeff: THAT’S how it started? You fucker! That hurt.

Jason: I know. And the truth is that I didn’t remember it starting this way either. I remember you starting it. In fact, you may still have started it. This is just the earliest thing I can really remember.

But anyway. Paris Hilton. I sent you her album. Do you remember how you retaliated?

Jeff: Metal Machine Music?

Jason: YOU ARE KILLING ME RIGHT NOW

Jeff: Am I wrong AGAIN?

Jason: YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT US

All these years.

Jeff: You are Dan Hill, I am Vonda Shepard.

Jason: Isn’t Dan Hill dead?

Jeff: He’s Canadian, so I guess he might as well be.

Jason: Oh wait. I’m thinking of Jim Nabors.

Jeff: Anyway. What am I not remembering here?

Jason: This!

Jeff: OH THAT! That CD polluted a section of my shelf for years! I wonder how I finally got rid of it.

Jason: Yeah. I wonder.

Jeff: cough

So gosh, that CD sucked, and I wish you weren’t bringing it up right now.

Jason: I wish the same thing. And I didn’t intend to bring it up. But you, see, Jeff.
It’s like this.

Jeff: The worm turns again!

Jason: I was doing some spelunking down the ol’ Mellowmas rabbit hole.

Jeff: That was your first mistake. Don’t go in there.

Jason: And I found this album called Songs in the Key of Z, Vol. 2: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music.

Jeff: concerned scowl

Jason: Which seems similar to Only in America Volume 2. Except.

Jeff: EXCEPT WE WILL NOT BE LISTENING TO IT

Jason: EXCEPT THIS ONE HAS A CHRISTMAS TRACK

leprechaun dance

Jeff: JASON DON’T

Jason: It’s time for “Santa Claus Kissed Me” by Beulah!

Jeff: Well, there’s a cat on the album cover, which I think constitutes fair warning.
I think this is what Tom Waits’ mom sounded like after a couple of drinks.

Jason: I have to tell our listeners: listening to this on headphones is a real treat.

Jeff: I’m listening to it on headphones right now, and for the record, I strenuously disagree.

Jason: I think I just heard a truck drive by.

Jeff: I wish I had been in the road.

Jason: Me too, buddy. ME TOO.

Jeff: Jason.

This sucks, Jason.

Jason: Sure does, “friend.” I love the emotion that pours forth from Beulah when she says she flipped her lid — which is to say it sounds like every other line.

Jeff: Is she even singing words? I don’t hear anything

Jason: I feel like I just missed a plot point or something. I can’t focus.

Jeff: It’s just one long, unintelligible punch in the eardrum.

Jason: I don’t even have the strength to Google her.

Jeff: I reeeeemember God gave us pure Chriiiiiiiistmas cheeeeeer

Jason: Jeeeeeesus was born in Bethlehem our fiiiiiirst Christmas yeeeeeeeeear

Jeff: People on God’s biiiig earth please start your Christmas day riiiiiiight

Jason: Let’s join haaaands across God’s ocean, God’s holy….and fadeout.

Jeff: Thank you, fadeout! Thank you!

Jason: Praise God! Praise Beulah! PRAISE THE TEN YEAR FRIENDSHIP OF JASON AND JEFF

Jeff: I have to say, I could think of better ways of praising it.

Jason: Clearly remembering our history is not one of those ways. I say you get what you deserve.

Jeff: Can you blame me?

Jason: …I feel like that’s exactly what I did during this entire chat.

Jeff: If an ashtray could sing, it would sound like the song you just foisted on us.

Jason: See, it’s lines like that one that keep us together. Whereas I always thought if an ashtray could sing, it would sound like your mother when I took her to karaoke last week.

Jeff: Wait, are you saying my mother sounds better than this? Or worse? Either way, I think I might take it as a compliment.

Jason: We sang “Can’t We Try.” #fullcircle

Also, it was weird. She wanted me to call her Beulah….WAIT A SECOND

About the Author

Jeff Giles and Jason Hare

Two people, separate rooms Trying to hurt the other Bound together by destiny Is there nothing they won’t do? Will we never see them through?

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