22: So Many Recesses
and Pink Floyd and Queen and getting on people’s tits, and a 2017 comic about nail polish.
Rock and Roll Elementary School
School was another source for learning about music. I have strong memories of hearing Another Brick in the Wall pt 2 at a school assembly - it was part of a skit by the oldest kids, the tall, cool, impressive grade 8s - and practically swooning at the open rebellion in the lyrics. Oooooooh, I said to myself. There’s this!
Another One Bites the Dust was possibly the same assembly. I think it’s still a fantastic record - knowing how derivative it was doesn’t dampen it.
The flip side of the single was also amazing: Don’t Try Suicide confused the shit out of me because for a song about how you shouldn’t kill yourself, it’s not exactly encouraging.
So you think it's the easy way out
Think you're gonna slash your wrists this time
Baby when you do it all you do is get on my tits
Don't try suicide - Nobody's worth it
Don't try suicide - Nobody cares
Don't try suicide - You're just gonna hate it (LOL)
Don't try suicide - Nobody gives a damn
I wrote a gag comic about it when I heard it - the earliest instalment of this strip, 40 years ago, lost to time.
The setup: Somebody who’s considering suicide reconsiders momentarily upon hearing the song in a record store.
The gag: Once they hear the rest of the lyrics - they kill themselves! HA!
I was ten. Still, it’s good I don’t write a lot of gags.
Bonus Pride Comic
Paint your nails, baby! Blow your own mind and the rest will follow. This true story’s from 2019 (feels like 5 years ago).
Happy Pride Month! Thanks for reading. If you like it please share it.
XO
jep
That 4th panel knocks me out. The tilt matching the shocking comment, the grids. So good!
So, I was THAT kid who would have made the patriarchal judgement, but I came by it honestly with a loving dad who called me a girl when my hair got too long and a peer group of jocks who sized up everything through the lens of manliness. I too got the nail painting that day -- although I chose all purple (I think i was in a Prince phase at the time) and I certainly didn't get the reactions you got!
The power of Another Brick in the Wall shocked me at the time as a freshly minted teacher (I was such a huge Floyd fan!) and I vowed not to have those negative influences enter my classroom -- I probably failed miserably, but I'd like to think I at least brought kindness and understanding to the room.... or at least made everyone comfortably numb:)