July 18, 2008
Rockin' Our DVD Player: Thax
Poet Thax Douglas has long been described as a polarizing figure in the local music scene, but after viewing the recent documentary on Douglas, Thax: The Movie, we've decided that viewpoint is skewed and incorrect. While there are a number of incredibly vocal critics who deride Douglas' presence at shows, the overriding majority of musicians and concert attendees appreciate his contributions to the community. Luminaries from Ted Leo, to Josh Caterer, to Jeff Tweedy sing the praises of Douglas' wordsmithing, and we even admit to gaining a new appreciation of his work now that we have a broader view of the poet's background.
A series of interviews conducted with the poet, sometimes with his parents present, is interspersed with archival footage of Douglas taken in the mid-'90s. It's this early footage that provides a bit of a shock as his svelte, clean shaven figure appears in both skewed art films and run-of-the-mill videotapes of parties with friends in progress. The story this footage, and the later interviews, tells is of an artist who has long worked at refining his craft. Casual observers might think Douglas merely whips off a few stanzas loosely related to a band just before they hit the stage, but this documentary portrays a man deeply invested in his work, and it helps display Douglas as he is - an integral and respected presence in the Chicago music scene.
It is only when the movie veers from this simple observation as it tried to play up some sort of falling out between Douglas and Wilco. This detour detracts from the focus of Douglas' talents in hopes of building up some sort of dramatic turning point for the movie to pivot upon, but my doing so the filmmakers do their subject a disservice.
Thax: The Movie is primarily a documentary of one man's internal struggles and successes that's punctuated with no small amount of self-deprecating humor fueled by a remarkable amount of self-awareness. We guarantee once you see this movie you'll never look the same way at the man at the lip of the stage introducing this or that band with a poem.
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I am glad we have Thax as a unique part of the Chicago music scene. I have never been able to understand why his pre-band poems annoy some people. I will take him over Austin's annoying "Beatle Bob" any day.
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Actually, Beatle Bob is from St. Louis, but I concur.
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Tankboy- Oh yeah, I just always seem to see him in Austin.
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I used to think it was kind of interesting and weird when he would come up but now that Ive got the schtick and he bashed wilco and chicago thax lost me. The "indie" scene, although strong in chicago (pitchfork, thax, so fourth) i feel like a lot of the people and places that embody it (thax, wicker park) are overrated and lack a lot of substance... so its not that i dont like his poems its just that i dont like the concept - it feels very hipstery (indie for the sake of indie) now
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Hotwater: I think part of the reason, at least in my view, is that Thax tends to see himself as a great poet and an essential part of the scene, which may or may not be true depending on your own tastes. But, if you happen to think he is not a great poet or essential, he seems to have a less than favorable view of your intelligence. This is based on running into this guy a few times at shows and from his various writings and ranting, not the new movie.
And wasn't he the guy who left Chicago in a huff? Whatever happened to that?
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Matilda-Granted, I base this opinion on nothing other than many years of going to shows, not every having any other interaction with him.
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Vise: You can follow the entire Thax saga here, here, and here.
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matilda, I think if you watched the documentary you'd see you were mistaken in how you think Thax sees himself.
And joshuamellin, you would be really hard=pressed to describe Thax as being "hipstery" or "indie for the sake of indie." In fact he makes a point of calling those types of folks out in the documentary.
Look, I know lots of people have their own opinions on Thax, and you're totally entitled too, but the point I was trying to make with this review is that the documentary really allows you too see the man in a greater context, and it clears up a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about Thax.
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Tank: Point taken. But he has acted a certain way at certain shows, and through certain writings, so that must be taken into account as well. I do not claim to know the full Thax experience, only that I've seen enough for my own tastes to form my own opinion, as worthless as it may be.
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I work at the Double Door and have spent many long, boring nights (thanks Nu-Metal) talking to Thax. He is a genuine person. (Yes they still exist in the chicago music scene) He reads for bands he likes or for people he supports in those bands. So i agree with tankboy's observation of joshuamellin's comment of Thax being "hipstery". He is far from it.
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I saw him in New York when I lived there at Southpaw. I was shocked. I'm allowed to move to NYC for two years, but Thax, a Chicago institution, needs to stay here. I'm glad he's back. Hell, I'm glad I'm back too.
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I have had run ins with Thax in the past that I found disappointing, and made me to a point of almost loathing his appearances.
But, through having actual conversations with him, I realized he's just a really confused and disoriented person, and have reverted to feeling sorry for him in a way. I just hope he figures out something that he is satisfied with that makes him happy.
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viva Chicago, viva Thax. the chicago scene needs more oddballs in my opinion. regardless of how you feel about the quality of his work, at least he's doing and creating something... more than i can say for most couch-critics...
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How does one go about crafting a muse?
I always thought a muse existed first, and influenced an artist.
I'm not sure how an artist crafts something that supposed to influence him or her.
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You know, I was going to correct that line, but I'm going to stick with it. I think an artist's muse comes from within, and is not some external force, so I'm going to say crafting is allowable in this context.
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Though I will admit that "refining his craft" would have been a far more eloquent way of putting it. Aw fuck it, I'll change it.