What Do Shins Read?

Sundays are normally tedious cleaning days for Elizabeth and I, with not much excitement around the old' Clipper, but a suprise visit from indie stars the Shins, who were in town playing a sold out show at the Pageant, really liven up the afternoon.

It took me a second to overcome my disbelief that the biggest band on Sub Pop Records since Nirvana, who currently has the eighth best selling album on the billboard charts, Wincing the Night Away (it debuted at #2), was casually shopping around for comic books.

So what were the shins shopping for? Well, right away lead guitarist David Hernandez asked Elizabeth, "What is that Alan Moore book that's kinda dirty?" Which, of course, turned out to be Lost Girls, one of the few items in the store that you have to be over 18 to look at. He ended up passing on it, relieving all at Star Clipper from the responsiblity of a spontaneous change in direction in the Shins music to an over-sexed funk act induced by Moore's series.

However, their touring bandmate, whose name I didn't catch, did pick up The Sweeter Side of R. Crumb, which should give you a little insight into the minds of the Shins.

My thanks go out to the Shins, ecspecially Keyboardist Marty Crandall, for not only getting me into the show but also hooking me up with backstage passes!

Congrats on the success on the new album!

-Jon