Would that be a bad thing? Given that Reidy feels Corgan "is the human equivalent to having insects lay eggs in your pee hole," the answer would seem to be "yes." Yet Reidy, who briefly freelanced at Westword after putting The Hooligan in its grave, found zines too addictive a habit to kick cold turkey, and that's a very good thing.
Unsurprisingly (and blessedly), War Time Smile, a pocket-sized volume that can be found in the occasional club or music outlet, showcases Reidy's usual quirks and obsessions. It opens with an essay that rants about the evils of a certain George W. Bush even as it targets those too blinkered or ignorant to notice or care before offering up a slew of generalized pop-culture observations; a Q&A with Tokyo Police Club; an advice column featuring the inspired title "Ask a Guy on Colfax;" a staggeringly detailed critical debate over the worth of the Fleetwood Mac album Rumours that pits Reidy against another former Westword contributor, Jason Heller; and a closing essay from guest columnist Matt Weatherford that begins with the phrase "Dear Mensa Jerks."
Put that in your thinking cap.
By the way, War Time Smile is sponsoring a contest that asks respondents to come up with their "best text/email abbreviation": the example mentioned is SOMF, which translates as "Shit on My Face." Two tickets to a July 21 show at the Larimer Lounge starring the aforementioned Tokyo Police Club are up for grabs. Send your entries to [email protected] -- or check out the War Time Smile blog by clicking here, and enjoy even more examples of Reidy being Reidy.
It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it -- and Billy Corgan was already booked. -- Michael Roberts
