Garbage Hits Summerstage In Central Park – August 1, 2016 touring behind the new album Strange Little Birds…

As I mentioned to Shirley Manson as I was clipping a microphone on her garment last Monday evening, I read an interview with her in the mid 90s in which she was asked her preference between men wearing boxers or briefs. She indicated a preference for the former and that was the last day I would have been caught dead in tighty whiteys! She’s always had that intangible but integral quality of attitude that endeared her to me (and made me value her opinion on underwear) in the way of Patti Smith, Chrissy Hynde, Tori Amos, and Lucinda Williams. As it turns out, Shirley has a great respect for all those women as she reveals in the bonus interview footage included below.

Shirley was beset by Erics on all side in Central Park. Apart from having a short powwow with me, she – along with Duke Erikson and Steve Marker, shared the stage with an all-Eric with a C rhythm section of Eric Avery on bass and Eric Gardner on drums. The former is best known for his work in Jane’s Addiction and has been a touring member of Garbage since 2012. My only regret is I did not think to suggest that the band cover Standing In The Shower… Thinking! Mr. Gardner has worked with Gnarles Barkley and Tom Morello among others and is sitting in for Butch Vig as he recovers from acute sinusitis.

The show was opened by Kristin Kontrol led by the artist formerly known as Dee Dee of the Dum Dum Girls.

She remarked on stage that ‘we are Kristin Control’ so they are a they as well as a she. Her, and uh their, record X-Communicate is getting some love on WFUV. Here is the aforementioned bonus footage and an early wish for a happy 50th birthday to the fantastic Shirley Manson…