my friends are the best

I know, I know - who doesn't believe their friends are talented? I truly believe I've been luckier than most though, as I'm constantly amazed by way the people closest to me express themselves. And while it's a journalistic taboo to write about your friends, I've always ignored it. I can see where it might get tricky to criticize friends, but fortunately for me, I've almost always had something nice to say. And oh boy, I'm about to rave about Andrew Klein.

It's not hard to meet Andrew Klein, or count yourself among his friends. He's got to be one of the most approachable people I know, and the way he conducts himself with transparent romance and a quick wit endear him very quickly to anyone willing to listen to him wax poetic. I met Andrew first as a neighbor, then became immediately inseparable when I was the music editor and he the fine arts editor of The Michigan Daily. Always a great writer, Andrew and I shared many a hazy night passing each other beers and the typewriter.

So, in addition to being a terrific writer, editor and friend, Klein can also play a little guitar. And I have to be honest, I never thought of Andrew as a particularly great guitarist, at least technically. Not compared with the lead guitarist in his band, Gary, who must have practiced ten hours a day, and took roughly 95% of the solos in their blues band (The Midnight Special). But what Andrew may have lacked in technical skills, he more than made up for with enthusiasm and stage prescence (not to mention reverb and tremolo). This man knows how to sweat on a Telecaster, let me tell you. And if I ever needed someone to belt "Bring It On Home" after six beers, he'd be my first call.

But I was still caught off guard with the song that arrived in my mailbox this afternoon. Labeled Assistant Editor by the computer (its registered name, repurposed from Splicetoday.com) and with"About Half Way Done" as a working title, it's a one man (garage) band fucking jam. The guitar work doesn't surprise me - the tone is workmanlike and soulful, economical and brash. The vocals on the other hand, were a bit of a wtf moment. Andrew, did you spend some time alone in the woods or something, Bon Iver style? Where did these heavenly harmonies descend from? Was it all the gospel we listened to. I bet it was The Soul Stirrers.

I couldn't be more proud to debut this. Ladies and Gents, for the first time anywhere: Assistant Editor:

http://www.mediafire.com/?adzyi4nmjwu

(pictured above: the jail outside Memphis where Andrew and I spent a night on the floor sharing what looked like a thirty year old gym mat. We had to trade our pancakes for a blanket, and smoked menthol cigarettes rolled in toilet paper with a guy named Dot. But that's a story for another time).