My dad picked up cross country skiing while he was at college in New Hampshire. One winter, he bought a pair of skis to take up the sport again... in suburban St. Louis. I remember watching him as he mushed through the thin layer of snow that coated our front lawn, as I wondered just what the hell had possessed the man.
I concluded that cross country skiing was the pastime of lunatics.
Maybe Low's Alan Sparhawk and his buddies in Black-Eyed Snakes are crazy. I'm not here to judge, just to report the news. As Pitchfork tells it, there's a new DVD of the group coming out, and it all revolves around skiing cross country. Snakes drummer Brad Nelson, believe it or not, once had Olympic skiing aspirations. Apparently his enthusiasm has spread, though Low has tried this sort of thing before.
Live performance footage of the group will also be included in the Hansi Johnson-directed DVD, entitled Cross Country With the Snakes. It's for sale at the Low online store. Also on there: a new tour EP from Sparhawk's other musical project, the Retribution Gospel Choir. The man stays busy.
As for his main group, Low, the band is gearing up for a tour of New Zealand and Australia in early 2008.
Related links:
BlackEyedSnakes.com
Paste: Low Turns It Up
YouTube: Black Eyed Snakes - "Good Woman Blues"
Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.

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