Ulysses, Ulysses, little flower, beloved by all the youth.

June 15, 2005 2:53 PM

Ulysses speaks!Background: The Conservative Nation of Ulysses (conservative refers to a reserved manner of dressing and acting) is a violent and rejectionist group operating out of the Washington, D.C. area who seek to "wreak their vision on the world" through the medium of music. Despite fiery condemnation by both liberals and the right, and a virulent campaign waged by the media and by parents' groups, their aggressive campaign seems undaunted, and schoolyards now more than ever chime with the chant: "Ulysses, Ulysses, little flower, beloved by all the youth."
posted by underer (24 comments total)

Cool 'zine. All they need is a flag; they've got the blog down.
posted by AlexReynolds at 2:59 PM on June 15, 2005

I used to love Nation of Ulysses...Make-Up even moreso. What is Ian Svenonius up to these days, I kinda lost track of him after the Make-Up dissolved, and can't tell too too much from these images and blogs...
posted by kaseijin at 3:01 PM on June 15, 2005

Geez, those straight-edgers got cranky, didn't they?
posted by gsh at 3:03 PM on June 15, 2005

That music link isn't going to work.
posted by underer at 3:04 PM on June 15, 2005

This post would have been even cooler if you'd waited just one more day to make it.
posted by scody at 3:22 PM on June 15, 2005

scody writes "This post would have been even cooler if you'd waited just one more day to make it."

True. I got kind of excited when I found it, and I wanted to share.
posted by underer at 3:28 PM on June 15, 2005

I also loved NOU, still do.

Ian Svenonius' new band: http://www.dragcity.com/bands/weirdwar.html

Not a huge fan.
posted by fillsthepews at 3:29 PM on June 15, 2005

It's nice to see this stuff on the web, since it all came out pre-Internet. Good post.

I like Wierd War. Live they're really good. I like them better than Make-Up, but it's hard to imagine a band comparing to NOU. They did so much so well and so quickly. I wish Tim Green's music, he's in Fucking Champs now, was a bit more like what he made in NOU.

Respect is due.
posted by OmieWise at 3:58 PM on June 15, 2005

I saw Weird War about a year ago, and had an almost irresistible urge to punch Ian Svenonius in the face the entire time they were playing.

Boy, I used to love those NOU albums though.
posted by myeviltwin at 3:58 PM on June 15, 2005

I loved the Nation Of Ulysses, and the Make Up.

Best description of a gig ever came from a friend of mine who, after seeing the Make Up play live opined: "It's like getting fucked in the ass by Jesus!"

I once interviewed Ian Svenonious, and he spent much of the time explaining to me that the evolution of rock'n'roll was not much more than a capitalist conspiracy to promulgate the idea of the tortured artist, because it was cheaper for record labels to manipulate solo artists than it was for them to promote jazz bands whose membership numbered 15 or 20.
posted by Len at 4:54 PM on June 15, 2005

I'll second Weird War being unsatisfying. Saw them open for Ted Leo (friends in DC from back in the days of Chisel) a year or two ago and was like "Is that Ian? Is that Michelle Mae?" I can tell you that seeing MM out of her Make-Up outfit was like seeing the characters at Disney Land with their heads off.

"Born on the Floor" (MP3) is still one of my all-time favorite songs. A show they played at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge is still one of the most incredible shows I've ever seen. Ian whipped the crowd into a fervor, walked across the room on a sea hands while steading himself with the pipes on the ceiling. If he wanted to, he could have walked out with a cult behind him that night.
posted by VulcanMike at 5:04 PM on June 15, 2005

"They" at the Middle East being the Make-Up. I love NOU as well, especially alongside the Make-Up, but I joined for Ian 2.0 while I was in college.
posted by VulcanMike at 5:07 PM on June 15, 2005

"It's like getting fucked in the ass by Jesus!"

Jesus entering from the rear
Fucking you in the ass...
posted by languagehat at 5:14 PM on June 15, 2005

I remember listening to NOU in high school. I didn't understand the sound, but I got the "feeling"... whatever that means. Seemed like sincere, antagonistic music (with a sense of humor). I can get behind that.
posted by basicchannel at 5:29 PM on June 15, 2005

Heh. I saw that a friend who's very much the Crosby, Nash and Young type had a Make Up album and was surprised. She replied with, "Oh yeah, when I was in art school, we were all friends with that weird little kid... what was his name, Ian something or other..." She's still friends with the guy from Dischord who moved back to Ohio. It was just funny that my lite beer neighbor used to totally punk out.
posted by klangklangston at 5:55 PM on June 15, 2005

Haven't listened to Plays Pretty for Baby in years. Thanks Underer!
posted by shoepal at 8:08 PM on June 15, 2005

I am having a hard time typing with both hands sewn to my chest, but here goes: Feederz Mp3s
posted by mokujin at 8:24 PM on June 15, 2005

This is great. When I was a kid growing up in Northern Virginia in the early 90's I loved this band. Sorry to self link, but here is a thread that I started on another site about N.O.U., just a few of weeks ago.
posted by trbrts at 9:00 PM on June 15, 2005

Dude, whatever. So 100 years ago.
posted by Jeff_Larson at 9:52 PM on June 15, 2005

Cracking post, thanks underer.

I like them better than Make-Up

Gospel Yeah-Yeah Blasphemy! Still, the latest Weird War is pretty good...

I loved Make Up so much that my left lung collapsed when I was on the way to see them for the second time. (Okay, they might not have been the medical cause, strictly speaking, but it sounds better if I tell it that way.)
posted by jack_mo at 6:55 AM on June 16, 2005

Ian whipped the crowd into a fervor, walked across the room on a sea hands

Ha! He did that when I saw him at ULU too and it was one of the greatest rock moments I have ever seen.
posted by ciderwoman at 7:10 AM on June 16, 2005

Ian whipped the crowd into a fervor, walked across the room on a sea hands

Ha! He did that when I saw him at ULU too and it was one of the greatest rock moments I have ever seen.

Man, do I feel old.
Gonna take my Blondie and my Etta James and go snarl at youth for a while.
posted by DeepFriedTwinkies at 7:45 AM on June 16, 2005

Ian whipped the crowd into a fervor, walked across the room on a sea hands

Ha! He did that when I saw him at ULU too and it was one of the greatest rock moments I have ever seen.

Man, do I feel old.

Me too, mate. Almost as old as Iggy....
posted by Decani at 8:13 AM on June 16, 2005

I must find out how guanoboy posts into the future like that.
posted by hellbient at 10:43 AM on June 16, 2005