I have a favorite story about Jim that I’ve never told…We both used to be pretty regular denizens of the Schenectady Public Library, and I remember once he asked me, “hey, have you ever looked up ‘reality’ in the catalog (this was on a computer, but still many years before Google)?” I’m not sure if I ever did, really. I thought it was funny, tho, that the word of the day on Wednesday from the Oxford English Dictionary was “Realty”… and also on Kevin Kelly’s excellent Cool Tools blog he wrote up the Redfin Real Estate site (The smarter easier way to buy or sell your home). Um, yeah that’s right… realty… which the OED tells us, does actually derive from reality. Who knew? So, yeah, real, as in actual… you get it… not too much there.
Anyway, that really has nothing to do with the rest of this.
So… who or what am I talking about? Jim Kopta was one of the most talented people I have ever known. A brilliant writer, artist, musician and scholar, and one of the best friends I’ve ever had, who tragically drowned accidentally five years ago today. A musical legend as the main force behind Conniption, Gigantopithecus, Hail Mary, Brown Cuts Neighbors, Burn Unit and Exploding Corpse Action. Read more about the man here.
I can think of no more fitting tribute today than to present to you this piece, written by Jim, performed with Brown Cuts Neighbors (Jim, Jason Martin, Kevin O’Sullivan and me and Jeff Thoennes on the backing vocals), performed live on the radio station WRPI 91.5 FM in Troy, New York, in early 1991, by special request… Ladies and gentlemen.. I give you, Poopy Shit.poopy shit
