Tasha Does Tulsa.

TDT readers, I have an exciting introduction to make.

Meet T.J. Clark, the new music writer here at TashaDoesTulsa.com. The ever-so-qualified beat master T.J. of Rock Rulz fame is going to write here every couple of weeks on topics related to the incredible and exciting music scene we have here in T-Town.

After you read his first-ever post here at TDT, feel free to chill with T.J. here and here.

Every moment needs a soundtrack and sometimes the soundtrack itself is the moment.

I can’t remember the date of my first kiss, but I remember the song that was playing in the background: Joyride. Yep, 1991. It’s the year that Chris Issak’s “Wicked Game” came out, one of the sexiest songs ever, and I’m making out to Roxette.

Luckily, that song is pretty avoidable. But you’d better believe that if I ever stumble upon it, my body might be in front of a computer, but my mind is behind the skating rink, mugging with Jennifer Sequoya. (Pssst. Sequoya isn’t her real name. I’m trying to protect the innocent here. And because skating-rink necking with a girl named Jennifer Sequoya makes her sound exotic and kinda hot and way more interesting than she actually was.)

I digress.

Tasha gives you plenty of activities to fill your weekend. I want to provide you with the filler, the accent, the ambiance for your weekend excursions, and maybe a few musical Tulsa adventures of your own.

Consider this your guide to surviving the weekend through music. Here’s your first set of assignments:

Assignment 1: Build a Playlist

Tulsans love music. It’s ingrained in our history and continues to thrive thanks to places like Cain’s Ballroom, Brady Theater, BOK Center, and dozens of local clubs that stage nightly live music.

Thanks to our geographic location (the Center of the Universe is real, yo), Tulsa has played host to many of the latest and greatest acts passing east to west. For newer bands, Tulsa has always been a funneling point for SXSW and other gigs in that State That Shall Remain Nameless to the south.

So when it comes to music, we’ve never been satisfied with being lumped with the rest of the midwest and hearing about the latest bands months after they’ve peaked. Thanks to the digital revolution and the handy-dandy Internet, we can now get new music releases the same day as the rest of the country.

Some Tulsans, however, still clutch onto their Top 40 lists like it’s their last grasp on pop-culture relevancy. (“No, mom, listening to Maroon 5 does NOT make you cool with me.”) You can stop white-knuckling the Billboard charts, Tulsa. I’m here to help.

Here’s a playlist (NOTE! Some of this music isn’t safe for work) comprised of fresh, forward-thinking tracks sure to give you “I heard it first” bragging rights while providing an exciting soundtrack to your weekend. It’s also guaranteed to help fight your Coldplay addiction.

I kid.

(Not really. It’s a serious problem, dude. Put down the Coldplay and step away slowly.)

1. The Walkmen – “Victory” (listen here)
2. Deerhunter – “Desire Lines” (listen here)
3. Crocodiles – “All My Hate and My Hexes are for You” (listen here)
4. J-Roddy Walston & The Business – “Brave Man’s Death” (listen here)
5. Kanye West – “Monster (ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver, Nicki Manaj) (listen here)
6. Of Montreal – “Coquet Coquette” (listen here)
7. Part Time – “If I Lose My Cool I Die” (listen here)
8. No Age – “Fever Dreaming” (listen here)
9. Twin Shadow – “Castles in the Snow” (listen here)
10. Flight – “Turns to Blood” (listen here)
11. John Legend & The Roots – “Hard Times” (listen here)
12. Optic Nest – “Football” (listen here)
13. Prinzhorn Dance School – “Seed, Crop, Harvest” (listen here)
14. Weekend – “Coma Summer” (listen here)
15. Soft Powers – “Mary Never Sings Our Songs” (listen here)

Assignment 2: Plan Your Week in Rock

Contrary to common misconception, it’s pretty Rock-N-Roll to plan and prepare. But since misconception itself is also Rock-N-Roll, you are in quite the existential conundrum right now (the ultimate R-N-R mindset, mind you).

When it comes to planning, you want to keep your street cred and appear effortlessly ennui. In reality, however, you need to know when you’re going out so you can make room for a season’s worth of Dancing with the Stars on the DVR (OMG, can you believe what Bruno said about Michael Bolton’s jive??!!! What, you think I don’t watch DWTS, that it’s not Rock-N-Roll enough? You’re right. I don’t. I googled that shizz. Thank you, Internet.)

Let me just save us all the embarrassment and do some planning suggestions for your next few weeks:

• Friday, Oct. 8 (tonight!) – OK Sweetheart CD release party w/ Ben Kilgore & Sheree Chamberlain – Church Studios
• Sunday, Oct. 10 – The Black Keys – Cain’s Ballroom (It’s SOLD OUT, but if you are rock-n-roll enough, you’ll find a way in).
• Tuesday, Oct. 12 – Band of Horses / Besnard Lakes – Cain’s Ballroom
• Friday, Oct. 15 – Informer / Ghosts / Bearhug – Soundpony
• Friday & Saturday, October 15-16 – OK Electric ( 14 Bands, DJs, & VJs) – Living Arts of Tulsa
• Sunday, Oct. 17 – Broncho / Lizard Police / Gentle Ghost – Yellow Brick Road

Assignment 3: Become a Fan of a Local Band

I’m totally geeking out this week for the local band Lizard Police (listen here), a 90s influenced, post-punk quartet from right here in Tulsa.

The band lists Superchunk, Dinosaur Jr., and Fugazi as influences, which tugs at my distortion-loving heart immediately, as those were some of the same bands that helped me through the ACTUAL 90s. Gotta love when your musical soft-spot becomes cool again. It’s like, “hello, grown man, I’d like to re-introduce you to the music of your youth.”

Lizard Police is one of Tulsa’s newer bands, but it already boasts a pretty consistent performing schedule at places like Soundpony and Yellow Brick Road (and from what I hear, it’s one helluva live show, too).

You can also head over to a classy little web-spot called MySpace to give Lizard Police a lick (or just a sample, if you will, because it is MySpace, so I’m not sure if you’d want to put your mouth on anything there.)

That’s it for T.J. Rocks Tulsa homework this week – until next time, guys.

Extra Credit! To learn why T.J. thinks the music on your iPod sucks, check out his talk from Ignite Tulsa 2: