James Brubaker
@jamesbrubaker.bsky.social
Writer/Teacher. WE ARE GHOST LIT out now from Braddock Avenue Books (he/him)
Oh, life is bigger
It’s bigger than you and you are not me
The lengths that I would go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I’ve said too much
I set it up
It’s bigger than you and you are not me
The lengths that I would go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I’ve said too much
I set it up
November 23, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Oh, life is bigger
It’s bigger than you and you are not me
The lengths that I would go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I’ve said too much
I set it up
It’s bigger than you and you are not me
The lengths that I would go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I’ve said too much
I set it up
Flew to NYC to see Patti Smith play Horses. Incredible show. Top 5 all-time concert experience, practically holy.
Also, @michaelstipe.bsky.social was there.
Also, @michaelstipe.bsky.social was there.
November 23, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Flew to NYC to see Patti Smith play Horses. Incredible show. Top 5 all-time concert experience, practically holy.
Also, @michaelstipe.bsky.social was there.
Also, @michaelstipe.bsky.social was there.
“Bleed in your own light/Dream of your own life/I miss me/I miss everything I’ll never be”
November 2, 2025 at 3:34 PM
“Bleed in your own light/Dream of your own life/I miss me/I miss everything I’ll never be”
Only saw Beatle Bob once after moving to STL, at a basement DJ set in 2016. I heard he was a pain, shoplifted from record stores and tried to bully his way into shows for free—but man, still kinda iconic. I love that my beloved hometown band put out a song in honor of a guy from my current home.
October 31, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Only saw Beatle Bob once after moving to STL, at a basement DJ set in 2016. I heard he was a pain, shoplifted from record stores and tried to bully his way into shows for free—but man, still kinda iconic. I love that my beloved hometown band put out a song in honor of a guy from my current home.
I should be in bed, but I can’t get enough of this record. One more spin for the latest from GBV…
(And a happy birthday to Bob Pollard!)
(And a happy birthday to Bob Pollard!)
October 31, 2025 at 7:30 AM
I should be in bed, but I can’t get enough of this record. One more spin for the latest from GBV…
(And a happy birthday to Bob Pollard!)
(And a happy birthday to Bob Pollard!)
Circus Devils tonight:
Laughs Last (2017)
Laughs Best (The Kids Eat It Up) (2017)
Squeeze the Needle (2023)
*wouldnt normally include a best of, but since it was supposed to be the end of Circus Devils, seemed like a nice way to bridge the gap to StN.
Laughs Last (2017)
Laughs Best (The Kids Eat It Up) (2017)
Squeeze the Needle (2023)
*wouldnt normally include a best of, but since it was supposed to be the end of Circus Devils, seemed like a nice way to bridge the gap to StN.
October 31, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Circus Devils tonight:
Laughs Last (2017)
Laughs Best (The Kids Eat It Up) (2017)
Squeeze the Needle (2023)
*wouldnt normally include a best of, but since it was supposed to be the end of Circus Devils, seemed like a nice way to bridge the gap to StN.
Laughs Last (2017)
Laughs Best (The Kids Eat It Up) (2017)
Squeeze the Needle (2023)
*wouldnt normally include a best of, but since it was supposed to be the end of Circus Devils, seemed like a nice way to bridge the gap to StN.
My ranking of current era of GBV albums. This run is crazy good. Even my least favorite is a pretty good album. Bob is the best:
October 27, 2025 at 5:30 AM
My ranking of current era of GBV albums. This run is crazy good. Even my least favorite is a pretty good album. Bob is the best:
Getting close to the end of this Ictober Circus Devils journey. Tonight:
Escape (2014)
Stomping Grounds (2015)
Escape (2014)
Stomping Grounds (2015)
October 27, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Getting close to the end of this Ictober Circus Devils journey. Tonight:
Escape (2014)
Stomping Grounds (2015)
Escape (2014)
Stomping Grounds (2015)
Grand opening of the White House Ballroom (2028)
October 22, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Grand opening of the White House Ballroom (2028)
October Circus Devils-athon continues:
Mother Skinny (2010)
Capsized (2011)
When Machines Attack (2013)
(All by Circus Devils)
Mother Skinny (2010)
Capsized (2011)
When Machines Attack (2013)
(All by Circus Devils)
October 20, 2025 at 5:23 AM
October Circus Devils-athon continues:
Mother Skinny (2010)
Capsized (2011)
When Machines Attack (2013)
(All by Circus Devils)
Mother Skinny (2010)
Capsized (2011)
When Machines Attack (2013)
(All by Circus Devils)
Was gonna let the new Pynchon cut in my “to read” pile line, but my buddy Brandon convinced me to go with this one that had been patiently waiting its turn for months and goddam am I glad. Metallic Realms is fantastic, so funny, so sad—so everything I hoped for and more, @thelincoln.bsky.social
October 17, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Was gonna let the new Pynchon cut in my “to read” pile line, but my buddy Brandon convinced me to go with this one that had been patiently waiting its turn for months and goddam am I glad. Metallic Realms is fantastic, so funny, so sad—so everything I hoped for and more, @thelincoln.bsky.social
Gonna just start being really awful at everything I do and anytime someone calls me out on it respond by saying: “Well, you just have James Brubaker derangement syndrome.”
October 12, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Gonna just start being really awful at everything I do and anytime someone calls me out on it respond by saying: “Well, you just have James Brubaker derangement syndrome.”
More Circus Devils October
Circus Devils - Ataxia (2008)
Circus Devils - Gringo (2009)
Circus Devils - Ataxia (2008)
Circus Devils - Gringo (2009)
October 12, 2025 at 5:04 AM
More Circus Devils October
Circus Devils - Ataxia (2008)
Circus Devils - Gringo (2009)
Circus Devils - Ataxia (2008)
Circus Devils - Gringo (2009)
Most people don’t know, but it’s actually pronounced RRIFs
October 11, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Most people don’t know, but it’s actually pronounced RRIFs
More Circus Devils October
Pinball Mars - Circus Devils (2003)
Five - Circus Devils (2005)
Sgt. Disco - Circus Devils (2007)
Pinball Mars - Circus Devils (2003)
Five - Circus Devils (2005)
Sgt. Disco - Circus Devils (2007)
October 4, 2025 at 5:26 AM
More Circus Devils October
Pinball Mars - Circus Devils (2003)
Five - Circus Devils (2005)
Sgt. Disco - Circus Devils (2007)
Pinball Mars - Circus Devils (2003)
Five - Circus Devils (2005)
Sgt. Disco - Circus Devils (2007)
Haven’t done a Circus Devils listen in a minute. Not my favorite Pollard project, but plenty of great stuff. Some of them are kind of creepy/unsettling at times. It’s October, so…might as well?
Pictured:
Ringworm Interior - Circus Devils (2001)
The Harold Pig Memorial - Circus Devils (2002)
Pictured:
Ringworm Interior - Circus Devils (2001)
The Harold Pig Memorial - Circus Devils (2002)
October 2, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Haven’t done a Circus Devils listen in a minute. Not my favorite Pollard project, but plenty of great stuff. Some of them are kind of creepy/unsettling at times. It’s October, so…might as well?
Pictured:
Ringworm Interior - Circus Devils (2001)
The Harold Pig Memorial - Circus Devils (2002)
Pictured:
Ringworm Interior - Circus Devils (2001)
The Harold Pig Memorial - Circus Devils (2002)
Stephen Miller sez:
September 28, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Stephen Miller sez:
Constantly back and forth between wanting to listen to heartbroken/haunted/sad songs and angry/defiant/political songs, and so basically just end up returning over and over again to last year’s Mount Eerie masterpiece Night Palace because it’s all of the above.
September 26, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Constantly back and forth between wanting to listen to heartbroken/haunted/sad songs and angry/defiant/political songs, and so basically just end up returning over and over again to last year’s Mount Eerie masterpiece Night Palace because it’s all of the above.
Tonto, Tarzan, & Frankenstein
September 21, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Tonto, Tarzan, & Frankenstein
Kash Patel House Testimony (2025)
September 20, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Kash Patel House Testimony (2025)
Made it up to a Reds game in STIL today.
September 16, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Made it up to a Reds game in STIL today.
Weird moment when you finish listening to the new Sabrina Carpenter album and switch to Neil Young’s Ragged Glory and your car can’t quite keep up…
September 14, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Weird moment when you finish listening to the new Sabrina Carpenter album and switch to Neil Young’s Ragged Glory and your car can’t quite keep up…
Sinister is always going to be my favorite, but this one somehow feels like their best…
Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle and Sebastian (2003)
Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle and Sebastian (2003)
September 6, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Sinister is always going to be my favorite, but this one somehow feels like their best…
Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle and Sebastian (2003)
Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle and Sebastian (2003)
I’ve seen this one, the twist is he’s actually cake.
September 1, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I’ve seen this one, the twist is he’s actually cake.
Post a random picture, or else everything will go bad in September.
August 29, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Post a random picture, or else everything will go bad in September.