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Jay Reatard Remembered By Ben Rayner

Let me start this by saying that me and Jay weren't close mates but any stretch

Let me start this by saying that me and Jay weren't close mates but any stretch, but I did know him, and we hung out a good few times over the years.

The first time I met him was when me and James Knight had to go meet Jay and his band at the Holiday Inn in Hoxton to look after them for the afternoon before they played their gig at The Old Blue Last. They all seemed a bit jet-lagged, but his drummer at the time looked a lot like Garth from Wayne’s World, which was pretty cool.

The second time I met Jay was when my old band Shitting Fists played on a bill with them and Times New Viking at The Old Blue Last. We chatted a bunch backstage and watched them play a great set that ended with Jay throwing an air conditioning unit out of the window – which was also pretty cool.

The longest conversations I had with Jay, though, tended to be when I was drunk as a skunk. The most memorable occasion was at ATP in May 2008. I was pretty wasted from drinking beer and whatnot all day with Black Lips (this was the ATP when Jared Black Lips was so naughty that there were homemade "Wanted" signs all over the site with his face on them). We were all hanging out by Jay’s chalet, and I told him his band reminded me a bit of Screeching Weasel. He got really pissy in a semi-joking way and shouted: "FUCK THAT, WE’RE LIKE GEDDY LEE FRONTING HUSKER DU!" which, now I think about it, I guess they were. But I still think they sound a bit like Screeching Weasel. The photo up there was taken at that festival, where they played an amazing set.

The strangest thing I have Jay to thank for is that he had an indirect hand in me getting married. I was at Primavera in 2009 talking to Jay and Stephen, who was in his band at the time, and one of them asked who my (now) wife was. I replied: "My girlfriend, soon to be wife!" in my drunken state, which made me realise I wanted to marry her. Which I did. Thanks for making me realise that, Jay. You were a nice man and a fun guy and your band were always great live.