Ty Segall “Manipulator” 2014. Drag City Records. A double LP, the glammy psychedelic garage rock album Manipulator was Seegal’s seventh studio release; it went to #45 on the US album chart (and to #8 on the Alternative Album chart) and to #73 in the UK. We saw Ty play this past weekend at First Avenue in Minneapolis, where he played mainly from his 2021 release Harmonizer and probably tracks from his forthcoming album Hello, Hi due to be released later this month.

It was an awesome show that started with him playing solo acoustic for a couple of songs before his Freedom band joined and tore the roof off in a maelstrom of fuzz and buzz. We had secured a spot right up front which was excellent – until it wasn’t. There had been a small pit that formed and unformed throughout the concert, which was mildly irritating but manageable. However at the final encore, a couple of guys charged the security fence and leaped over. This is where things get hazy for me and I didn’t see what happened but the next thing I know, a guy apparently must have made it up onstage and dived – right onto me. He hit me at the base of my neck/top of my thoracic spine and I went down. I was pulled from the crowd and made it to a wall where I think I was surrounded by security asking me if I was OK. I was able to respond to indicate that I did not want them to call an ambulance as I was able to move my head and process thought enough to know what was going on (and to know that I did not want the medical bills associated with an ambulance ride and ER visit). When the last song ended and Joe went to get the car (no way was I up for walking through downtown Minneapolis to get to where we parked), security got me a massive bag of ice from the bar and I literally laid down on the floor of First Ave, draped over that ice. After a few minutes, Ty himself came out to check on me and find out how I was doing. He apologized profusely (I let him know it wasn’t his fault!), we commiserated on how the kids these days don’t know pit and stage-dive etiquette (Ty: “You make direct eye contact first! Then you go!”). He also expressed his love for Spotted Cow beer when he learned I was from Wisconsin (you can’t get Spotted Cow outside of the state and he had loaded up while driving through) and offered me one (I declined). He also offered me free tickets to any of his shows from here on out. (I’ve been in contact with his manager and she’s confirmed free shows for me!) So I guess that’s cool even though I still am sore and have weird nerve shit happening in my arms and hands two days later.

Anyway, Manipulator: it too is fuzzy, buzzy and awesome. My top tracks are “It’s Over,” the groovy ass-shaker “Feel,” the extra-glammy/Marc Bolan-dentical “The Clock,” “The Hand” and the Stooges-inspired “The Crawler.”

Another top track is the super-catchy “Tall Man Skinny Lady” – the video linked below is from Ty and his Manipulator Band performing at Grimey’s in Nashville, which is perfect because that’s where we picked up this copy of Manipulator just a few weeks ago. (Two of the guys in the band are in his current Freedom band: though the guitarist is now on drums.)