No More Rock 'N' Roll Fun

After 11 years and 7 amazing albums, Sleater-Kinney ("the best rock band in the world" or maybe just "America's greatest rock band") are calling it quits. As they posted on their website:

After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings.

We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us.

But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile.

This sucks. It's not like they were running out of steam -- their latest album was maybe their best, as well as a radical new direction for them. But they just don't seem like the sort of people who would make this decision lightly or embark on a nostalgic reunion tour. Still we can hope...

I guess it's apparent that this band meant a lot to me -- it's weird to think they won't be around. I was lucky enough to see them twice live: once opening for Fugazi at a massive outdoor benefit concert for San Francisco Food Not Bombs, and the other at the Metro here in Chicago, which was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. It's almost worth buying a $150 ticket to see them play Lollapalooza in Chicago in August (their second-to-last show) -- almost. At any rate, they will be missed.