Jensen (Iron Lung)
SPB: What is the strangest interaction you’ve had with a (super) fan?
Jensen: The first time he showed up was only mildly weird. Kind of cool, actually.
He flew all the way to San Francisco from Florida for one show, rolled into the club with a giant backpack on straight from the airport. He went completely bananas when we played, jumping higher, and yelling louder than anyone before (or since). After that we introduced ourselves, he bought some merch and then he got a taxi back to the airport after the show. This was 2001 or so.
Over the years he has randomly showed up to various cities and countries: New York, Philly, Seattle, Munich, New Orleans, Toronto, and more. He came to Kortrijk when we played there, stayed for a day and flew home. At first we thought he worked for an airline or something like that. Nope, he just buys tickets and shows up. Did I mention that when he does decide to stay for the night he ends up staying with us wherever we sleep?
We've discovered that when he drinks and smokes weed in a night he will definitely piss the bed, couch, whatever. So we know that when he shows up he will be a handful but it will be so fun and crazy. He parties like a teen in heat. He has a speech pattern that is unique to say the least. Drinks are not drinks they are slurps, food is chomps, etc. He rapid fires non-sequiters that will get you every time. "Doooods, I am having such a blast; you guys are the shit; fuck these crowd wimps; is there weed anywhere?; I am wearing Depends; this shirt collar is not tight enough; I have blood in my BM."
He moves around a lot and mainly works in academia. Never seems to stay put for any length of time. He will be not pinned down. Real freedom. A true punk freak. We know all this sounds like too much but he balances all this with a warmth, charisma, and generosity that is unmatched in any other human. He goes to Christmas with our families. He drives with us on tours sometimes. Hell, he is even moving to Seattle to be closer to us pretty soon. We will definitely benefit from having him around, always have.
We might also be killed in our sleep and have our face skin worn like masks. Either way, he is a strange trip and I like those the best.
