The Agony of Laffitte

Spoon
"The Agony of Laffitte"/"Laffitte Don't Fail me Now."

For a brief period of time in the 90's, indie rock had its moment in the spotlight. Bands like Nirvana had proven that the right underground music act could flirt with legitimate mainstream success. Major label's were quick to gobble up bands they were convinced would be the "next big thing." The problem was, not every band can write a Nevermind.

Spoon were one of the bands swept up in the madness. In 1998 they were signed to Elektra by a man named Ron Laffitte. The members of Spoon were smart enough to be wary of the deal, knowing what could happen to up and coming artists signed to major record labels if things didn't go right. But Laffitte reassured the band that they wouldn't simply be forgotten by Elektra. He promised them that their new record A Series of Sneaks would get the promotional funding it so desperately needed to stay alive in a mainstream market.

The money, of course, never came. Unsurprisingly, the record sales didn't live up to Elektra's expectations, Lafitte was fired and Spoon was dropped from the label a mere three months after A Series of Sneaks was released. The band responded by releasing the single "The Agony of Laffitte" and its b-side "Laffitte Don't Fail me Now" on Saddle Creek records. The record took aim at both Laffitte and Elektra CEO Sylvia Rhone.

What's great about the single is not that it's an indictment of the music industry, nor that it's a record about the perils of being on a major label, that's been done before by bands full of vitriol (see the Clash's "Capital Radio" EP or "Complete Control"). What's great about Spoon's tale of woe is how non specific they made it sound. Despite the fact that both Laffitte and Rhone are mentioned by name, there's only the slightest of hints as to what is being lamented. A casual listening to either track without any background knowledge would lead you to believe that lines like "and keep telling yourself there's more to you than her/
but you're no better than Sylvia" are about the betrayal of a lover, not a Chief Executive Officer. In fact, the only reason I know the story behind these two songs at all is because I came across an old Village Voice article by Camden Joy called "Total Systems Failure." The article, like anything Joy has ever written, is well worth reading.

What Spoon manage to pull off on "The Agony of Laffitte" is nothing short of amazing. The musical equivalent to a punch in the gut so convincing that even Laffitte and Rhone would be embarrassed were they ever to hear it. All this done with nary a "fuck you" uttered, at least not verbally. But the feeling of betrayal and anger is all there in the lead singer's voice, a sentiment not screamed or even growled, but hissed, almost whispered.

It's like I knew two of you man
the one before and after we shook hands.

But the act of betrayal is never described, there's no need for it to be rehashed. The accused know exactly where they stand. All that remains is for Spoon to ask the pointed question:

All that I, I want to know
Are you ever honest with anyone?
And I say, no no
Are you honest with anyone?
How does it feel to go home
And not be honest with anyone?

What results is an emotionally wrought gut check for anyone who hears it. Its simply one of the most damning songs of betrayal ever put on wax.