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June 09, 2004
Taj Mahal, Taj Mahal
I went to Durham tonight to eat dinner with some friends and we decided to go to the excellent Sitar India Palace, a tinted window joint in the Kroger-anchored strip mall across the street from South Square the future Sam's Club. I hadn't been there before...and it was so dark-looking that I probably never would have even noticed it or realized that it was open for business. As we strolled through the parking lot I realized that I was wearing my yellow Black Taj t-shirt emblazoned with a black Taj Mahal image. Oops. I remembered Grant explaining the myth of the never-built "Black Taj" and some of the rationale behind the band's name but I couldn't figure out whether the t-shirt might get me some cold stares or a free plate of nan. As it turns out, it got me neither (apologies to anyone expecting a better punchline to the story). But I did have a huge bottle of Taj Mahal with my tasty mushroom saag. I've been steering somewhat clear of beer since returning from the UK but I tend to be a sucker for ordering the appropriate national beverage (Kirin, Harrar, Tsing Tao, etc.) when eating out at ethnic restaurants. Even if the beer is just a plain Budweiser-esque lager, it helps add something to the meal/experience. Taj Mahal was actually a cut above generic beer status or maybe it just seemed that way because it went really well with my spicy entree. Anyway, it struck me that if the Taj Mahal brewer ever came out with a dark beer, they could call it Black Taj. Or perhaps they actually started to work on the recipe once but never finished it for some unknown reason.
(Apology in advance to anyone who Googles their way to this post in hopes of finding info about the great semi-local rock band Black Taj. I saw BT again last December at Kings and they were pretty awesome but I'm not sure what they've been up to since. I should've asked Grant when I talked to him last Friday but I'm sure it gets old when people ask you if/when your album is coming out. If a Black Taj CD is destined to be released one day, it will surely be a marvelous object of beauty that was well worth the amount of time that it took to put it together.)
Posted by Tim at June 9, 2004 12:58 AM
Comments
Sad days at 211. A few weeks ago and there was a flurry of closed-door clandestine meetings while the Taj's fate hung in the balance. The verdict is in. Still, everyone's friendly and at the first Jimi Hendrix Inexperience show in like 3 years over at King's last week, Mr. Brylawski joined the boys onstage to sing a few. They did record some stuff a few months ago but there were some misgivings from the two notorious guitar perfectionists, so who know's if it'll ever see the light of day. Damn, they were good, though.
Posted by: Jesse at June 9, 2004 03:46 PM
Damn, thanks for the update. I'll have to pour out a little Taj Mahal for the sessions that might not make it.
Posted by: Tim at June 9, 2004 05:02 PM
i sometimes order 'ethnic' beers appropriate to the restaurant, but i inevitably mispronounce the product and feel all the more anglo because of it.
"i'll have a 'sing dow', please"
[slightly amused look from the waitress] "ching tdah??"
zing d'oh...
Posted by: christa at June 15, 2004 12:00 PM