John Rockhold
Location: Lawrence, KS
Paw Fan Since: 1993. I discovered Paw via the legendary radio station out of Lawrence – 105.9 The Lazer.
Favorite Paw Album: The easy answer is Dragline. But I like to imagine the fifth release we never got, and I imagine it as Paw’s most perfect album yet. It would have had the tenacity of Dragline, the craftsmanship of Home Is a Strange Place (ditto St. Jude), the depth of Death to Traitors, and yet also a new and evolved sound via their maturity as musicians and humans. It would’ve been a work of art.
Top 3 Paw Tracks: Man, this is tougher than I thought it would be …
The Bridge
Texas
St. Jude
Favorite Paw Riffs:
The opening notes of Jessie belong in the rock riff hall of fame.
The opening blitz in One More Bottle and the contrast of the heavy and light guitar sounds.
Blow Wind is just perfect – it hits you like a wind gust.
Everything in the first minute of No Such Luck – from the feedback to the wail to the chugga chugga.
The soft middle and outro in Sleeping Bag.
The ethereal, enchanting diversity of sounds in Into the Woods.
Favorite Paw Lyrics:
“Caught in my own trap ... caught in my own trap again.”
“Hey Papa, you’re gonna have to kill me to keep me down.”
“Someone call a doctor!”
All the “no”s in The Bridge
“Go on now and leave me!”
“Leaving you was my best to give.”
“In a station … in DC … a huge black man and his eyes are full of love. I think of you. And is it any wonder … all our years have brought, is a sort of pain.”
Favorite Paw Memories:
Building this website.
I took over the Paw page on Facebook in 2018. It’s impossible to single out any one story, but seeing all the enthusiasm for Paw, reading all the stories that come in via the comments – it’s been an honor to play a role to bring together the Paw fan community.
Of the handful of times I saw Paw in concert, the best probably was a gig at Liberty Hall in 1998 (?). We were pretty close to the stage. We heard all the hits, plus several new songs that night. Paw was on top of its game.
Grant giving me a shot of whisky after a show at The Bottleneck.
Playing bocce ball with Mark in his back yard.
Leaving town for my wedding weekend, I called Jeff Peterson (DJ formerly of the Lazer, then with V100 out of Topeka) during the all-request lunch hour. I told him what I was doing and requested a Paw song. He asked which one. I said “surprise me.” He picked Hope I Die Tonight. It was a perfect pick and a perfect moment. I belted every word as I drove westward on I-70.
The sheer joy and massive hope I had during the Home Is a Strange Place era that Paw would really have another shot at fame, glory, and more records.
All the blurred memories of talking about and listening to Paw with my brother of Avalon, Dan Duncan, throughout our youth. Then, decades later, watching Dan shred Paw songs at the Dragline anniversary show in Omaha.
Paw Wishlist:
To find a recording of when Sir Paul McCartney talked about his love for Paw and Dragline specifically.
For this website to help preserve and uplift Paw’s legacy, and take the engagement of the Paw fan community to a whole new level.
For this website to inspire so much demand for Paw that the fifth album becomes a reality.