My name is Tualla and I'm somewhat active on all the usual places and a number of boards and listservs.

Been a fan of the National since the 2nd cd and will be seeing them for the first time in Toronto next month.

Cheers.

Besides, Guided By Vodka is the best alias on this board!

Reminds of a crazy russian guy on YouTube:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2MWd4c0nMng

Will second that - it's a quality name.

Jesus!

Ok, well… I’m Pocket (so called because I have a friend with the same forename [Richard], he is bigger than me; hence, I became ‘Pocket Rich’). I’m living in Leeds, UK, working hard at Leeds College of Art & Design (that’s working not being a student). I am a practicing painter… anybody interested in art can check out my paintings at www.richstudio.co.uk

How did I stumble across The National?

In 2001 or 2002 (it’s all a bit blurry), whilst working the bar in a pub/venue in Leeds called The Packhorse. The gig room is upstairs, and one fateful night I wandered upstairs to collect some glasses and see what the band was like. I entered the room to hear the last minute of the last song of The National’s set. I was utterly transfixed, rooted to the spot in total awe. I couldn’t even tell you what song it was now but I was completely hooked instantly, which is quite an achievement considering I heard new bands every single night. I spent that night’s wages on their first album, before I’d even taken the empty glasses back to the bar, just on the strength of the last minute of their set and have been obsessing ever since. I have seen them 4 or 5 times now. Most memorable National moment has to be the first time I heard them play ‘About Today’ live; having never heard the song before; it was so intense, I have to admit to not being able to hold back real tears. How many bands could do that? One, that’s how many.

Two of my mates are DJ’s at a club in Leeds (‘Gigantic’ @ Subculture), imagine their faces the other night when they noticed that I was sat in their club listening to my walkman instead of listening to their set… it was the day I got my hands on Boxer, what else could I do????!!!!

When not listening to The National (which isn’t often), I like to listen to: Iron & Wine; Bonnie ‘prince’ Billy; Epic 45; The Album Leaf; Hood; Mogwai; Godspeed; Nick Drake; Leonard Cohen. I can also often be found watching Jean-Pierre Jeunet films or reading Charles Bukowski; Milan Kundera; Paul Auster or Ian McEwan.

Why am I here?
I got bored of silently watching from afar, somebody asked for clarification of the lyrics to ‘29 years’ and I just couldn’t help myself any longer.

Okay so I already wrote most of this in the Where Are You from Board. My name's Chad I was born and Raised in a little town just outside of Dallas Texas called Grand Prairie. I now attend New York University where I am double majoring in Film and Screenwriting. I hope to one day make a documentary on my all time favorite band The National.
I was first introduced to them through my roomate freshman year. I was pretty bleek in the music scene and was pretty displeased with the majority of the music that I heard coming thorugh my roomates computer until one day I heard Mr. November. And that was it a one hit wonder, it was like Matt was "strumming my pain with his fingers, singing my life with his words" okay obviously he wasn't strumming I'll give Bryce, or Aaron, or Scott, or all three of them credit for that. But TN has become my band, and I'm trying to help spread them through as much as the south as I can. Also I have seen one Naitonal concert, but they were opening for The Arcade Fire and their fan base was sorely missed at the concert, I can't wait to attend a show where I can get lost in the songs with a crowd of other people.

And I too must also confess the National's lyrics have brought me to tears before.

Hey I'm Boots, it's my real name, and I'm in Bloomington Indiana. Was hooked the first time I heard Alligator

Since we're all friends here.....


I'm Wesley, I'm 29 and I'm from Coleraine in Northern Ireland.

I'm here because I absolutely love this frickin' band. Their music grabs me in a way that no other band has ever done and I just can't get enough of them. The only thing better than listening to them is talking about them so that's why I come on here - I like to know that there are others who think they're as special as I do. Thanks Mark - you're my hero!!!

I am the only person I know (apart from you guys) that listens to them. I've been trying to convert people but have only managed one so far - my girlfriend - she was able to quote me back the lyrics of Secret Meeting over dinner the other night - it was a special moment for me!!!

I'll be seeing them in concert for the first time in Nottingham in July and after all I've read about their live perfomances I can't wait.

I love you guys.

Hi, my name is Rosemary and I am a Nationalholic...I'm the inventory manager for a large independent book/music/dvd store in Okemos, Michigan (I live in Lansing, which is much more declasse'). I have always been a big music geek and first heard "Mr. November" on the Uncut magazine CD, loved it, bought Alligator, bought all the others and just laid hands on Boxer (which I will be buying on Tuesday when I can legally do so. Where my copy will be this weekend, well, we won't talk about that!) Saw them live last year in Grand Rapids and was blown away, one of the most impressive live performances I've ever witnessed.
I am currently freaking out because I have tickets for the Detroit show but I don't drive and my concert buddy will be out of town that week. (If any Lansing area fans are driving down for this show and would be willing to give me a ride, I have an extra ticket and I will pay for gas! Email me at rdwos@hotmail.com!)
I love the forum. So much going on here all the time.

Email sent! I'm From Haslett.

Hiya. I'm JL, oddly enough, a 45 year old juvenile from Greater Nowheresville, MI, and like the rest of you slobs, I adore the very water The National walk on. I bought Alligator based on a tip from somebody I forget, immediately went gaga, bought everything else, saw the lads at the stellar show in Grand Rapids last year, and so on.

Speaking of the upcoming Detroit show, I won't be able to attend, so if anybody wants my ticket for, like, free, let me know.

Guided by Vodka is the best name ever -- is that the same GbV from the Wrens board, or are there just lots of the vodka-guided traipsing about?

Hello everyone. I am a young(ish) Irish man working as a lab monkey in Edinburgh. My interest in the national comes from my love of the tindersticks and my desire to track down similar bands. I knew of the national with the release of "sad songs..." but did not get into them until alligator, I would now consider the national as one of my most loved bands and do my up most to expose them to my friends. Am looking forward to the release of Boxer with great anticipation.

I'm Alex from Milwaukee, WI. 31 years old. I've became a National fan after seeing them open for The Pernice Brothers cira "Sad Songs". I really fell headlong once Alligator clicked for me. I've been shouting the band's praises ever since to anyone and everyone who will listen. I think I've made believers out of a decent number of people.

Like many of you, I'm an obsessive music geek.

Hello everyone. I'm a newbie here but have been a fan of The National since Cherry Tree. Popped into my local CD dispenser this morning to secure a copy of Boxer. Quite simply, a stunning record.

I come from Leicester in England and managed to see The National in Nottingham last year. On Wednesday I'm flying out to Berlin to see the gig at The Magnet as I couldn't make it down to London this evening.

Looking forward to engaging with other National fans.

Hello !
My name is Matthieu, I'm 28 ans I'm from Paris.
I discovered The National with their 2005 Black session : a friend of mine won tickets and I came with her to the show with no idea of who were The National...
What a surprise ! It was the best show I've ever seen so far (given by a band I didn't know before the show). So I bought and loved Alligator and their other albums. And I went to see them 5 times on the Alligator tour.
I also like Nirvana, The Cure, Radiohead, Whipping Boy, Maximo Park, Miossec, Cold War Kids, Morrissey, Bloc Party, The Music, The Libertines, New Order, Joy Division...