Everybody hurts sometime, and R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills is apparently still hurting over the '91 World Series, which his Braves lost (fair and square) to our Twins. Mills was in the crowd for Wednesday night's fun set by the all-MLB-themed band the Baseball Project, featuring one Peter Buck on bass and led by R.E.M. auxiliary member Scott McCaughey and the Dream Syndicate's Steve Wynn, with Minneapolitan Linda Pitmon (Zuzu's Petals) on drums. When Wynn introduced a new song about Denard Span's foul ball off his mom's head, "Look Out Mom," Mills yelled out, "[Expletive] the Twins!" Mills also loudly booed when the band started up "Don't Call Them the Twinkies," with Wynn singing in place of Craig Finn.
At that point, I had to ask: Sure enough, Mills steamingly told me he's still upset over the notorious call when Kent Hrbek allegedly pulled the Braves' Ron Gant off first base in '91, which is the basis of a new bobblehead. Hey Mike, how about a 20-year cap on sore-loserdom? His actions put me off so much, I didn't take the time to tell him how much I enjoy the new R.E.M. album, nor did I cheer when he joined the Project crew on stage. I didn't even get excited by the thought that Michael Stipe is also in town and could, at least in theory, make it a threesome at some point during SXSW.
