Music

The Ottawa Sun release a Mark Kozelek diss track

by Jesse Locke

Sun Kil Moon singer/barb-slinger Mark Kozelek has a complicated history with the city of Ottawa. His much-publicized feud with Philadelphia group The War on Drugs began at the 2014 Ottawa Folk Festival and he recently took aim at some other targets in the Canadian capital with his latest musical tantrum “The Ottawa Bluesfest is Run By Inbreds.” Listen to a live recording below:

If you can muster the interest to make it through all seven minutes, you may catch references to Ottawa Sun reporter Aedan Helmer (who Kozelek calls the paper’s “best little whore”) followed by a few potshots at his mother. It’s no surprise that Helmer took these digs personally, especially since he was a former fan. Now, the reporter has issued his own diss track in response, swiping the tune from Cheap Trick’s “The Dream Police” as another nod to an Ottawa Bluesfest stage collapse in 2011 and the band’s ensuing lawsuit. Don’t worry, it all seems confusing and cringe-worthy to us too.

Watch Helmer’s video along with his obituary-style piece on the Sun website and read the G-rated lyrics below:

Sun Kill, Sun Kil Moon
Sun Kil Moon, no one cares what you said,
You used to be good but then it went to your head.
There’s gotta be a better way for you to make money,
Cuz no one wants to pay to see you try to be funny.
Oh Sun Kil Moon, yer starting to depress me, oh no!
Well now Mark threw a fit and cancelled his show,
But no one woulda noticed if he just kept his mouth closed.
But that’s not like him, he just likes to complain,
I guess all those emails really did drive him insane.
Oh Sun Kil Moon, yer starting to depress me, oh no!
We all heard Mark complaining at the old Folkfest
Whining about the noise and making everyone depressed.
I guess he just had something to get off his chest,
Or maybe he finally figured out how to get himself some press.
Oh Sun Kil Moon, yer starting to depress me, oh no!
Well then I heard Mark at the Opera House,
He’s still talking trash, he’s still running his mouth.
I just feel bad for all those fans who had to pay the cover,
To hear some sad old man taking shots at my mother,
Oh Sun Kil Moon, yer starting to depress me, oh no!
Oh there’s gotta be a better way for you to make money,
Cuz no one wants to pay to hear you try to be funny,
You won’t be missed, we won’t remember your name,
Cuz you and Sun Kil Moon won’t ever play here again.