udon Wainwright III is one of music’s great iconoclasts. He put his trademark wit, intricate songwriting, and unique personality on display recently at Vienna’s Jammin’ Java. He introduced a lengthy prose piece by saying, “I’ve been thinking about my inevitable memorial service.” He asked, “Why leave it to others to make the important choices?” and described what followed “not so much as last wishes as preemptive guidelines.”

What followed was a strangely morbid and very funny sketch of a scenario in which Wainingwright skewered his own turbulent family history. He described his two ex-wives at the memorial, bereft, turning to one another, saying, “I like the idea of my two ex-wives leaning on each other for emotional support.” He also described how all his ex-girlfriends would be there, looking beautiful and mysterious.

I can’t do it justice, and you have to know a little more about Loudon to get just why this was so funny.