Barenaked Ladies Threaten to Release Another Song Unless Tariffs on Canada Are Lifted

Posted on by Steve Packosky

TORONTO — Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on their country by threatening to release another single, horrified sources report.

“Donald Trump has upended decades of free trade between our two countries,” Barenaked Ladies singer Lloyd Robertson said. “We had intended this as a last resort, but unless he makes the extremely prudent decision to lift them, we will pervade the airwaves with another one of our insufferable songs. Does he not remember how awful ‘One Week’ was? Does he really want to subject his country’s citizens to my pseudo-rapping over uninspired college rock? We really didn’t want it to come to this, but what happens now is entirely up to him. He has 48 hours to come to a decision.”

President Trump was visibly shaken by the threat.

“I didn’t even consider this possibility,” Trump complained. “Don’t get me wrong, I still think the tariffs are a great idea, some say the best idea a President has ever had. I just didn’t think Canada would resort to such drastic measures in response to them. I was prepared for our economy to take a hit, but this is something else entirely. I don’t think I’m prepared for the fallout of another song by the Barenaked Ladies. This is undoubtedly the biggest decision of my presidency, and I’m going to have to think for a bit before I respond. Luckily I have many experts to meet with in making my decision. Big, strong experts. You wouldn’t believe how big these experts are.”

Trade expert Gretchen Aaberg discussed the threat from Barenaked Ladies.

“I have been studying trade for decades, and I’ve never seen anything this serious,” Aaberg provided. “Society barely made it through one Barenaked Ladies song without collapsing, and I shudder to consider the effects of another. Just the thought of hearing that guy rant about Chinese chickens or Harrison Ford again is enough to send chills down my spine. Hopefully this is the message that finally gets through to Trump, because it undoubtedly goes without saying that his tariffs are the dumbest economic policy enacted by any President in our country’s history. All we can do now is pray that he makes the right decision, for all of our sakes.”

At press time, Sum 41 decided to join Barenaked Ladies on the threat to release another song.

Local Man Hoping Fact He Worked Phrase “Late-Stage Capitalism” Into Conversation Makes Him Appear Smart

Posted on by The Hard Times Staff

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Local man Mick Lovell attempted to weave the phrase “late-stage capitalism” into casual conversation, hoping it would make his friends respect his intelligence, sources confirmed.

“I recently learned the phrase while listening to NPR in the back of an Uber. But I’ll be honest, it was a 25-minute car ride so I fell asleep a few times and I didn’t really understand what the conversation was about, I just knew it seemed really smart,” said Lovell. “I finally found the perfect time to bust it out to wow everyone when I was out to dinner with a few friends, and they were talking about how the abandoned mall in our hometown burned down because teenagers lit fireworks inside there. That’s when I hit them with ‘That’s late-stage capitalism for you.’ The table went quiet, they all looked at me in awe. It was so impressive that the waiter even came over and asked me if my food was tasting ok because he probably thought I was some big shot food critic with an IQ of 210.”

Lovell’s longtime friend Danny Haywood was at the table that night.

“We were all having a great time laughing and catching up on old times when Mick chimed in with the capitalism nonsense. After he said it he leaned back in his chair and put his arms behind his head with this smug expression on his face that confused all of us,” said Haywood. “My wife asked him to explain what he meant and that just made things way worse. He started mumbling about gender roles and then faked like he was choking and ran to the bathroom. The secondhand embarrassment was so overwhelming I nearly passed out.”

Sociologist Anna Duncan says there is more evidence that people are trying to inject buzzwords into conversations to appear more intelligent.

“I don’t want to blame everything on Joe Rogan, but fucking hell, almost everything can be blamed on that meatball. There was a time when men were proud to be dumb, they made up for it by being tough, but now they want to be smart guys who can kick your ass,” said Duncan. “Unfortunately for society, these men are only able to regurgitate half-formed thoughts presented by discredited ‘experts’ and we have an entirely new breed of men who punch through drywall while talking about microbiomes.”

At press time, Lovell’s Google history was littered with the search ‘What can I say to make people respect me?”

We’ve Been Waiting Behind the Boathouse for 30+ Years but the Guy From The Toadies Has Yet To Appear and Show Us His Dark Secret

Posted on by Laurie Bolewitz

You may think of us as just piddling music journalists, but we here at the Hard Times are hard-hitting investigative reporters as well. When we get a sniff on a lead, we remain dedicated to getting the story no matter how long it takes. Which is why when the lead vocalist and songwriter for the Toadies sang, “Behind the boathouse / I’ll show you my dark secret,” in “Possum Kingdom,” track four on the 1994 album Rubberneck, we knew the story was behind the boathouse. We’ve been waiting 30 years so far, but we’re still feeling positive.

We’re not gonna lie, it’s pretty cold and damp behind the boathouse, and we’ve missed out on a lot of important milestones that most folks our age and also a vast majority of society have experienced. But we know when to quit. And now is not that time. Any minute now, he’s gonna show up, and he’s going to BLOW US AWAY with his dark secret. Any minute now.

We know when to give it up. The lead, that is. And this lead couldn’t possibly be a dead end, especially when we know our source is trustworthy. I guess one might call him a reliable narrator. So when Vaden T. Lewis (we won’t use his full name to protect his identity) promised he’d treat us well (AND called us sweet angels?!), we KNEW that he’d come through. He’ll be here. He probably just got stuck in traffic.

We’ve made up our mind. We’ve decided to walk with him around the lake tonight and, well, honestly, every night for the last 30 years. God, lakes and the areas immediately surrounding them are fucking cold and muddy though. We might be developing trench foot. Good thing we’re warmed up by the burning thought of how good this dark secret’s gotta be.

Wait, there’s not more than one boathouse on this lake, is there? No? Okay, phew. Okay. Back to waiting.

“Do you wanna die?” is a question he asked us, and, like, that adds some bonus intrigue, for sure. If we’re being honest, the answer is no; we’d prefer not to die. Especially not from hypothermia. So whether he has the secret to eternal life or plans to murder us, answering him seems worth the wait alone.

Wait is that HIM!?! Oh no that’s some birds. When you’ve been waiting so long, sometimes the movement in the bushes seems like the lead singer of a popular ’90s grunge band.

I know it’s cold. I know it’s been a long time. I bet you’re not used to seeing such pure, unadulterated journalistic integrity. You probably find our patience terrifying.
But listen.

Don’t be afraid, we don’t mean to scare you. So help us, Jesus.

Aging Punk’s Weakened Piss Stream Now Eliminates Only Method He Uses to Clean His Toilet

Posted on by Stephen Bell

LOS ANGELES — Local punk Corbin Stefanski’s weakening urine stream is severely limiting his ability to clean his toilet, according to several sources familiar with the situation.

“So normally I try to clean all the dookie stains on the inside of my toilet using what traditionally has been like a golden pressure washer,” said Corbin. “Now I don’t know what’s going on, but as I’ve gotten older the stream has gone the way of the Colorado river and just continues to drop more and more. It could be all those nut shots my friends have given me over the years, or maybe my prostate is squeezing my urethra tighter than the jeans I used to wear in high school. Either way, my toilet is filthy. Or at least filthier than normal.”

Corbin’s girlfriend Janice Waters was also concerned about his failing urination abilities.

“In any relationship it’s very important that both partners contribute,” said a miffed Waters. “I contribute to our house by paying for rent, electricity, water, groceries, and caring for Corbin’s sick mother. In a fair exchange we worked out it was decided that it’s Corbin’s responsibility to clean the bathroom. With his piss stream failing I’m naturally upset that he’s not living up to his end of the bargain. I would use my own piss to clean the toilet because my stream is nice and strong, but I just don’t have the same aiming abilities on account of not having a dick.”

Corbin’s physician from the local free clinic weighed in on the situation.

“The last time I checked Corbin’s prostate specific antigen he was at a 37. The normal number is below 4 so the dude needs help,” said Dr. Isaiah Kulp. “There’s like no way this dude doesn’t have cancer and he desperately needs to get in and get checked again. OJ had prostate cancer coming but Corbin doesn’t. Except Corbin seems more worried about not being able to clean his toilet versus the possibility that he has an illness. It’s like, dude, just use a toilet wand like everyone else! I will literally write him a prescription for a toilet wand if that’s what it comes to, though I wouldn’t be surprised if those cheap insurance bastards don’t pay for it.”

At press time, Corbin solved his dirty toilet situation by now only directly shitting into the storm drain outside of his house.

Five Songs We Listened To This Week While Pretending To Be Excited By Festival Lineups

Posted on by Corey Montgomery

Spring is in full swing, and for the few days that aren’t ravaged by devastating storms or wild temperature fluctuations, it’s been amazing. Still, you’ve been feeling like something’s missing. As your social media feeds you bands from your youth reuniting to perform half-hearted versions of your favorite albums at prohibitively expensive festivals, you’re probably yearning for something new. That’s why we’ve taken the time to shove five new songs down your throat. It’s for your health.

Wavves “Spun”

Next month, Wavves will be releasing their ninth album “Spun.” The recently released title track plays out like Nathan Williams was granted access to Rivers Cuomo’s alleged vault of unreleased material and made off with one of the tracks in tow. It’s a blast of hooky power-pop with wall-to-wall guitars and melodies that only Williams or possibly a tied-up Cuomo in a basement could come up with.

Stolen Gun “THE GLORIOUS ARRIVAL OF THE NEW LORD AND SAVIOR”

In case you missed it, The Acacia Strain’s Vincent Bennett released a collection of demos under the name Stolen Gun. We would have written about it sooner, but we only recently were able to lift our heads off the floor after nearly being bludgeoned to death by the sonic assault that comprises all seven songs on the drop. While it will only take you about 10 minutes to listen to the whole thing, the horror will last a lifetime.

Guerrilla Toss “Psychosis Is Just A Number”

Close the blinds and get ready to practice your interpretive dance moves because Guerilla Toss is back with a new single. “Psychosis Is Just A Number” – which was produced by Stephen Malkmus – plays out like the Talking Heads melded with a litany of ‘80s new wave bands to form some unholy blob that decided to add a horn section before performing at a dance party in Hell. It’s great, and you might actually experience psychosis after a few spins.

La Dispute “I Shaved My Head”

In great news for people who love bands where the lead singer is just kind of loudly talking over the whole track, La Dispute has announced a new album, “No One Was Driving the Car.” It marks their first new LP since 2019, and based on the three tracks they shared with the announcement, it’s going to be a heavy affair. The opening track “I Shaved My Head” is an ominous churner built on an absolutely crunchy bass line that has made us too scared to listen to the other two singles. We’re sure they’re great, though.

Bleary Eyed “Susan”

Philly shoegazers Bleary Eyed just shared their latest hit of ‘90s nostalgia, “Susan” from their forthcoming album “Heaven Year.” Built atop a churning break beat and filled with synths and guitars that sound like they were recorded onto a VHS tape in a melting VCR, the track is as dreamy as dreamy can get. Take a break and get lost in a lush soundscape that will whisk you away to a magical time when you didn’t know what a smartphone was.

What? You want more? That’s certainly surprising given your aversion to anything new or uncomfortable, but we’ve got you covered anyway. Check out our ever-growing and ever-disorienting playlist that includes these songs and everything else we’ve pretended to listen to this year. Listen, follow, and share below:

Donald Trump Replaces Medal of Honor With a Piece of the Aggro Crag From Nickelodeon’s “Guts”

Posted on by Steve Packosky

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump made the decision to replace the country’s highest military decoration for valor in action with the grand prize from ‘90s Nickelodeon action show “Guts,” visibly disgusted sources report.

“The Medal of Honor was old, boring, outdated,” said President Trump. “I had men coming up to me, big men, coming up to me with tears in their eyes. You wouldn’t believe how big these men were. They said ‘Mr. President, can we replace the Medal of Honor with something better?’ And these men fought so hard, so hard. You know you can’t even say that about our great military anymore? ‘These men.’ No, you have to say ‘these people’ now because of the Radical Left. Just look at what they’ve done to our great country. It’s a disgrace, but we’re fixing that now. Going forward, our brave fighting men will have the honor of owning one of these, but only if they have the guts. D-d-d-do you have it?”

Past Medal of Honor recipient Reginald Cooper was none too pleased with the idea.

“I’m just glad I’ve already been awarded the actual Medal of Honor so I don’t have to take home one of those godawful things,” Cooper said. “I was recognized in 1968 for rescuing several men and risking my life to get more ammunition during an attack on one of our air bases during the Tet Offensive. Honestly, if I had known such gallantry would be rewarded with a garish, oversized rock that’s the color of neon-infused snot, I might not have behaved so selflessly. I certainly hope this doesn’t act as a deterrent for any potential heroes going forward.”

Historian June Martinez provided her expertise on the matter.

“This is just another example of Donald Trump tarnishing our nation’s storied history,” Martinez commented. “At this point, rationally minded Americans are completely numb to it. Whether he’s using meme coin with the potential for foreign oligarchs to secretly send him money in exchange for favors or ordering investigations into officials from his first term just because they said the 2020 election wasn’t stolen, Trump’s routine actions each day would be swift term enders for anybody else. Honestly, this stupid ‘Guts’ trophy is the most benign thing he’s done this week.”

At press time, Trump decided to present the first Aggro Crag piece to the guy who had taken a shit on Nancy Pelosi’s desk on January 6th.

What Are the Chances? Every Single One of This Man’s Ex-Girlfriends Was Bipolar

Posted on by Dom Turek

A recent study revealed that only five percent of U.S. adults suffer from a mood disorder, but James Young, a local martyr, claims every single one of his ex-girlfriends was either borderline, bipolar, or, in his words, “a complete psycho bitch.” How can one man be so unlucky?

Despite the fact that none of Young’s girlfriends were professionally diagnosed with a mental illness, he felt he had acquired enough knowledge in his high school psychology class to speak definitively on the matter. Not diagnosing people simply because you didn’t go to a fancy medical school is irresponsible, lazy, and some might even say classist. After all, the only real difference between a doctor and a layman is a good old-fashioned get’er-done attitude.

The quicker you diagnose your girlfriend with something, the faster you can use that psychiatric diagnosis to debunk your girlfriend’s flimsy arguments about you being a “manipulative psychopath” and “covert narcissist.” Some women will argue that their wildly fluctuating temperament is a reaction to being “treated poorly” and “constantly lied to,” but don’t take their word for it. These are merely the incoherent ramblings of a schizophrenic bag lady.

Debra is the latest in Young’s unending stream of criminally insane exes. Their once fairytale romance has been turned into a living hellscape because of her disease, leaving Young to wonder what he must have done in a previous life to deserve such a lousy hand. Just last week, Young’s girlfriend suffered a complete mental breakdown, screaming, crying, and threatening to throw all his belongings into the nearest trash fire. If this is her reaction to finding out he downloaded tinder when she left town for her mothers funeral, you can only imagine the unhinged reaction she’ll have after finding out he fucked the neighbor.

The sad truth is that mental conditions of this severity are usually only treatable with medication. However, miracles do happen. Through the process of divine intervention or some other type of godsend, it seems that all seven of Young’s ex-girlfriends experienced immediate relief from their psychiatric problems shortly after breaking up with him, and began to thrive.

Sweetwater Rep Attends Funeral For Man Who Bought Overdrive Pedal in 2008

Posted on by Tim Graham

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. — A salesman for music gear retailer Sweetwater appeared at the funeral for Richie Andrews, a customer who purchased an overdrive pedal from him 17 years ago, according to cemetery staff.

“Anyone who has ordered even the smallest item from Sweetwater knows that our dedication to customer service is unrivaled,” said Sweetwater’s Gary Jacoby while helping another customer move. “Richie and I first got acquainted when he ordered an Ibanez Tube Screamer from me years back. Since then, I kept close tabs on him, just like I do with all of my customers. I was actually at Richie’s wedding—posing as a caterer. I always try to be nearby in case my customers need any patch cables or strings or anything. People accuse Sweetwater of stalkerish behavior, but that’s not stalking, it’s just good customer service.”

Andrews’ widow Meghan says she had no idea what Sweetwater is or why Jacoby was at her husband’s funeral.

“It soon became clear he didn’t know anyone,” said Ms. Andrews of the salesman. “But the fact that he was a stranger there didn’t seem to bother him. He made the rounds, offering condolences and handing out candy. He struck up a conversation about music with my cousin and wound up selling him a bass. Then a few days later, Gary showed up at my house with a casserole and we had a very nice conversation. What a good listener he is! Later, we ended up watching some movies together on the couch. It turns out he loves romantic comedies—I could never get Richie to watch romcoms with me.”

Marketing consultant Ed Ormond says good client relations are key to making an impression in today’s business landscape.

“Being aggressively kind and creepily attentive is what makes Sweetwater stand out in terms of customer service,” explained Ormond. “Conversely, Comcast has made being abusive and cruel their signature strategy. They’re able to get away with masochistic treatment since they’re a monopoly in most markets they operate in. They eventually provoke a Stockholm Syndrome-like relationship with their customers who in time grow to love their oppressor. And then there’s Home Depot, which trains their employees to act like they can neither see nor hear their shoppers. It works for them apparently.”

At press time, Jacoby reportedly moved in with the widow Andrews, and her child had already begun calling him dad.

Trump Orders Raid of Wendy’s Dreams and Visions in Retaliation for Bruce Springsteen’s Rant

Posted on by Dan Rice

LONG BRANCH, N.J. — President Trump ordered a federal raid of the dreams and visions of Wendy, the female character from “Born to Run,” in an act of retribution against Bruce Springsteen for his anti-Trump tirade at a U.K. show going viral, sources confirmed.

“Springsteen stepped out over the line, and it’s time to show him who the real boss is! He’s washed up anyway, lots of people say I’m a better songwriter. People have been saying that for a long time. Plus, New Jersey smells bad, a real shit hole,” said an unhinged Trump defending the raid this morning. “An attack on me is an attack on this country. Anyone caught sweating it out on the streets of a runaway American dream will be detained, questioned, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law! I heard this Wendy is a real Tramp, Bruce even says so. I bet she’s been around the block more than a few times. You know what I call that? I call that damaged goods. She can wrap her legs ‘round his velvet rims and strap her arms ‘round his engine all she wants, we will find her!”

Wendy expressed both outrage and confusion at the government’s attempts to access her dreams and visions.

“First a bunch of masked goons storm into my house and turn the place out, then they tell me they have a warrant to raid my dreams and visions, but it looked like they had just scribbled on the back of a Jersey Mike’s wrapper,” said Wendy. “They didn’t seem to know what they were doing and certainly didn’t know how to get access to my dreams. At one point they plugged a vacuum cleaner into an iPad and sort of just sucked my ear with it for a while, I’m not sure what they were expecting to happen but they looked disappointed so they just smashed some more of my shit and left.”

The raid efforts have only provoked further criticism from Springsteen.

“This is happening now. Federal agents are storming bold and stark amusement parks, sending hemi-powered drones from beyond the palace, huddling U.S.-born children up on the beach in the mist, all for speaking dissent. This is happening in America right now!” said Springsteen. “I was born down in a dead man’s town, and right now we all feel like dogs that have been beat too much. But we can come together and beat this. You can’t start a fire without a spark.”

According to FBI director Kash Patel, raid efforts have been hampered due to highways being jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance power drive.

Polyamorous Couple Rearranges Funko Pop Collection to Impress New Third

Posted on by Tim Sheard

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Noted polyamorous couple Zheff Macguire and Morgy Clementine were spotted frantically rearranging their Funko Pop collection ahead of their visiting third, Shan “Buttercup” Vidovich, confirmed sources.

“At first my Pops were lined up by which is my bestest friend. Like my favorites, you know?” Macguire shared while kneading green hair color into their remaining thin stringy strands. “Then sweet Morgy-pie helped me put them into a curated color wave, sort of how we did with our bookshelf. But we ultimately decided to place them in order of historical significance, since we met our third at the Ren Faire. Of course, this leads to historical arguments, particularly with our Disney Pops. Do we go by release date, since ‘Snow White’ came out in 1937, or the era depicted, since ‘Mulan’ takes place in the 4th century AD? You can see how much stress this causes.”

Vidovich admitted to not particularly noticing the collectible figures.

“Yeah, I saw the shelf, but honestly their condo was pretty dark so I couldn’t really see anything on the shelves,” shared Vidovich while shopping online for new suit vests. “Their bedsheets were black, a classic indication that this couple doesn’t frequently shower. The condo was gross, but I’ve seen worse. At least their plush Totoro carpet felt good against my toenails. They don’t make me brush my teeth either, thank God. Plus they’re anti-deodorant, like me. I might enjoy my ‘unicorn’ status here for a stint. Everything back at my polycycle co-op is so dingy. The sink roaches are mutating something fierce from those hair dye chemicals.”

Funko marketing executive Elliott Bacharach spoke about upcoming inclusive products.

“At Funko, we understand that ‘fun’ comes in all relationship styles, including ethical polyamory,” shared Bacharach from an inflatable bubble podium. “We’re proud of our new line: Funko Pops tailored specifically to non-monogamous consumers. This includes magnetic re-attachable crotch areas, allowing Pops to explore every flavor of non-committal intimacy on your shelf. Now your Guardians of the Galaxy Pops can run a train through your Spongebob Pops. Your Elphaba Pop can 69 with your Godzilla Pop, on permanent display. Am I the only one getting bricked up here?”

Latest reports indicate a surge of arguments between Macguire, Clementine, and Vidovich regarding which season of “One Piece” to watch, followed by disputes over various sugar-laden cereal brands to serve for breakfast.