Here's the second installment of my XM Memory List posts. In case you've forgotten, using my XM reciever's Memory function I store the artists name & song title of any song that really strikes my fancy and then I post 'em when I've got 10 new ones.
This particular list is only 9 entries long, because I accidentally stored something while I was writing down the list (nothing against Lonnie Donnegan's "Rock Island Line", but I prefer Johnny Cash's version...).
So, without further ado...
1. Pat Metheny..."Eighteen"
2. Kurt Elling..."Minuano"
3. Pumpkinhead..."Anthem for the E" (partial title, I'm sure)
4. Husky Rescue..."Sleep Tight Tiger" (Husky Rescue had a song on the last list, too, so I probably need to check them out pretty soon)
5. Teddy Pendergrass..."Love TKO"
6. Sigur Ros..."Svo Hljott" (okay, so I've already got the album this is from...I couldn't help but include it here because it sounded SO good)
7. Willis Jackson..."Medley September"
8. British Sea Power..."North Hanging Road"
9. Dlq..."Blue Train"
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
XM Favorite Channels: One Year Later
As I pointed out in a previous post, the side-bar banner of my "Favorite XM Channels" was put together when my XM experience was still in it's infancy. I'm too lazy to alter it right now, but I daresay that had I waited until now to compile that list, a year after first subscribing to XM, it would be a slightly different list.
But just HOW "slightly"? That's what I mean to find out now, by evaluating each channel that is included on the list and revealing which channels, besides/instead of the ones I've listed, have actually recieved the most attention.
AUDIO VISIONS (new age, ambient, space music): I knew from the start that Audio Visions would get played a lot, and I was right. It has probably been listened to by me more than any other, but that's because I enjoy this kind of music while reading and relaxing.
FINE TUNING (eclectic mix): The concept is a good one, throwing together quality examples from all genres of music and hoping they coalesce into something where the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. But alas, I noticed early on that way too much Celtic music was in the blend, and though I have nothing against Celtic music, like the blues a little but goes a long, long way. Fine Tuning is a perfect example of what I THOUGHT would be a "favorite XM channel" which wound up being rarely listened to.
XM CLASSICS(classical,symphonic,chamber): Along with Audio Visions, XM Classics has turned out to be a channel that I listen to almost every day. It's especially cool on a great composer's birthday when the channel plays only that composer's work for 24 hours. Only the heavy-hitters get this special treatment...Beethoven, Bach, Mozart...
I find that I supplement XM Classics with XM Pops, especially when XMC is playing a long piece by someone I've never heard of...
VOX (classical vocal, opera & choral music): Though I am not much of an opera lover, I do thoroughly enjoy choral music and Vox plays it's fair share of that. So even though I don't listen to Vox enough for it to qualify as a "favorite channel", when they are playing choral works I enjoy it immensely.
The TORCH (Christian rock): I don't really listen to the Torch very much at all, as I am just not hip to all the very young bands who are currently making that scene. If there were a Christian rock channel that played the classic stuff (sort of a Jesus Music version of Fred, with Daniel Amos, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill and all those CCM pioneers) I would probably tune in often, but I just can't get too deep into the groups they feature on the Torch (though I would recommend them to younger folks).
The FISH (Contemporary Christian): I have enjoyed much of what I've heard on the Fish, and I've listened to it quite a bit. The problem isn't so much the Fish, but the general state of Contemporary Christian music itself that keeps me away. I don't like hearing 70's-80's secular hits turned into religious songs, nor do I enjoy hearing songs that might as well have been cloned from the current Top 20 hit charts churned out "for Christians" (throw the Saviour's name in a couple of times for bonus points). Still, every now and then they get on a roll with some good Praise & Worship songs, and it's all good.
I think I like XM Online's Enlighten southern gospel channel better than any of their regular Christian offerings, but I rarely listen to XM Online...
HANK'S PLACE (classic country, 60's-70's, honky tonk): Consistantly great country music at Hank's Place, except when they're playing something new that just SOUNDS like it came from the 50's-60's classic country era. I can't say I enjoy the tribute type stuff, and the "bar noise" between-song banter gets very old very fast. But still, Hank's Place is one of the reasons XM is so cool, and is definately a favorite.
AMERICA (classic country, 70's-80's): America is every bit as good as Hank's Place when it comes to the really classic stuff from the 70's-80's. I enjoy it much more than I thought I would even when I made the "Favorite XM Channels" list.
NASHVILLE (country): Nashville kind of straddles the line between current versions of the kind of country played on America and the "modern country" featured on Highway 16. I never listen to Highway 16, and to be honest, I have rarely listened to Nashvill, either, after having put it on the list based on an established taste for C&W music out of Nashville.
But seriously, I've listened to Bluegrass Junction more than Nashville, and of the three country channels I chose, it gets by far the least play in my house.
DEEP TRACKS (album rock): Yeah, I suppose Deep Tracks has earned it's spot on my "Favorite XM Channels" list. Especially when they're not so obscure that I have no idea who they're playing. And when they're broadcasting a concert or a special program. I hear a lot of "alternate versions" of songs I'm familiar with on Deep Tracks, and that's good...
FRED (classic alternative rock): I still acknowledge the greatness of Fred, but alas I find that I don't listen to it nearly as much as I thought I would. I suppose that has to do with the extremes of quality that come with the different acts they play...I mean, it's cool to hear a song from New Order's Movement album on the radio, but nothing's gonna stop me from grabbing the remote control when they follow it with some dreck by the Thompson Twins.
XM MUSIC LAB (jam bands, progressive rock): Call me a geek, but I do enjoy listening to the Music Lab, especially when they've dug out something interesting from their prog-rock vault, like Nektar or Gong or Gentle Giant...Even the jam bands are big fun to listen to, though I'd be more than happy to limit all jam band airplay to Phish, Moe, Widespread Panic and the String Cheese Incident...do we really need any more jam bands besides those four?
That said, I do tend to utilyze the trusty remote control whenever anything Les Claypool-oriented come on (and that occures MUCH too often on the Music Lab, I can assure you of that).
REAL JAZZ (traditional jazz): Yeah, it's real jazz, alright, and so how can I NOT like it? Well, I'll tell you: whenever they're playing vocal jazz, that's when. No, I have never cared for vocal jazz, though I have long been a fan of instrumental jazz. The selection on Real Jazz is pretty solid (not counting the vocal jazz, which does get played too much), but I recall having DMX music service with my cable TV back in 1993 and their jazz channel was more eclectic. Real Jazz is a real favorite, though.
BEYOND JAZZ (modern jazz, fusion): I'd like to hear more original fusion than I do on Beyond Jazz...more Weather Report and less Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, if you catch my drift...more Miles Davis & less Medeski, Martin & Wood. But that's just me and my arcane preferences...all in all Beyond Jazz is an excellent channel (except when they are playing that wretched vocal jazz), but there should be a rule in jazz that states "only REAL percussion instruments allowed...NO programmed drums.
The 70's on SEVEN (70's music): Yes, I am a child of the seventies (ages 8-18), so there's a soft spot in my heart for the 70's hits and semi-obscure stuff they play on this Decades channel. My wife, almost 10 years younger than me, enjoys the 80's on Eight probably just as much as I like this 70's crap. It has earned it's place on the "Favorite XM channels" list, but when it comes to Decades, lately I've listened to little more than the 50's on Five channel. I NEVER listen to the 90's on Nine and only rarely tune into the respective 80's and 60's stations. I do, however, sometimes find myself in the mood to really go back in time and check out the 40's on Four.
The SYSTEM (electronic, trance): Of the "dance music" channels that XM offers, the System is the closest to what I enjoy about "electronica" (and it gets close, it doesn't really nail it, rarely playing Autechre, Aphex Twin, Pole and other IDM artists that I prefer slightly over their fare). Victor Dinaire's Future Progression really helped open my ears to trance music and I enjoyed his program quite a bit until it got pulled. The System is a decent channel, though, and I would still call it a "favorite".
SONIC THEATER (audio theatre, books): There seems to be a bit of a move towards more audio theatre and less "books-on-tape" type stuff on Sonic Theater in the last couple of weeks, and so I have found myself listening to it more than I normally have. Surreal offerings from Crazy Dog Audio Theatre and New Frequencies have really boosted this channel's popularity with me, and I hope it remains in this mold.
FAMILY TALK (Christian teaching, talk): Even with Hank Hannegraff's Bible Answer Man broadcast I find that I just don't listen to this channel very much. The programming on BOT Network (terrestrial radio) is better, so if I'm needing this type of programming I generally will skip Family Talk in favor of BOT.
AMERICA LEFT (liberal talk): Well, it's no longer America Left...it's Air America. I can't stand Al Franken and though I originally wanted to attempt a balance by listening to both liberal and conservative viewpoints, I find that I rarely listen to either one...There's just TOO much opinionating out there for my tastes and I get enough of it watching the cable news shows, I don't really want to hear it on my XM (although this is likely because I have a home unit...if I had XM in my car and was a heavy traveller I don't doubt that a LOT of the "Talk & Entertainment" channels would get listened to a lot.
AMERICA RIGHT (conservative talk): See above. At least there's no Al Franken.
Other XM channels that I did not put on that list, but which wound up getting listened to quite a bit last year included:
XMU: When I finally got in the mood for "college rock" I was introduced to M83 on this channel.
SOUL STREET: Especially a program called "The Penthouse"...this is the REAL DEAL.
BBC WORLD SERVICE: Somehow all the depressing world news seems just a wee bit more endurable when delivered in a thick British accent.
XM COMEDY: Yes, I get offended by a lot of what I hear on this channel. But I think the ratio of belly laughs it provides makes up for the ratio of cringes.
LAUGH USA: The "clean" comedy channel, which has become my son's favorite XM channel. I enjoy listening to it with him, and it is pretty funny.
RADIO CLASSICS: You just don't hear these classic radio performances from the 50's anywhere else.
Biggest Disappointment with XM of the last year: That's easy. It was when they raised the subscription rate by $3.00 and the only thing to show for the extra cash was XM Online service and the Opie and Anthony show thrown into the basic package.
As for the XM Online...well, my regular XM is hooked up to a high end stereo unit and sounds GREAT...for some reason I just don't opt for the chinsy computer speakers that my XM Online comes through. Call me unappreciative, but I can count all the times I've listened to XM Online this past year on one hand.
And as for Opie and Anthony...give me a break. These guys are quite simply two of the most UNentertaining people to ever have their own radio show. Oooh, wee! Listen to 'em cuss! They just used the F-word! For shame! How do they get away with it? Oh, right...it's satellite radio. But really, these "Freedom of Speech Calisthenics" are just not amusing, IMO.
Most Exciting New Development for XM in 2006: There may be a few more surprises in store for the next year, but I've just learned that BOB DYLAN will host his own Deep Tracks show beginning in March of 2006...I don't know how they'll be able to top that!
But just HOW "slightly"? That's what I mean to find out now, by evaluating each channel that is included on the list and revealing which channels, besides/instead of the ones I've listed, have actually recieved the most attention.
AUDIO VISIONS (new age, ambient, space music): I knew from the start that Audio Visions would get played a lot, and I was right. It has probably been listened to by me more than any other, but that's because I enjoy this kind of music while reading and relaxing.
FINE TUNING (eclectic mix): The concept is a good one, throwing together quality examples from all genres of music and hoping they coalesce into something where the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. But alas, I noticed early on that way too much Celtic music was in the blend, and though I have nothing against Celtic music, like the blues a little but goes a long, long way. Fine Tuning is a perfect example of what I THOUGHT would be a "favorite XM channel" which wound up being rarely listened to.
XM CLASSICS(classical,symphonic,chamber): Along with Audio Visions, XM Classics has turned out to be a channel that I listen to almost every day. It's especially cool on a great composer's birthday when the channel plays only that composer's work for 24 hours. Only the heavy-hitters get this special treatment...Beethoven, Bach, Mozart...
I find that I supplement XM Classics with XM Pops, especially when XMC is playing a long piece by someone I've never heard of...
VOX (classical vocal, opera & choral music): Though I am not much of an opera lover, I do thoroughly enjoy choral music and Vox plays it's fair share of that. So even though I don't listen to Vox enough for it to qualify as a "favorite channel", when they are playing choral works I enjoy it immensely.
The TORCH (Christian rock): I don't really listen to the Torch very much at all, as I am just not hip to all the very young bands who are currently making that scene. If there were a Christian rock channel that played the classic stuff (sort of a Jesus Music version of Fred, with Daniel Amos, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill and all those CCM pioneers) I would probably tune in often, but I just can't get too deep into the groups they feature on the Torch (though I would recommend them to younger folks).
The FISH (Contemporary Christian): I have enjoyed much of what I've heard on the Fish, and I've listened to it quite a bit. The problem isn't so much the Fish, but the general state of Contemporary Christian music itself that keeps me away. I don't like hearing 70's-80's secular hits turned into religious songs, nor do I enjoy hearing songs that might as well have been cloned from the current Top 20 hit charts churned out "for Christians" (throw the Saviour's name in a couple of times for bonus points). Still, every now and then they get on a roll with some good Praise & Worship songs, and it's all good.
I think I like XM Online's Enlighten southern gospel channel better than any of their regular Christian offerings, but I rarely listen to XM Online...
HANK'S PLACE (classic country, 60's-70's, honky tonk): Consistantly great country music at Hank's Place, except when they're playing something new that just SOUNDS like it came from the 50's-60's classic country era. I can't say I enjoy the tribute type stuff, and the "bar noise" between-song banter gets very old very fast. But still, Hank's Place is one of the reasons XM is so cool, and is definately a favorite.
AMERICA (classic country, 70's-80's): America is every bit as good as Hank's Place when it comes to the really classic stuff from the 70's-80's. I enjoy it much more than I thought I would even when I made the "Favorite XM Channels" list.
NASHVILLE (country): Nashville kind of straddles the line between current versions of the kind of country played on America and the "modern country" featured on Highway 16. I never listen to Highway 16, and to be honest, I have rarely listened to Nashvill, either, after having put it on the list based on an established taste for C&W music out of Nashville.
But seriously, I've listened to Bluegrass Junction more than Nashville, and of the three country channels I chose, it gets by far the least play in my house.
DEEP TRACKS (album rock): Yeah, I suppose Deep Tracks has earned it's spot on my "Favorite XM Channels" list. Especially when they're not so obscure that I have no idea who they're playing. And when they're broadcasting a concert or a special program. I hear a lot of "alternate versions" of songs I'm familiar with on Deep Tracks, and that's good...
FRED (classic alternative rock): I still acknowledge the greatness of Fred, but alas I find that I don't listen to it nearly as much as I thought I would. I suppose that has to do with the extremes of quality that come with the different acts they play...I mean, it's cool to hear a song from New Order's Movement album on the radio, but nothing's gonna stop me from grabbing the remote control when they follow it with some dreck by the Thompson Twins.
XM MUSIC LAB (jam bands, progressive rock): Call me a geek, but I do enjoy listening to the Music Lab, especially when they've dug out something interesting from their prog-rock vault, like Nektar or Gong or Gentle Giant...Even the jam bands are big fun to listen to, though I'd be more than happy to limit all jam band airplay to Phish, Moe, Widespread Panic and the String Cheese Incident...do we really need any more jam bands besides those four?
That said, I do tend to utilyze the trusty remote control whenever anything Les Claypool-oriented come on (and that occures MUCH too often on the Music Lab, I can assure you of that).
REAL JAZZ (traditional jazz): Yeah, it's real jazz, alright, and so how can I NOT like it? Well, I'll tell you: whenever they're playing vocal jazz, that's when. No, I have never cared for vocal jazz, though I have long been a fan of instrumental jazz. The selection on Real Jazz is pretty solid (not counting the vocal jazz, which does get played too much), but I recall having DMX music service with my cable TV back in 1993 and their jazz channel was more eclectic. Real Jazz is a real favorite, though.
BEYOND JAZZ (modern jazz, fusion): I'd like to hear more original fusion than I do on Beyond Jazz...more Weather Report and less Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, if you catch my drift...more Miles Davis & less Medeski, Martin & Wood. But that's just me and my arcane preferences...all in all Beyond Jazz is an excellent channel (except when they are playing that wretched vocal jazz), but there should be a rule in jazz that states "only REAL percussion instruments allowed...NO programmed drums.
The 70's on SEVEN (70's music): Yes, I am a child of the seventies (ages 8-18), so there's a soft spot in my heart for the 70's hits and semi-obscure stuff they play on this Decades channel. My wife, almost 10 years younger than me, enjoys the 80's on Eight probably just as much as I like this 70's crap. It has earned it's place on the "Favorite XM channels" list, but when it comes to Decades, lately I've listened to little more than the 50's on Five channel. I NEVER listen to the 90's on Nine and only rarely tune into the respective 80's and 60's stations. I do, however, sometimes find myself in the mood to really go back in time and check out the 40's on Four.
The SYSTEM (electronic, trance): Of the "dance music" channels that XM offers, the System is the closest to what I enjoy about "electronica" (and it gets close, it doesn't really nail it, rarely playing Autechre, Aphex Twin, Pole and other IDM artists that I prefer slightly over their fare). Victor Dinaire's Future Progression really helped open my ears to trance music and I enjoyed his program quite a bit until it got pulled. The System is a decent channel, though, and I would still call it a "favorite".
SONIC THEATER (audio theatre, books): There seems to be a bit of a move towards more audio theatre and less "books-on-tape" type stuff on Sonic Theater in the last couple of weeks, and so I have found myself listening to it more than I normally have. Surreal offerings from Crazy Dog Audio Theatre and New Frequencies have really boosted this channel's popularity with me, and I hope it remains in this mold.
FAMILY TALK (Christian teaching, talk): Even with Hank Hannegraff's Bible Answer Man broadcast I find that I just don't listen to this channel very much. The programming on BOT Network (terrestrial radio) is better, so if I'm needing this type of programming I generally will skip Family Talk in favor of BOT.
AMERICA LEFT (liberal talk): Well, it's no longer America Left...it's Air America. I can't stand Al Franken and though I originally wanted to attempt a balance by listening to both liberal and conservative viewpoints, I find that I rarely listen to either one...There's just TOO much opinionating out there for my tastes and I get enough of it watching the cable news shows, I don't really want to hear it on my XM (although this is likely because I have a home unit...if I had XM in my car and was a heavy traveller I don't doubt that a LOT of the "Talk & Entertainment" channels would get listened to a lot.
AMERICA RIGHT (conservative talk): See above. At least there's no Al Franken.
Other XM channels that I did not put on that list, but which wound up getting listened to quite a bit last year included:
XMU: When I finally got in the mood for "college rock" I was introduced to M83 on this channel.
SOUL STREET: Especially a program called "The Penthouse"...this is the REAL DEAL.
BBC WORLD SERVICE: Somehow all the depressing world news seems just a wee bit more endurable when delivered in a thick British accent.
XM COMEDY: Yes, I get offended by a lot of what I hear on this channel. But I think the ratio of belly laughs it provides makes up for the ratio of cringes.
LAUGH USA: The "clean" comedy channel, which has become my son's favorite XM channel. I enjoy listening to it with him, and it is pretty funny.
RADIO CLASSICS: You just don't hear these classic radio performances from the 50's anywhere else.
Biggest Disappointment with XM of the last year: That's easy. It was when they raised the subscription rate by $3.00 and the only thing to show for the extra cash was XM Online service and the Opie and Anthony show thrown into the basic package.
As for the XM Online...well, my regular XM is hooked up to a high end stereo unit and sounds GREAT...for some reason I just don't opt for the chinsy computer speakers that my XM Online comes through. Call me unappreciative, but I can count all the times I've listened to XM Online this past year on one hand.
And as for Opie and Anthony...give me a break. These guys are quite simply two of the most UNentertaining people to ever have their own radio show. Oooh, wee! Listen to 'em cuss! They just used the F-word! For shame! How do they get away with it? Oh, right...it's satellite radio. But really, these "Freedom of Speech Calisthenics" are just not amusing, IMO.
Most Exciting New Development for XM in 2006: There may be a few more surprises in store for the next year, but I've just learned that BOB DYLAN will host his own Deep Tracks show beginning in March of 2006...I don't know how they'll be able to top that!
Monday, December 19, 2005
!
I had a wonderful time Saturday night/Sunday morning visiting with Jacob and Amanda from Basement Dynasty. They were interested in hearing some of my original songs after a performance I gave at the HiLo club was upstaged by the appearance of no less than 100 people dressed in Santa Claus outfits...
Yeah, that's right...apparently there is this group of people who go out and crash the local bars/clubs in full Saint Nick regalia. They descend upon one establishment and hang around for about 30 minutes spreading their unique brand of Christmas cheer, then they are marshalled together by a guy with a bullhorn (something quite unsettling about hearing a bullhorn in a place like the HiLo...) and they move on to the next establishment.
They just happened to hit the HiLo during my 5th song. What could I do? Who wants to listen to a guy playing guitar and singing his songs when everywhere you look there are white beards and cheery red and white costumes? So I made a quip about how several of the Santas were smoking and drinking (and probably making drug deals...ha...I think a couple of 'em resented that particular attempt at humour) and I sang an impromtpu version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" before cutting my set short and surrendering the attention to the North Pole swarm.
Afterwards, when I expressed some dissappointment in being upstaged in this manner, Jacob comforted me by pointing out that I had done something legendary, something that few people living in this day and age have ever or will ever be able to do: I had sung "Here Comes Santa Claus" to a whole room full of Santas.
Yes, I did! Ha!
So anyhoos after the show had ended I wound up playing background guitar music in the wee wee hours of the morning for Jacob, Amanda, Red, Stu, Big D, Capital and I think Warty might have even stayed up for some of it.
Before it was all over with I had Jacob playing guitar with me (this guy is one of the most talented musicians in Oklahoma, so I was thrilled to get the chance to jam with him, and I wasn't surprised at how good it sounded) and both he and Amanda had expressed an interest in the possibility of putting a band together to flesh out, record and perform these songs of mine that I've had lying around for ages.
I've got tons of songs and musical ideas just waiting to be arranged and polished. So the idea of getting together with accomplished players who are as versatile and talented as Jacob and Amanda are is very exciting. That they seemed to honestly enjoy my work was encouraging. I have not heard back from them since we first discussed the possibility, so there's always the chance that it could fall through, but I gotta tell ya, I hope it doesn't. I really want to try and do something with these songs and I hope they were both serious about putting this thing together.
Yeah, that's right...apparently there is this group of people who go out and crash the local bars/clubs in full Saint Nick regalia. They descend upon one establishment and hang around for about 30 minutes spreading their unique brand of Christmas cheer, then they are marshalled together by a guy with a bullhorn (something quite unsettling about hearing a bullhorn in a place like the HiLo...) and they move on to the next establishment.
They just happened to hit the HiLo during my 5th song. What could I do? Who wants to listen to a guy playing guitar and singing his songs when everywhere you look there are white beards and cheery red and white costumes? So I made a quip about how several of the Santas were smoking and drinking (and probably making drug deals...ha...I think a couple of 'em resented that particular attempt at humour) and I sang an impromtpu version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" before cutting my set short and surrendering the attention to the North Pole swarm.
Afterwards, when I expressed some dissappointment in being upstaged in this manner, Jacob comforted me by pointing out that I had done something legendary, something that few people living in this day and age have ever or will ever be able to do: I had sung "Here Comes Santa Claus" to a whole room full of Santas.
Yes, I did! Ha!
So anyhoos after the show had ended I wound up playing background guitar music in the wee wee hours of the morning for Jacob, Amanda, Red, Stu, Big D, Capital and I think Warty might have even stayed up for some of it.
Before it was all over with I had Jacob playing guitar with me (this guy is one of the most talented musicians in Oklahoma, so I was thrilled to get the chance to jam with him, and I wasn't surprised at how good it sounded) and both he and Amanda had expressed an interest in the possibility of putting a band together to flesh out, record and perform these songs of mine that I've had lying around for ages.
I've got tons of songs and musical ideas just waiting to be arranged and polished. So the idea of getting together with accomplished players who are as versatile and talented as Jacob and Amanda are is very exciting. That they seemed to honestly enjoy my work was encouraging. I have not heard back from them since we first discussed the possibility, so there's always the chance that it could fall through, but I gotta tell ya, I hope it doesn't. I really want to try and do something with these songs and I hope they were both serious about putting this thing together.
Crazy Dog Audio Theatre
Even though I have Sonic Theater in the list of my "favorite" XM Satellite Radio channels (on the right side-bar of this very blog), the truth is that I have rarely listened to it in the year I've had the service. When I made that list I hadn't really had XM long enough to have decided on that many "favorite channels"...I included Sonic Theater on the strength of the concept alone, but in reality I have just not come around to it...
Until last night, when I happened to catch an incredibly surreal performance by the CRAZY DOG AUDIO THEATRE. The production was called Press 3 and, as is the case with so many of the things that I find enjoyable, I find it uncommonly difficult to come up with words to describe it. "Disorienting" fits, but I don't know that most people would consider that a reccomending quality like I do. "Somewhat bizarre" is better, but that's too general a description. Let's just say that it's like spending time in an alternate universe that's equal parts comfortingly familiar and yet jarringly alien.
If you're old enough to remember the Firesign Theatre, you can reference that legendary performance art troupe and you won't be too far off from what Crazy Dog reminds me of.
Anyway, their website is pretty cool, too, and you can buy CDs/MP3s of their stuff there. If I were a man of more wealth than what I have been entrusted with I guarantee you I would be piling up as much of this Crazy Dog merchandise into my shopping cart as possible.
Until last night, when I happened to catch an incredibly surreal performance by the CRAZY DOG AUDIO THEATRE. The production was called Press 3 and, as is the case with so many of the things that I find enjoyable, I find it uncommonly difficult to come up with words to describe it. "Disorienting" fits, but I don't know that most people would consider that a reccomending quality like I do. "Somewhat bizarre" is better, but that's too general a description. Let's just say that it's like spending time in an alternate universe that's equal parts comfortingly familiar and yet jarringly alien.
If you're old enough to remember the Firesign Theatre, you can reference that legendary performance art troupe and you won't be too far off from what Crazy Dog reminds me of.
Anyway, their website is pretty cool, too, and you can buy CDs/MP3s of their stuff there. If I were a man of more wealth than what I have been entrusted with I guarantee you I would be piling up as much of this Crazy Dog merchandise into my shopping cart as possible.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
The Midnight Special Episode Guide
While looking for information on a performance by Genesis on NBC's The Midnight Special from back in 1973, I stumbled upon this LIST of every performance ever given on the legendary music program.
Ahhh...memories!
Ahhh...memories!
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Inspired Words from the Pope
A quick glance at the first page of my blog and you can tell that I don't really dive into the "deep issues" of life very much. That's just not what I wanted to do with this blog (God knows there are plenty out there if that's what you're looking for).
But still, I feel compelled to post this excerpt from the recent homily given by Pope Benedict, sent to me by my old friend Mark White over at Liberty Just In Case. I have read it and re-read it several times and I really believe that these words are inspired.
What is the picture placed before us in this page?
Man did not trust God. He harboured the suspect that God, at the end of the day, was taking something from his life, that God was a competitor who limits our freedom and that we will be fully human only when we have put him aside; all in all, that only in this way can we fully realize our freedom.
Man lives in the suspicion that the love of God creates a dependency and that it is necessary to get rid of this dependency to be fully oneself. Man does not want to receive his existence and fullness of life from God. He wants to be the one to draw from the tree of knowledge the power to mould the world, to make himself god, raising himself to His level, and to win over death and darkness. He does not want to count on love which does not seem trustworthy to him; he counts only on knowledge in that it confers power upon him.
Rather than love, he aims for power with which he wants to take his own life in his hands, to be autonomous. And in doing so, he places his trust in deceit rather than in truth and thus, he sinks with his life into a void, into death.
Love is not dependence but a gift which gives us life.
The freedom of mankind is the freedom to be a creature with limitations and that is therefore a limitation in itself. We can possess it only as a shared freedom, in the communion of freedom; only if we live in the right way with each other and for each other can freedom develop.
However, we live in the right way if we live according to the truth of our being and that is, according to the will of God. For God’s will for man is not a law imposed from outside which forces him, but an intrinsic measure of his nature, a measure which is inscribed in him, making him in the image of God, therefore a free creature.
If we live against love and against truth – against God – then we destroy each other and we destroy the world. Then we will no longer find life, but we will serve the interests of death.
All this is narrated with immortal images in the story of original sin and the banishment of man from the earthly Paradise.
The complete text of the Pope's homily can be found HERE.
(No, I am not Catholic)
CMJ Lists Most Influential of the Last 25 Years
CMJ has published a list of the "Most Influential Bands/Artists of the Last 25 Years".
Well, what do y'all think?
1. R.E.M.
2. Nirvana
3. Sonic Youth
4. Pixies
5. Public Enemy
6. Pavement
7. The Smiths
8. Violent Femmes
9. They Might Be Giants
10. Slayer
11. Black Flag
12. New Order
13. Jane's Addiction
14. U2
15. De La Soul
16. Aphex Twin
17. Uncle Tupelo
18. Fugazi
19. Mike Watt
20. Bikini Kill
21. Husker Du
22. Ani DiFranco
23. The Replacements
24. Radiohead
25. Superchunk
I don't have a lot of thoughts on the list, other than it seems to be a little too kind to a few of what I've always considered to be "CMJ staples" (DiFranco, Bikini Kill) and that a couple of acts are WAY too low on the list (U2 and Radiohead).
R.E.M. probably deserve the number one slot, I think, even if their influence has waned considerably in the last several years.
Well, what do y'all think?
1. R.E.M.
2. Nirvana
3. Sonic Youth
4. Pixies
5. Public Enemy
6. Pavement
7. The Smiths
8. Violent Femmes
9. They Might Be Giants
10. Slayer
11. Black Flag
12. New Order
13. Jane's Addiction
14. U2
15. De La Soul
16. Aphex Twin
17. Uncle Tupelo
18. Fugazi
19. Mike Watt
20. Bikini Kill
21. Husker Du
22. Ani DiFranco
23. The Replacements
24. Radiohead
25. Superchunk
I don't have a lot of thoughts on the list, other than it seems to be a little too kind to a few of what I've always considered to be "CMJ staples" (DiFranco, Bikini Kill) and that a couple of acts are WAY too low on the list (U2 and Radiohead).
R.E.M. probably deserve the number one slot, I think, even if their influence has waned considerably in the last several years.
Friday, December 9, 2005
Mad Laugh at the Riviera Studio 12/9/05
Just got back from seeing my old buddies in the Mad Laugh put on a stellar performance at the Riviera Studio on Shartel in OKC.
Took some photos, but the quality of the shots is somewhat dicey.
Whatever. Here they are:
The band had one particularly enthusiastic fan, who was inebriated to the point of not caring but not enough to prevent him from probably having a better time than anyone else there:
A few in the audience, our good friend Melissa in the forefront:
All in all it was a very enjoyable evening. My friend Dustin accompanied me, and we engaged in stimulating conversation both on the way up there and back. I was also able to show Dustin highlights from the latest Sun Kil Moon album (which he now plans to purchase) and I turned him on to some old Peter Gabriel-era Genesis songs. He was surprised at how much he enjoyed the tracks I showed him from Nursery Cryme ("The Return of the Giant Hogweed", "Harold the Barrell" & "The Fountain of Salmacis"). He'd never heard them before.
Plus, wonder of wonders, on the trip back I saw not one but TWO falling stars. Dustin and I both saw the first one, as it was very close and stayed in the sky for a couple of seconds. Only I saw the second one, and I just caught it in the corner of my eye. Two falling stars in the space of 30 minutes...a revelatory omen, no doubt.
Took some photos, but the quality of the shots is somewhat dicey.
Whatever. Here they are:
The band had one particularly enthusiastic fan, who was inebriated to the point of not caring but not enough to prevent him from probably having a better time than anyone else there:
A few in the audience, our good friend Melissa in the forefront:
All in all it was a very enjoyable evening. My friend Dustin accompanied me, and we engaged in stimulating conversation both on the way up there and back. I was also able to show Dustin highlights from the latest Sun Kil Moon album (which he now plans to purchase) and I turned him on to some old Peter Gabriel-era Genesis songs. He was surprised at how much he enjoyed the tracks I showed him from Nursery Cryme ("The Return of the Giant Hogweed", "Harold the Barrell" & "The Fountain of Salmacis"). He'd never heard them before.
Plus, wonder of wonders, on the trip back I saw not one but TWO falling stars. Dustin and I both saw the first one, as it was very close and stayed in the sky for a couple of seconds. Only I saw the second one, and I just caught it in the corner of my eye. Two falling stars in the space of 30 minutes...a revelatory omen, no doubt.
Saturday, December 3, 2005
"Come Back Tonight"
Find me on my knees
Face to the ground
Lost in the sound of
Silence deafening
Always on my mind
Won't be surprised
When someday I find
That You're inside of me
Yeah, You hide inside of me
As years crawl slowly by
Illuminating
You keep me waiting
For so long
Take me in my sleep
Pull me up easy
Part this Sea of Illusion
Let me pass through
To see You on the other side
Back down on my knees
This is no dream
This is no dream
Couldn't You just come back tonight?
Couldn't You just come back tonight?
Been too long without Your light
Couldn't You just come back...
Face to the ground
Lost in the sound of
Silence deafening
Always on my mind
Won't be surprised
When someday I find
That You're inside of me
Yeah, You hide inside of me
As years crawl slowly by
Illuminating
You keep me waiting
For so long
Take me in my sleep
Pull me up easy
Part this Sea of Illusion
Let me pass through
To see You on the other side
Back down on my knees
This is no dream
This is no dream
Couldn't You just come back tonight?
Couldn't You just come back tonight?
Been too long without Your light
Couldn't You just come back...
Late 2003
Friday, December 2, 2005
Thanks, Louis!
A blogger named Louis dropped a couple of comments here at the old Listening Room...in fact, he saved me from sure emberassment by pointing out a gaff in one of my posts, so I felt like the least I could do was visit his blog, Mr. TV Head.
I'm glad I did. It's quite entertaining.
And so I wanted to link to it here for future reference. Check it out, and tell him I sent ya...
I'm glad I did. It's quite entertaining.
And so I wanted to link to it here for future reference. Check it out, and tell him I sent ya...
Dylan Project Update
Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home
The "Dylan Project" continues, and hoo-boy is this a good 'un! Favorites at this point are "Gates of Eden" and "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)". Hate to say it, but the full band material doesn't really impress me like the more stark, bare acoustic only stuff. I'm no folkie purist, obviously, but there's just something about the impact of these incredible lyrics set next to minimal instrumentation that is lost with bass, drums, etc.
And I doubt that I'm alone in wishing that Dylan had never learned how to play harmonica.
My nerve-damaged ears just can't take much of that screeching harp...
Thursday, December 1, 2005
CD Compilation: My Personal Early 70's Hit Parade
CD Compilation: My Personal Early 70's Hit Parade
I'm putting together a compilation CD of several songs that I liked a lot back in the early 70's (years 70-75, although some songs are from the 60's...if I listened to them a lot in the 70's, they meet the criteria).
"Liked a lot" is a bit of an understatement...these were the songs that I played the most during my early teen years.
It's a pretty diverse mix, I think you'll agree.
Volume 1:
1. Bloodrock "Breach of Lease"
2. Paul McCartney & Wings "Oh Woman Oh Why"
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival "Graveyard Train"
4. Van Morrison "Sweet Thing"
5. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band "Prodigal's Return"
6. Vanilla Fudge "The Sky Cried (When I Was a Boy)"
7. Barnstorm "Midnight Visitor"
8. Led Zeppelin "No Quarter"
9. Genesis "The Musical Box"
10. Bee Gees "A Man For All Seasons"
11. Yes "And You and I"
Volume 2
1. Faces "On the Beach"
2. John Lennon "It's So Hard"
3. Paul Revere & the Raiders "Ups & Downs"
4. Bachman Turner Overdrive "Sledgehammer"
5. Black Sabbath "Electric Funeral"
6.-8. Queen "Procession"/"Father to Son"/"End Piece"
9. Alice Cooper "Halo of Flies"
10. Deep Purple "Child In Time"
11. Grand Funk Railroad "Creepin'"
12. David Bowie "The Gospel According to Tony Day"
13. Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Tarkus"
Future volumes to come, featuring solid tracks from the likes of Electric Light Orchestra, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project, Lou Reed, Mike Oldfield, The Doors, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, the New York Dolls and a whole lot more. I can't wait to make 'em.
I'm also considering doing up some liner notes and posting them here, featuring band photos and album covers.
There were several other songs that I listened to during those years between 70-75, but these just happened to be in my CD collection. And I'm not kidding when I say these are the songs that made up my life back then.
I'm also planning on doing a compilation of late 70's (75-79) Top Tracks. The list of songs I'd put on them is nearly as long as the one for the early 70's (early 70's has 52 entries and the late 70's has 35 entries...more than enough for a 3 CD set).
Let me know if you're familiar with them...leave me a comment and tell me what you think...
I'm putting together a compilation CD of several songs that I liked a lot back in the early 70's (years 70-75, although some songs are from the 60's...if I listened to them a lot in the 70's, they meet the criteria).
"Liked a lot" is a bit of an understatement...these were the songs that I played the most during my early teen years.
It's a pretty diverse mix, I think you'll agree.
Volume 1:
1. Bloodrock "Breach of Lease"
2. Paul McCartney & Wings "Oh Woman Oh Why"
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival "Graveyard Train"
4. Van Morrison "Sweet Thing"
5. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band "Prodigal's Return"
6. Vanilla Fudge "The Sky Cried (When I Was a Boy)"
7. Barnstorm "Midnight Visitor"
8. Led Zeppelin "No Quarter"
9. Genesis "The Musical Box"
10. Bee Gees "A Man For All Seasons"
11. Yes "And You and I"
Volume 2
1. Faces "On the Beach"
2. John Lennon "It's So Hard"
3. Paul Revere & the Raiders "Ups & Downs"
4. Bachman Turner Overdrive "Sledgehammer"
5. Black Sabbath "Electric Funeral"
6.-8. Queen "Procession"/"Father to Son"/"End Piece"
9. Alice Cooper "Halo of Flies"
10. Deep Purple "Child In Time"
11. Grand Funk Railroad "Creepin'"
12. David Bowie "The Gospel According to Tony Day"
13. Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Tarkus"
Future volumes to come, featuring solid tracks from the likes of Electric Light Orchestra, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project, Lou Reed, Mike Oldfield, The Doors, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, the New York Dolls and a whole lot more. I can't wait to make 'em.
I'm also considering doing up some liner notes and posting them here, featuring band photos and album covers.
There were several other songs that I listened to during those years between 70-75, but these just happened to be in my CD collection. And I'm not kidding when I say these are the songs that made up my life back then.
I'm also planning on doing a compilation of late 70's (75-79) Top Tracks. The list of songs I'd put on them is nearly as long as the one for the early 70's (early 70's has 52 entries and the late 70's has 35 entries...more than enough for a 3 CD set).
Let me know if you're familiar with them...leave me a comment and tell me what you think...
Monday, November 28, 2005
CELEBRITY SKIN
Sick?
Yeah.
Disgusting?
Sorta.
Hilarious?
I'm afraid so.
The concept of Celebrity Skin (and Bodily Fluids) may be a bit too much for the squeamish, but I think it's pretty damn funny satire.
Yeah.
Disgusting?
Sorta.
Hilarious?
I'm afraid so.
The concept of Celebrity Skin (and Bodily Fluids) may be a bit too much for the squeamish, but I think it's pretty damn funny satire.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
XM Memory List: First Installment (+ Bonus Mini-Rant)
I've had XM Satellite Radio for about a year now, and on the whole I'd say that I've been very pleased with it. The sound quality is excellent, the variety of musical genres is unmatched (even though I can think of a few subgenres that would make for even more diversity), and I feel like I get more than my money's worth at only thirteen bucks a month.
The only regret I have about my whole XM experience is that I bought a Delphi Sky-Fi reciever...I wish I had waited until the Sky-Fi II model came out before investing in the hardware. Oh, there's nothing wrong with the original Sky-Fi, but the newer model has onboard memory and allows the listener to repeat selections. This would be a VERY handy feature for me.
I saw an advertisement in this month's Esquire for XM hardware and service. I noticed that the Sky-Fi model that I own was not among the recievers offered, so I wonder if it's still being manufactured. I wouldn't be surprised if they discontinued it, because the Sky-Fi II is obviously a better deal.
Oh, well. One of these days I'll have to scrounge up the funds to upgrade my home unit to a Sky-Fi II and invest in a car adaptor with which to utilyze my trusty, if limited, Sky Fi.
The only aspect of my XM reciever that I have not really utilyzed is the Memory function. If there is a song you like and want to perhaps seek out online or at the local Borders/Barnes & Noble you can press the Memory button while it's playing and it will store the title/artist information for you to retrieve at your leisure. The unit will save the last 10 entries, so you might want to check your list before it rolls over...
But like I said, I rarely use this feature, and until now my Memory list has included entries made over the course of just about the whole year I've had XM.
I have decided, since I can't have the nifty features of the Sky-Fi II just yet, to put the memory function to some use. Every time I hear a song that I'm not familiar with but which I really enjoy I will enter it into Memory and then periodically I will post these lists on my blog and at the RS.com Castaways community boards.
"Why?" you ask.
Because I want to.
Plus it will hopefully provide a resource which I can use when the time comes for buying new music. I can peruse these lists and choose an album by one of the artists who have made the cut.
Also the lists will provide insight into what lies between the boundaries of my taste in music. I know for a fact that there are no less than TWO (count 'em) people out there reading this blog who give a rat's ass. So this is for them as well as for me.
One last thing before I post the first list of 10...there are only so many characters in the on-screen display of the Sky-Fi reciever, and many times the allotted number of characters are just not enough to show the whole song title. For instance, the 2nd entry on this list is most likely an incomplete song title ("Don't Stop Doin'"). Oh, well...unless I can figure out on my own what the rest of the title is I'm just going to post what I've got. My apologies to anyone who may be annoyed by this. I feel your pain.
1. T. I....."You Don't Know"
2. Negativland....."Don't Stop Doin'"
3. Gong....."Psychological Ov" (there's an incomplete title for ya..."Psychological Overture"? "Psychological Ovation"? "Psychological Ovaries"? Don't ask me...)
4. Byron Metcalf....."O-Daika's Dream"
5. Joy Zipper....."In the Never End"
6. Thin Lizzy....."Johnny"
7. Husky Rescue....."The Good Man"
8. Bauhaus....."Bela Lugosi's Dead" (okay, so I've heard this one many times before...truth be told, the idea of posting this list was followed by only 7 Memory entries and this one and the next two are left-overs from who knows when)
9. ESPN Radio's The Baseball Show (ummm...don't ask me)
10. Erik Darling....."Child, Child"
There you go. Stay tuned for the next installment of my Memory List.
This is COUNTRY??????
And while I'm here I just want to say that the 39th annual Country Music Association Awards show, broadcast about a week and a half ago, was a JOKE and an unforgivable TRAVESTY.
Keith Urban wins both Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year? Gag.
Elton John's duet with Dolly Parton butchering John Lennon's "Imagine"? Ugh.
Bon Jovi performing? Yikes!
But the most dissappointing part of the whole fiasco was when Alabama's acceptance speech for being inducted into the C&W Hall of Fame was cut short before two of the guys in the band had a chance to speak (poor Randy Owen, Alabama's frontman, was being generous in waiting till the end to speak...he didn't even get a chance...). There was absolutely NO excuse to cut those guys off when there were so many CRAP performances that could have been excised easily.
It's no wonder country album sales are down. From the looks of the CMA awards show there is precious little COUNTRY MUSIC being released and marketed.
I realize that I'm a purist, however, and thath is why I did not post my vehement feelings about the whole thing when I first saw it. If the people who listen to modern country can't figure out that what they're listening to has nothing whatsoever to do with country music but is little more than weak, watered down Adult Contemporary and soft rock, well who am I to point them in the direction of the real deal? They probably wouldn't like it anyway.
The only regret I have about my whole XM experience is that I bought a Delphi Sky-Fi reciever...I wish I had waited until the Sky-Fi II model came out before investing in the hardware. Oh, there's nothing wrong with the original Sky-Fi, but the newer model has onboard memory and allows the listener to repeat selections. This would be a VERY handy feature for me.
I saw an advertisement in this month's Esquire for XM hardware and service. I noticed that the Sky-Fi model that I own was not among the recievers offered, so I wonder if it's still being manufactured. I wouldn't be surprised if they discontinued it, because the Sky-Fi II is obviously a better deal.
Oh, well. One of these days I'll have to scrounge up the funds to upgrade my home unit to a Sky-Fi II and invest in a car adaptor with which to utilyze my trusty, if limited, Sky Fi.
The only aspect of my XM reciever that I have not really utilyzed is the Memory function. If there is a song you like and want to perhaps seek out online or at the local Borders/Barnes & Noble you can press the Memory button while it's playing and it will store the title/artist information for you to retrieve at your leisure. The unit will save the last 10 entries, so you might want to check your list before it rolls over...
But like I said, I rarely use this feature, and until now my Memory list has included entries made over the course of just about the whole year I've had XM.
I have decided, since I can't have the nifty features of the Sky-Fi II just yet, to put the memory function to some use. Every time I hear a song that I'm not familiar with but which I really enjoy I will enter it into Memory and then periodically I will post these lists on my blog and at the RS.com Castaways community boards.
"Why?" you ask.
Because I want to.
Plus it will hopefully provide a resource which I can use when the time comes for buying new music. I can peruse these lists and choose an album by one of the artists who have made the cut.
Also the lists will provide insight into what lies between the boundaries of my taste in music. I know for a fact that there are no less than TWO (count 'em) people out there reading this blog who give a rat's ass. So this is for them as well as for me.
One last thing before I post the first list of 10...there are only so many characters in the on-screen display of the Sky-Fi reciever, and many times the allotted number of characters are just not enough to show the whole song title. For instance, the 2nd entry on this list is most likely an incomplete song title ("Don't Stop Doin'"). Oh, well...unless I can figure out on my own what the rest of the title is I'm just going to post what I've got. My apologies to anyone who may be annoyed by this. I feel your pain.
1. T. I....."You Don't Know"
2. Negativland....."Don't Stop Doin'"
3. Gong....."Psychological Ov" (there's an incomplete title for ya..."Psychological Overture"? "Psychological Ovation"? "Psychological Ovaries"? Don't ask me...)
4. Byron Metcalf....."O-Daika's Dream"
5. Joy Zipper....."In the Never End"
6. Thin Lizzy....."Johnny"
7. Husky Rescue....."The Good Man"
8. Bauhaus....."Bela Lugosi's Dead" (okay, so I've heard this one many times before...truth be told, the idea of posting this list was followed by only 7 Memory entries and this one and the next two are left-overs from who knows when)
9. ESPN Radio's The Baseball Show (ummm...don't ask me)
10. Erik Darling....."Child, Child"
There you go. Stay tuned for the next installment of my Memory List.
This is COUNTRY??????
And while I'm here I just want to say that the 39th annual Country Music Association Awards show, broadcast about a week and a half ago, was a JOKE and an unforgivable TRAVESTY.
Keith Urban wins both Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year? Gag.
Elton John's duet with Dolly Parton butchering John Lennon's "Imagine"? Ugh.
Bon Jovi performing? Yikes!
But the most dissappointing part of the whole fiasco was when Alabama's acceptance speech for being inducted into the C&W Hall of Fame was cut short before two of the guys in the band had a chance to speak (poor Randy Owen, Alabama's frontman, was being generous in waiting till the end to speak...he didn't even get a chance...). There was absolutely NO excuse to cut those guys off when there were so many CRAP performances that could have been excised easily.
It's no wonder country album sales are down. From the looks of the CMA awards show there is precious little COUNTRY MUSIC being released and marketed.
I realize that I'm a purist, however, and thath is why I did not post my vehement feelings about the whole thing when I first saw it. If the people who listen to modern country can't figure out that what they're listening to has nothing whatsoever to do with country music but is little more than weak, watered down Adult Contemporary and soft rock, well who am I to point them in the direction of the real deal? They probably wouldn't like it anyway.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Dylan Project Update
Bob Dylan The Times They Are a-Changin'
I'm still focusing on a Dylan album every few days...I know, I was going to devote a full week to each one, but the more I'd listen to one album the more it would make me want to hear something else by the man, so I spend 3 or 4 days with an album and then move on to another.
So far I've gone pretty deep into Another Side of Bob Dylan and The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. I enjoyed both of those immensely, and for the past couple of days I've really enjoyed The Times They Are a-Changin'. It's definately one of Bob's most consistantly good albums, and I can't think of a single song on it that I don't really like. Standout tracks at this point are "The Ballad of Hollis Brown" (talk about BLEAK), "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" (I've always liked that one), "Spanish Boots of Spanish Leather", "When the Ship Comes In" (I love all that Old Testament symbolic imagery) and "With God On Our Side".
So far so good in this "Dylan Project", but I'm a little worried about how I'm going to handle some of the later Dylan releases. I put on Before The Flood yesterday for a change of pace (from all the acoustic Dylan I'd been immersed in) and I thought it was awful (at least the first 6 or 7 songs, I turned it off after that). Maybe by the time I get around to it in the cycle I will have amassed the kind of respect for Dylan that will enable me to appreciate it.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Critic Jeffrey Overstreet: LOOKING CLOSER
Jeffrey Overstreet is one of the most thoughtful music reviewers I have read in a long time, and he has been doing a lot of work on the MUSIC page of his website, Looking Closer.
His writing comes with a deep Christian perspective, but this is not one of those websites that tries to tell you what you should or should not listen to "in order to be a good Christian". You know, the ones that insist upon strict adherence to a policy of extolling "sacred" music (even if the only thing that makes some of it "sacred" is a bit of divine Name-dropping) while preaching the evils of "secular" music (even when said "secular" music sounds more spiritual than any song on the Contemporary Christian Top 25 "Hit" List...case in point: Sigur Ros).
Anyhoo, Overstreet's review of R.E.M.'s Around The Sun is SCATHING (and, no doubt, right on...no, I don't have the album; I listened to the majority of it at a Borders listening station and thought it was awful, so I didn't waste my money on it then...Overstreet confirms my low opinion and it's good to know that I didn't dismiss it at the time as a result of a low tolerance for Stipe, which I'd been developing for the last few years, or because I was just maybe in a foul mood the day I heard it).
Worth checking out for that alone...
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Dylan Project
Bob Dylan The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
A few days ago I decided to get deeper into my Dylan collection by focusing on one album per week, listening to it at least once a day. I chose Another Side of Bob Dylan to begin the project, and I'm very much enjoying it, but last night I felt like hearing something else by him so I slapped this one on.
I don't know...I guess I'm finally at a point in my life where I can truly appreciate Dylan, because this album was spellbinding from start to finish (I think 'Corrina Corrina' is the only track that doesn't jibe with me, and it's not bad). Sure, I've heard this album before, but I think I knew back then that I wasn't 'ready' for it yet. I had this strong suspicion that it would be something I would have to come around to at a future point when my head was a little more together.
I guess I'm making progress, because sitting through this album last night was a pure pleasure.
'Masters of War'...the sound of righteous indignation. The vitriol Dylan projects is shocking, even frightening until you consider (and I mean truly contemplate) exactly what it is he's aiming this intense ball of hatred at. A line like 'Even Jesus would never forgive what you do' is severe on the surface, but it makes it's point pretty darned effectively.
There is some sweet guitar work going on in 'Oxford Town' that for some reason I just never latched onto in the past. I marvelled at it last night.
What a panaroma of imagination is 'A Hard Rains a-Gonna Fall'. Those last two lines are sublime...'I'll stand on the water until I start sinking' (an allusion to the apostle Peter who, when he saw Jesus walking on the water and heard Jesus bid him 'come' had the faith to actually stand on the water himself until fear of the storm distracted him from the One who beckoned and he sank) and 'I'll know my song well before I start singing" (read-between-the-lines and it's the same thing as the line in "The Times They Are a-Changin'":"Don't criticize what you can't understand"). Just sitting back and forming a mental picture of the descriptions he calls off is mind blowing. I am fearfully close to the point where I recognize and truly appreciate Dylan as the fountainhead...
If I had the time I could go on and on about this album.
It's no wonder the Beatles took such a shine to young Zimmy.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Adrian Rogers, R.I.P.
Adrian Rogers
Sept 12, 1931-Nov 15, 2005
Rest in Peace
A man who lived his life to the fullest, whose legacy is the positive influence he's had upon millions of people and the lives that were enriched by hearing him preach (and seeing him LIVE out the principles of) the word of God.
Wednesday, November 9, 2005
"Playboy"
Hear me out...don't quit your day job
Not just yet, maybe not at all
Though I know you think you hear
The giddy sound of the good life
Callin' out to you, sayin' "Come along!"
But that isn't Miss September whispering
The glossy dreams of the beautiful people
Far above anyone you know
Like they're from another world
A better place than you or I have ever been
You still think she's givin' it to you
But it isn't Miss September's to give
CHORUS:
...And you'll never be a playboy, darling
...And you'll never own a penthouse, baby
...No, you're never gonna be a playboy
...So don't quit your day job, darling
It's enough...people laughing at the
Party jokes that you've memorized
And you tell them oh, so well
But it's too much to expect her not to notice
The lecherous look there in your eyes
Now you've frightened Miss September away
Not just yet, maybe not at all
Though I know you think you hear
The giddy sound of the good life
Callin' out to you, sayin' "Come along!"
But that isn't Miss September whispering
The glossy dreams of the beautiful people
Far above anyone you know
Like they're from another world
A better place than you or I have ever been
You still think she's givin' it to you
But it isn't Miss September's to give
CHORUS:
...And you'll never be a playboy, darling
...And you'll never own a penthouse, baby
...No, you're never gonna be a playboy
...So don't quit your day job, darling
It's enough...people laughing at the
Party jokes that you've memorized
And you tell them oh, so well
But it's too much to expect her not to notice
The lecherous look there in your eyes
Now you've frightened Miss September away
Strange and Seedy
WARNING: There is some explicit (and maybe even a tad disturbing) content at this site, but it's so over-the-top weird that I couldn't resist blogging it.
Check out these "Lobbycards"...advertising/promotional tools that were displayed in X-Rated movie theaters to showcase currently playing or upcoming features back in the "good old days" before video and DVD took over.
These are some of the tamer ones, but no less bizarre.
Check out these "Lobbycards"...advertising/promotional tools that were displayed in X-Rated movie theaters to showcase currently playing or upcoming features back in the "good old days" before video and DVD took over.
These are some of the tamer ones, but no less bizarre.
Monday, November 7, 2005
Sunday, November 6, 2005
Top Ten Violent Death Scenes
A little bit late for the Halloween deadline, I suppose, but nevertheless I was amused by the YesButNoButYes list of Top Ten Violent Death Scenes.
The inclusion of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer at number 2 completely legitimizes the list, IMO. That was the most disturbing film I've ever seen in my entire life.
The inclusion of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer at number 2 completely legitimizes the list, IMO. That was the most disturbing film I've ever seen in my entire life.
Hwangki On The Internet
This from a blog called "oh~~~baby", and I must say there is a certain poetic quality to it...but you decide...
How long do you using a computer?
Most of all, people use a computer to internet.
Internet is given to us many disadvantages.
So now, Let's look at the actual conditions of using internet and various ways of properly solving.
First of all, we behave lacking all sense of responsibility by using internet anonymously.
We cannot know anybody because of using instead of our name.
So we bring out crimes. It can be social problems.
For example , some people spread rumors or other people falsely introduce themselves.
Secondly, internet game-poisoning is led to social problems.
Nowadays watching TV and newspapers, We meet with accidents.
For instance, some people game for days on end. They don't sleep and eat.
Then they unexpectedly will be died. I think they excessively behaved.
Thirdly, among people human nature decreased using internet.
So it can be an unaffectiontely society. The people sue internet all day.
Due to it, they who don't meet their friends stay at home all day long.
Although they directly don't meet friends, they can chat with their friends though internet.
In conclusion internet is a necessity they could not live without.
Therefore, we unconditionally must not exclude using internet, we should prescribe time to use internet.
In future, we should reduce time to use internet, we make an effort to enjoy our hobby by ourself.
Thanks, Hwangki. That's excellent advice.
How long do you using a computer?
Most of all, people use a computer to internet.
Internet is given to us many disadvantages.
So now, Let's look at the actual conditions of using internet and various ways of properly solving.
First of all, we behave lacking all sense of responsibility by using internet anonymously.
We cannot know anybody because of using instead of our name.
So we bring out crimes. It can be social problems.
For example , some people spread rumors or other people falsely introduce themselves.
Secondly, internet game-poisoning is led to social problems.
Nowadays watching TV and newspapers, We meet with accidents.
For instance, some people game for days on end. They don't sleep and eat.
Then they unexpectedly will be died. I think they excessively behaved.
Thirdly, among people human nature decreased using internet.
So it can be an unaffectiontely society. The people sue internet all day.
Due to it, they who don't meet their friends stay at home all day long.
Although they directly don't meet friends, they can chat with their friends though internet.
In conclusion internet is a necessity they could not live without.
Therefore, we unconditionally must not exclude using internet, we should prescribe time to use internet.
In future, we should reduce time to use internet, we make an effort to enjoy our hobby by ourself.
Thanks, Hwangki. That's excellent advice.
Saturday, November 5, 2005
The Listening Room Goes To Work
A couple of days ago I brought a portable CD player and one of my CD cases to work with me, so that Roy and I could listen to something besides KOMA on the radio.
Here are the albums we listened to, with some commentary that I wrote as each was being played:
Paul McCartney & Wings Band On The Run
This is the best post-Beatles McCartney album, bar none. Paul and Linda's vocal harmonies may not be in the same league as the magical blending of Macca, Lennon & Harrison but they still sound pretty good together and you can really tell they're enjoying themselves.
I like how he has incorporated sections of previous songs into "Picasso's Last Stand", even though I'm not too fond of the song itself. Glad he didn't close with that one...
"Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five", on the other hand, is a brilliant endpiece and I like the way he's tacked the chorus to the opening number, "Band On The Run" to the end.
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Damn The Torpedoes
This is Petty in his prime, creating the early seventies template for American rock and roll, putting his nasally voice on the line, as definitive and ultimately recognizable as the greats: Jagger, Dylan, Fogerty, Springsteen.
There are some cool guitar bits hidden throughout the record. That Rickenbacker Petty sports sounds sweet but you've got to listen close to hear the essential elements, else they blend so smoothly into the over-all sound that you don't notice them.
The Heartbreakers playing is tight and solid as a rock here, grooving each song in it's own unique way but never losing that modernized-60's folk rock feel.
Roy, my reviewing partner, says of Damn The Torpedoes:
"It's cool, man. I had this on 8-track. My ex-brother-in-law gave me that 8-track. He also gave me Dark Side Of The Moon. I gave him 5 dollars apiece for them."
"So you bought them," I noted, "They weren't 'given' to you."
"I bought 'em. I had money to spend in New Mexico."
"So which did you like better?" I asked. "Dark Side Of The Moon or Damn The Torpedoes?"
"I like 'em both the same."
"But if you HAD to choose?"
"I'm not that way. I don't see one thing as being 'better' than the other. My stepmother didn't raise me that way."
"Okay, but tell me this," I continued, "How would you rate Damn The Torpedoes in relation to Tom Petty's other albums?"
"It's a good album," was Roy's response, "It's much better than his other albums. What do you think?"
So I told him what I thought...
Yeah, it's his best album, I agree. But I don't think there's too big of a quality gap between it and his other records. I wouldn't say it's MUCH better, but it's the one I'd pick if I could only pick one.
Tom Petty definately belongs in the upper-tiers of great American rock music icons, right up there with Springsteen if not Dylan, above lesser voices like Seger and Mellencamp. And yet, even as I acknowledge his right to keep such hallowed company I must also confess that I'm rarely in the mood to listen to his music. Don't know why that is...same thing with Steely Dan. I should remedy that in regards to both Petty & Steely Dan.
Soon, I promise.
The Alan Parsons Project I, Robot
Call me a nerd. Call me a geek. If an appreciation for sci-fi concepts stolen from Isaac Asimov novels and applied to keyboard saturated semi-pretentious prog rock makes one a geek, then I plead guilty as charged.
Truth be told I loved this album as a dysfunctional, escape-dreaming teenager when it first came out, just as I adored Parsons' debut, Tales Of Mystery & Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe. Maybe even a little bit more, but I fell away from the fan-fold with the release of their third album (I think it was called Pyramid) and I clearly remember disliking Eve. In all of Parsons' music since I, Robot the only thing I really like is the song "Time".
The vitriol still flows, however, in "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You".
The very fact that this song became a major hit is testimony to the crankiness of the human race and the assumption that everyone has someone to detest.
Alan Parsons sure knows how to mix instruments (and their levels) into a compelling sound. He was, after all, the man behind the boards for Pink Floyd's production masterwork Dark Side Of The Moon. If you get a chance, check out his work on Al Stewart's seminal recordings Year Of The Cat and Time Passages.
I relaize that there are legions of rock fans out there who would insist that once you bring into a song a choir the size of the one currently gigging in the Mormon Tabernacle you've more or less neutered that songs eligibility as a "rock" record. And that choir shows up at the window of several tracks on I, Robot...But what else would you expect from a self-professed CONCEPT ALBUM?
I don't worry too much these days about whether or not it's "rock", and I don't guess I cared much back then, either, cuz whatever it is, it sure sounds good through headphones.
Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets
Just the other day I made a comment about how the Allman Brothers' Eat a Peach was an incredible album considering the band had just lost a key member (Duanne Allman). Likewise, A Saucerful of Secrets is a sophomore effort doomed to be remembered as the first "Post-Barrett" Floyd release. But surprisingly it meets the challenge head-on and delivers a batch of fresh psychedelia that's richer and, IMO, even more satisfying than the lighter, more innocent fare on The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
Back in the early seventies, capitalizing on the massive success of Dark Side Of The Moon Harvest records released both Piper and Saucerful as a double album which they called A Nice Pair. Consequently there was a period of time when I was blissfully unaware that these were two seperate albums...which is kinda strange, seeing as how there really is such a different "feel" between the two...and though I enjoyed the first record in the set (Piper) I always thought the second Saucerful) was the more satisfying listening experience.
I still feel that way.
Steve Miller Band Abracadabra
I'm not typically a big Steve Miller fan but I do remember liking this album quite a bit when it first came out (MTV had played the title song's video to death and I was working in a record store at the time, so I picked it up with my discount). I haven't listened to the thing in YEARS and I suppose I'd forgotten what it was about this particular album that caused it to stand apart, above and beyond Miller's other records.
It is an uneven affair, though, now that I hear it anew. The vocal harmonies on the opening track, "Keeps Me Wondering Why", remind me of what I liked about it. "Something Special" is some of his best songwriting, but then there is fluff like "Give It Up", a ska-fueled exercise in tedium that gets old very quickly (although I gotta admit that the a capella introduction is pretty cool).
There's an earnestness to Steve's voice that matches the clean sound he uses on his guitars which is endearing at times and annoying at others. Examples of both extremes can be found in "Never Say No". His voice fits pretty well in the verses but then loses all momentum in the tacky chorus.
One thing's for sure...Oklahoma sho nuff do love dem some Steve Millah...He makes a yearly stop at the OKC Zoo Amphitheatre every summer and the crowd is always as huge as the pot smoke that hovers over them is thick. A dive bar band in Oklahoma who can't play at least one or two Miller songs will likely not be invited back for a second performance.
Personally, I don't get it. I mean, yeah, the guys a talented guitarist and has a knack for writing infectuous if lightweight hard pop songs...but to go see him EVERY SINGLE YEAR like a lot of Okies do...Nope. Ain't-a gonna do it.
Charlie Patton Founder Of The Delta Blues
I just gotta be in a certain mood to enjoy most blues music, but when it comes to the pioneers, like Patton and Robert Johnson, hey, I can dig that just about anytime.
The Mighty Lemon Drops Laughter
I wish I didn't have to admit this, but the Mighty Lemon Drops brand of late 80's alterna-rock just has not aged very well. Not saying that it doesn't have a few redeeming qualities, but I have to wonder what it was about them that inspired me to buy 3 of their albums "back in the day".
A great band name, that's about all they've got going for them...ahh, but that's a tad harsh. " Heartbreak Thing" is actually pretty good, even if it does sound like something I've heard before in more than one other song.
Maybe it's the singer's distanced almost deadpan delivery that detracts...most of the music is pretty decent, but for some reason these songs don't impress me like I remember they once did. Pedestrian chord progressions so simple a beginner could have written them and hey, howzabout a little emotion in that vocal delivery?
The sad thing is that Laughter is the Lemon Drops album I thought was the best of the three I had. Now I can't bear the thought of listening to the other two.
Believe it or not there were critics who had the audacity to compare the Mighty Lemon Drops to Joy Division. That's like saying "kitsch" and "timeless" have something in common.
I don't think so.
Here are the albums we listened to, with some commentary that I wrote as each was being played:
Paul McCartney & Wings Band On The Run
This is the best post-Beatles McCartney album, bar none. Paul and Linda's vocal harmonies may not be in the same league as the magical blending of Macca, Lennon & Harrison but they still sound pretty good together and you can really tell they're enjoying themselves.
I like how he has incorporated sections of previous songs into "Picasso's Last Stand", even though I'm not too fond of the song itself. Glad he didn't close with that one...
"Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five", on the other hand, is a brilliant endpiece and I like the way he's tacked the chorus to the opening number, "Band On The Run" to the end.
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Damn The Torpedoes
This is Petty in his prime, creating the early seventies template for American rock and roll, putting his nasally voice on the line, as definitive and ultimately recognizable as the greats: Jagger, Dylan, Fogerty, Springsteen.
There are some cool guitar bits hidden throughout the record. That Rickenbacker Petty sports sounds sweet but you've got to listen close to hear the essential elements, else they blend so smoothly into the over-all sound that you don't notice them.
The Heartbreakers playing is tight and solid as a rock here, grooving each song in it's own unique way but never losing that modernized-60's folk rock feel.
Roy, my reviewing partner, says of Damn The Torpedoes:
"It's cool, man. I had this on 8-track. My ex-brother-in-law gave me that 8-track. He also gave me Dark Side Of The Moon. I gave him 5 dollars apiece for them."
"So you bought them," I noted, "They weren't 'given' to you."
"I bought 'em. I had money to spend in New Mexico."
"So which did you like better?" I asked. "Dark Side Of The Moon or Damn The Torpedoes?"
"I like 'em both the same."
"But if you HAD to choose?"
"I'm not that way. I don't see one thing as being 'better' than the other. My stepmother didn't raise me that way."
"Okay, but tell me this," I continued, "How would you rate Damn The Torpedoes in relation to Tom Petty's other albums?"
"It's a good album," was Roy's response, "It's much better than his other albums. What do you think?"
So I told him what I thought...
Yeah, it's his best album, I agree. But I don't think there's too big of a quality gap between it and his other records. I wouldn't say it's MUCH better, but it's the one I'd pick if I could only pick one.
Tom Petty definately belongs in the upper-tiers of great American rock music icons, right up there with Springsteen if not Dylan, above lesser voices like Seger and Mellencamp. And yet, even as I acknowledge his right to keep such hallowed company I must also confess that I'm rarely in the mood to listen to his music. Don't know why that is...same thing with Steely Dan. I should remedy that in regards to both Petty & Steely Dan.
Soon, I promise.
The Alan Parsons Project I, Robot
Call me a nerd. Call me a geek. If an appreciation for sci-fi concepts stolen from Isaac Asimov novels and applied to keyboard saturated semi-pretentious prog rock makes one a geek, then I plead guilty as charged.
Truth be told I loved this album as a dysfunctional, escape-dreaming teenager when it first came out, just as I adored Parsons' debut, Tales Of Mystery & Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe. Maybe even a little bit more, but I fell away from the fan-fold with the release of their third album (I think it was called Pyramid) and I clearly remember disliking Eve. In all of Parsons' music since I, Robot the only thing I really like is the song "Time".
The vitriol still flows, however, in "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You".
The very fact that this song became a major hit is testimony to the crankiness of the human race and the assumption that everyone has someone to detest.
Alan Parsons sure knows how to mix instruments (and their levels) into a compelling sound. He was, after all, the man behind the boards for Pink Floyd's production masterwork Dark Side Of The Moon. If you get a chance, check out his work on Al Stewart's seminal recordings Year Of The Cat and Time Passages.
I relaize that there are legions of rock fans out there who would insist that once you bring into a song a choir the size of the one currently gigging in the Mormon Tabernacle you've more or less neutered that songs eligibility as a "rock" record. And that choir shows up at the window of several tracks on I, Robot...But what else would you expect from a self-professed CONCEPT ALBUM?
I don't worry too much these days about whether or not it's "rock", and I don't guess I cared much back then, either, cuz whatever it is, it sure sounds good through headphones.
Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets
Just the other day I made a comment about how the Allman Brothers' Eat a Peach was an incredible album considering the band had just lost a key member (Duanne Allman). Likewise, A Saucerful of Secrets is a sophomore effort doomed to be remembered as the first "Post-Barrett" Floyd release. But surprisingly it meets the challenge head-on and delivers a batch of fresh psychedelia that's richer and, IMO, even more satisfying than the lighter, more innocent fare on The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
Back in the early seventies, capitalizing on the massive success of Dark Side Of The Moon Harvest records released both Piper and Saucerful as a double album which they called A Nice Pair. Consequently there was a period of time when I was blissfully unaware that these were two seperate albums...which is kinda strange, seeing as how there really is such a different "feel" between the two...and though I enjoyed the first record in the set (Piper) I always thought the second Saucerful) was the more satisfying listening experience.
I still feel that way.
Steve Miller Band Abracadabra
I'm not typically a big Steve Miller fan but I do remember liking this album quite a bit when it first came out (MTV had played the title song's video to death and I was working in a record store at the time, so I picked it up with my discount). I haven't listened to the thing in YEARS and I suppose I'd forgotten what it was about this particular album that caused it to stand apart, above and beyond Miller's other records.
It is an uneven affair, though, now that I hear it anew. The vocal harmonies on the opening track, "Keeps Me Wondering Why", remind me of what I liked about it. "Something Special" is some of his best songwriting, but then there is fluff like "Give It Up", a ska-fueled exercise in tedium that gets old very quickly (although I gotta admit that the a capella introduction is pretty cool).
There's an earnestness to Steve's voice that matches the clean sound he uses on his guitars which is endearing at times and annoying at others. Examples of both extremes can be found in "Never Say No". His voice fits pretty well in the verses but then loses all momentum in the tacky chorus.
One thing's for sure...Oklahoma sho nuff do love dem some Steve Millah...He makes a yearly stop at the OKC Zoo Amphitheatre every summer and the crowd is always as huge as the pot smoke that hovers over them is thick. A dive bar band in Oklahoma who can't play at least one or two Miller songs will likely not be invited back for a second performance.
Personally, I don't get it. I mean, yeah, the guys a talented guitarist and has a knack for writing infectuous if lightweight hard pop songs...but to go see him EVERY SINGLE YEAR like a lot of Okies do...Nope. Ain't-a gonna do it.
Charlie Patton Founder Of The Delta Blues
I just gotta be in a certain mood to enjoy most blues music, but when it comes to the pioneers, like Patton and Robert Johnson, hey, I can dig that just about anytime.
The Mighty Lemon Drops Laughter
I wish I didn't have to admit this, but the Mighty Lemon Drops brand of late 80's alterna-rock just has not aged very well. Not saying that it doesn't have a few redeeming qualities, but I have to wonder what it was about them that inspired me to buy 3 of their albums "back in the day".
A great band name, that's about all they've got going for them...ahh, but that's a tad harsh. " Heartbreak Thing" is actually pretty good, even if it does sound like something I've heard before in more than one other song.
Maybe it's the singer's distanced almost deadpan delivery that detracts...most of the music is pretty decent, but for some reason these songs don't impress me like I remember they once did. Pedestrian chord progressions so simple a beginner could have written them and hey, howzabout a little emotion in that vocal delivery?
The sad thing is that Laughter is the Lemon Drops album I thought was the best of the three I had. Now I can't bear the thought of listening to the other two.
Believe it or not there were critics who had the audacity to compare the Mighty Lemon Drops to Joy Division. That's like saying "kitsch" and "timeless" have something in common.
I don't think so.
Friday, November 4, 2005
A Gift
Fallin' on my face, begging Him for mercy
There's a concept I can get behind.
Accepting limitations
Tolerating myself
This is how You made me
These choices I've been given
Their consequences
You knew and yet You do not stop me
And You wrap it up with a nice, pretty ribbon
And You give it to me
I named it "Freedom"
Open-ended
Confusing towards the conclusion
As if it had all been sanctioned by You
Beneath grace more amazing
Than I could ever comprehend
Infinite love
Still, without mercy, condemned
There's a concept I can get behind.
Accepting limitations
Tolerating myself
This is how You made me
These choices I've been given
Their consequences
You knew and yet You do not stop me
And You wrap it up with a nice, pretty ribbon
And You give it to me
I named it "Freedom"
Open-ended
Confusing towards the conclusion
As if it had all been sanctioned by You
Beneath grace more amazing
Than I could ever comprehend
Infinite love
Still, without mercy, condemned
Nude as the News
Not what you think.
Actually, Nude As The News bills itself as "Rock Writing for the Musically Obsessed", so it's right down my alley. In fact, I'm kinda surprised it has taken me so long to get hip to this well done website (or is it a blog? I dunno).
The current front page review is of the most recent Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen albums, bashing both of them as weak offerings in their respective catalogues and pointing out that Young has more experience releasing duds than Springsteen.
And while I think I like Devils & Dust more than this reviewer did, I still have a nagging suspicion that he's right insomuch as it is not an album that meets the standards set by his seminal work (Nebraska, Ghost of Tom Joad, Tunnel of Love just to mention the records done without the E Street Band that outshine his latest). Still, I hope that's not discouraging to the Boss, as I certainly don't think he's even close to reaching a point of irrelevance and even if it's not quite as outstanding as, say, The Rising, it nevertheless is a very satisfying and enjoyable album (even "All The Way Home", which the NATN reviewer heartlessly compared to "an outtake from Human Touch...ouch!).
Alas, I have not heard Neil Young's new album...heck, I've got Neil Young albums in my collection that I've had for a couple of years that I haven't gotten around to listening to. The man is just too darned prolific. It's kinda ironic, I suppose, that the guy who wrote "It's better to burn out than it is to rust" just keeps churning out product year after year, the bulk of which most artists of his stature would have left in the vaults for a post-mortem Anthology celebration ("...oh, I can see why he didn't want to put that out while he was still alive, but now that he's gone it's rather poignant...").
I will keep my eye on Nude As The News, because it looks to be a pretty well-written venture, plus they've got a really good interview with Mark Kozelek in the archives...
Actually, Nude As The News bills itself as "Rock Writing for the Musically Obsessed", so it's right down my alley. In fact, I'm kinda surprised it has taken me so long to get hip to this well done website (or is it a blog? I dunno).
The current front page review is of the most recent Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen albums, bashing both of them as weak offerings in their respective catalogues and pointing out that Young has more experience releasing duds than Springsteen.
And while I think I like Devils & Dust more than this reviewer did, I still have a nagging suspicion that he's right insomuch as it is not an album that meets the standards set by his seminal work (Nebraska, Ghost of Tom Joad, Tunnel of Love just to mention the records done without the E Street Band that outshine his latest). Still, I hope that's not discouraging to the Boss, as I certainly don't think he's even close to reaching a point of irrelevance and even if it's not quite as outstanding as, say, The Rising, it nevertheless is a very satisfying and enjoyable album (even "All The Way Home", which the NATN reviewer heartlessly compared to "an outtake from Human Touch...ouch!).
Alas, I have not heard Neil Young's new album...heck, I've got Neil Young albums in my collection that I've had for a couple of years that I haven't gotten around to listening to. The man is just too darned prolific. It's kinda ironic, I suppose, that the guy who wrote "It's better to burn out than it is to rust" just keeps churning out product year after year, the bulk of which most artists of his stature would have left in the vaults for a post-mortem Anthology celebration ("...oh, I can see why he didn't want to put that out while he was still alive, but now that he's gone it's rather poignant...").
I will keep my eye on Nude As The News, because it looks to be a pretty well-written venture, plus they've got a really good interview with Mark Kozelek in the archives...
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Where My Head's At
So I just got off the phone with my brother, who had some very encouraging, complimentary things to say about my poetry/song blog Bipolar Confessional. He was also a bit miffed that I hadn't put anything new up in Nausea & Bliss in the last several days (in case you don't know, Nausea & Bliss is a bizarre photoblog that I maintain as a creative outlet).
All taken care of now...
He mentioned that he and his wife often check out this blog to "see where (my) head is"...
And it made me wonder if the Listening Room, with it's rotating line-up of goofy titles*, is an accurate representation of "where my head is at".
Though I admit that I did not think too long or too hard about it, I came to the conclusion that NO, it is not a very accurate representation of the location of my head in relation to the stimuli I allow into it. But it is a peek into the outer reaches of what I'm into.
*A few of the goofy titles I've used for this blog:
"Frightened By the Ghost of the Heart"
"It's Okay, Mom, That's Only The Sound of My Dying Ego Screaming"
"There Never Was a Horse Like the Tennessee Stud"
For Future Reference... current title of blog, as this post is being typed: "A Heartbreaking Blog of Staggering Ineptitude"
So, where IS my head at these days?
Well, for the last few days I have immersed myself in two albums. I finally picked up Autechre's most recent offering, Untilted, and to say that I am impressed with it would be a slight understatement. It's one of the best things Booth & Brown have done in years. I can't believe I've made myself wait since April to get this thing. Truth be told, I wasn't expecting it to be this good.
The second is the sophomore release from Sun Kil Moon, the enigmatic Tiny Cities (aka Mark Kozelek's Modest Mouse Reconstruction Project). It took me a couple of listens to get past the fact that it's all Modest Mouse covers with no original Kozelek songs, but eventually I settled into it, realizing that I didn't let the fact that What's Next To The Moon was all Bon Scott-era AC/DC songs keep me from adoring that record.And it is a lovely record. My current favorite tracks are "Neverending Math Equation", "Space Travel Is Boring", "Four Fingered Fisherman", "Grey Ice Water" and "Ocean Breathes Salty". That's almost half the album, and there were a couple that will probably make the list of favorites after I hear it a few more times (likely suspects: "Trucker's Atlas", "Dramamine" & "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes").
Tiny Cities is a bit short, clocking in at a mere 30 minutes and 35 seconds. But as I pointed out to a friend who was concerned about it's brevity, one would not complain that Nick Drake's Pink Moon was anything less than all it needed to be, and it was even shorter than 30 minutes.
I've been utilyzing some time I have on my job by making some recordings on my brother's 4-track recorder. Roy enjoys helping me with it and it's a good way to kill time (seeing as how Roy would just as soon do absolutely nothing).
I haven't gotten anything definitive down just yet, though a couple of songs are promising.
I have, however, completed an experimental thing in which I have multi-tracked myself reading William Blake's Thel to the accompaniment of an acoustic guitar's frilly finger-plucking and a reading of Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" played backwards. It's a strange collage, but oddly affective.
My productivity with these musical projects is severely affected by the discouragement I feel upon realizing that even though I play a decent guitar, my sense of rhythm really sucks.
Speaking of Thel, I have been reading and re-reading that particular poem, enjoying it immensely. On the flip side of that coin is another poem I have delighted in of late, Charles Baudelaire's grim "To The Reader"...
Check it out:
To the Reader
by Charles Baudelaire
Folly, error, sin, avarice
Occupy our minds and labor our bodies,
And we feed our pleasant remorse
As beggars nourish their vermin.
Our sins are obstinate, our repentance is faint;
We exact a high price for our confessions,
And we gaily return to the miry path,
Believing that base tears wash away all our stains.
On the pillow of evil Satan, Trismegist,
Incessantly lulls our enchanted minds,
And the noble metal of our will
Is wholly vaporized by this wise alchemist.
The Devil holds the strings which move us!
In repugnant things we discover charms;
Every day we descend a step further toward Hell,
Without horror, through gloom that stinks.
Like a penniless rake who with kisses and bites
Tortures the breast of an old prostitute,
We steal as we pass by a clandestine pleasure
That we squeeze very hard like a dried up orange.
Serried, swarming, like a million maggots,
A legion of Demons carouses in our brains,
And when we breathe, Death, that unseen river,
Descends into our lungs with muffled wails.
If rape, poison, daggers, arson
Have not yet embroidered with their pleasing designs
The banal canvas of our pitiable lives,
It is because our souls have not enough boldness.
But among the jackals, the panthers, the bitch hounds,
The apes, the scorpions, the vultures, the serpents,
The yelping, howling, growling, crawling monsters,
In the filthy menagerie of our vices,
There is one more ugly, more wicked, more filthy!
Although he makes neither great gestures nor great cries,
He would willingly make of the earth a shambles
And, in a yawn, swallow the world;
He is Ennui! — His eye watery as though with tears,
He dreams of scaffolds as he smokes his hookah pipe.
You know him reader, that refined monster,
— Hypocritish reader, — my fellow, — my brother!
This is actually a different translation than the one I've been digging into, but it looks to be a good one.
So that's more or less where my head is at these past few days. I've been tired. I've eaten a lot of chili (oh, God, you can't believe how much I love Frito chili pie)...I bought a couple of Little Ceaser's pizzas for Roy and I (he asked for deep dish jalapeno and I got the regular pepperoni).
Speaking of jalapenos, I have developed a real taste for spicy, hot foods. I have always tolerated fairly hot vittles, but I'm getting to where I like it when my tongue starts burning, knowing that it will pass. My wife tells me that peppers and other very hot foods act as a stress-reliever, because the body can experience what should be a stressful stimuli (pain from the heat) all the while knowing that no harm will come and that it will pass. Somehow this translates into a reduction of stress. So it's probably a good thing that I've been eating so many peppers, seeing as how there are times when working with Roy becomes stressful.
And speaking of Roy, I had a few extra "Roy-isms" that I hadn't posted, and this is as good a place as any...
~~~"I hope we get bowling ball-sized hail."
~~~"I'm playing my Iranian trumpet."
~~~"I wanna chase people with a chainsaw on Halloween."
~~~"I'm gonna pass gas in the Synagogue."
~~~"I'm eatin' bugs."
~~~"CHOCOLATE BRICK!"
~~~"I'm gonna make my bed in a chocolate cake."
~~~"I DON'T GET PAID FOR THIS!"
That last one is just so funny...it's what he says every time I ask him to do something that he doesn't really want to do (and that would include just about everything). He winds up doing what he's asked, but he moans and complains, "Ahhh, I don't get paid for this shit", with the volume of his voice rising to a crescendo by the time the last word is out of his mouth.
I can envision this becoming a nationwide catch phrase, with people everywhere bemoaning, "I don't get paid for this"...sort of the modern day equivalent of Freddie Prinze's old line, "Eez Not My Chob!"
Roy's eyesight is faulty, and I often wonder just how blind he is. He misplaced a pack of cigarettes the other day and thought he'd lost them. More precisely, he thought someone had stolen them from him, and he bellowed, "Some crack head done pimped me!"
I found this to be absolutely hilarious, just as I find amusing much of the time that Roy and I spend together. I mean, it can get tedious at times, but for the most part it's pretty cool to get paid just for being a friend to a guy who is as entertaining, unusual and interesting as Roy.
I'm thinking of starting a regular feature here in which Roy and I will listen to selected CDs from my vast collection and will do a Siskel and Ebert number on 'em. I really think that his insights will make for enjoyable reading, along with my own well-established views. Look for it in the near future, transcribed directly from the master tapes.
But DON'T wait for the Fellowship Students interview I teased you with a few days ago. Not that the guys renigged, but I never got around to sending the questionairres out to them (that was how the interview was to be done, by their answering memes & pre-written questions via e-mail...okay, okay, so it's a lame idea...I didn't do it, are you happy now?)...
Let's see...where else has my head been?
Reading Esquire magazine from cover-to-cover. Subscribed to it a couple of months ago.
My son Bryan, who will be 11 next month, decided he was too old to go trick-or-treating on Halloween last year, but he still enjoys dressing up and handing candy to the kids. Here he is, shrouded by darkness in his Phantom of the Opera get-up.Amazing kid, my son. He is currently obsessed with Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, having seen the DVD more than once and since I gave him a copy of the soundtrack on cassette. He shuts himself up in his room and sings along...I'm sure he puts on full-scale productions of the musical in there with himself in the leading role.
His other musical fixations at the moment are the Beatles (he now has all their albums on CD and can sing along to practically every one of their songs) and They Might Be Giants (quickly absorbing their 2 CD "Best of" collection, Dial-a-Song). Other than that he still listens to the classical station every night as he goes to bed.
I'm glad he's into music to the extent that he is. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but you know how kids are these days, with so many leisure activities bidding for time. He loves his Playstation 2 (Sly Cooper is his favorite game) and he enjoys his DVD collection (all 3 Harry Potter movies and a whole lot more), but thankfully he has given music a prominent place in his tally of interests.
And now I need to shut this computer down and pick up where I left off doing whatever it was I was doing when I decided that getting on the computer and blogging was more important...
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Lamentation
I woke up this morning
And I felt like hearing a secret from God
No
I thought He might have one for me
But He was teasing me, making me wait
Knowing full well
That I wasn't made for waiting
And I haven't reached the point yet
Where I've accepted
The dullness as necessary
The boredom as essential
To the appreciation of joy as it is intended
When it is dropped like a birthday present
Out of nowhere
The bliss extinguished by first awareness of it
The gut knowledge that it comes short and
It comes sweet and
It comes rarely
It is grieved for in the space of a moment
Before being left behind
So that we may search
For the next surprise
But the treasure queen has developed
An unfortunate tendency to hide away
The demons in my mind...
I've met each one
I've looked into each set of mirror-reflection eyes
And I know them intimately
Just as I know
I am powerless against their sway
Demon life
So maybe that's what's standing in the way
And I felt like hearing a secret from God
No
I thought He might have one for me
But He was teasing me, making me wait
Knowing full well
That I wasn't made for waiting
And I haven't reached the point yet
Where I've accepted
The dullness as necessary
The boredom as essential
To the appreciation of joy as it is intended
When it is dropped like a birthday present
Out of nowhere
The bliss extinguished by first awareness of it
The gut knowledge that it comes short and
It comes sweet and
It comes rarely
It is grieved for in the space of a moment
Before being left behind
So that we may search
For the next surprise
But the treasure queen has developed
An unfortunate tendency to hide away
The demons in my mind...
I've met each one
I've looked into each set of mirror-reflection eyes
And I know them intimately
Just as I know
I am powerless against their sway
Demon life
So maybe that's what's standing in the way
Monday, October 31, 2005
Crash
Wow.
Rated on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the best: 10.
Maybe I'll get around to writing a review soon...maybe after I've watched it a couple more times (at least once with director's commentary)...
But for now just take my word for it.
This is one of the finest films I have ever seen, even if it does have Sandra Bullock in it.
And when is Ludicrus gonna ditch the hip hop game and take up acting full time? He's good enough.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Happy Halloween
I couldn't resist posting this work of art from my good buddy Eric Wheeler, aka "The Drumming Ninja".
In a flash of inspiration his imagination was filled with the vision of his alter-ego rising up and slicing his head in two with that razor sharp blade. Sensing the intense and legitimate symbolic aspects inherent in this wild, gory daydream scene, he immediately set to work capturing the image on his digital camera and offering it to the world via the internet (or if not the world, at least to those who stumble upon his MySpace profile).
Pete Townshend's Blog
Legendary composer and guitarist for the Who, Pete Townshend, is blogging a serialization of his current literary project, The Boy Who Heard Music.
What's really cool, though, is Townshend's Blogger User profile, which reveals that his favorite movies are Cinema Paradiso, The 200 Blows, My Life As A Dog, Fifth Element, BladeRunner, Jules et Jim, Day for Night, The Royal Tannenbaums & The Stalker .
Even more interesting, to me at least, are Pete's choices for "Favorite Music": Joni Mitchell's Travelogue, Neil Young's Harvest, The Best of Yo Yo Ma Marvin Gaye's Ain't That Peculiar and anything by Flaming Lips or Wilco.
Wow! Pete Townshend loves a band from Oklahoma City! I bet Wayne Coyne is ecstatic!
What's really cool, though, is Townshend's Blogger User profile, which reveals that his favorite movies are Cinema Paradiso, The 200 Blows, My Life As A Dog, Fifth Element, BladeRunner, Jules et Jim, Day for Night, The Royal Tannenbaums & The Stalker .
Even more interesting, to me at least, are Pete's choices for "Favorite Music": Joni Mitchell's Travelogue, Neil Young's Harvest, The Best of Yo Yo Ma Marvin Gaye's Ain't That Peculiar and anything by Flaming Lips or Wilco.
Wow! Pete Townshend loves a band from Oklahoma City! I bet Wayne Coyne is ecstatic!
Saturday, October 29, 2005
25 Things About Me
Have you seen the "25 Things About Me" meme?
I had some free time yesterday and so I decided to give it a shot. Probably more than anyone wants (or needs) to know, but here I am:
1. I have always liked to think of myself as somewhat eccentric, and though I often wish I was "normal" I know I could never be happy that way.
2. I fear God...which implies that I believe in Him. I do. Although I am still struggling with certain aspects of Orthodox Christianity I nevertheless plead the mercy of the Lord and recognize the finite nature of the human mind and it's shortcomings (read: the shortcomings of my own mind).
3. I am the product of a dysfunctional family but I refuse to use that as some kind of excuse for the issues I've dealt with as a result of my upbringing. I acknowledge it, but I don't hide behind it.
4. When I was young I dreamed of fame. Nowadays I thank God that fame eluded me. I feel certain that I would not have been able to handle it and would have probably wound up like Kurt Cobain.
5. I deeply regret not paying more attention to my teachers in high school. Even more I regret dropping out of college. With the benefit of hindsight I can see WHY I did what I did (see #3), but I still wish I had been more tenacious, diligent and attentive.
6. My reading skills were honed as a 14 year old boy by reading Playboy from cover-to-cover. Playboy and other "men's magazines" were my reading primers and I confess that this was a negative influence on my perception of sexuality and women in general. They did'nt make me disrespectful of the female gender at all, but the opposite extreme. I tended to view attractive women as "higher beings", completely unrealistically placing them on a pedestal based on their physical beauty. It took me a long time to learn that beauty, besides being in the eye of the beholder, is also skin deep. I've figured it out now, though.
7. I watched WAY too much television growing up. So many of my childood memories are of stupid TV programs like The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Gilligan's Island ad infinitum. These days I can hardly sit in front of a television for 5 minutes without feeling as if I'm wasting precious time.
8. I cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke, but I think marijuana smoke smells delicious.
9. All of my friends live in the City, 60 miles away from where I live. As much as I enjoy their company, I LOATHE driving up there and back, with the traffic and all. I don't think I even have a friend in the town where I live, but that doesn't bother me most of the time, as I've always been somewhat a hermit/loner.
10. It took me years to accept and come to terms with a 1985 diagnosis of bipolar disorder. I have avoided treatment most of that time (because I can't tolerate medication's side effects) and so my life is like a long roller coaster ride that I have attempted to manage with varying degrees of success.
11. I think about death and dying too much and I have done so for the last 25 years. I hope I die in my sleep (who doesn't?). The closest thing I have to a phobia (besides my fear of heights) is the dread of dying in a car accident.
12. For some reason I am fascinated with the "Swinging Lifestyle", even though I don't think I'd ever seriously considered getting involved with it...which is just as well, since I'm 99% positive that my wife would never want to...
13. I will not eat fish or fowl. No real reason.
14. I have a 20 year old daughter from a failed marriage who I have not seen in years. I have no idea where she or her mother are, and I often wonder if I'm a granparent without even knowing. If I could have anything in the world right now it would be a reunion and a relationship with her.
15. My mom left my dad when I was 16 years old and she said she had waited until she thought I was old enough to understand. Truth be told, the first thought that came to my mind when I learned she had left was "It's about time...what took you so long?"...not because I wanted her to leave but because I knew, and had known for a couple of years, that there was no love left in her for my father. I KNEW she was only hanging around for us kids. Still, in retrospect, after all I went through with my dad following her departure, I wish she had waited another 5 years. Maybe that's selfish---but I don't think the sacrifices I made (and their long term effects on me) were a fair exchange for anything she could have gained by leaving when she did. Not to mention the forthcoming issues with the people they eventually married after their divorce.
16. I wish I still worked at CD Warehouse. That job was perfect for me. It's too bad the guy who owns the store doesn't seem to think so.
17. I'm not a violent person by nature. I have managed to avoid such confrontations. Consequently I do have a lot of pent-up aggression and I fear that if I ever DO get into a fight I will not be able to restrain myself from killing my opponent.
18. I prefer cold weather to hot. I cannot stand sweltering heat and humidity. I love rain. I enjoy thunderstorms and I never get tired of watching lightning bolts fill the night sky.
19. I go through periods of insomnia that are brutal. Sleep, during those times, is like a lover who teasingly withholds her charms.
20. I get bored fairly easily.
21. Music is and has always been much too important to me.
22. I can't remember the last time I sat through an entire game of football, basketball or baseball. I wish I were more athletically inclined, as a spectator and a participant.
23. I take a shower in the morning and a bath when I get home from work. I love bathing.
24. I wish I knew more about my parents.
25. I believe I can fly.
There you go. Stone cold truth about yours truly (with the exception of #25...of course I can't fly. I wish I could, though!).
I had some free time yesterday and so I decided to give it a shot. Probably more than anyone wants (or needs) to know, but here I am:
1. I have always liked to think of myself as somewhat eccentric, and though I often wish I was "normal" I know I could never be happy that way.
2. I fear God...which implies that I believe in Him. I do. Although I am still struggling with certain aspects of Orthodox Christianity I nevertheless plead the mercy of the Lord and recognize the finite nature of the human mind and it's shortcomings (read: the shortcomings of my own mind).
3. I am the product of a dysfunctional family but I refuse to use that as some kind of excuse for the issues I've dealt with as a result of my upbringing. I acknowledge it, but I don't hide behind it.
4. When I was young I dreamed of fame. Nowadays I thank God that fame eluded me. I feel certain that I would not have been able to handle it and would have probably wound up like Kurt Cobain.
5. I deeply regret not paying more attention to my teachers in high school. Even more I regret dropping out of college. With the benefit of hindsight I can see WHY I did what I did (see #3), but I still wish I had been more tenacious, diligent and attentive.
6. My reading skills were honed as a 14 year old boy by reading Playboy from cover-to-cover. Playboy and other "men's magazines" were my reading primers and I confess that this was a negative influence on my perception of sexuality and women in general. They did'nt make me disrespectful of the female gender at all, but the opposite extreme. I tended to view attractive women as "higher beings", completely unrealistically placing them on a pedestal based on their physical beauty. It took me a long time to learn that beauty, besides being in the eye of the beholder, is also skin deep. I've figured it out now, though.
7. I watched WAY too much television growing up. So many of my childood memories are of stupid TV programs like The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Gilligan's Island ad infinitum. These days I can hardly sit in front of a television for 5 minutes without feeling as if I'm wasting precious time.
8. I cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke, but I think marijuana smoke smells delicious.
9. All of my friends live in the City, 60 miles away from where I live. As much as I enjoy their company, I LOATHE driving up there and back, with the traffic and all. I don't think I even have a friend in the town where I live, but that doesn't bother me most of the time, as I've always been somewhat a hermit/loner.
10. It took me years to accept and come to terms with a 1985 diagnosis of bipolar disorder. I have avoided treatment most of that time (because I can't tolerate medication's side effects) and so my life is like a long roller coaster ride that I have attempted to manage with varying degrees of success.
11. I think about death and dying too much and I have done so for the last 25 years. I hope I die in my sleep (who doesn't?). The closest thing I have to a phobia (besides my fear of heights) is the dread of dying in a car accident.
12. For some reason I am fascinated with the "Swinging Lifestyle", even though I don't think I'd ever seriously considered getting involved with it...which is just as well, since I'm 99% positive that my wife would never want to...
13. I will not eat fish or fowl. No real reason.
14. I have a 20 year old daughter from a failed marriage who I have not seen in years. I have no idea where she or her mother are, and I often wonder if I'm a granparent without even knowing. If I could have anything in the world right now it would be a reunion and a relationship with her.
15. My mom left my dad when I was 16 years old and she said she had waited until she thought I was old enough to understand. Truth be told, the first thought that came to my mind when I learned she had left was "It's about time...what took you so long?"...not because I wanted her to leave but because I knew, and had known for a couple of years, that there was no love left in her for my father. I KNEW she was only hanging around for us kids. Still, in retrospect, after all I went through with my dad following her departure, I wish she had waited another 5 years. Maybe that's selfish---but I don't think the sacrifices I made (and their long term effects on me) were a fair exchange for anything she could have gained by leaving when she did. Not to mention the forthcoming issues with the people they eventually married after their divorce.
16. I wish I still worked at CD Warehouse. That job was perfect for me. It's too bad the guy who owns the store doesn't seem to think so.
17. I'm not a violent person by nature. I have managed to avoid such confrontations. Consequently I do have a lot of pent-up aggression and I fear that if I ever DO get into a fight I will not be able to restrain myself from killing my opponent.
18. I prefer cold weather to hot. I cannot stand sweltering heat and humidity. I love rain. I enjoy thunderstorms and I never get tired of watching lightning bolts fill the night sky.
19. I go through periods of insomnia that are brutal. Sleep, during those times, is like a lover who teasingly withholds her charms.
20. I get bored fairly easily.
21. Music is and has always been much too important to me.
22. I can't remember the last time I sat through an entire game of football, basketball or baseball. I wish I were more athletically inclined, as a spectator and a participant.
23. I take a shower in the morning and a bath when I get home from work. I love bathing.
24. I wish I knew more about my parents.
25. I believe I can fly.
There you go. Stone cold truth about yours truly (with the exception of #25...of course I can't fly. I wish I could, though!).
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Something Awful
If you thought the "I Hate Music" blog was brutal, take a gander at Something Awful: Your Band Sucks...I'd suggest ignoring the bits about bands you really like, though, or anger might replace the amusement.
I mean, check out this entry on Nirvana:
Let's look on the bright side, at least they inspired some truly worthless human beings to commit suicide. Unfortunately, they inspired twice as many worthless human beings to start worthless bands and make worthless music and destroy modern rock radio forever.
Ouch.
I mean, check out this entry on Nirvana:
Let's look on the bright side, at least they inspired some truly worthless human beings to commit suicide. Unfortunately, they inspired twice as many worthless human beings to start worthless bands and make worthless music and destroy modern rock radio forever.
Ouch.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Today's Highlights from ROY!
Today's Roy highlights:
~~~"I'll break my bowl! Cuz I'm crazy! I'll break my plate...I'll break my eyeglasses!"
~~~"I'm gonna squeeze a turtle."
~~~"I'm gonna raise hell on Halloween and I'm gonna throw my Christmas tree off the porch on Christmas."
~~~"My cousin Sherri took a shit in my uncle Johnny's boot and blamed it on me."
~~~"I'm gonna smoke me some coffee grounds, just for the fun of it."
~~~"I'm gonna drop firecrackers in kids' candy bags on Halloween...make 'em go off cryin'."
~~~"Can I raise hell in Dallas? Trip out on the Mexicans down there? Curse 'em out in Spanish?"
~~~"I'm gonna piss in my bug zapper."
~~~"I'm gonna drink piss 'on the rocks'."
~~~"I'm gonna bust me some balloons."
~~~"I'm gonna piss on my momma's bed."
~~~"I'm going to piss a locust off."
~~~"I'm gonna tie springs on my feet and bounce on 'em. Boing! Boing! Boing!"
~~~"I'll break my bowl! Cuz I'm crazy! I'll break my plate...I'll break my eyeglasses!"
~~~"I'm gonna squeeze a turtle."
~~~"I'm gonna raise hell on Halloween and I'm gonna throw my Christmas tree off the porch on Christmas."
~~~"My cousin Sherri took a shit in my uncle Johnny's boot and blamed it on me."
~~~"I'm gonna smoke me some coffee grounds, just for the fun of it."
~~~"I'm gonna drop firecrackers in kids' candy bags on Halloween...make 'em go off cryin'."
~~~"Can I raise hell in Dallas? Trip out on the Mexicans down there? Curse 'em out in Spanish?"
~~~"I'm gonna piss in my bug zapper."
~~~"I'm gonna drink piss 'on the rocks'."
~~~"I'm gonna bust me some balloons."
~~~"I'm gonna piss on my momma's bed."
~~~"I'm going to piss a locust off."
~~~"I'm gonna tie springs on my feet and bounce on 'em. Boing! Boing! Boing!"
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Saturday, October 22, 2005
ENTERTAINING BLOG ALERT!
Can't say I agree with the author's general take on Chuck Klosterman (though I have not read his latest book), but This Is 80's Hair Metal is entertaining on it's own merits, and worth checking out.
Friday, October 21, 2005
MashUp
Lots of REALLY cool MashUps at ccc (Mashups Galore). Definately check out Walrus Confusion, a seamless splicing of the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" and the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion". Just incredible. Also can reccomend Psychesmellica.
Seriously, this is the STUFF.
Seriously, this is the STUFF.
Some Photos to Share
While tinkering around in my Shutterfly account I came across a set of photos that I thought I would share with you today.
A photo from a peformance with my band HEAD (who later became King Tongue). This was at a club called Kelly's in Norman, Oklahoma where we played a couple of times. The audience was partial to our song "Freedom of Speech" and our cover of the Kiss classic, "Cold Gin". As usual, I'm sweatin' like Meat Loaf.
This was to be a promotional shot for HEAD, that's my brother Charles to my left and guitarist Gregg Dobbs to my right. Taken on some playground equipment at the elementary school.
Can't really see much in this promo shot, done the same day as the last one.
I like to call this one my "Tribute to the Boss: Bruce Springsteen". Clever, no? What with the acoustic guitar and the poster of Springsteen albums behind me, who could doubt that I'm a hardcore fan...
This is a shot of myself and S the year we met, 1989. We were married in 94. We've both changed quite a lot in the intervening 16 years and you wouldn't recognize us if you only had this picture to find us by.
Can't believe I was wearing those glasses! Even harder to believe I was acting like such a dork! You can't see it here, but the object of my perplexity in this photo is a Spanish olive I'd just fished from the jar. I don't know what got into me to make such a face, but I've long thought it very funny.
Same glasses, not too much later, but somehow pulling off a much cooler persona than the last picture. Don't ask me why, but I've always liked this shot of me, with the Springsteen t-shirt and the mussed-up hair and the expression that says "I'd rather be sleeping"... Sort of Keef Richards-ish, I've always thought, but that's just wishful thinking.
And one last photo to share...
This is me and a very good friend, Tristan Shutt, taken last year when TrisDogg showed up at the Blue Note (OKC, OK) to see me play a solo acoustic set then do a gig with the Mad Laugh. It was, in fact, snapped almost immediately after my successful solo set, and that is why I appear red as a lobster...I was hot and scorched from the stage lights. But, man, it was good to see Tristan. He and I got to know each other pretty well a few years ago when we travelled from central Oklahoma all the way to Denver Colorado to see Sigur Ros play at the Ogden Theater. A great show and an even more unforgettable journey with Tristan and a couple of other complanions. I have the great honour of having been the one to introduce Sigur Ros to Tristan, while I was working at the CD store, and he eventually became a HUGE fan.
A photo from a peformance with my band HEAD (who later became King Tongue). This was at a club called Kelly's in Norman, Oklahoma where we played a couple of times. The audience was partial to our song "Freedom of Speech" and our cover of the Kiss classic, "Cold Gin". As usual, I'm sweatin' like Meat Loaf.
This was to be a promotional shot for HEAD, that's my brother Charles to my left and guitarist Gregg Dobbs to my right. Taken on some playground equipment at the elementary school.
Can't really see much in this promo shot, done the same day as the last one.
I like to call this one my "Tribute to the Boss: Bruce Springsteen". Clever, no? What with the acoustic guitar and the poster of Springsteen albums behind me, who could doubt that I'm a hardcore fan...
This is a shot of myself and S the year we met, 1989. We were married in 94. We've both changed quite a lot in the intervening 16 years and you wouldn't recognize us if you only had this picture to find us by.
Can't believe I was wearing those glasses! Even harder to believe I was acting like such a dork! You can't see it here, but the object of my perplexity in this photo is a Spanish olive I'd just fished from the jar. I don't know what got into me to make such a face, but I've long thought it very funny.
Same glasses, not too much later, but somehow pulling off a much cooler persona than the last picture. Don't ask me why, but I've always liked this shot of me, with the Springsteen t-shirt and the mussed-up hair and the expression that says "I'd rather be sleeping"... Sort of Keef Richards-ish, I've always thought, but that's just wishful thinking.
And one last photo to share...
This is me and a very good friend, Tristan Shutt, taken last year when TrisDogg showed up at the Blue Note (OKC, OK) to see me play a solo acoustic set then do a gig with the Mad Laugh. It was, in fact, snapped almost immediately after my successful solo set, and that is why I appear red as a lobster...I was hot and scorched from the stage lights. But, man, it was good to see Tristan. He and I got to know each other pretty well a few years ago when we travelled from central Oklahoma all the way to Denver Colorado to see Sigur Ros play at the Ogden Theater. A great show and an even more unforgettable journey with Tristan and a couple of other complanions. I have the great honour of having been the one to introduce Sigur Ros to Tristan, while I was working at the CD store, and he eventually became a HUGE fan.
Roy's Wife
Okay, this is where it gets kinda weird with Roy...
...Did I say "kinda" weird?
No, this is out and out, no doubt about it WEIRD.
The lovely lady in the photo above? That's Annie.
ROY'S WIFE.
"What?" you ask, incrediously, "But that's a DOLL!"
Indeed, you are correct. It IS a doll.
And yet...
It's ROY'S WIFE.
You see, Roy knows that Annie is a doll. Yet, he still beileves that he is married to her. In fact, a bunch of his "friends" got together one time and held a mock wedding ceremony, with a bogus preacher and all, for Roy and this doll, Annie. Of course, Roy was under the impression that it was the real deal, no lie. It's all on videotape...I've seen it. Complete with an exchange of rings, "kissing the bride" and the wedding march played on the sound system, it's both heart-breaking and funny as all get out to watch. Someone even made up this "Marriage Certificate":
I don't know about you, but I find this behaviour in a 44 year old man to be a tad bizarre. Still, Roy is one cool guy, once you get used to the constant profanity and the temper tantrums.
Perlman's Paganini
Here's the drill:Put on yer headphones.
Now, put on Itzhak Perlman's masterful playing of Paganini's 24 Caprices.
If you're a drinker, have a drink. If you like to get high, fire it up. If you abstain from drugs and alcohol of any kind, never mind, just let your imagination have it's way (which, I suppose, is what drugs and alcohol are really any good for, to help in that endeavour).
Close your eyes and imagine, make believe that the sound of the bow striking the violin strings is actually the actual sound of worms eating their way through your brain.
Relax, and let them enjoy their meal, as the music they make with their gnawing and their munching, their nibbling and their crunching is somehow simultaenously full of energy and yet the feel of them against the eardrum is calming, soothing.
This is music for which a strong case can be made for supporting the notion of direct inspiration from God, melodious to a fault, incredibly complex, yet amusing to even the simpleton's ear. This is not a set of pieces that can be performed by just any violinist. Perlman, however, is gifted enough to pull it off, and a thing of beauty it is to behold.
Music that sings of the soul.
A miracle from God, the manner in which the music possesses the performer and opens the channels for the long-dead composer to live on, although it is not his to claim as he lies in the ground. The inspiration, as timeless, eternal as the music He's inspired, is from the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Himself.
Paganini, if my music history knowledge faileth not, was held in awe by those who saw him play the violin, and, one would assume, these 24 Caprices. There sprang up at the time a legend, which is likely the root of the old Robert Johnson-at-the-Crossroads story, that Paganini had made a deal with Satan...a trade...His soul in exchange for incredible, almost magical technique and ability to play the violin. The deal was struck and the music-loving population of the time marvelled at the talent Paganini displayed.
Rank superstition, but there is no question that the 24 Caprices are, if not magical, enchanting nonetheless.
Perlman makes the violin sing throughout these short solo violin pieces. Deft, his fingering is precise and yet, not mechanical at all, almost lyrical. Difficult to believe that such rich, full music is the result of a single violin.
Anyone who understands why Eddie Van Halen is appreciated as a guitarist, or any one of the many great guitar players of the last 50 years should likewise be able to appreciate just how remarkable an achievement is Perlman's handling of Paganini's signature series. The technique required to pull these Caprices off is formidable and would discourage even a seasoned player. But not Perlman. He almost makes it sound easy. Incredibly flawless, Perlman amazes!
At over 72 minutes, the collected Caprices are a lot of music, and none of it boring. Taken as a whole or thrown into Shuffle mode and enjoyed in groupings of 4, 5, 6, 7, a dull moment will not be experienced.
Quality Blog ALERT!
Just a very interesting, well-done blog with tons of great links, even if the proprieter is a DMB fan, people in every direction... is worth checking out.
More from Roy
Roy has proven to be a veritable fountain of humorous comments. Here are a few from today:
~~~"I'm gonna burn down a whorehouse. Jim McCloud, I'm gonna burn down his whorehouse. Burn down the Kickapoo Motel."
~~~"I'm eatin' horse shit."
~~~"I don't want to end up in no strange ghetto."
~~~"I had a dream I broke out windows last night...Glass makes pretty music when it breaks."
~~~"Get that fucked-up bicycle out of here."
It should be noted that there was not a bicycle in sight when Roy said this, so I asked, "Where's the bicycle?" to which he replied, "In the machine shop."
~~~"I'm gonna bitch slap my grandma. I'm gonna bitch slap my sister."
"Why would you want to do that?" I asked.
"Cause they're bitches...Push my momma off a bridge."
~~~"I'm gonna drink me some Mexican beer and go crazy like a wild Indian."
~~~"I eat shit all the time. It's good with peanut butter. I'm gonna eat me some cow shit. I'm gonna smoke me some dog shit. Dry it out in the sun, stick it in my pipe and smoke it. That's why you call cigars 'dog turds'".
~~~"I'm going to take me an overdose. I'm gonna piss off an oil well."
~~~"I'm gonna go on a hunger strike. I'm gonna sue DHS for 2.9 million cause they're robbing me of food stamps. They're robbing my white ass. N*****-fucking dope fiend."
~~~"I'm gonna drown in the sea of love, man."
~~~"I'm gonna break my stereo. I wanna see stereo fireworks."
~~~"Can I smoke my momma's crack?"
~~~"What do you think I am? Your damn whore?"
~~~"I'm gonna smoke my Mexican clock."
~~~Roy and I listen to the Oldies station all day long and we both like the DJ, Ronnie Kaye, who has been in radio & television for as long as both of us can remember. I made the remark to Roy that I've always liked Ronnie Kaye, to which he replied, "He's a fool, man...He's a stone fuckin' fool." (Regardless, Roy is as big a fan of Kaye as I am)
~~~"I'm gonna play my Australian flute".
~~~"I'm gonna play my farting violin."
~~~"I'm gonna burn down a whorehouse. Jim McCloud, I'm gonna burn down his whorehouse. Burn down the Kickapoo Motel."
~~~"I'm eatin' horse shit."
~~~"I don't want to end up in no strange ghetto."
~~~"I had a dream I broke out windows last night...Glass makes pretty music when it breaks."
~~~"Get that fucked-up bicycle out of here."
It should be noted that there was not a bicycle in sight when Roy said this, so I asked, "Where's the bicycle?" to which he replied, "In the machine shop."
~~~"I'm gonna bitch slap my grandma. I'm gonna bitch slap my sister."
"Why would you want to do that?" I asked.
"Cause they're bitches...Push my momma off a bridge."
~~~"I'm gonna drink me some Mexican beer and go crazy like a wild Indian."
~~~"I eat shit all the time. It's good with peanut butter. I'm gonna eat me some cow shit. I'm gonna smoke me some dog shit. Dry it out in the sun, stick it in my pipe and smoke it. That's why you call cigars 'dog turds'".
~~~"I'm going to take me an overdose. I'm gonna piss off an oil well."
~~~"I'm gonna go on a hunger strike. I'm gonna sue DHS for 2.9 million cause they're robbing me of food stamps. They're robbing my white ass. N*****-fucking dope fiend."
~~~"I'm gonna drown in the sea of love, man."
~~~"I'm gonna break my stereo. I wanna see stereo fireworks."
~~~"Can I smoke my momma's crack?"
~~~"What do you think I am? Your damn whore?"
~~~"I'm gonna smoke my Mexican clock."
~~~Roy and I listen to the Oldies station all day long and we both like the DJ, Ronnie Kaye, who has been in radio & television for as long as both of us can remember. I made the remark to Roy that I've always liked Ronnie Kaye, to which he replied, "He's a fool, man...He's a stone fuckin' fool." (Regardless, Roy is as big a fan of Kaye as I am)
~~~"I'm gonna play my Australian flute".
~~~"I'm gonna play my farting violin."
Thursday, October 20, 2005
More from Roy
More from Roy, who is the only person I have ever known who eats Spam straight out of the can, taking big bites out of the loaf, as if it were a big candy bar. He's also the only adult I have ever heard pronounce "Pringles" like this: "Pring-Os"...
~~~"I've got Satan's bug...I'm dying of AIDS."
~~~"I'm gonna drink me some toilet bowl cleaner. I'm gonna drink my cologne."
~~~Every day I suggest activities for Roy, all of which he disgustedly rejects. It has become a running gag for me to suggest a road trip to Ardmore, which is a couple of hundred miles south on the Oklahoma-Texas border. Today when I mentioned Ardmore Roy said, "There ain't nothin' down there in Ardmore for my white ass."
~~~"I'm gonna go live in a pumpkin."
~~~I noticed today that Roy was wheezing (probably from all the constant chain-smoking). I pointed this out to Roy, to which he replied, "I can't help it. I got AIDS." (No, Roy does NOT have AIDS)
~~~"I'm gonna call the police on my Aunt Glenda. She lied to me." (Roy pronounces it "Poe-Lease")
~~~"How about if I give you a chocolate pie with shaving cream on top of it?"
~~~""I'm gonna slap me a Chinese whore. I'll paint me a Mexican green-and-red striped."
~~~"I'll stick my hand in a tree-hole. What do you think I'll pull out? I'll pull out a snake, probably."
~~~When Roy checked his mail today there was, in his mailbox, one of those bulk advertisement letters from Geico. Roy walked in the house waving it around and said, "What's Geico doing sending me insurance? I don't have no damn car!"
~~~"I'm gonna play the devil's horn...the devil's trumpet."
~~~"I'm gonna piss off a bumble bee. Make it go over there and sting that dog. I'll say, 'Go get him, Buzz-Bee!' till that dog screams. He'll never know who sicced that bee on him! I'm gonna piss a spider off, too. What'll happen if I piss a spider off?"
~~~"I'm going to go to the Fitness Center and pull the Fire Alarm."
~~~"I want to hear a whole string of Black Cats go off. Two or three hundred of 'em!"
~~~"I've got Satan's bug...I'm dying of AIDS."
~~~"I'm gonna drink me some toilet bowl cleaner. I'm gonna drink my cologne."
~~~Every day I suggest activities for Roy, all of which he disgustedly rejects. It has become a running gag for me to suggest a road trip to Ardmore, which is a couple of hundred miles south on the Oklahoma-Texas border. Today when I mentioned Ardmore Roy said, "There ain't nothin' down there in Ardmore for my white ass."
~~~"I'm gonna go live in a pumpkin."
~~~I noticed today that Roy was wheezing (probably from all the constant chain-smoking). I pointed this out to Roy, to which he replied, "I can't help it. I got AIDS." (No, Roy does NOT have AIDS)
~~~"I'm gonna call the police on my Aunt Glenda. She lied to me." (Roy pronounces it "Poe-Lease")
~~~"How about if I give you a chocolate pie with shaving cream on top of it?"
~~~""I'm gonna slap me a Chinese whore. I'll paint me a Mexican green-and-red striped."
~~~"I'll stick my hand in a tree-hole. What do you think I'll pull out? I'll pull out a snake, probably."
~~~When Roy checked his mail today there was, in his mailbox, one of those bulk advertisement letters from Geico. Roy walked in the house waving it around and said, "What's Geico doing sending me insurance? I don't have no damn car!"
~~~"I'm gonna play the devil's horn...the devil's trumpet."
~~~"I'm gonna piss off a bumble bee. Make it go over there and sting that dog. I'll say, 'Go get him, Buzz-Bee!' till that dog screams. He'll never know who sicced that bee on him! I'm gonna piss a spider off, too. What'll happen if I piss a spider off?"
~~~"I'm going to go to the Fitness Center and pull the Fire Alarm."
~~~"I want to hear a whole string of Black Cats go off. Two or three hundred of 'em!"
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Roy's Wisdom
Roy, the developmentally disabled guy I work with, is proving to be a very entertaining fellow in his own bizarre way. For instance, he refers to alcoholic beverages as "Curly Cords" and soft drinks are "Fake Curly Cords". For the life of me I can't figure out what the words "curly" and "cords" have to do with drinks, but it's funny.
At random moments throughout the day he will say things that I find hilarious, and I'm not sure exactly WHY he says these things, since they're usually so out-of-the-blue and off-the-wall. Many of these quips are declarations of what he is "going to do", and he reels them off with such sincerity that you wonder if he is really serious about doing them.
Yesterday I wrote down a list of a few so I could share them with you here:
~~~"I hope we get a violent tornado. I like riding them things. I like to wrestle them things."
~~~"She ain't nothin' but a chocolate lover."
~~~"I'm gonna buy me a mouse."
"What are you going to do with a mouse?" I asked him.
"I'm gonna play with him"
~~~"I'm gonna take a dump on my momma's cake."
~~~The other day he walked into the mental health clinic where he gets a bi-weekly injection of Haldol and announced to everyone in the waiting room, "I'm here to get my weekly shot of crack!" Several present thought this was quite funny. Then he said, "I'm going to eat a clock. Can I eat that computer?"
~~~"I'm gonna shit on my momma's custard pie."
~~~"I'm gonna take a hammer and bust the windows out of all pawn shops."
~~~"I'm gonna smoke me some beer."
~~~"I'm gonna buy me some Mexican gasoline."
~~~"I'm gonna raise hell in the gym. I'm gonna burst a basketball...blow it up real tight and burst it!"
~~~"I'm going to be the devil's horns."
~~~"Why don't I just blow some gas all over this town and stink it all up?"
~~~"I'm going to play my musical whistle."
~~~"I'm going to drink me some Clorox."
~~~"I'm going to drink me some Scotch...a whole jug of it."
~~~"Can I yell 'FIRE!' in a movie theater?"
At random moments throughout the day he will say things that I find hilarious, and I'm not sure exactly WHY he says these things, since they're usually so out-of-the-blue and off-the-wall. Many of these quips are declarations of what he is "going to do", and he reels them off with such sincerity that you wonder if he is really serious about doing them.
Yesterday I wrote down a list of a few so I could share them with you here:
~~~"I hope we get a violent tornado. I like riding them things. I like to wrestle them things."
~~~"She ain't nothin' but a chocolate lover."
~~~"I'm gonna buy me a mouse."
"What are you going to do with a mouse?" I asked him.
"I'm gonna play with him"
~~~"I'm gonna take a dump on my momma's cake."
~~~The other day he walked into the mental health clinic where he gets a bi-weekly injection of Haldol and announced to everyone in the waiting room, "I'm here to get my weekly shot of crack!" Several present thought this was quite funny. Then he said, "I'm going to eat a clock. Can I eat that computer?"
~~~"I'm gonna shit on my momma's custard pie."
~~~"I'm gonna take a hammer and bust the windows out of all pawn shops."
~~~"I'm gonna smoke me some beer."
~~~"I'm gonna buy me some Mexican gasoline."
~~~"I'm gonna raise hell in the gym. I'm gonna burst a basketball...blow it up real tight and burst it!"
~~~"I'm going to be the devil's horns."
~~~"Why don't I just blow some gas all over this town and stink it all up?"
~~~"I'm going to play my musical whistle."
~~~"I'm going to drink me some Clorox."
~~~"I'm going to drink me some Scotch...a whole jug of it."
~~~"Can I yell 'FIRE!' in a movie theater?"
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