New Year’s Eve
December 31, 2007 | Filed Under Main, Music | No Comments
Five days left.
At this moment, I am playing with one of my Christmas presents from my lovely wife – an Ion USB Turntable! How else was I going to get all four discs of Palatine on to my iPod? So simple. So sweet to use.
Yet – time consuming. Everything happens in real time. But I have NOTHING else to do today. A little lunch and its back to recording. Tonight, our usual New Year’s extravaganza – champagne and movies.
Enjoy yours!
One Week
December 28, 2007 | Filed Under Main | No Comments
This was my last day at work. (Day? Couple of hours – tops.) I finished a project, dropped off my keys, grabbed my Tom Waits poster from the wall and booked.
One chapter over – a new beginning exactly a week from now as I pull up to JFK Airport.
Today was hard for only one reason – my hangover. Last night, we had a “going away” celebration at our favorite restaurant in AH – Bellas. I want to thank everyone for coming out. I truly was amazed that so many people came by! But it was essential to see you all one more time before taking this wild ride. I’m moved to have so many friends and gratified to know that Kerry and Chris will not lack for help should the need arise. For those who could not make it – fear not! You were remembered and you are always with me no matter how many miles separate us.
I drank to you all… A lot. Way, way too much. (And Tom? I brought the Blenheims.)
To bed. To sleep. I start packing tomorrow.
Added to iPod
December 26, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
Final.
For a while…
Robert Johnson - “King of Delta Blues”
Minutemen - “Double Nickels On The Dime” They jam econo. 46 songs - most under two minutes.
King Crimson - “In The Court of The Crimson King”
Patti Smith - “Horses” Still rocks. Saw her perform this whole album at BAM last year - plus my favorite Beneath The Southern Cross.
Various Artists - “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” Another perfect soundtrack.
Bill Hicks - “Arizona Bay” Bill Hicks is god. Wanna fight?
And - of course - all the Covers Christmas CDs. I must say, everyone did great work with this challenge. From Metallica’s “Whiskey In The Jar” to Nick Cave’s “In The Ghetto”. From Nirvana’s “The Man Who Sold The World” to Alanis Morissette doing “My Humps”. An excellent Christmas.
That brings us to over 9,300 songs or 28 days of music. That will have to do with ten days left…
Merry Christmas
December 25, 2007 | Filed Under Main | No Comments
…or whatever you are celebrating.
Peace.
Jack Kirby
December 23, 2007 | Filed Under Main | No Comments
Many of you may not know this, but I am a comic book geek.
I have been reading comics since I was 8 and have been collecting since the 70s. A good portion of any income in my youth – whether from being an altar boy at weddings or from cutting someone’s lawn – was spent on comics. My brothers and I would ride our bikes to the local pharmacy or convenience store and peruse the spin racks for the latest monthly epic (and at fifteen cents an issue, a dollar was gold!). I also spent nearly every moment that I was at my grandmother’s house in her basement reading comics. Some friend or neighbor gave her a truckload of comics he had collected and Gram kept them for the kids to read.
Mainly that was me and my brothers.
Now – most of these comics were DC, which I wasn’t really into. I was a Marvel boy. Marvel heroes were hip and cool and introspective. Batman and Superman did nothing for me. However… many of these comics were from ’68 to ’71. Weird things were happeningin DC world. There was an amazing series of Green Lantern & Green Arrow done by Neal Adams. There was also Mr. Adam’s Deadman and the Brave & the Bold comics.
And there was Jack Kirby and The New Gods.
For those of you who don’t know, Jack Kirby created the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, the X-Men, the Avengers and many more. His art work is iconic in the industry. For me – there were very few stars: Neil Adams, Gene Colan, John Buscema, Frank Miller much later and Jack. Jack left Marvel in the late 60s so that he could actually have some control over his work and (oddly) make a living from it. And that brought about “The Fourth World”.
I bring all this up because part of my Christmas presents to myself was visiting my local comic book emporium on 14th Street in NYC this week. (Wonderfully, they had an open bar available for all shoppers!) There – I went searching for pieces of my childhood. And I remembered Mister Miracle and The Forever People. Which the shop had in great condition so my dollars went down. Now – as we have all learned – there is a BIG difference between reading something at 10 and reading it thirty something years later. And it is so COOL to read these books again and understand how political they were! Hey – we are talking 1970/71 here. Vietnam, Nixon, etc. etc. Mr. Kirby’s “Fourth World” was one where a totalitarian state exists that demands total loyalty and obedience. It rules with fear and peer pressure. But then a handful of young, independent minds fights against the shackles of the government and strives to free the people.
At 10 - who knew. Now it just seems so familiar and timely. Except for the young, independent minds fighting part… Jack, you were always ahead of your time.
Writers and Awards
December 20, 2007 | Filed Under Main | 2 Comments
There’s, like, this strike going on? Of writers for entertainment programming? And somehow that has cancelled Award shows?
Huh?
Not that I have ever paid a lot of attention to the now 187 award shows conducted each year (when is the all award show channel coming?), but - outside of the Oscar’s opening monologue and the twit-inspired patter for each presenter - what writing is there? Is the patter THAT important? Can’t these geeks speak to each other without a script?! Maybe the writers are needed just to produce the nominee list. Or maybe it takes a union guy to type the winner’s name onto the “envelope”. Hell, they never used to televise the Golden Globes prior to 2000. Can’t they just have a dinner and give out the awards like they used to?
Not that I care really - but maybe it would be a good thing to skip the scripted and go with honesty and spontaneity. Just a thought…
Added to iPod
December 18, 2007 | Filed Under Music | 5 Comments
Last batch?
we’ll see…
The Doobie Brothers – A smattering of singles from the pre-Michael McDonald years. Mostly “The Captain and Me”. Not a Mike McDonald fan.
The Wild Colonials – “This Can’t Be Life” I had a Christmas single of theirs that I liked so I looked for more. Think of a less coy 10,000 Maniacs and a more vibrant Cowboy Junkies. Angela McCluskey has great pipes. Check it out.
Spinanes – “Arches And Aisles”
Zubin Mehta & the London Philharmonic – “Carmina Burana” Of course.
Aaron Copland – “The Copland Collection”
Jesus Christ Superstar – The first. A great rock record of the time. Only decent thing Andrew Lloyd Webber ever did. I mean it.
Throwing Muses – The Real Ramona
Cat Stevens – “Teaser and the Firecat” and “Tea For The Tillerman” Anyone who passed through the 70s, you need to have one or the other.
Charles Bukowski – “Poems and Insults” A real find a the local used CD store! A remaster of two 1971 LPs of Mr. Bukowski doing readings at the City Light Bookshop. I would have never thought to look for this. Never even considered something like this might exist (much like the Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas CD). That is why you have to take the time, folks. Flip through those CDs! Keep your eye open for good looking cover art or names you recognize. That is where the gold is!
X-Mass
December 16, 2007 | Filed Under Main | No Comments
Nine days before Christmas. Last night I played with the controller on my set of outdoor lights. I had our house looking like a give-away sale at a used car lot! So cool that they make these things for children of all ages…
Today I’m cleaning and re-arranging furniture in preparation for the tree. Serenading me during this arduous task are some of my friend Tom’s annual Christmas CDs. These are true classics – not only of engineering, but of creative selection and juxtaposition. Tom is a student of the Christmas album. Nay – not a student. A full-fledged PHD in the field! Nowhere else can you hear Charlie Musselwhite’s “Silent Night”, Spinal Tap’s “We Three Kings” and the Monkees singing “Riu Chiu” (latin?).
Next to this level of depth and psychosis, I am merely a grasshopper…
Christmas Lights
December 8, 2007 | Filed Under Main | 3 Comments
They Are Done!
That was my big job for today. And i was on a mission. See - last year we didn’t do any decorating because we went to Paris for New Years. This year is supposed to be a blowout (in proportion with what we usually do). I went for gaudy with our outdoor lights and the porch and I think I nailed it. The lights aren’t flashing as much as I would like (in order to save my marriage), but it is colorful and bright and I didn’t fall off the ladder.
Next – the Tree, with a prominent space held for our Elvis ornament.
Added to iPod
December 8, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
This is probably the second to last installation before I have to transfer the library to my new laptop for travelin’. This is what takes us up to just over 9,000 songs or 27 days of music.
Start with a few singles by Queens of the Stone Age. I don’t know this band very well but these tunes from their last three albums are good.
Bigger Thomas – “We Wear The Mask” Good record from this ska band we saw at the Warped Tour this year.
Squeeze – “Argy Bargy” and “Cool For Cats” Thought I had these already…
Lords Of Acid – “Our Little Secret” I guess you’d call it techno, but the Lords are so much more. You either know them or you don’t. I can’t explain it.
Basehead – “Play With Toys” From 1992. Laid back and soulful hip-hop with a good sense of humor.
Husker Dü – “Warehouse: Songs & Stories” Mostly the Grant Hart stuff.
Dumptruck – “Positively Dumptruck” Connecticut’s own from the early ‘80s.
Various Artisits – “Dubnology” Half of a four-disc set of dub remixes from Underworld, Dubstar, Loop Guru and others. Very chill music…
30 Days
December 6, 2007 | Filed Under Main | 6 Comments
That’s how long I have left Stateside.
First - a few days in Dubai to do paperwork. Then - Kuwait and my new job.
Thank God it has snowed already (and probably will again). I love snow. AND I need the opportunity to teach/play with my new snowblower! This is the first one I have ever owned. Too old for shoveling anymore and since I am responsible for a big swath of sidewalk - ’cause I live on a corner - the family needs something quick and easy.
Next year I may even spring for a leaf blower so I can be like EVERY OTHER SUBURBANITE ON MY BLOCK. Lemmings - this way….
Added to iPod
December 2, 2007 | Filed Under Music | No Comments
FYI – the concert Friday was terrific. Grace and the band were in fine form and happy to be headlining finally. It may only be rock ‘n roll… but thank God something is. The highline Ballroom was also a very civil venue. An old man can sit at a table until the lead act comes on – thereby saving my bad knee from a total relapse. But WHY am I always near the crazy guy on acid? The one doing interpretive dance moves to every song (very similar to slam dancing at times). Outside of being annoying, crazy-guy-on-acid was scaring the young girls nearby – since they have probably never seen a crazy-guy-on-acid in person before. I can think of a dozen other shows where crazy-guy-on-acid would be more appropriate…
Armin Van Buuren – “Universal Religion 2008” Live from Ibiza with a cool DJ.
Flying Saucer Attack – “Distance” Lo-fi soundscapes from 1993. Nice record.
“Christmas Party With Eddie G.” One of the great Christmas CDs of our time.
Speaking of Christmas, I added more tunes to my Christmas playlist from a reggae Christmas album called “Natty and Nice”, a collection of global holiday songs put out by Oxfam and the Roches wonderful Chirstmas record “We Three Kings”. Also added song of my son’s ska tunes from bands like Reel Big Fish, Catch 22 and 311.