The Logos! The Promos! The cut-screens! The holographics! The sound bites! Twitter screens! The Sound effects! The crawl at the bottom of screen! The endless, pompous titles over and over again. Wolf F-ing Blitzer!!!

Just stop. Shut up and tell me the NEWS, for god’s sake.

There’s been a rash (no pun intended) of baby girls on both sides of the family. Had a visit from young Charlotte on Saturday, who is Kerry’s cousin’s daughter. She is a little over a month old. Once the baby was in her arms, Kerry immediately pledged to babysit (no going back now). She also did the same with her other cousin’s newborn Juliet, as well as Juliet’s big sister Macy. That offer is only good on Friday’s and Saturday’s.

So like a lot of people out there, I just sit here with the dogs. Holding my breath. Keeping that suit and shirts ready. Living in my sweats most of the time. I probably should be going to the gym more often. Maybe I’ll go now. It beats waiting for the phone to ring or an email of tidings of great joy to arrive.

And ask me what I think of the pols in D.C. Go ahead – ask. I dare ya…

The best was our trip to The Concertgebouw. This would be the first time EVER that I have seen music performed in a foreign country. Whenever we travel, no one plays. In the same way, it is like the fact that whenever we go to Amsterdam we are not allowed to see the Rijksmuseum (It’s always closed when we come. I bet that scaffolding came down the minute we left.) No one is ever playing the days we are in town. The night before was Springsteen and the day we leave would be Sonic Youth playing “Daydream Nation” in its entirety (both have happened). But when we are THERE, only the clubs are open or it’s karaoke weekend in Paris. But the symphony never leaves! Also I have a few live classical recordings from the Concertgebouw and Kerry is now spending every morning learning about classical music. So – it was time.

The Concertgebouw (Dutch for “concert building”) was built in 1888 and had some light refurbishment since. The Who have played here, Miles has played here and of course every major classical composer and artist has performed. I had bought tickets the day before – which surprised me… mainly because everyone else who walked up to the booth was told their request was sold out. We did not bring the umbrella which would insure that it would be raining when we left the hall (it was). The performance was at a civilized 2:15PM. We mingled before with the crowd of predominately Dutch concertgoers, well dressed but casual (I wore my cashmere sweater) and mostly older but wonderfully vibrant. They drank tea, coffee and wine from the totally complimentary bar outside the “Grote Zaal” (great hall). You got the impression that this was part of their lives – Sunday afternoon at the theater. It’s not a one-off like our little visit. They don’t pick and choose based on who/what is playing. This is what Sunday means. It was all very civilized.

Inside, the hall is beautiful. Not gaudy and gold leafed as many can be. It was very simple in its layout. There are only two levels – the floor seats and a two row balcony, as well as a set of seats behind the stage to the right and left. The acoustics are well known as some of the best in the world – and they were amazing. You could hear a pin drop on the stage. We watched the Nederlands Kamerorkest (a small chamber orchestra) performed four pieces: Shostakovich’s Prelude en Scherzo (entirely strings); Tabula Rasa by Arvo Pärt (wonderful piece which used a prepared piano); Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks (winds and brass come out) and finally Serenade by Josef Suk ( a Czech composer I had not heard of before). All beautifully performed and since you could hear all the parts clearly, I tried to find who was making which sounds on stage (futile, really). But where did the piano go?

A few final notes to remember about attending a classical performance: Do not clap until the Concertmaster or Conductor let’s you know they are done. It’s not a jazz concert. If you have to cough, wait until the break between pieces or movements. Then cough your guts out. Be prepared to clap at the end… a very long time. They get up, they bow, they acknowledge the soloists, the main guy leaves, he comes back, and we do it all over again. There is no curtain. But if these good people can stand and clap like that – then so can I.

But first! You know what I LOVE about Amsterdam?? Bikes! This is a biking town. The roads are for bikes and there are bike parking lots everywhere. Cars are a distant fourth when it comes to transportation (after public trans, bikes and walking). And none of those skinny road-n-town bikes that you have to wear spandex to drive. These are solid steel bikes – and they all have FENDERS… like every bike worth it’s salt should. I love this. These are bikes for the working class, just like I used to have in Boston.

Well, off to Concertgebouw and the symphony.

And I have a cold. That’s the main reason I’m tired. We all had a cold. Kerry started it. I tried to stay away but the germs were very powerful. So now – I sneeze. It sucks. It also sucks that I have not had a job interview yet. Granted – I have been very selective about what I apply to, but honestly. This needs to change very soon. Very soon…

This is all by way of saying that I am getting on a plane tomorrow to Amsterdam. Sick, exhausted and anxious is the ONLY way to sit in economy for seven hours. There is nothing like the feeling of being cramped and unable to breathe at several thousand feet in the air. But we have to go… because I’m turning 50. And for some reason I want to turn 50 in one of my favorite cities. Why not? I’ve had plenty of birthdays in New Jersey, Boston and Milford. This will make up for the two I had to have in Kuwait.

I have no issues with turning 50. It’s a number. There are more numbers to come. You just have to make the most of them. And hopefully I can.

Yeah… I’ve been waiting for this for a long while.

It’s lovely outside. I’m not in the desert, the yard is redecorated with snow and the puppy LOVES rolling around in it. Pretty happy, right now.

So – music. It’s been a while. I haven’t been idle, but most of the add-ons are either my new Songlines compilations (beautifully sequenced as always) or some discs I forgot to upload – like the Pogues “If I Should Fall From Grace…” and Radiohead’s “Kid A” (which I only mildly like anyway). But let’s see what I can scrape together…

Massive Attack – “Heligoland” Brand new dark, smokey grooves from one of my favorite trip hop bands. Get it.
Afro Celt Sound System – “Sound Magic” and “Release” These discs are from 1996 and 1998 respectively. Why not meld African, celtic and Indian beats and rhythms? A perfect mix of sounds and worlds.
Ozric Tentacles – “Pungent Effulgent” You heard me. This is a 1989 record by a British psychedelic/prog rock band who have released 28 albums since 1984 and never been on a major label. That’s DIY. Never sluggish or noodly. Excellent musicianship. And guess who brought this one into the house? Kerry! Got stuck to one of her Springsteen CDs…
Carl Craig – “More Songs About Food & Revolutionary Art” I had no Carl Craig and the title was cool. One of his seminal pieces from 1997.
Azam Ali – “Portals Of Grace” I have been reading about many wonderful artists in the Songlines magazine. One was of an Iranian band called Niyaz, of which Ms. Ali is the lead vocalist. This is her most recent solo disc and it’s just beautiful stuff – very spiritual and moving. Reminiscent of the canticles of Hildegard von Bingen… if you have that record. I do.
Firewater – “The Golden Hour” I have been reading about Todd A. (aka Firewater) for some time but this is the first piece I have picked up. He traveled throughout the Middle East and Asia and tells stories of his journey in a style that’s sort of a cross between Nick Cave and Tom Waits only more youthful and a band that likes to rock ‘n roll. Pretend you’re drunk in a bar in Istanbul…
Sons & Daughters – “This Gift” Hard, fast, fun rock songs by this Scottish band. Two guys and two girls. This stuff must sound great in a club.

Finally – remember the Artists Against Apartheid? “I ain’t gonna play Sun City”? Steve Van Zant pulled together an all-star lineup back in 1985 to protest apartheid in South Africa. The single was great but there was some really cool stuff on the album/EP that came out. Well finally it is available in digital format on iTunes… or at least it was. I downloaded it and now it’s gone. Hmmm…

….. now….

As you know, this country is insane (and I mean certifiably INSANE) over the idea that homosexuals want to marry each other. It literally makes some people’s heads explode. The very THOUGHT of a homosexual partaking in this most sacred and meaningful ritual makes them reach for a baseball bat double-quick. But this country is living with a divorce rate well over 50%, numerous infidelity, child abuse and other issues chronicled everyday on reality shows, Dr. Phil and Maury (or Congress) and NOW they are even advertising the fact that everyone knows the union won’t last. My question to the Insane is: What part of these blessed unions don’t you want to share? Is it the joy of screwing up someone else’s life or do you just not want to share your attorneys? I get confused on this. There are many reasons for divorce and I’m not dissing those who have gone through it. Remember – I am talking to the Insane. If the majority of heteros can’t stay married – especially the pompous elected ones – why not give someone else a crack at it? Maybe they can lead by example. Honestly, if John Edwards and Newt Gingrich have this right – then ANYONE should be allowed to be married. Make it mean something. Or else we are all just dancing with our future Ex.

All in all – I’d say it’s nice to be alive again.

So last Thursday Kerry and I drove up to Palisades Park, New Jersey to the King Sauna (www.kingsaunausa.com). The directions were a bit confused, but luckily I have a GPS program on my cell phone and got to use it for the first time. (GPS is a beautiful thing.) The place is in a large Korean neighborhood, where even the street signs have Korean subtitles. It seemed very nondescript but that could have just been the scaffolding in front of it. We went in, paid our admission fee, and were sent to our separate floors. Men and women have separate locker room areas where everyone is naked, but they give you a “uniform” for the communal areas.

First – let me thank all the non-Western cultures that have come to our shores bringing such a wonderful thing. Turkish, Russian, Jewish, Japanese or Korean – these communal “baths” are a great way to refresh your body and your mind. And they date back to the Greeks and Romans, so there is a historical aspect to it all. I went up to the locker room and stripped bare like every other guy up there (mostly Korean, but a few others). Up here, there were showers, hot and cold water pools, sinks for shaving, a massage area (more on that later) and a steam sauna and a dry sauna, I went with those first as a warm up to the more festive saunas. After a good fifteen minutes in both and showering off, I donned the uniform (a heavy cotton t-shirt and drawstring shorts) and headed for the communal area.

The saunas are all different and based on their mineral content. They look like igloos made out of stone and the mix of the different stones and the heat are supposed to have invigorating or healing properties. There was the gold pyramid sauna, the amethyst sauna, a yellow mud sauna and others. There was one sauna that is heated to 800 degrees… which is pretty damn hot. They give you heavy blankets for protection, but Kerry ran in and out. I managed about three minutes and bailed. There were also many big lounge chairs and dark, quiet areas to relax – or sleep, which many people were doing. It is necessary to sit for a while after some of the saunas. I think I tried a least five of the different saunas over two hours. It is just about relaxing. There is no agenda, no monitors, no hassle. Everyone is there to be in their own space and that is respected.

The pièce de ŕesistance was the full body scrub. Exfoliating is usually something I take care of in the shower, but after two years of dust and sweat and… whatever, I REALLY felt the need for some heavy industrial work. Kerry had this done in LA and could not stop talking about it. So I went back up to the men’s area, shed my uniform and lay on the table and let a Korean man scrub me down. It felt amazing! I didn’t even see what he was using. But he left no stone unturned and in the process massaged every muscle I own. You could literally watch the dead skin fall away with each rinsing. Forty-five minutes later and I felt like a new person.

I recommend this to everyone and though it cost about $300 for the two of us, it might be well worth it every month or so. In such a stressful world – whether it is placed on you or you create it yourself – a good sweat and a massage has no peer.

Look – you know how crappy I think this past decade was for music. It was so crappy that I have come home after two years and ALL the record stores have closed. People are buying singles again (this time off the Internet) and radio hardly plays music at all. Maybe four or five horrible songs over and over again. So crappy in fact that I think most of the music I picked up this decade was from previous decades.

So – here is a list. Could there be more? Possibly. If you and I sat with a beer and discussed, you could probably convince me of more. But you could also talk me out of a few (depending on how many beers). And we are staying with the rock/pop genre though I know there were some excellent jazz and classical discs. But these are just the ones that came off the top of my head. The less heavy lifting – the better.

Twilight Singers – “Powder Burns” Best album of the decade. Wanna fight?
Scott Walker – “The Drift” He only puts out one record each decade and they are unlike anything you have ever heard.
Pearl Jam – “Holmdel, NJ 07-14-03” Why? Because I was at this show and it was phenomenal.
Tori Amos – “Scarlet’s Walk” One of her best.
The Hold Steady – “Stay Positive” Toss up with Boys and Girls…. Great songs with great gusto.
Underworld – “Everything Everything” A live album from a techno band that kicks ass.
The Roots – “Game Theory” Yeah, I know – they are on Jimmy Fallon’s show now. But this record is still hard edged and timely.
Boards of Canada – “Campfire Headphase” Chill trip-hop that got me through every flight.
Spoon – “Gimme Fiction” Pure pop for smart people.
Stew – “Something Deeper Than These Changes” The world is finding out about Stew through the musical Passing Strange and the accompanying documentary. But this album is still classic.
Massive Attack – “Collected” A greatest hits collection with some great new material. Their show at Roseland was also one of the decade’s best.
Rilo Kiley – “The Execution of All Things” Primo Jenny Lewis and gang.
Neko Case – “Middle Cyclone” Or any other Neko Case album.
America The Book by John Stewart and the Daily Show – Actually an audiobook and one of the funniest damn things you could ever listen to.

BTW – See Avatar. The one thing that actually lives up to the hype.

And the filing cabinet:

Throw in a new printer and it all works quite nicely. Granted – many CDs and toys were sent to storage. But in my red room, they may someday return…