Rock n Roll in the Real World

Thanks to Brewdog, here is another Killers track. A demo called "Replaceable". Thanks again.

Go to great blog, The BigTicket!

what i'm listening to Right Now: Bob Dylan, Freewheelin' Outakes - Whatcha Gonna Do
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I scored this sweet Dylan video from a great seller on Ebay, and he threw in this cd. Pretty awesome. I've bought from him before.

I just got upgraded to XP at work, and I went to download the latest Winamp, and lookie-lookie you get a free Ambulance LTD mp3 (called primitive) when you download the full version (the Winamp's free too). The new winamp is cool. Ogg support, Wma support, Itunes mp4 support all without plugins.

Totally customizable "Modern Skin". I have opacity at 80% and I scaled it down to 80% to take up less space. I'm using the "Varsity" colors.

I hated Ambulance when I saw them live, but this track is so catchy, I'm gonna have to check out more of their recorded stuff. They must of had a bad day the day I saw them live, cause they got great reviews from respected bloggers (follow the link to download the song primitive without getting Winamp).

Slate has the newest "Diary" entry up (I don't want them to end!)

Slate also reviews Regina Spektor's "Soviet Kitsch" (and others). Regina tweaks up her site too (Click "Fun").

Snap and Clap issue 1.5 is out. Stay tuned to them!

Happy Birthday to Me. I'm not really celebrating this year, but still, I'm 27 now. May 17th was this website's One Year anniv. So Happy Birthday to it too! Have a nice Holiday you USA'ns!!

what i'm listening to Right Now: The Hives, Inspection Wise 1999
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Holy Sweet Mother of Crizzap! Imacuckoo tells me the good news!! The Matixized Mooney Suzuki are coming to Norfolk July 12.

I'm so happy I stopped my google-stalking of Wonkette to check out the "blogs i like" section. All these rock shows are gonna kill my pocketbook. How do I get paid for this?

PS, Check out this post for some cool mp3's! (support your local music scene heh?). I especially like this song, from the King and Caroline.

Well, May 24th was Dylan's birthday. Even though I soured on Dylan a bit after he threw me out of the Norva show the other month, I figure I should honor the man somehow.

Richie Havens - Just Like a Woman (live July 19, 1999 CNN Center, Atlanta)

What I wouldn't give to relieve the day I saw Richie Havens live in Charlottesville. I remember it started snowing just as I went inside, and when I came out, their was three inches and I had to drive really slow on the freeway. What is usually a 2.5 hour trip took me over 4. (Max...You paying attention?)

Richie Havens is coming to DC in August and I'm going to see him again!! I can't wait.

Check out Richiehavens.com and you can pick up his newest July 20.

Here's a Richie original tune: Stardust and Passion

AND you MUST hear this wicked Beatles cover: Richie Havens - Lady Madonna (for Joe)

Wow. Did I ever tell you about the time I interviewed to be an intern on Conan. Back in 1996! I didn't get it, but I was the only person standing in 8-h (SNL studios), and I stood on Conan's mark and told a joke from my standup act. I'll have to tell you about that one day. My first of the 8 hour Greyhound trips.

**

Sigh....this is still my dream life. I'll have it one day!!

AND Slate takes on iTunes' Celebrity Playlists

**Paul F. Tompkins is going to be on Kelsey Grammer's new sketch show on fox.

Check this site I found googling 'round. It's a video on the making of the C'mon C'mon video. HERE.

Click the Quicktime version, cause the Windows Media versions didn't play right for me.

Then check out the C'mon, C'mon video on vonbondies.com.



There is another cool video on the vonbondies site too with all the band playing different characters.

here is a better version of it (Windows Media). And a Quicktime version. Love those close ups of the girls lips.



And here's Don's drum kit I was telling you about:

what i'm listening to Right Now: Richie Havens - Handsome Johnny
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Saturday was one of those days that get looked back upon fondly. Here's a preview:



The WORST thunderstorm I've ever lived through woke me up 'round 2 am. Alarm did the same at 7, just in time for the 5k up in Williamsburg. Jaime's in training for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in September so there I am to support her...but I forgot my running shoes. So, being a resourceful gent, decided to race walk it. I didn't win anything except shin splints (walking three miles really really fast is really really hard).

My brother and his young wife were down this weekend and we surprised them with a baby shower. Luckily Michelle was pregnant so it worked out nice. But that was Friday, and I'm telling you about Saturday so after the race we had a nice lunch and then went kayaking at Newport News Park. See, the pic up there. My back is killing me.



This being a rnr blog, I'll move it along. Saturday was the Von Bondies show and it was a pretty sweet little show. Remember, I had soured on the Von Bondies after the lies of the "free digital sampler" but they were great live. The "Pawn Shoppe Heart" songs sound better live than on disk. More raw. Flizzum was there and was singing "Ben Swank" LOUD!! All the hipster's were just kinda bobbing their heads a little like hipsters do, but Flizzum was all over the place.



For the record, I sang loudest on "Nite Train" which is my favorite song.

Marcie, my sweet, was the second coolest of them. Jason was boring and didn't move or talk or anything. Carrie was Entwistlesque, but Marcie was cool. She said she couldn't stop laughing because somebody put a "No Farting Zone" on her monitor. Then later, she started flirting with the boys in the audience and demanding that she see more dancing. She was great.

Don the drummer is the COOLEST though. His drum set was so minimal, but it was amazing what he was doing with that drum kit. He had the floor tom, a big ole kick drum, a snare and one ride cymbal. He was into every song, banging and flailing away and making the greatest noise. Looked just like Animal from the "Electric mayhem." And he had this fan on him that was blowing his hair all cool between songs.



The show was over too quick, but as we were leaving we were told the Bondies would be going to Hell's Kitchen Bar on Granby street for the afterparty. We decided to go to Relative Theory record shop so I could turn in my ticket for the poster contest. They were having an in-store right then at 11pm. Awesome place! I gotta get down check them out more often.

It was too late, our feet hurt too bad, and I was too broke to check out "Hell's Kitchen" but as we were walking back past the Norva, we saw the band loading up in a black Cadillac Escalade.

Sweaty cool night. That's Me, Jaime, and Flizzum up there just before we split up, Jaime and I were headed home, but Flizzum never sleeps so he was off to stir up some trouble. Still haven't heard from him.

Here is a cover track Don the drummer sings called R&R Nurse. I'll leave this up for a just a little bit. They are for preview purposes only, delete 'em after two days, and if you like them you can buy the same album I bought to get them. It's called "Raw and Rare."

what i'm listening to Right Now: Guided By Voices - Something Odie Gave Me
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After the Von Bondies show tomorrow, take your ticket over to Relative Theory records on Granby St. and you might win a big, autographed poster of the Von Beloved Bondies.

what i'm listening to Right Now: Longwave, Endsongs - Crushed Down and Faded
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Hey hey! The Hives are coming back to the US. They are playing DC on July 20. Tickets go on sale June 3rd. 930.com

Also, NYC, Boston, Toronto, Pontiac, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, San Fran, and San Diego.

Oh Yeah! Enjoyin' These Tunes?? See how I don't make it obvious that there are tunes there? See how I make the googlers suffer? They would have to actually read the post to see that there is a nice tune there. But you, my loyal sufferers are rewarded for your intelligence. Thank you for stopping by day after day!

Lots of good stuff out there lately. First off would be my revamp of my "Blogs I Like" section. I was souring on some of them but I got a bunch a great ones now so go explore. Some of them linked me first, and I don't like to just blindly link sites. I link good ones only, and I like all these a lot.

SovietPanda's a great one. He's just going through a little slump right now so go give him some comment induced love. He's worth it. See he points me to awesome stuff like these YYY's videos at punkcast.com. I bought a cool Warlocks VCD off of punkcast a while back. Totally legit place with awesome stuff. Buy the stuff you like (hey, it's only 4 bucks).

I especially recommend you go download the video labeled as "Down Boy" but it's really "Modern Romance" and it's really awesome. Go download it before he fixes it.

Aekituesday points me to some groovy tracks from a band called the 5,6,7,8's (which is the coolest name).

Gramophone gets on the Jem bandwagon. This is the girl I bought the CD for a while back, and this little weblog convinced Lisa to buy it based on nothing but my mention of it. I'm not saying you should rush out, but now you can sample these few tracks and make up your own mind. Enjoy?

Finally, check this awesome tune I'm a Cuckoo posted! It's powerful awesome!

Stereogum is on top of his game today. Go over and check the Nellie "Best Week Ever" videos, and then watch the Taxi Driver (my favorite movie) headache commercial.

www.stereogum.com

what i'm listening to Right Now: Mary Wells - You Beat Me to the Punch
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Wow. I got turned on to this cool website out of Seattle-ish area. The Wig Fits All Heads

They have some cool articles on Sounds, Strokes, and more, and a really cool interview with Regina Spektor. I just got her second CD "songs" and they have them again at cdbaby.com so you should get it. I had a bootleg copy all this time, and now I'm supporting an awesome artist.

You can listen for free at her website. Go here and click "Listen"

UPDATED May 27: For a little while, I'll post a song for you. It's the last track on "songs" and it's called "Ne Me Quitte Pas" "Songs" was recorded as a demo, so there is just piano/voice. But it's still so good.

And here is a track of hers off "Soviet Kitsch" (her most recent album). It's called "Us" and it's really good too. That way you can hear a song of hers with more production behind it.

Comment what you think.

I "discovered" the Killers opening up for Stellastarr* in Richmond. Besides the songs they played live (which I don't really remember), I have only really heard the three songs on their "Somebody Told Me" EP that I bought from the Merch Table.

UPDATED May 23: I posted a link to "Somebody Told Me" a while ago and you all liked it, so here is another that you will like more. It's my favorite on this three song EP. It's called Under the Gun. Get it while you can. It's for evaluation purposes only....delete after two days...and will only be up for a short time (that way my loyal, daily readers get rewarded, and those casual google searchers lose out).

Seriously though, support good music and buy The Killers - Somebody Told Me over iTunes or Napster. You can also download the EP version of Somebody Told Me on their website.

Remember the Killers will be on Carson Daly tomorrow May 18 (according to their website) or Thursday, May 20 (according to other sources)

what i'm listening to Right Now: Longwave, Life of the Party EP - We're Not Gonna Crack
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Hmmm, interesting. Seems Longwave updated their website with the venue for their Norfolk stop, and I guess my guesstimation was correct. It's gonna be at the New Belmont on 21st street and Colonial. Opening band Delgate who "sound Radioheady" according to those in the know.

Holy Moly!! I had to do some things I'm not proud of, but I convinced I'm a Cuckoo to let me copy the new Longwave EP, Life of the Party. (Read his review of it)

I'm freaking out!! I have the new Longwave EP PRE-release!!! I'm FREAKING OUT!!

Go to www.longwavetheband.com and listen to "When it Started"

Hey check this out! The Killers doing a song by some guy named Morrisey. It's called:

The Killers - Why Don't You Find out For Yourself.mp3 (thanks Hushreality through Ultralucky).

what i'm listening to Right Now: Franz Ferdinand - Van Tango
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Oh you are in LUCK!! Said the gramophone has Nico's "I'll Keep it With Mine" in mp3. GO AND GET IT!!!!

I won a free Pepsi Itunes code from Stereogum a few months ago because I correctly guessed which obscure 80's music video he posted. I bought this song with that code.

I have since downloaded all the other tracks and can say that you should try to find "These Days" 'cause it's the second best song on that album.

what i'm listening to Right Now: Nico - These Days
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Hey Hey!! The Killers debut album will be out on June 15 in the US. It supposed to be called "Hott Fuss" according to their website. But the coolest news is that they are going to be on Carson Daly May 18. That's next Tues. I hope they are as good as I remember them.

Lisa says I missed a good show the first time around. Austin City Limits will replay on May22 and May23rd (via CatBirdSeat)

I want to tell you about the new song I posted down in my "I'll Sing a Song for You" area over there ->

"I Wish I Was a Woman" is my response to Nellie McKay's "It's a Pose." I first discovered her music last summer before she was signed up to Sony because I was looking for something to do after the Siren Fest. I went down Jinners list of NYC clubs (that I don't think she has up anymore). I wanted to find something different than the indie rock stuff I would have been listening to all day at Siren Fest. The Fez website said this Nellie plays the piano and sings these quirky songs. I never heard of her and the only music I could find by her was from a Public radio interview she did with Rita Wilson on wfuv.org.

Well, I later picked up her 12 track demo and listened to it a lot, and gave it to Lisa to listen to. So I had heard "It's a Pose" a bunch of times as I listened to the demo cd. And since I was doing these open mic's, and since I can't sing super-duper great, and I can't play the guitar super-duper great, I figured the only thing I have is original words, so I was trying to write my own songs.

This was conceived as a piano song. The greatest thing in the world is my acapella version I sang so I could remember the melody I had in mind (but too embarrassing to post). But I couldn't play it that way on guitar (and I have some work to do on my piano skills) so I arranged it like this. Part of me thinks I should hammer the point home more, instead of just that last little bit.

What do you think about it?

what i'm listening to Right Now: Deerhoof - Gore in Rut
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Flizzum's been on the hunt for tunes. He found a bunch of good ones through Kill Rock Stars. Scroll down and listen to the Deerhoof - Gore in Rut.

what i'm listening to Right Now: Gladys Night & the Pips - Neither One of Us (wants to be the first)
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Hey, just a guess. I mean, I don't know where Longwave is playing. How could I know? It hasn't been announced yet right? So just a guess. The New Belmont in Norfolk. 2117 Colonial Ave. But that's just a guess.

And I'd be able to do more hard journalistic type research to find out if my guess is right or not, but I've been reading this amazing collection of essays at RollingStone.com. I got up to Julian Casablancas on the Velvet Underground when I had to take a bathroom break. Then I thought I would blog my Longwave news guess. So now back to the article.

Work Shmerk.

Saw mooneysuzuki.com is back up. two shows, one in LA, one in NYC. Says new album is "Alive and Amplified" "in stores Aug. 2004"

what i'm listening to Right Now: Bob Dylan, Live 1964 - Mr. Tambourine Man
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If you were listening to whro public radio last night around 8:11ish, you might of heard a little name that sounded suspiciously like Jaime's and Matthew's, pledging our support to Public Radio on behalf of the King and Caroline. That's right, I whored out PRI for my own selfish needs.

Sam McDonald, the music critic for the Daily Press was there helping out with the pledge drive on "Out of the Box," the hip independent radio show that comes on between 7-8:30 Mon-Thurs.

"Hello, I'd like to pledge a hundred dollars"

"O.K. Did you know that a pledge over 65 dollars gets a free CD?"

"Matt, which cd do you want?"

"uhh, uhh, uhh, how 'bout.....uhh, Iron and Wine?"

"Iron and Wine?"

"Oh, that's a great choice. Did you also know that for 20 more dollars you can get a second CD?"

"Did you know we can get a second CD for 20 dollars more?"

"uhh, I did know that actually. (I forgot I was going to ask for the Waifs), uh, what do they have?"

"What do you have? Do you want Beth Orton's something Daybreak, or you already have that one?"

"No I don't have that one, get that one."

****

"...with generous support from listeners like Jaime and Matthew from up your way Sam, in Newport News. They want us to say that they are pledging on behalf of the King and Caroline, what ever that means."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Do you know what that means Sam?"

"Yeah, that's a band from up our way."

And that is how Jaime got her name spoken on the radio. I was going to pledge anyway, but since Sam was there I figured he would get a kick out of the King and Caroline reference.

In a fun side note, I was telling the story to our Cinco De Mayo cohorts, Paul and Brooke up in Williamsburg last night. I mentioned Iron and Wine, and Brooke says, "Oh, I know him! He was my brothers roommate for years and years in Florida, and I was supposed to marry him until he married someone else, so I just married Paul." And it turns out Iron and Wine was the guy Paul's been playing for me every time I go up there, but he was calling him "Brooke's friend Sam."

Small world, huh?

what i'm listening to Right Now: The Who - It's a Legal Matter
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Hey, I popped over to the Norva's website and saw that the Von Bondies are playing there May 22 at 8pm as part of a "lollapalooza preview" night. Cheap tickets too.

what i'm listening to Right Now: Oneida - Treasure Plane
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The Black Table has neat little Guided By Voices article. Check it.

what i'm listening to Right Now: Billy Idol - Eyes Without a Face
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That's right. She's so great.

It's the Sweet Harmony Traveling Revue with:

Emmylou Harris
Patty Griffin
Gillian Welch
Dave Rawlings
Buddy Miller

Tickets are pricey at 40ish bucks, but that's a lot of entertainment.

The Harbor Center's site gives you the summer lineup. If I was invisible, I could sneak in and see Clay Aiken without paying.