Sunday, October 31, 2004
My Endorsement.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
60 Minutes Sunday
This Sunday, 60 minutes will air a Saturday Night Live story with backstage views of the Ashlee Simpson skrew-up.
I was watching "Inside Edition" or some odd thing and I saw some of the clips. I was gonna watch it anyway 'cause I'm fascinated by SNL, but now it seems even more interesting. The "Inside Edition" clips showed Ashlee in tears just after her dress-rehearsal appearance, and Executive Producer Lorne Michaels saying "Ashlee's worried about her voice." Drama!
I was watching "Inside Edition" or some odd thing and I saw some of the clips. I was gonna watch it anyway 'cause I'm fascinated by SNL, but now it seems even more interesting. The "Inside Edition" clips showed Ashlee in tears just after her dress-rehearsal appearance, and Executive Producer Lorne Michaels saying "Ashlee's worried about her voice." Drama!
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Why Wait?
I'm going to link a comment to my Wired CD post. Thanks to ChromaticMusings for the tip! and to herr k. for the heads up.
Why wait till Nov. 9th to get the Wired tunes?
Get 'em now.
Why wait till Nov. 9th to get the Wired tunes?
Get 'em now.
Apple - iPod Ashlee Simpson Karaoke Edition
The WIRED CD
The WIRED CD: Rip. Sample. Mash. Share. | Creative Commons
An interesting idea? These songs are free to Sample for any purposes (commercial or not) other than for advertising.
Download them all for free on November 9.
Time to learn how to sample.
An interesting idea? These songs are free to Sample for any purposes (commercial or not) other than for advertising.
Download them all for free on November 9.
Time to learn how to sample.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
washingtonpost.com: Better late than never
Ashlee Simpson and That Lip-Syncing Feeling (washingtonpost.com)
There it is. The article I wanted hours, not days, after the event. I'm just too antsy in this internet world I guess.
But Washpost makes me smile because I did just find this article on the front page (above the fold) of their internet site, and because it's the first article I've read that commented on Lorne's editing for the west coase (to save his own embarrassment).
She also outs an industry term "Live-Live" vs "Live." Sounds pretty close to a great point loyal reader Kate made in the comments of the previous post. Down There. If I could link it, I would, but I can't, so scroll down to the next post and read the comments by Kate. Good points.
There it is. The article I wanted hours, not days, after the event. I'm just too antsy in this internet world I guess.
But Washpost makes me smile because I did just find this article on the front page (above the fold) of their internet site, and because it's the first article I've read that commented on Lorne's editing for the west coase (to save his own embarrassment).
She also outs an industry term "Live-Live" vs "Live." Sounds pretty close to a great point loyal reader Kate made in the comments of the previous post. Down There. If I could link it, I would, but I can't, so scroll down to the next post and read the comments by Kate. Good points.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Ashlee Simpson to Sing Live Again Tonight
ABC News article says that "Ashlee Simpson to Sing Live Again Tonight" Wonder what'll happen?
According to this Nypost.com article, SNL spokesperson says it was the bands fault for starting the wrong "backing" track.
Hey SNL, if it was the bands fault and it was just a "backing" track, then why edit it out of the west coast broadcast?
Whatevs.com gives Lorne the scolding, and that's what I'm focusing on too. I'm not disappointed in Ashlee. Who really cares if a pop-tart lip-syncs? But SNL was always better than that. Why'd they edit it? It's proof that SNL's music department has become an industry hack-factory, and this editing thing is the proof that they are not the SNL of yore.
According to this Nypost.com article, SNL spokesperson says it was the bands fault for starting the wrong "backing" track.
Hey SNL, if it was the bands fault and it was just a "backing" track, then why edit it out of the west coast broadcast?
Whatevs.com gives Lorne the scolding, and that's what I'm focusing on too. I'm not disappointed in Ashlee. Who really cares if a pop-tart lip-syncs? But SNL was always better than that. Why'd they edit it? It's proof that SNL's music department has become an industry hack-factory, and this editing thing is the proof that they are not the SNL of yore.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
From the Horses Mouth??
Two back-to-back "explanations" were posted to the Comments of Stereogum.com's Ashlee post:
"i work at snl and was hanging around backstage when "disaster struck."
we had called it many times during the day after hearing simpson's atrocious voice (the fact that she screams, rather than sings, has caused her a speaking voice which sounds more like that of bea arthur than a pop princess). after "hurting her voice" in rehearsal, a doctor was called in and there was a hushed decision to go with the pre-taped recording of her voice.
after the mania occurred, ashlee's entire PR crew (brilliantly) chose to stand in SNL's main hallway and coach her in what to do. "it's 1:00," someone mentioned to her, "even if you don't feel like it." (time: the eternal answer to everything!)
after deciding to apologize to the audience, her creepy-as-fuck daddy pitched a suggestion that was quickly shot down by her staff. lose the platinum 'do, buddy.
and her blaming the band for the error didn't go too well with them either, as i saw on their faces during her impromptu "apology." the bandmembers are all decent guys who, as far as i could tell, were placed in a different dressing room and chose to keep their distance from day until night.
it seems as if ashlee simpson is haunted not by the shadow of her golden older sister, but by the shadow of pre-recorded vocal tracks. deservedly sabotaged!
Posted by anonymous at October 24, 2004 05:47 PM
here's the word from a friend of mine who was at the show, and got it straight from the director, beth mccarthy, who she was a guest of:
ashlee can't sing. she tried all day friday, but was whining to her voice coach. they decided to leave her mike on so she could sing along to the track, but after the first line or two of the first song, turned her off cause she was awful.
so, as of the first song, all the mikes were off.
now, they had the wrong song queued up for the second song, obviously. it really was the drummer's fault. apparently he was supposed to signal something or start in with some beat, and the one he did was for the first song. because he fucked up, the guy doing the tape hurried up and put the first song on, because that was what the drummer had signalled. when this got all fucked up, they did two things:
1. turned on all the mikes so the band could take over and start the real song. which they didn't. have no idea why.
2. turned off the tape so the band could play the real song.
they were going to turn on ashlee's mike so she could sing the real song, but decided not to because the band was just playing the first song. the guys were smiling cause they were simply thinking "what a fucking clusterfuck".
beth mccarthy was also the director of the superbowl halftime show last year, so she's no stranger to ... malfunctions.
Posted by carolina at October 24, 2004 05:57 PM"
And Fox News didn't mention anything about editing the show for the west coast broadcast.
"i work at snl and was hanging around backstage when "disaster struck."
we had called it many times during the day after hearing simpson's atrocious voice (the fact that she screams, rather than sings, has caused her a speaking voice which sounds more like that of bea arthur than a pop princess). after "hurting her voice" in rehearsal, a doctor was called in and there was a hushed decision to go with the pre-taped recording of her voice.
after the mania occurred, ashlee's entire PR crew (brilliantly) chose to stand in SNL's main hallway and coach her in what to do. "it's 1:00," someone mentioned to her, "even if you don't feel like it." (time: the eternal answer to everything!)
after deciding to apologize to the audience, her creepy-as-fuck daddy pitched a suggestion that was quickly shot down by her staff. lose the platinum 'do, buddy.
and her blaming the band for the error didn't go too well with them either, as i saw on their faces during her impromptu "apology." the bandmembers are all decent guys who, as far as i could tell, were placed in a different dressing room and chose to keep their distance from day until night.
it seems as if ashlee simpson is haunted not by the shadow of her golden older sister, but by the shadow of pre-recorded vocal tracks. deservedly sabotaged!
Posted by anonymous at October 24, 2004 05:47 PM
here's the word from a friend of mine who was at the show, and got it straight from the director, beth mccarthy, who she was a guest of:
ashlee can't sing. she tried all day friday, but was whining to her voice coach. they decided to leave her mike on so she could sing along to the track, but after the first line or two of the first song, turned her off cause she was awful.
so, as of the first song, all the mikes were off.
now, they had the wrong song queued up for the second song, obviously. it really was the drummer's fault. apparently he was supposed to signal something or start in with some beat, and the one he did was for the first song. because he fucked up, the guy doing the tape hurried up and put the first song on, because that was what the drummer had signalled. when this got all fucked up, they did two things:
1. turned on all the mikes so the band could take over and start the real song. which they didn't. have no idea why.
2. turned off the tape so the band could play the real song.
they were going to turn on ashlee's mike so she could sing the real song, but decided not to because the band was just playing the first song. the guys were smiling cause they were simply thinking "what a fucking clusterfuck".
beth mccarthy was also the director of the superbowl halftime show last year, so she's no stranger to ... malfunctions.
Posted by carolina at October 24, 2004 05:57 PM"
And Fox News didn't mention anything about editing the show for the west coast broadcast.
FoxNews!!!
What the 'ell. I just flipped to foxnews, and they said, "Stay tuned" for a Ashlee Simp. SNL story. Fox News!!! That's who I have to depend on!
----
On my earlier point about the media: This is a big, big deal. Much bigger than just a lip-sync snafu. If Lorne Micheals (executive producer of SNL) edited out the vocals for the west coast broadcast, that is Seriously Screwed Up!
This wasn't a potty-mouth slip up, a four letter word that SNL needed to save our (west coast) children from hearing. And this wasn't a Chris Farley's bare butt falling out of his pants. The only reason to edit that performance for the west coast was to save Ashlee some embarrasement from being busted lip-syncing, and to save SNL the embarasement of condoning their artist's lip-syncing.
That's why i'm stewing that Washingtonpost.com has no mention of this incident in the entertaiment section of their website yet. They just had a "Lorne is so great" article in their paper. See:
WashingtonPost.com article on Lorne Micheals
----
And now these ball-dropping bastards have me watching Fox News to see if they mention anything about the west coast editing incident.
Why am I so worked up about this? I need lunch.
----
On my earlier point about the media: This is a big, big deal. Much bigger than just a lip-sync snafu. If Lorne Micheals (executive producer of SNL) edited out the vocals for the west coast broadcast, that is Seriously Screwed Up!
This wasn't a potty-mouth slip up, a four letter word that SNL needed to save our (west coast) children from hearing. And this wasn't a Chris Farley's bare butt falling out of his pants. The only reason to edit that performance for the west coast was to save Ashlee some embarrasement from being busted lip-syncing, and to save SNL the embarasement of condoning their artist's lip-syncing.
That's why i'm stewing that Washingtonpost.com has no mention of this incident in the entertaiment section of their website yet. They just had a "Lorne is so great" article in their paper. See:
WashingtonPost.com article on Lorne Micheals
----
And now these ball-dropping bastards have me watching Fox News to see if they mention anything about the west coast editing incident.
Why am I so worked up about this? I need lunch.
"News" my arse.
Well, I've been to washingtonpost.com, Nytimes.com, nypost.com, and news.google. They all lead with the 40-plus Iraqi soldiers found dead. NO mention of Ashlee! This is an outrage! Where is the "News" they all claim to deliver? I've been watching "Headline News" for an hour, and not a mention. OUTRAGE!
OK, Ok, more seriously...why the 'ell hasn't mtv.com/news/ commented on this yet? I don't expect their current ratings star to be trashed by their own site, but at least a mention. This is the internet. It's 2pm. They should have all this info up by now. You don't have an sys-ad that can post up a little update from home?
It's mtv.com. Mtv. What a joke, huh? I try to hold out hope for 'em, but this is unforgivable.
I typed "Music News" into google and hit the first five websites. Not a mention. This is SERIOUS! The Mountain/Pacific time-zones didn't see the truth. They need to be hearing about this in the entertainment section of nytimes.com. It that damn liberal bias over there at the grey lady. And if we can't count on nytimes and washingtonpost.com, then we should be able to count on rollingstone.com (at least for our entertainment news).
I even tried eonline.com and Naturally! No mention. It's true. Blogs have trumped the media. Somebody please point me to a "Lorne has no comment" article somewhere.
OK, Ok, more seriously...why the 'ell hasn't mtv.com/news/ commented on this yet? I don't expect their current ratings star to be trashed by their own site, but at least a mention. This is the internet. It's 2pm. They should have all this info up by now. You don't have an sys-ad that can post up a little update from home?
It's mtv.com. Mtv. What a joke, huh? I try to hold out hope for 'em, but this is unforgivable.
I typed "Music News" into google and hit the first five websites. Not a mention. This is SERIOUS! The Mountain/Pacific time-zones didn't see the truth. They need to be hearing about this in the entertainment section of nytimes.com. It that damn liberal bias over there at the grey lady. And if we can't count on nytimes and washingtonpost.com, then we should be able to count on rollingstone.com (at least for our entertainment news).
I even tried eonline.com and Naturally! No mention. It's true. Blogs have trumped the media. Somebody please point me to a "Lorne has no comment" article somewhere.
Let's go to the videotape!
The "Internets" are a-wash in Ashlee shandenfrouda (too excited to spell chick--Har, Har)
Stereogum's comment section has proven to be a boon to us who delight in the pain of others.
Instead of making you go through all 50-plus (at post time) comments, here is how to get the clips of the greatest television moment of the century.
First go to my new favorite website: amysrobot.com and you can get the video of the lipsync flub. Also make sure to click the "disecting the clip" link in her second to last paragraph for a plausible analysis of what happened technically.
I don't have enough space to host that big clip, but since Amy only has the audio of the "apology" clip, I will host "The lie" clip for you:
Ashlee_snl_aftermath.mpg (3.5 megs) (and it's mac friendly (since I'm typing this on my new powerbook).
Also, in the stereogum comments, I learned that the West Coast broadcast edited out the vocals in the flub, so California/Colorado viewers just saw the dancing-monkey hoe down.
Stereogum's comment section has proven to be a boon to us who delight in the pain of others.
Instead of making you go through all 50-plus (at post time) comments, here is how to get the clips of the greatest television moment of the century.
First go to my new favorite website: amysrobot.com and you can get the video of the lipsync flub. Also make sure to click the "disecting the clip" link in her second to last paragraph for a plausible analysis of what happened technically.
I don't have enough space to host that big clip, but since Amy only has the audio of the "apology" clip, I will host "The lie" clip for you:
Also, in the stereogum comments, I learned that the West Coast broadcast edited out the vocals in the flub, so California/Colorado viewers just saw the dancing-monkey hoe down.
The Lie
"My band started playing the wrong song."
HOLY CRAP!!!
HOLY CRAP!! Did I Call that or what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is DONE!!!
The band keeps playing! They want paid!
Somebody is getting fired!!!!
And they just went to commercial early!!
That's what they get for lip syncing.
She is DONE!!!
The band keeps playing! They want paid!
Somebody is getting fired!!!!
And they just went to commercial early!!
That's what they get for lip syncing.
Ashley Simpson Lip Syncing?
Well, I won the first game of Trivial Pursuit SNL Edition (purchased at Target) tonight. And so far, Jude Law is really funny; but, come-on? Ashley Simpson had to have been lip-syncing right?
And I like that song. Why'd she have to go and lip-sync and make me sour on her so early?
And I like that song. Why'd she have to go and lip-sync and make me sour on her so early?
Friday, October 22, 2004
Bondies Update
what i'm listening to Right Now: Von Bondies - Lack of Communication
------------------------------
I was catching up on the Von Bondies website and there is a picture of the new bassist that is replacing Carrie.
Here's another one. Her name is Yasmine Smith. Yee-ouza. But I still like Marcie. Look how cute she is in this bowling picture. Are those her glasses?
And then I noticed a new journal post on their tour diary. Don, my sweet, does the tour journal and it's funny and great just like he is.
------------------------------
I was catching up on the Von Bondies website and there is a picture of the new bassist that is replacing Carrie.
Here's another one. Her name is Yasmine Smith. Yee-ouza. But I still like Marcie. Look how cute she is in this bowling picture. Are those her glasses?
And then I noticed a new journal post on their tour diary. Don, my sweet, does the tour journal and it's funny and great just like he is.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Charley Mingus
what i'm listening to Right Now: Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
---------------------------------------
Hey! You ever heard of this Charley Mingus fella? He's a jazzy guy. I thought I would sample some jazz on my Rhapsody player this morn.
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady
Quincy Jones - Walking in Space
So I just cured myself of the Mingus and am now suffering the symptoms of profound booty-shake and foot-tap-fever. Thanks a lot Quincy!
When my family got our first CD player in 1990 it was a big deal. I was living in Bremerhaven, West Germany at the time and my dad went a little kayrazy in the discount CD bin at the local PX. He bought that Quincy Jones album and I listened to it a mondo bunch of times. As it is playing now, I am sitting on the footstool in a living room on Adolf-Butenandt Strasse.
----
I noticed that iTunes has an "Exclusive" Killers song available for download.
Of course iTunes doesn't have the new Kimya Dawson. It is awesome. Get it at your local independent music store.
----
Well, I don't have a Jazz song for you today unforch. but I was thinking of letting you hear "Mo Onions" by Booker T and the MG's 'cause it's kinda jazzy. The square root of Unforch. = I don't have much webspace to spare today. I only got 2megs. Mo Onions is 3.6megs, and I still wanna keep the Jason Lee/Milk stuff available. What to do with 2 megs?
Well since I as reading that Dylan book last week, and this morn I got an electronic-mail message pointing me to audio excerpts from the book, and NPR has up the awesome interview with the man himself (and you can hear the exerpts there too); well I thought I'll post a Dylan tune that fits into 2 megs.
So here is a song from a bootleg disk circulating that was recorded in May 1961. It's an original song with a cute backstory (read about it here):
Bob Dylan - Bonnie Why'd You Cut My Hair.mp3 (1.6megs)
---------------------------------------
Hey! You ever heard of this Charley Mingus fella? He's a jazzy guy. I thought I would sample some jazz on my Rhapsody player this morn.
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady
Quincy Jones - Walking in Space
So I just cured myself of the Mingus and am now suffering the symptoms of profound booty-shake and foot-tap-fever. Thanks a lot Quincy!
When my family got our first CD player in 1990 it was a big deal. I was living in Bremerhaven, West Germany at the time and my dad went a little kayrazy in the discount CD bin at the local PX. He bought that Quincy Jones album and I listened to it a mondo bunch of times. As it is playing now, I am sitting on the footstool in a living room on Adolf-Butenandt Strasse.
----
I noticed that iTunes has an "Exclusive" Killers song available for download.
Of course iTunes doesn't have the new Kimya Dawson. It is awesome. Get it at your local independent music store.
----
Well, I don't have a Jazz song for you today unforch. but I was thinking of letting you hear "Mo Onions" by Booker T and the MG's 'cause it's kinda jazzy. The square root of Unforch. = I don't have much webspace to spare today. I only got 2megs. Mo Onions is 3.6megs, and I still wanna keep the Jason Lee/Milk stuff available. What to do with 2 megs?
Well since I as reading that Dylan book last week, and this morn I got an electronic-mail message pointing me to audio excerpts from the book, and NPR has up the awesome interview with the man himself (and you can hear the exerpts there too); well I thought I'll post a Dylan tune that fits into 2 megs.
So here is a song from a bootleg disk circulating that was recorded in May 1961. It's an original song with a cute backstory (read about it here):
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Fake Snobbery
what i'm listening to Right Now: Ben Kweller - In Other Words
-----------------------------------
Something Awful article on how to fake being a music snob. I was biting my lip to keep from waking my coworkers. (via EndingEast).
-----------------------------------
Something Awful article on how to fake being a music snob. I was biting my lip to keep from waking my coworkers. (via EndingEast).
Monday, October 18, 2004
Milk, Milk, Lemonade, around the Corner...
what i'm listening to Right Now: Huey Lewis & the News - Power of Love
------------------------------------------
Alright! I'm in the Mac world now! I picked up 800mhz Powerbook froma coworker of my Mother. He left all his 80's powerballads on here. I'm having a good ole time with 'em...oooh here comes Starship!
-----
Well the network guy was working on my computer so I couldn't stream the Reginia Spektor thing. Now I'll have to wait for the archives to get posted.
-----
Here is a treat for you. Back in the early 90s a young Spike Jones directed a video for the Blind Skateboard company called "Video Days." I still have an original copy in the closet, and I had a Gonz and future actor Jason Lee's board (the one with David Bowie's head on it).
Well I always like the music on "Video Days" especially "Knife Song" and a few months back I found out that Amazon sells a cd of the band that sings that song.
Amazon doesn't sell this CD anymore. So here is:
Milk - Knife Song.mp3 (3.8megs)
And here is an exerpt from "Video Days" of Jason Lee skating to the song:
Jason Lee, "Video Days" exerpt.mov (quicktime, 958kbs)
------------------------------------------
Alright! I'm in the Mac world now! I picked up 800mhz Powerbook froma coworker of my Mother. He left all his 80's powerballads on here. I'm having a good ole time with 'em...oooh here comes Starship!
-----
Well the network guy was working on my computer so I couldn't stream the Reginia Spektor thing. Now I'll have to wait for the archives to get posted.
-----
Here is a treat for you. Back in the early 90s a young Spike Jones directed a video for the Blind Skateboard company called "Video Days." I still have an original copy in the closet, and I had a Gonz and future actor Jason Lee's board (the one with David Bowie's head on it).
Well I always like the music on "Video Days" especially "Knife Song" and a few months back I found out that Amazon sells a cd of the band that sings that song.
Amazon doesn't sell this CD anymore. So here is:
And here is an exerpt from "Video Days" of Jason Lee skating to the song:
Regina Spektor at 2pm today
reginaspektor.com says that Regina is going to be on WNYC radio today at 2pm EST.
I don't live up there, but we can all stream it at wnyc.org. They have great archives, and are where I first heard Nellie McKay's stuff back when.
I don't live up there, but we can all stream it at wnyc.org. They have great archives, and are where I first heard Nellie McKay's stuff back when.
Jon Stewart Shoves Bowtie up Tucker's Arse.
IFILM - Short Films: Jon Stewart's Brutal Exchange with CNN Host From (andrewsullivan.com)
Yee-Ouza! This is a wild exchange. Great TV.
Yee-Ouza! This is a wild exchange. Great TV.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Sideways from Payne
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Bad Co Films
what i'm listening to Right Now: Bob Dylan, Live 1966 - Desolation Row
-----------------------------------------
Well here is my review of that Dylan book: I'd trade most of what I have for just your advance for the book, you ungracious "artist."
He spends the whole book complaining that he doesn't want people bugging him. Then stop putting out albums every two years and touring 300 dates a year. Charge me 30 bucks a ticket and have me forcibly thrown out. Boy, I love this guy's pre-66 work, but lets face it: You produced more crap than not over the years.
I hope I never get to hang out with this snooty, rich, ungracious old man. Unless he still has that sweet Nick Lucas guitar. That thing was the greatest bass sound. Listen to his "It's Alright Ma" and hear that "thud, thud" of the bass. These newer L140's have the same sound, but they are pricey!
I shoulda bought that Gibson WM-00 on ebay a while back.
The book did have some great stuff on his early days in Minnesota and NYC. I guess I'm just bitter 'cause I want more of that stuff. Screw "New Morning" and "Oh Mercy." I want the story behind "Bringing It All Back Home."
------
While up in Chicago the other weekend, I got to hang out with a movie producer. He works with BadCo Films. They produce a lot of music videos with people like Gerald "Crack that whip!" Casale and Les Claypool and others. He had this awesome DVD that had all these guys had done. Well the website has the videos up too! Pretty cool: www.badcofilms.com.
"Whip It" is still one of the best videos ever.
-----------------------------------------
Well here is my review of that Dylan book: I'd trade most of what I have for just your advance for the book, you ungracious "artist."
He spends the whole book complaining that he doesn't want people bugging him. Then stop putting out albums every two years and touring 300 dates a year. Charge me 30 bucks a ticket and have me forcibly thrown out. Boy, I love this guy's pre-66 work, but lets face it: You produced more crap than not over the years.
I hope I never get to hang out with this snooty, rich, ungracious old man. Unless he still has that sweet Nick Lucas guitar. That thing was the greatest bass sound. Listen to his "It's Alright Ma" and hear that "thud, thud" of the bass. These newer L140's have the same sound, but they are pricey!
I shoulda bought that Gibson WM-00 on ebay a while back.
The book did have some great stuff on his early days in Minnesota and NYC. I guess I'm just bitter 'cause I want more of that stuff. Screw "New Morning" and "Oh Mercy." I want the story behind "Bringing It All Back Home."
------
While up in Chicago the other weekend, I got to hang out with a movie producer. He works with BadCo Films. They produce a lot of music videos with people like Gerald "Crack that whip!" Casale and Les Claypool and others. He had this awesome DVD that had all these guys had done. Well the website has the videos up too! Pretty cool: www.badcofilms.com.
"Whip It" is still one of the best videos ever.
Monday, October 11, 2004
Got my John the Conqueror Root and my Mojo too.
what i'm listening to Right Now: Terry Gilliam - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
-----------------------------------------
I stumbled on this book at the coliseum Barnes and Noble that was about Chess Records.
Chess Records was Muddy Waters record company. This little fella named Leonard Chess used to swear and lot. He owned the studio, and produced Muddy's stuff. And thanks to this book, I found out that little Leonard even played the drum on "She Moves Me".
I first heard Muddy's stuff when I was discovering the blues in late 1995. I had just started Victorville Community College and was living on my own in an apartment building a stone's throw from the sands of the Mojave river. "Devil in a Blue Dress" starring Denzel Washington was on the big screens and my mother bought me the soundtrack. "Thought you might like this kind of music."
I did and since I knew no one in Victorville, I spent hours scouring the local Warehouse Music (next to Del Taco) and buying every $2.99 "Best of the Blues" cassette tape I could find. So went the days before the Internerd and Rhapsody player.
I first heard Muddy specifically from the Goodfellas soundtrack. I dug the big, electric sound of Mannish Boy and bought a "Best of" Muddy from the outlet mall outside Barstow. I was disappointed. I was expecting more big, big sounds ala Johnny Lee Hooker, but this had a lot of Delta style, stripped down sounds. I put it away and followed my parents through the west, through the middle, through Memphis, and into the Appalachian mountains. Settling in Virginia. Reverse migration, America had long been stolen away.
Well, long story short: I fell in love with that Muddy CD after I gave it an honest listen. It was stolen on Pearl St. in Manhattan on a vacation I took up there last year.
Here is one of the best Muddy tracks ever:
Muddy Waters - Trouble No More.mp3 (3.2 megs)
And here is the track that the potty-mouthed Leonard played on:
Muddy Waters - She Moves Me.mp3 (3.5 megs)
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I stumbled on this book at the coliseum Barnes and Noble that was about Chess Records.
Chess Records was Muddy Waters record company. This little fella named Leonard Chess used to swear and lot. He owned the studio, and produced Muddy's stuff. And thanks to this book, I found out that little Leonard even played the drum on "She Moves Me".
I first heard Muddy's stuff when I was discovering the blues in late 1995. I had just started Victorville Community College and was living on my own in an apartment building a stone's throw from the sands of the Mojave river. "Devil in a Blue Dress" starring Denzel Washington was on the big screens and my mother bought me the soundtrack. "Thought you might like this kind of music."
I did and since I knew no one in Victorville, I spent hours scouring the local Warehouse Music (next to Del Taco) and buying every $2.99 "Best of the Blues" cassette tape I could find. So went the days before the Internerd and Rhapsody player.
I first heard Muddy specifically from the Goodfellas soundtrack. I dug the big, electric sound of Mannish Boy and bought a "Best of" Muddy from the outlet mall outside Barstow. I was disappointed. I was expecting more big, big sounds ala Johnny Lee Hooker, but this had a lot of Delta style, stripped down sounds. I put it away and followed my parents through the west, through the middle, through Memphis, and into the Appalachian mountains. Settling in Virginia. Reverse migration, America had long been stolen away.
Well, long story short: I fell in love with that Muddy CD after I gave it an honest listen. It was stolen on Pearl St. in Manhattan on a vacation I took up there last year.
Here is one of the best Muddy tracks ever:
And here is the track that the potty-mouthed Leonard played on:
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Going to Mermaid Ave.
what i'm listening to Right Now: Jimmie Rodgers - Memphis Yodel
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Well, it's official. Bob Dylan says in his new book that he named himself after Dylan Thomas. I've learned a bunch of interesting things from his book so far.
Thanks to Rhapsody, I've now heard this amazing album called "Mermaid Avenue" by Billy Bragg and Wilco. According to Bob Dylan, this album might never have been made:
"On one of my visits, Woody (Guthrie) had told me about some boxes of songs and poems that he had written that had never been seen or set to melodies--that they were stored in the basement of his house in Coney Island and that I was welcome to them. He told me that if I wanted any of them to go see Margie, his wife, explain what I was there for. She'd unpack them for me. He gave me directions on how to find the house.
In the next day or so, I took the subway from the West 4th Street station all the way to the last stop, like he said, in Brooklyn, stepped out on the platform and went hunting for the house. Woody had said it was easy to find. I saw what looked to be a row of houses across a field, the kind he described, and I walked towards it only to discover I was walking out across a swamp. I sunk into the water, knee level, but kept going anyway--I could see the lights as I moved forward, didn't really see any other way to go. When I came out on the other end, my pants from the knees down were drenched, frozen solid, and my feet almost numb but I found the house and knocked on the door. A babysitter opened it slightly, said that Margie, Woody's wife, wasn't' there. One of Woody's kids, Arlo, who would later become a professional singer and songwriter in his own right, told the babysitter to let me in. Arlo was probably about ten of twelve years old and didn't know anything about any manuscripts locked in the basement. I didn't want to push it--the babysitter was uncomfortable, and I stayed just long enough to warm up. said a quick good-bye and left with my boots still waterlogged, trudged back across the swamp to the subway platform.
Forty years later, these lyrics would fall into the hands of Billy Bragg and the group wiles and they would put melodies to them, bring them to full life and record them. It was all done under the direction of Woody's Daughter Nora. These performers probably weren't even born when I had made the trip out to Brooklyn."
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Well, it's official. Bob Dylan says in his new book that he named himself after Dylan Thomas. I've learned a bunch of interesting things from his book so far.
Thanks to Rhapsody, I've now heard this amazing album called "Mermaid Avenue" by Billy Bragg and Wilco. According to Bob Dylan, this album might never have been made:
"On one of my visits, Woody (Guthrie) had told me about some boxes of songs and poems that he had written that had never been seen or set to melodies--that they were stored in the basement of his house in Coney Island and that I was welcome to them. He told me that if I wanted any of them to go see Margie, his wife, explain what I was there for. She'd unpack them for me. He gave me directions on how to find the house.
In the next day or so, I took the subway from the West 4th Street station all the way to the last stop, like he said, in Brooklyn, stepped out on the platform and went hunting for the house. Woody had said it was easy to find. I saw what looked to be a row of houses across a field, the kind he described, and I walked towards it only to discover I was walking out across a swamp. I sunk into the water, knee level, but kept going anyway--I could see the lights as I moved forward, didn't really see any other way to go. When I came out on the other end, my pants from the knees down were drenched, frozen solid, and my feet almost numb but I found the house and knocked on the door. A babysitter opened it slightly, said that Margie, Woody's wife, wasn't' there. One of Woody's kids, Arlo, who would later become a professional singer and songwriter in his own right, told the babysitter to let me in. Arlo was probably about ten of twelve years old and didn't know anything about any manuscripts locked in the basement. I didn't want to push it--the babysitter was uncomfortable, and I stayed just long enough to warm up. said a quick good-bye and left with my boots still waterlogged, trudged back across the swamp to the subway platform.
Forty years later, these lyrics would fall into the hands of Billy Bragg and the group wiles and they would put melodies to them, bring them to full life and record them. It was all done under the direction of Woody's Daughter Nora. These performers probably weren't even born when I had made the trip out to Brooklyn."
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Kimya Dawson/Hidden Vagenda review
The Wig Fits All Heads - Kimya Dawson/Hidden Vagenda reviewed
I am freaking out! I need (nay 'want' but 'NEED') this CD! I'm so excited!
Wig Fits All Heads Interview with Kimya.
I am freaking out! I need (nay 'want' but 'NEED') this CD! I'm so excited!
Wig Fits All Heads Interview with Kimya.
Dylan week.
Salon.com: My first time with Dylan
And I bought his book "Chronicles Volume 1" last night too.
Also, Kimya Dawson's newest CD is out. I love her So MUCH!
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"Politics is my Football":
I thought Cheney won on style, but Edwards won on substance. Cheney was platitudes, and Edwards was Pithy. But in a pressy debate format, style trumps substance unforch. So Cheney "wins" in a "Politics as Football" sense (although not by the levels the MSNBC hacks where spewing). But Cheney lied a bunch! All politicians lie a bit (mislead is the nicer term), but Bush/Cheney offer the expected exaggerations of truth that all politicians are known for, BUT they also tell big, scary lies. The newspapers "Fact Check" articles are top heavy on Cheney mis-representations this morn.
But the "winner" in a "Political Game" sense might have done more damage to his re-election effort because, I think that any undecides watching last night will give the debate to Edwards. They are looking for substance and Cheney had little to say of any substance. Cheney did made one thing clear, a vote for Bush is a vote for more of the same. Edwards agrees doesn't he?
And I bought his book "Chronicles Volume 1" last night too.
Also, Kimya Dawson's newest CD is out. I love her So MUCH!
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"Politics is my Football":
I thought Cheney won on style, but Edwards won on substance. Cheney was platitudes, and Edwards was Pithy. But in a pressy debate format, style trumps substance unforch. So Cheney "wins" in a "Politics as Football" sense (although not by the levels the MSNBC hacks where spewing). But Cheney lied a bunch! All politicians lie a bit (mislead is the nicer term), but Bush/Cheney offer the expected exaggerations of truth that all politicians are known for, BUT they also tell big, scary lies. The newspapers "Fact Check" articles are top heavy on Cheney mis-representations this morn.
But the "winner" in a "Political Game" sense might have done more damage to his re-election effort because, I think that any undecides watching last night will give the debate to Edwards. They are looking for substance and Cheney had little to say of any substance. Cheney did made one thing clear, a vote for Bush is a vote for more of the same. Edwards agrees doesn't he?
Saturday, October 02, 2004
to: The Windy City
I'm off to Chicago to debut my film and visit with Grannie. It just got finished burning a half an hour ago (the film, not Grandma). Plane leaves in 3 hours. I'll be back Tues. Just in time for the Vice Pressy debatey.
PS Any one see Pearl Jam on Letterman Thurs. singing "Masters of War?"
PS Any one see Pearl Jam on Letterman Thurs. singing "Masters of War?"
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