recordjerk

Top 10 for 2007

2007-12-19T12:04:00.000-08:00

Each year it is harder and harder to pick the Top 10 records of the year. It actually becomes harder and harder to find ten releases that actually kick my ass. My first inclination was to include the new Wilco and Radiohead and Robert Pollard releases. But despite liking these releases, none of them really kicked my ass the way the new M.I.A. or Spoon or Jamie T did.

But I am compelled to compile such a list in memory of the late, great Greg Dwinell, founder of eggBert Records, who passed away in 2003. He got me to start compiling a best-of list when he approached me to contribute to his Circle of Friends year-end wrap up in the early 1990s. Don’t remember when, and don’t have copies now. But they probably contained a lot of “grunge” at that point.

Greg is missed.

Also, since it is the time of year to think of others. Visit the West Memphis 3 website and do what you can to help these three guys get the justice that has been denied them. And support Capistrano Valley High School instructor James Corbett who is being persecuted by a student for simply encouraging young adults to question the answers and think for themselves.

So, without further ado, here is my Top 10 for 2007.

1. M.I.A. – Kala
2. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
3. Bright Eyes – Cassadega
4. White Stripes – Icky Thump
5. Lightning Dust
6. The Grindermen
7. Jamie T – Panic Prevention
8. The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
9. Steve Earle – Washington Square Serenade
10. The New Pornographers – Challengers

Radiohead to Release In Rainbows Oct. 10

2007-10-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Just in case you missed the big announcement, Radiohead is releasing their seventh album, In Rainbows, as a digital download on October 10. The physical version will be released by December 3. The kicker is that the digital download is available for whatever you feel like paying, while the physical “discbox” is about $80. The discbox is a two disc set, with two 12” vinyl LPs, and all the bells and whistles you would expect for $80.

Visit inrainbows.com to order your preferred version.

UPDATE: As noted on Pitchfork, In Rainbows will be available in 2008 as a traditional CD release.

I’ve been listening to Sparklehorse all morning, so here are the last 10 songs:

1. “Mountains”
2. “Homecoming Queen”
3. “Dreamt For Light Years In”
4. “My Yoke Is Heavy”
5. “More Yellow Birds”
6. “Sick of Goodbyes”
7. “Sunshine”
8. “Cruel Sun”
9. “See the Light”
10. “Happy Man (Memphis Version)”

2008 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees

2007-09-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, it’s time again to see which camels fit through the needle’s eye. The nominees for this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction are:

The Ventures
Donna Summer
Afrika Bambaataa
Beastie Boys
Madonna
The Dave Clark Five
Leonard Cohen
Chic
John Mellencamp

But the voters only get to pick five. I like the Afrika Bambaataa, Leonard Cohen, Donna Summer, the Ventures and John Mellencamp. I think it is too easy to pick Madonna and the Beastie Boys, plus shouldn’t Donna Summer and Afrika Bambaataa make in it first?

Ultimately, the whole thing seems so, well, un-rock and roll. At the end of the day, it seems so dumb because fans don’t get a vote and, while rock stars are all about self-aggrandizement, it seems a bit stodgy for current and relevant artists like Madonna and Beastie Boys. Wait until they retire.

In the end, I just have to say, "Who cares?"

Here are the last 10 songs my iPod nominated this morning:

1. “The Land of the Clear Blue Radio” by the Soviettes
2. “Tristessa” by Smashing Pumpkins
3. “Love Comes Tumbling” by U2
4. “Green Fields” by the Good, the Bad & the Queen
5. “Company Calls” by Death Cab For Cutie
6. “Hold On” by Pearl Jam
7. “Village Idiot” by Soul Asylum
8. “A Minute Before the Evil Street” by Guided by Voices
9. “Reason 36” by the Alarm
10. “We Destroy the Family” by Fear

Up and At 'Em

2007-09-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of good notes, the two upcoming Robert Pollard releases are streaming at the Merge Records site. Click on the links below to enjoy either Coast to Coast Carpet of Love or Standard Gargoyle Decisions. Both sound really good from what I’ve been able to hear. I don’t spend too much time listening to music on my computer so I’ve only listened to the first five minutes or so of each release.

Also, Captain’s Dead has the Guided By Voices Power of Suck demos available. Get ‘em while they are available.

Now onto business, I listened to the new Foo Fighter’s this morning on my drive into work. Initial reaction is that they have crafted a very nice, non-obtrusive album. It has its moments and nothing is wrong with the album. It’s just kind of mediocre. Of course, the band has been on a steady decline since the high water mark of The Colour & the Shape. But Echos, Silence, Patience and Grace is a better album than In Your Honor simply because it is more concise and less bloaty. That being said, standout cuts include “Long Road to Ruin,” “Cheer Up Boys (Your Make-Up Is Running)” and “But, Honestly.” The first single, “The Pretender” is a serviceable Foo Fighter’s song but nothing exemplary. And “Statues” begs the question, what if Dave Grohl sang for Lynyrd Skynyrd? Overall, it is a good album for those needing a Foo fix but not an essential album for the casual fan.

I also picked up the new Steve Earle release Washington Square Serenade, and I have to say Mr. Earle has produced another wonderful album continuing his post-prison streak of winners. Standout cuts include “Tennessee Blues,” “Satellite Radio,” and “Oxycontin Blues.” Earle’s cover of Tom Wait’s “Way Down In The Hole” is a pleasant conclusion to a strong release.

So, after listening to the new Foo Fighters, Steve Earle and the Power of Suck demos, these were the 10 last songs played on my iPod:

1. “A Beginning” by the Beatles
2. “I Don’t Need Two Reasons” by Sarah Silverman
3. “You’re Welcome” by the Beach Boys (Smile sessions)
4. “Beautiful Girl” by George Harrison (Beware of ABKCO version)
5. “Two Sevens Clash” by Culture
6. “Freedom of Choice” by Devo
7. “The Drawback” by Warsaw (Joy Division)
8. “No Backbone” by Lemonheads
9. “The Prisoner” by Iron Maiden
10. “The Way We Get By” by Spoon

Foo For Thought

2007-09-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know what I am doing with this blog, but I figured I should say something since I posted a comment on the OC Register's site about Desert Jeff's contention that Dave Grohl "has become arguably as big a cultural icon as his former band mate Kurt Cobain."

This was my response.

While I am a big fan of Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl going back to the days when he scrawled Chaka on his drums, it is a bit silly to claim he "has become arguably as big a cultural icon as his former band mate Kurt Cobain." He might be as big of a star and might even become a bigger star, but "cultural icons" have to be a bit harder to come by or such a designation would lose all meaning. Nobody is going to look back upon the release of any Foo Fighters' album as a revolutionary or revelatory breakthrough similar to the release of "Nevermind." You can argue that Nirvana was simply in the right place at the right time, but their second album upset a whole industry destroying careers and forging a cultural path that Dave Grohl is simply enjoying. Once again, I love Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl so I'm not trying to diminish his contributions to popular culture, but Foo Fighters is just one of many bands that have walked through the door Nirvana kicked down.

Anyway, since I crawled out from under a rock to say something somewhere else I figured I might as well post a post.

And here are the last ten songs from my iPod:

1. "Via Chicago" by Wilco
2. "Vastopol" by fIREHOSE
3. "Yesterday's News" by Whiskeytown
4. "Cherries" by Brendan Benson
5. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" by the Monkees
6. "Girl U Want" by Soundgarden
7. "Old Devil Moon" by Frank Sinatra
8. "How Low Can A Punk Get" by Bad Brains
9. "The Loved Ones" by Elvis Costello
10. "I'm Always In Love" by Jeff Tweedy (solo at "Letters for Santa Benefit"

Talk to you soon.

Chris Cornell Puts His Head Back In His Ass

2007-06-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Alright, I was going to purchase the new Chris Cornell today, but didn’t. I have to admit, I have enjoyed, to varying degrees, some of the live recordings floating around out there such as the Unplugged in Sweden show. As I said before, these recordings gave me hope for a nice comeback by Mr. Cornell, but sadly, I guess this isn’t the case.

After the horrible reviews the record has received and the phone call from a good friend warning me to avoid this release at all costs, I am probably going to pass on putting down the $10.

Kind of sad. I mean, “Seasons” from Singles was a good song, right? And his solo version of “Like Suicide” was haunting. I’m not just being nostalgic. I have these songs on my iPod so I have heard them recently. Chris Cornell, at one time, was amazing, but maybe he needs a great band such as Soundgarden or Temple of the Dog. Maybe without a great band, he is just great hair, a piercing stare, and a distinctive heavy metal yelp.

Who would have thought that Down On The Upside, the worst Soundgarden album, would be the last good thing to come out of the Cornell throat? Not me.

I’m not going to tell you not to buy the disc since I haven’t actually heard it, but for me and my family, we will abstain.

Anyway, I am on a Cure kick today.

Here are the last 10 songs my iPod has played from these lovable mop-tops.

1. “Object”
2. “Faith”
3. “Breathe”
4. “Ariel”
5. “More Than This”
6. “Boys Don’t Cry”
7. “A Short Term Effect”
8. “The Lovecats”
9. “The Walk”
10. “Descent”

It Was 40 Years Ago Today...

2007-06-01T12:42:00.001-07:00

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was released forty years ago today, and that is reason enough for me to come out of my seclusion. I know I have been remiss and if anyone missed me, I apologize. Priorties sometimes get in the way of fun.

Strangely, I have been listening to the Rolling Stones today.

Here are the last 10 songs from my iPod:

1. "It's Only Rock 'N Roll (But I Like It)"
2. "Sweet Virginia"
3. "Hide Your Love"
4. "Little By Little"
5. "Not Fade Away"
6. "Middle of the Sea"
7. "Salt of the Earth"
8. "Dancing With Mr. D."
9. "Ruby Tuesday"
10. "Paint It Black"

Talk to you soon.

Stopping By

2007-03-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Been really busy at work, so haven’t had too much time for the blog but I thought I’d stop by for a couple of quick notes.

Picked up Ghostface Killah’s "Fishscale" last week. I know I’m a tad behind, but better late than never. Great record. Holy shit.

The new Bright Eyes ep "Four Winds" is really solid as well. Can’t wait for the new record.

Robert Pollard has a few releases coming up before the end of the year: "Silverfish Triva" ep in April (check out a sneak peak) , "Crickets," a FCS best of set, "Sgt. Disco" by Circus Devils, and finally a new solo full-length. Try keeping up with all of it.

And I’m hoping to check out shows by Bright Eyes, Willie Nelson, and Beck this summer. See what else comes my way.

Here is the last 10 from my iPod:

1. "Clean Like Tomorrow" by X
2. "It Wasn’t Me" by Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins
3. "Write Me A Letter" by Aerosmith
4. "Indoor Fireworks" by Elvis Costello
5. "Lost Girl" by the Troggs
6. "Step By Step" by the Lemonheads
7. "The Shortest Straw" by Metallica
8. "This Thing Nowhere" by Bettie Serveert
9. "Request Pharmaceuticals" by Guided By Voices
10. "Revolve" by the Melvins

Democracy Delayed (Duh)

2007-02-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

For those of you keeping score or scratching hash marks into your cell walls, Chinese Democracy, that ever elusive Guns N’ Roses album has been indefinently delayed. No March release. Apparently they are still working on the mix. Of course maybe they are responding to the overwhelming negative criticism of the recently leaked track "Better." My opinion of the song: It Sucks Ass.

Here is the last ten songs played on my iPod:

1. "People Ain’t No Good" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
2. "Creep" (acoustic) by Radiohead
3. "Eloise" by the Damned
4. "The Worst Has Yet to Come" by Archers of Loaf
5. "Games Without Frontiers" by Peter Gabriel
6. "Clark Gable" by Postal Service
7. "Drowning" by the English Beat
8. "Villiers Terrace" by Echo & the Bunnymen
9. "This Charming Man" by Death Cab For Cutie
10. "Go Mental" by the Ramones

Fair Warning: No VH Tour

2007-02-21T16:26:00.000-08:00

Well, it was too bad to be true. The much bally-hooed but apparently unconfirmed Van Halen reunion tour (you know 40 shows throughout the US of A) has ceased to exist. At least for the time being. Maybe Eddie needs another hip or Wolfie can't play past 9 p.m. Ultimately, aren't we more statisfied with the memories?

1967-2007

2007-02-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

Chris Cornell Pulls His Head Out of His Ass (For Now)

2007-02-15T15:51:00.000-08:00

Well, the agony is over. Chris Cornell has left Audioslave "permanently." Thank God. I have to admit, Audioslave made me wonder what I ever liked about the guy. He had gone from the frontman/songwriter for one of the greatest bands of the early 90’s to just a ridiculous clown.

The indignity began with Euphoria Morning. Horrible album by a great songwriter. Talk about over singing. Sheesh. Subtle it was not. Then came the paint-by-numbers butt rock of Audioslave. Who would have ever imagined that combining two such powerful entities could result in such mediocrity. Then, finally, the abortion that was the Bond song. Load of crap.

Then I heard his Unplugged in Sweden performance and I felt a glimmer of hope. "All is not lost," I said to myself, and anyone else who would listen. An understated, simple, acoustic version of "Billie Jean"? Who would’ve thunk it. It was great, as was much of the performance. I avoid the Audioslave songs, of course, but Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Marley, Costello, Jackson? Damn, if I wasn’t once again excited about Chris Cornell.

Sadly, his next solo album, due out in May, will feature the Bond song, so maybe disappointment is just around the corner. But I can hope, right?

"We Come In Peace"

2007-02-01T08:28:00.000-08:00

Inignot: We do whatever we want, to whomever we want, at all times.

Got Them Ol' Reunion Blues Again

2007-01-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

‘Tis the season for some pretty high profile reunions by some pretty high profile rock acts. Obviously, everyone is aware of the Van Halen reunion. Apparently the boys are going to tug on the spandex, grab their walkers and play forty shows throughout the US. Even though ten years ago, this is a ticket that I would have been very curious about, now it just seems depressing. I mean, is Eddie Van Halen even alive? He looks like one of those puppets from that Genesis video "Land of Confusion." And David Lee Roth jumping around with that rictus grin, humping a giant, inflatable microphone? Eeesh. The of course, the most stupid part is the inclusion of Wolfie Van Halen. Just the fact that they keep referring to him as Wolfie should prevent his inclusion. I might as well puke. Puke!

Then, of course, in the less dubious but equally pointless department, is the Police reunion. I know, I might be wrong, it happens, but who cares? In the early 80’s, I thought the Police were pretty nifty and I still find some of the weirder album tracks amusing ("And I bounce her in the hall"). But at this point does any of this really matter? I know they (unlike VH) will sound as good as ever, if not better, and I did find Stewart Copeland’s documentary pretty cool, but won’t they just be doing a bland greatest hits package? I will check out their performance at the Grammy’s but if they do "Roxanne," "Message In A Bottle" or "Every Breath You Take," I’m done.

On the other hand, the Rage Against the Machine and Jesus & Mary Chain reunions at Coachella seem pretty interesting. Now, if only we can get the Smiths and Pavement back together.

Here are the last 10 songs played on my iPod:

1. "Kill Time" by the Clash
2. "Girls On TV" by Be Your Own Pet
3. "Jonathan David" by Belle & Sebastian
4. "The Wind" by Cat Stevens
5. "Barricade" by Guided By Voices
6. "Itchycoo Park" by Ben Lee
7. "Who’ll Stop the Rain" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
8. "Carolina" by Ben Gibbard
9. "American Flag" by Cat Power
10. "Taxman, Mr. Thief" by Cheap Trick

Hall of Fame Silliness

2007-01-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

I’m not even going to get into the discussion of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. They all have their merits and I know the Stooges are better than any of them, but they won’t make it in again. So, now all we can hope for are some awkward moments with the Van Halen bunch. I mean David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar both being inducted? Along with estranged bassist Michael Anthony? Maybe Eddie will be a prick (as expected) and perform with Alex and Wolfie along with some random singer. The guy from the Bullet Boys is probably looking for a gig and they sort of lead the pack of VH wannabees.

Anyway, I have been listening to some new purchases pretty exclusively. I went to Amoeba last week and bought CDs by M. Ward, Neko Case, Pink Mountaintops, Bad Brains, Kinks, Flaming Lips, Dali’s Car, and Rilo Kiley, as well as downloading a collection of Stones rarities and getting a copy of a Roxy Music collection that only includes stuff from their first three albums. So that is what makes up the playlist I have been listening to. So here are the last ten songs:

1. "Outta My Head" by M. Ward
2. "Good Time Woman" by the Rolling Stones
3. "Death of a Clown" by the Kinks
4. "David Watts" by the Kinks
5. "Who’ll Be The Next In Line" by the Kinks
6. "Dead Man" by M. Ward
7. "Plastic Man, You’re the Devil" by Pink Mountaintops
8. "My First Plea" by the Rolling Stones
9. "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch" by Brian Eno
10. "Jah Calling" by Bad Brains

I Have No Idea What I’m Doing

2006-12-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

I hate year-end lists. I know, I just posted my "Top Ten of 2006," but each year when I create this list, I am riddled with self-doubt and a sense of failure. I always feel like I rush the choices and always have a nagging sense that I have forgotten some major releases simply because they came out at the beginning of the year and aren’t currently on the top of my playstack. And then comes the inevitable question of whether I can change or amend my list without invalidating the whole selection and any credibility I might have (as if anyone is reading this).

I started doing a year-end list as part of "A Circle Of Friends" compiled by Eggbert Records founder, Greg Dwinnell, who has since passed on. Greg would collect lists from all kinds of friends and celebrities and they would be published in Yeah Yeah Yeah. Over the years the list included contributions from Elvis Costello, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, John Easdale, and me. It was an interesting effort.

So, of course, since I have a blog, I feel it is my duty to continue compiling a yearly list. But as soon as I have clicked "Publish," my mind starts racing and suddenly I think of a half dozen albums that should’ve, would’ve, could’ve been included.

So, a couple of albums I might have missed include:

I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass by Yo La Tengo. I cannot say enough good things about this record. Finest effort since I Can Feel The Heart Beating As One.

Post-War by M. Ward. I had never paid too much attention to M. Ward before picking up this release on a whim. I cannot believe what I have been missing. Great songwriting, great vocals, and an amazing guitar player.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys. Their debut album, which came out in February, is a great album. Don’t believe the hype, believe the music. Great British pop.

Moon by Robert Pollard. I have always had some Pollard release on my list for the past ten years, but I was trying to avoid being too obvious. Plus I think I had From a Compound Eye on my 2005 list since I had an advance copy months in, well, advance. But included with the release of his second solo album in 2006, Normal Happiness, was the live album Moon. This was one of the shows opening for Pearl Jam and the set smokes. This album is outstanding simply for the life it gives already great selections from Normal Happiness and From a Compound Eye. But even better is the amazing version of the GBV staple "Game of Pricks." Find a copy today and listen on repeat.

Of course, if I add a release, I have to remove something, which would probably be the new Flaming Lips. No offense, but it is their weakest effort since Clouds Taste Metallic and was probably more of a comfort choice that a heartfelt choice. But I’ve said enough.

Listen to my iPod:

1. "I Awake" by Soundgarden
2. "Dragon" (Icelandic) by the Sugarcubes
3. "My Sentimental Melody" by the Magnetic Fields
4. "Father & Daughter" by Paul Simon
5. "Your Cover’s Blown" by Belle & Sebastian
6. "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" by the Darkness
7. "Sunglasses After Dark" by the Cramps
8. "Pagan Lovesong" by Virgin Prunes
9. "History Repeating" by Propellerheads
10. "Leaves That Are Green" by Simon & Garfunkel

Bored ?!*@ Like a Suicide

2006-12-18T12:44:00.000-08:00

Last week, Axl Rose, of Guns ‘n’ Roses, announced a March 6 release date for the long-delayed follow-up to Use Your Illusion I & II. The album, Chinese Democracy, if it actually appears, will be an interesting event. It is easy to say that ultimately, it will be disappointing. To be blunt, it might even suck.

Personally, I loved Appetite for Destruction, which isn’t actually going that far out on a limb.

I was disappointed by the stop-gap release of GNR Lies. The live stuff was good, but "Patience" was not that good of a song and the rest weren’t even that good.

Then came the Illusions. To me, those two albums are horrible. You might be able to pull ten good songs that would have created an okay album. But, ultimately, the ten best songs from Illusion I & II would have been a disappointing follow-up to such an incendiary debut. Of course, a lot of bands have trouble following up their debut so we could cut them some slack.

So then comes The Spaghetti Incident? Another mediocre stop-gap release.

Then nothing except for the piece-meal dismemberment of the band until only Axl remains. Somehow most scribes always mention Dizzy Reed at this point but he was not an original member, and I’m not really sure what he has contributed to the band’s legacy. Maybe it is Dizzy’s ability to remain invisible musically that has allowed Axl to tolerate him for all these years.

So, here is my question: does anyone care? Is the world ready for Chinese Democracy? I figure the new album will be greeted by a collective shrug.

I think the best thing about this album coming out is that we can finally stop talking about it and Axl.

And, of course, here are the last 10 songs from my iPod.

1. "Annalisa" by Public Image Ltd.
2. "Sleep the Clock Around" by Belle & Sebastian
3. "Sliver" by Nirvana
4. "Someone Like You" (demo) by X
5. "Outside of Town" by the Geraldine Fibbers
6. "Lover’s Rock" by the Clash
7. "Speak, See, Remember" by Pavement
8. "Angelene" by PJ Harvey
9. "One Hundred Years" by the Cure
10. "In My Tree" by Pearl Jam

Top 20 for 2006

2006-12-12T08:40:00.000-08:00

With the year rapidly coming to a close, I figure it is time to give my roundup of favorite releases for the year.

Top 10 for 2006

1. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case – Not only does Neko Case have one of the most amazing voices in pop music today, she finally fulfills the promise hinted at by her previous work.
2. Rabbit Fur Coat by Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins – Never a big fan of Rilo Kiley, but this release is a wonderful collection. A Loretta Lynn for the modern era.
3. Be Your Own Pet by Be Your Own Pet – Still one of the most exciting albums of the year for me. Each time I hear it, it shocks me with how good it is.
4. The Information by Beck – A strong follow up Guero. Beck continues to create great music.
5. The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian – It is easy to say it’s just another B&S album, but what is wrong with that?
6. Passover by the Black Angels – Great stoner-rock album. Up there with Black Mountain’s debut.
7. At War With The Mystics by the Flaming Lips – While still toiling in the shadow of the Soft Bulletin, the Flaming Lips continue to astound. This release, while not perfect, is a joy to listen to.
8. The Eraser by Thom Yorke – Who knew Thom Yorke was working on a solo album? Who knew that the solo album wouldn’t veer too far off of the path laid down by his other band? Who cares? The Eraser is a great record for fans of Kid A or Amnesiac.
9. Ballad of the Broken Seas by Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan – Simple and beautiful. Two voices that are the Reese’s peanut butter cup of the music world.
10. Broken Boy Soldiers by The Raconteurs – Smoking album. Of course, the band is even better live, but what a great record. Try and resist. I dare you.

Top 10 Reissues, Collections, etc.

1. Orphans by Tom Waits – Three discs of Tom Waits music? The man is astounding. I love "Army Ants" and "Children’s Story."
2. The Singles by The Clash – A beautiful box set of all 19 Clash singles including "This Is England" from Cut the Crap.
3. American Hardcore (soundtrack) – I had a smile on my face from the moment this film started and the soundtrack is a great walk down memory lane with most of the tracks holding up even after all this time.
4. Wowie Zowie – Sordid Sentinels Edition by Pavement – I have waited with baited breath for each deluxe reissue of the Pavement albums and Wowie Zowie, like it’s predecessors, does not disappoint. Trade in your old copies of the first three albums and pick up the reissues.
5. Noise Floor by Bright Eyes – A great odds and sods collection.
6. III by Sebadoh – An album that I never could get my head around when it came out. Strangely, I just sold my old copy a couple of years ago. But this reissue grabbed me and I cannot stop listening to it. I guess an old dog can learn new tricks.
7. The Tragic Treasury by Gothic Archies – Finally. I have been contemplating buying all of the audio books to get these track but instead they have, with two bonus tracks, been collected all on one disc.
8. No Direction Home (soundtrack) by Bob Dylan – Soundtrack to a great documentary. Some of the most engaging Dylan music around.
9. The Top by the Cure – My favorite Cure album given the deluxe treatment. It had to make the list. Too bad most of the extras are mediocre at best. But the album has never sounded better.
10. A Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box (various artists) – A guilty pleasure but a pleasure nonetheless. Not a lot of revelations, but plenty of stray tracks all in one place.

And here are the 10 latest from my iPod:

1. "Black Sails In The Sunset" by Elvis Costello
2. "Open Heart Surgery" by the Brian Jonestown Massacre
3. "Bad Version of War" by Pavement
4. "Everybody’s Happy Nowadays" by the Buzzcocks
5. "Plants & Rags" by PJ Harvey
6. "Tick" by Ween
7. "All Along The Watchtower" by U2
8. "Walkin’ Cane" by the Knitters
9. "Blue Stars" by the Soviettes
10. "Sixteen Blue" by the Replacements

(Untitled)

2006-12-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

The other day I started listening to my iPod starting at the first song and just letting it play. An interesting way to listen to music as opposed to using the ever-popular "Shuffle" function. One obvious by-product of just going in alphabetical order is hearing different versions of the same song one after the other and not always by the same performer. Here Devo then the Rolling Stones cover "(I Can’t Get) No Satisfaction" back-to-back is fun. Of course hearing three versions of "A Certain Romance" by the Arctic Monkeys can be a bit much.

Anyway, to my main point, I noticed an interesting string of songs entitled "(Untitled)." In fact, eleven songs in a row carry this title. Some, of course were musical interludes such as the two tracks from Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory, but some were fully formed songs such as the Smashing Pumkins’ single by the non-name name. Of course, on the actual albums, they aren’t always titled "(Untitled)," sometimes they are simply blank or not even listed. But, for whatever reason, iTunes gives them the titled of "(Untitled)."

And, for no other reason, here they are:

1. (Untitled) by Alice In Chains from Sap
2. (Untitled) by All-Time Quarterback from their self-titled CD
3. (Untitled) by Brendan Benson from One Mississippi
4. (Untitled) by Interpol from KCRW’s Sounds Eclectic 3
5. (Untitled) by Interpol from Turn On The Bright Lights
6. (Untitled) by Oasis from (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
7. (Untitled) by Oasis from (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
8. (Untitled) by Pearl Jam from Yield
9. (Untitled) by R.E.M. from Green
10. (Untitled) by Smashing Pumpkins from Rotten Apples
11. (Untitled) by Sonic Youth from Washing Machine

Maybe Someone Is Trying To Tell You Something

2006-12-06T09:55:00.000-08:00

As per this article, Robert Smith, beloved frontman of the Cure, is suffering writer’s block as the band completes their fourteenth album. Of note in this article is Smith’s apprehension of soiling the band’s legacy by becoming a touring band hawking their greatest hits. Sadly, as a long time fan, I know Smith has had this anxiety for decades. In the mid-eighties he emphatically stated in a lengthy interview in Face magazine that he wanted to go out at the top of his game and not become another Fleetwood Mac. I don’t have the exact quote but that is pretty close. My friends and I thought this was a daring statement of purpose and applauded Smith and Co.

However, this has not been the case as the band has slowly become the next Fleetwood Mac. See, the problem wasn’t commercial viability, which even Fleetwood Mac were at their artistic worst, they were still selling a butt load of records. And that same scenario is true of the Cure. Even as they have continued to produce their most commercially successfully albums, the albums have been progressively worse. Starting with Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Cure albums have been bloated muddled messes that seem to repeat each other.

All I am saying is that if Mr. Smith is facing writer’s block, maybe it is the universe telling him that it is time to hang up his lipstick and mascara.

And in a little twist, instead of having my iPod on shuffle, I just started it at the beginning of the song list and here is the last 10 songs played:

1. "(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" by the Stranglers
2. "(Ghost) Riders In The Sky" by Johnny Cash
3. "(Hot Pool Of) Woman Need" by the Cramps
4. "(I’ll Love You) Till The End Of The World" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
5. "(I’ll Name You) The Flame That Cries" by Guided By Voices
6. "(I’m A) TV Savage" by Bow Wow Wow
7. "(I’m Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear" by Blondie
8. "(I’m Not) Your Stepping Stone" by the Monkees
9. "(I’m Not) Your Stepping Stone" by the Sex Pistols
10. "(I’m Stuck In A Pagoda With) Tricia Toyota" by the Dickies

10 Things I Love About My iPod

2006-12-04T17:28:00.000-08:00

Don't have a lot of time today so I figured I'd just post the last ten songs from my iPod. You know the drill.

1. “Spidey’s Wild Ride” by Tom Waits
2. “Rune ‘Em Off” by Merle Haggard
3. “Most Likely You Go Your Way And I’ll Go Mine” by Bob Dylan
4. “Picture In A Frame” by Tom Waits
5. “The New Soft Shoe” by Gram Parsons
6. “The Gospel According to Tony Day” by David Bowie
7. “Box Full of Letters” by Wilco
8. “(This Could Be) The Last Time” by the Who
9. “I Should Have Known Better” by the Beatles
10. “Sea of Teeth” by Sparklehorse

Pollard is Shaking Things Up

2006-12-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

We knew it was coming but it is here: Robert Pollard has, for now, decided to quit touring and performing live. Instead he is focusing on continuing his prodigious recorded output. According to Billboard and Pitchfork, Pollard has seven new releases lined up for 2007 including releases on Merge, Fading Captain, and his new label Record Company Records. Apparently, Fading Captain will be retired with it’s 50th release, a best-of from the label’s output. Record Company Records will take over releasing the former GBV-leaders eclectic side projects. Read more at Billboard.com and Pitchfork.

Here is what my iPod is playing:

1. "Better Save Yourself" by Chris Bell
2. "Wild America" by Iggy Pop
3. "Still Wishing To Course" by Camper Van Beethoven
4. "Bitter-Sweet" by The Venus In Furs
5. "All Together Now" by the Beatles
6. "To Defy the Laws of Tradition" by Primus
7. "Lucky Day" by Tom Waits
8. "You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)" by the Dickies
9. "Crazy Feeling" by Lou Reed
10. "She’s Always In My Hair" by Prince

I’m Starting To Scare Myself

2006-11-30T09:10:00.000-08:00

I’ve spent that last month or so loading my CD collection onto my computer. Before, I would load something, transfer it to my iPod then delete it from my hard drive. But, I recently got a new iPod for my birthday (black, 80 GB) and decided if I had to reload everything, I might as well do it once and for all. I bought a 320 GB SATA drive to increase my hard drive space on my computer to 400 GB. As Borat would say, "Very nice."

So, long story short, except for some "unofficial" recordings and some box sets, everything is on the computer. Over 15,000 songs.

But here is where I start scaring myself. My friend asked, "So, what are you going to do with all of your CDs?" And for a moment, I thought, "What am I going to do?"

I’ve always been a lover of the product. I don’t want a burned copy of an album with the title written in black Sharpie scrawled across it. I love the whole package. I want to read the liner notes, the lyrics, the credits. I want to own the tangible item. Over the past few years I have reduced my collection, trying to hone it to the essentials. I’ve gotten rid of more than 1,000 CDs towards this purpose and I am always looking for reasons to further thin the herd. But to completely get rid of CDs simply because I have them stored on my computer?

The horror. I mean, "THE HORROR."

Embracing the digital revolution and the iPod was for portability, not to further the obsolesce of CDs. I still consider an "album" as a statement. It should be a unified whole, not purchased for a single.

But with the tragic failure of Tower Records and my (only) monthly sojourns to Ameoba, I cannot always satisfy my need for immediate gratification. So I keep thinking that if I want something, I can just download it from iTunes. Previously, the iTunes store was a way to get "that one song" or take advantage of some of the exclusive offerings, but to download an album instead of going to the store or purchasing from an online retailer seems so antithetical to my whole way of thinking.

And, yet, more and more, that is my way of thinking. As a compromise, I even considered boxing them all up and putting them in the garage.

This madness must stop. I like the way the industry works, or used to. I don’t want everything to be a digital download and artists to focus on single songs. I want albums. I want brick and mortar. I want to look at a new release rack and find something I wasn’t aware of.

And what about my actual vinyl records. I still buy them. Why?

I feel like a dinosaur.

For what it’s worth, here are the last 10 songs played on my iPod:
1. "I Can’t Turn You Loose" by the Plimsouls
2. "Hang My Teeth On Your Door" by 16 Horsepower
3. "Straight to Hell" by the Clash
4. "Stars for Eyes" by Sebadoh
5. "Whiskey Bottle" by Uncle Tupelo
6. "Drinking for Two" by Mudhoney
7. "Fish On (Fisherman Chronicles, Chapter II)" by Primus
8. "Blowin’ In The Wind" by Bob Dylan
9. "In Shades" by Tom Waits
10. "Hungry Wolf" (live) by X

Encores Are Like Dolphins…

2006-10-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

My wife and I went to the Glass House in Pomona to check out Be Your Own Pet on Saturday night (Oct. 21). We arrived a little after 9 p.m. to avoid the opening bands and noticed immediately the lack of pedestrian traffic in the area. Usually, Second Street is cluttered with concert-goers milling about between sets or waiting for opening bands to end. The Glass House is one of the few venues that I know of that allows "Ins-and-outs."

Once we got inside, we realized that the lack of people outside was indicative of the lack of people inside. The house had bisected the room but even that left plenty of room to stand around waiting. Since either Awesome Color or Tall Firs was still playing, we left the venue to check out the Glass House Record Store. Nice store, good prices, enthusiastic employee. My wife picked up a used copy of A Far Out Disc by the Toy Dolls and a Toys That Kill ep for a total of $13.

We sat outside until the opening band ended and then entered the venue. There were probably fifty people in attendance. While we waited, as an apparent concession to the minimal crowd, the band moved all of their equipment off the stage and set up on the floor.

And then the show began. With only two feet (maybe) between the crowd and the band, the show felt like a house party or, at the very least, an instore. The band was great, a tight three piece. And Jemina Pearl is an amazing front-woman, physically pulling the audience into the set and starting the pit by herself. They only played for approximately 35 minutes including "Damn Damn Leash," "Adventure," "Thresher’s Flail," "Bunk Trunk Skunk," "Bicycle, Bicycle, You Are My Bicycle," "Wildcatt," "Stairway to Heaven," and "Bog."

Of course, after such a short set, the audience demanded an encore, which the band granted with Jemina’s caveat "Encores are like dolphins, in other words, gay."

With that, I beg you to check out one of the more interesting debuts of the year and one of the most invigorating live acts around.

Here is the latest from my iPod:

1. "On Your Side" by Pete Yorn
2. "Capers" by the Birthday Party
3. "Ch-Check It Out" by Beastie Boys
4. "Scarlet Pussy" by Prince
5. "Vibrations in the Woods" by Robert Pollard
6. "Misinformed" by Soul Coughing
7. "See You" by Foo Fighters
8. "Sweet and Tender Hooligan" by the Smiths
9. "Warrior" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
10. "Adult Books" by X

Eulogy

2006-10-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

I worked at Tower Records from April 1990 to December 2000. It was fun for about two or three years, then it became a job. And for five years or more it was a good job. Then it became a bad job and eventually I quit. And when I quit I sent an email to the whole chain, every employee, explaining why I quit and what I thought the company was doing wrong. I don’t know if I was right, but I know Tower Records is shutting its door and being sold off piece by piece.

I wanted to take this opportunity as a music fan to say that Tower will be missed. Sure, I hadn’t shopped there as much as I used to, preferring Amoeba and online shopping but Tower was still a good place to find stuff when you needed to.

More importantly for me is the memories of the time I spent there. I had some great times. From my first day when I met Greg Creel and Matt Libatique. I was trained on the register by Michlle Motta. She had the word “Skins” tattooed the inside of her lower lip. There are too many great times that might not mean anything to anyone else. Even going to the bank to get change with Mark Yourst was a blast. We’d go the liquor store on the way back and by junk food, soda and, sometimes, alcohol. Because, it was okay to drink the back room. Mike Hogan was my almost-first roommate, but his apartment was where I began to drink in earnest.

We went to a lot of shows when music was very interesting: Nirvana, Primus, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, the Ramones, Bad Religion, Hole, Sonic Youth, Pearl Jam, Fugazi, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Rollins Band, Firehose, Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., Metallica, and more, more, more.

I worked at three different stores: Brea, Costa Mesa Lab, and Anaheim. All were different but all had their moments.

I just want to thank the people I worked with for a one of a kind experience. Greg "Grog" Creel, Matthew “Mutt” Libatique, Mike Hogan, Pete Graham (wherever you are), Tommy Hoyt, Mark Yourst, Larry Salzman, Steve Miller, Craig Larsen Ballam, Schnoz, Michelle Motta, Dave Reyes, Martha Lopez, Melanie, Linda Meacham, “Jill“ Watts Yoshizawa, Carolyn Kitchens, Shannon, Jim, Leann, Royer, Diane, Kari, Justice, McMillan, Jamie Lurtz, Hiba Kulazovic, Tyrone Flournoy, Tim Schwab, Heather, Cathy, Rodney Metoyer, Venus, Alex, Dave, Rick, Brian Q, Kim and whomever I have forgotten (I am sorry). It is amazing how many names I have forgotten. I picture faces but it is a big blur.

Of course, two of my best friends I met at Tower even though they didn’t work there at the time: Craig and Ty (they were sales reps).

I could go on, but ultimately, I grew up at Tower Records, I met friends, met girls, heard new music, saw great shows, and it will be missed.

You Wanted the Best...

2006-09-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

If you were alive in the ‘70’s, KISS was one of the most amazing bands around. Often written off as a kiddie band (partly through their own marketing and creative decisions), KISS actually produced some amazing music that rivals much of the output of their contemporaries.

I discovered KISS in fourth grade (1976). The first album I bought was Alive. I paid all in change at Kmart. Anyway, within the year, I had every release and my walls were plastered with posters and my room was littered with magazines such as Creem and Hit Parader. Sadly, I never had the dolls, but I did have the Color-Forms set. And my dad made me watch Kiss Meets the Phantom on the black and white TV in my room so he could watch the Rockford Files or something (I’m still a bit pissed).

As I’ve mentioned before, I have been watching Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels and I have sort of been thinking about those heady days of yore before my exposure to punk rock and all things out side the main stream. So I figured I would create a quick guide to the early KISS albums. That being said, the last KISS album I purchased was Unmasked, a dubious milestone, to say the least. I will also be ignoring the solo albums. (The only one that really was any good was Ace’s.) So for some insight into the albums that I am familiar with and their later catalog, I have enlisted the opinions of super fan (and good friend) Mike Hogan. RJ will precede my comments, and MH will designate Mike’s.

So without further ado,

KISS
RJ: 4/5 …The classic debut. A really solid album with the exception of "Kissin’ Time" added after the first pressing, and "Love Theme From Kiss." Includes such staples as "Deuce" and "Strutter." My favorite song is probably "Black Diamond."
MH: 5/5... clean-stripped down production and mix, classic songwriting, fave tune: "100,000 Years"

HOTTER THAN HELL
RJ: 4/5 … I think this album prepared me for my future tastes in weirder music. Everything about the album, from the cover to some of the music was a huge step forward creatively. The song writing wasn’t quite as solid as their debut, but instead of just repeating themselves, they tried some new ideas. Favorite track: "Going Blind."
MH: 4/5 ... minus one for production...mix is too muddy...songwriting is good but not as catchy as the first. Fave Tune: "Strange Ways" (one the best Ace Frehley solos of all time).

DRESSED TO KILL
RJ: 5/5 … Probably my all time favorite KISS album. What’s not to like. Heavy, catchy and they looked sharp in those suits. Don’t know if I have a favorite tune, but "C’mon and Love Me" is pretty close.
MH: 5/5 ... Best Kiss album of all time (I'm tired of hearing RNRAN though)... production...mix...songs...cover...title...freakin' classic... Fave Tune: "Rock Bottom" ... pure rawk ...\m/.

ALIVE
RJ: 5/5 … A fan favorite, the album that put the band on the map. The live version of "Rock n’ Roll All Night" was their first real hit and is still on regular rotation on many rock stations. But, the stage banter is some of the best parts of the record. Great version of "Firehouse."
MH: 4/5 ...good for 1975/1976 but I don't think lives up to it's name (and reputation) today after all the fixing we hear about ... Fave Tune(s): "100,000 Years" (..."DO YOU FEEL RI-AIGHT!!!") and "Black Diamond."

DESTROYER
RJ: 3/5 … Too much production and silly songs. Throwaways include "Flaming Youth," "Great Expectations," and "Sweet Pain." I’m going to ignore "Beth." Favorite songs include "Detroit Rock City" and "God of Thunder."
MH: 3/5 ... good songs here and there but too much to listen to sonically...could do without "Great Expectations", "Beth", and believe it or not ... I know Cobain loved it, but I always hated "Do You Love Me"... my Fave Tune" Detroit Rock City."

ROCK AND ROLL OVER
RJ: 5/5 … A great album. Songs are great, production is great. Can’t say anything bad about it. Next to DTK, it’s my favorite KISS album.
MH: 4/5 ... way better record than Destroyer as a whole. I like the fact that they recorded it all live. Fave Tune(s) "Makin' Love," "Mr.Speed" and one of the most under-rated Kiss tunes "Baby Driver."

LOVE GUN
RJ: 3/5 … Another okay record, just slightly better than Destroyer. Ditch "Hooligans" and "Plaster Caster" and "Then She Kissed Me. Favorite songs: "Love Gun" and "I Stole Your Love."
MH: 4/5 ... minus one for including "Then She Kissed Me"... freakin' ridiculous. The whole album pretty much smokes until then end. Great production and mix though... Fave Tune: "Shock Me."

ALIVE II
RJ: 4/5 … Another live album highlighting tracks from the three studio albums released after Alive. I liked this idea of only doing songs since the last batch of releases so as not to double up. I always liked the opening salvo of "Detroit Rock City" and "King of the Nighttime World." Didn’t care too much for the studio tracks on Side Four.
MH: 4/5 ... I understand why they included "Beth" but they still get minus one...for that and "Any Way You Want It"...stupid decision to re-do that track. Fave Tune: "All American Man" and Fave Part: "Ace's Solo."

DYNASTY
RJ: 2/5 … Didn’t really like this album. Probably would like it better now that I have a bit more tolerance for disco, but most of the tracks sucked. But I actually liked the cover of the Rolling Stones "2000 Man." I liked Ace’s dry vocals.
MH: 2/5 ... To me, this album sucks ass ... the only cool thing about this record are Ace's songs. When they re-did "Sure Know Something" for the Unplugged thing I thought they finally did the song justice. I don't like the cover either. Fave Tune: "Hard Times."

UNMASKED
RJ: 0/5 … Hated this album. Last KISS album I ever bought. In fact, I bought it, took it to my friend’s house to listen to it and left it there. Later I found out that his little sister was listening to it a lot. I think that sums it up. Even the cover was horrible. "She’s So European"? "Shandi"? "Talk to Me"? Crap, crap, crap.
MH: 2.5/5 ... Better songs than Dyansty. Seems like Anton Fig gave 'em a boost when he took over for Peter, but this album sucks ass. The mix is good but songwriting was lackin' balls. The cover/packaging didn't scream Rock and Roll either...too much compromising to get the record in little kids' hands. Fave Tune: "Naked City"

But, as everyone knows, the story for the four lads (and whomever took over when Ace and Peter left), continues to this day. I don’t care but Mike still listens and he has a couple of ratings for some later albums:

MH: Creatures of the Night (5/5), Lick It Up (5/5), Revenge (4/5), and Ace's Solo (6/5).

Hope that clears things up. I’d like to thank Mike for giving his two cents.

Sadly, I do not have any KISS on my iPod, so we will just have to see what is playing:

1. "A Magazine Called Sunset" by Wilco
2. "Bee Thousand" by Guided By Voices
3. "Neat, Neat, Neat" by the Damned
4. "Louie Louie" by Black Flag
5. "Big-Jesus-Trash-Can" by the Birthday Party
6. "Kids on Coffee" by Descendents
7. "Letter Never Sent" by R.E.M.
8. "I Wonder U" by Prince
9. "Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference" by Morrissey
10. "Baby It’s You" by the Beatles

Thought Bubbles

2006-09-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

I know I am a tad behind the curve, but I have just starting paying attention to M. Ward. I picked up a copy of his latest, Post-War, at Amoeba a couple of weeks ago and have not been able to stop listening to it. I look forward to exploring his other releases.

If you are a Public Image Ltd. Fan and are still sorely disappointed by This Is What You Want, This Is What You Get, you can download Commerical Zone from Press Random. These are the demos featuring Keith Levene before his falling out with Lydon. These are far superior to the final product.

I ordered Life Less Lived: The Gothic Box. I’m looking forward to it. I have already read complaints about the scope of the selections and it is kind of a strange collection, but it is not so much a definitive gothic collection as much as a mix tape made by a goth fan. That seems to be the only way to explain it. Instead of focusing on a very narrow genre of music, the box explores what goths (what we used to call "death rockers") listened to back in the olden times. As with any collection, there are omissions, but it cannot contain everything and sometimes licensing can be a bitch. However, it does cover a broad swath of music from the obvious (Joy Division and Bauhaus) to the curious (Ministry and Flesh for Lulu) to the dubious (AFI).

I’m enjoying the new Yo La Tengo a bunch. I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass is a great and fun album. After Summer Sun, I was kind of trying to remember what I liked about the band, then IANAOYAIWBYA came out and I remembered. All is fine with the world. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

Other things of note:

I’ve never watched Rockstar: Supernova, or Rockstar: INXS for that matter, and I am proud.

You know things have gotten strange when Perry Farrell and Nuno Bettencourt form a band.

Watch Gene Simmon’s Family Jewels. I have hated Gene Simmons for a couple of decades for being such a pompous ass (even though I worshipped him in my elementary school days). But watching his kids and Shannon Tweed take the piss out of him and seeing that he is helpless without them makes me forgive him for years of bad music and stupid interviews.

That’s it for now.

Let’s check in with my iPod.

1. "Jellikit" by Primus
2. "The Long and Winding Road" by the Beatles
3. "I Feel Like Going Home" by Yo La Tengo
4. "Heaven’s Gate" by the Keene Brothers
5. "I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You)" by Hank Williams
6. "I’m Not Angry" by Elvis Costello
7. "Pioneers" by Bloc Party
8. "Darker My Love" by T.S.O.L.
9. "Can’t Hardly Wait" by the Replacements
10. "Margaret vs. Pauline" by Neko Case

Cash Cow

2006-09-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, I’m a big fan of outtakes and expanded reissues and all that record collector stuff but I think the expanded reissue thing has gotten out of hand. It is great when they are in the context of historical retrospective such as the upcoming Pavement reissue of Wowie Zowie, the Cure reissues, and the Pogues catalog, but when an album is less than a year old, and often only a few months old, it shouldn’t be reissued with bonus tracks and a DVD. It‘s a total rip off. For instance I just read today on Pitchfork about the aforementioned Pavement reissue and also about the expanded edition of At War With The Mystics by the Flaming Lips.

What the cock is that?

At War With The Mystics came out April 4 of this year. Wowie Zowie came out in 1995. One is a historical document, the other is a crass cash-in. And as much as I love the Lips, they did this with the last album too. Ryan Adams did it with Love is Hell. And Bruce Springsteen has done it with his latest album, and everyone seems to be doing it. The big problem is that these expanded editions target the exact same people who purchased the album the day or the week it was originally issued. So, in essence, we are being punished for being enthusiastic, loyal and timely. If only true fans would wait six months to purchase a band’s new release, they would be rewarded with a deluxe expanded edition.

Some bands, of course, do it right, releasing a limited edition first pressing to reward fans. The last Spoon album came with a bonus disc, Pig Lib by Stephen Malkmus came with a bonus disc, Robert Pollard’s next album, Normal Happiness, comes with a free live disc, and the Cure reissues were only "deluxe" for a limited time, then they eliminated the second disc and simply sold a single, remastered disc. This is how it should be done. But instead, I have to go out and re-buy a disc that I just purchased because I am a big fan of the Flaming Lips and have to have everything, and I am a sucker.

So, I guess I will see you in line on October 24.

In the mean time, I console myself with the last ten songs from my iPod:

1. "Babe, I Got You Bad" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
2. "Ride the Darker Wave" by Sebadoh
3. "Halah" by Mazzy Star
4. "Viet Nam" by the Minutemen
5. "It Could Be Sweet" by Portishead
6. "The Everlasting Gaze" by Smashing Pumpkins
7. "I Am The Walrus" by the Beatles
8. "Death Letter" by the White Stripes
9. "A Collection of Accounts" by Superchunk
10. "Expectations" by Belle & Sebastian

Don't Know Shit About Punk Rock

2006-09-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

I am going to go on an old man rant, so please forgive me in advance.

I admit, I don’t call myself a punk. Sure, I listen punk music and I subscribe to many of the attitudes lumped in with punk rock, but walking down the street, no one would peg me as a punk.

To me, punk rock was never about fashion but about attitude. It was about questioning authority and pursuing your own truth. Plus, it was a great outlet for teen angst and frustration.

And I guess that is what bugs me the most about the punks I see wandering around the streets today. It is generally a fashion statement. I know, it always has been (Malcom McClaren, anyone?) and there are always those who think punk rock can change the world, but I see kids trying too hard. It’s like they are playing dress-up. They wouldn’t be any more ridiculous if they wore a spacesuit or a cowboy outfit or scrubs.

They have no sense of history.

After observing today’s "punk rockers," here are a few things I know:

1. Punk rock is not a rigid style of music but a broad pallet united by attitude. Sex Pistols, The Damned, X, The Clash, Husker Du, Germs, Minutemen, TSOL, Black Flag, Generation X, Exploited, Killing Joke, The Cramps, Bad Brains, Agent Orange, Misfits, Crass, Minor Threat, Subhumans, and the Descendents don’t have much in common other than attitude.

2. Punk rock evolved. After the Sex Pistols, John Lydon formed Public Image Ltd and created some of the most challenging music of his career. The Damned created the Black Album, TSOL created Beneath the Shadows, X created Under the Big Black Sun, the Minutemen created Double Nickels on the Dime, The Replacements created Let It Be, Husker Du created Zen Arcade, and so on.

3. "Old school" bands that are really popular now such as the Adicts, Angry Samoans, Vice Squad, and G.B.H. were never really that good and still aren’t. They were kind of second-string punk bands with a few good songs. They just happened to outlive their contemporaries. But so did the Rolling Stones and they haven’t done anything good in thirty years.

4. Some great bands only did one really great album. And that is okay. Buy the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks, the Adolescents debut, Agent Orange’s Living In Darkness, the Germs’ G.I., Descendents’ Milo Goes to College, Fear’s The Record, and Black Flag’s Damaged.

5. "Selling Out" is a myth. Signing to a major label is not selling out (Sex Pistols, anyone?). Success is not selling out. Writing catchy hooks is not selling out.

6. If you are repeating the past instead of building upon it, then you are just cookie-cutter poseurs.

7. Punk rock is alive and well. Listen to Bright Eyes, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Green Day (yes, Green Day), Be Your Own Pet, Hank Williams III, Riverboat Gamblers, White Stripes, and more.

8. Anything I say might be wrong.

And, in the spirit of this blog, I have been listening to my "punk rock" playlist, so here is the last 10 songs played this morning:

1. "Sub-Mission" by the Sex Pistols
2. "I Shook Hands" by the Minutemen
3. "Buzzbomb" by Dead Kennedys
4. "Against the Grain" by Bad Religion
5. "Turn It Around" by Hüsker Dü
6. "Hybrid Moments" by the Misfits
7. "Wasted" by Black Flag
8. "Curtain Call" by the Damned
9. "Kick Out The Jams" by Bad Brains featuring Henry Rollins
10. "Dog and Pony Show" by the Descendents

Release the Bats

2006-09-01T12:21:00.000-07:00

Alright, alright, I know it has been a while, a long while, but I’ve been busy. But I do want to continue with this blog thing, so I have to check in and say hello.

Did you see the Raconteurs with Lou Reed on the MTV Video Music Awards? Performing "White Light/White Heat." Damn it was cool if abbreviated. Remember that video when Lou Reed is actually a robot and he starts pulling his own face off? Lou Reed kind of looks as real as that robot now. But at least he has grown out of his Joe Piscopo faze.

Well, what’s going on?

My wife and I are going to go see Be Your Own Pet at the Glass House in Pomona on Oct. 21. Then we are going to see the Lemonheads at the Galaxy in Santa Ana on Nov. 18.

Been listening to a lot of the Birthday Party recently. Had to rebuy Hee Haw and Junkyard. Good stuff. Not for all tastes, but I love it.

I picked up the latest Cure reissues: The Top, The Head On The Door, and Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, as well as the reissue of The Glove’s Blue Sunshine. If you don’t know, The Glove is a one-off collaboration between Robert Smith and Steve Severin from Siouxsie & the Banshees. It’s an interesting record, but I liked it a lot more in high school. Regarding the Cure, The Top is, along with Pornography, one of my two favorite Cure albums. It is demented and crazed but beautiful and dazzling. It came out of a very difficult time in Robert Smith’s life, but like many great works, chaos is often the best atmosphere for creation. The Head on the Door is really the last great album by the Cure. Kiss Me on the other hand is the beginning of a rapid decline. What could have been an OK single disc is really a bloated double album that hinted at the mediocrity to come. Of course, all of the extras on these deluxe reissues are generally the bottom of the barrel. The best leftovers from these sessions ended up as b-sides, thus ended up being collected on the Connect the Dots b-side box set.

Just a side note: the Robert Smith vocals on the demos on The Glove reissue are recently recorded. He did not record vocals for the original demos. But it is still pretty cool to hear him sing these songs.

And one more side note, I posted a "review" on Amazon and it has never appeared. Anyone know how to figure out what happened or whether it was deemed inappropriate? I don’t’ know why anyone would take exception to my comments, but I cannot figure out why it didn’t make it online.

And some advice, buy Be Your Own Pet, Modern Times by Bob Dylan, and Passover from the Black Angels. Do not buy the new Pete Yorn.

And, here are the last ten songs my iPod has churned out on Shuffle:

1. "Testify" by Rage Against the Machine
2. "Politician" by Los Lobos
3. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (Paul on vocals) by the Beatles
4. "Breathless" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
5. "Shaman’s Blues" by the Doors
6. "Hands on the Wheel" by Geraldine Fibbers
7. "You’re Not Evil" by Black Flag
8. "Company Calls" by Death Cab For Cutie
9. "Long Time Jerk" by the Clash
10. "Mesmerizing" by Liz Phair

Teenage Wasteland, Indeed

2006-06-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

So what do you get when you put one of the world's biggest bands together with one of the world's greatest songwriters? You get Robert Pollard with Pearl Jam performing "Baba O'Reilly."

All I can say is fuck yeah.

Steady As We Go

2006-06-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Saw the Raconteurs at the Henry Fonda Theatre on Wednesday, June 7. Great show. One of the loudest and best shows I’ve been to in a long time, maybe since I last saw the White Stripes at the Glass House in Pomona. Went with my wife and step-daughter. We all left the show sweaty and exhilarated, with diminished hearing.

Funny thing about bands with one album, they don’t play long sets. They left the stage after about 50 minutes after ripping through most of their album, then returned for an encore of two songs. We were out of the venue about five minutes after 11 p.m. In addition to the originals they played, the band also performed wonderful versions of "It Ain’t Easy" by David Bowie (with Brendan Benson on vocals), and Love’s "A House Is Not A Motel" (with Jack White on vocals). It was interesting to see four excellent musicians (augmented with a keyboard player) performing at the top of their game. The yin and yang dynamic of White and Benson was held together by the stellar rhythm section of Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler.

It will be interesting to see where this band goes.

Also, saw the Arctic Monkeys on Saturday, June 3, at the Wiltern. While the band played well, the house just seemed too big for them. I admit, we were sitting in the Mezzanine, but it felt like we were watching them from behind glass. And I’ve been to other shows at the Wiltern and thought they sounded great from the Mezzanine, but this show seemed muted and lacked a certain energy. Of course, I’ve kind of hated the Wiltern since they reconfigured the floor.

Picked up the new release by Be Your Own Pet and I think it is one of the finest albums I have heard in a long time. The easy comparison is to a punkier (is that I word?) version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I think that would be selling this band short. Pick it up, I think it is cheap at your finer retailers. Really like "Bunk Truck Skunk" and "Fuuuun."

Got the new Ice Cube as well. On this release we find Mr. Cube fiercely reasserting his dominance in the game and trying to dispelled any notions that he has gone soft with his other career in Hollywood. Standout cuts include "Child Support" and "Stop Snitchin’." Enjoy.

And now a word from my iPod:

1. "Emma Blowgun’s Last Stand" by Beulah
2. "Tatyana" by Archers of Loaf
3. "Lady Jane" by the Rolling Stones
4. "Girl Who Live on Heaven Hill" by Husker Du
5. "I Wanna Know Why" by Aerosmith
6. "Sick Again" by Led Zeppelin
7. "Good Morning Spider" by Sparklehorse
8. "The New Soft Shoe" by Gram Parsons
9. "Best of Both Worlds" by Midnight Oil
10. "I Started a Joke" by Faith No More

Back In The Thick of It

2006-05-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know, it's been about a month since my last post and that might be considered unforgivable. But when you get right down to it, is anyone really reading this? In my defense, I've pretty busy at work and finishing a Network+ class at the local community college. So something had to fall by the wayside.

That being said, I think I am back, and while my posts may become a bit more free-wheeling, I hope to be more diligent.

So, first off: The Dixie Chicks - They have a new album out and they are getting a lot of press, mostly about "the Incident." I'm not going to rehash the details, but all the press attention has put them back in my view. I must state that I am in no way a fan of their music. I had hoped Rick Rubin might change my mind, but alas, no luck. They are still over produced, corporate country. However, despite my disinterest in their music, I am a fan of those three women. They stood up for my favorite right: Freedom of Speech. I'm not saying I agree with what they said (this is not the forum) but I do support their right to say it. Anything else is truly un-American. Those rednecks who criticized them during "the Incident" would have probably told the founding fathers to shut up and pay their taxes. "No one should criticize the King." So, God bless the Dixie Chicks. Now if only they would stop making lousy records.

Television - (not the band) I've said it before but I will say it again, I am thrilled that "Generation X" has infiltrated the television industry. Suddenly, we have great music to accompany our pablum. Most recent example, I was watching the pilot episode of "Criminal Minds," and during the closing scene, they used the Pixies' "Rock Music" to a chilling effect. The adrenaline is still pumping. By the way, "Criminal Minds" is one of the only cop shows I watch (other than "Reno 911" and "The Wire"), but I totally recommend it. Catch the reruns this summer.

Peeping Tom - check out Mike Patton's latest project, Peeping Tom, on Conan O'Brien tonight (May 26).

Strangereaction.com - I love mp3 blogs. As you know, I am not a big fan of file sharing, but out of print and unrelease material falls into a grey area for me, so I love when people post their old seven-inch and bootleg collections online. Of course, whenever these items are commerically available, I am willing to pay for them. But currently, I am loving www.strangereaction.com. Plus, he includes plenty of links to other like minded souls. So enjoy.

Worst President Ever? - Since Rolling Stone brought up the question, I will chime in: Yes, George W. Bush is the worst president ever. Stop him now before he ruins the country. Of course, I am probably now on some NSA watch list, but hey, fuck them. And Dick Cheney. And Donald Rumsfeld. I'm an American and proud of it.

And to fully embrace freedome of speech, here is what my iPod is talking about:

1. "Cool If you Need" by Drake Tungsten
2. "Waitin' Ta Hate" by Ice Cube
3. "Best of You" by Foo Fighters
4. "All The Pretty Girls Go To The City" by Spoon
5. "Get Rhythm" by Johnny Cash
6. "Cool Scene" by the Dandy Warhols
7. "Beacon Sighted Through Fog" by the Minutemen
8. "Beneath the Valley of the Underdog" by Mudhoney
9. "Religious Vomit" by Dead Kennedys
10. "Black Tambourine" by Beck

We Jam Econo on DVD

2006-04-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know I'm a couple of days behind on this, but the good news, even great news, is that We Jam Econo, the wonderful documentary about the Minutemen is coming out on DVD through Plexifilm on June 27. Not only is it coming out on DVD, it is coming out as a deluxe two DVD set stuffed with all kind of mouth-watering extras. For complete information about this release, check out the Plexifilm site.

But I have to list the extras, which, as good as the documentary is, the extras are what has me most excited.

DISC 1:
- Feature "We Jam Econo - The Story of the Minutemen" (90min)
- Original music videos for: "This Ain't No Picnic" "Ack Ack Ack Ack" and "King of the Hill"
- 19 Deleted Scenes and Interviews
- Uncut Bard College Interview (56min)
- English Subtitles for the hearing impaired

DISC 2: 62 songs from three live performances:
- The Starwood Los Angeles, CA - November 18th, 1980 (Includes multi-angle feature)
- 9:30 Club Washington, D.C. - 1984
- Acoustic Blowout (Cable Access Show) - Hollywood, CA - 1985
- 16-page booklet with full color photos, flyers, filmmaker notes and liner notes by David Rees, creator of "Get Your War On".

I don't know about you, but I am in a very good mood this morning. Sixty-two live songs? Original music videos? I haven't seen "King of the Hill" since 1984 or something.

All I can say, is you should buy this DVD. Yes, this band could be your life.

Three from Pollard in May

2006-04-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

Alright, in typical fashion, Robert Pollard has three new releases on the docket for May 2006.

First up is the Keene Brothers’ Blues and Boogie Shoes, a collaboration with Tommy Keene.

Next is Psycho & the Birds’ All That Is Holy, a collaboration with Todd Tobias who worked on From A Compound Eye and is the second member of the Circus Devils.

Third is the Takeovers’ Turn to Red, his collaboration with Chris Slusarenko, the final bassist from GBV.

One song from each album is available for free download at www.robertpollard.net and release is available for pre-order from Luna Music. For my money, the Keene Brothers sounds great, then the Takeovers and finally, Psycho & the Birds.

Regarding my iPod, I’ve been listening to Johnny Cash all day, Here is what the Man In Black has had to say:

1. “Big River”
2. “Wreck of the Old 97”
3. “I Don’t Know Where I’m Bound”
4. “Starkville City Jail”
5. “The One Rose”
6. “Solitary Man”
7. “One”
8. “Dark As A Dungeon”
9. “Ring of Fire”
10. “Long Black Veil”

April Fool's Gag?

2006-04-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

What if the whole Mighty Morning Show thing is just some sick April Fool's gag? I know it's not, but it if was, it would be legendary. It would put to shame anything Kevin & Bean have done in the past, including the all time most amazing "fight" with Thom Yorke of Radiohead. If you missed that show, you missed amazing radio.

Of course, I stopped listening to Kevin & Bean years ago, when they became to stupid to bare. And from all indications, I will probably be listening to KCRW or Adam Carolla from now on, since Indie has been successively more awful each morning since the firing of Dicky Barrett.

Good radio is hard to come by and, sadly, suits aren't interested in good radio. They are interested in the lowest commom denominator.

But, it would be nice if it was all a horrible April Fool's gag.

"This is the Punk Rock Minute. A-thanks for being in it."

The Mighty Has Fallen, Long Live the Mighty

2006-03-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

As many of you may know, the Mighty Morning Show on Indie 103.1 fm in Los Angeles has been cancelled and beloved host Dicky Barrett has been fired. He did not leave to pursue other interests, he was fired.

While it is no secret that radio is a business and they are only in it for the money, the MMS was a solid performer with good ratings. It doesn’t make any sense.

Sadly, we should probably boycott all Indie sponsors since they are part of the corporate beast and deserve what they get by aligning themselves with cowards.

The following is a list of sponsors to voice your displeasure to and to avoid in the future, courtesy of the fine folks in the Adolescents."

Guitar Center
8361 Euclid St Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Main Phone: 714-241-9140
Fax: 714-241-8161
Jay Martin

Ad Manager
Hollywood Virgin Megatore
6801 Hollywood Blvd. Suite 105
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 769-8520

Toyota of Huntington Beach
18881 Beach Boulevard
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
(888) 433-1447

Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc
ATTN: LINDA LARSEN – Dir. Of Marketing
PO Box 4349?Anaheim, CA 92803-4349
Tel: 714.774.5796
Fax: 714.520.4477
Toll Free: 800.422.4141

Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc.
Advertising Agency
ATTN: Richard Zien Mendelsohn/Zien Advertising, Inc.
Westwood Gateway
11111 Santa Monica Blvd, 21st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90025-3356
Tel: 310.444.1990
Fax: 310.444.9698

Carl's Jr.
ATTN: Bob Wisely
PO Box 4349
Anaheim, CA 92803-4349
Tel: 714.774.5796
Fax: 714.5490.3695
Toll Free: 800.758.2275

Hyperactive Music Magazine, Inc.
11024 Montgomery Blvd. PMB 253
Albuquerque NM 87111505.856.7602
sales@hyperactivemusicmag.com

Robbins Bros. Orange County
255 West Orangethorpe Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92832
Phone: 714-871-5000

WAHOOS FISH TACOS
2855 Pullman StreetSanta Ana, CA 92705
Phone: 949.222.0670
wing.lam@wahoos.com
wahoosfishtaco@aol.com

H&R Block
It's tax time.

Eastwood Insurance
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
155 N. Riverview Dr.Anaheim Hills, CA 92808
Phone: (714) 685-8300
Fax: (714) 685-8372

Johnny's Punk Rock Saloon
17428 Beach Blvd
Huntington Beach, CA
Phone: 714-848-0676
Shortjohnny@johnnyssaloon.com

Tower Records
Mts., Inc./Tower Records
2500 Del Monte Street
West Sacramento, CA 95691
Phone: (916) 373-2500
Call your local tower and let them know.

Indie Printing
1611 S. Hope St. Los Angeles, CA. 90015
Phone: 213.745.6395
Fax: 213.745.6336

ALTERNATIVE PRESS MAGAZINE
1305 West 80th Street, Suite 2F
Cleveland OH 44102-1996
Phone: 216-631-1510
Fax: 216-631-1016

Purpose Funding
27442 Portola Parkway
175 Foothill Ranch, CA 92610
Phone: (949) 600-7272
Fax: (949) 600-7292
E-mail: andy@purposefunding.com

Scion of Huntington Beach
19202 Beach Blvd.Huntington Beach, CA 92648
sales@scionofhuntingtonbeach.com
Phone: (714) 847-8555
Fax: (714) 847-1105

And, finally, let Michael Steele know you're pissed: msteele@entravision.com

Initial Reactions

2006-03-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

I have been slowing down on purchasing new music recently (and even slower in updating this blog) but I have made a few acquisitions of new music and I figure I might as well give a quick "yea" or "nay" to these titles.

Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I Am Not – You’ve heard the hype (biggest album in the UK ever, or something) but have you heard the record? It’s a fine album. It is on its way to being one of my favorite releases for the year. Don’t believe the hype, but do check out this great record.

Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit – The new release by B&S is big and lush and poppy. Not a bad record. Not their best either but really good and deserving of your attention.

We Are Scientists With Love & Squalor – I’ve been listening to this album all morning. I think I am about on my fourth listen. It’s a good record especially for fans of Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party or Arctic Monkeys.

Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood – Another good record. If you are a fan, this is a good choice. Neko not only produces top notch albums under her name, she also moonlights with a little indie super group called the New Pornographers.

Hank Williams III Straight to Hell – What can you say about Hank III? He hates "pop country" and he wants to put the "dick back in Dixie." On his third album he takes on Kid Rock and the modern country music establishment with humor and vitriol while keeping the music tight and rocking. He is a proud heir to his grandfather.

Giant Drag Hearts & Unicorns – Really good record. They have gotten some airplay with "Kevin is Gay" and "This Isn’t It."

The Like Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? – Bought this record because my step-daughter and I really liked "June Gloom." Too bad the rest of the record doesn’t hold up. Download the song off of iTunes.

Robert Pollard From a Compound Eye – As I’ve said before, this is a great solo album by the former GBV leader. One of his best. It is a sprawling, proggy, messy affair that will leave you humming the catchier songs and trying to figure out the more twisted bits.

And, as is expected, let’s see what my iPod has been pushing lately:

1. "Unite" by the Beastie Boys
2. "Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference" by Morrissey
3. "Suicide" by the Damned
4. "Neighbors" by the Rolling Stones
5. "Sad Girl" by the Lemonheads
6. "The Outdoor Type" by the Lemonheads
7. "Lay Down Your Weary Tune" by Bob Dylan
8. "Witch Mountain Bridge" by Stephen Malkmus
9. "Into the Night" by Bad Religion
10. "San Diego Serenade" by Tom Waits

Monkey Torture

2006-02-24T09:48:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like Love Monkey has been shelved, so I won’t have to try to love it anymore. It’s just another example of intelligent television failing to find a market. I guess there is always more room for reality television, because we all know the dumber the show, the better the ratings.

Do people watch reality TV because they like to watch the humiliation of others? Probably, but they would never admit it, would they? Cruelty is big business and America is buying.

Anyway, I’m going to see Robert Pollard tonight at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. Should be a great show.

And with that in mind, I have been listening to my Robert Pollard playlist on my iPod and these are the last 10 songs played (of 733 Robert Pollard and GBV songs):

1. "(S)mothering and Coaching" by GBV
2. "Big Chief Chinese Restaurant" by GBV
3. "Gods of Richard" by GBV
4. "Psychic Pilot Clocks Out" by Robert Pollard
5. "Queen of Second Guessing" by GBV
6. "The Drinking Jim Crow" by GBV
7. "Time Machines" by Lexo & the Leapers
8. "Expecting Brainchild" by GBV
9. "Sacred Space" by GBV
10. "Hey Aardvark" by GBV

Trying to Love Monkey

2006-01-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, I admit it: my wife and I watch Love Monkey, the new show staring Tom Cavanagh as a super-hip A&R rep. I enjoy the clever dialogue and the music snobbery. The show, in some ways, seems to borrow the best parts of High Fidelity to create a unique show with a likeable cast. Plus, as you know, I am a music snob myself.

My problem with the show is that despite it's portrayal of "Tom" as this uber-hip record scout, up to his eyeballs in music snobbery, the soundtrack for the show is remarkably banal. I mean, Tom's big discovery is a kid named Wayne who basically sounds, and even looks a little, like the next John Mayer. My question is: how can you pretend to be hip and offer the world the next John Mayer. One is too much.

I know, there are a few interesting cameos. I liked seeing Ben Folds run into Tom on the street, but the soundtrack, which one would assume to be the hippiet soundtrack on TV, isn't even as hip as the OC. I mean even this week's episode of My Name Is Earl featured Joe Jackson's "Time" and The Doors' "Peace Frog," while How I Met Your Mother featured Pavement.

My one piece of advice to the producers of Love Monkey, which I do really enjoy, is that if you are going to do a show about a hip music scout, have some hip music. Other shows prove it is possible, so do it.

And for those of you who haven't tuned it yet, do so, before the network cancels the show.

And as I bid adieu, here are the last 10 songs from my iPod:

1. "Albuquerque" by Neil Young
2. "Of Course" by Janes Addiction
3. "Drool Collection" by Superchunk
4. "Shadowplay" by Joy Division
5. "Arms Aloft" by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
6. "Green Grow the Rushes" by REM
7. "Subtle Gear Shifting" by Guided By Voices
8. "Go to the Mirror!" by The Who
9. "I Hate Children" by the Adolescents
10. "So Alive" by Ryan Adams

Best of the Best (Part 3)

2006-01-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

Alright, it has been a while but here is part three of my riveting series of musical recommendations. Check here for Part 1 and Part 2.

So, let's get to it.

The New Pornographers - You cannot go wrong with any release by this Canadian super group. However, Mass Romantic, their first release, holds a special place in my heart. Good place to start and you will not be disappointed.

Primus - Everyone knows Primus Sucks, but they also released a couple of really good records. Suck on This and Frizzle Fry are two great albums of undescribable weirdness. Sailing The Seas of Cheese is a pretty good third release. After that they sort of became a really weird jam band and I don't have much need for extended instrumental work outs and complicated song structures. Call me a Philistine if you must. And I did really try hard to like Pork Soda, it was in my collection for years, but I just couldn't really get into it and that is where I gave up.

Tom Waits - If you haven't enjoyed Tom Waits, then I don't know what your problem is. First thing you need to know is that his career can be divided into two distinct parts: the Asylum years and the Island/Anti years. Personally, I prefer the later. Initially, Waits was a damn good piano-ballad, L.A. song writer a la Randy Newman. He penned such tunes as "Jersey Girl," made popular by a Mr. Bruce Springsteen, and "Downtown Train," butchered by Rod Steward. He recorded quite a few records for Asylum and some of them are priceless. My personal recommendations include The Heart of Saturday Night, Heart Attack & Vine, and Small Change. But for the prime Tom Waits, the Island/Anti years presented an artist that had thrown out all the rules and created a genre of music that could only be compared to a calliope on acid, but with heart. The music sounded as if it was recorded on trash cans, broken guitars and out of tune pianos. And it is amazing. The best examples include Swordfishtrombones and Bone Machine. If you want more, pick up Rain Dogs and Frank's Wild Years. And then you could check out The Black Rider, Alice, Mule Variations and Blood Money. It is all so good you will wonder why you never listed before. If you need something to really convince you check out "Johnsburg, Illinois" from Swordfishtrombones and "Goin' Out West" from Bone Machine. You've gone without for too long. Enjoy.

Ryan Adams - Whatever happened to the next big thing? After breaking up Whiskeytown, Adams released his first solo album Heartbreaker. This album is so good, so catching, so heartbreaking, I have been disappointed by all of his other releases since, hoping he can recapture the magic of this one release. Even Gold, which was apparently his commerical peak, feels flat and lifeless compared to his debut release. Do yourself a favor, check out Heartbreaker and see what the hype was really about.

That's all I have time for right now. But before I go, here are the recommendations as presented by my iPod.

1. "Paintbox" by Pink Floyd
2. "Where the Heart Is" by Soft Cell
3. "Floaty" by Foo Fighters
4. "My Descent Into Madness" by the Eels
5. "Applebite" by Soundgarden
6. "We're Just Friends" by Wilco
7. "Kiss the Children" by Gram Parsons
8. "Stupid Girl" by Garbage
9. "Emulsified" by Yo La Tengo
10. "June Salutes You!" by Guided By Voices

Looking Back Fondly

2006-01-10T17:39:00.000-08:00

It is 2006 and I’ve been out of sorts lately, so I haven’t been to prolific on the blog front recently. If you missed me, then I apologize.

A few months ago I published an early attempt at a “Best of 2005.” After reviewing the list, I’m not sure anything changed. But I will switch Bob Dylan for Fiona Apple simply because the Dylan is a collection and not really a new release.

1. Beck Guero
2. Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
3. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
4. Death Cab For Cutie Plans
5. Fiona Apple Extraordinary Machine
6. Spoon Gimme Fiction
7. Louis XIV The Best Little Secrets Are Kept
8. Stephen Malkmus Face the Truth
9. White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan
10. The New Pornographers Twin Cinema

Even though these are some great records, it hasn’t felt like a great year. I mean, it’s not like these are the best albums by these artists, but they are still better than the best offerings of many artists.

Who let Scott Stapp release an album? I hate 311 but I am glad they kicked his ass. I cannot believe Creed ever got signed and sold a bunch of crappy records. What is wrong with you people? I know it’s not your fault. Creed fans wouldn’t ever read this blog.

Off subject, but I just got an e-mail with this subject line: Are you ashamed to visit swimming pools because of your small penis? I don’t get it. Are these clothing optional swimming pools? I know, I know, it’s spam but still. I mean, I take my small penis wherever I go. But that is just me.

Anyway, I will get my act straightened out and get back on track.

In the meantime, you know the drill, here are the last ten songs my iPod played while set on “shuffle.”

1. “My Wandering Days Are Over” by Belle & Sebastian
2. “You Can Live at Home” by Husker Du
3. “Let the Distance Bring Us Together” by Bright Eyes & Britt Daniels
4. “Waiting For A Train” by Johnny Cash
5. “Better Version of Me” by Fiona Apple
6. “Sweet Thing” by David Bowie
7. “Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)” by Jimi Hendrix
8. “La Ment” by the Cure
9. “Nirvana” by the Blake Babies
10. “The Love Song” by Marilyn Manson

Bleed For Me

2005-12-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

Punk rock is often about politics, but some bands are more effective than others. On one hand you have TSOL defiantly but sophomorically telling President Reagan that he can “shove it,” while on the other hand you have the astute and universal declarations by the Clash. Some bands are very specific, attacking specific politicians or policies while others tackle entrenched and perennial problems such as poverty, war or racism.

One band that handled very tough and specific issues in their heyday were the Dead Kennedys. While very specific, they were also incredibly astute in their observations and accusations. And, while focusing on the Reagan presidency, one thing has become abundantly clear in the new millenium: many of their songs are just as applicable today regarding the Bush presidency as they were in the eighties regarding Reagan.

As our current president more and more appalls me, I find more and more solace in the lyrics of Jello Biafra.

The following is a sample of lyrics that with a simple alteration of a name or place is as targeted and accurate as they were when they were first penned.

Regarding President Bush:

“Cowboy Ronnie comes to town, Forks out his tongue at human rights” from “Bleed for Me.” Change “Ronnie” to “Georgie” and you have an instant hit.

“I am Emperor Ronald Reagan, Born again with fascist cravings, Still, you made me president” from “We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now.” Change the names and the sentiment remains.

Regarding foreign policy:

“They'll shoot you dead, make you a man, Don't you worry, it's for a cause, Feeding global corporations' claws” from “We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now.” Who is getting rich off of our wars?

“Making money for President Reagan And all the friends of President Reagan” from “We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now.” Can you say “No-bid contracts”?

“Electrodes on your balls” from “Bleed For Me.” Do we even need to change the lyrics? I guess we should as those housed at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo.

Regarding domestic policy:

“Tell me who's the real patriots, The Archie Bunker slobs waving flags? Or the people with the guts to work for some real change” from “Stars and Stripes of Corruption.” This is the administration that calls freedom of speech and dissent “unpatriotic” and “Unamerican.”

“You don't want abortions, you want battered children, You want to ban the pill as if that solves the problem, Now you wanna force us to pray in school” from “Moral Majority.” Well, that kind of speaks for itself. Intelligent design, anyone? Roberts and Alito?

We could go on like this forever, but I think you get my point. As much as we like to think things have changed, they haven’t.

Another thing that hasn’t changed is the last ten songs my iPod has played:

1. “The Golden Road (Unlimited Devotion)” by the Grateful Dead
2. “Arnold Layne” by Pink Floyd
3. “Can’t Forget” by Yo La Tengo
4. “That’s Not Me” by the Beach Boys
5. “African Night Flight” by David Bowie
6. “Ruby’s Arms” by Tom Waits
7. “Too Bad About Your Girl” by the Donnas
8. “The Sanity Assassin” by Bauhaus
9. “Girl Who Lived On Heaven Hill” by Husker Du
10. “Black Comedy” by Bright Eyes

I Did Get Bored: Bauhaus at the Grove

2005-12-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a good friend, my wife and I got a chance to witness the reunited Bauhaus at the Grove in Anaheim on Friday, Dec. 9. This is the second time we had seen the band live, once before at their reunion show at the Hollywood Palladium in 1989.

After never expecting the see these high school heroes, the ’89 show was a revelation, not everthing I had come to expect after many repeated viewings of Archive and Shadows of Light, but pretty close. In fact, I remember many of the theatrical affectations of that performance reference their music videos, such as the dangling light bulbs from "She’s In Parties."

However, 2005 was a different beast. Despite stellar reviews of the Coachella show and the Wiltern shows, the performance witnessed at the Grove left a bit to be desired. And here is the problem: Peter Murphy seemed completely disinterested through the first half of the show. Vocally, he was stunning. In fact, if you could hear a recording of the show, you would be amazed.

But, what you wouldn’t know from the audio portion of the performance was that Murphy spent most of the first half of the set lackadaisically moving about the stage picking lint off of his coat, touching up his comb-over (yes, comb-over) and doing everything short of rolling his eyes to give the distinct impression that he was bored out of his mind.

It must be said at this point that despite Murphy’s short-comings, the rest of the band, Daniel Ash, David J. and Kevin Haskins; were astonishing in their performance. (Maybe this is what a Fleetwood Mac show feels like.) I actually was pining for a Love & Rockets reunion.

The show got off to a promising start with "Burning from the Inside," then went into "In the Flat Field," giving new meaning to the lyric "I do get bored." The band meandered through "Swing the Heartache" and a horrible "Terror Couple Kill Colonel," that suffered miserably from Murphy’s lack of interest.

But just when all seemed bleak (and not in the good goth way), everything turned around with "Hollow Hills." It isn’t that suddenly Murphy exploded the frenetic, convulsive, shoulder-shimmying front man of yore, but the energy increased and the singer and band began performing as if they were on the same stage.

During the second half of the set the band careened through such classsics as "Stigmata Martyr," "In Fear of Fear" "The Passion of Lovers," and "Rose Garden Funeral of Sores." They completed their set with an encore consisting of "Bela Lugosi’s Dead," "Telegram Sam," and "Ziggy Stardust."

Overall, if I had left the show halfway through I would have been sorely disappointed. However, the band redeemed themselves and I left giddily chatting with my wife about how great these songs still sounded after all these years.

And just for good measure, I ordered the DVD reissue of Archive/Shadows of Light so I could walk down memory lane any time I want.

Of course, I am still thinking a Love & Rockets reunion might not be a bad idea.

& lest I forget, here are the last ten songs played on my iPod:

1. "If 6 Was 9" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. "Darling Nikki" by Prince
3. "Tiny Girls" by Iggy Pop
4. "Box of Stars (Part Two)" by Sparklehorse
5. "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star
6. "The Best of Jill Hives" by Guided By Voices
7. "Do You Know How It Feels" by the Flying Burrito Brothers
8. "Daytime Dilemma" by the Ramones
9. "Sugar Daddy" from the Hedwig & the Angry Inch soundtrack
10. "Cry Baby Cry" by the Beatles

Obligatory Grammy Rant

2005-12-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

Ah, the Grammy’s were announced this morning, an annual celebration of all that is bland, homogeneous and uninteresting. Mariah Carey? John Legend? Gwen Stefani? Is this music really that good to be so lauded? Do people really want glorified elevator music? Something to sit in comfortably in the background? I hate to admit it, but I just don’t get it.

However, that being said, I have no problem with the Alternative Music Album nominees. In fact, I own all five of these releases. Arcade Fire, Beck, Death Cab For Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, and White Stripes all make a nice list of potential winners. I think Arcade Fire should win since, while the other four are good albums, they are not the best albums by these artists. Get Behind Me Satan isn’t as good as White Blood Cells or Elephant. I might be more experimental and the band might have stretched creatively, but they haven’t completely succeeded. Same with Death Cab and Beck. I love both Plans and Guero, but I really loved Transatlanticism and Sea Change. And Franz Ferdinand are in the oh-so-obvious sophomore slump.

But, of course, all five of these releases trump the Album of the Year category. And don’t get me started on Record of the Year. Do people really still listen to Mariah Carey? Why did she come back? I liked her better when she was crazy and not making music. And why pick one of the worst songs on American Idiot? Was "Jesus of Suburbia" too long to command the attention of those who make these decisions? At least they picked the only good song on the new Gorilla’s album. "Feel Good, Inc." should win but probably won’t.

At least the artists nominated for best New Artist allow us to see who will be slipping of the radar shortly. Hey, Ciara, Fall Out Boy, Keane, John Legend, and Sugarland (who the hell is Sugarland? Am I that out of the mainstream?)!!! Remember Evanescence, Hootie & the Blowfish and Milli Vanilli? Yeah, they all thought they were built to last, too.

I love the Metal category. It is a long way from Jethro Tull. None of these bands are safe for network television. I would love to see Alain Jorgensen get up on stage and accept the award for "The Great Satan." Kill for a thrill, indeed.

I’m sure I have plenty of other opinions about the Grammy’s but you either love ‘em or hate ‘em in my experience, so I just don’t bother watching them anymore. Once upon a time it was sort of a job requirement. Now it is just a depressing indictment of the music industry. Why is the industry losing so much money? Illegal downloads? Nah, it probably has more to do with putting out too many crappy albums.

So, with that off my chest, here are my iPod’s nominees for the last ten songs played:

1. "Highwire Days" by the Psychedelic Furs
2. "Hot Freaks" (live) by Guided by Voices
3. "Jesus Christ Pose" by Soundgarden
4. "Step Right Up" by Tom Waits
5. "That’s Not The Issue" by Wilco
6. "The Drive-By" by Ice Cube
7. "Clay Cakes" by Portastatic
8. "Credit in the Straight World" by Hole
9. "Long Time Jerk" by the Clash
10. "Hand of God" by Soundgarden

Best of the Best (Part 2)

2005-11-30T11:03:00.000-08:00

Okay, here is the second installment of recommendations for essential listening. See Part 1 for any introductory information.

Adolescents – The eponymous debut (often referred to as the Blue Album) from these OC punks is a masterpiece of the Southern California punk sound. Just enough pop, just enough punk, just enough anger and frustration. Of course after this it all went downhill with the exception of the Welcome To Reality single that followed this release.

Aerosmith – Buy Get Your Wings and Rocks. Two great albums, before the band got too messed up or too sober to accomplish anything worthwhile. Of course, their debut has a few great songs, and Toys In The Attic is pretty good, and Draw The Line has the title track, these two releases are flawless with classics songs such as "Seasons of Wither," "Lord of the Thighs," "Back In The Saddle," and "Home Tonight."

X – You cannot go wrong with the first three X albums: Los Angeles, Wild Gift and Under The Big Black Sun. Their fourth release, More Fun In The New World, is a good record, but not great. Ain’t Love Grand and See How We Are, with the exception of "Burning House of Love," "Fourth of July" and "See How We Are" are pretty awful records. And I'm not even going to mention Hey Zeus!

Lou Reed – Transformer and New York are separated by a whole lot of dreck. And I cannot say enough good things about Reed’s collaboration with John Cale on Songs For Drella, a masterpiece by both men. Street Hassle is a pretty good effort as well. Otherwise, just stick with the Velvet Underground, all four albums are priceless.

Violent Femmes – Everyone knows "Kiss Off" and "Blister In The Sun," and while the eponymous debut by these guys is a great record, Hallowed Ground has a special place in my heart. Don’t know if it is the Southern gothic tone or the expanded musical palette, or maybe because it is often ignored by casual fans because it is too country, but I love this album. After Hallowed Ground, the Femmes released the just-okay The Blind Leading the Naked then just kind of became irrelevant.

Iggy Pop – Just heard "Cold Metal" by Iggy Pop which reminded me that all you really need from Iggy’s solo career is The Idiot and Lust For Life.

Part 3 coming soon.

And according to my iPod, here are ten of the best of the rest:
1. "Cold Metal" by Iggy Pop
2. "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" by Pink Floyd
3. "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash (at San Quentin)
4. "Late at Night" by Buffalo Tom
5. "Via Chicago" by Wilco (live from Kicking Television)
6. "Kundalini Express" by Love & Rockets
7. "Pink Pussycat" by Devo
8. "You Never Give Me Your Money" by the Beatles
9. "I’m Waiting For The Man" by the Velvet Underground
10. "Painbirds" by Sparklehorse

Never Mind the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

2005-11-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a long Thanksgiving weekend. Had one of the best Thanksgivings in years. Saw just enough family, saw plenty of friends, and spent plenty of time loafing around with my wife.

The big news is the Sex Pistols are being inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Don’t exactly know what to think of this, seems a bit silly. I bet they won’t show up and I’m sure they won’t play. But I could be wrong.

If you do not own the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bullocks, go out and buy it immediately. A great album that has not gotten stale after all these years.

But in the mean time, I’m going to listen to "Jonesy’s Jukebox" on Indie 103.1, featuring the hilarious Steve Jones of the aforementioned Sex Pistols. I think you can listen online. So do that too.

And, since it takes twenty-five years to be eligible for the Hall of Fame, I’m going to extend the iPod list to the last twenty-five songs. So there:

1. "Come Back D.A." by the Lemonheads
2. "Surprise Truck" by Camper Van Beethoven
3. "(What a) Wonderful World" by the Flaming Lips
4. "Casino Boogie" by the Rolling Stones
5. "Get On The Snake" by Soundgarden
6. "Lucy (Version #2)" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
7. "Closer You Are" by Guided By Voices
8. "The Crying of Lot G" by Yo La Tengo
9. "Zombie Dance" by the Cramps
10. "Ice Cold Ice" by Husker Du
11. "All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan
12. "Lua" by Bright Eyes
13. "She Shook Me Cold" by David Bowie
14. "Call Me" by Blondie
15. "Christ for President" by Jeff Tweedy (Lounge Ax 12-20-99)
16. "The Headmaster Ritual" by the Smiths
17. "Press" by Superchunk
18. "Straight To The Top (Rhumba)" by Tom Waits
19. "Fan Club" by the Damned
20. "Range Life" by Pavement
21. "Chicago, Is Not Chicago" by Soul Coughing
22. "Hardly Getting Over It" by Husker Du
23. "Take Me To The River" by Talking Heads
24. "Black Star" by Radiohead
25. "Hollow Hills" by Bauhaus

Best of the Best (Part 1)

2005-11-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

I remember going into Tower Records when I was sixteen and purchasing a copy of The Soft Parade by the Doors. I was in the midst of a Jim Morrison fascination after reading "No One Here Gets Out Alive" and was slowly making my way through the bands collection. The clerk complimented me on my choice and said it was his favorite Doors album. To this day, I don’t know if he was putting me on.

The Soft Parade is my least favorite Doors album. It was critically reviled in its day and has not redeemed itself in over thirty years. It has a few moments such as Morrison proclaiming lustily, "You cannot petition the Lord with prayer," and a few songs such as "Touch Me" and "Wild Child." And I like the cover shot of the band. But overall, if I had to throw out one Doors album, I would not hesitate to jettison this release.

But was that record clerk kidding me or was this really his favorite Doors album? I know for a fact, the more you get into a band, the more appealing the deep catalog becomes as the hits become too familiar, boring and, often times, annoying. If you love a band, your favorite song is often the song on the album no casual fan has ever paid attention to or even heard.

Once I became a recordjerk (get it? I worked in a record store?), I was always confronted with the dilemma of being asked to recommend music. Do you go with the most easily digestible or the best release by an artist? Part of the thinking was "Anyone can like a hit. But if you don’t like this record, you are missing the whole point." Maybe it is elitist, but it could be simple honesty. It kind of requires a delicate balance and an ability to read the customer.

Record store employees used to spend hours discussing the merits of certain albums over other albums, and artist’s creative arcs, and how much crap populated the Top 40. I don’t know how much time is spent discussing music anymore since most current record store employees don’t know any more about music than your average fast food worker. I dare you, go into a record store and ask for Pink Floyd. After the initial blank stare, see how many record store employees lead you to the "F" section. (See, I can still be a jerk.)

So long story short, I am going to start detailing my recommendations for music. What albums do I recommend. Simple enough. And, I admit, some of the stuff will be my personal favorites. I’m not going to sugar coat these suggestions. I’m not trying to sell you anything, but, as far as I am concerned, these are the albums by these artists that matter. If you are curious, these would be the places to start.

Guided By Voices – Start with Bee Thousand, and then pick up Alien Lanes and Under The Bushes, Under The Stars. The bulk of GBV material can be daunting but the majority of it is very enjoyable, however you cannot go wrong with these three releases. If you enjoy these, try Mag Earwhig! and Do The Collapse.

The Beatles – Okay, the Beatles are a bit complicated because where you start can only be rewarding. I came to the Beatles in my early-mid twenties. Maybe it was the punk in me, but I thought they were trite and boring. And even once I got it, had an epiphany, I still avoided what I called their "Yeah, yeah" period. But over the years I have come to embrace all they have done. But where to start? I would recommend Rubber Soul and Beatles For Sale. I know, I know, Beatles For Sale was kind of a rushed effort bloated with covers, but it has the triple threat of "No Reply," "I’m a Loser" and "Baby’s In Black." The best thing about For Sale is that the band was exhausted, cranky and irritable. Look at those sunken eyes on the cover. And Rubber Soul is just a wonderful album full of great songs. Of course, like I said, no matter where you start, you cannot really go wrong.

The Clash – As I’ve said before, London Calling is my all-time favorite album, so that is a given. I would then also throw in Give ‘Em Enough Rope, often over looked and under appreciated. But for all of it’s flaws it is the second best Clash release.

The Cure – God, the Cure. They are one of those bands where I feel a couple of key releases determine whether you get the band or not. Basically, if you don’t like Pornography and The Top, I can’t help you. Dementia, depression and drugs. Additionally, I would recommend the singles collection Japanese Whispers and the overplayed Head on the Door. Do we ever need to hear "Close To Me" again? According to my fifteen-year-old stepdaughter: yes. After Head on the Door, the Cure have really become increasingly irrelevant, despite their continued success, releasing bad album after bad album. Kiss Me could have been pared down to a solid single album (maybe).

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin produced five really solid albums, one good album, one mediocre album and two almost unlistenable albums. But I would recommend their third album and Physical Graffitti. Obviously, everyone wants "Stairway to Heaven" so I would grudgingly support their fourth album, but then I wouldn’t be challenging you and how will you grow? But please, avoid In Through The Outdoor and Coda. Coda’s not a real album anyway, and In Through The Out Door sucks.

There is more where this came from, but I think we all need to come up for air.

Until next time, these are the recommendations from my iPod:

1. "Problem Child" by AC/DC
2. "1970" by the Stooges
3. "Forever For Her" by the White Stripes
4. "Peaceful Valley" by Ryan Adams
5. "I Drove a Tank" by Robert Pollard
6. "Saturday Sun" by Nick Drake
7. "Higher Hell" by Echo & the Bunnymen
8. "Our Way" by the Germs
9. "Kind of Madness" by Jay Farrar
10. "Into Your Arms" by the Lemonheads

Jesus Is Magic

2005-11-17T09:56:00.000-08:00

Last Friday (Nov. 11) my wife and I went to see the first showing of Sarah Silverman’s film Jesus Is Magic. I have to admit, one of the main reasons we wanted to go was the fact that we’d been to the live performance used in the movie and were hoping to get a glimpse of ourselves in the audience (more on that later).

And, as one can expect from all the advance press, the movie was great. The only problem I had was, I knew all the material so it wasn’t fresh. That, I guess, is the problem with any great joke. It doesn’t stay funny forever. Of course, most people won’t have that problem when seeing this movie.

And you should see this movie unless you are easily offended or so politically correct that you have had all the joy and happiness sucked out of your soul.

Sure, she is rude and crude and offensive and insensitive. But she is also a comedian and she is making jokes. Like she says, "I don’t care if you think I’m a racist. I just want you to think I am thin." Yes, her humor can make you squirm and can be shocking and border on offensive, but so what? It’s a joke, you idiot, and when it comes to Sarah Silverman no one is spared and no one is innocent, including herself.

So go see Jesus Is Magic. Laugh and think about what she is really saying.

And, if you notice a chubby guy with a goatee sitting next to a beautiful woman laughing their asses off, that’s me and my wife.

And not wanting to offend anyone, here are the last 10 songs played on my iPod:

1. "Mississippi" by Bob Dylan
2. "Cazzo di Ferro" by Lemonheads
3. "Fader Rules" by Superchunk
4. "Big Day Coming" by Yo La Tengo
5. "Mystery Hours" by the New Pornographers
6. "You Bet We've Got Something Against You" by Black Flag
7. "F.U.K." by Bad Brains
8. "Folks Like Me" by the Geraldine Fibbers
9. "High Roller" by Cheap Trick
10. "Louder Than A Bomb" by Public Enemy

Good Music For Good People: New Music Saturday

2005-11-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

Went record shopping on Saturday at my favorite record store: Amoeba on Sunset in Hollywood. Picked up the new Sinead O’Connor release Throw Down Your Arms, the Propeller vinyl reissue from GBV, Superchunk’s No Pocky For Kitty, The Cramps’ Bad Music For Bad People and Songs The Lord Taught Us, Black Flag’s Everything Went Black, and the documentary Paradise Lost, about the horrible tragedy of the "West Memphis Three."

(If you aren’t familiar with the case of three falsely accused young men, imprisoned for life for a crime they didn’t commit, visit wm3.org.)

But, I was really surprised by how good the new Sinead album is. I’m not a huge reggae fan and most of her output has been spotty. I like her first two albums and Faith & Courage. Otherwise, I find her boring. But this album is sincere and is a perfect showcase for one of the greatest voices in modern music.

The other purchases were splurges.

I have Propeller on vinyl and CD already, but wanted the new reissue.

I haven’t listened to the Cramps in years, but suddenly had a craving and didn’t have anything on the shelf. And, dammit, if they don’t sound as good as ever.

The Superchunk purchase was just a case of filling in the blanks on CD. I love Superchunk when they are good, which is about half the time. With this purchase, I think I have all of their albums worth owning.

And the Black Flag CD was something I used to listen to on vinyl, but my stepdaughter got an Everything Went Black t-shirt for her birthday (I bought it for her), and I wanted to here the album again. Didn’t have the lp, so had to buy the disc.

I’ve listened to the two Cramps discs about four times already, the Sinead twice, the Superchunk and Black Flag once each, filed away the Propeller vinyl, and watched the Paradise Lost DVD with my wife on Saturday night. So, all in all, a great day at the record store.

And here are the last ten songs my iPod played:

1. "This Place Is a Prison" by Postal Service
2. "So Sad About Us" by the Breeders
3. "Merchandise" by Fugazi
4. "Hair" by PJ Harvey
5. "A Stroke of Luck" by Garbage
6. "You Trip Me Up" by the Jesus & Mary Chain
7. "Thirteen" by Big Star
8. "Nothing Was Delivered" by The Byrds
9. "Thumb" by Dinosaur Jr.
10. "Welfare Mothers" by Neil Young

Tomorrow's Future Today (Can't Wait)

2005-11-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

Just read a very nice article about Robert Pollard's future plans on Billboard.com. Looking forward to plenty of new material in 2006.

Plus, the Guided By Voices Electrifying Conclusion DVD comes out next week. Can't wait. Missed the final New Year's show in Chicago. Saw GBV in their final Los Angeles appearance (with Brian Jonestown Massacre) in November 2004. Great show. Fifteen shows in fifteen years, nice symmetry.

And Wilco's Kicking Television comes out next week as well. Can't wait.

Just been sitting at work listening to my iPod and working on an event website that needs to launch on Monday. So naturally, these are the last ten songs by iPod played:

1. "Captial Radio Two" by the Clash
2. "My Life Is Right" by Big Star
3. "Can't Hear the Revolution" by Guided By Voices
4. "Smash It Up (Part 2) by the Damned
5. "Makeout Bench" by Superchunk
6. "Divide & Conquer" by Husker Du
7. "Sons of the Silent Age" by David Bowie
8. "Hollow Log" by Beck
9. "Hampstead" demo by Adam & the Ants
10. "Ant Farm" by the Eels

Where are those guilty pleasures?

Hunting Accidents in the Forests of Rock & Roll

2005-11-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

It’s Monday and I’m a bit bored. I read the GBV biography A Brief History : Twenty-One Years of Hunting Accidents in the Forests of Rock and Roll over the weekend and would recommend it to anyone with any affection for the band. It is at times laugh-out-loud funny and also wistfully nostalgic for the passing of a great live band.

Of course I could have used a bit more details about the creation of each album and less info on the dissolution of Pollard’s marriage. Plus, the book is really short considering it covers a band that existed for twenty-one years. Also, it completely ignores the existence of Tim Tobias, who was the bass player for a few years, but apparently had such an acrimonious expulsion from the band that he has been purged from the official record. The only mention is in the "family tree" at the back of the book.

But all of that being said, it is a great read and had plenty of interesting and amusing anecdotes. So buy it.

Also, go to iTunes and get the White Stripes performing Tegan & Sara’s "Walking With A Ghost."

And get the new Portastatic ep (on iTunes).

And the new edition of Office Space on DVD.

And the new Augusten Burroughs paperback, Magical Thinking.

And watch Boondocks on Adult Swim.

And do what your iPod tells you to do:

1. "Devil Town" by Bright Eyes
2. "Angel" by PJ Harvey
3. "My Brain is Hanging Upside Down" by the Ramones
4. "Damn Shame" by Jay Farrar
5. "More Than Rain" by Tom Waits
6. "Bad Things" by Tricky
7. "Junk Bonds" by Sebadoh
8. "Can’t Exist" by the Flaming Lips
9. "Water" by Dinosaur Jr.
10. "Donna & Blitzon" by Badly Drawn Boy

Modern Day Robin Hood & His Merry Thieves

2005-11-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

I don’t understand the debate about illegal downloading. Simply because it is illegal. People who say "music should be free" are full of shit (or stupid hippies). If someone creates a product (and, yes, music and art are products) they should be able to profit from it. Why is that so hard to understand? Downloading is simply stealing. Metallica weren’t assholes, they were just protecting their business interests.

I’m not against fair use. If I buy a CD, I should be able to load it onto any number of devices, computers or car stereos. I own it and under fair use I should be able to use it all I want for personal use. And I even think I should be able to make a copy for a friend or two, in the hopes that they may become fans and eventually purchase the music.

However, peer-to-peer networks are sharing with millions of your "closest friends" with no intention of ever buying the actual product. How anyone can justify this is beyond me. I know the cat is out of the bag or the milk has been spilt or whatever, but that doesn’t make it right.

Now, on the other hand, I have no problem with trading live recordings or outtakes. If the artist hasn’t released the product as a legitimate release, then they are up for grabs. Of course, many artists support this opinion and often encourage live taping. But that being said, despite my extensive collection of Nirvana "bootlegs" I had no problem forking over the cash to buy the legitimate With The Lights Out boxset (even though I could have compiled a much better set).

In fact, this is a list of some of my favorite "bootlegs" from my collection:

1. Nirvana – Paramount Theatre (10-31-91)
2. Jeff Tweedy - Lounge Ax Chicago, IL (2/28/99)
3. Tom Waits – Alice (original recordings)
4. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Demos
5. GBV - Lounge Ax, Chicago, IL (4/5/95)
6. Flaming Lips – Soft Bulletin Companion Disc
7. Beach Boys – Smile
8. The Clash – Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg
9. Nirvana – Outcesticide series
10. Liz Phair – Complete Girlysound Demos

My point is steal if you want to but don’t act like you are Robin Hood.

Now, here are the ten latest songs my iPod has played trying to steal my attention:

1. "A Box for Black Paul" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
2. "Fawn" by Tom Waits
3. "Viva Las Vegas" by Dead Kennedys
4. "Swear" by Tim Scott
5. "We Will Become Silhouettes" by Postal Service
6. "I Get Wild/Wild Gravity" by Talking Heads
7. "Three or Four" by the New Pornographers
8. "There You Are" by the Flaming Lips
9. "Wishful Thinking" by Wilco
10. "Take a Look at the Guy" by Izzy Stradlin & the Ju Ju Hounds

Guilty Pleasures?

2005-10-28T13:08:00.000-07:00

I was talking to one of my very good friends today. He had been reading my blog and claimed that my iPod never seemed to play any guilty pleasures. Of course, my reaction was that I don’t have any guilty pleasures. I listened to music for my enjoyment, not to impress anyone.

But that might not be 100% true.

We all have guilty pleasures even if they aren’t embarrassing. They are just silly things or out of character. I watch the O.C. faithfully. I am a grown man in my thirties. But the O.C. seems to fill a gap left by Beverly Hills 90210, which I also watched faithfully. Of course, I started watching 90210 with the roommates I had at the time and then continued when I girl I was dating watched it and then, once hooked, I started watching it on my own, much to the ridicule of my other friends and my subsequent girlfriends. But, while silly or out of character, I don’t hide these kind of pleasures.

But in the spirit of full disclosure, let’s examine some of the more "guilty pleasurable" items (of the 9439 songs) on my iPod.

AC/DC – Metal? Maybe. Great. Absolutely. I have If You Want Blood, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Highway to Hell, and Back In Black on my iPod. Nothing wrong with that.

Adam & the Ants – Maybe a bit corny at times, but I have been listening to Adam Ant since 1980. I bought Kings of the Wild Frontier and Fair Warning by Van Halen on the same day (on cassette) and loved both bands. I even got called a "fag" for listening to Adam & the Ants. I love them. I like Dirk Wears White Sox and Kings the best, but I also have Prince Charming and the Ant Box. So there.

The Darkness – Are they metal or simply being ironic? I have trouble telling them apart in the 21st century.

Iron Maiden – When I was in high school, punks liked Iron Maiden. Of course, my wife gives me more shit about this one band than anything else. Oh well.

LL Cool J – I downloaded three songs "I’m Bad," "Going Back To Cali," and "I Can’t Live Without My Radio." LL Cool J is one of the original superstar rappers and has produced some great music.

Motley Crue – Once upon a time, Motley Crue was kinda cool before they got sober. But I like their first two albums. I admit I am kind of bored with them at this point, but I have a few selections from the Too Fast For Love on my iPod.

Naughty By Nature – Before the porn movies and even before their second album and "Hip Hop Hooray," NbN produced a great debut album with a couple of really great songs: "O.P.P." and "Everythings Gonna Be Alright." While "O.P.P." is a silly song, it is a great pop song.

Rush – Hey, rush has some great songs. I’ve never gotten stoned to 2112 or air drummed to "Red Barchetta," but when Rush is good, they are great.

Skid Row – Once again, two songs "Eighteen and Life" and "I Remember You." Everything else sucked but Sebastian Bach was a great front man and had an incredible voice.

So, those are what I guess could be called my guilty pleasures. But then again, you might agree and like these bands too.

But, no entry would be complete without my iPod’s ten latest pleasures:

1. "Everything You Can Think" by Tom Waits
2. "Hey" by the Pixies
3. "What Jail Is Like" by the Afghan Whigs
4. "Alright" by Guided By Voices
5. "Nighttime Gals" by Ryan Adams
6. "I Remember You" by the Ramones
7. "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy
8. "Arrow To My Drunken Eye" by the Geraldine Fibbers
9. "Search and Destroy" by Iggy & the Stooges
10. "Recycled Air" by the Postal Service.

How's My Eyeliner?

2005-10-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

What is wrong with punk rock? I was watching MTV2 this morning, which I know is a bad idea, but I was doing it anyway. And on comes My Chemical Romance and that video where it’s some kind of USO dance and the song is really horrible. You know what I’m talking about. And I’m thinking, why don’t bands like My Chemical Romance and AFI and Good Charlotte and whomever else spend more time writing songs than doing their make up and selecting their outfits. I mean, these bands make Blink-182 look edgy.

But what is up with all these "punk" or "goth" bands that are really just pop bands with some kind of Hot Topic extreme makeover. These bands were designed specifically to appeal to young girls who find Avril Lavigne, while empowering, a little too mellow. They want cute boys singing songs that make them feel that they are not alone when mommy and daddy make them do their homework or won’t let them stay up late to watch Supernatural on the WB. I’m not saying you need to be ugly to be valid, and some great bands have had some great-looking frontmen. I mean David Bowie didn't run from the make-up chair, but when you suck and all you have going for you is some cool looking frontman, then something is wrong.

Punk rock used to be a refuge for geeks and losers, now it has been appropriated by jocks and cheerleaders. No wonder Kurt Cobain killed himself.

Here is a short list of great punk bands that would never have been noticed if everything depended on how cute their lead singer was:

1. Dead Kennedy’s – Jello Biafra
2. Husker Du – Bob Mould and Grant Hart
3. Minutemen – D. Boon
4. Adolescents – Tony Cadena
5. Descendents – Milo
6. Sex Pistols – Johnny Rotten
7. Germs – Darby Crash
8. The Cramps – Lux Interior
9. Circle Jerks – Keith Morris
10. Fear – Lee Ving

While I go and simmer down, here is the 10 last songs played on my iPod:

1. "Coney Island" by Death Cab For Cutie
2. "Hybrid Moments" by the Misfits
3. "Poison & Pain" by Ryan Adams
4. "I Want To Conquer the World" by Bad Religion
5. "In The City" by The Jam
6. "Brand New Love" by Sebadoh
7. "Date to Church" by the Replacements
8. "Brass Buttons" by Gram Parsons
9. "Portable Men’s Society" by Guided By Voices
10. "Here Comes Sickness" by Mudhoney

Robert Pollard's Music From "Bubble"

2005-10-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I stayed home from work with what could possibly be Avian Flu, Monkey Pox or just the sniffles. I’m never sure. The high point of an otherwise dull convalescence (other than catching up on season one of Lost) was the arrival from Luna Records of Music from "Bubble" by Robert Pollard.

For those of you who haven’t been keeping up, Bubble is the latest film from Steven Soderberg, who is a longtime fan of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices. In fact, Soderberg used another Pollard composition over the closing credits of Full Frontal. So, when working on his latest film, Soderberg commissioned Pollard to compose music. And the music has been released as a six song CD.

First impressions, a great post-GBV release. Two of the four tunes, "Boring About" and "Search-light Pickups" are instrumental, both simple acoustic guitar- based pieces that actually scream for some kind of magical Pollard vocal melody. But no such luck.

The release kicks off with "All Men Are Freezing" a great mid-tempo tune that is reminiscent of the last few GBV releases with the great kiss-off lyric "For all you’ve done/I will miss you anyway."

Next is the first of two versions of "747 Ego," the second being "747 Ego (Oh Yeah)." Both start with "Take Me To the River" drums and go into great dirty guitars and could very well be the "big rock" sound Pollard has been seeking for years. The "Oh Yeah" version is the superior version thanks to some great backing vocals.

"I’m No Child," the remaining song from the release is probably the most peculiar with Pollard singing in a high and sometimes uncomfortable vocal register. One gets the feeling that the song could collapse under the effort. But by time you get through to the end, you feel as though you may have witnessed possibly one of the greatest moments in a catalog of songs that has had many great moments.

Music from "Bubble" is further proof of the songwriting prowess of Robert Pollard. With From A Compound Eye scheduled for release on Merge next year, the two new post-GBV releases from Pollard demonstrate that this master songwriter has still got the gift.

And, speaking of staying power, here are the ten last songs my iPod played:

1. "Trampled Rose" by Tom Waits
2. "Henry Lee" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
3. "Too Tough To Die" by the Ramones
4. "I Let Love In" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
5. "Simple Stuff" by Echo & the Bunnymen
6. "She Said She Said" by the Beatles
7. "Dead Cloud" by Guided By Voices
8. "I Was a Kaleidoscope" by Death Cab For Cutie
9. "We Are The Dead" by David Bowie
10. "Clampdown" by The Clash

Do You Remember Husker Du?

2005-10-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

What is going on with the Husker Du catalog? I read an interview with Grant Hart a while ago in which he said that he believe the SST albums were now in the bands possession and they were thinking about doing some nice reissues through, possibly, Warners or Rhino. His only stipulation was that Greg Norton get his fair cut of the profits.

So what is going on? When I look at what a good job Ryko did with the Meat Puppets catalog, I salivate, knowing what is locked away in the Husker Du vaults. Every album had a handful of outtakes and they did several studio sessions prior to Everything Falls Apart. I mean, Metal Circus was, at one point, going to be a proper length album.

A lot of this stuff has circulated on bootlegs but to have nice, clean sources, as well as nicely remastered versions of the proper albums would be great.

Husker Du was one of the best American bands of all time and their legacy needs to be better preserved. I loved what Rhino did with Everything Falls Apart. Now if only we can see sterling remasters of Metal Circus, Zen Arcade, New Day Rising, Flip Your Wig and Candy Apple Grey and Warehouse. And just to be complete, fix up Land Speed Record for the obsessives. I think I listened to this once and haven’t touched it since.

So many mediocre bands get the reissue treatment, let’s take care of the masters.

And speaking of taking care of the masters, here is what my iPod has been playing:

1. "Let the Distance Bring Us Together" by Bright Eyes and Britt Daniel
2. "St. Andrew’s Hall" by Blind Melon
3. "Rape Me" by Nirvana (Paramount Theatre)
4. "A Circle of One" by Lemonheads
5. "Mild Child" by the Shins
6. "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" by the Breeders
7. "Till the Morning Comes" by the Grateful Dead
8. "Beast For Thee" by Superwolf
9. "For Liberty" by Guided By Voices
10. "High Voltage" by AC/DC

Heard You Missed Me. Well, I'm Back.

2005-10-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, it’s been a few days, five days to be exact, since my last post. But while I have been idle, I have not been lazy. I had a three-day weekend. Spent most of my time catching up on some television and setting up my new computer and just enjoying some time.

(While I’m thinking about my computer, can anyone explain how to install Mafia? I insert the second disc and it won’t even read it. Apparently, a lot of people have this same problem, but if anyone out there can help, I would like to play.)

So, anyway, my birthday is coming up and I was thinking of some reissues I would like.

1. Children of Nuggets – I have the other two editions of this series and have been mighty impressed and look forward to hearing the next generation. I have already asked my wife for this release.

2. Talking Heads reissues – While I wouldn’t mind have the boxset set of the complete remastered works of the Talking Heads, all I really need is the first five albums. I have very little interest in Little Creatures, True Stories or Naked. But the first five are amazing and everyone should own them. The only problem is the box is out, while the individual albums won’t be released until the new year. What is one to do?

3. Sonic Youth Goo deluxe edition – What can I say? I love Sonic Youth and love these deluxe editions. Dirty was a great start, but I really look forward to deluxe reissues of Daydream Nation and Sister.

See, the problem with shopping for me is that I buy most things I want as soon as they come out, especially new releases. I’ve already got the new Death Cab For Cutie, and the new Fiona Apple, and the new Franz Ferdinand, and the new Guided By Voices box set should be waiting on my doorstep tonight, and the "Bubble" soundtrack is on it’s way, and I am horrible to shop for.

That is the long and the short of it. In the meantime, here is what my iPod is playing:

1. "Breed" by Nirvana
2. "Lime House" by the Breeders
3. "Retard Girl" by Hole
4. "I Got You" by Jeff Tweedy (Lounge Ax 2/20/99)
5. "Be My Angel" by Mazzy Star
6. "Look Back In Anger" by David Bowie
7. "Round the Bend" by Beck
8. "Been a Son" by Nirvana (Paramount Theatre)
9. "Blinding Sun" by Mudhoney
10. "Give Me Some Truth" by John Lennon

Comparing Apple to Apple

2005-10-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Without being one of the privileged who downloaded the Jon Brion version of the third Fiona Apple album, I will have to judge the release (as released) on its own merits.

Extraordinary Machine is a great album! With a campy playfulness, the title track kicks things off wonderfully. Immediately evident is the fact that, while the acerbic wit of the artist remains intact, the simmering anger has dissipated. The title track is self-deprecating, smug and giddily transcendent with a buoyant and carnivalesque sound.

Apple has grown a lot in the six years since When the Pawn…, but has lost none of her punch. "Parting Gift" is a dark and brooding as anything of her earlier releases and just as satisfying. "Window" is a telling vision of the search for perspective while "Better Version of Me" is an exultant ode to personal growth. And, to the critics of the Elizondo mixes, "Please Please Please, may just be the artist’s response.

On Extraordinary Machine Apple takes chances unheard of on her previous albums. Her vocal flourishes do nothing to diminish the power of her voice, which has always been her most rewarding instrument. It may not be her masterwork, and maybe the Jon Brion mixes are preferable, but this album proves that Fiona Apple is an artist with a unique and compelling vision.

And speaking of extraordinary machines, this is what my iPod is playing:

1. "Office of Hearts" by Guided By Voices
2. "Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple
3. "We’re Desperate" by X
4. "I Would For You" by Jane’s Addiction
5. "Claudine" by the Geraldine Fibbers
6. "Success" by Iggy Pop
7. "Green Arrow" by Yo La Tengo
8. "Dream Scream" by Daniel Johnston
9. "Rollover D.J." by Jet
10. "Devilock" by Misfits

Good Enough, Mr. Adams

2005-10-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

I first fell in love with Ryan Adam’s music when I heard his first solo album, Heartbreaker. It was immediately on the top of my playlist. It was one of those perfect albums that makes you wish you could create something worthwhile. From the jubilant barn-burner "To Be Young" to the painful "AMY," it was a masterpiece.

And ever since then I have eagerly looked forward to each new release from Mr. Adams, only to be disappointed. Maybe it was the thrill of the first exposure to his music, but everything since pales in comparison. And maybe that isn’t fair. Does previous greatness, invalidate future accomplishment? How do you transcend a masterwork?

Gold was a decent but middling follow-up; a little too Van Morrison by way of the Counting Crows. Demolition was nothing more than it was billed: a hastily assembled collection of songs from various recording sessions. Love Is Hell was a little too morose, and Rock n’ Roll was a little too trite. Cold Roses was okay, especially if you like Working Man’s Dead/American Beauty-era Grateful Dead. All of these releases have their moments, but generally they seem a bit overproduced and a little too earnest. I wouldn’t be the first person to say Adams has spent too much time reading his own press.

But that being said, the advance press regarding Jacksonville City Nights was eager, enthusiastic and encouraging. It was called a return to form (whatever that means) and a sign of progress from an artist who had seemed to be floundering for the last few years. So, once again, I eagerly anticipated this new album, looking forward to that first flush, that giddy revelatory moment.

And once again, I got a halfway decent album from a musician I once had the highest hopes for. Now, this isn’t to say Jacksonville isn’t a good album: it is. It is better than 99% of the crap on country radio. Better than most of Mr. Adams output. Stand out cuts include the upbeat "The Hardest Part" and the swinging "My Heart Is Broken" and "Trains." The honky-tonk opener "A Kiss Before I Go" is balanced well by the closing "Don’t Fail Me Now," a funeral dirge that would have fit nicely on The Boatman’s Call by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

A lot of attention will be paid to "Dear John," a mournful duet with Norah Jones, but ultimately this may be the weakest link on the album. "September" is a much stronger ballad and a stronger performance, and not much else on the album can compare with the naked vulnerability of "Silver Bullets."

Ultimately, it is a good record and maybe that is what I need to reconcile myself to: good can be good enough.

And this is what is good enough for my iPod:

1. "She Fell Away" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
2. "Again the Waterloo" by Go Back Snowball
3. "Dizzy Miss Lizzie" by the Beatles
4. "Pendulum" by Guided By Voices
5. "Swallow My Pride" by Soundgarden
6. "Rudderless" by the Lemonheads
7. "Act Naturally" by the Beatles
8. "This Is A Call" by the Foo Fighters
9. "At the Farms" by Guided By Voices
10. "The Rain Won’t Help You When It’s Over" by Whiskeytown

A Quick One While I'm Away

2005-09-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a few days and I haven't had time to ruminate on anything. Too busy at work, too tired at home, but I didn't want to ignore my responsibilities. With that being said, I am looking forward to hearing the new Ryan Adams album and next week's Fiona Apple. When I get a chance, I will let you know what I think about both.

In the mean time, this is what my iPod is playing:

1. "Maggie Turns to Flies" by Robert Pollard
2. "Heliotrope" by the Geraldine Fibbers
3. "Though I Know She Lies" by Chris Bell
4. "Interest Positions" by Guided By Voices
5. "Ball of Twine" by Louis XIV
6. "Brass Buttons" by Gram Parsons
7. "Sunrise, Sunset" by Bright Eyes
8. "Sweet Sunshine" by Sonic Youth
9. "Frail and Bedazzled" by Smashing Pumpkins
10. "Recovering" by Robert Pollard

Interesting juxtaposition of "Sunrise, Sunset" and "Sweet Sunshine."

Also, #10, "Recovering," is from the forthcoming Robert Pollard album From A Compound Eye, one of his strongest releases in years. When it comes out next year, buy it. I will probably review it before its release.

Premature Compilation

2005-09-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

For years, a friend of mine, Greg Dwinnell of Eggbert Records, organized an annual Top Ten list. He would collect Top Ten lists from everyone he knew and then tabulate the results. He would publish the tabulations and the individual lists in Yeah Yeah Yeah magazine and also send a print out to everyone involved. And because Greg was Greg, he would get amazing contributions from such luminaries as Elvis Costello, John Easdale, Kristian Hoffman, and many others including me. It was always fun to see who picked what and what the resulting collective Top Ten would be.

Sadly, Greg has passed on. He lost his battle with cancer at a very young age. I haven't worried too much about a Top Ten list since he passed.

But suddenly, I was looking at my CD collection and was thinking that this hasn't been much of a year, so far for music. And then I decided to figure out my Top Ten for 2005, so far. Of course this might change in the next three months. Maybe the next Ryan Adams album will be listenable, or I hope the new Fiona Apple lives up the the anticipation, and what will the "Bubble" soundtrack by Robert Pollard sound like?

But for now, this is what I have (in no particular order):

1. Beck "Guero"
2. Bright Eyes "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning"
3. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds "Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus"
4. Death Cab For Cutie "Plans"
5. Bob Dylan "No Direction Home"
6. Spoon "Gimme Fiction"
7. Louis XIV "The Best Little Secrets Are Kept"
8. Stephen Malkmus "Face the Truth"
9. White Stripes "Get Behind Me Satan"
10. The New Pornographers "Twin Cinema"

I know this isn't the most revolutionary list, but it is what I have been enjoying this year.

With that being said, this is what my iPod has been enjoying:

1. "Kings of the Wild Frontier" by Adam & the Ants
2. "Criminal" by Fiona Apple
3. "Sins of My Father" by Tom Waits
4. "Floating Friends" by Archers of Loaf
5. "Wild Thing" by X
6. "I Need You" by the Muffs
7. "This Is The New Shit" by Marilyn Manson
8. "The End of the End of the Ugly" by Sonic Youth
9. "Burning Too" by Fugazi
10. "What I See" by Black Flag

Not much new there, but it does have a mind of its own.

Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time?

2005-09-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

My love affair with music began in the fourth grade. And while there is plenty of amazing music out there, certain albums have, to use a cliché, blown my mind, sending me off in directions I never expected. Like a lightning bolt from above or a grand revelation, occasionally, if we are lucky, music can change our lives.

The following list isn’t necessarily complete or final and it is not intended to be a Top Ten list but it is a good history of music that somehow, someway shook me up.

Kiss "Alive" – ‘nuff said. Super heroes with guitars.

David Bowie "Diamond Dogs" – In the fifth grade, a friend called and said he’d found a stash of Playboy magazines in his garage. Once I showed up, he instead pulled out a copy of "Diamond Dogs." I thought I had been tricked. Of course, he also had the magazines, so we listened to the album while enjoying his father’s secret stash.

Pink Floyd "The Wall" – I could sing this album all the way through. It seemed to say everything that need to be said, at the time.

Dead Kennedys "Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables" – First heard "I Kill Children" during a Christian "evils of rock music" sermon. Was immediately hooked. "God told me to skin you alive," indeed.

Black Flag "Jealous Again" – Still one of the best slabs of American hardcore in only five songs. What 15-year-old hasn’t screamed "Why can’t I do anything without being yelled at?"

The Clash "London Calling" – Probably my all time favorite record (if I have to choose).

The Cure "Let’s Go To Bed" – While not an album (this single was later part of the Japanese Whispers collection), when I first heard the Cure I was hooked. Of course, they have pretty much sucked since "Head On The Door," but that is another story.

Husker Du "Candy Apple Grey" – While I ultimately prefer "New Day Rising," this was my first exposure to an amazing band.

Nirvana "Bleach" – Due to some word-of-mouth buzz, I mail ordered this album on vinyl and was immediately hooked. Still prefer it to "Nevermind," but I think "In Utero" is my favorite.

Guided By Voices "Bee Thousand" – Masterpiece. This album began my love affair with everything Robert Pollard has produced. While not everything lives up to the lofty standards of this release, he still writes some amazing stuff and I always look forward to what is coming next.

And some may say it is sad that nothing has blown my mind since 1994, but maybe that is a product (dare I say it) of age. There is plenty of great music out there but I don’t know if it has the same importance at 30 as it did at 9 or 12 or 17 or 23. Or maybe I am being too hard on everything from the last ten years. Maybe I am jaded. Should Beck, or the White Stripes, or Death Cab For Cutie or Bright Eyes, or The Shins have blown my mind? I don’t know. But maybe the next important record is just around the corner. I know one thing, I’ll keep looking.

So with that being said, what is blowing my iPod’s mind?

1. "Divide & Conquer" by Husker Du
2. "Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing" by the Minutemen
3. "I Know Where The Summer Goes" by Belle & Sebastian
4. "Me-Jane" by PJ Harvey
5. "Uncomplicated" by Elvis Costello
6. "Moonshiner" by Uncle Tupelo
7. "Lick and a Promise" by Aerosmith
8. "Lay It Down Clown" by the Replacements
9. "The Wait" by Metallica
10. "Ms. Wrong" by That Dog

The Kings of the Stone Age

2005-09-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I picked up the self-titled release by Black Mountain. Driving home from Amoeba Records, I put the highly-anticipated disc into my CD player and was … disappointed. "Modern Music," the first track on the disc sounded like a mix of Kings of Leon and Jim Carrol, but kind of dumb. I ejected the disc and listened to Public Image instead.

But then I gave the disc a second listen, and I liked it. After the first song, it gets really good. Black Mountain are an interesting pastiche of influences that they are not afraid to flaunt. From the Tony Iommi guitar riff on "Don’t Run Our Hearts Around," to the Velvet Underground strum of "No Satisfaction," Black Mountain are masters of a distinct breed of rock that other bands such as Queens of the Stone Age can only dream of attempting.

Vocalist Stephen McBeam’s voice is remniscent of Lou Reed while remaining unique, while Amber Webber comfortably echoes Polly Harvey and, maybe, Chan Marshall, especially during her solo performance on "Heart of Stone."

Part of the Canadian music collective that spawned Jerk With A Bomb and Pink Mountaintops, Black Mountain prove that The New Pornographers aren’t the only indie supergroup to come from the great white north.

And, while I recommend Black Mountain, here is what my iPod is pushing:

1. "Wish" by Nine Inch Nails
2. "Lovey Dovey" by Local H
3. "Long Distance Man" by Guided By Voices
4. "I'll Be Your Sister" by Superchunk
5. "I Found A Reason" by the Velvet Underground
6. "Stranded On Death Row" by Dr. Dre
7. "The Air Near My Fingers" by the White Stripes
8. "Baba O'Riley" by The Who
9. "Timothy" by Jet
10. "Let It Bleed" by the Rolling Stones

Thank you, and good day.

After all this, won't you give me a smile?

2005-09-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

A popular personality litmus test is to ask someone what his or her favorite thing is. Their favorite book, movie, record, or band. I’ve always kind of shrugged off these kinds of questions since most of the time it depends on mood and time of day.

Favorite group has always been somewhat easy since I’ve obsessed over certain bands for years. Basically, in order, my favorite bands have included Kiss, Black Flag, U2, The Cure, Husker Du, Nirvana, and finally Guided By Voices. Now that GBV are kaput, I should qualify GBV as "Robert Pollard and all associated projects."

But like favorite movie or book, favorite album can be a very difficult question. You can wake up everyday with a different favorite album. But in response to this very question by my stepdaughter, I have thought long and hard and have come up with a very real answer: London Calling by the Clash.

Now the Clash has never been my favorite band. Top ten probably, but never my favorite band, but this album may be my all time favorite record.

And my reasons follow.

I had heard the Clash’s debut album sometime in the early ‘80’s and when Combat Rock came out in 1982, they were everywhere, but the band still hadn’t completely click. However, the summer before my junior year in high school, 1983, I spent almost everyday driving around in my friend Chris’ Chevy Chevette listening to London Calling. The album was the soundtrack to that summer simply because it was stuck in the tape player. I remember that there was no air conditioning in the car since our other friend Tony had cut the power when installing Chris’ tape deck, but we had London Calling.

And the album has stuck. I love the Clash but their first album hasn’t quite aged that well. Give ‘Em Enough Rope still rocks but is flawed. Sandinista is just too bloated and unfocused. And Combat Rock, while really damn good, isn’t a great conclusion to a great band. London Calling is really the only album that matters by what has been called the only band that matters.

From the lock-step guitars at the beginning on "London Calling" to the jubilant pop of "Train in Vain" a better album has not been made. Other stand out cuts include the ragged "Brand New Cadillac," the wistful "Lost in the Supermarket," and Paul Simonon’s defiant "Guns of Brixton."

Ultimately, I decided this was my favorite album simply because over the past 20 plus years, a month has not gone by where I haven’t listened to this album either partially or totally. It still sounds as fresh as it did when I first listened to it all the way through in 1983. So maybe that is what it takes: name an album that after 20 years of regular listening, you still look forward to hearing again.

But before we go, here is what the iPod is thinking today:

1. "Faulty Times" by Black Mountain
2. "Come Back to Camden" by Morrissey
3. "Motion Picture Soundtrack" by Radiohead
4. "Tropicalia" by Beck
5. "Junk Bonds" by Sebadoh
6. "Unreflected" by Mazzy Star
7. "Exploding Anthills" by Guided By Voices
8. "Fun Time" by Peter Murphy
9. "Kingpin" by Wilco
10. "Dreams Told By Mofo" by the Minutemen

New Music Sunday

2005-09-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

Spending a lazy Sunday afternoon at home. I drove up to Hollywood this morning to shop at Amoeba on Sunset. Picked up the Black Mountain album, the new Calexico/Iron & Wine CD, two Replacements discs ("Tim" and "Please to Meet Me"), the Stooges "Fun House" reissue, Descendents "All," the Damned "Damned Damned Damned," and Public Image Ltd. "First Issue." As you can tell I was on a sort of retro mood. On my list, which they didn't have in stock were the CDs by Art Brut and the Hazard Hotrods.

And just so we don't forget, here are the last 10 songs played on my iPod:

1. "Severed Lips" by the Blake Babies
2. "Children of the Damned" by Iron Maiden
3. "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan
4. "Long Snake Moon" by PJ Harvey
5. "Code Blue" by T.S.O.L.
6. "Mind Games" by John Lennon
7. "The Game" by Love & Rockets
8. "Master of Puppets" by Metallica
9. "Fall Down Easy" by Uncle Tupelo
10. "Nike-a-Go-Go" by the Misfits

(You try juxtaposing T.S.O.L. and John Lennon.)

Even my iPod is in a retro mood. But just in case you think I am one of those guys whose favorite band is still, like, The Police or whatever they liked in high school, some recent artists I listen to include Death Cab For Cutie, Interpol, Sufjan Stevens, The New Pornographers and Bright Eyes. The last concert I went to was the New Pornographers, and before that it was Beck. So, I ain't dead yet.

Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out my way around the purpose of this blog, but expect some reviews of new CDs, some recommendations on old CDs, top 10 lists, some stories of my retail past and, of course, what my iPod is thinking.

So, until next time, don't be such an idiot.

Welcome to recordjerk!

2005-09-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

I worked 14 years in record stores, 3 in a mom & pop and eleven at a major record retailer. I love music but customers drove me up the wall. Thus I was as much of a jerk as a I was a clerk, so I was a "recordjerk." But most customers are stupid and I can't help that.

Anyway, with the digital music revolution, I have embraced the new style and spend too much time listening and loading my iPod. I have a couple of thousand CDs and have put most of them on my iPod. One thing I notice when listening to songs on shuffle, my iPod has moods. I know it is just a electronic device, but sometimes it is amazing the string of songs it compiles. Just to get an idea of what I am talking about and what I like, here are the last 10 songs that came up on my iPod (set to shuffle):

1. "Slate" by Uncle Tupelo
2. "All Things Must Pass" by George Harrison
3. "Boogie With Stu" by Led Zeppelin
4. "We're Desperate" by X
5. "*******" by the Flaming Lips
6. "Saint Simon" by The Shins
7. "Silver and Gold" by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
8. "Acoustic Guitar" by Magnetic Fields
9. "Cirrus Minor" by Pink Floyd
10. "Jealous Guy" by John Lennon

Go figure out what this means.

I will check back in to see what my iPod is thinking about, but those are some of the 9,000+ songs I have on my 3rd generation, 40GB iPod.