Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Let's go
OK, Jim, Bill and Bob - I'm getting itchy to get ensconced in the new digs with you guys and start committing things to tape. Time's a wasting.
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Sunday, August 19, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Very Interesting
Michael Tilson Thomas interviews James Brown. A musician interviewing a musician, so it's not the normal "Remember when you were in the Beatles? That was awesome" stuff.
Link to MTT page
Direct link to interview
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Friday, August 17, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Target
Went to Target tonight for undershirts, and had a little time to kill so I thought I'd see if they have tobacco pipe supplies and accessories. I was pretty sure they wouldn't and I didn't want to waste my time walking around looking, so I approached a not so clean-cut young man wearing the standard uniform, red shirt and tan pants, and inquired about pipes, filters, cleaners, etc. Oh yeah, and I have my kids with me, standing right there beside me. Mr Young Target Employee says (channeling Spicoli) "Oh dude, we don't carry that stuff here - you're gonna want to go to a head shop, and there aren't any around here. Are you familiar with Uptown? Cause there's like a bunch of head shops in Uptown, like the Fetus....(rattles off list) - so I'd try that." I really didn't know what to say - if I correct him then he will feel dumb x2 because he totally misread what I was asking for AND he had just revealed himself as a total stoner. So I didn't, I figured later that night if he thought about it he'd realize he might have said the wrong thing and it would eat at him, maybe even bug the shit out of him. Or if it was me that's what I'd do. So I just said "OK, thanks for the info." "Hey good luck, man." As we walked away my son says "Hey dad, what's so funny?"
Friday, August 10, 2007
Shared
The Victims
The victims of the 35W bridge collapse were like a representative cross section of Minnesota, and that seems to make the randomness of it more real. It wasn't people I would never meet, and they weren't all from some far off place I don't know anything about. They were us. I think we all share their grief, and I take some comfort in that. I hope they do too.
The Gift
You can't always tell right away when someone has it - sometimes people get lucky and write one great song - but now and then even a monkey will draw something that looks like a face. Anyway today I heard Breaxxbaxx by Land of Talk on the radio and I really liked it so I picked up their LP Applause Cheer Boo Hiss. And they have it, in gold flashing letters with a cherry on top. What's going on with the Canadians? All the cool music is coming from up north right now.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
The Collapse
I have crossed this bridge more times than I can count, from back when I was a prep cook at the Ediner at the Pavilion mall til yesterday. I've always hated it, because the guard rails are so short I felt like I could go flying off. And it was a long way down. Every time I've ever crossed a bridge in my life I've felt a pang of fear that it could collapse. Just one of those irrational fears, like the elevator thing. Just before it fell, at 6:02, I was in my car listening to Richard Hell on the Current, a song I've never heard before. Then I stopped to pick up my son at his martial arts class. I was trying to get him to pack his things and get going - he was talking to some other kids about a Pokemon game for his Nintendo. I stared at a bizarre formless tattoo on the arm of a woman there. Right then......boom. Richard Hell. Tattoo. How many people on that bridge were listening to The Current at that moment? Listening to Richard Hell? Or was it Money Mark, the next song? (I don't know exactly when it collapsed) Have you ever worried that you might die in your car while listening to a song you hate? I have. What a horrible thought - imagine that the last song you hear is by 38 Special. But the thing I take away from this - pay attention. Listen to every sound, absorb every sight, breathe in every scent, live in the moment - you never know which moment will be your last. And please, God, when it's my turn, don't make me die listening to 38 Special.
Keep Moving
Keep Moving by Ivy has a lovely, satisfying bass part. Adam Schlesinger's tone, the way he locks in with the kick, the spaces between notes.....perfect. It's not a bass "part", it's simply a song component.