That's right. After more than four years of stubbornly clinging to my comfort zone, I've given in and upgraded to Windows XP.
No, not Vista. XP.
My custom built machine suffered an awful crash on Tuesday morning that made it impossible for me to launch just about any non-Microsoft application. To make matters worse, my Windows 2000 disc had some scratches on it that made it impossible to run a new installation. Worse still, my old system was corrupted to the point where I couldn't even run the Windows XP CD to do a standard upgrade and migration of my user settings and applications, so I had no choice but to boot up with the CD and install XP anew.
So now I am re-installing applications and drivers bit by bit, as needed. I'm just glad it happened after I had already completed the Ornette guide for Popdose...
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The Popdose Guide to Ornette Coleman is here!
Head over to popdose.com and check out the Popdose Guide to Ornette Coleman. Fifty years and nearly 40 albums covered... with about as many recordings to hear. It's the first guide I've written for the newly minted Popdose, with more to come. Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
A small delay
Today was the expected day for my debut on Popdose. However, the length of the piece made editing and formatting a bit more difficult than anticipated. Plus, today's excellent guide to Material Issue was already done, and it was an ear opener for me. I had never heard them before, and it turns out they were another band with a tragic ending and since I'm drawn to those stories for some odd reason, it made for a good read. Plus the music's pretty excellent. Go check it out.
So next Tuesday it will be. Reserve some time because you'll need about 4 hours to hear all the music accompanying the guide...
So next Tuesday it will be. Reserve some time because you'll need about 4 hours to hear all the music accompanying the guide...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Bursting out the gate: Popdose, reviews (of course), and more
In which the new year gets off to a running start...
Popdose launched on January 1 as the new, improved, much more content intensive second coming of jefitoblog. Some of my fellow Bullz Eye writers have been contributing regularly, while unfortunately my current circumstances only allot me enough time to be an occasional contributor. I just finished my first contribution, which should probably be running next week. I was asked to write what would have been a "Complete Idiot's Guide" in the past, but what is now a "Popdose guide," to the catalog of the artist who, among other things, was a recipient of both a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award and the Pulitzer Prize in music last year. It's a long one, so short attention spans need not apply. Stay tuned...
- - -
Meanwhile, I have three new reviews up on Bullz Eye (actually they're 5 days old now, but who's counting?):
The Brother Kite's new The Moonlit Race EP contains one of my favorite songs from last year, an alternate mix of the title track of their second album, Waiting For The Time To Be Right. Every fan of Pet Sounds era Beach Boys needs to hear this one!
I included the Spring Heeled Jacks Original Swinging Jass Band's first album The Dicky Comstock Show in my top ten album picks of 2007, but didn't get around to submitting a full review of the record till after the first of the year. It's an amazing album, musically diverse, well produced and arranged, and the price is right too.
My review of Leigh Marble's Red Tornado prompted the first artist response to one of my reviews, where Marble called me on misquoting one of his lyrics. The misquote has since been corrected.
- - -
I have one new review in Performer this month:
The Purrs' The Chemistry That Keeps Us Together turned out to be my favorite album reviewed for Performer to date. They sound like drunk yet disciplined Americans who have a thing for the same British influences of the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Big difference though is that The Purrs can write concise, catchy, fully formed pop songs. I'm very curious now to hear their live show.
- - -
And it looks like I'll be playing music again as well as writing about it, getting back into the bass groove in a new band workshop, starting on Saturday. Which means another performance coming up in late March or early April.
- - -
Finally, on a non-musical related note, I'm scratching my head over the fact that it took a chance stroll through a Waldenbooks during my recent trip back East to discover What Color Is Your Parachute? Seems nearly everyone knew about it except me! OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but the number of people who have responded "oh yeah, the classic" when I tell them what I recently read has astounded me. How is it that nobody ever recommended it to me before? No matter, I found it at the right time, and the exercises have begun. My goal now is to have my own personal strategic plan in place by mid-year. And then, the real action shall begin!
Popdose launched on January 1 as the new, improved, much more content intensive second coming of jefitoblog. Some of my fellow Bullz Eye writers have been contributing regularly, while unfortunately my current circumstances only allot me enough time to be an occasional contributor. I just finished my first contribution, which should probably be running next week. I was asked to write what would have been a "Complete Idiot's Guide" in the past, but what is now a "Popdose guide," to the catalog of the artist who, among other things, was a recipient of both a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award and the Pulitzer Prize in music last year. It's a long one, so short attention spans need not apply. Stay tuned...
- - -
Meanwhile, I have three new reviews up on Bullz Eye (actually they're 5 days old now, but who's counting?):
The Brother Kite's new The Moonlit Race EP contains one of my favorite songs from last year, an alternate mix of the title track of their second album, Waiting For The Time To Be Right. Every fan of Pet Sounds era Beach Boys needs to hear this one!
I included the Spring Heeled Jacks Original Swinging Jass Band's first album The Dicky Comstock Show in my top ten album picks of 2007, but didn't get around to submitting a full review of the record till after the first of the year. It's an amazing album, musically diverse, well produced and arranged, and the price is right too.My review of Leigh Marble's Red Tornado prompted the first artist response to one of my reviews, where Marble called me on misquoting one of his lyrics. The misquote has since been corrected. - - -
I have one new review in Performer this month:
The Purrs' The Chemistry That Keeps Us Together turned out to be my favorite album reviewed for Performer to date. They sound like drunk yet disciplined Americans who have a thing for the same British influences of the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Big difference though is that The Purrs can write concise, catchy, fully formed pop songs. I'm very curious now to hear their live show.- - -
And it looks like I'll be playing music again as well as writing about it, getting back into the bass groove in a new band workshop, starting on Saturday. Which means another performance coming up in late March or early April.
- - -
Finally, on a non-musical related note, I'm scratching my head over the fact that it took a chance stroll through a Waldenbooks during my recent trip back East to discover What Color Is Your Parachute? Seems nearly everyone knew about it except me! OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but the number of people who have responded "oh yeah, the classic" when I tell them what I recently read has astounded me. How is it that nobody ever recommended it to me before? No matter, I found it at the right time, and the exercises have begun. My goal now is to have my own personal strategic plan in place by mid-year. And then, the real action shall begin!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Flashback: laughing into the new year, Bee Gees style
Happy New Year, one and all!
2007 was a brain blast, for sure. I lost count of how many people have said to me that 2007 just plain sucked. As for myself, I'd say it was about half great, half not-so-great. I've had better years, but I've had worse too. Fortunately, the year was bookended with fun new year's parties. This year's party, at my friend Brian's new house in Westerly, RI, even had a theme drink: "2007 sucked nuts," which consisted of Bailey's Irish Creme, Kahlua, almonds and cinnamon in a shot glass. The party was also my opportunity to finally try out this Guitar Hero video game that I've heard so much about. It took a negative perspective on a musicology group blog to really get me primed to try it, and in the end, I felt it was just another game with a shiny surface. Real guitar actually felt easier to me, and more rewarding in the end. But I can't say the game wasn't fun.
On the way to the party, I was listening to the Bee Gees, which is something I've been doing a lot lately. Mostly pre-disco, mind you. The disco stuff is great too, but Mr. Natural and Odessa are my favorite albums these days. Which got me to thinking...
...back in December of 1993, Howard Stern was hyping this great big pay-per-view television event he dubbed "New Year's Rotten Eve." Doug, being the biggest Stern fan I know, bought the program and invited his closest friends over for a fun night of watching Stern's outrageous parade of goons make asses of themselves on national television. There was a mock beauty pageant, and one of the celebrity judges drafted for the event was none other than John Bobbitt.
Bobbitt, of course, was the guy whose wife Lorena chopped off his penis. So, Howard being Howard, had to not only have Bobbitt as a celebrity judge, but also used the occasion to make lots of penis jokes. The best of these jokes he orchestrated, in my humble opinion -- the one that still makes me belly laugh -- was having the Bee Gees sing the funniest version of their '60s hit "To Love Somebody" that we're ever likely to hear. And joy of joys, it's on youtube! Actually, the whole 4:25 bit surrounding Bobbitt's member is there, so if that's too much joking about severed genitalia for you, simply skip over to 3:19 for the Bee Gees bit.
I guarantee you will never hear "To Love Somebody" the same way again!
2007 was a brain blast, for sure. I lost count of how many people have said to me that 2007 just plain sucked. As for myself, I'd say it was about half great, half not-so-great. I've had better years, but I've had worse too. Fortunately, the year was bookended with fun new year's parties. This year's party, at my friend Brian's new house in Westerly, RI, even had a theme drink: "2007 sucked nuts," which consisted of Bailey's Irish Creme, Kahlua, almonds and cinnamon in a shot glass. The party was also my opportunity to finally try out this Guitar Hero video game that I've heard so much about. It took a negative perspective on a musicology group blog to really get me primed to try it, and in the end, I felt it was just another game with a shiny surface. Real guitar actually felt easier to me, and more rewarding in the end. But I can't say the game wasn't fun.
On the way to the party, I was listening to the Bee Gees, which is something I've been doing a lot lately. Mostly pre-disco, mind you. The disco stuff is great too, but Mr. Natural and Odessa are my favorite albums these days. Which got me to thinking...
...back in December of 1993, Howard Stern was hyping this great big pay-per-view television event he dubbed "New Year's Rotten Eve." Doug, being the biggest Stern fan I know, bought the program and invited his closest friends over for a fun night of watching Stern's outrageous parade of goons make asses of themselves on national television. There was a mock beauty pageant, and one of the celebrity judges drafted for the event was none other than John Bobbitt.
Bobbitt, of course, was the guy whose wife Lorena chopped off his penis. So, Howard being Howard, had to not only have Bobbitt as a celebrity judge, but also used the occasion to make lots of penis jokes. The best of these jokes he orchestrated, in my humble opinion -- the one that still makes me belly laugh -- was having the Bee Gees sing the funniest version of their '60s hit "To Love Somebody" that we're ever likely to hear. And joy of joys, it's on youtube! Actually, the whole 4:25 bit surrounding Bobbitt's member is there, so if that's too much joking about severed genitalia for you, simply skip over to 3:19 for the Bee Gees bit.
I guarantee you will never hear "To Love Somebody" the same way again!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Wrappin' up
One last post for '07 is in order before I take off for the holidays.
First, the last couple of pieces of music writing of mine that have run:
- - -
West Coast Performer ran my review of the debut album by L.A. "slamgrass" band Old Bull. Viva la medical marijuana!
And Bullz Eye wraps up '07 with their year-end overview of the best music we surveyed since January. Each music writer submitted his own list, and as it happened, we all had a different number one entry (number one on my list is Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters). A few albums appeared on more than one list, like Radiohead's In Rainbows, the White Stripes' Icky Thump and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand. But for the most part, these lists are all over the place, and fun to read.
- - -
The big rock show to close out '07 for me happened on December 7 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, when Live 105's annual "Not So Silent Night" concert took place. I generally have avoided these big alt-rock package events in recent years, but as a friend had an extra ticket he needed to sell off and the headliner was a band I had wanted to see for at least the past three years, I went for it.
I arrived when Spoon was playing. The quick and dirty lowdown: Spoon put on a good set. Songs didn't stick to the brain, but their sound was excellent, more idiosyncratic (which equals GOOD) than what followed.
And what followed was Angels and Airwaves, the band Blink 182's Tom DeLonge now fronts. I was never a Blink fan. First time I heard them was when I received a promo copy of Dude Ranch when I was in college. My preference for punk then (and now) was the raw, unpolished and often political sound of the genre's first wave. Blink, to me, was always a teenybopper brat band with loud guitars and too much business sense to ever truly carry a punk aesthetic in a credible way. They just sounded too much to me like "product," and not very good product at that. But hey, they made lots of people happy, so more power to 'em. Better them than, say, Savage Garden. Anyway, Angels and Airwaves seemed to elicit the strongest crowd response of all the bands that played that evening. DeLonge was really into the Jesus Christ pose, and his tone of voice really put me off for some reason. He also liked to talk a lot, and referenced Blink a few times but never by name, as here in this clip from youtube:
His intention of creating music that expressed feelings and ideas that everyone else was feeling was a grand one, and he seems really sincere in what he's doing... but it wasn't for me. His band is often compared to U2. They've got the big guitars and righteous attitude, but I'm not tossing my copy of Zooropa any time soon.
Jimmy Eat World was next. They were also crowd favorites, and happened to be the only band on the bill that was recognizable to the French couple I hosted at my apartment the following weekend. So it seems they've achieved some reach, even though their star has faded a little. I honestly don't remember much of their set, as I was half nodding off in exhaustion. But it was necessary, so that I would be fully cognizant for the closing set by Modest Mouse.
Modest Mouse's headlining status was entirely deserved, just as it was last year. Their latest album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 upon release this past March. And after something like 13 years together, the band has achieved a sonic identity unlike any other band out there. I've said this numerous times, and now I must put it in print: there's something truly beautiful about seeing a mass of people crowd surfing and moshing to the music of a band that employs the services of a banjo, accordion, stand-up bass, trumpet, two drum sets, and various other percussion instruments, not to mention the obligatory rock guitars, bass and keyboard. Amazingly, the mix of instruments never comes off as hokey or novel, or even excessive. And Isaac Brock's vocals are as unhinged live as they are on record. The only complaint I had was that two of the new songs, "Dashboard" and "Fire It Up," were lacking the fire and excitement of the studio recordings. Something wasn't translating well to the stage with those two. But everything else was pumped up and wild, and holy shit, what a way to open a headlining set with a banjo-driven tune like "Satin in a Coffin" - talk about off the beaten path! They even played "Float On" early in the set, saving an epic-length new song for the closing slot. They confound and delight, and that's my kind of band.
Here's a youtube video of Isaac Brock playing a typically nutty guitar solo during the song "Spitting Venom" at the NSSN show. Nothing fancy, just bent sound from a guy who dresses in a rather plain, not-too-rock n' roll way (kind of like myself):
- - -
Web class ended last month. Where to take the skills now? How to retain them? It's a question I'll be dealing with in the coming weeks.
- - -
2008 will see more writing coming out of me for Performer and Bullz Eye, not to mention the second coming of jefitoblog, now called PopDose and due to launch on January 1.
- - -
And it's also looking like I'll be picking up one of my instruments again for another band workshop in the new year.
- - -
So with that, to shut the door on the overwhelming feeling that's sweeping over me, I will say goodbye to 2007, wish you all a happy Xma$ and a merry goo year, and may we all find some kind of salvation for ourselves, collectively and individually, in the face of increasing demands and desires.
First, the last couple of pieces of music writing of mine that have run:
- - -
West Coast Performer ran my review of the debut album by L.A. "slamgrass" band Old Bull. Viva la medical marijuana!
And Bullz Eye wraps up '07 with their year-end overview of the best music we surveyed since January. Each music writer submitted his own list, and as it happened, we all had a different number one entry (number one on my list is Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters). A few albums appeared on more than one list, like Radiohead's In Rainbows, the White Stripes' Icky Thump and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand. But for the most part, these lists are all over the place, and fun to read.
- - -
The big rock show to close out '07 for me happened on December 7 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, when Live 105's annual "Not So Silent Night" concert took place. I generally have avoided these big alt-rock package events in recent years, but as a friend had an extra ticket he needed to sell off and the headliner was a band I had wanted to see for at least the past three years, I went for it.
I arrived when Spoon was playing. The quick and dirty lowdown: Spoon put on a good set. Songs didn't stick to the brain, but their sound was excellent, more idiosyncratic (which equals GOOD) than what followed.
And what followed was Angels and Airwaves, the band Blink 182's Tom DeLonge now fronts. I was never a Blink fan. First time I heard them was when I received a promo copy of Dude Ranch when I was in college. My preference for punk then (and now) was the raw, unpolished and often political sound of the genre's first wave. Blink, to me, was always a teenybopper brat band with loud guitars and too much business sense to ever truly carry a punk aesthetic in a credible way. They just sounded too much to me like "product," and not very good product at that. But hey, they made lots of people happy, so more power to 'em. Better them than, say, Savage Garden. Anyway, Angels and Airwaves seemed to elicit the strongest crowd response of all the bands that played that evening. DeLonge was really into the Jesus Christ pose, and his tone of voice really put me off for some reason. He also liked to talk a lot, and referenced Blink a few times but never by name, as here in this clip from youtube:
His intention of creating music that expressed feelings and ideas that everyone else was feeling was a grand one, and he seems really sincere in what he's doing... but it wasn't for me. His band is often compared to U2. They've got the big guitars and righteous attitude, but I'm not tossing my copy of Zooropa any time soon.
Jimmy Eat World was next. They were also crowd favorites, and happened to be the only band on the bill that was recognizable to the French couple I hosted at my apartment the following weekend. So it seems they've achieved some reach, even though their star has faded a little. I honestly don't remember much of their set, as I was half nodding off in exhaustion. But it was necessary, so that I would be fully cognizant for the closing set by Modest Mouse.
Modest Mouse's headlining status was entirely deserved, just as it was last year. Their latest album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 upon release this past March. And after something like 13 years together, the band has achieved a sonic identity unlike any other band out there. I've said this numerous times, and now I must put it in print: there's something truly beautiful about seeing a mass of people crowd surfing and moshing to the music of a band that employs the services of a banjo, accordion, stand-up bass, trumpet, two drum sets, and various other percussion instruments, not to mention the obligatory rock guitars, bass and keyboard. Amazingly, the mix of instruments never comes off as hokey or novel, or even excessive. And Isaac Brock's vocals are as unhinged live as they are on record. The only complaint I had was that two of the new songs, "Dashboard" and "Fire It Up," were lacking the fire and excitement of the studio recordings. Something wasn't translating well to the stage with those two. But everything else was pumped up and wild, and holy shit, what a way to open a headlining set with a banjo-driven tune like "Satin in a Coffin" - talk about off the beaten path! They even played "Float On" early in the set, saving an epic-length new song for the closing slot. They confound and delight, and that's my kind of band.
Here's a youtube video of Isaac Brock playing a typically nutty guitar solo during the song "Spitting Venom" at the NSSN show. Nothing fancy, just bent sound from a guy who dresses in a rather plain, not-too-rock n' roll way (kind of like myself):
- - -
Web class ended last month. Where to take the skills now? How to retain them? It's a question I'll be dealing with in the coming weeks.
- - -
2008 will see more writing coming out of me for Performer and Bullz Eye, not to mention the second coming of jefitoblog, now called PopDose and due to launch on January 1.
- - -
And it's also looking like I'll be picking up one of my instruments again for another band workshop in the new year.
- - -
So with that, to shut the door on the overwhelming feeling that's sweeping over me, I will say goodbye to 2007, wish you all a happy Xma$ and a merry goo year, and may we all find some kind of salvation for ourselves, collectively and individually, in the face of increasing demands and desires.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
The "prostitute mix": a belly laugh with Chris Robley!
I'm probably the only one who was laughing at such a high volume when I read Chris Robley's comment on antiMusic's Inside Track report today, but who knows, maybe this will make someone else laugh too.
Talking about his song "The Love I Fake," Robley said:
This song inspired a music journalist in San Francisco to start a whole iTunes mix for songs about prostitutes. I think The Love I Fake and Roxanne are the only ones in there so far. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the box.
Of course, I was laughing so hard because the "music journalist" (I like the sound of that!) in question was yours truly, and the exchange we had about the prostitute mix during our interview was a great laugh at the time as well.
For the record, here's what I have for that mix so far:
Some of these are questionable... such as the AC/DC song, which could just as easily be about your run of the mill gold digger. And "Rider" is really just about a promiscuous groupie, but since Juliana repeats the word "whore" seven times at the end of the song, I figured, what the heck, it counts. And I'm definitely counting songs about men -- all is fair in love and the sex trade. This could call for some serious song-by-song analysis later on...
What else should I add? If you know of any other songs about or alluding to prostitutes or gigolos, please point me in their direction so I can add 'em to the list!
Talking about his song "The Love I Fake," Robley said:
This song inspired a music journalist in San Francisco to start a whole iTunes mix for songs about prostitutes. I think The Love I Fake and Roxanne are the only ones in there so far. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the box.
Of course, I was laughing so hard because the "music journalist" (I like the sound of that!) in question was yours truly, and the exchange we had about the prostitute mix during our interview was a great laugh at the time as well.
For the record, here's what I have for that mix so far:
- "The Love I Fake" by Chris Robley
- "Roxanne" by the Police
- "What Do You Do For Money Honey" by AC/DC
- "Love For Sale" by Ella Fitzgerald
- "He's A Whore" by Cheap Trick
- "Rider" by Juliana Hatfield
- "XXX" by Helium
- "The Kids" by Lou Reed
- "Midnight Caller" by Badfinger
- "Just A Gigolo" by Louis Prima (or David Lee Roth)
- "Bitter Suite" by Marillion [EDIT - added 12/10 per isorski comment]
- "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis" by Tom Waits [EDIT - added 12/10 per anonymous comment]
- "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" by PJ Harvey [EDIT - added 12/10 per anonymous comment]
- "The Prostitute Song" by Chef of South Park [EDIT - added 12/10 per anonymous comment]
- "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer [EDIT - added 12/10 per anonymous comment]
Some of these are questionable... such as the AC/DC song, which could just as easily be about your run of the mill gold digger. And "Rider" is really just about a promiscuous groupie, but since Juliana repeats the word "whore" seven times at the end of the song, I figured, what the heck, it counts. And I'm definitely counting songs about men -- all is fair in love and the sex trade. This could call for some serious song-by-song analysis later on...
What else should I add? If you know of any other songs about or alluding to prostitutes or gigolos, please point me in their direction so I can add 'em to the list!
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