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Bruce, London, 1975

It's amazing that a live performance this good could be allowed to sit on a shelf for 30 years before being released. Not only is the music superb, but the quality of the recording is excellent.

Sorry to bump Morrissey out of the headlines, Jay.

The One Morrissey Show I Should Have Attended

The former Smiths frontman Morrissey was rushed to hospital tonight after collapsing on stage at the start of a concert.

Witnesses said that just moments after the 50-year-old had finished performing his opening song, the 1983 hit "This Charming Man," he fell to the floor and was dragged offstage by worried band members.

Read the rest here.

Fer You, Dudes...

Embryonic - Flaming Those liPs

Shit

I clearly didn't know much about Soupy Sales. For example, did you know his sons, Hunt and Tony were the back half of Tin Machine?

Where the Wild Things Are

Anyone else seen this? I found it to be quite excellent. Spike Jonze has gone for a sun-dappled, washed out look that manages to illuminate and make you feel cold at the same time. I felt like it really captures the particular melancholy that is present in childhood. In fact, the movie isn't a children's movie at all- it's a movie about children, an important distinction in helping to decide whether or not your little ones will like it. On the con side, it dragged a bit, but the overall look and ideas made up for it for me.

I'll See Your Bo Donaldson and Raise You a David Geddes

Something wrong with the embed on this, but go here to see the video for Run Joey Run. Story song? Check. Melodrama? Check. Sexy coiffed hunk singer who disappeared after his one hit? Check. Split screen? Check. I think we've got a winner.

With all due respect to Mac Davis..

This is the purest epitome of the wrong end of the '70s. If the song and outfits don't convince you, the lip-almost-syncing should clinch it.

70s Ass Clown Songs Continued

This song by Mac Davis is the most pure distillation of 1970s macho bullshit ever recorded. The stallion with the medallion cult was almost in full flower. And to add to the excitement, someone made a cheese-ass video complete with lyrics. It just keeps getting better!

Big Time

I made the Gainesville Sun!

The Battle For Worst Seventies Song Rages On

This has to be a contender.

Hey, Davie

Hey Davie, you Davie, cursing at your life
You're a discontented mother and a regimented wife
I've no doubt you dream about the things you'll never do
But, I wish someone had talked to me
Like I wanna talk to you.....

Oh, I've been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run
I took the hand of a preacher man and we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free
I've been to paradise but I've never been to me

Please Davie, please Davie, don't just walk away
'Cause I have this need to tell you why I'm all alone today
I can see so much of me still living in your eyes
Won't you share a part of a weary heart that has lived million lies....

Oh, I've been to Niece and the Isle of Greece while I've sipped champagne on a yacht
I've moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed 'em what I've got
I've been undressed by kings and I've seen some things that a woman ain't supposed to see
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

[spoken]
Hey, you know what paradise is?
It's a lie, a fantasy we create about people and places as we'd like them to be
But you know what truth is?
It's that little baby you're holding, it's that man you fought with this morning
The same one you're going to make love with tonight
That's truth, that's love......

Sometimes I've been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete
But I took the sweet life, I never knew I'd be bitter from the sweet
I've spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that costs too much to be free
Hey Davie......
I've been to paradise, (I've been to paradise)
But I've never been to me

(I've been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I've been to paradise, never been to me
(I've been to Neice and the isle of Greece while I've sipped champagne on a yacht)
I've been to paradise, never been to me
(I've been to cryin' for unborn children that might have made me complete)
I've been to paradise, never been to me
(I've been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I've been to paradise, never been to me

Remember This?

I heard this on some French station I found on iTunes last week and it's been stuck in my head ever since. You live with it for awhile ...

Catchy......Monday?

Blair - Hello Halo

blair | MySpace Music Videos
Here's a video from a friend in New Orleans, Blair. She's a very talented singer and songwriter who has a new album being released in January. The guy behind the keyboards playing the tambourine is Adam, one of my best buddies. He's the fella who plays all the keys on my forthcoming album. Enjoy!!

Python Documentary

Just a reminder that iFC is showing a six-part documentary on Monty Python this week, called Monty Python: Almost The Truth (The Lawyer's Cut). The first installment, "The Not-So-Exciting Beginnings," aired last night. Good stuff.

Check it out here.

Again with the birthdays!

Lurker turns 65! Or at least that's what the card says! Happy Birthday!

Where the Fuck is Joe?

Where the Fuck is Joe?

Meghan Mccain Rockin' the Cleavage

The would-be president's daughter is miffed at the controversy surrounding her breasty Twitter post.

For my money, it's the first time she's been remotely interesting.

Vintage Anyface Covers Now Available

Face the People! Anyface vintage live covers from their lost live album "We Must Have Been In Love" now available! Beautiful versions of 'Lost In Love', 'Big Balls', 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry' and more, rendered in loving detail. Act now!

Shit

Slow news week, I guess ...

The groaning, creaking wheels of justice

Back in January 2008 I posted this update on the dubious conviction of Enron's Jeff Skilling, in which I suggested his slim chance of getting his conviction reversed may have increased with the then-recent emergence of evidence of misconduct by the so-called Enron Task Force of prosecutors.

Things are looking up for Skilling. The Supreme Court has just taken his appeal, which is based on community bias, and, more important, his claim that the "honest services fraud" theory on which he was convicted was unconstitutionally vague. Back in Houston, his motion for a new trial based on prosecutorial misconduct is still pending, and there is some evidence that the current prosecutors down in Houston are facing the same problem faced by their DC colleagues regarding the aborted Ted Stevens prosecution: to what lengths should they go to cover up misconduct by their predecessors?

The abuse of the honest services fraud statute has gone largely unnoticed by those outside the world of white collar crime, but, as summed up nicely by Houston's Clear Thinkers, it deserves more attention:

Honest services wire-fraud under Section 1346 was intended by Congress to penalize corporate executives and governmental officials for accepting bribes and kickbacks and for engaging in self-dealing at the expense of the employer-- i.e., the private gain requirement of the crime.

The Task Force faced a big problem with prosecuting Skilling at all because he never stole a dime from Enron (that is, no private gain). In fact, the Task Force conceded at trial that, not only did Skilling not embezzle any money from Enron, the case against him was not about “greed,” that Skilling always sought to pursue Enron’s “best interests,” and that every act for which he was being prosecuted was undertaken for the purpose of protecting Enron and promoting its share price.

Despite the foregoing, the Task Force persuaded U.S. District Judge Sim Lake to allow the prosecution to proceed against Skilling on a much broader honest services theory -- that is, that Skilling simply took on too much risk for the long-term good of Enron and improperly touted the company to the markets.

You will be pleased to hear that I will let you all know if his conviction is overturned.

Another Bastard Birthday

(Above, Andrew at work)

Today is Andrew's birthday. Wish him well or he will make a motion that you are in contempt of Bastardry.

U2 stage

Happy Birthday, John

The Morning Light

This is not bad, Feels Thoroughly Peppy to me.

I don't know when I've been more ready for a weekend. Enjoy yours.

Where's Dildo?

Here's someone we all know enjoying Toxic Airborne Event at ACL.

When I was a boy, blowing up the moon was just a beautiful dream!

Sound familiar?

Finally, A PSA Teens Will Listen To

Weren't you a smoker, Joe?

Even The Beatles ...

Okay, what are your top five least favorite Beatles songs? You too, Stephen ...

First Week of November: Becker Bliss

Tuesday, Nov. 3: Leonard Cohen
Thursday, Nov. 5: Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs
Friday, Nov. 6: John Wesley Harding

Bought the Cohen tix awhile ago, and the other two shows are just twenty bucks a piece. Happy, happy, happy.

The Art Of Rusty Shackles

As you guys know, I'm a sucker for Photoshopped books or comics. Here are two that made me laugh from Rusty Shackles site.

Well, That Was Cool

ACL was a blast. I got to see Arctic Monkeys (above), Airborne Toxic Event, Flogging Molly, Rodriguez, and Trail of Dead from either right on the stage or from a platform a few feet above it. Also got to chat with the guy from Bon Iver and Erika from Heartless Bastards (she's a cutie). Friday night, I stood about 25 feet behind Dave Grohl during the 'Crooked Vultures' set. Also saw Felice Bros, B-52s, Deer Tick, White Lies, Michael Franti, Henry Clay People, Kings of Leon (with an Eddie Vedder cameo), Jack White's new band (Dead Weather, maybe) and Pearl Jam. All of this AND free beer.

Are you kidding me?

According to today's Daily Telegraph:

[Polanski] pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse. In exchange, the judge agreed to drop the remaining charges and sentence him to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation.

However, he was released after 42 days by an evaluator who deemed him mentally sound and unlikely to offend again.

The judge responded by saying he was going to send Polanski back to jail for the remainder of the 90 days and that afterward he would ask Polanski to agree to a "voluntary deportation". Polanski then fled the country in 1978 on the day he was scheduled to be sentenced to the additional time.

So this was all over an extra 48 days in jail?

We came, we saw, we kicked his ass

I guess this is what passes as creativity these days. Quite enjoyable, for that.

Steve Albini Runs It Down For You

Here's a fascinating article about some of the particularly evil obstacles an up-and-coming band can expect, written by Mr. Albini. The article originally appeared in Maximum Rock 'N' Roll back in the nineties, so some of the numbers may be off now. But it's still just as depressing.

I actually read this back in the day, and suddenly didn't care whether we made it or not. Check it out here.

Beatles for Sale

One of the most often overlooked gems in the Beatles catalog is this stunner from 1964. Following up after A Hard Day's Night, the Beatles were exhausted and it shows in the cover photo. After the 14 originals of the former album, the Beatles reverted to their old formula of 8 originals and 6 covers for this one. The album is also very Lennon-centric. The Dylan influence is starting to show, especially with 'I'm a Loser'. Forget the Propaganda, enjoy Beatles for Sale and A Hard Day's Night.

Indie Night in Raleigh!

Caroline and I are off to see an obscure Irish rock band at Carter Finley Stadium tonight. I heard they're good. Someone said Sonny Bono is in the band. I thought he was dead.

Austin City Limits Music Festival

I managed to score some free passes to the festival, so I cashed in a Freq. Flyer ticket and am on my way in the morning. If all goes as planned, I should be shit-faced and screaming at guitar players by sundown. Wish me luck!

Movie Posters For Minimalists

Give it a second ...

More here, but this is the best one.