Happy New Year, Bastards!

Be safe if you go out tonight ...

50!

Happy Birthday, Paul

Yuck

I'm okay with this message right up until they show the drooling baby. I understand that kids can be born with it, but that's still disgusting.

My Best Of 2009

Was it me, or was this a really disappointing year for new music? Nothing much grabbed me. Everything the critics raved about left me cold. Embryonic? Nah. Merriweather Post Pavilion? Nope. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix? Not so much.

Here are my favorites for this year, in no particular order.

The Xx - xx (It's the same song over and over, but it's a good song.)
Visqueen - Message To Garcia (Chops and pipes!)
Tinted Windows - Tinted Windows (Guilty pleasure. My brain says no, but my heart says yes.)
Heartless Bastards - The Mountain (Holy shit, that voice!)
Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications. (Maybe not as catchy as his first solo album, but I can appreciate his world view.)

Honorable mention to Sigur Rós for Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust, even though I didn't talk about it. I know you guys don't go for that kinky shit.

Put 'em on the glass, ladies.

$94.61?!

Ten years ago this month, we released the Subteens first LP, Burn Your Cardigan. If memory serves, we gave away more than we sold, but man, that seems like a lifetime ago. I was jobless and back in graduate school, didn't have kids, and had only been married three years. In fact, my wife and I had just bought our first house the year before, and I was about to turn 31. Sigh ...

As I recall, we originally got started recording with Christine from The Chubbies sometime in 1998. (I refuse to name the studio, because the owner fucked us on a handshake deal. Hey, live and learn ...) It seems like we sat on this stuff for awhile - probably because we were broke - and when we revisited it in 1999, it was clear it didn't measure up to our ... um ... exacting standards.

While listening back to the basic rhythm tracks, somebody jokingly wondered if we could get another band's drummer (John "Bubba" Bonds) to come re-record the songs right then. After everyone stopped laughing, we seriously began to pursue the possibility. Unbelievably, we tracked him down, and in the middle of a fucking monsoon, Bubba brought his drums over to the studio. After accommodations were made to ensure his comfort (Kram and I made a quick trip to Buster's for a fifth of Jack Daniels), we got down to business. Much of what you hear on Burn Your Cardigan is first or second take, which means that those recordings represent the second or third time he had EVER PLAYED THOSE SONGS. I'm still amazed.

The fact that you can still find Burn Your Cardigan for sale for more than 45 cents is extremely flattering. It was genuinely a team effort, and despite all of its flaws, I'm still proud of it today. I just wanted to take a minute to commemorate one of my old band's few accomplishments in some small way.

Glitter and Doom

One of the best live albums I've heard in years. Fornication Trumps Predestination.

What do you call a guy who hangs around with musicians?

Talented People What?

Fede Alvarez, a Uraguayan filmmaker, made this short film for several hundred dollars and subsequently signed a deal with Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures to develop and direct an original project.

Damn.

This Can Only Be Described As Genius

Thanks, Joe!

Finally

Sorry Lurker. Am I forgetful or is it just Fucking Terrible Procrastination?

Without a doubt, this album is one solid chunk of seventies power-pop goodness, start to finish. After an amazing initial run - primarily on the strength of "My Sharona" - The Knack was ultimately brought to its knees by ego, cocaine and ridiculously bad management.

Sweet Georgia Brown (GiGi)

New baby.

Avatar

Made me want to Av a Crap. Without a doubt, the effects are groundbreaking, but the rest of the movie is just so bad (the acting is awful, the story hackneyed, and it's 3 fucking hours long) that I was turning blue myself. Honestly, it's worth seeing for the CGI, but only if you're going to see it in 3D (I imagine the IMAX version is even more impressive).

Shit

Dan O'Bannon. Google him.

Must Be Santa

I think Bob's gotten into Dave's egg nog.

Dylan Xmas Album

Honey, I Forgot The Presents, but I picked up "Christmas in the Heart" on vinyl (it came w/ the CD). Bob's pipes are getting a bit rusty, but the album is not without its charms. I got Them Crooked Vultures as well. The drums are good...

Again with the holidays

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season. We're off to New York on Friday afternoon. I'll be expecting presents from each of you when I return.

Modern Toss

Found this last night on BBC America. It's Modern Toss, a series built around bizarre cartoon shorts and brief live-action sketches. Read more here, if you so choose.

This is Mr. Tourette, Master Signwriter, which made me laugh mightily.

Hhhhhhhot!

I wish I could watch this again, but I've kicked my monitor in.

Right Fucking Now

Absolutely irresistible. Fart Twice, Please.

Worth The Wait

I'm suddenly wearing Fairly Tight Pants.

Mudcrutch

I've been enjoying this album by the Fabulous Tom Petty's original band, Mudcrutch. As the story goes, this was Petty's band from his Hogtown days that included Tom Leadon (brother of Eagle Bernie). When the band moved out to LA to make it big, the record company suits took one look at TP and said 'those teeth will sell a million records,' and convinced him to re-org and rechristen the band. I don't know which of these songs were written back in the old days, but they've definitely got the country groove / swamp boogie thing going. Enjoy. Or don't. I don't care.

Ha!

I'll bet Joe is hungover today

A great day in college football yesterday. Boise State wins, Cincinnati wins a thriller, Texas wins, and most importantly, Florida loses and Tebow cries.

Catchy Friday

Whatabitch || Garage Sessions from Kurran and the Wolfnotes on Vimeo.

A different, Joe-friendly video (which for some reason will not embed properly) here

I will participate in meaningless online surveys

Get your votes in for the 29 best chalkboard gags in Simpsons history.

Are your toes tapping?

Mine are.

Too Much Joy, Indeed

Wait, major labels are evil and stupid?

Too Much Joy frontman Tim Quirk runs down his hilarious royalty statement. Right ... here.

(Courtesy of The A.V. Club.)

All Good Things...and this too...

My beloved Bobby Bowden (pictured above on the right), FSU coach for the last 34 years, winner of two national championships (including one perfect 12-0 season - suck it, Gators), and the 2nd winningest college coach of all time, has announced his retirement. The past few years have been lean ones for the Seminole win column, and many have been clamoring for him to go. I started going to FSU games during his second season, so as far as I have ever known, he IS FSU Football. It's a sad day, but hopefully the beginning of our return to greatness.

It's Funny Because It's True