Jay? Lurker?

Heard things were wet in your neck of the woods. Hope all is well.

Brightlit Signs Of Our Literary Imaginations

Daily Beast has a slideshow of prints from a National Gallery of Art exhibition of Allen Ginsberg's photographs. There are some cool pictures of the Beat superstars, including a sad shot of a very spent-looking Kerouac the last time he visited Ginsberg's apartment.

Nice One

One ... week ...

Blood On The Tracks is Old

I've always said that Dylan's "Blood On the Tracks" is the album that changed me from a fan to a disciple and have used it as a gateway drug for others who express indifference to Bob. I think it's safe to say that if you don't like this album, you're probably not going to like any of his other stuff. You should also have the shit kicked out of you, but that's another story.

The folks over at PopMatters evidently agree with me and are giving the album a proper "Reconsideration." It's essentially an intellectual analysis of the album in the form of quasi-academic articles with the usual dense prose. Example:

Dylan’s work has always been characterized by a poetics of place and displacement. The poetics of place establishes itself through recourse to repeated mentions of real and imagined places, which seem to fix many of Dylan’s texts in recognizable locations and which are therefore crucial to the ability of his audience to identify with the texts. These locations—whether actual or metaphorical—are fixed moments that the memory can focus on even as it struggles to recall other features.

Blech. Read at your own risk. Has anyone ever heard the original version that was bootlegged as "Blood On the Tapes?" I would say listening to that is a more fitting tribute.

Geocities-izer

Make any webpage look like it was made by a 13 year-old in 1996. Fun for hours right here.

We would look like this.

Remember?

I miss the Saturday mornings of my childhood ...

Fap Fap Fap Fap Fap Fap

Are you sitting down? Ridley Scott is going to make two Alien prequels, in 3-mother-scratching-D. The first one could be released as early as 2011 or 2012.

According to NME:

Ridley Scott has thrown the gauntlet down to James Cameron's Avatar by saying his rival director "won't get away" with raising the bar - and promised his two Alien prequels will top the sci-fi fantasy. The director had previously been reported as working on a single prequel, but told Collider.com there will now be two.

"The film will be really tough, really nasty. It’s the dark side of the moon. We are talking about gods and engineers. Engineers of space. And were the aliens designed as a form of biological warfare? Or biology that would actually go in and clean up a planet?" he said.

"It will take place in the years before that, when they first come across this thing on a planet called Zeta Reticuli. And it will ask who was that guy in the first film lying in a chair with his chest blown outwards when they first go into the giant spacecraft."

Scott admitted in an interview with MTV News, however, that the subsequent Alien sequels and spin-offs - notably Alien vs Predator which he had no part in - have diluted the creature's shock value.

"Yeah, the thing about Alien vs Predator is, I know it's commerce, but what a pity," he said. "I think, therefore, I have to design — or redesign — earlier versions of what these elements are that led to the thing you finally see in Alien, which is the thing that catapults out of the egg, the face-hugger. I don't want to repeat it. The alien in a sense, as a shape, is worn out."

Poor Guy

Drunk guy versus flip-flop at Coachella.

Eyjafwhatnow?

Some very cool photos of Eyjafjallajokull here.

On This Day 17 Years Ago

From Wired Magazine:

April 22, 1993: NCSA Mosaic 1.0, the first web browser to achieve popularity among the general public, is released. With it, the web as we know it begins to flourish.

The web in the early 1990s was mostly text. People were posting images, photos, and audio or video clips on web pages. But these pieces of “multimedia” were hidden behind links. If you wanted to look at a picture, you had to click on a link, and the picture would open in a new window.

A team of students at the University of Illinois’ National Center for Supercomputing Applications, or NCSA, decided the web needed an experience more stimulating and user-friendly than that, so they set to work to build a better browser. Borrowing design and user interface cues from some other early prototype browsers, they went through a handful of iterations before arriving at the final 1.0 release April 22, 1993.

The result, NCSA Mosaic, was the first web browser with the ability to display text and images inline, meaning you could put pictures and text on the same page together, in the same window.

It was a radical step forward for the web, which was at that point, a rather dull experience. It took the boring “document” layout of your standard web page and transformed it into something much more visually exciting, like a magazine.

Read the rest here.

Look Familiar?

This is what I imagine a bastard get-together would look like.

Hold Fucking Steady!!!!!!!!!!!

New Hold Steady Album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Streaming here!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, it turns out one of Famous Jay's famous friends is touring with them as their second guitarist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Geek Out

Check out Adam West and Burt Ward (Bert Gervis) in their original screen tests for Batman.

Our Ever-Evolving Language

The Young Americans Who Sold the World

Fleecing The Public- that's what some of Bowie's critics in the 70s claimed he was doing. With his chameleon-like identity changes, musical reinventions, and sexually ambiguous behavior, some looked at him as nothing more than showbiz huckster. I think the music speaks for itself. Anyone have 'Heroes' or 'Lodger'?

Birdemic!

Hard to believe, but this film was made for $10,000.00. My favorite terrifying moment in the trailer is when the CGI bird hits the van's windshield (around the 2:06 mark or so). Chills!

I See A Band of Angels

The Johnny Cash Project gives disciples an opportunity to illustrate individual frames from the "Ain't No Grave" video. Basically what you do is choose from one of 3 frames, and use the simple drawing tools to trace over the frame. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you figure out the GUI, it's kind of fun. The resulting video is also pretty cool, especially if you like crosses.
From the site:

The Johnny Cash Project is a visual testament to how the Man in Black lives on – not just through his vast musical legacy, but in the hearts and minds of all of us around the world he has touched with his talent, his passion, and his indomitable spirit. It is this spirit that is the lifeblood of The Johnny Cash Project.

Sigh.

Happy Friday

As the story goes, these two had a Fun Time Playing in Berlin.

The Real Mickey

Wedon Directing The Avengers?

Not the British Avengers, you understand, with the prissy dude and the smokin' hot Emma Peel in the body suit, but the Marvel Avengers. Interesting pick, if it becomes official. Joss excels at building chemistry and tension between characters, the action is sometimes incidental to the human elements. Can he control a cast of heavyweights? Will this film be his or will he be handcuffed by the money and expectations involved? More

Do You Wear Eleganza?

Because things happen when you do. What message could that collar be sending, and why does he have her undivided attention?

NO-lier than thou

So . . . gumbo and bbq shrimp at Liuzzas by the Track; crawfish and fixin's from Big Fisherman; Abita Amber; 12-hour roast beef from Boucherie; Rue; Little Freddie King, Society Brass Band, Bucktown Allstars, Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots, and Trombone Shorty; A2's first fried shrimp, crawfish, and snowballs; and, for the road, Domilises' large fried shrimp, dressed. Mmmmmmmmm. Oh, and un-humid high-'70's all weekend.

Hunh?

Every now and then, a photo on the Internets will stop me in my tracks. Here's one.

Life: The Documentary

Beautiful new documentary on Discovery, if you have seen it. Would've made for nice weed viewing, back then. I would still turn the volume down and play music instead, the narrative is just annoying.

I actually had a sort of epiphany watching it. Much of it deals with reproduction, and the thing that really became clear to me for the first time is that all around me there are all kinds of species of life, from mammals and birds to fish and insects and plants, and pretty much every single one of them is getting more action than I am.

When a nature documentary makes you feel like a loser, it's probably time to turn the TV off and put on the silk shirt, gold necklace and aqua-velva.

I Can Relate

Thanks, Jeff!

Fresh Pots

Drinking coffee on a lazy Sunday morning with a yard crying out for work, I wish caffeine hyped me up the way it does Grohl.

Dear Coke Talk

One of my new web infatuations is Dear Coke Talk. It's basically an advice column ("Shady advice from a raging bitch who has no business answering any of these questions."), but this chick is funny as hell and always on the money.

Do I have an example? Sure, right here ...

On toxic girls.

What’s the best way to deal with mixed signals? I’ve been getting jerked around by this girl. She’ll hook up with me, everything will be great, then we’ll go out again and she’ll shoot me down, then tell me a week later about the guy she fucked, then start the process again. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, self-respect, etc, but she’s the type where she loves the idea that she’s getting to me. She’s one of those fucked up always feels like she has to win even when no one else is playing. I see this girl almost every day, too, for work/school purposes. I’m thinking the gradual fade out, but I really love the idea of telling her to stop with the bullshit and the games. The thing is, does anything good ever come of that? I feel like by showing that it’s getting to me and getting worked up about, I’m coming off like a pussy, and she won’t respect that.


Mixed signals? You mean mind games. There’s a big difference.

It sounds like your girl has something to prove. Not to you, by the way. You’re disposable. It’s nothing personal. I guarantee she thinks that about everyone but daddy.

She’s used to having boys wrapped around her finger. Fine. You seem to know that. Now the trick is not giving a shit. Get her out from under your skin. Girls like her are toxic. If you start trying to beat her at those mind games it will turn you into an asshole. She’s not worth it, I promise.

If it makes it any easier, just remember that it doesn’t matter what you do. She’s never going to respect you, so don’t bother trying to earn any.

Garfield Minus Garfield

Why can't I have a good idea like this?

Garfield Minus Garfield is a site dedicated to removing Garfield from the Garfield comic strips in order to reveal the existential angst of a certain young Mr. Jon Arbuckle. It is a journey deep into the mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet American suburb.

Tons more here.

Shit

Ever feel like you've been swindled? Malcolm McLaren dead at 64.

Crickets

Kind of quiet around here...

Paul Stanley has a good song

Let's be honest, most KISS songs are terrible. While I won't argue against their influence and their incredible work ethic, they weren't working with a whole lot. The production on their albums is terrible, the lyrics are sophomoric, and most of each album is filler. And yet....there's just something about them that I love. This PS track from the four solo albums shows that there was an occasional flash of excellence.

Arctic Monkeys

Tonight in Ybor City! My wife and I are going. Woo hoo!

Officially Open For Bidness

Have I mentioned this movie yet? Official site is up.

Bassomatic

What if Saul Bass had created the Tron title sequence? Pretty cool ...

Google Changes its Name to Topeka

From the press release:

In the early 20th century, the former Topeka enjoyed a remarkable run of political prominence, gracing the nation with Margaret Hill McCarter, the first woman to address a national political convention (1920, Republican); Charles Curtis, the only Native American ever to serve as vice president.. and, most important, Alfred E. Neuman, arguably the most influential figure to an entire generation of Americans.

Don't miss the fun!

Get Off My Lawn

Any of you old bastards remember this bumper? It always meant something good was coming on ...

Catchy Thursday

The Features "Thursday" from Lake Fever Sessions on Vimeo.

Iron Who?

Don't

The Onion's A.V. Club has everyone arguing over which half of Grindhouse was better (551 comments and counting!).

Instead, let's enjoy the part everyone can agree on, Edgar Wright's excellent fake trailer for Don't.

Jay must be on spring break vacation

Quick! Post things with improper formatting while he's not looking!

I and Love and You

Andy Bastardo's recent catchy Friday reminded me that I bought the Avett Bros' album some time ago and Forgot To Post how delightful it is. Carry on.

Wilco- the Show

Great, great show at the DPAC last night. During 'Poor Place' the crew came on and set up an entirely new drum set, etc. and they played several songs acoustically before transitioning seamlessly back into the full electric stuff. For my money, the best live act on the planet right now. They also played a Big Star cover in honor of AC.

Wilco (The Song), Bull Black Nova, You Are My Face, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, At Least That's What You Said, Deeper Down, Handshake Drugs, Side with the Seeds, She's a Jar, I'll Fight, Impossible Germany, Summerteeth, California Stars, Poor Place, Spiders (Kidsmoke)*, Forget the Flowers*, When the Roses Bloom Again*, War on War*, When You Wake Up Feeling Old*, Laminated Cat*, Passenger Side*, Airline to Heaven, A Shot in the Arm, Hate It Here, Heavy Metal Drummer, You Never Know, Jesus, Etc., Walken, I'm the Man Who Loves You, Thank You, Friends^, Via Chicago, Hoodoo Voodoo, I'm a Wheel

Notes: * Acoustic, ^ Big Star Cover

And some video from the show:

Jimmy Kimmel And The Handsome Men's Club

Lots of surprising cameos in this sketch.

Everything I know I learned AFTER school

Check out this link for scenes from nine classic after school specials. Especially intriguing is Helen Hunt on Angel Dust.

Nice

While we're on the topic, fuck Karl Rove in the ass with Mitt Romney's rubber dick.

How Do You Say Ouch In Finnish?

Catchy Friday

Mumford & Sons / Little Lion Man video

Mumford and Sons | MySpace Music Videos
Undeniably catchy.

The Great Showdowns

“‘More human than human’ is our motto.”

Since the beginning of time, there has been struggle. The epic clash of being against being. Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Triceratops. Giant Squid vs. the Sperm Whale. The Circle vs. the Square.

The struggle is forever. It makes the world turn around. These are the struggles that make us stop what we are doing and sort of check things out… wondering what the eff.

This is a chronicling of some of the greatest confrontations in FILM HISTORY. The greatest moments of melee. These are the GREAT SHOWDOWNS.

And they sort of enjoy that they are the great showdowns.

Check out more Great Showdowns by Scott C. here.

Shit

More Stewart Lee

If Wes Anderson Directed Spiderman

Whether you love him or hate him (Anderson, not Spiderman), this is worth a look.

A Couple More New Ones

I Forgot To Post these last week what with Alex going to the great gig in the sky and all that. I was looking at my record collection the other day and realized that most of the albums I have physically purchased are weird shit that none of my friends would buy, so I wouldn't have the option of taping / swapping. Hence, I own every one of Pete Townshend's solo albums, but I have very few actual Who albums in my collection (except of course the essentials - Who's Next and Quadrophenia - Fuck You, Dave).

Anyway, continuing that trend, I offer "I'm New Here" by the recently de-prisoned Gil Scott Heron (I've been a fan for years), "Imidiwan: Companions" by Tinariwen (smoke a bowl and turn it up - you'll get it), and more along the lines of what we're used to here, Ted Leo and his Pharmacists' "Brutalist Bricks" (does Matador count as 'major label?').

I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Continuous Chest Compression CPR

Take a couple of minutes to watch this. You just never know ...

Forgive The (re-)Post

Good stuff. A little Zevon in there somewhere, I think; maybe a little Interpol. Makes me want to go for a drive.

How to report the news

Parrhasius

Very clever. More pics here.

Paul on Alex

Short, sweet editorial in the NY Times from Westerberg about his last meeting with Alex Chilton.

Steady!

Odd set of tour dates here -- almost like they are consciously avoiding the moral cesspool in which I reside.

Guitar heroes

Thought you musical types might like this. Available here .

How to win an Academy Award

Question

Why couldn't it have been this asshole?

Mellow Friday

The High Road

Broken Bells | MySpace Music Videos
I feel like I've heard some variation on this song 100 times, but enjoyed it each time.

A Tribute

This was surprising.

Shit

Three of a Perfect Pair

King Crimson songs are like women you date after you're 40: you focus on the parts that look good and try to overlook the others. This album, released 15 years after their debut, was my intro to them in high school (courtesy of Rob White), and I love certain parts of it, even now. Some of their earlier stuff is arguably better, but also contains elements that make you think of Spinal Tap in their earnest pretentiousness. And those early albums contain like 4 songs that last for 15 minutes each (which Jay LOVES).

Don't talk to the Police. Ever.

Very instructive.

The Whigs - In The Dark

The next few weeks are going to be good ones for music loving Bastardos. New albums are on the way from the Hold Steady, the National, Devo (hey, Jay, have you heard?!), Drive-by Truckers, and my beloved Whigs. Speaking of, you can get a three song pree-vue right here courtesy of Dave Matthew's ATO Records. The first song, 'Kill Me Carolyne' is the first single. I am very seriously considering picking this up on vinyl. Because I'm that far ahead of the curve.

We are the world

Admit it -- you spend the whole time seeing if you can see if he really has new teeth.

I'm back little bitches!

The New Orleans trip was amazing. I did the following:
1) Ate and drank at Parasol's in the Irish Channel
2) Went to a house party
3) Had beignets and cafe au lait
4) Played music with friends
5) Drank at Pal's Lounge, Mick's, the R Bar, dba, Les Bon Temps, etc.
6) Saw Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf (see above for some RBB footage)
7) Went to the National WW2 Museum and saw an amazing 4D film
8) Hung out with lots and lots of old friends
9) Had a mufaletta at Frank's
10) Drank a daiquiri in the Quarter
11) Had to stop my car so a parade could pass by
12) Toured the 9th Ward and was inspired by lots of new construction
13) Didn't die of alcohol poisoning

LBUMG 11 is my new mantra!

Vincent

Tim Burton's shorts are on display at MOMA. You guys might recognize the little guy in Vincent ...

Good Year For Geek Movies

Can't wait, whether it sucks or not. 3D!

They Wish...

OK, Go Ahead and Go Already

Have you noticed that there is usually some background music to these OK Go videos? I wonder if they've ever thought of collecting them into some kind of album. Probably not, it wouldn't really be the same.

Oh, Baby

This looks promising ...

What's That Whirring Noise?

Sounds like grave-spinning to me. Fucking Yoko.

Crazy Heart

Caught this last night. Bridges is excellent and after the first few minutes, you can buy that back in the day he might have run with the Waylons, Willies and Billy Joe's. Unfortunately the rest of the movie doesn't really keep up with him. I can' t really make an objective call on Maggie Gyllenhaal as she is just too cute for words, but it's pushing the ick-factor limit to see her getting it on with a fat hairy Bridges. Colin Farrell as the protege/rival country singer is also a bit of a stretch, but you get the point.

Overall, it was a pretty good little movie, but without Bridges, and without the very well-done soundtrack (T-Bone Burnett did it, natch), it would be pretty standard former hero hits bottom, falls in love, gets shit back together, etc etc story, with a touch of predictability added in for good measure. Bridges was nominated for this, and he was damn good, but it's a stretch to say he deserves a win.

I actually loved the movie and would recommend it, especially if you have any love for the old outlaw country period or Maggie Gyllenhall in her underwear. In other words, Jay, you can skip it.

New Orleans bound!

I'll be heading to the Big Easy tomorrow afternoon. I may end up staying and starting a new career as a Lucky Dog salesman. Wish me luck.

Best Worst Movie

I want to see this. (The documentary, not Troll II.)



What, you don't remember Troll II? Here's a taste ...

Better than Macgowan's teeth

But not much

Never Thought I'd See This

Shane MacGowan went to Spain and got some teeth last May!

Where Have You Been All My Life?

Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Australian indie rock band extraordinaire. Found out about these guys on Paste Magazine's website (“Ten March 2010 Albums Worth Checking Out.”)

If you give a listen, don't Forget To Pogo.