New Fantastic Four Teaser Trailer

I hate getting excited about movies that I know are going to suck like Joe's mom at a biker rally, but this trailer almost makes me forget the abomination that was the first FF movie. Almost.

Watch it here.

Happy Christmas!

Hope Santa is good to you.

Weird Science?

Harp Magazine has a damn fine online interview with Tom Waits from their December issue. (In fact, he's the cover boy.) Waits mostly talks about the various phases of his career.

Fascinating guy, to say the least.

Read it here.

Terrible Westerberg news....

This, from Paul's semi-official website Man Without Ties:

Dec. 20, 2006: Sorry to have to report some bad news today. Jim Walsh posts in his blog that Paul had a nasty injury to his left hand, cutting some nerves and damaging cartilage, and is currently in a cast. The details:
"A week or so ago he put a screwdriver through his left hand trying to get some wax out of a candle and cut some nerves and ripped some cartilage and hurt himself pretty bad. He's in a cast. He's seen a couple doctors who say he won't be able to play guitar for a year."
So please send out some good thoughts or say a prayer to the divinity of your choice for a speedy recovery.

This Is Kinda Fun

Stefan G. Bucher's Daily Monster. Each day, this guy posts a video of himself creating little monsters out of random ink blobs. He begins by dripping some ink, blowing it around with a straw, turning the page to get some ideas, and then ... viola (sic)! Within a few seconds (the video is sped up), he draws a new creature. I wish I had this kind of talent and creativity. My son and I watched these for 30 minutes last night until he had to go to bed.

See it here.

I really need an outlet...for my teenage lust!

"Miss USA Tara Conner is on the verge of losing her crown after testing positive for cocaine, lustily kissing Miss Teen USA in public and sneaking men into their Trump Place apartment, sources tell the Daily News. "

Lustily. Kissing. Miss. Teen. America.

Hmm. Excuse me.

Bands I Hate.

5. Styx - Paradise Theater, I hate it. Ugh. And don't get me started on the fucking robot song. Ugh.
4. Abba - Seriously, nothing makes me want to hit someone or something more than an Abba song. Except an Abba Video.
3. Tears For Fears - Shout! Shout! Let It All Out! Tears for Shut the Fuck up!
2. Motley Crue - and pretty much every other hair band. I can't even get nostalgic about that shit.
1. Loverboy - There is not a song they do or a person in that band that doesn't just suck beyond all hell. I hate them more than almost anything else in the world. Even Jay.

Mmmmm.....creamy ranch.....

From the "Dear God in heaven what is happening in our schools" Department, please check out this Smoking Gun report on a special ingredient added to the salad dressing in one Chicago school and the humiliating letter the principal had to send home:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1215065salad1.html

Keep 'Em Crossed ...

Single Guy came back for a second look yesterday, which is marginally encouraging, but we're proceeding with the plan to take the house off the market tomorrow. Our agent will let S.G.'s agent know that if he still wants to make an offer, we'll work with him. The next step, as I may have mentioned before, is to stage the house and put it back on the market in a few weeks when things start picking up again.

We're on month seven, guys ...

Phrom the Least Surprising News Department:

Phish phrontman and phamous phretser Trey Anastasio has apparently been arrested in New York for driving under the
inphluence and possession of prescription medications in someone
else's name. The world collectively shrugged when informed of
this latest celebrity bust, and wondered why it hadn't happened sooner. Maybe if Trey does hard time his phriend Dave Matthews will come by the pen and they can play a phabulous show for the inmates. Or, maybe Trey will spend his days stroking his phallus instead of his axe. Or wait, wasn't he doing that before?

Peter Boyle Bought It

"While a generation of TV viewers knows him as Frank Barone - with his trademark "Holy crap!" line - Boyle had a respectable career long before "Everybody Loves Raymond" debuted in 1996, including a part in Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver," in which he played a philosopher cabbie who counseled Robert DeNiro's angry character.

Boyle was also close friends with John Lennon, who was best man at Boyle's wedding."

Story here.

Big Audio Dynamite

There's a pretty cool Mick Jones interview over at The Onion's A.V. Club. It's just a one-pager, but he still dishes on the Clash exhibit at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum, his favorite Clash album, how he and Strummer collaborated, and what he's up to these days.

Enjoy it here.

Threadless

I heard about this company on NPR. It's a business built around an online community. Members design, then vote on t-shirts, with the winning designs getting produced. Shirts are surprisingly cheap, and there are some pretty cool designs. I think winning designs get a couple grand. Jay, something to think about in your free time.

www.threadless.com

AAARGH

There's a single guy in from out of town who looked at the old house last week. Out of nine houses, he liked ours the best. Instead of being excited about this, I feel like I'm going to throw up. We've been at the top of several lists before. That may mean that he really likes it or thinks it sucks the least of everything he's seen.

He's going to be spending this week looking at more houses. Not very comforting.

Cannibals...poo poo... Instructional Technology...pshaw

Now all I want to do is listen to Gil Scott-Heron.

Neanderthals Were Cannibals, Joe Confirms

MADRID, Dec. 5 -- Neanderthals suffered periods of starvation and may have supplemented their diet through cannibalism, according to a study of remains by Joe.

Joe studied samples from eight 43,000-year-old Neanderthal skeletons excavated from an underground cave in El Sidron, Spain since 2000. The study sheds light on how Neanderthals lived before the arrival of modern humans in Europe.

Joe found cut marks and evidence that bones had been torn, which they say could indicate cannibalism.

"There is strong evidence suggesting that these Neanderthals were eaten," says the study's lead author, Joe, in Madrid. "That is, long bones and the skull were broken for extraction of the marrow, which is very nutritious."

According to Joe, there is evidence of cannibalism in Neanderthal remains from other European sites.

"I would say this practice.....was general among Neanderthal populations," he said.

Joe intends to continue his examination of Neanderthal skeletons until shortly after Christmas when he will return to the United States to hang out in Austin with his family while continuing his educational 'studies'.

"This study has borne many surprising and fascinating fruits. However, in a couple of weeks, I must table this research for a good 6 or 7 months and return to my family and educational 'studies'. Fortunately for us, these Neanderthal skeletons aren't going anywhere and there will be a time in the not so distant future that I will be able to re-focus my attentions on this, my second greatest passion, the cannibalistic tendencies of Neanderthals."

Now boys...

Here's a funny article on Eagles of Death Metal leaving the GnR tour featuring Tommy Stinson throwing his bass down in disgust after Axl refers to the openers as 'Pigeons of Shit Metal.' Or not doing it, depending on who's talking. Hail hail rock 'n roll...

No, This Is The Shot Where Joe Told Us To Look Badass

I think we all nailed it.

Were We Ever This Young?

Pophead on the Gilmore's roof ...

Are we genetically programmed to become Bruce Springsteen fans when we hit middle age?

When I was in high school and the Boss was in his Born in the U.S.A. heyday, I hated Bruce Springsteen. Part of it was due to the fact that I liked Black Flag and Iron Maiden at the time, part of it was due to the fact that Springsteen and "Bahhnnn in da USA" was sort of omnipresent, and part of it was due to the fact that my friends hated Bruce 'Springfield'. Ha!

Evidently the joke is on me. For the past couple of years, much as I have done with Bob Dylan, I have come to 'get' Springsteen. And while I still believe that some of the 'workin' man' stuff is a little overbearing, I've gotten past that to the point that the beauty of songs like 'Atlantic City', 'Racing in the Streets', 'The River', 'Wreck on the Highway', 'Badlands', 'Prove it all Night', and even the ubiquitous 'My Hometown' have become clear to me.

This hasn't been a quick conversion for me like it was with Dylan. I bought the Nebraska album over ten years ago, feeling justified because it was his stark, daring album. I decided to pick up The Essential Bruce Springsteen a couple years ago, as well as The Rising. Then, it was just as with Dylan. It was like a lightbulb went off and I suddenly realized I was a Springsteen fan. Plain and simple. Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River, The Ghost of Tom Joad, Greetings from Asbury Park and Born to Run all followed in quick succession.

Yesterday I sealed the deal. I bought Born in the U.S.A. And you know what? I like it.

CanoScan CS8600F

Christmas came early!

What does this mean to you guys? Once I'm done scanning all the negatives of my nude photos of Joe's mom, I'll start scanning all the negatives from the infamous pophead photo shoot(s).

Yes, I found them.

And begrudgingly, I'll admit that Joe took some pretty damn good pictures. I'm scanning at 2400 dpi, so these should print up nice 'n' purty. When I've got a few done, I'll FTP 'em.

So Dave ...

Have you guys decided where you're headed?

This ain't over, Motherf#@*er

We're coming for you, Hines! How many of us do you think you can kill? Huh?

One Of The Cute Little Bastards Destroying My Attic

We got squirrels, but hopefully not for long. I took this picture before leaving the house this morning. Ah, sweet revenge ...

Incidentally, the company that we're using doesn't catch and release; this squirrel will sleep with the fishes.

While you guys are evidently recovering from turkey poisoning...

I've been working. Yes, hard at work on my latest Christmas album for my family. Unfortunately for them, the songs I choose to put on the Christmas album tend to be dark, dire, sad, and concern the lives of junkies, dead cowboys, lost souls, and bad Santas. This year I'm including my version of Hallelujah. I think I'm the 3,657th person to record this song. My version isn't as good as Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Leonard Cohen, Damien Rice, or Bono, but it is a damn sight better than versions by Oscar the Grouch, Clay Aiken, and Terry Bradshaw. Pop on over to my Myspace page for a preview.

Your Hollywood Moment

Stephen Shainburg, director of the very strange but very good Secretary, has made a movie about Jay's fave photog, Diane Arbus, called Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus. Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey Crackhead star. Trailers, etc. here. Pray for nudity.

Same Five Questions

1) What is your earliest childhood memory?
2) What three personal items would you take from your burning home?
3) What did you want to be when you grew up?
4) What are your five all time favorite albums?
5) What is something you'd like to change about yourself?

Oops

You've probably heard about this if you haven't already seen it. Michael Richards loses it on stage and drops one 'N-word' after another responding to hecklers. 'Fifty years ago we'd have had you upside down with a #$*& cork up your ass.' A ha ha ha ha. Yikes.

Video's not embedded. Click here to see it. I'd put on headphones if I were you. It's almost painful to watch.

Burt Reynolds!

How many times did we rewind that damned tape? Here, Josh Freese's second break improvisation is crystal clear. Incidentally, Freese may be the best drummer in the business.

I can't help wondering how much better Westerberg's last few outings would have been with a competent drummer. (Namely, Josh Freese.)

Happy Monday, ladies.

Jay, I didn't know you were in a video.....

Not me, baby, I'm too precious...

Fuck off!

Good show. Something weird. On a couple of songs, they had a recording of her counting off, so it would go '1-2-3-4' but she was 10 feet from the mic, and not counting off. Later, as they were playing 'Chain Gang' (I think) she kind of messed up and the guitar player was trying to show her where the chords were and she said 'now you all know my parts are taped' and yelled at the guy behind a control board on stage 'you're fired!' I know she wasn't lip-synching, but I think she wasn't actually playing. Wouldn't have mattered b/c you could never hear her guitar anyway.

Otherwise, it was a great show. She's still got that great voice, and is a helluva performer. Martin absolutely pounds away. The other two guys were good. Her guitar player is a bit too clean, maybe, but can't really complain about that. It also could've been longer. That said, I'd go see 'em again.

There's a not terribly informative article about the early days on Dave's magazine site:

I, Journalist

So don't ask me how this all went down, but I am going to be interviewing John Wesley Harding, one of my musical and literary heroes, this December in Brooklyn, NY. The assignment is for an online magazine called Being There which was started up a couple years ago by some folks I know from the Elvis Costello Fan Site. I had contacted Wes (see, I get to call him Wes) last fall through his website because I knew he was in touch with some mutual friends after Katrina and I needed a way to get in touch with some of them. I also mentioned to him that some of my JWH CDs were lost in the deluge, and he immediately mailed them all to me, free of charge. An online 'friendship' was born. Long story short, he kindly consented to meet me for some drinks and talk a day or two after Christmas and I am very excited by the whole thing. I need some help from you idiots as far as questions I can ask without sounding like a total tool. Suggestions?

Yikes

This reminds me of one of my college relationships ...

Time to tie your loose ends up

Tommy on Youtube...

Funniest Movie I've Ever Seen?

As fans of Da Ali G Show, Soozan and I had high expectations for Borat, and we were not disappointed. You guys know that I'm not prone to hyperbole, so hear me now and believe me later when I say that this very well may be the funniest movie I have ever seen. Not only were my sides sore from laughing, but I had bronchitis-like symptoms afterwards. I'm really struggling to remember the last time I laughed this much at a movie.

Maybe Schindler's List?

Please don't let the inevitable Borat backlash keep you from seeing this film.

I'm taking this as a sign

I've been listening to a ton of Pretenders lately and thinking how much I really loooooove Chrissy Hynde. Lo and behold I consult the music weekly, and they're playing here this week! Woo Hoo. Now if I can just scrape up $35...

A Change of Scenery...

I just couldn't stand looking at that guy as the last post anymore, so here's my friend Jessica to brighten up the place.

The Office Comes to Life......

This clip is pretty unbelievable, but it was evidently taken from a Bank of America sales meetings. Please do not die laughing at all the earnestness and name dropping that goes on here.

I Believe Netflix Is Fucking With Me

Why is it that when I keep a Netflix movie for a month, their site shows it received within two days of when I mail it back, but when I actually watch and return quickly, they don't show my movies received for TEN days? This has mysteriously happened for our last three movies. Hell, I reported the first one missing because it was taking so long to get back to them.

The practice is called throttling, and they've gotten in trouble for it before. Now apparently I've been flagged as an unprofitable customer. Has it really come to this? Is three movies a month for $9.99 really upsetting their business paradigm that significantly?

Read more here.

!!

Holy Donkey Shit

Are the Democrats gonna take the Senate, too?

Wonder how quickly Rove dispatched his evil flying monkeys to Montana and Virginia?

Next Installment Of My Favorite PC Game Evah!

Half-Life 2: Episode 2. Early 2007!

Move over, Daisy Duke...

I'm really enjoying My Name is Earl and the Office on Thursday night, even if it is early Friday morning before I ever get to watch it. Jamie Pressly put the hu-hu-hu in hot. A quick google image search (Safesearch off!) will reap many delightfully nsfw visions. Mmm Mmm trashy women!

I think I'm going to have to put her on my 'Honey, if she calls I'm gonna have to say yes' list right after Uma and right above those four girls who sat behind me in my stats class last semester.

I also think the Office is the best transition from British sitcom to US shitcom ever. Not that that's really saying anything. I thought it would run its course pretty quickly, but it's still funny. And the girl in Tim's other office is WAY hotter than Pam.

Remember when I used to go to concerts and have fun...?

Ha, Ha!

I love stories like this almost as much as stories about carjackers getting shot by their victims ...

'Less than 24 hours after being fired from the mega-church he founded, evangelical Pastor Ted Haggard confessed to a "lifelong" sexual problem.'

Read the article here.

And let's not forget that the only reason he's "confessing" is because his favorite gay prostitute ratted him out for his spectacular hypocrisy. Otherwise, he would still be indulging in his "lifelong" little problem today.

Was that a tumbleweed that just blew through here?

Uhhhhh.......guys? It's awfully dark and scary in here.......

Let's Talk About the Electric Six

With Jay's admonition in the previous post about my responsibilities of keeping him updated with music in mind, let me submit (or resubmit) for your consideration the Electric Six, my favorite band of the past couple of years. Electric Six is best described as a heavy rock/disco/dance machine ironic whirlwind of love, briefcases, fire, and Detroit Rock City. Vocalist and primary writer Dick Valentine has a voice of metal and a look of cheese about him. Their songs are hilarious and are generally about dancing, love, dancing, fire, dancing, celebrities, dancing, politicians, dancing, and Satan. Following is a video for "I Buy the Drugs" from their latest masterpiece Switzerland with lyrics following.


I Buy the Drugs
And I don't mind your rabid doggy
And I don't mind it when it bites
'Cos the days are nights and the nights are longer
Than watching days turn into nights

Yeah!
I buy the drugs
I light the fire
I am your main supplier
I am your man and I buy the drugs

I can be the jump start for the car parked in your mind
Cos' You left the lights on all night long
We can drive for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles away

Have you ever smelt the clothes her sexy clothes?
Have you ever got to know her
Like I do?
Have you ever reversed roles?
Gave up control?
Stayed home and let your woman
Support you?
Yeah!

Yeah!
I buy the drugs
I light the fire
I am your main supplier
I am your man and I buy the drugs

I can be the jump start for the car parked in your mind
Cos' You left the lights on all night long
We can drive for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles away

If you ever find yourself in need
You can submit your request in writing
And this is what you do

Send in a self addressed stamped envelope
To PO Box 900
Los Angeles
California
90212
And I will fill your perscription with some degree of accuracy
And then I'll send it back to you
And then I'll send it back to you
And then I'll send it back to you
Yeah!

Please note that the address Dick Valentine gives for sending drug requests is to Fox News' L.A. Bureau! You can find E6's website, complete with hilarious postings from Mr. Valentine here.

I do not want to see a post from Jay in 2016 whining about how I never told him about Electric 6.

My New Favorite Song

"Common People," Pulp

She came from Greece she had a thirst for knowledge
She studied sculpture at St. Martin's College
That's where I caught her eye

She told me that her dad was loaded
I said "In that case I'll have a rum and coca-cola"
She said "Fine," and then in thirty seconds time she said

"I want to live like common people
I want to do whatever common people do
I want to sleep with common people
I want to sleep with common people like you"

Oh what else could I do?
I said "I'll see what I can do"

I took her to a supermarket
I don't know why, but I had to start it somewhere
So it started there
I said "Pretend you've got no money"
But she just laughed and said "Oh you're so funny"
I said "Yeah? Well I can't see anyone else smiling in here"

"Are you sure you want to live like common people
You want to see whatever common people see
You want to sleep with common people
You want to sleep with common people like me?"
But she didn't understand
She just smiled and held my hand

Rent a flat above a shop
Cut your hair and get a job
Smoke some fags and play some pool
Pretend you never went to school
But still you'll never get it right
`Cos when you're laid in bed at night
Watching roaches climb the wall
If you called your dad he could stop it all, yeah

You'll never live like common people
You'll never do whatever common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view

And then dance, and drink, and screw
Because there's nothing else to do

Sing along with the common people
Sing along and it might just get you through
Laugh along with the common people
Laugh along even though they're laughing at you
And the stupid things that you do
Because you think that poor is cool

I want to live with common people like you

And So It Begins ...

Video-sharing service YouTube has wiped nearly 30,000 files from its website after Japanese media companies said their copyright was being infringed.

More here.

Stones in Austin

The boys are playing in the park here this weekend. Tix are at around $75, which was the student price. I have said I'm not going, but now that it's getting close to it I'm really antsy. I'm thinking if I can get 'em for $50 I might go.

There's a big blues show downtown after and the word is that Keef is gonna wing on over to Antones and jam with the Hubert Sumlins. Also afterwards, Ian Maclagan (who is opening for the Stones) is playing at my favorite club. I would not be surprised if I ended up there. Perhaps a Ronnie sighting...

Album Cover Wars!

This might be my favorite Youtube moment yet.......



Notice that Pleased to Meet Me makes an appearance.

Grindhouse!

Damn, this is going to be a lot of fun ... The latest from Tarantino & Rodriguez.

Memories, from the corners of my mind....

From my illustrious life as a musician, enjoy this slideshow, which may also be found on my MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/popheaddave

Stop the Madness? Stop this video!

Nothing will ever make you want to do drugs more than watching this 80s anti-drug video which features such staunch teetotalers as Nancy Reagan, David Hasselhoff, Stacy Keach, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, and countless others. Throw in a freaky monkey, terrible song, and Casey Kasem and you've got the ingredients for a four day angel dust bender just waiting to happen. VIEW WITH CAUTION IF YOU ARE NOT CURRENTLY USING DRUGS.

She Had The Jugs

Yes, she was witty; she was intelligent. She was born of high station. She spoke and walked proudly. She was the kind who displayed nobility, who showed style and class. But above all, she had the jugs.

Many people called her by her last name; some closer friends had a confidence with her and shared the intimacy of her first name. But to me, she was always "Lady jugs a-plenty."

It is true. She was clever and she was charming, but above all, she had the jugs.

From Cruel Shoes, by Steve Martin

Christ Almighty. (NSFW, in case you couldn't guess.)

Not to go all poli-sci on ya, but...

Brownie-----------Dummy-----------Foley

Essential Music Geek Viewing Tonight

I've been thoroughly impressed with the "Classic Albums" series in the past, and tonight VH1 Classic presents Classic Albums: The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon. In a typical episode, ANYONE who had a hand in the creative process is interviewed: band members, managers, engineers, producers, cover artists, former record label execs. (Even the odd Rolling Stone editor makes an appearance.)

Together, they proceed to deconstruct the album, song by song.

For some tunes, the original masters are dusted off and the engineer isolates tracks on the soundboard to demonstrate some amazing feature of the song. For others, a bandmember sits with a guitar and explains his inspiration, playing riffs or what-have-you. For still others, a mildly amusing or ironic anecdote is related, such as how the biggest hit of the album almost wasn't included, and why.

Even if you're not a fan of the band or album being profiled, it gives you a greater appreciation for the blood, sweat and beers that went into producing a recording generally considered a classic.

Amen and amen. Ad infinitum. Ahem.

Is there something you're not telling us, Jay...

Look what I found in the 10 for a buck bin at the used record store...

Shaun Of The Dead

Shaun of the Dead is a zombie-themed romantic comedy, or "rom zom com" as it dubs itself, released in 2004 (9 April in the United Kingdom, 24 September in the United States). It was written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, directed by Edgar Wright, and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The plot focuses on Shaun (played by Pegg), an unmotivated young man, who is attempting to get some kind of focus in his life, reconcile with his ex-girlfriend and settle his various issues with his mother and stepfather, whilst simultaneously having to cope with an apocalyptic uprising of zombies that is causing the fabric of society to collapse. It was a critical and commercial success in both the United Kingdom and in the United States.

Okay, all of that was lifted directly from Wikipedia because I really liked the movie but I'm feeling very lazy at the moment. Rock solid flick, though. You'll laugh! You'll cry! Then you'll watch the movie.

One Step Closer To Legitimacy?

Gentlemen, I give you the official seal of The United Bastards!