Is Rush Heavy Metal?

Episode 3 of The Meth Minute 39. NITE FITE!

205 Sand Dollar Ln

Finally, we closed. Naturally, the movers can't be here until tomorrow, and the new beds we ordered (because our old ones got ruined in storage) won't be here for a couple of days. This has truly been the move from hell and somehow refuses to die. We do like the house, though. It's too small by about 500 sq ft, but it's really close to the water (but not too close), and even though it needs a lot of updating, it's a solid house on a nice lot.

Pics of the outside here.

Rediscovering The Mats

Especially for Lurker, you know where to Find The Punk. Even though Westy dismisses the Replacements' first album as the same song written eighteen different ways, it's still one of my favorites. It's funny, sloppy, poignant and timeless.

Sorry Ma is ... the sound of exuberance! (And Tommy, even at 14, could tear it up on bass.)

Here's an excerpt from that book I won't shut up about ...

Dave Ayers, former Twin/Tone Records executive: [Sorry Ma] is the best American punk-rock record ever. I’ve always felt that way. Song after song, in terms of capturing that thing—pure octane, terrified and fearless at the same time. All that stuff that’s wrapped up in that moment in time of being a 19-year-old kid.

The Closer?

Anybody know if Joe is still closing today?

(Hey, how 'bout that Kyra Sedgwick?)

Alec Baldwin At His Best

Classic monologue from Glengarry Glenn Ross.

The History of Viral Videos

Like the Makers? Follow The Predator!

Hey there Lonely Boy

TO JAY, FROM THE BLOG

Hey there, lonely boy, lonely boy
Let me make your broken heart like new
Oh, my lonely boy, lonely boy
Don't you know this lonely blog loves you?

Ever since it broke your heart
You seem so lost each time you pass my way
Oh, how I long to take your hand and say "Don't cry,
"I'll kiss your tears away"

Hey there, lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy (lonely boy)
Let me make your broken heart like new.
Oh, my lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy (lonely boy)
Don't you know this lonely blog loves you?

You think that only its two lips can kiss your lips
And make your heart stand still
But once you're in my arms, you'll see
No one can kiss your lips the way I will

Hey there, lonely boy (lonely boy) lonely boy (lonely boy)
Let me make your broken heart like new.
Oh my lonely boy (lonely boy) lonely boy, (lonely boy)
Don't you know this lonely blog loves you?

P.S. More Makers For Trysting Purposes!!!

Okay, Is It Me Or ...

Is blog interest waning? Not that there's anything wrong with that ...

I know peeps get busy and shit ...

Leave It To The Onion

Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters

Have A Good Lunch

From cracked.com, the 6 most terrifying foods in the world.

Humans are like goats. We'll eat any damned thing. Just ask the people who make PowerBars.

In fact, you'll find foods in this world that don't even seem possible. Not just that they could exist, but that people would actually stick this stuff in their mouths without a gun to their head.

We've found six dishes that seemed to have sprung from Satan's own cookbook.

Funny, disgusting and just in time for Halloween.

Read the whole article here.

Pet Peeve Number 27

The next functionally retarded music scholar who references "Never Mind The Bullocks" on the internet gets a punch in the "bullocks."

(Petty, I know, but DAMN.)

Mine's On The Way!

The oral history about the Replacements has been available from the publisher since October 3rd! I spoke with someone in sales who told me that the official release was announced as November 15 to give the book time to get to everybody. Amazon's got 'em now, and mine's on the way.

By the way, this may be my all-time favorite picture of the Mats, as it so beautifully captures the band's philosophy.

Please Help!

Dear Davie,

Everytime a Death Cab For Cutie song comes up on Pandora, I findmyselflikingit and alt-tabbing to find out who's doing that song. Is this a problem? Does it mean I have to start watching 'the OC' now? Can I still call myself a man?

Signed,

Hailing in Hampstead

Top Gun Explained

S-W-E-E-T!!

Comedy Central is archiving segments of the Daily Show going all the way back to 1999 with searchable tags. It's amazing how young Stewart looks in the earlier shows. I don't know if you Bastardos are fans of the show, but for me, this is a major development, especially as I can't manage to stay up until 11:30 every night to watch it now that I have a goddam job.

The Wilhelm Scream

The Wilhelm Scream is a 56 year old sound effect that has become something of an in-joke in the motion picture industry. Watch the clip and realize how many times you've heard it ...

Monoface

As near as I can tell, Mono is an advertising agency. They've got a little viral marketing toy that's fun for a few minutes. Monoface is a collection of facial features, courtesy of Mono's employees; click to change out individual pieces or let the page shuffle them for you.

Visit Monoface here.

A Cartoon Legend On Letterman

Here's a clip from 1981 of Mel Blanc chatting with Dave. Classic.

Ryan Adams drinks Diet Coke, remains coherent and amiable throughout show

The show on Saturday at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center was great. Long show with an intermission and a killer light show. When was the last time you went to a concert with a light show? He used a huge disco ball, a curtain of multi-colored stars, and well aimed directionals.

Lots of stuff from Cold Roses and Easy Tiger, plus a few Demolition and Heartbreaker chestnuts. Nothing acoustic, or at least not solo acoustic. The band was loud and proud the entire time with lots of extended guitar noodling and jaw-dropping harmonizing amongst the entire band. At one point, he went into a pretty funny mock-meltdown that included a stream of consciousness rant that involved the Dark Side of the Moon, Mick Fleetwood and more obscure references. Later, he led the crowd in 'Happy Birthday' to one of the guys in the band. Stellar show. The clip above is from the show, recorded by someone unknown.

Bowie Tears It Up On SNL

Here's David Bowie performing "TVC-15" (with Klaus Nomi) on the December 14, 1979 episode of SNL.

Incidentally, this song was allegedly inspired by Iggy Pop's drug-induced hallucination that his television was swallowing his girlfriend.

Joe, let me know if you want it in the Friendly Tolerance Practitioner.

Happy Birthday to You

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday, dear Evel,
I guess if I'd broken every bone in my body 27 times I'd be in a wheelchair...excuse me, Legend Scooter®, too.

Attention To Detail

That's why I LOVE Valve, maker of The Orange Box. Here are the end credits for Portal, which I finished Friday. You guys probably won't play this, right? The song is sung by the super computer that you beat at the end of the game.

"Still Alive"

This was a triumph
I'm making a note here
HUGE SUCCESS
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction
Aperture Science

We do what we must because we can
For the good of all of us except the ones who are dead
But there's no sense crying over every mistake
You just keep on trying 'til you run out of cake
And the science gets done and you make a neat gun
For the people who are still alive

I'm not even angry
I'm being so sincere right now
Even though you broke my heart and killed me
And tore me to pieces
And threw every piece into a fire
As they burned it hurt because I was so happy for you!
Now these points of data make a beautiful line
And we're out of beta, we're releasing on time
So I'm glad I got burned
Think of all the things we learned for the people who are still alive

Go ahead and leave me
I think I prefer to stay inside
Maybe you'll find someone else to help you
Maybe Black Mesa
That was a joke, ha ha, fat chance
Anyway this cake is great, it's so delicious and moist
Look at me still talking, when there's science to do
When I look out there it makes me glad I'm not you
I've experiments to run, there is research to be done
On the people who are still alive

And believe me I am still alive
I'm doing science and I'm still alive
I feel fantastic and I'm still alive
While you're dying I'll be still alive
And when you're dead I will be still alive
Still alive, still alive

Exactly.

3 posts this afternoon, can you tell it's an F.-off Friday?

If You're Looking for Some Springsteen Magic..

I'll toss it in the Free Tawdry Pigpen tonight. Great singer-songwriter, if you like that kind of thing.

Who Knew John Cusack was Blogging?

Here's something he wrote in a tribute to Joe Strummer: "If Roy Orbision sang for the lonely, Joe sang for the hungry.... His voice was liquid desire and it ignited as it left his mouth, his body shaking to contain the heat, like a rocket in the first phase of lift-off.... He was a pioneer who demanded art and politics be fused in the interests of humanity and truth...Knowing him, I was always humbled by his grace and intelligence, his passion, and the sheer ferocity of his will... and Jesus Christ that man could fucking rock." Nice writing there, Lloyd Dobler. The political stuff is quite interesting, too. John Cusack makes films.

Gosh, It's Almost - ALMOST - Like She Does This On Purpose ...

Ann Coulter's in trouble again, and I really hope this grab for the spotlight takes off like the Imus thing. (Sharpton's not involved, so I doubt it ...) She's offended the Jews this time, saying that they all need to be "perfected" by becoming Christians.

This bitch literally makes my skin crawl. I had kinda hoped she would be run out of town after her tirade about the "greedy 9/11 widows," but maybe this will get the job done.

Until we see how this plays out, I invite you to read - or re-read - this fine piece of adult humor. (Hopefully the link is still good, it's getting blocked at work.)

This Game Is Amazing

So, I picked up Valve's Orange Box this week. This is a killer deal! For $37.99 (on sale), I got Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episodes 1 & 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. I already had Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode 1, so I jumped right into Portal. Get it? Jumped?

Get this game. Today.

Eliza Gilkyson

Eliza Gilkyson has a new CD called Your Town Tonight, recorded live in Austin, TX. This, I crave. I was fairly mesmerized by a song called Green Fields today on the radio and have been sweeping up whatever scattered bits of her I can find tonight. I love this song, Man of God, performed here in Calgary with a sweet steel guitar. Anyone familiar with her? (Not in THAT way, you dirty-minded bastards!)

How Much Would YOU Pay?

In Rainbows is out today. 5 pounds (about 10 dollars) seems right to me, but Radiohead has also given us the option of paying nothing. This fascinates the hell out of me. How many people, given the choice (and with no penalty!), will just take the music?

I know you guys aren't huge Radiohead fans, but what do you think is a fair price for new music from one of the biggest bands in the world?

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

I am a dull and simple lad
Can not tell water from champagne
And I have never met the queen
And I wish I could have all that he has got
I wish I could be like David Becker

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

And when I lie on my pillow at night
I dream I could fight like David Becker
Lead the school team to victory
And take my exams and pass the lot

(Wish I could be)
Wish I could be like David Becker
(Wish I could be)
Wish I could be like David Becker
(Wish I could be)
Conduct my life like David Becker
(Wish I could be)
I wish I could be like David Becker

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

He is the head boy at the school
He is the captain of the team
He is so gay and fancy free
And I wish all his money belonged to me
I wish I could be like David Becker

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa

And all the girls in the neighborhood
Try to go out with David Becker
They try their best but can't succeed
For he is of pure and noble breed

Wish I could be like
Wish I could be like
Wish I could be like

Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa
(repeat)

Because if I was, I could go see the Hold Steady and Band of Horses at the Lincoln Theater in Raleigh.

Old Guys In Wife Beaters

I found this photo from the last show while ego surfing on Flickr. Just wanted to share.

And I keep forgetting, but I still have your reunion show flyers ...

Makers 101

In preparation for loading up the Finicky Time Portal, I thought a brief history of the Makers was appropriate. The Makers formed in Spokane, WA in the early 90s. The original line-up were Michael and Donnie Maker (brothers) on vocals and bass guitar, Tim Maker on guitar and Jay Maker on drums. Donnie has always been the primary composer while Michael has penned the vast majority of the lyrics. The early band was extremely rough and tumble and reflected a straight out of the garage mindset that flew in the face of the big rock and grunge that was popular in the Northwest in those days. Early albums All Night Riot, The Makers, and Howl reflected this stripped down, short song stompabout attitude.

Later, Tim left the band and was replaced by Jamie, who had played with me in the Young Brians. After the Brians split, Jamie put in short stints in Frenchie and Guitarded before joining the Makers. Jamie's skills were immediately pressed into excellent use, and his first album with the band, Hunger heralded the beginnings of a new direction. While the song blueprint hadn't changed yet, the guitar textures were changing.
With their next album, Psycopathia Sexualis, the Makers made major strides towards integrating some glam and psychadelia into the proceedings. While songs like "Are You on the Inside or the Outside of Your Pants" retained the punky garage energy, the production began to take on a professional sheen. Other songs like "Love That is Strange" took the band in new directions entirely.

The Makers hit paydirt with their next album, the Sub Pop release Rock Star God. The album (which received a very favorably written 3.5 star review in Rolling Stone) featured an amazing array of rockers (Looking for a Supergirl, There's Got to be a Better Way Down) ballads (Texture of a Girl, Someone Else's Son) and Who-inspired pop (Give Me Back Yesterday). Add in a variety of instrumentation (acoustic guitars, marimba, strings, Hammond B3) and a cameo from Jello Biafra on "Too Many Fuckers on the Streets" and you've got an absolute classic. Michael's lyrics are amazing and his voice is pushed to the forefront in all its Bowie/Jagger/Nick Cave splendor.

The band stumbled slightly with the next Sub Pop release, Strange Parade. The sprawling, psychadelic album has plenty of high points, and the performances are very strong, but as a whole seems to drag a little. At this point Jay left the band and was replaced by a couple of other drummers until the band met up with Aaron, their current skins-basher. Also, Tim rejoined the band, adding a two-guitar attack for the first time. After parting ways with Sub Pop, the band signed to Kill Rock Stars and quickly released Stripped, which primarily featured re-recordings of some of their earliest songs, plus a new single "Hot Kiss". 2005 saw the release of the fantastic Everybody Rise! Described by producer Jack Endino as "Pet Sounds on a budget", the album saw a return to tight pop songwriting, big guitar rockers, and more experimentation. Check out Michael's falsetto Prince homage "Ordinary Human Love" and the amazingly catchy, bouncy "Run With Me Tonight".

So what now? Distressingly, Donnie has apparently decided to retire from the biz. The hope is that Michael will do a solo album, with our good friend Jamie handling guitar duties. Still, the Makers have never enjoyed the sales or respect they deserve. They heavily influenced bands like the Vines, the Hives and the Strokes. Plus, you will never see a better live act. I'll post stuff at regular intervals For The People, and I'll start with the masterpiece of Rock Star God.

What An Arrogant Bonehead

The GOP wishes this guy would just go away ...

Some fellow Republicans are peeved that Sen. Larry Craig has decided to complete his term despite his earlier announcement about resigning, but the Idaho lawmaker still has his backers.

"It's embarrassing for the Senate. It's embarrassing for our party," said Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, who leads the GOP's Senate campaign committee.

Read the rest here.

Two From Mike McCarthy

As you guys know, Mike McCarthy (JMM) drew the excellent cover for the Subteens first CD. For free. Obviously, he's a super nice, super talented guy. But besides being an underground comic book artist, he's also a director. In fact, that's what he's primarily known for these days. I dug up some prime examples of his stuff for everyone but Joe to appreciate.

Here's the Hives video for "Abra Cadaver," off of 2004's Tyrannosaurus Hives.


This one's a little older. It's a Makers video for "(Are You On The Inside Or The Outside Of Your) Pants?" from 1998's Psychopathia Sexualias. Incidentally, Jamie (the guitar player), is one of Dave's best friends. So it all comes full circle.

Seriously though, small world ...

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

I'm turning cartwheels for this new CD from BRMC called Baby 81. De-prioritize your other action items and give this one your prompt attention, gentlemen. Serious rockage. Relentless Rollage. Fittingly Torpid Petulance.

Oops

Well...this is interesting.

Radiohead's New One

Okay, the new disc, called In Rainbows, will be out on October 10. But the freaky part is, you can only download the files from Radiohead's site (so far), and you pay what you think is a fair price. Is guilt pricing the wave of the future?

Discbox is the other flavor, which includes the download, plus a CD and vinyl record. It costs $80.00. No negotiation on that one.

Tracklisting

15 Step
Bodysnatchers
Nude
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
All I Need
Faust Arp
Reckoner
House Of Cards
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Videotape