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!

Dirty Secret

Shame on you, Yoseph. Shame.

And I thought I had problems

Ya know, just when I think my life is unbearable, I run across someone with real problems. Meet the Carter brothers, a couple of blonde-tipped has beens who actually get into a shouting match over Paris Hilton and who schtupped her when:



God help the Carters and their faux black girl dialect! God help us all!

But am I supposed to like it or not?!!

From the tastemakers at Pitchfork, a review of the new Jet album.

Do you love Gnarls Barkley yet?

I give you the greatest 1) Femmes cover ever and 2) video featuring tiny bugs trying to infiltrate a girl's underwear. If you haven't picked up this album yet, do it immediately. No, really. This was my favorite CD over the summer.

Box Tops On The Mike Douglas Show - Chat & Soul Deep

Enjoy YouTube while it lasts, boys. Not that I've heard anything. It's just too damn cool to live. (A condition with which I'm sure Joe is familiar.)

They appear to be singing live to canned music.

Speaking of the PW580........

.....here's Mr. Westerberg playing it at the premiere for Open Season in L.A. He performed 3 songs with Tommy and Josh Freese ("Right to Arm Bears", "Love You in the Fall" and (gulp) "I.O.U.". By all accounts a swell time was had by all. I've also included a shot of the Westerbergs at the premiere.

Ah, Sweet Hypocrisy

As the story goes, the plug was pulled five minutes into the Sex Pistols' first ever live performance at St. Martins School of Art. 30 years later, they have a historical marker documenting the event.

Just goes to show that not only is all eventually forgiven, but embraced.

Pristine Power Pop

In a word, DAMN.

More like Squeeze or Split Enz power pop than Cheap Trick or Elvis Costello power pop, Jellyfish's Bellybutton came and went in 1990, wedged between the death of hair metal and the explosion of grunge. If you're looking for meaty slabs of distorted guitar you'll be disappointed, but there IS an abundance of smart lyrics, Beach Boy harmonies and solid musicianship. Bellybutton seems painstakingly crafted and is jammed with more hooks than Bill Dance's tackle box. (Rim shot!)

The band didn't stick around for long, but at least we've still got the album. Sometimes bad timing can torpedo a band (I'm looking at you, Big Star), but I've got to think that if Jellyfish hadn't dressed like H.R. Pufnstuf rejects, they might have been taken a little more seriously by the record buying public.

But I could be wrong.

Manic Street Preachers & The Holy Bible

Either of you fellers listen to this here record? I've always heard and read great things about The Holy Bible. It seems to be on every major publication's list of 100 greatest rock albums, and the Manic Street Preachers have been compared to the Clash on more than one occasion. But three songs in, it's not grabbing me.

Maybe my expectations are too high. (The same reason I can't find Amanda Hugnkiss.) Or is it just too damned British?

Killing Me Softly

"Home sales slowed and a key measure of prices fell for the first time in 11 years last month, spurred by the biggest glut of new homes on the market in more than a decade, an industry group said Monday."

Read the entire CNNMoney.com article here, if you're just too fucking happy today.

Evidently, Paul's a fan of the First Act Signature PW580...

From Tommy's discussion bored:

First Act endorsee Paul Westerberg is in for a busy week thanks to the animated film "Open Season" and its soundtrack. The excitement begins Monday, September 25th, as Paul reunites with his band The Replacements for a performance at the premier of "Open Season," to be held at the prestigious Greek Theater in Los Angeles. Westerberg will perform on stage with his First Act Signature PW580 guitar. On Tuesday, the "Open Season" soundtrack (on Lost Highway Records) hits store shelves, featuring songs by Paul Westerberg. Throughout the recording of the soundtrack, Westerberg's weapon of choice in the studio was his First Act Signature PW580 guitar. Finally, Friday, September 29th marks the release of Columbia Pictures Animation's "Open Season" in theaters nation-wide.

Surely Chris Mars isn't playing the gig... Hey, Jay, remember having a beer with Slim? And trying on his drummer's creepers?

Decisions, Decisions

This or that? If you were me, which one would you purchase today? He'p me!

Where's My Willie?

Ummmm......what happened to the 'Red Eyed Stranger' post by Joe? And where is Joe? And does Willie Nelson have the power to expunge all references of him from blogs? I swear, if Willie Nelson had Joe whacked, I will stop at nothing to exact my revenge.

Football, once a source of pleasure, now breaks my heart

I used to love to watch pro football, US style. I guess I still do, but ever since becoming the commisioner of my own league, things have gone downhill. First of all, my team sucks. Yeah, really. Secondly, I thought it would be fun to involve all of my family. All of it. Including: my divorced parents each have a team; my girlfriend has a team; I have a team; my girlfriend's father has a team; each of my two siblings have a team; and my friend Randall, who is super-competitive and lives in the UK has a team. I didn't really think about the awkward pairings (Week One: my mom vs. my dad. Future weeks include my girlfriend's father vs. members of my family whom he has never met... you get the picture). Add into the equation the fact that in my league you can post 'smacktalk' and, well.... again, you get the picture. Dammit.

Phantom Of The Paradise

I used to work with a psychiatrist who once told me that children don't "get" abstract humor until they're 12 or so. That's why kids don't think Letterman is funny. I first saw this movie when I was about ten, and it really fucked me up.

Winslow Leach just wants the world to hear his music, and what happens to him? His Faust cantata is stolen, he's beaten up and framed for drug possession, his teeth are pulled and replaced with metal dentures, and he's sent to prison. As if that isn't enough, he breaks out of prison and gets his head stuck in a record press trying to sabotage the plant!

Ha ha ha ha! Get it?

Everything about this movie disturbed me: the menacing Juicy Fruits, the casting couch vocal tryouts, the satanic contracts, Beef's onstage electrocution, the (attempted) televised assasination. And the end of the movie was particularly hard to stomach. Mortally wounded, Winslow crawls toward Phoenix, arm outstretched, while Paradise audience members crawl beside him, mockingly cheering him on ...

Okay, that's some heavy shit for a kid. But I saw the movie again as an adult and it's become one of my favorites. Weird, hunh? The Swan Archives is an excellent website with tons of ephemera for POTP obsessives.

Check it out here.

Man ...

Heyday
My heyday
It's your heyday
My my my my my heyday

It ain't gonna last
It ain't gonna last
It ain't gonna last

"Heyday," The Replacements

Cheesy Goodness

Either of you guys remember this movie from 1976? I only saw the commercial on TV a couple times, but it's one of those indelible memories from my childhood. (Burned in right beside that creepy-ass trailer for It's Alive.) I was momentarily obsessed, as I recall, cutting the ad out of the movie section of the paper and drawing pictures of Infra-Man kicking buttocks. He made The Six Million Dollar Man look like an arthritic pussy. I mean, c'mon! Just look at that costume.

Sadly, I never got to see the movie and never really gave it another thought after a few weeks.

Thirty (gasp) years later, I'm talking with a coworker about this fine piece of cinema, only to discover that it's coming out on dvd October 3rd! Hello, serendipity. Hola, coincidence. (Or if you prefer, How's it hangin', synchronicity?)

I almost DON'T want to see it, because there's no way in hell it can measure up to the expectations of the seven year old me.

Anyhoo ...

Infra-Man Trailer

Man, this takes me back ... Although this is most likely the theatrical trailer, you get the idea.

Worst. President. Ever.

Check out this seven page article over at Salon.com, an excerpt from Sidney Blumenthal's new book. It's a good summation of what a disaster Bush's presidency has been, and why.

Here's a chunk:

"Bush's presidency was uniquely radical in its elevation of absolute executive power, dismissal of the other branches of government, contempt for law, dominant power of the vice president, networks of ideological cadres, principle of unaccountability, stifling of internal debate, reliance on one-party rule, and overtly political use of war. Never before had a president shown disdain for science and sought to batter down the wall of separation between church and state. None of it seemed in the offing upon Bush's inauguration in 2001. Yet these actions were not sudden impulses, spontaneous reactions or accidental gestures. They were based on deliberate decisions intended to change the presidency and government fundamentally and forever. And these decisions had deep historical roots."

Read it here, if you wankers are still alive.

All By Myself

When I was young
I never needed anyone
And makin' blogs was just for fun
Those days are gone

Postin' alone
I think of both the friends I've known
But using dial-up from my home
No Dave or Joe

All by myself
Don't wanna be
All by myself anymore
All by myself
Don't wanna blog
All by myself anymore

Hard to be sure
Sometimes I feel so insecure
Joe's posts so distant and obscure
Remains the cure

All by myself
Don't wanna be
All by myself anymore
All by myself
Don't wanna blog
All by myself anymore

Replacements - Kiss Me On The Bus

I'm on a roll, bitches! Dug up the seldom seen second song (ooh alliteration!) from their SNL appearance.

Ray Davies On NPR

Hey guys, there's a really, really cool interview of Mr. Davies on the NPR website from last April. He chats about the new solo album (among other things) with Terri Gross for a good 30 minutes. She even persuades him to discuss his 2004 shooting!

Listen here. (You'll need to choose your player when you get there.)

Bob Dylan - Don't Start Me Talking

Is this it?

The Plugz, Dylan and why nobody really gives a fuck about technology in education...

I went with my old hippy friend Chris to see the author of the 'Dylan Encyclopedia' and 'Song and Dance Man.' Whatever-the-author's-name-was was speaking on campus, and I've been picking at my ulcer over what do do my fucking dissertation on while getting ready to take my comps, and thought it might be something fun to do.

Getting to the point, the author was entertaining and English and all that, but what was awesome was that he showed this video of Bob doing Letterman in support of 'Infidels.' The band he played with was was a punk band called The Plugz out of LA. It was le titties. He evidently turns to the band and tells them to play this old blues song, which wasn't on the album and wasn't the song they were supposed to play. Like Elvis on SNL. Very Punk! But then the band just ripped into this song. And Bob was just belting it out. It was trans-fucking-sendant. I really want to find a bootleg of it, or him playing with this band.

And fine job with the blog these days, Jay. It almost seems witty at points.

This Is What ...

This is what a Google image search of 'dylan' pulls up:

My Pants Feel Funny

Our significant others don't read this blog, do they?

Holy sheep shit. I'm like Iron Eyes Cody ovah heah.

Look What I Found

It's amazing what you can find on the internets. I simply Googled "hot chick sitting next to loser in cool t-shirt."

This was the only hit.

As the World Burns

Nice to have you back, fuckers!

I caught X with the Rollins Band Wed. night. I've been a big X fan since I don't know when, but I always knew that they were one of those bands that you could never really get until you see them live. I was right. Despite the fact that Exene Cervenka looks like a bag lady's grandma, and Billy Zoom could pass for a TV preacher, they rocked. Rocked, I say!

And Billy Zoom is a motherfucker! He had a big grin on his face the whole time and just T-O-R-E I-T U-P!!

The Rollins band was about what you'd expect. Henry certainly says what he means and means what he says. And he spits and blows his nose a lot. A L-O-T, I SAY!

The Perry Bible Fellowship

Nicholas Gurewitch makes The Perry Bible Fellowship. Funny and twisted.

Here are two of my favorites (click to embiggen), but you can see more here.

Tom Waits, Church Pews

I guess it is fitting that the seats at the Ryman are church pews. It is the church of country music (hell, of American music), and my favorite guest pastor was holding forth on the stage. Tom Waits is and always has been one of my favorite artists, but his rare forays onto the concert stage had me thinking that I would never see him live. Needless to say, this night was a dream come true.

Our seats were seven rows back in the balcony on the dead center aisle, so our view of the stage was excellent. The staging was very minimalist, with backlit scrims that subtly changed color adding the only 'show' to the show. Tom was accompanied by his son Casey on drums, a guitarist, keyboardist/percussionist, and the excellent Larry Taylor on bass. The setlist focused on relatively recent releases such as Real Gone and Mule Variations, but Tom did dip into his back catalogue for a lovely rendition of Tom Traubet's Blues and a raucous finale of Heart Attack and Vine. He was manic on stage, often careening around the mic stand or playing his guitar. He only played piano on a couple of numbers, accompanied only by Larry Taylor on the upright. His voice is a thing of wonder. Because of his recent singing style, many think his voice is shot. They couldn't be more wrong. On this night, he showed off all aspects from the hoarse whisper to the shrieky falsetto and all were excellent.

The biggest surprise of the night for me was the fact that he didn't talk a whole lot. He is well known for his lengthy ancedotal song set-ups, and he kept these to a minimum. When he did, he was hilarious. He claimed he hadn't played in Nashville in 17 years because his manager told him not to 'oversaturate the market'.

I'm not sure why he made this short tour (Lousville, Chicago, Ashville, Nashville, Cleveland, Memphis, St. Louis) as he has no new product out. Still, I'm thrilled to be able to say that I've seen him live. An incredible show.

Setlist:
Make It Rain, Hoist That Rag, Shore Leave, God's Away On Business, All The World Is Green, Blue Valentine, Down In The Hole, Cemetery Polka, Tom Traubert's Blues, House Where Nobody Lives, Cause Of It All, 'Til The Money Runs Out, Murder In The Red Barn, Shake It,What's He Building In There, Trampled Rose, Get Behind The Mule, Don't Go Into That Barn, It Rains On Me, Sins Of The Father, Going Out West, Day After Tommorrow, Heartattack And Vine

From youtube, a performance of Tom Traubert's Blues, shot from approximately where were sitting (this was the same basic view I had, except for where you can't see Tom's head!):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SUJCXMinOII

Titannica

And now, some levity. The first time I saw this, I literally fell off the couch laughing.

The Return Of The Blogger Messiah

Hell, I just figured you guys were sick of hearing me whine about my house(s). Imagine my shock and surprise to learn that you really, really miss my spiritual guidance. Verily I have returned, my brethren, to lead you from the darkness, out of the wilderness and onto the path of an approaching eighteen wheeler.

Nothing against you guys, I've just been down the last few weeks. And nothing kills fun like stress. But I have recently rebounded, so thanks for not letting the blog die.

Speaking of down, getting old blows. I suppose the effects of aging are cumulative (shit, it's all downhill from 18), but boy have they begun to accumulate. I'm not talking about anything as serious as Joe's erectile dysfunction, just little stuff: thinning, graying hair, mysterious aches and pains that come and go, a crown for a tooth that's been filled one time too many, my fucked-up macular degeneration thing.

It's not vanity; it's mortality. C'mon - let's cry like bitches!

Dear Joe

Dear Joe,

Remember when we were all young and energetic when this blog was conceived by Jay? Remember how we conspired to change the world? How we were going to tell the people what was up, and what was real? Remember our optimism and 'can do' attitude? Jay was like Jesus to me. And now?

Joe, I understand your frustration with this 'blog'. Maybe its time to bring in some new blood. Maybe it is time to pitch the whole thing into a big barrel of nuclear sludge and bury it under New Jersey. We need our leader. We need inspiration. We need the return of.......


......... Jay. When Jay is back, things will get much, much better, and we won't be stuck with a picture of Bryan Adams as our last post ever.

With love,
Dave

Groovin' in Vancouvin

This blog is lame. I'm going to Vancouver. Today, I am 38. Ugh. Ya'll should go to Arthur Lee's funeral.

I can die now

Brothers, I went and saw Ray Davies Saturday night at the Paramount (similar to the Orpheum). I hemmed and hawed about going, and had basically decided I wasn't, but then Jack and I were downtown Saturday afternoon, so I stopped by the box office to see what kinds of tickets were left. Turns out they had just released some tickets in the FOURTH ROW!! I was dead center, in the orchestra pit.

What was great was that he had a full-on rockin' band. I was kind of afraid he'd be doing the solo acoustic thing, but he let it rip. I think I'll be needing to get his solo album, because the stuff sounded great. Of course, he threw in a few Kinks songs (my favorites being 'Till the End of the Day' and 'Celluloid Heroes'). He's a real entertainer, with a lot of energy and he absolutely belts 'em out. He told a lot of stories about being in the Kinks and his brother coming up with the 'barking dog' guitar sound.

That show goes up near the top on my all-time list.

Set list here.

Alive!

Okay, okay. Jeez, I lie in the floor in the fetal position, crying and clutching a bottle of gin to my chest for a couple of weeks because my house isn't selling, and everybody's all "Where's Jay? Where's Jay?!"

It's called a nervous breakdown, mutherfockers! Look it up.

Dream Boogie

I just finished reading Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke by Peter Guralnick (author of The Old and New Testaments, sometimes referred to as the Elvis biographies: Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love). I read it more as a fan of Guralnick than Sam Cooke , having loved the Elvis books and his Sweet Soul Music. I always thought Cooke's music was a little on the light side -- nice to listen to, but without the gravity of Ray Charles or Lou Rawls or some of the other soul greats. I have a new found respect for the singer and his songs now, though. He had an amazing talent not only for singing and performing, but also for recognizing trends in music. He was clearly ahead of the curve from both an artistic and business perspective.

Guralnick is obviously a fan, but he still gives Cooke an extensive, honest examination. The descriptions of the studio work and performances are amazing, as is the amount of, erm, action, that Cooke got. Which, I guess was ultimately his downfall.

It took me about a month to read, and it was funny that even though I knew how and when he died, when I finally got to that part of the book, I got kind of depressed. I guess the depth to which the book goes illustrating Cooke and his gifts drove home how senseless his death was. Even if it was more or less his own fault.

Great read.

I Did It, and You Can't Stop Me

I have created a 'My Space' music page! http://www.myspace.com/popheaddave

Figured I may as well have a way to share tunes with family and friends. I'm still working on it right now. Jay, I'm curious to know which Pophead numbers featuring you and Sean I should add. Two cents, or even three, please.

Its pretty cool connecting with lots of musician friends all over like this, and an easy way to share music with each other.

The Great Deluge

Just finished Doug Brinkley's The Great Deluge, the first full work to deal with the minutiae of Hurricane Katrina and its effect on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. A pretty cool read, although Brinkley being a resident of New Orleans can't help but write in a pretty subjective manner quite a lot of the time. The history guy in me says, "Uh.... you can't pass judgements like that." The New Orleanian in me says, "You Go Girl!" or something like that. Summary: Mayor Nagin: BAD! Gov. Blanco: OK. President Bush: BAD! FEMA and Sec. Chertoff: Really, really BAD! NOPD: THE WORST! Oh yeah, and local first responders and the Coast Guard are GOOD! REALLY, REALLY GOOD! Brinkley is pretty scathing towards Mayor Ray and Mssrs. Chertoff and Brown, but I have no problem with that. Pretty compelling stuff, but I doubt it will turn out to be the definitive version of events, as its come out just too damn fast.

While on the subject, I went to N.O. for a week or so last month. Let's just say there's a long way to go. My friends are making due, but they all have this glazed look about them. Services you once took for granted are not always there anymore (fried shrimp po' boy at 2 am on a Sunday? No problem! At least not in the past.....). I would say that 70% of the city is still mostly uninhabitable, and rebuilding is present, but not widespread. Don't forget about New Orleans guys, cause it still needs a lot of positive thoughts.