More Goddamn Art

This time, it's Glasgow's David Shrigley. This stuff is striking me as really funny and profound this morning. Happy Friday, ladies.

Welcome to Hell (Theme of my week)

Something about my company's preparations for its annual customer conference always reminds me of a certain post-life hot spot. I enjoy whenever Rowan does something with a religious theme.

Danny Hellman, Hell Yeah

Check out Danny Hellman's online portfolio, specifically his editorial illustration (more specifically, the music section).

Good schtuff.

Hey, Dave!

Please please please please please Fire The President?

Realistically Creepy Or Creepily Realistic?

MotionPortrait is the technology that automatically creates 3D face models from one single picture, which can be animated in a variety of facial expressions.

Is this the most realistic avatar ever?

Little Known Facts About Our First President

These are from Brad Neely's Creased Comics. Most are just weird, but some made me laugh ...

Memory vs. Reality

As enthralling as it has been for me to reconnect with scattered bits of my childhood through YouTube, I have to say that some things live more nobly in the imagination than when resurrected by the internets. The Kids from CAPER, Bugaloos, Land of the Lost, Monster Squad (I'm showing that I'm older than all of you) are prime examples. It's a bit disheartening to see the impact players from your Saturday morning life reduced to ridiculous embarrassments, but HR Puffinstuff hasn't completely disappointed. The kid, Jack Wild, had a fine, young voice and incidentally, has remained active as a character actor in TV and minor films. I went looking for this song tonight, having not heard it in over 30 years but flawlessly remembered the lyrics. And enjoyed hearing it again, without reservation.

She's A Human!

Umm ...

Only Ones

The best thinly-veiled song about heroin ever written.

Whole E Sheet

This is the one I'm waiting for, guys. Wow.

Watch it higher res over to the Apple.

Can we please have some sanity, please?

You must've heard of the Vanessa Hudgens affair--the Hight School Musical star whose nude photo, made for her boyfriend got picked up by the internets. My interest in this was originally simply voyeuristic, but has turned to indignant. What is wrong with this country? Why is this scorching the headlines, causing corporate angst and generating such scandal? I mean, she's not humping a corpse or blowing a horse, she's just standing naked and beautiful in a photo intended for 1 set of eyes. Why does this backwards, puritanical nation flip out over nudity? There's massive speculation about whether or not Disney will fire her, whether her career is over, etc. It's ridiculous! She wasn't smart to do this, obviously, but who didn't make enormously erroneous judgments when they were 19?

Dear God, we simply must take this country back from the neo-inquisition.

Surf's Up (Maybe)...

Have a good weekend, fellers. Hopefully this system off the coast will send some waves my way. Most likely it'll just be wind and rain. Oh well, plants need love too.

I Always Wondered About That ...

Artist and fellow blogger Stephen DeStefano clears up one of life's great mysteries.

Click to embiggen.

You Asked For It

Before there were rockers, there were...Rollers!

Confession Friday

I LOVE "How Deep Is Your Love."

Who's next? Joe, this is your opportunity to come out of the closet. (I think I just did.)

Of Montreal covers Bowie

Fucking nice! It's cool how much he sounds like Bowie when he goes into Hang Onto Yourself. Catch the Starman cover in a live, impromptu performance on the streets of Paris here (second half of the 1st vid).

Calling All Drum Fags

From I Am Fuel, You Are Friends, some of Dave Grohl's raw drum tracks for Songs For The Deaf. Hell yeah!

You guys put the F in my Teepee

Looks like we're going a little Freakin' Totally Psycho these days, what with all this tuneage. Check the Flat Trapdoor Palladium for the first Cheap Trick album, as well as the long-promised Parasites. Everything is a .wma file, so it should work this time.

6363 Sunset Blvd

"6363 Sunset is a fascinating second look at Elvis Presley’s recording sessions at the RCA Hollywood Studios in March of 1972 and 1975. The first 6 tracks are from the 2 nights in 1972 that produced "Burning Love" and "Always on my Mind" and the final 6 tracks focus on the session that produced the Elvis Today album and in the middle, we get 7 tracks from the "On Tour" concert rehearsal sessions also recorded in the same studio."

In other words, the first 6 and last 7 tracks are the most interesting, and the middle part is the same Vegas stuff you always hear -- with the exception of maybe "Until It's Time For You To Go".

Fakin' Tare of Pusiness

Blogger Does Custom Video Now!

This is only a test. If Joe could watch Sophie Marcaeu's dress fall off her shoulder from work, he might get in trouble. I'm just sayin' ...

Standing On The Edge

I played the shit out of this one in high school, too. Not necessarily their best, but not their worst, either. (That would be All Shook Up for my money - George Martin or not, it was a big ol' steaming elephant turd.) For Standing, the band reunited with Jack Douglas, producer of their very first album, Cheap Trick.

Widely regarded as CT's last good album, Standing On The Edge has been out of print in the States for years.

Forsake Tempting Pastries!

Power Pop, David Brent Style

I loved the original Office and this is from the best episode. Rock the cubicles!

Be Responsible, Bastards.

Life is all about balance, right?

The Dream Police, They Live Inside Of My Head

Every few years I go on a Cheap Trick bender. In college, I bought everything I could find on vinyl. Today, I share with you The Dream Police. (I'm working on In Color and Standing On The Edge, too ...)

Finger The Politician!

Perfect Power Pop

I've had this album since 92 or 93 and just ran across it again recently. Absolutely unbelievable stuff. I think this band was really just a guy who did all or almost all the instruments. The best thing, most of the songs sound like they could be really, really good Subteens songs- Kram even sounds like this guy on a lot of it, and those tasty progressions could have sprung from the mind of Jay Hines. Or someone just like him. I've put it up on the Filipino Touring Pram for your enjoyment- tell me it doesn't sound like the 'teens! I mean, really, DON'T tell me that!

Oh You Pretty Things

What can you say that hasn't already been said?

This Is Why I Watch The Telethon

Jerry has become as unpredictable as a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Under The Black Light

New Rilo Kiley album is full of disco moments and prickly kiss-off lyrics. Listen to it for that, or for the fact that Jenny Lewis is yummy yummy yummy.

Also, the Earlimart mentioned earlier is up as well.

First Glimmer

Pretty decent crowd-cam recording of one of my favorite P.W. songs. Seems that the older I get, the more meaningful this song gets. BONUS: Notice the idiots crowd surfing to this mid-tempo, laid back song. Oh the nineties.

Great Rock and Roll blog

Stumbled upon the site He's a Whore and was intrigued because that's the name of my favorite Cheap Trick song. Turns out the blog is very interesting and has loads and loads of free live mp3s from Cheap Trick, Wilco and lots of others. The guy is an 'almost-was' in the rock and roll biz who still records and plays out and has some entertaining anecdotes of his rock and roll journey. He also does lots of record reviews, career overviews and offers up the aforementioned mp3s. Last night I snagged stuff by the Beatles, Nirvana, and Weezer. Enjoy, paisanos, and Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Mentor Tormentor

I'm digging this new CD from a band called Earlimart, and most especially a track called Happy Alone. I'll have it up shortly so you can Flip The Pancake.

Why is it that 1 in 5 Americans are not getting drunk this weekend?

I personally believe that US Americans out there in our nation do not have beer bongs. Like such as in South Africa and the Iraq.

Hope your Labor Day weekends contain something like beer and nothing like labor.

Q&A: Cruising Public Restrooms with Lewd Intentions

Read all about it here, because I KNOW you were wondering. (Hey, isn't that one of the Village People he's with?)

The Fixer-Upper

They asked 175, we offered 145, they countered 163. Decisions decisions.

Easy Tiger

New Ryan Adams album is out there. It's pretty good. I haven't heard any of his stuff with the Cardinals outside of a couple of singles or bootlegs, so I can only compare it to earlier stuff. It holds up pretty well. Has kind of a commercial feel to it, like he didn't want to get bad reviews.

Make like a senator and spread your Feet To Pee.

We've All Been Here ...

Just not on national television. Ouch. She's obviously having a little freak out moment. What was the question again?

Get Happy, You Bastards

Thanks to our friend Monroe for the tip.

Hello, Larry

Here's the juicy bit from the CNN.com article:

According to Roll Call, the arresting officer alleged that Craig lingered outside a restroom stall where the officer was sitting, then entered the stall next door and blocked the door with his luggage.

According to the arrest report cited by Roll Call, Craig tapped his right foot, which the officer said he recognized "as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct."

The report alleges Craig then touched the officer's foot with his foot and the senator "proceeded to swipe his hand under the stall divider several times," according to Roll Call.

At that point, the officer said he put his police identification down by the floor so Craig could see it and informed the senator that he was under arrest, before any sexual contact took place.

I almost feel sorry for the GOP. Almost. Read the complete article here.

Thank Christ My Real Estate Mogul Days Are Over

I was a nervous wreck this time last year, but I'd be right there with Owen Wilson if I were selling a house right now. More bad news from CNNMoney.com ...

Homeowners trying to sell last month faced the biggest glut of homes on the market in about 16 years, as declining sales and growing problems in the mortgage market helped push home prices down for the 12th straight month.

Read the full article here ...

Adios, Pendejo

Another case of what is probably a decent person brought down through his loyalty to assholes.

Dave's Dream Tour Becomes Reality; Reality Kicks Dave in Groin

Dylan and Costello are teaming up for a pretty substantial fall tour. Dylan, on the Never Ending Tour will be promoting the new compilation disc(s) Dylan and Costello will be playing his first solo shows in over a decade. Usually when he does something like this, he previews loads of new songs from some upcoming album. The groin-kicking part is that I won't be able to see any of these shows. The closest, in Charlottesville, falls on a night that I'll be traveling to Philly for a wedding. Tour dates here.

The Only Band That Matters With Tom Snyder

I never saw this before, but it reinforces my belief that Joe was the cool one and Mick tried too hard. And they have good chemistry with Tom.

Now It's My Daughter's Turn

M. fell on some Legos while she and her brother were goofing off in a firetruck-shaped tent. A quick trip to the emergency clinic revealed a cracked elbow, and a week in a cast isn't stabilizing the fracture. Apparently, the piece of bone that's broken has muscles and whatnot attached to it, so any movement of those muscles displaces it from the humerus, preventing effective healing.

So, she and the wife are at the doctor now, awaiting surgery to put pins in the bone. Fun times.

Any positive vibes you can spare, guys ...

They Called Francoise the Rasberry. That must mean something in French

Boby Lapointe - Framboise
Uploaded by Gibet

I saw this Truffaut film years ago called Shoot the Piano Player. It was pretty good, but I loved this scene, which has nothing to do with anything else in the movie, just a guy singing a song. Thought of it for some reason and found it on the internets.

A Million Deaths

I've created a new blog devoted to my recent Half-Life 2: Deathmatch (HL2DM) obsession. I figgered Dave was getting tired of the HL2DM posts, as he has no interest in gaming.

So, um, I guess this will be the last.

Maybe.

Golden Compass-Extended Preview

This was a great book and has excellent big screen-potential. Of course there are a million ways to fuck up a screen adaptation and most of them have been tried. But the preview made me feel like a little girl again.

One to look forward to......

The movie 'Walk Hard' will be released soon, and it has several things going for it.

1) Judd Apatow wrote the script
2) John C. Reilly and Jenna Fischer (The Office) star.
3) It is a goof on the music bio pic, this one seemingly spoofing Johnny Cash and maybe Brian Wilson and Jerry Lee Lewis.
4) Paul Rudd plays John Lennon; Jack White is Elvis.
5) Did I mention John C. Reilly?

How to Insure a Steady Beverage Flow in a Crowded Bar

We've probably all picked up these techniques in our own field work on the topic, but it's always good to get a refresher course.

Swear Jar

This is rather excellent.

Did I mention that the Minneapolis music scene kicked ass in the 80s?

Trailer for a new film about the Minneapolis music scene. You might recognize some of the groups. And love them.

Trebek Rises Even Higher in my Estimation

Check out this awesome video of vintage Trebek acting exactly like any of us would if we hosted a syndicated game show. Actually, Trebek is much, much classier than I would be if I hosted a syndicated game show. NSFW.

Quagmire Sounds About Right

Day Elvis Died

The day Elvis died, which affected Dave so profoundly, is commemorated on Memphis-WMC channel 5's website, featuring Mason Granger (second clip). Glad to find out his death wasn't related to drugs! Interesting, too, how the place of his death moved discretely to the bedroom.

OK, can we talk about something else now?

Okay, Dang It

Let's cut to the chase: where were you, what were you doing, and how did you find out?

Elvis - the Legacy

I stopped and got gas in N.C. today and noticed these on the counter. The girl behind the counter said "they're pretty good, but they don't sell too well." I didn't buy one.

I think tomorrow is the actual Dead Elvis anniversary, isn't it?

King Of Kong Documentary

This looks good.

Flash! Ah-Ahhh!

Flash Gordon represents a defining moment for me. The weekend after I and some friends saw it, Mrs. Smith, my sixth grade English teacher, brought in a review from the paper that described, in graphic detail, how repellent this film was.

We were outraged.

Who was this moron? Had we not seen the same movie? To make things worse, Mrs. Smith seemed to be siding with the critic. Anyway, here's the defining moment part: it was the first time that I can remember openly disagreeing with an adult and defending my position.

As it turns out, we were both right. The film was meant to be a campy homage to the original serial – bad on purpose. Of course, I didn't get that when I was 11, but neither did the adult critic ...

The soundtrack, sampled at a staggering 320kbps, is my gift to you on this Wednesday morning. Settle back with a cup of Freedom Roast, pretend you're working, and enjoy.

(Joe, I look forward to your inevitable Dead Elvis post today.)

Death By Caffeine

Find out here how much of your favorite caffeinated beverage it would take to kill you.

Smokin' Frank Black concert

From our friends at Fabchannel.com, this amazing Frank Black performance from a recent European tour. FB performs the first several songs solo acoustic and then brings out his punkiest band in ages to play the rest of this generous set. The eye-opener is that FB doesn't play guitar during the 'electric' portion! FB IS the new Elvis Presley. Check out the streaming show here. Hurry, I think they delete content relatively often.

Because I can't stand looking at Shane MacGowan's horrible mouth anymore........

Just a Photogenic Guy

The camera loves him! Interesting "bit" from his wiki entry: MacGowan got his first taste of fame when, in 1976 at a Clash concert, his earlobe was bitten by a girl he had previously been kissing. A photographer snapped a picture of him covered in blood and it made the papers[2], with the headline "Cannibalism At Clash Gig", turning him into a local punk legend. Shortly after this, he formed his own punk rock band, The Nipple Erectors, later renamed to the "The Nips".

Now let's see who can find THAT picture.

Hey There, Sexy

Shane MacGowan's teeth make my mouth hurt.

Ankiel Smash

The Rick Ankiel story is an amazing one. He shot to the big leagues as a 20-year-old phenom pitcher, but developed a bizarre psychological problem and lost the ability to throw the ball over the plate. After a long struggle, he gave up pitching, reinvented himself as an outfielder, starting his career over from scratch. Two and a half years later, he returned to the big leagues last night to a standing ovation and hit a home run in his first game back.

He spent most of the season here in Memphis with the Redbirds, the Cardinals' AAA affiliate, and led the league in HRs. Incidentally, the promotion for tonight's Redbirds game is a Marvel comic book featuring the Hulk, Iron Man, Spiderman and Rick Ankiel.

Small Town Holds Annual Gay Shame Parade

God bless The Onion on slow afternoons!

NERDLINGER, That's Who

Dig that theme song.

First Day of School!

Believe it or not, classes start for us today! I'm on my prep period now- first period went fine. I love the first few days when they are quiet, shy, and nervous. Two weeks from now they'll be talking incessantly, late for class and I'll become the character from the book on the left. One great thing about teaching is the renewal aspect- every year you get to reevaluate, reasses, and start over. Kids that were a pain in the ass last year are now someone else's pain in the ass, which allows me to be friendlier with them in the hall. If you guys were my class, Jay would be the nerdlinger, Joe would wear the duncecap, and Lurker would be scraping gum off the bottoms of the desk.

And Then There Were Three

I invited my friend Ian to play HL2DM with us last night. He graciously accepted, and then proceeded to kick both our asses. (Lurker is much improved, might I add.) The good news is, there were no lags on the listen server that I could detect. Lurker, did you notice any weirdness? More boring highlights follow ...


My graceful descent.


Check my health.


Almost looks like I'm doing this on purpose. I'm not.


Long distance death.


I probably need to get that leg looked at.


Man, that's a lot of blood for such a little lady.

Anybody Remember Shakey's?

Aerogel!

Developed by NASA to catch comet dust, Aerogel can provide 39 times more insulation than fiberglass! This is gonna be huge when it becomes affordable ...