New tune tonight 2008

My old pal (Polyester) Lester just asked me to take a look at this great page for a new artist on his Belletrist Records label. Ladies & gents, I give you Batter Brown!

I like the song Lying On The Pavement best of these. Also be sure to highlight as instructed on the page.

Mmm, sure do love me some of that music of Alaskan school bus drivers...

RIAA bites more hands that feed it 2007

Can they get stupider? Yep.

Do not miss this excellent post by Anil Dash, Holding A Gun To Dick Clark's Head, and the fantastic video included in it from Jay Smooth of hiphopmusic.com

"D.J. Drama does not make counterfeit CDs...What D.J. Drama does is produce an original new CD working directly with the artists to make new original songs and remixes along with some upcoming album tracks sometimes. But, again, he's working directly with the artist on this and at the very least he's working with the tacit approval of the record labels."

Hey, big 5 labels, slapping down your most passionate users and promoters is a damn good way to accelerate the demise of your business, and at this rate ain't no one gonna be sorry to see you go.

Good Show Alert 2006

February 11th there's an amazing show at The Fillmore:

The Mutaytor
Kid Beyond
That One Guy

Woohoo! Get yerself some tickets!

Mix it up 2005

Just had a good song come up in my shuffle play. My Uncle Larry sent me a mix that includes "Whatever It Was" by Greg Brown. Very good stuff. I need to buy some more of his albums.

Whatever It Was

She's got a slant 6 mind and a supercharged heart,
The little princess is singing about her parts,
She says, "Come hither", but when I get hither she is yon.
I was looking for what I loved. Whatever it was, it's gone.

TV spreads and tension mounts,
Like a guy in a bra it's the idea that counts,
It's a picture of a picture of a whore holding a picture of a john.
I was looking for what I loved...

In the chemical fields by ammonia light,
I would offer my prayer to the Corn Goddess tonight,
but they chopped off her head and stuck her body out on the lawn.
I was looking for what I loved...

My generation takes what it can get,
Are you surprised that the kids are all upset?
They're looking at Nothing and Nothing turns away and yawns.
I was looking for what I loved...

Can't go to the country - the country isn't there,
It got chopped up and mortgaged and vanished in thin air,
It's a paint-by-number and it costs a million bucks down at the pawn.
I was looking for what I loved...

An electronic head and feet of clay,
gonna be a lotta roadkill on the Information Highway,
Someone stole the video of the everfresh and lovely dawn.
I was looking for what I loved...

You might be streetwise. You might be real bad,
I guess you forgot that you also are a dad,
Your kids won't forget it when they're trying to find someone to lean on
I was looking for what I loved...

The little towns are lying on their faces,
All that's left are fading parking spaces,
It's been quite a week, there was a drive-by shooting in Lake Wobegon.
I was looking for what I loved...

A Native American told me this whole deal's a mistake,
and this implosion is just icing on the cake,
If the Great Spirit is gambling, I'd say the con is a bigger con.
I was looking for what I loved...

It'd be a good companion to some of my favorite Richard Thompson songs, especially ones off the album Mock Tudor.

Other great Greg Brown tracks I recommend: "Who Woulda Thunk It",  "People With Bad Luck", "Canned Goods" and  "I Don't Wanna Have  A Nice Day".

Decemberists, I'm Yours 2005

This is the realest thing 
As ancient choirs sing 
A dozen blushing cherubs wheel above

Wonderful show tonight. I'll see them every chance I get now. Buy their every album. Just fantastic.

And a big thank you to the staff of the lovely Fillmore. They were great, and very supportive of me in my hobbly state. They made sure I had a seat at a table, got me safely up and down their little elevator and were consistently courteous and cool. Rock on.

Oh and my dinner of herb stuffed trout on a rice pilaf with spinach seasoned with pine nuts and currants was fantastic. Screw nachos. The kitchen at the Fillmore can pull out the stops.

All this and my pal Robert? Too fantastic for a Monday night!

Psst... Carmina Burana... Pass it on... 2005

Performers: San Francisco Choral Society and CA Chamber Symphony
Place: Davies Symphony Hall
Time: August 20th, 8pm
Cost: Under $30 a ticket

Come get your ass happily kicked by modern choral music. Be there.

O Fortuna,                          O Fortune,
velut luna                          like the moon
statu variabilis,                   you are changeable,
semper crescis                      ever waxing
aut decrescis;                      and waning;
vita detestabilis                   hateful life
nunc obdurat                        first oppresses
et tunc curat                       and then soothes
ludo mentis aciem,                  as fancy takes it;
egestatem,                          poverty
potestatem                          and power
dissolvit ut glaciem.               it melts them like ice.

[full lyrics (including all the sexy bits)]

Listen to this 2004

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of sitting in my friend Kevin's living room and listening to the exclusive preview salon of a show which will be opening in a few weeks called The Bright River.

I heard something I've never heard before: a flutist beatboxer.

Tim Barsky is absofuckinglutely amazing. He is to musical skill what Cirque du Soleil is to physical skill.

Listen to this.

That's just him and a flute. Real time. There are no other musicians. No looping. No tricks other than his talent.

I might not have believed it if I hadn't watched him do it without a microphone right in front of me.

Watch.

Plus he's a storyteller and ya know how I feel about stories.

I have a ticket to the preview. I'm betting I'll be posting again about how you must not miss this show and that I won't be the only place you'll hear that.

Signs you aren't quite running at 100% yet 2004

Your musician friend from out of town is playing a show in San Francisco.

You have laundry to do so that you have clean sheets that haven't been used the week you've been sick.

You skip the show.

You do laundry.

After you get home and are about to make the bed, you realize something.

The show was at Brainwash.

Brainwash is a cafe and laundromat.

Argh!

Sorry, Scott! I am lame.

Soul patrol 2004

I won't be around this Sunday evening (the 17th) to enjoy Lord Loves A Working Man's next show, so I hope you'll head over to the Hemlock Tavern at Polk & Post to hear that great 60's Memphis soul sound. They're the second of 3 bands, expecting to go on around 10pm. The cover's only $5, so even penny pinchers can afford a night out!

I was at Hemlock Tavern a while back to meet up with a couple of friends before one of them did a show there and was really impressed. It's a beautiful little club and the staff were great.

La la la, la la la, la la la la 2004

Note to self on listening to the album Castaways And Cutouts again and again:

Get more Decemberists music. Lots more.

Gypsy date(s)? 2004

Anyone want to try to get tickets to this incredible evening of Roma food and music on Monday night?

I was already thinking of going to see this band - famous from the Guca Brass festival in Serbia - at Ashkenaz tomorrow night, but the possibility of a delicious meal and an added performance by the Extra Action Marching Band is very enticing.

If you want to go, let me know as soon as possible; the show is expected to sell out.

Music alert! 2004

Don't forget: Lord Loves a Working Man tonight at 12 Galaxies (on Mission near 22nd)! Show starts at 9pm, LLAWM on about 11pm.

More good music 2004

Tonight at Blake's in Berkeley: That 1 Guy and Fishbone! I'm so there.

Get down with your bad self. 2004

Attention music lovers: Lord Loves A Working Man shows this week and next!

Tonight:
Friday, September 10th
@Mission Control, the warehouse home of the Phenomenauts
with the Phenomenauts, and a few other bands not announced yet.
Show starts at 9 (LLAWM probably hit the stage around 10)
2630 Union St, Oakland CA 94607

Next week:
Friday, September 17th
at 12 Galaxies
2565 Mission St near 22nd
with Hamel on Trial and Scott Young
Show at 9, LLAWM go on last around 11/11:30pm

If you have already seen this Mephis-style, 9 piece soul wonder in action, you do not need me to tell you to get your ass out to the show.

More great news from Max:

For those of you who have been waiting, we will be pedaling some newly pressed 5-song demo cd's that feature some recordings from our last wild gig at 12 Galaxies. We provide this little offering as a means to keep you dancing as well as to raise money for our big time recording venture this winter.

I plan to be at both shows. Hope to see you there!

3 Drops of Blood 2004

An excellent evening of entertainment you can't find just anywhere tonight and tomorrow night at Dance Mission Theater at 24th & Mission in San Francisco. I came to see Nanos Operetta, yet another band containing a member of Rube Waddell. This one's a whole other point on the compass from Max's music with the Rubes and from his soul band, Lord Loves A Working Man. He described Nanos Operetta to me as "what would happen if Leonard Cohen, Ennio Morricone, Carl Stalling, and Phillip Glass all got stoned together at a Greek restaurant and decided to play a game of Twister to get over some kind of broken hearted depression"

This turned out to be a surprisingly accurate description. The band produces the most cinematic sound you're likely to encounter away from a movie screen. They work in soundscapes which evoke scenes as strong as the occasional noir words added by Ali Tabatabai. The lighting tonight, by Lyndy Rieman, was an ideal accompaniment to the music and definitely enhanced the performance without intruding upon it.

The other pieces in the show ranged from the I'm sure very talented and acclaimed but not exactly my cup of tea Rova Saxaphone Quartet to excellent modern dance from InkBoat to what I understand is one of the better gamelan bands in the world, Gamelan Sekar Jaya. 12 people played giant bamboo marimbas called the gamelan jegog and 2 more joined in on small flute-like instruments. It was fantastic, my favorite part of the evening. Though I think I'll have a few images lingering in my mind as well as that wonderful sound: Nanos Operetta lit dramatically in greens and reds and the first of InkBoat's two performances, "2 Without", and its moment of a woman with a peeled orange gripped in her mouth bent forward dripping the juice into the mouth of a man in a gas mask, the orange peel in one long spiral in his hands as he lay on the floor curving his body up under the sweetness. Fine, edgy creativity.

I highly recommend this series of entertainments. If you're going, go early, I'm sure they're going to start selling out as word gets around. This show, installment III, repeats tomorrow night at 8pm. The next installment will be Thursday & Friday October 28th & 29th, also at Dance Mission Theater.

By the way, I had a nice chat with Max after the show and learned that Mahatma Boom Boom (sometimes also known as Wink Pain or "Freddi") is greatly enjoying his extended European tour. He (and the Extra Action Marching Band) did make it to the brass festival in Guca and is apparently loving his time in Serbia. Best wishes to the Mahatma in his enlightened quest for the good stuff.

A Visit To 12 Galaxies With That 1 Guy and Lord Loves A Working Man 2004

I had a great time last night on my first visit to 12 Galaxies. It's a very nice venue. I really like two-level clubs like that. I didn't go up this time - just enjoyed looking up and watching the people along the railing watching the bands, but I will next time around. (I'll also have to look into the history of that architechtural style; 12 Galaxies is laid out basically the same as the Edinburgh Castle pub. I'd like to know the era and purpose of that layout).

The bands made me happy and my friends B.J. and Keoni danced themselves into grinning, sweaty froths.

The opener, whose name I never did catch because the vocals weren't as loud as they should have been in the mix, was a guitarist with a great voice. His style was a bit country-influenced, but I'm hard-pressed to describe his genre other than to put him in that big, vague "singer-songwriter" bucket. He'd fit in a bill with Annie Lin and Scott Andrew, but not because he sounds like either of them. The woman who joined him to provide vocal accompaniment was also good.

The headliner - wisely on second before the "dance your ass off" powers of Lord Loves A Working Man - was the triumphant return to the bay area of That 1 Guy. He's been on a national tour and it's only made his performance stronger. The crowd seemed to be a good split between people there for him and those for LLAWM, but most of the latter group were blown away by the power of Mike's Magic Pipe and I'm hopeful his CD sales were good. In any case, a new batch of people will be watching out for future shows. I got to speak to him briefly before and after the show and found him to be, as ever, one of the nicer guys you would ever want to talk to. That he also seems to have rhythm in his veins instead of blood is a pleasant bonus.

Then Lord Loves A Working Man hit the stage - finally on one big enough for them - and tore the house down as usual. Such a tight band and such a glorious sound. Apparently, Max A. Millions is the second hardest working man in show business. B.J. commented that he'd been watching and noticed that Max was conducting the band on the upswing of his guitar strumming and that when both hands were too busy he appeared to be conducting with his hair. (The keyboardist - Rob, I think - afterwards told me that when Max flings sweat on them from his curls, it's their cue to play). B.J. said the band were all watching Max except the horns who were watching their sheet music. Their hard work pays off; no sloppiness, just that sweet solid sound. They are indeed workin' men and if the lord has any sense he'll love them as much as the audience. By the way, speaking of the horns, the trumpeter filling in for Freddi Price (currently touring Europe with the Extra-Action Marching Band) did a great job. You'd never guess it was his first show with them. He's not Freddi, but it didn't feel like a hole in the sound, just a little difference. I'm hoping when Freddi's back, we might get a show with both of them. Maybe I just like brass.

I apologize for not reminding you of the show. I promise to warn you in advance of the next performances. Three times as many people could and should have fit in 12 Galaxies to hear these acts. (Also I've begun my campaign to get Lord Loves A Workin' Man into the studio. It's partly a philanthropic desire to see the band do well and have more people exposed to their music, but mostly it's a selfish need to enjoy their music between shows).

Note to self: sort through the frickin' goatloads of email you receive faster, dammit. 2004

I just discovered that last night I missed the farewell party for Extra Action Marching Band before they head out to Europe for their goodwill tour. It was at the Odeon and I'm sure there was all kinds of porntastic fun, but when the EAMB is around that only seems appropriate. Well, I hope they got the proper send-off they need. They're doing good work for us all:

The marching band is going on tour in Europe. Whoa.

Lets think about this for a moment: we're talking about 40 people. 40 people. Some of which are the biggest idiots I've ever met. Some of them are the rudest, loudest, drunken douchebags yet... god bless their black little hearts... some of them are the most productive, sweet and musically talented folks around. Together they are a powerful unit. They also are the best thing to come out of San Francisco. Period. They have consistently rocked the paint off the walls of every venue they have graced with their presence, even if they stole the toilet paper and fucked your girlfriend. And they did all this while having no chance of getting a record contract, a reality show made about them or any advancement what-so-ever. They just do their thing. And that thing is good.

I for one am proud to have them act as ambassador to this great nation we were blessed to be born in. No longer will people of Serbia, Germany, Austria, Vienna, Kosovo and Russia only have the Television with images of Bush bla bla bla-ing to use as their ruler in which to measure the opinions of America. Now this independent group will represent all of us and attempt to elevate the rest of the worlds opinion of us. They will do this by drinking ALL the beer. They will inseminate every hole. They will rock out with their collective cock out. They will laugh loud and snore louder. They are going to have an amazing time.

- uncredited author of the Extra Faction email thingy

The Life 2004

I have been living one hell of a life the past week and a half. It's been fun, but now I'm tired and needing to take a lazy Sunday to recover. Pride 2004 will just have to carry on without me.

In chronological order:
Suffered massive comment spam attack. Obtained great big set of data to recognize that comment spam pattern even when I only get one isolated message. Very handy for those abuse reports.

Saw Rube Waddell at Cafe Van Kleef. Great band, great bar.

BBQ with my old out-laws (B.J.'s parents). Genetic and official ties aren't the important part; they and B.J., his wife Bev, and her parents are part of my extended family.

Allergy attack prompting this message to my co-workers:

Hi,

I got woken up at 4something in the morning again with these horrible allergies and took the half tablet of Benadryl which doesn't normally make me too drowsy to function, but apparently when combined with either especially bad allergies or that time of day makes it impossible to wake up.

I am now moving sluggishly in the direction of the office ("...what rough beast slouches towards Emeryville...").

Regular allergy sufferers, first, my profound sympathies. Second, how the heck do you cope with this? Do I need to go to the doctor and get some prescription stuff to be on all the time? Do allergy shots help? And how long into summer do you usually suffer?

Representing all the dwarves (with Bashful manifesting in his Tardy aspect and Groggy, Itchy and Scratchy substituting for Greedy, Doc and Happy),

Dinah

Hanging out late at Tantek's place with Min Jung, Matt, Dunstan, Simon and Jane.

Dinner at Crepes on Cole with the WaSPs and party at Tantek's place. (Matt's pictures)

Thought I'd get a good night's sleep to recover from the prior 3 short nights. Allergies woke me up at 4am again.

Back to Cafe Van Kleef for As Is Brass Band (oh joy!) and my delighted introduction to 1 Man Banjo (Sean Lee), about whom you'll be hearing more. Caught ride home with the band and thus reached bed around 3sumpthin.

Set alarm for 7:30a.m. Woke up at 7:28a.m. Had a surprisingly functional and creatively charged day at work.

Expected to come home and go to bed early. Instead went to dinner with Dunstan and Min Jung, joined after a while by Tantek, Matt and Anil. Then we rambled around North Beach and ended up at the Bubble Lounge where champagne, foie gras, and chocolate with strawberries were consumed. (Here's a picture which sums up the decadence of the evening). Some of the party were interviewed by an HBO TV crew for Real Sex. Dunstan expressed a certain preference which I can hardly wait to see the footage of; I think I may want that sound bite as a system error sound. I stroked Matt's head until he became blissful. I got to see Liz, which was a pleasant surprise.

Finally, O joy! Sleeping in.

High tea at The Palace with a bunch of beautiful, intelligent women to celebrate Heather's upcoming wedding. Certain topics were approached and then veered away from ("You can't talk about that here; we're at The Palace!") and Anil would have been thwarted from making certain hand gestures, had he been there.

Went to Kaiser's pharmacy finally and picked up some of their generic Claritin stuff. I look forward greatly to non-sneezing, non-itching nights and days.

Started some food marinating, napped, cooked and then headed out at midnight to NIMBY in Oakland for the Extra-Action Marching Band benefit for their mission of good will from Amsterdam to Sarajevo. Wonderful humans. I got to see a few Burning Man art pieces I'd only enjoyed in pictures before and listened to more great music. Amazingly, I arrived during Freddi Price's second song, "Oh Father". and got to hear his whole set including an extremely-heartfelt version of John Lennon's "God". Wish I'd had the equipment to record that; it was perfect. Yes, Lennon's song when you thought about it, but in that moment, fully Freddi's.

The poor guy had some turbulence in the first part of his set. The power on the stage went out while he was singing, so there was a little dicking around fixing it and then he started belting the song out with no mike and no stage lights and no guitar amp. Just as people were huddled in close, clapping, feeling the raw version, *boink* back comes the power. A cheer from the crowd. Freddi's sideways smile, a grin and he steps up to the mike to really launch into it and *pwing* his guitar string breaks. Blink, blink, and then he roars with laughter. One song with no high string, followed by a quick string change, and then back into it. A great show, most definitely.

Oh, and Extra-Action was huge fun; there were other good bands to be heard (e.g. LOOP!STATION), art & wild outfits to be enjoyed and all the lunatic pleasure of an all-night party. I contributed a vegi dish to the food choices (recipe coming later) and kept the marching band hydrated during their set. At the end of the night, which is to say at 6am this morning, I gave four happy people a ride back into San Francisco and returned the City Carshare car. In bed by just after 7am and slept until 11:30am or so.

I feel pretty good. My legs are tired from standing and stomping my feet on cement all night, but it was fine fine fun. I encourage you to get out and do something. Share yourself. Appreciate what other people have to share. Life is good.

More great music at Cafe Van Kleef 2004

I went back to Cafe Van Kleef* last night to see the As Is Brass Band. They were quite delightful. Sweet, strong, clear sounds, backed by the stellar percussive skills of their drummer Tommy. Their opener, One Man Banjo (a.k.a. Sean Lee), was also quite good. I bought both his CDs and will see about getting the poor computerless lad hooked up with a little website.

I definitely encourage you to make a visit to Cafe Van Kleef for music some night. Great space visually, adequate acoustically, and with a mood that can't be beat. It's at 1621 Telegraph just a block or so from the 19th Street BART station.

*I think I misspelled this before as Cafe Van Cleef, but it's Kleef with a K.

___________________

By the way, I should mention that The Whoreshoes are playing tonight at the Odeon Bar around 10pm. Go down and raise a beer to 'em for me - I gotta get some sleep. Getting a ride home with the band (thanks, Freddi!) makes for a late late night.

A little trip to Oaktown 2004

I need* to see Rube Waddell in Oakland at Cafe Van Cleef (1621 Telegraph, near 19th Street BART, I am given to understand) tomorrow night. Now, as the right Reverend tells me, they'll be going on at "rock time, y'know, by 11" but I'm hopeful they'll start a wee bit earlier or that I'll hook up with someone driving back to San Francisco afterwards. But even if they don't, even if I have to leave early to catch the midnight train home, it's okay. Half an hour of good live music is better than no live music at all.

Anyone wanna see a show?

*Why yes, "need" is the appropriate word. It's the Rubes, man.

Good music gets me through 2004

I've been feeling pretty craptastic all day, but a little music therapy will help. I'm listening to my favorite soothing and/or cheerful songs in iTunes and it's doing the trick.

Looking ahead, I see some bright spots:

Thursday night (June 10th), The Billy Nayer Show is playing at Bottom of the Hill. (Note also that The American Astronaut will be playing at the Red Vic Movie House on July 16th & 17th).

At the end of July That One Guy returns to San Francisco after his long tour. Hooray!

In August Scott Miller will be performing at the lovely Rite Spot Cafe (and a few other locations).

Oh and in between all that there are bound to be some Rube Waddell shows and other mayhem caused by those hooligans individually and severally.

Small plates and a full course meal on a Friday night 2004

Last night was an excellent way to round out the week. I walked from the transbay terminal to the Mission district and had dinner with my friend Lenny at Esperpento (mmm, spicy potatoes, spicy chicken, grilled asparagus, garlic shrimp, good bread to sop up the sauces, and the best sangria in town) followed by the benefit for Right to Write at Amnesia.

That was a hell of a show. As much as I adore Amnesia - gotta make it down there more often - I think this line-up better do a repeat performance at a larger venue. The Whoreshoes are a ton of fun (I need to hear the song about "let me be your bull" again); Lord Loves A Working Man is getting amazingly good (and should really start thinking about their first CD); and good ol' Rube Waddell, even with Max and Freddi just having done a fantastic set with LLAWR, can get the whole place on their feet stompin' and hollerin'.

So, I stayed to the end. Closed the bar. Caught a cab home. Got to bed a little before 3am and slept pretty solidly.

Now it's coming up on 2pm, I've had my shower and a great big glass of water, but no breakfast. Today being officially "Stairway Day", I had planned on doing another nice big walk and making sure to include one of the city's many beautiful staircases, but I find I have a blister starting on the ball of my left foot. I guess the only walk I'll be doing is to the drug store to buy insoles for my newest shoes. I'm hoping if I am nice to it today and wear the right things tomorrow, I'll be able to get some walking in.

Larry (Reverend Whupass of Rube Waddell) said that he'll be playing at the Odeon Bar tonight and I would like to see what he does when he's not being a Rube. Plus I feel I ought to give the poor ol' Odeon a second chance. Larry says the porn isn't usually on the screen and it would be nice to be able to write up a review of an evening there that wouldn't scare away quite so many folks. (I do note though that my previous review is now no longer the #2 hit for a search for "odeon bar" on Google and is instead one of the last. Not sure what prompted that demotion, but I'm betting it has something to do with last week's comment spam attacks.)
Given how I'm feeling right now though, I don't know if I'll make it down for the show. Not even sure if I'll try to get out for the KFOG Kaboom. Too many late nights in a row and now my body clock is all discombobulated.

(It's now almost 3pm. I got distracted by the Google result thing and then reading some email and having a little snack. I think maybe it's just going to be a spacy day.)

About ready for an evening at home 2004

I've been having fun, but as I sit here drinking two big glasses of water and taking my aspririn before bed, I'm kinda glad nothing else is going on for a few days.

Last night I saw Rivers & Tides, the film about Andy Goldsworthy, at the Castro Theater with B.J. and we could have stayed up for hours talking about art and life and priorities afterwards, but it was a worknight.

Tonight I went to the Red Devil Lounge and had the great pleasure of a solo set from Freddi Price (aka Mahatma Boom Boom, aka Wink Pain, aka that instigator of mayhem in the Az Iz Brass Band). I wanted to hear all the songs again and read the lyrics. Freddi writes incredible stuff. If he was just a good singer and trumpet player he'd be worth following all over town, but he's also a great guitarist and his original tunes are just that, truly original. Support your local musical talents, folks.

It was nice getting to hang out with Kirk (aka Captain Legit) a little and meeting long-time Rube friend Peter. I would have hung out longer - Preacher Boy, the headliner, was good - but it's a worknight.

At least I'm home by 11pm. In bed by half past, well, okay, midnight. Alarm going off at a quarter to 7. Ugh. Tomorrow night I'm going to bed early.

The Working Woman May Not Love The Alarm Clock Come Morning... 2004

... but she sure enjoyed Lord Loves A Working Man and the Az Iz Brass Band at Amnesia on Valencia tonight.

Sublime. Just sublime.

After all the electronic music this afternoon, to go get to the roots and hear excellent musicians who love what they do make the crowd move and shout and clap was wonderful. Met and had a nice chat with John, the dobro player from Homespun Rowdy who'll be playing there tomorrow night. I won't make that show - going to catch 'Rivers and Tides', the film about Andy Goldsworthy, at the Castro Theater with my pal B.J. - but I'll try and make their show the first Monday in May (also at Amnesia). I like me some good bluegrass.

Az Iz Brass Band were wonderful. I could listen to Freddi play the trumpet all day, but then his lips would fall off and he'd look a bit of a fool, so best get him in doses of no more than 4 hours.

Max's band, Lord Loves A Working Man, is great; good honest soul that makes you feel alive. He, though, he is fucking amazing. That man has music in his veins and it makes him jump and shake the room with sound so you get a little pumping through you too. So very worth staying up far too late on a worknight.

Thank you, boys, I had a lovely evening!

Exploring Electronic Music 2004

Finally got the chance today to explore the excellent Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music and put some labels to stuff I like (and rate some artists whose clips sound interesting in Launch so that their songs will play on my station).

Here are my thoughts on this detailed musical tour:

House: New Wave (aka Electro Pop) kicks ass. I know every clip but the last in the Synthpop (aka New Wave part 2) section; it's the music of my undergrad years. I confess to actually really liking some Disco (aka Electro Boogie) tracks. Hey, I grew up in the 70s, okay? The Italo Disco stuff is fun in the same cheesy way. Techno Dance is a later development and thus more "mature" but still has a bit of a cheesy odor. I don't like the music, but the Eurodance note about its alternate name of "Handbag" is really funny. Happy House ("the official music of Dance Dance Revolution") is just so cheerful, I can't help but like it when I stumble on it, but I don't seek it out. I've come to appreciate Classic House more since getting into later developments in electronic music, but it's still not something I can take in large doses. Can't figure out what Stereo MC's "Get Connected" is doing in with Hip House - I like that track a lot and the other clips just irritate me. Acid House still can give me a headache in less than one track. Deep House (aka Jazz House) is apparently the stuff that makes good background music when I'm having a crepe and fries at Frjtz on Hayes Street. Disco House is the music to which I shop for cute clothes, especially for shirts actually intended for homosexual men.

Trance:
I like Goth (aka Goth Rock, Trad Goth) and Industrial Rock (aka Industrial Metal), but sometimes I have to say "oh give it a frickin' rest". A few tracks from the Anthem/Break/Tech/Deep Trance area are really great when I'm working and I want to get into a really good groove and get stuff done, but they are so repetitive that too much (or actively paying attention to it) annoys me. I agree with Ishkur that Epic Trance is gag-inducing. I don't even like Ibiza Trance though. Actually, I don't like much trance and if you use a sample of some pornstar moaning it makes me want to slap you. I'd probably like the genre better if I tended only to be exposed to it while dancing, but it's not good music to sit to. (Oh, okay, some of the Psychedelic Trance and Buttrock Goa stuff is good).

Techno:
Uh. Yeah. Not a lot here for me. I think most of it is completely lame and uninteresting until we get down to Hard Acid Techno and VGM (Video Game Music).

Breakbeat:
I like Electro Funk, Electro (aka Electropop, Robotpop, Technopop), Funky Breaks (my favorite in this group), and Big Beat (aka Amyl House, "Electronica"). I respect Turntablism (aka Scratching), but don't find it relaxing enough to just listen to a bunch of in a row (though Mix Master Mike gets close sometimes). I'm going to reserve judgement on Abstract Hip Hop (aka Experimental Hip Hop) for the moment; I like DJ Food but the other clips don't grab me.

Jungle:
The Darkcore (aka Darkside) clips sent me scurrying off to Launch to bookmark artists for later listening. A couple of clips in the Jazzstep (aka Jazzy Jungle) area are interesting. I like, but can't really work to, the Experimental Jungle (aka Drilln Bass) stuff.

Hardcore:
New Beat (aka Belgian New Beat) and Rave (aka Hardcore Techno) have some tasty stuff, especially when they wander over to the border with industrial, but the latter also has tracks like Messiah's "Temple of Dreams" that make me want to hit the speakers with a ballpeen hammer until they Shut The Fuck Up. I find the rest of the Hardcore genre represented here to be just about unlistenable. Gah. On to Downtempo with great relief.

Downtempo:
Minimalism. Yes. Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells has been a favorite of mine for over 20 years. (Mum, when did I start liking that and Ommadawn? Do you recall? They came out in 1973 and 1976 respectively, but I don't know if we had them right away or if I liked them from the start.) Ambient is tasty too. Oh but the New Age stuff is, as Ishkur notes, totally ruined by the fans (though I have to admit that the instrumental stuff does remind me of good hot tubbing experiences at Watercourse Way). Except that Dead Can Dance is fabulous and avoids the schmaltz. I'll cop to giving Worldbeat music more of a chance than it might otherwise deserve purely because it's "ethnic" and new to me. I like Ambient Techno as background music, ideally broken up with other stuff so that characteristic techno beat doesn't start to irritate me. I'm not sure if Ambient Trance would please or annoy me if I listened to longer than a few second clip. Ambient Breaks are, again, nice if mixed in with other things. Trip Hop is pleasant enough. Some of Acid Jazz wanders a little too close to lite jazz for my taste. I tend to like stuff in the Downbeat (not jazzy enough for Acid Jazz, not mopey enough for Trip Hop) area, especially if the vocalist is strong and not too pop like in the Bjork and Sneaker Pimps clips). All the Illbient stuff is too insubstantial for anything but background music in dimly lit hipster hangouts (except that cool Boards of Canada track which Shannon put on one of her great mix CDs a while back).

Well, this has been a highly educational musical tour from an admittedly biased source. Great way to spend an afternoon. Glad I finally got the time. Thanks, Ishkur.

Someone get working on that teleportation thing, okay? 2004

I'm in Boston at the big annual customer conference for work and in a few minutes I need to go down to this dessert reception thingy, but where would I really like to be? In a dark bar with a good drink, stomping my feet to Rube Waddell. Someone go to their show for me tonight, okay?

Swinging like a triplet from Belleville 2004

I just got the French version of the soundtrack to Belleville Rendez-Vous (a.k.a. Les Triplettes de Belleville). It is The Shit(tm). See this movie. Buy this music (or in the American version if you prefer).

PoMo Failure 2003

I tried. I did try to enjoy Radiohead's Kid A.

All I managed to generate was respect, but no general pleasure. This might be a bit surprising since I like some odd & difficult stuff (e.g. Neutral Milk Hotel), but I just couldn't bring myself to like Kid A.

La la la 2003

Is it just me or is the la la la in Frank Zappa's "Jewish Princess" the same as Frank & Dr. Forrester's la la la in the theme song to Mystery Science Theater 3000?

(Hey, I totally warned you about being a geek. No whining.)

Songs that remind me of... 2003

Heather and Caterina include "Chihuahua" by The Sugarcubes and "Miss Otis Regrets" by Cole Porter.

The former is obvious, the second has to do with poise, I think.

Continuous Play Today 2001

Gorillaz Clint Eastwood

"...I ain't happy; I'm feeling glad.
I got sunshine in a bag.
I'm useless, but not for long.
The future is coming on..."

I've got a new favorite radio station. 1999

I don't understand what they're saying, but the music is great!