Here's A Little Story I've Got to Tell...

Beastie Boys are coming out with a best of collection on November 8. As anyone knows, it's hard to do a greatest hits for bands because inevitably your favorite songs will be forsaken. See, in my mind, pretty much all of License to Ill belongs on that collection.

"On the occasion of the Beastie Boys' 24th birthday, Capitol will on Nov. 8 release the compilation "Solid Gold Hits." The 15-track set will also be available as a limited-edition CD/DVD featuring as-yet-unspecified music videos."

Don't you think it's odd to celebrate the 24th anniversary? That shit doesn't happen. Why not just wait until the 25th anniversary for this release?

Track List (via Billboard):

"So What'cha Want"
"Brass Monkey"
"Ch-Check It Out"
"No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn"
"Hey Ladies"
"Pass the Mic"
"An Open Letter to NYC"
"Root Down"
"Shake Your Rump"
"Intergalactic"
"Sure Shot"
"Body Movin'" (Fatboy Slim remix)
"Triple Trouble"
"Sabotage"
"Fight for Your Right"

Ipod Nano

If you were thinking of buying an iPod Nano, you should probably reconsider at this point. People are already unhappy with its performance and have spoken up on blogs and message boards in cyberspace. The most common gripe is that the device is just too sensitive. The screens are reportedly susceptible to breakage during normal usage.

"My Nano broke on day four. The screen that is. It shattered. It was in my pocket as I was walking and I sat down. No, I didn't sit on it, it was just in my pocket just as all iPod's before it have done," he said."

Many owners are calling for a recall and improvement of the model. Of course Apple Computer has yet to comment on the defect. I smell another class action lawsuit brewing.

Check out irate customers on Apple's message board.

Agent 86 Dies

Although the show came out way before my time, I used to love Get Smart. It was a Nick at Nite staple and a show I watched incessantly. The theme song is great too. Don Adams, who played Agent 86, died yesterday. He was 82.

Don Adams was also the voice of Inspector Gadget, who might have been as oblivious as his Get Smart character.

"Get Smart" debuted on NBC in September 1965 and scored No. 12 among the season's most-watched series and No. 22 in its second season.

(via CNN)

Radiohead

Radiohead is back in the studio working on the followup to Hail to the Thief. Radiohead fans everywhere are rejoicing because they are sick of hearing about how Coldplay are just rip offs.

"Greenwood said he's spent the last six months listening to "just dub reggae."

Wow, talk about a change in direction. I don't know if I could see Thom Yorke busting out the reggae vox.

(via NME)

Being 24

My 24th birthday came and went yesterday. Another year older, so they say. However, I definitely don't feel that way. Seriously, how could I when at work someone wishes me well and asks if it's my 12th birthday? My counter was that it was in fact my 16th.

This coming from a dude who still gets carded at movie theaters in suburbia, can't grow sideburns to save a life, and is a skinny twerp with no chest hair (thank God). During my recent trip to Atlantic City, I was carded at the same craps table at the Borgata no less than four times.

Regardless of what people think, it doesn't get me down. The conclusion to be drawn from this mess is that everyone is jealous of my boyish looks. Many people at 24 already look past their prime. Well guess what? I'm laughing all the way to...

Relive It

When I was real young, I used to love going to my grandparents' house. Not to see them of course (come on, I was a kid), but to play with their Atari 2600. They didn't have many games, but had the good ones. Space Invaders, Pac Man, Q-Bert, and Breakout.

Then in high school I got real lucky because my good friend was throwing his system and games away, so I took it. But putting all those cartridges in can be a pain in the ass, right?

Even so I need to get this. Atari is now coming out with a system that looks and feels like the original. Only with this one you don't have to change cartridges all the time. Have fun and don't get Carpal Tunnel.

Coming to a Computer Near You

Google has been in the news a lot as of late. They keep releasing new software that's really cool and handy at the same time. I love the stuff they've come out with. Now take a step back for a minute. They read your mail, have satellite of your house, are searching through your personal computer files.

What's next, GoogleLife? In which the growing company becomes Big Brother and follows your every move?

The Shins

In case you needed more Shins music to cure your fix, know that they are currently in the studio working with producer Phil Ek. It will be the indie band's third album and follow-up to Chutes Too Narrow, also produced by Ek.

"As of right now, very little progress has been made on their as-yet-untitled third album, with drum tracks being laid down this week, but Pitchfork will keep you updated on the status of what is likely to become the soundtrack to any number of 2006/2007 romantic comedies concerning quirky contemporary twentysomethings."

I couldn't have said it any better myself. Their music will likely show up on lame-ass tv dramas like the OC.

(via Pitchfork)

Another Best Of

Nirvana has quickly tallied a second best-of compilation to its legacy. Will Nirvana eventually join the likes of the Beach Boys, who release multiple greatest hits compilations every year?

According to Billboard, the new Nirvana compilation is titled "Silver: The Best of the Box" and will be released on November 1.

"Sliver: The Best of the Box" rounds up highlights from the last year's boxed set "With the Lights Out" and will also feature three previously unreleased tracks, details of which have yet to be revealed."

While we cannot even compare Nirvana to the Beach Boys, fans should be weary of more compilations to come. The box set is still highly recommended over this new collection. Don't support Courtney in her latest escapades.

He's Sick

Yeah, I'm sick. Left work a wee bit early today. But we're gonna play a little game anyway.

It's called guess how low my voice will drop? Any takers?

I am Better Than Your Kids

It's funny how emails come in cycles and are repeatedly sent every few years. Here's another one for you.

Pay close attention to the comments, they are important for improvement.

I Have a Little Dreidel

For all the members of the tribe who feel naked without their own popular holiday songs, you can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.

"...thanks to the ingenuity of Guster's lead singer, Adam Gardner, and Zambonis guitarist Dave Schneider. The two have formed a holiday-timed side project, the LeeVees, and will brighten the relatively sparse Hanukkah musical repertoire when they release Hanukkah Rocks on October 18th."

I'm not particularly fond of Guster or the Zambonis, however I am interested to see what this will sound like. It will also pose a legitimate threat to the genre which is pretty much monopolized by Adam Sandler. Spin the dreidel and let the games begin.

Welcome to the Mental Health Hotline...

Check out this mp3, and choose the number applicable to you. Good luck.

B-I-N-G-O

I remembered seeing this a couple years back after a friend emailed it to me today. It is still pretty hilarious. So damn accurate. Print it out and start playing. You'll probably win in no time.



(if it's hard to see, go here)

ITLAPD

Drop your ties and pick up your eye patches and peg legs, for this Monday (9/19) is the official International Talk Like a Pirate day. This gives you the excuse, nay obligation, to shout out ARRRR whenever you feel like it. I know that you already shouted that out a few times after reading that sentence. See, doesn't that make you feel great?

Get your unnecessary fill of pirate bullshit at this site.

Arr, drink up me hearties, Yo Ho!

Rest Easy Emo Dorks, It Might Not be True

Rumors are now spreading fast that Weezer will be calling it quits after touring with Foo Fighters this fall. After a single like "Beverly Hills", the biological fathers of emo should be forced to call it quits.

What's really at issue is the social dynamic within the group. I would personally strangle any lead singer in my band who wanted to go back to school at the peak of stardom. There's just something wrong there. Plus it doesn't help that Cuomo embraces this Zen bullshit or whatever.

Go back and listen to the first album and especially Pinkerton. That should be enough.

Strokes Name Latest LP

The Strokes have named their upcoming LP First Impressions of Earth, and is tentatively scheduled for an early January release. The lead-off single, "Juice Box", will be available in November.

"Once the album is completed, The Strokes will go out on their first tour in a year. Dates have already been announced for October in South America, with the band planning to visit Brazil, Chile and Argentina."

I'm curious to see how the band has evolved since their last record, which didn't receive as much good press as the first. Let's also hope that Julian has extended his vocal range beyond just a few notes.

(via NME)

Satellite Radio on Your Phone

Last week we learned that Cingular is giving us a phone with iTunes preprogrammed. This week, we now learn that Sprint customers can stream Sirius radio on their handset.

"Today, Sprint announced the availability of Sirius Music, which offers customers unlimited access to 20 music channels, plus a channel devoted to exclusive artist interviews and performances."

Now you'll be able to switch off those annoying conversation in favor of the Stern Show.

(via FMQB)

Doctors are Back

Remember how annoyingly great that song was? Yeah, I'm talking about "Two Princes" by the Spin Doctors. And today, after 11 years without an album, the band released their follow-up, Nice Talking to Me.

"Following the reunion gig at Wetlands (2002) -- where the band recorded their debut EP, Up for Grabs, in 1991 -- the band hooked up with producer Matt Wallace (Sheryl Crow, Blues Traveler), who was fresh off the success of Maroon 5's debut, and went to L.A. to record Nice Talking."

Have expectations, just not high ones.

Pop in that old cassette tape, and listen to "Two Princes" for a wee bit of nostalgia.

(Via Rolling Stone)

Grab It While It's Hot

Looks like the latest Franz Ferdinand album was leaked to the internet over the weekend. The album doesn't come out until October 3rd, and it is already appearing on the P2P's. Their album is the latest in a a string of high profile pre-release leaks, including Eminem and U2.

"The full tracklisting is now freely available, however with the leak happening relatively late, just three weeks before the album’s release it seems unlikely that it will affect the band’s plans."

I need to give the album a listen since I'm not too keen on the first single.

(Via NME)

The Return

I'm back from the bowels of New Jersey, commonly referred to as Atlantic City. I was surprised to make it down in one piece, as I was travelling via Greyhound. Everyone knows that it's probably the shadiest way to travel.

Anyway, my friend has a place down in Margate, so a bunch of college friends spent the weekend. Not only did we watch the Maize and Blue lose horribly, we got to lay on the beach, consume massive quantities of alcohol, and lose lots of money.

AC

I'm going down to Atlantic City for the weekend. Here's a picture that just explains it all. Later.

Apple Releases New Product, Spreading Itself Thin

Apple Computer put another successful notch in its belt by releasing some new shit. The biggest news was the introduction of the Motorola phone with iTunes built in. However, it wasn't really news since everyone knew it was coming anyway.

The bigger surprise with the iPod Nano, which looks to make the Mini extinct.

In other news, I predict that the iPod phenom will soon lose ground to its competitors. Like any other over-reaching empire, it must succumb to defeat. Now leave me alone so I can go organize my iPod.

Chilton Rescued

Yet another famous rock n roller was rescued from his French Quarter home on Sunday. Alex Chilton was the lead singer of the Box Tops who had a pair of smash singles in the Sixties. "Cry Like a Baby" and "The Letter."

"Alex Chilton, frontman for Big Star and the Box Tops, is safe and sound, according to various sources, including e-mails to Pitchfork purporting to be from friends of Chilton’s family. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that Chilton spoke to Ron Easley (his former bandmate in the Memphis punkabilly group Tav Falco’s Panther Burns) early Monday morning, who said that Chilton had been rescued by helicopter from his French Quarter home on Sunday." (via Pitchfork)

It's nice to see the relief efforts are finally moving forward, albeit slowly. Once cleanup is at full steam, we can expose this failed administration once and for all.

R.I.P. Kazaa

"The lengthy Australian court case against P2P file-swapping network Kazaa concluded on Monday (September 5), with the court system ruling the software may no longer be used for illegal music sharing purposes. Though the case was heard in Australia due to it being the home of Kazaa's owners, it affects file sharers world wide."

Well, it looks like another one bites the dust. Kazaa was the next best thing after Napster was shut down in 2001. However, I was never a huge fan of their interface. Plus, that software is to blame for a shitload of adware and spyware. So actually good riddance. Limewire comes the closest in replicating what Napster was, and is therefore the better program to use.

Napster was still the best program to use.

(via FMQB)

Cream to Play MSG

Sixties supergroup Cream confirmed details for a fall stint at the Garden. The band will play gigs on Oct. 24 - Oct. 26. Tickets go on sale Monday, September 12 via the evil Ticketmaster. See you there.

(via Billboard)

Kanye Slips the Race Card at NBC Telethon

What's happening in New Orleans right now (evactuations and such) has nothing to do with race.

"Comedian Mike Myers was paired with West for a 90-second segment that began with Myers speaking of Katrina's devastation. Then, to Myers' evident surprise, West began a rant by saying, "I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food."

"While allowing that "the Red Cross is doing everything they can," West declared that government authorities are intentionally dragging their feet on aid to the Gulf Coast. Without getting specific, he added, "They've given them permission to go down and shoot us." After he stated, "George Bush doesn't care about black people," the camera cut away to comedian Chris Tucker."

Read the whole article here.

(via Stereogum)

The Letter

It took Bush 5 five precious vacation days to respond to the disaster that is now New Orleans. I saw this letter by Michael Moore to the President earlier today:

Friday, September 2nd, 2005

Dear Mr. Bush:

Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and
thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on
earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help
finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a
drag.
Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really
use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping
with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?

Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of
Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it
was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still
homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its
way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you
didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get
bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to
ignore and smear. You sure showed her!

I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to
Louisiana, you flew to San Diego to party with your business peeps. Don't
let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and
what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?

And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you
specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for New Orleans
this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you
hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army
engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important
construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!

On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was
moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you
flew over New Orleans so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey,
I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and
act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.

There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use
it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to
nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because
the water in the Gulf of Mexico is getting hotter and hotter making a storm
like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken
Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it
would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from New York to
Cleveland.

No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent
of New Orleans lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no
transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not
like this happened to Kennebunkport. Can you imagine leaving white people on
their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING
-- to do with this!

You hang in there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters
and send them there. Pretend the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
are near Tikrit.

Yours,

Michael Moore

Looking For Fats

With the whole aftermath of the hurricane in our midst, a rock legend was recently plucked from the water. Pioneer Fats Domino stayed behind with his family to brave the hurricane and was rescued on Monday.

Writer Charles Amann said he last spoke to Domino on Sunday, and the singer refused to join the evacuation that was then under way.

"He said to me, in that wonderful Southern accent of his, that no, he was staying on -- that he had gone through the last one and he could go through this one."

(Via CNN)