The Classic

Today I decided to clean up my computer a little bit. You know, the typical reorganization of mp3's, movies, and other documents. While searching through my "My Documents" folder, I came across a folder entitled "Oregon Trail." I forget where I even got the program, but sure as shit, there it was. I played it for about an hour straight.

If you were in grade school in the early Nineties, your computer room was pretty much issued copies. Yet somehow I only managed to beat the game a handful of times. I always seemed to get robbed or plagued with Cholera or Dysentary; or starving to death for lack of food and bullets. And then I'd always lose my shit in the river when I tried to cross.

Apparently there is some new slang floating around the internet that may shortly become part of our lexicon, thanks to Brokeback Mountain. In fact, I almost guarantee you will start using it in context immediately. Click on the cartoon below for enlightenment..In case you can't read it: Brokeback (adj.): used to describe anything of questionable masculinity. Believed to have originated from 2005 Motion picture "Brokeback Mountain."

Wow

Vince Neil called, he wants his anal beads back.
Zoolander called, he wants Blue Steel back.


(if you care, add your own in the comments)

Chinese Democracy?

Does anyone even care about this record anymore? We've all moved on with our lives in the post-breakup backwash of GNR. I prayed for a reunion in the late 90's, but quickly gave up hope altogether. Slash felt the same way by starting a new band with Duff, Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland. You will agree with me when I say that any further output from the "GNR entity" will most likely be mediocre at best. Especially when sung by a corn-rowed Axl. Honestly, it's laughable. Axl recently had something to say about the most-anticipated-but-more-than-likely-a-flop album.

Ramones Interview, 1976

Rolling Stone conducted an interview with everyone's favorite punk group back in 1976, early in their career. The RS website has a link to the original interview, including typos and all. I got a kick out of reading it because of my advantage of hindsight. It's nice to read about a momentous time with a band that jump-started an alternative rock movement (the other prominent band to do this of course was Nirvana).

As for the magazine....well these were their glory days. In the past few years, the magazine has taken a complete nosedive. A nosedive in both content and depth. Rather than reporting on new music, you get the same classic rock artists to grace the cover most months of the year. Their album reviews tend to favor classic rock, and try almost too hard to please everyone else. Not to mention the number of ads in the friggin thing. For all that and more, I decided not to renew my subscription. I'd rather read Blender.

Celeb Sex Tapes

CNN has a cool, albeit brief, article on celebrity sex tapes. A museum dedicated to erotica? Where do I sign up? But the celebrity sex tape really emerged decades later, along with cheap and accessible home video equipment. In the late 1980s, at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, Rob Lowe became infamous for a videotaped encounter with two women, one a minor, in his hotel room. But the Brat Pack actor climbed back; he later got the plum role of presidential aide Sam Seaborn in "The West Wing."

Legendary Boss Concert to be Released

On PBS about a month ago, they were promoting a dvd set of Bruce Springsteen's classic concert at the London Hammersmith Odeon in 1975. That performance left my spine in tingles. Just the energy they bled; not to mention the clothes they were wearing. The concert was before the release of the landmark Born to Run and its resultant stardom. Born to Run definitely cracks my top ten albums list.

Billboard reports today that the now-classic concert will be available in its entirety as a 2-disc set on Feb. 28. The track listing is below:

Disc one:
"Thunder Road"
"Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"
"Spirit in the Night"
"Lost in the Flood"
"She's the One"
"Born To Run"
"The E Street Shuffle"
"It's Hard To Be a Saint in the City"
"Backstreets"

Disc two:
"Kitty's Back"
"Jungleland"
"Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"
"4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy)"
"Detroit Medley"
"For You"
"Quarter to Three"

Couldn't Help It

Let me just apologize before I post this link. I have an unhealthy obsession with flash spoofs of pop culture. Just when you thought he was gone, Mr. Risky Business is back singing about his new demon-spawn. I guess sometimes you gotta just say, What the fuck, make your move..

Check it out here.

(via Stereogum)

Andrea Bronfman Killed in Hit-and-Run

While walking her dog this morning, Andrea Bronfman was run down by a car. She passed away while in the hospital for her sustained injuries. She created the free Taglit-Birthright trip to Israel that so many young Jews now attend. A sad day.

Andrea Bronfman, wife of former Seagram co-chairman Charles Bronfman and an important presence in New York philanthropic circles in her own right, died after being hit by a car yesterday morning.

Bronfman, 60, was struck at 6:48 a.m., as she walked home after taking her dog for a walk in Central Park. Police said that a black Lincoln Town Car ran her down as she crossed East 65th Street, just half a block from her home at 838 Fifth Ave.

Still conscious, Bronfman was taken via ambulance to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she later died during surgery for multiple internal injuries, authorities said.

Police questioned the driver, identified as a 36-year-old male, but made no arrests in the case. Last night police said they did not expect criminal charges to be filed. READ ON.

Postal Service Nonplussed by Ad

Apple Computer used "Such Great Heights" in one of their recent ads. The band was not too happy about that.

"It has recently come to our attention that Apple Computers' new television commercial for the Intel chip features a shot-for-shot recreation of our video for 'Such Great Heights' made by the same filmmakers responsible for the original. We did not approve this commercialization and are extremely disappointed with both parties that this was executed without our consultation or consent. -Ben Gibbard, The Postal Service"

Read On at Pitchfork

Soul Legend Passes

Wilson Pickett has just passed away. Here is what Billboard had to say:

Soul/R&B legend Wilson Pickett died of a heart attack today (Jan. 19) at a hospital near his Virginia home, according to a spokesperson. He was 64.

Born in Pratville, Ala., Pickett moved to Detroit as a teen and joined the Falcons, singing on their 1962 hit "I Found a Love." By 1965, he had signed a solo deal with Atlantic, scoring a No. 21 pop hit with "In the Midnight Hour," which he co-wrote with legendary sessions musician Steve Cropper.

A slew of late '60s R&B/soul hits followed, including "Land of 1,000 Dances," "Funky Broadway," "634-5789," "She's Lookin' Good" and "Mustang Sally." As the '70s dawned, Pickett scored three consecutive top 20 pop singles with "Engine Number 9," "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You" and "Don't Knock My Love Pt. 1."

In all, five of his singles reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts. Pickett associated himself with some of the top sessions musicians of the time, and was a frequent visitor to Stax and Muscle Shoals Studios. He even hired the late Duane Allman to play guitar on his 1969 cover of the Beatles' "Hey Jude."

Pickett recorded regularly into the mid 1980s and was a 1991 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That year, his career was revived thanks to the film "The Commitments," which followed an unknown Irish soul band of the same name pursuing its dream of performing with Pickett. The artist also joined the band for performances at the Los Angeles and New York film premieres.

The artist's last studio album, 1999's "It's Harder Now," won WC Handy Awards for soul/blues album of the year and comeback album of the year, while Pickett was named soul/blues male artist of the year.

Pickett is survived by his fiance and four children. He will be buried beside his mother Lena in Louisville, Ky.

Dominatrix in the News

Some retired telephone company worker in New Hampshire had a heart attack while doing business with a dominatrix. A rational person would get help. This woman, Barbara Asher, thought it a better idea to leave him in a bathtub overnight and then dismember his body in the morning. The gruesome work, however, was done by her two-bit boyfriend Miguel Ferreira. I bet she kept his wee-wee as a little souvenir. Crazy bitch.

The next day, Nelson said, Ferreira dismembered the body of the 280-pound Lord with a hacksaw and they divided his remains into eight trash bags. The day after that, they drove to Augusta, Maine, where they dumped the remains behind a restaurant, the prosecutor said. His remains have never been found.

A month later, Asher confessed to police following a two-hour interrogation, and that confession forms the basis for much of the state's case. But the interview was not taped, Page said, and the investigators bullied her into saying things that conformed to their theory of what happened.

Much thanks to CNN for continuing to bring us the headlines that really matter.

Rubik's Record

I have never in my life solved the Rubiks Cube. I bought one relatively recently and it gave me a serious headache. Even with some tips and tricks, no dice. In fact, I don't think I know anyone that has solved it. And just to rub it in, a blindfolded Leyan Lo solved the cube in 11.13 seconds at the International Rubik's Cube Convention. So there.

Lo's record came at the very beginning of a long day in which dozens of "cubers" squared off in bids to become the best at one or more of a series of different categories of Rubik's Cube competitions. Among them were the standard 3x3x3, the 3x3x3 blindfolded, the 3x3x3 one-handed and the 4x4x4 (The numbers refer to the number of rows and columns the cube has).

(via CNet)

Rick Rubin

I was reading the Washington Post this morning and came across a fascinating article written about Rick Rubin. His story has been told umpteen times, but it is still as interesting as the first. I just love reading about his glory days and his hand in inventing rap music. Just take the few seconds to subscribe to the Washington Post website to view the article.

____________________________
The 'Song Doctor' Is In
From Audioslave to Neil Diamond, Recording Artists Know Producer Rick Rubin's Touch Is a Powerful Tonic

By J. Freedom du Lac
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 15, 2006; Page N01

LOS ANGELES It's impolite to stare, but since Rick Rubin is in a meditative state, his eyes sealed, there's little chance he'll catch you gawking.

And so you lean forward to study the iconoclastic record producer's beard up close. What a sight!

Rubin's hirsute hallmark is wiry and unruly, its craggy tips resembling a seismic reading. Nearly as long as it is wide, the salt-and-pepper beard droops to Rubin's chest; given his sprawling bald spot, it's as if there'd been a hairslide on his ample mug and nobody bothered to clean up the mess.

Maybe they were all just afraid: With his similarly unkempt hair, Rubin can appear ridiculously imposing, almost Hell's Angelic -- though in his current state of tranquillity, he sort of resembles Confucius, or maybe David Crosby during his nodding-off days.

And . . . and suddenly Rubin is staring right back, with piercing blue-green eyes.

Gulp .

"Isn't it beautiful?" he says softly.

He smiles. You nod.

He nods. You blink.

"It really feels like we captured a moment in the studio," he finally says.

Oh, right -- he's not talking about his beard , silly! It's the Neil Diamond song that's been thundering over the outrageously high-end stereo system here in the library of Rubin's magnificent Hollywood Hills home.

Rubin is playing one of his favorite tracks from "12 Songs," the riveting album he coaxed out of Diamond last year. It was the crooner's best-reviewed work in decades, landing on more than a few music critics' best-of-2005 lists; "12 Songs" also resonated with fans, reaching the No. 4 Billboard ranking -- Diamond's highest chart position in 25 years. READ ON.

'Skins Lose, Stern Wins

Instead of talking about how the 'Skins bit the big one today, I'll turn my attention to this article. Apparently, some very clever radio pirates successfully broadcasted Howard Stern's Sirius radio show on the left end of the dial. Because the FCC has no jurisdiction over satellite radio, Stern cannot be punished. People want their Howard and will attain it by any means necessary.

Illegal, pirated radio broadcasts of his Sirius Satellite program have been heard this week — for free — on broadcast radio, including 95.1 FM in Brooklyn and 101.5 FM in North Jersey.

I am in the camp that believes Howard's radio show is infinitely better on satellite radio. His bits sound less forced and flow more naturally. It just sounds like a bunch of friends gathered around a few beers and talking regularly.

Too Early

It's too friggin early to be up on a Saturday morning. I can barely open my eyes. Thanks to Dr. King for his impact and longstanding legacy on civil rights; and thanks for the day off.

I'm going to DC this weekend to chill with my brothers. One is in college at Maryland and the other lives in Bethesda. Don't forget to root for the Redskins today at 4 PM.

Hail to the Redskins!

Lust for Life

Thank you to Dark Stuff for bringing this story to light. When I read that Elijah Wood is playing Iggy Pop in an upcoming biopic, I almost jumped out the window. What's next, Freddie Muniz playing Sid Vicious?

Doesn't one need to be dead before you can really do a biopic of their life? Last time I checked Iggy is still alive (even though he looks like a skeleton). Woodie's got some big shoes to fill for the part. He needs to play a doped up junkie who would smear broken glass all over himself on stage. Not to mention he doesn't resemble Mr. Pop in any sense of the word.

Take it or leave it folks.

New Pantheon Award Finalists

The recently crowned New Pantheon prize (which replaced the Shortlist) has just revealed the ten finalists. It is an indie rockers wet dream (via Pitchfork):

Animal Collective - Feels (Fat Cat)
Antony and the Johnsons - I am a Bird Now (Secretly Canadian)
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (Sony)
Arcade Fire - Funeral (Merge)
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (Vice)
Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Atlantic)
The Decemberists - Picaresque (Kill Rock Stars)
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak (RCA)
M.I.A. - Arular (XL/Beggars)
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)

Nominations were made by a panel of celebrity judges including Elton John, Elijah Wood, Beck, Margaret Cho, John Legend, Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard, Keith Urban, Ric Ocasek, Shirley Manson, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda, Suzanne Vega, Dave Matthews and Keith Urban. Hmm, I do see a conflict of interest with Ben Gibbard voting, and his own DCFC making the nominee list.

Silence: The Musical

Silence of the Lambs. Great movie. Creeped the hell out of me. It seems, though, that some crackpots thought up an idea to create a companion musical. No performance, just a CD containing music inspired by the movie. Great idea, but what the fuck man!? After seeing cannibals and crazy killers making body suits out of human flesh, how could one be inspired to write a song? Joke or not, it's still pretty clever.

Anyway, if you are still interested, here is the track listing for the musical:

1. Silence of the Lambs* - The Lambs
2. If I Could Smell Her Cunt - Dr. Lecter
3. Are You About a Size 14? - Buffalo Bill
4. Quid Pro Quo - Clarice and Dr. Lecter
5. It's Me! - Dr. Lecter and the Police
6. Put the Fucking Lotion in the Basket - Buffalo Bill and Catherine
7. We're Goin' In - The FBI, Buffalo Bill and Clarice
8. In the Dark with a Maniac - Clarice, Buffalo Bill and Catherine
9. Silence of the Lambs* (Reprise and Finale) - The Lambs, The FBI, Clarice and Dr. Lecter

Why Ruin a Children's Book?

What's with all the live action cartoon movies that have suddenly taken over Hollywood? It's nearly impossible to pull off a cartoon with human actors. What seems to happen in these films is CGI's wind up dominating anyway. And in my eyes, if you're going to us a CGI, you might as well just stick with the original cartoon.

The latest one to jump on the bandwagon was never a cartoon, but can definitely be categorized in this group. Rather it was a favorite childhood book of mine, Where the Wild Things Are. Please someone explain to me, why? Why soil the story with a movie? Everything you needed was in those few pages, no more detail necessary. Stop ruining a good thing.

What's going to be next, Tikki Tikki Tembo or Goodnight Moon? I won't be suprised.

(via I Watch Stuff)

Warm Welcome Back

I'm back now. It's been a great couple weeks off. I was in the UK for a week, and just didn't feel like updating after I got back. I know you understand. Sometimes motivation is hard to come by. But rather than showing you pictures of landmarks you've seen countless times on postcards, I'm sharing some of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen. As usual, pictures don't do them any justice.


Sunset behind the Tower of London and City, London.


Sunset, London Eye Ferris Wheel.


Silhouette of Big Ben and Parliament, London.


Sunset from summit behind Arthur's Seat #1, Edinburgh.


Sunset from summit behind Arthur's Seat #2, Edinburgh.


Sunset from atop William Wallace Memorial #1, Stirling.


Sunset from atop William Wallace Memorial #2, Stirling.


Beginning of sunset from Edinburgh Castle. Note it's only about 3 PM.


...Fulfilling part of a lifelong Beatles quest.