Stub Stories #3

DINOSAUR JR. / MY BLOODY VALENTINE

1992. I was a big Dinosaur Jr. fan in the early 90's. This was probably my second or third time seeing them and my first seeing My Bloody Valentine. The show was at Memorial Hall on the campus of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. I can't remember who I went with to the show. Maybe Steve Judge. I don't know. I was at NC State at the time and I made the 30 minute drive to Chapel Hill to see the show. I may have seen louder shows since then but it was the loudest show I have ever attended. I don't remember much about Dinosaur Jr. except that they were loud and rocked but I had seen them in smaller venues I wasn't as satisfied. My Bloody Valentine was the opening band. I was a fan of the shoegazer genre coming out of the UK and though My Bloody Valentine wasn't my favorite shoegazer band I was excited to see them. They were louder than Dinosaur Jr.. There was a wonderful blast of sonic energy wrapping around me during every song. My most distinct memory of this show was near the end of My Bloody Valentine's set when they unleashed a 6 to 8 minute assault of noise. Just pure distorted sonic noise. It lasted longer than I felt was necessary because I remember getting a little tire of it 5 minutes into it and I was beginning to worry about damage to my hearing. I'm glad I got to see them because they never toured the US again. I hope to see both bands again this year because the original lineup of Dinosaur Jr is touring again and My Bloody Valentine are reuniting this year. It would be sonic wonderfulness to see them together again.

My Favorite Album Right Now

DIRTY PROJECTORS - RISE ABOVE

This album by Dirty Projectors has quickly grown on me and lately I've been listening to it daily. All the songs are covers of songs from Black Flag's Damaged album. The Dirty Projectors reinterpret the hardcore songs with harmonies, odd vocal styles, and music that sounds like 1970's Yes mixed with King Sunny Ade. It may take a couple listenings but I highly recommend this album.   Listen.

TSA Gangstaz

My friend and co-worker Justin is featured in a new video that was just released on youtube. He is the black guy with props like a bong, a bomb, and a 40 oz. The video is a rap song about airport TSA workers and it is a little raunchy. They hope that this video will lead to a tv series.

Real Men of Genius #2

PETER SELLERS

SEE

Oscar, I Lost Some Respect For You

At last year's Oscars I nearly lost all respect for the Academy Awards in the same way that I lost all respect for the Grammy's when the new category of Best Metal Band was awarded to Jethro Tull over Metallica and Jane's Addiction. Last year Pan’s Labyrinth won the Oscar for Best Cinematography over Children of Men. WHAT? Pan’s Labyrinth deserves the Best Art Direction Oscar, which it won, but it was in no way superior to Children of Men in terms of cinematography. CoM was released at Christms a year ago but was sadly overshadowed by other holiday blockbuster and never received the attention it deserved despite praise from critics. Along with the story, the cinematography made Children of Men a classic movie and one of the best films I have seen in recent years. See it if you haven't already.

The Commodores Get Slippery

R.I.P.

TEO MACERO  

1925-2008  (pictured on the right)

Producer of some of the greatest jazz albums ever made by Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and many more. 

Download samples.

Funniness #2

STEVEN WRIGHT

My New Plants

Got them on a job. Anyone know what they are?

Great Chemistry At Work #2

POLVO

more

3,000,000 Records For Sale

A man in Pittsburgh who has a bigger music obsession than I do is selling his music collection which he has assembled over the past 50 years. The collection consists of 3 million records and 300,000 cds from all genres of music. See his website here. Bid on the collection on ebay here. If I was only rich, then I could have the greatest record collection.  

Happy Presidents' Day

This is the last Presidents' Day we have to celebrate with George W Bush in the White House. Only 337 days to go until his term is over. Lets take a look at his accomplishments.

* Won an election without majority vote.

* Attacked and took over two countries.

* Spent the surplus and bankrupted the treasury.

* Shattered record for biggest annual deficit in history.

* Set economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period.

* Set all-time record for biggest drop in the history of the stock market.

* First president in decades to execute a federal prisoner.

* First president in US history to enter office with a criminal record.

* First year in office set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history.

* After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, presided over the worst security failure in US history.

* Set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips than any other president in US history.

* In his first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their job.

*Cut unemployment benefits for more out of work Americans than any president in US history.

* Set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12 month period.

* Appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in US history.

* Set the record for the least amount of press conferences than any president since the advent of television.

* Signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any president in US history.

* Presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed.

* Presided over the highest gasoline prices in US history and refused to use the national reserves as past presidents have.

* Cut healthcare benefits for war veterans.

* Set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind.

* Dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history.

* His presidency is the most secretive and un-accountable of any in US history.

* First president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously go bankrupt.

* Presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud of any market in any country in the history of the world.

* First president in US history to order a US attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation.

* Created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States.

* Set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any president in US history.

* First president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the human rights commission.

* First president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the elections monitoring board.

* Removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of congressional oversight than any presidential administration in US history.

* Rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant.

* Withdrew from the World Court of Law.

* Refused to allow inspectors access to US prisoners of war and by default no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions.

* First president in US history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 US elections).

* All-time US (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations.

* Spent more money on polls and focus groups than any president in US history.

* First president in US history to unilaterally attack a sovereign nation against the will of the United Nations and the world community.

* First US president to establish a secret shadow government.

* Took the biggest world sympathy for the US after 911, and in less than a year made the US the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest diplomatic failure in US and world history).

* With a policy of 'dis-engagement' created the most hostile Israeli-Palestine relations in at least 30 years.

* First US president in history to have a majority of the people of Europe (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and stability.

* First US president in history to have the people of South Korea more threatened by the US than their immediate neighbor, North Korea.

* Changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.

* Set all-time record for number of administration appointees who violated US law by not selling huge investments in corporations bidding for government contracts.

* Failed to fulfill his pledge to get Osama Bin Laden 'dead or alive'.

* Failed to capture the anthrax killer who tried to murder the leaders of our country at the United States Capital building. No leads and zero suspects.

* In the 18 months following the 911 attacks he has successfully prevented any public investigation into the biggest security failure in the history of the United States.

* Removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any other president in US history.

* In a little over two years created the most divided country in decades, possibly the most divided the US has ever been since the civil war.

* Entered office with the strongest economy in US history and in less than two years turned every single economic category heading straight down.

337 days are still plenty of time for Bush and his sidekick/puppetmaster Cheney to add to this list. George W Bush has to go down as the worst thing to happen to America in my lifetime. Let's hope that future Presidents' Days can be celebrated with more competent presidents in office.

The Commodores Play Soccer

Be My Valentine Charlton

DEAR CHARLTON HESTON,

Thank you for making firearms available for all Americans. Especially those who are mentally unstable. 

Today a gunman opened fire with several guns in a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University, killing 5 students and injuring 16 before he killed himself.  The shooting was the 4th at a school within a week.

On Feb. 8, a woman shot two fellow students to death before committing suicide at Louisiana Technical College in Baton Rouge. In Memphis, Tenn., a 17-year-old is accused of shooting and critically wounding a fellow student Monday during a high school gym class, and the 15-year-old victim of a shooting at an Oxnard, Calif., junior high school has been declared brain dead.

It seems wrong that the government will take action to recall toys because of lead paint but they do little to control the availability of guns in America. Mr. Heston and the NRA are working hard to make sure that Americans will always have the right to own firearms. Thanks for keeping America armed. God wants it that way.

School shootings worldwide since 1996

LA County Homicide Report

Hometown News

While killing time at work today I visited the website for my hometown paper (which I rarely do) and right there on the front page was a photo involving my dad who is a flight instructor. I am pretty sure that he wasn't flying high but rather flying at a high altitude. He doesn't do that sort of thing.

Hey Man, Nice Shot #2

DENNY SCOTT

For more artistic samples of this pioneering photographer go here.

Learn more about Denny here.

I Like Long Uncut Shots In Movies

"I AM CUBA"  1964   (not the original soundtrack)

Random Image Search #2

"778"

Mix Tape #1

Here is a collection of songs that I have been listening to lately for you to download. 

1. A-Punk  by  VAMPIRE WEEKEND

    If The Walkmen's favorite album was Paul Simon's Graceland then they would sound like this. 

2. Evil Energy, The Ill Twin Of...  by  FROG EYES

    I have no idea what he is singing about but I like the passion in his voice.

3. The Falling Sun  by  A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS

    Sounds very much like old Jesus and Mary Chain.

4. Fluorescent Grey  by  DEERHUNTER

    I loved their Cryptograms album and this is my favorite song from the followup EP.

5. I Got The...  by  LABI SIFFRE

    About 10 years ago a very popular song sampled the hell out of this song. Figure out what it is.

6. I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance  by  BLACK KIDS

    A new band out of Florida getting a lot of attention.

7. Merchandise  by  FUGAZI

    I've been revisiting Fugazi after a long break. Man they were a great band.

8. My Family  by  JAY REATARD

    Great punk in a Buzzcocks tradition.

9. Ride 4 My Niggas  by  LIL WAYNE

    My favorite hip hop album at the moment.

10. Someone Great  by  LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

    A Polish stylist I was working with said when this song came on, "What is this? It is awful." I think it is a wonderful song.

DOWNLOAD 

The Commodores Take Flight

Stub Stories #2

ATLANTA HAWKS vs BOSTON CELTICS

1985. I spent Thanksgiving at my aunt and uncle's in Greenville, SC. My uncle bought 4 tickets to the Hawks Celtics game in Atlanta so my uncle, my cousin, my dad, and I made the 3 hour drive to the ATL. The tickets turned out to be nosebleed but it was my first pro sporting event and I was happy to be there. Former NC State star Spud Webb was a rookie on the Hawks along with Dominique Wilkins and Tree Rollins. The Hawks were my team. They were playing the classic Boston Celtics team- Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, Robert Parrish, Danny Ainge. To my surprise the Omni had plenty of empty seats that night and more people were cheering for the Celtics than the Hawks. I was truly disappointed with the people of Atlanta. Southerners cheering for a Northern team on their home court. That was disgraceful. The Celtics ended up winning the game but Spud Webb did get a dunk which made it all worthwhile for me. 

Bad Ass MoFo

SPUD WEBB

Only 5 feet 7 inches but Spud Webb became a legend in the NBA. He first came to my attention as a guard for NC State, my favorite college team and where I would later go to college. He played under the great Jim Valvano. What he lacked in height he made up for in quickness and jumping ability. In 1986 he stunned the world when he won the NBA slam dunk contest. I still have the Sports Illustrated poster of Spud Webb that was hanging in my room when I was a kid.

1 Bassist + 1 Drummer = Powerful Noise

The White Stripes and Black Keys are probably the best know two piece rock bands. They utilize guitar and drums in a rocking bluesy way but they fail to rock as hard as two piece bands that consist of a bassist and a drummer. There is pure power exerted from these low end duos. This is music that you feel as much as you listen. Bands like Lightning Bolt, Big Business, Death From Above 1979, and Om create pure energy in thier live shows. I've had to pleasure of seeing Lightning Bolt, Big Business, and Om live. It is amazing how much noise and energy two people can create. Witness the power of  Big Business on March 9th at Spaceland with my friends Red Fang.

LIGHTNING BOLT    video

BIG BUSINESS    video

DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979    video

OM    video

Will It Blend?

This is a funny series of videos promoting the Blendtec blender. I had seen it before but today I saw the Chuck Norris version.

IPHONE

EZ CHEESE

CHUCK NORRIS

Excellence Juice

Congrats NY Giants!

NEW YORK GIANTS

In the best Super Bowl not involving the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants ended the New England Patriots' perfect season with a come from behind win in the last seconds of the game. It was great to see the Patriots finally lose, and in such an important game. I watched the game with my friend Robert who is a big Giants fan. See his reaction in the video below:

Commodores Video

Winners and Losers

CINCINNATI, OH. Outside the stadium with Bengals fan Geoff Garmhausen after the Steelers beat the Bengals in Cincinnati for the 7th straight year.

5 Years

FEBRUARY 1, 2008.

 

It is five years to the day that I arrived in Los Angeles after making the cross country drive with U-haul trailer in tow from Greensboro, NC.  On January 25, 2003 Joe Taylor and I set out to move to Los Angeles. Joe was moving back there for the second time. We met in Greensboro and headed out on Interstate 40 West on a Saturday. Joe was in his van and I was in my Cherokee with the U-haul trailer. While traveling through the NC mountains near Asheville my Cherokee felt the strain of pulling the trailer up the mountains and a seal in my transmission broke spilling transmission fluid. We pulled into Asheville, only 3 hours from Greensboro, to seek mechanical help. Unfortunately we couldn't find anyone to do repairs late Saturday afternoon and no one would be open on Sunday so we got a motel conveniently next to a Jeep dealership. Sunday I watched the Super Bowl in the motel room and wondered, was this a sign that I shouldn't move to Los Angeles. Monday I dropped off my car at the dealership and found out later that day that they couldn't find the part they needed so they had to order it. I finally got my car back Tuesday at 5pm and we hit the road again.

 

On January 31 we arrived in Barstow, CA and got a room in a motel. Joe had arrived earlier than me because of speed limit restrictions with trailers and I was taking it easy going up hills and mountains. Before I got to the motel Joe got some food from a Jack In The Box. He payed dearly for that decision because he was throwing up all night with food poisoning. The next morning we woke up and Joe was very weak. Turned on the tv as we prepared to check out of the room and we saw that the Space Shuttle Columbia had blow up over Texas.  We arrived in Los Angeles around noon that day.

 

It is five years later and I'm still in Los Angeles. Joe moved back to NC in late 2004. I'm glad I didn't decide to stay in NC after my transmission problems.

I just got back from the bank and post office. Yesterday I received long overdue payment for work last fall dating back to September. Today I deposited my checks and then dropped a check in the mail to completely pay off my credit card. Debt free for the first time in over 5 years. It is a good day.