October 2005 Archives

VS was kind enough to invite me to charlar earlier in the week to watch "The Motorcycle Diaries". Charlar, you ask? Once a week some Spanish speakers get together to watch a film in Spanish, followed by a short discussion in... Spanish.

A very good idea, me thinks. The film is a buldingsgroman of Ernesto "Che" Guevara and I thought it was high time I meet the man.

Our hero sets out via motorcycle (half the journey and then it breaks down) with his pal, Alberto Granado on a road trip all across and along South America in the 1950's. The script focuses on the human transformation of the two young Argentine professionals, who decide to see their continent with their own eyes. The film concentrates on how the world changed Che, which in turn led him to try to change the world.

I can't stop listening to Kings of Convenience lately, so let's not rock to boat. Here is "Gold For The Price of Silver" off of Versus. I would like to think that Che would have liked to listen to this song as he swam across the Amazon on his birthday to get to the leper colony. Wow. See the movie...

Gold For The Price Of Silver

Took in this show on October 22 and it was lovely. Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re is a three-girl (I stress girl) outfit from Japan that know how to rock it. They are so happy and they aren't afraid to tell the audience...a lot. "We are soooooooooooo Happyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy." And the gratuitous Japanese lesson, Konnichi Wa means Hello!!!!! Nonetheless, it was easy to tell these girls love their power chords and their Rock n' Roll and ain't that what it all be about? I think so.

As for the Suicide Girls well, where do I begin? It is always nice to see tattooed ladies strip down to their pasties and thongs and dance around to loud music. One of them even chucked roses into the crowd during her number and I caught one. I guess she knew I was appreciating her work.

And while the ladies were most definitely attractive I was just as surprised by their musical choices to get naked by. Everything from Death From Above 1979 to Portishead to Steeler's Wheel (Yep, they did the ear-cutting scene from Reservoir Dogs - A+).

Since we are talking about Death From Above 1979, let's listen to "Romantic Rights" and Four Tet "Everything Is All Right" because... it is.

Romantic Rights

Everything Is All Right

Every day, a whole hell of a lot is going on. Isn't that trite? But, lately things seem especially tumultuous. We have yet another hurricane in our midst that will pillage and destroy and America's various stabs at world diplomacy are well, awful. And trust me, it ain't no better at an individual level. Probably much worse for most. Safe to say that our collective grip on all things real is tenuous at best. I think Ogdred Weary would be very proud of this installment or at least mildly nod in my direction.

With that, let's listen to some music. I have two that will inspire or at least make you think a bit. Enjoy and digest y'all. First, here is Kings of Convenience, "Misread" off of Riot on an Empty Street. Second is Sondre Lerche off some compilation I found - name of the track is "You Know So Well."

Misread

You Know So well

It has recently come to my attention that hobbits most likely existed. Oh yes. Therefore making at least a portion of Gulliver's travels quite real. Apparently, scientists digging in a remote Indonesian cave uncovered a jawbone that may give creedence that a tiny, pre-historic hobbit-like species once existed. Holy Shit.

Just think of the implications here people. This jaw is the ninth one found of its kind that seems to have been from a race of people that lived about 12,000 years ago. So what does that mean for us? Are these people the missing link? I guess that is why all of us loved Lord of the Rings book/movie trilogy so damn much and why seeing a midget is good luck.

And I haven't forgotten about my week of appreciation of all things musical. I think I might I have to extend this for the month...maybe the year. And sorry about the hobbit departure, though, I warned you that there might be departures.

In honor of our little ancestors, let's bump some Telefon Tel Aviv - "My Week Beats Your Year" off Map of What is Effortless - Yeah, that's right...Oh yeah, let's go old skool with some EPMD "It's My Thing" off Strictly Business.

My Week Beats Your Year

It's My Thing

Today is a celebration. Why? I do not know, maybe I am having one of those take a step back days? We all know it is good to smell the roses, but nothing makes me smell with more vigor than the wonderful world of music.

Sure, I appreciate the word. Obviously. And I of course appreciate the picture, still and moving. But nothing seems to move and shake me like music. There is such a wide musical spectrum that it is unbelievable that all falls under the same category. So, today I want to post two songs that represent my spectrum. That is tough to encapsulate, to be sure, but I think I will attempt it.

Awhile back Fresh and I spoke about drawing a musical tree on his basement wall. Not necessarily everything, but just everything that we deemed essential. Wonder if he still is thinking about it? I'll have to ask him.

I think I will devote the next 7 days to musical greatness. I may divert at any point, but that is my goal. So, be on the lookout.

Anywyay, let's rok Donovan's (Does one rok Donovan?) "Lay of the Last Tinker" off A Gift From a Flower to a Garden. I have to thank VS for introducing the magic bard to me, but VS is good like that.

And then the other end, well, how about some hip-hop? I could go metal, with one of my other favorites being Tool, but I feel hip-hop is even further away. One of my favorite records of all time Eric B. & Rakim's "Mircrophone Fiend" off Follow the Leader. I remember borrowing the tape from Craig Anderson in 7th grade and then playing two bars, pausing the tape, writing down the lyrics and repeat, for the entire song. Still got it memorized to this day...I was fiend, before I became a teen...

Microphone Fiend

Lay Of The Last Tinker

Hi everybody. I hope everyone is OK and happy wherever you may find yourself in the world, because things could be much worse. You could have been born in Pakistan.

I was listening to NPR on Saturday, returning from covering my high school football game in middle America when it was announced that 20,000 (the death toll is now estimated at 30,000) people were killed in a massive earthquake in Pakistan. I cannot imagine what those people must feel. Their nation is already battered and more impoverished than any of us could ever imagine.

And now, because the earth decided to heave, there are 30,000 less Pakistani's on the earth. That is the equivalent of a chunk of Toledo's denizens going bye-bye. How would you live? What would motivate you to see tomorrow? All the while I sat on my sofa yesterday, enjoying a lazy Sunday of sports. Hard to imagine that we live on the same planet.

With a snap of his fingers G-O-D brought quite a few into his kingdom, that is, if you believe in that sort of thing. I am reminded of the Tiger Lilies, "Crack of Doom" off Bad Blood and Blasphemy - a brilliant record, if you ask me.

Crack of Doom

Here it is, TDJ's profession of love for his one and only. Now, don't hate - those out there who dislike the tatoo. You have to see those two crazy kids interact, then you might begin to understand the TDJ/Juice dynamic. Here is my idea of the song that played in little Dale's head as he sat in that chair - Dave "The Baby" Cortez's, "Happy Organ". Isn't love grand?

The Happy Organ

Sure, we hear it all the time, but I really have been a busy bee. The life of a freelancer is craziness, followed by a couch day on a Monday. As it is, said couch day was needed as Hurricane Dale blew in over the weekend and created quite a stir. My hope is to show the startling climax to our weekend via photograph, but at post time, Dale had yet to meet my request. No matter, I know he will soon. I will probably just post the picture alone. Words really are not needed for this one.

I am also crushed today because my Tribe withered and died over the weekend. They had the post-season in their grasp, but allowed the White Sox of Chicago to sweep them at home. Piss poor. I suppose it is just another day in the life of a Cleveland fan. I am tempted to throw down my Chief Wahoo cap and embrace the crappy Yankees of NYC and whatever NFL team is good this year...but I can't. When the Tribe capture the World Series next year, I can re-read this post and grin. I hope. In the meantime, click here to read more about why the implosion occured.

So being today is a couch day and I feel just a shred of motivation, let's go with the slow, plodding Beck tune "Emergency Exit" off Guero.

Emergency Exit