Hey guyz,
Sorry it’s been a little slow around here, and I’ve virtually ended RT. I know we have a round to finish and Kev is one answer away from winning, but I may phase out RT after this round…but maybe not! I’ve been spending time on different things and evaluating which ways I will lead myself into 2009. This weekend I’ll be preparing my audition ‘maiden-voyage’ show for East Village Radio, which will air live on Thursday from 2-4 pm right here at this link (listen live upper right of webpage). The show will be called Beyond Beyond is Beyond and I’ll be crossing my fingers that I pass the audition and end up with a regualar time slot! If nothing else, it will be a great two hours of far-out rock radio!
Btw…here’s what my neighborhood looks like from the train these grey wintery days…
Here are a few things that have caught my eye lately that I’ll bring your attention to…
@ The Pretty Things have cancelled their 41st Annniversary Tour, which is a shame because the Pretties are unrightfully forgotten in the rock world, and actually released a tremendous album in Balboa Island last year! As a matter of fact, check out “Feel Like Goin’ Home” from that album…
Pretty Things – Feel Like Goin’ Home
@ Brian Eno speaks out against Israel, which seems kind of stupid to me since neither side is right or wrong. Keep it ambient, Brian.
@ Then there’s this.
@ And Ace is to truly become ‘Space Ace‘!
@ Last but not least…R.I.P. Ron Asheton!
Have a great weekend!!!
(Anyone get the ‘pickin’ pockets’ reference?)
Well, yesterday was Brooklyn’s famous Atlantic Antic street festival, the absolute best of all the New York street festivals because it’s massive, it’s the last gasp of organized outdoor fun before the cold weather kicks in, there’s live music, the food is amazing, there are plenty of adult beverages to enjoy, and it’s in Brooklyn! And, for me, it’s right outside my apartment door.
I didn’t get out there till about 3:30 because I was nursing a pretty hefty hangover from a late Saturday night, but quickly grabbed myself a bloody mary and a yummy Vietnamese sandwich and was on the up and up. I met up with a couple friends and ran into some others, but mainly spent the next couple of hours first with Red David and then just with my hazy hangover-headed self.
It was really nice to see all the Obama frenzy at the Antic this year. Everywhere I looked were people of different races, colors, religions, sexes, sexual preferences, musical tastes, and ice cream flavor preferences banding together in support of positivity, hope, and America’s future. You could get your picture taken with a life-size cutout of Barack, you could order an organic Obama burger, and even order Biden gelato. It reminded me of New Yorkers inate ability to see through bullshit, and it’s easy for us to see that there is only one presidential campaign right now which is running on truth and honesty…and it ain’t McCain/Palin.
Another highlight was walking by at the right time to watch a fantastic country rock band from west Jersey playing outside of Hank’s Saloon. I found that the band was called Citizens Band Radio, and these guys (and gal) know how to jam! It was cool seeing all types of people smiling and dancing to CBR’s music. Cheers to the band if they happen to stumble on this post!!! Keep up the good stuff!
And another highlight for me was scoring some new cheap vinyl! I got all of these for $1 each! And they’re all perfectly listenable. I’m listening to Fleetwood Mac’s cover of the Yardbirds’ “For Your Love” right now. Mystery To Me is a great album…I don’t think I even knew that the amazing song “Hypnotized” was done by the Mac. Here’s the full haul that I got for a total of $11…
I also, while I had the camera and records out, took some pics of the last couple vinyl scores I had over the last couple months. Click on through to see the others…
This is a cool-looking picture from the Times of Radiohead’s stage show at All Points West, but was it enough to make the Jersey City festival live up to the legacies of the big festies like Bonnaroo and Coachella? It sounds like it was kinda lame from this NY Times article. No camping, an annoying commute and strict alcohol rules are the kind of things that would make this festival experience very different to the Shangri-La atmosphere of the big ‘uns.
So, did anyone go? Was it as lame as it seems from the outside? Was Radiohead awesome enough to pull this one out of the ditch?
It couldn’t have been better than Frances at Union Hall in Park Slope on Saturday night, who opened for the fairly-snoozey Rogue Wave! Frances totally brought it! Keep your eyes on these guys.
Well I’ve been reading that Rothbury is the next Bonnaroo, and from what I’ve seen it does look like an amazingly well thought out music festival. And the festie is super-green. I dig that. I may have to take my ass out there next year, although it may be tough if ‘The Phish’ is touring again by then!
First and foremost, check out my Detroit Cobras review on Blog Critics…and leave some comments there, so it looks like I have some readers!
So I just saw this recent video of Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst on the Tom Green show and it is VERY interesting, to say the least. Homeboy is Rip Van Winkling!
After sort of trashing his hometown of Detroit in a recent Rolling Stone article, Jack White pens a poem for the Motor City. The only ‘trashing’ he did was saying that Detroit’s music scene was suffocating him.
You gotta read the comments section from this Stereogum Phish reunion post! Hilarious.
John Oates’ Moustache cartoon?
I’m looking forward to new Kings of Leon.
Thought you knew the Scorps from ‘Hurricane’ days? Well check this video from 1972!
And whoa! Look at the emaciated Alice Cooper in 1981. This is during his alcoholic relapse period.
Deaner’s got a new fishing show. You can view episodes at the Brownie Troop website.
Anyone heard Fleet Foxes yet? It sounds like there album’s a hands-down winner.
And what do you think of your iPod’s shuffle mode? Love it, hate it?
This video of Chromeo on Jimmy Kimmel is pretty amazing. I had not heard them before I saw this.
What else is up?
Drug court graduation for Trey Anastasio. Cheers, Trey!
Chinese Democracy must’ve leaked for a few minutes yesterday and a lot of people had some really good things to say about it.
Did Coldplay steal their latest hit song? You must see this video!
Duffy brought to tears at the MOJO Awards by the King of Sweetness himself, Johnny Rotten, aka John Lydon.
The Disco Biscuits were busted en route to Bonnaroo!
I gotta say…Kid Rock is a cool mutherfucker.
Video of the recording of a hot new Grace Potter and the Nocturnals song. Luckily, it sounds less poppy then the material on their debut album.
Petty and Maiden at MSG. No, separately! I would’ve loved to have seen either. I’m on a huge Petty kick now after seeing Runnin’ Down A Dream.
Promos belong to the owner, not the label.
Name the new space that used to be Williamsburg’s Galapagos, and win a $1000 bar tab.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVRtQUTd7Gk&hl=en]
All right now. I just sat down at the ol’ Macbook with a fresh cup of coffee after a nice restorative sleep last night and yoga session this morning, and I’ve noticed that a lot has happened over the last few days. I was camping in the Catskills with friends and caterpillars, but mostly caterpillars. We had some heavy rain on Saturday, that we waited out and weathered and ended up having a rockin’ good time in trout country. We saw the world’s largest kaleidoscope ™ and even swung by Woodstock to make sure nobody was slacking on the drum circle. If a drum circle happens in Woodstock and no one is there to hear it…maaaaahhhhhn. Anyway, let’s look what happened in the less-trippy world outside of Woodstock. I know that a ton of rock fans (as well as fans of Jack Johnson) did some camping in Manchester, TN over the weekend for the country’s biggest music festival ™, Bonnaroo. Let’s check out some stuff…
Winning Bonnaroo’s biggest-douchebag award looks like it was, hands-down, Kanye West, who had already forced organizers to change his time-slot to late-night so that he could take full advantage of his ‘amazing’ glow-in-the-dark set. With the later time granted, it seems he still couldn’t even get to the stage on time. I think it would be you though, that would be Bonnaroo’s biggest DB if you would wait till 4:30 am for a hip-hop show. It just couldn’t possibly be interesting enough to warrant that kind of wait!
After hitting Bonnaroo on Thursday night, Vampire Weekend played to a soaking-wet Central Park Summerstage crowd on Saturday. Both of these videos are very much worth watching…1) this Bonnaroo video has some good festival footage and a hilarious MGMT interview at the end (which shows us how young the MGMT boys are), and 2) in this one from Saturday with Andrew WK, I’m kinda like, c’mon VW, just play the Petty song and stop making an excuse for liking Petty since your Columbia friends think he’s ‘frat rock’!
Here are some great Bonnaroo pics on Pitchfork.
I just gotta say that for some reason, my Sh*t L*sts post featuring the lovely Duffy, got around 1000 hits over Saturday and Sunday. She didn’t play Bonnaroo, but maybe it’s because she won the Mojo award for Song of the Year. No Rock & Roll Fun seems less than thrilled about the list of winners, although it doesn’t look so bad to me…but I’m also an easily-amused Yank!
No Rock & Roll Fun also posts this Duffy live video, against it’s will. I guess Britain is just inundated with Duffy and tired of the hype, but listen to her sing! Beats the shit out of American fave, Fergie!
Bob Lefsetz continues to know everything about everything in the music world. Which is sometimes very insightful and other times a bit annoying. Bob should see Dave’s math on the pressing of vinyl though!
Just in, Carrie Brownstein at NPR’s Monitor Mix is also opposed to the new wave of British soul singers, and she’s not even British! What do you think, is this genre just too derivative?
Ben Folds does ‘Bitches Ain’t Shit’ at Bonnaroo, for the last time.
And on a random note, here’s an interview with Nick Drake from 1971.
More fairly-solid Phish rumors (yet still rumors).
Crystal rocked Round 10 on NewmRadio Rock Trivia, and will soon receive her booty, and Round 11 will start some time this week. Be prepared.
Well, the weather done gave all us New Yorkers the ol’ bitch-slap this past week, as it got tired of hearing us complain about cold, rainy days. We’ve already seen 100 degree weather and it ain’t even July yet! I won’t complain because I fuckin’ love summer. It’s hard to live in New York in the winter. You can’t let your mind go where it naturally tends to go, you know? Here’s the famous telescope that stretches from Brooklyn to London, that we checked out on Saturday, the first above 90 degree day, before we boarded the water taxi for Manhattan…
Here’s a bunch of stuff I noticed that stood out this week…
Radiohead fans are furious over EMI’s Best Of release now that Radiohead are Indie again. Check out some of the hundreds of pissed-off reviews via this link to iTunes. Relax, people. I guess it’s hard to lighten up when you listen to too much Radiohead (sorry, had to got there).
Rolling Stone talks about the gradual return of vinyl, as people fall back in love with its aesthetic. Reminder: who’s been talking about vinyl’s return since the onset of this here blog?
Animal Collective listen like Newms does. Check out the links to these AC mixes and playlists!
I think the hip-hop community could use some chess too, Wu. It’d be one thing that’s not about bling and being the biggest asshole.
Check out my review of the Man Raze album. Def Lep meets Sex Pistols equals HOT!
Luckily the little ma & pop store, Wal-Mart, has some people to get their back. Now if only the poor people behind the counter making $17k a year, trying to raise a family, could get someone to get their back. Pay more and support living wages, says I! But I’m sure that makes me a communist. Did I even mention how UN-rock & roll it is for AC/DC to do a Wal-Mart exclusive?! Stoppit, world!
What’s missing from these Greatest Guitar Songs of All-Time?
Well, I’ve got some good news and bad news but still very news-worthy items that came to light today…
Let’s start with the bad. YES has cancelled their 40th Anniversary tour slated for this summer due to Jon Anderson’s respiratory issues which he was hospitalized for last month. Read the press release here. It’s good to hear that it’s preventative more than anything. Have a respiratory-realxing summer, Jon. We love ya! Dig this for now…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jn_aus63GE&hl=en]
And for the good news, Phish songwriter Tom Marshall was adding a lot more speculation to the recent Phish reunion possiblity rumours. Read Tom’s interview here. So till then, dig this…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIHNR7qGiHw&hl=en]
Well, it’s been quite a week so far with Obama winning the Democratic nomination (go Barack!) and the passing of one of Rock’s true innovators and pioneers, Bo Diddley. Not to mention, the birthday of my lovely wife on Tuesday and our second wedding anniversary today! I am an extremely happy and lucky man.
And with the dreams of America’s regime change inching ever-closer to becoming reality, here’s my little photo tribute to the men and women in the Armed Forces who have been putting their lives on the line to protect our ways of life. Hopefully we’ll soon get someone in office who won’t risk their lives frivolously and as a means to support their owns’ greed. AND I couldn’t resist taking the pic when I saw these guys sitting at a table in Little Italy.
So here’s some stuff to check out…
Speaking of photos, check this out, it’s really cool but it may just jerk a tear or two.
BO……DIDDLEY! Thank you and rest in peace.
Raconteurs on Conan.
There goes the neighborhood!
R.E.M. recently rocked “Ignoreland” for the first time.
Leaked Vampire Weekend demo performed by their keyboard player (and mastermind). Be sure to look at all the comments.
Oh yeah, more great Diddley on NPR’s Monitor Mix!
Shameless plug...it looks good if I get some clicks on my articles.
New MAN remasters. I’m completely addicted to this band now!
I kept wanting to post something today, and I just kept becoming more and more lethargic. It must be my feelings of insecurity, constant reminders of mortality, and lack of groceries that is strangling my keyboard. No word yet from my specialist. Here’s a bunch of crappy links that you won’t even give two shits about, but whatever…dig it, I guess…
HEY! I just cheered up…because the ever-so-clever Ace Cowboy has made his triumphant return to blogdom today with the Rebirth of Slack, after being on hiatus for a year. Be sure to visit him now and again, if you like to laugh and/or cringe.
Nights With Alice Cooper name-drops our buddies at Hidden Track in the show’s piece about Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears. I wonder who was responsible for that?!
Check out my Blog Critics articles if you haven’t already, um-kay?
Vote for Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears at Deli Magazine
Sonic Youth + Starbucks = Spirit of Punk Rock
Gotta love Phish from ’87!
Specials reunion? Fuck yeah!
Alice Cooper on the Muppets. Nice. And have you seen the topless European version of the “Poison” video? Naughty.
Anything eels? Yes, I said eels. And you know what…I feel a lot less like a lethargio now! Now back to work.
…East Village Radio