I have made the switch back from the grandiose royal bedroom to my original, bachelor pad bedroom. The big room is our new studio, providing a much better and less claustrophobic atmosphere for the underpaid performers.
It was a bitter-sweet transition.
I am excited for the ch-ch-change, but there were many artifacts in the house-cracks that would've been better left unremembered. Well, I suppose they are best thrown in the garbage..
For those of you who haven't subscribed to my weekly podcast, We Hit & Run, please do so below (I've provided a link for those of you who are not iTunes users):
The latest broadcast does cross that awkward, uncomfortable line. It's a cringe-worthy event that should not go unheard.
Tomorrow we are christening the new studio with a Real Kid Radio bash, an extravaganza featuring the members of We Hit And Run, Jim And Them, and special guests. It'll also include the long awaited drink-off/pose-off between Sid and Jake. TUNE IN. SUBSCRIBE.
I've decided to throw together an Old Grey Whistle Test medley for you wonderful human beings. Check out tomorrow's We Hit & Run, as well- it features a disgruntled Sid throwing down a microphone and walking out of the studio. An event that couldn't have been any less planned, and couldn't of made for better radio.
This is an alternate take that never made the broadcast. I liked his vocal better on this edition. The song speaks for itself, my praise will only prove redundant after you watch the video.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Uncomplicated I've been waiting for somebody to reupload this video for many months. I had a high quality version of this a few years ago, which mysteriously disappeared sometime around my move to Vegas. Uncomplicated is the opening track on Blood & Chocolate (his first 'last album with the Attractions'), one that has definitely grown on me over the years. This is around the time he wanted to kick the 'E.C.' gimmick- yet his glasses are bigger than ever.
John Lennon - Stand By Me I'm shocked he isn't chewing gum during this performance.
The Specials - Stupid Marriage The best Specials song? I love the harmonies, and especially the lyrics and beautiful song title. The album version is a lot better, and more theatrical- complete with a very ethnic judge. This video is really just a small clip of the ending. It begins and ends with Squeeze's organist- Jools with his odd, alien-like voice, t interviewing the Specials' lead singer.
Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding Written by Elvis Costello- a lot of people claim that Robert Wyatt's rendition of Shipbuilding blows the original out of the water. I strongly disagree, though I adore the frailty of his voice. I consider Robert Wyatt the opposite of Tom Waits- both on adjacent ends of the same depressed, romantic spectrum.
The Talking Heads - Psycho Killer Any other Talking Heads song would not be in this blog entry. I got into this band during my last week living at Sara's- I took a particular liking to this one for many, obvious reasons.
I am an island, like Dr. Cox, like Will Lightman. I dreamt up my perfect woman the other night, with the perfect meeting. I hardly remember it, except that a ladder was involved, so I can't help but assume it was inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
Idealising is a flaw, now? I found my ideal musician (voice), my ideal comedian (delivery)- I will find my ideal woman. And I will sing this song to her.
Still, I'm an island. So until then I will stomp my feet, sing this song, and make this facial expression...
I return to the court house today. Listen to the new WH&R on Real Kid Radio, or download it Wednesday. The show has nearly replaced this blog- especially since I can't tear up Sylvia Plath books on here.
Music: E.C. playing Patsy Cline, as he is suffering from the mumps. (see below)
I drink my beer with a shot glass. I don't think it's a habit I'll ever break, I'll never be willing to. I will, however, have to pick up a key-chain stop-watch, that way I'll be ready when an occasion of drinking is presented. The Power Hour has become an addiction, to the point where I can't tolerate the taste of beer without yelling the phrase 'slam time' every sixty seconds. Being an accomplished, published poet- I think I can form a pun for 'slam time' causing it to be the queue for a beer shot followed by a Shakespeare one-liner.
- "SLAM TIME!" - "(shot of Red Dog)" - " But day doth daily draw my sorrows longer, And night doth nightly make grief's length seem stronger."
Genius, though I can't think of a partner who could keep up through an entire hour- or even a tall can's worth of quotations.
I've been consumed by the stock market. I speak and type in symbols. I correct the term 'Google' with 'GOOG', and Apple with 'AAPL' (the latter confuses people). I even occasionally correct the term 'Google' with 'HEY ASSHOLE THAT STOCK IS OVER 500, WHEN DO YOU THINK IT WILL SPLIT? YOU DONT KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT? FUCK OFF. HEY THAT GUY...'. It never ends.
The stock market is a gambler's dream. It offers a risk-free opportunity to gain free money. Sure, a true gambler will put hundreds on XM (XMSR) or WWE (WWE) and throw caution to the bloody wind- but a smart gambler will put thousands on AT&T (T) or Microsoft (MSFT) and walk away with free cash. It's a gambling game of patience, and it could put your children through college, or fund a reasonably size (and named) yacht. I'll be leading more towards the yacht at this stage in my life. I'm not a family man these days, those hours are behind me, or years-ahead-of-the-stock-market-in-front-of-me.
I am beginning to feel that annual football fever. It is the time where the Fantasy Football hype begins, the video games get released, and the stat projections run wild. I have never been more confident in any team like I am in this year's New England Patriots. C'mon... Brady, Moss, Maroney, Bruschi, Colvin... don't even look at me if you don't this team already has the Lombardi Trophy in their team-basement.
I've always been a Cowboys man first, a Pats guy second. This year, I am officially a Patriots supporter mainly. New England is my homeland, Tom Brady is the man I love. It is about time I face the facts- the Cowboys are my preteen team, back in the days where I only knew the names 'Emmitt Smith' and 'Barry Sanders' (and wasn't foolish enough to put Barry first). At this mature age, where I am a winner of eight thousand dollars in football gambling cash, the New England Patriots are my NFL passion, there isn't a team I would dream about putting first. Long story short... DYNASTY.
Plus, the 2K series is back. This is the most tingly of all news. We football fans have been trapped in the Madden universe for the last three years, and we finally have the greatest engine in football gaming to purchase. Despite the fact that EA has stolen the NFL license, and that we won't have up-to-date NFL rosters in the game, All Pro Football 2k8 will undoubtedly be the best sports game of the last thirty six months. Don't get me wrong, as a subscriber of GamezNFlix, I will most definitely spend many hours at the helm of Madden NFL '08, as well as NCAA Football '08- however, my undying love and support will forever lie in the controller of the 2k football series, the greatest of all pigskin developers.
I am a lover of all things delicate, whether it be baby dolls, their pacifiers, or the retail shelves that hold them. Most of all, this list includes... YOU.
[Ron Howard's Arrested Development narration voice.] Now that, my friends, is how you write using the English language. [/Ron Howard's Arrested Development narration voice.]
Oh, and for you fans of that overrated Napoleon Dynamite film, watch the real, original Napoleon Dynamite below:
And while we are on the subject that is America's & Britain's Greatest Voice, Pen, Hat, Glasses and Nose... I will leave you with a performance of his featuring Emmylou Harris. I dedicate it to anyone who is taking me to court at the year's moment.
The first time I ever heard Joe Jackson's voice was on the morning of June 22, 2004. I was in the intoxicating state between asleep and awake, dreaming some sort of nonsense involving a genderless person singing and strutting through the apartment I was living in at the time.
Always something breaking us in two
I had fallen asleep early in the morning with the television blaring VH1 Classics's 2xTuesday.
The fantasy seemed to extend for minutes, growing more and more vivid with each lyric. I woke up, sat up, only to see Joe Jackson sitting at a piano performing the song that had just haunted my dreamworld.
I immediately hopped onto the Elvis Costello Fans forum (I was the frequent 'troublemaker' on there at the time) and began my research, and in turn the downloading.
As with every article containing either man- Joe Jackson is constantly graded on a scale to Elvis Costello (and both to Graham Parker, though more or less the other way around), simply because the two of them got their start through the New Wave/Punk British invasion of the late 70's. Despite catching their break through the same movement, there is absolutely nothing similar about the two once we hit 1981- EC went off into the world of Country & Western with Almost Blue, then on to the incomparable Imperial Bedroom as Joe Jackson peaked with Night & Day then began his ambitiously eclectic mediocre years.
I must confess, I've always considered Beat Crazy and Get Happy!! a brotherly pair of sibling albums.
Night & Day.
Today, each are in excellent voice, and their pens have only gotten bolder. You can make a case that the greatest songs written by either man were composed post 2000 (Take It Like A Man - Joe Jackson, Episode Of Blonde, Bedlam - Elvis Costello) , proving that the two of them still have more to offer than the infinite number of young musicians they've inspired today (Daryl Palumbo being a possible exception).
Elvis has his Imposters, Joe Jackson has his Joe Jackson Band. We, as listeners, have songs that can create, dictate, and fabricate characters that gyrate in our deep, dreaming sleep.
The new Elvis Costello iTunes Originals album is wonderful. It contains twenty-four tracks, twelve of which being insightful, spoken word recordings pertaining to the twelve songs selected by E.C. himself for the release. He even re-records a handful of them in the studio, it's great to hear songs like Little Triggers, Kid About It, and Motel Matches revisited. After listening to this I have developed a new found appreciation for Invasion Hit Parade.
Congratulations to East Side Dave and Casey for their marriage, set to be broadcast on Ron & Fez this morning. I will be listening, sniffling, and enjoying.
I know what everybody thinks when they click on that ever-important "Literary Slumber" bookmark, when they take that deep, oceanic breath as they select the one blog on this world wide intranet worth the time to sit next to, pet, and share a coffee with- what's with the sad bitchy shit? What's with this kid telling us about his dead baby and failed engagement all the time? Why is this kid always bringing us down?
My answer, as the primary spokesman for the Literary Slumber franchise, is given in the form of a TOP X LIST (pronounced 'TOP SOMETHING LIST'). This list doesn't have numbers, it doesn't have topics, it doesn't limit your thinking and reading to the number 5, or any particular category. I'm not going to site here and type up movie titles for you people (I love Manhattan, check it out), or album titles (King Of America could be the greatest record ever), or conjure up images of foods (cheesecake) using my words of color.
I'm going to sit back, sip on my stolen Icee, think real hard... and list things I like.
And you...
Well, you're going to navigate the links provided, and share the joy of things that are good with your fellow Literary Slumber fans. The countless readers (fuck off Google Analytics, you can't judge the excitement of the page views and visitors) and numerous nodders have been waiting for this, and I have finally given you all the list you desire.
Enjoy.
Please.
x . ) Boone's Farm (see 'x . ) Steel Reserve 211')
x . ) Jim & Them (http://www.jimandthem.com) Some people are just funnier than the remainders. There are human beings who can bounce off one another with the wit and humor that the rest of those on this Earth experiment just can't replicate, and sometimes can't understand. These people are Jim, Jake, and Brandon. Finally African Americans have somebody to look up to, and try to assassinate. Try it. x . ) Elvis Costello (http://www.elviscostello.info) He isn't human, at least his brain and voice aren't. Lets all sit here on the world universe web and pretend that anybody else could've even dreamed of releasing an album on par with Brutal Youth, then we can make believe that This Year's Model, Armed Forces, King Of America, and The Delivery Man don't make E.C. better than whatever name we came up with. Second place for the opposition every time. I'm requesting a band besides Squeeze release an album better than Elvis's worst.
x . ) Arrested Development Michael Bluthe is the father I will strive to mimic. Sure, he doesn't listen- but he loves that damn kid. I am finally doing the 'Season Three Laydown', watching it all the way through in the position of a 180 degree single guy, and I'm enjoying every lonely moment. I give it five x list (something list) stars.
x . ) Clark & Michael (http://www.clarkandmichael.com)
x . ) The Beatles. Talk about underrated. Have you really listened to Let It Be? Didn't think so. Do you dig a pony? Do you have a feeling? Do you one after 909? I don't care if your answer is 'Yes' or 'No', my responce is: Then listen to the naked version of this album.
x . ) Steel Reserve 211 Drink a tall can, then write your own paragraph. x . ) Starvation. Just lose weight.
x . ) This video.
I have no explanation or reason for digging this montrosity. It makes me laugh. I even commented on the damn thing. Speed alteration is the new HIV for we comedic needle sharers. Keep in mind, this is a tentative list. I might not even like these things in a few hours- I may even post an anti-x (anti-something) list in the morning (I work overnights, my morning is your night). But right now, at this important second- the only moment that will carry this very second- these are the things that you and I adore. I love you for sharing this with me, and I hope that we can live long time together.
Last night my brother and I went to see Knocked Up, which did not disappoint. The greatest cast I've ever seen in a comedy, and one of the funniest movies I've seen in years. It's great that the Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared crew are getting all of this publicity- Desario even made an appearance, but played himself (James Franco). Seth Rogen absolutely killed, and ofcourse Paul Rudd, Jay Baruchel, and Jason Segel were hilarious. I recommend it to everybody, especially the racially wrong who feel that loud black people are funnier than white people.
Superbad is coming in August and my hopes for this one are even higher.
When I got home there were some very surprising messages awaiting me from Katy:
yo--gotgreeneyes (9:22:43 PM):uh oh yo--gotgreeneyes (9:23:01 PM):being drunk is dangerous
yo--gotgreeneyes (9:33:33 PM):i hope you find a beautiful wonderful girl who treats you right and you the same and its great and the end
Katy is a woman I met back in 2002. The story spread into late 2003 and beyond. We met through a mutual friend, the dreaded Allison. Having a thing for Allison, I delayed things with Katy for nothing, and for a long time. She really liked me from the moment we met, yet I didn't reciprocate things for over a year.
Everything came to a head in late '03, we had a one month relationship that I ended for some ridiculous reason. Of course I grew to regret the decision and spent a long while trying to rekindle things, attempts she initially entertained yet eventually rejected. We continued phone conversations into early '04, but she was beginning a new relationship and did not feel that we talking would help her matters.
The last time I saw her was a surprise visit I made to her house with coffee. I was heavily into The Byrds and Gram Parsons at the time, so I brought a cd of classic country and Elvis Costello to play for her. It was an hour visit where the only highlight was Katy being so tired that she was half-wearing her hooded sweatshirt.
Our latest conversation was actually last month. I called her in May and we talked for nearly two hours. She is with the same boy she began dating after we broke up and everything appears to be going great for her. She and Allison ended their friendship a short time after our relationship.
Katy has a very distinctive voice. I tend to fall for people over their phone voices. She's great to listen to and easy to talk to with an incredible sense of humor. Even when we talked within' the last month our conversation didn't have any dead spots, and it was full of laughter. The odd thing about Katy and I is that if we hang out we will have fun 100% of the time, when we talk it'll be a great conversation 100% of the time, yet she is very cautious over getting too involved (even by phone) with me. I am now across the country and she is reluctant to continue a speaking relationship. She ended that last phone talk with "this will be the last time we ever speak". 'Reluctant' may have been an understatement.
Apparently she got drunk, went through the trouble of seeking out my new screen name and blog, and decided to wish me luck in life.
Satellite Of Love may be lost to me, but I am not giving up Sweet Jane without a fight.
There are certain songs that will be laced with a specific period in my life, whether it be until the end of it or until a future season warrants more nostalgia. I'm sure that most people can relate to this dilemma. I can already predict which tracks will queue the feeling of this Logan Echolls-esque Spring of my 2007:
Babe - Glassjaw Rocking Horse Road - Elvis Costello Only The Noble - Debracadabra Lawyers Guns & Money - Warren Zevon Whispering Reef - The Rondo Brothers feat. Daryl Palumbo
I am trying to add Sweet Jane to that list, thus removing it from the dreadful Winter of early 2007 set (alongside the lost Satellite Of Love). The journey began by listening to it six straight times while driving this morning.
The above songs will carry a strand of this Spring that'll cause a feeling of sickness every time I hear them for a very long time. But right now, they're relaxing. It's worth the trade.
Tonight is the night I rejoin the group of friends I lost last Christmas. We will all be meeting to celebrate my birthday, giving us a reason to drink and reminisce and slap that martini glass down as we argue over Daryl Palumbo's voice. I almost verbed these bouts a 'debate', but 'argue' is much more accurate.
I will hopefully have a number of pictures tomorrow, along with a helluva headache and an ugly woman sleeping in my bed.
In devastating news- Veronica Mars is gone. The last good show left on the CW (after Gilmores announced their exit) is canceled. The final few episodes were some of the best, the characters were at their peak. The show had such an original style to it, with varying shades of green in every scene. A lot of the actors outside of the main cast were awful, and I think that only highlighted the humor of the show. Part of the fun of watching it was awaiting the next Big Lebowski reference.
It was incredible while it lasted. You don't get good mystery on television- at all. It's "whose going to suffer a voting off this week?" or some other punishment that an identical reality show character had suffered the week before. The Lilly Cain mystery of season one is unparalleled, and was executed perfectly. Season two's bus crash proved that the show was no fluke. Compared to the brilliance of these first 44 episodes, season three could be considered unfocused. But, once again, the last few hours could have been the best of all.
Good writing is even rarer, and a character like Logan Echolls comes once every four hundred seasons in television.
What's left? Wrestling, I guess. One things for sure- Tuesdays are lost forever.
Subscribe to We Hit & Run without iTunes.
Subscribe to We Hit & Run via iTunes.
