01.31.09
Paul McCartney, “Pretty Little Head” video
This is a gem from McCartney’s underrated 1986 Press To Play album. It was playing in a dream I had the other night.
I was surprised to find that there was a video, which I had never seen before today, for the song. This video mix is slightly different than the album version.
01.27.09
Asking Stupid Questions: My New Goal
I could easily link to Seth Godin’s blog several times a week. He’s always brilliant and inspirational — and I’m not just saying that because he included my picture in his new book.
But his latest post, “The Goals You Never Hear About”, was particularly great:
“It’s not stupid to have a stated goal of starting several ventures that will fail, or asking three stupid questions a week, or posting a blog post that the world disagrees with. If you don’t have goals like this, how exactly are you going to luck into being remarkable?”
When I look back at my adult life, the great info/advice/chances I’ve gotten were usually from taking the initiative to ask someone a question. It’s amazing how often just asking open doors or gives you some great insight into a problem. And most people I’ve asked have been more than happy to share information.
Seth’s post reminded me that I’m not asking enough “stupid questions”. So my new goal will definitely be to ask those three questions every week.
01.19.09
Celebrate Writer’s Day 2009 on April 3rd!
Celebrate Writer’s Day on April 3, 2009.
A new Facebook group has been created for Writer’s Day.
It was suggested by the late, great American writer Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. that April 3rd might be a good candidate for “Writer’s Day”.
Vonnegut chose April 3rd because it was the day on which Samuel Johnson signed a contract to complete the first dictionary of the English language (in 1753).
As a way of celebrating writers everywhere — of any language — and to honor Mr. Vonnegut’s memory, please join us by celebrating Writer’s Day on April 3, 2009.
Link (to “Writer’s Day” Facebook Group)
01.18.09
Funniest George W. Bush Videos: A Look Back
Wow, can’t believe the Bush era is almost over, and we will soon have a president who can actually speak in complete sentences. What a happy ending to this story, huh?
01.13.09
Marianne Faithfull, Hold On, Hold On (live)
Marianne Faithfull live on “De Laatste Show” TV1 Belgium with the great song “Hold On, Hold On”, Dec. 2, 2008.
This song was also appears on Marianne’s new album Easy Come, Easy Go.
01.11.09
The Raveonettes, “Whip It On” EP (record review)
REVIEW: The Raveonettes, Whip It On (2002)
When I decided last year to start writing record reviews, I kind of admitted to myself that I could never imagine writing a bad review. If I didn’t like a record, I would simply ignore it.
My reasoning was that I have read so many horrible reviews of records that totally changed my life. For every bad review, there’s always plenty of people who absolutely love a record. Why not shine light on something I dig, rather than putting down something? Not only that, but I have actually bought records based on bad reviews — just to see if the criticisms were valid, and also I sometimes find missteps to be more interesting to listen to than the boringness of sonic perfection.
Along comes the Whip It On EP by The Raveonettes. Believe it or not, I impulse bought this EP back in 2002 when it first came out, based on some buzz I had read about the band. I remember listening to it and thinking, “Hmmm… I just don’t get what’s so great about this band. They’re OK at best.” It was one of those CDs that you find yourself unintentionally turning off. And then later going, “Oh yeah, I was supposed to be listening to that. Let’s try again.” This cycle continued, each time with me getting bored/annoyed quickly, until somehow the EP just disappeared — I think I took it in a stack to the used CD shop.
Since then, I had happily forgotten that The Raveonettes ever existed. Then, recently, I saw their name popping up again in the music press (more buzz). Somehow, the memory of the Whip It On EP was dislodged from behind some cobwebs in my mind, and I tried to remember why I hadn’t liked the EP. “Maybe it was really good after all,” I thought, “Besides, my musical tastes have greatly expanded since 2002. Maybe I should give that one another shot.”
“Wasted Days and Wasted Nights”, Freddy Fender
Spiddlement accidentally discovered this song a week or so ago. And it seems to just keep popping up in our bookmarks, as if it wants to be shared. OK, we give up. Also, we like Freddy Fender’s voice.
01.07.09
What difference would lots of money make?
It's all about the Yukichis.
It’s an old question that most people have heard many times, but I still think it’s a useful one to ask from time to time: “If I suddenly became independently wealthy, what would I change about my life?”
The answer I’m always hoping for when I ask this question to myself is “Not much.”
But any other answer always reveals stuff I should probably be doing/working on anyway.
I recently bought my first Japanese lottery ticket. The drawing is tomorrow, January 8th. Statistically, the chances of me winning are so small that the money I spent on the ticket can only be rationally seen as “entertainment expense”. Kind of like renting a DVD or something.
But I like asking myself what I would do with a few extra million yen.
I would absolutely keep writing/blogging. I know that much.
01.05.09
Podcast We Love: “Sound Opinions”
Spiddlement discovered Sound Opinions podcast the other day by accident, and we’re addicted.
It looks like this show has been around for a while on Chicago Public Radio, but it’s news to us. Not only do we love the show, we also love the way it is so easy to download the MP3 files directly and listen as a podcast. [Are you paying attention here, NPR?]
“Take two nationally respected rock critics, the latest music news, personal commentary, and exclusive interviews and performances, add a huge pile of records old and new, and the result is Sound Opinions, the world’s only rock and roll talk show.
Based in Chicago, Sound Opinions is hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, two of the finest and best-recognized pop music writers in the nation. In addition, they are the top music critics and dedicated competitors at Chicago’s two daily newspapers, the Chicago Sun-Times (Jim) and the Chicago Tribune (Greg).”
In just the past few days, we’ve listened to an interview with Laurie Anderson, an exclusive live performance by The Fiery Furnaces, a dissection of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison album, and a detailed review of Prince’s Planet Earth — just to name a few goodies — and we’re just getting started with their extensive show archives online.
If you like rock and pop music, you truly can’t go wrong with this podcast.
Rating: Five Stars (out of five possible)
We review podcasts … email us a link to your show or leave it in the comments section here.
01.02.09
Elvis sings “Besame Mucho”
