Good Things for 01/28/2008 Again

Happiness is washing dishes by hand with your 16 YO kid and listening to music you both might find interesting. I only say might because 16 YO don't always voice everything they think. And that is okay.

I think the pipes froze in the house next door. I'm not sure anyone lives there. It is owned by a long retired couple. He's been in a nursing home, and maybe she is too now. There was a company carrying out a lot of what looked like soggy stuff yesterday morning.

I stumbled upon Mavis Staples website. I'm always torn. Buy a cd or vinyl LP direct and hope it puts bucks into the artist's pocket? Maybe even a little more? Or support our local businesses and I go to the Electric Fetus. Let me tell yah, I heart the EF. So I notice old Mavis is on this like nine year tour. And she has four disc remaining already signed. For a buck more. Yeah, you know what I did. I ordered one. Ever heard the song "99 and One Half"? Find it and hear it. Okay maybe YOU don't like gospel. Yet, you should admit its a great song and well done if you get the chance. Well, that is on Mavis' latest disc. So go out and buy it. Just cause I want you to.

Good Things for 01/16/2008

I'm reminded of an old joke by Jack Benny. Jack's character was that he was cheap. Really very cheap. In reality it wasn't all that true, but its a character bit he stuck to a great deal of his comedic life. The joke goes, a robber comes up to Jack with a gun, knife, or whatever and says, "Your money or your life." Jack replies, "I'm thinking!" when the robber becomes impatient with his lack of a quick response.

Good things for this week? I'm thinking.

Oh, there were good things. Things in the mail here at the shack.

Two knew lamps from JCPenney that were on their clearance site at a great price
Two new mattress pads for Thing 3's bed to make him sleep more comfortably
Several new calendars for work and the house, here are the ones I remember
The official George W. Bush Out of Office Countdown calendar which gives a "Bushism" every day
Ansul Adams monthly calendar with beautiful photos by the great photographer
Futurama monthly calendar for the house
Simpsons monthly calendar for work
Richard Lederers wacky English page a day calendar for work (has a abuse of the written English language taken from adverts, publicity releases and the like)
That's Funny - a page a day calendar with a joke by a stand up comic each day (example Ballet is basketball for homosexuals - by I forgot who)
Art Calendar - a beautiful photo of a piece of art every day for Thing 3 who is very interested in art
A new copy on vinyl of the latest Heartless Bastards recordings
A new copy of the latest Amiee Mann disc (a Christmas recording) so my collection is still complete (I heart Aimee)

Gee, by the looks of the list I should just quit whining and look for those good things. Once I get started I have lots of them I just fail to recognize them sometimes.

Good Things For This Weekend 01/06/2008

Made banana bread from the three overly ripe bananas. It smells great, but its not done yet.

Got to the grocery store and bought some sourdough bread mix. I dug out the Breadman Plus TR-600, searched on-line for a manual, and the bread should be done by morning. Hot bread with breakfast!

Took Sparky the WunderBeagle to the vet. Told them about the seizure. They gave him his shots and thought they saw something. They asked to keep him a few hours and took a blood sample and tested it. They are concerned and I have to bring him back in three weeks.

Thing 3 and I went to the condo and got the big oak desk and moved it to the house. It was a really heavy mother and man do my hands and back know it.

Listened to a lot of music this weekend. Really like the latest Fiery Furnaces latest disc. Also Interpol (sorry Carl, its pretty good) and Arctic Monkeys. There are more things I've acquired, but that's enough for now.

Took Sparky for a walk to get the paper this afternoon and since then he's laid on the couch and hasn't moved. Well, he got off one spot and moved to another and once got up and drank some water, but that is it. He didn't eat his supper either. He's really not himself. Really worried about him. Hope he perks up in the next two days.

Tonight I'm recording Boogie Nights from IFC. I watched up the part at the donut shop and had to turn it off. Wow, I'd forgotten how many really great people were in the movie. Burt Reynolds got all the publicity, but there are a lot of people considered quality actors in the movie considering its about the 70s porn industry.

Hilly, I Barely Knew Ye

Rest in peace Hilly. That is Hilly Kristal (photo above) to those of you that don't know. He past away this weekend of complications due to lung cancer according to his son Dana. He created an establishment he called CBGB & OMFUG. This was to mean Country, BlueGrass, Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers. Truthfully a Gormandizer is a voracious eater of food, but to Hilly it meant a voracious devourer of music. To be honest Hilly was personally a country music fan. He only began letting almost unknown bands play at his bar when country bands wouldn't come there for he was located in the Bowery and the bands pestered him until he gave in.

The names that he permitted to play are the stuff of legends. And his requirements go hand in hand. They had to play their own compositions. You could get one cover a night, do two and he'd pull your plug and you might not get another gig there for a long time. He fostered the new sounds from the newest bands. The Ramones, Television, Blondie, Talking Heads, Sonic Youth and Patti Smith. Patti was the last artist to play there last fall when CBGB closed permanently. It closed because he was a victim of the old adage, "location, location, and location." The Bowery went from being the last place you wanted to visit, to a hub of artists and upscale renters. He simply couldn't afford the rent because the rents around him went up. Consider that the crafty or lucky Hilly actually made on the order of 2 million dollars just on his tee shirt concession with the simple statement CBGB.

Ah, he could be a pain in the ass. He liked country and here he was listening to guys that could barely play, much less competently. The Ramones are legend among his gripes. They argued, they walked off stage, they played very loud, the members played different songs at the same time, they simply didn't know how to play at first. But he let them come back. Why? Who knows. Hilly was known to say once they became a legend of their own, "Shit, they got better." And maybe that was all Hilly needed. I think he lived for the crazy people that showed up like Wayne Country. His joint became an icon before we of that era knew what icon meant.

I never made it to CBGB. In 1978-1980 I wanted to. I had begun hearing the Ramones, the Clash, Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, and more and they all ventured through those doors. By then the bar was a magnet for more than just bands and their victims, er fans. A close friend got the chance to go while on a NYC trip. He met a mutual friend we knew that lived in NYC and they took the subway and walked down to CBGB. He was really excited. He was close enough to hear it and see the line of people out front.

When out of a dark alley stepped 5-7 Puerto Rican youths. The one closest had the always dangerous "Saturday Night Special." A cheap black .22 revolver not known for accuracy, but its ability to go off at the wrong moment. His graduation watch, his cash, his entire wallet in fact. The pal had used the old trick of holding back a $20 and a few subway tokens in a shoe. It was all they had. They caught a cab/subway home. No tee shirt even.

I've always kept that story as the epitome of Midwesterners visiting CBGBs. Just as likely to see a cool band, you could see some dud that you'd not remember two weeks later. And you could as likely be mugged. Few mention the seamy side of the Bowery. That is how that neighborhood really was. People got beat up in the street. Read any of the books by the people that lived in the era. Drugs were easy to find and so was the trouble.

Just the same, without CBGB a lot of bands wouldn't exist. The goofy guy with the goofy name with the most notorious bathrooms in history made it happen. No one can say what might have not happened without him. Its impossible to separate the music era and its history without Hilly. I'm sorry I missed out. Damn youth is wasted on the young.

Database

So someone wrote and asked, database? You mention a database? What chu talking 'bout Willis?

Years ago, while injured I was playing around with databases on my computer and decided to organize my music collection onto a database on my computer. Later I started to put the things into the database as owned or want so I could print out a small "desired" list.

Then years ago, I bought my first PDA and discovered I could put a database onto it. What a concept! I'd got it so I could have my mobile schedule as I wandered work and it would remind me, be here there or whatever. This was a bonus. I could have a listing of recordings I wanted, and those I owned whenever I carried it. It took a lot of learning to translate the database I'd created in one program to convert to the Palm, but it worked.

Eventually it died. It got carried everywhere. And like my issues with getting food into my mouth instead of on my clothing, it got dropped. Not damaged, but it began to behave peculiarly. So I found someone with a used one that was color! Oh, man, and the software available was even better. But the database I'd been using wasn't available for this language. Grrr, stupid Microshaft.
So once again I set about converting. This was a little trickier as I had to translate to a third mutual language, and then back to something this little bugger could read. I used this one so much I wore out rechargeable batteries. I created a vast shopping list system, so I could create a list based on what I liked to buy in groceries, by aisle, in order of their location, so it was an easy way to shop and you didn't look for things. Having a list is good, being able to skip aisles you shouldn't be on (like cookies) is even better. I found I stuck to budget. Finally the display on this one began to go wacky. I'd just used the sucker to death. Got my money's worth you might say. Yay me. So I began to look for another. I found one that I liked, would take my database language, no conversion, and eliminated my cell phone. One thing instead of two. Yippee! Its smaller in some ways (width) and has its own keyboard so I didn't have to write using a stylus although I can if I want. Its thicker, but it fits into a shirt pocket. Now, I was really relying on the bugger. How to prevent dropping it? A lanyard around my neck? Surgically implant a hoop for my hip and connect it to that? Piercings? Nope, my solution was to buy an aluminum padded case to take the abuse.


So far so good. I've had my accidents in the six months I've owned it and it seems to have taken the punishment.
Back to this geekness database. So I have a listing of my recordings in it. As long as I update the thing every time I buy something, all is well. Sometimes I procrastinate (always!) and forget to put it in the day I discover something at a garage sale. Or a sale at the Minneapolis Library, which sometimes has great sales of eclectic music and books. So I bought a copy of "Blue" by
The Jayhawks and didn't put it in. By the looks of the box and disc, it was a garage sale as the disc appears completely unused. Now I bought a second copy, but a later version that has extra songs and came in the easily damaged cardboard box thing. I'll keep that although he cardboard is more beaten, but the extra songs are the big plus. The database is easily searchable, buy artist, title, year released, producer, label, if its on my Sony cheap imitation iPod, if I own it, or if I was at least at one time interested in owning it. I have written screens so that it will show me only those I want, and only those I own.

Like everything else, garbage in, garbage out. If I don't put it in, I won't know I own it. Yeah, technology saves you only when you use it consistently. You moron. And yes, Sony no longer produces my little device and in fact there hasn't been a software update since the year made. Can you say, "ass kicked by Apple, iTunes, and the iPod?" I knew you could. Even big companies don't always figure it out. Note, this is the fifth generation of a device to compete with the iPod. So its not like they failed once; they failed five times with a target to shoot at. And trust me, I'm not laying the blame on the engineers and designers. This is all about timing and management.

So I've got a copy of "Blue" to drop off at either Cheapo or Electric Fetus for sale as used. I'm a little broke now, so it will wait. I'm not quite capable of going in with less money than I come out with.

So, Sew What?

The Friday before the Richard Thompson Band show, I went to the Electric Fetus and picked up a few recordings. Like the new Richard Thompson disc and few others. Total purchase was this:

Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy by Brain Eno
untitled by Grinderman (Nick Cave)
Blue Earth by the Jayhawks
twelve by Patti Smith
two more by Patti Smith (vinyl only!)
Sweet Warrior by Richard Thompson
Saltbreakers by Laura Veirs
Carbon Glacier by Laura Veirs
Release the Stars by Rufus Wainwright

The Eno is 20+ years old and I have it on vinyl. I've been slowly getting the disc version of Eno's best. Just have had a hankering for the last year. The Grinderman is the lastest incarnation of a Nick Cave band. Oh is it delicious on the first listens. Its raw and loud and features a guitar sound that is just like the band name, like grinding or other loud metal work in a foundry. What I wouldn't do to see him live on this tour. The Jayhawks was a fuck up. I had a copy, but neglected to put it in my database. D'Oh! I hate when that happens. Anyway it was a used copy, in better shape then the one I have, so I'll bring my first copy in for sale. The Patti Smith I like, but not as much as I hoped. I'm hoping it will grow on me. The RT is very solid. Some great songs to start itoff and more memorable after seeing them done in concert. The two Laura Veirs are solid. She is on quite the roll. She's quirky good pop fun. Rufus is a secret guilty pleasure. I love his voice and like to sing along. I'm sure my neighbors hate Rufus already. He's so funny at times too. Mojo makes it sound like he might be developing a gigantic ego besides. Lets hope not.

Concertina

Saw Modest Mouse at the Orpheum in Minneapolis tonight. There were two warm up bands. I've forgotten their names. The first band was a little more mellow, but really had good tone and great harmony with their vocals. I thought their stuff all sounded very much the same. I think they need more collaboration from band members when creating songs. Still, for the first band they did sound okay.

Second band had "Love..." in their name, but that was about it. A step up in loudness. They seemed to have some better variation in their music so it wasn't as boring. First song or two the bass was way too high and just drown out everything. They finally got the message and turned it down and brought the vocals up. Funniest part at the second song they brought on this guy and he was the spitting image of Kid Rock. He told my buddy that times were tough in Hockeytown and the Kid needed money. I didn't know he could play some electronic pad version of a set of bongos like Maynard G. Krebs, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, right Kid? Besides, what decade did that boy last make a recording anyway? Was it before or after Axel Rose? Doesn't matter, since you couldn't actually hear the bongo playing except for a lame brief solo or electrical outage or something. Kid Rock gets a D, and he only gets that since he did lay the pipe with Pam Anderson.

Modest mouse had an elaborate set up. I hadn't realized they used two drummers. And man were those guys tight. I listened for them to get out of sync, but it just didn't seem to happen. I was impressed. My pal and I were on the opposite side of where Johnny Mars was and it seemed like his guitar was way down in volume. I was hoping to hear more out of him. Again the bass really overwhelmed at times, and also had tone problems where it would buzz or yield feedback.

There was a dude in the middle with what looked like a tank commanders helmet liner. Complete with dangling chin strap. I like his look. He played a bunch of stuff. Keyboards, slide guitar, trumpet, stand up bass with and without a bow, and standard electric bass, seems like there might have been something else.

I must be getting old. I couldn't understand a single bit of the leaders banter between songs. It reminded me of the parents and teachers on the old "Peanuts" cartoons. Like a muted trumpet or coronet. A real drag. The lead vocalist was quite the spastic colon kind of guy. The only guy I've ever seen live that worked harder was Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil. That guy looked like he was doing aerobics the whole show. And guzzled gallons of water. And you could see he was just ripped, six pack abs and all.

As usual the antics of my fellow concertgoers was ah, well, sadly unforgettable. The best part was I ran into a guy from work. A good character and he ended up with seats two row in front of me, and closer to the center. Saw him in the hall before hand and said hello.

There were two sisters and a brother plus his girlfriend in front of my seat. The farthest seat to the right had the poorest sight line. The woman that ended up with the seat cursed like a longshoreman. Things like "next times you're going to fuck me in the ass at least use lubricant" and worse. And she was loud. It was between sets so she could be heard and there people all around that could hear and were either snickering, or cringing. So much for Minnesota nice. I have no idea what she had to drink, but man, never let her get that many again. And she just went on and on. It got to the point where I started talking to her sister, and the girlfriend of the brother. The brother was very quiet. The sister and girlfriend were very nice. Admitting, yes, she is loud like this all the time. Yes she is married and her daughter is just like her. Demanding, pissy, and willing to throw tantrums when she didn't get what she wanted. And she was not the most attractive gal. Her companions were much thinner and more attractive.

Then there was the seriously drunk guy behind me. I think between the second band and MM, he grabbed my hat off my head. He put this clean "Browning" hat on me. I told him no thanks, I'd rather not wear that, being a gun control kinda guy. I didn't tell him that last part and he was rather puzzled. He asked me who my favorite baseball team was and I said the Twins. Which is the truth and he gave the hat back saying he felt terribly sorry for me.

He then started talking about how hot his wife was, and that sometimes he drinks too much and isn't able to perform and maybe I could help him out? I told him no, that I'd prefer to stay alive. He didn't understand this or maybe I didn't say it loudly enough. He thought I was threatening him and inquired about it. I said no, you're the one with the guns, your the one that would kill me if I mess with your wife. He liked that. A lot. It was almost like an old beer commercial, "I love this guy." and "I love you man." I really worried I was in for a long night.

Apparently midway through MM he and someone else got into fisticuffs and were hauled off by security. They made it back for the last few songs and the encore. Between songs I heard them shouting obscenities back and forth. Then at the end of the show and the lights came up, they were apologizing with more "I love you man". Man I miss hanging with rednecks on a more regular basis. Especially the drunk ones.

Not.

The show was good. It was loud. I love a good loud show. My ears have stopped ringing now. Ticketmaster had hosed up and never mailed my tickets so I had to call them up and go through voice mail hell twice until I got to a person before the system hung up on me. They printed tickets and they were ready at will call. Worked out fine in the end. I just still hate TicketMasterWhore.

Not What I Planned

Since I moved into my house three years ago I've had Direct TV. Yes, satellite television instead of cable. My justification then (read carefully) was it was an enticement for my then 12 year old son to be comfortable to visit. He'd have something to do so he'd not get bored. At the time I only had a 13 inch TV. The other excuse was the previous owners left behind the entire set up. Dish, boxes, wiring, the whole smear, for nothing. Later found out they were running away from bills like crazy.

After a year I bought a 30 inch something flat screen (but real cathode ray tube design) 16:8 or whatever design TV, so letter box movies look great. Still kept the satellite. If I'd kept track of my viewing hours I think I know the change in trend. If I'd have logged in my TV hours versus my music listening, I'm sure I did more TV viewing then before. Bigger screens rock, lets face it.

I've kept the satellite service so that I could watch the Tour de France each year. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I really get into it. I started to think that was pretty silly, so I made the decision in March to get rid of it after the NCAA basketball championship.

I called Direct TV Tuesday since the finals were Monday night and talked to them. They offered a "vacation" for three months. They don't bill me until July, they switch the service off, and we see how it goes. Cool. In July, if I don't call them, the service is gone.

First couple of nights service continued. Then I realized I'd disconnected the satellite control boxes from the telephone jack. Last night before I went to sleep I realized this and plugged the boxes (I had two) in to the phone. This morning service was gone.

I will really miss not only tour coverage, but The Daily Show and Pardon The Interruption. Maybe I'll get more riding in and such. I hope so. Listen to my collection of music more too. Again, hope so.

It does look like I'll watch little TV. I plugged in the $30 antenna I bought from Target this morning before work. Nothing. No channels 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 17, 23, 29, or 45. Colored fuzz. I heard the word "Clifford" which I believe was the cartoon about the big red dog on Channel 2, but that was all the audio I got. I extended the antenna as far as I could, rotated the thing and anything else I could think of. It is even amplified with a cord you plug in. Supposedly 10 dB of attenuation.

This is not what I planned and I'm thinking going without The Simpsons might be a little tough. Maybe I'll trade in for an even better antenna. Stick something into my attic? I really don't want to spend the money on that either. Stay tuned for the insanity that settles in.