Just went to see a great show at the Cubby Bear last night. Clutch. They were great. However, the sound of the club, the STUPIDLY HIGH beer prices, and Five Horse Johnson, were not great. Lots of yups were there, and I didn't see any of you regulars there either. Shame. Jean-Paul Gastro-Intestinal, or whatever his name is, has to be one of the most talented drummers who have yet to choke on their own vomit. All hail Clutch!
ON our way to the show (without ol' dusty, being in LA) we got to thinking. Maybe this Operation Tips, the Bush-supported program of citizens spying on each other, isn't such a bad idea. We were following a red Jeep SUV, clearly driving like an asshole, with an American flag tire cover, a POW sticker, two Fraternal Order of Police stickers, and plate covers from Schaumberg Jeep. Not only that, but they were seen discarding a spent Evian water container right on the ground! That looked pretty suspitious to us, so we followed them. Where did they turn off? Right at the Darrow Homes housing project! Pretty suspitious, huh? So we took their plate number and dialed up ol' John Ashcroft to investigate them. You know, any home grown terrorists sure ain't gonna have long hair, bell-bottoms and a Grateful Dead shirt! That would be too obvious! So I figured, if we have to have Operation TIPS, we can use it to turn in the squares and the assholes that need a good illegal anonymous search!
ON our way to the show (without ol' dusty, being in LA) we got to thinking. Maybe this Operation Tips, the Bush-supported program of citizens spying on each other, isn't such a bad idea. We were following a red Jeep SUV, clearly driving like an asshole, with an American flag tire cover, a POW sticker, two Fraternal Order of Police stickers, and plate covers from Schaumberg Jeep. Not only that, but they were seen discarding a spent Evian water container right on the ground! That looked pretty suspitious to us, so we followed them. Where did they turn off? Right at the Darrow Homes housing project! Pretty suspitious, huh? So we took their plate number and dialed up ol' John Ashcroft to investigate them. You know, any home grown terrorists sure ain't gonna have long hair, bell-bottoms and a Grateful Dead shirt! That would be too obvious! So I figured, if we have to have Operation TIPS, we can use it to turn in the squares and the assholes that need a good illegal anonymous search!
by at 5:00 PM
I'm about to embark on my third trip to Los Angeles in as many weeks. Business, natch, but always entertaining, as one can spend so many hours working in such an environment as Hollywood before needing to stalk the scene. But this post isn't about the various celebrities or hootenanies encountered while shuffling along the streets & drowning in the bars of Sunset Boulevard. No, I'll save that for another post. Instead, I'd like to talk about Spin Magazine. Since the traveling man cannot live on newspapers alone, one must rely on magazine fare for eye-addled relief. Yeah, I'm talking "Stuff" & "Maxim" & "Hooters International" & the occasional shit-goober music rag such as "Rolling Stone." The latest "Spin" is dedicated to metal. Not heavy metal or hard rock or nu-metal, but metal as an all-encompassing hydra. T-r-o-u-b-l-e. Even casual fans of the genre know better than to include Bon Jovi & Korn with the likes of Deep Purple & Motorhead. Nonetheless, Spin thought it a wise course of action. Now, before you get yer six-shooters oiled, I understand that by doing so the editors won't alienate their already delicate readership, and in the process generate undeserved controversy from the likes of witless people such as yours truly, but I want to take them to task for their curious Top 40 metal albums list, provide you with my own, and then incite the response from the readers of this site and hopefully your own lists... I guess I'm more interested in your choices that anything else. So here goes, in no particular order, my narrowminded hard rock/metal selections that include some albums found on Spin's list, some not.
AC/DC -- Let There Be Rock, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Spirit Caravan-- Jug Fulla Sun
Deep Purple-- Machinehead
Fu Manchu-- King of the Road, Action is Go
Black Sabbath-- Master of Reality, Vol 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Iron Maiden-- Powerslave, Live After Death
Led Zeppelin-- II
Mountain-- King Biscuit Flower Hour
Pentagram-- Vintage Sessions
Trouble-- Trouble
Motley Crue-- Shout at the Devil
Guns n Roses-- Appetite for Destruction
Fugazi-- In On the Killtaker
Van Halen-- 1984
Diamondhead-- Diamond Nights
Metallica-- Kill 'Em All
Nirvana-- In Utero
Godflesh-- Selfless, Pure
Slayer-- Reign in Blood
Alice Cooper-- Billion Dollar Babies
Danzig-- I
Prong-- Prove You Wrong
Soundgarden-- Louder than Love
That's just off the top of my head. What's yours?
AC/DC -- Let There Be Rock, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Spirit Caravan-- Jug Fulla Sun
Deep Purple-- Machinehead
Fu Manchu-- King of the Road, Action is Go
Black Sabbath-- Master of Reality, Vol 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Iron Maiden-- Powerslave, Live After Death
Led Zeppelin-- II
Mountain-- King Biscuit Flower Hour
Pentagram-- Vintage Sessions
Trouble-- Trouble
Motley Crue-- Shout at the Devil
Guns n Roses-- Appetite for Destruction
Fugazi-- In On the Killtaker
Van Halen-- 1984
Diamondhead-- Diamond Nights
Metallica-- Kill 'Em All
Nirvana-- In Utero
Godflesh-- Selfless, Pure
Slayer-- Reign in Blood
Alice Cooper-- Billion Dollar Babies
Danzig-- I
Prong-- Prove You Wrong
Soundgarden-- Louder than Love
That's just off the top of my head. What's yours?
by at 1:13 PM
last saturday i spent the day at arlington park to witness the 20th running of the arlington million. it was a good race and i just narrowly missed my exacta bet.
in fact, i lost every race i bet on (races 3-12) except the 10th. i saw horse named smoke chaser, and figured it was sure thing. that exacta paid $50, and i recouped all my losses for the day. as you can see, being a ghetto-poor musician, i didn't have a lot of dough to bet with.
i'm going back to the track this weekend. channel 2, the cbs affiliate here in chicago, has invited me to their little luxury suite. it includes all the free booze i can drink and a little betting money.
but get this. in order to go, i have to abide by the dress code. it includes a collared shirt, long pants (no jeans) and no sandals or gym shoes.
that's right. in order to be denizen of alcoholism and gambling addiction for the day, they want me to look nice. what gives?
so do i go with the black with purple paisley, or the bright green hawaiian shirt?
in fact, i lost every race i bet on (races 3-12) except the 10th. i saw horse named smoke chaser, and figured it was sure thing. that exacta paid $50, and i recouped all my losses for the day. as you can see, being a ghetto-poor musician, i didn't have a lot of dough to bet with.
i'm going back to the track this weekend. channel 2, the cbs affiliate here in chicago, has invited me to their little luxury suite. it includes all the free booze i can drink and a little betting money.
but get this. in order to go, i have to abide by the dress code. it includes a collared shirt, long pants (no jeans) and no sandals or gym shoes.
that's right. in order to be denizen of alcoholism and gambling addiction for the day, they want me to look nice. what gives?
so do i go with the black with purple paisley, or the bright green hawaiian shirt?
by at 5:09 PM
Whoah, just got caught up enough to give 'yall an update. Thanks one and all for coming to the show. We performed well in spite of having to follow Juzt Nutz and Ditch Knife-of-Simpson-and-Juzt-Nutz. It was cool catching up with those Rosedales fellas as well after our MobFest triumph/fiasco. The Double Door is no shit-shack.
SO, how'd you like our "president?" He takes time out from his busy golfing and Iraq-bombing plans to fly up to South Dakota to personally dick-slap Tom Daschle right in the eye, get a photo-op in front of Mount Rushmore, and then flies right back to his vacation. Otherwise, why would he go there? I don't think there's much oil up there, or golf courses either. I'm glad he's working so flippin' hard for us. He's just pissed that the anthrax didn't work on 'ol Tom.
We have to get this boob out of office. He must be impeached. For what, you ask? There's probably a dozen things he's lied about, just pick one. I'm so sick of his "corporate evil ones" speech, it's making me sick!
SO, how'd you like our "president?" He takes time out from his busy golfing and Iraq-bombing plans to fly up to South Dakota to personally dick-slap Tom Daschle right in the eye, get a photo-op in front of Mount Rushmore, and then flies right back to his vacation. Otherwise, why would he go there? I don't think there's much oil up there, or golf courses either. I'm glad he's working so flippin' hard for us. He's just pissed that the anthrax didn't work on 'ol Tom.
We have to get this boob out of office. He must be impeached. For what, you ask? There's probably a dozen things he's lied about, just pick one. I'm so sick of his "corporate evil ones" speech, it's making me sick!
by at 9:45 AM
Thanks to everyone who came to the show last night at the Double Door. We had a great time and we hope you did too. The sound was amazing, the room was fantastic, and the audience, man, you people were crazy-live. Much love to y'all for making it clear that the rock mantle must be reclaimed from the watered-down dreck currently being played on the radio & air waves. Juzt Nutz totally crushed. I was in awe from the get-go. They write & play the perfect sort of songs that make me want to party-drink til I'm silly-stupid & damned happy about it. These fellas had the audience in the palms of their hands, they were so smooth, so effortless. We must play again, soon & often. Oooh-oooh! And special thanks to Dave Chamberlain of New City for not only writing a very kind review of our demo, but for coming to the show. I spoke with you briefly at the bar after our set but I had no idea you were Dave Chamberlain, otherwise I would have thanked you personally (I don't think we had an introduction, but then again I'm a drummer and we're not exactly reknowned for our mental prowess, more for our in-ring skills). I'm really sorry about that. Mucho thanks to members of BOD, Rosedales, & Goodgoddamns for tearing the place up on "Smells Like Jesus." Thee Toilet Reed was King Toilet Reed lording the oooh-oooh procession from the nosebleed high of my bass drum! I love that spontaneous shee-it, brah! Thanks again everyone!
by at 4:57 PM
Maybe some of you have seen this, but our newly recruited field reporter Steve S. posted this show review of a recent Who appearance. It's pretty good work and makes me wish I could have been there. But in any case, thanks goes out to Steve for saving all of us a few hundred bucks.
"Let's start with the bad news. The bad news was Robert Plant, who opened the show. I believe that it's entirely possible to be a solid Zeppelin fan and still think that Robert Plant solo, in 2002, sucks. In fact, I'm living proof of this. He played some Zeppelin stuff, some of his early solo stuff, and some newer material... But he was going through the motions; he just wasn't into it, you know? There was zero sincerity in his performance, and thus he made zero connection with the crowd; what came out of the twin seventy-five-foot towers of speakers at the Garden was noise. Noise generated by several very solid journeyman musicians and a front-man pumping out six or seven... I'm not explaining this well. Here's what it was like: it was like watching a Zeppelin cover band who happened to have Robert Plant as their lead singer. A lead singer whose "funny" one-liners went down like lead balloons, and according to my friend who saw the same show last Wednesday night, they were identical one-liners. Or: like bad porn. Where what's going on is so clearly not real, nobody's actually having any fun and despite all the "oooooh yeah fuck me right there yeeeeahhh!!!"s, you're just not buying it. His voice is -- mostly -- still that signature Plant voice (he cuts a few corners here and there), and he did spare the crowd the leather pants. And... I'm sitting here typing this and trying to think of other positive things to say, but I'm afraid I'm coming up blank; sorry.
On to The Who. First, let me explain that I'm not a Who fanatic. The Who's music has been a part of my life for as long as I've listened to music (the Who Are You album and single were probably what I heard first; I'm 33 years old) and "classic rock," particularly anything that went well with smoking weed, was particularly popular at my high school. I remember when the Who broke up for the first of many times and feeling some short-lived sadness about that; I don't, however, remember Moon dying... In other words, I'm a casual Who fan. But not a fanatic. I don't think that Townshend is a god. I don't own a majority of the groups studio albums (although that's partly because, let me be the billionth person to say it, the stage is, in terms of performance, where The Who have always distinguished themselves).
I'm also not generally an abuser of hyperbole, but if you feel like reading the rest of this review, I'll warn you that you'd better be prepared for what may sound very much like gushing, because this concert was fucking unreal. I saw (on TV) the Who's performance at the Concert for New York City in October (a 9/11-related benefit organized by P. McCartney, also at the Garden) and they were phenomenal, so I expected them to kick ass (although with the question mark of Entwistle's absence). They didn't just kick ass; this was like observing the Big Bang (a bit of hyperbole there, but only a bit). Starting with "Substitute," the band proceeded, with one or two exceptions, to tear every song they played to shreads. "5:15": torn apart. "Behind Blue Eyes": pulverized. "Magic Bus," "My Generation," Join Together," "Who Are You," etc., etc.: decimated. On and on, for maybe two and a half hours. Townshend dedicated "The Kids Are Alright" to the girl who was recently bound and gagged for several hours but managed to chew through the tape, saying something like "You Americans, we love you, but why are you obsessed with bleaching your teeth white? It fucks up your gums!" Spoken like a true Brit, based on my limited experience of English teeth. And a weird segue, but it worked. Their encore was to smash several Tommy tracks to pieces.
The band: Townshend and Daltrey, of course. As you probably know, Pino Palladino on bass, who kept a suitably low profile on stage but definitely held his own. Keyboards: someone whose name I didn't recognize who's played a lot with Townshend, whom Townshend described in his introductions as "talented and adorable." Townshend's brother Simon singing backup vocals and playing some guitar. Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, on drums. All appropriately chosen musicians as far as I could tell, but visually and otherwise, Townshend and Daltrey dominated; there are two "real members" of The Who now, not three, and the chemistry between them is subtle but powerful. (And as for "uptight Pete": I can't argue with that characterization because I'm not sure where that comment comes from, but I saw none of it on Sunday night. In the same vein: Townshend a sellout? I guess I'm not sure what that means either.)
Which brings us to the issue of "What's The Who like without John Entwistle." See above; this was truly an extraordinary show. I don't mean to say, by any means, that this reflects badly on Entwistle; perhaps the band kicked as much ass as they did in memory of him. Not to mention that The Who is The Who past and present; surely Moon and Entwistle are on stage with Daltrey and Townshend in some way: in memory, in spirit... I'd speculate, though -- although really, I don't know shit -- that a lot of the chemistry between the two remaining founding members, and among the band in general, has to do with the fact that one of them wrote most of the lyrics specifically with the other in mind to sing them, and there the are, both up on stage, giving it everything they've got; that hasn't changed. Moon has been called the best rock-and-roll drummer ever; Entwistle the best bass player in the history of rock. They're both gone now, but what remains is still amazingly cohesive and powerful.
In fact, let me propose something, and I invite all of you to tear me apart for this if you like, but let me propose that The Who, now, in 2002, are in their prime. (I'm open, by the way, to allowing that this "primeness" extends at least back to October and the Concert for New York City and therefore prior to Entwistle's death.) Here's what the core of The Who is today: two veteran rockers (sorry, mods), in their mid fifties, playing shows with the energy, passion, and sincerity of a couple of teenagers (all the more apparent when preceded by Plant) but with all the gravity, wisdom, and soul of men who are pushing sixty. I do hope, for their sake and ours, that they don't do another studio album (apparently Daltrey wants to and Townshend doesn't), because such an album would have an extremely good chance of sucking beyond belief. But whatever you think about "old guys" playing rock concerts, there was absolutely nothing has-been-ish or nostalgic or sellout-ish or insincere or any of that about this show. In their prime: I think it's a possibility; I'm dead serious. (If you've seen them recently and disagree on that basis, hey: we're all entitled to our opinions.)
And as for the band having broken up six times or whatever the number is, all I can say is we're lucky they decided to tour again after the Concert For New York City, because despite what their shows may have been like in the eighties and nineties: I could be wrong, but I think these guys are far from finished." - Steve S.
"Let's start with the bad news. The bad news was Robert Plant, who opened the show. I believe that it's entirely possible to be a solid Zeppelin fan and still think that Robert Plant solo, in 2002, sucks. In fact, I'm living proof of this. He played some Zeppelin stuff, some of his early solo stuff, and some newer material... But he was going through the motions; he just wasn't into it, you know? There was zero sincerity in his performance, and thus he made zero connection with the crowd; what came out of the twin seventy-five-foot towers of speakers at the Garden was noise. Noise generated by several very solid journeyman musicians and a front-man pumping out six or seven... I'm not explaining this well. Here's what it was like: it was like watching a Zeppelin cover band who happened to have Robert Plant as their lead singer. A lead singer whose "funny" one-liners went down like lead balloons, and according to my friend who saw the same show last Wednesday night, they were identical one-liners. Or: like bad porn. Where what's going on is so clearly not real, nobody's actually having any fun and despite all the "oooooh yeah fuck me right there yeeeeahhh!!!"s, you're just not buying it. His voice is -- mostly -- still that signature Plant voice (he cuts a few corners here and there), and he did spare the crowd the leather pants. And... I'm sitting here typing this and trying to think of other positive things to say, but I'm afraid I'm coming up blank; sorry.
On to The Who. First, let me explain that I'm not a Who fanatic. The Who's music has been a part of my life for as long as I've listened to music (the Who Are You album and single were probably what I heard first; I'm 33 years old) and "classic rock," particularly anything that went well with smoking weed, was particularly popular at my high school. I remember when the Who broke up for the first of many times and feeling some short-lived sadness about that; I don't, however, remember Moon dying... In other words, I'm a casual Who fan. But not a fanatic. I don't think that Townshend is a god. I don't own a majority of the groups studio albums (although that's partly because, let me be the billionth person to say it, the stage is, in terms of performance, where The Who have always distinguished themselves).
I'm also not generally an abuser of hyperbole, but if you feel like reading the rest of this review, I'll warn you that you'd better be prepared for what may sound very much like gushing, because this concert was fucking unreal. I saw (on TV) the Who's performance at the Concert for New York City in October (a 9/11-related benefit organized by P. McCartney, also at the Garden) and they were phenomenal, so I expected them to kick ass (although with the question mark of Entwistle's absence). They didn't just kick ass; this was like observing the Big Bang (a bit of hyperbole there, but only a bit). Starting with "Substitute," the band proceeded, with one or two exceptions, to tear every song they played to shreads. "5:15": torn apart. "Behind Blue Eyes": pulverized. "Magic Bus," "My Generation," Join Together," "Who Are You," etc., etc.: decimated. On and on, for maybe two and a half hours. Townshend dedicated "The Kids Are Alright" to the girl who was recently bound and gagged for several hours but managed to chew through the tape, saying something like "You Americans, we love you, but why are you obsessed with bleaching your teeth white? It fucks up your gums!" Spoken like a true Brit, based on my limited experience of English teeth. And a weird segue, but it worked. Their encore was to smash several Tommy tracks to pieces.
The band: Townshend and Daltrey, of course. As you probably know, Pino Palladino on bass, who kept a suitably low profile on stage but definitely held his own. Keyboards: someone whose name I didn't recognize who's played a lot with Townshend, whom Townshend described in his introductions as "talented and adorable." Townshend's brother Simon singing backup vocals and playing some guitar. Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, on drums. All appropriately chosen musicians as far as I could tell, but visually and otherwise, Townshend and Daltrey dominated; there are two "real members" of The Who now, not three, and the chemistry between them is subtle but powerful. (And as for "uptight Pete": I can't argue with that characterization because I'm not sure where that comment comes from, but I saw none of it on Sunday night. In the same vein: Townshend a sellout? I guess I'm not sure what that means either.)
Which brings us to the issue of "What's The Who like without John Entwistle." See above; this was truly an extraordinary show. I don't mean to say, by any means, that this reflects badly on Entwistle; perhaps the band kicked as much ass as they did in memory of him. Not to mention that The Who is The Who past and present; surely Moon and Entwistle are on stage with Daltrey and Townshend in some way: in memory, in spirit... I'd speculate, though -- although really, I don't know shit -- that a lot of the chemistry between the two remaining founding members, and among the band in general, has to do with the fact that one of them wrote most of the lyrics specifically with the other in mind to sing them, and there the are, both up on stage, giving it everything they've got; that hasn't changed. Moon has been called the best rock-and-roll drummer ever; Entwistle the best bass player in the history of rock. They're both gone now, but what remains is still amazingly cohesive and powerful.
In fact, let me propose something, and I invite all of you to tear me apart for this if you like, but let me propose that The Who, now, in 2002, are in their prime. (I'm open, by the way, to allowing that this "primeness" extends at least back to October and the Concert for New York City and therefore prior to Entwistle's death.) Here's what the core of The Who is today: two veteran rockers (sorry, mods), in their mid fifties, playing shows with the energy, passion, and sincerity of a couple of teenagers (all the more apparent when preceded by Plant) but with all the gravity, wisdom, and soul of men who are pushing sixty. I do hope, for their sake and ours, that they don't do another studio album (apparently Daltrey wants to and Townshend doesn't), because such an album would have an extremely good chance of sucking beyond belief. But whatever you think about "old guys" playing rock concerts, there was absolutely nothing has-been-ish or nostalgic or sellout-ish or insincere or any of that about this show. In their prime: I think it's a possibility; I'm dead serious. (If you've seen them recently and disagree on that basis, hey: we're all entitled to our opinions.)
And as for the band having broken up six times or whatever the number is, all I can say is we're lucky they decided to tour again after the Concert For New York City, because despite what their shows may have been like in the eighties and nineties: I could be wrong, but I think these guys are far from finished." - Steve S.
by at 3:34 PM
there is some horrible, tragic news to report about tomorrow night's double door show - the ditch farulla has cancelled, leaving us and juzt nutz to fill the time.
why is this so horrible? that means there a very high possibility that we will have to play right after juzt nutz, a prospect i do not look forward to. it is very likely those guys will make us look foolish. but, this is something we all have to come to grips with. playing after band like boulder and even the hateful dead were bad enough. but having to play after juzt nutz could be one of the greatest challenges we have yet to face.
i am also not looking forward to playing in front a pissed-off ditch farulla crowd, whipped into a mad frenzy and looking for blood, any blood, specifically knife of simpson blood. not a pleasing thought.
either way, i hope to see all you beautiful people tomorrow at the double door. we will have a good time either way, i hope, no matter how ugly or violent the evening might turn out.
why is this so horrible? that means there a very high possibility that we will have to play right after juzt nutz, a prospect i do not look forward to. it is very likely those guys will make us look foolish. but, this is something we all have to come to grips with. playing after band like boulder and even the hateful dead were bad enough. but having to play after juzt nutz could be one of the greatest challenges we have yet to face.
i am also not looking forward to playing in front a pissed-off ditch farulla crowd, whipped into a mad frenzy and looking for blood, any blood, specifically knife of simpson blood. not a pleasing thought.
either way, i hope to see all you beautiful people tomorrow at the double door. we will have a good time either way, i hope, no matter how ugly or violent the evening might turn out.
by at 11:19 AM
the bears begin the pre-season tonight, and, i suspect, will probably be the most satisfying part of their whole year.
yes, i predict a miserable failure this year for the mighty bears. they really aren't that good. they may have gone 13-3 last year, but let's face it, they were way more lucky than good. their brief playoff run proved that.
the bears will make all the excuses they need to keep fans interested enough to catch the 2003 season in the brand spanking new soldier field (waste of $$$$!) they'll complain they didn't have a real home stadium this year, and miller's injuries hindered the offense, blah, blah, blah, baloney!
i still say the bears should have gone after drew bledsoe in the off-season. i had to laugh my ass off when i heard miller saying "you're getting the same quarterback." bullshit! you might get the same Style of a quarterback, but bledsoe makes miller's arm look like a wet noodle.
i predict a 7-9 season for the bears this year. i'd be reluctant to predict that good of a season, but i do because the loss of the tampa bay fuckin'queers makes the nfc north a fairly weak division.
yes, i predict a miserable failure this year for the mighty bears. they really aren't that good. they may have gone 13-3 last year, but let's face it, they were way more lucky than good. their brief playoff run proved that.
the bears will make all the excuses they need to keep fans interested enough to catch the 2003 season in the brand spanking new soldier field (waste of $$$$!) they'll complain they didn't have a real home stadium this year, and miller's injuries hindered the offense, blah, blah, blah, baloney!
i still say the bears should have gone after drew bledsoe in the off-season. i had to laugh my ass off when i heard miller saying "you're getting the same quarterback." bullshit! you might get the same Style of a quarterback, but bledsoe makes miller's arm look like a wet noodle.
i predict a 7-9 season for the bears this year. i'd be reluctant to predict that good of a season, but i do because the loss of the tampa bay fuckin'queers makes the nfc north a fairly weak division.
by at 4:03 PM
Before we get started today, run on over to Danny's Booze Cabinet and check out what he has to say about post-9/11 music. Now I shall add my two cents.
Writing about an event such as 9/11 has got to be a tricky subject. There are, as I see it, three ways to approach 9/11. 1) You can write a general song inspired by the spirits and events of 9/11, 2) You can write about personal reflections and emotions that occured as a result of that event, or 3) You can tackle the event head-on so that there is no doubt what you are talking about.
As far as what the elder statesmen have come up with for post 9/11 ditties, most of them are not trying to connect with the disenfranchised. Lord knows most of us are poor and can't afford records. The Boss is coming from Area 2, in that he chose to write about his emotions instead of confronting an issue head on. I heard his "Empty Skies" song, and I have to admit it does a pretty good job of conveying the odd feelings many of us had in the days following the attack. He's always been good at connecting at that level. However, Bruce has never really told anyone what they're supposed to feel from his music. "Born In the USA," if you bother to listen to the lyrics, is a look at how our Vietnam vets were treated in this nation after returning from the war. But he's not beating us over the head with it, he's allowing people to draw their own conclusions. The Reagan administration wanted to use the song for his 1984 campaign, so they obviously didn't get it.
Neil Young's song is from Area 3, but the reason his song came off as cheesy was that he tried to do too much with the lyrics. SImply as a song of the heroism of the passengers who fought the highjackers, it made sense: They were fighting for their lives, probably expecting to die, but perhaps hoping they could if not save themselves, save as many on the ground as possible. WIth the last verse he gets into the whole "fighting evil" thing, which of course mirrors the Bush terminology and the war. It ends up like "We Didn't Start the Fire," which tried to solve every issue known to modern history by creating a list. It's a tall order to accomplish in one verse.
McCartney's song was totaly shit. You could have played that song before 9/11 and it would have worked. It's not even from Area 1, so general that it means nothing.
And Danny really gets upset at Toby Keith, and I'm here to say, don't. This is the same man who sang what single-handedly is THE MOST HOMOSEXUAL COUNTRY SONG EVER WRITTEN. "I Wanna Talk About Me." Norman and I were, last year at this time, wondering what cruel country music mogul convinced this aging macho man into singing a blatantly gay anthem that I'm AMAZED I didn't hear once at this year's pride parade. He just sounds so silly with those limp-wristed back up singers cooing "Me...Me...Me...Me...." behind him.
The Sleater-Kinney lyrics do as good a job as any song I've heard of method #3 in questioning why no one is suspitious of our leaders. However, so you think these lyrics ARE a protest song, or are they hoping to be some sort of catalyst for dissent? Or do they point the finger at the Springsteens and Neil Youngs, the elder statesmen of rock, to weigh in with something more substantial? I wouldn't count on those guys: Not even Bob Dylan is controversial anymore. Or are they pointing the finger at us? They're the ones with the microphones. In fact, I'd like to know more about what Sleater-Kinney feels about this, other than not wanting to be a part of blind patriotism. My criticism is that I wish the lyrics were more specific, but I realize this is difficult to accomplish. Do you think other groups will take up the slack?
What do you think, readers?
Writing about an event such as 9/11 has got to be a tricky subject. There are, as I see it, three ways to approach 9/11. 1) You can write a general song inspired by the spirits and events of 9/11, 2) You can write about personal reflections and emotions that occured as a result of that event, or 3) You can tackle the event head-on so that there is no doubt what you are talking about.
As far as what the elder statesmen have come up with for post 9/11 ditties, most of them are not trying to connect with the disenfranchised. Lord knows most of us are poor and can't afford records. The Boss is coming from Area 2, in that he chose to write about his emotions instead of confronting an issue head on. I heard his "Empty Skies" song, and I have to admit it does a pretty good job of conveying the odd feelings many of us had in the days following the attack. He's always been good at connecting at that level. However, Bruce has never really told anyone what they're supposed to feel from his music. "Born In the USA," if you bother to listen to the lyrics, is a look at how our Vietnam vets were treated in this nation after returning from the war. But he's not beating us over the head with it, he's allowing people to draw their own conclusions. The Reagan administration wanted to use the song for his 1984 campaign, so they obviously didn't get it.
Neil Young's song is from Area 3, but the reason his song came off as cheesy was that he tried to do too much with the lyrics. SImply as a song of the heroism of the passengers who fought the highjackers, it made sense: They were fighting for their lives, probably expecting to die, but perhaps hoping they could if not save themselves, save as many on the ground as possible. WIth the last verse he gets into the whole "fighting evil" thing, which of course mirrors the Bush terminology and the war. It ends up like "We Didn't Start the Fire," which tried to solve every issue known to modern history by creating a list. It's a tall order to accomplish in one verse.
McCartney's song was totaly shit. You could have played that song before 9/11 and it would have worked. It's not even from Area 1, so general that it means nothing.
And Danny really gets upset at Toby Keith, and I'm here to say, don't. This is the same man who sang what single-handedly is THE MOST HOMOSEXUAL COUNTRY SONG EVER WRITTEN. "I Wanna Talk About Me." Norman and I were, last year at this time, wondering what cruel country music mogul convinced this aging macho man into singing a blatantly gay anthem that I'm AMAZED I didn't hear once at this year's pride parade. He just sounds so silly with those limp-wristed back up singers cooing "Me...Me...Me...Me...." behind him.
The Sleater-Kinney lyrics do as good a job as any song I've heard of method #3 in questioning why no one is suspitious of our leaders. However, so you think these lyrics ARE a protest song, or are they hoping to be some sort of catalyst for dissent? Or do they point the finger at the Springsteens and Neil Youngs, the elder statesmen of rock, to weigh in with something more substantial? I wouldn't count on those guys: Not even Bob Dylan is controversial anymore. Or are they pointing the finger at us? They're the ones with the microphones. In fact, I'd like to know more about what Sleater-Kinney feels about this, other than not wanting to be a part of blind patriotism. My criticism is that I wish the lyrics were more specific, but I realize this is difficult to accomplish. Do you think other groups will take up the slack?
What do you think, readers?
by at 10:58 AM
Well, it looks like we're only a few steps away from a truly fascist government.
Justice Department Defies Court Order
John AssChrist lied when he swore before the Senate to uphold the Constitution, and the laws of the land. So far, he has refused to investigate Kenneth Lay/Enron, the anthrax mailer, and buddies like Charles Polk Jr.
His ceaseless toadying for the NRA and rightwing groups has compromised his own government's pledge to defend Americans from terrorists.
His reactionary KKKristian beliefs have contravened his sworn duty to protect Americans from their own domestic terrorists as well.
He's doing more than walking on the Constitution--He's wiping his ass with it!
He is the second coming of Heinrich Himmler!
HE MUST BE STOPPED!!!
Justice Department Defies Court Order
John AssChrist lied when he swore before the Senate to uphold the Constitution, and the laws of the land. So far, he has refused to investigate Kenneth Lay/Enron, the anthrax mailer, and buddies like Charles Polk Jr.
His ceaseless toadying for the NRA and rightwing groups has compromised his own government's pledge to defend Americans from terrorists.
His reactionary KKKristian beliefs have contravened his sworn duty to protect Americans from their own domestic terrorists as well.
He's doing more than walking on the Constitution--He's wiping his ass with it!
He is the second coming of Heinrich Himmler!
HE MUST BE STOPPED!!!
by at 4:50 PM
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SIR,
I AM MR.YESUF SULEMAN A CUSTOM OFFICER AND WORK AS
ASSISTANT CONTROLER OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPERTMENT
OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS STATIONED
AT THE MURTALA MOHAMMED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IKEJA
LAGOS NIGERIA. AFTER THE SUDDEN DEATH OF THE FORMER
HEAD OF STATE OF NIGERIA GENERAL SANNI ABACHA ON JUNE
8TH 1998 HIS AIDES AND IMMEDIATE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY
WAS ARRESTED WHILE TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM NIGERIA IN A
CHARTERED JET TO SAUDI ARABIA WITH 4 TRUNK BOXES
MARKED DIPLOMATIC BAGGAGED.
ACTING ON TIP-OFF AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO BOARD THE AIR
CRAFT, MY OFFICIALS CARRIED OUT A THOROUGH SEARCH ON
THE AIR CRAFT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE 4 TRUNK BOXES
CONTAINED FOREIGN CURENCIES AMOUNTING TO
197,570,000.00(ONE HUNDRED AND NITY-SEVEN MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED SEVENTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS).
I DECLARED ONLY (3) THREE BOXES TO THE GOVERNMENT AND
WITHHELD ONE (1) IN MY CUSTODY CONTAINING THE SUM OF
($20,250,000) TWENTY MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY, WHICH HAS BEEN
DISGUISED TO PREVENT THEIR BEING DISCOVERED DURING
TRANSPORTATION PROCESS.
DUE TO SEVERAL MEDIA REPORTS ON THE LATE HEAD OF STATE
ABOUT ALL THE MONEY HE AND HIS CO-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
STOLE FROM OUR TREUSARY AMOUTING TO US$55BILLION
DOLLARS (REF:ngrguardiannewspaper.com) OF JULY 2ND
1999. EVEN LONDON TIMES OF JULY 1998 REPORTED THAT
ABACHA HAS US$3.BILLION DOLLARS IN ONE ACCOUNT
OVERSEAS. WE DECIDED TO CONCEAL THIS ONE (1) BOX TILL
THE SITUATION IS QUITE ON THE ISSUE. THE BOX WAS
DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN NIGERIA AS
PRECIOUS STONE AND JEWLLERIES.
NOW ALL IS CALM, WE (MYSELT AND TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES
IN THE OPERATION TEAM) ARE NOW READY TO MOVE THIS BOX
OUT OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH A DIPLOMATIC ARRANGEMENT.
HOWEVER AS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THE NEW CIVIL SERVICE
CODE OF CONDUCT DOES NOT ALLOW US BY LAW TO OPERATE
ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT OR OWN FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAN BE FOUND IN OUR ACCOUNT
CANNOT BE MORE THAN OUR SALARY ON THE AVERAGE.
THEREFORE WE WANT YOU TO ASSIST US IN MOVING THIS
MONEY OUT OF NIGERIA. WE SHALL DEFINITELY COMPENSATE
YOU HANDSOMELY FOR THE ASSISTANCE.
THERE ARE 2 WAYS WE CAN DO THIS.
(1) EITHER YOU SEND ME YOUR ADDRESS AND THIS BOX CAN
BE DELIVERED TO YOUR ADDRESS VIA DIPLOMATIC COURIER
SERVICE AS PRECIOUS STONE/JEWELLERIES.
(2) WE INSTRUCT THE SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN NIGERIA
TO TRANSFER THE CONSIGNMENT TO THEIR BRANCH OFFICE
OUTSIDE NIGERIA AS PRECIOUSE STONES AND JEWELLERIES
YOU BOUGHT FROM HERE FOR SAFE KEEPING. THEN WE ARRANGE
TO MEET AT SAID COUTRY TO TAKE THE DELIVERY OF THE
CONSIGNMENT. YOU OPEN AN ACCOUNT THERE AND LODGE THE
MONEY THERE AND GRADUALLY INSTRUCT REMINANT TO YOUR
COUNTRY.
THIS BUSINESS IS 100% RISK FREE FOR YOU PLEASE TREAT
THIS MATTER WITH UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY IF YOU
INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TO ASSIT US PLEASE JUST E-MAIL
ME FOR MORE EXPLANATION ON HOW WE PLANNED TO EXECUTE
THE TRANSACTION.
EXPECT YOUR RESPONSE URGENTLY.
BEST REGARDS
YESUF SULEMAN.
SIR,
I AM MR.YESUF SULEMAN A CUSTOM OFFICER AND WORK AS
ASSISTANT CONTROLER OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPERTMENT
OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS STATIONED
AT THE MURTALA MOHAMMED INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IKEJA
LAGOS NIGERIA. AFTER THE SUDDEN DEATH OF THE FORMER
HEAD OF STATE OF NIGERIA GENERAL SANNI ABACHA ON JUNE
8TH 1998 HIS AIDES AND IMMEDIATE MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY
WAS ARRESTED WHILE TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM NIGERIA IN A
CHARTERED JET TO SAUDI ARABIA WITH 4 TRUNK BOXES
MARKED DIPLOMATIC BAGGAGED.
ACTING ON TIP-OFF AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO BOARD THE AIR
CRAFT, MY OFFICIALS CARRIED OUT A THOROUGH SEARCH ON
THE AIR CRAFT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE 4 TRUNK BOXES
CONTAINED FOREIGN CURENCIES AMOUNTING TO
197,570,000.00(ONE HUNDRED AND NITY-SEVEN MILLION FIVE
HUNDRED SEVENTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS).
I DECLARED ONLY (3) THREE BOXES TO THE GOVERNMENT AND
WITHHELD ONE (1) IN MY CUSTODY CONTAINING THE SUM OF
($20,250,000) TWENTY MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY
THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY, WHICH HAS BEEN
DISGUISED TO PREVENT THEIR BEING DISCOVERED DURING
TRANSPORTATION PROCESS.
DUE TO SEVERAL MEDIA REPORTS ON THE LATE HEAD OF STATE
ABOUT ALL THE MONEY HE AND HIS CO-GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
STOLE FROM OUR TREUSARY AMOUTING TO US$55BILLION
DOLLARS (REF:ngrguardiannewspaper.com) OF JULY 2ND
1999. EVEN LONDON TIMES OF JULY 1998 REPORTED THAT
ABACHA HAS US$3.BILLION DOLLARS IN ONE ACCOUNT
OVERSEAS. WE DECIDED TO CONCEAL THIS ONE (1) BOX TILL
THE SITUATION IS QUITE ON THE ISSUE. THE BOX WAS
DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN NIGERIA AS
PRECIOUS STONE AND JEWLLERIES.
NOW ALL IS CALM, WE (MYSELT AND TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES
IN THE OPERATION TEAM) ARE NOW READY TO MOVE THIS BOX
OUT OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH A DIPLOMATIC ARRANGEMENT.
HOWEVER AS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THE NEW CIVIL SERVICE
CODE OF CONDUCT DOES NOT ALLOW US BY LAW TO OPERATE
ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT OR OWN FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAN BE FOUND IN OUR ACCOUNT
CANNOT BE MORE THAN OUR SALARY ON THE AVERAGE.
THEREFORE WE WANT YOU TO ASSIST US IN MOVING THIS
MONEY OUT OF NIGERIA. WE SHALL DEFINITELY COMPENSATE
YOU HANDSOMELY FOR THE ASSISTANCE.
THERE ARE 2 WAYS WE CAN DO THIS.
(1) EITHER YOU SEND ME YOUR ADDRESS AND THIS BOX CAN
BE DELIVERED TO YOUR ADDRESS VIA DIPLOMATIC COURIER
SERVICE AS PRECIOUS STONE/JEWELLERIES.
(2) WE INSTRUCT THE SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN NIGERIA
TO TRANSFER THE CONSIGNMENT TO THEIR BRANCH OFFICE
OUTSIDE NIGERIA AS PRECIOUSE STONES AND JEWELLERIES
YOU BOUGHT FROM HERE FOR SAFE KEEPING. THEN WE ARRANGE
TO MEET AT SAID COUTRY TO TAKE THE DELIVERY OF THE
CONSIGNMENT. YOU OPEN AN ACCOUNT THERE AND LODGE THE
MONEY THERE AND GRADUALLY INSTRUCT REMINANT TO YOUR
COUNTRY.
THIS BUSINESS IS 100% RISK FREE FOR YOU PLEASE TREAT
THIS MATTER WITH UTMOST CONFIDENTIALITY IF YOU
INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TO ASSIT US PLEASE JUST E-MAIL
ME FOR MORE EXPLANATION ON HOW WE PLANNED TO EXECUTE
THE TRANSACTION.
EXPECT YOUR RESPONSE URGENTLY.
BEST REGARDS
YESUF SULEMAN.
by at 2:31 PM