e martë, 30 shtator 2008

silver MF jews

Last night at the wowhall. Silver jews tore it up. David Berman is the shit. He and his Jews rocked my world last night. He had a sort of cough medicine swagger all night as he shuffled around the stage. Got to hang with some of the band for a bit of road story mayhem. Here they are rockin "Smith & Jones forever"


Monotonix opened the show. Insane band from Israel. At one point the drummer was hoisted up in the crown with his drums so he could play 6' above. They looked like borat/Ron Jeremy clones.

e premte, 26 shtator 2008

LP battles : round 13

returning champion Alan Parsons vs. tagteam duo Hall & Oats ... introducing heavyweight new contenders Roxy music



e mërkurë, 24 shtator 2008

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW ...

... I LEARNED IN MY SPAM BOX.

- - - -

I am an average American.

The average credit score of an average American is 608.

I have a mortgage and I gamble—poorly—but want to do better.

I want to lose tons of weight and am holding between 25 and 30 pounds of fat in my intestines.

I totally dig Christian singles and my perfect match is waiting for me somewhere ... in my hometown.

I could find her this week.

I want to start a home business and start making REAL money.

Easy work and great pay always go together and earning potential, unlike money, is unlimited.

The best things in life—meaning CrackBerrys and MacBook Airs—are totally free.

For most things in life, only my confirmation is needed.

I want to learn magic and/or hypnosis to attract health, love, money, and to get sweet revenge (the good kind).

Amazing secrets are hidden by nothing more than a friggin mouse click.

I have two awesomely hot friends, Maureen and Angie, who talk about me daily.

Approval is totally guaranteed.

e martë, 23 shtator 2008

Black Mountain

one of my absolute fave bands right now. One part Neil Young to one part Nazareth with a tablespoon of Saint Vitus. Mix together and chug:

f art




Some small images from Portland artist Ryan Bubnis.
Check his gallery here.

e enjte, 18 shtator 2008

oh Lindsay

I have this strange (morbid?) fascination with that burnt out period of music in the 80's where the previous decade's Arena Rock had long eroded into horrible LA recording sessions with grand budgets from their previous record sales, fat lines on the mixing board and whole "debauched" albums of utter crap (save for maybe one single that charts because well frankly, everybody else was also coked outta their mind). Everyone was a victim (Lou, Mick, Neil, hell even Don fuckin' Henley) and I can't really think of anyone that truly escaped (mike .. don't say Al Stewart)
Yeah if you lived through the 80's as one of these bands you're doing some kinda comeback tour and probably laughing your ass off at the bile you puked up in the 80's. Here is one of those songs which I just fucking adore and will probably cover soon in a live situation...

story time

An excerpt from "My Awesome Moments in Summer History: Chapter 37 : Embarrassment"


Through much of my hormonal youth, the place to "hang out" was good times roller skating. We are talking between the years of '83 to like '87. (post wet dreams -- pre drivers license)

At good times the DJ would always play the freshest music and there were posters everywhere to feast your eyes on. While they weren't exactly playing thrash metal, it was all popular music that you could skate to and then buy a big ass slice of pizza or some god awful fried something. They also had a dance floor.

I present to you subject A: Marion Diaz (name has not been changed)

She was 14 and I was 15. We both had the hots for each other and decided to meet there (it was 1/2 way between our 2 towns. we met earlier that summer at the Bedford Pool. She looked awesome in a bikini with a mondo 14 year out set of fun cushions.

Well we skated for a while, talked about why ZZ Top did or did not suck, and then took the skates off so we could go to the dance room. (I will just say that at that point in my career ... dancing = chance at making out in the back parking lot) So we are doing of the dancing and then a slow number comes on and she turns around so that we can dance while I hug her. We do this. It's nice. We dance slowly. Hip are swaying ever so slowly. The song ends and she walks away. I assume she wants to skate. I go looking for her and she is nowhere to be found. Then I see her putting her shoes on and checking her skates at the counter. She doesn't want to talk to me or even look at me. I am utterly and completely confused. I find her friend who is also skating there and I'm like"WTF Marion's friend. did I say something?????" Her friend says that apparently I tried to "feel her up" on the dance floor. I can assure you to this day that I was not brave, bold, or stupid enough to attempt such a feat. It just wasn't true and I was super bummed that she thought I would do that. The night ends and I go home high on sugary soda and dejected.

----

fast forward 6 months from now to the summer of next year.
I decide to go to the Bedford Pool with my family. I am swimming with my brother and look who walks up to me. Can you guess? Oh I bet you can. As I bob gently in the water I am ambushed with an barrage of swears and accusations in front of the whole pool (this is a LARGE public pool) Keep in mind that I never even kissed this little vixen.

I realize that she is not alone and the her 3 older and larger brothers all with 6-packs (not beer) brothers are sitting on the picnic table behind her laughing there asses off. Marion then challenges me to a fight. I am scrawny and confused. My little brother is keeping his distance. I mutter something unrecognizable and get out of the pool. I leave the pool. I hit the changing room and leave the place and head over to the outside eating area far away from the pool. As I walk toward my parents who are in sight, I am shoved from behind buy the lovely no longer desirable Marion Diaz. She proceeds to verbally and physically assault me all the way to my parents table. I am unable to calm her wrath. We get there and I just sit down on the verge of completely breaking down. My Dad listens to her story of my big attempts at stealing second base at Good Times. Eventually my dad interrupts her and says something to the effect of "thanks for your time" or "your testimony is dully noted". She eventually walks away.
We all kind of look at each other. My brother returns to the family unit. We drive back to Merrimack in silence with Casey Kasem introducing the next John Cougar Mellancamp song.

• Thanks "royal pine" for drawing this tale out of me.

e mërkurë, 17 shtator 2008

quiz time


who can name all three of these flics?
• hint: it's not "Terms of Endearment".

e hënë, 15 shtator 2008

careful with that axe richard


careful with that axe eugene

take a picture ... it'll last longer




Some photos from photographer Lisa Kahane documenting the Bronx in the 70's/80's from her book "do not give way to evil". I know the world is full of photojournalists, but some people really have a knack for really capturing the mayhem.

e premte, 12 shtator 2008

CHANGES TO THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA, MADE IN RESPONSE TO MR. HENLEY'S RECENT COMPLAINT

BY JOHN MOE

- - - -

Encourage nightman to be less cryptic when talking to guests

Improve courtyard air conditioning to reduce occurrences of sweet summer sweat

Update room décor, including removal of ceiling mirrors

Restock spirit supplies, encourage Captain to offer guests other options

Acquire steelier knives and/or less resolute beast

Emphasize "heaven" image over less desirable "hell" alternative

Install electric-light system in hallway (long overdue), reassign employee who has been showing guests to room by candlelight

Upgrade music selection to accommodate both guests who dance to remember and those who do so to forget

Clearly mark passage back to places guests have been before

Emphasize core strengths: lovely place, plenty of room, consistent location

Reduce power on colitis-oil highway pumps; smell may be overly aggressive

Provide "house alibis" to guests who neglect to bring their own

Streamline checkout procedures to accommodate guests' desire to actually leave

e diel, 7 shtator 2008

be still my heart



Very excited to see the kings being documented. If only that magical day will come again :)

e shtunë, 6 shtator 2008

debauchery ensues ... news at 11 (am)



pic are here!


OK ... Just coming back to earth from 3 days of insanity up at MusicFest NorthWest. Playing in Tractor Operator for the Jealous Butcher Showcase afforded me an all access bracelet into any and all shows. Highlights in timeline form are as follows:

Thursday
6:30 pm - arrive for band prac at che trac

9:30 - head out to crystal to catch the end of Calvin Johnson and then M Ward play an amazing set. Chat with Adam and Rachel briefly at lola's before hand who are in his band. M. does some full band/some solo. sound is actually good as it's usually horrible in that monster space.

11 - head to Berbati's Pan and catch Pseudo Six. great set with backup singers and beautiful wurlitzer sounds. very impressive.

12 - cross the river to dougfir to see what may be the most amazing show I have seen in quite some time. Band is called Red Fang and they are from Portland actually. Holy christ. All the speed and meat of motorhead with the turn on a dime changes of pass out kings with a little high on fire thrown in there. Plus they were playing through stacks of sun beta heads that made your lungs collapse. Religious I tell you. I don't know man. It's scary how much I like this band.

1 am - then catch the big reunion of Steel Pole Bathtub. They did a great job although my soul was still tainted by red fang. I think this was SPBT's first show since like '01?

3 am - pillage the food store with Jensen in search of something meaty to calm our ferocious apatite

4 am - make amazing mini steak and cheese sandwiches with bookers 126 proof bourbon and pop in There will be blood. we make it through about 15 minutes of movie

Friday

11 am - meet up with Rob smith and head to Biways Cafe for stumptown coffee and (I can't even say this without laughing) ... order a steak and cheese.

12 noon - Head with Rob to a gallery space and check out the installation he's a part of.

2 pm - head to Mississippi records and pick up some King Tubby, Free Design, Black mountain, Eno, etc.

3pm - lowbrow lounge with a crew and have a Guinness.

5pm - meet at someday lounge for sound check.

6:30 - secret party in loft space with Weinland and Nick Jaina playing. Great Hummus!

8 pm - we hit the stage and play a really good set with except for some minor equipment malfunctions) goes off swellingly. My finger still really hurts to play certain chords, but work through the set with no major issues. My fender amp sounded extra growly and I have it some dog biscuits afterward for good behavior. I buy the band a round of Tequila.

9 pm - stay for Valient Arms set with rocks my socks off. Eric's drumming is heavier than ever and I fully expect his drums to collapse at any time. Steal a couple beers from the green room and give one to dave clark.

10 pm - head up burnside for a delux cocktail party at Pete and Jenifer's (The Fast Computers). She makes me this crazy Elderberry drink and feeds me more bourbon. At this point I'm not sure where I'm supposed to be next and Jensen calls me up to inform me that I'll be picked up on the curb. Jen see's me out and offers the door guy some vodka (he smiles and politely declines)

12 am - Head back over river with Rob Jones and crew to Holocene and catch this awesome band "Throw Me The Statue". I've been waiting to see them ever since MC Homemade turned me on to them a couple months back. Buy their disk Moonbeams ... like now. Al buys us a round of Basil Haydens.

1am - our ride is gone so eric, aljon and I run (every other block) back over the river to NW portland from SE portland. Arrive just as Wow and Flutter are finishing. Stiff Wiff hit the stage and this band is so damn fun. It's basically a proggy deep space wank-fest for PDX music celebs to rock out. there's like 3 drummers and 5 guitars and I can't count the rest. The club is packed. will post video soon. Back to green room and then load equipment into the truck.

4 am - make a trader joes oven pizza. finish the bookers 126 proof bourbon with eric and pop in There will be blood. we make it through another 15 minutes of movie.

Saturday
its 10 am and I'm hitting the road to play a gig tonight at Wandering Goat with Dan Jones opening for Karl Blau. Really excited about this.

must haves coffees.

pic are here!

love,
d

e martë, 2 shtator 2008

"in a world where ..."

Don LaFontaine, with a voice that so damn boss (next to Ken Nordine) has passed. My testosterone goes up like 15 notches just listening to this guy.