Picks of the Litter 2010

Once again, my musical choices for the last year, 2010. Hopefully I will get a podcast of the radio show I did up soon as well.

PODCAST HERE!

Best of 2010

Archie Bronson Outift “Coconut” (Domino)
A good 6 am ripper to get you started, an English 3 piece full of noise and overdrive. Not really much more to say about this except this is their third release and boy, be prepared to freak people out with this one Sonic toes tapping and melting blasts from the UK. Driving, otherworldly, bizarrish, and fun.




Ima Robot “Another Man’s Treasure” (Echo park Records)
Which kind of brings me to this band. I bought this thinking it would be much like their first release, a new wave pop blast kind of thing. I have to admit that at first I was a bit disappointed, getting something way more mellow, tribal, subdued. So I put it away for a while. Then I went back to it with a different attitude, and what do you know, not bad at all. This could be considered their “All you need is Love” album because a lot of the tunes address that, very neo hippy, kind of, but it really has a personality that it worth mentioning. An abject lesson in expectation and open-mindedness for me.



Sharon Jones & Dap Kings “I Learned the Hard Way” (Daptone Recordings)

Sharon Jones & Dap Kings are already the best in new soulful funk these days, taking the classic spin and you just can't beat their butt shaking sound. I learned the Hard Way also proves that this woman is not a one trick funky pony, but a great soul artist, I would even wager one of the best around today. You feel every word sung by hear on this one. Talent.



Raw Soul “Rare & Unreleased Funk from Norfolk, VA 1971-1973” (Arcania International)
A great compliation of the backbone band Raw Soul (Barry Saunders, guitar, Maurice Glass, bass, and Grover Everett, drums) and their many releases on singles with singers from the Norfolk area and beyond. A great capturing of some Virginia funk during some peak funky times, and before disco screwed a lot of it up. This album, with some decent liner notes, will school you on the old school, solid. One of my definite favorites this year.



Virginia Rocks (Exhibit & Richmond Folk Festival) (JSP Records)
The exhibit at the Virginia Historical society put together by Don Harrison and Brent Hosier and a research essay for the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum of Ferrum College is resoundingly beautiful and captured the true heart of Virginia Rockabilly from it’s inception. There is a somewhat accompanying compilation of music called Virginia Rocks that gives you great liner notes (some of the best) in case you missed the exhibit and not only that, but we Richmonders also got to enjoy and earful of some of the living legends like The Dazzlers who played a show during the Richmond Folk Festival this year. If you like rockabilly, this exhibit was required viewing, and this cd compliation is necessary for your collection.


Rough Guide to Bhangra (Rough Guide)
Who would have ever thought that a label that churns out so much random world music would give you a doubledose of worth of spectacular Bhangra? Well, that’s not fair, Rough Guides give you choice cuts from bands picked by people that know far more than me about what is going on out there. This one grabbed me by the boo boo and kept my attention and my ipod on repeat a lot. Not only do you get a great compilation of what is out there now, but a bonus cd of a 20 year “Best of” retrospective of one of the hardest working Bhangra bands out there, Achanak. And all for like 12 bucks! A great deal and worth it!



Gogol Bordello “Trans-Continetal Hustle” (American Recordings)
So when I saw that Rick Rubin has his stink all over this cd I was absolutely dubious. He had ruined Gossip’s cd the year before and I was expecting this to be equally compromised. Surprise! It actually feels like he kept his overproduced mitts off of this one, or at least gave merely producing guidance. This is a matured Gogol Bordello, still with the same piss and vinegar of their earlier punkiness but with a more reflective and insightful angle, yet not losing their revolutionary edge. Probably their most approachable work as well. And damn, there is a song that speaks out against this whole immigration thing, Immigraniada; an anthem and probably one of the most politically active and angry and relevant songs of the year. Get this one.


Sleigh Bells “Treats” (Mom & Pop)
Okay, unless this band does something really creative and awesome next record, this will pretty much be it. But wow! It is very unique, strange, interesting and rocking, all in one mouthful. Take a guitarist Derek Miller from the hardcore punk band Poison the Well and the singer from the teen pop group Rubyblue, Alexis Krauss and you get an interesting combo. Sometimes you don’t know if it is some tripish Top 40 attempt that forgot the Autotune, or if it a head swinger from the indie flail circuit. Either way, it keeps you attentive. The thing about this album is that every song, the whole album, sounds like something that would be played at a football or hockey game. Listen to Crown on the Crown and tell me you can’t equate that to some football thing. Anyway, an interesting album and worthy.


The Dead Weather “Sea of Cowards” (Warner)
Sophomore release of the supergroup with members of The Kills (Alison Mosshart), Queens of the Stone Age (Dean Fertita), The Greenhomes (Jack Lawrence) and The White Stripes (Jack White). I would have never really been tuned into to this until one day while I was at the local indie record store. They were cranking this early in the morning, the vocals sounded so familiar and some of the effects on the keyboards were like, WHAT? Man, that is awesome. Completely rad and full of interesting stuff. Definitely a seventies vibe with some super new modern energy and sound and done with such delicious authenticity that you want more. Tracks: I’m Mad, Gasoline, Invisible Man, or Old Mary.


Jello Biafra & The Guantanamo School of Medicine (live)
So to confess, Jello Biafra, Alternative Tentacles label, is basically how I lived most of my 20s and 30s. He was my punk idol. Smart guy, great music with the Dead Kennedys and beyond, and gives a crap. So when I heard his new project with members of various AT bands, particularly Ralph Spite from Victims Family, another AT band, had a cd out AND where coming to Richmond, I had to go. I had never gotten the chance to see the Dead Kennedys and I had heard that they were doing some DK convers during the tour. Jello turned 50 last year and I think this was his last hurrah nationwide tour and let me tell you, YES! It was great. A modest punk crowd, but definitely enough to have a blast. He was in perfect Jello form, belting out some great new tunes and the icing on the cake, like 5 DK songs! In the pit and as smart alecky as ever, it was exactly what I wanted and I have to say my favorite show of the year.


Devo “Something for Everybody” (Warner)
Just when you thought new wave was dead, comes back one of the founding bands and a new album. The Something for Everybody CD really was just that. Midway into the year, the band hosted a website that had what they called a “song study”. This meant that anyone who signed up to the site got to preview all the songs they created for this album, then vote which were to appear on it. Along with brilliant informative deadpan videos to accompany you during your listening process, it was a brilliant concept; completely Devo-ian. So unfortunately the “ballad” made it to the album, but a good solid record just the same. They came to Richmond too but I missed them, I heard they were great though!
Yes, the Devo Internet is made of Cats:



I Heart J-Rock (Complilation)
If you want a fun representation of what Japanese Rock is about, look no further than this one right here. Some familiar groups, like Shonen Knife and TsuShiMaMire, but good American newcomers as well, giving you just enough of a sample of them to want more; like LazyGunsBrisky and Molice. Enjoy!


Dynamic Truths “Understanding is overated” (little black cloud records)
It is SO Great to have this terrific bands material compiled on a cd, limited pressing as well. A great capturing of some of the most talented musicians in Richmond at the time, and does it make me feel old remembering seeing these guys when they played? No way! RVA RULES baby, past present and future!


The Fall “Your Future Our Clutter” (Domino Recordings)
Yeah, the Fall have been around a long time and pretty much the only original member left is the nearing 60 Mark E. Smith. And yeah, there isn’t really much left of what the first few Fall albums were, but that is OK to me. This cd is a challenge for anyone who likes to understand everything they hear, so beware. There is a lot of repetition and grumbling vocals that sometimes bubble up and make sense, but if you are up for it. This puppy rocks in it’s repetition and the grumbling is spectacularly rebellious. Once you crack this nut of an album, you are in and there and enjoying the world of Your Future Our Clutter. Great title that says SO MUCH about our modern world of shopping for crap just for the sake of collecting material goods, dontcha think?



Peelander Z (live @ Camel)
Hey! I got to play Yellow’s guitar during the part where they do human bowling and get audience members to participate by playing all of their instruments! Too bad the guy they picked for drums had NO sense of rhythm, but I still rocked it anyway, and it was the most crowded I had seen a Peelander show (3rd time), rowdy as hell, but those Japanese guys now living in New York City sure can handle the crowd control! A blast!


Cheer Accident (live at the camel)
Another great live show I got to see from another band I had long respected but never got the opportunity till this year, is Cheer Accident, who are still going at it after all these year, they have never stopped. And they are the nicest bunch of people you could meet, very appreciative as they stayed over at my friends Laura and John’s house after the show. I talked to some of them before they played, told them I really liked their stuff, and the only cd I had was Not A Food, and they totally played some of the songs from that for me! YES!!!! Good show too, unique, blending some sing songy pop with hard hitting math rock that will melt you. Thanks for coming to Richmond Cheer Accident!



Twinkranes “Spektrumtheatersnakes” (B-Music)
Okay, this came out late in 09, but we only got it at the beginning of 10, so this counts as a 10 release. So when I first read the review in the studio here of this, penned by Paul G. of Pauls Boutique, and it said “car chase music” I had to give it a spin, so to speak. Damn. This thing is on fire. It is repetitious in notion, but stops there. Each song is a journey in sound, building, developing, rocking your face off. Sure you can feel the kraut rock elements, but there is so much texture as it blends with the fine sonic keyboard tapestries, tightly off kilter rhythms, bass rumblings and brilliantly memorable vocals. This is a band you will sit up when you listen and go, what? What IS this and how can I get MORE. Even more careful listening will realize that this these gents aren’t only rock musicians, but Musical Craftsmen. Every time I go away from this and come back, I learn more, appreciate more, then next thing you know I’ve
listened to the cd three times in a row. This is the kind of band I wish I could be in. This is my pick of the year.


Splork / Parlour Shakedown (Plaza Bowl)
A little selfish here, since it was one of my band Splork’s last show, but damn! It was a good one despite the scrambling we had to do to get bands to play with us, we wound up getting a great surprise in Parlour Shakedown, who brought the crowd honestly, and the stage performance to inspire us and our new drummer, Noell, to bring it too. Loads of fun, a blast and MISS YOU SPLORK! RIP!
Splork:


Parlour Shakedown (RVA Band)
These guys sound like they have been playing for years, but guess what? They only recently graduated from high school!! Smart guys, nice guys, funny guys, talented. If this is how they sound now, imagine the creativity as they age like fine wine! Local band of the year and well deserved of the following they have, they do a great live show, and expect more from them. Local band of the YEAR!



Catnip Dreams (RVA Band)
Super band supergroup with members of the Diamond Center, Hot Lava, The I-Las and Color Kittens, and I am sure I am missing another band of two in their. They were the most anticipated local group of the year to see live, like at the Jonny Z festival. And they bring their cuteness and throwback 60s pop music goodness with sharp teeth to boot. Dig em.

The Catnip Dreams (Scooter Boy) from Todd Raviotta on Vimeo.

Blogging

Not here so much these days. BUT have taken on a 365 Make Something kick.

Odd, yet entertaining I hope.

Napkin Moustache a Day

365 Napkin Moustaches, One a Day for a Year. Can I do it?

It is turning into a writing blog, dig it.

Hey!

Nice vacation last week, camped in 100+ degree weather, then spent a few days at our spot in the mountains, then family reunion at the end.

Good stuff.
Oh in August 2010's issue of Richmond Magazine for WRIR!! Sweet!

Getting into a little bit of psychedelic electronic stuff, Bruce Haack was an awesomely weird dude.javascript:void(0)

It's a Star Wars movie

So for work, we had to create some video footage for this class we were doing. Some of us had huge vision, including myself. While I already knew the movie making program Pinnacle, I took the opportunity to make a movie revolving around the Bookmobile, and make it like Star Wars with a dash of Python and Red Dwarf. Hardly a masterpiece by any means, but it is some of my best film work! Green screen rules!



We have settled into our new house wonderfully, Fungalow living is the BEST!!!


Reading: I just finished a wonderful, haunting novella called The Lord God Bird by Russell Hill, and now am beginning to sludge through the pre-buzzed thicky The Passage by Justin Cronin; not as literate as Hill's book and taking some getting into, but getting there. Also, still waiting for my LibraryThing early reviewer copy of Ryu Murakami's novel Audition.

Listening: Various stuff to make my first ever iPod mix, but recently been digging a lot of the late 80s bands I used to like or was curious about. Is THIS my mid-life crisis? Instead of a red convertible, I buy all the tunes of my youth? The Godfathers, The Sugercubes, The Smiths, Pete Townsend. More recently, The Magnificents and the new Gogol Bordello.

Are you Jake Sully?

Just came back from the biggest movie of the year, maybe of the 21st Century, Avatar, and ultimately BIG DEAL. SO WHAT?

But am I kidding?
Or kidding myself?

With the exception of a few cornball script moments, this film was absolutely spectacular. A visual feast of colors, creatures, and ideals played to our packed theater and you know, it was the strangest thing; NO one talked, NO babies were around screaming, NO iphones were texted on. Even during the quietest moments of the picture, people were actually doing what the friendly neighborhood voice over asked us to do before the movie started. Silence your cellphones, no talking, take the whiner into the hall. The feature is a dazzling, larger than life epic, and YES, overwrought with message. This isn't the first time Hollywood has given us messages, and I can name a few but won't, but the clear message here is Environmentalism.

I don't have to mention the plot, YES, it has been compared with Dances with Wolves but I swear I also saw elements of A Bug's Life. Also in the message mix is a swirl of combo punches about indigenous people, endangered species, colonialism, industrialism, the list goes on but makes a coherent enough stew of meaning. (spoiler alert) There are clearly haunting, touching, moments in the film; like when our wheel-chaired marine first gets his avatar body and he RUNS like Forrest Gump across the fields of Pandora, the saddened scene of the Chief Scientist (Sigourney Weaver) not being able to BrendleFly with her avatar to save her life, the completely obvious (and gut wrenching) 9-11 moment when the Big Tree gets destroyed and topples like the Twin Towers, complete with aftermath of the horror stricken survivors you would swear were on the street of New York City that day. SERIOUSLY. It is just a movie that tugs at you with meaning and significance, just as it was intended.

I mean, think about it in relation to our planet. Al Gore aside, we ARE of nature, we are part of it, why are we so stubborn to do the right things to protect it?
Industrialism and Capitalism has really fucked us up faster than the Bible or any other religion. We are killing our earth. Yeah yeah, I KNOW, sucks right! (I always think of the Carlin bit on the Earth is fine, it's the people you are concerned about!) And the hypocrisy ain't helping either. Maybe if we all just helped a little, but more importantly, maybe the corporate dogheads we suck nectar from need to take a little more responsibility since they take the biggest piece of pie. Clean up, take what the scientists are telling us seriously. I digress because we all know what needs to get done in order to turn things around.

I can actually get behind the movie's message here, I completely and unequivocally AGREE with this movie's message, totally, great, YES WE CAN! All that...but

The question is will we?
The other question is, will this movie change anyone?
Are you Jake Skully?

Sure, the message is great, but can a movie from Hollywood change the way humans think enough to create action? I wrote a crappy little novel a few years ago that addressed this subject, but it involved people who could MAKE PEOPLE do things because they had these special powers. So they were going to DC to become lobbyists. One of the issues these characters were going to have to deal with in spreading the message of the "new way" was to infiltrate the media with information that would be pleasing to the masses. This was written before the internet exploded into a missive of splinter groups where you could get any information online to support your point of view, whether it was true or not.

Avatar will probably surpass all the movies in history at the box office, millions and millions will see it. Money money money money money money! Where will all this money go? Is there some kind of point share that will go to helping Haiti maybe? I mean Hollywood completely CARED about what was going on enough at the Golden Globes to talk about caring, I wonder if something could actually get DONE? I know, a lot of investors need to get their 5th house in the islands jones taken care of first, but then what?

I paid 20 bucks for my kid and I to go and get the funny 3D glasses and be enamored with the spectacle, I'll admit that, but is this movie's message sincere in the intent or is it merely pandering to my NOW concerns of the guilt and terror of a dead world future?

It just seems these days that the new industry is the Pander Industry. Whether it be the dreams of Obama giving us the Change we need (in a bumper sticker) to the conveniences of fresh food from a farmer's market, to the easy to operate my Digital Converter box for my rabbit ears on the television because we won't get cable, it seems we're still skipping along to the same old beat. Well, maybe not us on a LOCAL level, it seems we can do that (for whatever motivation we do it for, selfish or otherwise), but what we see in our day to day life is NOT what is happening with the powers that be. How's that health care coming? How's that off shore drilling coming along? How about that new nuclear power facility in your backyard? Oh sure, totally safe because we tell you it is, here, have another techno gizzy to purchase to get jizzy online with your buddies with.

Yeah yeah yeah, we are all guilty, it's just a question of your level of hypocrisy in this day and age, but when is something going to be done from the TOP DOWN? Hollywood is not the only target, let's take aim on the banks and the oil barons and the military industry too.

So okay, yes, this movie made me think, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to any and everyone. Spectacular, worthy of film discussion, although probably too heavy handed and transparent for film snobs, but a great afternoon. Will it change the world? It would be nice to think so, but I doubt it. After all, it is just a movie. And I am just a guy that likes to go to Mekong and drink a beer with my wife and friends. But as my enthusiastic kid and I were walking out of the theater, staying for the credits because damn, they needed to be recognized, I realized the greatest irony in watching this film: the 3d Glasses were not recyclable.

Best Music of 2009 - My picks of the Musical Litter

I do a little radio show on WRIR 97.3 called the Friday Breakfast Blend. It's every Friday 6-8am. Here are my picks of the 2009 Musical Litter. No runts, all healthy and worth your time!

HERE IS A PODCAST OF THE SHOW TOO!

Favorite Live Show:
Shonen Knife
@ the Plaza Bowl (w. Hot Lava, Jeff the Brotherhood and Hex Machine)
http://www.shonenknife.com/

Wow! So yeah yeah yeah, Shonen Knife is classic punk from the 80s on; I was never really much into them besides a few albums. BUT, I do so love bands from Japan, plus also them being punk and classic, I felt the obligation, and was curious to see a band that has been around so long live. After seeing the great local acts Hot Lava & Hex Machine, as well as the fantastic two piece Jeff the Brotherhood, SK took the stage in modest and matching outfit fashion. So tiny and cute, worrying they would get crushed by the crowded of fun-lovingly drunk Richmonders and creepy dudes with cameras, and then DAMN! They took it and blew the crowd away. And let me tell you it was the most crowded I had ever seen the Plaza Bowl and kudos to Community Chest for bring this act to town. The Knife totally converted me that night. I was up front by guitarist Naoko Yamano with Jared (from HL) and some poot butt gal in mock Asian wig drunk as a skunk. She eventually lost her top in a crowd surf. Shonen Knife played their power chord songs, classic and new (they have been constantly going at it for over 25 years now!) and even brought out the old drummer (and sister to Naoko) Atsuko to do a classic Fruits & Vegetables. Here are a couple of the songs they played that night, Jared & I split the play list and to quote SN: Richmond is very ROCK!



Brighton Port Authority
I think we’re gonna need a bigger boat
(Southern Fried Records)
http://www.thebrightonportauthority.com/

Norman Cook, who is better known as Fatboy Slim, creates a diverse album with a host of great and interesting singers, etc. This a terrific collaboration, and one of my favorites of 2009. Starting off with Iggy Pop covering The Monochrome Set’s “He’s Frank” with quirky and a luster that oozes irony and sentiment. Catchphrases of songs you may have heard before be it riff or otherwise really sets the pace of the album. Musical catchphrase redefined in the Fatboy way. You will hum and sing along to the Cd. It jumps the fence like a toad featuring Connan Mockasin is a true booty shaker and repetitive mantra. Or the touching emotional warmth of the song Seattle with Emmy the Great pouring out the lyrics of America in a memorable and quite beautiful way. And then the first song ever by the BPA makes it’s way on here, Toejam, featuring David Byrne (cussing!) and a rap by Dizzee Rascal, fun and funny. An album worthy of party background as well as car cruising.


Luminescent Orchestrii
Neptune’s Daughter
(Nine Mile Records)
http://www.lumii.org/

Wow, talk about feeling the gypsy roots. Luminescent Orchestrii starts their Neptune’s Daughter like gypsies entering a new town with a traditional tune amped in folk punk style, Moldavanian. They are clearly ready to con you with their sexy dirty danceable music. They are like circus musicians tantalizing you with the sauce, the elixir of another, older, mystical world. With Romanian melodies infused with exuberance and hints of funk and jazz in there too. Kombucha Monster . You really can’t go wrong with this one, especially with one of the naughtiest songs you could every play on the air, Nasty Tasty. A true theme and perhaps a classic they will be mostly known for, at least in these parts! Luminescent Orchestrii has a great way of combining the vibe of traditional Gypsy music with modern elements, fervor and style, and one of the best of 2009.



and now......

ROCK YOUR FACE OFF ROCK

Future of the Left
Travels with myself and Another
(4AD)
http://www.futureoftheleft.com/

Loud? Yes, indeed. A lot of strained screams and “yeah”s? Certainly. Dismissible? Hell no! One of the best bands out of the UK with their follow-up to their debut “Curses”, is one of the most vignettes of character oriented albums I have ever heard. Plus it just plain kicks you in the pants. Aggressive, curt in tone and a real scathing of all things, complete with a kind of pirate drunken swagger that will make you want to join in. Right when you think the spiral of wall of sound will never stop, they go all booty shake on you. One of the great, albeit quick tunes that grab you right away is “Stand by your Manatee”, a creative romp of a tune, literate and funny. (play) You find a dead guy and his letter, yet the issue you have with it is the grammer? Funny, dark, poignant. Another example of high brown lyric writing meshing with all out loud rock is “The Hope that House Built”, a political social statement as despairing as you could be, but with a clever bit of humor a la Clash or something. Another song that can’t really be played on the air, but should be heard is “You need satan more than he needs you”, with lyrics like “Yeah sure Satan rules but that doesn’t mean I can’t be practical”. Funny, ironic, a kind of poke fun at part time evilarians, I suppose. Or how evil am I holding the diapers of my child at a walmart or something. Yin/Post-Yin, is an all out assault on the absurdities of men and should be in every home to humble and align human condition positions. This record is saying something, and you should listen.



POP ROCK

The Molice
Doctor Ray
(Velour Voice)
http://www.themolice.com

Okay, so this was release in Japan at the end of last year, however, stateside had yet to see it till a few months ago. The first three songs on the album set the vibe, a hook in the lip and you will be reeled in. Take “Headphone”, gets kind of funky, definitely rocks, and a little bit of singalong-ability. This album is a quintessential pop album and must have for anyone. It is as much about the discovery of how great this band as it is about the music itself. The first one that got me into them I found their video for “Ms. Panic”, cool and sleek. Catchy tunes, immediately hooked into your eardrum. But then something else happens. Layers. Take the opening track, “White Vertigo”. Sure, you can bop your head around to the basic beat, then listen to the bass, the guitar on the backbeat, the male vocals that back Rinko and follow you to the end. Much like The Pixies redefined “pop” in the 90s in the US, The Molice have taken J-Pop back from its cloying, often annoying sugariness and made it into a rawer, more creative and interesting sound. Whether it be the seemingly sweet sound turned noisefest of Dear Change, or the straight ahead groove of Hole, there a lots of songs to love. Best pop-rock cd of the year.



WORLD AWESOMENESS

Mahala Rai Banda
Ghetto Blasters
(Asphalt-Tango Records)
http://www.myspace.com/mahalaraibandaofficial

This is a band truly to behold. The band name means “Noble Band from the Ghetto” just to let you know. Clejani musician Aurel Ionita has gathered a group of players from the Gypsy villages and Bucharest ghettos and mashed an array of delectable styles in an cd worth leaving in the player for a long time. Whether it be Ionita mumbling along emphatically to the horn lines in “Nu Mai Beau” or the emotional groove of the rhythm section at the end of “Avante Me Fante”, there is never a dull moment with Ghetto Blasters. You get a real sense of the musical skill and frolicking int eh streets king of fun with this. The horn section is about as tight as you can get, one of the tightest I have heard from a Balkan style band, take “ Zuki Zuki “ or “Ding Deng Dong” as just two examples of it. One of the greatest things about this album is the sense that you are right *there* and with them, enthralled in their energy, drinking the wine with them; that comes across perfectly here. This cd is musical craftsmanship and jam ability from the Romanian ghettoes and Balkanized for your entertainment. Not likely to be beat. Ghetto Blasters is a sound and solid album though and through, pure enjoyment, pure Gypsy party with this and the best world cd of the year.


LOCAL BAND OF THE YEAR

Color Kittens
http://www.myspace.com/thecolorkittens

Named from the Margaret Wise Brown childrens book, this band is anything but childish…well, okay maybe they don’t want to take out the Trash …. This band brings the garage blues punk flavor straight forward and makes the shoulders and head flail. They work hard as hell too, being show whores and you hafta love them for it. Need a band to play? Chances are, they’ll do it. And do it well! My band Splork played with them at Plaza Bowl last year, and while it wasn’t as packed a show as say…Shonen Knife, they played it out like it was a crowded house. And when we played, they were just as crazy for us as we were with them. Locals of the year, Color Kittens, meowing at a club near you, see them!

SO bad about updating my blog

Facebook is a bastard. Admit it. Since joining I guess about a year ago, then having everyone I know well, kind of know, have gotten to know better, barely known but glad I have, don't really want to know but somehow know more than I ever wanted, it has been really hard to keep this going. I know it just takes the drive to write, but there again, lazy bastard.

But hey, I've been busy! In between the teenager learning to drive, trying to sell the house AND buy a house, it makes for needing to gel in front of the tv or book or....Facebastard.

So, more will come I am sure, eventually, just down to the wire on the house thing.

*cross fingers*
*wishes luck*

Listening: trying to nail down my top music for 2009 for the radio show (97.3 wrir.org 6-8am Friday Breakfast Blend). The Molice, Mahala Rai Banda, & more more more, hard to say what is number one, they are all so good!

Reading: doing some homework for a trip to Williamsburg to visit my folks who are in town there soon, but on deck is the second half of Edmund Morris Teddy Roosevelt biography. Plus also, got the complete Don Martin MAD 2 Vol. set. Quite fun!

STOP SHOP DAY!

Black Friday. Listen to the podcast of my show to STOP SHOPPING!
We owe them NOTHING!
BLACK FRIDAY BREAKFAST BLEND PODCAST

Author M.T. Anderson to visit Richmond

I work in a library under the guise of a Teen Librarian and while I don't really have a degree, and the teens I do serve have not much interest in M.T. Anderson, this guy will be worth every bit of visit. He is arriving Tuesday, and speaking at Hermitage High School Wednesday at 7pm. It's free.

M.T. Anderson is probably the best author of Teen books out there. He is diverse, writing a book called Feed, about a consumer culture in the future run amok and with obscured invented language similar to A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, as well a two volume set of a wonderful and poignant story called Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation, set in America during the Revolution and the story of a slave boy educated by a torturous experimental school. His writing is important and deliberate and literate. His work often addresses the issues of today, and maybe a little overkill, but maybe not so much that as with contempt that these issues are around. For anyone who would argue that his books are too much or above teens, he would argue that teens are smart and we shouldn't give them the ride on the short bus home. Anyway, he's coming this Wednesday to speak and I highly recommend you go see him talk damnit.

Here's a sample:


Reading: books by M.T. Anderson: The two mentioned above, plus Thirsty (creepy yet funny teen vampire story), Whales on Stilts (hilarious pun induced world takeover adults are crazy story), Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware (continued story of Whales), Burger Wuss....and many more!

Listening: Great new find of a Japanese Indie Pop band called The Molice. Also, new Polysics on the way!

Mekong & the 14th Anniversary party

Without a doubt Mekong is widely considered the best Vietnamese restaurant in town. It is also widely considered to be the best place for beer! Last night was the beer event of the year.

I had arranged for L. to pick me up from Mekong, so I could drink and not have to worry about driving home. Of course that meant finding a way to get there. Everyone I thought that would go (and perhaps give me a ride) had canceled; that meant I was flying solo. That's okay, I would "cover" it like a reporter for a magazine would, going back to the days when I used to do that for Throttle and other zines for music. But it also meant Public Transportation. The thing about P.T. in a medium size town is that you are ALWAYS waiting, and often this is your view:

The bus is rarely on time and though a competent system, it is just never when nor where you need it to be.

Anyway, between two buses and mostly standing at the stops, it takes about an hour to get there . As I approached the restaurant just after 6, I could see the cars pulling in and the bodies arriving. I knew this was the beer drinking crowd. Sure there were a few people coming just for a proper dinner, but little did they know that they were about to be outnumbered. For the only room that wasn't dedicated to the party was the front. The rest was ours.

After handing in my ticket I was was funneled to the left where I received my pint glass and tee shirt. The buffet lay in wait just across the room. Mmmm, rocket shrimp, tofu curry, spring rolls, fried rice, dumplings. So much to choose from.

Speaking of choices, I had my hands full; camera bag, camera, umbrella, Me Kong t-shirt and an empty pint glass. I was beer thirsty and ready but had to unload and decide whether to hit the buffet first or fill my beautiful sky blue lettered glass with beverage. Food first, because you know the beer will never run dry if An is running the show. I dropped my umbrella off behind the bar while waiting in the food line, plated up, then head to the banquet room to make the first beer decision of the night; KWAK.

An was back there, talking, shaking hands and all smiles. Here's an aficionado clearly in his element. "Phil," he said, "You haven't put your shirt on yet!" He's referring to shirt that everyone was donning "Mekong is *heart* for beer lovers". "Getting to it!" was my reply, taking a big Kwaky sip.


As the sea of shirts continued to multiply, there was also more friendliness amongst the beer drinkers. That's the thing about avid appreciators of beer. They are all friendly with a bit of jaded humor to give them the edge you need. I first got chummy with a nice knowledgeable couple over a pint of An's homemade brew simply called "The Crazy", which looked like a mad scientist experiment with the beer being filtered through the hops.


Still had yet to see familiar faces, although I was starting to make new friends fast, talking beer and just having a good time. I needed a break from the crowd, so I stole off to the empty corner table near the stage to write some thoughts down, playing reporter role still. While writing an elderly couple came up to me and asked if they could use the table. I said sure, I'm just here writing, feel free to sit down. The husband seemed kind and apologetic for interrupting me, but the wife was on a mission. She was converting their two scotch on the rocks to their new pint glasses. As she dumped the liquor into them she spilled a bit on the tabletop and back end of a chair. Immediately and with quick action she wiped the chair off, right onto my leg. No apology from her and she was off, her husband left to thank me for the table use and once again say sorry. What a bitch was my first thought, but then any hostile emotions melted away with a swig of beer and a "ha ha beer events are funny" attitude.

Grabbing another plate of food, I next went back to the Kwak, finding a place to sit. Two younger alternative looking gals were camping out between two cooler taps and there was a chair open. I reached across the table and plopped down my plate, then worked my way around to sit. The dark haired girl's boobs were about to pop out and the blond was dubious of me from the start. Trying not to seem like creepy guy, I made small talk and we eventually had some nice smattering of conversation, although I feel they probably still felt I was a little weird. Here they are, and doesn't it look like An is dancing?


Back again, this time to the bar where some Chimay was on tap and would be the beer I would roll with most of the night. I took a temporary seat and lo and behold who shows up but the WW2 veteran who spoke of his experiences in the War at the last Mekong Beer Fest called World War Beer. He started talking me and another girl about flying 32 missions over Europe and how after entering the armed forces he had a choice to either fight in Europe or the Pacific. He chose Europe, because "the food was better, the cots were better, the whiskey was better and the women were better!" Cheers to you sir!


After he went back to his table, the girl told me how she loved hearing all those stories from older folks. We got to talking and shared what we were reading, me a Teddy Roosevelt biography, she a biography on Stalin. Then I started getting chummy with her friends and hung out there a while. One of the fellas was covering the event for RVA Magazine, I'd remembered him from the previous Mekong event, and we all toasted glasses several times. Suddenly the Flay Slayer shows up!


Just as quickly, the action was getting faster by this point, a guy from some beer magazine stood on a chair and yells for everyone who is wearing the Mekong shirt to come to the stage for a group photo. Yeah, you know it was bound to happen. The biography girl made a joke that she was going to grab her crotch like a baseball player for the photo and we all chuckled and egged her on. People gathered, laughter and whoops, and this other woman got candid and I took an impromptu snap:


Notice biography girl in the background and her baseball player pose. Hilarious! As people continued to get ready for the photo, all the photographers, amateur or otherwise, clicked and snapped. I yell, "Okay, everyone on the count of three, yell beer!" One, two, three:


BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!!!!!!!!!

Time for a bit of Terrapin while chatting with Lian, the first of the 5 brothers, and his wife.

He told me how before Mekong moved in to the building, the place was an electrical store or something. I told him they needed the whole strip mall, knock down some walls and line the place with beer. He laughed and said no, this is good, we're all like family; like everyone here at the party. It was kind of like a big fine beer drinking family! My glass was empty again, Lian led me to the banquet room, where he poured me a fine glass of delicious two year old Brasserie Dupont.


Next on deck was the band Fear no Beer, better known as Modern Groove Syndicate. Funky, jazzy and perfect for the crowd.


As the evening progressed I spent some time with Julia and David of River City Cellars fame. Great people and fun to hang with!


While in the midst of continually good inebriated conversation, I'd missed my phone call. L. was on her way and would be there in 20 minutes. Time for cake silliness, last photos and goodbyes.

Cake fun!


Posing silly.


An entirely sweaty me and An.

If there is something to said about that evening, it is that Mekong is a great place for good beer, good food and a good party. Happy Anniversary and I look forward to many more!

CHEERS and Good Times!

King of Dead ...how much?

So Michael Jackson is dead, right? Okay, well established. I go to ebay for laughs to see all the overpriced auctions on stuff. Go there and do a search on Michael Jackson. I think the most absurd is the various domain names for like 18 Grand.

Beer of Summer picture:

Vacation photos

L. has posted some vacation photos of our to Southwest Virginia and the state parks in that area. It was a lot of mountainous fun! More photos:


Wilderness Road State Park



Natural Tunnel State Park



Big Stone Gap, VA (Where there is the SW VA History Museum State Park)




Breaks Interstate Park


Reading: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Listening: The Essential Radio Birdman (1974-1978)

River City Limits

Ceci & I have a great deal of fun doing River City Limits for Richmond Indie Radio on second Saturdays:



Here we are in our 3-D Glasses...COMIN' AT YA!


Listening: The Cosmopolitans, we had member Jamie K. Sims on for the show, they are having a reunion gig in NC on August 1st.
Reading: Wyatt Earp Speaks ---yeah in a western history phase, even watching Deadwood again.

Port-O-Let Memorial Weekend fun

A great Splork show last Friday at The Triple for the River City Roller Girls.
Here are a couple of pics:




Then the next day, L & I go to D.C. . We visit my aunt, see Prairie Home Companion, and catch a Nationals game at the new stadium -- they won. A great weekend!

An amusing thing we started to do while traveling through the crazy that is NoVa traffic, is have some fun with the portable toilets that line the endless construction by the highways. The vast army of blue and gray plastic privies are known as Don's Johns and YES, they have a website. In fact, they have NBC coverage from the Obama Inauguration on there too. So my original post was to try and come up with funny slogans for advertisement for this sanitation company, but the obvious winner already speaks for itself: something to the effect of when the government needs to go, they call the best, they call Don's Johns. So anyway, here are the other slogans we came up with after see them at road construction site after road construction site, feel free to join in:

- We won't port-o-let you down.
- Moving your movement, one port-o-let at a time.
- Keeping construction on the go.
- It's everywhere they want to go.
- Slow construction ahead...doesn't mean their behind.
- Because no one like them sitting down on the job.


Reading: A Terrible Glory : Custer and the Little Bighorn by James Donovan
and an amusing urban teen book called The Exorsistah by Claudia Mair Burney.

Watching: Antiques Roadshow.

Plaza Bowl & Triple

Okay, so we played a fun show at the Plaza Bowl a couple of weeks ago. It was great! Here's a clip:



Next on the Splork-deck, The Triple as part of the River City Roller Girls benefit!

Here's the handbill:
Should be fun I know! We totally get to play with Hot Lava and some other cool bands!

Listening: Juana Molina, some of her back catalog stuff...real good. And some kick ass band called The Beautiful Mothers.

Reading: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith.
Book Club anyone? ha!

Watching: Original Twilight Zone episodes from the Volume III collection. Love when Rod Serling zips in on each episode with clever language smoking a cigarette. Very chock full of awesome-ness.

Robot nerd that I am

Being a robot collector, as well as a big Ghost in the Shell fan, I could not resist buying this Dennou Chogokin Tachikoma Ver.1.2 from Japan; a great site called Hobby Link Japan. Yes, it is cool. Here is a vid:




I know I know, dorky right? But you have to admit it is pretty kick ass and it looks swell in the display case:




Reading: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott. Makes me angry and sad.

Listening: 97.3 WRIR Richmond Independent Radio fund raising time...DONATE!!!!!!

To see it

You know, it would really be great if the Westhampton or wherever in town would show this:




And speaking of theaters, I am looking forward to going to see Hitchcock's The Birds at the Byrd on April 24th, two showings of the film at a cost of 10 bucks, which includes Wurlitzer fun and some free popcorn. Then I notice that Bow-Tie cinema is also show the Birds for their little movie and mimosa thing. Hmmm...I bet Bow-Tie is trying some sly marketing ploy, taking ideas from our local beautiful theater as well as taking money from the Foundation by offer the same old film at the same time or better yet a week earlier, hardly a coincidence dontcha think? Maybe Bow-Tie is pretty shitty after all... Kind of like Starbucks opening two locations near a local coffee shop to steal the business.... hmmmm.

Reading : Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell.

Listening: lots, but a great German (?) spazzcore band called Chung.

Tripe movie of the past

So last night, I make everyone in the house watch 1996's space invader movie, Independence Day, thinking it would be a good space action movie that the teen would like and maybe L. would enjoy since it has Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and others. I remember going to the theater to see this with a friend of mine when it first came out and thought it was a two hour wad of spittoon catchings. People cheered when the character playing the president said Nuke 'Em. WTF??!! Oh, but then the same ding dongs that cheered that suggestion also cheered when the President FIRED the slimy character that suggested it to begin with. WTF?!?! Anyway, it was a lot of cheesed out patriotic-ish tripe, though the effects were good for the time. I remember at the time that I had enjoyed Tim Burton's Mars Attacks much better, particularly for the hilarious inclusion of Tom Jones in the final shot of the movie (you know when he is with the animals like Dr. Doolittle?).



Burton's movie took the same 1950s martian invader genre nod and went in a more endearing and lasting direction.

Seeing ID last night, it felt long (I can't believe I watched the whole thing!), pompous, showboaty, and the effects are dated. I mean sure, I guess it is an OK action movie, but it has no way near the lasting great movie element it may have banner waved at the time of its release. Not including the whole "twin towers" foreshadowed reference or whatever you want to bring into it. So the question is: why did I want to watch it and why did I want to make my family watch it? I mean, I didn't really like it at the time it came out. I might have even been vehement about it. So what inspired me to see it again? Maybe it totally feels like a Sunday afternoon lounging around the house type of movie...I am sure it wasn't some kind of attempt at capturing my youth or whatever. Maybe big budget Hollywood flicks like that, even though most suck, create some kind of false pattern of recognition where you picked up on the popularity of it through some kind of consumer collective consciousness. Weird, I know, but marketing does strange things to peoples psyche, any psychologist will tell you that. Or maybe it is as simple as just recalling some of the more impressionable scenes of the movie being interesting and you just blocked out the crappy parts. Anyway, I think I might have seen it for the last time last night --at least as a rental.

So onto some weird video okay?

IMOTO vs Komodo dragon

What would YOU do if being chased by a Komodo Dragon? Damn I love Japanese television!


Reading: Manhunt: the twelve day chase for Lincoln's killer by James L. Swanson

Listening: Feed by M.T. Anderson, read the book already, reviewing for family book club, great audio! Oh, also, ordered some new music from CD Baby!

Shoes.

I know this is 2 years old, but still funny...you betch.



What I want to read right now: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith & Jane Austin. You heard me!

Twitter Testes

Could have been funnier, but still amusing.