Friday, April 25, 2003
Open mic went pretty well last night. A small turnout compared to the two previous, but some good talent. A dapper gent named Curtis played laid back delta blues on one of those hollow steel guitars. A Sonny Boy Williamson song and a couple of others I didn't recognize. Jennifer Young did a couple of her songs and an unaccompanied Bjork cover. She's the best singer we've had show up so far. Her voice is very natural and soulful and doesn't seem to be affected by the stage-fright from which she apparently suffers.
Ruthie, the bass-player who answered my band ad introduced herself to me after the open mic was over. She seems cool. She's coming over tomorrow with her bass.
Ruthie, the bass-player who answered my band ad introduced herself to me after the open mic was over. She seems cool. She's coming over tomorrow with her bass.
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
HOW MUCH DID THEY PAY MADISON AVE FOR THAT?
"MICROSOFT: Your potential inspires us to create the software to help you to..." WHOA, wait a minute, back up! My what? Does what? Nope, lost me there. Got any Macs?
"MICROSOFT: Your potential inspires us to create the software to help you to..." WHOA, wait a minute, back up! My what? Does what? Nope, lost me there. Got any Macs?
I went to my favorite second-hand vinyl store Autumn Leaves last week and bought "Off The Wall" by Michael Jackson, "Black and Blue" by the Stones, "Smiley Smile" by the Beach Boys and The Rutles soundtrack. Off The Wall sounds great on my Brooklyn-street-find record player. The horns are crisp and warm and the whole sound is just so spacious. I haven't listened to the Stones album yet. I don't know if it's supposed to be any good but I read a Ron Rosenbaum article in which he praised the song Memory Motel. "Smiley Smile" sounds really muddy and I don't know if it's because the pressing is bad or because my needle is old. The Rutles, of course, transcend needle damage and vinyl pressing issues. Timeless music like this cannot be restrained by mere technological shortcomings.
I hear Yo La Tengo do a rockin' version of "Cheese and Onion" in their live shows.
In the meantime the Ted Leo and the Pharmacists CD "The Tyranny of Distance" has been rockin' the Honda recently, along with "Neon Golden" by the Notwist. I want to get the new Ted Leo, but there's too much good music coming out at the moment and I just bought a bunch of stuff. Yesterday I got in the mail the new Malkmus, the new Muses plus Kristin Hersh's solo record, and "Reveille" by Deerhoof who are playing here this weekend.
The Throwing Muses CD has the most beautifully elaborate packaging I've ever seen on a CD. It unfolds to almost the size of an old fashioned LP and all the text is written in tiny letters on the spines so as not to interfere with the artwork.
On the inside of the Stephen Malkmus CD he thanks, among others, the band Endless Boogie who I saw once opening for Guided By Voices, and they were terrible. The singer resembled Derek Smalls out of Spinal Tap and their songs were interminable and monotonous. Like Status Quo at half speed. The whole crowd were looking at their watches for the last half of their set. Malkmus likes these guys?! I haven't listened to "Pig Lib" yet but let's hope SM and EB are just drinking buddies and not musical collaborators.
I hear Yo La Tengo do a rockin' version of "Cheese and Onion" in their live shows.
In the meantime the Ted Leo and the Pharmacists CD "The Tyranny of Distance" has been rockin' the Honda recently, along with "Neon Golden" by the Notwist. I want to get the new Ted Leo, but there's too much good music coming out at the moment and I just bought a bunch of stuff. Yesterday I got in the mail the new Malkmus, the new Muses plus Kristin Hersh's solo record, and "Reveille" by Deerhoof who are playing here this weekend.
The Throwing Muses CD has the most beautifully elaborate packaging I've ever seen on a CD. It unfolds to almost the size of an old fashioned LP and all the text is written in tiny letters on the spines so as not to interfere with the artwork.
On the inside of the Stephen Malkmus CD he thanks, among others, the band Endless Boogie who I saw once opening for Guided By Voices, and they were terrible. The singer resembled Derek Smalls out of Spinal Tap and their songs were interminable and monotonous. Like Status Quo at half speed. The whole crowd were looking at their watches for the last half of their set. Malkmus likes these guys?! I haven't listened to "Pig Lib" yet but let's hope SM and EB are just drinking buddies and not musical collaborators.
