Friday, May 30, 2008

Bangin' at The Burlington!

Bangin' at The Burlington!

Keep, Fagballs, and I will be spinning at The Burlington tomorrow night.

Apparently the place will be packed, so we need you there to get out back in case Keep decides to break out the Menudo.

Will Keep and 'Balls be wearing matching gym shorts?

Only one way to know for sure.

See you tomorrow.

P.S. It just might be Donna Balls' birthday too. Happy almost-birthday Donna!

Hotcha!

Hotcha!

Three Tankboy-specific facts you should know about MGMT:

  1. I heard Marsden play a track of theirs at The Burlington last (this? still?) winter and fell in love with it, rushed home, found it online, downloaded it ... and then went to work the next day and realized the CD was already in my "to-listen-to" pile. It had been sitting in that pile for months.
  2. Live, they are waaaay more proggy than you would expect, and I don't view that as a bad thing.
  3. They like sexy girls, as evidenced below.

Chilling observations and other games to play.

Chilling observations and other games to play.

I had a whole 'nother Obama vs. Hillary topic in my head when I woke up this morning -- the sort of ting to get folks all up in arm and arguing with each other -- but I just don't have the energy to type the whole thing out this morning. Maybe over the weekend?

I'll give you a head start though: The Democrat's should adopt a winner-take-all strategy for their primary system in the future, because if that was the case, Hillary would have secured the nom months ago. Now we're stuck with a presumptive candidate who keeps falling in the polls. And worse? I was at a BBQ last weekend that was populated by a rather liberal crowd, and my sneaky informal polling revealed that most of them have already made pease with the idea of a McCain presidency.

What the fuck?!

I continue to admire the idealism of Obama's supporters, and the yearning need he fulfills when it comes to the question of stepping outside of the current political quagmire, but I also can't escape the feeling we may have nominated the wrong candidate.

Man do I hope I'm wrong.

Oh, and so much for not writing about this ... I guess my thoughts raced ahead of my will.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Yet another reason to love the Swedish.

Yet another reason to love the Swedish.

This is further proof that Americans know nothing about making music videos anymore. Remember when they used to have storylines? And horses running through the woods?


It used to be that I wanted to move to England for the pop music ... but now I think I'd be pretty happy in Sweden too.

The terrorists may have already won.

The terrorists may have already won.

Really? People really think Rachael Ray wore a scarf in a Dunkin Donuts ad that offered "symbolic support for terrorism?" And Dunkin Donuts actually pulled the ad because of that?


Not even The Onion could come up with something as silly as this. Come on, people!

Text madness.

Text madness.

NOTE: I was looking for ideas this morning and was searching through unpublished drafts, and came across this one from earlier this year. All that existed of it was the first sentence, so I've tried to reconstruct the rest adopting the mindset I had at the time.

In other words if you've gotten a late night text from me lately, this post is NOT about you! Seriously. It's just a mental capture of my freewheelin' fullblown bachelor days.

Seriously, I should not be allowed to use my phone after midnight. In ye olden days late night phone shenanigans were severely limited by the fact that you, well, actually had to call the other person and you might wake them up. But now you can just text away to your little heart's delight ... sometimes accumulating a book's worth of embarrassing messages before the other person even knows you're trying to get their attention.

And let's not even discuss the booty text.

On one hand the whole texting thing makes communication and, by extension, dating easier than I remembered it being. It also makes it super easy to make plans with friends. You have no idea what's going on tonight? Mass text! Someone is sure to get back to you!

On the other hand, texting is devoid of the intimacy a simple phone call still contains. Plus, it's a written record, often recorded late at night, at a time when we might not really want to remember what we were saying. Of course the irony is that text tend to be a manifestation of our id, so the reason we might not want to remember them is because, in the end, they're ultimately true indicators of how/what we're feeling.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Happy birthday, baby.

Happy birthday, baby.

Before there was Kelly, my sweet pop tart was 100% Kylie.


Happy birthday Ms. Minogue!

MP3: Kylie Minogue "Rippin' Up The Disco"

Rockwrite.

Rockwrite.

I just finished reading Mitch Myers' The Boy Who Cried Freebird late last night, and while I thought the book as a whole was merely O.K.*, there was one really great quote held within an essay Meyers wrote about Richard Meltzer. The quote comes from Dave Marsh -- whom I've always thought was kind of a tool, but here he really nails it -- when he's asked about his own thoughts on what it's like to be a music critic. Marsh says:
People think being a rock critic is easy, well, maybe for two years. After that, you're on your mettle.
Lots of folks gripe about the rise of the critical backwash provided by too many voices vying for attention in today's online landscape. Hell, I've even complained about it in the past, and wondered what effect all these "critics" would ultimately have on the discipline of rock criticism. But Marsh gets it right ... most of these folks won't last. They can't last. I've been writing about rock and/or roll since about 1989, and it ain't always easy. After the initial rush of realizing someone is reading your opinion, for most folks there comes a point where they wonder what more they really have to say on the subject. And then there comes the realization that while someone is reading what you have to say, there's always the question if what you say actually matters to that someone.

It's at this point, and oddly it does seem to be 2-3 years in, you either realize you were meant to be writing about rock and/or roll, or whether your writing was just a component of a finite obsession with something that deeply touches a segment of your life.

In my case the answer is pretty obvious, I couldn't change the way I am if I tried. In some ways I wonder if that means I have some strange gift, or if I've been beset by an unshakable curse. Either way, I hope that by now I've at least partially proven my mettle.

* I plan on reviewing the book for Chicagoist, so that's why I don't get more deeply into its charms and misfires right now.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Essential Steinski!

Essential Steinski!

Steinski is releasing a "career retrospective" compilation today. I heard it last week and say if you're into his mixes and creations, it's worth picking up, especially since he hasn't exactly stayed put and it ranges across a couple labels.

To help raise awareness amongst the philistines, the three primary shots across the bow of pop music that Steinski helped fire are now available free of charge. I am of course speaking about the legendary three original "lessons" he constructed with Double Dee. What?! You've never heard of them?! Blasphemy!

Here, listen, now.

MP3: Double Dee & Steinski "The Payoff Mix"
MP3: Double Dee & Steinski "Lesson Two (James Brown Mix)"
MP3: Double Dee & Steinski "Lesson Three (History Of Hip Hop)"

Totally legendary.

Busypants.

Busypants.

Things should return to normal tomorrow, but until then, why don't I leave you with a song to start off your week. (Well, I hope you didn't have to work yesterday, so that's why I say it should start off your week.)

MP3: Familjen "Det Snurrar I Min Skalle"

Monday, May 26, 2008

Respite.

Respite.

Boy did I need that 3-day weekend!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

2008 is shaping up to be super awesome, musically speaking.

2008 is shaping up to be super awesome, musically speaking.

It bears repeating that this year is just stupendously, ridonkulously, incredibly terrific as far as new music is involved. Just this week I've gotten stellar discs from Sloan, The Dandy Warhols, Air Traffic, and The Futureheads!

Seriously, I get two or three really solid albums a week ... this year's year end list is going to be so difficult to winnow down to only 10 to 20 albums.

The photo of Nixon to the left there is to illustrate just how excited I am about the music scene right now.

Yeah, I'm pretty stoked.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Another sign that I am clearly rather slow on the uptake.

Another sign that I am clearly rather slow on the uptake.

So today I had a report to present. Yesterday I was joking with the account manager that I was going to call in sick today and skip the report altogether, and when I left I texted her "see u next tuesday!" just to mess with her. Get it? "I won't be in tomorrow, Monday's a holiday, so you won't see me until Tuesday." Get it?

Well, I had no idea that phrase could be taken a whole 'nother way.

Um, yeah. Luckily she knows I'm an idiot and was kind enough to explain it to me.

Bye Bob.

Bye Bob.


I loved loved loved Robert Lynn Asprin's MythAdventures series when I was a teen. And then his Thieves World series. And of course the comics both serials spawned (where I was first entranced by both Phil Foglio and Tim Sales' work. He died yesterday, and I'm sad that I'll never really know where Skeeve and Aahz will ultimately end up.

WeezerTube.

WeezerTube.

Check out the new Weezer video. I'd post it here, but the band is being lame and has removed the embed code.

Thanks to Margaret's direction we now have...



It's clever, and contains my favorite YouTube phenom (Betsy, you know who I'm talking about). The only thing that would have made it better would have been a guest appearance by OkGo ond their treadmills.

Gotta admit, the hugging the Brit Brit crybaby dude is pretty genius.

...and...SHOES!

SLAM! Duh duh duh, duh duh duh!

SLAM! Duh duh duh, duh duh duh!

Here's the video of last Saturday's alternative media slam in which Chicago takes victory, and rains down shame upon the loooosers.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Betty the Beagle: Exonerated!

Betty the Beagle: Exonerated!

This news just in!

FACT: Betty the Beagle is in doggie daycare today.

FACT: Betty the Beagle left the building at approximately 7:30 a.m. today.

FACT: A friend of mine JUST leaving the building, hours after Betty's departure, just texted me that there are a number of dogs barking in a number of apartments!

CONCLUSION: While Betty certainly does bark, I am no longer buying the story that she barks all day long when I DO leave her at home. I DO believe that she used to, but I think she's gotten past that point, at least during daylight hours. At night I can't make the mistake of not sedating her. I didn't back at the beginning of the month and greeted my brand new neighbors with the sounds of her barking madly all through the night ... thus setting her up to be the future scapegoat for any other barking. Totally my bad.

In fact I left her at home yesterday, but stopped back in on my way to work after the gym, and there was silence. Betty is making progress! I still feel the need to bring her into daycare when I know I'll be out that night, but I think I can start transitioning back to leaving her home a couple days a week.

Good job Betty!

Red Hot Chili Peppers disband! Oh wait, not really.

Red Hot Chili Peppers disband! Oh wait, not really.

How weird, especially since I was just writing about the Red Hot Chili Peppers out of the blue just last week, but NME is reporting that the band has broken up!

Naturally, a closer look at the article shows that the group has actually just decided to go on hiatus for at least a year.

Just a reminder of why it's dangerous to quote NME headlines in a news piece. You too Whit!

A Very Special Edition of Bomb Squad Thursday: Hos B4 Tankboy!

A Very Special Edition of Bomb Squad Thursday: Hos B4 Tankboy!

Tonight I'm back in the booth for Bomb Squad Thursday at Liar's Club, and this week I'm joined by the Hos Before Bros DJs. To be honest, I'm not even sure how many of the Hos Before Bros ladies I'm facing tonight. I know Lizz (Chicagoist / No Dessert For You / UR Chicago) and Marah (Touch & Go) will be there for sure, but there may be another couple DJs joining them.

Now you may ask yourself (in an oversized jacket marooned on a spartan stage) just how fair is this? Is it fair that a single man face 2-4 well versed ladies of the musical cognescetti? Both teams have deep wells from which to draw their selections, both have access to the very latest dance-inducing rock and/or roll, and both are smashingly charismatic, so is this a fair fight?

The only way to judge is to stop on by tonight!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Dandy Warhols Still Rule O.K.

Dandy Warhols Still Rule O.K.


O.K., the title is a bit misleading. I love the Dandy Warhols -- even though I refuse to admit the existence of Odditorium -- and have bought just about everything they've ever put out right down to the self-released Black Album/Come On Feel The Dandy Warhols package. I've easily spent hundred of dollars collecting import singles for unreleased tracks and remixes. But that was back in the days when that was the only way to get those tunes ... now I wold just pay 99 cents for the song I didn't have and save the other nine bucks.

So I was excited to hear the band was releasing it's latest, ...Earth to The Dandy Warhols..., under a remarkably forward-thinking subscription model. For a set price you would get the album as an immediate download, a physical CD once it was released, a screen printed poster, and any b-sides released in the next year. That is all pretty cool, right? The only problem is that they want $34.99 a year for the whole package. For me, that's pretty steep, even when you include a healthy mark-up for materials and postage, though I'm sure plenty of folks would be more than happy to pay that. Good for them.

What I think would have been a better solution would be to offer the disc and music subscription for something closer to $15-$20, even allowing a lower tier for folks that wanted to go digital only. What do you think, am I being to stingy or am I right in thinking the band might have been better off offering a variety of packages to their fans?

Either way, I'm pleased to see them making a go of it without a Major label, and commend them for at least trying something new, even if it is out of my price range for disposable income these days.*

*Due to a certain added expense, I have to be very thoughtful of where I spend my American dollars these days.

Massive amounts of music.

Massive amounts of music.

A co-worker came by my desk yesterday looking for some new music. She had asked earlier if I had a few albums she was interested in, so she could give them a listen before buying them, and when she came by to borrow them she was a bit taken aback by the stacks of CDs on the shelves next to me. I bring a lot of music to work to play in the background so I can decide what to give a closer listen to later on, and what isn't really worth writing about.

There's a lot that's not worth writing about, trust me.

I process more music than is probably healthy. This is made even more impressive -- I think -- when you consider the fact that I give just about every single album that comes to me at least once. It's a holdover from when I used to be a talent buyer since I thought any band that took the time out to send me their disc deserved an honest appraisal.

The weird side effect of this is that when someone asks me what I'm listening to, or what's really rocking my boat at any given time, it's hard for me to answer. So much stuff goes through my ears sometimes it's hard for me to recall what exactly I listened to in the car home, even if it's an album I've been playing almost non-stop. I've always sort of had this failing, even in college it was hard for me to name my favorite band of the moment, but I still do have the big touchstones readily available for recall. Bowie, Pavement, The Who, Jane's Addiction, Public Enemy ... and so on.

And, like anyone else, I go through phases. Three months ago I was constantly playing Neon Neon. Two months ago it was Walter Meego and We Are Scientists. Two weeks ago it was lots of Yelle and Lykke Li. Right now it's My Morning Jacket and The Futureheads. As you can see, the stuff I listen to most isn't always the best of what's out there, but I think that's because I attack that stuff more critically, and while I enjoy processing it, it's not necessarily the music I want to play while driving home from work or taking the bus to a DJ gig.

Sometimes I think of my brain as a well-tuned computer adept at processing music. But when the current task is done, and the preview is written, or the show has been reviewed, the album is filed away in a storage server where it can be recalled when needed but is always present to provide context for the next review.

So next time you ask me what I'm listening to, remember that, and don't make fun of me when you see my eyes squinch up and the faint whir of an overworked processor can be faintly heard in the distance as it tries to gather up an answer for you.

Enough of that, here's a track from the Headlights, whose show I preview on Chicagoist today. (If the preceding link doesn't work yet, it's because the preview isn't scheduled to go live until 11:30, so try back around then.)

MP3: Headlights "Cherry Tulips"

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Weird headspace.

Weird headspace.

It was a tiring week. I feel like last night was the first time I had the chance to rev down my motor and take a break. Sometimes my social schedule stuns even me, and when you have 23-year-olds asking you "how you do it" without collapsing it sort of drives the point home.

Here are my primary secrets behind maintaining a healthy mix of the day- and night-time worlds:
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Drink lots of water.
  • Stay away from 4 a.m. bars.
  • The 9-to-5 job always comes first.
  • Keep a painting in you attic so it can take all the abuse for you.
See, pretty simple, huh?

In other news, the Chicagoist team waked away from the 2nd Annual Alternative Media Slam with the grand prize trophy after crushing both Red Eye and Time Out Chicago. (O.K., TOC actually had me worried since that was a pretty close match, but Red Eye proved once again that the MSM (they kept trying to use their affiliation with The Trib as some sort of defense) is largely clueless when it come to both new media and yo mama jokes.) afterwards I went on the town with most of my A&E writers whereupon they got introduced to whiskey-soaked Tankboy. The evening ended at Underbar, but keeping true to my rule about 4 a.m. bars, I went outside for a smoke and ended up hopping in a cab. The aftereffects? I'm quoting my writer Marcus here:
I'm typing this at Underbar courtesy of their fabulous WiFi connection since Ali and I are still here, wondering where the hell Jim went! He was here about 16 hours ago; the last we saw of him, he was walking outside to smoke, I guess, but never came back. Poor Ali's curled up on the floor in the fetal position, rocking back and forth, muttering, "Jim will be back, Jim will be back, Jim will be back..."

Anyway, thanks again, and as soon as Jim shows back up, we'll finish our drinks, hop in a cab and get home so I can do a post on Monday.
Funny kid, huh? So sad it's all true. In my defense I did see Ali the next night at the Air Traffic show -- wow, were they surprisingly good -- that supposedly counted Johnny Depp among its attendees. If only I could have confirmed that fact and hooked her up with him, all would have been forgiven. Oh well, at least I could confirm Ali was no longer in the fetal position.

All right, I'm rambling, so I'm out. As a parting question, how about all of you? Anyone else gifted with a healthy balance between two worlds?

Photo of the victorious Chicagoist team by Alicia Choi

Monday, May 19, 2008

True, true.

True, true.

Anyone that works in the corporate world will probably find this hilarious. Especially fitting after a recent conversation with a friend at another agency who couldn't believe they had meetings to discuss what meetings they should be having.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Mawage.

Mawage.

My friends Chris and Debbie get married today, Scott and Erin got engaged yesterday ... love is in the air so Cupid keep that arrow away from my ass!

Kidding. I think congratulations are due all around.

Friday, May 16, 2008

I'm just sayin'...

I'm just sayin'...



Other things to do this weekend, besides Keep:
May 16 at Double Door: Textbook
May 16 at Cubby Bear (where I will -- amazingly -- be): The Midnight Shows
May 17 at Double Door: The Penthouse Sweets
May 17 at Hideout (YES!): 2nd Alt Media Slam / Schadenfreude Rent Party
May 18 at Double Door: DJ Schnitzel

Blogger love.

Blogger love.

So cute it makes me want to puke. Lovingly, of course.

And you know what? Since I was DJing the night they sort of had their first "date," I'm taking full credit for this. Also, I invented the internet. And hip-hop.

Weekend anthem time.

Weekend anthem time.


It's Friday. It's beautiful outside. No one wants to be indoors working today. We all know that. But here's a thought to get you through the day: after eight hours you're done for the next two days. Totally done. Relax don't do it time. But to help you get through the 8+ hours until then, enjoy this mixture of Jellyfish, Queen, and bombastic goodness from one of my new favorite groups, The Feeling.

MP3: The Feeling "Turn It Up"

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Xfm gets cute.

Xfm gets cute.

I kinda wish this sort of thing actually did happen in radio stations.



Bananas.

Bomb Squad + Jazz C*nt = Massive.

Bomb Squad + Jazz C*nt = Massive.


Tonight at Liar's Club JB and I are joined by DJ Jazz Cunt, making her disc jockeying debut!

It's been a few weeks since I was in the Bomb Squad rotation so I'm really looking forward to tonight. The weather's nice, the vibe is strong, we've got fresh new DJ blood, I've got fresh new DJ tracks ... and between Timmy and Haggerty we'll all have fresh, never ending drinks.

We kick off at 9 p.m.

Media overkill.

Media overkill.

When I saw the live taping of This American Life last year, by far my favorite part of the show was the opening anmation Ira Glass played for us that was done by Chris Ware. I love his style, and I think it fits this little story perfectly. I still haven't seen all of the Showtime episodes, but I'm pretty sure it pops up there as well.

Anyway, enjoy.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

John Kass is a dingbat.

John Kass is a dingbat.


I was about to go into a tirade about today's column from Tribune "writer" John Kass, but Margaret said it so much better than I would have.

For the record, I like Sex And The City, and last time I checked I'm not a woman who is "terrifying, rich, aging, [or] elitist."

Single bummer.

Single bummer.

I hate it* when a band releases my favorite song off their album as a single.

Why?

Because then everyone plays it and it's life in my DJ sets is severely curtailed.

And it has happened again.

Maybe it's an indicator I have good taste? Yeah, that's it! Oh well, no harm in giving you the tune now, I suppose.

MP3: Ladytron "Ghosts"

*O.K., I don't really hate it.

Save the Date: June 28, 2008

Save the Date: June 28, 2008

No I'm not getting married or anything ... but that is the day I'm holding my birthday party at The Burlington! So don't go booking your band into any shows, yourself into any DJ gigs, or plan any other parties that night.

I reckon this is puh-lenty advance notice.

Also, if you are a friend who would like to jump into a 20-minute DJ slot that night, let me know now!

Tap tap tappity tap.

Tap tap tappity tap.

I missed bingo at The Burlington last night -- thanks for listing the wrong time Nixon! -- so I didn't have a chance to beat my bingo nemesis. Next time Melissa, you're going down! And then I found out that the Local H afterparty was headed to the bar. I love Local H, but portions of their crowd freak me out. Luckily the folks that did show up were cool. And Rick Ness and JSJ popped in, and I hadn't had a chance to really chat with either in forever, so that was nice. And I saw Jen who regaled me with a story of bad dog owners causing her pooch distress, but luckily the tale had a happy ending.

Why does this all read like some testosteronerific Sex And The City diary entry? This is boring. How about some music? How about this kick-ass Arthur Lee solo track?

MP3: Arthur Lee "He Knows A Lot Of Good Woman (or Scotty's Song)"

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Rookie mistake.

Rookie mistake.

In my haste to send out an email announcing the tabling of that promoter ordinance, I neglected to hide my mailing list in the "Bcc" section ... I haven't done that in years. Sorry to every single person on my mailing list ... I'd send out an email saying so but am kind of hoping people delete them before noticing. And to those that do notice? Remember, it's not cool to steal someone else's mailing list. Especially when it's populated by friends with high profile jobs.

Ugh.

The Chicago anti-promoter ordinance must not pass.

The Chicago anti-promoter ordinance must not pass.

In Chicago they're trying to shove through a new ordinance that would force independent promoters to purchase a "promoter's license" and insure their events even if they're promoting an event in a venue that's already insured. This would put me out of the promotion business. Local blogs and fanzines would no longer be able to book a bill at Double Door or Hideout. Fundraisers would cease to exist.

And I'm just thinking of the live music community ... if this thing passes the dance scene in Chicago will basically disappear overnight.

Both Chicagoist's Marcus and Lizz have written about this situation much better than I have, and DeRo's daily updates have proven invaluable.

If you live in the city LET YOUR ALDERMAN KNOW HOW MUCH YOU DISAPPROVE OF THIS ... TODAY! RIGHT NOW! RIGHT THIS SECOND!

And be sure to mention that if they DO vote for it, they've lost YOUR vote when they run for re-election.

DO SOMETHING!

UPDATE: The Chicago "anti-promoter" ordinance has been tabled for "further research" so there will be no vote on it tomorrow. Independent promotion is safe in Chicago for now, and I think it's entirely due to the strong and immediate response from the music community.

Thank you to everyone who made their voice heard ... but let's not let this one slip into the background unnoticed again, since I'm sure our dear Mayor will try and pull whatever strings he can to get it voted on at some point in the not-to-distant future.

I've been told this is 100% sure to still come to a vote -- possibly within the next month -- so you need to keep the pressure up on your alderman!

Pictured: Alderman Gene Schulter ... chairman of the city licensing committee that hammered out this terrible idea.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Adding together two of my favorite things does not always equal success.

Adding together two of my favorite things does not always equal success.


I love The Police. And Robyn has been one of my favorite pop singers in recent years. So you would think that mixing the two would be as good as dropping a chocolate bar in my peanut butter, right? Well, maybe not. She covers "Message In A Bottle" on her latest single and, sadly, I think her choice to perform it as a near a capella guts the song of its urgency and charm. Or maybe I'm just being a curmudgeon. You be the judge.

I still think her most recent album is genius though, so let's not forget that.

MP3: Robyn "Message In A Bottle"

The new Weezer.

The new Weezer.

I've had a chance to listen to most of the new Weezer and I admit I'm pleased with the majority of it. The first five tracks are the bands strongest opening salvo since Pinkerton. In fact, the best tunes on this disc sound like Pinkerton and The Blue Album had a baby. It also comes across as the most personal Rivers Cuomo album since, here comes that name again, Pinkerton. The opening trio of "Troublemaker," "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)," and "Pork And Beans" are all ruminations of stardom, and the fourth song "Heart Songs" outlines Cuomo's development as a music fan into a full fledged musician. Things remain strong until "Thought I Knew," sung by drummer Pat Wilson Brian Bell, which is a pleasant enough song but ultimately would have been better as a b-side since it doesn't really fit in with everything else.

You can find a few of the new songs online yourself, if you just poke around a little. Overall I'm pretty stoked for this album. I've been a fan since first buying The Blue Album in Normal, IL from Appletree Records when I was a wee college boy in the early '90s, and like most Weezer fans, my patience ha been tested by the band's later output (even I can't make any plausible excuses for most of Make Believe anymore), so I'm pleased to see the band finally deliver another strong album. Finally!

UPDATE: They've pushed the release date up from June 24 to June 3. Yay!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

I may be an idiot, but there are some things I know with great certainty.

I may be an idiot, but there are some things I know with great certainty.

I might wake up in the A.M. sometimes going, "what the hell happened last night?" but there is one thing I know that is always true. And that thing is ... my mom is awesome.

Friday, May 09, 2008

What a warped little tune.

What a warped little tune.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Warped" came on at the gym yesterday and I guess I never realized just what a weird little hybrid of a song it is. It came from the single album with Dave Navarro on guitar, and it sounds a LOT like Jane's Addiction, only I didn't really think so at the time. Especially the little chorus nits with the cascading guitar lines. And of course the solo.

The really insane thing is that the album it appeared on, One Hot Minute, directly following Blood Sugar Sex Magic, a disc that finally broke the band into the mainstream. Previously the group was better known to skaters, delinquents, and malcontents (like me), and while I don't think anyone begrudged them finally hitting the big payday, it quickly grew pretty uncool to like the band anymore.

And then they release this mindfuck of an album, running in the almost complete opposite direction from anything even remotely resembling a "hit." One could almost argue that this is more an L.A. / Hollywood album than any of their previous stuff, since it's easily the most twisted c0llection in their oeuvre. (And don't even get me started on the b-side "Stretch," but let's just say the boys were finally letting go of any residual homophobia that might have clouded their earlier career.)

Of course the boys dumped Dave after the disappointing performance of Red Hot Minute and ran straight back into the arms of Rick Rubin to create a string of albums that turned the band into superstars worshiped by everyone from frat boys, to yuppie moms, to tweenagers of all stripes. Again, I don't begrudge them the success, but I've always been a little curious as to what would have happened had they continued down the dark alleyways of their soul instead of falling back into that easy Californian funk rock pop groove.

M4A: The Red Hot CHili Peppers "Warped"

Hixx is going to squeal with glee at this one.

Hixx is going to squeal with glee at this one.

Sorry Hillary, it's over.

It's true, I am now officially endorsing Obama.

I'm still not convinced he can win the big one -- especially after seeing John McCain actually be somewhat self-deprecating and charming on the Daily Show the other night -- but I'll do whatever I can to help him out.

And I'm crossing all my fingers.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Gapers Block versus Chicagoist at The Burlington.

Gapers Block versus Chicagoist at The Burlington.

Lauri Apple of Gapers Block asked me a while ago if I'd be interested in representing Chicagoist in a DJ battle against her / Gapers Block at The Burlington tonight. Naturally I accepted the challenge without a second thought.

I believe we'll be splitting the evening into five musical themes with each of us allotted 30 minutes to outdo the other, or something like that. I'll have free stuff from Chicagoist and she'll have GB swag, so hopefully no one has to leave empty handed. Also, I am not above bribing patrons with free CDs in exchange for their vote.

We'll kick off the battle royale at 9 p.m. See you then!


The themes? I believe they are:
  1. Dancey Dance
  2. Soul / Funk
  3. Old Rock
  4. Crap / Weird
  5. Mixx

I think I have number four in the bag.

Flyer by Gina Knapik

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Early warning ... clear tomorrow evening!

Early warning ... clear tomorrow evening!

More on this tomorrow, but you're going to want to be there.


Flyer by Lauri Apple

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

American Anthems.

American Anthems.

I met the guys in The Milwaukees years ago through Woolworthy. I can't remember if the bands shared a label, or if they had toured together, or what, but I've kept in touch with The Milwaukees -- who are actually located in New Jersey -- over the years. There last album was titled American Anthems Vol. 1 and it was a raucous dose of rock and/or roll Minneapolis stylee -- yes, I'm just going totally location name-happy here -- that got a couple spins on the tankPOD.*

Anyway, I featured the band in Chicagoist last year when they went on a "living room" tour. The band booked acoustic shows in fans' houses and just hopped from city to city. It underscored one of the reasons I really dig the boys, aside from the hooks of course, since they go out of their way to get the word out and get in touch with folks kind enough to give their songs a chance.

Today they just told me they're now offering all of American Anthems Vol. 1 as a free download from their website. (Wonder if Reznor gave them a pep talk or something?) So I'm pleased to pass this info on to you. If you enjoy pop rock stuff, or that Replacements / Soul Asylum vibe, I recommend you expend a little bandwidth to snag to album.

DOWNLOAD: The Milwaukees - American Anthems Vol.1

*Getting more than two plays on the tankPOD is pretty impressive when one considers the sheer volume of music I have to listen to daily just to keep up with things.

Panderer's Box!

Panderer's Box!

Colbert killed me last week, and last night it was Stewart's turn to hit a rather hilariously sad nerve. Oh Hillary, what happened. Pay close attention to the video from 5:01 to the end ... he nails it.

Ah, the Beagle.

Ah, the Beagle.

So I thought everything was going swimmingly with Betty the Beagle. I was leaving her home a few days a week and none of my neighbors had complained about her. I was even cutting her tranquilizer dose in half since she seemed to be mellowing out when I was out at night, and Thursday I decided to not even give her half a dose. I thought things were going great!

Litle Betty the Beagle hides under the bed!Well, kind of.

A week ago I did a test run where I left her out of the crate during the day only to arrive home and find my brand new comforter had been shredded and my new fitted sheet had been ripped. Luckily I've outfitted the refrigerator with a lock or I'm sure it's contents would have been decimated as well. Lesson learned.

Then, last Thursday, when I didn't giver her the tranquilizer she decided to bark all night long while I was out. I got a call from my landlord the next day saying he'd gotten numerous complaints and some new tenants were literally going crazy because they said Betty was barking all the time. Who could blame them? So I freaked. I figured zero progress had been made and this drove me into a funk. I also couldn't figure out why, if she had been barking all day the last few weeks when I left her home, no one had told me.

Then I realized the new tenants that said Betty was "always barking" had just moved in and had probably been in the building less than a day or two ... and Betty was in daycare all Friday ... so I think they were referring to her barking Thursday night! So maybe she is making progress? I know some folks in the building who have said Betty barks for a while after I leave, but then she chills out, and it's nothing like it was when I moved in. So can I leave her home some days? I don't know at this point. Considering her barking DEFINITELY got her off on a bad foot (paw?) with the new tenants I'm going to err on the side of caution and keep her out of the house during the day for at least the next week.

So I guess this ends up being a sort of confusing update because I don't know how much progress Betty has actually made. I know for a fact when I've left her home to run a short errand and I've been back within 20 minutes she has already stopped barking by then, so I'm going to say I think she has made progress. Geez, I sure hope so.

Poor little pooch!

Monday, May 05, 2008

For once I have no problem being used as a marketing tool.

For once I have no problem being used as a marketing tool.

Why? Because I'm as stoked as an eight-year-old amped up on Pixie Stix to see this movie.

Nine Inch Nails ... I called it!

Nine Inch Nails ... I called it!

As I predicted, Nine Inch Nails have released their new album The Slip, via download, and entirely free.

I'm still waiting on my download code (it's been about 2 hours since I submitted my email to get said code) but I'm guessing that's to be expected since they're servers are probably going absolutely bonkers right now.

Trent Reznor is, so far, the only truly high profile artist to actually be leveraging the Internet in a way that actually pushes and tests the boundaries of the industry.

UPDATE: No sooner did I type the above than the link showed up ... and man is it a FAST download!

Overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed.

My body is rested but my mind is not. I took Friday off as a gift to myself, an unexpected three-day weekend, but while I certainly caught up on my sleep, the pulling and nagging at the strings around the perimeter of my brain hasn't subsided much. I can't figure out what the source of this mental decomposition is.

Maybe it's the weather's refusal to just repel all the remaining cold to finally definitely usher in the Spring? Maybe it's the residual ripples of readjusting to living in an apartment on my own? Maybe it's the extra $400 a month ($4,800 a year!) spent on Betty's daycare that is making it near impossible to keep ends meeting that's doing it? Maybe it's the feeling that I never have enough time to stop and relax long enough to actually read a single book all the way through; instead I keep munching and snapping at bits and pieces of novels, trying to fit them in amongst the never ending stream of RSS feeds, magazines, and newspapers?

It's probably all of the above, and more. I know there are lots of positives I should be reflecting on to turn back this dark tide: job, relationships, the band, my music and entertainment writing, DJing, Betty getting snuggly next to me on the couch, Pickle just generally being an adorable kitten ... but it's Monday, I just woke up after a late-night bout of insomnia, and I just don't feel like exerting the effort to actually replace the blahs with the smiley-er moments I should be stuffing my brain full of this morning.

The funny thing is that by the time you actually get up and read this, I'll probably already have eaten, dropped off Betty, gone to the gym, and settled in at my desk at work, and by then my mood will probably have improved considerably, and the usual optimism I try to employ in my day-to-day living will have settled back into place, and I'll already have started to find ways to solve the problems and worries that plague me and shroud my mood at this very second. The darkness won't be eradicated but I'll have already started doing what people just have to do and figure out how to deal with it.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Beagle update postponed.

Beagle update postponed.

I was going to catch you up on Betty the Beagle's progress today, but last night was the first time I've been to The Continental (other than DJing) in the new year, so my brain is mush.

See you at The Lemonheads/Midnight Juggernauts tonight.

Thursday, May 01, 2008

The Note ... it was good to me.

The Note ... it was good to me.

It was almost ten years ago I accepted the job as talent buyer at The Note, with my only condition being that I be allowed book rock bands and phase out the jazz, swing, and funk bands. No offense to any of those genres, it just wasn't what I wanted to book 7 nights a week. In fact it was at The Note that I met the guys I'm currently in a band with, although it took them about seven years to pick my drum sticks back up.

I left The Note after a few years but was pleased to see that the establishment stuck with the rock, and I was even more pleased when MPShows took over booking duties.

I'm sad to hear The Note is closing it's doors to remodel sans live music, but hey, times change. However, I couldn't let the place close without playing there at least once ... so I put together a show for tonight with a couple of friends for our personal send-off. Come on by. Afterwards we're all heading to Liar's Club for Bomb Squad Thursday too, so make a night of it.

Thursday May 1 at The Note

Black Nag
America's #1 Sweetheart
Lasers and Fast and Shit

Doors: 9pm
Show: 10pm