One thing I did this weekend.

One thing I did this weekend.

I have a ton of photos to go through, but this is one of the few I actually had taken of me this weekend:

Another year.

Another year.

Yup, another year older. This year has been way different than the last. I could go into some sort of self-reflective discourse here, but who really cares? So far I've had an awesome birthday, so let's just leave it at that?

I love it when The Economist tackles hip-hop.

I love it when The Economist tackles hip-hop.

You can almost hear the person that had to copy edit this piece stifling the chuckles:

The most popular rappers are brilliant entertainers. They have also done a lot to make people aware of the difficulties facing poor urban blacks. But their political views are neither particularly acute nor central to their work. Consider the hot album of the moment: "Tha Carter III" by Lil Wayne. Its central message is that if you are a rap star, you will get laid. The song "Lollipop", for example, celebrates a young lady who treats Lil Wayne as she might a lollipop.

O.K., now come to my birthday party tonight. Maybe I'll play some Lil Wayne.

Dear Barack Obama, it's still not too late to make Tankboy in '08 become a reality!

Dear Barack Obama, it's still not too late to make Tankboy in '08 become a reality!

So I am willing to accept the presidential nomination is no longer available to me -- fools -- but I can still be Vice President! I'm old enough!

O.K., my actual birthday is on Monday, but who goes out on a Monday night? Oh wait, I do ... but most of you don't. So I'm having my party at The Burlington tomorrow. No cover. Cheap drinks. And I'll be DJing with a few guests. So, the deets?

Tankboy's Birthday Bash
at
The Burlington

DJ Tankboy
with
Balthazar de Ley
June Cleavage
DJ Cowbell
Kelly D

10pm - 3am

The Burlington
3425 W Fullerton

Here is a poster Gina made to help you remember where to be tomorrow. She thinks she's super funny. For the record, I'm just old, not "freaking" old.


And Sunday is the Pride parade followed up by a BBQ and rock show at Liar's Club, so if you feel like buying me shots at midnight on my ACTUAL birthday, I'll see you there!

Hell, even if you don't wanna buy me a shot you should be there anyway.

And Monday? I'm staying at home recuperating ... and maybe taking in a movie with a small popcorn and medium soda...

Hey, we're Gotham City.

Hey, we're Gotham City.

Well, we are! if you had told young pre-teen comic book, Frank Miller-lovin' Tankboy one day he'd live in Gotham City, he probably would have wet his pants in excitement.

My final say on Exile In Guyville.

My final say on Exile In Guyville.

I wrote a response to one friend vis-à-vis Liz Phair and Guyville yesterday, and then expanded upon it for another, and realized that with a little re-working it might do a good job of summing up my feelings about the album. So I did some editing, some expanding, and now the whole thing is up at donewaiting.

Give it a read.

We're #1!

We're #1!

Chicagoist is on quite a roll this year. The Reader just released it's "Best Of Chicago" poll, and the paper's readers picked Chicagoist as their favorite local blog!

Waaaaaahoooooo!

The dangerous duo, together again!

The dangerous duo, together again!

Man it has been eons since Rudy and I DJed together, which is a shame since he was the first person I ever partnered up with in Chicago after a long stretch of years spinning solo. We created the legendary Ten56 Tuesdays together. We've had many a fine night of total mayhem together. So I'm looking forward to him joining me for this evening's edition of Bomb Squad Thursday at Liar's Club! Whoop whoop!

Huh, just heard Rudy can't spin tonight, so Evil Needle will be joining me in his place.

Oh wow, I never even realized...

Oh wow, I never even realized...

I was poking around searching for images of me online and came across this:


For comparison, here's the most recent picture of me:


I never realized just how big I had gotten before I lost all that weight! Why didn't anybody tell me?

Finally ... photos from the Sloan show, and a few more from Rehab.

Finally ... photos from the Sloan show, and a few more from Rehab.


O.K., went through a couple hundred photos and picked out a few decent ones:
Check out photos of Sloan at Double Door on Monday June 23
Check out photos of Rehab at evilOlive on Monday June 23

Maybe I should be thanking Betty the Beagle?

Maybe I should be thanking Betty the Beagle?

DeRo savaged last night's Liz Phair show, and his description hits on every single thing I was afraid might happen if I saw her try and re-create Guyville onstage. Then again, Jim can be a bit of a curmudgeon, so I'm going to wait and see what Scott has to say* before officially thanking Betty for keeping me in last night.

Regardless, it's still one of my all-time favorite albums, and no matter what her career has made her into, I still think Phair an incredibly brave artist at the time she made it.

UPDATE: Hm, after talking to other folks there last night, I think I'm not glad I didn't go. It might have tainted the album for me. I'll stick with the version i hold in my head.

*His opinions tend to hew closer to mine and we can both be a tad more forgiving from time to time. Of course we do disagree on whether the final shot in the Guyville Redux DVD of Phair exposing butt crack whilst hugging Nash is appropriate. I think there'snothing wrong with it and Scott thinks it undercuts her feminist message. But that's just an example of the type of trifling quibble that will arise between us.

A stunning statistic.

A stunning statistic.

I read this Slate piece earlier today and was going to comment on one quote in particular, but Olivia beat me to it.

Also, you may notice it is 7 p.m. and I am not at the Liz Phair show. Betty the Beagle broke out o her again while I was at work and I just can't leave her alone until I figure out how to solve this particular problem. I am supremely bummed to be missing out on the live Guyville experience, but duty calls.

They actually made me go to Rehab...

They actually made me go to Rehab...


I'm still sifting through the ons of photos I got of Sloan last night so I can put them up on Chicagoist in the next day or so. If you missed the show, you missed out. Afterward I went to Rehab at evilOlive for the first time and actually had a lot of fun! The DJs play the same stuff I was playing ten years ago, so I guess you could say it's sort of a dance rock retro type of affair with a younger crowd. maybe I should try and snag a guest spot? Looks like it could be fun.

I also learned that showing up at a dance party with a camera makes you everyone's best friend. Although there's some sort of photographer/promoter protocol I didn't know about. When I was shooting the DJs I was asked who I was shooting for because I guess some photogs will snap shots and claim them as being from some other party or sell them or something. Weird. Makes me glad I only do this as a hobby and a means of promoting cool events through here or Chicagoist. Also, through the influence of folks like Clayton / Cobrasnake / Last Night's Party, everyone has poses they strike whenever they see a flash approaching. It's actually a little weird.

I did get a few good shots, but they were all attained by hiding the camera until the second before I released the shutter. And people kept asking for my card.* Oh! And near the end of the night I ran into another photog who messed with the settings of my camera so I could shoot in the dark better. Now I just have to figure out how to set them back.

Anyway, here's a few shots. They're all un-retouched, by the way.

Oh my gawd this is SO much fun. (It was, actually.)

Stop!

Shots?

Off guard!

See? Different color settings!

More bashful!

Haughty!

Finally, Lady Friend said:
Dude, we have to go.
And stop looking at me like that.
Weirdo.

*I don't have a card.

Miniature Houdini.

Miniature Houdini.

We got home last night to discover Betty had a) escaped from her crate and b) opened my refrigerator (that was locked by TWO "child-proof" locks!) and ate EVERYTHING within. I literally have no food in my house until this weekend.

And are you ready for the part that will REALLY blow your mind? She was on a double dose of sedatives last night because when I left she still seemed a little anxious so, on doctor's orders, I gave her another half pill of her tranquilizer.

On the bright side? At least she didn't destroy my bed or my couch. I'll take a sliver lining wherever I can find it these days.

Where's Pickle?!

Where's Pickle?!

Can you spot her? She is trying to be sneaky and hide in plain sight.


Also, look who was the Tails Pet Pic of the day!

Sloooooooan!

Sloooooooan!

Last time Sloan played Double Door it was on the "greatest hits" tour and I was lucky enough to be the DJ that night. It's probably the closest I'll ever get to opening for them, even though I think my band would be a nice fit. Well, they're back in town tonight and luckily for all of us they're playing the relatively intimate Doble Door again.

I recently reviewed their excellent new album and I'm really looking forward to hearing a bunch of the new tunes intermingled with old favorites.

They are without a doubt one of the great underrated bands of the last decade or so, and seeing them in a room the size of Double Door is a) awesome and b) the sort of setting their Canadian fans would kill for to see the band in. In my opinion, this is the first real show of the Summer!

Miss it at your peril.

MP3: Sloan "I'm Not A Kid Anymore"

Jealous much?

Jealous much?

Jesus, this looks like so much fun.





Totally nabbed from Tony, who's going to see one of these hootenannys tomorrow, lucky bastard!

Wicker Douche.

Wicker Douche.

This is an excellent example of the kind of crowd at the Crystal Castles show Wednesday. Since craigslist deletes stuff after a few days, I'll quote it for posterity:

We waited in line for over two hours in the alley under the Blue Line. We were obviously so cool to know what was going on there Wednesday night.
Once we got inside, I bought you a Busch. Then I proceeded to slam it out of your hand. After the show you helped me not to look like an idiot while riding a too tall fixed gear. Contact me sometime - maybe we can go to Debonair instead. Or Chaise Lounge?

Ah yes, you were so cool you actually had to wait in line for two hours, which would never happen at Debonair/Chaise Lounge because a) they already know you b) your clothes would mark you as immediately ready for entry or c) there's never anything going on at those two places* to warrant a 2-hour wait in line?

Also, if you really love Crystal Castles that much, why didn't you just skip Double Door altogether and hit that late-night oft party instead?

*O.K., O.K., I actually don't mind Debonair, but I would never pick it over Double Door.

Decisive.

Decisive.

Due to the current gas prices, I just can't justify a trip downstate that's going to run me close to $100 in fuel alone.* So I am staying in town this weekend ... and I stayed in last night so I'm itching to do something tonight!

However I can't seem to find anything fun going on. I suppose that's natural after last week being such a whirlwind, and next week shaping up tobe the same with Sloan, Liz Phair, Bomb Squad Thursday AND my birthday party at The Burlington.

But if you know of something fun going on tonight, lemme know.

UPDATE: Found cool loft party, plans have been made!

*Doesn't being responsible suck? In the past I would have said "fuck it," spent the money, and then gone without food for the last few days before my next paycheck.

Tempted...

Tempted...

Saw an old friend's excellent band last night. He will be playing in Bloomington/Normal over the next two nights and suggested I come down there for the show tomorrow. This would put the two of us in the midst of a whole bunch of other old, weird friends. I originally had plans with my lady friend tomorrow but they have been rescheduled due to other circumstances. So now the only thing really holding me back is money ... do I have enough to afford both gas AND beer? I also guess I'm not sure where I'd stay, but that's never been a problem since someone down there always has a floor or couch I can crash on. (I would usually stay with this guy, but I know his wife just left town on vacation and he has to watch his two adorable daughters ... and me on a bender in my old college town is not anything you want kids to be near.)

In other news, I found out an hour beforehand that Chicago magazine was sending a photographer out to Liar's Club last night to shoot photos of The Bomb Squad, so I ran over there right after the show and had about a jillion shots taken of me. I was seeing spots long afterwards. And I bet not a single one of them will end up in the magazine. But maybe they will! We shall see.

In final news, I have VIP access to Taste Of Randolph tonight (read: free refreshments!) so as long as it doesn't rain maybe I'll take my lady friend there to see Frisbie. I do love those boys dearly.

End completely self-absorbed transmission.

Guttenberg Lives!

Guttenberg Lives!

So does this mean there's hope for Police Academy X?


I asked pop culture gadabout and TOC web editor Scott Smith for his take on these photos. Here's what he said.

Bands and Bomb Squad.

Bands and Bomb Squad.


My pals Spanish For 100 are playing Darkroom tonight. They're the only band on the bill so I really need you to come out and show them your love. The boys gotta buy gas somehow. Word is it might even be a free show, so if that's the case no one leaves without buying a T-shirt!

That show is early though, so you know where we're all gonna end up. You don't? What! Do I really have to spell this out for you?

It's Bomb Squad Thursday mothertrucker!

Tonight Amber Waves is joined by DJ Evil Needle to bring you a solid dose of rock, dance, and soul ... maybe spiked with a few milligrams of glam, or metal, or glam metal.

So the drill is this: start off at Darkoom, take in some awesome rock and/or roll, and then head to Liar's Club to dance to even more awesome rock and/or roll.

Do it!

The photo above is of Spanish For 100's singer Corey, and it's custom built to entice Keep to come out to the show, since he's got a thing for boys in tighty whities.

Feed the Girl Talk.

Feed the Girl Talk.


Girl Talk's Feed The Animals is available right now as a pay-what-you-want download. Get it.

UPDATE: Holy shiznit. Scott caught the Genesis sample in "Hands In The Air" and I added it to the list. I had been agonizing over having to choose between Girl Talk and Gnarls Barkly at Lollapalooza this year, but listening to this reminded me of last year's Girl Talk set at Pitchfork and how much damn fun that was.

Photo by Christos Schizas from Girl Talk's MySpace page

Guyville, No Longer With Wild Thing?

Guyville, No Longer With Wild Thing?

I'm reviewing Liz Phair's Exile In Guyville reissue for UR Chicago and got the digital version of the album a week or two ago so I could hear the bonus tracks.

I just got the physical version in the mail today since I needed that to review the DVD that's included. (Which, just from this brief bit, already looks pretty awesome.) However I noticed that the CD no longer includes the bonus track "Wild Thing," a playful rework of The Troggs tune.

I wonder what happened?

Pickle does not approve of your guilty pleasure.

Pickle does not approve of your guilty pleasure.

First, the one and only Pickle shows her disapproval.


And for what? For this. Admit it. You will love it.

MP3: Katy Perry "Hot N Cold"

Painfully funny.

Painfully funny.

I've written about my own misdeeds in this area before, and I'm willing to bet you've done the same, so let's all gather around to laugh at the following cartoon together.


Credz photogal for sending this my way

Your biweekly beagle update.

Your biweekly beagle update.


About a week ago I noticed Betty was acting a tad sluggish, and seemed to be coughing. Since I had just vaccinated her for kennel cough, i figured she might be exhibiting some symptoms due to the vaccine. She was breathing heavily at times, but it was warm, and it seemed more like panting than anything else.

Friday she suddenly started acting really lethargic when I got home from work. She would walk down stairs, but refused to walk up and I had to carry her to the apartment after each time we went out. During our walks she would occasionally stop and start to lay down. Obviously I was growing worried. It wasn't until Saturday that I really started to freak out.

Betty wouldn't eat.

Beagles in general, and Betty more so than most, LOVE eating. They will eat anything and everything. Sometimes I could swear my dog is part goat. Part goat and part extremely dexterous 4-year-old. Anyway. So the fact that she stopped showing interest in food was a huge warning sign. She ended up eating some food late Saturday, but her appetite waned again on Sunday. When she wouldn't even eat the extra chicken I grilled for her Sunday afternoon I knew that her lack of appetite wasn't just a warning sign, it was a full-blown cry for help.

So yesterday I made an emergency appointment with the vet and left at lunch time to bring her over. Since I had just replaced my debit card and am still waiting for my new one, on the way to the vet I took out about a hundred bucks in cash from the bank to cover the visit.

Once we got there the vet looked Betty over and told me she wanted to do X-rays and blood work to make sure her symptoms weren't related to any sort of heart disease. She also told me that they had discovered that the severe kennel cough that had been going around town was in fact canine influenza and had been misdiagnosed. Obviously we were hoping Betty had the flu and not something worse.

The x-rays and blood work came back and were inconclusive. Betty had a lot of liquid in one lung, which isn't good. But due to the flu outbreak the vet thought we should treat that first and see if that was the problem, since treatment is visibly effective in 2-3 days. The vet brought in three different medications to put Betty on and said she would send someone in with the bill. I went in expecting to pay maybe $120 for the office visit and whatever meds they decided she should be treated with.

Instead I was handed a bill for $500.

Obviously I didn't have enough cash so I asked if I could run to an ATM for the rest. Unfortunately, and I'm guessing this is due to my replacing my card, my daily limit on what I could withdraw still wouldn't cover the bill. Luckily I've been bringing Betty to this vet since I got her, so they believed me when I would say I'd bring the balance in tomorrow. Regardless, in the past two weeks that beagle's healthcare has consumed my entire stimulus check and then some. So much for socking away some savings or an emergency safety cushion! But what could I do? In retrospect I probably could have said no to the x-rays and blood work, but, honestly, that's only knowing what I know now. When your pup is sick and the vet tells you they need this or that test, you're going to say yes without even thinking about the cost. Dogs can't tell you where it hurts, so you have to apply a bit of diagnostic overkill from time to time to make sure of what's going on.

So there we are. Hopefully Betty does just have canine influenza, and the medication will start making her feel like her old self in a day or two. That's the best case scenario. If she's still acting like she's sick after tomorrow, we might have a much bigger problem to worry about. I'm praying that isn't the case though.

IMPORTANT TAKE-AWAY: I would add this warning, if you currently board your dog in Chicago during the day, what they thought was an outbreak of kennel cough going around is in fact a particularly nasty strain of canine influenza (one they think might have mutated from a form of equine influenza? Is that possible?).

POST-BREAKFAST UPDATE: It seems Betty did eat her food late last night -- which was actually still Sunday's breakfast -- but wouldn't eat this morning. However she did start playing with her Kong, trying to get at the meat inside, when she woke up, so I'll take that as a hopeful sign. She still won't walk up stairs, but she seemed a little more spry on her morning walk.

Top photo is Betty not feeling well, lower photo is of Pickle wondering why that beagle is getting all this attention again

At the center of all the action.

At the center of all the action.

This was the weekend of the Puerto Rican Day parade in Chicago, and I live across the street from Humboldt Park, which is where every person celebrating their love of Puerto Rico congregates for the weekend. It started building up Tuesday with cops redirecting traffic around the park, since one way folks show their pride is by driving up and down North Avenue waving flags, honking their horn, and hanging out car windows.

By Saturday my neighborhood was absolute chaos. The streets and park were filled with people, dancing, singing, blowing whistles, and generally having a blast. There was no way I was going to drive my car to The Burlington*, or ask my lady friend to come and brave the traffic to pick me up, so I hoofed it a few blocks to the bus stop. While I was waiting on the corner for the bus I drew quite a few stares since I was the only dude who wasn't Puerto Rican for about a mile around. One car even pulled over asking me what the hell I was doing there. It was actually kind of tense for a second, but when I explained I lived across from the park they said, "Oh, so you see this all the time, That's cool. You smoking Marlboro's? Can I have one?"

Things only got weirder after that. In fact, at The Burlington, I was wearing a hat! Wild. See?

*This proved somewhat prescient since it turned out Fullerton Avenue was completely closed between Western and Central Park. Personally, I think that was a bit of an overreaction on the city's part.

Flag photo by joe m500, goofy photo courtesy Melissa

An Inconvenient Truth.

An Inconvenient Truth.

I finally saw An Inconvenient Truth today. Imagine how different our world would have been had Al Gore been President. It makes me so upset that he's not.

I also finally saw Iron Man today. It wasn't quite as inspiring as Al Gore's side presentation, but it was pretty kick-ass anyway. I'm so happy when I see a comic book movie done right.

That said, there was a preview for The Spirit before Iron Man, and I'm afraid Frank Miller is going to manhandle the hell out of my favorite comic character of all time. Maybe it's just the preview, but Miller's Spirit seems devoid of the wit of Will Eisner's creation. Then again, maybe he will get it right. I hope so!

Erm, eep.

Erm, eep.

My apologies for being such a douche earlier today. I was a bit frazzled and that event sort of broke the camel's, as it was, back. I'm in a much better mood now, honest!

Petty.

Petty.

O.K., I'm pissed. I planned my birthday party at The Burlington and sent out numerous announcements for it 2 months ago. Since then I found out there's a wedding reception planned that night, which I was totally cool with since good friends only get married once. Then some of m,y fellow DJs forgot about my party and booked a gig that night. Which again was cool because once they realized their mistake they rescheduled.

Well now I found out other good friends have decided to plan their party that night as well. This sucks. Last year one of the two played a show the same night as my birthday show which split the crowd, and that was no fun.

Listen people, we come from a small community. Stop stepping on each others' toes when you're giving advance warning someone else is having an event!

Yeah, I'm pretty salty right now. usually I wouldn't rant about this, but a lot of things in the "little rock scene" are really starting to wear on me, and people's disregard for other people's plans is one of the biggies. I support the fuck out of eneryone else and expect a teensy bit of the same in return.

UPDATE: I'm still pissed, but find it hard to keep a straight face when I look at that angry baby picture. It's just so awesome.

OTHER UPDATE: Eh, I'm just being a baby ... everyone else is making a good point; the people I care about will be there, so what am I bitching about?

Totally out of character.

Totally out of character.

O.K., listen closely, because you are not going to believe what I am about to say.

Go to Cobra Lounge tonight.

Yes, my disdain for that particular bar is wide and well known. But tonight they managed to book a bill that is drawing even my reluctant ass through its doors. The last time The Assembly, The Midnight Shows, and The Assembly all played on the same bill the evening ended up in a drunken Woolworthy reunion. I don't expect that to happen this time, but the fact that all three bands have, at their core, members of one of my all-time favorite local groups ever means this is a show not to be missed. Plus I think the show is supposed to be in celebration of SuperJen's birthday or something, so maybe we'll get topless girls and besotted intersex make-out sessions. Maybe.


Also, tomorrow, Iron Man is a Five Buck Club movie so I plan on FINALLY seeing that! I know, you really wanted to know that tidbit. Hrm, must recover cool factor ... oh yeah! Go to The Burlington tomorrow for the UR Chicago June issue release party! I have a Supergrass review in there, so I'll be in attendance autographing copies. I also hear it's the Marsden twins' birthday too, so I bethca things will get pleasantly weird.

Attendance mandatory.

Attendance mandatory.

Hey, there were a bunch of photos in yesterday's RedEye from last Thursday's edition of The Bomb Squad! You can download the PDF of the full issue and you'll find all the photos on page 29. There's even one of a certain tall, blonde DJ, so my apologies for making you look at that.

So what about tonight? I'm so glad you asked! Amber Waves and I will be providing the tunes for you and yours from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., so I expect to see you at Liar's Club.


P.S. This is my second favorite picture of Herb ever.

I don't love her just because she's got a beagle on her shirt.

I don't love her just because she's got a beagle on her shirt.

Ladyhawke's new one is high on my "most anticipated albums" list. "Paris Is Burning" has been in high rotation in many of my DJ sets for months now.


Just want the tune? It's on this excellent mix.

More ads like these might actually make an impression on the American people.

More ads like this might actually make an impression on the American people.

Usually I find MoveOn.org to be a tad too histrionic, but this John Cusack ad nails it.

Man does this make me feel old.

Man does this make me feel old.

Sub Pop turns 20 this year. I don't have many regrets from past relationships, and I still love each and every one of my exes to a certain extent, but I really wish I had kept my ex-girlfriend Mindy's Sup pop "Loser" t-shirt. I loved that shirt so much.

Oh, and I thought the album was pretty cool.

FUN FACT: Mark Arm not only still records for Sub Pop with Mudhoney, he also works there as warehouse manager!

Stereogum sneaks out another tribute "album."

Stereogum sneaks out another tribute "album."

This time they get the indie kids to tackle Björk! Honestly? It ain't that good, but there are a few interesting takes on the Icelander's music. Bell's version of "It's Oh So Quiet" is particularly good.

In other news, there's a photo of me on page 29 of today's RedEye. What? No free paper stand near your house? The snag the PDF of today's whole paper.

Not feelin' it.

Not feelin' it.

Yup, today would be the sort of day where, if the world would only allow, I would stay in beg with The Beagle and curl up with a book full of someone else's words.

I take DJing VERY seriously.

I take DJing VERY seriously.

Obviously. Heh.

Shot by Chuan D. Vo for Metromix last Thursday at Liar's Club.

Catchin' up with Tankboy elsewhere online.

Catchin' up with Tankboy elsewhere online.

First of all, if you aren't reading Chicagoist daily, shame on you! But even if you are maybe you missed one or two of the album reviews I've been churning out over the past few weeks. I've finally implemented a recurring feature that allows me and the other A&E writers to do straight reviews even if the band isn't coming through Chicago anytime soon.

In the past couple weeks I've reviewed:

• Sloan
• Adam Green
• The Republic Tigers
• The Futureheads
• NESS
• The Dandy Warhols
• M83
• Radius

You should also download the latest issue of UR Chicago [PDF] for my Supergrass review (page 59 on the PDF).

You can also check out recent set lists from nights I've DJed at Liar's Club (May 22, 2008 and June 5, 2008) although I would caution they're both a little more rawk than one can usually expect from me ... but I tend to skew towards the crowd and the lists reflect what I think they were feeling. This week is just me and Lisa so I'll be able to stretch a little bit more since they're* there aren't multiple guests.

There's more out there, but those are the reads you probably shouldn't miss out on if you've been hungering for some music writing courtesy yours truly.

P.S. Isn't that picture up there awesome? No, it's not Betty, but it is an amazing similarity!

*My mother, the original grammar cop, caught this mistake and has rightly shamed me via email. Obviously it has been corrected. She can chide me since she would never repeat such a slip-up, but you can't ... you try writing without any mistakes just after waking up at 6 a.m.!

Tuesday the 10th?

Tuesday the 10th?

I just had a crazy nightmare where Major Label people and print journalists were chasing bloggers around a school trying to murder them in inventive and new ways. Wow, was that weird.

FAIL!

FAIL!

So I was headed to Photogal's to do laundry tonigh. She asked if I would pick her up at the L on the way since she takes the train home every day now. I said sure, did so, and on the way to her place she said she had a craving for McDonald's. I tend to do a pretty good job avoiding the place, but I do love their fries, so I again said sure.

We get there, placed her order, and I ordered a plain hamburger in the drive-thru lane. Upon driving away I realized I had been given a double cheeseburger with everything on it. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the cheeseburger I was cold to the touch, so even if it was meant for another customer it was in unacceptable condition.

So I turned the car around and carried the faulty order into the restaurant and asked for the manager. A woman approached me identifying herself as such, heard my complaint and said, "So you want a plain hamburger, right?" I answered yes. She came back with another order, bagged it, and handed it to me. I went to my car, pulled away, and as I unwrapped the order realized she gave me a hamburger with everything on it. By this point I was so upset there was no way I was going to turn my car around AGAIN and bring the order back to be corrected. Photogal talked me down and offered ed to make me some pasta or something. I figured that'd be O.K., and reckoned I'd at least get my laundry done.

Only once we got to Photogal's we discover that her neighbor that never does his laundry in the building has decided to just start the first of at least two loads of laundry, so I didn't even get that accomplished! At this point I decided that I just wanted to head home and nurse my indignities with some cheesy television and a cold pork chop. So here I am.

Grey and rainy seas.

Grey and rainy seas.

I can see the roof of a public library branch from my window, and it is covered in water. Why hasn't it drained? We've had a lot of rain over the last two days and everything is soggy and swollen. My living room ceiling has a leak and the drip drip drip has kept me from sleeping half the time. The other half I'm kept awake by Betty the Beagle's panting since storms tend to upset her. And since she's attuned to those sorts of things, even an approaching storm, an hour or so away, is still enough to set her off.

So I greet this Monday in a haze unlike the usual post-weekend fugue state I suffer from. So I am in need of a mental tonic. Luckily, I have found just the thing to help perk me up and send me off to work with a smile on my face and a skip in my step. Observe.


Credz Robin for the video discovery

Epically overserved.

Epically overserved.

I am actually hungover today. And covered in bruises. And kitty scratch marks (thanks Pickle!). I'd like to thank all the free booze consumed before 11 last night, and extend that thanks to a certain crew of bartenders that continued to douse me in alcohol until 4.

Owie.

UPDATE: I totally forgot I ran into the guys in The National DJing at The Burlington too. It's funny to think that I booked them in The Pontiac a few years ago, and now they're opening for R.E.M.

The most kick ass radiohead remix I've ever heard.

The most kick ass Radiohead remix I've ever heard.

Holy shit.

Beats the fuck out of CMJ samplers.

Beats the fuck out of CMJ samplers.

Do yourself a favor and download Paul's series of Mondo Salvo mixes. I held off drawing attention to these since Paul has had a tendency to adopt projects and then drop them -- which is most frustrating since he a talented writer and a gifted music critic -- but he seems to have been drawn back into the sweet pleasures of making mixtapes. Well, the closest thing we really have to mixtapes any more.

Anyway, his Mondo Salvo mixes started off as a monthly thing but now the guy, thankfully, just can't seem to stop himself from churning them out with merely weeks or days between mixes. His latest one is particularly juicy.

If you want a taste of some really great undiscovered music, along with one or two mainstream things, you'll want to subscribe to his feed.

Also, I love his visual aesthetic when it comes to the mix covers. Dude is so old school he KNOWS that the image and the mix are sometimes equally important.

DOWNLOAD: Mondo Salvo mixes

Some advice for E.M.I. on how to handle that Coldplay album leak.

Some advice for E.M.I. on how to handle that Coldplay album leak.


Dear E.M.I.,

Yeah, it sucks the new Coldplay album leaked almost three weeks before it's release date. I actually feel your pain on this one. You've done an admirable job of allowing the band to grow at their own pace and have always given them a good deal of support behind each release. You were even -- surprisingly -- forward thinking enough to let the band release their first single as a decent quality MP3 for free for a while.

And everyone knows that you're also counting on this album to "save" the company, which is silly and betrays that despite a few moves to change with the times you're still a little rusty around the joints. Regardless, a leak like this has got to hurt. I can only imagine what sort of chaos is going on in your accounting department as forecasts are rejiggered to account for the early leak.

Instead of freaking out, though, why don't you take advantage of the situation. Release the album online RIGHT NOW. People will download the fuck out of it. Remember that Coldplay actually has a loyal fanbase that responds to the group's albums, and are less likely to just download the hit single a continue on. So this is your chance to capture and capitalize on that brand loyalty. If you do it now, you still have a chance. I know you might be worried about pissing off the block and mortar retailers by doing this, but c'mon, wouldn't you rather get the sales?

Sincerely,
Tankboy

RedEye / Metromix approved.

RedEye / Metromix approved.

I make fun of the RedEye news writers and columnists* -- to their faces -- but damn if their clubs and music writers aren't some of the savvyist folks around. They picked The Bomb Squad as one of the top parties to check out this summer!

So what are you waiting for? See you tonight!

(Point of clarification, RedEye had the print version of the article, but the online home of all things RedEye and Chicago Tribune entertainment oriented is Metromix. Hence the headline. And the link.)

*Need I also remind you of the verbal beatdown they received at the hands of my Chicagoist compatriots? Oh wait, was that a mixed metaphor?

I was wrong. I can admit it.

I was wrong. I can admit it.

I've long said Americans shouldn't gripe about gas prices since we pay about half of what Europeans pay for their petrol, but it turns out I might've been wrong on that point. It turns out that Europeans actually "pay 95 cents less than Americans before taxes are levied." And the disparity in even that is explained by the weak America Dollar exchange rate used when making the comparison. So it's actually heavy taxation that makes European gasoline so expensive!

Huh. Guess I need a new tidbit to trot out at parties when talk turns to the price at the pump.

However, while the above may be true, it doesn't change the fact that American's need to change their fuel consumption habits drastically. And just imagine the reduction in our deficit if our auto fuel taxes matched the level of our neighbors across the pond!

Archival proof of the electric blue polyester 3-piece suit!

Archival proof of the electric blue polyester 3-piece suit!

O.K., that last post was a bummer, so let's take look at Tankboy circa 1995 in a suit I bought for under $5 American.

Wallflower.

Wallflower.

I know it's out of character, but this is gonna be a bit of a rant / poor me sort of thing, so feel free to skip it entirely.

I'm getting tired of folks taking me for granted.

Part of this is because most folks know me as a go-gettin' promoter / DJ dude, so when it comes time to invite guest DJs onto bills or into clubs they don't think of me, probably assuming I won't do it or that I'm already busy. This has always sort of bothered me, but recently it's begun to really bug me. One reason is that people are contacting me about playing with my band, and I realized what a good feeling that was. It's nice to know that someone wants to do something with you because they find you entertaining and like what you do. So show offers have shown me what that's like.

I've also grown tired of being the go-to guy when you need someone to provide a crowd. I don't mind doing that, but once your place gets established don't pitch me by the wayside so all your pals can DJ now that you don't need someone that promotes and has a draw. This is one reason I LOVE The Burlington -- aside from its owners being such cool cats -- since they continue to bring me in on a regular basis on weekend nights even though there's now a built in crowd. They're an excellent example of how loyalty works.

And I've grown tired of how guest DJs I've invited to spin with me over the last few years can't seem to return the favor for the most part. Again, maybe they just assume I'm already too busy, but it would be nice if they asked. Plus, I still like doing solo gigs so if you need me to cover I can do it y'know. I don't have to bring along my whole crew to every event.

And who knows? maybe I'm off base? Maybe people don't ask me in because I'm actually a terrible DJ and just don't know it? Maybe some folks just don't like me? Because I DJ with iPods nowadays folks feel like I'm cheating or something?** I smell bad? I guess that's all plausible.* If any of those are the case, then I guess I'm just blind and this griping make me look like a complete idiot and crybaby.

But if all of that is not the case, and I get overlooked simply because of my ubiquity, then remember this ... it's always nice to be asked.

*O.K., the "terrible DJ" thing probably isn't plausible or I wouldn't have been doing it this long. It's possible, but I kind of doubt it.

**This humorous view usually comes from kids DJing off iTunes on their computer. Look, I've DHed with records, CDs, and even done tape manipulation ... whatever mode you use to carry your tunes has nothing to do with your ability to craft a good mixture of song selections. And it's not even like I really play music that requires tons of beat-matching any more.

I heart Dan Savage.

I heart Dan Savage.

Dan Savage's podcast is one of my favorites and I always look forward to listening to each new episode. I primarily dig him since intellectually I'm a sexual omnivore curious to learn about how folks enjoy all flavors of the flesh, and he tackles topics from the pedestrian to the outrageous, often giving a perspective I had never considered.

But sometimes he's at his funniest and most entertaining when he just blows up at a caller. This happens with the very first call of this week's episode (Savage Love Episode 85) and I highly recommend you download and listen to it now. His reaction will resonate with you no matter what your sexual preference, trust me. If that one amuses you, tune into Savage Love Episode 21 later on.

Aw hell, just download all of the episodes! The above two are amusing, but you really should marvel at the depth of the man's understanding and the unerring aim of his advice. You'll thank me later.

Clinton finally...

Clinton finally...

...admits she's open to the VP slot on the Democratic ticket.

I think her game plan over the last few months -- led by her hammering away at the fact she can deliver "the big states" (though her understanding of "big states" has been subjective at best) -- is pretty obvious now. You have to admit that she's handled all this in such a way it's going to be interesting to see how Obama responds.

I can't say I'm surprised at all.

Almost too meta, even for me.

Almost too meta, even for me.

You all know I really enjoyed the "Pork And Beans" video, but this might just be carrying the meme thing a tad too far.

Staying out of trouble.

Staying out of trouble.

I love my ex, and I don't mean that in a creepy stalker way. We genuinely still get along terrifically, and to be honest I wasn't sure if that would be the case once we were both involved with other people. The fact that we still get along so terrifically leads me to believe we broke up for the right reasons, and that's kind of nice to know. We still meet up and grab dinner or something once a week, and she's even kind enough to let me do laundry at her place ... as long as I pay for it. Fair enough!

At the same time I think sometimes I'm a little too comfortable with my ex. For instance I was chiding her for not inviting me to the farmhouse in Michigan and she asked me what my lady friend would think of that. I admitted I hadn't thought about that, since in my head there's no weirdness involved in wanting to spend some quality time at a place I put more than a few hours of hard labor to rehab. Of course when I took a step back and thought about it I realized Photogal was right and I was being a bit self-absorbed.

Even now she's still looking after me and keeping me from getting myself into trouble!

And now, random factoids:

• I was supposed to see The Kooks last night with my lady friend, but backed out so I could spend some quality time with a certain beagle.
• I am completely clean shaven for the first time in over a decade. My chin feels naked. And the likelihood of my getting carded for smokes just shot up 90%.
• I love Ted Leo, but am unsure that a street festival is the best place to debut a slew of new material.
• Southland Tales was certainly interesting, but I can understand the backlash. You shouldn't have to read an insane amount of backstory to understand a film, but at least it all made a lot more sense when I realized it was a loose reinterpretation of the Book of Revelations.

Does Salon's Sarah Hepola read my blog?

Does Salon's Sarah Hepola read my blog?

O.K., Sarah Hepola probably doesn't read this site, but I do fine it fishy that her piece on late night texting ran mere days after I reflected upon it's perils!

Murmur!

Murmur!

Last night Betty literally started to chew through the bars of her crate, so I took her to the vet this morning to make sure she didn't do anything really damaging to herself. I gave her a lower dose of her tranquilizer than I usually do, and I guess it wasn't enough. The vet has since informed me I shouldn't worry about that since the dose I usually give her is just fine and doesn't threaten her health.

Anyway, she didn't hurt herself last night, but while the vet was checking her out she discovered a heart murmur! This is a really recent development, and one that's worrying since the vet said on a scale of 1 to 6 she'd rate Betty's murmur a 3. So not only is it pretty new, but it seems like it might be significant. Now they want me to take her to get an ultrasound, and while that ain't cheap I feel like I have to. I don't want me pup to get sick!

Oh well, so much for my stimulus check. I was really going to try and save it so I had some sort of financial safety cushion, but this is more important.

Sunshine.

Sunshine.

What a thoroughly satisfying movie. Only Danny Boyle and co. could combine science fiction, thriller / suspense, horror, and deeply emotional drama. Why did I not see this in the theaters? Clearly I am an idiot.

If you haven't seen Sunshine yet, do so now.

Next up is Southland Tales, although I enter that with great trepidation since the clerk at Blockbuster actually tried to talk me out of renting it! He really hated it, and said most people returning the movie complain when doing so. So either I'm gonna love it or I'm gonna really hate it.