Keeping up with Sarah

Listening to the Wrong Band

Many years ago a friend and I went to see the Dead Kennedys, with Mojo Nixon the opening act at the Stone Pony, in Asbury Park. We were very excited about the show, which involved a two hour drive in either direction. On the way down we listened to London Calling.

After the show which was very enjoyable, a little rough, that was back in the day when a slam dancing actually had some sort of meaning, my friend said to me, "Yeah, it was okay, but I kept wishing they were The Clash."

So, I'm going to see The Flaming Lips on Saturday, and while I should be doing my homework, I'm obsessing over The Sunlandic Twins, by Of Montreal.

If I don't do something about my Of Montreal obsession, I'm going to be sorely underwhelmed on Saturday.

Good writing about music

For all my music obsessing friends out there, and you all are legion, I seem to have you in scads. Why oh why can't I have some yacht-owning obsessing friends, or ski-house owning obsessing friends. No, my friends put their money first into LPs, then 8-track, then cassette, then CDs (no, not the money kind) and finally mp3s.

Read this column about the 50 most influential albums of rock in The Washington City Paper. Not BEST, most influential.

What Goes On
From the list:
"Cream, Wheels of Fire (1968). Our blues isn't authentic enough for you? What if we play it harder, louder, and much, much longer? An essential precursor of arena rock and a fakebook of bombastic gestures that's still consulted today."

Brooklyn Funk Essentials sneer, "You think it's cool to have an alternative view."

Well, in an uptight city like DC, it is.

The culcha of lipsyncing

From Paul Boutin's weblog, please link below for an a read on the new lip sync home video phenomenon. It reminds me of the beginning of karaoke. And way back in the day when people learned to play the piano at home so they could have their friends stand around and sing pop songs.

The History of the Video Lip Sync.

The Problem with Pandora

Have you used Pandora yet? It's pretty fun. Pick a musician you enjoy, tell it, and it tries to come up with other musicians you'll enjoy.

It does some pretty funny stuff. Today I've been listening to "Buzzcocks" radio. It's played a lot of The Jam, Stiff Little Fingers, Clash, Dead Kennedys, Replacements. It's got it right.

So then I try a new station, "The Shins" radio. It gives me some stuff I really like: Ryan Adams, Michael Zapruder, Blue October, The Church, and then it plays "Can You Imagine" by Yes.

Eww.

What Supports my Cousin's Family

You know the saying, "Think global, buy local." I would encourage you to ask yourself, "Does anyone I know profit from the purchase of X?"

My cousin, well Shabbir's really, manufactures cotton knit goods for Steve & Barry's. Next time you feel the need to go buy a Harvard Hoodie, remember you can buy one and insure that someone we love has fed his family.

State of Mind

No Time to Cry - The Sisters of Mercy
Listening to this while I procrastinate from writing papers and instead do laundry and write blog entries.

Dogs are paperweights. More on that later.

The Edward Gorey of Piano Jazz

I've got nothing to stay. Except that she's good.

An Update to the History of Glam

Is Glam rock the bastard child of Trinadian culture? Mike Quashie, The Limbo King, could be its true founding father. Lou Reed thinks so.

"Mike Quashie should be a millionaire several times over," Mr. Reed said. "Between his Spider King act and the fire swallowing, he originated so much of what you see today as far as glam rock and costumes go. A lot of people stole it from him, and off they went. And Mike Quashie never got paid back."

See New York Times article attached.

All The Young Glam

We watched Velvet Goldmine and are now obsessing over Glam Rock and its parents and children. Here are some good links to sources of history:

British Glam (no mention of anything American, so particularly biased)

What I thought was true, and as the site says, was pooh poohed by my so-called knowledgeable friends: Yes Virginia, Glam did influence Hair metal.

This site is great for info on The New York Dolls, Iggy and The Stooges, Bowie, Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, MC5, and so on.

Safdar Radio is featuring glam for the next little while.

Jazz as Modern Art

This is merely a link. This follow article has made me switch the radio station over to all jazz and listen deeply. Jazz as Modern Art