Why I Try Not To Write About Music (UPDATED)

[When I originally wrote this, the Buddyhead website was down (way down), but, merely a day or two after I clicked "Post," theyre back (way back). Even with a new gossip post! It's like 2002 all over again! So, in short, THEY WIN.]


Because there are a few people that do it far better (and far less annoyingly).
If you're interested, check these out (in no particular order):
Buddyhead- the original and best. They've mellowed out (at least in terms of spending time on the internet), but have always been unstoppable. Much to the chagrin of their enemies (countless), they actually know what they are talking about and have great tast in music (I'm willing to forgive the Oasis-worship, dudes). For god's sake, they're language artists, brah.
Stereogum- All around top quality (and it's sister site, Videogum, is one of the best sites of any category, ever)
Idolator- Interesting articles, less news-reporty than Stereogum or BV.
An Aquarium Drunkard- Low post volume, but of the absolute highest quality, musically, aesthetically, and writing-wise. Stunningly good.

I know these dudes perhaps a little too well.

So read their blog: The National Hustle.
Hopefully googlers don't get it confused with the fantastic line dance "The Nashville Hustle-" which was created in the 70's after George Jones, hard up for bourbon cash, started covering Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony. The rest, as they say, is history.
As long as Matt continues to "lean" to the "left," and as long as Camo keeps his writing reminiscent of his storied Crimson Chronicle past, I will keep their blog on my link list.

2 Recent Revelations

I was watching Dave Chappelle's Block Party (again) the other day and I realized two things:

1. Lauren Hill is certainly the best female singer in modern music. Seriously- her voice is amazing, easily ahead of Beyonce (sorry Beyonce, no time to hunt-and-peck for your accent marks), Christina Aguilera (whose voice has like, zero personality), and Alicia Keys (she comes in second place, bolstered by her friendship with Jack White). However- I can't stand her! I don't know why. I love the Fugees, but she drives me nuts for some reason- maybe because she is rather nuts herself.

2. It's a serious bummer living in a world where Dave Chappelle is still in virtual hiding. I know he has/had a lot of shit on his mind- but come say hi once in a while Dave! Even an Oprah appearance would be welcome.

Things I'm Into: RIGHT NOW Edition

Apologies for the net-yelling. I wanted capitalizations, so deal with it.

Music: Blasts from the past:
The Get Up Kids (freshly reunited!)
The Descendents (RIP Frank Navetta)

Long forgotten webzines:
Suck dot com: I didnt make that a link because the site hasn't been around for years, and I didn't want to inadvertently trick anyone into clicking a porn link. I'm not sure that it is a porn link, but I'm at work and don't want to find out [edit: the site is still there! Thanks wikipedia!]. Anyways, Suck was a back-in-the-day internet site that I thought was funny in my 14.4 dialup netscape days. I was just telling Dawn how my mom was dissatisfied with me because I had a graphic from the site as my desktop on my OG computer. Anywho, it was a picture of 2 socks with a sign that said "Live Fast, Die Young." Needless to say, I don't think she (my mom) got it. "They're socks, mom!" I said. There was also a little blurb on the AV Club on how a bunch of their articles were made into a book. [Note: an (probably not) exhaustive google image search failed to retrieve said socks.]

Hating on the Weather:
Really? 94 degrees in the middle of November? Southern California, you're a dick. Just a I had decided to embrace  the whole "Christmas decorations start even more incredibly earlier" thing, it becomes July again. [Note: This was originally gonna be a "Music for Winter" post, but I need a few days of sub-70 degree weather to get back in the mood.]

Literatuuuuure:
Doris Kearns Goodwin: Team Of Rivals
The latest in my "bought-as-a-gift-for-my-stepdad-and-then-stolen-back" series. You: "Ooooh, such a topical reading choice!"

The Blog That Was The Day That Was 11/4/08

By now everyone knows that Nov. 4th was kind of a big deal- but I always knew that. Here's my day- keeping it real on a sweet b-day.
 

Awaken! Way too early!

The most crucial ingredient to any successful day- Italian Roast.


Coffee and (homemade, of course) cornbread. Desayuno de loscampeones.

First jam of the day, as told by a horribly out-of-focus phone pic. Kristin: Ahead of the game. Thanks. Exercise is horrible. Get fancy for the DMV (it did no good). Directly after I took this picture, some DMV guy walked by and said "About 1 hour from right here," and pointed at me.

Ugh. My paperwork is piling up. Fruits of labor. Even bros vote around here. The scene.

Civic duty: done.

Reward time: beastly present opening. In the box- fuzzy destruction. My lady is the raddest. [Note: There should be a picture here of Dawn and I dining at my favorite vegan restaurant , but I forgot to take one. We were getting the full hippie on.] New shoes and the finest in punditry- Stewart/Colbert. The rest of the audience: Dawn, Oliver, and Danielle. Finally on the winning team. We weren't sure, so we had to check with these evil bastards (that's Karl Rove's fat ass attempting to hold back tears). Celebrating patriotism like a Frenchman.

A fantastic end to a mostly fantastic day. Cheesecake! Aaaaaaand that's pretty much it. Sorry for the terrible formatting (thanks Blogger!) and the terrible pictures (thanks Lack of Skill!).

The Best Junk Mail Ever?

Junk Mail: my truest, in every since of the phrase, Love/Hate Relationship. Sure, it's one of the hugest ass-pains in modern society, but without it, where would we get gems like this one (allegedly from "GOPUSA Friends"):
Subject: "Chuck Norris To America: Wake Up!"
Of course, I didn't open the message, but did I really need to? Nah. It says EVERYTHING in that subject line. I love that I'm even on the (obviously purchased) mailing list for these supposed "GOPUSA Friends." It takes away the need to gloat.

I did some of my own polling.

-Chance of celebration tomorrow: 96.3%
-Chance of cheesecake tomorrow: 100%
-Chance of UPS losing my birthday present (from Dawn), finding it, and subsequently delivering it last Saturday night between 6 & 10 pm: 100%
-Chance of my day being ruined by the DMV tomorrow: 30%
-Chance of my Halloween playlist having been awesome: 100%
-Chance of Proposition 8 supporters being horrible people: 100% (This one has been independently verified. BY REASON.)
-Chance of my brother and his friends being badass and stealing "about 30" Yes on 8 signs as well as "some" Yes on 4 signs: 100%
-Chance of me being sketched out that my polling place is a residence: 75%
-Chance of rain tomorrow: 20%
-Chance of me going to the record store tomorrow: 50%
-Chance of me buying a new guitar pedal in the next month: 95%
-Chance of my Dad or Grandpa waking me up with a phone call tomorrow morning: 85%
-Chance of above, plus my Mom or Sister: 100%
-Chance of me taking my birthday off work for the first time ever (except when I called in sick to work at CCS): 100%
-Chance of me watching a music DVD tomorrow (most likely a Beatles Anthology episode, or Refused Are Fucking Dead): 70%

Norton 360 Is A Horrible Peice Of Shit

It wont let me post in response to topics on here (but I guess that's what I get for blogging from work). So this is in reference to the post below:

@Andy: I read that too, but I also read today that they we setting up a meeting, so I guess we'll see what happens. And thanks for the vote of confidence, but I doubt increase readership would have any effect on my laziness.
@Time Magazine (who I didn't attribute that quote to): Sorry, but shouldn't it be "disproven?"

I'm not a "spiritual" dude, but I've always liked this guy.

"Though he is a spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama also holds a doctorate in philosophy. He rejects anything that has been disproved by scientific inquiry and dismisses Buddhist teachings not verified by science."

And, In Other News...

-Dare I say, things are looking up for my birthday. It's weird having hope for the country. My inner ultra-negative cynic isn't totally going away though.

-On a related note, if this whole election clusterfuck turns out favorably, I'd really like to visit Washington DC. I've always wanted to go (to the Smithsonian, especially), but banished the idea from my mind about, oh, eight years ago.

-This is a pretty funny article- not only because the idea of the Chinese Democracy record is hilarious, but they put up a picture of Radiohead instead of that cornrowed, football jersey-wearing fatty. I think Axl thinks they are the same band anyway, so that may just be the picture the record company sent. It'll probably be taken down soon, and I dont know how to take a screenshot in (bleeeecccch) Windows. Check it quick!

-That is all.

Looking Forward the Recession (Depression?)

Firstly, because no one in my immediate circle is looking like they will be directly affected at the moment. And Dawn and I have a pretty good amount of job security at the moment. But I do feel for the people that screwed by bad mortgages and shady investment bankers (isn't that all of them?).
OK, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, lets get selfish:
-Less cars on the road: less traffic, less gas burned, less demand for cars and gas.
-Car makers building higher value cars, with better fuel efficiency. It's kinda nerdy, but I have a desire deep down inside to drive an all-electric Mini Cooper.
-The absolutely retarded world of the musical instrument industry will (hopefully) come to its senses. Used/vintage stuff is obscenely overpriced. Gibson is raising prices by double digit percentages while skimping on quality. As soon as people stop buying overpriced shit like brand new $5000 guitars "relic-ed" to look old, normal dudes like me that just like to make music just might become able to get some good sounding stuff at reasonable prices.
-Housing prices are plummeting. Needless to say, I would love to own a house one day. Loans will be harder to get, but that's why we pay attention to building good credit, right? Right?
-The music industry as we know it could finally be put out of its misery. Right now it's bloodied and beaten, laying on the floor of some backwater Texan chapel (only way less awesome and ass-kicking, like The Bride), waiting for Bill to come finish it/her off. [Admittedly, I was thinking that was a good analogy at the beginning, but now I realize it kinda sucks. Sorry.] I like the idea that becoming a musician isn't an automatic meal ticket for fameseekers.
-Public Works. Remember that brilliant package of borderline-socialist economic stimulus plans? No, the one that started in 1933. FDR? Keynes? Ring a bell? Yeah, The New Deal, dig it. Farm programs, WPA... Good shit could really be done, all while stimulating employment and spending. Dear Mr. Next President Who I Hope Isn't That Fascist Moron John McCain: Hook it up. Build us some roads and schools and stuff. Oh, and while your at it, subsidise the arts and artists.

Also check out this article.