Lollapalooza tour dates,
8/18 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center At the Waterfront
8/19 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center At the Waterfront
sweeeeet
Although I might not still be here. Getting some more interesting job prospects and might have to inquire more about them. Texas, Tennessee, Boston, Atlanta, NYC. Ohh decisions. Thought I would work here for awhile, gain some capitol, but my energy is fading and this job is becoming repetitive. It is a great job, don't get me wrong, I mean good pay, flexible hours, health, time in the morning to do this bullshit – but, i have all this energy that can't be utilized here. Hell the move itself might be better for me. i don't know

i was talking to this one girl on-line but i guess that fizzled out. It's hard for my personality to get across by using smiley faces [ :) ] probably because I refuse to use them. But now I'm talking to another girl who seems very cool and I'm just going for the friend thing right now, but also wouldn't mind a little lovin'. it's funny My mom, who works at Montco and met her there, is playing the pimp.

Is it weird that I can't get enough of this song? It was on the sample I got from Eenie Meenie records on Monday night at the Khyber.

Irving

Another great thing, in case you guys missed my blog yesterday, my home computer fuckin' died, probably a fuse or something, but I'm slightly freaking out worrying about saving 4 years of college that is saved on its hard drive.

This weekend should be boring. might see a movie tonight, VanHelsing. yea it's probably gonna be lame, but i missed out on Hell Boy and will get my nerd fixation this way (Plus I'll probably watch the Hell Boy DVD with my brother about 100 times. He freekin' loves it, but he has been a fan of the comic for some time.)

DAILY DOWNLOADS
Snowden

Victim card

Snowden covering Time of the Season, and yes I know that it is going against my rant about covers, but it’s fucking great.

Time of the Season

ELkLand

apart

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Other blogs have noticed my sight, and since I am learning as I create, I'll say Thank you to them.

Elliott Smith's father reports that a new album should come out in September or October.
Wow. As painful as it will be (especially if the album is more upbeat, as I think I've read before), I can't wait to hear this.

I'm against the idea of the Pixies reuniting, even though I WANT to see them, my heart warmed with happiness when I read this story of some guy running into Frank Black at a Starbucks. (full review)

The Pixies. December 4th. Tweeter Center.
A ticket sale date hasn't been announced yet, but it will probobly be within the next two weeks. It's weird to be buying tickets seven months in advance, but this will probobly sell out in seven minutes anyway.


Roots downloads

Ah, Spring, when a young humor writer's thoughts turn towards... James Brown? Don't ask me why, but for whatever reason, The Godfather of Soul, the Hardest Working Man in Showbiz inspires some of April's best humor writing.

MY shopping bag:
Two DVD's are the highlight of this week's releases for me. The Pixies DVD includes a 1988 live show, several promotional videos, and two documentaries, and the Kids In The Hall. i know people were not horribly impressed with Brain Candy, but I'll chalk that up to all the jokes from the series that went over their head.

Questions:
has anybody seen the ad for the special on VH1 called inside out? Where trey and dave matthews go to Africa and learn/play with tribe members? Does that title have any relationship with inside in (mike Gordan’s solo release) outside out (gordan’s movie)?

Why does every cooking show have the most masculine hosts and all home-improvement shows have the most effeminant carpenters?

Rant:
Plastic Surgery + Beauty Pageant = Uh Oh

Last night, before any bands started playing at the Khyber, the tv was showing the Swan. First of all these girls are average looking and would look good with some make-up and a little weight loss. Why is the extreem of pastic surgery always the first thing concidered? It must have something to do with Amereican society. The quickest answers are the best mentality
I also find the gratuitous shots of patients pumping iron while still in recovery from their face lifts disturbing. These poor women are on the treadmill, sweating through the bandages wrapped around their heads! Not only does it make me queasy ... it makes me feel really lazy: a paper cut is excuse enough for me to skip the gym.

Does The Swan represent a new low in reality TV? Maybe. But here are three ways to make the show even more absurd...

#1. Ambush Them
Believe it or not, some people don't realize they need cartoonishly large breasts. Why not have a camera crew force your friend out of bed in the middle of the night and strap her to an operating table against her will?

#2. Celebrities
D-list actresses should face off for May sweeps. Kathy Griffin would totally do it.

#3. Fake Doctors
The surgeons should be as inexperienced as possible. The audience would root for them and the patient. And if the result is a botched nose job? Well, that's just comic relief.

And at least use trick mirrors at the on-air reveal! Why not Punk them a little? They did just get thousands of dollars of free cosmetic surgery. Fox is missing an opportunity here.

Don't even get me started on I Want A Famous Face.

THE EXCEPTION THAT PROVES THE RULE
"War of the masses, the outcome,, disastrous / Many of the victim family save they ashes / A million names on walls engraved in plaques / Those who went back, received penalties for they acts / Another heart is torn as close ones mourn / Those who stray, niggaz get slayed on the song." - GZA on Wu-Tang's "Triumph"
Pat Tillman was no doubt a hero. His case is certainly heartbreaking, and due to his unfortunate death, the fact that he turned down millions of dollars in the NFL to risk his life in Afghanistan brings several tough issues to the forefront
Tillman's death coupled with the Tami Silicio photo story has refocused the media (for the time being) on the human toll of the war. But the fact that a professional athlete's death received major media attention does not mean that he was more of a hero than any other soldier.

The military is not a microcosm of our society. African Americans make up 12% of our population, yet 22% of the military. Numbers are similar for other minorities. Rich Americans simply do not serve in the military, and the burden too often falls to lower middle class citizens who don't have any other options. With all the talk of a possible draft, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that even the people who enlist aren't really doing it because they want to, but rather because they have to.

After 3 1/2 years of irresponsible economic policies that favor the wealthy at the expense of the poor, many have come to the conclusion the only way that they can make enough money for themselves and their families is to risk their lives in combat.

Just like the administration's other policies, this one works because the people most affected don't have much clout with the mainstream media, aren't big campaign donors, and aren't very likely to vote.

Tillman's sacrifice certainly didn't go unnoticed. But what about the rest?

I understand that every political candidate is so similar that it is hard to tell the difference, but I don’t want Bush to lead our country anymore. Kerry at least is the lesser of the two evils. I mean he at least served and now Bush’s administration is attacking HIS war record?! At least Kerry has his convictions and can stand by them. Bush was in the National Guard...

SENATOR KERRY: PLEASE USE MY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS ON THIS
Since the Kerry Campaign seems to be having some trouble answering the President's first few rounds of TV ads, here's one he can run right now:
Open with a clip from The President's press conference with him not answering the question on why he and the Vice President are going to the 9- 11. Commission together:

QUESTION: Mr. President, why are you and the vice president insisting on appearing together before the 9- 11 commission?

BUSH: because the 9-11 commission wants to ask us questions, that's why we're meeting. And I look forward to meeting with them and answering their questions.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) I was asking why you're appearing together, rather than separately, which was their request.

BUSH: Because it's a good chance for both of us to answer questions that the 9-11. commission is looking forward to asking us. And I'm looking forward to answering them.

Cut to Kerry. At first looking directly at the camera, and then continuing to speak over pictures of him from vietnam and getting medals.

"Now is the time for a president who doesn't need help answering questions and accounting for his actions. As President, I will use my time on the public stage to carefully explain my policies and engaging the American people rather than hiding behind talking points and ducking reporters.

I'm John Kerry and I approved this message because the American people deserve better leadership."

Bush has made so many examples of bad leadership that it just highlights his incompetence. WMDs? FCC regulations (if you don’t see the long term effects of his relationship with ClearChannel and the basterdization of the first amendment, then enjoy this rant while you can because it won’t be able to be around if this expands the way it could) and his Administration’s lies about 9/11;
Bush's former top counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke issued well-documented criticisms of the White House's failure to defend America, the Administration has resorted to outright lies and distortions about its record. The president himself once again tried to deflect criticism, saying "had my administration had any information that terrorists were going to attack New York City on September the 11" - a statement designed to deflect attention from the specific warnings that he personally received outlining an imminent Al Qaeda attack that could involve hijacked planes being used as missiles.

Here are other explicit lies that the Administration has told over the last few days:
LIE: National Security Adviser Condoleezza “It’s Somebody Else’s Fault” Rice claimed that Clarke "chose not to" voice his concerns about the Administration's counterterrorism policy. But Clarke sent an urgent memo to Rice in January 2001 asking for a Cabinet-level meeting about an imminent Al Qaeda attack. The White House itself admits top Bush officials rejected Clarke's request, saying they "did not need to have a formal meeting to discuss the threat."
LIE: White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan yesterday denied Clarke's charge that the president ordered the Pentagon to begin drafting plans to invade Iraq immediately after 9/11. But according to the Washington Post, "six days after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President Bush signed a 2-and-a-half-page document" that "directed the Pentagon to begin planning military options for an invasion of Iraq." This was corroborated by a September 2002 CBS News report which reported that, immediately after 9/11, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told "aides to come up with plans for striking Iraq."
By the way he helped sell those WMD to Iraq during Bush Sr. presidency
LIE: Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley denied Clarke's charge that there was an imminent domestic threat against America from Al Qaeda, saying, "All the chatter [before 9/11] was of an attack, a potential Al Qaeda attack overseas." But, according to the bipartisan Congressional report on 9/11, "In May 2001, the intelligence community obtained a report that Bin Laden supporters were planning to infiltrate the United States" to "carry out a terrorist operation using high explosives." The report "was included in an intelligence report for senior government officials in August [2001]."
AARAGH!
where’s Osama? Huh? he’s not in Iraq you dumbshit! (i can pretty much guarentee that we will capture him right around october though. what a coincidence – right near re-election time.) Oh, the war is over? far from it. we got their leader and gave them freedom, so I guess freedom=nothing? Christ, we might have to give them Saddam back just to restore something. Yes he was evil and I was for the war, but why did Bush call it a “Crusade?” a crusade? I guess his religion is oil.
Vote for Charlie
#1

you know what else I’m sick of is how scared America is. We constantly sacrifice a little bit of our freedom for the illusion of safety. The Patriot act is a great example of this.

Ok. now it's out of my system.
Paitballing was fun. an advanced waterfight with a bit of a slap if you got hit. My highlight was when I captured the flag in the Castle war. Well over 100 fighting and somehow I got inside the two story Castle without getting hit, saw the flag, dropped my gun and scrabbled up the gate onto the catwalk where the flag was tied. The ref later told me that the atacking team very rarely wins. It was a good time, but don't see how someone could get all into it.

Daily Downloads

new Sonic Youth

"Dripping Dream"

Modest Mouse

four live tracks[mp3]

ween

assorted live tracks[mp3]

DAILY DOWNLOADS
Yes!! m.c. paul barman, the Jewish rapper

cockmobster

great 80’s cover. I’m so sick of new artists making money off covering an already great song and not adding any personal expression. which is why I believe all covers should be limited to live shows. Limp Bizkut (or however the hell you spell it) I’m looking in your direction!

for those of you who like

Guided By Voices

if you don’t know who they are, and you like The Who – give a listen

classic

Sonic Youth mp3index

Flaming Lips

go to the audo tab to hear some selections

little harder than my audience(ha!) expects, but still good to listen

killrockstars.com/

THE CURE

Gurten Festival, Bern, Switzerland  07/14/95

New Philly concert announcements, with an old hippie flavor:
Jam on the River - Saturday May 29th and Sunday May 30th at Penn's Landing
Saturday: The Disco Biscuits, Karl Denson, 4 Way Street, The Breaks
Sunday: Ween, Galactic, Particle, Townhall
Simon & Garfuncle - June 12th, Wachovia Center
Primus - June 16th, Penn's Landing
I’m definatly getting tickets to MMW on the 7th!


WHERE THE MONEY IS: This is fascinating, and addictive. A geographical guide to presidential fund-raising.


David Byrne's Empire

The Onion: The song "Empire" sounds pretty direct.
David Byrne: That's a direct criticism. Oddly enough, that song was written more than four years ago, but I couldn't put it on a record. It seemed too cynical and too ironic, just too mean and harsh, despite the fact that it sounds very nice. But it seems really appropriate now. Four years ago, people would say, "We're not an empire, we would never do that, we're much more benign than that." Now, it's basically accepted.
The Onion: Lyrically, it's very deadpan. Where does the irony come in for you personally?
David Byrne: That's the problem I think I have with the song. Taken out of context, somebody else could do it, and then it wouldn't be ironic. It's totally ironic because I'm doing it, and the listener has to know that I don't mean this—and they might not. I mean, some of the lines are totally ridiculous, and nobody could really sing them and expect people to go along with it. But I've thought that about a lot of stuff and been completely wrong. Somebody could pick it up, and I'd get a call from the Monsanto Corporation, and they'd say, "We want to use this song for our new commercial. We like this song." I am really suspicious and frightened by the power of music to do that. It has the power to sway people and be completely misinterpreted, too. One example would be the political campaign that wanted to use "Born In The U.S.A."—I think it was Reagan, actually. That's because they were hearing the sound of the song, and the sound says one thing and the words say something else. That's kind of what this song does: The sound says one thing, and the words and the fact that I'm singing it say something else, which makes it really dicey.
Hear David Byrne - "Empire"
........
Can’t wait to go paintballing tommorow. hopefully the cops we are going against arrange my bruises in a nice smily-face pattern:)

Am I stuck in my own weird Groundhog Day? Every time I turn on Comedy Central that damn 100 Greatest Stand-Ups is on.

Blender's 10 Worst Songs Ever
1. "We Built This City" Starship (1985 )
2. "Achy Breaky Heart" Billy Ray Cyrus (1992)
3. "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" Wang Chung (1986)
4. "Rollin'" Limpbizkit (2000)
5. "Ice Ice Baby" Vanilla Ice (1990)
6. "The Heart of Rock & Roll" Huey Lewis & The News (1984)
7. "Don't Worry, Be Happy" Bobby McFerrin (1988)
8. "Party All the Time" Eddie Murphy (1985)
9. "American Life" Madonna (2003)
10. "Ebony and Ivory" Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder (1982)

My Worst Song selections (in no particular order, and I know that there are others but i don’t want to waste too much time creating this list)
Aqua - Barbie Girl
Air Supply - All Out of Love
Baha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out?
Billy Squier - The Stroke
Barry Manilow - Copacabana
Foreigner - I Wanna Know What Love Is
Hues Corporation - Rock The Boat
Kiss - Beth
Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy
Tony Orlando & Dawn - Tie A Yellow Ribbon

"Donnie Darko," a cult drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a disturbed teenager, is getting a new theatrical release, featuring 20 minutes of never-before-seen footage.

Newmarket Films, which released the film in 2001, is unveiling a director's cut at the Seattle Film Festival on May 29. It plans to release the film theatrically in Seattle before moving into other markets later in the summer.

The new version will also have new visual effects and music.

Daily Download
Because the Pixies reunion tour started this past week and I've been on a little Neil Young kick (maybe it's the fog), today you get... Pixies covering Neil Young. They originally did this for the Bridge, an indie-rock tribute to Neil back in 1989, but this version comes from their show in Winnipeg last week. Opening with Neil in the town he grew up in. Nice touch.

Pixies-Winterlong.mp3

The shins–why not?

Kissing The Lipless

Basement Recording
Mogwai

Mogwai_test
J. Mascis

everybody lets me down

Pitchfork interviews The Shins.Isn't it interesting how much better an interview is when an actuall conversation happens rather than reviewing or promoting a record.

24 fans may want to swing by their local funny papers show on Free Comic Book Day this July 3rd to pick up a preview of 24: One Shot, an officially licensed comic-book detailing Jack Bauer's first day at CTU, being put out by IDW Publising. There's no way to make sure you take an entire day to read the thing (it is 48 pages after all - you'd have to read pretty damn slow) nor is there any guarantee it won't suck, but it's an interesting idea and the artwork looks nice, so... The full version will be coming out later on July 30.
I've finally figured it out – this season's 24 is actually Die Hard 3. Think about it.

The Punisher is getting some truly heinous reviews. Dolph Lundgren must be feeling pretty vindicated right now.

Another day, another Wilco nugget - the press release for A Ghost Is Born has some interesting info about the making of the album, the themes on the record and the thinking behind the current lineup of the band. Note - it's a PDF so you better have Adobe Acrobat installed.

How Are We Celebrating Earth Day?

13% Cheering on Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Firestone Earth Day 500
12% Thinking locally
26% Staying away from Dad, who goes on a huge drunk every Earth Day
9% Swerving to avoid guy on recumbent bicycle
4o% Saying "Huh, no shit" when someone tells us it's Earth Day

(woo-hoo, rollovers in effect)
Daily Downloads

Pixies: 2004 shows, bittorrent links [mp3, flac]

The Cure: videos [mpg, mov]

Miles Davis: "Summertime" [mp3]

"Elliott Smith: 2003-06-06, Brooklyn, NY (mp3)" [mp3]

Bonnaroo Edition

"My Morning Jacket: 2003-06-13, Bonnaroo (shn)" [mp3]

"Neil Young: 2003-06-13, Bonnaroo (shn)" [mp3]

Flaming Lips [mp3, flac]

"The Roots: 2003-06-14, Bonnaroo (shn)" [mp3]

"Tortoise: 2003-06-13, Bonnaroo (shn)" [mp3]

wow! Just found out that MMW are playing the Kimmel Center. Just to be in the Kimmel Center is worth the price (but, I don't know how much it is... so it might not be)

This just in! PJ Harvey and Le Tigre have been added to the Lollapalooza bill. So now that makes for: Morrissey, Sonic Youth, Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips, Gomez, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the Polyphonic Spree, String Cheese Incident, PJ Harvey, Le Tigre. Ok, so how about some dates please? We know it starts on the West Coast in mid-July. When are they coming here, and where will I be at that time???

DC's HFStival lineup includes: The Offspring, Papa Roach, O.A.R., Yellowcard, Taking Back Sunday, Jay-Z, New Found Glory, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, P.O.D., Cypress Hill, The Cure, Lost Prophets, The Living End, Jimmie's Chicken Shack, Violent Femmes, and Modest Mouse. Wow, if Y100 gets some of these bands for the Feztival, I just might have to go. However, if POD is playing, I don't even care if Modest Mouse gets a three hour set, I'm not going!

How big can Wal-Mart grow? With $256 billion in sales in the year to January 31st, the firm is already the world's biggest company by that measure. Its nearest retailing rival, a French supermarket chain called Carrefour, is less than half Wal-Mart's size. In America, Wal-Mart manages nearly 3,000 giant discount stores and hypermarket “supercentres”. Abroad, it has ventured into Mexico, Britain, Japan, Canada, Germany and China, as well as making smaller investments elsewhere. Eight out of ten American households shop at Wal-Mart at least once a year. Worldwide, more than 100m customers visit Wal-Mart stores every week. Photographs circulated over the internet and purporting to come from the Exploration Rover show NASA's recent discovery of a Wal-Mart on Mars.

The mathematics of big numbers suggests that Wal-Mart's growth must slow. Amazingly, the opposite appears to be happening. In America this year, Wal-Mart intends to open some 50 new discount stores and more than 220 new supercentres, some of which will be existing stores moving to new locations. Overseas, it plans another 140 or so new stores, including relocations. This adds up to some 50m square feet of new space—even more than many of its rivals operate in total.
JEEZE!

Well this is my second blog, still working at work and working on creating roll-overs – so till I get them working I'll just post the web addresses.
Bookmark this sight to see what is going on, and those who e-mail me I can post what's happening, since we all live for the weekend. My plans are to design a list-serv on this sight where we can post our plans and opinions so our e-mails aren't crammed with so much shit and everybody's attachments are not supplied with the previous persons attachments – I hate that.

So... tonight I'm going to see The Glands at the Kyber – I got some time to waste before the show so give me a call if you have my cell number. check them out
http://velocetterecords.com/
other ideas for tonight http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/ae/
I also plan on buying tickets for the Apples in Stereo on the 26th or you can charge by phone 215.238.5888

i doubt I'll post something over the weekend so here is what's happening

On Saturday the Philadelphia Film Festival is continuing so I'll be seeing Otaku Unite! which is a revealing documentary look at the world of obsessive Japanese animation fandom which shuold be funny and fascinating. I'm not a big Jap animation fan, but if you ever saw Trekkies or like the humor of Best in Show it should be a good time. It's playing at the International house in West Philadelphia (3701 Chestnut St., University City) Also playing before is Breakfast With Hunter. Filmmaker Ewing was brave enough to spend several years on the road with the irascible Hunter S. Thompson, the uniquely explosive personality responsible for creating the "gonzo" school of journalism. starts at 2:30.
Later I should be watching the Flyers, unless my plan times conflict. where? – I don't know.

Sunday is my Brothers B-day, but since he is in NYC I doubt I'll see him, unless I get drunk again and make a spontanious decision to drive down to NYC Saturday night (again). Don't know what to get him probably a DVD like the first season of Law and Order or Monster squad (a movie we used to watch growing up. Imagine the Goonies fighting classic Horror mosters)

Political Grrr. W's Space invaders
http://www.gop.com/taxinvaders/

This is Bush's 33rd visit to his ranch since becoming president. He has
spent all or part of 233 days on his Texas ranch since taking office,
according to a tally by CBS News. Adding his 78 visits to Camp David
and his five visits to Kennebunkport, Maine, Bush has spent all or part of 500
days in office at one of his three retreats, or more than 40 percent of his
presidency.Let that sink in. With the average American earning a whopping 13 days of annual vacation time, that would add up to a tidy 52 days in a four
year period. President Bush has used nearly ten times the average vacation
time, and his term isn't even over yet. It's astounding.


In case you didn't know, the Pixies big reunion show was Tuesday night
in Minneapolis. Here's the setlist,
from Productshop NYC:
01. Bone Machine
02. Wave of Mutilation
03. U-Mass
04. Levitate Me
05. Broken Face
06. Monkey Gone To Heaven
07. Holiday Song
08. Winterlong
09. Nimrod's Song
10. La La Love You
11. Ed Is dead
12. Here Comes Your Man
13. Vamos
14. Debaser
15. Dead
16. Number 13 Baby
17. Tame
18. Gigantic
19. Gouge Away
20. Caribou
Encore:
21. Isla De Encanta
22. Velouria
23. In Heaven->Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
24. Where Is My Mind?
25. Into The White
Dang, that's nice. What's also nice is that you can get soundboard mp3s
of
the show via Bit Torrent
http://pj.sidewalkcrusaders.com/tracker/details.php?id=173
My download should be done in 3 hours, at which point I'll have more to
report.

Woah there, the new Modest Mouse album debuts at #19 on this week's
Billboard charts. That's about 101 spots higher than they have ever
been before. It must be the single Float on (which sounds like Isaac Broc
was listening to too much Robert Smith.)

Back to politics for a bit. John Kerry has revealed a $13 billion plan
to connect greater federal college tuition assitance with community
service requirements for students. Hmm, sound interesting and yet vague and
kinda lame. I don't like community service. Kerry is not impressing me right now. He is not providing any concrete alternatives to Bush's Iraq policy, and that's what this election will be decided. I understand that he voted for the war, so why can't he just come out and flat out say that he made a mistake? Bush is refusing to admit any mistakes, so why doesn't Kery trump him there? It's a great
opportunity for him. I realize that this election will be more a referendum on Bush's presidency than on Kerry as a potential president, but Kerry still
might manage to blow it. He needs to go on the offensive - now, he's just
waiting for Bush to hand the election to him. Bad move, John.