Bad

I’m disappointed about Michael Jackson’s death. I’ve always hoped he would have a comeback.

For all his problems, his music was incredible. This is a music-focused memoriam.

The Majesty of Rock, the Pageantry of Roll

I said I was going to do it, and I did it.  I attended Unwigged and Unplugged based on this blog’s recommendation.  It did not disappoint.

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the movie “This is Spinal Tap” which is an iconic cult classic that ushered in a new genre, The Mocumentary, and IRF’s collective favorite film, the great unifier that brought us all together, Waiting for Guffman.  These movies aren’t for everyone, as the humor is dry, and well, smart.  Joe Miller describes this as having a high HIQ.  Well, as we all know, “you find people.  You FIND them” and I found people that share the same appreciation that I do. So my friend and I bought tickets to see Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest, live in the Oakland Paramount Theatre.

This is Spinal Tap is a mocumentary that chronicals the ’80′s rock band, Spinal Tap, often called the loudest band on Earth.  Christopher Guest, plays lead Guitarist, Nigel Tufnel and this scene describes him better than I ever could :

Some of my favorite Spinal Tap lyrics:

The majesty of rock, the pageantry of roll, the crowing of the cock, the running of the foal, the shepherd with his flock, the miner with his coal.

Big bottom, big bottom, talk about mud flaps, my girl’s got ‘em.

You’ve still got your baby teeth.

In the show, they also showed this special youtube tribute someone else made to Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You:

Now the band didn’t only represent Spinal Tap, as they did come back in a Mocumentary about Folk Music called “A Mighty Wind”.  And the threw me a bone by performing the song from the Waiting For Guffman Outtakes, “This Bulging River,” which may be one of my favorite parts of the movie .  All in all the night was a success.  Upon telling Joe Miller about my concert, he replied, “I don’t care about trivial things like how you’re doing, all I want to know is, did they play Hell Hole?”  My response was in Joe and my common language, “Guffmanese” as I said, “ello, ow are oo?  ave you been to ‘artford?”  (Joe, clearly understood that this meant they opened with it).

I wish each and every one of you could have been with me for this special evening.  You were in my heart.

PS – I did procure a new baseball shirt with Spinal Tap across the front and the number on the back?  11.  (Because it’s one louder.)

Bloody Fantastic

Susan Boyle, the new hero of the “misunderestimated.” Go get ‘em, tiger.

Here’s the link since the video embedding’s been disabled.

Business Time

The Flight of the Conchords is great.  Enjoy this video of “Business Time”

Christmas Time Again

Merry Christmas!  I hope you enjoy this little gem by ’80s rock sensation, Extreme:

Meltdown

Once again, the Chicago Cubs choked in the post season.  Am I disappointed?  Absolutely?  Am I surprised?  Not really.  I’m used to it.  Part of being a Cubs fan is accepting the curse.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the ways of the Cubs, let me explain the Curse.  First of all, the Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908.  The Cubs enjoyed success until 1945.  The Cubs were in the World series playing the Detroit Tigers.  The owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, a Greek Immigrant named Billy Sianis, bought two tickets.  One for himself, and one for his Billy Goat, Murphy.  Upon entering the park, people were complaining about the smell, and Mr. Sianis appealed to the owner of the Cubs, P.K. Wrigley, who ordered that the goat was not welcome.  At this point, Billy Sianis, RAISED HIS ARMS and pronounced this curse:  “The Cubs ain’t gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field.” The Cubs choked in that World Series and after they were swept at home the next year, at which point, Billy sent Mr. Wrigley a note that said, “Who stinks now?”

Cubs fans are used to this, but it’s starting to hurt to always say, “Next year will be our year.”  After witnessing this post season against the Dodgers, even the least superstitious among us can’t help but remember the curse.  Alas, being a Cubs fan means you don’t know success, and you are CONSTANTLY hoping for the future.  “Someday we’ll go all the way”

Which brings me to our musical selection to commemorate this event.  Eddie Vedder, the lead singer of Pearl Jam, is a Cubs fan and once met Ernie Banks.  Mr. Banks didn’t know who Vedder was, but when he learned he was a musician, he asked him to write a song about the Cubs.  And as Eddie explained at the concert, “When Ernie banks tells you to write a song, YOU WRITE A SONG!”

Happy Opening Day!

I just was finishing my playlist named “My First Love” that has songs like “Go Cubs Go” and “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request” and “When The Cubs go Marching In” and “The Night Chicago Died.”

I’ll be at the Cubs-Giants game in SF on June 30th.  Hey Chicago, what do you say, the Cubs are gonna win today!

Except, they didn’t… win today.

100% Acrylic

I love Meryn Cadell’s music video of “The Sweater.” It’s a classic.

Lyrics:

Girls,
I know you will understand this
and feel the intrinsic incredible emotion
You have just pulled over your head the worn,
warm sweater belonging to a boy
Now, you haven’t had a passionate
kissing session or anything,
but you got to go on a camping trip with him
and eight other people from school
And you practically slept together,
your sleeping bag right next to his
And you woke in the night to watch him as he slept
but you couldn’t see anything ’cause it was dark
so you just laid there and listened to his breathing
and wondered if your heart might burst
The sweater has that faintly goat-like smell
which all teenage boys possess,
and that smell will lovingly transfer
to all your other clothes
If you get to keep it for a few
days you can sleep with it
but don’t let your mom see, ’cause she’ll say,
“what is that filthy thing, and who does it belong to
besides the trash man?”
So you have to keep it under the covers with you
You can kind of lie it beside you,
or wrap it around your waist,
or touch it on your legs, or whatever
That’s your business
Now if the sweater has, like, reindeer on it
or is a funny color like yellow… I’m sorry,
you can’t get away with a sweater like that
Look for brown, or grey, or blue
Anything other than that, and you
know you’re dealing with
someone who’s different
And different is NOT what you’re looking for
You’re looking for those Teenage Alpine ski-chiseled features
and that sort of blank look which
passes for deep thought
or at least the notion that someone’s home
You’re looking for the boy of your dreams
who is the same boy in the dreams of all your friends.
Now the sweater isn’t going to fit you of course,
you kind of have to roll up the sleeves in a jaunty way that says
this is the sweater belonging to a boy,
and the boy is a genuine hunka hunka burning love,
and this is not just some hand me down from your brother or your father
Monday, wear the sweater
to school
Be calm, look cute
Don’t tell him about the dream you had
about the place the two of you would share
when you get older
Just be yourself
The best, cutest, quietest version of yourself
Definitely wear lip gloss
He looks at you, and then he looks away
And then he walks away
and the smell of the sweater hits you again suddenly
like ape-scent gloriola
and you get a note passed to you
by a girl in History that says
“He needs that sweater back.
He forgot you put it on in the tent on Saturday
and he’s been looking for it.”
And you don’t have to die of humiliation,
You are a strong person
and this is a learning experience
You can still hold your head up high as
you run from the classroom
tearing the stinking sweater from your body.
You look at that sweater, carefully,
and you realize that love made you temporarily blind.
You’ve got a secret now, honey,
and though you’d never sink as low as him,
you could blab it all over the school if you wanted
The label in that sweater
said “100% Acrylic”

Sing to me, Lionel, sing to me!

Oh my goodness, this is the best music video I’ve ever seen.  Lionel Richie has not let me down with his visual rendition of “Hello”.  Watch it all the way until the end.  Then watch again.  This is such a blessing.

Illinoise!

Safely in San Francisco and happy about the beautiful November weather, I can’t help but miss Chicago (Stockholm Syndrome?)  Saturday night I sat home alone and heated up a frozen Gino’s East pizza, and read through my Chicago coffee table book.  And the trifecta?  Sufjan Stevens album, Illinoise. 

For those of you not familiar, Sufjan plans to make an album for every state of the union (I’m not sure about DC).  The first was Michigan, quickly followed by Illinoise, which has some great songs like “Chicago” and “Casimir Pulaski Day“, the latter of which is below.  

 

Casimir Pulaski Day Lyrics 

Goldenrod and the 4H stone
The things I brought you
When I found out you had cancer of the bone

Your father cried on the telephone
And he drove his car into the Navy yard
Just to prove that he was sorry

In the morning, through the window shade
When the light pressed up against your shoulder
bladeI could see what you were reading

All the glory that the Lord has made
And the complications you could do without
When I kissed you on the mouth

Tuesday night at the Bible study
We lift our hands and pray over your body
But nothing ever happens

I remember at Michael’s house
In the living room when you kissed my neck
And I almost touched your blouse

In the morning at the top of the stairs
When your father found out what we did that night
And you told me you were scared

All the glory when you ran outsideW
ith your shirt tucked in and your shoes untied
And you told me not to follow you

Sunday night when I cleaned the house
I found the card where you wrote it out
With the pictures of you mother

On the floor at the great divide
With my shirt tucked in and my shoes untied
I am crying in the bathroom

In the morning when you finally go
And the nurse runs in with her head hung low
And the cardinal hits the window

In the morning in the winter shade
On the first of March, on the holiday
I thought I saw you breathing

All the glory that the Lord has made
And the complications when I see His face
In the morning in the window

All the glory when He took our place
But He took my shoulders and He shook my face
And He takes and He takes and He takes 

There are some interesting thoughts and analysis on the song meaning if you are so inclined.  What do you think about the song? 

-Posted by LeMare