Rest in Peace Whitney
15 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Clive Davis, Jermaine Jackson, Teddy Pendergrass, Whitney Houston
In 1985 I was 13 (an actual teenager!) and was given Whitney Houston’s first album. I squirreled away in my room and played it over and over again. I sat pretzel style, hovering over the turntable wearing huge headphones with a cord as thick as a garden snake. I closed my eyes and escaped in to her voice that asked all my questions and dreamed all my hopes of finding true love. Clive Davis discovered her and paired her with Jermaine Jackson and Teddy Pendergrass. I was in pop music heaven.
Her second album, “Whitney” bore the video I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me); I thought she was perfection. She was my teenage dream and I wanted to be just like her. She was so beautiful, so talented, and had so much fun. I thought she would never have any problems in her entire life. The rest, we know, is history and her battles with demons have been heart-wrenching.
I will always remember her and love her as my ambassador into teenagehood. My warmest condolences go to her family, friends, and us fellow fans who were never the same after we first heard that voice.
Pina
12 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Art, movie review Tags: Pina Bausch
Quite possibly the most beautiful film I’ve ever seen in my entire life:
Home
01 Jan 2012 5 Comments
in Brooklyn
Of all the horrors and nightmares my life has served up, one of the things I’m luckiest for is where I live now. The story of how I got here is a gem in itself: After being evicted out of Harlem in the early-90s, I landed a roommate share near Gramercy Park in Manhattan in a pre-war 5th floor walk-up for $250/month which I barely afforded on my security guard minimum wage pay. The apartment gave a new meaning to tiny. It was built before indoor plumbing so the new amenities meant the toilet was outside the apartment in a tiny room in the hallway. The shower was in the kitchen and ran off the sink. My bedroom (later converted into an actual bathroom) was 7′x7′ and the walls were lined with clothing racks from my roommates pimp period style of dress. There was no room for a bed. I slept on a stained futon chair and watched a mini television the year OJ Simpson was chased by the police in his white SUV. More
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
20 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Dominick the Donkey, PS Films
My neighbors did their own take of Dominick the Donkey and I absolutely love it!
2011: A Year in Music
06 Dec 2011 7 Comments
in Music Tags: Amanda Shires, B.J. Christy, Black Friday, Blake Clayton, Bloodshot Records, Bob Wayne, Caitlin Rose, Caleb Klauder, Chris Miler, Cracker Swamp Productions, Down in the Barnyard, El Santo Grial: La Pistola Piadosa, Facedown in the Dirt, Farmageddon Records, Foghorn Trio, Friend of the People, Hank 3, Hank Williams III, Hillgrass Bluebilly, Husky Burnette, IBWIP, It Burns When I Pee, James Hunnicutt, Jashie P., Jay-Z, Jayke Orvis, JB Beverley, Kanye West, Leroy Virgil, Lil Kilm, Little Lisa Dixie, Lone Wolf, Lucinda Williams, Lupe Black, Lupe Fiasco, Muddy Roots, Olds Sleeper, Outlaw Carnie, Outlaw Radio Chicago, Own Side Now, Plainspoken, Rachel Brooke, Rev. Nix, Rusty Knuckles, Seven Devils, Slackeye Slim, Soda, South Congress Sessions, Sud De La Louisiane, The Boomswagglers, The Dad Horse Experience, The Goddamn Gallows, Tim Pop, Triggerman, Willie Tea Taylor
What an amazing year for my underground favorites! Hank 3 became free, Muddy Roots was the festival of all festivals, the podcasting world became my CNN, and record labels turned out greatness like it’s their job.
As for hip-hop, I don’t have anything that gives off fireworks. ‘Lil Kim’s single “Black Friday” was an awesome dis war against Nicki Minaj but then face-planted with the ill planned release of her mixtape. The uber spectacle of Jay-Z and Kanye’s “Watch the Throne” just didn’t do it for me (though I kinda love the fun factor of the Otis video). There’s a new mixtape out by Lupe Fiasco called “Friend of the People” that’s been floating around. The final product is supposedly cancelled and what I’ve heard is very political and just what I’ve missed about hip-hop, but I’ll wait until the release to review it because I’m unsure if my copy’s legit.
A L B U M S :
Bob Wayne: Outlaw Carnie – As much as I think Bob Wayne walks on songwriting water, this cd is just too clean and polished for me. I’m too loyal to the previous releases of most of the songs. That said, I’m on the edge of my seat for his next release which will have the song I saw him write at Muddy Roots!
Caitlin Rose: Own Side Now – Thanks to Triggerman’s review, I bought this cd and it’s always somewhere in my rotation. The songs are well done and I look forward to listening to her future projects. (see video below)
Caleb Klauder’s Foghorn Trio: Sud De La Louisiane – I went to a house party where they played and was instantly captivated by their talent. I got a bit on YouTube and recommend this to anyone whose interested in the country French sounds of the Louisiana bayou. (see video below)
The Goddamn Gallows: Seven Devils – How I love this band! They are so talented and just about nothing beats their live shows. They reminds us why we love punk and what punk should be. More
David Smith: Cubes and Anarchy
13 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Art Tags: Cubes and Anarchy, David Smith, Whitney Museum of American Art
Nothing makes me happier than when art meets geometry. These sculptures are fantastic. They’re stark and playful at the same time. He’s like Picasso in the form of sculpture. It shouldn’t work but it does and he welds them together intensely. With an electric disc grinder, he polished these strokes and weaves of reflective surfaces in fleeting, chaotic motions. It’s beautiful.
In short, it’s hard to take the full measure of these sculptures and even harder to make the connection between geometry and labor, cubes and anarchy. For that you’ll have to look to the catalog. Its essays stress Smith’s blue-collar credentials, reminding us that he was the son of an engineer and great-grandson of a blacksmith; that he worked as a telephone lineman, a riveter in a Studebaker automobile factory, and a welder at the American Locomotive Company; that he was a proud union member and remained one, even after his art career had taken off. More
Sherrie Levine: Mayhem
13 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in Art Tags: Mayhem, Sherrie Levine, Whitney Museum of American Art
The invitation to The Whitney Museum of American Art opening had an image of a clear crystal skull against a white and gray background. Sherrie Levine’s “Mayhem” had me from the start. But nothing close to mayhem occurs in this exhibition. Over all it is disappointingly sedate, resembling a tastefully appointed art boutique full of fastidious, expensive-looking objects lightly dusted with irony. I’d like to think that Ms. Levine is a better artist than this, but I’m not sure. Whatever life her art has mustered in the past seems to have been mostly left at the door. (NY Times) There are pieces that I love though. The skulls transfixed me and the crystal newborns are mesmerizingly beautiful. 
More
The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams: My Review
20 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Alan Jackson, Hank 3, Hank Sr., Hank Williams, Hank Williams III, Hank3, Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones, Picasso, The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
This project is controversial to say the least. It’s as if someone found some rough Picasso sketches and asked you to finish them. How could you possibly even pick up a brush? I think Hank Sr. is the best songwriter in American history. There is not one flawed lyric in his entire collection. He was gifted. So a part of me thinks it’s blasphemy to even add your own assumed lyrics to his masterpieces. But then I came across Lucinda Williams’s “I’m So Happy I Found You” on youtube and every single time I hear it, I tear up. I heard she didn’t add any lyrics, just her simple guitar. It’s wonderful. And because of that I can’t stand on a soapbox and yell and scream about how wrong this whole thing is. So I’m going to give this a chance. I would greatly appreciate a PDF attachment of liner notes detailing who added what lyrics. I would have also greatly appreciated the input of his grandson, Hank 3. I don’t think he would have touched it with a ten foot pole, but I now have a wish to see him on stage sing with Lucinda. I think that might beautifully tear my heart right out. –my Amazon.com review
I’ve since listened to it and I think the top 3 songs are: “You’ve Been Lonesome, Too” by Alan Jackson, “How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart” by Norah Jones, and (obviously) “I’m So Happy I Found You” by Lucinda Williams.
Muddy Roots Festival 2011: My Review
09 Sep 2011 4 Comments
in Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Aran Buzzas, Baby Genius, Banjer Dan, Cracker Swamp Productions, Farmageddon Records, Hillgrass Bluebilly, IBWIP, It Burns When I Pee, Jayke Orvis, JB Beverley, Last False Hope, Left Lane Cruiser, Outlaw Radio Chicago, Owen Mays, Possessed By Paul James, Rachel Brookle, Rusty Knuckles, Saving Country Music, Ten Foot Polecats, The Goddamn Gallows, Wayne Hancock
(photo: to the left is Lone Wolf, one man band and master craftsman <not only is he perfect, he’s Italian too!> and to his right is BluesBeaten Redshaw who you need to know about)
I have no idea how I’m going to capture the magic of what just happened to me over the past week. I’ve taken notes, saved receipts, downloaded photos from Facebook, and am working on a YouTube playlist.
We arrived at Muddy Roots Friday night and I saw Baby Genius in the sign-in line. We looked like kids at Christmas. Everybody was so stoked to be there. We camped across the dirt road from the people I’ve been conversing with online via blogs and podcasts. The whole night was surreal like you’re walking through a dream state but it’s really happening. We met up and the conversation was so easy and effortless. There was also this great kismet level of timing that I encountered repeatedly with Aran Buzzas. My first star-struck moment was when Pier came and got us to see JB Beverley play Rolling Stones covers while he sat on the trunk of a car. It was surreal. You know that voice like you know your own skin. After that experience, I vowed to wander. So I walked past our tent, up a small hill (the one Miller faceplanted onto) and first thing I found was Bob Wayne’s trailer with him and some friends sitting outside writing a song. And I’m watching the creativity process from Mr. Bob Wayne himself. It was awe inspiring. He’s cool as hell. He remembered me and my friend from the Brooklyn show in July and my heart just about lept out in celebrity joy. Walking around became an adventure. Everybody was there. It was like a family reunion for the family you wish you had. Rachel Brooke was just beaming with fiancé happiness. More
Jayke Orvis: “The Long Way Home”
29 Aug 2011 2 Comments
in Music Tags: Jayke Orvis, The Long Way Home
Lucinda Williams’s “Copenhagen”
29 Aug 2011 Leave a Comment
in Art, Music Tags: Copenhagen, Lucinda Williams
Love this.
Hank 3
17 Jul 2011 4 Comments
in Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: Alan King, Attention Deficit Disorder, Cattle Callin, Dave Sherman, Ghost to a Ghost, Guttertown, Hank 3, Hank Williams III, Hellstomper, Les Claypool, Muddy Roots, Primus, The Masquerade, Tom Waits, Troy Medlin
The recent news that’s come out about Hank 3 is a flood of amazing. First of all, on Tuesday, September 6, 2011, he is releasing FOUR new post-Curb era CDs. He wants to come out of the gate strong and his creativity has apparently been a flowing. The first is a double-disc set of his country that we all know and love called Ghost to a Ghost / Guttertown. Guest appearances include the mythical Tom Waits on the haunted “Fadin Moon” from Guttertown and on the Ghost to a Ghost title track, Alan King of Hellstomper, Les Claypool of Primus fame and beyond, Dave Sherman, Troy Medlin and Hank3′s dog, Trooper. Also is the much anticipated release of his ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) album and a release called Cattle Callin, a mix of speed metal woven in and around actual cattle auctioneering. More
Muddy Roots Festival 2011
10 Jul 2011 3 Comments
in Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: Art Adams Band ( Rockabilly Hall of Fame), Black Jake and the Carnies, Bob Wayne, Burlesque Le Moustache, Calamity Cubes, Cashman, Cletus Got Shot, Country Music Hall of Fame artist Don Maddox of the Maddox Brothers and Rose, Cutthroat Shamrock, Davy Jay Sparrow and His Well KNown Drifters, Derek Hoke, Goddamn Gallows, Graham Lindsey, Hans Condor, Hellbillies, Hellbound Glory, Hellfire Revival, Highlonesome, Hillbilly Casino, James Hunnicutt, Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band, JB Beverley & The Wayward Drifters, Joshua Black Wilkins, Last False Hope, Left Lane Cruiser, Liquorbox, Lucky Tubb and the Modern Day Troubadors, Mark Porkchop Holder, McDougall, Muddy Roots, O’Death, Owen Mays, Peculiar Pretzelmen, Porter Hall Tennessee, Possessed By Paul James, Rachel Brooke, Rev Deadeye, Ronnie Hymes, Scissormen, Sean Wheeler (Throwrag) y Zander Schloss ( Circle Jerks), Slim Chance and the Can't Hardly Playboys, Smokestack & the Foothill Fury, Soda, Spinderellas (Hula Hoop act), Ten Foot Pole Cats, The Dirt Daubers, The Dirt Scab Band, The Harmed Brothers, The Hogslop Stringband, The Krank Daddies, The Legendary Shack Shakers, The Perreze Farm, Thomas Maupin (Champion buck dancer) and Daniel Rothwell., Viva le Vox, Wanda Jackson (Rock n Roll Hall of Fame), Wayne Hancock, Whiskey Folk Ramblers
Are you goin’? ‘Cause I’m goin’.
THIS is the music festival for you if you’re sitting there thinking (a) “I liked country music back when Hank Williams and Waylon Jennings ruled the roost, but what I see on CMT gives me a rash.” or (b) “I was weaned on rock and punk but I also have a Johnny Cash t-shirt.”
It’s during Labor Day weekend in Cookeville, TN (right outside Nashville). There’s camping, hot showers, and they’ll even set up a tent for you to rent. Or, if you’re a city slicker like me, the hotel down the road is $46 pp per night. (All the info is on their website)
And the music. Holy bunches of greatness, the music. The amazing Wanda Jackson is the big cheese, along with Don Maddox and Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers are headlining. I’m looking forward to seeing every other band just as much. Nobody beats the voice of Wayne ‘the train’ Hancock or the pure energy of Possessed by Paul James. I could ramble on an on with my music nerd obsessions here but suffice to say if you’re wondering what’s going on in underground country, this is our Woodstock. So be there, ’cause it’s gonna be great!
I Miss Terry Noel
09 Jul 2011 2 Comments
in Art, Music Tags: Buffalo Springfield, Cherry Vanilla, Donovan, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Last Night a DJ Saved My Life, Life Love Death and Elvis, Sammy, Terry Noel, The Beatles, Viva Las Vegas
I called Rudy (his soulmate) the other night to check-in and within no time we were both sobbing in an endless stage of mourning. It’s been three years since he passed and I just don’t think I’ll ever get over it. No contest, he was the absolute coolest person I’ve ever met. I was camera woman for the Coca Crystal TV Show and he came on to promote his new art show, “Life, Love, Death, and Elvis”. I was in my Jim Morrison is God stage, and he told me he was roommates with Jim in California. I was sold. More
Beats, Rhymes and Life: My Review
09 Jul 2011 43 Comments
in Art, movie review, Music, Politics Tags: A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Beats Rhymes and Life, Common, Midnight Marauders, Moni Love, Mos Def, Pete Rock, Pharrell, Prince Paul, Questlove, Sunshine Cinema, The Low End Theory
The long awaited, much anticipated documentary about the hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest opened last night and I had the pleasure of seeing it with a bunch of fans in the East Village. There’s been much drama these past few months over the release that made me nervous that this was going to be a hip-hop group gone Jerry Springer over infighting. And yes, there are the kind of fights that a group that’s been together for 20 years would have, but that’s not what the movie’s about. It’s a love story between us (the fans and other musicians) and them. More
Do You Know Amanda Shires?
07 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Gigs I Wanna See, Music, Technology Tags: Amanda Shires, Ghostbird
Ghostbird is my new favorite song and video:
Rachel Brooke and James Hunnicut stayed at MY house!
30 Jun 2011 2 Comments
in Brooklyn, Music Tags: James Hunnicutt, Laura Rebel Angel, Otto's Shrunken Head, Rachel Brooke
Last weekend James Hunnicutt and Rachel Brooke came into the city to sing at Otto’s Shrunken Head. The gig was fantastic. Their voices are so pure and perfect, their souls pour out in each note.
Before the gig I got a chance to walk them around a bit to get pizza near Irving Plaza then to Union Square and back. Hopefully, on their next visit to the city we’ll have more time to see Times Square and Rockefeller Center and Central Park and Brooklyn and everywhere!
After the gig (at dawn) we headed to my place to crash for a few hours before they had to hit the road again. In a moment of awesomeness, they sang a song for me in my kitchen and I YouTube’d it:
The experience was fantastic as I’ve been such a fan this is a little dream come true.
2011 NYC Summer Concerts
04 Jun 2011 4 Comments
in Music, Gigs I Wanna See, Gigs I'm Going to See, Brooklyn Tags: Rachel Brooke, Wayne Hancock, James Hunnicutt, Q-Tip, Hellbound Glory, Last False Hope, Celebrate Brooklyn, Left Lane Cruiser, Mercury Lounge, Ruby Jane, Dale Watson, Maxwell's, Bang Sway, Otto's Shrunken Head, Possessed By Paul James, Valentine's, Bob Wayne, Outlaw BBQ, Caitlin Rose, Muddy Roots Festival, Justin Townes Earle, Beats Rhymes and Life, A Tribe Called Quest, Afro-Punk Festival, Cee Lo Green, Santigold, Janelle Monae, Fishbone, Jay Electronica, Toro Y Moi, Toshi Reagon, Ninjasonik, Cerebral Ballzy, Gordon Voidwell, Reggie Watts, Res, Joi, Rocky Business, Straight Line Stitch, Goddamn Gallows, Calamity Cubes, O’Death, Cutthroat Shamrock, McDougall, Soda, Ten Foot Pole Cats, Porter Hall Tennessee, Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band, The Perreze Farm, JB Beverley & The Wayward Drifters, Owen Mays, Scissormen, Rev Deadeye, Mark Porkchop Holder, Slackeye Slim, Highlonesome, Cletus Got Shot, Hillbilly Casino, Foothill Fury, Hellbillies, Smokestack, Laura Rebel Angel
It’s summertime summertime sum-sum-summertime! Time for music awesomeness!
Here’s my list SO FAR…
Friday, June 10th = Dale Watson at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ
Saturday, June 11th = Bang Sway at Private Rooftop Partay (email me for deets)
Saturday, June 25th = Rachel Brooke and James Hunnicutt at Otto’s Shrunken Head
Thursday, June 30th = Justin Townes Earle at Prospect Park Bandshell
Saturday, July 2nd = Possessed by Paul James at Valentine’s in Albany
Monday, July 4th = Bob Wayne at the Outlaw BBQ
Friday, July 8th = Beats, Rhymes and Life an ATCQ documentary film opens
Saturday, July 16th = Q-Tip at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival
Saturday, August 20th = Caitlin Rose at the Mercury Lounge
Saturday & Sunday August 27-28th = Afro-Punk Festival in Brooklyn, NY
Saturday & Sunday September 3.4th = Muddy Roots Festival in Cookeville, TN
Saturday, October 22nd = Ruby Jane in Titusville, NJ
Just Say No to ZipCar
08 May 2011 2 Comments
in Brooklyn, Product Review Tags: Zip Car, ZipCar
I don’t have a car, I don’t need a car, I don’t want a car. Parking in my neighborhood is an exercise in futility, gas prices are ridiculous, and insuring even a shitbox is astronomical. Renting an economy class car in the city is $150/day plus gas & tolls. So basically, I never drive. I’ve heard good things about ZipCar as they’re less than rentals and you can choose a snazzy car super close, and gas is included. More
The New York Times Discovers Brooklyn
31 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn Tags: Brian Williams, Brooklyn, New York Times
HA!!
Lil’ Kim “Black Friday Mixtape”
19 Mar 2011 2 Comments
in Brooklyn, Music Tags: Biggie, Black Friday, La Bella Mafia, Lil Kim, Mixtape, Naked Truth, Notorious K.I.M.
When Grammy Award Winning Lil’ Kim released her response, Black Friday, to Nikki Minaj’s dis on YouTube I got all kinds of Christmas excited for a new joint. Notorious K.I.M., La Bella Mafia, and Naked Truth albums still spin in my collection. She was Biggie’s girl (no disrespect to Faith Hill) and I respect her as the Queen Bee of hip-hop. This woman was there when it started and wrote the blueprint. What happened? More
Ruby Jane SXSW 2011
15 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Ruby Jane, SXSW
There are a lot of fantastic bands playing SXSW this year. The one act you are not allowed to leave Texas without seeing is Ruby Jane:
Rachel Brooke: “Down in the Barnyard”
23 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Down in the Barnyard, Rachel Brooke
Goodness gracious it’s that good.
I Haz iPad
11 Feb 2011 1 Comment
in Technology
I’ve been scoffing at it since it came out. I’m all poopoo on the price, calling it a ginormo app gizmo. Yeah, all that’s still true. What’s changed? I got one as a gift and now I’m head over heals in love with it. Good God it’s beautiful. Sometimes I just scroll through the pages just to see the pretty user interface. The presentation of photos are gorgeous. The apps are useful, fun and technological feats of excitement. Its faults are just as maddening. More
Best of 2010 in Music
10 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Music, Product Review Tags: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Eminem, Farmageddon Records, Hank III, Hank Williams III, Hillbilly Fever, It's All Been Said, Jashie P., Jayke Orvis, Kanye West, Lucky Tubb, Outlaw Radio Compilation vol. 1, Rachel Brooke, Tom Waits, Triggerman
The best part about this year was it felt like the musical floodgates opened and all this really great stuff came pouring out.
BEST ALBUM: Outlaw Radio: Compilation Vol. 1 To me, it’s controversial to put a compilation on an all encompassing award. (My review here) But this cd still in my stereo and I like it so much, I bought a few more and sent them out to friends. It gave me gifts of new songs by artists I already know are awesome and introduced me to bands that I had no idea were awesome. Thank you Jashie P. for putting this out there. My favorite album as a whole is Jayke Orvis: It’s All Been Said. Jayke is one of the best our movement has to offer and he brings all his friends with him. More
Dreadful Sinner
09 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: A.K. Young, Billie Steigerwald, Cornelius Henke, Dreadful Sinner, Farmaggedon Records, It's All Been Said, James Duff, Jayke Orvis, Joy Toujours, Micky Hern, Sean Martin, Trevor Howells
Here’s Jayke’s new video and proof that you don’t need Nashville money or backing to showcase your awesomeness:
Decoded by Jay-Z
23 Nov 2010 1 Comment
in Art, Brooklyn, Music, Philanthropy, Politics, Technology, Television Tags: Biggie, Decoded, Jay-Z, The Blueprint III, Tupac Empire State of Mind
It took hip-hop an entire year to draw breath and now I’m being blinded by the lights of Jay-Z, Beyonce & Kanye. Looking through my music collection, I realize I didn’t buy much hip-hop this year. Then in a bolt of press releases, Kanye and Jay-Z are dropping records and Beyonce has a huge TV special Thanksgiving night. Jay-Z is doing a re-release with a few new tunes and Rolling Stone gave Kanye’s new one five stars. If I still respected RS, I would be impressed. And there’s a Jay-Z book.
Jay-Z’s last album, The Blueprint III, blew my doors off. I hadn’t been the level of a fan with him where I had opinions about entire albums. I liked songs here and there. At work, we tried to focus on a favorite and would just keep bringing up lyrics or hooks or concepts. I heard it everywhere. A party didn’t happen without a spin of Empire State of Mind and when he sang it at the opening Yankee game of the World Series, everyone knew the lyrics. Now that he’s on my radar, I’m finding out all sorts of great info. The guy is a media genius. He’s worth gazillions of dollars and he did it DIY. This book is a glimpse into all that. More
Charlie Louvin Benefit
06 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
in Art, Music, Philanthropy Tags: Blake Judd, Cancer, Charlie Louvin, FooBAR, Keith Neltner, Nashville, Satan is Real
My Neighbor… The Rocket Scientist
18 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Science, Technology Tags: Luke Geissbuhler
A father-son team from Park Slope decided NASA wasn’t doing enough to document the stratosphere, and decided to take matters into their own hands. After testing their “19-inch helium filled weather balloon” in Brooklyn, Luke Geissbuhler and his son Max headed upstate and launched the device, complete with a camera, into space…
I Love My Hood
16 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Music Tags: Elle King, Epick, I Don't Mind, Park Slope
My neighbor, Erica, turned me on to this slice of awesomeness. It’s my new fave song & video. And it was filmed in my neighborhood!
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
15 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Big Damn Band, Clap Your Hands, Mercury Lounge, Reverend Payton
Saturday, Nov. 13th at the Mercury Lounge.
Hank III Live! Again!
18 Sep 2010 4 Comments
in Brooklyn, Music Tags: Adam McOwen, Andy Gibson, Daniel Mason, DaveyMac, Gary Lindsey, Hank III, Sean McWilliams, Zach Shedd
This year’s Hank III shows were EPIC. We saw him play for 3 hours on Tuesday night at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY and then another 3 hours the next at Williamsburg Music Hall. I’m spent. I’ve sported a goofy grin all day. What a great tour to end what will be known as “The Curb Years”. More
BROOKLYN TORNADO 2010
18 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Uncategorized Tags: Brooklyn, Park Slope, Tornado
5:24 PM: I was on the Upper East Side tweeting about the can lady yapping on her Blackberry when the first raindrops hit. I went underground into the subway and got out at my Brooklyn stop around a half hour later. The first thing I noticed was the gigantic tree limbs all over the sidewalk where the fruit guy’s cart should be. Then I saw the corner building scaffolding collapsed in a gigantic heap. I assumed a ginormo lightening bolt or a series of them (is that possible?) hit the corner. Then I saw the fruit stand guy looking shaken and my neighbors around him offering comfort. As I walked down the street, the tree carnage did not end. Leaves and branches were everywhere and cars were trashed. My mind went into detective mode trying to figure out what possibly could have caused such widespread chaos all the way to my apartment.
I have since taken a walk around and everything will be OK. Some of my neighbors have whopping insurance claims to be filed and argued.
Franz Xaver Messerschmidt 1736–1783: From Neoclassicism to Expressionism
15 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Art Tags: Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Franz Xaver Messerschmidt 1736–1783: From Neoclassicism to Expressionism, Neue Galerie
At the Neue Galerie beginning tomorrow.
OK, so here’s the deal with this guy: He was a gifted sculptor in Vienna when Mozart composing. Then his mind went began to go off and he lost his shi-shi poo-poo clientele. Even while descending into insanity, he continued to sculpt. He would pinch himself to make his face contort and then sculpt it.
I recommend this exhibition as the work is so good, it needs to be seen up close. And if you haven’t been to the Neue Galerie yet, the space alone is breathtaking.
Messerschmidt made his mark at first in Vienna, where he enjoyed a successful career, including several royal commissions. Working in a neoclassical vein, Messerschmidt produced some of the most important sculptures of the eighteenth century. He presented the individual features of his models in a way “true to nature,” in keeping with their age and without idealizing them. No other sculptor in Vienna at the time was similarly uncompromising when producing portraits. More
Jayke Orvis: “It’s All Been Said”
06 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Music, Product Review Tags: Bleeding Cowboy font, Farmageddon Records, James Hunnicutt, Jayke Orvis, Joe Buck, Rachel Brooke, The .357 String Band, The Goddamn Gallows
This year has launched some fantastic projects and one of the most anticipated is Jayke Orvis’s solo debut, “It’s All Been Said”. I saw Jayke live last year-ish back when he was with The .357 String Band when they opened for Joe Buck in a little Polish nightclub here in Brooklyn. That show is going in the annals of awesomeness. A lot has changed since then. He’s now on the road with The Goddamn Gallows (you must see the show!) and has this solo cd aaaand will be on tour with Rachel Brooke and James Hunnicutt (coming to New Haven, CT on Sunday, October 3rd). More
Website Review: Rachel Brooke
20 Aug 2010 1 Comment
in Art, Music, Product Review, Technology Tags: Rachel Brooke
I should probably start out by saying I worship Rachel Brooke. Her voice is perfection, her lyrics dark. I think she’s a great example of DIY. Her 2008 demo is so rough you can hear the push of the stop button. I think it adds to the charm. The music is so good, I put the whole thing on repeat.
In her tour announcement (woo!), she sent out this web address: www.rachelbrookemusic.com It’s beautiful. The music doesn’t stop no matter where you’re surfing on the site. There’s a lot of great information presented so nicely.
My only snag is there are no individual page addresses. I’m not sure if that’s a Flash thing or what. I’d like to email my friend the tour schedule and must tell her to go to the site, then find the categories on top and click on the 4th one from the left, “Patience” (hahah!).
Nerdalicious!
20 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Music, Science Tags: Brooklyn, Eels, Hugh Everett, Mark Everett, Max Tegmark, Parallel Lives, parallel universe, Parallel Worlds, quantum mechanics, Schrodinger’s Cat, Secret Science Club, The Secret Science Club, Theory of Parallel Universes
Can time move backward? Has the future already happened? Are meetings of the Secret Science Club forbidden in a parallel universe? Uh-oh . . .
Tuesday, August 24, 8 PM @ the Bell House, Free: The Secret Science Club presents a mind-blowing screening of “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives,” with commentary by our in-house scientists
Singer-songwriter Mark Everett of the band Eels grew up not knowing that his father, Hugh Everett, was a genius—to him, his dad was the chain-smoking guy who didn’t say much at the dinner table. The fact that Hugh Everett was one of the world’s pre-eminent quantum mechanics, the physicist who came up with the Theory of Parallel Universes was just one more thing they didn’t discuss. Sadly, Hugh Everett’s theory was so revolutionary and so trippy that its elegance and importance were not recognized until well after his death. (Mark Everett was just 18 when he found his father lying dead at age of 51 on the family’s couch.) “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives” chronicles the journey of the musical-but-math-challenged son to learn more about his father’s profound contributions to science and the “Many Worlds” in which we all—for better or worse—may play out different versions of ourselves. More
The Ghost
18 Aug 2010 1 Comment
in Music Tags: Ben Watts, ChurchOfHank.com, Elizabeth Gilbert, Hank III
I first heard about this Hank III article from ChurchOfHank.com and ordered 2001: The Best American Magazine Writing book used on Amazon. These are the ASME (American Society of Magazine Writers) awarded articles. Getting an ASME is like a Grammy for magazine writers. The article is long and beefy and fantastic. It’s a snippet of what was happening in Hank III’s life a decade ago. You can find the online GQ article here.
The deathly pallor, the skeletal stance, the twangy voice, the love of good whiskey and bad women—it’s eerie to look at Hank Williams III without seeing this apparition of his legendary grandfather. Elizabeth Gilbert goes on the road with Nashville’s prodigal grandson and witnesses his ascent to stardom and his descent into despair.
Me and the grandson of Hank Williams are sitting in some honky-tonk dive in downtown Nashville, listening to some mediocre band churn through some weepy old set of country-music standards. The grandson of Hank Williams bears the Christian name Shelton Hank Williams, but he is better known around these parts as Hank-3, so that’s why I call him that. Me and everyone else in this bar. Who have all recognized him on sight. Hank-3 is a little hard to miss, mind you. He’s the only six-foot-two-inch, 144-pound, twangy-voiced, heavily tattooed, longhaired skeleton walking around Nashville these days who looks exactly like Hank Williams. And you cannot hide the face of Hank Williams in this town. It would be like if Elvis Presley had a dead-ringer grandson who someday tried to walk around Memphis without getting any attention. Not a chance. Heads would turn, jaws drop. More
Hank III News Update
12 Aug 2010 1 Comment
in Brooklyn, Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: Arson Anthem, Assjack, Collin Yeo, Curb Records, Down, Eyehategod, Hank III, Insecurity Notoriety, Mike IX Williams, Outlaw Order, Pantera, Phil Anselmo, Ponykiller, Superjoint Ritual
A flood of awesome
ness is coming from the Hank III camp. First and foremost, he will be gigging with Asskjack here next month. Because he keeps the ticket prices so low ($23), we get to see him twice. (You can find the tour schedule here.) This is the last tour he’ll do with Curb Records and everything will change on December 31st. It sure has been an great ride so far. He hasn’t had the easiest of lives and it’s all laid out in front of us through his lyrics and interviews. He’s followed in the artistic footsteps of his lineage and masters like Henry Rollins and all the other great performers that do it 110% from their soul, regardless of what industry had to say.
Because of life-happens circumstances, he’s been bound in a tough record contract for the past decade+. Fighting tooth and nail, he’s had to carve out his own way and bring up his friends with him. I wonder if he’ll take off the dog chain around his neck on New Year’s Eve. More
How to Make Ringtones in iTunes
04 Aug 2010 2 Comments
in Music, Technology Tags: Create AAC Version, Free, iTunes, ringtones
There are a few ways to do this and I think this guy has the best way with the least probability of messing up files.
Windows: More
Rest in Peace Tuli Kupferberg
12 Jul 2010 3 Comments
in Art, Music, Politics Tags: anarchist, Brooklyn Bridge, Ginsberg, Howl, If I Can't Dance You Can Keep Your Revolution, Manhattan Bridge, musician, NYC, poet, publisher, Tuli Kupferberg
My Godmother hosted a talk show on a Manhattan Public TV station and I was a camera operator. I was in my early 20s and knew nothing of art and the only anarchy I was interested in was the metal in my headphones. Coca Crystal, TV Star introduced me to her scene. I met so many amazing and gifted artists and one of my favorites was “NYC citizen emeritus, a man who was a Beat, a hippie, a Fug, and a goddamned troublemaker, the blessedly strange Tuli Kupferberg“. (a great fan site of the show is here). He would read poetry and they would talk hippie politics while smoking pot and railing against the injustices of the system. More
Psychobilly Luau!
10 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Guana Batz, Hypnophonics, Jayke Orvis, Memphis Morticians, Psycho Character, Stellar Corpses, The Arkhams, The Bell House, The Goddamn Gallows, The Othermen, The Rebel Angels
Don’t Frack Up My Bagels!
07 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Food Tags: Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bagels, fracking, Governor Patterson, Le Bagel Delight, Terrance Bagels, water
I normally shy away from posting political stuff but this has to do with bagels, and the only thing I love more than Brooklyn is that I live 121 feet away from Le Bagel Delight. According to FIPS, Governor Patterson is fracking with our water (Fracking entails pouring gazillions of gallons of chemically-treated water deep underground, in order to break into a shale-protected motherlode of natural gas deposits [think lots of dinero for somebody]. All cocktail ingredients exempted from Clean Water Act disclosure rules). Not cool. So sign the petition to SAVE NEW YORK BAGELS!! (and the water supply for the the rest of non-bagel entities like us and our wildlife, eco system, pets and power)
Louis over at Terrace Bagels has gone the extra mile and posted this on YouTube:
Lucky Tubb and the Modern Day Troubadours
26 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Lucky Tubb
Last night, we were graced with the presence of Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours. I expected the show to be sold out and Public Assembly packed to the gills, but the Northside Music Festival seemed to trump all in Williamsburg. Us devotees did get a great show 
I got a chance to hang out with Lucky a bit and he was his usual easy going gentleman self. We talked about his new cd, Hillbilly Fever, and how the hidden track (which is my favorite) “Looks Like Rain” was done on the fly at the end of recording. They had a few minutes to fill and Lucky pretty much improvised it. It’s Tom Waits esqe and hauntingly beautiful. This man is no one trick pony. He’s coming back to Brooklyn in November and I’ll keep you posted on dates and venues.
Summer Shows 2010
11 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Gigs I Wanna See, Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Carole King, Central Park, Central Park Summerstage, Ebony Bones, Good Morning America, James Taylor, Jayke Orvis, Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours, Mary J. Blige, Prospect Park Bandshell, Public Assembly, Rumsey Playfield, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Southpaw, Talib Kweli, The Bell House, The Goddamn Gallows, The Roots, The Today Show, Viva le Vox, Wayne the Train Hancock
Summer Show list 2010 is coming together! All shows are free or cheap and if you know anything that I don’t please email me at Gillian dot Grey at yahoo dot com. Thanks!
Sunday, May 23rd 10 PM = Wayne the Train Hancock @ Public Assembly
Saturday, June 5th 4 PM = Ebony Bones @ Central Park Summer Stage
Sunday, June 6th 8 PM = Ebony Bones @ Southpaw
Friday, June 18th 7 AM = Carole King and James Taylor @ The Today Show
Friday, June 25th 8 PM = Lucky Tubb and the Modern Day Troubadours @ Public Assembly
Friday, July 2nd 7 AM = Mary J. Blige @ GMA Rumsey Playfield, Central Park
Saturday, July 10th 12 PM = Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival @ Tobacco Warehouse (BK Bridge)
Saturday, July 10th 8 PM = The Goddamn Gallows @ The Bell House’s Annual Psychobilly Luau
Sunday, July 11th 3 PM = The Roots with Talib Kweli @ The Prospect Park Bandshell
Monday, July 12th 7:30 PM = George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic @ Wingate Field
Friday, July 23rd 8 PM = Viva le Vox @ Southpaw
Saturday, August 7th 6 PM = Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings @ Prospect Park Bandshell
Sunday, August 22nd 4 PM = Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears @ Central Park Summer Stage
My Review: Outlaw Radio Compilation Volume 1 (updated)
11 Jun 2010 6 Comments
in Music Tags: .357 String Band, Album, Andy Gibson, Black Eyed Vermillion, Brittney Spears, CD, Compilation, Dave Smith and the Country Rebels, Hellbound Glory, Izzy and the Kesstronics, Joe Buck Yourself, Joey Allcorn, Last False Hope, Little Lisa Dixie, Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours, Old Red Shed, Outlaw Radio, Rachel Brooke, Review, Roger Alan Wade, Ronnie Hymes, Shooter Jennings, Six Gun Britt, Taylor Swift, Ted Russell Kamp, The Boomswagglers, The Dad Horse Experience, The Fisticuffs, The Goddamn Gallows, Those Poor bastards, Tompall Glasser
I’ve had this compilation in my playlist since it arrived pre-ordered in the mail. It’s a great sampling of what some of us are listening to out there. The best review of it is by Triggerman of SavingCountryMusic.com
Here’s my rundown:
- Gates of Heaven by The Dad Horse Experience – This one is from left field for me. Apparently, old country music is the bomb diggity in parts of Europe right now and this German fellow put out this tune and somehow it works. I love it.
- Another Round by Ol’ Red Shed – I file songs like this under PBR. I’m not a fan of PBR and have smelled enough of it warm mixed with stage sweat to be turned off by some mindless drinking songs.
- Death Don’t Have No Mercy by Black Eyed Vermillion and Handsome Andy Gibson – Black Eyed Vermillion is Gary Lindsey’s band and Andy Gibson, excuse me, Handsome Andy Gibson is a music virtuoso on mando, steel guitar, drobo and many other instruments. They both play in Hank III’s bands and this is one of the side projects that’s happening. This song comforted me during a mourning period this spring and I actually smile every time I hear it.
- Ain’t No Diesel Trucks in Heaven by Bob Wayne – I think Bob Wayne is the best writer of the current genre. He is a master story teller and one of the artists that I have every record of. His interviews are worth reading as well.
- Closer Still by Rachel Brooke – She takes my breath away. I have a demo of hers that she made using her computer, a guitar, and a bottle of gin. It’s perfection. More
Sam Mendes Directs iPhone4 FaceTime Commercial
08 Jun 2010 1 Comment
in Art, Technology Tags: iPhone4, Sam Mendes
oh I am so getting one
Thanks AnnieColbert!
New Rachel Brooke!
05 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Hank Williams Sr., Rachel Brooke, Weary Blues from Waitin'
Sings Hank Williams Sr.’s “Weary Blues from Waitin’”
HELP NASHVILLE
04 May 2010 1 Comment
in Music, Philanthropy Tags: Al Menah Shrine Center, Animal Ark Animal Hospital, ArtHouse Gardens, Bellevue Middle, FEMA, Gordon JCC, Graceworks Ministries, Hands on Nashville, Kroger, Lipscomb University, Nashville, OEM, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Samaritan's Purse, Second Harvest Food Bank, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Trevecca Nazarine University, volunteer
Nashville is Flooded… How Can I Help?
Author: Morgan Levy
Nashville is under water, and we all want to help. This is a working post of donation and volunteer opportunities that are currently available, with needs being added and updated by the minute. If you have a volunteer or donation opportunity, please leave information in the comments or email us at tips@nashvillest.com to have it added to this list. And remember, folks: As much as we all want to get out and help, it’s very important to go about it in an organized, safe way. Plenty of our neighbors and friends are in need of food, clothing, shelter, water pumps and more. Start in your own neighborhood! More
Banksy!
10 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in Art, movie review Tags: Banksy, Exit Through the Gift Shop
New film about Banksy: “Exit Through the Gift Shop”
Dear Microsoft Store:
03 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in Product Review, Technology, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft Store, Outlook 2007, Tech Help
I’ve been a geek and customer since my first DOS game, Eliza in 1986. One of my favorite things about being a tech nerd has been experiencing the evolution of technology since then. When something goes this wrong, I feel the need to fix it or at least make the breakage known. My experience with customer service and tech help have been comically nightmarish so far on this incident I’ve been working on since August of 2009. The quick and dirty version is when I ordered my laptop in August, I bought Microsoft Office Home & Student 2007 along with it. I assumed it had Outlook and was dismayed that it would be an additional $100 to add it. Turns out, you don’t sell Microsoft Outlook 2007 as a stand-alone product and finding a sales rep to figure out how to make that happen took many phone calls (only to be double-charged two different prices which only worries me about their internal accounting practices). I was finally successful last month and now almost every program I have crashes a few minutes into it. So I again am on the phone. I try not to lose my temper when talking with customer service people over the phone. Their world is just as frustrating.
This is how today went: More
I Heart Henry
15 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in Art, Music, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Henry Rollins, The Fillmore
In the freezing rain and one of the worst blizzards to hit our area in forever (according to the news), I went to see Henry Rollins do his spoken work at the Fillmore. I love this guy. He is 110% Do It Yourself in his business and life. Since his start as the front man for Black Flag, he’s taken music to new heights and remained a fan and critic throughout. My favorites are his books and performances of his readings. He is intelligent, well traveled and highly opinionated. He does lots of good deeds for the USO and causes he believes in. He’ll go through hell and back for his fans and we will slay a dragon for him. If you want to know the life and soul of one of America’s greatest musicians, read and see Henry. He pours himself out onto the pages with such naked openness. He gives you his ALL and then more.
And he signed my book!
Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears LIVE!
15 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Bowery Ballroom, Cedric Burnside, Lightnin' Malcolm, Mississippi Delta Blues
In the middle of a storm that wound up dumping 20 inches of snow on us, I trudged out to check out this sold out show. It was worth every flake! Cedric Burnside + Lightnin’ Malcom opened and charmed me so much I bought their album “2 Man Wrecking Crew” on iTunes during their set. I’ve listened to the album many times this week and and love that yet again the third generation carries the torch.
Joe and his band came out and lit the place on fire! What a showman! He had us in the palm of his hand as Malcom continued to charm us. You could tell by the smiles on their faces how much fun all of the musicians had. There were three horns, two drum sets, two guitars, one bass and one Black Joe Lewis. Perfection!
I can’t wait to see what happens next!
The Goddamn Gallows!
15 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Jayke Orvis, The Goddamn Gallows
Whadda Show! They SOLD OUT the place on a snowy crappy Sunday night! Such fun! They have energy to spare and showmanship in spades! I’ve never seen such dexterity and everyone knows how to play everything! When these guys blow through town, you really must catch the show!
The lead singer is a master showman and the band follows his zany antics wtih glee! I’ll get everyone’s name and update this as soon as I can. (I’m updating from work…shhhhh….)
And yes, Jayke Orvis is as talented and fun as ever. I am enjoying checking his gigs and following his path.
UPDATE: You wanna know what the show was like? Buy the cd!!
Whitney Biennial 2010
25 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in Art Tags: Charles Ray, Stephanie Sinclair, Storm Tharp, Whitney Biennial 2010
Goddamn Gallows Coming to Brooklyn!
18 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: Brooklyn, Jayke Orvis, The Goddamn Gallows
02/28/1o at 8 PM at Public Assembly in Williamsburg
’nuff said
I’m Broke!
07 Feb 2010 Leave a Comment
in Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, I'm Broke
My newest favoritest video. Every time I watch it I find another classic album cover.
Damn that’s cool
30 Jan 2010 Leave a Comment
My neighbor, Greg, turned me on to this via Twitter. Very cool. Watch it full-screen
iPad…meh…
28 Jan 2010 Leave a Comment
in Technology Tags: Apple., iPad
As a lover of all things geek, I must protest. I don’t need bells and whistles on this product. I want a color e-reader that displays books, magazines and newspapers. One gadget for all my reading needs. Change my life like the iPod. Focus on one thing. And I’d rather not pay more than $99 for it, especially since I’ll be buying data, subscriptions, issues and books for it constantly. From the Apple event, I’m not too impressed with a glorified web browser that starts at $500.
Hank III at Layla’s
10 Jan 2010 2 Comments
in Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Andy Gibson, Brian "Bubonic" Williams, David Mac, Hank III, Layla's Bluegrass Inn, Sean McWilliams, Zach Shedd
- photo by Brian “Bubonic” Williams
What a show! We went down to Nashville to check out the town and catch Hank III’s gig at Layla’s which only fits a couple hundred people. The weather was freezing and icy but it gave us the town mostly to ourselves. We checked out a bunch of bars and heard lots of musicians. Hank III & the Damned Band played for over three hours. It was awesome. His fans are the coolest people you’d want to meet.
We also went to the Country Music Hall of Fame’s current exhibit Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy. It’s neat to see Hank’s stuff in a museum. We then headed over to Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop and beefed up our country heroes collection with Lefty Frizzell, Webb Pierce, Waylon, and others.
We had a blast and can’t wait to do it next year with better weather and a friend-of-hank approved list of honky tonks.
Hank Williams III Set List – Wednesday, January 6, 2010 – Layla’s Bluegrass Inn, Nashville, TN
Hank Williams III – Vocals, Andy Gibson – Steel Guitar, Sean McWilliams – Drums, David Mac – Fiddle, Zach Shedd – Sand Up Bass
- Me and My Friends
- Trashville
- Thrown Out of Every Bar
- Life of Sin
- Crazed Country Rebel
- I Don’t Know
- Six Pack of Beer
- Pills I Took
- On My Own
- Lookin For a Mountain *NEW*
- The Rebel Within *NEW(ish)*
- 5 Shots of Whiskey
- Long Hauls, Close Calls
- Blue Devil
- Mississippi Mud More
Christmas Coquito!
20 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
2 cups of water
3-4 cinnamon sticks
shave of fresh nutmeg
few cloves
12 oz. evaporated milk
14 oz. condensed milk
15 oz. cream of coconut
4 egg yolks
1 liter of white rum
fresh mint leaves (garnish)
* In a non-stick pot, boil the cinnamon sticks and cloves in water until the it smells good and is all smokey looking
* Strain sticks and cloves out of water and return cinnamon spice water to pot
* Separate 4 egg yolks and stir into the evaporated milk and then add to cinnamon water
* Stir in condensed milk over low heat stirring so it doesn’t burn or stick
* When it’s been boiling for a minute add the cream of coconut and stir well
* Take it off the heat for a while then pour into large glass pitcher and chill overnight
* Add as much rum as you like and stir
* Serve with mint leaf garnish
SNOW!
20 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Uncategorized Tags: Brooklyn, NYC, Park Slope, snow
I love the first snowfall!
Rocco DiSpirito ROCKS
13 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
in Philanthropy Tags: Arturo Diaz, Barbara McLaughlin, Carla Katz, Cheryl Fishbein, Chris Giglio, City Harvest, Dr. Haideh Hirmand, Ellen Blair, Food Bank for New York City, Joanne Langbein, Linda Janklow, Madeleine Albright, Michael Dispirito, Patti Elliott, Paul Dierkes, Philanthropic Capital Advisors, Rocco Dispirito, Rory Tahari, Stefani Cohen, Stephanie Risa Stein, Susan Mercandetti, The Bowery Mission, Veronica Kelly
One of the best things this year is my involvement with Philanthropic Capital Advisors. The opportunity to work within the business of philanthropy is an invaluable education. And then there are the luncheons! (see also Madeleine Albright) With the flawless implementation of the party by Shiraz and HL Group, we filled Cheryl’s dining room with the fascinating and talented to raise money for The Bowery Mission, City Harvest and Food Bank for New York City. Everyone relaxed and had a great time. To top it off, Rocco DiSpirito (who has a new book coming out about healthy cooking *thanks!*) was chef extraordinaire. He is gracious and kind and took time to mingle and chat.
And we made Page Six!
That was FUN!
06 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
in Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: EvolutionFotos.com, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 World Tour, Miss Shela Photography, Rob Zombie
I’ve never seen Rob Zombie live and he was SO FUN! It was perfect! The sound & lights were perfect and music was perfect and his showmanship was perfect with awesome effects and robots and eeeeviiilnessss.
My only complaint is the merch prices. $70 for a hoodie? Really dude?
MoMA
06 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
in Art, Verbal Ramblings Tags: MoMa, Monet, Rick Rubin, Tim Burton
I haven’t been to the MoMA since I was knee-high to a taxi wheel. Now I want to live there. We could only physically and mentally take in about 5 hours worth. I’m glad we saw Monet’s Water Lilies first. Get the free headphones and listen to the story of how he painted as he cultivated his gardens. It almost made me weep at the beauty of it. I dazed into the layering of his works until I was lost in the poppies. And the Tim Burton exhibit! How awesome and fun! And there are a million other pieces and artists that are worth contemplation. Or not. 
LHC News
28 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
in Verbal Ramblings Tags: alice, atlas, CERN, cms, collisions, large hadron collider, LHC News, LHC particles, lhcb, physics
THE FIRST COLLISION!!! WOOOOOOOO! The LHC is now functioning perfectly with two beams colliding at low energy (450Gev). Proton-proton collisions have been detected by all experiments. -Nov 23, 2009
Family Feud at Café Regular
25 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Verbal Ramblings Tags: cafe regular, cafe regular du nord, Park Slope
Aaasss usual, FIPS keeps me in the know.
A Grub Street tipster sent an e-mail over the weekend about unwelcome changes to Park Slope’s Café Regular. “Martin O’Connell, the legendarily sarcastic wizard of the espresso machine, was ousted by his sister Anne this week,” the tipster wrote. A source close to Martin confirmed the family breach to Grub Street today. The siblings had been squabbling since the opening of Café Regular du Nord back in July, but it was some promotional postcards that finalized the breach. Designed by an employee, Richard (who managed du Nord) and Martin were distributing these postcards to customers. Anne didn’t like them and told the brothers to stop giving them out. Richard quit over the micromanagement, and Martin sided with his brother. Martin declined to comment to Grub Street, Richard did not return calls or texts, and several calls to Anne at Café Regular went to message saying the voice-mail system had not been connected. “It’s really a Royal Tenenbaums level of dysfunction,” said the source. More
Broken Embraces
21 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
in movie review Tags: Broken Embraces, Pedro Almodóvar
A man writes, lives and loves in darkness. Fourteen years before, he was in a brutal car crash on the island of Lanzarote. In the accident, he not only lost his sight, he also lost Lena, the love of his life. This man uses two names: Harry Caine, a playful pseudonym with which he signs his literary works, stories and scripts, and Mateo Blanco, his real name, with which he lives and signs the film he directs. After the accident, Mateo Blanco reduces himself to his pseudonym, Harry Caine. If he can’t direct films he can only survive with the idea that Mateo Blanco died on Lanzarote with his beloved Lena. In the present day, Harry Caine lives thanks to the scripts he writes and to the help he gets from his faithful former production manager, Judit García, and from Diego, her son, his secretary, typist and guide. Since he decided to live and tell stories, Harry is an active, attractive blind man who has developed all his other senses in order to enjoy life, on a basis of irony and self-induced amnesia. He has erased from his biography any trace of his first identity, Mateo Blanco. More
This. Is. Awesome.
14 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
in Science Tags: Cisco, Shopping, Tech
Told you amazing things are on the horizon!!
Who Got to Meet THE PRESIDENT?
11 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
in Philanthropy, Politics Tags: GA 2009, President Obama
PCA got to meet THE PRESIDENT! I’ll post the pics as we get them… 
Roni Horn aka Roni Horn @ The Whitney
07 Nov 2009 1 Comment
in Art Tags: and the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Donald R. Mullen Jr, IV Family Foundation, Lannan Foundation, Roni Horn aka Roni Horn, Tate Modern, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Glenstone Foundation, The James R. Hedges, Whitney Museum of American Art
I love this show! Roni is dark and brilliant and ambidextrous. Some of my favorites are the mischievously appealing red ant farm, the River Thames pictures with notations and the clowns. More
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
01 Nov 2009 Leave a Comment
Such imperfect awesomeness! Whoever did sound doesn’t know hip-hop and poor Jay-Z got slammed with echo. A serious hat-tip to him, he was able to continue through it and then Alicia Keys opened up her awesomeness and totally saved it while they fixed sound. The only thing better is the player’s faces of awe. Oh yeah, and the entire Bronx crowd knows all the lyrics to the chorus! In NEEWWW YOOOORK!
Brunello Cucinelli
01 Nov 2009 1 Comment
Saks put on an event for the Brunello Cucinelli line and it partnered with the Henry Street Settlement. The models from his site were there looking stunning in earthy tones. Brunello is a kind and intelligent soul. He is an artist and a renaissance man.
I learned about the Henry Street Settlement. Both women I met have been with the organization for decades.
I also met an interesting hospital VP (?) who volunteered his medical services for them and he was very impressed with their organization. 
NYC Halloween Parade 2009
01 Nov 2009 1 Comment
in Verbal Ramblings Tags: 2009, Emon Hassan, Halloween, NYC
Emon Hassan took some fantastic pictures: 
New Chanel!
25 Oct 2009 Leave a Comment
in Product Review Tags: Belle Fleur, Chanel, Eden McCracken, Fragrances & Florals: A Presentation of Les Exclusifs de Chanel Fragrance Collection, Meredith Wanga Perez, Saks Fifth Avenue, Vanity Fair
My roommate and I went to Vanity Fair’s Chanel event at Saks named “Fragrances & Florals: A Presentation of Les Exclusifs de Chanel Fragrance Collection” with Eden McCracken, Chanel Fragrance Expert and Meredith Wanga Perez, Founder & Creative Director of Belle Fleur.
The room was done nicely with beautiful bouquets and the champagne was flowing. We were introduced to the base scents first then the Chanel fragrances that went with them. I discovered a new favorite sent in tuberose and sampled iris, hawthorn, gardenia and green grass. I thought the green grass was off as I associate the smell more with Demeter’s version.
The new fragrances we sampled were: No. 22, Bel Respiro, Gardenia, La Pausa, and Beige. I like Beige the most but not the name. I associate beige with drab and conformist.
It was a nice presentation and the swag bag was great.
Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!
06 Oct 2009 Leave a Comment
in Gigs I Wanna See, Music Tags: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
I happened upon this cd at my favorite used cd shop, Last Vestige’s blues section. Never heard of him but it’s new and it’s put out by Lost Highway. I fell in love in within minutes! He is the love child of old Stax and Motown.
UPDATE: They’re ON TOUR http://www.blackjoelewis.com/tour/ and will be in NYC on the 25th!
The Death of AutoTune
03 Oct 2009 Leave a Comment
in Verbal Ramblings Tags: Brooklyn, Death of AutoTune, Jay-Z, LeBron James, Rao's
Moment of silence…
I LOVE THIS VIDEO. Jay-Z announces the death of autotune and all the commercial fakery that comes with it, eats and gambles at Rao’s (best red sauce. period.), plays b-ball with LeBron James, and gives love to Brooklyn. How is it possible not to love Jay-Z? Yes, he’s commercial. But at least he’s got the ear and the talent to back it up.
Also, get the iTunes Deluxe version of this with videos and other goodies.
POOCHALINA is OK
03 Oct 2009 Leave a Comment
in Verbal Ramblings Tags: Pebbles, Poochalina, rescue dog
NEWS UPDATE: Pebbles my God-Dog has recovered from surgery and is doing fantastically and is on her way to a full recovery. A dog-run tumble ruptured her left anterior cruciate ligament and went to the doc yesterday.
She is a pitbull mix rescue of 8 years young. She is the sweetest, smartest awesomest dog in all New York. She goes everywhere with Darrick because she is so obedient and well trained (no leash needed but he brings it in case of the fuzz). She is a model pooch and the debutant of her neighborhood.
Anger is an Appropriate Reaction
06 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
in Verbal Ramblings Tags: Toles, Washington Post
Bernard Madoff got away with record-breaking investment fraud for far too long because of regulatory incompetence at the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a shocking and angering report by the agency’s inspector general.
At one point SEC investigators decided against asking the NASDAQ stock market for data on trades Mr. Madoff claimed to have made because it would be too time-consuming to review the data. More
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus
06 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
in Philanthropy Tags: Black Eyed Peas, Cranky Geeks, Dave Chappele's Block Party, Dave Matthews Band, Friday Morning May 25 2007, John C. Dvorak, John Lennon, John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Kanye West, Mozart, Outside Lands, Ovation TV, Sir George Martin, The Beatles, Wyclef, Yoko
A fully-functioning, completely mobile music and video studio, the Lennon Bus criss-crosses the country to allow music students, youth groups and amateur musicians to get a high-tech, hands-on recording experience. The idea is to encourage interest in songwriting and production among enthusiasts who would otherwise not have the opportunity to explore their love of music. During Outside Lands, the bus also had a number of high-profile visitors, including members of Black Eyed Peas and Dave Matthews Band. More
El SuperBeasto Coming to Theatres September 12, 2009
05 Sep 2009 1 Comment
in Verbal Ramblings Tags: Rob Zombie, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto
El SuperBeasto Coming to Theatres September 12, 2009
It Might Get Loud: My Review
23 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
in movie review, Music Tags: Get Behind Me Satan, It Might Get Loud, Jack White, Jimmy Page, Leadbelly, Metallica, Rattle and Hum, The Edge, The Joshua Tree, The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, The Who
YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS MOVIE. If you like rock and roll and worship at the strings of Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White like I do, this is a must see. I got into Led Zeppelin when I was in Jr. High School in the mid-80s along with The Who and The Rolling Stones and all the other masters of the genre but Led Zep always spoke to me on a level that The Beatles did. They formed my opinions of what I liked and how hard I liked it. I can’t imagine growing up without the genius of Jimmy Page. Music was my church and sanity and these were the gods I looked to. I remember in High School U2 really hit it but I was off in metal land listening to bootlegs of Metallica. There was this girl Elana who was totally obsessed with U2 and even though I wasn’t into them, I thought her musical devotion cool as hell and never forgot it. Now The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum are permanently on my desert island disc list as they completely blow me away. More
Scott H. Biram plays Brooklyn
18 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Ain't it a Shame, Scott H. Biram, Still Drunk Still Crazy Still Blue, Union Hall
We got to see Scott H. Biram play Union Hall August 6th and it was a fantastic show. The video of my favorite song by him (this week) is Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue is here:
Kitty at My Foot and I Wanna Touch It…
17 Aug 2009 1 Comment
My friend’s nephew brought home an abandoned 3ish-week-old kitten named Poe. I call him Edgar and he has my heart.
Rob Zombie at Comic Con!
29 Jul 2009 Leave a Comment
in movie review, Music Tags: Comic Con, Halloween 2, Rob Zombie, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Tour, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Weird Al Yankovic
Rest in Peace Michael
26 Jun 2009 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: child prodigy, Michael Jackson, RIP
A child prodigy is a one who masters one or more skills or arts at an early age. One heuristic for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 13 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding field of endeavor. (Wiki)
I Want This T-Shirt
20 Jun 2009 Leave a Comment
in Product Review, Science Tags: Schrödinger's Cat, Think Geek
As seen at the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival: “Think Geek“.
Twisted up in Schrödinger’s uncertainty thought experiment, this historical kitty has been put through a quantum ringer that nobody should have to experience. After all it’s tough work being both alive and dead simultaneously. Every student of physics knows that Schrödinger’s 1935 paper regarding a hypothetical paradox involving a cat has perplexed and annoyed physics geeks for years. The basic idea; If the outcome of a circumstance is presently unknown and by observing the circumstance you will disrupt it, then it exists in all possible states simultaneously… Simple! At least to quantum physicists with massive craniums. And hey eventually this principle will seem commonplace, but by then our highways will connect galaxies and shirts like this will be so utterly obvious that they’ll likely be dish rags.
Don’t get it? We propose the following thought experiment: More
The .357 String Band Minus Jayke
14 Jun 2009 2 Comments
in Brooklyn, Music, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Jayke Orvis, The .357 String Band
Dude what the hell? I just read on Jayke’s blog that The .357 String Band gave him the boot. “for the record, the discussion of dropping me like a groupie was done behind close doors and absolutely behind my back. the conversation was 2 minutes long, and one minute of that was me thinking they were joking.”
We were lucky enough to catch their set when they opened for Joe Buck and they wound up crashing at my place after the gig. (Band photo in front of my apartment with Jayke far right) It was a joy to be cool enough to host musicians and Jayke and I got a chance to get to know each other on the supermarket breakfast run. He’s a hell of a nice guy who is devoted to his band, art and music. I have both their cds and they are absolutely worth the purchase.
I hope nothing but the best for the band and I look forward to following Jayke’s musical career as this is in no way the end of opportunities that await him. He’s immensely talented and gorgeous and sweet. I wish him success and happiness.
SAVE LUCKY 13!
31 May 2009 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Music Tags: Brooklyn, Hank III, Lucky 13 Bar
COME ON METAL HEADS! This is the only METAL bar in Brooklyn! They even got an autographed Hank III poster!
This place is cool! We can’t let it die. WE JUST CAN’T! I’m just gonna bring my change bucket and drink ’til it’s empty.
Job Fairs Suck My Soul Dry
30 May 2009 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Job Fair, Unemployment
Look. I try to be positive. I do. But the longer I’m unemployed, the harder it is. And I know it’s the economy and I know this is a monumentally BAD time in the job market, but that doesn’t make me feel less of a loser and bump on the log of society. I’ve sent out zillions of resumes into the ether and it’s so bad that I actually get psyched when I get a rejection letter because that at least means someone looked at my application before rejecting me.
I try new ideas. I’ll try anything at this point. I NEED A JOB. More
Summer Shows 2009
26 May 2009 2 Comments
in Brooklyn, Gigs I Wanna See, Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: 2009 Summer Concerts, 6 Day Bender, Assjack, Betty LaVette, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Hank III, Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours, Saratoga Jazz Festival, Scott H. Biram, WFMU Record Fair
Thurs. June 4th = 6 Day Bender @ Hank’s Saloon here in Brooklyn (FREE)
Sat. June 20th = Dead Prez @ Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival ($10)
Tue. June 23rd = Hank III & Assjack w/Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours @ Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT ($20)
Wed. June 24th = Hank III & Assjack w/Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours @ Music Hall of Williamsburg here in Brooklyn ($20)
Sat. June 27th & Sun. June 28th = Dave Brubeck Quartet, Saratoga Jazz Festival @ SPAC in Saratoga Springs, NY ($40 each day)
Thu. August 6th = Scott H Biram @ Union Hall here in Brooklyn
Fri. October 23 – Sunday Oct. 25th = WFMU Record Fair (dude, it’s Christmas in October!)
* Every Sunday is the African Drumming Circle at Drummer’s Grove in Prospect Park, Brooklyn (FREE)
*** If there are any shows that you know of that I’ll like and that are free or cheap, lemmie know by shooting me an email at gillian dot grey at yahoo dot com
Wayne “The Train” Hancock plays Brooklyn
22 May 2009 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Bob Hoffnar, Brooklyn, Huck, James Hunnicutt, Live, Wayne Hancock
Last night at Jalopy in Red Hook, Wayne Hancock and his band played one hellofa gig. We sang and danced in the isles! He did new songs and old songs and fun songs and sad songs. The place was full which is always good to see since I don’t much associate juke joint swing with Brooklyn.
The band was tight had fun with the gig. Bob Hoffnar on steel guitar was the obvious yankee and so talented. James Hunnicutt has stepped in just fine on one of the most beautiful guitars I’ve ever seen. And I can’t for the life of me remember the stand up bass player (Huck?!), that was the hugest bass I’ve ever seen in my life!
Wayne was in a goofy mood and pretty much played whatever the crowd asked him to. I’m glad I’ve been introduced to his music since two of my favorite Hank III songs are written by him.
I’ll absolutely be there next time he comes to town and the times after that.
Tweeets in Spaaaaace!
19 May 2009 Leave a Comment
Astronaut Mike Massimino, currently in orbit on space shuttle Atlantis, is better known in the Twitterverse as Astro_Mike. More than 300,000 Twitter users follow his updates, which began last month as chronicles of his preparation for liftoff. Since Atlantis lifted off a week ago, Massimino has continuously tweeted about the beautiful views from space and, most recently, how difficult it was to sleep after an epic spacewalk. But how does he access Twitter 350 miles (550 kilometers) above Earth? NASA spokesperson James Hartsfield of the Johnson Space Center in Houston says that support staff on the ground post updates on Twitter that Massimino sends them from a laptop aboard the shuttle. By John Matson
My favorite tweets include:
From orbit: Eating chocolates in space, floating then in front of me then floating and eating them like I am a fish
From orbit: Getting ready for bed, sleeping in space is cool, tie down your sleeping bag and float inside of it, very relaxing
Puppy in tha hood
08 May 2009 Leave a Comment
in Brooklyn, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Charlie Pup, Eric Rochow, Ford Fiesta Movement, Gardenfork TV, Henry, Labrador, Park Slope, puppy, Real World Green, serious cuteness, Stoop, Twitter, yellow lab
My neighbor, Eric Rochow, is a cook, gardener, handyman, host of Real World Green & Gardenfork TV. He’s an interesting guy to follow on Twitter and he’s part of the Ford Fiesta Movement. (I don’t think there’s much he doesn’t do.) My favorite reason for him being our neighbor are his beautiful Labradors. There’s now a new puppy in the hood and we’re all falling over ourselves with cuteness updates:
Product Review: JVC NX-PN7 iPod/iPhone Audio System
08 May 2009 2 Comments
in Product Review Tags: audio system, clock radio, iPhone, iPod, JVC, NX-PN7, POS
When my iPod alarm clock (iHome iH5BR) died because the dials no longer worked, I headed over to the Circuit City liquidation sale at Flatbush & Atlantic. (I should mention that I first tried Target but their shelves were empty as usual and the dissapointment at them rages on.) This was the only clock radio that had what I’m looking for with a sticker that prominently said “Works with iPhone”. I asked the salesman if there were any other parts or cords to the unit. He rolled his eyes at me and gave an exasperated “no” like I’m an idiot. No wonder your company is going out of business, your staff sucks. I kick myself for buying it at CC because there are absolutely no refunds or exchanges so I’m stuck with it and don’t have the money to get something else.
Yeah dude, explain me this…
07 May 2009 1 Comment
in Science, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Discover Magazine, Hurley, LOST, Miles, Rules for Time Travelers, Season 5 Episode 11, time travel, WTF
I still have the Hurley/Miles time travel discussion warbling around in my head.
I should probably hold off on yammering about this since the LOST season finale is next week and I’m pretty sure my head’s gonna explode. So what’s the dealio? Parallel universes getting all weaved together and our ragtag bunch is gonna save us? Huh? Will Jack push the button? THE BIG RED SHINY BUTTON?
UPDATE: Yeah…so… I was totally wrong on the whole LOST season finale theory but this scene still kicks butt so I’m not gonna delete the post. You might also want to check out the Rules for Time Travelers at Discover Magazine. It’s schuper interesting.
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia: My Review
27 Apr 2009 18 Comments
in movie review, Music, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Hank III, movie review, The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia
The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, directed by Julien Nitzberg. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Shoot-outs, robberies, gas-huffing, drug dealing, pill popping, murders, and tap dancing — what do these all have in common? The White Family. From executive producers Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine comes a shocking portrait of Boone County, West Virginia’s most notorious and surly family. Nitzberg spends a year with multiple generations of the White family in this outlandish doc featuring the family’s dancing muse, Jesco White (star of the cult classic documentary Dancing Outlaw).
“The legend of D Ray White will never die like a rebel yell” – Hank III
Einstein said…
03 Apr 2009 Leave a Comment
‘A human being is a part of the whole universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.’ ~ Albert Einstein, ‘What I believe’, Forum and Century issue 84 (1930)
News Update
03 Apr 2009 Leave a Comment
in Music Tags: Scott H. Biram, Unknown Hinson
Scott H. Biram – From Twang Nation 3/6/09: Our thoughts go out to Texas’ own ‘Dirty Old One Man Band’ Scott H Biram who after his last show in Europe suffered a compound fracture in the leg he uses on the his stomp board during performance. He is currently in a French hospital after surgery to implant yet another titanium rod in his leg (where another already exists due to a run in with a Semi a few years back.) It looks like he will be put on a plane home Saturday and can then heal in the good ole USA where its home but where insurance and reasonably priced medical care aren’t available to musicians. Go help the boy out and buy some of his CDs and swag! UPDATE: He is OK and back on tour.
Unknown Hinson – He’s jammed with the Rolling Stones, is preparing for a tour where he’ll play guitar with Billy Bob Thornton and open for Willie Nelson. He’s been hailed by Tom Petty, and Hank III and he’s ON TOUR
Paradise
27 Mar 2009 1 Comment
in Verbal Ramblings Tags: flower boxes
OK Mother Nature, I see what you’re capable of. Now may we have some warm weather so we can build perfect flower boxes and make my friend’s deck a slice of heaven again?
It’s TAX TIME! (time for Slayer)
27 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment
in Music, Verbal Ramblings Tags: Slayer
Here’s a good life tip: Whenever you have tax forms or financial statements to fill out so politicians and/or banking industry executives can take the last pennies from your pithy earnings to bail out their bloated over-compensated asses, listen to SLAYER. It helps.
2009 World Science Festival in NYC
23 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment
in Science Tags: World Science Festival 2009 NYC
worldsciencefestival.com
It’s the moost wonderful time of the yeear! June 10-14
“Among those who have already committed to join us are: Nobel Prize-winning scientists James Watson, Harold Varmus, David Gross, Frank Wilczek, Sir Paul Nurse and William Phillips; renowned authors Bill McKibben and Irene Pepperberg; esteemed researchers E.O. Wilson, James Hansen, Daniel Wegner, Erich Jarvis, Daniel Levitin and Margaret Livingstone; and acclaimed artists Alan Alda, Marin Alsop, and Anna Deavere Smith.” (copied from the official blog)
I’ve already put in a request for a press pass and if that don’t fly, I also requested to be a volunteer.
Get your geek on and join us!
Gigs I Wanna See: Scott H. Biram
21 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment
in Gigs I Wanna See, Music Tags: Scott H. Biram, Something's Wrong/Lost Forever, Still Drunk Still Crazy Still Blue, Union Hall
I don’t make a habit of linking to CMT because they leave the same bad taste in my mouth that MTV, VH-1 & BET do. That said, WOO HOO!! Scott H. Biram is coming out with a new cd on May 19th!
Scott H. Biram, “Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue” (from the CD, “Something’s Wrong/Lost Forever” due May 19): Like a one-man Sex Pistols of alt-country, Texan Scott Biram is a take-no-prisoners, hell-bent, raging musical evangelist. Read the title of this song and you know just what you have in store, and it’s well worth it. Mostly Biram accompanies himself on a Gibson hollow-body guitar — often distorted — along with harmonica and electrified foot stomp board to fuel his musical rampages through a gothic landscape. He is sometimes great and scary at the same time. Good for him. Is there still room on the musical landscape for such a maverick? I think there may actually be more room these days, given the different avenues for an artist to reach the listener, apart from the traditional record label to record store route.
Looking at his website for dates, he’s playing Union Hall here in Brooklyn on Thursday, August 6th.
SevenTEEN months
20 Mar 2009 1 Comment
in Gigs I Wanna See, Gigs I'm Going to See, Music Tags: Hank III, Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Toad's Place
Now that we’ve got the introduction out of the way, I’ll begin gas-bagging it. WHERE IS HANK III? Seriously. The last show we saw was 17 months ago. Do you know what that’s like for a fan that thinks he’s the sun moon and stars? I hope everything is well on his end and things work out to get him up here doing what he does best…soon.
U P D A T E :
Tour dates are now posted on his website! We’re going to see the gig at Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT on June 23rd and then here in Brooklyn at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on June 24th!
Opening will be Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours (schweeet!)
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
greetings and salutations
20 Mar 2009 Leave a Comment
Hello…out…there.
Do I want to be a blogger? I’m the kind of person who winces at the word. I picture someone who thinks others actually hang on their every thought. To the blogosphere’s defense, I have found some that elevate the conversation that’s happening. I’m on Twitter and am blown away by the frequency of my tweets. It’s as if I’m unemployed and on the couch all day with my laptop wearing sweats and moose-head slippers. This has to change. Winter has been cold and icky but once nice weather hits, I’m going to live more of my life outside. Last summer was pretty fun. The immediate stress of losing my job wasn’t too bad because after my company’s reorganization, my position became a painful death sentence only to feel the sweet release of death via the axe. The upside of being so plugged in is I now have amazing amounts of useless information about celebrities and my neighbors. What I find most interesting is the frequency of tweets of successful people. They have their finger on the pulse and are tweeting about it. Problem is, none of us are making any money. I would be liberal and say few but let’s face it folks, it sucks out there. I’m hustling for gigs that pay 60% less than my pre-recession rate. My plan is to pursue my interests and go after the fields that I can work for less in order to be in position with the thought leaders as we figure out the new economy.
So this is what it is. I’ll just blurt out whatever I’m thinking and you’ll hang on every word.
Thanks.
g.
