This Shit is Happening

For those of you who don't have the pleasure of saying, "yeah, I've gotten blotto like The Otto with The Genius" you might not know that this is a thing that happens on the reg.  June 2014, San Francisco, if you're counting.  And I am, so you should be.

Funny story, true story, it doesn't happen all that often, ask anyone, so you should be pleased to be a part of it, if it does happen in the vicinity of your domicillius.  One of those words may not have previously existed before I typed it.  If you don't know which word it is, you won't get any prior posts so stop trying.

And this is the humble version of me.

I don't use the mic on kareoke night.  But long time readers knew that already.

I rocked "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" before I knew what the feeling was.  I was right then, and I'm right now, except for that one thing where I'm probably completely wrong.

A Song For That Guy On The Street

Just cruising down Mount Pleasant, yelling out a song in Spanish.  I think it was a love song because I heard "corazon" and all the latinas were giggling at him.  This video goes out to you, amigo.

The Time is Now

Every recession has had one, and now so must this recession.  It is time for another cover of "Dancing in the Streets." Someone get on that.

Probably Sheryl Crow, Hootie, and the Crash Test Dummies.

Probably Late to This Party, Like Always

And I doubt that I am even fashionably late, but I'm at the party now, and I'm gonna drink your beer, smoke your cigarettes, flirt with your girlfriend, and draw on you when you pass out with your shoes on.



Thanks to A Softer World for telling me about the party.

This song may seem odd for me, but I can't stop listening to it. I think I am on replay six or seven.

Where I Was Last Night

Gogol Bordello at The National in Richmond, VA

I'm in Richmond, VA for the underdog world strike. Gogol Bordello is playing The National with Apostle of Hustle.* I'm with my brother (I should thank him for the ticket, and driving, paying for the hotel, paying for dinner, and the beer) and my cousin. After tonight, Richmond may refer to us as the Terrible Trio.** We're one beer in and three stares of dismay from our neighbors at this cafe for our Big City lingo, and by that I mean our prevalance for the words dude, shit, ballcock, fuck, fucking shit, and goddam fucking hell.

Quotes of Note:
"Richmond is sending me confusing messages with its strict No Segways policy along the waterfront, but also a clear endorsement of the Segway as a rental."

"A ballcock is a fine fellow.""
* To be remembered later.
** Apologies to Jolly Blackburn, but I've heard stories that indicate you might enjoy some of our coming exploits.

Friday Morning Random: Ghost Jukebox Edition, with Genius Commentary

If you leave the jukebox alone, it plays random songs every twenty minutes. Last Sunday, the jukebox chose the following six songs to play:

1. Elvis - In the Ghetto.
Makes anyone want to drink.

2. Monkees - Daydream Believer
Makes everyone look at the jukebox to see who selected this song.

3. Avant - Separated
Makes everyone go outside to smoke.

4. Four Tops - Need Your Lovin'
Makes all the lonely servers and patrons stare at the wall in regret.

5. John Roe - Izzy
Makes, uh...I can't even remember this song. Maybe it's a psychic trigger and we all have the same 3:43 minute memory gap! Or maybe not.

6. Commodores - Easy
I got nothing.

So there you have it. I'm surprised the 'box didn't toss in any lame country. The 'box will frequently pick Bottom 40 Country Misses and horrible R&B when bored. It seems to only play songs that no one ever selects, as if saying, "put some money in me, or I play more terrible bar music." It's an aural terrorist.

Additional commentary on selected artists and the Jukebox's selection thereof:
Coldplay: A customer reacts to my face when Yellow comes on for the third time in a night by saying, "Wow, you really hate Coldplay." It's like trying to drill a hole in your skull to gain superpowers, except the drilling never stops.

Muse: Coldplay with Enhanced Suck. Ross Perot never imagined how bad the sucking sound could eventually be, but now we know.

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk: Ok, we get it, you're fucking hip. Now shut the fuck up and enable more VW songs, or The Genius is gonna Lou Ferrigno your ass right off the wall.

NOFX: Without Liza & Louise, how can I make Facebook friends with my lesbo coworkers?

Toby Keith: Someday you will face the Wrath of the Beastly Brows, Toby Keith.

Knickelback: Flames. Flames from the side of Res Publica's face.

Journey: I'm gonna hurt you in the no-no place, jukebox.

M.I.A.: If I weren't such a feminist, I might request that guy come beat our jukebox.

Kelly Clarkson: I received a note from Justin to Kelly, and it said only, "I gave up, why can't you?"

Hannah fucking Montana, and the Jonas Brothers: Hah, Disney tries to be all coy, and claim that they don't sell sex to children. Liars. Dirty, rotten, filthy, liars.

Metallica: Three songs from St. Anger, and three songs from the Black Album? Hardly equivalent, but I'm sure the band needed to redo the gold plating on all seventy of their toilets. Guess which three songs play over and over?

Louis Prima: I like this guy. I only play it when I've made more than a bill, and feel good. I don't want to ruin the five songs on the 'box by over-playing them.

MGMT - Kids, followed by PB&J - Young Folks: These two songs play together so often, I am hanging by my fingernails over the abyss of the soul. My rage waits patiently, eagerly, and ravenously to feast upon a delicious supper when the day comes that I can no longer bear these two songs together. It's almost as bad as the Vampire Weekend/Flobots combo. The 'box taunts me by straining to ruin so many bands, and succeeding so thoroughly. I dream of my sweet revenge.

My Post About Air Guitar

The show was amazing. I am currently struggling to overcome some technical difficulties in posting pictures. I will have an entire Flickr album dedicated to really blurry cell phone pictures as soon as I can get the library computers to cooperate.

In the meantime, John Bustine has a show at Comet in Van Ness tonight! The cover is only $5. Matt Hemerlein is also doing a show tonight, but with a Nigerian* metal guitarist, at a venue near 1st and T. Unfortunately, that is all the information I have. Having checked myspace and his web site, I am stymied by this old clunker of a library terminal.

*I hope I am remembering that correctly. I think the guy plays with Sons of Osiris? I ran into Matt on the street after having a couple beers with some of the lads. There may have also been some karaoke.

Stripmall Ballads and The Duhks

I am on my way to tonight's banjo-filled show at Iota, near the Clarendon Metro. I hope to be able to post something worthwhile about the show tomorrow. The Stripmall Ballads have two new releases coming out in July both of which I am eagerly awaiting. I have less info on The Duhks, but heard their version of the Camptown Races song something like 4 years ago on NPR's Song of the Day, and it has played every now and then in my head since.

Federal Reserve Collective Tonight at Iota

Russian snipers aside, I will be sprinting from cover to cover tonight as I make my way to the First Mondays with the Federal Reserve at Iota Club and Cafe. The cover is only $5 and like air guitar competitions, everyone I have convinced to go to this show has raved about the amazing awesomeness seen and heard on the first Monday. You can buy me a drink or three.

New Music for Pinko Punko

Mastodon seems to be taking the Rush route. A full stage show for an album about "wormholes, the spirit realm, an early-20th-century Russian Orthodox sect and Rasputin" sounds like just the ticket to get Pinko Punko and pals out of the house and bring this country out of the economic doldrums! Heavy metal prog rock will save us all.

But seriously, I'll have to buy this for my brother's cousin-in-law. He liked 2006's Blood Mountain and I need to maintain my rep.

Music Posts to Come Tomorrow

Or sometime. The job is not hard, but the three mile walk home uphill both ways in the snow after a ten hour shift is getting a little annoying. I bet I've lost some weight, feels like my ass has completely fallen off.

Check out Armida and Her Imaginary Band. She gave me her demo CD "A Night at the Liver-Rot Lounge" last night. It's great.

I leave you with this:
"It's not just a good day, it's a rocketpack day!" - Genius Nephew.

Monday Morning Music: 12/2/08

Let's see if WMP can redeem itself after the depressing song selections of my last random music post.

1. Elvis - She's Not You
2. Johnny Cash - I Still Miss Someone

By Chewbacca's wooly ass, what the hell happened to the random function on my music player? Did it get stuck on "Fucking Depressing Shit," or is the univerese trying to speak to me through my computer? At least the universe has good taste in music, but I am trying to maintain a brave face and this shit isn't helping.

Monday Morning Music: 11/24/08

1. John Bustine - The Wreck of the Good Ship Lollipop
2. Johnny Cash - Before My Time
3. Rose - I Fill Up the Time
4. The Police - Can't Stand Losing You

OK, I have to end this here. Apparently, Windows Media Player has decided that I need to feel shitty about some relationship. Or maybe WMP just broke up with Quicktime or Real Player and feels bad. Seriously, four songs about break ups? Fuck.

Randomly Posted Random Songs

Here's a taste of the music playing while I search for a new job and write my novel:

Aimee Mann - Thirty One Today
These United States - Burn This Bridge
Billy Idol - Untitled track from Cyberpunk
Johnny Cash - I Still Miss Someone (from At Folsom Prison)
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (downloaded from Fluxblog)
Jonathan Coulton - Re: Your Brains
Lejeune - Kubasaki Ha'i
Thievery Corporation - Indra

Other Other Hobbies

So I will finally be binge-blogging all of my various new musical experiences over at Well Rounded Nerds. It should be interesting. To at least one of you. It may even draw dontEATnachos out from seclusion, but it is unlikely to draw even a pageview from fulsome.

Better Said By Others

There are some times when it is best to let other people speak for you. In a foreign country, when complementing you, or when dealing with the police. Every now and then, I find something that sums up a lot of my feelings about a subject that maybe I hadn't even been thinking about or maybe just hadn't been able to elucidate verbally, but this Fart Party comic pretty much sums up the way I feel about DC: it sorta sucks a whole lot and then I stumble upon a brief moment that reminds me of all the reasons I live here.

I went to a show last night and had a good time. I converted $37.65 worth of nickels and dimes into a cab ride (STUPID ERRATIC METROBUSES!), a new CD, and the entrance fee to Stella Schindler's CD release show at the Velvet Lounge.

In an announcement that is news to no one, I am really behind in some album reviews. I will have to get those done this weekend since I was called out by dontEATnachos a few weeks/months ago.

Fort Reno Again Tonight

Cuz, fuck you, it's free. Should providence keep the rain away, I will see Kid Congo Powers, The Shirks, and Girl Loves Distortion.

I couldn't locate a website for The Shirks. I am somewhat surprised by this.

More Great Music Coming to DC

Birds & Batteries are coming to Washington, DC on July 1 at the Red and the Black. I will be there. You should be, too.

I will also be at the First Mondays show at Iota on July 7.

Promised Poop Shoot: Cooler Than You Music

In the days before blogs, there was memepool and True Porn Clerk Stories. I was definitely a cooler-than-you video clerk in my clerking days and I doubt this list will fail to confirm that. I would frequently subject the suburban families to music that was just way too cool for them. I did get a few grimaces and annoy one father by suggested that he accompany his 16 year old daughter to the shows she wants to see at the Black Cat. He was willing to admit that he would have snuck out of the house to see his favorite bands as a kid, but that I should shut the hell up and just rent him Flubber.

1. Roofwalkers - Tear Down the Tents: Formerly named Pagoda. I have not seen them live yet, but I am sure I will at one of the First Mondays in the next few months.
2. Lejeune - New Best Friend: The singer's voice is a little nasal for my taste, but the music is interesting. I like their songs over all, especially "Replaced by Robots."
3. The Vita Ruins - Alien: Cool beans.
4. Rose - Regarding the 11th: Better break-up/heartbreak music than The Frames.
5. Thao Nguyen - Like the Linen: Another person that I have recommended to a couple ladies who have all loved her music.
6. Georgie James - Cheap Champagne: Catchy and fast. Pretty much describes most of their songs.
7. Le Loup - I had a dream I died: Not exactly a CDC candidate but the music is great.
8. These United States - Diving Boards Pointed at the Sky: Despite some notable hosers deciding not to go to their San Francisco show, I continue to proclaim this band to my friends. Even if my friends are losers.

Well that's that. I need to get a new job so I can have more income to spend on music.

*I accidentally hit post when I had only written half of the title. I contemplated leaving the post as it was because I thought it was a funny joke but decided it was more mehta than meta.