Madness

I watched The Forgotten last night. I was supposed to meet Randy and Laura at The Watermark in Mayville to watch a little two-piece band, but when I got there I did not see either of their vehicles. I went inside and didn't see them there either. By the time I got back through Lakewood, I was too late to catch the 9:45 showing of Batman Begins.

I'm pretty sure it was only last year that I started going to movies by myself. Actually, never mind - it was 2003 when I got back from Colorado. At first it was just as bad as going to eat at a restaurant alone. I don't mean the actual act of watching the movie. I mean buying the ticket with a bunch of couples around. Oh well, I guess. Why shouldn't I be able to watch a movie just because no one will go with me? I went to a lot of them last summer.

Anyway - so I was too late and ended up going to Blockbuster and renting a couple things. I got Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 3) just in case The Forgotten freaked me out too much; I would have something light to watch afterward. I tend to like to watch something funny after a horror/thriller. Really just thrillers, because I usually find horror movies distasteful and stupid.

I would recommend The Forgotten to anyone who can handle science fiction. Some people can't. I know Aaron hates it because it's just too weird for him. If it's not realistic, he tends to focus on the unreality of things rather than the underlying premise that is being explored, which of course is what science fiction is really about. Many people in my science fiction English class last semester were pretty hung up on whether or not the book was realistic. Apparently they forgot what kind of class they had enrolled in.

It's no secret that I can become pretty emotionally involved with movies and television if they are touching on things that I find relevant to my own life in some way. Ben once criticized me for essentially seeing my life as The Wonder Years played out in real life. So anyway - I think the reason why the movie last night and of course Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind hit me so hard is because of how attached I am to my memories.

You know - I always start these things or compose them in my head and they're much more complete than they end up being when I post them.

At work yesterday, I recorded Grosse Pointe Blank on the DVR because I've never seen it in its entirety and I love John Cusack movies. So I'm watching it and he tells Minnie Driver's character that he's had dreams about her roughly five nights per week for the last ten years. I don't need to tell you what that reminded me of and started me thinking whether that's going to happen to me. Of course after the movie last night I predictably had a dream about Destini. Many times I can't remember exactly what the dream consisted of, I'm only left with the knowledge that her presence in it was pervasive and complete. Surely, this is madness, is it not? Obsession?

I will reiterate that I have not seen her since late July 2004 and have not heard from her via email since December. That doesn't mean that I haven't emailed her. But I'm not getting responses anymore. Probably because she has moved on and now views me as pathetic and/or crazy. Of course I don't know what I'm really asking for, because knowing how incredibly jealous I am, there is little chance that, given a second chance at things, I would be able to erase enough of my bad memories to allow a positive relationship to proceed. So maybe that's what she knows and she's sparing us both the heartache that would accompany any attempted reunion. I don't know. All I know is that watching Curb Your Enthusiasm was not a big relief - the last episode I watched featured Larry's wife going to see a play that her friend Brad is performing in, and Larry's first reaction is to say go ahead and go, even if he doesn't feel good about it. Of course the thing is a comedy and everything developed in a humorous manner, but I was stuck in a memory of mine. It was after the break-up and Destini was leaving my house to see a band play. I was doing her laundry. She was supposedly going to see the band because her friend Melinda liked a guy that played with them. Of course the guy was the cokehead and within weeks I found out that was the guy who she was sleeping with. It's possible no one else will see my mental progression on that one. Nonetheless, it was there.

Maybe that's why I don't usually finish these things - because I seem much crazier after I write it out than when I'm stewing over it in my head.

Philadelphia Bound

On Monday, I'll depart for Philadelphia with Oz to catch two Robert Plant shows on June 21 & 22.

Trial

The Michael Jackson trial is over, and to rip off NewsRadio (read in stilted Captain Kirk voice): 'if what you're saying is true....then I still don't care...'

Second Place

is the first loser.

Trivia Champs

Tuesday at the Anchor Inn in Lakewood, Thom, Matt, Turck, and I competed in a trivia contest with perhaps twelve other teams. The questions were read by a professional trivia master (which is to say a busboy with a laptop). The battle consisted of three rounds, with each round comprised of questions worth more than the last. Our team, Bye Week, was victorious by five points. It was pretty exciting because we climbed from far back in the pack over the course of the three rounds and many of the leaders fell away in the final round.

Curiously, most of the questions seem to have been made up in 1997 or thereabouts. The queries ranged in subject matter from music to movies to politics.

Our prize was a whopping fifteen dollar tab at the bar, which we used on four beers and a shot of Jack Daniels for Thom and I. I expect that we'll be back next Tuesday in an effort to defend our title.

It's Been Over Two and a Half Years...

so why do I continue to dream about her on a semi-nightly basis and why is she so pervasive in my thoughts?

Last time I actually saw her was last July. Last time I had any communication with her was in December.



What the hell is wrong with me?

Laughing on the Inside

I went out last night to join Matt and Thom at the Cherry Lounge. We were later joined by Matt's friend Stephanie/Stefanie, who attended JCC when I did. We've met a few times. Anyway, I was told at one point that I appear to be laughing at my own internal joke much of the time.

Coupled with some other remarks that were made, I might be forgiven if I got the impression that she thinks I'm an arrogant prick. But hey, I'm sure that's not true.

Military Recruiters Encounter Opposition from Parents

This is definitely worth reading. Does everyone recall the recruiters in Fahrenheit 9/11?

Bush Opposes More Aid to Africa

If you asked most people in the United States what percentage of our Gross National Product goes to foreign aid, I'm sure you'd get quite a few inaccurate responses. If you asked how much our country gives in comparison to other rich nations, you'd probably get a few more wrong answers.

In reality, the United States of America gives less money proportionally than almost any industrialized nation to foreign aid, less than one percent of our GNP.

The article also touches on what the US has done since our country declared the Darfur situation in Sudan to be genocide. (Virtually nothing.)

Bob Herbert Editorial from NYT

Here's an editorial from Bob Herbert with parallels drawn in the Nixon and Bush administrations. A nice, concise piece.

Out of Exile

Two listens in, I would say I'm very pleased with Audioslave's sophomore effort. Standout tracks include "Yesterday to Tomorrow," the title track, the first single - "Be Yourself," "The Worm," and "Doesn't Remind Me."

Circuit City was giving away a free small poster with the purchase of the CD. The poster features the same images of the four band members as the center of the liner notes.

I also purchased the first two seasons of NewsRadio, the TV show on NBC that ran for five seasons and featured Phil Hartman and Dave Foley. I'm a big fan of the show. Many of the second season's episodes are named after Led Zeppelin albums.

Aaron's Wedding

Well, after all the stress and worry, the event went off with nary a hitch. It was a genuinely lovely ceremony with the expected emotional moments. Even though it was only 65 degrees Fahrenheit or so, I was still sweating quite a bit. I'm sure I had some nice pit stains when I took my jacket off, but I didn't bother to check. Nikki was a beautiful bride of course, and Aaron was outwardly very calm. Regrettably, I cannot say that I was particularly involved in the wedding effort in the months leading up to this one, but I can say that I was pretty involved with at least the last week.

On Wednesday, we had a small bachelor party. Brett and I went golfing with Aaron at Sunset. I had the best score with a 59 over nine holes. For you non-golfers (like me) out there, that's not good. We golfed the last hole using only the putters. Then we went to the Seneca Casino in Salamanca with Turck, Aaron's brother Eric, Aaron's then-future brother-in-law Paul, Matt, and Thom. We ate at the buffet, which was very good. I provided Aaron with some seed money for gambling. Hours later, none of the eight guys had won a damn thing. I did pretty well at blackjack, but unfortunately spent too much time on the slots. After the casino, we went back to Brett's (The Studio) for a fire and some music. By this time, there was only Matt, Thom, me, Brett, Turck, and Aaron left. Aaron stayed until about 3am. He seemed to have had a good time, despite our luck at gambling.

Thursday was the rehearsal dinner, which was at the Marvin House and was very nice. I met most of the wedding party that I hadn't up to that point. Chrissy and Keah were Nikki's friends from California that she had met at Anderson University in Indiana (Christian school). Both girls were very nice. There was at least a glimmer of interest in conversation when it was revealed that Keah is a Zeppelin fan. However, shortly afterward I was brought back to earth during a conversation about Colorado when she mentioned that Colorado Springs is where 'Focus on the Family' is based. I was quickly reminded who I was talking to. Focus on the Family is the foundation set up by James Dobson (of 'SpongeBob is gay' - and other idiotic pronouncements - infamy). I suppose I could have mentioned that it's also where I had some fantastic passionate sex with my girlfriend at the time, with a lovely view of Pike's Peak out our window. However, I decided to be civil.

Friday, I drove to Cuff's Formal Wear in Erie because Aaron's father Greg's tux had pants that were about three inches too short and his shoes were too small. I made up a map at Aaron's house for the route from the church to the reception, and then Aaron and I went to dinner. After a Market Fresh sandwich, we went to the Legion in Frewsburg to set up for the reception. I drove Aaron back to his apartment and then went home to finalize my Best Man speech.

I had been working on the speech in my head for months but I hadn't actually written anything down. The Best Man's Handbook that Wendy sent me helped me to synthesize my ideas into a semi-coherent 2.5 page speech that looked to draw some laughs and also to convey my sincere feelings. I finished typing it up around 3:30am.

I was pretty nervous the whole time leading up to the wedding. I went to the mall, purchased a gift, and had it wrapped. I had many opportunities before to buy a gift, but I hadn't really found anything I liked. I settled on a small chest with three photo albums inside. I figure married people can never have enough photo albums, right? I went to Aaron's house and took him to the church. We changed into our tuxedos and got ready for pictures, which were being taken by Aaron's friend Yoo Rok from RIT. My responsibilities included hanging onto the ring as well as lighting the candles in the windows and the candelabras on the altar.

The receiving line after the ceremony probably took longer than the ceremony itself; there were over 200 people there for the wedding. It's always nice when people greet the bride and groom warmly and then just stare at you and keep walking. Even nicer is when the line stops and you're stuck across from someone you know not at all and you just stare at each other awkwardly.

Sorry this post is so disjointed. I'm typing things as I remember them. I've been in three weddings now and things always seem to go by in kind of a blur. Basically, everything was very nice and very well done. I was nervous about the speech I was going to have to give, so I was somewhat preoccupied during the time after the ceremony because I was worrying about that.

Anyway, the speech went surprisingly well. It helped that they had a microphone for me, and I noticed the DJ turned me up about three times. I got quite a few laughs and an overall very positive reaction from everyone who commented.

The reception was dry, as I may have mentioned earlier. This did not preclude a lot of dancing. I think Al and Barb, Nikki's parents, were the cutest couple to watch dance. Al was tearing up the floor. I always enjoy seeing older couples having fun with each other.

Keah dragged me onto the floor for a dance, but after brief consultation we both headed to the bar, where I had the unique opportunity to buy a drink (a Madori Sour - I have no idea if I'm spelling that right) for a pastor's daughter (she is apparently a youth pastor going for her Master's Degree in Divinity). I had a Tom Collins. I didn't want a White Russian right then and I really don't know drinks very well. I ordered what came to my mind first. A Tom Collins is what Holden orders in the hotel bar in Catcher in the Rye. Anyway, she seemed like she was a fun person, if somewhat misguided in her thinking.

The reception wound down about 11 or so. The DJ, who was supposed to have "The Rain Song" because it is Aaron's favorite Zeppelin song, could not produce it. He had only the fourth album, which 25 million other people have as well. And he had "That's the Way" because it's on the Almost Famous soundtrack. Lame. I requested "Going to California" but it was not played. I was disappointed.

I'm at work, so I think that's all I'll write for now. It was a good time. It's weird to have yet another friend married. If this trend continues, we single people will soon be in the minority. Odd.

Link to Thom's Recent Post

Rather than copy the entire post, I'll just link you to Thom's blog. This post shows a portion of activities last Monday at the Good Time Saloon in Lakewood. We found some humor in the seating choice made by some members of a particular ethnic group. Before anyone gets upset, it was all in good fun.

Grades are In

Medieval History II = B
Science Fiction = A-
Media & Politics = B+
The 1960s = A
The Cold War = A

Cumulative = 3.6

Eerily enough, I received exactly the same grades as last semester in exactly the same disciplines (two As and a B in the History courses, an A- in English, and a B+ in Political Science) even though it seems like this semester was much smoother. I'm not going to complain though, since I got so lucky with the grades last time. I'm sure next Fall will be another adventure.

Dave Grohl Comments on New Album, Draws Comparisons to Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti

Just what the title says. Check out the link.

Rick Santorum Feature in NYT Magazine

A long article profiling the obnoxious US Senator from Pennsylvania who once equated homosexual sex with bestiality. If he hangs onto his senate seat in 2006, and possibly even if he doesn't, he may be a presidential candidate for 2008. Santorum is among the proponents of blurring the line between church and state.

Frank Rich Column from NYT

Great column on the administration's tendency to shoot the messenger.

Miscellaneous

Thanks to Wendy for sending The Best Man's Handbook to me in the mail. I received it today, and it may come in handy. I have yet to write the material for my toast on Saturday.

I noticed two days ago that The Rolling Stones will feature two opening acts of interest to some - Pearl Jam and The Tragically Hip. I doubt that I'll be shelling out the money to see either of those shows, but it would be cool. I'm not the biggest Stones fan, but I'm sure that collectively they'll both be great shows. The Hip actually opened for Jimmy Page and Robert Plant during a portion of the 1995 tour.

I should be back online on a more regular basis fairly soon - I'm going to be ordering a new Dell next week. Now all I need is a computer desk.

That's all for now. I'm at work now. Looks like I'll be going to Turck's for a bonfire this evening. Should be fun.

Couldn't Have Written It Better Myself

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd is off until July 6, but Matt Miller takes over and does a fine job, writing about the trend of putting the US wars on credit, to be paid...someday. Very funny take on things. Worth a read.

Warning: Infrequent Updates Ahead

My friend and roommate Aaron, who will be married in two weeks' time, moved his stuff out of our apartment in Fredonia yesterday. Translation: I have no computer, except for the one at Sears that I'm using now and the one at my house that is slower than a glacier. Also - I have no microwave, garbage cans, dishes, things to put under my home theater speakers, et cetera. I was successful in retaining the nice couch and rust-orange chair, as well as the television that cannot reproduce the color red or any variation thereof. Nice.

Anyway, until I get a new computer and desk, I'm somewhat at a loss for blogging opportunities or online time in general. That means I'm likely to fall further behind in the quest for Bonus Points at The Irreverent Marsupial and that I will be less-informed than I typically like to be. A tragedy, to be sure.

I'll be working on preparations for my Best Man toast at the reception and also for the most tame bachelor party you can probably imagine.

School is over, for better or worse. I don't think the results will be quite on par with last semester, but we'll see. I did not expect to do as well as I did last time, so maybe that bodes well. Efforts to contact me should be directed to my parents' home and my Hotmail address.

Upcoming plans aside from the wedding ceremony which I'm sure will be very nice include the Robert Plant shows in Philly and Toronto in June and early July.

Turns out that Matt will be unable to move in for the Fall semester, so I am in search of a roommate once again. All the luck in the world, eh?

Late Night Robert

Robert Plant appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien last evening, and Late Show with David Letterman on Monday night. Friday night's performance was definitely superior - the band produced a very funked-up arrangement of "Shine It All Around." The Strange Sensation is not quite intact for these television appearances however; guitarist Skin Tyson is in the UK, awaiting a new addition to his family. David Rhodes is substituting. Rhodes has worked with Peter Gabriel and Roy Orbison. I'm sure he's better on material he's written and practiced, but his solo on Monday was most disappointing. Friday's was a bit better, but they were both somewhat jagged and stilted - not smooth or fluid.

The Letterman performance came after a mere nineteen commercial breaks (okay - it was only four). Robert seemed to be a bit unnerved. The show returned after yet another commercial and there was Robert, jamming with friend Paul Shaffer and the CBS orchestra on a rendition of "Treat Her Right." Did the cameras catch this great impromptu moment? Sure - about 15 seconds of it. Thanks so much for that.

James Spader was not the featured guest, as scheduled, for Friday's show. Instead, Quentin Tarantino took up a big chunk of time talking about directing an episode of CSI. Fascinating! Not.

So there was only time for Plant to do the song and then the show was over. Apparently the lyrics to "Tin Pan Valley" hold somewhat true: "I'm turning down the talk shows, the humour, and the couch..." Maybe he's using them to showcase the new single but is not consenting to dumb questions about what it was like to dump televisions out of windows thirty years ago.

ABC News Robert Plant Feature

A nice, lengthy, thorough piece. Well-written and appreciative.

My Day

I had a final in my Cold War class at the lovely time of 8:30am today, which would have been good enough on its own. However, I also had a 1960s paper due at 4pm. I had 2.5 pages typed, and the paper was supposedly a 15-page minimum, although there was no indication of that on the course syllabus. I tried to work on it last night, but I wasn't really getting anything done. I was tired, and laid down on the couch at about 1am, setting the alarm for 3am. Well, the alarm went off and predictably, I wasn't ready to get up. I sat at the computer and got maybe a paragraph written. I reset the alarm for 4am. Then 5:30. Then 5:45. Then I started to give up, but not entirely. I set the alarm for 6:45, then 7:30. I didn't actually get up and shower until 7:45am. I walked into the final exam at 8:28am, walked out of the room at about 9:55, and walked up to the computer lab with the idea that if everyone around me was working, then maybe I would work too. However, I didn't actually begin then. I logged on, set up my papers around me, put the disk in the computer, and then strolled over to Reed Library for a blueberry muffin and a coffee. I ran into my friend Dan Lukasiewicz ("Luka") from both my Medieval and 1960s classes. We walked into the library and talked for a bit while I ate my breakfast and waited for the coffee to cool. Dan intimated that he had no expectation that Dr. Filipink would actually read a word of our papers. He said Filipink was just tossing the papers in a box in his office. Luka had already handed in his paper, being the conscientious student that he apparently is.

Well, I didn't really start working until 11am. Then at 11:40, I went back to the apartment, picked up the Plant album from my mailbox, used the facilities, and came back in a roundabout way after previewing a few tracks. By 12:15, I was back in the computer lab.

Anyway, somehow I churned out 11.5 pages in about 4.5 hours and was printing my hastily-designed lame cover page at about 3:56 and handing the paper to the professor at 3:58pm. It may be crap, or it may be good. Not sure what he'll think of it. In any event, it's done. I have two finals to go - Media/Politics tomorrow and Medieval History on Thursday, and then the Media and Politics paper due on Friday the 13th.

I'm kind of shot at this point from waking up, sleeping, waking up, stressing out, et cetera. However, I'm going to try to make it down to Brett-Dogg's abode to view Plant's performance on Letterman tonight, since I don't actually have cable or any other reception here. Dedication.

The Mighty Rearranger Review

Note: Robert Plant will appear on the David Letterman show tonight, May 9. Will Ferrell is the featured guest.

On Friday, Robert will be on Conan O'Brien's show. James Spader is the featured guest.


I received my preordered copy of this album today from Amazon's UK site, where it was released May 2. It will go on sale tomorrow here in the United States. My pressing contains a "hidden track" after "Brother Ray," which is the 'rave mix' of the first single, "Shine It All Around."

All I can say is that the album is very, very good. I'm not sure I can gush over it like some of the critics have, specifically the ones that say it is his greatest work since mid-period Zeppelin, or since Physical Graffiti, mainly because I love Presence and In Through the Out Door. However, I can safely say that it is better than Dreamland and it approaches the greatness of 1993's Fate of Nations. I don't necessarily like to compare works by the same artist. It's really purely subjective. I'm sure that 1983's Principle of Moments was very good for its time, but it may not possess the same resonance today as it might have then, especially among younger listeners. I guess I can say that virtually all Zeppelin sounds timeless to me, while some of the group's former members have produced albums that now sound somewhat dated, even if I can still appreciate them. On some songs, Mighty Rearranger has been infused with some electronica in addition to its rock and African rhythms, and in time the electronica may sound to us the same way 80s synthesizers sound to us today. For an album of this time, it's really good. Lyrically, I believe it's just as good as his best, on Fate of Nations, if not better.

"Another Tribe" starts the album. If you read the Rolling Stone Q&A that I posted yesterday, you'll recall that Plant calls this his best latter-day vocal performance. I'm not sure I would agree with that, but it's a good song. The vocals are definitely mixed to the front. The main instrument is the percussion, with some string accompaniment. The lyrics may refer to tolerance for other people's beliefs and/or culture:

"I think there may be a war in heaven
Paradise beneath the smoking gun
As every saint and small town saviour
Race to justify their chosen one
I wonder, as our world collides
I want to reach out there
Across the great divide"

"Shine It All Around" is the first single, and it's been out for a while. It features the big, pronounced drum beat and great bass line. The vocals are echoed in some places, and the guitar is nice and crunchy. This is a great pop song, and probably the wisest choice for the first single. The lyrics pertain to famine relief ("break a little bread now, share it all around..."). There's a nice short solo about three minutes in.

I've already posted the lyrics to "Freedom Fries" but the Myrtle Beach show was the only time I had heard the song until now. It's a pretty funky number, North African drum intro with the vocals coming in next, and then the bass and guitar. The lyrics are just great to this one. There's an excellent guitar solo on the "outro." Here are some of the lyrics again:

"Billy the Kid told the Prince of Thieves,
A little give and take to satisfy my needs
You can give me lots but I'll take some more
I got my eyes on your treasure beneath the desert floor
Freedom fries and burns and scars
The liberator goes too far"

"Tin Pan Valley" is next. This song has an electronica-flavored introduction with almost whispered vocals, bass and drum accompaniment. There's just a great rhythm to this track with excellent phrasing. There's a degree of irony to the lyrics given Mr. Plant's appearance on two late-night shows this week...It is not until Robert yells, "Like THIS!" that the guitar really kicks in and he unleashes some of those trademark wails. Then the understated vocals return for another round until..."like THIS" everything explodes again.

Again, some lyrics:

"I come from Tin Pan Valley and I'm moving right along
I live on former glory, so long ago and gone
I'm turning down the talk shows, the humour and the couch
I'm moving up to higher ground, I've found a new way out.
There's parasols and barbeques and loungers by the pool
The late night conversations filled with 20th century cool
My peers may flirt with cabaret, some fake the rebel yell
Me - I'm moving up to higher ground, I must escape this hell..."

Next up is a really nice acoustic ballad called "All The King's Horses" that features some great picking from Skin Tyson. There's an electric guitar in the background. Sounds like Plant's vocals are doubled on the repetition of the song's title in a couple spots, which has a nice effect. There's a very fluid solo in the middle portion. This is a good campfire kind of love song.

"All the Kings horses, all the Kings men
I'll weave a circle round the sun
Throw down my arms and give my all
I'll be your soldier of love"

Track six is the previously reviewed "The Enchanter" that has a very sensual groove to it. The drum and bass work very well together, and the guitar is serpentine in nature. There are some electronic effects, but they're in the background and do not compete with the huge backbeat and swirling guitar. If it was up to me, I would have made this song the first single. Perhaps it will be next. There is what some have described as a "rave-like fade out," and this is true to a certain extent, but I think it works within the song. In addition to the effects, there's Justin Adams on the bongo and a simple keyboard line repeated over again with a little bass. This is one of the best tracks, and it's undoubtedly about a provocative female. If the last song was wholesome, this one hints at the passion underneath.

"Takamba" follows, and this begins with some muted guitar and some clapping before the rest of the band enters and blows everything up. This has one of the best introductions. Plant declares, "Sing a song of freedom, write it in the sky. Pocket full of secrets, belly-full of lies...tricks and mirrors, sleight of hand - promised land." The lyrics look to be a bash of Prime Minister Blair's decision to lead the UK to war with the US in Iraq. A very strong song.

"Dancing in Heaven" sounds like a corny title, but this song is really quite good. Prominently featured is Skin's acoustic guitar once again, gently supported by the rest of the band and strong vocals from Robert. Nice solo, likely from Skin - and good bass work from Billy Fuller. There's a nice groove to this track.

"Somebody Knocking" - if you read my blog regularly, you'll realize that I already panned this song more than a month ago. I've tried to listen to it since then, and while it has grown on me a bit, it's still not my favorite. In the context of the album, it fits well enough. The instrumentation is somewhat rambling, but Plant's vocals definitely sound better on the CD than they did in the mp3 I've had for weeks now. The lyrics on this song are the weakest of the whole album, mostly blues cliches and variations on that theme set incongrously to North African instrumentation.

"Let the Four Winds Blow" made its live debut at the Myrtle Beach show I saw in late March. This track is similar to "Tin Pan Valley" in a way, there is a good rhythm and groove coupled with great phrasing on Plant's part. The vocals may be stronger on this track. The whole song has a kind of sauntering stride to it, a mixture of quiet confidence and with just a little bit of aggression that removes any doubt that the song rocks. More great work from the whole band and standout guitar from both Skin and Justin Adams. There is quite a bit that sounds similar to "If I Ever Get Lucky" from Dreamland and from Justin Adams' solo CD, Desert Road.

"Mighty Rearranger": The title track has a lot of the swing of the last track. The vocals are mixed a bit oddly here, with the effect of having them sound somewhat hollow with a bit of echo. The song sounds a bit tinny before the rhythm section steps in, and even then, there's something not quite right. The live version from Texas I've heard sounded superior to the album version. That said, there's some nice harmonica here from Plant.

"Brother Ray" is not much of a song. It's more like a piece of a jam that was somewhat obviously tacked on to the album as an afterthought, or as a hastily-arranged tribute to Ray Charles, or both. It sounds like everyone in the band picked up whatever instrument happened to be around them and started playing. There are no actual lyrics, just a series of "ooh" and "ahhh, yeah" repetitions from Plant. The whole thing lasts just over a minute before a few seconds of silence and then the remix of "Shine it All Around." I've heard the bonus track on the Japanese pressing, "Red, White, and Blue" and would have preferred that, either in place of the remix or "Brother Ray." I think RWB is really good. Remixes are for singles, not for albums, in my opinion.

All in all, a very solid effort for Robert Plant. I can't wait to see him again in Philly and Toronto this summer.


Now go out and buy the album, if you haven't already.

That Explains a Lot

Listening to NPR, I just heard that NASCAR still uses leaded gasoline to fuel their races, burning an estimated 100,000 gallons of the stuff in a given season. There are countless scientific studies available on the hazards of lead that indicate not only just how toxic it is, but also how damaging it can be to the brain - actually decreasing IQ.

Studies have shown that lead particles hover in the air for hours after being burned in automobiles. With the number of cars in a race, and the attendance of these huge NASCAR events, I think we can all see the conclusion I'm drawing from this. One may speculate all one wants regarding the intelligence of those that go to watch NASCAR, but one thing is for sure:

they certainly aren't any smarter when they leave.


The amusing thing about hearing the story on NPR is that they covered the story they way they would cover anything else - by capturing the ambient sounds associated with whatever they happen to be reporting. While at a race, they recorded at least a dozen "yeeeeehaaaaaaa" and "wooooooooohoooooooooo" exclamations from various race fans (the fans may have been named Jim-Bob, Bobby-Joe, Billy-Joe, Billy-Ray, or some other combination - but we know it could be hyphenated, and that's what counts).

Rolling Stone Q&A: Robert Plant

Robert brandishes his trademark wit in this highly entertaining mini-interview for Rolling Stone.

Check it out.

High Crimes or Misdemeanors

This article talks about the media's obsession with the Clinton sex scandal and contrasts media coverage of that chapter in our history with the recent memo uncovered by the London Times, which received very little attention in American papers. It is certainly worth reading and worth some consideration, no matter your affiliation.

While you're at it, check out:

http://www.gregpalast.com/video/palastmarch%2705.mp4

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/cta/progs/newsnight/attack22.ram

Krugman Column on Medicare

Should be of interest to everyone, but perhaps especially for my pharmaceutically-inclined friends.

America is Over

This is a column that appeared in the Austin Chronicle on April 29th. It lays out exactly what can/will happen to the United States as a result of our dependence on fossil fuels and the lack of effort we've made as a nation to switch to other sources of energy over the last few decades. The 1970s oil shortages were like a warning bell that the US failed to heed. It is increasingly likely that within our lifetimes, the US will be in a far different position than it has been in the last eighty years or so. We will either relinquish our 'superpower' status with grace, or we will fight to protect it, and things will get very messy. Read the column.

Audioslave Live at the Agora Theater in Cleveland April 24, 2005

Audioslave Setlist 04-24-05 Cleveland Agora Theater

The Bob Marley was turned low, and then off. Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk, and Tom Morello emerged from stage right. Commerford was business-like, going straight to his post at stage right. Wilk climbed atop the riser and sat behind the kit, giving a tentative kick to the bass drum. Morello engaged the crowd, smiling at the crowd reaction and raising one arm while gripping his Soul Power Fender Stratocaster with the other. The lights had not been dimmed very much. The applause was incessant. There was a pause. Where was Chris Cornell? Ah – the anticipation mounted. After perhaps five seconds, he strolled out in long-sleeved shirt and cargo pants, his arm raised in a salute to the audience, his piercing blue eyes scanning the crowd. He approached center stage, removing the wireless microphone from its stand. The band started to play. It was time to ‘set this fucker off.’

Throughout the show, I was struck by the effortless way in which Cornell could sing such vocally challenging songs and how nonchalant he appeared to be, several times singing with his one hand in the pocket of his cargo pants. Thom remarked after the concert that in his Soundgarden days, Chris had often been in his own world on stage. That was the case this night at least to a limited degree. One could see his mind was turned inward for much of the show.

The primary factor that limited the total impact of this intense show was the fact that Chris Cornell’s vocals were so very low in the mix that they were utterly drowned out many times by the powerful band behind him. Cornell seemed unaware of this; wearing earpieces in each ear that were likely vocal monitors, he was probably oblivious to the problem. However, the vocals that soared above the cacophony that often developed to his back were, it must be said, much better than the entire first Audioslave album. His voice retained all of the clarity and strength audible on Soundgarden albums that I’ve grown used to, unlike the vocals on Audioslave’s album, which apparently due to the production, made Cornell’s voice seem ragged and weak in many places.

“Your Time Has Come” (alternately referred to as “Your Time Will Come” in advertisements I’ve seen subsequently) was the first new song of the set, and was introduced as such by Chris. It is difficult to judge new songs when they’re played for the first time in a concert setting, so I will reserve judgment. I will say that although the new songs they played that night sounded different from those on the first album, they were not incongruous with the rest of their material; they seemed to fit in well. With any good band, different albums show forward progress and not stagnation, and Audioslave certainly seem to be moving ahead.

“Spoonman” was the first nod to the members’ previous work in other bands, and it received a tremendous ovation at its conclusion. All four men in the band had a turn in the spotlight during this number. Commerford proved himself more than competent on the bass solo and backing vocals. Wilk had a nice roll on the drums, and Morello showed his remarkable versatility with the solo on his sunburst Gibson Les Paul. The Soundgarden songs that Audioslave played were played in what seemed to be a cautious manner and perhaps with just a bit of hesitation. This may improve with more shows under their belts. Chris Cornell seemed like he was genuinely moved by the crowd’s reaction, looking out at specific members of the crowd and nodding his appreciation.

Tom Morello was by far the most animated of the four for the entire show, jumping on monitors and off again, striking poses, and inciting the crowd. At no point was this more visible than during the Rage Against the Machine songs. After playing the first single from Out of Exile, the band paused. Cornell announced that behind him stood the greatest rock band in the country, and then walked off the stage. The first strains of “Bulls on Parade” wafted out toward us, and the crowd went nuts. We in the front row were thrust forward toward the barricade. I remember thinking with disappointment that Cornell wasn’t going to attempt to sing the RATM songs, but I was enjoying the raw power of the instrumental version too much to care a great deal.

Then Cornell returned – walking back to the microphone as “Sleep Now in the Fire” began. This song provoked more movement from Cornell than most others; he displayed his rhythm by rocking back and forth from one leg to the other as Wilk played at a martial tempo, reciting these great lines –

“For it's the end of history

It's caged and frozen still

There is no other pill to take

So swallow the one

That made you ill

The Nina, The Pinta, The Santa Maria

The noose and the rapist

The fields’ overseer

The agents of orange

The priests of Hiroshima

The cost of my desire…Sleep now in the fire”

The audience was in frenzy. After a great “Outshined” and a solid “Shadow on the Sun,” the band walked off. Cornell returned alone, walking out with an acoustic guitar, and serenaded us with a subdued “Black Hole Sun.” This was the one point at which his vocals had a chance not to be ‘outshined,’ but alas – it was not to be. Some prick behind Matt decided that he could sing the song better than Chris and tried to prove it. This may come as a shock, but he was wrong.

The full band came out for one of my favorite Audioslave songs, “I am the Highway,” and this rendition did not disappoint. The throat-tapping effect to conclude “Show Me How To Live” would have made for a great short movie clip taken with a digital camera, but unfortunately those had been disallowed at the last minute.

“Killing in the Name Of” was the penultimate song, and there is little to say about it, other than it was incredible. The Rage boys tore up the stage, and Chris acquitted himself of any doubts anyone may have had, seeing this on the setlist in advance. Unquestionably this song brought the most forceful crowd participation, as only a song with the lyrics “Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me” can.

Audioslave closed with “Cochise,” but as with any supergroup composed of members from other famous bands, the highlights came in the Soundgarden and Rage songs, which is probably why they were not played on the band’s first tours. The lowlight? Well, that would have to be the sweaty moron’s armpit that rested on my shoulder for the majority of the last four songs of the show.

All in all, an incredible show and a band I would see again whenever possible. Our front-row position saved us from probable serious injury…and also made for a great experience. Chris Cornell, it can safely be said, is one of the greatest frontmen in rock, and his claim about his bandmates is truly not much of an exaggeration. Great concert.

The Smile of a Satisfied Fan

Me, Zareh, and Jim (Susie's husband) after the show in Myrtle Beach

This picture was taken just outside the House of Blues after the show. I had talked with Zareh and his beautiful wife for quite a while prior to the show. Zareh reminded me a great deal of my friend Paul, just in his ecclectic musical taste and the ease with which he and I conversed about bands we enjoyed. He lives in New York City, but had traveled up from a temporary stay in Georgia to be there for the show. There was some bittersweet quality to the encounter with Zareh and Alina, just because they reminded me of the four Plant shows I had attended with Destini, mostly by their shared enthusiasm and obvious love for each other. It just brought to my attention, once again, that I was alone.
Jim is Susie's husband, and we had also talked while standing in line. He seems like a really great guy, and really - how can you not be a great husband if you're taking your wife to see Robert Plant? They had flown in from Wisconsin and both had a great attitude about life, basically espousing the belief that life is meant to be enjoyed and that they weren't going to wait until retirement to have a good time. I was very lucky to have great people around for the very long wait before the show. This is in direct contrast to the next month's Audioslave show, when Matt, Thom, KP, and myself were surrounded by idiots.

Having a Drink with Mr. Plant

Susie, Cindi's sister (sorry, don't know her name), Robert Plant, Cindi, Justin Adams (guitar, Strange Sensation)


Well, I'm not sure what to say about this other than that I'll resent these people for the rest of their lives for being able to hang out with one of my idols while I was busy trying to drive a few hours after the concert so I wouldn't have to drive for 13 hours the next day.

No - I probably won't hold it against them...for long. Anyway - these are some of the people that I spent time with in line before the show in Myrtle Beach. We had some nice conversations, some Zeppelin-related and some not. I also ended up standing next to most of them for the duration of the performance and we talked for a bit after the show. Susie and Jim informed me that they were going to try to meet Robert. I basically said, "good luck." Well, they were pretty determined. They found out he was staying at a certain hotel, finally tracked it down, and eventually encountered the band minus Robert (I may post that picture later, but I realize most of you don't care) and later saw Mr. Plant emerge from an elevator. I won't go into the whole story, since it depresses me to tell it - ha - but essentially, they had the pleasure of sitting down with Robert and having a nice, casual, hour-long discussion over drinks in the hotel lounge.

Yeah, I said an hour.

Anyway - they're all nice people, and Susie was kind enough to send me some pictures. I've talked to Cindi via email since the show - from all accounts, she was virtually speechless the entire meeting.

So although I went alone, I did meet some great Zep/Plant fans, and that's what it's all about.

Fredonia - Brad's Birthday Party 04-23-05

Never quite got around to that card game...

Not sure what's going on here...Matt, Thom, Me, Dan/Luka

Matt and the Birthday Boy

Now that's an eyebrow...

Thom with his Labatt Blue and me with my locally-brewed Southern Tier Porter, which is quite good. I have a tendency to absentmindedly remove labels, piece by piece, which is what happened here.

Nice To See Some People Speaking Up

From CrooksandLiars.com:
"Bright Eyes plays anti-Bush song on Jay Leno

I couldn't believe he got to play this song on NBC.
I'm waiting for the right wingers to mount a protest against Jay Leno and NBC now. Brent Bozell will proclaim "liberal bias" high atop the rafters of the MRC.
Click here for the performance
Daily Kos: Last night, folk-rocker Conor Oberst (aka Bright Eyes) performed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. If you've heard any of his albums, you know Bright Eyes is clearly political (he participated in last year's Vote for Change tour, as noted in the Rolling Stone excerpt I posted below the fold).
But last night's performance was just incredible -- in fact, I'm legitimately surprised NBC even allowed it to air..."

and also:
http://homepage.mac.com/njenson/movies/timryanlow.html

April 24, 2005 Cleveland Pre-Audioslave

Concert Line

Thom, Matt, and I arrived in Cleveland shortly after 3pm, after a slight detour temporarily pointing us toward Columbus. We found the venue after a short trip through the warehouse/ghetto district of the city. When we parked, we were one of roughly five other cars in the lot (not counting radio station vehicles). It was snowing lightly and the wind was fairly strong. A guy parked near us got out of his car to tell us that they had yet to open the doors, but that they normally do so if the weather is poor. We inquired about the nearest restaurant and/or restroom and were directed to a "Mr. Hero" sub shop, which we later found to be utterly abandoned. Kevin arrived shortly after we did, parked between the Mr. Hero spokesman and Thom's car, started to get out of his Ultimate Driving Machine (not a picture of his car, but one very much like it) and promptly smashed the hell out of the Mr. Hero advocate's automobile when the wind grabbed the Festiva's door and threw it open. We all had a good laugh as KP climbed into Thom's Intrepid without a backward glance, especially when Hero-boy had to get out and examine the damage. We decided to leave KP's car in the lot, at the mercy of Mr. Hero and his disciples, while we went looking for something to eat.
We chose to forego a chance to sample a Cleveland Subway in favor of something local, winding up at a place with a really elaborate name that was something like "The New Best Steak and Gyro Restaurant." The place turned out to be huge, just like the woman who took our orders. She was quite friendly though. The interior of the restaurant contained pool tables, arcade games, and a gumball machine. Matt and I got cheeseburgers, Kevin had already eaten, and Thom had a pizza on a cardboard plate. Matt commented on my ability to furnish him with napkins whenever we eat anywhere and claimed to appreciate my utility. Matt speculated that the restaurant was a prime hangout on Friday and Saturday nights, since it is open 24 hours and is close to Cleveland State.
We returned to the parking lot close to 5pm and found a few more cars there. We made our way inside and found ourselves perhaps 10-15 people back in the line. After a long wait which was made much longer by our proximity to so many stupid conversations, and instructions given that cameras were not allowed (and then allowed, and then “instamatic” cameras but not digital cameras), we were ushered into coherent lines. Many people that arrived much later than we did were equally close to the front of the line. The four of us had an understanding that anyone getting to the front would save spots as best he could for the rest. Once through the ticket check and security, I rushed ahead and was able to claim a large section of the railing just to the left of center stage. I was soon joined by my companions, although Thom elected not to squeeze into a spot at the front and elected instead to stand behind me. I thought this was curious, but then as the show got going I saw Thom’s motives more clearly…just kidding, Thom.
After an extensive run through Bob Marley’s greatest hits, the opening act hit the stage just after 8pm. Johnny Polonsky was the opening act. Polonsky covered vocals and lead guitar. He seemed to be begging for a comparison to Kurt Cobain, both in his vocal delivery and in the way he played the guitar (except he was right handed). The guy could definitely play. His solos were pretty intricate. The songs were not incredibly complex though, and they all seemed to be in the same vein. The real entertainment of the opening act was the drummer, who looked to be the absolute least-coordinated musician I’ve ever seen. Most drummers cross their hands, with right-handed drummers positioning their right wrist over their left. This guy played with both sticks parallel, and looked like he had just learned how to play. In fact, he brought to mind someone throwing a baseball for the first time in their life. He didn’t seem to be able to bend his wrists at all and just had no fluidity. Oh – and he looked a lot like Thom Yorke.
I did a little research and it seems that Polonsky has played with Tom Morello in the past, specifically in some Axis of Justice shows.
When the band finally left the stage, we were again treated to yet more Bob Marley, which by this time was getting pretty tiresome. The review of the Audioslave portion will follow, hopefully shortly.

Pearl Jam, eh?

Yeah. Now that I've blown virtually ALL this semester's student loans and earnings from Sears, all these concert tickets go on sale at the same time. Do I restrain myself and keep a couple hundred dollars in the checking account, figuring I can wait and order tickets later? No. Of course not.

As you'll see when you follow the link, tickets can only be purchased in pairs, which is of course how I normally buy them, regardless of the fact that I have such a difficult time finding people to accompany me to shows. I just completed a purchase of two tickets for the Toronto show, although looking at a map (and apparently having no knowledge of Canadian geography beforehand), I see that Hamilton is closer. Oh well. It's only another 45 minutes or so, and the crowd might be a little more fired up (although they're Canadian, so who knows...kidding).

I take it demand for this show, at least among my primary blog readership base, will be higher than for the Robert Plant shows? Well, I'm going to need the money fast, so who wants to go? If someone wants to hit the Hamilton show as well, I'm going to need the money up front. If you read the rules, you'll see that I can only order one pair per concert.

Robert Plant Interview in Iceland

Pretty amusing.

Bleeding My Account Dry

Just purchased two tickets (yes, I realize no one's going to go with me, but I bought the second ticket anyway because I'm an idiot) for the June 21 Robert Plant Philadelphia show. The June 22 show has yet to go on sale.

I need money. I need a job for the summer that I work at for more than 13 hours per week.

Wasting Time

So I recently joined "The Facebook" but since I'm older than everyone else, I don't really have any of my 'old' friends in college to make it look like I'm popular. Most of my friends are out of school/married/living far away, et cetera. So help me out here - if you can register and add me, I would appreciate it. It's alright if you're alumni - that works too (Cornell, Fredonia, RIT, et cetera).

Oh yeah - I should be writing a paper right now.

Energy Bill Passed in the House

You really have to read the article to understand just how outrageous this legislation is. Even in the neutral tone of the Times language, the influence of big business and its hold over lawmakers is glaringly obvious. Among the provisions of the bill is the go-ahead to start drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge that I've mentioned here before. Aside from that is an important point regarding the gasoline additive MTBE. Here's a piece of the article:

"Capps said groundwater contamination from the gasoline additive has affected more than 1,800 community water systems in 29 states with a potential cleanup cost of $29 billion. MTBE makers, including large oil companies and refiners, dispute that estimate but have argued they need liability protection because of an expected surge in lawsuits.

The MTBE provision has been a top priority of Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Rep. Joe Barton, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, who argue that Congress endorsed the widespread use of the additive when it required gasoline contain an oxygenate to help clean up the air.


Both are from Texas where major MTBE manufacturers are located."

Subtle, eh? Social conservatives vote these great Republicans in, hoping that they'll ensure that gays can't get married and women can't get abortions. Apparently they're not thinking of the unwanted child being born with birth defects from the contaminated water its mother drank while she was pregnant and how the company that polluted the water supply is protected by legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Congress...

A bit of a stretch, you say? Perhaps, but everything's connected.

Crooks and Liars

What's this site about? Republicans, of course! Need you ask? Well, it's probably not exclusively about Republicans, but I would bet they appear there more frequently than any other group.

Anyway, here are two great clips from the site. Make sure you download the Daily Show clip about the Prez and his staged Town Hall meetings. Good stuff.

The other one is a segment of the John Bolton (proposed UN ambassador who has been quoted as saying it should be disbanded and/or that the US should leave the organization) hearings and probably won't interest you unless you're more like me than you're willing to admit.

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/The_Daily_Show_Luntz.wmv

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/U~3.wmv

Bob Herbert NYT Column

Mr. Herbert talks about the passing of four-term president FDR, questions why the sixtieth anniversary of his death has not received more coverage/attention, and underlines the contrasts between what Roosevelt planned for this country and where it has gone since he left us.

Audioslave on Sunday

I'll be seeing Audioslave this Sunday in Cleveland with Matt, Thom, and KP. I was already pretty excited about the show, but I found out today that they're playing Soundgarden and Rage songs on this tour, which is not something they were doing on the last tour (that I missed because I went to Colorado and sold my tickets to KP, because I needed all the money I could get at that point).

I was going to post a setlist from their show on the 14th, but just in case those guys want to be surprised by the selections, I'll refrain. If anyone's curious, they can check this link.

New Pope Has an Interesting Past

Although this particular aspect of Ratzinger's past (that he was in the Hitler Youth organization, which was mandatory by age 14 in Germany) will likely garner the most attention, this passage from the article is probably more indicative of how his papacy will proceed:

"Despite question marks over Ratzinger’s wartime conduct, the main obstacle to his prospects in the conclave — the assembly of cardinals to elect the new pope — is the conservative stance he has adopted as guardian of Catholic orthodoxy since John Paul named him to head the congregation for the doctrine of the faith in 1981.
His condemnations are legion — of women priests, married priests, dissident theologians and homosexuals, whom he has declared to be suffering from an 'objective disorder.'"

Happy Birthday, Brett-Dogg

Happy 24th Birthday to my good friend Brett - enjoy it!

Separation of Church and State

This is an article in the April 21 issue of Rolling Stone. It's perfect for anyone (and I think I know a few people like this) that thinks Christianity should become the official religion of the United States. It's pretty scary; these people need to be stopped and exposed for the nutcases they are.

Robert Plant Interview

Informative interview - Robert talks about the Zeppelin's third album, his new album, his father's passing, and about his relationship with Jimmy Page.

Odd

It occurs to me that I have had nothing to eat besides bowls of Cheerios for more than 30 hours.

Dazed, Confused, Disoriented

Wednesday night and Thursday night, I slept for roughly four hours or so. I was working on my Medieval History paper and then my Content Analysis for Media and Politics. The Medieval paper turned out pretty well, I think. It was about 12.25 pages, and I added a nice color picture of a painting of Freddy II. The paper for my Polisci class was pretty shitty, since I was pretty burned out by that time. It only had to be four pages, but I don't think I did a very good job of actually meeting the requirements of the paper. We'll see. Dr. Rankin has been a very lenient grader thus far, but I don't want him to think I'm an idiot.

Anyway, the title of the post refers to the fact that I was pretty tired by the end of classes on Friday. I got home a little before 3:30, listened to some music, checked my email, and flopped onto my bed around 5pm. Well, I just woke up now, and it's a bit after 4am. I had expected at least someone to call - namely Matt - to tell me that we were going downtown. However, no one called and I consequently did not wake up.

I am considering an extra semester - holding off graduating in December to do an internship semester in Washington, DC as part of a political science program. It would involve taking out more loans, of course, and it would make it just about a full seven years without a Bachelor's Degree after high school, but I don't really know what I'm doing when/if I graduate in December anyway, and this may be good for the resume. I don't know how to make the little accent mark over the 'e' so you'll just have to try to read that correctly. I haven't made any decision on this yet - it's just a possibility.

Well, I think I'll take advantage of the fact that I'm up now and do some laundry before I eventually have to get ready for work. Then I'll try to get back to sleep to minimize the degree to which my concept of night and day is screwed up.

Roberto Planto Toronto

Against my better judgment, I purchased two tickets for the Robert Plant show in Toronto on Wednesday, July 6. I should know by now that no one is actually going to go with me, but still I persist in this dreamland, thinking that even if none of my friends will go, I'll have met someone by then that will actually want to accompany me not just to concerts, but just about anywhere. But what are the odds of that happening? Ha.

I'm still planning on trying to go to the two Philadelphia shows. Not sure when they'll be going on sale.

Incidentally, Robert's site has finally gone "live" at www.robertplant.com - it's very hip. Check it out, but make sure you have the latest Flash plugin.

I have a nice long paper to write about Frederick II for my Medieval History class, so I'm going to get back to that now.

Pearl Jam Tour In The Works?

I received this message as part of the PJ Rumor Pit newsletter in my email today:

We're here to put a little bug in your ear because a little birdie paid us a visit and told us, "tweet tweet ca-caaw ca-caaw." After careful research, we learned that it translates to: Please be sure your fan club membership is current and your mailing information is up to date by April 19th. And if you haven't joined the fan club yet - what are you waiting for, eh? You can go to the "Goods" section of http://www.tenclub.net/ to join, renew, or update your fan club membership. You can update your email or postal address at address@tenclub.net, and don't forget to keep an eye on the News area of http://www.pearljam.com/ for additional updates.


(TenClub members receive priority seating for concerts)

From October 2, 2004/Various Comments

Left to Right: Mike McCready, Peter Frampton, Jeff Ament, Ed Vedder, Matt Cameron, Neil Young, Stone Gossard, Pegi Young

I recently obtained copies of most of the Fall 2004 Tour (Boston shows plus the Vote For Change concerts), so I thought I'd break this picture out. It's from the show Loretta and I saw in Toledo. These shows have not been (and likely will not be) officially released, and the quality is so-so. The Toledo show features prominent vocals and the rhythm section up front in the mix, with the guitars somewhat toward the back, but it's nice to have nonetheless. At the show, the four guitars for the encores (Mike and Stone, Frampton and Neil) sounded quite muddled, and the CD shows that my impressions were fairly accurate. But hell - it was Neil Young coming out to tear it up with Pearl Jam! - so I'm not complaining. It was quite a sight to see.

I may try to get another copy of the Toledo show, since the guy who sold these on eBay obviously did not burn the CDs very carefully - there are obvious digital flaws in quite a few places, likely a result of either inferior media or burning at high speeds, or perhaps a combination of those factors.

In any event, it's always nice to have a document of a show I've attended - I appreciate the brave efforts of those people who sneak MD and DAT recorders into concerts - it takes some guts. I listen to the Robert Plant shows from 2001 on a pretty regular basis, and I hope to get a line on that Myrtle Beach show as soon as possible. It's not really close to being there, but it definitely brings back at least a little hit of the same emotions I felt. Good stuff.

There may be no more effective mood-enhancer than great music. It can change my whole day. Yesterday, I was reading for a while in the library after class, but the nice weather drew me out and I took a drive down Route 5 into Westfield and then took Route 20 back to Fredonia, windows down and jamming out to Stone Temple Pilots' second album, Purple, the whole time. As a result, I was in a pretty damn good mood for the rest of the day.

Bugman In Trouble (Again)

Former exterminator and current House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is facing accusations of inappropriate behavior and questionable ethics again after disclosure forms showed his wife and daughter pocketed $500,000 for services to the DeLay campaign.

New Tour Dates For The Summer, and an Invitation

From Pollstar:

Whole Lotta Tour

Fresh off his keynote appearance at March's South By Southwest conference, Robert Plant is preparing to return to North America for a tour backing his upcoming release, Mighty Rearranger. The former Led Zeppelin frontman so far plans to make the rounds of theatres, casino venues and sheds in June and July, kicking things off in at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Rhode Island June 15 and winding down at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles July 24. In between, he'll crisscross the continent with stops including Boston, New York City, Atlanta, Toronto, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas and San Francisco. Mighty Rearranger is a collection of new original songs with Plant's backing band, the Strange Sensations. But fans can expect a healthy dose of Plant and Led Zep classics as well. In the meantime, Plant is in the midst of a seven-concert series at London's Royal Albert Hall to benefit The Teenage Cancer Trust, along with The Who's Roger Daltrey, Eric Clapton, as well as newcomers Franz Ferdinand and Keane.
______________

So I know the dates aren't even on sale yet, but I would like to get to both Philadelphia (Upper Darby, PA) shows and the Toronto show. This will, of course, be dependent on finances and circumstances when tickets go on sale. Please take a look at the tour dates if you have any interest in Robert Plant and/or you have any interest in accompanying me to a great concert. The co-headlining tour with Jeff Beck does not look as if it will materialize, although that's fine with me as it likely means longer sets from Plant. If I haven't already promoted it enough, Mighty Rearranger is due out in the US on May 10 - same as the new Weezer disc, if I'm not mistaken. The Philly shows would make for a nice mini-roadtrip with a stay somewhere around the area probably the night before the first show and again the night before the second. I'll just wait for the offers to come pouring in.

Ha....ha.....ha.

More St. Patrick's Day Fun

Lending a hand - or two

So this isn't quite what it looks like. You might not immediately realize it from this picture, but this girl has a boyfriend. It seems as if every time someone comes to my apartment for the first time, they must ask me "hey - are those your weights?" and "you really lift those?" and invariably insist that I show them, insinuate that I'm lying, or try to lift them alone. Tammy here took the first and third approach, and I had to intervene before she dropped them (like Thom did) and possibly broke something (like my floor, for instance). I think it may have been a simple ploy to engage in a little grinding action, but I could be wrong. Undoubtedly, she walked away disappointed from the close encounter and I doubt she'll be coming around again.

Blogging Issues

I get emails whenever a comment is posted on my blog. I just got an anonymous comment reading "foiled again" and I have no idea what post the comment refers to, since it is not on any of the recent posts. Blogger should adjust the comment system to identify which post each comment is referring to, because now I have to go through each post to find what the hell this extremely verbose person is talking about. Frustrating. As if I don't waste enough time on my own without other people forcing me into it.

Contest

Kate snuggling up with Matt

Contest: If you can accurately describe the expression on Matt's face in this picture, you'll win a fishing trip with the master himself, date and location to be determined by Mr. King.

Schiavo Comments

I haven't been in an any type of hurry to weigh in on the Terri Schiavo ordeal, but now that it's over (she died around 9am today - here's a link to the NY Times story), I suppose I have a few things to say.

The fact that this became such a huge issue in the media is just a testament to the fact that there's very little going on right now for them to sink their teeth into. The main competition has been the Michael Jackson trial/soap opera. What's that you say? A discussion about the President's plan to eliminate Social Security? A debate about what kind of nation we want to be - a social welfare state or a social Darwinist state? No, no, no. Why would we want to concentrate on something that's actually important to more than four or five people? Come on, now. Be realistic.

Anyway - the war is old news, there are no elections coming up, and thus the media have to turn small stories into a huge orgy of sensationalized crap. The Terri Schiavo case is nothing more and nothing less than a dramatized version of the same types of decisions that are made every day by thousands of families. It is an extraordinary difficult decision to make for most families, but the question has to be asked - in what kind of condition would the person have considered themselves still living and not merely alive? I think most of us, if asked whether we would choose to remain alive in Schiavo's state...............

So I started this post at 5:31pm, March 31. But since that time, I have checked Wendy's site, and she pretty much says what I was going to say, in much the same spirit, in a likely more concise way than I would have. So I'm going just going to refer you to her site. Sorry for cheating.

Mitch Hedberg - Dead at 37

In very sad news, comedian Mitch Hedberg has died at the age of 37 of as yet unknown causes.

He had so many great lines, and such fantastic, understated delivery. I must say that every time I watched him perform, I was reminded of my friend Abe.

Mitch, you will be missed.

Stolen From Thom's Blog

St. Patrick's Day 2005 with Amanda and Theresa. This picture appears on Thom's blog with the caption "Wyatt's a pimp, a crazy, drunken pimp." The accuracy of this claim is still in dispute. Something that is beyond debate however, is that this is a pretty horrible picture of me. I'm not sure where I'm looking.
I think by this point, I had already had my interaction with Amy, the girl that works at Two Brothers, who was formerly employed by Quality Markets. Perhaps I'm smiling like a mental patient because she had actually talked to me, if only to inform me that she "sort of" had a boyfriend. Amy and I always seem to have intense eye contact whenever we meet, but that could be my imagination. Or it could be that she is just looking back at the scary guy who is staring at her. Anyway, I need to figure out more ways to interact with her after I've been drinking, because things were a lot smoother than when I tried to talk to her at the grocery store. Alcohol - the social lubricant.
Speaking of which, although it's not completely obvious in this picture, Theresa had been thoroughly oiled at this point in the evening, and spent much of her time at Muldoon's weaving in a somewhat circular fashion.
Amanda had admitted earlier that night to occasionally checking my blog after parties for tales of buffoonery by myself or others, but avoiding the political commentary, with which she evidently takes issue. Ah well - I can't enlighten everyone, now can I?

Nice.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina House of Blues March 21, 2005

The Strange Sensation is...
Justin Adams - Guitar, Mandolin, Bongos
John Baggott - Keyboards
Clive Deamer - Drums
Billy Fuller - Bass
Skin Tyson - Lead Guitar


The Strange Sensation strode onto the stage at 8:30pm, picked up their instruments and broke into an ominous beat. Three of the band had various types of hand-drums, and Skin Tyson was on acoustic guitar. Robert Plant emerged from the shadowy stacks of amplifiers, his hands raised over his head, clapping with the rhythm of the drums. He picked up a drum as well and approached the microphone and told us to

"Close the Door, Put Out the Light
You Know They Won't Be Home Tonight"

...and so the crowd was hooked, entranced, and Enchanted for the next two hours. "No Quarter" has been dramatically reworked once again to serve as the opening number. As another review mentioned, "They choose a path where no one goes" is now the dominant refrain. Instead of evoking images of medieval warriors, the new rendition paints a picture of a relentless quest over a dark desert landscape (lyrics pertaining to snow notwithstanding). "Shine It All Around" was next, carried by the soaring emphatic cries of "SHINE" and built on the earthquake-proof foundation of Fuller's bass and Deamer's drums.
"Black Dog" is another mightily-rearranged Zeppelin tune. Plant gave the crowd the chance to fill in some verses, holding the microphone out, but there was some confusion among many and Robert had to pick up the slack, throwing a smile and shrug back to Deamer before launching into the "ahhh-ahhh" portion of the song.
Two new songs followed. "Freedom Fries" was well received, although it is questionable whether a crowd in Republican-heavy South Carolina would have cheered as much had they been truly listening to the lyrics "...A little give and take to satisfy my needs/You can give me lots but I'll take some more/I got my eyes on your treasure 'neath the desert floor" and "the liberator goes too far." Ah, well. "Let The Four Winds Blow" followed. This is a dynamic light and shade song in the Zeppelin tradition, with a somewhat mellow, tentative introduction leading into a raucous instumental section.
Plant instructed us that the new album was a sort of commentary on the aging Baby-Boomer generation, the people who ask "how are you, where are the restrooms, and what's a woody?", which he followed with "Thankfully, some things are still working properly."
"Heartbreaker" has also undergone significant change - the signature riff remains but has somehow been diminished. Despite hearing this version from the Tsunami Relief Concert webcast, I did not immediately recognize it at the show. This Page-less rendition has, predictably, no unaccompanied guitar workout in the middle, but Skin had a pretty nice solo nonetheless. Bonnie Dobson's "Morning Dew," popularized by the Grateful Dead, may be the number that has been changed the most in the shortest span of time, from Plant's subdued Priory of Brion performances in 1999 and 2000 to the early days of the Strange Sensation in 2001, the version on Dreamland, and now in its present incarnation as a more up-tempo rocker.
"That's The Way" is beautifully done, and as another reviewer noted, it is a welcome replacement for the somewhat tired "Going To California," although "Tangerine" would have been great too. I think Clive Deamer might be able to do "Poor Tom" some justice, but perhaps asking for anything off Coda is unrealistic.
I wholeheartedly agree with the suggestion that Plant could and probably should substitute some of his own back catalogue for the Zeppelin songs in the set. While it is certainly a thrill to hear "the voice of Led Zeppelin" as he is often billed - on songs that the Hammer of the Gods produced, I am of the opinion that songs like Wreckless Love, Horizontal Departure, Little By Little, Ship of Fools, and many others would be great to hear. As it is, Robert seems to have abandoned his earliest work as a solo artist. Nothing from Pictures at Eleven appeared on last year's Sixty-Six to Timbuktu retrospective. It would seem that Plant believes he's no longer near that particular place as an artist and that his more recent output is more representative of how he'd like to be viewed. Alternatively, it may be merely a concession to the sheer fact that so many more people were wearing Zeppelin shirts than Plant shirts, and that disparity represents general expectation in the crowd that he will be churning out a Zep-heavy set. I was a year old when Pictures at Eleven was released and two when Plant started to tour with Phil Collins on drums, but it would have been very interesting to go to some of those early shows where no Zeppelin songs were performed and fans had to be satiated by a few vocal nods to the man's previous band in the form of "Keep a coolin'" and "let me take you there..." It would be great to hear from people who attended those shows to see what the general crowd feeling was like after the show. Was it one of disappointment? There is also the distinct possibility that Robert really likes doing the Zeppelin songs because he has more fun singing them - and doing them in his own way - than some of his solo work. It could even be that he would work with Page again if they could just play small clubs, although I genuinely believe the control factor may be the key reason that Robert's guitarist happens to be named 'Skin' and not 'Jimmy' - the freedom to play whatever he wants in whatever arrangement he prefers on a given night, and knowing that his is the final word on the matter. In any event, personally I cannot shake the underlying feeling that something is missing when Plant does Zeppelin songs, even though I do unquestionably enjoy them. Unless two or three of the remaining members reunite, I don't believe I'll ever be able to top the feeling I got when I heard Plant sing live for the first time at the Orpheum in Boston 2001 - specifically on "In The Light" and "Whole Lotta Love." Absolute chills, goosebumps, hair standing on end, tears in the eyes - the whole bit. But enough of my ranting...
"If I Were a Carpenter" would not have been my selection from Fate of Nations, but it was performed well, very close to the version on the album. I would have preferred "Great Spirit" or "The Greatest Gift." Similarly, while "Tall Cool One" is a fun song (it has been arranged to rock more and be less silly than it ever was on the 1988 tour) and is always well-received, there are other songs on Now and Zen that might have been reworked to greater effect. Skin scraped four fingers of his right hand over the strings like a cat pawing at a feather and the band really seemed to be enjoying themselves.
"Tin Pan Valley" is apparently Robert's shot at his contemporaries, like The Who (or what's left of them anyway), who are cashing in on former triumphs without producing anything new. I think it's also a song that serves as a reminder to himself that he should only go forward. The song rocks, and everyone on stage knew it. It is another "tight but loose" number that had Plant screaming "like THIS" into the mic during the freak-out instrumental section.
"Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" should definitely be dropped from the set. After not playing it at all from 1970 to at least 1988 if not the 90s, this song has been overplayed from the Page/Plant outing in 1995 to the present, and the worst thing about that is that none of the post-Zeppelin versions even approach the glory achieved with the Jones/Bonham rhythm section. If it is a simple matter of Robert wanting to showcase his still-potent vocals, there are myriad other songs with which to accomplish that objective, and while Skin is indisputably a great axeman, he almost always disappoints me with the solo on this song.
In stark contrast, "When The Levee Breaks" is a welcome addition. Always one of my particular favorites, this was done with what one reviewer accurately described as a chain-gang style chorus on the last word of phrases like "Crying won't help you, prayin won't do you no GOOOOD." Bonham's drums are sampled for a backbeat and Justin Adams plays electric mandolin. This song was fantastic - although I think Jonesy's instrumental version with steel guitar does come close, the vocals put Plant's over the top.
For the encores, "The Enchanter" was up first, and provided another reason for optimism about the new Mighty Rearranger. Plant and company have managed to embrace some of the more modern directions of music, specifically 'electronica,' that Radiohead and others have enjoyed success with, and mixed it with elements of rock and Middle-Eastern vibes to create a unique and effective final product. Besides that, it gave the quirky and talented Mr. Justin Adams to dance around the stage with his guitar. This guy is quite the performer; I saw his antics produce a smile on Plant's face many times during the evening. In general, the entire band seemed to have a tremendously good time. There were smiles all around. Some of these may have also been produced by the very odd man to the front and right of me. He and his two moderately attractive female companions (one older and one younger) had been waiting in folding chairs outside the venue since 8:30 that morning, which put them three hours ahead of me. The rest of the early-arriving fanatics all had easy-going and smooth conversations, but this guy had remained apart from the crowd. His jet-black hair was set in a fashion that he doubtless believed to be the height of style, and he had three standard reactions to everything that went on during the show. First of all, I never saw him smile. He would instead emphatically point with all fingers extended to whatever band member he thought was doing a particularly good job at any one moment, all the while fixedly staring at them. At other moments, such as after "Shine It All Around," he would very stiffly hold up a small sign with a '10' on it, indicating his approval. Finally, he would also point vehemently at the elder female companion when Plant would look his way, perhaps indicating that he wanted Robert to take her backstage. I don't know. At the end of the show, he was pointing emphatically once again, this time at Billy Fuller, who seemed both mystified and amused enough to approach the edge of the stage and shake the man's hand while glancing with amusement and confusion to Justin Adams, who could only shrug.
"Whole Lotta Love" closed the show and featured a "Spoonful" introduction before the "Delta blues" slow beginning. The crowd erupted and Plant made them repeat the "wanna whole lotta love" refrain not just four times, but six or seven. The middle section now includes Theremin-like sounds produced not by Skin but by John Baggott, as well as an extensive bongo performance from Adams before returning to that incredible riff of all riffs. This song predictably got the greatest reaction of the night, and I must confess that I will probably never tire of it. All in all, a fantastic show - worth the 13-hour drive from southwestern New York.
I was hardly even disturbed by the woman who had vomited directly behind me between the opening band and Plant's performance. It was, however, a very close call. I had to be very careful where I placed my feet. The only other obstacle to having a better time was the guy who believed he was Robert Plant's illegitimate son and wore his blond hair in as Plant-like a way as he could manage, just to prove his point. Little Bobby Junior was not so little - in the immediate vicinity, he was the only one taller than me, and of course happened to be standing almost directly in front of me. Eventually - aided by the movement of the crowd to avoid the vomit - I was able to position myself slightly to his right, and spent most of the evening in a third-row center position.
That's about it, folks. I could tell you about my drive and about a few times where I walked into a gas station carrying a map, eliciting a response of "y'all is lost, ain'tcha?" but I won't.

...and here's the rest of the picture.

If anyone ever calls you a Turck-face, this is what they mean.

Off The Road

I have returned. Details to come. Probably tomorrow. I'm quite tired. Over the course of 59 hours (from 11am Sunday to 10pm Tuesday), I was driving for 26 (approximately 1700 miles roundtrip, which is roughly equivalent to driving to western Colorado from here).

For anyone who may be interested, here's a fairly complete setlist of what was played Monday evening. The sequence is probably incorrect, but the beginning and ending is fairly accurate. I'll write up a little review in the next couple days so it can be ignored.

No Quarter (Houses of the Holy)
Shine It All Around (Mighty Rearranger)
Black Dog (fourth album)
Freedom Fries (Mighty Rearranger)
Let The Four Winds Blow (Mighty Rearranger)
Morning Dew (Dreamland)
Heartbreaker (II)
Tin Pan Valley (Mighty Rearranger)
That's The Way (III)
If I Were A Carpenter (Fate of Nations)
Tall Cool One (Now and Zen)
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (I)
When The Levee Breaks (fourth)

Encores:

The Enchanter (Mighty Rearranger)
Whole Lotta Love (II)

Southern Man

Well, I was considering going to New York City on Thursday to catch Robert Plant. However, I decided that I would be nervous as hell driving there by myself and probably be too tweaked out to either enjoy myself or even find the place on time.

So with careful consideration...

Alright, so it was a spur of the moment decision. I'm going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina instead. It's a few hundred more miles, but I figure it might be a more relaxing drive. I'm going to leave sometime tomorrow and probably get a hotel somewhere fairly close (within a hundred miles or so) and wait outside like the crazed fan I am to get in as early as I can (it's a general admission show at the House of Blues). Not sure if anyone is going with me at this point. I got two tickets just in case.

Should be interesting. I do think Robert will be touring later this year, but it looks like it may be a co-headlining slot with Jeff Beck. In the interest of seeing as long a show as possible, I am going to see him when he's the main man on the bill. A band called Love Drug will be opening the MB show.

That's it for now.

Hittin' the Board for the Lord

From an article entitled "Jesus on the Half-Pipe" - here are some of the highlights:

"...other members of the King of Kings Skateboard Ministries team are quick to say that they do not skate for adulation or even for the thrill of catching big air. They skate for Jesus."

"Mr. Palau is so convinced of skateboarding's effectiveness in youth ministry that he said he suspected that Jesus himself would be a skater if he walked the earth today. "Yeah, I mean, he was young; I think he'd get on a skateboard and go for it," Mr. Palau said. "I know St. Paul would.""

"...but I get to ride with guys who are stoked on Jesus."

If you're ignorant like me, you watched Saved! and thought the whole skateboarding thing was a joke with little basis in reality. That would be wrong.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. If they can attempt to co-opt rock music, then skateboarding would be another step in the same direction.

I laughed through the whole thing. Enjoy.

Funny

This article talks about ways to deal with life's little annoyances. Some of them are pretty funny, like the guy who puts strips of sheet metal in reply envelopes that have "No Postage Necessary" marked on them.

It's along the same line as the people who send all the AOL discs they get back to the company.

Did anyone see that Daily Show episode where they interviewed the email spammer and put his private email address up on the screen?

March 17

Went to The Office last night. Discussed non-alcoholic beer with Turck.

Will head over to Steve's BYOB St. Patrick's Day festivities in a few hours. I may get some dinner with Laura, Randy, and Matt first. Thom is scheduled to join us at some point. The party at Steve's seems to be merely a prelude to a walk downtown for what promises to be a crowded and drunken mob. Not sure I'm up for that. I will probably be one of very, very few people in classes tomorrow, since it is the last day before Spring Break.

It remains to be seen if I'll have a computer here over that time. Things would be immeasurably easier for me if I did, but I have to be realistic about how much work I'm actually going to be doing while Kristen is visiting.

I might have some interesting stories tomorrow.

Venturing To Kennedy This Evening

So I'm off to Kennedy to meet up with Matt, Brett, Turck, Lindsey, and possibly Randy and Laura as well. A continuation of the Falconer High School tradition of going for chicken wings at The Office on Wednesday nights.

And I'll be stopping at home to pick up a green shirt to wear to tomorrow night's St. Patrick's Day shindig at Steve's place.

Drilling For Oil in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge

...and the nation continues its trek to Hell, or something very much like it.

Krugman Column: The $600 Billion Dollar Man

Some comments on the latest round of discussion about Social Security "reform"/privatization/elimination. It also includes a nice shot at erstwhile Democrat Joe Lieberman.
Check it out.

Yes, Even More Pictures

The game of beer pong was expensive because it was played (on our side) with Corona. We ran out of beer toward the end of our run of consecutive victories. Our consumption of cheap, nasty beer can be held directly responsible for our loss.

Deanna appears in the first picture with Thom and I. Deanna is in my 1960s class. When I asked her how my presentation went, she said I did well. When I pressed her to tell me what she really thought, she replied with a sigh..."well, you'll never be a teacher. You might be able to be a professor though, because you can be a professor without knowing how to teach. You just need to know what you're talking about." I'm unqualified to be a teacher because of my mumbling and lack of eye contact during the presentation, it seems. I do fairly well with eye contact in one-on-one situations and in small groups, but she's right about my performance during the presentation.

One more career I can cross off the list, eh?

Expensive Beer Pong II

Expensive Beer Pong

Me, Deanna, and Thom

More Pictures!

The GQ appearance was for Theresa's "Christmas Formal"-type party in mid-December. That's me and Nate VanWie, from my Western European Politics class. Nate's an extremely intelligent guy and was always funny in class, as well as in conversation at the parties. I believe he went to high school with Theresa in the Horseheads, NY region.

I can't figure out if I just look evil in that picture, or if I look like I'm trying to be....alluring? I don't know. You decide.

Probably two more pictures to come soon.

Check Out That Look

Falling Short of My Blogging Potential

Sorry the posts have been mainly just pictures lately. I have some things to say, but I haven't had a lot of time to devote to 'blogging' lately. Perhaps I'll get some more time over spring break (March 18 - 29). Kristen's coming home Saturday, so it'll be great to see her.

Administration uses Commercials as News

Long Time

So I haven't posted for a while. I did post a couple pictures from two parties last semester.

Not very much to say right now.

December 4, 2004

Halloween 2004

Public Humiliation Update

7:00pm
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
Williams Center Multipurpose Room
Fredonia State
Fredonia, New York 14063

Looks like I will be one of three panelists for the Democrats. The Amnesty International group will be moderating the debate. Republicans, Libertarians, and Greens will also be debating.

The topic will be United States foreign policy. Presumably, I will be somewhat prepared by then. I have two tests tomorrow/today (Friday), I'll be working Saturday and Sunday, and I have to do a half-hour presentation on Monday for my 1960s class about the impact/effects of the Cuban Missile Crisis. That's me talking for 30 minutes straight. Embarrassingly, I've never used PowerPoint or any of those other nifty programs and I don't really plan on learning them now. So I'll probably be attempting to bore my audience into submission with the low monotonic rumbling of my voice.