iSkew

So this is the office I'm going into- although I'll be in a loft up some stairs so it's not necessarily all doggy-like up there...

So, first off it turns out I had an email address I grabbed awhile back so nobody else would. By "awhile back" I mean 3 years ago. I never checked it and I was so dumb I didn't set an email forwarder. Meanwhile, a friend of mine had actually been using it.

Recently, she called me out for being such a jerk and not writing her back, after several recent, fabulous emails. I was like, "wha-huh?"

So I asked her where she was writing. Heck, I had to reset the password to even get in there and see an avalanche of emails.

I AM A JERKFACE!

And one losing nerd-cred for not setting an email forward. Which has now been done.


To make up for it, everyone should have to watch this rehearsal video:



I have no idea who that is on bass with the afro. Or why Trent is wearing a jacket indoors (in the other videos he's t-shirted as normal). Maybe it's cold, Freese has a hoodie. Or maybe I'm reading too much into this. I tend to do that. I obsess. For example:

http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/307

Roo 2008.

This is mostly a music post... We had a great time in our crew, and of course Jamie and I had a fabulous partners-in-crime time running about destroying (drinking) everything in our path.

A few non-music points just to get out there:

- Sweetwater's "Hummer" beer, despite the horrible name, is a delicious Hef variation

- Bonnaroo is seriously one of the most incredible annual communities; it constantly proves to me things can be all right with such a diverse group; Cor & I ate lunch with a 60+ couple, I pogo'd with a cavalcade of tweens, we saw democrats, republicans, every race and every fashion represented

- I consider my Roo-casting a success; over 300 people followed my Roo experience through Twitter or BrightKite and over twenty wrote me directly to thank me or comment through the weekend

- Can't wait to take Addy next year

I could go through every set I saw, complete or otherwise, but it'd take too long and I just don't feel very articulate. I've documented my being there enough I feel through the Brightkite (http://brightkite.com/people/dbrowell) & Twitter-casting (http://twitter.com/dbrowell), so I'll just hit some significant points...


B.B. King was fabulous, hilarious, and if I'm even half as coherent at 82 I'll be doing fine.

Ozomatli was so much fun I nearly passed out from dancing in 90 degree heat. Always a treat, Corri got me a father's day present of a drum head used during that show that was signed by all the band members!

Charli2na, who was incredibly humbled by the size of his 3:30am crowd (this being the first solo tour away from Jurassic 5) gave a slick performance with the band Galactic as his backing band. With Charli's voice, I could listen to that guy read the back of a cereal box. I nabbed a setlist and actually a chance to speak with the guy after the show. Oh did anything else happen of note? Sure. I was three feet from the Olson twins, who were there at his show, just beyond a simple metal gate to stage left. Not sure if I care or not, but it was a funny thing to witness at 5am, still slightly drunk, as Charli's set ended and the sun was peaking around the corner.

The Raconteurs stole my soul. Seriously. I was on the rail for this and I was happy to read that my immediately-twittered assessment was echoed by media outlets like Rolling Stone and others: this Bonnaroo performance was nothing short of a career-high for this band. Moreover, I've begun to really try and parse the weird charisma Jack White exudes. He may very well be the Elvis that bridges the low-X'ers and the Millenials from a music standpoint-- he has the chops and draw and both try to claim him (despite his cherubic expressions, he's firmly in Gen X-- but don't tell the legion of 15-something girls in the pit with the 30 year olds that). And he makes an even stranger appeal-play to widely divergent categories of fans like awkward goth girls, cock-rocking fratguys, slightly countryfied classic rock mavens and more. There's some more thought and maybe an essay to come of this yet.

My Morning Jacket deserve some sort of medal. I'm not sure what it should be for, but they should get it. In the sometimes torrential rain they managed to make believers out of any skeptics of the new material and play old favorite "One Big Holiday" with Kirk Hammett of Metallica (foreshadowed in Jim James' interview in that day's Bonnaroo Beacon, the festival daily newspaper). After an entire set of their work they returned to play James Brown, Curtis Mayfield and even a Motley Crue cover.

Pearl Jam's set was an emotional mess of good vibes and an urgency for social change. From Daughter played among a sea of actual lighters (not the now-common cell-phones in lighterless arenas), to an ernest plea for change after relayed news that the young veteran in the Body of War documentary has taken a turn for the worse health-wise. If you're a Pearl Jam song/bean-counter, their 3-hour performance was like a bizarre circus-of-the-stars ranging from most of the album Ten to the first time one B-Side had ever been played live, the first time in 13 years W.M.A. had been played and several other relatively rare live cuts.

Metallica played it safe by not playing any song newer than 1991 in their long set. They win points from me for playing my favorite song to play D&D to when I was 12, "Seek & Destroy" in a massive closing rendition. James Hetfield pioneered a new drinking game wherein one takes a drink for every time a headliner mentions their at Bonnaroo; you'd have been drunk by song 3 during their set. Hetfield was clearly trying to justify and fit in in an awkward way but it was sort-of cute of him to be trying so hard. But he shouldn't have worried. James should send Kanye West a check to thank him for distracting everyone from pondering whether it was appropriate they were at Roo. Kanye fucked up bad, was an asshole to those who waited until 4:30am for his set, and has been called on it by every major news org. including a lead AP story (proving once again that celebrity tantrums make the news-- war in Iraq, not so much anymore).

Jack Johnson was Jack Johnson. News at 11. Good, normal. Thankfully pianist Zach Gill, now a full member of the band and leader of ALO, (and one of my family's favorite musicians) was there to joke around with Jack, crack up during songs and generally make the rest of Jack's statuesque-studio-band-on-tour look even more lifeless. Then Eddie Vedder came on stage to sing a song with Jack, dedicating it to Jack's soundman (formerly Pearl Jam's). With Zach, Eddie and Jack on stage, Jack's drummer and bassist found now jumbotron camera time for the rest of the set.

SuperJam this year was gypsy band Gogol Bordello, Les Claypool (Primus) and Kirk Hammett (Metallica) playing Tom Waits songs. It was as fucked up as it sounds.

It was also a Roo for a crop of some of the more interesting up-and-coming bands I've been following. Vampire Weekend was outstanding and worth every drop of hype; they were so tight there was almost a Rush-like precision to their math-rock (and they're nice guys). What Made Milwaukee Famous, besides having the most difficult name to Twitter, played an average set but were also super-nice to meet. Newton Faulkner, who Corri liked more than I going into the day took away my "biggest surprise" award with a really fun set. Rogue Wave kicked fucking ass, being our "little Euro-Americans" and probably stealing this year's title of "band that if you didn't hear their banter you'd think were British and more popular somewhere else" award. Serena Ryder was also great to hear-- I advise Indigo Girls fans to give her a listen, but be prepared for her more husky voice.

Death Cab for Cutie closed the show with a truly beautiful, pitch-perfect performance that also showed a spontaneity and livelihood I hadn't seen in their previous Roo performance; a gorgeous set as the sun went down on the last day.

I saw far, far more than all I've mentioned here, and much of it is worth mentioning (Sigur Ros, Ghostland Observatory, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Tiesto...). Probably more later.

There is no last Roo, only the next Roo.

Miss you Alec.


http://tinyurl.com/5k2p2e
http://fsca.communitypoint.org/img/f1994b.html
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/microchip/names2v7.html
http://fsca.communitypoint.org/about.html

Wherein Lucas and Spielberg write a love letter to the new generation of greats


The following essay does discuss the movie Indiana Jones and the Legend of the Crystal Skull openly and without filter (sarcastic or otherwise). In more loose terms: here be spoilers....

( Read on... )

So today Bonnaroo announced an entire tent of New Orleans acts where donations will be collected to support some great musician-centric charities of NOLA and the Gulf Coast.

Featuring:

"Porter - Batiste - Stoltz
Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
Henry Butler and the Game Band
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Walter "Wolfman" Washington
Anders Osborne
Big Sam's Funky Nation
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Soul Rebels Brass Band
Morning 40 Federation
Harrybu McCage+

And a NEW ORLEANS SUPERJAM* led by George Porter, Jr.!!!!!!!"
http://www.bonnaroo.com/news/2008/05/15/somethin-else-new-orleans-article.aspx



Meanwhile... Billboard.com snuck out a Pearl Jam article where Mike daydreams about pulling Jack White onstage at Roo with them and lets it slip (drum roll) that drummer Matt Cameron will be playing in a jazz set also at Roo (my guess: he's the drummer in the aforementioned Superjam; maybe both Superjams*).

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003804310

UPDATE:

+"Harrybu McCage" is the jazz project Cameron formed with keyboardist Ryan Burns and bassist Geoff Harper (Herbie Hancock, Bill Frisell). The trio will perform original and Thelonious Monk inspired jazz all the while doing the roots of traditional New Orleans music proud.

* For the uninitiated, Roo has a Superjam every year of seemingly random musicians and guests. This year it looks like they're doing TWO Superjams, one in the NOLA tent and then the more regular giant-tent late-night one (rumored to be Tom Waits, Les Claypool, Kirk Hammet, Golgo Bordello and an unannounced drummer... wait, I wonder...).

Kathy Kinsey & Lisa Soltis go shopping in downtown Roanoke and we get to tag along! Featuring: Claire V., Christy's, Florabella, Beads Indeed, The Binaba Shop, The Market Gallery, Ladles & Linens, 310 Rosemont, Walkabout Outfitters, La De Da, Dandelion Feet, Glazed Bisque-It and more!

On the web:
http://www.downtownroanoke.org/

On Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Downtown-Roanoke-Inc/10247465099

For ScriptFrenzy... social-medis inspired fiction, my first large writing project in four years...

http://www.skewedperspective.com/litfl/

'Consolers of the Lonely' To Be Released March 25th.

The Raconteurs are happy to announce that in one week’s time their second album, entitled “Consolers Of The Lonely”, will be available EVERYWHERE Tuesday, March 25th.

“Album” meaning: full length vinyl, CD and digital formats; and “everywhere” meaning: local mom and pop Indie retailers, corporate superstores, supermarkets, iTunes, Amazon, the band’s own website and any other location that could get the record up and going this quickly (some places couldn’t move this fast, so they will join in as soon as they can).

It contains 14 new recordings and is being released globally on Third Man Records in conjunction with our marketing/distribution partners, XL Recordings and Warner Brothers Records.

The album was mastered and completed in the first week of March. It was then taken immediately to a vinyl pressing plant. Then to a CD pressing plant. Then preparations to sell it digitally began. March 25th became the soonest date to have it available in EVERY FORMAT AT ONCE. The band have done no interviews or advertisements for this record before this announcement.

The purpose: to get the album to the fans as soon as possible and as we promised. We wanted to get this record to fans, the press, radio, etc., all at the EXACT SAME TIME so that no one has an upper hand on anyone else regarding it’s availability, reception or perception.

With this release, The Raconteurs are forgoing the usual months of lead time for press and radio set up, as well as forgoing the all important “first week sales”. We wanted to explore the idea of releasing an album everywhere at once and THEN marketing and promoting it thereafter. The Raconteurs would rather this release not be defined by it’s first weeks sales, pre-release promotion, or by someone defining it FOR YOU before you get to hear it.

Another purpose was to also allow people to have their own choice as to exactly which format they would like to hear the album in IMMEDIATELY, rather than having to wait for their favorite format to become available. The band are also not releasing any version of this record that contains bonus tracks. Musically this album will be the same as the band created it no matter what format it is purchased in (The sound quality of each format however, is a different story. The Raconteurs recommend hearing it on vinyl, but the choice is of course up to the listener).

The band also prefer that fans buy the album as a whole instead of breaking up the tracks, but until iTunes and other digital services allows bands to release their albums with the option of NOT breaking it up, it will be sold in that fashion on those particular sites. On the band’s website however, the album will be sold in its entirety as an mp3 at 320kb bit rate. Also in Japan, fans will be able to download the record via their mobile phones, as that is how a majority of recorded music is consumed there.

The reason we are announcing this release one week ahead of time is because of retail pre-ordering and stocking, information about this album’s imminent release was bound to come to light and could be confusing to fans. Also in the event that the record leaks, we didn’t want this method of release to be seen as a REACTION to such a leak. It’s not. The actual worst thing about a leak is the usual poor sound quality, akin to watching a movie on a wristwatch instead of in a theater. Which for the album’s creators is a bit of a letdown, but again, it is completely up to the listener.

There will be a video up on the internet for the first single, “Salute Your Solution”, on the 25th as well, provided it gets edited in time. We just filmed it the other day!

We hope not to confuse anyone with too many options, or deny them the formats that they like best. The Raconteurs feel very strongly that music has worth and should be treated as such. Thank you to all those who respect music in this fashion, and thank you to our label partners for working with us to get this album to fans in as many formats as possible all at once.

Thank you, and we hope that you enjoy “Consolers Of The Lonely”.

Sincerely,
The Raconteurs

Nine Inch Nails is pleased to announce the expansion of the Ghosts project into the visual world. The band has teamed up with YouTube to host a "film festival" around Ghosts. The concept is for you to take whatever tracks you feel inspired by and create what you feel should accompany them visually. You will be able to see all of the submissions, and a team (including Trent) will be sorting through them and setting aside ones they feel are exceptional. Eventually (within a couple of months?) we hope to present a virtual "film festival" with Trent and some special guests presenting selections of your work.

"This isn't a contest and you don't win elaborate prizes - it's meant to be an experiment in collaboration and a chance for us to interact beyond the typical one-way artist-to-fan relationship. We've discussed some interesting ways this could go, including multiple installments of the online "film festivals," to broadcast TV specials, to a one-time live performance of the entire Ghosts record with your visuals involved. It really depends on how this progresses and develops.

We are all very much looking forward to what you come up with, and hope you enjoy the experience. Visit http://www.youtube.com/ninofficial for information on how to participate".

TR

check http://www.nin.com for exciting announcements regarding live performances soon.

http://www.pembertonfestival.com/home/index.aspx

COLDPLAY . TOM PETTY and The Heartbreakers . NINE INCH NAILS .THE FLAMING LIPS . DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE . INTERPOL . MY MORNING JACKET . METRIC . VAMPIRE WEEKEND . THE CRYSTAL METHOD DJ SET . DJ SHADOW w/ Cut Chemist

and more.

Kermit Ruffins on 2008 Congo Square Poster for New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

Kermit Ruffins is the subject of the newly unveiled 2008 Congo Square poster for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

" Unlike a long line of trumpeters who left town to conquer bright lights and big cities, Kermit stayed in the city that gave birth to the music he loves. Not even Katrina could dislodge him from the source that nurtured his soul. Jazz devotees worldwide are richer for his immovable devotion to advancing the art of jazz vocals and trumpet in the city that first provided jazz’s uniquely American voice. The joy of the music is given flesh by this man."

http://www.art4now.com/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=630

Thelma's Chicken n Waffles.

Reflections: Secret Skin: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/10/080310fa_fact_chabon/


SECRET SKIN
An essay in unitard theory.
by Michael Chabon

Including lines such as: "The Sub-Mariner wears nothing but a Eurotrashy green Speedo..."