I like that there new-fangled intarweb!

Isn't technology cool?

I know. Staggering understatement. But, sometimes it's just so amazing to me, that I can't even wrap my head around it enough to BEGIN to give it the praise it deserves.

This is all stemming from my new camera phone. We got an upgrade in our cell phone service and now we have camera phones. Did you ever think when you were 10 years old that we'd have things like CAMERA PHONES!? Mind you, I was 10 about 26 years ago. You newbies might not be able to understand this feeling that I have. Did you ever think they'd make cameras that don't involve film or dropping film off at a processing place where you pick your photos up later? Now we can take pictures and print them at home! You can take pictures and SEE what it is you are taking a picture of. We can put 1000's of songs onto one tiny little rectangular device that fits in your pocket. We can talk to people in France online ( either typing it out onto a screen or a speaking into microphone.) We can GO ONLINE, period. I can make this blog. It's endless.

Whoa. It's all I got. Whoa. Sometimes I sit and overthink these things and my mind is blown. I mean, don't even get me started on surgical technology and what doctors have the means to do now. I'm still trying to grasp the concept of my new camera phone. The one that can play actual songs ( and not some bleep-blip-ding ring tone. )

"Beat On The Brat" by the Ramones is my new ringtone by the way.
Yeah, I'm cool.

"I Love Technology" - (Napoleon Dynamite inspired remix)

All The Young Dudes

Duran Duran - the "New Romantic" years.
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I'm a sucker for a pretty boy. A pretty rocker boy. That being said, I looooooved the 80's. I was a teenage girl, trying desperately to be a goth-new wave fashionista, and with all these tarted up frilly boys wearing just as much Maybelline as I, well...it was heaven.

Depeche Mode, Japan, Duran Duran, ABC, Thompson Twins, Culture Club, Bauhaus, The Cure, Gene Loves Jezebel, etc, etc : each band having a singer or keyboard player more stylish and androgynous than the next. Girls actually had a MALE to look up to for fashion tips and make up advice. I totally wanted to have John Taylor's sultry burgundy mop of hair alongside Adam Ant's flair for dramatic makeup. I wanted Boy George's array of wigs and weaves and Martin Gore's fetish boytoy leather gear. Shit, they looked better than most girls on a GOOD day. I ate it up. A few guy friends of mine did too.

Years later I find I am still turned on and intrigued by that 80's suave-glam style ( while some photos make me laugh out loud. ) I am also quick to remember that there are photos of me in the 80's that should be burned for my attempts at trying to adopt a look that only a professional stylist and a gold card could create. But hey, it's part of growing up. Most of those guys were in their early 20's ( young and cocky ), and I'm sure they crack up at how much blush they have smeared across their photogenic cheekbones when they go thru an old tour program. I guess the Glam Invasion of the 70's paved the way for that ( Bowie, Bolan, Sweet, Gary Glitter, Kiss - although they aren't glam, but they get top billing for famous made up rockers. ) And that look transformed in the 80's thru many different styles of music as well ( Think Motley Crue: They went from the "satanic bondage" look to "one lipstick tube away from tranny" in their first 6 years. ) Now, if you turn on MTV, you will see the makeup thing is still pretty major to a lot of bands today.

I think a lot of today's punk-pop bands are in a fashion regression. Lots of biting off of 80's style with a more "DIY" edge to it. They may think it's clever, but I say "Samhain beat you to it.". Some nu-metal poseurs ( Mudvayne, Slipknot, Insane Clown Posse ) all went a bit nutty with the stage makeup-death/gore look to get attention, which is really just biting off of the black metal makeup trend ( which, once again, can be guided right back to Kiss - and maybe, King Diamond )

Anyway. Rock boys in makeup. I could have easily made this post "The History of Makeup in Rock Music" ( and I started to venture in that direction ) but I'd rather just pay tribute to it. Stand proud as a lover of the androgynous girl-boy musician. Here are some of my favorite bands that were quite well known for their visual pretty boy appeal as well as their songs.

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Adam & The Ants - Beat My Guest
Thompson Twins - Lies
Depeche Mode - Dressed In Black
The Damned - New Rose
Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart)
Duran Duran - My Own Way
The Cure - Screw
Dead Or Alive - Big Daddy Of The Rhythm

"Look Ma! A penis!"

David Letterman shows off a photo of his new son, Harry.
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Today I had a sonogram and found out that the growing person inside of me is a BOY!! Yes. A boy. ANOTHER boy ( I have one already. ) I was wishing for a girl, but I can't say I am disappointed. Not in the slightest. I'll have two boys. Mama of 2 sons. I will reign supreme as Queen Mother. Matriarch. Lone Female of the Clan. I will be loved and praised forever ( okay, until they are 13 and I suddenly become "The Plague". ) 'Tis the curse of Moms. You are Goddess Incarnate until puberty hits, then you get smacked down a few pegs and are told you are about cool as a roll of papertowels. Knowing this, I choose to bask in the glow of my sweet boy love and Super-Mom status as long as they deem me fit to carry the torch.

For my soon-to-be second son ( in September ) I give you this song.

( Now we just have to come up with a name for the little guy! )

John Lennon - Beautiful Boy

Sad Songs Say So Much

Ya big crybaby
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Do songs make you cry?
Are you one of those people that hears a certain melody, and you are instantly fighting back tears? Eyes welling up while you drive in your car because a heartwrenching tune has popped up on your iPod?

That's me. Big time. At the movies, watching tv, in the car...doesn't matter.

Sometimes it has nothing to do with the lyrics either. It can be the slow aching drone of a cello, or the sad, simplistic minor keys on a piano. But they just WRENCH something out of you, don't they? I hate to admit this, but at Sea World ( during Shamu's show ) , they started to play the most ridiculous adult-contemporary drivel - a ballad that had a chorus of "You Raise Me Up" (something perfect for an Olympic ice skating performance) and I will admit that it got me. I sat misty eyed, watching these amazing killer whales soar thru the water to this song, and while it might have been their beauty that made me teary, the song helped. A REALLY STUPID song, too.

I mean, everyone knows that music can really heighten an emotion. What the fuck do you think movie scores and soundtracks are for? The scene in "She's Having a Baby" where Kevin Bacon's wife is rushed in to have an emergency c-section, while he sits afraid and helpless in the hallway is ALREADY a tearjerker. Adding Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work" in the background is enough to make you fall on the floor in a bawling heap. It's perfect. It's torture.

I love a good cry. I love hearing a song that makes me feel it right down to the center of my being. I love that a song can be so sad, or beautiful, or raw that I am in tears. Sure, it's happened at inopportune moments, but that's okay. It's great that a piece of music can evoke that much feeling in me. Whether it's their voice, their words, their music - or a combination of all three - it's a great compliment to those artists. They got me. YOU moved me. Thank you. Sometimes it's like they are singing TO you, or it's like you could have written the words yourself. Whatever it is, it got under your skin and the tears are a-flowing.

Here are some of my all-time favorite weepy tunes. The first song (REM) is obvious ( by the title alone) , but it still doesn't take away anything from it. It GOT me. It's an anthem for anyone embracing some pain, and who can't relate to that? All the others songs on here have made Kleenex an extra buck or two as well. I have to explain The Dixie Chicks one though. I respect them musically, but it's not really my cup of tea. A couple years ago, a friend mine took her life and it really hit many of us hard. The worst being that she left behind a 2 year old son ( as the mother of a little boy, this was crushing to me. ) At the funeral, they played "Godspeed" by the Dixie Chicks, and it was like she had come out of the clouds and was singing to her little boy. They could not have chosen a better song, and at the same time, it was so incredibly painful to hear. That song will forever make me cry. And the last song I chose (INCUBUS) , while I find it very pretty and touching in a lyrical sense, it was the last 30 seconds that caved me in. Something about the way he sings it just tears thru me.
*sigh*
Pardon me while I tune in and sob ....

Note: Many songs off of Sarah McLachlan's "Fumbling Thru Ecstasy" album can get me going too, but I couldn't pick just one...so I left them off the list.

REM - Everybody Hurts
Aimee Mann - Wise Up
Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should've Come Over
Jennifer Holliday - And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
Dixie Chicks - Godspeed
Sinead O'Connor - Troy
India.Arie - Ready For Love
Incubus - Southern Girl

Cheers to Mushy Peas

Mmmm. Mushy Peas.
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We can eat sushi in South Carolina. We can eat cannoli in Colorado. We can eat escargot in the East Village. Foods from almost any region can be enjoyed almost anywhere else in the world. Ethiopian. Vietnamese. Mexican. Yet, I've noticed that SOME food items seem to stay where they started. My example being: mushy peas.

For those not in the know : mushy peas are dried marrowfat peas which have been soaked overnight and then boiled. They are a great favourite of the north of England and are a traditional accompaniment to fish and chips. I've eaten at a few "English" pubs in the US, and many tried to create a menu similar to what you might find outside of London. Bangers and mash. Kidney pie. Shepherd's pie. But I've yet to see mushy peas on the menu. This is me though. There could be places out there in the US that serve them and I'm just not aware, but it's not exactly a food item you hear about regularly. Be honest...did YOU know about mushy peas? I had no clue until about 2-3 years ago.

The thing is, we have peas here. It's a common vegetable ( one of my favorites actually ) and the only way you ever hear it getting used is in it's typical spherical form or made into soup. The mushy thing never came into play. Granted, the pea they use is different from the average garden variety pea we usually eat - but I'm sure we can get these marrowfat peas. If you can get cucuzza ( long bright green italian zucchini ) in a supermarket, then we should be able to get these fancy peas. I guarantee more than half of the US has never heard of mushy peas. Shit, even HAGGIS made it into specialty stores and butcher shops within the US, but in my opinion, Scotland can have it BACK. The reason we know about it is because of how disgusting it sounds. I recall Mel Gibson being taunted into eating some on Jay Leno. Like Mike Myers said in "So I Married An Axe Murderer" ( paraphrase )
"I believe most Scottish cuisine was based on a dare."

But, this is about MUSHY PEAS.

I'm gonna have to start scouring the international section in fancy grocery stores to see if a can of mushy peas pops up ( I've seen them online. ) I want them to get their due. The world needs to know about mushy peas, damn it!! Maybe England is being tight-lipped about their sloppy green concoction, but it was adorable "Naked Chef" Jamie Oliver that opened my eyes to mushy peas. Maybe it's because I'm a proud pea lover that I find this mushy pea mystery so exciting.

Oi Oi Oi!!! Mushy Peas!

Motorhead - God Save The Queen ( Sex Pistols cover )

"Brandy, you're a fine girl."

Girl songs. Songs about girls. Songs about many girls, a girlfriend, a girl you hate, a troubled girl.
One of the dudes from the band Toto ( Jeff Porcaro? Steve Porcaro? ) wrote a HUGE hit about his then girlfriend, Roseanna Arquette ( the song "Roseanna". Duh. ) "Julia" ( the famous Beatles tune ) was written about John Lennon's mother ( who died in a car crash when he was 16. ) "Mandy" by Barry Manilow was apparently written for a special female in his life...his dog. Sometimes it's just a story or a memory they have that's created into song and they fabricate a fictitious girl ( I have to believe there really isn't anyone named "Severina", even though The Mission UK sing about her very passionately. ) Hall & Oates "Sara Smile". A real girl? Yes, Daryll Hall's now ex-wife. Sisters of Mercy's "Lucretia, My Reflection". A real girl? Um, hard to say. Great name though. SO goth.

It's quite an honor to have a song written about you. Wait, lemme rephrase that. It's quite an honor to have a COMPLIMENTARY song written about you. Nobody wants to be remembered as that heathen bitch that broke some lead singer's heart ( especially if it does well on the Billboard charts, because that song will be on the airwaves forever. ) But, to be immortalized in music history as the whore that messed up the drummer might be cool too. Gives you about 4 minutes of fame and maybe a guest spot on some trashy "Where Are They Now" video show on VH-1.

However, it's NOT very fun to have a song NOT written about YOU exactly, but your name is featured prominently in the title and/or chorus. I guarantee that lots of women between the ages of 30-45 with the name Sherry have been serenaded MORE than once by Steve Perry's 80's ballad "Oh Sherry". If your name is Roxanne , you either got bombarded with a classic by The Police, or your more obscure hip-hop savvy friends belted out UTFO's 1984 hit "Roxanne, Roxanne". I didn't experience any of this type of torture until Shaun Cassidy's version of "Da Doo Ron Ron" came out when I was in elementary school. To cut to the second line of the song ( "Somebody told me that her name was Jill...da doo ron ron rooooon" ) well - you know what I heard, A LOT, for a good 4 months. It sucked. Don't even get me started about that goddamn nursery rhyme either.

Anyway. It's what's on my mind lately. Songs with about girls - a girl - that girl. Christine Sixteen. Suzie is a Headbanger. Oh Marie. Barbara Ann. Magical mythical sirens in the songwriters' mind, or actual flesh and blood women that loved and/or destroyed them. Below are a couple of my favorite songs that revolve around a girl. I have no idea if these girls they are singing about are real. If you know the answer to that - please share.

Oh yeah. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it sound like Steve Perry is singing "CINNAMON GUUU-UUUUM!" at the beginning of "Oh Sherry"?

Ready For The World - Oh Sheila
Concrete Blonde - Caroline

Here fishy, fishy, fishy

I'm going to Sea World tomorrow!!

I'm very excited about this, since I haven't been to a Sea World since I was about 6-7 years old ( and it was in Ohio too - who puts a Sea World in Ohio? ) Well, it's long gone now - and the one I am going to is in San Antonio, TX.

Stoked!

Shamu, here I fucking come!

*boring post, I know*

Would a band by any other name smell so sweet?

Band names. So much to think about with a band name.
It's a musical rite of passage to come up with your band name. I remember my high school boyfriend and his buddies spending hours trying to come up with a name for their band: something cool, trendy, unique, mysterious, easy to say, etc. Inspirations for band names come from a zillion places. Let me show you what I mean by listing some more popular bands and where their names came from:

Pearl Jam - Apparently, Eddie Vedder had a grandma named Pearl and she made some kind of fucked up jam. That's the story there.

Duran Duran - It's the name of the evil do-er played by Miles O'Shea in the movie "Barbarella". Except the name was spelled Durand Durand ( they took off the ending d's )

Steely Dan - Named after a dildo from William Burroughs book "Naked Lunch"

Marilyn Manson - A combination of hollywood glamour/models and serial killers. MARILYN Monroe & Charles MANSON. The members of the band also changed their names to follow suit, ie: Ginger Fish ( GINGER Rogers and Albert FISH ) Although it could be for Ginger from Gilligan's Island. I don't know for sure. Either would work.

Seriously, I could go on for days with examples. Movies, relatives, books, something you saw on the street, ex-girlfriends, hometowns, food. I don't know if I dare mention how the band Korn got their name ( it's pretty gross ). In a nutshell, it was a conversation they overheard. Something involving sex and feces. Oh please, don't make me say more...please....

A band name can make you and break you, in my opinion. If it's good - you are safe. If it's really stupid - you will be known as the band with the really stupid name. You could be an incredibly talented jazz band, but if you have a name that sounds somewhat childish and crass - those jazz critics might pass you by. If your band was created when you were 17 years old, odds are that same band name MIGHT not be appealing to you 6 years down the road. My example being the band INCUBUS. They started up when they were in high school. 15-17 years old. I can see how the term "incubus" might be intriguing and cool to a young horny teenage boy....

DEFINITION: INCUBUS - An evil spirit supposed to descend upon and have sexual intercourse with women as they sleep.

But they themselves will tell you ( 10 years later ) that they totally regret giving their band that name. As adult men, they realize that it might be seen as offensive to women and they are pretty embarrassed by it. Problem is, they've sold millions of albums with it. That's how they are known. Can't walk away now. But, they wish they could.

Some bands try a little too hard to come up with something hip and cool, biting into something so "NOW" ( or so "2 weeks ago" ) that they don't see how desperate and stupid it looks. My example? About 9 months after the movie 'Pulp Fiction' came out, I recall seeing a band name pop up in the club listings ( in a Boston paper ) and it made me cringe. The name? FIVE DOLLAR MILKSHAKE. Anybody that has seen 'Pulp Fiction' recalls the five dollar milkshake scene. Anybody that was breathing in the mid early 90's recalls how INSANE the publicity and hype was over that movie ( well deserved too, but.... ) and 9 months after the fact, I see it as tacky and weak to try to jump into their cool pool. And now ( if the band still exists, which I doubt ) it's almost laughable.

Certain genres of music always inspire names fitting to their sound.
If you heard the names PUNGENT STENCH, CANNIBAL CORPSE, or KILLDOZER - would you think gospel? Country? I think not. Nothing funnier than watching Headbanger's Ball and seeing the hardcore/metal band names these days. Usually they start with a preposition ( OF, AFTER, AGAINST, FOR ) and then it follows up with something involving death, anguish, pain, etc etc. But, the worst band names? The WORST? I hate ANY band name ( or tv show or movie ) that starts with an adverb or verb ending in 'ing', and ends with a girl's name. Usually it's a 2 word title, sometimes 3. Whether they get success or not - I fucking HATE it. Chasing Amy, Judging Amy, Suddenly Susan, Reaching Chloe, Running from Sheila, Blissfully Melissa, Achingly Margaret... whatever...STOP! STOP THE MADNESS! That trend must stop.

Then there are band names that make you go "Huh?"
Be it stupid or spelled weird ( adding y's instead of i's and z's instead of s's - think WYLD STALLYNZ from "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" ) or lengthy or cryptic - it leaves you scratching your head thinking "Where the hell did that come from?" Maybe that's what they were going for - and if so - it worked!

Anway...I could discuss this forever.
I'm quick to get pissy about a dumb band name.
I'm quick to cheer a really cool one.
And I've often thought "If I could be in a band, what would my band name be?" and well - the one name I've come up with is rather foul and I shouldn't repeat it. I guess I should go back to the drawing board with that.

Here's an mp3 that a friend of mine recently gave me. Due to my recent condition ( "with child" ) he obviously found this band name quite funny. The thing is, the song itself is really catchy in the weirdest way. Think minimal low-budget dork funk-pop. Made me groove a little. But the band name? Yeah, ya lost me....

I Hate You When You're Pregnant - Tanning Booth

GOOD COVER, BAD COVER

David Bowie and Mick Jagger singing Martha & the Vandella's "Dancing In The Streets"
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*Disclaimer - The musical opinions reflected in this post are mine and mine only. You might hate the songs I am loving and love the songs I am hating. Deal with it. If it upsets you, get a blog of your own and complain about it*

I'm here to talk about cover songs. You know...some musician(s) doing someone else's music. This idea of bands and musicians covering other people's songs isn't exactly a new trend. Carl Perkins came out with "Blue Suede Shoes". It did okay in the charts. Elvis Presley covered it a few years later. Shazam! Gigantic success. Otis Redding had a minor hit with "Respect". Aretha Franklin came and covered it. Shazam! She'll go down in history for belting out that tune. You see where I'm going with this. In my mind though, it's become a much larger phenomenon ( or maybe it's getting noticed more with the whole remix-sample-song layering/borrowing that is done today. )

I'm not opposed to bands covering songs. I've heard some amazing renditions of another person's song. For example: Sinead O'Connor's version of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U". Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". THOSE are incredible. They made it their own. I'll be honest though, if it's a band I DON'T like covering a song I LIKE - yeah, I might get a tad ruffled. Downright surly even. Bauhaus covering Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" was okay for me. I love them both, AND Bauhaus did a pretty good job of it. But when Orgy did New Order's "Blue Monday", I wanted to repeatedly stab them with their eyeliner pencils. Who the fuck was Orgy anyway? I don't like when a new band comes out of the starting gates with a cover song. The safety net tune to get them airplay. They obviously wanted to record it, and the label is usually MORE THAN HAPPY to make it their debut single. I call bullshit on that. Cheating. Sorry, but that's what I think. At least No Doubt had some years, records, and major credibility under their belt before they chose to cover Talk Talk's "It's My Life" ( That was tough for me. I don't HATE No Doubt, but I wouldn't call myself a big fan either. And I liked that Talk Talk song. It put me in a weird spot if people asked if I liked it. I still don't know if I do. ) If a band I like covers a song from a band I like MORE, oooooh weeeeell then - they better do a stellar version of it or I'm gonna be crabby. Perfect example? Foo Fighters covering Prince's "Darling Nikki". I think the Foo Fighters are a very talented band - but my love for Prince borders on worship. "Darling Nikki" is one fucking helluva song. Can the Foo Fighters do it justice? I was incredibly skeptical. In fact, I was angry that they had the BALLS to try to cover it. And how did they do? I give it a B-. Dave Grohl is the shit, but you AIN'T Prince, bitch!

There is also the novelty of a band from one genre covering another song from a musician from a TOTALLY different genre. TONS of cd compilations have come out with artists paying "tribute" to some of their favorite bands - regardless of what style they play. Do you recall Garth Brooks' rendition of Kiss' "Hard Luck Woman" on the KISS MY ASS TRIBUTE album? Well, I do. Who would have thought that Garth and Kiss would ever meet up, right? But guess what? Garth earned much respect from me after that. Not only did he LOVE Kiss as a youngster, he did a GREAT job on the tune. Can't judge a book, I guess. Remember "IF I WERE A CARPENTER" ( Carpenter's tribute album ) with artists such as Babes in Toyland, Redd Kross, Shonen Knife, and Sonic Youth? Not exactly people you would associate with The Carpenters, but each band really expressed their love for them in the songs they chose. Sonic Youth's version of "Superstar" is both haunting and sentimental, while Grant Lee Buffalo's version of "We've Only Just Begun" actually made you forget for a moment that it WAS a cover. That was a very impressive compilation, I will admit ( and yeah, I dig the Carpenters big time too. ) Those are the good aspects of bands covering bands.

There are bad aspects too.

I'm gonna take a stand here and say that Fred Durst should not be allowed to touch ANYBODY else's songs...EVER. From George Michael to Pink Floyd - I feel he has embarassingly destroyed every song cover he has touched. His renditions lack style, talent, and respect for the other artist ( because in my mind, he feels his shitty singing IS great and that these bands should praise him for doing it. ) In that same breath, do I like Fred Durst? Nope. BIG nope. So, maybe that's your answer as to why I hate them. But, I'd like to believe that I TRY to leave my opinions of the band out of the equation when I'm deciding whether their version was worthy or not. As I mentioned before with the "novelty" thing, think Pat Boone and the 'heavy metal covers' album. HELLO!!!?!?! What was THAT about!? That was funny for about a week. And I'm the QUEEN of silly kitsch dumb ass shit like that, and I found it boring. Contrived. Forced. Desperate. I understand celebrities trying to buy into something "cool" in the market to get some recognition ( again ) but it was pretty sad.

But again, that's me.

Cover songs. You either love them or hate them. You might get really excited that your favorite band covered a song that you like equally as much, or you get insane because a band you despise covered a song that you love. Here are some cover tunes for you. Two that I found inspiring and beautiful and incredibly well done - and two that I find totally scary and bizarre.
Can you tell which ones fall in which category?

Rufus Wainwright sings The Beatles "Across the Universe"
Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer sing Bob Marley's "Redemption Song"
Barry Williams (aka Greg Brady) sings Queen's "We Are The Champions"
Andy Gibb & Victoria Principal sing The Everly Brothers "All I Have To Do Is Dream"

"Sounds like someone's got a case of the Mondays!"

"Office Space"
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Doesn't that phrase make you want to kick someone in the teeth?
A "case of the Mondays"?!!?
Oh my god. If ANYONE ever said that to me at work, I would have stapled their eyelids open with my shiny Swingline.

Really. Who DOES like to go back to work on a Monday ( after what was hopefully a good weekend. ) Most folks I know aren't too jazzed about it. Unless you make cotton candy for a living, I can't think of a job that would make me want to sprint to work. Maybe if you knew a juicy piece of gossip about another co-worker that you are just DYING to spread thru accounting, why would you be excited about work on a Monday?

People are entitled to be in a bad mood on a Monday. That "I haven't had my 4th cup of coffee yet - get out of my face, you smiling bastard" mood. Anyone that has ever had a cubicle farm type of job understands the gloom that can come with it. It's all the gray carpet half walls and fluorescent lighting. I can talk a good game about this NOW, seeing that I don't work ( I'm a mom at home, a whole different type of job entirely ) but there was a time where I lived it, knew it, and dreaded it.

Mondays.
Suck.

Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays

Heeeeeeeeey batter batter batter batter batter....

So, I'm going to see "Fever Pitch" tomorrow. ( crickets chirping )

I have NO IDEA if this movie is going to be good or if it's going to tank. Odds are high on the reek factor, but I have hope. I'm a Drew fan, I'm a Jimmy fan, and I'm a Red Sox fan simply because I'm from Boston ( but I don't really enjoy baseball that much ) I'm just a sucker for the underdog. ( SCREW THE CURSE!!! SOX TAKE THE 2004 WORLD SERIES!!!! )

Anyway...fingers crossed it doesn't suck.
If it does - it's still a chance to hang out on my ass for almost 2 hours while gorging my face with junk food. Can't beat that.

**UPDATE - Saturday April 9th **
I give the movie a B+. I enjoyed it. It's not as corny as some romantic comedies, and I definitely enjoyed all the Boston visuals and nostalgia ( made me homesick a little. ) Drew and Jimmy had good chemistry together and I know I laughed out loud more than a few times. Good times....

Drew Barrymore & Jimmy Fallon in "Fever Pitch".
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And because I love you, Jimmy.....this one's for you

Jimmy Fallon sings the "Ewok" song

I GOTTA DANCE!!!!

jitterbug
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Do you ever have those fantasies about breaking into a "FAME" moment while at work, in the grocery store, in the mall? You know - suddenly you hear a song come over the loud speaker or in someone's car and you are INSTANTLY motivated to bust into an impromptu dance routine ( you and the 15 other strangers around you. ) Well, I have those fantasies. Really. It's cheesy and hysterical as hell, not to mention dangerous. Doing the jitterbug in the middle of rush hour traffic might get you killed. But, a girl can dream, right?

The song of late that does it to me is Benny Goodman's "Sing Sing Swing". Right away, I turn into Ann Miller in "On The Town" and I'm tapping and twirling and getting flung in the air by handsome men. Then I snap out of it and realize I'm standing in a dreamy haze at HEB in the frozen foods aisle, looking at bags of tater tots.

But a girl can dream, right?

Benny Goodman - Sing Sing Swing

"I LOVE THAT DIRTY WATER.....

OOOOW! BOSTON, YOU'RE MY HOME!"


the Boston skyline
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I'm a Yankee. Born and raised in Massachusetts for 33 years. My father, grandfather, great-grandfather all raised families there ( after coming over from Italy. ) I may live in Austin, Texas now, but I will never forget my New England roots. BAH-STIN. WISTAH. It's where I'm from. Plus, I've only lived here for 3 years so far. I'm a "green Texan". A "wet behind the ears" Austinite, if you will.

I CAN'T forget my Yankee roots. They'd beat the crap out of me if I did. That's the thing about New Englanders. Pretty die-hard folk that would kick the shit out of you one minute, then give you the shirt off their back the next ( to help you wipe up the blood. ) You gotta love that. From blue blood to blue collar, they take pride in their frostiness as well as their willingness to make you their pal ( as long as a free beer is involved. )

Since I live in the "Live Music Capital Of The World" now - you'd think my tastes would instantly jump towards all that was fresh, new and inviting in the music scene of Austin.
Nope. Nada. Well, let me clarify that. I think there are MANY great bands here. But my heart
always stays loyal to the bands of my 20's. The bands that I drank with, grew up with, partied
with, rocked out with, toured with, loved and fought with ( some I knew "more" than others - if you catch my drift. Musician boyfriends aren't always a blast. ) Doesn't matter if the band has split up ( 90% of them have ) - this is the music that helped form the "rock chick" I am today. I still listen to their now out of print cd's. I still think back to that particular show at Bunratty's or The Rat. Their first downstairs headlining show at the Middle East. My friends. My rocker posse. And while it might be biased ( since I knew many of them personally and not just in a "fan" way ) I think some of these bands were AMAZING. If not that, just a shitload of fun.

These are some of the bands ( some I can easily say I've seen more than 25 times ) that rocked me, moved me, thrashed me, et cetera....hope you like them as much I as do.

La Gritona - Tony Alamo
Scissorfight - The Ballad of Jacco Macacco
Guerrero - Chedco
Spore - She Makes Me Feel Violent
Roadsaw - Not Today
Honkeyball - Kemosabi
Stompbox - Chevy S10
6L6 - Yeah Right
Tree - Not Afraid

THINK PINK

It's April, which is the month for the "Pink Moon" (many flowers turn pink and bloom in April, thus the name pink moon. ) Because of that, I'm paying tribute to this pretty spring moon with songs in it's honor. I didn't go out and howl at it Monday night ( when it occurred ) so I'll make up for it here.

Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Social Distortion - Pretty In Pink

"You're too pure to be pink." ~ Betty Rizzo ( Grease )

He ain't no Scary Monster

Who can work a boa better than Bowie?
( Wow, what a great tongue twister )

Posted by Hello

Hello, I love you

Baaaaaaa.....

I've joined the blogger herd. Decided it would be more fun to create my own than to bounce around thru the cyber blogspot maze every night.

I'm not here to amaze the world with my wit or intelligence. I'm funny as hell, but I don't need to constantly prove it ( lie ). I want to share the songs I love, the songs I hate, the objects of my youth that still provide me with excitement and wonder ( like Quisp cereal ), and any other thing that might pop into my head ( especially anything involving 70-80's pop culture. )

Hopefully there are many of you out there that enjoy what I have to offer ( not much. ) If so, like Cherry Valance said to Ponyboy Curtis in THE OUTSIDERS:
"You dig okay."