Random Thinking

Time again for the song of the week from my iPod. I’m a day late but life has been very hectic.

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. The group was formed in 1993 and released their first album in 1996. The original members of the band were Isaac Brock (voals, guitar), Jeremiah Green (drums), and Eric Judy (bass). Since then the group has added Johnny Marr (guitar, formerly of The Smiths) in May 2006, Joe Plummer (drums, formerly of the Black Heart Procession), Tom Peloso (multi-instrumentalist) and most recently, Jim Fairchild (guitars). That’s right, there are now seven members of the group!

The group had achieved alternative music success during the 90’s with their album, The Lonesome Crowded West, considered one of the defining albums of mid-90’s alternative music. But it wasn’t until the release of their double platinum album Good News for People Who Love Bad News in 2004 that the group achieved true commercial success. Their most recent album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, reached number one on the Billboard charts.

“Dashboard” is the first single from their most recent album and also supplies the catchphrase for my blog. The titles and lyrics from the groups albums and songs are often cleverly ironic and reflect turning bad into not so bad. Mikey’s favorite song, Float On, features the lyric “I backed my car into a cop car the other day. Well he just drove off, sometimes life’s OK.” Dashboard features the same kind of lyrics, “Well, it would’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know”, and “The dashboard melted but we still have the radio.”

Dashboard
Well, it would’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know.
Oh, the dashboard melted, but we still have the radio.

Oh, it should’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know.
Well, you told me about nowhere well it sounds like someplace I’d like to go.

Oh, it could’ve been, should’ve been worse than you would ever know.
Well, the windshield was broken but I love the fresh air you know.
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)

Oh, it would’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know, oh!
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)
Oh, we talked about nothing which was more than I wanted you to know-oh-oh-oh-oh.
Now here we go!

Oh! It would’ve been, could’ve been worse than it had even gone
Well, the car was on blocks, but I was already where I want.
(It was impossible, we ran it good, we ran it good)

Why should we ever even ever really even get to know?
(It was impossible, we ran it good, we ran it good)
Oh if the world don’t like us it’ll shake us just like we were a co-oh-oh-oh-old.
Now here we go!

Well we scheme and we scheme but we always blow it
We’ve yet to crash, but we still might as well tow it
Standing at a light switch to each east and west horizon,
Every dawn you’re surprising,
and in the evening one’s consoling
Saying “See it wasn’t quite as bad as”
Well, it would’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know.

I was patiently erasing and recording the wrong episodes
After you had proved my point wrong,
It wasn’t like I’d let it go, oh-oh-oh. Oh-oh-oh.
I just wanted to catch the last laugh of this show.

Yeah, it would’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know.
Oh, the dashboard melted, but we still have the radio.
(The dashboard melted, but we ran it good, we ran it good)

Hard-wired to conceive, so much we’d have to stow it
Even needs have needs, tiny giants made of tinier giants.
Don’t wear eyelids so I don’t miss the last laugh of this show.
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)

Oh, we could’ve been, should’ve been worse than you would ever know.
(The dashboard melted but we still have the radio)
Well, you told me about nowhere well it sounds like someplace I’d like to go-oh-oh-oh-oh.
Now here we go!

Well we scheme and we scheme but we always blow it
We’ve yet to crash, but we still might as well tow it
Standing at a light switch to each east and west horizon,
Every dawn you’re surprising,
and in the evening one’s consoling
Saying “See it wasn’t quite as bad as”

Oh it would’ve been, could’ve been worse than you would ever know.

Embedding has been disabled so hit this link to see it.

And click here for a video of Isaac Brock interviewing himself in 2004.

I saw this joke in the comments section of one of the blogs I follow. I thought it was pretty funny.

At the end of the year, the IRS sent an inspector to audit the books of a synagogue. While he was checking the books, he said to the Rabbi, “I notice you buy a lot of candles. What do you do with the candle drippings?”

“Good question,” noted the Rabbi. “We save them and then send them back to the candle maker, and every now and again they send us a free box of complete candles.”

“Oh,” replied the auditor, somewhat disappointed that his unusual question had a practical answer. On he went in his obnoxious way, “What about all these matzo purchases? What do you do with all the crumbs?”

“Ah, yes,” replied the Rabbi, realizing that the inspector was trying to trap him with an unanswerable question. “We collect them and send them back to the manufacturer, and every now and again they send us a free box of complete matzo.”

“I see,” replied the frustrated auditor, now thinking harder about how he can fluster the know-it-all Rabbi. “Well Rabbi, what do you do with all the leftover foreskins from the circumcisions that you perform?”

“Here too we do not waste,” answered the Rabbi. “We save up all the foreskins and send them to the Internal Revenue Service, and every now and again they send us a back a complete dick.”

Time again for the song of the week from my iPod.

Sublime was an American reggae ska punk band from Long Beach, California. The members of the group were Bradley Nowell (vocals and guitar), Bud Gaugh (drums and percussion) and Eric Wilson (bass guitar). The group lasted from its founding 1988 until 1996 with the death of Nowell from a heroin overdose.

The group had released two albums with success in California but it wasn’t until they appeared on the Warped Tour that they reached a larger audience. The group’s behavior on the tour however, including arrests for marijuana possession and the constant presence of their dogs who were noted for biting fans got them thrown off. Demand for the group from the fans convinced tour management to bring them back and increased pressure from their record company for a new album. After the album was complete but two months before the release in 1996, Nowell died from a heroin overdose in a motel in San Francisco. The group achieved mainstream success with their self-titled third and last album. Worldwide, Sublime has sold over 17 million albums, including about 10 million in the U.S. alone.

“Santeria” is one of the most popular songs by the group. The song has that “white guy trying to be tough” ska/punk lyrics that are common in this music form. But the song has a great bass line and guitar riff.

Santeria
I don’t practice santeria
I ain’t got no crystal ball.
I had a million dollars but I’d,
I’d spend it all.
If I could find that heina and that sancho that she’s found,
Well I’d pop a cap in sancho and I’d slap her down.

What I really wanna know,
My baby, what I really want to say I can’t define.
Well it’s love,
That I need, oh ,
But my soul will have to,
Wait till I get back and find heina of my own.
Daddy’s gonna love one and all.

I feel the break,
Feel the break,
Feel the break and I got to live it up,
Oh, yea huh, well I swear that I
What I really wanna know, baby,
What I really want to say, I can’t define.
That love make it go,
My soul will have to…

What I really wanna say,
My baby,
What I really wanna say is I’ve got mine.
And I’ll make it, yes, I’m comin up.

Tell sanchito that if he knows what is good for him
He best go run and hide.
Daddy’s got a new .45.
And I won’t think twice to stick that barrel
Straight down Sancho’s throat.
Believe me when I say that I got something for his punk ass.
What I really wanna know, my baby,
What I really wanna say is there’s just one,
Way back,
And I’ll make it, yeah,
But my soul will have to wait.
Yeah, yeah, yeah

The video for the song was made after Nowell’s death. He appears in the video as a spirit using stock footage.

An Arsonist’s Guide To Writer’s Homes in New England
by Brock Clarke

The cover of my copy of this book quotes reviews from the New York Times and Entertainment Weekly that describe the book as wildly, unpredictably, and searingly funny and as absurdly hilarious. I can only assume the the authors of those reviews either didn’t read the same book as I did or have very different senses of humor. The word “hilarious” is especially over the top for this book. I will admit that I was mildly amused three or four times while reading and perhaps even laughed out loud once but that was it. But, that isn’t to say that this was a bad book. In fact, I would say that it was actually a fairly good read. It just wasn’t very funny.

Sam Pulsifer, the narrator of this story, accidentally burned down Emily Dickinson’s house and killed two tour guides who were making love on Emily Dickinson’s bed. No one believes it was an accident so Sam goes to prison for eight years. Getting out, he finds true love and they marry but he fails to mention his past to her which means he has to pretend his parents are dead. When the grown up child of the tour guides (they were married) shows up to make Sam’s life miserable, the story goes into a strange narrative involving Sam’s lies, his parents’ lies, more writers house’s being burned down, and a quest for understanding in a world where no one is who they seem to be. Sam is an odd character and his actions are often hard to accept but if you can ignore the often unbelievable behaviors the story is actually a decent read. It isn’t a bad story but the ending was a bit of a disappointment.

Overall the book isn’t as good as the over-inflated reviews it has been receiving but it is not as bad as some of the other reviews. So don’t get carried away by all the positive reviews covering it front and back (and the first four pages as well) into thinking this is some great novel. It’s not bad but there are plenty of other better books out there to read.

It’s hard to take pictures at concerts because the stage is too far away to take flash pictures and you have to hold your hand steady to get a decent shot. But I tried. This is Robyn Hitchcock. I think you can get an idea of how good our seats were. We were all the way over on the left hand side but we were very close to the stage.

This is the Decemberists on stage performing the album The Hazards of Love. That is Colin Meloy in the center with the guitar in his hand and singing. To the right of Colin is Chris Funk who also plays guitar among other instruments. The woman to the left of Colin wearing the white wedding dress is Becky Stark of the group “Lavender Diamond”. Right next to her is Shara Worden of “My Brightest Diamond”. The two of them were guest singers on the album and have been touring with the group. The guy with the stand up bass is Nate Query and to the left of him is keyboardist, Jenny Conlee. The drummer John Moen is the only one missing from the picture.

At least this picture came out better. Here are Beth and Michel enjoying the show shortly before the Decemberists left in their dirigible.

Time again for the song of the week from my iPod. This song isn’t actually on my iPod for some reason but it will be by the end of the weekend. I have all of Robyn’s Soft Boys collection but none of his solo stuff.

Robyn Hitchcock has been making brilliant and eclectic music since 1976 when he started The Soft Boys, a psychedelic punk band from Cambridge, England. Their best album was “Underwater Moonlight” which was also their final album. The Soft Boys broke up in 1981 when Kimberley Rew left the group to be part of Katrina and the Waves hoping for a more commercial career. Hitchcock went on to a long and interesting solo career.

Hitchcock has said that his main musical influences are Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Syd Barrett. Barrett, of course, was the former member of Pink Floyd who left the group in 1968 due to mental illness. The lyrics of Hitchcock’s songs have always been the key part of his music and tend to include surrealism, comedy, eccentric people, and usually sad depictions of everyday life. His themes include what many psychologists view as the roots of modern neuroses – namely death, sex and eating.

Hitchcock is also a short story writer and painter and his albums often feature one of his paintings on the cover and one his stories in the liner notes. He has appeared in several films including The Manchurian Candidate. He is currently touring with The Decemberists in support of their new album on which he appears. His current group is called The Venus 3, and features Peter Buck of R.E.M., Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows, and Bill Rieflin of Ministry.

The album I Often Dream Of Trains was Hitchcock’s third solo album and was released in 1984. The album featured some of Hitchcock’s cleverest songs including “Sometimes I Wish I Was a Pretty Girl”, “Uncorrected Personality Traits”, “Sounds Great When You’re Dead”, and the title track.

I Often Dream of Trains
I often dream of trains when I’m alone
I ride on them into another zone
I dream of them constantly
Heading for paradise
Or Basingstoke
Or Reading

I often dream of trains when I’m awake
They ride along beside a frozen lake
And there in the buffet car
I wait for eternity
Or Basingstoke
Or Reading

I often dream of trains till it gets light
The summer turns to winter overnight
The leaves fall so suddenly
The sun sets at four o’clock
Exactly what
I’m dreading

I often dream of trains when I’m with you
I wonder if you dream about them too
Maybe we’ll meet one night
Out in the corridor
I’m waiting for
You baby
Baby
Baby
Baby
Baby…

The video is a live version performed at The Junction in Cambridge, UK on February 17, 2009. Hitchcock did not wear that shirt when we saw him in concert at Radio City Music Hall. His shirt looked like the guitar he is playing in the video.

Yesterday was my 25th wedding anniversary. It was June 10, 1984 that Michel and I stepped up to the altar and exchanged our wedding vows, vows that we have faithfully kept for 25 years. Through thick and thin, through good times and bad times, we have love, honored, and cherished each other. I consider myself very lucky to be married to such a wonderful woman.

To celebrate, we took Beth to a concert at Radio City Music Hall. We saw Robin Hitchcock and then the Decemberists. It was fantastic. Michel and I had always wanted to see Robyn Hitchcock as we have been fans of his since the 1970’s when he was in the Soft Boys. He only played for 30 minutes but he was great. The Decemberists were amazing. They played their entire new album. Their choreography and instrument switches (how many rock groups do you know that play mandolins, accordions, and ukuleles) made it a fun show. There are seven members of the group and at one point five of them were playing the drums! After a break they played a bunch of their older stuff although they didn’t play either of our favorite songs (16 Military Wives and The Mariner’s Revenge Song).

Beth had a great time although I had to drag her out of bed for school this morning. So here is the question… how many of you have teenagers who WANT to go to rock concerts with their parents?

Michael doesn’t talk much. He tries to say a few words but with vey little success. Mostly he either uses signs or his dynavox to express his needs, wants, or desires. But every once in awhile he says something as clear as day.

Michel was driving her mom home to Brooklyn yesterday. Because there was a case of swine flu in Mikey’s school they closed it so they could disinfect the place. With so many kids with compromised immune systems they were just acting on the cautious side. Anyway, so Michel, her mom, and Mikey are cruising along the Belt Parkway on the way to Brooklyn when they hit a traffic jam and come to a complete stop. Just at that moment, Mikey lets loose, as clear as a bell, with, “goddamnit!” Michel was laughing so hard she was in tears. Hmmm, I wonder where Mikey learned such language?

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Yes, that rock in the middle of the median of the street is a memorial to President William McKinley. On September 5, 1901, after giving a speech at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, William McKinely was shot twice by an anarchist by the name of Leon Czolgosz. Eight days later McKinley died from gangrene. Forty five days after that, Czolgosz died in the electric chair. (Executions moved a bit faster in those days). The Exposition was torn down and a community including Fordham Drive was built in its place. The only thing left to signify the spot where the assassination occurred is the bronze plaque embedded in that rock.

Sarah Vowell discusses the McKinley assassination in some detail (she even visited the rock) in her book, Assassination Vacation. It is well worth reading if presidential assassinations are of interest to you.

Time again for the song of the week from my iPod.

Betty Curse was created by Island Records as an attempt to catch the tail of the goth music trend that was especially popular around 2006. Betty Curse is actually British musician and actress Megan Burns. Burns won the Marcello Mastroianni award at the Venice film festival for her performance in the film Liam in 2000 and was in the highly popular film 28 Days Later. Island approached her in 2006 and Betty Curse was born. Betty Curse has been referred to as Avril Lavigne gone Goth.

Although the music was catchy, Betty Curse was not as successful as Island Records hoped for and they dropped her after the first album was released. Rumor is that Burns plans to release a new album with a new label.

The Girl With Yellow Hair
Been trying to get to heaven
Since she was eleven
The girl with yellow hair said she never really wanted to
Go to school
Go to school
The girl with yellow hair
Said she never really wanted to
Go to school
Go to school
Break the rules

Been trying to get to heaven
Tryin to get to heaven
Since she was eleven
Since she was eleven
The girl with yellow hair always stayd in bed
And never wanted to go to work
Go to work
The girl with yellow hair stayed in bed
And never needed to go to church
Go to church
Wont go church

Shes the one who can save my soul
Oh she can destroy it
Shes the girl who can help the world
But she just ignores it

Been tryin to get to heaven
Tryin to get to heaven
Since she was eleven
Since she was eleven

Been trying to get to heaven
Tryin to get to heaven
Since she was eleven
Since she was eleven

The girl with yellow hair always said
She never really wanted to
Go to skool
Go to skool
The girl with yellow hair always stayed in bed
And never wanted to go to work

Go to chuch

The girl with yellow hair always said
she never really wanted to get out of bed
and get dressed to go to school.

Embedding has been disabled… click here to see the video.