Odds & ends
Some random interesting things I’ve seen in recent days (to sate you while I put the finishing touches on my most favorite post maybe ever, coming shortly):
Ûž This looks interesting — “Revenge Of The Book Eaters: Shows That Ask The Eternal Question: Words or Music — Which Is Better?“
In Chicago tonight with Ben Gibbard & Dave Eggers (and more), Los Angeles on Saturday with Jenny Lewis, Aimee Mann, Dave Eggers, The Mountain Goats and more, and San Francisco on Monday with Zach Rogue (of Rogue Wave), Aimee Mann, Jonathan Richman, Mark Kozelek, Dave Eggers (and more). Finally it hits Seattle on Sept 1, with some of the above folks plus Smoosh and Colin Meloy. (Audio from the recent NY event here, featuring Sufjan and David Byrne duetting).
The Bookeaters events kind of tie in with the recent podcast I contributed to, exploring the relationship of books and music, eh? In any case, sounds like something I would totally love to attend. How ’bout a Denver date? We read a lot here.
Ûž Recommended reading from The Rawking Refuses To Stop — Reinventing The Wheel: Indie Labels In The Digital Age. Thought-provoking reflection on the nature of blog downloads, album sales, hypothetical profit vs. the benefits of publicity for an independent band in the blogging world.
Ûž This one’s for all you ’80s fans out there: A John Hughes Soundtrack Retrospective put together by Derek over at the PureBoredom blog. It includes all those songs you either love or despise from National Lampoon’s Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty In Pink and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. And in the immortal words of Ferris: “A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, ‘I don’t believe in The Beatles, I just believe in me.’ Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus but it still wouldn’t change the fact that I don’t own a car!” Ahh, the wisdom of the ’80s movies. They could write a book.
Ûž So you think you know songwriting? How do you feel about folks like Tom Waits, Brian Wilson, Isaac Brock and Robert Smith judging your tunes? This year’s International Songwriting Competition is open now through October 16. Have at it.
Ûž Here’s one to file under “Huh. I didn’t know that but now I can squirrel that away in my vast musical memory”: Jesse Malin writes in his latest update on MySpace about the progress of his new album: “. . . Had Kim from The Muffs sing a haunting melody on a track, repaying the background wo-oh’s me and Danny Sage did 10 years ago on the Muffs cover of “Kids In America” on the ‘Clueless’ soundtrack.”
Listen for yourself:
Kids In America – The Muffs (with Jesse Malin & Danny Sage on BGVs)
Ûž Finally, dude sues for the right to bring his dog (Cheekies. Yes, Cheekies.) to the nude beach with him. Because of a debilitating skin condition and post-traumatic stress disorder, the dog is apparently his only true companion. I think if I saw him and his skin condition with Mr. Cheekies at the nude beach, I might develop some sort of disorder myself. I just shivered.
Name: Heather Browne
Jesse Malin is one of the most underrated artists in the country. Can’t wait to hear more stuff. Everyone should own “The Heat” album.
Ryan of the RSL blog — August 24, 2006 @ 8:05 pm
RE John Lennon
“Keep You Doped With Religion And Sex And TV”
http://beepbeepitsme.blogspot.com/2006/08/keep-you-doped-with-religion-and-sex.html
beepbeepitsme — August 24, 2006 @ 8:56 pm
Cool version of “Kids In America”.
Had no idea Jesse was on it. Makes up for the disappointment of discovering Sixteen Deluxe’s version. It should have been so good. Sigh.
Long time reader, first time commenter. Keep up the wonderful work.
Michael in NZ — August 25, 2006 @ 2:34 am
My frien Lisa “MaeRae” Hinzman has been doing “Rock & Read” shows in Madison, WI for a couple years now. I believe the ROCK wins every time.
JohnnyHank — August 25, 2006 @ 8:55 am
oooooh – cliffhanger. can’t wait to see the most favorite post ever….by the way, i so love jake ryan.
c — August 25, 2006 @ 10:24 am
c, i LOVE jake ryan too, aka Michael Schoeffling. He was in my other favorite sappy lame girl movie, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken. Then he kind of disappeared. WTF? we should start a letter-writing campaign to bring him back to the world of fine cinema.
heather — August 25, 2006 @ 10:29 am
OMG – he was in 2 movies? i always loved that he was jake ryan and jake ryan only. please never mention his real name to me again!
c — August 25, 2006 @ 2:25 pm
Fine, your loss. You miss out on the glory of Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.
heather — August 25, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
obviously you do realize i will now go rent this “wild hearts can’t be broken” flick, plus, now i am on a google mission to find out where he is.
will report back
c — August 26, 2006 @ 3:44 pm
Okay, so you do realize what you are in for? Girl in the ’30s (orphaned or abused, as I recall) takes up horse diving (riding horse off tall platform into pool while fashionably dressed) with the circus. Meets aforementioned dark-haired male. Romance ensues, and tragedy. Will he still love her? Will he walk away? Ending made me cry and (it’s a Disney movie, I think so this should be no surprise) believe in true love as a 8 year old.
Dangit c, now I have to go dust off the VHS tape THAT I OWN. No, I’m not kidding, like tonight.
heather — August 26, 2006 @ 4:16 pm
The best article about Jake Ryan ever written, from Valentine’s Day 2004
Opening sentence:
“Listen to all the Thompson Twins songs you want, but let’s finally admit that Jake Ryan from ‘Sixteen Candles’ is never coming to get you.”
c — August 28, 2006 @ 10:39 am
creepy!
the real c — August 28, 2006 @ 11:32 am