Between The Wheels

Managed to chalk up, wear down, and otherwise live through another week. No diseases, didn't kill anyone, and even scraped out some good news.

Amidst all the death and destruction, that is.

Because I WOULD like to remind everyone that while the daffodils are blooming, the Brewers are managing to ALMOST catch up the freakin Cubs, and the end of school is in sight, that Our Beloved Leaders are continuing to destroy another country, maim, kill, rape and torture in our name, all the while looting wealth of America for personal benefit.

And that John McCain (no smart-ass nickname) would happily, gleefully, continue these policies for decades.

Support Hillary, support Obama, whatever; but in November, just defeat that fucker McCain.




This is for..... Iraq. And Iraqis, living and dead. Hell, this is for Mesopotamia, and the hoping the destruction we've arbitrarily visited upon the cradle of civilization is repairable. And if not, here's hoping the dolphins (or cockroaches) make a better job of the planet than we have. Happy, happy. A beacon of sunshine, that's me.


1. Mesopotamia from the album "Party Mix/Mesopotamia" by The B-52s Not even random. This song, produced by David Byrne, was a complete shock to fans back in the day; the high-octane grooves were slowed down, and the harmonies were refined. Lyrical content was a bit more sophisticated. Listening now, it's sounds oddly like the latest stuff from them.
2. I like from the album "My Hats Collection" by Men Without Hats It sound like old '80s day. I don't care; it works for me today, even if the 'Reagan Revolution' was setting the stage for the amoral and evil Republican Party of today. The music, as if in opposition to the bleakness of the political landscape, was ridiculously full of energy and color. Or maybe it was all the coke. Start bombing in five minutes, indeed. Story about MWH: When the album came out, Missus P and I were going to schools on oppo sides of the state, and one of us would usually drive the 3 hours on a weekend. So I would take my newest vinyl, pop in a tape, and record a side while I went to classes. When I recorded this one, unknown to me, the kitteh walked across the turntable (!?!) while I was gone and hit the cut button, so the tt stopped. So when I loaded up National Velvet, hit the road and popped in the top, the second song stopped midway through and the rest of the tape was dead air. Thanks kitteh.
3. Bonus Track from the album "Eeviac" by Man Or Astro-Man? Hey, the old Mac SmoothTalker!! Reading the credits. In Trinoids. Woot.
4. Orpheus from the album "Live At The Metro Disk One" by Mekons Oh one of my favorite songs, even if it's not from the 80s. Rotating vocalists within the songs, it goes from Jonny to Tom to Sally and back again, it also features this wonderful lyric (obviously meant for AG):

I will teach them from my lesson
I will teach them from my song
I will speak of all lives wonder
Where I land will be renowned

Where I land will be the fortress
Of this fight against the tides
Tides of rotten patriarchy
Tides of greed and tricks and lies

Lose your head

5. Me And Eddie Vedder from the album "Morning Wood" by The Rugburns Maybe we can start another thread about the Rugburns, Kath.

6. Myopia from the album "Eeviac" by Man Or Astro-Man? C'mon Itunes, let's move on already. 32,000 songs and you're stuck on Man Or Astro-Man? Sheesh. This is agood number though, even a little bit proggy and 6 minutes long

7. Drunks With Guns from the album "Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe (Disc 2)" by Pavement Pitchfork lives. Apparently.
8. 4 Wanted Signs from the album "About Her Steps" by The Silos Old school Alt-Country. As much indebted to the Mekons as to the Feelies.

9. Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) from the album "Raising Sand" by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss I look at this album cover and see Krauss standing next to Plant, a bona fide rock legend who still exerts that magnetism even through a photo (and still has amazing hair) and can only think one thing: Did she fuck him? Good lord, wouldn't you? If you were that close to that kind of history? Shit, I'd do him if he asked me, and I'm not very gay.

10. Wreck on the Highway from the album "The River" by Bruce Springsteen More old school. I actually obtained this vinyl from Columbia Record Company - 10 records for one penny, then you blow off the obligation to buy more!! Now there was an Internet-style business model, decades before the Internet. One of my lawyer friends would join, over and over, under an assumed name then send a legal cease and desist letter demanding they stop sending bills. I won't miss the major record labels at all. They're stupid and ugly and the dog doesn't like them and they don't like music, they just want to get rich off it. Fuck 'em sideways with a Journey double album.

11. Wrecking Crew from the album "Ed Haynes Sings Ed Haynes" by Ed Haynes Supremely funny stuff from an obscure left coast folkie, I got into him based on a single time they played the video for "I Want To Kill Everybody" on MTV. Yes back when they played music on Music Television.

12. Eater - Fifteen from the album "The Greatest Punk Album Of All Time (Disc B)" by Fifteen Mangling of "I'm Eighteen"

13. (It Will All) Workout from the album "History Of Our Future" by JJ Jumpers This is a comp disc of rock music by Black artists from New York, put together by one of the guys from Living Colour.

14. All That That Implies from the album "Resigned" by Michael Penn Kath said it first a while back. Michael Penn is a wonderful, unrecognized artist. Yes, it's Sean Penn's brother. And married to Aimee Mann. Weird, is all.

15. Influenza (Relapse) from the album "Voodoo Dollies - The Best of Gene Loves Jezebel" by Gene Loves Jezebel More 80's.

16. Satellite from the album "Bachelor No. 2" by Aimee Mann That's funny. Even ITunes puts 'em together.





Recently read an interview with Jon Langford of the Mekons in Crawdaddy (that rag is still around? Huh.) by Jocelyn Hoppa. Some great quotes came out of it:

Everyone sang along, mini pitchers of beer in hand like some scene out of a movie—a sweaty, jovial camaraderie hung in the air—all hinged on the gloriously loose-knit music of the Mekons.

Those two words give new meaning to a humdrum life in which most of us resign ourselves to, believing we have little control over the events of the day, that there’s less and less that we know as we grow older. Staunchly authentic—these words describe what it means to stand the test of time, to stand in stark contrast to whatever destroys, to stand up even when you’re being kicked down. It’s old world in the new, remaining true to its core, while able to survive and keep greatness alive. Staunchly authentic does not bend, and that may or may not be stupid. All we do know is where the line is drawn. And what threatens to blot it out.

"I’ve always found that whenever these big changes happen in the music industry and people are confused it’s usually a good time for the artists. You know, every time I see a lawsuit against people recording music at home or sharing files, I just think it’s hilarious… that’s the enemy against people who like music. I think it’s really ironic and a good sign for the musicians because basically the greedy bastards have built a house of cards and hopefully it will come tumbling down. And I think I would willingly give my music away for free if I thought it would destroy the music industry."

" I think the most interesting thing in music is when a new technology breaks out and cultures all clash… like, say you get a bunch of kids in Leeds to listen to George Jones and Merle Haggard for the first time. Suddenly you have all this inspiration to write music."

Let's knock some shit down this year. Pat McCurdy sez:

Let's get together and knock things over
Let's get together and wiggle around
Let's get together and knock things over
I love to see things falling down

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