'Best of TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Baron Dave Romm
Acquired Tastes
By Baron Dave Romm
I hear a lot of music. Not all of it is to my taste. Now, I'd like to think that I can tell the difference between something that others might like but I don't and a real piece of crap. Perhaps, but perhaps not. Here are three groups that you might like, even though they are not to my taste. No promises.
Art Schlosser belongs to that group of people who believe that if you keep plugging away, you'll eventually succeed. No matter what. And he may be right. I wish him luck. The Best of Art Schlosser was compiled by The Great Luke Ski, so on his recommendation Art and I traded CDs. He's a very persistent guy. (You can stop sending me e-mails asking when I'm going to review your CD now, Art.)
The CD is nearly 74 minutes comprising 54 songs. He sort of sounds like The Sex Pistols without the punk, Emo Phillips without the jokes or a kid brother who desperately wants something. I've only listened to a few cuts, but I think I've got the gist of his musicianship. He has great titles and good concepts, then beats them to death by repetition. Have a Peanut Butter Sandwich is most of the lyrics of that song, and it became #1 on Dr. Demento's Funny Five back in 2001. I listened to Are You Gullible? and The One Chord Song and I Don't Want To Find Waldo and a few others. I haven't gotten around to The Shortest Song I Ever Wrote, This One's Even Shorter, Another Star Trek Sequel Blues, Kermit the Frog Aftershave or Santa is Elvis. My loss, I guess.
The Best of Art Paul, in a cardboard sleeve, is the perfect gift to give a tween boy, especially if you tell him never to play it around you. It has that sense of pre-adolescent humor and an infectious enthusiasm that transcends any lack of talent. I'm glad this CD is part of my collection because I like weird things, and I'll probably slip in some cuts over the air now and then. But listen before you decide for yourself.
"When you're listening to the radio, do you ever stop to think about how few songs are played by obese schizophrenic black musicians from the streets of Chicago? I know that I think about this all of the time. The airwaves are cluttered with alternative rock, rap, and R&B; meanwhile, the 'obese schizophrenic' musical genre is severely underrepresented. That's why everyone should start calling their local radio station and requesting songs by Wesley Willis."
Or maybe not.
Rock 'N' Roll Will Never Die is a CD of introductions. Seventy minutes of the same tune. 24 intros followed by the name of the band being introduced. There's a hidden 25th track that is the same tune but he's singing Merry Christmas. If you need an introduction to Jefferson Airplane/Hootie & The Blowfish/Kurt Cobain/Foo Fighters/Pink Floyd etc etc, Wesley has one for you. This is another CD that I'm happy I have, but have never played on the air and none of the cuts has ever appeared in a mix CD. I just have no idea what to do with it. At some point, I'll probably wind up playing a Courtney Love song and to make her sound good I'll use his introduction.
Or maybe not.
Man or Astro-man? is on hiatus. "After 10 years of touring like crazy, the time has come for the Astromen to take a load off. Currently there are no plans for upcoming shows or releases. We will keep you posted of future astro-happenings." The discography on their site lists dozens of releases, mostly EPs or 10" records. I have three of their shortCDs. Many years ago, I went into a Punk/Alternative CD shop that I usually don't frequent. Since I collect covers of TV theme songs, the clerk directed me to Intravenous Television Continuum, and since they were short (read: cheap), I got the other two they had in stock, Deluxe Men In Space and 1000X.
Intravenous Television Continuum is the one I've played on the air, sometimes, as part of Shockwave's intermittent Folk Songs For Yuppies: TV Theme Songs show. Their version of the Jetson's Theme is a decent instrumental, and they do a nice surf version of Out of Limits. Most of the songs are brief spoken intros followed by punk instrumentals. 1000X is probably the best of the three. Seven punk/electronic songs, mostly instrumentals. Deluxe Men in Space (in Official Astrosonic Sound Medium, according to the cover) has more songs that are basically punk instrumentals with a spoken intro. There's one about Uranus and one about Flash Gordon, and the last track is just noise.
These guys have been around long enough that they have a decent reputation, but they've been around too long without changing their style. If you like your punk with a certain competency and flair, Mea or Astro-Man? are for you. I'm not enough into punk for them, I guess, though I appreciate how they use tv themes. Still, The Nick Atoms actually do the whole tv theme song punk style, and I play them all the time.
So there you have it. Let the listener beware. If you disagree (or agree more strongly) about any of these musicians, I'm sure Marty would be happy to print your comments here in Bartcop-E. Do you know of a group someone else would like even if you don't? Do you have any guilty pleasures? Let us know!
Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia with a radio show, a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. He reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E here.
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He's B-a-a-a-a-a-c-k!
The Worried Shrimp
from Alex
'Harry Potter
Marty,
I went star-seeing at the Harry Potter premier today...here's an article about it.
And here's a photo I took of Alan Rickman:
Reader Link
'Were I but King of Anglophonia'
from Mark
Another Bumpersticker
Reader Link
Re: Google
Type "Frat Boys Gone Wild" into Google,
and click on what pops up as the
#1 choice over 27,700 for other links. (0.15 seconds)
-ocnn
Thanks, OC!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny weather still holding.
Missed most of the 'Tater Tot' reunion this morning, but stopped by later for a game.
Actress Meryl Streep is bestowed an honorary degree by Middlebury College president John McCardell during commencement ceremonies at the college, Sunday, May 23, 2004., in Middlebury, Vt.
Photo by Sandy Macys
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
Passing on Bush Speech
Big Four Minus One
The broadcast networks are not expected to carry resident Bush's primetime speech Monday night, in which he will lay out a "clear strategy" for the future of Iraq.
NBC, Fox and ABC will proceed with their scheduled programing for the 8-9 p.m. hour -- an episode of "Fear Factor," the finale of "The Swan" and the broadcast premiere of Oscar-winning "A Beautiful Mind," respectively.
CBS is not expected to make a final decision on whether to preempt its Monday 8-9 p.m. comedy block -- season finales of "Yes, Dear" and "Still Standing" -- until Monday but sources indicated the network was leaning toward sticking with its regular programing. [Note from Marty - Paul Magers on KCBS said they'd be airing chimpy's speechifying, so figure the rest of the CBS network to follow suit]
Last May, the Big Four had to reshuffle their Thursday lineups the second week of the sweep to carry Bush's address announcing the end of major combat in Iraq.
Big Four Minus One
Opens Camp
Paul Newman
Paul Newman, joined by movie-star buddy Bruce Willis and other celebrities, unveiled the sixth of his Hole in the Wall Gang camps for chronically ill children in this town on the edge of California's high desert.
After the 173-acre camp's dedication, guests took a tour and were entertained by Sugar Ray, violinist Joshua Bell and dancer Savion Glover.
The actor, whose Newman's Own food products company has given more than $150 million to charities since 1982, helped get the camp off the ground. Newman and fellow actors Jack Nicholson, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon also raised $2 million with a benefit stage performance, and the Los Angeles Lakers donated the gym's floor.
Newman's first Hole in the Wall Gang Camp opened in 1988 in Ashford, Conn. The seventh is scheduled to open later this year in North Carolina.
Paul Newman
A Russian model presents body and nail styling during a contest in St. Petersburg, May 23, 2004. An annual contest of hairdressers, body artists and nail artists took place in St.Petersburg on Sunday.
Photo by Alexander Demianchuk
Addressed Middlebury Graduates
Christopher Reeve
Actor Christopher Reeve told Middlebury College's graduating class Sunday that they should not lose sight of the difference they can make in the world, adding that "inaction is unacceptable."
"We can rationalize inaction by deciding that one voice or one vote doesn't matter, or we can make the choice that inaction is unacceptable," said Reeve.
"Whether or not you realize it right now, the education you have received here has prepared you to pursue your own ambitions without losing sight of the invaluable difference you can make in this world," Reeve told the class of 625 graduating seniors.
Reeve's wife, Dana, graduated from Middlebury College in 1984, and his brother, Jeffrey, is also an alumnus.
Christopher Reeve
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Plays Small Gig in Conn.
Keith Richards
Blues fans at a small Connecticut club were treated to a surprise performance by Rolling Stones legend Keith Richards. The guitarist jumped on stage at The BoxCar on Friday night for some off-the-cuff music with 89-year-old David Honeyboy Edwards and Rocky Lawrence.
"That's right, this is my neighborhood, too. At least part of the time," Richards, who owns a home in nearby Weston, told the crowd.
Richards signed a Telecaster guitar for the bar's owner, Kevin Kiekel. It is displayed in a case behind the bar.
Keith Richards
South Korean Buddhists carry a large balloon depicting Buddha riding a white elephant, during a parade in Seoul, May 23, 2004. The parade was held to celebrate the upcoming birthday of Buddha on May 26.
Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon
Cat Stevens Releases First DVD
Yusuf Islam
Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, hopes that the performance captured on his first DVD brings back the "energy, passion and beautiful messages" of the 1970s.
"Cat Stevens: Majikat: Earth Tour 1976" (May 18, $19.98) from Eagle Rock Entertainment features the artist's last concert, which took place in February 1976 in Williamsburg, Va. Among the DVD's 21 songs are "Peace Train" and "Where Do the Children Play?"
In a three-part interview featured on the DVD, the artist discusses his childhood, his rise to stardom and his life after converting to Islam and leaving the music industry.
Yusuf Islam
Apologizes for Beheading Strip
Garry Trudeau
Cartoonist Garry Trudeau apologized and several newspapers cautioned readers or refused to run Sunday's "Doonesbury" strip, which showed a man's head on a platter, two weeks after an American was beheaded in Iraq.
Although Sunday's strip was unrelated to the war and was drawn weeks before Nicholas Berg was beheaded, Trudeau said the strip was "unfortunately overtaken by events."
"To 'hand someone his head' is a common expression, not normally associated with actual violence," Trudeau said in a statement on his Web site. "I regret the poor timing, and apologize to anyone who was offended by an image that is now clearly inappropriate."
Garry Trudeau
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Promotes Safety Seats
Erik Estrada
Former "CHiPs" star Erik Estrada may have retired his badge and gun, but he's still on the beat for the California Highway Patrol. Estrada was the star attraction Saturday for a CHP-supported event to inspect and replace child safety seats in cars - a cause he's promoted for three years.
"For me it's a slam dunk," he said. "The CHP show up to inspect the cars and pull out the bad ones because a lot of people can't really afford to."
Erik Estrada
Club professional, Mohammad Afzal Abdul holds the Afghan Cup trophy at the Kabul Golf Club, May 23, 2004. There are no fairways and no bunkers, the greens are black, the clubhouse is collapsing and has no walls. The good news is that you can use a tee for every shot at the Kabul Golf Club.
Photo by Tim Wimborne
Feds Subpoena
Tim Russert
Tim Russert from NBC and a journalist from Time Inc. have received federal subpoenas to face questioning about the alleged leak of an undercover CIA weapons expert's identity, but both news organizations said Sunday they would fight the subpoenas.
The companies said the subpoenas came from a special grand jury investigating whether the Bush administration improperly disclosed the identity of the agent, Valerie Plame, after her husband, former diplomat Joseph Wilson, publicly challenged the White House's claim that Iraq had been trying to obtain uranium for nuclear weapons from Africa.
Plame was first identified as a CIA specialist on weapons of mass destruction by syndicated columnist and TV commentator Robert Novak last July. Novak said his information came from administration sources, but has declined to name them.
NBC and Time said the subpoenas were aimed at Russert, the "Meet the Press" host and moderator, and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper, both of whom have reported on the Plame controversy.
Tim Russert
Concert Injuries
HFStival
Nearly 50 people were sent to area hospitals, and more than 200 others were treated for heat exhaustion Saturday at a concert festival at RFK Stadium.
The daylong HFStival, sponsored by local alternative rock radio station WHFS-FM, featured acts performing on several stages. Among the headline performers were The Cure, The Offspring, Papa Roach, Jay-Z and The Violent Femmes.
Thousands of concertgoers crowded on to the stadium field in sweltering heat, and danced violently in several mosh pits. The most serious injuries came out of those pits, city Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Alan Etter said.
HFStival
Children play around the huge clock face made of flowers in Moscow, Sunday May 23, 2004, with the Moscow State University main building in the background. Many Moscovites sat out on the streets, as temperatures reached 14 C (57 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday.
Photo by Misha Japaridze
35 Years Later
'Give Peace a Chance'
Thirty-five years after John Lennon and Yoko Ono invited the world into their suite for a week-long "bed-in", their message "Give Peace a Chance" is resonating with a new generation.
The couple chose the venerable Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal to recreate a stunt debuted in Amsterdam, in a rarely matched feat of media manipulation aimed at the US war in Vietnam.
Today, a plaque on the door of Room 1742 soberly spells out the name John Lennon. "It's not the most luxurious suite in the hotel, but it's all that was available at the time," said hotel public relations director Johanne Papineau.
For the rest, 'Give Peace a Chance'
Two cheetahs enjoy each other's company at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday, May 23, 2004.
Photo by Amy Sancetta
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 5
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'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
