"Passenger Side", the new Wilco on-line ride board, addresses both the rising costs of fuel and the energy use involved in touring, while reducing the number of vehicles traveling to each concert venue. It's a novel idea and it sounds like a great way to reduce costs and consumption, and potentially make new friends while you share a ride with other Wilco fans from your area.
I, myself no stranger to the Passenger Side, think it's a great idea and sure the whole "green" aspect of it is fine and good, but it appeals to me most... because I don't drive.
The Krauts weren't the only ones using swing music to propagandize in WWII. Glenn Miller had been broadcasting propaganda messages to Germany, in the German language, extolling its citizens to stop fighting and help bring the war to a speedy conclusion. Hitler had declared music illegal, so the Yanks sent it to his people with a German announcer named Ilsa.
Roger Daltrey, saying "the scrapping of long-play records signaled the death of the music industry", has this to add:
"The CD was a confidence trick. It wasn't just music that people used to buy, it was a total art form. ... I think that's what people like. They like it personal. They like vinyl because if you scratch vinyl, it'll be scratched, but it'll be your scratch. It will only be on your record."
Summer means that it's time to fire up the grill. So what 'll it be ? Burgers?, Dogs? , Steak?, Chicken? ... or Pizza?! White Cheese Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto is a great dish for the grill. Christopher Tanner serves up this summer special White Cheese Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto recipe to give fans of charcoal and propane another option for July and August flames. You'll find more culinary info over at executive chef Tanner's blog:“Gastronomical Inspirations”. ... and while I'm touching on the subject of things edible, allow me to direct you to another post on cake mishaps from today's birthday-girl.
''I would never have thought of doing this. It was Mike Watt's idea." says Haden. Watt, who co-produced the album, brought Haden the concept and an eight-track cassette recorder with the ''The Who Sell Out" loaded onto track eight. She spent three years pressing rewind.
''I was a little embarrassed to realize I was enjoying my own music so much, for in a way it was like hearing it for the first time. What Petra does with her voice, which is not so easy to do, is challenge the entire rock framework: the traditions, the processes, the decor, the accessories, the entirety of the established dynamics of traditional pop-rock. 'I Can See For Miles' is powerful not for the restrained electric guitars and suppressed and distant thundering drums of Keith Moon but for the torturously sustained vocal harmonies that John Entwistle added over my fairly conventional four-part. Petra is the first analyst who heard the vocal harmonies as they were written and reproduced them properly. When she does depart from the original music she does it purely to bring a little piece of herself -- and when she appears she is so very welcome. I felt like I'd received something better than a Grammy."~ Pete Townshend
''Rumba King'' Xavier Cugat, or "Cugie", was the first bandleader to front a successful Latin orchestra in the United States. Born in Catalonia, Spain, he and his family emmigrated to Cuba when he was 5, and then to NYC at 15. Cugat was also a talented caricaturist. His work appeared in newspapers, magazines and galleries around the world. During the 1920s he worked as a cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times newspaper while playing music at night. I Love Lucy's Desi Arnaz, who would go on to play Cuban bandleader Ricky Ricardo, began his career as a guitarist in Cugat's band. Cugat had a reputation as a womanizer and was married several times including a marriage to Charo.
Listen carefully to Popeye's asides, they're much funnier than the dialogue between the characters. This film also contains some interesting animation technique developed by the Fleischers.They were on the cutting edge of innovation along with their rival studio Disney.
Jimmy called out for some suggested reading, as he is about to go on a trip. His request jogged my memory about this gem. The Emperor Wears No Clothes is a fascinating book written by Jack Herer. The book compiles detailed information about the numerous uses for cannabis. It is often cited in rescheduling and re-legalization efforts.
I've decided to showcase some choice duets today (for no particular reason, must be the cabin fever). I'll begin with Frank & Louis on "The Edsel Show". This clip is eerily similar to one I featured previously.
On April 29th 2006, the artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese installed a temporary sculpture in the garden of Jim Kempner Fine Art, located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Sculpted in ice and spelling out the word “Democracy” in block letters, the installation reflected on the current political state and the transience of our cultural values. Measuring 20 inches high and 120 inches in length, the word melted over 24 hours. The sculpture cracked, diminished, and ultimately disappeared, leaving as its final trace a puddle of water.
Anheuser-Busch sells-out! For millions, Budweiser is synonymous with American beer, or at least it was. Although Anheuser-Busch as a company has little influence in the daily lives of Americans, its flagship brands, Budweiser and Bud Light, are (or were) closely linked to American rituals such as barbecues and baseball. Here's a slide show of famous "American brands" that are now in foreign hands.via BusinessWeek.com. These sort of takeovers are nothing new, but certainly a disturbing trend. Where does it end? It seems the whole U.$.A. is for sale to the highest bidder.
... aka Charlie and his Orchestra (also referred to as the "Templin band" and "Bruno and His Swinging Tigers") were a German swing band that played Nazi propaganda to England (and north America by way of short wave radio). The American swing and popular British songs were initially performed true to the original, until about the second or third stanza where pro-German lyrics and monologues would be introduced. The idea was to lure the masses in with the irresistible tonic of swing music and then slyly work in the anti-Jewish, American and British lyrics. The broadcasts of Charlie and His Orchestra were not available in the Fatherland proper, but that only enhanced their legend, and they picked up an underground following in Germany as well. Hitler outlawed popular music in Germany and made these popular songs for his enemies who enjoyed these as comedy. Anecdotal accounts indicate that BritishPrime MinisterWinston Churchill enjoyed the broadcasts, finding the lyrics hilarious.
This psychedelic inspired animation, which features a fine medley of music, was created by Gary Gutierrez and featured as the beginning of The Grateful Dead Movie. Even if you're not a "Deadhead," you'll find much to enjoy in this film, so check it out sometime. For now, just dig this trippy animated intro. The clip runs about 7 min. (there's about a 30 second lead in on the video.)
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873)
"Obama is the candidate of real change. change his stance on every issue out there. The hope he speaks about is the hope we know what his stance is on any given day. The media is his partner in all of this fraud and deception. McCain can still win, if he starts fighting now and delivers a strong message that the American people can't ignore. If he does nothing, Obama will be able to ride his double talk all the way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. For those who think the election is over, do not listen to the media and don't give up hope."~ Jackie Mason
Vote NObama '08!!
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell
"I put my pants on one leg at a time like the rest of you boys and girls but the difference is once my pants are on I write songs." ~ Ray Davies
The Kinks' Ray Davies has a brand new website online as of July 4th! You'll find the latest news, tour info, photos, a video blog, and more. So stop by this Working Man's Cafe, and see what's on the menu.
Here's an album review from the old blog, in case you'd missed it.
"Gloomy Sunday" was written by Hungarian composer Rezso Seress and lyricist Laszlo Javor. The song drew little attention until 1936, when it was supposedly connected to a rash of suicides in Hungary and allegedly banned there. Soon American musicians and singers were recording their own versions of "The Hungarian Suicide Song", serving to further the urban legend that surrounded the tune. Seress would take his own life in 1968. The most popular American recording is probably the one by Billie Holiday. I prefer the version by jazz great Paul Whiteman (with Johnny Hauser).
Here are those cheery lyrics : (Most English-language recordings have used these Sam Lewis lyrics)
Sunday is gloomy, my hours are slumberless Dearest the shadows I live with are numberless Little white flowers will never awaken you Not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you Angels have no thought of ever returning you Would they be angry if I thought of joining you?
Gloomy Sunday
Gloomy is Sunday, with shadows I spend it all My heart and I have decided to end it all Soon there'll be candles and prayers that are sad I know Let them not weep let them know that I'm glad to go Death is no dream for in death I'm caressing you With the last breath of my soul I'll be blessing you
Gloomy Sunday
Wow!, now I'm really depressed. Maybe I'll go walk the dog. That might lift my spirits.
I'd like to wish everyone a happy and safe Independence Day! Remember in every nation there is a 4th of July but only in America may we lay claim to this holiday.We must all remember those that fought for this right.Freedom isn't without cost.Some paid greatly. Here are some thoughts on the holiday from The Ultimate Jew.
