cryptique

Landis loses verdict, must forfeit Tour title

That's only true if you live in the northeast. Most of the "rest of the country" is sick and tired of seeing one or both of those teams on TV every coddamned night. Personally, I hope they both go down in the division series so we can watch someone else for a change. Sorry, Sox fans. If it's any comfort, I hope the Yankees get swept out of the postseason in highly embarrassing fashion, while the Sox make a valiant effort but ultimately fall just short.

I first heard of them because a good friend of my brother and sister-in-law produced (or co-produced?) their Emergency & I album. I can't say that they're 100% my thing, but I do like that album. Coincidentally, that's the same guy who produced (or again, co-produced) the new Georgie James album.

I fully expect it to be a trainwreck. That's why I bought a really good seat. Dave would probably break a hip if he tried one of those scissor kicks today. Though I suppose that would mean he'd have at least something in common with Eddie. Yup, it's sad ... but I'd still rather see that than the old, fat version of KISS, any day.

You can find used copies of Please Panic through Amazon. If you want a burned copy of that and/or the other one, PM me. Might take me a little while but I'll get around to it.

Ah yes, Bob "Kiss of Death" Shrum -- hire him for your presidential campaign and guarantee defeat.

I was certain that there'd be a link to The Onion up there somewhere.

We're just going to have to wildly disagree on this.

Love that one. I saw the Indianapolis branch play at Metro in Chicago many years ago. Robert Ray, the leader of the Gainesville branch, was one of my brother's professors at U-F (and a personal friend, I believe). Please Panic and Opposite Sex are pretty good too ... do you have those? That reminds me of another classic that's sadly overlooked: I definitely prefer the early stuff from when Bob Rupe was still in the band. Salas-Humara gets a little self-indulgent without Rupe there to rein him in. (Plus, Rupe has a much better voice.)

I waited to long and blew my chance to see him here at The Ark, which would be a great place to do so. I've seen Ron Sexsmith twice and he's been great both times. Man. I'm really kicking myself for not having bought tickets.

To my mind, the campus police had the right to remove him when he went past his allotted time. It was clear from the way he "asked" his "questions" that he had no interest in actually getting any answers -- he just wanted to yell at Kerry. He was causing a disturbance, and it was perfectly reasonable that when he didn't stop after his time expired, the campus police sought to remove him from the auditorium. At that point, when he resisted their efforts to usher him out (even through nonaction), he crossed a line and opened himself up to arrest. Further resistance led to the "resisting arrest

Y'know, you just might be right about this. I think an album of Los Lobos covering The Band's songs wouldn't suck (not that it would ever happen).

I'm really trying not to follow this story, but I'm assuming he's going to be whining about his First Amendment rights, correct? ...to which I reply: Why are his First Amendment rights more important than those of the other people in that auditorium? He took his allotted time and didn't stop. At that point, he was violating the First Amendment rights of anyone else who wanted to ask a question. The guy's an asshat. I do think the taser was excessive, but he brought it on himself by not going quietly. I hope it left a mark.

...and this makes him different from the singer he was 25 years ago ... in what way, exactly? I actually thought they sounded better than I would have expected. Looking forward to the show.

A photo that creates the illusion that my two cats can actually stand each other...

Links? Titles? Anything to help me find 'em?

Yeah, I had to snag myself one too. Looks too good to pass up.

I'd have bought an extra-large Slurpee for that occasion.

Yup. The Band have gotten a lot of love around here ... pretty recently, in fact (though I'm not going to go dig up those particular threads). Speaking of The Band, has it suddenly become fashionable to cover their songs? I've heard a cover of "Rocking Chair" on the radio recently (I think it's Death Cab For Cutie, and I didn't much care for it) and then I heard My Morning Jacket cover "It Makes No Difference" yesterday (wasn't really feeling that one, either).

Try Via Carducci sometime and you'll never walk into an Olive Garden again. (That's just the one really good Italian place I know in Chicago ... there are probably better ones.) You can make better breadsticks at home.

But ... but ... the Never Ending Pasta Bowl

...because they're just going to do whatever Sting wants anyway.

That's been a favorite of mine ever since my heavy dope-smoking days back in college. Coincidence? I think not.

The Semantics - Powerbill Will Owsley and Millard Powers share songwriting and lead vocal duties, with Zak Starkey on drums. A hook-drenched power-pop masterpiece. Sand Rubies - s/t Criminally overlooked band. I saw them open for the Jayhawks in '93 (touring on this album) and they were fantastic, despite having a substitute rhythm section for that tour. They used to be called the Sidewinders but had to give up the name. Heavy Neil Young influence (they do a fine cover of "Interstate" on this record), with a lot of lovely, rough guitar complementing the eerie vocals of David Slutes. An old f