Oil Can Boyd

Apparently "Do You Realize" is no longer the official state rock song of Oklahoma: http://pitchfork.com/news/50300-the-flaming-lips-do-you-realize-no-longer-the-official-state-rock-song-of-oklahoma/

I am reading Rick Moody's novel Garden State and I had a funny realization last night. I have only seen the tail end of the Zach Braff movie called Garden State but I thought they were related. They are both about depressed, detached kids in suburban New Jersey who listen to music, take drugs, and try to figure out their lives. As I read the first half of the novel, I kept waiting for it to connect to the part of the movie that I had seen. I finally looked it up and realized that they have no connection ...

Pretty spotty list with some great stuff and also some big holes - but that's inevitable. I was only at one of the shows on his list (Augusta Maine 1984) and while it was a great show, I'm not even sure it was the best one I ever saw.

Yeah, it (Kinski's Cosy Moments) is really good. Wasn't sure what to expect when I saw a bunch of short songs but they fit in nicely. Looking forward to the show.

Really enjoyed this ...

In the early to mid 1980s probably half the music I listened to was the Dead. Another 35% was a mix of Dylan, the Beatles and the Stones. The remaining 15% was "current" stuff that I listened to with a particualr group of friends - Replacements REM, Talking Heads. One day I came home and my roommate was playing Husker Du's Flip Your Wig and it blew me away.

Yes! Out tomorrow and at the Middle East in a couple of weeks.

I'm sure there is stuff left off. To your point, they re-released a version of Dead Letter Office in Europe a couple of years later that added two songs. Then in the mid-1990s IRS released something called REM: SIngles Collected that added a couple of things. And then the And I Feel Fine ... compilation had a disc of songs that were not necessarily official b-sides but it included a bunch of early outtakes and live songs.

You may know all of this but the early B-sides were collected on Dead Letter Office - which also includes the fantastic first EP Chronic Town.

Thought these were the highlights. Stagger Lee was particualrly intense. Agree that it was an amazing show. I was maybe 12 or 14 rows back but wish I was in the 4th row. When he walked into the crowd on the backs of the chairs was he over you? And did you take pics?

Ben Daughtery (Squirrel Bait) Some other favorites who I have not seen mentioned: Hugo Burnham (Gang of Four) David Narcizo (Throwing Muses)

Pretty amazing, wasn't it?

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Looking forward to reading this (when it comes out this summer).

I had this experience once. A guy I worked with said he was a big Steve Earle fan, which surprised me because he was on the conservative side. We went to see Earle and when the rants started this guy was shocked. At one point he even turned his back to the stage. After the show he said that he wasn't sure he could listen to Earle again.

One of the more interesting books in this series, in my view. It is less about Celine Dion and more about the nature of popular taste and kitsch and cool.

I'll admit that it's been a while since I've listened to her music but I didn't realize that Michelle Shocked had turned into, well, this: http://sfist.com/2013/03/18/michelle_shocked_launches_into_anti.php

I'm going on a long trip by myself next month and was thinking of bringing that with me. I've owned it for years and never cracked it. My theory is that if it is the only book I have, putting it down won't be an option.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ5qFu9I4sw

Eels

Going to see them tomorrow night ...

Grant Hart kindly answers questions submitted by his friends on Facebook: Q: Ryan Garn asks "Will we see a vinyl release of The Argument? Also how has the filming of Every Everything been going?" A: WE WILL SEE VINYL. IT WAS CREATED WITH THAT AS THE PRIMARY LISTENING FORMAT. I HAVE ENJOYED MOST OF THE TIME SPENT ON SHOOTING THE DOCUMENTARY. I HAVE TRIED MY BEST TO NOT GET TOO INVOLVED. TO LET IT BE ABOUT ME RATHER THAN BY ME. I DON'T ARRANGE TRIBUTES TO MYSELF. I LIKE FILM AS AN ART FORM. I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE ONE SOMETIME. MY WORK FOR CHRIS LARSON IN THIS GENRE HAS BEEN QUITE REWARDING. Q:

Some do. For example, the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize" is the official rock song of Oklahoma, as opposed to the official song ("Oklahoma"), the official state waltz ("Oklahoma Wind"), and the official state folk song ("Oklahoma Hills"). Massachusetts has a bunch of other official state songs, including the official state polka ("Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts"). As someone born and raised here in Massachusetts, I'm not sure I've ever heard the official state polka. More details here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_songs