Oil Can Boyd

Doc Watson in critical condition: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-rt-docwatsonl1e8gp1q0-20120524,0,6259102.story

"... in the meantime the Red Sox are starting Daniel Nava, Marlon Byrd, and Che-Hsuan Lin in the outfield tonight versus the Orioles. And outfielders now on Boston’s disabled list include Cody Ross, Carl Crawford, Jacoby Ellsbury, Darnell McDonald, Jason Repko, and Ryan Kalish."

That's a pretty awesome way to go out. (Although I wonder what they would have done if he gave up a homer ...)

Speaking of job creation and government handouts, there's a lot of talk around here (Boston) about former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. In the past he has supported small government and opposed government support (writing on his blog “If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation. A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.”). He then started a gaming company in Massachusetts, took a $75 million guaranteed loan from the state of Rhose Island to move his company there, and now he can't make payroll, missed his payment to the state this month, and h

Kerry Wood to announce his retirement: http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/7945053/chicago-cubs-kerry-wood-retiring I remember watching highlights from his 20K game and thinking that he was going to be the best pitcher of all time.

I can't help but hearing the narrator in Humphrey Bogart's voice ...

My parents gave me a nice boxed set of Remembrance of Things Past when I graduated from college a long time ago. I hauled it around for years and still have it sitting on my bookshelf but I don't think I have ever gotten past the first 20 pages. It kind of intimidates me ...

No joke? (Sorry ...)

Authorized, oral history of the Meat Puppets coming out soon: http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2012/05/15/too-high-to-die-meet-the-meat-puppets/ I'm sure there are soem good stories in there ...

Interesting - and all over the palce - interview with Grant from last month: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2012/04/grant_hart_interview.php?print=true

Feelies!

This was a treat that arrived in the mail today. I pre-ordered it and the release date is May 29 but it arrived today. First listen through it sounds pretty good. Nothing ground breaking but good songs and nice playing ...

Just read Jonathan Lethem's book on this from the 33 1/3 series and I didn't love it. I really like Lethem generally but this book didn't do much for me. Even though it went through the album song by song it still managed to be all over the place and somewhat unfocused.

That's Dr. Staples to you. This from Mavis' facebook page: Dr. Staples Here!!!!...Just thought I'd share my joy with all of my friends. On Sunday May 6, Columbia College of Chicago honored me with a Doctorate Degree. I am now officially Dr. Staples, or Dr. Mavis, whichever you prefer Just thought I'd let you In on my "O Happy Day". Its such a wonderful feeling to be recognized, "especially" in your sweet home Chicago... Lots of Love ~ Dr, Staples

Albini does an "Ask Me Anything" on reddit. Some interesting stuff mixed in there: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/td90c/i_am_steve_albini_ask_me_anything/

Agreed. I like his falsetto on his song Wish You Were Her (from Don't Try This At Home) but it's not working on the MA stuff ...

I liked it a lot. I think Joe and I are about the same age and I also grew up around Boston so I could defintiely relate to much of what he wrote about, even though I was not a big Smiths fan in high school. Have you read his other novel, It Feels So Good When I Stop? I thought that was great too ...

Feelies on Saturday?

I agree. It remains my favorite Dark Star.

For Bill Janovitz/Buffalo Tom fans, Janovitz has been recording new material and has it up on his website for download (with a tip jar for those so inclined). He explains the project here: http://billjanovitz.com/?page_id=643 As is evident by the frequency of my posting about him, I'm a big fan and I think there is some great stuff in these new songs.

There are a lot of fans of Black Swan Green here and I'm one of them. Great, great book. I read The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet which I also really liked. It's very different from Black Swan - it's got a much bigger scope - but it's good. I own Cloud Atlas and number9dream but have not yet read them.

Official statement from the Beastie Boys: Adam Yauch | 1964-2012 It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam “MCA” Yauch, founding member of Beastie Boys and also of the Milarepa Foundation that produced the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits, and film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Yauch taught himself to play bass in high school, forming a band for his 17th birthday party

That really is too bad if he is done. I remember when Red Sox fans gave him a standing ovation on opening day in 2005 and he smiled and tipped his hat to the crowd.

Springsteen's Levon Helm tribute last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qPsmjlS_o5s