Executive Slacks

Are you sick of the election yet? Forget about George Bush and that other guy for a while and remember the songs that made you laugh, made you cry, and otherwise changed your life.

Monday night, November 1, Mike and I are hosting the latest installment of the Archives Listening Project. We're playing Syd Barrett's second album, the appropriately titled Barrett. We start earlier than usual this month: 8pm sharp. After the album, I'm going to DJ for a bit.
Come out, have fun, and let's help make my next morning at work as miserable as possible again.

Tuesday night, November 2, the Motel Creeps are playing at the Mercury Lounge. It's a showcase for Columbia Records so if you can come out, please do. They go on at 8pm.

I guess if the whole rock star thing doesn't work out, British Prime Minister is always an option. You may already know this, but I just learned yesterday (from a John Peel obit, no less) that Tony Blair fronted a rock band in his youth. The band was called Ugly Rumours and the Cuban-heel booted Tony sang and played guitar.

"[Tony] was wearing a hoop-necked, trumpet-sleeved T-shirt, loons and high heels, with lots of bare flesh on show. He came screaming on with the classic 'Let's rock!' and went into the first Stones number as if he was Jagger himself, all pointing fingers and pout. At the end? Well, all the women were talking to him, that was for sure."
Dapper indeed. Sounds a bit more electrifying than the Electras.

JOHN PEEL (1939-2004)
I was saddened yesterday to hear about the passing of John Peel. Being neither British nor a listener of the BBC, I can't say I've ever heard his show but the mere fact that he is even recognized over here is testament to his importance in music history. A music geek with the power of the BBC behind him, he championed countless bands, some of which would go on to become very influential in their own right, and helped bring them the recognition they deserved. Other than Alan Freed, I can't think of another disc jockey who helped shape the course of rock and roll like John Peel.

The last time I participated in the indiepop list mixtape swap, I was about a month late in making the tape so I sense an almost moral victory that I've completed this month's tape with a week to spare. The last few times, however, I had a feeling of trepidation when taking part in these trades. It's not that I question my ability to make a good mix tape but lately I feel a distance growing between myself and indiepop in general. As much as I love a good melody, I don't think I can spend 90 minutes listening nonstop to Poundsign, Talulah Gosh, and Beat Happening anymore -- which is fine for the most part, but I always feel a sort of responsibility with these indiepop list swaps to actually include pop music.
That said, the tape came out very well. Side One is dominated by a mostly Sixties and Sixties-inspired theme. It starts off a bit slower than I would've liked but all in all, it sounds good. Side Two is a bit more varied. It begins with some very good bleeps and noises which eventually works its way into a proper indiepop sequence, soon after followed by perhaps the most depressing assembly of songs before heading off towards an instrumental finale. If you're at all interested in the tracklisting, you can read it here.
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For some reason, I'm fascinated by the whole Ashlee Simpson lip-synching fiasco. It's not like I'm surprised, nor is my faith in humanity questioned, but it makes for some good entertainment. I almost wish I hadn't stopped watching SNL years ago.
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The Cure box set, mentioned a few posts ago, finally came in last week and couldn't have come at a better time -- helping to distract me from the tragic events which unfolded during this baseball postseason. I think I have more to say about the box set, so I'll save that for a proper post.
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Andrew from Ditch was nice enough to send me a copy of the Pixies DVD. I watched it with him the last time he was in New York and was very impressed by their simple, yet clever videos. Despite my usual disinterest in bands getting back together, I'm going to see them when they come here in December and I'm really looking forward to it. I've heard nothing but good things about the reunited Pixies and this DVD very much increased my Pixies enthusiasm.

The CMJ Marathon is upon us again, but I don't think this year's band list is as impressive as in the past. Anyway, I may be going out of town this weekend so I'm not sure how much (if any) I'll get to see.

The shows which most interest me:
Wed - Damian Jurado @ the Coral Room, 11:30pm
Thur - Holly Golightly @ Mercury Lounge, 12am
Fri - Robbers on High Street @ Warsaw, 9pm
Sat - Parker and Lily @ the Living Room, 10:45pm

It appears as though I couldn't even maintain a Thursday only posting schedule. Just some random stuff...

I got the new Interpol this past weekend. It's good. There are no surprises and they're not heading off in a new direction, but they just happen to be good with what they do.

There's something weird whenever characters in song lyrics share the same name as one of my relatives. Bruce Springsteen and Leonard Cohen have each written songs where the narrator is romantically (or drunkenly) involved with a girl who shares the same name as my mom. That always creeps me out. Now Interpol has gone and mentioned my aunt's name a bunch of times in one song, so I'll always think of her whenever I hear it.
Of course, the title of Franz Ferdinand's ode to gay lust shares the same name as my uncle but fortunately I don't think of him whenever I hear it. And my grandmother's name gets used a lot, but her name is so common and full of lazy religious symbolism I don't really notice it anymore. I have no idea where I'm going with this.

Leonard Cohen, by the way, turned 70 a few weeks ago.

I've decided to give the Rapture another chance. I wasn't very impressed when they first came out, but I like them better now. I can't believe how much the singer sounds like Robert Smith.

I ordered the Cure box set a few weeks ago, but the mailman's taking his sweet time in bringing it to me. Maybe if I publicly complain about how long I've been waiting, he'll try to hush me up by sticking it in my mailbox tomorrow.

I'm seeing Morrissey tomorrow night.

Last month I wrote that I'd like to see the Pogues reunite. Yesterday I read that they are. If I were foolhardy, I would think this blog possesses some sort of magical suggestive powers.

I sure would like to see the Cure box set come in the mail tomorrow.