Total Pageviews

Saturday 10 December 2011

It's a hit!

This post holds just a few albums that have really been big favourites of mine this year.

The Jayhawks - Mockingbird Time
The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
Richmond Fontaine - The High Country
Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Tom Waits - Bad As Me
The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient
White Denim - D and Last Day Of Summer
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
Wild Beasts - Smother
Josh T. Pearson - Last Of The Country Gentlemen
Gillian Welch - The Harrow and The Harvest
Joe Henry -Reverie
Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO
The Black Keys - El Camino
Opeth - Heritage
Mastodon - The Hunter
The Twilight Singers - Dynamite Steps

The Ultimate Rule ought to be: 'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchin'; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty.

It's the most poptastic time of the year..

Every publication, blog and website seems to be running down their albums of the year so I thought why not?

I should do some movies as well but, shamefully, I don't get to see too many throughout the year. I certainly see enough tv but a lot of film buffs would look down their Kubrickian noses at the small screen fare. Shame that because American television, especially cable television, is in a certain golden period with some fantastic shows over the last few years.

Still, it's music which rules the artistic roost in my house, so lets spark off.

I am not going to rank them or really limit myself to a top ten. I am just gonna throw a bunch of them out there. Albums that I have enjoyed in 2011.

Dave Alvin - Eleven Eleven
Iron and Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
Drive By Truckers - Go Go Boots
Antlers - Burst Apart
The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Low - C'mon
Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit
Metronomy - The English Riviera
Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
Wilco -The Whole Love
My Morning Jacket - Circuital
Real Estate - Days
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die
Elbow -Build A Rocket Boys
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now
TV On The Radio - Nine Types Of Light
Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take care
Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning
Justice - Audio, Video, Disco
A.A. Bondy - Believers
Akron/Family - ST II
Black Stone Cherry - Between The Devil..
J Mascis - Several Shades Of Why
Richard Buckner - Our Blood
The Mountain Goats All Eternals Deck
The Horrible Crowes - Elsie
Anathema - Falling Deeper
Ghostpoet - Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam
John Hiatt - Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns
Jason Isbell - Here We Rest
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Wolfroy Goes To Town
dEUS - Keep You Close
Wooden Shjips - West
Lucinda Williams -Blessed
Fountains Of Wayne - Sky Full Of Holes

All these fine missives have gained significant airplay in my house/work/walking areas and I would recommend any of them without hesitation.

Really, all this list goes to show is that I do very little else except listen to music. Still, could be worse. I could be a Stoke fan or spend my day looking at animal porn. Same thing I suppose.

I will put the albums that I have really overdosed on this year in a seperate post. Ones that are really special to me.

A wise man once said, "never discuss philosophy or politics in a disco environment."

Thursday 10 November 2011

Hear the drummer...batter the hell out of that kit.

Throwing Muses in Cyprus Avenue,Cork 09.11.11


25 years after their debut, Throwing Muses are still going strong. On the back of a very well received Anthology album the band have been touring hard and are a super tight unit. Really, in full flow they are a force of nature and rarely have I heard/seen a three piece exhibit such power on stage.

No real surprises in the setlist and quite a short gig I thought running just barely 90 minutes. Drawing heavily on University and the Anthology albums with a wonderful version of White Bikini Sand to finish up. Kristin on stage seems almost possessed, staring eyes and that beautifully elegant neck roll thing she does. As the singer and front of the band your eye is drawn to her almost all the time but to ignore the other two members of the band does them a huge disservice. Bernard and David are a superb backroom engine, nailing the groove to the floor to allow Kristin to spew out those lyrics and those almost Neil Young like guitar runs that she does.

The surprising thing for me last night was the discovery of how groovy the band are. Not in some smelly, tree hugging hippy way but actually grooving. Underneath that electric, almost proto metal, they can seriously get almost funky. They are three accomplished players and obviously being together this long they can lock in and really lay waste to a stage. Bernard is laid back on stage but the man is a master bass player. Kristin, well...she's Kristin Hersh. Dave, for me, is one of the best rock drummers currently operating. The man is a machine and in total control of such fury. It really is something to be able to watch him play live. He leaves it all up there.

Highlights for me included Start,Shimmer, Furious, Hazing, Garoux des larmes, Vicky's Box, Hate My Way, Mania(Dave's drumming!) and a completely wonderful version of Fish which even had my ancient ass swaying.

I love watching Kristin perform. She's totally immersed in the music and is a joy to watch. A fine guitar player and a compelling presence on stage. Even watching interviews with her prior to going to the show impressed me. She's one cool lady and I admit I'm a little infatuated.

To the maybe two people who read this, if you ever get a chance to see them then grab it. You won't regret it.

Just a couple more things. The support was from a guy called Teitur from the Faeroe Islands. He was quitely impressive and gave a hint of being influenced by Paul Simon, to me anyway. The poor chap did look tired though after travelling. Still, one to keep an eye on.

As for the crowd, I got the impression that they were a tad flat and muted at times though they did grow into the performance. The people up front were well into it, myself included, but there were a number of women there who I felt were just there for a few wine spritzers and a chance to chat to their mates. That pisses me off but hey, they paid for their tickets. Seems a waste to me though. Oh and to that twat in the white t-shirt who kept jumping around...I hope your cock rots off. Dickhead.

No real merch to speak of, everything seemed to be sold out long before they got to Ireland which is great for the band but sucked for me. I was hoping to score some vinyl and maybe a copy of Paradoxical Undressing too. (I refuse to call it Rat Girl, horrible title) Still, all in all, a great band and a super show.

Live music is better, bumper stickers will be issued...

Sunday 6 November 2011

Dispatches from Clatskanie..

So Billy Bragg was a bust because of a ticket snafu. Least said about that debacle the better. Onwards and upwards.

Went to see Richmond Fontaine play last night. They are slowly creeping up to be the band I've seen most live. It must be in double figures now.

The band are touring behind the release of their new album,The High Country. The album is possibly the closest musical distillation of singer Willy Vlautin's lauded career as a novelist. A song cycle, a concept album if you will, about a bunch of sad, lonely people in and around a logging community in the Pacific NW of America.

The gig was fun despite the seemingly grim material. The addition of Amy Boone on keys and the voice of "the girl" on the album was very welcome and added a softer, lighter touch to the music. Her pieces on Inventory and Let Me Dream Of The High Country were superb. Chilling, unspeakably sad yet tinged with softness. It was good to see her take the female counterpoint on Post To Wire too later in the show. She also did a fine song of her own which reminded me of the shamefully forgotten Hazeldine.

The band played the whole album front to back as one piece and finished the night with a selection from their wonderfully rich back catalogue. Winner's Casino, Post To Wire, Lonnie, Four Walls and Moving Back Home #2 all made an appearance.

As for the album itself, I think as a personal experience it works wonderfully well. You immerse yourself in the story and it engages you. As a live piece I feel it loses a little something in translation. Possibly because you want this to be "your" world, "your" experience and sharing it with others who might only be there for a drink and to hang out with friends..well it kind of waters the whole thing down a bit. That is just a personal view though and hopefully those who were there that were not aware of the story of the album were won over.

Either way, once again, Richmond Fontaine..literate, rocking, funny, self deprecating and easily the best American band currently working. Spare a thought for The Girl and The Mechanic. It's a hard road..

Richmond Fontaine, the best band you've never heard.

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Oi, big nose..


I have a number of gigs coming up over the next month and a bit. I am really looking forward to
getting out and seeing these bands and meeting some friends for a cocktail or three as well.

First up will be Mr. William Bloke a.k.a. Billy Bragg. Oct 25 in Cyprus Avenue, Cork. I am totally
looking forward to this as it's been quite a while since I saw Bragg live. I can't quite recall when I
really got into Bragg, he just always seemed to be there. Was it Whistle Test footage of him that made
him appear as a one man band? Milkman Of Human Kindness? Odd looking chap, large nose and ears. A vocal style that is certainly an acquired taste but with a sharp mind and a winning way with a lyric.

I do remember a Navy colleague giving me a cassette of Talking With The Taxman and urging me to give it
a chance. Initially, the voice and the strident strum put me off a tad but on hearing Levi Stubbs Tears
I was won over, permanently and forever.

However much I love his music, he is one of those artists that I tend to either obsess over or not play
at all for months. Recently, it's been a heavy rotation thing. Primarily, his earlier albums although
I do like a lot of his more mature output as well. One of his most recent albums England, Half English I must say I only admired rather than loved but the guy always get a pass from me. Of his later output I would put Wiliam Bloke up against anything that was released that year (1996) and it remains an album I play quite a lot to this day. I enjoyed parts of his most recent album Mr. Love & Justice as well and I do hope that he has at least one more really, top notch album in him.

Anytime I see him on tv, Question Time or Late Review, I really enjoy his contributions to the debate. He's quite a well spoken, opinionated and learned chap but at the same time he doesn't talk down to people and certainly doesn't kowtow to his supposed intellectual/social betters.

All in all, he just seems like a proper good guy who knows his shit and who would be as happy watching the football and having a pint as he would be kicking against the political pricks on tv. A chap you'd be glad to get to know and always happy to see.

Songs I would like to hear at the gig? Well, we could be here for two full gigs really with all he has to choose from. In a perfect Bragg world, for me, though? I'm glad you asked..

The Milkman Of Human Kindness
A New England
The Saturday Boy
St. Swithin's Day
Levi Stubbs Tears
Idealogy
The Warmest Room
Between The Wars
Tank Park Salute
Moving The Goalposts
Sexuality
Accident Waiting To Happen
Upfield
Brickbat
The Spacerace Is Over
Northern Industrial Town

Then a few pickings from his collaborative albums with Wilco, a few recent ones from England and Justice and I would be a happy camper. Roll on Tuesday..

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Way over yonder, in the minor key...

Anyone who knows me knows what a voracious devourer I am of music. Not a day goes by that isn't filled with tunes in some way. I am lucky enough to work somewhere that I can plug in the iPod and go.
So,from early morning when I am walking to work to during the day to walking home from work, my day is filled with music. Which is lucky for me with the way I consume new music especially.

Once home, fed and watered, then I am listening to music again till about 9PM. So, it's safe to say that my day is heavily soundtracked. It's just become a part of me. Maybe it's the signs of an addictive personality. When I drink, I cane it. When I eat, I overeat. Now that I'm exercising I have a tendency to overdo that too which is painful. Alas, Horatio, that is a case for a completely different couch and forum.

Strange thing is, notwithstanding how much music is an integral part of my life, I always find it difficult to talk about it and certainly to write about it. Particularly to people who may not be as invested in it as I am. This is especially true in "real life" where I have met people who are only into what's on the radio or X-Factor. Indeed, I have met people who don't have any interest in music and never listen to any at all. This beggars belief on my part. How can anyone wilfully ignore something so life affirming and moving? I mean, even if they just listened to Tony Bennett or Leona Lewis. Surely a person cannot go thru life without at least one song hitting them at their core?

Apart from "real life", I have found kindred spirits on internet music message boards and moreso, in recent times, on Twitter. There are people there, who I've never met, with whom I have shared thoughts,anecdotes and general views on music. We've recommended bands and ripped the piss out of bands and generally had fantastic chats about music and what it means to us. It can sometimes be like one big pub discussion which meanders, ebbs and flows and occasionally even has a point. From a randomly retweeted comment you may follow a link that turns you onto something wonderful. I would highly recommend Twitter to people. It seems less of an intrusion than Facebook and the character limit keeps it snappy and witty for the most part.

I have had people talk to me and tell me I should write a blog, a music blog. Obviously this is not because they think I am a talented writer or a bon viveur. More likely, to stop me banging on to them about the new Richmond Fontaine album or something so they can give their ears a rest. I have always resisted this because, to be honest, I know I am lacking the discipline to be able to write something consistently engaging. I have read enough of Lester Bangs to know I am not him. Even Paul Morley is more entertaining than anything I might write. Yes, Paul Morley. Music journalist as sleeping potion.

However, onward we go. Most of the entries in this blog will be music related in some form over the next month and a bit. This is because I have quite a busy time with gigs coming up, thankfully. Cork gets a raw deal sometimes on the gig circuit. There is a huge appetite for music here but the will to put a decent sized venue here to attract names doesn't seem to be there. It's a shame.

Before I go, if you know someone who has no interest in music..buy them something. A Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits or something. You never know, if they engage with it they may come back at you with a rare copy of Jackson C. Frank's debut album. You may start a fire...no Billy Joel though please.

Friday 7 October 2011

I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today...

I love junk food. There, I said it.

Unfortunately, junk food does not love me back. It's more like me stalking it and it is sitting there in it's shiny, eye catching packets and mocking me.

All this self denial started back on May 21 when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In all fairness, I knew it was coming. My weight had more or less spiralled out of control for years and I did no exercise at all apart from walking to and from work. However, this line in the medical sand was probably what I needed. Actually, no probably about it. I decided there and then that the diet had to change and I had to get out and do something.

So that fateful Friday we dumped everything nutritionally malicious in the house, gave the deep fryer the heave ho and started eating from a selection of diabetic friendly menus. Funnily enough, the internet is handy for stuff like that. Here was me thinking it was free music and porn only. Who knew?

On the following Monday I started walking at lunchtime. From the office door to a nearby village church. A couple of miles anyway. I've never measured it. Only in terms of pain and sweat but that is hardly an acceptable numeric denominator. It fucking should be. I pass a sign saying where I came from is 2.2km back the other way so I am guessing I do a little over 4.4km every lunchtime. Whatevs.

After a couple of weeks walking that I thought that it wasn't really getting my heart rate going quickly enough. So I took it upon myself to walk/jog the route. So I would jog from tree to tree or electricity pole to pole. After five months of this I am jogging it more than walking it which for me is a major breakthrough. I want instant improvement and to be able to run fleet of foot like the healthy chaps that pass me every day. I do realise however that I am trying to reverse a trend of not exercising EVER so it will take a long time. I could probably be at the same stage 12 months on. I feel once I do realise that I shouldn't get too disillusioned.

I made a decision the day I started only to weigh myself every three months to monitor how I am doing. So after three months I did and found that I had lost three stone. I was very happy with this as you might imagine. I am now down to 17.5 stone from 21.5 stone and even if it takes forever, as long as it is heading down instead of up then that'll do me.

I fucking ache all the time though. I think the pounding on the roads has taken it's toll on my hips, knees and ankles. So now, for a while, I have taken to jogging hard every two days with a rest day in between to give me some respite.

Anyway, who gives a flying fuck right? It's working for me and if anyone reads this who feels they need to do something about their own weight...well if it works for *me*, as anyone who knows me will tell you, it can work for anyone.

As for the junk food? To be honest, I don't even miss it anymore. Amazing what you can get used to.

Wednesday 31 August 2011

The long goodbye

Well, it's been quite a week and it's only Tuesday.

Arsenal got completely skewered on Sunday by a United team that were
by no means world beaters.


So,depressing enough. Then again, that's only sport. The hits just keep on coming.


Then,on Monday my youngest child, my wilfull, loveable, scatty, intelligent, moody yet funny little girl left home. Just 21, she has gone out into the world to make her own way in it.
Who can blame her I suppose? People need to stand on their own two feet and try and make their own mark.

We fought, like any two headstrong people, but she was still my little girl and it was a huge wrench seeing her off yesterday. She was quite happy to be heading off on her big adventure but she was teary too, I could see it.

For a big mouthed sod I really don't know what to say. I hope this move works out for her and she is happy. I would hate to see her maybe fail and have to come back home disenchanted.

I know this happens to everyone at some stage but it surely is a heartbreaker and both of us were very upset last night and will be for some time to come as well.

What am I even doing putting this major event in with a mention of sport? I don't know.
I honestly don't know what I am doing today. Maybe it's too fresh in my mind to have any sort of rational perspective about it. Perhaps it's the kind of thing that a parent will never have a rational outlook on.

I feel listless, adrift and unable to deal with people today or to suffer fools easily. More than usual I mean.

I am not even sure I will post this entry as it seems to be formless and haphazard. It's more an emotional outpouring than anything reasoned and thought out.

I suppose like any parent you worry about your child's happiness and welfare. It just seems different to me this time. Maybe it's because she is our youngest, maybe it's because she's a girl.
Maybe because there is no one left at home only us now. I don't know. It's a confusing and upsetting time and, like any man, I have trouble expressing my feelings.

It's probably just as well we both have jobs to go to which will perpetuate the illusion of normality for us both and give us some semblance of structure. It's just that empty house when we get home.
What do people do when they become "empty nesters", a term I dislike but which is apt.

Ya know, for two people who got married at a ridiculously early age, we did ok. More than ok. We are still together, still happy. We raised two fine kids somehow by stumbling our way through it. Sure there was tears and hard times along the way but in the overall scheme of things I think we did pretty much ok. The kids seem to be fairly happy and didn't turn out to be serial killers, drug addicts or a danger to society!

Anyway, they know that if needed there is a bed and a home to come back to. That's an important safety net for anyone making their way in the world. I'm proud of those two, wanting to get on with their lives and I hope that they get everything they want and are happy. I think we did ok.
So...now what?

Wednesday 17 August 2011

Fear and loathing in Ashburton Grove

This post is going to consist of a lot of moaning and disillusionment concerning the state of Arsenal football club. Now I imagine that fans of 90-something other league clubs will take me to task and tell me that I'm full of shit and they would be right. Then again, I am not a Torquay fan or a Barnet fan.

Since Arsene Wenger's arrival I have become accustomed to seeing wonderful football and was spoiled just like many other Gooners by trophies arriving regularly. Since the move to the Emirates Stadium though things have gone steadily downhill it seems. Watching that innefectual performance against Udinese last night just nailed that down for me.

Injuries, selling prominent players and a transfer policy that just beggars belief. A manager that seems to be sometimes either losing the plot or is financially shackled to a previously unseen degree. Tug of war fights for shares between two millionaires who seem to be only interested in control. It's a miasma of fuckery
and there seems no solution forthcoming.

Fabregas being sold, Nasri on his way out too. Two of our more creative players. No replacements. We have a bunch of players that are just not good enough but we still can't shift them on somewhere else becuase their wages are far too high for most other clubs. Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner, Rosicky,Squillaci, Almunia. Who would buy these high priced wasters? Chamakh, on last night's performance, looks like
a man who has never played footbal in his life. A complete non-event as a player for most of his time at Arsenal. Honestly, you could pick up almost any striker from a Championship club who would at least give his all and try his heart out for a chance to play with Arsenal. Some of the goons we have don't seem to give a flying fuck and that hurts more than just being crap footballers.

Walcott, this generations Jermaine Pennant. Faster than a speeding bullet and less effective than a rolling "O". Gervinho, maybe too early to comment, but he looks like a stronger Chamakh with Walcott's headless chicken routine built in.

Honestly, of the squad that is there, I would ship them all out if I could. Only RVP, SZCZ, Vermaelen, Wilshere, Ramsey and Sagna are worth their salt. Song is a walking suspension every time he plays. Arshavin could be fantastic but most times seems disinterested. Jenkinson looks like he could be decent but needs time.Koscielny needs a strong partner at CB and needs to concentrate a hell of
a lot more than he does. Gibbs is more injury prone than two Kieran Dyers taped together. Djourou is a fine player but keeping him fit is more than a full time job.

The bench, such as it is, looks painfully short of quality. Frimpong, Lansbury, Myachi et al are all young players with potential but experienced quality is what we need.

Another thing is why do we suffer so many niggling injuries? What are the medical staff at Arsenal doing, or not doing, to combat this? Other clubs don't seem to have as many problems in this area.

We need to spend money on experienced, proven players to bed into the team who will lead from the front and who will help bring along our younger players as well. It doesn't seem to be happening.
Wenger seems reluctant to spend or maybe he just can't and won't admit it. It's very disheartening to the outside viewer. It's hard to see where the end of this particular tunnel is and if the light at the end is just the onrushing Arabian train.

Still, once a Gooner always a Gooner. Someday things will come right for us. I hope.

Like I said at the start, this is just a rambling, half thought out blurt out onto the page. Really,for composed, sane blogging about The Arse then check out @Arseblog, @JamrockRover and others on Twitter.

Finally, Samir Nasri, you are a moneygrabbing cunt and I hope you have fun sitting on Citeh's bench. Also, Adebayor for Spurs? Jesus, didn't Tottenham suffer enough during the riots?

Monday 8 August 2011

The drug of a nation

From time to time here I'll probably just rant a little about all sorts of random shite. Like now. Channel 4 and the American re-make of The Killing.

Now, I haven't yet seen the Danish original, Forbrydelsen to give it it's native title. By all accounts, critics and people in general, it was a huge critical success. So I can't really compare and contrast with the US version. Having said all that, this version is painfully slow to develop and like Prison Break and 24 before it seems like a lengthy series trying to pad itself out to a large episode arc.

I watch it, glassy eyed and mostly disinterested but I'm over halfway in now so I'll persist. The ancillary characters are woefully cardboard cut out and making a second season just goes to show how badly stuck AMC are for something else to hang their hat on apart from Mad Men and the superior in every way, Breaking Bad. In fact, ditch this ginger cop and convert to Walter White and his story. Now there's a series that uses silences and long drawn out sequences to constantly ramp up the tension.

So that's the recommendation. Blow off The Killing and watch Breaking Bad.

Better call Saul...

They're baacck!

So, Friday 5th August 2011 found me and Mrs. Blog at the HMV Forum in Londinium
to see one of my favourite bands return to the live circuit, The Jayhawks.

Having been pretty much a done deal since the release of the Rainy Day Music album the band
had done a few sporadic shows in Chicago, Minneapolis and Spain over the intervening years.
Now, with a new album Mockingbird Time ready to go, the band are re-energised and hitting the road again
with gusto. Comprising of the classic band line up circa Tomorrow The Green Grass album, the band hit the stage looking lively and ready for the fray. Then they proceeded to enthrall a pretty much sold out crowd to a run of songs that any Jayhawks fan would have been delighted and proud to witness being played live.

Among a bunch of classic songs the band dropped in a number of new tracks which fitted into the canon without a hitch.
Close to a 2 hour set with a bunch of encores and a promise from Gary Louris the previous evening
of a return in the new year when the album has been released. Good news in any fan's book.

Mark Olson and his lady Ingunn Ringvold also played a warm up set before the band which was well appreciated by the growing crowd filtering in. Clifton Bridge and Linda Lee being particular highlights for this correspondent.

Met up with a few friends from The Jayhawks Fanpage too for an all too short drink after, something
which we shall have to work out a bit better at the next show!

For anyone with even a casual interest in The Jayhawks, I would highly recommend getting to see them live
and picking up a copy of the new album in September when it's released.

You shouldn't hide your colours...


Wednesday 3 August 2011

London calling..

So this coming Friday, August 5th, I shall be in the HMV Forum, Kentish Town to see one of my very favorite bands. The Jayhawks. A band that's been close to my heart for many years now. Lazy journalists would call them Godfathers of the AltCountry scene. At the beginning of their career I suppose that was a handy label. Over the years though the band has evolved into a fantastic bunch of polished songwriters and performers.

I've travelled to see the band at Azkena Rocks in Vitoria, Spain and saw Gary Louris and Mark Olson as a duo in Dublin. Just listening to those two guys sing makes any travel worthwhile. Even on RyanAir.

New album, Mockingbird Time, is out in September and from what I've heard it completely endorses the band's decision to take up arms and re-enter the musical fray once again.

So, some YouTube links when I get the hang of this blog and photos to follow after the weekend.

Vaya con dios.

As if there's not enough blogging about eh?

So, a blog. A friend of mine, someone whose judgement I usually trust, has urged me to start a blog. Now, believe me I can talk crap with the best of them but blogging?

You see, there's a gazillion blogs out "there" and most of them are probably awfully boring. It takes a special talent to write and interest people. I don't for a minute imagine I can achieve anything remotely decent here but I shall persist for a while.

Entries here will include general rants about life, TV, movies, books and especially music. Music is my touchstone. This blog effort may or may not get read, that's cool. I shall dip in and out of here from time to time and I hope that's cool too.

Be good to each other.