Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Halloween Horrors

I love Halloween, but the problem is every year I wait and wait until the last minute to do everything - my costume, the accessories I need for said costume, the decorating... meanwhile, friends of mine who claim to love the Halloween holiday as much as I do end up with extreme decorating and extravagant costumes and I end up looking like I threw it all together at the last minute - go figure. So this year, I'd like to say that didn't happen. That my house is completely full of cobwebs and lighted jack o lanterns, scary little witches hanging on the walls sticking out their tongues as people pass by - fake headstones and fake fog running through the apartment and an awesome costume that I spent all year working on. I'd like to say that, but it would be a big fat lie. Instead, my house still has the lighted snow man sitting on a speaker from Christmas, and my costume is still missing a pair of white gloves and I have no idea how to do the make up required. But I figure a couple Captain & Cokes when I get home and a little web surfing before hand should solve some of my problems, besides it's a tad hard to compete with the insanity that will prevail down the street at the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival, and as long as I try just a little, I think it all works out. Perhaps next year, I'll be more prepared... perhaps.

In other exciting news, I have to give out major congratulations to my pal Amy Cissell who will be a Cissell no more as she heads to the Portland Court House today and marries HER Brad - Happy Halloween and Congrats on that oh so scary institution known as marriage.

If upcoming nuptials don't scare you, perhaps this will - on the bill for tonight's many major music performers at the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival are none other than Kevin Federline & Tiffany - not together of course but wouldn't that be something? To see all you're missing or for those in town to see what's happening click this link for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival.. and stay tuned for pictures.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Random CDs

Back to the Random CDs of the week - it's been a fairly rocking little week in my stereos - from a rock icon, a bespectacled icon, a new groovy pop band and a few other things to fluff you up, I give you the random CDs of the week:

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GIANTS - Under the Influence of Giants (2006; Island/Def Jam)
Another round for the internet savvy of myspace.com as that is what initially launched this band into a big record contract; coming off the initial single "Mama's Room" a sort of Bee Gees meets Scissor Sisters meets the muffled guitar of Wheatus, the song like most of the album is completely infectious. My pal Tommy introduced me to the band as I was raving about those boys and girls of Scissor Sisters, and I liked every single song that I heard - something not usually found by me on any album released after 1984; but here I was entranced by the awesome vocals, the continuing converging of different musical styles and most importantly, the ever so catchy vocals - "In The Clouds" and "Ah Ha" are big time fun songs full of familiar yet new sounds. I've read reviews that have said the band is like summer, you know something that's fun and carefree but will not last; I'm not sure I agree, I think if they continue making catchy albums like this debut they may be around for quite awhile.

ELVIS COSTELLO - This Year's Model (1978; Stiff/Columbia)
In my quest to redisover the bespectaled one, I found a used copy of reissue 1 of Elvis' second album - if you know anything about the latest record biz reissue craze, it's that they keep remastering and reissuing some classic albums over and over again in slightly different forms; for Elvis he is on his third round of reissues, but I'm just buying used for now. This Year's Model found our boy a tad more angry than on his debut and with the help of newly recruited the Attractions, he found some keyboards and jumpy punk rock. Arguably, the roughest and loudest of Elvis' albums, featuring the cynism and adorable aggravation of Elvis, the album contains some of my favorite Elvis songs ever like "Pump It Up", "Little Triggers", "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea" and with this re-release, the single "Radio Radio". If you haven't started investigating early Costello yet, I may have to stop talking to you... next on our Elvis list is what will probably be my favorite Elvis album Armed Forces. But I'll let you know.

JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS - Sinner (Blackheart; 2006)
I dare anyone to argue the fact that Joan Jett is a rock and roll legend; without her where would some of those growling chicks be? Starting in the 70s in the Runaways with Cherie Currie and Lita Ford; Jett emerged a solo artist with a penchant for hard rock, melody and glam. Sporting covers upon covers of little known Brit rock songs strung in with her own take on 60s girl group sounds, 70s glam sounds, Jett has been making albums and encouraging the woman guitar player for decades and this is her first domestic release in over ten years. The songs are comprised of songs she released on two Japanese sets including the hard ass rock of "Fetish", and a few new songs including the fists against the wall opener, "Riddles" which is a political rant with catchy and terribly true lyrics even using a sample of the Dubwa Dumb to push the point across. In other places, Joan talks about sexuality, actual emotional upheaval and the best thing is even in her ballads, the woman rocks it out! She even redoes one of her songs, coming up with a new version of "A 100 Feet Away" which is as catchy as anything from the 60s sound it emulates. For some reason, staying true to her own vision of what she wanted to do has not made her seem dated at all; in fact the more I listen to Sinner, the more I realize how there are a lot of new bands out there still emulating the big JJ.

VEDUTA - The Elevator (Flexible; 2006)
An indie boy from Denver, Veduta is actually EK Wimmer, artist/singer/poet and I fell in love with this CD. Released via internet on Patrick's Flexible Records, the very independant label that includes Swivek on its roster, The Elevator is an EP of five songs with each one better than the last. Touching on basic human nature and loneliness, the songs are presented in a way to touch on the sadness of the lyrics but for some reason, the whole thing just leaves me elated. But don't think that these are all mellowness and tedium, each song has its own little flavor and there are some bouncy little sounds going on. Sort of the Cure meets Magnetic Fields with Wimmer's voice reminding me of a smoother Peter Murphy (don't slap me Brian!) "Intercession", "Together Again" and "You" really stand out as ace tracks, particularly "You" with lyrics that touch nerves everywhere. Wimmer's way with guitars and drums and the lyrics themselves have me playing this little EP over and over again. Oh and his voice is quite good to boot. In fact, I'm a tad jealous, he may end up being the stand out superstar of Flexible Records. So go to Flexible Records and download it!

PAT BENATAR - In The Heat Of The Night (1979; Chrysalis)
I don't think I've talked about this album before and you know even if I did, I don't give a rat's hooha because I'm typing this as I listen to the gloriousness that is Pat Benatar's debut album. From the thumpity thump drum beat in the opening number "Heartbreaker" to the ending guitar squeeze of "So Sincere", Pat has it going on in every single note of these 10 excellant songs. It was 1979 and the city was steamy and so was Patty Patty - just look at that cover; and the cover actually summed up the music you hear. The city groove of the title cut with its sultry lyrics and Pat's high octave kicking in, it's one of those overlooked tracks of such a great career; the new wave crashes in on here as well most notably on the single "We Live For Love" and the Nick Gilder cover "Rated X", but rock is there for our girl including her version of Mellenhead's "I Need A Lover" which is so much better here than his version, I don't care if he did write it. The fact a woman is not only singing lines like "I need a lover who knows the meaning of hey hit the highway/ someone who'll thrill me then just go away" but that she actually hisses the vocal. This is a woman you don't want to mess with but such a heat wave of sensuality, you would want to try it. There's cabaret lounge thrown in on "My Clone Sleeps Alone" which in turn belts into a rocking little ditty by the end of those 3 and a half minutes. The uber rock ballad "Don't Let It Show" breaks into the uber rock domination of "No You Don't" with barely a breath. Just listen to some of these songs and Pat's delivery on them - one second of hoarse foulness and one second later a high note of epic proportions all over a cover of new wave nuances and rocking guitars. In The Heat Of The Night is one of my all time favorite albums of all times and everyone should hear it. Now the whole album is recently reissued by Chrysalis in glorious sounding form - though the artwork sucks (I know I have mentioned that part) so you owe it not only for me and yourself but also for all those girls with their fists in the air who won't be taken advantage of. Perhaps there should be a new motto "What would Benatar do?" Can you see it? Numerous stickers with WWBD? I think I'm calling someone about that.

CARLY SIMON - Come Upstairs (1980; Warner Bros.)
I've had this CD for awhile but have been waiting to comment on it for a few reasons, 1. I was on my Carly kick a while back and I'm sure people began to wonder if I owned any other CDs and 2. I was hoping I would end up liking it the more I hear it. Luckily, for me, the second is becoming the case and unlucky for you, here we are to talk about Carly's toe dip into the new wave circa 1980. Everyone who was everyone was making a pseudo new wave album in the early 80s; Billy Joel had Glass Houses, Linda Ronstadt had Mad Love and Carly had Come Upstairs. They all scored top ten hits with both the singles and the albums released; Carly found her way back to the charts after a lenghty absence with "Jesse" pulled from this album and incidentally one of the Leivas' all time favorite songs; or perhaps just one of those songs he had hugely fond memories of until he heard it again - (while playing the song he said to me, "This is a pretty long song isn't it" - it clocks in at about 4:05) The album opens with the title cut, a guitar riffing keyboard laden song which has Carly at her usual sexual shenanigans not really wanting to be with the guy but figuring what the hell, she'll give him some fire and she'll give him some wood; that is probably my favorite part of the song. There's a strange little foray into the new wave with "Them" - I get the impression she is singing about men but you can't be sure, we just know she doesn't know what to about them and hopes to get help from the people she's singing to. I thought it was totally ridiculous but as is usually the case, it's now one of my favorite tracks on the album. In fact, that seems to be my whole Carly thing, I'll get an album full of high expectations only to be intially let down and then have it turn around and bite me on the ass a few weeks later. Perhaps she's not everyone's cup of tea, but the more I hear Carly's idosyncracies the more I fall in love with her. Perhaps she'll read this and invite me to Martha's Vineyard for the summer. Or get me a job working with her family at Simon & Shuster... or maybe she'll just sick "Them" on me.

SWIVEK - Darkness + Light
(2006; Flexible)
Oh my gawd, I love this album. From the beginning to the end, it's full of all kinds of greatness, a mix of rock and electro bounce, Swivek has hissy fits all over these 12 little gems. Opening with the rocking title track decrying scorned love or scorned politics but realizing there is faith and hope in the end of it all then bouncing right into the Patrick English produced electronic "Pissed" a tale of absolute scorned love and the aftermath. A theme also attached to a number of titles on this brilliant album including the electro pop of "Garboesque" (I want to be alone, I want to be alone), and the first single, the punky take what you can "You're Not The One". Garage rock picks up on "Power & Passion" and "Can't Say No To That" before moving into a more pop vein in "Auto 54" and the tale of unrequited (probably best) love in "Johnny Misunderstood." Punk and electronics guide us through the panicy "My Wounds" before full on electronic (thanx to OTV) hits us with "Need". The sarcastically sugar coated "Radio" moves gently into the final electronic opus "Intensity Is Recommended" and the whole ride is over sooner than you want. That's okay, just go back and do it all again. Of course anyone who doesn't have the album yet can download it at Flexible Records and in the next few weeks you'll be able to buy it at CD Baby and stores all over the internet. (Note: This particular review is slightly more biased than usual.)

Next week, we're going to take a multiple post journey through my favorite of CD collections - the Bubbatunes Catalog, so get those note pads ready, you're going to want to take some notes.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

For the Love Of Tuesdays




As I was listening to Movie Disaster Music, the new Josie Cotton opus, I recieved an email from my pal Luther, and what do you know - it's the pix from the latest and greatest of our Josie shows, so as promised, here are some pix of the on going Josie infatuation I seemed to have rekindled. But really with an album this incredible, it's hard not to be fanatical.
The whole night was incredible with not only Ms. J giving an awesome set which included her 80's gems "Systematic Way" and "Johnny Are You Queer?" but also was opened up with her rousing version of the Ramone's "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" and including great stuff from the new album, including "Creeps" which is probably my favorite song of 2006, but there was a slew of other bands that need to be checked out by you three (that's my faithful readers) including Firebug and the Eyeshadows.

Luckily, for us, Geza X, uber punk coolness was in attendance and both he and Josie remembered us, so it was almost like we were cool or something. And of course, the whole night was hosted by the royal highness of costume changes, Alexis Arquette. But all in all, you know a typical Tuesday in LA.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Children Are Scary

There are only 13 days until Halloween so here are a few more little videos to throw into your DVD player for those extra chills you may need before the holiday screams into your life...

Today we look at a group of movies that show us just how scary children really can be; and of course a number of these flicks scared the beejesus out of me when I was but a wee boy. In fact this group of kids will make you think twice about opening that door for those trick or treaters, and maybe even look at your own child a little differently.


THE CHILDREN (1980)
I saw this strange little film one late night on Cinemax when I probably should've been in bed - I would've been better off as this has terrorized me for years. It all begins in Small Town USA where they happen to have a chemical plant, of course there is an accident and a strange haze is set loose. The only people to venture through the haze are the pregnant wife of the hero in her VW who honks and passes the school bus. The wife turns out fine but the bus ends up deserted. The townsfolk go on the hunt for the missing children and end up wishing they hadn't found them. They all turn up hands stretched out, black fingernails and wanting hugs. Once the adults give out the hugs the children hug tight and burn them alive! I can't even make this shit up. My cousin Paula also knew the movie and used to terrorize me by coming at me with her hands stretched. I can't recall if she did but it wouldn't surprise me if one night she painted her fingernails black and came at me. Oh, and I should mention the only way to kill said children is by cutting off their hands! Remembered chills: The whole damn movie and the ending!!

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960/1995)
Both the original and the remake scare me into never wanting a white haired blue eyed child. One night a strange occurance happens in a little town (In the original they're in the UK/ in the remake I believe they're on the East Coast), when all the women get pregnant and give birth to beautiful, genius and very deadly children. Children that can read your mind and are intent on world domination. The original scared my mother and the remake didn't help her son out much either. It's all kind of John Saul-ish, who is the author of the very first adult books I ever read. In every one of his creepy books, things happen in small little towns to and because of children. Perhaps he's as afraid of both of those things as I am, or perhaps I'm afraid of them because of him. Remembered chills: The eyes, it's all about the eyes.

CHILDREN OF THE CORN (1984)
Launching a ton of really stupid sequals, the orginal short story and movie are really creepy. Poor Linda Hamilton and her man end up in Nebraska or Iowa or some God Awful place where the straight roads and rows of corn confuse them and they end up trapped. As if being trapped in the Midwest wasn't scary enough, this couple is about to meet up with the children of the town. Unbeknownst to them, a few months prior all the adult were killed in grusome and horrifying ways by the town's children who are at the beck and call of the demon living in the corn field. Linda and her man befriend two seemingly innocent children who actually want out of the town but a demon teen named Isaiah has other plans. Remembered chill: A backseat attack.

AUDREY ROSE (1977)
Another movie where my cousin Paula terrorized me. In this one, the opening has a horrifying car crash where a mother and her young daughter are killed. The poor girl named Audrey Rose burns alive in the car. About 12 years later, Marsha Mason's daughter Ivy begins having nightmares and acting like a different girl. Dismissing it as puberty, little does Marsha know that Ivy may just be Audrey Rose reincarnated. Of course my cousin used to whisper from the other room "Audrey, Audrey Rose" and scare me. Remembered chills: The crash and Ivy burning her hands on a cold window???

THE OMEN / THE OMEN 2: DAMIEN (1976; 1978)
Whoever found the boy to play Damien in these films was a pure casting genius. The first film finds Gregory Peck adopting a child from a nun when his child is still born, unbeknownst to his wife Lee Remick of course. She's pleased as punch to have a child and her husband's government career works so well no one suspects the evil nanny and her dog could be there to protect the actual son of the devil. Once people start offing themselves (supposedly) and Daddy does some digging, we find out Damien isn't the sweet child after all. Chilling memories: the nanny, Lee's staircase shenanigans, hospital gone awry, and in the subsequent sequal, the birds, god the birds! As for the third installment, by then Damien is a man and kind of a demon hottie and as for the remake, it's in my Netflix queue but something tells me it won't beat out the original.


THE GRUDGE (2005); THE RING (2002)
Who knew little Japanese children could be so terrifying! The first installment of The Ring, both the US and original Japanese flicks are scary as all hell. I didn't think they'd be as chilling as they are and to some people they are a tad more humorous but that little wet chick coming out of the TV set scares the sheet right out of me. As for the US version of The Grudge, I didn't want to see it as I think the Japanese originals are always superior to our remakes and I really hate Sarah Michelle Gellar but I watched it none the less and let me just say it scared the crap out of me again! That little boy showing up in the strangest places and the most inopportune moments, usually when I'm taking a swig of something, left me in quite a state. Plus the sound effects on both are great, particularly The Grudge. The little girl from The Ring who terrorizes those who watch her video has been a real inspiration to me. I refuse to have any VHS tapes laying around my house that don't have labels, just in case I put the wrong tape in and end up on her list. I don't need that shit in my life. As for the sequals, the Japanese Ring 2 is pretty good while our Ring Two sucked shizz bad, bad - stay away at all costs, and I haven't seen The Grudge 2 yet so I'll have to get back to you on that.


THE EXCORCIST (1973)
The mother of all evil children films, Linda Blair is still scary even after the demon has been dispensed. Some don't pass this off as a scary film but to them I say, "You are obviously screwed up in the head." Anything that has to do with demonic possesion, a fairly "true events" type of story and evil children scares the crap out of me. Linda's filthy mouth now isn't quite as shocking as it is funny but I guess I just know too many foul mouthed bar people, but the acting, the music (yikes the music), and the story are very chilling. Remembered chill: The dresser attack and in the restored version (get that one) the "Spider Walk".

In case you were thinking only the pre-tweens were in on the action, I give you the scariest and probably corniest of the bunch, 1974's IT'S ALIVE, a movie that still creeps me out. For some reason I remember the commercials when I was really little... that basinett from the cover of the poster turning slowly around while a voice over told us the story only to have the basinett turn around to show that claw. It gave me the creeps. I also remember going with my Aunt to the theater to see this, and running out of the theater. The thing is how could I possibly have done that at an age when I was not really even born myself?? Perhaps the movie was re-released or something or perhaps my aunt took me to the film without my mother knowing. My mother insists she doesn't remember having to pick me up at the theater so perhaps I made up the whole damn thing....

Regardless, this is really one to find - there have two sequals but you can't beat the original - the story is this, the Davis' give birth to their baby only to find that the chemicals and pollution of the world has deformed the baby and instead of a bouncing bundle of joy they have a large fanged, hooked homocidal baby on their hands that immediately kills all the doctors and nurses and disappears into the heating ducts of the hospital. The police and the father search the city for the baby who kills random people until finally the father finds the baby, only to realize the baby isn't evil he was just protecting himself from those that threatened him. Alas, bad things happen and the last line of the movie, "There's another born in Seattle," marks the start of the franchise. Believe me as cheesy as it is, it still brings goose bumps to me remembering how this thing affected me as a kid.

Tomorrow we'll look at some more chilling flicks including some with a little wit and humor... until then, stay away from all children!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

ooo ssscary

I love Halloween, it's my favorite Holiday ever, and to celebrate, there's always a ton of scary or would scary movies and TV shows to watch. As it just so happens I've been renting some of those. Of course throw in a little gay twist and I'm there.

Last year a little horror film called Hellbent was released, set in West Hollywood on Halloween and during the infamous West Hollywood Halloween Carnival (one of the biggest in the country), it was dubbed the first "gay horror movie". We went to see it at the theater and I actually loved it. In the film, a psycho hot killer with a devil's mask and no shirt is offing people. First a couple of dudes making it in a car in the park and then he starts following our group of heroes, led by a city officer and son of a cop. Of course he has all the gay friends, the hot dancer, the drag queen, the shy but excited boy. The movie is actually really good and has a twist or two in it, but some may have a problem with the fact we never know who the killer really is or why he is killing off people, but as I've heard it, the writers/producers did this on purpose - sometimes there's no reason at all. It's really a good movie and I recommend it.

On the other hand, Here! TV one of the two gay networks has just renewed their "gothic gay soap opera" Dante's Cove. At first, I was pissed that they put this show on the air last year as you all know I too have a gay soap opera that no one seems to want. Then when I found out it had all this supernatural elements in it, I was jealous that I hadn't written it. Then when it was renewed I was way pissed that "Carlton Heights" didn't win that pilot award or that I don't have an agent to sell the script to Here! Or Logo but then last night I finally rented Dante's Cove disc one, and realized what a huge pile of shit this thing is. First of all, if the best acting is done by Tracy Scoggins, you should realize you have a problem.

The show begins with a flashback of the small town Dante's Cove in 1840 where the witch Grace is set to marry her hottie man toy and even flashes her red eyes to disinegrate a poor woman who she thinks caught her man's attention but when she leaves her man and his man servant and ends up going back to get her forgotten gloves only to find the two in a full on fuck mode over the sofa, she disinegrates the slave lover while his wawa does all these jerking motions - that's right full on male frontal and the opening credits haven't even started.

After Grace banishes her man to an eternity as an old weathered face in an attic we cut to modern day Laguna Beach where apparantly acting is not an artform; the main characters show up and get blowjobs in the cab and we discover the blonde is still living at home with a wretched step father and isn't out to anyone, basically why this 35 year old man is still at home I can't figure out. Byt the time the two boys fight and break up and we cut to an awful beach scene and an equally awful home scene with the father and mother, I went out to smoke. I told the Leivas to put the disc back in its package, seal it up and send it back to Netflix to ruin someone else's life. I am not that particular about films or tv as I am a huge fan of camp but this thing is so awful it doesn't even have a redeeming thing. I just can't imagine why this is on the air and my little show is collecting dust in my file cabinet. Of course should someone get their hands on Carlton Heights and put some of these "actors" into it, I guess they could ruin my show as well; although I have to say without blowing my own horn that my dialogue and storyline is a tad more professional; even when I put in the obligatory sex scene. But what do I know, I just live in Hollywood I don't actually work in the biz.

Stay tuned for a few more little killer flicks to keep our spooky run down to All Hallow's Eve a tricking and a treating.

Friday, October 13, 2006

I Slave

When I first moved in with the Leivas, he had a roomate named Mark who lived in the spare room, but one glorious afternoon Mark moved out and I got a media room. Dubbed the "Pat Benatar/Debbie Harry" room for the tons of picture discs I immediately nailed to the wall. It was pure bliss. That is until one day we got a call from Alf's old pal Dave who had lived in West Hollywood but decided a move back home to Boston would be good for him. It wasn't and he needed a place to stay. So out of the kindness of my big blonde heart I gave up my room - kind of. I still had my computer in there and would spend countless hours working on stuff while Dave watched TV. Not a great situation but for some reason he ended up staying almost three years. Now I like Dave but I like a media room much better. So on July 4th, the Leivas decided to declare Independance Day and told Dave he should really look for a new place to live as we needed our time alone and since the Leivas is getting up there in years, we don't really like even the idea of having a roomate, it seems something one does in their 20s, which I'm still in but the Leivas isn't. Where was I?

Oh yes, so about four weeks ago I came home from work to find an envelope of keys and a letter for Alf, and best of all an empty room! I now have my media room back and couldn't be more excited. We have grand ideas for it, I want Brini Maxwell Thrift Store chic. Of course now we have a ton of work to do - we are painting the walls of the wet bar and decorating with some crazy cool little jewels, we need to shampoo the carpets, we need to redo the bathroom and we've been cleaning like mad. Now when I say we, I of course mean the Leivas. As he is prone to say, if you rearrange the letters in his name you get "I Slave" which is strange because no matter what he says when you rearrange the letters in Jacobson you do not get "Lazy Ass".

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Are Those Pussy Willows Dottie?

Once again I find myself completely hungover and longing for a burger. I always know it's been a heck of a night when the next day my boss calls and comments, "You went drinking last night didn't you?" Alas, the voice of Kathleen Turner somehow replaces my normal voice but it could be worse. After all last night was a hoot and a half. There was a special fundraiser concert at a club in Hollywood called Dragonfly. On hand for the festivities for the Democratic Club were hostess Alexis Arquette, performances by The Eyeshadows, and a bunch of other bands I have to look up cuz I completely forgot, but the main reason I went was Josie Cotton. Yes, another Josie performance and she was rocking even doing the song "Systematic Way" from her first album. We got more pics and I promise this time, once Luther sends them to me, I will post them. I even got one with Alexis and told her, "My sister is going to be so jealous. You were her favorite part on the Surreal Life." I'm sure she loved that.

On another note, today is national Coming Out day, so for any one still in that closet, break open those doors. I have no one left to tell so it's kind of a mute point, but in even more exciting news, today is also The Leivas' birthday so send lots of birthday love to my love! (You can email him your love at wehoalf@msn.com if you are so inclined.)

Monday, October 09, 2006

The Tower Falls


I can't even believe the news I recently heard - it's so tragic, I just want to cry. Awhile ago I read that Tower Records, the chain store was in bankruptcy and unless a buyer showed up they were going to close the stores. This may not seem like a big deal to all of you, but I live just a block away from the Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard, a store I've seen in films and on TV for years, a store where Axl Rose used to work as a clerk; a store where I met Dolly Parton and Cyndi Lauper, where I would walk to every Tuesday for the latest and greatest, that I would visit after getting my hair cut up the street by Miss Maria; a store that also had a video chain a block away where I would buy everything I ever wanted. Now this landmark is gone. That's right, Tower Records never found a buyer and last Friday after two months of fake promises, an auction was held and everything is being liquidated; Tower Records is no more and most importantly, Tower Records on Sunset Boulevard will probably end up being one more high rise condominium blocking up traffic on the Sunset Strip! I think I am going to cry now.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Random CDs

Well it looks like we hit that big 100th CD review marker last week and I didn't even commemarate the event. I guess we'll just keep going and see if we don't make it to 200 sometime soon....

EVANESCENCE - The Open Door (Wind Up; 2006)
Not many people do music like this anymore; you know the over the top heavy metal grunge hybrid that was so popular with kids in the late 90s, Live is gone, Candlebox has been snuffed out and yet Evanescence not only continues to do this type of music, they sell millions of gazillions of CDs doing it. Of course they do have the angst ridden Amy Lee to lead them, something those other bands never had. Despite myself I really like Evanescence, the first album blew me away due to the fact that I didn't think it would ever get more than a passing glance on my CD shelf, but every now and then it ends up back on the stereo. So with a special Tower Records price of $9.99 on Tuesday, I figured I'd take a shot and get The Open Door. If you liked the first album, you're going to like this one. There's nothing new from the band, perhaps the songs are a tad more personal on the lyrical level, but Amy studied her Tori Amos lyric sheets and is a princess in training at lyrical ambiguity. I can tell by her overpowering vocals and the band's rigid jumble of quiet guitars, louder and louder guitars and pounding drums that they are in pain, it's just hard to relate to what that pain is sometimes. Sometimes it's obvious, the first single "Call Me When You're Sober" couldn't be more direct, however that's the title, the lyrics aren't quite as simplistic, but it's still a really good songs. In fact all the songs are really good, they're all heart wrenching and dripping with emotion, it's just that as a whole the package can burn you out. 13 songs of bombastic woes and pain is a little too much for my little blonde head, but should I ever have a fight with the Leivas, this one's going on the stereo and playing very loud.

ALANNAH MYLES - Alannah Myles (Atlantic; 1989)
When I first saw the video for Alannah's hit "Black Velvet" I knew she had something special about her. Her big black unfortunate hair, her tight leather skirts, the way she slithered all over the stage, I just knew she had a bit of Benatar in her. So I ran out and bought this album the minute I could get to a record store. For the past umpteen years, this album still puts a smile on my face, and I was right, the bulk of the album is actually straight up rock and roll with a tad of blues tinged fun thrown in. Of course Alannah remains fairly under the radar as her only big hit here is the "Black Velvet" scorchy ballady rock song; but the album opens with a real rocker, "Still Got This Thing" and keeps going with ups and downs of rock chunk and funk; "Love Is" was a follow up single that didn't do much, same with the one real ballad on here, "Lover Of Mine", which downs Alannah's normally scratchy scath for an upper register and it really touches you, "Why does it feel like I'm losing you?", of course the guitars kick in as does Alannah's soul. It's really great. But nothing compared to the straight up rock of the rest of the cuts starting with "Kick Start My Heart" which would make someone like Great White proud; the pop influences with hooks and all are all over "Just One Kiss" and "If You Want To" until ending with the countrified blues of "Hurry Make Love." This really is one of my favorite albums and I always felt had she thrown another album out right away instead of waiting 3 years, she could've been the Benatar of the 90's. Oh well this debut album did debut at #1 in her native Canada and I think that was pretty impressive at the time.

BECK – The Information (2006; Interscope)
I love Beck and not just because on a good day people have told me I look like him, which is better than being compared to John Denver which is what the cute Russian guy who works at the corner cigarette stand tells me all the time while informing each time that it isn’t my song he’s playing, as in he isn’t playing John Denver which he doesn’t have to inform me of since I know there’s never been a thumpity thump gay mix of “Thank God I’m A Country Boy.” Oh where was I? Oh yeah, Beck. I have a great respect for this man, who has been deemed a musical rock genius by many many in the press and I have to agree. Each release has the man mixing and mashing new and exciting sounds while somehow being able to not make it into an electroclash mess. However, the last two albums didn’t blow me over – Sea Change was a little too depressing, slow and dare I say boring, while Geuro, just didn’t lift out of the speakers like I had hoped it would, but now the man is back with a collection of songs he’s been working on for three years – The Information is as good as you’ve probably heard. Opening with “Elevator Music” an electric piece of classic Beck before moving to one of my favs “Think I’m In Love” which sounds new, yet calmly familiar and most importantly catchy. In fact, the whole album is very infectious and I love that in an album. “Soldier Jane” and “Nausea” are two other brilliant pieces of Beckisms, and the whole thing though containing 15 songs seems to go by before you even know it. All you can really do is go back and play it again. And I do. Incidentally, in what I think is an awesome sales pitch, the album doesn’t have any artwork instead you get four pages of graph like paper and a book of stickers to decorate it as you see fit. I haven’t done it yet, as I was thinking I should save the stickers for future generations but since the whole thing is already opened I may just up and do it. This is just as exciting as Janet’s big promotion to design her album cover, which I didn’t win and if you go and look at your record store you’ll see the winning artworks and they don’t compare to mine…. Wait, what is it about Beck that makes me lose my focus so easily? Incidentally, the cover art you see is not of my creation, it's the pic I found while surfing and seems to be on all the websites so perhaps it's Beck's own rendition of his stickers.

JEANNE C. RILEY – Harper Valley PTA (1968; Sun)
I want to tell you all a story about a Harper Valley widowed wife
who had a teenaged daughter who attended Harper Valley Junior High
well her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play
and she said, "Mama, got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA."
Well the note said, "Mrs. Johnson you're wearing your dresses way too high,
It's reported you've been drinkin', and runnin' round with men and going wild. And we don't believe you oughtta be bringin' up your little girl this way."
and it was signed by the secretary, Harper Valley PTA
Well it happened that the PTA was gonna meet that very afternoon
and they were sure surprised when Mrs. Johnson wore her mini skirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard I can still recall the words she had to say
She said, "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA.
Well there's Bobby Taylor sitting there and 7 times he's asked me for a date
and Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice whenever he's away
and Mr. Baker can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town?
and shouldn't Widow Jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down?
Well Mr. Harper couldn't be here cause he stayed too long at Kelly's Bar again
and if you smell Shirley Thompson's breath you'll find she had a little nip of gin and then you have the nerve to tell me you think as a mother I'm unfit
well this is just a little Peyton Place and you're all Harper Valley hypocrites
No, I wouldn't put you on because it really did
it happened just this way
the day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
the day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA!"

That’s right, I bought this album and I don’t care what you think. For your information I've even done this ditty on karaoke. The cool thing (yes cool) about this album is Harper Valley PTA isn’t a compilation album; this is the actual album that was released in 1968 right after the single hit #1 on country and pop. I have been looking for this song for ages, I love the whole hypocrites telling someone they should change storyline and the fact the woman gets even with them all is killer, I imagine particularly in conservative middle America circa 1968. The album’s highlight is of course the single, but what’s interesting is there are four other songs on here where characters from the title track show up – it’s almost a concept albums of sorts. “Widow Jones” is the first to show up and we get to find out about her life including how all the boys and men in town know about a woman’s anatomy because of her nightly shows; later “Sippin’ Shirley Thompson” is around to let us know why she’s always taking sips of that gin, “Mr. Harper” also shows up for some fun. But the other songs are just as interesting in that countrified story song way I like so much. The one other killer track and I mean it literally is “Ballad Of Louise” where Jeanne cries about her cheating man and Louise, it goes exactly where you expect it to when we find her behind bars and “tomorrow they’ll bury Louise.” I love this kind of crap. To think it all began with the little title track which was written by Tom T. Hall who was apparently something of a great genius in the late 60s/early 70s though I always confuse him with that mushroomed face, oh what’s the name, oh yeah Tillis, Mel Tillis that’s who I confuse with Tom T. Hall but then I confuse Mel Tillis with Porter Waggoner; perhaps I need to rent me some Hee Haw and get my facts straight.

THE LASHES - Get It (2006; Columbia/Red Ink)
Perhaps I'm just in a mood but this album is really kicking it for me as we speak. I first discoverd The Lashes when I was going through the bargain bin CDs at Amoeba and found a single from the band for $1. I had never heard of them and saw that they were on Lookout! Records, a label which launched two of my fav bands - Green Day and Pansy Division, so I plucked that buck down and wasn't disappointed, it was fun pop/punk, the kind of thing that all the kids are listening to nowadays. A while later I found out they got a big time deal and an album being released. I bought it the day it came out and played it once. It didn't do much for me, but maybe it's all the OK Go I've been listening to, or the fact that after hearing Evanescence, a little rock and roll was just the ticket. Either way from the opening riffs of "New Best Friend" I am in the Lashes mode, the gyrating rock of "Daddy's Little Girl" and "Sometimes The Sun" make me feel giddy about old rock bands gone by like Journey and the like. The harmony vocals on "Wanna Girl" and the humor yet insightful "The Needs More Love Letters" combine this feisty group into a hybrid of Cheap Trick and a more subdued Green Day, I guess kind of a combo to go with the likes of OK Go - though instead of the OK Go organs, the Lashes are pure on the guitar aspects of rock and roll. All in all, a pretty fun and happy little CD if you come across it in the bargain bin, which I have a feeling will actually happen.

THE KILLERS – Sam’s Town (Island; 2006)
First, I have two probs with this album; one is the fact that they open the album with the title track then have a little acoustic styled track ‘enterlude’ which you would think is the beginning of the albm as the last cut is ‘exitlude’ and is basically just a reprise, so why put a full song on before the ‘enterlude’? And the second is there aren’t any lyrics in it, and if they want me to sing along, and I know they do, then they should give me a lyric sheet. Okay, with that off my chest, I like this album. I don’t love it, it’s not going on my top ten lsit of all times, but it definitely is better than a lot of the stuff that has not only been released lately but that I’ve actually bought. I definitely love the energy of Sam’s Town, and the kick off single “When You Were Young” actually makes me quite giddy. The pseudo classic style of “For Reasons Unknown” and the music build up to the end is pretty thrilling and reminds me of many bands before. “Read My Mind” is probably one of my favorite tracks on the album, and again has that sort of retro feel. Supposedly influenced by Springsteen this time around, Brandon Flowers’ vocals remind me more of classic singer Roy Orbison than Springsteen’s growl and even the music doesn’t seem as Springsteen-ish as it does 80’s rock/new wave people like The Fixx or even INXS. Of course there’s a little more rock steam in these pipes than INXS and that comes through on almost every song even the ballads like “My List” which I like a lot as well. The winding guitar loops of “Uncle Jonny” and Flowers’ voice is cool and once again it reminds me of songs that have come before. In fact, almost every song reminds me of someone else and it becomes a tad distracting trying to figure out who they sound like in each song. Oh well, I guess I’ll just keeping playing Sam’s Town until I have all the answers I need.

exitlude

Thursday, October 05, 2006

So Lost

Last night was the season premiere of "LOST" and as usual, that's exactly how I felt once it was over, but I have to admit I really love the show. Every year there's more and more mysteries unfolding and who knows how long they can keep us guessing. The whole thing started with some new character perplexed and crying as she puts on some Petula Clark and the "Downtown" single makes her smile; but as this mystery woman burns her digits on her muffins I have to wonder who she is and where she is. A whole slew of people pop into her house for the book club where some are stunned she is reading Stephen King instead of high art but it's all thrown to the crapper when an earthquake (or so we think) hits, as the group runs out into their little village we discover these are the others and they aren't living so secluded and strangley as we originally thought.

From there the woes of Jack, Kate and Sawyer are played out with Kate meeting Henry Gale who is now Ben, it's all so confusing yet so riveting. Though I have to admit Jack as a pseudo ex-wife stalker makes him look like a big tit baby and that's not how I like my lost boys.. we'll have to stay tuned to see what all happens next though the Leivas admitted he doesn't know how many more years he can handle never knowing what's really going on. You'd think all these years with me would've made him prepared for such a thing, but oh well...

and speaking of lost and the Leivas, it looks like once again we will not be able to say "I Do" in that oh so desired traditional sense as once again the courts of California have said it isn't discrimantion by not allowing gays and lesbians to get married. In their corner, I will admit the benefits that California gives to domestic partners are quite nice, and are ALMOST the same as those given to married couples; however, the few that remain that are not included in the domestic partner package include a huge tax break, and the like. Basically anything that would cause the state to lose money. In fact if you look really closely at the facts, the government isn't afraid that gays are going to get married and wreak havoc on the "Institution of Traditional Marriage" as much as they're worried about the amounts of millions and millions of dollars they'll lose in taxes should so many more people get married. But of course they are able to use the religion and not so informed biases of low brow America to convince their constitutents otherwise.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

It's Bootiful

A new Halloween compilation from Flexible Records is coming soon! That's right, another batch of ooky, spooky and all around kooky music from a variety of sources including Swivek. We created yet another original to celebrate Brad's favorite holiday. This time around, an electric electic ditty called "Stalker" so stay tuned as more news comes around from the gals at Flexible Records.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Boob Tube

As many of you know the Leivas loves his television and now that we are officially into the new fall season, we are once again on our sofa spending quality time together. Of course he spends more time with the sofa and remote than I do but there are a few things out there I've been watching...

of course my hottie Winchester boys of the new CW's Supernatural are back and this week they go after killer clowns, so I'm very stoked about that.

I've also been attached to Vanished, which gained my attention by putting Queer As Folk's Brian in the same show with my ultra fav Rebecca Gayheart.

and my new ultimate favorite is a little show called Ugly Betty. If you didn't catch the premiere last Thursday, I'm sure they'll have a little catch up at the beginning. The story is all about poor Betty from Queens, played by the brilliant America Ferrara. Betty wants to own her own magazine someday but first she has to put up with the superficial and back stabbing people at Mode Fashion Mag. The pilot episode was like a mini movie and I loved every single second - don't miss it.

And when we're not watching the regularly scheduled programs, we have two Netflix accounts to sift through. So this weekend I tried to catch up. The first movie was 1984's Streets Of Fire, which was actually really really good. Set in 'another place, another time' it's the fairy table rock n roll fable of a rock singer whose abducted by bikers so it's up to her ex-boyfriend, manager and a female 'soldier' to get her out of William DeFoe's clutches.
Filmed with neon, backstreets full of motorcycles and fires, and all the vehicles and people out of a mushroom laced "happy days" episode - its the 80s meets the 50s, but it was filmed really well and I liked the 80s songs. It's really something to see. I highly recommend it.

I also found a little gem called The Great Spider Invasion from 1974. Now I love crazy animals gone bad movies and this one was set in Northern Wisconsin so I really wanted to see it. The only way to find this rental however is as one of the Mystery Science 3000 DVDs but that's okay cuz that man and his robots crack me up. While watching this 'classic' they cut to a scene at 'Gleason Days' and I was stoked as the spiders paraded through Gleason as it's a real town between Wausau and Rhinelander. As the film progressed I wondered aloud if it was really shot in my old neck of the woods and what do you know thanx were given to the Sheriff Departments in Wausau, Wisconsin and to the Nicolet College in Rhinelander and "filmed entirely in Wiconsin" aired. I thought it was cool.

Meanwhile the Leivas'choice was a strange and freaky film called Silent Hill which is based on a series of video games. It was a creepy enough film and full of strange and unusual 'monsters' but it was long and drawn out and I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing. The ending was strange but I had a feeling it would be. Perhaps someone more closely in touch with the video game could tell me what exactly all of it meant.