Shoes- "Boys Don't Lie" Power pop recorded in a living room in the late 70s. I usually dig this kind of stuff, but these guys just don't do it for me. It just all feels very lifeless, which kinda kills the whole "power" part of the equation.
Eminem- "My Name Is" Funny stuff. I used to think it was "Hi My Name is...Mancini", which I like much much better than the dull moniker "Slim Shady". This guy is (was?) a brilliant songwriter.
Aretha Franklin- "Dr. Feelgood" Every song on the album I Never Loved a Man the Way That I Loved You packs quite the emotional wallop. This one is no exception.
Jeff Buckley- "Calling You (Live)" A Jevetta Steele cover from Live at Sin-e. The best voice in music to come along in ages. It's a shame we never got to find out what would happen when his songwriting skill caught up with his vocal gift. This is a beautiful performance. I'd give anything to have been sipping my coffee when this dude set up and blew the minds of the patrons at Sin-e. That's why this is one of the great live albums...you hear people milling about at a Greenwich Village coffee joint, then some mic check...then a dude rhytmically clapping, then THE VOICE, stunning the crowd and demanding attention. It's as close to a religious moment as I've ever heard, and it is hard to imagine how unforgettable this was for everyone who ever stumbled upon him back in his early days.
R.E.M.- "Drive" This came out at the height of my R.E.M. obsession. This creepy, chilling rewrite of David Essex's "Rock On" has really grown on me in the past 18 years. It's such a frightening track to open the album Automatic for the People, but I guess that's the point. Everything goes to slow motion when I hear this song, and it just feels like the end. That's morbid and depressing, but to get that from hearing a tune is rare. These guys really were the great American band for a long, long time. They aren't cranking out classics anymore, but there transformation into a great arena rock band is yet another part of their underdog dream story. Get Murmur. Get Document. Get Life's Rich Pageant. Get Reckoning. Get Out of Time. Get Automatic for the People.
PJ Harvey- "Rid of Me" This features some of Steve Albini's best production techniques. Harvey coos in the sexiest damn voice quietly for the first couple of minutes and then BOOM~! she and the band explode and rock my world to the point that I have to lick my injuries. This critic's darling deserves much more commercial success. A great voice, lots of attitude, and a fearlessness that more artists should have.
Joe Jackson- "Down to London" True story: At age 14, I used to listen to the album Blaze of Glory every night while I did my math homework. Yes, I was a Joe Jackson fan early on. This was a fantastic tune then, and it still is.
Talking Heads- "Once in a Lifetime" It's hard to hear this and not picture the insane video...This is the centerpiece of their incredibly revolutionary album, Remain in Light, which cooks up a polyrhythmic funky weirdo rock sound that was unlike anything else ever done. It still sounds like it's music made by people on another planet. MY GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?
James Brown- "Lost Someone" I'm used to the live version from Live at the Apollo. Before he got FUNKY, he could crank out ballads this great effortlessly. I prefer the live version because of the women's screams that punctuate each sung lyric.
ESG- "Come Away" This all girl band use bass, drums, and vocal chants to create an intoxicating hip hop/new wave sound. Minimalist greatness from one of the great albums of the 1980s, Come Away With ESG. It's one of those albums that you can play as background music, can shake your ass to, and can just listen to on headphones and get lost in the simplistic fun grooves over and over again.
Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton- "Islands on the Stream" Ugh.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Saturday, February 06, 2010
JACK ON THE ROX
GLASS #1: Oops, sorry about the ALL CAPS thing. I'm like a parallel universe ee cummings...FF EJACULATES~!
Hey, not everything I type is going to be comedy gold, so give me a break. I've been staring at walls for awhile.
The only good thing about blizzards like this is that local television news actually becomes relevant and highly entertaining once again. I have a special appetite for the everyman in Hampden with the extremely thick Bawlmer accent. This is why I listen to 105.7 the FAN religiously.
So, in case you can't tell, I'm sober....but I'm beginning to smile as I sip my concoction.
Today, I listened to a 4 hour interview with Lanny Poffo, watched some local TV coverage of the storm, and then caught the end of a 2001 film starring Robert Redford, James Gandolfini and Mark Ruffalo. Redford was a prisoner in a military prison, Tony Soprano was the evil warden, and Ruffalo was the in between prisoner...Gandolfini is an incredibly effective villain. Redford, well, he's ROBERT REDFORD...he just commands trust and respect effortlessly...and to me, Mark Ruffalo is the most underused talent in film...he is captivating to a high degree. The movie itself? I don't know...I just saw the big finale, which was pretty good.
Lanny Poffo? He seems like such a good guy that he comes across as kind of creepy. Hard to Explain. I still have no idea what his brother, Randy Savage is actually like as a human being.
I hope anyone reading this is either safely tucked away in this blizzard or FAR, FAR AWAY from the east coast.
Hey, not everything I type is going to be comedy gold, so give me a break. I've been staring at walls for awhile.
The only good thing about blizzards like this is that local television news actually becomes relevant and highly entertaining once again. I have a special appetite for the everyman in Hampden with the extremely thick Bawlmer accent. This is why I listen to 105.7 the FAN religiously.
So, in case you can't tell, I'm sober....but I'm beginning to smile as I sip my concoction.
Today, I listened to a 4 hour interview with Lanny Poffo, watched some local TV coverage of the storm, and then caught the end of a 2001 film starring Robert Redford, James Gandolfini and Mark Ruffalo. Redford was a prisoner in a military prison, Tony Soprano was the evil warden, and Ruffalo was the in between prisoner...Gandolfini is an incredibly effective villain. Redford, well, he's ROBERT REDFORD...he just commands trust and respect effortlessly...and to me, Mark Ruffalo is the most underused talent in film...he is captivating to a high degree. The movie itself? I don't know...I just saw the big finale, which was pretty good.
Lanny Poffo? He seems like such a good guy that he comes across as kind of creepy. Hard to Explain. I still have no idea what his brother, Randy Savage is actually like as a human being.
I hope anyone reading this is either safely tucked away in this blizzard or FAR, FAR AWAY from the east coast.
Monday, February 01, 2010
I normally would be pissy today...
After a fine dinner and an introductory viewing of Family Guy with my mother, I headed home Friday night, only to wake up to a WINTER WONDERLAND.
Thanks to the conditions outside, the mice of Horn Point Drive invaded my kitchen, which used to send me screaming and freaking out like a little bitch, but now, I keep my screaming and freaking out like a little bitch to a shocked monotone "ahhhhh" and then head in another direction. Or, I walk through the ktichen with blinders on. Oh, they are also somehow able to get on the porch. I spent the entire weekend pretty much in my bed knocked out, not wanting to face the chance that mice had gotten access to my sleeping quarters (which I've never refered to as "sleeping quarters" before, but I will from now on).
I didn't dig my car out Sunday, thanks to the worst headache I recall ever having, and I only left the house to come out to meet the Pizza Boli's delivery guy in the early evening to fetch my cheesesteak (lettuce, mayo, ketchup, mustard, fried onions, hot peppers).
After 13 hours of sleep last night, I woke up this morning felling rested, but completely out of my already disorganized and missplaced mind.
I easily cleared off my car, grabbed a heavy duty latte with cocaine like levels of espresso, made it to the office on time, and spent an hour trying to get my work brain working again.
Thankfully, it took an hour, and I was back in business, but work is the usual chaotic world today.
I'm taking deep breaths, and I'm going to take care of one thing at a time, and nothing shall phase me...why? Because no mice are in this office.
Mice of the world, if you are reading this, GET THE HELL OUT OF MY KITCHEN.
Pees out,
Little Bitch Adam
Thanks to the conditions outside, the mice of Horn Point Drive invaded my kitchen, which used to send me screaming and freaking out like a little bitch, but now, I keep my screaming and freaking out like a little bitch to a shocked monotone "ahhhhh" and then head in another direction. Or, I walk through the ktichen with blinders on. Oh, they are also somehow able to get on the porch. I spent the entire weekend pretty much in my bed knocked out, not wanting to face the chance that mice had gotten access to my sleeping quarters (which I've never refered to as "sleeping quarters" before, but I will from now on).
I didn't dig my car out Sunday, thanks to the worst headache I recall ever having, and I only left the house to come out to meet the Pizza Boli's delivery guy in the early evening to fetch my cheesesteak (lettuce, mayo, ketchup, mustard, fried onions, hot peppers).
After 13 hours of sleep last night, I woke up this morning felling rested, but completely out of my already disorganized and missplaced mind.
I easily cleared off my car, grabbed a heavy duty latte with cocaine like levels of espresso, made it to the office on time, and spent an hour trying to get my work brain working again.
Thankfully, it took an hour, and I was back in business, but work is the usual chaotic world today.
I'm taking deep breaths, and I'm going to take care of one thing at a time, and nothing shall phase me...why? Because no mice are in this office.
Mice of the world, if you are reading this, GET THE HELL OUT OF MY KITCHEN.
Pees out,
Little Bitch Adam
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Adam's iPod Shuffle- Radio Free Richman
Slade- Far Far Away
Jacques Brel- Marieke
Galaxie 500- Another Day
Liliput- Nice
The Byrds- Eight Miles High
The Who- Sally Simpson
Moby Grape- Rounder
Modest Mouse- Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
Nouvelle Vogue- Dancing With Myself
The Flaming Lips- Gemini Syringes
Peter Frampton- I'm In You
Alexander "Skip" Spence- To Think You And I
The Replacements- I Will Dare (Live at CBGBs 1984)
Butthole Surfers- Julio Iglesias
Jacques Brel- Marieke
Galaxie 500- Another Day
Liliput- Nice
The Byrds- Eight Miles High
The Who- Sally Simpson
Moby Grape- Rounder
Modest Mouse- Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
Nouvelle Vogue- Dancing With Myself
The Flaming Lips- Gemini Syringes
Peter Frampton- I'm In You
Alexander "Skip" Spence- To Think You And I
The Replacements- I Will Dare (Live at CBGBs 1984)
Butthole Surfers- Julio Iglesias
Friday, January 22, 2010
The best songs of 1980
THE CLASSICS:
AC/DC- YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
KURTIS BLOW- THE BREAKS
THE CLASH- TRAIN IN VAIN (STAND BY ME)
THE CLASH- LONDON CALLING
THE CLASH- CLAMPDOWN
THE CLASH- BANKROBBER
THE CLASH- RUDIE CAN’T FAIL
THE CURE- A FOREST
DEAD KENNEDYS- KILL THE POOR
BILLY JOEL- SOMETIMES A FANTASY
BILLY JOEL- ALL FOR LEYNA
JOY DIVISION- LOVE WILL TEAR US APART
JOY DIVISION- ATMOSPHERE
JOHN LENNON-(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER
MISSION OF BURMA- ACADEMY FIGHT SONG
OZZY OSBOURNE- CRAZY TRAIN
PINK FLOYD- COMFORTABLY NUMB
PRINCE- WHEN U WERE MINE
RAMONES- I WANNA BE SEDATED
DIANA ROSS- UPSIDE DOWN
FRANK SINATRA-(THEME FROM) NEW YORK, NEW YORK
SPLIT ENZ- I GOT YOU
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN- HUNGRY HEART
U2- I WILL FOLLOW
THE WAITRESSES- I KNOW WHAT BOYS LIKE
Honorable Mention:
ABBA- THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL
AC/DC- BACK IN BLACK
AC/DC- HELLS BELLS
BAD BRAINS- PAY TO CUM
THE BEAT (ENGLISH BEAT)- MIRROR IN THE BATHROOM
PAT BENATAR- HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
BLONDIE- CALL ME
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND HIS MAGIC BAND- HOT HEAD
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND HIS MAGIC BAND- ASHTRAY HEART
CLIMAX BLUES BAND- I LOVE YOU
THE DB'S- BLACK AND WHITE
DEVO- WHIP IT
ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN- DO IT CLEAN
FUNKY FOUR PLUS ONE- THAT’S THE JOINT
PETER GABRIEL- GAMES WITHOUT FRONTIERS
GENERATION X FEAT. BILLY IDOL- DANCING WITH MYSELF
J. GEILS BAND- LOVE STINKS
MICHAEL JACKSON- SHE’S OUT OF MY LIFE
JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS- BAD REPUTATION
BILLY JOEL- YOU MAY BE RIGHT
ELTON JOHN- LITTLE JEANNIE
JOURNEY- ANY WAY YOU WANT IT
JUDAS PRIEST- BREAKING THE LAW
KLEENEX- DIE MATROSEN
KOOL AND THE GANG- CELEBRATION
BOB MARLEY- REDEMPTION SONG
BOB MARLEY- COULD YOU BE LOVED
STEPHANIE MILLS- NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE
MOTORHEAD- ACE OF SPADES
OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN AND ELO- XANADU
OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN- MAGIC
OMD- ENOLA GAY
TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS- REFUGEE
PINK FLOYD- RUN LIKE HELL
POINTER SISTERS- HE’S SO SHY
THE POLICE- DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME
PRINCE- WHY YOU WANNA TREAT ME SO BAD?
PRINCE- HEAD
PRINCE- PARTYUP
QUEEN- ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
THE RAMONES- DO YOU REMEMBER ROCK AND ROLL RADIO?
DIANA ROSS- I’M COMING OUT
RUSH- FREEWILL
THE SOFT BOYS- I WANNA DESTROY YOU
SQUEEZE- PULLING MUSSELS FROM A SHELL
BARBRA STREISAND- WOMAN IN LOVE
TALKING HEADS- I ZIMBRA
TAKING HEADS- CROSSEYED AND PAINLESS
TALKING HEADS- BORN UNDER PUNCHES
THE VAPORS- TURNING JAPANESE
X- JOHNNY HIT AND RUN PAULENE
X- NAUSEA
X- WHITE GIRL
YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS- EATING NODDEMIX
YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS- CREDIT IN THE STRAIGHT WORLD
And then, there was also:
AMBROSIA- BIGGEST PART OF ME
AMBROSIA- MORE THAN I CAN SAY
IRENE CARA- FAME
CHRISTOPHER CROSS- NEVER BE THE SAME
ELMO AND PATSY- GRANDMA GOT RUN OVER BY A REINDEER
LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY- LOVE SENSATION
WAYLON JENNINGS- THEME FROM DUKES OF HAZZARD
JOURNEY- WHEEL IN THE SKY
LAKESIDE- FANTASTIC VOYAGE
MANHATTANS- SHINING STAR
BENNY MARDONES- INTO THE NIGHT
BETTE MIDLER- THE ROSE
QUEEN- FLASH
LINDA RONSTADT- HURT SO BAD
JOHN WILLIAMS- THE IMPERIAL MARCH (DARTH VADER’S THEME)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
I had the most depressing realization today at Giant
I went straight to Giant to get some stuff after work. I started going to this Giant in the Bay Ridge Shopping Center when I moved to Annapolis in 1992 following my parents split, so I had this bizarre wave of nostalgia hit me:
As horrible and jarring to my system the split was, it coincided with my first tastes of independence: I was a newly licensed driver, so I could flee the scene anytime I needed to (and since I was living with my mother and the man she inexplicably ended up with, I fled OFTEN). I would sometimes go to this Giant to get food/whatever.
Comparing today's Giant to my memories from back then, I realized: there were a lot less people on the roads, in the grocery store, and everything seemed so new and exciting. Today, the store was packed, it was wall to wall miserable people, etc.
Ladies and Gentlemen: The 1990s may have been the best time of our lives, and we totally didn't even recognize it then.
THAT is depressing.
As horrible and jarring to my system the split was, it coincided with my first tastes of independence: I was a newly licensed driver, so I could flee the scene anytime I needed to (and since I was living with my mother and the man she inexplicably ended up with, I fled OFTEN). I would sometimes go to this Giant to get food/whatever.
Comparing today's Giant to my memories from back then, I realized: there were a lot less people on the roads, in the grocery store, and everything seemed so new and exciting. Today, the store was packed, it was wall to wall miserable people, etc.
Ladies and Gentlemen: The 1990s may have been the best time of our lives, and we totally didn't even recognize it then.
THAT is depressing.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Scary Truth
Democrats in Washington D.C. suck.
Scarier: The Republicans in D.C. are EVEN WORSE.
We need more options!
Adam Richman 4 President, Toga Party '12
Scarier: The Republicans in D.C. are EVEN WORSE.
We need more options!
Adam Richman 4 President, Toga Party '12
Entrance Music
I have two core beliefs: 1. Everyone should write their memoirs at some point in their life.
and 2. We all should have entrance music.
Let's talk about entrance music--
I think everyone should have a song of their choosing that hits right as they are about to walk into a room, so that everyone already in the room gets to feel the POWER of the new entrants arrival.
They do this in professional wrestling, why not in everyday life? (This question applies also to hitting people with chairs, turning from good to evil, cutting our own foreheads to get sympathy from onlookers as blood pours down our faces, and many other valuable life lessons)
I think for my entrance music, it needs to be something that people feel, that sort of makes me seem like a bad ass mofo: So, I'm thinking either ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" or Sade's "Smooth Operator" or LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out".
and 2. We all should have entrance music.
Let's talk about entrance music--
I think everyone should have a song of their choosing that hits right as they are about to walk into a room, so that everyone already in the room gets to feel the POWER of the new entrants arrival.
They do this in professional wrestling, why not in everyday life? (This question applies also to hitting people with chairs, turning from good to evil, cutting our own foreheads to get sympathy from onlookers as blood pours down our faces, and many other valuable life lessons)
I think for my entrance music, it needs to be something that people feel, that sort of makes me seem like a bad ass mofo: So, I'm thinking either ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" or Sade's "Smooth Operator" or LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out".
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