I hung out with my old pal Andy Duvall.
We went to Borders in search of a Delaware calendar. No luck.
Stopped in at Compusa to check out GPS systems. Then picked up some rubbermaid tubs at Lowe's.
Then we headed up to Jimmy John's on Rt. 202 for some pip'n hot sandwiches.
Andy had two cheese dogs and two birch beers. We split a big ol' tub of fries. I just had two plain dogs.
We heard Van Halen, Led Zeppelin and Greg Kihn on the radio in Jimmy John's.
Then we went to another Borders and a clerk made very rude comments about Delaware when we asked about a calendar.
It made Andy VERY mad and he couldn't believe a clerk could be so ignorant.
I'm used to people saying dumb things, so it didn't really phase me.
Finally we drove up to Philly airport and I dropped him off.
He got on a plane and went back to San Francisco.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to visit him in California soon.
McG on Michael Richards racism controversy
In case you're looking for them, here are my thoughts on the Michael Richards (a.k.a. Kramer) racism deal:
McG talks Michael Richards racism on The Big Talker 10 p.m. tonight
MEDIA ALERT: I'll be on The Big Talker 1210 AM tonight at 10:00 p.m., discussing the Michael Richards racism controversy with Dom Giordano.
MEDIA ALERT: I'll be on The Big Talker 1210 AM tonight at 10:00 p.m., discussing the Michael Richards racism controversy with Dom Giordano.
Dom called me after reading my article, "Defending Michael Richards (a.k.a. Kramer)."
If you're not in the Philly market, you can listen online.
I hope Dom lets some callers get in on the segment and mix it up with me.
Here are the call-in phone numbers:
Philadelphia: (215) 839-1210
Suburbs: (610) 664-1210
New Jersey: (856) 541-1210
Cellular: #1210
Pre-wedding busy
The pace has been picking up lately, as my wedding date is near.
This Saturday is the big day.
I did manage to do some pet therapy this weekend and hit the Farmer's Market.
Pet therapy was OK - Augie went and he was a bit overwhelmed as we went to a new facility with lots of activity, sounds, smells and people walking around. Still, it was a positive visit.
On the Farmer's Market side of things, I picked up a Sonny Stitt LP, two Stan Kenton 10"s and a CD with Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Benny Carter on it.
Still listening to a lot of jazz. My latest purchase was Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage."
The pace has been picking up lately, as my wedding date is near.
This Saturday is the big day.
I did manage to do some pet therapy this weekend and hit the Farmer's Market.
Pet therapy was OK - Augie went and he was a bit overwhelmed as we went to a new facility with lots of activity, sounds, smells and people walking around. Still, it was a positive visit.
On the Farmer's Market side of things, I picked up a Sonny Stitt LP, two Stan Kenton 10"s and a CD with Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Benny Carter on it.
Still listening to a lot of jazz. My latest purchase was Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage."
McG on books
I've bought quite a few books lately for my upcoming getaway. Plus I've been reading two books that have captured my fancy.
"An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories
" edited by Ivan Brunetti is a well-assembled collection of the best off-the-beaten-path comic artists and illustrators. All the usual suspects such as Chris Ware, R. Crumb, Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez and Daniel Clowes are here as well as several lesser-known folks such as John Porcellino, Mark Beyer and Richard McGuire.
I'm about 50 pages into "So What: The Life of Miles Davis" and think it's pretty right on. It seems well researched, the writing is more factual than presumptuous and it's a compelling story. I'm only up to the beginning of Miles' career, but it's already a captivating read. It's matching my recent delving into Miles' music with "Sketches of Spain," "Blue Note Vol. 3 10,"" "Blue Haze" and "In a Silent Way"
Also picked up a contradictory lot of the serene and the insane:
Tommy Chong - The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint
Allan MacDonell - Prisoner of X: 20 Years in the Hole at Hustler Magazine
Answer Me - The First Three
Paramahansa Yogananda - Inner Peace
Shannon Duncan - Present Moment Awareness
Thich Nhat Hanh - Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames
It's tough for me to sit down, relax and really get into a book these days ... but I'm trying.
I've bought quite a few books lately for my upcoming getaway. Plus I've been reading two books that have captured my fancy."An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories
" edited by Ivan Brunetti is a well-assembled collection of the best off-the-beaten-path comic artists and illustrators. All the usual suspects such as Chris Ware, R. Crumb, Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez and Daniel Clowes are here as well as several lesser-known folks such as John Porcellino, Mark Beyer and Richard McGuire.I'm about 50 pages into "So What: The Life of Miles Davis
" and think it's pretty right on. It seems well researched, the writing is more factual than presumptuous and it's a compelling story. I'm only up to the beginning of Miles' career, but it's already a captivating read. It's matching my recent delving into Miles' music with "Sketches of Spain," "Blue Note Vol. 3 10,"" "Blue Haze" and "In a Silent Way"Also picked up a contradictory lot of the serene and the insane:
Tommy Chong - The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint
Allan MacDonell - Prisoner of X: 20 Years in the Hole at Hustler Magazine
Answer Me - The First Three
Paramahansa Yogananda - Inner Peace
Shannon Duncan - Present Moment Awareness
Thich Nhat Hanh - Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames
It's tough for me to sit down, relax and really get into a book these days ... but I'm trying.
McG's jazz vinyl finds
It's been a good season for hunting for and finding jazz LPs. I'm slowly rebuilding portions of the collection I had to sell for cash several years back.
Anyway, last weekend I scored a crapload of great albums including several Blue Note and Impulse titles. Some were reissues (OK by me) and some were original pressings. Finds included:
Gene Ammons - "Up Tight!"
Thelonious Monk - "Monk's Blues"
Ahmad Jamal - "The Awakening"
Charlie Mingus - "Blues & Roots"
Hank Mobley - "Workout"
Grachan Moncur III - "Evolution"
Nina Simone - "Silk & Soul"
Miles Davis - "Kind of Blue"
Miles Davis - "Blue Haze"
Miles Davis - "In a Silent Way"
Miles Davis - "Porgy and Bess"
Sonny Rollins - "On Impulse!"
John Coltrane Quartet - "Ballads"
The Charles Lloyd Quartet - "Dream Weaver"
The Modern Jazz Quartet - "Odds Against Tomorrow (sdtrk)"
... and several more!
I have plans to hang out with my friend Dean this Sunday; we're gonna listen to some of these LPs as well as some Bud Powell LPs I picked up for a him - he's a huge Powell fan.
Tonight I showed him this video of Bud Powell playing "Get Happy" and he totally dug it.
I showed it to him on my iPod and he asked, "Where did you get this thing?" as he marveled what is a truly cool gadget.
I'm gonna show him this amazing video of Clifford Brown playing two songs with a brief interview on The Soupy Sales Show.
He's not even going to believe such a video exists!
It's been a good season for hunting for and finding jazz LPs. I'm slowly rebuilding portions of the collection I had to sell for cash several years back.
Anyway, last weekend I scored a crapload of great albums including several Blue Note and Impulse titles. Some were reissues (OK by me) and some were original pressings. Finds included:
Gene Ammons - "Up Tight!"
Thelonious Monk - "Monk's Blues"
Ahmad Jamal - "The Awakening"
Charlie Mingus - "Blues & Roots"
Hank Mobley - "Workout"
Grachan Moncur III - "Evolution"
Nina Simone - "Silk & Soul"
Miles Davis - "Kind of Blue"
Miles Davis - "Blue Haze"
Miles Davis - "In a Silent Way"
Miles Davis - "Porgy and Bess"
Sonny Rollins - "On Impulse!"
John Coltrane Quartet - "Ballads"
The Charles Lloyd Quartet - "Dream Weaver"
The Modern Jazz Quartet - "Odds Against Tomorrow (sdtrk)"
... and several more!
I have plans to hang out with my friend Dean this Sunday; we're gonna listen to some of these LPs as well as some Bud Powell LPs I picked up for a him - he's a huge Powell fan.
Tonight I showed him this video of Bud Powell playing "Get Happy" and he totally dug it.
I showed it to him on my iPod and he asked, "Where did you get this thing?" as he marveled what is a truly cool gadget.
I'm gonna show him this amazing video of Clifford Brown playing two songs with a brief interview on The Soupy Sales Show.
He's not even going to believe such a video exists!
'American Hardcore' coming to Theatre N?
I recently e-mailed the good folks at Theatre N and asked if they could line up a screening of the punk documentary 'American Hardcore.' Here's their response:
"[We've] put the request in for the film to our film distributor in New
York. They're going to check to see if we can do a special screening of
it- probably just one or two shows. We get a lot of films from Sony
Classics, so they may do it."
Hell yeah. Thanks Theatre N!
I recently e-mailed the good folks at Theatre N and asked if they could line up a screening of the punk documentary 'American Hardcore.' Here's their response:
"[We've] put the request in for the film to our film distributor in New
York. They're going to check to see if we can do a special screening of
it- probably just one or two shows. We get a lot of films from Sony
Classics, so they may do it."
Hell yeah. Thanks Theatre N!
Farmer's Market finds
Didn't end up going to Dewey Beach for Greyhounds Reach the Beach due to weather and Kelly was sick.
I did pick up a few things at the Farmer's Market:
Kraftwerk - "Trans Europe Express" LP
Louis Armstrong - "Here's Louis Armstrong" LP
Donald Byrd & Pepper Adams - "Motor City" CD
All that for $5.00!
I got Crow's LP "Bloody Tear" in the mail today. Listening now. Some nice Japanese punk with mid-tempo thrashing and howling vocals. Many in MRR said this would be punk album of the year.
My bet for best punk LP this year would be Government Warning's "No Moderation." The drumming is just spectacular in its intensity and tightness.
Didn't end up going to Dewey Beach for Greyhounds Reach the Beach due to weather and Kelly was sick.
I did pick up a few things at the Farmer's Market:
Kraftwerk - "Trans Europe Express" LP
Louis Armstrong - "Here's Louis Armstrong" LP
Donald Byrd & Pepper Adams - "Motor City" CD
All that for $5.00!
I got Crow's LP "Bloody Tear" in the mail today. Listening now. Some nice Japanese punk with mid-tempo thrashing and howling vocals. Many in MRR said this would be punk album of the year.
My bet for best punk LP this year would be Government Warning's "No Moderation." The drumming is just spectacular in its intensity and tightness.
Talking about punk, hardcore
Two quick links:
Film Threat discusses 'American Hardcore'
The Village Voice writes up punk mp3 blogs
Two quick links:
Film Threat discusses 'American Hardcore'
The Village Voice writes up punk mp3 blogs
