12.25
Merry Christmas
It’s a scrapbook, collage and walk-down-memory-lane type of post
Collected especially for you, some moments from some of my favorite holiday shows.
I have a soft spot in my heart for The Muppets and, truth be told, John Denver as well. When The Muppet Christmas Special came out I was in heaven. This is one of my favorite pieces of the show.
The ever informative Merlin Mann has a little history about the song on offer over at his blog.
Bing and David. ’nuff said. If you have never seen or heard of this little gem, well, it may be time to crawl out from underneath that rock. Sorry, momentary loss of holiday charity. Won’t happen again.
When it comes to The Grinch, the animated holiday special? The Best.
And, then, of course, there is Linus who explains the whole deal to poor ol’ Charlie Brown in another great holiday classic …
Have a happy holiday season.
11.29
Satchmo Turns
Mostly, technological advancement is a good thing. The internet, flu shots, the iPod, sliced bread … all are fine examples. On the other hand, technological knowhow, when it falls into the wrong hands, produces nothing but misery and suffering. Things like PCBs, the nuclear bomb and … well … Kenny G’s hack job of Louis Armstrong’s Classic ”What a Wonderful World” ..
Butchery, sheer butchery. There are examples of this sort of technology used for good. This cut and paste hatchet job by Mr. G. is not one of them. I tell ya, Satchmo is turning in his grave.
A footnote: if any legally interested parties – that doesn’t mean mere lovers of Mr. G. — wish this song removed, please feel free to contact me using the link in the footer of this — and every — page
11.24
The Value of Expertise
Malcolm Gladwell, in a typically wide-ranging talk, spoke at, of all places, an AIGA sponsored design conference on the lessons, in creativity, one can glean from the music careers of Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles. Oh yeah, he also has a new book out.
9.6
Letters & Numbers @ El Rio 9/3/08 - 13
Letters & Numbers @ El Rio 9/3/08 - 13
There are more photos to be had and Letters & Numbers has a home on the web as well.
Letters & Numbers @ El Rio 9/3/08 - 60
Letters & Numbers @ El Rio 9/3/08 - 60
There are more photos to be had and Letters & Numbers has a home on the web as well.
8.20
A Cold War Kids Teaser
Finally! The Cold War Kids are coming out with a new album in September. They have a teaser song from the forthcoming album for download on their site (direct link to the song right here).
7.20
InSound 20
“Fly Flower” by The Small Stakes for the band Grizzly Bear
The Small Stakes is a design studio in Oakland, California that has produced artwork for a number of independent bands over the years.
Insound sells everything related to independent music.
Jason Munn, of the Small Stakes, and Insound have gotten together and produced art for twenty bands. The project is called Insound 20 and there is some very cool stuff in here for some very cool bands. As luck would have it my favorite is for a band of which I have very little knowledge.
7.17
The Beatles & CT Scans
What is the connection between The Beatles and CT scans? Glad you asked. a la Kottke.
7.15
Layzerrrrrz
That Radiohead: so crazy. Their new video for the song House of Cards was produced using no cameras, just data gathered by scanning faces and environments.
7.9
6.4
Mike Relm On Parade
He’s controlling the audio and video live. Ahh, yeah.
Mr. Relm will be at this year’s Treasure Island Music Festival
5.29
5.28
Okkervil River’s “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe”
Okkervil River’s “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe”
I’ll finally get to see these guys live this summer.
Beirut’s Swansongs
From LaBlogotheque’s Les Concerts a Emporter: #64.2 - BEIRUT - “The Penalty”
Tonight, my girlfriend and I are going to see one of the last remaining performances of Zach Condon’s band Beirut. At least in it’s current form. In April, Zach wrote, on the band’s website, that all of Beirut’s stops on it’s planned European tour had been cancelled and that he was breaking up the band, promising to return “in some form” at an unspecified future date.
This video, taken from La Blogotheque’s excellent Les Conerts a Emporter series, is one of my all-time favorite versions of one of my favorite Beirut songs: “The Penalty”
Here’s to the speedy return of Mr. Condon to the music scene in whatever form he decides.
5.27
