Just Wait 'Til More Boomers Get Older

One of my first Christmas purchases arrived today, a black-and-white paddle cutting board. With its stark contrasting sides, it should be the perfect thing for my mom, who has macular degeneration. And that got me thinking about another product I'd like to get for my mom and dad: a cellphone that is easier for them to use than what they have now. Their smallish Nokia model is OK, but they are really interested in a Sanyo "Jitterbug" phone they've seen in ads in the AARP and American Legion magazines. Its screen and number pads are larger than your typical cell these days, so it's better-suited for older folks. The problem is that you have to buy a special service to get the phone-it isn't sold by other providers, like Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon. Maybe there's something comparable out there, but I haven't found it yet, and that's a real shame. This is a huge opportunity for somebody to come along and provide a great product to what will be a fastly growing market.

My Top 10 Music Lists For 2007

There was some really outstanding music this year, from old favorites like Wilco to the ongoing trainwreck who is Amy Winehouse. Will I still be listening to any of it very much next year, never mind five years from now? Aside from The Arcade Fire, maybe not. And, it's going to be real interesting to see how the recording industry continues to decline next year, after the big release of Radiohead's In Rainbows. With all of the competition from Internet radio streaming, HD radio, downloading, and MySpace, the old marketing/promotion model is crumbling, and what takes its place is anyone's guess.

Well, enough of that speculation ... for now. Here are My Top 10 Songs of 2007:
"Play Tough"-Apples In Stereo
"Hang Me Up To Dry"-Cold War Kids
"No Cars Go"-The Arcade Fire
"Into Action"-Tim Armstrong
"Jarhand"-Immaculate Machine
"Split The Difference"-Aqueduct
"Valerie"-Amy Winehouse
"Good Excuse"-John Butler Trio
"Knock 'Em Out"-Lily Allen
"Thou Shalt Always Kill"-Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

My Top 10 Records of 2007 are:

Neon Bible-The Arcade Fire
Sky Blue Sky-Wilco
In Rainbows-Radiohead
The Reminder-Feist
Back In Black-Amy Winehouse
Or Give Me Death-Aqueduct
a CHILD in life yet a DOCTOR in love-Magic Bullets
Wincing the Night Away-The Shins
Immaculate Machine's Fables-Immaculate Machine
Two Shoes-Cat Empire

Black Friday

Today, the day after Thanksgiving, is Black Friday. And although I am a strong & proud capitalist, I will not be participating in the buying frenzy. All I have to do is watch how people misbehave on days like this to know that I don't want to be part of the extraordinary madeness of crowds. No thanks. That is all!

885 MMMM Top 100: The Monkees

I was too young when "The Monkees" debuted on TV in 1966. I only caught the "Pre-Fab Four" when the show was rerun back in the 70s. As a kid, I liked their manic energy & comedy, of course. But as an adult, I've come to appreciate their music, some of the finest pop to come out of that time.

885 MMMM Top 100: Grateful Dead Tour

I know time often passes in a blur, especially for some Deadheads, but the entire dead tour as a "moment"? Okaaay. I was never a huge fan of their music, maybe that's why I only went to one of their shows, at the Vet in Philly sometime in the late 80s. What a long strange trip that was ... even before we went through the gates. I remember my buddy Dan looking a bit bewildered as we walked by a group "partaking" in a certain illegal substance. I didn't buy any incense, or tie-dye shirts. But I remember having a lot fun that day! But don't ask me about the music though.

Phils Win! On To The Playoffs ...

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies, winners of the National League Eastern Division! Jimmy Rollins, favored by many to win the National League MVP, drove in two runs with a triple in the last game of the season today against the Washington Nationals. That also gave him 20 triples for the year; with more than 20 home runs, doubles, stolen bases, and over 200 hits, it's obvious that his boast early on, that the Phils were the team to beat in the division, was not to be taken lightly!

Thanks to the Mets for collapsing over the last 17 games!

Now, it's on to the Division Series, the opponent to be determined today in a one-game playoff between the Padres and the Rockies.

Go Phils!

885 MMMM Top 100: American Idol

I've never watched an entire edition of American Idol since it debuted on Fox in 2002. Maybe it's because it seems kind of like karaoke to me: singers attempting, often badly, their versions of others' songs. But its influence cannot be denied; it has produced some big recording stars, like Kelly Clarkson, and Chris Daughtry. And it is clean, non-offensive entertainment that attracts the most diverse audience of any program on American television-quite an accomplishment these days.

885 MMMM Top 100: John Lennon's "Imagine"

I could write about how "Imagine" is a memorable song because it's about hope, optimism, peace, etc., etc. But I won't. I mean those are fine lyrics and all ... if you're on board with that vision of an ideal world. But "No possessions"? I don't think so. I don't buy into much of the consumer culture, but I think people acting in their own individual self-interest is what drives humanity (as a whole) forward in so many ways.

One of my memories of this song is an objection to another lyric in the song-"no religion"-expressed by an evangelical minister character on WKRP in Cincinatti. Hewanted the station to the ban the song for that reason, and the "Big Guy", Arthur Carlson, backed his DJs and refused to do so. Right on!

885 MMMM Top 100: "Rock Around The Clock"

Written in 1952 and recorded two years later by Bill Haley & His Comets, "Rock Around The Clock" is the song widely regarded as the first true hit of the rock 'n roll era, selling tens of millions of copies. Of course, we can all argue for days on end about rock's origins in R&B and country. Many of those songs are recognizable as what we could call rock music. But this one put rock on the map, much more than Haley's cover of Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle & Roll". George Lucas used it in American Graffiti, and Haley recorded a version of it for TV's Happy Days.

885 MMMM Top 100: Metallica vs Napster

When Metallica sued the file-sharing service Napster in 2000, I knew the days of worry-free downloading were numbered. I myself never shared on Napster, of course (wink wink), but I had many friends who did. At one point, I joined Kazaa, but didn't get too far in searching for what I wanted. Then I noticed that adware & spyware was being installed on my computer, so I deleted the program. These days, I only download mp3s from legitimate or record company sites. But the larger question, about how the law treats intellectual property, has yet to be answered.

885 MMMM Top 100: CSNY & "Ohio"

I was only four years old when "Ohio" was written by Neil Young and recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, so it doesn't have the same meaning to me as it did to a lot of other people in 1970. But it is a powerful song, essentially naming President Richard Nixon as the culprit in the shooting deaths of four Vietnam war protestors by the Ohio National Guard at Kent State University. The incident was one more factor in the middle class questioning, and turning against, the war.

885 MMMM Top 100: The "Thriller" Video

Wow, "Thriller" was one of the videos that really put the early MTV on the musical radar for some of my friends in senior year of high school in December 1983. And really, what's not to love? You have Michael Jackson in garish makeup (well before his plastic surgery), some funky dance moves by various zombies and ghouls, a movie-within-a-movie concept with MJ as Michael "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" Landon, and a spoken word performance by horror movie vet Vincent Price.

885 MMMM Top 100: Simon & Garfunkel & "Mrs. Robinson"

Of course, much of the song was featured in Mike Nichols' 1967 film The Graduate, which made Dustin Hoffman a star. The score by Dave Grusin dates the film but it's still a lot of fun to watch.

One word: Plastics!

Here's a link to The Lemonheads' version of "Mrs. Robinson"; Frank Sinatra also did a swingin' version of the song.

885 MMMM Top 100: Sony Walkman

Growing up, I had a GE desk radio handed down to me by one of my brothers. Through it, I was able to listen, with an earphone, to WYSP, WIOQ, and WMMR in the album rock era. Then, at night, I'd often switch to the AM dial, and scan it to pick up stations as far away as Indianapolis, Montreal, or Charlotte. But it wasn't until Sony brought put out the Walkman in the 80s that I could carry my music with me, especially when I run. What a great concept! I've gone through probably a dozen Walkmans, and twice as many sets of headphones.

885 MMMM: Voting Starts Today!

All of the suggestions are in, and today, WXPN has put up on the website the ballot for the Most Memorable Musical Moments. In what must have been a harrowi interesting experience, the station staff has come up with a list of 100 moments. As I expected, Jimi Hendrix's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" made it, as did the murder of John Lennon, and the appearance of The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show". But there are some I didn't expect, for better or worse. And, I may just blog about them.

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: A Fairytale Of New York

I got to thinking after my last "Guest Blogger" post 2 weeks ago that I hadn't seen anything in the MMMM discussion about Christmas or holiday songs. How could that be-these are some of the best-loved songs of our culture! It's not so much about the quality of the music (and there is an abundance of that), but the memories we associate with them-worship, parties, shopping, family, and friends. One of the most festive (in its own way) is "A Fairytale of New York", by the Pogues and the late Kirsty MacColl.

Shane MacGowan and MacColl trade lines, as two lovers (or ex-lovers) reminisce about their hopes and failures, and their arguments, on Christmas Eve in New York City. It's a rollicking romp, with a nice contrast between their voices, singing some often bittersweet lyrics.

"A Fairytale of New York" became an instant hit in the U.K. upon its release in December 1987, and has consistently been ranked in polls as one of the best Christmas songs.

Here's the video:


UPDATE: Here's how the post looked on the XPN site:

9/11: Six Years On

It's been six years since the attacks on America. Terrorist plots that would allegedly have resulted in attacks on our soldiers in Germany and at Fort Dix, New Jersey (a case very close to me) have been uncovered and foiled. A Muslim extremist in Utah killed six people in a shopping mall in February.

The war, such as it is, continues.

I have little to no confidence in Michael Chertoff, the Secretary of Homeland Security. He seems to be much the same "empty suit" that Tom Ridge was in that position. I don't think the current administration, nor the Congress, is still doing nearly enough to protect our country's borders, ports, and targets of opportunities. And, too many people have forgotten the horror of that day.

I haven't.

My greatest fear is that many other people won't remember until something even worse happens.

Britney Is Not Fat

Does Britney Spears really look fat?

I sure don't think so.

Her hyped comeback performance at last night's MTV Video Music Awards was a little embarassing: she looked out-of-it, lip-synching and barely dancing across the stage. Maybe she was a little silly doing that while wearing a sequined black bra and hot pants.

But she's had two kids, and her body still shows that. I still much prefer that look to the anorexic "heroin chic" look of Kate Moss, the Olsen Twins, and now, it seems, Angeline Jolie as well.

There's Red States, Blue States, and ...

This Labor Day, as the longest presidential election campaign in U.S. history lumbers onward, the rest of the world is taking an interest. A Canadian pollster found that more than 40% of French and German respondents prefer that Hillary Clinton become the next president, and lower percentages of other nationalities. Name recognition has to be the biggest reason for that, I think.

And then there's the website called Who Would The World Elect. The site looks at the IP address of each computer that looks at the site, and however the person at the other end votes, tabulates the result with others from the same host country. Votes are about evenly split between Democratic and Republican candidates as of today (about 15,000 votes) each.

The country breakdowns are fascinating, with many countries putting Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) in the lead. But overall, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) has the most votes (including mine). He even leads in Russia!

I'll be checking on this one often.

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: More Cowbell!

"I got a fever, and the only prescription ... is more cowbell!"

Well, who am I to disagree with The Bruce Dickinson? Although it wasn't as instantly popular as other lines that originated with Saturday Night Live, "more cowbell" has become one of the great catchphrases of the last few years. It all started on April 8, 2000, with a parody on SNL of VH-1's Behind The Music featuring 70s rockers Blue Oyster Cult. Famed record producer Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken) is determined to make the band's next song, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," a hit, and the key to success would be the cowbell. The band's lineup includes a fictional cowbell player, Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell). As Ferrell responds to Walken's demands for "more cowbell" with more frenetic (and annoying) cowbell playing, several takes are ruined; the band becomes more frustrated, and very nearly falls apart.

Here's the moment:



In real life, the cowbell was added as an overdub to "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" at the last minute; the cowbell player's identity is a matter of some dispute. And, while there is a record producer named Bruce Dickinson, he had nothing to do with the original Blue Oyster Cult record, Agents of Fortune.

Since the sketch first aired, "more cowbell" has become part of pop culture, appearing in song mash-ups, emblazoned on t-shirts, and inspiring a website which tracks songs using a cowbell. Christopher Walken is constantly asked about the sketch, and the song proudly remains a staple of Blue Oyster Cult's shows (cowbell included). Gene Frenkle, wherever he is, must be smiling.

UPDATE: Here's how the post looked:

Shame On The Post

I was a huge fan of Berkeley Breathed's "Bloom County" back in the '80s, but "Opus" has been pretty hit-and-miss. This week's strip made me laugh, but apparently, some people at the Washington Post weren't laughing. Well, maybe they did after the Post banned it from Sunday's edition.

According to various sources, the strip was shown ahead of time to Muslim staffers to gauge their reaction, and they responded "emotionally" to Lola being depicted in traditional Islamic clothing and espousing conservative Islamic views. For that reason, and because of the risque punchline, the Post & other papers did not run this yesterday. And, they won't run the follow-up strip on September 2, either.

Shame on them all.

Maybe in the future, they won't publish any stories on the practice of female circumcision. Or about the slavery of blacks in Arab North Africa. Or the oppression of women under the Taliban in Afghanistan. Or "honor" killings. After all, why offend someone's weak sensibilities?

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: Earth's Greatest Hits: Voyager's Golden Record

It was, perhaps, the ultimate mixtape: a 90-minute selection of music, recorded on a gold-plated copper disk that was sent into space aboard the spacecraft Voyager 2, on August 20, 1977. Knowing that the path of Voyager would take it, and its twin, past the outer planets and out of the Solar System, NASA decided to create an ambitious message for them to carry along.

A committee headed by astronomer Carl Sagan selected the contents of the record, which also included photographs, natural sounds, and spoken word greetings to extraterrestrial civilizations in dozens of languages. The music is an eclectic selection from different cultures, nations, and eras. You may recognize "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground" by Blind Willie Johnson, J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, but there are also works from Peru, Indonesia, Senegal, New Guinea, Azerbaijan, and the Solomons.

Mixtapes (or mix CDs) can say a lot about the person (or species) who compiles them. Although the two Voyagers won't pass near another star for 40,000 years, it was the hope of Sagan and his team that someone or something, finding them, would discover who we are, and like finding a message in a bottle, would maybe look us up someday. Hopefully, we'll still be around.

Here's Chuck Berry with "Johnny B. Goode"

Another Illegal Immigration Outrage

If I could italicize and boldface the word "illegal" in the headline of this post, I would.

Today's latest not-so-fun story comes from Kansas, where an illegal migrant, Nicholas Martinez, had pled guilty to cocaine possession and endangering the welfare of a child after being caught in a police sting. His plea bargain was rejected by the judge in the case, because she noted that the probation recommendation (which means obeying all state and federal laws) was already moot since he was in the country illegally. She sentenced him to a year in jail.

Unfortunately, it didn't end there:

But on appeal, a three-judge panel threw out the sentence, based on an apparent contradiction in U.S. law. While it is illegal to enter the country without the proper documents and permissions, it is not necessarily illegal to be in the country.

What the ____ ?

Are you kidding me?

And so, the drift towards anarchy continues.

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: Bill Clinton On "Arsenio"

When you're running for office, one of the most important keys to victory is seizing the initiative, and building momentum from it. Bill Clinton, one of the great politicians of the last 30 years, knew this well. In 1992, trailing in a three-way presidential race, he took a gamble, and accepted an invitation to appear on "The Arsenio Hall Show".

Late night TV then was in a state of flux: Johnny Carson had just given way to Jay Leno, and David Letterman had switched to CBS. Arsenio Hall's syndicated program had been building a surprisingly large audience for a few years: it was hot, hip, and diverse. Its younger demographic seemed a natural fit for Clinton, whose campaign was trying to woo these voters back to the Democratic Party.

On June 3, 1992, he stood confidently on stage with Hall's house band. Wearing black shades and toting a saxophone, he ripped into "Heartbreak Hotel" (a trademark song of his idol, Elvis) and "God Bless The Child". He got generally good marks in the press for his playing. But, even better, the image that he projected, that of a young, likeable, charismatic guy, made an impact, and moved his poll numbers.

Of course, emotional appeal and image are only good for so much. Everyone remembers the saxaphone, but not what he said. In his interview with Arsenio, Clinton chatted about race relations and poverty, and his plans for the country. He won the White House with 43% of the popular vote that November.

The 2008 presidential primary campaign is now underway. All of the major party candidates are barnstorming the early states, debating, raising gobs of money, and trying to stand out from the pack. I don't know if any of them sing well or play an instrument (John Edwards on electric guitar? Mike Huckabee on keyboards?). But showing that might just help give them an early edge.

From a VH-1 special, some highlights of Bill Clinton's appearance:



UPDATE: This was the main Guest Blogger post on August 17:

Princess Martha, Meet Dutch Daulton

Remember when angels were one of the hot cultural happenings a few years ago? There were books, calendars, City of Angels, and Touched By An Angel. Now, according to a story today, Norway's Princess Martha Louise, fourth in line for the crown, is being criticized for saying that courses offered by an institute have taught her how to communicate with angels (... and horses):

"Some feel them, others see them. Everyone experiences them from their own standpoint. For me, they are beings of light, like a feeling of a powerful presence, a strong sense of love," she said.

Coincidentally (or is it?), former All-Star Philadelphia Phillie Darren Daulton, in an appearance today on "Daily News Live" on Comcast Sportsnet, said that he communicates with lizards, and expects major world changes (and perhaps, The End) with the end of the current Mayan calendar in 2012. His book, comes out in September, wherein he lays out his beliefs. This interview, like his earlier comments, lead people to snicker at his beliefs. And while I don't share those beliefs, I wouldn't mock him.

There are quite a lot of people out there who are ... out there. They believe in angels, flying saucers, Edgar Cayce & Earth Changes, Atlantis, etc. And as long as they aren't hurting anyone, I don't seem the harm in their expression of those beliefs. There are so many other problems to deal with, last time I checked. Michael Vick, for one!

Another David Lynch Mystery

I've been a fan of David Lynch's work ever since I saw "Eraserhead" more than 20 years ago. OK, I never did figure out much of what it was about, or some of his other film & TV work over the years. Check out this anti-littering PSA (Public Service Ad) he did:



Love the creepy music!

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: TSOP: The Sound Of The Phillies

It's a hot and steamy night at the stadium in South Philadelphia, and I'm watching the Phillies, and their MVP slugger, battling for playoff contention. Only the year isn't 2007, but 1980, and the song playing after another victory is McFadden & Whitehead's "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". Throughout the run to the World Series that year, it was the unofficial anthem of the team. There were a lot of great players on the Phils then, but the team behind the song was pretty remarkable too.

Gene McFadden & John Whitehead sang together as the Epsilons and toured with Otis Redding, before going to work for Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff at Philadelphia International Records. In addition to producing, they wrote or co-wrote, such Philly soul classics as "Back Stabbers" by the O'Jays, "I'll Always Love My Mama," by the Intruders, "Wake Up Everybody", by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and many others. When they decided to become performers as well, they reportedly said "ain't no stoppin' us now" as they headed to Sigma Sound Studios for their first record.

In 1979, "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" went platinum, going to #1 on the R&B chart and #13 on the pop chart. McFadden & Whitehead were native sons of Philadelphia, working for a Philadelphia-based record label known for the Sound of Philadelphia, in a city that seemed down on its luck. To long-suffering Phillies fans, the message was more than just in the groovin' music, it was in the positive lyrics: have hope, be strong, we're going to win:

But we won't let nothin' hold us back,
we're putting our selves together,
we're polishing up our act!
If you felt we've been held down before,
I know you'll refuse to be held down anymore!

With scrappy players like Larry Bowa, Pete Rose, Bake McBride, Tug McGraw, the Phillies gelled as a team, and won their first, and to date, only world championship.

A live version of "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"



Fast forward to November 2001: my friend and co-worker, Ellen D., got me tickets to Me & Mrs. Jones, a musical based on the Billy Paul song, that was playing at Philadelphia's Prince Music Theatre. Starring Lou Rawls, Darlene Love, and 'Nita Whitaker, the show included over three dozen of Gamble & Huff's greatest songs, including "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". Listening to all of this wonderful music again, now as an adult, with an orchestra backing up the terrific singers, did even more than give me great appreciation for the huge contributions of Gamble & Huff, and their fellow artists. It also took me right back to the Vet and that magical Phillies season.

Where are they now?

John Whitehead was shot dead on May 11, 2004 while working on his car outside his home in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia; his murder remains unsolved. His widow began the John Whitehead Foundation in his honor.

Gene McFadden died of lung and liver cancer on January 27, 2006.

Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff continue to work together. Their Sound of Philadelphia Souvenir Shop, which includes displays of their platinum records and their original mixing board, is located at 309A South Broad Street in Philadelphia.

UPDATE: This post is now up at the XPN MMMM site here:

"Union YES"? Are You Kidding?

The "liberal" blog DailyKos had its annual meeting over the weekend in Chicago. The major Democratic Party candidates paraded in front of the teeming multitudes of bloggers, who, as usual, denounced George W. Bush, conservatives, etc., etc. A colossal yawn in my book. But I did have to laugh when I read today that some of these people are actually trying to form a union:

I think people have just gotten to the point where people outside the blogosphere understand the value of what it is that we do on the progressive side," said Susie Madrak, the author of Suburban Guerilla blog, who is active in the union campaign. "And I think they feel a little more entitled to ask for something now.

I know of Ms. Madrak; she used to write for the News Of Delaware County, a weekly in the Philly suburbs, and has indeed made a name for herself as a blogger. But whether your name is Perz Hilton, or the Wonkette, or whatever, a trade union of bloggers is truly a strange idea.

There are so many questions that come to mind, but here's a big one: Who would they (or to be more exact, perhaps, we) be collectively bargaining against? I suppose there may be value in organizing people to get group health plan discounts, but beyond that? Please.

Philadelphia Under Siege

Living near, and working in Philadelphia is getting to be a little tough for me. I've been here most of my life, and yet, I'm spending less time in the city, due to some livability changes over the past few years. Sure, there are areas of the city that are thriving, as everyone knows. But each day carries the news of more senseless violence: murders, shootings, stabbings, fear of retaliation for "snitching", as well as other crimes.

This week, Kia Gregory in Philadelphia Weekly reported on Sharon and Larry Boyd, a couple whose house on Lincoln Drive in the Mount Airy section of the city was hit by an SUV on Memorial Day weekend. The driver, Robin Anderson, was likely driving at near 90 m.p.h., far above the 25 m.p.h. speed limit. She caused $200,000 in damage to the house, and the city billed the Boyds for the cost of having the Blazer towed. This part really got my blood boiling:

A few days after the accident Anderson returned to the smashed SUV that was then parked outside the Boyds’ home, looking for her personal belongings. When Sharon asked her for a copy of her insurance card, Anderson was anything but apologetic. She just cursed and threatened Sharon

The article also notes that Anderson was uninsured, and what a surprise, has a long criminal record; she was probably celebrating her latest release with her friends by speeding on the dangerous road. This kind of thing just infuriates me. I have zero tolerance and absolutely no sympathy for people who commit crimes; there is no reason why good people like the Boyds and so many others have to suffer.

It may not be coincidental that the PW's cover story was about Philadelphians who also happen to be gun owners, who were profiled in a recent book by Philadelphia photographer Kyle Cassidy.

Armed America undermines the stereotype of the ’roid-raging, borderline neo-Nazi death fetishist. Instead you find a Buddhist, a left-wing Democratic blogger, a smattering of liberals, an anticolonialist, a socialist and two members of the Pink Pistols, Philadelphia’s gay gun owners’ club

Why do these law-abiding citizens own guns? They all have their reasons, but for many it seems to be about protecting their loved ones and themselves, if necessary. These days, in Philadelphia, it's easy to see their point.

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: Elvis & "My Way"

My mom was a bit of an Elvis Presley fan in the 1950s, and like millions of others on August 16, 1977, was a little shaken after hearing of his death. Two months later, we sat down to watch the CBS broadcast of "Elvis In Concert". Comprised of performances taped from his last tour that summer, the special showed Elvis was not a well man: he was quite overweight, and appeared pale and sweaty. Still, he had some power left in his voice, especially in gospel songs like "How Great Thou Art". When he sang "My Way", however, it all became clear to Mom: Elvis knew he was going to die.

"My Way" was written in 1968 by Paul Anka, who based the melody on a French song, "Comme d'habitude". The lyrics are about a man, facing death, who looks back at his life's ups and downs, and is proud of being true to himself:

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fails, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh, no, no not me
I did it my way

It was a big hit for Frank Sinatra in the early 1970s, becoming one of his signature songs. And, Elvis had performed it for a couple of years, including his previous TV concert, the 1973 special, Aloha From Hawaii. But here, in the summer of 1977, he invests the song with additional poignancy: there is sadness in his eyes, as if he was sensing that his life really was ebbing away.

Elvis, 1977:


Over the years, "My Way" has become something of a cliche; it's a popular selection in karaoke bars as well as at funerals(!). Then there are the interesting interpretations:

"My Way" by Sid Vicious


"Your Way", a version of "My Way" by William Shatner, at a George Lucas tribute


EDIT: I almost forgot Nina Hagen's!

UPDATE: My post on the XPN site can be found here

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: My Simpsons List

Last week, in anticipation of the opening of The Simpsons Movie, Kathy O'Connell of XPN named her Top 5 Musical Moments From The Simpsons. After 18 seasons (and counting) on the air, there could easily be 885 of them. Hers are all excellent choices, but I came up with a few more:

-the Ramones sing “Happy Birthday Mr. Burns”, after which Burns orders "have the Rolling Stones killed"
-Homer yells at Bachman-Turner Overdrive to play “Takin’ Care of Business”, then later, “get to the ‘working overtime’ part!”
-the Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show theme
-Fat Tony calls a radio show to threaten Homer, then requests “Radar Love” ... and Homer sings along!
-the theme from “The Sting” plays as Homer relates how in the 70s, on a visit to New York City, he was robbed, chased by pimps, had garbage dumped on him by Woody Allen … “and that’s when the CHUDs came at me”

So many great memories!

Check the movie out, too, it's a blast!

What's Up With Cindy Sheehan???

I don't know what to think about Cindy Sheehan these days. I opposed the Iraq War strictly on constitutional grounds: the U.S. Congress did not officially declare war against Iraq. All of the other opposition points: "no blood for oil", "no U.S. imperialism" etc., etc., are pretty empty slogans to me. Culturally, I identify myself more with traditional, limited-government conservatives, not neo-conservatives, nor liberals or the Left.

When Sheehan became the de facto head of the anti-war movement following the death of her son, a U.S. soldier in Iraq, I bristled at her harsh rhetoric. While I mourn the loss of her son, Casey, at the hands of a terrible enemy, he had joined the Army of his own free will, after all. Her shrill tone and her meetings with Hugo Chavez and other evil, anti-American creeps also bothered me quite a lot. But a few months ago, she began attacking the Democratic Party establishment. I think that explains why, as much as the opposition to the war has now become a majority of the American public, explains why her support and exposure in the media has dried up.

In an Irish radio interview she revealed her thoughts about Bill Clinton:

His policies are responsible for killing more Iraqis that George Bush. I don't understand why to rise to the level of being president of my country one has to be a monster. I used to say that George Bush was defiling the Oval Office, but it's been held by a long line of monsters.

I'm guessing this didn't endear her to Hillary and the other powers-that-be.

And in a recent editorial, she doesn't think that the Democrats can be looked at as saviors, given their record:

The Democrats are the party of slavery and were the party that started every war in the 20th century, except the other Bush debacle. The Federal Reserve, permanent federal income taxes, not one but two World Wars, Japanese concentration camps, and not one but two atom bombs ...

In all but declaring her candidacy to oppose Nancy Pelosi for her congressional seat, she recites the usual litany of left-wing progressive causes, like more money (i.e., taxpayer funding) for education, health care, etc., etc., most of which I oppose in favor of individual choice. It's going to be interesting to see how the Democratic establishment handles her in the coming months.

Another Nail In Journalism's Coffin

I read the news today: Weekly World News, my favorite supermarket tabloid, will be folded; the August 28 issue will be its last. When I was at GWU back in the mid-80s, it was part of the regular mix of my reading materials, like the Washington Post and Washington Times. I checked out the cheesy advice columns, read the horoscopes to my girlfriend, and chuckled at the strange-but-true stories that seemed like a modern-day version of "Ripley's Believe It Or Not". The covers of course, were classics-the best this side of the New York Post.

But my favorite feature was "Ed Anger's America", a column of unadulterated, "pig-bitin'" rage against Congress, the IRS, bureaucrats, the French, the communists, the corporations, Hollywood celebrities, and many more. It was like a print version of Morton Downey, Jr. Just hilarious reading!

To be honest, the paper had become only a shadow of itself in the last few years, so perhaps it's best that it leaves the scene. But I'd still like to know who the aliens will be backing for president next year.

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: The PMRC vs. Musicians

Since the 1950s, rock 'n roll and parents have had a little trouble getting along. There's been concern about a perceived loosening of morals and traditional family structure, and less respect for authority. But there had never been a concerted effort to actually attack the musicians and the labels who produce the music.

That changed in the mid-1980s. Mary "Tipper" Gore, wife of Sen. Al Gore (D-TN), along with their daughter Karenna, was shocked to hear sexual references in Prince's "Darling Nikki". Along with Susan Baker, wife of U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker, and other "Washington wives", they formed a committee, the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), to lobby the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to adopt album content stickers, outside lyric sheets, restrictions on sales to minors, and to reassess the contracts of artists with "objectionable" music.

On September 19, 1985, the Commerce, Science, and Transporation Committee of the U.S. Senate held a hearing on labeling records, and 3 musicians offered testimony. As expected, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister and Frank Zappa declared their opposition to the PMRC's proposals. Zappa was particularly pointed in his criticism of the PRMC's "ill-conceived piece of nonsense". In a discussion with committee member Senator Gore, Zappa voiced his concern about a hidden agenda, that even without a new national law, there were parts of the country where laws or regulations would be passed that would take his place in raising his children as he sees fit:

I want them to grow up in a country where they can think what they want to think, be what they want to be, and not what somebody's wife or somebody in Government makes them be.

In a surprise to many, country/folk singer-songwriter John Denver also objected to censorship. He recalled that some radio stations had banned "Rocky Mountain High" due to misinterpreting his lyrics. He offered that:

Discipline and self-restraint when practiced by an individual, a family, or a company is an effective way to deal with this issue. The same thing when forced on a people by their government or, worse, by a self-appointed watchdog of public morals, is suppression and will not be tolerated in a democratic society.

Unfortunately, a few weeks before, the RIAA had caved in to pressure from the PMRC and other groups and agreed to put a simple "Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics" label on select albums. This led to a refusal by some retailers to carry these records. The following year, the Dead Kennedys were unsuccessfully prosecuted for the use of a poster included in their album Frankenchrist. In 1990, a store clerk in Florida was arrested on obscenity charges for selling a copy of a 2 Live Crew record. The controversy over racist, violent, and misogynist lyrics, particularly in rap and hip-hop, continues to this day.

UPDATE: My post on the XPN MMMM site can be found here

Fresh Is Better!

One of my favorite things about summer is the variety and abundance of tasty, fresh vegetables and fruits. Jersey tomatoes are awesome, and I'm looking forward to driving down to the wilds of South Jersey pretty soon and hit some local roadside stands, farmers markets, and even the occasional house with a table and a few baskets set up out front.

It came as no big shock to me when I read about a study claming that nutritional content has been dropping in crops. Published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, it compared U.S.Department of Agriculture data from 1950 and 1999 for 13 nutrients in 43 crops. The results showed that two of five vitamins have declined, and protein content decreased by 6 percent.

The researchers think that perhaps intensive agricultural practices intended to increase crop yields and disease resistance have resulted in nutritionally-deficient harvests.

As a way out, perhaps farmers can substitute older seed varieties or develop new ones which maximize nutrition without sacrificing too many of the other gains that have been made.

XPoNential Quick Review

Wow!

XPoNential is finally over! I am not very tired, just a bit wiped out by being busy with volunteer duties for 4 days, catching some great music, and getting sunburned. Oh well!

I was happy to see and hear all the bands I wanted to; as it turned out, the mystery guest who substituted for Bob Mould on Friday afternoon was Philly local G. Love. Maybe he took the ferry over! Jesse Malin suffered a back injury, so Rhett Miller, a favorite of the ladies, subbed for him on Sunday.

The weather was near-perfect, much better than one would expect of Philadelphia in late July. Our volunteers did a great job, which certainly made our job much easier. I got to hang for a few minutes with some (but unfortunately, not all) of the boardies who showed up. All in all, it was a great time. But now ... off to sleep!

Great PSAs: Anti-Smoking

Aside from a few puffs about 10 years ago, I was never a smoker. Maybe it was seeing what cigarettes did to my grandfather (died of emphysema), or how my dad still smokes a pipe. Or maybe it was these classic PSAs that I remember so well.

Back in the early 1970s, there was the classic "Like Father, Like Son":



Twenty years later, actor Yul Brunner's advisory was released after his premature death from smoking:

XPoNential Begins Tonight

XPoNential, the WXPN summer music festival formerly known as the All About the Music Festival (and the Singer-Songwriter Weekend before that), opens tonight at Wiggins Park in Camden, New Jersey. There are 4 big days of music this year (up from 3 the last few years); tomorrow is a Y-ROCK oriented lineup of bands. This is the first year I will be a Key Coordinator. I'm so psyched for being able to contribute more as part of the team. The weather forecast is looking good: sunny, low humidity, and breezes off the Delaware River. I've got my fingers crossed that we have no repeat of the lightning, wind, and torrential rain from last year!

Tonight's show opens with Slo-Mo, featuring Mic Wrecka, and also includes James Hunter, with funk masters Tower of Power finishing things off. Tomorrow, I'm planning on seeing Cracker, the mystery guest substituting for the injured Bob Mould, and the Fratellis, one of LRC's favorites. Saturday, I'll be happy with just seeing the Cat Empire. Sunday brings Philly local fave Dr. Dog, Kids Corner perennial Ernie & Neal, the Smithereens, and Marc Broussard (who we saw at a Free at Noon concert, which blew us away).

It's a good thing I took Monday off from work-between our volunteer duties and running into fellow volunteers and boardies, it's going to be a tiring few days!

885 Most Memorable Musical Moments: Travolta Is Back

In the late 1970s, John Travolta was a rising star who seemed to have the world as his oyster. As the white leisure suited-disco king Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, his style and enthusiasm catapulted him to the status of a pop culture icon. He danced, of course, to one of the best-selling movie soundtracks of all time; the Bees Gees at one time had 5 songs in the Billboard Top 10 simultaneously. In 1978, he danced opposite Olivia Newton-John in the 50s tribute Grease, further confirming his position. In Urban Cowboy, in 1980, his two-stepping, as well as 10-gallon hat, is credited with leading to a boom in pop country music (and for a while, in mechanical bulls at country music bars).

But after that, he turned down the lead in An Officer and A Gentleman to reprise his role as Tony Manero in the Sylvester Stallone-directed Staying Alive. After he ended the film (which flopped) with his "strut", it was easy to think that his dancing days were done; aside from acting with a talking baby and Kirstie Alley, some very forgettable films followed.

In 1994, in Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece, Pulp Fiction, he appeared as veteran hitman Vincent Vega. Assigned to watch Mia (Uma Thurman), the wife of his boss, Marsellus, they go to a 50s retro diner, Jackrabbit Slim's, and enter a dance contest.

You have to see this: wearing dark suit, bolo tie, slightly bloated, and with long, stringy black hair, Travolta (as Vega) is all about being cool, but is trying not to flirt with Mia. But with them twisting to Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell" (a #14 Billboard hit in 1964), their attraction is apparent. It was an incredible, terrific moment of abandon, and to be perfectly honest, I think it had what many people wanted to see again: Travolta dancing (even if it was the Batusi). Ain't it cool?!

It is a terrific soundtrack!

The moment:


"You Never Can Tell" was renamed "C'est la Vie (You Never Can Tell)" by Emmylou Harris, and was a hit for her on the country music charts in 1977:


UPDATE:This, my first MMMM Guest Blogger post, can be found on XPN's site here.

Wild About Harry, Indeed!

LRC & I saw the latest Harry Potter film over the weekend, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It was very good, darker than the previous ones, but the plot moved well, a new friend was introduced, and Harry's new nemesis, Dolores Umbridge, was played to perfection by Imelda Staunton.

I got to wondering how much money this whole franchise is worth, what with the new movie in worldwide release and the final book coming out his coming weekend. Lo and behold, an article in AdAge tried to break it all down.

We totted up broad estimates of everything from book, box-office and soundtrack sales to ad time sold on TV airings of Potter films and even potential revenue from an upcoming theme park, and -- using Ad Age's magical math -- calculatedthe Potter economy in excess of $15 billion.

Wow. No wonder J.K. Rowling is the richest woman in the U.K.!

MMMM ... 885 Countdown ... (Homer drool sound)

MMMM stands for the Most Memorable Musical Moment, the theme for the latest 885 countdown by Philadelphia's WXPN-FM. Starting today, listeners are invited to submit lists of 10 music moments that are historically important and/or personally significant. The lists are to be compiled by the station into a workable list of 885 moments, the top 100 of which will then be put in a final playback order by a listener vote in September. The special MMM website the station is developing for the countdown will be chock-full of lists, links, posts, and photos.

This is going to be interesting. There's a lot more diversity than some may think exists among the XPN listenership. I expect to see people talking about genres and artists that generally don't get much airplay on the station, if at all. Who knows-maybe part of this will develope into a permanent resource,

And, each Thursday, starting this week, I will be a "Guest Blogger" on the website; that day's post here will be on the XPN site as well. From time-to-time, as this whole train rolls through the rest of summer into the October playback, I'm sure I'll have other moments that come to mind. So check back often, and leave a comment!

10,000 - Just A Number

I've been a Phillies fan my whole life. As a kid, I would stay up late listening to West Coast games on my Walkman, go to lots of games at the late Veterans Stadium, and generally live (and mostly die) with the team as the seasons progressed from Spring to Fall. So you might think I'd a bit upset that the franchise just lost the 10,000th game in its history, the most ever. But I'm not.

No, long ago, part of me stopped caring. After Major League Baseball players went on strike in 1994, leading to the cancellation of the World Series, I vowed I would never go back to a game. I didn't exactly keep that promise, but it took 8 years before I saw the Phillies again, at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

There have been so many great memories over the years: the World Series-winning team in 1980 led by Pete Rose and Mike Schmidt, the fine pitching and timely hitting of the scrappy 1993 team ... and that's about it. Otherwise, the 125 seasons of the team have seen a lot of bad baseball.

I think this year's team has talent. Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Aaron Rowand, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels-these guys can play. I wish them well. But ...

The Phillies ... just a team.

Classic Commercials: Chanel No 5

While perusing the YouTube listings, I looked up these 2 classic TV spots for Chanel No 5 that ran in the late 1970s-early 1980s.

The first "Share The Fantasy" ad was directed by Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, G.I. Jane, Gladiator), with music by Vangelis. Truly surrealistic masterpiece, loaded with symbolism:



This "Share The Fantasy" ad from 1982 features sophisticated couple Charles & Catherine, an airplane shadow moving up the side of the Transamerica building in San Francisco, and a cover of the Ink Spots' "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire". Love it!

Great PSAs: Keep America Beautiful

In my previous post, I referenced an anti-litter TV Public Service Advertisement (PSA) for Keep America Beautiful that ran decades ago, when I was a kid. It was rather striking, following a Native American Indian as he encounters scene-after-scene of pollution and litter in modern-day (well, 1971) America. Of course, I found it in 5 seconds on YouTube.

I still get a lump in my throat when I see this:

A Lot Of Hot Air

At work today, the usual water cooler Dunkin' Donuts conversation turned to the Live Earth series of concerts held on all 7 continents on Saturday. There wasn't much I could contribute, because I didn't see more than about 5 minutes of it. The reunited Genesis was on stage at Wembley in London, and that was 5 minutes more than I needed to see.

Anyway, I've become very skeptical over the years about these big music events. Live Aid, Farm Aid, Live 8-they all seem to be promoted with the best of intentions. How could anyone be against them? Well, the Arctic Monkeys chose not to participate in Live Earth because of the "hypocrisy" of musicians, their entourages, the production staff, and of course, the audience, using valuable resources to attend these shows. I still remember the amazing swag the performers got in exchange for appearing at Live 8 in Philly 2 years ago.

I also don't like having environmental consciousness shoved down my throat. I've been deeply concerned about threats to the natural world, and human health, since I saw Iron Eyes Cody cry in that TV PSA decades ago. I recycle, I am careful about the goods and services I consume, and I drive a pretty fuel-efficient car. While I, like many scientists, have doubts about global warming climate change, I know it's important to use the planet's resources in an efficient way; I'm a good capitalist. But these are complex issues, not easily reduced to fist-shaking against "the corporations" or the Bush administration, or simple admonishments to change light bulbs. I really wonder how many concertgoers will go right back to the same old lifestyles.

Word on the street is that the TV ratings for this show were pretty low on NBC here in the USA, as well as elsewhere.

Scooter Motors Out Of Hard Time

Well, now he's gone and done it. President Bush commuted Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison time, while leaving the rest of his sentence for perjury and obstruction of justice intact. I've been amused by the the howls of outrage in reaction to this. The hypocrisy among the chattering classes in DC and the media capitals runs really deep. I do not support this action: I take lying very seriously, and under nearly all circumstances in government, it's just wrong. But this hysteria is silly. I like how Pat Buchanan explains what this is all about:

Whatever the motives of President Bush, this was a radical not a conservative act. Whoever pressured Bush to wipe out Scooter’s sentence was more a friend of Scooter than a friend of Bush. For the president has damaged his reputation as a just ruler, so Scooter could elude what other men have to face.

Will the student deferments for these fellows never end?

The act reeks of cronyism. The perception is that Scooter Libby got preferential treatment, a get-out-of-jail-free card because he was chief of staff to Cheney and assistant to Bush.

That perception is correct.

Because of whom he knew, Scooter got preferential treatment, big-time. The Godfather took care of the consigliere.

Nothing new. After all, one recalls that the attorney who rustled up a pardon for Marc Rich from Bill Clinton was also a Beltway hustler by the name of Scooter Libby. The insiders take care of their own.

And that is how the game is played in the big city.

There it is, from a man who's been through this before.

Birds Of A Feather Again ...

Two of the worst dictators in the world in one place.

Wow.

Maybe they compared notes on how anti-Semitic they are?

I wouldn't be surprised.

On the other hand, both are facing unrest at home. Maybe something good will come of it-like their departures.

One Cup At A Time ...

The other day, I was sitting in the lunchroom at the J-O-B finishing off some cauliflower ziti, and washing it down with some of the best lemonade around, Alex's Lemonade. One of the salesguys, who's based on the West Coast, saw the distinctive yellow bottle and asked me about it.

Turns out, as much publicity as Alex's Lemonade has had in the Philadelphia area for a few years now (thanks to racehorse Afleet Alex, especially), there are stll a lot of people who don't know much, if anything, about it.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is a charity that I happen to love and support, so I clued him in on the basic story: young girl with cancer sets up lemonade stands to raise money for researching a cure to pediatric cancer.

He asked me if I trusted Alex's Lemonade like other, bigger charities.I do. I've researched them, and feel a lot more comfortable giving a donation to that group than almost any other one. I am a lot more selective because of a few resources I've looked at that check out charities and provide guidance on how to give wisely:

BBB Wise Giving Alliance

Charity Navigator

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability

GuideStar

They all provide some reassurance that people are looking out to see that your money will be well-spent.

Best Records of 2007 So Far

With 2007 nearly halfway over, this is as good a time as any for me to list my favorite records for the year. I haven't bought all of the records I expected to right away, which is why I am only now getting around to Arcade Fire's Neon Bible.

But I have some definite favorites, especially Feist's The Reminder, which I like even more than 2005's Let it Die. And Jeff Tweedy and the boys in Wilco have dialed it down a notch in Sky Blue Sky, maybe their best in years.

Here's my top 10 (in no particular order):

Two Shoes-The Cat Empire
Costello Music-The Fratellis
The Reminder-Feist
Or Give Me Death-Aqueduct
Never Hear The End Of It-Sloan
Neon Bible-Arcade Fire
Sky Blue Sky-Wilco
Wincing The Night Away-The Shins
a CHILD but in life yet a DOCTOR in love-Magic Bullets
Immaculate Machine's Fables-Immaculate Machine

Steal This Chainsaw ... Home Depot Doesn't Care!

Yet another story from a few weeks ago about the decline of corporate America, courtesy of The Home Depot:

Man Says Home Depot Fired Workers For Catching Thieves

POSTED: 6:07 pm CDT June 4, 2007

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. -- A former Home Depot employee said the company fired him and three other workers because they helped police catch several suspected shoplifters in May.

Midwest City police said the men helped officers catch suspected shoplifters as they tried to run from a store with lawn equipment.

An internal memo from Home Depot outlines that associates cannot accuse, detain, chase or call the police on any customer for shoplifting. However, one of the fired employees said the company is selective in enforcing that policy.

To the idiots at Home Depot, who likely think that they are defending the company from lawsuits (and had no hesitation giving their last CEO a gigantic golden parachute for basically doing nothing), I ask: WTF?

The fired employees were thanked by the man whose car was stolen by the thieves beforehand, and by the police as well.

A bunch of sick, criminal-loving morons are running that company.

I'll probably just shop at Lowe's from now on ... unless I'm wearing my running shoes ...

UPDATE 24 June 2007: A man whose 1978 El Camino was stolen by the Home Depot thieves 2 months before, has given the four former employees rewards and applauded their actions. Good man!

Postal Governors To Small Publishers: Drop Dead

Whenever postage rates go up, people most immediately think of the impact of the new price of a 1st class stamp. Actually, the cost of mailing in many categories increases, such as packages, credit card solicitations, catalogs, and invoices. Newspapers and magazines also have to pay more, and for 215 years, they have paid the same rates regardless of circulation size, frequency, or corporate parent.

Until now, that is.

In March, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors rejected a recommended Postal Service plan for modest, across-the-board increases for all periodicals. Instead, without Congressional oversight or public imput, it accepted a modified version of a lengthy, complicated plan put forth by Time Warner (the publisher of Time, Sports Illustrated, People, and over 100 other magazines), for smaller increases (under 10%) for the country's largest publishers, while dramatically raising rates (up to 30% or more) for smaller, independent publishers.

From one free-market perspective, it doesn't seem all that unfair. Megapublishers have the economies of scale through their sorting, bundling, and delivery systems to get their stuff to and through the USPS faster, so maybe they should pay less. Except that this flies in the face of the principle of its universal service mandate. Regardless of whether one is mailing a letter across town or across the country, the cost of 1 ounce 1st class delivery is 41 cents. For over 200 years, periodical rates have been equal because Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, et al., wanted to ensure that there would be a wide and open exchange of ideas and opinions. This principle is now at risk of being seriously degraded.

If there were a variety of choices for delivering periodical mail, there would likely be less argument. But, under the law, the USPS is a monopoly. It can have no competition; legally, it owns the mailbox outside your door. So much for free enterprise in the USA. At the same time, it is mandated by Congress to be self-sustaining, and to honor its enormous pension obligations. Hence, the vicious cycle of regular rate increases depressing mail volume, which, in turn, leads to more rate increases.

A broad coalition, including such strange bedfellows as National Review, The Nation, Mother Jones, American Conservative, and many others, has mobilized to fight this.

Congress needs to intervene, if the Board of Governors won't overturn this whole scheme.

Please contact Free Press's Stop Postal Rate Hikes for more information, petitions, etc.
The effect on a small record company and a music magazine publisher by this proposal

Delta 5-I Finally Got It!

Back in the late '70s and early '80s, I was a little aware of what was happening in the worlds of punk, post-punk, and New Wave music. I knew the Clash, of course, and Gang of Four, but it wasn't until almost the mid-'80s, when listening to the late, great WHFS-FM that I first heard Delta 5. The brief-lived post-punk group out of Leeds, England was unique not only for its two bass rhythm section but also its female leadership.

After success with songs like "Mind Your Own Business", "You", and "Try", they broke up after releasing a single full-length album. Late last year, Kill Rock Stars released a compilation of their early material, Singles & Sessions 1979-81, which also includes Peel sessions. It's just a shame it took until now for this to come out! And for me to buy it at Philly's AKA Records!

How To Remember Flight 93?

Here we are, going on six years since the 9/11 attacks on America, and two of the crash sites are mired in controversy. It took years to reach agreement on a memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York, and every time new remains are found, new questions are raised..

Near Schwenksville in Pennsylvania's Somerset County, where United Flight 93 crashed after a battle between the hijackers and the passengers, a temporary memorial was established. Thousands of visitors since 9/11 have left items which have become part of a larger display. Chaotic, unplanned, yes, but also reflecting a truer measure of how many Americans choose to deal with their grief and to honor the fallen heroes.

In The New Republic, Jonathan Last describes the lengthy "sausage-making" process that produced the abstract "Crescent of Embrace" design for the "official" memorial. After many people, including me, found it objectionable because of its similarity to the Islamic symbol, it was heavily modified, and is now truly an empty, bland proposal. As he writes:

It won't have any of the sentimentality of left-behind crosses or rosaries, motorcycle jackets or matchbox cars. Neither will it have any elements of the heroic or the classical--no obelisks or domes or statuary. Instead it will, as the NPS Flight 93 Memorial newsletter soothingly explains, offer the visitor "space for reflection, learning, social interaction, and healing." Not to mention wind chimes. And a spacious visitors' center, too.

Very sad ... but does it have to be this way?

Don't Pull The Plug On Internet Radio!

I don't stream radio over the Internet very often, maybe three or four times a week, for about two hours (at most). But I was still outraged by the decision in March by the Copyright Royalty Board (part of the Library of Congress) to order a new royalty payment formula. The new fees, made retroactive to 1 January 2006, will require huge increases in payments (in some cases, 1000%!) by webcasters & radio stations with Internet streaming. Since most cannot pay, they will have to cease operations.

SoundExchange, the industry board set up the record industry (read: the RIAA) to collect and distribute royalties to artists and record companies claims that the new fees are for the good of the artists, but this claim is highly dubious. Artists should be fairly compensated, but Internet radio provides important exposure, build audiences, and sell CDs. Besides, as an article in the Houston Press shows, SoundExchange hasn't exactly been killing itself to find all of the musicians who it says are entitled to receive royalties. Instead, it pockets the money. What a disgrace!

Shutting down webcasting will be also bad for non-profit radio stations, some of which, like WXPN, have a large, out-of-market audience. It will further kill off any interest in some music formats, like jazz, blues, classical, and world music, which have carved out a small niche on the Web.

The new fees are scheduled to take effect on 15 July. There is legislation before Congress to overturn the CRB decision, and instead, establish a royalty payment of 7.5% of revenues. Next week, I'll be writing and emailing my U.S. Representatives & Senators to support the Internet Radio Equality Act. In the House, the bill is called H.R. 2060, and in the Senate, it's S. 1353. Over the last 10 years, Congresses under the control of both major parties have avoided taxing Internet sales, access, etc., because they know its importance to future of the U.S. economy.

This bill must be passed.

Progress of this legislation in the U.S. Congress can be tracked here

Savenetradio is probably the leading group looking to overturn the CRB decision.