Shot Of Rhythm

[ Thursday, December 25, 2003 ]

 

It's Christmas...I don't really have anything to say, but I figured that I hadn't blogged since Sunday, so it was high time I revisit my little corner of the superhighway to share my own brand of Christmas cheer with my small-but-faithful group of readers, those folks who are good-hearted and maybe delusional enough to have kept up with 8 months of my signature drivel. Take heart, my children, for I shall not forsake you.

Jesus' birthday party was fun. We all got a little sloshed with the savior, who for some reason decided to jump up on a table at one point and sing "Free Fallin." It was passionate, if a little off-key, and if every drunk frat guy sings it, why the hell not our man in Galilee? All kidding aside, the party ended badly, when Jesus thought that some dude named Chris (whom nobody seemed to know) was hitting on Mary Magdalene. Harsh words were exchanged, both men proferred threats at the other (Jesus: "I shall smite you with my almighty power, you heathenous little weasel," Chris: "I'll fuckin' kick your ass, beardy...why are you wearing a fuckin' dress, anyway?"), and they had to be separated. Luckily for us, just then the DJ wisely chose to throw on "Hey Ya," which everybody in the world (and in heaven) justifiably loves. I've still got Jesus' car keys; let him know if you see him. Just another day in paradise...

Anyway, on the real tip, peace, love and good blessings to all. In 2004, let's have too much fun, get a taste of justice, and maybe even figure out how to get to the higher ground.

On the box right now: Talking Heads, ONCE IN A LIFETIME, Disc 1. (Guess what Santa brought me?)

Peace...

Dove With Claws [7:59 PM]

[ Sunday, December 21, 2003 ]

 

There's a few things I've actually decided to do in this otherwise empty eight-month stretch, between graduation and (hopefully) beginning graduate school. One is finish and record all the songs I've written; this is not necessarily an easy task. I have 140 songs, with about 90 finished, and - somewhat obsessive neurotic that I am - I won't feel satisfied until all of them are on tape. It will be a useful exercise, and it's something I've wanted to do for a long time.

Another is read...a lot. My friend Joe, who graduated a year ago and is working in the D.C. public schools with plans to return to grad school, has a good philosophy about that: "Read stuff they won't make you read in grad school." While I plan on revisiting a couple works of history that I didn't have time to give proper attention to before, this is a strategy I plan on adhering to. In that spirit, I've got a pile of stuff to occupy my time, and I haven't even started on the biggest part of this plan. James Baldwin. I've read THE FIRE NEXT TIME, "Sonny's Blues" and a couple of assorted goodies, but I've always been waiting for the opportune time to dive in head-first to the work of this brilliant and important scholar and citizen.

One more: A few of us music geeks have been thinking about making a 1990s collection, multi-disc like those Rhino 70s and 80s boxes, that captures what we consider the high points of a decade that - for better or worse - we were all there for. Anybody with any suggestions for songs that we might miss but that absolutelypositivelyhavetobethereohmygod should let me know.

Oh yeah, be sure and ask Mr. C about his new band, The French Toast Meat Sandwich.

On the box right now: Marshall Crenshaw, THIS IS EASY: BEST OF MARSHALL CRENSHAW. When I grow up, I want to write songs like Marshall Crenshaw's. Or maybe Smokey Robinson's. Or maybe Kenneth Burns'.

Peace...

Dove With Claws [8:51 AM]