Flaming Pablum

Texas is The Reason

Alright, gang, I hope you all have a great Labor Day. I'm off today to (hopefully) get to the airport on time to board a plane to the Lone Star state for the purposes of visiting my in-laws and collecting my wife and children who've been down there for the past two weeks. Please pardon the lapse in regular programming while I'm gone. 

In the interim, please enjoy this furious little nugget from the classic lineup of The Misfits. Every time I'm Texas-bound, this song lodges itself firmly in my brain. This particular performance of it dates back to 1983 and is endearingly played at about five times the speed of the already quite stealthy studio rendition. Glen Danzig can barely spit the verses out in time before the boys have rocketed into the chorus. Talk about endurance. The video quality isn't great, but you'll get the idea. It's extraordinary. We shall not their like again. Turn it up. 

 If you're unfamiliar with this pretty little ditty, you can hear the original version by clicking here, accompanied by some tastelessly bloody and profane graphics that ought to please conspiracy theorists and gore-heads alike. You were warned. 

Have a nice, long weekend.

Wax & Wane

Co-written by Mark Leyner, one of my favorite authors ever, came this little ode to the miracle that is … earwax? Given both my affinity for Leyner's colorful prose (though he has yet to top the absolutely essential "Tooth Imprints on a Corn Dog") and my preoccupation with inner-ear problems (prompted by almost a decade of living with tinnitus), I thought I'd be remiss by not sharing the piece here. Evidently, my recent dabbling in ear candling was ill advised. See also this article, touching on the same arguably icky subject.

Even More Recent Things

Hey again, all. Herewith the latest (last?) batch of photos from "my digital era" (2004 to the present). If you enjoy these and want to see more, just click here and scroll on down to see the previous installments you might have missed. A few of these were taken just this past weekend, actually. Be that as it may, I have to say that I just don't find as much inspiration as I used when I walk the streets of Manhattan. So much of what used to intrigue me has been painted over, spruced up or torn down, replaced by all things new, characterless and antiseptic.  Even the interesting street art is harder to find. Walking around downtown Manhattan holds fewer and fewer moments of discovery. There used to be a sense of otherness. Now, it might as well be anywhere else in the world -- only more expensive. In any case, I hope you enjoy these. Click on'em to see larger versions.

We Are Devobama

Okay, maybe I'm going off on a limb here (shocker), but everyone seems to be making such a big deal about how the stage at the Invesco Field in Denver looks like a "Greek temple." To many a pundit's mind, this seems to suggest that the Democrats are casting themselves in a mythological light (i.e. not of the common man). That's is a load of fatuous claptrap, of course, but I guess the wonks need something to harp on about.

Because I'm such a lamentable geek, of course, the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the stage wasn't anything from ancient Greece, but rather the fabled stage set of Devo's New Traditionalists tour in 1981. I saw the band on that tour -- the first proper concert I'd ever attended -- when it came to New York City's Radio City Music Hall on Halloween, and it obviously left an indellible impression. Maybe the Dems were similarly inspired? I doubt it, but see what ya think. Invesco's on top, Devo's on bottom. You decide. Duty now, spuds.

A Huge Planning Black Hole

 All 10 million square feet of commercial space lost with the twin towers will be replaced, which is ultimately all that matters to those who control the area. What disappeared were any dreams of real physical or spiritual renewal.

The Wall Street Journal weighs in on the abject failure to rebuild "Ground Zero." Thanks to C-monster for letting me steal this.

Happy Birthday, Pee Wee

Pee Wee Herman turns -- holy shit - 56 today. Celebrate accordingly.

Other Recent Things

Here is the next bunch of shots (continued from here) taken since 2004 (i.e. the "Digital Years"). Enjoy.

 

... and yes, there will be more.

Yum Yum

This Ain't No Picnic

Feelin' oppressed by the man today? Herewith some fleeting solace and empathy, courtesy of San Pedro, California's late, great Minutemen. Play it loud.

Subterranean Goes Under?

Early last year, I wrongly speculated about the demise of Subterranean Records on Cornelia Street. This past weekend, though, I walked by its door a couple of times, only to find the gate down and locked in both instances (on beautiful weekend days when business would otherwise seem hopeful). Looks like it may finally be gone. I hope I'm wrong again, but it doesn't look promising.