Winter

Here in Western Mass it's been the best, warmest winter anyone could've hoped for. Really, the only real snow we got was on Saturday, October 29 when we got a big snowstorm before the leaves had fallen from the trees and all kinds of branches broke off and left everybody without power- me for two days, some towns for over a week.

This morning I was out having a smoke and waiting for my dad to pick me up and these hard round snowballs started falling. They made a sound when they hit the ground. We drove 20 miles south to my parents' house and they had about an inch of snow. When I got back home around 1pm it was just raining here and it's raining still.

This is great. We made it through January- the worst month. I always think that if you can survive January then you're all set for the rest of the year; everything else will be easy. Now there's less than a month of winter left.

My only regret for this winter is that I didn't read more. I don't know what I did with the last two months; I just know that I have nothing to show for it.

Anyway, I hope that whereever you are you're having a good winter and if you aren't, hold on, spring will be here soon.

How was your Valentine's Day?

Yeah, mine too.

I'm glad that I posted all those pictures the other night, because I got busy and I haven't been able to come here since that night.

I just showered, shaved, and popped a couple TylPMs and I figured I had a couple minutes before they started to kick in so I'm writing this while YouTube is playing "Saving All My Love For You". I didn't really like that song at the time- I was a kid and it was too slow for me- but now it's one of my favorites.

"I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (and the B-side "Moment Of Truth)
"I'm You Baby Tonight"
"We Didn't Know" (duet with Stevie Wonder)
I Will Always Love You"
and probably my favorite:
"My Love Is Your Love"

I got The Bodyguard soundtrack for Christmas that year and I liked the movie a lot. It always reminds we of Christmastime during my high school years. Thinking back, it's not that great of an album. Aside from "I'm Every Woman", Whitney doesn't have any really good songs on it; Side Two is various artists and the only song I like there is a cover of "It's Gonna Be A Lovely Day".

Alright, I'm going to bed now. Good night.

Belly "King"

Belly's second album King came out on February 14, 1995. They released a special edition in a hard cover book form and I've never seen it in a store but I've always wanted it. If anyone has it and feels like giving me an early birthday present send me a message. Here are some images.

Madonna "Keep It Together"

"Keep It Together" was the fifth single from Like A Prayer. If my memory is right, "Like A Prayer" came out right before the albim was released, "Express Yourself" came out around April or May of 1989, "Cherish" in August, and "Oh Father" was out just before Christmas. The time of the releases seemed to fit their seasons well. "Cherish" was a great summertime song, and "Oh Father" had a wintery sound plus a snowy video.

"Keep It Together" came out sometime at the middle of winter 1990. I don't remember if it was out at Valentine's Day, but the sleeve definitely has a Valentine's day look to it: color, black and white, red and pink. One maxi-single just had remixes of the song, another opened with an extended remix of "Cherish".

I read that originally Madonna wanted the B-side to a song that she had made after the release of Prayer, a dance song called "Vogue", but once Sire Records heard it they convinced her to wait and release it as a single. It went on to be a big hit, and one of the only good songs on her next record, I'm Breathless- Music From and Inspired by Dick Tracy.

Pixies "Debaser"

"Debaser" is a special song for me as it's the first Pixies song I ever heard. As I probably wrote here before, February 14, 1994 I went to a record store the next town over one night after school and I had read that Kim Deal had bean in a band called The Pixies before she started The Breeders and I was curious to hear what they sounded like.

There were two or three Pixies tapes in the racks on the wall. I don't remember what else they had there, but the sleeve for Doolittle seemed pretty cool to me: it was all gold and brown and black and white. I popped it in my tape player and before I had left the parking lot I loved it.

I'm not crazy about the sleeve design for most of the Pixies's post- breakup releases (I especially can't stand Pixies At The BBC) but I like the different sleeves for "Debaser".

Anyway, on Valentine's Eve I'sd like to post about some sleeves that I identify with the 14th of February.

Belly "King"

When I saw Belly play at Lupo's in April 1995 I remember seeing the poster at the bottom on sale. I didn't really like it but I probably would've bought the one on top if it was there. I would've bought the King flat too.

Belly "Star"

One thing that I've always wanted to own- and have never seen in a store- is the Belly album Star on vinyl. Before today I'd only seen one side of the inner sleeve (white with the Belly logo in grey and white and a long color photo on top. Tonight I saw the other side: it's the green brunette giant lady.

I love the Star cover photo. I'd love to have a giant poster with that image.