Pixies "Minotaur"

This fall 4AD put out this huge box set of all the Pixies albums with new photos and while i wouldn't mind flipping through it, I'd never buy it, unless i happened to strike it rich. From what I understand, it's all new artwork and that's not what I'm looking for. I'd rather photos and graphics that were maybe considered at the time. Alternate album covers, shit like that.

Frank Black "Teenager of the Year"

I read somewhere that the Pixies are gonna record some new songs in 2010. I can't say I'm excited- I think it'll be interesting. I think it'll be a challenge because so much time has gone by and the pressure's on.

I like the Pixies. When I first heard their songs in 1994 I loved them. i couldn't get enough. I bought everything and played it over and over, then I started buying Frank Black records.

To be honest, I wouldn't even think of listening to the Pixies now. Aside from "The Purple tape' and the two songs they did in 2004 I've listened to everything else- B-sides included- so many times. The same thing goes for the first two FB albums. In fact, I'll probably never listen to them again.

I can't believe it's been 15 years since TotY came out. It's crazy.

One thing i'd love, though, is a remix album with songs from those albums- minus the keyboards. Just straight rock songs. That would be interesting.

New computer

So I got this new computer for Christmas from my best friend. I really wasn't expecting it.

When I moved to this new place I set up my old computer and the monitor stayed black and the green light faded to orange and when I told him I thought my monitor was dead he said he thought my computer was fried.

He was right, because when I plugged my new computer up to the old monitor everything was fine.

There's a lot that's happened pver the past few months but i don't know how much of it I'm going to go over here; I might just stick with new things and tell the occasional story.

Hidden Cameras show

The first week in November I got to see the Hidden Cameras play at the Iron Horse in Northampton. It's my first time seeing them- I'd definitely go again- and i have to say: I've been to a lot of shows and I think this one was special. The music was very exciting. I thought it was too bad that the crowd was so small. You'd think that in Northampton more people would know about the Cameras but in the weeks leading up to the show, and since- no THC cds at the local record store.
I have none of their albums though i'd like to change that and I know a few of their songs, my favorites being, of course, "AWOO" & "Death of a Tune".

An interesting sidenote: I first heard of THC through the myspace page of John Barleycorn, who used to run a blog that I followed. When I originally stumbled onto his myspace page, I thought he had taken his name from a Frank Black song. Nope. Anyway, we got to talking, I became a regular reader of his blog, and then found out later that he's actually from this part of the state and went to high school with my best friend. Anyway, he was at the show- he must've made the trip from Boston. I almost said hi but decided against it. I don't really know him.

I'm online again

It's been a long time- 8 months- without the internet but now I'm connected again and I can update on a regular basis. Will the old magic still be there? Of course.

So anyway, a couple nights ago I started reading one of the new Ayn Rand bios that came out this year, Ayn Rand and the World She Made by Anne C. Heller. I'm halfway though, after skipped through a few boring sections. Years ago I read the Branden books: Judgement Day & The Passion of Ayn Rand; it's a lot of the same information. having read those two and seeing the cable movie of The Passion I read this book knowing what some of the diologue would be before it was spoken.

And one thing that is always mentioned and then glossed over is how Leonard Peikoff is is bannished to the University of Denver for two years. That's huge and couldn't at least get its own paragraph, come on.

Anyway, we'll get into all of this in detail later. It's just so good to be back.

Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins

Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins Rabbit Fur Coat

I remember reading a lot about Jenny Lewis a couple years ago. I think Elvis Costello was saying good things about her record Rabbit Fur Coat and I planned on checking it out.

This week I finally got it. I wish I'd heard it sooner.

I've been listening to it without skipping anything (except "Rabbit Fur Coat", but I'll probably give it another chance tonight). You know how when you listen to a new album and a couple songs jump out at you and even after only a couple listens will be playing in your head when you're walking around at night or at the grocery store? Here, that would be "You Are What You Love" and "Rise Up With Fists!!". I can't get enough of them. I want to play them over and over- especially the former as it fits in perfectly with what's going on with me now- but I'm afraid I'll get sick of them. I think this CD will be in my player for a long time.

Kathy Griffin's book

Kathy Griffin just put out a book, the story of her life, called Official Book Club Selection.

As long as you don't expect it to be as funny as her stand-up or TV show you'll be fine. Last week I read Chelsea Handler's Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea and that was more of a humor book, though not very well written. Yes, there was a certain conversational style but someone should've cut out all the "obviously"s. Still, she wrote it herself and I laughed at certain parts; some phrases were very surprising and original. She knows how to tell a story.

So does KG, both in her act and on paper, though the styles of telling are very different. I have a feeling that KG wrote this book herself, the same as any author, and an editor polished it.

There is a lot of detail about all the hard work that went into her success and not as many celebrity stories as I'd expected. Luckily, she tells the entire "Seinfeld" story, which I had heard only pieces of before. The most surprising thing is when she tears into Steve Martin- only a couple pages but one of my favorite parts of the book. The Brooke Shields chapter is, as they say, worth the price alone. Everything about Brooke, Andre Agasi, Brooke's mother, and Suddenly Susan comes out. I've never seen that show but I got choked up reading about the suicide of David Strickland.

The chapter that comes the closest to what you'd expect from a book by KG is the chapter "Fanning Flames in Hollywood,and Yes, I'm Talking About Dakota".

KG had a red carpet running-joke about Dakota Fanning checking into rehab and it angered Steven Spielberg and the studio behind the upcoming War of the Worlds. One of her agents told her later that she wouldn't have gotten in so much trouble if, instead of Fanning, she had said Haley Joel Osment or the kid from Jerry Maguire, because their careers were just about over. She said that comment showed the true heartlessness of Hollywood.

I think the reason the joke hit so close to home for Spielberg is because it wouldn't have been the first time this kind of thing happened. Remember when Drew Barrymore was in ET and Spielberg was like her second father. Once the movie had made its millions and Barrymore was into drinking, drugs, and rehab at a ridiculously young age. Maybe he sent her flowers or some notes of encouragement (maybe), but I don't recall her making her comeback in any of his films. I just remember the Amy Fisher TV movie and Poison Ivy.

The reason most people will buy the book are for the chapters about her ex-husband Matthew Moline and all the money he took out her ATM while she was sleeping. She broke the news on "Larry King Live" and it's all here in detail. Nobody could've yanked the book from my hand when it came to the part where she had to question the two people, other than herself, who knew her PIN number: Moline, and her assistant Jessica.

KG's book is interesting, well written, and there are some lessons in there too if you want them.