have an amusing conversation with automated AIM buddy "smarterchild"...like this one:

Me: are you a homosapien?
SmarterChild: What a question. But I don't think I want to answer that.
Me: are you pro-choice?
SmarterChild: What do you think? Am I pro choice?
Me: how do you feel about abortion?
SmarterChild: I think I like abortion. Do you?
Me: abortions rock
SmarterChild: Interesting. That's cool. No one else has ever told me what they think of abortions.

What the hell????


???????????????????????

this is just weird

look at this. its actually pretty amazing and creepy at the same time.

From the archives 002. 

From the archives.... 

Ben looking like a Seuss illustration. 

Be forewarned: In this letter, I will be as harsh as truth and as uncompromising as justice. Let's get down to brass tacks: Mr. Ben Geier may have access to weapons of mass destruction. Then again, I consider him to be a weapon of mass destruction himself. To get even the simplest message into the consciousness of noxious fast-buck artists, it has to be repeated at least 50 times. Now, I don't want to insult your intelligence by telling you the following 50 times, but absenteeism is not merely an attack on our moral fiber. It is also a politically motivated attack on knowledge. Let's understand one fundamental fact: I should note that if you are not smart enough to realize this, then you become the victim of your own ignorance. Ben's cronies say that nothing would help society more than for them to dilute the nation's sense of common purpose and shared sacrifice. Sorry, I don't buy that. Since this is one of those "don't say I didn't warn you" letters, I want also to note that I myself would like to comment on Ben's attempt to associate hedonism with Comstockism. There is no association. And there you have it. To my mind, Mr. Ben Geier's ramblings show a degree of amateurish sickness that even I didn't expect.
 

Silverhawks were gay enough...but Silverfish? I mean, COME OWAN!

I found a fucking SILVERFISH in my bed* last night when I was getting ready to go to sleep!!!!! Now, I should mention that I have seen a few of these little buggers before in our apartment....and yes, AO did find three in my bed a couple of weeks ago - which she dispatched to the insect nether-world with her fists (nice work - only next time try to kill them someplace other than on the sheets). Today, I begin my quest for a Silverfish pesticide. Also on the agenda: scheduling another interview, job searching, weight-lifting, working on new sleep out songs, booking another recording date and doing laundry...and of course THE DESTRUCTION OF THE REBEL SILVERFISH HQ somewhere in my bedroom. I wonder if the Bush Admin would loan me a couple of those bunker buster bombs.

Everyone should buy this album right now:
FAIRPORT CONVENTION - FAIRPORT CONVENTION (Polydor, 1968)

(This album has the best first 30 seconds of any album I've ever heard. BONUS: Hear a young Richard Thompson before he became a beret wearing, M.O.R. album making, douche hammer)


* - usually, I have a strict policy of non-violence towards insects. I was once given a free cup of coffee at Intelligentsia for capturing a bumble-bee in a cup and releasing it outside. However (and insects reading this blog should pay particular attention to this next passage): If you A.) try to bite me OR B.) Try to have a slumber party with me I WILL FUCKING ANNIHILATE YOU. Last night I removed the rogue silverfish from my bed with an envelope and sent him packing to bug-hell where he belongs. Confidential to ED LO: THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FIND A STRANGER IN THE WOODS!!!!

Find the differences! 

zzzzzzzzzz

The Karate Kid Song..."You're the BEST! AROUND! Nothin's gonna ever keep you down!!"

Matt requested this hot track at Marc's wedding last night but the DJ didn't have it. Luckily, thanks to the internet, we can all enjoy "You're the Best!" by Joe 'Bean' Esposito. WTF? DOWNLOAD THAT TRACK AND WORK OUT/HAVE SEX TO IT. Marc and Annie lost their virginity to that song last night.

Congratulations Marc and Annie! 

(age progression of Zook...November 2005)
Zook and Ry, way to make a baby! You were obviously paying attention in health class.
 

Yes yes Yes yes

I've been waiting to see the Clientele play again since 1999 when KGW played with them at Brownies. They're playing tomorrow night at the Vic with Spoon but due to a prior commitment...engagement...wedding....I won't make it. Marc, next time you're scheduling the happiest day of your life please consult me first.


BUT - in even better news, Teenage Fanclub are playing the Metro on July 27th! I know most people don't care about Teenage Fanclub, but WHY THE FUCK NOT??They've written some of the best pop albums ever, especially this one:

This album is amazing. Their new album "Man-Made" was recorded at SOMA Studios by John McEntire (of some shitty Chicago new-age jazz combo called Turtles...or The Lake and Pudding or something...I don't know). I declare "Man-Made" to be the first "Summer album of 2005". This will definitely be played on the drive to Sleeping Bear this year.

I had no idea this record was even coming out. I mean, I consider myself to be pretty media-savvy . I read all the standard indie pages: popmatters, pitchfork, tinymixtapes, etc., etc. I love being completely surprised by an album's release. Finding this record at Laurie's Planet of Sound on Tuesday made me almost as happy as finding "Repetition" by Unwound at Record Swap back in the day:


On the topic of Unwound:
do any OTCOI readers know what happened to Unwound after they released "Leaves Turn Inside You"? I wrote this e-mail to Kill Rock Stars a few weeks ago:

Hello...

I was wondering if you had any idea what the members of Unwound are doing now. I thought KRS or Troubleman was going to do a DVD or a solo split featuring Vern & Justin. Do you guys have any plans for future Unwound releases? Are they in any new bands? If you could point me in the right direction I'd be very grateful.

Thanks,
Sir Lord Baltimore

to which Maggie at KRS replied:

I don't know what happened to all those projects.
it's possible the dvd might still happen. none
of them have any new musical projects that I know
of. xo mv

I hope they release that DVD eventually. I don't really anticipate a big resurgence of interest in Unwound in the near future though. Maybe in another twenty years when the post-punk of the early & mid 1990's becomes as cool as Gang of Four & Wire have become now....maybe then Unwound will come out of hiding to play shows at huge venues for capacity crowds and then sell them hooded sweatshirts for $50 apiece. I wish....I wish....I wish....

Phoning it in... 

The Sun-Times has the lowdown...

The Sun-Times sums up what happened to WJMK. This article is incredible...I guess they're using this JACK-FM format in many different regions and they made the switch over without so much as a warning. One second it was "All oldies all the time" and then "JACK FM - Shit machine".

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED PT. 2 / Oldies 104.3 off the air? Tip and shout.

Maybe I was the last person in the Chicago-metro area who enjoyed listening to Oldies 104.3 WJMK, but I hope that other people are with me on this one....

Oldies 104.3 was a staple for me growing up and introduced me to tons of music that I otherwise would've totally ignored. The Troggs, The Kinks, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ricky Nelson, The Fleetwoods, Del Shannon, The Ronettes etc. etc. 104.3 was the soundtrack to so many early morning rides to school, barbecues, pool parties and summer days that it seems unfair that it would just disappear from the airwaves. I just recently rediscovered 104.3 after years of pretty much ignoring it and maybe it was negligence like mine that sealed the station's fate. Imagine my surprise when I hit my radio preset yesterday morning and heard a radio id for "JACK FM 104.3 - we play what we want, when we want". They proceeded to play Counting Crows "Mr. Jones" followed by "La Isla Bonita" by Madonna. I'm going to have to fortify my ipod with oldies to make it through the summer....but its not as gratifying cuing up a song by The Impressions as it is when it just pops on the radio at the exact right moment.
I checked out the station's website for more info and found this posted on the front page:
6/3/2005
Dear WJMK listener,
Tuning in to 104.3 FM today, you probably noticed that things sound a little different.
WJMK has changed addresses. Instead of being at 104.3 on FM, the WJMK you know and love now lives here online at wjmk.com. Click on the “listen here” banner to hear the Greatest Hits of the 60’s and 70’s streamed with all the great music, personality, and fun you have come to expect over the past two decades on your radio.
We are very excited about WJMK online, because many of the personalities and DJ’s who have been your companion through the years will be featured here at WJMK Online.
Stay tuned because in the future, WJMK’s High Definition (HD Radio) broadcast signal will also make it possible to listen to your favorite music and personalities in crystal clear digital sound on your HD Radio. More on that coming very soon.
104.3 FM is now JACK-FM, and we hope that since you loved WJMK as 60’s and 70’s, that you will give JACK-FM a try too.

So how many people in 104.3's demographic know how to listen to the station online? I'd guess very, very few. Most people between 60 - 70 don't even know how to get online.

Anyone else feeling my pain on this one?

and yeah...

and yeah "Arctic Darkness" is about killing your parents.

and yeah...

and yeah "Arctic Darkness" is about killing your parents.

In contrast to today's heat....

So, the last song we played at Schubas a couple weeks ago was not a cover...I'm posting this because a few people asked me about it at the show. I think I introduced it in a way that made it sound like it was by someone else. It's called Arctic Darkness

I set out in Arctic Darkness
and set my sights on the farthest
beacon that I could see

I was up for a challenge
I couldn't manage
so I set my sights on
the greenest, blinking seas

So they could prove to me
What I'd never be
and tear the seams from
this aging company

I set out at a pace so glacial
but my gaze was palacial
my heart's not deceiving me

Sometimes, stumbling snowblind
I have the words in mind
to bring you near to me

If you could prove to me
the man I long to be
is here but smothering
under heavy dark blankets.