So You Wanna Be a Rock Star?
By Phil | April 4, 2008
Consider, for a moment, Kristin Hersh and the band she formed in the eighties, Throwing Muses.
Two things happened recently that made me think of Kristin and her aforementioned band. One was the release of the Breeders latest album, and the other was a conversation I had with a co-worker regarding Throwing Muses, my borderline obsession with their music, and a band from the mid 90’s, Belly.
While I haven’t heard the Breeders latest album in its entirety, I was lucky enough to see them on their latest tour, pimping said album. Sounded good to me. The Breeders first album was released in 1990. The band was formed by Kim Deal of the Pixies, and Tanya Donnelly, formerly of… Throwing Muses. While Tanya left after one album and one EP, the Breeders went on to have one of the biggest alternative hits of the ’90’s in “Cannonball”– even people who weren’t into that scene back then know that one. Try it, just hum the bass line to your Average Joe (”dum dummdummdummdumm dum dummdummdummdumm“) and they will instantly recognize it. Kim Deal, through her affiliation with the Pixies will forever have her place cemented amongst the pantheon of rock gods.
Belly had a huge hit in the 90’s called “Feed the Tree“– you know that one, too. And so did my co-worker.
So, who is this Throwing Muses you are always on about?
“Well, remember Belly? They had that song ‘Feed the Tree’?”
“Oh, yeah!”
“Ok, well, the woman that formed that band, Tanya Donnelly, used to be in Throwing Muses”.
Which brings us to Kristin Hersh, her career, and the music industry in general. There isn’t a single song that Throwing Muses did that I can point to and say “those guys”. This is a band that can claim REM and the Pixies as peers. Think about that for a minute. The Pixies inspired, by Cobain’s admission, Nirvana. They remain one of the most influential bands of our time. As for REM– well, Jesus, do I have to spell it out for you?
Should Throwing Muses have had some monster hit? Maybe “Mexican Women” or “Counting Backwards”? I don’t know. Perhaps the poppy “Dizzy”, or “Not Too Soon”? Would that have altered their following albums? Would I be able to sit here, writing this nonsense about some (relatively) obscure band, stroking my chin and sneering down my nose at the uninitiated? Or is it maybe just the luck of the draw?
I’ve been saying for years that Kristin Hersh is one of The Most Underrated Musicians On The Planet. Given her work with the Muses (Eight albums, a few EPs), her albums as a solo artist (her first solo album, “Hips and Makers” included a duet with REM’s Michael Stipe), and what she has done recently with her new band, 50 Foot Wave (whose only claim to fame is choosing that name right before the 2004 Tsunami), Hersh remains one of the most prolific artists of the modern era. And yet she toils away, giving music away for free on the internet, bounced from her label (the venerable 4AD), playing shows in the US to sparse audiences (she’s bigger in the UK), blogging about her latest bus breakdown or shitbag motel her tour had to settle for this week.
And yet, this is her career. This is the only life her kids know, schlepped around from city to city while mom and dad hope, maybe, just maybe, someone notices. Yeah, that describes thousands of unknown artists who will never know what it’s like to be U2– but listen to Throwing Muses’ “The Real Ramona”, or Kristin’s solo album “Sunny Border Blue”, and tell me that there isn’t some fickle injustice at work here.
Topics: Music, Phil | 2 Comments »
New Presidential Poll.
By Chuck | April 4, 2008
I wanted to put up this poll again to see if things have changed in the past few months. I left Ron Paul in this one because he hasn’t officially given up yet even though it is impossible for him to be anything but a joke. Same with Gravel. I also added Nader to the mix. Have at it!
Last time it ended with:
Obama 43%
Clinton 29%
Undecided 21%
Gravel 7%
Topics: Chuck, Politics, Poll | 2 Comments »
Where Does McCain Go from Here?
By Chuck | April 3, 2008
While the answer to that question should honestly be the retirement home for old crazy coots what I want to know is who he is going to choose as his V.P. Or more accurately, who the GOP will let him choose.
Condoleezza Rice: This is the person I’m betting on if the GOP really wants McCain to win this one. Selecting her isn’t about her politics. It isn’t about her qualifications. It isn’t about her experience.
It is about her race. It is about her gender. It would be an attempt to one-up the Democrats. The Dems have, on one side, a black man and on the other a white woman running for the nomination. If the GOP tossed about a black woman for the VP it would be an attempt to prove they are as, if not more, progressive then their Democratic opponents and pick them up some independent votes.
Mitt Romney: I have heard his name tossed around a lot but I don’t think he would want it. He spent so much cash aiming at the presidency I think he will be aiming for it again next round. Plus I don’t think it would get McCain many new votes as there are better choices to stroke the religious right. Unless you count the Mormon areas.
Mike Huckabee: This is the reason that Huckabee stayed in the race when he knew he was dead. He would grab the attention and votes of the Jesus crew. He would effectively kill off the chance of any independent votes swinging to McCain and would virtually guarantee McCain a loss. If the republican party wants to keep the Jesus crew happy and doesn’t mind throwing McCain to the wolves you might see this one.
Jeb Bush: “The Other White Bush”. If McCain really wants to run as the third term of Bush this will be his choice. It would also set up Jeb for his shot at the presidency. Fuck that is scary.
Hillary Clinton: Also one of the names buzzing around. People think that her attacks on Obama and her quasi-praise for McCain point to this end. Bad idea. The Clinton family has a position of power within the democratic party and I don’t think they want to lose it. Imagine if she switched then lost the race. You think the republicans would accept her into a power role? Not a chance.
She like the power and that is while she is where she is.
There is also the choice of a retired high ranking military officer. Good choice for McCain if he wants to go all-in as “The War President V2.0″
Topics: Chuck, Politics | 1 Comment »
Fags Unite!
By Rob | March 31, 2008
No, I’m not bashing here.
Because I am a fag, and proud of it.
Don’t worry, guys, I still like the ladies, but I’m going to proudly call myself a fag.
Why, you ask? Because I am, and so is anyone else who opposes Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. According to the Phelps clan, that is. It has nothing to do with homosexuality any longer. In Phelps’ eyes, a ‘fag’ is anyone not a member of his congregation.
This past weekend Topeka, Kansas was the scene of the first annual Million Fag March, a peaceful protest against Phelps and his cronies. The motto of the protest is that freedom of speech works both ways. Fred Phelps may have the right to picket when and where he pleases, and so do the rest of us.
While I believe a peaceful protest against the WBC is a valiant and wonderful idea, I have to question whether or not it will serve the purpose intended. While Fred Phelps and his family are nothing but an array of vile creatures, this protest may give them attention that they do not deserve.
I’ve always been a proponent of ignoring the WBC and its idiocy. The more attention given to them, the more of the spotlight they monopolize. What they want is media attention, and anything done to attract that attention is welcomed by them. Even protests against them. Especially protests against them.
Fred Phelps is an old man who’s probably going to be dead sooner than later. Depending on whatever religion you follow, he’s either going to burn in Hell or come back as a retarded squirrel. Or just not exist, if you don’t believe in an afterlife.
Once he’s gone, that Church is not going to have the momentum to go on like it has been. I don’t think his daughter, Shirley, will be able to garner the same following as he has and the ‘movement’ will die.
Let nature take its course.
Topics: Religion, Rob | 1 Comment »
Hey, Fucking Prayer Cures Diabetes!
By Phil | March 29, 2008
Being diabetic, I’ve got to say, I’d like to know what Dale and Leilani Neumann know that I don’t. Maybe they’re on to something? Maybe I can stop taking twenty goddamn pills a day? Maybe I can eat cake?
Oh, wait:
“Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin says Madeline Neumann died Sunday, and an autopsy determined the cause was diabetic ketoacidosis, which left her with too little insulin in her body. The chief says she had probably been ill for about 30 days, suffering symptoms like nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, loss of appetite and weakness.”
Here’s the story if you’re so inclined
According to the Associated Press, these fuckwits kept praying right up until 11 year old Madeline stopped breathing.
I can take religious people and their beliefs. Really, some of my best friends and closest family members believe in some Imaginary Man in the Sky. Great– that’s fine. If faith gives you comfort, I’m all for it. Personally, I find my comfort in my belief in myself, my love for my family, perhaps (just perhaps) some harebrained Zen mumbo-jumbo, and occasionally at the bottom of a bottle of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, but that’s just me.
I gotta tell ya, though, when you start thinking your Imaginary Man in the Sky is going to cure your kid of an incurable fucking disease, so much so that your way to deal with watching her suffer and grow increasingly ill is to just get more people to HELP you pray (because, clearly, your Imaginary Man in the Sky must be deaf or something if he can’t just hear you), you’ve clearly missed the boat somewhere.
However irrational I may think faith is, I’ll never knock anyone’s belief so long as, (A), they aren’t trying to shove it down my fucking throat, and (B), they aren’t using it as an excuse to harm someone else. Which, unfortunately, is usually the problem with most religious extremists (and even not-so-extremists).
The Neumann’s have two other girls, 13 and 16, which, thankfully, since the above story was written, the authorities have taken away from them. Which, considering the fact that diabetes tends to be, oh, I don’t know, fucking genetic, is probably for the best.
If anyone needs me, I’ll be sitting in a dark corner, by myself, rocking and mumbling incoherently. I’m gonna see if I can get rid of this stupid diabetes by chanting.
Topics: Idiots, Phil, Religion | 6 Comments »
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