Benny Lava

If pop music will adopt an industry wide lyrical style like this I swear I will pay for every bit of music I obtain for the rest of my life.

lets talk 2007 albums: burial - 'untrue'

(1st in a series, hoping we could all contribute an album or more. sort of like our own "best of 2007" but without ranks or letter grades...just long thoughts on the best music of last year.)

we have this fantastic stereo at cuizine: giant PA speakers, an amp that weighs a fucking ton, and an patch cable for my ipod/laptop. thanks to the indifference of my coworkers/bosses, i pretty much run the music when i work, and i've taken the opportunity to try to introduce new music not just to others but myself.



the bar is usually dark, and for most of week, devoid of customers. it's a perfect enviroment for rich, unhurried music that endears itself with time rather than the wow factor of that summer single we always seem to discover in march. it's in this way i've come to know and love burial's "untrue."

i'd read here and there about 'dubstep;' an underground english dance craze that was being sold as the spirtual successor to trip-hop. given my well known fasciantion with portishead, massive attack, hooverphonic, tricky and the like, i felt that this might be something i liked, so i tried various productions "the world is gone" and was mightily dissapointed. 'dubstep' is a throughly honest name- everything in the genre (at least 90% anyway) is in two-step. bump, clink, bump, duh-duh-duh. whole albums. bump clink bump duh duh duh. what the fuck. sure trip-hop was often rhymically simple, but i found this patenedly ridiculous.


"ghost hardware" by burial. just listen...the video is fan made

fortunately my boredom (and the try it see if you like it nature of the internet + ipod) eventually led me to 'untrue.' i had come off listening to the field's "from here we go to sublime" (maybe my next entry for LT2007) for the better part of the summer and was now convinced that it was possible to wring maximum joy and intensity from very simple, repetitive , unconvential music. untrue unfolded in front of me the way the best albums do...slowly, over the course of weeks, until all i could think about was this color, shade, emotion, tempature and other kinestic madness, laid like countryside, cityscape, wasteland around the steady train track of insidous two-step precussion, scratchy and distant like old vinyl.

so the album goes bump clink bump duh duh duh. it's fucking great... little vocal fragments, sped up, slowed down, just the best parts. simple, erie melodies...like ambeint works 2 with a backbone. my highlights- archangel, near dark, ghost hardware, etched headplate, raver....but really they are all just one song. like with 'from here we go to sublime' very little changes in the course of the song, in terms of melody or tempo or anything, and yet somehow there is motion and life.


'archangel' - rickles disclaimer- this does in no way rock.

with 'unture' burial has produced a dubstep album that doesn't suck, and is, in fact, infinitely relistenable and enjoyable- something severly lacking in the genre, and even in burial's self-titled first album. get this shit, listen to it on repeat, and try to get it out of your head.

p.s. the louder your stereo the better. massive low end is essential.

vertipod t-shirts to be ready by V-day !!UPDATED!!

An update to the post that follows: i have a proof of concept to help convince investors:






previously, on chunkyvision:

just a heads up, to see if there is any interest. i found a t-shirt shop on richland ave on the northside that makes shirts for CHEAP; i had a very stylish chunky Tee made for 10 dollars american.

anyway my next project for them is going to be a jesse on the vertipod shirt. so far my idea is to lift the layer of jesse on the 'pod of the cityscape and drop it on a tasteful baby tee. any takers/design ideas, i.e. colors, size, cut (they have wife-beaters, chris) or add'l text? they make a perfect valentines gift for a loved one.

The Mars Volta

and if it's long the rest here.

Guess this is what would have happen if The Santana Band in the 60's had taken a bunch of uppers instead of smoking pot. How is it possible to feel totally tired after only 2 and half minutes?

San Diego: Finally we're in the elite club of drunk little fuck ups...

So, far whatever the reasons, I just picked up a notebook that is old and new stuff and am going to transcribe the good parts....I'll leave out the history notes.

What is the difference between relagated and reduced?
sync to slides

It always seems so hard for me
I see the words on your face
but I just can't read
And a part of me takes over
Overthink how everything I say goes over
On you
Resist the urge to splurge
forget alot
Throw shit into the fan just to get a rise out of yr friends
News of a war
That's just on TV
Who's in control of the situation now?
Light up the Town

Oh no, here comes my 19th nervous breakdown

Remember a day
When we could play
In the rivers
And not have to bathe
Can't see the light of a live wire
Until it's too late
The stars will burn out one by one
No matter what crime you've committed
If you've got the dough you'll be aquitted
And if you're the killer of more than all
They'll build you a statue, make you tall
So much so, you'll play lawn darts with missles
You'll say, "This court has found you Guilty, Death Penalty"
You'd better stay on the path of a logical lier
No, you can't come in my house
You're a bad man, the word is out

aiknedaquk gaie boy watch the fagory fit
ajkned a mak fawee mar hawk na world I mun

I'm gonna move to the center of the galaxie
Times Square, Tokyo they're no good
I want to watch the world pass by
And if things don't happen for you in New York
come sit and watch with me
You won't even need to talk about it
Let's just get out again
Explode like a rose
Be afraid of the dark again
Our own private urban renewal trip
urban renewal, urban removal

Urban renewal and backwards relationships
I'm closest to those I know the least

You always sense my drab appearance
My dapper cloak goes unnoticed
You want to regain some friendlyness
I'd like to smash your head in
Faces in a circle, closing closer now
Then they have ever been
You've lost weight
You're unhealthy, but you're looking great
Some people love the things you do
But mostly they all hate you
You're recognized anywhere you go
Everything is free but unappealing
And you sleep with one eye open
I can wait forever, but forever's not much longer now

Picking up glasses After you leave
They're not cold anymore
So I know you don't want them anymore
I don't care who gets the girl
It happens so fast
You were the wrong girl
But now you're fucking up
You're with the wrong guy

Like the most perfect mermaid
You fell out of a fable
And the flag on the furniture store makes me wonder
Why're we sitting down at the table
Times were hard but times were grand
for getting on with myself in my room
I've got time on my hands and blood on my feet
Now you're asking me if I ever thought we would meet again
And the answer is yes, it took long enough
And to hell with it if you can't hear what I'm trying to say
I'll be selfish and alone

You only see
What I want you to see

I'm going to Hawaii to die with Julia
There are bugs all around my bed
I don't know which ones are good and which ones are bad
Silverfish, too big to fit
I know I won't rest easy
Beware anyone who knows the right thing to say

Shortness of breath
I'm losing it
Coming on strong too far gone
Did I just drop that?
I was so careful before
Once I was on a path that led to you
You were right there, and I turned
But only a short ways
I tried to come back
You were right there, I could see you
And I followed you across a bridge

I wanna go to minimum security prison
Am I really just like you?

I know you're gonna leave me,
But before you pack your bags and hit the road
At the risk of sounding greedy,
would you let me get my kicks before you go?

Everyday they take a train
to make pennies on the dollar

I found a skull in the water
And it was soaking wet

No one's gonna care till far too late
An I hate to state the obvious
But I don't think it can wait till you've got the time to sit down
And discuss what all the fuss is about
it's getting hotter, there's just no doubt
won't be much longer till the shouting drowns out yr jokes
left in a world where it's better to sink than float
Jockey for first position
But the vie Destroy the tie
Jockey for first position

What we know:
Song titles are not copyrightable

You're in love with the idea more than the act
Losing momentum cannot get it back
Legitimate frustrations, wanna change your occupation
You dream faster than I drive
and don't work enough to get by, but don't as why?!?!
Don't do nothin about it, just get sick
Ahh, it never sticks



Ok, that's the shit that's 50% crap that's hiding in the green notebook.
I can't type anymore, because there is a really, really bad smell in the kitchen.
Here is a video that is great:.... ok nevermind, I guess I don't know how do do that.

So check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzQv7hAZtww

William Alexander describes the finer points in happiness

Multitouch computing scares the shit out of me

It's pretty simple in concept, and it doesn't threaten like some monstrous unknown soul stealer, but seeing videos in action of it unleashes some reactionary deep seated fear of technology despite the fact that i love it. Maybe too Jetsons too quick, I don't know. Then again, if cars suddenly did start flying, I fear for us all at the hands of people that can't even drive a normal car.

Do you really need your dining room table to play Hi-Res Porn while you eat waffles before work?

Multitouch



and if it's long the rest here.

I like how weed makes me self-conscious enough to know better than to talk to people.

by YOur ROck Of LOve



And then I tell myself that's not really true. I have been smoking a lot, though. And I can't say that it's had a completely positive effect on my social skills. It helps to ignore people that I want nothing to do with, but it may also do the same with all the rest of the people as well. I suppose that it would be harder to control if I had a problem with cocaine and pills and heroin and crack and turd fumes and the lot... define problem...

Today was really the first day of "digging my heels in" at my new job. Waking up at 9:30. Making phone calls. Making sure wires are, well, wired. Pleasantly suprised that my boss pretty much agreed with my rationale for wanting to eliminate like twenty five percent of our menu. I accidentally phoned one of our food distributors and asked him why he gave us a sign about lead paint.

"Hey, Wayne?"
"Yeah, this is Wayne."
"This is Danger Duck, from Humphrey Bogart's Steakhouse and Clubroom. We met a couple days ago."
"We met this afternoon. At about twelve."
"Jesus, was that today? I thought that was a couple days ago, or at least yesterday. Well, I haven't waken up this early since 2007 so.....Anyway, I was calling about that Prop. 65 sign. Is that something specific to our glassware? Or does every
restuarant have to hang one?"
"That's for every restaurant."
"Thanks."
"Anytime."

The guy must have thought I was fucking nuts. I was reading the wrong card. I've had several new numbers fly at me in card form in the past couple days. I just dialed the one on top. I called the right one when I realized my mistake. He told me that he gave me that poster on accident. That it's only for Bud-Light glasses, which apparently have lead in them. The relief washed over me and I was slowly sliding into a warm bath. I called back Wayne and told him it was all a mixup. That I wasn't a kook, just a little scatterbrianed. We had a laugh. We're in good hands here. There's a small group of well-heeled restauranturs in a room trying to prepare for a grand-opening, and then me running around bitching to anyone who will listen about this sign that warns people about the lead paint on our glassware. It seemed like a big deal to me. I wouldn't drink out of a glass that was in the same building as that sign. I set it on fire before anyone could change their minds. The place stunk for hours.
I really had to take a shit while this computer guy tried to explain things in words that were easy to understand but mostly useless. Cables severed during remodeling. An hour later, I get to a useable toilet in a coffee shop. Not the best B.M., but up there.
Stayed till six trying to comprehends scheduling. Came home, ate burrito, went to drink beers at art show. Saw some really cool colages. Hard to describe. Dinosaurs and terrain and humans digging. Birds peeling forward time and reviling some dark shadow of humanity. Saw that I recognized some of the names of the artists that I am friendly with, and was pleased that I really liked it before I saw the name attached to it. I almost wish that I hadn't look. I am a really awkward complimenter. Two girls (one dressed as Mozart, the other presumably as The Medicine Man) played organ and harmonium and a pair of floor toms. It was an interesting soundscape they were creating. What's really neat is that Mozart was playing a Hammond S-6. The same model chord-organ that I had left to fend for itself in a dank South Carolina storage locker. Like a flood, the glow of fifty six transister tubes can take you back to those times.
I stepped outside for a smoke between bands. Everyone was smoking inside and drinking outside. I kept the opposite pattern, because right across the street from this racous party/art show was my bar. I had to be there to work security in about twenty minutes.
I made it early. It was a strange night. There was a man from the city who, as part of an investigation of the bar, was taking photographs of the bartenders each time they were pouring a drink. If that doesn't make you feel uneasy, it's because you've never worked in drugs. Alcohol is drugs and we are doctors. Imagine the feeling of driving after a few drinks with a cop behind you. You're not wasted, and you don't think you've done anything wrong.....Or did you?
Walked home.
Is it worth it? If I could save up five grand, this is how I would blow it in a day:





That last one I just want the outfit, not the piano.

Which should I save up for if I had to choose one?

It's no Shorpy for sure, but a nice little portion of a larger site for musings on the design history of random things. Everything from architecture, to floppy disks, to denim. Nerd out if you're bored.
DesignBoom

Check out an early sketchy rollercoaster pioneer, Harry G. Traver



and if it's long the rest here.

jesse's vertipod is out of the shop

good news guys...jesse refinaced his house so he could pay off all that work he had done on his vertipod. we took it out for a spin this weekend and let's just say it gets UP there. plus that new exhaust sounds fucking sweet...he's been regining red terror all over town this weekend.

i'll be honest with you all though, i'm a little worried. last night he stalled out over my apartment complex and i had to pull his ass out of my pool. turns out there was a half drunk can of PBR stuck in his blower motor. i confronted him about it and he told me "no dude, it's cool." apparently he's dumping all of his beer into plastic baggies now b/c it's lighter and he can get better altitude. my fear is he's going to get one of those baggies wrapped around his gyroscope and go into a wild, terminal dive.

needless to say, i have my hands full.

I'm so so so so sorry. You don't even know.

I'm so so so so sorry. You don't even know.

ok. So after breaking it down, the trip for me, and most of this is similiar for pete, looks like this:

$400 dollar cruise
$120 passport expenses
$250 plane ticket (minimum cost, looking like more at this point)
$450 for lost wages (they'll let me out of work but won't let me get paid for it)
$500 spending money and I'm told this is being thrifty
$50 minimum share of gas money for drive to and from Miami
$150 for food, necessities for four days (two before and after cruise fly/drive days)
=
$1920 minimum

Realistically, every penny spent would be worth it for the fun, but coinciding with everything else going on and maintaining progrees, I can't justify spending that amount of money when there are tons of other trips/things we can get together for at a fraction of that cost.

I'm sorry. I wanted this to go down just as much as everyone, but it just doesn't work for me.

I'm sorry V. Your hard work trying to put together this package for all of us is not unnoticed, and I feel horribly guilty for having to drop out on you.

After the disappointment subsides, lets start getting busy on legit alternatives. We all want to get together and have a good time, lets use the momentum to find something badass a little farther in the future.

Everyone, I'm sorry.

Critics Raise Their Glasses To No Surprise

Although the Golden Globes are a no-go due to the seemingly indefinite writer's strike, Hollywood did gather last week to award their deserving colleages at the Critics Choice Awards.



A couple of winners I thought should be brought to light were the following:

"No Country For Old Men" won Best Picture, Best Director (The Coen Brothers), and Best Supporting Actor ( Javier Bardem),

Jonny Greenwood won Best Soundtrack for "There Will Be Blood"

Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for "There Will Be Blood" (Sure to be repeat offender at the Oscars if they happen)


The one I was most impressed with was Jonny Greenwood's win for Best Composer for "There Will Be Blood" - as he was up against some titans in the field.

Bad News Cruise: Part B

The wheels are coming off my baby. Possible cancellation of the Cruise. sad

Other options for the Crew to get together:

Beach house party
Slumber party at Chunk T's
Trip to San Diego

Any other idears??

Davy Jones' Locker and other stupid references

Calling all danger crew. Serious pow wow. Smoke signals coming from a burning carcass at the resting place of well laid plans...





We're literally two weeks away from due date. Laura can't make it. Lee's out. The wind is bringing me whispers of Chunk's hesitancy brought on by a number of factors, with begrudging acceptance that the west coast contingent's involvement is what his decision is riding on.
All hearsay, and hearsay is heresy, but that's i'll i've got to work with.

Where i'm coming from: I made the decision to go, damn the consequences. Work has politely obliged my request to enjoy slightly over a week of unbridled fun with a group of friends that rarely gets together without the pull of work, drama, or the occasional bought of syphilis.

I feel that if we don't make this happen, it will never happen. There is always a money constraint, alway s obligations to uphold, always a "better time in the future". Now is the time godamnit.

I know coming from the second half of a decade at this point of us all cohabitating portions of brainspace that it will never be the right time. We just need to do this, and deal with the complications later. That's how we always worked, that's how it needs to go down.

We are looking at a grand adventure, that in some regards makes no sense due to circumstance, with an end result being exponential fun and something to talk about forever. I know money is rough, but in the long run we're all gonna blow far more on shit we didn't need and will never remember what we spent it on.

i'm not bashing anyone, i understand the logistics of life. if you truly cannot make it, you will be there in spirit, and we'll talk some shit about you, and we'll all have a chuckle at the expense of some shit we're all guilty of, and we'll have fun.

remember fun? remember adventure? sell a kidney for all i care. throw down what you're really thinking so we can all come to a consensus. at this point, with great defeat, i'm almost viewing this as a last hurrah in a way. despite our best efforts, we're all settling into complacency, or finding further away adventures, or just second guessing.

i've come to realize that thinking was not our strong point as a group. in fact it was doing for the sake of doing and enjoying the outcome. stop thinking about the surrounding bullshit, and start planning on putting your ass on a boat and having a week of craziness, alienating a tremendous amount of strangers, and getting banned altogether from whatever cruise line we'll be on for life.

one of us is gonna die eventually, and we need an off color story about a danger cruise to upset the family at the funeral.

seriously.

p.s. fuck you in advance rick for any comment about long windedness. this one is important you indigent cocksucker.

Band of Brothers

Top Family Musical Acts










1.kings of leon- 3 brothers and a cousin everybody in this group in related. Ulitmate family troop.

2.the beach boys- 3 brothers and a cousin, KOL learned their moves right hear. However, as family members died they had to be replace by none relatives. Oh yeah and brain Wilson is kind of genius.

3.Oasis- two brothers who hate each other. One is good looking the other is talented: let the fighting ensue. Guess nobody got it all.

4.ac/dc- twin guitar brothers. Angus is the famous one but he & malcom write all the songs together.

5.stone temple pilots- 2 bro’s who play bass and guitar. Together they wrote all the music and about %30 of the lyrics.

6.van halen- eddie is the one with all the talent. But alex has the same last name so their. In the current lineup Eddie’s kid is on bass making it even more van halen.

7.radiohead- Johnny’s got the flash but colin’s has the mean grooves ex: national anthem.

8.the black crowes- two hippie brothers out of touch with their time. One writes the music and plays guitar, the other the words and sings. Great combinations.

9.credence Clearwater revival- perhaps the most one sided brother team up. John writes the songs, the music, plays lead guitar, produces the records. While tom rides the coat tails hard.

10.the kinks- two brothers who both sing an write songs. It’s just ray was a lot better at it. They also hated each other with a passion.

11.the allman brothers band- they named the group after themselves. Gregg kept the name even after duane died (gross and weird)!

12.heart- the only female team up. They were sexy business back in the day. What would it be like if Robert plant had tits? Now we know.

13.the everly brothers
14.the stooges
15.collective soul
16.screaming trees
17.cranberries

Hall of shame
18.los lonely boys
19.bush
20.the righteous brothers
21.dire straits
22.the darkness

False advertising
1.the ramones- no one in the band is named ramone or related. But they are all still awesome.
2.the doobie brothers- no relation or weed in sight.
3.the chemical brothers- just two nerdy friends.
4.the dust brothers- great producers but in no way relatives.
5.the flying burrito brothers- their's a real lack of food or blood in this outfit.
6.sly &the family stone- sly’s real last name is Stewart and no of the band in his kin.
7.scissor sisters- cleary a joke, unless your not gay then its confusing.


Let me know any i forgot.

Bad News Cruise

Yes, here is some bad news. Confusing news. According to our local Post Office we will, unfortunately, need passports. Every time I call I get a different answer, so here's the deal:

As of January 1st all methods of leaving the country will require you to have a passport. But the Post Office is backed up right now. So when I called some people told me do need a passport and some told me no.

I say we just get one and be done with it. So here is the site and form. Fill it out and take it to the Post Office with 2 recent pics of yourself. You will need 2 checks for $67 and $30.

Anything else just ask your neighborhood friendly Mike V

https://pptform.state.gov/DS11/MainDS11.aspx




and if it's long the rest here.

The Black Keys Reveal Danger Mouse-Produced Album

It seems like just yesterday when we were WTF-ing at rumors of a collaboration between the Black Keys, Danger Mouse, and the now late Ike Turner... until Keys drummer Patrick Carney confirmed it in an interview last year. Turner's passing seemingly put a damper on the project, but it turns out the songs the Keys were writing for him gave them the foundation for their own record, the follow-up to 2006's Magic Potion.

The result is the Danger Mouse-produced Attack & Release, the duo's fifth album-- but their first recorded in a proper studio. Alas, no Cee-Lo guest spot, but it does feature contributions from experimental guitarist Marc Ribot and multi-instrumentalist Ralph Carney (Patrick's uncle), both of whom have played in Tom Waits' band. There's also a pretty killer slow-burn duet between guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach and 18-year-old bluegrass/country singer Jessica Lea Mayfield on the closing track.

And while in theory, the thought of a Danger Mouse-produced Black Keys record brings to mind a bunch of electronic beats and sound pastiches slapped on stripped-down garage rawk, it's a credit to Danger Mouse as a producer that he manages mostly to stay out of the way of the jams, except for a few little flourishes here and there.

Nonesuch will release Release on April 1, no foolin', and the Black Keys will head out on tour in the spring in support of the album, starting with their appearance at South by Southwest.

There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Day Lewis,score by Johnny Greenwood. What the fuck is not to enjoy?



and if it's long the rest here.

DANGER, get on the Cruise

Aight, I got a lot more information this time. Hopefully this will answer any and all questions you have and will make you throw money at me so we can all partake on this joyous adventure. More after the jump...



First off, here are the dates: April 28 - May 2. Monday through Friday. It's the Port of Miami. If you need an address just put Port of Miami in Map Quest or Google Maps and it will give you the directions.

Chris and Pete could either fly to Miami or here in Aiken however, we may need more then 1 driver. Girl is going but she can only ride 5 because of luggage.


Here is the room situation: This is going to get confusing so try to stick with me...

Cheap: two rooms with 4 people in them. So far I have 8 people that want to go so this works out wonderly.

Next, we have two choices.

1. The cheaper option
This option states that we have a room but there is no guarantee where on the ship it will be or whether the two rooms will be next to each other. The price for these rooms...$345.61 per person.

2. Other option (smarter)
This is the opposite of the cheaper option. Our rooms will be guaranteed next to each other. So we can hang more and borrow clothes. Price per person...$375.61

Now just a side note, these rooms are really small. We won't be in them much so if the cheaper option is cool with everybody then that's what we will do.

Another thing, we will NOT need passports. Your ID and birth certificate is mandatory though, so make sure you bring them.

Lastly, if anyone wants there is an insurance policy that you can take out. For $39 it covers a lot of stuff that I don't feel like typing so if you want to more about it holla.

One more money thing: I need your cash by January 31st. Cool

Flight of the Conchord

If you don't know now you know!

Don't They Know You Killed Jesus?

What part of the holiday season coaxes the crazies to enter society and spew their superfluous yet sensational rederick?



It's funny how word seems to travel as if a beacon of light in the sky, uniting the eccentric and encouraging them to spread the news. And perhaps I should clarify the individuals in reference would be of the evangelical influence.

Over the years, I've come to expect the occasional pamphlet, usually left propped up on the bathroom sink at work - or the more brave encounter of the Jehovah's Witness shattering knock on the front door at ungodly hours. I guess I've come to accept my fate as a resident of the Bible Belt, taking each "Do you have a moment?" with a grain of salt.

As soon as the decorations dress the store counters, the evangelical christians seep out of the woodwork and catch you off guard with such conviction in seemingly absurd statements. Yet the other day, the following interaction took the cake on the crazy train.


My coworker Liz fancies British comedy on an equal level as me, which aids to the enjoyment of work by slinging references and rusty accents back and forth. As the customers gain intensity as the special day draws closer, such banter allows us to maintain our sanity. After the third or so round, I worked on the last customer's latte. As I handed it off, said customer and I exchanged salutations and Liz and I returned to Life of Brian quotes.

A moment later, I ear my voice announced from the handout station. It was the same customer. I was surprised that she knew my name, which I had not remembered being part of the conversation, but that would be the least shocking element of the situation.

Her spiel was spectular! Although the laughter bubbling inside from the intensity streaming from this woman's eyes almost killed the moment.

"Laura..." she called and I headed to the end of the bar. "I am a Christian and God speaks through me on occasion." I felt my eyes widen and temporarily focus on the two orthodox Jews sitting at the table behind us.

"He wants me to tell you that He loves your humor and caring nature." Bullshit was the first word that came to mind, but she was damned entertaining at this point. Bring on the compliments.

"He has put songs in your heart that He wants you to sing." Are you kidding me?! "He will be in contact with you soon."

And with that, she walked away, leaving me stunned at my fortune - or gaining such an amazing nugget of religious extremism. Upon retelling the conversation, my coworker exclaimed loudly "Doesn't she know you killed Jesus?"

I know, right.

Get lost, jerks.

www.Shorpy.com
This site pretty much kills it if you wanna get lost in ol' timey randomness. Scruffy newsies, obsolete technology, and disdain for child labor around the turn of the century, with write ups simultaneously more detailed than necessary and not detailed enough once you're interested.It'll put you in the time locker.

The shot above should be familiar to any Charleston visitor, only if you had just shown up after getting attacked during the civil war.

Have fun!

Home for the Holidays

I will be in Aiken on Friday and Saturday, the 21st and 22nd? We should get together and drink beer. By the way there is like 2 fucking feet of snow outside and people are going to go to work tomorrow, that is really weird to me.

With Love,
Ryan

But seriously

Even if you're not a huge motorcycle fan, the level of design on these puppies is incredible, and besides the digi-mock up slated for next year, are all fully functional real world machines. Ch'ch'ch'check it out.

Confederate Motorcycles
and a write up in Popular Mechanics

One hell of a CHRISmas on the way.....

Important Cruise Update

Hey Hey Hey, so big thanks to Laura or Kristen for telling me about the passport thing. I checked in on it and unfortunately it seems we will need to get passports. I called the post office and the cruise line and there is no way around it. So I've already looked into it and here's what you got to do (after the jump)



go to this web addres:

travel.state.gov

then go to passport and find out "how to apply" for one. This may take some searching around but if I can find it all of you can. Then fill out the form "DS-11"

Make sure to bring 2 pics of yourself.


THE PROCESS TAKES 4-6 WEEKS so if you're hell bent on going please start looking into it now so you can, at least, get the information from parents and or other places.


One more note...there is two charges for this: 1. $67 and 2. $30 total $97

when I called on this, the lady told me it's two separate fees so don't write one check when you go to the post office. BRING TWO CHECKS when going to pay.


I guess that's about it. Please, if you have any questions give me a call and also make sure I have your digits in case I need to holla (Laura). Aight


in danger we trust

random fun for rickles

Rickles Film Reviews Vol. 4

I viewed two films this past week. One more depressing than the next. It was great!






Sad Bastard Double Feature
First up was "No Country For Old Men." This is a Cohen Brothers picture (Fargo, Big Lebowski). They are known for their quirky take on life. Also almost every one of their movies involves a large sum of money being fought over by several parties with life lost in the process. This movie is no different, except tone wise its more downbeat. I love their films because even the minor roles feel authentic. I won’t give away any of the plot (hate when reviews do that) but here are some main details: Texas, serial killer, a lot of cash.
Tommy Lee Jones is awesome in it. I’m thinking he may get Oscar nod. We’ve all seen him in some shitty pictures before (Man of the House, Volcano), so its not all his doing. Its really the excellent Cohen dialogue that lets him shine.


Second feature is "Before the Devil Knows Your Dead." Sindey Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico) directed this one. Both of those where not happy affairs either. It also involves money and crime with all the complications that arise from those elements. This movie has a hell of an upsetting finish to it. My girlfriend saw it with me and said she felt like someone hit her. Great stuff!
Philip Seymour Hoffman is great as usual. This guy managed to be brilliant in a "Mission Impossible" movie, need I say more. Devil has a structure that is a Pulp Fiction/ Memento hybrid. Things keep spiraling more and more out of control.


Both of these films have great acting, story, structure, directing. However they both also have a heavily pessimistic attitude. This is of course right up my alley, but be forewarned. No happy endings in sight. I will probably buy both pictures. They are art house movies so it may be hard for you Aiken kids to see them. I don’t think the movies at a plex really adds that much to these two. But don’t miss em if you like downbeat character pieces.

hot chip redux

shortly after finishing my recent canned drum extravagaza post, i happened on the video for "ready for the floor" the first single from hot chip's forthcoming "made in the dark." besdies being seriously hot shit, this song (and video) really show off the two sides of hot chip- dancefloor beats/offbeat delivery. plus the video allows you to enjoy two-face without having to sit through anything directed by joel schumacher.

no requests III: hit it and quit it

a long time ago i remember rick angrily dismissing bands that lacked drummers. i think rick's heart is in the right place, but as usual he is completely wrong. today's theme- "bands" that owe more to dance/electronica drum machines and their intrepid programmers than john bohnam and his way around a bottle of booze.

first up hot chip. i'm excited about a third lp that's on the way. exciting, fun, dance-y but most certainly a band.


further evidence follows the jump....


junior boys are hot, rick admits...and not only are the drums canned, so is the bassline.


one might make the argument that in a live setting, live drums are essential. the clip is of montreal, the party's crashing us now. live at the 40 watt, halloween 2007. rick is somewhere to the left of the cameraman, drunk dancing. you'll notice the drum kit is unmanned- it was this way for 95% of the show.

enventual reduction

Snoop was once hard and hungry. now he's biting t-pain. ouch. at least the video is good for a laugh.

Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction Closed Captioned
Uploaded by Elodie-74

of course there's a chance this is a joke on the part of the doggfather...

**update**i was writing this while watching for the first time. joke or not, i'm sold. just stay tuned to the rap at the end.

**double update** while reviewing some earlier posts i discovered that chris's weekly weezy was in fact this exact same video. i'm glad snoop has managed to invade our space from all directions.

Perry Bible Fellowship

more here The Perry Bible Fellowship



hadn't seen these before. just fucked up enough. enjoy.

this should have been us

without a doubt, this could have come from us.

Litestar Pulse

link and shit--->Drive the car of tomorrow....TODAY!!!
I recommend the Pulse kit, quite possibly the most unfun toy ever. I've got a bunch ordered so if you want in on the group buy, lemme know.