« June 2006 | Main | August 2006 »

July 29, 2006

Josh and Ernie and Ken and Music

This one's all music...

Adrian Belew's engineer, Ken Latchney, passed away Friday. I saw Ken in at last two Belew shows I went to, and have enjoyed numerous projects he was a part of over the years. As a result of Ken's passing, Friday night's Robert Fripp/Adrian Belew ProjeKct 6 show in Nashville was postponed. My thoughts and prayers go out to Ken's family and friends.

So, the California Guitar Trio is coming back to Chattanooga. I interviewed Trio member Paul Richards this week, and we both agreed (though me a bit more forcefully) that it would be nice if more than 40 people (the amount that came to their Rhythm and Brews show last September) showed up this time -- especially considering the rapturous response they received at their Riverbend shows in 2005.

Catching up on Paul's online diary entries, I found this brief account of catching Wilco live that'll probably appeal to you hipster types:

I went to see Wilco. Touring with Wilco as their current guitarist is Nels Cline. This guy is amazing. I was so glad to be able to see him play, excellent sound and very creative playing.

The second installment of Joshua Daniels' PulseCast: Music Edition has been delivered into my eager little hands. This one is SO good, that I am going to post it on Monday, some two days early. Though you can probably find it before then if you do a little, um, digging.

Listening to the podcast, I think I've finally zeroed in on an accurate description of indie hero Sufjan Stevens: Elliott Smith in a good mood with a banjo, a horn section, friends and an obsession with geography. If that appeals to you, buy his record.

Having Josh join Ernie Paik and myself within the small group of music freaks at The Pulse has been nice. All three of us are fond of discovering and sharing new music, though when any of us has enough time to properly soak it all in is beyond me. It's gotten to a point for me that I will permanently discard a CD if I don't like in the first two minutes, because I know there's always something else to listen to just inches away -- and when most of the music that's foisted upon us is, let's face it, crap.

Two discs that I'm listening to that aren't crap: Illuminated Manuscript by Cale Parks and Kill Them With Kindness by Headlights. Oh, and Ernie's Spap Oop Compilation 4.

Posted by colrus at 01:12 AM | TrackBack

July 26, 2006

Lance Bass is Gay

It's official. Lance Bass is gay.

...which makes the following bit of satire I wrote for the Chattanooga Outlook back in 2000 all the more creepier:

Why I Love Lance from 'N Sync
From the Chattanooga Outlook, July 28, 2000

The "Boy Band" is alive and well. A terrible phenomena which seemed to disappear ten years ago with the not-quick-enough death of the New Kids On the Block, has once again spread like a plague, infecting every record store window, Billboard chart, and teenage girl's fantasies.

But as much as I despise the recurring "Boy Band" craze, I have to shamefully admit that this evil monster of pop music marketing has sucked me in, too. One day, while watching VH-1, I met my fate. And his name is Lance.

As I sat there in my T-shirt and boxers, it wasn't just the beautiful words or the sophisticated music of 'N Sync that appealed to me. It was the total package. When you watch one of their videos, you can tell that they've truly lived the lyrics to their songs. It's tough to find a band as sincere as this one. They literally jump off the screen with "good feeling" and encouragement. At one point, I put down my bag of Combos, got off the couch and started groovin' along. I threw my hands into the air, waved them like I just didn't care, and screamed, "Oh Yeah! This is the band that I've been looking for!"

And within this revelation that call themselves 'N Sync, there is one member who is the quintessential "Boy Band" pawn…uh, I mean…member. His name is Lance Bass (like the fish).

Lance's real name is Lanston, and he's a "team player." According to his official 'N SYNC web site profile, Lance doesn't try to grab the spotlight from the other members of 'N Sync, instead, he opts to stay in the background and fortify the music with his sweet bass voice. His moves on stage are perfect, and he drives the girls crazy with his glowing green eyes, angelic oval face, and beautifully styled golden locks. He's also very photogenic, pimple-free, and does everything his manager tells him to do.

After being blown away by Lance and the rest of 'N Sync, I expressed my newfound excitement to my wife, who, although being skeptical about my sincerity, suggested that I should write a letter to Lance. I took her up on the offer. Here's a copy of the actual letter:

Dear Lance,

My name is Bill. I'm a 26 year-old married man from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I love 'N Sync, and you're my favorite. "Tearin' Up My Heart" is my favorite song, and I have all your cd's. I had a dog named Taco, but we had to put him to sleep because he got hit by a van. I read an interview with you in Teen Beat, and I found out that we have a lot in common. You and I both HATE mushrooms and reincarnation, but we both LOVE pizza, french toast, apples, and horseback riding. We also both have innie belly buttons! I don't wear pajamas to bed like you do, though. I wear underwear. And I'm also not that crazy about Lucille Ball, like you are. But that's okay. You rock, anyway! What's your favorite kind of cereal? Mine is Golden Grahams. They taste good. Do you like to read? I do. It's fun. Sometimes when I read, I pretend that I'm the person in the story. Like, one time, I was reading Iacocca by Lee Iacocca, and I pretended that I was a mogul of a large automobile manufacturer. It was cool. I got to say things, like, "Hey, I think automatic safety belts are a great idea" or "I'm sorry, Bob, but we're gonna have to let you go." That's what's great about an imagination. You should try using yours sometime. I hope you're having a good summer, and I PROMISE that I'll see you guys in concert when I can. Until then, keep it real. And, oh yeah, you guys are WAY better than the Backstreet Boys.

Your Friend 4 ever,
Bill

I never received a reply from Lance. I didn't expect one. If you were a 20 year-old guy, and a 26 year-old guy wrote you a bizarre letter like that, would you respond? I wouldn't. Still, I'd love to meet Lance. We could hang out and do cool stuff like go to the Gap, rent Titanic, read some Harry Potter books, download some Limp Bizkit songs from Napster, and eat dinner at Chili's. And after I showed him my Beanie Baby collection, I could show him how to get a job. I figure he'll need one in about six months or so.

Well, I gotta go. The therapist says I can see him now.

Posted by colrus at 04:45 PM | TrackBack

Office Promo Contest Entries Now Online

I have now watched pretty much all of the Office Promo Contest entries at YouTube, and I am pretty much in agreement with OfficeTally's faves.

There are some REALLY good ones.

Posted by colrus at 12:44 AM | TrackBack

July 24, 2006

Babyurethane

I applied five coats of polyurethane to the baby's dresser yesterday. I then woke up with a headache. I have about three more to go, so I'll probably wake up with 3/5 of a headache tomorrow. It will look nice when it's done. If I live long enough to see it.

The baby is kicking more and more. After one rather pronounced boot yesterday, thoughts of soccer excited me. Which is weird, as I've never much cared for the game.

My former boss' daughter was crowned Tennesee Junior Miss Saturday night. Here are some pictures.

Yes, I am still at the office. This week, we publish our election guide. It's 8,458 pages. Or at least it feels like it.

Posted by colrus at 07:03 PM | TrackBack

John Kerry: One-Man Peacekeeping Force

John Kerry, the man who wasn't quite clever enough to beat George W. Bush (who some argue is the dumbest President we've ever had) in the last election, has proclaimed that the Middle East wouldn't be in this mess if he was charge.

In related losers-to-Bush news, Frakensteinian former V.P. Al Gore's quest to end Global Warming has sparked some interesting thought from one Tara Servatius.

I have a hard time believing that scientists who haven't completely figured out what happened climactically in the past or what caused it somehow know for certain what will happen in the future.

I do too.

Posted by colrus at 02:59 PM | TrackBack

July 23, 2006

Jake, Wind and Fire

Aside from the solo ukulele pyrotechnics on display at Jake Shimabukuro's solo Nightfall show on Friday night was the greatest bit of choreographed weather I've ever witnessed. As Shimabukuro was reaching the closing crescendo of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," the wind picked up mightily, cooling off an otherwise muggy evening and sending hundred of leaves swirling above and in front of him. The wind slowed as Shimabukuro faded out of the song, adding another level of magic to an already-magical performance. The crowd roared its approval at both the virtuoso before them and, it seemed, the storm that was about to hit them.

But it never did rain. Unless, that is, you count the showers of praise that rained down on Shimabukuro that night. And the fury of music that warranted it.

Posted by colrus at 11:25 PM | TrackBack

July 21, 2006

"Indie" Rock is Dead?

Some interesting thoughts from TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek in this month's Spin:

"I don't believe in 'indie' anymore," says Sitek. "Most indie labels started in opposition to what the majors were. But now every indie label's highest aspiration is to do what the major labels have already given up on." He mentions that most indie labels are still fighting for placement in Wal-Mart's end caps, the featured artists slot at the end of a shopping aisle, while major labels have already moved on to bigger battles, like reserving prime space on digital download services. "It's just too expensive for an indie label to take on MySpace, so they're just going to ride this dying horse, and it's terrifying to be contractually locked into that architecture. So if I'm going to continue to do this, I'm at least going to go with the company that admits the old model is ridiculous."

Posted by colrus at 01:58 PM | TrackBack

July 19, 2006

We Slept at Erlanger

Shortly after after 9 a.m. yesterday, upon getting to work at Erlanger, my wife (who is six months pregnant) fainted in the hospital's post office. Before doing so, she got the attention of a doctor she knew, who helped her to the floor and then brought her to the emergency room. A couple of her co-workers called me to let me know about the situation. I got to the hospital shortly afterwards, quite panicked but composed.

We're guessing that my wife's blood sugar had dipped (she didn't eat breakfast yesterday), causing her condition. After several (see: nine) hours in the ER, she was finally given a room on the seventh floor. After returning to the house to feed the cats and get some clothes, I joined Melissa in the hospital room. It was an oddly enjoyable experience, as it was nice and quiet and we both got a lot of much-needed rest. Melissa was discharged around 9 a.m. today and is doing fine.

My niece Joy has proposed "Alexander" as Sam's middle name. While I agree with her assessment that it "pretty much goes well with any and all first names," I think we're leaning towards using a family name if we can -- unless there's someone in the family with the name "Alexander." Joy?

The Red Sox swept the Royals, beating them 1-0 both of the last two nights behind great pitching performances by Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon. Lester is on my Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball team (nicknamed the "Dinkin' Flickas") and has gone 5-0 since I picked him up. My team is creeping up the standings, overtaking many of the ol' Connecticut friends of mine that are also in the league.

Posted by colrus at 10:57 PM | TrackBack

A Cycle of Nonsense

Here are a few bits of salient commentary from Mr. Sowell's latest piece on the current conflict in the Middle East.

On Equivalence:

"...But just what had Israel done to set off these latest terrorist acts? It voluntarily pulled out of Gaza, after evacuating its own settlers, and left the land to the Palestinian authorities.

Terrorists then used the newly acquired land to launch rockets into Israel and then seized an Israeli soldier. Other terrorists in Lebanon followed suit. The great mantra of the past, "trading land for peace," is now thoroughly discredited, or should be.

But facts mean nothing to people who are determined to find equivalence, whether today in the Middle East or yesterday in the Cold War."

On Concessions:

"There is no concession that will bring lasting peace to the Middle East because the terrorists and their supporters are not going to be satisfied by concessions. The only thing that will satisfy them is the destruction of Israel."

On Justice:

"People who have long been sheltered from mortal dangers can indulge themselves in the belief that there are no mortal dangers.Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran or North Korea -- and, through them, in the hands of hate-filled terrorists -- may be all that will finally wake up such people. But that may be tragically too late.

Those who keep calling for an end to the "cycle of violence" are what make such violence more likely. "World opinion" in general and the United Nations in particular can always be counted on to counsel "restraint" in response to attacks and "negotiations" in response to lethal threats.

What that means is that those who start trouble will have a lower price to pay than if those they attacked were free to go all out in their counter-attack. Lowering the price to be paid by aggressors virtually guarantees more aggression."

Posted by colrus at 01:36 PM | TrackBack

July 18, 2006

There is Dust Everywhere

I'm halfway through the painting stage of the stripping/sanding/priming/painting/polyurethene-ing process on the dresser we're going to use for Sam. Right now, much of the office/soon to be baby's room is covered in dust, so this computer might explode. If it does, know I always loved all of you.

We're painting the dresser spa blue and ordering some clear knobs off the Web. We will also be hanging a painting my dad did of a tricycle (which has colors that are similar to the paint we're using) some 40 years ago and will be buying some wooden letters to spell Sam's name on the wall. We'll probably paint those, too.

In case you're keeping score, Sam's official name (as of today) is Samuel ___________ Colrus. We're taking suggestions for a middle name, as we're not quite sure we want to settle on the current front runner, William.

Our paper will have a new podcast this week. Josh Daniels (host of our only other podcast) will again take the reigns, rockin' C-Town with his biweekly, 60-minute music show, "The PulseCast: Music Edition." If all goes as planned, this podcast (as well as all future Pulse podcasts) will be available via all your favorite podcatchers, via Web streaming, and via plain ol' mp3 download.

I've heard it. You're gonna dig it.

Speaking of Podcasts. Tara Servatius, a writer for Charlotte's Creative Loafing, also hosts a GREAT talk show on WBT 1110 AM on Sundays, which is also available in podcast form. I first heard Tara when I was visiting my sister and have downloaded every one of her shows since. She's become a sort of personal journalistic hero of mine.

In other semi-related Web news: Our Web hits have been steadily increasing for quite some time, with last week's numbers being our best yet. People must really like to read about food.

I'm headin' back to the editing bay tomorrow. We're getting REALLY CLOSE to finishing the OTOH DVD. I spoke with Dan Lyons today, and he will be available for the commentary recording session. Microphones permitting, we won't be the only two cast members there.

Lack of writing. You've undoubtedly noticed that my editorial writing has basically, well, stopped over the last year or so. This is not good, nor particularly desired, on my part, and steps are being taken to revive this facet of my work. I'm looking forward to being openly despised once again. Maybe as soon as next week...

---

CURRENT DIVERSIONS:
LISTENING: Cornelius - Fantasma
READING: John Stossel - Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel--Why Everything You Know is Wrong
WATCHING: Get a Life episodes

Posted by colrus at 01:21 AM | TrackBack

July 11, 2006

Battle of the Book Desecration Videos, Guy Shoots Up Koran vs. "I Like Big Bibles": You decide

Click here to see a guy from Chattanooga shoot up a copy of the Koran and place it at the doorstep of a local mosque.

Click here to see "I Like Big Bibles."

Posted by colrus at 11:19 PM | TrackBack

Big Papi = AL MVP

Despite his not winning the home run derby last night, I think Mr. Ortiz is worthy of a trophy this year.

Posted by colrus at 10:15 AM | TrackBack

Oh, Busy-ness

Let's see...

Went to a wedding reception last week for (former OTOH'er) Brad Reynolds and his new wife, Thiery. It was one of the most interesting weddings I've ever been to. In addition to chowing down on NINE COURSES of food, we watched Brad and Thiery circle the room to receive gift envelopes from those in attendance.

They are bowing and giving thanks in this picture.

In a bit of "it really is a small world" detail, local filmmaker Jim Burer was the photographer. (Well, not of THIS photo. This one's mine.)

Baby stuff. Well, we already had a crib, so we bought a stroller this week. (Babies 'R Us had it on clearance. Sweet!) We also bought a couple more baby books, clothes and registered for some things at Target.

We are currently stripping a dresser and repainting it for the baby, as well as clearing out a bunch of stuff so we can decorate the baby's room. Having decided that we are going to stay where we're currently living for at least a few months after the baby is born, new carpet has become a hot topic of discussion in the Colrus house.

Speaking of the baby, here's the mommy with our other "kids" -- From left: Winnie, Booger and Jack. (Click to enlarge.)

Spent the 4th of July up at the Baugh's on Lookout Mountain. Played some very intense Wiffle Ball in 90-degree heat. (We lost by a run.) Casey's dad, Jerry, has a nasty slider, effectively shutting down our longball in the late innings.

Casey's first instructional DVD is now available for purchase via Richard Schmid's site and publishing company, and Casey will have some work up for sale in Richard's auction in Colorado this fall. (I like "Lula Creek," myself.)

Casey plans to do two more videos, and has started making his own frames -- a BIG money-saving move for an up-and-coming artist. Casey and Linlee's baby is due in September, and they are going up to Vermont and New Hampshire in a couple of weeks to scout out housing options for a permanent move up there in October or November.

You can check out some of Casey's latest work here.

Posted by colrus at 09:44 AM | TrackBack

July 04, 2006

There's No Way Around It: Nacho Libre is a Terrible Movie

Ugh. Not since The Life Acquatic have I been as flabbergastedly amazed at the unbridled awfulness of a film from a director whose work I otherwise really liked.

Nacho Libre is a trainwreck. The story is weak. The jokes are weak. The music all over the place. There are way too many characters that almost get properly introduced. I couldn't believe I sat though it.

You can argue that Jared Hess was unfairly cruel to his characters in Napoleon Dynamite -- though Pedro DOES wind up school president and Napoleon, Uncle Rico and Kip all the get the girl -- but at least that film was entertaining. Nacho Libre is maddeningly bad. Perhaps the biggest testament to its badness? The fact that tonight, on the eve of the 4th of July (a day that EVERYONE has off from work) only four people were in the theatre.

Also, Jack Black needs to stop doing that "reen-teen-reen-teen-deedle-deedle-doo" fake trumpet crap he does whenever given the opportunity to sing.

Enjoy my $16, Hollywood.

Please shoot me.

Posted by colrus at 01:59 AM | TrackBack