WOV you been all my life?!

Wall Of Voodoo

self-titled debut EP

1980



Longarm
The Passenger
Can't Make Love
Struggle
Ring Of Fire
Granma's House

Back in the early days of MTV, back when the channel meant something and was at least halfway decent, one of the videos in regular rotation for awhile was for the very cool sounding Mexican Radio. That one song had been everything I knew about this Los Angeles post-punk, new wave, alternative band. Now, all these years later, I've finally expanded my knowledge of WOV beginning with their eponymous debut EP released a few years back.

Stan Ridgway, the lead singer, puts together a sound that reminded me of Devo & the B-52's rolled into one with perhaps some early Depeche Mode thrown in, maybe a smidgen of Bauhaus even. What an amazing sound! These songs really could've been semi-lost forever had they not been released onto CD in the 90's, on an album with live music included, called The Index Masters.

Two tracks are instrumental with one half being a ringing phone. The strongest songs are without a doubt The Passenger and Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire. Oh my goodness, holy cow, that remake is out of this world. This band was so simple yet so complex with their whole electronic sound and they make Ring Of Fire like no other version of the song ever.

These songs will be played again and more Wall Of Voodoo I definitely look forward to!

The Index Masters for dload @ 256 kbps Here

A Surf Classic

I was stoked to be able to catch this on one of the Encore channels I get. It had once been a favorite movie of mine, back in the good ol' surfin' days... ahhhh, youth. Not that I'm not youthful anymore, I am in many ways, and I still surf... I mean, well, not a lot but I would when I have a chance, it's just not on any list of priorities these days but tis somethin' I still love. Also different from then is I don't hold this movie in high esteem anymore. Must've seen it well over a dozen times back then and while it was great to see it now, just wasn't the same.

North Shore (1987)


Arizona isn't exactly a premier surf capital. For recent high school graduate Rick Kane, it's home and it's all he's got. That all changes after he wins a local surf championship which is held in a pool with real machine-generated waves. With his cash prize, Rick (Matt Adler) takes off for the summer to surf some true waves -- in Hawai'i.

Pretty much as soon as he arrives in paradise, trouble ensues. Soon enough he's bunking for the night with professional surfers who just happen to be throwing a pretty sweet wing ding of a party. When it comes time to get his board in the water and get to some surfin', Rick finds he's not so welcome. Locals just know he's another FOP haole (contemptuosly meaning -- Fresh Off the Plane and pronounced: "howley" meaning foreigner) but Rick's too ignorant to know it until he's clued in.

Thanks to a local nice guy surfer named Turtle, Rick soon has a place to stay at Turtle's bosses place. Chandler (Gregory Harrison) is a surfboard shaper and he gives Rick lessons in surfing. Being champion in Arizona does automatically make one able to handle the waves of the north shore of Oahu. The young one is eager to learn and learn he does. He even advanced so much in one summer to be able to go head to head with the best surfers in the world.

At the end of the summer before heading back to the mainland to attend art school, Rick enters the Pipeline Masters, a serious competition against best. In the end -- he gets the girl (Nia Peeples.)

A romantic storyline was completely unneeded here but it works. Nia is totally enchanting as a local Hawai'ian girl. I was most able to associate with Turtle, the laid back, carefree shaping apprentice as well as Chandler the carefree, laid back local shaping legend. Some characters may have been wicked stereotypical but not completely out of the realm of reality. The story moved along well and the scenery was tremendous! Usually I am one who longs to live with a mountainview and cold weather but this film achieved in making me wanna move to paradise and become a local surf bum without a single care in the world. Ahhhhhh...

Overall, a decent surfing movie. The best thing is it tries to be real without stooping to a level of idiot comedy laden with nudity. It stays away from both and we're treated to a story about a kid with a dream. This is definitely a surfing cult classic.

Zilch Day 48 ...

still healing.

Not even close to running.

Not yet ready to start with rehab hikes.

Gotta wait a little while longer...

So close....

Oh baby,
so close to hittin' the trail for my first hike in like 59 years (it seems.)

No run today. No hike, not yet.
Pretty soon... so close I can taste it!

(without checking yesterday's Zilch update, I've lost track!)

Zilch Day 47?

Dead in the Garden

I've really gotta Press Play on a GD show more than once every two weeks!! I was so due...

Grateful Dead 9/21/82

Madison Square Garden
New York City

1st Set

Playing In The Band -» Crazy Fingers -»
Me and My Uncle -» Big River,
West L.A. Fadeaway, Beat It On Down The Line,
Loser, Looks Like Rain,
China Cat Sunflower -» I Know You Rider

2nd Set
Touch Of Grey -» Samson and Delilah,
High Time, Estimated Prophet -»
He's Gone -» Drums -» Space -»
Throwing Stones -» Not Fade Away -»
Black Peter -» Good Lovin'

Encore: U.S. Blues

Fall Tour '82 -- two nights in New York City. How would the energy be on this second night? I'll tell ya what, not bad at all. Some great energy for sure! Interesting energy, too.

Once upon a time in 1972, the boys kicked off a show with Playing In The Band. That occurence was the only one until this month of September over ten years later. For whatever reason, they pulled out a show opening Playin' twice on this tour already and again here for a third time (and fourth ever to date.) Only twice more after would they do that again (once in 86 & once in 89) so this was a rare treat. And what came next really made for a great combo to be hearing -- Crazy Fingers followed, recently resurrected, it's been on the shelf since 1976, and here it was making it's first NYC-area appearance since then. I'm not so sure Playin' is a great opener but the Playin'-> Crazy Fingers on this night to open the show, definitely alright by me!

That bit o' musical high didn't have much time to really set in as the energy picked up with Bobby steaming through Uncle-> Big River then back down again with something the crowd had no clue about -- West L.A. Fadeaway. Making just it's 7th appearance in a Dead show, this young tune was less than 1 month old. Not too many people in the arena that night had any idea what the heck it was. With an extra verse at the end (which eventually got axed by the time this made its album debut almost 4 years later on In The Dark) it wasn't so bad all the way back then. Like so many songs that need tons of tries to get right, this one needs some maturing but for the most part Jerry nailed it.

BIODTL, Loser & LLR up next were next to flawless if not perfect. They all led beautifully into the set ending China->Rider which was surely one of the highlights of the show so far.

As I was just giving a second listen to this while typing, so easily I pictured myself in the Garden that night almost 25 years ago. How blissed I woulda been, especially with the return of Crazy Fingers. Jerry was playing so well. Weir was full of life. The band was tight. Ahhhh....

Opening the 2nd Set was another mystery tune, going something like, "I will get by, I will survive" and "every silver lining's got a touch of grey." Hmmmm... must be a new song. Second of the night. Jerry didn't have as much ease with this one as he did West L.A. It wasn't so bad, though. Aside from a few missed lyrics, this 4th ever Touch rocked nicely! If most everyone there had no idea what it was, it was surely definitely danceable!

Touch went into a Samson where Jerry's guitar was near-blistering and Set 2 was highly charged and off to the races! High Time, Estimated and He's Gone were all spectacular leading into Drums. Estimated especially had the boys in The Zone, all jazzy and spacey, Bobby and Brent working perfectly alongside Jerry's noodling away while Phil, Mickey & Billy played perfectly along. Mmmmm! Not a single complaint!

It's not often that I praise Drums... I don't dislike it by any means but tonight the Rhythm Devils were on fire! It's no wonder Deadheads and drum circles go so well together. When you've got these two guys night in and night out helping to foster a love for percussion, how could any Head not be drawn to a drum circle?

A very cool Space led the way into more brand new territory. With three song slots filled by relatively brand spanking new numbers, this was no usual show. Another period of fresh songs for the Dead was rearing it's head here on this Fall Tour. Throwing Stones was also on only it's 4th ever playing. What would eventually become a fan favorite is presented here in it's mere infancy. Interesting that the three new tunes on this night making their NYC debut wouldn't even be recorded and released until a few years down the line. It's happened in the past and it would occur again twice more for the boys. I'm sure a lot of folks wanted to see live more of the songs they knew so well but this was something they'd have to get used to. It had to happen sometime.

NFA and Peter followed the new tune, heading into Good Lovin' which really got the crowd frenzied once again. It's amazing to me how they've taken someone else's song and really made it theirs. Of course Weir played it up in his best Pigpen imitation... a lovely homage it always is while at the same time so cheesy Bobby! Wrapping it all up, the U.S. Blues encore left the crowd both satisfied and wanting more; it was a great capper to this exquisite yet interesting night what with the beautiful playing, the band so tight, the energy really high and the new numbers introduced to the NYC fans for the very first time. Perhaps a Top 10 show of 1982? Quite possible. If not Top 10 it's still nothing less than a pleasure to listen to!

the Soundboard of 9-21-82 is @ Archive for listening only.

an Audience source of 9-21-82 is also @ Archive for listening and downloading.

-or-

Download The Show Right Here

9/21/82 Grateful Dead - MSG, NYC - 1st Set

Set 2, Part I - Madison Square Garden 9/21/82

9/21/82 MSG, NYC - 2nd Set, Part II

9-21-82 aka 09-21-82 aka 9/21/82 aka 09/21/82 aka 82-09-21 320 kbps mp3 download and setlist

I've Been Tagged...

Alrighty, let's see here, I've been tagged for this, I'm finally home and able to git 'er done...

Four jobs I have had or currently have in my life:
1. petrol transfer engineer (I pumped gas at a gas station in NJ where you're not allowed to pump your own gas.)
2. ski patroller
3. wilderness guide
4. EMT

Four countries I have been to:
1. Canada
2. Russia
3. Japan
4. Australia

Four places I’d rather be right now:
1. Long Beach Island, New Jersey
2. Putnam County, New York
3. Val d'Isère, France
3. Long Beach Island, New Jersey

Four foods I like to eat:
1. pizza
2. ice cream
3. cheeseburgers
4. cannolis

not good but good...

No run today. No hike either.

Still unable to.

Actually, I probably could start hiking.

But need to make sure this freakin' fractured tibia heals okay.

Zilch Day 46

I'll Gladly Pay You Tomorrow For A Hamburger Today

Sunday Meme
Unconscious Mutterings

(a free association/word association game)

1. Traditional :: sacred

2. Popeye :: The Sailor Man


3. Gin :: and Tonic

4. Harsh :: Treatment

5. Topless :: Beach

6. The thing :: movie by John Carpenter, i think from 1982, with Kurt Russell

7. Defiant :: Ones, The: also a movie, starring Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis

8. Huge :: Very big

9. Food :: Yum, Delicious, sadly many people have very little and most Americans say they care but they don't really want to do anything to help because they're too caught up in their own lives, spending all the money they make on themselves because afterall isn't a nicer home and a nicer car more important than a bunch of starving people?!

10. Lenny :: Bruce is not afraid... eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself turn, world says its song beats, listen to your own beat, step on a beetle, crush crush, uh oh, this means no fear, cavalier, renagade and steer clear, turn 'em into, turn 'em into, turn 'em into flies... i have no idea what the lyrics are and I think Michael Stipe even makes 'em up himself.
but one thing's for sure -- It's The End Of The World As We Know It

more...

Feeling ready for a hike. Not sure, though.

Probably need to wait awhile longer just to be safe.

Desperately want to run
but there'll be a whole lotta hiking before that happens.

In the meantime, more healing.

No run. No hike. Zilch Day 45

healing healing healing...

Definitely on the upswing.

Tibia's healing nicely, I do believe!

But must keep waiting some more.

Today: No run. No hike. Zilch Day 44

I wonder what Jebediah Springfield would think...

The Simpsons Movie: The Music

original soundtrack/film score by Hans Zimmer

2007

For the second night in a row I decided to Press Play on a little classical tunage. And for the first time ever, not like this is any grand accomplishment or anything, I listened to a movie's soundtrack before the movie is in the theaters. Exciting, eh?

I've been a Simpsons fan for quite a few freakin' years now. It's on twice a night and while some weeks I'll see a Grand Total of zero episodes, sometimes I'll catch five to ten a week. A memorabilia collecting fanatic I am not, nor do I actually schedule time to watch, but when it's on, really nothing is so important that I can't miss it for another excellent episode of The Simpsons!

That family has become such a huge part of Americana yet some people've never even seen it. One morning show host news dude recently said that after just seeing the show for the very first time, he didn't get it. While I respect tremendously those who eschew most of the crap on television, how could anyone completely avoid The Simpsons?! Once again, something I just don't get. It's harmless fun that can provide laughs all day long!

In any case, I'm not gonna rush out to see the movie but I am lookin' forward to it. And (segue time) I am looking forward to hearing this music in the movie! This is pretty good stuff from composer Hans Zimmer, who took over the reigns from The Simpsons usual composer, Alf Clausen. While Clausen's episode scoring is completely fun and lighthearted, Zimmer makes the scoring of the film explode with orchestral sound on nearly every track. He has previously worked on dozens of successful movies including Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lion King which, if I am not mistaken, is the movie he won the Oscar for.

At first I was thinking -- why wasn't Danny Elfman hired? Ahh man, he composed the theme song so many years ago so my mind got to thinkin' that this woulda been right up his alley. But no Elfman. Thankfully it didn't take long before I was completely enjoying this and quite glad that Zimmer had the job. One complaint is there's one song out of place, Release The Hounds. It's the only song (until the last) that's not at all orchestral in nature but more like a Dick Dale surf number. Its placement just messes a little with the flow. Aside from that, everything moves wonderfully along with the main Simpsons Theme intertwined throughout, showing up here and there to bind everything together. Closing out the soundtrack, Spider Pig is hilarious and then Recklessly Impulsive has a totally techno-type of sound. Gone are all the traditional woodwinds, brass, strings and percussion, all traded in for what I'm guessing is the song over the movie's closing credits. Since it's at the end its placement is A-OK. At the conclusion I was definitely happy that I gave this a listen. As a stand-alone collection of songs, it's not perfect but works well.

soundtrack can be dloaded here
password = soundboard
or play on Rhapsody: The Simpsons Movie: The Music by Hans Zimmer



As a bonus, I also gave a listen to a new song by Green Day which just happens to be their version of The Simpsons Theme. Very cool!

320 kbps dload here
or play on Rhapsody:
The Simpsons Theme by Green Day

meme time

The Thursday Threesome from The Back Porch

::Lettuce and tomato::

Onesome: 'Lettuce'-- talk of salads and dressings: Is plain green your thing? ...or do you like 'stuff' mixed in or scattered over the top? ...and how about the dressing: what's leading your list this year?
Grilled chicken salad: Overnight or at least for two or three hours, marinate boneless skinless chicken in lemon juice, olive oil, tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne and about 4 cloves of minced garlic. Grill, brushing all remaining marinade and minced garlic on each side of chicken. Cover with plastic wrap, set aside to cool to room temperature.
Salad: fresh baby spinach, radicchio, other lettuce, usually iceberg, shredded carrot, thin celery slices, some finely chopped onion, one small roma tomato chopped, slices of cucumber quartered and I think that's it.
Give chicken a nice chop to bite size pieces, dump into salad, add all chicken juice and bits of garlic left on the plate. Mix all around, add some freshly ground black pepper, no salad dressing needed... besides, that would probably just make this healthy meal unhealthy.

Twosome: and-- how about those Mets, -eh? Actually, baseball's doing okay this week, with basketball, football and cycling having the problems. Is there any sports news you'd care to comment on?
Just - Go Mets!!!!!!!
(And hope the Atlanta Braves crash, burn, drop way, way behind!)

Threesome: tomato-- and lettuce: the perfect toppings for that hamburger someone will cook up for you at a Labor Day picnic in another month or so? ...or perhaps you have another set of condiments you like on your meat or tofu?
Cheese, lettuce, onion. That's it!

better...

Tibia still healing.

but...

the past 24 hours have been THE BEST...

essentially no pain noticed whatsoever!

Still i know there's healing ahead.

No run. No hike.

Zilch Day 43

♫ Only 152 Shopping Days Left

John Williams
& The Boston Pops

We Wish You
A Merry Christmas (1980)

We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Christmas Festival

a. Joy To The World

b. Deck The Halls

c. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

d. Good King Wenceslas

e. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing

f. The First Nowell

g. Silent Night

h. Jingle Bells

i. O Come, All Ye Faithful

A Christmas Greeting (The carols of Alfred Burt)

a. Come, Dear Children

b. All On A Christmas Morning

c. Christ In The Stranger's Guise

d. Caroling, Caroling

e. Some Children See Him

f. O Harken Ye

Holiday Cheer (A medley by Billy May)

a. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

b. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting...)

c. Jingle Bell Rock

d. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

e. All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth

f. I'll Be Home For Christmas

g. Silver Bells

A Christmas Carol
Carol Of The Drum
The Twelve Days Of Christmas

Sometimes it's nice to kick back and relax with some beautifully orchestrated Christmas tunes... even smack dab in the middle of summer. I should say -- especially smack dab in the middle of summer.

Starting with TV commercials the day after Halloween, the Christmas holiday has become way too commercialized. The hectic ridiculousness lasts for almost two whole months all the way through November right up to the big return-your-gifts day of December 26. Why do people wanna dive right in to all that crazyness, particularly in the weeks immediately before Christmas? I don't get it. It shouldn't be like that. Just this much thinking about it is making my head hurt. On with the music...

Orchestrated by Leroy Anderson and conducted by the same dude who wrote the music for the real-life adventures of Han Solo & Luke Skywalker, as well as the Steven Spielberg film classics 1941, Hook, and some movie about a big misunderstood fish off the coast of some New England town named Amity, here's the Boston Pops in splendid Christmastime glory. It's a beautiful mix of trumpeter Alfred Burt's personally written carols and plenty of well-known favorites of the season. These 44 minutes of pleasant and powerful arrangements also include a bit of fun with some momentary swingy jivey Jingle Bell Rock. And what's, for me, usually an annoying copycat boring work (unless by Bob & Doug Mackenzie or The Muppets,) The Twelve Days of Christmas has been a little re-written making it an interesting listen here. In this version there are musical instruments for each of the days... no swans or geese or maids a milking, more like bassoons and oboes and trombones a sliding. Adding the vocals to that song and some angelic sounds to three others is the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. While not perfectly peaceful and relaxing the entire way through, it's still a wonderful collection perfect for anyone's relaxing at home, baking Christmas cookies, Christmastime rotation.

320 kbps dload right here
John Williams & The Boston Pops
We Wish You A Merry Christmas

6 weeks now...

Alrighty then... today's objective:

report on a postive aspect of being sidelined with a fractured tibia.

Everything is negative...

No running means no high impact exercise which is great for the heart, great for helping to keep away diabetes/cancer, great for helping keep the body from being fat and unhealthy (and sometimes great for enjoying some great music!)

No hiking means I am missing out on something I love to do most. there aren't many thing better than hitting a trail, getting OUTSIDE and enjoying nature while getting a little low-medium impact exercise (and sometimes enjoying some great music!)

What's good?

I won't have to buy new hiking boots or running shoes for an extra 2-3 months.

What consolation. Yippee.

Zilch Day 42 -- 6 weeks without a single run, without a single hike.

I scream, You scream, We all meme for ice cream!

Wednesday Mind Hump



Cone, waffle cone, or dish?
Are you kidding me? Eat it right outta the carton! Remember global warming? Hellooooo? We've got to conserve so when you don't use a dish, you save water and soap and the soap is in a plastic container which travels to the store in trucks spewing polluting exhaust, using oil and gasoline, probably coming from a port where a ship brought the soap from overseas in Communist China where people got paid like 3 bucks a day to work in the soap factories whose smokestacks also spew forth pollution into the atmosphere and probably these companies dump chemicals right into the ground/water which harms the people who live near the factory. Right? Of course this is all right, ask Al Gore!

Or just have a cone. But then again, how does the cone get to the store? Maybe they make it at the ice cream shop you're at? How do the ingredients get to the store? Truck. Using oil. Ingredients come from a factory, maybe in Communist China. Do I really need to continue? Look up Al Gore's email address and ask him yourself! So SAVE THE EARTH, eat your lawn.

What flavors (you get three scoops)?
Alright, in this hypothetical world where eating ice cream doesn't harm the earth, here's what I'm really diggin' right now --

• Breyer's Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
  
  
  
  
• Ben & Jerry's Vermonty Python
  
  
  
• Ben & Jerry's Dublin Mudslide
  
  

What toppings? None, yo. Just gimme a spoon!

Who are you going to share it with? You're kidding, right? MINE!!!
(want some? )

gettin' better...

El paino seems to be getting el bettero.

Past couple weeks it hasn't been bad pain to begin with. Occasionally there's an instance of low end pain, or really momentary feelings of aching discomfort. Those few times a day, I'm reminded of the Healing In Progress.

I'm reminded -- Not Ready To Go For A Hike Yet... definitely no running yet.

The past 48 hours or so I think have been better than last week.

I've got a good feeling my tibia fracture is surely on its way to getting to the point where I'll be ready to start getting some easy hikes in before some longer ones... and then some short runs, minute by minute, working my way back up to 20 minutes and beyond.

Bottomline -- didn't get out today. Still gotta wait.

No run. No hike. Not yet.

Zilch Day 41

I'll bet ya £20 "thimp" says the Stinger

Listening to this concert just three days after it took place is a new record for me. All thanks go Al Gore who created this interweb dealie and to Mr. Gore I say -- do you still think this whole www thing is gonna catch on? Really??

The Police -- July 20, 2007
Hersheypark Stadium
Hershey, Pennsylvania

Message in a Bottle
Synchronicity II
Walking On The Moon
Voices Inside My Head/When The World Is Running Down
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Driven To Tears
Truth Hits Everybody
The Bed's Too Big Without You
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Wrapped Around Your Finger
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Invisible Sun
Walking In Your Footsteps
Can't Stand Losing You
Roxanne

Encores
King of Pain
So Lonely
Every Breath You Take
Next To You

Just about two weeks ago I loved watching The Police on t.v. from Giants Stadium to close the Live Earth concerts. I knew I wanted to listen to a whole concert and tonight I finally did.

While their two hours or so on stage is pretty awesome, I'm not sure I'd really wanna go see them live. After a little thinkin' about it, I decided that maybe I'd pay $10 to see a stadium show... I'd pay as much as $25 for a night in Madison Square Garden or an arena show in England... maybe up to $35 for a show in somewhere much smaller like the Beacon Theater in NYC or Shephards Bush Empire or Royal Albert Hall in London... but I would pay $100 to see The Police at somewhere like The Ritz in NYC or Barrowlands in Glasgow. To me, to see them in a small club setting, that would be a thousand times better than amongst 30,000 or even 50 or 60,000 people in a stadium.

No matter what the setting, the music's still excellent! Not the best, methinks, but pretty freakin' sweet! Some of the complaints I have are -- this is essentially just a Greatest Hits kinda tour... for the most part. It's not like they have twenty studio albums of stuff to choose from but they could mix it up some. If I was goin' to see them live, if I had read the setlists of previous shows, it would take some of the fun out of going because they're puttin' on almost the same show every night. To me, that's lame but that's coming from a Deadhead who is used to never hearing the same show twice.

The band also should've released an EP of new tunes. Surely Sting and his bandmates each have unpublished material of their own that they could have worked into some new Police songs. They spent time rehearsing before the tour so they could've layed down some tracks and released new stuff. But nope, nothin' like that, okay, so that means they should dig deeper into their catalog for some more obscure stuff to mix into the setlist. Oh well.

What they do play, though, enters my ears as great music! They've toned down a bunch of songs, tunes that used to make people bounce off the walls but they're still able to kick butt up there. Other slower stuff picks up at times and Andy Summers, even though he's 64(!) years old, he's still able to play some incredible guitar. Sting and Stewart Copeland (each 55) keep on rockin' and at times better than ever. Still I want that older more punkish sound and that's why a smaller intimate venue might be able to better bring that out. I do give them a whole lotta credit for not cluttering up the stage with backup singers and exta musicians. These three guys can incredibly, all on their own, make these songs come alive. Can the Rolling Stones do that? Sometimes I wonder, without all the other guitar players and horns and singers, if the Stones can truly rock. I don't think so but maybe that's not fair since they're all between like 95 and 110 years old, I believe. A few less years on The Police means they can still rock like 40 year olds! Maybe not like 25 year olds but good stuff still and this was fun to listen to!

They can jam, too, which they do in Roxanne. Being arguably the most popular Police song ever, I would've been okay if they had not played it. Soon enough they're making this quite an interesting live Police tune, wandering away from the quick version of this song and entering into some territory that any Deadhead would appreciate. It doesn't last long but it's nice to hear. What started out in a pedestrian radio-friendly manner ended up being a pretty sweet long version of this beloved song. A great way to close the show (pre-encores.)

Unfortunately, not all is right in the world once again. During the encores, after whipping the crowd into a frenzy with So Lonely, they placed the (perhaps equally to Roxanne) popular Every Breath You Take. Why there? That wasn't the right choice. Shoulda been earlier in the show! And then they close the show with the very first track, Next To You, from their very first album? Just not right. They rocked that so hard but I can guarantee that 95% of everyone in the stadium that night didn't even know the song -- it's not on any of their earlier greatest hits albums. Curiously, they did release a 2-discer with more songs right at the beginning of this tour but how many rushed out to get or dload that when most Police fans already have a previous greatest hits album? Probably not many. Those who did probably already have so many other songs engrained in their memory and/or they haven't listened to these "new" tunes enough times to get to know them. But The Police played a bunch of these "new" songs and the crowd, while appreciative, was so clearly there for the greatest hits. Next To You also would've been better earlier in the show while So Lonely would be an ideal closer, wrapping things up on an incredibly high note.

So it was a mixed bag night. Could've been a better listening experience but still great, great music, fun to hear, I smiled a lot, I loved it!!! I'll wait awhile but, even though it'll be essentially the same setlist, I'm actually gonna listen to another show or two from this tour down the line (one of the shows with Spirits In The Material World.) Also down the line I might even buy the DVD should they release one. Good stuff that'll be so worth a release.

From SugarMegs.org
Listen Here
or right click
Here and download the show
(in one long .wma file.)

close 2 six

So I'm out for another super-leisurely stroll this morning, supervising my dog as he wanders around, gettin' a little extra exercise in his old age, beautiful morning, crispy air temperature but not beyond the point where I'd need more than a t-shirt & shorts, still able to go barefoot... and about a third of the time I'm just standing watching him, enjoying the creeping dawn and makin' sure the pupper's cool and not gettin' into any trouble, not that he would, Cassidy likes these little jaunts around part of the neighborhood... and anyway, I got to doing some complex mathematical calculations in my head, you know, 7 days time 6 weeks equals 42 days, tough stuff, right? Well, here I am at:

Zilch Day 40

Not even 6 weeks yet since I was last on the trail. It's been like 8 weeks since the injury but stoopid me I didn't realize the severity for a couple weeks or so. I just thought it was shin splints and it would go away.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINT [annoying wrong answer buzzer sound]

Stress fracture. Bad. The hikes/runs I did within that couple weeks before I rested permanently probably didn't help but hopefully they didn't make things worse.

Now here I am -- Day 40. Not even 6 weeks yet. Close to six but still I have probably a ways to go. [big siggghhhhhhhh]

Two weeks wasn't bad. Three wasn't even bad.

By 4 weeks and 5 weeks I was gettin' really sick of this.

Now I'm not even to 6 weeks and I have at least 2 more to go?!?!?!?!?

The ?!?!?!?!?!?'s should show my attitude toward this.

Not happy.

But then again, there are people all over who have it worse.

And if this is the worst thing in my life, I really shouldn't be complaining.

But hiking and running I need. Not hiking so much, well, maybe I need it for my sanity... and even though i despise running, i totally need it for my health. I could easily be on my way to 250 pounds and then maybe 300? Also easily on the way to diabetes. Do not want that. I shouldn't even be at 200 pounds. So running i do need.

Need to run. Need to hike. Need that exercise.

Crap.

yada yada yada...

Zilch Day 40

Hooray.

el meme de domingo

Sunday Meme
Unconscious Mutterings

(a free association/word association game)

1. Deputy :: Dawg!

2. Name :: We each have one. But I suppose, if you choose, you could adopt a symbol kinda like The Purple One did for awhile.

3. Arrested :: I plead the 5th.

4. Trade :: Baseball players. Mets need a solid hitting 2nd Baseman 'cause theirs just got injured... but probably even more they need a starting pitcher!

5. Old :: Not there yet.

6. Fingerprint :: You never want the cops inkin' you up to get a copy of yours... I guess in many places it's electronic now, like a scanning device, but in Podunk, Kentucky it's probably still inking.

7. Dwarf :: smaller.

8. Newspaper :: Fairbanks News-Miner. Bergen Record. New York Times... all the news that's fit to print (so long as it has a liberal slant putting down conservatives every chance possible.)

9. Gabriel :: Peter, musician, former Genesis lead singer ... or, more importantly, an angel who told Mary about the child she was carrying. Without Gabriel going to Nazareth, Jesus may have been named Fred (Gabriel told Mary to call her son Jesus and that there will be no end to His kingdom!) Gabriel also delivered messages to Daniel and to Zechariah about Elizabeth carrying John the Baptist. Now, talk about good news being delivered!

10. Certificate :: birth. Mine is my evidence that I'm a native New Englander (even if I did grow up in New Jersey... i was still born in New Hampshire!!)

(Mostly) Severely Obscure Songs 4 Saturday

a rather
interesting

U2 mix...

Pop Muzik (Pop Mart Mix)
Holy Joe (Garage Mix)
Sixty Seconds in Kingdom Come
Paint It Black
Fortunate Son
Are You Gonna Wait Forever?
I'm Not Your Baby (Skysplitter Dub)
Boy/Girl
Race Against Time
Alex Descends Into Hell For a Bottle of Milk
Don't Take Your Guns To Town
A Celebration
J. Swallow
Treasure (Whatever Happened To Pete The Chop?)
Neon Lights
Wild Irish Rose
Two Shot of Happy, One Shot of Sad
Xanax and Wine
Ave Maria (Jacknife Lee Mix)
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Instant Karma
The Saints Are Coming (with Green Day, live in New Orleans)

What an interesting almost 90 minutes of U2. Spanning from 1982 to 2007, most of these songs I've never heard before. This was almost like hearing a brand new album of material. I've always been intrigued by demos and B-sides and miscellaneous tunes. U2's made available in one form or another mostly everything. But not all. It's pretty cool that there's still a bunch of stuff out there that's not easily available. Gonna hafta get more used to these tunes. Not sure why I don't listen to U2 more often. Curse my stoopid idea of expanding my musical horizons to include tons that I've not had the time or previous desire to listen to! Once I was limited to a slightly narrow list of what gets pressed play on. Now that list is essentially endless and that's not allowing me more time for more U2 or more of certain other bands and artists. The internet is bad in this case. Then again the internet is good 'cause I more than likely never woulda bought any of the CDs -- or even LPs -- needed to hear all this.

Inside on a Sunny Day

More healing. So fun.

All i wanna do is be able to go for a hike.

Or a run.

I'm spending way too much time not helping my heart.

Gaining weight. Bad, bad, bad.

No major exercise is nothing but bad.

At least the Cubs are on.
Not that I'm a Cubs fan but it's some good baseball.

Mets are on in about 45 minutes so that's sweet.


Just wish I could go walk outside and hop on the trail.
So close by, it's so easy to do... but my leg is not ready.

I should go outside for some sunlight, though.
Would be good to soak in the rays, need Vitamin D!

Might lift my spirits some.

Too much waiting... fracturing your leg SUCKS.

Zilch Day 39

65th Street Jer

If i was a half decade older, i probably would been there!
Oh well...

Jerry Garcia & John Kahn
11-18-84

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
New York City

1st Set
Deep Elem Blues, It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry,
Little Sadie, Friend Of The Devil,
Run For The Roses, Simple Twist Of Fate

2nd Set
When I Paint My Masterpiece, I've Been All Around This World,
Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie, Bird Song, Goodnight Irene

Mmm! What a treat. At Lincoln Center in a beautiful hall built for the New York Philharmonic, here's an hour and a half of just Jerry on acoustic and his longtime musical partner, John Kahn, on bass. The sound is just about amazing. Jerry's vocals seem a wee bit lost behind his guitar at times but for most songs everything is sounding beautiful, especially his pickin' on that acoustic!

They get the show kicked off with a really nice Deep Elem followed by an even nicer Train to Cry. While one could groove a little to Deep Elem, after that the music isn't like a typical dance your ass off Dead show. No, not at all. It's so much more like a kick back and relax and enjoy the music kind of show. So sweet each song is and in each it seems there's that one pinnacle that Jerry reaches and the crowd acknowledges with joy.

Run For The Roses was a pinnacle in itself for the first set... finally a tune that rocked. That ain't sayin' anything in the first set was bad. HA! I've already said, everything was sweet but rocked, well, as much as a song could rock from these two without a full band helping add some steam. One more from Dylan, Simple Twist of Fate, closed out the set. Jerry has been of course leading the way and always the main focus but here John really has some room here to show off his bass playing. Simply gorgeous.

After the halftime break, this night enters the books as a Dylan tribute... or at least a Dylan trifecta when Jerry opens Set 2 with Masterpiece. After hearing this from Bobby so, so many times, I never could really get fully used to hearing it by Jerry. (I never got to see him play it, after Bobby started singing it with the Dead in mid-87, Jerry only sang it a few more times outside of the GD.) He doesn't do it badly, just a little different by Garcia, especially in this two-man setting. One thing's for certain, the song, like oh so many he does with Kahn, really allows him to shine on acoustic. Without the full band sound, gotta really wow 'em somehow... and he does!

My second favorite moment of the night came next in the form of I've Been All Around This World. Just beautiful! This song went on hiatus from the Dead's repetoire when the acoustic sets at Radio City came to an end four years earlier. Unfortunately it never got to be resurrected. But since Halloween 1980 it lived on with Jerry and thankfully so!! For me there just aren't enough words to describe this here. There might be a better version and someday I just might find that out but this one just stopped me dead, no pun intended. Wow!

Even though it had been in regular Dead rotation for four years, from the very first notes, Bird Song was the audience favorite of the night. When it was done, it was mine, too. Holy cow. Jerry & John blew this out of the water, or off the island, I suppose... they blew it off Manhattan island, scattering its remnants over the entire tri-state area, from the Westchester to Sandy Hook, from the Ramapo Mountains to Montauk. Would you pay for one song? For this I would!

After a nice Goodnight Irene, a memorable night was in the books. It wasn't the best way to end the show following that particular Bird Song but oh well. Still, being there would have been worth every cent and listening to the show is worth every voice and cough near the mics. Despite some minor flaws like those on the master tape, this is a 4.5 out of 5 stars audience recording and almost a perfect show, as well.

Recorded by Kenny Mance
on TDK SAX C-90 no dolby
AKG CE-1>Uher Cr-240, 4th row center

Thanks Kenny!

11/18/84 @ SugarMegs for listening
(the site is currently down)

Download The Show Here

11/18/84 Jerry & John Kahn - Lincoln Center - 1st Set

2nd Set - Jerry & John Kahn 11/18/84 Lincoln Center

11-18-84 aka 11/18/84 aka 84-11-84 setlist 320 kbps mp3 soundboard SBD download

Zilch Day #37

More waiting... but getting closer.

Today I don't think I've been physically aware for even a moment that my leg is healing from being fractured. Doesn't mean I can hit the trail, though. Not yet. If I palpate my tibia or put just the right amount of pressure on my leg in just the right way, yeah, I'll feel it.

So, for the 37th full day in a row -- 5 weeks & 3 days of rest out of the doctor recommended 8 weeks -- no trail time for me... no run, no hike.

Accepted but still sad. [big sigh.......]

Meme time...

Another meme, this one is:

The Thursday Threesome from The Back Porch

::I love this Book::

Onesome: I love-- to hear about new music; do you have any new favorites for us this week?
Ummmmmmmmm..... no. I don't listen to much new music. Perhaps I'll venture into some newer stuff, I'd like to, at least a little here, a little there, but really there isn't much reason to since there's an over-abundance of great older stuff just calling out, "HEY, Listen to ME!!!!! Don't Press Play on something new... Listen to ME!!!!!!!"

Twosome: this-- is way past the half way point of Summer; how are vacation and other plans working out for you? Here's hoping you're doing well!
Wait a sec... Summer started on June 21st at 1:06 p.m. NYC time. Okay. That means today at 1:06 p.m. NYC time, summer has been alive and kicking for 28 days and there are 65½ days of summer remaining. The half way point would be about day 47, not until, if my math is all correct with these immensely difficult calculations, not until August 7th. Therefore, we're only at the day 28 point which is significantly less than half of 93½ days.

Okay, anyway... summer doesn't mean vacation for me but I am well, mostly. Could be better if I didn't have this slightly broken leg that's not allowing me to run or hike for the past 5 weeks. Other than that huge problem, no complaints.

Threesome: Book-- query: Whatcha' readin' this week? No, not "The Harry"! Arrgh! ...okay, if that's a big thing, sure.
I haven't read not even a single sentence of Harry Potter and not about to start anytime in the foreseeable lifetime. I just, a few days ago, started a book called Sky As Frontier: Adventure, Aviation, and Empire by David T. Courtwright. It's about some of America's aviation history. Not a bad read so far. Aviation isn't my favorite category of non-fiction... usually I'm reading something related to hiking or mountain climbing or a travel adventure of some kind... but as a pilot this is cool stuff to know and I've got a nice little library of flying books.

Mmmmmm..... hot doooooogs [drooool]

meme from yesterday but I'm doing it today, okay? is that alright? wanna fight about it?! hehe...

Wednesday Mind Hump

from:

Hello humpers! Today is Wiener Day. Kind of an odd theme, but I'll go with it:

1. What's your favorite kind of wiener - all beef, beef and pork, brat or veggie?

All beef from Nathan's Famous.

2. What do you like on your wiener?

minced onions. nothing else.

3. How do you like your wiener cooked - grilled, boiled, steamed, fried, or some other way?

Steamed is good. Boiled from a cart is one of the best street snacks ever, so convenient and so delicious! And there's a place in northern NJ that fries 'em, kinda near where I grew up. I may never get back there but those are some memorable dogs! Soooooooo good. Grilled can be okay but not blackened.

The best way is how Nathan's does 'em!

Every time I fly out of the U.S. via NYC, I plan for a day or two in the city before my departing flight so's I can subway around to and fro seeking delectable delights that set my stomach a singing a sweet tune in a key of blissful happiness.

In my life now post living just miles from the city, no trip to NYC would be complete without a hop on the N or the Q, or also the F train if I remember correctly, for a ride out to Coney Island for some fries and a couple dogs from Nathan's. No matter if it's the middle of summer or December 24th... it's always gotta be!! In the words of Emeril, "Oh yeah, babe."

4. The Wiener was named after the city of Vienna, Austria. Who's your favorite person who comes from that city?

His name is Fred. He's a nice guy. His daughter's hot. (I don't have a favorite person from Vienna or from anywhere in Österreich. But if I did I'd make sure he or she loved Nathan's, too!)

When Genres (Seriously) Collide

Jesse James Meets
Frankenstein's Daughter

1966

It's so obvious, isn't it, that after all that calamity over there in Europe caused by Dr. Frankenstein, the family would eventually relocate to America's desert southwest region. Duh. Now it's time for his granddaughter (not daughter) to carry on with his evil experiments. At one point Dr. Maria Frankenstein does refer to her experiments as the ones her father did only on paper after his father before him. So technically she is Frankenstein's daughter but not the Frankenstein's daughter. Oi.

In any case, with all the lightning in the southwest, Maria figures this is the place to be -- much better chance to harness the electricity needed for bringing to life a minnion for evil deeds. Unfortunately, all her Mexican subjects were dying on her. She was not having much success until the legendary thought-to-be-dead Jesse James is at her door looking for a place to hideout for awhile. With him is his sidekick who is a linebacker-sized hulk of a man who was shot and needs medical attention. Little does he know he'd soon have a brain transplant and would be used for experimentation of the ultra-dastardly kind.

After a quick setup at the Frankenstein laboratory, the film shifts to western mode for awhile before careening back into sci-fi. The portrayal of Jesse James was horrendous and the technical sci-fi aspects of the picture were obviously made with a budget that probably hardly exceeded four figures. Additionally the acting and writing were both lousy.

It's clear this picture wasn't made as a serious film. This was purely drive-in make-out fodder. Does that excuse it from being tripe? No. Because it's not trying to parody or to be comedy, it comes off as just pointless, terribly made garbage.