Darth Drabek

Lou's got me thinking about those days when every other person had a Lou Gutman-related signature. Most mostly I'm thinking it's bull that I have to wait a week to even sign up for highspeed internet because AT&T doesn't have my new phone line in the system yet. How hard can it be? I signed up for the local service over the phone, so they have to have my info in the system somewhere!

See, I thought Insomnia was one of his best works. I really enjoyed that one. Then again, I enjoy most of his books. Although I love The Stand and the Dark Tower books, sometimes King is better when he's not so epic. The short stories in Night Shift are great, quick reads, and Everything's Eventual is a pretty good collection, too. He wrote a pretty short book called The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon that I thought was very good, as well.

I'll say one thing for Metal Billy.... he got me to dig out my old copy of Warcraft II and play a scenario or two, for old time's sake.

(The) Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Holy Smoke! Fast at passing judgment and you're quick to cast a stone Hypocrite, talking ****, leave me alone Thump the Book and twist the word You're setting sinners straight Point your finger, wag your tongue Then pass around the plate I've made my bed, that's where I'll lie, Won't see those gates when I die And I've been told I'll never learn, I'm going down I'm gonna burn

I'm thinking about how nice it is to work in an air-conditioned office on a day like today.

We have an Alliterator! It's kinda like the Terminator, but of alliteration. Nevermind.

They're definitely a throwback group and proud of it. My personal preference is J5 over the disposable hip hop or rap singles on the top 40 any day. They were fairly good live too (for a hip hop group). The Lemonheads - Confetti

@ Petay: J5 is great. They've got one of my all-time favorite anti-hypocrisy lyrics: Got people screamin' "Free Mumia Jamal" But 2 outta 3 a y'all will probably be at the mall @Mus? That song is pretty cool, is it not? The rest of the album sort of hit me hard and then left me with little to no desire to replay it, but I did rip that song to the hard drive. @TN: Train had more than one hit. Remember "Meet Virginia?" she doesn't own a dress hair is always a mess if you catch her stealin' she won't confess she's beautiful etc. etc. @Kor: You have no idea how long I've been looking for any scrap of music from that Backbeat Band project. I heard of it two years ago, and have been checking record stores periodically whenever I remember. I don't even know if the soundtrack is for sale, but that hasn't stopped me. I mean, come on, who wouldn't be jonesing to hear an all-star band playing the Beatles when the Beatles were playing cover tunes. If that wasn't enough, look at the lineup: Greg Dulli: vocals Dave Pirner: vocals Thurston Moore: guitar Don Fleming: guitar Mike Mills: bass Dave Grohl: drums It totally delivers. Muchas gracias, mi amigo. Teenage Fanclub - Here Comes Your Man

Backbeat Band - Money That's .... what I want!

Hanson Brothers - A Night Without You

I heard one song off Cash's American V album the other day on the local college radio station. I'll have to pick it up eventually. I've been listening to the first American Recordings album a lot lately. Lot of great tunes on there. "Like a Soldier," "Drive On," "Let the Train Blow the Whistle," "Delia's Gone," all classics. I was also listening to an amazing live recording of "Girl From the North Country" from the Johnny Cash show. I think it was Bob Dylan's first live performance after his motorcycle accident, and he sang in his Nashville Skyline voice - which meshed so nicely with Cash's booming baritone. What a great song.

My 'Tallica lore is admittedly a bit rusty, but do you mean the song Mechanix? I believe Mustaine recorded it on a Megadeth album after writing (at least part of) it for Metallica. They later renamed it "The Four Horsemen."

I remember Grom Hellscream dropped several '70s hard rock/metal references if you clicked on him enough times. "Welcome to my nightmare!"

Since you mentioned The Frozen Throne, I'm going to have to point out you missed Beyond the Dark Portal. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Warcraft II is Beyond the Dark portal <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No, I'm pretty sure there was an expansion pack. It had several more playable heroes than the main Warcraft II game, and really freakin' hard missions. I mostly used it for the level editor, myself.

It rocks. I like how it's fast, but they aren't using the typical NOFX fast punk song template. Their musical style reminds me a bit of the Descendents, but maybe that's just the thick, black-rimmed glasses.

Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer Classic '77 punk. Members of the Dead Boys used to be in Rocket From the Tombs, a Cleveland, Ohio band that never recorded an album back then in the mid-70s, but still inspired San Diego-based Rocket From the Crypt to rip off their name in the early 90s. Maybe that knowledge will save my life someday.

It really seems like Scandanavia is the place to be. Canada did okay too though, at number 10.

Denmark: the happiest country in the world This researcher has produced what he calls the first "world map of happiness." I'm sure glad he's doing something useful. Instead of trying to cure cancer, he wants to know where people are happy. U.S. was no. 23, Britain was no. 41 and France no. 62.

I'm thinking my coffee dependency has gotten to be pretty bad in the last few weeks. Seems like I have to have a cup before I can be even slightly productive at work.

Yuck. Split shifts suck. I recently became a 9 to 5 cube monkey, so no more splits for me. I'm debating whether or not to go for a run when I get home. The deciding factor will probably be the weather.

Well before you guys started talkin' bout dames, I was thinking that any PR or marketing director worth their salt should know better than to send me a resized photo they pulled off their corporate web site when I ask for a high-resolution, professional photo. 100 KB isn't gonna cut it, and they should know that! Yes, I'm at work.

I can't speak for the music whore, but I can give my perspective. Everything's worth trying once. If it's good, keep it. If it's not to your taste, toss it. Either way, you've broadened your horizons. That's the magic of the internet - just about everybody's got a few sample mp3s out there. You can listen to stuff you'd never dream of spending 14 bucks on, and maybe you'll find your new favorite band. Cake - Jolene @the Moth: "Hold the Line" is a rock masterpiece.

Ha, that's a good one. Jello Biafra covered it (with some minor updating of the lyrics) on the CD he did with Mojo Nixon, Prairie Home Invasion. There were some other gems on there, like "Are You Drinkin' With Me Jesus?" and "Will the Fetus Be Aborted." Peggy Sue Got pregnant And was addicted to fifteen drugs She went down To the abortion clinic And was accosted By right wing thugs Oh will the fetus Be aborted By and by Lord By and by There's a better Home awaiting In the sky Lord In the sky

Mr. Grieves as performed by some dude doing it in the style of Bob Marley. From a pixies tribute Baley posted a while ago. The musician(s) did a great job of nailing the particular style and only a few seem like they're reaching. It seems like he's highlighting elements of the songs that were there in the first place. Some of these are very good. Some of them are good, but very creepy. I'm looking at you "Beach Boys' Levitate Me"

Against Me! is a pretty interesting band. I liked "As the Eternal Cowboy" better than "Reinventing Axl Rose" myself, and I guess they've got a new album out too. How's that acoustic album treating you? Against Me! - Cliche Guevara