Friday, July 09, 2004

"KERRY'S CHOICE: Dem picks Gephardt as VP candidate" -NY Post's Bush Birthday "EXCLUSIVE" 7/6/04

...Yeah, the Post had to live up to there mantle of sheer stupidity. Actually, the way they dealt with it, by not dealing with it (not taking the papers off the stands) was pure Republican pig-headed strategic denial at its best; "What? What are you lookin' at? What the f_ck are you tawking about? We didn't do nothin' wrong, never happened, It's Kerry's fault, he DID pick Gephardt, then he waffled, just like usual". I hate that rag. What do they have to offer us newspaper-wise except for being the conservative tabloid around town; devil's advocate if you will to the Daily News, a rag itself to be sure, but with "the best sports in town" and liberal leanings that at least make it readable. My beautiful and talented sister Anna-Jane Grossman works for the Post, so I wont say anything more. They at least had the brain "sell" to snatch her from the NY Observer and pay her what she's worth. And, as to their Veep blunder, thanks to their "exclusive" report I got a glimpse of Gephardt's hot daughter Chrissie for the first time (snapshot on pg.4, right over the quintessential tabloid title "President pedels clear of peeping press")...

Anyway, been a few days since I blogged. As is the case when that happens, the shit I've wanted to write about has gotten as backed up as a can full o' Bounty. The 5th-8th saw, among other things, another Rollo gig, this time at LIT, on the 7th. We took no prisoners as usual (or at least that has started to become the case as we're hitting our stride). I gotta say, LIT is a great place to play. The sound, for such a tiny tavernous venue, is remarkably clear. As to the clientelle? Well, the eye-popping female contingent there may be insurmountable. Rollo's next gig isn't until 7/21 at Sin-e. We've been going full-steam ahead gig-wise for 2 months now, and the couple of off weeks'll be nice-get to pen a new tune or 2. I'll also get a chance to hone in on some of these acting projects I have coming up (one being a Washington Politico who's part radio announcer/part Joker from Batman-fun role indeed)...

I still haven't seen "Fahrenheit 9/11" (not "Fahrenheit 90210" as I heard someone call it-though that's funny as hell). I did have the chance to go see a flick recently-first time in ages, and I went with this annoying chick to see "Spider-Man 2". Why, you ask? Good question, because except for the fight sequences involving Alfred Molina (interesting face, good actor) as Doc Ock, the film was a complete bust. Ok, I know that it's supposed to be a comic book-hell, I collected Spider-Man comix (and still have 'em)-but did they have to dumb the thing down SO much? Tobey McGuire is always appealing in his stoned smiley way, but besides him and Molina, the rest of the cast was horrible. Esp. Kristin Dunst. I really think that they picked the wrong chick from The Vigin Suicides to hype, and her breasts have fallen quite a bit since that rainy scene in Spidey one. From the horrible opening title drawings (couldn't Marvel have gotten an artist with talent to do them?) to the Chinese street musician plunking the Spider-man theme song on her violin, to that bizarre Alfie-esque montage with a reformed Peter Parker stumbling around to Burt Bachrach, and throughout the horrendous wooden dialogue, this film had no Spidey senses. You'd think a film about a smart teen would be smart...

I gotta start doing some cd reviews, as that's what so many of these rock-kid blogs do. Actually, I've done a few, but now's not the time for one in-depth, so I'm going to rattle off a few quick ones of new rock band discs:

Cold Fuss... The Killers/"Hot Fuss" - what's all the fuss about? Ok, they're probably hot live-missed 'em that night they opened for Stellastarr* at irving, but the cd is way too 80's derivative, and only gets "original" when the singer sings like Morrisey ("Some smile like you mean it", "Change your mind"). The rest of the disc sounds like a poor man's Stellastarr*, w/ uninteresting guitar/vox.

Squeak... Modest Mouse/"Good News for People who Love Bad news" - shrill as usual. I dug them back in '97 ("The Lonesome Quiet West"), but now? These guys are lucky. An overly whiny Built to Spill w/out songs. Pretentious album title.

Hopelessly Devo-ted?... The Fever/"Red Bedroom" - even if they are Defevo Revo, mevo lovedo Devo. I enjoyed this disc at first listen, made me want to check 'em out live. I think they're playin' at the Siren Fest.

High School Male Model Confidential... Ambulance/(a burn, so I have no idea what the cd's name is) - saw them that same night I missed The Killers. Give 'em a couple of years and let 'em grow into the band name. Pretty boy prep school talent that'll probably fade away once their lead pretty boy starts shooting up.

Whooo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo... Jet/"Get Born" - a cd that actually lives up to the hype. Besides the bass line that's supposed to evoke Iggy Pop era "Lust for Life" but instead makes you think of katina and the Waves, these guys rock w/ gusto. I have no idea what they're singing about, but I don't care cuz I feel like fightin' people.

PP?... The Von Bondies/"Pawn shoppe Heart" - a poor band's Jet. They actually have songs with the names "The Fever" and "The Darkness" w/in the titles. I suppose I'd have to see them live, as their disc doesn't last past a listen or 2.

King Ferdinand of Bohemia... Franz Ferdinand/(self-titled) - I hope there's a Ferdinand II, III and V cuz they show lot's of promise on I. A bit smug for my tastes, and a couple of the tunes are outright weak, but overall this disc is catchy and complex. A more interesting Shins w/ a little early XTC thrown in to "up" the past decade influence factor. Judging from the picture of the band though, I'm not so sure I want to see these guys live-perhaps they'll exist for me only on disc so as to retain the fun.

... Re: NY Times Magazine article "Summer Fun, Anyone?" 7.4.04), Brian Wilson's got a new cd out, and apparently he's finished the Beach Boy's "SMILE" as well after 100 years and 100 trips. Look, I love the guy, for his music and honesty ("I think about my brothers deaths", "my father used to beat the hell out of us", "I like Fall (over Summer)", but he should shut up when it comes to reviews of his contemporarys and new music. It's ok that his hero is Paul McCartney, as the "Cute Beatle" has managed to survive, unlike 2 of his "brothers", but dising the Stones by saying "(my new songs are) not all the same like the Rolling Stones. You know, Rolling Stones songs all sound kinda the same" is kinda dumb, and saying "I don't listen to any younger musicians" is kinda naive...

Speaking of the Stones, here's an awesome quote from Mick Jagger: "It is a fact that the adventure playground behind the zip of my trousers has myth status on the groupie scene."

"As we sum up the weekend in Celebrityville" (something I overheard someone saying or something I saw written earlier this week), here are a few quick perceptions of celebrities that I've met:

Kirsten Dunst-not attractive
Julia Stiles-attractive
Ben Affleck-nausiating/big, blocky, gay?
Toby McGuire-is a Hobbit
Liev Schrieber-is an asshole
Hugh Jackman-is a nice guy
David Wells-is a nice guy
William Peterson-is a nice guy
John Kerry-is a nice guy
Sammy Sosa-is a nice guy
Sammy Sosa's wife-is hot
Dennis Leery-worlds smallest feet
Gary Sinese-worlds smallest head
Rudy Gulianni-world's largest head
Chris Walken-2nd worlds largest head/weird hair
Donald Trump-huge/weirder hair of course
Sean Penn-bigger, blockier than expected/stumbling drunk
Mathew Broderick-bigger, blockier than expected/decent softball player
Joan Allen-teeny tiny
Claire danes-teeny tiny n' flat
Andre 3000-teeny tiny
Mayor Bloomberg-teeny tiny
Nicole Kidman-shy/wild eyed
Laurence Fishburne-cool
John Entwistle-dug leather, heavy metal fringe style
Meg Ryan-sweet as pie
Serena Williams-could kick my ass
Steven Tyler-believes his own schtik/sideshow freak
The Clintons-surreal sideshow freaks

...Lastly, good move on Kerry's part to pick John Edwards, though we all knew after the primaries that he had no other choice, it was a done deal then and a no-brainer. I think he knew then to, just didn't want to stae the obvious, blow a chance for some sure future publicity. It is theatre afterall.

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