Proposition 8: The Musical

Leave it to Funny or Die and their STAR-STUDDED cast to put Prop 8 in its place.

“It says the exact same thing about this shrimp cocktail!!”

Click here, watch, enjoy, discuss.

(btw, it is hilarious)

Top 10: Pollard songs around a minute long

Image Credit: Aquarium Drunkard

Robert Pollard is famous for having (literally) suitcases full of songs. Some of the most common criticism is his lack of self-editing. They are wrong! He self-edits all the time, then lets the hardcore purchase all the edits in the Suitcase boxsets and albums like Superman Was a Rocker.

I thought I would gather ten of my favorite songs that clock in under or around one minute. Other artists might have edited these right out of their album, but then we would be missing a lot of pop gems. Let’s begin! (after the jump)

what I did!

This was a long weekend! I did these things:

Ate some foods.

Totally slipped and ate it on the sidewalk, ripping my jeans and skinning my knee.

I didn’t play any Metroid. I replaced a broken bit on my hand impact driver because I BROKE IT!

And I worked for 8 hours on stripping down the CB750 to THIS:

A little hard to see, and I’ve removed more after this photo – but basically I have pulled everything from the frame except the engine. I removed the wiring harness which was a little bit if a pain, mostly because a lot of it was overly taped up and bodged together. This will be a major rebuild in itself, figuring out whether to just get a whole new wiring harness or painstakingly work through the old one and repair it.

I also spent a few hours laying on that cardboard and removing the underpan of the engine, because the guy who had the bike last decided to slather the bottom with gasket material. I was really worried that this was because there was a crack in the aluminum. After stripping all of that gunk off and removing and cleaning the pan, everything looked ok. It just needs a new gasket. Sloppy work makes me frustrated! Why throw a bunch of gasket material to pin down a leak when you can just take an hour and do it right?

If you don’t have the time to do it right the first time, when are you going to find time to do it again when it breaks?

Anyway – I’m going to build a little engine cradle so when I pull the engine I can roll it around easily. It is heavy. 250+ pounds heavy. Once the engine is out, I can remove the front forks and wheels, and I will have a bare motorcycle frame. Crazy!

I did some other stuff too.

fin.

dirt track

This was in the parking lot when I went to go buy Chinese Democracy:

See it larger on my Flickr page.

Guided By Voices’ Wished I Was a Giant

Check out a sound check from a Dayton show in 1996:

via Pop Zeus

Lyrics after jump.

Perfect CB450

Image Credit via Bubble Visor

Click the Image Credit to see it larger.

I love everything about this bike. Here’s the list of awesome:

1. Headlight tallest part of the bike. Removed speedo and tach give it a trackbike look.

2. Air Filters removed for stubbies attached right to the carbs. This gives room for:

3. Custom pipes. They used the space the air filter used to take up to snake some side pipes through. Short, sharp, and probably loud as hell.

4. Fenders removed. Gives the bike a shorter, more agressive stance. This, coupled with the cafe seat draws the eyes to the wheels.

5. Air holes drilled in rear drum – not too many and nice uniformity to them.

6. Stuck with the original tank. The only color on the bike, and it’s a nice one too.

7. Custom horn. No other info on it, but I can tell it isn’t stock.

8. Tiny bullet-style rear signals, although I’m not sure what the point is as the bike is clearly not street legal (Lack of front signals, no speedo, etc)

9. Custom rear pegs with linkage to rear brake and shifter.

10. Black hand levers.

With all the leaning out they did with the bike, I’m surprised they kept the electric start. It fills a nice spot on the front of the engine I suppose, and looks very clean.

I’d love to have a closer look at this bike. What a lean little bulldog of a bike. This is obviously a CB450 (dual overhead cam, front disk brake) and they did a really great job with it. Salut!

Brighten the Corners Deluxe Edition

Preorder Pavement’s “Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence” deluxe edition from Matador and you receive a free live concert LP and a poster. The release has bumped to December 9th, so you still have time. I ordered it, and I already feel brighter, healthier.

Nate: I downloaded “Time Fades Away.” Thoughts soon! Too early to think.

no test to what they amount

The The’s “Dogs of Lust”

Dusk deals with a lot things internal – love, lust, loneliness. The three L’s. The whole album has a really amazing early 90’s sound that you only find on certain REM albums, or all the bands from the “My So Called Life” soundtrack.

The video can’t be embedded, so here is the YouTube link.

From Dusk:

Here they come! The dogs of lust.
Out of my mind, into my life.
Somebody should be here to hold me
Somebody should be here to show me, show me!

When you’re lustful. When you’re lonely.
and the heat is rising slowly.

I got it blue. I got it bad.
I got the sweetest sadness I ever had.
As the hours pass before my eyes.
As the hours pass before me.

I keep reaching up
but they drag me back down
Wherever I try to hide
I will always be found

Rising slowly

If you dig this, ask me for the album. Or check out Slow Emotion Replay. Pretty poignant lyrics for the times, even if the album came out 16 years ago:

“Everybody knows what’s going on with the world, I don’t even know what’s going on in myself.”

Plus, Johnny Marr plays on it. Listen to it. If you want a version without the lame talking in it, email me.

Will I Buy?

Will I buy???? Will I buy? Will buy I?

Belle and Sebastian – The BBC Sessions

Yes I will buy, even though I have 3 bootlegs that cover these sessions already. So why would I buy this? Because they will sound better, I can get rid of some of the bootlegs that this album covers, and because I’m a completionist who obsesses over stupid little things. (However, when I bought “Push Barman to Open Old Wounds,” I decided I didn’t need to import the rest of the EPs that the collection covers. This did not stop me from buying a Pavement EP that is included on the deluxe version of Slanted and Enchanted though. Don’t get me started on Robert Pollard).

Guns N’ Roses – Chinese Democracy

No. Because how can you? How can you buy this album and listen to it? I suppose sort of like how I listened to Brian Wilson’s “Smile” and named it my favorite record of the year. Or, I could buy it like I bought the last Smashing Pumpkins’ album and sold it a few months later. Maybe I’ll just go home and listen to Use Your Illusion 1+2, then go drink Whiskey over on Sunset. Just like Gn’R would want me to?

Ok who am I kidding, yes I’ll buy Chinese Democracy. I was 13 when the damn album was announced.

Jay Reatard – Everything he has recorded

Probably. Have you listened to this guy?

Pop Secret Negotiations

Last night I decided to stop by wrench night at my friend Tanktop’s. I drove up to Westchester, and ONE BLOCK away from his house, my throttle cable snapped. It was amazing, crazy luck. I pushed my bike to the garage, Tanktop had a spare cable, and I removed the old one and built a new one. This is fortunate because:

a. I don’t have any spare cables at the moment
b. If I were anywhere else, I would have had to call a tow truck
c. My new pipe allows access to both carbs, which is required to remove the cable slack on the 2:1
d. He has a well lit garage with a motorcycle lift

I got it done in a little less than an hour. Phew!

 

And oh yeah:

Man: I brought the briefcase, but why did you ask me to bring the season salt?

Other Man: Because these aren’t any regular negotiations, kid. 

 

Dear Random People,

I’m going to write you some letters, random people. Please read these if they apply to you.

Dear neighbor,

Welcome to the neighborhood! You are actually pretty attractive, but your roommate is even more attractive! Anyway – we totally invited you to our pumpkin carving party (arguably the largest in the neighborhood!) and you didn’t come. Not a big deal. However, it has come to my attention that you have started listening to some tapes in your room every night this week, starting at 11 p.m. and not ending until around midnight. I know this because my bedroom and your bedroom share a wall.

Now, this wouldn’t be so bad as I’m sure I have played my share of music (etc.) and you may have heard some of it, none as late as 11 p.m. mind you, but that’s apartment life. What makes this particular tape horrendous is it is not music, but a single overly sincere voice going on and on about bible study. An hour of bible study, played at volumes so loud that it sounds like it is coming from right outside my window. And the man’s voice is so annoying – sort of that over-dramatization and enunciation that is present in many a raconteur. Like a man talking in a mirror, but pretending that instead of the mirror there are 10,000 eager listeners.

Neighbor, I like you. You seem pleasant enough even though you snubbed our awesome party (we didn’t need you anyway, the apartment was packed. So take that). But please, please, please turn down your bible study. We all need hobbies, and I enjoy a good read every night in bed. I just don’t have a guy on my stereo turned up to 11 telling me how or why I should be reading my copy of Sock Monkey. Headphones, my dear.

Sincerely,
Your Neighbor

…

Dear girl working at motorcycle parts store,

Whoa! You are a girl, working at a motorcycle parts store. How’s it going? Do you ride motorcycles and stuff? You are actually pretty not bad looking. What’s the deal here? What do you do? Do you like old Hondas?

You know what? You are probably into those crotchrocket jocks, guys who wear bright green leathers to match their fruit loop looking bikes. You totally bum me out, girl worling at motorcycle parts store! I’ll just take two of those inline filters and be on my way.

Until next time,
Customer Robert

…

Dear Cocker Spaniels,

How did you come about? What sort of sick bastard hundreds of years ago bred YOU? How in the heck did you become desirable? Sure, I’m not a dog person. But I enjoy a good dog here and there, as long as I don’t live with them. Give me a nice lab, a good mutt, a frisky Dachsund, or a proud Husky! But a Cocker Spaniel? You are the worst of dogs! Quit howling everytime you hear a fire siren! Plus, you look like Linda Hamilton from the first Terminator movie. (Please see attached).

Eternally annoyed at your existence,
Spaniel kicker

The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles – The Brough Superior

Image Credit: The Brough Superior Club

I was watching “Lawrence of Arabia” and really, really dug the motorcycle Lawrence was riding at the very beginning of the movie. So I did some research on the real Lawrence of Arabia and discovered the fantastic Brough Superior! (Pronounced like the British – “Bruff” Superior).

From the wikipedia article:

Each motorcycle was assembled twice. The first assembly was for fitting of all components, then the motorcycle was disassembled and all parts were painted or plated as needed, then the finished parts were assembled a final time. Every motorcycle was test ridden to ensure that it performed to specification, and was personally certified by George Brough. The SS100 model was ridden at 100 mph or more prior to delivery. The SS80 model was ridden at 80 mph or more before delivery. If any motorcycle didn’t meet specification, it returned to the shop for rework until it performed properly. The fit and finish was comparable to a Rolls-Royce automobile, and were among the most expensive motorcycles.

And here is a clip from the “Greatest Motorcycles Ever,” where it places #7:

Of course now the Brough Superior is a major collector’s item, but wouldn’t it be amazing to find an original in some farmer’s barn? British bikes are so damn cool. Just give me a Norton Commando and I’ll be happy.

California is on fire

Limited Edition Night Post (c): The Daily Pint

I’m heading out to The Daily Pint for pool and chatter, and checked out their current list of craft ales and beers. Let’s see what I’ll be trying tonight!

Chimay Blonde – Hmm.. I didn’t know the Chimay Brewery made a blonde? Well, I’ve never tried a Chimay so here I go. Chimay is Belgian beer still brewed by Trappist monks. Read all about it here, or better yet watch it on the Belgium edition of Three Sheets, the best drinking show on the planet.

Old Speckled Hen – They have this at the Cock N’ Bull, but I always drink Newcastle there because it tastes so good. So I’ll try a pint here.

Young’s Double Chocolate – I’ve had this beer once in Eugene… and it is amazing. I can’t wait to have it on tap.

We’ll see how I feel after 3 pints… I am driving after all. Things could change and they might have new stuff up on the board, plus they have cask-aged ales.. the real thing. I’m going to have to try those. 

Rack ‘em!