Posts Tagged ‘2016’

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I Have Heard Men at Work’s “Down Under” Over 163 Times in the Past Three Days.

January 26, 2016
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Men at Work (image via dailymail.co.uk)

The satellite radio station at work has been glitching out and looping the same songs for three days straight. Every seven songs, it has been plays Men at Work’s 1981 classic “Down Under.”

The first time you hear it in a long time, you’re like, “Oh hell yeah!! Men at Work kicks ass! This is one of the best songs ever written!” However, I have heard the song over 163times in the past three days. It might be a little bit of an overkill. Being a man at work forced to listen to this Men at Work song against your will can be rough. I think this must be how purgatory feels. You are forced to listen to a song you love over and over and over again. It is a strange form of torture. There have to be some laws in the Geneva Conventions about this.

Colin Hay is a beast of a songwriter and an artist. He’s written so many quality jams with Men at Work and as a solo artist over the years. “It’s a Mistake” is good as heck. The sax laced groove of “Who Can It Be Now?” is still awesome. The folk vibes of “I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over You” was one of the highlights of the Garden State soundtrack.

However, I currently still have “Down Under” still stuck in my head. CAN’T YOU HEAR, CAN’T YOU HEAR THE THUNDER?!? YOU BETTER RUN!!! YOU BETTER TAKE COVER!!!!!!

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Mock Turtleneck: The Challenges of Naming an Indie Rock Band.

January 25, 2016

There are so many bands out there today, I think people are running out of band names. I keep an ever growing list of potential indie rock band names on me at all times. If I ever start a bedroom indie pop project, I will likely name it Mock Turtleneck.

What rules do I follow for this list? Two word band names seem to sound good. The band name also must work in the following sentence, “I saw Mock Turtleneck open for Youth Lagoon. They were good, but he meowed into the mic too much.”

Mock Turtleneck
Galapagos Apocalypse
Shamu and the Peter Pans
Bunny Regret
Wet Kiwi
Crying Duck
Nervous Pervert
Strawberry Mountain
Minimalist Parent
Shaved Driver
Wolf/Woof
Dingo Butter
Evil Lawn
Heat Stroke
Bus Shoes
Gravity Waves
Hobo Rebuff
Flowers for Bees
Cape Disappointment
Electric Pen
Cubicle Days
Night Barge
Blood Moon
Earth’s Shadow
Dwarf Planet

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Don’t Be Like McClain.

January 25, 2016

beastit

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Overheard at YJ’s.

January 24, 2016
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YJ’s

YJ’s Snack Bar is a legendary coffee shop and snack bar in the Crossroads section of Kansas City, Missouri. The crowd that frequents YJ’s is tapped in and funky. Every time I hit YJ’s, I feel like I meet someone hip or hear something that blows my mind. Here is a collection of quotes I’ve overheard at YJ’s.

“If you hate the music you make, more people are bound to like it. That’s the way it works, right?”

“I thought this was a Steve Reich remix. It just had that certain use of minimalism.”

“I’m just looking for bands made by high school kids that hate their parents.”

“I plan on the show being kid friendly until 9.”
“Nothing is kid friendly.”

“A divorced couple is fighting over frozen embryos. That is messed up. It’s like paying child support for frozen embryos.”

“I know you had your first client in the dark room yesterday.”
“How do you know that?”
“I have my ear to the streets.”

“I have no idea what the concept is for this album. It’s called Xerox Vol. 3, so I would guess it is the sound of destructive copying.”

“He’s mostly into electronic music. Last week, he said he was into Vapor wave. I think he is just making up genres of music.”

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YJ’s

 

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The Joyful Sounds of Robert Randolph.

January 24, 2016
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Robert Randolph and the Family Band at Wakarusa 2006.

“Don’t let nobody take your joy away from you,” Robert Randolph enthusiastically shouts to the crowd in an intro to a 2002 live performance of “The March.” He has a point. It’s an important life lesson. Holding on to joy is what life is all about.

Robert Randolph is one of best pedal steel guitar players in the world. He began playing pedal steel in the House of God church in New Jersey. His live shows are filled with an energy that is unparalleled in today’s music scene. The joy he brings to his music is infectious.

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Robert Randolph and the Family Band at Crossroads KC (2014).

Live at the Wetlands remains one of my favorite albums of all time. The live album served as my introduction to jam bands. Randolph’s joyous passion comes through in his playing. His playing reminds me of some glorious gospel combination of the Allman Brothers Band and Sly and the Family Stone, but with Randolph’s own voice shining through all of the time.

I first saw Robert Randolph and the Family Band live at the City Market, in 2005, in Kansas City, Missouri. I have seen RRFB live 10 times over the years. His shows are loose and free flowing. No two sets are ever the same. I once saw Randolph play a three song mini-set and it was still 30 minutes long. Epic NOLA Randolph shows featured some of the most uplifting music I have ever heard.

I interviewed Robert Randolph in 2006. It was fascinating to see his positive viewpoint, “When we are in our great state of mind and we see somebody else stumbling along the way, feeling a little down, we can be able to pick them up and get their spirits up. Things like that are really important to me.”

Robert Randolph brings his joy to the world through music. When I go to a show, I want to see an artist doing what they love. Robert Randolph’s music connects with so many people because it comes from a real place. Let’s get to some of my favorite Robert Randolph live jams:

Here’s RRFB and Luther Dickinson (of the North Mississippi Allstars) playing “Squeeze.”

Robert Randolph and the Family Band “Run for Your Life.”

Robert Randolph and the Family Band “The March.”

Here’s Randolph, performing with gospel/jam super group the Word, doing a cover of the Lee Boys’ “Joyful Sounds.”

Robert Randolph and the Family Band “Nobody.”

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Stagnation is for Squares.

January 19, 2016

“Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.” -Bill Moyers.

Whenever you feel stuck, ask yourself, “Are there any ways I can be creative today?” Tapping into your creative zone can help chill you out, improve your focus and increase productivity. That energy can also help you beast it through a stressful day.

I truly believe that everyone has the power to be creative. Looking within your skill set can help you unleash the joy within yourself. Stagnation is for squares. Finding the passion in life is all about upward momentum. No matter what is going on in your life, you have to keep pushing forward. Even just making the effort to be more creative can light the fire within yourself. It can open your world to new possibilities. You are not going to look back on your day and say, “I’m so upset that I was creative today.” Use the power of creativity to uplift your soul, pierce through the mundane and find something marvelous.

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Met the WWE Chaplain Yesterday.

January 18, 2016
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WWE logo (image via YouTube.com)

I met the part time chaplain for the WWE yesterday. “The wrestlers and crew, they need their own unique type of ministry, ” he said.

Someone has to help the wrestlers keep the faith. I’m sure those sermons are very intense and spiritually uplifting.

“WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO, BROTHER, WHEN THE LORD AND SAVIOR RETURNS AND LAYS THE SMACKDOWN ON YOUR CANDY ASS?!?!?”

“On the seventh day, Vincent K. McMahon begat Chyna from his rib. He bestowed upon her the glory of the Intercontinental Championship.”

“You have to keep climbing that ladder, brother! You go and you grab that belt. Don’t let the tables, ladders and chairs stand in your way! You must overcome the chokeslams and the power bombs! Get the title God intended you to have!”

So overblown, so inspiring.

 

 

 

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Raging with the Green Fairy.

January 17, 2016
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Absinthe (image via liquor.com)

“Absinthe is a liquor that they outlawed because it’s supposed to make you trip hallucinogenically. So, I got excited because I like to hallucinate. So, I started drinking lots of shots of it. But, really, it’s just a liquor. So, I was just getting fucked up… I wasn’t even remotely tripping. But, after 10 shots, I fell to the ground and tried to force the trip. “WHY IS THE FLOOR AS LOW AS I CAN GO!?”. But, I was just faking it, ya know? It wasn’t a from the heart trip.” -Mitch Hedberg.

I recently read about an absinthe-related store opening up in Kansas City. It got me thinking about my past experiences with absinthe.

Actual absinthe was outlawed in the US until 2007. However, absinthe has been popular in New Orleans for years. Both the versions you can find in the United States and the harder-hitting varieties from overseas seem to do well in NOLA.

My first time drinking absinthe was at the now closed, kitschy, Russian-themed bar Pravda. Surrounded by the faux Soviet Era relics adorning the red walls, I bought some absinthe for $15 a glass. The melting of the sugar cube through the slotted spoon looked like some weird drug making workshop. It has a strong anise tone and packs quite a punch.

The touristy Pirate’s Alley Cafe, tucked in the French Quarter’s Pirate’s Alley, also features a few quality absinthe varieties. One night, the bar was packed to the maximum. Unbeknownst to me, there was a pirate convention in town. The tiny bar was overflowing with pirates hunting for booty. They were a surly bunch for sure.

The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange, in Kansas City, serves absinthe. It seemed like the real deal. I ended up missing my bus because I fell through the worm hole.

It’s important to remember that absinthe has pros and cons. Your paintings will look better and really pop. However, you could lob your ear off. If you see Tahitian colors on the back of your eyelids, you might drink too much absinthe. It’s interesting to see absinthe get big again in trendy circles. Whether it is hip or not, absinthe is guaranteed to leave a strong impression on you.

 

 

 

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Posted in culture, food and drink, hip, Kansas City, New Orleans, NOLA | 1 Comment »

Snake and Jake’s: The Best Dive Bar in the World.

January 16, 2016

 

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Snake and Jake’s (image via snakeandjakes.com)

Snake and Jake’s Christmas Club Lounge is a legendary dive bar in Uptown New Orleans. Located just past the corner of Oak and Hilary, it can be easy to miss at first glance. There are no signs to look for, just an old wreath and a dive bar sinking into the ground. The only lighting in the bar is red Christmas lights.

Walking into Snake and Jake’s late at night is like descending into another world. The lighting is so dark, you could probably develop photos in the bathroom. It’s like you are drinking in your trippy neighbor’s post-apocalyptic garage.

You never know what will happen at Snake’s, but it always gets weird. A recent NOLA.com article describes the late-night vibe only found at a the five, “A man in a captain’s hat punched a ceiling tile. Someone’s dog fell asleep on a couch. Just after 1 a.m., three women were turned away for having fake IDs.” Snake and Jake’s sits in a strange, fuzzed out reality that is all it’s own.

The bar really starts getting busy after busy after 1 am. However, a NOLA.com piece about the smoking ban noted the ban’s effect on the bar’s hours, “At Snake and Jake’s, a bartender known as Bella Via said on a weeknight, she used to close the bar at 7:30 a.m., with more than a dozen patrons still parked on stools. Now, she regularly closes the bar at 5:30 a.m. instead, often with just a couple of patrons still lingering.”

Legendary pianist Dr. John used to live across the street from the dive. Anthony Bourdain is a fan. I have a theory that somehow everything in the universe is related to Snake and Jake’s. Even a co-founder of Bonnaroo started out as a bartender at Snake’s.

Snake and Jake’s is known for their concoction of Jäger and orange juice. It is a potent cocktail. They also sell Schlitz by the can.

If you ever ask anyone that’s spent a lot of time in NOLA about Snake’s, you often get that shock of recognition and fear. It’s like you brought up some seedy, undercover traumatic event.

In the City that Care Forgot, Snake and Jake’s is like the bar that sanity forgot. The weirdly comfortable vibe within the dive exists beyond pretense. In a gloriously strange place like NOLA, there is only one Snake and Jake’s.

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Being So Hip You’re Ahead of Yourself.

January 16, 2016

I had a friend of mine in college that was playing a mix CD he had made of new music. I asked him about what some of tunes were. “I don’t know yet. I’ll find out what I’m listening to tomorrow.” The tunes were so new, the guy that made the CD didn’t even know them yet. He is so hip, he is ahead of himself.

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