commonpeople

one of my oldest best friends, on drums:




and a poem i wrote about him:




LETTERS TO MALACHI



You in Italy now
exited stage door left
from Brooklyn

and still dig
deep breaths
of heavy air

into open lungs!
It is you

fresh and thick-skinned
from beating up drumsets

who I love, too!

You help it
be abundant!

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/1222091jackson1.html?link=rssfeed

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/1222091jackson1.html

A decade after a California boy lodged child molestation charges against Michael Jackson, the FBI believed that a federal criminal case could still be pursued against the entertainer, records show.

December 17 Word or phrase. A word that encapsulates your year. "2009 was _____."

I've been thinking about this one a lot. And my answer is: 2009 was BORING. Not in a bad way at all- this was just so needed. Norman and I have had major turbulence in our lives ever since like, 3 months after we met. Not with each other, but with just about everything else. Not always bad turbulence (like getting married, or moving here), but huge transitions. From the beginning of 2009 to end, we have been married, had the same jobs, had Otis, lived in Chicago, had an incredibly stable life. This stability has allowed us to get ourselves organized to do important things in life, like start seriously saving money, make plans for the future, purchase our home (I guess that's somewhat turbulent, but not really), and for me to have the emotional headspace to consider school again. Throughout this "best of 2009" I've been coming up short on some answers, because nothing much about this year stands out to me. And while it feels a little lame filling out this survey thingy, it ultimately feels GOOD.

December 18 Shop. Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

The house. Not just in terms of the down payment which sucked away much of our savings, but also the renovations. Over the course of three weeks, we completely redid the floors, the walls, all lighting and faucet fixtures, and some new furniture. We spent about 8k on all that, an intentional amount of money since that's what we will get for the home buyer credit. While I take serious issue with that 8k politically ( I think it's a stupid waste of resources right now and doesn't really help the economy in general), in our case it was really helpful to us AND helped some small businesses (the contractors we hired).

December 19 Car ride. What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with?

When Norman and I drove back from Asheville NC to Chicago, we left very early in the morning and the clouds/fog hadn't quite risen out of the mountains. The drive through Tennessee was really breathtaking.

Also, it was the first car ride that Norman did some of the driving, so I could enjoy the view for the first time in years. Yay!

December 20 New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009?

My favorite new person this year did all of the above (changed my life, good customer service, total hero): our real estate agent, Kelly Leggett. He's our friend's uncle, and has now become an amazing friend to us. Who ever knew someone who works in real estate would be such an good person? He was so calm and rational through such tense negotiations, and was always there for us, even though he had a serious health problem of his own. We couldn't have done it without him. Everyone who meets him likes him.  He donated a portion of his commission to greyhound rescue. Overall... a really great guy.

December 21 Project. What did you start this year that you're proud of?

This has kind of been the year of unfinished projects. really, I've had problems finishing books, finishing knitting projects, and more. I'm most proud of the sweater from Fitted Knits that I am about 7/8 of the way done with, but haven't touched it in about 6 months. Seriously, what gives??

December 22 Startup. What's a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special?

Most of all I'm really excited and proud of my friends who in 2009 started selling crafty things on Etsy and are doing well with it. disolvinggirl and adr0ck , your businesses rule! congrats!

http://todiebyyourside.blogspot.com/2009/12/favourite-records-of-2009-part-three.html

Aidan Moffat & The Best Ofs - "How To Get To Heaven From Scotland"
Following last year's album of spoken word prose, the former Arab Strap frontman returned with his first solo album of proper songs. Feeling like some kind of ramshackle late night lock in, the songs are a mix of rollicking stomp along shanties and slower musings of a man leaving behind his younger self. Where once his songs were full of deviant sex, dissected breakups and rampant negativity, this record finds Aidan Moffat sounding somewhat positive, content, romantic and, dare we whisper it, maybe even a little happy.

Morrissey - 'Years Of Refusal'
With hindsight, the album's title may have be seen as tempting fate. Semi-ironic and almost apt for a year which saw Stephen Patrick Morrissey hit by illness, by gig cancellations and by, quite literally, a pint glass. Thankfully, before all the mayhem ensued, he managed to release a record of beefed up, muscular songs that lacked any subtlety but was choc full of great tunes and classic Morrissey titles. His voice may not be what it was and his lyrics may not be reach the heights they used to but his knack for a great melody remains. Refusing to play the game by anyone's rules but his own, Morrissey has ended the year with no record contract and an uncertain future. Deja vu anyone? If history is repeating itself, let's just hope we don't have to suffer another 'Maladjusted' before we get another phoenix like rise from the flames.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - 'The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart'
Sweet, naive, and immense fun, the debut record from The Pains Of Pure At Heart is the kind of record that transports you right back to your early teens. A heady mix of disarming innocence, shoegazing wooziness, twee indie and pure pop delight, these 10 songs are the sound of teenagers having the time of their life before the cynicism and toil of adult life grinds them down. Chances are this band have better records in them but they'll never again capture the pure delight, joy and enthusiasm contained in their self titled debut.

George Pringle - 'Salon Des Refuses'
To describe it crudely, this is the sound of a posh girl reading her diary over some DIY electronica. Part bored teenager, part urbane hipster, George Pringle documents the world around her in a whirl of post-modern, poetic prose. Mixing pop culture references with insights into her own life, there's a certain amount of detached disdain to the whole thing. Both a fondness for and a loathing of the things that fill her days. With lo-fi beats stuttering and pulsing behind her, 'Salon Des Refuses' paints the picture of a bedroom based Holly Golightly.

Aidan Moffat & The Best Ofs - big blonde (live session version)
original version available on 'How To Get To Heaven From Scotland'

Morrissey - black cloud (live at the BBC)
original version available on 'Years Of Refusal'

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - come saturday (live acoustic session version)
original version available on 'The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart'

George Pringle - we coould have been heroes (live session version)
original version available on 'Salon Des Refuses'

mp3 / music / records of 2009 / aidan moffat & the best ofs / morrissey / the pains of being pure at heart / george pringle

It was fantastically cold last night. All night you could hear ice shifting and cracking on the river, mixed in with the sea's roar. Now there's freezing fog creeping in, and the lighthouse foghorn's blasting away, which is possibly the most evocative sound in the world.

Not that it's warmer now that daylight has arrived. There's that still, frozen quality to the landscape that you see on Christmas card scenes. It's very beautiful, and also very cruel. You can tell that becuse the blackbirds are perched on our windowsill, looking in with a look of increasing desperation. I presume this means that they want to be fed, unless we've somehow managed to cultivate a generation of voyeuristic avians.

In such a suitably festive setting, this seems an appropriate time to post this:


It's been around for a good few years now, and never fails to make me smile.

I don't know how much resonance this will have for those of you who haven't grown up with the annual showing of the Snowman cartoon or Walking Through the Air on endless loop on Christmas compliation CDs, or having tasted Irn Bru, but if you have, it combines to make this just about the best Christmas advert ever.

1) It's 11 p.m. What are you most likely to be doing?
a) Watching TV quietly
b) Asleep
c) Doing random acts of DIY

2) Laminate floors, yay or nay?
a) Nay, they are unsuitable for blocks of flats
b) Bring it on! (NB: I have to wear shoes to go to the toilet in the middle of the night).

3) It's 2 a.m. What are you most likely to be doing?
a) Out
b) Asleep
c) Having a blazing argument

4) It's the school holidays. What are you doing with your children?
a) Taking them on lots of stimulating day trips
b) Local things - free swimming, museums, local park
c) Nothing. They are fine running up and down all day screeching and then being over-excited at 10 p.m., refusing to go to bed and howling.

5) What's a suitable time for a 5 year old and a 7 year old to go to bed during the school holidays?
a) 8 p.m.
b) 9 p.m.
c) 1.30 a.m.

6) When's the best time to do your washing?
a) 2 a.m.
b) 3 a.m.
c) 5 a.m.
d) All of the above

ruminations from my mind:

• 17:33 Douglas is now stitchless.
• 17:36 Way Gay: we just booked bookend doctor appointments for first week of new insurance.
• 17:39 REO Speedwagon is such a good choice for a Thai restaurant.

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http://thevinylvillain.blogspot.com/2009/12/wow.html

Back in the early days, during the promotion of the first couple of albums, whenever PJ Harvey took to the stage for a gig or made a rare live TV appearance her appearance wasn't that far removed from a 20-something indie-student going to the local union. Hair swept back and held in place by an Alice band and everyday clothes such as baggy black jumpers, leggings or jeans, all rounded off with a pair of trainers or Doc Martens.

She was determined to let the music do the talking and image was secondary.

But that all changed changed dramatically during the recording of the LP To Bring You My Love which was released in February 1995. I don't think I was alone in being gobsmacked when I first caught sight of the promo for the lead-off single.

Long flowing black hair. Bright red lipstick around a mouth that pouted at the camera. A ruby red designer dress that showed a vamp with a gorgeous figure. High heels. Slinky dancing. PJ submerged underwater. My sex was on fire.



I saw this video on an episode of Top Of The Pops 2 on BBC Television one evening. I'll admit that I was so blown away by the new-look Polly Jean that I didn't take in too much of the tune at the time. Which was a waste cos it is a great bit of music:-

mp3 : PJ Harvey - Down By The Water

It really should have been a massive hit and deserved much more than the paltry #38 it achieved in the UK. Over in the States, it was a different story - the single was massive on the US Modern Rock chart partly because the video, unsurprisingly, was on heavy rotation on MTV. It was clear that PJ Harvey had decided to play along with the game, and the image was every bit now as important as the songs.

Here's your b-sides:-

mp3 : PJ Harvey - Lying In The Sun
mp3 : PJ Harvey - Somebody's Down, Somebody's Name

Oh and interesting to note that the sleeve of this single would probably get banned nowadays thanks to the cigarette in Polly Jean's right hand. Strange how much somethings have changed in less than 15 years.

Live version for you to enjoy as well:-



Happy Listening....and viewing.

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Our photo sessions are always so cool and funny!! And ML is really adorable!!!!

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MOVIES
10/10

Donnie Darko (Rewatch, 2001, Richard Kelly, 35mm, Clay) - 9.5
Donnie Darko has visions of a large rabbit, and is fascinated by time travel, and a plane engine from the future falls on his bed, but he escapes death because he’s sleepwalking. It’s a really fucking great high school movie, dealing with darker themes, and it’s also pretty hilarious. High school, time travel, dark comedy, death, grade-school talent shows, and Patrick Swayze are all things that I’m pretty in love with in film, and this combines all of those things, plus it’s even got some pedophilia thrown in for good measure. Amazing.
This was the Original Theatrical Cut, by the way, not the lame Director’s Cut. I don’t even remember what all the changes were in the Director’s Cut, just that none of them worked.

10/14

Toy Story (Rewatch, 1995, John Lasseter, Disney Digital 3D, Castro) - 9.0
A child’s toys come to life when he’s not around, and he gets a new toy named Buzz Lightyear who doesn’t know he’s a toy, and he becomes the new favorite. Really charming and funny, and with some dark stuff, like the toy-torturing neighbor. An original and great story told perfectly.


Toy Story 2 (Rewatch, 1999, John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon, Disney Digital 3D, Castro) - 9.0
Woody is stolen by some fat guy who owns a toy store, who wants to sell him to the Japanese, and while Woody gets in touch with his roots, the other toys go on an adventure to rescue him. Another wholly unique story, that’s fun, touching, and charming. Great fucking movies.

The 3D, unfortunately, added nothing. Most of the modern 3D is focused more on adding depth than just having shit fly out at you, which I find perfectly satisfying, as it makes it feel less like a gimmick, and more like the future of cinema. But the Toy Story double feature hardly even did that, so although it was nice to see the movies again in the theater, it was completely pointless to be wearing the glasses.

10/15

Whatever Works (2009, Woody Allen, 35mm, Red Vic) - 8.5
Larry David is a neurotic misanthrope who takes in a young runaway (Evan Rachel Wood) from Mississippi, and teaches her his angry ideas about life, and she develops a crush on him that leads to marriage, and eventually her parents track her down, and make discoveries about themselves while in New York. Allen does an impressive job making the love story between two people of radically different ages (something that grosses me out) actually feel natural, and as if they truly had something vital to offer one another. And when the girl inevitably finds someone her own age who is obviously more appropriate for her, I kind of hated him and didn’t want it to work out. Larry David’s character is an asshole, but always funny and likable, and Evan Rachel Wood, who I’ve always liked but was never overly impressed with, is fucking adorable and amazing. One of my favorite Woody Allen movies.


Whip It (2009, Drew Barrymore, 35mm, Vogue) - 9.5
Ellen Page lives in a small-town in Texas, kind of near Austin (the city, not me) and her mom wants her to be a beauty queen, but she wants to be a roller-derby star. It tackles a lot of issues involving her parents, her best friend, a new boyfriend, and of course, self-discovery, and aside from the misguided love story with an unlikable boy and a disgusting sex scene in a pool, everything is fucking awesome and perfectly done.
Sometimes with a movie as fun as this one, I get really upset when things start to go wrong. Here, she ends up having a falling out with everyone she loves all at once, and I find myself wishing it could just remain upbeat through the whole movie. But then, with each resolution to her problems, I get all choked up and ecstatic, and I realize it was completely fucking worth the frustration, and I love the movie so much more because of it.
The roller derby scenes look rough and painful, and are suitably fun to watch. The performances are also flawless. Ellen Page makes a perfect lead, and I was especially charmed by her friendship with the eternally charming Alia Shawkat. Marcia Gay Harden, Daniel Stern, Juliette Lewis, Andrew Wilson, and Kristen Wiig are all fucking great as well. Drew Barrymore, already one of my favorite actresses (she has a bit part as well, and is excellent), has made a true classic in the Sports genre, and has proven herself a very promising director (but seriously, leave the pool-sex scenes to Verhoeven).

10/18

Black Book (2007, Paul Verhoeven, Blu-ray) - 8.0
A Jewish woman joins a small resistance group during World War II, and goes undercover with Nazis to find out what they’re up to. An excellent thriller that, in the last third, starts to feel like first season 24, where there’s countless reveals of betrayal, and you can’t trust what side anyone is on. Fucking great.

10/19

Night of the Living Dead (1990, Tom Savini, DVD) - 8.0
A few people are trapped inside a house, and there are zombies outside, and some of the people inside the house don’t get along with each other. This was an excellent update from the original, with a much better pace, and a little more gore. And it was nice to see the Barbara character actually being fucking useful.

TV
10/16

Tales from the Crypt Season 1 (Joel Silver, David Giler, Walter Hill, Richard Donner, Robert Zemeckis, DVD) - 10.0
Six thirty-minute horror tales bookended by The Cryptkeeper, and directed by some awesome directors, and starring some awesome actors. Every single episode in this first season was perfect and amazing. My favorite episodes were all of them.

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