Thursday, June 28, 2007

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

STRANGE HOUSE

I love meeting people through this blog, and trying to help them out if I can... one person I have truly enjoyed meeting through this blog is a woman named Karen who started a great cause: Kill Cancer which brings awareness to Cure Search in order to help end pediatric cancer. My childhood best friend's father was a top doctor in the city and recently went to start a biotech company... he said we're so close to finding a cure or a hope. Hopefully, organizations like this can help bring awareness.

How can you help? Well, OrdinaryClothing.com is selling Kill Cancer shirts on their site. The campaign is going really well, so please do your part!

Click here to order the shirts that you see below!

Friday, June 22, 2007

MY FIRST CRUSH

MY LIVE BLOG OF THE INTERPOL ALBUM

disclosure - interpol is my favorite band. out of all the current bands i love, i've loved them the longest and hardest. since 2000, maybe 1999. i'm biased.

i also am writing this without making corrections or hesitations, so if some of the shit i say sounds absurd, it's a heat of the moment reaction that any music fan can appreciate.

pioneer to the falls - this song might be the sort of perfection that make them the obvious replacement for radiohead's departure from capitol. it's along the lines of radiohead's "talk show host" and "pearly*" with it's gorgeous dynamics and hypnotic parts that made those songs b-sides and soundtrack songs, but were absolute fan faves.

no i in threesome - shhh.... it's starting!
at first it's sounding kind of Strokes-ish meets the Walkmen(!!!) via pianos ... but then dives into MBV and uh... Guided by Voices. God, i love paul banks so fucking much. i can't believe that after all these years I'm still able to keep him on top of that shelf i put him on when i was 20 years old and spending all kinds of money on fake ID just to be able to get into mercury lounge to see them so i could sway side to side with my eyes closed while standing up at front.

Scale - almost middle eastern vibe for this song with a swinging swagger to it. possibly their most rocking song because, oh, i think i hear some sort of power chord? What the fuck is this song????? Who is this band??? Oh, oh, that sounds like daniel's single string solo... played with an e.Bow????? Thank you.

heinrich maneuver - i love this song, but i think that the reason why people might not be into it is because i almost sounds like it's trying to be a single. This still sounds like interpol... but better. more exciting. more thought out... like 4 men who know it's their chance.

i think this is the best album i've heard in the past 5 years.

mammoth - whoa there nelly.... that just jumps right in. oh it sounds like REM. what the fuck, why is this like this? how are they doing this to me? god, i hate them. this is just too fucking good to be for real. is he saying "spare me" or "spoon me"? oh, the glistening guitars that sound like a bowie wet dream and into, again, OK Computer era radiohead. this song is amazing.

Pace is the Trick -- there's somethign about this song i relate to the most. i feel like i can picture the places, people and feelings that he's singing about.

all fired up -- shit off, i can play this song on guitar hero one day. it reminds me of "there there" by radiohead. why am i comparing the two so much. not fair... i can't help it. whoa. and now i'ts sort of like Boy era u2. this shit is so psychedellic. it's all fired uppppppppaidid.

rest my chemistry -- i love how they're using pianos in this record that sound like pianos. hahaha. holy shit, i could burn in hell for saying this but this song starts off with like this classical piano that could sounds like violins and then breaks out into this billy joel/bruce springsteen rocker head bobber. carlos totally has been looking at photos of brandon flowers while practicing Sams Town on his bass. paul banks' lyrics will get studied one day and i'll get my bachelor's degree just so i can teach that class.

who do you think? -- guess who is dancing in her chair???? me. ya ya ya ya ya ya this song makes me dizzy. interpol are really taking amazing new chances with their sound.

wrecking ball - this sounds like an older interpol song and i would've loved if they had some sort of male chorus in the background. this song is romantic and religious sounding. ok, timpani drums and french horns mixed with fucked around vocals. this 4:33 song sounds like it's 7 minutes too short.

lighthouse - OOOOOOO! THIS SONG SOUNDS LIKE THAT MUSE ONE WITH THE SPANISH GUITARS UP FRONT. it sounds like "blackout"! yes, that's the one. i liked that song too. you know what is amazing about this album? it's going to shit all over the cynics who thought that interpol couldnt get out of their sound.

i love them.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

JESUS CHRIST

Interpol are still giving me a reason to live.
Check out the new song:

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

SO FUCKING TIRED

Just like the title of this thread says, I'm really exhausted.

There's a line from a Brand New song that goes "I read more maps than books" and relate to it more than I'd like. I'm not the kind of person who likes to travel. I used to be. I used to have a different boy in whatever city I went to, or find a boy in whatever city I went to, so I had someone to dance with and kiss at the end of the night. But now I'm basically hitched up and flying away from my little family doesn't excite me.

Also, a few years ago, after I left Spin, and while I was finishing up my book, I went to London to visit a boy I had loved. I had previously spent a couple months drinking energydrinks like it was water, and so when I went to London and didn't have my supply, I crashed hard. I didn't want to go out on the town, I just wanted to lay on my friend's bed watching curb your enthusiasm. When I got home, I had a panic attack about basically wasting a wonderful opportunity, and since then, going away hasnt been the same.

So monday night I went out with Rob Stevenson and our friend Chris Kelly (who introduced us). We went to my current favorite Korean BBQ called Bann, and I had a few too many Sakes.... this was all on an empty stomach so I got wasted. After dinner I met up with Brandon at Pianos "for a drink", and decided it was too cold so I went outside to stay warm. I ended up wondering into a boutique, trying on a dress, and then stumbling back into poanos where I guess, in my drunken state I was finally able to convince brandon that it was time to go home. Once I got home, I apparently turned into a comedian before falling into bed. The old days.

Anyway, you would think that in my inhebriated state, I'd be able to calm my nerves and fall asleep well. But no. At 530am I was up and at 'em... sitting on the web for afew hours in bed. I was panicing about something going wrong in a day trip to cleveland I was about to take at 130pm. I kept on thinking that something woukd go wrong.... this is me everytime I go away. I just panic. Being away from my stable scares me. Its like how some people are afraid of snakes or heights or flying - I'm scared of travel!

I managed to calm down. I'd be gone for less than 24 hours, so what could go wrong?! Brandon, knowing how I am about traveling, helped me get my shit together so I wouldn't miss my flight AND wouldn't forget my phone and blackberry chargers. I only needed a purse since my change of clothes (a dress) could fit in there.

When I got to the airport, my flight was delayed, meaning i'd miss my connecting flight... shit's starting to get fucked, but I stay calm. The airport people switch me to another flight and another airline so I can make my meeting in Cleveland on time. See, I was going to Cleve to take the Horrors and Schoolyard Heroes out to dinner with the staff of Alternative Press.... Stolen Transmission's treat. I had rationed out my expenses so that we could have a great meal. The whole point of the trip was the dinner.... and the show, but mostly the dinner. The show was taken care of, but dinner - the introductions, the conversation conduits, and especially the creditcard - was my job.

So with the new flight arrangements, I'd arrive in Cleve a half hour before I had intended, but still with an hour and a half to get to the dinner. I got myself some auntie anne's pretzel sticks, sat down and relaxed. About 20 min later, I looked down and noticed the butter from the pretzels had seeped into my favorite new dress! A giant grease stain right in the front, on my thigh. NOOOOO! Not only was this one of my favorite dresses, but it wasn't exactly cheap AND it was the 1 of 2 dresses I had with me - the other being a courtney love-esque slip dress that looks better at night when its ok to wear a slip dress.

I ran over to the auntie annes and asked for club soda and salt.... a trick I learned from all those Curb episodes I watch. I got the soda, but the salt was a bit tricker.
"We don't have salt."
"You don't have salt?!"
"No."
"ORLY? Your a pretzel stand without salt?? How do you SALT your pretzels?"
"Oh yeah, but those are bit salt things."
"Well, can I please have some?"
"Uh...."
"Please! Look at this stain, its like I had my period from the front!"

Fastest way to get salt. Hands down.

It took me a while to work that stain, but I finally got most of it out, but not all. So in my little gray slip I teetered out of the bathroom and to my chair.

The flight got delayed 45 min, so I called AP and let them know. I was cutting it close, but itd work. I finally got on the plane... and waited. And waited. And 2 or 3 hours later we were flying. Now, obviously, dinner had to be called off. I was set to arrive at 9. I could be at the venue at 930. SYH were to go on at 10. This whole thing was a bust. A total bust.

I tried to make the best of it. I took Leslie Simon and Jason Pettigrew on the bus with me to meet the horrors, talk about records, british music journalism, and to meet Faris' turtle named Turtle ("it works well for the both of us" he said about it's name). He also started ironically calling me "baby"... I think he mustve overheard Brandon call me that or something...

We watched SYH and I was just so excited watching Ryann on stage. I heard someone yell to their friend "she's like siouxie sioux!" yes!!!!! At one point, while Ryann was going through the crowd singing, I ran up to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. I couldn't help myself! Jonah read from stage from a book about zombies I picked up for him from the airport bookstore. $10 well spent!

SYh have is amazing colored vinyl with flet sleeves that glow in blacklight. Only 1000 were made so if you see them, get it.

The Horrors were amazing as always. I always make the mistake of looking away at their shows - usually at friends to say "I love this!!!!!". Whenever I turn back, Faris is floating in air or climbing on the ceiling or spazzing on the floor or dragging a bench on stage with pettigrew. When at one point I saw him sitting on the floor in the middle of the audience, I turned to Ryann and said "lets pick him up!" we ran over and tried, but he was too heavy so I pushed him instead. He threw ice at me, stood up, and started to mosh. A little tip: if Faris goes into the audience, he wants to be touched. He wants to be pushed and taunted a bit. Be respectful, but just give him something to work with.

I teased the band a bit from the side of stage, screaming "OH MY GOD! YOU GUYS ARE LIKE SOOOOOOO AWESOME!" hahaha.

After the show I found Joshua by the bus talking to a fan that looked exactly like him (whom I thought WAS him for a min when I saw him in the venue). I took pictures of them together. Joshua started making fun of my voice for about 5 minutes, so I got video of that.... and then showed me how he can do Karen and JennyPenny's voice, which are strangely simmilar, but in a diff octave.

Once everything had been loaded, we went to the winebar next door for wine and cheese. My raison d'etre finally happening when I laid down my credit card to treat everyone. Jonah discovered he liked goose liver pate (after being force fed it by his dad as a kid), Joshua thought Ryann and I were related and had a kosher Bloody Mary cos apparently he's a Jew (kar, did u know that? Or is he lying?). Faris drew the whole time and made a drawing of me on his hand where I have really nice hair, but teeth coming out of my nose (I have a pic of that too.... ill post later.) The rest of the Heroes drank the amazing italian wine I ordered. I think that Brian the drummer looks like a ginger version of an ex of mine, which is weird and endearing since I adore that ex. It was decided that Steve will have a gray afro when he's old, and Jason's friend said sitting next to Faris was better than sitting next to Robert Plant. Amazing!

I got back to Leslie's at about 3. Woke up at 745am to get my cab and make my 930 flight back home... a connecting flight.... only to discover that it was delayed until 1 and I wouldn't be home until about 4.... instead of 1pm as expected.

Did I mention how much I hate to travel?

Friday, June 8, 2007

Thursday, June 7, 2007

COUNT IN FIVES

The Horrors make me so happy sometimes. They're just so weird and odd and completely different than what I'd expect them to be like... which is funny. My friend Josh Rowe over at Virb described them perfectly as: The Goth Beatles.

There's something completely Hard Days Night about them. All kind of bouncing around the walls, constantly being amusing and most of all sweet. The other day I took them to La Palapa for dinner with Schoolyard Heroes (who have a new song on their myspace, check it... "dude, where's my skin"), and as plates of food were being placed infront of everyone, and forks and knives were devouring foods, Joshua in ginormous hair just sat there staring at nothing in particular.
me: joshua, why arent you eating? do you need cutlery?
joshua: no, i've got.
me: do you need a napkin or a drink or something?
joshua: no, i've got those as well.
me: so why aren't you eating?
joshua: not everyone's been served yet.

I'm such a stickler for manners sometimes... my dad ironically (i hope) had a copy of Emily Post's Etiquette book in the bathroom, so sometimes I took a look through it and picked up a few tips.

While at dinner Tomethy told me how he tells everyone that he's signed to JayZ's label with all the pride in the world. I then made him tell me the ACTUAL label they're signed to (stolen transmission) before allowing him to order another drink.

Both Tomethy and Joe begged me to invite Jay to one of their shows or just to facilitate a meeting... so the next day I asked Jay if it'd be alright, and invited the band into the office for their photo. Schoolyard Heroes' Jonah and Ryann came up as well and we bombarded Jay's office for some of the most amazing photos I've ever taken. Sadly, only Rhys and Faris were in the city at the time, and so the rest of the boys missed out (omg, that photo would've been unreal). I promised Joe i'd get him an autographed copy of the Rihanna single to make up for it. ella ella eh ehadidid. Brian and Steve from SYH were also missing, so I'm waiting for their requests.... Jay would've LOVED Steve's afro, i know it.

MY LIFE IS SO RANDOM.

And the Horrors are so funny. Watch this video.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

WANNA HEAR A SECRET?

Surprise show tonight!
Pianos (stanton / ludlow)

12am - Schoolyard Heroes
1am - The Horrors.

$8.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

YOU'RE MOMMY'S ALRIGHT

Oh God, do I love the Oohlas. click there to find out why.

I got playstation 2 and guitar hero yesterday. dont want to leave the house anymore.

having a hard time typing because last week i pulled out a hangnail and it got infected. it started swelling up on friday, so being stupid, i poked it with a sterilized pin to get the puss out. then last night it started to swell up and this morning, the tip of my finger felt like it was gonna burst open. so i went to the ER for it to be taken care of. this is what it looked like when i arrived:





gross, right?

when i was sitting in the room waiting to be taken of, i took a look at the computer screen infront of me and read what some of the people were coming in with. i saw things like "back ache for 2 days." and "fever and headaches." and "sore throat." but the one that excited me the most was "hearing voices."

how fucking scared must you be to go to the hospital and tell them your symptoms. what kind of voices do you think get heard? i dont mean for that to be rude... i'm serious. it's so interesting.