This guy is ridiculously precise with the acid – a true artist.
Sigh
Goddammit, this book came out almost nine years ago – and I completely missed it! (I blame Fat Elvis.) If’n yer curious, it’s a collection of all the interview transcripts Jon Savage used for his 1991 masterpiece, England’s Dreaming: Anarchy, Sex Pistols, Punk Rock, and Beyond.
753 pages!
In The England’s Dreaming Tapes, Jon Savage has gone back to the source to re-create, in original interview form, the extraordinarily disparate and contentious personalities who emerged in the mid-70s as the harbingers of what became known as punk.
Here in uncut form is the story of a generation that changed the world in just a few months in 1976. In interviews with all the major figures of the time – including all four original Sex Pistols, Joe Strummer, Chrissie Hynde, Jordan, Siouxsie Sioux, Viv Albertine, Adam Ant, Lee Black Childerss, Howard Devoto, Pete Shelley, Syl Sylvain, Debbie Wilson, Tony Wilson and Jah Wobble – Jon Savage has produced a book huge in scope, vision and generosity of perspective.
The England’s Dreaming Tapes will surely become the final word and the must-have oral history of the music, fashion and attitude that defined this influential and incendiary era.
I have a sickness.
If It’s Not Scottish, It’s Crap!
a la Renfield, going to indulge my Scottish obsessions a bit.
Enjoy!
I Know, You’ve Heard It…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsvUPxGg-QQ
… but maybe not lately.
You Look Like
Memphis, y’all! More importantly, the P&H!
You Look Like is a roasting competition between four comedians. They go head-to-head in two rounds of insults which must all start with “You look like…” The winning comic takes home the You Look Like crown and the losers must face the Mirror of Shame. Who will win this week’s roast battle?
UPDATED: What the hell, here’s another one. The second round is a keeper.
Joker
I really think Heath Ledger set the bar for this role. Joaquin looks like he might give him a run for the money though. Who’s in on this one?
If You Hate The Dead…
The Grateful Dead’s Legacy of Awful Music
A good summary of the anti-Dead perspective.
On a personal note: back in the 80’s I found myself in a short, ill-advised relationship with a neo-hippie chick. Because I will listen to anything once, I allowed myself to be subjected to a fair cross-section of their live and studio recordings. What I heard was not one, but TWO drummers who couldn’t keep time (where else but in 60’s San Francisco could two such creatures be found?), a bass player who aimlessly noodles when he should be anchoring the song, meandering guitar solos (see article for a good description of those), silly-sounding harmonies, and songs that were either watered down country–country without the requisite redneck element–or jazz without the requisite improvisational talent. In short, to my ears, they couldn’t play, sing, or write. Other than that, great band.
And while it’s true that I was prejudiced because I hate jam bands, it’s also true that I at least respect ones who can play. I never liked the Allman Bros., but I’m forced to admit their musicianship was top-notch. Hell, Duane Allman even worked as a session guy in Muscle Shoals. I believe Jerry Garcia would have been laughed out of the room.
Open The Pod Bay Doors, HAL
Google Duplex, coming to an iPhone near you.
Google Duplex is one of the more impressive products Google has shown off in recent years. Just ask the Google Assistant to make a restaurant reservation at a certain time, and it will do it. By “do it,” I mean it will make a phone call to a business, speak to the business on your behalf with one of the most human-sounding computer-generated voices ever made, negotiate a reservation time, and get back to you.
I can’t decide if I’m excited or terrified.
