I’m only halfway through this book, and the author has already gone from innumerable parties of insufferable “crypto bro’s” and NFT suckers in the US and Carribean (the funny parts), to the edge of Cambodian forced-labor complexes where victims of human trafficking are forced to lure marks into sending them bitcoin—so far the only successful real-world application for cryptocurrency (the unfunny parts)— to El Salvador, where almost no one will accept Bitcoin, despite the president’s naming it an official currency. I got the Kindle edition after watching this interview. The book is just as entertaining, if not more. Highly recommended.
This One’s For You, Renfield
Mrs. Makerbot and I just watched Dracula last night, so this is a particularly timely find. We also streamed Renfield, which we thought was goofy fun.
In this in-depth retrospective, I tell the story behind the one that started it all: 1931’s “Dracula”, starring Béla Lugosi as The Count. I delve deep into its rocky development, cursed casting process, and messy production, as well as its public reception and timeless legacy, all while providing my own thoughts on the film. Also starring: Helen Chandler, Edward Van Sloan, Frances Dade, David Manners, and Dwight Frye. Directed by Tod Browning. Produced by Carl Laemmle for Universal Pictures.
Ring of Fire
“Ring of Fire” eclipse drops tomorrow.
Nashville – the center of the universe – only gets a 50% eclipse from about 10:30am to 1:30pm, with a peak at noon.
The full experience passes right through Roswell, so I’m pretty sure that this is the mother ship coming to get us. I’ll see you onboard.
And Now For a Bassist Who Sucks
Who’s the opposite of Jamerson or McCartney? Phil Lesh, of course. I could not listen to all of this, I just sampled here and there. What I did hear sounded like the noodlings of a tin-eared fifteen-year-old who recently took up bass. There is nothing remotely interesting going on musically or technically. What he needs is a nun to slap his hand with a ruler.
I’m A Sucker For These Beatles Stems
This rhythm section kicked major ass, and Mr. McCartney was obviously paying close attention to James Jamerson by Rubber Soul.
Best YouTube comment:
The craziest part about Paul’s basslines is that, at least on Rubber Soul and before, he was playing and singing this LIVE with no monitors.
This Song Is Full Of Spoilers
Mrs. Makerbot and I re-watched Don’t Look Now the other night and I was reminded of this Big Audio Dynamite song, a tribute to Nicolas Roeg and his films. Who would’ve ever guessed this would be Mick Jones’s new direction after departing The Clash? Even cranking out … whatever this is … (Alternative dance? Post-punk? Dance-punk? Avant-rock? Sampledelia?) Jones is still a hook machine.
Anyway, 1985’s This Is Big Audio Dynamite is a definite contender for our perfect first album list for me, probably because it takes me back to being 16. Nothing hurt and things were just getting good!
Bonus: The below video is worth a look just for the Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon (and John Lydon) cameos.
Pop-Punk Candy
Mrs. Renfield put me on to this sugar rush of an album (really more like a longish EP). Many tracks are one-idea songs, but who cares when the hook’s good and they don’t belabor the idea: all but one are under two minutes. It so happens this band/person/whatever played Gonerfest last week, although it was an afternoon slot on a 90-degree-plus day, so can’t say I’m sorry I missed them. But this stuff hits my sweet spot. Good hooks throughout. Here’s another:
Children of Despair
In the 50’s or 60’s, Marshall McLuhan coined the term “class transvestism” to describe the then-recent trend of leisure-class youth wearing jeans, which previously had been worn mostly by people who actually worked for a living. I think the term also applies to some current well-heeled parents who expensively dress their children like storybook orphans or 18th C. French peasants. It’s just not cool to look rich, but you need to be rich to look poor in a non-Walmart way. Throw in some kids who are very good at looking grim, and you’ve got something that looks straight out of the rollicking Werner Herzog.
There are more videos about clothes. They’re all hilarious.
But wait! There are toys too.
A Hero For Us All …
… and better than we deserve.