Pulp - This Is Hardcore

Apologies for the ad - the others I found were shit dubs. Is this not one of the most seductive songs ever?

Son Of Rogues Gallery - "Shenandoah"

Waits And Richards? Jesus...

Thanks again Mr. Brown.

Psychocandy - The Jesus and Mary Chain

A friend inspired a JAMC binge today. I'm fortunate enough to have a copy of Darklands on Vinyl (my wife's I believe) and The Peel Sessions on disc, but I had to go to youtube for this one.

There's something smoky and disturbing about JAMC. When I first heard the band's name, somewhere around the time of the first ever Lollapalooza concert,* I felt as though I had heard the name of a secret society. It seemed hush hush. Very occult. The band ended up not sounding anything like I thought they would (though I couldn't tell you what that was) but that was good, very good. Years later I'd have a slight interest in and then a small aversion to The Raveonettes based on a perceived imitation of JAMC's sound. And yeah - there are A LOT of similarities, but The Raveonettes have become one of my favorite bands EVER and have retroactively helped me realize even more of the pure sonic beauty of JAMC.


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*No - unfortunately I was not old enough or savvy enough to have attended the first Lollapalooza. Being in my early teens at the time this kind of thing was only slightly on my radar. The second one I think I probably didn't have the money for, so it wasn't until the third one that I attended a 'palooza, and then probably only after Mr. Brown prompted me to. It was the only one I ever did and ever will. It was great to see the bands I saw there but I am NOT a festival person. Unless it's in England. I'd go to ATP or Minehead in a freakin' second.

You had me at COBRA

New Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Video - Jubilee Street

Starring Ray Winstone no less. Push the Sky Away is getting closer (Feb 18th)

Patrick Wensink's Broken Piano For President

Just finished reading this novel by Patrick Wensink last night while I sweated and shivered through what was hopefully the final night of this awful sickness. Pat's book made it better. Or it fit the tone of the evening perfectly, as Wensink's roiling, often hallucinatory style fit with my feverish delirium. Think Chuck Palahniuk, Thomas Pynchon and the music of The Butthole Surfers (who figure into the protagonist, Deshler Dean's life in a MAJOR way) thrown in to a meat grinder and you might end up with a burger that could change your life. Because that's what the book is about - the fast food burger business. And cliff drinking. And blackouts. And starving Russian cosmonauts. And punk rock. And art. And head wounds.

Everything I'm into in one neat little package. It's like he wrote it just for me!!!

Pascal Marco - Identity: Lost

How cool is this? I just received a phone call from thriller writer Pascal Marco. The author of the acclaimed Identity: Lost called me on my cell phone to give me words of encouragement and ideas pertaining to getting my manuscripts published. He gave me some great advice and generally just inspired the hell out of me.

Now, you may ask how it is he came to A) know of my existence, and B) had my phone number. Well, a friend of my Father - who is a big fan of Mr. Marco's - is a friend of the author's. He passed on my info on and asked if he'd be up for a cold call to an inspiring writer. I'm thinking a lot of folks would have blown such a favor off. After all, it's not easy to just call someone you have never met before, especially when you are in a position they aspire to. Things could be... weird. But Mr. Marco did indeed call and talked to me for about fifteen minutes. I may be weird, but I'm not the kind of weird that impositions folks who lend a hand. I asked questions and took his advice and as I said earlier, was inspired by hearing another author talk about "his path".

I've always had faith that my manuscripts will be published, this just serves as a reminder.