17
VUVUZELA my blog!!
If you’re like me, you’ve been glued to the screen as the World Cup in South Africa continues to thrill us in the greatest sport ever invented. And if you’re like me, you’ve found yourself absolutely enthralled by the visual and audible spectacle, wishing you where there, in all your facepainted glory, wearing your team’s colors, dancing like a “maaaaaniac on the phooooone…,” blowing a Vuvuzela in harmonious refrain with all the other “futbol” fans.
What’s a Vuvuzela, you ask? It’s the lovely, musical wonderment that the gentleman below is playing.
(Look out, Carnegie Hall!)
Well, reader… now you can.
Put your facepaint on and prepare to visit ANY website on the web with the excited sound of a football afficionado!!
Start here.
Then go here.
GOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!
19
My bags are packed and I’m ready to go…
Circling over where I should land.
I think this is why I don’t like packing to travel early. I’m evolved now, and procrastination is a part of my preparation.
I’m anxious. I want to go to the airport right now. But I don’t fly for another 48 hours. Maybe I can go early. What will I do without a freakout before TSA realizing I’ve forgot something?! And then realizing that I probably checked it, but don’t really need it anyway.
At least I have “check-in” to look forward to… Getting in line to be in line. Jockeying for overhead space. Its fun. But people are taking it too seriously these days. The last 4 times I’ve flown Southwest someone behind me in line has asked, “Are you B44? I’m B45. Am I behind you?”
“I’m A12.” I comply, trying to feign concern.
“A12?!” They gasp.
“Yes. So you are behind me.” I reply over my shoulder, in hopes they will pick up on my unwillingness to discuss it. This fails.
“But you’re supposed to be way up there! You’re supposed to be boarding right NOW!” In escalating tones.
“I know.” I calmly and firmly reply.
“Why don’t you tell someone?!!”
At this point I turn and face B45 and stare them straight in the eyes.
“If people tell you that you’re one thing, and you know you’re not, who are you going to believe? Are you going to do EVERYTHING you’re told? Well?! So for all intents and purposes, I’m B44 because you’re behind me. So you’re in the right spot. And I’m not going to bow to a number on a card. Do you understand?”
B45 looks at me and blinks.
“Besides,” I continue. “I like sitting in the back of the plane so I can make multiple bathroom trips, and steal peanuts.”
At this point B45 squirms in their Hawaiian shirt and double checks their number, trying to sneak a peak at mine. I fold it quickly out of sight, and wink.
At that moment line begins to move, and I hear B45 turn around to B46 and whisper, “He’s not supposed to be here. He’s not a B.”
I drop 3 Advil, swallow and sigh.
Do I have my ear buds?
Crap. I’m doing it already.
I guess I don’t need ear buds.
rb
18
Sunday Black – Coury Palermo
My good and old friend Coury Palermo has just released a song via Youtube from his forthcoming project, “theminorfall.”
To me, it’s beautiful and sad in the best way.
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to write and sing with Coury over the years, and I couldn’t be happier for him with this song. This is a perfect realization of his style of music. Lush and harmonic. With a peaceful sense of sadness.
Cheers, buddy. I can’t stop listening.
12
Listening to Broken Bells “The High Road” today…
…and I’m thinking about the power of collaboration. (I’m currently searching for a Producer.)
A sum, greater than its parts is not always the case with music.
James Mercer of The Shins and Dangermouse (Brian Burton) of Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz and Beck.
What a “collabo.”
The Singer-songwriter and the Producer.
Now I’ve always admired James Mercer for many reasons. His writing, of course. But also his less lauded delivery. So gentle, earnest and with a subtextual fire. I get tension undertones when I listen to him sing. The tannins of a fine wine. The responsibility of The Thinking Man.
And “the Producer”… The Mad Genius.
I once read that a good producer not only helps the sonic qualities of the music but asks the sometimes hard questions:
“Is that what you meant to say by that lyric?”
“This isn’t working. Can we rewrite this?”
But I never hear that in Dangermouse production. I know it’s there. But you don’t hear it. No edits. No unfinished Songcraft. All I hear is engineered excellence, experimentation, and a dedication to break the norm.
And I still hear the Shins influence. (Although, I have to admit I was listening for it.) I mean, how can the delicate and verbose tenor be heard in all that beautiful street noise? It’s one thing to wrap the enigmatic soul giant Cee-Lo in a funk noise orchestra, that man could sing a duet with a Space Shuttle. Or Beck, who can speak in metaphors and slang adjectives like white rock on an urban street. You can’t keep these Artists down. So how to dress the nimble, soft spoken poet? I guess the rest remains to be seen on March 9th, 2010.
With Gnarls Barkley he hit a Multi-Platinum single. Had most people ever heard of him before or since? Probably not. But he doesn’t stop. He works with the best and tries something new.
What a simple and admirable thing.
Hats off, Mr Mouse.
11
No Pants Subway Ride 2010
The Improv Everywhere group staged their annual “No Pants Subway Ride” and here’s one of the unoffiical videos that I think captures it from a particiPANTs view.
This stuff is just fun. Reminds me of home.