Tuesday, March 15, 2005

The ever funktified Maxwell has posted her link to her Breast Cancer Awareness walk. Now, you too, can donate to the cause.

To read more about Maxwell's plans and why she's walking, you can read here.

We have also linked to her donation page over in the menu bar on the left.
<------------------------- So go donate, you cheap bastards. She's walking to promote breast Cancer research while you eat another ho-ho.

Also, Maxwell has asked that I participate in her meme.

My natural inclination is to, of course, pour over my CD collection and try to determine a list of five eclectic tunes not a damn one of you has ever heard. This will, of course, give me street cred as an indie rock enthusiast, and make it appear that I try really, really hard to keep up with what's good, what's new, what's in. By some extension, this should lend some suggestion to my superior intellectual capacity as some obscure, cool sounding bands and songs that only The League has the ability to enjoy will someohow suggest my street cred is bigger than yours.

Ain't going to happen.

1) part of this is asking what songs I listen to over and over. Well, if I no longer listen to an album, it's disqualified. If I can't remember the name of a song, I don't think it shoudl count. Also, I think i should only be counting songs and albums I've had in my possession for longer than most of my socks.

2) I don't get much opportunity to seek out lots of new stuff. I don't read music publications and reviews, and most of my money is spent elsewhere. I don't own an iPod or MP3 player. I don't listen to music on my computer at work (I am wayyyy too ADD for that).

3) This list is inherently flawed as, on any other day, you might get completely different answers. I might one day decide I'm loving Show Tunes, and you'd see nothing but "Cats" songs listed below.

4) Putting your own tastes out there is a dicey thing. People tend to make assumptions about all sorts of things based upon things like musical choices. If I listed nothing but Garth Brooks or George Strait songs below, I am sure it would melt many a Leaguer's fragile mind.

But this is pretty much how I'm playing it.

5) I'm going to participate anyway as this is sort of fun. I just feel the need for a huge, flashing disclaimer.

MUSICAL STATISTICS AT THE LEAGUE

What is the total amount of music files on your computer?

I have no idea. On this PC, virtually nothing. On my work laptop, I have quite a bit more, but as I don't use it to listen to music anymore, I don't think it counts. I'm old school and still stick with CD's and stereos. No convergence for this cat.

What is the last CD you bought?

I think it was Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone.

Yo-Yo Ma is obviously the foremost classical-style musician of our generation, and when I saw he was covering the tunes of the greatest filmic composer of all time... It was an easy decision. His cover of Cockeye's Theme from Once Upon a Time in America is better than the original, even without that nutty Zamfir.


What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?

What a Day That Was by The Talking Heads, from Stop Making Sense.


Write down five songs you often listen to, or that mean a lot to you.

Oy. This would have been easier ten years ago.

1. Since we're on Talking Heads, the obvious answer is "Burning Down the House". And while I am tempted to say "Once in a Lifetime", "Burning Down the House" never, ever, ever gets old. Oh, hell, go get the whole album and DVD.

2. When I die, and I'm finally transversing this mortal plain and I am finally able to grasp the cosmic oneness connecting all matter, energy and forces in order to overcome the boundaries of self and substance, and I am willingly scrambling my electrons into a dispersed nothingness in exchange for a chance to merge with the infinite, I will hear a single song, and it will be My Bloody Valentine's "To Here Knows When" from Loveless.

Go buy the album.

3. I will probably get in trouble if I do not mention my wedding song. Lou Reed's "Satellite of Love." We chose it as a sort of joke, but now it's "our song", God help us. Kids, once it's your wedding song, you really, really do lose any and all previous attachment you ever had to the song, because this one is it, forever and ever, amen.

Here is a pretty good Lou Reed collection.

4. Maybe "Ladytron" from Roxy Music's self-titled debut album.

5. God help me, I love "Hey Nonny, Nonny" from Why Do Birds Sing? by The Violent Femmes.

Maybe I spend too much time on teh road with too much car noise for songs by more subtle musicians, or maybe I never got over being 16 and loving this album, or something... But if you can't find something to love in this song, I feel sorry for you.

I get one pick for a stupid, great song, and man, this one is it for me.

related note: Two weeks ago I made a belated attempt to change Lucy's name to "Nonny" in the spirit of this song, but I was denied.

alternate. And to prove I have bought one new record in the past five years, I'm finding I really dig the Walkmen, and if I had to pick a tune, it's be "My Old Man" from Bows + Arrows.

I think if you'd asked me on a lazier day, I would do a bit more and go into my love of Willie Nelson, or Robert Earl, or Lyle or Patsy or Johnny Cash. Or Maybe my former Billie Holiday fixation, or David Bowie, or Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, or Brian Eno or Elvis or whatever... And I really wish I had time for all of them, but today this is what is coming to mind. Today this is about songs you never get tired of hearing.


Who are you going to pass this stick to (three persons) and why?

I will stick the obvious three with this.

1) Jason, because he actually really loves music, and I await his comments and criticism. And even more, I await Reed chiming in.

2) Jim, because I'd like to see him post something on his website at least once a month. And Jim has wicked good taste in music.

3) RHPT, because who knows what musical evilness lurks in the heart of Randy?

alternate) in case Jim can't come out and play, the alternate is, of course, Mrs. League, who shares my record collection, but who has very much her own mind on what is and should be The Rock 'n Roll.

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