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Drums Keep Pounding a Rhythm to the Brain

Posted by Tim at 01:58 on 2009/02/04

Feb 042009

While writing yesterday’s post it occurred to me that I don’t think anyone has ever made a biopic of The Big Bopper. [A search of IMDB didn't turn up any.] There was The Buddy Holly Story and La Bamba, but poor J.P. Richardson only gets bit parts in other people’s films. I wonder why that is.

It also occurred to me [not while writing yesterday's post, but it fits nicely] that there have been some good films about wannabe musicians — proof, perhaps, that the music never died. Anyway, threee of my favorites are:

The Commitments — A sort of misfit group from Dublin, Ireland form a soul band. Of course. I thought they did a good job of showing how their performing skills improved over time. And lead vocalist Andrew Strong was not yet 18 years old when the film was released, but damn he’s got pipes. I also enjoyed the debate over naming the band with exchanges like this:

Jimmy Rabbitte: What do you call yourselves?
Derek: “And And And.”
Jimmy Rabbitte: “And And fuckin’ And?”
Derek: Well, Ray’s thinking of putting an exclamation mark after the second “and.” Says it’d look deadly on the posters.
Jimmy Rabbitte: Psshh…
Outspan Foster: You don’t like it? You think it should go at the end?
Jimmy Rabbitte: I think it should go up his arse.
Outspan Foster: Well, we’re not married to it.

That Thing You Do! — Pretty typical Hollywood stuff but I thought Tom Everett Scott showed real charm in his role and the film seemed a credible reflection of the early 60′s Philadelphia music scene. Tom Hanks wrote, directed, and acted in the film and did a fair job in all. This band also struggled with finding a name, but I’ll spare you quoting their exchanges. [And see? I didn't even mention that Rita Wilson, Charlize Theron, and Liv Tyler are in it!]

Once — I love this film! And it brings us back to Dublin, Ireland for the setting with Glen Hansard who played in The Commitments stepping up to a lead role. Markéta Irglová plays the other lead and the two have great chemistry. Their musicianship is first-rate too. This was an independent film and avoided the “Hollywood ending.”

February Made Me Shiver

Posted by Tim at 01:12 on 2009/02/03

Feb 032009

Early in the morning on this day fifty years ago a small four-passenger airplane took off from the Mason City airport in Iowa and then crashed in a corn field. This was what Don McLean called “The Day the Music Died” in his 1971 song American Pie. But while we can only imagine what great music we lost in the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, the music seems to have lived and thrived in the meantime.

[I nearly titled this post with a quote from Monty Python and the Holy Grail -- "'Ere, he says he's not dead." -- but I was afraid that since four people (the three musicians and the pilot) actually did die it might be misconstrued. Or just in poor taste. So I pulled a line from American Pie that seems to fit better anyway....]

Mo Music

Posted by Tim at 19:29 on 2009/01/12

Jan 122009

Fifty years ago today, 12 January 1959, was the start of what would become Motown Records and some of the sweetest pop/soul/R&B music ever made, like these:

…and so so so many more.

I Am Not My Blog

Posted by Tim at 16:03 on 2008/12/03

Dec 032008

Sometimes I worry whether I reveal too much of myself in this blog. I am reminded tonight of this bit of wisdom:

I can prove that worry works because most of the things I worry about never happen.

(M)ary from As If You Care posted about a site called Typealizer that will analyze your blog’s personality type using the familiar Myers-Briggs Type Indicators. I have taken shortened versions of such personality tests [they said I should get one....] but not recently. I was pretty sure though that I was INTJ. I was quite surprised then with the Typealizer results:

ESFP – The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead – they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation – qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

This is the complete opposite of INTJ. And these web-based tools are always accurate, aren’t they? Suspecting that I wasn’t remembering my personality type results from years ago [the old grey matter ain't what it used to be] and to quiet the voices that were arguing loudly in my head [um, maybe you didn't need to know that?] I turned to Humanmetrics — a free short version of a personality type indicator. [And these web-based tools are always accurate, aren't they?] Sure enough, my results from that short questionnaire are:

Your Type is INTJ

You are:

very expressed introvert (89%)

moderately expressed intuitive personality (25%)

moderately expressed thinking personality (38%)

slightly expressed judging personality (22%)

I am not my blog…

…or am I?

DHMO Danger

Posted by Tim at 16:49 on 2008/12/02

Dec 022008

All of the following statements about hydroxic acid (DHMO) are absolutely true and independently verifiable:

It is a colorless and odorless chemical compound
Its atomic components are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol
It is a primary constituent of acid rain
It contributes to the greenhouse effect and global warming
It is a major component of acid rain
It contributes to soil erosion
It leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals
Contamination of electrical systems often causes short-circuits
Inhalation of even small amounts can lead to death in a few minutes
Its gaseous form can cause severe burns
Prolonged exposure to its solid form causes severe tissue damage
Exposure decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
It is associated with killer cyclones in the U.S. Midwest and elsewhere, and in hurricanes including deadly storms in Florida, New Orleans and other areas across the globe
It may not be dumped into landfills in the U.S. and if found in a landfill must be removed
However, it may be dumped with virtually no restriction into lakes, rivers, and streams
It is widely distributed throughout the U.S. and can legally be sold to minors
It is widely available in schools and administrators have no idea how much of the substance is used by students while at school or at home
It is certainly ingested daily by a large percentage of students
Attempts by government agencies to regulate its distribution and use are often ridiculed and stopped before being enacted

So, should we be worried about this dangerous chemical compound? It does have many practical uses and even healthful benefits to virtually all plants and animals. More importantly, hydroxic acid is more commonly known not so much as DHMO but by either its chemical formula or a vernacular term. DHMO is dihydrogen monoxide… H₂O… water.

And one more: embedding is disabled on this one, but it’s definitely worth a click.

Versa Vice - Part 2

Posted by Tim at 16:41 on 2008/12/01

Dec 012008

It occurs to me that “laughing till you cry” and “crying till you laugh” might both be described as hysterical, but for completely opposite reasons.

Not that I do either.

Much.

Versa Vice - Part 1

Posted by Tim at 16:15 on 2008/11/30

Nov 302008

It occurs to me that “still standing” is perseverance while “standing still” lacks initiative.

At a glance can you tell the difference? Does our perception rely on our knowledge of what precedes? At some point does one become the other? Can I persevere to the point of inactivity? Can I lack initiative long enough for that to appear virtuous? Is that Zen?

Have I given this too much thought? Or should I lie down and give this some more thought? Maybe a little music will help?

Crazy Crazy Crazy

Posted by Tim at 20:18 on 2008/11/23

Nov 232008

There’s an old joke that asks:

How many female country singers does it take to sing “Crazy”?

The answer — Apparently… every last one of them.

I am amending the answer to this — Apparently… every last one of them. And this guy here [or here]:

I quite understand if you don’t watch that all the way through…. Of course, the late, great Patsy Cline recorded the classic version — here [or here] for comparison.

I expect you know that the song was written by Willie Nelson and he also has recorded it a few times. One of the most sublime I think is this one [or here] with Diana Krall and Elvis Costello:

3SP: The Third Degree

Posted by Tim at 20:47 on 2008/09/03

Sep 032008

Three thirds make this 3-Song Playlist. Only the first one is really about today, but I can’t resist mixing a day you will always remember, another sleepy, dusty Delta day, and a day the fireworks came early.