Bubble-Yum!

I've been on a real 1970s rock bender over the last couple of weeks, mostly due to the stunning wealth of dated video I'm finding on YouTube. A great example of this is the band Sweet. I love The Sweet. Always have. They were a sugary sweet pop/rock band who wrote INSANELY memorable songs, many of which you know, too. Songs like Little Willy, Fox On The Run, Love is Like Oxygen and Wig-Wam Bam are all songs you'd recognize if you'd heard.

The video here is for "Blockbuster," which simply must be seen. It's The Sweet at the height of their glam period - and remember folks, this is the early-to-mid 1970's, so they were pioneering this stuff. I think it's from Top of the Pops and it's definitely lip-synched, but who cares? It's a TERRIFIC song (sirens and all!) and of course, the actions of the band make the video totally watchable, particularly during the brief sequence when they're doing leg kicks in unison. Great song, great video, great band!

Jeffrey Had A Little Lamb

Trader Joe's Lamb Loin
Originally uploaded by rustedrobot.

Lamb seems to fall into two distinct categories - the set of people who LOVE to eat it.......and the others who despise it. Because I never bring myself to thinking about it too much, I fall into the former category. Big fan! It was one of the items on the menu at my wedding - a selfish request, sure, but it was my day. And there was lots of other stuff to eat.

Anyway, this picture was shot last night, just before I dropped these slabs on the grill. Easy recipe, kiddos - go and get yourself some lamb loin at Trader Joe's. In a bowl, mix two tablespoons of olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic and whatever amount of rosemary you want. Mix it. Add mint if you want, I prefer not. Brush the marinade on the lamb and if you want, stick it in the fridge for 1-4 hours or just go right to the grill. Grill for about 6-7 minutes on each side for medium.

Then eat it and smile. So easy......so good......so long.

Wither Manny?

Here in the Boston area, the word "off-season" doesn't exist for Red Sox fans and definitely not for the press. Me, I don't mind the time off and I try not to pay too much attention to things. Everyone needs a break, except for WEEI. I mean, how will they sell any advertising?

Regardless, there's been a firestorm here lately over the Manny Ramirez tradewinds that are developing into a category 5 hurricane. It seems as if he might be gone by the weekend, some say. You can be sure the Red Sox have laid down all kinds of spreadsheets about how losing Ramirez might affect the team offensively, but it's clear to me that unless they get something back that comparable, David Ortiz is a) in trouble and b) in line for 200+ walks next season.

For example, take a look at Ortiz's numbers by month this year - remember, Ramirez went down to injury in mid-August and did not play.

April: 19 Runs, 10 HR , 20 RBI, 17 Walks
May: 15 Runs, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 12 Walks
June: 20 Runs, 8 HR, 22 RBI, 21 Walks
July: 26 Runs, 14 HR, 35 RBI, 16 Walks
August : 19 Runs, 10 HR, 16 RBI, 25 Walks
September : 15 Runs, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 26 Walks

See the change in August and September? That is what you can probably expect monthly from Ortiz if there's not someone of Ramirez's caliber to protect him in the lineup. They may very well sign guys like Julio Lugo and J.D. Drew to replace Ramirez's production, but there are very little players who are available that make pitcher throw what they throw to Ortiz. There are rumors circulating about Andruw Jones possibly being available - that's about the only guy who might keep Ortiz torrid. Will be interesting to see.....

It's also interesting to note that the Red Sox in July were 5th in the league in batting average with 42 total HR's and 146 RBI, while in September (without Ramirez), the team was 28th in the league with 18 HR's and 92 RBI. This cannot be entirely attributed to Ramirez's absence, of course, but it's a major factor.

Should they keep Ramirez? I don't know. Word is that Drew puts up solid numbers, but lacks passion and clubhouse presence. Upon Drew not exercising his option to remain with the Dodgers in November, I read that Dodger teammates were calling each other to share their excitement about it. Not a good sign. However, I've always been a pitching guy. If they can replace Ramirez with some frontline pitching, it could be ok. It's a real predicament.

Last 10:
Pink Floyd - Dogs
Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown
The Beatles - And Your Bird Can Sing
Bruce Springsteen - John Henry
Gob Iron - Death Is Only A Dream
Minutemen - Retreat
Elliot Smith -Bottle Up And Explode!
Sloan - Golden Eyes
Howlin' Wolf - Highway Man
The Black Keys - Have Mercy On Me

Intervention Needed

Someone needs to come to my house and take away the Trader Joe's strawberry licorice, because it's turning into a legitimate problem for me. Be careful, though, because if I see you taking it, I will kill you. It's soft, but not too soft. Not too tough, either. The flavor is.......well......who put the crack in there, anyway? The best part is that with each little piece, some of it inevitably gets stuck in your teeth and that's awesome because a minute or two later when it becomes dislodged, it's like a bonus round. I have lost my mind.

I hadn't had licorice in at least 5-7 years previous to trying this one. Just last week, I hit the vending machine at the office and saw Twizzlers in there and thought it might be comparable. It is not. I had one stick of Twizzlers and threw the rest out. I know, I know, starving kids in China and all, but really Twizzlers, give me a break. It wasn't even 1/10th as good.

Status: Sophomore

corn poops
Originally uploaded by rustedrobot.

Yes, on occasion I still have the mentality and sense of humor of an 8th grader. I'm proud of it. I saw this box of cereal and just had to take the picture and photoshop it. You'll never look at a bowl of the real cereal the same way again.

Late Night TV

After I play hockey, I need at least an hour before I can go to sleep. That usually means coming upstairs to write a blog post or parking it on the couch for an hour to watch television. Last night I opted for the latter - and it was a good decision. A trip through my late night television wanderings:

• Jerry Seinfeld was on the David Letterman show, presumably to discuss and promote the seventh season of Seinfeld being released on DVD. I loved that sitcom, but for whatever reason I was never a big fan of his stand up act. But last night on Letterman, he killed. Especially when he was talking about those inflatable bouncie things, his kids and all the birthday parties he now has to attend. Previous to the discussion, though, the show took a serious and awkward turn when they discussed the Michael Richards incident. For those who haven't heard, the guy who played Kramer flipped out on stage at a comedy club and said some inexcusable things to someone who was heckling him. Back to last night: next thing you know, Richards is live on the Letterman show via satellite, talking to Seinfeld and Letterman and trying to explain himself, which is going to be a near-impossibility for him if you watch the video. It's a dark turn for a guy who will always be identified with laughter. Adding to the painful few minutes was the occasional nervous laughter from some in Letterman's audience. They didn't know how to react. At one point, Seinfeld said "hey, stop laughing. This isn't funny." That said, Richards did seem awfully torn up about it. Then again, he's an actor. Sad.

• Pontiac might make shitty cars these days, but their marketing folks deserve a pat on the back for realizing how important search is for marketers today. At the end of their commercials (one of which I saw last night), they're encouraging the viewing audience to go to Google and search for the keyword "Pontiac." It's such a simple and easy way to deliver a message and get web traffic, yet I'm not aware of any other company who does it. Just stop and think for a second how many times you search the web each day........

• Chris Cornell made an appearance on the Jay Leno show. I always felt that Cornell, who was the lead singer for the early-90's Seattle band Soundgarden, possessed one of the better rock voices of the modern era. I'm mentally blocking out his stint as lead singer of Rage Against the Machine, though. I think he has a solo album out now and I haven't heard it, so it's totally unfair for me to pass judgement, but the song he did on Leno last night was horrific. I feel bad, because I think this guy has got tons of good songs in there somewhere. Soundgarden was not my favorite band back then, but I did really like some of their stuff and his powerful voice was usually the catalyst. He could also slow it down - my favorite song ever from him was this one, called Seasons, from the soundtrack to the great movie "Singles." Oh, how I loved that movie! It's now 14 years old! Anyway, when you listen to this lost treasure of a song, you get a real sense of what could have been. Cornell really ought to cut an entire album of acoustic songs like this. It kills!

• ESPN's Dan Patrick followed Seinfeld on Letterman. That had to be a tough thing to follow, but Patrick is a funny guy in his own right. Some of the jokes were too easy - sports type stuff about how bad the Knicks are, etc, but the high point of the interview was when Patrick recalled his interview of OJ Simpson four years ago and after the interview, OJ asked him point blank "do you think I did it?" Patrick then recalled that he had been leaning back the entire interview, as if he was trying to get away from Simpson. He didn't know how to respond to the question, either, so he just said "did what?" Classic.

Last 10:
Elliot Smith - Strung Out Again
Anders Parker - Under Wide Unbroken Skies
James Gang - The Bomber
Sloan - Fading Into Obscurity
Martin's Folly - Swimmer's Blues
Gram Parsons - Still Feeling Blue
Fu Manchu - Squash That Fly
Ringo Starr - Photograph
Band of Horses - Our Swords
Fairport Convention - Come All Ye

It Was Hot In Houston In 1976

Three years later, Walsh still RULES! Once you get past the opening minute, watch how Walsh and Don Felder TAKE OVER the Eagles! Brilliant!

Barnstorming In 1973

You've probably heard this song about a million times, but Joe Walsh breathes new life into it from this 1973 video. Dominating.

The Bullets Are Flying

• Awwwww........cuppies! Or is it "dittens?"
  
• IPod/cell phone single unit is coming. Compelling.
• The Bruins may actually be a better team than we think.
• I dropped a 15lb frozen turkey on my leg yesterday. Ow.
• If you're good looking and in the army, you don't have to carry arms
• The "Miller Lite Golden Gate Bridge?"
• The homeless are being paid to wait in line for PlayStations

Disaster On Board!

Do you know why the Pilgrims stopped in Massachusetts first? They had been cleared to land at a shore in another state but they ended up here because........wait for it.......they were out of beer. No lie. Story here. I never knew that.

I Do Believe I've Had Enough

Avenue Q
Originally uploaded by rustedrobot.

This past weekend Steph and I made a somewhat impromptu visit down to New York City......just to hang and see some friends. We had beautiful weather, too, which was a much-welcomed rarity at this time of the year. The average high temperature for November is 50 - we had two 65 degree days, not a cloud in the sky.

Two highlights:

1. Seeing the Broadway show Avenue Q. I suspect not many people have heard of this show, especially with the long shadows cast by long-running productions like The Lion King and Beauty & The Beast. Avenue Q is basically Sesame Street on acid. It's safe to say that there is nowhere else on Broadway where you can see a show boasting foul-mouthed, horny puppets. Yes, puppets. Naked puppets. Gay puppets. Drunk puppets. And they all live in a NYC tenement which is managed by Gary Coleman. OK? Suffice it to say, we did a good amount of laughing and the talent of these people was pretty stunning.

2. In a more humbling and thought-provoking part of our weekend, we also managed to hop on the ferry for a visit to Ellis Island, which was a more moving experience than I thought it would be. 12 million people came through that island, looking for a better way of life. My grandfather was one of them and there's a good chance that you, too, are only two generations removed from someone else who did the same. For some perspective, imagine that you decide to drop everything - your home country, your friends and your family, and go to another country where you don't know the language and maybe don't know a single person where you're going. Just because there's a chance for a better life, so many of these people never saw their family again. Ever. That is what happened and Ellis Island was the gateway.

The main building, now a museum, is lined with large pictures of immigrants, quotes and remembrance from people who made the trip. One of them sticks in my mind:

"I had heard that the streets in America were paved with gold. When I got here, I was surprised to find that the streets were not gold, in fact they weren't even paved. Then I found out that they wanted ME to pave them."

The Truth Hurts

Over the past six months, I've been on a furious non-fiction reading binge, focused roughly on the period of American history from 1944-1975. The wake I've left in my rear-view includes the 1,000 page Harry Truman biography, a 700-page retrospective about the life of Dwight Eisenhower, a quick read on Joseph McCarthy and most recently, a comprehensive tome on the history of Vietnam, starting in the 1500's, but largely focused on the U.S. involvement in that country.

The Truman book was probably most compelling for a few reasons - its author (David McCollough) spins one hell of a yarn and it was fascinating for its human element, along with the political one. Truman's administration was a controversial one and a busy one, but when one looks back on what he accomplished it reads almost superhuman. The story is like an epic miniseries and it was impossible to put down.

The Eisenhower book was less interesting to me, mostly because it felt like a fluff piece - something I'm not used to from Stephen Ambrose. The author's abject failure to truly explore and yes, criticize, the weaknesses of that administration (and every administration has weakness) made it all feel a little dishonest to me. I don't read books so authors can worship the subject. I mean, it is disgusting how Eisenhower turned the other way on the issue of race and that fact, for as much strife as it caused in the 1950's, gets roughly two paragraphs of attention here. Geezus. The book also gave me a real sense of frustration about the military in general and the nitpicky power struggles within. Still, the book held my rapt attention.

The Vietnam book - now that one was so good that it pissed me off. There's too much to go into here, but suffice it to say, this one pulled at me more on a personal level because my dad was there. He was there because of the Truman administration's off-hand financial and military support as a throw-in to the Potsdam agreements in 1950, when my dad was four. He was there because the Eisenhower administration supported the sectioning of North and South while my dad was skipping rocks as an eight-year old in 1954. He was there because the U.S. invented the Gulf of Tonkin incidents and he was there because for whatever reason, we needed to do some chest thumping for little apparent reason. Yes, he enlisted and yes, he made it through of course (I mean, I'm here), but 56,000+ others didn't get through and when I finished this book, I still hadn't figured out why those 56,000+ aren't with us anymore. Very difficult.

That being said, I'm doing my best to understand why we were there, which is why I've just started the Robert McNamara book. I didn't really want to read it. I had sort of vowed to take a break from non-fiction for a book or two, in fact. And I did succeed, as you'll see later in the week on these pages. But the Vietnam book snared me. I now need to know more about why we felt the need to be there and I'm hoping beyond hope that there's something I can latch onto to justify the danger they put my father and so many other people's fathers in.

McNamara, the Secretary of Defense starting in 1960 as part of the Kennedy administration, was initially very gung-ho about U.S. initiatives in Vietnam and obviously played a key role in our escalation and involvement there. He is arguably a war criminal (my father-in-law, in fact, refuses to the read the book on those grounds alone).

McNamara then realized - six years later - what a mistake it all was. He remained completely silent on this issue until 1995, when he wrote the book I am reading now and a few years later agreed to appear in a fascinating movie called "The Fog of War" that deserves multiple viewings. This is clearly a man who needed to push out 30+ years of horrible guilt that only a very small amount of people can truly imagine. I just started the book, so.......we'll see.

Get Your Daily Iron

Anders Parker (Mark Spencer in background)
Originally uploaded by rustedrobot.

Not much else to say about last night's Gob Iron show except that ANDERS PARKER IS THE MAN!!!

How Dumb Are You?

Zombie Chick
Originally uploaded by rustedrobot.

The picture here is an advertisement I came across while scanning the home page of Boston.com yesterday. Typically my brain is conditioned to ignore these box ads, but my eye caught this one. It's an ad for LavaLife, which appears to be some kind of dating service.

Let me ask you a question: do you think this girl's eyes have been photoshopped? I don't think I have ever seen a human being with eyes like that, so I'm pretty convinced that she's been altered, which makes the ad insulting to my intelligence (and hopefully yours). I mean, she doesn't even look human, does she? She looks like one of those lizard-people who would've been on that miniseries "V."

Old-school shout-out to "V!" Anyone remember that one? I loved that series!!!

Crashing Violet Furs!

insane
Originally uploaded by i_heart_blaine.

All of the elements were there for a disappointing show:

a) they were the middle band of a three-band set
b) it was a Sunday night
c) nobody was really there to see them.
d) I was expecting a LOT, probably too much

Despite all that and more, The Whigs, this new band of kids who look like they're still in high school, delivered an astounding knockout blow to the college-heavy crowd at Axis last night. Most in attendance were there to see the headliners (some band called Mute Math), but as soon as four minutes into the set, The Whigs were making a very clear and convincing case on who the headliners should have been, and who the headliners WILL be at this time next year.

The Athens, GA-based trio were ALL business from the get-go, stepping on stage and unleashing two new and bruising numbers, then playing most of the cuts from their fantastic 2006 release, "Give 'Em All A Big Fat Lip." It's hard to explain this band. At some points, it feels Nirvana-ish. At other times, it feels like you're listening to a polished version of The Replacements. Ah, but then one of them will sit down at the keyboard and the band will generate a sound of their very own, via the circus-turned-rock song "Half A World Away" or the lilting "Nothing Is Easy." The drummer is a monster on the kit, too. These guys have it!

They do not need to resort to terrible on-stage banter, weak jokes, or references to the Red Sox in order to get fake cheers. Their instruments and their songs do it all for them and that's when you know you're seeing the real deal.

I try to never say things about bands like "these guys are going to be HUGE!" There are just too many factors that go into a successful band and very little of those factors have to do with talent. So I'm not going to make that claim. But I cannot encourage you enough to give this band a try. The best thing about the internet is that you don't need to buy anything to give 'em a test ride. They've got four full songs up on their MySpace page. "Violet Furs" is one of my early favorites.

if you're too lazy to go over to MySpace (shame on you) then I'll post two tracks here:

Violet Furs
Half The World Away

Just click each to play. If you like what you hear, do yourself a favor - support this great band and buy their record. The band was just signed by Dave Matthews label, ATO Records, a label that is really starting to look impressive, with My Morning Jacket, Ben Kweller, Gomez, David Gray and the North Mississippi All-Stars also on the roster.

Get on board now! By the way, they're not high schoolers - they all just graduated from college.

If You're Lost, You Can Look, Part II

It's always fun to look at the search logs, so let's see what people are typing lately (verbatim) to find my site:

• National Anthem by Maya Rudolph
• saturday night live national anthem maya
• fuck you bob kent state
• maya rudolph national anthem video
• I don't know he makes robots and shit
• yahoo comeback

I've had a ton of traffic from my posting about Maya Rudolph's national anthem, which indicates that a lot of other people are looking for that great SNL skit. Where is it, NBC??!?!

If You're Lost, You Can Look.....

A few people have asked me over the past few months about some old posts I had written and I realized that as I approach five years blogging, there's no search/navigation help on this site at all. If you want to find something specific, you have to rifle through the archive links - good for general poking around, but terrible for finding specific posts. So I've added a search box, which is powered by MSN's live site search. You're probably asking yourself "MSN? Doesn't he work for Ask.com?" Well, yes I do and I remain quite partial to our search technology because it is different and compelling. However, Ask doesn't offer a "do-it-yourself" site-search widget yet and there's already enough Google to go around for everyone, so I'm trying the MSN one. I actually like it. I don't like that MSN is sticking advertising in the results and not sharing the revenue with us publishers, but I'll probably be experimenting with a couple of different search products anyway. That said, I tried a few searches and it works pretty darn good.

Oh, You

I make no bones about my leaning towards the Democrats, but they need to muzzle up John Kerry and put him on the sidelines for a while. His recent dust-up just confirms what everyone has known all along - this is not a guy who can identify with anyone making less than $10 mil a year. It is so obvious that he slipped and revealed his true feelings about the rank-and-file in the U.S. military. Trying to backtrack and say it was all a joke is just embarrassing. The guy should apologize and go away before he really screws something up. UPDATE: well, there you go. And this.

Big week in music here: the Anders Parker album came out yesterday, as did the Anders Parker/Jay Farrar album. I have the former (and it's good) and I won't buy the latter until it's available on EMusic. It's tempting because it's sitting there on ITunes, but my boycott continues until the DRM/copyright protection is removed from ITunes. Imagine how much money Apple is leaving on the table from me alone!

On the live music circuit, this week is big, too. Sunday night I finally, FINALLY get to see The Whigs - the show I've been waiting for all year. They play at Axis, after which I'll shoot over to T.T. The Bear's for the Bottle Rockets. On Tuesday night, the Parker/Farrar army invades the Paradise. Each one will do their own set, then both will play the Gob Iron stuff. Should be killer.