In the Spirit of the Season

Since we're closing in on Super Bowl Sunday I thought I would post a couple of golden oldies that I ran across today. I haven't seen these in a couple of years but they still make me giggle like a schoolgirl...there's just something about seeing office workers get clobbered that just makes my day.

More great covers...

After my post earlier this week about cover songs I started thinking about other songs that I would put on the list of my favorites. Here is an expanded list in no particular order:

1. The Fugees - Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack)
2. Nirvana - Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie)
3. Dave Matthews - All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix) - Dylan wrote it, Hendrix immortalized it
4. Matchbox 20 - Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper) Incidentally, I saw them perform this live and it was one of the best live songs I've ever heard.
5. Cake - I will Survive (Gloria Gainer)
6. DJ Sammy - Heaven (Bryan Adams)
7. Chris Cornell - Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) - For what it's worth, this is probably the best/most interesting cover I've heard in years.

What??

Someone at on a conf call I'm on just said "I think it's important that we're all using the same suppository". I'm pretty sure she meant repository...otherwise, I have to say that I don't think I agree with that. Not even a little bit.

Peace,

T

Musical Pet Peeve

There's a phenomenon on the radio these days that really bothers me (and no I'm not talking about Gwen Stefani...or the Black Eyed Peas). Last night I was driving home from dinner with the fam and I'm scanning the dial and I come across what I think is "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder. (I will save for another post on another day how much I loathe this song and the band of foul miscreants who have foisted it upon us.) I had been around the horn 2 or 3 times and hadn't found anything better so I thought "I'll just bear down and get through the last half of this song and maybe something good will come on after this". What I began to notice though was that although the song still sucked mightily (and believe me...this song is the suckiest suck that has ever sucked), it sucked in a slightly different, slightly twangier fashion. As I continued to listen, the feeling of horror that crept over me was indescribable. It slowly dawned on me that what I was hearing was actually a country version of the aforementioned Hinder crapsterpiece.

Now don't get me wrong...I love cover songs. When one artist sings a song made popular by another artist and does it with style and originality I think that's awesome. An artist may make an unexpected song choice that forces you to re-examine the song in a different context (think Johnny Cash's amazing rendition of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails). When a cover song is done properly I don't think there is any higher musical compliment. (As a point of reference check out Goldfinger's version of "99 Red Balloons", The Presidents of the United States of America doing "Video Killed the Radio Star" or My Chemical Romance's cover of Queen's "Under Pressure"). But I think there is a big difference between a band doing an interesting cover song and this type of shameless cross promoting that is about nothing but revenue dollars and market penetration.

As much as I hate Hinder (and believe me...I do) it's not like this is all their fault. Some weaselly record exec figured out at some point that the label owns the songs and that that they can record different versions of the songs and expose them to an entirely different market segment to generate more dollars...clearly at the expense of the band's artistic integrity. It's not like Hinder is the first band to do it either...There was a country version of Aerosmith's monster ballad "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" that was out at the same time as the original song. "I Can Love You Like That" was also done by country singer John Michael Montgomery and boy band All-4-One. I guess my point is that I think it would be one thing for an artist of any genre to look at a song and think that they can maybe offer a different interpretation or put their own spin on it or maybe even just say "I like this song...I want to sing it". That would be fine. That's not what's happening here though. This is not tribute to another artists song...it's musical prostitution. It's a record label whoring out their artists material for a few more dollars. It's the worst type of sell-out and it makes me sick.

The Ring - recut

I love these video mashups where they recut a movie trailer and make it look like something it's not. This is a new one that turns The Ring into a heart wrenching family drama.

Newsflash...The Office is a funny show

A cutting from a recent episode of The Office:

Jim: "Ryan...wanna help me pull a prank on Andy?"
Ryan: "Umm...not right now, but ask me again 10 years ago"
(long pause)
Jim: "I liked you better when you were a temp"
Ryan: "So did I"

Aaaaaand scene....

Me and my girl...

N4L

Here's a picture of me with my homies... Jdubz and Darkness

Dancing Machine

This dude loves him some Razorback football...I don't know if it's "real" or if it was totally staged for Youtube but at any rate...I love it.

Can you imagine?

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. (Luke 15:24 KJV)

Oops! (Parental Advisory - Language)

I normally would try to avoid posting a video with this kind of language in it but since 1) this is from my hometown news station (KSNW Channel 3 in Wichita) and 2) I'm a sucker for talking heads who say things they shouldn't when they think their mikes are off I've decided to go ahead and share it. Maybe this was big news in Wichita...I heard about it all the way out here in the ATL so it's certainly making the rounds. Basically, this is video of a local sportscaster who has had enough of a series of technical difficulties and lets fly the dirtiest of the 7 words you can't say on TV.

American History X

I just finished watching American History X a few minutes ago. I've seen it before so I was only going to watch a few minutes of it but it's such a riveting movie I ended up watching the whole thing. If you've never seen it, be warned - it is not for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It is vile and brutally graphic in its depictions of the white power movement and of life in prison. It is full of the most profane and hateful speech you can image. The images presented in this movie are among the most disturbing I've seen and they won't soon leave you when the film is done. With all of that said, it is still one of the most powerful and compelling movies I've ever seen. Edward Norton is a genius of an actor and his portrayal of the transformation of the films central character is absolutlely mesmerising. For those who look for a spiritual context in the movies they watch, there is plenty to choose from here. Some of the films central themes include the sins of the father (or in this case the brother acting as the father figure) being visited upon the children, the futility of hate and reaping what you sow just to name a few. It obviously isn't for everyone, but I think that there are movies that shouldn't be watched for simple enjoyment (think Saving Private Ryan). They are harsh and ugly and hard to look at, but so is the reality of what they are portraying. American History X is an unflinching stare into the ugly face of racism in America. It's a film that needs to be seen.

Kansas

Things I don't miss about Kansas:
1. Spangles Commercials
2. Raging wind

Things I miss about Kansas:
1. Everything else

New POD Video

I don't plan for every one of my posts to be just a link to some video...that's pretty lame. That said...I saw this video by POD today and had to post it. I LOVE THIS BAND. I can't wait for the new record...enjoy.

In the words of my youngest son...this song makes my pants wiggle