magnetic fields in Dallas (and Madison, Wisconsin)

know anyone in central Texas (or Wisconsin) with great taste in music?

I have two front row tickets for the Magnetic Fields' concert at Dallas' Majestic Theatre this coming Monday night.
and I will put them in the mail for free to someone who will actually appreciate the show.
just send the mailing address to me via e-mail (but do it quickly).

(tickets in Madison for this Saturday night (you better hurry) aren't front row, but they're damn close. same deal. shoot me an e-mail)

"Doctor, always try to do the right thing."
- Da Mayor to Mookie

I ate White Castle for dinner and my apartment knows it

definitely not the day to wish that the walls could talk because they'd be making some uglyass remarks.

I don't believe I've mentioned the economy in the last several posts. placing my faith in denial, I guess. but it's a quarter to three (shout out to Gary U. S. Bonds) in the morning on the East Coast and Japan's Nikkei index is currently down over 9% ON THE DAY.
which, yes, is even uglier than Auburn's loss to Vandy (though that hurt was pretty close to physical as well).

and you wonder why I never leave the apartment.

Ed Brinkman died.

boy, this is a fun post, ain't it?

so head this way: I've got a feature in this week's Voice print edition on Jimmy Cobb, drummer, Harlem resident and last surviving member of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue sessions (that's Mr. Cobb pictured above).
Sony Legacy has issued a very nice, very expensive 50th Anniversary edition even though the golden anniversary of the release of jazz's most popular album isn't until next August (and the likewise anniversary of the first recording session isn't until next March).

also, the previously promised long-form Q and A with Lambchop's Kurt Wagner (and it comes with a free download of "Slipped Loosed and Dissolved; my own Lambchop playlist suggestions (un-free, unfortunately) will be posted later today in honor of Kurt's gig at Joe's Pub this evening). the new album, OH (Ohio), dropped yesterday. as did the Annuals' Such Fun (Possibly 4th Street session with those guys popping soon). and new records from Catfish Heaven, Deerhoof, Department of Eagles, Jolie Holland (though I seem to have slipped off the Anti/Epitaph list; somebody call and complain), Oasis, Jay Reatard, Rise Against, Rosebuds, Marnie Stern and Women.
yep, it's a big, big, big, big week in IndieLand.

Martin Landau was in my dreams

and that's rarely a good thing.

he was playing the role of a former Nazi and university professor during a campus evacuation.

he could tell that I had attended a closing night celebration for the local musical (impressive since I never would've guessed I would've been there) with his niece, with whom he was attempting to reunite, by applying the flame of a cigarette lighter to the pads of my fingers (they turned blue, supposedly signifying I had played an organ that evening (again, that would also be news to me)).

while I cowered in a modified fetal position (complete with finger sucking from the burns) on the hallway floor of university building, Landau forced a black and white family photograph in front of me. a group shot with several austere faces, but in front, and smiling, his sister, and his niece as a little girl.
the family dog perched in front appeared to be a pekingese, but with a face favoring Lucille Ball.

I don't write 'em, sports fans. I just dream 'em.

busy ain't genius, baby. busy ain't genius.

it's download day!!!

as always, first come, first served.

for a free download of Metallica's upcoming concert (currently listed as the final North American show of the current tour) in Newark, NJ on February 1st:

click on this Live Metallica link, register, and then enter MTP090201416D96F303.

for a free download (via iTunes) of Kings of Leon's new Only by the Night album:

go to the iTunes store (there's a link just to your right), hit Redeem and enter AYAM9FK7PWKK

for a free download of the new Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul, as well as a limited edition Oasis t-shirt (you even get to pick the size):

click on this special link to the Warner Brothers store, pick your shirt size, then enter NH5ILL654C5LTN.

good luck, and enjoy!

the live metallica pre-game

I suggested a mistake yesterday.

since Alabama-Kentucky airs at 3:30 EST and Auburn-Vanderbilt kicks off at 6, there's not much chance there will be time in between to expect a posting.
so I'm calling an audible.

the Live Metallica download code, the new Kings of Leon album code, the new Oasis album code (complete with a limited edition Oasis t-shirt) will be posted at halftime of the Alabama game.
or around 5 p.m. EST this afternoon.

see you then.

yesterday's news

Michael Pigott, the police officer who ordered the Tasering of Iman Morales, a mentally ill man in the throes of an rooftop episode (menacingly swinging a long florescent light bulb) in Bed-Stuy, committed suicide. on his 46th birthday. and hours before Morales' funeral (Morales died from his fall from the roof after being Tasered). very, very sad all the way around.

and Mr. Clean, House Peters Jr, died too.

Richard Hell turned 59.

also Sting, Lani O'Grady (Mary on "Eight is Enough"), Lorraine Bracco, Donna Karan, Third Man author Graham Greene, and the late former WWE (though it was the WWF at the time) champion, Yokozuna, also had birthdays.

but, as they say in the Bible, the greatest of these is Groucho Marx who would've been 98.

I watched part of A Night at the Opera.

and all of the vice-presidential debate.

while I enjoyed Night at the Opera more (hard to beat Groucho), I was immensely pleased with Joe Biden's performance. forceful and direct throughout.
I hope Barry-O takes a cue and puts it to good use on Tuesday.

I also watched part of the Tampa Bay game.
I'm not suggesting they're actually going to win the whole thing, but I'm pulling for the Rays (despite being a National Leaguer at heart).

and the 20th episode of Possibly 4th Street, this one featuring Missouri band Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin just south of Strawberry Fields in Central Park, posted at the Voice.

and yesterday's interview subject, Lindsey Buckingham, turned 59 today (according to most websites, though at least one suggests that he's now 61). so yes, Richard Hell is older.

are you here for the Live Metallica download code?
well, tomorrow (Saturday), most likely between the end of the Alabama game and the start of the Auburn game, I'll post codes that'll not only get you free live Metallica, but the new Kings of Leon album, the new Oasis album, as well as a limited edition Oasis t-shirt.
stay tuned.

for those who are hoping to rock

hold on to your little pantaloons. help is coming (though maybe not quite as soon as you'd like).

but first:

another post today. a short feature on Lambchop leader Kurt Wagner for his hometown alt-weekly, the Nashville Scene. I believe it's available in print later this afternoon (Thursday) and the Voice online should have something else of mine tomorrow or the next day, and next week the long-form interview version of my discussion with Kurt will post and then probably another Possibly 4th Street episode after that.

while normal's not really the word, the schedule of at least the past couple days has been, say, a little less insane (horrible, stupid, overused word often signifying overwriting, so let's call this usage a tribute to the still touring Lindsey Buckingham (who will play NYC the night that Springsteen and Billy Joel have decided to raise money for Barack Obama - ouch)).

but Monday was kind of nuts. early morning finishing touches on the aforementioned Lambchop piece. early afternoon finishing touches on the interview with Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier.

yesterday, though, some much-missed, much-appreciated time with my spouse and a yes/no/maybe (final verdict: no) follow-up with the aforementioned Mr. Buckingham.

and today a trip to J. J. Byrne Park in Brooklyn (not exactly my old or new stomping grounds (read: a long damn subway ride in which to work through a few more pages of Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn (I miss reading)) to film a Possibly 4th Street with Damien Jurado (and Jenna Conrad and Eric Fisher). nice, talented folk.

which makes the recent iPod playlist consist of three primary albums: Damien's Caught in the Trees, Beck's Modern Guilt and the upcoming collaboration between Vic Chesnutt and Elf Power entitled Dark Developments (out either October 14th or 28th, depending on who you believe).

I'm going to take a night off from the Live Metallica download code because, honestly, not only is it late but the codes are on the computer in the other room which currently contains a sleeping spouse.
and it's more important to me (much more important actually) for her to be happy with me than you.
sorry.

but come back tomorrow and I promise something super man-bear-pig special, and maybe even worth your time.

busy ain't genius, baby.