Disqus - Latest Comments for blackmailismylife

Re: Blades Of Glory

blackmailismylife — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:47:33 -0000

Turns out Ricky Bobby can do other sports movies! I think that the nouvelle Rat Pack has done in comedy for me. Wilson Bros., Stiller, Vaughn, Ferrell - you're on notice.
[Caveat lektor: everything is forgiven if it's in the service of any of the following directors: Anderson, Baumbach, Russell, Gondry, Jonze and Coppola.]

Re: Jackin’ The Pop

blackmailismylife — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 22:31:40 -0000

I totally voted for the Delta 5 reissue, but alas, my ballot was lost in the glitch that claimed who knows how many ballots. Damn shame too, cuz I wonder what turnout would've looked like had all the hanging chads of the inaugural Jackin' Pop poll been investigated [or if there were time/money for such things.]

Re: Loving You

blackmailismylife — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:13:41 -0000

I get the idea behind this, but isn't it a little unfair when the subject is conventionally attractive before the makeover begins?

[It's hard to believe that TLC dropped "Unpretty" so long ago.]

Re: Win Tickets To See Bettie Serveert!

blackmailismylife — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:09:22 -0000

I didn't catch all of the show as I raced out the door to catch a cheap matinee of The Science of Sleep [2nd viewing!] at noon, but for a second I thought a certain Elvis Costello-loving drummer had stormed the station to play This Year's Model in its entirety!

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/906

blackmailismylife — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 09:42:00 -0000

FiveSevenTenTwelve is beautiful. All those metal covers, but strangely so few comments! It's the PTW of album artwork!

Re: The Unholiest Of Unions

blackmailismylife — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:23:09 -0000

Congrats! The dig on CVT was priceless and I couldn't help but feel badly for BTS, either...

[Incidentally, we weren't fortunate enough to be able to trade T.O.; he was released and picked up by Dallas, with no small amount of consternation on their part.]

Re: Kenny Can’t Afford It, But Toby Can

blackmailismylife — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:55:59 -0000

i knew i should've trademarked "douchehammers"!

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/898

blackmailismylife — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:56:15 -0000

i'm sometimes shocked when i think about my favorite bands from the late nineties, which included BTS, and realize how seldom i listen to them these days. i haven't even heard their new record. is it any good? after ancient melodies i felt like they could still write a good song, but not much past that.

as a sidenote: after attending a recent gig at the church, is it just me or has that venue taken over saddest philly venue status? no turnout, terrible vibe, the whole nine. then again, i haven't been to the tla in a while, so...

Re: Fake Speed Is Still Speed

blackmailismylife — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 08:27:28 -0000

um, get one f. scott fitzgerald? reflect for a moment on the life and background of "the great gatsby"...and think of it as a literary joke of caution. everyone knows that tom buchanan is the guy to really avoid.

you've convinced me to hear/see clockcleaner.

Re: Fake Speed Is Still Speed

blackmailismylife — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 10:22:35 -0000

Beware the Midwest: there be Jay Gatsbys in those parts!

Re: This Heat’s This Heat

blackmailismylife — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 17:16:20 -0000

i wish someone would remix "rather ripped" already. i want to hear "do you believe in rapture" as a dance track!

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/831

blackmailismylife — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 11:12:03 -0000

agreed, but i seriously had a birthday dinner at fuddrucker's a few years ago. last year was the first time in memory that i classed up my birthday and that's only because there was a nice brazilian restaurant in our hotel in vegas! i had a bad mojito too!

also: epiphone SG is really cool. so is dancing with other people! i can already see the chick lit book that tells your story...

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/831

blackmailismylife — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 08:19:43 -0000

Hopefully my weird tubercular cough stops soon and we can get food at Standard together! It'll be sweet! I'm having a birthday brunch there soon!

Re: Rockpile Calls It A Day

blackmailismylife — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 17:11:35 -0000

goodnight to the indie rock era? can magnet be far behind? i guess i'd be less shocked if any of these magazines, regardless of quality, were being replaced, or barring that, being transported into online formats. it's saying a lot that with a few boutique exceptions like believer whathaveyou, print mags are genuinely a dying breed.

then again, i read this magazine exactly once in 2001 and never picked up a free copy again. i've also only ever read one issue of magnet and that was the year-end '99 issue. i remember fondly how it seemed that elephant six was poised to take over the indie universe! but those were simpler times...

but wow holy eff it's amazing that they're not even publishing an issue that's already finished a print-run [i'm hoping the august issue didn't get that far before they made this decision, since it's a costly one.]

incidentally, happy birthday! i had high hopes [literally] that this codeine mix would pay off, but sadly it hasn't. countdown to sleep-depravation bonkers in 3...2...1

Re: Your Friday Night

blackmailismylife — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 20:50:34 -0000

If I didn't think I have walking pneumonia I'd be all over the Mummer's Museum tomorrow night. Instead, it's probably me, my anti-biotics, a good book and my tender-lovin' wife here at home.

Re: Festival Express

blackmailismylife — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 11:13:57 -0000

konono are a lot of fun, but the traditional world music crowd - middle aged and earthtoned - kinda creeps me out with their exoticism/orientalism and all its trappings. then there's the "dancing". one of 'em almost trampled poor keith harris!

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/817

blackmailismylife — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 07:44:44 -0000

Sounds like as good a way to dislocate cartilage as any I guess. It sucks because you fuck up the graphic so royally.

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/817

blackmailismylife — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 18:58:58 -0000

Are you going to start skateboarding now too? It's a badass deck, for sure. I had my own run-in with Sonic Youth coincidence recently when I got my picture taken for the Fit Club win. Bryan was wearing a Confusion is Sex shirt and I happened to have on my Sister tee. He threw a Philly Runner shirt on to cover it up, but I still thougt it was pretty funny.

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/770

blackmailismylife — Tue, 09 May 2006 09:44:23 -0000

Thanks! It was so good to see so many of our friends completely drunk...and we still have booze leftover. I wish it were easier to return kegs though.

The double suck aspect was not getting to play the entire playlist because the caterer rolled on us. We hadn't gotten to the Sean Paul and Rihanna tracks yet! That place would've incinerated.

Re: iDouche

blackmailismylife — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 23:12:19 -0000

ipods aren't all bad! i used to treat it as an anxiety briefcase, loading it full of albums i didn't have time to listen to. now that i have a manageable number of records and podcasts loaded, it's much more comforting and is actually a pretty useful device. good, non-music podcasting is music to my ears!

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/747

blackmailismylife — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 21:42:57 -0000

Or you could stay in Tuesday listening to The Kinks when they went arena rock to ape The Stones and then review the latest Ray Davies album!

This is my plan if you hadn't guessed.

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/730

blackmailismylife — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 23:12:31 -0000

I hope your ticket read BANG CITY! Have fun, take good pictures and relax. We'll shop for Birkenstocks when you get home.

Re: snoozeville 2006

blackmailismylife — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 13:10:47 -0000

Yeah, the beautiful Italian should've won!

Also, how does Slutskaya's music fit in to your overall belief about ice skating aesthetic cliches? It wasn't "Living La Vida Loca," nor was it Santana, but it was much better than endless streams of Andrew Lloyd Webber choking eustachian tubes in the Italian Alps.

I'm glad Arakawa won. This Olympics, like so many, violated every advertising gurus expectations - Bode Miller, Lindsey Jacobellis, pretty much anyone Visa or Nike or whomever harnessed their hopes to failed to achieve the proverbial Wheaties box of capitalism.

In fact, I'm pretty pleased with most outcomes of the games. This was the first Olympics I watched diligently since '92, when our hockey team (the last of the amateurs and semi-pros!) managed to eke out a tin medal for fourth.

This year, the pros didn't even get that close. As amateur sports are more corporatized and syndicated and branded, I think that these Olympics offered a lovely question mark. The nostalgia and excitement have been diluted a bit due to developments like the information highway, etc., but it was really nice to not worry about what might be on t.v. and just find steady entertainment for a couple weeks.

But could someone please silence the talking heads during the artistic performances on ice? Not everyone can be Al Michaels!

Re: chump or champ

blackmailismylife — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 06:46:32 -0000

re double consciousness: it was a popular idea at the end of the 19th C. adolph reed does a lot of heavy lifting to put it back in its historical discursive context in his book W. E. B. Du Bois and American Political Thought : Fabianism and the Color Line. it's a mouthful for sure, and the Emerson passages will make your head hurt, but that's part of the fun. I'd be happy to loan you the book if you like, but it's probably in the library, come to think of it.

fact is, everyone appropriates that idea. it's the problem of thin intellectual history - this is along the lines of the whiggish topic for EMP. you can see why i dropped the ball - it takes too much time and dedication to do good historical work!

Re: so…

blackmailismylife — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 10:44:17 -0000

congratulations! dorothy hamill, RNC 2004 speaker, salutes you!

Re: best buy is not to buy from best buy

blackmailismylife — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 21:58:00 -0000

I'm not entirely sure that I get the cause for alarm. Loss leaders are loss leaders. Unlike your mom and pop brick and mortar retail outlet, chains like Best Buy, Circuit City, Target and Wal-Mart have been beating their suppliers to a pulp in ways that haven't been seen probably since Rockefeller blackmailed the railroads to carry his oil. The difference between the two is that those chains not only have clout to engage those practices, but they also have the differentiated product to entice people to come into the stores to buy other goods, which ideally is where they recoup those losses.

This is a corollary of the notion that Mac, Gerard and others put out; they're labels trying to get art/product into the public sphere, which means doing business with these folks. Once the business gets done, it's more or less out of their hands when it comes to price setting and so forth. So while Best Buy are beating up on small retailers by carrying hot titles so cheaply, they in turn get hurt badly by every customer who comes in specifically to buy those titles, or worse, brings in a competitor's ad that they have to match on titles they have marked up to ward off the affects of the loss leader phenomenon. Even though there's no Circuit City here in Philly, I regularly walk down to BB to pick up hiphop titles, carrying the CC ad with me.

I think that there's been a conflation on the part of these angry labels of price and cost, and it's no minor detail. What's probably more at issue is that these few retail outlets can play ball with equally few major retailers, incl. internet. Of equal importance is how bad independent stores are at buying records too. I don't have much sympathy for distributors since they are after all just middlemen who've never been more than legal racketeers with access to channels and transport.

As someone who works for a company that competes with most of the retailers mentioned, it's easy to see that there's much more to this (that is, capitalist modes of production) than gets covered here to convince me that my consumption patterns are political or pathological because I'm looking for a low price. I don't shop at Target, but that's because they don't offer women over the counter emergency contraceptive, and I don't shop at WalMart because of their power and cruelty, not because I don't want inexpensive goods.

I can think of few things more cynical than treating consumption as politics, but I think the Urban Outfitter's model has convinced a lot of people that they're one and the same. The agglomeration of companies into oligopolistic competition is part of what's driving everything to the bottom, but not buying art or groceries isn't what's going to stop it. This is in my view part of a much larger political project that needs to be organized to protect consumers and workers from bad business practices.

Re: like a tetanus shot, im a booster

blackmailismylife — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 10:18:06 -0000

Very cute, nice article. Glad to see that there's someone at Penn who recognizes and appreciates your value. You should've asked them to just attach your resume! *Free in this issue*

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/695

blackmailismylife — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 20:15:31 -0000

of course, i'm also totally buying this tomorrow! mia clarke's review was great. that's really something.

Re: http://blog.herjazz.org/695

blackmailismylife — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 09:26:17 -0000

There are plenty of good podcasts, some of which are made by pros! I like the WFMU podcasts since they put together a lot of weird stuff, old stuff, but then there's the nice, OOP soul podcast called Downtown Soulville that's really amazing.

Congrats on the reissue! I'm excited, but I can foresee a certain amount of reissue fatigue coming...if everyone on the 1981 box were reissued, that would be ridiculous (and unnecessary.)

Re: One A Day

blackmailismylife — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:01:09 -0000

A friend of mine just pointed me to muxtape.com. I have yet to play with it very much, but it seems like a fun way to create a mixtape without the incessant social networking annoyances.

Re: I Saw Fall’s Bridge Yesterday

blackmailismylife — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:31:04 -0000

I just started riding to work again after a four year hiatus. When I'm not gritting my teeth in traffic between Fishtown and Center City, it's a pretty great way to experience the city.

Re: Going Long

blackmailismylife — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:56:43 -0000

This is really outstanding progress. You'll be tackling those 10 miles in no time!

I went for a run by Wissahickon Creek today and I was amazed at how the change of scenery made the run that much more pleasant.

Re: I Voted for Pat Burrell for the All Star Game

blackmailismylife — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:42:05 -0000

Pat's swing is something to behold, but I wouldn't say it's the sweetest.

Re: Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum

blackmailismylife — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:18:09 -0000

I'm amazed you weren't mowed down by an overzealous cyclist!

Re: Either I Do Pushups or I’ll Soon Need a Pushup Bra

blackmailismylife — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:38:29 -0000

I love that this has totally caught fire virally. A bunch of people at my office are doing it. Did you notice the ad in the right navigation for life insurance? Is it really a sales pitch wrapped in a fitness plan?

Re: Tomato Sandwiches

blackmailismylife — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:43:36 -0000

I wish I had these for lunch right now.

Re: Let’s Play Meme Tag!

blackmailismylife — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:26:07 -0000

Beach Boys Kokomo tour was my first too...at the Allentown Fairgrounds! We convinced our music teacher that year that we should sing it in the spring concert. A chorus of 5th and 6th graders singing Kokomo would've probably found its way into Dante's Inferno were he writing today.

Re: Delirious for Deadwood

blackmailismylife — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 19:14:31 -0000

I was enraptured by this show, but I think that Season 2 really topped it all, tho Season 3 has its moments, even if it's cribbing from McCabe and Mrs. Miller pretty hard.

Re: A Geek’s Guide to Saving Gas

blackmailismylife — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:15:13 -0000

Yeah it's spammy. Also, I think that it's fair to say that hybrids are improving the situation, since as you note, suburbanized America requires a ton of car travel, so whatever consumers might do to affectively upgrade CAFE standards helps. Sure it's a Reaganite mode of voting with one's wallet, but it's not like Critical Mass protests are doing much more than pissing people off.

Re: Win a Date on The Illadates Show!

blackmailismylife — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:02:12 -0000

Tried to comment on the bad press Gridskipper post but that had gone missing...and so had the bad press! The internet is magic!

Re: Radiohead’s New Years Webcast

blackmailismylife — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:27:10 -0000

Current was pretty early in this race, but it crashed the hell out of the entire site for days! And then it turned out that everyone had it anyway. I was pretty thrilled to be able to get these clips and scotch_mist for Comcast. Did you try to watch scotch_mist when it streamed at 7 PM New Year's Eve? It was pretty great to start and then the Quicktime environment broke down for me. :( Nevertheless, a great way to promote an album that pretty much everyone's had in some form or another [got the discbox for Xmas] for nearly a month!

Re: ravens:and:vultures

blackmailismylife — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:25:56 -0000

As I rule I usually avoid Philly bands -- the local politics alone are enough to drive one crazy, not to mention that many of them are bad, bad bad -- but this [and shoegaze ex-pats Panda Riot] make me want to reconsider.

Re: ravens:and:vultures

blackmailismylife — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:57:59 -0000

It's easier to ignore than you think. Trust me. Local's better left to Doug Wallen!

Re: For the Love of Food

blackmailismylife — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:11:39 -0000

This was exactly the post I was looking for to freshen my feedreader's FOOD AND WINE category! Thanks!

Re: Poverty Travel with SquatterCity

blackmailismylife — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:34:18 -0000

I wouldn't want to live as close as I think you do to Finnegan's Wake. I've gotta say that 'poverty tourism' sounds like one of the most patronizing, exploitative things I can think of doing in the name of 'activism.' I mean, I'm sure it's done/said with best intentions, but it's exoticism and not much that would be identifiably 'political.'

Re: Poverty Travel with SquatterCity

blackmailismylife — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:31:38 -0000

Well, journalism and 'poverty tourism' are two very different things, right? As a casualty of late '90's identity politics, I find the whole notion of 'bearing witness' to be pretty insufferable and too voyeuristic to be nominally 'political.'

Re: We Bought a House!

blackmailismylife — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:26:29 -0000

This is beautiful. Is this the one up on the north end?

Re: Site Updates!

blackmailismylife — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:30:50 -0000

This is amazing. I may be interested in a redesign myself, hint hint.

Re: We’re Homeowners!

blackmailismylife — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:13:36 -0000

Congratulations! Welcome to Olde Richmond/Port Fishington/Kensington Heights/Flat Iron or wherever it is we live!

Re: We’re Homeowners!

blackmailismylife — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:02:09 -0000

LOL @ friends/family who don't register for enough stuff!

Re: I Voted Today

blackmailismylife — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:35:02 -0000

I voted too, but just on the referenda! Then I called Committee of 70 to make sure I wasn't hosed on voting for or against Johnny Doc.

Re: Never a Dull Moment

blackmailismylife — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:24:37 -0000

This totally happened to our neighbor on Super Bowl Sunday 2007. We had a party raging when suddenly emergency vehicles start driving down our street the wrong direction. It almost interrupted Prince's halftime show!

More importantly, did your house survive the recent storm? It was one like that that messed up our roof and taught us the 'true meaning' of home ownership.

Re: Classic 1980 BMW 320i For Sale

blackmailismylife — Thu, 29 May 2008 07:07:56 -0000

If my last experience trying to sell anything is any indication, I'm guessing listing your car on your blog is better than putting it on Craiglist. Good luck man. It's a beauty.

Re: Computer Humor

blackmailismylife — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:16:52 -0000

I love the second graphic. It's so embarrassing when people use dumb slang about the Internet to try to hide their ignorance. When my parents do it, it's one thing, but when it's someone who's used the internet since the mid-nineties, it makes me cringe.

Re: A certain ratio.

blackmailismylife — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:25:21 -0000

thanks!

Re: Yeah, all those stars drip down like butter, and promises are sweet.

blackmailismylife — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:22:45 -0000

It's funny because I really loved Monster [I read about music in the hippest of places as a kid - Newsweek and the Philly Inquirer's weekend entertainment section] but maybe some of the revisionists' revisionists are trying to refresh some lost cultural memory, you know, that REM used to be good. They really went out of their way to be "edgy" after Out of Time and Automatic, and I can see how folks would think it was overwrought.

Granted, I've liked two albums since. New Adventures and Up were both returns to form in their own way, but everything else is too embarrassing for words. I listened to Reveal once and sold it, which is too bad because I liked "Imitation of Life" and a handful of other songs. I may have heard Around the Sun once, but have never owned it.

I guess what's craziest about all of the U2/REM talk is that had they broken up, we'd likely be talking about reissuing their older albums [Oops, REM already did at least some of that!]

Re: I hold my breath and then count to three.

blackmailismylife — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:06:45 -0000

It's "Like a Pen" by The Knife. I completely changed my mind about it being my favorite song though just in time for year end polls.

Re: Oh no love! You’re not alone!

blackmailismylife — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:14:45 -0000

No I think you're pretty much right on the mark. I think that's what Jace/Rupture was getting at too actually, but to him one was just a little more absurdly racialized than the other.

Re: We’ll split the difference, call it quits.

blackmailismylife — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:12:27 -0000

Thanks for all the great shows! This weekend was a blast, although I'm a little the worse for wear.

Re: But everyone still worships at the Church of Springsteen ‘75!

blackmailismylife — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 11:40:11 -0000

I don't often participate in backlashes, but man, I can think of few bands more deserving. Credit is due their publicists who've spoon fed every angle to hungry media outlets [it's the lyrics! no, it's their past work! they're Midwesterners who are innately more attuned to the American Spirit!], as well as successfully easing the transition from "It's a bar band! Cool! Who said rock is dying?" to "We were never a bar band, losers! What made you think that in the first place?"

This is a case of cultural amnesia, plain and simple. Not every band has to be unique, aspire to Deep Meaning or be part of some avant garde movement, but has anyone written about them without using superlatives?

Re: We should probably talk about priorities.

blackmailismylife — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:30:15 -0000

wow. we got a pretty good deal on our own personal jumbotron. nevertheless, even with installation, headaches ensue. dear sony/comcast - please make hdmi easier to set up w/o assistance! i am looking forward to dv-r though. way less "our country" during the playoffs!

Re: Frightened, walking in the dark woods, haunted by gods and monsters.

blackmailismylife — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:21:28 -0000

I haven't seen PL yet, but there's an undeniable connection based on what I've read and heard, which isn't a bad thing at all. I think they're very distinct directors. Del Toro could never make a movie as delicate as this one, nor could Erice have the visual intensity and violence that del Toro has mastered.

The Spirit of the Beehive became an instant favorite. Erice is like a Spanish Malick, and he's made three films in the last 40 years, and I think that the other two are currently out of print.

Re: The Night of the Hunter vanquished Charles Laughton.

blackmailismylife — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:29:20 -0000

This Of Montreal record pieces together New Pornographers and Fiery Furnaces to me, which sounds like it should have broad appeal. Additionally, the production values have increased considerably since I last tuned in and I think they sound much better for it.

Re: Even drunks know better than to behave like this.

blackmailismylife — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:35:32 -0000

Aw thanks! Glad to see you back in the blogosphere, as well as real life! Sorry I couldn't visit longer, but I listened to that Hecker record this morning and was very surprised. [I mean, I kinda new I'd like it, but it was way more dynamic than I expected.]

Re: There are many, many opinions on the matter.

blackmailismylife — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:08:52 -0000

I was sure I'd be able to write off the new Malkmus album, but he seems to be the king of second chances now that he's no longer the prince of indie rock. The last Jicks gig I saw was completely uninspired. Not even funny really. And man do I miss Acid Casualties. That was a good way to spark interest among the faithful at least. I listen to Pavement and Malkmus so rarely any more [and not much for since Pig Lib really] that it's hard to get excited about new material.

I had hoped that my contribution to the PLUG Awards show would've been to inject a bit of the good ol' days by getting friends to help me put together interesting, funny trivia pieces. Or at least remind me of my Pavement fandom in some weird way. But as you point out, the band wouldn't have gone for any of this garbage were it not for Spiral Stairs dogging them about doing it.

Re: We agree that Darth Vader displayed greater emotional range.

blackmailismylife — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:27:00 -0000

I tried letting this one sink in a bit before I came to any real conclusions about it. I feel like as a filmmaker, Cuaron is more accomplished in that he's shown greater range [Harry Potter to Children of Men in a few steps is no mean feat]; both Innaritu and del Toro seem to make the same movie repeatedly, and while being a genre filmmaker in and of itself isn't bad [Hi Martin Scorsese!], it's another thing to repeat the same mistakes indefinitely.

I don't know why, but I'm always willing to give Gondry a free pass. I love his preoccupation with memory, history and psychology in relationships and the guy's visual style is dazzling...and affordable!

Re: We frequently recite scenes from Back to the Future.

blackmailismylife — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:55:48 -0000

I'll meet you halfway. If you subscribe to Brooklyn Vegan, Gorilla vs. Bear and My Old Kentucky Blog, you'd be amazed at how they've all posted the same item within minutes of each other, without any meaningful critical assessment. It screams conduit for sale.

In fairness to Miracle Fortress, the music isn't bad, but it's just not that good. Of all the interesting indie bands out of Canada, this just doesn't strike a chord with me. I may give it another listen, but I'm not really sure that I'll hear anything I didn't the first run through.

[Also, citing Eno and My Bloody Valentine doesn't help matters.]

Re: I just got off the phone with the psychedelic friends network.

blackmailismylife — Tue, 01 May 2007 07:12:18 -0000

Extra-textual qualities make me nervous. In Stormy Nights has less to do with Harumi than other Ghost albums but that Harumi track is way way better than Dungen. Gustav Estes had so much more in him and then it just disappeared with Tio Bitar.

Re: It might be the name of your favorite bar.

blackmailismylife — Tue, 08 May 2007 13:46:03 -0000

I'm not. It's shocking how much I still enjoy Neon Bible. Then again, the show may have pushed me over the top a bit. Now I can't stop listening to Sound of Silver!

Re: Remember that some folks work on the weekend.

blackmailismylife — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 18:08:08 -0000

Malcontent dork? Really? Is it unfair to expect more from a band that breathed new life into power pop? Also: you don't hear "Good Day Sunshine" in those opening chords as the electric guitars come in?

Re: We’re trying out for Manfred Mann’s role in the school play.

blackmailismylife — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 07:29:16 -0000

Yes, it's true. Will Oldham is frontally nude for less than a second before he slips into a tub. And then he gives Daniel London a massage.

Re: We’re trying out for Manfred Mann’s role in the school play.

blackmailismylife — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:07:37 -0000

Thanks Alex. It's a pretty amazing thing writing a blog that gets about 1,000 views an hour. And the audience, well, it's delightful.

Re: There’s at least one thing I have in common with T.I.

blackmailismylife — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:27:33 -0000

blackmail is my life update meeting scheduled for thursday night. i'm taking the whole thing to blackmailismylife.com and re-upping. can't wait.

Re: Note to publicists:

blackmailismylife — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:55:44 -0000

I think one of things that's really bad about how music is being marketed today is that you're not alone. As the after-market for used cds dries up, we're left with countless jewel cases and cds ultimately taking up space in landfills, lest they take up precious space in bedroom closets, basements and attics.

Re: Best music writing.

blackmailismylife — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:04:46 -0000

I don't get the USB fetish personally, but I know from a recent discussion with folks behind the USB phenomenon that they are very attached to the notion.

Re: It’s time to make startling admissions.

blackmailismylife — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 16:15:37 -0000

I fully expected someone to leave a 'Nabisco OTM' in here.

Re: It’s time to make startling admissions.

blackmailismylife — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:36:35 -0000

I must not be getting the joke. :(

Re: Want to hear something awesome?

blackmailismylife — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:06:09 -0000

Happy to point it out! I need some respite from my nonstop Britney coverage at the day job.

Re: Let us all praise disco.

blackmailismylife — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:43:23 -0000

Sure, though the incessant genre of the year migration gets a little tiresome, no?

Re: File under personal goals, achieved.

blackmailismylife — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:53:10 -0000

Ha I saw that Spacehog tour! I thought that they were supposed to break up in 2000 no matter what happened, which would've prevented Reveal and Around the Sun. I can live with Up. In fact, I sort of like Up.

Re: Independent’s Day Music Conference

blackmailismylife — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:44:25 -0000

I'm just waiting for Chris. I do need to mail him my copy of Blackmail Is My Life so he can get a sweet screengrab for the header.

Re: Independent’s Day Music Conference: Music 2.0 Panel

blackmailismylife — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:57:59 -0000

Yeah, that was more of a laundry list of things I was ready and excited to talk about, should it have veered in that direction. I think everyone was caught a little off guard by the breadth of topics that were meant to fit under "The Umbrella" as it were.

Re: I visited Philly Book Company yesterday.

blackmailismylife — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:46:47 -0000

I wish I agreed. In order for a bookstore to be good for browsing, there needs to be at least the hope that you'll find something you're looking for. I don't think Philly Book Company has that yet, nor do I really think that's their intention. I hold out hope nevertheless.

Re: I saw King Crimson last night.

blackmailismylife — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:13:22 -0000

You saw them both nights? Now that's commitment!

I didn't think it sounded so bad personally. It's an older theater and I didn't go in expecting it to be pristine. I understand your frustration though. What sounded off to you?

Re: MARATHON TRAINING UPDATE: EXTREME MILEAGE EDITION

blackmailismylife — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:46:51 -0000

@jasonwiener My Nike+ has been over half a mile off at times.

Re: Fishtown Library Rally on Channel 6 Action News

blackmailismylife — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:33:34 -0000

Thanks for reaching out, Bill. I appreciated you coming out to speak last night, and wish more of your colleagues would've followed your example. I'm hopeful that the communities will be able to find people who are willing to protect our public resources, without mortgaging the future.

Re: I Ran the 2008 Philadelphia Marathon

blackmailismylife — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:36:15 -0000

@Morrissey I think I recognize your arm warmers. It was really nightmarish in that 3:10 pack, wasn't it?

Re: I Ran the 2008 Philadelphia Marathon

blackmailismylife — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:32:47 -0000

@kristen: That sign really cracked me up, though the pictures of me that were taken right around that point are no laughing matter.

@David: Thanks so much for the kind words. I really appreciated all the support I got along the way from readers and friends.