Do the Monster Mash
The week at a glance:
1) Though I had a crazy busy week at work and was sadly forced to miss most of "I Love the Eighties 3-D" (I am such a sucker for those shows), I've been catching up this weekend (thanks Vh-1, for constantly rerunning the same program over and over again!). The best part, so far, I can report is their in depth coverage of Billy Idol's "Mony Mony" during the 1987 show. Growing up, whenever that song was played at a middle school dance or someone's Bat Mitzvah the DJ always had to threaten to stop playing the song because all of us kids (obviously amped up on a lethal cocktail of hormones, sugar, and the childish joy of cursing) kept screaming, "Hey motherfucker, get laid, get fucked," during the synth line after, "Here she comes now singing Mony Mony." Anyway, that phenomenon has interested me for much of my adult life, as I've met people who grew up in Tennesee and California and Texas, who ALL did it. (I've also met a lot of people who looked at me like I was crazy when I queried them about their memories of "Mony Mony." Finally, someone is bringing this ritual out in the open. All of the commentators--from Ohioan Rachel Harris to Winnipeger Chris Jericho--admitted to chanting this dirty lyric in their different high schools and colleges. Who started that? Where did that come from? Why do we feel the need to yell obscenities during the Billy Idol cover (though never during the Tommy James and the Shondells original)?
2) This might go down as the worst Halloween on record for me. As many of you know, it is my favorite holiday and I take dressing up VERY seriously. This year, however, I did nothing. And tomorrow night, on actual Halloween, I'll be at work til 3 am. Well, that just means that I'm already amping up for my costumed birthday party. I did see some funny costumes yesterday though (in and among all of the douchebags dressed as either a)pimps, b)nuns, or c) naughty nurses/doctors/cops). I think my favorite was the guy who passed me on Houston dressed as Ali G.
3) I was reading New York magazine's review of "Shopgirl," a movie that I loved, and was disturbed by their description of Steve Martin as "middle aged." I mean, how many 120 year olds do you know? I also find it interesting that Steve Martin is middle aged at 60 (though he's been gray since forever) but female actresses like Diane Lane have been labeled "middle aged" (and hence, uncastable) since they were 35. I know that no one is surprised by Hollywood's ageism and different treatment of men and women, I'm just saying....
4) Netflix finally sent "Undeclared" and I highly recommend the series to everyone (especiallly anyone who is as big a fan of "Freaks and Geeks" as I am). I really only remember catching the show a couple of times when it was on Fox (even though I knew that I loved Paul Feig) and all I remember thinking about it at the time was "Gee that Charlie Hunnam is cute." But , mcuh like "Freaks and Geeks" captures the characters and feelings of high school in the most truthful way tv ever has (I mean to be truly honest about high school there would have had to have been more drugs and sex, but it was a network show and they came closer than anyone had before), "Undeclared" does a pretty good job of exploring college life. It has also made me a big Monica Keena fan (even though I saw her commentating on "I Love the Eighties 3-D" and she looked weird, like she'd had too much collegen or something). I can't wait for the other three discs to arrive.
5) I know the album came out a month ago, but I have been BAD about updating (does that make my Halloween costume "naughty blogger?") so it slipped through the cracks. Wolf Parade's album, "Apologies to the Queen Mary," is fucking great. It is really all I've listened to for the last four weeks. I realized the other day on my way to work as I listened to it on my iPod that I had learned all the lyrics without knowing it. They just crept into my brain, like through osmosis. THAT is how much I listen to this record. For those of you who haven't already heard it and become obsessive fans like me...... You know how every year the media creates a catchphrase with which to catagorize the sound of all of the similar new bands. In 2001/2 it was "The Return of Rock." In 2003/4, it was "The Neu New Wave." I haven't come up with a snappy moniker for this year's trend (though it must have something to do with a resurgence in popularity of Talking Heads), but Wolf Parade are at the forfront of its movement. They are joined by fellow Montrealers the Arcade Fire (whose expansive, emotionally cathartic sound is clearly related to Wolf Parade) and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (with whom they share a shambolic playfulness as well as similarly yelped vocals that owe a clear debt to David Byrne). There is a quirky throughline that runs between all of these bands. They use synths, but not in an icy New Wave way. They have propulsive drums, but rather than the clean, metronome-like sounds of post-punk, these rhythms are constantly threatening to break apart. There is something emotionally raw and sonically large about these records and, for the most part, they aren't ironic or detached unlike most popular indie rock. It feels refreshing and new (though musically they aren't using any kind of new technology or instrumentation or songwriting tecniques) partially because of its honesty. I mean the Strokes make great music, but there is something detached about them. And the White Stripes are great, but they are more theatrical (and frankly propogated on a lie). But these aren't pussy songwriters. Being honest and cathartic doesn't mean you have to only write wet blanket ballads. (Yeah, I'm talking to you, Coldplay!)
6) On Tuesday I went with my friend (who is a movie critic) from work to a movie screening. I feel bad even mentioning the name of the movie because it was so bad--no, saying it was "bad," is giving it too much credit, it was unprofessional and a total confusing trite mess--but it was cool to see a movie in a screening room like a professional journalist. The best part of this movie was the required Sports Training Montage, set to Europe's "The Final Countdown." It was my favorite part of the movie, not because it was a good montage (it was neither original nor funny), but because that song now always reminds me of "Arrested Development"'s Gob. While I was sitting in the screening room bewildered by this terribly written movie, I got a respite from feeling uncomfortable as I was reminded of Will Arnet dancing around onstage yelling at Buster. God damn that show is funny! Just thinking about it during a terrible movie is enough to make me laugh!
7) I'll end where I began....I really really must remove myself from the couch where I've been watching hours of "I Love the Eighties 3-D." I can tell I've been watching it for too long when I've developed crushes on every male commentator. I mean, I usually have love for Michael Ian Black, the Modern Humorist guys (whom Shaya and I want to double date--I know, I know, Shaya, you get the brown one!), and Donal Logue (who hasn't really been featured in this series), but now even Chris Booker (formerly of Entertainment Tonight!) is starting to look good to me. Pick up the remote, Rebecca, and step away from the TV.
1) Though I had a crazy busy week at work and was sadly forced to miss most of "I Love the Eighties 3-D" (I am such a sucker for those shows), I've been catching up this weekend (thanks Vh-1, for constantly rerunning the same program over and over again!). The best part, so far, I can report is their in depth coverage of Billy Idol's "Mony Mony" during the 1987 show. Growing up, whenever that song was played at a middle school dance or someone's Bat Mitzvah the DJ always had to threaten to stop playing the song because all of us kids (obviously amped up on a lethal cocktail of hormones, sugar, and the childish joy of cursing) kept screaming, "Hey motherfucker, get laid, get fucked," during the synth line after, "Here she comes now singing Mony Mony." Anyway, that phenomenon has interested me for much of my adult life, as I've met people who grew up in Tennesee and California and Texas, who ALL did it. (I've also met a lot of people who looked at me like I was crazy when I queried them about their memories of "Mony Mony." Finally, someone is bringing this ritual out in the open. All of the commentators--from Ohioan Rachel Harris to Winnipeger Chris Jericho--admitted to chanting this dirty lyric in their different high schools and colleges. Who started that? Where did that come from? Why do we feel the need to yell obscenities during the Billy Idol cover (though never during the Tommy James and the Shondells original)?
2) This might go down as the worst Halloween on record for me. As many of you know, it is my favorite holiday and I take dressing up VERY seriously. This year, however, I did nothing. And tomorrow night, on actual Halloween, I'll be at work til 3 am. Well, that just means that I'm already amping up for my costumed birthday party. I did see some funny costumes yesterday though (in and among all of the douchebags dressed as either a)pimps, b)nuns, or c) naughty nurses/doctors/cops). I think my favorite was the guy who passed me on Houston dressed as Ali G.
3) I was reading New York magazine's review of "Shopgirl," a movie that I loved, and was disturbed by their description of Steve Martin as "middle aged." I mean, how many 120 year olds do you know? I also find it interesting that Steve Martin is middle aged at 60 (though he's been gray since forever) but female actresses like Diane Lane have been labeled "middle aged" (and hence, uncastable) since they were 35. I know that no one is surprised by Hollywood's ageism and different treatment of men and women, I'm just saying....
4) Netflix finally sent "Undeclared" and I highly recommend the series to everyone (especiallly anyone who is as big a fan of "Freaks and Geeks" as I am). I really only remember catching the show a couple of times when it was on Fox (even though I knew that I loved Paul Feig) and all I remember thinking about it at the time was "Gee that Charlie Hunnam is cute." But , mcuh like "Freaks and Geeks" captures the characters and feelings of high school in the most truthful way tv ever has (I mean to be truly honest about high school there would have had to have been more drugs and sex, but it was a network show and they came closer than anyone had before), "Undeclared" does a pretty good job of exploring college life. It has also made me a big Monica Keena fan (even though I saw her commentating on "I Love the Eighties 3-D" and she looked weird, like she'd had too much collegen or something). I can't wait for the other three discs to arrive.
5) I know the album came out a month ago, but I have been BAD about updating (does that make my Halloween costume "naughty blogger?") so it slipped through the cracks. Wolf Parade's album, "Apologies to the Queen Mary," is fucking great. It is really all I've listened to for the last four weeks. I realized the other day on my way to work as I listened to it on my iPod that I had learned all the lyrics without knowing it. They just crept into my brain, like through osmosis. THAT is how much I listen to this record. For those of you who haven't already heard it and become obsessive fans like me...... You know how every year the media creates a catchphrase with which to catagorize the sound of all of the similar new bands. In 2001/2 it was "The Return of Rock." In 2003/4, it was "The Neu New Wave." I haven't come up with a snappy moniker for this year's trend (though it must have something to do with a resurgence in popularity of Talking Heads), but Wolf Parade are at the forfront of its movement. They are joined by fellow Montrealers the Arcade Fire (whose expansive, emotionally cathartic sound is clearly related to Wolf Parade) and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (with whom they share a shambolic playfulness as well as similarly yelped vocals that owe a clear debt to David Byrne). There is a quirky throughline that runs between all of these bands. They use synths, but not in an icy New Wave way. They have propulsive drums, but rather than the clean, metronome-like sounds of post-punk, these rhythms are constantly threatening to break apart. There is something emotionally raw and sonically large about these records and, for the most part, they aren't ironic or detached unlike most popular indie rock. It feels refreshing and new (though musically they aren't using any kind of new technology or instrumentation or songwriting tecniques) partially because of its honesty. I mean the Strokes make great music, but there is something detached about them. And the White Stripes are great, but they are more theatrical (and frankly propogated on a lie). But these aren't pussy songwriters. Being honest and cathartic doesn't mean you have to only write wet blanket ballads. (Yeah, I'm talking to you, Coldplay!)
6) On Tuesday I went with my friend (who is a movie critic) from work to a movie screening. I feel bad even mentioning the name of the movie because it was so bad--no, saying it was "bad," is giving it too much credit, it was unprofessional and a total confusing trite mess--but it was cool to see a movie in a screening room like a professional journalist. The best part of this movie was the required Sports Training Montage, set to Europe's "The Final Countdown." It was my favorite part of the movie, not because it was a good montage (it was neither original nor funny), but because that song now always reminds me of "Arrested Development"'s Gob. While I was sitting in the screening room bewildered by this terribly written movie, I got a respite from feeling uncomfortable as I was reminded of Will Arnet dancing around onstage yelling at Buster. God damn that show is funny! Just thinking about it during a terrible movie is enough to make me laugh!
7) I'll end where I began....I really really must remove myself from the couch where I've been watching hours of "I Love the Eighties 3-D." I can tell I've been watching it for too long when I've developed crushes on every male commentator. I mean, I usually have love for Michael Ian Black, the Modern Humorist guys (whom Shaya and I want to double date--I know, I know, Shaya, you get the brown one!), and Donal Logue (who hasn't really been featured in this series), but now even Chris Booker (formerly of Entertainment Tonight!) is starting to look good to me. Pick up the remote, Rebecca, and step away from the TV.
2 Comments:
well! look who came out of the woodworks to ask for a favor! how's it goin' christy? still enjoying animal flesh these days? mmmmm, retarded children. hahaha.
so, i think a condition of her agreement to help should be that re gets half of winnings she helps you advance to. Meaning that if she helps get you from the $16,000 mark to the ever-important $25,000 mark (with the new switch a question lifeline!) she should get half the difference between $16,000 and $25,000, so if my math is right, that comes to $4,500.
oh, and i'll be requiring a 10 percent commission for brokering this deal, re.
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