At this moment...
08.31.06:
I often wonder what I would be like had not I started running almost 13 years ago. I can't imagine my life without running as it's become an integral part of who I am. Tonight, after work, I went for a seven mile tempo run. Normally, when I run more than five miles I bring water or Gatorade along, but tonight I left everything at home, even my iPod. Tonight it was just me and my GPS watch to keep me on pace. My 2nd mile was at 07:30, with miles 3 thru 6 at about an 08:45 pace. It was nice to not have music. Sometimes I need to detach myself from technology. I started thinking about Thoreau and my neo-luddite days. Not that I don't like who I am now, but I sometimes miss that old me. I miss burying my nose in a book. Lately I've been trying to find that old me in books. I'm starting to dream more, or at least my dreams are more visible and memorable. But I was writing about running…
Yeah, so I'm a runner. I needed my run today, maybe more than I've needed one in weeks. Today at work I was moving too fast. Sometimes life moves too fast, and running slows me down. As I ran tonight I watched everybody hurrying to get nowhere. In a way it makes me sad, but I know I'm not one of them, and I never will be.
Total running miles for the month: 122.5
Listening to:
Several Arrows Later - Matt Pond PA
Nowhere - Ride
Going Blank Again - Ride
08.30.06:
The Good Can't Escape EP, the first official Zerostars mini album, is now available for purchase online at notlame.com. From the little blurb the folks at notlame.com wrote about the band:
You`ll find lots of snappy The Pastels, Aztec Camera, The Smiths, The Housemartins, Trash Can Sinatras styled UK pop and, they bring the quality songs with them. There`s no mere shallow mimicking or lame posturing, they are excited and inspired by their influences and determined to do them, and themselves, proud. The songs are hooky and simple, based on classic indie pop chord changes and lovingly spiced with all sorts of sonic candy like echoing guitar lines, hushed vocals and sweet, tasteful arrangements. Very Highly Recommended!
Just the other day kk made a comment how our new song, Sleeping In, reminds her of Aztec Camera, so it was pretty funny to see Azrtec Camera mentioned in the above quote as well. I'm pretty certain Jason has never listened to Aztec Camera.
Also of note, but completely unrelated to Zerostars, CNN.com featured an article on the current trend of the Conservatives linking fascism to radical Islam. I wasn't aware that fascism is the new buzzword, I just kind of started thinking about some stuff on my own in relation to the current Iranian regime. I'm not a scholar, but I do think there are some similarities between the accepted definition of fascism and the current Iranian regime.
Listening to:
The Life Pursuit - Belle and Sebastian
S/T - Portishead
08.29.06:
Universal Music Group, home to labels such as Geffen, Interscope Geffen A&M, and Mowtown, to name but a few, has decided to make its music catalog available for free legal download online. According to the BBC, UMG has signed a deal with SpiralFrog, a new advertising-supported music service, to make its music catalog available for free download starting in December. SpiralFrog Chief Executive Robin Kent said in a statement, "SpiralFrog's business model is based on sharing income from advertising with content partners like Universal."
Maybe I'm getting old, although, I am within the target demographic of SpiralFrog, but, I just can't see myself watching some ad in order to get a free song, not even that shit Paris Hilton song is worth losing thirty seconds of my precious life. Would I be forced to watch an hour long infomercial if I wanted to download an entire album? Or, are the days of albums coming to an end?
And how many artists are keen on this idea? How will they get paid?
Either way, I prefer my music advertisement free. Plus, iTunes sounds so much cooler than SpiralFrog.
In politics...
Iran's leader wants to have a televised debate with President Bush. My favorite quote from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is, "But the condition is that there can be no censorship, especially for the American nation." Spoken like a true lover of free speech and democratic ideals. We all know that this will never happen, but if it did I'd watch it. Maybe, we need some sort of reality show that pits the US against Iran (as if the current state of affairs isn't a reality show). No, I mean something akin to American Idol, Dancing With the Stars or Fear Factor.
From the August 12th Washington Times editorial titled It's fascism:
Fascism is a chauvinistic political philosophy that exalts a group over the individual -- usually a race or nation, but in this case the adherents of a religion. Fascism also espouses centralized autocratic rule by that group in suppression of others. It usually advocates severe economic and social regimentation and the total or near-total subordination of the individual to the political leadership. This accurately describes the philosophies of Hitler, Mussolini, the leaders of Imperial Japan and other fascistic regimes through history.
It very accurately describes the philosophy of al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas and many other stripes of Islamism around the world. All the elements are present. The ideology is chauvinistic, regarding non-Muslims as a lesser breed of expendable or contemptible dhimmis and infidels. It favors autocracy and severe social and economic restrictions, as did the Taliban. It demands the total subordination of the individual to the group.
Back to music...
Jessica Simpson has lost her voice. Fantastic! About time.
In literature...
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman , the latest collection of short stories by Haruki Murakami, arrived today.
I attempted to get up early to run, but I failed. However, I did get out after work for a run in the rain. Felt great.
Know any good drummers? We're still in the process of trying to find a drummer. After a year and countless auditions, we've yet to find the right person to fill the position. We've been close, but not close enough. There's really only one catch, and that's to play the drums as well as they are played on our recordings. Is that asking too much? If you think you can play as well, if not better, than our studio drummer, get in contact with us.
Songs:
My Home Ghost - Husky Rescue (The ending is spectacular.)
Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio (I can't wait to hear the new album.)
Albums:
Old Ramon - Red House Painters (They remind me of Fall, and these past few days have felt a lot like Fall.)
Arches and Aisles - Spinanes (Rebecca Gates could sing a dictionary and I'd melt. Her voice is just gorgeous and perfect. I wish she'd release something new soon.)
08.27.06:
Today I ran twelve miles, read a bunch of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, listened to some Sterolab, ate some ice cream, and watched Kicking and Screaming. I've been waiting for years and years for Kicking and Screaming to be released on DVD as my VHS copy is near the end of its life. Such a great movie. Years and years ago, probably right after graduating college I stumbled across Kicking and Screaming playing late at night on some movie channel. Ever since it's been one of my all time favorite movies, right up there with Rushmore.
Songs:
Standing On the Standing Stone - Nick Castro & the Young Elders
Paperback Bible - Lambchop
Braver Newer World - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
I Can't Seem To Make You Mine - The Clientele
(I could listen to this song on repeat for hours. Such gorgeous string parts.)
08.26.06:
Good times at Bad Dog Tavern last night. Thank you dj BV for playing a couple of tracks off of The Good Can't Escape EP, and thanks for the Summer 2006 mix CD as well.
Listening to:
Chronic Town - R.E.M (Last night I left my CD magazine at kk's apartment, so I needed something to listen to as I was driving around today. Buried in an old shoebox I found Chronic Town on tape. I miss the old R.E.M.)
08.24.06:
Forget everything you learned about our solar system. Poor little Pluto is no longer a planet. Damn those astronomers. Is nothing sacred?
Last night I started rereading William L. Shirer's Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich. All this nonsense with Iran seems eerily similar to what went on in Germany pre-WWII. Maybe the biggest similarity is the amount of anti-Semitism espoused by both leaders, Germany's Hitler and Iran's current president and resident crackpot, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. We all know about the Holocaust (Ahmadinejad has gone on record as saying the Holocaust never happened) and the Nazis atrocities , and it seems that if the extremist Iranians were to get their way, they'd finish Hitler's pathetic goal. If that isn't cause for concern or alarm, then I don't know what is. In a recent letter sent by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the current German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, Ahmadinejad stated that, "their two countries had been subjected to "tyranny" from the World War Two victors and should cooperate to end the "imposed" world order." Rightfully so, Chancellor Merkel rejected the letter as "totally unacceptable to Germany" and said it did not deserve a reply.
So, what's the UN going to do about the situation?
I woke to thunder and lightening, so I wasn't able to go for a run until after work. I ran to the latest album by Junior Boys. Quite an amazing album, and their cover of Sinatra's When No One Cares is a tenderhearted piece of electro-soul. Possibly the best album of the year.
08.23.06:
We can all be pixelated. We can all be annihilated. I'm a little freaked out by all this crap going on in the Middle East. I'm not thinking of some end of times scenario, but still, all this stuff about Iran has me a bit nervous.
Mixing pop and politics / He asks me what the use is / I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses.
— Billy Bragg
It's not just the Middle East that frightens me, it's history that I find frightening. In Ulysses, Joyce wrote, "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awaken." Stephen Daedalus was onto something when he muttered those words.
I could go for a pint, a walk around Dublin.
08.22.06:
Is music still special? Is music still sacred?…
Today, on cnn.com, there's an article called "iTunes -- how long can musicians holdout?" The article discusses how a number of recording artists are abstaining from making their music available for purchase in the iTunes store or on other digital download music sites. Artists like The Beatles, Radiohead, and the almighty gods of thunder, Led Zeppelin, argue that they want consumers to buy their complete albums, and not just handpick songs for .99 cents. The belief is that an artist works on an album, and that songs need to be listened to within the context of the entire album.
The article points out that "[Bob] Seger, the legendary rocker from Michigan who entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, is considering releasing his classic 1976 album "Night Moves," but wants to make it so it only can be downloaded as an album." Now, while I haven't heard the entirety of Night Moves, I can say that the song Night Moves* is a jukebox classic and one that I'd be willing to spend .99 cents downloading from iTunes if only it was available (well, probably not). I can't help but wonder if there's a difference between someone downloading the single for .99 cents in 2006, or buying the 45 of the single in 1976 (I know, time travel isn't possible yet...)?
However, bands like Radiohead don't release singles, or at least release singles in the usual pop sense. Other than Creep, one of the weaker songs in the Radiohead catalog, has a Radiohead song ever been in the Billboard Top 20 (I'm too lazy too actually dig through the Billboard charts)? I don't buy Radiohead albums for their singles (if I do buy a single it's due to the fact that I'm a completist and I need to have the b-sides as well), and I'm sure there are very few Radiohead fans who buy their albums based on a single. As a fan, I buy their albums because first and foremost, their music speaks to me on some personal level. Radiohead capture the universal and somehow manage to make it personal, something that Paris Hilton isn't able to do. An album by Radiohead is a piece of art that I can afford and enjoy.
I'm a lover of complete albums. Rarely do I download single tracks for .99 cents. I need to take that back... The .99 cents I spend on individual songs tends to be on guilty pleasures. There's really no reason for me to download an entire Beyonce album, but I'll be damned if she hasn't released a killer single (Crazy Love) here and there. Also, occasionally there are times when I want to hear a song by say Duran Duran, but I don't want to buy the complete album that it's on because the rest of the album is rubbish. Although, maybe it's not rubbish. Maybe I need to buy an entire album and explore it, find new songs, not just the ones that I'm familiar with.
Serious artists rarely pad their albums with filler tracks and a few killer singles. Filler is for the faux artists like Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, or the god awful Pussycat Dolls. And that's where iTunes comes in. At the end of the day, iTunes is primarily for the consumption of pop music (there's a difference between the current crop of MTV pop and classic pop, but I don't have the time to write about that distinction now. Let's just say that Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing slays that new Justin Timberlake track, SexyBack). In a sad way it's become the fast food of the digital music download age. iTunes wasn't designed with the complete album in mind because few people really sit down and experience an album from the start to the end. It takes time and effort to really get inside an album. Time seems to be something very few people have anymore. Albums, to the vast majority of the music buying public, are a thing of the past, extinct like vinyl.
Once upon a time pop music had the potential to save the world. I know, that's an incredibly naive notion, but one that I still hold out hope for.
* Has anyone really ever listened to how bad the lyrics are to Night Moves? Absolute poetry:
I was a little too tall
Could've used a few pounds
Tight pants points hardly reknown
She was a black-haired beauty with big dark eyes
And points all her own sitting way up high
Way up firm and high
Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy
Out in the back seat of my 60 chevy
Workin on mysteries without any clues
Workin on our night moves
Tryin to make some front page drive-in news
Workin on our night moves
In the summertime
In the sweet summertime
We weren't in love, oh no, far from it
We weren't searchin for some pie in the sky summit
We were just young and restless and bored
Livin by the sword
And we'd steal away every chance we could
To the backroom, to the alley or the trusty woods
I used her, she used me
But neither one cared
We were gettin our share
Workin on our night moves
Tryin to lose the awkward teenage blues
Workin on our night moves
And it was summertime
And oh the wonder
We felt the lightning
And we waited on the thunder
Waited on the thunder
In more important music news, the latest Zerostars song has been posted to our myspace page. If you have a moment, please check it out and let us know what you think.
I could really go for some DQ, but I'm too lazy to get in the car and go for a drive. Plus, DQ always tastes better when there's a friend around.
Listening to:
Damaged - Lambchop
So This Is Goodbye - Junior Boys (Electronic album of the year? Album of the year?)
08.21.06:
Not wanting to wait too long, I booked a flight out to Maine for Christmas and New Years (my least favorite day of the year).
In more important news... US astronomers say they have found the first direct evidence for the mysterious stuff called dark matter. I have always wished I was smart enough to be an astronomer, or even a physicist, but I'm not.
Listening to:
The Future Crayon - Broadcast
08.19.06:
After months and months and more months of living in what some might consider musical chaos, I finally completed alphabetizing my CDs. I started the arduous process last weekend, but only made it as far as H. Today I made it to the end, Z. Now I could use a nap. I wonder how long it'll take before they're totally out of order.
Yesterday I cooked this fantastic dish called Skillet Chicken Mozzarella. Super easy and packed with lots of zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and chicken. Then, this morning I made some cherry muffins. I think the recipe was wrong since the batter seemed like it needed more wet ingredients. They turned out okay at best.
For the first time in 32 years, I'm experiencing allergies. This sucks. Add the humidity, and I'm not the happiest person. But I am looking forward to my 20 mile run tomorrow. Anybody want to join me for a few miles?
Listening to:
Young Prayer - Panda Bear
Feels - Animal Collective
Amaterasu - David Fridlund
Raus! - Spillsbury
Pixiedust - Solveig Slettahjell
S/T - Serena Maneesh
The Campfire Headphase - Boards of Canada
Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons - Blonde Redhead
Home, Vo. 5 - Benjamin Gibbard & Andrew Kenny
...Until We Felt Red - Kaki King
Come Into Our House - Nick Castro & The Young Elders
08.17.06:
Some photos from our WLUW performance…
Oh, and thanks to Razor and Di for having us on their radio show, and thanks to anybody who listened, we had a lot of fun.
08.16.06:
For those of you who support independent community radio, Zerostars play live tomorrow on WLUW, 88.7 FM. We go on around 1 PM. If you are unable to get 88.7 FM on your stereo, you can stream the broacast from the WLUW web site. In other Zerostars related news, Garret sent the band the first mix of Sleeping In. It's quite different from anything we've done to date. At some point in the near future our first EP, The Good Can't Escape, will be available for purchase at Not Lame.
After work I picked up season eight of The Simpsons and season four of Northern Exposure. Looks like I'll be spending a lot of time in front of the television as both those seasons are amazing. I mean, season eight of The Simpsons features:
You Only Move Twice
Homer's Enemy
El Viaje Misterioso De Nuestro Jomer
Today I was offered tickets to the American Idol Live Tour. For a moment, and only a moment, I contemplated taking the tickets. I'll admit that I've watched the last two seasons, but only because I find it hilarious. I just can't imagine myself attending an actual concert.
Listening to:
Laughing Stock - Talk Talk
08.14.06:
When did my town become a mecca for transients hanging out at the train station across the street from my apartment? Tonight there's a rather large group of drunken homeless people dancing around to a transistor radio playing classic rock.
08.13.06:
I am a runner. The past few weeks had me start to question whether or not I should give up on the Chicago marathon. However, today reminded me why I run. I woke early to find conditions perfect for a long run. It took me a bit to get my ass out the door, but once I did I knew I was going to have a fantastic run. As the miles added up, I noticed that my pace wasn't slowing. Quite the opposite. As I hit mile thirteen I felt great, so I started to push myself.
At mile fifteen I stopped into the local gas station for some Gatorade. As I walked up to the counter the clerk asked me if I had a disease. I couldn't figure out why he was asking me that, so I said, "No, I'm out for a run." I'm sure I looked like hell, so maybe that's why he asked me if I had some ailment. Then he asked me how many miles I was running. When I told him I was running 18 he gave me the strangest look and asked, "Why?" I said, "I'm a runner." Then, he pointed at the iPod strapped to my arm and asked, "What's that?" This guy was super inquisitive. All I wanted to do was get to running again. I said, "It's music." Then he asked what was on my wrist, so I said, "That tracks my speed and mileage via satellites." When I said satellites he pointed up to the sky. Then he said, "I can only run a mile." I wasn't sure what to say, but I said, "That's good." I completed my purchase and was off.
I completed 18 miles in 03:04:30. I felt like I could have easily run a marathon. Now, it's almost 9 PM and I'm starting to finally feel sleepy.
I spent the afternoon with kk. Thanks for the ice cream and for driving around.
Listening to:
An old mix for AC.
08.09.06:
The guitar guy is back, aimlessly playing a rambling solo that lacks any memorable tune or even remote melody. He just plays whatever strikes his fancy. And he LOVES the whammy bar. Part of me thinks he's homeless, but what kind of homeless person owns an electric guitar and amp? What kind of person plays an electric guitar at a train station in downtown Arlington Heights? I suppose if I was more curious I could walk over there and find out his story. Last night someone was out there dancing to the nonsensical musical stylings of guitar guy.
08.09.06:
I'm longing for the coolness of the crisp autumn air; for the slipperiness of fallen leaves as I head out for an evening run; and of a future that I can't quite get a grasp of. I've grown bored with Summer and cicadas buzzing.
The other night, almost a week ago, kk.com and I went to see Closer performed at some store-front theater near Children's Memorial. As a play it didn't thrill me. Too confrontational and angry I suppose. I prefer Shakespeare.
In October Moped Man will be going to NYC.
Listening to:
Strange Geometry - The Clientele
Silver and Fire - M. Craft
Ask Me No Questions - Bridget St. John
08.06.06:
Nick Drake's Bryter Layter plays on the record player. As I was doing my 15 mile run (I was supposed to run 16) a moment of major self doubt crept into my mind and I started to think that maybe it's a mistake to run the Chicago marathon in October. It's a foolish notion for me to even contemplate not running the marathon, but still, it appeared. Everything was going fine until about mile ten, and at mile twelve I hit a wall and pretty much crashed. I thought about ending the run their, but soldiered on to complete 15 miles. By the time I made it home I felt like I was going to collapse. Next week will be better.
I never felt magic crazy as this
I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree
But now you're here
Brighten my northern sky.
It's been a long time that I'm waiting
Been a long time that I'm blown
been a long time that I've wandered
Through the people I have known
Oh, if you would and you could
Straighten my new mind's eye.
Would you love me for my money
Would you love me for my head
Would you love me through the winter
Would you love me 'til I'm dead
Oh, if you would and you could
Come blow your horn on high.
I never felt magic crazy as this
I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree
But now you're here
Brighten my northern sky
— Northern Sky, Nick Drake
Yesterday I rediscovered a huge stack of my old college paper. Made me miss those days and nights of reading for hours and hours and just talking literature and life.
08.05.06:
Those giant, 22 oz. bottles of Fat Tire, go down way too easily. Last night, after work, I ran a quick three miles, then went over to the little Italian market by my apartment, bought some dinner, and returned home to feast on sauteed garlic chicken over fettuccini.
Is there any modern invention better than duct tape? Tired of waiting for my landlord, Kenton Management, to get their act together and fix the leaky roof, that just so happens to leak into my bedroom, I decided to take matters into my own hands. After doing a bit of cleaning I went to the hardware store and bought some duct tape and a plastic drop cover. First I put two crisscrossed layers of duct tape over the hole. Then, for added protection, I put the plastic drop cover over the duct tape and added even more tape.
Here's what the ceiling looked like up until today:
Here's what my ceiling looks like as of today:
Hopefully this will keep the rain out for a bit. And yes, I do plan on sending a bill to my landlord for the duct tape and plastic drop cover.
Also, I created a moped man photo gallery under photos.
Listening to:
Orchestral Works - Debussy (Four CD Decca set of Debussy's symphonies.)
08.04.06:
Last month it was Syd, and now Arthur Lee of Love. These are sad sad days... Love gets lumped in with the hippies and the psychedelic movement, but really, lyrically they are quite dark, and way more punk rock.
What is happening and how have you been
Gotta go but I'll see you again
And oh, the music is so loud
And then I fade into the...
Crowds of people standing everywhere
'cross the street I'm at this laugh affair
And here they always play my songs
And me, I wonder if it's...
Wrong or right they come here just the same
Telling everyone about their games
And if you think it obsolete
Then you go back across the street
Yeah, street, hey hey
When I leave now don't you weep for me
I'll be back, just save a seat for me
But if you just can't make the room
Look up and see me on the...
Moon's a common scene around my town
Yeah where everyone is painted brown
And if we do get stuck away
Let's go paint everybody gray
Yeah, gray, yeah
08.03.06:
"Raindrops keep falling on my head…" Last week I was assured by my landlord, Kenton Management, that the roof over my apartment would be fixed and that by today, Thursday, it should no longer leak into my bedroom when it rains. For the past few days people have been working on the roof, or so I thought. Yesterday I woke to what sounded like multiple explosions and then hammering. This morning, at about 6 AM I woke to the sound of drip drip drip. At first it was a few drips, but then it steadily increased and it's been dripping in a metal bowl for over an hour. Here are a couple of brief videos (Quicktime required):
Ceiling leaking into the bowl
View of the ceiling
Last night I was talking with kk on the phone and I kept hearing music. I thought maybe my neighbor below me was blasting awful music, but it wasn't. Then I thought it must be a car out in front of my apartment building listening to really bad music loudly so I looked out the window only to see some guy standing at the train station, with a guitar strapped to his body, gyrating around playing the worst guitar tapping solo I've ever heard. Then he'd break into this terrible blues stuff and I wanted to scream out, "Why are you being so cruel to that poor guitar." He played for what seemed like hours.
Listening to:
Falling Out - Peter, Bjorn and John