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Friday, May 03, 2002
'Tis the Season to Be... AWOL IV Tomorrow morning I head to San Diego for Fast Company's RealTime conference. I'll be back in the office Wednesday, May 8. I'm still debating whether to take my laptop to California -- and I need to decide soon so I can leave work at 6 to meet up with Alex -- so there's a chance that Media Diet might be quiet for the next four days. As before, while I hope to update Media Diet while traveling, if I don't, that doesn't mean that Media Diet is dead (long live Media Diet!). It just means that it's resting. I'll be back on the attack soon. If you miss me while I'm gone, catch up on the Archives. Media Diet turns a year old in a month-plus. Woot! Books Worth a Look IV These are the books I read in April 2002. Amped: Notes from a Go-Nowhere Punk Band by Jon Resh (2001) Perhaps more useful that Chadbourne's how-to book for working musicians, Amped combines the autobiographical narrative of a Florida punk band, Spoke, with practical commentary on most aspects of DIY music production, from rehearsing to touring. Jon was quite well connected to the early-'90s punk scene, and his fond reminiscences energetically balance out the punk rock meta-commentary. The chapter "Tour" could've done with some subdivision, but otherwise, the book's a good read and tells an almost universal tale from the perspective of a relative unknown. Days to read: 8. Rating: Good. The Buk Book: Musings on Charles Bukowski by Jim Christy (1997) This brief, appreciative essay on the life and lines of Charles Bukowski also collects some wonderful photographs Claude Powell took of the author on one fateful, frantic night in 1971. The result is a slim, beautiful ode to the poet that draws on his life, loves, wine, women, and small-press celebrity. Christy does well to address Buk's life as his art, his dedication to DIY publishers, toe-dipping into the celebrity scene of Hollywood, focusing on the man's literary philosophy, utter lack of pretense, and dogged creative process. Makes me want to read Bukowski, and that makes this fond remembrance well worth reading. Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent. Communication@Work: How to Get Along with Anyone in the Workplace and at Church by H. Norman Wright (2001) Aimed at Christian business people, this book is a clumsy bundle of repositioned work drawing on neurolinguistic programming, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and John Gray's "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus." You're better off reading the first six chapters and then turning to other, more in-depth and accurate books. Wright also short changes the promise delivered in the books subtitle and concentrates largely on relationships and communication at work. His treatment of "antisocial" people is heavy handed, and there have got to be better books about communicating and overcoming conflicts at work -- much less at church. Days to read: 1. Rating: Poor. Dance Till Tomorrow Vol. 5 by Naoki Yamamoto (2002) Right up there with Video Girl Ai, Dance Till Tomorrow is a manga chock full of unrequited love, unsolved mysteries, and unspoken desire. I might have missed Vol. 4 because there are a couple of new characters I don't recognize, but the story is this. A young man bound to receive a $4 million inheritance is courted and countered by several people intent on securing the money for themselves: the sexy Aya, the mousy and mechanistic Miyuki, and the stone-faced attorney Tachimi. With shades of Ranma 1/2 (a playful ghost) and Maison Ikkoku (the boarding house), Dance draws on several solid sources and draws readers in well along the way. Days to read: 1. Rating: Good. The Essential Crazy Wisdom by Wes "Scoop" Nisker (1990) An excellent perspective of crazy wisdom, the "insights and teaching methods of the most radical masters of the Way." Nisker draws on four archetypal characters -- the clown, jester, trickster, and fool -- as well as thinkers from the East (Taoism, various Buddhisms) and the West (Christianity, Rumi). The book also turns to less general traditions: existentialism, music and other art, various creation myths, and quantum physics. I particularly appreciated the passages on haiku, time, and language. As roundups go, this is hella better than Communication@Work and does much to make some new connections between disparate traditions. Days to Read: 2. Rating: Excellent. The Executioner #282: Jungle Conflict by Jerry VanCook as Don Pendleton (2002) Avoiding the political commentary of Mike Newton and the popcult pastiche of Gerald Montgomery, VanCook opts for a straight-forward adventure tale set in the Amazon. Involving a land dispute between Peru and Ecuador, chemical warfare, an indigenous tribe, and other interesting plot constructs, this book also includes some class commentary and a May-December romance. There's also the first -- that I've read -- use of the Net as Mack Bolan frequents cybercafes to communicate with his comrades at Stony Man. There's email. There's even instant messaging. How 1995! VanCook also throws in a cartoony journalist stereotype: "I only report the news. And I do so as impartially as I possibly can." Do people still say that? I'm OK -- You're OK by Thomas A. Harris (1967) I started reading this in late January when I was in the midst of a little self-help binge. This classic manual on transactional analysis and the psychological roles of parent, adult, and child shares some common ground with learned optimism and Scientology's Dianetics, leaning more toward the latter. L. Ron Hubbard and Harris' relegation of the brain to a computer proves concerning, but Harris' suggestion that we can identify what role we're playing when interacting with others and adjust our responses accordingly is valid and useful. I could've used a lot of this in my last relationship. Like "Who Moved My Cheese?" and "Dianetics," this book is a bit self-congratulatory and -propagating, and I'm not too sure how far transactional analysis has come since the late '60s, but this is still worth checking out. A true pop-psych classic. Days to read: 82. Rating: Good. Miss America by Catherine Wagner (2001) This Burmese poet now lives in Boise, Idaho. The jacket copy compares Wagner to Jack Spicer, which makes me want to read him, but you might as well read this, too. By turns scatalogical and sacred, Wagner's poems revel in a madcap rhythm and stilted but silly wordplay, covering the mundane as well as the melodramatic. Her 16 "magazine poems" (tip of the hat to Spicer) address periodicals such as Guideposts, Harpers Bazaar, and Entertainment Weekly but aren't as media-inspired as I'd expected. Additionally, her 21 "fraction anthems" are also notable -- as are the notes, which were composed by passing Wagner's social security number through the poems. I'd enjoy a collection of the magazine poems, and I appreciated Wagner's off-hand disrespect for some of life's finer moments. Days to read: 1. Rating: Good. My Life in Heavy Metal by Steve Almond (2002) These 12 short stories by Emerson College teacher Steve Almond blend the modern-day relationship narratives of Nick Hornby with sme tasteful, humorous erotic fiction. Every story looks at a relationship or series of relationships, with "The Pass" perhaps being the most self-consciously analytical of a literary method. My favorite pieces riff on pop culture, and "My Life in Heavy Metal," "Geek Player, Love Slayer," and "How to Love a Republican"'s use of music, tech support, and political subcultures all work well. The shorter pieces -- "The Law of Sugar" and "Pornography," especially -- bring Haruki Murakami's naive realism and Anain Nin's erotic fiction to mind. This book is largely candy, though. It'd be good to see more character development and longer work. Days to read: 12. Rating: Good. Notable American Women by Ben Marcus (2002) Ben's postmodern blend of autobiography and biography uses his, his father's, and his mother's fictional personal narratives to detail his initial embrace by and eventual rejection of Jane Dark and the Silentists. His reclamation of language and nature is brilliant, ascribing air, water, and physical space with spiritual meaning and value, as well as mechanical uses, while relegating people to destructive and disruptive forces. Air as communication device. Water as recording media. Movement as catastrophic trigger. A heady view of an alternate world. Days to read: 3. Rating: Excellent. Oh, the Things I Know! by Al Franken (2002) Subtitled "A Guide to Success, or Failing That, Happiness," this quick read is a slim motivational book that spoofs the recent wave of celebrity advice books. While not as snarky as Franken can be, the book forgoes the soft, simpering side of self-help for a self-conscious, self-promotional, and self-deprecating tone -- occasionally lapsing into Neal Pollack-like self-aggrandizement. The premise doesn't feel that solid, and I think Franken could've gone over the top a little with this concept. Days to read: 2. Rating: Fair. Pendle Hill: A Quaker Experiment in Education and Community by Eleanore Price Mather (1980) This account of the Quaker learning center's first 50 years draws heavily on Pendle Hill records, course schedules, and pamphlet publishing, so the almost decade-driven history is somewhat we did this/she wrote that in format. Nevertheless, there's quite a bit of personality in this book. Perhaps most interesting are Mather's accounts of the center's founding; analysis of faculty, staff, and student conflicts; portrayal of such colorful people as Anna Brinton; consideration of the center's response to the war and popular art within Quakerism; and touch on how the '60s affected Pendle Hill. Also of interest is Mather's recognition of the role publishing played in the center's promotion to and communication with the outside world. Makes me want to go there! Days to read: 2. Rating: Good. Slackjaw by Jim Knipfel (1999) Brilliant. What I expected to be fiction turned out to be the biography of a man struck blind by retinitis pigmentosa in his early 30s. He grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was involved in the punk scene, and lived in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia before settling in New York City and at the New York Press. A columnist for alt.weeklies and the like, Jim fought depression and alcoholism as well as his increasing blindness, and the book narrates his many adventures and misadventures with all three along the way. The book is also about friendship and ends on an oddly upbeat note as Jim seems to realize the support network around him regardless of his distaste for assistance. Days to read: 4. Rating: Excellent. Spiritual Hospitality: A Quaker's Understanding of Outreach by Harvey Gillman (1994) This Pendle Hill pamphlet (#314) looks at outreach less in the sense of the evangelism and recruitment favored by conservative Christians and more in the vein of developing personal relationships regardless of religious participation. Gillman touches on authenticity, the act of welcoming, intimacy and its risks, communication, reciprocity, taking on the role of guest, and other topics. A quick hit, but a solid message that would be well heard by many organizations and people. Days to read: 2. Rating: Excellent. Stewardship of Wealth by Kingdon W. Swayne (1985) Pendle Hill's 259th pamphlet is a leisurely and luxury-inspired look at the role wealth plays in the Society of Friends. As a retiree with some savings, Swayne brings a less-than-universally practical perspective to the matter, but his approach to shepherding personal resources is laudable. Swayne looks at affluence and accountability, self-sufficiency, philanthropy, the role of investing, the myth of private property, responsibility, security, and wealth. The pamphlet ends with a useful self-assessment guide so people can go through Swayne's experiment themselves. Days to read: 1. Rating: Good. True Facts: Comics' Righteous Anger by Larry Young (2002) Thank you, Sarah and Paul, because if I'd never met you, I might not have ever known about Larry Young. Why has there not been a zine how-to book written like this? Larry -- regardless of whether you appreciate his comics -- has written an accessible, useful book devoted to DIY comics production. He nods to the importance of the creative urge and recognizes the value of the distribution, marketing, promotional, and retail legs of the business. He also tips hat to the value of fandom as a support network. Go direct. Go to your readers. Go buy this book. Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent. Voices in the Purple Haze: Underground Radio and the Sixties by Michael C. Keith (1997) Keith, a professor at Boston College, compiled and wrote this oral history and sociological analysis of the rise and fall of commercial underground radio. He includes the recollections of more than 30 participants in and pioneers of the era, creating a thoughtful account of the shift from AM to FM; the emergence of largely freeform, DJ-driven programming; the corporate adoption of the broadcasting style; and the genre's eventual evolution back to Top 40, AOR, and label-driven promotional programming. Keith does a good job tying commercial underground radio to other alt.media of the day and sheds good light on the naivete of the genre balanced with the corporate control. Days to read: 1. Rating: Excellent. We've Got Blog: How Weblogs Are Changing Our Culture ed. by Perseus Publishing (2002) Despite the book's confusing authorial and editorial credits, this book's wide array of perspectives and voices ably addresses the potential and power of blogs. Most of the pieces, which all appeared in print and online previously, aare meta-blogging commentary and go far to capture the history of blogs and some of the philosophical debates among bloggers. My only concern about this book, perhaps the first text on blogs, is that it'll overly solidify some of the more dogmatic aspects of blogging -- format, relation to other blogs, formal vs. informal language, and so forth. Read it for the history and the ideas, but don't take some of the precepts people espouse too seriously. Days to read: 5. Rating: Excellent. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson (1998) Written by the author who wrote the One Minute Manager, Salesperson, Mother, Father, and Teacher, this book can be read in about as long. It's a simple fable that has some sense to it, but the fact that it's grown to -- and sold in -- such mythic proportions is worrisome. The book is designed to encourage such growth. Before the actual fable, there's a four-page setup in which a person is about to tell the tale to some friends. And at the end there's an 18-page fictional discussion of the book. There's even a list of companies that have shared the book with its employees and a page describing how you can do the same. If you do want to read this, buy it in paperback because for $20 there's not much cheese here. Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair. Zirconia by Chelsey Minnis (2001) This collection of 22 poems runs hot and cold with me. Hot when they're McSweeney's-esque pieces of prose a la the hilariously obsessive and observant "Report on the Babies" or the briefly emotive "The Torturers" and "The Aquamarine." Cold when Minnis gets busy with her awkward and ungainly poetic device of delineating entire lines with periods and tucking words inside. The jacket copy says this enforces long pauses. I say it makes lines difficult to scan and clutters more than clarifies. Still, I was struck by several poems: "Pitcher," the hesitant and inventive "Uh," and "Primrose." There's a lot of nature in Minnis' poetry -- birds, the moon, grass, blood -- but the extensive use of ellipses feels downright unnatural. Days to read: 1. Rating: Fair. Why does We've Got Blog get a link while the other books do not? Perseus sent me a galley to review. If a publishing company or author sends me review copies for consideration -- and if I review the book in Media Diet -- they get a link as well as a review. I don't review every review copy or galley I receive, and I don't always have time to track down author, publisher, and other book-related links in general. Most of the books I review should be relatively easy to find via the Harvard Book Store and Powell's Books online ordering services. If something's out of print, check the Advanced Book Exchange first. And if you'd like to send me a book to consider for review, Media Diet's address is P.O. Box 390205, Cambridge, MA 02139. Thank you very much. Among the Literati V Following a reading in Seattle, the Stranger asked Ben Marcus to review the audience. Ben did. It's an Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad World IX This summer, Abercrombie & Fitch will begin including advertisements from other companies such as SoBe, Sony, Trek, and the WB withing the pages of its magalog, the A&F Quarterly. The magalog, which includes original editorial as well as photographs depicting A&F clothing, has a circulation of about 200,000. A&F also publishes a traditional catalog without articles or the controversial photography of Bruce Weber -- the ads will not appear in the catalog. I think this move is interesting on several levels: Clip-Art Comics III Soft Skull Press announced today that it will publish David Rees' Get Your War On. Rees will donate his royalties from the book to landmine relief efforts in Afghanistan; Soft Skull will also contribute a royalty to the cause. This is good news, especially just one day before Rees' appearance at the Million Year Picnic on Free Comic Book Day. I can't go to the signing because I'll be out of town, but you should. And if you do go to the signing, feel free to introduce yourself to David as Heath from Media Diet -- regardless of your gender. I'm sad I can't be there, and I think it'd be funny if a bunch of people introduced themselves to him as the same person. In fact, I double-dog dare you. North End Moment XIV New graffito penciled on a traffic sign posted on the back outside wall of the Scotch & Sirloin building: DOT Coloney Tool Spire Print Savin Hill T Rock Shows of Note XV My plan last night was to maybe head home after a quick, scaled-down Anchormen practice at the Sound Museum (Chris was exhausted after moving to his new apartment Wednesday night, so it was just Jef, Tom, and me). Maybe even hang out with Alex a little. But sometimes plans change. The rain -- and my need for a ride home -- the fact that our friends' band Spoilsport was playing at the Milky Way, and Jef's acquisition of two free tickets led me to head into Jamaica Plain with Jef, who had offered me a ride. Our new plan was to show up at the Milky Way just as Spoilsport started their set -- we were sure they'd play first -- and then leave right afterward. The night was still young. That plan changed, too, as a third, wild-card band was also on the bill -- and playing first. Grr. Skunk was the band's name, and the three-piece played a pretty standard, derivative, college-age mixture of power pop, ska, and reggae. They played a song that seemed inspired by Elvis Costello. They played a song that seemed inspired by the Spin Doctors. They played a song that seemed inspired by "Rattle and Hum"-era U2. They played a song that seemed inspired by Social Distortion. They played a rather uninspired Clash cover, which surprised me because there were a lot of Clash influences woven throughout their set. Rather tiresome, all told. There's a reason the band's called Skunk. That's a joke, son. Thankfully, Spoilsport eventually took the stage -- although too late for my tastes last night. Craig, Jon, and the gang get better every time I see them play, and last night was probably the most fun I've had at a Spoilsport show. By turns Ne'er Do Wells-styled beat pop and a sunny, surfy pop appreciation a la Tullycraft, their songs are amazing. And their onstage demeanor is excessively fun and friendly. They seem to have a lot of fun being on stage together, and they seem to have as much fun watching the people in the crowd as they do playing live. Charming, disarming. Very, very nice. Even if "Bootz" did throw her cap gun at me. The gall. So. A show of mixed feelings. Frustrated I didn't get home as early as I'd planned. And frustrated by Skunk. But quite pleased to catch another Spoilsport show. I think they're a keeper. Thursday, May 02, 2002
The Movie I Watched Last Night XVIII Wednesday: Man on the Moon I was first introduced to Andy Kaufman back in the late '80s via a song by the Gomers, I think. And while I haven't seen all of his work -- much less many episodes of Taxi -- I have been extremely impressed by his comedy and blending of the personal and the professional. The man was a walking prank. From his Tony Clifton persona to his stint as a wrestler, Andy lived and breathed comedy. And you could never tell where the joke begins or ends. Despite the dangers of biographical movies such as this, "Man on the Moon" largely works, both as a telling of Andy's life story -- and as a portrayal of his actual performance and life style. I had my doubts about Jim Carrey's ability to ape Andy, but he does well, adopting Andy's mantle as who might be today's most skilled ever-evolving, flexible comic actor. Casting Courtney Love as Andy's love interest, Lynne Margulies, was also a risk -- but it pans out OK. She wasn't half as irritating in the role as I usually find her (I actually quite dislike her.), and she and Carrey manage to pull off several impressive moments of true intimacy and tenderness. If you're at all interested in Andy, his life, or his comedy, this is worth checking. But if you know nothing about the man, it's best to expose yourself to -- and to explore -- his actual work. Music to My Ears VII A four-pack of new record reviews! The Also-Rans: "The Resignation" CD EP This is the kind of record that you get after months of waiting and wonder, "Why the heck are there only three songs?" Call me biased -- my friends Brad, Matt, and Mary are in the band -- but seriously: Why are you teasing me? The Also-Rans could be Boston's next big thing. "Resignation Letter" opens with a delectable guitar riff that the front man's vocals quickly joins before lapsing into full surround sound. Subsequent verses do not suffer, and the chorus includes Mary's backing vocals in measure better mixed than any of their live shows. Second up, "Glass Jaw" is one of my favorite songs from their live shows. Chris' vocals are spot on until the band's emo breakdown, and then the band gets slightly mathy with overlapping male and female vocal lines. Beautiful. Lastly, "Chapter 3" (How appropriate!) rocks out with an escalating melodic line that buds into a slightly angry vocal exhalation before the chunka-chunk middle part. This song never really wowed me, but the Chris and Mary dual vocals do please, as does the aggressive part two minutes in. Later verses add male vocals in the background -- something the band should consider doing more of in the future. Huh. Three songs. I want more! SINCaudio Hip Tanaka: "The Sky Is Smaller Than the Sea" CD This band irks me. The show I saw at the Abbey with the Jack McCoys rocked. The show they played with my band, the Anchormen, at the Upstairs Lounge decidedly did not. And their CD? Aargh. Parts are really good. Why didn't they play well at the Upstairs? Did they? Can they? This CD says they can. "We Love Our Customers" is a brilliant Weezer-inspired pop number that includes some Elephant Six-like elements. The cascading chorus wraps around and around in quite a good way. And the lyrics are surprisingly astute. Yet the song devolves into a wanky, Berklee-inspired prog-rock decline I can't quite condone. "Mustang Pride" leaps out with a power-pop punch and a verse more catchy than its Celtic-tinged chorus. Next up, the title track is even more akin to Elephant Six bands-- specifically Neutral Milk Hotel. Why don't they replicate this feeling live? Maybe they can't, because the rest of the CD is a mix of herky-jerky pop dynamics with keyboards, arpeggiated obscenity, Smoking Popes-meets-Slot Machine classic rock, and inappropriately slap bass-infused Tom Waits wannabe ballads. Ouch. Hip Tanaka exhibits some worthy tendencies but is overly disappointing in so many areas. Pray for them. Because they could use the help. And they might even deserve it. Hip Tanaka, c/o Local 33 1/3 Label, P.O. Box 918, Allston, MA 02134. Joey Hamilton: demo CD-R These five songs represent the recorded output of this Midwestern three-piece prior to the release of their debut album. Admittedly inspired by such bands as Weezer, the Rentals, and Fountains of Wayne, Joey -- an eponymous band that features no band member by that name -- plays music that is much the same. Roughly produced but not garagey power pop is what this is, with some degree of sensitive-boy swagger. The banter-laden introduction to "Sara" is more interesting than the song itself. Nevertheless, "Castles in the Sand" indicates the direction the band could really go in -- emo. This slow-paced number really makes me appreciate their earnestness, if not their affect. "Happy Times Ahead of Us" tips hat to honest college-age singer-songwriter music. Not bad for a demo. Joey Hamilton, 1026 N. Franklin Road, Indianapolis, IN 46219. The Queers: "Pleasant Screams" CD Finally, a new full-length Queers record -- and one that isn't confused about what makes a good Queers song! While the Beach Boys melodies and harmonies are here, the songs representing that side of Joe aren't overly produced or limp this go 'round, and there's a healthy dose of antisocial anger to balance it out -- primarily "Get a Life and Live It Loser" and "See Ya Later Fuckface," the first two songs. This record mixes the best of what makes the Queers work -- the Beach Boys pop fetish, the Ben Weasel-meets-the Ramones songwriting style, and the unabashed hatred of posers. But there's also a lot of love here: "I Wanna Be Happy," "I Never Got the Girl," and "Psycho Over You." In addition to the requisite nods to scenester back-patting -- "Danny Vapid" and "Molly Neuman" -- the Queers dip their toes in the cold Atlantic Ocean for several appreciative adaptations of songs by the Choir, Donova, and the Fantastic Baggys. A solid record. Lookout Records, 3264 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA 94703. If you'd like me to consider a record for possible review in Media Diet, send it to Heath Row, P.O. Box 390205, Cambridge, MA 02139. Rock Shows of Note XIV As mentioned previously, Handstand Command, the musical collective that the Anchormen is involved in, is celebrating its second anniversary this month. And last night was the first show in our residency at the Abbey Lounge. Four bands played: the Mary Reillys, the Tardy, the Seana Carmody Trio, and Mark Robinson. I almost didn't go, but around 10 p.m. I dragged my lazy self out into the night to Inman Square. I was sad to miss the Mary Reillys -- Deb says it was their first show with their new drummer and that they "rocked" -- and the Tardy, but I arrived in time to catch most of Mark's solo set. Mark, a super nice guy who used to be in Unrest -- and who started Teen Beat Records, I believe -- now lives in the Boston area, where he works for Houghton Mifflin Co. I didn't pay too much attention to his set because I volunteered to work the merchandise table (although people might argue that I didn't pay too much attention to the merch table, either), but I was impressed by his earnest guitar rock. Small world moment: He's friends with a former colleague, Heather Ivins. Then Seana's new band played. Formerly of the Swirlies and Syrup USA, Seana has a new CD coming out on Kimchee Records later this year, and her band impressed with its honest pop harmonies and ample guitar. Seana's got a great voice, and I enjoyed her playing with a full band more than I've appreciated her in smaller settings, I think. Not that I don't like her in smaller settings, but the Seana Carmody Trio was a lot of fun. Wednesday, May 01, 2002
The Restaurant I Ate at Last Night IV Addis Red Sea Ethiopian Restaurant Located within easy walking distance of the Back Bay T stop -- and not too far from Delux -- this is a quaint little eatery decorated with tapestries and outfitted with woven basket tables called mesobs. Alex and I ordered an assortment of dishes, including a spicy chicken stew, collard greens, and several lentil- and chickpea-based dishes, which were served on injera, edible spongy bread that doubles as a serving platter -- perhaps the best part of Ethiopian meals. You can eat your plate! If you haven't eaten Ethiopian before, you should. You eat with your hands, tearing off pieces of injera and using it to pinch and scoop up bites of the family-style servings. Go with a lot of friends. Order a wide array of different dishes. And be sure to try the Ethiopian honey wine. It's the perfect white wine -- not too dry, not too tart, just sweet enough, and almost like pear nectar. Wonderful for sore throats, probably. Just don't knock over your mesob. Or ask for silverware. These are no-no's. Ravaging Radio IV Here's a dope slap for you: People who download MP3's are more likely to buy CD's. Huh. I mean, this is what I've always thought -- that being better informed about new music, being able to sample wares before purchasing, and being able to have friends recommend musical groups increases one's propensity to spend more money on new music. (This is sure the case for me.) Seems like similar effects would be present in the Net radio world. Pay heed, RIAA, Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel, and Library of Congress. The Net's not the reason record sales are falling. Maybe it's the quality of major labels' products. Among the Literati IV In this National Post profile, Neal Pollack shows how writers can truly become close to their readers, what makes a reading and book tour worth doing, and where other well-known writers such as Saul Bellow and Margaret Atwood go wrong. Lessons to learn for literati. Also, a good example of how deep linking can work well. The National Post's inside pages maintain the overall look and feel of the site, include the ads they need to pay for Web publishing, and provide a valuable service to readers online and off. Thank you, National Post! These Links Were Made for Breaking? II Avi Adelman is a CoF member in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, so I've known him for quite some time. His Web site, Barking Dogs, is a snarky, community-minded service that frequently takes citizens, civic leaders, developers, and other parties in the Lower Greenville neighborhood to task. Now the corporate parent of the Dallas Morning News is taking Avi to task. This week, the paper's owner sent Avi a legalistic letter demanding that he remove any and all deep links to the paper's Web site from Barking Dogs. Instead, the company requests that Avi only link to the paper's home page. Talk about biting the hands that feed you. Most corporate and large-scale media sites are designed clumsily, and if it's a challenge to find something I'm looking for, I'm not going to look. I understand the paper's concern with losing the frame of reference -- and ad views -- of its site when folks link directly to articles, but, hey, why not design those article pages so they're free of frames, include the context you feel you need, and carry ads? Seems simple enough. If I can't link directly to the item I'm interested in sharing with people, I'm not going to link at all. I encourage you to do the same. In fact, notice that I didn't link to the Morning News in this entry. They don't deserve your attention. Happy May Day! It's not just the first day of the month (You should say Happy [Month] Day to people on the first day of every month.); it's also the international working class holiday. What can you do to recognize May Day? RTMark suggests that people call in sick for work. Russell Bruce Campbell recommends that people celebrate Labor Day on May 1 instead of in September, when it's officially scheduled. You might want to read F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "May Day." And you should remember the martyrs of the Haymarket riots in Chicago. The Independent Media Center offers a roundup of global activities, protests, and rallies for today. In Boston, folks have organized the Festival del Pueblo, which will run through May 5 and feature demonstrations, a carnival, a book fair, and a music festival. Wish I were in town this weekend! Happy May Day. Tuesday, April 30, 2002
Clip-Art Comics II In conjunction with Free Comic Book Day this weekend, but by accident, pretty much, the Million Year Picnic is hosting an in-store signing with David Rees of My New Fighting Technique Is Unstoppable. I'll be in San Diego for RealTime, but you should stop by the shop, snag some free, poorly printed comics, and meet the man behind the trendsetting clip-art comics that have got all the kids buzzing. The signing will run from 2-4 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at 99 Mount Auburn St., in Cambridge. Despite many retailers' enthusiasm for FCBD -- and despite my thinking that it will do absolutely nothing to introduce new readers to the medium -- this is a classic unintentional coup done up in grand Picnic style. Imagine celebrating one of the most meaningless mainstream comics retail and distribution gestures with one of the snarkiest, lowest-fidelity, independent comics producers. Heck. Don't imagine it. Do it. I wish that I could. Ravaging Radio III Astute Media Dietician Clint Scaff recently sent me several essays written by Davey D, a Bay Area hip-hop activist and journalist -- and moderator of some of the sessions at the Hip Hop As a Movement conference Clint recently attended. The essays are as follows: Davey D brings several important qualities to the debate. First of all, he's an active traveler, and he comments that, "One is likely to hear the same 20 songs down to the rotation whether you're in Boston, Philly or Madison, Wisconsin." This indicates that national, syndicated, commercial radio programming -- while efficient and profitable -- negates any possibility for regional musical trends to truly get attention outside of noncommercial or college -- or pirate -- radio stations. Secondly, he's rooted in the indie/DIY hip-hop scene, so he has access to recordings the rest of us can't access because the small-scale media and music activists don't have access to the large-scale, commercial, mainstream media. People like Davey D can dig for the gems -- but can he share them with us? On the Web, yes. He can. "Many of the people I come across are emphatically dissatisfied with what they are having to hear day in and day out on their local commercial radio stations," Davey writes. "Many have gone through great lengths to rig up their home stereos to their computers and have it programmed so they can pick up Internet radio stations from all around the world." Davey goes on to say that much of the politically oriented hip hop -- music that might very well parallel the political rock created during the early days of commercial underground radio -- is ignored by commercial and even some college stations. His involvement in grassroots politics highlights the need to remain politically and culturally aware when you're choosing what media you use as a tool -- or even solely as entertainment. Lastly, Davey bemoans the loss of the personal in commercial radio -- the connection with the DJ, the community service aspect of broadcasting, the feeling that there is a family of listeners tuned in right here, right now. While Davey goes far to suggest that Net radio might be the tool we need to combat these dire radio forces, Rene Spencer Saller goes even further, even calling the RIAA "demonic." Rene touches on several examples of Web broadcasters who've come into contact with the RIAA, the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel, the Library of Congress and other actors involved in the recent licensing fee proposals. The clock is ticking. There's a hearing -- one of many, I'm sure -- at the Library of Congress on May 10, and the decision date is May 21. That's three weeks. It's not too late to get involved and do your part to save Net radio. Near-DIY Distribution II Ever wonder about the history of comic book distribution? About the emergence of the direct market and the arguable ghettoization of comics as they were removed from mainstream retail? A bunch of fine folks have been developing a "historical view and predictive query" of and about comics distribution over at Comicon.com. Participants include Jim Hanley, Stephen Bissette, Rick Veitch, Rory Root, Gary Colabuono, and other comics retail, publishing, and creative notables. I hope to track down some folks involved in the DIY, indie, and minicomics distro scene -- a la Wow Cool, Spit and a Half, and Puppy Toss -- but as it stands, it's not a bad introduction to the development and current state of comics distribution as an industry. Event-O-Dex! II An upcoming DIY and other media gathering you might be interested in: May 8, Cambridge, Massachusetts: What Movement? Social Movements Today Panel discussion with folks from the Cambridge Peace Commission, Teens Against Gang Violence, and United for a Fair Economy I've got to skip this because of the Handstand Command residency, but you should go -- and then head over to the Abbey for the Anchormen's political punk-pop. From the In Box: Music to My Ears V Thank you very much for your review. I was doing a search for one of our MP3's and came across your site. Not only was I pleased with your musical taste; I appreciate your focus on the media and literature. -- Andre Obin of Matters & Dunaway North End Moment XIII Despite seeing a squadron of window cleaners in the Scotch & Sirloin building yesterday, it seems as though the Crystal Bright Window Cleaning crew is here today. Right now there's a fellow rappelling down the backside of the building, squeegeeing glass. If you come in the back door, watch out for mystery drips. Ravaging Radio II To protest proposed record-label royalty payments, hundreds of Net radio stations plan to pull their plugs tomorrow, May 1. Frequent Net radio listeners will either hear total silence or non-stop public-service announcements. The strategic silence comes 20 days before U.S. Copyright Office is slated to make a decision about recently proposed licensing fees -- which seem designed to quelch independent Net broadcasters and to ensure that traditional commercial broadcasters find firmer footing on what could -- and perhaps should -- be radio's next democratic band. The recent Net radio activity reminds me of the move from the AM band to FM back in the late '60s (Not that I was around, but I did just read Michael Keith's wonderful book "Voices in the Purple Haze," which recounts the emergence of the seemingly oxymoronic "underground commercial radio."). Originally, AM broadcasters merely duplicated their signals on the new band if they also owned an FM transmitter. Then the FCC passed laws outlawing dual-band broadcasts, opening up the FM dial for new, original, and competitive broadcasts. One would think that this would help set precedent for the current Net radio situation. But, no. And I think that's the problem. Instead of guaranteeing that existing FM broadcasters have a lock on any and all Net radio broadcasts, why not consider the Net a new band, limit dual broadcasts from commercial endeavors, and encourage the proliferation of independent broadcast voices, styles, and operations? The people promoting these licensing fees aren't doing so to protect musicians; they're doing so to perpetuate the corporate machine engineered by mainstream record labels, record distributors, and commercial radio stations. It used to be that DJ's would play the records people were buying. Now it's a vicious circle, and the public is largely limited to buying records they learn about through the corporate radio machine. That's a disservice to the listening public, to musicians, and to the Net. The Movie I Watched Last Night XVII Sunday, April 14: The Royal Tenenbaums Wes Anderson's most-recent film is no Rushmore, but it's not entirely fair to hold him to his past work, especially when the Royal Tenenbaums is such a good film. There's just something about this new wave of ensemble casts. When you put Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Bill Murray, and Gene Hackman in the same room -- and give them the same script -- magic will naturally happen. Add to that Gwyneth Paltrow, Danny Glover, and Anjelica Huston's delightfully understated -- and underscripted -- roles, and you've got quite a story. For the most part, the movie reminded of J.D. Salinger's stories about the Glass family, and I'm quite curious how much of Salinger's work inspired Anderson and Wilson. I need to see this again because I watched it on a little seat-back monitor on a flight to France. Sure I missed quite a bit. Props to the soundtrack, too. Worth seeing. Friday: Boogiepop Phantom Alex and I braved one of the MIT Anime Club's unofficial showings to catch several episodes of this mysterious anime, and we weren't disappointed. The three eps we saw -- seemingly the last three (Vol. 10 Poom Poom, Vol. 11 Under the Gravity's Rainbow, and Vol. 12 A Requiem: Sleep ends everything) -- didn't really help us understand who the characters were, what was happening, or why, but that's part of the appeal of anime like this and Serial Experiments: Lain, which also confuses me to no end. Apparently, the anime is about a bunch of people trying to cope with and process a series of murders that occurred five years before the anime actually begins. The process of self-discovery is represented and the story progresses as formerly repressed memories become uncovered -- quick-cut flashback sequences abound -- usually in the presence of a "Boogiepop," which appears to be a kind of vengeful phantom. The little interstitial musical bit -- where commercials must have aired originally -- is awesome, especially the stilted robotic voiceover. All that said, Alex and I also did a little people watching. I love going to the MIT Anime Club screenings, but occasionally I'm a little thrown by American otaku. One fellow, upon arrival, changed his shirt right in front of everyone, applied underarm deoderant, and proceeded to comb his hair agressively. He later left a couple of pizza crusts on the seat next to him. You don't see that everyday. Just as you don't see surreal, impressionistic anime like Boogiepop Phantom all the time. Monday, April 29, 2002
Rock Shows of Note XIII Speaking of Elephant Six, the musical collective that I'm in, Handstand Command, is celebrating its second anniversary this month. We've got a month-long residency at the Abbey Lounge in Somerville every Wednesday night in May, and we've scheduled shows featuring bands in the collective as well as some of our friends' and favorite bands -- almost 20 musical groups total. The residency kicks off this week Wednesday with the Tardy, the Mary Reillys, the Seana Carmody Trio, and Mark Robinson. Hope to see you there! Rock Shows of Note XII I am so glad that I woke up in time for this show Saturday night. I've gotten into the habit of laying down for a disco nap before going out some weekend evenings (almost every Friday given the workday and all), and it's a rare day indeed that I don't actually end up sleeping through the very event or activity I was saving up strength for. Sigh. Disco naps: Don't take 'em. In any event, I arrived at TT the Bear's almost at the end of a solid set by the Essex Green. One of Alex's current favorites, they are decidedly not British -- but are instead part of that wonderful musical collective the Elephant Six. A little sleepy stumbly, I quite enjoyed their performance but wasn't really paying enough attention to comment wisely on their part of the show. Ditto for Ladybug Transistor, whom I've seen play before -- but which I swear didn't have as many people on stage the last time I saw them live. Ladybug shares several band members with Essex, as is true for many Elephant Six projects, and they, too, delighted with a shimmering set of dreamy, slightly off-kilter pop. Wonderful. Much better than sleeping. Lesson learned: I'm not very good at pool right after waking -- or while drinking. (I have a bell-curve theory about the relationship between drinks drunk and pool hall performance, but that's a story for another day.) Corollary: The cue ball isn't the purple ball. It's the white ball. To paraphrase Al Franken: Oh, the lessons I'll learn! Mapping Talent Fast Company featured Richard Florida and his work mapping talent, social networks, and social capital more than a year ago. He's gaining new attention today because of the imminent publication of his new book, "The Rise of the Creative Class," and a recent special report issued by the Austin American-Statesman. The report positions Austin, one of my favorite places, as one of the new capitals of creativity -- what folks have dubbed "cities of ideas." Citing Robert Putnam, arguably the father of social capitalism, the report serves up a veritable recipe for building -- or at least recognizing -- a city of ideas: And for you locals, don't worry: Boston made the list. So it's Boston and Austin this time around. Humor decoder: That last line is a vague reference to an old singer-songwriter compilation CD that -- in title, at least -- positioned the two city's folk music scenes as sparring partners. It's not true. And it's not that funny a joke to quip on something so obscure and unrelated. But explaining bad jokes makes them better. At least in Austin. Or so I've heard. From the In Box: Mention Me! VIII Notice I was praising your blog after describing Dan Pink's Just One Thing. Since Dan only writes one thing a day, I go to your blog to read... the other hundred hip things Dan forgot to write about. The "he" who forgot was Dan. You guys together are like one big vitamin supplement of smart and cool stuff. Also, you guys do something most very published writers can't do -- give good blog (i.e., still sound like real live people). -- Halley Suitt Ah. Now I understand. Sometimes I worry that I'm a little too scattershot with my Media Diet entries. Thanks for the kind words. Mention Me! VII Halley recently characterized Media Diet as "Heath Row's The Other Hundred Hip Things He Forgot." Not sure I know what she's getting at, but I know what I like -- and I kinda like that description. Event-O-Dex! Several upcoming DIY and other media gatherings you might be interested in: May 9, Allston, Massachusetts: Citizens Media Corp and Allston-Brighton Free Radio Media Town Meeting Hand-on media production workshops May 15, Boston: Media Bistro Cocktails for Media Meet the new local organizer and make some new media connections! May 15, Somerville, Massachusetts: Boston Blogs Bash Blogging, bowling. 'Nuff said. June 22-23, Bowling Green, Ohio: 2002 Underground Publishing Conference Sharing Our Tools, Refusing the Master's: Building Media Structures for a Better Future The Best of the Web II I was a nominating judge for the Webbys again this year, and the nominees in the Community category were just announced: You can weigh in with your vote by participating in the People's Voice election. Big Brother Is Watching V A more appropriate headline might be "Big Brother Is Washing," because now a handful of Southern Californian beaches -- including Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, El Segundo, Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo -- will soon be monitored by 24-hour, 360-degree-view video cameras. "Using a new federal grant of $557,000, Los Angeles County has announced it will install 27 panoramic, wide-angle cameras along 72 miles of coastline over the next year," reports Shannon Waxman in the Washington Post. Private areas such as restrooms and private homes will not fall under the watchful eyes of the cameras. North End Moment XII Just shared the elelator with a guy going to the ninth floor, all decked out with window-cleaning gear -- including a little wooden seat thing. He was munching on a Brazilian pressed sandwich wrapped in tinfoil. From the In Box: Rock Shows of Note XI Forgot to mention -- we (the High-Steppin' Nickel Kids) were playing at Beckett's (Packard's Corner bar) the night of the high flames -- were loading our gear out into the snow when all the lights on the block flickered, dimmed, then came back on; then we heard thunder and the whole sky turned orange. A column of flame shot into the air -- must've been at least 5-7 stories high because we could see it over the buildings. I was honestly expecting to get wiped out by a nuclear shockwave, but we weren't. Joe, our stoic Hoosier drummer who works at a chemical plant for a living (he's a chemical engineer) was just like, "Oh, a sub-station blew up. Happens all the time," and went back inside to hear some band from Florida. Later, we went back to where Morgan (guitar and vocals) and Joe live with a bunch of other people, right behind the substation, and found a couple of other roommates getting out of a cab, having been stuck in Harvard Square (or Park Street?) because some woman threw herself under a train. All in all, a creepy night. -- Timmy Nickels From the In Box: From the Reading Pile IX Just wanted to say hi and thanks for the continued attention and positive comments. As far as the danger of Superflux becoming a sterotypical punk zine, well, I hope that's not going to happen, but it may have more overtones of one in the future than the first issue had. I'm starting to wish I hadn't used up so much of my angry pieces in the first issue, because at this point I feel less angry in general and also less inspired to be angry on cue. On the other hand, there are still things in life (B.U., say) that get me riled up and I already have a bunch of notes for a few screed-type columns. So, we'll see. Interview-wise, as with everything else, I'm just fighting my own inertia. I have a few in the can and ready to go -- it just takes getting comfortably drunk and spending an evening or two transcribing them. I found it interesting that this time around, Aaron Cometbus noted that his previous interview issue hadn't gone over so well, and I can see why it mightn't have. But the way I see it, his zine has a real personality/character/feel to it by now (sorry for the lack of articulation but it's Monday a.m. and I'm temping at some random office), and people miss that when it's gone. Early issues (from what I'm told) of Cometbus featured other contributors and were fairly haphazard. That's where I see myself and Superflux right now. I mean, I'll never have the cult of personality that AC does, but I figure at least at this point I can play around a little with format and content, as long as it's all helping me do what I want Superflux to do. I was this close to an interview with Richard Branson, for crying out loud -- can you imagine? What an awesome thing that would have been. So, I take your point in general, but in particular, at the moment, I think you're doomed to read the odd interview in upcoming issues (assuming you stick around, which I hope you will). Record reviews: Nah. I decided initially that if I loved or hated a record or group enough, I'd just write a column about it/them, just like any other topic. But I'm not going to have an actual reviews section anytime soon. I agree with you; having a record reviews section is pretty close to just running ads, and I'm not about to do that any time soon either. Blah blah blah. Thanks for continuing to follow this modest effort, man. Thanks again for reading my zine and my response to your response to my zine. It's all very complicated. -- Timmy Nickels Email of the Day II From a message transmitted to the Nettime mailing list: <\\!!//> (@@) _o000---000o______ _____][____][____][___ __][____][____][____][__ _____][____][____][___ Stop peeping over the wall AT the Internet. Be a part of the modern day Gold Rush. How? The Zeitgeist Shifts One of the Boston area's best and brightest hot spots for improvised music, free jazz, and other performance and exhibitions was destroyed by a fire Friday. From an email transmitted to the Boss Improv mailing list: The Zeitgeist Gallery was destroyed in a fire Friday afternoon. The most important thing is that no one was hurt. Apparently no one who lived in the building has had to move. Those of us who were going to the show for Friday night (such as Brendan Murray solo) were on hand to witness what is left, though we arrived after the fire was put out. I don't need to tell you it was a very upsetting sight. I just wanted to notify a large number of people who would be intimately familiar with the Zeitgeist and everything it has represented for improvised and experimental music in Boston. Those who have booked gigs there will be attempting to figure out in the coming days how to relocate their shows; we can all show our support by being patient and thinking of places to play. My first public improvised music gig ever was at the Zeitgiest, Good Friday, 1997, with Masashi Harada and Bhob Rainey, with Maria Klein doing projections. As the Good Friday marchers moved slowly past the windows, the squad car lights blinked outside, and the sounds and lights inside flickered and moaned, I thought to myself that I had found something I wanted to do forever. That's what I was looking at today between the busted-out windows and the water on the floor. -- Mike Bullock This weekend's shows were relocated to Twisted Village and Mama Gaia's. Additional upcoming shows will also be rescheduled to take place in alternate venues. For updates on Zeitgeist goings on, be sure to check out the gallery's Web site. Science Fiction Fandumb Oh, George Lucas. When will you learn? When will you learn that encouraging fans to create their own Star Wars-related films will only help your fandom and film franchise? You shut down Star Wars Generation. You made Jef "R2D2 Is an Indie Rocker" Czekaj nervous enough to change his comic's name. And now you're stomping like a stormtrooper all over online fan films. For shame. |
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