Hi, How Are You?

Update

2009-12-29T14:15:00.003-06:00

Hey, I updated my Facebook status. Check it out here!

No time

2009-04-24T12:41:00.003-05:00

Yeah, I've got no time to update this thing lately. Sue me! Any news I get I usually put up on Facebook anyways.

Maybe I'll get to some more regular updates on this thing one of these days. We shall see. We shall see.

New Summit flavor is out! Horizon Red Ale. Word is they've already sold all of their kegs and bottles. Time to make more! I haven't tried it yet, but I hope to this evening.

Have a good weekend everyone, and stay classy.

Practice what you preach

2009-01-20T13:23:00.003-06:00

Woah! It's been ages since I've been on this thing. I hope my vast readership is having an excellent time in the new year. Now it is time for me to spout off on a few items.

It seems like every time I walk into a Target, I'm met with more and more people who don't give a rat's ass about anything but themselves. I don't know what it is that brings this out in people that go to Target, but I experience it more there than at any other store. Some of it may have to do with the fact that I only go to Target nowadays........

Anyway, here's my spiel. First off, the carts being left anywhere in the parking lot besides the cart corral makes absolutely no sense to me. Are you that lazy that you can't walk the extra 20 feet and put the cart where it belongs? I mean, come on! I'm sure you've all seen it. When I see that happening right in front of me, I always make sure to give the offender a glare of disappointment in their general direction.

Secondly, I encountered a little act of snobbery at the local Target today that spurred the topic of today's post. I was standing in line at the checkout lane, and a gal was in front of me with her 2 kids. Everything was rung up, and she passed over a stack of coupons to the checkout person. The checkout person returns a 25 cent coupon for paper towels to her, stating that the coupon was only good for a single roll, and she had a 10-pack in her cart. The lady with the kids gets pissy over 25 cents, saying "I don't see what the big deal is with what size I'm buying", and hands the coupon back to the checkout person.

25 cents
paper towels
paper towels
25 cents

Big whoop, right? As this is going on, the gal's son is asking the checkout lady for a sucker. Here's the conversation.

Kid: Do you have any suckers?
Checkout person: We don't have suckers here.
Kid: Do you have any stickers?
Checkout person: (Looks through drawer, pulls out roll of Target stickers and hands him one)
Kid: I need one for my sister too.
Checkout person: (Forks over another sticker)
Parent flipping out over 25 cents: That's not the right way to ask for something.

That's about when I was ready to flip my top. You just got done arguing about a 25 cent coupon that you were wrong on, and then you tell your son that he's asking for free things in the wrong way. Jeez.....practice what you preach, lady!

OK, OK. I'm off my soapbox. But it really made me realize that kids probably mirror their parents in more ways than we realize, and I should really make it a goal of mine to be a better example to my child. Something we can all probably think about.......

On a lighter note, Surly Bender is now on tap at Floyd's! Go get some and make sure that Lois doesn't regret her decision to listen to me and take a chance on this fine local brewery!

Stealth mode

2008-11-20T00:14:00.002-06:00

I have my radar on, and I'm flying pretty close to the cloud cover. Big things to maybe report in the next few days. You'll just have to wait and see (or maybe listen).

In the meantime, I've been on a pretty big Ryan Adams kick as of late. He has a fantastic new record out with the Cardinals, called Cardinology. I suggest you head to your local record shop and pick up a copy. In the meantime, here's a Foo cover he did in the BBC studios a week or so ago.

I'm starting to wonder if this whole blog thing is a bunch of malarky, and the real way to go is Facebook. Who knows? Who cares? I don't, so this joint will still be a jumpin' as long as I care for it to keep jumpin'.

In Your Honor, I Would Die Tonight

2008-10-24T22:34:00.003-05:00

So I've got my turntable set up in the computer room (which I'm sure my wife absolutely loves), and I decided to bust out some old records and give 'em a spin. One album that I haven't really listened to in awhile is spinning now - In Your Honor by the Foo Fighters. I thought was an OK album when it came out - nothing revolutionary, just the same old reliable standards by a band I had loved since day one. But giving the record a new listen tonight, I have gained a newfound appreciation for it.

The first thing I thought about when I put the record on was the fact that this came out the same week my daughter was born, which is a pretty momentous occasion in itself. I actually got a leaked copy of the album a few weeks earlier, and I was thinking about putting the acoustic side of this record on in the delivery room, to hopefully bring some peace and serenity into the situation. Alas, that never happened, as things had gotten crazier than we had ever planned. But I digress.........

So, I'm currently spinning the "rock" side of the album, and I completely forgot how many solid tunes there are on this album! The title track gets things off on an anthemic start, which leads into the rockin' "No Way Back", followed by radio hit "Best of You". Not too bad for side A, eh?

Side B starts off with "DOA", a song that should have been a huge hit in an alternate universe. Next up is "Hell" - 2 minutes of schorching guitar and drum wizardry. "The Last Song" finishes up side B - basically the bastard child of "Breakout" from their third album. I'm now making my way to side C, and I just wanted to say that I've been very happy to revisit this one after a long break. The rock side is way solid, and I can't wait to give the acoustic side a spin and discover some old favorites all over again.

Surly Darkness this weekend

2008-10-23T20:23:00.002-05:00

Surly brewing is releasing Darkness this weekend, a Russian Imperial Stout. The first 700 people in the gates get to purchase up to 6 bottles. This beer is at the top of a lot of beer lists, and I'd really like to get my hands on some. I've heard that people are coming in from out of state to get a hold of this tasty beverage, and there have been rumblings of people actually camping out to secure a place in line. If I do make it to the brewery this weekend and can snag some bottles, I'll post a trip report here. Even if I can't get in, the day would not be a total loss, as they will be serving beer and some bands will be rocking out. Wish me luck readers!

Madonna

2008-10-15T13:35:00.004-05:00

Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna McCain

Britney Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna McCain Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Britney Britney Britney

My father invented the spacebar

2008-10-13T22:46:00.001-05:00

Marrying a beeeeotch....having seven keyoooods

2008-10-13T15:32:00.000-05:00

I love it but I hate the taste

2008-10-06T20:05:00.016-05:00

For those of you that haven't had contact with me over the past week or so, you probably did not know that I joined Weezer onstage at the Xcel on Friday, Rocktober 3rd, to take part in a Hootenanny. It was probably the most fulfilling musical moment of my life up to this point, and I'd like to briefly recall the events of the evening and present them to you (with the assistance of some graphics and moving pictures).

5:45 pm

I am standing at Gate 1 of the Xcel, not quite knowing what to expect as I walk through the doors. I meet up with a gal wearing a 93X shirt, who checks me in and gives me 2 tickets to the show. We mill around for a few minutes, and when the majority of the group has arrived, we meet up with a member of Weezer's tour staff, who takes us downstairs to the rehearsal room.

Everyone gathered in a large circle and began warming up. I was 1 of 10 guitarists, and they had a nice set of guitars lined up on the wall (all tuned to E flat). After a little riffing, the dude that brought us downstairs had us run through the various parts of the songs we were going to play, starting with "Beverly Hills", and then moving on to "Island in the Sun". We jelled pretty quickly, and I thought we sounded great after a few quick passes. Then we determined who would take the solos for the songs. The accordian player came up with a solo for "Island in the Sun", and the trombone player had a solo worked up for "Beverly Hills".

After running through both songs a few times, Brian Bell (guitar) of the band entered the room and ran through the songs with us a few times, which was a super cool experience. He helped us out with some of the weird nuances that show up in the songs, tried to come up with some interesting parts for some of the unusual instruments there, and was just an all around nice guy. He even showed me how to play the goofy diminished C chord in "Beverly Hills" (thanks man!). Here he is giving a quick run-through of "Beverly Hills".

After rehearsal with Brian, we made our way back up to the real world. It was about 7:00, the doors had opened to the arena, and the 1st opening band, Tokyo Police Club, had hit the stage. We were instructed to meet at section 120 at 10:00 to make our way back downstairs to get ready for the performance. I was on a mission to find my friends and some liquid courage.

7:10 pm

I made my way into McGovern's down the street, and located the missus and my sis and her husband. I was absolutely starving, but had no clue what I could eat. Part of me felt like vomiting from the anticipation. More people made their way into the bar - Jes & Jes, Jim & Eban, Rick, Jamie & Kristin, Mike & Liz, Jeff, Rudy & Skip. Several pitchers were ordered and consumed. A former co-worker showed up at the bar and had me sign his ticket stub. As I looked at the clock and saw the 8 o'clock hour approaching, I knew it was time to make it back over to the Xcel.

8:30 (?) pm

The gang strolled into the X and started ordering more brews. Corey made his appearnce, looking as good as ever. I told myself I'd have to be cut off, unless I wanted to stumble onstage and make a fool of myself. I did take a few more sips from random beers, to keep my vocal cords limbered up. Mike D told my wife that I was still drinking heavily, which riled up the missus, as I assured her I would be the sober cab home. So she stopped drinking and was not pleased with me. Thanks, Mike D!

9:15 pm

Michelle and I made our way to our seats at section 105, while the rest of the crew hung out and partied in a suite that was occupied by my sister's neighbor's company. Weezer hit the stage and began to kick it with a tasty groove. I had a difficult time concentrating on the show, as all I could think about was me being on that very stage in a short while. I kept looking at the clock, and at about 9:50, I told my gal that I had to bolt. Kisses were exchanged and she wished me great luck.

10:00 pm

I arrived at section 120, and most of the crew was there. You could cut the energy in the air with a knife. We made our way to the elevators and descended downward to the rehearsal room/backstage area. Everyone gathered their instruments, and we received a little pep talk from their manager. "There's only one thing I'm going to tell you - do not suck out there". OK, buddy. At this point, this was probably my highest level of nervousness.

10:25 pm

We make the walk backstage in the dark, with crew members lighting the way with flashlights. The adrenaline is kicking in as the guitarists are handed their guitars. Someone is barking orders to us about plugging in to a direct input when we're handed a guitar cable. "Sweet!", I said to the guy next to me. "We actually get to plug in!"

The band was onstage, tearing through a cover of Oasis' "What's the Story Morning Glory", and the crowd was eating it up. With the guitar strapped around me, I looked up at the ceiling, and a sudden calmness came upon me. I felt really flipping good. It was time to get this party started. I threw my shades on and made my way to the promised land.

We were led onstage and put into position. I thought I was going to have a front row spot, but had to move to the back to make sure there was clearance for the band members to roam around. Oh well - I made it onstage without fainting or freezing up. First mission accomplished. After Rivers had a few quick introductions with some of the Hootenanny members, we dove into our first number, "Island in the Sun". Brian played the 1st 2 bars, and then we kicked in.

Here's another clip of "Island" (I'm fairly visible in the middle with the black stocking cap):

We wrapped up this one by bringing it down real low and having the audience kick in with the "hip hips". One song under our belts, and we were all smiles. We then brought it all home by firing up "Beverly Hills" (sorry for the shaky video).

Just like that, it was over. I awkwardly tossed my pick into the crowd (another thing to cross off the list). A roadie was on the ground, unplugging us from the direct feed, and we made our way offstage while jamming to "Beverly Hills" unplugged. I handed my guitar off to another roadie backstage, and made my way through the curtain to see Rivers on the other side. I approached him, stuck out my hand and told him how much I appreciated the experience. He grabbed my hand and nodded his head, and I made my way down the tunnel backstage. A quick elevator ride followed, and I was back in reality. I made it to my seat for the last 2 songs of the night, riding on cloud nine.

Now, I could keep documenting this story until 5 am the next day, but I'm going to cut it off at this point. I'll end this post by sharing the 3 lessons I have learned from this experience:

After viewing the rehearsal video, I need to lose weight. Jeez, I am out of shape.
Music is such an important part of my life. As we all get older, it becomes extremely easy to lose the simple loves we've hung on to for years, and get sucked into the drudgery of a monotonous lifestyle. Music is one of those simple things that keeps me sane and functioning, and I'm so grateful to have it in my life.
As much as I've wanted to do it in the past, I really don't think I'm cut out to be a rock and roller. I saw a glimpse of the lifestyle backstage - every single moment of your day is mapped out for you when you're on tour. The creative aspect of the job is right up my alley. The structure? Not so much. Plus, I couldn't stand being away from my gals. If I can be a rock star husband/father for Michelle and Evie (and the occasional rock star at the local southwest metro bar), I'd chalk it up as a success in my book.

Eagles of Death Metal recording "Heart On"

2008-09-29T14:10:00.001-05:00

New album from these guys is out next month, and it's sure to be a booty shaker. Check out this in studio video, and I'll be posting more later this week.

Hit lessons with Dr. G

2008-09-28T09:57:00.001-05:00

Hit lessons with Dave Grohl @ Yahoo!7 Video

My first video in the internets

2008-09-23T22:25:00.005-05:00

Behold, my video submission for the Weezer Hootenanny contest for the upcoming show at the X in St. Paul. Go easy on the mocking. I'll let you guys know if I'm one of the lucky 30 that get to jam onstage with the almighty Weezer.

P.S. - this was the song I was gonna do. Did I make a mistake? you be the judge

New music streams

2008-09-19T08:51:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! Here are a few new tracks for your listening enjoyment.

Scott Weiland - Paralysis

Jack White & Alicia Keys - Another Way To Die (theme song to new James Bond movie)

Radical!

New AC DC!

2008-08-28T10:08:00.001-05:00

There are at least 8 songs on the new AC DC album that have "Rock" in the title, and here is one of them.

Kings of Leon - Sex On Fire

2008-08-27T10:53:00.002-05:00

The Kings have just posted the video to their new single, "Sex On Fire". Check it out below...

Sex On Fire

Also, if you guys are good, I'll post another new track from their new album later tonight.

The Who - VH1 Rock Honors

2008-08-25T23:33:00.005-05:00

If you didn't get a chance to catch the VH1 Rock Honors special with The Who, make sure to catch a re-run. Excellent performances abound. The highlight for me had to be this rad ass Tommy medley, performed artfully by The Flaming Lips.

The Flaming Lips - Tommy medley (Live from VH1 Rock Honors) mp3

Why did I drink so much last night?

2008-08-22T14:34:00.002-05:00

Because everyone else was doing it, or
I'm an alcoholic.

I think it's a combo of 1 and 2.

Hey

2008-08-21T13:39:00.003-05:00

Haven't seen you guys in awhile.........crazy summer with too much going on. Here's a recap:

Lollapalooza rocked a horse's ass
Got a new record player that is fantastic
My daughter still does not know how to use the potty chair
Mowed some lawns
Played some softball
Fired up the grill a few times
Went to a few cabins

That's about all I can think of at the moment.................when more stuff comes to my brain, I'll spill it here.

Hey - new Metallica single here!

Happy Thursday everyone - may your weekend be a joyous one.

Brett Favre

2008-08-08T22:12:00.003-05:00

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It's just my 19th nervous breakdown

2008-06-20T01:52:00.001-05:00

Such a good band.............I hope they come back some day.

It's a Hootenanny!

2008-06-18T10:19:00.002-05:00

Boy, my last blog post got the record for the most comments ever I believe. Maybe I should write about my dorkiness more often.

Check out these recent vids of Weezer on their Hootenanny tour (for a description of the tour, go here). I sure do wish they were coming to the Mlps/St. Paul area for this.

I was a huge dork (and I probably still am)

2008-06-12T10:07:00.002-05:00

So, I was looking through my "Senior Wills" last night. basically, it was a collection of lists of things that people in my senior high school class left to other people. As a perused the entries, I noticed that there were 2 things that people left to me. They are as follows:

A girlfriend
Fun in Ecology/Economics/Biology/etc.

I knew I was a bit of a nerd in school, but reading through that garbage last night, I came to the realization that I was (and probably still am) a super nerd. Feel free to leave your comments about how much of a nerd I was (or am), as well as your special high school stories.

One helluva week

2008-06-09T16:19:00.002-05:00

Check out this lucky bastard! How many people do you know that get to play with a Beatle one day, and then half of Led Zeppelin a week later?

Sunday, June 1st

Sunday, June 8th

In other news, I just heard that ACDC's next album will be exclusively sold at Wal-Mart stores. Makes a guy wanna puke.

Do you have days like this?

2008-05-22T13:43:00.004-05:00

In other news, if you're ever looking for some new, exclusive music you can't find anywhere else, pop on over to Daytrotter. They post exclusive, live in the studio performances from a ton of artists on an almost daily basis. Just looking today, I see they have some new stuff up from AA Bondy (of Verbena fame) and Mason Jennings (local MN singer/songwriter). So head on over there and check it out! If you look to the right, you'll see that I added a permanent link in the "Links" section.

This week is Mudhoney week in America, as they have 2 new releases in stores. Go here to watch a live performance from Seattle's Easy Street Records on the day "The Lucky Ones" and the "Superfuzz Bigmuff" Deluxe Edition were released to the masses.

New music Thursday

2008-05-08T14:14:00.005-05:00

Check out this page and read a pretty killer article with John Davis, talking about the return of Superdrag and the recording of their new album. Plus, you can listen to (and download) a song that should be on the new album titled "Filthy & Afraid". It's pretty damn fantastic if you ask me. No release date on the new album yet, but I'm gunning for a summer release.

I've heard 8 tracks off the new Weezer album, and I think this one is shaping up to be a winner. It's not what I was expecting at all - they are definitely treading new musical waters........Weezer's new album is in stores on 6/24.

Also on the new release horizon is "Evil Urges" from My Morning Jacket. They take a lot of crazy turns on this new one, but I think this'll be another record that will be spending a lot of time on the stereo this summer. "Evil Urges" will hit store shelves on 6/10.

New Nine Inch Nails!

2008-05-05T09:03:00.002-05:00

Nine Inch Nails has released their new album, the slip, online today. If that's not good enough news for you, maybe the fact that it's 100% free of charge might entice you to pick it up (or download it down). Head on over to www.nin.com and grab it!

Here's the tracklisting:

'999,999'
'1,000,000'
'Letting you'
'Discipline’'
'Echoplex'
'Head Down'
'Lights In The Sky'
'Corona Radiata'
'The Four Of Us Are Dying'
'Demon Seed'

News wrap-up

2008-04-18T13:35:00.003-05:00

First off, I'm sad to see the news about Danny Federici's passing. Danny was the keyboardist for the E-Street Band for 40 years. Honestly, I really don't know what the man looked like, but I know is contribution to the Boss' music will be sorely missed. Go to the Boss' website for some video of Danny in action.

The rest of the news I had was all stuff that you can find at rollingstone.com, so go there for some entertainment until I get some original thoughts to jot down. May you all have a wonderful weekend, and be sure to give your loved ones a hug and a kiss from me.

Pork and Beans

2008-04-16T21:46:00.002-05:00

Weezer's new single is streaming in high quality at their website. Go check out the song that is gonna be blaring out of all your car stereos this summer!

Sight for sore eyes

2008-04-08T10:24:00.002-05:00

It's about time these guys got back together.....

Photo by Charley Gallay/ Getty Images

Friday, June 6th - Roy Wilkins. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, April 12th.

Sick of Goodbyes

2008-04-06T16:56:00.005-05:00

Here's a great song put out by a band called Sparklehorse back in the 90's. It can be found on their record titled Good Morning Spider. They have put out several albums that are all superb, and this song has spurred me to grab all their albums again (I probably sold them all in college to fund my cribbage habit).

Also, Rolling Stone has their Spring Music preview up on their site here. Loads of good stuff coming down the pipe, including Weezer, Neil Diamond, and Mötley Crüe. Kickstart my Heart indeed.

It's all going to go downhill from here

2008-04-04T08:57:00.005-05:00

My wife was kind enough to locate my first gray hair for me the other morning. It was a huge strand that was sticking out of my melon like a sore thumb. So, on top of me losing my hair, it's now turning gray. Awesome!

In other news, the 1st track from Mudhoney's new record, The Lucky Ones, can be heard at this location. Check it out if you need to hear some good ol' Seattle grunge this morning. The new record hits stores on May 20th.

And finally, if this is true, I will be the happiest camper of them all.

Salute Your Solution

2008-03-25T16:22:00.001-05:00

Superdrag in the studio

2008-03-24T10:46:00.001-05:00

Yesssssssssss

2008-03-17T20:17:00.002-05:00

From The Raconteur's site:

The Raconteurs are happy to announce that in one week's time their second album, entitled "Consolers of the Lonely", will be available EVERYWHERE Tuesday, March 25.

"Album" meaning: full length vinyl, CD and digital formats; and "everywhere" meaning: local mom and pop indie retailers, corporate superstores, supermarkets, iTunes, Amazon, the band's own website and any other location that could get the record up and going this quickly (some places couldn't move this fast, so they will join in as soon as they can).

It contains 14 new recordings and is being released globally on Third Man Records in conjunction with our marketing/distribution partners, XL Recordings and Warner Brothers Recordings.

With this release, The Raconteurs are forgoing the usual months of lead time for press and radio set up, as well as forgoing the all important "first week sales". We wanted to explore the idea of releasing an album everywhere at once and THEN marketing and promoting it thereafter. The Raconteurs would rather this release not be defined by its first week sales, pre-release promotion, or by someone defining it FOR YOU before you get to hear it.

Another purpose was to also allow people to have their own choice as to exactly which format they would like to hear the album in IMMEDIATELY, rather than having to wait for their favorite format to become available. The band are also not releasing any version of this record that contains bonus tracks.

The band also prefer that fans buy the album as a whole instead of breaking up the tracks, but until iTunes and other digital services allows bands to release their albums with the option of NOT breaking it up, it will be sold in that fashion on those particular sites. On the band's website however, the album will be sold in its entirety as an mp3 at 320kb bit rate. Also in Japan, fans will be able to download the record via their mobile phones, as that is how a majority of recorded music is consumed there.

The reason we are announcing this release one week ahead of time is because of retail pre-ordering and stocking, information about this album's imminent release was bound to come to light and could be confusing to fans.

Also in the event that the record leaks, we didn't want this method of release to be seen as a REACTION to such a leak. It's not. The actual worst thing about a leak is the usual poor sound quality, aking to watching a movie on a wristwatch instead of in a theater. Which for the album's creators is a bit of a letdown, it is completely up to the listener.

There will be a video up to on the internet for the first single, "Salute Your Solution", on the 25th as well, provided it gets edited in time. We just filmed it the other day!

We hope not to confuse anyone with too many options, or deny them the formats that they like best. The Raconteurs feel very strongly that music has worth and should be treated as such. Thank you for all those who respect music in this fashion, and thank you to our label partners for working with us to get this album to fans in as many formats as possible all at once.

Thank you, and we hope that you enjoy "Consolers of the Lonely".

Sincerely,
The Raconteurs

I'm very pumped that more and more bands are skipping the months and months of pre-promotion before an album is released and just getting their stuff in stores (Radiohead and NIN are a few current examples). Hopefully this is a trend that will continue.

Catchup

2008-03-02T21:11:00.007-06:00

Saw the Foos and the Hives last week. Foos were reliable and consistent; Hives pretty much rocked my socks off. I think the $33 difference between the ticket prices may have something to do with it. Here are the reviews from the Strib from these shows - I'm too lazy to type out my own thoughts at the moment.

Foo Review
Hives Review

Nine Inch Nails has just released a new record this evening on the Internets. 36 instrumental tracks. You can get a download of the album for a measly 5 bucks. I've been trying to snag it, but the site is just getting pummeled at the moment. Anyways, you can check out some of the tracks at http://ghosts.nin.com/.

Weekend highlights

2008-02-18T09:44:00.004-06:00

Friday night - went to a fish fry with the folks, and then went home and ironed the drapes. Shel did all the ironing - I did all the taking down andre-hanging of the drapes. Pretty exciting stuff for a Friday night, huh?
Got a body age assessment done at LifeTime Saturday morning. My body age is 33, and I'm a bit disappointed in the results. Now I've got a good set of goals to reach when it comes to getting physically fit. I'm hoping to get a heart rate monitor for workouts, and possibly signing up for a fitness class. I think that any investment you can put towards your health is a good investment in my book. Now I just need to make sure that I stay committed so that my wife thinks it's a good investment as well.
Had Jen, Bill and Jimmy over for jerk chicken kabobs and risotto Saturday night - everything turned out delicious, and we got in a few rousing games of Guitar Hero in as well. The evening ended with a few drinks over at the neighbors (or did it????????).
Got up at the non-rock & roll hour of 7:30 AM on Sunday morning to prepare for a church gig at 8:45. Got to church at 8, had a quick rehearsal, and proceeded to ROCK THE HOUSE! We were at the top of our game and did a pretty decent job. One of these days, I'll post the gig schedule so that my vast blog readership can come and see what all the fuss is about.
Went cross country skiing for the 1st time yesterday out by Lake Minnewashta. 4 bucks for an hour of fun (and a few spills). I have what appears to be the imprint of part of a ski on my back, but we had a blast and look forward to doing it in the future.
After skiing, it was off to Floyd's for some liquid refreshment and a few rousing games of bingo. We didn't win any games, but it was a good time nonetheless.
Our day ended with a pizza dinner with Shel's mom, and an early bed time for everyone in the Heiland house. All in all, it was probably one of the best weekends we've had in a long time - lots of fun, and we got a few productive things done as well.

!!!!!!!!FOOS ON TV ALERT!!!!!!!!

The Foo Fighters will be playing on Letterman this Wednesday, February 20th. Set your Tivos!

On another note, there's this new band out there called The Gutter Twins. The band is primarily composed of 2 legendary singers - Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs, Twilight Singers) and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age). These 2 gentlemen are displayed to the left of this post. They have an album called Saturnalia that is coming out on Sub Pop in a few weeks. The stuff I've heard from it has been pretty incredible. Their whole record is steaming at this site - check it out and be amazed. These guys will be playing the First Avenue mainroom on Saturday, March 8. If I can make it, I'll be there with bells on. For 11 bucks, how can you go wrong?

I've got a girl and she likes to shop

2008-02-15T08:52:00.003-06:00

Been pretty swamped over the past few weeks and haven't had much time to update this thing. I hope everyone had a splendid Valentine's Day.

New update from The Raconteurs myspace page:

"The Raconteurs are currently finishing up their second album in nashville, tn.
They promise to release it as soon as they can."

They put out a fantastic 1st record, and I'm looking forward to their sophomore effort.

That's about all I have for today - maybe I'm make some more lengthy and intersting posts this weekend.

A taste of things to come

2008-01-29T10:05:00.000-06:00

Here's a little preview of what you can expect at the Foo show coming up at the Target Center in a few weeks. This is what they've been opening up with on the current leg of the tour. Delicious...

Also, did you know that the Hives are playing First Ave the night after the Foos are in town? Quite the week of rock we have to warm us up next month.

Happy Friday

2008-01-25T09:26:00.000-06:00

I don't have too much to say. Just glad the weekend is upon us. Here's a video for your viewing pleasure.

To be continued

2008-01-24T22:31:00.001-06:00

As an addendum to my previous post, check out this sweet ass discussion about people's favorite memories from First Ave:

Also, the Hives are rocking First Ave the day after the Foos are in town. I'm so tempted to hit it up - $21 after fees. Soooooooooo tempting....can one person handle that much rock in 2 days?

Quick ramblings

2008-01-17T22:58:00.000-06:00

Just got back from Scottsdale....quite the difference in weather, but it's good to be back home. Here's a few items for your perusal:

The Foos have an official blog!
Here's a cool story in the Strib about the behind the scenes magic that happens at First Ave.

Greetings from Tennessee

2008-01-09T13:07:00.000-06:00

Fantastic news from superdrag.com!

Lastly, the rumors are true, it's official: Superdrag's original line-up will reconvene in the recording studio in February to begin work on our first new recording project together since 1998's "Head Trip In Every Key." I can't say much more about the songs themselves (apart from what's already been posted on our MySpace page which will be the only "official" taste of the new music until the record drops), but I will say that this HAS to be our best album, otherwise there's really no point, is there? We are wholly committed to breaking the Law of Physics that states, "REUNION ALBUMS, BY DEFINITION, MUST BE TERRIBLE." So we'll see how it goes! Personally, I am really excited about the way the new music is unfolding and I hope you will be too. I am really thankful to be working on new music with Brandon, Don and Tom this year.

My holiday gift to you.............

2007-12-31T14:45:00.000-06:00

Enjoy the fruits of my labor today....a good 3+ hours tinkering around in the basement today has resulted in the following cover songs for you to enjoy. Listening to the playback, I've noticed that my voice sucks ass, but hopefully you can get past that and get a kick out of them anyways. I don't think you can actually download the songs at this point, so if you really want them, let me know. Happy Holidays!

Best of 2007

2007-12-31T09:27:00.000-06:00

I hope my readership had a great holiday....I'm finally recovering from all of the running around we took part in. 5 holiday events in 4 days - insanity. I've got the day off today, and have boatloads of things to take care of, but I thought I'd start it off with my annual "Best Records of 2007" list. Here are my Top 10, in no particular order:

Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Radiohead - In Rainbows
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
John Davis - Arigato!
Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
Frank Black - Bluefinger
The Apples In Stereo - New Magnetic Wonder
Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band - Live In Dublin

There it is kids. Let me know your favorites from this year in the comments section. I'll be sending you a special holiday present later today, so stay tuned!

Long Road to Ruin - alternate take

2007-12-21T11:32:00.001-06:00

Just stumbled across this alternate shot of the new Foo video. Brought a smile to my face, and I don't even have any computer speakers!

Holy canoli, Batman!

2007-12-17T09:16:00.000-06:00

Check out the new trailer for The Dark Knight right here! This movie is going to be so badass.

New Green Day tunes?

2007-12-10T09:08:00.000-06:00

You be the judge - check out the "Foxboro Hot Tubs" right here. This isn't the first time that Green Day has released music under another band name...I'll be curious to see how this all shakes out. They have 6 tracks available for download, and they appear to sound like 60's rock and roll. Check it out and let me know if you think it's the boys from Green Day or not.

EDIT - I'm pretty sure it's Green Day. And it sounds pretty damn awesome.

Teenage angst has paid off well

2007-12-06T21:15:00.001-06:00

I get up around seven...

2007-11-27T09:02:00.000-06:00

My brother Jeff and I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Slash yesterday at the Mall of America. He was there signing copies of his recently released autobiography, "Slash". Looks like the publishers thought long and hard about the title.

We arrived at the MOA around 4:30, and after picking up the book, we proceeded to stand in line for the next few hours. During the wait, we got to listen to Velvet Revolver's new album about 3.5 times. I wanted to pull the remaining hair from my head out after about the 2nd playback. It's an OK album an all, but it just started to get on my nerves after a bit.

Slash took the stage around 6:15 and got right to work. There was no funny business at this event.....no pictures were to be taken on the stage, and he'd only sign the book. My brother caught the above image on his cellphone. I got to spend about 3 seconds with him - we shook hands and I told him thanks for coming. All in all, he seemed like a pretty laid back dude, and I'm looking forward to cracking into the book. My one regret is that I wish I would have picked up a few more books to get signed - it appears that a bit of a profit can be made on these things!

In other news, the White Stripes have released a video for their new single, "Conquest". And you can check it out for your viewing pleasure right here - enjoy!

Magazine on the cheap

2007-11-08T08:46:00.000-06:00

Are you interested in getting 11 issues of a music magazine, filled with articles & reviews, as well as a CD sampler featuring new music, for as low as a buck a subscription? If you're like me, then you are. Check out the Paste Magazine website for details. There, you'll find more details about what you can expect from the mag. Check it out, and name your price for the subscription. I just placed my order for 11 issues for the whopping price of 1 dollar!

Free songs!

2007-11-05T15:17:00.001-06:00

During Superdrag's recent stop in Chicago, they entered a local studio and recorded 4 songs live to 2-track. You can listen to the fruits of their labor at this location. The songs they recorded are as follows:

Tell Me I'm Not Free
Sold You An Alibi
Senorita
Cynicality

Feel free to enjoy these at your leisure.

I'm tired........so tired

2007-11-05T10:33:00.000-06:00

There's a fantastic interview with Rivers Cuomo of Weezer fame at this location. The article goes into detail about the demo compilation that Rivers is releasing next month, containing many Weezer/solo tunes that have never been released or heard by anyone. Check it out - it's a great read! The band has been known for posting tons of their demos online in the past, so I'm definitely looking forward to giving this a listen on December 11.

It's a "2 for the price of 1" Friday!

2007-11-02T09:08:00.000-05:00

Hey kids....the weekend is upon us, and I bring to you 2 treats that hit the airwaves last night. First off is a medley of "The Pretender" and "God Save the Queen" that the Foos did at the EMAs last light.

Second, I bring to you the video for the new Foo's single, "Long Road to Ruin". Looks like they've finally hit their funny bone again, after a string of pretty serious performance videos. Enjoy...

R.I.P., Mr. Goulet

2007-11-01T14:22:00.001-05:00

My little Princess

2007-10-29T15:32:00.000-05:00

Here are a few photos that were taken of our cutie pie yesterday at a friend's house in Minneapolis. Our weekend was spent running from one activity to the next, and we wore Evie out pretty good. Hopefully she can find it in her heart to forgive us.

Rock star mug shots

2007-10-26T09:10:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday everyone....if you're looking to waste a few minutes today, flip through the gallery of pictures here. It's a pretty humorous collection of rock stars (like the gentleman to the left) that have been thrown in the clink.

Big weekend ahead - lots of Halloween activities for the little one, and an adults night out as well. I'm hoping that my sweet wife will make a pit stop at a Best Buy that's doing a midnight sale for Guitar Hero III on Saturday night.

Enjoy the weekend, and make sure to spend as much time outside as possible. It boggles my mind to look around the neighborhood after work, and see everyone all cooped up in their homes while there's still daylight and it's gorgeous outside.

Cheat code to unlock all of the songs in Guitar Hero III

2007-10-25T10:57:00.000-05:00

YO RB RO GB RY YO RY RB GY GY YB YB YO YO YB Y R RY R Y O

Freaky

2007-10-25T08:16:00.000-05:00

My computer crashed, and I'm loving every minute of it!

2007-10-24T14:26:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed, things have been awfully quiet around these parts. A lot of that has to do with the fact that our home PC took a crap on us about a week ago. This turn of events has actually been kinda cool, even though it'd be nice to have a machine that's working again. Here's some benefits of not having access to a computer 24/7:

Spending more time with the family
Getting more things done around the house
Getting more sleep
The chance to sit down and read a book
The opportunity to sit in the basement and play/listen to music for the first time in awhile

In general, I feel like I've been a little more focused at home. While it'd be nice to get access to a PC again for simple things like iPod management, it's not too bad to be without the internet for awhile. Try it out sometime - you might like it.

For those of you with the internet, here are 2 items to check out:

Go here to check out some Soundcheck performance that the Foo Fighters did for Wal-Mart.
I was listening to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion last night, wondering what in the hell they've been up to lately. Apparently, MTV has been having the same thoughts - check it.

Feeling a little Surly

2007-10-11T10:57:00.000-05:00

I just stumbled across this company today, and it looks like they have a helluva product. Surly Brewing Co. is a local beer company that has been in business since 2005. They currently have 2 beers (Bender and Furious) that are available year round. They also come up with several specialty beers that are available during various times of the season. I've never tasted it, but I have a feeling that I'll be picking some of this up in the very near future. I'll give you my taste test report after the pickup mission has been completed. In the meantime, visit their website to learn more about the brewery. A link has been added to my links section on the right-hand side for future convenience. Cheers!

Buy this album!

2007-10-05T16:18:00.000-05:00

John Davis, the lead singer/guitarist of a little band called Superdrag, has a new solo album out called "Arigato!". He recorded it at the Foo Fighters' studio in LA. Click on the link below to pick it up for only 10 bucks!

Guitar Hero III tracklisting

2007-10-04T09:12:00.000-05:00

Here's the final tracklisting for Guitar Hero III, due in stores on Rocktober 28th:

AFI - “Miss Murder”
Aerosmith - “Same Old Song and Dance”
Alice Cooper - “School’s Out”
Backyard Babies - “Minus Celsius”
Beastie Boys - “Sabotage”
Black Sabbath - “Paranoid”
Bloc Party - “Helicopter”
Blue Oyster Cult - “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll”
Bret Michaels Band - “Go That Far”
Charlie Daniels Band - “Devil Went Down to Georgia”
Cream - “Sunshine of Your Love”
Dead Kennedys - “Holiday in Cambodia”
Die Toten Hosen - “Hier Kommt Alex”
Disturbed - “Stricken”
DragonForce - “Through the Fire and Flames”
Eric Johnson - “Cliffs of Dover”
Foghat - “Slow Ride”
Gallows - “In the Belly of a Shark”
Guns N’ Roses - “Welcome to the Jungle”
Heart - “Barracuda”
Heroes Del Silencio - “Avalancha”
In Flames - “Take This Life”
Iron Maiden - “The Number of the Beast”
Kaiser Chiefs - “Ruby”
Kiss - “Rock and Roll All Nite”
Lacuna Coil - “Closer”
Living Colour - “Cult of Personality”
Matchbook Romance - “Monsters”
Metallica - “One”
Mountain - “Mississippi Queen”
Muse - “Knights of Cydonia”
NAAST - “Mauvais Garcon”
Pat Benatar - “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”
Pearl Jam - “Even Flow”
Poison - “Talk Dirty to Me”
Priestess - “Lay Down”
Queens of the Stone Age - “3’s and 7’s”
Rage Against the Machine - “Bulls on Parade”
Red Hot Chili Peppers - “Suck My Kiss”
Revolverheld - “Generation Rock”
Santana - “Black Magic Woman”
Scorpions - “Rock You Like a Hurricane”
Slayer - “Raining Blood”
Slipknot - “Before I Forget”
Smashing Pumpkins - “Cherub Rock”
Social Distortion - “Story of My Life”
Sonic Youth - “Kool Thing”
Stevie Ray Vaughn - “Pride and Joy”
Superbus - “Radio Song”
Tenacious D - “The Metal”
The Hellacopters - “I’m in the Band”
The Killers - “When You Were Young”
The Rolling Stones - “Paint It, Black”
The Stone Roses - “She Bangs the Drums”
The Strokes - “Reptilia”
The Who - “The Seeker”
Velvet Revolver - “She Builds Quick Machines”
Weezer - “My Name Is Jonas”
White Zombie - “Black Sunshine”
ZZ Top - “La Grange”

Whistling

2007-10-01T14:13:00.000-05:00

Over lunch, I made a visit to the local LifeTime fitness center. While getting ready in the locker room, I was enjoying some of the sweet music they play over the in-house speakers. Today, I was kicking it to some "That'll Be The Day" by Buddy Holly. For those of you that know the song, the melody isn't too complex.

Some joker comes waltzing into the locker area, whistling along to the song. Wait, let me re-phrase that. He was trying to whistle along to the song. Whistling to a song without changing the note you are whistling is not encouraged. It just doesn't make any sense, and I have no idea why someone would do it. It goes against all whistling regulations.

So, if you are in violation of this heinous crime, please stop. I can get you help. Maybe even give you a lesson or two. For practice, I would recommend listening to "Patience" by GnR, "Young Folks" by Peter, Bjorn & John, and anything by this man.

New Radiohead!

2007-10-01T08:58:00.000-05:00

Release date - October 10
2 options:
Discbox (includes everything above + electronic download)
Electronic download only

I'm super excited for this release! What a cool idea, and how badass is it for a band to announce the release date of an album 10 days before they're going to put it out?

Here's the tracklisting....find more details at www.radiohead.com

CD 1 AND VINYL
15 STEP
BODYSNATCHERS
NUDE
WEIRD FISHES/ARPEGGI
ALL I NEED
FAUST ARP
RECKONER
HOUSE OF CARDS
JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE
VIDEOTAPE

CD 2
MK 1
DOWN IS THE NEW UP
GO SLOWLY
MK 2
LAST FLOWERS
UP ON THE LADDER
BANGERS AND MASH
4 MINUTE WARNING

Happy days are here again

2007-09-21T08:56:00.000-05:00

Another work week is about to bite the dust. In this neck of the woods, daylight is diminishing with every passing day, which kinda sucks. We have been having some gorgeous nights however, and this weekend is shaping up to be just as nice. Evie and I will be going to watch Mommy kick some butt in a 5K tomorrow in Victoria. Some possible deck work, as well as a party on a deck, may be in the cards as well.

If you're looking for something to entertain you during the workday today, be sure to head here and check out the 10 best Foo Fighter videos (voted by NME). These were posted to celebrate next week's release of their new album. Hopefully my readership has their pre-orders in already, or has made plans to get to the record store first thing Tuesday morning and snatch it up.

I experienced a first last night. We were in the beginning stages of prepping some pizzas to cook on the grill. While Shel was getting a few ingredients together, I decided to head downstairs and kick out a few quick tasty licks on my new amp (which can be seen here - it's minty). I had the amp at what I thought was a pretty low volume....maybe at a 2. Apparently, it wasn't quiet enough. I didn't hear her, but apparently my daughter opened the door to the basement and was yelling at me to turn it down. Boy, I wish I would've heard her...I would have laughed my ass off. That was the first of many times that I'll be told off by my daughter...

Here's an article on The Hive's new album.

That's all for now kids - have a killer weekend.

Video killed the radio star

2007-09-19T09:12:00.000-05:00

Buttloads of new videos this morning! First off is a cool little feature that Bob Dylan is doing to promote his new greatest hits collection coming out next month. My creation is below, and you can make your own messages here.

Next up is a tasty number for the MTV VMAs a week or so ago. This is from the Foo Fighters' suite party. Be amazed by the power of Eagles of Death Metal!

Last up is a bit of late breaking news - The Foos have announced that the next single from their new album will be "Long Road to Ruin" (track number 4 for those who have heard the album ;-)). This is one of my favorites from the new one, and you can check out a live rendition of the track below. Boss!

This movie looks like it'll be a hoot

2007-08-31T09:21:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited

2007-08-31T09:18:00.000-05:00

And I just can't hide it.

The Boss is back in town

2007-08-28T11:40:00.000-05:00

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band are back in stores with a new album, Magic, on October 2nd (the vinyl version will hit stores on September 25th). The first single, "Radio Nowhere", is available for download through the iTunes store for 1 week, for FREE! Go get it now!

Also, the band will be at the Xcel Center on 11/2 (tickets go on sale 9/22).

And finally, check out this new interview with Brooooce here. One, two, three, four!

Magic tracklist:
1. Radio Nowhere
2. You'll Be Comin' Down
3. Livin' in the Future
4. Your Own Worst Enemy
5. Gypsy Biker
6. Girls in Their Summer Clothes
7. I'll Work for Your Love
8. Magic
9. Last to Die
10. Long Walk Home
11. Devil's Arcade

The Prentender

2007-08-28T08:55:00.000-05:00

With being out of town last week, I've been dropping the ball on keeping my vast readership abreast of the latest buzzing in the music world. For this, I sincerely apologize, and I present you with the first video from The Foo Fighters' Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace.

Queens at First Ave

2007-08-27T10:34:00.000-05:00

The Queens of the Stone Age rolled into town on Saturday night and put on a slamming show. I was very pleased with the setlist, as they pulled out tasty tracks from their back catalog, as well as some of my favorite cuts from the new album. Michelle gave the show a B-, which I think is a tad harsh. But I can see where she's coming from, and here are the reasons why:

We have definitely been spoiled in the past, as we had the opportunity to see the band at the 400 Bar (much more intimate venue) with Dave Grohl on the drums, which never hurts.
Josh Homme (guitar/vocals) is in urgent need of knee surgery, so he's basically playing in pain every night. So that may have affected the performance somewhat.

Regardless, I thought they put on a fine show...I'd give it an A- (it would've been nice if they threw in a track or two from Rated R).

Here's the setlist:

You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar But I Feel Like A Millionaire
Do It Again
3's & 7's
Tangled Up In Plaid
Avon
Regular John
Into the Hollow
Misfit Love
Suture Up Your Future
Burn The Witch
Turning on the Screw (YAAAAAYYYY! The one song I needed to hear, and they delivered.)
The Fun Machine Took a Shit and Died
Little Sister
Make It Wit Chu
Sick, Sick, Sick
Go With the Flow
Song for the Dead
I Think I Lost My Headache

Viva La Vinyl!

2007-08-25T01:44:00.000-05:00

Vinyl is a beautiful thing. It provides us with tracks you normally wouldn't find on a compact disc. Like the songs below.

Foo Fighters - Never Talking To You Again
Oranger - Bizarro

QOTSA at First Ave tomorrow. I'll provide a show report when I'm functionable.

Hate to say I told you so

2007-08-16T14:54:00.001-05:00

Your favorite band from Sweden will be hitting record stores on October 9th with The Black and White Album. 1st single Tick Tick Boom should be hitting iTunes any day now.

The family is gearing up for a nice little vacation next week. We take off on Sunday for Webb Lake in WI for a little R n R. Next Saturday brings us to the Queens of the Stone Age show (which recently was relocated to First Avenue). Should be a killer time.

Looking for something to do?

2007-08-08T15:04:00.000-05:00

Give this game a whirl....only takes a minute or so. My current high score: 139.823m.

Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace artwork

2007-08-08T10:45:00.000-05:00

Guitar Hero III tracks

2007-08-02T15:27:00.000-05:00

Here's a partial listing of songs that will be included in Guitar Hero III, due for release on Rocktober 29th:

* “3’s and 7’s” – Queens of the Stone Age
* “Barracuda” – Heart
* “Cherub Rock” – Smashing Pumpkins
* “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll” – Blue Öyster Cult
* “Cult of Personality” – Living Colour
* “Even Flow” – Pearl Jam
* “Knights of Cydonia” – Muse
* “La Grange” – ZZ Top
* “Lay Down” – Priestess
* “The Metal” – Tenacious D
* “Miss Murder” – AFI
* “Mississippi Queen” – Mountain
* “My Name Is Jonas” – Weezer
* “The Number of the Beast” - Iron Maiden
* “One” – Metallica
* “Paint It, Black” – The Rolling Stones
* “Paranoid” – Black Sabbath
* “Raining Blood” – Slayer
* “Reptilia” – The Strokes
* “Rock and Roll All Nite” – Kiss
* “Rock You Like a Hurricane” – Scorpions
* “Sabotage” – Beastie Boys
* “School’s Out” – Alice Cooper
* “She Builds Quick Machines” – Velvet Revolver
* “Slow Ride” – Foghat
* “Suck My Kiss” - Red Hot Chili Peppers
* “Through the Fire and Flames” - DragonForce
* “Welcome to the Jungle” – Guns N’ Roses

Chaos in the Minneapple

2007-08-02T14:15:00.000-05:00

As I'm sure you've all seen in the news, we were rocked by the collapse of a bridge on 35W yesterday. This morning was filled with calls and e-mails from people checking in to make sure everyone was OK. I'm very fortunate in that no one that I know of has been directly affected in this tragedy....makes a guy feel pretty damn lucky to be alive today. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and those affected, as well as the crews that will be working in the wreckage.

On a completely unrelated and trivial note, the new Foo single, The Pretender, is out for your listening pleasure. Check it out at their MySpace page.

Shuffleitis

2007-07-26T15:18:00.000-05:00

I've been running into a problem with my iPod lately. It's a problem that I have created a brand new word for - Shuffleitis. Shuffleitis occurs when you run into a string of songs on your iPod where you continually have to fast forward to the next song. I can probably blame this predicament on myself, since I was the one who loaded all the music on the dang thing. I have come to the conclusion that there are 3 cures for this condition:

1. Trim the unnecessary fat from the library. While this method would prove to be extremely time consuming, it would result in remedying the frustrating symptoms that are brought on by Shuffleitis.

2. Create custom playlists. This solution basically takes the randomness out of the equation, as the user is in complete control of what songs come up, as well as the order in which they are played. This takes any surprise element out of the listening experience, but you are left with a group of songs you know you'll be satisfied with.

3. Target in on specific albums/artists. There's nothing wrong with admitting that you are in love with the entire Kenny Chesney catalog. For those of you that have that artist that can do no wrong, just cue them up and select "All". This can also apply to those albums that you can play from front to back without skipping a song. While these types of albums tend to be few and far between these days, they are still out there.

In closing, I hope I've been able to reveal the best ways to overcome this evil condition. If any of you out there happen to have any insight to cures for Shuffleitis, I encourage you to leave your feedback here.

I feel old

2007-07-23T12:54:00.000-05:00

I hope you all got to enjoy the beautiful weather we had in MN this weekend. I got to take part in the Lion's softball tournament in Victoria on Saturday. Actually the tournament goes all weekend, but we only got to play Saturday, because we don't really gel as a team. Anyways, I hit pretty well, but my body is paying for it today. I'm not sure if it was all the playing, or the mass quantities of fluid that went down my beerhole, but I feel pretty beat up. Probably not as bad as my compadre, Mike D:
That's his knee. It happened when he fell down in the outfield, flailing after a ball. He's gonna be fine, but he might have to sit out for a few weeks, which blows.

Here are some other items of interest that I've stumbled upon over the past few days:

I went to college with this guy.
Want to make some paper sculptures for your desk? Check this out.
The last Harry Potter book is out...I've never read a one, but I'm thinking about just reading the last one to find out what happens. Should be a good time saver.

Superdrag reunion

2007-07-12T15:46:00.000-05:00

The original Superdrag lineup is reuniting for 6 shows this fall. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the Chicago show, but here's hoping that more dates are added. Here are the tour dates:

October 05 - Nashville, TN @ City Hall
October 13 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
October 20 - Knoxville, TN @ Barley's Taproom
November 02 - New York, NY @ The Fillmore
November 03 - Boston, MA @ Paradise
November 08 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

And, in case you have no idea who this band is, check out this little ditty and see if it jogs your memory. This was their only real "radio hit", but they have a great catalog of just good ol' power pop/rock tunes. I strongly encourage any fans of good music to check them out.

Happy hump day

2007-07-11T08:58:00.000-05:00

We've reached the hump of the week, and things are looking allright. The weather has been nice and cool, just like the gals in my life. And have you been in a music store lately? Holy crap, has this been an awesome week for new albums. New Pumpkins, Interpol, and a re-release of the Foos' classic second album, The Colour and the Shape, have been the highlights for me.

Mtv.com has posted a cool article detailing the "Pinkerton effect" (albums that were crapped on when they were initially released, but after time were recognized for how kickass they truly are). Give it a read here.

And finally, it looks like someone found another way to throw $600 down the toilet.

New Foo album info

2007-07-06T14:38:00.000-05:00

Billboard story on the new Foo album is right here. Tentative title of the album is "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace", and look for it in stores around September 25th. Here's the tracklisting:

The Pretender
Let It Die
Erase Replace
Long Road to Ruin
Come Alive
Stranger Things Have Happened
Cheer Up Boys, Your Makeup Is Running
Summer's End
The Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners
Statues
But Honestly
Home

Woo hoo!

Don't quit yer day job

2007-07-02T22:42:00.001-05:00

You are about to experience some rare ass tunes up in this piece. There may be a total of 23 people in the world who own this album. Released on cassette in the spring of '98, limbo's "the basement tracks" launched the career of my solo musical endeavor. It lead to an opening spot at that summer's block party in St. Joseph, as well as....oh, who am I kidding? It lead to nothing. It was my first endeavor into 4-track recording with a cheap ass tape recorder, 1 Radio Shack mic, and even cheaper instruments. But as I look back on the 2 week recording process, I can't help but smile. Granted, the majority of this album is all filler (no killer), but there are a couple tunes that stand out for me. And 2 of these are below. The first is a pretty straight forward, pop/rock song that I wish the whole album could have been. The second track is a noisy song about smelt. So sit back, relax, and experience the sweet sounds of limbo.

Cheer Up, Boys, Your Make-Up's Running

2007-06-24T10:49:00.000-05:00

New Foo Fighters song from the secret gig last week - enjoy!

History in the making

2007-06-22T10:43:00.000-05:00

I just realized that (I think) I own the first drumkit that was owned by the drummer of White Light Riot. "Who are these guys?", you may ask. This band made the front page of the Source section of the Strib today (story here), and they have a new album that just came out this week. They recorded it down at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls. Visit their website to check out some audio - if you dig it, pick up a CD! They're playing a record release party at the Fine Line tomorrow night, and it sounds like tickets will be going fast.

Friday follies

2007-06-22T09:16:00.000-05:00

Part 2 of that Rolling Stone record industry story has been posted here.

The Foo Fighters played a secret show at a dive bar in Southern California last evening as a warmup for their opening slot at the Police show this weekend. One new song was played - " Cheer Up, Boys, Your Make-up's Running". Video was taken at the show, and it should be out and about this weekend. Reports from the show have stated that everyone but Chris appears to be involved in a beard growing contest. I hope they aren't turning into the Eagles.

Are you ready for a rip snortin' humdinger?

Pumpkins news - this is just lame.

I can't think of a title

2007-06-20T10:20:00.000-05:00

Random news/thoughts of the day...

Rolling Stone has posted the 1st part of a 2-part story documenting the decline of the record industry here. Check it out - it's a good read.

Speaking of slumping record sales, have you had a chance to pick up the new White Stripes album yet? It's quite fantastic, and I suggest that you rush out to your local record store and purchase it immediately. There's tons more quality music that's on the way this summer, so make sure you're supporting the artists you love.

Since I probably won't have a record in stores any time soon, I've decided I might as well start giving it away. I'll be posting some older tracks I've recorded in the next few days, and hope to have some new stuff posted in the near future as well. Stay tuned.

Bon Jovi has apparently released a country/pop album. Check out one of my first blog posts here for my thoughts on the recent transformation of Bon Jovi. You heard it here first.

Runnin' with the devil...

2007-06-17T22:00:00.001-05:00

(Click picture above for larger image)

The results are in! Shel basically matched her race time at Grandma's last year, and I was able to shave 2 minutes off my time from last year. One of the hardest parts of race day is getting up at 4 in the morning to make sure we can make it to the start line at 6:30. The crowd turnout was great, and while the weather was a bit on the hot side, it was an awesome day to run down by the lake in Duluth. After crossing the finish line, we chowed down on some fruit, bagels, ice cream, and other goodies to get our energy back. Then it was off to the beer tent for a few frosty cold ones, followed by the best nap of the year. We made our way back to downtown Duluth around 9 for a late dinner, and then back to the beer tents for some more liquid refreshment. We ended up at a bar called Saratoga for some late night cocktails and shots of Petron. The night ended as we stumbled into our home for the weekend around 3 am and crawled in to bed. All in all, it was a great weekend of running, awesome weather, and many libations.

Best award for roadside fan goes to the guy who was drinking beers at 8:30 in the morning around mile 9, offering brewskis to runners. He was holding a sign that said, "Let's face it - we're both going to shit our pants today". I was so close to grabbing a glass from him, but I decided to wait until I was past the finish line.

Westerberg update

2007-06-14T16:23:00.000-05:00

The Strib has posted a story on local hero Paul Westerberg and his rehab progress on his left hand here. While I've never really given his Replacement's recordings a good listen, I still have a lot of respect for him, since he's a local boy who has done good. And I really do enjoy some of his solo work.

Stroke of genius

2007-06-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

Looking to let the creative juices flow for a few minutes? Head on over to http://www.jacksonpollock.org/ and let your browser be your canvas, and your mouse be your paintbrush.

Floyd's Blue trounced their opponents last night. My bat wasn't very hot, but everyone else's was, which is what counts in the end. My girls got to head down to the park for the game, which was awesome. Of course, the one time I get a hit, they were off playing at the playground.

New Release Tuesday

2007-06-12T09:25:00.000-05:00

Make sure to head out to your local record store and pick up the new Queens of the Stone Age record, Era Vulgaris. It contains 11 killer tracks, including the one seen here:

If you want some bonus tracks with the album, head to an independent store (like an Electric Fetus), and receive a bonus CD with the track "The Fun Machine Took A Shit and Died". The Best Buy version includes a download for their cover of Billy Idol's "White Wedding".

Also, the Traveling Willburys are re-releasing all of their albums in a 2 CD/1 DVD package today. These records have been out of print for years, so for you Willbury fans out there, it's a nice opportunity to snatch them all up for a sweet price.

Next week sees the release of the White Stripes' Icky Thump, which is becoming one of my frontrunners for Record of the Year.

The Grandma's Half Marathon is rapidly approaching us. My wife is going to kick ass, and I am going to choke on her fumes. But we always have a great time up there, and it's our 5-year wedding anniversary weekend, so we have lots to look forward to.

Reaching new forms of crazy

2007-06-09T17:08:00.000-05:00

My life has just approached a new level of excitement. I just took an inventory of all of our spices and input the data into an Excel spreadsheet. Next, I'm hoping to tackle our coupons and sort them by expiration date and product type. Does the fun ever start?

Oh Snizzap

2007-06-07T11:04:00.001-05:00

Duluth tour

2007-06-05T08:33:00.000-05:00

From billboard.com:

As expected, Queens Of The Stone Age will visit primarily small markets this summer on their Duluth tour, which begins July 22 in Costa Mesa, Calif. The 13-date trek in support of the upcoming "Era Vulgaris" will run through Aug. 11 in Oklahoma City.

"We want to play to people who hardly ever get shows and just burn the house down," Queens frontman Josh Homme tells Billboard of the outing, which will precede a major market run in September. "I think we're too stoked to not go deeper than we have before. It feels like the right time to go, 'Hey, man, sorry I'm late, but here we are.'"

Further indulging hardcore fans, the Best Buy version of "Era Vulgaris" will be bundled with a cover of Billy Idol's "White Wedding," while indie retailers will get a bonus disc with the oft-discussed rarity "The Fun Machine Took a Sh*t and Died."

In other Queens news, UNKLE leader James LaVelle has just completed a "clubby" remix of the "Era Vulgaris" track "I'm Designer," LaVelle tells Billboard.com. It is unknown just yet where the new version will appear.

Here are Queens Of The Stone Age's tour dates:

7/22 – OC Fair – Costa Mesa, CA
7/24 – Chico, CA – Senator Theater
7/25 - Eugene, OR – McDonald Theater
7/27 – Boise, ID – The Big Easy
7/28 – Missoula, MT – Wilma Theater
7/29 – Billings, MT – Shrine Auditorium
7/31 – Fargo, ND – Playmaker's
8/1 – Duluth, MN – DECC Arena
8/3 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Hawkeye Downs Fair Grounds
8/4 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room
8/7 – Memphis, TN – New Daisy Theater
8/8 – Little Rock, AR – The Village
8/10 – Tulsa, OK – Cain's Ballroom
8/11 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom

Also, there's a new interview on mtv.com here.

METAAAAALLLLL!

2007-06-01T14:20:00.001-05:00

Here's some live Probot action to usher in the weekend.

Double takes

2007-05-30T16:34:00.000-05:00

A Beatle is doing what????

Who beat who on this week's Billboard charts???

This is a crazy, mixed-up world we're living in. Thank goodness there's a swarm of new releases due to hit store shelves over the next few weeks that should knock these teenyboppers down a few pegs. Like these guys!

And these guys (or at least half of them)!

On the cover of the Guiiitaaar Woorld

2007-05-30T15:27:00.000-05:00

The anticipation is building for June 19th and the unleashing of the White Stripe's new album upon the world. Check out the latest shredder that made the cover of GW for next month...

A case of the Tuesdays

2007-05-29T12:40:00.001-05:00

The family and I have just come off a nice 4-day weekend, and I hope all 3 of my readers had an awesome weekend as well. Ours involved some golf, cocktails, dirty marbles, and delicious BBQ. Big thanks to my wonderful wife and daughter for hanging out with me all weekend. I think the batteries are recharged enough to make it through the rest of the week. Big projects are in the works that involve wood chips, pulling weeds and birthday parties.

Did anyone have to fill up their vehicles with gasoline this weekend? I had to fill up the tanks of 2 gas hogs, and I had to take out a 2nd mortgage. To demonstrate, I have pulled the average gas prices in MN over the holiday weekend - I hope you're as shocked as I am. I am this close to buying a motorcycle, moped, or maybe even a dirtbike.

To sum up today's post, the following gentleman said it best when he proclaimed, "Let me talk, Carol!"

Thursday thoughts

2007-05-24T09:27:00.000-05:00

The Floyd's Blue softball team got beat again last night. The bats have been cold for the last few games - I think a little batting practice is in order.

Check out the new White Stripes video for "Icky Thump" here!

New info on Guitar Hero 3 here!

Happy birthday wishes go out to Robert Zimmerman (aka Bob Dylan), who turns 66 today. Happy birthday, you old fart!

The family is heading up to Brainerd after work today to relax in a condo for a few days while it rains and pours outside. This'll be the 1st family vacation we've taken in awhile, and we're all looking forward to a little R n' R.