Cigarbox Guitars

These 2 Live Records are better than any others

2010-04-06T16:09:00.003-04:00

Download:

"Coolidge" by the Descendents, off of their 1987 record "Liveage!"

"Fire Door" by Ani DiFranco, off of her 1997 record "Living in Clip"

Les Paul Died

2009-08-14T10:00:00.002-04:00

sucks.

read about why he's the shit.

ted sings kelly and karen

2009-06-26T01:15:00.003-04:00

In case it's a while again before I post, I wanted to leave this as the thing that is first up on the blog.

the koosh is the best

2009-06-23T13:29:00.003-04:00

So much awesome in one video.

hi

2009-06-19T15:00:00.002-04:00

Sweet execution of a simple idea.

happiness?

2009-06-16T13:23:00.002-04:00

Might be my favorite of all of Animal Collective's videos. Somehow in the scary world created by the video, everything seems as happy as the song.

shutter island

2009-06-11T12:35:00.002-04:00

Trailer for Scorsese's new movie Please Give Leo an Oscar Island. Looks pretty badass, and it has Drew Carey's cross dressing brother as a guard.

i'd like to klingon that for about 20 earth minutes

2009-06-11T12:18:00.002-04:00

I literally know nothing about Star Trek, but this video is pretty enjoyable.

bonus stage

2009-06-11T12:14:00.002-04:00

I don't have to explain this, do I?

mcfly

2009-06-11T12:11:00.004-04:00

I want this, and in the words of a great man, "please please please, let me, let me, let me, let me...get what I want...this time."

i love how you love me

2009-06-11T12:03:00.003-04:00

her wings are dumb, too

2009-05-27T12:42:00.002-04:00

This is such a pretty cover of Passion Pit's "Sleepyhead" but it's almost ruined by this dumb video. Animal masks, really?

are they robots?

2009-05-27T11:35:00.002-04:00

This song is great, this album is great, this video is OK.

peanut butter and jelly

2009-05-27T11:29:00.001-04:00

Pretty wierd and effective video for the only standout song on the new Peter Bjorn and John album here.

The Runaway

2009-05-27T11:25:00.003-04:00

Heard a live version of this National song a few months back. This is still a live version, but much better quality. This is the same show that Billy Bob Thornton acted like an asshole on recently.

when a problem comes along, you must ask your parents permission

2009-05-27T11:14:00.003-04:00

Young children getting their Devo on.

to waterboard or not to waterboard

2009-05-26T02:43:00.001-04:00

Conservative radio host has himself waterboarded. Watch how quickly this man's opinion is changed on the idea of it being torture.

im taking you down hasselbeck, in a steel cage

2009-05-20T12:21:00.002-04:00

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is the hottest person I've ever hated. Here she gets waterboarded in a political discussion with Jesse Ventura.

this isn't over cat!

2009-05-19T14:13:00.004-04:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Daily/Colbert - Keyboard Cat

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Economic Crisis

Political Humor

I finally find the Keyboard Cat funny.

Fancy Nancy

2009-05-19T02:18:00.000-04:00

a poem by Mike Huckabee

Here's a story about a lady named Nancy
A ruthless politician, but dressed very fancy
Very ambitious, she got herself elected Speaker
But as for keeping secrets, she proved quite a "leaker."

She flies on government planes coast to coast
And doesn't mind that our economy is toast
She makes the Air Force squire her in their military jets
There's room for her family, her staff, and even her pets.

Until now, she annoyed us, but her gaffes were mostly funny;
Even though it was painful to watch her waste our tax money.
But now her wacky comments are no laughing matter;
She's either unwilling to tell the truth, or she's mad as a hatter!

She sat in briefings and knew about enhanced interrogation;
But claims she wasn't there, and can't give an explanation.
She disparages the CIA and says they are a bunch of liars;
Even the press aren't buying it and they're stoking their fires.

I think Speaker Pelosi has done too much speaking;
And instead of her trashing our intelligence officials, it's her nose that needs tweaking.

If forced to believe whether the CIA and her colleagues in Congress are lying;
Or it's Speaker Pelosi whose credibility and career is dying.
I believe in the integrity of the men and women who sacrifice to keep us safe;
Not the woman who has been caught flat-footed, lying to our face.

I say it here and I say it rather clear-
It's time for Nancy Pelosi to resign and get out of here.

eugene levy and hagrid finally team up

2009-05-19T01:29:00.001-04:00

CGI has rendered films like this to automatically come off as parodies. If it was 1991 I would be freaking PSYCHED to see Gooby.

my duster!

2009-05-19T01:00:00.003-04:00

If anyone ever tries to tell you the 80s were the good ole' days, ask them why this video exists and tell them to shut the fuck up.

BTW, more than 3 viewings of this commercial will cause unfortunate enjoyment.

what's nose candy?

2009-05-19T00:47:00.001-04:00

Hey Buzzfeed, I applaud your panache. GREAT LIST

waitin' for a superman

2009-05-18T22:21:00.003-04:00

Stereogum pointed out that as of yesterday, The Flaming Lips album The Soft Bulletin turned 10 years old. They posted this fairly sweet video of Iron and Wine doing my favorite song from it.

doesn't drip

2009-05-17T23:15:00.003-04:00

Sequel to my favorite post on this site since it's rebirth. Not quite as excellent, but I still say WOW every time.

yeah

2009-05-13T01:31:00.002-04:00

360 on pot

2009-05-12T18:04:00.004-04:00

Nice discussion on the legalization of marijuana in which John Walters clings to the outdated principles of the War on Drugs and is not convincing.

the future is here

2009-05-11T17:12:00.003-04:00

Speaks for itself...

sorry, no naomi watts masterbation scenes

2009-05-10T01:48:00.003-04:00

Buzzfeed recently posted this list of the top 5 David Lynch Mashups online. The Dirty Dancing one is particularly well done, though I'm starting to feel like people who make these types of things are missing the point of Lynch's filmmaking.

must stop reading consumerist

2009-05-09T13:32:00.002-04:00

I recently found a hair in the middle of a Hot Pocket. That wasn't as gross as this.

uuuhhhh...got any gum?

2009-05-09T00:57:00.002-04:00

The best thing John Fogerty has ever done was be a part of this story.

im a nerd

2009-05-09T00:42:00.002-04:00

Cuz Star Wars will always be more awesome than Star Trek...

i call them bunnies

2009-05-09T00:23:00.002-04:00

Actually some impressive ideas here from youtube.com user andrewhussie. Someone's been watching a bit too much David Lynch as the comments say the music is actually from Rabbits...

It's really just someone who watched Lynch's Rabbits and put it to a real show. Doesn't mean it isn't impressive. BTW, first "episode" of Rabbits:

Watch the rest on youtube, or go watch Lynch's fantastic film Inland Empire featuring these shorts.

interpretive dance like things in the back ground

2009-05-08T16:07:00.003-04:00

Everyone has seen this? Good, moving on...

tetro

2009-05-07T15:33:00.003-04:00

Trailer for the new Francis Ford Coppola flick Tetro. Alot of people online are saying how good this looks. I say never to be fooled by a good trailer. Though I don't think this really is one. I guess the FFC lost me at Jack, and I hope there is some justification besides his giant ego for this film to be in black and white.

slaughter shack

2009-05-07T15:18:00.002-04:00

I'm sure if you still watch MTV you've seen this (and that you are a
16 year old girl). While I will still not watch the MTV Movie Awards
this year, I feel somewhat of an obligation to post anything with Will
Arnette in it, especially something this funny.

there's something i've been meaning to get off my chest

2009-05-07T15:13:00.002-04:00

Galafianakis is wonderful.

i might like Alfonso Ribeiro better now

2009-05-07T15:09:00.002-04:00

The most likeable movie star on the planet is trying very hard to make everyone hate him.

sorkin crush

2009-05-05T00:53:00.003-04:00

This is a bit out of the norm for the new format of this site, but a lack of content (and a long work day tomorrow) means a few days without any other kind of post. I decided instead to discuss my greatest guilty pleasure.

As a half ass film student I've watched many of the "great" films (still have many more to watch) and I can appreciate a good film with anyone. However, and I was not even aware of this until my recent obsession with show The West Wing, but apparently I have a real thing for films that involve politics. A discussion of my favorites (in no particular order):

The American President (1995)

Oddly enough, this is where my love of political films (and Aaron Sorkin) begins. Not a particularly deep film, not exactly fluff either. It's a Rom Com disguised as a film about politics, and it sucks me right in with one of my favorite casts ever (and one of Michael J. Fox's best roles). It's on TV probably 20 times a year on various cable networks.

"My name is Andrew Shepherd and I AM the President of the United States of America"

Dave (1993)

My favorite Kevin Kline movie and a fairly underrated 90s comedy (with a shockingly high Tomatometer) is one of my earliest political film loves. As I write this I'm learning more that it's not films about politics that I've always loved, just films that took place in the White House.

My Fellow Americans (1996)

Would never be mistaken for an Oscar winning film and I don't have much defense for liking it besides the fact that it involves the presidency and some fantastic actors. Also, Bradley Whitford from The West Wing!

"...hail to the chief, he's the chief and he needs hailing."

Charlie Wilson's War (2007)

More Sorkin love here, though this one is based on a true story. Star power galore (Hanks, Roberts, Hoffman) and a fantastic screenplay make this a great film. Sorkin is the king at keeping a film deep and technical yet fun and full of personality at the same time.

JFK (1991)

The only film on this list I consider to be a true masterpiece. Oliver Stone took great liberties with the facts surrounding John Kennedy's assassination and the investigation into it. The film is almost entirely dialogue, yet still extremely visual. The editing, the numerous cameos, the only role where I don't hate Kevin Costner, and the Donald Sutherland scene are just a few reasons why this film is so enjoyable. It also seems to say more about how we as Americans view our own history than it does about John Kennedy.

"...back, and to the left...back, and to the left..."

These aren't all of the films that involve politics that I enjoy, but the ones I enjoy the most (couldn't decide if Dr. Strangelove was technically a political film so I left it off of here, though it easily would have topped this list). What else should I see?

poor rodney

2009-05-03T12:42:00.003-04:00

I have a real love for Rodney Dangerfield. I thought this video was going to be horrible, dated, and not funny. Apparently the first 2 are true, but I chuckled throughout the whole thing. Also, Andy freakin' Kaufman!

microwaving cellphones, more fun than microwaving peeps?

2009-05-03T11:41:00.004-04:00

A video that truly amazes me.

do it. faster. makes us. harder. (giggle to self)

2009-05-02T14:15:00.003-04:00

Daft Punk brings joy to my life. Pretending I am them brings even more.

throw your Ws up

2009-04-30T22:23:00.003-04:00

From the forthcoming (believe it when I see it) album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2.

Wu Ooh (feat. Ghostface and Method Man) - Raekwon

Album supposedly out August 11.

'topical'

2009-04-30T22:22:00.000-04:00

rap chop

2009-04-30T17:28:00.003-04:00

This is wonderfully catchy. It also makes you forget about the prostitute...until the "you're gonna love my nuts" part (1:04). Love the editing on this.

better spector; arlen or phil?

2009-04-29T20:10:00.003-04:00

This post by FiveThirtyEight.com nicely sums up similar party moves that are relatable to Arlen Specter.

jacko

2009-04-29T20:06:00.001-04:00

Best thing I've seen all day.

Cute + Creepy = Cupy?

2009-04-29T19:57:00.002-04:00

Glow-In-The-Dark animals = worthwhile scientific progress

getting all swine-ey

2009-04-29T18:51:00.002-04:00

Old Swine Flu warning video here.

swine flu

2009-04-28T15:02:00.003-04:00

Found this interesting map of where Swine Flu has occured.

hominids, cool or scary?

2009-04-28T14:57:00.001-04:00

I didn't have much to post today so I'll give you this article about real life hobbits.

poop drink

2009-04-27T13:07:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to make sure I sufficiently grossed everyone out for the day. Bear Grylls = more man than you.

the importance of the "the" bands

2009-04-27T12:59:00.001-04:00

I really enjoy this post by Idolator. A focus on the mainstream definition of Modern Rock. It is just one man's opinion, but an enjoyable read nonetheless.

i'm sorry to anyone reading who is about to hit play on this video

2009-04-26T15:36:00.003-04:00

So the creepy old dude that was my hero last week, has since been found to be a sex offender and has posted this video which makes me want to cry.

"i just bought a T.O. jersey last week" says Hitler

2009-04-26T15:32:00.002-04:00

G from www.thepineriders.com showed me this video. Apparently it's been around for a while, but the ability to imagine Hitler saying that Eli Manning sucks is great.

shadow youth

2009-04-26T01:41:00.003-04:00

The next in my series where I find a video based on the first song that comes up in my iTunes random. This series is turning out better than I could have imagined. Here is one of my favorite music videos ever for DJ Shadow's "6 Days" directed by Wong Kar-Wei...

But embedding was disabled for the video, here's the link...

DJ Shadow - Six Days (video)

So instead we go to the next song on random and get this great video of Sonic Youth.

in a half shell

2009-04-23T22:57:00.003-04:00

FUCKING YES

(please don't suck like TMNT)

...and in other film news, Roger Ebert gets the mad respect

oh i get it, new jersey is full of garbage

2009-04-23T22:42:00.004-04:00

The Venezuelans gave us a gift. Actually they gave it to New Jersey. Part of the island will be a nature preserve. New Jersey loves nature...

i want to ride my bicycle

2009-04-23T17:14:00.004-04:00

I'm not usually impressed by people doing stuff like this on bikes/skateboards/snowboards/razor scooters or whatever else people ride, but this guy is really impressive and I dig the Band of Horses song that plays in the background.

Dizzee Rascal - "Bonkers"

2009-04-23T16:40:00.003-04:00

I really enjoy this tune. It's a long way from his early classic tracks, but its an interesting listen all the way. Also, Dizzee's likeability makes this video alot of fun.

don't worry tony, i think local news is bullshit too

2009-04-22T17:31:00.003-04:00

Danza may be a jerk, but he is still the boss.

not doing that again, it burned

2009-04-22T16:35:00.002-04:00

Um...so this guy fucked the oven at Quizno's? (jealousy is not what I should be feeling right now, but I do love me some original Italian hoagies from Quizno's)

In a fantastic age for commercials it's amazing that Quizno's can still shock. If you aren't somewhat taken aback by this commercial, you need to stop watching appliance fucking porn. To further express Quizno's fantastic marketing, I give you this...

soderbergh + henson

2009-04-22T16:29:00.003-04:00

A preview of the next Steven Soderbergh film... ok...not really, but at this point in his career would anything really surprise you?

many jew jokes

2009-04-22T16:18:00.002-04:00

Early Seth Rogen standup. For a 13 year old, it ain't bad.

Matt and Kim

2009-04-21T15:05:00.003-04:00

Matt and Kim's album Grand was as cute or possibly cuter than their last self-titled album. New video for them is fantastic, with an odd surprise ending. Honestly though, I wonder how they did the whole thing.

Matt and Kim - New Music - More Music Videos

...and she keeps her socks on the whole time!

I like the new one, but this one for "Yea Yeah" (thanks Mikey!) is one of my favorites. You can just tell how much fun it was to make.

creepy old dude, you're my hero

2009-04-21T14:33:00.002-04:00

And I thought it was a slow day for content....

This guy has a whole body of work, go to youtube and watch more.

like the old pirates, but billionaires

2009-04-21T12:38:00.005-04:00

Bummed out about the Pirate Bay verdict? Don't worry, Forbes says Google will help us illegally get music even better.

evil looking

2009-04-21T12:08:00.003-04:00

Just days after Obama shook hands and received a gift from Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Cheney called the images of the encounter "not helpful." "I think it sets the wrong standard," Cheney added.

-from CNN

Well we all know how far the Bush administration's foriegn policy got us...

BTW Cheney, sweet hat (and not evil looking at all)

what's my deal with cosby lately?

2009-04-20T14:38:00.001-04:00

Surpringly SFW video. I shouldn't be having dirty thoughts about Rudy.

passion pit

2009-04-20T14:18:00.002-04:00

Before I saw this new video, I had always pictured the lead singer of
Passion Pit to be some kind of muppet on ecstacy. Apparently he is a
normal dude with a beard. This song has grown on me recently...

The tune:

The Reeling - Passion Pit

she is damn sexy though

2009-04-20T13:35:00.001-04:00

OK, the video blowing up the internet right now (or at least Perez is telling us it is) is this one from the Miss USA pageant last night:

Perez is appalled and immediately after the pageant posted a videoblog about it, calling Miss California a "stupid bitch" (though he apologized for that). My question is this: Why ask the question, if the girl is going to give her honest opinion only to have you go online saying that she should have given the same bullshit, politically correct answer that everyone else gives? Why throw a question like that at her if you were only going to accept one answer?

If she had said she was for same-sex marraige would you have been just as upset? Personally, I think people against same-sex marraige are fairly neanderthal-ish. At the same time, if you aren't going to be open to other people opinions, even when they disagree, you present yourself as just as backwards as you claim them to be.

the funky chicken, the robot

2009-04-20T13:08:00.003-04:00

I came up with this idea for a regular post on this site (a post for
when I have a lack of ideas or other interesting things to post) where
I will go to my iTunes, hit the random, the search in YouTube for
whatever artist comes up. I'm going to post the first video that comes
up from that artist. Thought this might not be a good idea, until my
first one turned out so very very good...

little white bitch, eh?

2009-04-16T15:23:00.003-04:00

I literally forgot about Jamie Foxx beginning as a comic. I also forgot he wasn't actually blind (Really Jamie, another movie where you play a blind guy? It's not like they just give Oscars away for playing disabled people... wait...you mean...they do?) Anyway, recently he wasn't very nice to a girl who I am legally not attracted to yet. Unfortunately for Miley, he wasn't very nice in a very funny way...

He kind of wimped out and apologized, but still managed to fit in a plug for his radio show...

missing mimi and drew

2009-04-16T15:17:00.002-04:00

Though Late Night TV generally blows, Craig Ferguson consistantly reminds us of how great he is with random, unexplained openers like this:

the world explodes from awesomeness

2009-04-16T14:44:00.002-04:00

Someone kill me please. I will never be as happy as I was when I first saw this

hangin with mr cooper

2009-04-16T14:33:00.003-04:00

AC 360 pulls a 180 on the term teabagging. Gergen gets it. Gergen likes it. Gergen laughs.

the best links post ever

2009-04-16T13:47:00.003-04:00

Hulk Hogan gives his career an atomic leg drop.

Oh Best Week Ever blog. For so long I scorned you. Now you make my day. Protest

For something completely different: fast and environmentally friendly trains (sound like death traps to me). Obama's East Coast Bias

My Pens may have won their game yesterday, but they lost in the best marketing of the playoffs. One Cup

"Bauer Comes to Broadway" or "The City That Never Sleeps Because Jack Bauer Might Decide It's a Terrorist and Kill It". Possible title for season 8.

perfume and robot sex

2009-04-16T13:29:00.003-04:00

Chris Cunningham has made some great music videos in the past, but he recently made a perfume commercial more engaging than the majority of Hollywood films.

In case you forgot how great his videos are, here is this:

pirates

2009-04-14T18:57:00.005-04:00

Dick Cheney recently criticized Obama for being weak on terrorism. According to this chart, he was right.

linksies

2009-04-14T13:54:00.002-04:00

Sad day for Phil Spector fans, like me. Sad day for muder fans too, because of course he was guilty. Convicted

In case you don't read the internet: Kanye = Gay Fish. This song is hilarious though. Motherfucking Fish Tank Orgy

Interesting for someone like me who has seen too many Disney movies in their life. Templates

NIce parody of the fanastic early trailer for "Where the Wild Things Are". Poop

While Hollywood recycling these days means bad things, like Will Smith remaking the Karate Kid, it also means good things, like a new Ghostbusters. Ghostbusters 3

in case you forgot, kate winslet won an oscar

2009-04-14T13:50:00.003-04:00

If you've never seen the show Extras, get on it. The show is hilarious, and also, as shown in this video, it can predict the future.

the cos

2009-04-14T12:17:00.001-04:00

Made me smile the first 100 times I watched it today...

Paul Rudd, what an asshole

2009-04-14T12:14:00.002-04:00

Fucking Paul Rudd

He's so cool.

Morrissey

2009-04-13T12:11:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back I saw Morrissey perform here in Pittsburgh. For a 49 year old, he really does still have some pipes. It prompted me to download the Smiths discography torrent. Even with all of that wonderful equal parts jangly guitar and self-loathing Smiths music to listen to, I still just love the rain falling hard on a hum-drum town:

William, It Was Really Nothing - The Smiths

A little solo Morrissey:

Late Night, Maudlin Street - Morrissey

From the same album, that song that played on the commercials during football season:

Everyday is Like Sunday - Morrissey

elf

2009-04-13T11:49:00.002-04:00

Might be my favorite of all viral videos:

Alan Keyes

2009-04-13T11:42:00.002-04:00

Video is from February, but I feel that as a somewhat prominent (at
least, I'm sure, to himself) prominent black figure in American, more
people should see what this man said here and take issue with it.
Though honestly, he is so far beyond ridiculous in this video that you
might want to just laugh at him.

Saturday Night Poopsound

2009-04-13T11:34:00.002-04:00

I really love this Yeah Yeah Yeah's song. My question is, why does
everyone sound shitty on Saturday Night Live. Everytime
some band that doesn't completely blow performs on this show, the next day
there are videos of the performance posted everywhere, and they are always really bad. I'm going to blame the Saturday Night Live sound stage for this one. Take for example:

The infamous Kanye West performance that, in my opinion, was a direct
contributor to South Park labeling him as a "gay fish". But it wasn't all his
fault:

Lesson: if you want a memorable music experience on SNL, film it
before the live taping. And include T-Pain fucking a mermaid:

grab

2009-04-13T10:44:00.002-04:00

Augusta National. A fine cathedral to the sport of golf. Also, a
great place to cop a feel on your woman...

Black Rain

2009-04-10T22:00:00.002-04:00

Black Rain from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

Described by this:

Here we see the HI (Heliospheric Imager) visual data as it tracks interplanetary space for solar wind and CME's (coronal mass ejections) heading towards Earth. Data courtesy of courtesy of the Heliospheric Imager on the NASA STEREO mission.

Working with STEREO scientists, Semiconductor collected all the HI image data to date, revealing the journey of the satellites from their initial orientation, to their current tracing of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Solar wind, CME's, passing planets and comets orbiting the sun can be seen as background stars and the milky way pass by.

Tough to explain just what watching this film feels like, but it's a pretty fantastic experience.

The people who made it: www.semiconductorfilms.com

The Vanish

2009-04-10T12:44:00.001-04:00

Been <3-ing this band recently. Make me want to put on my dancing shoes. Or buy dancing shoes.

Hold On - The Vanish

Heartbeat - The Vanish

The Vanish on Myspace

to doubt again

2009-04-10T12:33:00.002-04:00

I'm a geek, I know, but I'm just loving this picture of the volcano
lightning from Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano.

Rove Calls Biden a Liar

2009-04-10T12:30:00.002-04:00

Karl Rove has got some balls. He recently called the second in command of our country a liar.

Some Links (just like other, successful blogs!)

2009-04-10T12:19:00.002-04:00

Just going to post some stuff I have been enjoying recently:

As stupid as the writer of this question must have been, the ex-geek (ex?) in me still didn't enjoy this: Intelligence Fail

Recently saw Monsters vs. Aliens. Not blown away. While there were no smiling talking animals (not real animals anyway), this still holds true: Pixar vs. Dreamworks

One of the best things I've ever seen For Friday Night Lights fans, watch closely for Matt Saracen: Gobstopper

WORST THING EVER. Except maybe the new Eminem video and song. Saw this a few days ago and knew I had to post it on the reboot of this site: NIGHTMARE

Kind of wish I was Lil Jon: WHAT?!? OK!!

probably could have been doing something somewhat more constructive

2009-04-10T01:52:00.002-04:00

I'm a Guitar Hero fan. This is amazing.

P.S.

2009-04-10T01:16:00.002-04:00

I left on Jimmy Fallon's new show to see how bad he really is (he is
no worse than terrible Conan or Leno who both suck also) only to find
Rachel Maddow wearing what I think are the same glasses that I wear.

Not endorsing smoking cigars (there are kids on the internet)

2009-04-10T00:09:00.006-04:00

Lately I've been thinking of getting back to the Cigarbox writing. A lack of flowing creativity in my life perhaps, or my recent obsession with blogs themselves (though sure enough, I start reading blogs and twitter makes the idea of a blog seem immediately outdated). Blogging is just a way for people to pretend they have things other people want to read about. Or, they post MP3's because they think other people should know just how great and 'authentic' (fuck you Carles) what they are listening to is. Meanwhile, hundreds of other blogs just discovered that music at the same time. Or, like us, they are always a few steps behind, and just enjoy a good tune.

Today on my daily tour of the internet I stumbled across the video of the person playing the cigarbox guitar on the previous post to this one. The playing didn't strike me as anything too special, but it made me think of college, and me and the Green Hornet obsessing over our stupid little blog (and Black Hammer always talking about posting and never posting) and I decided to post it.

Lately, and I can't exactly describe why, but I've taken an obsession to the show the West Wing, which has been off the air for a few years, but I'm sure you all remember it for beating the Sopranos for the big Emmy every year. The song "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was the Ground" was mentioned in the show, which was funny because I had recently been listening to the Dark Was The NIght comp alot (which has a cover version on it by the Kronos quartet). So I Wikipedia'ed it (yes, to me "wikipedia" can be a verb) which led me to the page of the song's creator Blind Willie Johnson, and sure enough, it mentions him starting out on a Cibarbox Guitar. I took two mentions in a day (and my often thinking of starting to write again) as signs that I should just post.

I tell this long story not because it's interesting (it's not) but instead to describe my attempt to get back to this blogging thing. I hope to add more to it than just music (videos, other cool things?). Regardless, I'm sure if anyone is reading, they at least want me to post the songs I just talked about.

Dark Was The Night - Kronos Quartet (Blind Willie Johnson cover)

Cigarbox Guitar

2009-04-09T18:12:00.000-04:00

Fred Armisen in "Obama Plays it Cool" is more William Shatner than Blue Note.

2008-12-22T01:43:00.002-05:00

Still, I enjoyed it.

Just When I Thought I Couldn't Love Rachel Maddow Any More...

2008-12-03T00:26:00.005-05:00

She goes and makes a Wu-Tang reference!

It was during a segment where an Iraqi judge called someone an "Old Dirty Ba'athist." She followed up by saying something along the lines of, "not to be confused with the Ghostface Killah Ba'athist." The joke didn't really land, but she did giggle at it herself and trailed off saying something about the Clan, showing probably at least a passing familiarity with the Wu. Fantastic.

Then, just when it seems like she couldn't be any greater, I scour the internet for a picture of her to put in this post, and I find out that she hates coldplay. So do I! Awesome!

Hear for yourself on her podcast

Oy Division!

2008-11-30T21:28:00.005-05:00

Last night, I had this idea. I realized that I want to start a Klezmer-Rock Joy Division cover band called "Oy Division."

Almost immediately after announcing my intention, I was informed that it'd already been done. I briefly flirted with the idea of a street punk version called "Oi Division," but decided I wasn't as crazy about it. Now you may be asking yourself, "where is all of this coming from?" Well, it's pretty simple. Last night I went to BAM to see the aptly titled documentary Joy Division.

The film was fantastic, far better than my last trip to the movies to see Zach and Miri. The editing and composition were fantastic but the best part of movie was the involvement of so many people who were integral to the band's history. The surviving members of the band all gave lengthy commentary, along with Ian Curtis's extra-marital girlfriend Annik Honoré, Factory Records founder Tony Wilson, graphic designer Peter Saville, and Buzzcock Pete Shelley. The included interviews focused less on what happened and more on how it happened, which made for an extremely compelling story. Near the film's end, however, it was mentioned that the story doesn't conclude with Curtis' death, going on to gloss over the band's transition into New Order. This was the only part of the film I could say I was disappointed with. It seemed odd that filmmaker Grant Gee would make a point of saying how it's important to note that the story doesn't end with Curtis' death, and subsequently end his story with Curtis' death. I've always been curious how a band like Joy Division could evolve into a band like New Order, and I'd hoped this documentary would shed some light on that.

That gripe aside, the film was alternately funny and poignant, and informative. It was playing as part of BAM's Thanksgiving film series, Punk 'n' Pie, which unfortunately is over as of tonight. The movie is available on DVD, however, so if you're even a little interested in some of the stories behind an important band, check it out.

"She's Lost Control" by Joy Division
"Isolation" by Joy Division