Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Bradley's Almanac has last Friday's Arcade Fire show from TT Bears in Cambridge, MA up for download. In other concert download news.... For you torrent savvy kids out there, you can download Guided By Voices show from last Thursday in San Diego by clicking here. ***Note: Website registration required (Free).

U2's new LP receives great reviews in the NY Times today. Here are some choice quotes:

"There's cathedrals and the alleyway in our music," Bono said. "I think the alleyway is usually on the way to the cathedral, where you can hear your own footsteps and you're slightly nervous and looking over your shoulder and wondering if there's somebody following you. And then you get there and you realize there was somebody following you: It's God."-Bono

"Bono's mother was a Protestant and his father a Catholic, and when he was a schoolboy he was severely beaten up when walking through a Catholic neighborhood in the uniform of his Protestant school. Speaking just days after the American presidential election, which might have hinged on the votes of evangelical Christians, Bono said: 'I don't talk about my faith very much, because the people you might want to talk with, you don't want to hang out with. To have faith in a time of religious fervor is a worry. And, you know, I do have faith, and I'm worried about even the subject because of the sort of fanaticism that is the next-door neighbor of faith. The trick in the next few years will be not to decry the religious instinct, but to accept that this is a hugely important part of people's lives. And at the same time to be very wary of people who believe that theirs is the only way. Unilateralism before God is dangerous."

"Religion is ceremony and symbolism," he added. "Writers live off symbolism, and performers live off ceremony. We're made for religion! And yet you see this country, Ireland, ripped over religion, and you see the Middle East. Right now, unless tolerance comes with fervor, you'll see it in the United States."

Thursday, November 11, 2004

It's here!!!! STONG BAD E-MAILS ON DVD!! I've been waiting for this for over a year!!! If you don't know about Homestar Runner leave this site now and spend five hours checking it out!

Guided By Voices recent performance on Austin City Limits is reviewed by The Daily Texan. Look for the episode to air in early January.

Tuesday, November 9, 2004

Today, Guided By Voices taped a performance to be aired on Austin City Limits!! Looking at the ACL TV schedule, I'm betting it will air on January 22. If I find out any news, I'll make sure and post it!

In other GBV news...Guided By Voices will be on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on December 2!!! Set your TiVo because this will be the LAST time you'll ever see GBV on national televison!! Well, besides the Austin City Limits performance on January 22!

For all you XBox owners out there, Halo 2 came out today! This game makes me want to go out an purchase an XBox...however, I'll have to be happy with my PS2 and play GTA: San Andreas!

Saturday, October 30, 2004

Tomorrow is Halloween and Lily Kate has decided to be a beautiful ballerina! We think she looks excellent! For all you trick-or-treaters out there, have fun, be safe, and stay away from my pumpkin you rotten kids!!!

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Just when I thought I was going to sell my old iPod on eBay and buy a new one, Apple comes out with the iPod Photo and the U2 iPod SE. Well, I don't really care about the U2 model, but I'm all over the iPod Photo! From what I've read, you can create slide shows on the iPod and have music in the background! Pretty cool! I could carry all of my photos of Lily Kate around with me. All 2,246!!! Oh, well, with the price point starting at $500, I don't think I'll be upgrading any time soon.

My main page was getting a little too large so we had to archive some of my earlier posts. ARCHIVE PAGE 1 ARCHIVE PAGE 2.

Monday, October 25, 2004

Friday night I, along with my wife Sally, and good friends Tom, Jason, and Missy were at the Southgate House in Newport, Kentucky to watch the mighty Guided By Voices RAWK out one last time. And what a night it was.

Since Tom drove from Toronto, he came to our house on Thursday night. (For a brief history of why Tom's visit is significant read my show report.) Friday afternoon we made the hour trip from Lexington to Newport and checked in to our hotel. After attempts at naps, some snacks, a trip to the hotel gym, and a couple of showers later, we met up with Jason and Missy to head over to Bar Louie at Newport on the Levee for the pre-show meal. While we were eating, the large group at the table next to us, which we were paying no attention to, got up to leave. I looked over an it was no other the Robert Pollard, lead singer of Guided By Voices, and his crew! We had been eating by them for about half-an-hour and not even noticed. Boy are we living in our own little world.

After our meal, we made the 100 yard walk to the Southgate House and found a pretty good table in the balcony. Around 9:30, Tobin Sprout took the stage and played a great set. At around 11:00, GBV took the stage and it was obvious from the very first slurred word out of Robert Pollard's mouth that we were in for a very entertaining evening. Yes, he was absolutely trashed! And anyone who knows anything about GBV's live shows, Robert Pollard's drunkenness can actually add to the value of his performance. However, this time, I feel it hurt his vocal performance, but didn't hurt the overall experience of the night. The set list was a pure dream to fans of early albums and mixed with the best songs off their latest album.

However, I am saddened that that was the last time I'll ever see the most important and prolific band of the last twenty years play live. I can honestly say, the music of GBV changed my life. It made me more creative, and pushed me to make those around me to be more creative as well. When I'm 80 years old, I'll still be listening to Guided By Voices. Thank you for sharing your art Mr. Pollard. I look forward to your solo work. As the t-shirt I purchased at the show said: Mission Accomplished!

Like I mentioned in the above post, our good friend Tom "B-Side" Skarratt came down from Toronto to visit and go to the GBV show. It was absolutely fantastic to visit with and spend time with our good friend Tom. Hands down, one of the nicest guys I know. Keep the faith my friend and we'll see you again soon!

NOTE: TODAY'S POST IS ASHLEE SIMPSON FREE!!! FIND ANOTHER BLOG THAT DID THAT!!! Why? You Ask...Because WHO CARES!!!

Thursday, October 21, 2004

You win some and you lose some. That would be a good way to explain my day at Keeneland Race Course yesterday. However, I really can't complain. I ate well, I drank well, and had a great time without it costing me anything. Yep, I broke even and that's a good day at the track for someone who doesn't know anything about horse racing. It was a guys day out with my good friends Bill, who got us box seats, and Andrew. If you're ever in Lexington, KY in April or October, I highly recommend that you take a day and go to Keeneland. There truly is nothing like it any where else. It's how horse racing should be. Keeneland is a very beautiful and classy place. In fact, many of the horse race scenes in the movie Seabiscuit were filmed there.

Like I've said earlier, I've had this week off. So on Tuesday, I did something I hadn't done in a long time. First I went to my favorite local record store CD Central and picked up the new Doug Gillard LP, which is fantastic. Then I walked down to Tolly-Ho, an excellent burger joint, and got a "Super-Ho" with cheese and a side order of cheese fries!!! Oh my word. It was sooo good!!! Now it may not sound like a big deal to go to a record store and then eat at a greasy spoon restaurant. However, going to CD Central used to be a part of my weekly routine before my daughter was born. This trip was only my second visit in 8 months! And eating at Tolly-Ho is something my body will only allow once every six months or so. Needless to say, it was a great ME day.

ONE DAY UNTIL MY LAST GBV SHOW!!!!!!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

THREE DAYS UNTIL MY FINAL GBV SHOW EVER!!! My friend Tom is driving down from Toronto, my buddy Jason is coming in from Louisville, my brother-in-law Peter is coming down from Cleveland, and even my wife Sally is going to celebrate our last GBV show together! Wow! I can't believe this will be my last GBV show! It will be one heck of a night! The Southgate House is sold out and will be rocking! If anyone who reads this is going to the show, drop me an e-mail!!!!

If any of you have kids or work in early childhood education, you're probably familiar with the book, 'Everyone Poops'. It's a classic tale of how all of us, you, me, Jessica Simpson, we all poop. Well, one of my favorite bands, Over The Rhine have written and released a wonderful supplemental song called, The Poopsmith Song. Yes, this song is for kids who need to learn how to keep their business in the toilet, but oh how it makes me smile.

Friday, October 15, 2004

My good friend Steve Beard of Thunderstruck is about to turn the big 4-0! And what a better way to celebrate than to take a road trip from Memphis to New Orleans with your best bud!! While on their journey, Steve and Troy will be posting images and experiences from the trip on their travel blog. Happy 40th guys!!!

IT'S TIME FOR UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY BASKETBALL!!!! Tonight at midnight, the madness begins with UK Wildcat basketball kicking off their first practice. I don't know about where you're from, but here in Lexington and around the state of Kentucky, it's time to get excited and talk about how UK will win the NCAA championship this year. GO CATS!!!

This next week I'll be off from work. I'll be taking in a day at Keeneland Race Course (mandatory for an October in Lexington) and wrapping the week up with my final Guided By Voices show at the legendary Southgate House in Newport, KY. More on that later....

Monday, October 11, 2004

Tomorrow Duran Duran releases their first new album in years. Time to get out the pinstriped jeans, Generra sweatshirts, and Wayfarer sunglasses and dance the night away to the pop grooves of DD!!

The movie 'Saved!' is now out on DVD. If you're over sensitive about movies that satire over bearing evangelical Christians, then please rent this movie, you may need this as a wake-up call. Jeffery Overstreet has an excellent review of the film.

Monday, October 4, 2004

Today is my mom's birthday! Happy Birthday Mom!!! Sally, Lily Kate and I love you very much!

I have been digging the new Arcade Fire album for the past few weeks. It was much to my delight that I found out that they will be playing here in Lexington on November 22 at The Dame.

Since Guided By Voices is calling it a career at the end of the year, Doug Gillard isn't wasting any time in releasing his new solo album,Salamander. You can download the track, "Symbols, Signs" and pre-order the album at Pink Forest Records.

Friday, October 1, 2004

The Sundance Channel will feature a month of great rock films through November. Ondi Timoner's new film DIG! will kick off the series November 6, at 9:00 PM. Check out Yahoo Finance for more details and full listings.

Today I called the head counselor at the Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp and she told me that they only accept girls age 12 through 18 and that my daughter Lily Kate would have to wait eleven-and-a-half years before she could enroll! Lily Kate was devastated!