Alexander

As it happens, "A Bigger Bang" really was a great album. They also say that every new Paul McCartney album is his "best in 25 years." I don't think he's done anything really good since "Band On the Run" myself...

Well, Eliot's gone. I'm sad to see him go. He was my favorite. Now I'll have to root for Taylor (my next favorite). I KNEW it would come down to one goofball and the bombshell (Kat). I have a feeling that she's going to win...

Her performance on "A Song For You" was actually quite good. She avoided her trademark oversinging for the most part (I'm sure Herbie told her to calm that stuff down). I agree that she has a good voice, but I'm just so damn sick of these "standards" projects...

Anyone notice Kat's (substandard) Jane Monheit impression last night?

See, I can get behind that. Lovett has the right kind of voice for "Gee Baby."

What pisses me off is that no-talent hacks like Bolton and people who were once good at something else (like Stewart back in his Faces and Jeff Beck glory days) are ruining the standards for everyone else. It's become a cop-out: Once you're too old to rock, you do the Cole Porter songbook. It helps to classify the standards as "old-people" music (recorded by old folks FOR old folks!).

Indeed! In fact, I'm sure that if you didn't know, you'd think he was some sort of genius (no one ever understands genius in its own time).

The hilarious thing is that his accent is so thick, I'm sure the interviewer didn't have a clue what he was saying or that she had the wrong guy!

I'd love to know what the difference is between "Classics" and "Originals". Sounds like the marketing department just couldn't make up their minds. Apparently the original classics were to have been classified as originals to avoid any confusion with the classic originals originally classified as classics. The original classic sleeves have been retained in their classic original form for the classics, vice versa for the originals. Classic! And quite original too!

Mine is Ignatz Mouse from George Herriman's classic comic strip, "Krazy Kat" which ran from about 1916 until his death in 1944. I'd say that this is a circa 1923 Ignatz drawing, which is my favorite era of the strip. Many people prefer (for good reason) the color strips that ran from the mid-30s on, but I've always loved the black and white sunday strips and the 1920s-era drawing style...

Me, I go for both the Costello and Presley varieties...

My understanding (after reading both volumes of Guralnick's bio) is that Elvis played enough to get by on rhythm guitar, but that after he got out of the army he seldom played (in public) at all. He certainly could play more than "one note," however. As for Elvis's importance, it's undeniable. He was a great, great vocalist. If last night's Idol proved anything it's that the songs Elvis sang were more challenging than he made it look. Chris's lifeless walk through "A Little Less Conversation" made that abudently clear...

I would have gone for the RVG of "Birth of the Cool" over the "Complete" in terms of sound...

Funny thing. I just discovered this thread (never saw it when it was new) and I wanted to point out the mention of my uncle (by marriage) Paul Ostermeyer. Paul's the sweetest guy I've ever met and is a hell of a musician. He played with Leonard Cohen for a while (I got to see Leonard for free back in the early 90s because of Paul, a wonderful concert that I would have gladly paid to see). Paul has recorded with my aunt Suzi (his sister-in-law) on several occasion (as has Mitch Watkins). They did an amazing version of "So What" with lyrics by Suzi. Suzi (who still performs in the Austin area) has also collaborated with Joe Henderson. Very cool family to be apart of.

My favorite jazz album cover in a movie is in "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Unlike the in novel where the character is a talentless painter, Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) is a jazz fan/saxophone player. When Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) gets close to Dickie, he starts listening to jazz as well. At one point, in his apartement, we see a Miles Davis album cover. This one, to be exact: Did I mention that the movie is set in the late 50s?

Dave Douglas has worked on a couple of projects with a cellist named Peggy Lee (no, not HER). I like what I've heard of her on albums like "Mountain Passages."

What about the 2 CD 60's Soundtrack set? Used to own it. Got rid of it because there was a little too much chaff compared to the amount of wheat, if you take my meaning. I might pick it up again someday. I do miss having "Viva Las Vegas," "Roustabout," "GI Blues," "Return to Sender," and "A Little Less Conversation."

"New Jersey: What the Hell are YOU Looking At?"

Haven't seen the first two MI movies, but I'm interested in seeing Hoffman in this. He looked like a great villian in the previews...

I have the following: All three are great sets. Really, all the Elvis you'll ever need (although I am thinking about getting the gospel box)...

Yes! Very, very cool!

"You fuckin'-nincom-fuckin'-poop!"

As I understand it, this film (while not a direct sequel) is meant to take place after the events of "Superman II" (effectively negating both III and IV, thank God). Following the confrontation with the Kryptonian villians in that film, Superman has (apparently) left earth for several years (nearly a decade, I think). At the same time, the Daily Planet staff obviously believes that Clark Kent has left for greener pastures. This film deals with what happens when Superman returns to earth and Kent returns to Metropolis (hence the film's title, "Superman Returns"). Now, you can tell that this film is meant to be a part of the series begun in "Superman" and "Superman II." First of all, the music from the earlier films is being used in this film. Secondly, in the teaser trailer that has been around for a while now, Marlon Brando's dialogue as Jor-El is used (in addtion, you can see Brando's face among the crystals in the Fortress of Solitude while Luthor is prowling around there). Ma Kent's line (heard in the preview) Clark's father believed that Clark was here "for a reason" echoes a line in the first "Superman" film. Clearly, this is intended to be a part of that cycle. The scenes relating to Clark's childhood will probably be seen in flashback, rather than starting the whole story from scratch. So no, this is not meant to be a rehash of the same story. I'd like to see some more villians from the comic book in the films. Only Luthor and Zod came from the comic (III and IV had "new" villians written for the movies). I'd like to see Brianiac, Metallo, and some of the others in upcoming films. As to what excited me so about this trailer? Well, I was about eight when the first "Superman" film was released, and I saw it in the theater. I loved it, of course. I have a theory that Superman has to be older than you, which means that whichever actor played Superman when you were a kid is the "real" Superman. For my dad, the "real" Superman was George Reeves. He *liked* Christopher Reeve, but he couldn't take the place of the "real" thing in his mind. This is part of the reason that I've never been able to get into "Lois and Clark" or "Smallville." These guys just aren't SUPERMAN to me. But this guy was clearly chosen because he closely resembles (and even sounds like) Christopher Reeve. So he is meant to appeal to people (like me) who were kids when the first films were released, while also becoming the "real" Superman to kids like my daughter. I guess it excites me because it reawakens all of the feelings of wonder I felt when I watched Christopher Reeve flying accross the screen when I was eight. He made this eight year old believe that a man could fly. That's what I felt watching this preview...

Superman Returns trailer Watch...and be amazed. I cannot WAIT to see this! Being a HUGE fan of the Christopher Reeve films (well, the first two anyway), I admit that I was very skeptical that they could pull off another Superman film without him. But this looks incredible. Watch the kid playing Superman/Clark Kent. He's really channelling Reeve. And Kevin Spacey! He's perfect as Luthor (he's definitely got a Gene Hackman thing going on here). June 30th can't come fast enough! There's really only one question... Is it too soon?