Alexander

I just wish Spielburg had set it in 19th century England, like in the book. I don't care about watching New Jersey get trashed...

I used to have a bootleg of the Gaslight tapes and it is great stuff. I'm definitely going to get this when it comes out. Why is everybody so uptight about this, though? I don't normally go to Starbucks, but I've been known to have a hot chocolate there on occasion.

I loved the LOTR movies, so I'll probably see this. I like the fact that it's set in the 30s!

Sounds like a great show! Now if only Reverand Green would come to the Capital District...

These albums were released last Tuesday and I've been listening to them continuously since I got them. The albums are titled "Mexican Standoff," "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and "Got No Strings." All three albums were recorded over a period of three or four weeks in December 2004 and January 2005, which has to be some kind of record. "Mexican Standoff" is Tex-Mex inspired music, some in English and some in Spanish. Standout tracks, so far, include "Match Burns Twice" and "La Cantina el Gato Negro." "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is more of a rock album. "Early Morning Saturday," the lead off track, was written in the 80s and was demoed for the "Captain Swing" album, although not used at the time. "How You Play the Game," "Hardly Gonna Miss Him," and "Used Car Lot" are among the stand outs on this album. "Got No Strings" an absolutely charming Western Swing take on Disney tunes. 'Chelle does fun versions of "To Be a Cat," "Bare Necessities," "Give a Little Whistle" and other songs. Great fun. The three albums are available separately, or you could do as I did and pick up the three CD set titled "Threesome" which collects all three discs into one package (the cost effective option). Highly recommended stuff! Easily Michelle Shocked's best work since "Short, Sharp, Shocked" and "Arkansas Traveller" (although I have all of her stuff and love it).

I agree that this stuff is essential, but I wasn't crazy about the box set itself. When I listen to Otis, Sam and Dave, or Booker T. and the MGs, I tend to like to listen to them all at once. I didn't like having their songs spread out throughout the set. I got rid of it, and replaced it with individual discs by my favorite artists (Johnny Taylor, Eddie Floyd, Carla Thomas, etc.). I don't really regret getting rid of it. It was a case of TOO MUCH of a good thing.

I have both. Two fantastic, smoking sets. Highly recommended!

The Who, "The Kids Are All Right." At least, that's what Michael would have us believe...

My daughter (5) loves Homestar too. We were doing the Thnikkaman the other day. I asked her if I could "have some," and she replied: "Yeah. Shut up, kid."

The Li'l Brudder and Maybe Tenderfoot Too Show!

There go the Thnikkaman!

I know Homestar has been brought up in a couple of threads, but I think it's past time that this brilliantly funny cartoon get its own thread. What's your favorite Homestar character? Favorite cartoon? Line? I'd have to say that my favorite character is Homestar himself. His cockeyed innocence/optimisim is winning and funny. Plus his voice just cracks me up! "Before I drink a tall glass of melonade, I like to eat about 147 Fluffy-Puff Marshmallows!" Strongbad is the Daffy Duck figure in the Homestar universe. He thinks only of himself and hates for anyone else to get the attention. Like Daffy, Strong Bad is also a deeply flawed character who is blind to his faults. He's got a pretty hilarious voice too! "Why you lazy crap for crap!" I've been getting into Teen Girl Squad lately. Issue #9 (just posted yesterday) is one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Driver's Ed'ed! My favorite line? "Here come the Thnikkaman!" So how about some love for Homestar?

My local Borders has REALLY gone downhill in terms of its jazz selection. There was a time when you could find all of the new releases there on any given week, and they were all prominently displayed. Now, you're lucky if they update the new releases bin every OTHER week. When the new Wayne Shorter came out, they got in ONE copy and it was in the section under Wayne's name rather than the new releases bin. If I hadn't looked, I might've assumed they didn't get it in at all! Even worse than the treatment jazz gets (and its pretty bad), is the treatment reggae gets in these stores. The sections are dinky, they have NO selection, and they constantly move (Borders just moved reggae from near soul/R&B to the "world music" ghetto. No one's gonna buy reggae now!). Of course, its a self-fulfilling prophesy: If you don't carry jazz (or reggae), no one's gonna buy it, which justifies not carrying it in the first place...

No, "Year One" is more of an inspiration than a source. The book concentrates on Bruce Wayne's attempts at bringing down the corrupt city government (personified by Commissioner Loeb) and the mob (Falcone) and on Lieutenant Gordon's first year as a cop in Gotham. The Gordan material is brilliant, and not used at all in the film. There's also quite a bit done in the book with a young dominatrix/prostitute who starts dressing up as a cat following her first encounter with a young Bruce Wayne... My favorite sequence in the book is when Bruce tries to go out dressed up as a crazy Viet Nam vet and winds up getting his ass kicked by a bunch of hookers. The League of Shadows does not appear in "Year One" and Rachel is not a character.

It is entirely possible that what they were trying to do was make Gotham distinct from New York City (and, by extention, from Metropolis). At some point, back in the 40s, a decsion was made at DC to set their comics in fictional cities. Superman's Metropolis and Batman's Gotham were always thinly disguised stand-ins for New York. Then came Marvel in the early 60s, which set most if not ALL of its books in New York. Since then, most of DCs books take place in these very poorly conceived settings. Tim Burton's crumbling Gotham was really based on Miller's version in "Dark Knight." "Year One" (also by Miller) is set in a more "realistic" Gotham. I actually appreciated the film's desire to distinguish itself from Burton's films by creating a different Gotham. It looked like a city people might live in, rather than a gothic playground.

I think you've just become collectable!

Can I pretend I didn't think the same thing while the rest of the gang screams at you? ← Hey, you KNOW everyone was thinking it...

Wow...this guy really missed his calling...He shoulda been a priest!

The band will be in Albany at the Egg this Friday on a double bill with M'chell N'dgacello. I'd love to go, but I'm unemployed and broke at the moment!

We had a great day! My daughter and I played all morning, we went to the park this afternoon and out for Japanese for dinner (yum, yum!). Best father's day a dad could have...

My daughter is five years old. We were playing this morning while I was listening to my copy of Sidney Bechet vol.1 (Blue Note, natch). She had me buried under a ton of stuff (blankets, couch cushions, stuffed animals) when the side ended. I told her I needed to get up and turn the record over. She went over the stereo and asked how to do it. I talked her through it (it was really interesting. Raised as she has been on CDs and DVDs she didn't understand the concept of "the other side" at first) and she did it like a pro! I got kinda misty eyed... Nice way to spend father's day, I thought!

Would you ship, or would one have to come and pick it up?

Agreed. I'm loving the version of Led Zeppelin's "The Crunge" with Flea on bass. It's a natural!

MLK has my vote.