Rooster_Ties

Not within the span of Costello discs you're interested in, Jim, but I highly recommend the Rhino double-disc of "Juliet Letters" (the one with just Elvis and a string quartet). Just listened to this the other day (hadn't in 5 years), and ended up spinning it three times in a row. Really an amazing work. (Actually, I'm back in KC now, working on the house -- and could only spin my old single disc version, so I'm looking forward to hearing the bonus disc again when I finally get to DC in a couple months).

I don't have just a few, but rather probably 25-30 dates I've gotten a little "obsessive" over, over the years. But nothing that really rises to the top of those 30 though. When I get like that about a recording, I usually burn myself out on it, and it slides into a more regular rotation level -- still occupying a special place in my mind, even if I never return to it with quite the same level of ferocity. For instance, I must have spun Passing Ships and that third (crazy) disc of the Hill BN Select 50 times each within the first 6 months after I got them (same goes with The Trainwreck™ ) -- but I don't think I've spun either any more than 6-8 times in any given year since. Pretty much all my "obsessive" listening goes like that. 50 spins in a few short months, and then I don't ever need to hear it as much ever again (even if it still gets more spins than average).

How is the sound quality of the two circulating Miles/Rivers dates? I understand one is a soundboard (probably the one I've heard, which sounded quite decent), but how's the other one?? Miles ahead says an "audience recording".

Saw this just now on Reddit... John Stamos' reply to rumors he will be on Two and A Half Men... PS: I've never seen Two and A Half Men. Not one episode, not 2-minutes, not even 10-seconds. CBS doesn't get watched much in our house, so I don't even think I've seen any promos for it (though my wife probably has, if/when college hoops is on CBS).

Not exactly "heights" (although the elevation drop must be quite a hell of a lot)... ...in any case, this is pretty jaw-dropping: http://vimeo.com/9970489 This next one is even more rugged/severe (same location, different course - from a previous year) -- one bike chases another one down the course (edited to alternate camera views), each with head-mounted cameras: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56kJ99AvfoI And here's another rider from the same course (same year) as the first clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO0VLouJFNQ

This is architectural, but similar (strangely) to the carved books I started this thread with (Similar HOW?? - CLICK, and find out!!) It's a slide-show with text descriptions on the right, click the green forward and backward buttons near the upper right corner. There's also a short article down below the slide-show (visible on any slide). Note: These are NOT renderings -- but actual, physical objects. (And might even be cooler than the books!) More images on the artist's website HERE. Edit: I think some of these (above?) are computer renderings, but this one (below) is REAL...

There's a LOT of history of counterfeits of these Beatles sets, so I would imagine that would be in your favor too.

Check the Wikipedia entries for each title you're interested in. The track-listings and bonus material for all the various configurations are listed, practically side by side. The Rhino's look the most comprehensive to me, in terms of studio material -- while the Hip-O's seem to focus on live bonus material (with a fair number of studio extras). I'm a sucker for bonus material, and find that depending on the artist, Wikipedia is usually the best resource to sorting out what reissues have what bonuses.

Thanks for this post Dan. We all ran Scott off this board and we all lose. I certainly don't think he's correct all the time but as I said a while back (and offended him), he's a good generalist. Never good? For anyone? I'll take a reviewer with their share of factual errors, but good general insights most of the time -- over one that's a lot more accurate, but with more esoteric notions/opinions about music. For a site like Allmusic, which caters to a very broad and wide constituency, I believe they (and even we) are better off with the former. Saying Scott Yanow is "never good" is like saying Wikipedia (in total) is so bad (and there are plenty who say that) because it has some stuff wrong, while getting so much so right. Now I admit I'm comparing apples and oranges, because Wikipedia doesn't traffic in Opinion like Allmusic -- but I go to Allmusic as much or more for opinion as facts. The facts most people go there for are at least as accurate as the collective output of the world of semi-serious jazz criticism (taken as a whole). Should it be better? Yeah, sure, but shouldn't everything? I'm with Chuck and Dan on this one. When the good outweighs the bad, it's counterproductive to hammer incessantly at the bad, at the expense of the good. Edit: See .:.impossible's post immediately above this one for one supporting argument. I don't reference Allmusic as much as I did 5 and 10 years ago (at least jazz), but they're still my go-to site for a first take on anything music related. What, pray tell Chris, would you suggest as a better option? Please point me to a better alternative.

What's on the Rivers set? Anybody know yet?? Lots of speculation, not much hard info yet. Maybe this has been answered before, but do we know yet if it will be a big-box, or a Select?

Q: How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb?

There's lots more examples of this guy's stuff on his website: HERE, and then scroll down. The two most recent years are blank; those are on his his Flickr feed. Interesting to see what he was doing back in 2005 & 2006, and how his work has evolved into ever more complex projects since then.

Didn't I read somewhere that they released a 'play-along' CD of the Keith Jarrett songbook, where it was just grunts and groans (but no piano)?

Just stumbled on this on Reddit, and had to share... Insane art formed by carving books with surgical tools (and the Reddit thread discussing it) Here's a good example, but there are several more at the link above.

Here's some solo alto-clarinet -- for those who haven't seen/heard one in action.

Hi all, Was listening to a few things I hadn't heard in some time, including one that happened to feature two or three tracks with alto clarinet (Joe Lovano's "Universal Language", BN 1993) -- and I know Joe's played alto-c on at least a couple other dates. Heard him live with one (in a piano-less quartet), in the spring of '95 I think. I've always wished alto clarinet were played more often (it just isn't that common, I gather). To me, it combines the best of both clarinet and bass clarinet (particularly in the lower register, which I prefer in all clarinets). The one time I heard Don Byron live, as much as he played in the high register (and altissimo especially) -- all night I was wishing he played alto instead (I just can't seem to process lines and notes that high up). Actually, I wish he'd lay off the altissimo entirely, sheesh!! Back to actual alto clarinet recordings: I know of one track from Frank Foster's "Manhattan Fever" (BN 1968, specifically from the bonus session on the Conn, the last track IIRC) that claims to be alto clarinet, though I've gone back and forth between believing it and thinking it's a regular Bb (standard). Seems like I'm forgetting a few other examples. Pretty sure Anthony Braxton has played it a number of times (since he's played damn near everything with a reed). The Wikipedia entry for the instrument says: "A few jazz musicians, Hamiet Bluiett, Vinny Golia, J. D. Parran, Petr Kroutil, Joe Lovano and Gianluigi Trovesi among them, have played the alto clarinet." Any particular dates people can recommend?? It seems like such a 'reasonable' instrument (neither too high, nor low), and it's such a shame it's so rarely played.

FWIW, I've seen a few Rock shows appear on WV, only to disappear less than a week later. The only specific one coming to mind is a couple Robert Plant solo shows from the early 80's (1983 I think) which I think were broadcasts from King Biscuit, but I know there have been others.

Which one?

His collection of Blue Note covers is well-known around these parts, but I didn't realize all the non-jazz stuff on his site. His collection of vintage lamps is lovely, especially the Deco-era ones!! (And don't overlook the small "next page" arrows on each page.) Interesting guy.

Sounds interesting. Da Bastards have it, and describe it thusly...

History will not forget... Elektric City Side-observation: Video on a Mac Plus was apparently better than I remember it being.

My first thought was, how in the hell do you survive on the road? I'm assuming the band eats out for a number of their/your meals. Amazing if you've managed to figure out what you can and can't eat at restaurants.

Interesting article about the impact of Libya's oil-production on the world oil market. Spare Capacity Theory and the Libyan Disruption

Whereas I'm barely over 40, and I'll only download something if it's NOT available on CD (and I practically never download). I do settle for burns from time to time, to "tide me over" until I can find a legit copy (used, if OOP). I'm no absolute purist as far as wanting to adhere to copyrights (though I'll admit that's part of it). I just trust physical media WAY more than downloads -- since I presume I'll want to hear much of this same stuff 20 years from now and beyond. Yeah, physical media has it shortfalls too -- still, I'll take it over managing a huge collection on a hard-drive, with the worry of data becoming corrupt, lost, and/or not playing back 10+ years from now (and the associated hassles of converting files to keep up with format changes).