J Larsen

What't the deal with Basra? It's been delayed for a long time now.

You mean besides Steely Dan?

PM sent on the mosaics.

I've been trying to get my hands on Smithville for a long time. This is still a good batch, though.

http://www.jazzdisco.org/

How much could the highest paid governor possibly make? A few hundred grand, at the outside, I'd think. With so much money in the college sports system, the best teams are competing with the pro leagues - governor money ain't going to cut it. Edit: Just looked it up: as of 2001, the highest paid gov was that of NY at $179K.

King Sunny Ade is a new name to me. I take it he is/was similar to Fela?

Any comments on the quality of the TOCJs vs. JRVGs and USRVGs?

Aw f---. I just dropped a whole ton of cash on US RVGs...

I liked Rodan back then (Retsin, too). Last time I listened to Rusty it lost me after the first song. I was pretty into June of 44 when they first came out, too. From about 1989 - 1998 or so, I pretty much only listened to indie, hip hop, and the most well-known avant-garde jazz. I think the internet ruined indie, and while I'm sure there is still good hip-hop being made, I don't have the time to seek it out, so I've pretty much just been a jazz dude for the last several years.

I personally think that colleges and universities have no business running a minor league sports system, but I realize I am out of the mainstream on this.

I didn't really think we were disagreeing. I won't claim to be a Slint discography expert, but I know I had a 10" version of Tweez in about 1990, which I sold (I think to Stoopid records) in the late 90s for an amount that blew me away at the time. Sorry for the multiple derailments of the thread - I was bored out of my mind reading an offering memorandum at work. Any idea if Antibalas is going to be playing out anytime soon? (Edit: after a little quick web research, I suppose I could be conflating the Hartman LP of Tweez and the 10" single on T&G, which, to my knowledge was never rare - my memory plays tricks like that on me sometimes - but that would really bug me, because I do very clearly remember owning and selling a 10" version of Tweez. I guess things like that can happen when you've owned way too many records and you have a questionable memory for detail in the first place, though.)

I take it that the Tonic show has been canceled. Did you get an alternate venue? PS: In case you hadn't heard, this is what I am referring to: http://www.tonicnyc.com/

I realize that, but the problem I have (and that a couple others around here *may* have) is that it is really difficult for me to seperate how he has produced records in the past from the content of the records he has produced in the past. Maybe Bright Eyes has an outstanding producer, but it would be really hard for me to hear that given my distaste for his music.

Bastro are fine, but if you ever have heard Rhys Chatham's tune "Drastic Classicism," ya got all ya need right there - and without any hammer-hurling... Apparently there was an all-girl punk band in the '90s from Louisville called Rastro, which I find quite funny. Fuck Tortoise, the Sea and Cake, hell, fuck Slint too (overrated). CA bitch magnet My quote didn't make any sense - I was trying to say that I like some of the Gastr stuff but am not wild about any of it. I guess I feel the same way about Bastro - it's fine enought, but it's hard to see what the fuss is about. I'd take Rhys over either band any day, but I have to say I'd never really seen a connection there. Slint are probably overrated, but that's not their fault. I've always liked them (since the days when Tweez was a 10" record).

WTH? I thought you were the one behind the "play along, let's fool Aric" thing. Did you notice all the edited posts? Anyway, I think a few were fooled. Not me. Me too...

The rate of the transformation of Bowery is staggering. Crash Mansion has to be one of the most embarrassing new-ish institutions in lower Manhattan.

Anyone up for a trip to London in July?

I have to agree with that - the new pricing (esp on the cdrs) ain't that hot either, but I'm sure they have five-figure rent and are doing what they have to do to survive.

Not quite. It ain't park avenue - not yet. Norfolk, atrocious blue condo notwithstanding, is still pretty dingy. But for the most part, the heroin dealers are out and cheesy bars are in.

Wish they'd have another one. Soon! The last one was just a couple months ago - it's probably another couple months off. I have some McCoy Tyner and Randy Weston OJCs to catch up on!

Didn't someone back on the BNBB once mention that these performances might have been taped?

All true. I don't know Watt, but he is a close friend of a friend.

I'm a bit too young to have caught the Minutemen (who I still think are one of the best rock acts of my lifetime), but I was around for the first Firehose tour. The Minutemen were a much better band, though...

Yep, the sale must have been expanded within the last week.