If you are like me and are either unable to understand or lack the patience to actually listen to and understand Led Zeppelin songs, the Viking Kittehs are here to save the day and translate with word bubbles and visuals the "Immigrant Song". Go watch it.
I was flipping through the June/July issue of Bust magazine, when I came across a picture of three ladies that looked like they could be my homegirls. Now I don't usually judge a book by it's cover, but if you are Latina and you look like super cool rock chicks, I want to know more about you.
Girl in a Coma is a band from Texas that has been playing together for six years. Their name pays homage to the Smiths song Girlfriend in a Coma. I suppose the lead singer sounds like Morrissey a bit, but there are quite a few audible influences in their songs-country, punk-all good stuff.
And if they are good enough for my girl crush Joan Jett, they better be good enough for you! Check out their songs and videos on My Space as well.
Remember how fun it was kicking around that big red ball in elementary school? Adults are reliving that with kickball being all the rage right now. WAKA which is also known as the World Adult Kickball Association has really taken off in the United States over the past few years. The league is in midseason right now but sign up for next season! Check out: http://www.kickball.com/
Just when I get my Trophy Queen Streamliner handbag, and I think my life is complete, Jenny Parker goes and does this to me:
Oh MY GOD! That bitch is designing shoes! Life just got a whole lot better!
Now I can have shoes and handbag that match, and my life really WILL be complete.
This is why God gave us credit cards, Wanda. Breathe, breathe, breathe.
Just so you know, my laptop got stolen, which is why I've been gone for a while. And you thought I was ignoring you! Yep, swiped right outta my own house. It wasn't even like I took it to Krgystan and lost it or something. Theives broke into my house, fingered everything, and took the laptop. And the most humiliating, aggravating, devastating part of all? I DIDN'T HAVE MY PHOTOS BACKED UP. I get teary talking about it. Just learn from my mistake. Back up your photos.
In any case, I bought a new Dell Inspiron e1705, and here it is:
I'm enjoying the 17" display and the various bells and whistles. The wide screen gives me the opportunity to have multiple screens open with real estate to spare, so I can shop online and compare sites. Heaven! I haven't had a chance to play with Vista, so I'll reserve judgement on that. And so far, I haven't downloaded any photos, so I haven't backed them up yet. But I'm planning on it. Oh, yes, I'm planning on it.
And did I mention that my new Dell came with LoJack? That's right. I pity the fool that tries to steal this puppy and finds me at their door.
Just a heads up that Yep Roc duo, The Moaners, are hitting the road with Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter! Their publicist, Jenny, says "the Moaners have managed to capture the unapologetic sexuality of Polly Jean Harvey and combine it with the raw amplified blues of the Fat Possum crowd." That's sort of true. I think of Tom Waits as a woman playing a saw.
We already know I love Jesse Sykes: moody, spacey, dreamy alt country so slow and sad it makes the Cowboy Junkies sound like dance music.
I also love Bordello, L.A.'s sexiest new bar. Can you say romance? Can you say classy? Jen took me there for my birthday and bought me expensive drinks. Thanks, Jen!
But why Wednesday night? I don't love Wednesday night, and it doesn't love me. It's so far from Friday, they're not even speaking. Do what you can. That's all I ask.
Small Things Design is a company making the sweetest jewelry I've lusted over in a while. They are yet again proving that everything that comes out of Portland is pretty great: Viva Voce, K Records and a bunch of other stuff that really gets me excited about music and art. The story behind Small Things is pretty neat too. Teresa Robinson was studying art in Mexico, took a jewelry making class on a whim, moved back to Portland to just bust out hand-cut jewelry and make it her fulltime gig. Sigh. Maybe I'm just a little jealous, but her art is so sweet I just can't hate on her. Her old line entitled "Flora vs. Fauna" featured darling animals & plants cut out of silver and layered over colored glass. The stag and cherry are my personal favorites.
The big news, however, is that each new line she creates becomes more and more adorable than the first which brings me to her newest line "Bits and Pieces". While the other lines give me more of a simple, clean, refined, Swedish-feel (Think Lotta Jansdotter), these pieces are strictly tongue-in-cheek for the young or young at heart. This collection has rings, bracelets and necklaces with hammered metal and cute pressed images like apples, diamonds and scissors. The umbrella style also steals my heart. All jewelry is made from .925 sterling silver and handmade - I know I've already said that but it sort of blows my mind. Yes, I would categorize Teresa as an "Indie" jeweler, but she retails and wholesales too and not just at tiny stores at big stores like Something Silver in California (though not on the web site). This must mean hours upon hours spent cutting tiny birds into metal and I can definitely respect that. Teresa's goods can be purchased at an array of California (and national) stores or at her web site. Give it a look!
Ready.....Aim....
FIRE!
"Darling, they're playing our song."
The Corporate World is everywhere today. Women and Men working in small cubicles side by side, having to deal with comments and remarks. It's a virtual plethora of hormones to be dealt with. If I were a man, I would keep to myself and mind my own business, just like the guys in this video have done! Cheers and Happy Law Suits!
This week I heard Kevin & Bean interview the Loch Ness Monster on KROQ, saw a car in the left-turn lane with its right-turn signal on, and watched a high-speed car chase on FOX. Does life in LA get any better?!
(Please notice I didn't say anything about Paris Hilton. I'm sick of hearing about her, and so are you.)
Trucker Up's Southbound Sandi gave me quite a talking-to yesterday, expressing her disappointment and frustration with me that I had not posted this earlier ("I count on you!"), so here goes: there's a new classic country station broadcasting at 540 AM, XESURF. I haven't been able to get a clear signal in LA, but apparently Sandi has been able to. I could sort-of pick it up driving to Long Beach tonight, but you'll get better reception in Orange or San Diego Counties, since the transmitter's based in Mexico. "The Zoo" moniker is a tribute to the San Diego Zoo.
AM. Isn't that where real country belongs?
Last Tuesday, as I was riding my bike home from work, I noticed a KLOS booth set up in front of a Starbucks. Investigating further, I discovered it was a promotion for the release of the new Paul McCartney album on the Starbucks label. Under the big top was Chris Carter, the host of the weekly "Breakfast With The Beatles" radio show - which I plead guilty of listening to.
Since he is obviously accustomed to geeks, he wasn't at all taken aback by my bicycle helmet.
In addition to KLOS swag and free samples of various coffee drinks and pastries, there was a trivia contest. I quickly made it to the final three. The final question concerned the b-side of the first Paul McCartney solo single. One fellow contestant completely froze up, but another one got it right and won the grand prize. My answer of "Freebird" was incorrect.
This picture was lifted from the "Breakfast With The Beatles" website. It looks like it was taken right after I left.
This Saturday is a very full day in downtown Long Beach with the Ink & Iron Tatto & Music Festival and the East Village Art Walk. As well as the usual 2nd Sat. of the month art walk, the Walker and Kress Loft artists will be opening their studios and showing their work on the bottom floor of the Walker Building (Pine & 4th St.).
See you there.
Ink and Iron Tattoo Festival - Long Beach 2007 @ The Queen Mary
Friday June 8, 2007 - Gates open at 2pm
Tattoo Stage
Punk DJ: 12-7pm
Larkin McLean: 7:15pm
Mad Max and the Wild Ones: 8:30pm
V8 Stage
Danny Dean and the Homewreckers: 6:00pm
Charley Horse: 7:15pm
The Chop Tops: 8:30pm
Dead Bolt: 9:45pm
Rev. Horton Heat: 11pm
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Saturday, June 9, 2007 - Gates open at 11am
Tattoo Stage
Jake La Botz: 2:00pm
Cacti Widders: 3:00pm
Speed Buggy: 4:10pm
TATTOO CONTESTS: 6:00 TO 8:00pm
The Vaquetones: 8:00pm
James Intveld: 9:15pm
V8 Stage
New Skool Kings: 2:00pm
Red Struck Four: 2:55pm
ADHD: 3:55pm
Danko Jones: 5:00pm
Los Creepers: 6:00pm
The Johns: 7:05pm
Lords of Altamont: 8:05pm
The Briggs: 9:15pm
US bombs: 10:15pm
Panhandler Stage
Empty Seat: 12pm
Second Chance: 1:15pm
Hobo Jazz: 2:30pm
Vau De Vire Society: 3:30pm
Diablo Dimes: 4:30pm
Vau De Vire Society: 6:40pm
Windsor Salon: Vintage Vamp Cabaret & Burlesque - 4pm and again at 6pm
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Sunday, June 10, 2007
Tattoo Stage
Mad Max and the Wild Ones: 1:00pm
Shaun Kama & the Kings of the Wild Frontier: 2:00pm
The Hacienda Brothers: 3:00pm
TATTOO CONTESTS: 4:00-6:00pm
V8 Stage
White Barons: 1:00pm
Moonlight Cruisers: 1:50pm
The Rocketz: 2:50pm
The Koffin Kats: 3:55pm
Mad Sin: 5:00pm
Devil Doll: 6:30pm
Panhandler Stage
Longway: 12:00pm
Hobo Jazz: 1:30pm
Diablo Dimes: 2:30pm
Vau De Vire Society: 3:30pm
PIN-UP PAGENT: 4:35pm
Vau De Vire Society: 6:10pm
Windsor Salon: Vintage Vamp Cabaret & Burlesque - 4pm and again at 6pm