January 2010
20 posts
Tweet Of The Day
thesoundofitall:
@Choqlate Dear black men: the world tells black women we’re ugly and undesirable. We need you to reassure us the opposite is true…
Today’s TOTD, where to begin? Really - what angle, which piece of this pie do I start with? I saw the tweet earlier today. I knew I had to post it. But I don’t know what to say about it, that hasn’t already been said. As usual I have more...
B L A C K I E: From Chemical City to Capital City
[Me & B L A C K I E in the backyard of the Indie Houston house (May ‘09) - photo by Fyza Hashim]
Beerland is my least favorite venue in Austin’s Red River district: its sound system sucks, its restrooms are sexist (the sign door of the women’s restroom says “Harlots,” and the walls of the men’s restroom are covered in porn), and its staff willfully ignores the city’s indoor smoking...
I'm the Houston Press' "Artist of the Week" →
Thanks to Craig Hlavaty and Shea Serrano for the publicity!
Feel free to read, comment on and repost the article wherever you wish.
There Is Seriously a City in Texas Named "Cut and...
Within the last seven days three people, each of whom is at a different stage of the same healing process that I’m undergoing, have extended unexpected generosity to me. Last Tuesday, I met a longtime online acquaintance in person for the first time. An Austin native, she moved to the Pacific Northwest some years ago to cultivate a hitherto long-distance relationship, but returned after the...
Tweet Of The Day 1.25.10
thesoundofitall:
After a weekend long hiatus from TOTD it’s back.
@seanpadilla There are songs on my most recent album that I *still* can’t perform live without holding back tears. Why? Because I sing about real shit.
Why does this make TOTD? Well it’s not because I am familiar with his music (C.Spaniels, I’m not) but because this is the reason I listen to music. It’s what I want from an...
Daniel Francis Doyle Is a Genius
In my opinion, one-man band Daniel Francis Doyle is Austin’s most consistently interesting live act. I sing and play everything on my recordings, but I rely heavily on backing tracks during my live shows. There are more authentic one-man bands that play multiple instruments simultaneously during their shows, but their overall musicianship is rudimentary due to bodily limitations. Daniel,...
Mudhoney “Fearless Doctor Killers” -...
Legendary Fool Actin': 25 Prince Fight Songs
Music enthusiasts don’t like to admit when their favorite artists’ best work is behind them, but said admission can be easier to make if these artists nonetheless continue to produce work that is at least interesting. Bob Dylan will never make another Blonde on Blonde, but I can live with that as long as he keeps lusting after Alicia Keys and recording irony-free Christmas albums. Similarly,...
Happy Birthday, Grandma
Yesterday was my grandmother’s birthday, the only birthday I can remember every year without fail. Her birthday is memorable to me because she’s the only person I know who celebrates it by giving gifts to OTHER people. When I was six years old, she gave me a cassette of Madonna’s “You Can Dance” remixes compilation on her birthday, which surprised and puzzled me. (By the way, I totally wanted...
alt-riot:
Laugh Track - Chavez
Gone...
Bands That Made My Life This Month
I’d like to devote this post to elaborating on some of the great bands I’ve seen live so far this year.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing New Orleans quintet Giant Cloud twice: once at Mango’s in Houston, and again at the Mohawk in Austin. Giant Cloud’s melodic, digressive rock fits in neatly with the “New Weird America” aesthetic that journalists fawned over five years ago, but...
It Is a Cruel Jest to Say to a Bootless Man That...
I’m typing this from my workplace, in spite of the fact that today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday that I semi-earnestly believe no Black person should have to work during. My Hispanic boss, in a small demonstration of POC solidarity, offered to give me today off, but I showed up anyway because I need the money too badly. This doesn’t bother me much, though, as I’m grateful to...
I Paid My Mother Back the Day After I Wrote This
I’m feeling remarkably touchy this morning for various reasons. The earthquakes that devastated Haiti two days ago, which alone are enough to send any compassionate person into paroxysms of grief, have inspired false Christians to act as auxiliary agents of God’s judgment and racist right-wingers to instigate unnecessary divisions between God’s people. When I hear the former group speak, I’m...
The Perpetual Guerrilla Cookie Sale
Me, selling cookies @ the Mohawk on January 7th (c/o David Weaver)
After spending the first weekend of the New Year in Houston, I returned to Austin with an informal resolution to reengage with the city and its music scene. I fell out of love with Austin last year, due to many interlinked factors: exhaustion from interminable public transportation commutes littered with mentally unstable...
If You Live Through This With Me, I Swear That I...
I spent the waking hours of New Year’s Day trying to console the Courtney Love clone, and help her develop a plan for recovering her belongings, all the while nursing my worst hangover in four months. She used the concierge’s land line to call her ex-boyfriend, her best friend and her mother, but not the police: she had illegal substances in her purse, and feared arrest. She screamed,...
Robert Pollard, My Favorite Songwriter, on... →
I plan to write and record as many songs as possible this year, which will require an abundance of discipline. When I lose focus or get weary, I’ll look to this man for motivation and inspiration.
If You Live Through This With Me, I Swear That I...
I’m writing this entry from the computer in my office. I usually don’t work on weekends, but I’m making up for the hours I missed this past Monday. I get a lot of writing done here, in spite of my steady (and occasionally overwhelming) workload. My office is secluded, and my coworkers leave me alone for most of the day, which keeps things peaceful and quiet. I’d like to do more writing at...
