R.E.M./Murmur

In 1983, R.E.M. released their first full length album. Appropriately titled Murmur, because of Michael Stipe's mumbling nonsensical lyrics that are given equal treatment to the guitars, drums and bass, it has gone onward into the world gathering much deserved critical acclaim. Yes, it IS as great as most music critics will tell you in their many overwrought adjectives. The album starts out confidently with "Radio Free Europe"...a drum blast pounds your head with one of their very first amazing melodies floating on top. "Moral Kiosk" has snaps and blasts going on all around it. Again, it is a truly wonderful melody. I prefer the second half of the album though. I has an edgier feeling that always satisfies me. All in all it is a quiet set of songs with LOTS of confidence. At the time nobody else was making music like this. It is basically the beginning of what is now known as "alternative rock" or "college rock".

The problem with Murmur, which isn't really an album problem so much as general music fan perception problem, is that many consider it their best album. That they peaked from the start and that it's been all downhill from there is a big ol' fucking lie! There are others who will tell you that their first 5 albums are great, then nothing but shit after that. Lie! There are then others who will tell you that everything they touched was golden up until Bill Berry left the band in 1997. Lie! (although I admittedly miss Mr. Berry providing all that confidence on the drums..there is nobody like him). The fact is that R.E.M. has always been a challenging band. Challenging the music and themselves for more than 25 years. The best thing about them is that from album to album, they change styles as a purely natural progression from what came previously...it feels somewhat like what came before, but also new ideas sprout out which pulls them into some new territory. But if you compare albums years apart, they are thrillingly different. Example: from album #3 - Fables of the Reconstruction - to album #5 - Document - you have a massive shift in consciousness. Fables is murky, southern storytelling with a very indie feel. Document is clear crisp angular guitar pop with a very political mindset that still resonates now. Where is the glue to that? Album #4 - Lifes Rich Pageant, which sounds like earlier Fables songwriting styles mixed with that clearer crisper Document guitar tone. That's just one example because chronologically, most of their catalogue works this way, only drastically changing from the previous record on Monster and Up (contrary to popular opinion, I consider Up to be an all time classic record. Period.).

It's hard for me to put into words what I love so much about R.E.M. without sounding like a blubbering fool, but i think truly great music should do that...keep you questioning what it is that makes the entire experience so wonderfully and mind-numbingly thrilling!

Ghost Hunters is quality T.V.

It really is.

Short Film.

Dare

Cinnamon Twist Martini's are The Bees Knees

Looks like i'll be dusting off my paintbrushes for a good cause here this month. I've been asked to doll up some martini glasses for a silent charity auction with the March of Dimes. The Artini Fest and All That Jazz will be held on Friday August 15, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. onward at the Ottawa (IL) Boat Club. I've read over the guidelines, etc. today and it appears i'll have my own 3' table to display whatever I deem fit along with the glasses I paint. I'm excruciatingly excited about doing this. I've never painted on glass before, but who cares? It will be a new adventure in art and my chance to show off what I can do. If anyone is interested and you happen to live/be nearby, come on out and ch-ch-check it. It'll be a blast just see what a charity auction is like. And no matter how horrendously beautiful these glasses turn out, please bid at least $1.00 so you don't hurt my feelings...it's charity for chrissakes! :-)

I'll be posting a picture of the glasses whence they are done.

Music: Blind Melon

Such a criminally underrated band. You may remember them from your "Absolutely 90's Grunge!! Mix Tape. They have been relegated to being nothing more than nostalgia in more than a few people's minds, which is quite a shame.

Their first album came out in 1992 and like most new bands, they introduce by naming their record after themselves. A good start for sure. Considering the year it fell, it's amazing to hear them sound nothing like grunge. "No Rain" is a happy, trippy ditty about being yourself and of course, who could forget the video's infamous "bee girl". I wonder where she's at now? If you toss off that hit, you'll find a wonderful depth in "Change" with it's acoustic gloriousness and reach towards thy sky chorus. "I Wonder", "Paper Scratcher" and "Deserted" should have been hits. But that's an old cliched line and it means nothing if it didn't happen to begin with. This album is a great success. Shannon Hoon has a bit of an acquired taste voice, thankfully. These songs wouldn't work without him.

In 1995, they dropped a bowl of "Soup"...a far more varied, eclectic, sublime and satisfying piece of work. One gets the feeling that their every intent was to distance themselves from sounding anything remotely like "No Rain". I can still see the negative reviews in my head from that time. It kicks off with a drunken N'awlins brass band leading into "Galaxie", a thugging blast of power pop. Oh, you think you're gonna get that from here on out, huh? Let the weirdness begin: "Skinned" is one of the only songs i've ever heard written on a Kazoo. A fucking KAZOO!! And it's about serial killer Ed Gein, who would visit cemeteries to dig up bodies and make lamp shades and furniture out of such. "Car Seat (God's Presents)" includes a spoken poem written by Blanche Bride on February 11, 1884. Not so coincidentally, the recorded version on this album was set down exactly 111 years later to the day. The latter half of the album is just ridiculously wondeful. "The Duke", about a Hawaiian man who invented surfing centuries ago, feels like wave after wave of crashing vibrations onto an already fragile psyche. "St. Andrew's Fall" is an instant classic. I wish more songs were like this in their structure, imitating falling, it starts off solid pop and then intentionally get's wildly out of focus only to end on a completely different, yet stable note. It works on so many levels. The coolest thing about the entire experience of this record is that there are hidden songs. Not 20 minutes of wait after the last song, but to hear them you must press play on the CD, then instantly rewind. The song titled "Soup" is hidden before the first song. I like to compare this album to Radiohead. Whereas "Pablo Honey" was a warm up to "The Bends' " giant leap forward, "Soup" is "The Bends" promise of an "OK Computer" to come.

In October 1995, Shannon Hoon died of a drug overdose. So that was it. What they could have done from there on out is left to conjecture and I believe that his death is the reason why not many care now. That's too bad. But those of us who have these albums know how very lucky we are.

"Nico" is a hodgepodge of B-sides, covers and alternate takes released (in hindsight) in 1996. What else were they to do? Without a lead singer, it's either find a new one or take out the so-called collective trash. When you care deeply about someone so close who has died, i'd do the same thing as this. It has a stripped down flavor. Something you'd hear in a coffeehouse and demand to know who this new band is. It's looser and yet extremely cohesive. It has it's rightful place as being just as wonderful as the previous two. It's the glue that holds both of them together as any great B-sides collection does.

What prompts me to write all of this to begin with is the fact that they have reunited with a new lead singer and released "For My Friends" just this year. The grieving period was quite sufficient. Travis Warren echoes Shannon Hoon to a point. But Shannon he is not and in time he'll carve out his own niche. This is a reintroduction and one that is done well. The songs aren't as eclectic as before but there is much to be optimistic about. The overall feel is of psychedelic rock as their first album was. Lots of pop and crushing guitars...and SOLID songwriting. Welcome back with open arms!

I'd urge you to check them out if you like. Start anywhere because the end is you kicking yourself for not finding them earlier.

It's Been Like, Forever

I haven't posted because i'm lazy and tired when i get home from work, but also because i'm just lazy and tired on my days off too. One thing you must know about me is that i'm a HUGE procrastinator. It keeps a wall between me and my internet friendships and that shouldn't be so.

I went porousing through Tofu-N-Spouts site this morning, which I haven't travelled to in an apologetically far too long amount of time. She is definitely no procrastinator and neither are her young Sprouts. Every visit reaffirms my desire to someday meet her. Anyway, the past few months i've been mentioning to people that i'd kill to find some great vegan potroast. I figured finding and dining it would be equivalent to my chances of going carnivorous again. Not gonna be, mon ami! lol Buried deep in her page was a link to a fine recipe. I also discovered that the ONLY ingredient missing in my pantry is the gluten. Needless to say, i'll be testing it out.

I guess this post is nothing more than a re-introduction. And btw, the Radiohead joint I mentioned WAY back in October is a 5+ star album. Eat that! :)

Music: Radiohead "In Rainbows"

Awesome! Radiohead announced on Dead Air Space the other day that their new album is dinging done (like microwave popcorn) and that it shall be released via their website on October 10th. It is called "In Rainbows", and it follows up "Hail To The Thief" from 2003. There are two choices: First you can order it as a discbox, which includes 2 CD's, 2 Vinyl, and lots of artwork and will be shipped on or after December 3rd for 40 pounds (about $81), and Second, you can order it as a download. The AWESOMEness of this download is that YOU get to choose how much you pay for it. You can "choose" to pay them anything...even NOTHING if that's what you want. Type in 0 pounds and it will process and download next Wednesday. Quite a moral issue.

You can sure as heaven bet that I'll be all over this puppy for a few months. Thank god the world has bands like Radiohead who are in it for the music first... also it is a sure guarantee to get some good money from it without having to sacrifice anything to a record label. They'll release it as a regular CD through some record label at some point, but that is only for those who don't like the downloading side of it.

God I love Radiohead!

Here's the tracklist, which i've already memorized:
01. 15 Step
02. Bodysnatchers
03. Nude
04. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
05. All I Need
06. Faust Arp
07. Reckoner
08. House Of Cards
09. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
10. Videotape

And the extras CD, which is only included in the Discbox:
01. MK1
02. Down Is The New Up
03. Go Slowly
04. MK2
05. Last Flowers
06. Up On The Ladder
07. Bangers And Mash
08. 4 Minute Warning

Modern Networking

I finally joined Facebook today. I had an invitation from the Bloomington/Normal Vegetarian Meetup which had been on Yahoo Groups. That site is way too cumbersome. Also, my friend Matt had mentioned it to me way back in late July or early August (I can't remember exactly when, not that it matters), but I thought it was something different. Very nice. I like that it is MUCH cleaner than Myspace and easier to find people you WANT to find.

If you happen to be on there, search my name and I'll gladly snap the OK to add button. You'll make my day. :)

Fine Reading

What a good book. I highly recommend it. Whether it is absolute fact, in terms of their temperaments and actual happenings is debatable, but I sure couldn't put it down. My interest is quite piqued not only towards Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII's second wife of six), but also Henry himself, Elizabeth I (whom I remember now was portrayed in "Shakespeare In Love"), and that entire time periord of English history. Anne was sent to the chopping block for several reasons. More than likely because her husband was an arrogant, childish, selfish piece of you know what. That's speculation too, but likely thanks to historical documentation. So enjoy if you choose to read on... :)

The Feeling Halloween Provides Me

There's a nip in the air and i'm feeling awfully good today. Yesterday sucked. I left work early because I couldn't stand being pawed at by all those kids when I was ready to pass out as it was. So sleep was a wonderful place to be. I dreamt that I was David Bowie with full makeup in 1973 walking down the road that goes to the Ottawa YMCA and it was Halloween. I felt fabulous. Maybe that is the universe telling me what I should be if I go trick or treating with my niece and twin nephews (Lexi is gonna be a princess and the boys will probably both be Spiderman...they're so adorable, I love those kids SO much!).

Anyway, I woke up with the urge to listen to "Aladdin Sane". "Scary Monsters" is a better album. "Low" is even better than that. I'm not a HUGE fan of David Bowie. Something about him bothers me. His style is too claustrophobic. And since this post is about nothing in particular other than that, I guess I can leave it and pray that whomever reads this has nothing but a great day. :)

WANTED: Graphic Design Customers

After years of much fretful delay, I believe I am going to return to the world of Graphic Design...or at least get my feet wet enough to require a push on the air dryer in the locker room. I recently did a logo for StarFXRooms and the entire experience helped me to believe in my abilities again. It's a good feeling and I look to keep it. Freelance, here I come! The logo is right on the link for all to see and spit at. :D I am taking any comments on it. I don't have the slightest problem with constructive criticism.

If any of you fine readers know someone out there in this great big globe who is desperate for a designer, please give them my name (John Zavada) or phone number (ask me) or email address (jpaul0974@yahoo.com) or all of the above or just send them to my beloved blog! :) My appreciation would be astronomically high...and I will even give you a finders fee if work comes from your daily chatter with friends, family and etc. Maybe $20-$50 or something like that, depending on what type of work it is...it can be worked out. Just think, you can go buy a trip to an amusement park with that, or 10-20 gallons of neopolitan ice cream, or 1000 rubber wristbands, or one box of xerox paper!!! The possibilities are limitless. :)

Music: The Tortoise and the Hear

I've had the band Tortoise in the back of my mind since I first heard about them so far back in 1995. There was a gentleman by the name of Andrei in my Graphic Design classes at Ilinois State University who had mentioned them on several occasions, he being a musician from Chicago and all...just like Tortoise. I THINK he knows them.

I kind of had a general vibe of what they were about but had never heard them. I finally downloaded "Millions Now Living Will Never Die"... their 1996 joint. It starts off with the nearly 21 minute modern jazz fest that is "Djed". Often considered by many in music critic circles to be one of the defining tracks of the 90's, it is 10 minutes of deep bass, modern sparse drumming, then takes a turn for the remainder by incorporating many different instrumentations into it: organ, xylophone, bass, etc. It's lovely. Whether it really is a defining track of that grungy decade remains to be seen. It is quite distant from all that angst and it surely doesn't have a typical song structure.

Following that are several more songs that keep the mood interesting and at times veers towards the euphoric. Standouts are "Glass Museum" and "The Taut and Tame". All done in a very modern jazz style. It doesn't sound like your mid century jazz in the slightest as there are no trumpets or clarinets to be had.

Now I know many of you must think that I NEVER dislike any music because all I ever do on here is rant and rave about the greatness of these records, but you see, I just avoid talking about the stuff I don't like. I'd rather focus on the positive and open you fine folks up to the glorious sound waves that exist outside the popular music realm. And believe me, there are MANY wonderful sounds out there to whet your palatte. SHAMELESS PROMOTION: If you stumble upon this record through eMusic, please tell them I sent you and then I can get some free mp3's! hehehe

Fathers Day 1977

Happy Father's Day! My dad's a piece of work, that's for sure...and I mean that in the highest form of complimentation that one can achieve. I definitely get my sense of humor from him and I love him so much. There are too many reasons to post here why I am forever grateful to have him in my life. There is no better person to be my father.

How To Age and Still Feel Young

I never thought it would come to this, but i'm going to my 15 year high school reunion in September. I was definitely in NO WAY outgoing or even remotely cool back then. Hell, i'm still not...maybe just a touch more openly gay! I was pudgier and looked like a lesbian. :) It should be interesting as i've only had sporadic contact with two people from school and they are the fine folk whom i'm attending with.

In typical fashion, it starts with an icebreaker at a local bar which i'd never heard of until I got the notice but it turns out I drive by it everyday. Just goes to show how perceptive I AM! Then the next day is a dinner at Twin Oaks Country Club. I remember going there once for a wedding reception when I was about 8 years old and REALLY loving the carrots and dip. Amazing the small memories we latch onto but forget the big things sometimes.

I have no doubt it will be a good time. There are so many great people whom I haven't seen in years. But at the end of the day, i'd much rather go to a grade school reunion. I was with those people for 8 years time and we all knew each other before things got cliquey. It will be 20 years next year for that.

Music: Smashing Pumpkins

Billy Corgan is a real son of a bitch. Just when i thought i've finally been justified in disliking him for his egocentric, controlling and pompous attitude, he throws out ANOTHER song that seems effortless, heavier than stainless steel and so goddamn gorgeous. The song in question is "Tarantula" (click play to hear) from the upcoming Smashing Pumpkins album "Zeitgeist".

His compositions are some of the best to ever grace my ears. Just talk to any of my family members and they will tell you that my life 180 degree changed the moment I heard "Siamese Dream" back in February 1994. That album single handedly affected the way I view music in every aspect continuing on to this very day. It is a perfect piece of art and the only album I can look back on with a huge grin and still feel every cigarette burn. The Pumpkins' other albums have been patchy. Most could be trimmed but all are brimming with tracks that at least equal "Siamse Dream". And the output! There are well over 300 songs from a 10 year period. NO OTHER BAND that I know of has done that, and not only are there that many songs, but over half of them are extremely high quality and wildly varied. Good grief...that's why I was such a groupie for so long!

Anyway, this new version of the Smashing Pumpkins, which now includes Ginger Sling on bass and Jeff Schroeder on guitar, comes 7 years after the former incarnation officially "disbanded". Corgan went on to publicly blame James Iha, former guitarist, for breaking things apart, and D'arcy Wretzky, former bassist, for being a vanity driven, hate spewin' drug addicted 'ho. I find these accusations REALLY hard to believe as it's never a good thing to spew blame upon those whom we don't get along with, even if you may or may not be right. Who am I to judge anyway? I'm just a listener who at the end of the day still loves the fact that Billy Corgan writes better tunes than 90% of the rest of the music writing population. In terms of image, it's gonna take a bit of adjustment on my part to get used to the new lineup. I'm quite partial to James because he is so damn cool and wears a dress like no other. I'll still be a fan of his always.

I am still approaching the new album with caution. I'll post my thoughts on that in July. And you can download a huge amount of absolutely free Smashing Pumpkins songs right HERE under "Mashed Potatoes" and "Machina II". At least download any of these: "STP", "There It Goes", "Rocket", "Snap", "Spaceboy", "Siva", "Spiteface" and "Silverfuck" from Mashed Potatoes AND "Go", "Slow Dawn", "Lucky 13", "Let Me Give The World To You", "Saturnine" and "Soul Power" from Machina II. Have fun!

Music: Funny Tummy Rubby

Check out this link. It contains what this site deems the 20 worst band photos. People's comments are a scream! Some ARE scary.

The Faces of John-John

Imagine i'm looking at you whilst you browse and pick your favorite mood. I really AM laughing at you or looking at you with great concern. (:D) In reality I was bored today and went buck wild with the digital camera that I never use.

Vegan: Farmers Market

The Bloomington Farmers Market has begun and shall continue on until late October. Every Saturday morning from 6:45 to 11:00 a.m. I went this weekend and for the rest of the summer it will be my life. Every time i've gone, the vibe has been nothing short of peaceful, cheery, pure heaven. All that color!!

Being vegan or vegetarian is amazing and this just amplifies it. It has become increasingly important to buy local organic food. Much of the food bought in the supermarket is driven thousands of miles to reach your table. Granted, in the wintertime it is rather hard to buy local organic food as there is just not any to be had, and that is alright. Every little bit that someone helps out, the better off the planet will be. I find going to the farmers market to be like a party. Lots of people to befriend and so much food that will get you high on nutrition.

In case you were wondering, the picture here is of my fridge. It looks gross and packed, but that's because it is full of fresh basil, spinich, onions, tomatos, etc. Next time I go shopping, i'll take a much prettier photo with the cheap-o digital camera I have sitting here at my disposal. :D

Music: Charles Mingus and the Sinner Lady

I've never really been a huge fan of jazz. I respect it thoroughly, but never has an album taken my breath away. Closest so far has been "Bitches Brew" by Miles Davis, but alas, is far too long for me to thoroughly enjoy it. I like my records somewhere between the range of 39 and 55 minutes. Double albums can ALWAYS be trimmed down to one and Miles is no exception. I think I may have finally found one worthy of lovin' though: "The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" by Charles Mingus! Coolest title for an album ever. I've owned a couple of Charles Mingus records for awhile now and he was definitely (and to some degree, still is) decades ahead of his time. "Tonight At Noon" is an LP of left overs from other sessions including 1957's "The Clown" and 1961's "Oh Yeah!", and "Mingus Ah-Um" is his most accessible, sounding almost rock like. Both beautiful albums but don't "wow!" me. Some of the songs do, though.

Well, I downloaded "The Black Saint..." just a few days ago. It is regarded as his masterpiece. My first impressions are of an impressive an arty feel. There is nothing conventional about this. He uses a muffled trumpet sound (or that is my best guess) as support for most of "Solo Dancer". When the trumpet comes in at the 2:15 mark on "Duet Solo Dancers" and crescendo's upward with the drums and every other instrument going on, ending in his trumpet speaking to the listener, literally, it is truly miraculous. It is something that sounds absolutely fresh even today. He moves on to "Group Dancers" starting off mildly with a few piano pounds and near the middle drops some flamenco guitar, continuing that theme onward to the final track "Trio and Group Dancers". Gawd is it beautiful! It has structure but still rambles like most jazz feels. If I was alive in 1963, this is absolutely what i'd be listening to. It was meant as a full symphonic ballet score but sounds nothing like ballet.

Mingus was well known to have an extremely violent personality. He was prone to onstage outbursts where he'd stop the music if the audience was making too much noise with clinking glasses and mindless chatter, and waiting until they shut up...sometimes yelling at them or berating his band members during a performance. Quite an ass! But in his mind it was ALL about the music and if you didn't come there to listen, then you best leave. I admire that to a point. He more than makes up for that sort of shortcoming with his music. If you are curious to it, go check it out. I highly recommend it.

Beam me up Scotty!

I just found the livejournal of my friend, Scott. I've missed him alot. I met him through a message board in 2002 and left there for good reasons. Unfortunately, I also left some great people behind and he is one of them. Ch-check him out! He is very funny, nutty and MORE than a bit adorable (smooch). Why we've never met in real time, I ponder and still don't know. Your time in my featured is a comin', Scott! boohooohahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahah