Field Day

My Phone Interview With Doug Robb of Hoobastank

Me: Wow! The Reason. Multi-platinum. What do you make of that?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: Did you think you had a hit when you first penned it?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: And that intro riff, amazing! Who came up with that?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: Any plans to tour Asia any time soon?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: Can we expect a special “Live” version of The Reason?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: Perhaps a fifteen-minute intro to The Reason?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: How about if you guys did a two-hour set of nothing but The Reason?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: So what’re some of the plans for the band now after The Reason?
DR: (Hasn’t answered my calls yet).
Me: Back to school? Maybe a cameo on the OC? Or perhaps open a restaurant slash bar slash karaoke type thing?

***

Take some time out, go through your entire music collection, pull out a couple of the albums you’ve probably heard only once. I’ve been sitting on this sugary gem for the longest time and haven’t a clue till today.

Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci – “Stood On Gold”

How the Robbie Williams CD Found Its Way Amongst the Stacks of Smiths CDs

Today, I was picking out a couple of CDs at my local music store. After perusing for an hour or so, I began to make my way to the checkout counter when I saw her – the cutest clerk with the most adorable bang and black-frame glasses. She had on a Morrissey T-shirt. Instinctively, I gave the selection of CDs in my hands a quick Quality Control. Devendra Banhart, yes, Interpol, uh-huh, The Shins, check, The Futureheads, yeah, Robbie Williams, hmmm. Cute Indie girl in Morrissey T-shirt, Robbie Williams, I don’t know. I really like that “Better Man” track, but that was before those adorable bang and black-frame glasses came along. Not that it’s any concern of mine, I said to the clerk in the Morrissey T-shirt as she punched in my “Meat is Murder” CD, but some inconsiderate guy left a Robbie Williams CD among the Smiths.

***

You think you’ve had enough of silly love songs and then you stumble upon this one.

Momus – “I Want You But I Don’t Need You”

Recruitment Drive For a Revolution Or Existential Blog Entry

Yesterday Philippe Razin, a slave of noble descent turned revolution leader, went round and interviewed a bunch of us new recruits for his imminent uprising.

Razin: What can you do?
Carpenter: Carpentry.
Razin: And you?
Blacksmith: Forge weapons and tools.
Razin: How about you?
Doctor: Tend to the sick and wounded.
Razin: And you?
Me: I can pun.
(The others chuckled, which was weird because that wasn’t a pun or even funny).
Razin: What else could you do?
Me: Write a jingle?
(To this, Razin shot me a suspicious look).
Razin: Anything else?
Me: I juggle.
Razin: Good. I’ll see you at the mess hall tonight. Eight sharp. And don’t forget your bowling pins.

***

Today’s tune’s from Mal Waldron, an accompanist to Billie Holiday from April, nineteen fifty-seven till her death two years later. I first learnt of this piece by way of David Mitchell’s “Ghostwritten” (I think). It’s moody. It’s haunting. Perfect when you’re going through an existential crisis.

Waldron, Mal – “Left Alone”

Another Sidekick’s Lot

Goofy: “Yesterday at the park, Mick pushed a Frisbee my way. Go ahead, he urged, make Pluto fetch. I just froze and thought, is this even right?”

***

Cover tunes continue with former Bangles guitarist doing a Lightning Seeds’ tune. Enjoy.

Hoffs, Susanna – “All I Want”