Editors Note: The author of this post is 40 years old. You've been warned.

So, for me, it's Friday. The rest of the world thinks it's Thursday, but yer ol' pally MJ took tomorrow off in order to retain what's left of my sanity (which ain't much - harumpf).

My darling daughter advises me that the new Miley Cyrus record and the new Jonas Brothers record are both good. Now, my daughter has turned me on to some music that I really have liked, so I'm going with her on this. She got me copies of these records and is begging me to listen to them. What's a dad to do, right? So, appearing soon on this bastion of musical snobbery, reviews of Miley and the Brothers. Yep. Get excited now, because it will be CRACKING good fun, I'm sure.

Okay, how about some links?

The Decade Of The Dude - Those of us in the Cult of Lebowski are many, varied and awesome. More awesome than you, anyway. I don't worship at the feet of the Coen's, but they do make some great movies. I'm actually looking forward to the new one since my November Harry Potter fix has been taken away. You read that right.

Kevin Cogill Spoils "Chinese Democracy", A Nation of G-n-R Fans Cry Out For Revenge - There will come a time when the Internet and the Government meet head on, and you don't want to be in the middle when this occurs. They have a "live and let live" policy working with each other at the moment, and as much as I hate selective enforcement, this guy probably is deserving of what he gets.

Suge Knight Assaults Someone With A Knife. I'm STUNNED! - I mean honestly. How could a fine, upstanding gent like Knight get involved with something so sordid. This must be a pack of lies.

She Used To Fancy Herself A Singer - Now, poor Hillary Duff is destined to be on the gossip pages for the rest of her life, apparently. Miley and the rest of you, take note. Douche parents will get you every time.

Kanye and Jamie Foxx Loves Them Some Obama (I Think) - "Golddigger" as the choice of song to dedicate to Barack Obama? Jamie? Hello? Anyone in there? I know it was early in the morning, but come on. Ah well, I guess it could have been worse, right?

RIP Steve Foley of The Replacements - I hadn't heard about this news until just now. Shame, really, only 49 years old. We're running through a weird death cycle with musicians at the moment. Let's hope it ends now.

The King Of Pop Turns 50 Tomorrow - Happy Birthday, Michael. I hope it's a wonderful day for him, honestly. He was the biggest thing in the world for a time, and was a fantastic performer in his day. I hope he ages more gracefully than he has getting to this point.

That's all for now. Enjoy the long holiday weekends, everyone, and be safe. Til next week.



"Thriller" (original upload)

• In an effort to stay somewhat relevant, I got a copy of the relatively new Santogold record. I have to say, it's really quite good, and the single "Lights Out" is decent. You may have heard a snippet of it in the commercial for that awful swill that Budweiser is pimping for the summer, Bud Lime. Despite her ties to that, I would seek out this record, were I you. This is the second (essentially) solo female artist I've found this summer, the other being Duffy, who I've grown quite fond of. You will also likely enjoy L.E.S. Artistes, as well. The rest of the record is quite varied, with clear influences from Ska, Reggae and Grrrl Pop. I definitely feel it's a record that you could listen to in the car on a warm summer's day, much like Duffy's.
• Congratulations to Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale on the birth of Son #2, but what the HELL is up with that name? Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale? REALLY??? I appreciate Gwen's abject weirdness at times, but why oh why would you fuck your child up like that? I'm sure little Zuma won't necessarily attend public school to receive the asskicking of a lifetime that most of us would, were we saddled with that abomination of a name. However, when Zuma grows up and realizes that his parents were ridiculous idiot douchebags who thought that it would be "awesome" to give their child a name that only they think is funny, he'll probably stab them both in their sleep.
• RIP LeRoi Moore. I'm a fan of the DMB, and always enjoyed his fine sax playing. He will be missed.
• Oh joy. Metallica is releasing a new record, and has a new single. That sound you heard is me not caring one iota.
• In truly scary news, Glen Campbell has released a record of covers. It's called "Meet Glen Campbell". Glen Campbell is 72 years old and has released approximately a shit-ton* of records, and he wants us to meet him NOW? Hi Glen, I'm MJ. Stop covering Foo Fighters songs. Please. Your oatmeal will be ready shortly. Thanks, yes, the weather is lovely today. Shut up.

*shit-ton equates to 48 in actual count. In case you were wondering. Happy Friday.



Elvis Costello - Watching The Detectives

Isaac Hayes passed today. Rest in peace.



Isaac Hayes - Shaft

Writers Block washes over me like high tide occasionally. This is one of those times. I thought I was over these bouts of creative bankruptcy. I sincerely thought I was. I have ideas, and then I go to put pen to paper, and I can't think of what I want to write or why the idea was a good one in the first place.

I haven't discovered any new music lately that I'm in love with. I feel like I'm in a rut. I turn to my old friends in these times. Johnny Cash, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Prince. I've been wanting to write about Prince and how much I think of him, but seriously, if you don't appreciate Prince, it's okay. If you like him, you like him, if you don't, you don't but it's not like can't talk to you any longer. I think Prince is great, and his body of work is unreal. But you don't need to read any tributes to Prince at this point.

So what's the point? Fuck if I know. I'm trying stream of consciousness to break my fucking doldrums. I'm listening to Joaquin Phoenix belt out "Ring of Fire" at the moment. Whether you think that movie was good or not, you have to appreciate the effort of both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. They both learned their instruments AND learned to sing like the people they played in the movie, which is no mean feat. Val Kilmer was terrible in the same attempt in that god-awful Doors movie. Reese Witherspoon is phenomenal in "Walk the Line". At least music is always here for me when I can't think of a fucking thing to write about. I can put this on and remember why I love it so much.

I heard "Shattered" on the ride home today when the iPod was on shuffle. The Stones are the great "what if" band of my lifetime. It's truly frightening to think of their prodigious work in the 70's especially, but what if Keith Richards wasn't such a fucking junkie for most of that decade? See what I mean? Honestly, everyone calls them the greatest rock and roll blah blah blah, but take the smack away from Richards, and take the constant fuckup-ery away from Jagger, and then what do you have? If they can follow up "Sticky Fingers" with "Exile", I can't even begin to imagine what might have happened if they could have stayed relatively clean or relatively smart.

I was having a conversation with an old friend this afternoon, and she was asking me what music I was listening to lately. I was immediately embarassed after saying Interpol and Hot Hot Heat, which is the truth, when she came back with "Never heard of either one of them." Christ, is it ingrained in us that we have to be music snobs when we KNOW we sound like douches directly after? She asked me if I've heard the latest Jason Mraz. My first inclination was to immediately make fun of her for even asking, and then I caught myself saying "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?" Seriously, I'm such a musical douche sometimes I want to stab myself in the brain. Why should I judge someone for liking Jason Mraz, who, by the way resides in at least two or three spots on my iPod music list. God, I'm such a snob sometimes.

Like who you want to like, seriously. Whether it's country, classical, rock, folk, pop, whatever. Just listen and enjoy. Don't be a douche like me and try to come off like some awesome musical genius who knows more than you. I don't. You probably have just as much or more taste then I do when it comes to this. That's the thing that drives me nuts. Seek out Interpol or Hot Hot Heat if you want to hear what I'm listening to, but if you do, realize you're doing it for yourself and not because some internet hack douche music wannabe writer told you that they are awesome and you're a moron for not having heard of them.

Okay.

That's all I can think of. If you want a recommendation, I'll give you one. Seek out a record called "Songs for Tibet" on iTunes, if you use that service. It's 20 songs for $11.99, and there are some fine artists on it, including Dave Matthews, Jackson Browne, Ben Harper, John Mayer and Imogen Heap. It supports a great cause and you'll enjoy it. I can personally recommend the cover of "More Than This" by Vanessa Carlton as an outstanding track.

But if you want to save your money for the new Metallica, by all means, do it. Just be happy with your musical choices, enjoy them and make them your own.

This song makes me get weepy. I'm not kidding. Can't explain why, it just does.


It Ain't Me Babe - Walk The Line (Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix)