New Haven Rock City

Guess what? Cracker is touring this summer with Bare Naked Ladies, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, and Blues Traveler---and they are going to be right here in Palm Beach County!

Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven are my all-time favorite bands, of course, but I also really like Blues Traveler. John Popper is one of the best harmonica players in the whole world. He's a Connecticut boy, too.



Back in 1991 my friend Barbara Shepard (from The Fabulous Who Who's) and I were in a short film with him. It was called Mr. Personality and it was about a talk show host's nightmare. I promised the director Tom E. Brown that I'd never post Mr. Personality online. (However, Tom is very proud of his film Das Clown which also starred Popper and was screened at Sundance.) John Popper played one of the talk show guests on Mr. Personality. Barb and I sang the show's theme song "Simon Says" which was originally recorded by the 1910 Fruitgum Factory. We had some pretty slick dance moves, too.



Barbara Shepard started The Fabulous Who Who's back in 1989, and they are still going strong. Barb is an amazing singer, songwriter, guitar player, and she's also the funniest woman in New Haven. I sang back-up vocals with the Who Who's for a couple of years while I was going to grad school. The wildly talented Kriss Santala was/is also a Who Who. She also performs as a solo artist. In 2007 she released her own album Lost Souls Road which is absolutely beautiful. Visit www.independisc.com/krisssantala.htm and listen to "One Good Thing."


My old friend Scott McDonald from Jellyshirts recently posted this newspaper ad from the beloved old New Haven venue, The Moon. If you look closely, you can see that The Fabulous Who Who's (and Scott's band Jellyshirts) are on the same page as Reverend Horton Heat, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, and Miracle Legion.

Scott and I used to work at Cutler Records with Robin Andreoli, Dean Falcone and Al Lotto. Al now has his own record store called Exile On Main Street. It's the coolest place--he even sells 45's! Celebrate Record Store Day a month early and shop at Al's store online: exileonmain.com. You will really like his website . . . and his store.

ps. Robin was a deejay for the University of New Haven radio station. It was (is?) the coolest station. It's where townie kids like me learned about Madness, The English Beat, and The Specials long before there was any MTV.

pps. Kevin Day is another Connecticut musician I knew back in the good old days. (Actually, I knew his brother, but I'm sure we must have bumped into each other at some point.) Kevin Day is in the AWESOME band Gigglejuice. Gigglejuice are so great that they've even opened for Cracker! Check them out:

http://www.gigglejuice.com/buycdhere.html

ppps. It was an old boyfriend and lifelong friend who first introduced me to Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. We met when I waited on him at the record store.

pppps. As you probably guessed, the title of this post was inspired by

and

Klosterman, Chuck. Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota.
New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

New releases

Some of my favorite authors released new books this fall. Chuck Klosterman put out a book of essays about pop culture entitled Eating the Dinosaur; Augusten Burroughs published a collection of autobiographical Christmas stories called You Better Not Cry; John Irving's Last Night in Twisted River is rumored to be his best novel since Cider House Rules, and R. Crumb just released an illustrated version of the Book of Genesis.

Since I have not finished reading all of the titles yet, I will copy & paste some old posts about the authors' prior works. Tune in next week for a review of the new Irving novel.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman

Klosterman, Chuck. Downtown Owl: A Novel. New York: Scribner, 2008.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Chuck Klosterman's latest book, Downtown Owl: A Novel. While I'm a HUGE fan of Klosterman's autobiographical works about his adventures as a rock journalist, I had my doubts about his foray into fiction. His most recent nonfiction book, Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas, concludes with a very short story that just didn't grab me.

Downtown Owl is a perfectly crafted apocalyptic tale about life in a small North Dakota town. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character, mainly by Mitch the introspective high school jock, Horace the widower, and Julia the new teacher in town. I was amazed by Klosterman's ability to see things through a woman's point of view. In his memoirs, he comes across as being a bit of a self-absorbed womanizer.

If you like Jancee Dunn, Nick Hornby, and Dave Eggers, you will love Chuck Klosterman. I highly recommend all of his books:

Klosterman, Chuck. Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas.
New York: Scribner, 2006.


Klosterman, Chuck. Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story. New York: Scribner, 2005.

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto. New York: Scribner, 2003.

Friday, September 5, 2008

R. Crumb

R. Crumb Conversations is a collection of interviews with the iconic artist, Robert Crumb. At first, I thought the book was going to be a bit dry and academic. It has more words than pictures, and it reads more like an oral history transcript than a gritty biography. As I read on, I decided that this is a good thing. Without the distraction of illustrations, it is easier to focus on the essence of his artistic vision and life philosophies. The book also provides an excellent history of the psychedelic comic revolution of the sixties and seventies.

Crumb, R., and D. K. Holm. R. Crumb: Conversations.Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2004.

Crumb is most famous for his Keep on Truckin' logo. However, he was cheated out of most of the proceeds. To make up for this injustice, please buy his books from the official R. Crumb website: crumbproducts.com.

Calt, Stephen, R. Crumb, David A. Jasen, and Richard Nevins.
R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz, & Country.
New York: Abrams, 2006.

Crumb, R., Gary Groth, and Robert Fiore. The Complete Crumb. Westlake Village, CA: Fantagraphics Books, 1987.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs

Burroughs, Augusten. Possible Side Effects. Sydney: Hodder, 2006.

I just finished rereading Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs. Although this book of memoirs didn't sell as well as Running with Scissors or Dry, it's still one of my favorites. I love that the opening paragraph is about the author's first crush, an Eastern Airlines Stewardess. (I'm partial to stories about stewardesses because I used to be one myself.)

Burroughs describes himself as having a mean brain, and his sense of humor can be a bit caustic. For instance, he admits that he prefers watching medical TV shows in England because they are taped live, so he's more likely to actually see someone die. (He's a sick-o, but I love him.)

Like Randy Newman, Burroughs isn't afraid to express his disdain for short people. Check out his description of the Skidmore Holiday Inn elevator:

The ceiling was low, which made me feel hugely tall. A short person would be extremely happy in this elevator, I thought, because they're always looking for ways to feel better about their deformity.

Once I spotted Burroughs walking his bulldog in the Upper West Side. I didn't bother him, though, because I didn't want to invade his privacy. I think I was also a little afraid of him.

His next book, A Wolf at the Table, is due out this April. I really can't wait. For now, I get my Augusten fix by visiting his blog and rereading his old books. Visit your local library where you can read his books for free!

Thursday, January 31, 2008

The Hotel New Hampshire

Irving, John. The Hotel New Hampshire. A Henry Robbins book. New York, NY: Dutton, 1981.

Planning on doing some traveling this winter? Be sure to carry along a good, thick book. If you're stuck waiting on the tarmac, you'll want to have more to read than just an old copy of SkyMall and the aircraft safety card.

I recommend packing a copy of Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving. This warped tale of taxidermy, incest, and international espionage will keep you entertained for hours. It's considered to be an American classic, too.

By the way, please don't be afraid to take library books on vacation with you. If your trip is extended for some unforeseen reason, you can probably avoid late fees by calling the library or renewing your books online.

Coming next week:

Irving, John. Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel. New York: Random House, 2009.

Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman

Klosterman, Chuck. Downtown Owl: A Novel. New York: Scribner, 2008.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Chuck Klosterman's latest book, Downtown Owl: A Novel. While I'm a HUGE fan of Klosterman's autobiographical works about his adventures as a rock journalist, I had my doubts about his foray into fiction. His most recent nonfiction book, Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas, concludes with a very short story that just didn't grab me.

Downtown Owl is a perfectly crafted apocalyptic tale about life in a small North Dakota town. Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character, mainly by Mitch the introspective high school jock, Horace the widower, and Julia the new teacher in town. I was amazed by Klosterman's ability to see things through a woman's point of view. In his memoirs, he comes across as being a bit of a self-absorbed womanizer.

If you like Jancee Dunn, Nick Hornby, and Dave Eggers, you will love Chuck Klosterman. I highly recommend all of his books:

Klosterman, Chuck. Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas.
New York: Scribner, 2006.


Klosterman, Chuck. Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story. New York: Scribner, 2005.

Klosterman, Chuck. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto. New York: Scribner, 2003.

Chuck Klosterman

Guess what? One of the world's greatest rock journalists, Chuck Klosterman, has a new book coming out this fall! It's called Downtown Owl and it will be his first novel. Can't wait until then to get your Chuck fix? Do what I do and reread his old books:

*Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota
*Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto
*Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story
*Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous

Pink isn't always pretty

I often judge books by their covers, and this strategy usually serves me well. If it hadn't been for their pretty pink covers, I may never have discovered some of my favorite books such as Surrender the Pink by Carrie Fisher or Slaves of New York by Tama Janowitz.

Every now and then, though, I end up misjudging a book by its cover. On Friday, I checked out two books with yummy, pink covers: Don’t Be That girl by Travis L. Stork and Chuck Palahniuk’s Snuff.

Boy, was I disappointed.

I should have known better than to have checked out a book entitled Snuff that was written by the same guy who brought us Fight Club, but I was blinded by the pink cover. Once I got home and realized my error, I decided to broaden my horizons and try to read the book anyway. After all, there are quite a lot of intelligent people out there who just love Chuck Palahniuk. However, I only made it through the first 50 pages, and even that was a struggle. The book is extremely well-written. The problem is that Palahniuk's descriptions are way too detailed for a prude like me. I don't want to read about (or even think about) flabby, old, hirsute porn stars.

Don’t Be That girl: A Guide to Finding the Confident, Rational Girl Within was written by reality television star, Travis Stork (The Bachelor: Season 8). In my opinion, there is a good reason why Mr. Stork is a bachelor–he’s an arrogant, male chauvinist pig. Don’t Be That Girl is supposed to be a dating guide for women, but it comes off more like an anti-feminist manifesto. Stork demeans women by categorizing them into 8 different types: Agenda Girl, Yes Girl, Drama Queen Girl, Bitter Girl, Insecure Girl, Desperate Girl, Working Girl, and Lost Girl.

Call me Bitter Woman, but unless he’s some kind of sicko, I think he needs to be reminded that the females he dates are grown women, and not girls.

But enough about me . . .

Jancee Dunn's memoir, But Enough About Me . . . A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous is a perfect mix of rock journalism and chick lit. Growing up in New Jersey in the eighties, Jancee dreams of working for Rolling Stone Magazine:

"Surely I was the kind of person Rolling Stone was searching for: a Jersey girl who pulled B's and C's in a state school, with long hooker-red nails and a passable knowledge of music."

Then a miracle occurs. While waiting in line for the bathroom at a house party, Jancee befriends an RS staffer who gets her an interview. Jancee charms her way into a position as an editorial assistant, quickly moves up the career ladder to become a head writer, and the adventure begins.

Each chapter of But Enough About Me opens with a rock star interview, and then segues into stories of the author's adventures in the big city.

If you like reading Rolling Stone, Spin, and CMJ magazines, you will love reading this book. If you like reading chick lit books such as The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, Bridget Jones's Diary, and Tabloid Love, you will love this book. If you like reading trashy, yet well-written stories about sex & drugs & rock & roll such as Los Angeles Diaries, Chuck Klosterman IV, and Dry, you will also like this book.

Check out But Enough About Me . . . A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous by Jancee Dunn at your local library. If your library doesn't own a copy, ask your friendly librarian to get it for you via interlibrary loan. I.L.L. is a free service that many people don't know about yet. Libraries from around the world lend each other books for FREE. Isn't that incredible? Think of all the money you could have saved on college text books!

BTW, I think Jancee Dunn is the coolest rock chick in the world, plus she's smart, funny, and stylish. Wouldn't she make a great best friend? Take away the sex & drugs, and she reminds me of my friends Colette, Pam, Nel, Carrie, Meagan, Laurie, and Alyson. Add the sex & drugs & rock & roll, and she reminds me of my comedian friend, Vanessa. Jancee Dunn will probably remind you of someone you know, too.

Sea Hags Revisited

Do you remember the metal band, the Sea Hags? (A million years ago, Kim and I won a trip to San Francisco to see them play.)

ANYWAY,

Their 1989 self-titled album, Sea Hags, has been remastered and is now available on Amazon. Even though I don't generally like metal music, I like this Sea Hags album. It just sounds like good, grimy rock and roll. (This may be due to the fact that it was produced by Guns 'N Roses sound engineer, Mike Clink.) Try it, you may like it!

Even if you're not a Sea Hags fan, you may enjoy this article from the online magazine, Sleaze Roxx. It gives a bit of the band's history and includes an interview with surviving band member, Ron Yocum. I never knew before that Guitar god, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, was one of the band's early mentors. Hammett, who is number 11 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitar Players of All Time, produced and played on the demo which landed the Sea Hags a contract with Chrysalis Records.

If by chance you are a metal fan, you may want to check out Chuck Klosterman's book, Fargo Rock City. He gives the Sea Hags a short mention. (Come to think of it, even if you're not a metal fan, you'll probably like Fargo Rock City. Klosterman is a really funny writer.)

Although, the Sea Hags career came to a tragic end, front man, Ron Yocum, is still making good music. And more importantly, he is in good health.

U2 trivia

Are you ready for this week's music trivia question? Here goes!

Part 1: Who started the band, U2?
Part 2: What is Bono's last name?

Stumped? You can find the answers in Chuck Klosterman's latest book, Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas. Want to read it for free? Visit your local library!