A Moment Of Noise

“This is a new departure in language instruction for English speaking people who want to talk to and be understood by jazz musicians, hipsters, beatniks, juvenile delinquents and the criminal fringe. The twilight world of the American hipster is an important American subculture with a language all its own. To enable you to speak this language of hip exactly like the hipsters themselves, we’ve provided an actual hipster to teach you the correct pronunciation and delivery of his language.”

[ via MeFi ]

A grateful nation mourns.

Last year I had planned to do this whole big “how I spent my summer vacation” book report-type post on my trip to SXSW, but the enormity of the task got in the way of finishing it, and I never posted anything. That’s how these things go sometimes. So this year, I’m just gonna keep it simple:

Favorite Bands I Already Knew I Liked: Shelby Lynne, R.E.M., Chuck Prophet, The Cynics, The Meatmen

Favorite Bands I’d Never Heard Of Before: Jet Lag (from Spain), Mink (from Australia by way of Brooklyn), The Ettes (from LA, I think)

Favorite New Bands From Athens: Madeline, Dark Meat, Dead Confederate

Pleasant Surprise: Alejandro Escovedo playing a full-on fist-pumpin’, ass-shakin’ rock-n-roll show like I haven’t seen him play in I-don’t-know-how-long.

Sorta Disappointing: Syd Straw, who apparently didn’t rehearse for her showcase, and even botched up her biggest hit, “CBGB’s”

Special Achievement in Gratuitous Name-Dropping: Chris Stamey, who seemed to think his set was being filmed for VH1 Storytellers.

Missed Opportunity: On Tuesday night at the Hole In The Wall there was a very warm and casual night of music and beer, with too many bands to count performing short sets of 2 or 3 songs apiece. Every member of R.E.M. was there — the setting was perfect. If they could’ve just got it together to play a couple of songs, they would’ve been the talk of the town all week long. Oh well.

Only In Texas: Thurston Moore opening for Roky Erickson, who was then joined late in his set by Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top.

Best Rumor: That Rhino is working up some super-deluxe reissues of the Replacements’ Twin/Tone catalog, and that a reunion tour is being planned in support.

Best Beer (Non-Shiner Bock division): The various flavors of Coopers being served at the Australia day party. I’d had their pale ale before — turns out everything they make is awesome.

Best Line From A Crazy Drunk Dude: “You gonna throw away that whiskey? You in a band? I used to be in a band. KC and the Sunshine Band! Do a little dance…. Make a little love….”

2nd Best Line From A Crazy Drunk Dude: “Hey — remember when my Dad molested your wife?”

Bummer.

Remember when The Simpsons used to be funny? I have a vague remembrance. The recent Valentine’s Day episode wherein they riffed on famous love stories was even more jaw droppingly bad than usual– until the third segment. The show took the twisted tale of Sid and Nancy and turned it into divine comedy. Here’s a clip of my favorite moment from the episode Love, Springfieldian Style: 

[ Thanks Craig ] 

First peek — looks like pretty much exactly what you’d expect from an Indiana Jones movie! Check it out. 

New video for the first single from the upcoming Pugwash disc. Sweet!

…and blames it on her boobs:

Hey, you try wagging these puppies around a while and see if you don’t have back problems.

This is nothing less than a national tragedy. Get well soon, Dolly!

Pitchfork’s got the goods right here.

Hey, R.E.M. rocks again! Hooray!

Of course, in their inimitable style, the Pitchforkers damn it with faint praise:

“…they sound like an interesting corporate band…”

Whatever. I’m just glad it isn’t another mid-tempo, mandolin-fueled snoozer.