Wednesday video - The Beatles

Here's one that's quick and easy.

There are literally 50 Beatles songs that are mathematically quantifiable as Freaking Awesome, so I can't really go wrong here.  The only drawback about Beatles songs is that the band effectively stopped touring after 1966, so there's really not much out there in the public domain of them playing anything from Revolver, St. Pepper, the White Album, Let It Be, or Abbey Road live.  Which is probably 75% of their original catalog.  Still, what is out there is so great.  But you knew that.  Enjoy.

Blogging will be sporadic for the forseeable future...

...as my wife might deliver our son any day now.  We spent all day yesterday at the hospital for a false alarm, but the doctor said that delivery would likely take place this week.  My wife is fine and the baby is fine so no worries there (and, in fact, the baby will be full term this coming Friday).  It is just that he'll be coming 3-4 weeks prior to when we were expecting, so we'll be doing some last-minute scrambling to get everything in order before the birth.

Long story short, if I get some time to breathe, I'll try to post some stuff (and maybe try to post-date some music posts tonight to pop up later in the week), but don't be surprised if a week goes by without a current post.

Friday video - Buffalo Springfield

This has been a long week.  For the second week in a row, a co-worker died.  I just need to get to Saturday, when the family has a trip to the pumpkin patch planned, a tour of the maternity ward scheduled, and of course, college football all day long.  Just something to distract me and hopefully elicit some grins and laughs (which I'm sure those things will).

And, in honor of those folks currently occupying Wall Street, a little 60's protest music.

We ALL have rights, right?

Bank of America's CEO says that it has a "right to make a profit" in defense of that bank's decision to start charging the must-discussed and vilified $5.00 debit card fee. 

Ok, then.  Don't get me started on the fact that Bank of America was given free money by taxpayers in order to save that $hitty company from its horrible investments in the subprime mortgage market.  Yes, I know that  BOA repaid the TARP funds in full, but if not for the taxpayers of the United States of America, BOA would not still exist.  So, as a thank you for rescuing BOA from the grave and for insisting that the banking industry, you know, didn't continue to engage in predatory and reckless practices, they've decided to make you pay if you use your debit card as anything more than an ATM card.  And, please note, that as I understand it, you will NOT be charged the fee if you keep a minimum balance of something like $20,000.00.  Because BOA doesn't want to piss off the rich!  How silly would that be?!?  No, its you poor saps (like yours truly) that BOA wants to hit with the fee.  Read that again:  Bank of America is targeting the not-wealthy people -- the poor people -- with the fee that is designed to make it a profit. 

So, yeah, I guess that they have that right.  This is a capitalist country, after all.

And, in that vein, we as consumers have a right to not leave our money with Bank of America. 

Everyone!  If you bank with a huge multinational banking conglomerate -- Move Your Money!  There are dozens of banks in your area (whether it be Hillcrest or Little Rock or Arkansas, or another state) that will gladly let you house your money there and not charge you for checking or the use of a debit card for purchases.  Be a capitalist!  Or pretend to be one!  Use the better and cheaper product!

This is your public service announcement for today.  I hope you consider it.

Don't feel much like blogging today

When I arrived at work this morning I discovered that a co-worker had been killed last night -- hit by a car driven by an 80-year old man who was driving shortly after dusk.  This, after another co-worker was murdered two Sundays ago.  Like two gut-shots, two very fine people are senselessly gone.  As you can imagine, my workplace today was somber and I'm just not feeling it.  I'll be back at you tomorrow night, perhaps.

Tuesday video - Pink Floyd

In honor of Rolling Stone not putting some half-dressed, teenage, talentless flash-in-the-pan on its cover for its most recent issue and instead going with a Pink Floyd cover, here's a little bit of that band's fantastic music.  This is pre-Dark Side of the Moon:

And this was taken from the 1994 Division Bell tour*.  Here's a great version of "Us and Them":

I was also always partial to Animals.  It is clearly the best album ever recorded using animals in an allegory about the human condition and human failings.  Well, at least since Pet Sounds ;)

*  I saw that tour, in Dallas, on April 28 of 1994, of that year with my good friends Andy, Carrie, and Constantino.  An unbelievable show.

Monday video - Fugazi

After taking a week off from posting videos, I'm back at it.  This time, how about something from Fugazi?

I saw Fugazi live in Little Rock at the Rivermarket pavilion ten years ago or so with my good friend MC Spookytooth.  I literally heard it on the radio on the way home from work that Fugazi was playing a show a couple of hours later and immediately called Spooky.  We met up shortly thereafter and reveled in the mosh pit and slam dancing*, which was made even better by Ian McKaye chastising the unruly crowd for acting like brainless, violent idiots.  How often do you get to see a hyper-literate, extraordinarily talented bandleader call out his core constituency for engaging in moronic behavior and have the targets of his derision love him even more for it?  A weird relationship, certainly.  Sufficed to say, the show was fantastic.

Here's another one of my favorites:

 One more? OK, twist my arm:

*  HillcrestBlogger was not one of the slam-dancing moshers.  I was not nearly in good enough shape ;)

Back after a long weekend

Well, as you can see from my lack of posts over the last handful of days, I've been a little busy.  It all started with my daughter running a fever on Thursday night, which segued into taking off on Friday to be home with her.  Then, Saturday presented a family baby shower for my wife in the morning, which bled into the Razorbacks/A&M game, which led to Saturday mid-afternoon (read: more football watching).  Sunday was chores and NFL, topped off by beers with my buddy Marco Sunday evening at the neighborhood pub.  And here we are.  Now that I've accounted for my whereabouts since Thursday night, here are some thoughts:

1.  The Hog game.  Wow.  Whoever is Texas A&M's offensive coordinator should first be fired, then drawn and quartered.  The Aggies could run at will all game long.  Why they didn't just run it 75 straight times is beyond me.  But they didn't and decided throw it, which led to some Hog chances and also lengthened the game.  Then, before you knew it, the Hogs D got a little better and made some timely plays while the Hog O geared it up and started scoring points.  By the time A&M went back to the run (after the Hogs took the lead), they failed to get a couple of yards when they needed it most -- on a 4th down play -- effectively ending the game. 

I've seen this phenomenon more times than I can count.  Some football coach (or, really, ANY sports coach) wants to do so many different things, "change things up", and look multi-dimensional, or whatever.  This, instead of what they REALLY should do, which is do that one thing they do best, over and over.  It was very clear very early on that A&M could run at will.  They didn't need to pass the football to win.  Sure, running the ball 75 times a game might get monotonous and bore the fanbase, but would the fanbase rather watch a somewhat-boring win or a multi-dimensional, exciting loss?  A&M fans know the answer to that*.

2.  So Bank of America is the worst company in the United States.  Well, there are others, but BOA is making the headlines with their recent announcement of the $5.00 monthly debit card fee.  The HillcrestBlog family has been transitioning out of BOA since the revelations about BOA's behavior leading up to and during the Great Recession (2008-current), but we still have a couple of random accounts there.  They are not used much and instead we retain them to sock away money into dedicated savings accounts.  At least we do now...maybe not for very much longer.  Instead, we moved our day-to-day banking to Delta Trust, a local, neighborhood bank.  So far, two years in, we're very happy**.  If anyone is listening, definitely move your money to a local bank and out of these huge Wall Street banking conglomerates.  Its better for the economy and you won't keep getting jerked around by the likes of BOA. 

3.  Ahhhh...the weather.

4.  Attention: runners.

5.  Mark your calendars, Hillcrest HarvestFest in two weekends!  Do you make a mean cheese dip? 

6.  Is this a movement?  I find it very interesting.  There's a website, but no real overriding organization.  What I do know is that Wall Street needs to be tamed.  Perhaps this is the beginning of something.  I guess we shall see.   

*  So do Nebraska fans.
**  Personal service, no phone trees, no lines at ATM machine, no lines at deposit window, no lines inside at teller window, easy and accessible on-line account and bill-pay, convenient location on Kavanaugh, etc.  

At home today...

...with a little girl recovering from a cold.  So, yeah, spent last evening at the Arkansas Children's Hospital after-hours clinic with my daughter, who was running a fever.  However, after some drugs and some good sleep, she's well on her way to recovery.  She is spending the day with me because she cannot be at daycare having had a fever in the previous 24 hours.  Not a big deal -- we're enjoying play time together.

Currently, she's back in her crib, doing her best to resist naptime ;)  So I figured I'd take a moment to write this quick post and say hello.  AND to wish everyone a happy, fall-like weekend.  Gotta run, looks like naptime is over!

Operation: Lose Weight Update and a Wednesday video (Joan Armatrading)

Wow, I totally blanked on yesterday's post, didn't I?  Yesterday was kind of a fragmented day (an eye appointment, another work-related appointment, friends dropping by after work, etc.) and I guess I couldn't get into my normal groove, leading to my forgetting to post last night.  No big deal.  I'll just double up today ;)

First, though, I'd like to note that, after a slight plateau (and some backtracking over the weekend) in my ongoing attempt at shedding some pounds, I've lost* a belt size and am back at my highest loss point so far (19 lbs).  Hooray for me.  Maybe I can hit TWENTY by the weekend?  That would be pretty sweet.  I'd like to be at thirty by the time my son comes in mid-November so I can spend part of my four-week paternity leave from work starting up a walking/running regimine.  I'd resisted so far because 1) I'd like to shed as much weight before running on a hard surface to help out my knees a bit more and 2) I'm still a little bit on the lazy side**, especially after I get home from work.  I'm hoping that during paternity leave, while my daughter is in daycare and my wife and newborn are napping during the day I can get out for 30-45 minutes.  I believe that if I'm down thirty by that time and if I have a month's worth of running/walking sessions, I could be down forty by Christmas.  In June I would have thought that was unpossible, but I think I see a path to that number.  Cross your fingers!

OK, on to a video.  While I don't think I'm overstating the case that I have a very wide breadth of music knowledge, especially established artists from the mid-60's through the late 90's, I'll easily admit that some slip through the cracks.  I'll credit my wife with introducing me more fully with Joan Armatrading*** in recent years.  How I never learned to appreciate her when I was knee deep in Blue or Tapestry, I'll never completely understand.  I guess better late than never.  This song is one of my favorites.

And this one is fantastic as well.  Enjoy.

*  Or is it gained?  I'm not sure what the proper term is.  In any event, I cinch the belt on additional belt loop, making the circumference of the belt circle smaller.  Whatever that's referred to, that's what I'm describing ;)
**  Aside from my Sunday afternoon soccer matches, in which I still fully participate for ninety minutes.  Goalkeeper, sure, but I'm out there the entire game!
***  I had actually heard of her before and knew she was "like Joni Mitchell" but hadn't ever listened to her music.

Hog game recap (ouch...still smarting)

Well, that was some weekend, wasn't it?  Fantastic weather and a solidly unfantastic Hogs/Tide game.  I haven't watched such a complete domination between two opponents that were allegedly in the same vicinity, skill-wise, in quite some time.  It is clear that the Razorback offensive line needs some serious work.  And it is doubly clear that, four years into Willy Robinson's tenure, the Hogs still cannot tackle a person carrying the football.  That being said, the Hogs were on the road, in a formidable and hostile environment.  Three of Alabama's touchdowns were scored unconventionally* and were not the result of a sustained, end zone-to-end zone drive.  And the Hogs were missing some very key players (Bequette and Knile Davis to pre-game injury, and Tenarious Wright to an injury during the game) whose presence surely would have helped the Hogs' cause.  But even if those things were in different and instead in the Razorbacks' favor, there still was no answer to the Tide's defensive front, both against the run and the pass.  We just got eaten alive.  No running game meant no play-action pass options and at least six defensive backs on every down.  Unless we tame that defensive front five, we never stood a chance.

If this game had been played on October 24 instead of September 24, I think the Hogs play much better.  We just weren't ready for Alabama.  On a brighter note, however, is that I do believe we will continue to improve.  This is why I still like the Hogs to win out, even against LSU on the last game.  A&M presents a challenge next week, although their pass defense was exposed by OSU pretty badly and I think the Hogs passing attack, while not quite as good as OSU's, is good enough to do the same.  And, let's face it, we're not going to face a better D-line than 'Bama's for the rest of the year.  But then it is Auburn at home, a terrible Ole Miss team in Oxford, a slightly better but still not good Vandy team in Nashville, and then South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi State all at home.  I believe those will all be wins.  And then LSU to determine who goes BCS bowling. 

*  A fake field goal, a punt return, and an interception-and-score. 

Friday video - The Hold Steady

This Friday I've decided to post a video of a much more obscure band than yesterday's generation-defining Nirvana, but rest assured that the musicians The Hold Steady great in their own right.  The band writes and sings songs that are more stories than anthems*.  This particular one is pretty great.  If you've ever been to a big outdoor rock show or festival, you're probably familiar with the "chillout tent," which is where you go if you've taken more recreational pharmaceuticals that you probably should have ;)  In any event, this song sings to the virtues of the "chillout tent" in The Hold Steady's best bar-band way:

*  More than one rock critic has compared them to Bruce Springsteen in that regard and the comparison is not unjust. 

My favorite Razorback memory

In anticipation of the BIG SHOWDOWN tomorrow against Alabama's Crimson Tide, I thought I'd share my favorite in-person Hog memory*.  At least the one I witnessed in person is without a doubt the 1999 Tennessee game in Fayetteville.  My parents, who normally attended the home games, were unable to make it for some reason and handed their tickets off to me.  I gave my spare to my good friend Rob and the two of us, along with fellow hungover friends Ian and Carrie**, marched the 11:00 a.m. kickoff.  I remember Tennessee was ranked #2 at the time, defending national champions, riding a multi-season winning streak.  And then this happened.

WARNING:  The first 45 seconds are painful for Razorback fans of any age.  I would highly recommend not having eaten for the hour prior to watching it.

A secondary (some might say primary) memory of that day is seeing the goalpost from the south end zone torn down and carried to Dickson Street, where it was propped up at the front of what was then the Ozark Brewery.  People were signing it.  I know I signed it.  I also hoisted my fair share of celebratory hefeweizens while joining the throngs of Hog revelers mockingly singing "Rocky Top" and cheering whenever highlights were periodically played on the TeeVees in the pub.***   Dickson Street ended up being blocked off by the city for the entire day and evening as the party lasted well into the night. 

Bonus footnote **** :)

*  I have a feeling it among the favored memories of the other 60,000 people in the stands that day as well. 
**  Well, I just assume the other three were hungover.  I was :)  Friday night on Dickson Street the day before the game...you know how it goes.
***  I also knew one of the bartenders, my buddy Bryan, who continually allowed me to cut in line and served me first despite the packed house.  Big ups to you, Bryan!
****  Rewatching the highlights, I'm struck by two things.  First, remembering how good of a freshman tailback Cedric Cobbs was.  Just so talented.  Second, how freaking good and aggressive our defensive front was that game and that year.  There were some monsters on that line.

Thursday video - Nirvana

Heard this on NPR this morning, so it was obvious to me whose video(s) I'd feature on HillcrestBlog today.

Normally, I prefer to put live clips on my video posts, but for Nirvana it would be sacrilege to show anything other than the Video That Destroyed Hair Metal and Saved Rock:

Really, that video is still so f*cking awesome, twenty years in.  I remember exactly where I was when I first saw it.  In my dorm room, a first-semester freshman at the UA, watching it on MTV's Headbanger's Ball.  It was like nothing I'd ever heard before*.  It was a beautiful shock to the senses.  And it reshaped modern music, leading to what I think was the Second Golden Age of Rock n Roll** (the first Golden Age obviously being 1964 through 1969).

One confession, however.  However great Nevermind was, my favorite Nirvana album is their follow-up, In Utero.  I'm not really sure why, as it doesn't have a song with the sheer power and beauty of "Smells Like Teen Spirit."  Its a bit looser, a bit more ragged***.  Kurt Cobain seems maybe like he's about to lose a little bit of himself (which, sadly, turned out to be the case).  Maybe a combination of all those things.  Regardless, its one of my favorites, and this song is a highlight:

Watching that clip and noting that he is now an major figure in rock in his own right with his band Foo Fighters, I had forgotten how freaking good Dave Grohl is behind the drums.  He's a monster.  And, one more for good measure (warning: there's an extended sonic freak-out "solo" in this clip that's going to leave you saying WTF?  Still, pretty awesome :)):

*  I had not yet learned about Pixies, Hüsker Dü, Black Flag, or any of the 80's hardcore bands.  All of which are great. 
**  Specifically, the fall of 1991 through late 1996.  Ten.  Exile in Guyville.  Siamese Dream.  Slanted and Enchanted.  Badmotorfinger.  Odelay.  (What's the Story) Morning Glory?.  Achtung Baby.  Out of Time.  Dirt.  Metallica.  Use Your Illusion I and II.  Ill Communication.  Dookie.  Hollywood Town Hall.  Anodyne.  Bee Thousand.  The Downward Spiral.  Weezer.  ...And Out Come the Wolves.  Under the Table and Dreaming.  And those are just a couple of the more notable examples.  There are many more.  Here endeth the lesson.  
***  It was produced by Steve Albini, after all. 

Irrational exuberance

Or maybe it is rational.  Whatever.  The point is, I have not been this excited to see a movie in a long time.  I can't even remember when.  The Return of the King...maybe?  Anyway, I posted before about my excitement over Moneyball and now, here it is, hitting the theaters this weekend.  And because this is my blog, I'm going to fully utilize the embed video function available to me:

First, the trailer, so you can remember what it is about -- baseball and numbers dorks!

A bonus scene?  Well, of course!

How about a "making of" featurette?  Why not?

Anyway, there you go.  Oh, one more thing

...(looking at the movie itself, like it was a sentient being)...

PLEASE BE GOOD AND DON'T SUCK!  PLEASE!  That is all.

My Concert Series - Wilco in Little Rock, 9-18-2007

The second time I saw Wilco was five years after the first time*, and five years after the band released their best album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot**.  I think this was the first time Wilco had played in Little Rock, and I don't think they've been back***.  And that's a shame, because the show was fantastic.  After my wife and I had some pre-concert beers at our local neighborhood pub with our friends Brett & Jackie, we drove the three or so miles from our neighborhood**** to the concert venue and enjoyed every moment.  Luckily, YouTube has come through with several concert clips, three of which I've embedded below for your viewing pleasure (sorry for the video and sound quality, though):

*  Boston, 2002
**  The making of the album, an unquestionable triumph, was caught in all its ugly glory in the documentary, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.  Highly recommended.
***  NOTE TO WILCO:  We'd welcome you back with open arms!
****  One of the many Best Things about our neighborhood, Hillcrest, is how close it is to the downtown area for events such as this.

Wednesday video - R.E.M.

Well, this is a bit of sad news.  R.E.M. is over.  Thirty years in, the band apparently thinks that it has run its course.  Admittedly, R.E.M. hasn't been a significant cultural force in over a decade and, really, probably fifteen years.  But when they were, they were.



And, thirty years.  Wow.  It puts all the hoopla about Pearl Jam's 20 year reunion in perspective.  They're only 2/3 of the way to R.E.M.'s mark*.

I'll admit that when R.E.M. was at its highest point**, I was not a fan.  Indeed, part of that time was during my younger, metal/classic rock years and I was actively not a fan.  But, like any good college-going music lover in the early 90's, R.E.M. was hard to ignore and it grew on me as I scoured their back catalog of Murmur and Document et al.  To this day, this song is one of my favorites:

And, one more for good measure:

*  And, good God, compare that to the Stones' FIFTY years as a band.  Sheesh.
**  I think there's a pretty solid consensus that 1987-1993 is your basic timeline here.

Tuesday video - The Shins

Speaking of phantom limbs...

Or, if you are in more of a Natalie Portman mood:

Quick hits

1.  My long nightmare is over -- my previously belly-up iPhone 3G has been repaired!  Thank you Little Rock iPhone Repair.  Very quick turnaround and very reasonable price.  Being without my iPhone was like having a phantom limb -- I kept reaching for it and looking for it, but it just wasn't there.  No texts for ten days, no internet and e-mail access at my fingertips.  How did I ever survive?!  I love you, iPhone -- I will never go that long without you again!*

2.  Its one week out until Major League Baseball concludes its regular season and, more importantly, I conclude my fantasy baseball season.  Currently, I'm in second place (with a bullet!) in one of my leagues, making a strong move to win this sucker.  I'll admit -- its hard to pay attention to baseball now that the NFL is in full swing.  Its not like the Cubs are doing much this year.  But the payout disparity between finishing 1st and 2nd in this league is too much to ignore, so I'll soldier on for another week.

3.  Don't Ask Don't Tell.  Good f*cking riddance.

4.  Tonight is Rhea Lana preparation night at the HillcrestBloggerFamily household.  We topped two hundy at Duck Duck Goose.  Looking for a similar performance this week.

* Until Friday.  That's when I'm going to self-upgrade to a used 3GS (thx KLL!)

Monday video - Son Volt

Been playing catch-up today, so here's a quick one.  To those who know me well, I've said just about everything there is to say about Son Volt and the band's first album Trace.  So I won't belabor the point.  Simply put, if there is one song I want to be played at my funeral, however old I might be, I want it to be this one.