:: StainMaster Productions ::

:: Saturday, November 22, 2003 ::

NO WORSE THAN US

Former Tuesday Morning Quarterback, Gregg Easterbrook has posted a well written defense of gay marriage on his Easterblogg.

C'mon, do you really think the homos can fuck up marriage any worse than we breeders have?

:: Jeff 11:57 PM [+] ::
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SLUMP

Maybe this means I'm out of my slump (in writing and what not).

I've been hearing Thomas rave about Dizzee Rascal for a few months now, and Matador has posted an mp3 of "Fix Up, Look Sharp" to their site. All I can say is, "HOT SHIT!" I'm not quite the fan of his collab with Basement Jaxx as Submeat, but this track is boomin' Club Ralston to the ground. If this song is any indication, Dizzee will be an early front runner for '04.

:: Jeff 10:49 PM [+] ::
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FUCK ME GENTLY

I know I'm late on this (I believe 'meat was raving about it months ago), but last week I finally picked up the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever to Tell. Holy fuck, Batman! This one is a stunner. The single (& video) "Maps" is a jaw-dropping Sonic Youth meets Chrissie Hynde post-art-punk noise ballad that is the most emotionally devastating song I've heard all year. And then there's the disco-punk anthems spread throughout the record that rival what I've heard from Electric Six. Fever to Tell is a lock for my Top Ten.

:: Jeff 10:37 PM [+] ::
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HEART-ACHIN' MAN

The Cubs are about to blow a 3-1 series lead. Every statistic was in their favor except for the fact that they haven't been to the World Series in 58 years. My grandfather was 28 years old in October of 1945. This is all too depressing. If the Yankees make it, I'm not watching a single pitch of the World Series.

:: Jeff 10:14 PM [+] ::
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1972

Here's a challenge: put on a show in Cub-crazy Chicago on a night when the game is out of town and goes into extra innings, and then try to keep everyone's attention on the stage. I'm happy to report that Leona Naess and Josh Rouse did a fine job.

The Abbey Pub is split into two parts. There's a traditional pub side that serves food and drinks and has numerous televisions. Then there's the concert hall side, which looks more like a renovated Knights of Columbus banquet room. There is one tv on the concert side of the building, which was left on before the show and during the opening act, Forty Piece Choir.

Leona took the stage just as Sammy struck out to open the top of the 9th. The tv went off and a handful of Cubs fans ventured over to the pub to catch the rest of the game. Those who stayed were treated to a solid set by this still-developing songbird. Most recognized for dating Ryan Adams, Leona's set was an eclectic selection of songs from her three albums. Her stage presence easily captivated loyalists and probably garnered a few converts. Far from flawless, but her second album I Tried to Rock You But You Only Roll (awful title) is worth checking out.

After a very short set change, Josh took the stage ready to groove us back to 1972 (the year he--and I--was born, and the name of his latest album). Josh has been playing with most of his current band for a couple years and you can tell. Josh is looking slick with longer hair, a black t-shirt and sporty blazer (I told him after the show the he looked like a former college roommate of mine). He wants to dance as much as he wants to rock. The set was great, but how could it not be? Every one of his songs is memorable at least in part, and generally as a whole. If my short-term memory serves me right, the set included (not in order): 1972, Love Vibration, James, Slaveship, Comeback, Flight Attendant (encore-closer), Nothing Gives Me Pleasure, Miracle, Under Cold Blue Stars, Feeling No Pain, Laughter, Directions, Dressed Up Like Nebraska (acoustic-encore), and Flair (acoustic-encore), as well as covers of Steely Dan's "Dirty Work" and Marvin Gaye's "Where Are We Going?". The band sounded great. Josh looked like he was having fun. I can't imagine how exhausting it is to travel hundreds of miles everyday and then set up and put on a killer show. I talked to Curt and Hags for a few seconds after the show and they both said they were a little tired. You wouldn't know by their performance. Josh may have been just a tad more animated when I saw him last year in Indy, but like I said, the new songs are more about the groove than the rock. Well worth the 6+ hour round trip.

I didn't get to ask Josh the two questions I had in mind: What does it feel like to have a room full of people singing along to your songs? And, How much fun is it to sing such great songs every night? The new t-shirts are great. I hope they offer them online after the tour.

Another high point of the evening was getting to roam around Wrigleyville on the night of a Cubs playoff game, even if the team was in Miami. The energy in that neighborhood is amazing. Enjoyed a Wrigleyville Dog and a pint of New Castle at the Gingerman, next to the Metro (Death Cab for Cutie was the headliner). Truly a great evening.

:: Jeff 1:57 PM [+] ::
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RUSH

It's been interesting to see everyone's viewpoints on this "grand" controversy about Rush Limbaugh's comments regarding Donovan McNabb (meanwhile our government is killing innocent people overseas and disenfranchising thousands here at home on a daily basis). I must admit I was a bit surprised to see a mild defense of Rush by Paul over at God's Audio/Visual Aid.

While I would agree that Rush's comments do not construe racism, he employs some prejudice and faulty logic to make his point. And some of it may just get down to semantics. For instance, Paul asserts, "McNabb's record as a QB is frightfully average" Well, his (and his team's) record in McNabb's first three full seasons was 11-5, 11-5, and 12-4; plus two trips to the "Final Four" in one of the most evenly competitive leagues in all of American sports. You can argue, as Rush did, that the defense carried the team. Philly certainly had a strong defense in those seasons, but undoubtedly not the dominant, winning defense that Tampa Bay and Baltimore needed to win their titles.

Now you can argue that McNabb's passing stats and ratings have been middle-tier over that time, but there is much more to a quarterback's effectiveness than his completion percentage and passer rating. I'll use Terry Bradshaw as an example. His career completion percentage is only 52% (McNabb's is 56%) and over his career Bradshaw threw two more touchdowns than interceptions (McNabb is currently +29). Statistically, Bradshaw was average at best, but his record sparkles. Of course you can attribute the Steelers success in the '70s to their defense, but Bradshaw's peers thought enough of his ability to deliver in the clutch and during big games to enshrine him in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. Statistics can be misleading, especially at the quarterback position. There are so many intangibles that go into being a great pro quarterback. If you complete 50% or less of your passes on 1st and 2nd down, but are a 75% passer on 3rd down, or in the case of McNabb, have the ability to run for 1st downs, your statistics may not be great, but your effectiveness cannot be denied. The consensus among NFL players and coaches is that Donovan is a great pro quaterback. I can't think of a group of people more qualified to make that judgement.

But my biggest problem with what Rush said was not his inaccurate evaluation of a certain player's value, but rather his audacity to use a sports program to sneak a political jab at affirmative action and the mythical "Liberal" media. He was hired by ESPN because of his passion for football and his effectiveness as a speaker. He couldn't stick to the format (you decide why), so it was time to go. What I think Rush (and perhaps Paul) doesn't understand, is that black athletes in any sport don't need apologists or hype or anything else to succeed (or appear successful). The stakes are so high, that no coach or organization is going to stick with a loser to rectify years of social injustice. Rush, like Jimmy "The Greek" and many others before him, still holds a prejudice that minorities can't succeed without some invisible hand forcing them to the front, whether it be media hype, affirmative action, or "breeding." Those assumptions completely disrespect the hard work these athletes have put in to be at the top of their profession. I find it offensive when somebody says Larry Bird was great mainly because of his "work ethic", but Michael Jordan was great because he was a "natural, gifted athlete". Jordan was gifted for sure, but he became the best because he took those abilities and out-practiced and out-worked everyone until his skills were second-to-none.

Maybe McNabb is overated. Maybe he does get too much media exposure. But can you say for sure it's because the media and the NFL are looking to compensate for years of denied opportunities? Some athletes just have a magnetic personality and some don't. Barry Bonds, arguably the best baseball player of this era, has few if any endorsement contracts. He's not a likeable guy. The man they call "Mr. Baseball", Bob Uecker, played parts of six seasons in the big leagues and was a career .200 hitter (that's really bad for those not in the know). You can't make the assumption that the media spotlights McNabb because they want to see a black quarterback succeed. There's just no evidence.

:: Jeff 6:42 PM [+] ::
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MERRY HO HO

Never too early to think about Christmas, or Christmas music, right? Our friends at Lost Highway records has cooked us up a down-home, acoustic CD.

A Very Special Acoustic Christmas - 10/21/03
1. "Silent Night" - Reba McEntire
2. "Frosty The Snowman" - Dan Tyminski
3. "Please Come Home For Christmas" - Willie Nelson
4. "Just Put A Ribbon In Your Hair" - Alan Jackson
5. "Only You Can Bring Me Cheer" - Alison Krauss
6. "Even Santa Gets The Blues" - Marty Stuart
7. "Jingle Bells" - Earl Scruggs
8. "Christmas Time Is Near" - Ralph Stanley
9. "O' Come All Ye Faithful" - Patty Loveless
10. "O Holy Night" - Wynonna
11. "Walking In A Winter Wonderland" - Pat Green
12. "Let It Snow" - Sam Bush
13. "Away In A Manger" - Ricky Skaggs
14. "Christmas Time At Home" - Rhonda Vincent
15. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" - Tift Merritt
16. "Peace" - Norah Jones

:: Jeff 11:21 AM [+] ::
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QUOTE WHORE

Want to use a great line from one of your favorite movies but can't remember the exact words? Lose yourself for hours on imdb.com looking up your favorite movie quotes. How extensive are they? Just check out their page on Heathers, one of the most quotable movies of all time.

:: Jeff 7:45 PM [+] ::
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MORE HOWARD

Here's a link to a story on Howard's Pub from Reuters.

:: Jeff 9:04 AM [+] ::
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STANDING FIRM

This makes me so happy. Here's an excerpt of a hurricane Isabel story from the Associated Press:

On isolated Ocracoke Island along the Outer Banks, about 15 people gathered at Howard's Pub to ride out the storm.

"Isabel's eye passed right over us," said Buffy Warner, the pub's owner. "It was so dramatic. The rain was actually driving horizontally with these incredibly dark skies and no visibility. Then, within about 60 seconds, the sky became bright white."

Hope all my friends in Hampton Roads are safe. Talked to Thomas last night (I can't believe they still had cell phones!) and things were okay with him.



:: Jeff 8:53 AM [+] ::
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