from the sellout dept.

I figured out last night why people buy everything online now, at least music. A trip to the record store has jilted me. I stopped at my local go-to music store (not a huge electronics retailer, but a real record store) and I found The Pixies’ album Trompe le Monde. Haven’t listened to it, 10 bucks, what the hell. When I took it to the counter to be rung up, I felt it. The record shop worker snub. By two people.

There was the guy who had huge mutton chops, tight emo shirt / jeans, and was wearing sunglasses. Inside. While working. And by working, I mean on his cell phone, then looked at me, and then walked away. Thanks for the help fella! Then the girl with the bright pink hair, 2 lip piercings, and a problem opening her mouth to speak to me, the customer. The one who wants to buy things to put money into the store’s bank account, and that would put money into her paycheck! Funny how that whole economics thing works. But she finally bothered to ask me how I would be paying, after ringing the CD up, looking at it and pfffft’ing disapproval. I’m so sorry you aren’t happy with my musical selection, but please. Don’t pffft my CD choice, don’t walk away when I come to the register, and learn some customer service in general.

I wish I was cool enough to listen to whatever weirdo crap you had put on in the background to make my shopping experience miserable, but no, I’ll stick to my mainstream Top 40 Pixies. Thanks for making me feel welcome in your run down pit of a store. By the way, how are those dreams of being a musician going?

Mayhem Fest……

Just wanted to let you know I was in Houston at the weekend to check out the Mayhem Fest and it was great.  Sometimes these kind of events have some teething problems in their first year but everything at this show was first class, even in 110 degree Texan heat!

If you’re heading to the gig next week at Nassau Coliseum you will have a lot of fun.  There are three stages so there’s a lot to see, but my favourites were Airbourne, 36 Crazyfists, Disturbed and of course Machine Head and Slipknot.

Slipknot are really on fire right now.  I heard their new album last week.  It’s less experimental than their last (Volume 3) and more of an old school thrash album overall, although there are some softer elements that wouldn’t be out of place on a Stone Sour album.  It’s good, very solid. 

Slipknot’s set at Mayhem fest only featured the new single Psychosocial from All Hope Is Gone as the album isn’t out for a few more weeks.  But the show they put on was phenomenal.  Tons of energy, a revolving drum kit, Sid the DJ in a wheelchair (due to a previous on stage accident) but still clinging on to the clown’s rising platform at one point so he was suspended in mid air. 

The new Sliknot album has probably the best musicianship they’ve committed to disc.  Amazing guitar and drum work.  And lyrics that suggest those who think the band are just a novelty act in masks have got it very wrong.

screwed by “the boss”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Giants Stadium- July 28, 2008

Went to see “The Boss” last night in one of his final shows before they tear down Giants Stadium (don’t worry the new stadium is under construction right next to it.) The weather was perfect, and despite the $20 charge to park, we remained in good spirits!

The show was off to a great start!! He kicked things off with “Out in the Street,” then “Radio Nowhere,” “No Surrender,” “Two Hearts,” “The Promised Land,” and a fantastic sing-a-long for “Hungry Heart.” What could possibly go wrong?!?

Well, with the exception of “Sherry Darling,” the next 14 songs were covers and snoozers. We did all we could to entertain ourselves. Hell, we even had ice cream, but it just droned on… and on… and on… I mean solos, vamps, reprises. Over an hour of killing time.

Just as we’d lost all hope, they did a slow version of “Badlands” to get us back. Then they walked off and we pinned all of our hopes on the Encore.

The good news is that we got “Thunder Road,” “Born to Run,” and “Glory Days.” The bad news is that we got an oldies medley (NOT of his songs), an Irish Jig that went on forever, AND just to add insult to injury, the last song of the night was…

Twist and Shout!?!?

Yeah, another COVER that went on and on and on.

They played for 3 hours. Unfortunately it FELT like 3 hours. They filled the time with so much stuff that we weren’t there for, and SO many covers, that we would have taken a good setlist that was half as long!

Looking around at the bored crowd, and walking back to our cars with the unmoved, defeated audience members was heartbreaking. I’ve seen some FANTASTIC Spingsteen shows. However, this one pretty much sucked.

Boss, we’ll always love you… but you really screwed us over tonite.

Your Jersey Girl,
Cat

“…Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It’s a death trap, it’s a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we’re young
`cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run…”

(they almost made this the anthem of New Jersey, until someone in power actually read the lyrics and realized it wasn’t all that flattering!)

X-Files II: I want to believe

In a year FULL of great reunions (Stone Temple Pilots, At the Gates, Rancid, Carcass, etc…) the reunion of Mulder and Scully is yet ANOTHER great one to throw onto the pile!

As someone who devoted so many Sunday nights to the X-Files TV series, getting to see one more episode was definitely a thrill! It was like visiting with old friends, as well as meeting some new and super creepy ones. And just like with the series, I found myself sweating, flinching, and holding my breath as each dark corner unfolded. They gave fans plenty of old references from the TV series, and even a blast-from-the-past guest appearance that will warm any true fan’s heart. I don’t advise fans to go with non-fans though, as they might kinda ruin your buzz!

Also, this movie is NOT for those with weak stomachs, kids, or anyone impressionable in any way. It’s real nightmare stuff, and because it doesn’t involve aliens, the “reality” that there might actually be people this demented around is very tough to take.

DON’T LEAVE BEFORE THE CREDITS ROLL!! They tucked something in right after the credits that you definitely want to see.

All in all, I left the theater feeling very satisfied. Can’t wait for X-Files III… I’ll definitely keep following them into the darkness!

~Cat

Father Joe: So you believe in these kind of things?
Fox Mulder: Let’s just say I want to believe.

from the et tu, presley? dept.

I need to come into money so I can get in on this:

On October 15th (2 days after my birthday and I do expect a card!) a collection of ancient Roman artifacts will go up for auction in London. Included in the collection is a unique marble bust.

Maybe it’s just me, but this bears quite the resemblance to The King. Was Elvis alive almost 2,000 years ago when this bust was carved? That would be the same time that Jesus was alive. Another question then. Was Elvis one of the 12 Apostles? I’m going to say yes. And according to that logic, it is now acceptable to wear jumpsuits and rhinestones to church!

Regardless if any of my insane ramblings are true or not, I need someone to buy me this bust. 2,000 year old Elvis would look nice in my casa. I’ll make a proper display case, some track lighting. It’ll be sweet. The auction house thinks the bust will go for 50 to 60 thousand dollars. Worth every penny hounddogs!

Comic book guy says:

“Worst ending ever…”

 

 Whenever you rent a DVD they try to push the “deleted scenes” as some sort of selling point. Most scenes are deleted for a reason, they don’t add anything, they’re not very interesting, or they don’t help the film in any way and actually slow down the pacing or confuse the storyline. My favorite of these tricks is the “Alternate ending”. Let me briefly explain the alternate ending reality; When a movie is shot before they release it they show it to “test audiences” and then the test audience scores the film on a rating scale, they fill out comment cards listing what they liked or disliked about said film, the comment cards go back to the studio, the studio then depending on the comments and the scores the film has received either tell the director to change the film based on the reactions of test audiences, or if you’re Steven Spielberg or someone else with a big time director rep, you can tell the studio to go take a flying leap off a rolling doughnut, unfortunately most directors don’t have that sort of clout, or what they refer to in the biz as “final cut” meaning “its my movie and I will give it to you exactly the way I want it to be seen, I have final cut”. A lot of times the ending of a film is a sticking point, the audience did not like the ending so the studio tells the director to shoot a new ending, usually a “happier” ending blah blah. So when you see an “alternate ending” on a DVD that is usually what the director shot in the first place, they tested it, t tested poorly, they change it, and that’s the ending that you see, and the original ending that the test audience said “boo hiss” to now becomes the alternate ending on the DVD so that the director can massage his ego by anonymously posting on blogs about how the alternate ending on the DVD was so much better blah blah.

 

 I give you this little Hollywood film crash course because I rented “the Ruins” last night a film which i really wanted to see in the theater but was only out for something like three weeks (which should have been my first clue). Horror as a rule is probably the easiest genre to just completely F up in any given film.  SO I watched the ruins THE DIRECTOR’s CUT which ended one way. Then on the special features it had the ” theatrical release ending” which was the way it ended in the theater version which was different than the dvd version. AND THEN it has the “alternate ending” on top of that. So in other words this film was such a mess they couldn’t decide what the hell to do with it to save it. Actually it really was not bad, they obviously just panicked over the ending since they shot three of them.  Let’s review:

 

“The Ruins”:

The Director’s cut which is on the DVD— This was the version that the director wanted in the first place

The theatrical release ending—- This was the way that it ended if you saw it in a theater, obviously the director lost the argument with the studio because they obviously got feedback which said “Jena Malone shouldn’t die she should escape the ruins and be allowed to live” ( OOOPS sorry if I just spoiled it for you)

 

 The “Alternate Ending” — The studio wanted it to end this way, the director did not, the director compromised and shot another different ending that ended up in the film that played in the theaters, yet all the while plotting to release yet another different version on DVD and stick it to the man with his artistic fist raised high in the air in a Che Guavara like show of strength.

 

And you know what? all three of them are actually pretty similar.

 

 That is all, End Transmission!

Me? A man-crush on Simon Pegg?

I disagree! I just happen to really enjoy that dudes work.

Think about it.

Shaun of the Dead? You laughed your ass off. That is, without a doubt, one of my top 5 movies of all time. Hell, I was Shaun for halloween.

Hot Fuzz? EVERYTHING that a good mocking movie should be. And he kicks an old lady in the throat.

Run, Fat Boy, Run. Despite David Shwimmer directing it, funny ass flick.

HOWEVER, there was life before zombie flicks for Simon Pegg. He was in a show called “Spaced”. I ran into the show when I was in Scotland for spring break one year.

Basically, simon’s character needs a place to stay, and he winds up pretending he’s in a relationship with a girl named Daisy, to move into a nice place that requires a “working couple”. no singles, fooker.

Anywho, the fiance bought me the box set of said tv show for muh birfday, but it’s a region 2 disc. the US is region 1. luckily, i’m enough on an anglo-phile that i would own a multi-region dvd player.

HOWEVER, the boxset is being released for region 1, ANNNNNNNNNNNND they’re playing it on BBC America.

seriously, funny as balls. the paintball episode and free form art episode are CLASSIC. you cant call yourself a simon pegg fan without owning that show.

PWNED!

I cannot get enough of Gordon Ramsey yelling at people!

“Hell’s Kitchen”  is ok but he really goes berserk on his other show “Kitchen Nightmares’ and it’s just fantastic. Gordon Ramsey who is supposedly a rock star, a god in culinary circles, Ill admit i had never heard of the guy before he popped up on Hell’s Kitchen.  As someone commented on line he’s essentially known now as a “professional Douche” where he just berates and belittles people on TV and I do not know why but I love every minute of it. How does he get away with that?  I think it’s only because he’s a brit, if Simon Cowell were an American people would just punch him for the things he says, no one would find him charming or amusing, same with Gordon Ramsey! and I have to admit every time he goes into a restaurant that is failing, orders a meal, eats it, hates it, and then berates the chef, and the entire staff, I just love every second of it. There have been episodes where I really thought he was going to get dinged upside the head with a spatula or a soup ladle or something because he was just such a bastard to the chef he had come to help. Of course within one hour he’s taken an eatery on the brink of financial ruin, transformed it with a new menu, and his design team that has come in and done six months worth of renovations overnight,  and another restaurant is saved. I cant believe how entertained I am watching a foreign  blowhard chef scream at a bunch of clueless cooks!. “Kitchen Nightmares”, on fox, I DVR it every week, maybe I’m just sick but I love to watch the abuse!

 

 That is all, END TRANSMISSION!

Remember: the enemies gate is DOWN.

I was 11.  7th grade in I.S. 34, Tottenville, Staten Island.  It was my english class’s turn to head to the book fair.  Most of it was utter crap.  The same juvenile, pander to the pre-teen angst ridden middle schooler bull$#!t books.  You’re either too old for the “Tales of a Second Grade Nothing” type books, or too young for the really awful crap they were going to shove down your throats in high school.  (“The Good Earth”?  Eff Wang Lung and O-Lan.  The only book i hated more was “Nectar in a Sieve”)

I was wandering around, wondering what i was going to waste my much loved/saved up lump of lunch money.  A few of my friends were walking up to the counter with “Jurassic Park”  so i caved to the ever present book lovers peer pressure and bought the book. 

By the way, i love that book.  And the movie still kicks ass.  That jumpy glass of water?  Classic.

As i walked up to the counter, my eye was captured by the cover of a book.  It was kinda futuristic, some type of weird craft on the cover, and on top, in big bold letters, the title.  “Ender’s Game”.

i thought it was an interesting looking cover, and it sounded ominous enough, so i went ahead and spent a week’s cookie rationing on the novel by Orson Scott Card.

i can honestly say that THAT was the book that started my epic reading craze.  by the time i had reached 18, i’d read more books then most people would in their lifetimes.  i still spend between 50-100 bucks a week at various bookstores, going through novels in about 2-3 days.  also, i like to switch around, get as much story as possible.

“enders game” is about super brilliant kids.  the future of humanity is dependent on these little geniuses growing up and becoming the commanders of the next inter-orbit fleet.  sound geeky?  well duh.  have you met me?  have u ever seen my blogs on battlestar galactica?

however, when you read the book, it’s MUCH more about the relationships that develop in the book, then about science fiction.  i honestly wouldn’t want to tell you more, because you really need to experience the book.  i would never take away from someone reading that.  it’s THAT good a story.

i’ve bought that book 3 times now.  my original copy wore out at least 10 years ago.  i’ve lent it to so many friends that i had to buy another one when my 2nd copy didnt make it’s way back to my bookshelf.  i’ve read almost everything else that card has published, and it’s all been worth it.  but i still come back to that book.  my cousin and i actually make references to it when speaking to each other.  matter of fact, the title of this blog is just such a reference.  (jeremy would understand).

i still read the book on average of 3 times a year. 

which is why im so FREAKING psyched that it’s being made into a graphic novel. 

http://www.zooped.com/2008/04/20/enders-game-comics-coming-from-marvel/

i can only hope that it does justice to the book.  i’d actually be kind of disappointed if this eventually led to a movie.  theres no way in hell that a movie can do justice to the intracacies of that story.

anyway, as u can tell, i’m a total fanboy.  but do yourself a favor.  go read the book.

Those Crazy Aussies

We Australian’s always get frustrated when you Americans think that we have Kangaroos hoping around in our backyards and Koalas as pets.

But I’ve got to admit this was a strange one. (copy and paste link)

http://news.aol.com/weird-news/article/lucky-koala-survives-crash-wild-ride/84604

And I agree with the comments, how the hell did the Koala get CHLAMYDIA!!!??

I’ve heard rumours about New Zealanders and sheep. But not about Aussies and Koalas!!

Koalas actually get high off the Eucalyptus leaves. Google it!!