• Who are the morons who respond to junk-mail offers, thereby keeping spammers in business?
• Why don’t public sinks have foot pedals?
• How come cellphone signal-strength bars are so often wrong?
• What’s the real reason you have to turn off your laptop for takeoff?

I’ll post some of my own questions later.  Leave yours in the comments…

- An album that I am really liking is Days Away’s “Ear Candy for the Headphone Trippers” EP which came out a few weeks ago.  Musically, they are one of my favorite bands.  There is technicality that they weave with a pop-sensibility that really hits my ears right.   While the lyrics may not be the most engaging at the on-set (probably because the phrases are drawn out, and act more like an instrument),  I found them meaningful and worthy of their musical prowess.  The five songs definitely rock, but Days Away has a way of working in some jazzy syncopation, punk intensity, and a poppy sheen.  On a minor note, their drummer is amazing.  He does exactly what a drummer should do: he’s the backbone of the band, keeps the beat and time, but shows us flourishes of his talent through short fills and the occasional mix-up through syncopated beats.  Initial review: I LOVE IT.

- Over the next few weeks I’m going to be rotating through the above albums along with The Band of Horses “Cease to Begin”, Jimmy Eat World “Chase this Light” (which might find its way out based upon a first listen, and their reputation with me), and Radiohead “In Rainbows”.  Those are the albums that are on my plate as I write this, but I am ultimately more excited for Say Anything’s “In Defense of the Genre” than anything else.  The 27-song double-disc album is something I have been waiting for since late last year.  From what I have heard so far, it promises to be worth the wait.

- Brand New is releasing a re-recorded version of one of their demos (#7 of the now infamous “Fight Off Your Demons” leaked demos) next Tuesday (October 23).  It was by far my favorite demo (as evidence by its play count in my iTunes), and I’m really happy that it’s getting the proper treatment now.  It was a wild ride around the time that “the devil and god are raging inside me” was released, with all the hubbub about which demos were on the album, and what was changed, blah blah.  The fact is, no one outside of the band should have ever heard those demos, because they were only demos.  I feel lucky to have gotten a glimpse at what was going on with them, and the demos really grew on me.  Still, the album was much different (in a positive way) than the direction that the demos were going.  It was a cohesive piece of work, and deserves to be seen as such.  Whatever they plan on doing with those demos, be it release them all or relegate them to the trash,  it’s fine with me – “the devil and god are raging inside me” is a beautiful album, even in its missteps, and I won’t compare it to the demos because it doesn’t need to be compared to anything.

- Speaking of Brand New: I’m seeing them at the Wiltern with Thrice on November 3rd.  Couldn’t be more excited.  I haven’t seen Brand New since Summer ’06 when they played a set that featured only “Sowing Season” and “You Won’t Know” from the (at the time) unreleased “the devil and god…”.  In the past year they have headlined by playing the entirety of “Deja entendu” in order, as well as various songs from “Your Favorite Weapon” and “the devil and god…”.  Brand New doesn’t disappoint live, and with Thrice opening it will easily be worth the ticket price.

Thrice’s 4 EP idea gets me thinking about how albums should be released, the value/difference/preference of EP’s vs LP’s, and what the future holds.  Now, as I said, the packaging of “The Alchemy Index” EP’s makes the albums like a 12-song LP.  Still, the breaking up of songs into 4 different EP’s is intriguing.  What if Thrice had decided to digitally release 6 songs at a time over a 12 month period?  Would that be too much waiting, or would it be worth it?  How would they integrate the songs into the tour?  Is music just a “give it to me NOW” type of art that we can all just take in as quickly as it comes out?  Or do we need time to digest a song or an album? 

Would you prefer a 12 song album every two years?  Or two 6-song EP’s every year?  If you were to ask me point-blank I would say “give me the EP’s”, but that’s just how I feel right now.  Does music even need to fit into a certain “mold” in the 21st century?  Are you getting tired of all the questions?  (because there’s more!)

It seems to me that in this high-speed, wireless, broadband, digital age of leaking and illegal downloading (yes, I am a criminal) we all want everything RIGHT NOW.  An album gets a weeks worth of spins and then it’s thrown off the “Recently Played” list in your iTunes.   Why?  Because you probably have 40GB of music that you never actually listen to, and another 10 albums that you just downloaded, and movies that you haven’t watched, and a tivo line-up of shows, and maybe a book or two to read.  Have we reached a point of entertainment saturation?  It’s a question to ponder, and one that I think the answer to is “no”.  I’ve never really thought about it before. 

There will always be countless albums to listen to, books to read, and movies to watch – we’ll never do it all.  I would rather have the feeling that “there is always more” than never having anything, but come on, there’s a lot of pressure involved in trying to expose yourself to “the best of the best”.

It’s this simple: I still have to read “War and Peace”, watch “Casablanca”, see “The Sopranos”, and listen to the entire Beatles catalogue.  I’m worthless.

What we have in this “free download” is much different than the bittorrent and Kazaa/Limewire downloads that we have been using for years.  First off: it’s legal.  Secondly, the download speeds/quality/ease of use is going to be (hopefully) high, whereas you never quite know what you’re getting with other “services”.  Last, and most importantly for Radiohead, is that you have to fill-in all your information (e-mail, home address, and even cell #) to get the download.  It’s a small hoop to jump through for the listener, but provides the band with a powerful tool: the ability to access you directly (some people will falsify the information, but most, including me, probably won’t).   

Direct access to a fan base is important for a band.  When you thought “fan clubs” were cool because of the autographs, bands were using this as an easier way to find the people that will keep them in business.  Marketing an album or a tour is a huge cost to a band/label, and if the cost can be dwindled by targeting key groups instead of blanketing the nation with ads, it’s a win-win situation.  So, when you download Radiohead’s new album, you’ll most likely also be getting e-mails and text messages to buy more albums or go to concerts, because you already showed interest in the band.  It’s that simple.  At least after you read “The Future of Music”.  

When you think about it, bands barely make anything from record sales as it already is (it’s all about touring, people!).  So, why not just give your album away, and have a virtual money-pit of information on the people who purchased it?  It seems like the perfect way to go.  I’m sure there are plenty of things I’m not thinking about, but with the world becoming one big connected information highway this is a pretty good way to start. 

I’m going to post my thoughts on Thrice’s new set of EP’s, and what they might mean in regards to releasing LP’s, later tonight.

As a native-Oregonian and once-upon-a-time Blazers fan (Terry Porter, you shot three-pointers with such aplomb.   TP for Three!) I was disappointed to hear about Greg Oden’s microfracture surgery – with only one hometown team, Portland really needs him.  The hype that comes with the number 1 pick in the draft (especially this year’s) was palpable, and I was actually planning on following the NBA on a level more than just a casual fan.   My plans are still the same, but Kevin Durant will draw most of the attention now.  I know it’s nothing new to proclaim admiration for Mr. Durant, but it’s hard not to want to follow a player of his caliber.   When the opportunity comes to watch an athlete who has the ability to create the stuff of legend, you just have to turn on the television.  

Kevin Durant needs to be something huge – if only for the sake of the NBA.  I remember watching avidly in the early 90′s as the likes of MJ, Clyde, Barkley, Malone and others made the league an amazing sight to see.   Granted I was only 10 at the time, excitable and impressionable, but I still watch the NFL and MLB at 22, something I just don’t do for the NBA.  Durant and Oden won’t be able to save the NBA by themselves – LeBron, Wade, and Carmelo couldn’t do it either – but maybe the combination of their draft class, and some changes to the playoffs, and general business, will help the NBA become exciting again.

Here’s to the 2007-2008 NBA season.  It could be a make or break year (Yes, I like to make huge statements that quite possibly have no validity).

Also: why do I think there are rules to liking music?  Can’t we all just get our own joy from however a particular song or band affects us – regardless of how their music first stimulated our auditory senses?  Am I some sort of music elitist?  I think the answer to the latter may be “yes”.   

All I know is that my musical tastes are changing and being broadened by the world and people around me.  I’m not used to that.  I’m used to finding music for myself, and bringing that love to other people.  I was at the Brand New show my good buddy, Paul, referenced here, and looking back I feel like I was apart of a movement.  I’ve followed the band around for almost 5 years since that night, and I think that gives me some (false) sense of entitlement or something to love the band more than others.  I KNOW that I am wrong, but I can’t shake the feeling.  It’s that “I liked them before you, so you’re not really a fan” feeling that hovers over a bands first-fans when legions of 14 year old girls start showing up at concerts, and the band “sells out” (this is another post entirely, and has probably already been tackled so many times that I won’t even attempt it). 

This post may be wandering, and confusing, but what are your thoughts on this?  Am I an elitist?  Are you?

Tonight was one of those nights that went almost exactly how I planned it in my head.  I got off work early (claiming that I was picking up a friend from the airport) and drove through rush hour traffic with my trusty roommate, Mike, to the Film Independent screening of Wes Anderson’s “The Darjeeling Limited“.  If you read the post below, you’ll get a feeling of just how anticipated this event was.

When we arrived the line was about 80 people long, and we were definitely getting in.  On the way to the theatre we had no idea what the crowd would be like, as it was a “members only + 1″ screening, and who knows what percentage of members would be able to attend, would want to attend, etc.  I guess it’s just a different sort of gamble than when you’re dealing with the general public.  I guess if we were logical about it, we would have supposed we’d end up in the middle of the pack, because we knew we should get there at least an hour early, but that there was no urgency to be the first in line.  ANYWAY…we waited around for a while, and then filed into one of the smaller theatres (I assume) which held somewhere between 150-200 people.  I am sure they had to turn people away – there was just no way the entire snaking line was getting in.  After a short delay, due to the fact that Wes Anderson was making his way ’round most of LA promoting the film on this night and would need some extra time making it to our screening, the screening began.

As the lights dimmed, we were treated to “Hotel Chevalier” – a sort of prequel to “The Darjeeling Limited” which is available on iTunes for free (you should check it out, because it will NOT be playing with the film upon its actual theatrical distribution).  The short film gives a bit of back story to the Jason Schwartzman character, and actually contributes to some laughs in its companion piece.  I would say it is a must see, if not solely for the fact that it makes the feature film more enjoyable, but also it introduces some new wrinkles into the Wes Anderson world, while staying true to his established sensibilities which make him a true autuer.  I won’t say anything else about it, except that its use of one particular song makes me want to buy the entire soundtrack.

And now…our feature presentation.

“The Darjeeling Limited” hits the ground running – and I mean that, literally.  The audience is forced (delightfully forced…if that’s possible) to hop on the train with our characters.  It is evident from the first few moments that it is going to be a different sort of Wes Anderson experience.  If one has read anything about Wes’ experience with his last film “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (check out the second paragraph here) it is easy to see that he may have wanted to steer away from the sprawling, high-concept, bigger-budget/larger expectations, and make a more personal film – the type of film you feel like you could make with a group of friends and a camera.  “The Darjeeling Limited” has a bounce in its step that harkens back to the days of “Bottle Rocket“, but with the experience of someone who knows exactly what they want, how to get what they want, and an attitude of “I’m free to just have some fun”.  In short, the film has what I love about Wes’ films – the smart dialogue; extremely developed, human characters; a fairy-tale like world; and the idea that the film has a larger meaning that you can’t just get on the first viewing, but still has the ability to entertain (wildly) – and at the same time it introduces this feeling of sheer exuberance that you don’t really expect from him.  The film just screams “this is an ADVENTURE” – the chemistry between the characters themselves, and their interaction with the world (the land and peoples of India) is something that cannot be bought, but only achieved when something magical is stumbled upon.  I think all of Wes’ films have a sort of magic to them, but perhaps their magic comes from a sort of manufactured place (I don’t quite know what I mean there), whereas this magic seems almost natural – it feels so real.  I am obviously biased, but I think the film warrants seeing from even casual viewers.  It has the ability to suck you right in, and lets Wes give you his story, in his world, and on his terms.

Speaking of the man himself, after the film ended there was a short Q&A with Wes, Jason, Adrien Brody, and Roman Coppola (son of Francis).  Questions mostly dealt with the process of writing the script (done over a period of two years, mostly in France while Wes lived a hotel) and the feeling of brotherhood that Jason, Adrien and Owen shared on the set while trying to achieve the chemistry of actual brothers (of which they play in the film).  I had the opportunity to ask Wes a question that was basically “After making ‘The Life Aquatic’ with its $60-million budget, and then making this film with a smaller budget, and a “Bottle Rocket” sort of enthusiasm, do you prefer making a certain type of film over another?”  His answer was basically that he felt this film was more personal, and it seemed as if he was quite pleased with the process of making the film, but that on “The Life Aquatic” it was just the fact that to make that movie they NEEDED expensive things, and that certain lengths were gone to simply because it was necessary.  It didn’t seem as if he would really prefer one over the other, but you could tell that his experience on “The Darjeeling Limited” was one that he wouldn’t mind recreating.  Because the question pertained to the actors as well, Adrien Brody gave an answer that he described as “the most fucking long-winded answer ever” which ranged from talking about the tight feeling of The Pianist production despite it being a large-budget film, to how he holds this film in a special place as it really was a personal film and quite an adventure to make.  On a brief tangent, it is cool to note that when Wes and Adrien responded it was actually like they were talking to me – like I was the only one in the room.  We kept eye contact, and it was like we were conversing – only I wasn’t talking anymore.  Okay, so I’m obsessed…moving on.

After the Q&A it was time make my way over to Wes Anderson himself – not just my personal favorite filmmaker, but someone who I hold in high regard, and hope to emulate his success someday.  First I shook Mr. Brody’s hand, and told him “thank you” for coming out to the screening.  He was a very gracious fellow, and for some reason I feel like I snubbed him because I didn’t even ask for an autograph (as if I could snub Adrien Brody.  HA!).  I had my “Rushmore” Criterion Collection DVD jacket in hand, and no one was going to stop me.

I approached Wes with a little bit of courage and a lot of jitters, and kindly asked for an autograph and a picture.  Hold on…I SHOOK HIS HAND.  I sound like a fucking high school girl meeting the Backstreet Boys, but HOLY SHIT this is fucking WES ANDERSON - a veritable film God in my mind.  He was remarkably normal, and very friendly – I almost felt as if I should have been having an actual, person-to-person moment with him, only that’s impossible when you think of someone as your idol, and the only questions you could ask would be things you read about on the internet (I think I want to blog about that subject some other time).  We took a picture together, and that was that.  I didn’t want to be one of those people that gushes and proclaims their love and starts rambling on and on about how so-and-so changed their life. 

My moment with Wes ended, and I moved on to Jason Schwartzman, who was even more kind and genuine, and said he liked my shirt (I was wearing the “Rushmore” shirt that Allison gave me).  He signed my DVD jacket as well, and took a picture with me.  More people started to crowd around the celebrities (duh), so Mike and I moved out to the lobby where Film Independent was holding a mixer with food, drinks, and promotional snacks from the film (I made sure to take two).  Even Wes, Jason, Adrien and Roman decided to join the festivities, and I said hello to Mr. Schwartzman again, as well as making sure that I waved goodbye/thank you to Wes as he made his exit.

It’s always surreal when you meet someone who you look up to.  In all honesty, I wouldn’t have had it go any other way.  The film met my expectations (and I want to see it again, because I know it will exceed them once I get all the subtleties), and I met my favorite filmmaker.  What more could you ask for?  Oh, a question answered at the Q&A, an autograph, and a picture?  I got those, too.

Thank you, Wes, Jason, Adrien, and Roman: You truly made my night, and I’ll never forget it.  And I wouldn’t have the opportunity to say “Thank You” to Wes and his crew if it wasn’t for my buddy Mike, who got me into this free screening/night of a lifetime: So, Thank You, Mike.  I live a blessed life, and I am thankful for that.  Damn, I’m one lucky SOB.

The first time I saw Rushmore, I knew I had stumbled upon something special (thank you, Paul).  I found the film to be equal parts intelligent, funny, and charming.  The character relationships were so realized, and the dialogue was outright hilarious – sometimes laugh out loud, and sometimes the kind of humour where you just tip your hat while laughing on the inside.  The film struck a chord with me, and showed me the kind of films that I wanted to make.  This was very important, in that I watched Rushmore during winter break of my first year of Film School, and continued to watch it about 15 times over the next month.  Over the years since I first watched Rushmore, I have come to find my own voice in my screenwriting, but I have to thank Wes Anderson for bringing Rushmore into the world, and introducing me to a new brand of comedy – one with intelligence and heart.

Luckily I’m 22, in a wonderful relationship, and I don’t even have a MySpace account (facebook, duh!).  Still, I can’t help but wonder what it’s like to be one of those countless millions of thirty-something singles who are sitting at their desktops every night waiting for a picture comment.  Am I just too out-of-the-loop to realize that this is the world that we live in?  I’m sorry, but I guess I just find it pathetic.  Go out and get a life.  For heaven’s sake, read a book, join a club…you could even watch TV (for a list of worthy shows, check in for the next post).  You’re 30 years old.  I know you have some goals – some dreams – that’s just what I have to believe.  Go out and accomplish them.  I’m probably holding up some holier-than-thou double standard that reeks of ageism and complete ignorance (I’m writing a blog for chrissakes.  Put me on your list of hypocrites and use me as fodder in your jokes) but I know if I’m 30 and posting “waz up dood, are you ready to get crunk on Saturday?” I’m wasting everyone’s (including my own) time.   

This rant is courtesy of me working for the man, and hearing a co-worker describe to me how she changed her myspace name to “Tits McGee”, much to the chagrin of her ex’s best friend who described her anatomy as “not worthy of name change”.  In turn this sparked an exchange of words reminiscent of a high school courtyard fight, complete with hair pulling and name calling.  The story ended with “It’s like he’s in high school”.  My point exactly.  Myspace is for high-schoolers, crappy comedians, and emo bands.  Get over it and deactivate your account, or re-enroll.  I know you’ll lose all those comments, but relax, they don’t mean anything anyway. Oh, but before you delete your account, be my friend at www.myspace.com/globalwarmingmovie .   

Yes, I know.  I told you I’m a hypocrite already.