Best of the Decade (2005).....

Since I am a music geek and have a lot of time on my hands, it is time to compile the top ten records for each year of this glorious new decade (by the way what do you call this decade??).

Over the next few days I will work my way back through the years. These lists may change depending on feedback. I am sure my memory will fail me as I go back in time.

Let's start with 2005, not necessarily in order except the first two. Record labels included for your researching pleasure:

Bloc Party - Silent Alarm (Vice)
National - Alligator (Beggars Banquet)
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak (RCA)
Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Capitol)
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (Saddle Creek)
Stars - Set Yourself On Fire (Arts & Crafts)
Wolf Parade - Apologies to The Queen Mary (Sub Pop)
Youth Group - Skeleton Jar (Epitaph)
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Jacksonville City Lights (Lost Highway)
Magic Numbers - Magic Numbers (Capitol)

A Penny For My Thoughts....

What am I doing this weekend? Working. I work in the network cabling industry. To keep it short, my company makes the patch cords that plug into computers and the cabling infrastructure that runs behind the walls, in the ceilings, etc. of buildings. Well apparently the cost of copper is sky rocketing which is a key component in the cable. To put it in laymans terms on just how out of control it is, a penny is no longer worth 1 cent but rather 1.84 cents. Now I have to re-price a bunch of stuff so we can keep making money.

My proposal so we can control this copper supply in the future? I say forget the axis of evil, the next country W Bush should invade is Chile. That's right, Chile! They account for 30% of the worlds copper production. And hey, they have a history of dictatorship....so we could fabricate some logical reason for invasion. Pinochet anyone?

Management for some reason did not take this suggestion seriously. Apparently you can only invade countries for oil....er, I mean to free them...uh, I mean for WMD (CIA/NSA if you are monitoring this blog sorry, just slip of the tongue). Which means I am stuck working weekends instead of my favorite past time sleeping. Thanks for nothing W.......

SO, I am out to change the hearts and minds of the people in this fair country.....we need Chile! I will not rest (unless I am sleeping of course) until the copper lobby is bigger than the oil lobby, until there is a Bloc Party song that begins with "The price of copper, keeps on rising."

Chile here we come........

A New Twist, The Good Ol' Days & What Could Have Been...

The conspiracy continues. The Pearl Jam European tour is scheduled and is very interesting for that 'red state' of Europe, the UK. Now there are two festival dates for Reading and Leeds but no stand alone dates. The bastion of all great music scenes (thats a whole nother post) and nary a show. Could it be, the greatest ally in the Iraq War, snubbed like the dirty south of the US???

In pictures, Eddie V and I in better days.
Him with Michael Moore at the Nader rallies in 2000, me with Ralph in 2004. Vote For Change....well, quite simply changed it all.

What is even more frustrating for me are the bands opening for PJ! My Morning Jacket, Robert Pollard, Sonic Youth, Kings of Leon. A who's who of indie rock and why I always look forward to a good PJ show. The opening bands are usually awesome.

Pearl Jam Where Art Thou....

Okay, let me preface this with a few things since this is post numero uno. First the only reason I am here is because my good friend Karie told me I should vent my frustrations and I am a tad buzzed at this point in the evening. Second I am a HUGE Pearl Jam fanatic hence the subject line and the conspiracy set to play out.

Pearl Jam is set to release their first album in 3 1/2 years May 2. In step, they have slowly announced a world tour. This tour in the US seems to only touch blue states according to the Presidential election results in 2004 (remember Pearl Jam played the complete farce called the Vote For Change Tour in 2004) at the least....fleeing the country at the best . It hits Toronto, New York, DC, IL, NJ, NY, PA, WI, OH, NV, etc.... the closest thing they come to a red state is Ohio and Nevada. The reason for breaking tradition I believe is they think Kerry still won Ohio in the last election and Nevada was only lost by 3% and happens to be on the way to California. After finishing in Seattle they move to Europe and Australia which is cool I suppose. BUT what happened to the south my friends!!! No Atlanta, no Dallas, no Phoenix, no Miami, etc. Is this payback for the 2004 election?!

Pearl Jam, I have been with you 12 years now at least. The longest relationship outside my family. To quote a wise sage, "Please don't go on me!!!!' Help a brother out and come down to the south and hang out with the red state folks. We aren't all that bad!!!

PS - If I decide to continue to ramble, this blog will contain mostly music and political content.........