Friday, August 13, 2010

An oddly (ir)regular occurence:



When someone new comes into the store, after they get the initial geographical derangement and visual overload reactions out of the way, they settle into either browsing or specific searching.  The specific searchers usually beeline for a specific letter in whatever section they choose and commence flipping.

Now the browsers usually get a "was there anything special you were looking for?" whereas I let the specific searchers come up empty before I ask the same question.  What's surprising is the variety of branches off of this seemingly simple query:

(1) They answer "no" despite the fact they were clearly scouring through "C," came up empty, and then were standing their with a puzzled/dissatisfied look on their face.

(2) They answer "yes" and tell me the title... and we do have it but in a different section, i.e. they were looking in Rock and it's a Jazz title, or a Local Artist release... or they were looking in the New stock and we have it used.

(3) They answer "yes," tell me the title and we don't have it in, but we agree to special order it for them.

(4) They answer "yes," tell me the title and we don't have it in, but we agree to special order it for them, only to find out they need it for a wedding/birthday/bar mitzvah in three days time.  Not possible.

(5) They answer "yes," tell me the title and we don't have it in, and when we offer to special order it for them they say no... don't bother.

(6) They answer "yes," tell me the title, I tell them it may be in the used section, they look through and don't find it, I'm pretty sure it is there so I look through and do find it, they look sheepish and buy it.

(7) They answer "yes," tell me the title, I tell them it may be in the used section, they look through and don't find it, the two friends with them look through and don't find it... I'm busy with a customer at the counter and they leave before I'm done, but after the store clears I check out the section (which isn't huge) and sure enough, there it is.

(8) They answer "yes," tell me the title... and I point it out to them in the New CDs they just looked through, but then they say they were looking for a used copy (despite the fact they looked through the new stuff for it), and when I find we also have that they say, well really it was a vinyl copy they hoped to find (which is even more dubious since they were nowhere near the vinyl)... so when I produce THAT they are forced to fall back on something like, "well, if it's still here when I get paid next week..." or "I'm not sure that's the one my boyfriend was looking for... he might have that one."

(9)  They answer "yes," tell me the title and I kill them.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

DEAR VICE - TEA BAGGIN’ WITH SKYNYRD

"Borrowed" from Vice


While I stood in line to piss at Six Flags New Jersey–taking a break from the Sean Hannity Freedom Concert this weekend–I witnessed the following: A brown-skinned kid (probably Indian, maaybe Arab) got behind me to use the bathroom. Behind him, two grizzled guys with bandannas tied around their heads, sporting beards freshly bought “Freedom Tour” t-shirts, started talking very loudly to each other.

“Little Obama Osama better not take long–I gotta piss!” said the first, loud enough for the kid’s father to hear, who yanked his son up by the arm and dragged him to (presumably) another bathroom. The guys laughed smugly as the brown kid was carted off. 

For all the claims that the current wave of populist anger is primarily just repurposed racism, this was the only first-hand evidence I witnessed.  Aside from that, I got a heaping dose of “American Exceptionalism” and a really sweet Ronnie Van Zandt t-shirt that cost me $30. 


Tea baggers are big into t-shirts. People wore a lot of anti-Obama, anti-big government, anti-immigration t-shirts. My favorite said “Yo quiero papers?” and had a picture of the Taco Bell dog on it. I asked the guy wearing it where it was from, and he told me he made it himself, and that I could buy them on his website. He gave me his card, but I lost it.

There was an official merchandise table with a large sign that read “Freedom Gear.”  Freedom gear includes $35 jerseys, $23 polos, and the $50  “Freedom Package,” which comes with a hat, shirt, and autographed Sean Hannity book. When I made a joke, the person selling merchandise yelped that “freedom certainly isn’t free” (echoing the sentiment of a button I saw worn by many in attendance), and then when I tried to buy something he ignored me and asked for the next in line. Owch.

I also missed opener Charlie Daniels (bummer), but contemporary Christian pop megastar Michael W. Smith was a huge hit. He stood alone onstage playing his keyboard, and people were genuinely moved by his banter, especially when he talked about hanging out with the president–not the current president, obviously–his 200-acre farm, his wife, and how much he loves this country.  He sang an incredibly schmaltzy song that he dedicated to all the troops, dead and alive, and as he hit the song’s high note, like a sign from the heavens, a flock of Canadian geese flew majestically overhead. People went absolutely apeshit.

Smith then led us in a stirring rendition of “America the Beautiful” that I was too afraid not to sing. I did however forget to remove my hat (which I’m still not sure is customary for this song), and the old woman next to me elbowed me and advised me to do so. 


After Smith played, I walked outside to get a bottle of water and looked at all the black families having a great time while the white people were busy being visibly and audibly angry at whatever the hell they are angry about (taxes, guns, having to pay for parking).

I have never been to a show that made me feel like as much of a cracker. Even though I was there as a spectator, I knew I was part of the problem. 


I walked back into Sean Hannity, standing in front of two big American flags and tossing tiny footballs to the crowd.

Of all the big mouthed conservative pundits, I think that Sean Hannity is probably the worst. Glenn Beck is a flaccid little man, but at least he’s entertaining.  Rush is funny (plus the pills!), and Bill O’Reilly is probably a total pussycat in real life. Hannity just seems like a goon, and he doesn’t care about hiding that part of himself, which makes it all the more goony. 

During the show, he came on stage to babble about how he doesn’t need “tax funded teleprompters” like Obama, and that real change is coming soon. He also thanked God for Fox News, which got an uproarious standing ovation, second only to the geese. 
 



Hannity finished yakking and introduced a group of children who had parents killed in the line of duty. It was really sad, but also pretty exploitative. Some dude who had been yelling “Freebird” the entire evening waited until the kids were all finished being introduced, and then yelled it again as soon as they were off the stage.
Finally Hannity asked if we were ready to hear “Sweet Home Alabama.” People cheered and he then told us to get on our feet for Lynyrd Skynyrd. The one dude yelled “Freebird” again.

I wasn’t sure what to expect out of Skynyrd. I think that in terms of great 70s rock, there aren’t many bands that can hold a candle to them. I could wax on about how awesome bands like Ram Jam and Cactus are, but honestly, they all suck a fat one compared to Skynyrd.  We all grew up screaming “Freebird” at concerts for a reason: because there was a time when Skynyrd was fucking untouchable.

But that was a band from a different era–with all due respect to Lynyrd Skynyrd 2010, they probably shouldn’t be calling themselves Lynyrd Skynyrd. As far as I can tell, there are no original members playing with the band and Johnny Van Zandt, little brother of Ronnie, looks and sounds like a guy who has been doing blow and drinking straight Jack for about 30 years without break. Which, to be honest, I wouldn’t really fault him for.  



They opened with “Workin’ for MCA,” and people kind of looked at each other and shrugged. My calculations tell me most casual Skynyrd fans know Sweet Home, the ‘Bird, and pretty much nothing else. People danced for the first few seconds, and then it was a tranquil sea of bored-looking white folks. A lot of them started to leave. Many of them were old.

It occurred to me than that regardless of how sour I felt toward the evening, the audience, my country, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, that the band had at least achieved one truly rock n’ roll thing: they pissed off the seniors. I guess certain things never really change, and I’m glad that the Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band taught me this valuable lesson the night I hung out with the Tea Baggers.
JASON DIAMOND

Read the rest at Vice Magazine: DEAR VICE - TEA BAGGIN’ WITH SKYNYRD - Viceland Today

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Listeners Pick 2010's Best Music (So Far)

"Borrowed" from NPR All Things Considered
gorillaz cover

1. Plastic Beach

  • Artist: Gorillaz
  • Album: Plastic Beach [Deluxe Edition] [CD/DVD]
  • Song: On Melancholy Hill

 
national cover

2. High Violet

  • Artist: The National
  • Album: High Violet
  • Song: Bloodbuzz Ohio
 
black keys cover

3. Brothers

  • Artist: The Black Keys
  • Album: Brothers
  • Song: Everlasting Light
 
broken bells cover

4. Broken Bells

  • Artist: Broken Bells
  • Album: Broken Bells
  • Song: The High Road
 
lcd soundsystem cover

5. This Is Happening

  • Artist: LCD Soundsystem
  • Album: This Is Happening
  • Song: All I Want
 
vampire weekend cover

6. Contra

  • Artist: Vampire Weekend
  • Album: Contra
  • Song: Taxi Cab
 
beach house cover

7. Teen Dream

  • Artist: Beach House
  • Album: Teen Dream
  • Song: Zebra
 
mumford and sons cover

8. Sigh No More

  • Artist: Mumford & Sons
  • Album: Sigh No More
  • Song: The Cave
 
spoon cover

9. Transference

  • Artist: Spoon
  • Album: Transference
  • Song: I Saw the Light
 
sleigh bells cover

10. Treats

  • Artist: Sleigh Bells
  • Album: Treats
  • Song: Rill Rill
 
local natives cover

11. Gorilla Manor

  • Artist: Local Natives
  • Album: Gorilla Manor
  • Song: Camera Talk
 
yeasayer cover

12. Odd Blood

  • Artist: Yeasayer
  • Album: Odd Blood
  • Song: Ambling Alp
 
new pornographers cover

13. Together

  • Artist: The New Pornographers
  • Album: Together
  • Song: Moves
 
flying lotus cover

14. Cosmogramma

  • Artist: Flying Lotus
  • Album: Cosmogramma
  • Song: Do the Astral Plane
 
she and him cover

15. Volume Two

  • Artist: She & Him
  • Album: Volume Two
  • Song: Ridin' In My Car
 
band of horses cover

16. Infinite Arms

  • Artist: Band of Horses
  • Album: Infinite Arms
  • Song: Older
 
jonsi cover

17. Go

  • Artist: Jónsi
  • Album: Go
  • Song: Animal Arithmetic
 
the knife cover

18. Tomorrow, In A Year

  • Artist: The Knife
  • Album: Tomorrow, In A Year
  • Song: Annie's Box (Alt. Vocal)
 
broken social scene

19. Forgiveness Rock Record

  • Artist: Broken Social Scene
  • Album: Forgiveness Rock Record
  • Song: World Sick
 
sharon jones and the dap kings cover

20. I Learned the Hard Way

  • Artist: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
  • Album: I Learned the Hard Way
  • Song: Money