Monday, February 20, 2006

Jane's Addiction 'Jane's Addiction'

Willie P. Richardson ‘Greatest Hits’


This was originally written on 2/15/06. I could have easily forgotten to save it onto the floppy because I wrote it while staying awake for over 39 hours.


It looks as if Netflix is backing down on the “throttling” after all the bad press over the weekend. They received two DVD’s yesterday and they sent the next two on my queue. I got them in the mail today. There seems to be lots of squeaky wheels getting a fresh lube job this week.

Normally, Netflix has been holding back on me for an extra business day. So I’m as happy as a pack of hyenas fighting over the remains of a fallen water buffalo.

They’ve also been jerking me around with the new KISS DVD. Most of the time, disc one has been on a short wait while disc two is ready. But what’s the point of having disc two before disc one?

I keep tabs on it and when disc one is listed as “now” available, I’ll bump it up to the top of my queue. A day or two will pass by and when I look at it again, disc one will be listed as “short wait”. It’s driving me crazy!

So I called my buddy Tim Beeman II (yes… the sequel) and asked if he had it. He does and he’s letting me borrow it.

I’ve heard that KISS didn’t edit the performance. Gene Simmons screws up during a song, which is quite common at a KISS show. It was revealed on VH-1 that one of the greatest live albums of all time, KISS ‘Alive’, was edited and enhanced. It wasn’t a true live document at all. And for the record, many of the live albums released have been tinkered with in postproduction.

If you really take the time to think about it, you’ll find that performing in KISS would be a rough deal. You’re running around on platform shoes trying to remember song lyrics while paying attention to the music you’re playing along to. You have to remember where the other members of the band are at on the stage. Keep track of where the explosives are. I can only imagine how difficult it can be.

I never really thought about it until I talked to Tim about it, but back in the 80’s, KISS reestablished themselves as a “musician’s” band. They trimmed the fat and hooked up with some of the best in the business. Unfortunately, they didn’t really make a whole lot of remarkable music to show for it. They were fantastic in concert without the gimmicks and makeup, their studio albums lacked that certain something.

In my opinion, the best non-makeup studio albums are ‘Animalize’, ‘Carnival Of Souls’, and ‘Revenge’. And you can’t go wrong with the KISS ‘MTV: Unplugged’ DVD. That’s a great live document. Even a Buddhist would look at them in a different way after watching that DVD. I can’t recommend the live Symphony DVD. All of the quick edits get on my nerves.

The title of my blog entries is the CD or cassette tape that I’m listening to for the day. This Willie P. Richardson CD is hilarious!

I like the cut called “Phone Tragedy” where a long distance provider calls to talk to Willie and finds out that he’s been killed tragically within the last 30 minutes. But… Before he died, he talked about changing long distance providers to save money. She is instructed to call the widow about switching over. He tries to give her two numbers and she declines.

Funny stuff!

And the odd thing, it’s great to work out to. It beats the hell out of Zamfir.



And there you have it, the lost blog entry from last week.

See… You didn’t miss much. I greatly appreciate all the emails and comments left about what was taking me so long to get an update.

Last week was SUPER busy for me. There was one day, or should I say two days, where I was awake for over 39 hours. I even missed the duel qualifying races in Daytona last Thursday because I had to work a KZL remote.

That was the first time in at least 7 years where I missed those races. I couldn’t tape them because my Directv dish is out of whack and I’m getting no reception. I have to tape everything at work now until I can find the time this week and correct the situation.

I went on the Guinness Toast Bus last Friday night with Lady D and Allison Moore. I have caught a ride before, but this was the first time where I had to work it. And to be quite honest, it wasn’t that hard of a job keeping drinkers wrangled. The hardest part was keeping the bus clean.

I learned something interesting from Deidre and Allison… I’m a negative person.

Yeah… I’ve heard it before from the last girlfriend, but the coworkers pointing it out made me take the time and evaluate their claim. And they’re right.

I fear that I’m turning into my father who can’t seem to do anything for 5 minutes without a “heavy” sigh expressing his frustration with something. I fear that it may be genetic and the next time that I drop a pen or a piece of paper, I may just let out a “heavy sigh”. I fear that I may just get loud or go silent when something doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Or could it be that I haven’t had a vacation in almost 4 years?

In the last three years, I’ve probably had the joy of a half dozen occasions where I had two days off in a row. The last one was around Thanksgiving and on the second day, I was wondering around the house looking for something to do that didn’t involve work.

Could that be why I’m so negative? Could I use a little time off?

I’m thinking about instituting a “phone off” plan. When I have a day off where I have nothing planned, I’ll turn that damn phone off.

Perhaps I need to drink more. No, alcohol is a depressant.

Exercising doesn’t seem to be doing the trick. Sure, it lets off steam, but it’s not exactly turning me into Mr. Sunshine Tappy-Toes.

I’m thinking that it’s most definitely the lack of vacation.

At first, I couldn’t believe Deidre and Allison were telling me about my negativity. But I took what they said into careful consideration over the weekend and I can see what they’re talking about. I need to lighten up and the vacation idea is really looking good to me…

Except for one thing: If I don’t work, I don’t get paid.

The answer to my mental health dilemma is right in front of me, but the bills keep coming regardless. And that can make one an awfully negative person as well.

I feel as if I’m in a no win situation.

I borrowed the KISS ‘Rock The Nation’ DVD from Tim Beeman II (the sequel) and watched it with my nephew last week.

Preston really enjoyed it! He took a toy sword and made it his guitar and stood on the couch. Every time that I told him to get off the couch he would say, “Unka Gene, I need a stage.”

I couldn’t exactly argue with that.

He liked the energy, music, and explosions that he saw on the KISS DVD. He likes Gene Simmons and wants to be him for Halloween. So, I’m on the lookout for a couple of items floating around out there. I have to find a play guitar to turn into a bass. I have to start working on a costume for him too.

Or… We could go the cheap and easy route… Dress him up as Gene Simmons from the ‘Dressed To Kill’ album. All it requires is a made-up face and a suit.

It’s always great to see four cats at a KISS show dressed like that album cover. It’s cheap, easy, and effective. Any KISS head out there knows what they’re doing and it makes us point, stare, and possibly chuckle to ourselves.

Preston was a little disappointed that Gene Simmons couldn’t actually fly. He was also disappointed when I told him how Simmons spits up blood. The magic has gone, but I felt it necessary to let him in on it. It can still be enjoyed even though it’s not “real”.

I promised to take him to a KISS show in the future.

I managed to finish up season four of ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ over the weekend. And I can’t agree with Deidre on that season.

I liked it! I found it totally plausible that a government organization called “The Initiative” would hunt down, study, and dissect demons and vampires. And of course, there was one “madwoman” who took it to the next level by creating a demon fused robotic monster.

Season four was like a comic book in that regard, but it was also dramatic as we saw Buffy attend college.

She was “big girl” on campus but in college, she wasn’t doing too hot. She was adjusting to life after Angel and growing up with the daily mistakes we make while getting older and wiser. She slept with a horndog thinking too much with her heart. She was branching out from Giles, her watcher. Oh, and Faith woke up from her coma and caused a little ruckus.

I’m jonesing for season five!

Well, that’s pretty good for an update, don’t cha think?

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:47 PM

    I was crushed too when I learned Gene Simmons couldn't fly. Hope Prestons gets over it quickly. Maybe this will cheer him up: http://cgi.ebay.com/1978-GENE-SIMMONS-Kiss-Halloween-Costume-Mask-PA_W0QQitemZ6606338996QQcategoryZ910QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (I tried to link to it, but no dice).

    Season Five of Buffy is a strong season except for one episode. No knock on Season Six or Season Seven, but if Buffy had stopped at Season Five, I would have been satisfied.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3:14 PM

    I hate being a grown up.

    ReplyDelete