Happy Halloween

Photo: Bob Gruen

I love this photo so much. Mainly because this is the corner of 23rd street and 8th avenue back in the day when what's currently a BBQ was a bank, the ad in the background on the building that's only really appropriate for a pack of smokes was a pack of smokes, and diagonally across from where the awesome band for whom every day was Halloween is standing there was the bowling alley where I won a second-place trophy in 5th grade (I was playing against a bunch of chimpanzees, I'm sure) and the Lamston's where I bought my first Maybelline eyeliner pencil, etc., etc., stood.

But perhaps most of all, look at how Gene Simmons is dressed. Not only do I have clogs almost exactly like that, I would wear his whole dang outfit in a snap. Homey looks sharp!

The 80s were a powerful time in music

Thanks, Rodriguez

Sure, you pretty much know in advance of your click on "play" that you'll laugh, this does involve Cookie Monster, after all (and if the iconic blue, cookie-loving puppet does not amuse you, you are a very hard case, indeed), but this video struck me as particularly genius. Enjoy!

The beautiful music Ikea inspires

If you've ever had a hard time putting together an item from a certain Swedish company, as I did recently, and then finally had success to some degree but are pretty certain you're going to wake up to a pile of particle board on your bathroom floor someday soon anyway, you'll enjoy this video.

It's pretty fun for everyone else, too.

Drop stuff and make music

Gravité from Renaud Hallée on Vimeo.

Saturday night preview

If you're like me, you're such a weird, panicky paranoiac, you like to be told in as much detail as possible what to expect before, say, a dance party (that for whatever reason you MUST to go to, otherwise you'd stay home, of course). My fears are sometimes irrational ("What if they aren't serving party-sized mini knishes from Yonah Schimmel's?") and sometimes understandable ("Humans from Earth really bum me out sometimes.").

One way I control this complicated emotional maelstrom I often go through is by throwing my own dance parties. This way, I can serve mini knishes, invite people who don't bum me out, and post a video on my blog that gives an accurate visual* of what the festivities will be like. In this way, I hope to comfort my guests while also ramping up the excitement for the upcoming event. If you're on the fence (you paranoiac!) about going, watch the below video and THEN decide.


*This is not an aurally accurate video though, as, with all due respect to

the O-Jays and their big hit, "Love Train" is not on Saturday's play list.

Manchasm

This video really starts kicking when the cat shows up. (I know, I never thought "cat" would be one of the most-used words on this blog, either.)

The comfort of Mclusky

My friend and old flame Neil Nash gave up the ghost yesterday early in the morning. His cousin has an appropriately story-filled post about it over on Neilwaukee. I'm going to dig around in some old photos and, in my next post, give you guys (some of whom knew him) a bit of a blast from the past hopefully.

In the meantime here's a band you might like, especially if you feel like punching and kicking things. The first one is of the single-image You Tube variety, so please don't be disappointed by the lack of synchronized dancers, and the second one is an actual Mclusky video.

The chorus of this song can stick in your head and drive you nuts, so watch out!



This video features a bowling pin.



P is responsible for introducing me to such noise. The first song I heard of theirs is the very mellow and brilliant Fuck this Band, but I can't find a copy of it anywhere across the whole world wide web. It's been a long time since I fell so madly in love with a band. I love you, Mclusky!

I guess I should also mention that this band isn't around anymore but the lead singer started a new band called Future of the Left that's presumably very good.