Location: Home, Sofa. The phone rings.
Me: Hey.
Him: Hey R., what are you doing tonight?
Me: It's funny you should ask. I was indeed planning on drinking myself to partial insanity. I was going to do it alone and already have a head start but you're most welcome to join me if you are so inclined.
Him: Um, well, actually we were going out with some friends and wanted to know if you want to come with us...
Me: Can i bring my beers?
Yesterday was a busy work day. So busy in fact that i did not one but two of these while not working. Two.
28
92%DRUNKARD
This post has been offered by: Lazy&Neverupdating Bloggers Theatre.
You may notice some differences on this blog today. The not-exactly-new-just-very-temporary header, for starts. Thing is, the time has finally come for me to change this antiquated template and put something more up-to-date in its place. So for the next day or twenty this blog is going to look extremely wonky, since i haven't really made my mind up yet about what i want it to look like.
In the meantime, check out the search button i added in the sidebar. Unlike all previous attempts (all one of them), this one actually works! Hours of fun.
For the past couple years, My Father has finally entered the monetary status in life where you no longer need to crash on someone's sofa when he travels, but can now resort to mid-low-budget hotel accomodation.
My Father will be seventy in December.
Hmmm.
Crowd inside Teatro Miela before Trabant concert/launch party
The webmaster comes on stage for the encore playing surprise guest air guitar impossible parts. Special thanks to Elena for sending me the pictures and for being the only person this decade who's managed to make me look good in a photo. And to Trabant of course for the graceful surprise invitation.
And this one is from Fallenlady.com.
There's also a video of the event online somewhere but there's no way i'm linking to that.
Crowd outside Teatro Miela after Trabant concert/launch party
And hardly a week after holding a sold-out concert before 450 people and publishing their debut LP, what does Trabant go on to do? They go and win Italia Wave of course. And i can't help mentioning how adorably surprised they are about all this attention, wondering why people want to have them come and play concerts outside their region and giving good reviews a suspicious look because you never know, it might just be an elaborate joke from their friends.
I realize i should post a little info about what i've been doing lately instead of hopping around the continent and blogging. But i have my priorities - there's much to be told but i'd rather talk about what other people have been up to first. All sorts of interesting stuff has been going on around here!
Trabant
For starters, i'll be in Teatro Miela in Trieste tonight for the launch of Trabant's first album. Yes, it finally came out! Reviews are everywhere! And the funny thing is, most of the reviews compare them to bands that have only started to show up in the year that passed between the album's being recorded and its publication, but i digress. It's tremendously exciting for me to see a band i've been loving for so long get the appreciation it deserves, and tonight we're going to celebrate that fact. I'll probably be going around with a video camera in the immediate pre- and post-concert moments, so if you also show up you'll have a good reason to avoid me. There, that last bit was the best publicity for a gig i could ever write.
So what else is good in this boot-shaped country?
So as i said, Trabant's album came out and it's rather good (i'm not that biased in that if i hadn't liked it i would have immediately started bothering chuk about it), but what else is good in the italian indie scene? You're in luck, my dear imaginary reader who asks rhetorical questions, for said scene has been enjoying a most exciting rebirth for the good part of a year already. One specific work i feel the obligation to point out is the debut album from My Awesome Mixtape which you can listen to in its entirety here. It's been a constant soundtrack here at WGD Central for the past month or so (along with the new flaming lips live album, the FPM greatest hits double album, and the usual healthy doses of beefheart and P5) with its somber moods and essential arrangements. All the more fitting if you consider how much this summer had been shaped by their more party-oriented EP whose main single, The Painter And The Anthropologist, has a title which seemed to be constructed especially to make me fall in deep deep geeky love with it.
speaking of this summer...
I've uploaded another video from our August Guča Adventures. Featuring: More dancing! More musicians! More macedonians! And more Mitko! Click here to view, 'cause i can't be bothered to embed it right now.
Not related but still most notable
The 17th of July has been a rather eventful day, not just because of our shenanigans at Italia Wave, which was just starting that day to everyone's amazement. It was also the day former members of one of my favourite bands ever, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, decided to (temporarily?) reform. They met up at bass player Sr.Flavio's radio show where they talked about old times and most importantly performed some of their old favourites for an hour or three. The whole historical event can be downloaded at pleasure from Vito Rivelli's marvellous lfcrarezas website. Whether the reunion was really temporary or a sign of new adventures starting remains to be seen. But Fabulosos Calavera continues to be one of the best albums ever published, so whatever they decide to do is fine by me.
Pinochet Update
oh, and speaking of Latin America, My Father sent me this image the other day.
And no, considering who i got it from it is definitely not in bad taste.
That's all for now. I'll soon be updating again with links to stuff i've done. Forgive me for linking to interesting things instead.
It's all true...
Via Mark Evanier who adds some wise words of appreciation.
Knowledge (and, if possible, a demographic) of how much people are paying for the new radiohead album is definitely more valuable than the album itself.
Actually, i'm pretty certain that somewhere in the world there must be someone who's thinking of how to hack the website just to get that information.
UPDATE: This website asks people how much they paid, but very cheekily doesn't give the results (unless you're one of the people who gave them the info for free). And it's very cheekily been set up by an online magazine which also does music business consulting. How unsurprising.
Must have been around late 2004 or early 2005
Me: We can't go in there. It's evil.
A.: Robin, how can a shop be evil? People are evil.
Me: Ok, ok, let's go to bloody starbucks.
Sorry, had uploaded this two weeks ago but forgot to link it here. Original text so you don't have to go over to its respective youtube page (and so i can finish this and go off to a party in time):
Recorded on thursday, August 9th 2007 at 22:48, at the trumpeter monument of Guča. Clearly visible are Sandro, Johannes, Dave, a glimpse of Derf, and Chuketti's hat.
Hey there, i'm back and have to report at work in about 10 hours. Sleeping must therefore ensue. Plenty of content will come for those who have patience.
Once again, i'm leaving. Once again, to a festival. Once again, to a festival like no other.
And it also seems that in each of these festivals i have and will show a different face. In Rototom Sunsplash it was the face of the translator and bon viveur. At ItaliaWave it was that of the webeditor and music enthusiast (and, surprisingly, of the good team worker). In Guča, it will be that of the anthropologist and drunkard.
If you've clicked the link, you should already have seen that the previous sentence is thoroughly justified. However, it is my pleasure to leave you with this 1951 recording made by Alan Lomax during his travels through Serbia:
Library of Traditional and Primitive Music - Frula Duet(Serbia) (128kps mp3, 1.5Mb)
I dare you to figure out the tempo, especially in the final section. Anyone who succeeds wins a prize.
So, anyway. I'll be away for a week or more. This time i can't promise updates, because who knows when and where i'll be finding an internet connection. What i have done is to put a twitter update on the sidebar. I'll try to update that (from my cellphone) just to reassure people that i'm still alive.
"I miss congrio. I remember when your father and I were still going out together, in Chile. One time he told me to eat congrio in a big restaurant, it was called El Rey Del Pescado. It was delicious. It was also expensive, i don't know how he could afford to take me there. We were students, and we were poor. Now we're teachers, and we're poor."
Pelo fixing something for the neighbouring office, yesterday.
Sala Parto, yesterday.
Global Stage, yesterday.
Chill-out zone, yesterday.
Main stage, 5 minutes ago.
(Michele, preparati.)
Ok, i'm back home. For fifteen minutes. Then i leave for Florence where the whole Italia Wave adventure begins. Still packing. Yesterday this blog turned four years old. Welcome to its fifth year of existence. I've got something special to celebrate, which will be online as soon as i find the files which mysteriously disappeared during my absence.
As for the sunsplash, i will try to keep this blog updated while i'm away. Which will be easier because i should be online quite a lot, but harder because i'm also supposed to be working. One thing's for sure - it's going to be fun.
1. Tuesday evening, in front of Main Stage. Screaming over crowd noise.
Me: Can you believe that one week ago today i was seeing fucking Dionne Warwick live?
Him: What? You fucked Dionne Warwick??
Me: No, i saw her perform, in concert, live.
Him: Oh.
2.Friday afternoon, at the music and clothing stalls.
Peter Tosh(from a loudspeaker): Legalize it...
Me: Legalize what? Please be more specific.
Her: He said what at the beginning of the song.
Me: But i wasn't here yet! Now i'll never know!
Improvised traditional percussion and dance, Rototom Sunsplash, 10.07.07.
Beware: poor sound. But at least the kora can be made out a little.
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra live in Rototom Sunsplash, 11.07.07
The book. I'm reasonably proud of this, so i guess you'll be seeing more book-related posts in the near future.
Cheers from sunsplash land. Very quick observations since i only have 10min of internet left.
Tokyo ska paradise rocked, if that can be said about ska bands. They did ignore my requests of Rydeen, however. Dammit.
We're camping with a hammock and a swimming pool. Classy.
Today, book presentation. And meeting David Katz. Kind of nervous.
I think i'll go jump into a river to relax a bit. See you later.
Once again, i'm going to try to write an update while i pack my bags and prepare for Greater Things. There's quite a lot to say so i'll proceed with bulletpoints, which are instrumental in hiding the fact that none of the things we'll be talking about have any connection with each other whatsoever.
(Actually, it's Atom)
After at least two years of "yeah, i'll do it tomorrow", i finally added a link on the sidebar to this site's feed. So now you all know where to point your feedreaders and proceed to party like it's 2004. Yes, i'm also not very good at maths.
Performing Como El Agua O Como El Viento at Centro Giovanile Piero Poclen, Monfalcone.
My interview to the artist is coming soon. (i know, i know, they all are)
Yesterday a gypsy stopped me in the street. She wanted to know what brand of shampoo i use.
This brought me to think that i really should have a faq. If i had one i would have had a link to send her to.
So, i'm actually going to write one. Start sending in your questions.
My Father, in the car:
"I was writing (...) about this thing that happened to me back when I wrote the book, History Of The Chilean Socialist Party. It was the Party's 49th anniversary so for the fiftieth there was a big celebration. Allende was in power, the party was strong, it was held in the Estadio Nacional. It wasn't full, but almost. People were going around selling my book, carrying whole baskets of it. I was sitting there in the stadium and two guys came to me, with the baskets, offering to sell me my own book. I said,
'No, sorry.'
'Why not?' They asked.
'Well, I'm one of the people who wrote the book.'
They went quiet. Then they looked at each other and went away. As they left, one of them turned to me and said,
'Nice excuse you came up with, bullshitter.'
It was the shortest and strongest critical commentary I've received in my life."
A rite of passage of sorts. At the Large Tree on the night between 21 and 22 may, 2007.
Many pictures were taken, a selection can be found here.
Plenty more content this way cometh.
Slideshow view also recommended.
Art by Herb Trimpe and Sal Buscema, colors by Christie Scheele, words by Roy Thomas.
Original source: The Incredible Hulk N°135, 1971.
Some blogs i've been avidly reading and feeling inspired by lately. Before adding them to the sidebar(or not), i thought it would be nice to point them out to readers in their own bona fide blogpost.
I once declared i would never agree with whatever Momus says. Nowadays i find myself disagreeing with myself rather often, and perhaps consequentially Momus' Blog has been one of my favourite sources of brain food. It's currently in reruns (until september) and highlighting old posts, but still compelling. He also wrote some of my favourite Kahimi Karie songs, so when he writes, i read.
Did you know Adrian Belew is blogging? Well, he is. And he's delivering some fantastic anecdotes from playing in some of the greatest bands ever, if you'll forgive me using the superlative for the second time this month. Well, he was in King Crimson, Talking Heads, Zappa's and Bowie's bands, so i guess my opinion has some sort of foundation.
Warren Ellis is the writer of Transmetropolitan, one of my favourite comics ever. he's a very very nasty person and his blog is simply great. Don't expect much on the went-here-did-this side, it's mainly short poignant reflections and links to things done by equally deranged human beings. I'm admittedly a latecomer to this one.
I've also started reading Neil Gaiman's Journal again lately. Complete opposite, character-wise and blog-wise, from Ellis' approach but always a great read. Plus both have occasionally shared their opinions on this year's season of Doctor Who, as if i needed more reasons to read them.
A nice one to pop into from time to time:
Cozy Lummox - a designer working for Criterion Collection DVDs, with strong links to (you guessed it) the comics world. Good job.
A webcomic:
Dresden Codak - hilarious and beautifully illustrated(which justifies the slow updates), its characters include Werner Heisenberg and Tiny Carl Jung and i hope other people love it as much as i do because it deserves to become famous and its author deserves to be covered with gold coins for his efforts like Edifis in Asterix and Cleopatra.
An eye should be kept on:
nyctaper - promises to have some pretty interesting concerts available for download (i'm looking forward to the Richard Thompson gig myself), some is already online although he seems to have given quite a lot of space to that Roger Waters person i never really could get a hang of.
On the Winamp: Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians (Coldcut Remix)
Time: late january
Place: Here.
Her: Robin, can i ask you a question?
Me: (sensing danger) Sure.
Her: You always used to hang out with Fred, didn't you?
Me: Yes, that's true.
Her: (shyly) Well...why don't you hang out with him anymore?
Me: I think that would have something to do with him studying and bartending in Oxford now.
Her: Oh.
Coincidentally at the exact same time, in Oxford:
Time: Morning
Location: A pub where Derf is bartending.
Customer: I have a terrible hangover, give me a double whisky.
Derf: Are you sure that's a good idea?
Customer: No, but if i add this aspirin...
(Both are true stories. Aren't they all? Derf will, however, be returning to these lands later today -and had already been here in spring- and an interesting announcement from both of us is forthcoming.)
Living room, about a month ago.
Me: What're you watching?
Her: One of those Lord Of The Rings movies.
Me: Cool, which one?
Her: I don't know, but they just killed a poor dwarf.
I was going to post my ultra-rare edition of Sgt. Pepper, but far be it from me to succumb to all this tacky celebration-ing. Instead, we have something fascinating in its own right, thanks to badness.
As you very well should know if you're carbon-based, one of The Greatest Bands Of All Times recently reformed, reuniting all three original members and are currently touring. You may think this is a rather common circumstance nowadays, but finding a band with all three characteristics (reunited, original members, touring) is, i assure, extremely rare. And keeping high in quality, no less. So of course it's Police we're talking about here.
Indeed, some days ago i came across a link to an Mp3 of their second live gig of 2007, in Vancouver, and promptly procured myself it in the manner that is typical of this kind of ethereal artifact.
When i first heard this recording, however, i could tell something was wrong. I didn't pay too much attention to the feeling and went on doing my stuff, thinging my things. Then i read Stewart Copeland's fascinating, hilarious and utterly sincere post - on his own forum, of all places!
(Tnx to Pelodia for pointing me there)We crash through MESSAGE and then go strait[sic] into SYNCHRONICITY. But there is just something wrong. We just can’t get on the good foot. We shamble through the song and hit the big ending. Last night Sting did a big leap for the cut-off hit, and he makes the same move tonight, but he gets the footwork just a little bit wrong and doesn’t quite achieve lift-off. The mighty Sting momentarily looks like a petulant pansy instead of the god of rock.
Place: Trieste, kebab stall
Time: October/November 2006
Players: Webmaster, stall owner
Me: Do you go home often?
Him: To Siria? :-)
Me: Yeah.
Him: Sure! :-)
Me: When was the last time?
Him: I go there every year! :-)
Me: Isn't it expensive?
Him: Business has been good. I came to Italy five years ago, found a job, went back in the summer to get some documents. :-)
The following year business was good, I went home in the summer. :-)
The year after that I opened this stall, and I've been able to go every summer. :-)
Last year there was the war, so I couldn't go home... :-(
Me: Oh...
Him: ...so I went to Spain instead! :-)
i found these from Neil Gaiman.
she wrote a book, this is the website:
No one belongs here more than you
i'd first gotten to know her through her movie. It is called
Me and You and Everyone We Know
Gnapppo had told me it had good music (he was right).
all the staff at WGD loved it when we saw it last year.
we really really did.
she has other websites too.
this one is a project about people missing people.
How will I know her?
(the webmaster also misses people)
she has a main website.
This is her website.
there are many other nice things on it.
(David Byrne gives consent)
She will be reading parts of her book in Milan on June 11th.
i'm afraid i won't be able to go because i have important stuff to do here on the tenth.
(p.s. dear mister blogspot, your services haven't been working so well on firefox lately especially when i try to use the preview function. It doesn't bother me really and i shouldn't complain because i'm not being a very good blogger lately but perhaps other people who are more consistent may be getting bothered by this but are still too shy to say anything about it, not on the internet at least, so see if you can di something about it)
(p.p.s. i also would have linked to something on mentioning Gnapppo's name but he does not seem to have any of those wonderful blogs of his anymore, and i didn't feel like uploading those pictures of him struggling with a Rubik's cube outside Pieffe again. He's not online right now so i had no way of asking him about this.)
Location: somewhere between Duino and Turin (or vice versa).
Time: sometime between 1am Tuesday morning and 6pm Wednesday evening.
Him: Now I understand why you don't update your blog so often. Every time you try to do it some wierd bulgarian shows up and kidnaps you away in his car.
Me: It's funny because it's true.
Later, or earlier that night/morning/evening. Oh whatever, SUMMER.
Me: I really needed this, i haven't had a road trip in ages.
Him: When was the last time?
Me: On my birthday, a friend of mine was playing with his band in some place 5 hours away from home, and the night before we just decided to surprise them, filled two cars up with people and drinks and drove over.
Him: That's strange.
Me: Not really...
Him: No, i mean it's strange i don't remember you writing about it on your blog.
(Actually, the second conversation might have occurred immediately before the first one. My memory, as always, is not in any way helpful in reconstructing the events.)
(in that order)
Small anecdote. Upon seeing my fresh purchase, L. remarked:
"Eclectic, very eclectic. I like that, eclectic taste is a thing of true geniuses."
I was about to thank her for the compliment when she started to snicker uncontrollably while muttering the word "genius". I guess this is one of the reasons i hardly ever talk to her.
I just realized something. I was translating a press release for Vinicio Capossela's upcoming US tour, and had just produced this phrase:
"(...)generating great interest and enthusiasm among audiences and record industry insiders"when it dawned on me. Two things dawned on me, actually.
Yes, Facebook is indeed a drug.
Update: Warren Ellis agrees, albeit with much better words than I could ever have come up with.
On the Websphere, Sometime in March/April 2007
Her: Ok, so when i come and visit we can meet in Trieste and get some pizza...
Me: Pizza? Come on, we're in Trieste! It would be a crime not to eat something typical!
Her: Ok, what do you suggest?
Me: I think we should go out for a Kebab.
Her: Cool!
Me: So, what do you think I should do?
Him: I think the solution is that you should stop behaving like an asshole. Also, I think i should take you out to get smashed now.
Me: But you don't drink anymore.
Him: I don't. You're the one who's getting smashed, not me.
Me: Who's paying for the drinks?
Him: You are.
Me: Oh. (Long Pause) Ok.
Florence, December 2006
Her: So are you planning anything for your birthday?
Me: Nothing special, you know i never celebrate. Probably just going out with some friends, having some drinks. What are you doing for yours?
Her: Oh, same as last year. I'm going bungee jumping.
The Blues Busters live with Byron Lee & The Dragonairs at The Sombrero Club, 1962. (via)
The players: My Father, The Webmaster.
The time: two days ago, lunchtime.
Him: We're running off to the lawyer, but i left something to eat in the fridge. Don't know what it is though.
Me: You don't? Who made it?
Him: Oh, I did.
Him: I slept too much, i need to go to drink.
Me: ...
Him: No wait, it was the other way around.
Location: Tetris Carnival Party
Time: yesterday. ish.
Her: What are you dressed up as*? You look just like Johnny Depp in Fear And Loathing!
Me: Thanks! It's the first time anyone's compared me to Johnny Depp, pity you chose the film where he's bald and overweight...
Her: Hey, at least i didn't say Ed Wood.
*PS: I wasn't.
The webmaster would like to beg apology for the protracted lack of updates by presenting You with one of the most beautiful things ever committed to film.
Laurel & Hardy - Dance Scene from "Way Out West", 1937.
"At the Ball, That's All" performed by The Avalon Boys.
I am blogging from a new laptop.
(i love this strip)
For some reason, this very website makes the new laptop's browser crash.
Location: Undisclosed (My current employer might be reading).
Players: Two members of a Distinguished Band from Trieste.
Time: around 11AM of Saturday, 10 February.
Her: Ok, my idea is we drive back to trieste at 300km/h so we can go see Inland Empire.
Him: Come on, we can take our time and catch a showing around eight.
Her: Yeah, but I want to see it twice.
I'm sure you're all very well aware of the upcoming celebration but it's always a good thing to remind you. Imagine the shame of stepping out of your door on wednesday morning and realizing you forgot to wear your gorilla suit. C'mon, pull the good one out from your wardrobe. You know you want to.
And just to give you something else to look at, here's my post from last year's NGSD where a rare translated Don Martin publication was unearthed.
Prologue:
"Jack Ren (********@hotmail.com) has added you to MSN Messenger. Do you want to allow him to contact you and see you online?"
Feeling rather surprisingly friendly, i accepted partially out of curiosity.
The following conversation ensued:
evaristo writes:
Hi! With who do i have the pleasure...?
Jack Ren writes:
hello
Jack Ren writes:
what do you mean? i am sorry, i can't understand!
evaristo writes:
i was asking who are you
Jack Ren writes:
haha. this is Jack from China. and we are welding & cutting machine manufacturer.
evaristo writes:
oh i see, i was wondering why you added me on messenger
Jack Ren writes:
may i ask where are you from?
evaristo writes:
i am living in italy
Jack Ren writes:
ok, and you name is ***** **** ********* ?
evaristo writes:
yes, that is correct. How do you know?
evaristo writes:
hello? How do you know my name?
Jack Ren writes:
very occasionally!
evaristo writes:
i'm sorry i don't understand!
evaristo writes:
why do you know my name?
Jack Ren writes:
i got your info from the internet occasionally. so i add you . and thought you are welding industry, am i right?
evaristo writes:
no, i'm sorry!
evaristo writes:
i am just a student
Jack Ren writes:
oh,i see.
evaristo writes:
i am very sorry
Jack Ren writes:
never mind!
Jack Ren writes:
we can be friends anyway!
End of conversation.
This blog is currently being upgraded. Things may look a bit wonky for a while. The webmaster doesn't exclude the possibility of throwing all this 2.0 rubbish away and just going back to the old version.
1hr later UPDATE: i guess i'll be leaving this new font as the old one for some reason gets the sidebar and post titles all pixelly. Most things are now accounted for.
What's left:
1. removal of links from post titles. If anybody has any clue about how to do this please let me know.
2. reinclusion and updating of "latest cds" sidebar section
3. don't remember. Maybe it had to do with getting the old font back.
2days later update: Ok, this font sort of stays. Title links are still a pain. I'm thinking of just picking another template and getting this over with. All this mess is a testament to the expression "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
It's The Captain's Birthday! Don Van Vliet is 66 today and that already makes it one of the best days in the year. It is usually a matter of celebration on this website. This year, however, we don't really have anything ready. This is not a problem though, because we here at WGD are rather good at improvising.
Therefore, this whole week will be dedicated to The Good Captain in one way or another. For starters, i think we should remind you of what makes the man so important. So here's a link to a 1991 interview which has recently been made into a short film.
And here is an Mp3 of The Captain performing Orange Claw Hammer, guitar backing courtesy of mr. F.Zappa.
Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa - Orange Claw Hammer - 160kps 5.3Mb Mp3
Lyrics:
Orange Claw Hammer
Uh thick cloud caught uh piper clubs tail
The match struck blue on uh railroad rail
The old puff horse was just pullin' thru
'n uh man wore uh peg leg forever
I'm on the bum where the hoboes run
The air breaks with filthy chatter
Oh I don't care there's no place there
I don't think it matters
My skin's blazin' thru
'n my clothes in tatters
'n the railroad looked
Like uh "Y" up the hill of ladders
Ohe shoe fell on the gravel
One stick poked down
Gray of age fell down on uh pair of ears
An eagle shined thru my hole watch pocket
Uh gingham girl baby girl
Passed me by in tears
Uh jack rabbit raised his folded ears
Uh beautiful sagebrush jack rabbit
'n an oriole sang like an orange
His breast full uh worms
'n his tail clawed the evenin' like uh hammer
His wings took t' air like uh bomber
'n my rain can caught me uh cup uh water
When I got into town
Odd jobs mam ah yer horse I'll fodder
I'm the round house man
I once was yer father
Uh little up the road uh wooden
Candy stripe barber pole
'n above it read uh sign "Painless Parker"
Lic-licorice twisted around under uh fly
'n uh youngster cocked 'er eye
God before me if I'm not crazy
Is my daughter
Come little one with yer little dimpled fingers
Gimme one 'n I'll buy you uh cherry phosphate
Take you down t' the foamin' brine 'n water
'n show you the wooden tits
On the Goddess with the pole out s'full sail
That tempted away yer peg legged father
I was shanghaied by uh high hat beaver moustache man
'n his pirate friend
I woke up in vomit 'n beer in uh banana bin
'n uh soft lass with brown skin
Bore me seven babies with snappin' black eyes
'n beautiful ebony skin
'n here it is I'm with you my daughter
Thirty years away can make uh seaman's eyes
Uh round house man's eyes flow out water
Salt water
-Don Van Vliet, 1969
Good morning. This is, i suppose, officially the first post of the new year. Funny thing is, i still haven't had the time to write the traditional end-of-2006 post. So traditional that at one point of our new year's dinner somebody asked "have you all written your end-of-year posts?", and everybody answered in the affirmative. That's 2006 to you, all but one of the people i was celebrating with have one or more blogs, or at least an internet presence. The one without, an increasingly rare plus, has my eternal admirement.
Certain things have been somewhat changing in the online world in the meantime. I woke up yesterday to find Blogger, Last.fm and Myspace functioning entirely in italian. In wrong italian. In Babelfish-translated italian. I now have nightmares of living in a world where everybody speaks a profoundly incorrect and rebabelfished version of their own languages, and where writing doesn't fit on street signs because nobody bothered to modify the template.
(Wrong Italian is, i assume, in the same linguistic family as Drunk English)
Luckily, some backstage fiddling and jiggledypokery fixed all that. And as a consequence, we now have tags. And if one of these days i feel crazy or suicidal enough, i might even try to start improving the template using all these beautiful new Blogger tools which quite frankly terrify me to the bone. Meanwhile, tags have been added to most recent posts for your enjoyment. Chances of me going back and tagging the entire archives: Yeah right. Good one.
So, that's all. Enjoy your 2007(which i certainly didn't ask for, 2006 was being particularly good for me already), expect new stuff on this page sometime soonish.
