The Early Years (2002-2005)

“They say that birds do it - bees do it - Even educated fleas do it - Let’s do it - let’s fall in love.” - Cole Porter

Actually, one of the best moments of the Sunday wasn’t DJing, as fun as it was, but eating one of the all-day breakfasts at the Book Cafe for dinner in the hour before I set up. That’s one thing I miss a lot from the US - the ability to get corned beef, eggs, and toast as a meal at any time. And to spend late Sunday afternoon leisurely reading a book (Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller’s SNL oral history Live From New York, which I took off the cafe’s bookshelves and which I really should read in full) by myself, with the occasional SMS for company and very good cheer, struck me as supremely idyllic and splendidly redolent of a style of lazy Sunday afternoon that I’d thought I had lost.

So Virtual Insanity went on at Cocco Latte last night, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly DJing - will put forward a set list as soon as possible. Couldn’t stay too late though - I wish I had the insolence of youth, that lovely prodigal use of time, but unfortunately the workday has its own demands. But glad people had fun! And all in the name of a good cause. Happy Hallowe’en everyone!

Visited the new National Library in Bugis yesterday and came back with Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love (so far, very, very good - compelling, and with some exquisite passages) and Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which I’ve been meaning to read forever - perhaps a 3-week deadline would help force the issue.

“Good Smell Perplexes New Yorkers” is one of the funniest headlines I’ve read recently.

Best pure vocal performances was a topic that came up for discussion somewhere, so here’s my list: The Marvin Gaye version of the Star Spangled Banner The Ray Charles version of “America the Beautiful Aretha Franklin “Call Me” - I love the vocal control, and the dynamics are incredible. My favourite, but any number of Aretha performances could be right up there… I still think Ronnie’s performance on the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” is a thing of beauty - no vocal gymnastics, but her voice sounds to be like the voice of a woman whose heart is close to bursting with love. Al Green’s version of “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?” - good Lord. “Funny How Time Slips Away” also kills me everytime. Ray Charles’ version of “You Don’t Know Me” - one song that I think gets covered really well, with many differing nuances… Ray Charles singing country - what a marriage… Donny Hathaway “Someday We’ll All Be Free” and “The Ghetto” Solomon Burke “Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)” and “I Really Don’t Want To Know” Gladys Knight and the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia” Elliott Smith “Miss Misery” Barry White “Just the Way You Are” Alison Krauss “Baby Now That I Found You”

I will be DJing at Cocco Latte for “Virtual Insanity”, a charity function, this Sunday, from 7.30pm-11pm. Should be fun. Since it’s the early set on a Sunday night, I’ll see if I can do a fairly eclectic mix…

“My huckleberry friend” is one of my favourite lines in any song, ever - even if it makes me think of being on a boat with Huckleberry Hound. Oh - and since we’re on “Moon River”, a thought about Breakfast at Tiffany’s - isn’t it supposedly gauche to use the possessive form of the store’s name? As far as I can tell, Tiffany always refers to itself as Tiffany.

It’s not a good sign when they run out of regular letters for tropical storms and have to use the Greek alphabet - here comes Tropical Storm Alpha, the 22nd of the season.

Just downloaded the latest version of iTunes, and read the License Agreement (I know, I know, who reads these things right?), and this part amused me: THE APPLE SOFTWARE IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE IN THE OPERATION OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES, AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION OR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS, LIFE SUPPORT MACHINES OR OTHER EQUIPMENT IN WHICH THE FAILURE OF THE APPLE SOFTWARE COULD LEAD TO DEATH, PERSONAL INJURY, OR SEVERE PHYSICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.

Songs played on my guitar tonight (a quick list put up on my blog to avoid having to search for the same tabs online next time): Simon and Garfunkel, “Only Living Boy in New York” Mamas and the Papas, “Dream a Little Dream” Rufus Wainwright, “Hallelujah” Counting Crows, “Accidentally in Love” Dashboard Confessional, “Hands Down” The Postal Service, “Such Great Heights”

Hurricane Wilma about to hit the Florida Keys. I like Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson’s choice of words: “The economy of life is greater than the economy of substance.” Good night, and good luck. Auction of unfortunate leather pants purchase. “These were not cheap leather pants. They are Donna Karan leather pants. They’re for men. Brave men, I would think. Perhaps tattooed, pierced men. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say you either have to be very tough, very gay, or very famous to wear these pants and get away with it.” My university gave out the Ig Nobel Prizes recently. Here’s the citation for the Ig Nobel for Literature: “The Internet entrepreneurs of Nigeria, for creating and then using e-mail to distribute a bold series of short stories, thus introducing millions of readers to a cast of rich characters - General Sani Abacha, Mrs. Mariam Sanni Abacha, Barrister Jon A Mbeki Esq., and others - each of whom requires just a small amount of expense money so as to obtain access to the great wealth to which they are entitled and which they would like to share with the kind person who assists them.” Free yourself from the tyranny of pants! “How can a Sarong be Sa-right?”

File under ridiculous news stories: David Copperfield says he plans to impregnate a girl on stage - without even touching her. … He said: “Bull s**t! There is a great deal of new territory to conquer. In my next show I’m going to make a girl pregnant on stage.”

The Dallas Observer discusses the music of Cameron Crowe films. Actually, I think one of the best uses of music in a Crowe film is the “Tiny Dancer” scene in Almost Famous, especially because it wasn’t an out-and-out “cool” song to choose - unlike, say, “Feel Flows” from that same film, “Dyslexic Heart” in Singles, and I’d presume My Morning Jacket’s “Where to Begin” in the upcoming Elizabethtown. “Tiny Dancer” can be a fairly naff song - hey, it even has swelling violins - but somehow it fit in perfectly in the context of that film: it was just the kind of song that would have come up on the radio in the 70s, one presumes, and it showed the reconciliatory mood on the bus.

Apparently, I is rich! My blog is worth $86,939.16. How much is your blog worth? The tool is based on Tristan Louis’ research on the Weblogs Inc. sale, although that article raises many questions of its valuation method - is conversation (incoming links) really more important than traffic? Should all incoming links be weighted equally?

That was the best 10 days I can ever remember having - so good I’m afraid to jinx anything by writing too much. But restoration is a wonder to the soul.

When I saw that the American Society of Magazine Editors had come up with a list of the top 40 magazine covers of the last 40 years, it was pretty fun to guess what would have been included. My own picks would’ve been:

There’s an excellent interview with Sheila Ravenscroft, John Peel’s widow, over at the Telegraph. It’s really lovely - you see the depths of emotion in Peel and his clear love of his wife and his kids. And they say rock and roll kills family values.

Saw that new Alicia Keys song, “Unbreakable”, being performed on Unplugged last night as I was strolling through the local HMV, which makes it the 2nd time I’ve heard the song in 24 hours. It’s really quite a terrible song. The whole conceit of comparing a relationship to a television programme just led to some cheesy lines (“Unbreakable! / Through the technical difficulties / Unbreakable! / We might have to take a break / But ya’ll know we’ll be back next week”). Man, I’ve read some of the gushing over the album, and I really don’t get the love for this song.

Now, a Sunday thought: why do people say “preaching to the converted” like it’s a bad thing? I mean, I presume preaching to the converted goes on most Sundays in churches.