Best Car Commercial Ever.

I drove my VW to Washington today. Here is my favorite VW commercial.

Vespa 90! progress!?

I have been working on building my 1964 Vespa 90 out of pieces, but the headset is chipped and I didn't know until now. I need to either find a new one to replace this one, or find someone to fix mine.

The Best Concerts I Saw in 2006

In 2005 i only saw 2 bands that weren't my friends. Those shows were Jason Anderson and Casiotone For The Painfully Alone. Granted, both were fantastic, and of course my friends bands were fantastic (Kalpana, Get Awesome Ninjas, Pink Cammies) but this year really was epic.

I saw a lot of great shows this year, and some I even went to with girls. This is a nice new trend that I would like to continue in 2007. Strangely, my top three shows are all ones I went to alone. It was a tough task to narrow it down to a top 5, but there were some real standouts that were just absolutely stellar. Some of the close ups include: Kind of Like Spitting, Jonathan Richman, Damien Jurado, Flipper, Japanther, This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, Jeffrey Lewis, and The Thermals.

5.
For fifth place, I would say the Mirah show was fantastic. This was the record release party for Mirah's new remix album entitled "Joyride." The album has great cover artwork of the Fremont bridge, which is quite close to my house, and the show was really close too - at the Here was what the flyer said: 8pm, $5 - Featuring performances, visuals and DJ styles by Mirah, Mt. Eerie, DJ Beyonda, screamclub, Bryce Panic, DJ Anna Oxygen, Pash".
I almost didn't go to this show because I was really getting into sanding my Vespa beforehand, but then Dan twisted my arm and we drove off in the rain even though it was super close. When we walked in Calvin Johnson was selling merch and Phil Elvrum was playing guitar and singing. There were tons of cute girls there and this one band had a song about being a pedestrian and how they love walking around. But I don't even know what band that was because all the acts were so pretentious that they didn't introduce themselves. However, Mirah was super cute and her songs are fantastic and I absolutely loved it.

4.
Earlier in the year, on June 8th at the Wonder Ballroom Joe and I saw The Streets and Lady Sovereign. I didn't really "get" lady sov, but the Streets were so great. They busted out all these songs I had forgotten about and it was really dancy. The crowd was super hip with lots of those tee shirts that have offset designs on the bottom and sides that I own none of. Mike Skinner poured brandy straight into peoples' mouths in the front and it was like a big party. It was fantastic. North Star Ballroom at 635 N. Killingsworth Court. This show took place on November 26, 2006.

3.
So the only reunion show on this list took place at the Roseland Theater on July 26. I have seen Weezer play three times and all three were really cool, but none of them were as rad as when I saw THE RENTALS this summer. Ozma, one of my old favorites opened and they weren't as great because they changed some members, but The Rentals were awesome. Matt Sharp came out dancing wearing an Ozma tee shirt and big glasses strapped on to his head. He bounced around and they played a ton of hits, up to and including "I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams" which is technically a Weezer song. The moog synths sounded great and the Matt's singing was top notch. The crowd there was kind of jockish, strangely and I went with a friend but after they played "Friends of P" and I left I called him on the phone and he was across town at some bar, so I consider this show to be one I went to solo.

2.
Okay so imagine you're driving cross country in the snow and by accident you stop in some weird town in the middle of nowhere and imagine the singer of your favorite band is playing an acoustic set at a crappy bar and no one is there but you and also imagine he played your favorite song by said band. This is what happened to me in February when I saw Bob Nanna play in Iowa at Gabe's Oasis.

1.
In an ironic showing of capitalism prevailing for a socialist singer, the best show I went to see this year was also the most expensive. I shelled out $27 to see BILLY BRAGG play at the Aladdin on October 2, 2006. It was so fantastic. I once again went by myself and sat IN THE FRONT ROW! Billy Bragg is so charming and his songs are so punk rock and, dare I say, emo. He had the best stage presence and banter of anyone I've ever seen play. I can't believe I almost didn't go to this show. I loved it!

new pic on top, ya dig?

Rattlecan my heart.

I have begun painting my Smallframe Vespa. For those keeping score at home, this will be my third rattlecan paint job, though my first on a Vespa. It looks good so far: the small bit i've done.

Boyracer - "I've got it and it's not worth having."

Have I mentioned lately that I'm obsessed with Sarah Records? I bought another one of their 7"s on ebay this week, but this one isn't it. This one might be next. It's the band Boyracer, from England, with a great song. Here's a video for it and the lyrics.



I can't even remember a summer day
so much wasted on movement.

Last night alone in your car,
unable to speak.
With every word uncovered.

I've got it and it's not worth having.

And I drink to forget.
Yet increase the distance
I'm trying so hard to be late
It's permanent
This has happened over you.
drink myself stupid and I'm feeling stupid over you.

I've got it and it's not worth having.

(awesome build up and solo)

I've got it and it's not worth having.
I've got it and it's not worth having.
I've got it and it's not worth having.
I've got it and it's not worth having.

===
I love Boyracer, especially this song because this might be where emo and indie pop and punk meet. The verses might be mistaken for Jawbreaker taken on their own. The sound is more midwest USA than midlands UK, and the song was covered by The Lucksmiths
for a Sarah tribute 7" on Matinee! This is fantastic and it reminds me
that one of my favorite blogs that covers all of this is called href="http://www.thesoundofindie.com/">The Sound of Indie

Also, Boyracer is on Yellow Mica Recordings along with my new band ROCKET PUNCH! So, we are labelmates pretty much, no?

Rocket Punch's song "Pink Cashmere" - I don't know why I didn't pick up on this before - is track ten on the "C06" compilation put together by Indie MP3 dot co dot UK! How great is that? Check it out here:
http://www.indie-mp3.co.uk/2006/07/c06.html

Relevant Wikipedia links:
Boyracer (phenomenon)
C86 (music)

===
I have been working on other things lately including the Scoot.net FAQ. I
wrote a big bit about touring on a scooter: Scoot.net FAQ

Summer Flashback

Matt gave me a bunch of pictures recently and this was one of them. It is me during the 2006 Rally In Portland chilling in Sellwood.

The black Vespa in the front belongs to Kalaisha. The three bikes right by those are Cassie, Tracy ("Skirt") and my roommates' - all from Cute Bunnies and Kitties Scooter Club.

Across the street there I am chilling with coffee in hand. Behind me is my roommates' Lambretta, my white Vespa, and I'm talking with some scooter friends from Eugene and some goofball with sandals on a Derbi Predator who just happened to be riding by.

Year in review!

Coming soon: I am going to count down my favorite concerts I went to in 2006!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rocket Punch plays their first show!

Rocket Punch played live for the first time on December 1, 2006.

We played the following:

Kafka on the S.
Michael, Don't Go To Private School
Emma's House (The Field Mice cover)
Pink Cashmere
Dan: The Song
Better Lives
Dumb Kid
Posters for Cats Disappeared (The Capstan Shafts cover)
Sucked Out (Superdrag cover)



In case you missed it, here is a recording of us practicing our song, "Dan: The Song" which is about this kid right here.

Rocket Punch - "Dan: The Song" (Rehearsal - November 14, 2006) link

Thank you to all who attended! SOON WE WILL BE BIGGER THAN U2!

Also, we have 1" buttons, the hip kind, available. Email me for details.

Also, our CDs are available from www.yellowmicarecordings.com

Rocket Punch performs live!!!

As was reported way back here, Rocket Punch is releasing their first record. It is entitled "BLOOD ON THE UKELELE" and is available from Swedish label Yellow Mica Recordings.

I have joined the live band of Rocket Punch and we are playing our first show this Friday. It is free. It will be good times. It is going to be at The Waypost.

Let's Talk about The Liberal Media

My boss often tells me that Air America Radio is going to go bankrupt because no one listens to it and no one likes it. He is wrong.

Above is a copy of an internal memo from ABC Radio Networks.

The message reads:

“Please be advised that Hewlett Packard has purchased schedules with ABC Radio Networks between (certain dates). Please make sure you black out this advertiser on your station, as they do not wish to air on any Air America affiliates. Please see below for a complete list of advertisers requesting that none of their commercials air within Air America programming.”

Here are the companies that refuse to have their purchased radio advertisements run during Air America programming:

Allstate
American Heart Association
Avents
Avon
Bank of America
Baye
BMW Motor cycles
Chattam…. Phisoderm, Gold Bond, Selsun Salon, Ultimate Healing Lotion,.
Cigna
Cingular
Clorox
Coke
Coty
Dean’s Morningstar
Denny’s
Discovery Channel
Eharmony.com
Epson
Expedia.com
Exxon Mobil
Farmer’s Insurance
FedEx
Foot Action
Frito Lay
GE
Gillette Venus
Goodyear
Heinekin Amstel
Hershey’s
Hewlett Packard
Home Depot
Hormel
Hyatt
Interstate Bakers
JC Penney
Johnson & Johnson
Kohl’s
Levi’s
Masterfoods (all brands}
McDonalds
Merial Frontline
MGM
Michelin
Microsoft
Morningstar
National Cattleman Beef
Nestle
Nissan
NYSE
Office Depot
Outdoor Life Network
P & G – Bounty, Charmin, Febreeze, Iams Dog/Cat food, Pepto Bismol
Paramount
Pepsi
Philip Morris
Pier 1 Imports
Red Lobster
ReMax
REI Sporting
Rent-way
Rebert Herr
Schering Plough
Sherwin Williams
Sony
State Farm
Toys R US
Travelocity.com
True Value
United Healthcare
US Navy
USPS
Visa
Walgreens
Wal-Mart
Welch’s
Wrigley
Wyeth

I am going to be taking my very small earnings elsewhere whenever possible, for the small difference it will make.

NY Times mention: link

WFMU Blog discussion: link

Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting: link

another link to the memo

More info on Huffington Post: link

---------------------

To liven this post up a bit, here's Billy Bragg playing "Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards" on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on October 5th, 2006.

If You've got them, light them up

I really want one of these new Gilera Fuocos.

I have an audio treat for old fans of WGSU - especially Greg Gonzalez.

http://audio.cdbaby.com/s/summerbreak-10.mp3

Car of the Month: Citroen DS

A lot of people ask me "John, What is the coolest car in the world?" I answer them, "Of course the coolest car in the world is the Citroen DS."

The Citroen DS was introduced in 1955 and built until 1975. There used to be a white one in my town that was in mint shape and I thought it was the greatest. The Citroen had a lot of majorly advanced technology, like the first electronic throttle control, hydraulic suspension, and headlights that turn when the wheels turn. Here is a picture of the Citroen DS:








Fantastic music video featuring a Citroen DS: link

Happy Vespa

Today I got this carburator in the mail. It is what's known as a Vortex carburator. It is a Spaco/Dell'orto style carb modified by a scooterist in California to be more adjustable and to give a bit better performance. I worked on my scooter and put it mostly back together and took it for a spin around the block. It started up and sounded very angry. I believe it was upset because during the two years I have owned it I have always run a 102 main jet, not knowing any better. Now, I know better and have a 116 main jet. That is a big change. It means the Vespa gets a lot more fuel. This carb is designed for a lot more air, thus the scooter's engine is burning a lot more and going faster. I am very pleased with this. A large portion of this pleasure comes from me putting it all back together single-handedly (with some counseling from my housemates, a phone tutorial from Al of Hot Rod Scooters, and more counseling and parts lending from The McCabes). However, after a few blocks the Vespa died and had to be pushed home. It made weird clouds of smoke out of the carburator top that if I were superstitious I would believe would have something to do with halloween. I am sure something small is wrong with it. In any event, the ride around the block was smoother and quicker than ever before.

Also, today I watched The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift and it was pretty awesome.

The Wrens - "She Sends Kisses"

(With Youtube.com having been bought out recently, I figure I might as well post up this great video for you to enjoy whil I still have the chance. It's "She Sends Kisses" by The Wrens, off of "The Meadowlands.")

she sends kisses
ten tons against me and you’ve gone
I put your favorite records on
and sit around
it spins around
and you’re around again
struck dumb while drugs run at how high reeds
cue every memory at half-speeds
just like….charles, hold-me-downs
I’m-coming sounds
cut crap, who’s filling shoes like these anymore?
past clumsy crushes beneath Thrill Pier
hopes pinned to poses honed in men’s room mirrors
a sophomore at Brown
she worked Lost & Found
I put your face on her all year
from five rows of photos when you wrote
of posed you, dressed blue, a backyard boat
signed at the bottom with this quote:
(#4 North Shore) a cape may address
your new one I guess
‘all’s well in hell and all here’s hoping’
she sends kisses
some signed ‘with Love, Beth oooooo xxxxx’
she sends kisses
same old beth - some signed 666
our shore town knockdown sure was fun
yeah, white trash, what have you
I fired replies back gun by gun
past Seven Wrecks I read your four answers:
1. your move
2. I’m tres involved
3. move on
4. love, Beth
I walk it down
this tourist town
‘just thought I’d’ calls
just friends
she sends kisses
and all at once back doors blow open
she sends…. in envelopes stamped w/ ‘Hope & Hearts’ - ripped right open
she sends…
but I’m corrupt - I wrote back good luck