Records to Listen To

Here's a list of albums that I have - either digital or on vinyl - that I need to listen to at some point. Some more urgently than others. It's tough to listen to everything, especially when so much music is worth returning to again and again; and so much music only gets better with repeated listening; and I constantly buy and download new records; and the Minutemen consume most of my time and I'm sure that the copy of London Calling I got on vinyl is going to be taking a lot of my time. Oh well!

Some of this shit is brand new, old, and in between. A few of these records I was embarrassed I hadn't listened to yet, but hey, we're all friends.

So here's the list, let me know if you like any of them in particular! I'm going to listen to as many as I can as I can get to them, and I'm going to comment about them - I think. Hopefully.

Down There, Avey Tare

Atomizer, Big Black

Sir Lucious Left Foot The Son Of Chico Dusty, Big Boi

Vespertine, Bjork

My War, Black Flag

Sunset Mission, Bohren & der Club of Gore

Death of a Ladies' Man, Leonard Cohen

1,000 Years, The Corin Tucker Band

Pop Negro, El Guincho

Spike, Elvis Costello

Kaputt, Destroyer

Beyond, Dinosaur Jr

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse, Faces

If'n, fIREHOSE

The Gilded Palace of Sin, The Flying Burrito Brothers

Dry, PJ Harvey

Suicide Invoice, Hot Snakes

New Day Rising, Husker Du

The Guitar Song, Jamey Johnson

kills, jj

So Alone, Johnny Thunders

Go, Jonsi

Voice of Chunk, Lounge Lizards

Van Lear Rose, Loretta Lynn

Meat Puppets II, Meat Puppets

Little Criminals, Randy Newman

Parade, Prince

Tim, The Replacements

Dig Me Out, Sleater-Kinney

Tunnel of Love, Bruce Springsteen

EVOL, Sonic Youth

Streetcore, Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros

Shipwrecked, The Sultans

Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan

Scoop, Pete Townshend

Lisbon, The Walkmen

Apostrophe ('), Frank Zappa

Picnic or Not?

I'm feeling pretty good and exciting right now. Gonna go eat some food soon, post cognac and: Minutemen, Zevon, and CCR. Pretty nice night of music - love me Minutemen, they are truly one of the greatest bands to come from this continent or any other.

Dunn beside me as "Lookin' Out My Back Door" comes on. CCR is so much warmer and, I'd believe, sounding closer to what Fogerty and co. imagined when they recorded. Duh, you could say, cuz that's all they knew. But CD's are cold - though they suit certain music perfectly (blink-182?).

Aight, I'm out. Leave you with this:

(it might not be a picnic - sure hasn't always been for me and in a few drinks I'm sure I'll be saying this ain't no picnic)

I Coulda Been a Contender

It doesn't matter that no one really commented on the last blog. Just comment.

I mean, manifestos. Played, right? OK, here it is:

Can't more people be like this? Forward! Forward, forward, forward!

There's enough disappointment through all of us.

Or this: I coulda been somebody, which is what I am:

See ya on the other side, no one:

Don't Forget Me

There needs to be a power amongst people of youth. I'm only 24 and I feel like I'm slipping away. There needs to be the fire in eyes, and I don't see it. I see the kids my age taking a lot of pictures, flaunting them on Facebook. The pictures of food, of parties - is there nothing that we can capture that is of worth? Vegan food?

I recently read an article about the Peace Corps, wished to join it, and knew immediately that I am too cowardly to join. So be it. But I feel, wish, and hope that I can make a difference down the line.

I think we need to call it back to art and the community of art. Where is there a community? I may not be in the know or connected to the pulse or in the heart of it, but I've been around these communities, man, and these communities ain't nothing but shit. It's all outfits. I've seen it. I've been drunk and around and I find myself silent. I find myself out, looking, wishing for another drink. Is the next drink the answer? If it is, I am a community of one: when you drink, drink for that last one and never waste a living minute to get it.

No, this shit cannot stand. If someone is fashionably drunk again I'll drink two shots for him. If you're wasted and you pose, I will drink two to out pose you, doubly. Come on. Let it stand. Everyone is too educated. I never learned anything from a book that I didn't learn from a bottle and I'd never learn anything if I didn't read a book. I've got a ringing in my ears that I can only hope to drink into silence.

There is music from every era that can make me cry. There is only one love that makes me move, and it is a person. Let's all try and move towards that love. That's a community I'll get behind. Nothing cosmic, nothing political. Ask her out. Ask him out! And be real. Isn't that the only way you can get a date?

Email me at danielgrgas@gmail.com