Bratty Tunes
I feel a great deal of affinity for "nyah-nyah" rock lately. Here's the track listing of my most recent mp3 mix:

Current mp3 mix:
April March – Chick Habit
Mohammed Rafi – Jaan Pechachaan Ho (Ghost World opening credits)
the Crystals – He’s a Rebel
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – I Put A Spell On You
Skip James – Devil Got My Woman
Talking Heads – This Must Be The Place
the Donnas – I Don’t Wanna Go To School
the Waitresses – I Know What Boys Like
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – Bad Reputation

Thursday, October 18, 2001 09:43 p.m.

Dan Zanes
I linked to a New York Times article about Zanes, former Del Fuegos singer and current children’s singer. He doesn’t write or play sanitized, dumbed down pap, he just sings plain-talking, realistic, good songs that kids & their parents can relate to. One of his songs, “The Sidewalks of New York” is one my own Daddy used to sing to me when I was a wee tot in need of a lullaby. In this interview for Fresh Air, Terry Gross focuses on what his shows have been like since the September 11 attacks. He plays a few songs in the interview, which is really nice. Best of all, he recognizes that kids listen to music in totally different ways than adults do – intensively, repetitively, absorbing the tunes & the feeling of the songs like a paper towel – and he tailors his music & stage persona to fit in with that difference. His self-run record label, Festival Five Records is a living testament to They Might Be Giants’ timeless wisdom that music self played is happiness self made. If any of you live in New York, or have friends there, tell them to get on down to Dan’s weekly residency at The Park restaurant, Sunday afternoons. It’s a kid-intensive environment, but I bet you’d have a real nice time there even if you don’t have any little ones in tow. Details here.
Thursday, October 18, 2001 09:43 p.m.

How To Get Songs Unstuck From Your Head
I usually use the Bob Dylan method, whereby I sing the offending song in an exaggerated Dylanesque rasp. It all becomes so silly and amusing that I fall about giggling and the song evaporates.
Thursday, October 18, 2001 09:42 p.m.

A Question For The Ages
How do you market a dead artist? Specifically, how do you market Queen of the Damned when your leading lady has died tragically? You're a film studio, you're in business to make money, but you don't want to appear like the greedy capitalist dog you are. How do you profit from grief-stricken fans without looking like a bunch of exploitative jerks? Once again, the New York Times asks all the tough questions. The national paper of record, ladies & gentlemen.
Monday, October 15, 2001 09:19 p.m.

Posters in Victoria
This bit of visual loveliness via loobylu, who really should be over in the newly revamped left sidebar.
Monday, October 15, 2001 09:16 p.m.