AWESOME ARTICLE ABOUT DR. SEUSS (one awesome dude) posted by Rob

CLICK THE IMAGE for some excellent info. on Dr. Seuss aka Theodor Geisel...

Synecdoche New York - review - by Robert Kolar

Synecdoche New York is an ambitious piece lost within a swirl of great ideas that tend to go nowhere. Despite some great performances (namely Samantha Morton and Catherine Keener) there doesn't seem to be much of an arch to the whimsical tale. It seems Kauffman is indulged by his 'spaghetti bowl' of ideas and splashes them into an intricate collage of ambiguity. His imagery and dream-scape seem ungrounded, undeveloped and as a result feel unconsummated. It's as if Kauffman was trying to stuff every innovative, unexpected, or esoteric idea he hasn't (or... has) used into one film. With more focus and a developed arch for Seymour Hoffman's character this piece would have a lot more to offer. Sadly, Seymour Hoffman spends basically the whole movie in despair or tears. As always he gives a believable and realist performance but ends up being a bit monotone with the direction and writing. Visually, the film is triumphant. The photography and aesthetics are strong and engaging. For most of the film I felt engulfed by curiosity and playful optics. However, without the proper development and fluidity of storyline I was left deprived of anything substantial to take with me. Read into it all however you like but it for me it unraveled into an artsy hodge podge (and I usually love that sort of thing). Kauffman is endlessly talented but should possibly keep things slightly simpler and centered. Maybe using several strong mind bending ideas as opposed dozens that scatter like lost marbles.

Interview w/ Aaron Russo about Nick Rockefeller & NWO

PERFECT AS CATS : a tribute to The Cure

Manimal Vinyl records has put together a double album of Cure covers. Artists such as The Dandy Warhols, The Muslims, Lemon Sun, Kaki King, Blackblack, Gangi, Hecuba, Bat for Lashes, and many more.

click on picture for link to I-tunes

Also check out... http://www.myspace.com/perfectascats

"NEW" is back (posted by Rob)

A fabulously modern and adventurous experience is happening at the SOSE theater in Silverlake very soon. The acclaimed play, "NEW" will be up Monday-Thursday night performances beginning October 27th through November 13th.

OCTOBER -      27th, 28th, 29th, 30th (mon- thurs.)
NOVEMBER -    3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th (mon thurs.)
                                10th, 11th, 12th, 13th (mon-thurs.)

@ THE SON OF SEMELE THEATER - 3301 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles (near Echo Park/Silverlake) 90038

In this 'new' series of performances, Rachel Kolar & Lauren Brown have added a second and revelatory ACT which takes the two main characters further into a world surrealism and exploration.

I urge you to see this play as it is bizarre, fun, graphic, unique and relevant to the world we live in today.  It features the music of Hecuba, Rainbow Arabia, and Black Hole Oscillators...  a few of the great emerging avant garde electronic, experimental musical outings in Los Angeles at the moment.   

A summary of ACT 1-
In a post-apocalyptic setting, two young and flamboyant socialites, Rachel Kolar & Lauren Brown, are depressed by the bleak state of the aftermath of war. No longer is there room for extravagance, no longer are there parties and delusions of grandeur. In attempts to glorify the need for excessive materialism they devise a movement of neon colors, empty consumerism, absurd rules of engagement and foppish costumes. When their movement takes a turn too dark for the pretty pair of dipsomaniacal flamingos, chaos ensues. What is left for our sad debutantes? The only thing left after destruction, to build a bomb to blow up the world!


For more information and to get tickets you can visit www.myspace.com/postfactproductions.

tHE wAVE - Colorado (Posted by Rob)

This is a fabulous photo I found on the Coast to Coast am website.  It is of a rock formation created millions of years ago in Colorado.  

COAST TO COAST (posted by Rob)

Recently I have been listening to one of the most eye and mind opening programs I have ever listened to. George Noory and other hosts interview intelligent, articulate and forward thinking individuals in subjects of spirituality, government, ET's, healing, psychology, astronomy, alternative history, news, and much more. If you can please listen. It will absolutely change your life and open your perception. Rob Kolar

CLICK PICTURE FOR LINK TO ONLINE RADIO/SITE

MONEY SYSTEM posted by Rob

This video helped me understand, better, the way our banking system operates. You can use this video to link you to the other parts (5 in all).

Holiday with John McCain (posted by Rob)

Below is an e-mail that has been circulating. It is a personal account of experienes wih John McCain on holiday. Whether you put a lot of weight in this or not, it is quite an interesting and potentially revealing memoir.


This shocking account was written by Ana Dubey. Ana has a PhD in psychology and has a private practice in San Francisco. Ana's husband is currently a Managing Director of a private equity firm in the Bay Area.
Ana and her husband are not political activists and don't have any personal ax to grind. In fact, in writing this account of her experience with John McCain, Ana is acting outside of her own economic self-interest as she and her husband are among the top 3-5% of our population who would benefit from the McCain tax/economic policies.

MY HOLIDAY WITH JOHN McCAIN
It was just before John McCain's last run at the presidential nomination in 2000 that my husband and I vacationed in Turtle Island in Fiji with John McCain, Cindy, and their children, including Bridget (their adopted Bangladeshi child).

It was not our intention, but it was our misfortune to be in close quarters with John McCain for almost a week, sinceTurtle Island has a small number of bungalows and their focus on communal meals force all vacationers who are there at the same time to get to know each other intimately.

He arrived at our first group meal and started reading quotes from a pile of William Faulkner books with a forest of Post-Its sticking out of them. As an English Literature major myself, my first thought was "if he likes this so much, why hasn't he memorized any of this yet?"

I soon realized that McCain actually thought we had come on vacation to be a volunteer audience for his "readings" which then became a regular part of each meal. Out of politeness, none of the vacationers initially protested at this intrusion into their blissful holiday, but people's buttons definitely got pushed as the readings continued day after day.

Unfortunately this was not his only contribution to our mealtime entertainment. He waxed on during one meal about how Indo-Chinese women had the best figures and that our American corn-fed women just couldn't meet up to this standard. He also made it a point that all of us should stop Cindy from having dessert as her weight was too high and made a few comments to Amy, the 25 year old wife of the honeymooning couple from Nebraska that she should eat less as she needed to lose weight.

McCain's appreciation of the beauty of Asian women was so great that David the American economist had to move his Thai wife to the other side of the table from McCain as McCain kept aggressively flirting with and touching her.

Needless to say I was irritated at his large ego and his rude behavior towards his wife and other women, but decided he must have some redeeming qualities as he had adopted a handicapped child from Bangladesh. I asked him about this one day, and his response was shocking: "Oh, that was Cindy's idea - I didn't have anything to do with it. She just went and adopted this thing without even asking me. You can't imagine how people stare when I wheel this ugly, black thing around in a shopping cart in Arizona. No, it wasn't my idea at all."

I actively avoided McCain after that, but unfortunately one day he engaged me in a political discussion which soon got us on the topic of the active US bombing of Iraq at that time. I was shocked when he said, "If I was in charge, I would nuke Iraq to teach them a lesson."

Given McCain's personal experience with the horrors of war, I had expected a more balanced point of view. I commented on the tragic consequences of the nuclear attacks on Japan during WWII -- but no, he was not to be dissuaded. He went on to say that if it was up to him he would have dropped many more nuclear bombs on Japan. I rapidly extricated myself from this conversation as I could tell that his experience being tortured as a POW didn't seem to have mellowed out his perspective, but rather had made him more aggressive and vengeful towards the world.

My final encounter with McCain was on the morning that he was leaving Turtle Island. Amy and I were happily eating pancakes when McCain arrived and told Amy that she shouldn't be having pancakes because she needed to lose weight. Amy burst into tears at this abusive comment. I felt fiercely protective of Amy and immediately turned to
McCain and told him to leave her alone. He became very angry and abusive towards me, and said, "Don't you know who I am." I looked him in the face and sa id, "Yes, you are the biggest asshole I have ever met" and headed back to my cabin. I am happy to say that later that day when I arrived at lunch I was given a standing ovation by all the guests for having stood up to McCain's bullying.

Although I have sha red my McCain story informally with friends, this is the first time I am making this public. I almost did so in 2000, when McCain first announced his bid for the Republican nomination, but it soon became apparent that George Bush was the shoo-in candidate and so I did not act then. However, now that there is a very real possibility that McCain could be elected as our next president, I feel it is my duty as an American citizen to share this story. I can't imagine a more scary outcome for America than that this abusive, aggressive man should lead our nation. I have observed him in intimate surroundings as he really is, not how the media portrays him to be. If his attitudes toward women and his treatment of his own family are even a small indicator of his real personality, then I shudder to think what will happen to America were he to be elected as our President.

Was that a chicken dying?

Over the weekend, we played with Atomic Punks, a David Lee Roth era Van Halen tribute band. In the same style as Metal Skool (or now known as Steel Panther), these guys shredded through the early Van Halen hits. Personally, I'm more a fan of the Van Hagar songs, but who can resist the screams and yelps DLR belted out. Check out this clip of vocals only from David Lee Roth. And then go back and listen to the original song, and see who much you've been missing all these years! - Chris

Ron Paul on Economic Crisis

Ron Paul has a very genuine and honest approach to what he talks about. In this statement he sums up quite well what is happening with our economy.

Letterman on McCain (posted by Rob Kolar)

Here are some snippets of Letterman talking about McCain bailing out on him last minute. Thoroughly enjoyable in my opinion.

Want to Learn How to Play Guitar?

Friends, Neighbors... Have you wanted to learn how to play guitar? But the whole process seems a little bit too daunting? Where to start, what guitar to get, what amp is best... I know, the whole thing can be a bit overwhelming. Luckily, I have come across this clip that will help clarify every question you might have. Good luck! - Chris

POLITICAL CARTOON - posted by Rob

HOW OLD ARE WE? posted by Rob

Here is a program hosted by Charlton Heston featuring great scientists and researchers. There is a link above to see the rest of these videos. For further reading I suggest Graham Hancock's "Fingerprints of The Gods". It is a marvelous book on human history and and exploration into our earliest civilizations and origins.

Bayside LP Out

hey gang,

i recently did a keyboard session with a band called bayside from long island...perhaps you've heard of them (sort of a thin lizzy meets qotsa meets weezer meets green day meets dream theater). the album is finally out and here's a link to the tunes...it's also up on the myspace homepage.

www.myspace.com/bayside

a few tracks include:
1. boy
2. no one understands
3. i can't go on
4. demons
5. moceanu (fun track...played bass pad, orchestral bits and the pad for the high "mandolin" bit at the end)

yeah,
melissa

The Front Fell Off

With all the political interviews and news reports these days, do you ever feel like they just talk in circles, without ever saying anything? Its quite a skill if you ask me. Here is a great example. - Chris

UFO's - Larry King

This is a very interesting special Larry King did on UFO's and ET's. Rob

OBAMA!

GIANTS - NEPHILIM - ORIGINS

These are some interesting videos concerning a lot of information I have been researching and discovering. Whatever you think, there is a lot of evidence about these theories. Try "The 12th Planet" by Zechariah Sitchin if you want to read more.
ROB

Olympics - Some Opening Ceremony fireworks were faked!!!

Ok, before you fly off the handle and start throwing your mechanical pencil and trapper keeper in anger, check out the article from Yahoo:

"If you watched the Opening Ceremony on Friday night, chances are you said something like, "no way that's possible" at least once. It turns out you were right.

London's Telegraph newspaper reports that some of the fireworks which appeared over Beijing during the television broadcast of the Olympic Opening Ceremony were actually computer generated. But -- hold on -- it's not necessarily as bad as you think.

The faked fireworks were actually set-off at the stadium, but because of potential dangers in filming the display live from a helicopter, viewers at home were shown a pre-recorded, computer-generated shot. It sounds dishonest, but I'm not sure it's such a terrible thing."

I'm a big fan of the Olympic Games. And so far, these games have been great. Only wish NBC wouldn't put quite so much swimming and gymnastics on. How many swim races can you really watch without feeling like your fingers and toes are going to prune. And is it just me, or isn't it kinda f'd up to put so much pressure on these 11 YEAR OLD girls to swing around like a monkey and then land on a dime? Don't get me wrong, it's amazing what they can do, but is it worth it to make them cry if they take a tiny step? AND, Can't we see some of the crazy sports like Table Tennis, Field Hockey, Handball, or Trampoline? Come on NBC! Trampoline? - Chris

88 Drummers Drumming!!!

Last night me and a few friends rode our bikes from the East side out to the La Brea Tarpits for a night of drumming with The Boredoms and a gang of drum kits. 88 drummers/drum kits on 08/08/08 drumming for 88 minutes (we busted them though as they went a little over time). It was pretty amazing to watch/hear/be at...the sort of event that makes you feel happy to be young, alive, creative and free. Afterwards we rode back home and caught up with some sweet potato fries and jack fruit at one of my favorite LA spots, pure luck. Their vegan carnitas torta kills it!

This clip is from last night...enjoy it! xo, melissa

Stars...Lots of them...

People - get a lawn chair, get a blanket, get some booze (or other vice of your choice), cause next week we are going to have a meteor shower. Late Monday night, August 12 (about 2:00 am), the Perseids Meteor Shower will be in prime viewing. If you live in the city, I suggest driving out a little ways to avoid all the lights. I wonder if any Aliens are looking at the same stars, or meteors... - Chris

For More Information on the shower, and the best way to view them, click here.

JFK speech

JUST THE BEGINNING... posted by Rob

Whats going on?

Whats going on you ask? Ask Kristin. (www.kristinslist.net) Just came across a guide to whats going on in LA. And besides the Lemon Sun show of course, her suggestions so far have been pretty good. - Chris

NEW! <<< Go an see this play it will be fantastic

This is going to be a very visual and interesting performance. 2 nights only! Click the image to learn more...

The Miracle Fruit?

The New York Times recently had an article about a miracle fruit, called Synsepalum dulcificum (Is that English?). Apparently, its more like a drug then a fruit, but who is stressing the details here... "The miracle fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum, is native to West Africa and has been known to Westerners since the 18th century. The cause of the reaction is a protein called miraculin, which binds with the taste buds and acts as a sweetness inducer when it comes in contact with acids, according to a scientist who has studied the fruit, Linda Bartoshuk at the University of Florida’s Center for Smell and Taste. Dr. Bartoshuk said she did not know of any dangers associated with eating miracle fruit" (NY Times). So what does it do you ask? Well one girl drank a Guinness with lemon sorbet dropped into the glass, and said it tasted like a chocolate shake. Another dropped Tabasco on her tongue and proclaimed it was glazed doughnut. Yum, love glazed doughnuts. Thats some crazy business right there. If anyone knows where to get their hands on one of these fruits, let me know. - Chris
CLICK HERE to read more - NY Times, Miracle Fruit

Nice Jams

I have many a favorite artist but felt compelled to post these 2 videos of Curtis Mayfield and Queen (not performing together). Curtis, as you may know, was a talented musician, amazing man, passionate songwriter, freedom fighter who often wrote about the Vietnam War, addiction, oppression, subjugation.

Then there's Queen with Freddie Mercury...a very different band but Freddie was an artist cut from a similar cloth as Curtis - they were both outside the norm, both on the edge of something bigger than the worlds that they resided in (Curtis a black man speaking up against the U.S. government and Freddie a gay Indian man in the very masculine and white world of rock & roll). In this video Queen are playing at Wembley Stadium in front of over 120,000 people and, for the entire show, they have the audience in the palm of their collective Queen hand. I remember watching this concert as a kid (Queen was my mom's all time favorite band) and being in awe at the vastness of their sound, all those people packed into this gigantic stadium, the tone of Brian May's guitar, the power of Freddie's voice.

Both Curtis and Freddie are truly missed...hope you enjoy these videos...xo, melissa

2012 - Planet X - posted by Rob

This is a fascinating series of videos theorizing in a very intelligent way, what will happen to our planet in 2012...

INTERESTING VIDEO ABOUT FUTURE/2012. posted by Rob

EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

Check out this awesome video from Eastern Conference Champions who we are playing with @ THE TROUBADOUR! Saturday July 26th. all ages

SUNDAY BBQ

Busty Heart! posted by Rob

Pyscho Killer?

Last Friday, June 27 I went to see Hot Hot Heat at the Roxy with local favorites The Shys (what up boys), and the Deadly Syndrome. They blasted through a grip of songs in the feverishly hot club. But what was really impressive was their cover of the Talking Heads "Pyscho Killer". It started out with the usual bass thumping part that seemed to last for days. But gradually everyone else staggered in until you recognized the tune. They were joined on stage by members of both the Shys and Deadly Syndrome beating on drums, banging on cymbals, singing along, and throwing the stage decorations into the crowd. The band brought new life to the chorus, and chaos back to the song. It had been a while since I'd heard the song, and it was stuck in my head for the next couple days. Well done my friends.

- Chris

Lucha VaVoom

Last Night I went to see Lucha VaVoom. For those of you unfamiliar, its Mexican Luchador, masked wrestling. Think Nacho Libre - the Jack Black film. It was pretty amazing. The show was part strip tease / burlesque, part wrestling. The announcers left a little something to be desired and distracted from the fighting. But at least they had enough sense not to talk when the girls / dancers came out....Her are a few highlights from the event:



A quick glance at the program before it all began, and I decided that I wanted "Shamu Jr." to win. Seeing as how this was all new to me, and they all looked the same in their funny outfits, I had to pick solely by the name. Having spent my summers in San Diego as a kid, I have a special place in my heart for Sea World and Shamu. Little did I know, he was more of the "villain" wrestler, and by no means a crowd favorite. Shamu Jr. (who was a little person by the way), came out with two thug looking beasts. They were squaring off against Los Crazy Chicken (two spastic chicken characters), and Lil Chicken (another little person). The two teams began their carnage with Shamu Jr and friends quickly taking the early lead. But in true Luchador wrestling fashion, its usually the team getting pummeled early on, that comes out the victor with a quick surprise burst of energy and sudden attack to end the match. Oh well Shamu Jr. You will live to fight another day. In the meantime, might I suggest you work on your over the back toss, head butt move...

- Chris

The Foot Fist Way

This is the movie that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (the guys who brought you Anchorman) discovered last year and are putting into theaters now. It's in limited release but may still be able to catch it.

Check out the "R" rated trailer: (or don't if you're a wee one)



For our LA friends, this will be playing at the Beverly Center this week. This movie may become your next "Anchorman," "Napoleon Dynamite," "Superbad," etc.

Amazingly funny and very low budget. If you miss it, let's watch it at my house next year.

-Nick

ARE YOU A MUSICIAN? (I found this article interesting & inspiring)

Thanks to Larry and FUTURE SOUNDS for turning me on to this article

Want to save the music business? Manage a band. Nurture talent. Do everything in your power to get it exposed. Don't sit in front of your computer dreaming of new schemes of distribution... You'll never get the rights!

Talent. That's where the business is focused today.

Kind of funny if you think about it, because talent has never been so confused. Do you follow your own muse, or deliver the Top Forty hit the major label wants? Do you record other people's material? Do you try out for "American Idol", hoping to be rocketed to fame? Do you believe your parents and girlfriend when they say you are good, or are you willing to go to an independent expert for a more honest appraisal?

Come on. If you want to be in this business, you know what's good and you know what sells. Put your time in. Don't try to piggyback on other people's efforts, they don't need your help. Foster new music.

Believe me, Doug Morris doesn't need your help. Your distribution paradigm is worthless without a ton of cash to pay Universal and the other label groups. And, they're not going to let you do it your way, no matter how good you think your idea is. They'll cripple you from the outset. You've heard of Apple, right? And MTV? The labels are so fearful of being screwed, they'll kick the tires forever. And mandate a governor on your engine.

AEG and Live Nation? If you want to go be a pawn in their game, be my guest. It's like working at the label decades ago. Start at the bottom, and if you've got a good nose for what sells, if you can make them money, you might move up the food chain. Don't start your own promotion company. Unless you have little financial ambition. You can promote acts that will never break through in venues no one wants to play in, but if you want name talent, the agents will cripple you, put you out of business. And, if you manage to have a successful show, said act will suddenly be in business with Live Nation or AEG...

As for management... Irving Azoff will make a deal with you every day of the week. If you come in with an act. He doesn't need some brilliant twentysomething to teach him how to revolutionize the business, he's already revolutionizing the business. By neutralizing power, by getting the big boys to play into his hand, play his game. He did this by leveraging talent. Where's your stable of talent?

You might criticize Front Line and so many of the big management companies for not developing acts. Hey, these guys could be your parents, they want to make money, first and foremost they're businessmen. They risked decades back. Now it's time for you to risk!

Finding good talent is the hardest job in this business. Exposing it, breaking it through, is almost as difficult. But this is where the opportunities lie. There will be a new Irving Azoff, a new David Geffen, but he won't start off working for a public company, an established player, he'll work for himself. He'll have an eye for talent and a cunning personality that bonds said talent to him. He'll see the talent as number one. Not radio, TV or the retailer. That's why there's such an opportunity. The major labels are not about talent first, they're about money first. They're about keeping up their relationships with the infrastructure. Acts come and go, but the infrastructure remains. Their goal is to eliminate risk, not enhance it. Whereas you must be all about the risk.

There is no easy way out. If you're looking for someone with copyrights to help you make your millions, you're a sorry-assed loser. And, a hint, just in case you go this route. Steal the music first. That's the only way you can get the majors to make a deal. Can you say YouTube, MySpace...

But really, that's the past. The future is new acts. Maybe niche, maybe more mainstream. You determine this, not the crusty old infrastructure of yore. Utilize new communication/word of mouth techniques. Use technology to your advantage. But bring us more great acts. That's what we're lacking, not business insight.

PITCHFORK by Rob Kolar

Just reminding all of you indie enthusiasts to be up to date on your Pitchfork reading. A place where you can discover amazing new artists like Vampire Weekend who manage to sound like four private school preps attempting to mix a watered down version of private school pop, 3rd wave ska and white-boy world music into a shmaltzy smoothie. Pitchfork says 8.8! Find records like this and records devoid of melody and taste all rated with expertise. Forget the 1-5 star systems of old. Pitchfork uses a 10 point scale with decimals for the most accurate rating system. Make sure all your monthly darlings have a score meticulously calculated to represent the exact quality and standard of the music. Who needs to actually listen to music to decide whats good. There's so much out there. Forget about it. Just read Pitchfork and they will TELL YOU what to listen to. Simple as apple pie. They'll even tell you what not to listen to like Dr. Dog who combines Beatles-esque melodies, innovative production, and an eerie charm ala Daniel Johnston. Pitchfork says... 4.4! Who needs it. If you're short on time in this "rat race" of a lifestyle just skip the review and head straight for the number which will tell you all you need to know. What are you waiting for go now! Or you'll miss whats hot for the next few minutes!

blahblahlbahahhhh

latest happenings and random ramblings:

- we played a great show last weekend at the coach house in san juan capistrano...this venue is oddly cool and has tons of autographed promo shots of artist that have played there (and everyone seems to have played there)...very cool staff as well

- san juan capistrano could be a nice getaway spot with a loved one/s

- la is heating up and all i want to do is chill out poolside but life is busy right now so that will have to wait for a calm weekend hopefully coming up soon

- dreaming of cozumel and taking a siesta with friends in august...i love going down south and hope to relax in the caribbean soon!!

- i've been teaching lots at the music school which is always a pleasure...

• top five "teach-me this song-teacher" (from students of all ages) are: 1. crazy train, 2. snow, 3. crazy on you, 4. sweet child o'mine, and the always ubiquitous 5. stairway to heaven
  

• the current top five tunes that i often try to teach instead: 1. ball & biscuit, 2. only love can break your heart, 3. suzie q, 4. black dog, 5. solute your solution
  

- i'm obsessed with the new kills record (i've always loved this band and their new record is great..back off kate moss!!!) and the sam sparro ep right now

- mike is obsessed with the new my morning jacket...i may try to get into this one as well

- we have a bunch of shows coming up this weekend...i think we'll be seeing lots of younger folk which is always fun

yadyadayada...xo,
melissa

TV still good?

The Venture Bros. is back with the new 3rd season. So far the last three weeks have been all about origins. Pretty darn sweet if you are a fan of the first two seasons.

The show is clearly a mature, modern and more hilarious parallel to Johnny Quest. Any of us who were fans of early 80's Saturday morning cartoons can appreciate all the references to Quest, G.I. Joe, or even a little Inspector Gadget.

Seasons 1 & 2 are out on DVD. Season 3 is on adultswim.com and Cartoon Network Sundays at 11:30PM.

Sleepy Head

Sleep: A Necessity, Not a Luxury By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporter - Sun Jun 8, 4:01 PM PDT

- SUNDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- The pace of life gets faster and faster, and people try to cram more and more into every minute of the day.

As things get more hectic, sleep tends to get short shrift. It's seen as wasted time, lost forever.

"For healthy people, there's a big temptation to voluntarily restrict sleep, to stay up an hour or two or get up an hour or two earlier," said Dr. Greg Belenky, director of the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University Spokane.

"But you're really reducing your productivity and exposing yourself to risk," Belenky added.

That's a message doctors are trying to spread to Americans, including the estimated 40 million people who struggle with some type of sleep disorder each year.

Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1880, people slept an average of 10 hours a night. These days, Americans average 6.9 hours of sleep on weeknights and 7.5 hours a night on weekends, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

"The group of people getting optimal sleep is getting smaller and smaller," said Dr. Chris Drake, senior scientist at the Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Detroit. "When a person's sleep drops to six hours or less, that's when a lot of things become very problematic."

While experts recommend seven to eight hours of sleep each night, the amount needed for an individual can vary...
CLICK PHOTO OF YAWNER FOR REST OF ARTICLE...

INFLUENCES! - Bo Diddley (RIP - June 2nd 2008)

Other amazing songs include "Who Do You Love" & "Bo Diddley"

FLULA! American Hot Jams

Impossible!!!

A great music video website called Shots Ring Out recently featured one of the coolest videos / works of art I have seen in a long time. For you film nerds, its all stop motion. For the rest of us, this means, that it's hours of pain staking hell, to draw / animate a bit, take a picture, draw a little more, take another picture, and then put them all together to make a movie. Keep in mind that each second of film is about 24 frames (depending on your method of course). Regardless of the technical mumbo jumbo, it's very impressive to watch this guy work.
The piece is called Muto by Blu... All I can say to this dude is "wow"!
Muto by Blu
- Chris

Vegas Cart Race

This is what happens with too much time on your hands. Well, actually this what happens when you have a lot of gear to move and you'd rather be at the pool, or the slots, or the buffet. -Chris

Van Times W/ Lemon Sun

So we spent a lot of time in the van during our last tour with The Rosewood Thieves - driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Las Vegas to San Diego, San Diego to San Francisco, San Francisco to Los Angeles. Sometimes we enjoy watching DVDs, other times we try to catch up on our reading, other times we attempt to get some z's, and then there are those times when you get van-cabin fever and can't wait until you reach your next destination. During such times we tend to try and calm our nerves with things like sticking our heads out the window for a little fresh air, reporting interesting facts about random happenings, and then there are those times when you've got to bust out the camera and do a little impromptu method acting...the assignment documented here was to convey the feeling of extreme, blissful, joyous happiness. 1, 2, 3 and give it up...

mike cooly feels the happiness with sweet shades and a little clevage...nice work buddy:


i'm infected with mike's feeling of happiness (minus the shades and cleavage...next time gang)..."heyahhhh!!":


nick's extreme happiness looks a little like a sneeze...such an unconventional man he can be:

chris is a natural at the acting...look at this guy go:

rob, in a moment of defiance, somehow doesn't seem to be conveying extreme happiness...or perhaps sleeping in the van with his bandmates lovingly snapping pics of him is a sweet joy for him:

ah the joys of the road...these are the days of our lives,

melissa

Bands need to eat

I know bands need to eat, and the quality of good food on the road is sometimes lacking, but is Denny's (yes the same Grand Slam Breakfast one) the answer? They have a new program for bands. Hungry? - Chris

From Billboard:
BILLBOARD

Denny's, the casual food chain, is getting into the music business. The company this week announced that it was starting an "Adopt-a-Band" program. Participating touring bands can eat at Denny's for free from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., have their pictures, bios, tour dates posted, and one song streamed, from Denny's microsite dennysallnighter.com

The initial bands are EndeverafteR (Razor and Tie), Forever The Sickest Kids Universal Motown Records), Foxy Shazam (New Weathermen/Ferret Music), Saving Abel (Virgin Records), Switches (Interscope) and Take The Crown (Rise Records). Every two months six new group of bands will be added to the site.

In return, the featured band will be expected to visit three Denny's a month, mention the Denny's visits on their Web sites and post pictures of themselves at Denny's.

In addition, four higher profile bands -- Taking Back Sunday (Warner Bros. Records), Eagles of Death Metal (Rekords Rekords/Downtown), The All-American Rejects (Interscope), and Plain White T's (Hollywood Records) -- will create Rock Star Menus. Rock Star Menus will consist of a dish concocted by one of the bands. The first one, developed by Taking Back Sunday, will be available nationally in August.

Photos...

Erick and Paul watching their team bowl. These folks are good!

"Please lord, let this one be a strike".

Mackenzie sporting the latest fashion in bowling shoes

Jon (an awesome bass player) and Mike.


This man was our guide to Las Vegas.

Many hours spent driving...Many.

TOUR

So the tour was a total disaster. Noooo. It was fucking awesome. Here are a few photos of the first night. Consequently the first song of the first show (this one in Vegas) on the first night I mouthplanted my tooth into the microphone and was left looking like a homeless man. Rob

DANCING LADIES


ERICK - The Rosewood Thieves


MORE LADIES


MERCHANDISE


NICK


MARK


MACKENZIE


MIKEY... or... Elliott Smith?


ME

"The Magic Wand" (posted by Rob)

Drive a man to drink...

This is a poster from 1919 that if you were alive back then, you might have come across. I'm just saying... - Chris

Incase You Have Any Doubt...

... Who our next president should be:

(I know its long and happened a little while ago but to me, this speech embodies what I hope for in a leader and in a man with an honest aim) Rob



In this speech, it is clear Obama embraces Reverand Wright as a friend and inspirer but does not agree with certain radical statements Wright has made. Obama is eloquent and precise in expressing his feelings. He shows an incredible amount of honesty and insight into our cultural differences and need for unification. After watching and listening to this speech I am unclear why the Wright/Obama issue is still so prevalent. It's as if the news stations and guests on talk shows had never actually listened to the meaning of this speech. Rob

SLY

Chris and I were given some tickets to Sly & The Family Stone at House of Blues last night (Sat. April 26th). As we are both fans (I am especially fond of the album FRESH) we were quite excited to witness this spectacle... and what a spectacle it was.

As I drove past the club, searching endlessly for parking, a massive snake of a line weaved its way down Sunset blvd. I looked at my clock. 11:15pm. Shit. Doors were at 10:30pm. Chris said "no worries. Sly is notorious for being late.". Ok. Sweet.

Finally found parking and made our way down the steepest hill in Hollywood. The line had waned and we managed to get in rather quick. Still it was now after 11:30pm. He must have started. I raced in to find... a closed curtain. Cool we didn't miss anything.

Looked around. The crowd was pretty eclectic. I felt pretty young for once as most people were past 40 or 50 actually.

Skip to over an hr later. Several attempts from the crowd to lure Sly out, through chants and screams, have failed. My eyes were closing. Suddenly I got a shove from behind and trail of wasted looking people and security barge through the crowd where we were standing. For a second, a small bundled character, which could have easily been mistaken for ET, bustled by with a cheeky grin. "Slyyyy!" someone yelled.

It was still 20 mins. before he went on...well... before he stood in front of the curtain and rambled in an almost inaudible slur about having to go to the bathroom. Apparently thats just what he did 'cuase he was gone for another 5 mins.

The curtains rolled open and there he stood, or rather stooped. A simple lyric breathed feebly from his lips "Don't call me nigga whitey, don't call me whitey nigga'".

Somehow it was brilliant and terrifying at the same time.


At any moment during the show it felt like everything might just fall apart. For this reason we stayed.

They played the hits and played them well. Barely a minute or two went by without feeling the urge to sing along or shake your hips.

Seeing sly in person was bizarre, to say the least. As the result of extensive drug use (I assume) his body moves and curves in a way where you expect strings to be attached to his limbs and a puppeteer to be perched above controlling his moves. He wore a brilliant generals coat ala Jimi Hendrix, sported a strange mohawk hidden beneath a black bandanna. He was the human embodiment of Jim Henson's greatest creation.

That being said. Sly sang only a few lines, meandered on the keyboard like a teenager on acid, and disappeared half way through the set to never return. This seemed to have little effect on the band who just kept going with the set.

His band couldn't have been cast better. A token white guy in full "ghetto getup" playing keys, a couple of soul sistas- one who'd seen better days but sang like a queen- the other a bright eyed curvy mama who screamed for the spotlight, a top notch horn section featuring a senior citizen 'sista' who could move like a rattle snake and play the trumpet like Louise Armstrong (she was dressed in a Gospel preachers robes), a guitar and bass duo in shimmering gold, and a "what what: brotha- my term for that guy you see in rap groups who raises the roof, gets the crowd goin', and says "what... what" every now and then (and basically filled in whenever Sly got lost). He took over when Sly mysteriously left the stage.

All in all this show was both amazing and a bit sad. Its great that Sly can still get up there and do his thing but at times I felt like I was watching a comedy of disaster. His charm is as evident as ever and he exudes a warm and intriguing presence. His songs still came off well but the band often had no idea where Sly was planning to go with the number. The band was stacked with great musicians, the choice of songs was perfect but still I wonder... Where did Sly go?

I just hope he's still alive.

Rob Kolar

YOUNG AT HEART

This is a fantastic film. I can't deny I shed a few tears. But also laughed like a madman. Definitely go and see it. Rob

INFLUENCES! Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty is one of those rare commercial artists that has an undeniable quality to his music. His charming drawl and interesting collage of music (like a melange of The Beatles, Neil Young, Roy Orbison, The Byrds, and Dylan) make him unique and intriguing. Mike Campbell also adds a superb flair with his bluesy guitar hooks. Petty has lasted 3 decades as a renowned and exciting performer. He has a knack for writing a terrific tune and still performs an amazing live set.

After being on the scene already 15 years, in 1993 Petty released an instant classic. The video features Kim Basinger playing his gorgeous, dead "Mary Jane". Brilliant!


Awesome 1978 live version of "Refugee". They sound awesome. And check out Petty's awesome Neil Young chops (in blonde).

CA Tour (&Vegas)

Tonight. LA Record party @ Charlie O's

This place is an awesome divey joint in the dirty heart of downtown. My sis and I are playing so come on down. www.myspace.com/hesmybrothershesmysister . Rob

1 4 5 in E

blues in e (almost) never sounded so sweet. thank jesus rock & roll won out over the priesthood.

i stumbled upon this while checking out www.rawkblog.blogspot.com...thanks david!

enjoy,
melissa

The Rosewood Thieves

We are touring with this brilliant NY band in MAY! A few dates in CA and Vegas. Don't miss these. Other great bands will be on the bill. Click the photo for link to their myspace.

Kitundu!

This is a video of a great friend, otherwordly artist and all around amazing human being - Walter Kitundu. Back in the day, Walter and I would hang out in my apartment in the Mission for hours on end making music together with headphones, computers, guitars, keyboards, mbiras, clarinets, minidisc recorders, found sounds, turntables, samplers, an MPC, and Walter's amazing phonoharps. I know our paths will cross again and that our musical conversation will continue but for now I have this video to share. For more info please check out www.kitundu.com.

xo,
melissa

WATCH OUT!

Last week I went to the LA Kings hockey game vs. the San Jose Sharks. Midway through the first period, the puck whizzed over the Kings bench, through an opening leading to the dressing room, and screamed into the stands. And wouldn't you know, it hit the girl two seats down from me in the leg, and hopped into the hot dog wrapper of the girl sitting next to me!!! She picked it up and handed it to me. WHAT ARE THE ODDS! Getting a puck from the game! Its like catching a fly ball or a stray tennis ball that goes into the crowd (does that happen?). Oh yeah, the girl... She didn't know what happened, but seemed to be ok. Just a little shaken up and slightly flustered from all the attention. I realized however, the puck wasn't mine to keep. After all, I wasn't the one who got hit. So, reluctantly, I handed it over to her.
She didn't seem to know what happened, but put the frozen puck on her leg as a joke. Shortly after they all got up and left. So close to getting a puck... The Kings season is over sadly, but next year I'll try again. - Chris
P.S. In case you are wondering, the picture is of Sean Avery, former Kings player, and hottie girlfriend at the time Elisha Cuthbert. And you are right, it's not really related to my story. But its a cool hat.

Wandurkind! The best "Hey Jude" cover I've ever heard...(Rob)

LIVE ON KOREAN TV...

INFLUENCES! - Queens of The Stoneage

Combining an unlikely mixture of influences... metal, classic rock, psychedelic, pop, punk, and beyond, Queens of The Stone Age create an infectious and strikingly unique sound. One of the only bands who can bridge the gap between fans of lowbrow cock rock and opinionated snobs of the 'indie' genre. Josh Homme's voice is wonderfully deviant and carries a sexy-sly swagger with its effortlessness. Their first record is worth checking out but in my opinion its all about 'Lullabies To Paralyze' and 'Rated R'. (Rob Kolar)





Live In Ljubljana 2003 with Mark Lanegan...

Drawing

This was drawn by a friend/fan from Colorado!



I think it goes (from left to right) Nick, Mikey, Melissa, Rob, Chris!

HAahahahaha. love it. Rob

T - Shirt Vendors, Beware

Sometimes you go to a concert, or a sporting game and are tempted to buy a t-shirt from the guy or lady in the parking lot. Sometimes you buy the wrong size, or you discover when you get home it has a hole, or you wash it one time and it shrinks (see what happened to the poor guy in the picture above). Well, Mary J. Blige is fighting back against these folks who try and rip her off. Sounds to me like she has a very clever lawyer...

"March 26, 2008 -- WATCH out, bootleg T-shirt vendors! Mary J. Blige has filed a lawsuit in a Central Islip court against counterfeiters who will be selling knockoff "Heart of the City" tour T-shirts and merchandise outside her concert with Jay-Z at Nassau Coliseum tomorrow. "She is suing John Does and Jane Does numbered 1 though 100, so law enforcement can confiscate the bogus stuff as they are selling it," said a source. "Defendants will be selling and distributing unauthorized goods at [the] Coliseum bearing the marks of artist Mary J. Blige," the suit reads. "They are sued under fictitious names because their true names are unknown at this time."

-Chris

PARTY TUESDAY! Kamran's Birthday.

We're playing 3 Prince songs for the party...

CUT CUT CUT - Fighting a serious recession? (Rob)

Fed Cuts Rates by 3/4 Percentage Point; Stock Prices Stay Sharply Higher After the Move

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Reserve on Tuesday slashed a key interest rate by three-fourths of a percentage point, moving aggressively to contain a credit crisis threatening to push the country into a severe recession.

The latest action brought the federal funds rate -- the interest that banks charge each other -- down to 2.25 percent, the lowest point since late 2004. It marked the second back-to-back cuts of three-fourths of a percentage point.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues have now cut the funds rate six times since last September, with the reductions becoming more aggressive since January as the central bank has faced growing turmoil in global financial markets.

click image for more

PERSEPOLIS

This is an amazing film. If you can go, you must go and see it. It is entertaining, funny, insightful, visually compelling, and endearing. Rob