April 18, 2008

Five Things.

Three great pleasures in life: Music, Food, Sex.
-Anthony Bourdain*

Two certainties: Death, Taxes.
-Benjamin Franklin

*Listened to Bourdain's appearance on the 1/27/08 SoundOpinions podcast while I walked home. Very entertaining. A favorite line (not an exact quote / I'm paraphrasing): you even show the appearance of enjoying Billy Joel's music in my kitchen and you're immediately fired.

Posted by Duff at 06:20 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Random Quotes, Remember

November 01, 2007

Live Via Podcast

If you're not a concert-going freak like myself, but sometimes think "I wish I could hear these guys in concert," then you might want to check out the KEXP Live Performance podcasts as well as NPR: All Songs Considered which recently has had a couple great live shows, such as The National, which was very similar to what I heard them do in concert (other than the live energy and the fact that you would have to turn a podcast up very VERY LOUD to have it be like being there in concert). KEXP had Band of Horses recently which I was psyched about since they are playing Chicago two nights in a row and I AM WORKING BOTH NIGHTS so I can't go. Stupid j-o-b, always interfering with my real life priorities!!! One of them (um, yeah, I can't remember which! Bygones) did an Okkervil River live podcast recently that was good, too. It was a much more raw show - more like dudes playing in a smokey bar than in a concert hall - a bit rough and tumble, and a few too many fans in the audience that wanted to make their presence known ("I love you, Will!" that's great, moron, a) shut up and b) what about the rest of the band. geez. have some respect). There's also a pretty long interview with aforementioned lead singer/writer/etc. Will at the end. I'm going to see Stars tomorrow night and I think I have a pretty good idea how cool and atmospheric their show is going to be after listening to their podcast with interview (KEXP or NPR? can't remember!) where they talk about how much more important they find it to set up a real stage show/presence now that they're playing to larger crowds.

So, in conclusion, if you can't make it out to shows, or you can't manage to get tickets the way I can here in Chicago (something I haven't really gotten over, there are very few shows here where I haven't been able to if I wanted [there is the rare show where I decide I just can't go and then don't try to buy them], and the only two I really remember are ones where I was an idiot and forgot that the tickets were on sale...), both NPR and KEXP are posting pretty solidly representative live podcasts. So you can go to the concert in your own living room or on your ipod on the El train. Woot. Check what they've got available for September/October and you should find all the ones I mentioned (as well as others).

Posted by Duff at 09:20 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Recommending

August 27, 2007

SModcasts: Side-Splittingly Funny

If you found Clerks, Clerks 2, or Jay & Silent Bob to be just downright fucking hilarious, then these podcasts are for you. If you like the "Evening with Kevin Smith" DVDs, these podcasts are for you. If you can sit through 45 minutes of really blatant grotesque sex and slime talk, these podcasts are for you. I had to download them for my Dad, Kevin Smith's biggest fan, and after hearing his rave reviews of SModcast #2, just started listening to them myself.

Too dangerous to listen to on the El because other passengers think you are a freak when you bust out laughing over what's playing on your ipod. These would brighten even the darkest horrible days. So funny.

Posted by Duff at 07:41 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Podcasts, Recommending

January 14, 2007

Paste Culture Club 12/19 Edition.

This is a great introduction to Joseph Arthur, if you're not already on his bandwagon (I am). Really good live performances of a bunch of songs, including a new one not even on the most recent album. Pretty funny guy and does not seem nearly as religious as some of his lyrics make you wonder. (As opposed to say, Josh Ritter, who talked a LOT about "spirituality" when he appeared on the show.)

Also a pretty interesting conversation with the guy/girl that make up the Weepies. But oddly no performance / just a song (or maybe two? can't remember?) played off the last album. So interesting, but not as satisfying as the Arthur segment.

Posted by Duff at 07:07 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

December 26, 2006

KCRW's Bookworm: Zadie Smith 11/9

Zadie Smith's become sort of the young female version of Phillip Roth: for a while there it was really (REALLY) popular to hate her and her books, or to talk about how you just didn't get the hype.

That was during her first two books ("White Teeth" and "The Autograph Man"), BOTH of which I LOVED. Then her third book "On Beauty" came out and suddenly all the Zadie haters faded away and she became the critics' darling. Sadly, I did not like that book very much. It was not nearly in the same league as the first two, in my opinion, and I certainly didn't understand the hype this time around.

So if you're like me, put aside the fact that On Beauty is one of the primary topics of this podcast, because once you get past that, it was a really great conversation. Much deeper/more insightful than many author chats I've read/listened to.

Smith said this book was intended to be a traditional English novel / a tribute to her idols/elders, that she hadn't done before. She commented that she's always told by people "your books are about the search for identity" and she always wants to say "yes, the realization that it's a POINTLESS search for identity."

They talked about David Foster Wallace and how you have to get beneath the surface. That it's very easy for critics/readers to dismiss him due to his smart-aleck, wise-ass exterior, but that what's he's really trying to figure out is what truth is.

She talked about how the new modern model of a reader is that of a film watcher "here I am, entertain me" whereas the classical model of a reader (which is mostly lost at this point) was that of an amateur musician, sitting down in front of a piece of music you don't know, that may have elements your skills will not let you comprehend, yet putting forth the effort, using all your skills to try and learn it and get to know it and the more you give, the more you will get back. I agree, and that evolution into stupidity is a real loss we've suffered (and continue to) as this world has evolved.

As Silverblatt replied: "This was once known: the reading of novels and poetry was instruction in how to be human."

She also talked about how to be a good writer is more than just craft; you must educate your consciousness. When you write a bad book, it's not just that the book was bad, but that you were a bad author of it, that you failed in your writing.

She disputes the (in her words) "currently very popular" idea that the whole point of life is to "find out who you are." And said that the idea behind On Beauty was that it was full of people terrified of becoming less of who they are by pursuing what's most meaningful to them.

Posted by Duff at 06:50 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Lit Quotes, Podcasts

Paste Culture Club 12/5 edition

More than half of this podcast is dedicated to one band, and I really (REALLY) liked them! Definitely going to have to check iTunes for this album when I get home tonight! They're called Guggenheim Grotto. They're on the acoustic/folk-y side of pop. They're Irish. They're livelier than, say, their fellow countryman Damien Rice. A bit more cheery, Beatles-y in both the lyrics and the mood department. Their album came out in 2005 abroad but just this Fall here. The MP3s you can listen to on their site are different songs than the one on the podcast so you can really get a wellrounded feel for them before you've even bought the album. And they're apparently playing NY on Jan 30 and Feb 3, but unfortunately that does not fit into "possible weekends I can leave town".

Damien Jurado and Rosie Thomas appear in the last bit of the podcast. Fun conversations / Sufjan comes up quite a bit.

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Columbo Shoutout.

I haven't watched an episode in years but somehow Peter Falk is still a god to me. If you are also a fan, then I highly recommend the Leonard Lopate podcast from 1/23. Lots of very cool Columbo facts revealed. Falk sounds a lot older (doh) and super raspy but still sparklingly intelligent and fun. Go Columbo!

Posted by Duff at 06:02 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

December 21, 2006

KEXP: Jamie Lidell (12/1)

You're right, Michelle, this was a pretty great podcast. He's just not really my cup o' tea. Love the song "Multiply" but don't listen to him that often otherwise.

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Leonard Lopate interviews Ed Harris and Neil LaBute (10/4).

Mostly discussing the LaBute one-man show "Wrecks". If I was in New York, I would so be going to that. If it isn't already gone, of course. I only listened to this podcast several months ago.

Love Ed Harris, and this was a great conversation. Really made the piece sound intriguing.

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September 29, 2006

KEXP: The Long Winters (8/14)

This is a great podcast. The performances sound good and the banter between the lead and the emcee is just pure hilarity - they've obviously known each other for a long time. If you're a fan of this band, then you need to listen to this! I may have just been convinced to buy their (his, really) new album!

Posted by Duff at 08:28 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Recommending, Tunes

KCRW's Bookworm: John Updike (Part 2, 9/21)

I'm not a big Updike fan, but he had some really interesting things to say here. Shorter (or fewer) questions from Michael Silverblatt than usual, and he let Updike ramble on. Pretty cool talk.

Although note that I only listened to Part 2 because I either accidentally deleted Part 1 or did not manage to load it to my iPod.

Posted by Duff at 08:26 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

September 21, 2006

Wait, Wait... September 17th.

Isn't that cute - Canada has a space agency! -can't remember who.

"Fat is the new Black." -Isaac Mizrahi.

Posted by Duff at 07:16 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

August 09, 2006

KCRW's Bookworm: Joyce Carol Oates (8/3).

I am not an Oates fan. In fact, it's not too strong to say that some of her stuff, I absolutely detest. I did quite like her book "On Boxing" however, so there you go. Anyway, despite my dislike of her style, topics, language, choices, etc., her place in the pantheon of American authors remains quite secure. And I felt I should probably limit myself to podcasts about authors who I know, because what happens when I listen to the ones of authors I don't know? It just adds to the fucking "go buy this" list doesn't it. I need a "hey stupid go home and read one of the books in the to-be-read pile" podcast!

Anyway, despite all of the above, this was an enjoyable podcast to listen to although her voice combined with Silverblatt's was a dangerous recipe for a bus ride, I'm pretty sure I dozed off a few times. Mid-doze, however, I did hear something weird -- they seemed to be talking about one of her stories that's about a boy who's being brought up as an organ donor. Can that be right? Or did I sleep through the beginning of the sentence where they said "Speaking of 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro..." Is it possible that both of those have the same plot setup?

One story that sounded interesting is about HItchcock, what a truly despicable person he was, written as if by a similar person to say Tippi Hedrin (but not her). Grew out of Oates being asked to write a short bio of Hancock, sitting around watching all his films and reading interviews and realizing that he was such a jerk that she just couldn't do it. And out of her hundreds of pages of notes came this story. Fascinating. Although I probably wouldn't like the story were I to read it...

Also a very funny bit when she was talking about how much she likes epistolary novels (as do I). And they talked about Gogol's story "Diary of a Madman" which at one point features two dogs writing letters to each other (but of course turns out to be the madman's imagination). Sounds hilarious!

Posted by Duff at 05:16 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

KCRW's Bookworm: David Mitchell (7/20)

Technically my iPod has now played this podcast five or six times, as I was using it to fall asleep to over the weekend. Ah, the dulcent sounds of Michael Silverblatt's voice...

Anyway, as you should know if you read my most important web postings, "Black Swan Green" is one of the best (if not THE best) books I've read thus far this year. David Mitchell was very enjoyable to listen to. He seems very meek and British, yet willing to laugh.

Some of his favorite authors: Charles Dickens, Dostoevsky, Ursula LeGuin (oh, I used to read TONS of her...). Also mentions specifically Fournier's "The Wanderer".

Some neat moments when Mitchell and Silverblatt discuss the magic of life, of love, and of death.

Posted by Duff at 05:08 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

July 19, 2006

Wait, Wait... June 18th edition (someday I will catch up).

The usual round-up of hilarity and information.

The Vermont Barter system: "I've got burlap, you've got granola."

Phil the Spokessore. Oh my buddha*, too funny.

And the celebrity guest was Calvin Trillin, "the Susan Lucci of the Poet Laureate" world. Very, very humorous segment.

*Just a little shout-out to yankeefrog DWoo! :)

Posted by Duff at 04:03 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

July 17, 2006

KEXP: Band of Horses (7/7).

Very little miscellaneous chit-chat. Lots of tunes.

I already liked them but listening to this made me want to go back and listen more. And should that not be the goal of a performance podcast?

They may wind up one of my favorite bands of the year!

Posted by Duff at 06:04 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

July 12, 2006

Wait, wait... 6/11 edition. My question to you is, which is more mortifying?

Accidentally singing outloud (along w/ your iPod) on the El? Or laughing out loud so hard (also on the El) that you almost fall over (out of your seat!), due to the podcast you are listening to?

Here are some moments for you:

• Peter Segal(sp?): "First a note to our troops serving overseas. We were alarmed to read this week that Armed Forces radio might be cutting down on their talk radio offerings, including NPR, because surveys show that younger service members really don't care for it. Guys, gals, you're making a mistake. Someday this war will be over, and then you'll be back home, and you'll be at a cocktail party. And some attractive person is going to say "I'm really interested in traditional Appalachian* quilt making, do you know anything about it?" And then where're you gonna be? The military trains you for war, we will train you for chat."

• Paula Poundstone discussing how she had been searching for [the Iranian dude whose name I can't remember with the $25 million bounty on his head. And I couldn't spell it even if I could remember it].

• Talking about a Republican claiming that being anti-gay marriage is a civil rights issue (I think it was the new White House spokesman). Wait wait's comment: "Gay marriage is a civil rights issue like prohibition was a happy hour issue."

• Paula on the dichotomy "Gay Republicans". "What is a Gay Republican? Do they beat themselves up in parking lots?"

• The segment on airbags for the crotch (on scooters). Too funny. Before it was clear they were talking about scooters rather than cars, Paula: "Am I driving wrong?"

• The producer of the Aristocrats' mother's standard compliment for something she actually didn't like: "I just don't know where they get the energy!"

• The fact that he (producer of the Aristocrats) has obtained the film rights for the Japanese kid's book "Everybody Poops."

• Jessica Simpson's question to Pamela Anderson when they met recently: "How did you run so slow during the opening scenes of Baywatch?" Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha............

I LOVE this podcast (even though I am obviously listening to it about a month behind! Pathetic being that it only comes out once a week!). And from a girl who never reads the paper or watches the news, that is very high praise for what is really a news quiz show!

*Which I would pronounce "App-a-laesch-an" but he pronounced "App-a-latch-ee-an",

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July 10, 2006

An Afternoon (and then some) with Leonard Lopate.

6/12 episode: Mark Bowden "Guests of the Ayatollah"
I loved, loved (LOVED) Bowden's earlier book "Black Hawk Down." So I knew it could be dangerous listening to this podcast. Indeed it was as I felt the need to swing by the bookstore on the way home and buy the new book despite its hefty size and cost (hardback). Don't know when I'll read it because it's certainly too damn heavy to carry on the El! Anyway, it's a flash back to the Iran hostage situation of the....70s? Lots of neat information about Carter and the realities of the situation that obviously people couldn't see at the time. Funny quote from the stand-in interviewer: at one point he was saying how it's always been a Republican criticism of Carter (and the Democrats in general) that they didn't know how to lead these wars and were just going out into the desert and bungling things. And he followed that with "Increasingly going out to the desert and bungling things is looking more like a bipartisan effort..." INDEED.

6/13 episode: Andy Revkin "The North Pole Was Here"
This guy must be a Republican. A few of the things he had to say made sense. A few were outright wrong. And he made a big point of positioning himself as an alternative to Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" film. The thing Revkin doesn't seem to understand is even IF the effects of climate change are further off than ALL scientists think (again he pretends there are more scientists in disagreement than is reality), NOW is NOT too early to start fixing them. Yes, this is the world we are leaving our children and grandchildren, as he points out, so WHY would we want to WAIT and force them to fix it starting from a worse place than we already are? How is that a feasible answer? Obviously I disagree.

6/15 episode: A Public Defender in the South Bronx:
David Feige "Indefensible"
This was a very interesting interview. But Feige was sometimes too glib for me. Any REASONABLE (non Republican) person can understand the fact that even if someone is a rapist, murderer, etc., does not necessarily stop them from being an interesting, intelligent person that if you were, say, their public defender, you wouldn't need to HATE and DETEST them despite their crimes. But he constantly answered the question very glibly with "I know this will sound weird to listeners, but..." and never taking a second to actually explain it. His book sounds good, but I couldn't read it if it was full of that same tone. He has been involved in some interesting alternative approaches to defense/crime intervention and those all sound like quite laudable efforts.

6/21 episode: Anthony Bourdain "The Nasty Bits"
I haven't tried any of Bourdain's fiction, it just doesn't attract me, but I loved both "Kitchen Confidental" and "A Cook's Tour". This book sounds just as good. Bourdain is unremittingly unapologetic and is obviously having a great time touring the world and eating all kinds of crazy shit I would never be able to digest!

6/23 episode: The Future of Human Cloning:
Ian Wilmut "After Dolly"
I don't have much interest in the topic but Wilmut was pretty intriguing to listen to and not just because of his soft Scottish accent. And isn't it always humorous to listen to people speak from a scientific view about things which other people can only talk about from a very moralistic and completely nonscientific place?

6/26 episode: Japanese American Soldiers in WWII:
Robert Asahina "Just Americans"
This was an amazing interview, and I'm certainly interested in reading Asahina's book. I was interested not only because of my inherited obsession with military history (thanks, Dad) and the disenfranchised, but also because Mariko's dad was put in an interment camp himself! They talk not just about the Japanese Americans in the camp but those who were forcibly (and voluntarily) drafted and their efforts as a unit (they and the African-American unit did some amazing things, particularly on rescue missions, and were two of the most (if not the two most, I forget) decorated units after the war and NOT because of their race, I can guarantee you that).

6/27 episode: From Blockbusters to Bombs: Peter Bart "Boffo!"
You'd think I'd have enjoyed this a bit more, given the movie obsession. It was OK. I did enjoy some of the stuff about things that were supposed to be bombs becoming cult hits and stuff about the money aspect. Studios and their creative accounting will never cease to amaze me. Did you know Tom Cruise will likely make $60 million-$80 million for MI3 and the studio will likely make...NOTHING. He's got them all fooled clearly as that was not a $60 million performance. Why would they even agree to make his movies, given his back-end deals plus the upfront cost of making them? Idiots. (Not that I didn't enjoy it, which I did, but great ($60 million-worth) art it was not.)

Posted by Duff at 09:18 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Flicks, Podcasts

July 04, 2006

Paste Culture Club Overload.

Don't know why I feel the need to catch up on old podcasts, but that is only one of the many unexplainable quirks, is it not.

4/14 edition: Josh Rouse.
Just saw him perform a few months ago (maybe even in April?). I like the Subtitulo, although not quite as much as Nashville or 1972, and I like it a lot more live. He's a good interview, makes jokes, etc. - he is also one of not-all-that-many songwriters with good stage banter. I really like the Peter Case spoken word stuff they played during this show as well. Never heard of him before, but may need to check it out.

3/2 edition: Paste Recommends.
I had saved this one up because I knew they played some Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson on it. Kinda silly to bother listening at this point four months later, of course, as I already own most of the stuff I like from this show (the new Shawn Mullins and Rhett Miller albums). They also play a new one by a Chicago-band the M's, that I just barely know, and a Sufjan Stevens song that samples the Copeland/Shaker tune " 'Tis a gift to be simple..."

4/28 edition: Erin McKeown.
Great interview with McKeown. She's a real spitfire live and at the end of this interview she plays my favorite song off her new album. They also featured the Weepies (I LOVE that album) and Sonya Kitchell (who I've been wondering about -- they refer to her as "halfway between Norah Jones and Joss Stone"). Also an interesting interview with Wim Wenders and Sam Shepherd about their new movie Don't Come Knockin' (their first collaboration since their great flick Paris, Texas 20 years ago...

5/11 edition: They Might Be Giants.
I can't think about my senior year of college without having "Istanbul was Constantinople / Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople..." leap into my head. But I never followed the band after that, although I have a friend who goes to see them all the time and probably has all their albums (hey KP!). But this interview is really interesting, these guys have so much going on. Children's albums (I bought these for my nephew a few months ago but have yet to hear if they're enjoyable to listen to), doing jingle awards for people's answering machines for a radio station, their website has lots of stuff (downloads, etc., doing their own podcast)... Really fun interview to listen to.

In general...
If you want to check out the lineup before deciding to listen to the PCC podcasts, you can go to the website. The first few I listened to I thought the emcee (Josh Jackson) was a little awkward. He's getting more comfortable and some of them (particularly the Paste Recommends ones which I believe come out monthly) have a few people chatting and sound much more "radio-like".

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June 25, 2006

KCRW's Bookworm: Leonard Cohen (6/22).

The beginning of this interview was a little annoying. Too much of Michael Silverblatt's (usual) long meandering statement/questions with Cohen just saying "yeah, that's a good way to describe it." "Sure, that sounds good." But eventually Silverblatt had him read one of the poems in the new book, and Cohen started to loosen up and participate a bit more. Cohen's mournful songs are (yes I'm saying it again for about the 8th time in two weeks) "such a huge part of my childhood." Always playing in the background, things like Suzanne takes you down...to her place by the river... Love reminding people that Cohen wrote Hallelujah, not Jeff Buckley (Buckley just did a cover of it). One of those artists with such a huge oeuvre, it feels like he's been around FOREVER, but of course he's 72 or something now...

Posted by Duff at 09:09 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

Quirky Nomads: Marian (6/16)

Loved this episode. Sage reads a story/essay about falling in love with her straight best friend. There's mud in it. It was a really great story.

Posted by Duff at 09:06 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Quirky Nomads: Wet Food (6/15)

Texan woman recounts her 14th year when she wasn't allowed to listen to "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" at her relatives' house where even the radio stations wouldn't play it due to the cursing...the baddest man in the whole damn town... :) Too funny.

Bonus: the little girl who won't wear the sweater...because it's not PINK!

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Quirky Nomads: New Orleans (6/14)

Jennifer's story about driving to New Orleans, and not just the devastation from the storm but the continuing complete destroyal of normal life, and the fact that most of us are just not really comprehending what it is like there now... Powerful stuff.

Posted by Duff at 09:00 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Quirky Nomads: Librarians (6/13)

Really funny bit about trying to hide her shameful (in her mind) DVD check-outs from her favorite librarian.

Posted by Duff at 08:59 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Quirky Nomads: Dear Skin (6/12)

Claudia is really loving her new microphones as she appears on this podcast as well. Too funny to randomly hear one of your friends when you are not expecting it! Enjoyed the bit read by the 15 year old although I actually felt my eye twitch on two mispronunciations! These are the things that drive me batty in my old age.

Posted by Duff at 08:55 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Leonard Lopate['s Stand-In] Interviews Lorraine Bracco (6/7)

Have been a fan of Bracco's for years, before the Sopranos, as she's got both a great voice and a great physical presence. Since she isn't normally the subject of the gossip rags, I was unaware that she went through a horrific divorce and custody battle. Has a book out discussing such and her subsequent trips to therapy. It was an entertaining conversation to listen to but a little too much "since you play a psychiatrist on TV, what do you think of this?" on the part of the interviewer.

Posted by Duff at 08:47 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Wait, Wait...June 4th edition.

For some reason I just thought this entire episode was hilarious and I was having a really hard time not busting out laughing on the El. Craig Ferguson played Not My Job. There was a hilarious bit about a Greenpeace gaffe in a press release. The drought in England was the subject of the "which story is it" part of the show. And there were all kinds of sidecracks and random joke occurrences. Very funny episode. Why aren't you listening to this podcast? Go!

Posted by Duff at 08:37 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

June 22, 2006

Quirky Nomads (6/9): 8 Words a Month.

Remember Sally Struthers? For just 25 cents a day...

This is the "help the podcasters by leaving them comments" pitch, asking for just eight words a month.

Pretty funny, but I don't know that I needed the full 19 minutes of it...

Posted by Duff at 07:43 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Quirky Nomads (6/7): Books.

I didn't know about this show until Claudia recorded a story for it (that's in the 6/8 podcast, I believe).

A funny rant about the publishing industry using massproduced cakes versus handproduced cupcakes as an analogy. (Those sound very, very similar to the cupcakes made at the store down the block from me. I'm just sayin is all, as Claudia would say.)

Posted by Duff at 07:39 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Leonard Lopate Interviews Jean Said Makdisi (6/5)

Makdisi's written two memoirs: Beirut Fragments: A War Memoir (self explanatory, no?) and Teta, Mother and Me, the story of three generations of her family.

This interview was somewhat fractious - they seemed to be talking at cross purposes. Lopate wanted to focus on the repression of women in Arab countries and Makdisi wanted to emphasize that "modernism" doesn't have to mean "Westernism." She was a little unwilling to ever give ground, and refused to accept any generalizations. Which in a conversation about an enormous topic isn't always possible. He, on the other hand, didn't seem to know how to pick his battles in this one.

Posted by Duff at 07:33 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

Leonard Lopate Interviews Two War Correspondents (6/2)

Two New York Times writers covering the conflict in the Middle East. Dexter Filkins (who writes for the paper) who's been in Iraq (and on his way back) and Elizabeth Rubin (who writes for the magazine) who's in Afghanistan and moving on to Pakistan.

Really interesting. Discusses the dangers that exist right now, particularly for American reporters. The things they're seeing or not seeing. Who will talk to them, who won't. What they have to do to get around the country. Pretty intense.

Sad that more than half of America is still pretending this war isn't even going on. While the other half silently mourns.

Posted by Duff at 07:29 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Leonard Lopate['s Stand-In] Interviews Robert Altman (6/9)

Interview was obviously focused on Altman's latest "A Prairie Home Companion." My dad gave it a favorable review, and this interview was really interesting, so I may head out to see it this weekend. If I can find two hours that are all right next to each other.

Altman is such an old rogue.

Posted by Duff at 07:27 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Podcasts

Wait, Wait...May 31st edition.

I am way behind on listening to these, aren't I? Which means I can usually do really well on their quizzes since it's such old news! Bonus! :)

Steven Cohen soccer expert was really cracking me up. Brits are nuts, aren't they.

Also hilarious how the Iraqis love Lionel Richie. Hey, at least someone loves him!

Posted by Duff at 07:22 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Paste Culture Club (2/25 & 2/28/2006): Josh Ritter

I keep hearing about this guy, but there are so many Js with somewhat similar sounds that I can never remember which one I'm thinking of: Josh Rouse, Joe Purdy, Joseph Arthur, John Mayer, John Vanderslice, Josh Kelley, Jason Mraz, Josh Ritter, Josh Joplin, Joshua Radin...

I liked the songs they played. The PCC "dj" kinda cracks me up - he does not seem to have that much radio experience so the show has a very tentative feel to it.

I could do without the whole 'I grew up religious/in a particular religion, but now I've gone off on my own path. Now I'm spiritual.' I don't know what point people really think they're making me when they say shit like that, but the constant emphasis on how spiritual they are just makes me think they're fucking crazy.

But, did like some of the music despite its biblical overtones.

Posted by Duff at 07:16 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

June 11, 2006

Wait, Wait... May 21st edition.

Some really funny stuff to start off with about Bush's perch (then changed to some other fish) claims. I've decided I don't like the Kiri (Carrie?) whatever woman from Texas. She can be funny (she had a lot of good quips in this show) but I think she's a Closet Conservative. Maybe the Republicans planted her on this show!! Also funny were Ray Blount's "this is where a joke would go" comments. Elayne Boosler was the guest. Very entertaining and lots of little "back in the day" tidbits about Andy Kaufman, etc. This is really a fun "show," thanks SuperEggplant for getting me hooked. :)

Posted by Duff at 07:14 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

KEXP: Belle & Sebastian (4/14).

Very goofy band with many, many members, none of whom are named either Belle or Sebastian. I think for some unknown reason I was picturing them as the guy and girl who make up Everything But The Girl. Not sure why as I know I own one of their earlier albums (The Boy with the Arab Strap). Enjoyed the stuff they played here. Also enjoyed their cover of Badfinger's "No Matter What."

Posted by Duff at 07:05 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

Paste Culture Club (1/11/2006): Brandi Carlile

She's had a couple songs on Grey's Anatomy: I've meant to check her out. Has an odd voice; reminiscent simultaneously of K.D. Lang and Jeff Buckley. Sings to the very edges of her range, just short of breaking into falsetto. Interesting.

Also really loved a song they played earlier on: "Slow New York" by Richard Julian.

Interesting tidbits during the "Arthouse" directors segment (taken from that issue of the magazine): Gus Van Sant is going to be the director on the adaptation of Time Traveler's Wife. (Not that I'll be seeing it. Loved the book waaaay too much.)

Enjoyed the Pendarvis interviews Beethoven segment also.

And Nada Surf bookends the show -- reminds me, I think I have an album of theirs I've never listened to. Probably never even taken the plastic off. Got to get to it!

Posted by Duff at 06:49 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts, Tunes

Leonard Lopate Interviews Ian McDiarmid (6/1)

How weird that I just recently watched Star Wars III where McDiarmid is Senator (and then Emperor) Palatine. This was a really fun interview to listen to. Not only because McDiarmid has a great Scottish accent, but also because he seems very fun loving. Still completely excited by acting, and his co-actors. Not jaded by the industry.

Posted by Duff at 06:44 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Podcasts

KCRW's Bookworm: Kurt Vonnegut (4/6).

Great interview. So sad to think Vonnegut doesn't have that much time left; his mind is still just as sharp and vibrant as ever. Talks a lot about the American public school system. Definitely makes you remember how proudly subversive he's been for so many years and the amazing life he's lived -- a former soldier. Highly recommend giving this a listen.

Posted by Duff at 06:41 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

June 07, 2006

KCRW's Bookworm: Jorie Graham.

Maybe not the best choice for the El ride home: the soothing dulcet sounds of Michael Silverblatt and poet Jorie Graham, combined with the rhythm of the train...I could barely keep my eyes open!

That said, Graham did have a lot of interesting things to say about living in the NOW. About finding a way to get through it: life, the poem, etc. Not waiting for things to change, for it to be the perfect situation...

Either she said stuff about that or I dreamed it, who can say.

Posted by Duff at 04:21 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

Wait, Wait...May 14th edition.

Tom Hanks was the celebrity guest and he was really hilarious (and I'm not even that big a Hanks' fan!). They spent a bit more time on the introductory interview with him than they normally do, involving lots of sass about some of his less 'intellectual', shall we say, movies. Really funny. The bits about Marlon Brando were also pretty hilarious.

Also loved the drunk monkeys segment. Monkeys! Drinking! Toooooo funny. I think the female commentator was Paula Poundstone. "From the number of monkeys I've reached out to..." She was a riot.

Posted by Duff at 02:48 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Was interested to see you could get this on iTunes as an "audible book" although frankly it's a podcast.

Thought the first half was hilarious. Second half was hard to listen to b/c apparently he was showing a video he had made (which obviously I could not SEE) and it was harder to follow what was happening.

Really stuck it to Bush and Cheney. Good on ya, SC.

Posted by Duff at 02:17 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

May 23, 2006

KEXP at SXSW: Billy Bragg (4/7)

Billy Bragg is a riot. Proudly refers to himself as a "polemical songwriter" and points out "my politics are mostly based on mischief." Is getting some of his thunder stolen by James Blunt, as he's no longer the only former soldier: "He was an officer in the Royal Armed Corps; I was [just] a trooper!" Asked if he will ever go into politics: "I just look awful in a suit and tie...I look like a bank robber!" Lots of fun to hear his banter. He's the Pete Seeger of our time. He and Woody Guthrie, some of whose lyrics he has put to music post Woody's death.

Posted by Duff at 12:18 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

May 22, 2006

KCRW's Bookworm: Walter Kirn.

Discussing Kirn's novel "Mission to America", which takes people living in a boonies Montana "cult" out into real world 2005. Not necessarily something I'd want to read, but very interesting discussion of those "types" of "religions" (mormonism, scientology, christian science, jehovah witness, seventh day adventists, etc.), and a feeling of nostalgia for 19th-century ideas we, as a culture, have "grown out of."

America seems to be about this ceaseless business of coming up with crackpot ways to comfort itself.

The book sounds really funny. Also Charles Portis and his book "Masters of Atlantis" which they discuss as an influence. Both sound like a riot. Altho the Portis book I read a while ago ("The Dog of the South") was more mildly humorous than drop dead funny.

It is dangerous to listen to these podcasts, they just add more, more and more things to my "possibilities" list and that list, and the pile of unread books, are both already deep enough.

But, man, I could definitely fall asleep to the sound of Michael Silverblatt's voice.

Posted by Duff at 06:36 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

KEXP at SXSW: Drive by Truckers (4/6)

I have been wondering about this band for a while since I saw them recommended on Que Sera Sera once and I've gotten some good albums from her recommendations (Bishop Allen, for one).

They're like a crazy combination of CSNY, the Allman Brothers and the Eagles. This isn't music I could listen to every day, but boy is there ever a time and a place for it...Midsummer rain storm, sitting on the porch with some spiked lemonade...This would be PERFECT.

Hilariously, the emcee really started to slip into a Southern accent while interviewing these guys.

You should talk southern around me when I'm drunk; I can really turn it on!

Posted by Duff at 06:33 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

KEXP: The Stills (5/5)

Live performances are always hit or miss. I thought they sounded like crap here although the emcee (I think her name is Nancy something?) kept telling them they sounded fantastic. I've heard alot about how their new album is like a completely different band. Hearing this, I would tend to believe it.

I didn't love their entire first album, but I did outright LOVE the song "Love and Death" (...love and death are always on my mind...). I probably won't buy the new one.

Posted by Duff at 06:30 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts, Tunes

Wait, Wait...May 7th edition

The Mayor of Washington was pretty entertaining.

The female panelist was obviously a crazed conservative as she claimed that at the correspondent's dinner the President was actually funny (if by funny you mean "stupid as ever", then yes) and Colbert wasn't.

I've watched the Colbert clip quite a few times. It is damn funny if you haven't been brainwashed by the Bushwhackers.

Posted by Duff at 06:28 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts

May 09, 2006

KCRW's Bookworm: Octavia Butler.

This was recorded before she died and focuses mainly on her last novel "Fledgling", a new take on vampires. Although I have not read anything of hers, I really enjoyed listening to what issues she's interested in exploring in her writing in general and the way in which she came around to writing this novel specifically. (The review on Amazon rhetorically asks: "How many of our happy relationships involve a degree of dominance or dependence that we can't acknowledge?") But, man, this book sounds NUTS. (In a good way.)

Beyond exploring Butler's oeuvre, thinking about this type of book in general really makes me want to reread old stuff like Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley, which I haven't read since...the early 90s sometime I think, in grad school.

Posted by Duff at 12:39 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

May 08, 2006

Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me... April 30th edition.

Some priceless comments here by Billy Connolly during the "Not My Job" segment. I might need to pick up his new DVD for my dad's bday. He's hilarious.

Posted by Duff at 05:37 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Podcasts

KCRW's Bookworm: John Barth.

I think Ginger told me about these Bookworm podcasts a long, long time ago... I actually can't remember whether or not I've ever actually read "The Sot-Weed Factor" although I'm positive I own it. Barth is pretty humble for a guy who's been around such a long time. Used to have a lot of fame as an environmentalist although I'm not sure many people know that anymore. This podcast was about his latest "Where Three Roads Meet" but I had to run by the bookstore and pick up "The Book of Ten Nights and a Night" as the podcast ended. Look, Betsy, short stories! :)

Posted by Duff at 05:30 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Podcasts

April 30, 2006

It's all part of Bush's "Leave No Administration Official Behind" program.

Mariko got me addicted to podcasts of NPR's "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me" on our trip.

I highly recommend the April 2 edition as a jumping off point.

Posted by Duff at 10:05 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Podcasts