The Current Music Blog: January 17, 2007 Archive

Free refills at The Buffering Stream, 1/17

Posted at 7:16 AM on January 17, 2007 by Hans Eisenbeis

Best Of the Best Of lists, etc.

Posted at 11:37 AM on January 17, 2007 by Christina Schmitt (1 Comments)

The Current's Nikki Tundel recently logged in a great story, "Minnesota tops the lists." It's about how Minnesotans love to top all sorts of "Best Of" lists--healthiest state, home to the world's largest fiberglass crow, etc.

I would add that Minnesotans love to create Best Of lists, too, especially when it comes to our local music community. Take tonight's "Best of 2007" showcase at First Avenue. If anyone deserves to make a list, it's First Ave. They've paid their dues, giving as many wannabees as winners a chance over the years to play New Band Night at the 7th Street Entry.

Now I would like to start a new Best Of list--the Best Of the Best Of Local Music lists. Which list would win? City Pages'? Star Tribune's? First Avenue's? Or The Current's? Vote now and see you tonight at First Ave.

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A Case of the Punks

Posted at 1:28 PM on January 17, 2007 by Steve Seel (2 Comments)

Today at noon for "My Three Songs," a listener suggested a set that contained Captain Beefheart's "Ashtray Heart," which, I have to say, was exhilarating to hear on our airwaves. But what especially amused me was this: in a song that seems to be about being betrayed ("you used me like an ashtray heart ... crushed me while I was burning out"), Beefheart howls, "open up another case of the punks." Is this use of "punk" as in getting "punk'd" -- i.e. tricked? I'd thought this was relatively new slang, yet this song is almost 30 years old now. If so, how cool to see evidence of supposedly new-ish slang not being new at all.

I know the history of tracking slang is a rather vague science, so I suppose I'm not really asking you to jump in on that one here. What I really want to know is this: did anyone happen to catch Beefheart performing this tune on Saturday Night Live in 1980, on a show hosted by Malcolm McDowell? (It was the very ill-fated 6th season). Oh. My God. I was one freaked-out young Seel watching that one. I remember Beefheart knocking the microphone off the stand with his soprano sax during one of the songs that night.

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What I learned today..

Posted at 1:29 PM on January 17, 2007 by Barb Abney (3 Comments)

People often ask what we do in the studio when we're not talking. Personally, I am always surfing around looking for a little gem of info that hasn't already been posted in a million other places. Here are a few "gems" that I stumbled upon today.

Lily Allen and Muse have three. Kasabiain and Bob Dylan have two. I'm talking about the recently announced Brit Award nominations..

That awesome Decemberists auction is almost finished, your last chance to grab the "Colbert guitar".

Time is also running out for you to vote for your favorites in the Plug Independent Music Awards.

There's a Kurt Cobain biopic in the works that Courtney Love approves of. Ewan McGregor is rumored to be playing Kurt in the not-yet-in-the-making film.

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See The World

Posted at 2:52 PM on January 17, 2007 by Mary Lucia (6 Comments)

I just got through chatting with Spencer Wells a National Geographic Explorer in Residence.
Comparitively career-wise I am a sloth.

I understand we aren't all cut out to be explorers, it took me 3 weeks before I could figure out how to make a phone call from Italy.

Sometimes I think If I could trade all of the formal education I have had in exchange for travel experience I would.

Though I don't especially want to go anywhere where the bugs are bigger than my head.
Where have you been? Where do you want to go?

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