Clinton Again

We do, don't we.

Extraloveable (UPDATED: US release links)

Prince has dug into his vault and given his fans what they've been wishing for, a classic already-circulating outtake that they'd love to have in crystal clear studio quality.

There's only one hitch. He's once again re-recorded the song in what many are calling an inferior version. He did the same with "In A Large Room With No Light" in 2009 as promotion for his appearance at the 2009 Montreux Jazz Festival.

This time it's the 1999-era outtake "Extraloveable," which seemingly has been ciriculating in its original, sub-CD quality incarnation for almost as long as that album has been out (1982).

(2011) Extraloveable by lovesexygirl

It's getting torn to shreds by his hardcore, long-time fan base, which is full of bitter, spoiled whiners -- among whom I'd normally count myself. 

Happy Halloween!

A Clinton Classic

No matter how many times they fix it, some little devil comes along to put it right.

Oh yeah, I have a blog!

I had almost forgotten!

More to come soon, possibly. Some music and comics to write about, since I have what promises to be a very boring, uneventful work trip to Puerto Rico coming up in November. Or at least that seems to be when I do most of my blogging.

I'm sure all 2 or 3 of you are waiting with bated breath.

Meanwhile, here's a heartwarming image to lift your spirits.

R.I.P. Amy Winehouse, 1983 - 2011

In an era when there are very few who can be called GREATS, she definitely had the goods to take that title.  Back to Black is one of those albums that when you hear the first few bars of the opening track (in this case the iconic and sadly prescient "Rehab"), you have the distinct feeling of your colon falling through your spincter and you know that you're listening to something truly awesome.

Sorry, Amy.  Sorry it was so hard for you.  Sorry you could never get it turned around to prove it again.  And sorry for the annoying advertisement at the beginning of this YouTube/VEVO video.

Lady Gaga meets Howard Stern

I'm not the biggest Lady Gaga fan, although I do respect her as this generation's icon for gay youth and how far she goes in living up to that, even if the execution often leaves me rolling my eyes.  She may only be an amalgamation of David Bowie, Grace Jones and Madonna, at least she's out there trying to be interesting in a field of pop stars with nothing to say, no individual style, and very little talent.  If I was 14 again, she'd be exactly who I would be looking up to as a hero, if not a role model, the way I did with Madonna when I actually was 14.  And I do happen to be crazy about a few of her songs.

I am however, a huge Howard Stern fan.  Aside from everything else he may be (or may have been at one time), he really is one of the best interviewers around.  I knew that if/when she finally came in, that he'd be able to get a great interview out of her.  And he did.  That was no surprise.  What did surprise me is the performance she gave in the studio:  a stripped-down piano and vocal version of her latest single, "The Edge Of Glory."  It was really quite moving, especially after she told the story of how she was inspired to write it. 

That's the first clip here.  As it's of such terrible sound quality, stop listening at the 2:36 mark and skip to the second video for the actual performance.  Kudos to Howard for getting such a great interview out of her and cutting through most of the fake bullshit.  And kudos to Gaga for opening up to him and also putting on a great performance.  If you're a fan of either, try to seek out the entire interview.  I think the whole thing is somewhere on youtube.

The X-Men #6

"Sub-Mariner Joins the Evil Mutants"
Cover date:  July 1964
Written:  with the flair of Stan Lee
Drawn:  with the air of Jack Kirby
Inked:  with the care of Chic Stone
Lettered:  on a dare by S. Rosen

"Even superior mutants with supernatural powers have to eat dinner the same as we... and that's where our story begins... in the dining hall of the mysterious building which houses... the X-Men!"

Happy Doomsday, everybody!

The X-Men #5

"Trapped:  One X-Man!"
Cover date:  May 1964
Spell-binding story by:  Stan Lee
Dazzling drawing by:  Jack Kirby
Inking:  Paul Reinman
Lettering:  S. Rosen

"Never have you, the reading public, been so instantly fascinated by a group of super-powerful villains as last issue, when you met Magneto's evil mutants!  Now, we present them again... more exciting, more unpredictable, more dangerous than ever!!"

From The Soundboard: 1984 Birthday Show

The fan labels have really outdone themselves this time by getting ahold of and releasing this show in soundboard quality.  It's been circulating as an audience recording of varying degrees of quality since the dawn of Prince bootlegs.  Last year, we thought that we had the best version that would ever be available, via 4DaFunk's "26" which was taken from a lower generation tape recording and considerably cleaned up.

But now 4DaFunk, in conjuntion with Free Boot Generation, thanks to an anonymous benefactor, have brought to us a crystal clear soundboard recording of Prince's show at First Ave in Minneapolis from June 7, 1984.

The X-Men #4

"The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants!"
Cover date: March 1964
Sensational script by:  Stan Lee
Dynamic drawings by:  Jack Kirby
Imaginative inking by:  Paul Reinman
Legible lettering by:  Art Simek

"You are gazing at a sight which few homo sapiens have ever been privileged to witness... the awesome Danger Room where Professor Xavier trains his homo superior mutant students for the dangers which await them!"

Winning

The X-Men #3

"Beware of the Blob!"
Cover date:  January 1964
Written by:  Stan Lee
Illustrated by:  Jack Kirby
Inked by:  Paul Reinman
Lettered by:  Art Simek

"You have never seen a super-villain like the Blob!!  We promise you that!  Of all the great Marvel epics, this may be the greatest!"

The X-Men #2

"No One Can Stop The Vanisher!"
Cover date:  November 1963
Written by:  Stan Lee
Drawn by:  Jack Kirby
Inked by: Paul Reinman
Lettered by:  Sam Rosen

"Congratulations!  You are about to begin a book-length tale which you'll never forget!  And now, let us follow the extraordinary X-Men as they answer an urgent mental summons from their mysterious leader, Professor X..."

March 26, 1996 - In the Springtime of His Voodoo

I wrote this on myspace three years ago.  I've barely even been to myspace in two.  Man, is it an experience navigating through that. 

Anyway, I wrote the following kind of intending it to be the beginning of a series of blogs that were meant to reflect on four very important dates in my life that, conveniently enough, roughly correlate to the four seasons.  I haven't changed anything from what I wrote in 2008, despite the fact that I was struggling through a very dark period of my life and was doing a lot of pretty manic, frazzled writing.  So I've got a few follow-up thoughts at the end.  On the 15th anniversary of the date in question, and because I have started this infrequently updated blog, I thought I might get back to the idea.  But we'll see.  Please excuse my self-indulgence.  It's mostly meant as a thank you to a very good friend, despite the self-absorbed rambling nature of it.