Completely Conspicuous 301: The Horror! The Horror!

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss horror flicks and rooting for the bad guy. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Movies we watched before we were ready
- Jay: Psycho at age 8
- Matt: Monster movies always freaked him out
- The reinvention of Jackie Earle Haley
- Swamp Thing vs. Man-Thing
- Sympathizing with unsympathetic characters
- Liam Neeson is the new Charles Bronson
- Watch out for giant deformed hillbillies
- Cool TV shows that didn't last long
- American Horror Story is pretty wacky
- Bates Motel is good
- Rooting for the charismatic bad guy: Tony Soprano, Vic Mackey, Loki
- Bad guy roles are more fun to play
- Watching crappy movies like 2012
- Amazing acting on In Treatment
- The varied and great career of the Coen Brothers
- Cormac McCarthy, horror writer?
- Stephen King keeps adding to old books
- Matt wearing clown makeup freaks people out
- People like to be scared
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Fu Manchu - Robotic Invasion
Pissed Jeans - Cathouse

JEFF the Brotherhood - Melting Place

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Fu Manchu song is on the EP Scion AV Presents Fu Manchu and Moab. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.
The Pissed Jeans song is on the album Honeys on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at SubPop.com.

The JEFF the Brotherhood song is on the compilation Garage Swim. Download the song for free at Adult Swim.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

They Are The Champions

The baseball season is a long one. Much can happen from April to October. Going into this season, I had high hopes for the Toronto Blue Jays. They had loaded up through trades and free agency and looked to be a strong contender for postseason play. It was the first time since they won back-to-back World Series in the early '90s that they had looked so strong.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox were coming off a last-place finish in 2012 and didn't look much better this year. I figured they'd win 75 games and be a pretty lousy team. Making things even more interesting was the fact that former Jays manager John Farrell had taken the Boston job vacated by Bobby Valentine. It became fairly obvious during the 2012 season that Farrell wanted the Boston gig, which didn't endear him to the media or fans in Toronto. I figured this would be a fun season for a change.

Boy, was I wrong about everything. The Jays sucked right out of the gate, and even though they put together an 11-game winning streak in June, injuries and crappy starting pitching landed them in the division's basement. Meanwhile, the Red Sox improbably confounded all expectations by winning the AL East, then the ALDS and ALCS. Down was up, cats were sleeping with dogs, etc.

I'm not a bandwagon jumper and I wasn't necessarily rooting against the Sox but I wasn't rooting for them, either. But when Deb was able to score two tickets to the potentially World Series-clinching Game 6 at Fenway Park vs. the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, I was excited to go. I had never been to a World Series game before, we got the tickets relatively cheap and no matter what happened, the atmosphere would be electric. We didn't want to drive in because of all the street closings, so we took the T from Malden.


We got to Kenmore Square almost two hours before game time and it was mobbed. Lines outside bars that went down the street. We picked up our tickets and got something to eat before going up to our seats in the right field roof deck. They were pretty nice, way up there but with a full view of the field. The game itself wasn't overly suspenseful. The Red Sox were able to light up Cards pitcher Michael Wacha for 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings and Sox starter John Lackey worked out of a few jams; by the end, it was just a matter of rooting for everyone to make outs so we could see the celebration. The final score was 6-1 and the place went nuts. We watched the presentation of the World Series trophy but left before they handed out the MVP award to David Ortiz so we could beat some of the crowds.



Things were pretty hairy outside the ballpark as crowds had already gathered in the street by the Cask and Flagon. We fought our way through the crowd and were routed around Kenmore Square, which the police were keeping empty. We decided not to try and get to the T station there and ended up walking all the way down Commonwealth Avenue to Boston Common, where we got on the Orange Line at Downtown Crossing. It was a good move because the trains there were relatively empty, as opposed to the mob scenes we would have dealt with on the Green Line. From there, we got to Malden easily and were home by 1:45. Later, we heard about all the drunk idiots out tipping over cars and doing stupid shit, but fortunately we were able to avoid all that. Thursday was pretty rough from the lack of sleep, but it was totally worth it.

I'm happy for the Sox and their fans. Hopefully my Jays can get their act together in 2014. Hope springs eternal, right? If the Sox can go worst to first, why can't Toronto?

Stuck In Thee Garage #8: November 1, 2013

This year is hurtling by at ridiculous speeds. It's hard to believe there have already been eight episodes of Stuck In Thee Garage. Last night featured an extended tribute to the late Lou Reed and an hour's worth of Canadian good rock. I can't overstate how fun it has been to do this show, even as I had to work into the wee hours of the morning on it this week because things were so busy. Totally worth it, though.

Here's the playlist, eh?

Hour 1
Song - Artist/Album

Parquet Courts - You've Got Me Wonderin' Now/Tally All the Things That You Broke EP
ovlov - The Well/am
Fuzz - What's In My Head?/Fuzz
The Cloud Room - Mrs. Marquis de Sade/You Be My Heart comp
Dead Meadow - Yesterday's Blowin' Back/Warble Womb
Superchunk - Void/I Hate Music
Chavez - The Guard Attacks/Better Days Will Haunt You
Chavez - Unreal is Here/Better Days Will Haunt You
The Velvet Underground - Black Angel's Death Song (Different Mix)/April 1966 Scepter Studios (Norman Dolph acetate)
The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat / White Light/Heat
Lou Reed - Street Hassle (Waltzing Matilda/Street Hassle/Slipaway)/Street Hassle
Lou Reed - Dirty Blvd./New York
Lou Reed - Caroline Says, Pt. II (live)/Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse
Metric (with Lou Reed) - The Wanderlust/Synthetica

Hour 2: O Canada
Bob and Doug McKenzie (with Geddy Lee) - Take Off/The Great White North
Sloan - Coax Me/Twice Removed
Jale - Not Happy/Dreamcake
Joel Plaskett - Work Out Fine/Truthfully Truthfully
Stars - Ageless Beauty/Set Yourself on Fire
Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running/Neon Bible
Wolf Parade - You are a Runner and I am My Father's Son/Apologies to the Queen Mary
The Besnard Lakes - Devastation/The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse
The New Pornographers - The Bones of an Idol/Twin Cinema
Pointed Sticks - Lies/Part of the Noise
The Pink Mountaintops - Plastic Man, You're the Devil/Axis of Evol
Black Mountain - Evil Ways/In the Future
Ladyhawk - The Dugout/Ladyhawk
The Pursuit of Happiness - Save the Whales/Where's the Bone
Fucked Up - Serve Me Right/David Comes to Life
Max Webster (with Rush) - Battle Scar/Universal Juveniles

Through the Past Dorkily: Girls With Guns

Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.

Wednesday, October 17, 1984

Song of the day: Ride With You - Blackfoot

Easy day. I only had 1 class. The assembly was pretty good. The speaker was one funny dude!

We had a pop quiz in Adv Math and I got it all right.

I got home at 12 and bummed around till 3. [Buddy] gave me a ride to practice. Coach worked our butts off in our last practice.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, October 18, 1984

Song of the day: Lap of Luxury - Jethro Tull

Good day. The Psych test was easy. I hope I get an A. I got an A on my fourth program.

We had our last hurrah today. We beat the crap out of Somersworth, 8-1. I played most of the game but I didn't score, dammit! [Teammate] got a hat trick, [another guy] got 2, [another guy] got 2 and [yet another guy] scored the last one. [Another teammate] had like 20 shots, all close but no cigar. At least we went out with a bang!

- The Barbarian

Friday, October 19, 1984

Song of the day: Closer to the Heart - Rush

Fast day. I got up at 8:30, took Mom to work. I went to the Methuen Mall at 11. I spent $60! I bought 3 albums, Dokken--Tooth and Nail, Santers--Guitar Alley and Anvil--Hard and Heavy. I bought 1 blank 60-min tape and 2 90-min Maxell tapes. I also got the last 2 Thomas Covenant books. I bought a book of stamps. I met Jeremy and his girlfriend there, too. I got home at 2.

We went to see "Thief of Hearts." It's a good flick.

- The Barbarian

Saturday, October 20, 1984

Song of the day: Eruption - Van Halen

Strange day. I got up at 10. Went to work. the work was beat. We got out at 10. [Girl I like] sat with me in my car for a while. We put the seats back and started making out. It just sorta happened, y'know? I got home at 10:45. Phew!

- The Barbarian

Sunday, October 21, 1984

Song of the day: Can You Deliver? - Armoured Saint

Today sucked. I was doing price changes all day. I went home for lunch. Both Mom and Dad started bitching at me and want me to quit tomorrow. I told Mom to call up and tell 'em herself. They don't want me working during school. Now that's beat.

[Cute nerdy girl] came to the Bucket. She said she'll give me a ride home tomorrow. Yeah!

- The Barbarian

Monday, October 22, 1984

Song of the day: Break the Walls Down - Stone Fury

Today was alright. I got a 94 on that Psych test, a 100 and a 49 on 2 different Adv Math quizzes.

[CNG] gave me a ride home. But she had to go to the dentist so all I got was a hug and a kiss. Maybe tomorrow.

I taped Powerslave, Defenders of the Faith and 1984 after school.

Mom called up the Bucket and told them I quit.

- The (unemployed) Barbarian

Tuesday, October 23, 1984

Song of the day: Devil in Her Heart - Gary Moore

Top 5 at Five
1. Jailbreak (live) - AC/DC
2. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
3. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
4. Concealed Weapons - J. Geils Band
5. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers

Not much doing today. Day went by fast.

I taped The Last in Line and Victims of the Future when I got home.

I turned in my jacket and stamper today. Jeremy quit, too. I met [hot chick] there. We talked for about 40 minutes. She really likes me.

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, October 24, 1984

Song of the day: Jawbreaker - Judas Priest

Top 5 at Five
1. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
2. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
3. Valotte - Julian Lennon
4. Cheap Sunglasses (live) - ZZ Top
5. I Got a Woman - The Honeydrippers

It rained. The field trip was pretty good. We censused geese and ducks, went through marshes and trails and took a plankton sample. I got a soaker while getting the sample.

After school tomorrow, Jeremy and I are going straight to the Bucket to get our checks and then to the Methuen Mall so I can pick up a costume for the dance. Excellent.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, October 25, 1984

Song of the day: Satisfied Man - Molly Hatchet

Top 5 at Five
1. Valotte - Julian Lennon
2. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
3. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
4. Tender Years - John Cafferty and Beaver Brown
5. Run to You - Bryan Adams

Today was a pretty good day. We were measured for our caps and gowns today. I'm still 5' 6 1/2". There's a Psych essay test tomorrow. Great.

After school, I got my check for $75. We went to the mall and I got that Bandit costume. It cost $21, the cape cost $12.98 and the sword cost $2.98. All together, $40. Oh well. I tried it on. It looks cool!

- The Barbarian

Friday, October 26, 1984

Song of the day: Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple

Top 5 at Five
1. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
2. Valotte - Julian Lennon
3. Run to You - Bryan Adams
4. Tender Years - John Cafferty and Beaver Brown
5. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister

Half and half day. I hope I did good on that Psych test.

Deep Purple's new album came out today, Perfect Strangers. I heard the title track. It wails!

The dance was pretty good. I danced with a lot of babes. [CNG] practically ignored me. She danced with me once, but the rest of the night she didn't come near. I'm pissed! I'm considering dumping her. I don't know...

- The Barbarian

Saturday, October 27, 1984

Song of the day: Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) - Iron Maiden

Good day. We went to Salem to go shopping. First we looked at computers. Then we went to Kealey Farms. Right next door practically is Rainbow Records! I went there. It's awesome! They've got tons of imports, magazines and metal records. I bought the 12-inch of  Rush's "The Body Electric." On the flip side were "Analog Kid" and "Distant Early Warning." I also bought 2 issues of Kerrang!, one on Rush and one on Maiden. That store is great!

I returned the saline solution and bought a new one.

We set back the clocks an hour tonight. Good deal.

- The Barbarian

Sunday, October 28, 1984

Song of the day: The Song Remains the Same - Led Zeppelin

Today was alright. I went to church for the first time in a while. Later I took the garbage to the dump. On the way back, the guy in front of me slowed down alluva sudden. I locked 'em up (Dad's car) in front of Pond View, leaving a massive skid mark. Whew!

Then we went to the Newington Mall. I bought Dad a $25 pen and I am now broke. Mom got me a Sharp calculator and a cool looking winter jacket ($70). We looked at a Commodore computer. It was way cheaper. Dad says we're gonna get it! Alright! Only thing is, they're gonna hook it up to my TV. Oh well.

- The Barbarian

Monday, October 29, 1984

Song of the day: Run to You - Bryan Adams

Top 5 at Five
1. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
2. Aqualung - Jethro Tull
3. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
4. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
5. Run to You - Bryan Adams

Weird day. I got an 80 on that Pysch essay test. I drew a total blank on the Comp Sci quiz and got a 0. I couldn't believe it!

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, October 30, 1984

Song of the day: Red - Sammy Hagar

Top 5 at Five
1. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
2. Had a Dream - Roger Hodgson
3. I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar
4. Back Seat Nothing - The Del Fuegos
5. Concealed Weapons - J. Geils Band

Another weird day. I got an 85 on that field trip stuff from Field Biology. I found out that my mouse is a female! All this time I thought it was a dude! Geez.

I get to sleep in!

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, October 31, 1984

Song of the day: Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

Top 5 at Five
1. The Monster Mash - Bobby Pickett
2. Bark at the Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
3. Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
4. Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
5. Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon

Halloween. I got up at 8. At 9 I went to see [optometrist]. He said that thing on my left contact is a calcium deposit. I have to get it replaced. Great.

I got to school at 9:40. My contact bugged me for the rest of the day.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, November 1, 1984

Song of the day: Knockin' at Your Back Door - Deep Purple

Top 5 at Five
1. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
2. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
3. Twist and Shout (live) - The Who
4. We Belong - Pat Benatar
5. Into the Fire - Dokken

Boring day for the most part. The sports banquet went till 9. [Coach] spoke the longest. I got a letter, a pin and a certificate. I looked cool in my sports coat, blue cords, tie and sneakers. Quite studly, indeed. Afterwards, me, [buddy] and Jeremy went to Pizza Hut. I asked Mom if I could go to the movies tomorrow and the _____ said no! I can't believe it. And with another one of her famous feeble excuses. "Well, you need to hear some 'no's' in your life." Give me a friggin' break, willya?

- The (P.O.'d) Barbarian

Friday, November 2, 1984

Song of the day: Substitute (live) - The Who

Top 5 at Five
1. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
2. Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
3. Twist and Shout (live) - The Who
4. Perfect Strangers - Deep Purple
5. I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar

Today was alright. Jeremy gave me some stuff to use on my program, but it didn't work out. [Teacher] gave us till sometime next week to get 'em done.

I think I got an A on the Field Bio test today. [Classmate] lost my story in Journalism.

- The Barbarian

Postscript: Two weeks worth of entries and some interesting developments. My mom made me quit my job at Market Basket because she thought it was taking too much away from my studies. I like how I at least made her quit for me. Of course, the worst part was not having any income. 

A few encounters with girls. The most promising ones were the girls who worked at Market Basket and of course, I wasn't going to be working there anymore so that sucked. I had always wondered what happened to that girl I made out with; did a little Internet research and I think she's married to a chick now. Which is cool, but she certainly seemed into me for a very brief time in 1984. 

Totally forgot that the Tommy Shaw song was so big on the radio. You certainly don't hear it anymore. Ever. And listening to it again, it's not hard to figure out why. It suck-diddly-ucks:

 

Completely Conspicuous 300: Fear Factor

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss Halloween and horror flicks. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Salem, Mass., is Halloween Central
- Just a straight-out fun holiday
- Can be frustrating for those who live in Salem
- Old-school newspaper pro-tip: Keep booze in yer desk
- "Write drunk, edit sober"
- As a kid, Matt was excited to dress up on Halloween
- Jay: All about the candy
- In NH, rural location meant we didn't have trick-or-treaters
- Don't get that many now
- Matt's costumes over the years: Robin, Julius Caesar
- Jay: Moses, Don King, Bootsy Collins
- Matt has a Batman mask this year
- When kids are scared of your costume
- Enjoyed Halloween more as an adult
- The Lunchlady and the Flasher
- Scary movies are fun
- Matt: Blair Witch had a great gimmick, not a great story
- So much more scary watching movies by yourself
- Matt: The Saw movies are terrible, but creepy
- Zombie movies are everywhere
- Allegory for fear of disease
- Real-life face-eating is scarier
- Horror movie remakes are coming out all the time
- Jay: Still remember the trailer for the late '70s flick It's Alive
- Horror films are good investments
- Jay: Loved the film version of The Shining
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Dead Meadow - Yesterday's Blowin' Back
The Cloud Room - Mrs. Marquis de Sade

The Beatings - How Many Times Can You Say Goodbye to the Same Person?

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Dead Meadow song is on the album Warble Womb on Xemu Records. Download the song for free at RollingStone.com.
The Cloud Room song is on the compilation You Be My Heart. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Beatings song is on the album Italiano on Midriff Records. Download the song for free at Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Stuck In Thee Garage #7: October 25, 2013

Much like the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, Stuck In Thee Garage rolled out its seventh episode last night and it was rollicking good fun. I was out at a friend's house most of the evening but was able to use the Soundtap app to listen to the second hour of the show on my iPhone on my ride home.

Hour 2 was all songs to celebrate Halloween, so I know this fellow was impressed:

The accursed playlist:

Hour 1
Artist - Song/Album

The So So Glos - Emergency/Shaking Through Volume 4
Iceage - Coalition/You're Nothing
Ceremony - Everything Burns/Split 7-inch single with Titus Andronicus
Teenage Head with Marky Ramone - Top Down/Teenage Head with Marky Ramone
The Exploding Hearts - Teenage Faces/Shattered
Parquet Courts - Descend (The Way)/Tally All the Things That You Broke EP
Grooms - I Think We're Alone Now/Infinity Caller
Pile - Baby Boy/dripping
Fuzz - Sleigh Ride/Fuzz
Kurt Vile - Feel My Pain/it's a big world out there (and i am scared) EPSuede - Animal Nitrate/Suede
Elastica - Line Up/Elastica
Mansun - She Makes My Nose Bleed/Attack of the Grey Lantern
The Charlatans UK - The Only One I Know/Some Friendly
Ash - Girl From Mars/1977
Ocean Colour Scene - Hundred Mile High City/Marchin' Already
Pulp - The Fear/This is Hardcore

Hour 2: Halloween songs
North American Halloween Prevention Inc. - Do They Know It's Halloween?/Do They Know It's Halloween?
Sonic Youth - Halloween/Sub Pop Singles Club December 1988
The Black Angels - The Sniper at the Gates of Heaven/Passover
The Kinks - Wicked Annabella/The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
Sufjan Stevens - John Wayne Gacy Jr./Illinois
The Cult - Hollow Man/Love
The Cure - Short Term Effect/Pornography
Joy Division - Dead Souls/Still
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand/Let Love In
Future of the Left - You Need Satan More Than He Needs You/Travels With Myself and Another
The Misfits - Mommy Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight/Walk Among Us
The Misfits - Night of the Living Dead/Walk Among Us
Iron Maiden - Still Life/Piece of Mind
Black Sabbath - Disturbing the Priest/Born Again demos

Completely Conspicuous 299: A Little Help From My Friends

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss benefit concerts. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded at Casa Breitling before a live studio audience
- Breitling's hosting the 2nd annual Community Servings benefit show on Nov. 3 at TT the Bears in Cambridge, Mass.
- Featuring K. Heasley of Lilys, Soccer Mom, The Hush Now and Earthquake Party
- Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz will provide DJ sets
- Providing meals to the chronically ill
- Roger Waters held huge benefit show in Berlin in 1990
- Breitling was in Germany at the time
- The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert was huge in '92
- Two big post-9/11 concerts in NYC
- SARS benefit concert in 2003 was the biggest show in Canadian history, with the Stones, AC/DC, Rush
- Live 8 in 2005 was actually eight concerts in eight cities on the same day
- Pink Floyd reunited with Waters
- Did benefits have more impact in the past?
- Increased capacity to put on benefit shows now
- Hear 'N Aid was the mid-'80s metal version of We Are the World
- Featured a ridiculous number of guitar solos
- Big charity show in Boston earlier this year after the Marathon bombing
- Hot Stove Cool Music started in Boston, now also in Chicago
- Recent Crash Safely MS benefit ran four nights in Boston-area clubs
- Breitling: Bands and venue make benefits happen by giving their time
- Club bookers were a huge help
- Plenty of logistics to consider
- Last year Community Servings benefit was at Great Scott
- Different kind of benefit for Community Servings, reaching a different audience
- Get yer tickets now
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
The So So Glos - Emergency
Grooms - I Think We're Alone Now

Black Hearted Brother - This is How It Feels

Slowdim - Wishing Well

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The So So Glos song is on the compilation Shaking Through Volume 4. Download the comp for free at Bandcamp.
The Grooms song is on the album Infinity Caller on Western Vinyl. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

The Black Hearted Brother song is on the album Stars Are Our Home on Slumberland Records. Download the song for free at Chromewaves.

The Slowdim song is a reworked version of a song on the band's self-titled album. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Stuck In Thee Garage #6: October 18, 2013

Last night's Stuck In Thee Garage was so jam-packed with goodness, the show actually went a little long. But really, you can't get enough good music, can you? I certainly know this old lady enjoyed it:

Here's the playlist:

Hour 1

Artist - Song/Album
The Dirtbombs - Stuck In Thee Garage/Dangerous Magical Noise
FIDLAR - Got No Money/Don't Try EP
Drive Like Jehu - Golden Brown/Yank Crime
Future of the Left - Arming Eritrea/Travels with Myself and Another
Soccer Mom - Ginger/And I Forgot a Long Time Ago How You Feel
Lilys - Knocked on the Fortune Teller's Door/Everything Wrong is Imaginary
Earthquake Party - Pretty Little Hand/Vs. Pizza
The Hush Now - Clouds/Memos
Speedy Ortiz - Swim Fan/Epitonic Saki Sessions
Dambuilders - Smell/Encendedor
O Positive - Talk About Love/Cloud Factory EP
Orbit - Medicine/Libido Speedway
Letters to Cleo with Charlie Chesterman - You Dirty Rat/Safe and Sound
Piebald - Grace Kelly with Wings/If It Weren't for Venetian Blinds It Would Be Curtains for Us All
Jay Reatard - Always Wanting More/Matador Singles '08
Murder City Devils - Idle Hands/In Name and Blood
New Bomb Turks - If I Only Could/Information Highway Revisited

Hour 2: Solo artists
Pete Townshend - Secondhand Love/White City: A Novel
Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers - It's Not Enough/L.A.M.F. '77 The Lost Tapes
J. Mascis - Not Enough/Several Shades of Why
Greg Dulli - So Tight/Amber Headlights
Jarvis Cocker - "Further Complications."/Further Complications
Mark Lanegan Band - One Hundred Days/Bubblegum
Rollins Band - Low Self Opinion/End of Silence Demos
A.C. Newman - Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns/Shut Down the Streets
Frank Black - Freedom Rock/Teenager of the Year
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Cold Son/Real Emotional Trash
Joan Jett - Bad Reputation/Bad Reputation
Kathy Valentine - Retouch Me/Light Years
St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work/Actor
Paul Weller - Brushed/Heavy Soul
Tim Armstrong - Inner City Violence/A Poet's Life
Joe Strummer - Gangsterville/Earthquake Weather
 

Through the Past Dorkily: Finding My Way

Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.

Tuesday, October 2, 1984

RUSH CONCERT!

Song of the day: Finding My Way - Rush

Top 5 at Five
1. Red Barchetta - Rush
2. I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar
3. Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
4. Pink Cadillac - Bruce Springsteen
5. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister

The day started off lousy. I met [Cute Nerdy Girl] in Guidance. She told me the truth. Her father didn't want her seeing me because I was dark-skinned. She was pretty pissed. Oh well. I guess I should expect that sort of thing.

At 6, [drummer dude] came by. He had some burnouts in the car with him. They were going to Lowell to buy some drugs or something. Then we had to pick up his girlfriend from Amesbury. By the time we got to the Centrum, Fastway was almost finished their set. I was pissed. But then Rush came out! Man, what an excellent show! They were incredible! Geddy, Alex and Neil all kicked ass! They played 7 songs off Grace Under Pressure, a lot of stuff off Moving Pictures and Signals, "Temples of Syrinx," "In the Mood," "Finding My Way," "Closer to the Heart." It was great. We had good seats. I saw [three buddies from school] and got a ride home with them. Thank goodness. I got home at 12:15.

What a night!

Bye, [CNG].

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, October 3, 1984

Song of the day: In the Mood - Rush

I got up at 11 this morning. We went to Methuen right away. I bought a Maxell 90-minute blank tape. By the time we got home, it was 3. I took the car and went to the field house. After I got changed, I went out to my car to look at the Kingstonian I picked up earlier. [CNG] was just arriving on her bike to watch the game. I said hi and we talked a bit. I then went to warm up.

We beat Farmington, 3-0! [Buddy] scored 2 goals and [another guy] the other. Farmington's a pretty bad team. They all bunched up and stood around. [Our regular goalie] played left wing for the last quarter. He played pretty good! Next is St. Thomas on Friday.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, October 4, 1984

Song of the day: Rockin' at Midnight - The Honeydrippers

Top 5 at Five
1. Rockin' at Midnight - The Honeydrippers
2. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
3. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
4. Blue Jean - David Bowie
5. I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar

I got up at 6. They were hot-topping the rest of the driveway at school today. I got a 100 on that Psych quiz. Tomorrow I have tests in Field Bio, Adv Math and Psych.

There was no soccer practice today, so I came home and taped my Ratt and Scorpions (Sting) albums. Sounds good.

I got all my college application forms out.

- The Barbarian

Friday, October 5, 1984

Song of the day: Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin

I hope I did good on those tests today.

We beat St. Thomas, 1-0. I didn't play, though. It was wicked cold out.

- The Barbarian

Saturday, October 6, 1984

Song of the day: Sinner's Swing! - Van Halen

I got up at 10. Went to work at 12. Got home at 10.

[Guitar dude] was working today. He said he broke up with [ex-gf]. Hmm.

- The Barbarian

Sunday, October 7, 1984

Song of the day: Blue Highway (live) - Billy Idol

I had to work all day today. We went to Papa Gino's for lunch. [Drummer dude] was fired Wednesday. Geez.

We didn't get out till 7:45 because the back room was such a mess.

San Diego beat the Cubs. Now they play Detroit in the World Series. Who woulda thunk?

- The Barbarian

Monday, October 8, 1984

Song of the day: Bears - Zebra     

Today sucked. Totally. I got a 73 on the Field Bio test, a 76 on the Adv Math test and an 82 on the Psych test. I couldn't believe it.

Then, in our practice, we lost a scrimmage with the JVs, 2-0. Can you believe it?

Dad saw some psychic who said I would be getting into either drugs or booze soon. Yeah, right.

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, October 9, 1984

Song of the day: The Duellists - Iron Maiden

We lost against Pittsfield, 2-1. I couldn't believe it. I didn't play so I was pissed. Coach is mad because we screw around too much.

Mom decided that we won't go to Yale on Sunday.

Later.

- The Barbarian

Wednesday, October 10, 1984

DAVID LEE ROTH'S BIRTHDAY

Song of the day: Take Hold of the Flame - Queensryche

Another not-so-great day.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, October 11, 1984

Song of the day: The Unforgettable Fire - U2

My story on Rush is going in the paper next week.

We lost our game to Raymond 4-0. I played a bit. We didn't stop at McDonalds so I didn't have any dinner tonight.

- The Barbarian

Friday, October 12, 1984

Song of the day: In the Evening - Led Zeppelin

Top 5 at Five
1. Girls With Guns - Tommy Shaw
2. Valotte - Julian Lennon
3. Cheap Sunglasses (live) - ZZ Top
4. I Wanna Rock - Twisted Sister
5. Had a Dream - Roger Hodgson

Alright day. I spent 1st period in the computer room working on my fourth program.

I got home at 2:30. I got a few hours of sleep.

I went to the Bucket to get my check tonight. $68. [Hot chick from work] asked me for a picture of me. I asked her for one of her. What a babe!

- The Barbarian

Saturday, October 13, 1984

Song of the day: Heaven's On Fire - KISS

I got up at 9. I mailed my Ach test forms. Then I took the garbage to the dump, deposited $68 in the bank, bought 2 money orders to pay off my RCA bills. I also ordered 2 speakers for my Walkman from Columbia.

After all that, I went to work. Mom dropped me off. I gave [hot chick from work] my picture. She's gonna give me hers tomorrow. She likes me. Wow.

I'm working all day tomorrow and 12-9 next Saturday.

I got home at 10.

- The Barbarian

Sunday, October 14, 1984

Song of the day: Subdivisions - Rush

I got up at 6, went to work, got home at 8.

- The Barbarian

Monday, October 15, 1984

Song of the day: You're Still Laughing - Fee Waybill

What a day. I fell asleep in Adv Math. We lost to Winnacunnet, 4-1. I played right halfback. I ate at McDonalds and then Mom made me eat dinner at home. So I got a wicked bad stomach ache. It lasted from 8:30 till I fell asleep. Ugh.

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, October 16, 1984

Song of the day: Bad Girl - ZZ Top

Today was a bit better. I got an 85 on that Computers quiz and I finished my 4th program. We had an optional practice today, but I didn't go.

I started filling out my college applications tonight.

- The Barbarian

Postscript: That Rush show was quite the adventure. I was so clueless about dope and stuff and was so paranoid that we'd get pulled over. Worked out pretty well that I ran into some friends at the concert and got a ride with them. I never really saw that dude after that, although we're now friends on Facebook. In retrospect, missing most of Fastway's set was no big deal; they were horrible. Rush was great, especially for a fanatic like me. I ended up seeing them twice on the Power Windows a year later, and haven't seen them in the 28 years since.

More soccer games I didn't play much in. Being a benchwarmer sucks. Oh well, there was only a game left in my high school career, anyway. I became much more of an athlete after college. 

I should've at least asked that girl from Market Basket out. Not sure why I didn't, really. Stupid! The situation with CNG and her dad was one of the few times I ran into actual racism at this school. One thing that always nagged at me a bit was the fact that I never met the guy, so how did he know what I looked like? Unless she told him, I guess. I had no reason to doubt her story, but it was a little out there. Certainly not unheard of, though. I've run into her a few times over the years; she's been married a couple of times, has a couple of grown kids.

Completely Conspicuous 298: Give 'Til It Hurts

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss the benefit concert he's organizing. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded at Casa Breitling before a live studio audience
- Breitling's hosting the 2nd annual Community Servings benefit show on Nov. 3 at TT the Bears in Cambridge, Mass.
- Featuring K. Heasley of Lilys, Soccer Mom, The Hush Now and Earthquake Party
- Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz will provide DJ sets
- Olive sniffs the recorder
- Get tickets now
- Providing meals to acutely ill folks
- Last year's event featured Johnny Foreigner
- Rock benefits have been happening for decades
- They seem less impactful now
- Live Aid was a huge event in 1985 with shows in Philly and London
- Controversy over charity administration
- The Concert for Bangaldesh in '71 was the first big charity concert
- The Secret Policeman's Ball was run by Amnesty International
- Sting's Rock for the Rainforest benefit has been happening for 20+ years
- Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope was a big deal in 1986
- Breitling: Axl Rose has Vince Neil-itis
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Shearwater - Fucked Up Life
Deer Tick - The Dream's in the Ditch

FIDLAR - Got No Money

Come - String (live)

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Shearwater song is on the album Fellow Travelers on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at Stereogum.
The Deer Tick song is on the album Negativity on Partisan Records. Download the song for free as part of the Partisan Records Summer/Fall Sampler 2013 on Amazon.

The FIDLAR song is on the EP Don't Try on Mom + Pop Music. Download the song for free at Chromewaves.

The Come song is part of the band's Epitonic Saki Session, which you can download for free at Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Stuck In Thee Garage #5: October 11, 2013

I think it's safe to say last night's installment of Stuck In Thee Garage rocked shit up. The first hour was fairly rip-roaring, and the second featured a great collection of covers. Hope you dug it. I think this guy did:

Without further ado, here's the playlist:

Hour 1

Artist - Song/Album
Pissed Jeans - Bathroom Laughter/Honeys
Mudhoney - The Only Son of the Widow from Nain/Vanishing Point
Scissorfight - Granite State Detroyer/New Hampshire
Tenacious D - Tribute/Tenacious D
Deer Tick - Pot of Gold/Negativity
Okkervil River - Stay Young/The Silver Gymnasium
Midlake - Antiphon/Antiphon
Drive-By Truckers - Don't Be in Love Without Me/Alabama Ass-Whuppin'
Beachwood Sparks - Make It Together/Desert Skies
Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine?/AM
Death From Above 1979 - Romantic Rights/You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Blues X Man/Orange
Bullet Lavolta - Swan Dive/Force Majeure: The RCA Anthology ('90-'92)
Big Chief - Lion's Mouth/Platinum Jive
Diarrhea Planet - Hammer of the Gods/I'm Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
Grinderman - No Pussy Blues/Grinderman

Hour 2: Cover songs
Van Halen - Where Have All the Good Times Gone? (Kinks)/Diver Down
Soundgarden - Girl U Want (Devo)/Rusty Cage EP
The New Pornographers - Your Daddy Don't Know (Toronto)/Fubar soundtrack
Matthew Sweet - The Ballad of El Goodo (Big Star)/Big Star Small World
Queens of the Stone Age - Christian Brothers (Elliott Smith)/Sick Sick Sick
Mark Kozelek - Rock 'n Roll Singer (AC/DC)/What's Next to the Moon
The Feelies - Dancing Barefoot (Patti Smith)/The Bob zine flexi
The Twilight Singers - When Doves Cry (Prince)/SPIN Presents Purplish Rain
The Dirtbombs - Livin' for the City (Stevie Wonder)/Ultraglide in Black
The Flying Lizards - Money (That's What I Want) (Barrett Strong)/The Flying Lizards
Foo Fighters - Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty)/The Colour and the Shape
Frank Black and Teenage Fanclub - Handyman (Otis Blackwell)/The John Peel Session
Pearl Jam and Joey Ramone - Sonic Reducer (Dead Boys)/1995 Christmas single
Titus Andronicus - Breed (Nirvana)/SPIN Presents Newermind
Rollins Band - Earache My Eye (Cheech and Chong)/Sub Pop Singles Club July 1990