New Year, NEW You

Thank you, friends
Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you
I’m so grateful for all the things you helped me do.

All the ladies and gentlemen
Who made this all so probable

Thank you, friends
I rejoice to the skies
Dear ones like you do the best I do
As far as can see my eyes

All the ladies and gentlemen
Who made this all so probable

Without my friends I got chaos
I’m often a bead of light.
Without my friends I’d be swept up high by the wind

Do, do…

All the ladies and gentlemen (I said all)
All the ladies and gentlemen (I said all)
All the ladies and gentlemen
Who made this all so probable

Thank you friends (thank you again)
Thank you friends (thank you again)
Dear, dear friends (thank you again)
Thank you friends (thank you again)
And again, and again…

 

As Chuck Weiss says, “this is an age of Awakening”, and as bad as things are, and as wretched as things on the horizon will be, there is a shift of consciousness that makes us all more real and human, biting through the artificial numbing agents. We honor the memories of those who have been murdered and taken from us by state violence, racism, hatred, and fascist despotism. In every corner and every inch and fibre, the awakening blooms and highlights and cannot easily be undone — taking root deep at the core. But this requires work. All of us. Every day. Not just election days. Not just standard operating procedure. Nothing boring any more. Full bore.

 

I cannot fully express my gratitude for those who have helped me get to this point (and you know who you are) despite the vile efforts of those who have tried to hold us back or down (and you know who you* are). As words and time cannot translate what is in the depths of my cardiovascular truth, I shall simply carry forth and pay fungibly the kindness, generosity, and lessons that you’ve imparted.

PLAYLIST

• In the Hall of the Mountain King – The Marimba Belles
• The Weight – The Band
• Shine On You Crazy Diamond – Pink Floyd
• Because – The Beatles
• You Never Give Me Your Money – The Beatles
• He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – The Hollies
• Thank You Friends – Big Star
• Coming Into Los Angeles – Arlo Guthrie

Uncanny X-Mas

All kinds of scary shit this time of year: egg nog, having to deal with family, a fat guy trying to break into your house, the cops trying to shoot him, and the WAR ON X-MAS

MERRY XMEN, EVERYONE!

PLAYLIST

• In the Hall of the Mountain King – Apocalyptica
• Jingle Bells – GWAR
• Apocalyptica instrumentals
• Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Alice Cooper
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman – Ronnie James Dio
• Run Rudolph Run – Lemmy Kilmister
• Christmas With the Devil – Spinal Tap
• Noel – Josh Sikha
• Silent Night – Christopher Lee
• Little Drummer Boy – Christopher Lee
• We Three Kings – Josh Sikha
• Do You Hear What I Hear – Steve Stevens

Wonders and Marvels

PLAYLIST

• In the Hall of the Mountain King – Edvard Grieg
• Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner – Warren Zevon
• Maria Maria – Santana
• Chaos Theory Soundtrack – Amon Tobin

We have not only Chuck Weiss but also our old cohort Ze Black Waffle, second banana in a banana republic, teaches us to “not be dicks”.

Decoded

PLAYLIST

• Hall of the Mountain King – Savatage
• Race with the Devil on Spanish Highway – Al Di Meola
• Stonehenge – Spinal Tap
• Sun Ra instrumentals

Off the Mark

PLAYLIST

• Hall of the Mountain King – Self Diagnosis
• The Boogie Monster – Gnarls Barkley
• Mad Scientist – Large Professor
• Stonehenge – Spinal Tap

Witch Hunts

PLAYLIST

• In the Hall of the Mambo King – Machito
• Dia De Los Muertos – Voodoo Glow Skulls
• Dia De Los Muertos – Voltaire
• Ravi Shankar Instrumentals
• Blood Makes Noise – Suzanne Vega
• Psycho Killer – Talking Heads

Pièce de Résistance!

With all our caveats and warnings, we have some dark foreboding anxiety-inducing spooky crazy weird stuff for the season, but also just since inauguration. Halloween music and heightened tensions, and high treason.

PLAYWITCH

• In the Hall of the Mountain King – Edvard Grieg
• The Devil Went Down to Georgia – Charlie Daniels Band
• Alien Visitors – Man… or Astro-Man?
• Earth Died Screaming – Tom Waits
• Ring of Fire – Wall of Voodoo
• This House is Haunted – Alice Cooper
• Grim Grinning Ghosts – Barenaked Ladies
• Ghost Guitars – Baron Daemon & the Vampires
• Werewolf – Carl Bonafede
• Gein and the Graverobbers
• Season of the Witch – Donovan

Too Many Squares

PLAYLIST

• In the Hall of the Mountain King / Louie Louie – Half Japanese
• In-a-Gadda-da-Vida – Michael Viner’s Incredible Bongo Band

Fight or Flight

PLAYLIST

• In the Hall of the Mountain King – Apocalyptica
• Black Sunday – Jethro Tull
• Into the Void – Black Sabbath
• Sweet Leaf – Black Sabbath

Large-Scale Propaganda

PLAYLIST

• Sun Ra – Rocket Number Nine Take Off For The Planet Venus
• Buckethead – Sultan’s Massacre
• Amon Tobin instrumentals
• Charles Mingus – The Chill of Death