Happy 2012

Happy New Year Everyone!

2012 is going to be a great year for me; I can feel it in my bones. After much soul searching and long talks with my husband and dear friends. I have made a decision to switch gears in my career and pursue my two greatest passions in life next to Music, Math, Science and Computers. Most people who are close to me know I am also a Painter-Collage Artist and Confection Creator. And this year, I am going to travel down that path.

It was hard to walk away from my job and the people that I really loved. But my quality life and family life seemed to be suffering in a lot. I was not able to catch up on a lot of things that I really enjoyed. And my stress levels were flying off of the charts. I was no longer able to enjoy my 2 hours a day at the gym, due to a hellish commute and I so tired when I got home at night. I could not commit to evening plans, or pick up a paintbrush. Walking my dog even became an extra stress in my life.


In November a dear friend of mine Diane came to my home to give me a massage and visit our loft. She was truly one person who realized I needed a true break, and told me point blank! "Hopey you need to learn to take time for yourself" I have thought about this conservation a lot, mainly because I don't get the chance to see Diane that much. And it was the first time that I heard those words from someone who was a dear friend, but not in my daily circle.

Needless to say Diane's words truly started affecting me, and I knew I needed to do something to make me truly happy and get my creative juices flowing again. I wanted to be able to do something that was truly coming from my heart, and something that I loved doing to a very passionate and artistic way. There was also a commitment I felt I needed to make to my grandparents, as they are the two people that truly helped me become the person I am today.

As I am writing this now, there is a feeling of fear knowing that I am taking a huge risk walking away from my career and jumping into uncharted waters. But I know at the same time this has to be done.

This week I am starting my journey and launching two new online businesses. One will be Devilish Delights LA, my online Dessert Company and the other is Pop Life Arts, and Etsy store where I will be trying to sell my paintings and collage items. I have no ideas what will happen with these ventures and I can only hope for some success to come out of them. But at the end of the day I know in my hearts of heart I am doing to be doing something that will make me happy and relaxed.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Summer Means New Love = A Summer Return of Collage

Not to quote the Beach Boys too hard. But I really feel that this summer is going to be a good one. As last year we did not even have a summer here in Los Angeles. And I was struggling with much of an artist block and was working in a place with very limited space, that really caused me to be very depressed with my work and social life.

But in January of this year. Blaine and I moved to a new loft in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles, it has been quite a refreshing change and I feel much of my creative self has been restored. Knowing this it gives me great hope in making some really great work this summer. I have been producing a small amount of work over this past year. However moving away from collage and diving straight into painting again is starting to feel a little stale like a day old croissant.

Though painting it is such a great passion of mine, and my style is quite unique and makes people feel good. I just feel like a huge part of me is missing and needs from the easel and sink my teeth into a heavy collage projects. I often have plans to go out and start hunting for something to start working on. But Our schedule has not permitted me the time to go on the great treasure hunt for new stuff. So I just go back to painting.

However this summer I feel that with the change in the weather and the good space that we are in now. It's time for me to go out and do a treasure hunt for pieces to collage and move forward with my plans. It means a lot to me to have tons of cut up magazines around me with a glue gun, lacquer, cigarettes, beer, lots of French pop and 60's pop records playing in the background with the sun shining through the french doors of downstairs room of my loft and Lester Bangs wagging his tale while I am up till hours with the night creating things that make me feel full and not so empty inside.

As of today, this will be Powerpop78's summer of collage.

ox

Coachella Takeoff

Up early getting last minute things together and trying to work on the final packing stages. Packing is something I am quite good at and enjoy. However every year we go to Coachella I find myself in a little panic over what to bring. From clothing, jewelry, bath and body products, shoes, household items, pool toys, food, drink and office supplies.

I do feel that since we have a rental place I can do a little over packing. I am sitting here now writing this and suffering from a small panic over what clothes I have packed and whether or not I need to Weigh my options not sure if it's really worth it, but this is just how I am "The Constant Over Thinker"

Julie came over for a drink and a chat last evening, and I even sent her off with cooking chaffers, party supplies and a pinata. I am starting to wonder if I am alone in this feeling and if anyone else worries about this stuff like I do.

powerpop78's Double Take List

1. Do I need to pack more kitchen stuff (the house comes with a stocked kitchen"
2. Maybe I need more pool towels someone make not like the ones there.
3. I think we need more alcohol for the guest (keep in mind I don't drink hard alcohol)
4. If I have face scrub I need to have a toner and if I bring the toner, I have to have eye cream firming solution.
5. Batteries is one long package enough. (well I can always stop at Target)
6. What is someone forgets that. I should just have one on hand (this could mean any item I become fixated on at the time)
7. Film cameras and bags. I have this compulsion to bring them all.
8. I can't let people see me in the same swim suit daily. Is 5 really enough.

All and all with all of this over thinking I manage to forget something it just seems inevitable. I keep telling myself don't worry. However I just can't work this way. But the show must go on and there is still so much to do. I am now just going to to and relax and pack up my car before the counting of the hair ties starts. I just need to relax and this about the great bands that are playing and the friends I get to see.

In some ways I always feel like Coachella is the music business version of The Bill Chill for my generation for dear friends a colleagues. And for myself and the B it's like a great reunion for friends from far and near. I can't wait to get to the desert, crack and Red Stripe, float on a pool raft and get ready to open of my desert abode for 5 night of non stop madness with some of the most talented people I know.

Cheers! and Happy Coachella to all of you!

POWERPOP78 COACHELLA ART PROJECT 2011

I have been working on my schedule for my traveling Coachella art project. And the master plan is now in action. Over those three days of great music, warm sunshine, beautiful people and art. I will be roaming the grounds with my camera and team looking for interesting things and people who will help create and inspire this project.

I am also willing to send people copies of the photos I take. As long as I have contact info. I may also ask you a few questions as well.

COACHELLA ART PROJECT SCHEDULE.

Day 1 Friday April, 15 2011
"ON YOUR FEET"
I will be taking photos of peoples feet on the move and the shoes they are wearing.

Day 2 Saturday April, 16 2011
"WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE ARE YOU FROM"
I will be shooting random festival goers and asking you. Where you are from and what brought you to the festival.

Day 3 Sunday April 17
"WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING IN YOU MOUTH"
Random shots will be taken of people eating, drinking, dancing and doing god know what with things in their mouths.

I will be using all of these items for an upcoming art show I am working on. I am hoping to receive a warm response from people while I am taking these photos.

I look forward to seeing you all there.
Powerpop78

Coachella Fashion Police "We will be watching"

For over the past 12 years, I have been lucky to be part of the Coachella music festival. My husband has had several of the bands bands that he manages play there ever since the very first festival. During the first two years of the festival fashion was never the important of a thing. people came out in shorts, t-shirts, sandals and vintage frocks. Over the years the festival has reached such great heights, that fashion and celebrities became a huge influence on culture of the festival as we know it today.

The years of free and easy dress died with the electroclash movement. Now you find retailers branding swimsuits, shorts, Bags, Sandals, dresses, sun glasses and poser boho fashions as "Coachella Style" I find this quite funny, as one can go on to the Nordstroms website and purchase the Lucky Brand "Coachella Bathing Suit" And then do a search for the rest of your wardrobe for that long weekend.


In the early years, when style came into play with the festival, you saw some really great original styles, much like the ones you would see at Reading to Leads festivals in the UK. But over the years the festival has launched A few major standing styles that have really saturated the polo grounds. I referrer to some these as the YIKES factor, and the other ones are pretty great and original and practical for the desert. Here are some of my dos and don't for Coachella.

1. The Low brow "Bros & Hoes fashion.

Would you really want to bee seen with fools like this!

2. "All I wanted to do was look cool".

This really says a lot

3. The Goths, how I admire them. Staying so true to who they are in that hot weather. And looking smashing.

She looks a little hot, but I bet she is having a good time.

4. I am a Rock Star so I can get away with it. (well maybe)

Har Mar showing is festival side

5. I really wanted to stand out, but I think it was a bit much.

Honey, if you were going for Mod, you got it all wrong!

6. To have good style, you must also have some class.

Great outfit, I give her a ten.

7. I am not here for the party, I am just a music fan.

Cute and comfortable she knows how to do it right!, and you know she has jeans in that big bag she is carrying!

8. Out to Party and Get Fucked!

You know many festival goers are looking for a one night stand, well here you go!

9. Working Class Punk Looking Dashing in the Heat

LCD''s Handsome Fearless Leader James Murphy Dress to Impress.

10. Classic Punk Straight Edge Chic.

Ian MacKaye Wearing his classic DC Punk style works for him every time!

Powerpop78's 70's Thoughts

When I think about growing up in the 70's these are songs that I remember, for good reasons. I think that this list does not totally represent me, however these are songs I will never forgot, memories so ingrained in my head I often find myself singing some of these songs and bursting out in laughter or tears.

I hope you enjoy this list

1) The Ramones – Blitkrieg Bop

2 minutes of sublime noise. Perhaps I like it so much because it has that 60s garage spirit floating through it. Also a band of great presence. They changed the face of Rock music by giving it a gentle tweak.


2) Fórmula V – Eva María
As promised, prime Franco-era bubblegum pop. Formula V.

3) The Who – Amazing Journey

From Tommy, the greatest Rock Opera/Concept album ever written. Amazing Journey tells of a trip to inner space where a young boy escapes his life’s trauma. Awesome drumming by Mr Moon as usual.

4) Lou Reed – Vicious

The whole Transformer album is a joy. A dirty, New York, heroin-addled blow job delivered by Andy Warhol’s most talented man-whore. Oh honey you so vicious…

5) Stiff Little Fingers – Wasted Life
Jake Burns is probably the best vocalist ever. A voice so raw it can scrape the paint off your skirting boards (don’t point your speakers downwards). Here we get pure punk mingled with Northern Irish politics. Fucking A.

6) Hawkwind – Spirit of the Age

Here Hawkwind invent Rap music (probably) after bringing a melding of Moorcockian SF, acid, noise generators and a tenor sax to a boil and adding Bob Calvert’s lyrical genius. If I could I would have included 50 Hawkwind tunes here, but that would break the rules (one song per band only).

7) Blondie – (I’m Always Touched by your) Presence (Dear)

Debbie, Debbie, Debbie… What a perfect little pop song this is.

8) Eater – Outside View

Can’t get this song out of my head. Just a great punk record.

9) Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove
George Clinton, Dr Funkenstein from the planet Funk… A radical political agitator bringing revolution to the dance floors of a segregated, racist nation. I’m a late convert to the delights of Funk, this is one of the tracks that sucked me in.

10) Janette – Por Qué Te Vas
The Song title (translation: Why are you leaving?) A great little ballad too. Featured in Carlos Saura’ s great allegorical film ‘Raise Ravens’ about the evils of military dictatorship (the film was released while Franco was still alive. A brave move).

11) Jethro Tull – Jack-In-The-Green

12) Soft Machine – Etika

13) Magazine – Shot By Both Sides

14) David Bowie – Rebel Rebel

15) Bob Marley & The Wailers – Three Little Birds

16) The Stranglers – Ugly

17) Alice Cooper – School’s Out

18) The Sweet – Teenage Rampage

19) Al Green – Let’s Stay Together

20) John Lennon – Imagine

21) The Special AKA – Gangsters

22) The Runaways – Dean and Justice

23) Pink Floyd – Money

24) Thin Lizzy – Whisky in the Jar

25) The New York Dolls – You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory

26) Patrik Fitzgerald – Trendy

27) Jean Michel Jarre – Equinoxe 4

28) Los Diablos – Acalorado

29) The Jam – In a Strange Town

30) The Angelic Upstarts – Murder of Liddle Towers

31) Uriah Heep – Blind Eye

32) 20/20 – Yellow Pills

33) KC & the Sunshine Band – That’s the Way (I Like It)

34) The Dickies – Paranoid

35) Wishbone Ash – The King Will Come

36) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – The Floppy Boot Stomp

37) Television – Venus

38) Kirsty McColl – They Don’t Know

39) The Damned – Smash it up

40) Tubeway Army – Are Friends Electric?

41) Fernando Esteso – La Ramona

42) The Rolling Stones – 100 Years Ago

43) Wizard – See My Baby Jive

44) Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – American Girl

45) The Notsensibles – I’m in Love With Margaret Thatcher

46) The Undertones – Get Over You

47) Silvio Rodriguez – Ojalá

48) Iggy & the Stooges – I Wanna Be Your Dog

49) Led Zeppelin – Black Dog

50) Steve Hillage – Electrik Gypsies

51) Gil Scott Heron – The Bottle

52) Can – Vitamin C

53) The Ruts – Babylon Burning

54) Spizz Energi – Where’s Captain Kirk?

55) Secret Affair – Time For Action

56) The Buzzcocks – Orgasm Addict

57) Black Sabbath – War Pigs

58) The Hawklords – Psy Power

59) Sham 69 – Borstal Breakout

60) The Pink Fairies – The Pigs of Uranus

61) Saxon – Backs To The Wall

62) Abba – Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)

63) Tyrannosaurus Rex – Ride A White Swan

64) Devo – Mongoloid

65) Ian Dury & the Blockheads – Reasons to be Cheerful (Part 3)

66) Rush – 2112

67) Ten Pole Tudor – Who Killed Bambi?

68) The Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen

69) Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody

70) Vangelis – Dervish D

71) Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Woodstock

72) Wire – Mannekin

73) The Doors – LA Woman

74) Wayne County & the Electric Chairs – Fuck Off

75) X Ray Spex – Up Bondage Up Yours


76) John Cooper Clarke – Beasley Street

77) Siouxie & the Banshees – Staircase

78) P.I.L. – This Is Not A Love Song

79) Melanie – Ruby Tuesday

80) Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water

81) Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Come Up and See Me

82) Gang of Four – At Home He’s a Tourist

83) Hot Chocolate – Everyone’s a Winner

84) Norman Greenbaum – Spirit in the Sky

85) The Adverts – One Chord Wonders

86 Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World

87) Slaughter & the Dogs – Where Have All the Boot Boys Gone?

88) The Dead Kennedys – Chemical Warfare

89) Triana – Luminosa Mañana

90) The Mekons – Where We You?

91) The Only Ones – Another Girl, Another Planet

92) Motorhead – No Class

93) Lluis Llach – L’Estaca

94) Metal Urbain – Lady Coca Cola

95) Steve Miller Band – Jet Airliner

96) Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper

97) The Rocky Horror Show – Sweet Transvestite

98) Badfinger – Day After Day

99) Elton John – Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting

100) Throbbing Gristle – Something Came Over Me

CORNELIUS Video Interview

Alexander Calder performs his "Circus" - Whitney Museum

Everything that I had ever wanted to do in art was because of Calder. I still remember seeing this on 60 Minutes. Though I was just a Small girl I could never get this segment of 60 minutes out of my mind. I would go to sleep at night with these Images would dance in my head.

I guess I owe Calder a lot, he really inspired me in many ways. I Really hope others feel the same way. I just wanted to share this video with others. As it always brings a smile to my face.

Laughing out Loud

The little bruised angel had fallen on the pavement in front of my feet I just looked and laughed...

"ON YOUR FEET PAL" IS TRAVELING TO COACHELLA

This year at Coachella, I will be coming from behind the scenes and in full action looking for some new shots of feet. So if you see me coming with my camera you just may be part of my art project "On Your Feet" along with this I will be starting my new project. "So what are you having" I will be taking shots of people from the concessions areas all spring and summer long at different music festival from around the globe. So is you see me coming get ready. POWERPOP78, the artist on the go...

Fake Plastic Trees "Just a thought"

"Fake Plastic Trees" criticizes how modern society stifles individuality and forces people to swallow idealized conceptions of how life should be. The whole song centers on the idea that humans, either through their own fallibility or through society's relentlessness, easily and obliviously mold their lives according to the unspoken standards they set on themselves. The result is a shallow, artificial, "fake plastic" living that perpetuates itself and destroys uniqueness.

The first two verses, which reveal the tragic consequences of pretense, evoke feelings of despair and pointlessness. The image of a woman watering a plastic money tree is heavily shadowed by shades of existentialism. The act of nurturing is the woman's attempt to create something genuine, something reflecting her identity. The bleak, futile reality lies in the fact that her "creation" thrives unto itself, surviving as the product of society's goals and inhibitions and outlooks, not hers. The plastic tree is a misconstrued representation of her true self. Helpless and beguiled, she falls victim to the ruthless nature of society and its indifference to the individual experience.

Her green plastic watering can

For her fake Chinese rubber plant

In the fake plastic earth

That she bought from a rubber man

In a town full of rubber plans

To get rid of itself

This artificialness of life is all-encompassing; no one is spared. The people around the woman are just as deceived as she is: the "fake plastic earth", the "rubber man", and the "town full of rubber plans" all point to a self-contained societal body that runs without human contribution. What's sadly ironic is that the people are self-destructive. The nihilist underpinnings of the line "in a town [that] plans to get rid of itself" suggest that many people probably realize the absurdity of the niches they're supposed to fill but lack the willpower or drive to swim against the tides of society.

It wears her out, it wears her out

It wears her out, it wears her out

The chorus "It wears her out" is the first indication of the problematic effects of living to society's standards. It's very unnatural to change yourself or survive in a place that offers no room for personal development. It's also frustrating (for the few people who choose not to fill this mold) to put your heart into something artificial.

She lives with a broken man

A cracked polystyrene man

Who just crumbles and burns

The second character introduced provides an example of the absolute deterioration of a person who has unsuccessfully tried to fill his niche in society. Descriptive phrase like "broken" and "cracked polystyrene" paint a picture of a crumbling, wrecked mold victim to external undoing. Years of adhering to society have cracked the man's resolve and razed his spirit, leaving him useless and non-contributing (a message about communism, perhaps? hehe).

He used to do surgery

For girls in the eighties

But gravity always wins

The next verse is a specific criticism of facades. The eighties marked the heyday of cosmetic surgery, ushering in a genre of image obsession and appearance alteration. For many people, plastic surgery was a panacea to life's problems, a way of handling the aesthetic imperfections that society places so much negative emphasis on. But changing how you look is only a superficial way of feeling better about yourself, so it's not surprising that Yorke associates this form of surgery with artificial gain. After years as a plastic surgeon, the man has reached a point in his life where he no longer accepts that he was "helping" the girls. The poignant line "gravity always wins" (besides being an obvious reference to image augmentation) brings attention to the eternal conflict between man's inventions (like society) and nature, and even goes as far as to suggest who will be the victor.

She looks like the real thing

She tastes like the real thing

My fake plastic love

But I can't help the feeling

I could blow through the ceiling

If I just turn and run

The song continues with the narrator's near rejection of his "fake plastic love." She fits her mould nicely, because she embodies verisimilitude, but simply for that reason her love can never be real. The narrator realizes this when he says "But I can't help the feeling/I could blow through the ceiling/ If I just turn and run." He's so close to tearing away from the clutches of society - all he has to do is act extraordinarily and unexpected. Sadly, he reverts to normalcy and submission, even tendering an apology for not always being dishonest to himself like she was:

If I could be who you wanted

If I could be who you wanted all the time

On Your Feet Pal

I am in the process of working on a new project. This project has been in the works for years! however I felt it was time to use it for my art show that will happen this year. Over the years I have traveled all over the world. I documented this by taking photos of my feet in places I had never been before. I have this compulsion on my feet at the strangest of times as well. I wanted to give people a little taste of what is in store. I hope you like it.

Me and the very famous Large Marge waiting in the Coachella catering for Radiohead.

Me in New York wandering around shopping while B was in business meetings.

Backstage at the Nokia to see Beck opening night.


Somewhere somehow in summer time..



The clean streets of Tokyo.



Retuning home from London with my right foot swollen from walking all over with my pal Joel.

Carter Vinccent standing on the corner of Avenue A Summer 2008

Missing in Action

As we continue to unpack mystery boxes from our move. I have been finding some interesting stuff.

Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo

Gruff's Art Show at th VA. This is such a thing of beauty and ever so clever!

Beautiful Little Robots

My 2011 List of Top 100 Alt-Country Songs

1. Last Dance - The Mekons
2. Lake of Fire - The Meat Puppets
3. Screen Door - Uncle Tupelo
4. Fuck This Town - Terry Allen
5. If I Had a Boat - Lyle Lovett
6. New York, New York - Ryan Adams
7. Constant Craving - kd lang
8. A Ghost To Most - Drive By Truckers
9. Outtasite (Outta Mind) - Wilco
10. One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket
11. Righteously - Lucinda Williams
12. The Funeral - Band of Horses
13. Dark Light - The Beat Farmers
14. Drown - Son Volt
15. Sweet Jane - Cowboy Junkies
16. Shelter - Lone Justice
17. Murder (Or A Heart Attack) - Old 97's
18. You've Been So Good Up to Now - Lyle Lovett
19. Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
20. Yesterday's News - Whiskeytown
21. Don Henley Must Die - Mojo Nixon
22. Banditos - The Refreshments
23. Gravity's Gone - Drive-By Truckers
24. I've Forgotten What It Was in You (That Put the Need in Me) - Maria McKee
25. Waiting for the Sun - The Jayhawks
26. The Way That He Sings - My Morning Jacket
27. Gun - Uncle Tupelo
28. Shop It Around - Jason & The Scorchers
29. Ways To Be Wicked - Lone Justice
30. Can't Stand It - Wilco
31. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams
32. Guitar Town - Steve Earle
33. Is There A Ghost - Band of Horses
34. Let's Kill Saturday Night - Robbie Fulks
35. Star Witness - Neko Case
36. I See A Darkness - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
37. Till I Am Myself Again - Blue Rodeo
38. You Never Know - Wilco
39. In Love With A View - Mojave 3
40. Eight Piece Box - Southern Culture on the Skids
41. What Made My Hamburger Disappear - Jefferey Frederick
42. Fast as You - Dwight Yoakam
43. Hard to Be Human Again - The Mekons
44. Help There's A Fire - Jason & The Scorchers
45. I Don't Know - Hank Williams III
46. Factory Belt - Uncle Tupelo
47. Comin' Down - The Meat Puppets
48. I'm Gonna Soothe You - Maria McKee
49. Danko/Manuel - Drive-By Truckers
50. Make It Last - The Beat Farmers
51. Let it Ride - Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
52. I'm the Man Who Loves You - Wilco
53. Lights of Downtown - The Long Ryders
54. Even If It's Wrong - BR5-49
55. Cowboy Man - Lyle Lovett
56. The Other Kind - Steve Earle
57. Steal Your Love - Lucinda Williams
58. Windfall - Son Volt
59. Goodbye's All We Got Left - Steve Earle
60. Goddamn Lonely Love - Drive-By Truckers
61. Magic Toy Missing - The Meat Puppets
62. 4th Of July - Shooter Jennings
63. People Got A Lotta Nerve - Neko Case
64. She Must Think I Like Poetry - Robbie Fulks
65. Radar Gun - The Bottle Rockets
66. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - The Jayhawks
67. Black Soul Choir - 16 Horsepower
68. Sam - The Meat Puppets
69. Blue Collar Suicide - The Refreshments
70. Give Back My Heart - Lyle Lovett
71. Barrier Reef - Old 97's
72. I'm Amazed - My Morning Jacket
73. Mississippi Mud - Hank Williams III
74. I'm Down to My Last Cigarette - kd lang
75. What Else Would You Have Me Be? - Lucero
76. No One's Gonna Love You - Band of Horses
77. Jacksonville Skyline - Whiskeytown
78. No Depression - Uncle Tupelo
79. Looking Forward to Seeing You - Golden Smog
80. No More Room in Hell - Grievous Angels
81. Crazy Mary - Victoria Williams
82. She's A Jar - Wilco
83. Murder, Tonight, In the Trailer Park - Cowboy Junkies
84. It Won't Hurt - Dwight Yoakam
85. White Freight Liner Blues - Jimmie Dale Gilmore
86. Amelia Earhart vs. The Dancing Bear - The Handsome Family
87. Hot Rail - Calexico
88. Cursed Sleep - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
89. Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling) - Lone Justice
90. Burying Geraldine - Freakwater
91. Where the Devil Don't Stay - Drive-By Truckers
92. Gotta Get Back - Shelby Lynne
93. When Leon Spinx Moved to Town - Califone
94. She's No Lady - Lyle Lovett
95. Clogger - 16 Horsepower
96. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
97. Lost Highway - The Mekons
98. Race Horse - The Blood Oranges
99. Harriet Tubman's Gonna Carry Me Home - The Long Ryders
100. Any Day Will Be Fine - Mojave 3

My Life With and Without Big Star

Whenever I think of growing up, I always think of Big Star. There are so many songs and lyrics that capture those little precious moments in time that we would all like to store in a bottle. I can still remember the fist time I ever heard Big Star, it was at my friend Jon Elliot's house on a Friday night in the summer of 78, we were up late and watching the Midnight Special.

I just remember the way they announced them "Young Alex Chilton and his band Big Star" though Alex did have fame from being the young singer of the Boxtops and having a huge hit with "The Letter" I just remember them breaking into Thirteen and my mind went blank. I had never heard anything so beautiful in my life. Every note was played with such perfection and passion. Now this was worth leaving the bay City Rollers for and jumping on the Big Star band wagon.

After this one viewing my life became obsessed with Big Star. I spent my summer vacation doing all the research I could about the band, though these were the days before the Internet and getting media and print was not that easy. But somehow I managed to have quite a collection of information and recordings by summers end.

During college I had my radio show The Pure Years. I always opened the show with a BS song and would ofter have Andy on for BS Q&A. When Alex reformed BS with the Pixies backing him up I traveled from San Fransisco to NYC to Nashville and then nights in LA . I now sit here in Los Angeles, it is the summer of 2010 and Big Star has now lost 3 of the 4 members. This is a huge loss to the music community. Axel Chilton alone severed as a hero to many a guitar player and song writer.

I still get the chills every time I drop the needle down on "Way Out West" And summer will always remind my of driving down the 405 blasting Radio City at the ripe old age of 16.

male white corporate oppression

It's really sad to stay that I am plagued by people like this in the working world. The intense bastards who are more ego than substance. OK balding guy in your polo shirts and white Reebook listening to Coldplay because hes internet company pals told him to.
It's males like this who treat women in the work place like shit and feel that they can never be equal. These are the same men who don't let there wives have any other job being a stage mother to their untalented children who they are hoping to make stars out of one day so they now longer have to work.

This is just a note I had in my journal from the other night when I had a slight meltdown regarding one of these animals.

My Top 100 Power Pop Songs of All Time

1. No Matter What - (1970) Badfinger
2. September Gurls - (1974) Big Star
3. Go All The Way - (1972) Raspberries
4. Please Please Me - (1963) Beatles
5. The Kids Are Alright - (1965) Who
6. Starry Eyes - (1978) Records
7. When You Walk In The Room - (1964) Searchers
8. I Am The Cosmos - (1977) Chris Bell
9. I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - (1965) Byrds
10. Cynical Girl - (1982) Marshall Crenshaw
11. Love Grows - (1970) Edison Lighthouse
12. I Wanna Be With You - (1972) Raspberries
13. Dover Beach - (1984) Bangles
14. What I Like About You - (1979) Romantics
15. Lies - (1965) Knickerbockers
16. Girl Don't Tell Me - (1965) Beach Boys
17. Friday On My Mind - (1966) Easybeats
18. Baby Blue - (1971) Badfinger
19. My Sharona - (1979) Knack
20. I've Been Waiting - (1991) Matthew Sweet
21. Cruel To Be Kind - (1979) Nick Lowe
22. There She Goes - (1988) La's
23. Needles And Pins - (1964) Searchers
24. The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) - (1981) Greg Kihn Band
25. Rock And Roll Girl - (1979) Paul Collins Beat
26. What You Do To Me - (1991) Teenage Fanclub
27. If I Needed Someone - (1965) Beatles
28. If We Never Meet Again - (1988) Reckless Sleepers
29. Red Rubber Ball - (1966) Cyrkle
30. Southern Girls - (1977) Cheap Trick
31. The Way - (1998) Fastball
32. Ever Fallen In Love - (1978) Buzzcocks
33. Just A Smile - (1974) Pilot
34. She's Not There - (1964) Zombies
35. Baby's Coming Back - (1990) Jellyfish
36. Another Girl, Another Planet - (1978) Only Ones
37. I Can't Let Go - (1966) Hollies
38. I Only Want To Be With You - (1963) Dusty Springfield
39. We Got The Beat - (1981) Go-Gos
40. Girl Of My Dreams - (1979) Bram Tchaikovsky
41. The Trains - (1986) Nashville Ramblers
42. Ballad Of El Goodo - (1972) Big Star
43. Someday Someway - (1982) Marshall Crenshaw
44. And Your Bird Can Sing - (1966) Beatles
45. Baby It's Cold Outside - (1977) Pezband
46. What Do All The People Know - (1982) Monroes
47. She May Call You Up Tonight - (1967) Left Banke
48. Behind The Wall Of Sleep - (1986) Smithereens
49. Look Through Any Window - (1965) Hollies
50. Live - (1967) Merry-Go-Round
51. A Million Miles Away - (1982) Plimsouls
52. Precious To Me - (1981) Phil Seymour
53. Tonight - (1973) Raspberries
54. Seems So - (1997) Apples In Stereo
55. Making Time - (1966) Creation
56. Pulling Mussels (From The Shell) - (1980) Squeeze
57. Goody Goody Gumdrops - (1968) 1910 Fruitgum Company
58. Shake Some Action - (1976) Flamin' Groovies
59. Solar Sister - (1993) Posies
60. Fresh As A Daisy - (1970) Emitt Rhodes
61. Just A Little - (1964) Beau Brummels
62. That Thing You Do! - (1996) Wonders
63. Hearts In Her Eyes - (1979) Searchers
64. Surrender - (1978) Cheap Trick
65. I Can't Explain - (1965) Who
66. Whenever You're On My Mind - (1983) Marshall Crenshaw
67. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend - (1979) Rubinoos
68. Senses Working Overtime - (1982) XTC
69. Don't Worry Baby - (1964) Beach Boys
70. Rock And Roll Love Letter - (1975) Tim Moore
71. This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide - (1980) Kings
72. I'm On Fire - (1975) Dwight Twilley Band
73. James - (1984) Bangles
74. Saturday Night - (1973) Bay City Rollers
75. Dreaming - (1979) Blondie
76. Alcoholiday - (1991) Teenage Fanclub
77. I Got You - (1980)Split Enz
78. Til I Hear It From You - (1995) Gin Blossoms
79. Couldn't I Just Tell You - (1972) Todd Rundgren
80. Back Of My Hand - (1979) Jags
81. Fox On The Run - (1975) Sweet
82. Girlfriend - (1991) Matthew Sweet
83. She Don't Care About Time - (1965) Byrds
84. Hanging On The Telephone - (1976) Nerves
85. Daydream Believer - (1967) Monkees
86. Little Mascara - (1985) Replacements
87. Teenage Kicks - (1978) Undertones
88. Open My Eyes - (1968) Nazz
89. Big Brown Eyes - (1982) dBs
90. Tomorrow Night - (1979) Shoes
91. Hackensack - (2003) Fountains Of Wayne
92. Outside Chance - (1966) Turtles
93. Yellow Pills - (1979) 20/20
94. Get Your Radio - (1979) Secrets
95. Golden Blunders - (1990) Posies
96. Where Were You When I Needed You - (1966) Herman's Hermits
97. Getting Closer - (1979) Wings
98. (I'd Go The) Whole Wide World - (1977) Wreckless Eric
99. Do Anything You Wanna Do - (1977) Eddie & The Hot Rods
100. Teacher Teacher - (1980) Rockpile

It's just too much!

It's bad enough that the music community has been overrun for the past ten years with fake hipsters and people who claim to be alt-country tree huggers. Being raised as one of these boho types I am really starting to get ill at the mass marking of the Laurel Canyon scene. I went to purchase clothing online at the Lucky Brand website. As I glanced that the new and upcoming summer wear. The swimsuit pages tells young size zero hipsters what to purchase for each music festival.

I had a good laugh but is was quite disturbing at the same time. So you need to know how to dress at Coachella, Love Fest, Redding, Pitchfork or whatever festival is in fashion and the flavor of the month. You can now log on to Lucky Brand and find out what to wear.

This now proves that there is nothing really left for the indie community. A community that many of my dearest friends have helped build over the years. It's really make me ill when I go to see bands and every fool in this city is there just to be seen because it is the thing to do. It's funny when you go to see someone like Randy Newman, Terry Allen, Butch Hancock or The Flatlanders. Where are all of these so called hipsters then. I guess they either spent too much money on a pair of 1968 used Frye boot on ebay or the trust fund transfer is just being wired a day late and a dollar short.

Glen Friedman has said it best. When you get a whore like Tony Hawk out there claiming to be vegan then doing a "Got Milk" ad and then see him a DEVO wearing leather shoes it only proves there are no real heroes in this community.

People just blow a-lot of hot air. I know many great artist who have work hard at bringing something beautiful and special to this city. Yet they are over shadowed by the loft party downtown who is just having members of the BMRC DJ for the night. Come one people if you are really part of it support it.

What are these little waifs doing to better our community. Where were they when people were fighting to smash the PMRC. They are only there to suck up the air and make the economy tighter by the ways of the internet millionaire what-to-be-cool school. I am sure Patti Smith has it out for these people too.

It's a real sad thing, that no one thinks for themselves or just is happy with the way they are.

All I can say it the Faint was right! "THE GEEK WERE RIGHT" just remember it was the nerds, geeks, queers, dorks, and outsiders that built this community that so many want to be a part of and it truly saddens me. I would like to see theses peoples the Regan years and I would dare and of them to sit down and lunch with the likes of Kinky Freedman, Leggs McNeal or Ian Mackaye.