Jamber's Island

My amazing friend Amber, who's currently in Sierra Leone helping rid Africa of Polio and Cholera,

Check out her blog, Jamboree in Africa

recently sent an e-mail posing the question: "Name the ten albums you would want to have with you on a desert island?"  Not one to pass up an opportunity to rattle off my favorite music, I responded as follows:  

I'm a big believer in the integrity of complete albums, conceptualized or otherwise.  So, rather than try to list my favorites, I decided to pick a mix with enough variety to pass the time from my arrival on the deserted island to my inevitable death from starvation/exposure. 

Here's an annotated draft of the sound I'd bring with:

Back to Black

A nice Quote from Tony Bennett on Amy Winehouse's passing:  

“Amy Winehouse was an artist of immense proportions and I am deeply saddened to learn of her tragic passing,” said Bennett. “She was an extraordinary musician with a rare intuition as a vocalist and I am truly devastated that her exceptional talent has come to such an early end. She was a lovely and intelligent person and when we recorded together she gave a soulful and extraordinary performance. I was honored to have the opportunity to sing with her. It had been my sincere hope that she would be able to overcome the issues she was battling and I send my deepest sympathy to her father Mitchell, her entire family and all of those who loved her.”

Bennett recently recorded a duet with Winehouse for his upcoming album Duets II.  This whole thing saddens me.  You'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't think Winehouse was headed for self destruction (especially after the awful way her comeback tour was cut short); still, those close to her either refused to or were unable to help.  Sad, Sad, Sad.  Such a loss.

Idiocracy

The world is ending.  Some fight it, others embrace it.  Earlier today, I received the following message from a Jacksonville friend: 

Sorry, I had to meet with a client. Have I told you recently that I hate this job?

Let's move on to a topic of mutual hatred: Wal-Mart. Last night I almost lost my life because I seriously considered suicide-bombing the Wal-Mart on Atlantic blvd. As I finished serving papers last night I stopped into wal-mart to pick up a few things. As I walk through the front door my senses were assaulted by a wave of BO followed by the carrier, a 300 lb woman carrying a barrel of cheetos and a screaming infant. So already I'm annoyed/depressed/angry. I get in, get my groceries and get out. As I'm walking out the door, a man who is sitting slumped against the wall two feet from the door shouts at me "In the name of Jesus Christ, can you please help a guy out, god bless you". Now... as you know, he's already started off on the wrong foot if he wants my help. But factor in the fact that I just finished up my two-job 14 hour day of work AND that he is begging for money outside the one place on earth that will hire just about anyone that can walk, limp or drag themself through the door, I would have blown myself up right then and there if I had the ability.

Wal-Mart is the bane of all that is good and the world would instantly be a better place if they were all destroyed during their peak operating hours. 

Sorry, Pal (who asked to remain anonymous).  On the bright side, if you go through with it, there'll be seven union card-carrying, small business owners waiting  with hammers and sickles to welcome you into Keynesian Heaven.

Goddamn You, Tallahassee

I'm over this hole.

Say It Ain't So, Lou?

ECHO CHAMBER:  LOU REED & METALLICA

"It's maybe the best thing done by anyone, ever. It could create another   planetary system. I'm not joking, and I'm not being egotistical."    - Lou Reed

This is like a "do your worst" photoshop contest come to life.

****UPDATE****

Whoa, I take the first bit back.  This ain't no Rock n' Roll Animal, but it rocks pretty hard . . . 

LIFE

I can't get enough of these things.  Also, everyone I know that has read Keith Richards' autobiography Life has told me how excellent it is.