Rifle Men (above) are on the label that brought us MGMT, Cantora Records.

I’m at the Book Mill with my friend Melanie Fallon, on a writing date. It’s going well. A beautiful brown lab dog is periodically walking through and making friends. Some people are using outside voice inside, though. Not great. I think of them as lonely–it isn’t enough for the people in front of them to hear them.

On the way here we talked about the 80s so much that we missed our exit and drove too far. But in the process, we concluded the 80s aesthetic that is so popular is a nostalgia for the period when Americans believed we’d won the Cold War, Capitalism had defeated Communism and we were safe from our greatest enemies. An addictive mix, despite the emergence of AIDS and the first Gulf War.

The conversation was an extension of one I’d had with my friend Teddy O’Connor at the home of Sabina Murray and John Hennessy. Teddy showed us the above video after dinner, and we all talked at length about how perfectly his generation, born in the 80s, performs the 80s.

This all feels a little eerie now. But I still like this song. The video of course references the popular aerobics classes in Williamsburg now.

Returning with part 3 of the MFA series shortly.

…não dance break perto de seus animais domésticos.

Pobre gato.

MF

Credits: 좀짱 + 2oneday.com

THANKS FOR ALL COMMENTS

This is the best worst thing I’ve seen in a while.  I kinda love it…

(Note: if the YouTube video above doesn’t work,
let me know and I’ll refresh the link)

So amazingly, A+ horrible that it’s A+ good… poop squat guitarist moves, jumping around flipping guitar over head, death metal vocals, dance breaks, auto-tune vocals (a la Akon, Justin Timberlake, etc)… I mean… what’s not to love/hate/love again? No matter how seemingly painful, you can’t turn away.

And if you just wanna watch the silly pieces forever, here are some animated gifs of the Attack Attack! “Stick Stickly” action (click for larger, or right click to save):

~Dan – np: The Weepies – Hideaway

• Carbs In Carbs: Pasta in a bread bowl. That is all.
• Astrologer Eric Francis explains why the news media freak-out regarding Swine Flu feels so weird.
• Mark Taylor makes a big hippie wish in the NYTimes for the end of the university as we know it.  Which I think you can do once you have tenure.
• Maud Newton’s reading series at Housing Works this Friday, May 1, takes up unusual manifestations of female power, with writers Marlon James and Marie Mockett, and photographer Stephanie Keith. There will be quizzes and prizes. Go!
• Harold Augenbraum and Luis Francia discuss two greats of Phillipino literature tonight at the Asian American Writer’s Workshop,  Jose Rizal and Jose Garcia Villa. There will be wine. Also go!
• Oil and gas companies led a campaign against the idea of global warming even though their scientists said it “could not be refuted.”
• Gawker now stalking Bill O’Reilly’s stalker producer.
• Detainee torture provided us with false information creating false terror alerts in 2005.
• If you are home with Swine Flu, blame Karl Rove.
• And if it’s all just too much, put down that bread bowl of pasta and your government-issue Tamiflu, and get up and dance. To some choice Lady Gaga.

I really couldn’t decide if I liked this.. then I saw the video. Then I thought about the fact that I was done my thesis (except for presenting a lecture), that I only have exams left, and that this video has Elvis look-a-likes.. and I thought yeah. There is nothing to worry about.

The Unicorns “I Was Born a Unicorn”. Oh that was fun. Thanks youtube 

Chris Brown at The 2007 Grammys.

Scene: Somewhere in Northampton, at my friend Randy’s handsome apartment. It’s after midnight and rain is pouring down.

Visiting Friend of Randy’s From NYC: Uh, is…what are they wearing? Why so many ribbons?

Me: It’s Goth Pirate. French Goth Pirate. It’s huge. It’s very Peter Pan and Wendy.

[author's note: Peter Pan and Wendy get skinny jeans, that is...]

VFRNYC: They look they escaped from Les Misérables. Why are there so many ribbons?

Me: That’s part of it.

[moment of contemplative silence]

Me: It’s probably Hervé Léger or something. I like it.

I’ll be honest.  This gives me chills….

Most of the time, I walk around feeling like someone replaced most of what I love about this country with a fake-looking creepy doll replica of it. A doll that’s trying to act casual, like nothing bad has happened. Even though we both know otherwise.

These dolls are not like that, though. These are some honest dolls. This is an animated short video by David Heatley, in which he covers a Ramones song, “My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down”. This is also the title of his amazing new graphic novel, which I’m almost done reading.

He’s throwing down, basically. Because while Chris Ware is an amazing piano player, he doesn’t appear to have the excellent vocal stylings of David Heatley.

I really want to see them do a duet.

I Love these little guys. So cute.

Days Go By–Dirty Vegas