I read a great quote a few days ago.  As we enjoy these last few gorgeous days of Fall weather, this one was just too good to not pass along:

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again” and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that he has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore.”   

G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), Orthodoxy

“A theatrical encore” . . . I love that!

Gerade war es wieder so weit wir alle sind zurück in der Zeit gereist. Marty McFly style. Ich hoffe ihr habt die wiederholte Stunde genutzt.

this week, i’m diggin’ these songs in no particular order and for no other reason than they rock my frackin’ socks off.

fake problems :: diamond rings

the gossip :: vertical rhythm

metric :: help i’m alive

sick of sarah :: bittersweet

the fire and reason :: do it again

Gerard Butler channeled his inner Hugh Jackson to host Saturday Night Live last night. The versatile actor, who has starred in every genre in movies from romantic comedy, to action films and musicals, was right at home in front of the live New York audience.

The first time host added funny man to his resume. In his opening monologue, he reminded us of his starring role in “The Phantom Of The Opera” with a sketch of him singing the signature “Music of The Night”. As he sang, a group of assassins tried to kill him, including the Phantom’s Christine played by Kristen Wiig.

Butler held an impressive American accent for some of his sketches but spoke in his native Scottish tongue during a segment from Weekend Update in which Seth Meyers translated for the US audience–”I slept with a hooker last night”, Butler told his mother watching at home through Meyers.

Other memorable sketches of the night were a spoof of “300″ in which Butler  The General

Gerard Butler

addressed his troops about his army’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. In it, he was surprised to find out that all of his soldiers were gay and Butler was as the hilarious “White Pete” in a sketch in which, Kenan Thompson hosts a talk show called called “What’s Up, What’s That” where he sings the opening theme song that never seems to end as guests (including surprise guest James Franco) look on, wondering if they will ever be interviewed. “White Pete” comes out and sings an addition to the theme song. Butler did his best soul crooner impersonation as “Pete” wondered “What’s Up, What’s That” in song.

International superstar Shakira was the musical act, singing two electrifying songs, including her hit song “She Wolf” and “Did It Again”.

Trying out a new concept, the show had only one sponsor Bud Light Golden Wheat which allowed them to show limited commercials in favor of showing clips throughout the show of some of SNL’s funniest moments and outtakes from the dress rehearsals with alums, Amy Poehler, Tim Meadows, Chris Rock, and Chris Parnell.

The audience stayed energized throughout the 90 minute show which proved to be one of the funniest shows of Season 35 thus far.

The show will show repeats for the next two weeks before returning with a new show on November 7 with Taylor Swift pulling double duty as  host and musical guest.

Sono state due settimane intense, così intense che forse erano tre.

Giornate di nuovi inizi, sfide professionali, raffreddori; tutte cose serie e delicate, che richiedono di essere affrontate con intelligenza. E io non me la sentivo di venire qui a raccontarne, rischiando magari di suscitare un’impressione di serietà e intelligenza.

Mi resta pur sempre un briciolo di senso del pudore.

Perciò non so nemmeno se sia il caso di dotare il mio personaggio vanesio e surrealista di un attributo tangibile e carnale come un figlio. Però se, mettiamo, io avessi un figlio di sei anni che guardandomi dritto negli occhi oggi mi avesse detto “io ti conosco, perché sei la mia mamma”, ecco, probabilmente questa mi sembrerebbe una cosa emozionante da scrivere.

american acoustic poppunk package!

‘You, Me, And Everyone We Know’ are your typical smalltime US rockpop band you’d expect to have stumbled straight outta college. I have a tendency of finding that all these bands hit the same notes, with the same lyrics.. but this particular threesome have made a bit of an impact on my playlist!
In particular their EP ‘Party For The Grown and Sexy’ which is cheekily upbeat and smile inducing. Each song has been perfectly mastered, and i couldnt be more glad for the albums re-release in 2008 with an extra two tracks included.‘Party For The Grown and Sexy’

Without a doubt my favourite track is a tie between ‘Do It Again’ which encapulates the thrills and spills of a life well spent chasing girls and ‘Carolina Heat’ featuring some pretty awesome americana vocals throughout!
Listen To ‘Do It Again’ Here  

This is definitely a band i’d recommend to those who often enjoy the company of a guitar, or find the likes of ‘Fall Out Boy’ a bit too commercial.

For those hardcore music enthusiasts that follow the indie scene, Nada Surf is no one-hit wonder.  Actually, they have been around for a while.  I first got a taste of their music from a free sampler cd I stole borrowed from my bestie N; she received the cd when she bought something from Urban Outfitters (haha hipster limited).  Once we were both veryx3 sick with the flu and I dragged her to a Nada Surf concert while we were both living parallel lives/having love drama.  That’s friendship.  But it was worth it because they still play small venues and sound amazing live.

Nada Surf makes the kind of emo music best listened to when you are enduring an unrequited love or going through major life changes that involve crying into your pillow.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s great music but it is akin to pouring salt into your gashed open wounds or for the EXTRA (bolded, italicized, all caps for emphasis) dramatic, putting a bag on your head, crawling into a hole, dying alone for all eternity.  But like Tupac says, ‘pain is love.’ 

Take a listen:

• Do It Again – This song contains the best deep lyric ever: “the weight is a gift. like I had to see what I could lift…”
• Concrete Bed
• Killian’s Red
• Inside of Love
• Blizzard of ‘77
• Are you Lightning?

Concert In The Park

Do you feel it?  The smell of fall as the lazy, hazy days of sunshine dwindle faster than a Harley-Davidson financial comeback.

Too soon the leaves will fall, rain will flood the roads and snow will fill the air as television news canvas the area to report fender-benders over and over.  Before this happens, however, there is still time to ask: “Am I making the most of my 2009 summer riding season?”

In trying to stretch out summer as much as possible I attended an outdoor concert last night.  Was it motorcycle exhaust fumes mixed with cigar smoke and classic rock music like Summerfest in Milwaukee?   No, but Body & Soul reunited last night to perform high-energy Tower of Power, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder and classic rock.

Speaking of classic rock,  I’m not talking about Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” or Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”, rather it’s about Steely Dan and “My Old School.”  Remember it was the “boomers” who grew up with music at the center of their lives.  There were no cell phones, there was no Facebook.  They lived to twist the AM dial in the coupe, if lucky had a FM radio and a phone in their bedroom.  The glue that kept them together was the music.  They call this music “classic rock”.  Classic, as in aged, as in done.  But, I beg to differ.

Body & Soul Music Group

Insiders will tell you the best Steely Dan album was the second, “Countdown To Ecstasy“, the one that ended their touring career, the one sans any hits.  I disagree. It was “Can’t Buy A Thrill” which was truly a masterpiece.   At the concert last night Body & Soul performed “My Old School” and hearing those guitar riffs made me want to blog about it.

For the uninitiated, or those who grew up in the mid-west, or even further left, Annandale-on-Hudson is the location of Bard College, where those who were smart, but thought high school was B.S and didn’t have the grades commensurate with their intelligence ended up going to college to further their creativity.  It’s where Walter Becker and Donald Fagen went to school before moving on to back up Jay Black as two of his Americans and ultimately getting a deal with ABC Records.  They were forced to get a lead singer, David Palmer, since Fagen’s voice was “supposedly” deemed not radio-ready by the studio execs.  Mr. Palmer sang the lead vocal on a legendary track, but I like this version of “Dirty Work” however, when performed live it hasn’t got the same power with backup singers taking the lead.

After struggling in the music trenches for years, plying their trade far from the spotlight, Steely Dan became a success and was an AM radio fixture.  Not an FM staple.  Remember back… FM was in the process of getting dumbed down, featuring meat and potatoes rock as opposed to intelligence, but when the hooks of “Do It Again” and “Reelin’ In The Years” poured out of one speaker it could not be denied by AM radio and the album “Can’t Buy A Thrill” became a huge hit.  It was an album seen most often in dorm rooms of those not quite hip, but didn’t have to worry about their cred.

For those of us who lived through it, when we hear Steely Dan songs we’re brought right back.  I’ve seen Becker and Fagen at the Gorge Amphitheatre a couple of times.   Their troupe of hired musicians return us to what was and who we used to be.  And one could say it was aged music, but like wine, some things get even better as the years go by.

Even though youngsters these days might not understand, they positively get awesome musicianship.  It’s not about staging or production it’s about the music. Yes, the sun is setting on these baby boomer acts.  Their audience is getting older, fans don’t feel the same need to go to the show.  But if you’re a musician you play anyway.  That’s what you’re in it for, the SOUND!

Steely Dan and Body & Soul photos courtesy of respective web sites.

All Rights Reserved © Northwest Harley Blog

Oggi avrei voglia di un bacio. Alla francese, ma delicato.

Me l’ha fatta venire P. ieri sera, postando in Facebook i baci tra Ingrid Bergman e Cary Grant in Notorious.

Quindi mi sono sparata tutto Notorious in undici parti su Youtube. E ho scoperto di avere sempre sottovalutato la Ingrid.

Perbacco, quella ragazza era completamente fuori, ma sapeva darci dentro.

Ci sono giorni in cui una Bella vorrebbe essere una Cozza.

In cui sdilinquimenti e sorrisi svenevoli ti fanno sentire invisibile.

Che ti manca la tenerezza invasiva con la quale ti guardava lui.

Che al novantanove per cento è un coglione.

E si merita, appunto, di stare con una cozza.

Quando vado in giro in motorino con la gonna, non c’è verso di farla stare al suo posto. Si alza in continuazione, e a un certo punto io mi stufo e me ne frego, che guardino pure.

In fondo basta così poco a spargere un po’ di felicità nel mondo.

How To College

(Creativity is using nouns for verbs)

Every year recent high school graduates prepare to move into the dorm and officially earn the title of “college freshmen.” Freshman year sucks is great, and most people I’ve talked to freaking love college compared to their high school; it’s a chance to start over, a chance to pursue what interests you, and a chance to meet new people. But of course, to prepare for college there are going to be things you will inevitably forget or find out that you need that you never would have thought you would have. Keep in mind, these are in the order of which I thought of them.

About me:
My name is Stephen, I’m going to be a sophomore… as in, 2nd year, technically I think I might be a junior because I did well on a few AP classes, but whatever, not important. Anyway I’m transferring to a different school/campus so I’ll be packin’ up my stuff to go to college almost from scratch too. Here I have done my best sorta tried to compile a thorough list of things to think about as you prepare to leave and live on your own. I will also go through what to worry about, what not to worry about, and how your parents fit into the equation.

1. The New Culture

THIS IS THE NEW SH*T

You’ll immediately be thrown into a new place with people who are also new – your fellow freshmen. It’s my understanding that a lot of kids who have grown up in the same town haven’t had to ‘make new friends’ since probably first grade. Making friends and meeting new people in this new-for-everyone culture could not be easier. Colleges will often have mixers – I spent my first night at a pajama party (sounds lame, but that story gets much better, I’ll tell ya later in the post), but these mixers are usually stupid/cheesy and mega awkward cos its a bunch of people in a room trying to ‘mingle’ or dance or whatever. If you live in the dorm, your room mate(s) and the people in your hallway are the first people you start to get to know. Go with them to dinner (in the cafeteria). see 4.Room Mate

THE FRIEND VIRUS

Something that happens, especially in larger universities, is after the first week you may only really know a handful of people, but you start meeting people from different sources: Class, dorms, parties, etc. and they’ll introduce you to their friends from the hallway or whatever, and your circle of friends that know eachother starts to grow. example: I met my good friend Marco while playing indoor soccer passing the ball arround because there wasn’t enough people. Turns out he was in my Calculus II class too, we talked about majors and stuff, how theres 1.5 cute girls in the class, and how we could never understand the muslim lady who always asked questions, yet she would still carry out conversations with the professor. see 8. Greek Life

AWKWARD TURTLE….

The best part is, you will never be lost for conversation with the new people you meet. If you’re shy or just not completely comfortable around new people that’s understandable, but you’ll soon realize there are a few reliable ways to talk to anyone you’ll meet. Names typically start, then “where ya from,” followed by a response similar to: ‘oh really? so whats your major?’ it goes on and on… reliable topics are: music/movies, major, future goals, where ya from, why you chose this school, sports (ones you follow, played in high school/still play), travel, interests/hobbies (longboarding, frisbee, tv, video games, reading, etc), things your/their group of friends did in high school, foreign languages. see 6.Drinking Note: this is all from a guy’s perspective, I’m sure there’s overlap for what girls talk about, but I don’t really know care because it probably involves shoes.

8. Greek Life (DRAFT)

FRATERNITIES & SORORITIES

9. Relationships (DRAFT)

ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL

THE MRS DEGREE

10. Calling Home (DRAFT)

DO IT AGAIN

11. The Following Summer (DRAFT)

INTERNSHIP

JOB

SUMMER CLASSES

12. Freshman Year and Beyond (DAFT)

TRANSFERRING

GRADUATE SCHOOL, LAW, MEDICAL

"Oh My!!!"

A great portion of today’s urban music, some say, has crossed the line of tastefulness. I’m not talking about the booty-shakin’ in rap videos or the other, extra risque things that occur on the screen, but the content of the songs. Although the latter has been cause for concern, I’ll leave Superhead and the rest of the video hoe gang out of this post. 

To the critics of my generations choice of auditory entertainment, I say,  the music that  made you do “The Twist” and the “Mashed Potato” has a lot in common with modern music.  Although the vulgarity, and uncouthness is undoubtedly elevated the subject is pretty much the same. So chill out a little. Times have changed. Below I give some examples to back up my assertion.

Old School Jam…

Prince, “Do Me Baby”, 1982 – The title of this song is self explanitory. It blatantly implies the desire to engage in sexual relations with another party, and Prince lists the things he wants his lover to do to him.

Modern Day Match…

The Notorious B.I.G featuring R.Kelly, “Fuckin’ You Tonight”, 1997 – Although Biggie stated lyrically that he was, “black and ugly as ever“, there is no doubt that he was a ladies man. R. Kelly, on the other hand, was a fan of a different kind of lady. A fresh out of the womb, golden shower appreciating lady, that is. 

Old School Jam…

Gwen Guthrie, “Ain’t Nothing Goin’ On But the Rent”, 1986 - A few lines from this song; ”We’re only wasting time if your pockets aren’t deep”, “No romance without finance”, “I’m looking for a man whose got some money in his hand”. The Modern Day Match to this song sums up this cut in the title, as well as the hook…. Please see below.

Modern Day Match…

Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx, “Gold Digger”, 2005 – “I ain’t saying she a Gold Digger, but she ain’t messin’ with no broke niggas…” Enough said. 

Old School Jam…

Teddy Pendegrass, “Come Go With Me”, 1979 – This R&B joint finds Teddy luring a young lady out of a night club with his sweet mellow sound. At first she refuses, then says, “you said your car was right out front?…And you’re gonna bring me home after…? ”  After what? Would somebody fill me in, please?!?

Modern Day Match…

Jay-Z featuring Beanie Sigel & Amil, “Do it Again”, 1999 – Although this entire song isn’t spent setting up the one night stand, the hook shows that it’s much easier to get straight to the point. ” 12 am – on my way to the club, 1 am –  D.J. made it erupt, 2 am – now I’m gettin’ wit’ her, 3 am – now I’m splittin’ wit’ her….6 am – I be diggin’ her out, 6:15 I be kickin’ her out…” These days you don’t have to waste a whole 5 and a half minutes trying to get a girl back to your place Teddy, just a good 36 seconds of potent prose. 

Old School Jam…

The Four Tops, “Ain’t No Woman Like the One I Got”, 1973 – “Every day the sun comes up around her. She can make the birds sing harmony. Every drop of rain is glad it found her. Heaven must have made her just for me…”  is how this slow jam starts. It goes on to say, “I’d kiss the ground she walks on…” WOW. What a lady!!!!

Modern Day Match…

Notorious B.I.G., “Me and My Bitch”, 1993 – Biggie raps about his girl over this Hitmen track, and all the things she does for him, including packaging drugs and not snitching. Then, he too, like the Four Tops, states what he’d do for his love, but instead of kissing the ground she walks on, he decides to spread the love, and show his appreciation to a family member.  ”…you look so good, huh, I suck on your daddy’s dick.” Whoa, Big Boy, WHOA. In response to that, a Modern Day Mantra applies……….NO HOMO!!!

PEACE…

When I was listening to myself read a promo copy for Coach, it sounded okay. Until she played it back to me. Deja vu.

No lift offs. No landings. No energy. Just one slow taxi down the runway. Never got off the ground. Coach offered little in the way of critique.

“Do it again.”

And so it goes for a solid hour. I record a promo or commercial. We listen. Coach makes observations and suggestions. Then, Coach speaks the same command at least once for each piece of new copy. Her tone is always encouraging.

“Do it again.”

A long ago graduate school lesson comes to mind. Adults learn best by doing. So, it only stands to reason if we “Do it again” we learn better. Coach must have read the same textbook.

Call it repetition. Call it practice. Doesn’t matter what you call it. It’s how we learn any complex skill.

It’s how we learned to memorize our multiplication tables. It’s how we learned to read and write, and how we learned to ride a bike. It’s how I will learn to do voice over and sound like I’m talking to someone instead of reading words off a piece of paper.

Repetition builds performance. Performance builds poise. Poise builds confidence.

“Do it again” Coach said.

I do and I will. It never really ends, learning. It’s a lifetime skill. And I can only get better at it if I try, again.

Next time: “Why Are You Making That Face?”