In Memoriam: Leslie Nielsen (1926-2010)

I've never been good at saying goodbyes; as soon as the end materializes sometimes it's hard for me to understand what the right thing is to do or even have the right words to say. Most people I encounter that become part of my life, stay that way. obviously there are exceptions to that rule. Some people wear out their welcome. Sad but true. Others enrich our lives more and more each day. Just because we don't meet certain people in person doesn't necessarily mean they're not part of our lives. I've always, for as long as I can remember, have felt a connection with those that have moved me, provoked thought, or made me laugh, via music, movies, art and literature.

It goes without saying the Leslie Nielsen was one of those people. His Frank Drebin character, which donned the screen in all three Naked Gun films, was something that I had never seen before and don't feel like I'll ever see again. His deadpan delivery made for comedic genius. The movies tie together great memories I have with close friends and family-Every trip I took to Louisville usually gave me time to sit down with one of my best friends, Curt, to watch The Naked Gun 2 /12: The Smell of Fear. Your witty, deadpan style used to also fill the room with laughter when I went to Detroit to visit my grandparents: Me and the cousins watched The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad about three times in a row one Christmas.

So, Mr Nielsen, even though it's always hard for me not only to say goodbye, but find the words, I think I've found them. For giving me fond memories, and for bringing joy into mine (and others) lives, From the bottom of my heart,

Thank You.

P.S.- You sang the national anthem way better than Enrico Pallazo ever could.

The Most Confusing Album Covers of All Time.

Album art is a tricky beast. Aside from music videos, it's the only opportunity that a band/artist has to visually present themselves. Like anything else, there's a right and a wrong way to do it; these fall somewhere in between; While taking first glance at these, I'm not necessarily in awe or disgusted, These just leave me scratching my head.





YES-90125 (1983)

The first time I saw this record cover, I thought that memorex had somehow made laser-disc technology recordable. this looks like a blank VHS tape sleeve, not an album packed with glossy 80's prog rock. This would explain why, every time I hear "Owner of a Lonely Heart" I get the sudden urge to watch back episodes of "Roseanne" that I taped off channel 19 in 1994.









Funkadelic-One Nation Under a Groove (1978)

I can't tell if this album art was bad on purpose, or the members of the band were so looped up on psychedelics that, to them, the presentation was WAAY crazier than it actually is. Sometimes commissioning a third-grader to do the album cover isn't the best idea, even if this record does contain a song titled "who says a funk band can't play rock?!" 1971's Maggot Brain was viscerally exciting, revolutionary, and iconic. This, on the other hand, just doesn't strike a chord with anyone over the age of 12.







FEAR-More Beer (1985)

On this record, you ripped through songs like "I'm a Doctor" and "Bomb the Russians" like the more metal inclined half brothers of the Dead Kennedys. I just can't figure out if you were actually racist, or if this cover, that almost looks like a piece of propaganda stripped directly from Joseph Goebbel's playbook, was tongue-in-cheek. Probably the latter, considering I've seen my old roommate AND Eddie Vedder wear a shirt w/ this album cover screened on it. I'm pretty sure both dudes in question love EVERYBODY.











The Afghan Whigs-Congregation (1992)

Greg Duli, he's got soul. So much soul, in fact, that he (or his record company) attach this racially (I think?) charged cover with this AW opus. Greg, I don't question your moxy, I'm just wondering, maybe, what kind of moxy we're working with here?











Rush-Hemispheres (1978)

This album may contain one of the most hauntingly beautiful rock instrumentals of all time, yet the fever dream of a gay Sigmund Freud on mescaline doesn't really do it's part to draw the listener in. Not this one, anyway.













Wilco-Summerteeth (1999)

Is it the moon with lips? It is just the moon? It appears to be attached to some kind of celestial, unidentifiable body. You guys made the transition from blissful alt-country to lush pop masterpieces a'la Brian Wilson and John Lennon rather seamlessly; Now what the hell were you trying to say with this cover?











Tom Waits-Rain Dogs (1985)

Skibbity bop bop skiddly shirtless guy being aggressively hugged by an androgynous, eerily grinning face, skibbidy do. W. T. F.
















Rhett Miller-The Instigator (2002)

Jesus, dude. back off. She's my girlfriend.
















Paint It Black-New Lexicon (2007)

I actually like this album cover quite a bit. I just don't really understand what the Home Depot parking lot at 2:30 in the morning has to do with 1-2 minute long hardcore punk songs.

Twitter is a helluva drug..

So it looks like everyone's favorite Pearl Jam fan and baseball analyst now has a twitter feed. Yup, you guessed it. Peter Gammons' goofball internet ramblings can now be found via @pgammo, on the Twitterverse. I know by now you must be thinking.."whoa, Marty, using words like "feed" and "twitterverse...you're such a techie", or, "you're an idiot" depending on how in to or annoyed you are by the e-social networking craze that has swept the world since around 2003. You may also be wondering, "Who the hell is Peter Gammons?"

So, here's my bone to pick. Those that wield any kind of persona or stature are usually "verified", as us plebians can see a little checkmark icon next to said famous persons' profile pic, with the words "verified account" listed next to the check mark. The good people of twitter have not yet "verified" 'ol Gammo's account. This has lead me to this conclusion: I'm not really sure what's more sad, me wondering why this account hasn't been "verified" or drawing the conclusion that someone would actually take the time to create a fake Peter Gammons twitter feed.

Well kids, I gotta run. it turns out that FRAG-LE actually learned how to play instruments and are playing a matinee show at Thunderbird Coffee, opening up for Bastard Noise. Yes, on a tuesday. FRAGI-LE, let me tell ya, they're a crafty bunch.

-Marty.

DESCENDENTS-Live @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010

Since early October, it seems that I haven't been able to shut up about FFF Fest here in Austin. I'm pretty sure I'm still talking about it, much to the chagrin of EVERYONE around me. Sorry guys/gals. Turns out it lived up to its' name, and then some. The good folks over at punknews posted Milo and Co. ripping thru "MYAGE" and "I'm the One." totally freaking awesome. I never, in a million years, thought I'd ever get to see this legendary punk rock four-piece live. Since they were filling in for DEVO, they encored with "Uncontrollable Urge"...followed by "Bikeage", which was one of the first basslines I ever learned how to play. Seeing the Guided by Voices reunion show back in September, book ended with this unreal Descendents set a mere month or so later was something to behold. For those of you keeping score at home, this is why I moved to Austin.

In other news, I'm currently watching "A Christmas Story" w/ my roommates. We're all in close agreement that there are more than a few band names that could be lifted directly from the script and into the hands of a bunch of dudes that wear fluorescent thrift store t-shirts and have ironic mustaches.

here's what we've come up with so far:

Electric Sex

LifeBoy

The Pink Nightmares

Major Award

FRAGI-LE

Chinese Turkey

I hear Major Award is opening up for LifeBoy this saturday night @ The Mohawk. Outside stage, of course. The pink nightmares have only had two or three rehersals, tops. They'll be rocking the inside stage. I've heard they're an Emerson, Lake and Palmer cover band, so expect a lot of keyboards and simultaneous chugging of pepto bismol and bud light a'la Joe Mantegna's character in "Airheads". Somewhere Brendan Fraser is using a toy uzi full of hot sauce to flavor his bland microwave burrito.

FRAGI-LE doesn't know how to play instruments yet. Their singer is doing an impromtu DJ set at the lucky lounge tomorrow night.

Hopefully the other bands will start getting gigs soon-one can dream. Until then, keep checking ShowList.

I plan on watching "It's a Wonderful Life" next. Hopefully that mental jam session won't see the inception of Mr. Gower and the shoelaces.


-Marty.

It's beginning to look a lot like college basketball season...

Whenever you look down at the ESPN ticker and you see scores for schools like Elon, Old Dominion, Austin Peay, and even the dreaded ORAL ROBERTS, .....there's only one conclusion to draw. It's college basketball season. Everytime I see NCAAMN come thru the crawl, It brings me back to my sophomore year of high school, in which I won my dad's NCAA march madness office pool. The day which he handed me an envelope that contained $189 of sweet, sweet cash money that I used to buy a size Extra Large Nike swoosh t-shirts and Outkast cd's was a day that shall live in suburban white kid listening to rap music infamy.

I would've traded it all in, however, to have seen Michigan beat North Carolina for all the marbles back in '93. Even though Chris Webber called the ill-fated time out that didn't exist and cost those pesky Wolverines the game, I still asked for a C-Web Golden State Warriors Jersey for my birthday the following year, which I did get, and still wore up until about 2 years ago. Somehow, I haven't been able to duplicate my bracketology expertise; every NCAA bracket I've filled out since then has been an exercise in futility. So, like most female gymnasts and figure skaters, I peaked early.

So everyone's talking about how Michael Vick single-handedly put up 59 points, cured cancer, and stimulated the economy against the Redskins last night. All joking aside, Vick's performance was nothing short of breath-taking; My first impression of last's night's monday night match-up was that I was watching a Texas 4-A regional playoff blowout. Then It started to dissolve into and Eagles-Redskins matchup that I may or may not have pre-simulated in a game of NFL BLITZ when I was in college. Good on'ya, Mike.

I can't stop listening to Girl Talk's new crazy-ass collection of Mash-ups. If you didn't know, head on over to Illegal Art's website and cop the free download! I've already made, like 3 Facebook status updates in reference to Mr. Gillis mashing up Ol' DB, Radiohead, Jay-Z, The Ramones, Missy Elliott, and just about anything and everything else.

Well, it may just be about that time for me to put on my sport coat and head out, Mr. Rodgers style.. I gotta go pick up the one and only Graham Weber from the airport, then head to trudy's for some Mexican Martini's. If you're in Austin, you know just how utterly fantastic these concoctions are. So, I leave you with this:

"Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded." #yogi-isms

-Marty.

You mean to tell me it's not really about shoes?

Unfortunately, no. I just needed something to grab your attention, oh curious internet user. If you're a fan of the Slick Rick song and Snoop Dog cover of the song "Lodi Dodi", then you may (or may not) be into the content of this blog.

My name is Marty. this is where I'll sound off on all things (or most things) music, sports, lifestyle, and the people and places that constitute this crazy awesome city of Austin, Texas. For those of you that don't know me, I like to write. A lot. I also write a Hip Hop blog, which can be found at http://onlyhiphopblog.blogspot.com ...I wanted to get into a broader realm as far as writing/blogging goes, hence, here I am. I like vinyl records, tacos, pizza, cheap (and not so cheap) beer, the proper use of parentheses, and a few other things, here and there. I am a sucker for social networking. I use Facebook and Twitter more than any one person should.

So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it, as they say. Enjoy, peeps.

-Marty.

Also: 90 percent of baseball if half-mental. #yogi-isms.