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the bright aisles of c-town
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Monday, March 24, 2003
Lot's happened recently.
My birthday: bought a crash cymbal with ARoss, corner Bistro, smashed some vegetables on the roof with a baseball bat, wooohah!
Went to Ikea with Jackie and splurged. Redoing my room for a party on Friday. Yay parties! Should be a raucus.
I never do feel as alive as I do getting ready for a party. Let's hope I still have enough energy on Friday to actually party. Somehow I think I'll be just fine.
7:23 PM
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
I found myself thoroughly impressed by Bush's speech last night. Please, don't put me in the Bush camp, but I thought for the sake of history books his speech writers did a very good job of presenting the United States' reasons for going to war. That aside, I sat down and watched Black Hawk Down tonight to remind myself that yes, I am firmly against war.
I'll repost this, because I think it's both hilarious and frightening. What if?
Tomorrow is my birthday. Yay, the big 2-4. Now I can have no illusions about still being in my early 20's. I am now firmly in my mid 20's. I have potential to start great things if I focus. Youth with a tiny nugget of experience and reality under my belt... let's see if I can't make a few more crazy memories this year.
Drew, Nick, and I enjoyed a St. Patty's Day dinner last night at Coogan's, a rare gem of an Irish pub/restaurant in Washington Heights. On the way home Drew and I took some detours and explored the east side of the 160's. There's an amazing park over there with glacier-formed rock pitches looking out over Yankee Stadium and the Deegan expressway. It was quite the sight. Then we stumbled upon the oldest mansion in Manhattan. Apparently this place was home to George Washington for a couple of years sometime during the revolution. There's uptown for you: within 3 blocks we passed a gigantic school, a correctional facility, and the oldest casa on the island.
Do you think the kids will give me a break on the 19th? No... no way in hell. But, despite their best efforts, we'll still learn about simple machines, adding 'ing' to verbs, subtracting 2-digit numbers, and an at-gunpoint rendition of "Happy Birthday Mr. Sparling."
7:05 PM
Sunday, March 16, 2003
The Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony aired on VH1 tonight.
I've been listening to the Police non-stop since the show ended. I feel like a kid again, jumping around my bedroom with drumsticks in my hand, tapping on every surface I spin to. I remember sitting in my room 'practicing' drums for band: basically I would just wail away on my drum pad to Regatta de Blanc. The Police performance of Roxanne and Every Breath You Take was fun to see, especially since I've never seen them perform live. Sting was singing like the Sting of new, with his female backup singers harmonizing soulfully - but the Police aren't soul in my mind. Andy Summers has become more classically inclined. I listened to an interview with him on NPR a few weeks back, and he has come out with some far out jazz/classical/world guitar records. At this performance he had his volume way up and he plucked oh-so-lightly. Ethereal, but not rockin'. I guess everyone gets old, even rock heroes.
But then there was Stewart! He was bashing away, super quick, and all over that hi-hat. He had all those pansy timbales, but by the end of Every Breath You Take he had put a king-size hole through his snare. Ha! The Police don't play for 18 years, and he blows out it snare on the second (and final) song! I just read somewhere online that he has used the same snare on all the Police albums, and he still uses it today. The drum says Pearl on it, but he searched high and low for the same model snare, and they just don't sound the same. He says it must be warped or something, and he will never part with it because it's the best snare he's ever played. If you listen to those albums, you see what he means. That snare cuts so well, even on the rimshots and clicks. Anyway, apparently Stewart sent his snare to the metalurgists over at Tama and after 4 or 5 tries (Stewart kept sending them back for more fine tuning!) they finally made a snare that sounds close to his baby. This is the Stewart Copeland Signature Series, and it probably costs a million bucks.
All I know is I want to get a new ride for my birthday, and I want whatever he has. I want that harsh ping sound and the gigantic bell. I'm becoming a bell player - love that cLaNg.
9:38 PM
Happy birthday Jeremy!
We went to Planet Thailand and ate a ton. Then we went to Lucy's in the East Village and drank a ton. Ah, birthday parties... Why does my birthday have to be on a Wednesday??
Check out the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony tonight on VH1, 9-11pm est.
9:05 AM
Saturday, March 15, 2003
 Weird weird ideas about post-death influence on your family via tacky furniture. This idea was conceived during the walk to the 145th station last night when Jeremy, Bonnie, Drew and I went to see David's showcase performance at AMDA. Dave, you're a star!
Earlier in the day Drew and I did some exploring. We ran all the way to New Jersey and back. Once in New Jersey, we stumbled our way to a park with amazing bluff views of the George Washington Bridge and Manhattan. Then we ran back. Then we were tired.
3:19 PM
Friday, March 14, 2003
We have a new holiday to introduce:
February 9th
40 Day
Doin' It Cobra Style, So Step To The Real
a precursor to February 14th - Ballentine's Day
1:40 PM
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
33 Seconds of Peace
Out of nowhere today, the kids in my classroom started doing their work at the same time and copying Fill- In- The- Blank sentences from chart paper on the board. It was a simple exercise in choosing the correct question word (who, what, when, where, why, how, which) to begin each sentence. They were so quiet and intent on completing the assignment that I just had to audblog it. "Mr. Sparling, who's mother are you calling???" I told them I was recording their quiet work habbits to show their parents. I couldn't resist saving the moment for posterity. 10 minutes later Khadeidrah threw a heavy dictionary at Charles' head, so I had to drag her out of the room kicking and screaming. Her mother came in and took her home.
Appreciating small victories, however, preserves sanity. This mp3 is now on my playlist.
7:11 AM
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
I saw a woman on the Bx19 bus today reading a book with the following title:
Mommy's Baby, Daddy's Maybe
I stopped in the antique store today to see about a gigantic case they had in there. It's a black plastic case used for carrying some kind of equipment or another. It measures 16inches wide, 4 feet tall, 8 inches deep. I asked the guy about it, and he said it had some kind of sign inside it. We unfastened the 3 straps that keep it closed, and inside was a mess of poles, canvas signs, and packing paper. I told him I'd give him $30 for it, and he said he'd do business. I don't know what I'll use it for, but it looks like the kind of thing that will definitely come in handy at some point. Turntables, drum equipment, clothes, who knows?? It's a sweet looking suitcase if anything.
Have I metioned Ted Leo? If I haven't, let me mention Ted Leo: TED LEO!
I downloaded two albums by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Tyranny of Desire (2001) and Hearts of Oak (2003). These albums are A+ #1 fantastico. Ted Leo is a great songwriter. All these reviews of him online say the most fantastic things. Everywhere I read, jaded music columnists are jumping on the Ted Leo bandwagon. All the user reviews here say that Rolling Stone just doesn't realize how good Ted Leo is. I had both albums on repeat all weekend.
I also just got my paws on the new Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks album Pig Lib. I really liked his self-titled debut after Pavement's break-up in 2000. Jackie turned me on to that one when she took me to a show at the Roxy, of all places. That album is obscenely catchy. I'm just diving into Pig Lib right now, and what it seems to lack in pure hum-alongness, it more than makes up for in interesting soundscapes and rhythms. I can't tell if these are odd time signatures or if I really am that tired. But so far I've been bobbing my head despite the exhaustion. That's a good thing. The album has a sweet, fruity taste and Malkmus voice is just so soothing to listen to no matter what. And when a chord changes to something unpredictable yet tonally satisfying, well, I just go kookoo.
2:17 PM
Sunday, March 09, 2003
Productive!
11am: Project Cicero
I picked up a moving-box full of books for my kids. Here's the plan: Make a bag of books for each kid in my class. Show the bags of books to the kids on Wednesday. Tell the kids that their parents have to come to parent teacher conferences in order to get their books. The kids will then be more motivated to encourage their parents to come. Parents who come to parent teacher conferences will be pleasantly surprised with a gift of literature for their children. Hopefully, this will lead parents to have this type of dialog with their children - "You better stop giving Mr. Sparling such a hard time! Look at this, he even gives you bags of books! If hear that you are disrespecting him ever again you will be grounded for eternity!"
Well, I can always pretend to have a little hope. :)
1pm: Run with Jeremy and Bonnie down to the lighthouse under the GWB. Slush run!
2pm-3:30pm: Dealing with the fucking L train.
3:30: Band practice. We settled on a name - Accelerated Reading Club. We put together a new diddy that Ed had prepared. It sounds a bit like the Cardigans, only more rockin'. It has a great disco/rock breakdown.
Now it's time to get ready for the week, i.e. surf the internet.
Here's a real goody:
http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dcp/html/neighbor/neigh.html
This is an interactive map of New York City. The best part, which I just discovered, is the small links for district profiles at the bottom of the maps. Yeah, I get off on stuff like this. Maybe a career in urban planning is in my future... hmmmm
From the crapmachine:
CMinusRocks: yo man, we wrote a new song at practice today
p0pcult: yeah?
CMinusRocks: it rocks - sounds kind of like the cardigans, only a bit more meaty
p0pcult: cool
p0pcult: i can't wait to hear it
CMinusRocks: man, that book drive was looted
CMinusRocks: I got some good stuff for my kids
CMinusRocks: but there wasn't anything for me!
p0pcult: there wasn't much good stuff for adults when i got there yesterday
p0pcult: mostly pulpy thriller and romance novels
CMinusRocks: yup
CMinusRocks: Dumbo/Greenpoint Lofts No Fee 650-2500SF. Beaut., Renov. Prof. applncs, brite, 12-14' ceils, Water/ NYC vu. 7/1/G/F Trn $1500-$2300
CMinusRocks: first one I've seen for july move-in
p0pcult: nice
CMinusRocks: I see a lot of stuff in the neighborhood of clinton hill
CMinusRocks: oh, here's a good link to bookmark
CMinusRocks: http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dcp/html/neighbor/neigh.html
p0pcult: nice
p0pcult: dude, that map rocks
CMinusRocks: yeah, I use it all the time
p0pcult: i am gonna use it to determine housing districts for my newspaper project
CMinusRocks: what I really want to find, though, is a very detailed map that includes subways!
p0pcult: each neighborhood will have different prices and crime rates
CMinusRocks: oh whoah, click on the community district profiles
CMinusRocks: on the bottom
p0pcult: fa-shizzle!
p0pcult: you urban studies major you
CMinusRocks: yes
CMinusRocks: I really get off on stuff like this
p0pcult: cause it's fucking awesome
p0pcult: you need to put a link to this on your blog
p0pcult: and i will link to your blog
p0pcult: because this is too fucking cool to pass by
CMinusRocks: yeah
CMinusRocks: I think I will
p0pcult: if you don't, i will (and attribute it to you)
p0pcult: yo
CMinusRocks: yeah?
p0pcult: couple your map with this page: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/pdf/chfdept/cs001pct.pdf
p0pcult: current (less than 2 weeks old) crime statistics
CMinusRocks: sweetness
p0pcult: yeah
p0pcult: the internet is fucking awesome
p0pcult: hey, did you get the email i sent about the dvd ripper?
CMinusRocks: I did
CMinusRocks: I downloaded the exe file
p0pcult: cool
CMinusRocks: I still haven't installed my drive!!!
p0pcult: good
p0pcult: yeah, i know
p0pcult: dude
CMinusRocks: I guess I'm just scared
CMinusRocks: but, this weekend there's no jackie or band practice, so I'm going to do it
p0pcult: we are gonna need a cheap computer for the two of us to just dump all of our mp3s on
p0pcult: so we have like an mp3 jukebox in our loft
CMinusRocks: sweet
p0pcult: like a public internet terminal/mp3 storage computer
CMinusRocks: cool
p0pcult: we can just buy a crappy $300 no-name computer
p0pcult: with a huge hard drive
p0pcult: and hook it up to a stereo system
p0pcult: does that make sense?
CMinusRocks: I guess so
CMinusRocks: or, we could just take a computer and link it up to our router
p0pcult: yeah, but i don't like leaving my computer on 24/7
CMinusRocks: well
p0pcult: we can figure something out
CMinusRocks: I don't think we want the radio on 24/7 either
CMinusRocks: I think we're going to have enough things to spend money on besides another computer
p0pcult: true
CMinusRocks: I think we settled on Accelerated Reading Club as our name
p0pcult: how do you feel about that?
CMinusRocks: it's ok
CMinusRocks: a bit pretentious
CMinusRocks: but what the hell!
CMinusRocks: it's a fun name
CMinusRocks: it's VERY indie
p0pcult: yeah
CMinusRocks: what's the name of the song with that crazy video
CMinusRocks: danger high voltage?
p0pcult: danger (high voltage)
p0pcult: just go to www.electricsix.com
p0pcult: it's somewhere on their page
CMinusRocks: they're here april 7th
p0pcult: i'll go see them
CMinusRocks: did you get spoon tickets?
6:18 PM
Saturday, March 08, 2003
So last night's rock show in Williamsburg was a great success for the men of this band! We interupted a series of noise/disonant indie rock with 30 minutes of melodic power pop and a high-kicking lead singer! We made it through our 8-man set without a hitch, and we even nailed the stops/breaks/changes/ and solos. Luckily, the dinky space provided a great mix. Even bashing away on all 4 cymbals, I could hear vocals, bass, and guitar as well as I've ever heard them. Friends in the crowd agreed that the mix was well-balanced for such a small venue.
The Charleston was a fun venue. Despite some of the negative reviews on Citysearch, I had a swell time. The owner of the bar is this old man who was wearing a print sweater and a fishing hat last night. He walks around making sure everything is in order, and if he likes your band he assumes his throne behind the light board. He mixed between 2 spots w/ rotating color gel-wheels, a strobe, a laser, and a series of blinking colored bodega lights on the ceiling at the front of the stage. It felt like we were a real band, with the lights cutting out and coming on and blinking madly. Of course, when we nailed the final notes of a song we could hear the 20 or so people in the bar clapping.. and 20 people don't really make much noise. It was a good show, however, and the pizza kitchen connected to the side of the bar was the cherry on top.
I think we came off well, and our friends in the audience seemed to have smiles on their faces. And the bartender was enthusiastic - he called me over and booked us to play there again on April 4th. So clear your calendars, folks!
On the anouncement board outside the Charleston there was a list of the bands performing. We were listed as "12 Rules of Esperanto Grammar," sharing the stage with the Units, the Shame, another indie band, and this guy who had a suitcase full of electronic noise equipment. Basically, if you listened to this guy's noise in feel-around it would feel like you were being strangled. It was tough to make it through. But, alas, the relief of the melody!
Even after our first gig the band name dilemma continues. Right now I think we're down to The Gentle Men, Accelerated Reading Club, or The Tastics. I think I'm leaning toward Gentle Men, but we'll see. I'm sure at band practice tomorrow we'll come up with 5 more bangers.
The name Accelerated Reading Club actually came from a shirt I bought yesterday at Thriftland. Thriftland is this great bargain store in the South Bronx near Yankee Stadium. Drew and I went there on the way home from work yesterday. Great finds, every time! I got a pair of purple suede shoes ($8), a Lowe Alpine courier bag ($8), yellow plastic clown shoes ($3), industrial looking gray button down ($5), t-shirts ($3 each): jeff [jefferson] davis elementary accelerated reading 100 club, cobras (some softball team), a picture of a computer going 'delete' and a cloud with the word "Poof!" above the desk chair. I love thriffin'! Last night I wore the purple shoes and the yellow jeff davis elementary shirt - hence the band name idea.
Do you have a friend you keep bugging to be more social? Maybe they are just an introvert. (courtesy of Bill Bert)
3:17 PM
Wednesday, March 05, 2003
Band practice tonight in billburg. Things went well; we should be fairly tight.
For any wishing to attend, we are scheduled to go on at 9pm Friday at the Charleston off the Bedford L in Williamsburg.
Still fishing for band names. Do any of these work? the gentle men, the tastics, ultrapants, neat-o, le beato, no whammies
Who knows... I think on the bill, someone made up a name for us. I can't wait to see what they came up with.
8:00 PM
Tuesday, March 04, 2003
Drew's students are doing a Blog project. I think this is an excellent idea. Word up MS 203.
Check out the Muckraker Press.
8:42 PM
I can't say that I have ever been a hardcore fan. When I was young I liked the hard stuff. What 15yr old boy didn't go nuts to Rage Against the Machine? I mean, Nirvana turned me on to rock, and punk opened my eyes to the powers of tempo and volume.
I downloaded some new hardcore. I'm getting used to it - I definitey don't have the adolescent flare I used to.
Blood Brothers - This band sounds so fresh and new to me. It's hard, it's loose but precise, the screaming is fantastic (screechy but still melodic, and super high on the register), the rhythms change, the breaks are tight... I just dig it. Very well produced, too. If you're looking for some edge, download Burn Piano Island, Burn.
Examination of The - We Are the Architects of Desire
This album officially helped me realize that I'm getting old. It's just too hard for me. I couldn't listen to a whole track. Talk about edgy. I couldn't palate the thrash. I guess I should just put on a bonette and suck on a pacifier. But whoah, seriously, the meth must be good these days or something.
So, I'm finally getting of my ass and downloading some Minor Threat and Bad Brains. It's about time I gave these guys a good, concentrated listen. I think after that will be Cheap Trick. New music is great, but I feel I don't know enough about the influences.
* Can I just say how pissed I am that 24 is taking another 3 week hiatus?
8:35 PM
Monday, March 03, 2003
Delights for your ear drums:
Calla
Currently getting some Rolling Stone press, the Calla album Televise gives a series of build-ups that take some time to develop - not your 3 minute verse/chorus/bridge hooks (that I love so much). Excellent music to throw on if you have other things to worry about, like filling out report cards!
Q and not U
DC group, reminds me of Burning Airlines (another DC fav) only a bit more gentle. The drumming is sharp and frantic, a style I've been trying to work on myself in a few songs.
I gave a listen to Godspeed You Black Emperor! today, but I can't say I really liked them. In fact, I deleted the mp3s fairly quickly.
Albums currently enque:
The Blood Brothers - Burn Piano Island, Burn
Deep House Fantasies 3 (sounds like a porno title, actually just some deep house - good music to make a porno to, prob.) I can't listen to rock ALL the time.
Oh, and I stumbled upon some good electroclash - Fischerspooner. Check out the track Emerge. Pitchfork slammed their album, but the 9 tracks I downloaded out of 11 seemed pretty great to me. Good thing I don't rely on Pitchfork like I used to. Gotta diversify. Thanks CMJ. I still haven't found a solid, trustworthy music reviews site yet. Although, I stumpled upon Aversion today so I think I'm going to explore that site more in the coming days.
And in honor of the induction of the Police into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame later this month, I've rocked Outlandos d'Amour a few times in the past couple days. That and Reggatta de Blanc are probably some of my favorite albums of all time. If fact, Reggatta de Blanc (White Reggae) was the first CD I ever owned. Unfortunately, the Police, Elvis Costello (more on this deity in a future blog), the Righteous Brothers and AC/DC will probably be overshadowed a bit by the Clash due to the death of Joe Strummer. That is fine, though, because the Clash are rocktastic... and the Police don't really deserve too much glory after Sting went all soft. Soft like a meadow of daisies. A meadow my headphones won't see anytime soon until I'm 45 and a coffee-stained morning commute mortgage man.
7:18 PM
I wonder what would happen if [when] we went to war against Iraq?
Amusing AND scary.
2:36 PM
Sunday, March 02, 2003
Check out audblog.
Technology... giving the shivers every time something new and exciting turns up.
6:45 PM
my first audblog audio post
6:41 PM
A Must Read!
U.S. Diplomat John Brady Kiesling, Letter of Resignation, to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. It's about time someone from the inside spoke up. But as the following NY Times article points out, political careers don't get stronger from dissent. There are plenty of people willing to be loyal to the game for the next year and a half.
So, apparently, in the band name saga The Tastics hasn't caught on as much as we originally thought. New ideas include The Gentle Men and What What.
Any ideas?? Please, email me! cts11@columbia.edu.
Report card time!
4:45 PM
Saturday, March 01, 2003
The Soul Train Awards are on. I've never watched them before. The artists who accept the awards are so excited and thankful - everything just seems more honest than the Grammies or VMAs. Not that I'm any expert on award shows. I'm no Melissa Rivers. But two things are clear - hip hop is amazing (and I certainly don't listen to enough of it) and hip hop girls are superb. And J-Lo is hot, but good lord she's got on about 10 lbs of jewelry. No one has as much style as Missy Elliot.
I woke up at 8am today, and wow has it been a spectacular Saturday. So much done: laundry, shopping at the Hamilton Palace going-out-of-biz sale, clean(er) room, installed Opera 7, downloaded some music, watched a documentary on turntablism, sorted all my photographs roughly chronologically in a new bin, cooked some yummy dinner, and now it's time to go to Bill's for a party! Rawk.
Tomorrow is band practice. We better get our shite together for Friday. I'll let the 4 readers of this blog know whether or not it's worth attending.
And tomorrow evening... report cards.
D'OH!!!
5:59 PM
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