My friend Dave down in sunny Virginia has been pestering me the last few days to find some Baxter Drury to listen to. He wasn’t able to give me any more info than the name – Baxter Drury. Is this a guy? A band? A manufacturer of mobile homes? Well it turns out he’s the son of the late Ian Drury, of The Blockheads fame. Baxter’s stuff is a lot on the spacey and droney trip – cool sounds abound thanks to collaborators Adrian Utley and Geoff Barrow from Portishead and Richard Hawley, ex of Pulp and Longpigs. I found a used copy of his debut album Len Parrot’s Memorial Lift and bought it, sound unheard. Initial impressions are this is some interesting and eclectic stuff. More after I’ve listened to it a while – this will take some time to absorb, methinks.

I also finally got a copy of Ivy’s covers album, Guestroom. I already had about a third of this material either in mp3 or on EPs or whatever, but it’s still a pleasant if slight slice of synthy pop.

Also on a covers trip, Yo La Tengo’s annual performances indie radio station WFMU are the stuff of legend. Basically, people call in with a pledge and a cover request, and Yo La Tengo play the song. Whether they know it or not (though more often than not, they do, at least in part). I’ve been trying to find at least some of the performances from one of these telethons for ages, and finally have (thanks to this month’s Magnet). Go here and scroll to the bottom – almost the whole of their 2000 set is available in mp3. The sound isn’t archival quality, but it’s fun for free. There’s also more rare mp3s and some videos (“Sugarcube” is still the greatest vid ever).

My mom just called to warn me to stay away from public places while this SARS nonsense is going on. She’s so cute.

np – Baxter Drury / Len Parrot’s Memorial Lift

Mmm, sushi at 12:15 in the morning. A rare pleasure. Fishy fishy.

A fun night tonight, went bowling with Kate – I may have found a sport I don’t completely suck at. Okay, I probably still suck at it, but less so than others. But the high point was driving out to the chi chi part of town and finding Prince’s house. Yeah, Prince. Little purple guy. Kate knew his address off by heart so we drove around till we found it. Big place. I saw his garbage can! No recycling boxes though. I hope Prince is recycling. But it was pretty cool, regardless.

So I have a big stack of magazines and newspapers that need reading. Four issues of TapeOp (new issue out!), a new issue of Magnet (those styling kids from Interpol grace the cover), and a new Exclaim!.

Bought a new portable CD player, too. This one has a remote control!

Too tired. Sleeep.

It’s Friday it’s Friday it’s Friday it’s Friday it’d Friday!

Very brief Iraq war commentary – now they’re using the words ‘siege’ and ‘Baghdad’ in the same sentence. This can’t be good for anyone involved. Okay, head back in the sand.

Funny stuff – Summarize a band’s entire career in one sentence. From The Rub.

I won a copy of the new Love compilation on eBay since it seemed like finding a copy of Da Capo wasn’t going to happen. Good price too, I’m surprised it didn’t go for more.

Disc two of the live Uncle Tupelo set from October 93 is now available for download here. It sounds so good, it’s unbelievable. There’s also some ‘official’ bootleg artwork kicking around the net, but it’s butt-ugly so I’m going to make my own when I get around to it.

np – Uncle Tupelo / Live At The Vic – 10-15-93

And more with the arena shows. R.E.M. are coming to the ACC on September 30 (yes, September!) with Sparklehorse in tow. I would go to that, but I would prefer it if Linkous releases his new album maybe this Spring or early Summer, and does his own tour before coming back as support for Stipey and co. We’ll see what shakes out.

And to throw another big ticket act into the mix, Radiohead are supposed to be on these shores around the same time in support of Hail To The Thief. Yeah, still not liking the title much.

np – Elvis Costello / My Aim Is True

Everyone’s morning should start with Pixies and two eggs over easy. Makes all the difference. I love the little snippets of spoken banter that sometimes makes its way onto albums.

Here’s a dilemma – Neil Young & Crazy Horse with Lucinda Williams at the ACC on June 23. On the one hand, a great show almost guaranteed. On the other hand, it’s at the ACC, which I would expect to sound awful, and it will cost me an arm and someone else’s leg. We will have to ponder this one a bit.

np – Pixies / Surfer Rosa & Come On Pilgrim