Saturday, January 1st, 2005

Shrine To The Dynamic Years

Happy New Year. You’ve just awoken to a world without Guided By Voices. Think about that for a moment. Then continue.

I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions since I never keep New Year’s resolutions, but since this has been on my mind a bit of late and it’s timely, I’ll call this one a New Year’s resolution. I hereby resolve, in 2005, to seek out and support more new and up-and-coming bands/artists, both local and non-local. You see, it seems that all my favourite bands are breaking up and/or dying (see lead item), and this is not a trend I find agreeable.

Okay, this is a gross overstatement, but there is a fundamental kernel of truth in there. I look at my shopping list, and sometimes there’s more archival releases and reissues than new records, or albums from artists who are, honestly speaking, past their best before date and I’m buying their stuff out of some sense of obligation or completist-itis. Sometimes it seems my concert calendar consists of more big-ticket reunion tours or bands I’ve already seen numerous times rather than something new. I don’t want to be that classic rock guy who thinks everything’s been crap since 1992 (though that was a watershed year for music… okay, stay on message here). I’ve seen that guy. His hygiene is bad. I don’t want to be that guy. Mind you, I don’t want to be a trend-chaser either, and look back at my CD collection in a year or two and see it filled with flash-in-the-pans and overhyped buzz bands with no substance.

So what does this mean, practically speaking? I don’t know, really. I guess it means paying attention to stuff I haven’t heard of, to move out of my comfort zone, so to speak. Taking the time to not only sample new stuff but give it a proper chance to worm its way into my consciousness. Not taking local acts for granted. Not be so damned cynical about trying new stuff sometimes. Ah, this probably all sounds really vague to you, but I know what it means. Will I be able to do it? We’ll see.

I also resolve to stop kicking cats. This one will be a little tougher.

Junkmedia interviews Win Butler of Arcade Fire. Geez, don’t you know that Arcade Fire is soooo 2004? Get with the program.

Ink 19 offers a cartoon farewell to Luna. It’s even better if you imagine it being read by Christopher Walken. “Schooch closer, children…”

The Beat has an extensive look at 2004 as it pertained to the comic book industry. A good read, and that’s it for the 2004 retrospectives, honest.

Yesterday afternoon, I watched the extended version of The Return Of The King , seeing as how I had four hours or so to kill. MAN that’s a long movie. Then in the evening, I went to a humdinger of a shin-dig at Casa Del T-Bone of 10:51AM fame. Oh yeah, that’s another of my New Year’s resolutions – to talk like a 70-year old man whenever possible. Ya damn whippersnappers.

So who came by today hoping to see my shiny new redesign? HAHAHAHAHAHA… oh that’s rich. Someday, my pets. Someday.

np – Spiritualized / The Complete Works Volume One

By : Frank Yang at 9:25 am
Category: Uncategorized
Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
RSS Feed for this postNo Responses.
  1. Rachel says:

    You’re my favorite blogger, hands down. Huh, why is it we celebrate the "New Year" again? Bright Eyes is coming to North Texas. Is it worth going to see?

  2. Rachel says:

    Hey, did you mention at some point that Feist collaborated with the Kings of Convenience? I just saw a reference to it on her website, and I wasn’t sure what songs or album or where to find it. Help?

  3. Five One Seven says:

    Rachel, Feist is on the Kings of Convenience album "Riot on an Empty Street". She’s on two songs.

    I’ve an MP3 here. http://…/ but it’s not one with her on it.

  4. Paul says:

    Frank, that’s actually one of the best resolutions I’ve seen anyone make yet. Moving out of your musical comfort zone isn’t the easiest thing sometimes, and there’ll be plenty of occasions where what people are telling you is good really isn’t. But it really is a rewarding move, I swear.

  5. Rachel says:

    Thanks, Five One Seven. Nice blog, btw. They’re very pretty, are all their songs so Simon and Garfunkle? My best friend has been out of country for over two years, and I’m desperately trying to catch her up on the "scene." I’m a music retard, so it’s a pathetic war I wage.

  6. mike says:

    Hey Frank,

    I was going over my Referring Web Pages on my site and came across this comic book-related blog which you might be interested in.

    http://…/

    Happy New Year!

  7. tbone says:

    Hey Frank, thanks for coming to the party last night. I’m glad you came before the big rush so i had at least some time to talk to you. It’s a lot more work than I thought, hosting a new years party. I hope you had a good time and happy new year. Great resolution btw.

  8. Eugene says:

    Frank, Have you found any reviews of the Wilco/Flaming Lips NYC show last night?

    Just noticed your post on the Jayhawks fanpage. Big news from the Jayhawks last night!