YOUR MISUNDERSTOOD ATTACK ON MEDIOCRACY

(The Death Set performing at Piano's during CMJ)

I'm in Cleveland helping my mom move out of her cardboard-cut-out cluster home into a pretty tiny duplex/condo/apartment thing. It's always a bit sad packing up and leaving a place that housed so many memories. But it's a bit more disconcerting to be moving your mom into a place with flickering/failing lights in the parking lot where you have to cart all your trash down to the "dump area." I'd forgotten how shitty flourescent kitchen lighting looks.

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MP3:

Covering The Knife is kind of cheating. It's hard to mess up too much when your starting point is so damn good.

• Scala Choir And The Kolacny Brothers - Heartbeats

A band's place in myspace.

ATTRACTIVE NYC DOESN'T NEED YOU, THANKS

(flyer by Matt Furie for Chief Magazine's "Silent Auction, Not So Silent Rock Show")

Hot on the tail of the art + bands combo of "Gimmie Metal," Chief Mag is hosting another double-up of fun with their "Silent Auction, Not So Silent Rock Show." Good music, good art (I have some photos in it as well), good location, good times.

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Chief Magazine presents
Silent Auction, Not So Silent Rock Show

On Friday, November 2nd, 2007, ChiefMag.com partners with 3rd Ward, Brooklyn’s finest creative facility, for a blow-out evening that includes a silent art auction, film screenings, and a live rock show. Only at 3rd Ward, a 20,000 square-foot creative workspace, would such a multimedia event be possible.

Individual works start at an opening bid of $50. 50 works of art, 8 films, 5 bands, 3 DJs, open bar, kissing booth… all in one night, under one roof.

Friday, Nov 2nd

3rd Ward
195 Morgan Ave @ Stagg St.

7:30 film screening
9pm open bar

Cost: FREE!

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MP3:

Here's a triple-whammy. It's a cover (1), it's a seasonal tune (2), and it's good (3).

• Alkaline Trio - Halloween

A band's place in myspace.

ANOTHER LIFETIME

(photo of Craig Murphy by Love Bryan)

I have been holding off saying something about Craig Murphy's tragic death mainly because I did not feel it had been done justice, and I was certainly not the person to do it either. For those who are unaware, Craig was run over and killed by a fuel truck while biking home late one night in Brooklyn recently. He worked at the anti-hunger organization West Harlem Action Network Against Poverty (WHANAP). His roommate and friend of mine, Bryan, has shared his memories, photos and stories of Craig with us to remember and celebrate him. And for those of us who didn't know him, to understand what a great person we missed out on.

Be careful out there kids. A license to drive is a license to kill, so watch your backs and take care of each other.

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MP3:

It is perhaps not as sad as I would like it to be, but it still feels appropriate.

• Amelia - Between The Bars

A band's place in webspace.

LOOKING FOR LOVE, WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN

It's the last weekend of October, which means a ton of great stuff is going on. Bike Kill is one of the few annual events in NYC not to be missed for any reason, and the Gimmie Metal show at KCDC should be pretty epic (a live dragon-slaying? What?). In the interest of full disclosure, I also should mention I have photos in the Gimmie Metal show. So there, I did.

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BIKE KILL 5
Brought to you by the Black Label Bicycle Club

Saturday October 27th, 1 pm
Sanford & Willoughby, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

• Beerelay races
• Surf bike rodeo
• Chariot races
• Bike orgy
• Bakers dozen
• Dirty mattress
• 6-pack attack
• Blind skull
• Tall bike jousting

After party at the Chicken Hut
And totally free

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GIMMIE METAL
An art show homage to all things Metal

Date: Saturday, October 27th
Time: 8:00pm
Location: KCDC Skateshop (N. 11th btw Berry and Wythe, W'burg)
Cost: Free

60 artists have been invited to participate in a group show called Gimme Metal along with 3 bands, 12 Pro skaters tearing up a halfpipe, and a real dragon slaying. "Ever have your hair stand right on end to the primal scream at the beginning of Slayer’s 'Angel of Death'? Ever have on a loud as hell metal album and have the overwhelming urge to drive a battleaxe through your enemy’s cranium? Ever see something and say to yourself 'That…. is …f---ing… metal?' Ever feel so strongly about any of these things that you thought there should be some sort of tribute to the music, the idea of, or even the over all aesthetic of metal? Well my friend here is your chance...over sixty artist and several bands have been asked to give it the F—k up for Metal." Musical performance by Dethrace, Bloodhorse and Smell Uv Death start at 9pm.

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MP3:

The first time I heard the original version of this song I thought they were saying "No dignity," and I was very confused.

• Klaxons - No Diggity

A band's place in myspace.

BEING YOUNG JUST MEANS YOU CAN AFFORD YOUR MISTAKES

(CMJ marathon: Gowns; The Mall; Jay Reatard; High Places; Health; Mika Miko; Japanther; Double Dagger; Black Kids; The Apes; Art Goblin; Yeasayer; The Coathangers; Big A Little A; more CMJ photos here)

I am currently in St. Louis checking up on the final phase of the Miss Rockaway Armada, and taking a break after CMJ. It was a bit tough to see a lot of the shows without a badge, but the real problem was just so many things overlapping. Regardless it was fun, and thanks to those friends who lent a hand getting me in to various shows I would otherwise have missed/had to pay for. And now for the CMJ rundown. . .

- Most overrated band: Black Kids (aka The Go! Team minus the cool parts).
- Most exciting new band: Health.
- Funniest band/venue juxtaposition: Japanther on the main stage at the Knitting Facotry.
- Most satisfying show: Matt & Kim at Williamsburg Music Hall (photos to come).
- Most intense/vomit-inducing show: the aforementioned Dan Deacon show at Silent Barn.
- Most fun in the middle of the day: the Death Set at Pianos as part of a Brooklyn Vegan day show (photos to come).
- Best free stuff: nothing, didn't get any free things.
- Best thing to be said about CMJ this year: less of a problem with reserved spaces for badge-holders keeping paying customers out of shows than in past years.
- Worst thing to be said about CMJ this year: less exciting lineups than in past years.

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MP3:

We love ourselves fun covers of silly pop songs, don't we?

• Rock Plaza Central - Sexy Back

A band's place in myspace.

NEW MAKE OUT STYLE: RIGIMORTIS

(ZombieCon 2007, full photo gallery here)

I went to ZombieCon this year, and it was probably the most fun I've had since my first Halloween Critical Mass ride. Everyone dresses up like zombies (photographers/videographers as well) and marauds through the streets of Manhattan, as well as fancy merchants such as Bloomingdales and the Disney Store. There was also a stop in front of the military recruitment office at Times Square for a brief "Zombies love war" chant, before taking over a few subway cars on the way to more "BEER & BRAINS!" in the Lower East Side. You'd be brain-dead to miss it again next year. Ha.

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MP3:

Oldies songs always make me think of Florida, driving, and my dad.

• Amy Winehouse - Cupid

A band's place in myspace.

LOVE THE WORLD THAT IS, ON A DAILY BASIS, KICKING YOUR ASS

(photos from the non-CMJ show at the Silent Barn in Brooklyn, Juiceboxxx; Team Robespierre; The Death Set; Dan Deacon. More photos here)

This show was so much fun. It was also so hot inside that I was puking and almost fainting from heat exhaustion at the end. But before you go making fun of me, know that Mr. Dan Deacon himself had to cut his set short and hightail it outside to puke from the heat as well. Luckily for him he made it outside. Just as he got out, the cops pulled someone over right in front of the space (with guns drawn) so they locked it down inside hoping to avoid detection. It worked, the cops went on their way eventually, not knowing that there were hundreds of sweaty people just on the other side of a nondescript door waiting for them to leave. However that meant I was trapped inside just before the door heaving into a trash can for a while. One of the residents of the space was nice enough to hold a fan on me till I could make it outside and collapse around the corner. Thanks to whoever that was.

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MP3:

I've never liked a Sonic Youth song better. Does everything this woman touch turn to gold?

• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Diamond Sea

A band's place in myspace.

FAKING YOUR DEATH TO CATCH UP ON WORK

(photo from last year's Bike Kill; the flyer)

While CMJ is already kicking my ass (more on that later), I did not want to forget to post about this great zombie-bike ride in NYC happening on Saturday (same day as Zombiecon, coincidence?). It's brought to you by the great kids over at Freewheels, so get you Halloween costume out a bit early and get undead.

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Saturday, OCTOBER 20
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
MIDNIGHT RIDAZZ

Put on your creepiest undead costume, grab your flask and meet us at the St. Mark's Church Cemetery, famously haunted by the 17th-century Dutch Governor, Peter Stuyvesant. We'll visit notoriously haunted spots around the East Village and beyond. This ride ends at a party!

DISCLAIMER: By participating, Cyclists hereby agree that FreeWheels, its agents and affiliates assume no liability for brains consumed through any acts or omissions of any party

11:00 pm- St Marks Church Graveyard (2nd Ave & E10th St)

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MP3:

My babysitter would always play the original of this song when she came over.

• Le Tigre - I'm So Excited

A band's place in myspace.

YOUR CLAIM TO FAME IS THAT YOU HAVE ATTRACTIVE FRIENDS

(the newly redone Gramercy Theater; Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Apollo; St. Vincent at the spankin' new Terminal 5; Black Mountain rollin' at Southpaw; and The Blow mesmerizing at the Gramercy Theater)

CMJ starts next week here in NYC. I've been doing a bit of pre-game warm up, catching some stellar shows this past week. Some bands I've talked to are relieved about not playing CMJ next week. According to them it's crowded, confused, rushed, and ends up being quantity over quality. Yep.

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MP3:

This is a perfect example of why I love cover versions.

• Gossip - Careless Whisper

A band's place in myspace.

MOUTH-BREATHING IS NOT ONE OF YOUR MORE APPEALING FEATURES

(the Two Gallants performing at a secret show in Brooklyn)

So the Two Gallants played a secret birthday show in Brooklyn the other week, and it was good, and I am slow at getting things posted lately.

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MP3:

More covers for you. A pretty obscure act covering a one-hit-wonder no one remembers. But they do it well.

• Division Day - Plowed

A band's place in myspace.

BECAUSE EVERYONE YOU MEET IS FIGHTING A BATTLE

(some of the local residents of the Marcy Houses hanging out in front of Jay-Z's old residence; kids muggin' it in front of the bodega across from the Marcy Projects; this new Jay-Z album should be interesting, huh?)

Stuff's been weird and I've been busy (see above photos for a hint). Anyone go to that big concert on Randall's Island last night? What was it like? Help me live vicariously through your recollections and photos.

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MP3:

My favorite Springsteen song (probably, can all of Nebraska count as one song?) covered by new-hotness-on-the-scene Bats For Lashes. Seems a bit like a Tori-Amos-meets-Cat-Power treatment. Not bad.

• Bats For Lashes - I'm On Fire

A band's place in the interweb outerspace.

YOUR CHAMELEONIC TENDENCIES BETRAY YOUR INSINCERITY

(Man Man performing at Webster Hall; some Man Man Fan Fans)

Have you seen the new NYC Bicycle Awareness ad campaign? Pretty straightforward I'd say.

We all know that President Bush hates poor people, but he also hates poor children too. At least he doesn't allow his hate to be stopped by any ageist prejudices.

And stripping, staining, and refinishing a table takes more than a day, yes, yes it does.

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MP3:

I've been accumulating some cover songs lately, so I think we'll have ourselves a little ol' covers streak 'round here. Ready, steady, go.

• Smoosh - This Modern Love

A band's place in myspace.