Not an Imaginary Tale!

Beatles Rock Band for Under $30

2010-02-26T12:27:00.000-08:00

On Amazon for under $30 - All Systems.

Finally a new Podcast....

2010-01-28T07:18:00.000-08:00

Well it's been too long my friends...but I think I've finally tapped into the cosmic unconsciousness with my new music podcast, Plate O' Shrimp; an exploration of a parallel pop music universe. This week, we delve into Harry Dean Stanton, Charles Bukowski, and tracks from Damien Jurado, Mano Negra, Aimee Mann, Vashti Bunyan, Tim Hardin, Dios Malos, the Plugz, as well as some obscurities from The Kinks, Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd.

Download Here.

Stop for Me

2009-03-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

Science v. Religion

2009-02-18T09:37:00.001-08:00

KNEEL

2009-02-12T14:27:00.001-08:00

SOTD: Winning the War on Drugs

2009-01-15T07:28:00.001-08:00

As we get closer to inauguration I can't help but wonder if we'll shift in the drug war policy of this country. Trust me, 100 years from now will see this time period the way we view prohibition in the 30s. You know the surge in drug violence in Mexico over the last few months? Tied directly to the restrictions we placed on cold medicine making it harder to obtain Epiphendren(sp) to make crystal meth, so a lot of meth production has moved south, hence creating a new drug war in Mexico as cartels fight for control for exporting this new drug north.

But enough of that. What do the Asylum Street Spankers have to say about it?

I give you: Winning the War on Drugs

Ken's Dinner with Pim!

2008-10-30T22:59:00.001-07:00

Updates of Ken's Adventures in Thailand!

2008-10-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

Ken would never blog himself, so I shall do it for him.

"I'm texting you from the patio of a delightful Moroccan bar. It's 80 degrees at 20pm. I'm in the company of a lively and lovely, but off limits, Thai beauty of 25. I go home soon to my empty apartment.

So alone.

Things have been worse."

(Note: Ken is too lazy to take his own photos, so this is just a bar in Thailand, not necessarily the one he's at....but it could be.

The Baron does stand up!

2008-10-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

I was working on this Scottish film at work....

2008-08-18T10:43:00.001-07:00

They switched our coffee brand. Let's see if anyone notices

2008-08-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Simply Brilliant

2008-06-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

I will not even preface this piece of brilliance with words...

R.I.P. George Carlin

2008-06-23T07:57:00.001-07:00

I'm so mixed on Carlin. Listening to his work so much of it is cheap, cheap humor; in his later years it seems like he is dependent upon his reputation for laughs, as many of the jokes themselves are just, what my mom would call, "bathroom humor". Not funny unto themselves, but funny coming out of him. And then, every so often, he drops in a brilliant piece of work like this, and I'm reminded of why he is brilliant.

If I Were Wes Anderson: A Fictional Soundtrack

2008-06-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

Part 2 in our ongoing fictional soundtrack series...Today I'm channeling my beloved Wes Anderson.

Presenting:

The Flying Finklesteins

The ups and downs of a multi-generaltion trapeeze circus family.

The Finklesteins are Jewish French trapeeze artists, famous for their part for fighting the Nazis with the French Resistance and then finding themselves on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall...until their daring escape back to France in the late 60s which is when we catch up with them. Francois Finklestein, the family patriarch has been cursed with 4 rebellious daughters who seek to escape the circus life and live ordinary, normal lives...a lofty goal that they are ill-prepared to achieve.

Morning Song by The Kinks
The Arrival of The Queen of Sheba by Swingle Singers
The Partisan by Leonard Cohen
A Well Respected Man by The Kinks
The First Cut is the Deepest by Cat Stevens
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right by Bob Dylan
I’ll be Your Mirror by The Velvet Underground
I Think I See the Light by Cat Stevens
Badinerie by Swingle Singers
Green is the Colour by Pink Floyd
Je T’aime Moi Non Plus by Serge Gainsbourg
Unknown Soundtrack Music by Unknown (Can you identify it?)
La Mantilla by Esquivel
The Pilgrim’s Tale by T-Rex
Sunny Goodge Street by Donovan
I Wish I Wish by Cat Stevens
Malambo #1 by Yma Sumac
Concerto Grosso Op6 No 1 by Swingle Singers
La Fin De L’ete by Friends of Dean Martinez
In My Life by Judy Collins

Get the soundtrack here.

Speaking of contact juggling

2008-06-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the behind-scenes from Labyrinth about the contact juggling. The 20th Anniversary edition is available on DVD etc.

My Friend Arlen's Review Of Indy IV

2008-06-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

No words are necessary....

Contact Juggling

2008-05-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

This reminds me of the crystal ball scene from Labyrinth. Very Cool

Wonder Twins? Noooooo!

2008-05-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

Sigh. At least they weren't Jan & Marvin. I still hate them so much.

R.I.P. Sydney Pollack

2008-05-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a great scene out of Tootsie. A little backstory which you can find on the Extras on the 25th Anniversary DVD. Sydney didn't want to do the part of the agent. Originally that role was going to Dabney Coleman, but Dustin Hoffman really pushed Sydney to do it. I believe he sent him roses everyday until he relented.

That's Damn Fine Pie.

2008-05-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

For some inexplicable reason, every single episode of Twin Peaks is on CBS.com.

Don't question. Just go and watch.

My Favorite Places in the World...San Francisco

2008-05-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

I just read this article in Wired about one of my favorite places, so I'm making that a regular feature in the blog.

If you're headed to SF, be sure to stop by the MUSÉE MÉCANIQUE at Pier 45. I used to go to this place when they were at the Cliff House...I thought they closed forever, but they just moved. This place has turn of the century coin-operated novelities. (Be sure to gaze at the scariest monster in the world!) Great fun.

Finally...all the Internet stars in one place...

2008-05-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

A weezer video! Good for them!

The Fight Club of Commercials

2008-05-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

This is probably the most depressing commercial for something that is not supposed to be depressing. Almost an anti-commercial. Originally this played theatrically and then was recut for TV. The theatrical version which I am showing rules for one distinct reason: it doesn't show the product. It just teases you, which makes you identify with the protagonist all the much more. The audio quality is quite poor unfortunately (I'm guessing bootlegged from a theater) so I apologize for that, cause it's a great ELO song I wasn't previously familiar with.

Useful...and Funny!

2008-05-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

Far and away the best instructional series on the Web. If you haven't seen these you owe to yourself to sample them.

Don't You Know Who I Am?

2008-05-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

Remember in X3 when the Juggernaut bursts into the room declares to Kitty Pride that he is, and I quote. "The Juggernaut, bitch". Yeah, well, here's what he's referring to.

She has a boyfriend!

2008-05-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

Oh those Brits!

Beware the Dangers of Drugs

2008-05-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

More Mark Trail Goodness

2008-05-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

INAPPROPRIATE!

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE PUPPIES DOING ON MY COUCH!!!???"

(also: high marks for that awesome sideburn)

The Best Mark Trail Comic You Will Ever Read

2008-05-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I hate Mark Trail more than anything. Waste of space on a good comics page. If only Mark Trail was more like this:

I have no idea where this came from, but God bless you.

Not a Dream! Not an Imaginary Tale!

2008-05-19T11:27:00.001-07:00

Why a blog?

Why not?

Welcome to the premiere post of Not An Imaginary Tale! or (NAIT!) which is a phrase any comic book fanatic should know and love.

There's no one single focus on this blog....generally any bit of media or entertainment worth noting shall be noted. Let's start off with my imaginary Martin Scorsese soundtrack. I'm stealing the idea from the Playlist which did a great series of posts of imagined soundtracks of various directors.

Always one to jump on a good idea, here is my imagined soundtrack for the imagined Scorsese film, Rifkins at the X.

Rifkins at the X is a coming of age story/romance/crime story set in 60s & 70s. The story follows the life and loves of Michael Rifkin, a teenager growing up in a rapidly dissolving Jewish crime family out of New England. The family heritage of bootlegging, racketeering, and murder-for-hire, is being disowned by some factions of the family and embraced by others. Michael's side of the family is moving away from their shady past and their Jewish roots. Michael is even marrying a Goyum. He is brought into the criminal side by his extravagant cousins who are getting rich engaging in the emerging drug trade of the early 70s. It does not end well for Michael.

The title "Rifkins at the X" refers to the furniture store owned by the family patriarch in Springfield, Mass that was used as cover for the family's bootlegging enterprises in the 20s as well as their foray into legitimate businesses.

And if you are wondering, there is some auto-biographical-ness-ish in this film....but just some.

The Track List:

Drama of Love by The Exciters
Working in the Coal Mine by Lee Dorsey
Each Step I take by Deanie Parker
Crimson and Clover by Tommy James & the Shondells
You’re a Big Girl Now by The Stylistics
A Woman Will Do Wrong by Helene Smith
You’re Losing Me by Ann Sexton
Tainted Love by Gloria Jones
Yo, Que Nada Tengo by The Exciters
You Keep Me Hanging On by Vanilla Fudge
Childhood’s End (Edited) by Pink Floyd
Can’t You Hear Me Knocking by The Rolling Stones
Dirty Little Girl by Elton John
Maggot Brain (Short Version) by Funkadelic
I Fought the Law by The Clash

Download the soundtrack here.