January 29, 2012
In the midst of some research for the exciting new book we’re working on – (sooo exciting…) – we came across this:
And we thought, “Definitely not the album cover for this song!”
P.S. We humbly suggest that if your kids aren’t familiar with this song – well, there are some things that all kids should experience. One of them is this song.
* Lyrics adapted from Dr. Seuss, music by Eugene Poddany.
January 20, 2012
Etta James has left us at the age of 73. Here’s a nice writeup from the newspaper of her original hometown. That was one big, hard, beautiful life.
This is a nice video, for the haunting song and performance, and for the slow display of wonderful images. Really nice job.
Uncle John saw Ms. James just a few years back at a nice big outdoor venue with some family. His 12-year-old niece left less than half-way through the show, because, quote, “Etta was so raunchy that it scared her.”
Yep. She did not hold back in that department.
RIP, Etta James.
January 17, 2012
And it’s a doozy:
Wu-Tang Clan’s Ol’ Dirty Bastard was “heavily involved” in “murder, car-jackings … and the sale of drugs [and] illegal guns”, according to a newly released FBI report. The FBI’s 93-page file on ODB, revealed in a Freedom of Information request, connects the rapper with a litany of serious crimes in the late 80s and 90s.
The documents were obtained by Rich Jones of the Gun.io blog, who filed a formal request for information on Russell Tyrone Jones, aka Ol’ Dirty Bastard, who died of an accidental drug overdose in 2004. It took the FBI less than a week to respond with its file, consisting of redacted police reports, court proceedings and news clippings. All have been posted online.
There’s a lot more, including the allegation that people were rewarded with recording contracts for committing crimes.
The funniest part:
The FBI’s ODB file will certainly be of interest to the rest of Wu-Tang Clan, who are still making music.
Ya think?
Wu Tang Clan info here, and at Wu-Tang Corp. And at The Daily Beast.
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* Post edited to take dumbass typo out of title. Sheesh!
January 17, 2012
Well, heck. That’s just nice.
I bet those kids are going to want to jump for joy! And dance the night way! And drive faster than 55! Oh, wait…
December 18, 2011
Because we live to bring you wonderful things:
Info from the YouTube page:
Glass Duo (Poland) – Chamber Music Festival in Bologna, Italy – June 2010.
Placed in Chiostro della Basilica di Santo Stefano.
Festival di Santo Stefano XXII edizione.
P.Tchaikovsky – Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)
December 10, 2011
We found this story on FaceBook today. It describes one of those moments in life that seem to come straight out of a dream – and, indeed, many a singer and songwriter has probably had this exact dream.
It comes from an Asheville, North Carolina, singer-songwriter (and chimney sweep!) by the name of Joe Carlson. (“No Place for the Weird” is a really nice song we just listened to over at that link.) We contacted Joe and asked him if we could share this story here on the UJBR blog. He said, “Sure!” It just makes you go, “Dang! These things DO happen! Yes!” Feel free to share it with your friends, tell your grandparents about it, your kids – heck, tell your pets. It’s just that good.
I usually don’t share this story, but it is inspirational, so here it goes. Many years ago, in Boulder, CO, I was trying to get up the nerve to do some first time ever, street busking on Pearl St. I made sure it was dusk, found some obscure bench away from the crowd. Didn’t open the guitar case either. Just started playing. I was belting out a Neil Young song, “Tell Me Why”. At the end of the song, I noticed that someone was standing behind me, listening. He leaned over and put a dollar bill on top of the case. I thought “So cool, my first dollar busking!.” I finished the song, and looked over my shoulder to thank him, and it was Neil Young. He was wearing a hat, smiled approvingly at me, nodded, turned away and left. Me, sitting there in shock, noticed the wind pick up, and didn’t want to loose THIS dollar bill! When I went to grab it, it was a $100 dollar bill. First day busking ever.
Neil Young. We’re pretty sure he meant it when he sang, “This note’s for you!”
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The UJBR HOLIDAY SALE! - 30% off all books - goes until the end of December.
And Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader eBooks and new and improved mobile app just became available.
November 10, 2011
Update: No – TODAY is Nigel tufnel Day! So there!
How will you celebrate Nigel Tufnel Day?
Oh, it’s coming people. It’s practically here!
P.S. Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader goes right past Numbers 1 and 2 and goes straight to 11. Ew. Sorry. Never mind.
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Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader’s HOLIDAY SALE – 30% of all books (here’s a relevant one) – goes through December.
October 22, 2011
And you never know – it could be the tooth Lennon wrote “Happiness is a Warm Gum” with!
No one knows whether the tooth fairy will be in attendance, but a tooth belonging to former Beatle John Lennon will go on auction in England on November 5. [...]
The molar, which has some discoloration and a cavity — probably why it was removed by a dentist — will be available with a reserve bidding price of just under $16,000.
Lennon gave the tooth to Dorothy “Dot” Jarlett when she worked as his housekeeper at his Kenwood home in Weybridge, Surrey, according to her son Barry.
In honor of this momentous occasion, here’s a version of “Madman,” a Lennon song recorded during the Let it Be sessions that didn’t make it to the album:
September 27, 2011
Fascinating story at the technology blog, ReadWriteWeb:
Daphne Oram was the first woman to direct an electronic music studio, the first woman to set up a personal studio and the first woman to design and construct an electronic musical instrument. This happened back in the late 1950s when she used sine wave oscillators, reel-to-reel tape decks and other electronics that most of us vaguely remember. She went on to invent a machine in 1965 called Oramics that used hand-drawn patterns that were converted to music that would be stored magnetically.
Much more at the link, including a video that shows how Ms. Oram’s Oramics machine worked—very cool—and a place you can go to see a display on her work (if you’re going to be in London) until November.
U.S. straw sizes, in order of increasing diameter: Cocktail, slim, jumbo, super jumbo, and giant
