HCS (V, 6): Where Music Comes From

Posted on March 23, 2013 by g-mo

Where Music Comes From

Brian and Dally

Things look so bad everywhere
In this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind, we try to see
Falling behind in what could be—
Bring me a higher love…
Where’s that higher love I keep thinking of?

-Steve Winwood, “Higher Love”

I quit my job at Enterprise Corporation of the Delta in October, but I’d be remiss not to share this story. In September, I was asked to do a special assignment outside of reporting to my desk in the Gulfport Outlet Mall to see homeowners for appointments. Instead, I was put on duty driving around Hancock County to seek out grant applicants that had been approved, but hadn’t sent in the next form and thus were stopped in the pipeline. Their money was sitting and waiting for them to pick up, but no one had heard from them. And at this point, why not go pay them a visit to make sure they were aware?

At about 2 pm the day of the assignment I’d been riding along the coast for about five hours. My cohort from our legal-side partner organization was a paralegal named Joe that happened to also be running for County Coroner. By 2 I’d pretty much listened to him talk about how great embalming is, and how he’s really excited to be the coroner, and no one knows the business like he does since he’s been embalming people from the age of 12, and his daddy was a mortician. For four and a half hours. He’d only stop his rambling to point out his yellow “County Coroner” campaign signs on every other street corner, just to make sure I noticed. Continue reading →

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Opening Tracks and Radio Songs: Day 12

Posted on March 20, 2013 by g-mo

Ethan Hawke named his spaceship the “Thunder Road” in what classic 80s movie also co-starring a young River Phoenix?

Voters- writing you from a fraternity basement in Cleveland where I’ve just slept the night. The very combination of “fraternity basement” and “slept the night” conjures an incredulous memory of waking up one evening at 4 am in college having passed out on a sticky bench in 2004 watching the Varsity Ship table at Chi Gam. I am so happy my brother joined a cleaner fraternity with free couches for weary travelers in their basement.

Only a few voters on that last round. If you didn’t vote you can’t complain about the results. I for example, did not vote. So I will grit my teeth through some of these. Quick results: Baba O’Riley continues to earn its 1 seed, plowing past “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” 41.5-34.5. The big upset of the day though has to go to Tangled Up In Blue upending Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” 34.5-34. That’s the same total as Spirit of the Radio as Rush defeats NOFX, 34.5-26.5. Last but not least, Radio Retaliation eliminated “Guerilla Radio” (that one kills me the most. Ugh why did I not vote) 28.5-25.

Next votes are due on Friday, March 22nd at 12:00 AM (like midnight, EST, Friday night.) Playlist is here, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here. See you in the comments!

Best Track One

“Thunder Road”, Bruce Springsteen, Born To Run
“What’s Going On”, Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On

“Purple Haze”, Jimi Hendrix, Are You Experienced
“Come Together”, The Beatles, Abbey Road

Best song about the radio

“Rock and Roll” by The Velvet Underground
“This Is Radio Clash” by The Clash

“Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles
“On The Radio” by Donna Summer

And as a bonus, here’s my little “later, Maryland” music video I threw together last night. iMovie lets anyone be a Spielberg!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=952480813656&l=7131567297360572646

 

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Opening Tracks and Radio Songs: Day 11

Posted on March 17, 2013 by g-mo

Apologies on the brief lull in the tournament- the last few days of closing out my life in Maryland have been ridiculously busy and getting this up fell behind in my schedule.

Results from Day 10: Gimme Shelter over Wouldn’t It Be Nice, 58.7-50. Smells Like Teen Spirit over Burning Down The House, 56-46.2. Caravan eliminates On The Radio, 49-41. And Roll Over Beethoven knocks off #1 seed Ramones “Do You Remember Rock And Roll Radio,” 52.7-46.8 It is truly, truly March Madness

Votes for these matches are due by Tuesday, March 19th at11:00 PM EST. Playlist is here, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here. See you in the comments!

Best Track Ones

“Baba O’Riley” by The Who versus
“Wanna be Starting Something” by Michael Jackson

“Black Dog” by Led Zeppelin versus
“Tangled Up In Blue” by Bob Dylan

Best Radio Songs

“Spirit of the Radio” by Rush versus
“Please Play This On The Radio” by NOFX

“Radio Retaliation” by Thievery Corporation versus
“Guerilla Radio” by Rage Against The Machine

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HCS (V, 5): Heroes

Posted on March 13, 2013 by g-mo

Heroes

What’s my line? I’m happy cleaning windows,
Take my time, I’ll see you when my love grows,
Baby don’t let it slide, I’m a working man in my prime,
Cleaning windows.
-Van Morrison

When we are all young, we are asked at some point who we look up to. Some people say Martin Luther King, Jr. Some people say their parents. When Zac was younger, he once wrote that I was his hero. I never really knew what to do with that.

Something changed in the way I thought about these things by the time that summer drew to a close. I believed in my time in those dusty backyard cookouts, in the slow but sure return of real Biloxi, of the conversations in my backyard, of the drives in the trucks. I believed suddenly that having people around you, people you can relate to that embody those things that you seek to realize in yourself one day… what luxury, true luxury in a metaphysical sense, to know those people. To be able to say, my God. I worked alongside those people, these people that are my heroes, my age. These people are my friends. My best friends. Fuck, Guillermo, maybe the weight of this purity is something that you won’t lose. Continue reading →

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Opening Tracks and Radio Songs: Day 10

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Janos Marton

regina-spektorTonight I post for the last time before hitting the road for the Great American Road Trip, Vol. 5. Who knows what I’ll be posting from the road, but hopefully it will be fun photos, videos, and assorted adventures, all while we continue our group quest to find the best opening track and best song about radio. Votes for these matches are due by Friday, March 15th at 11:00 PM EST. Playlist is here, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here. See you in the comments!

Best Track One, Side One

“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (Beach Boys, Pet Sounds) vs. “Gimme Shelter” (Rolling Stones, Let It Bleed)

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana, Nevermind) vs. “Burning Down the House” (Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues)

Best Song About The Radio

“On the Radio” (Regina Spektor) vs. “Caravan” (Van Morrison)

“Do You Remember Rock ‘n Roll Radio” (Ramones) vs. “Roll Over Beethoven” (Chuck Berry)

Result from Day 9

“Where the Streets Have No Name” (U2, Joshua Tree) def. “My Name is Jonas” (Weezer, Blue Album), 84-81.

“Modern Love” (David Bowie, Let’s Dance) def. “Debaser” (Pixies, Doolittle), 85-78.

“Radio Free Europe” (R.E.M) def. “Radio” (Eazy E), 76-62.

“Radio Gaga” (Queen) def. “Radio Radio” (Elvis Costello), 74-68.

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Opening Tracks and Radio Songs: Day 9

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Janos Marton

Bowie_ModernLoveThe second round begins today! It always bears reminding that in every music tournament, the end of the first round represents the halfway point for the tournament as a whole.   Today we have four first-rate match-ups, and if anyone was doubting the power of the 80s, that’s where six of our eight songs are from (the other two are from ’78 and ’94) . Votes are due by Monday, March 11th at 11:00 PM EST. Playlist is here, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here. Results from Day 8 forthcoming. See you in the comments!

Best Track One, Side One

“Where the Streets Have No Name” (U2, Joshua Tree) vs. “My Name is Jonas” (Weezer, Blue Album)

“Debaser” (Pixies, Doolittle) vs. “Modern Love” (David Bowie, Let’s Dance)

Best Song About The Radio

“Radio Free Europe” (R.E.M) vs. “Radio” (Eazy E)

“Radio Radio” (Elvis Costello) vs. “Radio Gaga” (Queen)

Update, Day 8 Results: Some close ones to finish up our first round. Only song with a comfortable win was “Come Together,” which eliminates “Rehab” 77-61.8. Elvis put up a great fight but “What’s Going On” advances with a 67.8-65.1 win. For the radio songs, Donna Summer’s “On The Radio” takes it over The Bird and the Bee 47-45.5. And lastly, a surprise win from NOFX who “Please Play This Song On The Radio” triumphs over Rancid 50.9-46.5.

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Opening Tracks and Radio Songs: Day 8

Posted on March 7, 2013 by g-mo

Sorry for the late post- the snowquester was just so crazy. Fighting for survival in 2 inches in slush got me off track on prepping this. Moving on to good news- we have reached the last day of matches for the Round! We are down to 36 songs left alive in our battle, 18 on each side. Time to snip the last two fallen challengers from the left and the right brackets so we can get going to the Round of 32!

Votes are due by Friday, March 9th at 11:00 PM EST. Playlist is here, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here.  See you in the comments!
Best Track Ones
“What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On vs.
“Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley, Elvis Presley

“Come Together” by The Beatles, Abbey Road vs.
“Rehab” by Amy Winehouse, Back In Black

Best Radio Songs
“On The Radio” by Donna Summer
“Heard It On The Radio” by The Bird and the Bee

“Radio” by Rancid
“Please Play This Song On The Radio” by NOFX

Results from last round:

“Baba O’Riley” stomped all over “Tamacun,” 72.2-56. Bob Dylan-James Brown was a little closer, but “Tangled Up In Blue” comes out on top 63.4-58. Chuck Berry is looking super strong out of the gates with his “Roll Over Beethoven” win on Gaslight Anthem. With a full point higher of an average than #1 seed Rock and Roll Radio, we’ve suddenly got a compelling Ramones-Berry match for the next round.

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Opening Tracks and Radio Songs: Day 7

Posted on March 4, 2013 by g-mo

Next set of matches include two of my absolute favorite songs that serve as solid life soundtracks to making moves in one’s life. And since I gave my two weeks notice at my job this morning and plan on headed West in a few short weeks, I’m all the more excited for them. Votes are due by Wednesday, March 6th at 11:00 PM EST. Playlist is here, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here.  See you in the comments!

Best Track One, Side One

“Baba O’Riley” (The Who, Who’s Net) vs. “Tamacun” (Rodrigo y Gabriela, Rodrigo y Gabriela)

“Tangled Up In Blue” (Bob Dylan, Blood On The Tracks) vs. “Sex Machine” (James Brown, Sex Machine)

Best Song About The Radio

“’59 Sound” (Gaslight Anthem) vs. “Roll Over Beethoven” (Chuck Berry)

“Guerilla Radio” (Rage Against The Machine) vs. “Radio Freq” (Dead Prez)

Day 6 Results

“Burning Down the House” (Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues) def. “It’s a Long Way to the Top” (AC/DC, TNT), 83-77.

“Gimme Shelter” (Rolling Stones, Let It Bleed) def. “Welcome to the Jungle” (Guns & Roses, Appetite for Destruction), 87-79.

“Rock and Roll” (Velvet Underground) def. “Mohammed’s Radio” (Warren Zevon), 70-61.

“This is Radio Clash” (Clash) def. “On My Radio” (Selector),  63-61.  Eileen delivers the game-winner for the Clash.

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HCS (V, 4): The Moon Is Brighter On Dauphin Island

Posted on March 3, 2013 by g-mo

The Moon Is Brighter On Dauphin Island

“If this was the cold war, we could keep each other warm, I said on the first occasion that I met Marie.”
-Josh Ritter, “The Temptation of Adam”

Cora left. I spoke at her departure dinner and said good words. I remember calling her out for being there the whole time I had been, about shepherding me when I didn’t realize I wanted it, about being a big sister I had silently appreciated. When I finished, everyone “awwwed” and I could see Suzanne looking on with smiling eyes, tall and beautiful and tired from behind her own standard circular table in the great hall. Cora and I had been in the process of long talks, about Caleb’s leadership, about what came next in those preceding months. We’d had sushi lunches and I’d talked about what my future looked like. It was one particular lunch at that Japanese restaurant in Gulfport when I looked into her nodding big brown beautiful eyes and realized before she said it that her departure was not a one day thing. It was a next month thing. And in the way that time worked for the statues that had been there since the beginning, it was a next day thing. The evening arrived and her community allies came to camp for the event. The next morning, Beau accompanied her on the drive back to Massachusetts— not to leave himself, but to be a partner in the long lonely journey away from the Gulf after a youth built out of the recovery. It was good for them, being close as they were. But suddenly Cora was very gone, and then I was the only one of us original four from Dartmouth left. Continue reading →

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Opening Tracks and Radio Songs: Day 6

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Janos Marton

 

THE SELECTERFor our next set of matches, votes are due by Monday, March 4 at 11:00 PM EST. Playlist is here, full rules and philosophy here, and the tournament bracket is here. Results from Day 5 forthcoming. See you in the comments!

Best Track One, Side One

“Burning Down the House” (Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues) vs. “It’s a Long Way to the Top” (AC/DC, TNT)

“Gimme Shelter” (Rolling Stones, Let It Bleed) vs. “Welcome to the Jungle” (Guns & Roses, Appetite for Destruction)

Best Song About The Radio

“Rock and Roll” (Velvet Underground) vs. “Mohammed’s Radio” (Warren Zevon)

“This is Radio Clash” (Clash) vs. “On My Radio” (Selector)

Here are the Day 5 Results, starring “My Name is Jonas”

“Debaser” (Pixies, Doolittle) def. “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” (Arcade Fire, Funeral), 73.3-66.7.

“My Name is Jonas” (Weezer, Blue Album) def. “Secondhand News” (Fleetwood Mac, Rumours),  82.1-71.2.   Do you guys remember the Wall of 10s? We used to have them for songs that received “10” scores from multiple people. Sadly, we just haven’t had that many honorees in our last few tournaments.   Looks like times are a changing.  “My Name is Jonas” ripped four “10s” courtesy of me, James Wheeler, Dem Adam and EmGlasser en route to a sparkling 8.2 average.

“Radio Gaga” (Queen) def. “You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio” (Joni Mitchell),  62.9-49.9.   As we all know, Queen is the most unstoppable force in livingthedream.org music tournament history.  This is not exactly their biggest hit, but it cruised with a win here.

“Caravan” (Van Morrison & the Band) vs. “Around the Dial” (Kinks), 65.6-48.  Caravan put up the high score among Day 5’s radio songs, but it will have its hands full against Regina Spektor next round.

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