Take a Break Tuesday

Let's take a break from the politics today shall we? I mean, it's pretty stressful to be reminded day after day that the Republicans are entirely incompetent and, really, can't keep us safe from anything at all.

So let's take a look at some other ridiculousness.....

25 Worst. Web Sites. Evar. ... according to PC World Magazine. MySpace and Hotmail are, deservedly, on the list. Blogger should be on there.

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Legal defense: "Your honor, I was stoned... to the bejesus I was. Brownies, your honor... with chocolate dipping sauce. They came up with a chocolate dipping sauce, your honor... for brownies. Do I need to say more? I was stoned your honor... to the bejesus I was.

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Doctors urge more playtime for children... and JPW urges more playtime for adults. Giggity.

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And why do children need more playtime? To become strong enough and fast enough to prevent this from happening:

Mom Reportedly Hurls Baby at Boyfriend

Hell hath no fury......

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Hmmm, this same combination kinda fucked up Clinton's life. Leave it to the Cubans to make it work:

Cigars and sex 'boost Cuba lives'

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Speaking of sex lives, has anyone ever been caught...

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And finally, Diet Myths Exposed

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Take a break today, kids. Smoke a joint... order some brownies.... surf shitty websites... don't kick the baby, or piss off your girlfriend.... have a cigar and some sex... even if the sex is with yourself and if it is solo throw on that mask and snorkel.

Tomorrow we rage against the machine once more.

What a Weekend

Holy crap. What a weekend. Extremely discombobulated. Must speak and write in clipped sentences. Articles. Below. Interesting. Read. DBT post on Friday. Pictures. Incredible. Rocked the bark off of the trees in Golden Gate park.

Unclaimed Territory - by Glenn Greenwald:

"The absolute refusal ever to admit error. The desperate clinging to power above all else. The efforts to cloud what are clear matters of wrongdoing with irrelevant sideshows. And the parade of dishonest and just plainly inane demonization efforts to hide and distract from their wrongdoing: hence, the pages are manipulative sex vixens; a shadowy gay cabal is to blame; the real criminals are those who exposed the conduct, not those who engaged in it; liberals created the whole scandal; George Soros funded the whole thing; a Democratic Congressman did something wrong 23 years ago; one of the pages IM'd with Foley as a 'hoax', and on and on. There has been a virtual carousel -- as there always is -- of one pathetic, desperate attempt after the next to deflect blame and demonize those who are pointing out the wrongdoing. This is what they always do, on every issue. The difference here is that everyone can see it, and so nothing is working."

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Whiskey Bar: Hot Republican Studds:

It's the talking point of the day for Republicans -- and yes, it is a talking point.

Gerry Studds (D-MA) had sex with a 17-year-old male page in 1983. He was reprimanded. Republicans wanted to censure him. But 79 Dems voted against upgrading the condemnation.

It may be the talking point of the day, but it's also a lie."

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Pelosi says she would drain GOP 'swamp:

"Day One: Put new rules in place to 'break the link between lobbyists and legislation.'

Day Two: Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Time remaining until 100 hours: Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients.

Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds — 'I hope with a veto-proof majority,' she added in an Associated Press interview Thursday.

All the days after that: 'Pay as you go,' meaning no increasing the deficit, whether the issue is middle class tax relief, health care or some other priority.

To do that, she said, Bush-era tax cuts would have to be rolled back for those above 'a certain level.' She mentioned annual incomes of $250,000 or $300,000 a year and higher, and said tax rates for those individuals might revert to those of the Clinton era. Details will have to be worked out, she emphasized.

'We believe in the marketplace,' Pelosi said of Democrats, then drew a contrast with Republicans. 'They have only rewarded wealth, not work.'

'We must share the benefits of our wealth' beyond the privileged few, she added."

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Which is scarier? This:

Bush: Job Ratings

Or this:

It puts the lotion on its skin:

DBT Week in Review - 10/6

What a weekend in the Bay Area. I'll put our metropolitan area up against any in the world this weekend for having shit to do.

A's playoff baseball... (Don't care)
San Francisco v. Oakland in NFL action... (yeah they both such, but still...)
Cal v. Oregon.... (PAC 10 football sucks, I know, but still...)
Fleet Week which means the Blue Angels.... (not sucking at all)

.... and the Red Bull Air Race (also not sucking)

Hurtling through the air with an acrobatic pilot:
"Kirby Chambliss thinks all commercial pilots should receive acrobatic training, just in case their jetliner happens to flip mid-flight."

But the BEST of the BEST will be the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival 2006. A free multi-concert in the Golden Gate park paid for by some rich fucker. Basically, a gift to the city.

Here's whose going to be at the show:

Earl Scruggs, Hot Tuna Acoustic, Flying Other Brothers, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Robert Earl Keen, The Del McCoury Band, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Iris DeMent, Four Year Bender, Hazel Dickens, Billy Bragg, Dale Ann Bradley & Coon Creek, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle & the Bluegrass Dukes, Drive-By Truckers, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, Tim O'Brien's Cornbread Nation with special guest Mollie O'Brien, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane & Fats Kaplin, The Devil Makes Three, Chatham County Line, Alejandro Escovedo, Jerry Douglas & Best Kept Secret, Gillian Welch, Scott Miller & The Commonwealth, Guy Clark & Verlon Thompson, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Allison Moorer, The Austin Lounge Lizards, Alison Brown Quartet with special guest Joe Craven, Nashville Bluegrass Band, The Pine Leaf Boys, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Richard Thompson Solo Acoustic, The Lee Boys, Todd Snider, North Mississippi Allstars, Banjo Extravaganza with Bill Evans, Tony Trischka and Alan Munde, Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin, T Bone Burnett, The Waybacks w/ special guest Bob Weir, Heidi Clare & AtaGallop, Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez, Willy Mason, The Avett Brothers, Richie Furay, Danny Barnes Collective, Annie & The Vets, The Opera Dukes, The Stairwell Sisters, Poor Man's Whiskey, Etienne de Rocher, Freakwater, A.J. Roach, Elvis Costello (solo & with the Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods), Barbary Coast Cloggers, Keystone Station, Kemo Sabe, David Berkeley, The Coward Brothers feat. Elvis Costello & T Bone Burnett, Jeffrey Luck Lucas & the Sorrows, Jon Langford, Rico Bell & Sally Timms of the Mekons, G.E. Smith, David Gans Trio, The Wronglers, Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock, Songwriter Circle featuring Steve Earle, Billy Bragg, Guy Clark & Verlon Thompson."

That's right, them Drive-by Truckers are flying out for a quick show. I'll take what I can get and be proud that I get to see for a bit. Here's the stage they'll be playing on:

It is gonna be some fun, let me tell you. Can't wait to see the band. Hopefully, the Blue Angels will fly over the park then DBT will launch into Lookout Mountain. Ohhhh, baby....

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Here's Musickfest article that Jenn posted on the Yahoo board. Musickfest started last night and I do believe some ribs were involved. Damn Athens folks have all the fun and the best benefits in the world. Good on 'em.

Check out the art that was auctioned. Some pretty bad-a paintings including some serious awesomeness from Mr. Freed. I asked Jenn if she was going to buy me the $800 pictures. She said the $1500 was more my speed. One of these days I'm gonna own a Wes Freed piece.

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Get some free DBT tracks at LetThereBeRocktober this month. The first two have been Buttholeville and Sandwhiches for the Road. Both are live and sound great.

Here's a bio of Eddie Hinton, the man who Sandwiches was written about, by Dick Cooper.

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The cool kids in America are getting inspired by DBT and are putting there vocal talents out there. Our own MaddyC (She's only 16 but she's a wise old soul) Put a couple of YouTubes up displaying her vocal chops. Good on ya, MaddyC. Sounding sweet and keep it up.

Check 'em out and give her some encouragement:

MaddyC 1
MaddyC 2

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In other music news:

Lost my house, lost my job, lost my kids.... Concaine

Eric Clapton Rethinks Playing 'Cocaine':

"ST. PAUL, MINN. — Eric Clapton is playing 'Cocaine' in concert again. The recovering drug addict and alcoholic, who founded the Crossroads Centre addiction recovery center on the Caribbean island of Antigua, stopped performing the song written by J.J. Cale when he first got sober."

Why? Because!

Singer sets undersea concert record:

OSLO, Norway - Singer Katie Melua set a world deep-water record by performing a concert 994 feet under the North Sea in the leg of an oil platform, the rig's operator said Tuesday.

The Georgian-Irish artist and her band performed two, hour-long concerts Monday at the bottom of a hollow concrete leg that helps support the Troll A offshore platform, the Norwegian oil company Statoil ASA said.

'This was definitely the most surreal gig I've ever done,' said Melua, 22, whose albums have sold more than five million copies worldwide."

Not music related but some I got good feedback when I posted the Southern Culture on the Skids recipe page so here are some recipes from SF, the best foodie town in the U.S. (Yeah, that's right New York. You heard me! Suck it!)

SFGate: Food at 20:

It was 20 years ago when The Chronicle gathered one of the largest food staffs of any newspaper in the United States, developed a free-standing section and made a conscious effort to focus on the Bay Area food scene.

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26 Miles to Colbert Heights is the End of the World

All for Cobert:

"'On behalf of Stephen Colbert, the Stephen Colbert Museum and Gift Shop, and myself, Tad, I'd like to say, 'You're welcome,' ' he proclaimed, to the laughter and applause of the crowd.

'It's not every day I get to save a town, and I know you must appreciate the opportunity for me to do so,' he said, playing on the conceitedness that the character Stephen Colbert portrays."
......
The ceremony also included a scene from "The Miracle Workers (with an "s" at the end)," which is about Tuscumbia's Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan. In the touching scene, Keller is at the pump, spelling out her first words: "S-t-e-p-h-e-n C-o-l-b-e-r-t."

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It's the End of the World as we know it... It's the End of the World as we know it.....

Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign towers. Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn. Locking in, uniforming, book burning, blood letting. Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate. Light a candle, light a votive. Step down, step down. Watch your heel crush, crushed, uh-oh, this means no fear cavalier. Renegade steer clear! A tournament, tournament, a tournament of lies. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline."

And I feel fine.......

DBT's stage at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival this Sunday

You Can Throw Me in the Stephen Colbert Co. Jailhouse

Is it.....

Or is it....

I've had the pleasure... nay, displeasure, of spending the night in a Colbert County Jailhouse. The next morning my grits were served to me ice cold. Now, I realize that I was in jail, but I was still in the south and you just don't serve a man cold grits... It's not christian.

Comedy show crews due in Shoals on Wednesday:

"TUSCUMBIA -- The grand opening of the area's newest museum is set for Wednesday.

If you want to see it, you'd better do it quickly, because the museum will close a day later.

It's all part of a plot line for Comedy Central's 'The Colbert Report.'

The show, which airs at 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday on the national cable network, is a parody of cable news shows.

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Before we get into which Republican has committed a crime against nature today, I want to throw a shout out to my first ever visitor from the Islamic Republic of Iran, coming from Ertebat Net Co Of Sabzevar! What's up! How's the weather. Hotter than a motherfucker, I suppose. I won't drop the search term you used to find this site **cough** penis **cough** ass, but I've got to say, you better be careful, bro (I'm assuming its a bro because, well, they don't let the ladies do too much over there). Those words, separate, could get you thrown in the pokey (bet they don't serve cold grits in Iranian jails.) but together, you're looking at having some appendages removed.

Of course, who am I to talk. Since I wrote "Iran" "Islamic" and "Sabzevar" in my post, I'm sure BushCo will know more about me than I do in a few minutes. If they are visiting the site right now, I just want to give a big FUCK YOU to them. With much love.

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On to the freak show.....

Above whose diddling who, we're still stuck in the quagmire *giggity* called Iraq. You might remember it being spoken of on "news" shows from last year. Folks seem to have forgotten about it. It is getting uglier and more of our good, godamn people are being slaughtered:

'Tragic day' claims eight US soldiers in Baghdad:

"BAGHDAD (AFP) - At least 17 US soldiers have been killed around Iraq since Saturday, including eight in a single day in Baghdad, the US military announced, saying the toll had brought 'a tragic day'."

Oh, and another fogotten, unsolved terrorist attack that's been swept under a rug. Anthrax. It ain't just a heavy metal band. I'm glad the 'hunt' is back on.

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Headline: Bush: Democrats shouldn't be trusted to run Congress: Yeah, we should leave it to the incompetent Republican child molesters...... Speaking of which:

Waaah.... Wa-wa Waaaaaaahhhh. I'm a victim. I'm not a predator. Please give me water.

Foley attorney claims client abused as child:

"He also announced that Foley’s actions are connected to his own abuse by a Catholic priest as an adolescent boy, and confirmed that the congressman is indeed a homosexual, a fact which was suspected long before the internet sex scandal was made public."

And why the fuck is 'is indeed a homosexual' a part of the story? I'll tell you why, because it is one more opportunity for the Republicans to slam homosexuals by tying them to a child predator. Fucking sleaze balls.

But why should I be surprised. Look what O'Lielly did yesterday:

O'Reilly graphic labels Foley (D-Florida) !!!!!!

Blame it on the Dems by any means necessary, huh O'Lielly? Fucktard.

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Thank god for fake boobs, though:

Forget airbags, silicone breasts will do:

"SOFIA (AFP) - A woman in the northern Bulgarian town of Ruse survived a car crash thanks to her silicone breasts which acted as an airbag, a newspaper has reported."

Ain't Never Gonna Change

....but, boy howdy, they sure are doing something wrong.

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Quick quote:

'It's vile.' It's more sad than anything else, to see someone with such potential throw it all down the drain because of a sexual addiction.'

Ok, who said it and who were they saying it about?

Answer:

Republican Congressman Mark (Spanky) Foley, September 12, 1998 referring to President Bill Clinton.

Keyboards get messy when you ejaculate that much hypocrisy on them. The best 52 year old, one handed IMer out there.

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But, seriously, folks..... no, really, seriously.....

"Forget about Foley. He's done. What's incredible about this scandal is the lengths this Republican Party will go to maintain their majorities. We already knew that power trumped everything for these guys. But coddling a child predator merely to save some cash and protect a single House seat.

They should've been protecting the kids working the House instead."

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Where's Batman when you need him 'cause apparently The Penguin has released a "I don't recall" gas in Washington that is only infecting Republicans:

"HASTERT: No, I’m not saying. I just don’t recall him telling me that. If he would have told me that, he would have told me that in the context of maybe a half a dozen or a dozen other things. I don’t remember that."

Condilying Rice has been infected too:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she cannot recall then-CIA chief George Tenet warning her of an impending al-Qaida attack in the United States, as a new book claims he did two months before the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001."

Ummmm, ahhh, let's seee, hmmmmmmm, nope, can't recall.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think its the Penguins memory gas that's causing this epidemic of the 'can't recalls'. Could be be something more evil?


Bush Officials May Have Covered Up Rice-Tenet Meeting From 9/11 Commission:

"Most of the world has now seen the infamous picture of President Bush tending to his ranch on August 6, 2001, the day he received the ultra-classified Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) that included a report entitled “Bin Laden Determined To Strike in US.” And most Americans have also heard of the so-called “Phoenix Memo” that an FBI agent in Phoenix sent to FBI headquarters on July 10, 2001, which advised of the “possibility of a coordinated effort” by bin Laden to send students to the United States to attend civil aviation schools.

....Bob Woodward’s new book about a special surprise visit that George Tenet and his counterterrorism chief Cofer Black made to Condi Rice, also on July 10, 2001:

They went over top-secret intelligence pointing to an impending attack and “sounded the loudest warning” to the White House of a likely attack on the U.S. by Bin Laden.

Woodward writes that Rice was polite, but, “They felt the brushoff.”"

So our possibilities are The Penguin's 'can't recall' gas or just plain evil OR maybe it is a State of Denial? Maybe?

"NEW YORK — Bob Woodward’s much-anticipated new book paints a devastating picture of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as an arrogant, indecisive bumbler who won’t take responsibility for his mistakes — or even admit any.
......

“State of Denial” also claims that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney — “increasingly removed from reality” — consult frequently with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who served President Nixon during Vietnam.

“Kissinger’s fighting the Vietnam War again "

Though Woodward's lacks credibility due to the 2 previous fluff job books on pResident Bush. Remember, Rats are the first off a sinking ship.

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HEY! Check out this cut-and-runner, terrorist appeasing Ratpublican:

"The Tennessee Republican (Frist) said he had learned from briefings that Taliban fighters were too numerous and had too much popular support to be defeated by military means."

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Let me leave you with a nice hug today. I got this in my email and when I first started to watch it I thought, great, some sappy kumbaya crap. But it is actually quite nice and inspiring. Hugs!

If I Died in Colbert Report County

Update: Welcome, Colbert Nation! If you want to know more about the county in Alabama that was named after Stephen, give the Drive-by Truckers a listen. Great music and great stories. Several of the songs mention Stephen by name, even.... well, by last name at least. Check 'em out!

Update2: I do have to state, however, that it is unfortunate that a good old country boy like Stephen had to move off to the big city and Frenchify his name. Stephen, deep down you know you want to pronounce it correctly. Be proud of where you're from. Cawl-bert... not Cole-bear. As Jason Isbel from the Drive-by Truckers sings in Outfit, "Don't sing with a fake British accent...." Fake French accents are just as bad, Stephen, just... as.... bad.

I was wondering how long it was gonna take them to come to Co-bear County for a bit.

Colbert coming to Colbert:

"TUSCUMBIA -- Yeah, yeah, we all know the county's name is pronounced 'Colbert,' with the emphasis on the first syllable, a sort of schwa-sounding 'e' and a 't' that's pronounced aloud.

But there's no sense in trying to tell that to Stephen Colbert -- or at least the character he plays on Comedy Central's 'The Colbert Report.'

Despite the same spelling, his last name is pronounced with a silent 'l,' emphasis on the second syllable, short 'e' and silent 't.'

Nonetheless, the self-applauding, egocentric Stephen Colbert character is convinced Colbert County was named after him.

As a thank you, he plans to open 'The Stephen Colbert Museum and Gift Shop' in Tuscumbia.

Seriously.

Well, not so seriously.

Either way, it's actually going take place and is going to be part of an October storyline on the program, which airs weeknights at 10:30 on the national cable network.

And, either way, it's going to bring national exposure to Tuscumbia and the county during the course of two or three days that month, said Jeff Cooperman, senior producer of 'The Colbert Report.'

Representatives of the show will tape for a couple of days early next week, likely Tuesday and Wednesday, Cooperman said.

They will return for an Oct. 4 'grand opening' of the museum, he said. Colbert, himself, isn't scheduled to come to the event.

Ultimately, the joke will be that Colbert (Stephen, that is) isn't as popular as he thought, because the museum closes for lack of interest the next day.

Those tapings will be put together for the two to three days it'll air on 'The Colbert Report,' Cooperman said. That will be in October, but the dates haven't been set.

'The premise is Stephen Colbert wants to open his museum, and what better place than a county that is named for him,' Cooperman said. 'This town seems like the perfect place to send his building manager -- a guy named Tad (played by one of the show's staff, Paul Dinello) -- to open the museum.'

Cooperman said final details of the museum's location are being ironed out, although it likely will be a Main Street spot.

'It'll be a running adventure of Tad's effort to get Stephen's dream off the ground,' Cooperman said.

He adds, tongue-in-cheek, 'One thing Stephen is going to try to figure out is why you guys pronounce Stephen's last name wrong.'"

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Alright... it must be done. We've got to discuss boy lover Foley. Check out the actually IMs here. We have 'bottom bouncing in the air' and measurements being taken and a dirty old man hitting on 16 year old boys.

Bottom (no pun intended) line is the guy is a perv.... not because he is attracted to other guys... nothing wrong with that. It is because he liked YOUNG, possible ILLEGAL boys, not grown men. Also, these boys were pages who WORKED for the man. And the Republicans knew about Foley for years, yet never did anything.... other than warn the pages to stay away from Foley. And, AND the guy worked on legislation to protect minors from weirdos such as himself. He sat on a child protection committee for gods sake. The Republicans let him after they knew.

Today we learn that Rep. Foley has entered alcohol rehab. How convenient for him. He's taking responsibility for the 'disease' he has which prevents him from being responsible for his actions. At least that's more than Bush did with his alcoholism.

But, really, it is no big deal according to the Republican party. My god, it was only a couple of 'naughty emails'. Jesus, you'd think you people saw a accesorized nipple on tv during a football game. I mean grow up.

Republican party or NAMBLA. Same-same or same-same? You be the judge.

Just listen to the outrage on the Christian Right web

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As a parting shot... foxes in the hen house.

Abramoff team had 485 contacts with White House:

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Jack Abramoff had hundreds of contacts with White House officials, but they brought mixed results for the convicted lobbyist's clients, according to a congressional report.

The draft report of the House Government Reform Committee said the documents -- largely Abramoff's billing records and e-mails -- listed 485 lobbying contacts with White House officials over three years, including 10 with top Bush aide Karl Rove."

Drams-BT Week in Review - 9/29

Update: I've given The Drams their own linkage fiefdom on the right. If there is a link I'm missing let me know. Also, it has been mandated that those of us in the know must bring at least one DBT/Drams virgin to the shows when they tour together. This also applies to the 4 solo shows The Drams have remaining. 'Cause, really, all ya gotta do is get a virgin there. The Drams and DBT will take care of the rest. Instant fans.

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".... as the van began to sway"

".... as the band began to sway"

".... as the fans began to sway"

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9/29/06 Boise ID - Neurolux
9/30/06 Salt Lake City UT - Ego's
10/2/06 Denver CO - Bender's Tavern
10/4/06 Albuquerque NM - Launch Pad

If you live in or anywhere near the 4 cities listed above, and you don't go to see the Drams play, nay, Rock, and you don't take several friends with you, and then after you don't go out and buy a copy of Jubilee Dive even if you've already had a friend burn you one (you stealin' bastard), then you want the terrorist to win, plain and simple. If you do not do all of these things you are a cut-and-runner, whose obstructing the Rock and you really, truly, in-you-heart, yearn for the terrorist to win. It is that simple. You hate freedom, too. You even hate freedom fries. You are Shortsighted.

"Started out as an excuse
Then became something to believe"

What, you think I'm joking? You think I'm using hyperbole to hype the situation? You ask youself what kind of insight do I have that allows me to make these statements? How, pray tell, do I know this? I know this because I was formally baptised in the traveling waters of Denton, Texas on Monday of this week. I saw my very first, in venue, Drams show. (Cooley's birthday bash doesn't count. Sensory overload that night made it impossible to fully focus on the band.)

" This could be the way to go if you're going down.
Good music every night, friends in every town"

Make a Book?

"Everyday I read a little bit more from my book.
What's it say? It says it's okay."

Turns out I have in a way. Made a book. This blog is my book, of sorts. I know I won't "... be a great author one day." But I can relate my experiences with DBT and the Drams that, hopefully, will entertain, intrigue, promote, and spread much love for these incredible people and incredible musicans.

"All the love, every friend, every gift, every hardship that you've lacked
An open heart is an open book, When you need it read it back."

Monday Night

Monday at work, I feel a nasty stomach/body flu bug coming on. None to happy as the Drams are playing that night at the Bottom of the Hill.

I bowed out of work early to get some rest and to get a handle on this cursed flu bug before the show that night. When I pulled myself together closer to show time I called my buddy Rich to see when he'd be ready to leave. He was waffling hard. Said he didn't really dig the album (wait, wait, give him a chance... he's a metal head.) and that he was thinking about bailing on the show. I hushed up, didn't push, Trusted Jesus, and let him talk himself into going. Rich was on board.

We left early to find a restaurant and found a pub next to the Venue called the Connecticut Yankee.

Being southern boys we were a bit hesitant to go into a place called the Connecticut Yankee. But the atmosphere was perfectly pubish and we comfortably saddled up to the bar.

When you're sick (When you tired...) you try to rationalize your drinking in a way that makes you believe that the type of alcohol you choose will, in the long run, benefit your ailment. I, irrationalized, that a Hefeweizen with a lemon would be good. As we are hunkered over the bar Mr. Best comes in the door, recognizes me and has a seat with us. Brent and I ordered the "Wade Boggs" while Rich tried to order some spinach dish just to see if they had spinach.... they didn't. He got a salad and some crabcakes.

One conversation we had over dinner was the difference between the album and the live show. Brent had done an interview earlier that day and the interviewer had asked "What is the connection between the album and the live show. How does the band draw a line between the two. What was the artistic spine that joins... yada blah yada." Brent's most proper response was "What?". As Brent puts it, the album and the show are two totally different experiences. Why in the hell would he want to replicate the album on stage? You've got the album already.

"Appreciate the fireflies maybe just in case You never see the stars"

After seeing the live show here are my thoughts on the subject. The album grew on me... the live show freakin' ROCKED me.... after seeing the live show the album changed for me. It became something better. It became more intimate. It became a best friend. It is all I've listened to this week. iTunes at work, iPod in the gym, in the CD player in the car.

The album's musical arraignments are outstanding but the lyrics are other worldly. If you've been listening to the album for a while, grab the liner notes and read the lyrics without listening to the music. Read 'em again.... I'll wait.... Now, plug in the album and listen. Literature set to incredibly arraigned music. It... is... mighty fine!

Back to the Yank and onward to the show....

Brent finished up his "Boggs" and headed over to the venue. Rich and I had a couple of shots of Jamieson's because, you know, it is medicinal. We walk over to the venue where one by one we greet Jess, Keith, Tony and Chad. We listen to the openers. There were two of them. One of them was a solo performer who played a ukulele. That'll be enough on the openers.

Then cometh the Drams.

They opened with Make a Book and from the first snare, I knew this was going to be a serious treat. Tony's rat-ta-tat-tat on Make a Book will give an AKA-47 a run for its money. They played most of the Jubliee Dive to a crowd of 25 (fucking pitiful, SF, but at least we were better than L.A.). Got a smoking version of Haze of Drink and a couple more Slobberbone songs. When they finished, the small crowd kept chanting until we got an encore. It was a song I wasn't familiar with but it sounded really sweet. I'll break the commentary for a moment and show you some pictures:

I uploaded some really big pictures this time. I've looked at them on a couple of different screens. If you have a Mac they should look pretty awesome. If you have a PC you may need to brighten you monitor for the full effect. My little camera has served me we'll but I believe it is on its last leg and I've outgrown what it can do for me. I'm in the market for a serious digi cam and I'm shopping around for something tres badass and tres expensive.

Chad spanking the ivory in a blur before adding that sweet, sweet high harmony.

Tony is a fantastic drummer

Even being jacked up on pseudofed couldn't prevent Jess from bringing mucho quantities of excellent guitar playing. He caught, in L.A., the same crud I had apparently.

Keith thumping the bass and adding lovely harmonies.

Brent Best. Enough said.

Kicking it up a notch.

I love this picture.

Whiskey Glass Best

They ended the show around midnight. After a few more drinks we helped the boys load the van. I offered the band my pad as a crashing place, but they had plans of driving to Santa Rosa to stay with some friends. Santa Rosa being an hour or so away. They boys huddled then took me up on the offer to crash at my pad. After a brief stop at Safeway to grab a California case of beer (20 Buds to a case. WTF? A case is 24 goddamn beers. It really is the end of the world as we know it) then we head out to the ocean and my pad. My roomates were out of town so it worked out perfectly.

We stayed up until 4 a.m. talking, but mostly laughing. Brent had a half bottle of Jim Beam that was passed around. In hind sight that wasn't such a good idea with Jess and I having the fluish crud. Unfortunately, I think the virus found its way to some other members of the band later on. Check out their tour diary. Sorry guys! I'd feel worse if Jess didn't have it previously before coming to S.F.

If this blog is my public "Book", then my time with the boys laughing and sharing a bottle will be mainly kept in my personal "Book". Some of the funniest shit I've ever heard came from that evening.... Did you know 10k dollars can buy you 27 shetland poines? We also discussed the crazy world of Thai cuisine, in particular fish paste where you can still see the eyes and strawberry poki. Ah, good times, good times.

Regarding the following picture..... I thought long and hard whether to include it in the post or not. I decided to include it because (A) It was so damn funny at the time I almost pissed myself (B) If you were the first to pass out in my house during my younger days, then much worse would have happened... and (C) Chad is such a sweetheart that I don't think he'll mind one bit.

Chad and Keith are so conditioned to falling asleep sitting up in a van that when they sat down on the couch they immediately zonked out. I grabbed a couple of blankets and threw them over the two to add a little comfort. (Notice the Dead blankets that belong to my roommate. Nice, huh?) Brent grabbed the green frog and placed it, lovingly, between the two. Then Jess grabbed the Pooh Bear and snuggled it up next to Chad. We three stood back and admired our handywork (In case you are wondering I live with a couple who have a 16 month old... thus the toys.) At that point, we knew that a picture must be taken.

Keith woke up on the first flash. This picture shows his reaction after he looked over at Chad.

So I had another Rock and Roll dream event. You can not meet a nicer bunch of guys than the Drams.

Go see them on this solo tour. Then see them again when they tour with DBT. Hopefully, I'll be doing some more posting during that tour.

The Drams and DBT together will be an orgy of Rock. The good natured gauntlet will be thrown each and every night they play together. DBT has to follow the Drams and that ain't going to be easy so expect A games from all involved during that tour. If every venue is not packed to the rafters during that tour then some Alabama Ass Whuppin's will be dealt out accordingly. Seriously, you are doing yourself a disservice by not going to see these two bands together.

Brent, Jess, Tony, Keith and Chad. thanks for an incredible night of music and the many laughs afterwards.

P.S. Remember earlier I mentioned that my buddy Rich almost didn't go... didn't dig the album. The Drams are now his favorite band (keep in mind he's a metal head) and, yes, he now owns the album. The next day Rich calls me on the phone and sounding very distraught asks me "Why can't the Drams live in San Francisco and play for us every night?". I know, Rich, I know. Looks like somebody needs a comfy Dead blanket and a snuggly Pooh Bear.

DBT Week in Review

Americana Awards Honor Young, McMurtry, Veteran Rocker Neil Young, Singer/Songwriter James McMurtry Win Americana Music Awards:

"The awards, which honor American music based on the country, folk and bluegrass tradition, also recognized the Drive-By Truckers as duo/group of the year and guitarist Kenny Vaughan as instrumentalist of the year.

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From the Yahoo Group kornshucker444 finds DBT on Toyota's website:

"Toyota has a website dedicated to their new Truck FJ Cruiser:

THEN GO TO: Section 2
CLICK: Journals
SCROLL DOWN TO: Over The Mountain

The entry gives our favorite Band a nice plug

There has been some fantastic DBT concert review writing going. Here are a couple that caught me eye:

dbts : Message: Lancaster Chameleon Club 9/27/06:

"This band is inspiring in so many ways.

I want to cast a smoldering gaze like Shonna...

I want to humbly fulfill an indispensable role as rock solidly as Easy B

I want to be a silent bad-ass like Cooley...

I want to someday create anything half as poignantly, achingly,
beautiful as Jason did with Goddamn Lonely Love & Decoration Day...

And most of all, I want to howl with abandon at the top of my lungs
like Patterson.

Great night, totally worth the trip from Philly and the aching neck,
sore throat, and low energy level tomorrow.

Cline"

Nine Bullets:

"Not tonight, though, because the Truckers hit the stage at exactly 9 and no change, and are climbing Lookout Mountain full throttle.

Don’t ask me for a setlist, because I lost the thread of that early on, along with my voice and my freaking mind. I do remember that my surrogate father played Daddy’s Cup, Love Like This, Marry Me, Women Without Whiskey, Gravity’s Gone, Shut Up and Get on the Plane, and…drumroll please, EZB…Zip City. That’s the one. It’s always the one. They could come out the rest of the time and fart Sweet Home Alabama. So long as my sherpa swami guru maestro Mike Cooley does that one little ditty, I inevitably stagger away feeling totally rocked to the core. "

Jason does his anti-war song and Rolling Stones cover. The crowd is made of dogs. See ya at the Rock Show is bloody right. But dammit, where is Maysel in all of this. I hope he’s somewhere hot and is getting it all down. We are witnesses at history. I may never go to another concert again. At least until DBTs hit town the next time. Why bother. Those poor, pathetic alternatives will only pale by comparison. This shit is the shit, and it owns. All week I have been waiting and hoping, and yesterday afternoon I almost threw up to think that that night was the night. And it really was.

Patterson pulls out his Carroll cover, and the night is over. There’s no more road left to go. We have shimmied and shook. Guttered and gabbled. Howled and moaned and drunk and spat and come back for more. This is my band, I’m a basketball mom. Every move they make is mine. Me and my boys are connected by the extended cord of electricity. Each riff strums my mortal soul.

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Go to the end of this story to see the DBT relation.

Writer behind JT LeRoy comes clean:

"SAN FRANCISCO - The author at the center of an elaborate literary hoax is finally coming clean — or so she says.

Laura Albert, 40, a New York City native, is acknowledging that she is JT LeRoy, the supposed male author of gritty, graphic, best-selling novels like 'Sarah' and 'The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things,' which was made into a film.

In a story in The Paris Review's fall issue, Albert admits that she invented the character in therapy. Her psychiatrist encouraged her to write down her stories.

'I wish I could've had my own voice,' she told The Associated Press at a tea party Wednesday in San Francisco. 'It's not unusual that people can't be themselves.'

When an admirer approached and asked her to sign a book, she asked whose autograph the man wanted. 'I've gotten the JT LeRoy signature down,' she said, laughing.

LeRoy is a purported 25-year-old former male prostitute and drug addict born in 1980 who drew from his own experiences hustling, living on the streets and selling sex for his literary work.

Albert is a tall, slender woman with dainty features and auburn curls. She wore a Renaissance-style gown with black leather gloves and a corset at the soiree, where about 30 friends had gathered.

'I'm proud of the work. JT saved my life and JT saved many other lives,' she said. 'People talk about the authenticity of the books. Those are my experiences.'

LeRoy grabbed the attention of authors Tobias Wolff, Dave Eggers and others. He spent hundreds of hours on the phone with director Gus Van Sant and helped him with the screenplay for 'Elephant.'

Then LeRoy started appearing in public — usually wearing hats, wigs and sunglasses. Famous friends read his work in public because his crippling shyness supposedly made it impossible.

Some wondered aloud whether LeRoy existed. Or whether some famous author was doing the heavy lifting."

Now who prey tell does the website for this literary sensation?

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Heh.... ummmmmm.... Rock on, fellas! Rock on

Firemachine - Where The Devil Don't Stay.mp3 (audio/mpeg Object)

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Older article from 8/10/2006. I highlighted these guys a few WIR ago.

Lynam enjoys Shoals shows | TimesDaily.com | Times Daily | Florence, AL:

"BIRMINGHAM -- While their musical styles differ slightly, Birmingham rock trio Lynam and the Shoals' Drive-By Truckers share something in common.

Both bands have toured relentlessly to create a fan base and generate a buzz about their music.

'That's exactly what we've done,' Lynam front man, Jacob Lynam said during a telephone interview.

'The Drive-By Truckers are legendary in what they've done, without any radio play, to build a huge fan base,' Lynam said."

Saved by the Dirty Sanchez

What the fuck is it about being a child TV star that FUBAR's a person when they become an adult. Why couldn't it be one of the chicks from Save by the Bell doing the home porn movie. Ok, we got some softcore, B movie action from Elizabeth Berkley in Showgirls and Tiffani Thiessen blessed us with a Playboy pictorial, but why did it have to be Screech in the grainy, nightvision 3-some where he actually gives one of the girls a Dirty Sanchez. Good god, man! I am adamently opposed to viewing this video. With that said, I'll let y'all know when the good parts hit the web for free.

Porn star's name may ring a 'Bell':

"He may have played nerdy eighth-grader Samuel (Screech) Powers in the sitcom 'Saved by the Bell.' But former TV geek Dustin Diamond can now take his place with Colin Farrell, Tommy Lee and Kid Rock as the star of his very own sex tape.

Everyone who remembers Diamond as a lovable putz is in for a shock once they see a 40-minute video in which he engages in a kinky three-way with two women, sources tell us.

We can't get too graphic here, but word is that the action includes some bodily functions and an act known as a 'Dirty Sanchez.'"

_______

A nude statue in a museum. What is the world coming to.

The terrorist are winning. You just need to figure out who the real terrorist are.

Art Teacher Loses Job After Kids See Nude Sculpture:

"FRISCO, Texas -- An award-winning Texas art teacher who was reprimanded after one of her fifth-grade students saw a nude sculpture during a trip to a museum has lost her job.

The school board in Frisco has voted not to renew Sydney McGee's contract after 28 years. She has been on administrative leave."

________

Damn straight! Again, DO NOT USE THE ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES WHEN YOU VOTE IN NOVEMBER!!! They've stolen the past 4 elections and they're sure as hell gonna try to steal this one too.

Senators Propose Funds for Paper Ballots to Back Up Electronic Ones:

"WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 — Three Senate Democrats proposed emergency legislation today to reimburse states for printing paper ballots that can be ready at polling places in case of problems with electronic voting machines on Nov. 7.

The proposal is a response to grass-roots pressure and growing concern by local and state officials about touch-screen machines. An estimated 40 percent of voters will use those machines in the election.

“If someone asks for a paper ballot they ought to be able to have it,” said Senator Barbara Boxer of California, a co-sponsor of the measure with Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut and Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconson."

________

'I think they'll both lose miserably,' Indeed.

Musharraf talks Osama, Iraq on 'Daily Show':

"To conclude the interview, Stewart put Musharraf on the 'Seat of Heat,' a new feature for the program in which red lights flash around the studio and the guest is asked a final question.

'George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden -- be truthful -- who would win a popular vote in Pakistan?' asked Stewart.

'I think they'll both lose miserably,' replied Musharraf, an answer met with raucous laughter by the 'Daily Show' audience."

Finally, for all you Virginians out there, you're very own George Allen Insult Generator. Not sure what bigoted term to call someone not of you color? Ask Senator Allen. Oh, and vote for Webb in November!

Willie's Breakfast

Normally, I'd shun anything O'Lielly or Ann Voulture or any of the neocon mouthpieces that spew hate and misinformation as unworthy of even a mention on this blog. However, Media Matters has come up with a new imbed that highlight the lies. First up is Mr. Loofah and his lie that he "doesn't do personal attacks". Watch.

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This week, Willie Nelson, whom Donald Rumsfeld calls the 'number two man in al-Qaeda' - was the victim of a pointless search that revealed he had with him a mere pound and a half of marijuana and a fifth of a pound of psychedelic mushrooms - or as Willie calls it, breakfast."

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Bush can't read

And look at the denials of responsibility (a hallmark of the Republican group think) from the lady supposedly teaching Bush to read. Shocking.

Spellings said the problems happened in the early days of the program, which began in 2002, before she was secretary.
......

Spellings, who became secretary in 2005, said she is not aware of any effort to favor certain reading programs.
......

"I'm doing everything I can at this point," she said. "I can't undo what's been done."

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They are not fucking around with the Chinese version of "The Apprentice". I hear that if you lose they torture your family..... No, wait, that's the next version of the U.S.'s "The Apprentice". My bad.

China takes on local version of "The Apprentice":

"A Chinese version of the hit reality series 'The Apprentice' is in the works, although details of the project are shrouded in secrecy."