Twit

Yes, I've got a twitter account. But I'm JAFO on there. (Look it up. JAFO, that is. My handle on Twitter is @MattMaxVan )

Yes, on one level, totally sold out. But I still don't plan on "tweeting" and I still think Twitter is a degrading concept that will further erode us as human beings- and no, I'm not saying that facetiously, as some kind of hyperbolic humour. I really think it's bad for you, as a person, the same way I think that wine coolers are bad for you as a person, or the same way that I think USA Today is bad for journalists, as journalists. It's crap that lowers the standards. But, I can't watch the decay from afar, so I got an account, and followed some folks. There. let's watch the empire fall, shall we?

In place of a post

Here's a life lesson for you: next time somebody asks you to work a second job, say no, if you can.

Yeesh, I've been ultra busy. However, I thought I'd drop a line or two.

I've bought some new releases. I hate none of it, but I'm surprised by what I like more and less. I bought both the new Jane's Addiction, and the new Wilco. Strangely enough, I'm in love with the new Wilco, and just like the new Jane's Addiction. Also, I got Lydia Loveless' Indestructible Machine, and it's pretty satisfying, as is the Boardwalk Empire soundtrack. I didn't really expect that out of either one. I expected Loveless to have a couple of decent sub-Lucinda Williams type alt-country grinders, and the Boardwalk soundtrack to be pale imitations of the gutsy music of the roaring 20's. Instead, Lydia Loveless does a fairly fresh take on Country punk, and the Boardwalk Empire soundtrack has pretty authentic takes on some vintage songs.

Speaking of Boardwalk Empire, I'm more and more impressed by Michael Shannon, and I really dig that they've spent a few episodes dealing with honest appraisals of race and politics in America. It's absolutely must-see stuff, so if you don't have HBO, or you live somewhere without the show, I really would suggest you at least rent or otherwise obtain the DVD when it comes out. This is what television should be.

I'm also watching the Walking Dead. I've liked it a lot, but with the new episodes deviating from the comic book, it's getting into much more morally interesting ground. Seriously, I'm intrigued by some of the philosophical quandaries presented and could see how it could be a good teaching tool for a sophomore philosophy class, somewhere.

So, I will post, soon, don't forget about me, I just have to find some time.

Foodie

I don't know if I'm qualified for restaurant reviews. I've never been the best at judging food, and the highest job I ever had in the food service industry was as Prep cook at Scordato's.

But, I do like food, and food is definitely something that helps define a culture, and is one of the easiest ways to go out on the "long tail"- so, it's part of my mission statement here. So, if I screw this up entirely, please have mercy- I know I'm not a food critic.

I've heard people disrespect our local restaurants, and, frankly, I don't understand why. We've got some Zagat rated restaurants, a renowned Wine scene, a top-selling microbrewery, and even celebrity chefs. But, so be it, I guess. I still like some places around here.

I mean, if you don't like Volt, I question your credentials. The Voltaggio brothers are nationally known, and Bryan has his finger directly on the pulse- he's into gourmet pork, local and seasonal offerings, and even can do the so-called molecular cooking. What could be more of-the-moment, eh? Well, despite all that- the food really is spectacular. Yes, I'm unafraid of spending cash on food. I've had 2 and 300 dollar bills for meals. So, no, it's not cheap- but I defy you to say that anything offends your palette.

On the other end of the cost spectrum, I was a massive fan of That Cuban place, now That Cuban Truck. I'm a slave to good yucca fries, and black beans and rice. It's a weakness.

I also like fusion cuisines, so, a few yards away from my home, I dig El Sloppy Taco. Yes, because Tex-Mex meets Memphis BBQ is an awesome idea.

I've written about it before, but I'm also a massive fan of the Doner Bistro . It's everything a good teutonic boy, like myself could want.

But, I'm not picky. I also dig the deli counter at The Common Market and at Wegman's. I can do without decor, hence my abiding love for the exploded potato at AKA Frisco's.

So, in that spirit of simplicity, but really amazing food, my latest random discovery is Haute Dogs & Fries in Purcellvile, VA. I had the Lamb sausage, sliders, fries, a brownie, and the owner brought over the Eskimo dog. Oh, my. Just plain awesome. The buns are butter covered then grilled to caramelize the outer edge. The meat was fresh and flavorful, the condiments, especially the mint sauce on the lamb were exquisite, and the the place was beyond friendly. Lionel is smart, and a good chef. He knows his area, and, like Bryan Voltaggio, won't stay a local secret for long. Though I didn't meet Patricia, I'm sure she has an equal flair. Are they out of the way? Well, look at a map. My wife and I found the place completely randomly, out of a photo safari, but I'm very, very happy we did. It's a seriously worthy contender as a restaurant, selling what could otherwise be consider street food.

My wife thinks that this area- between Frederick County, MD, Loudoun County, VA and Jefferson County, WVA is an under-rated hotspot. Well, food-wise, with places like the Haute Dog and Fries? I'm more than happy to agree. That, my friends, is exactly why we shouldn't tolerate mass culture.

A stopped Clock

I've tried. A lot. I just don't care for St Vincent. However, Annie Clark's bunch did one good thing- the cover of Kerosene is pretty special. Still the master does it better.

Don't know much

I don't know much about the Howling Bells, other than a cursory read-through on the Wikipedia, and hearing the new song on the NME site, which prompted an immediate purchase of their "The Loudest Engine". They play a pretty exquisite mix of blues-based country rock mixed with shoe-gazey psychedelia. I see people mentioning folk, and yes, there are accoustic guitars, but I'm thinking that might be some laziness on the journalists' part. I'm hearing something more akin to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club meets Mazzy Star, out at Rancho De La Luna. I'm prefectly willing to admit if I'm missing something, and I really don't know very much about the band, and I've not heard anything but this record-however, what more do I need to know than that I like it?

I will learn more, of course, but in the meantime, I think I'm going to listen...

The Orras- Skaing

(The title is a joke based upon the first time I heard of The Horrors- that's my best attempt at a Surrey accent. Normally, I'm good with accents, of various stripes, as I've got an accent myself- I speak with a bit of an American Southwestern accent, a bit cowboy, a bit surfer- mixed with my Mum's strong Saskatoon accent, and a little bit of my Dad's Dutch accent, but the Southern English accent defies me. Hell, I'm good to go in Edinburgh, and Cork, equally- but in Surrey everyone has to say everything twice to me. So, the guy is listening to this ungodly noise, and I ask him what is that crap, and he says "Tha Orras" and I ask "The Oreos?" he replies "Na, mate, tha Orras" so I ask him to spell it. He's frustrated but he does, and I realize the silent Haitch. I find my stupidity funny.)

So, have you seen High Fidelity? With Cusack, doing his best to make Chicago seem like London, and breaking down the fourth wall every chance he gets? Yeah, I thought you had. So, you know that scene where they're listening to Kinky Wizards for the first time, and Jack Black sorrowfully says that they're good? Well, that's how I feel about the Horrors' new one "Skying". I hated the Horrors. But this record? It's pretty good. It's not excellent, change your life great, but it is pretty good. Which means, if you're so inclined, give it a shot. It's got a 4AD/Shoegaze type of feel, with slightly more pop songwriting. Reminds me of when Bassman from Spaceman 3 formed the Darkside, mixed with latter day Chameleons. So, yeah, good stuff. Very odd that they kept the name with that sound, and with the improvement in songwriting. I'd think they'd change the name and distance themselves from the garbage on their first record- and yes, it was pure garbage. I think part of the enjoyment, though, is hearing a truly wretched band find something good. That might be related to why I find my stupidity funny- I rather like reversals.

Wild Flag? Really, you're going with "Wild Flag"?

Again proving the dictum about bad band name equals good band, I've been listening to Wild Flag. Yup, it's good. Former members of Helium, Sleater Kinney , the Minders and Quasi type good.

How to describe it? Well, I've been listening to The Knux, as well. The best metaophor for them, in my mind is the dude you meet at a party on coke. (As in, the dude is on coke. You don't really know him, but you meet him at a party, and you can just observe him, knowing that his problems are his own, but the entertainment belongs to you) The Knux try to mix really raw garagey kind of post punk guitars, with rap and Pop choruses, with the end result sounding like a good New Wave band, but nothing so deep that I can truly relate to it. It's basically entertainment, and nothing more.

Wild Flag, meanwhile is much more like hanging out with a few friends and some beers. I know that there are some issues there, and that makes hearing them have some fun all the better- just like when you can have a drink or two with friends. It's not as tied to amusement, but the enjoyment is more satisfying. They play Indie rock (big surprise, there, huh?) but they do this really neat thing where the guitars and keyboards lock up just slightly behind the beat- it means that they sounds relaxed, no matter how energetic the tempo might be, but they also sound like they're tied in together- again, like hanging out with friends. I'm becoming a really big fan of Carrie Brownstein, though- between her no-nonsense interview persona, her work on Portlandia, and this? It seems like maybe it was good that Sleater Kinney is gone...

I only wish I didn't have to work, and so, will not be able to see them play the Black Cat on the 20th. Hopefully, they stick around long enough to tour again, sometime....

Steve Jobs is Dead

I just heard that it happened. I don't think it was any great shock to anyone, but it is sad, nonetheless. I'm sure the Pancreatic cancer had something to do with it., but I knew on a slightly more personal level that he was going. See, I worked for him, just a little. I knew that I was making arrangement to take him to medical facilities, and most of them were on the "hospice" end of the spectrum, as opposed to the treatment and curative end of the spectrum. So, no we weren't close in any way, but I felt bad for the guy- having to project strength, and command, all the while trying to make one last comfortable bed to lie down and die in.

Of course, his contributions are many, and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone in the western world entirely untouched by the things Steve Jobs brought in to our lives.

I hope that whatever else, the man came to peace with his life. I happen to believe that this is the goal for all of us, and so, I hope he met that. I hope that his family was ready, and can deal with what comes next. I hope that all of us can have some goodwill thrown our way, when we need it. I don't think he needs it, now, but it's there nonetheless. It's sad that the man needs nothing, now, but the comfort is that he didn't seem to waste a second of his time here, so hopefully he got a few minutes or hours of that time without the burden of conflict.

Whacha doin'?

So, I talk a lot about music, a little about TV and books, and the occaisional book on here, right? But, culture isn't that. These are all artifacts, objects, things. Culture is what people do between them. So, what have I been doing, culturally?
Well, Most recently, yesterday I went to Crafty Bastards. For those not in the area, it's a large craft show, based around the fact that those of us in the DC area are so behind the times, that we didn't get the memo that crafting is over. Heck, we're so out of the loop we didn't even know that it's not subversive anymore.
No, what's hip and happening is what I blundered into right next to Crafty Bastards- auditions to be on the 27th season of MTV's Real World.
For those not culturally aware enough to remember the 1990's, I'm deeply sarcastic, because someone named Douglas Coupland put a big X on my forehead, ands I thought that made me a follower of Charles Manson, so I've been bitter ever since.
Much more seriously, I really like Crafty Bastards, as an event. I'm friends with some of the folks involved, and I always make new friends when I go. I think that some of the motivations for it are pure- sustainability, recycling, etc. However, the event is held in one of places I dislike. The Adams Morgan area of DC. Yes, I was in the same area a few scant weeks ago for You Am I ( which was good, but not awesome, unfortunately, so no talking about it from me) , and yes, I do end up there from time to time, but I hate the fake hipsterism that goes with areas like it. I dislike rude people in ironic costume, I don't like having to suffer for fashion- parking is awful, and the response I get from my friends- "I'm sorry, that's why I'm glad I don't live here anymore"- is miles away from the response of the locals, who were telling me to get a bike or get out. Real nice, huh? I live 50 miles away, and they won't let me take my bike on the train.
That's the heart of the cultural matter. Heart. The culture I want to support, and the engine that drives things like Crafty Bastards is a generosity of spirit, a joy in mindset, and a warmth of heart that you will not find in the so-called mass culture. Sure, we might dress it up is sarcasm, and parade it down into the cool,cool depths of hipsterville, but that heart is at the center of what my friends, and I hope I am all about.
So, whether it's fashionable or not (I'm thinking Not) and whether it's your exact Taste, or not- please check out my friends- because they're better people than I am. There's Tina Seamonster and Saul Bare Tree and Jessee and , of Course, Jon Wye ( I think about 1/3 of my T shirts come from that studio.) Go through my blog roll, and you'll find others, as well. The point isn't about style so much as good people. These are all good people. That's something that won't fit into a hipster neighborhood.

However, I am still into blatant localism. So, another set of things I've been doing centers around Frederick. I went to the county fair, which is a really big deal. I ate a poor boy sandwich, drank some beer, watched some kids, and saw a friend play his guitar. He's onto something interesting, I think- do folk music that's tied heavily into genre fiction. Specifically, he's getting tied into Science Fiction, but not in a jokey-reference material way. More in a story type of way. So, yeah, Check out Jonah Knight, too. Now, unlike some of the friends I might mention, Jonah's a really close friend, so sorry no detailed explication on his music- I don't want to discuss it. I like his music, and I like Jonah, and I don't want to potentially argue with anyone over it. But, back to Frederick County-

Later today, I'm probably hitting up Oktoberfest. Like I need an excuse for beer and sausage?

So, if Culture is what you do, that's what I am, lately.

A post I cannot escape

So, over the past week or so, there's been a big to-do about 20 years since "Nevermind". I really don't want to comment on it, but I feel like I'd be lying if I didn't.
No one, I repeat no one is going to believe a word of this, so feel free to tear me a new one, but please know that I'm not fond of talking about this, at all.
See, on the one hand, I cannot comment on that record, because I've never owned it. Seriously, never. As a record, it wasn't all that to me. I'd easily go with that being Nirvana's weakest album. I genuinely couldn't care less about chart position, or voice of a generation hype. It's Kurt's attempt to draw out the best from his influences, and nothing better. Given that I am steeped heavily in those influences, I don't need the copycat version. All I can say is listen to bands like Killing Joke, The Melvins,The Pixies, Naked Raygun, and Leaving Trains, and you tell me if you hear anything really new or cool, or unexpected on Nevermind.
But, that brings me to why I have to comment. See, being so heavily steeped means that I knew several of the players involved. I knew Butch from his (last) days in Spooner, and from Smart studios in Madison. I know Dave Grohl from Scream. And yes, I knew Kurt. See, look up the history (I'm sure you'll find it online, don't ask me for a link.) and you'll note that several Seattle and Olympia-based bands went to Tucson quite frequently. It's because of friends of mine, and I was the soundman at several of those clubs that bands came to play at. So, I first met Kurt when they had either recently released bleach, or were about to, I honestly don't know. Dave was not in the band yet. It's a long story, and quite frankly, not one I will share in public, but Kurt ended up sleeping on my floor. (Not an unusual thing for the time, but yes, the circumstances were unusual). I remember thinking that even though he was the same age as me, he seemed so much more a little boy. Not in an innocent way- little boys can be worldly and evil- but in the sense that he was overwhelmed by life even then.
Which brings me to another person I knew back then. Courtney Michelle Harrison, better known as Courtney Love. She's a nightmare, always. She was back then, and still is. I have to be very careful talking about her because most of what I'd say about her are things that get called "allegations"- but suffice it to say that I know of very few people outside of prison with as big a trail of death, and ruin in their wake. My personal opinion is that she should have been wearing an Orange jumpsuit, years and years ago, and that was my opinion of her before she ever met Kurt. However, once I heard that they were together, I told everyone who asked "He'll be dead inside of a year". At least he surprised me by lasting a bit longer than that, but I mean what do you expect when you put together a weak pretty little boy with a maneater ( that's the nicest term I can use. Most of the terms I'd use for her I will not say here)- You expect him to "man up"? You expect him to suddenly turn into his opposite? Not gonna happen. What will happen is that he'll get chewed up, and will likely die. I'm not bragging when I say that I'm a much stronger man than Kurt ever was, and at about the same time, I married a maneater as well, and I barely got out with my life. It took the better part of a decade to recover, for me, and I got out quicker than Kurt. So, again, knowing the parties involved, I fully expected Kurt to die, and I was most shocked by the amount he got done before he succumbed. There were many parallels between Kurt and I, even down to both of us having extremely bad guts. My son even looks like Kurt, a bit. It's a strange thing.
So, what's my take on this landmark album? What deep and pithy comment can I make? Only this- the pain on there is real. Almost nothing else is real on that record. That's why I prefer Bleach and In Utero, easily. Because while they both have the same pain, the hope on Bleach, and the acceptance, and contentedness on In Utero are just as real as the pain. Yes, I know that Kurt wrote his suicide note on In Utero. In the exceedingly dark world that Kurt and I inhabited at that time, suicide might very well be seen as a relief. Yes, I know that on Bleach, Kurt was trying to be as big dark and cynical as his heroes, but hearing a little blonde boy trying to become his heroes, what do you call that, besides hope? There's a lot said in Punk Rock circles about "selling out", and 99% of it is claptrap for weak minds, but one element is relevant: there is a despair that is hard to stomach when someone gives up everything they could have been to try to "make it big", and I can hear it all over Nevermind, so I still would rather not listen to it. But, that pain is real. It's honest. You can hear the pain and frustration of someone who has been truly isolated, truly alone on that album, and I think that pain is what people connect to. Think about it- we're hard-wired to respond to distress calls. That's why the sound of a baby crying affects you- even if only to annoy you. Most of us have had some pain in our lives, like that. So, when we hear it, we respond. If you wade through the bulldada that people will write, that's the message I hear, in the end- I could feel Kurt's pain.