FREE EAR CANDY: Happy Halloween from The Boss!

 

Every year Bruce Springsteen and his wife Patti set up an elaborate halloween display at their mansion in Rumson, NJ. However, due to “catastrophic success” they decided to give their neighbors a break this year. Instead, The Boss is offering a free Lo-Fi download of A Night With The Jersey Devil.

Head over to brucespringsteen.net for some free ear candy!

Transgender Day of Remembrance

So its been a long while since I’ve posted, being so busy with work and a musical I am currently in. But I have been working on this article for a while and now I’m glad its ready. I hope it do it justice.

For most people November 20th, is just another day. People in the United States are prepping for the holidays possibly making sure they have all the right elements ready for Thanksgiving. People in Mexico might be observing the Anniversary of the Revolution, Unicef has their Children’s Day, and a small percentage of people, like me, will be observing November 20th as Transgender Day of Remembrance.

So what is Transgender Day of Remembrance? Its a day not just for those of us who are transgendered, or any other gender-variant. Its a day that that is set aside for EVERYONE to bind together and remember those killed due to anti-transgender hatred. It first started to honor Rita Hester, who was murdered in November of 1998. [Read more]

Democracy and ice cream go hand in hand!

Hit up the voting booth, pat yourself on the back and get FREE ice cream? Ben and Jerry’s wants to thank you for voting by giving you a free scoop of ice cream! Head over to any participating Ben and Jerry’s location on election day from 5-8PM to claim your scoop (or scoops if you’re slick). 

Voting locations and participating shops can be found here… http://www.facebook.com/benjerry

For amber waves of grain! Obama’s 30 minute / 4 million dollar infomercial

Here is Obama’s half-hour infomercial incase you missed it last night. What are your thoughts on the mega media buy? Worth the money? Effective or just another political tactic?

 

The Fight Between Good And Drunk

Racing toward this show, my first concern is the insistently blinking oil light on my dash, threatening to keep me from getting there at all, and secondly I am worried that the doors opened about an hour and a half ago. I turn up just in time to catch the last few songs of the opening band, Only Crime. They’re supposed to be a no frills, straight forward rock outfit, but really they’re just a Face to Face rip off that have the added bonus of being really preachy. Before their next song the lead singer informs me, “This song’s about how to tell the good guys from the bad guys from yourself,” and then goes on to tell me that I need to wake up. I silently wonder if the Monster I pounded on the drive over will be enough to do the trick and meander over to the bar for a Newcastle. Other than unoriginality these guys are also doing their best to pull off wearing shorts on stage, which anyone knows only ever works if your in a band called AC/DC.

Waiting for some music worth listening to, I revel in the rather unique atmosphere of what’s left of punk. The crowd ranges from early teens who can’t stand still to people about my age. Everyone except myself apparently got the memo to stock up on visible tattoos and torn clothing. At least I remembered my muscles and spiked hair. Every girl In the place is showing all the cleavage she can muster and hanging on the arm of some guy who, as she gazes deep in to his eyes, beams back at her with a look that says, “I’m a douche bag, but because I’m in a band, I’m still going to get laid tonight.” I’m not the least bit bitter. [Read more]

Climate change… A headache of global proportions

PBS/Frontline documentary HEAT is for all you haters who don’t believe in climate change. Experts say that we’ve experienced climate change before, but not with 6.5 billion people living on Earth. By 2035 the Himalayan glaciers will have lost 80 percent of their ice, drying up rivers which millions depend on. What can we do to prevent this? Reduce carbon emissions by 60 to 80 percent before mid-century. The task is quite daunting considering the process of creating cement is the 3rd largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions! With our government courting oil tycoons, the rapid growth of developing nations, our addiction to fossil fuels and the need for standard resources such as cement, the reversal process is a headache fever of global proportions.

Watch the entire program over at… http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/heat/

Dungen @ Kemado Records CMJ Showcase - Music Hall of Williamsburg

You’ve probably heard me singing the praises of Dungen’s brand of Swedish psych-folk rock before, and I’m still singing…especially after the recent release of the 4 album and the Kemado Records CMJ showcase that they headlined on Friday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. If you have any kind of ear for beautiful throwback psychedelic rock they way that I do, you are already a big fan. And if you’ve never heard them and you’re still reading this, listen up below! This is “Satt Att Se” from their new album, 4 (which is indeed their 4th album)…. [Read more]

Talking to the Fed Ex Guy - A Dispatch From Detroit

Last Tuesday, I got a chance to catch up with my buddy Jimmy Fallon at our local bar.  He’s been finishing up his film commitments before he begins working on the precursor podcasts to the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon.  I found it touching to hear someone else wax poetic, other than the Old Man, about Detroit, where he and Drew Barrymore were filming on location a couple of weeks back. “Someone talked me into riding a bike through the downtown section of the city of Detroit,” Jimmy said.  “I liked the city; it seemed like it was sleeping but awake.  So here we are, riding in the middle of the street and this car pulls up, looking for directions.  They recognized me and we got to talking.  ‘What are you doing in on a mountain bike in the neighborhood at 3am?’ they asked.” [Read more]

He’s the Candy Man!!!

“The Candy man”… that�s who he is!!!

Promise after sweet promise after sweet promise

“Hope”… “Unity”… “It’s not about me, it’s about you”…”We can change America”… “yes we can”… “Yadda yadda yadda”

No substance!� Speech after speech, add after add, and all I’ve heard�so far is fluff, fluff, fluff.� Cripes, it’s as if some giant cotton candy machine’s exploded, sending pink joy floating through the�skies and the whole world is riding that magic carpet sugar high right on into the ballot booth.

Hmmm…. Just thinkin bout all the goodies he�s cookin up for me …makes me want to sing… [Read more]

ACT NOW: Stop the execution of Troy Davis

Troy Davis is scheduled to be executed on October 27th at 7PM (Georgia time). Doesn’t look like we’ve made much headway since our last efforts to grant clemency to wrongfully convicted Troy Davis. There’s still much work to be done. Three days left. Make it count. Here’s how…

Official letter from Kim Manning Cooper with Amnesty International:

Dear Friend,

We are urgently campaigning to prevent the execution of Troy Davis in Georgia, USA. Troy was sentenced to death after being convicted of a crime he maintains he did not commit.

In the 17 years he has been on death row seven of the nine non-police witnesses have recanted or changed their testimony, several citing police coercion. Troy Davis was granted a stay of execution on September 23, less than two hours before he was due to be executed. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court have declined Davis’ appeal for a proper hearing or a re-trial. The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles have set his new execution date in Georgia as 7pm local Georgia time on 27 October. Troy’s life again hangs by a thread.

We are doing everything in our power to prevent the execution of Troy Davis, help us by taking the following actions

1. Urge the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles to grant Troy Davis clemency

2. Demonstrate: Amnesty International UK will be holding a vigil outside the USA Embassy, Grosvenor Square on Monday 27th October from 5PM. If you live in London, please join us in support of Troy Davis. For more information on the demo, please contact Kim Manning-Cooper, Death Penalty Campaigner.

3. E-mail your MP: and urge them to raise the case directly with the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole. Find contact details for your MP here.

Please outline the history and urgency of Troy’s case, stressing that his execution is set for this Monday 27 October, and urging your MP to contact the Board immediately. Case information can be found here, and the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles can be contacted directly via fax on 001 404 651 8502.

Please contact me via phone, 020 7033 1582 or email with any reply you receive from your MP.

Join us in the fight to save Troy Davis

Protect The Human.

Sincerely,

Kim Manning Cooper
Campaign Manager

Amnesty International UK

Obama en Espanol

Un mensaje de Brack Obama. His Spanish is pretty good!

7 Year old breakdancer on Ellen

This kid can boogie!

Michael Kors finally arrives in Washington

Michael Kors has decided to open up shop in Washington’s Bellevue Square.  It’s a 3,000 square-foot store and schedule to open in July of 2009.

Kors’ fans will find his ready-to-wear collection, including shoes, handbags, watches, fragrances, and eyewear.  It will be a lifestyle store, just as the ones found in New York and throughout the country (there are 33).

In 2009 he’s looking to open 20 more! Not sure if this will affect his exclusivity.  Michael Kors is already a mass produced brand, easily found in discount stores.  We’ll just have to see.  I’m sure we won’t here any protest.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Apache Beat Release “Tropics” Single

Ilirjana Alushaj, lead front-woman of Apache Beat is a cutie. Apart from being the leading lady in one of NYC’s most exciting new bands, she’s also the editor of The Pop Manifesto. Cute, talented and ambitious. Expect an Apache Beat full length out in 2009, but here’s a free track to hold you over…

Download Tropics RIGHT HERE.

And if you missed them at the NME showcase you can catch them at CMJ this Saturday at Webster Hall. This one’s FREE to! [Read more]

The End of the 40 Year Old Bartender

The panic is just beginning to set in. It seems no one knows what is coming next, the paranoia over bank closings, unemployment and the possibility of unrelenting inflation has fallen squarely from the skyline to the streets of Manhattan. The first segment of the economy to take the hit is the service industry.

And taken the hit I have. Now over two weeks into my job search and there appears to be almost nothing available in the way of shifts in New York City. My thoughts turned to timing. Perhaps I was missing out on certain gigs that would be right for me because I was getting there after the interviewer had seen 40-50 people. It was all about trying to put the odds in my favor as I had seen just how many people were looking for work. I ran into that cluster f*** last Tuesday when a friend called me to say a bar on East 36th Street was looking for a barman. The interviews were scheduled to begin at 2pm. I was there at 2:05 only to find a 1,000 sq. ft. room filled with nearly 60 perspective applicants, all in the 24-28 age range. I have an excellent resume but I was stunningly intimidated by the turn out; not only were there all those people in the room but I was the oldest one there. I filled out the application and left my resume with the manager on duty. [Read more]

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