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The only thought I have on this at this point is that it's taken too long. The people who can afford it know about it already, so I can only assume they're taking this long to sell it because they're hoping to get more money for it.
Van Morrison has been making music with not at all thinly-veiled Christian/spiritual lyrics for 40 years that I love. I'm an atheist, but if you can bring the spirituality without beating me over the head with a sermon, and you can do it with good music, I'm down for it.
Interesting, I didn't have any problems with how it was shot, I just wish it had been a little longer. It was a very collaborative effort, even though several of the people who worked on it are known for writing entire albums worth or songs, including the arrangements of all the parts, where they sometimes play several instruments themselves. Also, it's very clear from the inter-cut parts about Dylan during the time the songs were written that he had no fear and was willing to try just about anything. It seems like both of those aspects of the project might have been enlightening for Marcus Mumford, what with word that the new Mumford and Sons album was a more collaborative effort on the songwriting front and that they're trying different types of instrumentation. ‘Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued’ has been available On Demand, might still be, anybody who is interested should definitely check it out. I liked it enough that I've watched it 2 1/2 times. For what it's worth, I don't hate Mumford and Sons. They wrote some great songs and helped bring something new (that was once old) to music for a few years. Yes, it was a bit trendy and was latched on to by record labels WAY too fast, but for them I think it was what they were really into at the time (and their live show was fucking great). If they aren't feeling that into it anymore I give them credit for not being afraid to grow and try something different, rather than force themselves to do more of the same, which is likely exactly what their label was hoping for.
I don't need the dough, but the amount of profit I could (possibly) make is still tempting. Needs aside, I could still do a lot with that money. However... It's not about that for me, nor is hearing the music with perfect sound. And really, tapers don't always get perfect sound in stadiums either, the acoustics just aren't good. I imagine, as somebody else already mentioned, that they'll have the best sound you an get in that place, anyway. It is kind of something they were known for, after all. I'm digressing a bit here.... The entire point of going for me is the experience. The Grateful Dead changed my life, one of a handful of transformational life moments I can point to that are attached directly to music; hearing the Grateful Dead live - on tape, even before attending a show, then attending my first show (of many); my first rave; seeing Aphex Twin live at a rave; discovering live free jazz/improvised music. Of those, although for the first few years raving came close (before the scene fell apart), none created a family that I loved and kept in touch with over the years like I did with my Grateful Dead family. None created a personal bond - with the band, the music, fellow heads and the swirling mass around all of it, a physically visceral bank of memories that I can go to in my mind whenever I want, or changed my everyday lifestyle and belief system, both spiritual and political, nearly as much or as strongly as the Grateful Dead did. The Grateful Dead didn't just change my life, they changed me as a human being. Changed the very core of who I was and what I believed. Changes that stuck for life, that are a part of me to this very day. With that in mind, I'm going to live in that moment one last time. To see (with the friend I'm going with) even a few of the people I used to see on tour. To talk about life, then and now, with some like-minded individuals. I want to walk through the parking lot and see the sites, smell the smells. And maybe more than anything, I want to stand in a throng of dancing Heads, close my eyes and FEEL the music. I know it won't be the same, but it never was. From show to show or year to year, it was never the same. Plus, it doesn't have to be the same because everything I ever experienced around the Grateful Dead is still inside of me, still a part of who I am. I'm not going to re-live anything, I'm going to keep living it. I'm going to add to that bank of memories and maybe, hopefully, put some form of a pleasing, happy closure to it all, because that's not something I've felt since 1995. As I said in my first post, that sense of closure I'm looking for is really important to me. Not closure with the band, music, lifestyle or beliefs, but closure within myself. Closure on that huge chapter of my life. I will carry the feelings, beliefs and memories I have because of the Grateful Dead with me to my grave. I will always listen to and love the music. But it's time for me to officially be done with some things that are hard to express here in words. It's deeper than words, I guess. I know what it means to me, I know what I'm looking for, and I definitely won't find it by selling my tickets.
All of "us" didn't, and life isn't always fair. I'm thinking it's possible there might be more shows around this event, we'll see. It's reaching, but it feels like it could be possible. Other than that, I'm expecting major announcements for ways people can watch the shows (or at least one of them) via live simulcast to movie theaters, or even concert venues (so people can dance). Don't lose heart just yet, there's still four full months before the shows.
I think it would be fair to say that Marcus Mumford was pretty deeply affected by his work on 'Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued'. If you haven't seen it, you should.
Don't tell me what to do bully. First of all, my pulse rate is at rest. I'm so calm I just woke up from a nap. Second, when has telling anybody to calm down worked or gotten you anywhere? You can take your "calm down" an place it deep inside a warm dark orifice attached to your nether regions. I'm still waiting for somebody to have the balls, or the braincells, to step up have an opinion instead of just tossing off an insult or a meaningless down vote. Nobody seems to have taken any notice to the fact that I haven't said anything about his music, which I support very vocally. I don't care how good his music is, IF that is the cover, it's GARBAGE.
... but I did. Twice, actually. Both times my opinion agreed with me so I went ahead and posted my comment.
So like, you talked shit to somebody for using a dick and/or dick sucking as an insult (that I'm not even sure they intended as an insult), said they were on some "eighth grade shit", but you just called somebody a dick while expressing your own opinion. Sense, it wasn't made here.
Seriously, people honestly think that's a GOOD album cover? Do you honestly believe that looks good, or artistic, or even interesting? IT'S SO AWFUL! I have never used this word in my life, because honestly, I never understood it, but y'all are some Stans with this nonsense. IF that is that album cover, it's AWFUL, PERIOD! And somebody who claims to be as fashionable and designer conscious should have a better eye than that. Ugh.
Pearl Jam. I guess they fall out of your 15 years, but they'll be able to play wherever they want for as long as they want to keep playing.
Every member of the band has continued touring and playing over the years and all of them perform Dead songs regularly. They also toured in various incarnations of The Dead. It's not like they're dusting off the moth balls after twenty years of not touching their instruments or playing these songs. They're the same age (or younger) than the Stones and Paul McCartney, for example. Trey will do fine with the guitar work, Jerry's singing is going to by Bob, Trey and Bruce, or some combination of all three. Bob already sang half the songs at any given show and Phil MIGHT sing a song at every three night stand (might, even that wasn't always a guaranteed thing), so I don't see that being an issue, either. Honestly, I don't think anybody is expecting peak Grateful Dead, though. Just a happy good time with a bunch of friends, giving us an opportunity for an official thank you and goodbye.
I got mail order general admission tickets and didn't realize it was a difficulty for some people. I guess I got lucky. I bought a lot of mail order tickets over the years (like, a lot!), but wouldn't think that has anything to do with it because many, many thousands of other Heads did the same. This event is very special to me as I'm looking at it as closing a major chapter in my life, so there's no way I'm selling them. But like, man, those prices give you something to think about.
Are you even a TINY bit serious with that logic? I read the entire article, every word of it. Kanye West, a KNOWN and ADMITTED control freak who wants, no DEMANDS to be taken seriously as a designer, chose THAT IMAGE to be his album cover. If that's the album cover, it's hideously laughable by any design standard. It looks like something a twelve year old would come up with in a cheap photo editor.
And it looked better than this.
I can't believe this story has so many views, and in particular comments. Non-news, not important, who is Brand New? This is dumbuh.
kenthewolfboy was brave to utter words that even hinted at not worshiping His Holy Savior Kanye West. Me, I just don't give a fuck; that is one of the ugliest album covers I have ever seen. That CAN'T be the cover. If it is, please try harder if you want people to take you seriously as ANY KIND of a designer, Kanye.
I've read two comments about revenue vs. traffic/clicks this morning and my response to that it is now harder to look at more stories than it was before. There are fewer stories to click on on the front page. Even in the newsfeed there should be more stories on one page. Also, clicks are clicks, so most commented had to have a positive impact on click counts. Lastly, if they're looking for more clicks on unique stories I can't imagine it's working, not yet anyway. I'm spending much less time here and when I look at comment sections I'm seeing very few of the regulars taking the time to comment it up like they used to. Maybe this will change, who knows?
Down voting trolls are a part of my existence at the gum, they don't matter, really. Interesting, I don't see the lines, just taupe boxes on the white background, original comment on the outside, all replies tabbed over once underneath the original comment. Also, there's some people commenting how the site appears to have been designed for mobile use, which I understand is necessary, and that it will make some people happy. Well, I don't do mobile browsing, like, ever, so I don't understand how people would know that or get that feeling.
Windows 7/Current Firefox, nothing changes regarding layout if I increase or decrease text/picture sizes. Honestly, I don't have a problem with anything outside of the newly noticed reply tree issues (and the profiles, heh). I still like the new design, for the most part, and will no doubt like it more once I get used to using the Newsfeed.
Down votes never have meaning, even less in regards to this new website design. I love stereogum, but the migration to the new site has not been smooth. No avatars, now some people have avatars, posts were not showing up when you his post (for hours), then appeared out of nowhere, the profile issue, the general displeasure over the size of images and lack of content now seen on the front page. I still love stereogum, but as I just said in another comment, when you change the design of a site people have been using for so long you have to know (and be prepared) for some fallout. Honestly, other than the fact that many of the regular posters appear to not be commenting much at all, the complaints here have not been very loud or frequent (except by me, evidently *shrug*).
So I guess there is a way to email directly, clearly something I never knew. Regardless... I can send a screen cap if it will really help, but what we're seeing is all replies under the mother post look as if they're a reply to the mother post, even when they are a reply to a reply, or a reply to a reply to a reply. So the first post is on the margin and every reply after that is tabbed over one time, even if it's the third reply in the tree. In a lot of cases, depending on the context/content of the reply, you can't tell who someone is replying to, because it could be to any number of the replies under the mother post.
I haven't. Not even close. I complained in several threads on ONE DAY because I was frustrated there was no way to contact anyone at Stereogum to complain directly. But if it's still not fixed next Friday I will complain about it in this column again. *shrug* You wanted to change the site, you apparently chose to do so with little or no beta testing, you had to know there was going to be some fallout.
Yeah, Johnny Greenwood was actually using the electronic stuff on stage long before Thome York started producing electronic music. Even before Kid A and Amnesiac. He uses it in his movie scores, as well. Everyone was a part of King of Limbs because that's how Radiohead writes/records.
I've been avoiding reading this again and commenting.... I just get too excited... and I don't WANT to get too excited. King of Limbs is my least favorite Radiohead album.... I don't want another King of Limbs.... gah! I should just stop typing.
As for people dissing him and making jokes about relevance, he was on one of the biggest bands of the 90s and is releasing his second solo album, which happens to be very good. He's promoting that album, like all musicians who can get the music press to talk to him, and isn't afraid to answer questions when asked. It's not like he's just some guy who is trying to stay in the spotlight by being controversial. He's promoting his album and this is him acting/reacting the same way he always has. Some of us find it entertaining, even if we don't always agree.
But like, didn't Dylan like Jimi's version of All Along The Watchtower more than his original? I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that yet, because I'm pretty sure that was (is) the case. At any rate, Dylan has NEVER been one for sticking with the original arrangements of his songs. He's changed them up constantly, consistently, for his entire career (hello! he went electric!). For some reason I feel like these are things Noel should know.
I just notice the reply tree issue today, that one is definitely a bummer.
Hmm, not really sure how this will work as a sitcom, mostly because I hate sitcom laughter, whether canned or from a "studio audience". However, Triumph was on Inside the NBA on TNT a couple weeks and it was freaking hilarious. Dirty, insulting, and hilarious. I just wonder if it wasn't that funny because he was riffing, something you can't really do while filming a seasons worth of sitcom episodes (as evidenced by this very scene, which was obviously written ahead of time).
The thing is, I've been on the internet for a very long time, in fact I've never not had internet in my home since first using Prodigy in 1993. I've seen a thousand websites change their design (usually not for the better) and promise such and such feature would return, only to see it slowly become a non-issue when enough people get used to the change and stop complaining, thereby allowing said feature to slip into memory like so many other things that used to be cool. I'm not trying to be a dick, I'm just standing up and having a voice, making sure people don't forget (yet, it's inevitable they will eventually if it doesn't come back).
Every life has value, every life meant something, to someone. I'm sorry to hear Harris Wittels death has been difficult for you. I'm having particularly hard time with the passing of Leonard Nimoy today. Big time sadness.
At least I have an avatar most of the time and my posts don't appear to be going off for adventures in the internet ether before permanently coming to rest anymore.
So about that being able to look at our Profiles thing so we can see all of our comments in one place... ya know, the thing that was cool about Stereogum?
Ahhh, somebody was mad I said I'd like to have sexy time with a Tegan & Sara. What, you think men don't find them attractive? You think men shouldn't be allowed to say they find women attractive? You think they don't have sex (with women)? Geez. People are weird these days.
Something in the Bay Area would be super awesome, please, please, please. California does not cease to exist once you pass over the Grapevine.
I love, love, LOVE this album and have things to say... plus, interested to read the piece as well... but the Jack U live stream has drained me. My synapses need rest before I tackle this one. Otherwise I'll think I wrote well what I wanted to say, only to find I've left a muddled mess, riddled with grammatical errors and half-thoughts. But I will be back, oh yes I will. You've been warned.
Uhhh... Sonic Youth? Gordon is not leeching off of anyone's fame and she has every right to voice her opinion. In fact, most of the time the majority is going to be inline with her opinion, as she's a very intelligent and well-respected individual. This time I think she's a bit off the mark, barking up the wrong tree as it were. She's got a book coming out that a lot of people are interested in reading, though, so you can expect she'll have plenty of time to be asked about this over and over while promoting it.
I pay absolutely zero attention to such things and I don't tweet, but evidently #24hoursofjacku was trending number one for a bit. The highest I saw the unique viewers count was a little over 25,000 early evening yesterday. The lowest was in the 6000 range after the one longish stream loss, which it turns out was because somebody unplugged a router power cable so they could charge their phone (no, seriously, that happened). It was never below 10,000 when the stream was actually working. Total views was 720,390 Stream lasted from Noon PST on 2/26 until 5:55 AM PST on 2/27