I bought this Midnight Oil CD a long, long time ago, and it's never gotten old to me.  I'm playing it as a part of the "Hetta Music" thing I've been doing for some time now because she likes this band and especially this album.  Their "earthy" sound and consistent vocal support for the environment and the less fortunate make them attractive to me and remind me of Heather.

I hope you all are doing fairly.  Sorry I've not been reading any of your blogs, but I'm saving significant time by avoiding the blogosphere for the time being.  The business site is getting bigger every day!

Midnight Oil | Earth and Sun and Moon | Bushfire

Earth and Sun and Moon

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Although my family basically ignores my blog, I think I've got a friend or two in the blogosphere who might care about this.  Maybe.  Then again, who knows...

Anyway, I love following blogs and newsfeeds on the Internet.  Unfortunately, I need to devote more time to finishing bustawindow.com.  So, I will not be reading any blogs or news for the next couple of months while we work towards getting our business site up and running.

I'll still post the Tune of the Week, but that's it for the time being.  Thanks for understanding!

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This past weekend was a serious scare in the life of my sister.  The reports coming out of Afghanistan haven't been good lately, and the most recent have been, by far, the worst in quite some time.  On top of this, Rachel hadn't heard from Mical all weekend, and he always contacts her on the weekend.

At long last, she heard from Mical this morning, and he is unharmed and still out of the line of fire.  He returns to the States in late August for several days, only to go back to Afghanistan for the second half of his tour of duty as a member of the Navy Reserves.

We patiently await your swift return, dearest Mike.

Rammstein | Reise, Reise | Ohne Dich

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Over the last few years, I have discovered that I really enjoy following local sports.  We're currently listening to the White Sox on the radio while we work, and I even sometimes listen to the AAA minor league team affiliated with the Sox (on the Internet).  I also like following sports that get little attention, like lacrosse, hockey (especially hockey!), arena football, and even soccer.  All in all, there are about fifteen teams of different types to follow in Chicago.

I originally got into women's professional football (specifically, the Independent Women's Football League) when I discovered that one of the kids I knew growing up was playing for the D.C. Divas.  I've been following Amy Juang's career ever since, hoping that the Divas will some day come to Chicago or near here so we can watch her play.

Enter, the Chicago Force.  These ladies are something to watch (or listen to, in my case).  They've got a podcast that I'll listen to when I have the chance.  Anyway, the Force won today and, as a result, will play in the league championship game.  Go Force!

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The King Taking His Repose

Talk to the Paw

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Although I've not played much of this band on this blog, Iced Earth is in my top five bands, probably top three bands of all time.  Again, it has to do with respect and integrity, i.e., I respect their integrity.  The band has always stuck to a vision, and they have always crafted music and lyrical content that can only be described as a true art form.

In this sixteen-minute interview with Jon Schaffer, the lead guitarist and brains behind the machine that is Iced Earth, Jon talks about the most recent album and a few other things.  Towards the end of the interview, he talks about one of my pet peeves (and a pet peeve of a lot of music lovers that I know), which is the way albums are now commonly being produced.  He explains in some detail how this current method of recording everything at a loud volume reduces the quality and dynamics of the music tremendously.  I found it very enlightening and even funny at times, and I hope you do as well.

Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth

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With the posting of my last tune (and the subsequent appearance of my picture of Spinal Tap on Vox's home page), there's been some revived conversation and laughter in our place concerning them.  Heather particularly likes Spinal Tap, and the tune posted today is her favorite from what I can tell (because she laughs the hardest when she hears this particular tune).  Another installation in my "Hetta Music" feature.

A little bit of trivia: if it's been a while since you've seen This Is Spinal Tap, or, gasp!, you've never seen it, this song is performed in the movie at an army base.  The band is greeted by an obnoxious sergeant or whatever who reminds them that the crowd is going to be conservative and won't want the music to be too loud, etc.  As the show begins, couples prepare to get out and dance as if to lounge music, and the band opens with "Sex Farm".  Awesome.

By the way, one of the dork brothers from the band, Oasis, apparently cried when he discovered to his chagrin that Spinal Tap wasn't a real band.  Genius, pure genius.

The lyrics to this tune are priceless, but I've opted not to post them as they might land me in jail or something.

Spinal Tap | This Is Spinal Tap | Sex Farm

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For those of you who care, here's a few photos from our evening with Nicholas and Hedy, Heather's brother and his fiance.

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What's your favorite song with "America" or "USA" in the title? Bonus points if you share it with us.

There are a few, like Iced Earth's sincere rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner".  And you can't forget Jimi Hendrix's version.  Although these don't have "America" or "USA" in the title, do they?

Anyway, my very, very favorite is "America" by Spinal Tap.  Certainly their original "Black Album" was the inspiration for Metallica's album of the same name.  Yes?  Anybody know?

The complete lyrics to this divine tune:

We came like babies
From our home across the sea
To see America.
And the people opened up their arms
To welcome us...to America.
We came like children
From a far and distant land
To see America, and the golden
Sun of freedom filtered down to us,
In America.

And the people stood and stared
Loved us more than we had dared--to
In America.

Super highways here and there
Pretty womens everywhere.
Brady Bunch and Smokey Bear.
Buildings reaching to the sky
Afro-sheen and apple pie.
PTA and FBI.

The jumbo jet begins to rise
A joyful nation waves its bye-byes.

Each religion, race, and creed
Gets exactly what they need.
God bless Johnny Appleseed!

Spinal Tap

Spinal Tap | This Is Spinal Tap | America

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If you're offended by stereotypes, move along little doggy.  I'm gonna rant, and my rant concerns people and three "archetypes".  I think I've earned this post, considering the fact that my blog has morphed into a terribly uncontroversial ledger of tunes and miscellany, and the fact that I'm anything but uncontroversial.

PERSON TYPE ONE -- Never had an idea in his head and could care less.  This bloke works a blue collar job, gets by, is relatively content with his lot in life, might follow NASCAR, and definitely likes (American) football (or whatever is its equivalent in your country), classic rock, and beer.  Enough said.

PERSON TYPE TWO -- Thinks he has an idea in his head, but doesn't.  These types tend to work white collar jobs and are always, always "positive".  Need a little emotional validation?  Don't go to a type two for it.  After you've spent the last five minutes describing the horrors of your rape, they'll blurt out, "But you have to admit that MOST men aren't like that.  Right?"  Or better yet, "Boy, I sure am glad that I'VE not been raped!"  Gotta just love that POSITIVE reinforcement!

PERSON TYPE THREE -- Truly has a number of great ideas, but lacks the emotional capacity to know what to do with them.  These are the types of folks who can't attend a hockey game without discussing Nietzsche.  In other words, elitists.  These are those people who have lost the ability to enjoy anything.  Unless, of course, that thing is considered "nonconforming", "alternative," or just plain fucked up.  NOTHING common or, dare I say it, NORMAL, for these folks will do.

My favorite people, almost to the person, are type ones.  And what I find is that type ones often do have ideas, they just don't wear them on their shirtsleeves as a form of identity.  And anyway, it's a hell of a lot more enjoyable watching the Sox pound the crap out of the Cubs with a beer in your hand and an honest soul's shoulder under your arm than with a mirthless, smirking, underachieving, overinflated, walking textbook of Robert Frost's poetry.  Trust me.

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