I'm no hero, I'm Actuary of the Year!

This reminds me that I've always wanted someone to work out the logic of the "One of us tells the truth and one of always lies" conversation from Labyrinth and see if it played up to the point that it didn't (too much natter? But I really want to know!!!!!)

iTunes has an "Exclusive" live New Pornographers EP Live at SoHo. Their cover of ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down" is supposed to be awesome, but I haven't gotten to it yet....

Huh. 11 songs, 44.6 minutes - and they call it an EP. I remember when 44.6 minutes made something a longish album that just barely fit on one side of a 90 minute cassette....

The New Pornographers' cover of "Don't Bring Me Down" is cool. They explained before the song that they learned it for an appearance on French TV, where they were asked to play a "rock 'n' roll classic." Then the NP guy said, "Not many people in Europe thought it was a rock 'n' roll classic, but it obviously is."

Heh. It is so a classic. Maybe in Europe the category of "rock 'n' roll classic" is more restrictive than in the US?

At least in France, the "roll" in the phrase "rock n' roll classic" would make all the difference. Rock n' roll is 50s-style music and if you know how to "danser le rock" you can swing-style danse.

This just in (should I put this in Press?):

From bands at The Bronze in Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Angel singing karaoke at Caritas to the traditional-style fiddling and guitar playing in Firefly, music is an integral part of Joss Whedon's universes. This collection seeks essays from both established and emerging scholars on the uses of and contributions made by music in the Whedonverse. Discipline-specific and interdisciplinary views are encouraged to address issues of power, relationships, identity, gender, communication, religion, multiculturalism, sanity and madness, and other topics present in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Serenity. Topics might include, but are not limited to:

• Music and performance
• Gender/identity/race and music (including traditional identity topics as well as those of non-human characters)
• Genre representations
• Scoring for action sequences
• Music and communication
• Musical characterization
• Music and camp
• Music and transformation
• Character vocality
• The use of silence and music in unique ways
• Levels and mixing of diegesis and non-diegesis

The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2008. The collection will be published by Scarecrow Press with an anticipated publication date in 2009.

Essays should be between 7,000 and 9,000 words and follow Chicago Manual of Style format. Only electronic submissions sent in a .doc (Word) formats will be accepted. Authors are encouraged to include photographs, but will be responsible for acquiring all materials and permission for use. Please send a cover letter including the title of the essay, an abstract of not more than 200 words, an author c.v, and author biography of not more than 100 words along with the complete blind essay (author's name should not appear) to Kendra Preston Leonard at caennen_at_gmail.com.

How cool!

Coincidentally enough, "Coin-Operated Boy" came up just as I started reading the Amanda Palmer discussion. Hee.

I actually have her cover on my computer, but I haven't listened to it yet because I feel like I should listen to the more famous versions first. I've never heard the full song, but I imagine I've heard pieces of it in TV and movies.

does anyone know of any prison/chain gang music that's kinda cool and groovy, sorta like VAST's "Dirty Hole", but not?

I don't know VAST, but there's Devo's cover of "Workin' on a Chain Gang" and the Pretenders' "Back on the Chain Gang".