Has nyone mentioned Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six

The Pogues? We should always talk about the Pogues. Whenever we're not talking about the Pogues, it's probably a mistake.

Just dropped off a stack of CDs at KQED. Then Kim emailed me an MP3 she wanted to include. So I called back and did an FTP (ooh! Technology!) with the engineer. Cool part? While I was on hold he was playing me the songs he was transferring down the line. So instead of muzak, business jazz or light classical, I was on hold listening to "Rock and Roll Friend" by The Go Betweens.

I think the article about the book in Time Out New York is coming out in this week's issue.

Also...(I can't believe I'm typing this), our publicist said a reporter for World News Tonight was pitching a story about the book to his producer. That seems like a pretty damn big longshot, but still it indicates this book is clicking at a high level for national publicity.

Bruce Cockburn, "If I Had a Rocket Launcher". Actually, all of side 2 ("Side two? What's he talking about, Mommy?") of Stealing Fire, the songs comprising which were composed after Cockburn's trip to Central America in 1983. Apropos for these times, too, since a bunch of people in the Bush administration (this one, I mean, but George pere was up to his eyeballs in it) were deeply involved in the making and carrying out of our official and unofficial policies toward Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.

our publicist said a reporter for World News Tonight was pitching a story about the book to his producer.

Peter Jennings probably got wind of all those Rush and Triumph albums in the book.

Peter Jennings probably got wind of all those Rush and Triumph albums in the book.

Hey, we've got all kinds of Canadians in the book. Leonard Cohen, Dream Warriors, Lewis Furey...Uh. Sloan!

Wow!

Definitely announce if that happens!!!

I missed the protest song discussion? I hope someone mentioned "Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards," by Billy Bragg -- one of the few really hopeful songs about being a political musician, and one that has given me hope in a few dark times. Although lately, the song I have had in my head is Loudon Wainwright's "President's Day," which is unfortunately now out of date.

Hi, all! I've been busy, and then ill. I'm mostly better.

So I've agreed to read at the LITG reading in NYC (Joe! You WUSS!). Rhett Miller of the Old 97s is playing Fez the night before. The Handsome Family play Southpaw the night of. I guess I'm reading both those pieces!

I guess I'm reading both those pieces!

Timing is everything in show business.

I was stuck on hold at work, and heard what was, I assume, Sarah Brightman's version of Whiter Shade of Pale. OK, she has a pretty good voice, like a latter day Annie Lennox, but the harpsichord was just a bad, bad idea.

Timing is everything in show business.

One guy says to another, "Ask me, what's the most important thing about comedy?"

"OK," the second guy replies, "what's the most important --"

"Timing," says the first guy.

So I've agreed to read at the LITG reading in NYC (Joe! You WUSS!).

While I find it hard to dispute your basic point, Misha, no one asked me to read. I did not pull a Johnson (huh? that didn't sound right...): I neither sought nor declined to accept the invitation to read.

I forgot to mention "Machine Gun" as a favorite protest song. Jimi Hendrix re-creates, using just his guitar, artistry and lots of volume, a firefight on stage at the Fillmore East, bewildering the New Year's Eve revelers. One of his great moments. Devastating stuff.

Listening to Lou Reed's New York, and I just have to ask: Did he listen to a shitload of Warren Zevon when he made this album?