Yes, yes it is.

Just checked AMG & Iris's "Whispering Pines" seems to be a cover of a Johnny Horton ("Battle of New Orleans") hit, which pre-dated the Richard Manuel song by a few years. Can't tell if Horton had the original, but it looks like he had the hit.

The Manuel song is soooo desolate that I think someone who knew nothing about him, but who, after listening to "Whispering Pines" and "Lonesome Suzie," was told that he committed suicide would not be surprised. Iris seems fundamentally more together than Richard Manuel (though that's not saying much, and I've heard interviews where she sounded profoundly depressed), but she can reach those dark areas, too, and I'd love to hear her cover his signature song.

Iris seems fundamentally more together than Richard Manuel (though that's not saying much, and I've heard interviews where she sounded profoundly depressed), but she can reach those dark areas, too, and I'd love to hear her cover his signature song.

I think Iris has been pretty happy since she hooked up with Greg Brown.

Oh darling Hecubot ...

Did you catch last week's VH1 Alternative shows on the magic Tivo? Because Pete turned on Sunday's airing of it just in time to catch the last ten seconds of the video for "Bela Lugosi's Dead. After I got done wailing and stomping my feet, he said "Well, Hec probably caught it and will put it on the videotape you're getting."

I think Iris has been pretty happy since she hooked up with Greg Brown.

I hope so. The interview I mentioned is no longer on her website & I can't find it elsewhere. I think it was from around the time of "The Way I Should." Seems like there was a live recording of "Wall in Washington," although the concert & interview might have been separate things, not the same audio file alternating between the two. Anyway, she sounded really down. And then there was an eight year gap between albums, followed by a CD called "Lifeline" which the liner notes said referred to the music (the hymns she grew up on) that pulled her through. She might not have been suicidal but she does refer to it as a long, dark period. Garrison Keillor sang "My Life" on Prairie Home Companion this weekend. It's a beautiful song, and while it's always risky to equate artistry with moral goodness (said the Miles fan), there's such compassion and tenderness in it that I would find it difficult to believe that the writer is anything less than a fine human being. So beyond whatever compassion my less fine heart would have for anyone facing a bleak period in her life, Iris's music means a lot to me and she seems like a really good person, so I hope that her darkness is gone and that she is happy.

And right before Prairie Home Companion came on some station had a rerun of "Gingerbread," which features Jordan Baker as Sheila Rosenberg. But before she was Willow's mommy she was Jimmy James's paramour on Newsradio. And as you know I don't need much of an excuse to quote Newsradio, especially an episode so appropriate for this thread - "Led Zeppelin II":

Mr. James: I have made an addition to my list of potential wife candidates.
Dave: Oh, really, what's her name?
Mr. James: Ruth. You know, from the Bible.
Dave: Which one was she?
Mr. James: The one named Ruth.

Did you catch last week's VH1 Alternative shows on the magic Tivo? Because Pete turned on Sunday's airing of it just in time to catch the last ten seconds of the video for "Bela Lugosi's Dead. After I got done wailing and stomping my feet, he said "Well, Hec probably caught it and will put it on the videotape you're getting."

I didn't get that one! How is that possible. They never show that video either. Damn it.

I'll double double check to make sure. Dang it.

I didn't get that one! How is that possible. They never show that video either. Damn it.

(crawls under desk and starts sobbing)

It's a beautiful song, and while it's always risky to equate artistry with moral goodness (said the Miles fan), there's such compassion and tenderness in it that I would find it difficult to believe that the writer is anything less than a fine human being.

Yeah, I feel the same way about Iris, and can get duly choked up listening to "My Life." I don't know if you know much about Greg Brown, but he has much the same background and they've both put out old time gospel type albums in the last couple years. JZ's a huge Greg Brown fan and I'm an Iris fan so it was a bit of kizmet when they got together. But yeah, I think she's happy nowadays. Though still overdue for a record of new stuff.

> (crawls under desk and starts sobbing)

Damn you, Khan!!!

Happiness: I saw Built to Spill on Sat. and Doug is looking like Grizzly Adams and they were great, crowd was great. The opener was "Built to Spill" the encore was "Stop the Show" (they did not however play "Happiness"). Good times.

Sadness: I have never been one of those huge Weezer fans, never saw them live, didn't really like them in their Pinkerton heyday. But I love their first two albums and a song here or there from the third. No love for Maladroit, but I was going to be open minded about this new one. But, I think, even on the Pitchfork scale, a 0.4 means it stinks.