(does the pun register in the States, BTW?)

Bird = Girl? Or is there a different pun going on?

Yeah, that pun. I never know whether such phrases are noticeable.

I never know whether such phrases are noticeable.

I didn't notice it until you pointed it out. Then again I wasn't paying much attention. The song David sent is the first time I heard him, & I was thinking "My Lady Story," not I Am a Bird Now. When he was discussed a few days ago (1) I hadn't heard the music, and (2) I was skimming posts because I read it at work. I vaguely remember something about a guy with a weird voice and songs playing with gender identity. Given that the pun seems obvious, but at the time it was like a bad disguise: it fooled someone who wasn't really looking; it wasn't meant to withstand close scrutiny. (Which isn't to say that Antony is trying to fool anyone, just that the pun isn't meant to be obscure.)

The cosmic unconsciousness is trying to foist the Mountain Goats and Jonathan Lethem on me. Everywhere I turn the last few days I run into one or the other. In addition to the Nerve interview with John Darnielle, this week's New Yorker has Sasha Frere-Jones on the Mountain Goats. I was looking at a copy of Gary Giddins' new book (available at an insane discount from Amazon) and flipped it over to find a blurb by... yep, Jonathan. After reading an interview with Kyle Baker I clicked on the site's news link to find... Jonathan Lethem:

Time magazine announced in last week's issue what has become one of Marvel's most anticipated future projects: Acclaimed novelist Jonathan Lethem will write a revival of Omega the Unknown scheduled for 2006. [full story]

Why isn't this happening to Corwood or Tina or someone who could appreciate it?

Help, hivemind!

I need some music savvy type to give ma a list of 5-10 influential American musicians in the 1960's. I have the more obvious, I think, but I have kids looking for a research topic still, and I'm tapped out.

Who have you got so far, Kristin?

Captain Beefheart - Sometimes it seems that everyone who owned Trout Mask Replica (which came out in '69) ended up forming a punk band.

Taj Mahal - Back to basics blues at it's finest.

influential American musicians in the 1960's

There was so much going on that I'd almost have to ask "what type of music?" A few more offbeat suggestions --

Brian Wilson -- not so much the Beach Boys and surf music, but a key part of the transition of rock 'n' roll from primarily singles-oriented to primarily album-oriented.

Blood, Sweat, & Tears -- I think Al Kooper was the guiding hand behind this band. Brought a jazz influence into rock that really was explored (for better or for worse and, in the case of Chicago, both) during the '70s.

Phil Spector -- more a producer than a musician in the '60s, but big on making production values an important factor.

The Shirelles -- the first big Girl Group, in the '60s sense of the term.

Lesley Gore -- a really offbeat choice here. But her "It's My Party" was Quincy Jones' first big producing moment, and "You Don't Own Me" may have been the first big feminist (or at least proto-feminist) hit.

Don't forget about Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire came out in, what, '63? And Fulsome Prison was '68.

• James Brown
• Otis Redding
• Bob Dylan
• Jackie Wilson
• Jimi Hendrix