Year: 2007

Crab if you wanna

While scouting the Internet for any information on the upcoming Rivers Cuomo solo demo CD, I came across a column published today in which an MTV writer plays the metaphorical role of victim of a “loveless relationship” with Cuomo and the rest of Weezer.

I loved Weezer more than any other act alive (except for maybe Beck). Blue and Pinkerton were two of the albums that defined my teenage years, and I still believe that the latter’s squealy pre-emo makes it one of the decade’s most important discs, on par with, say, Radiohead’s OK Computer. (I even wrote a rather embarrassing pseudo-column about this three years ago.) But ever since bassist Matt Sharp split and the band went on hiatus in the summer of ’97, everything changed; the relationship, for all intents and purposes, was over.

The writer details his dissatisfaction with everything that came out after Pinkerton, as well as whines a little about how he only got 13 minutes to interview Rivers a few years ago.

Honestly, I’ve heard this (and similar thinking) before, and I don’t get it. I know that Pat Wilson (the drummer) semi-seriously said “You have to hate us to be a true fan,” but this is ridiculous.

It’s unrealistic to expect people (and bands) to stay the same–Rivers and the rest of the band have changed. The first hiatus (late ’97-2000) changed the makeup of the band and Rivers’ song production styles. And with each album since (and subsequent break from music making), things have changed for the band and the people that make up the band. They still make quality rock (better than anything else out there), but if it’s not your taste, why whine about how the old music was better?

Music (as with most art) is as much a product of the musician’s place in the world as their personality. Pinkerton came from a very negative place and times weren’t pleasant for Rivers or the rest of the band. For the last four years, we’ve been told there’s diplomacy and consensus when it comes to making music. The band members are grown up, and three of the four of them are married. Why would they want to go back to the days when Rivers told them what to play and when? Why would Rivers want to go back to the days of the Good Life?

Broken, beaten-down can’t even get around
without an old-man cane I fall and hit the ground
Shivering in the cold, I’m bitter and alone
…
Excuse the bitchin’ – I shouldn’t complain
I should have no feeling, ‘cuz feeling is pain
as everything I need is denied me
and everything I want is taken away from me
but who do I got to blame?
Nobody but me

I don’t wanna be a old man anymore
It’s been a year or two since I was out on the floor
Shakin’ booty, makin’ sweet love all the night
It’s time I got back to the Good Life

Or as Rivers responded to a fan question two years ago:

What do you say to those people (fans) who say they want another Pinkerton?
—Michael Silvers

I cant control what I write. I have to accept whatever comes. If its not what someone wants to hear, then at least they can agree with me to love Pinkerton and part as friends.

Addendum: The band’s attitude toward its fans is anything but loveless. Over the past few years, Rivers (and the rest of the band) have welcomed fans on stage to play, welcomed them backstage to hang out and given them boatloads of free video and audio content. Yes, we want more, but you could make the argument that we’re spoiled as it is.

King Tom

The best thing ever (of last week)

Last week, while waiting for a movie to start, the Civee and I visited a nearby bookstore to waste some time.

On one of the featured items tables near the front of the store, I noticed a Star Wars Pop Up Book, selling for $30. While I didn’t buy the book, I did take a look and what I saw was pretty damn cool. Each page had multiple, detailed pop-ups, but the best was found by lifting up a flap on a page near the back of the book. Luckily, I was able to capture the moment with my new phone:

It's a trap!

You can’t repel awesomeness of this magnitude!

King Tom

Bret Screwed Bret

Ten years ago today, the course of wrestling changed forever in an arena up in Montreal.

this looks like a quote-shoot-unquote to me

Vince McMahon, owner of the (then) near-bankrupt WWF let one of his star wrestlers, Bret Hart, out of his contract to sign with rival WCW. Hart was the federation champion, with a month left to wrestle for the fed, and was willing to lose the belt to anyone but Shawn Michaels in anyplace but Canada. But McMahon feared WCW announcing that it signed away its champion.

With an injured future savior (Stone Cold Steve Austin) sidelined due to a broken neck, transitioning the title to Michaels was the only way that McMahon saw he could keep his company creatively afloat until Austin’s coronation. So McMahon had Hart lose a scripted match that was supposed to be a draw, effectively kicking Hart to the curb.

Even more genius, McMahon used the negative karma to make himself into an evil foil for the blue-collar Austin when Austin won the belt.

Hart’s time in WCW was forgettable, and he was out of the business within a few years. Austin, who was already one of the industry’s biggest stars, became even bigger and the near-bankrupt WWF bounced back to dominate American wrestling.

While Hart was the center of an excellent storyline earlier that summer, he was slowly losing relevance. By his own admission, he didn’t agree with the direction in which the company was headed. Because Austin was injured, it wasn’t the right time to transition the title to him. And regardless of how McMahon handled the Survivor Series, the WWF needed a credible champion, not some joker like Ken Shamrock.

The ‘Montreal Screwjob’ might not have had a happy ending for Bret Hart, but for Vince McMahon and the WWF, the result was more than worth it.

For an extremely detailed look at what went down in the weeks leading up to the 1997 Survivor Series, check out Dave Meltzer’s recap.

For an excellent look at the big historical picture, check out Scott Keith’s essays King Lear and Lazarus.

King Tom

Just another Tuesday

Tonight is the first Election Night in seven years that I don’t have to work.

I should have celebrated in some significant way, but other than going out to dinner with The Civee, it was pretty much life as usual tonight. But dinner and the company were good.

I enjoyed having the night off for a change. But I have a feeling that I’ll be back at work for this night next year. I actually enjoy it. It’s (now) the one night of the year that I get to work past midnight and then come in the next day after noon.

King Tom

Adios, A-Hole

I meant to write this a few days ago, but oh well.

So Alex Rodriguez has exercised his contractual right and opted out of his employment with the New York Yankees. As a Yankees fan who has ignored the nay-saying of my bretheren over the past four years and defended Rodriguez despite his dramatic antics, I can say that I’m glad that I don’t have to put up with the burden of defending him anymore.

Yes, he led the league in drama. But he is one of (if not the) the greatest players of his time. And it was fun to watch him play for my team. But the way in which he went about getting out of his contract totally pisses me (and every other Yankees fan I’ve talked with) off.

Rodriguez spent a lot of time throughout the past four years telling anyone who would listen how much he loved New York (“I want to stay in New York, no matter what” “Derek has four world championships, and I want him to have ten.”) and wanted to finish his career there. However, in the contract given to him by the Rangers, he had ten days after the 2007 World Series to “opt out” of the deal. The Yankees publically said they wanted to extend his contract and asked his agent to have a meeting to discuss a deal which would pay him more money than any one person needs (and yes, they also said if he opted out, they wouldn’t attempt to sign him). But Rodriguez (and his agent, who apparently doesn’t follow the news) didn’t even respond to the meeting request and flat-out opted out (and now the agent is acting surprised that the Yankees don’t want to want any part of Rodriguez).

As a Yankee fan, I’m mostly ignoring the fact that something else was going in the world of baseball on Sunday night. Regardless, Rodriguez’ announcement detracted from one of the most important days in all of baseball, nevermind moved the spotlight away from teams and players who were still playing in late October. It was the only way for him to get press on the day of a World Series, because he’s proven he can’t perform when it matters to earn his way into a WS.

He did provide some great moments. But there was also a lot of frustration, particularly with his performance in the post season. And now the Yankees, who have more resources than any other team, have even more thanks to Rodriguez’ decision. Yes, it will be hard replacing him on the field. But I think they’re in a better position now that they don’t have so much tied up in him. The next New York Yankee third baseman won’t produce as much on the field as Rodriguez did, but he won’t be half the drama queen, either.

By the way, here’s a great article on Scott Boras’ (Rodriguez’ agent) little fantasy world.

King Tom

Who's dialin' your car phone?

I spent some time yesterday (Saturday) buying a new cell phone.

The Civee and I already have a “house phone” so it’s not like I need this to be my main phone, just something in case of emergencies or if I want to call someone while I’m on the road.

The thing that took up the most time was trying to understand all the pricing stuff. For some reason, whenever I asked about how much it would cost a month, the salesman kept on telling me about all of the special messaging plans and extra video features. And he knew how much those cost. But not the basic price of the phone and just making regular phone calls.

Once he finally figured out I wasn’t interested in all that other stuff, he gave me a price and I have to admit, I was even more confused by all the “rollover” and “hours” terms. But I gave in and got the phone.

The phone has Tetris. So there’s one thing about the phone I understand.

On a side note, downtown Columbus would be a lot more fun if it had a working cab system- one where cabs drove around and you could hail them in the street. Yesterday afternoon, the Civee and I were going to an afternoon Blue Jackets game and then to the Statehouse for a the “Haunted Statehouse” tour. But we had to pick up the tickets at the Statehouse first. We drove to the Statehouse, picked up the tickets, drove to the arena, saw the game, then drove back to the Statehouse. Would have been a lot easier if we could have just taken cabs back and forth and stopped for dinner somehere in the middle. But between the game and the tour, it was fun, so I guess I can’t complain.

King Tom

A job I probably wouldn't get

With the Yankees out of the playoffs, I’m awaiting the end of the World’s Series for four months of sweet off-season action.

The big news in the baseball world (okay, King Tom’s baseball world) is that the Yankees are interviewing mangerial candidates. I thought about sending in a resume, and attaching the results of the 2005 OOSL season. But I probably won’t land the Yankees job. After all, my managerial philosophy is along the lines of:

Burns: You, Strawberry, hit a home run.
Strawberry: Okay, skip.
(hits a home run)
Burns: Ha-ha! I told him to do that.
Smithers: Brilliant strategy sir
-Homer at the Bat

King Tom

Finally…

While the world of Weezer fans waits for the band to release its sixth studio album sometime next year, Rivers Cuomo says he’s dropping his own solo CD of demos collected from 1992-2007. From Rivers’ myspace:

…I’ve decided to split my CD/book project in two. Ultimately, I feel that the music and the literary materials will be better served if developed and presented separately…
…The music, on the other hand, is ready to start coming out now. I’ve compiled a CD of my favorite demos from the years 1992 to 2007 and Geffen Records has agreed to put it out this December, on the eleventh. I hope you enjoy it. I may also be able to put out more demo CDs in the near future.

Not to mention the Weezer developments, which are also extremely great.

Nice that he’s also looking forward to the band’s production, even though his own “solo” album is coming out a few months before. Pitchfork is saying that the CD will be titled Alone – The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo.

I don’t know how much of a market there will be for this outside of the Weezer community. And even with the Weezer fans, if there’s not some stuff on there that hasn’t been heard before, this could backfire. A few years ago (2001-2003) Rivers himself gave the fans a number of demos from throughout his recording career. Many of them were good, and what he gave didn’t come close to everything that he has demoed.

Is it too much to hope that this is the surprise hit of the year, if only to encourage future endeavors like this?

King Tom

How not to cut a promo

So I was driving home last night flipping around on the radio, when I stopped on FM station run by the local media conglomerate (which I used to work for). Whatever song was playing finished up, and the DJ started promo-ing an upcoming college football game, and he said the following:

So Kent State is visiting the Buckeyes this Saturday. Let’s hope there aren’t any anti-war protests this weekend. Well, because, you know, it’s not thirty years ago.

Usually when you want to promote something, you say something funny or clever. That was neither.

I admit that I’m an obnixous Yankees fan. But there are times in Columbus, when listening to people talk about the local college football team that I feel uncomfortable.

King Tom