Vinyl | ¡Live from MIA!

Feb 26

I was down in Key West with the Sp*m Allstars last weekend ..

and happened to run across a group of Amish (Mennonites? from Sarasota?) waiting for a trip on a glass bottom boat, named Fury!

Great time had by all, and the Green Parrot was packed … again! I think the Key West Art Festival (l*me) was going on too? oof.

For a good time - click here ->

Jan 20

Wimbish > Wimbash > MIA’13

Sat .Jan 19th – A great night on the beach – Doug Wimbish & Keith Le Blanc along with some of their friends, gave Miami Beach a real low-end (BASS), funky, slap on the … gl*d you could make it! I’m not sure how the City of MIami Beach and Mr. Wimbish hooked up? … but, I like it! (a lot!)

It’s needed something … (finally, imho) for this cursed, chilly and often mis-interpreted “Art Deco Weekend” – ¿q-me? - Yep, the one part of the year when (we) locals are guaranteed to freeze (yep, below at least 60 degrees!) our tuchus off, along with the poor folks who had to pay $$ for a “Booth” on Ocean Dr.! (ouch) Arepa Queens, tube-socks and … oh, and vintage cars! In our annual quest to figure out this … Cultural/Historical Beach Event? On the plus side – It does have a following.

Anyways – GREAT crowd, complete mix of various visiting, fun folk. With beautiful sounds emanating from – Vinx, Will Calhoun (Living Colour), Adam Falcon and various other guests. Oh, and the awesome Tara Harrison on guest vocals.

TACK>>HEAD was on Miami Beach! … UN-BE-LIEVE-ABLE – yep, right here.

Saw ‘em in BOS at Spit (waay back, ’90+/-? Great Show. The Game is one of my all-time-favorite tracks. Did I mention I got Keith & Doug to sign my 12″/tack>>head (1984) “The Game”?! schweet!

Service continues tomorrow – Lummus Park!

Sep 3

ASH > EYW

I went down to Key West with the Spam Allstars …

.. who were playing at the Green Parrot. Always a great time (Fri/Sat), loads of good folk in a great place down for good times. Ladies & Gentlemen (on the way back) - Alabama Jacks!

… with a (real patriotic) dance-floor swinger! A traditional stop is required on any r/t journey to Mile Marker 0.

This pair was on the beach when I got back on Sunday (4pm+/-) …

… hang ten!

May 12

negativland > U2 > lp

May 12, 2012 – I once had it, within my reach, but unfortunately the “staff” (Richie, Spencer, Aimee, Peter … random new hire?) at the store had been quickly ordered/instructed (lawyers) to pull this particular Negativland/”U2″ LP/CD – that day – that moment – just when I had decided to zip down Newbury St. (from Visual Research & Design (?) – w/a Don Gove – “worst” Boss in history/the wolrd.) and see if it had hit the Newbury Comics vinyl (yep, “record”) bins yet. I saw it. There it was, behind the counter and within view, a box with ALL the freshly sealed U2/Negativland 12″ (& cd’s?) ready to be shipped - BACK - to the distributors/record label?!?! I think I had made a quick, but useless plea. nada.

The “song” had been getting local play on college radio, so folk were aware of its release (an it’s humor), and I, for one, was looking forward to it’s purchase (I can be a record-geek sometimes, but nothing compared to some I know). But, the evil powers that exist in the music biz, began to buzz. Word on the street was that the U2′s lawyers/record label were a little miffed that someone would mess around with their (mondo money-making) hit – and went to work quickly pursuing the culprits – Negativland – the folks who had the gall to bastardize their merch!?! Have a wee … listen!

August 20, 1991: SST Records releases a single by Negativland called “U2″, a tape-collage parody of U2′s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (video here) featuring sampled and scrambled portions of the U2 song itself and a found tape of radio personality Casey Kasem losing his cool. As part of the joke, the CD packaging features the title – the letter “U” and the numeral “2″ – largely and prominently with the attribution “Negativland” in much smaller letters below it.

I saw them play once in Boston/Somerville (’92/Johnny D’s?+/-) where they had toasters on the sides of the (small) stage, the show began – then someone started to make the “toast”, which started to burn, creating smoke … etc. After that it was just fun seeing them perform the stuff I had listened to on WZBC (and WUNH, KFJC, WVUM, WBUR) during the 80′s.

*Special thanks to Le Spam for procuring this “rare” little item for me and also ending my obsessive search for it.

Apr 22

MIA > Vinyl > Pop

Miami, FL – April, 21, 2012 - I woke up to a wet forecast and then had a quick gloomy peak outside, ugh, to confirm. But, with everyone’s favorite “day” being celebrated around the country, I decided to give-it-a-go and head over early afternoon-ish on the ol’ Biria. Just as I was heading out the door, Liam called and enquired about the day’s schedule -a great day was ahead - Sweat Stock! (i.e. Woodstock, get it?) 3rd Annual Sweat Stock - Record Store Day!

[Show as slideshow]

Live Music/Food/Vinyl-Record Sale/Etc. the whole shebang! (FREE!) Good to see all the bands I’ve been hearing about on the radio at one event, amongst friends and fellow residents. Laid back, perfect crowd-mix, great foodie selection, pleasant police folk, (semi?) supportive neighbors and various curious onlookers.

DId I mention it was Miami resident Iggy Pop’s birthday today? We quickly discussed the origins of … “a sunny place for shady people”, pilfered from the original; “The Riviera isn’t only a sunny place for shady people.” – W. Somerset Maugham / from - Strictly Personal, p. 156 (Doubleday, Doran and co., inc., 1941)