Since I’ve been home, I’ve been listening to the Strokes and the new Joseph Arthur. Funny thing about the J.A. record is that, it was recorded by a friend of mine, Fully, and i happened to be visiting him in London while he was producing it and Fully, Joseph Arthur, J.A.’s bassist and I watched England lose to Brazil. It was a sad moment but you also have to know that Joseph is american and he made a comment that the british was taking it a little too hard.

Well, this didn’t sit well with the bassist, a Londoner who immediately took offense at Josph’s statement. The odd part is that the group had been on tour for 5 years straight, without 1 fight. And now they were arguing, big time, with Joseph pretty much laughing at the Englishmen. This just made matters worse! But eventually, they settled down and Fully’s wife, Susan James, made us all an english breakfast that wasn’t half bad, beans n’ all. So I have been listening to his new record, a burned copy, but I plan to buy the real thing…so I don’t know the title of it but I recommend it, though it is a bit hard to describe, really.

The Strokes record is more like good background tunes. They remind me of Television, but with shorter tunes and you can tell they also liked the Stooges. Plus they have the look and the time is right so this is a true recipe for success. So I guess I listen to these two records cause I think they are good. But good in the sense that there is way too much ordinary, mediocre music out there I spose. A record I really think is SPECIAL (which also makes it good, in my eyes!) is the latest record from The Soundtrack of Our Lives. Good tunes on that one.

But I’m really not much up on the new stuff but I’am always up for recommendations. I know Irish Barry has his finger on the pulse of today’s youth so he’s always a good source. And Scottish Keith made me an incredible 5 CD comps that I had the pleasure of enjoying on this last tour.

But in the end, I usually run back to my favorites, who by the way, are EXTREMELY unhip, in today’s critics eyes. But Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks, The Beach Boys, Bobby Womack, Harry Nilsson, Rufus Wainwright, Pavement, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, The Smiths and stuff like that. yep, I’m really lame.

Um…the NEW GUY sent me this REALLY funny link. (http://www.idleworm.com/nws/2002/11/iraq2.shtml) No matter what side of the fence you sit on world issues, you can’t watch this and not chuckle a bit. Hopefully, Fritz in ohio won’t kick my ass for showing this link cause i promised no more polotics, right? I mean, is this political? It’s a very wide issue, which almost takes a sense of humour to appreciate.

So in the meantime, get those old records out and dust them off. No matter what happens in the world, the music just seems to keep coming, huh? It keeps changing and it’s built to last. A line my friend, Lisa Sellick, once said keeps popping up in my brain; That ANY MONKEY can play the “wah-wah” pedal. Hopefully, we monkeys can play a little bit longer, with a little luck.

Mike Randle