Answer Please

Of course I loved Clerks II. I love everything Kevin Smith does and that includes the comics (Especially DD and yeah I collect comics) and Jersey Girl for God’s sake. I could go on and on why I loved this but that is irrelevant. I loved the movie.

However, I need help as I am having a major brain block. What is the song at the end of the movie/over the ending credits. I know it is Soul Asylum (I think?) but what is the name? I have no idea why I cannot remember this but someone help me. Thanks.

Oh yeah….Fuck Joel Siegel.

GP

I have been away from blogo-land all week and have so much to spit out of my head it is all getting stuck so this will be brief. In the spirit of guilty pleasures I have to admit that I am positively giddy for 8/22 to come.

You know why?

Of course not as you are probably not an idiot of my caliber. I am excited for this day as Hunters of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson is released on this day. I know I should not be. I know they are not a single millimeter to Frank Herbert’s kilometer but that does not change my excitement. I have enjoyed all their Dune books even if they read a little light at times. I am excited to see where the story goes from Chapterhouse Dune and to see if this is really off a FH outline.

I FUCKING LOVE DUNE. That’s right, I love everything about the Dune universe. Chew on that you judging bastards.

Sponsored by…

Not a good week, not a good two weeks and in general a really, really shitty July. About as shitty as a month has been in my short, albeit fairly good life. August has got to be better.

I would also like to list bad places to live which would come with a much, much worse life.

• Darfur
• Lebanon
• Palestine
• Israel
• Somalia
• Afghanistan

This is a nice start but suggestions are appreciated. I need a good weekend which includes down time, gardening and Miami Vice and possibly Clerks II (again).

An End To An Era

Arturo Gatti ran out of patience last night and finally ran into a guy who he could not outslug in his fight vs. Carlos Baldomir in their Welterweight Championship showdown last night on HBO.

It was a good fight as Gatti tried to outbox Baldomir but at the end of the day he lost his patience with this style once he got hurt and he simply could not outslug the bigger man. I was impressed with Baldomir as he lacks power but he is above average on defense and he does not stop coming forward, albeit intelligently. I think he has yet to fight a tough opponent as Gatti is as tough as they come but he has lost a step and he simply is not a true welterweight (Former Feather and Light and Jr. Welterweight Champion). Baldomir thinks he could fight Mayweather Jr. but I believe he would get his ass wiped by the curent PFP King. I think De La Hoya could fight him though for his last fight as he could then retire as the Welterweight Champion of the world if he can still fight at 147. Regardless, I think Baldomir will have a short stay at the top.

Nothing more can be said of Gatti than what has already been said. He is a warrior and a legend and should make the HOF without question, if he chooses to retire. If you have never seen him fight before check out one of his Ward fights (I, II or III) to see a classic battle.

No great fights loom on the horizon but a few things should be set over the next week and I will update everyone who does not care accordingly.

You did what? For that?

This is a feel good story to come out of Indiana. Talked about fucked up but that is what you get.

I also love these damn drawings from courthouses. I need to get a sketch of myself like that one day….without the killing and potential for prison rape of course.

Hargrove Hittin’

Roy Hargrove’s “Nothing Serious” (The Roy Hargrove Quintet) was released 5/22/06 on Verve Records. This is the second release from Hargrove this year and his first straight jazz recording since 2000. A few weeks before this release he released the RH Factor’s Distractions (released 5/2/06 which has two great tracks with D’Angelo) which is heavily influenced by hip-hop and modern soul but I will refrain from getting into this here and now.

Nothing Serious marks not only a triumphant return to acoustic jazz recording for the trumpeter but also shows why Hargrove is the leading carrier of the jazz flame if Coltrane, Parker, Brown, Hawkins and Davis is your type of jazz (Smooth jazz NEVER welcome here). This recording puts him on the same level of Chet Baker and Clifford Brown and gives you a hint that he might be with Miles and Dizzy soon enough.

This album goes back and forth between traditional big band swing to a Parker-esque bebop feel all while keeping with RH’s modern and latin influences (Check out Habana if latin jazz is your thing). His solos are impeccable and his timing is clean from the get go.

The fantastic line up for Nothing Serious is–

• Roy Hargrove–Trumpet
• Justin Robinson–Alto Saxophone, Flute (3)
• Ronnie Matthews–Piano
• Dwayne Burno–Acoustic Bass
• Willie Jones III–Drums
• Slide Hampton–Trombone (2, 7,

Track Listings

1. Nothing Serious
2. A Day In Vienna
3. Trust
4. Camaraderie
5. Devil Eyes
6. The Gift
7. Salima’s Dance
8. Invitation

I am not going track by track as that is not my thing but I will say that#1, Nothing Serious is a flat out burner and #3, Trust is as good as it gets and makes me think of Parker/Gillespie’s A Night in Tunisia which is one of the best of all time. Pick this one up if you are into jazz or just need a great music fix. I will also add that I consider him to be one of the best live guys out there as I have been fortunate to catch him solo and also with Michael Brecker and Herby Hancock (Please make sure you already own Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall by these three) so if he is near get out and see him.

Friday, July 21st Sponsored By…

Take Home Assignment

This weekend go and get your Egg-a-Mooby Muffin and report back here. That means you haahnster, no excuses.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Nice write up in the Tribune for my guy at Skillet Doux. Too bad this critic only thinks she knows how crazy he is. Some day this camera and food thing is going to turn into something illegal and immoral.

Recapping Recaps

Hectic. That is what I have been all this week with my sister going in tomorrow for a planned C-Section and with my wife now being under 5 weeks out from Girl #2. From nurseries to new things I am swamped and work has been adding a whole new dimension of FUBAR as well. However, I need to get back on track for my own sanity so let me review last Friday’s List point by point so I can move on–

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest–Watched it, loved it, reviewed it, done.
2. Painting–Rocking chair done. Working on a night stand which is turning out brilliantly so far. Much, much more enjoyable than I ever would have thought. I might be bold enough to start re-painting the basement as well but I am not sure. Painting was never my thing.
3. Weber Cleaning–33% done. Not too motivated on this on but maybe I will give it another go this week. Any suggestions from the 2-3 people who read this fucking thing?
4. Mosley vs. Vargas II–Watched it, surprisingly liked it, reviewed it, done.
5. Dusty Baker Watch–Still going nowhere. Is a conspiracy at work in regards to Chris Speier’s arrest and subsequent leave of absence. This whole thing is shit this year. Go Bears and good bye Qasim Mitchell.
6. Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism–Watched it, slightly enjoyed it, not surprised by it, reviewed it. Fuck O’Reilly. Done.
7. Garden Blogging–Dropped the ball on this one but I am enjoying some fantastic vegetables right now and so are my co-workers and neighbors. Eggplants and Tomatoes are right around the corner. This will get done this weekend.
8. Reading Material–My grade here is incomplete. Too much of everything else to catch up here. This weekend will be a push.
9. Hook Up–Closer but not yet done. This weekend should conclude it all.
10. Uncrate–Skimmed but not digested.

A lot more things to do of course this weekend regarding the nursery and general house stuff but highlights include–

• Clerks II–Hell Yes.
• Carlos Baldomir vs. Arturo Gatti Welterweight Title Fight–This is on HBO this Saturday at 9pm (Not PPV). This is my pick for fight of the year as this is going to a crazy brawl with Gatti going balls out as normal in his backyard (AC) against this crazy fucking Argentinean. People please watch this one.