Some Clubs Should Be Closed

Ok, today, I'll talk a bit about Amy Winehouse. Yesterday I had happier things to sing about.

Tragic, but not a surprise, but still tragic. She had an amazing voice, and she channeled this incredible time in American music history and made it fresh for new audiences. Not that soul music ever really needed freshening, but sometimes it takes a different lens to see something for what it was worth. And I loved that first album, and the cadre of little Brit girls who grew up listening to Dusty belt them out that it spawned. But Amy was always a train wreck, and the world can't help but watch a train wreck.

Plus, the 27 Club really didn't need another member. Sad that music has lost another great talent.

Cupid - Amy Winehouse (Sam Cooke cover)

Third Verse, Different From the First

I'm not talking about my colossally crappy week tonight. Instead, I'm going to talk about how I remembered where I was the afternoon I heard Joey had passed, and how I predicted it.

WBCN lunchtime 80s hour. I was driving to the center of town; I don't know why I was home this afternoon. Maybe it was Saturday, but I was all excited to hear "I Wanna Be Sedated" on the radio. Then, "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker", which, two in a row, made me nervous. Then, on the third song, "Blitzkrieg Bop", I knew something was terribly wrong.

And as the DJ came on air after the third song, and announced the sad passing of Joey, from lymphoma of all things, I remember shouting no, no, no. Joey's supposed to die in some weird overdose scenario with Iggy Pop and a goat, not something as ORDINARY and NOT PUNK ROCK as lymphoma. Dammit, I hate finding out my idols are human...

So, in Joey's honor. Ten years gone. We miss that slur, old friend.

Judy Is A Punk - The Ramones

MP3 File

Well, I Suppose Now They Can Get His Gun

Charlton Heston died yesterday. I realize that there's probably a more appropriate title to this post, but it was the first thing that popped into my head.

For those of you who may not remember this particular NRA keynote speech he delivered, I'll remind you:

In Mr. Heston, the N.R.A. found its embodiment of pioneer values — pride, independence and valor. In a speech at the N.R.A.’s annual convention in 2000, he brought the audience to its feet with a ringing attack on gun-control advocates. Paraphrasing an N.R.A. bumper sticker (“I’ll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands”) he waved a replica of a colonial musket above his head and shouted defiantly, “From my cold, dead hands!”(source)

Despite that odd turn of events, he had a remarkable career in film and will be missed by fans world wide.