Sunday, January 10, 2010

Ryan Bingham

X- rodeo clown turned singer-songwriter. He has the theme song for Crazy Heart and it's such a heartfelt song that it's damn near impossible to deny it. This song has remained on repeat all weekend long. The movie is great and this song is a big variable in the movie's awesomeness.





Saturday, January 9, 2010

Carol Kaye

I did a little research on Carol Kaye after hearing Laura Veir's, "Carol Kaye" song on her upcoming album July Flame. First of all, Laura's album is so good and I highly recommend everyone to buy it.
What I found out about Carol was that she was somewhat of a phenom. At the age of 22, she was a studio bass player for Capitol Records working with Sam Cooke. I'd say her most notorious work was being the bass player on the Pet Sounds record for the Beach Boys. Other notable albums include David Axelrod's Songs of Innocence, Dusty Springfield's Cameo, and Zappa's Freak Out.
She also performed on many scores for film and some singles (on guitar) such as : The Crystals "Then He Kissed Me," Ritchie Valens "La Bamba," Jan & Dean's "Surf City," The Righteous Brothers "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling," and Sonny and Cher's "The Beat Goes On."
On Veirs' song, she sings "It would be so cool to be like Carol Kaye," which I think we all would given her track record.
Go here to learn more about Carol Kaye & her team of studio musicians.








Friday, January 8, 2010

The Stone Masters

aka Bad-Ass California rock climbers from the 70's. Buy book here.







sorta looks like this guy

These dudes could climb some mountains and looked pretty cool doing so.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

OKC Boathouse

The first major step for making Oklahoma City the premier place for rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and fitness altogether. Rand Elliott is a world renowned architect leading the path and having just finished the Chesapeake Boathouse, he is on to the next one with Devon Energy's boathouse.
Hopefully, this will be the training facility for the USA Olympic team. Learn more here.





Monday, January 4, 2010

Los Angeles Series by Joshua Baldwin

Joshua is a super cool dude who writes and lives in Brooklyn. More excellent work of Josh can be seen HERE.

Driving around Los Angeles
we stopped at a post
to buy some newspapers
and sodas. In a paper bag
— the brown sermon —
things stayed until we reached
Malibu. Then we read
and drank through straws until dark.

*
How can you swear by the bank?
I am asking
if you had a choice
between a Doric column
and the aforementioned stall
with its windowed in
shadowy palm
what would you, a psycho,
choose?

*
On the public dime he stood
rakish and flea-borne illnesses abound.
I’m talking about the garage
and the men who sit in front of it.
You know what they do
and I want you to talk about it.

*
Paper balls and bags of young
sticks hit drums and writers flock
to the train station:
they’re hiring in Hollywood again.

*
We treated her like shit for no reason.
Still, she’s part of the community
and we do trust her
and she will be famous
and the light is good
overhead and read by.

*
Looking back, I know
we were all dogs
that brittle August afternoon
in the throes of our crisis.

*
This book’s so fragile
I shouldn’t bring it out anymore
in my back pocket.
I’d better leave it
on my desk,
and write in it only there.
Sitting outside though
and able to pull it out anytime:
there’s pleasure in that,
the kind of pleasure
only Los Angeles allows.

*
It’s hard to think
upon it now
but I played tennis
once. The grain
in my bowl
mixed with yogurt—
I stare down, reading.
The news is good.
It hasn’t been this way
in a very long time.

    Music Monday

    I am liking this band as of late. About to tour with Phoenix
    which makes for a pretty great combo.



    Sunday, January 3, 2010

    L.A. Pong

    The Gilbert Table Tennis Center is not easily found as it's more like a secret underground layer of bad-ass pong players (see pics below for proof), but once you enter, there is no joking around. They have a pong pro shop for god sake.
    Better pics taken by my friend Andrew, although I did destroy him in a couple games.

    the wall of fame
    a local pro in action
    this guy taught us some pointers
    pong shoes
    padding