P o p M u s e

PopMuse & Bloghungry in NYC

Just got back from NYC.  Had a good time.  Fun seeing friends and family. Ate too much, read Bloghungry in the coming days for details on that story.

Met a beautiful baby, fell in love with DUMBO, caught a cultural performance of hits from the 50s sang by a hobo on a subway, drank tequila with new friends at a Truck Stop with a Hot Tub, reunited with old friends on streets and in restaurants, saw my brother's posh office, saw my employer's posh office, spent 11 minutes looking at Jeff Koons' Art at The Met, spent 8 minutes looking at people at the pool at Soho House, went to 4 bakeries in 2 hours (again, read Bloghungry for more on that) and had an overall exhausting (yet entertaining) 5 days on the east coast.

Uploaded some pics to FLICKR.  Feel free to check 'em out.  This is a weird post, I am tired.   

SEE PICS HERE.

There was one song in my head the whole trip and it was:
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS "INNER CITY PRESSURE"

Boom Boom Post tomorrow, I promise.

George Michael "25 Live Tour" -- LA FORUM 6-25-08

Dear George,
The Show last night was fantastic.  Spot on.
Thanks for the amazing AMAZING seats, I can't believe they were better than this guy's?!?  And thanks for sitting me with Sharon Stone (you shit) but far enough away that it didn't become totally HER night.

George, I haven't felt overwhelmed (to the point of tears) at a concert, since '88, didn't know I still had that in me.  But opening with my favorite little interlude was almost too much to bear.  I knew it was coming, but still.  Took me 4 songs in to really pull it together.

Oh, and thanks for singing "Amazing" to me and Bloghungry, meant the world, you have no idea.

Thanks for reading the blog and playing Hard Day, was magic.

Nice to see Kenny too, you two and those blazers, OY!

And for pointing out cranky-face Dr. Phil in the front row, that was super funny.  Screw him if he got boo'd (although I did kinda feel bad for his wife too.  Why didn't she just come with a gay friend???)

Most importantly, Happy Birthday!  Was an honor to see you on what will most likely be your last birthday spent ON a stage.  (With a cake hand delivered by Bo Derek?!? - if your gonna do it, do it right.)

There were many highlights, but I don't want to spoil it here, for the kids who haven't seen the show yet, but smart to rock a remix or two.  And I'm not sure I'll ever get over how shocked I was that you sang "A Different Corner".

For you PopMuse Fans, here's a few random GM songs I'll be listening to today:

Hard Day (Shep Pettibone Remix)

A Different Corner

Amazing (Full Intention Mix)

 

Erasure Favorites Circa '99

Facing my itunes this morning I decided to listen to old mixes I've crafted over the years.  A dangerous plan for someone who throws so much personal reflection into a mix; it can feel like reading old journal entries.  And it is something I don't do often, PopMuse loves newness, nostalgia is not my specialty (although as I age everything feels nostalic...)

As it's Gay June, and I wanted to start off easy, I threw on this ancient mix I did in 1999 of my favorite Erasure Songs.  It's quite a good mix so I decided to share it with you all.  I really only allow myself Erasure once a year (or that's all I can take.)  This mix has hits, live tracks, remixes, extendeds, etc.  My favs.

D'LOAD: "ERASURE: MBP FAVORITES " (Mixed in 1999) [yousendit]

My two fav Erasure CDs... (thanks for asking) are "Chorus" because they've always been able to drop a few good singles on a CD, but they rarely drop a completely perfect CD, front to back, as "Chorus" was/is?  BUY IT.

Missing from the above mix is my other fav, the self titled, completely ignored "Erasure".  It was their synthy-experimental period and it took me years after it's release to understand it.  But the 10 minutes songs and the continuous flow are actually WAY ahead of it's time, and it completely holds up.  I didn't include anything from it on this '99 mix because it has to be listened to as a whole otherwise it doesn't work.  If you've never heard it, BUY IT, you won't regret it. 

See Blake Run

So WOW TV has a new show called "See Blake Run".  I totally stumbled on it knowing nothing, but here's the swirl:

Follow the exploits of WOW runner Blake Jacobs as he drives around town sharing his musings, delivering packages and listening to his own personalized party mix.

This kid's a star. The accent, the t-shirts, the beard, the smile.  Oh and the music cues are very clever too.   

If PopMuse was working at WOW I'd prob have a crush on Blake, I have a thing for delivery boys - just ask Bloghungry, (did you know he was delivering Pizzas when we met?)  And if that's not enough, the way Blake say "Michael" (see eps 3) would melt me.

And I can relate, PopMuse's first job in LA was as a runner for a game show, and although it was miserable sitting in all that traffic, going to those entertainment industry offices was kind of glamorous.

WATCH: SEE BLAKE RUN

"MAY 5" A MIX BY MBP

"May" CD Mixes are an annual mix I do each year to celebrate my anniversary with Bloghungry.  This one is entitled "May 5", because we have been together for 5 Years. 

Instead of the gooey ballads of past May Mixes this one is more of a Pop Dance Epic.  Much time and care was put into making it so I hope you'll take time and care listening to it (IN ORDER!!!)  There are many more notes about the songs included and the overall themes in the Booklet in the .zip file (links below).

Hope you all enjoy. 

And Happy Anniversary (Part 1) BH, love you.
--PopMuse

D'LOAD "MAY 5":

UPDATED LINK 6/21/08:
[via yousendit]

C. Fish watches IKMKAS

Carrie Fisher (the dog) got a haircut yesterday.  Always traumatic for her.  We came home from the groomers and watched an episode of VH1's "I Know My Kid's A Star" (which is a new low in reality TV, so of course, I love it; not "Showbiz Moms & Dads" LOVE it, but love it in a diff way.)

I thought Carrie's reaction to the show was camera worthy (as was her new hairdo), so I pulled out the FLIP and filmed this video.  Little did I know I would capture such a deep moment.  It's heavy stuff, the memories, the anger, the confusion, the circle of life acted out on TV and in her own reality.  The questions, 'Will there always be a domineering parent forcing me to clean up my act?'  It's some powerful video.  So turn up the volume and watch above, or HERE.

Shelter / Jury Duty

Shelter is a good gay film. Bloghungry and I went to see it Friday after my horrible day of Jury Duty (more on that below).  Shelter is a surfer, O.C., coming out, rich vs. poor, older vs. younger love story.  It's a drama and indie to the core, which was refreshing actually.  See it.  You can VOD it on HERE! Network or see it in theaters and soon on DVD I'm sure.

Here's some iphone photos I took during Jury Duty on Friday.  The Los Angeles Jury System is so flawed and I can't even begin... well yes I can.  It's like sitting in Purgatory for hours, and if they call your name, prepare to face your maker and beg NOT to be sent to hell (ala a Jury). 

And if you think I'm exaggerating, fine, YOU go be on a Jury, you'll make a better Juror than I will.  But of course that's not how it works.  The fine Americans sitting in that room, who want out of their miserable jobs, have unlimited pay for Jury days, and love Law & Order DON'T don't get called, I do.

And yes I had to fight for my life NOT to get put on a 15 day Gang Trial, and thank Ally McBeal look-a-like lawyers I got excused.  But not until I had been stripped of my dignity by an arrogant starf*cker homophobe Judge.  Ahhh love that legal system.  Anyway, it is HEAVEN not having to go back on Monday.  Heaven.

D'LOAD: BREATHE "HAND TO HEAVEN"

D'LOAD: HOLE "HEAVEN"

D'LOAD: FICTION FACTORY: "FEELS LIKE HEAVEN"

"Whenever You're Ready" Mix By MBP

Been a while since I posted one of MBP's Compilations.  Here's the latest: "Whenever You're Ready".  A collection of songs you loyal PopMuse readers may have already seen here on the site, but there are a couple of surprises too.  Really, it's a collection of my fav songs from 12/07 - 3/08.  Intimate details in the Liner Notes (found in the d'load fldr.)  Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD LINK 1:
http://download.yousendit.com/567883086D3BD68C

DOWNLOAD LINK 2:
http://www2.evilshare.com/e2aeda8a-50ba-102b-a8ce-0007e90cfb90

George Michael Tickets: On Sale Now!!!

That's a happy PopMuse right there.  I just got my tickets to George Michael's US Summer Tour.  I'm fan club member, (what? yes.) so I got crazy seats, but turns out all you need to get in on the pre-sale is an American Express.  So go to Ticketmaster and start buying!

BUY:  TICKETMASTER GEORGE MICHAEL CONCERT TIX

INFO: Tour Details @ GeorgeMichael.com

SXSW '08: Shows Last Night

Last night was the first night I had no work (after 10:30) so I went out to see some shows.  I saw this nerd "Totally Michael" basically because I like his name and that he was Pop, there is just so much rock here I needed a break from Marshall Guitars.  Totally Michael was fun, I tried to shoot video for you, but he didn't let the venue turn the lights on in the Beauty Bar Tent (idiot, he might've ended up on TV) eh, kids.  He was OK though, good in a myspace novelty act kinda way.

Then I wanted to see FM Belfast, because I was on a young cute hipster theme.  They were playing a big show at Maggie May's but I missed it, so I went to see them in a tiny Bear Bar (only at SXSW), which was hilarious, cause it was like 20 people watching them.  But 15 of them were in freakin' heaven, so it was completely amazing.  FM Belfast are adorable, my fav song from the night is avail below, they started it by saying "This is a song about a synthesizer that broke."  It's called "Synthia".  Love.

Then on the patio of this same bar I discovered Project Jenny, Project Jan.  They dressed well and had a few good songs, and were preforming full out even though there were like 12 people there, (which made them great.)  But I was really tired, so... I went home.

D'LOAD: Totally Michael "Cheerleaders / Drill Team"

D'LOAD: FM Belfast "Synthia"

D'LOAD: Project Jenny, Project Jan "320"