New Modest Mouse
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
is set for release on March 20
with a full world tour to follow.

Tracklisting Announced
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

"March Into the Sea"
"Dashboard"
"Fire It Up"
"Florida"
"Parting of the Sensory"
"Missed the Boat"
"We've Got Everything"
"Fly Trapped in a Jar"
"Education"
"Little Motel"
"Steam Engenius"
"Spitting Venom"
"People As Places As People"
"Invisible"

Album Artwork Revealed

If you care about such things, I've updated and re-posted my list of all the concerts I've ever been too...
Read more..

Who the hell steals a single wet black satin pillow cover, honestly?

Gawd, is it time to go home yet?? I'm soooo impatient.

The morning after...
I feel... optimistic.

:-)

Based on my Top 10 Last.Fm chart seen above, I shall endeavor to answer the following questions.

How many times have you seen #4 live?
[Snow Patrol]
Once. It took three rescheduled dates to do it, but Michelle and I finally saw them at Roseland Ballroom here in NYC last month.

What is your favourite song by #7?
[The Beatles]
God, do I have enough choices? If I have to choose just one... Let It Be, I guess.

What is a good memory you have considering the music of #10?
[Johnathan Rice]
Discovering him a couple years back opening for Dido.

Is there a song of #3 that makes you sad?
[Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds]
It doesn't necessarily make me sad, but '(Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For?' strikes an emotional chord with me.

What is your favourite lyric that #2 has sung?
[Eels]
"Life is hard
And so am I
You'd better give me something
So I don't die"
- 'Novacaine for the Soul' (from 'Beautiful Freak')

What is your favourite song by #9?
[Badly Drawn Boy]
A Minor Incident (from 'About A Boy')

How did you get into #6?
[Modest Mouse]
Stef

What was the first song you heard by #1?
[David Gray]
Babylon (natch) @ Rich Mondoux's (courtesy of Christa)

What is your favourite song by #4?
[Snow Patrol]
Chocolate
(Neener.)

How many times have you seen #9 live?
[Badly Drawn Boy]
None. He was just in town, but unfortunately every other popular music act I enjoy has decided to come during the same two month period, so I've had to pick and choose.

What is a good memory you have concerning #2?
[Eels]
Either of the times I've seen them live (Blind Pig in Ann Arbor or this summer's free outdoor show at the World Financial Center)

What is your favourite album of #5?
[Pink Floyd]
The Wall (favorite album of all-time actually... Dating Game here Michelle comes)

What is your favourite lyric that #3 has sung?
[Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds]
"It ain't that in their hearts they're bad
They'd stick by you if they could
But that's just bullshit
People just ain't no good"
- 'People Ain't No Good' (from 'The Boatman's Call')

What is your favourite song of #1?
[David Gray]
Freedom (from 'A New Day at Midnight')

What is your favourite song of #10?
[Johnathan Rice]
My Mother's Son

How many times have you seen #8 live?
[Foo Fighters]
Twice (Van Andel w/ RHCP & DeltaPlex). Look forward to making it three someday.

What is your favourite album of #7?
[The Beatles]
Can I pick a compilation? 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' I guess.

What was the first song you heard by #8?
[Foo Fighters]
I started listening to FF when I was a wee fetus. Probably something from 'The Colour & The Shape' though... 'My Hero,' perhaps?

Amusing Links

Album Art Apocalypse

Bo Knows (TSB)

mbenznut (11:47:02 PM): I'm sober!

TaoMan1121 (11:47:13 PM): I'M NOT!!!

Random Thoughts
- Lost has lost misplaced 5 million viewers so far from last season. You know, I'm glad. I hate when things I love are too popular or mainstream. But to have everybody else's interests wane while mine continue to grow... that's ass-backwards for once.
- I need to keep trucking.
- Things need to change (with me), but I have such a hard time identify what and how much.
- I'm getting close to 1,500 on my movie list. That brings me more excitement than it probably should.
- I don't even like the sport, and my two favorite teams are playing the best postseason baseball of their lives (Tigers & Mets).

This is what happens when we run out of 'Lost' episodes to watch...

Read more..

Recent Happenings
Joe sent this to me earlier this week. This uproariously funny Craigslist entry more than makes up for the dozens of weird/random/pointless links he'll sent me on a daily basis. ;-)
Free to a Good Home

Michelle, Steve, and I went to one of my favorite films this year last weekend. The Museum of the Moving Image hosted a couple screenings of "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints." Set and shot in Astoria, Queens, it's loosely based on first-time writer/director Dito Montiel's memoir of growing up in the city. Normally I'd have a tough time getting into a gritty story like this one was, but this film had a lot of heart, and by halfway through you are completely sucked into the story, somehow actually identifying with the characters as a nice change of pace. Mr. Montiel and actor Chazz Palmentari were on hand after the screening(s) for questions. It was a lot of fun.

Also a riot of a time was Wednesday's taping of "Late Show with David Letterman" that Michelle scored tickets to. After being cattle-herded around the theater, inside and out, for a combination of an hour and 45 minutes over the course of the day, we got our seats (which were surprisingly good). I wondered whether it was because we were seeing it live, but I thought to myself at the time, "This show is never this funny." Sure enough, seeing it aired later that night, it wasn't quite the same, but the nonetheless I found that evening's materials (if not the guests) to be very solid. Nothing like getting tater tots shot at you through a pneumatic gun. If you taped the show, look for Michelle and I when they show upcoming guests towards the end of the hour. We are 6-7 rows back, center stage, wearing light blue and teal. Feel free to use the obnoxious goateed guy who sat next to me who's flailing his arms as a reference point.

TaoMan1121 (10:50:08 PM): durp
Franz1939 (10:50:24 PM): durp yourself whore

"Elmo is looking at a sandwich. Elmo is eating a sandwich. Elmo is crapping out the sandwich and writing his name on the wall with it."
Read more..

Shatner Roast Quotes
“Andy Dick’s sole mission in life is to give AIDS back to the monkeys.”

(after Dick licks several roasters) “Why do I feel like Courtney Love killed Andy Dick and put his skin on.”

(to Jason Alexander) “Jack-o-Lanterns last longer in the fall than your shows.”

"I tried to Tivo T.J. Hooker, but my Tivo suggested I punch myself in the cunt.”

(George Takei to Shatner re: his hairpiece) “Your hair is like my men. Every year it gets darker and thicker.”

(Takei to Shatner) “Your acting is the only thing that makes me want to gag.”

Oh man, this was one of my favorite books as a kid (probably yours too). Cool idea.
Sony Forecasts 'Chance of Meatballs'

IMDb Headlines
"Dick Goes Berserk at Shatner Roast

American comedian Andy Dick reportedly went berserk backstage at the Comedy Central Roast Of William Shatner on Sunday, licking screen siren Farrah Fawcett and biting a journalist. New York Post reporter Mandy Stadtmiller claims she watched Dick lick Fawcett, Carrie Fisher and comedian Patton Oswalt before turning his attentions to her. He allegedly groped her, tried to kiss her, proclaimed his love for her and then bit her hand, telling her, "Baby please, put in something nice. They're so mean. I'm not weird. Maybe I'm a little weird, they make me out to be a monster, I'm not a monster. I just want to have fun, baby please." She also accuses him of urinating in front of her and offering her cocaine. The show will air on Sunday August 20."

He couldn't find anybody better than Fawcett, Fisher, and Patton Oswald to lick?

"Phillippe Lands Two-Face Role?

Ryan Phillippe may be set to take over from Tommy Lee Jones after reportedly landing the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face in the upcoming Batman Begins sequel. Reese Witherspoon's husband will join Heath Ledger, who has signed on to play The Joker, and new Batman Christian Bale in The Dark Knight. Crash star Phillippe beat Liev Shreiber and Josh Lucas to the role of the scheming district attorney, played by Jones in 1995 movie Batman Forever, according to internet reports. Academy Award winners Sir Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman have also joined the cast, while fellow Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman is in talks to play The Penguin in the new film."

OK, I'm not a Batman expert, but based off that casting news, Nolan is basically exhausting the entire villian arsenal in one sequel/prequel/whatever the hell they are calling this one. Who does that leave, Mr. Freeze? God help us.

"Woods Dumps 20-Year-Old Girlfriend

Veteran actor James Woods has dumped his 20-year-old girlfriend, Ashley Madison, after the stress from the May-December relationship sent him to the emergency room. The 59-year-old star was distraught after his brother Michael died unexpectedly of a heart attack last month and was shocked by Madison's insensitivity during his funeral. Woods' friend Scott Sandler tells the New York Daily News that Madison showed up for the service dressed inappropriately "in a 3-inch miniskirt and chain-smoking." He explains, "At the funeral she was concerned about the amount of magazines she was in. Jimmy was on his knees with tears staining his shirt, and she was showing pictures of herself. Jimmy was so overcome by grief his blood pressure went through the roof early last week, and he had to go to the hospital. When he came out, it was like he had seen the light." The actor has known Madison, the pal of a golfing buddy, since she was five-years-old. Adds Sandler, "She's the anti-Christ. She truly has the soul of a moth and the brain of a dead trout."

Best insult since "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

So I'm in this hella-bad-and-annoying super-Jason funk. It's basically of this f'ed up apartment situation that will be fine as soon as we get in, but is eating away at my soul until then. I've gotten to the point where I just disgust myself how much I've let everything get to me, and at the end of the day I just wonder where it all went. Maybe I need to accentuate the bad to prepare for the good, but I think mostly that this past year just beat all of the energy out of me, and now I need something (or someone) to light a fire up under my ass and jumpstart my engine.

I dunno what my deal is. I'm sorry... I'll get back on track soon, I promise. I just don't know how many responsibilities I'm going to neglect until then. Oh wait, yes I do: two.

For all the big city folk:
New York’s Celebrity Infestation

TaoMan1121 (9:47:51 PM): you know those stupid things online where you 'tag' someone, under some stupid pretense, a la "you're in taoman1121's dungeon. would you like to bother someone else with your idiotic and complete waste of time???"
C W brand (9:48:57 PM): I love you Jason...go on...
TaoMan1121 (9:50:12 PM): ok, well, i want to start some with STDs... in the vein of "HEY!! taoman1121 has given you HERPES!! pass the fun along!!"

This is the best video ever. Ever.
Trust No One

Scully has a field day, behind the cut...
Read more..

Oh yeah, I just found out today that Glen Morgan and Kristen Cloke (Lara Means from Millennium) have been married since 1998 and have two children together. Umm... wow.

The Movie Entry
So, my internet freaked me the hell out yesterday by slowing down to a snail's pace. I messed about with it for an unnecessarily long time before finally deciding it might be Time Warner Cable. Called them up, and sure enough, "technical difficulties in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan." Not but five minutes ago, it appears things are back up to speed. Thank god... you ever want to cripple me, just take my internet away. Anyway, on with the cinematic goodness:

- This trailer really grabbed me for some reason. I really enjoy watching old news footage and interviews with Lennon. He's very captivating. The U.S. vs. John Lennon
- Once I got past the initial "WTF?" of why this existed and actually watched it, it wasn't that bad. Brings me back. TMNT
- This is f'ing hilarious. I'm going to forego the introduction and just let it speak for itself. Genius. A Letter to Luke Wilson from Steely Dan
- So, I guess Haley Joel Osment got into a nasty little car crash last week. This, in of itself, isn't really noteworthy, but what is worth mentioning is how our cute little friend from "The Sixth Sense" has aged since 1999. Check out his IMDb entry for jaw-dropping pics. Where has the time gone?
- Evidently, 'Bond 22' has already been announced for 5/2/08, forgiving the fact that #21 is still 4 months away from the theater. I'm digging Daniel Craig lately though. After seeing "Layer Cake," I think he can pull it off. And a darker Bond is a better Bond.
- J.J. Abrams has been confirmed to produce for the next 'Star Trek' flick, with directing a strong possibility. Let me say for the first in what I hope will be many times regarding this, "Thank you, J.J." (By the way, I don't blame you for M:i:III... I really don't. Bygones.)
- I saw "Lady in the Water" over the weekend, which I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about (although I'm getting a better idea). Anyway, after having to endure pure shite for trailers for most of this summer's fare, I was flabbergasted with what I saw yesterday... 1) The Prestige; 2) Childen of Men; and 3) The Fountain Three new films by three good/great directors. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Is Joe dead?

I miss Joe.

Love this article. LOVE it:
A Netflix Hangover

Dido - Closer
So leave your taxi waiting
And turn and close my door
And sit back down where you were sitting
A little closer than before

And when you look that serious
It just makes me want you more
And I've been meaning to tell you

The closer you get, the better I feel
The closer you are, the more I see
Why everyone says that I look happier
When you're around
The closer you get, the better I feel

And yes I know you're nervous
Never seen you so unsure
You haven't touched your food tonight
And you're drinking more and more

And there's no need to hurry
Take your time I'll still be here
And I've been meaning to tell you

The closer you get, the better I feel
The closer you are, the more I see
Why everyone says that I look happier
When you're around, the better I feel

The closer you get, the better you see
The closer you are, the more I see
Why everyone says that I look happier
When you're around
The closer you get, the better I feel
The better I feel, the better I feel

We've been circling for time baby
We're coming down to land tonight
The wait is over and now it's easy
Everything is fine

The closer you get, the better I feel
The closer you are, the more I see
Why everyone says that I look happier
When you're around, the better I feel

The closer you get, the better you see
The closer you are, the more I see
Why everyone says, that I look happier
When you're around, the closer you get
The better I feel

Mmm... powerhouse collaborations.