bluno.orgoccasionally fully formed thoughts by bernie mcginn

How is it that I only just found out about this song? Classic!

I used to be the happy owner of a Marantz 7 tube pre-amp. It was a thing of beauty. Transistors and tubes. Beautifully machined dials. My records loved being channeled through the 40 year old technology. Especially old jazz records from the same era. (Ahh… Jimmy Smith.) I got the pre-amp for free. The parents of a good friend were moving out of their house and said I could come pick up this dusty old stereo equipment which would be thrown out anyway.

I can’t say I’m an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but it sure sounded, well… right.

I put the Marantz on eBay to pay off some credit card debt. It made me feel bad, in a way. I knew I’d probably never drop $2k on a piece of stereo equipment, but carving off a chunk of debt was satisfying.

Flash forward 5 or 6 years: I sold all my stereo equipment before I moved to San Francisco. All of my listening is digital these days – straight from the laptop. I’m not sure when I will have my record collection again, so I can expect it to be digital for the forseeable future.

I can’t help but wonder if there is a software equivalent to my dear old Marantz – something to smooth off the edges of all those jagged ones and zeros.

iTunes has an EQ, of course, but I’m looking for something that can provide distinctive analog modeling, warmth, punch etc. Ideally, I could hook the laptop to a decent power amp, or stream music via Airport Express, and maintain most control and EQ from the computer. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on a fully digital set-up for someone who would prefer to be fully analog?

Thanks in advance, Internet.

New to me, but probably sooo 2005, Paper Thin Walls has a good take on music reviews, music community, mp3 blog.

Any guesses as to their CMS of choice?

I guess we’re getting old. oh well… the movie looks good!

Late to the party on this one, but it is interesting for a former-record label owner to read about the controversy re: co-op advertising/indie labels/best buy vs. Mom’nPop shops here: saki store blog

I haven’t fully processed the passing of Caulfield Records, nor some of the loose ends involved. I might write about it here, but somehow I haven’t gotten to the point of truly pouring my heart out into web-log format.

maybe someday. maybe never.

When it comes to music, I am a jaded old codjer. It’s true. I am looking for new music all the time, but damn if I haven’t found anything that captivates me and generates the enthusiasim that I found when I first started seeing live music, and playing in bands around 1983. Punk rock changed my life, to quote D. Boon.
Anyone who knows me would probably tell you that I am not particularly nostalgic – sentimental, sure – but, you won’t be catching me going on about the good old days (much). But, when I saw that the Avengers were scheduled to play a small club in San Francisco called Cafe du Nord, I didn’t try to hide my excitement. Their ‘pink record’ was definitely a part of the forming of my punk rock consciousness, and has remained a part of essential listening ever since.

Seeing the band in their hometown (and my newly adopted one) made the event the first not-to-miss show of 2006.

SO not-to-miss, in fact, that I got to the club really really early, afraid that there would be a line around the block and that the last ticket sold would go to the person in front of me. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I had been waiting twenty-plus years to see this band. I knew I would be thrilled to hear the songs even if I could tell the band weren’t firing on all cylinders – or worse, doing reunion shows to pay some bills.

I didn’t care. It was The Avengers, and I was going to be directly in front of the stage, soaking it all in.

I rode the scooter to the club the mile and a half through the crisp San Francisco night, paid the cover and walked into a surprisingly empty club. It gave me a chance to people watch – merch girl, bartender, scenesters old and young, guy with ‘Terveet Kadet’ painted on his jacket. It’s funny going from knowing everyone at shows to knowing no one. It’s good, actually.

Openers Satisfaction were ok, in a Weezer meets Cheap Trick kind of way – plus their keyboard player had a Zappa look going on. Talented musicians, but they lost me half way through. The Sermon had a good trashy garage rock sound and questionable use of a theremin. Plenty of energy, but lost me 1/3 of the way into their set.

So as The Sermon closed their set I made my way to the front of the stage to patiently wait for the Avengers. I had to laugh that they closed the stage curtain for their set-up, not sure if it was a good or bad sign. I guess when you’ve waited 20+ years to see an artist perform, you tend to overanalyze things.

The now full club gathered in the band room and when the band started, the place lit up.

For good reason, too. They were exceptional. Perfectly loud, extremely tight, full of energy, and pulling no punches – starting with “We are the One”, and “Thin White line”. I had a smile on my face from ear-to-ear. I had to apologize between songs to the guy next to me – i kept stomping on his foot. He didn’t care.

The set was pretty relentless from there on out. A group of young punk women made their way up front. Penelope shared the mic with them during a few chorus’. The crowd up front was pushing and seething, barely able to contain its energy.

All in all brilliant.

Luckily, it seems they are playing out more and more. I’ll be at the next show.

Photographic proof!

I got to thinking about what kind of information about my musical tastes and listening habits was stored on my little iPod. Here’s some raw data to chew on. What else would be interesting to note? Most played songs:

1. White Plains – John Vanderslice – Cellar Door – 14 plays
2. small things – Lali Puna – Faking The Books – 12 plays
3. There There. (The Boney King Of Nowhere.) – Radiohead – Hail To The Thief – 12 plays
4. Da Trax – Herbalizer – Remedies – 11 plays
5. The Argument – The Sea And Cake – The Fawn – 11 plays
6. One Man Dub (Scientist) – A Blood and Fire Audio Catalogue – Dubwise & otherwise – 10 plays
7. Day Tripper – The Beatles – Past Masters, Vol. 2 – 10 plays
8. Glue Of The World – Four Tet – Pause – 10 plays
9. Natural’s Not in It – Gang of Four – Entertainment! – 10 plays
10. April The 14th (Part 1) – Gillian Welch – Time (The Revelator) – 10 plays
11. Kicker of Elves – Guided By Voices – Bee Thousand – 10 plays
12. Indictment – Jawbreaker – 24 Hour Revenge Therapy – 10 plays
13. Bridges and Balloons – Joanna Newsom – The Milk-Eyed Mender – 10 plays
14. Children Crying (The Congos) – A Blood and Fire Audio Catalogue – Dubwise & otherwise – 9 plays
15. I’m In Love With A Girl – Big Star – #1 Record/Radio City – 9 plays
16. Outside the Trains Don’t Run on Time – Gang of Four – Entertainment! – 9 plays
17. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) – 45 rpm issue – Getz & Gilberto – Stan Getz and João Gilberto featuring Antonio Car – 9 plays
18. Inflammatory Writ – Joanna Newsom – The Milk-Eyed Mender – 9 plays
19. This Side of the Blue – Joanna Newsom – The Milk-Eyed Mender – 9 plays
20. En Gallop – Joanna Newsom – The Milk-Eyed Mender – 9 plays
21. b-movie – Lali Puna – Faking The Books – 9 plays
22. people i know – Lali Puna – Faking The Books – 9 plays
23. alienation – Lali Puna – Faking The Books – 9 plays
24. That’s When I Reach For My Revolver – Mission Of Burma – Signals, Calls And Marches – 9 plays
25. i’m 9 today – múm – Yesterday was dramatic – today is OK – 9 plays
26. Styles That Fade Away With a Collonade Reprise – Prefuse 73 – One Word Extinguisher – 9 plays
27. Spitfire – The Spinanes – Manos – 9 plays
28. All The Pretty Girls Go To The City – Spoon – Kill The Moonlight – 9 plays
29. See No Evil – Television – Marquee Moon Remastered – 9 plays
30. The Kids Are Alright [Stereo] – The Who – My Generation (Deluxe Edition) (Disc 1) – 9 plays
31. I’m Always in Love – Wilco – Summer Teeth – 9 plays

# of rated songs on album

• Various Artists Trojan D.J. Box Set (disc 1) 13 rated songs
• Minutemen Double Nickels On The Dime 9 rated songs
• The Beatnuts Rare Instrumentals: Breaks For 9 rated songs
• Herbalizer Remedies 8 rated songs
• Young Marble Giants Colossal Youth 7 rated songs
• The Clash London Calling 7 rated songs
• Amon Tobin Bricolage 6 rated songs
• Rites Of Spring End On End 6 rated songs
• T. Rex Essential Collection 6 rated songs
• The Velvet Underground Loaded 6 rated songs
• Cut Chemist Meets Shortkut 6 rated songs
• Wilco Summer Teeth 6 rated songs
• Joy Division 1977 – 1980 – Substance 5 rated songs
• Junior Byles A Live Injection Anthology 1968-1979 2 5 rated songs
• Peter King Afro Funk Raregrooves, volume 1 5 rated songs
• The Ramones Anthology (Disc 1) 5 rated songs
• Buffalo Tom Asides from Buffalo Tom 5 rated songs
• Neko Case Blacklisted 5 rated songs
• The Shins Chutes Too Narrow 5 rated songs
• Jam, The Direction Reaction Creation 5 rated songs
• Gang of Four Entertainment! 5 rated songs
• Lali Puna Faking The Books 5 rated songs
• The Who My Generation (Deluxe Edition) (Disc 1) 5 rated songs
• The Notwist Neon Golden 5 rated songs
• Prefuse 73 One Word Extinguisher 5 rated songs
• Jets To Brazil Orange Rhyming Dictionary 5 rated songs
• Four Tet Pause 5 rated songs
• VA shake sauvage: french soundtracks 1968-1973 5 rated songs
• Jimi Hendrix The best of 5 rated songs
• The Velvet Underground The Best Of The Velvet Underground 5 rated songs
• X Under the Big Black Sun 5 rated songs
• Joy Division Warsaw Bootleg 5 rated songs
• Plus Minus You Are Here 5 rated songs
• Jawbreaker 24 Hour Revenge Therapy 4 rated songs
• The Fall 50,000 Fall Fans Can’t Be Wrong Disc 1 4 rated songs
• Blackalicious Blazing Arrow 4 rated songs
• The Walkmen Bows + Arrows 4 rated songs
• Wire Chairs Missing (Japan Release) 4 rated songs
• Rubén González Chanchullo 4 rated songs
• The Slits Cut 4 rated songs
• The Big Boys Fat Elvis 4 rated songs
• Superchunk Foolish 4 rated songs
• Thunderbirds Are Now! Justamustache 4 rated songs
• Minor Threat Minor Threat: Complete Discography 4 rated songs
• Lee Perry & The Upsetters News Flash 4 rated songs
• Pete Rock Petestrumentals 4 rated songs
• Fugazi Red Medicine 4 rated songs
• The Beatles Revolver [UK] 4 rated songs
• Bad brains Rock For Light 4 rated songs
• Ted Leo & the Pharmacists Shake the Sheets 4 rated songs
• Mission Of Burma Signals, Calls And Marches 4 rated songs
• Pavement Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe (Disc 1) 4 rated songs
• The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers 4 rated songs
• Pinback Summer In Abaddon 4 rated songs
• Pixies Surfer Rosa & Come on Pilgrim 4 rated songs
• Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Tender Prey 4 rated songs
• Pere Ubu The Modern Dance 4 rated songs
• Seam The Problem With Me 4 rated songs
• PJ Harvey To Bring You My Love 4 rated songs

Popular albums Albums with 5 or more songs played 5 or more times

• A Blood and Fire Audio Catalogue – Dubwise & otherwise
• A Certain Ratio – Sextet
• A.C. Newman – The Slow Wonder
• Bebel Gilberto – Tanto Tempo
• Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow
• Buffalo Tom – Asides from Buffalo Tom
• Getz & Gilberto – Stan Getz and João Gilberto featuring Antonio Car
• Gillian Welch – Time (The Revelator)
• Joanna Newsom – The Milk-Eyed Mender
• John Vanderslice – Cellar Door
• Lali Puna – Faking The Books
• Low – Things We Lost In The Fire
• Minutemen – Double Nickels On The Dime
• Nick Cave & The bad Seeds – The Boatman’s Call
• Oscar Peterson – Plays Duke Ellington
• Plus Minus – You Are Here
• Prefuse 73 – One Word Extinguisher
• The Beatles – Past Masters, Vol. 2
• Various Artists – Trojan D.J. Box Set (disc 1)
• Wilco – Summer Teeth