Mike > Recent Status Updates

The only possible response to Ministry's set is awe-struck submission. The cacophony of industrial pounding, pile-driving guitars and Al Jourgensen scream-growling like Beelzebub over nerve-shredding samples is like being crushed by the Apocalypse.

Pearl Jam's roof-raising set, often culminating in Eddie Vedder throwing himself from the scaffolding into a frenzied crowd whipped into pandemonium, is a tough act to follow. By the time the Mary Chain have set up their gear and get the smoke machine going, much of the packed house has filtered away to refuel with beer, grab a bathroom break or load up with merch.

The review for Sounds rejoices that 'we are spared the mewling, stumbling and bumbling Lush. Come an independent Scotland and they won't be allowed across the border, with any luck.'

Warning: Alan Moore spoils the end of Don't Look Now in the first issue.

He picked at the cassettes on the seat between us. "Replacements? Husker Du? The Psychedelic Furs?" He made the names sound like incurable diseases. "What the hell is this shit?"

"Rock 'n' roll."

"The Eagles and the Doobie Brothers. That was rock 'n' roll."

"If you're eighty."

If you'd told me beforehand that the first 100 pages would be about Miki's childhood and parents, with the band/music sections still on the horizon, I doubt I'd ever have picked this up. But somehow it's riveting. Damn good memoir so far.

"Have you accepted Christ into your life? Are you a Christian?"

I nodded. I always humor the religious.

For two hundred dollars a day I'd promise to find Jimmy Hoffa.

In case anyone's interested, I've been posting movie reviews every once in a while when my reading slows down:

https://letterboxd.com/mike_k/film/zo...

"Actually, I'm a marine lawyer."

Doc thought about this. "You're...a Marine who practices law? No, wait- you're a lawyer who only represents Marines..."

I had come to the center of the mystery and found- nothing.

I had come to the center of the mystery and found- nothing.

Repressed American on vacation in London meets a strangely ingratiating cosmetic surgeon one night in a bar, and next thing you know finds himself with a one-way ticket to Eyes Wide Shut-sville. Got to finish this one before the semester starts, as the cover rates about an 8/10 on the "better not to let students or co-workers see me reading this" scale.

...but that's what happens when you watch too much TV, everybody looks like someone famous.

"You will not learn chess because you are too vain to imagine yourself bent over a board with dull old men or with the hucksters in Washington Square Park. You enjoy poker because it is an American game, the game of saloons and broad smiles. A game where luck or sudden violence may yet save the unprepared."

This is going quickly. Then again, I've never been able to resist a good vampire tale set in NYC.

Thoughts on The Shining:

https://miked1b.substack.com/p/movie-...

Four of the guys had started talking about stealing, as a gag: "If business keeps up this lousy, we'll have to knock over a gas station or two." When it stopped being a gag and started being reality he couldn't say for sure.

It was just a hotel room, the same as any. Because it was in Jersey City, it might be a little grimier than most, that's all.

"Innocent people are this minute being blasted and burned to bits...and they are innocent of any wrong-doing." Good Republican faces looked back at Riegle in the uneasy bewilderment of bankers who listen to an attractive client apply in well-ordered and reasonable style for a most sensible loan, but they know they will not grant it because there is a note in the file- "Do not lend this man money!"

Of course, there is always the parochial masochism of politics which is ready to welcome betrayal for the pleasure of the bitterness it provides.

This is some pretty spooky stuff.