FOND FAREWELL...

I'm done with this blog...I hope you have all enjoyed the music etc. that I have been sharing.

I went to see Eskimo Joe support Portland OR indie band 'Stars of Track & Field' at Empty Bottle on Saturday night. I am officially an uber fan of these guys, and have been since the beginning. Frankly, they kick arse live, and if you ever get the opportunity to catch them, ensure you do! They work a crowd, be it music festivals and large venues in Australia, or in an intimate venue such as The Annandale (NSW) or Empty Bottle (IL). One word I always use to describe them is faultless. Chatted to Kav on my way out and he was saying they were hoping to be back in Feb/March for a more extensive headlining tour. Good luck in New York tonight, lads!
So here is 'Black Fingernails, Red Wine' live at LIVE EARTH in Sydney, 2007.

Here is the new single from one of my fav Sydney bands, Faker. I first came across these guys when I was feelancing for a small PR agency in Sydney's Inner West, and their management company were located above us. This is their new single 'This Heart Attack' from their second album, (released 10 November in Australia) Be The Twilight (congrats Nathan :)!).

Crocodile, the new release from Underworld.
My track of the week.

One of my loves is trashy euro dance. Some tracks are just so slickly produced, with the correct formula that just makes you wanna shake it. I especially love the video clips accompanying them. Poor Therese is struggling all throughout this clip...he..sorry..she's a real lil trooper!! Here's her European summer hit 'Feelin Me'

Get yo sexy on...

Some weeks ago a discussion took place at the dinner table between LP and I (with poor Niner sitting with us shaking his head) about songs that just simply DEFINITELY put one in the mood, if ya know what I mean!

So after much memory mapping, and scanning my music library, here are my "top ten" songs/albums that get my sexy on!:

10: Mixed Up - the Cure
09: I love It - Sneaky Sound System
08: Cherish The Day - Sade
07: Fastlove - George Michael
06: (Goodbye Country) Hello Nightclub - Groove Armada
05: Closer (actually the whole of 'Downward Spiral') - NIN
04: Get To Know Ya - Maxwell (actually most anything that Maxwell does!Mmmmm...)
03: Dummy - Portishead
02: Buzzin' Fly Vol 1. - Ben Watt
01: Unfinished Sympathy - Massive Attack

And to close this post, here is the new track from Moloko's Roisin Murphy, 'Let Me Know'

Here is the new video '2 Hearts' from Kylie Minogue's new album 'X', released Nov 12. Sensational new single, and album! (it has been on constant rotation on my ipod all morning...makes for a very good Wednesday!)This Lil Aussie's prediction...the single and album will be HUGE!!

Old Blighty leads the way in GLB (& maybe T) rights!

LONDON (AFP) - The government announced Monday plans to outlaw the incitement of hatred against homosexuals.

"It is a measure of how far we have come as a society in the last ten years that we are now appalled by hatred and invective directed at people on the basis of their sexuality," Justice Secretary Jack Straw said.

"It is time for the law to recognise this."

Straw said that the new legislation would protect gay men, lesbians and bisexuals.

He added that the government would consider arguments on whether it should be extended to include disabled and transgendered people, and would proceed "if a case can be made".

Progress is being made FINALLY to help ensure the safety of ALL Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and HOPEFULLY Transgender folk world wide!

Ok, you two gorgeous things, HAPPY HAPPY 2nd (Emma) and 4th (Chloe) BIRTHDAYS!!!

Timbaland feat. One Republic - Apologise

I never tire of this! Happy Friday!!

Upon listening to a promo version of Jennifer Lopez's new album Brave, I have decided that it is actually quite funkily good! She is keeping up with the styles! Woeful Marc Anthony crap however...remains disturbing....
Wanna share my two fav (and really the only Jennifer Lopez tracks I listen too), Feelin' So Good from her debut 'On the 6' and Do It Well from her newie, 'Brave'

Two & A Half Men

IT'S JUST NOT FUNNY!!!!!!!!

Why oh why does it survive, yet superbly written shows like Arrested Development get canned?????????

THE NETWORKS MAKES NO SENSE!!!!!!!! IT HURTS....sigh...it just isn't right.

Lil Red Squirrel!

The following email was sent from a friend, January, yesterday. It completely cracked me up, and I just had to share it.

"So this morning i came out my house, tryin' to get to
work so i can make that dollar and there was red
squirrel (a.k.a lil red), on my front step. he ran
over to the other side of the walk when he saw me, but
stared me down. i went about my bidness and kinda
ignored him. i realized i forgot somethin' upstairs,
so i went back to get it and when i came down, there
he was again on my stoop.

I said "what's up lil red?" as he took his position
back on the other side of the walk. i turned towards
my bike and i could feel his stare. when i looked
over, he was right behind me, trying to do a sneak
attack. i turned and tried to seem tough. i said
"look lil red, i don't know what you heard but i
didn't say nothin bout yo mama, see? i got no beef
wit chew and i'm just trying to go about my bidness.
you didn't hear this from me red, but word on the
street is that stray cat has been runnin his mouth
bout your moms, so why don't you talk to him?" i
could tell by his stony silence and intense stare that
he was tryin to see if i was bein honest, so i brought
real.

I said" look lil red, i got enough troubles. stray
cat has me payin him for "protection" every week and
it don't come cheap. i got to feed him and all his
stray goons every night. thay don't want the jewel
brand cat food either, i got to feed the organic pet
promise brand. imagine that! feedin them the same as
i feed my own! they gonna run me outta house and
home, but i gotta do it - what choice do i have?"
"so you see red, i'm not about to try to have problems
with someone else. so you just move on and leave me in
peace."

i thought i had made myself clear, but he moved in
again. i knew i had to do something, even if what is
was wasn't pretty...
...so i took my keys off my bag and SHOOK THEM AS LOUD
AS I COULD IN HIS GENERAL DIRECTION!!! he ran up in a
nearby tree.
i got on my bike and pedalled outta there as fast as
i could! i took one look back and saw him staring at
me. i knew it wasn't over. in fact, it had just
begun...
that's the way of the street though...

ps - this is based on a true story!"

Thanks to you Ms January, for the most amusing story of the week!

Sunset over Wrigley Field

Baseball season is coming to an end. So I thought a nice sunset pic taken from my kitchen over Wrigley Field would be fitting.

Gay. (cause I don't know what else to call it!)

It's Wednesday night all is feeling quite settled. I have accomplished many things at work already lending to a very chilled end of the week. Scheduled meetings down to a most decent amount. (only two painless ones off site..however causes next week to be a biaaatch!) So it has been many, many months since I have had a truly 'gay moment'. What better way (apart from watching Caberet) than crank up Kylie Minogue's 'Showgirl Homecoming' concert. This brings me to thinking about all things Australia, all things Kylie, and subsequently all things gay! So having this time to chill at work this week, I am getting acquainted with the College and its GLBT stance. I popped over to the Wabash campus to check out the Annual Multicultural Family Reunion, where a work colleague's drag alter Sharon St James was the host. It was fun to listen to her, knowing James. But like he warned 'I can not be held accountable for anything that comes out of her mouth..EVER!' An amazing performer, and an amazing 3 hour transformation. (And looks freaking amazing in both a skirt and a kilt which he doesn't wear often enough!) I love Sharon! So a fun event went on, ethnic food stalls, dance lessons, calligraphy, a DJ and an artist painting on stage...oh, and did I mention the food???? (Wow...the cornbread was sensational!) So it actually feels nice to be a part of an Educational facility that people enjoy being at, coming to and working for. It is one of the countries most GLBT friendly schools, and being an Arts College, it would naturally be! But it got me thinking about my own homosexuality. I am an out male, have been since I was 17 (19 to my poor Mother..sorry Mum!) and have known so biologically and inherently for as long as I can remember. There has never been a heterosexual moment in my life. I am what some have been known to dub a 'pure blood'! Yet its kind of funny. I don't feel apart of a certain group of people, or even really with the gay community. Reason?? I can't answer that to tell you the truth!
I don't identify with the scene any more. Gay bars bore me and freak me out. (I know...not normal!!) I would much rather go to a pub/bar and chill then go to some meat market. I have always had a love/hate relationship with gay bars. When I was 17 and just moved to Sydney I would frequent The Oxford(Monday beers), Gilligans (EVERY Tue and Fri), The Albury (R.I.P...you are now a Puma Concept store!Oh, and Sundays before DCM), DCM (Saturdays and Sundays). Now its kind of weird for a gay male to be, but I am strictly from the 'I may be dim and gullible, but I will rip your testies off slowly in public if you grope my crotch/arse again! Unless I wanted you to (and, yeah, there were a number of them...I was young!) I have NEVER felt embarrassed, apologised for, been walked all over because of my sexuality. This I am most passionate about. Even though I do not associate myself with the gay community, I am a staunch and vocal supporter of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender rights. At Columbia, it feels great to be apart of a program running where you can offer your office or classroom as a safe haven for not only GLBT students having issues or being harassed, and needing someone to talk to, but to anyone! This little community feels great to be apart of.
Sheesh. I suppose I am just having a little ramble. Maybe the beers are going to my head. But if you needed confirmation of my sexuality, some lad explained it clearly enough at Lollapalooza. So to end...I feel the need for some more Kylie. However I think I will let LP and Miss Sara (and 9'ner!) have a moment with JT...and just a touch of Kyle's

Coming soon....Sharon St. James visits Columbia College Chicago

So, this post will make perfect sense very very soon. I know, what a work mates alter ego Sharon St.James and Kylie Minogue have in common is anyones guess!

'Daily Show' to the rescue!

It is not the best quality, its a little out of synch, but I wanted to get the full commentary...this ALWAYS shocks the shit out of me!
Jon Stewart, I love you!

Falling Slowly

'Once' is one of the best movie and soundtrack combinations that were released in 2007. Staring Glen Hansard, from Irish band The Frames, and Marketa Irglova, its a simple story of rediscovering love and healing of old wounds. The soundtrack moves me every time I hear it, and i recently got a copy of the duo's album 'The Swell Season' which features a number of their songs, as well as some newies. (cheers 9'ner!)
So I just wanted to share a video of 'Falling Slowly', compiled by clips from the film. An indie masterpiece.