THIS IS NOT A TEST (2 Viewers)
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mjp
Founding member
A cashless society: believe it or not! THIS IS NOT A TEST #58
http://thisisnotatest.com/a-cashless-society-believe-it-or-not-this-is-not-a-test-58/
Are we sure we want a cashless society? Are we sure we want to hear about Victorian-era language, Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, delivering mail, buildings made from a single tree, Fiji Mermaids, Odditoriums, teenage vampire novels, working dogs from the UK, casinos, Taco Bell, the genius of credit card companies, above ground pools, iris scans, noisy metal boxes, poodle skirts, poop, Tony Soprano, corsets, coconuts, Wall Street douchebags, jasmine blossoms, conspiracy theories, one percenters and "bros?" Are we sure about anything?
http://thisisnotatest.com/a-cashless-society-believe-it-or-not-this-is-not-a-test-58/
Are we sure we want a cashless society? Are we sure we want to hear about Victorian-era language, Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, delivering mail, buildings made from a single tree, Fiji Mermaids, Odditoriums, teenage vampire novels, working dogs from the UK, casinos, Taco Bell, the genius of credit card companies, above ground pools, iris scans, noisy metal boxes, poodle skirts, poop, Tony Soprano, corsets, coconuts, Wall Street douchebags, jasmine blossoms, conspiracy theories, one percenters and "bros?" Are we sure about anything?
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
these photos are getting disturbing. :fog:
Let's hear this.
Let's hear this.
mjp
Founding member
Then my work here is done.
nervas
more crickets than friends
Another great episode. I used to go to the Ripley's in Buena Park about twice a year because I was working about 100 feet away from it. Always loved it! Only other one I've been to is the Hollywood location.
Just for the sheer amount of time those chip cards take to read at retail stores they annoy the hell out me!
Just for the sheer amount of time those chip cards take to read at retail stores they annoy the hell out me!
mjp
Founding member
KISS, cassette tapes and the last time I mention Bernie Sanders - THIS IS NOT A TEST #59
http://thisisnotatest.com/kiss-cass...mention-bernie-sanders-this-is-not-a-test-59/
When you listen to THIS IS NOT A TEST you are not "consuming content," 40 year old pictures, satin bell bottoms, Bob Ezrin, record stores, the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd, Pet Sounds, insufferable twats, music floating on the breeze, ticket scalpers, being easily entertained, cardboard boxes full of cassette tapes, Wham!, technology, a girl named Pearl, being an idiot, plastic spoons, what to bring when you visit my house, political discourse, fragging, the occupy movement, chalking one up to millennial genius, pre-moistened anti-irritant towelettes, flesh hooks, the cat in the shark costume riding the robot vacuum, Fort Knox, puppets and lemonade.
http://thisisnotatest.com/kiss-cass...mention-bernie-sanders-this-is-not-a-test-59/
When you listen to THIS IS NOT A TEST you are not "consuming content," 40 year old pictures, satin bell bottoms, Bob Ezrin, record stores, the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd, Pet Sounds, insufferable twats, music floating on the breeze, ticket scalpers, being easily entertained, cardboard boxes full of cassette tapes, Wham!, technology, a girl named Pearl, being an idiot, plastic spoons, what to bring when you visit my house, political discourse, fragging, the occupy movement, chalking one up to millennial genius, pre-moistened anti-irritant towelettes, flesh hooks, the cat in the shark costume riding the robot vacuum, Fort Knox, puppets and lemonade.
Sleepingbag buddy? I mean, I like you well enough...
Am I the only one who pictures this while listening to the podcast?
I am? Really? No one else pictures that in their mind while listening? Seriously?
Well, fuck you then.
I am? Really? No one else pictures that in their mind while listening? Seriously?
Well, fuck you then.
mjp
Founding member
Really? Blonde hair and aviators?
Probably more like this:
But really, both of those guys sit down, and that's just not how I roll.
When you stand up all of your chakras align and the wisdom of the ages flows from your toes (where it's stored) to your mouth. Though it rarely stops at the brain to be fact-checked.
Probably more like this:
But really, both of those guys sit down, and that's just not how I roll.
When you stand up all of your chakras align and the wisdom of the ages flows from your toes (where it's stored) to your mouth. Though it rarely stops at the brain to be fact-checked.
You think you can pull off Chris?
Okay.
Anyway, I'm just packing a bag so we can go to the puppet show together...
(See, the joke is I know that mjp doesn't like Jim Carroll or Tom Waits. Big yucks, no?)
Okay.
Anyway, I'm just packing a bag so we can go to the puppet show together...
(See, the joke is I know that mjp doesn't like Jim Carroll or Tom Waits. Big yucks, no?)
Yes.
mjp
Founding member
Well, considering they based that character on my podcast, I think so, yeah.
As for the bag, as long as the floppy dog is coming, the records are fine.
mjp
Founding member
You though right.
Bullshit is the common denominator in US politics. It's fairly clear that a winner can't really bring about change. So why is it so hard to believe that a loser can't?
Skygazer
And in the end...
Oh I hope so! If the allure of Trump (there's a phrase I never thought I'd use) is some kind of Joe Public radical insurgent, ready to battle the dysfunctional window dressing of US politics (despite his more recent miserable attempts at presidential gravitas). If that's been the secret of his success, then Bernie Sanders looks like the strongest opponent, he actually is at least, genuine in his beliefs and has been consistent. More so than Clinton... So probably he will lose.
Not only in the States. But it's true that, looked at from a distance, US politics and politicians often seem to be particularly phoney. I mean, how can anybody vote for such candidates? I don't get it.
My take is that anyone who professes interest in becoming a politician immediately disqualifies themselves from consideration.
mjp
Founding member
Why kids hate poetry and why you probably hate it too - THIS IS NOT A TEST #60
http://thisisnotatest.com/why-kids-...u-probably-hate-it-too-this-is-not-a-test-60/
Maybe "hate" is too strong a word, but we'll also go to Space Mountain, talk about wasting time, the smart way to do things, Richie Havens, literary magazines, how long "forever" is on the Internet, the answer to some people's dreams, your AOL connection, The Knucklehead Chronicle, baby frogs, an uncaring universe, taking the small press world mainstream, playing "Stairway to Heaven" in 2016, the wisdom of the ages, cutting off your own head, ducks, rhyming children's poems, academic poets, forks, Paris, Prague, Istanbul, Kansas and Vienna, Bukowski, Bukowski, Bukowski, the yout' dem, butterflies, your mother, hunchbacks (not saying your mother is a hunchback, but...), bullshit detectors and puppets.
http://thisisnotatest.com/why-kids-...u-probably-hate-it-too-this-is-not-a-test-60/
Maybe "hate" is too strong a word, but we'll also go to Space Mountain, talk about wasting time, the smart way to do things, Richie Havens, literary magazines, how long "forever" is on the Internet, the answer to some people's dreams, your AOL connection, The Knucklehead Chronicle, baby frogs, an uncaring universe, taking the small press world mainstream, playing "Stairway to Heaven" in 2016, the wisdom of the ages, cutting off your own head, ducks, rhyming children's poems, academic poets, forks, Paris, Prague, Istanbul, Kansas and Vienna, Bukowski, Bukowski, Bukowski, the yout' dem, butterflies, your mother, hunchbacks (not saying your mother is a hunchback, but...), bullshit detectors and puppets.
Hosh
hoshomccreesh.com
Take-aways:
1) Yes, making the small press bigger would ruin it.
2) 4,000 small press fans and lit-heads (nationally or worldwide?) -- this is the 2nd time I've heard this number in a week, so by today's standards, that makes it true.
3) Love live print!
Now, how do we connect those 4000 people to the small presses printing things on actual paper, thereby saving literary culture from the bean-counters and bottom-liners? Is it an ETSY specifically for small presses? Could it be that simple?
1) Yes, making the small press bigger would ruin it.
2) 4,000 small press fans and lit-heads (nationally or worldwide?) -- this is the 2nd time I've heard this number in a week, so by today's standards, that makes it true.
3) Love live print!
Now, how do we connect those 4000 people to the small presses printing things on actual paper, thereby saving literary culture from the bean-counters and bottom-liners? Is it an ETSY specifically for small presses? Could it be that simple?
mjp
Founding member
I was dreamin' when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray
http://thisisnotatest.com/i-was-dreamin-when-i-wrote-this-forgive-me-if-it-goes-astray/
Let me tell you about bumping in to Prince on a Minneapolis street corner, but first we'll probably talk about, oh, I don't know, hair removal, P.J. Harvey, record reviews, taking a writer's word for something, Rock Steady, big mailboxes, Siskel and Ebert and where their thumbs have been, the Christgau Consumer Guide, artistic merit, Kansas vs. MC5, Brian Eno, a bunch of made-up metal band names and a little personal remembrance of Prince. Sometimes it snows in April, yo.
http://thisisnotatest.com/i-was-dreamin-when-i-wrote-this-forgive-me-if-it-goes-astray/
Let me tell you about bumping in to Prince on a Minneapolis street corner, but first we'll probably talk about, oh, I don't know, hair removal, P.J. Harvey, record reviews, taking a writer's word for something, Rock Steady, big mailboxes, Siskel and Ebert and where their thumbs have been, the Christgau Consumer Guide, artistic merit, Kansas vs. MC5, Brian Eno, a bunch of made-up metal band names and a little personal remembrance of Prince. Sometimes it snows in April, yo.
mjp
Founding member
That's a lot of records. You only need about 100 more to have the complete library. ;)
Prince was to music what Bukowski was to poetry: consistently hyper-creative over decades, work-obsessed, and no one (or two or three) outlets could keep up with his output.
About a month ago I downloaded something called Work It, which is 34 cds worth of unreleased material (5.5 GB of files). More than 580 tracks. Some of those are alternate mixes and whatnot, but there are 450 different songs represented. The guy who put that set together says that's not even half of what exists. Not even half, which means at least 1,000 songs unreleased, in addition to the 40 albums that were released.
It's an astounding amount of work. Even if you think only half of it is any good (I happen to think he had about the same percentage of "great" work to "good" work to "mediocre" work that Bukowski did - meaning the great and the good far outweigh the throwaway stuff).
I can't think of any other modern pop or rock artist with that kind of body of work. Dylan has almost as many album releases (but only because he's releasing all of his previously unreleased stuff now, which includes multiple versions of most songs) but not anywhere near the amount of unheard tracks. The Beatles - not even close. Their "vault" has been pretty much emptied of everything that was finished. Prince was a singular motherfucker, the likes of which we won't see again.
Prince was to music what Bukowski was to poetry: consistently hyper-creative over decades, work-obsessed, and no one (or two or three) outlets could keep up with his output.
About a month ago I downloaded something called Work It, which is 34 cds worth of unreleased material (5.5 GB of files). More than 580 tracks. Some of those are alternate mixes and whatnot, but there are 450 different songs represented. The guy who put that set together says that's not even half of what exists. Not even half, which means at least 1,000 songs unreleased, in addition to the 40 albums that were released.
It's an astounding amount of work. Even if you think only half of it is any good (I happen to think he had about the same percentage of "great" work to "good" work to "mediocre" work that Bukowski did - meaning the great and the good far outweigh the throwaway stuff).
I can't think of any other modern pop or rock artist with that kind of body of work. Dylan has almost as many album releases (but only because he's releasing all of his previously unreleased stuff now, which includes multiple versions of most songs) but not anywhere near the amount of unheard tracks. The Beatles - not even close. Their "vault" has been pretty much emptied of everything that was finished. Prince was a singular motherfucker, the likes of which we won't see again.
nervas
more crickets than friends
I had always heard about the unreleased stuff, but had no idea there was so much material. I recently read a headline that said something along the lines of Prince being the only influence or inspiration an aspiring musician needed. It made me think of the countless artists from across all genres of music who often name Prince as an influence. .
I went to see him at the Staples center on his musicology tour and he tore up the place, lit his guitar on fire and I kick myself for not seeing him more than that one night.
Lastly if you haven't seen it, the NFL uploaded a 10 minute segment a couple of months ago about his Super Bowl performance from a few years ago. Talks about him dealing with the rain, the wet stage, etc. Good stuff for sure
I went to see him at the Staples center on his musicology tour and he tore up the place, lit his guitar on fire and I kick myself for not seeing him more than that one night.
Lastly if you haven't seen it, the NFL uploaded a 10 minute segment a couple of months ago about his Super Bowl performance from a few years ago. Talks about him dealing with the rain, the wet stage, etc. Good stuff for sure
I just listened to 60 and I think I heard the word "enblanden." I'm not sure if that word exists, but I wish I
had said it first.
had said it first.
mjp
Founding member
I kind of stole that from the Simpsons. They have a statue in the town square with an inscription that says "A Noble Spirit Embiggens The Smallest Man."
In that episode I said that Hosho was brainstorming ways to "embiggen the small press." Emblanden seemed like a natural extension of that. ;)
In that episode I said that Hosho was brainstorming ways to "embiggen the small press." Emblanden seemed like a natural extension of that. ;)
mjp
Founding member
Prince was not a genius.
Or was he?
http://thisisnotatest.com/prince-was-not-a-genius-or-was-he/
Was Prince a genius? Hmm, good question. Let's talk about having 50 albums worth of unreleased music in "the vault," and some of the crazy, before-its-time shit he did when he was alive. Giants walk among us. Or at least they used to. You might also hear me say words about things like the Ostrich Pillow®, having electricity in your house, classical composers, how signing a 100 million dollar recording contract can turn out to be the worst thing that ever happened to you, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Madonna, suing your own fans, getting into the soup, love, jackrabbits, rattlesnakes and Aqualung. And remember: if you don't own your masters, your masters own you.
Or was he?
http://thisisnotatest.com/prince-was-not-a-genius-or-was-he/
Was Prince a genius? Hmm, good question. Let's talk about having 50 albums worth of unreleased music in "the vault," and some of the crazy, before-its-time shit he did when he was alive. Giants walk among us. Or at least they used to. You might also hear me say words about things like the Ostrich Pillow®, having electricity in your house, classical composers, how signing a 100 million dollar recording contract can turn out to be the worst thing that ever happened to you, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Madonna, suing your own fans, getting into the soup, love, jackrabbits, rattlesnakes and Aqualung. And remember: if you don't own your masters, your masters own you.
Today I was messing around on the computer organizing things and I thought to myself 'I wonder what old man JP has been talking about lately.' Great episode as always. I was youtubing around the constellation of the artist formerly known as Prince, as many of us probably have been doing. And I saw an interview with Stevie Wonder. Who said something to the effect of 'the army of love just lost a general.' Rest in peace lover man ..
Also, mjp I liked seeing your Chris Stevens reference. I recorded a couple of podcasts over the winter and I cited you and Chris Stevens as my only influences. But then, like a they do in academe, I of course went on to say that all faults are wholly my own :rolleyes:
Also, mjp I liked seeing your Chris Stevens reference. I recorded a couple of podcasts over the winter and I cited you and Chris Stevens as my only influences. But then, like a they do in academe, I of course went on to say that all faults are wholly my own :rolleyes:
mjp
Founding member
YouTube is experiencing a tsunami of new Prince video now that he's not around to get it all taken down three hours after it's uploaded. I read that one of the companies that he used to keep his music off YouTube is still working for him, but they just can't keep up with the uploads. Eventually they'll stop getting paid and we'll see a lot of interesting stuff. Which, as a fan, is great. But I know he didn't want it up there, so I have mixed feelings about it.
And I understand why he didn't want every live thing he ever did to be available, not to mention the unreleased music, but the world has morphed into something that doesn't appreciate an experience as much as it does proving you were in the audience at the experience. I used to lug a 35mm camera and a big long lens to concerts when I was a teenager in the 70s, and eventually I stopped doing it because it just fucked up the experience, and made me miss out on what was really happening.
And I understand why he didn't want every live thing he ever did to be available, not to mention the unreleased music, but the world has morphed into something that doesn't appreciate an experience as much as it does proving you were in the audience at the experience. I used to lug a 35mm camera and a big long lens to concerts when I was a teenager in the 70s, and eventually I stopped doing it because it just fucked up the experience, and made me miss out on what was really happening.
