I don't mind, 'cause I can handle it

Dear friends,

1. I'm snarfing mac and cheese and preparing myself mentally for The Raveonettes + The Dirtbombs show tonight at Southpaw. The Monkey was kind enough to score me a ticket and I cannot wait to enjoy the great love sound and see if Miss Sharin Foo's top will expose side cleavage again. (I am a pig. I know this. Imagine how terrible I'd be if I were a man; I'd be fatter, louder, drunker and working for Vice). I haven't had the chance to fully take in the new Raveonettes joint, Pretty In Black, but I do know Mo Tucker and Ronnie Spector are supposed to have their delicate hands in it and that thrills me to no end. As for The Dirtbombs, they ALWAYS deliver, they make me happy to have legs that sometimes work and their cover of Sly & The Family Stone's Underdog is so fabulous that I can't even put it on the SC covers mix 'cause I've already put it on every mix in Christendom since Ultraglide in Black came out. I can't be a mix repeater. That's some kinda sin.

2. I'd like to take this opportunity to send a very special apology to my hairy red friend Contributor Jared. Last year he gave me a mix cassette as a present for a birthday that had taken place a year or so earlier (we are truly related in matters of timeliness). As soon as he gave it to me, he asked for it back. And I never saw it again. I have been haranguing him shrilly about this ever since. A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across this tape in a plastic bag. He HAD returned it to me but probably when my head was in another zone, possibly the moving house zone.

(gets down on one knee)

I apologize Jared. Humbly and openly. Perhaps my favorite cut on your gift is Funkadelic's Cosmic Slop. Especially since when I hear it, I SO picture you doing that terrifying foot stomp, parenthetical arm swing combined with shit-eating grin big red dance. It's just so you.

3. Shaun of the Dead which is really quite excellent despite the fact that I have severe zombie phobia so there was a lot of running in and out and hiding in my fellow viewer's neck, has a scene where the two heroes are leaving the pub after last call and drunkenly rapping/singing White Lines by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. The Monkey was not familiar with this title so I immediately went and played it. This impromptu DJ-ing inspired me to play Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express followed by Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaataa. Then I tried to pop and lock. I suppose the question is, what's scarier, a zombie horror comedy or my dance stylings? Hmmm.

4. Future karaoke song if anyone ever invites me to karaoke ever again (yes, that is a veiled dig at certain people I know who probably will not even read this) and the karaoke joint has it: Neneh Cherry's Buffalo Stance. Just so I can go "Gigolo! Huh...sucker!" in all the spaces between.

5. According to a lot of rock scribes and Led Zeppelin, Roy Harper is as mad as a hatter. This is why I was so surprised at hearing the beautiful Forever, which is like the perfect wedding song if you're into fairies and hobbits and swords and girls that are fair. In addition to his sweet, hushed singing, which is reminiscent of Donovan at his best (a vocal chameleon, Harper's also the one delivering the fierce Have A Cigar on Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here), the guitar playing is gorgeous and crisp. Go find it and marvel at the lovely little harmonics. One of those jewels.

Love, D

songs to seek: underdog/the dirtbombs, white lines/grandmaster flash & furious 5, trans-europe express/kraftwerk, planet rock/afrika bambaataa, buffalo stance/neneh cherry, forever/roy harper