Lyrical Naming

When Toyota and General Motors, two auto manufacturers who have... deserved or not ...reputations for grey-flannel corporate stodginess, launched a joint manufacturing venture here in the U.S.A., they called it NUMMI, which is an appropriately dull and stodgy acronym.

When Mopar and Mitsubishi did likewise, a few years later, the outfit was called Diamond-Star Motors, officially a reference to Mitsubishi's triple diamond logo and Chrysler's Pentastar.

But you know that the latter name was really because some audacious dude in marketing was a Marc Bolan fan and managed to get away with it.

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How It Is...

Taylor Made...

So, Taylor Swift has been on the witness stand lately, in a civil case brought against a former DJ accused of groping her backstage. No cameras are allowed in the courtroom, and Tay Sway fans have been less than thrilled with the performance of the sketch artist provided to document the trial.

Here's how he drew Taylor...

Wait, no, sorry... that's how a crazy lady drew Jesus.

Here's how the sketch artist drew T-Swizzle...

Potato Jesus, meet Potato Taylor Swift...
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...and get off of my lawn!

So, I'm seeing the above commercial for, like, the third or fourth time when it occurs to me that the chick who looks kinda like Nicki Minaj actually is Nicki Minaj, and that would mean that the other people in the commercial are not some random collection of young hipster punks that need to get off of my lawn, but in fact are some sort of young musical celebrity hipster punks that need to get off of my lawn, however I could not put a name to any of them.

My first Official Old Fogey Moment. I'm so proud of myself; it's a big day in a young girl's life.

This Machine Breeds Fascists.

Folk musician Woodie Guthrie, named after Mussolini's hero and New Jersey governor Woodie Wilson, was an icon of the Old Left in America. He palled around with L.A. commies like Hoosier Will Geer and even wrote a column for The Daily Worker.

These were the background influences of the postwar American left, who slogged on their Gramscian march through the institutions, seizing the groves of academy and assaulting up the stairways of ivory towers humming tunes that had originally been strummed on Woodie's guitar, with its famous sticker.

In light of recent events, there is a certain delicious irony in the fact that Woodie played a Gibson.

This land is your land, all right, Woodie; you helped build it with your own two hands. Too bad you didn't live to see it.

Today In History: Ode to Joy.

On this date in 1824, music reached its highest form of evolution with the premiere performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Beethoven received five ovations after the debut performance; it was customary for the Emperor to receive three.

On Philips' website, they claim that it's a rather definitive piece of music.

Tonight! Live at the Mudville Colosseum!

With their guitarist fresh out of rehab and the drummer having successfully pleaded down his charges to Simple Battery and Public Lewdness, the band Old Settler's Association is kicking off their American tour in support of their sophomore album, Mile In His Moccasins, tonight at the Mudville Colosseum...



What a fun meme! The rules can be found here.

Color me shallow...

I make a comment over at Lawdog's joint, and next thing you know I'm bopping about the house to the 7" dance mix of the Pet Shop Boys' Absolutely Fabulous.

"Remember, I've known you longer than your daughter has." :D

You have got to see this.

Courtesy of Phlegm Fatale: Feast on the Flesh of the Haters.




"The main difference between my people and yours is that we bowl without irony." :)