Someone sent me this article. I can totally tell sometimes that people are just trying to direct me towards things that will make me angry and in turn create a (hopefully) very entertaining angry rant for you all to read.

Sorry, I’m agreeing with the Kaiser Chiefs dude on this one. People who put up entire albums that haven’t come out yet suck. I’m willing to go even further and say that people who put up entire albums after they’ve come out suck. Right now I’m sure some of you are thinking, “Mr. Lost Turntable, you’re a hypocrite! You put up full albums all the time! And while I’m attacking you, I’d also like to point out that you need to proofread your posts more!”

That comment about my copy editing skills totally hurts, but I’m willing to overlook it to address your first issue. By in large, the songs I put up on my blog are not easily available. Some may be, but when they are I never put up the whole album, I only do that if I’m damn sure the thing is out of print in either America or most of Europe. If I ever put up a complete album that was commercially available (legally, not bootlegged), then it was by accident.

If a blog is putting up the entire Kaiser Chiefs album (or any new album for that matter) they’re assholes and giving bloggers like me a bad name. If you like an artist, buy their music. Use BitTorrent for what it was meant for, rare music and mountains of pornography.

Big Country
East Of Eden (Extended Version)
Prairie Rose
Hold The Heart (Instrumental)
Honky Tonk Woman (Live)
One Great Thing (Boston Mix)
Where The Rose Is Sown (Extended Version)
Bass Dance
Belief In The Small Man
The Teacher (Mystery Mix)
Restless Natives The Soundtrack Part 1 (REPOST)
Restless Natives The Soundtrack Part 2
I wanted to post these a month ago, but then my fucking computer died before I could record them. Since I love Big Country, I didn’t want to risk doing a substandard recording using my laptop and I waited until I finally got all my shit together (well, most of it anyway) to record them properly. Astute eyes will notice that I’ve included the both parts of the Restless Natives soundtrack. I posted the first part a while ago, and it only seems fair to make them both available now that I’ve finally put the second part online. Don’t go assuming that I’m going to start reposting other shit though. Anyways, these tracks come from a variety of singles and I’m not going to go through the list and say which ones, you’ll see when you play the songs for yourself. Some of these are available on import versions of Big Country albums, box sets, rarities collections and what not, others aren’t.

I got my soundcard working, I can record my vinyl, I’m done with school, I have a job…fuck. I have nothing to complain about. Well, that’s not entirely true, I have plenty to complain about, just nothing that I’m going to throw up on them here interwebs for the entire world to see. Don’t worry everyone I’m sure I will be very pissed off about something/someone soon. Just right now my backlog of vinyl outnumbers the number of crazy bullshit rants I can produce. Don’t worry. I’m sure my contentment won’t last very long.

Massive Attack
Three (Dom T’s House of Fortune mix)
Protection (J Swift Mix)
More from that 2LP “Protection” 12” that I picked up in Toledo. This is the last of it that I’m posting, as the other tracks on it are either album cuts or on that dub remix album No Protection.

Depeche Mode
But Not Tonight (Extended Mix)
Breathing In Fumes
Stripped (Highland Mix)
Black Day
Two Depeche Mode posts in a row…I’m falling back into old habits. I still have shitload of rare DM that I haven’t gotten around to posting yet. It’s mostly because the quality of the recordings aren’t that great. Some were accidentally recorded in mono, and others were recorded back when I had my turntable that spun to fast. In a few months I’m finally breaking down and buying a high-end direct-drive turntable and that’s when I’ll finally re-record all my shit that’s fucked up. So someday you’ll see a massive Depeche Mode post that puts all previous massive Depeche Mode posts to shame. Until then, enjoy these remixes and B-sides. “Breathing In Fumes” is actually a remix of “Stripped” and “Black Day” is a different version of “Black Celebration” all of these are from the 12” single to “But Not Tonight,” but they were all also on the single to “Stripped.”

Space Monkeys
Acid House Killed Rock (Dub Pistol’s killed Acid House Mix)
Acid House Killed Rock (Chopper Squad Killed Rock ‘n’ Roll Mix)
Punk as Fuck (Dub Pistols Mix)
I knew nothing about these guys and honestly just bought this 12” single because I wanted to own something by a band that called themselves Space Monkeys. They are of no relation to the 1980s band Space Monkey, the remix artists that did the dud Gorillaz album Laika Come Home or even the Placebo song of the same name. According to Wikipedia they were almost-but-not-really kind of popular for five minutes and they opened for Third Eye Blind. That’s fucked up. This shit is kind of cool, and reminds me of Oasis with a drum machine. Is this “Madchester” or is it a decade too late?

Can someone be annoyed to the point of a nervous breakdown? The adjustment period of my new computer has not been….pleasant. Everything has worked great, except for the audio, which as you can kind of imagine is more than a little important for someone like me. I’m not even going to get into all the the problems I had with recording over the past 72 hours, because just thinking about them makes me so damned angry that I feel like my head is going to pop. This is a bad situation for me, I have…rage issues (I don’t even call it anger management, it goes beyond that) and I’m totally OCD when it comes to stupid shit that has no relevance, such as minuscule problems with audio recording fidelity.

As it stands now I think I got all the serious kinks worked out, at least the ones I have control over. For some reason the new needle on my turntable is recording the right channel better than the left channel. I can’t hear a difference, and I only know because I can see it in my audio editing software. If you can honestly hear a difference to the point where it annoys you don’t fucking tell me unless you know how to fucking fix it.

I’m stressed beyond the point of industrial music’s healing power, time for some chill out shit.

Depeche Mode
Two Minute Warning (Live)
Somebody (Live)
Ice Machine (Live)
Everything Counts (Live)
The last time I was in Toledo I went to Culture Clash and the dude there was all stoked because he just got a shitload of 80s shit and he knew that was my Achilles heel. I didn’t suspect that he would have anything I didn’t already own but fuck my wallet was I wrong. Not only did he have some obscure New Order, John Foxx and Bjork (which I will be posting soon) but he also had everything that is in tonight’s post, starting with this these Depeche Mode live tracks, which come from the 12” single to Blasphemous Rumours. With the addition to this and the other Depeche Mode 12” I picked up at Culture Clash (which I will also be posting soon), my collection is nearly complete. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself then, guess I’ll move onto Ultravox or something.

Tricky
Overcome (Bungle Mix)
Overcome (Zippy Mix)
Whenever I see Tricky’s name I don’t think of his music (or his illustrious acting career) instead the Run DMC song “It’s Tricky” always comes to mind. Tricky should totally cover that, remake it as “I’m Tricky” or something. Or not. I’m very tired. These remixes of “Overcome” (which in itself is a remix/remake of “Karmacoma”) is from the 12” single.

Massive Attack
Protection (The Eno Mix)
Protection (The Eno Instrumental)
Protection (Underdog’s Angel Dust Mix)
Protection (Angel Dust Instrumental)
Okay, man…like between the Tricky and now this Massive Attack I am like totally sedate. Who the fuck needs drugs man, I got trippy ass ambient music. This 2 LP 12” single was the find of a lifetime and I nearly shit when I discovered it. I’ll be putting up more of this one next time. It’s all awesome, but the Eno mix (ala Brian Eno) is divine.

Damn it’s been an annoying few days. I finally got my new computer put together with the help of an awesome friend and was looking forward to recording some bitchin’ tunes. However, I ran into a problem. For some reason if I connect my turntable to my computer via the line-in connection, this happens.

In case it’s not evident in the screencap, all the lows on the right channel are getting cut off. It only happens when I use the computer’s on-board sound card and not my old external (which isn’t fully Vista compatible) or the USB recording feature of the turntable (which I don’t really like but am using for the time being).

A/V GEEKS PLEASE HELP! This problem is really driving me nuts! Anyone that can help me will receive sexual favors a shitload of any remixes/b-sides/whatever they want.

Now, one more piece of business before we get to the music. A commenter sent me this link to a review of a review of the new Kings Of Leon album. If you haven’t already watched that video, please do, because if you don’t everything I’m going to say from this point on will be very confusing to you.

I originally had an epic-length rant as to why I agree with Peter Grumbine’s assessment of this particular “rock critic” but most of it was rather redundant and came off as rather bitchy. Instead I just want to focus on a few things, firstly this comment from his review:

They exist on and believe in their own hype, an intangible juggernaut stunningly and consistently supported by the UK and Australian media while soundly denounced by the North American bastion of indie taste Pitchfork, now for the fourth time in as many full-lengths with their lowest ever rating.

Dude, check the URL for the review, you write for Pop Matters, not Pitchfork. While the two sites probably aren’t competing for readers, name-dropping another music mag in your review comes off as pathetic pandering. You don’t write for Pitchfork, although you are obviously pretentious enough, get over it and stop stroking their ironic cock. I’ve lambasted Pitchfork before (on more than one occasion) but if you think they are “the North American bastion of indie taste” that’s fine, it just doesn’t belong in your review. Citing that you share their opinion comes off as a pathetic attempt to add validity to your own opinion. Let your opinion stand for itself.

This was Filmore’s response to his ass-whooping by Grumbine:

I can’t believe you guys went to all that effort. That’s awesome. Of course, it’s outrageously biased and several of your points are mere semantic nitpicking, but this is still probably the coolest thing that’s ever happened with one of my reviews. I’ve never had someone do a screenwipe with three of my pics before. I feel like I was on Entertainment Tonight or something. Thanks again, guys. I’m going to post this everywhere. A drunk pornstar’s dog’s name… that’s gold. Feel free to rant on any of my future reviews.

Filmore missed the point so much that the light from the point would take a million years to reach his whiny ass. Grumbine called him out on misunderstanding the point of songs, poor writing skills, misplaced rants and overall shoddy criticism, not on the meaning of the review. Filmore made the meaning of his review quite clear, it was just stupid and poorly written.

I’m not saying that Filmore is a shitty writer, I don’t know. I only have this review and a few others that I read to go on. I can safely say though that the review in question was a piece of shit. Not for his rating or his opinion, but for his justification (or lack there of) of his opinion . As a critic I can tell you that writing mean reviews can be fun (really fun) but I try to make sure that in doing so I give fair and accurate reasons as to why the album or artist makes me so angry. Filmore failed to do that, and that’s why he got called out, not because of “semantics.”

And one more thing, hey Filmore, I know that getting attention for your work is fun. And I also know that pissing people off to the point where they launch rants against you can be downright awesome, but maybe instead of getting off on it you might want to seriously consider the comments against you. That’s how you become a better writer and not a self-righteous twat.

The Brighton Port Authority
Toe Jam
Toe Jam (Database Remix)
Since I have an MP3 blog that is read by more than 5 people (barely) get inindated with email from other blogs, PR firms and artists themsevles looking for me to pimp out their music. I have always ignored such emails because featuring the hottest new tracks by the hottest new artists isn’t really the point of this blog. However, I made an exception with this one since in addition to giving me the single they also gave me a non-album remix track. I’m also featuring it because of who it is. The Brighton Port Authority (BPA) is Fatboy Slim’s new project that features a billion or so guest artists, from Iggy Pop to Martha Wainwright. This track features Dizzee Rascal and the great David Byrne. It’s awesome. And if you haven’t yet be sure to check out the amazing video.

Björk
I Miss You (Dobie’s Rub Part Two – It’s A Hip Hop Thing)
I Miss You (Underwater Mix)
Army Of Me (Featuring Skunk Anansie)
Army Of Me (ABA All-Stars Mix)
I am very tired and this has been a very long blog post so I have run out of witty material for tonight. These are the first things I have reocrded with my new computer/audio set-up. Please let me know if there are any problems with it. The remixes of “I Miss You” come from a 12” promo single and the “Army Of Me” versions are from a 2LP 12”. Assuming my computer/turntable doesn’t blow up tomorrow I should have more Bjork soon.

I got a head cold and just took NyQuil, so I gotta make this quick, but first review round-up time.

Amanda Palmer – Dresden Dolls chick rocks out

House Of Badger – Badger Badger Bad – oh sorry. Good/weird music from a crazy band out in Oregon.

The Silent Years – Crazy epic shit from Detroit.

John Linnell
Louisiana
A few years back Linnell (one of the Johns from They Might Be Giants) released a supremely bizarre record called State Songs that featured a bunch of songs named after states that had little to nothing to do with the states they were named after. I never bought it but I heard a few times and dug it, so pick it up if you like TMBG. “Louisiana” is the B-side to “Montana”…and that is the weirdest thing I’ve ever said.

Kings Of Leon
Beneath The Surface
Reviewed their newest CD last week. Enjoyed it tremendously, but if you didn’t like any of their previous records you probably aren’t going to dig on that one. The same goes for this song, which is the B-side to “Sex On Fire.”

Toadies
Got A Heart
Ruth
Saw these guys last night, totally rocked the house. It was at a small club that wasn’t exactly sold out, but these dudes didn’t seem to care and rocked out like they were playing a sold out arena. After the show they stuck around and talked to the fans, and were obviously very happy that people, no matter the amount, were still coming out to see them. I bought a copy of their new album on vinyl (even though I already had it – and reviewed it) and got them to sign it. That bitch is totally getting framed. Anyways, these two songs are from their EP Pleather that weren’t on Rubberneck.

Alien Ant Farm
Movies (Live Acoustic)
Sometimes a band I really hate will release a song I really like. Sometimes this will cause me to rethink my previous view of a band (“Nine In The Afternoon” and Panic At The Disco come to mind there) but usually it’s just a fluke, like Alien Ant Farm and “Movies.” Sure, their cover of “Smooth Criminal” was cute, but I could never get into these guys aside from their ode to celluloid fantasy. It’s probably because I’m a big movie geek. This acoustic version is from the single.

I have not one but TWO hate-filled rants tonight. If you can get through them then you will be treated to lovely Britpop.

Fuck New Egg
Fuck them hard. I bought the parts for a new computer last Tuesday from them and there was a problem with the credit card. I never got an email about it (I later found out that it went to my spam folder) so I didn’t know the order wasn’t shipping until I came back from Toledo and found out the packages weren’t here yet. I contacted them this morning and reportedly resolved the issue, at 9:30 tonight (an hour after their support closes) I got an email telling me that because of unresolved issues they VOIDED my order. This was AFTER they told me everything was okay with it and that it was probably SHIPPING today. They lied to me on the phone. Lied. End of story. The best part is that the email about my voided order came after their support closed. So, they still have customer service staff there, but not anyone who can answer a damn phone. And speaking of their support, who the hell has support on Pacific time? I get it, they’re located on the West Coast, good for them, but the world starts before 9AM PST, get off your asses and turn on your phone lines earlier. New Egg is supposed to be the best right? Does the next one down just come to your house and punch you in the balls? I mean, how can anyone fuck up more than this?

Fuck Microsoft
Oh wait, nevermind, I know the answer to that question. So my 360 broke on me (twice) and it was “refurbished” (which is shit jargon for “fixed”). However, when it was fixed someone fucked up and now my DRM-crippled content doesn’t work unless my 360 is connected to the internet. Why? No one knows. It totally ruined my plans for a downloadable-content filled Rock Band 2 weekend with my friends in Toledo (no internet connection available at that location). I had to call Microsoft three damn times to get an answer. The first time the woman (who barely spoke English) told me to follow the instructions at the website (even though I already did that). The second person (who kind of spoke English) put me on hold for 20 minutes. The third (who spoke fucking Esperanto) transferred me to their supervisor, who after asking me for everything short of a sperm count told me that the problem should be fixed in four to five days. What a bunch of shiveling shitbags. This is widely documented problem on the internet, yet no one at the Indian (as in the country) tech support seems to know shit about it. I had some shit experiences with my PS2, which is why I didn’t buy a PS3, but nothing compares to this bullshit. I would still like to know what I paid 50 bucks for to fix it, since it still hasn’t worked right since. Fuck these guys. I’m never buying a Microsoft game console again. Those little shitheads have gotten cocky, thinking that they can release substandard, poorly working equipment with shoddy games and get away with it. I got one word for any assholes who think that: SEGA.

This is why I like vinyl. You don’t have to worry about complicated orders based on motherboard compatibility, DRM-hobbled content, inflated costs, and horrible outsoucred tech support. I put the damn record on, drop the needle and spin the fucking black circle.

Well, that felt good.

Oasis
The Turning (The Jagz Kooner Remix)
Falling Down (The Chemical Brothers remix)
The Shock Of The Lightning (The Jagz Kooner remix)
The Shock Of The Lightning (Primal Scream Remix)
My Oasis loving friend is (not surprisingly) loving the new Oasis album. I’m digging it, but I have to say that I enjoyed Heathen Chemistry more. These remixes come from the bonus disc of Dig Out Your Soul, which is only avaiable if you buy the massive 100 buck deluxe version. I didn’t do that, but I was able to get these remixes from um…a friend.

Kaiser Chiefs
Think About You (and I Like it)
Another Number
Seventeen Cups
Not Surprised
What Time Is Love
Flowers In The Rain
The Kaiser Chiefs are my favorite British rock band of the moment, and I am greatly looking forward to their upcoming new album. The new track (“Never Miss A Beat”) is rad, and I suggest tracking it down if you have not yet. “Think About You” is the B-side to “Oh My God” and the next three tracks are all B-sides to “Everyday I Love You Less And Less.” The cover of KLF’s “What Time Is Love” is from a BBC Radio 1 broadcast (so excuse the mediocre quality). Finally, the cover of The Move’s “Flowers In The Rain” is from the excellent Radio One Established 1967 compilation. Strangely, Allmusic, Amazon and a few other places list that album as a Kaiser Chiefs record, which is entirely incorrect. So don’t go looking for Kaiser Chiefs covers of “All Along The Watchtower,” “Teenage Dirtbag” or “Careless Whisper” because they don’t exist, no matter what Allmusic tells you.

I got my degree today! I am now officially done with college (for the second time)! I graduated Magna Cum Laude too! And if I had any respect at all for the shitty educational institution that I escaped from then I would be proud of that.

Next week I am finally getting a new computer, which means I can hook up my turntable again and start recording with ease. Can’t wait, I got a lot of shit backed up (ew, that sounded wrong) that I really want to put up here. Expect massive posts of stupid 80s shit very soon. Until then here is some not-so-stupid 80s shit to hold you over.

Jean Michel Jarre
Revolutions (Remix)
B-side to “London Kid.” Sadly lacking in laser harp.

Japan
All Tomorrow’s Parties (1983 Remix)
Deviation (Live)
Obscure Alternatives (Live)
European Son (Remix)
What a stupid band name. Even stupider, they somehow became very popular in the actual country of Japan. Berlin isn’t huge in Berlin and Kansas aren’t huge in Kansas, the Japanese must fall to pandering pretty damn easy. Anyways, these remixes and live cuts came from a 2 LP 12” single for “All Tomorrow’s Parties.”

Thomas Dolby
Hyper-Active! (Heavy Breather Subversion)
Get Out Of My Mix (Special Dance Version)
Speaking of stupid names, “Heavy Breather Subversion?” Hey man, Erasure has the market cornered on stupid remix names, don’t cramp their style. “Get Out Of My Mix” is a “megamix” that combines a shitload of Dolby songs into one giant dance mix. Sadly lacking in exclamations of “SCIENCE!” but otherwise quite good. Both of these are on the “Hyper-Active!” 12” single.

Ultravox
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (Special Re-Mix)
One Small Day (Special Re-Mix)
According to Wikipedia “Dancing WIth Tears In My Eyes” is about Midge Ure’s fears that of nuclear plant meltdown. I’ll take their word for that. A lot of New Wave/New Romantic artists were obsessed with nuclear anhillation, maybe that’s why so many of them vanished in the 90s, without the Cold War they had nothing. These are both from the 12” single to “Dancing With Tears In My Eyes.”

No new reviews yet this week. Although keep tuned since I just listend to the best album of the year. Find out what it is next week on Soap…I mean later this week on this blog.

Oasis
(As Long As They’ve Got) Cigarettes In Hell
Let’s All Make Believe
(I Got) The Fever
Idler’s Dream
Full On
I’ve never been a huge Oasis fan but I thought Don’t Believe The Truth was a spectacular record, and I’m really looking forward to Dig Out Your Soul and plan on buying it this week. However, I got a friend who loves Oasis. Scractht that, that’s an understatement. To say she loves Oasis is like saying that I love collecting records and that I like saying “fuck.” Every band should be as lucky to have a fan as good as her. She has all of the band’s singles, collects every magazine they appear in, and has DVDs that she can’t even play since they’re region 2 and she lives in Ohio. Hardcore. Right now life is shitting on her, so this post is for her. I wanted to post some Oasis songs she didn’t have, but then I realized that I got all my Oasis songs from her, so that would be a bit impossible. Anyways, these are my favorite Oasis B-sides that didn’t appear on The Masterplan (the group’s B-side collection). The brilliant “(As Long As They Got) Cigarettes In Hell” is from the “Go Let It Out” single, as is the equally amazing “Let’s All Make Believe”; “(I Got) The Fever” is from “Stand By Me” single; Idler’s Dream is the B-side to “The Hindu Times; and “Full On” was snatched from the single for “Sunday Morning Call.”

The Smashing Pumpkins
You’re All I’ve Got Tonight
Clones (We’re All)
A Night Like This
Destination Unknown
Dreaming
In the 90s I was a huge Smashing Pumpkins fan and only a moderate Oasis fan. Funny how things change. While I’m looking forward to hearing Oasis’ new album, every time I hear that The Smashing Pumpkins have something new coming out I cringe in anticipated dread. Of course, that group that Billy is whoring out right now is nothing more than a cover band so calling them “The Smashing Pumpkins” is a bit of a joke. Still, It’s sad…I miss D’Arcy. Sigh. Remember better days with these covers that originally appeared on the “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” single on The Aeroplane Flys High box set.

All my Big Country puns are too dirty even for me.

Big Country
In A Big Country (Pure Mix)
All Of Us
I’ve been looking for this single for years and I finally got it yesterday. Much rejoicing.

P.M. Dawn
Set Adrift On Memory Bliss (Extended Version)
A Watcher’s Point Of View (Don’t ‘Cha Think) (Youth Extended Mix)
I was really into “Set Adrift…” when it first came out. That was in 1991, so I was 12 at the time, meaning that I was one really weird white kid. Listening to it now I can’t figure out why I dug it so much at the time. Maybe it was all misplaced and I really just liked Spandeu Ballet’s “True” which is what this song is based off of. These are both off of a 12” single that had cover art so horrid that it gave me a headache.

David Bowie
Stay (Live)
Word On A Wing (Live)
First thing to do whenever you go to a used CD store; make your way to the “Bs” and scope for Rykodisc re-releases of David Bowie albums. They’re easy to spot, they have a greenish tinge to them. Ryko had the Bowie catalog for about five minutes in the 90s and when they re-released his albums they did it with style, adding rare bonus tracks to all of them. They aren’t worth a fortune now, but they are a little pricey on eBay and such, however most record stores don’t know that and they mark them as if they are the regular versions. These two tracks are from the the reissue of Station To Station. I have the Rykodisc version of Scary Monsters, but for some reason the version I have on my computer is in a goofy format. I shall fix that soon.

I got shit to say tonight, but first some shameless self-promotion of my great critical analysis.

Sunfold: Toy Tugboats – This CD pissed me the fuck off. I had a hard enough time explaining why in a quick blurb review, so I’m not going to do it again here. You want to find out why I hated it so much? Read the review.

Chapters: Wife – Ian Curtis is alive and living in St. Louis?

Lykke Li: Youth Novels – My new obsessive crush of the week.

Moving on now, despite my previous rant against how much I hate it, I went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this weekend. It was mostly because my mom wanted to, and I’m such an awesome son that I’ll put my rock snobbery aside for her. Besides, I went there once before and had a good enough time. However, that was a while ago, sometime in the late 90s, and I expected a lot of changes at the museum end of the hall some 10 years later. I as actually looking forward to the trip. Once again high expectations let me down.

The main part of the museum barely changed at all since my last visit over a decade ago. I understand that this is all history we’re talking about, but they have to update themselves, find a new way to talk about it. They have the same movies and videos playing now that they had in 1995. The one about punk rock really got me. So much has changed in the punk world since the mid ’90s, but not there. Nothing about straight edge, emo (for good or bad), anarcho, or even riot grrl! In fact, the museum pretty much stops at 1995. Now while there hasn’t really been a paradigm-shifting movement since grunge, a lot has happened. How about some love for The White Stripes, The Strokes or the entire indie-rock movement?

You might argue that it’s too soon for those bands to be featured, but there is a section dedicated to “what’s happening now.”What’s in that section you may ask? Linkin Park’s turntable, the mask from The Offpring’s “You Wanna Hit That” video and some Paramore shit. And I almost forgot, they just added outfits worn by The Jonas Brothers! Yay! This entire section really shows just how out of touch the Hall is when it comes to new music.

The major change to the Hall from the last time that I was there was the Hall of Fame itself. Before it was a boring little room with nothing but backlit signatures of the inductees. Now, it’s a massive multimedia presentation, with three giant screens projecting interviews and footage of every single inductee. It’s a cool idea, but the execution blows. It’s a 66 minute presentation with a short six-minute intermission between showings. My mom and I came it late and planned on sticking around to catch what we missed. Well, shits to that plan, because the second the thing ended we were rudely told that everyone had to get out for the next crowd of people waiting to get in. What the fuck? You can’t enforce something like that halfway. If you don’t want people to come in late then DON’T LET THEM COME IN LATE. Actually, I was shocked that an employee came in to the theater when the show was over. Employees of any kind seem to be a commodity at the Rock Hall. Have a question? Good luck finding someone to help you.

That’s not entirely true, there are plenty of employees in the store, because that’s where they can suck the most money out of you. I don’t expect fair prices at a gift shop, but give me a fucking break. New CDs cost 18 bucks, older ones can cost even more, especially “imports.” Why the superfluous quotations? Because most of the imports were just domestically available items slapped with an import sticker and an inflated price.

And their vinyl section was ass.

But wait, there’s more. My mom has some leg issues right now, so she’s using a wheelchair to get around. Let me tell you, if you are handicapped and want to visit the Rock Hall then good luck, because apparently the Americans with Disabilities Act isn’t very rock and roll. The wheelchair curbs outside the place are a wreck and the ramp going in isn’t much better. If you can make it past those obstacles you still aren’t in the clear though, since the doors going in don’t have an automatic button (required by law). I to hold the door open while pushing my mom in. The employee watching us from a distance was a nice tough too.

Once we were in there navigating the place was a nightmare. There are two sets of elevators in hall, and neither of them go to go to all the floors. Outside each of them is a sign saying which floors the other elevator goes to, with a tiny little arrow indicating that you’re at the wrong one. That’s some good design, it’s like they’re daring you to enjoy yourself with shit like that.

Remember how I was so upset about great bands that weren’t in the hall of fame? Forget it. Those artists are too good for that place.

Bloc Party – Luno (Polysics Harajuku Mix)
Kaiser Chiefs – Na Na Na Na Naa (Polysics Remix)
Both of these remixes are by a Japanese group called Polysics. I’m reviewing their new album and I think I can say that they are my new favorite band in the world. They are like Devo on acid (and Japanese). Expect a gleaming review in a few weeks. The Kaiser Chiefs remix is from a Japanese exclusive EP, I don’t know where the Bloc Party one is from though.

Peter Gabriel
Big Time (Dance Mix)
Not in the hall of fame…just saying. This is a 12” mix.

Pop Will Eat Itself
Games Without Frontiers
And now a Peter Gabriel cover. I plan all this shit. I have no idea where this is from.