aardvark found (lower haight)

Words >>

I was bored yesterday waiting for something to finish. I decided I'd cause some trouble:



http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/pet/557824252.html


The responses to this were pretty priceless>>

Hello,

FYI call the S.F. Zoo or animal control in the city and they will take care of this little defenseless wild animal. Their telephone numbers are S.F. Zoo 415-753-7080 and Animal Control 415-554-6364.

Sincerely, Rev. & Mrs. J. xxxxxx

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You must be joking.

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Awwwwwww!!! he's adorable!!!!


Love and Blessings,

Becky

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Your joking right?

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Hello there,

I would be willing to take the aardvark off your hands if you are unable to find the owner. I have a 120 acre parcel two hours north of San Francisco. There are tons of areas to roam and look for ants and termites. Just let me know.

Sarah

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I saw the listing about the aardvark you found on Craigslist today. While I am not the owner, I do have expertise with exotic animals. I believe I can help you by taking it off your hands and placing it with a proper facility. Please feel free to call me at 415-xxx-xxxx anytime. My name is William. Thank you.

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call animal control... they will not harm it, they will keep it and find its owner...

Or if you want I can take it... but I know you probably want to find its owner.

Surprisingly I know a lot about exotics, if you need anything please let me know.

Thank you

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Hi! Do you still have the aardvark? Are you adopting it out? I would like to offer it a home. Thanks for your time!

~Alicia

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Hey, I saw your ad an was wondering....how did you find it? That is the craziest thing I have heard. Do you know what you're going to do with it?

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Is this for real???

If you really found an aardvark I'll take it lol

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animal shelter



(sigh)

Raise The Black Flag

His Turntables Say "Bad Motherfucker" On Them

Words >>

Often, I find myself talking to people about various music scenes around the country. Invariably, we'll get on the topic of Chicago and people are suprised by ambivalence towards my cold, difficult mother city. The say they heard its awesome and I say they never lived there and the music scene isn't all that great. I'm going to tell you about the one general and the one specific point which I am not ambivalent about:


Electronic Music >>

Until now, I've really only discussed indie rock on Raise The Black Flag. Its high time for that to change, and I'm starting with the Chicago House scene as I remember it and why its still incredibly vital and important to the electronic music scene globally. Basically, every good house track either came from Chicago, was made by someone who was originally from Chicago, or is a deriviative thereof. Every good house guy that you like to go see here in San Francisco? Guess what? He's from Chicago. I'll spend a little time later talking about some of the other great ones later. I really want to get on to my next point.


Noleian Reusse >>

Noleian is one of my favorite electronic artists for many reasons. The kid is no joke. He's one of the ones that made music his job because he loves it and believes in it. He DJ's his ass off 8 nights a week to packed clubs and then goes and does it again at an underground party. He eats vinyl for breakfast, skips lunch cuz he's too damn busy and eats synthesizers for dinner, rare. He sleeps on a bed of midi cables. His whole loft is heated by the vast amount of equipment he commands and the sweaty fervor which which he commands it. Gramaphone (http://www.gramaphonerecords.com) can't keep his records in stock and the press can't keep up with his orders. He fucking rocks.

I came on to the scene in the early 90's and so blown away by what i was hearing and feeling that I was willing to brave the most frightening of neighborhoods (places even the Chicago police wouldn't go) to go to the most sketchy of warehouse parties just to shake my ass. It literally was worth risking life and property for. I would never have gained such an appreciation for House if it hadn't been for my very good friend Noleian. He inundated me with tracks and culture, found the very best events and introduced us to the best and brightest on the scene at the time. Basically, the best times I've had in Chicago have been with and because of him.

Noleian graced me today with live set from one of his recent shows. It's subtle, deep and it fucking kills:

http://www.mediafire.com/?2zf9mnpz9zt

You can read more about him in a recent article in metroblossom.com:

http://www.metroblossom.com/issue1d.php


Cheers!

Raise The Black Flag

New Music Friday! >> 01/25/2008

Words >>

Week? We had a week?!! Its all a blur. Thankfully, though, good new tracks didn't elude my hummingbird's attention span. Oh well, I needed a weekend anyway.

Battle Hymns - Never Trust A Matador >>

http://www.mediafire.com/?7dd2thdddjz

I really love the raw quality of the singer's voice. Its the same quality that I love about the Hold Steady. Its straight ahead and honest and yet there's a haunting beauty to it that I really feel.

Ox - Surrender (Cheap Trick) >>

http://www.mediafire.com/?btavryhzt2g

OK. I love covers. Especially when someone does something cool with it; restyles it into something different and beautiful. I also find it fascinating when something that I associate with a particular era or genre can be retooled and still holds up. Ironicially here, I dislike Cheap Trick immensely. Maybe it was the fact that, when I was in college, there were no less than 4 Cheap Trick tribute bands at any given time playing around Chicago on stages that should have been showing original music. Maybe its the stupid name. Maybe its that they always came off as a castrated version of Kiss for the same Yacht Rock douchebags that thought Huey Lewis was awesome. Anyway, this is good.

Say Hi (formerly Say Hi To Your Mom) - Northwestern Girls >> http://www.mediafire.com/?6m0znzndsdk

I really love the driving bass lines and echoey vocals here. This band has alot of good stuff too, so I'm using this as an introduction. You can check out more of their stuff on www.hypem.com or on their band site http://www.sayhitoyourmom.com/.

Plushgun - Just Impolite >> http://www.mediafire.com/?6ttxy1ntyh1

Plushgun has the same kind of catchy qualities that The Postal Service has, but comes off sounding considerably more self satisfied. Enjoy.

Scary Mansion - Go To Hell >> http://www.mediafire.com/?3whame1mizz

I love the lonely cowgirl thing.

The Magnetic Fields - Drive On, Driver >> http://www.mediafire.com/?2bmfaduixza

I really think The Magnetic Fields are cool. I don't love everything, but their catchy songs get stuck in my head and they play happily for days. When I first heard this one, I went looking through the Boston discography for the title thinking that I'd missed something.

Hope you like em. Cheers!

Raise The Black Flag

Hail To The Chiefs!

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There's something inherently amusing to me about ex-presidents. I think it has something to do with the fact that their images are ubiquitous and venerable that they almost become brands or logograms. To celebrate this particular obsession, I've put together a list of songs named after and about my favorite presidents:

Cox and Combes - Washington >> http://www.mediafire.com/?2ymfjzlniiz
Bishop Allen - Abe Lincoln >> http://www.mediafire.com/?ev4zccx8uwv
The Two Man Gentleman Band - William Howard Taft >> http://www.mediafire.com/?2n9nuo1yuts
Ratatat - Kennedy >> http://www.mediafire.com/?2x1bnywota3

I hope it amuses you as much as it amuses me. Cheers,

Raise The Black Flag

A Few Of My Favorite Mountain Goats Songs

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I thought I'd post up a few of my favorite Mountain Goats songs for your enjoyment.


The Mountain Goats - No Children >> http://www.mediafire.com/?4ecf6vltxmb
The Mountain Goats - Going To Georgia >> http://www.mediafire.com/?7tmzywtzyyv
The Mountain Goats - This Year >> http://www.mediafire.com/?1y2rxmcx0mm
The Mountain Goats - Woke Up New >> http://www.mediafire.com/?4zu3kyqtzeu
The Mountain Goats - Fault Lines >> http://www.mediafire.com/?4symnxyzxcx
The Mountain Goats - The Pigs That Ran Straight Away Into The Water >> http://www.mediafire.com/?5nmgyzumyrm

Cheers!

Raise The Black Flag

Our Watches Stopped In Texas

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It really doesn't matter what poison is yours
It's yours
And that's enough


Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here >> http://www.mediafire.com/?6smynz1m1on

The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want >> http://www.mediafire.com/?dwhcbtwhw6o

Tom Waits - Gun Street Girl >> http://www.mediafire.com/?foxn1xwgndx

Rainy Monday Blues

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Its a bright, rainy day and I can't seem to get the cold from getting under my skin and chilling my bones. I don't know if its this, or being a little tired from the frenetic pace I can't help but keep, but I'm feeling a little blue. Since this won't do, and since the coffee I just bought hasn't taken effect yet, I'm resorting to my favorite mood-altering drug: music. Nothing changes my state more quickly and specifically. I thought I'd share what's on the psychic playlist:

Blind Melon - Change >> http://www.mediafire.com/?35xi0wqm3aj

Blind Melon - Candy Says (Velvet Underground) >> http://www.mediafire.com/?2o3xadzm1nj

Blind Melon - No Rain >> http://www.mediafire.com/?c2ynydemcwi

These really don't need a whole lot of introduction, but I will say that I discovered these guys my first semester at college in Iowa. Listening to them takes me right back to that shitty dorm room and the shitty cold and snow, and the feeling that it was OK as long as I had something beautiful to listen to and some good friends to listen to it with. Cheers,

Raise The Black Flag

New Music Friday! >> 01/18/2008

Words >>

Hey guys! another week gone. Another weekend ahead! Frankly, this has been kind of a bad week for new stuff, but I did find a few little gems for y'all. Hope ya like em...


Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The World's Greatest (R. Kelly Cover) >> http://www.mediafire.com/?3zmnbjeh91x
I nearly wet myself when I heard this. It's Bonnie "Prince" Billy doing a country-ish rendition of R. Kelly's "The Worlds Greatest". Its actually suprisingly effective: His modest styling completely changes the meaning of the lyrics from a meglomaniacal brag to a wryly sarchastic ballad. Kind of genius, really.


The Savings And Loan - Swallows >> http://www.mediafire.com/?4azizmsjojs
This guy's voice really captured me. I'm not in love with it yet, but I like it and I want to hear more.


P.J. Harvey - Down By The Water >> http://www.mediafire.com/?6ngodvbn5e2
Polly Jean Harvey has always been one of my favorite songwriters. We saw her at the Riviera in Chicago a few years ago and I swear to you the show was so powerful that it helped precipitate my breakup with my ex-wife. That sounds like an odd endorsement, but for me, its a symbol of how fucking awesome she is. This song in particular sticks out to me for two reasons: 1) I heard it on the radio when it first came out and I didn't believe it was her. The whole album actually represents a departure and a growth spurt for her as a musician. It's kind of her "Paul's Botique" 2) Its the single and psychic battle flag for "To Bring You My Love", which is in my opinion her greatest and most cohesive album.


Vervein - Good Luck Charm >> http://www.mediafire.com/?5ujmt2xc11d
I saw these guys open for Citizens Here And Abroad at Slims in SF a few years back. This was also the night when I met the Germans, the Luxury Tax and Burbank International for the first time. It was a good night and an awesome show. This song is my favorite of theirs. I love the laid back sweetness in the singer's voice and the build is impeccable. Their lyrics are awesome too: I love the idea that a good luck charm could become a collar or an albatross.


That's all I got for this week, kiddos. Hopefully I should have more time to find stuff next week, and hopefully, there will be more good stuff to fund. Cheers!

Raise The Black Flag

New Music Friday! >> 01/11/2008

Words >>
Hey guys! This is the maiden voyage of my new culture blog. I couldn't resist. Please subscribe and let me know what you think! Hope you enjoy!


Burbank International - Tenderloin >> http://www.mediafire.com/?4ymavzhjmnw
This is one of my favorite Burbank songs. Its a tender ode to the TL and its denizens and really demonstrates Burbank's rough, soulful voice and lyricism.


Superdrag - Rocket >> http://www.mediafire.com/?dabmetdhg10
I'm a totaly sucker for big guitars and good vocal harmonies. I also really like the simplicity and positivity of this one: "You get me so high! Ya gotta know why! ...Superstar saying the love will get back!". Pure indy rock genius. I also found out they're still around, which was good news. I'd thought that they were defunct and hesitated posting this as such (I'm trying to practice the ethos of only putting stuff out we could actually go and see at a venue).


Scout Niblett - Kiss >> http://www.mediafire.com/?fur0d3dtzxg
Like Cat Power, except not pathetic and crazy. This duet with Bonnie "Prince" Billy raises the hackles on the back of my neck every time i hear it.


Sleater-Kinney - Modern Girl >> http://www.mediafire.com/?1n9z9unamj5
Mmmmm! Sleater-Kinney! I love it when the drums kick in on this one.


Ravens and Chimes - January >> http://www.mediafire.com/?awmnbe9pcgs
The building bare honesty and heart wrenching visuals in this song bring tears to my eyes.

The Sad Snowman (Belle and Sebastian cover) - My Wandering Days Are Over >> http://www.mediafire.com/?111y5isbni1
A slowed down version of a Belle and Sebastian classic song. This helped me rediscover the original. The pedal steel definitely adds a lushness to the song, but it still stays minimal, which I think is its best aspect, since the original is much faster and richer.

That's it for this week! Cheers!