aric with an a

having this much time to listen to music is outstanding.

I like it.

and after 7 hours of hard [well...] work,

I was able to realize a few things.

and feel like sharing them.

1. Van Halen is amazing.

2. as fantastic as the ‘retrowave 12”’ collection sounded before I downloaded it, it doesn’t work unless I’m on something and in neon.

3. I don’t like Bjork - that’s taken me many years to realize.

4. I do, however, like Ben Harper - brother’s got soul and loves his gospel.

5. Phoenix’s ‘Rome’ was the best single to come out of last year.

6. if you even speak about the prowess of Animal Collective, I’ll set you on fire.

7. Chris Serpentine I just found and this track* is one of the prettiest one’s I’ve heard in a while. [reminds me a lot of Miike Snow's best]

8. Sam Cooke.

9. ‘now you stand here expectin’ me to remember somethin’ you forgot to say’ - bless you, Bob.

10. if anyone has a handful of John Peel shows, I’ll give you a backrub.

-

[listen to the audio, the live version doesn't do it justice]

so, 2010 - welcome.

I refuse to make any resolutions ’cause that’s dumb.

there are a few things I like to get done, however.

and if it could be this year, well that’d be just great.

and yes, I know you and the Man upstairs get a kick out of my plans.

still.

here’s what I’ll need help with, 2010…

okay?

k.

1. African soil - how I can call myself a ‘traveler’ and not felt the soil where life began isn’t right. Ethiopia.

2. the book - it’s basically done, but I made the decision to bring my laptop with me on this trip to finalize it. please help me stay off of Facebook when I’m doing that, alright?

3. I’m an Uncle come May - help me be a funky one.

4. Savannah - Amy’s down there now and to have yet to walk those streets is a crime.

5. help me stop worrying about money. I’ve done it every time I travel and, yet, here I am. still okay. and still travelin’.

6. brother Scott. I need him around. or to be around him. this is a big one.

7. compassion. not one of my strong suits. help me realize it’s not all black/white sometimes.

8. more Mahalia Jackson. and the same for 2011. 2012. et al.

…I thought I’d have 10, but 8 seems to cover it all.

thanks.

hi there. you good?

I feel we never talk - oh, sure, there’s the occasional ‘here’s what I’m doing’,

but never anything about you.

but since you don’t have a blog,

I’ll just tell you more about ‘what I’m doing’.

the book is coming along - slowly, but still coming along. writing it was easy, going back through each page and making it make sense is another. but thanks to a random email from someone I barely know, I was given an idea of how to make it all work. so, thanks random friend.

got me some new-old boots on the way. I’m quite excited.

headed back to Hawaii on Thursday  - which will be fun.

which means I’m gonna have to rock my Frank Zappa on the islands.

need a new addiction? this tea is insane.

this song has been played a lot these past few days - the Swedes really can do no wrong.

I’ve become addicted to Netflix - and shall be posting some of the better ones soon. [it's Blaxploitation Week this week - lucky Lori!]

if you need a ridiculous sausage-and-rice recipe, I’m your man.

we attended some Gay Polo yesterday in Santa Barbara before hitting some wineries for tastings - you know, your basic Sunday.

I think I’m going to like Kodak Gallery is doing for storage these days.

…and I think that’s about the highlights.

I hope it’s nice-and-cool where you are. this time of year it should be nice-and-cool.

[and isn't that a great picture? I snapped that at St. Vincent De Paul's]

so, last night I was playing Brother Ali’s catchy  ’Take Me Home‘ and then went on to A.V. Club to read reviews of his new album ‘Us’. There must be something wrong, I thought, seeing the photo of the man who I always assumed was a large black man being substituted with that of a guy who…erm, well, no nice way to say this - an albino. Quickly looking up photos of him online, turns out he is. Which then got me thinking about a few other albino musicians, one’s who deserve a mention.

I feel like an asshole. seriously.

how long has this film been out and how long have I had it sitting in my ‘movies’?

this little piece called ‘the miroir noir’.

don’t get me wrong, I like the arcade fire. always have.

but have liked them in the ‘will listen to an entire album all the way through and not get tired of them’ like them.

but I’m halfway through their doco shot by vincent morisset [someone who I'll be stalking quite a bit now] and am floored.

fucking floored.

it’s artsy, but a good artsy. I need to find out who the d.o.p. was because he deserves a mention…ah - found it: vincent moon.

wow.

that makes sense.

fuck me, it’s good.

I’m serious.

do what you need to - just get your hands on it.

best band, by far, of the past 10 years. by far.

I spent about half-an-hour on youtube and all I could find was this - but it at least gives you an idea.

go [ahem] canada!

sometimes I pick up diary and start writing - remembering that I forgot to write earlier about whatever it is I was referencing.

so, skip this if you want. skip ‘em all if you want, but that would kind of negate you being here.

anyway.

- the fires here are insane. it looks like something set up by a sfx crew from down the street. the mountains we can see from our window have been outlined with an amber that would impress even the best of j.r.r. tolkien fans. it’s scary and beautiful. kind of like patricia arquette.

- I woke up the other night with the lyrics to an onyx song in my head and had to write it down on a piece of paper and my hand as not to forget. I then downloaded and wondered why and how the hell I dreamt about them. it did lead me to revisit the soundtrack to ‘judgement night’ which was impressive for it’s time - one of the first fusion attempts. living colour + run dmc / de la soul + teenage fanclub / sonic youth + cyprus hill = goodness.

- I’m writing. a lot. about 2000 words a day in the book. which is painful - for many reasons, but mainly having to revisit the old shanghai diaries for reference and man. I wasn’t too happy about being there. and I had better hair. ah well.

- this book has kept my attention for the past few days. and I like it. and this is on the way - which excites my head a lot.

- I’m an official netflix fan. every 2 days I have a new film. and I’m loving it. a list is coming. old news, sure - but it’s been a decade since I’ve lived here.

- my bro riaad is a funny man. very funny. kid should be on the onion.

- this week’s ‘rough sundays’ was good. but I liked having people co-host more. I’m looking forward to the new show, but I’ll miss my gospel as well.

- last night I made the best tequila-cajun-lime shrimp you might have ever had. mmmmmmm. no kiddin’.

- do you think mos def and I would get along well? I’ve always thought so. his ‘black on both sides’ is on right now and I just feel it.

- I’m on a hip-hop trip. but good hip-hop. c’mon.

- I’ve still yet to use the word ‘douche’. seriously. not because I have anything against it, I just always forget.

- I’m most excited about this film coming out. mostly because I love goats.

- yesterday in the mail, I got a) posters from Adam b) 40+ moon pies from friends of Lori’s and c) ‘choke’ from the aforementioned netflix. not a bad haul.

…is that all?

I don’t know.

probably not.

[photo of me in the toilet at the tate modern in london. how creative I am!]

I used to put scary things in the freezer.

turns out, I wasn’t the only one.

I even once saw a Friend’s episode that mentioned this.

meaning, if it wasn’t already, it’s a well-known practice.

this clip should go there.

between the praying mantis and gum that stays in your digestive track for 7 years.

good luck.

I always scoffed at those who update their twitter/facebook with ‘______ is eating breakfast’ [exclamation point] [photo link], which is why I shy away from occasionally updating this.

but here’s what’s what. if you care. and if you don’t, that’s okay as well. it won’t hurt my feelings.

la’s good. I’m getting used to it all.

I’ve picked up a few projects for Fatburger while I’m here. they’re small and funky so I’m having fun with it. if you go in and they tell you about the new special for those with a college idea, you can tell ‘em that said promotion was your old pal Aric’s idea. I’ve never sat in a board room and have people like my idea. it was a nice feeling.

Frank had a heart-attack. he’s fine. but still. Frank had a heart-attack. that’s fucked up.

the newest ‘rough sundays‘ is decent enough.

I had this wine the other night. it’s good. for a white. and the bottlecap is enough to gain you a little street cred at a dinner party.

this Lemonhead’s album is on and I always forget how good it is. before Evan Dando started ending up with strippers and blow.

I might get to meet Bruce Campbell in NYC. that makes me queazy.

have yet to see David Bowie’s son’s film. but want to. badly. can’t go wrong with Ziggy doing the score and Sam Rockwell starring.

I might get some new shoes today. it’s been a long time, but hey - they were $4 fakes [above as well, if you don't feel like hyperlinking] and lasted 2 years.

have a good day.

a funny thing happens when you enter a serious relationship. well, lots of funny things, I suppose, seeing how I’ve been out-of-reality for the past decade, but there comes a certain privacy protection.

see, this isn’t just me anymore, there’s a we. an us. and sure, there’s enough content there to write about, but, as I once wrote about how I am with writing about my family, this is mine.

for me.

not that you had found yourself overly concerned, just wanted to explain the quietnessity of the past while.

but here’s what’s what:

- los angeles is los angeles. good parts and image-obsessed people who are nice. traffic and mexican music that plays a lot at the park across from where I sit. I was lucky enough to land and get working on a few projects, one of which I’m rather excited about, but can’t say a whole lot until it’s certain.

- the rough sundays shows took a nosedive with the u.k. shows, but it was important that I do them. the 3 newest ones are back to what I wanted them to be which is also great.

- I’m reading the John Peel bio I’ve wanted for a while and the memoirs of Picasso’s mistress that I picked up on the side of a Brooklyn street. I suggest, not highly, but still, both.

- listens? The Call. She Wants Revenge. a 1940’s compilation and a new fave Babs Gonzales [thanks Lone!]. and the new[ish] Yeah Yeah Yeahs is brilliant.

- Sarah came in town for her Roller Derby. it was important that we meet up. as well as understanding the intricacies of the lesbian-leaning sport.

- I refuse to apologize for liking the newest Kayne West-cameo track. even though I want to.

and I think that’s it.

oh yes. happy birthday, me.

yes.

…those were the reasons. and that was new york.