ivory-tower dot org tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2010:/blog/1 2010-02-25T00:32:18Z Movable Type 4.31-en Two Covers tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2010:/blog//1.1222 2010-02-25T04:27:18Z 2010-02-25T00:32:18Z Two covers of Baba O'Riley. First was seen over on Wil Wheaton's site, the second in the comments at Slashdot. Think Geek cover, using their products: The other is by Blue Man Group. Check the great percussion instruments.... jim Two covers of Baba O'Riley. First was seen over on Wil Wheaton's site, the second in the comments at Slashdot.

Think Geek cover, using their products:

The other is by Blue Man Group. Check the great percussion instruments.


]]> Nessie tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2010:/blog//1.1221 2010-02-25T02:16:39Z 2010-02-25T00:19:36Z We adopted a greyhound! We've had her for just over 3 weeks. Her name is Nessie (formerly Js Radical Ness) and last raced at the end of December up in Kenosha. THe photo about is from when we selected... jim Nessie, again We adopted a greyhound! We've had her for just over 3 weeks. Her name is Nessie (formerly Js Radical Ness) and last raced at the end of December up in Kenosha. THe photo about is from when we selected her at the kennel in January. More photos are on Flickr–click the photo to see the most recent ones. ]]> Belated Update tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2010:/blog//1.1220 2010-02-25T00:08:20Z 2010-02-25T00:20:52Z Been busy here at Ivory Tower, more about that in a bit. Didn't read A Christmas Carol, but got all of the holiday music together.... jim Been busy here at Ivory Tower, more about that in a bit.

Didn't read A Christmas Carol, but got all of the holiday music together.

]]> Seasonal updates tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1216 2009-10-26T18:55:14Z 2009-11-09T21:06:55Z Seeing Christmas stuff in a couple of stores last week got me thinking about the holidays early. Two tasks sprang to mind: Finally reading Dickens' A Christmas Carol Expanding the holiday music collection I've built up. Plenty of time for... jim Seeing Christmas stuff in a couple of stores last week got me thinking about the holidays early. Two tasks sprang to mind:

  1. Finally reading Dickens' A Christmas Carol
  2. Expanding the holiday music collection I've built up.

Plenty of time for both, since they can be put off for another month.

]]> The Sundays on Monday tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1215 2009-10-26T18:43:04Z 2009-10-26T18:53:37Z There are times when I just can't get enough of The Sundays. Wish they'd do something new. Here's Where the Story Ends: Goodbye: Cry: I'd embed more, but Universal doesn't allow embedding of official videos for some insane reason. The... jim There are times when I just can't get enough of The Sundays. Wish they'd do something new.

Here's Where the Story Ends:

Goodbye:

Cry:


I'd embed more, but Universal doesn't allow embedding of official videos for some insane reason.

The band's been on hiatus since 1997—the singer and her husnand the guitarist are raising their two kids.

]]> Lots of Python tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1214 2009-10-22T17:20:26Z 2009-10-22T17:27:21Z Been watching the new Monty Python doc over on IFC this week: Monty Python: Almost the Truth: The Lawyers Cut. Quite good so far, although spreading it out over six nights (an hour a night) is a little awkward. Found... jim Been watching the new Monty Python doc over on IFC this week: Monty Python: Almost the Truth: The Lawyers Cut. Quite good so far, although spreading it out over six nights (an hour a night) is a little awkward. Found out that it'll be out on DVD soon, but since we're halfway through we'll just keep watching. Need to check and see if there's any bonus stuff on the DVD version. Glad I re-watched all the episodes this summer.

Heard about this event after the fact: A Night of Round Table With Monty Python - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com. The Spanish Inquisition story is killer.

]]> The music experiment so far tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1210 2009-09-09T00:56:16Z 2009-09-09T00:58:10Z jim
Letter B: Bruce Hornsby, Bowling for Soup, Beastie Boys, Badly Drawn Boy, Bow Wow Wow, Bangles, Big Audio Dynamite, Belle Stars. (Didn't get to Didn't get to BT, Beth Orton, or Billie Holiday). 

Letter C: Cheap Trick, Cars, The Call, The Clash, Chicane, Clannad, Coldplay, Cocteau Twins, Crystal Method, Chemical Brothers, Cowboy Junkies, The Church, Catherine Wheel, Cake, Chilliwack, and Camper van Beethoven. 

Letter D: Daft Punk, Dean Martin, Dukes of Stratosphear, Donovan, Dave Edmunds, Depeche Mode, Donald Fagen, Davids Bowie and Gilmour, Del Amitri. 

Letter E: Eagles, Earth Wind and Fire, Echo & The Bunnymen, Eddie Money, Elvises Costello and Presley, English Beat, Esquivel, Eurythmics. 

Letter F: Frank Sinatra, The Fixx, Flight of the Conchords, Funkadelic, Freddy Jones Band, Future Sound of London. 

Letter G: Gap Band, Garbage, Geddy Lee, Gel-Sol, General Public, Genesis (too much Genesis), Global Communication, Go-Go's, Gomez.

So far, so good. 
]]> September Experiment tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1208 2009-09-01T11:42:48Z 2009-09-09T00:45:18Z jim  
  • ABC
  • Adam Ant
  • AC/DC
  • Allan Sherman
  • Altered Images
  • Annie Lennox
  • Aztec Camera
  • Antiguru
  • Aretha Franklin
I'll try to keep this up for the whole month and report in now and then.]]> Post-Tour Malaise tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1205 2009-07-28T01:30:52Z 2009-07-28T01:38:16Z Man, after three weeks of watching 2-3 hrs of television a day, I'm not sure what to do with my free time at night. Not surprised by the outcome, although I'm pretty sure things would have been a little different... jim Man, after three weeks of watching 2-3 hrs of television a day, I'm not sure what to do with my free time at night.

Not surprised by the outcome, although I'm pretty sure things would have been a little different with an uninjured Levi Leipheimer there for all the stages and Chris Horner on the tour squad, maybe three Astana riders on the podium.

Looking forward to see who Armstrong's new team ends up signing.

]]> I like big buns and I cannot lie. Saw the Wienermobile today--check the plates. tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1203 2009-07-24T21:49:50Z 2009-07-24T21:49:50Z I like big buns and I cannot lie. Saw the Wienermobile today--check the plates., originally uploaded by jim losby.... jim




I like big buns and I cannot lie. Saw the Wienermobile today--check the plates., originally uploaded by jim losby.

]]> The Long Tail of Minor Internet Fame tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1201 2009-07-15T13:50:00Z 2009-07-15T18:53:48Z OK, it wasn't really fame, just a concert review from 1994 that Adam and I posted to Echoes, the Pink Floyd mailing list, back in 1994. Adam's reposted it on the Brain Damage site.... jim OK, it wasn't really fame, just a concert review from 1994 that Adam and I posted to Echoes, the Pink Floyd mailing list, back in 1994. Adam's reposted it on the Brain Damage site.

]]> Mysteries of the Modern Music Industry tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1199 2009-07-07T18:20:28Z 2009-07-07T18:35:33Z The other day I decided to become more of a Yes completist and pick up their first two albums: 1969's Yes and 1970's Time and Word. A little poking around online and I cam up with the following prices: Buy... jim The other day I decided to become more of a Yes completist and pick up their first two albums: 1969's Yes and 1970's Time and Word. A little poking around online and I cam up with the following prices:

  • Buy and download the mp3 versions: at Amazon each album was $9.99, same price at the iTunes store.
  • By the CD used at ebay: each was going for around $5, plus $3 in shipping.
  • Buy the darnned things new: Amazon had each of them for $6.97. I wasn't about to try to find both of these pretty obscure titles at Target or Best Buy or Borders.

Who knew buying the physical product and having it shipped would be the cheapest? OK, I did cheat a little and bought a book at Amazon (Michael Palin's Diaries 1969-1979 The Python Years) to qualify for free shipping, but still.

]]> Summer Project tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1198 2009-07-07T15:03:21Z 2009-07-07T15:10:50Z jim Tackling an important project in June and July: watching every episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. I'm up to episode 40 so far with just a handful left to go. 

What's scary is that I remember about 90% of it, some of which I know I haven't seen in 20 years. Good stuff and just so weird sometimes.


]]> Good News Everyone: More Futurama tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1195 2009-06-09T14:07:05Z 2009-06-10T00:49:27Z It has been a bit since I've heard anything new about the future of Futurama. Came across this tidbit on Slashdot today: http://www.collider.com/2009/06/07/exclusive-comedy-central-goes-back-to-the-futurama/ More here , here, and here.... jim It has been a bit since I've heard anything new about the future of Futurama. Came across this tidbit on Slashdot today:

http://www.collider.com/2009/06/07/exclusive-comedy-central-goes-back-to-the-futurama/

More here , here, and here.

]]> Rush at the Chicago Tribune tag:www.ivory-tower.org,2009:/blog//1.1193 2009-04-15T14:38:31Z 2009-04-15T13:39:53Z Decent article on the renewed popularity of Rush over at the Chicago Tribune's site today. Indeed, Alex Lifeson, Rush's guitarist, said he has noticed that fans who grew up with Rush seem "a little more detail-oriented in their professional lives."... jim Decent article on the renewed popularity of Rush over at the Chicago Tribune's site today.

Indeed, Alex Lifeson, Rush's guitarist, said he has noticed that fans who grew up with Rush seem "a little more detail-oriented in their professional lives." He said, in middle age, they seem disproportionately made up of engineers, chemists, economists and businessmen.

"Just yesterday I got an e-mail from an astronaut," Lifeson said. "A guy up in the space station. He brought a copy of our last album with him into space. I mean, this is amazing. You know how many Rush fans there are within NASA? A lot. I'll leave it at that. And I'm not just talking about the guys out in the field. Our fans are inside, close to the big programs. They run everything."

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