World of Meh!

I know this might sound odd, but I really like Japanese music. I do like the traditional music, but I am talking about silly J-Pop.

What tickles me to no end is that in Japan you can make millions of dollars and not dance or even have a good voice.

There is a band called Electric Six.  They are a strange band, but very musically talented.  Their songs are very catchy and have a great sound.  They are a bit on the odd side, however…  There are two songs in particular that I am fond of: Gay Bar and High Voltage.  A warning, however: if S&M bondage Abraham Lincolns and giant glowing orbs over genitalia bother you, these may not be enjoyable for you.

I love Depeche Mode. I have ever since I was a child, and right now I’m listening to them.

Currently “Enjoy the Silence” is playing through my PC speakers. Some of my favorite songs are “Personal Jesus”, “Policy of Truth”, “I Feel You”, “Barrel of a Gun”, “Dirt”, and “A Pain That I’m Used To.”

There are very few people in the world who do not recognize the name “Michael Jackson”.  He has made a monumental mark on our cultural landscape; one that will not soon be forgotten.  In a career spanning 49 years, starting with his brothers in the Jackson 5 and on to his inimitable solo career, Michael Jackson has received 13 Grammy Awards, spawned 13 number one singles (more than any other male artist in the history of Billboard’s Hot 100), and has sold over 750 million albums around the world.  He earned the title “King of Pop”, was one of only a few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, and has been acknowledged by the Guinness World Records committee for multiple world records, including “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time”.  He was known as an incredible innovator in music, and is responsible for many musical trends that have become commonplace today.

August 7th-9th, 2009 will witness the return of the legendary concert festival known as Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL at Grant Park.  Performers include TOOL, Jane’s Addiction, Beastie Boys, Depeche Mode, Kings of Leon, The Killers, The Kaiser Chiefs, and many more.  Advance 3-day passes are currently available for $190 each, with regular pricing tickets still TBD.  VIP Lounge passes are available at $850 a piece, and private Cabanas are available for large parties at an undisclosed price.  If Lindsey and I were to buy tickets, airfare, and hotel now, we would be spending over $1,600 after tax.  We don’t have $1,600 right now, so…yeah.

Most people know about the financial troubles that California has right now.  State workers are having their pay reduced, budgets are being cut, prices are increasing, and the state tax returns were delayed.  I filed my taxes in January.

I got my state tax refund today.

On last weeks show I mentioned the amazing arrival of Maynard James Keenan to Fresno. For those of you who have been living under a rock, MJK is the lead singer of TOOL, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. The man is a God. I’ve seen TOOL in concert 3 times over the past 10 years, and have been a huge fan for as long as I can remember.

So here I am, sitting in my office, building some spreadsheets, when I get a message through AIM from Lindsey.

For those not “in the know”, NKOTB is an acronym that stands for New Kids on the Block.

Lindsey’s previous post was about her love of music.  One thing she mentioned in the post was:

“As I got older obviously my taste in music got better…”

I beg to differ.  Allow me to present you with Lindsey’s new hot favorite track, courtesy of last night’s episode of Nip/Tuck:

If any of you guys know me, you will know that I love music. I have pretty much been this way even at a young age so it wasn’t like it came about later on in my life.