PAPER WAITS... AND WAITS... AND WAITS...

Please read me.

Is it safe?

Sometimes getting out the door for a run is a bit like pulling my own teeth. It's painful and without music, there's no way I'd be able to do it. In my other life, I actually write about this subject. It's a good gig because it actually forces me to run 3 times a week, keeping my cardio up for those precious times I get to surf. As a byproduct, I've also started to pay more attention to music and its power to inspire. For me, a solid 160-200 BPMs is critical for getting me on pace. I actually nerd out on a beat-counting application for my phone to determine which songs have the right cadence for my stride.

This is the playlist I currently run to.

What Would Wolves Do? _ Les Savy Fav
Madder Red _ Yeasayer
Two Weeks _ Grizzly Bear
Just One Second (Apex Remix) _ London Electricity
Gold Guns Girls _ Metric
The New Wu _ Raekwon
Fools _ The Dodos
Let's Go Surfing _ The Drums
Follow the Light _ Sub Focus
Cousins _ Vampire Weekend
Fancy Claps _ Wolf Parade
Cheerleadeer (Neon Indian Studio 6669 Remix) _ Grizzly Bear

Hear it all right here:


See the inspiration here:

Multiple Bonzer Sighting in Oregon

As seen on Craigslist...

7'7 x 20 3/4 x 3, Pintail, Bonzer 5, Contemporary semi-gun
7'7 x 20 5/8 x 2 3/4, Pintail, Bonzer 3, Retro semi-gun

$450 ea.

503.739.1207
503.717.1110

Looks like there are some swells worthy of these boards on the horizon, so act fast!

BNW

You are the color.

Searching for Evan Dando

The first time I heard Evan Dando was when I was in middle school. I was visiting my grandparents in San Luis Obispo, where I would spend whole afternoons tape recording radio shows off KCPR. The song that struck me was a track from the album Creator called “Your Home is Where You’re Happy,” written by Charles Manson. I promptly took some of my paper route money to Boo Boo Records and bought the full-length cassette. The album, which was more Boston punk than acoustic ballad, became the soundtrack to my transition into high school.

When I went away to university, the Lemonheads had transformed themselves into a post punk phenomenon, recording the college radio classic, It’s a Shame About Ray, featuring guest vocals by Juliana Hatfield and a video starring a brooding Johnny Depp. The track that ended up getting the most airtime was a cover of “Mrs. Robinson,” which was no doubt the weakest song on the release. The standout for me was the sparse, desperate “Drug Buddy.” From there, Dando became an indie rock sex symbol, appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone shirtless and picking up a crack cocaine habit that would plague him for several years.

During that era, I drove up from Eugene, Oregon to watch the Lemonheads open for Hole at La Luna (as a side note, it seemed like Dando was pretty chummy with Courtney Love, which was pretty disappointing). But what stood out for me as a fan was Dando’s ability to craft a pop song and strip it down to its essentials. Vocals echoing from his chest and power chords that translated perfectly to an acoustic encore.

Flash forward 15 years to last night, when I heard Evan Dando was playing at a little Porltand venue called Doug Fir. On my way out the door of a meeting earlier, I mentioned to a 30-year-old girl if she had ever heard of Evan Dando. No. How about the Lemonheads? Blank stare.

The show was nearly empty. Maybe 20 people standing near the stage. But the sound was the same as ever. Straightforward. Clean. Honest. Resonant. Nostalgic. Good.

The movie projected behind him (see video above) was shot from the front seat of a car, first going through a car wash, then driving up I-5 through Oregon. During the set, which was filled with songs that triggered some pretty intense memories for me, the car actually drove by the exit to my hometown at dusk, then Eugene with rain hitting the windshield, then into Portland at night. Finally, as the show ended, the car exited the freeway and drove up Burnside, slowing down in front of the venue where we were standing at that moment.

NSFW

These pics aren't safe for work because looking at them makes you want to quit your job and devote your life to getting tubed.

Venice Pier Bungee Jumper

What happens when you attach your leash while sitting on the edge of the Venice pier and don't happen to notice it getting wrapped around the railing before taking the plunge?

Find out in the complete sequence at The Blue Shack.

I don't know what's worse: the pain, the embarrassment, or the fact that this dude is wearing a hood in 70-degree SoCal weather. And not just paddling straight out.

Thanks, Adrian!

VALENTINES NITE

Stoke yourself this Wednesday (that's tomorrow).

Sometimes

Sometimes
Against better judgment
You gotta make it happen.

Sometimes
Your pocket book says no
But your instincts scream yes.

Sometimes
You have to make sacrifices
In order to create unforgettable memories.

Because sometimes doesn't happen all the time.