DON'T FORGET, TRUE BELIEVERS...

Free Comic Book Day is only 3 days away! Always the first Saturday in May, participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books (duh) absolutely FREE to anyone who comes into their stores.

I'm looking forward to the following goodies...

and for the kiddos...

Go to the OFFICIAL WEBSITE for more details and a participating shop near you!

More 'Halloween'...More Zombie!

Excited! I had no clue that there was even plans for Rob Zombie to helm another 'Halloween' flick until my buddy Gep pinged me about it a few weeks back. Looks as if, much like the last reboot, 'H2' will re-interpret the original sequel following the 'night after' and offer up some more Zombified back story/detail as well.

Check out Sheri Moon Zombie returning as Michael's Mammy, effectively making Norman Bates and Jason Voorhees look like a much wimpier pair of mama's boys...

Saturday Bonus Track...

Feeling a little better. Not quite up to a full return to daily poop, but I thought i'd throw up the 'Bonus Track'. I've got a lot of good things still in the mix, just need to focus and drive them into something concrete. Stay tuned!

A live version of 'Emma Blowgun's Last Stand' from Beulah, lifted from their excellent tour doc 'A Good Band is Easy to Kill'...because they/the song freaking rule and it always makes me smile.

Wall of Sleep/So Long (For Now)...

I fell asleep watching TV until 1AM, woke up and i've been up since. Just can't sleep. Again, i've hit kind of a lull in my job search after a big flurry of activity and it's kind of rattled me a little.

May need to take a break from the blog for a while and regroup, refocus, realign, etc. I'm sure it won't be a long hiatus, I just need to do some other stuff. Not sure what that stuff may entail, but I do know it involves getting away from the computer more often. Peace!

How El (uhhh) Needs to Get His Groove Back...

Up way too early after attending to one of the kids and couldn't get back to sleep...still kind of bummed about not getting that job. I've been pretty positive amongst all this, but I am feeling like if I haven't hit a wall yet...it'll happen soon.

Just need to stay energized and keep moving forward. That said, Starbucks is opening in 5 minutes, so at least now I can go get some coffee I shouldn't be spending $ on.

Ugh. How Appropriate...

In a tie-in w/ both my last post and the earlier one about that job interview...today officially became a little bit of a 'Blue Monday'. Per the email I just received, I guess I came off 'great'...just a tad shy of experience in one area in comparison w/ the other candidate.

Still waiting on another interview's results, so...chin up, chin up.

It's Twistin' My Melon, man...

Seriously. How did I not catch this back when it came out...or, worse yet, finally watch it until ~ 7 years later?! I've caught it three different times on IFC over the past few weeks and, quite frankly, could watch again today.

What a GREAT fooking movie.

...OH MY!

Amazingly, I almost forgot to post up w/ major props for 'da Bulls, Cubs and Hawks...what a GREAT weekend that was for Chicago sports fans, eh?

Just Wondering...

...when the hell are we going to get airdates for the new Torchwood?

I've read both Spring and Summer of 2009, but nothing concrete. Cool thing is, it'll air on both the UK and American Beeb at the same time! No waiting...unlike the next Who special, that won't show up until late in the year.

Saturday Bonus Track...

As I said yesterday, I had an interview and thought i'd post up w/ something appropriate while I wait, hopefully, to hear I got the job.

Gang of Four performing 'To Hell w/ Poverty' on the 'Old Grey Whistle Test' in 1981.

No New Poop Today...

I've got a job interview this morning, so cross your fingers for me. Peace!

And Speaking of the Cubbies...

...i'm about due for a new ball cap. Thinking I may go w/ the 1968 Cooperstown 'Franchise' cap from Twin Enterprises, as they fit great and can take a helluva beating.

So Does 'Chinese Democracy' but...

...today, I couldn't agree more w/ Axl's t-shirt. GO CUBS!

I *HEART* THE ENGLISH BEAT

...and that one General Public tune.

Best. Photo. EVER!

...and why i'm STILL interested in getting a team together and joining a league. Maybe I can get the 'Stoned Rollers' back together for one last gig? Pic courtesy of the amazing Monkeys For Helping.

I Wonder what MS. PAC-MAN would Look Like...

I love the internet. Yet another completely awesome thing lifted this week from Electronic Cerebrectomy...PAC-MAN Reimagined. I'm sorry, I can (and have) stare at this thing for almost a half an hour.

I swear to God those 'ghosts' are from a Scooby Doo episode though. I'll tell you what else...'Blinky' looks like he might just choke a bitch. Damn.

BOB MOULD

'Life and Times'

A little late w/ a review on this one, but i'd be remiss if I didn't give Bob's latest it's due. Mr. Mould is one of those rare artists from the heyday of the 80's post-punk college alt-rock scene, much like Paul Westerberg and/or Black Francis, that i'll always give an eager listen to w/ each new project. One could challenge, actually, that his post-Hüsker Dü output (both solo and w/ Sugar in the 90's) may just be a bit more consistent than the other two aforementioned artist's post-Mats and Pixies catalog.

On 'Life and Times', Bob continues to hone his alt-pop craftsmanship to solid results. Definitely not as much adrenalin as Hüsker Dü or even Sugar for that matter, but it still rocks...hard. Not as folksy as 'Workbook', but it has similar beautiful moments of more refrained introspection. Not as electronically-infused as 'Modulator' (or even the last few solo albums), but it effectively leverages dollops of similar augmentation where it makes sense. Really, it's a combination of all of those things and I dig it.

Perhaps I don't dig it as much as the previous album, 'District Line', but there isn't a huge gap between the two. The title track is pretty representative of the melding of previous styles I alluded to earlier...sparse acoustic to nearly orchestral to big angry rock (it's all in there). He throws down some absolutely shimmering power-pop on the hooky 'City Lights (Days Go By)', only to melt your face off w/ a blistering, Hüsker-esque 'Argos' a mere two tracks later. I'm a big fan of the pumping 'Spiraling Down' as well.

The ballads peppered throughout are vintage Bob as well, but i'd be lying if I said I didn't like the more uptempo stuff than when he gets his sad-face on. The only real mis-step I hear on 'Life and Times' would be the plodding, synth-heavy final track in 'Lifetime'...just a little too murky for my tastebuds. Also, let me be clear, lyrically, Bob is still lamenting about how bad love can stink, but he just seems more at peace w/ that this time around. That said, it's a solid album worth grabbing...listen to a sample in the AMBFAD jukebox and see what you think.

A Little More WHO for YOU...

Came across this awesome little 'family portrait' of all 10 Doctors. Courtesy of Dave Perillo, who also did some fun horror flick caricatures I posted up during last year's AMBFAD Halloween Spook-tacular.

Be sure to go check out his other work spanning all your favorite folks from across the pop-culture universe!

MARILYN CHAMBERS 1953-2009

A fond farewell and R.I.P. to the other Marilyn...safe travels Behind the Green Door and beyond.

Speaking of TIME...

...it seems it won't let The Bravery go. I'm tellin' you, I can't help but dig this band...no matter how mopey they get. Cool video(s) too.