Phish is a "New Immortal"

Well Well Well.... What do we have here? Is this my band finally getting some respect? I think so. 

**Warning I know that this post is about a list and everyone hates lists. I warned you**

Rolling Stone has named Phish as one of their "New Immortals". Now I still think it is bullshit that they were left off the original list in 2004 of "the Greatest Artists of All Time". They finally smartened up and added 14 new artists to this list. This is a list of bands whose music they believe will stand the test of time. Its also artists whose names "you wouldn't be surprised to see on a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot at some point down the road when they become eligible". The list has no order but all I know is that Phish is now listed among them. 

This is their write up:

"Phish spent the Eighties in Vermont honing their chops with some unconventional practice techniques: jamming for eight hours straight after drinking mushroom-laced hot chocolate, playing long stretches blindfolded or hitting a single note for an hour. The band let fans bootleg their actual shows freely, and by 1993 they were conquering amphitheaters around the country, even organizing their own gigantic camp-out music festivals. Phish's weirdness wouldn't work without tight songs ("Bouncing Around the Room," "You Enjoy Myself") and vast graduate-level improvisational skills: Trey Anastasio can mimic Bach, Jerry Garcia, King Crimson and John Coltrane on his guitar with ease, and the band can nail entire albums by Little Feat or the Beatles at their famous Halloween gigs. They can also get away with stunts like the Big Ball Jam. "We had huge exercise balls we threw into the audience," keyboardist Page McConnell told Rolling Stone in 2003. "You had to play rhythmically with the way your ball bounced around the room. That's how our whole career has been – stupid ideas that work."

New Mumford & Sons Video

These guys are certainly striking while the iron is hot. Here is their new video for the song "Whispers in the Dark".

SXSW

Dear Internet

I get it. All the cool trendy kids are at SXSW this week doing fun things. Yet I'm at work so please stop rubbing in the good music and food that is happening there. I have work to do.

Signed a not so cool kid.

National Nap Day

If you ever met me you know that I love to sleep. I don't think that I'm lazy I just enjoy a morning where I have nothing planned and I don't have to set an alarm and I can just let my body sleep for as long as it needs to. Again I do not think thats lazy just relaxing. Anyways, today is National Nap Day and the HP have given us "6 Reason We Should Nap".

1. Napping boosts alertness

2. Napping improves learning and memory

3. Napping increases creativity

4. Napping boosts productivity

5. Napping lifts your spirits

6. Napping zaps stress

So there you have it no excuses not to get a little siesta today.

Dunk of the Year

I know I have been saying this a lot lately but what the NBA is doing right now is just amazing. It is more fun to watch basketball now then almost ever before and the reason is easy. These athletes are putting on a show, like DeAndre Jordan last night and this monster dunk. Seriously this thing was so big that the guy that he dunked over was declared dead on his wikipedia page within minutes....

Macklemore - Wings

I did something last week that I never thought I would do. I downloaded the Macklemore album, yes the guy that raps that song "Thrift Shop" for my drive up north over the weekend. And well I must admit that the album really isn't that bad, there are a few songs on it that I may even categorize as very good. That includes this next one called "Wings" that talks about consumerism in this country and the problem that we have with it because we are unable to break free of it. Its worth the listen.

Justin Timberlake Wins at SNL

Just as expected Justin Timberlake went on Saturday Night Live this weekend and absolutely killed it. Like I'm pretty sure if there was a vote we would abolish the host all together and just let him do it every single week. Without fail the best episode since he was on it last time. Thats right... years people!

My favorite sketch was the "Omeletville" one but I can't find the video yet so I'll just give you his performance for now. You can however watch the entire episode over at Hulu.com right now.

Trey on CBS Sunday Morning

Hello and welcome to another week. Hope you all had half the fun that I had this weekend and are ready to tackle on another week. I made a successful trip to NJ and Brooklyn over the weekend and managed to return in one piece yesterday without too many problems (we are not mentioning that I got off the wrong exit in DC and ended up in the middle of the city...nope none of that talk). Anyways here is to another fast week!

If anyone was up early yesterday morning and watching the Early Show on CBS they may have caught a familiar face to this blog. That is right Phish frontman Trey Anastasio was on there to talk about his venture into Broadway with his new musical "Hands on a Hard Body". The show looks great, Trey sounds great, it was nice to see him shown in a good light, even when talking about his past mishaps. 

Bravo Trey!

99 Life Hacks

Go to this LINK and make life easier for yourself. Some of these are genius!

Is it time to go yet?

Josh Ritter Full Concert on NPR

Those may be the best words I have typed all day. You are welcome for this video right here!!

Story of the Week

And this is why Dunkin Donuts will always rule.

Dear American Idol.... WTF

There is a time for American Idol to bow out of the television world and that time is right now. You had a good run, you made some great stars but what you are doing this year is wrong on so many levels. I don't even have to mention the judges who to be honest if I was a singer and was judged by Nicki Minaj I would laugh in her face. But seriously from the outside looking in (because I am in fact not watching a single moment) this years crop of hopefuls are a disaster  Do me a favor and please explain this performance that I guess happened last night. Please explain!

Phish Withdrawal

Warning. Warning. I'm going through some major Phish withdrawal  It has been entirely too long since I have seen a show and well it is not cool. Boys can you please announce some dates so I can plan out the rest of my year? Thank you. Until then I will continue to just watch youtube clips to ease the pain...

No Diggity/ Thrift Shop Mash Up

Well I never thought I would live to see this day but I have. British pop star Ed Sheeran (remember he played with Elton during the Grammy's) has done this completely random but awesome mash up. 

Enjoy.

Great Video

This is the song "Some Kinda Love" by the band Nude Beach. I have never ever heard of them before, I don't think that this song is life changing but the video is amazing! What a clever fun idea and it definitely had me listening to the entire song. Worth a watch trust me.

Elevator Murder Experiment

I'm sorry but this is not funny! Not funny at all!! If I walked into a lobby and pressed the button for the elevator and the door opened up and there was a man trying to murder another man I would have probably ran to a corner and cried. I would like to think I would help the man but lets be honest anyone who knows me knows I would probably just cry. This experiment is not funny!

Timeout

I pause to bring you one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. If someone does not get me this Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker immediately I will be seriously disappointed. What an amazing idea!!

Downloads for the Weekend

Tomorrow I'm jumping in my Jetta and burning up 95 for a very quick visit up north. I will be in NJ for less than 24 hours and then over to Brooklyn to see my best friends and then back to Richmond on Sunday. I know... a little crazy but sometimes it must be done.

Last night I did all my preparations for the trip including downloading some new music. Albums that include: New live Alabama Shakes, Josh Ritter, Macklemore, Phish a little Timberlake and some NPR podcasts. All and all it should be a successful trip. Fingers crossed for weather.

An Amazing Drum Corps

Hello and welcome to another day. I'm sorry again for yesterday but I warned you that the snow would cut my day short and it did. Not that I'm complaining that I spent the majority of the day watching movies and doing house chores but that is what happened. Anyways its now Thursday and we are moving closer and closer to the weekend. 

Lets start you off with something fun this morning like an absolutely amazing Drum Corps. The Top Secret Drum Corps is a precision drum corps based in Switzerland. They have 25 drummers and colorguard members and is famous for its demanding routines. Top Secret became one of the first non-military, non-British Commonwealth acts to perform on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle. Very cool.

Tina & Amy - 2; Taylor Swift - 0

Don't know if you saw this yesterday but Taylor Swfit took to Vanity Fair Magazine to vent her frusterations at Tina Fey and Amy Poeler making fun of her at last months Golden Globes Awards. Here is what she said.

Seriously Taylor Swift? Can you not take a joke? I have defended you numerous times before on this blog but this time you have just gone too far. Luckily Tina and Amy are awesome and had the perfect responses to Taylor yesterday.

And the winner of this battle again is Ms. Fey and Ms. Poeler. Ha.

ThunderSnow!

Hello and Happy Wednesday. 

I apologize for my absence from the blog yesterday but work was just crazy! I am back today but who knows for how long, I may have to continue the blogging from home this afternoon. We have ThunderSnow here in Richmond. (Don't know why I feel the need to capitalize it but I feel as if it deserves it.) But yes, it is snowing and thundering all at the same time and it is awesome. While the snow is starting to slow down already I do not see Richmond being too prepared and the roads are sure to be a mess this afternoon. So anyone out there traveling around, be safe, take it slow, its not that I worry about you but the other really dumb drivers in this city. Most of all I hope you pick a spot and just enjoy the snow for a moment its probably the last we will see for the season.

12 Ways To Annoy A DJ

This is a pretty hilarious article. Read to and find out how to act appropriately when a DJ is playing.

Click Here.

Seriously People Stop.

Just read two different tragic stories about people being killed by drunk drivers over the weekend. Call a cab people, that crap is unnecessary.

-Signed a concerned Katie

Letter to Younger Self

Here is the letter that Alice Cooper wrote to his younger self:

Living on a Prayer - Goat Edition

Last week it was Taylor Swift today the boys in Bon Jovi get "goated"... (and yes I just made that up)

These make me laugh so hard...

6 Year Old Breakdancer

This 6 year old killed it at a local breakdancing competition. Seriously watch this. She also beat the boy... bonus!

Misheard Song Lyrics

Watch. Laugh. Repeat.

Amazing Times 10

This is the most amazing thing I've seen in quite a while. As a basketball fan I absolutely love that this kid did not give up on the play and sunk a what should be impossible shot. So great.

Tickets For Concerts

Hello Everybody! Hope you all had a great weekend, I did a ton of relaxing/shopping/and watching VCU dominate Butler on Saturday. All and all a cold but nice weekend. Okay lets get right to it shall we?

I read a very interesting article this morning. Has it ever bothered you when you try and get concert tickets but they sell out in less then a minute or two? How... how is that possible? Well I will show you how, this simple pie chart below basically breaks down where the tickets go and as you see the general public is one of the smaller pieces of said pie. It's sad really... that being said I am signing up for American Express as we speak. 

Read the very interesting article right HERE. 

10 Years Ago Today

Hard to believe that 10 years ago today I was a junior in college and I had traveled from Harrisonburg, VA to Greensboro, NC in the pouring rain to see this show. To this day it still ranks among one of my top 3 favorite shows. What a great day this was.

Sorry I haven't had time to get on the blog today, just trying to get everything done and get out of here for the weekend!!