xiffy’s Neighborhood

 11/17/2008 09:31:40  ♥ written by vu ()

PLEASE NOTE: Mypodcast.com's servers and services are experiencing some difficulties, possibly due to the weak economy. Looking at their forums, it seems some people have had problems for weeks now with no feedback from the people running the website.

I'll see what happens, but if they go out of business by next week, I'll have to switch back to my original podcast address over at gcast.com. You can find widgets and how to subscribe through that website. With the widgets - please tick the 'auto-play' to "no", it is on autoplay by default.
 

Download Episode #33 (43 min)

Download each segment individually:
Part 1: Devi
Part 2: Mary Shelley Overdrive

So hey, welcome back to our weekly podcast show. Please see note above to why this episode is slightly delayed - even though I had finalized everything by late Sunday evening.

Also, I don't normally jinx myself for announcing future guests on the show, but we have three scheduled next week. Hopefully the one from overseas will work out, so I'm crossing my fingers.

So, I also suggest you check out Emelia's previous mention of Del Shannon's "Runaway" and my article and fascination on the morbid "Jack the Ripper" and 50s-inspired The Raveonettes.

This week:

PART ONE: DEVI
devi-rock.com ♥ myspace.com/devirock
Devi (pronounced "Davy") is a rock trio from Hoboken, New Jersey. Debra was kind enough to stop in and talk to us about her debut album, Get Free, which was just released a few weeks ago. They just also finalized agreements with Red Eye Music Distribution, so you'll be able to find their music at the usual places. In the meantime, you can get their album for $10 CD or $5 digital download via cdbaby.

Topics up for discussion:

• The name Devi and its origins
• How she met her band
• "Demon in the Sack" and "C21H23NO3" explained
• "Runaway" Del Shannon/Bonnie Raitt cover
• Hair-blowing photo session
• Special guest appearance on Get Free

PART TWO: MARY SHELLEY OVERDRIVE
maryshelleyoverdrive.blogspot.com ♥ myspace.com/maryshelleyoverdrive
Simon and Mark from Mary Shelley Overdrive, a band based out of South Carolina, in need of a drummer, as I just found out.

We talked about:

• The Secret Origins of Mary Shelley Overdrive
• Using the Internet to distribute music, etc.
• "Jack the Ripper"
• Pop culture, comics, and horror movie influences
• Werewolf on Motorcycles cover artwork
• fond of masks and playing live

UPDATE: Well the mypodcast.com problem isn't so much that they are bankrupt, it's that they ran out of disk storage.  According to an admin, they posted this:

We had problems increasing disc space. Now...

We had problems increasing disc space. Now everything is fixed. There's plenty of free space for podcasts.

So there you go. Hopefully they'll get some bigger raids.
S.

So hopefully, if you're already subscribe to our show via mypodcast, you don't need to switch or make any changes.  However, going forward, I'm still uploading to gcast as well (since I still cannot update my mypodcast).

 11/15/2008 23:52:26  ♥ written by vu ()

Although nothing to do with music, I thought I'd report on my recent attendance at Crypticon 2008 today (November 15^th). Although a pleasant experience with the Q&A with various guests (the two I attended was Fright Night's Chris Sarandon and The Cryptkeeper John Kassir), I thought the rest of my time spent there dragged on a bit. The turnout was really good, I even ran into people I knew, which is unusual as I don't really know anyone.

So what does one do at these conventions ? Usually buying stuff, like 8x10 signed actor portraits and sometime overpriced merchandises. My sister did get a nice deal on the Lost action figures Todd McFarlane put out a few years ago. I contemplated on buying bootleg Hellraiser and Evil Dead stuff, but instead got an autographed Hellboy II. Was disappointed that there were not more obscure horror DVDs and packages for sale (it seems I already own 90% of whatever they were selling).

My brother took most of the photographs, including James Duval (Frank the Bunny), Chris Sarandon (famous for playing Jack Skellington), Doug Jones (Pale "Jazz Hands" Man), and here's a picture with Michael Berryman (that The Hills Have Eyes dude). Berryman, no offense or anything, is such a nice guy, but he's really scary-looking. He even seems like a fanboy as he was collecting autographs from the other attendees!

My complaints and suggestions for future shows is to keep the cost down. $30 per day is really expensive, and adding on additional purchases, you can easily tap out $100. The other problem is that the convention extends for three days - perhaps just keep it to the weekend. I also think that it would've been better to have it in the Summer or perhaps closer to Halloween (but I can understand that October might be too insane to try and organize anything).

Other disappointment was that legendary make-up artist and actor Toni Savini canceled out.

Other than that, it's worth checking out these conventions if you want to meet actors and get more merch. I wouldn't mind attending a Star Trek convention one of these days if they held one closer to home.

 11/15/2008 01:57:12  ♥ written by vu ()

Minneapolis is the last stop for famed The Faint before heading off to Scotland, England, Germany, Italy, and Spain, before heading back stateside in mid-December. UK concert goers should be in for a real treat, as these guys put on a spectacular light show consisting of part rave, part Casio-crashing, part discotheque, but all fun.

Everyone in the band was dressed in dark clothing, except for singer Todd Fink, who came out with tinted circular glasses/goggles and dressed up as a mad scientist or chemist. He does his same dance he does for all the songs, smiling and laughing the whole time, while the rest of the band do their thing. I will have to say that "Dapose" rocked out pretty hardcore on the guitar.

There was a long experimental noise intro before "The Geeks Were Right", which was well-received, although I suspect fans weren't used to their new songs.

Speaking of which, and I won't spend too much time on this, the audience seem to be a lot of younger kids (with black marked "X" on their hands indicating they are under 21), and they all seem to be really into their hair.

The ended their set with a three song encore, including the very last song, Agenda Suicide, which is not listed on their set list.

The Faint - Desperate Guys 2 comments

The Faint - Agenda Suicide 2 comments

I should also mention the two warm-up band, His Mischief (official/myspace) and Baby Walrus (myspace). His Mischief was a three piece band from St Paul, they sounded more power-pop/rock - like they might be more in their elements opening up for Motion City Soundtrack.

As for Baby Walrus, they are from Nebraska, and they seem to be more blues-influenced, with a bit of Ben Folds with the keyboard-thing. I don't know the song they ended their set, but it was really good.

 11/14/2008 20:02:32  ♥ written by vu ()

Curtis Peoples - Holding Me Down Curtis Peoples Tour Dates 11/13/08 Merrifield, VA 11/14/08 New York, NY 11/15/08 Annapolis, MD 11/18/08 Philadelphia, PA 12/03/08 Philadelphia, PA 12/05/08 Fairfax, VA 12/06/08 Vienna, VA 12/08/08 Blacksburg, VA 12/09/08 Charlotte, NC 12/10/08 Decatur, GA 12/14/08 Palm Desert, CA 12/18/08 San Franscisco, CA 12/20/08 San Diego, CA 12/21/08 Los Angeles, CA 01/17/09 Miami, FL 01/18/09 Miami, FL 01/19/09 Miami, FL 01/20/09 Miami, FL 01/21/09 Miami, FL 01/22/09 Miami, FL

 11/14/2008 09:43:18  ♥ written by vu ()

I got a note that Crystal Stilts were extending their tour with Swedish indie darlings Love is All, so I thought I'd mention it here before I forget. Crystal Stilts is on Slumberland Records, a label responsible for bringing over Stereolab and Velocity Girl - so deeply rooted in indie and much respected here with most of the W♥M writers.

Their much-anticipated debut album, Alight of Night, came out late October, and I'll have to say if you're a fan of Joy Division and early Jesus and Mary Chain, you'll absolutely LOVE these guys. They also seem to have a lo-fi indie quality to their recording too, and the singer, JB Townsend (?), kind of have a bit of a dark tone to him.

My favorite songs on the album is actually the more energetic jangy guitar numbers like "Departure", because they sound like the song was written in the 60s. Actually, most of their songs seems to be in that 60s vein, but they are not quite as poppy... again, probably to do with the dark brooding singing and lyrics. The free song they are offering is "Crystal Stilts", which they evidentially wear their influences like a badge of honor.

Here are those tour dates:

Nov. 21 New York, NY Less Artists, More Condos
Dec. 07 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom #
Dec. 08 Boston, MA Great Scott #
Dec. 10 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa #
Dec. 11 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern #
Dec. 12 Detroit, MI Magic Stick #
Dec. 14 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle #
Dec. 17 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge %

# = w/ Love is All
% = w/ Vetiver

The album is available in vinyl and compact disc for an inexpensive $10 at Slumberland, and if you're still not convince, you can preview the album on that page. I am going to recommend getting the 12" as for a limited time only they come in a silk-screened jacket.

If you want to get their debut EP, you can get it for $10 on Woodsist Records (amazon is selling it used for a ridiculous amount of $50, so I do not recommend that).

 11/13/2008 10:02:54  ♥ written by vu ()

Guess what? I have an iPod Touch Second Generation. I love it. I mostly use it for an internet device (checking email or surfing the web) while being mobile (watching television). This device is just like the iPhone, minus the AT&T expensive phone contract and camera and mic.

What I absolutely love about the iPod Touch is the built-in speakers. Seriously, all iPods should have built-in speakers.

If you are interested in getting movies you own from DVD, I recommend the paid DVD Fab and for free, I hear Handbrake does a great job (although I've never used it). Set pixels to 480x* to optimize for the iPod or iPhone.

Oh, yeah besides the internet, watching movie, and games, it also plays music. If you're in the market for a new music device, you may want to reconsider getting the Touch. The cheapest model is 8 gigs for $229, it's cheaper than most Netbooks so keep that in mind if you are thinking of getting a net device for travel.

PRICE: $229, $299, $399
PROS: Too many to mention, see description above. 
CONS: You have to use iTunes.  You must use its touch interface, so if you have no fingers, you're out of luck.  I also don't like that you can't play videos in 'sleep' mode and there is no controls in landscape mode for audio (seriously, WTF is that about?).  The chrome back is easily scratch (as with all iPods) so you must spend another $30 on a iPod case.  The cost associated with any Apple products is unbelievable too. So before you dive into Apple, make sure you can afford it.

Below is my guide to ten applications that I love (mostly free too!). PLEASE send me your suggestions... I am a cheapskate, so I prefer the free ones.

 11/12/2008 09:27:40  ♥ written by vu ()