It's always disheartening at the bank when the customer in front of you or beside you tells the banker, "I'll have that in ten hundreds and the rest in twenties," when I'm asking for four twenties and the rest in pennies. Money, that's what I want. I want money. Your money!- The Flying Lizards
It occurred me to that George Harrison's death came just about a week before the day of the death of John Lennon in 1980. Man, I remember being so into George Harrison in the mid to late 80s - I loved the song and video for "I've Got My Mind Set on You." What a musical and visual genius he was. He'll be missed. This is so disturbing.
You know you pick me up from where some try to drag me down. And when I see your smile, replacing every thoughtless frown. Got me escaping from this zoo, baby I'm in love with you! I'm so glad you came here, it won't be the same now I'm telling you. If I grow up I'll be a singer wearing rings on every finger. Not worrying what they say, I'll live and love and maybe someday who knows baby you may comfort me.
I was so shocked this morning to hear that George Harrison died overnight. Long live him.
The following story is courtesy of Jeff D., who feels the need to repeatedly mock my Polish origins: Man Climbs Tree to Avoid Taxi Fare
WARSAW (Nov. 5) - A Polish man who climbed a tree to avoid a several zloty (dollar) taxi fare on Saturday, may end up paying more than $4,000 for a rescue operation that involved two fire brigade units. Pursued by an irate taxi driver in the northwestern city of Szczecin, the passenger climbed a tall tree, jumped from branch to branch and hurled bananas from a shopping bag at a crowd which soon gathered at the scene. More than a dozen firefighters were called in and spread out an airbag under the tree as a police psychologist was sent up in a ladder-bucket to negotiate with the man, fire brigade spokesman Robert Tyczkowski told Reuters. After a two-hour stand-off, the man agreed to come down, but may have to pay many times the original taxi fare he tried to evade. Private Radio Zet reported the fire brigade was planning to send him a 18,000-zloty ($4,300) bill for the rescue operation (Reuters 09:35 11-05-01).
By far, the best aspect of the holiday season is the pop music. The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping," Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," not to mention that song "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" as well as pop hits from Hall & Oates and Run DMC. However, I've said it before and I'll say it again, Band Aid's "Feed the World (Do They Know It's Christmastime?)," a skewed love letter to Africa with good intentions and belted out by some of the 80s greatest rockers (Duran Duran, George Michael, U2, Bananarama) is the absolute best. In fact, I was so elated when I heard it in my car this weekend in Philly I just barely averted an accident involving an 18-wheeler, a Molotov cocktail, and a cup of coffee. The last time that happened, the song was David Lee Roth's "Just a Gigolo."
Well, not really. That last part was pure histrionics. By the way, if anyone can find me a complete list of the musicians involved in Band Aid's charity tune "Feed the World (Do They Know It's Christmastime?)," and/or some photos of the recording, I'll see to it you receive a lovely holiday gift. How does a pack of gum sound?
Fireballs & Tsunami hasn't been updated since the Reagan administration. I'm working on a new design which, hopefully, will be up soon. More blogging and photos soon!
Duran Duran, Pop Trash
Gary Numan, The Pleasure Principle
Cyndi Lauper, She's So Unusual
Alphaville, Forever Young
The Vaselines, The Way of the Vaselines
Juliana Hatfield, Only Everything
P.J. Harvey, Is This Desire?
The Rolling Stones, Hot Rocks
Frente, Marvin the Album
Destiny's Child, The Writing's on the Wall
The Cars, The Cars
The B-52s, Cosmic Thing
Duran Duran, Arena
The Doors, The Soft Parade Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
L7, Hungry for Stink
The Dandy Warhols, The Dandy Warhols
The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
Ace of Base, The Sign
The Waitresses, The Best of the Waitresses
Belle & Sebastian, Lazy Line Painter Jane
The Fad, The Fad The New Wave: Pop Music of the Early '80s
Goodbye Girl Friday, Mr. & Mrs.
Naked Highway, Hyperbollocks
Duran Duran, Pop Trash Classic Alternatives: '80s 12" Extended Rare Mixes
Phil Collins, Hits
Genesis, Turn It On Again: The Hits
Ladytron, Light & Magic
Ladytron, 604
The Go-Betweens, Before Hollywood
Beck, Midnight Vultures
Duran Duran, Seven & the Ragged Tiger
Abba, Arrival
The Cardigans, Long Gone Before Daylight
The Psychedelic Furs, All of This & Nothing
Air, Moon Safari
The Knack, Round Trip
Blondie, Parallel Lines
The Psychedelic Furs, Forever Now
The Donnas, Spend the Night
Nancy Sinatra, California Girl
Tatu, 200 KMH in the Wrong Lane
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Organisation
John-Manuel Andriote, Hot Stuff: A Brief History of Disco
Bret Easton Ellis, The Rules of Attraction
Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities
Jean Kilbourne, Deadly Persuasion
Nick Hornby, High Fidelity
Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho
Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation
