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Visit AbsolutMachines.com for more time-wasting music-making fun. The Absolut Choir is pretty cool too.

Rev Dave and I attended the Throw Me The Statue show at Schuba’s this past Friday night, and for the most part it was pretty enjoyable. Aside from some not-so-funny-at-all and cliche-ridden Chicago-themed jokes that ended up taking up time that could have been used to play one more song or two, the Seattle-based band was spot on and the performance was more than satisfactory. Offering slightly less electronic and slightly more live sounding versions of standouts from their initial offering, Moonbeams, including “Lolita,” “Young Sensualists,” and “About to Walk,” which was the show’s closer, the band showed that they were not just another over-produced indie outfit. And that’s always one of my concerns when seeing a new hot band like TMTS, especially one whose first record I’ve been obsessing over for months before actually seeing them live.

I would have liked to stay for Ruby Suns and Bodies of Water, but that just wasn’t in the cards that night. I also would have liked to hear “This Is How We Kiss,” but I can only assume that was one of the songs the TMTS guys had to drop due to their banter — they seemed surprised at the end of their set when the sound guy said they only had time for one more song. I’m glad they chose “About to Walk,” though, as it’s definitely one of my favorites on the record. I hope we see a lot more from these guys in the future.

I’ve been working on a big exhibition of Andy Warhol silkscreens, paintings and prints for the past three months, so I’ve been surrounded by images of Campbell’s Soup cans and Marilyn Monroe’s and Chairman Mao’s.

But how to tie this back to the rock, and more importantly Guitar Friday. The obvious idea would be to run a clip of the Dandy Warhols, but eff those douchbags. Then I remembered that Warhol and Lou Reed were tight, and Reed did a tribute to Warhol with John Cale. They’re not all rockin’ and giitarin’, but this one, titled “Work,” is pretty funky.

Man, Stereogum sure does hate the way Rolling Stone does things. I guess you can’t blame them. Is Rolling Stone to Stereogum as Pitchfork is to RTP?

Either way, I digress. Check out this piece where Billy Corgan dares to question Radiohead’s musical integrity. He questions Amy Winehouse in the same breath, which I could have probably overlooked, but seriously Billy, this is not 1992 anymore and you are no longer at the top of your game. And let’s be honest, the top of Smashing Pumpkins’ game is still a few stories lower than the bottom of Radiohead’s.

So shut up and get to work, and congrats on your double douche alert. We humbly request either a new album or a performance in your home town as proof that you are still relevant at all.

RTP Radio:
Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams

After getting a ton of grief from my blog-mates as a result of my recent email inquiry regarding the new Counting Crows album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, and whether or not any of them could hook a brother (me) up, I started wondering if I was alone in what I now realize is an unconditional love for this band that may even rival similar feelings I have for bands that might seem a bit more worthy of such unwavering adoration.

Turns out, I might be. My wonder was soon halted as one of said blog-mates passed along an article from Rolling Stone via Stereogum that takes an interesting look at what my main boy Adam Duritz is up to these days, and ponders the question, “Why Can’t Adam Duritz Get Any Respect?”

It’s actually a pretty good read, so for all of you proud Counting Crows, Gin Blossoms, and Goo Goo Dolls fans out there, have at it.

But you were wrong, this is a good song. And a great video concept. I located this on the internet. Have a look.

If you’re religious and that religion happens to involve a dude getting nailed to a tree, dying, and then finding his way out of his sealed tomb, then you’re probably going to church today, tomorrow and probably Sunday. Shit, you probably went last night and another night for “penance.”

And you probably made something up at penance so the priest wouldn’t look at you like, “Really, that’s what you want absolved? you took a dollar out of your wife’s purse so you could buy a bag of chips? Get out of my face and go have sex with a prostitute, or something!”

If anyone can tell, I’m on the verge of getting overchurched. But it’s my own damn fault, so I should just shut up and listen to this dude play guitar like some kind of autistic genius. It’s so bizarre, but so awesome at the same time.

Our favorite one-hit pop/folkie Jill Sobule is earning raves for her new release - and to my knowledge, nobody has even heard it yet.

Why?

Because she conducted a successful fundraising effort through her website and found a way to self-produce it through online donations from fans.

Way to go Jill.

My preferred candidate officially throws his hat in the ring.

I’m just going to come clean, I have inhaled bags of ’shrooms. I haven’t done drugs for the past 20 years, to be really honest. I’ve smoked, [expletive], like six hits off a joint in the last 20 years. I have never done cocaine, ever in my life. I have never done heroin, I have never done speed. I have had my share of acid and mushrooms and I have smoked fields of marijuana, but by the age of 20 I realized, if I don’t stop now, I’ll never have the chance to be the President of the United States of America. This dream is a long time in the making, it’s been almost 20 years of preparing to run silently. Gathering my ideas and support. I haven’t done drugs in a long time. Because they are against the law.

Provocative.

Krist Novoselic really excels in the political arena. When I need to a shoulder a cry on, when I need real advice all I have to do is call Krist and he reminds me what it is to be that kid with big dreams from Springfield, Va. The kid who worked at a furniture warehouse, mowed the lawn, and didn’t have enough money to be a member of the neighborhood swimming pool.

Inspiring.

You know what it takes? It takes a barbecue. I think that what the country needs now is a good, smoky barbecue—family style, at least once a week, winter months included. Every Sunday.

A unifying force for good and the “high life” for all Americans. Vote Grohl. He’ll tear that shit up.

UPDATE: Apparently Harp magazine isn’t the most reputable publication in which to make such an annoucement, because it filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy protection.

My mother in law sent Wife Wifely and I a greeting card for the weekend.

Thank you Ireland. I love you. Start this weekend right with a little Irish Washerwoman on gii-TAR! natch.