Shannon Larratt is Zentastic

So some of you may have been receiving mail from a member who was removed yesterday saying that they were kicked in part because I erroneously claimed they stole your picture. Let me be very clear — their page did have stolen pictures … but it wasn't your picture that they stole (even though your email is probably claiming that). To be simple, they are lying to you.

They then go on this goofy spiel about how IAM is “a blue, sad, greedy, controlled, and obscure place where nobody can share with real freedom and where those who stand for alternative values are controllers of free information and communication under a false mask” and that “when they tell you IAM is a place for self-expression … self-identity … the underground community … [and] a place for communicating with other people don't trust them.”

This all because I wouldn't let them run a page exclusively for promoting their website and driving traffic to it (which they don't deny). Anyway, so now they've got this silly letter-writing campaign to badmouth IAM because I'm the man apparently, dedicated to oppressive rave culture or something. Whatever. Old geezer says, “I was doing independent radio when you were still in grade school.” I can't particularly take seriously the claim that I'm stopping anyone from being themselves, so if someone feels that way I'm really quite glad they're gone.

On the video editing box I mentioned earlier, I think I'm going with a P4 solution built around Avid Xpress Pro, an Avid Mojo, and a terabyte or so of drive in a FireWire 800 enclosure. It's not going to be too insane or top-of-the-line… I'm focusing more on building an ulra-stable solution over something that's blazing.

In other “as seen on this page” news, Josh pointed out something funny about the asteroid story — they were very specific in mentioning “we do not believe this asteroid was man-made”. Yeah, that's where Saddam's WMDs are, right? Seriously, what kind of age do we live in that people need to be told that asteroids aren't a weapon being launched at them.

Why do I feel like we're living in the world of Starship Troopers?

Finally, I picked up a few CDs lately in preparation for BME/RADIO going back on the air. They're not all new music, but I've been out of touch for the last year in that department. Anyway, of the CDs I got, here are my picks and notables (not that a repressed dude like me knows anything about music):

• Mojave 3 – Spoon and Rafter … Slowdive and what grew from it are my favorite bands, partially on account of imprinting (the first time I did acid, Losing Today was the first song I heard). If you like the slow-mo folk/country* direction that Mojave 3 was taking before it broke up, then definitely pick this up… and there's even some theremin on it. Highly recommended.
• Lupine Howl – The Bar At The End Of The World … My favorite track of theirs was/is Voodoo Raygun off 125, and not so much the heavier psycherock stuff. On this CD they move away from sounding like Spiritualized (they're made up of kicked out members or something) and most of the tracks are kind of psychedelic folk. To be honest, I'd either pick up an older album or wait for their next one.
• The Black Heart Procession – Amore Del Tropico … I think I'd buy this CD for Why I Stay alone, but I'm a sucker for mellow guitar tracks out of dingy Western bars a la the Pink Room in Twin Peaks. A Cry For Love is brilliant as well I think.
• Múm – Finally We Are No One … Best album yet I think (of theirs)… If you're into ambient dreampop, and are into Bjork-like lyrics be sure to check out Green Grass Of Tunnel.
• Antipop Consortium VS Matthew Shipp … I'm not sure that I would recommend this per se, but if you're a music nerd you might enjoy a CD that's a blend of traditional jazz and hip-hop… Definitely not something you hear every day. Along those lines I also picked up the latest from El-P, Aesop Rock, and Cannibal Ox which are probably more accessible.
• Rjd2 – Deadringer … Oh my god. The opening track (The Horror) is amazing — imagine Dr. Octagon split with Royksopp. That said, I didn't think the rest of it was as good.
• Godspeed You Black Emperor – Yanqui U.X.O … Typically impressive, but typical. It sounds like every other GYBE album. Luckily I like the way they sound! I also picked up the latest from Low, Notwist, and Sigur Ros which have the same story.
• Iron & Wine – The Creek Drank The Cradle … If you like stuff like Palace, Mojave 3, and Leonard Cohen you definitely want this CD. It's one of the better folk CDs of last year in my opinion.

Like I said, the server for that has been ordered, so the clock is ticking. A couple of people have asked me here about doing their own shows — I haven't replied to those messages yet, but unofficially, yes, if you want to do a show and it's legal (ie. you're not just using it to broadcast stolen MP3s), I can probably offer you free hosting, especially for spoken word content.

The shoutcast software is free, so all you need is a mic and an internet connection. Drop me a line if you want to do a show. The truth is a virus! Talk hard!