PASTE so you don't, etc.
(August '06)

FAVORITE ARTICLE
All about the popularity of Poetry Slams – “equal parts salon reading, hip-hop throwdown and competitive literary event.” It even tells how to score them properly.“We’ve taken an art form that was all about . . . inward experience, and turned it into something that engages a whole room full of people. . . a recent decathalon slam included poetry performances, competitive Scrabble, sock-puppet poetry and eating contests.” Tell me your teens wouldn’t love some of that.

-- Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol isn’t just berating himself for messing up relationships in his lyrics – he’s fixing himself now (new album Eyes Open).
-- Soul Asylum bucks industry pressure while creating new album The Silver Lining after 8 years out of commission.
-- Brian Eno contributed some to two songs on the latest Roxy Music. After 30 years. Whoa.
-- Paul Simon interview about his collaboration with Brian Eno, new album - Surprise. Described as “grown-up protest record.”
-- Feature on Thom Yorke of Radiohead. Critics say their latest album Hail to the Thief is more accessible – Thom say it’s darker. You decide. And judging from the rabid nature of Radiohead fans, you might want to have several copies in the collection.
-- Who in their right mind would ask Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips to give a high school commencement address??
-- Les Claypool is filming a mockumentary of jambands which debuts Spring 2006 – Electric Passover is record of the year according to John Richards of KEXP Seattle while Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere is his pick for the year’s hip hop album.

Comparison of Neil Young’s new Living with War album to a blog. Something about the editing quality, I think. Personally, I’m offended. Using blogs as a synonym for “off the cuff” or unfocused . . . What nerve. Dangit, I need to rmmber to pick up some bread and mlk tonight on the way home. And I need gas. Can I use my gold card? I’ll have to ceh my balns.

RESOURCE NEWS
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RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Java Monkey Anthology Vol. II (Collection of edgy urban slam-like poetry)
This is your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel Levitin, a neuroscientist former rock band member