Once it’s in the media, it’s official.
There’s going to be a Painkillers CD coming out. Just a few months from now. I’m writing the liner notes. Which is a process needing a start.
How weird: an idea becoming reality. Guess I just have to deal. And start writing.
Okay, then. It’s official.
A few weeks back, with mics open, I discussed KDHX’s lack of ready-to-brew tea bags while broadcasting “Silver Tray.” As a non-coffee drinker, my ability to kick in a bit of green caffeine for two hours is directly proportionate to the quality of my rock show. Lo! A few weeks later, a large box arrived at the station, with a fine assortment of six different tea blends. The note below also arrived electronically, just prior to the shipment. Though unable to mention a brand name on the air, due to public radio rules, there’s no restriction on my singing praises about the Republic of Tea in this space, nor is there any limit on my pitching the Republic’s awesome opportunity to become the Official Tea of ThomasCrone.com!:
Dear Thomas Crone-
News travels fast…
I’m in California at the home office of The Republic of Tea, the leading purveyor of premium tea. We heard you are looking to receive some green tea for you and for your team. We are here to help.
We would love to send you all types of our premium green teas for your sipping enjoyment.
Just let me know if you would like to receive it at the studio or an alternative location.
Thank you,
Marideth Post
Minister of Enlightenment (communications)
… to the St. Louis Curio Shoppe for stocking my junk, ala
“Old Dog, New Trick/The Pride of St. Louis” (DVD)
&
“Gaslight Square: An Oral History” (book)
Collected my $9 check for December sales and went skipping down the street yesterday. With a few more movements of product, I’ll actually take more time to rifle through the store for some of the fine STL products on sale there. Neat shoppe!
Damn you, Jim Utz.
1. Writers, John Wertheim: Just picked up “Blood in the Cage,” a very readable account of the history of MMA, penned by a veteran sportswriter for SI. A much-deeper read than some of the fast-burn, celeb-bio-styled titles on MMA out there. That said, it’s a quick read, important when you’re trying to finish your unsuccessful book-a-week mission for the year. (Only five short, alas.)
2. Projects I, Cheating History: In a couple weeks, I’m going to be repping a new web project by man-about-town/political theoretician Blake Ashby. Will be pimping it heavily in coming weeks, so forgive my less-than-coy advances around that time.
3. Evening, New Year’s Eve: Enjoyed one at Mangia on the last night of Mangia vol. 3. (Who wants to grab lunch the next few weeks? I think I’m open and won’t know where to go.) Alo witnessed young people stumbling up Grand and heard plenty of shots fired. South City livin’, baby.
4. Newspapers, The Evening Whirl: Every so often, my enjoyment of this moves from mild to obsessive and I’m in the latter mode right now, especially with competitor Behind the Bars suffering from a serious content lack. Pick up mine at Burnett’s Market on Sidney, if you’re asking. (Good piece on the Whirl here.)
5. Magazines, St. Louis Magazine: Have a piece on the local lo-fi duo Dubb Nubb in the current edition of St. Louis Magazine, which you gotta buy to read. I’d grouse about info wanting to be free, but won’t, since print pieces pays better than webbies. So, make that grocery store line purchase, please.
6. Recurring trends, The Hideaway: Years ago, I discovered “old people’s bars” like Dino’s Bungalow and treasured each of those finds. The long-running Hideaway‘s got that feel, still, just like Tim’s Chrome, Beffa’s and various union halls. But the Hideaway’s on a main drag and people find it every generation, thinking that they’ve discovered the greatest hang of all. And who can play them? Still, it’s strange walking into a place like it, seeing all the 20-somethings drinking the cheapest beers on-hand and smoking like their 80-year-old neighbors. Years later, same scene, same smell, same guys tickling the keys, same day-after regrets…
7. Snacks to avoid, dried kiwis: Yeah, uh, just don’t buy ’em.
8. Projects II, clip file: Keeping clips here now. As if you asked.
9. Music, Glass Eye’s “Every Woman’s Fantasy”: Love, love, love this record by an old favorite. Love even more that I sent $15 directly to the bassist’s bank account, with the keyboardist sending me the disc with a quick “Hope you like it” note attached. I don’t like it. I love, love, love this record.
10. Projects III, photo a day conceit: So, I like photography (don’t love it) and want to get better, and since I need to take photos of people for assignments, but don’t like asking them for their shots, I should probably ask one person a day to let me shoot them. Got all that? Does anyone think I’ll even take a first photo, 18-hours into the lead day for this? Mmm. I’m dubious.
11. Shows, The Wire: Three weeks in, three seasons down. Now that’s the kind of commitment I need to the above idea.
12. Projects IV, The Same Five Questions: Seriously, got anyone I can bother? Anybody? Next week is make-or-break time, for real. No joke. Seriously.
13. Music, Dear Genre. Like taping WMRY off the radio, in the old days. But different.
Am figuring that I’ve taught about 1,000 students at Webster University over the last 13 or 14 years. Have to say that my favorite-student-’til-now just walked out of my classroom, after taking his final exam and, then, methodically cleaning out his bursting, yet meticulously-organized, multi-pocket folder. Since the young man’s been in the two intro classes that I teach on a regular basis, it’s unlikely that I’ll run across him in this context again, which is a bit of a bummer since his personality (and oversized headphones) never did anything but put a smile on my face.
Enjoy teaching? At times.
Oddly nostalgic over the hyper-immediate past? Probably.
Weepy? Might just be.
Sniff.
Happy
and
thankful
to
retire
this
monthly
concept,
with
this
particular
post;
cheers!
Local filmmaker Jay Kanzler’s got a biography in the works on comedian Bob Zany. The in-progress version plays the St. Louis International Film Festival shortly.
The details are found in this story, which I’d invite you to visit. Again and again.
Saw Jim Utz spin records for Rue 13 this past week, notable here for two reasons: we were sold a round moments before the lights were turned on; and Jim Utz is the only person reading this featurette and I wish to use his name repeatedly.
Events future, Kick Ass Awards: The seventh edition is coming up next week. Seating will be at a premium. (We hope.) See you there.
Events present, Kurt Groetsch: Happy 29th, Slats.
Events past, Dewes Chili Cookoff 10: Thanks to the charming Dewes family for allowing me to enjoy one of my favorite days of the year each fall.
UFC fighters, Johnathan Brookins: Kinda dig this cat’s zen approach to fighting. Looking forward to his next Ultimate Fighter bout. You, too? You don’t say!
Press clips that keep giving, Enormous Richard: Blessings be to rock groups that keep the flame alive, digital-style.
DJ’ing, Silver Tray: Very much looking forward to Dana Smith joining Silver Tray on Friday, November 5, as he discusses his newest art show – held that same night at Hoffman LaChance Contemporary – and as he programs the first hour. ‘Twill be much fun.
DJ’ing club, LucaBrasi CD release show: Opening, closing and otherwise entertaining during the hard rock band’s release set at the Duck Room on Saturday, November 20. Not looking much forward to this.
Books, “The Urban Hermit by Sam MacDonald”: Couldn’t make heads nor tails out of this memoir for the first 100 pages, then caught the spirit of the work and enjoyed every page of the rest. Can you eat lentils and tuna for an undetermined amount of time, lose 100-plus pounds, find your dream job, kick a beer habit and locate your wife in the span of a book. Apparently, yes.
Corner bars, Behrmann’s: You kind of have to experience it to fully understand. Ask for Rendy by name.
Energy drinks, Full Throttle Agave: Really need to kick this stuff.
Agitprop, signage: Had no real feelings about The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, but I’m always amused by friends who crash a party.
Films, “Phantasm“: Should’ve watched it when I was 11.
Classic cuts, Angel’s “Tower”: So this fella at the Black Bear Bakery booth at Soulard Market sounds talking about Angel and their prog track “Tower.” Couldn’t recollect it, but it’s now a favorite and will be for the next couple weeks, until full burnout results.
After punching up a few dead project ideas, I realized how depressing a concept that was. But I also started the process along, so here’re 13 more projects that are in the ditch, with wheels spinning. In a day/two, happier stuff, if that’s possible.
1. A book on O’Connell’s. (Not my idea, actually. Awaiting okay from money sources.)
2. A blog on Gaslight Square. (A new book is on the way this fall, negating need. I think I’ve picked these bones clean, from my needs/wants perspective.)
3. A Collinsville Road photo series on Flickr. (Too lazy to pack a camera, but this could still happen. Interesting road!)
4. Asummeratthetrack.wordpress.com. (This one was up, got six readers and the day I took it down, two people asked about the track. Let’s repeat: six readers, two questions on the day it was blown up. Oy.)
5. A Venice Cafe book/zine. (Interest was there, interest wasn’t there. From all parties. Alas.)
6. Some type of Silver Tray component online. (May resurrect this via the new, improved kdhx.org site. No point having all these orphan sites out there.)
7. A Way Out Club zine, in celebration of the 16th birthday of the club. (See #5, above.)
8. A book on burlesque. (There’s this guy, he’s got lots of pictures and scrapbook-worthy content. But books cost a lot to make. And, honestly, I ain’t that into the burlesque scene.)
9. The Messhuggah Sessions. (Owner Patrick Liberto saw multiple reasons why this would annoy his already-highly-annoying clientele, at STL’s most-awesomest coffeeshop. And my principal interview subject got super rich and famous.)
10. 100 Untold Rock Stories of St. Louis. (Yeah, whatever. I agree. Had an artist lined up, who kills it. Something else, sometime.)
11. Lou Thesz for the Walk of Fame campaign. (Seriously, Lou Thesz should be on the Walk of Fame about 20x more than Nelly. And I’ll argue with you all day as to why.)
12. A soccer video on the last season of STL United. (Just a little documentary. Would’ve cost the US Soccer Federation a couple thousand dollars, for a vid that would demonstrate the challenges of inner-city ball. The USSF spends its money as it sees fit. Cool enough. And I hope the US National Team gets hammered every match from now ’til eternity.)
13. Political blogs for square candidates. (Connect with the youth and all, through the miracle of the WWW. Maybe still something here, but politicians don’t make decisions for themselves.)
Over, out. Something else soon.