Welcome welcome 2008!
























Already sorta started with a bang -- as I ran down the steps of the YMCA in downtown Oakland on the eve of 2008, an impeccably dressed older gentleman stopped in his tracks and remarked how much I look like Cher. Yep, 2008 is definitely attempting to bring it.

Soooo, on that note, let's take a look back on 2007 for the moment, shall we?

First off, a big shout out to Rod at b(oot)log for: 1) posting the best Canadian Pride bootleg site around, and 2) hosting contests for CDs and other schwag -- that people actually win! Just got the Buck 65 CD that I won in the mail. Cheers Rod!

Onward...I like lists. And I really like tops-for-the-year lists. But because of my status as out of touch in 2007, or maybe my shame for past list-making (or is that curmudgeonly respect?), I have decided to go a little light this year. But a list shall go on!

1) Shows

Xiu Xiu, April 22, 2007 at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, hands down. Best. Show. Ever. Ever ever. My long and rambling review may help you see why.

2) Reads

Most of what I read in 2007 was released pre-2007, so heaven help me, the landslide winner is Ken Follett's World Without End. I ate that book alive.

3) Records

Hmmmm. I didn't pick up a whole hell of a lot of new! right! now! in 2007, but Grinderman's self-titled debut album (but can you call it a debut, really?) got a lot of rotation, as did Kanye's decadently addictive single and video and British/Sri Lankan artist M.I.A's second album, Kala.

Check the sociopolitics and amazing use of samples that make up my favorite M.I.A. song, 'Paper Planes' (from Kala):



4) Films

Nothing absolutely made me hyperventilate, but as far as blockbusters go, Summer '07 was good to me: I liked The Bourne Ultimatum, Rescue Dawn and Stardust. The recently released film version of Philip Pullman's book The Golden Compass was a surprise winner for me too. Still want to see La Vie En Rose, Eastern Promises (mmmm, Russian mobster-muscle Viggo), and No Country For Old Men. But I think my local video store creating a whole section for The Criterion Collection is probably my best film related news all year.

5) Tee-Vee

I don't have a TV, but for what it's worth Dexter almost makes me want to buy one, and Project Runway gets my ass to the gym and on a cardio machine with an idiot box. Love these two shows.

6) Weird News

I got a lot of mileage out of hater Larry Craig's meltdown, as did a lot of late night talk show hosts...

Senator Larry Craig is now saying that his constitutional rights were violated when he was arrested in an airport's men's room. Craig was furious. He said, 'When I got to a men's room, I do the violating. --Conan O'Brien

...but I think there are weirder things.

Early looking forward tos for 2008: the talented Mr. Stich's portrait of Lenny Kravitz for Vibe magazine (hopefully this will be the first of many illustrations!), another trip to Japan (?), meeting a good online friend from London in the flesh in February, my honey finishing school, The Dark Knight (and Christian Bale in black rubber once again), and a possible move into a house with yard, and therefore, more BBQs and parties. Whee!

Bring it, 2008. Bring it, indeed.