Pop Culture Connections

I was just thinking about movies, tv, music, books, and Netflix. Anyone familiar with Netflix knows that it has a rating system that offers recommendations based on your other ratings (can you tell I wasn’t an English major in college?).

I like the Netflix system, but I started thinking that it isn’t just movies that are related to each other, all sorts of pop culture/arts are interrelated.

Based on this, someone should develop a website that allows for rating all sorts of media products. Then they would in turn recommend other products you may enjoy. For example, the kind of person who enjoyed “High Fidelity” the book, may be interested in the latest Bruce Springsteen album (I couldn’t say for sure, but it is a possibility).

So, the consumer would sign into the website (maybe like Myspace/Facebook). Then they can rate any movies they have seen, books (including comics) they have read, music they have enjoyed, or TV shows they have watched. The website would then offer up recommendations. On the recommendations, the consumer would have the option to sample the product (movie trailers, music clips or streams, book excerpts, etc.). Also, the site would provide links to purchase the product (this is how the site makes money). Really, the site could just link to amazon, but maybe for music link to that Apple website (if anyone uses that anymore).

Does any of this make sense? Has this website already been created and I’m just missing out? What do you think?

I Want Candy!

Since today is the day after Holloween, and last night MC Pee Pants’ I Want Candy kept running through my head, I decided to post the lyrics:

I want candy, bubble gum, and taffy
Skip to the sweet shop with my sweetheart Sandy
Got my pennies saved so I’m her sugar daddy
I’m her Hume Cronyn and she’s my Jessica Tandy, I want candy!

put it in a pile, split it with my bitty 50/50 down the line
kinda like close encounters of the cavity kind
im talkin liquorice kisses, talkin chocodile smiles

I want candy, i got a sugar tooth
put on your shin gaurds, Sandy, ’cause i wanna knock boots
lick my peppermint stick til’ the lollipop droops
gumdrop that dont stop til’ its licked knot loose

(ladies)
candy… candy…

i need candy bubble gum, and taffy
get in my way punk, you’re gonna get ya ass beat, nasty
Do it till your dad sees, embarass your family
Just ’cause you came between a kid and his candy
I need candy, any kind’ll do
Don’t care if it’s nutritious or “FDA approved”
It’s gonna make me spaz like bobcats on booze
A hyperactive juice that only I can produce

And fuel a giant drill, bore straight into Hell
Releasing ancient demons from their sleep forever spell
So they can walk upon the earth, and get resituated
And Hock the diet pills that MC Pee Pants has created

I need candy, want some candy, eat candy til’ I’m dead
I’ll kill you for some candy, give me candy, gimme head!
Where you keepin’ all the candy?!
Who made you candy king?!
If you dont give me some candy, I will make the ladies sing!

(ladies)
Candy, in tha morning, candy on the way to school
Candy, at school, at lunch in the afternoon
Candy, in school, on your way home from school
Candy, at diner,at dinner, in bed!

Mess up the mix, mix up the mess
Come on down yo, here’s the address
At 6-1-2 Wharf Avenue,

Right next to, gentlemen’s club.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you should probably check out Aqua Teen Hunger Force (now on DVD!).

What’s all the Ruckus?

A couple of days ago, Patti told me about a website called Ruckus.

This website is designed for college students (if I remember correct). The basic jist of it is you get to download music to your computer for free.

What’s the catch?

Well, other than having to be a college student, the song downloads are only valid for about a month. At that time, you will have to re-validate them if you want to continue listening to them. Also, you have to download the Ruckus player/downloader.

As a program, it works much like Napster did when I was in college (you know, back before all the rules against music downloading). You search for a song/album on Ruckus’s website and then download it through their player. For the 20+ songs I’ve downloaded so far, it’s taken about 30 seconds to download a song (your download times may vary because of difference in internet connections).

As far as selection goes, I have no issues with it, yet. All the popular stuff is there for download. Even a lot of the less popular stuff is available. The only time I’ve seen songs missing is when I looked up Candlebox. But in that case, they had the only song I was looking for, “Far Behind.”

The quality of the downloads for the songs are really good. Most of them come in at 128 kb/s, I’ve seen some up at the 196 kb/s level (correct me if I’m wrong, but I think 128 is CD quality). So, you aren’t getting some shady basement records here.

I’m thinking about testing out the site to see if I (a college graduate) can open an account for myself. If I can, than pretty much everyone should have access to the system. I’ll keep you updated on that.

So, if you enjoy music, I highly suggest checking out Ruckus. It is like Rhapsody, but without the 25 songs a month limit.

Cool New Gadget

Check THIS out. For a lot of us, this piece of technology doesn’t matter. But I remember working at a large consumer electronic store with the initials BB. We would have about one person a month ask if there was a way to put their records onto their computer or a CD. The answer was always a resounding, maybe. You would have to get a good sound card. And then you would have to MacGyver a connection between the turntable and the PC. Ultimately, it was more effort than what it was worth and most people just left it be.

So, if you are a person who has a bunch of records sitting around, this device is a good option to put them into a more permanent medium.

Honestly, I don’t see too many of these units selling, but I do think there is a solid niche out there for them. If I wasn’t a child of the 80’s, I might be interested.

A Long Klosterman/Simmons Interview

I was trolling around the Sports Guy’s archives over on ESPN’s Page 2 and came across a pretty interesting article. In the article, Bill Simmons talks with Chuck Klosterman about various topics ranging from the ‘86 Celts to Pearl Jam to Face/Off with lots in between. And when I say lots, I mean that this is a 2 part article that is about 8,000 words.

I highly recommend this to any fan of B.S. or C.K.

Part 1

Part 2

Just a quick note: This article is from 2005. So, if it seems a little out of date, that’s why.

New Album

I recently bought a new cd. Yes, I actually bought a cd instead of downloading the songs from iTunes (or equivilant).

The cd I purchased was Eliot Morris’ first complete album entitled “What’s Mine is Yours.”

I had originally heard the song “Faultline” a few months ago and instantly dug it. I waited to get the cd, though, because I don’t like to dump money for one song.

Well, this past week I utilized a $5 Reward Zone Gift certificate along with a 10% coupon to pick the cd up.

Upon further listening, I have to say that Faultline is the tent pole of the album, but the rest of the album is also pretty good. Eliot Morris’ vocals kind of remind me of Adam Duritz (of Counting Crows fame).

The stand out tracks on the album for me are:

1) Faultline

2) No One Has To Know

3) This Colorful World

I would highly recommend checking these songs out on your Rhapsody account (25 free plays a month, dude!). You should think about buying it if you are into the Counting Crows, John Mayer/Jack Johnson, or indie folk-rock (yes, I know that this isn’t technically an independant release, but it has some of that sound to it…or maybe I’m just terrible with all the millions of music genres there are now).

Whistling Songs

Check out this list.

They cover the greatest songs with whistling in them. This is one of the few lists that I can actually agree on.

1) I actually know just about every song on the list.

2) When I heard the list title, the pick that popped into my head first was on there (Sitting on the Dock of the Bay).

3) Every song that I knew, I instantly knew the whistling part.

The only downside to the list is that it stays very mainstream. I personally like the mainstream, but I think most people view music as a great exploration. They need to be the first to find a great song/band/album/whatever. The list won’t aid you in your pursuit.

While we are covering lists of music, check out this list on PopCandy and originally posted on the PasteCultureClub.com.

This list covers the best screams in all of music. Here’s my thoughts on the list:

1) The Who NEED to be #1 on the list. That is the Rock and Roll yell. It is the first and only yell I think of when you say screams in music.

2) Out of all the songs listed, I could only recreate 3 of them in my mind: a) The Who – Yeah! – “Won’t Get Fooled Again” b) The Doors – Neeoww – “When the Music’s Over” and c) Little Richard – Wooo – “Every Little Richard Song Ever Made”. All the others I just couldn’t hear, even the ones from songs I know very well (Welcome to the Jungle, Helter Skelter, and Whole Lotta Love in particular).

3) Too many of the songs on the list I was unfamiliar with. As I discussed above, some people love that sort of thing. I personally don’t care for it.

So, we have two lists, one I really liked and the other… well, not so much. What do you think of the lists?

Lend me your ears… or something like that.

Going off of Chris’ suggestion, I recently joined Rhapsody to listen to 25 free songs per month.

So far, I am digging the service. I’ve been combining it with the digital music channels on my cable package to hear music that I hadn’t previously heard.

For the most part this strategy has been working out. Probably my favorite artist I’ve found from this technique is Eliot Morris.

Seeing as though I am starting to expand my musical horizons, do you have any artists that I should check out (note that I am mostly into A) Classic Rock B) Early 90’s alternative rock C) Folk-y Pop – ala John Mayer, Coldplay, etc)?

Like a Virgin

As you may or may not know, the greatest TV show of all time is Freaks and Geeks. No, there isn’t even a debate. It is just that good. Anyway, in one of the later episodes, Lindsey Weir (the main character played by Linda Cardellini) is given a Grateful Dead record from the school’s guidance counselor. While Lindsey is walking through the cafeteria one Deadhead tells here that the album is, “so good that I wished I hadn’t heard it, just so I could hear for the first time again.” I always thought this line was a little bit hokey, but upon further reflection it makes sense.

The question then arises, what things are so good you wish you could experience them for the first time all over again?

Here’s a list of a few of the things that make my list (I’m including music, movies, TV shows, food, theme parks, sports, and anything else that can be thought of):

1) The Office - US Version

This show was the one that made the whole statement above click. I was laying around one night and the thought popped into my head, “I wish I could go back and see this show for the first time again.” As it stands right now, I know all the little idiosyncracities about each character. I think part of the appeal of the series is the getting to know the characters.

2) Muffaletta – The Naretta Italian Sub

Now, I’ve been eating this meal since I can remember. So, I can’t reflect on what it was like the first time I had it (except the fact that it was too big for my mouth). But, now a days, I am bringing the Muffaletta to a whole new audience (seeing as though I have learned to make it). This gives me a little glimpse as people get to taste it for the first time… and then have garlic breath for the next 24 hours.

3) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A movie completely different from any other I’ve seen. I recall the first time I watched it, it was kind of confusing. But the true joy was reflecting on it afterwards and figuring it all out. Truly a great experience.

4) Van Morrison ”Sweet Thing”

I’m not one who sits down and listens to albums cover-to-cover. So, I pretty much just get the greatest hits CDs and listen to the songs that I know. One exception was Van Morrison’s Greatest Hits. I was listen to the songs one day and on came “Sweet Thing.” Though I had not heard of it at the time, I dug the hell out of the song. It has since taken a stranglehold on my favorite songs list.

5) Tower of Terror – MGM Studios

Arguably the best ride at Disney. I came into it not knowing what to expect (well besides what I saw in the Steve Guttenberg film and from what I could see heading up to the ride [i.e. I knew it was a big drop ride]). Walking up to the ride I got to take in all the ambiance of the 30’s era hotel that had been closed for many years. Once inside, we get the spooky little Twilight Zone clip. Walking through the boiler room. The initial seating. The whole wtf moment when the elevator starts moving forward. Then the huge drop and shooting back up. I would love to go through that all again with out knowing how it was going to play out.

I could continue this list for days, but I’ll cut it off here.

Now it is you turn to list some of the things that you would like to experience to the first time again.

Unseperable Movies-Songs

Over on AV Club, they have done an article on songs that are now defined by the movie scenes they were used in. You can read that article here. I had actually thought about his topic a few days ago while listening to the radio. While I agree with the subject, the AV Club’s execution would be considered poor at best. They listed 15 scenes/songs and out of them I only agree wholeheartedly with 2 of them.

The two that I agree with are the Resevoir Dogs - Stuck in the Middle With You and the Almost Famous – Tiny Dancer. I do want to note, though, that for some crazy reason, the AV Club compares Steeler’s Wheel to the Beatles instead of the obvious Bob Dylan comparison. But those two scenes/songs have been linked and will always stay as such.

Here’s a few song/scenes that the AV Club completely missed (and most are pretty obvious).

1) Wayne’s World – “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Honestly, can you listen to that song and not act out at least the head banging part?

2) Garden State Trailer – “Let Go”

Partially why the trailer was so badass. I must have watched that trailer 25+ times.

3) Back to the Future – “Johnny B. Goode”

“Your kids are going to love it.”

4) Undecided (TV Show) – “How Bizarre” 

A relatively shitty song but every time I hear of it, I think of that female roommate on Undecided who played it non-stop.

5) Ferris Bueller – “Oh Yeah” or if you’re like me, “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want.”

The “Oh Yeah” is pretty obvious. But “PPPLMGWIW” (geez, that’s long even with just the initials) takes over the Chicago Museum of Art scene and makes it beautiful. If only I had an IPod back in High School. I could have recreated that scene. That would have been bad ass.

6) The Naked Gun – “I Love L.A.”

Randy Newman would be nothing with out the add of Leslie Neilson, the Queen, and the Los Angeles Angels (including Reggie Jackson).

7) Donnie Darko – “Mad World”

The old school Tears for Fears song remade by Gary Jules. I can’t hear it with out thinking of all the people waking up at the end of Donnie Darko.

8.) Rules of Attraction – “I Can’t Live (If Living Is Without You)”

Any time I hear this Harry Nilsson song, my mind instantly goes to the suicide scene of Rules of Attraction.

9) Ella Enchanted – “Somebody to Love”

To tell you the truth, that scene is the only one I remember from the movie.

10) Joe Dirt – “Sweet Home Alabama“

As soon as I hear, “Turn it Up.” I’m transported straight into Joe’s car. ”Yeah, I’ve got a name for this car. Rusty.” “That shit’ll buff out.”

11) The Big Lebowski – Numerous – Any Eagles song

The Big Lebowski has so many scene/song combos that it is just insane. Think about the Spanish “Hotel California.” What do you see? Jesus licking the bowling ball. How about CCR? You got to pound the roof when you hear that in the car. But to me, most of all is any Eagles song. You end up saying, “I hate the fucking Eagles, man.” “If you don’t like my music, get out of my cab.”

So there you have 11 better examples than the ones the AV Club dropped and we’ve just touched the tip of the iceberg.

What are some of the scene/song combos that I’m missing?