KyleParkinson.com

In an effort to pull back the curtain on some of the mysterious workings of KyleParkinson.com, I’m tracking my thought process as relates to the blog today. I guess technically I’m not posting each update live, but honestly, have you been checking back all day for live updates? I didn’t think so. Thanks, I thought we were friends. Wow, way to passive-aggressively send a signal. Now I’m kind of mad I bought you that Sex on the Beach shot on your birthday last year. “Friends forever” my ass. Anyway, so yeah here it is, Behind the Blog: KyleParkinson.com.

9:26am: Checked www.kyleparkinson.com. Damn, I really like this site.

9:34am: Checked the site again. Nothing has changed… because I’m the only author.

10:15am: Caffeine kicking in. Multi-tasking, so maybe I’ll check out the site and consider posting or updating the design.

10:52am: This blog is stupid. Must be the caffeine talking.

Continue Reading »

Art Brut’s latest album, It’s A Bit Complicated, has been rocking my iPod for the past month or two, as indicated by my little sidebar to the right. Great lyrics and fun, danceable music. The song “Direct Hit” always got me dancing especially hard on the MUNI train, much to the chagrin of my fellow commuters. And now the video has the song blasting from my desk speakers all over again.

The concept speaks for itself, but let me just say, I may now have a new-found appreciation for toga parties. As long as Eddie Argos is running them.

I don’t know about you, but I’m digging this Internet thing. I think it could really take off. One of my favorite things about it is Internet radio because it provides an outlet when I’m too fickle for my own library, and it turns me onto some great music.

So you can imagine the personal soundtrack when I realized the perils facing Internet radio. A morning that started out with Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is” soon turned into a disaffected downward spiral featuring such tearjerkers as Tindersticks’ “Trouble Every Day,” Beach House’s “Master of None” and Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice” (I was on a Foreigner kick, what can I say?).

You see, the man is trying to bring down our beloved Internet radio by imposing a ridiculously exorbitant royalty rate increase that many small stations simply cannot afford. Unless we stop it, the rate hike is set for July 15th. So join me in helping out our e-DJs by heading over to SaveNetRadio.org for more information about the cause. Even if it’s just a simple call or email to your local senators and representatives, every little bit helps.

In the meantime, it’s back to planning my Foreigner-only Internet radio station.

For years, I’ve always gone back to Super Furry Animals’ “Hello Sunshine” when I needed a little pick-me-up. One of the main reasons was the dreamy, airy intro, which I never realized was a sample (it makes sense now, but I just never thought of it). The vocal harmonies and sparse, ambient guitars create a perfect melodic swirl. And the lyrics take me away:

So hard to say goodbye
Meaning it today
I’ve said goodbye before
Leaving you alone
By the sea, by the sea
We were thrown together
A world unlike our own
Believing in each other
We drifted far away
By the sea, by the sea

The back story is even better. Continue Reading »

I enjoy this show.

Dear Latex,

What the hell? All over the world you’re delighting children with your colorful balloons and preventing children with your colorful condoms. But apparently six years ago I did something to really piss you off, because rather than allowing me to attend children’s parties and have insane amounts of promiscuous sex (those two activities would have been exclusive of each other… I think…), I have to run like a pansy every time someone loads up a rubber band gun.

Okay, I get it. I shouldn’t have blown up that one condom into a balloon on the school bus in 5^th grade. Continue Reading »

Well, I couldn’t kick out my office window in case of an emergency (those puppies are THICK, and it’s the 14th floor, so I don’t know what step 2 would be), but I have hurdled things while trying to catch a train, so natural logic suggests that I am, in fact, a Mitchum Man.

What’s more, I just switched to Mitchum, so hell, I guess it’s official. Here’s looking at you, Mitchum. Let’s make this a long and beautiful relationship.

P.S. Don’t tell my coworkers!

I love a good sandwich. I’m from New Jersey; maybe it’s in my blood. But nothing gets me off so completely as when random foods from random food groups come together to live in perfect harmony. It’s like a model for world peace. A delicious model.

Alas, when I moved to San Francisco two years ago, I didn’t have the foresight to realize I would be giving up some of the best sandwiches in the world. Many a morning I wake up longing for Roberto at Brush’s to make my standard: Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese, no salt, pepper or ketchup. I don’t even have to tell him the order anymore. I walk in after half a year away, we exchange a hearty handshake and a knowing glance, and the ham is already sizzling on the grill. Continue Reading »

So a friend of a friend (circularly) works for a company that does some things. One of those things is sending out DVDs featuring the history of a certain type of flower on behalf of one of the clients, a flower organization.

Picture in your head the types of people who order DVDs about flowers. They’re either old, high as shit, or both. Now picture their surprise when instead of seeing flowery petals and buds in bloom, they see a money shot of the cabana boy making pina colatas on some girl’s face. True story. You read the headline, you knew what you were getting into.

It’s either going to be the best weekend ever, or I’m going to have fifteen documentaries about flowers.

Fun fact: The average male porn star only makes $40,000 a year (reliable source). So. . . back to the drawing board.

I’m dedicating this song to you, dear reader, because you really are too beautiful too fuck. I mean, why do you think I haven’t brought it up yet? Did you think I was just being shy? Or playing hard to get? No, no, you’re just too beautiful. Or maybe I’m just TDTF.

Here’s the new one from Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene. His new album, Broken Social Scene Presents: Spirit If…, is out 9/18/07 on Arts & Crafts. Currently, Broken Social Scene’s only scheduled date is opening for Feist at McCarren Park Pool on 8/29. Bonus points if you fly me out for the show.

MP3: Kevin Drew - Tbtf

(via Stereogum)