My post on Cafferty's CNN page:



"If we, the great spreaders of 'freedom', were so keen on truly bringing democracy to down-trodden victims of cruel regimes, wouldn't we still be steamrolling our way through a couple dozen other countries around the planet?

If the Iraq war wasn't about oil then why aren't we liberating the oppressed populations of Zimbabwe, Sudan, Eritrea, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, and many more? ....oh, and lest we forget more formidable regimes like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, North Korea and China.

You, we, were sold a lie. And we all bought it - with bells and whistles."

The King lays claim to his thrown

"I will return to 11-a-side football just to become the best manager in the world - and that's exactly what I'll become, I will do the job as a creator and an artist. I want to give football something new." - Eric Cantona

I wouldn't doubt him for a second. 

Read this amazing article about the 86 year old woman who held out against developers in my town of Ballard. She refused to sell so they built around her. Look at that photograph... we watched them build around her house and yard for the past two years. She died yesterday.

SWERVEDRIVER

A couple months ago I couldn't believe it when I read the mighty Swervedriver had reunited for a US tour. So, just like thirty-year-ago when I were a wee lad awaiting the release of new star-wars action figures (namely Bobba Fet the bounty hunter), I almost wet my pants when I learned the Swerves were to play Seattle. Not just Seattle, but Neumos - the intimate club where I last saw Bob Mould sonically blow my mind with his new band that blasted out his new album along with the very best of Husker Du and Sugar.


It was amazing to finally see Swervedriver live, although I was left feeling like they'd had better days. No doubt the apparent heroine addictions of the past have had some residual effect on these four men but they did seem like shells of their former selves. The music was impeccable - note for note, they played their songs to a tee. The whole set however just lacked that urgency and thrilling dynamic of yester-year. Of course, being part of the shoe-gazer scene of the early nineties hardly put them on a par with energetic stage dominators such as Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr,. Teenage Fanclub, Sugar and The Afghan Whigs, but you wouldn't know it from listening to their stuff. Swervedriver blessed us, me in particular with some truly energetic life changing sounds. One of the most influential bands of all time.

A quick word about the support act Film School, they SUCKED. They are huge and they SUCK. I didn't want to waste any time talking about these guys, but I have to state for the record that they suck. They are a prime example of how NOT to get influenced by a band like Swervedriver or My Bloody Valentine.

Euro 2008 - help!

Although I am blessed with the ability to watch at least half the games live without Budweiser commercials, I feel compelled to share the fact that America's interest in the greatest tournament in the footy world - outside of the world cup - amounts to the babes of Euro 2008.

That's why I turn my reading attention to the brit papers and the Guardian in particular where I found this amusing article.

I have also pledged my full support to Croatia, who's manager Slavan Blic passes his time by playing guitar in a Croation metal band. The Dutch are playing some nice football though, the only team in fact that seems capable of playing beautiful passing football. They may have had some luck but as Andy Gray will tell you, you make your own luck in football. That said, we've been blessed with Andy Gray supplying commentary over here in ESPN. I can't tell you how refreshing it is having someone who know the game and is not a reject from Britain and Ireland who couldn't get a job back home.

The season of blughhhh!

This is a picture take today from Snoqualmie pass, 45 minutes from Seattle on June 10th 2008. Two years ago we visited a lake near-by in 85 degree weather and caught frogs and baby snakes with the kids. 

Since I started cycling to work in February of the this year, the weather has got progressively worse. Month after month it has gotten colder and wetter, until a brief respite in May when we had a few days of sun in between the rain. June has been the coldest month since records began. 

It doesn't help matters now that the economy is in the toilet, petrol is sky-rocketing, no-body's shooting films in the region and there's no spare money in the coffers. God help me if the car breaks down. Not to mention it is looking increasingly likely that Bush will attack Iran before his term is out. 

Still, Obama's finally the Democratic presidential candidate, summer is around the corner, I'm in good shape cycling 13 miles a day to and from work, work is picking up and my band recorded an awesome demo last weekend. 

The Elks put down 5 tracks and I just have to follow up with the vocals in the next week or two. I'm very happy with how they are sounding. It was the first time I've recorded ANYTHING without old friend Tim Boland at the helm, so it was weird and invigorating at the same time. We worked with a young (23) engineer who came up with some fantastic sounds for drums and bass in particular. This guy's going to go a long way as an engineer if he keeps at it. The studio was cool, Andre from OutKast was in there the week before recording. All the gear was originally owned by Duff McKagen from Guns'n'Roses. In fact they recorded some of 'Yours Your Illusion' there. The tracks will be available on our myspace page in a couple of weeks. www.myspace.com/theelksrule

Elks at the Sunset. 

We played our first real show at The Sunset Tavern in my 'hood, a couple weeks ago. We got a respectable turnout and opened up the evening at around 9:00. As shows go it was just okay, bad stage sound, no sound check etc. but we made up for it in energy and sheer delight in playing a show after a year almost in a rehearsal room. 

If you want to keep up with the band happenings bookmark our Myspace page, www.myspace.com/theelksrule

The week we played was also the week of my birthday and the week that Man United won the Champions League! Needless to say I consumed even more beer than usual and have been on the dry ever since, does wine count?