My Irish Mates Are Coming Back

Flogging Molly will be back in the cities February 23 (a Monday) at the Myth in Maplewood as part of the Green 17 tour. Tickets are $20, a mere drop in the bucket for the amount of entertainment these guys bring.

The World Famous in Minnesota Show - December 9, 2008

Originally published on the World Famous in Minnesota Show blog

Here are the highlights and soundtrack for today’s World Famous in Minnesota Show.

4PM
Thinking About You – Norah Jones
Better Be Home Soon – Crowded House
Sister Lost Soul – Alejandro Escovedo
Jingle Bells – Booker T. and the MG’s
Hospital Bed – Cold War Kids
Ulysses – Franz Ferdinand
Calendar Girls – Stars
Should I Stay – Indigenous
Birthday – Sugarcubes
I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie
U Want Me 2 – Sarah McLachlan
Santa Clause is Coming to Town – Chris Isaak and Stevie Nicks
March of the Swivelheads – The English Beat

5PM
(What’s So Funny “Bout) Peace Love and Understanding – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
24 – Jem
Spirit – Santana
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – U2
A Pagan Place - Waterboys
Rock N’ Roll – Eric Hutchinson
Trash – New York Dolls
Under the Milky Way – Nicole Atkins
Radio Nowhere – Bruce Springsteen
All I Want for Christmas – Timbuk 3
Lost! – Coldplay
Unforgiven (Last Goodbye) – Jeff Buckley

Liner Notes
This is one for the Broadcast Law class. Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay for copyright infringement. Satriani says that it was his fans that pointed out the similarities between his 2004 “If I Could Fly” and the title track of Coldplay’s new album “Viva La Vida”, by committing copyright infringement by sending him mp3s of the song. The guitar soloist tells Rolling-Stone-dot-com that his song was a 10 year work in progress and was originally written as a love letter to his wife. He is seeking any and all profits that the song has earned.

This Day In History
It was on this day in 1985 that Phoenix, Arizona got three inches of snow, shutting down the city. Here on this date, after more than three inches of snow here in the Twin Cities, we’re still laughing at the people of Phoenix.

Moron This!
We start today in Fredericksburg, Virginia where two Patriot Towing employees face child endangerment charges after towing a car with a child inside. Police say that Jason Bryant and Derek Miller towed the double parked Mazda Protege outside of a housing complex. When the pair realized their mistake, they promply returned the two-year old girl to her mother. According to the police, the mother left the car unlocked, running, and unattended for at least five minutes. By the way, no charges have been filed against the mother.

Real Life X File
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has seen a huge increase in U-F-O activity. In the first week of December, there have been more than 20 reports of sightings to multiple agencies. The Keystone state has been the center of many sightings over the past 43 years, since a supposed U-F-O crash in Kecksburgh in 1965.

The World Famous in Minnesota Show - December 2, 2008

Originally published on the World Famous in Minnesota Show blog

Here are the highlights and soundtrack for today’s World Famous in Minnesota Show.

4 PM
Punish the Monkey – Mark Knopfler
It’s In The Way That You Use It – Eric Clapton
The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance – Vampire Weekend
Everywhere I Go – Shawn Mullins
Somewhere Only We Know – Keane
Come Around – Counting Crows
The Search – Son Volt
Someday Someway – Marshall Crenshaw
It’s You – Picture and Sound
Always On Your Side – Sheryl Crow and Sting
My Two Feet – Old 97’s
Summertime – The Sundays

5PM
What is Life – George Harrison
First Day of My Life – Bright Eyes
Olympic Airwaves – Foals
Black Balloon – Goo Goo Dolls
No Hiding Place – Elvis Costello and the Imposters
Ulysses – Franz Ferdinand
Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney and Wings
Another Way to Die – Jack White and Alicia Keys
Don’t Ask Me – OK Go
No Way Back – Foo Fighters
The Shock of Lightning – Oasis
DC – Died Pretty
South Indiana – Fleetwood Mac

Liner Notes
Spectacle: Elvis Costello, a new talk-performance show on the Sundance Channel will debut tomorrow. The 13 episode season will feature Lou Reed, The Police, Rufus Wainwright, Norah Jones, Jenny Lewis, the other members of his band the Imposters, his wife Diana Krall, and former President Bill Clinton. Not only will the guests talk, but will perform. Costello will also debut a new song at the beginning of each episode. The first episode with guest Elton John will air at 8:00 Minnesota Time.

Moron This!
An academic advisor from THE Ohio State University has been arrested in connection to selling raffle tickets to win an evening with a prostitute. According to the Associated Press, Christopher Johnson was arrested for organizing a lottery on Craigs-list-dot-com with help from real estate agent Rusty Blades (his real name, by the way). Columbus Police have identified the grand prize as 31 year old Vanise Dunn. Dunn, who was arrested on November 12th for solicitation, has been employed by the Franklin County Children’s Services for the past eight years. Johnson and Blades have both been charged with promoting prostitution, and bail has been set at 25-thousand dollars for Johnson.

Today in History
It was on this date in 1914 that actor Ray Walston was born in Laurel, Mississippi. He is mostly known for the starring role in the television show, “My Favorite Martian”. He would later take the role of Mister Hand in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, becoming my teaching role model.

Real Life X-Files
It’s already started for Barack Obama. The Extraterrestrial Phenomenon Political Action, or EPPA, have sent the President –Elect a letter urging him to investigate U-F-O activity by debriefing military and intelligence agencies and to take witness statements under oath. EPPA thinks that the odds of ending what they call “the six decade truth embargo” are good as the head of Obama’s transition team John Podesta and possible cabinet member New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson are “U-F-O truth allies”. When Podesta was Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, he led a project to declassify documents older than 25 years to aid scientists in the study of U-F-Os. Richardson is expected to serve on Obama’s cabinet, and is a Governor of the state that’s the home of the Roswell Incident. During a primary debate, Richardson revealed that he believed that there has been a government cover-up the famed 1947 event, and has called for the Pentagon to fully disclose the details.It was on this date in 1914 that actor Ray Walston was born in Laurel, Mississippi. He is mostly known for the starring role in the television show, “My Favorite Martian”. He would later take the role of Mister Hand in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, becoming my teaching role model.

Real Life X-Files
It’s already started for Barack Obama. The Extraterrestrial Phenomenon Political Action, or EPPA, have sent the President –Elect a letter urging him to investigate U-F-O activity by debriefing military and intelligence agencies and to take witness statements under oath. EPPA thinks that the odds of ending what they call “the six decade truth embargo” are good as the head of Obama’s transition team John Podesta and possible cabinet member New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson are “U-F-O truth allies”. When Podesta was Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, he led a project to declassify documents older than 25 years to aid scientists in the study of U-F-Os. Richardson is expected to serve on Obama’s cabinet, and is a Governor of the state that’s the home of the Roswell Incident. During a primary debate, Richardson revealed that he believed that there has been a government cover-up the famed 1947 event, and has called for the Pentagon to fully disclose the details.

The World Famous in Minnesota Show - November 25, 2008

Here’s the playlist and highlights from this week’s episode of The World Famous in Minnesota Show on the Voice of Brown College, The VBC

4PM
Laid – James
Don’t Look Back in Anger – Tori Amos
You Learn – Alanis Morrisette
Lie to Me – Tom Waits
U Want Me To – Sarah MacLachlan
Mercy – Duffy
Sunny Side of the Street – Pogues
Charity Chastity, Prudence, and Hope – Hüsker Dü
Learn to Fly – Foo Fighters
Working on a Dream – Bruce Springsteen
My Favorite Mistake – Sheryl Crow
Johnny Viola – Shearwater

5PM
Black Magic Woman – Santana
Veronica – Elvis Costello
Fix It – Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
Dad’s Gonna Kill Me – Richard Thompson
Numb – U2
It’s Amazing – Jem
Sister Golden Hair – America
After Hours – We Are Scientists
Glad It’s Over – Wilco
C’mon, C’mon – The Von Bondies
Dr. Yang – Ben Folds
She Moves in Her Own Way – Kooks
Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies
Baby Can I Hold You – Tracy Chapman

Moron This!
We start today in my Hometown, Evansville, Indiana, where a man faces a charge of bribing a public servant. Evansville Police took 32-year old Angelo J Cooper into custody after he refused to stop yelling at his girlfriend. According to the police report, as Cooper was being escorted to the squad car, he offered to buy the three arresting officers dinner. After they rejected his offer, Cooper became violent, and then upped his offer to 10 dollars and a toaster. This offer was also rejected. On the way to the Vanderburgh County Jail, Cooper threatened to stab the officers upon his release. And you wonder why I left.

Liner Notes
The Kaiser Chiefs will play before an exclusive live show next month in London for the i-tunes music store. The show will be held on December 9th in front of an audience of contest winners, and will feature music from their latest C-D, Off With Their Heads. If you aren’t so lucky to be a part of the show, the set will be available for download December 15th.

Today in History
It was on this date in 1993 that Shawn and Stacy Rumsey became the proud parents of Spencer Christian Patrick and Riley Kirsten Noel Rumsey, my nephew and niece. Happy Birthday, you two.

It was also on this date in 1947 that 10 directors, producers, and actors were fired or suspended for refusing to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. Earlier in that year, the H-U-A-C started to investigate rumors that several communists were a part of the film industry. One of the actors who testified and named names for the committee was a B actor named Ronald Reagan.

Real Life X-File
We go to Elderslie, just outside of Glasgow, Scotland. Two residents report that they saw glowing orange colored lights near the airport. According to the H-B-B-C, a U-F-O research center, the number of sightings, many of which involving orange lights, in this area of the U-K have increased in the last year. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence states that there have been no reports of suspicious activity above the Glasgow Airport.

The World Famous in Minnesota Show - November 18, 2008

Here is the playlist and top stories from The “World Famous in Minnesota” Show with Ian Shane.

4PM
True Romance – She Wants Revenge
Band On The Run – Wings
Grounds For Divorce – Elbow
Resignation Superman – Big Head Todd and the Monsters
Last Kiss – Pearl Jam
It’s Amazing – Jem
Love You Again – John Hiatt
Winning Again – Billy Joe Shaver and Marty Stuart
Love is a Stranger – Martha Wainwright
We’re Going to Be Friends – White Stripes
Always a Friend – Alajandro Escovedo with Bruce Springteen and E Street Band
Up From the South – Budos Band

5PM
As Tears Go By – The Rolling Stones
Southside – Moby and Gwen Stefani
Morning is My Destination – Tift Merritt
Angle Mine – Cowboy Junkies
Old Enough – Raconteurs
Lost! – Coldplay
Fall on Me – REM
Folsom Prison Blues – Everlast
Shine Over Babylon – Sheryl Crow
Our Last Night – Better Than Ezra
Rock N’ Roll – Eric Hutchinson

Liner Notes
A street date has been announce for the Bruce Springsteen’s 24th album. Columbia Records has confirmed that Working on a Dream will be released on January 27. The C-D will feature the E-Street Band, and 12 new songs. The title track of the new L-P was premiered on Sunday Night Football on N-B-C earlier this week.

Moron This!
A Glen Falls, NY man was arrested for driving his riding mower while under the influence of marijuana. Donald L Johnson drew the attention of the police when he piloted the mower across Glen Street with a man riding on the hood a little after midnight on Saturday. After being pulled over, Johnson admitted that he had smoked some marijuana, and was on his way to an Irish Pub to sell his mower for 200 dollars. Johnson received 10 citations, including unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, driving an unregistered vehicle, and failure to pay child support. The passenger, Carl Critelli was ticked for not wearing a seat belt.

Real Life X-File
The United States will become an underdeveloped nation that will suffer a revolution, food riots, and tax rebellions by the year 2012. This is the dire prediction made by Trends Researcher Institute C-E-O Gerald Celente. Celente is world renown for his accurate prediction of the 1987 stock market crash, the fall of the Soviet Union, the 1997 Asian Currency Crisis, the sub prime mortgage crisis, and what he called “the Panic of 2008”. Celente says that America is going through a transition that for which no one was prepared. A British Ministry of Defense report issued last year backs Celente’s prediction of a second American Revolution, stating the growing gap between the super rich and the middle class. Keep in mind, that this guy predicted a John Kerry Landslide four years ago.

The World Famous in Minnesota Show - November 4, 2008

Here’s the playlist and highlights from this week’s episode of The World Famous in Minnesota Show on the Voice of Brown College, The VBC

4PM
A-Punk – Vampire Weekend
Evil Ways – Santana
Patience – Tyrone Wells
Feed The Tree – Belly
Jesus is Just Alright – The Doobie Brothers
Rock n’ Roll – Eric Hutchinson
Grave Digger – Willie Nelson
Radar Gun – Bottle Rockets
Fix It – Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
Classic Rock – Dramarama
Sequestered In Memphis – The Hold Steady
Calendar Girl – Stars
Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough – Patty Smyth

5PM
For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield
24 – Jem
The Lovers are Losing – Keane
Life of Riley – Lightning Seeds
How I am to Be – Watson Twins
I Got Mine – Black Keys
In The City – Joe Walsh
Real Love – Lucinda Williams
Hold On – KT Tunstall
Miracle – Foo Fighters
Something’s Not Right – Cold War Kids
Girlfriend – Matthew Sweet
(F)lannigan’s Ball – Dropkick Murphy’s with Spider Stacy
Ship of Fools – World Party


Moron This!
The Omaha police have arrested three teenagers in connection to the robbery of a Mini Mart. The bandits broke into the G’s Mini Mart and made off with a cooler of beer. One of the cases of beer broke open, leaving a trail of Bud Light cans that lead the police to the nearby house, where they found beer and a crowbar. This however, will not be the next Real Men of Genius commercial.

On this Date…
It was on this date in 1934 that Pittsburgh snapped the Detroit Lions’ shut out streak at seven games. The Lions went on to win the game 40-7. On this day, the Lions have been shut out of the win column, and could become the first team to go 0-16.

Real Life X-File
An Argentinean man is experiencing facial paralysis after he witnessed three UFOs. Ambulance driver Fernando Guerrero stated on radio that he has been feeling very strange since the event on October 25th near Villa Castelli. He says that he noticed the light on his cell phone became brighter. He added that the CD he was playing in his ambulance stopped suddenly and he heard a loud squeaking noise emit from the speakers. Scientists and researchers have failed to get in touch with Guerrero to conduct further tests.

My Least Favorite Things

This comment was originally posted on my Indianapolis Star blog "Tales of a Hoosier Ex-Pat"

Two of the four pillars of evil are the New England Patriots and Daylight Saving Time. Both descended onto Indianapolis on Sunday. Coincidence? Hardly.

Well at least one of them was vanquished yesterday. The “Hatriots” came into the game with a 5-2 record, taking on a Colt team that has had an identity crisis throughout the season. The game wasn’t a must win, but was getting to the point that the boys in blue couldn’t take another loss.

Indy’s D turned up big, and Anthony Gonzales’s two TD lets him hold onto his role as the best receiver on the team (enough for me to forgive him for going to “The” Ohio State University…which ironically is the third pillar of evil).

A win over the Hatriots is always fun, but I must admit that this year’s win is not as good as when Tom Brady is playing. Granted, I enjoyed watching Bill Bellacheat outsmart himself (which doesn’t seem to be that hard anymore), but seeing Tom Brady get flustered by the Colts just gives me a tingly feeling in a place I don’t talk about at parties.

Now if we can do the same for Daylight Saving Time, it’ll be a wonderful weekend. I was always proud of the fact Indiana was one of the lone holdouts to resist that idiotic tradition. I believe that DST is nothing more than a conspiracy perpetrated by the owners of golf courses across America.

DST allegedly reduces energy costs, but a study published last year indicated that people use less energy in place that doesn’t observe DST. It turns out that people use exactly one more hour of air conditioning in a DST time zone than in standard time. And where was this study taken? Indiana. That should be more than enough reason to switch back to the way it was. DST is irrelevant now, as we are now a 24 hour society. It’s an outdated concept, like praying to a sun god, saying “dandy”, or casting Rutger Howard as a romantic lead.

Seriously? Central Michigan?

This post orginally was posted on my Indianapolis Star Blog "Tales of a Hoosier Ex-Pat"

I went to firebilllynch.com today, to see if anyone had started the inevitable site. To my dismay, I didn’t see anything. Shocking, I know. Almost as shocking as losing to the second MAC team this year.

I was really hoping that Indiana (3-6, 1-4 Big Ten, 0-2 MAC) would build off of its bowl bid from last year. I was thinking that the Hoosiers were finally back. A new tradition was building.
But it’s painfully obvious that the fire that was building in Memorial Stadium died the exact moment Terry Hoepner passed away. Last year’s seven win season was the coasting of a promising legacy cut tragically short by the death of a passionate talented coach. That legacy was trusted to the man who ran Ball State's football team into the ground.
Indiana lost to Central Michigan. And not only did they lose to the Chippewas, they lost to their back up quarterback. At home. Against a MAC team. Again.

As much as I want to see Hoep’s dream of “defending the rock” at every home game continue with his assistant, it’s time to think about a new tradition, or at least a new direction.

The World Famous in Minnesota Show - October 27

The World Famous in Minnesota Show with Ian Shane returned after a three week break. On the show, Ian introduced a new feature called Moron This! and had a real life X-File from Sherwood Forrest

4 PM
Swimming Pools – Thao and the Get Down Stay Down
She’s a Beauty – Tubes
Step Outside – Pete Best Band
The Price I Pay – Billy Bragg
Your Loving Flame – Paul McCartney
Tears Dry On Their Own – Amy Winehouse
Anarchy in the UK (Live) – Sex Pistols
Ring the Bells – James
Colorful – Rocco Deluca and the Burden
Far Far – Yael Naim
Lust for Life – Iggy Pop

5PM
Under My Thumb - Rolling Stones
Waiting for my Real Life to Begin – Colin Hay
Mr. Rock N’ Roll – Amy McDonald
It’s Raining in Baltimore – Counting Crows
You Don’t Know What Love Is – White Stripes
Hearing – Bodeans
House of Fun – Madness
Steer – Missy Higgins
Tonight I Have to Leave It – Shout Out Louds
Desperately Wanting – Better Than Ezra
U Want Me 2 – Sarah McLachlanThing Called Love – Bonnie Raitt

Real Life X-File
An English care taker is claiming that he has taken a photo of the ghost of the Maid Marion. Chris Sole says that the photo was taken in what was once a dungeon beneath the Nottingham Old Court House, which is now a museum. Soles says that he heard doors open and close in the pitch black cave, so he did the natural thing…started blindly taking photos, and ran. He said that he’d like to think that the image is the apparition Marion waiting for Robin Hood to rescue her. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio however, was not available for comment. What do you think? Marion? Dirty Lense?

Moron This!
Officially it’s game on in Philadelphia for Game 5 of the World Series tomorrow night, however according to sports books in Vegas, The Phillies won the match up 2-1. The game was suspended in the top of the 6th inning last night after the Tampa Bay Rays tied the game at two in the midst’s of a rain storm. So, where does the Nevada Gaming Commission get the Idea that Philadelphia won? From Major League Baseball Rules, which states that any game that is called because of rain after 5 innings becomes an official game with the score being that of the last complete inning, which was the 5th, with the Phillies leading 2-1. Las Vegas Hilton Sports Book Director Jay Kornegay says that they are just following the rules of baseball, and they can make no exceptions.

Confessions of a Music Snob

Here’s the October 2008 playlist, something I hope to update once a month. This playlist is going to be a little different, as this serves a little bit more as an introduction of my musical tastes, and less a mix CD (which usually only has a target audience of one). I also disabled the shuffle option, which defeats the purpose of the placement of songs (so when you hear “Hey Jupiter” by Tori Amos back to back with “Purple Rain” by Prince, you’ll know why I did it this way).

So, yes…I am a dork. Wanna piece of me?

Enjoy the 22 song playlist.

Track List

My Way - Sex Pistols
Guns of Brixton - Clash
Can't Stand Losing You - Police
Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen
Stuck Between Stations - The Hold Steady
Singapore - Tom Waits
Janine - Soul Coughing
Hate It Here - Wilco
Come Together - Beatles
Accidents Will Happen - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Get Up Off Your Knees - Housemartins
Your Kisses are Wasted on Me - Pipettes
The Way it Is - Nicole Atkins
Hey Jupiter - Tori Amos
Purple Rain - Prince
Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straits
Hallelujah - John Cale
Perfect Day - Lou Reed
Your Ex-Lover is Dead - Stars
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire
Devil's Dance Floor - Flogging Molly

Do They Still Play the Blues In Chicago?

I just...can't even...

Dodgers 3, Cubs 1. LA wins 3-0

The First 1000 Word Day in Three Months

For the first time in a long time, I sat down and had my first 1000 original word (as in not revising) day. I haven't been doing a lot of marketing for Radio Radio, which I should be doing. How else am I going to get people to know about the book? 

I just needed to sit down and pound out new material for the second book. It felt good to do it. It's been hard, as running my business is really getting in the way of me running my business.

Anyway, I'm not going to feel guilty about neglecting Radio Radio in favor of putting pen to parchment. 

Dear God, Not Again

I can't even watch. What the hell is happening to the Cubs?

Hey Jack Kerouac

Here is the play list for this week's episode of The World Famous in Minnesota Show on the VBC

2pm
Signed Sealed Delivered, I’m Your’s – Stevie Wonder
South Indiana (Take 2) – Fleetwood Mac
Don’t Do Me No Favors – James Hunter
Where the Streets Have No Name (Live) – U2 (From the Please EP)
Shout – De Novo Dahl
Float – Flogging Molly
Mama Told Me Not to Come – Three Dog Night
Steer – Missy Higgins
Nightswimming – REM
Janine – Soul Coughing
Old Enough – Raconteurs
Swimming Pools – Thao with the Get Dow Stay Downs

3pm
Trampolining – Ice Palace
Stolen Car – Beth Orton
How Am I to Be – Watson Twins
I Cover the Waterfront – Van Morrison and John Lee Hooker
American Anthem – Norah Jones
Warwick Avenue – Duffy
Ring of Fire – Social Distortion
Folsom Prison Blues – Everlast
On The Road – Tom Waits and Primus
Hey Jack Kerouac – 10,000 Manics
Stuck Between Stations – The Hold Steady
Where Is My Mind? – Pixies
Big Me – Foo Fighters

Weak One

All I could do was turn off the television and go to bed during the third quarter of the Colts/Bears game. I had seen enough.

While some have said that I’m premature in hitting the “panic button”, but let’s take a look at the game. If I say something that isn’t correct, let me know.

1. The “Peyton wasn’t Peyton” argument doesn’t fly. Yes, it’s true that he didn’t look like the MVP he was a few years ago, but the last time I counted, there are 11 players on the field—11 players that played like it was their first game back. Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzales both dropped several passes that could have turned into big plays.

2. What does the Colts’ offense have in common with the Palin kid? No protection. The Colts have always prided themselves on having one of the top O-Lines in the NFL. But with Jeff Saturday out for the next 5 weeks, and the team still missing Tarik Glenn, Joe Addai couldn’t run well, and Manning didn’t handle the pass rush the way he has in the past. If this doesn’t improve, the Colts will find themselves in a world of hurt.

3. Cover 2? Just cover one—particularly the half back. The defense, which is built on speed, was flat out out-run by a rookie. A ROOKIE!  If the D line doesn’t get back in order, Adrian Peterson will run for 7,500 yards next week (which would be a record). Bob Sanders can’t do it alone (especially if the other team is going to throw some championship caliber blocks).

4. Special teams—I need to up my dosage of blood pressure medication before I can talk about it.

In short, it wasn’t just Peyton…it was everyone, and that scares the hell out of me.

On another note, Tom Brady has suffered a season ending injury, or as the elders call it “karma”. Brady’s injury is so huge that the ’72 Dolphins have already opened their Champaign bottles. Why do bad things happen to such a virtuous franchise? The mind reels.  

The South Shall Rise Again?

On the World Famous in Minnesota Show, I unveiled plans to visit the Waffle House Museum in Atlanta. We also had to ask, No Smoking in a Hospital…that makes sense. So why did it take Vandy’s Medical Center until this week to think of it? And we went to the Steel City for a real life X-File.

2pm
Jammin’ – Bob Marley and the Wailers
Rudie Can’t Fail – The Clash
Remedy – The Black Crowes
Lover of the Bayou - Mudcrutch
Dance With Me – Old 97’s
Cynical Girl – Marshall Crenshaw
It’s Amazing – JEM
Hospital Bed – Cold War Kids
Crazy – Gnarls Barkley
Burn You Up, Burn You Down – Peter Gabriel (Big Blue Ball)
A Case of You – Diana Krall

3pm
Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well – Mike Doughty
She La Ma Gig – PJ Harvey
Mr. Rock n’ Roll – Amy MacDonald
You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone – 13^th Floor Elevators
Shattered (Turn the Car Around) – OAR (Of a Revolution)
Oxford Coma – Vampire Weekend
Trampolining – Ice Palace
A Minute to Rest and a Second to Pray – Solomon Burke and Ben Harper
Where the Story Ends – The Sundays
You Cheated Me – Martha Wainwright
Folsom Prison Blues – Everlast
Leaving Las Vegas – Sheryl Crow
All I Want – Toad The Wet Sprocket
Come Away With Me – Norah Jones

Steve Jobs is Dead, Long Live Steve Jobs

The World Famous in Minnesota Show returned to the VBC after a long hiatus. This week on the show, we found out that the reports of Steve Job’s demise were premature. We reveal who SNL grabbed from the pool of potential hosts for the premier of 34th Season, and we went to the Fatherland for a real life X-File.

2 pm
Driven To Tears – The Police
Heaven – Los Lonely Boys
Coming Home – 88
Caravan (Live) – Van Morrison (From At the Movies)
Wonderwall – Oasis
Step Outside – Pete Best Band
Blood Red Blood – Voxtrot
Devil’s Dance Floor – Flogging Molly
Burn You Up, Burn You Down – Peter Gabriel (Big Blue Ball)
Bell Bottom Blues – Derek and the Dominos
Come Around – Counting Crows
Lie To Me – Tom Waits

3pm
Beautiful World – Colin Hay
Skinny Love – Bon Iver
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2
Moving in Stereo – Cars
Harmonicas and Tambourines – Hot Hot Heat
No Hiding Place – Elvis Costello and the Imposters
Pain Lies on the Riverside – Live
Grounds for Divorce – Elbow
London Calling – Clash
Shout – De Novo Dahl
Stuck to You – Nikki Costa
Birmingham - Amanda Marshall

Goodbye, Children

I was quite saddened to hear that Isaac Hayes died earlier today. To me, he was more than the voice of Chef, or the guy who sang “Shaft”. Isaac Hayes and David Porter wrote “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” the song that got me into blues.

I had the honor to meet Isaac and David about a month ago at the Conclave in Minneapolis. They were being honored by BMI for their accomplishments as a song writing duo. Isaac, who had suffered a stroke last year, was slow to answer questions, but was proud of the fact that he was still performing. After that session was over, I walked over to him, shook his hand, and thanked him for the music he and David had created. He smiled, thanked me for listening, and gave me his autograph. It now has a place of honor in my music room.

On The Show, this week, I will honor Isaac with one of the songs he wrote.

Sing a Little More

Over the weekend, D and I went to see Flogging Molly at the Irish Fair. As always, they put on a great show. I was starting to worry a little near the end of the show, as they hadn’t performed Black Friday Rule, which they played in encore.

You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello

This last weekend was one of mixed emotions at the Ian Shane compound. We added, and then had to subtract to the cast of characters.

D and I adopted a seven year old Jack Russell Terrier (or Jack Russell Terrorist) on Saturday. Her name is Claire, and she has already made herself at home. She is a little overweight, but I think that D and I will have her down to ideal weight in no time. We got a good start by taking her to the Uptown Art Fair and walking her for a good portion of the afternoon. She and our other dog, Abbott seem to be getting along.

Saturday night, however, we lost our last surviving rat, Louise. She died of complications from an apparent stroke she suffered last week. Her cage mate, Thelma, passed away two months ago.

I Want to Believe

No, this is not a review of the new X-Files movie, although I have seen it. It’s actually one of those movies you can’t review. It wasn’t bad, and it wasn’t good—all at the same time. I don’t know how this can happen (I think that the United States Government has a lot to do with it). When a movie is like that, it doesn’t lend it self well to a review. It becomes a dull read.

No, this entry has a far more sinister meaning than people being compelled to see David Duchovny sans shirt at the age of 97 (or how ever old he is). It’s about the Chicago Cubs.

I think that it’s fair to note that I have two baseball teams. I have been a Cubs fan since I was six years old, and I became a Red Sox fan soon after I started watching “Cheer’s” (and since Major League, I will always have a soft spot for the Indians). So until 2004, I felt the pain on both sides, especially right after both the Cubs and Red Sox lost their championship series that they should have won the year before. Since then, the Sox have won two commissioner’s trophies, and the Cubs have…well, been the Cubs.

Even after watching the Cubs sweep the Brewers, building a cozy five game lead over both Milwaukee and the hated St. Louis Cardinals, and hearing the youthful optimism of friend and fellow Cubs sufferer “The Reach”, I am really fighting the urge to get excited.

I want to believe. But I just can’t.

I’ve been down that road before. I was convinced that the Cubs would have clobbered the Tigers in the clandestine World Series in 1984, but they found the worst time to lose three games straight to the Padres. San Diego went on to get bounced in five games. One game away. That’s all they were…ONE—FLIPPIN’—GAME. All I got out of this “lesson of life”, as my father called it, was an empty promise of “next year” and Harry Caray rapping.

Then there was 1989, which seemed like a good year for redemption…Then San Francisco proved that they were the superior team, and the one best suited to get waxed in the series…again in five games.

I didn’t really get fired up for 1998, although that was my last trip to Wrigley (Sammy hit 49 off of Orel Hershiser that day), or 2001, but 2003 was a different story. They had the best pitching tandem that I have ever seen in Cubs pin stripes. They were playing a Florida team that was just lucky to even make the playoffs. I call my IMed my friend Ben in California that we were only nine outs away from a dream. All would be forgiven—Lee Durham in 1984, trading Dave Kingman, letting Greg Maddox go. Nine outs away…

And then—

I sat and watched as the Cubs gave the game to the Marlins. I sat in my living room (with my ex-girlfriend there) and buried my face in my hands.

“Dear God…not again.”

And then, like Keyser Soze…it was gone. Florida went on to win the World Series, which was their second in six years, and the Cubs were now 95 year losing streak. It wasn’t fair, and it still isn’t. I know that many Cub fans have forgiven Bartman…but I just can’t. Not now, not ever.

Unless—

Well, I want to believe. But I just can’t.

My New Atkins Diet

I have a ritual that I run good songs through to see if they can be great songs. I play it three times in a row. If I want to hear it a fourth time, I take the CD out of the player, and I wait for at least three hours. If after a fourth play I am more excited than I was about the song than I was after its first play, it’s a great song. If I play it two more times in that day, and I still like it, it becomes an obsession.

Enter Nicole Atkins.

I got the latest TM Century disc at work, and listened for new prospects for the VBC. When I heard “The Way It Is”, I immediately stopped what I was doing. For the first time since “Blitzed” by the Raveonettes I found a song that was worthy of my music endurance test. It has since moved to the type of obsessive listening that I haven’t had since “Diablo Rojo” came out last summer.

The best way to describe Nicole Atkins is to think of Justine Bateman if she was cast to play Stevie Nicks in a Fleetwood Mac movie and Chrissy Hynde did the vocals.

On first listen, I thought that her new CD Neptune City (a reference to her home town, Neptune, NJ) was a few good songs with a respectable secondary line-up. This was after listening to the CD in the order that it was downloaded (thank you iTunes). But, after listening to it in the proper order, the album as a whole makes sense.

Behold, the New ianshane.com

The new site (ianshane.com)is now up. So, here’s how the new layout works. The site is devoted to the book, and other writings. The Show’s new design (still under construction) is much like the old design (one that I like, but is impractical for its updated purpose). It will still be up, although the VBC is still off the air. This blog will be the home of the personal updates, as well as my soap box that deals with books, writing, music, Indiana sports, and other topics.

Confused? You won’t be after this episode of “Soap”.

I like the new site, which has the same look as the blog. The new system makes it easier for me to keep up with postings, and to maintain the original purpose of website (which was conceived almost 4 years ago), to be a showcase for the book, and other writings.

Enjoy.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I can’t believe that I did it!

I wrote for about five hours on Monday (about 1200 words). It’s something from the second novel. I wanted to print it last night for my Writers Guild meeting, but I couldn’t find it on my computer—it was nowhere. I guess that I just didn’t save it.

It’s not just that I have to do the work again, but it was something that I thought was really good. I hope that I can remember how it went, or else I’m going to get very frustrated with it.

The moral of the story: ALWAYS SAVE EVERYTHING…even if you don’t plan on using it later.

The Rum Diary

I’ll be completely honest; I was never really a fan of Hunter S. Thompson until his death several years ago. I saw the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas when it came out. Although Terry Gilliam’s animations were…well, interesting…I didn’t really find the value of Thompson’s writing from the film.

The day he died, a student of mine challenged me to read the book, rather than judge his work from the movie. When I did, I had a new respect for Dr. Gonzo. When you don’t have the distractions of the movie to take away from the story, and the writing, you can see for yourself that wording is utter genius.

With that in mind, I finally got a chance to read The Rum Diary. The story takes place in San Juan in the late 1950s, just after Castro takes over Cuba. The tale of a hard drinking journalist (sound like anyone that we know?), Paul Kemp, deals with temptation, betrayal and working for an organization that is about to fold at any moment. It’s one of Thompson’s early works, but his signature detail and writing style takes its form.

I’m almost a little surprised that there hasn’t been a screen version of this tale. It’s a fairly easy read, and quick to get through. I would highly recommend the read, especially during the summer time.