Brad Barrish

Despite us updating our hosting plan to allow for more bandwidth, we are well on our way to exceding our monthly limit. In an effort to keep the site online and operational, the Monthly Mix MP3s have been taken down. We’ll have a new mix next month. Sorry for the hassle, but we don’t want the entire site to suffer. Thanks for your understanding.

The Ramones tribute album, We’re A Happy Family will finally see the light of day on February 11. The tracklisting reads like this:

1. Havana Affair - Red Hot Chili Peppers

2. Blitzkrieg Bop - Rob Zombie

3. I Believe In Miracles - Eddie Vedder/Zeke

4. 53rd & 3rd - Metallica

5. Beat On The Brat - U2

6. Do You Remember Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio - Kiss

7. The KKK Took My Baby Away - Marilyn Manson

8. I Just Wanna Have Something To Do - Garbage

9. Outsider - Green Day

10. Something To Believe In - The Pretenders

11. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - Rancid

12. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend - Pete Yorn

13. I Wanna Be Sedated - The Offspring

14. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow - Rooney

15. Return of Jackie & Judy - Tom Waits

*16) Daytime Dilemma (Dangers Of Love) - Eddie Vedder/Zeke

*Will only appear on Limited Edition version of release

Strangely absent from the tracklisting is a version of “Danny Says” by the Foo Fighters, which the band was rumored to have recorded during the first set of sessions for One By One, which were later scrapped and re-recorded. Perhaps the song will be released as a b-side on an upcoming single.

While the last post was done on my Mac, this short post was done from the Sidekick, which is pretty cool, but takes a bit longer to type out. Just thought I would test out how well it works with Movable Type.

In addition to having a weak spot for music, I also have a weak spot for gadgets. Even as infrequently employed as I am, I find some way to acquire new toys, though it does help out when Amazon is selling them for close to nothing. So as much as I didn’t need a new PDA (or mobile phone for that matter), I picked up one of the T-Mobile Sidekicks. I’ve been drooling over them since they came out. I recently got one of the new Palm Tungsten T handhelds, which I’ll be putting on eBay if I end up liking this Sidekick thing. I’m just not quite sure if the Sidekick can replace my Palm and regular mobile phone, which is the main reason I picked it up in the first place.

The good and bad news is that they sync to a web site and not to your computer’s hard drive. That’s a good thing because as soon as you update your info on the website, it updates the device immediately. It’s also handy because you don’t need to carry a computer around with you hoping that you can find a place that has wired or wireless Internet access. Since the Sidekick is GPRS (always on/connected to the net), if you change info in your device’s address book or calendar, it updates the web site. This is all assuming that coverage is good in your area. Los Angeles happens to have great coverage. If you are an AIM user, you’ll certainly enjoy the fact that it has AIM built into the device as well as a web browser and email, all of which work really well. You can even add other email accounts to the device. For instance, I can receive my EarthLink and bradbarrish.com email while I’m away from my computer. The camera attachment is kinda nifty, but I could give a shit about my cell phone being able to take digital photos the size of iZone photos.

What doesn’t work so well is the phone. Without the earpiece that comes with it, it’s terribly awkward to use and the service isn’t as good as a regular mobile phone. And to be totally honest, I’ve never found the earpieces to be all that comfortable either. I never use one with my regular mobile phone. The other thing I miss is being able to jot notes down on the actual screen. The Sidekick has a thumb keyboard for entering data, dialing phone numbers, etc. After a few days of using it, I’ve found it to be pretty easy and fast, but it’s not as fast as scribbling. Also, the device needs to be charged at the end of the day. The battery is pretty weak, at best. Unlike a Palm device, there are no third-party applications to expand the device, which isn’t possible anyway.

I’ve still got a week and some change to decide if I want to keep the Sidekick. T-Mobile allows the return of a device within 14 days for a full refund. I could see it replacing my Palm device. I don’t use half the features of it anyway. As for replacing my phone, Verizon’s service and coverage is tops and I don’t know that I want a T-Mobile device that depends on Cingular’s towers for coverage. The minute I go outside of the greater L.A. area, I’m sure the service won’t be as great. And I guess the two main obvious questions are, do I need two mobile phone/devices and why would I want to be so connected? I mean, it is just another toy for which I have to pay another monthly fee, but it’s one of the coolest toys I have played with in a while. Decisions decisions… Feel free to drop me an email to my Sidekick with some personal experiences, etc. brad[at]tmail.com.

I’ve been putting this off for a long time because, well I don’t like to ask for money and we all know no one likes to pay for “content” on the web. Here’s the deal: In the last few months the site has come very close to exceeding its bandwidth limits and I have had to upgrade the site to accommodate the increased traffic. It’s no surprise that the Monthly Mix section gets a lot of traffic, which I do not want to remove from the site. Additionally, the tickets and other items that are given away each month to Guest List members are purchased by me (for teh most part), not donated by the labels or anything like that. And don’t blame me if you’re missing out on those giveaways!

I am not asking you to subscribe to the site. What I am asking for is a little help. If a couple hundred people made a donation, I would not only be able to pay hosting fees for the year, but I’d have some money left over to purchase tickets and other stuff for giveaways. To put it simply – what comes around, goes around. I’m not looking to make a living from the site, though that would be nice. I just want to be able to continue with the site and make it worth visiting. I’m not threatening to shut the site down if you don’t cough up some cash, but it would be most appreciated if you could make a donation.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Every dollar will help out. Just click on the PayPal donation button or follow this link.

The year-end, double-disc monthly mix has been posted for your downloading pleasure. Disc 01 is the actual monthly mix, while disc 02 is a compilation of favorites from 2002. The artwork was kindly donated by Michael Miller, who not only is a talented artist, but a talented musician as well.

It’s pretty often that I’m overcome with a feeling of creativity. I feel like doing something, but I can never quite figure out what it is I should be doing. And maybe there isn’t even a should, but the feeling can result in the cleaning of my desk, manipulating a photo in Photoshop, writing, staring into space or whatever. The main problem is that I never feel satisfied. I never feel like I’m accomplishing much of anything. Sometimes I want to re-design this site or rearrange furniture, but I don’t. I just sit and stare at the screen waiting for that great idea to just hit me. Once it hits me, there’s usually no stopping me. I just wish it would hit.

I recently wrote a feature for The Morning News, which ran in today’s issue. You’ve probably heard me rave about the site, which you should be reading every day. Give them a few bucks while you read the piece I wrote.

I’ve been reading Dave Eggars’ latest book, You Shall Know Our Velocity. I started it sometime ago, put it down and then started over again. I was only 28 pages in, so I didn’t feel like starting over was unreasonable. Will, one of the two main characters in the book has these conversations with himself. I suppose everyone has conversations with themselves.

I had just finished, or was finishing the last cigarette in a pack.

• You know these things are going to kill you.
• Yeah, thanks dad.
• Hey, dont be an asshole. Im just trying to look out for you.
• I really appreciate it.
• You’re kind of in denial, eh?
• No. I know these things are going to kill me. Sometimes I even think that maybe they are already killing me. I get mad at myself for allowing myself to become addicted again. I want to blame someone else for it.
• You’ve got no one to blame but yourself.
• Yeah, I know. I’ve thought about it though. I can trace it back to dating someone who smoked and instead of being bothered by it, I just smoked with her. You know, so it didn’t taste so bad when I kissed her.
• That’s kind of pathetic.
• Yeah, but she was pretty hot and I still think smoking looks sexy.
• But you quit smoking cold turkey several years ago. Why would you think you wouldn’t become addicted again?
• I didn’t give it much thought really. I think I smoke because I’m at home all the time. If I had a 9 to 5 and I had to actually make an effort to smoke, I don’t think I would smoke as much as I do now.
• You give it plenty of thought. You’re lying.
• Well, yeah, now I give it plenty of thought. The sore throat I have could be throat cancer.
• I think you’re being a little dramatic.
• I know, but it’s crossed my mind.
• So what’s going to happen when you finish that last cigarette in your pack?
• The yellow pack screaming at me right now?
• Yeah, that one.
• I’ll quit smoking.
• For good?
• I don’t know. Probably not.
• You’re going to die.
• I know.
• That’s a rough way to go.
• I know. We’ve been through this before.
• We’ll probably go through it again. I just hope you don’t keep struggling with it. Make the decision and stick to it.
• I have every intention of that, but I like to smoke.
• You like to stink?
• No. I just said I like to smoke.
• Smoking stinks. Your office smells like a fucking ashtray.
• I’m going to have a cigarette.
• It’s the last one in the pack. How long do you figure it’ll be until you buy another one?
• I dont know.
• I bet you buy one tomorrow.
• Asshole.

It seems like the first half of 2002 was pretty uneventful, or maybe I just remember the last half better. Instead of just putting the copyright year on the back of albums, I sure wish they would print the full date. There were a host of albums that just carried over from late last year. I can’t tell you how bracing it was to hear bands like Trail Of The Dead, Queens Of The Stone Age, Sparta and others putting the R-A-W-K back in rock. It was also refreshing to have albums from the likes of Josh Rouse, Neil Finn, Candidate and Coldplay making some plain ‘ole good music. It’s been a good year for songs. I probably write that somewhere every year, but I’m saying it again.

One of the difficult things about being a music lover is that I want to listen to everything out there, but there just aren’t enough hours. There are albums by bands like My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes, The Roots and several others that I just never got around to picking up until recently. I’m certainly not going to justify my picks for 2002. I think they stand just fine on their own, though I do have a few words about them. When I originally posted this list, there was a numbered order, but I’ve since decided that I simply cannot decide on an order. There also used to be 20, but I changed it to 10 and put the rest in with the other essential albums.

The Top 10 Albums of 2002

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Source Tags and Codes: There are certain people’s opinions on music I almost always agree with. One of those people wrote such an impassioned review of this album, I really had no choice but to go out and get myself a copy. The coordinated chaos and massive melody canít be described in words. It’s aggressive, loud and so luscious. I can listen to it at high or low volume and it just shines. There may be others out there creating similar sounds, but I hear something a bit more emotional from TOD.

Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head: I was afraid for Coldplay. Parachutes was such a wonderful album that I wasn’t very confident that they could follow it. There was gigantic potential, but I thought they might blow it. I should have had more faith. Once I heard this album, I regretted my earlier doubts. What I heard was a band that had become closer. They played better together and played off one another with so much more coherence this time around. Each song on this album has its own legs, but it’s just such a exquisite whole.

Doves - The Last Broadcast: Like Coldplay, Doves is a band that had a tremendous, critically acclaimed debut album. Again, I didn’t know if their sophomore effort would be as compelling. Wrong again. Not only did they deliver, but they seemed a bit more cheerful this time around. Lead vocals were shared and they maintained everything that made them one of my favorites with Lost Souls. Doves are pros at pulling it off on stage as well, which always gives me more respect for a band.

Neil Finn - One All: Neil Finn is one of the greatest songwriters of my lifetime, if not one of the best of all time. While he may be more familiar as part of Crowded House or Split Enz, his music is undeniable. Delicious harmonies and guitar playing add to the overall warmth of this album. Employing the genius of Tchad Blake as co-producer and the likes of Lisa Germano, Sheryl Crow, Sharon Finn, Wendy Melvoin and Jim Keltner (among others) make this heartfelt album that much better. If I had to explain this album in one word, it would be ‘human.’ It could very well be the finest moment of his solo career.

Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights: This wasnít an album of which I was initially a huge fan. It took me a few listens before I discovered its greatness. Its magnitude was reinforced once I experienced the live show. The album is not one I use as a sonic backdrop. I like to focus on it. The songs are masterful and even a little artsy, but it’s all done so tastefully and free of pretense that it just works.

Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf: Simply put, this is one of the best rock records I have heard. Ever. The chemistry on this album is so intense that I get chills every single time I hear it, and I’ve listened to it hundreds of times. The addition of Dave Grohl’s drumming genius just makes it all that much better, but make no mistake – QOTSA are Josh and Nick. The crust around that core may change with each album, but I think it’s safe to assume that it’s going to rock no matter what. This album is best listened to at maximum decibel levels.

Josh Rouse - Under Cold Blue Stars: I don’t remember how I first heard of Josh, but when I listened to his album I was elated. It was a dreamy mix of unique vocals, simplicity and some of the loveliest songs I had heard all year. I could count on this album to lift me when I was down and inspire me to write when my tank felt empty. I could certainly count on someone thanking me for introducing them to this album – it just feels like home. I can’t say that about many, but it’s such a cozy bunch of songs.

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Behind The Music: I debated whether or not to put this album at the top of the heap. It was up there a few times, but when the dust settled there were titles that I had spent more time with. Others were just better albums, plain and simple. This will be one of those that I play quite often in the future. Every song is timeless. Yeah, I know that’s just so cliché, but listen to it and try to tell me otherwise. I could recommend this album to almost anyone I know. It’s accessible without being too calculated and it’s just damn good rock ’n’ roll.

Superdrag - Last Call For Vitriol: If I chose a few bands that I could count on for great records nearly every single time they made one, Superdrag would be near the top of the list. I still cannot figure out for the life of me why more people don’t know who this band is and why they aren’t as popular as they should be. This album is just good rock ’n’ roll. It’s so catchy, you’ll be singing along within a few listens and it sounds great at ear drum-piercing volume. I’m still convinced that Superdrag are rock saviors and this album just reaffirms it. Pop sensibility intact, this band will not give up (until they die of lung cancer or sorosis of the liver).

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot: Color me a fan of Jeff Tweedy (Uncle Tupelo and Wilco included). While this album may not be for everyone, if you strip away the sometimes overdone atmospherics, you are left with some of Tweedy’s finest. Don’t get me wrong, I think the creative and stark production is fine, for the most part. The album stands as a whole. Take one of the songs away and you’d be left with something incomplete. It sounds and even feels epic at times. One thing you can count on is Tweedy’s uncompromising vision and knack for writing some great songs. Admittedly, it took me quite a few listens to really enjoy this album, but the moment the enjoyment began, it never stopped.

Some Other Essential Albums From 2002

The Actual Tigers - Gravelled And Green Ryan Adams - Demolition Tori Amos - Scarlet’s Walk Beck - Sea Change Brenden Benson - Lapalco Bright Eyes - Lifted Candidate - Tiger Flies The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us Clinic - Walking With Thee The Cooper Temple Clause - See This Through And Leave The Coral - The Coral Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel DJ Shadow - The Private Press The Donnas - Spend The Night The Electric Soft Parade - Holes In The Wall The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Foo Fighters - One By One Frou Frou - Details Missy Eliott - Under Construction Haven - Between The Senses Hot Snakes - Suicide Invoice Idlewild - The Remote Part Ben Kweller - Sha Sha Low - Trust Aimee Mann - Lost In Space Mastodon - Remission Tom McRae - Tom McRae Mellowdrone - A Demonstration Of Intellectual Property Tift Merrit - Bramble Rose Rhett Miller - The Instigator My Vitriol - Finelines Nirvana - Nirvana Oasis - Heathen Chemistry Pulp - We Love Life Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way The Roots - Phrenology Röyksopp - Melody A.M. Sigur Rös - () Sparta - Wiretap Scars Spoon - Kill The Moonlight The Vines - Highly Evolved Paul Westerberg - Stereo/Mono

Top 10 Concerts Attended In 2002

1. Thom Yorke (Bridge School Benefit Performance) @ Shoreline Amphitheater
2. The Soundtrack Of Our Lives @ The Troubadour
3. Coldplay @ The Greek Theater
4. Interpol @ The Troubadour
5. The Hives @ The Roxy Theater
6. And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead @ The El Rey Theater
7. The Foo Fighters @ House Of Blues (Anaheim, CA)
8. Sparta @ The Troubadour
9. Superdrag @ The Troubadour
10. Doves/Elbow @ The Mayan Theater