The main reason I first audio binge-read Neil Gaiman’s’ novels, as opposed to starting with Pratchett, Lovecraft, or Dick, was that Gaiman narrated most of his books and those narrations were available at the local library. TLDR It was early fall 2017 in East Bay. I needed to exercise. I needed to read. I had […]
reviews
“Game of Thrones” Season 8, Episode 5. ‘The Bells.’
I spent a good share of my time in these locations: The Geek Strikes Back Facebook Page episode comment thread The Geek Strikes Back armchair script writers rant thread Friends Fraley & Jonathan via Twitter This Twitter Thread My private FB thread I’m in the camp who loved the episode. I loved how Dany finally […]
My “7 Books in 7 Days” Challenge.
Curse you, immortal BeeGee, for nominating me in the “7 Book in 7 Days,” challenge. I typically don’t jump in such things unless it: is an incredible cause ain’t tryin’ to rassle’ money. This fits both. The rules to the “7 Books in 7 Days,” challenge as best as I know them so far. BeeGee, […]
Love Man. Otis Redding. June 1969
There is no real “A” single hit on “Love Man.” The ballads aren’t as deep. The anthems aren’t as layered. The covers don’t live up to their originals. But the grooves. Oh, the grooves. The grooves are there. In spades. Listening to “Love Man” is like someone let you sit in a day’s recording session […]
The Dock of the Bay album
“The Dock of the Bay” is the first album released after Otis Redding passed (December 10, 1967). What you will find are a few remaining gems held over the last recording sessions Redding & Cropper snuck in between heavy tour dates. The forthcoming album already had a heavy buzz about it thanks to Redding’s groundbreaking […]
Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul
Quite true, but the last album he records before his death is a duet album, “King & Queen,” with Carla Thomas. The rest are songs cobbled together after his death. Trust me, I wish there was more to write, review, and most importantly, hear. Otis’ life gives testament to the idea that you should do […]
Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Blue does have as many originals as it does Sam Cooke covers (3), a fact that intrigues me. This album was cut 9 months after Sam Cooke passed away, but this was the second album Otis cut since Sam’s passing, the aforementioned “Soul Ballads”, and on it he had only recorded one Sam cover: […]
[Review] “Beatlebone” by Kevin Barry. I was looking for Prose and got a delightful story about John Lennon.
As I last wrote about back in March, I wanted a book with prose. While with Katie at Town Center Books in Pleasanton, CA the week before I had to head back to Indiana for most of the Spring, we asked the college student working the shop for such a prose-y book. He told us […]
[Review] “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed.
Last Sunday, Katie and I were bumming up and down Main St. in Pleasanton when she found a little book shop nestled in an old, iconic house. Town Center Books, I discovered the name when I went to pay. Pretty cool little niche place. Our Barnes & Noble membership didn’t work there and there was […]
”Santa Clarita Diet” Season 1. “I just stuffed a man in a meat freezer.”
Release Date: Stars: Drew Barrymore (seriously, it’s Drew Barrymore), Timothy Olyphant (Justified… Deadwood) Episodes in Season: 10 Avg. Length of Episodes give or take: about 45-50 minutes Genre: Comedy & light gore Language usage: Fuckin’ liberal In case you’re the one person who hasn’t seen the trailer for “Santa Clarita Diet.” I saw the teaser […]