• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The West Virginia Surf Report!

Jeff Kay's Ridiculous Adventures In Suburbia

  • Home
  • About
  • Best of
  • Books
  • Archives
  • Donate

Your Tuesday Topic Dump, vol. 28

August 31, 2010 By Jeff 89 Comments

It was starting to feel like fall here in the Upper Perogie Belt, but now we’re back to crack-dampening heat again.  It’s incredibly cruel.  There are various Octoberfest (sometimes Oktoberfest) beers on the shelves, the high humidity had disappeared, and the temperatures were dropping to a more civilized level.  And today it’s hot and sticky and gross again.  Stupid Obama…

Clive Bull has been on vacation for two weeks, and I’ve been listening to his fill-in hosts, while I’m at work.  You know, since I pay two British pounds per month to have access to the full-show podcast, I need to get my money’s worth.

And the replacement guys aren’t bad, but there’s something missing.  Clive is laid-back, and his show is quiet and soothing.  But there’s more going on than meets the ear…  He has a talent for asking the callers questions that are slightly askew, and makes them go off on tangents they hadn’t intended.  He also gets his little dry and sarcastic digs in, which I appreciate.

The new guys aren’t as good at doing all that stuff.  Clive, like most seasoned professionals, makes it look easy.  And I wish he’d hurry up and get back to work.  ‘Cause when he takes time off, my ten-hour shifts seem hyper-extended.  And I can’t have that.

I’ve started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer via Netflix streaming.  I needed a new show to get into, and had tried a couple of others without luck.  But Buffy seems to be sticking… so far, anyway.

I watched a season of it, back when it was on regular TV, and liked it.  But I got off-track somehow.  Netflix has all the early seasons available through their cool-ass Watch It Now service, so I’m gonna use Buffy and her vampire-kicking pals to fill-in any stray hours I might have lying around.

I feel better having a show to watch, if I wanna.  I was starting to feel… adrift.  But Buffy will be my anchor.

You know what would be a great cell phone app?  Something that would cause your phone to get really, really hot, like a George Foreman grill, making it possible to cook burgers and hotdogs on it.  In fact, the Foreman people might want to develop it.  What do you think?  Pretty good, huh?

Do you have any ideas for new applications?  Tell us about it, won’t you?  Use the comments link below.

I’m currently blasting a shockingly good Hoodoo Gurus two-disc anthology, called Ampology.  I’m a power pop fiend, and don’t think the Gurus get the respect they deserve.  In fact, I suspect they’re pretty much forgotten at this point.

And that’s a goddamn crime…  The Ampology collection shows how great they were, even after they’d started flying beneath the hipster radar.  Really strong stuff: consistent, fun, and rockin’.  And, of course, out of print.  <sigh>  Most of their regular albums are still easily obtainable, though.

And speaking of music (sorry Buck), there’s something going around Facebook right now, where you’re supposed to list your Top 15 favorite albums of all time, in fifteen minutes or less.

You’re limited to only one album per artist, so you can’t just list fifteen Rolling Stones records, or whatever.  And the fifteen minute part is important.  It’s supposed to be the fifteen albums that jump IMMEDIATELY to your mind.  This will cut down, I guess, on people getting all pretentious and listing stuff for other peoples’ benefit, etc.

I generally ignore crap like this, but last night I gave it a shot and below is what I scribbled in my notebook.  I undoubtedly forgot some stone-cold classics that I’ll probably remember while driving to work today.  But these are the fifteen that immediately popped into my tiny Duke head.

The Replacements “Pleased to Meet Me”
Nick Lowe “Basher”
Boomtown Rats “A Tonic For The Troops”
Buzzcocks “Singles Going Steady”
Eels “Daisies of the Galaxy”
Elvis Costello “Armed Forces”
Beatles “Rubber Soul”
The Jam “Greatest Hits”
The Clash “London Calling”
The Kinks “Kink Kronikles”
Donald Fagen “The Nightfly”
Beautiful South “Carry On Up the Charts”
Dinosaur Jr. “Green Mind”
Graham Parker “Passion Is No Ordinary Word”
XTC “English Settlement”

Yeah, that’s far from accurate, but I do fully and completely love all those albums.  There are big problems with it, though.  There’s no Dylan or Randy Newman or Neil Young, or a bunch of other greats who should probably appear.  But I stuck to the fifteen minute thing…

If you’d like to post your fifteen off-the-top-o’-yer-head albums in the comments, please feel free.  Or make it five albums in five minutes… Whatever’s cool with me.

Also, don’t forget the phone app Question.

I need to get ready for work now, eat a Mandy Patinkin frozen meal, and get my big riffled ass out of here.  But before I call it a day, I’d like to alert you to a brand new blog authored by our old friend lakrfool.  Check it out, here.

He plans to update the site once a week, so please bookmark it, or add it to your feed reader, whatever.  lakrfool is a great guy, and funny as hell.  You won’t be disappointed.

And that’s that.  Have a great day, my friends.

I’ll be back tomorrow.

Now playing in the bunker
Please contribute to Yurtathon 2010!

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on Pinterest

Filed Under: Daily

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brittney says

    August 31, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    Pink Floyd – The Wall
    Incubus – Morning View
    Foo Fighters – The Color and The Shape
    Sarah McLachlan – Surrender
    Dave Matthews Band – Crash
    Keller Williams – Laugh
    Primus – Pork Soda
    Frog Brigade (Les Claypool) – Purple Onion
    Queen-A Night at The Opera
    Dethklok – Dethalbum
    Phish – Junta
    Wallflowers – Bringing Down the Horse
    Alanis Morrisette – Jagged Little Pill
    Tenacious D – Tenacious D
    Beatles – Abbey Road

    The list goes on and on.

    Reply
  2. Brittney says

    August 31, 2010 at 6:52 pm

    Oh, and Monkees – More of the Monkees.

    Reply
  3. Brittney says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    Valentin-I’ve been watching Supernatural since the day it started…I got my boyfriend hooked on it too. Love that show!

    Reply
  4. RUSTY IN JOISEY says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    Gotta ask: what is a Mandy Patinkin frozen meal?

    Reply
  5. clintcurtis says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    I got absolutely nuthin’ on the favorite albums question. Back in the 80s, pretty much anything by Jimmy Buffett got me excited, but lately, the only album that I have that is total quality throughout is the soundtrack from the movie “Once.” Oh, and if anyone from Parkersburg was around in the 80s, I have a demo tape that “Slick Six” cut. I’m hoping to get a friend of mine at the local radio station to get it onto a CD for me, so I can transfer it onto my iPod.

    …And since I have nothing to contribute musically, but Jeff DID mention Mandy Patinkin…here is my brush with fame. I live in Nome, Alaska, which is the remotest avante garde place in the world. Mandy’s son actually ran the homeless shelter in Nome about a year ago. Mandy and his wife came up to visit while their son was here. I went over to the rec center to play tennis with some of my younger, hipster friends. I guy at the rec center check in desk said, “Hey, Mandy Patinkin is here, over in the workout room!” I was totally beside myself being in the same building with someone so cool…yet one of my more hipster, elitist, know-it-all friends asked, “Mandy Patinkin, who’s she?” Grrrrrrr! I summoned up all my willpower to keep from killing the girl who said that.

    Reply
  6. lakrfool says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    Killing hipsters is not a crime.

    Reply
  7. lakrfool says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:37 pm

    I would love to roll through Austin all Death Race 2000 style, with the bloody undercarriage of my car littered with Buddy Holly frames, Chuck Taylors, fixie bike parts, PBR cans & ironic t-shirts.

    Reply
  8. Chuck in Belpre says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    Captain Beefheart – Clear Spot
    Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland
    The Who – Live at Leeds
    Jeff Beck Group – Truth
    Cheap Trick – Live at Budokan
    Grover Washington – Soul Box
    Keith Jarrett – Koln Concert
    Return to Forever – Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
    Mahavishnu Orchestra – Inner Mounting Flame
    Joe Bonamassa – Royal Albert Hall

    Reply
  9. Chuck in Belpre says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:43 pm

    lakrfool,
    your site is down.

    Rusty,
    That is a play on Marie Callender TV dinners. It’s a random woman’s name each time. Running gag.

    Reply
  10. Chuck in Belpre says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    clintcurtis,
    I am from Parkersburg and have no idea who or what Slick Six is. But, then again, I spent most of the 80’s in a Johnny Walker coma.

    Reply
  11. lakrfool says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:53 pm

    ChuckiB- I just checked the site, no issues here. try this link:

    http://lakrfool.blogspot.com/2010/08/appeal-to-world-of-fashion.html

    Reply
  12. Chuck in Belpre says

    August 31, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    k…sorry…i clicked on your name in your post.

    Reply
  13. icecycle66 says

    August 31, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    Brittney, if you haven’t checked out Dethalbum II you must. It is through the MordHouse roof.

    Reply
  14. Ed says

    August 31, 2010 at 8:31 pm

    Frank Zappa – The Grand Wazoo
    Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
    Orbital – Snivilization
    Bob Dylan – Bringin It All Back Home
    Led Zeppelin – Presence
    Robyn Hitchcock – Element of Light
    Moby – Play
    REM – Automatic For The People
    Police – Regatta de Blanc

    etc!

    Reply
  15. Brittney says

    August 31, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    Oh…You better believe I have Dethalbum 2. Black Fire Upon Us gives me chills. If Nathan Explosion was a real person I’d be in love with him.

    Reply
  16. Alice in WV says

    August 31, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    RUSTY IN JOISEY, Jeff has a long-running joke with the “Marie Callender” name, frozen meals, frozen pies, etc. They pop up here and there. I wonder if he even knows the real name anymore.

    Reply
  17. RUSTY IN JOISEY says

    August 31, 2010 at 9:39 pm

    Okay, thanks. I mean, you know, Mandy’s actually a dude, but you know what, I’m letting it go, just letting it go.

    Reply
  18. icecycle66 says

    August 31, 2010 at 9:54 pm

    Speaking of The New Pedestrian, now The Extra Pedestrian. Unless you know either him or me then the only place you can here it is at.

    http://www.archive.org/details/Extrapedestrian-ExitStageWest

    Reply
  19. Uncle_Wedgie says

    August 31, 2010 at 10:10 pm

    I had three minutes left…

    Derek and The Dominoes – Layala and assorted Love Songs
    Ween – One of them but I can not decide which
    Genesis – Trick of the Tail
    Joe Satriani – Surfing With The Alien
    Sound Garden – Down On The Up side

    Now, which five to substitute out…

    Reply
  20. Alice in WV says

    August 31, 2010 at 10:17 pm

    Mandy Patinkin is a dude and Jeff uses just about any combo of M. C. words. If you’re curious and have a little bit of time on your hands, search the archives for “frozen meal.”

    I’m turning in for a few zzzzzs everybody. I’m headed for IN and KY for a a few days. Be cool, surf reporters.

    Reply
  21. Uncle_Wedgie says

    August 31, 2010 at 10:21 pm

    @Icecycle66 – Extrapedestrian is outstanding. You have proved worthy for MBO

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAXWl_fDRjw

    Free download at their site

    Reply
  22. ADubb says

    August 31, 2010 at 10:29 pm

    I was happy to see, in no particular order, Portishead, Massive Attack, Dethklok and the RZA. You guys are all definitely the shit! I can’t do fifteen but I’m gonna give 5 a shot. Fair warning, I guarantee I will screw this game up faster than Dan Lebatard!

    Band of Gypsys- Live at the Fillmore East
    Tricky- Maxinquaye
    Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf- Muddy and the Wolf
    the X-Ecutioners- Revolutions
    Sublime- Sublime

    Reply
  23. Gretchen says

    August 31, 2010 at 10:34 pm

    ADubb: Nice PTI reference! 🙂

    Reply
  24. john in mtg says

    August 31, 2010 at 11:23 pm

    Don’t have time for fifteen, but like jeff a few will pop up later and I’ll wonder why they didn’t come to mind.

    1. AC/DC Highway to Hell (rock with men loving women at it’s best)
    2. Judas Priest Prisoners of Pain (great epic songs)
    3. Jimmy Hendrix Smash hits (whats to say, it’s Hendrix)
    4.Iron Maiden Pieces of Mind (the songs are epic stories)
    5.Hank Willams Jr. Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (no redneck is worth the salt in his sweat with out it on the short list)

    So many other great albums that you can listen all the way through. Thats the key, the rest are a couple of songs with filler.

    Reply
  25. mountie9wv says

    September 1, 2010 at 12:17 am

    1. Led Zeppelin – IV, Zoso, Runes. The one with the funny symbols on the cover.
    2. The Avett Brothers – Mignonette
    3. Bob Marley & the Wailers – Exodus
    4. Jimmy Buffett – You Had to Be There
    5. Metallica – Kill ‘Em All
    6. Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon
    7. Muddy Waters – The Best of Muddy Waters (Yeah, I count “Best of” CD’s…kiss my ass)
    8. Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against the Machine
    9. Tom Petty – Wildflowers (It ain’t “Damn the Torpedoes” but its good from top to bottom)
    10. Hank Williams III – Lovesick, Broke and Driftin’
    11. Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited
    12. Willie Nelson – Revolutions of Time
    13. Nirvana – Unplugged in New York
    14. Pearl Jam – Live on Two Legs
    15. James Brown – Live at the Apollo

    Sam in Akron, love the Gillian.

    Reply
  26. ADubb says

    September 1, 2010 at 12:47 am

    Thanks Gretchen! I try:-)

    Reply
  27. Craigbob says

    September 1, 2010 at 1:05 am

    In no particular order…

    90125 – Yes
    Long After Dark – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
    Standing Hampton – Sammy Hagar
    A View from 3rd Street – Jude Cole
    Back in Black – AC/DC
    Songs in the Attic – Billy Joel
    Boston – Boston
    Tunnel of Love – Bruce Springsteen
    Learn to Live – Darius Rucker
    Crash – Dave Matthews Band
    Genesis – Genesis
    Escape – Journey
    Hi Infidelity – REO Speedwagon
    The Dream of the Blue Turtles – Sting
    Everything You Want – Vertical Horizon

    Judging by the other responses, I sense my musical taste is not nearly eclectic enough for this crew. But, hey, Jeff called for our personal favorites.

    Reply
  28. johnthebasket says

    September 1, 2010 at 5:47 am

    In 50 years of listening to music pretty seriously, I have found way more bad music than good. But there are consideralbe more than 15 diamonds in the mine. I guess I’ll try this roughly chronologically…

    Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
    Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow
    Howlin’ Wolf – Greatest Hits
    The Fugs – It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest
    The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?
    The Beatles – Abbey Road
    Steely Dan – Can’t Buy a Thrill
    Tom Waits – Small Change
    Blondie – Parallel Lines
    Romeo Void – Warm in Your Coat
    Leonard Cohen – More Best of Leonard Cohen
    Hot Club of Cowtown – Continental Stomp
    They Might Be Giants – Dial-A-Song
    Reverend Horton Heat – Revival
    Kathy Valentine – Light Years
    Butch Walker – Sycamore Meadows

    Fifteen minutes are up. I know I left out some favorites. Shit, no Dire Straits. Time is up…

    jtb

    Reply
  29. bikerchick says

    September 1, 2010 at 7:56 am

    Geez! I feel like such a sap. I have never heard of half of these CD’s/albumns. Some of the more mainstream one’s I have actually owned and the lists tugged at my memory bank.

    Springsteen – Tunnel of Love. One of my fave’s. I saw the concert tour at the Civic Arena. Fantastic.

    Van Halen, ZZ Top, Billy Idol, Cheap Trick, Def Leppard, Garth Brooks, George Stait, Toby Keith, Gary Allen, Allison Krause, Bee Gee’s, Elvis, Scorpions, Guns and Roses,… In no particular order off the top of my head. Sorry can’t name the exact album(s).

    I am an 80’s rock and country girl. Can you tell?

    Reply
  30. T. Farty McAppleass says

    September 1, 2010 at 8:55 am

    Bikerchick,

    Don’t feel bad. I’ve never heard of about 90 percent of these bands. In fact, I think some of them are made up. Here’s some of my favorite fictional bands:

    The Yellow Squashes – Go to Potty
    Chrome Buzzards – Death to Democracy
    Hot Garbage – I Lick You
    Assrabbits- Speedhumps
    Fuckramps – Billie

    Reply
  31. Gretchen says

    September 1, 2010 at 9:25 am

    Craigbob: I bought “The Dream of the Blue Turtles” when it came out (way back when I was in high school) and I still like it today.

    I thought I’d expand my list of five to the suggested fifteen at the risk of confusing/annoying more people. So, ten more in ten:

    6. soundtrack to the Japanese anime film “Akira”
    7. Pram – “The Museum of Imaginary Animals”
    8. Stereolab – “Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements”
    9. The Crystal Method – “Vegas”
    10. U2 – “The Unforgettable Fire”
    11. The Smiths – “Rank”
    12. New Order – “Substance”
    13. Joy Division – “Still”
    14. The Fall – any of their 80s albums, I can’t decide!
    15. Brian Eno – Apollo

    Reply
  32. Limey says

    September 1, 2010 at 10:19 am

    concluding:

    OK Computer – Radiohead
    Parklife – Blur
    Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
    Exile On Main St – Rolling Stones
    Revolver – Beatles
    69 Love Songs – Magnetic Fields
    If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle & Sebastian
    Joshua Tree – U2
    Pills Thrills N Bellyaches – Happy Mondays
    Master of Puppets – Metallica
    Best Of – Leonard Cohen (kinda cheating there)
    Chill Out – The KLF
    Trinity Sessions – Cowboy Junkies
    Funeral – Arcade Fire

    Reply
  33. Limey says

    September 1, 2010 at 10:20 am

    These are Desert Island Discs, aren’t they?

    Good to see Eno’s Apollo there

    Reply
  34. Lee Harvey Ramone says

    September 1, 2010 at 11:43 am

    Lotta good records listed up there. I think that Exile on Main St and Blood on the Tracks may have the most mentions at this point. If I were to make a quick list (<5 min):

    Stones: Beggar's Banquet
    Stereolab: Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements
    Ramones: Rocket to Russia
    Dylan: Bringing it all back home
    Cap'n Beefheart: (can't decide which one)
    Tom Waits: (can't decide)
    Dead Boys: Young Loud and Snotty
    Beatles: Abbey Rd
    Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick
    Nirvana: Nevermind
    Yes: Tales of Topographic Oceans
    Bowie: Hunky Dory
    Eno: Taking Tiger Mtn
    TMBG: Flood
    Guided By Voices: Bee Thousand

    I'm sure this list would turn out completely different if I try it again tomorrow.

    Reply
  35. Lee Harvey Ramone says

    September 1, 2010 at 11:45 am

    I’m just sorry that a Dead Kennedy’s (i.e., Plastic Surgery Disaster) or Meat Puppets (II) album didn’t make my list….

    Reply
  36. t-storm says

    September 1, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    Ok, 15 albums? Start time 18:56 CDT.
    With favorite song in ()

    Michael Jackson – Thriller (Beat it)
    Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer (America)
    Nirvana – Nevermind (Drain You)
    Slobberbone – Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong (Placemat Blues)
    Pavement – Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (Gold Soundz)
    Silver Jews – Starlite Walker (Living Waters)
    Bill Cosby – Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow…Right! (Toss of the coin)
    Drive By Truckers – Pizza Deliverence (9 Bullets)
    Modest Mouse – The Lonesome Crowded West (Polar Opposites)
    Faith No More – The Real Thing (Epic)
    Two Cow Garage – The Wall Against Our Back (Alphabet City)
    Soul Coughing – Ruby Vroom (True Dreams of Wichita)
    Phish – Rift (My Friend, My Friend)
    Clutch – Clutch (Big News II)
    Weezer – Pinkerton (El Scorcho)

    Reply
  37. t-storm says

    September 1, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    And as everybody has said, there could be so many more.

    Reply
  38. Debra says

    September 3, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    Why thank you Icecycle66 ! I am flattered you like my list. I listen to a lot of different stuff. I get bored easily.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Now With Podcast!

Support Jeff And His Projects

Latest Tweets

  • Fresh podcast action, available everywhere! From Milton to Madagascar. pic.twitter.com/V6M1cmQcSA

    November 3, 2022 5:46 am

  • Something new I'm trying: nonewjeffs.substack.com/p/im-n…

    December 2, 2021 4:11 pm

  • Only 182 days until Opening Day.

    September 30, 2021 2:37 pm

  • Check out this great story about a 16 year old Tom Bergeron talking to Moe and Larry on the phone during the early… twitter.com/i/web/status/14387…

    September 17, 2021 5:02 am

  • Dogs! surfreportpod.com/2021/09/16/e…

    September 16, 2021 4:07 pm

Facebook!

Footer

Get Social!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search The Surf Report

Copyright © 2023 · Smoking Fish Media