The Contrarian

Happy Grand Theft Auto IV Day!

I finally broke down and purchased a Playstation 3, just so I could run over hookers and crackheads in Grand Theft Auto IV. GTA is the only video game I actually play, and I knew there wouldn't be a PS2 version, so here we are.

Blu-Ray's victory in the hi-definition DVD war was also a factor in my decision. Since the PS3 uses that format, I thought it would be a cost-effective way to dive into the hi-def video pool. Dudes, this game is gonna look so fucking hot on my 42" flat panel TV.

OK. Take a deep breath and try not to be so materialistic. . .

The only bummer is that I ordered the game and console from Amazon, 'cause I hate going into big boxes. (I also don't want to get stabbed over a copy.)

Amazon shipped the game (and HDMI cable) this morning, but have yet to get the PS3 out the door. It's supposed to arrive on May 5, which means I won't even have it by the weekend. Now I'm wondering if I should just scrap that part of the order and rush over to Best Buy.

In other news, I had to do a one-day turnaround on some Congressional testimony. I'd have panicked, if it wasn't a semi-regular occurrence. I'm not complaining; I like to work under pressure. Plus it's about the importance of net neutrality to the independent music community — a subject I'm pretty familiar with.

Here's something I forgot to tell you: Jebson's post on Aleister Crowley's Temple of Thelema in Cefalu, Sicily was entry number 666 ! I know, I can't believe it, either. We're magickal up in this mofo.

Here's some links about GTA IV, and a video featuring music by the almighty Mastodon:

New York Times poops its editorial pants over the game's witty repartee and ultraviolence.

Slate praises its "narrative richness."

This guy just thinks it's naughty.

But the game is already selling like hotcakes. Hotcakes that have been run over by a crazed Eastern European thug in a supercharged v8!

What's Anthony Michael Hall's Finest Acting Performance?

With an illustrious career including such roles as "that geeky 80s kid" and Bill Gates, one might have a hard time narrowing down Anthony's greatest thespian achievement. For my money it's his turn as cheese-metal producer Mutt Lange in The Def Leppard Story, a made-for-TV *movie* currently shown at least twice a week on VH1 Classic.

Don't believe me? Feast your eyes on this:

What range. Such control. And soooooo dreamy. By the way, whatever happened to Noah Wyle, who played Steve Jobs to Anthony's Bill Gates in Pirates of Silicon Valley? Maybe he's working in an Apple store.

With Supporters Like These, Who Needs Super-Delegates?

Add Twisted Sister guitarist Jay French to the list of musical Obama supporters. French re-recorded his band's classic "I Wanna Rock" as, you guessed it, "I Want Barack." And now the video is on YouTube.

It's not an official Twisted Sister product (band members reportedly differ on candidate endorsements), but it should go some way towards influencing the all-important spandex-and-hairspray demographic.

You may recall that I refused to post will.i.am's pro-'Bama ditty, on account of my severe distaste for his "music." TS, on the other hand, get a pass:

Little Kid is Posessed by MySpace.

This young man could give Linda Blair a run for her money. Watch it all. But if you work in a cubicle, you might want to slip on some headphones and turn the volume down, lest your co-workers think you're rasslin' a rabid ferret.

Ridiculous Video Day.

A few dumb things to watch:

Snoop Dogg smokes the '70s (caution: severe AutoTune abuse ahead):

"I've seen a lot of spinals in my day, Dude, and this guy fucking walks!"

The Foo Fighters are the world's most consistently average band. But their videos are soooo cute:

Chortle, Snort, Snicker, Guffaw. . .

Two funny things, if that's what you're into:

Should You Watch the Grammys? [NY Mag]

Sarah Silverman is f*cking Matt Damon:

Can't Stop With the Dumb Clips.

Today, I stumbled across a post at Washington City Paper's blog, Black Plastic Bag, featuring a long-lost commercial from 1986. Here's WCP scribe Michael J.West has to say about it:

The commercial I’ve posted below. . . was a commercial for Nestle’s chocolate, but it was far more like, say, an Enya video: mesmerizing, full of strange, surreal images and hypnotic, atmospheric music. As far as the imagery goes, I remember the idea of it more than specifics - but the jingle has actually sort of haunted me ever since I first heard it at age 7.

He also expressed surprise at the fact that the ad had something of a cult following:

So today when I looked it up on YouTube, I discovered to my astonishment that the page was loaded with comments by people who remembered the music, note-perfect. (”This must be some kinda friggin subliminal mind trap!” says one commenter.) So it’s not me in this case: it’s the ad. Even Faith No More was entranced by it: they apparently used to perform the jingle in concert.

Great. Now it's gonna be stuck in my head for another decade. Have a look (and listen) and tell me if you can't picture Angel Dust-era FNM covering this creepy-ass jingle.

More Stupid Videos.

Featuring everybody's favorite musclebound gothic goober, Danzig!

Danzig sings his shopping list:

Danzig duets with Shakira:

Danzig explains his songwriting process and why he prefers Les Paul guitars. While shirtless in his kitchen:

Dnazig gets punched the fuck out:

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Presidential candidates "cover" David Bowie. [ via Wired.]

Oswalt On Keenan.

MySpace is officially dumb. Still, that's where this clip of Patton Oswalt interviewing Maynard James Keenan comes from. In it, the ever-reclusive Tool frontman talks about his new (old) project, Puscifer, and says Oswalt is "busier than me, Mike Patton and Josh Homme put together." I guess that's busy.

It's not as good as Onion AV Club's rap with MJK, but hey, Patton Oswalt!