My Ghetto Report Card

E-40, "Yay Area"

E-40, "Tell Me When To Go (feat. Keak da Sneak)"

E-40, "Sick With It II"

E-40, "Yee"

This one is all about E-40 and his new album, My Ghetto Report Card, not a look at my hood status, as you might have thought when you first saw the title. (For those wondering, I get a D-, since I got robbed like a punk bitch, but whatever.) E-40 has picked the perfect moment for this release, as there is a bit of a lull in the rap game, with everyone waiting for the most anticipated albums of the year, Cam's Killa Season and Ghostface's Fishscale. It's also a great time, as the South has blown up and people are looking for the next thing, the next sound to grab onto. The Bay Area's hyphy music fits the bill perfectly, doesn't it? Ironically though, the King of Crunk, Lil Jon, produced the album, curious how that goes over with hardcore Bay Area fans. Oh, and 40 isn't one of the originators of the hyphy movement, so I imagine that there could be some backlash toward his carpetbagging. I don't know, since I am an even bigger carpetbagger from my position in Philly. Whatever.

It's a good album, though probably not a classic or his best. It's a long one, 20 tracks, only three jokey interludes. That's way too long; I appreciate the effort and the value for the buck, but feel like any hip hop album today suffers from quality control when an artist tries to put this much out. I put up some of my favorite tracks above; definitely make sure to cop the first song, the lead single "Tell Me When To Go," which is a monster with those big bass drums. The first half of the album is amazing (which is mainly the work of Bay Area producer Rick Rock), the second half just doesn't have the same heat. Buy it here and decide for yourself.

-If you like these tracks and wanna find out what's jumping off in the Bay Area, there are two essential sites that need to be a part of your daily clicks. Nation of Thizzlam is a new addition to the links list on the right, dropping all sorts of bangers from the likes of E-40, Federation, all the names you've been hearing about and many more you've never heard about. Staxwell and Mr. Pilly Wonk show love for other shit too, like Ghostface and the Dipset Dipset and lots of hate for Pitchfork and Fader.

Then, there's the O.G. legend, Jay-O's Get Stoopid. Bol's been introducing the blog world to this music for a minute now, and I cannot thank him enough for getting the music out. It appears that he is retired, but I'm hoping for a George Foreman-style return, where he comes back and takes back his rightful crown. Yeah!

-For those in the Philly/NJ area, tune in to 103.3 WPRB, Princeton's college radio station, tonight for a Handsome and Krash is King Shit session. These are some Philly electronic bols who are finna blow up if I can do anything about it. More to come on them, get a head start by listening to their show tonight.

-It was a real shitty week, sorry if the quality has slipped here. I've been sitting in my four-corner room, staring at candles, and that don't make for good writing. I'mma try to bring the heat in the next few weeks, as hopefully we'll be talking about how Pound for Pound Got His Groove Back. Holler.

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, "Rise Up With Fists"

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, "The Charging Sky"

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, "Rabbit Fur Coat"

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, "It Wasn't Me"

The first night of my run of shows started with a bang, as Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins put on an amazing show last night in Philadelphia. It was held in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church, as opposed to the basement where most shows are held. This brought an added dimension of grandeur and solemnity, especially when the lights went down and only the stage/altar was lit. Quite impressive, an amazing venue for the right type of show.

For those that don't know, Jenny Lewis is the beautiful lead singer of Rilo Kiley, one of the great bands to come out of the Omaha, Nebraska-based Saddle Creek label. This night, however, was a chance to see her side project with Louisville, Kentucky's Watson Twins; their collaborative album was released a few months ago on Team Love Records. It's a wonderful album, for real, something that has taken me numerous listens to fully appreciate. In fact, the show last night really brought that fact home, as the band sounded great live, with their songs about religion and love and death finding a nice home in the church.

The music is an exploration of one the main influences on Lewis and Rilo Kiley, country and western music. The band features a lap guitar player, two backup vocalists, a drummer, a organist, a bass and guitar. The sound is a mixture of rock, country and gospel, a really twangy sound even on the more rocking tracks. It never came across as parody or ironic; quite the opposite, as I had no doubt that this was a project that meant a lot to Jenny, a chance for her to delve deeper into country music without the expectations of Rilo Kiley.

My only issue was the religious references, as they seemed to come out of nowhere at times, giving a sense of playing a part, writing lyrics that were reminiscent of "country music." It's not that I have some adverse reaction to religious references, but rather that I wish that she would explore the ideas further, instead of just throwing it out there for one or two songs. I guess it also goes against my image of Jenny Lewis as a flatchested, city girl version of Dolly Parton or one of the great female country music artists. Lewis has this been-there, done-that attitude with a more East Coast sense of fashion and coolness, and that's where I see her fitting in. Maybe I'm wrong; I'd love to hear her older fans thoughts on all of this.

The band played for about an hour, playing most of the tracks from the new album. This included an opener where the band came out first and the ladies made a dramatic intro, coming on stage singing. There was also the first encore, "It Wasn't Me," where Jenny sang alone with her acoustic guitar, walking up one aisle of the church to the delight of the amateur photogs in the audience. Can I just add that she is absolutely beautiful and magnetic and a superstar waiting for a bigger audience? Her voice is magnificent, completely spellbinding, able to command an entire room without a mic. I can't say much more, other than go buy the album and catch this show if you can.

Pound for Pound Spring Tour '06

5 shows in 5 nights. The VW bus is packed, the tickets are bought and the excitement is building.

Your bol is going to try to do a stretch of shows, the likes of which hasn't been seen since the Dead played the Spectrum in 1987. Jenny Lewis, Silver Jews, The Go! Team, Animal Collective and The Gossip. Can I make it? Will I get the bends from the lack of bass? Will I collapse under the weight of my hipster cred?

All of these questions will be answered in the 5 days, as this indie experiment unfolds. Check back for reviews and pictures (hopefully) of these shows, and lots more goodness. Pound for Pound is rested and focused, wish me luck.

Gangster Movies - Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangster

This is my original love, one of the greatest periods in film history, the gangster movies of the 1930s. It's an amazing run by the old studios, a cycle when they put out one after the other of movies highlighting gangsters and their downfalls. Many had a ripped-from-the-headlines sensation to them, a la Law and Order today, attempting to bring the stories of the cities to the screen.

I'm not sure why these movies intrigued me at such an early age, probably because my Dad was the one who loved them, who told me about Jimmy Cagney and his walk to the electric chair and his defiance. These were the movies he watched as a kid, staying up late. Why have they touched two generations? Not sure, although it probably has to do with their tough guy images, their bigger-than-life characters who made the city theirs. Or it could simply be that these are some of the best movies ever, well-acted, well-written and intense.

Above is a picture from one of the greatest of the genre, Little Caesar, starring Edward G. Robinson as the title character. It's kinda the prototype for the genre, a plot focused on one gangster and his rise and fall. Robinson is amazing, the little man with the big appetite and big gun whose quest for more leads to his downfall. It's especially great that Robinson plays this paragon of the Italian mafioso, being that he was born Eugene Goldenberg in Romania, but I digress.

The other great film from this era is well-known to anyone who listens to hip hop, although I am sure few have seen the original, Scarface. That's right, the Al Pacino version is not only not the original, it's not even close to the best. The 1936 version starring Paul Muni is the greatest gangster flick ever made, in my opinion. It's got it all, taking all of the elements mentioned above and doing them the best they've been done. It looks and sounds better than any of the movies made from this early period of talkies.

Beyond that, James Cagney is a great starting point, as well, possibly the most famous actor to make a name for himself during this period. He fits the casting perfectly, a little man with enough attitude for ten men. Angels With Dirty Faces and Public Enemy are his two finest, giving the viewer some of the most memorable scenes in film history. I mean, the walk to the electric chair is priceless, when he breaks down before death. Or when he smashes the grapefruit in Jean Harlow's face. Classic shit, iconic Hollywood, the original gangsters that the rest of us are still taking cures from.

-Lots of great resources out there to learn more, as I can't imagine not wanting to know the roots of so much of what inspires this blog. This might be the best resource, aptly titled The Ultimate Gangster/Crime Film Web Site, with tons of great reading and images. Or this one, called Original Gangsters, which is great for those just starting to watch these movies or those who think they know it all. Here is a great history of the gangster film, although I disagree with the ellision of film noir and gangster films. Crime Culture also has a nice summary of the period and on the larger crime movie genre. Here is a look at the Hollywood gangster of the 1930s, focusing on the very ones listed above.

Uploading In My White T

Dem Franchize Boyz, "I Think They Like Me (So So Def remix)"

Dem Franchize Boyz, "Lean Wit It, Rock With It"

Dem Franchize Boyz, "Stop Calling Me"

One good thing about this new two-post focus, it means I get back to my roots. Booty music, filthy hip hop, songs dedicated to women's asses, the good stuff. No where better to get back to work on that than Atlanta, the land where the bass and strip club reign right now. I know that everyone is already hatin' on this shit, Snap Music or whatever you want to call it, but get over yourself. This is fire, the next outpost of the incredible musical journey started in Miami in the 80s.

For real, listen to these songs above, and tell me that those snaps, those crisp drums and those synths squelches don't make the world seem like a better place. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see these guys on the magazine covers, on MTV, bringing Atlanta Bass to the forefront. More than anything, it's about time that Jermaine Dupri gets his due as one of the greatest producers ever. That So So Def remix is fire, the best thing on the album, although all of the above tracks do the job.

We will get into the history of this Atlanta ish in the near future, as I'm still trying to get a hold of more of it and learn all the names of people who were responsible for the genre. If you have recommendations or guidance, holler.

-It looks like A Silent Flute has a mix up of his own doing, so go and download that immediately. Take a look at the entire blog, though, for real, as it still might be my favorite/the best going today. I mean, ET fucking, Spankrock photos, lots of clothing knowledge to help us look good, music. Yeah, nuf said. Congrats to Nate on the Fader piece, I ain't jealous or anything.

-I want everyone to know that I have not been stalking Badminton Stamps, we just think alike. Great minds and all. Let's see, they too thought Making Time was the best ever, they were at the Clipse show at the Knitting Factory as well and they were psyched about Three 6 winning an Oscar. While I check with them to make sure that they aren't going to be talking about film noir this week, head over there, especially for the New Young Pony Club track and for their radio blogs at the top of the page.

-Finally, proof that America is the greatest country on Earth (except for maybe France), as if you need more proof after those songs.

Bob Dylan Pandering

Bob Dylan, Paint The Daytime Black (unlimited downloads)

A few weeks ago, we had a deluge of visitors after I posted up some Bob Dylan tracks and an unreleased retrospective CD of the man's work. Well, I have to admit that I became an addict to those traffic numbers. I mean, we broke 1000 visitors for the day! For someone who bases the quality of a day on the number of visitors and links he gets, it was like heaven. Better than sex or pizza. Like an addict, though, when my fix dried up, I became more and more desperate.

Lucky for you, I am bringing back the pure stuff, people, uncut. Above is a bootleg CD of a Dylan concert from 1978, entitled Paint The Daytime Black. I can't say I know much about the recording, other than what the related page at Bob's Boots tells me. The tracks are credited to The Band in iTunes, but it is clearly Dylan and The Band. This is a lot of music, a huge file, so be warned. Classic Dylan and The Band stuff, with that rocking Rolling Thunder Tour sound and vibe. Enjoy!

John Zorn - The Big Gundown

John Zorn, "The Big Gundown"

John Zorn, "Peur Sur La Ville"

John Zorn, "Battle of Algiers"

John Zorn, "Once Upon A Time In The West"

One of the biggest fans of Ennio Morricone has always been John Zorn, who was championing the man's work decades ago. One of Zorn's finest albums was The Big Gundown, his interpretations of Morricone's music, put together with the finest of the downtown NYC music scene in the early 80s. It's such a natural fit when you think about it, as Zorn has always championed lesser-known geniuses, people who have fallen out of the canon for whatever reasons (Sonny Clark, Hank Mobley, Ornette Coleman, Henry Mancini).

More importantly, Zorn and Morricone share an aesthetic that doesn't care about high or low art, popular or experimental. They are willing to put any parts together, try any instrumentation. You can hear it in both men's use of the electric guitar, rock music's great instrument, and in their willingness to use concrete sounds and noises that add an element of confusion. These similarities are made all the more effective on the album, because Zorn's respect for Morricone never falls into mimicry. Instead, Zorn creates his own music out of the work of Morricone. As the liner notes read, "Zorn never merely embellishes or fleshes out the originals; instead, he engages them in a careening, whiz-bang conversation whose tone is sometimes sportive and mischievous, at other times inquisitive and skeptical, but which always resists condescension and mockery." That's the ultimate tribute, isn't it?

I was told yesterday by MC that I call everything an "amazing document," so I am going to try to avoid using that phrase. Nonetheless, this CD is a must for everyone to listen to, although I have a huge bias for Zorn. This is the album that put Zorn on the map, his first release on a label and a great introduction to Zorn's compositions and recordings of the 80s. I know that he is considered weird and pretentious by most, but I've always thought those characterizations lose weight when you listen to the actual music. Buy the 15th Anniversary remastered edition of The Big Gundown, which comes with 6 bonus tracks from the original recording sessions. The songs above come from the original Nonesuch release, 'cause that's how I roll. O.G.

-If this music catches your ear, you must check out the catalogue for Zorn's very own label, Tzadik. It has something for everyone willing to gamble, from newest stuff out of Japan's noise scene to modern classical works to Zorn's own music. I highly recommend Radical Jewish Culture, Zorn's archival series, film music and the New Japan series.

-Read Zorn's liner notes to Crime and Dissonance, the Morricone compilation on Ipecac Records we discussed yesterday.

-If you wish to find out more about Zorn and the music he's created, or to get recommendations on the best in experimental music, you must join the Zorn listserve. It is a source that provided me with a guide to all sorts of music that I never had any experience with, a nice, painless way to take a leap into the unknown.

A Farewell to John Chaney

Yesterday was a real sad day at Pound for Pound, as a Philadelphia and basketball legend called it a career. Temple University coach John Chaney retired after 33 years as a head coach here and at Cheney University. He is a legend of Philadelphia, and rightfully so, one of the greatest coaches ever in the greatest basketball city on Earth. It really is shocking to think that he will no longer be on the sidelines at a Temple game, no longer be the face of Temple basketball, no longer yelling at players in the Palestra. I mean, he has been a fixture in Philly for my entire life, and one kinda had the feeling that he would be here forever.

Over the past couple of years, Cheney has garnered more attention for his behavior than his teams. That is a shame, as a few stupid actions and comments should not take away what the man accomplished. He made Temple a national powerhouse from North fucking Broad Street, he took them to numerous Elite 8s and tournament runs despite the lack of money and fame that bigger schools enjoy, and he developed some of the best players in the country (Eddie Jones, Mark Macon, Aaron McKie).

More than anything, I'll remember him for being himself when no one really is. While everyone loves Coach K and Roy Williams, I loved Cheney for being that old, cranky guy who has no filter. I love that he threatened to kick the shit out of UMASS coach John Calipari after a game. I especially loved the shots he constantly took at the Philly sports fans, who seem to think they are above criticism because there hasn't been a championship here in 25 years. He called these overrated fans out for their booing, their cynicism, their boorishness at every chance, the only person with the balls to tell it like it is. I'm not even getting into his stands against Prop. 48, his willingness to stick his neck out for his players and what he believed.

Cheney's teams have always been the most successful of the Big 5 schools, although they never won the big one. I've always considered them the team to root for if you are a Philadelphian, the one team that reps the city, recruits its students, resides in the heart of North Philly and has brought us a succession of Philly guards to shine on the national stage. It's sad to have him gone, another era slipping away, I guess.

-Rich Hoffman has the best piece in the aftermath of Cheney's retirement, which is not surprising. It's kinda pathetic seeing these Philly writers laud the man, after years of belittling him and taking shots. I won't link to the rest of them, as there's little value in ever reading Stephen A. Smith or Sam Donnellon.

-Congrats to my alma mater, as the University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team won another Ivy League title and another trip to the NCAA tournament. For those counting, that's 5 in the last 6 years. They play #2 seed Texas Friday night. I smell an upset, or an ass-kicking, hard to tell, really.

-Hit up Yoni Cohen's College Basketball site for all your tourney needs, as it is the best resource bar none.

-On a sad note, R.I.P. Peter Tomarken, better known as the guy who hosted the best gameshow ever, Press Your Luck. It appears the whammies get everyone in the end.

Ennio Morricone - Crime and Dissonance

Ennio Morricone, "Corsa Sui Tetti (from The Bird With the Crystal Plumage)"

Ennio Morricone, "Forza G (Quella Donna) (from Forza G)"

Ennio Morricone, "Astrazione Con Ritmo (from Il Serpente)"

Ennio Morricone, "Ric Happening (from Metti Una Sera A Cena)"

As I mentioned in the last post, Ennio Morricone was possibly the most prolific composer for films ever. Having scored more than 500 films, he has quite a catalog and lots of compilations dedicated to his music. Unfortunately, many of them cover the same ground, highlighting his early work on the spaghetti westerns or his later work on famous films by Coppola, Scorcese and Tarantino.

This CD, Crime and Dissonance, attempts to remedy that by highlighting some of the experimental pieces that Morricone produced during his career, especially on lesser-known Italian films of the 1970s. It's an impressive project, lovingly put together by Mike Patton and his label, Ipecac Records. John Zorn, one of my all-time favorites and our next music upload, does the liner notes (they are very brief, which was disappointing). Alan Bishop of Sun City Girls fame compiled the music. The booklet features beautiful stills from the various represented on the two discs.

As you can tell, this is the work of some of the biggest names in the avant garde, conjuring up images of noise and weirdness. It never gets that far out, although it is clear that Morricone was willing to try any instrument or sound to achieve the right music for a particular scene. The music, again, holds up incredibly well outside of the context of the movies, elevating Morricone to the status of composer, not just a film composer. I prefer the more famous works done for the westerns, posted up yesterday, but would recommend this CD for anyone interested in getting a broader perspective on Morricone or fans of experimental music.

-The films represented on these CDs are just the type that the International House's film series would show in Philadelphia. Sam Adams has an article in this week's Philadelphia City Paper on the change at the top there and the struggle to have a film repertory series in Philly. It was an eye-opener, as I really didn't know much about this program and have always complained at the lack of film options in this city. Now that we know, we're going to show lots of love.

Grindin'

It was a rare, hangover-free Sunday, and your bol is really grindin' right now. So, I figured why not make another post, and try to start making one random one and one theme-oriented one per day. Will I live up to this schedule? No. But, hopefully I can come close, which will allow me to put up more music from the present and past.

Big news hopefully for Pound for Pound this week, definitely lots to come in the near future. Start linking to me now, get in on the ground floor, as this shit is gonna get real serious.

-While I am hangover-free, that does mean that I didn't go out. I made it to Making Time Friday night and the Pop-off Shack Saturday night. Making Time was excellent, although my attempts to take advantage of the PBR and Sparks open bar from 9-11 put my stomach on edge. Hot Chip played a half-hour or so set around midnight, and absolutely killed it. It was everything that I had hoped for (and not received) with the Juan MacLean show from a few weeks ago: a combination of hypnotic dance pulse and the spiky rhythms of post-punk.

After that, Dave P, Dave Pak and Mike Z kept people on the dancefloor, putting on one of the best DJ sets I have heard in a minute. What I liked most about it was its ability to put together the best of the newest dance-punk-y, house stuff with classic new wave jawns. Two specific moments stick out: first, hearing The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" on the wonderful system with a packed dancefloor nearly brought tears to my eyes. That was nearly topped a few minutes later with a Clap Your Hands Say Yeah song that sounded so great as a dance song, so perfect.

The Pop-off Shack seems to be gathering steam, as the upstairs was crowded and people were dancing like they were trying out for a G-Unit video. Is there any better way to spend a night listening to Prince, Baltimore club and ODB? The answer is no. Each and every week people, no excuses.

-I've been slacking on the busty thoughts for your weekend, so I'm going to help you start the week out on the right note. Check out the newest issue of Esquire magazine for an article on one of the world's most beautiful women, Rosario Dawson. There is also a shrine for Rosario, if you are in that religious stuff. If so, this site should be your bible.

-Oh, for those who doubt that we're ahead of the curve with everything, that was William Burroughs' voice at the beginning and end of The Sopranos premiere, as clearly they were checking out the most gangster blog to find out what would sound right on their gangster show.

Spaghetti Westerns

Ennio Morricone, "The Big Gundown"

Ennio Morricone, "The Ecstasy of Gold"

Ennio Morricone, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (main title)"

Ennio Morricone, "The Theme from A Fistful of Dollars"

Ennio Morricone, "Man With a Harmonica"

During the 1960s and 1970s (1960-1975), a wave of films came out of Europe and did the Western again, but with a darkness and minimalism that the old John Wayne films would never have had the balls to do. They were ambigous movies, filled with violence and death, free of moralizing (that might be the defining aspect of all art that I love?). Because many of them were Italian productions, they became known as spaghetti westerns.

You can't talk about the spaghetti western without mentioning the triumverate that created the greatest of them all: director Sergio Leone, actor Clint Eastwood and composer Ennio Morricone. The three worked together as a unit, creating some of the greatest movies I've seen, becoming synonymous with the genre. Three of them, The Man With No Name trilogy, created this amazing world of sundrenched deserts, minimal aesthetics and steely killers. For A Few Dollars More, A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly should be required viewing for anyone who loves the gangster movies of the 30s, those paeons to the anti-hero and violence and money. Or if you like, these are the film noirs of the desert, leaving the city behind and still finding the same moral dilemmas and shadiness in the West's open spaces.

Ennio Morricone played a crucial role in all of this, creating some of the greatest music ever. These songs come off the essential Morricone compilation, A Fistful of Film Music, which covers his entire career scoring for movies. I have chosen some of my favorites, which should give a good sense of the different instruments, the eerie strings, the beautiful sounds that Morricone seemed to put together in his sleep. Go here to buy the 2-disc set used, for a lot of money. We will take a look at his music over the next few days, and I really hope people take a listen to all of it.

-The best resources for more info on the genre is A Fistful of Westerns. Also make sure to check out these two detailed pieces that trace the history and most important films in the canon.

-Next up are some of Morricone's avant garde compositions.

Movie Premiere

Movies are a tough one for a week dedicated to nerds, as everyone watches movies. It's like the one guaranteed currency, no matter where you are trying to start up a conversation. However, I think that movie nerd-dom does exist, and may be the most off-putting of all nerdtriccities. You've met the type. The person who refers to the "cinema," who calls movies "films," who disdains Hollywood movies, thinks independent films have sold out, and generally seems to only like the obscure and difficult. They are shocked that people don't know about Eisenstein, Cassavetes and Brakhage, enraged at the concept of Big Mama's House. Their viewing seems to be guided by some sort of syllabus from a college course most of us dropped out of in the first few weeks.

I am here to say that I am one of these people. Well, not really, but I am here to defend them. Don't shun these people, don't beat them up, don't hate them for their snobbishness. Embrace them, as they do have passion for movies and can lead you to some amazing ones that far too few people get to experience.

Let's begin.

The Beard Makes the Man

I don't think it's coincidence that this hilarious article about the best mustaches in sports history came out today (Adam Morrison's is gully). Again, the media takes its cues from the life of Pound for Pound, as I am at this very moment growing a beard for the first time in my life.

I have decided to put this up to a vote with my dear readers, as I will only make future life decisions with the consensus of my readership. What do you think? Should I rock the full hockey player in the playoffs, rock musician in Philly, unemployed look? Or should I shave it off and return to my Pretty Boy origins?

-Popoff Shack tonight. Metro Lounge. Front and Fairmount. Philadelphia. See you there.

Rip It Up and Start Again

William S. Burroughs, "We See The Future Through Binoculars Of The People"

William S. Burroughs, "Just Checking Your Summer Recordings"

William S. Burroughs, "Creepy Letter, Cut-Up at the Beat Hotel in Paris"

Okay, I lied. One more book-related post, but this is a special one. Simon Reynolds' new book, Rip It Up and Start Again, has just been released in the United States, a cause for celebration. Reynolds has been a writer that I have always admired and searched out, since coming across his writing in the British magazine Wire in the early 90s during my avant-garde period. He was the first writer I encountered, and really the first person I had ever heard, talking about indie music, post-punk, British pop, jungle. All of these wonderful musics that were completely foreign to a kid growing up in Philly, listening to rap and jazz and alternative music. Not only that, he wrote with such brilliance, wit and passion that I had to read him. Even when I disagreed with him, which I often do in terms of rap music.

This newest book chronicles the post-punk scene that grew up in the late 70s and early 80s in the UK and US. Having been a reader of his blog, blissout, for years now, I am excited to see what Reynolds has to say about this music that he clearly loves. It's a music that I did not live through, but that I have found my way to through various routes. I can't wait to hear the stories about that time from someone who didn't just live through it, but was both a fan and critic of it. I am thinking that I am going to spend a week or so putting up songs from this post-punk, no-wave time next week or the week after. I will try to read the book in the meantime, as it has vaulted its way to the top of the stack. You can pick it up here.

-Check out an archive of some of his old writings on dance music, the stuff that originally got me into his writing.

-NYC people, head to Nublu and celebrate the book release with the man himself. More importantly, you can check out Kudu, who are playing at 1 AM, their last show before heading out on a national tour. Or even better, trace my footsteps from Tuesday night.

-A quick word on the above tracks. These come off the fourth disc of the the William Burroughs boxed set, which catalogues all of his tape experiments from over the years. Since I mentioned them in my last post, it seemed like a good idea to show just want sort of tape experiments and cut-up stuff he recorded. Buy the boxed set here.

-For anyone looking for more good non-fiction recommendations, there is an amazing resource at the TPM Cafe. They have had a TPMCafe Book Club running for awhile now, highlighting one book every few weeks, inviting the author and various intellectuals from that field to discuss the book and its implications. Straight nerd stuff, and a good way to jump back into that college recitation vibe you know you miss. This week is a good one, as the discussion centers around Gershom Gorenberg's The Accidental Empire: Israel and the Birth of the Settlements 1967-1977, a history of the settlement movement in Israel.

-We'll be getting into movies this weekend, as we continue on the Pure Dork road. That means lots of foreign film talk and un-self-conscious talk about film noir and Mean Streets and spaghetti westerns. Yeah! Get down with it!

William S. Burroughs and the Cut-Up

William S. Burroughs, readings from Naked Lunch

"I Can Feel The Heat Closing In"

"Meeting of International Conference of Technological Psychiatry"

"In Mexico The Gimmick Is To Find A Local Junkie With A Government Script"

"The Laboratory has Been Locked For Three Hours Solid"

"Dr. Benway Is Operating In An Auditorium Filled With Students"

"Fats Terminal Has Organized A Purple Ass Stick For Purple Motorcyclists"

"Hassan Is A Notorious Liquifactionist"

Before we close out the reading portion of Pure Dork Week, I wanted to take a look at the writing of William S. Burroughs, a close friend of Allen Ginsberg and a fellow member of the Beat Movement. However, like most classifications, it holds little weight. Burroughs and Ginsberg have little in common artistically, imo, but because they were in SF during the 50s and experimented with drugs and sexuality and were white males, put'em together, I guess. Like the Grateful Dead being lumped in with the hippie bands a decade later, the need for labels have eradicated the distinctness and radicalness of these writers.

Burroughs, in particular, seems a writer far out of league with Kerouac, Ferlinghetti and Corso, more prone to science fiction and experiments with narrative than this movement would have ever conceived of. Burroughs was not on a spiritual quest for enlightenment, far more in tune with the dark forces that lead to his junk habit and hustling.

You may wonder what connection Burroughs has to a blog that is ostensibly about hip hop music that honors women's booties. Well, Burroughs experimented with the notion of cut-ups in his writing, most famously in Naked Lunch, wherein he would write a page of prose, cut it into pieces, then rearrange randomly. Along with Bryon Grisin, Burroughs emphasized the power of the recombinant. It should remind you of a pivotal figure in hip-hop and dance music, the DJ who brings together various sounds and genres of music and creates a total piece. I know that Burroughs was working with words, and therefore it is natural to always highlight his heirs as Bowie and Throbbing Gristle. But, his heirs may also be people like DJ Spooky (named for a character in one of WSB's novels), Christian Marclay, dj/ rupture and anyone else who uses the turntable to remix and recombine musics.

-I came across a great Rolling Stone article from 1974 with a conversation between Burroughs and David Bowie, one of the most vocal proponents of WSB's cut-up technique. Can't imagine Burroughs in glam makeup and outfit. Actually, strike that, I think I can. [via themazz]

-The New York Public Library just purchased Burroughs' archive, an amazing addition to one of the greatest libraries in the world. [via LitKicks]

-We'll be moving onto the next nerd subject tomorrow, you'll have to tune in to find out what exactly that is. It was nice hearing some more book recommendations from readers, hope that some other people can let us know what they are working on now or what they consider essential reading. I'm working my way through Leaving Katya now, Philip Greenberg's novel about Russia and love and adulthood. Really good, hope I actually can make it through it this time without having to start over.

Hot Damn! The Clipse Invade NYC

Just in case this Pure Dork Week was making everyone think I was a dork or something, this post should put that to rest. I figured that I would give a little recap of a few of the concerts I have caught recently in NYC, and update some of the shows jumping off in Philly in the next few weeks. I mean, it's not like dorks read Pitchfork and Fader and go to hyped-up shows, right?

-We Got It For Cheap? Not really, as it cost $15 to see the Clipse show at the Knitting Factory this past weekend. But, in the end, it was worth it to hear the most devastating duo in hip hop drop some of their classics and put on one of the best hip hop shows I have ever seen. I have not been as big a fan of The Clipse as other writers have been, although I did have them in the Mixtape of the Year posts. I love them, but have gravitated lately to Jeezy and Juelz, who seem to have fallen out of favor with the bloggerati.

The show was wall-to-wall, literally. MC and I walked in at 11:45 or so, and were met with a mass of people. We were forced to stand in front of the door because there was nowhere else to go; literally, we couldn't move forward. The sound was good enough that the bad sight lines weren't that awful, as each song and instrumental came through loud and clear from our spot in front of the exit. Eventually, people made room and we got a sight line and were able to see just how amazing Pusha and Malice are as performers.

How many rap shows have you been to where the show starts late, the performers half-ass it, posses take up most of the stage and ruin songs? Not this time, although the Re-Up Gang threatened to undo all of the good that is the Clipse, just like on the mixtapes. Even moreso, they held my attention despite having a 7-foot giant in front of me, being jostled from all sides and the general annoyance of being at a packed show where assholes think that the rest of us want to be standing by the door and they can make it to the front of the stage. They spit their lines with a swagger and subtle rage that left me in awe, honestly. I mean, I don't know if these guys ever tour or do live shows, but they were made for it.

One last point: I never really considered it, but this band really does have some classic tracks despite only having one album and the two volume mixtape. People, including yours truly, went crazy when "Pussy," "Hot Damn" and "Grindin'" dropped. Hell, the biggest reaction came for their epic "Zen," which has only been on a mixtape, yet everyone seemed to be saying the lyrics. Please, can some label pick them up and release a full-length album, as this music needs to be heard?

Fader has pictures and more on the show they presented.

-Speaking of shows for the ages, I learned from PM the other night that E-40 and Lil' Jon did an album release party for E-40's new one, My Ghetto Report Card, at Jimi Hendrix's old studio, Electric Lady Studios. I am speechless, and just glad that I was in Philly and couldn't physically have made the party (because otherwise I'd be ). Julianne at Cowboyz and Poodles did, obviously, as she seems to be at everything cool going down in NYC. Catchdubs was there, as were the Fader guys. Damn, wish I made this one!

-Last night, I did have the great fortune of checking out my favorite band today, Kudu, before they embarked on their first serious national tour and release of their newest album, Death of the Party. It was the final Tuesday night performance at Nublu, the club on 4rd and C in Alphabet City, and also marked the last night of their weekly residency there (at least for the time being). For real, I have so much to say about this band, who I've been following around in a VW bus lately, but I'm gonna hold off right now. I'll just say that this show was great, the album is on the iPod ready for the Chinatown bus and this is what 2o06 will sound like (this and Spankrock!).

-As always, the best source for upcoming Philly's indie shows is The BM Rant. I have tickets to the Jenny Lewis show (thanks TA!), the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (thanks MC!), Animal Collective, the Silver Jews, the Artic Monkeys and Art Brut. I'm really excited for all of the shows, all of which have sold out except the Animal Collective (about 100 tickets left) and Art Brut.

-Finally, let me just point out a fact that more and more shows in Philly are selling out. I know that this may not sound like a big deal, but it is. Why, you ask? Because it is a sign that there are more and more people in the city, going out, doing things, supporting music and local promoters and venues. This means that those promoters can continue to do amazing things, that others will step up and compete and bring their vision to the table (perhaps even yours truly) and that people get a sense that things can happen in the 215. I hate to compare things to NYC, as I believe that cities are meant to be different and I don't want to add to the hype that NYC already coasts on, but when you are in Manhattan and Brooklyn you have a feeling that something is happening. You want to be a part of it, and simultaneously you feel like you can do something. Yeah!

Allen Ginsberg's "Kaddish"

Allen Ginsberg, "Kaddish"

Allen Ginsberg, "To Aunt Rose"

Allen Ginsberg, "City Midnight Junk Strains (For Frank O'Hara)"

I had so much fun putting together the last post on books, searching around for info on my favorite authors, and thinking about what I want to read, that I decided to do one more post on literature. By one more, I actually mean a few. I wasn't lying when I said we were going to get our nerd on this week.

Above are three more tracks from the Allen Ginsberg boxed set, Holy Soul Jelly Roll. The first ranks as the most powerful poems that I have ever read/heard, an elegy for Ginsberg's recently deceased mother, Naomi. It is an amazing work, full of the passion and loss and memory and the personal that doesn't always show up in late 20th Century poetry. The story behind its creation is interesting Ginsberg was in Berkeley when his mother passed away, and he did not attend her funeral. He later learned that Kaddish was not said at her funeral, because there were not enough men in attendance to form a minyan. One night, he told his friends this fact and so he and his friend Zev Putterman spent one wasted night reciting the poem to honor his mother. This poem was written in the aftermath of this night, an attempt by Ginsberg to come to terms with the life and death of his mother, a woman who suffered from mental illness and who lived her last years in institutions.

It is this personalness that sets him apart from the poetry of much of the late 20th Century for me. As much as I love a language poet like Charles Bernstein, these postmodern works tend to be all surface, dead to the world outside of the page. All three of the poems above deal with the issues that most interest me: the city, memory, loss, tradition, balancing the past and the future. Listen to the opening lines of "Kaddish," where Ginsberg walks the same streets of the Lower East Side and Newark that his mother had once walked. It is a wonderful take on the essence of the city, the site where memory lives on the streets, where the old and new mix, where the future and past fight each other. The street is just as important to him as the imagination, making him the best urban poet since Walt Whitman.

-In a major coincidence, another blog has decided to focus on literature recently as well, having writers discuss some of their favorite music. The only difference would be that people have heard of Moistworks and that they have gotten the actual authors and writers to particpate. I would take EC any day of the week over any of their participants, but it's not a contest. Best of all, to connect our posts with theirs, Jonathan Lethem, hero of this post, has dropped a post of his own on all of his favorite songs about fowl. It's an amazing chance to hear from some of the best American writers and even better chance to find out what sort of music inspires them. It's great to see the blogworld spreading out to other artistic fields, as it would be fun to see the same type of hype for Artic Monkeys reserved for the next Lethem or Zadie Smith or whoever.

-Speaking of Lethem, I came across news that his novel Motherless Brooklyn is being made into a movie. I have mixed feelings on this news, as Hollywood tends to fuck these things up and you always want to see your favorites left alone, kept your little personal secret. However, let's be honest, nerd cred doesn't put Cristal in the fridge and implants on the girlfriend. So, congrats to JL for making some money, and let's hope that he has a big say in how the movie turns out. [Via Badger Meets World]

-Another of my favorite writers has one of his books in theaters now, as Richard Price's Freedomland has been out for a few weeks now. Not sure how the movie turns out, although the reviews have not been flattering. I cannot recommend more highly the work of a writer than Richard Price's, most known for Clockers (which was destroyed by the hand of Spike Lee).

-Finally, I couldn't help mentioning the blog story of the week, as Nick Sylvester was exposed at the new Jayson Blair who was the new Stephen Glass who went to Penn. It appears that Sylvester fabricated parts of his first cover story for the Voice last week, and was forced to admit that he had never met people he quotes in the article. He's out at Pitchfork and suspended at the Voice. Gawker has all the info you need on this, from the strange news that Sylvester collapsed out the boss' office after being suspended to the missing cover story. I'll always love bol eternally for this post alone, so he always has a job at Pound for Pound if he needs one. Holler.

Three 6 Mafia - Oscar Winners

Djay, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"

Djay, "Whoop That Trick"

Trillville, "Man Up"

P$C, "Murder Game"

Al Kapone, "Get Crunk, Get Buck"

Surreal. That's the only word that comes to mind, having watched Memphis' finest, Three 6 Mafia accept an Oscar award last night for their original song "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp," featured in Hustle and Flow. They were on the same stage as Jack Nicholson, George Clooney and Robert Altman. You know what? They were the only exciting part of the entire night, from their performance with the bizarro interpretative dancing to their running out on stage when their names were called (which coincided with me jumping up and down in bed) to their amazing acceptance speech which featured a shout-out to George Clooney.

Above are a couple of favorites from the CD inspired by the movie, or whatever the hell they call these sorta soundtracks. It's a good CD, a nice tribute to the music of the South. My main complaint is that there wasn't enough of a focus on the music of Memphis, where the film was set. Mike Jones? Juvenile? E-40? I love'em all, but it would have been nice to see more Three 6, more Al Kapone, some up and comers like Yo Gotti, yamean?

Ahh, whatever. Today is not a day for complaining; no, it's a day for rejoicing that Three 6 Mafia won a fucking Oscar, and thus have gained some of the respect and attention they have deserved for years now and gave the Oscars one moment of excitement. I've gotta agree with Tom Breihan, as this is one of the great rags to riches stories and should leave everyone with a smile on their face today.















Oh, and this is the picture MC took at Club Speeed on 34th and 5th during the Three 6 Mafia show in Manhattan. While all y'all bloggers were out writing about this shit from your rooms, we were there at a club you ain't never been to and ain't never goin' to, standing a few feet from legends. MC almost got caught in the middle of a girlfight. Shout to MF for alerting me to this show, being a helpful guide to NYC and just generally down.

EC Teaches a Literature Class

[Ed. note: A little treat for you today, my dear readers, as we have a guest writer today at Pound for Pound to save you from the unrelenting dreariness of your bol. EC is one of the most brilliant, accomplished people I know, a lawyer, an artist, a yoga master, fashionplate, a cosmopolitan. More than anything, she is someone I turned to to find out about the literary world, as she is an ever-grindin' reader, able to tell you the best shit you've never heard about. It's an honor to have her put her thoughts down at my blog, and hope that you don't come to expect this level of intelligence or wit in the future. FYI, the above picture is a peek into her bedroom as she starts another book.]

EC on Books She's Into Right Now (and Forever)

"The Ghost Writer," written by Philip Roth, is his most unusual (though probably not considered his literary best-- that credential usually goes to "American Pastoral"). It's part of the Zuckerman Trilogy, which also includes "Zuckerman Unbound" (think Prometheus turned on his head), "The Anatomy Lesson," and "The Prague Orgy" (which is its epilogue). The book features a young academic, Nathan Zuckerman, who uncovers the shocking and pervese truth that Anne Frank lives (that whole diary thing was a hoax of sorts) and is having a dirty dirty affair with their mutual professor. Seriously, only Roth could get away with such blasphemy. It's brilliant, it's funny, and-- like all Roth-- it's self-loathing and misogyny in their best and most sophisticated form. When you're finished reading "The Ghost Writer," you should proceed to read everything else that Roth has ever written. Philip Roth takes Jewish humor to a whole other level-- Woody Allen's kindrid spirit or Jerry Seinfeld's darker and smarter and much older brother. If misogyny is really your thing, check out "The Dying Animal" in particular. If Roth’s satirical Anne leaves you wanting something more serious on a related topic, pick up “Inside the Third Reich” by Albert Speer. These are Speer's post-Nuremberg memoirs, written from prison and chronicling his integral role in Hitler’s government. It’s truly one of the most fascinating and disturbing first-hand accounts of anything ever written.

If you haven't read Nabokav's "Lolita," you should have and you should. If you have already read Lolita, then you should still re-read the first paragraph (often touted as the greatest first paragraph ever written):
"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta."
(Note: you have to read it outloud in order to appreciate what makes this language so powerful.) Now consider that Lolita was written in English, even though English was Nabakov's third language-- and reflect on the level of genius it takes to write something so unbearably beautiful in any language, much less one's third. I know it's a little cheesy, but every time i read that first paragraph, my eyes tear up a little bit-- it's just so painfully beautiful. I guess I really am a nerd.

"The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger is the best book I’ve read this year (although it came out in 2004). It's not obscure, but it's amazing-- and fitting with PoundforPound because it's wrought with punk music references, since the main character is a punk devotee, dating back to his youth at the time when the Clash WAS punk. I resisted this book for a long time as too Oprah's book club-esque (although it’s not actually an Oprah book)-- the kind of book that lands on the lists of too many suburban housewives’ book groups. Yes, pretentious assholes like me are the reason that Jonathan Franzen didn’t want “The Corrections” on Oprah’s Book list (“The Corrections” is awesome, btw, you should read that too). But, seriously, this is not a book “for people who don’t read,” which is my snooty term for books I think are beneath me. I did myself a huge injustice in waiting so long to read it, and only finally did so because a friend whose opinion I respect made me promise to read it... I read the book in one sitting and it blew me away and really changed the way I thought about love and the nature of waiting versus living.

For some non-fiction-- I recommend "Founding Brothers" by Joseph Ellis, a series of true stories about America's Founding Fathers, but very anecdotal (they read like short stories)... they include both well-known stories (i.e. the Aaron Burr duel-- perhaps better remembered from the long-ago milk commerical), but also some obscure and really amazing anecdotes. Pay special attention to the chapter on Philadelphia, which tells the story of how Philly was almost the capital of the United States and how we just missed our calling. That chapter has always colored my perception of this city, and what it's missing. As much as I love Philly, it's always seemed like a depressed city to me. If Philly were a person, it would be the type of person who almost got what it wanted and had it snatched away at the very last minute, spending the rest of his life trying to catch up to what it just missed in its youth... Admittedly, I’m not a huge non-fiction reader. By the time I read the newspaper, and the New Yorker, and The Economist, and Harpers, and The Atlantic, I really want to escape reality into an alternate universe with a good piece of fiction. But, that’s part of the appeal of “Founding Brothers”-- they are true stories that are so outlandish that they read like fiction and still give a really amazing insight into our history and some amazing men, without your having to burrow through a 1,000 page David McCullough biography of John Adams or Truman (both of which are supposedly incredible, but which I haven’t read for the aforementioned reasons).

Three of the hottest books this past year, with the most buzz: “Saturday” by Ian McEwan, “On Beauty” by Zadie Smith, and “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro. Any of these books was expected to (and deserved to) win the Booker Prize, but in a big upset, they lost to “The Sea,” by Irish writer John Banville. The critics were upset because they liked “The Sea” less, and I was upset because I hadn’t even been interested enough in “The Sea” to read it. Ah, book world scandal-- it was all happening even before James Frey.

Finally, if you’re looking for other great books to read, here’s my short list of books not already mentioned: “Straight Man” by Richard Russo (my favorite academic satire), “The Good Soldier” by Ford Madox Ford (a British classic from 1915-- the Modern era-- that begins with the famous first line “This is the saddest story ever told.”), "Being Dead" by Jim Crace (tells the life story of two dead lovers intermingled with descriptions of the decomposition of their corpses), “Franny & Zooey” (Salinger's better and more pretentious novel-- I know I’m in the minority with that opinion), “Revolutionary Road” by Richard Yates, everything ever written by Salman Rushdie that actually takes place in India (this includes all his books written before “The Ground Beneath her Feet”), everything ever written by Woody Allen. And, if you’re looking for a reason to get off your ass and read all these books, read “Ex Libris” by Annie Fadiman, a truly inspiring book about love for language and reading that will make even the laziest of you feel like breaking out the nerdy reader in you.

I Love To Read

blingtastic pin from NY Library Association; currently coveted by MC

Allen Ginsberg, "Howl (For Carl Solomon)"

Allen Ginsberg, "Footnote to Howl"

Our first installment of Pure Dork Week delves into that dork activity par excellence: reading books. I am a voracious reader, although not as good as I'd like to be. Like most nerds, I am a weirdo. This manifests itself in a book policy that forces me to read a given book continuously or else start over. In other words, if I start a book on a Monday, it needs to be read at least every other day, or I will have to start from the beginning. Even if I am hundreds of pages in and close to the end. Why? I have no idea. Just like I have no idea why I won't let people borrow books from me, or break the spine on a new book before I have. What can I say? I'm a pure dork, unsocialized.

The above track comes from Disc 1 of the Allen Ginsberg boxed set called HolySoulJellyRoll. It's a 4-CD look at one of the great American poets, Beat figures, and all-around creative types, compiling all of the recorded versions available of his poems. It's an amazing document, a chance to hear great poetry, a chance to realize how musical these works are. "Howl" is one of those inspirational works for me, a work that captures the energy of the city, one of the great representations of New York City (which is saying a lot). It has the same breathlessness, excitement, and broken dreams as that city.

I figured that I would take a look at some of the other authors and writers who have been profound inspirations in my life. They shouldn't be hard to figure out-- male writers who engage urban life, who write about crime and murder, who deal with issues of memory and loss, or all of the above.

-Jonathan Lethem has always seemed like an older version of me, or if you must, an older, more successful, and more artistic version. He is a prolific writer, starting out in the sci-fi genre and moving into the general fiction category in recent years. His interests are comic books, cities, detective novels. In other words, he is a nerd. A nerd born in Brooklyn, still living there, who lives and loves to remember his city. Substitute Philly for Brooklyn and who do you have?

There's lot of good stuff on the 'nets about him. Start with the most comprehensive resource, a fan site put together by Dave Myers. Backwords City links to this Metafilter post that alerts us to all sorts of Lethem goodies, including a conversation with cartoon artist Gary Panter. Here's another mp3 interview, a discussion with Lethem from the amazing Agony Column. Powell's has a nice interview with Lethem, around the time Fortress dropped. The 92nd St. Y blog (who knew?) has a more recent interview up for your enjoyment. The litter in litterateur links to another great Lethem interview, this one with Robert Birnbaum. Finally, a great essay in Salon from 1999 with the perfect title of "Who killed Brooklyn?"

-Another Brooklyn guy, Paul Auster, has a new novel out about his borough, The Brooklyn Follies. It has gotten mixed reviews, but sounds good to me. His classic City of Glass was redone as a graphic novel, which is too cool on so many levels and foreshadows future posts here this week. Here is a review by Art Spiegelman!

-One of the influences on both men, and someone that has become an obsession of mine, is Bernard Malamud. Best known for The Natural, that work has overshadowed some of the most brilliant writing of the 20th Century. He's always seemed to me as a cross between the Yiddish writers like Issac Bashevis Singer and the realist writers like Henry Roth. It's a pretty perfect mix to me, and from the authors writing forwards to his new editions, I'm not alone. Go here to learn more, here to buy. Prufrock's Page has some musings on Malamud.

-One last great writer on NYC, Kevin Baker, has released the final installment of his City of Fire trilogy, Strivers Row. The trilogy looks at New York from the 1850s to the 1950s, a period of immigration and upheaval, looking at the lives of the Jews and Irish and blacks who came to the city to make a better life no matter what it took. It's a magnificent series, a work of imagination that puts it in the ranks of John Dos Passos' U.S.A. trilogy and E.L. Doctorow's historical fiction, a huge statement coming from this reader. The most recent book chronicles the African-American experience during World War II, and cements Kevin Baker as one of my favorite writers of the day.

-In terms of my "to read" list, it is big and getting bigger. Right now, I have just started re-reading Walter Benjamin's Illuminations. The stack also includes a Sandy Koufax biography by Jane Leavy (for the start of baseball season), Carlo Rotella's Cut Time, John Fante's Ask the Dust, Arthur Phillips' Prague, Lethem's Men and Cartoons: Stories. What do these titles say about me? That I'm pretentious, possibly a sexist and definitely a bore. Help me out, people. What do you recommend, book-wise?