So it has come to this

For some reason I was up at 5:30 this morning, so I started watching TV. After watching videos on MTV (they actually show videos on MTV really early in the morning. In you face Andy Milonakis), I was flipping around and I stumbled on Criss Angel Mindfreak on A&E.
The half hour “reality” show featured Criss Angel, who according to his Web site has been dubbed the next Houdini, performing this stunt where he dressed up in a chain suit and was struck by simulated lightning in Baraboo, WI.
I was immediately interested, but after watching him slowly taunt the 3-million-volt bolts coming off of the Tesla Coils, I couldn’t help but think this has to be the dumbest show I have ever seen.
Now I’m all for people going out and doing stupid things, recording them and then playing them for my enjoyment (that’s the backbone of America’s Funniest Home Videos, Max X, Real TV, Jackass, Fox and Google Video), and I’m all for crazy stunts on TV (unfortunately the only one that really comes to mind right now is “Evil Knievel’s Death Defiers,” which was supposed to feature Knievel jumping a shark tank, but in the end didn’t).
But walking around getting struck by lightning is just dumb. When did magic become this world of strange stunts? We’re the illusions of David Copperfield and comedic tricks of Penn and Teller not enough that we now have to endure people doing outrageous and stupid things?
I blame David Blaine. Yeah it’s neat that he lived underwater for a week, but do a trick every once in a while. Turn a piece of rope into a snake. Make a glass bottle disappear in a paper bag. Chop a volunteer from the audience in half and put them back together.
For those interested in seeing how bad reality TV can get, season two of Criss Angel Mindfreak premieres tonight at 9 p.m. Central on A&E. Season One of the show is also available on DVD.

Welcome back to your normal life

Hey everyone. Like many of you I had a couple of days off because of the holiday. I really didn't do anything too spectacular. I went fishing (caught a salmon..that was cool), worked on the yard and grilled out (or, here in Sheboygan they call grilling Frying Out).
But now it's back to the normal grind, so it's back to business here at Mad Mad Media. And we have some catching up to do.

Baby Fever: Both Angelina Jolie and Gwen Stefani had kids over the weekend. Stefani and Husband celebrated the birth of their son, Kingston, in Los Angeles and Jolie and Brad Pitt welcomed their daughter, Shiloh, into the world at a Nambian Hospital. Stay tuned for the new E! series, Whose Baby Is Hotter.
Big Box Office: X-men 3 scored huge at the box office taking in an extimated $120 million over the holiday weekend - the biggest opening on a holiday weekend ever. Take that Star Wars! The Da Vinci Code earned another $43 million, bringing its two-week total to $145 million. Mission Impossible looks like it's going to tap out at about $130 million at the box, or as we call it around here an American Box Office FLOP (it cost $150 mil. to make). Take that Tom Cruise!
Speaking of Jennifer Aniston: Which we weren't, but she and boyfriend Vince Vaughn have been seen everywhere. Here's a fun game. Count how many times they're together after their movie tanks. This isn't going to be forever like Bradgelina!
Telephone tax?: The U.S. government is lifting a 108-year-old 3-percent tax on long-distance calls and bundled services on July 31. The tax was created in 1898 to help pay for the Spanish-American War, but since it takes an act of congress to eliminate a tax it remained on the books well after the war was paid for. So here's the lesson from this one...we need to start asking NOW to have that stadium tax removed that was created to help pay for Miller Park. Otherwise we'll be paying for that thing long after people realize baseball is a boring sport.
Podcast #2 this weekend: And finally some real news. Mad Mad Media Podcast #2 will be up on Friday. I have been working hard to make it available through iTunes. We'll see how that works out by the weekend. This edition will feature musicians performing at the Steel Bridge SongFest 2 in Sturgeon Bay, WI June 8-10. I'll tell you more about it later in the week.


Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt: Proud parents. AP Photo.

This weekend, it's all about Taylor

As some of you may know, Taylor Hicks won American Idol this week and he will soon be in a recording studio laying down tracks for his first major label CD. But there will definitely be a void next week on Tuesday and Wednesday where Taylor would have been performing.
Don’t worry. This weekend I got you covered.
First we have Taylor Hicks’ AI audition, courtesy of YouTube.com. Below that we have three MP3s posted by a National Public Radio station WBHM in Birmingham, AL. Enjoy and have a great weekend!




Taylor Hicks music. Click on links to listen or right-click to save.

Hell of a Day

Heart and Soul

Soul Thing

Think cell phones are annoying?

What happens when the loud talkers fight back? Find out in this video from Hong Kong courtesy of YouTube.com. WARNING! Subtitles contain adult language!

Soul Patrol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taylor wins!
Taylor wins!
Taylor wins!
Taylor wins!
Taylor wins!
Taylor wins!
Taylor wins!
OH Yeah! SOUL PATROL!!!!!!! That was the best finale of American Idol I have ever seen. What an ending. WOOOOOHOOOOO!
Can you believe all of the guest stars? Prince, Dion Warwick, Meatloaf, Live, Clay Aiken, and Wolfgang Puck.
Every performance was great, but the most amazing moment was when Taylor won! Congrats Taylor. You are the American Idol. Now what am I going to write about?

Will it be Taylor or Katharine

Today is going to move so slowly. Not as slow as the hour and a half of American Idol before they start to announce the winner, but slow enough. It's no secret that I think Taylor is going to take it, but I'd like to hear what you thing.
If Katharine walks away with this I would have to say that something fishy is going on.
But would it have been so wrong to give them a song to sing? Both Taylor and Katharine's first singles ... stink.
Katharine's song was just a rehash of "A Moment Like This" and Taylor's song, I can't even remember Taylor's song. I remember he performed it well, but I don't remember the song being very spectacular.
Next year American Idol, give them a song to sing! Is that such a problem.
And Fox, if you're actually listening, I've got a reality show idea for you. When not get all of the established popstars together, Like Justin, Britney, Christina, Jessica, Ashley, Nelly, the guy from that reality show, that other guy from the couple show, Barry Manilow, and have them compete against each other in an American Idol setting.
It would be fun to see who'd win. I bet Ashley Simpson would take it all the way!
And don't forget Red Carpet coverage of American Idol will start early tonight at 6:30 p.m. on FOX. (Channel 6 in Milwaukee and Sheboygan). It's our way of seeing what lucky celebrities have enough pull to get tickets and who's promoting movies opening on Memorial Day weekend. I can't wait.

(AP Photo by Kevork Djansezian)

Get out the vote Soul Patrol

Taylor has got this thing locked! I just voted for 20 minutes straight. I'm guessing I got through at least 60 times. I stopped counting when I zoned out just hitting the talk/redial/end combo.
Katharine was all about the rerun tonight. Sure "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is a good song, but The Innocence Mission did a way better version two years ago. Not good enough.
Taylor brought it like beer at a BYOB; you've got to bring it or you're heading out to the store. And Taylor did his shopping early.
But people, America, you have to vote. Stop looking and reading and get out and vote...NOW! When you come back tomorrow your fingers better be sore.

More thoughts on The Da Vinci Code

I was at a media event for the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days in Sheboygan, which actually sounds like it’s going to be pretty cool. But because of my short trip to Oostburg I only had about five minutes to jot down my thoughts on “The Da Vinci Code” this morning.
As I was driving, I remembered a few other points I wanted to mention.
First of all, Audrey Tautou is great. She doesn’t smile a whole heck of a lot — unlike her signature character in Amelie (2001), — but she was perfect for the role; unlike Tom Hanks.
I like Hanks, more for his comedic roles than his dramatic parts, but he couldn’t pull off the Harvard educated professor role. I can’t really think of an American actor who could have pulled off the role better than him though. Maybe David Strathairn or George Clooney, but they were probably both busy with “Good Night and Good Luck.” Other than that nothing really comes to mind.
I also wanted to mention Ian McKellen (who can also be seen in X-Men 3 opening next week) who was remarkable as the obsessive Sir Leigh Teabing and Paul Bettany who was engaging as Silas, the murderous albino monk.
And it was cool to see a film without a silly, tacked on romantic subplot. Kudos to Howard, Brown and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman for avoiding that trap.
It’s also worth a mention to point out the irony of having the trailer for the remake of “The Omen” (which opens on June 6 — get it? 06-06-06, 666, like the Devil) showing before a film that analyses the history of Christianity. Maybe that’s what people were protesting. Or maybe it was the Mountain Dew commercial. That was more blasphemous than anything in the film. Paying to see a commercial. PHFFF!

"Smile Audrey...SMILE!" Picture courtesy of Sony.

K VS T: This time it's personal

Idol fans, this is it. Tonight Kat and Taylor will battle for the title of American Idol.
Kat...you’re going down!
As the pressure has mounted, Katharine has fumbled more and more. She’s a good singer, but she can’t handle the stress.
Taylor on the other hand is a pro. He gets up there, rocks it, sings it, dances it, he is the next American Idol.
Barring some freak accident involving a rapidly descending sandbag, I think Taylor has this one locked.
To ensure his victory, I will be voting until my finger falls off; because my 25 votes make a difference.
Come early; vote often — that’s the way it should be done.
SOUL PATROL!

The Da Vinci Code

I have not read Dan Brown’s bestseller “The Da Vinci Code,” but after seeing the movie last night, I’m going to.
Tom Hanks plays Robert Langdon, a professor of Religious Symbology at Harvard, who has to help Sophie Neveu (played by Audrey Tautou) solve a mysterious murder at the Louvre and find the Holy Grail, with a secret religious society and an obsessive French policeman hot on their tails.
For the millions who have read this book, there are no secrets here, but for those of us, like myself, who have yet to open the pages, The Da Vinci Code is an interesting thriller. It’s not Oscar worthy, but you hardly notice the three hours go by.
The film can be a bit nerdy at times (one of my favorite lines is when Hanks says to Tautou “I need to get to a library” at one of the most tense scenes in the film) and the secrets in the film are pretty easy to unravel. But, as far as Ron Howard films go, it is pretty darn good. (Though my wife said the book is much better.)
But I do have a question. What is the big deal? I can’t figure out why the Catholic Church and some if its followers are protesting this film (even here in Sheboygan).
First of all, it is a fictional work. Yes, the authors of a non-fiction history text sued Dan Brown because of similarities, but it is fiction nonetheless.
Second, there is a lot of real history in this film, (not the part about the Holy Grail - I’m sure that’s a guess). All of a sudden we’re not supposed to take liberties with history? This is America Baby!
And third ... IT’S A MOVIE STARRING TOM HANKS. Forest Gump. The Man With One Red Shoe. Money Pit. The Burbs. Big. Yeah, he had a couple of Oscar winners in there, but come on. This movie is so popcorn it’s ridiculous. Just go out an enjoy it. Sheesh.

The site experienced technical difficulties earlier today so this had to be reposted. Thanks for stopping back! E.

Two things, then I gotta go

Today is pretty hectic, so I only have a couple of minutes to rap to you.
Despite the protests of Catholics all over the world, The Da Vinci Code pulled in a whopping $77 mil in the US and $238 worldwide in its opening weekend.
I'm seeing it tonight, so I'll let you know what I think about it.
And, I don't know about you, but I'm already gearing up for American Idol.
I don't care how Katharine does Tuesday night, I'm voting for Taylor all the way.
SOUL PATROL!!!HEY YA!
All right, I have to get busy again. See ya later!

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures.

Death Cab For Madonna

I found this mashup floating around on the Web. DJ Party Ben has mixed up Madonna's "Hung Up" with Death Cab For Cutie's "Soul Meets Body." It's pretty seamless. Check it out by clicking below. Click to play, right-click to save.

Party Ben-Hung Up On Soul

Terrorvision

IMDB reported today that U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has succeeded in securing Senate approval for new broadcast indecency legislation, which will increase the maximum fine 10-times to $325,000 for each violation.
The bill must now be reconciled with one already passed by the House, both of which have been strongly opposed by broadcasters.
Market Watch quoted Frist as saying: “The Senate took a great step forward tonight to protect children and families from offensive images broadcast directly into their living rooms ... Parents should be able to watch television with their children without worrying about exposing them to unsuitable content."
You know what else was a great step toward “protecting children” from the horrors of television? THE POWER BUTTON!
I try not to speak out on too many issues, but it is the responsibility of parents and parents alone to monitor what their kids are watching and act accordingly, not the government.
I am sick and tired of these indecency laws, which are designed to “protect people” from their own laziness. They will not, and I repeat will not, protect anyone from anything; they will only make the cost of producing standard, advertiser driven network programming skyrocket.
Then everyone will be protected from these FREE shows broadcasted directly into the home, because all television shows will be too expensive to produce. ALL OF THEM — from Sesame Street to Sex and the City! There is no law stating you have to own and operate a television, and there should be no law governing its content either.

Poster couresy of a Bela Legosi fansite.

The Da Vinci Code?

Apparently, some movie called "The Da Vinci Code" is coming out this weekend. Wow, this thing really came out of nowhere because I haven't heard a thing about it.
I went on the Web and checked out the trailer. It looks pretty low budget, plus that guy from Bosom Buddies is in it and Ron "Opie" Howard (of Happy Days) directed it.
I thought at first this might be a sequel to "Splash," the 80s comedy the two did together. Apparently Daryl Hannah wasn't available so they got some unknown French actress, Audrey Tautou. Yeah, I know, who is she to be staring with Forest Gump.
And get this.
I read a little more about the film and it's based on a book. I saw it when I was in the airport a couple weeks ago. Paperback...not a real sign of quality. And how can a movie be any good if it isn't a remake of another movie, video game or a popular television show?
Who knows?
Maybe Richie will be able to pull this one off. Otherwise he's gonna walk off the set like Chuck did, and never come back. (This is a Happy Days reference to Chuck Cunningham who, after the first season, disappeared without explanation.)

All kidding aside. I'm sick and tired of all of the "Da Vinci Code" Secrets Revealed shows on TV. Yes it's a popular book, yes it will probably be a hit, but come on. It's just overkill man. Overkill.

To find out more, see and download a trailer and get more information on "The Da Vinci Code," check out the film's site by clicking HERE.

You have to check this out!!!

Oh my is this funny. I can't find the video code for this one, but click though and check this incredibly funny video out. You will need a Windows Media Player to view.

Too funny!

Marriage Proposal Ending Badly

Woo Hoo!!! We just hit 1,000 visits!

Holy Moley! We just hit 1,000 visits, and many of them weren't me. That is so cool. Thank everyone for stopping by. The 1,000 visitor, who (according to my fancy-schmancy sitemeter) was from Alexandria, Virginia. They don't win anything, but it's just nice they stopped by.
Thanks again!!!!

Eric

Well, it had to happen sometime

I wasn't shocked to see Elliott leave last night, but I wasn't happy about it. Elliott was a solid performer and he would have given Taylor a run for his money.
But I think he'll have a great career, despite leaving in the Number 3 spot.
Now it's down to Katharine Vs. Taylor. This scenario reminds me a lot of last year. Bo Bice was the clear favorite going into the final performance. Carrie Underwood didn't do anything spectacular, but she managed to win.
Why?
Because Bo Bice was quirky. Quirky gets you noticed, but being a normal, run-of-the-mill performer gets you votes from the normal, run-of-the-mill watcher.
I'm worried about Taylor winning this thing. Taylor is quirky, while Katharine and Elliott are pretty run-of-the-mill.
I guess what I'm saying it, don't forget to vote next week.
Otherwise Taylor could be taking the Bo Bice route.

(AP Photo/Fox,Ray Mickshaw)

Is it 8 p.m. yet?

Geez! Waiting for the American Idol results is like watching a pot boil. I can't wait. I have been going back and forth on who's going home all day. After careful consideration, I now think it's Katharine. Too little, too late.
But I also started thinking about the voters in general. How many times has a favorite contestant gone home because people didn't vote? It happens a lot. It could happen tonight. Who knows! Plus, they may release some clues on who won't be coming back to the OC next year. Is it Ryan? Is Summer going to die? What about Seth? Is Seth going to be safe? The OC could be changed forever!
Boy, the waiting is killing me!
Two and a half hours until... nanA nanA nanA nanA Baroooom. (that's the AI theme).

P.S. I was just kidding about the OC. I don't watch that. Even when Ryan took that construction job to provide a better life for Theresa, who was pregnant with his child, I wasn't watching. Even when Summer totally dissed Seth by going out with his comic book club pal, that wasn't me watching. When Marissa started dating Alex, a rebelious bartender from The Bait Shop, not me watching. And when Kristen went on a several show bender that ended with a violent car crash, I wasn't watching.

Seriously. I don't watch the OC.

American Idol-The Showdown

Last night, American Idol ROCKED!!!
Holy crap! All three deserve to go on to the final round. But as we all know, there can only be two.
Those two will probably be Taylor and Katharine. Why not Elliot?
Elliot is great, but he's just too funky. And I finally figured out who he reminds me of. Jamiroqua, without the hat. Back on track here, Elliot is charming, fun to watch, and a vocal powerhouse, but I don't think it's going to be enough.
Plus, after last nights performances, Katharine brought it with her rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," and Taylor ROCKED THE HOUSE!
Elliot still has a chance. Katharine has been on the verge of leaving for serveral weeks (especially those weeks where she forgot the words), but I have to say Elliot is probably going home tonight.
But next week is going to be amazing people. You know it, I know it, Simon knows it, event Trump knows it. The finale is going to be Huge.

Final Three: OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY

Tonight is going to be a colossal night on American Idol. Katharine, Taylor and Elliot are going to face off in a match to the death to see who advances to next week’s finale.
OK, maybe not to the death, but who do you think would win if American Idol was more like American Gladiator?
Taylor has the crazy moves, but Elliot has youth on his side. Plus, can Taylor land a kick? Katharine looks like she may have a little Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in her, but will the high-flying kicks and chops be enough?
Here’s how I think it would go down. Taylor would come out kicking and screaming, immediately taking on Elliot. Elliot would defend himself, but would be quickly subdued by Taylor’s antics. Taylor would have a hard time beating up a lady, because he’s got some class, so Katharine would give him a kapow! with some high heeled boots (that were made for walking) and Taylor would be down for the count.
Out of nowhere comes Kellie Pickler with two giant ‘sall-mons’ swinging in her hands.
“Wait, this wasn’t in the script,” Ryan says. The seal-like Paula Abdul sees the fish and goes nutzoid, knocking down (and knocking out) Katharine and taking down Pickler. Could it be? Paula Abdul is the next American Idol? Only if she’s a cold hearted snake.
Thank goodness American Idol is a singing competition. Stop by tomorrow as I overanalyze the final three’s performances.

Photo courtesy of FOX

The Podcast: How did he do that?

This last weekend I premiered the first Mad Mad Media Podcast. I have to say, making it posed some challenges, but all in all it was a relatively basic process. Here’s what you’ll need:

A Mac (you can do it on a PC, but I make no guarantees on the process)
ITunes (Mac or PC)
A host (we’ll talk about this later)

Step One: I started by getting permission to use the music directly from the artists. There are other ways to do this — like finding the right person at a major record label to talk to get permission or play only music from artists with a creative common license — but I feel the direct approach is always the best.
Step Two: Once you’ve gotten permission, load the music into iTunes and convert the songs into MP3s. You will have to reset iTunes under the advanced tab in preferences to do this.
Step Three: Record your voice. Prepare a script and read it. Not hard eh? You’ll see. You can record your voice two ways. (Recommended) Use a microphone and Garageband. To do this, plug the mic in the mic input on the back of your computer and set track one for live vocals. This way you can listen to your voice through the headphones as you record — just like a real DJ! (What I did-Not recommended) Record your vocals on a digital recorder in a closet at work, import the WAV files to your desktop and convert them to MP3s in iTunes. This process doesn’t sound as good and you will have to sweeten your voice with Garageband’s effects (which is not easy and takes a long time — especially if it’s your first time). For those of you using Audacity or another sound recording program for PC, at this point you are on your own.
Step Four: Assemble all of the pieces in Garageband. Simply drag the sound files from the folder onto the Garageband virtual console. Each sound should be its own track. Then, put them in the order you would like. Do not adjust the timing on the bottom, it will screw up track placements, and keep an eye on your sound levels — they shouldn’t be in the red.
Step Five: Once you are done screwing around with that, save the cast and import it to iTunes. Once in iTunes you will have to convert it to an MP3 so everyone can listen to it. Listen to it with a big, cheesy smile, and tell everyone what you just did.
Six: Get it on the web. So, there’s a catch to this whole Podcasting craze. Bandwidth is hard to come by. My Podcast was over 20 megs. That’s pretty big, a lot bigger than my geocities site could handle. Being that my paper is not set up to host Podcasts (yet) I had to search for a host. I used a site called Multiply. People usually use this site to share playlists with friends, but in this case it worked for me. Uploading it took about 15 minutes with DSL and it was ready to rock!
Step Seven: Get the world to listen to it. I don’t know anything about this. I am still learning. The Mad Mad Media Podcast will be available through iTunes (hopefully) in the summer. But I still have to figure out the logistics of that. Until then, it will be available on this site only.

Good luck. Let me know if you decide to try this at home! If you have any more questions, leave a comment or email me through my profile. Later!

Thank you everyone

Thank you everyone for making the first Mad Mad Media podcast a huge success!
In my haste, I completely forgot to put a counter on the cast, so I have absolutely no idea how many people actually listened to it, but based on the number of comments and e-mails I received and the number of outclicks counted going to the host site, it was more than what I hoped for.
Thank you everyone who listened, thank you everyone who helped and thank you to all of the artists who let me borrow their music.
I am going to revamp my site a little tonight, so the podcast will have a permanent spot on the side, as will links to the artists' sites. And I am already planning the next one.
By mid summer I am hoping to have a real launch of the Mad Mad Media Podcast, including a way to subscribe through iTunes and other networks.
Thank you again!
Eric

Mad Mad Media Podcast #1

Here it is. My first Podcast! You can listen to it two ways:

1. You can click on the link. It should launch your Windows Media Player or iTunes.

2. You can right click on it and download the file to your desktop. When it's done downloading you can play it on your computer or load it onto your MP3 player.

Be patient, it is a large file. If, for some reason, you are taken to another site (the host site), you can download it from there)

I hope you enjoy it. I will be the first to admit that it's not perfect, but it's a start. This will become a regular Mad Mad Media feature and once it does you will be able to subscribe to it. We'll keep you posted.
The artist who were nice enough to loan their songs to this are below. Check them out, go to their shows, buy their music.

MADMADMEDIAPODCAST#1

Sarah Sharp

My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah Sharp at her show in Appleton.
The Austin, TX based Sharp is just a great singer songwriter, and I would highly recommend seeing her perform live.
Her songs are witty, artfully crafted and beautifully performed. Each is it’s own great story.
“It’s Too Late” is my favorite.
When I was talking with her, she said it was the second song the ever wrote.
It’s painful when you listen to the words, but the hook is a simple and pure as they get.

Find out more at:

Official Site

Sonic Bids

The New Trust

I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about The New Trust, except that they rock.
When it comes right down to it, isn’t that all that matters?
“All Things Are Moving Toward Their End” is about as cool as they come.
The hooks are great. The lyrics are great. The performance is great. If Paula Abdul was judging the Santa Rosa, CA group, she would have a tear in her eye while doing the seal clap over her head.
Find out more at:

Official Site

Myspace site

Pat MacDonald

Pat MacDonald had success early in his career the group Timbuk 3 and the song “The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades.” Today he has developed a bluesy acoustic sound that is gripping, eerie and immediately appealing.
MacDonald lives calls both Barcelona, Spain and Sturgeon Bay, WI home and his most recent recordings were released by the German label ulfTone Music, so they are hard to find in the states. But, they are worth seeking out.
You can usually find them at his live shows. He’s playing two shows in Madison: May 20 at the Slipper Club and May 26 at the Indie Cafe and at The Highbury in Milwaukee on May 27.
Find out more at:

Official Site

Myspace Site

Clementine

Do you like Modest Mouse, Death Cab For Cutie, and Broken Social Scene? If you do you’re going to love Clementine.
The Milwaukee-based six-piece band is currently working on its full-length debut, and already has a successful demo and EP under their collective belts.
They have two shows coming up in Milwaukee. On May 27th they will be playing with the Championship and The Young Republic (of Boston) at Onopa.
On June 11th, they will be playing the Riverwest Commons stage at the Locust Street Days at 1:45pm.
Find out more at:

Official Site

Myspace Site

If_Then_Else

The members of this Madison, WI duo went their separate ways earlier this year, but that doesn’t detract from the awesomeness of this CD.
Jordan Parker and Brandon Schreiner (who - in the interest of fairness -I am related to) have crafted an amazing sound, which they (when they were together) reproduced perfectly live.
This is my favorite track off of their debut CD, though they are all good.I was sad to find their Web site has been taken down, so there is no link for these guys. Sorry, but enjoy “Other Side of Phones”

Mad Mad Media Podcast Appearing Tonight!!!!

The first ever Mad Mad Media Podcast will premiere tonight! It will be online at 6 p.m. and available to listen to and download at that time.
Please, tell everyone you know to stop by and check it out. There will also be a link to it on my sidebar starting Monday.
I would also like to say thanks to Sheboygan Press staffers Sam Castro, Belia Ortega and Jamie Piontkowski for their help in getting this put together.
Also the bands: Sarah Sharp, The New Trust, Pat MacDonald, Clementine and If_Then_Else for allowing me to use their music. I will be posting more information about these groups later today.
Thanks again, and check it out at 6 p.m.!!!!!!!

I'm a columnist!

Hey Everyone.
A column I wrote will be appearing in this month's You Magazine (the Sheboygan Press' bi-monthly women's magazine).
For those of you who are in the Sheboygan Area, you can pick up You Magazine free at locations throughout the city or at the Sheboygan Press offices (632 Center Ave.)
If you live far, far away and you are interested in seeing what I, a man, would have to say in a women's magazine, you can check out the column by clicking HERE.

Making sense of it all

A lot of you are waking up this morning confused.
I know, it's hard for a lot of you. But you all have to come to grips with this. Chris Daughtry is not going to be your American Idol.
Yes, it's hard to believe. He seemed like he was poised to take it. Simon liked him. Randy liked him. Paula loved him. He had a huge fan base. The stars he worked with went on and on about his abilities as a performer.
But, no matter how you slice it, Chris is on his way home.
Just remember, it's going to be OK.
Taylor is still in it. Elliot is still in it (even though he seemed like the dark horse in the running until the last couple of weeks). Katharine is still in it.
And Ace is still sitting somewhere in Colorado, eating granola instead of stinking up the stage.
People. America. It's going to be fine. Even though it doesn't seem like it right now, the world will go on.
So get up. Hang your tear-soaked pillow out to dry. Grab yourself a cup of extra-strong coffee and greet this gray, miserable day with a big smile.
Chris is going to get a record deal. He will have a single. He will be on the American Idol tour. And you will be OK.

OH MY GOD!

Holy Crap!
Chris got sent home.
Did you see that coming? I didn't see that coming. I am in shock.
I mean, I didn't think he would win, but sent home. He looked like he was going to cry.
And Paula was crying!
Next week is going to be interesting.
I think it's going to end up Elliot Vs. Taylor.
Wow! Wow! Wow!

BIG NEWS!!! BIG NEWS!!!

Probably the most innovative development attributed to iPods is the Podcast. Podcasts are shows that can be downloaded onto your computer and transferred to your iPod for maximum portability.
The coolest thing about them is that no matter what you’re interested in, there’s a Podcast for you. Do you like wine? Then check out Grape Radio’s Podcast. Do you like in-your-face conversations? Then check out The Dawn and Drew Show? Do you like movies? Then check out Hot Buttered Pop Culture.
Me? I like music, and there are plenty of Podcasts devoted to that subject. Right now, I’m enthralled with The Next Big Hit, a Podcast devoted to music so new, you can’t even find it on the Internet.
Some people say Podcasts are like the radio, but there are some significant differences.
You can’t pause the radio. You can’t fast forward through a bad song. You can’t listen to radio at any other time than when it’s on. With Podcasts, you can, and for the most part, people just like you and me with very little equipment create Podcasts.
Especially people like me, and that brings us to my big announcement. This weekend I will premiere the first Mad Mad Media Podcast.
That’s right. This weekend I will be making history by creating the first (unofficial) music Podcast associated with The Sheboygan Press.
It will feature some of my favorite acts from my personal collection, with links on the site to these artists, their bios and concert dates.
Then, on Monday, I’ll walk you though how I did it so you can make your own Podcast.
I can’t tell you what artists will be on the show, because I have been busy getting permission to use their songs (which is a pretty long process in some cases), but there will be at least five or six songs on the Podcast.So tell all of your friends to check it out. Not to toot my own horn, but this is going to be really cool!!!

Big, Freaking Huge, MadMadMedia Announcement

Tell all of your friends! Tell your neighbors! Tell anyone with an Internet hookup. There will be a big, huge, amazing Mad Mad Media announcement later today. This, I swear, is going to be HUGE!!!!!!!

OH. I’m So Confused!

OK. Taylor is definitely making it through. He rocked the American Idol stage with “Jailhouse Rock” and then slowed it down with “In The Ghetto.” In fact, Taylor sealed the deal last night in my mind! After that it’s a toss up.
Katharine shook it like a saltshaker, but she forgot to spice up the lyrics. Come on, you’re in the final four baby. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE WORDS. And her version of “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” was boring.
Chris’ first song was aieet, but his second performance was ... well ... a little bit on the meeh side.
Elliot. Elliot brought it like UPS — on time and undamaged. He kicked ... ask anyone. I know I said yesterday that he’s probably going to go home, but Elliot really does deserve to stay.
Going back on my statement yesterday ... after forgetting the words and performing and beautiful song with the grace of a blender on frappe ... I think Katharine should be going home. But note the word “should.”
It really could be anyone except Taylor.

Could she be going home? Katharine McPhee sings on American Idod broadcast on April 25.
Photo Courtesy of AP and Fox Television

Hey Ho, NANO!

I have 439 songs on my iPod right now. That is over a day of music. Unbelievable isn’t it? It sure is especially when you look at the evolution of the device.
First came Walkmans, a clunky radio with headphones. Do you remember those things? They weighed about 5 pounds and sounded like garbage.
Then there were cassette Walkmans. Wow. You could have up to 30 songs on a 90 minute tape. Impressive, but the cassettes degenerated after a while, and the tape deck would get hungry sometimes and them.
Then there were portable CD players. The sound was great, but try walking with one. It was a good 10 years before anti-skip technology came along and allowed people to take digital sound anywhere - even jogging.
Then there was iPod, and it was good.
My iPod nano holds 500 songs, about 50 CDs worth of music. It doesn’t skip, it doesn’t eat the music, and I don’t have to fast forward through the six bad songs that are on every disk. They aren’t there because I didn’t put them into iTunes.
A few weeks ago I saw a cassette Walkman at an estate sale. It was so heavy. It seemed so antiquated. This device that reads information off of a magnetic strip, it’s so old. Phooey. Then, I saw someone listening to a portable CD player.
Whoa. How old is that? A device that reads information off of a metal disc encased in plastic with a laser, that’s so old. We’ve come so far.
The nano is almost indestructible. The larger iPods still have hard disc (which can be scratched if dropped), but the nano — it’s a flash drive. You can shake it, drop it, and even step on it and it will be fine (BUT DON’T DO THESE THINGS — YOU MUST LOVE THE IPOD).
I’m on song 159 out of 439, “Faded Flowers” by Shriekback off of their “Oil and Gold” CD. It sounds great. On random, it leads into Death Cab For Cutie’s “I Will Follow You Into The Dark.” I’m in an office. I can hear my coworkers talking over the walls of their cubicles. Yet, I have a perfect soundtrack.
Oh yeah. I don't think it will ever get any better than this ... or will it?


Photo courtesy of Apple Computers

Phone home Elliot

They haven’t even sung their first note yet, but I’m confident in saying that Elliot will be leaving American Idol this week. How can I be so sure?
Tonight the contestants are singing the music of Elvis Presley. The King Baby! So, who’s going to have this one locked? Taylor and Chris, that’s who. Taylor looks like he has been dying to throw down a little less conversation and a little more action, and Chris will have no problem Memphisizing his rock persona.
While Katharine may be the odd man (woman) out, but she’s got enough umpah to keep going to next week.
Then there’s Elliot. I like Elliot - not as much as I liked Kevin (Why Moby? Why did you have to go?) - but Elliot doesn’t have the Elvis chops. His voice is warm and inviting. He jumps when he sings and waves back and forth like a cross between Kid Rock and Barry Manilow.
But I’ve seen Elvis, and Elliot...you ain’t no Elvis. Bruce Campbell? Now there’s an Elvis.
But I’ll be watching tonight. Who know, I could be wrong! Hey! Does anyone know about any public American Idol Finale parties like at a bar or something? And what are the rest of you going to do in June on Tuesday and Wednesday nights?

Speaking of Apple

Apple Computers successfully defended itself against Apple Corps, The Beatle's record label, in British Court after it alleged the computer company could not use its Apple logo on its iTunes Music Store Web site because it violated a 1991 agreement that Apple Computers would not enter Apple Corps music label territory.
The Associated Press reported High Court Judge Anthony Mann ruled the computer company's logo is used in association with a store, not a music label.
Neil Aspinall, the manager of Apple Corps, told reporters that he would take the issue to the British Court of Appeals.
Meanwhile, a guy in Wisconsin was sitting at his computer, wondering why Apple Corps can't seen to get it straight that it is a RECORD LABEL that sells RECORDS to RECORD STORES.
"Apple Corps seems hellbent on destroying the very thing that would keep the legacy of The Beatles alive," he said. "Would you sue Sam Goody? Would you sue Wal-Mart? No! THEY SELL YOUR PRODUCT! That's like a farmer suing a grocery store because they call their produce farm fresh. GET OVER IT!"

My iPod

I got an iPod last Christmas from my friends Craig and Vicky (putting them at the top of the friends list). It is the coolest thing I have ever owned. In fact, I don't know how the human race existed without iPods.
Of course when I first got it, getting it work was the most frustrating experience in my life.
The instructions to use an iPod are simple. Take it out of the box, get iTunes, plug the iPod into the USB port to launch iTunes, create a playlist and go.
It's almost as easy as microwaving soup, but not as tasty...or is it?
Having iTunes already (which everyone should have because it is the greatest music software out there), I plugged my iPod nano into the USB port. I stared at the screen, dreaming I would soon be like those young, hip silhouettes on TV dancing to my favorite music.
Nothing happened.
I was puzzled. I just sat there, concentrating on my monitor. I went over the instructions again.
So I went online and apparently I didn’t have the right iTunes...no problem, I’ll download a new one. Then it still didn’t work. I called Apple and asked them what was going on.
They asked me if I was using Mac or Windows. Mac, I told them. They asked me what the iPod was formatted for (Windows). So I needed to download an iPod updater.
I did, and it still didn’t work.
I couldn’t believe it! I had been waiting for an iPod for three years. THREE YEARS I waited, patiently. And I couldn’t get the *@%&^! thing to work! ARRRRGH!
Well, long story short, I didn’t have the right operating system (apparently OSX1 and OSX4 are not the same thing.) So after completely overhauling my computer, my iPod worked perfectly.Why am I telling you this? Well this week (except for American Idol) will be all about my iPod. The music I have on it, the playlists I’ve created, and the pure joy of being an iPod owner.
So plug those white things in your ears, turn it up past the newly updated sound limits, and Pod away baby!!!

Photo courtesy of Apple

Weekend Madness...everything must roll

Welcome to the weekend. If you're checking out this site, you're obviously going against your mother's advice of going outside and doing something constructive. Cool.
This week is all about Imogen Heap. I am a huge fan of Imogen as a solo artist and with her group Frou Frou, and you may have heard her music on the soundtracks of "The O.C." and "Garden State."
Combining youthful exuberance and hauntingly beautiful vocals, Imogen is a truly original artist with an incredible catalogue of music, especially for a woman who has only been on the music scene for a few years. She will be making a stop at The Rave in Milwaukee on May 24 with Zoe Keating, and she would be worth checking out. (Buy tickets here)
Still not convinced? Check out the video below for “Hide and Seek” off of her latest album and listen to the remix of “Hide and Seek” by Morgan Page and “Breathe In” by Frou Frou.
Enjoy and have a great weekend!!!

Click to listen/right click to save
"Hide and Seek" the Morgan Page Bootleg Mix

"Breathe In" Frou Frou

HEY! Where did the video go? I only keep videos on over the weekend. Tune in next week for something new!

Revenge of Mr. T. I pity the fool that don't do math!

A couple projects were announced this week that raised my eyebrows. First was the announcement from George Lucas that he would finally be releasing the original Star Wars films, sans the added computer effects, on DVD in September (Scroll down to see more). But two other projects also stuck in my head.
Fox Atomic, a new young-adult genre division of Fox Filmed Entertainment, announced it would be remaking "Revenge of the Nerds," the 1984 geek comedy that launched the career of Anthony Edwards (ER). I'm guessing that this NEW division will be anouncing some other NEW film projects in the near future. Probably remakes of "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes," "Say Anything," "Joy Sticks," and "Night of the Creeps." It will be years before they make their actual FIRST NEW FILM.
TV Land announced that Mr. T (the guy with the mohawk from the '80s show "The A-Team") is working on an advice show called "I Pity The Fool" for the network, which will air in October. The premise is Mr. T will help fans change their lives. First piece of advice? Stop watching the A-Team. That show was cool like 20 years ago.
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are teaming up again for "Rush Hour 3." I think that's pretty cool, but Chris Tucker is getting $20 million to appear in it, while Jackie Chan is getting $15 million. That doesn't seem right.
And Finally, Rosie O'Donnell will be joining The View. I don't watch the show so I really don't have anything to say, I just hope the audience is ready for flying Koosh balls and jokes about Tom Cruise and Catholic nuns.

Poster courtesy of the Internet Movie Poster Awards.

New Sheboygan Blog

Hey everyone. I just wanted to let you know about another Sheboygan Press blog that started up. Dave Lubach, one of our sports writers here, has launched Confessions of a Caddie, a blog dedicated to golf.
As many of you know, golf is huge here in Sheboygan, and Dave knows all of the ins and outs of the sport.
I just checked it out, and it's pretty cool. I'm going to create a permanent link on the side of my blog, but you can check it out now by clicking here.
I'll put some more on the site later, and I'll have the usual video and song previews tomorrow.
Later.

BREAKING NEWS (NO I'M NOT KIDDING)

IMDb announced today that George Lucas will be releasing the ORIGINAL "Star Wars" films, without the 1990's digital enhancements, on DVD in September.
The site reported "each of the films, "Star Wars" (1977), "The Empire Strikes Back," (1980), and "Return of the Jedi" (1983) will be released separately and will be accompanied by a second disc offering the digitally reedited version ... They will be withdrawn from circulation on Dec. 31."
The official Star Wars Web site confirms the release date.
Well, it's about time George Lucas listened!
Now if he would just release "Howard The Duck" on DVD, everything would be right with the world!!!

Poster courtesy of Internet Movie Poster Awards.

M:I-3, hit or miss?

Mission: Impossible III hits theaters this weekend. I’m not the biggest fan of the series, but I’ve come up with a for-or-against list for those people who are on the fence about seeing it.

Reasons to see M:I-3
4 The supporting cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup and Maggie Q (who rocks by the way).
4 JJ Abrams, the man behind “Alias”, directed it.
4 It cost $150 million to make.
4 The previous M:I and M:I-2 grossed almost $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts, before DVD sales.
4Things will blow up.
4 Did I mention Maggie Q is in it? (pictured in a still from Paramount Pictures to the right).


Reasons not to see M:I-3
4 Tom Cruise is a nut. Geez did you see him on Oprah? The guy is loony.
4 And what did he and Katie Holmes name their kid? Ion? Or Sofa? Suri, that’s it.
What kind of a name is that? Could you imagine screaming that? Suri, come here and clean up this mess you made. Suri! Are you listening to me? Not to mention, Suri Cruise kind of sounds like So Ridiculous.
4 And Katie Holmes? What’s up with that? She’s what, 15? Did anyone think about Dawson in this whole scenario? I just don’t get how you go Mimi Rogers, to Nicole Kidman, to Katie Holmes. It doesn’t make sense!
4 Plus, Mission Impossible was already a TV show...TWICE! And then two movies, neither of which were very good.
4 And, AND, Phillip Seymour Hoffman just won an Oscar. What’s the rule about Oscar winners? The next movie is a payday. Look at Hallie Berry. She wins an Oscar, does “Catwoman.”
4 Plus, even though Maggie Q is in it, it looks like she’s in the movie for about 10 seconds. Oh, but Tom Cruise is probably in 95 percent of the movie, because he’s the star.
4 Tom Cruise hasn’t done anything for anybody since “Top Gun.” There, I said it. Who liked “Minority Report”? No one. Who sraved over “Vanilla Sky”? No one. Who gushed over “The Last Samurai”? No one. Should you see M:I-3? NO.

Music suggestion from HenryFatass

If you look at the comment sections of this blog, you'll notice that regular commenter HenryFatass pointed out the song Katharine performed (badly) Tuesday night on American Idol (Phil Collins' "Against All Odds"), was also covered by The Postal Service, an awesome group that features members of Death Cab For Cutie.
It is a really cool version of the song, and you can hear it by clicking below. As always, click to listen/right click to save.

"Against All Odds"


Thanks HenryFatass, if that is your real name!

Last Tango For Paris

Well, Paris exited stage left on American Idol last night. Buh bye. It was no big surprise, but I was shocked to see Elliot in the bottom two. Looking back on the night before, Elliot was more consistent than Katharine and Chris. He wasn't at the top of his game, but he was outplaying almost everyone else.
I think Taylor, unless he really screws things up next week, has got this thing locked.
Also, I just realized, with the final four competing next week, American Idol is almost over. What are we going to do?
What else is there to watch? I’m not going to get sucked up into So You Think You Can Dance 2 - Electric Boogaloo, nor do I want to get trapped by some romance reality show or some strange talent show. Any suggestions?

PS. Just in case any of you were wondering, Tom Jones sang Prince's "Kiss" with the electronic group Art of Noise.

click here to listen to it!

Wailing over the Whaling Wall

Well, today construction workers tore down the Whaling Wall on the Milwaukee County Courthouse Annex to make way for improvements to the Marquette Interchange. As a former Milwaukeean, I'm going to miss the big wall, which was donated to the city by muralist Robert Wyland, much like I miss the smiley face barn on the way to Madison.
But, that highway really needs to be fixed up, and the painting had lost it's lustre after years of staining from exhaust fumes and dirt.
So, goodbye Whaling Wall.

Photo courtesy of the Underwater Times.

Idol Idol Idol (but no Billy Idol)

Well, I just flew back from Denver, and boy are my arms tired.
(Oh boy! That's funny! Woohoo. Way to pull a bad joke out of retirement. Oh Yeah! You are a funny, funny man!).
Hey, who is that?
Anyway, It was nice to sit back on my couch and watch American Idol last night, and I was happy to see Taylor was back, singing like he wanted to win. And based on last night's performances, he's set to win.
Katharine did well with her second song, but really screwed up her first performance. Was it just me, or did she completely forget the words?
Paris, Chris and Elliot seemed to be battling for the bottom position. I liked the first song Paris sung, but not her singing it. Only two people can sing "Kiss," Prince and that other guy who sang it -Do you remember who it was? Leave a comment if you do.
Chris...well, his voice is going...Maybe we should give him a break. Elliot was good, but was he Idol good? For now, I would say he is.
I think it's going to come down to Chris Vs. Paris for walking papers, and I think Paris is going to take it.
Watch tonignt to see MO MO MO! (So, I made a Billy Idol reference. So what?)