This and that

Uhhhhhhhh I’m going to bed

But first, a bunch of stuff!

Saw Third Eye Blind the other night.  I had no idea I liked that band so much.

Absentstar from Chicago opened.  Totally dug this band.

Photos from the show are here and here,

and of course on the main page.

You can read my review on buffalo.com. 

Spent Valentines Day eating pizza and laughing.

Louis CK and Todd Barry did stand-up at the CFA.  He was much less of a dick on stage than

he was in the interview. (see below).  Photos here.

NY Dolls tomorrow, maybe.  Er, I guess that’s tonight.  It’s all a blur.

Generation Vol.25 #16 is out today.

Here is my contribution for the week.

Generation Magazine – 2/12/08

This week’s Generation is out today.  I have a few articles in it:

Interview w/ Louis CK

I’m Right, You’re Wrong (2/12/08 edition)

The Blakester’s Guide to Valentines Day

Interview with Louis CK

 

Comedian, writer, director and producer Louis CK will be performing at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts this Thursday.  He answered some questions for Generation.

February 14th will bring you to the Center for the Arts at the University of Buffalo. Is your wife pumped that you will be spending Valentine’s Day in one of the most dilapidated, run down rust-belt towns in America presumably gorging on chicken wings?
I’ve been married for ten years, so I don’t really care that much about Valentine’s Day. There is too much baby shit in my life for romance. I have a six year old and a two year old. It’s kind of nice to be out of town for holidays, and Buffalo, I like spending it with those people.

What is your idea of romance?
I don’t even know what that means. I would say, well…fucking somebody is romantic.

You are filming a new one hour special next month. What kind of work goes into that?
It’s going to be a brand new hour of material. It’s something I have been working on all year in clubs and theatres, kind of putting a polish on it. Last year I did one called Shameless and that was really the first time I had sort of sat down and spent a year writing a special. Well, not sat down but you know, so I figured out how to do it by doing that one, so this is one is kind of the next step and a lot better.

You have been writing for television for over fifteen years, from Late Night with Conan O’Brien to Late Show with David Letterman; how has the strike affected you?
Well, I had deal to make on a new show on CBS and the strike killed it, but that’s the way it goes. On the other hand I really got to spend the year working on this special. I didn’t have any distraction, so that was kind of good. It gave me more focus as a comedian to not even have to be thinking about movies or TV shows or anything, but that’s for me personally. In a way it really upset me because most of my friends over the last few years have been people who have worked for television and movies, and they are all out of work. The writers I don’t feel bad for because they are just trying to leverage for more cash, but I feel bad for the people in the crews that don’t have anything to do with it, it’s just their line of work, so I hope it ends really soon.

Some comedians stop performing some bits once they get broadcasted. Are you the same way?
That’s what I basically do. Once something gets shot as a special, I retire the material.

Battle of the Louies: Louie Anderson vs. Louis CK in arm wrestling. Who would win?
I would probably win. I don’t think he’s in pretty good shape, and I try to stay in pretty good shape. Even though I’m a little overweight, I’m still healthier than him.

It’s been eight years since the cinematic masterpiece Pootie Tang was released. Why hasn’t there been a sequel yet?
Well, why the first one? I enjoyed making that movie a lot and I’m glad people like it. It got recut by some asshole into a piece of shit so I don’t really care about it anymore, but Paramount hated me and hated it and kind of held their nose when they put it out so that kind of thing doesn’t really get revisited as a sequel. Also, it’s such a specific idea. I think I could have made another sequel by now because the movie has a lot of fans, and if I really got a fire in my belly to make another Pootie Tang I could probably make it happen, but it’s an eight year old idea for me now so I don’t really care about it anymore.

You have appeared on Dr Katz Professional Therapist and Cartoon Network’s Home Movies. Do you have a preference for being represented in squigglevision as opposed to real life?
It’s just the same people, and that shoots in Boston, and that’s where I grew up, so I like seeing my mom, but I haven’t done those in ages.

A lot of your matetrial contains rather raunchy dialogue; “Lucky Louie” has actually been described as “Everybody Loves Raymond with swearing;” So, what is the best way to use the word “cunt”?
I don’t know; everybody has their own. It’s really like asking “What’s the best way to use a nail or a piece of sandpaper. “ It’s really just a tool.

“Lucky Louie” was cancelled on HBO this past year. For a show that was developed a decent fanbase, what’s the official verdict on why it was cancelled?
I think they just…they just…I don’t know, really. I don’t know. I don’t think they knew where to put it or what category to put it in their minds. We did have our share of viewers, people kept watching, but I really don’t know why they cancelled it.

The Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee just announced their line-up of bands and stand-ups that will be performing there this summer. Have you done the festival before?
I did standup at Bonnaroo years ago, it was great. I don’t think comedians and bands mix well, but we had our own comedy tent, and only people that were really big fans came to the shows and they were really nice kids, really young and enthusiastic audience, and they all seemed prettyhigh, but they totally focused and gave us a great show.

When most people think of redhead comedians, they think of Carrot Top. Has this ever bothered you?
No, I’ve met him, he’s a nice guy.

In 2004, Comedy Central ranked you 98 on a list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Ups, just edging out Janeane Garafalo and Gallagher? How did that make you feel?
I don’t care, Comedy Central doesn’t know what funny is, they can go fuck themselves.

New Generation is out.  Here is this week’s I’m Right, You’re Wrong.

More from Lollapalooza 06

Be Your Own Pet

Burden Brothers

Peeping Tom

Perry Farrell and Pete Distefano

Nada Surf

The Raconteurs

Smoking Popes

Mates of State

And of course, all my concert photos can be found here.

Interview at NWOWatcher.com

In a completer exercise of self-importance, allow me to post this interview I did for nwowatcher.com.  It discusses The BEAST, and my involvement with it.  It’s nothing special, but it feels kind of rad that someone is caring about the drivel I help spread to the masses.

Who wants to watch the Super Bowl?

NOT MY KITTY!!!

Building, building

Added photos from a bunch of old shows; Lolla and Bonnaroo stuff from years past:

Anathallo, Lolla 06

Beck, Roo 06

Blues Traveler, Roo 06

Elvis Costello, Roo 06

Eels, Lolla 06

G Love, Roo 06

Oysterhead, Roo 06

Tom Petty, Roo 06

Radiohead, Roo 06

And of course, everything can be found right here.

Updates at Generation

I’m still trying to upload photos day by day, but in the meantime, here is what I’ve had in Generation during the past few weeks.

Interview with Matt Taibbi

I’m Right, You’re Wrong (1/29/08 edition)

I’m Right, You’re Wrong (1/22/08 edition) 

So, there you go.

Look at what I found

I was walking to a new class this week and finally spotted what I had been searching for all year. Diet Cheery Chocolate Dr. Pepper. Only blogging can capture my happiness.