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I want to find a band that equals Lettuce in terms of funk mastery. I am eagerly accepting recommendations now...

(yes, I've already heard Soulive, but I haven't travelled outside of Turn it Out. I could go deeper at your behest...)

It's on the books.

There's one thing I've fantasized about all this year, and now I can officially mark it on a calendar. On September 8, 2009 I will return to my second home - the magnificent, the inspired, the marvel that is the great state of Vermont.

Dynamic Ulleung-do

There's not many places in Korea I want to visit more than the island of Ulleung. Korea's two major island destinations are Ulleung and Jeju - with the former being the less travelled, less exotic, and generally less appealing option. It is for this reason that I'm excited to go there.

Ulleung's main draw to Koreans, ironically, is another island. It is only from Ulleung that you can access Dokdo - Korea's football field-sized land dispute with Japan. Koreans are obsessed with Dokdo, but I detailed that in a previous post. I imagine I will be one of the few on my trip who has really no interest in taking the viewing tour of the embattled island, and I couldn't be happier about that.

Ulleung fascinates me because it is a perpetually overlooked island community in a country that gives no mind to also-rans. There's almost no appreciation for hidden treasures here, and I find that stifling. That's what Ulleung is to me. Or, at least what I hope it will be. I have no idea how I'll make it up there with my schedule, but I'm damn sure going to try.

Anyway, Korea's 'official' tourism website has a write-up that is not to be missed. Readers take note: this is a typical Korean tourist propaganda. Nobody here has any sense that Korea's English tourism slogans are totally bizarre. For example, Korea's national English slogan is 'Korea Sparkling.' What?! The city of Busan went with this gem: 'Dynamic Busan.' Again, what?! Hey, they're trying, and that's what matters. I must always remind myself that. Sorry, I digress. Here's the first paragraph of the tourism website's write up. It's certainly not what sold me, but maybe some other people out there will get pumped about Ulleung's 'three fews, and five manys.'

A mysterious island full of dreams and romance, Ullengdo can be reached by a three-hour ferry ride from Mukho or Pohang. It is famous for being a land of three fews and five manys: there are no thieves, pollution, and snakes, but many Juniper trees, beautiful women and stones as well as much wind and water.

Beyond Whistler

In a surprsing move, Ethan Hawke wrote a startlingly good piece on one of his heroes in last month's Rolling Stone. The subject - Kris Kristofferson - is as inspiring as any one man could be. He is a man who can hardly thank luck for anything he has achieved. His success is the direct result of a seemingly unbridled talent, and cast iron sense of self. Despite past shortcomings, he seems to have emerged as integrity embodied.

We meet our hero backstage at a birthday bash for Willie Nelson in the not too distant past. The story that follows is as righteous and rock and roll as anything I've read in the pages of this hallowed rock rag. I found it so amusing that I just had to include it below. If you like what you've read, then I heavily suggest you head over to rollingstone.com for the rest. Enjoy.

Standing backstage at the Beacon Theatre in New York, leaning against a crumbling brick wall in the dark, I could barely see Kris Kristofferson standing to my left. Willie Nelson was in the shadows to my right. Ray Charles was standing beside Willie, idly shifting his weight back and forth. A bit farther along the wall were Elvis Costello, Wyclef Jean, Norah Jones, Shelby Lynne, Paul Simon and respective managers, friends and family. Everybody was nervous and tight. We were there for Willie Nelson's 70th birthday concert in 2003.

Up from the basement came one of country music's brightest stars (who shall remain nameless). At that moment in time, the Star had a monster radio hit about bombing America's enemies back into the Stone Age.

"Happy birthday," the Star said to Willie, breezing by us. As he passed Kristofferson in one long, confident stride, out of the corner of his mouth came "None of that lefty shit out there tonight, Kris."

"What the fuck did you just say to me?" Kris growled, stepping forward.

"Oh, no," groaned Willie under his breath. "Don't get Kris all riled up."

"You heard me," the Star said, walking away in the darkness.

"Don't turn your back to me, boy," Kristofferson shouted, not giving a shit that basically the entire music industry seemed to be flanking him.

The Star turned around: "I don't want any problems, Kris — I just want you to tone it down."

"You ever worn your country's uniform?" Kris asked rhetorically.

"What?"

"Don't 'What?' me, boy! You heard the question. You just don't like the answer." He paused just long enough to get a full chest of air. "I asked, 'Have you ever served your country?' The answer is, no, you have not. Have you ever killed another man? Huh? Have you ever taken another man's life and then cashed the check your country gave you for doing it? No, you have not. So shut the fuck up!" I could feel his body pulsing with anger next to me. "You don't know what the hell you are talking about!"

"Whatever," the young Star muttered.

Ray Charles stood motionless. Willie Nelson looked at me and shrugged mischievously like a kid in the back of the classroom.
Kristofferson took a deep inhale and leaned against the wall, still vibrating with adrenaline. He looked over at Willie as if to say, "Don't say a word." Then his eyes found me.

"You know what Waylon Jennings said about guys like him?" he whispered.
I shook my head.
"They're doin' to country music what pantyhose did to finger-fuckin'."

200th Post.

So I've made it this far with Hyundaiprop blog, and I'm proud of that. Well, sort of. Not too long ago I thought blogs were for self-important hacks, so maybe that's what I've become. Either way, I can't think of a better way to celebrate than exposing the world to Pete Postlewaite - a great actor, and the reason I so often win games of celebrity trivia.

Did you know?

I once dated a girl in high school who was obsessed with Aerosmith's Joe Perry. I had never really given him much thought, though I found it strangely endearing that this blonde high-school chick was so into a middle aged man. In retrospect, I'm not sure that it said anything good about her, but at the time I thought it made her exotic. Reality taught me that her J. Perry crush was actually a manifestation of the way she lived her life: constantly questing after some romantic ideal that was completely unpractical. But that was then, and now I haven't spoken to her in 6 years, save a few facebook correspondences.

Anyway, I got thinking about her, so I wikipedia'd (another bizarre 21st century verb) Joe Perry. Some may think that a bizarre move, but it made total sense to me. I'm actually really glad I did, because I found out a totally out-there fact about the man who Rolling Stone magazine claims is in the top 60 guitarists of all time. He routinely records songs playing a six-string bass like a guitar - chords and all. So think about that the next time you're pumping your fist to "Train Kept-a-Rolling."

p.s. - Keith Richards used to remove the low E string from his guitar, so as not to disrupt from his velveteen leads. That, and he was probably trashed all the time, and knew that he might tap a booming E in the middle of a slop-fest solo. Good times.

Steve Earle - Coppertown

Steve Earle - Coppertown

Before he was a voice of reason on "The Wire", Steve Earle was writing some of America's most cogent and politically charged folk rock. I had known of his work for some time, but never took the plunge. You know how it goes.

Discovering illegal downloading changed this, and finally allowed me to pursue the fringe of my interests by removing stinginess as an excuse. Don't get me wrong, I think buying music is important. We spend money everyday on things we resent, so why not occasionally drop some bills on something like music - an item whose sole purpose is to give us joy? I feel that small, upcoming artists need my money, whereas Earle doesn't. But I could be wrong on both accounts. My point is that I would have waited months before I could financially justify buying this album, and it's an all around good thing that I didn't have to.

Rhetoric aside, Coppertown is as solid an album as their could be. The vibe is consistent, the songs are strong, and the lyrics are as pure as the salt Earle himself comes from. Though it is certainly not for everyone. Indie rock fans may be turned off by the overtly radio-ready production. It's true that certain songs scream "John Mellencamp's opener". But make no mistake, this is much smarter than anything that makes it's living on FM or John Mellencamp's coat-tails.

Is this Harpya?

On Tuesday I gave my 5th/6th grade afterschool class a mad lib. The idea was for them see what a possible phone conversation might look like in English. I gave them the structure, and they were supposed to fill in various nouns, adjectives, and verbs. For example, A: I want to cook _________ tonight, but I don't have any _____________. B: Oh that's ok, I have a lot of ____________________. I think you get the picture.

I told the kids to be creative, and that they could literally put anything they wanted in the boxes, no matter how ridiculous. Making sense was not exactly the point. However, this type of brash creativity seemed to startle everyone. The looks on their faces screamed, "you mean, there no right or wrong answer?!?" That notion was completely alien to all of the students... except my man Taek-hyun. I've mentioned Taek-hyun before on this blog, mostly for his butt-poking proclivities. Regardless of his over-active ddooksheens, he is a very smart, creative boy. He's basically a joy to have in class. And unlike everyone else, he had no problem with the mad lib. In fact, he loved it.

Here's a snippet of said mad lib.

A: Hello? Is this "Harpya"?
B: Speaking.
A: Oh, how are you?
B: I'm "hungry". How is your son, "basilisk"?
A: He is "hungry". Thank you for asking.
B: Wow! The weather today is "yellow sand". I'm very "sad" about it.

These are the words of one of Korea's future leaders.