A Minor Announcement and a Pretty Picture

I don’t believe I have ever written a post with so many tags before. And the first might be misleading. I want to formally announce that I will not be taking on the A to Z Blog Challenge this April.

As dear Annie of McGuffy’sReader reminded me, there is still time. And I even started out with plans to share music videos (and you know I would have touted Palaye Royale along with some awesome My Chemical Romance and Panic At the Disco).

Then I considered stealing Annie’s theme and sharing snippets of my prose. But in the end time, despite my lack of outside employment, is a constraint.

It’s not so much the posting but reading new blogs, which I feel compelled to do in support of fellow challengers. I already follow so many folks on a near daily basis, I just couldn’t see adding more. Not when I really want to spend all my time writing.

In fact, I should shout out to all of you with links but fictional characters are calling. ~grin~ Anyway, best wishes to all who endeavor to run in this spring blog race. And with that I’ll leave you with something shiny.

Drummer Emerson Barrett of Palaye Royale in Studio
I Cropped the Rude Gesture Toward a Brother

Do you have any special plans this spring?

-

A Book Review of Black and White by Nick Wilford

Let me start by saying that my book allowance has dropped considerably in the wake of blessed early retirement. So imagine my delight when author and fellow blogger Nick Wilford offered followers an advanced read copy of his book ‘Black and White’, the first in his YA trilogy.

I first found the writer/editor and his story through the April A to Z Blogging Challenge. Every day’s entry introduced readers to either characters or aspects of the ‘Black and White’ universe. I found it all quite intriguing.

And the book itself did not disappoint. I wanted more, but that’s a good sign for a series. As a youth I would have found Nick’s world provided welcome escapism. This adult found the book’s editing impeccable, one of the finest examples I can point to these days (good promotion for his freelance editing services, if you ask me!).

Even having a good notion of the plot beforehand I found myself surprised by some of its aspects. Help and hindrance to the main characters did not always come from the expected directions. I enjoyed getting to know Wellesbury Noon and Ezmerrelda Dontible (great names, no?), too.

At $1.99 (US), ‘Black & White’ is a bargain. You can pre-order on Amazon here (for the United States) and here (in the UK). I hope you’ll give this new twist on dystopia a chance.

Be sure to check back next month for Nick Wilford’s guest post! So, what are you reading this summer?

-

A Nod to Megan Morgan

In the past, on a different blog, I enjoyed interviewing other authors for a time. It was informative, exciting, and I like to think beneficial to them in a modest way. Now I’m too busy satisfying my muse for such pursuits.

That said, I found a fellow writer toward the end of April’s A to Z Blog Challenge who caught my attention. While I didn’t contact this person regarding my idea, I have to share Megan Morgan’s acerbic, tongue-in-cheek fiction writing warnings resonating real world concerns.

Following is the thoughtfully provided alphabetic listing of all the ironic tells of writing, editing, and publishing ins and outs:

Megan Morgan's 2017 A-to-Z Challenge Theme Reveal 

Are you a writer? If so, do you share my lacking ambition to be published?

By the way, I thank Nick Wilford for leading me to this. His Scattergun Scribblings inspires me, too.

-

Z is for Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

Of course Ziggy Stardust is really David Bowie, but I believe WNKU has played songs from this era. Anyway, Z is tough as you fellow challengers know. I wish I could have been at the Hammersmith in 1973. ~sigh~ Alas, I was a wee bit young.

For this last day, my artificial entertainers call themselves Zero Sum after an episode of The X-Files. They have a reggae style like the wonderful German band Seeed.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

Y is for Yeahsayer

“Silly Me” is a catchy tune, basically lamenting a relationship gone wrong. The video is odd but interesting, for sure. I prefer to listen without the visuals, to be honest.

Yuppies in Denial is my second to last fake act. Three brothers and a cousin perform music not unlike Fine Young Cannibals.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

X is for XTC

The XTC song “Making Plans for Nigel” is really fun. The video is flat-out creepy. I’m amazed I never heard of XTC until recently. I’m glad to have found them.

Today’s fake artist is Xena, named for the fictional warrior princess. With a heavy saxophone sound, they remind me of Michael Stanley Band. Those guys performed in my neck of the woods growing up. I miss snuggling with my lover at Front Row Theatre during the ballad "Lover". By the way, that's Kevin Raleigh singing for MSB here, not Mr. Stanley himself.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

W is for Warpaint

This group’s style has several classifications, including the aptly termed dream pop. I find that so fitting because Beck’s “Dreams” has a similar sound to Warpaint’s “New Song”. WNKU tends to play blocks of loosely themed music and has played these literally dreamy sounding numbers back to back.

I’m going to make up a group named Waking Up Dead. They have a sound that harkens to Marilyn Manson’s androgynous “Mechanical Animals” era.

WARNING: The following video may be considered shocking and may be NOT SAFE FOR WORK.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

V is for Kurt Vile

I have to be honest and say that “Life Like This” is not a song of which I’m particularly fond. It kind of drags for my taste. But V is a tough letter and I do appreciate the musicianship.

For the letter V my pretend performers are called Victory. Their music hearkens to The Bravery, whose lyrics can be rife with delicious melancholy.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

U is for U2

Alas, I could not find a lesser known group that WNKU airs. You are probably aware that U2 plans a tour performing their album “The Joshua Tree” in entirety. Has it really been thirty years since its release? Wow. Good music, too.

Folk artist Uncle Frank is today’s made up entertainer. He has a sound not unlike David Lindley.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

T is for 2Cellos

Yeah, their name starts with a number, but I just had to write about these amazing Croatian cellists. I’m breaking another self imposed technicality, too, because I didn’t hear their music on WNKU. Instead I heard the DJ announce their upcoming show in Cincinnati. The way these two manipulate pop music through their unconventional instrumentation astounds me no end. And they are performers through and through.

For today’s fake group, I am picturing someone like the Gorillaz with animated characters posing as its members. I’ll call them Two Fish, with their animation being a nod to Dr. Suess.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

My Blogging Epiphany (an Update)

For this April’s A to Z Blogging Challenge, fellow participant Mary Burris (who hosts Jingle JangleJungle) inspired me to insert video. I managed to figure out how to do that via Youtube after struggling with my tendency to get overwhelmed by too much information.

It’s so obvious now. As she said you click 'share', then 'embed'. ~sigh~ At least I have that technique down.

Formatting text became my next challenge. For some reason, video insertion changed what all ready satisfied me in former previews.

Then I realized that I could probably insert video HTML code within text entered into Blogger’s ‘compose’ mode. I went to my original MSWord document containing my post and typed the words INSERT VIDEO HERE in each spot intended for video.

No, I don’t mean to virtually shout. I put the words in all caps so as to more easily find them within the HTML code. And voila! It worked. What a relief.

Have you found any convenient fixes for plaguing little issues? Don’t you wish you figured it out earlier?

To celebrate, I’m going to share a bonus video. Enjoy.

-

S is for Saint Motel

The first time I heard “Move” off the album Saintmotelevision I nearly jumped out from behind the wheel of my car wanting to dance. It sounds like Saint Motel has a fabulous fat horn section backing up their catchy lyrics. Oddly, only one song on each of their releases has that sound I crave.

Today’s faux group performs and records under the name Surviving Entropy. These three brothers and their sister hail from Seattle and have a sound similar to Blur.

-

All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

R is for Rag’n’Bone Man

Don’t you just love Rory Graham’s stage name? Listening to “Human” I would have never guessed in a million years that he hails from East Sussex, England. He really captures the soul of Mississippi Delta blues and I wish Rag’n’Bone Man much success.

Today’s faux artist goes by the name Robosexual, the term for a humanoid robot fetish I encountered via the British comic “2000 AD” character Lobster Random. Unlike the cranky, genetically modified cartoon torturer, the singer/songwriter/performance artist plays well with others. I liken his sound to Celldweller, who collaborated with Criss Angel (the magician singing in this video).

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

Q is for Queen

I tried to find another band for Q, going so far as to reach out to WNKU. But nobody responded (probably because the radio station folks are mostly volunteers, no doubt with busy lives). So I couldn’t find a lesser known band to tout. At least I stuck to my biggest rule for this challenge because the college station does play Queen.

My phony band for Q is Quiver. They play music like Queensryche. “Silent Lucidity” is sort of my ongoing lullaby. My partner downloaded the video to our DVR and I watch it before going to bed. ~grin~ Enjoy.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

P is for Phantogram

Listening to the song “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore”, I would never have guessed this group to be a duo project. It’s fitting that Phantogram is also the name of an optical illusion. And some of the elements of “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” remind me of Celldweller, Klayton’s latest solo project. Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter make amazing music together.



Love Stinks is my fake band honoring the J. Geils Band. My beloved older brother actually attained the nickname ‘Jay’ for reasons I won’t disclose. I lament the singer’s loss. The second tune is the whimsical B-side of “Love Stinks”.



 -
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

O is for Frank Ocean

Never having developed a taste for R&B, I find “Pink + White” extraordinary. Rock and roll at its most cliché is about drugs, sex, and rock and roll. Frank Ocean’s “Pink + White” turns this inside out and back again, lamenting lost love and drug addiction in a most wrenchingly soulful manner. If you're interested, there is a great article at Bustle.com:

 Bustle



For fun after that heavy blurb, let’s hear from my little creation Otter Parade. This young quintet aspires to follow in the footsteps of the Violent Femmes. I really adore “Blister in the Sun”.


-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

N is for The New Pornographers

I found myself trying to sing to The New Pornographers song “High Ticket Attractions” the moment the tune first played over my car speakers. The female vocalist echoing her male counterpart just flat-out hooked me. I feel the lyrics allude to the mystical, though the video is far removed. The theme is violent, but with humorous elements as a minor feud becomes the all-out destruction of a high school.


My phony band for today is Neon Dark. Thanks to kindly and talented blogger Nick Wilford's introduction I compare them to great Scottish indie band Idlewild.

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

I Need Professional Help

I am not tech savvy. It’s not a secret. My forte is writing fiction. It’s my passion and calling.

That said, I enjoy blogging as a way to connect with folks. And thank you to the many people who patiently tutor me on learning related computer processes. I don’t have the will or patience to take courses, even online.

But can someone please explain to me why the formatting is so difficult with Blogger? I thought I had everything down pat, then I go into preview mode and the text formatting is all wrong.

So I copy and past the proper HTML to correct that and find video missing. I swear I feel my blood pressure rise every time. Am I the only one?

Maybe I should use a different blogging platform. What do you think?

-

M is for Mad Anthony

Mad Anthony’s “Sad Songs” does not have particularly compelling lyrics. However, I really appreciate the overall sound. Interestingly, I don’t understand how this tune fits the groups proclaimed genre mix of stoner rock, grunge, and punk.

Today’s sham is named Monkey Funk. My imaginary critics liken their sound to Blink 182.


-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.

L is for Ray LaMontagne

“Part One – Hey, No Pressure” was my introduction to Mr. LaMontagne and one of the first tunes I heard on WNKU. His sensual crooning and the song’s uplifting message make it an ongoing favorite. I really need to look into his six studio albums and find out if I should put them on a wish list.

For L, I’m going to create Lost Left Socks. Like with the letter D’s phony Dimensional Drift, the name was inspired by an old cartoon. In this case it’s “Ren and Stimpy” and these three irreverent musicians tend to spoof other artists like the hugely successful Weird Al Yankovic.

I know Mr. Yankovic has an extensive new catalog but I just adore "Fat".

-
All the real tunes air on member supported WNKU out of the University of Northern Kentucky. The web page features the current playlist and live streaming.