Willys

The Jeep on the left is a little older than mine on the right.

25 Years

Today (actually tomorrow) is the 25th anniversary of the release of Weezer's Blue Album. They didn't call it the Blue Album at the time...it was just a self-titled album named after the band. It was one of the masterpieces of the 1990's and had a huge impact on me. Here was a band that rocked hard but didn't wear leather pants, feather boas and sport spiked hair-sprayed hair. Weezer looked like the kind of guys I hung out with. Just some dorks who could play and great music.

So in honor of the anniversary, my son and I joined the band via the magic of lame photo-shop!

The Swinging 90's

Just finished High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Reminded me of 1990's London only I've never been to England so I wouldn't really know. I spent most of the 1990's in Oklahoma City, Barcelona and Dallas. But it did remind me of the 90's. Funny book yet also heartfelt. Better than the Cusack movie which moved the story to Chicago. But I don't remember much about that movie so I should give it a re-watch.

Moving on...

I have to admit I was a bit sad to hear that Live From Here with Chris Thile was officially moving their home base to New York City. The move isn't unexpected. Ever since Thile took over A Prairie Home Companion he has been making changes to the format and content of the show. Most notably, the name of the show changed after the show's creator, Garrison Keillor was accused of sexual harassment a couple of years ago. Then last year the original musical director and two cast members were replaced. The theme song changed a couple of times over the past three years as well as the organization of the show itself (a lot more music, a lot less monologues).

Many of these changes were good. But still, it saddens me a bit to see the show uproot from its Minnesota roots. I hate that so many of our cultural institutions are embedded in New York or Los Angeles. It was refreshing to see the midwest represented on a show of such excellence. The show has toured a lot in recent years and was only in Minnesota for a few episodes this past season. Everything being based on the coasts is so tiresome. A little geographic diversity in our American cultural institutions would be nice.

I'm progressive in a lot of ways, but there are strains of traditionalism inside me. I like traditions that connect me to the past in positive ways. It really won't make that big of difference to the format or quality of the show to be based in The Town Hall in Manhattan. But I will miss hearing that the show is emanating from The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota.

I guess, for better or worse, this really is the last goodbye to A Prairie Home Companion.

photo: The show bill from Live From Here's show in Austin, Texas last year.

Happy May Day!

Photo: The workers hammering away at North Park Mall in the midst of unbridled Capitalism!