The Steve Reynolds Program - Issue #5
SPRANG BREAK! How was/is yours? Mine was pretty good. I had three and a half beers on St. Patrick's Day and it felt wrong.
Along with many of you I'm sure, I am debating deleting Facebook. The fact they kept records of ALL calls and texts on phones and sell info to creeps is horrifying. But deleting it would be deleting opportunities for gigs and stuff. It's a damn drug it is.
Four for Fun
1. George Pelecanos - It's been a while since I read the preeminent D.C. crime novelist. I found a new book of his for TWO dollars at B&N. And he's still doing what he does best: telling a compelling and lurid story while taking account societal and political factors. And his use of music to describe characters and scenes is par excellence. He's like a woke Elmore Leonard. Reading a few of his books, you realize the influence he and David Simon have on each other (he wrote for The Wire, among other TV shows). The only weakness is if you binge read his works, his plots and tone become samey. So take your time and space them out. The Sweet Forever and King Suckerman are my faves.
2. Shure 579Sb Mic - The Shure brothers are most famous for the "Elvis mic" which is a fixture on bad comedy posters. Making these posters extra bad is NO SHOW USES THAT MIC. They use whatever the cheapest mic at Guitar Center is. Speaking of cheap, I found this one for a good price and people are enthralled with it. It's good to have a mic on hand, for, say, recording a podcast you've been promising to do for almost a year.
3. I Need You To Kill - A documentary of a tour by three American comedians in Hong Kong, Singapore and Macao is intriguing and funny (especially Tom Segura - far better in this than his recent Netflix special). Biggest surprise to me was the outspokenness of the comedians in oppressive Singapore. No surprise was the lame showcases they show clips of. Mediocre comedy is everywhere.
4. This Is Not America. David Bowie did the two greatest collaborations in rock music. This collab with Pat Metheny (I wonder what these guys had in common?) isn't a masterpiece. But I find myself singing the chorus for no reason whatsoever.
Me Time
I didn't get this out in time to talk about Game Show: Hour Now but it was hoot. Follow me on Twitter @wampusreynolds and @reynoldsprogram
Let me know if you like any of my recs! Or recommend something to me. I dare you!