Baby You're a Rich Man

Even the Losers

2008-02-07T12:42:00.000-05:00

I don't necessarily consider myself a loser, but hey, I did get lucky. Not lucky as in, you know, lucky-lucky. That won't happen for a few more months. Bascially, I found out via my own facebook status a few days back that my soon to be sister-in-law decided she wanted to give tickets to Tom Petty' s July concert at Sprint Center to Shauna and I. Yeah, I'm excited. I would not have been able to go on my own dollar because of all the financial demands of getting married and honeymoons and that whole being wise thing. Good thing I know people... or would it be that people know me...and know what I like?

What else....

Brilliant G's are gettin' the band back together these days. After Eric decided to go back to school and that school would be in Wisconsin we had to find someone to fill the fourth man void in his absence. The qualifacations were no biggie... just needed someone that could play french horn, trumpet, keys, tamborine, accordian and sing a little and sometimes do two of those at once. I don't know that we've replaced Eric but we have found a fourth which will likely bring some new elements to our sound. Rustin Smith has begun learning our material and rehearsing with us. Rustin plays the guitar, both electrically and acoustically, as well as a few other things. Check out his site I have linked above. He also has some solo stuff he's recorded. That said, we're most likely going to continue to keep our eyes (read "ears") peeled for another utility player. Looking for someone who can at least play keys well and maybe horns?

First comes love, then comes...

The wedding is quickly approaching. Just over 70 days left until we say our "I do(s)". I would say that it would be more accurate for us at this point to say "I does" given that we've been making a lot of changes already in life to live like we are committed to life together. It seems like, looking back, this is a time I've been preparing - and being prepared - for just about my entire life. Getting ready to keep getting ready... but for what? Mostly for meeting my maker is what it comes down to for me. Marriage is not an end in life, it's more of a new beginning. Learning to love in a deeper and more committed way than ever. The Apostle Paul thought that marriage wasn't for him. Maybe it wasn't. What if it would have been. How would that have affected his understanding of Jesus and his compassion and love for the church? I think that for me, it will continue to broaden and challenge my understanding as well as show me new ways that God has been merciful and gracious with His love. The best is yet to come.

2007-07-25T01:04:00.000-04:00

drew carey replacing bob barker? puh-lease!

GA GA GA GA GA

2007-06-14T10:59:00.000-04:00

A little delayed but here is a stream of the new spoon album.

Traveling Musical Geniuseses

2007-03-23T12:52:00.000-04:00

As reported by RollingStone.com, the Traveling Wilbury's albums are being re-issued after being out of print for a long, long time. For those that aren't savvy, the Traveling Wilbury's were essentially a studio band - and supergroup at that- consisting of George Harrison and Jeff Lynne alongside Roy Orbison and Tom Petty as well as Bob Dylan.

While I will admit that I'm not completely familiar with all of the music they recorded I will also make the obvious statement that on June 12th (the target release date) I will be at the record store. This couldn't news couldn't have come with better timing as my roommates and I are on a pretty serious Full Moon Fever kick.

Read the full article here>>

On a completely seperate but informative note:

My band, Brilliant Geographers, will be playing around KC a few times in the near future. For updates on that check out Myspace.com/BrilliantGeograpers>>

2007-03-20T16:43:00.000-04:00

I wore a tie to work today. People notice as soon as you walk in the door even if it’s something that you normally wear but just adding a tie, like a whole new look. We have a board meeting today and I partially wore the tie because of that and also to assert my professional ability to the Chairman and my boss in a sub conscious way so that I can gain respect. My main man Cody, who sits in the office next to me, drove home early in the morning to change out of the short sleeves and put on a shirt and tie after seeing that I had worn one.

It’s funny/interesting how such a small thing automatically places you in a position of social power. I plan to make a habit of wearing a tie about once a week because it throws people off... and chicks dig it.

Guitars and Cadillacs, Hillbilly Music

2007-02-15T13:01:00.000-05:00

Just read on pitchofork that Arcade Fire and Dwight from the Office will be on Saturday Night Live on February 24. Dig it.

More later.

dust, wind, dude.

2007-01-29T12:50:00.000-05:00

I like to watch bands play.

Here are a couple that will be inside a box in my living room this week.

Monday, January 29 NBC: "Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Peter Bjorn and John

Saturday, February 3: PBS: "Austin City Limits": Wilco, Bright Eyes (rerun)

A few other random thoughts... The new shins album is good and I'm pretty stoked about seeing them play in a couple weeks. And on another new music note, it's been reported that Radiohead is in studio. Any guesses as to what this album will sound like? I was thinking that it would be great to hear something from them that is just way out there. Something that is almost not palletable but that you can't put down for some reason. Just crazy noise.

Also, pitchfork says that Brian Eno says that he's producing the new coldplay record and it's nto going to sound like coldplay trying to sound like coldplay (see X&Y). Thank god. someone is getting those guys back on track. Brian Eno is just the man to do it. If I had to pick a producer for those guys right now I would pick him. Rick Rueben will step in and revitalize their relevance in another decade probably.

If you haven't heard already, I'm digging this band/guy called Patrick Watson. His sound is equal parts Jeff Buckley, Coldplay, and tim burton movie soundtrack. The album Close to Paradise is as addictive as heroin... from what I know of heroin... which is basically limited to when Dylan McKay got addicted to it on 90210 a bunch of years ago.

And if you aren't interested in any of that, check out this extreme wheelchairing action.

I haven't seen any of yous guys for a long time. We should remedy that. My band Brilliant Geographers is playing at Hardbean Cafe in Grandview on mainstreet this saturday (Feb 3), you should come if you're close. You will like us. We already like you.

I say good day to you sirs.

Ahhhh.. I love the colorful clothes she wears...

2006-11-06T11:48:00.000-05:00

This has made Monday morning a little more liveable today. Hollisterco.com has a live quicktime stream of the north and south side of the Huntington beach peir. Luckily, I've spent a ridiculous amount of time enjoying a sport for which I can make very little claim to having participated. None the less, memory served correct and so did my sense of orientation. The action is going to be on the south side of the peir.

Check it out for yourself. It's kind of fun watching guys get hammered in the shore break as they paddle out. Although, today is not particularly big. go to hollisterco.com and click the tab on the right that says peir view. enable pop-ups. laters.

BrilliantGeographers.com

2006-09-28T14:10:00.001-04:00

BrilliantGeographers.com

2006-09-28T14:10:00.000-04:00

dream up dream up let me fill your cup

2006-09-25T01:30:00.001-04:00

I spend way too much time trying to learn the lead guitar parts of AC/DC's back in black and playing Neil Young's Out on the Weekend. It's time I google some the fingerings for some new chords.

Also, for those that keep track. You can catch a few tunes that will soon be performed by my latest musical conquest at www.brilliantgeographers.com. Jesse describes it as slightly we anderson-ish sounding like the shins meets sufjan meets crash test dummies. oddly, or maybe not so oddly, it made perfect sense.

shiver me timbers

2006-08-29T23:00:00.000-04:00

My best friend since 5th grade, Troy, had his first kid last Sunday. Well, it actually came from his wife more so than him I guess I should say. My best friends wife since marriage, Penny, had their first kid last Sunday. Actually, she isn't my wife nor are Troy and I married so I guess I'm slightly wrong again. englush blows.

Jump Back!

deck night

2006-05-09T22:10:00.000-04:00

It's Summer! Ok, maybe not quite yet officially, but it will be soon. That means less of this... What better way to relax and enjoy the weather (besides on the trail to bear lake) than with friends on the deck. Here's the details... Deck night at my house. Thursday Nights, 8 pm. Bring your own drinks. If you need directions give me a ring or leave a comment and ask for them. Be here for the shock and awe. Ryan

Painful Indeed

2006-05-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

It's another dismal outlook for the Royals this year. I still wear my hat and I actually was at the game sunday despite the bleak weather forecast...and well, the tickets were free.

No one wants to live in a town where the teams are composed half-assed and patched together with some metaphoric duct tape and chewing gum like a bomb made by McGyver if he was actually living in reality. Let's face it, all those bombs would be duds. And so it is; the Kansas City Royals blow. They don't blow up, they just blow. Like tumble weeds or a dropped receipt from McDonalds that didn't quite get grabbed by the driver at the drive-thru window as it was being handed by the drive-thru "technician".

With those thoughts in mind, you should read this article which I found mildly entertaining and somewhat painful to read. Who really wants to admit that their home team, the one they've been faithful to through thick and thin since childhood, has no glimmer of hope? Not I, friends. Not I.

check it out.

2006-05-02T23:49:00.000-04:00

Wes Anderson American Express Commercial

Best Messenger Comment of the Day

2006-04-28T16:34:00.000-04:00

In reference to one of my former bosses who recently resigned.

RYaN says:
she was putting "the man's" narrow--minded shackles on my typographic flava

SuCFestivus for the Rest of Us.

2006-03-29T12:13:00.000-05:00

I would like to begin this post by airing my greivances to the general community of concert promoters, booking agents, etc.

Let me start by declaring my love for (almost) all things musical. If it came down to it, IF I HAD to listen to such awful compilations of clutter and audio bile as the Black Eyed Peas "My Humps" for the rest of my life, IF I was forced into exile from this world and was no longer able to participate as a fan in the never ending cycle of discovery, comprehension and exclamation of the sounds that keep me whistling while I work, I would still be making music of my own. I might be making it in my room with my little gEEtar or pounding out a rhythm I heard my tires making against the highway driving to work or yodling the song of a bird who's made his domain outside my window, in any case, it's still there, the music.

My main issue here isn't against the lack of music to inspire or encourage me to expound on these concepts in a blog setting such as this. My issue pertains to a little thing I like to call the SuCFest (Summer Circuit Festivals).

It's true that to many of these festivals appear to benefit the concert goer, but I would like to represent the common man in this argument. I have a few small but very obvious statements to make to that affect.

1. SuCFest does not happen by accident. Where as the general public had the opportunity in the past to enjoy a touring festival (other than the less tolerable OzzFest, or Warp Tour) like Lallapalooza at least in close by large city, now we are stuck traveling, hopefully within the region of our homes at least, to see such a line-up and hope that it isn't scheduled during a busy week of work. The up and coming edgy bands that once traveled on such caravaned tours now make their dates in random geographic locations somewhere not closed to home such as the Gorge in Wa(r)shington.

2. Guys like me, guys who would probably pay to see a good 50% of the bands play indivdually, are now stuck not only paying ridiculous ticket prices to gain access the the campground, but also plane ticket, rental car, gas and food charges for an entire weekend if not longer. Not cool.

3. What about the central location of Kansas City, access to a large amount of open fields and ability of shows to sell out repeatedly is not appealing to local promoters that would encourage a festival to be added locally? One might make the arguement that the Walkarusa festival in the Lawrence is just that. I stand firm in saying that all I see there is a bunch of hppies kicking off their sandals and kicking up some dirt. I hemphatically reply by saying my gas permeable contacts will not tolerate such musical lineups. And to be honest, the concert promoters of Lawrence present another bone to be picked. I'll, however, leave that for another time.

4. This whole SuCFest thing has put me in a sour mood, but it should suffice to say that I, Ryan Slofield, am willing to pay up to $65/ ticket to any promoter, booking agent, etc who can provide one day of good bands, whether popular to the masses or not, that are showing promise to the future of music and will be available for viewing and hearing within 30 miles of Kansas City on a day that isn't in the middle of our regions most heat-wave prone months of the year(early june or late may would be excellent).

Let's not let the SuCFest control how and when we get to see rare performances. Let's make the performers aware of the intrigue for what they are doing. Get them on the 'hone and get them to our homes.

I'm red-eyed and blue.

2006-03-23T12:47:00.000-05:00

I saw wilco play on Tuesday night at the Uptown Theater. They were great, nothing short. Jeff Tweedy, sometimes called a modern day Bob Dylan, was wearing his standard "I-was-wearing-sport-coats-before-wearing-sport-coats-before-wearing-sport-coats-was-cool" sport coat that looked a lot more authentic and strangely better than what most people spend 60-100 bucks after falling into the black hole of fashion conformity... I mean the GAP. Don't get me wrong, I wear clothes from the Gap and it's apersonal fav for the biz-casual side and the jeans just seem to always fit well.

Fortunately for myself, I was wearing just such comfortable attire Tuesday evening as Wilco played about a two hour set. Where some bands would real you in with a great rocking up-tempo song from the get go, wilco woo'd with melody and well played arrangement. Beginning with a dreamy "Hummingbird" and closing with the unknown "We Can Make it Better". I think it's pretty ballsy of a band to close with a song you've never heard before. Is that the kind of impression they want to leave you with? For Wilco, the answer is a resounding YES.

Sneak attack favorite of the night was "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" which is commonly a track I skip through the last half of being that it's close to eleven minutes and consists of mostly a trance-like instrumental loop. Something about the arrangement of the song and the bands intensity just grabbed my attention and gave me a new appreciation for it.

Another personal favorite, "I'm the man that loves you", was even more jangley, bouncin' and foot stompingly wonderful than recorded. If only they would have had the horn section of Conan O'Brien's Max Weinberg Seven to finish out the song instrumentation completely just like the night I saw them play on O'Brien's show. That was the performance when Wilco captured my attention like they had known just what my ears had been longing to hear and my heart had been saying all along.

Between the six traveling band members of Wilco, the translation from record to live performance found very little if any authenticity sacrificed. While most of the time adhering to the recorded song, there were a few diversion that kept the experience fresh. Personally, that's the way I like to hear bands like this play. ...put a little flare on it, but for the most part, just be Wilco. Done. ...and done.

What Tweedy does as a song writer is a romaticizing of the bluecollar and troubled life you never had. He connects you to real life with all it's ebs and flows and redundancies in a endearing abtract way. And the music that surrounds is nothing short of what I would expect of a modern day Lennon-McCartney written song with the passion and other-worldliness of George Harrison thrown in. Dig it.

2006-03-20T00:43:00.000-05:00

I got to work on friday ready to walk in the St Patty's Day Parade as required since they decided it was s good idea to build a float and enter. As I entered in my bright green T with hoodie covering a co-worker asked where my leprechaun costume was. (it was agreed the day before that I might closely resemble a leprechaun and make a good "mascot" for our parade entry) I replied in my usual sarcastic manner and blew off the question. To which the coworker replied, "I was thinking about it on the way to work, you don't look like a leprechaun, you look like a hobbit." Note to self: shave hair from top of feet.

On a completely different note.. Sometimes I'm not ready to hear what people are saying. Sometimes I need to hear it in a new way.

I get excited everytime I realize I can play my favorite songs with three or four chords that I'm good at on the gee-tar. It's all happening.

de do do do, de da da da

2006-03-16T22:30:00.000-05:00

I was listening to the police with my roommate yohan a few nights ago while driving to the gym(that's right ladies, I said I went to the gym). I realized that I had a hidden appreciation for stewart copeland. I always knew the guy was a real solid drummer but it just hit me different that night. Matt Brock, them are fightin' words and you know it. Seaner, If you weren't such a smart ass I might just tell you something more about TRex... well, considering your smartassiness is ok in my book I'll go ahead. Go rent or buy born to boogie. it's s dvd featuring none other than mr T.Rex himself MArc Bolan...along with others you'll recognize. This guy was hipster to the core back in the day. What he did then defines a lot of what is cool to the hipsters now. Jesse, "Beavers and Ducks" Kevin- when we going to honky tonk night again? Mitch Hedberg is hilaroius. He's not alive either. Note to self: Ant farms don't grow Sh#t....neither will aunt farms.

Litany of Penitence

2006-03-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven. Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit. Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives, We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people, We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves, We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work, We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us, We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty, Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us, Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us, Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us; Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation, That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord, Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desires not the death of sinners, but rather that they may turn from their wickedness and live, has given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins. He pardons and absolves all those who truly repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel.

Therefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do on this day, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

2006-03-14T14:05:00.000-05:00

Sean, You're words are sweet nectar that I flap my wings so hard to get a taste of. I'm a hummingbird? Slofield

New Music Discovery of the Week.

2006-03-06T17:32:00.000-05:00

New Music Discovery of the Week is Serena-Maneesh. The Norwegian invasion is upon us. Shoegaze fan friendly and a small comparison to the concretes could also be made for female pop melodies and "whatnot".

I'm sure it won't be too long before David Crowder is covering one of these songs so that all the little christian kiddies will no longer be oblivious and they will give him great praise for his coolness and originality not realizing he didn't write a note of said cover song.

I'm mostly referencing crowder's cover version of Sufjan's "Oh, God, Where are you now". I can't discredit a man that praises God but I can not resist the deiscreditting of a culture that breeds ignorance.

Back to my band of the week talk though... These Norwegians are playing across the US rather soon. well, they'll be in lawrence in a few hairs past a freckle and I think I may just go see them. Most noteworthy of their new release is Serena Maneesh features former Royal (old school tooth and nail) lead man Emil WAEdadfouald(that's not his real last name but pretend it's norwegian and you'll get there) as the main song writer, features some appearances by Sufjan, writer of David Crowder cover songs, and another of the Danielleson Family namesakes.. I hope that was as good a run on sentence for you as it were for I.

Check the band out here This post is dedicated to the memory of Jesse's iPod and sean's Police BoxSet which it contained.

Calvinist Beer

2006-02-07T19:26:00.000-05:00

our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up.

2006-01-30T11:47:00.000-05:00

I was sitting in church on my drum stool yesterday just before we started playing and thinking how I wished we were about to play some arcade fire songs cuz that's what I wanted to do more than anything right at that time and that just maybe God digs the arcade fire too. I mean seriously. how formatted and routine is worship (in music form) these days?? If you still want me, please forgive me, the crown of love has fallen from me.

2006-01-24T18:15:00.000-05:00

4 jobs i slaved my arse over:

Cleaned tuxedo shoes at my aunt's bridal store (Margies Bridal Plaza)
Tent erection (Celebration Party Rentals)
Chinese Food delivery(Master Wang's)
Bus driver at sumer camp ....

4 movies i'd sit through repeatedly:

Royal Tenebaum
Almost Famous
Pirates of the Carribean
Star Wars (4-6)

4 tv shows i love (like really):

the Flavor Flav version of the bachelor on VH1
The Office british version and then US
Lost
G-block on the Fox Report with Shep Smith (sourced!)

4 places i would like to visit on vacation:

Hawaii
Europe ...most of it
Japan
the rest of America

4 websites i visit at least weekly:

blogs (mostly xanga... and blogger of course some myspace)
pitchforkmedia.com
americanroyal.com.... work
flickr.com

4 foods i relish:

I don't put relish on anything really... I'm not a fan.

4 changes i'd make to my house:

i'd buy one
make sure it was on the beach...proabably malibu or maybe oahu?
make a nice sound proof room that has all windows looking out the back to the ocean
get a stone fox to keep it clean and have dinner made when I come home from work.

I choose not to tag.

I Been Thinkin' About M' egg Whites When They Gonna Sizzle

2006-01-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

You know that white stripes song "I've been thinking about my doorbell. When ya gonna ring it, when ya gonna ring !?!" yeah, well, if Jack wasn't so caught up in being Jack and he really started to think about the chances of a person ringing one specific doorbell he might invest in some more real estate. At least, that's what logic tells me. And c'mon Meg, you've gotten about as far as your going to get with me and that beat of yours. Notice that there is no "s" on the end of the word "beat" because it is not plural. Meg, split your fortune with me and I'll teach you how to rock those skins Rocky when he gets filled with the holy spirit of democracy and kicks drago' commie a$$.

I've been thinking about my interns boyfriend in New Zealand, when's she gonna dump him? Seriously, New Zealand is for hobbits.

Edit: This post should not discount the fact that the WS song is as catchy as me with a pumpkin seed worm on my line and a lake full of largemouth bass. I like it.

I Ain't Comin' Down

2006-01-12T11:46:00.000-05:00

I've been here before. In fact, some of you may recognize me. This time, I swears it, I'm a changed man. The thing is is that I've got this other deal over there and it really seems to be going well. I mean, I've made friends, gotten a hot cuban to makeout with me (in person) and experienced other things that I may not have. The problem is some of you are exclusive. I mean, I want to interact but how can I do that when I can't remember my damned password. What in the sam hill is a fella supposed to do with himself. Like a beam of lightning, or maybe more like a lack of desire to work while I'm at my employers, the answer hit me. Find out what that ol' password was and get myself a little something going here so that in fact I may do the deed, interact I mean. I make no shallow promises of complete sentences or even begin to deny the fact that the last sentence was a pretty bad run on that I don't care to edit. ya know what?... I'm cool with that. I mean why wouldn't I be? This is me and that's what I'm giving.