The Dead Disappoint On David Letterman

I will say that I fully understand that getting a slot on a talk show to perform one song is nothing like playing a concert. Most bands have no problem with this format as their live renditions of songs are not that far removed from their studio renditions and often fit nice and snug into

Favorite & Least Favorite Films Of 2008

A little late, you say? Hogwash! I usually wait till long after Awards Season to make my picks as it usually takes me that long to catch up with most (though sadly not all) of the films released in any given year that I really want to see. As such, I reserve the right to

The “New” Dead on Letterman Tonight

While it’s no secret that I’m a bit underwhelmed with the post-Jerry Garcia Dead’s sound, I think many folks who weren’t big fans of the band before might actually, ironically, prefer this current incarnation. Guitarist Warren Haynes’ sound is certainly more “familiar” sounding to the masses as his playing is a tad more “straight-forward” than

Fox’s Shep Smith Drops Appropriate F-Bomb

Shepherd Smith seems to be the only person at Fox News who actually gets angry when people lie and/or mislead. So what the hell is he still doing at Fox!? Well, after dropping the F-bomb on air today while discussing the torture memos, he may not be for much longer. Which would be a shame

A View From The Dead Tour

I’ve been listening to snippets from the tour and what I’ve heard so far has been okay, but nothing that’s knocked my socks off. The set lists are amazing given the range of music (30+years) and the daring lack of structure, but the music itself, while good, seems to lack the magic that made the

Brilliant Cinematographer Jack Cardiff Dies

One of my heroes, the supremely talented and illustrious cinematographer Jack Cardiff has passed away at the age of 94. Cardiff was known for such films as THE AFRICAN QUEEN, THE RED SHOES, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA, WAR AND PEACE, THE VIKINGS, and one of my favorite films of all

Retired Seattle Police Chief Talks Pot vs. Alcohol

Retired Seattle police chief, Norm Stamper, wrote a small article in the Huffington Post about not only his experiences as a law officer dealing with pot smokers and alcohol consumers, but also the statistics currently available on both. As the question as whether or not to legalize/decriminalize marijuana continues in earnest, I thought I’d post

New Dead: NY Taxi Tour & King Solomon’s Marbles Rehearsal!

This is some special stuff. The boys certainly have a different sound from the Garcia days, but these two vids show that they are tighter and more daring than ever! Enjoy…

Out Of The Ashes Of The Dead, Dark Star Orchestra Rises

First off, let’s just get this out of the way: Dark Star Orchestra is not Beatlemania. Sure, they are technically a cover band, but they are also so much more. Dark Star Orchestra recreates particular Grateful Dead concerts on an (almost) nightly basis. For those unfamiliar with the Grateful Dead, they were an improvisational jam

Magnolia Still Not Willing To LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

After legions of fans pointed out that the subtitles on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of the amazing Swedish film LET THE RIGHT ONE IN had been dramatically altered and dumbed-down from the film’s theatrical release, Magnolia agreed to release a version with the theatrical subs as soon as their current inventory sells out. But