Greg Ippolito's Blog, page 3

XPoNential Music Fest 2010

Postmortem:



Great time yesterday at the XPoNential. I was with my 7-year-old daughter, so I didn't get to do too much rockin. Did catch Dr. Dog's set, which was excellent...



XPN did a terrific job with the event: the Children's Garden was a blast, the merchants provided a wide variety of food and drink, and the layout (as always) was easy to walk and fan- and family-friendly. And the people there — the volunteers, the vendors, the attendees — were incredibly, wonderfully human; everyone was wat...

Rod Serling

Happy Monday. Enjoy this: Mike Wallace interviewing Rod Serling in 1959, just before premier episode of The Twilight Zone.


[video:]

-G

http://gregippolito.net/

The more things change…

"This song goes out to the Exxon corporation."
- Michael Stipe, in regard to the Exxon Valdez disaster, 1989


[video:]

-G

http://gregippolito.net/

Stroke of Insight

If you haven't yet heard about Jill Bolte Taylor — and her book, My Stroke of Insight — lucky you: now you have.


[video:]

-G

http://gregippolito.net/

wild life rifle fire

My friend and colleague Paul Siegell has a new book out: wild life rifle fire.

If you've never heard of Paul or his work, both are truly out there. "Poet" doesn't accurately categorize him. Paul's work is a strange amalgam of poetry, word play and visual art.

I won't waste your time trying to describe it. You have to experience it for yourself. For a quick taste, check this out:


[video:]

http://gregippolito.net/

SHS Reunion, Class of 1989

Went to my high-school reunion this past Saturday night (SHS Class of '89). It's been almost 21 years since graduation, and almost as long since I've been back home (my parents divorced and my mom sold the house during my first year of college, alas).



It was deep dusk by the time I pulled onto Stokes Road and approached old Medford. A good number of things have changed, but a lot of it seemed frozen in time — the cedar-shingled houses, the sour smell of the lake, lightning bugs flashing in tre...

Stormy Weather

Jazz great and all-around superb lady Lena Horne has died at age 92.



I heard a story years back, possibly apocryphal, that when Lena first started checking out the Harlem jazz clubs back in the early '30s, she was given an odd bit of encouragement from Billie Holiday (who was already a superstar in that context):

The two had been introduced, and a new set about to begin. Billie suggested to young Lena that she get up there and do a song or two in the star's place to kick it off. Lena protested,...

Pilgrim

For your listening pleasure: "Pilgrim" by Steve Earle (w/the Del McCoury Band & Emmylou Harris on backing vocals). Just a great, great song.


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I never actually saw Steve Earle until I came across a photo a couple of years ago. Prior to that, having only heard that road-weary, campfire voice of his, I'd always visualized some vague version of the Marlboro Man. But then there it was: all this wistful, roadhouse wisdom pouring from a balding homunculus.

The lesson, once again: Kickassitu...

Quintessence of Dust

A quick nod to The Bard, born on this date in 1564.



"What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason. How infinite in faculties. In form and moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel. In apprehension, how like a god. The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me."

- from Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2

http://gregippolito.net/

Outstanding

This has been on YouTube for some time, but I just found out about it. Funniest thing I've seen in a while. It's a montage of cheese-whiz David Caruso one-liners from CSI: Miami.


[video:]

The action of putting on his sunglasses before every line, followed by the Daltrey scream punctuating it, makes each clip ten-times funnier.

http://gregippolito.net/