I’ve tried sampling classic shoegaze band Catherine Wheel before, but until “Crank” nothing stuck.
Note: I believe this video exceeds the official limit of how many people may fit in this particular elevator safely…
Shoegazer Sunday: Catherine Wheel’s “Crank”
June 5th, 2016R. A. Lafferty Convention Happening Today
June 4th, 2016I’ve been so busy this snuck up on me, but Laffcon, the first R. A. Lafferty convention, is happening today at the Mercer County Library in Lawrenceville, NJ, starting at 10 AM EDT.
Certainly worth attending if you’re a Lafferty fan and in the area, and maybe something to think about planning to attend if they do it again net year.
Muhammed Ali, RIP
June 3rd, 2016Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali has died at age 74.
As the young Cassius Clay, Ali combined the power of a heavyweight with the speed of a middleweight. He was so good for so long that he earned his self-anointed title as The Greatest of All Time.
Growing up I actually saw Ali box on TV, back when they still showed boxing on broadcast TV. Alas, Ali was far past his prime when I saw him lose to Leon Spinks.
The late fights took a serious toll on Ali, eventually robbing him of his previously celebrated eloquence, and he became a sad example of a great fighter who stayed in the ring too long.
Rest in Peace.
Library Addition: Signed Edition of Philip Jose Farmer’s The Other in the Mirror
May 31st, 2016I didn’t pick this up in the signed edition when it first came out, but I found it online cheap enough to be worth picking up.
Farmer, Philip Jose. The Other in the Mirror. Subterranean Press, 2009. First edition hardback, with a signed (but unnumbered) limitation page, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. Omnibus edition of three novels (Fire in the Night, Jesus on Mars, and Night of Light), the first two of which were only published as paperback originals. Original price for the signed/numbered edition was $125. This supplements my trade edition, and all editions are now out of print from the publisher. Bought off eBay for $24.95 plus shipping.
Shoegazer Sunday: Star Horse’s “Stranger”
May 29th, 2016For your Sunday dose of Shoegaze, here’s “Stranger” from Stockholm-based Star Horse. Evidently today’s post is brought to you by the letter “S”…
Two Highlights of the Forthcoming Bonhams Book Auction
May 26th, 2016Bonhams has a book auction coming up on June 8. There are a lot of interesting things outside of fiction (like Mohammed Ali’s passport), but very few items of interest to science fiction collectors.
However, there are two quite notable exceptions:
Shoegazer Sunday: Catch The Breeze’s “The Shallow Bed”
May 22nd, 2016A shoegaze band named after the first Slowdive song I ever heard? How can I resist?
Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “She’s Gone”
May 15th, 2016I consider Brain Jonestown Massacre more of a psych than Shoegaze band, but this is the final song they played at their set with Slowdive in Austin, and that’s good enough for me.
Important Safety Tip
May 11th, 2016Try not to kill anyone over cutting in line for a taco trick.
Just after bar-close at 2:38 a.m. on Sunday, May 8th, the Austin Police Department responded to a report of gunfire at what appears to be the Tortillas Hecha a Manos taco truck in Lanier Village, just south of Peyton Gin and North Lamar. When police arrived, they found 39-year-old Rigoberto Jose Castillo dead and three others injured, one critically.
You may be asking, what could have caused all this mayhem? As the story goes, it all began when someone allegedly cut in line for tacos.
According to witnesses, a fight started over who was in line for tacos first. Nobody appreciates the wait for a taco, but police say that Mr. Castillo took special exception to the alleged line-cutting when two men, Osiel Benitez Benitez, 44, and Juventino Benitez Carbajal, 38, allegedly attempted to order out of line.
Things escalated to fisticuffs between Rigoberto and Osiel Benitez, the police report says, leaving Benitez unconscious on the ground, before all hell broke loose. Police go on to claim that a moment later Carbajal went to his truck, pulled out a gun, and began firing into the group of patrons. In addition to Castillo’s death, three women were also injured.
It’s also a bad idea to try and cut in line for a taco trailer. Upside: You get your taco faster. Downside: Getting shot to death over tacos. Plus it’s just not polite…
(Hat tip: Bill Crider.)
Library Addition: Signed First Edition of Ray Bradbury’s Let’s All Kill Constance
May 9th, 2016Yet another signed Ray Bradbury first edition:
Bradbury, Ray. Let’s All Kill Constance. William Morrow, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed and dated by Bradbury. Bought off eBay for $19.95, which is $4 off cover price.
