I got a new song for us, Ricky....

Johnny Cash : "I think I just died a little"

Rick Rubin: " Does that mean you can't play?"

Classic. Some people think it's disrespectful, but I have the feeling old Johnny would have had a laugh at it himself. 

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I like the way you talk

Say, wouldn't it be priceless if the next Batman was Karl from Sling Blade? "I'm whatever Gotham needs me to be, and I like them French Fried Potaters, mmmm- hmmm" 

However, being that the traditional batman costume exposes the chin area, I am not sure he could get away with total anonymity. 

"Papa Jack" Weil, 1901-2008

Western wear has held a special place in my heart ever since my sister sported a blue and white checked western shirt with pearl snaps in elementary school in the seventies. When I first laid eyes on that shirt I immediately knew it had to be mine. To my vast delight, my big sis soon grew out of it and it was my most prized hand me down of all. (I can still hear myself...."yess!") Since then, pearl snaps and embroidered jumping deer always make my heart sing.

Jack Weil, founder of Rockmount Western Wear, died yesterday at the age of...carry the one....holy crap, he was one hundred and seven. Papa Jack worked up until just a few days before he died, not because he had to, but because he loved his work. A lucky man. Rockmount is located in downtown Denver, and they are famous for making the world a better place by being the first to put snap buttons on western shirts. If you have never been, you should get on in there. Here are some examples of what you might find:

Look, there's even something for the kids:

(Young kids, anyway. I would imagine you would get the snot beat out of you if you showed up at school with dancing bison on your chest and a scarf tied around your neck)

You may not realize it, but you have seen Rockmount Western Wear before:

So there you have it. Let's have a moment of silence for the founder of a beautiful thing. Sawtooth pockets and diamond snaps.... I just can't quit you.

Watch out, he bites!

Last night I went to see Nosferatu at Chautauqua, part of their summer silent film series. I read in the paper that it was playing and I bought a ticket right away, but when I got there found an extra bonus: the music was going to be played by piano, accordion, and percussion. Accordion! Anyone that knows me knows that since about February of this year, my life has somewhat revolved around the instrument. 

I got there early, positioned myself to sit directly behind the band (which meant my view of the movie was obscured by a high-hat, but whatever...). They improvised the whole score, and it was really great. I was amused several times when, during crucial parts of the movie, you would just hear two voices loudly whispering back and forth:"E MINOR"...."WHAT? A MINOR?" ..."NO, E MINOR!"..etc. All in all, it was really cool, and they did a great job of setting the scene, especially during the creepy parts.

I just kept thinking that Count Orlok reminded me of something I had seen very recently, and the best I could conjure up was this:

+= 

Or maybe it was the fact that this whole week I have had a crick in my neck and the way I get out of bed in the morning is not unlike Count Orlok's method.

In any case, it's a great movie, and still terrifying almost 90 years later. I guess it is true what they say, body language is everything.