getting bigger. In some places they say it’s going to become a category 6, which means it’s going to be worse than Katrina or something. In Tampa, where it is supposed to make a direct hit, a local legend has it that blessings from Native Americans who once called the region home and used to build mounds to keep out invaders have largely protected the area from major storms for centuries. I hope that’s true. I guess we’ll find out.
The Milton meme comes from a 1999 Mike Judge movie called Office Space. The Milton character was played by Stephen Root. It satirizes the work life of a typical 1990s software company, focusing on a handful of individuals weary of their jobs. Milton was a largely ignored, and bullied quirky character who made famous a red stapler. I haven’t seen it, but it sounds interesting.
Milton from the movie Office Space.
This morning I watched an episode of Take 5, which is an ABC Australia series where Zan Rowe, a woman who dresses like it’s 1985 all over again, fawns over burnt out celebrities from the pantheon of Aussie *celebritaria. Since most of the people she’s talking to seem to have come from that decade, her wardrobe choices are probably designed to make them feel relevant again.
No fun.
Neil Finn was the subject of today’s (not really ) in depth interview. Neil is a very dour figure. He has the air of someone who has a permanent cloud hanging over his head. Neil Finn, as you might know had a group called Crowded House, who formed in Melbourne in 1985. The drummer, Paul Hester played in my band the Slaughtermen for a while while our regular drummer Des Hefner, was away in Europe. Paul killed himself in 2005, but it’s not clear why he did it. He was an amusing fellow. He also played a cook in the Wiggles TV show among other things. On our tour he would plant gherkins in between everyone’s bed sheets. For some reason he thought that was funny.
Just watching the Wiggles will give you suicidal tendencies
In the interview Neil said that his father, who was an accountant liked Jazz and because this show is kind of like a “Desert Island Discs”, we get to hear some of the guests favorite musical pieces. Neil said he was influenced by his father’s record collection. Neil’s first choice was a classical tune. I can’t remember who or what it was, but it was something famous. Neil thought it was sublime in any case. It was a piano piece from memory, but f’d if I can remember what it was. Chopin, Schubert, Mozart, Sherbet?…I can’t recall. Most of the stuff he chose to play on this show did nothing for me, but that’s not surprising. We live in different universes.
Sherbert – Looks gay AF.
Every guy in a band, or starting a band in the 80’s was in love with David Bowie, so his second choice was was no exception here. We then heard a Split Enz tune. The one he said where he played guitar on a recording for the first time. I don’t know. It was all a bit underwhelming, but then that was my impression of Crowded House. The show finished up with the Beatles “All Across the Universe”, parts of which sound suspiciously like a Crowded House song. Since, in my opinion, every Crowded House song sounds like recycled Beatles music, this was no shocker to me.
Poor old Neil doesn’t seem very happy at all. Neil Fun is no fun. At least that’s how he came across in this show. What’s the deal with him? He’s probably rich, people love his music. I don’t get it. Hey now, Don’t Dream It’s Over.
*Journalists make up words now. The other day I heard someone from the ABC call something “fossilated”. I could have sworn the correct word was fossilized, which it is.
