Jonathan Ramsey

I’m right there with you Steven Levy. (See Levy: Does Your iPod Play Favorites?)
The other night, to prepare for my trip, I mowed the lawn. I decided to don my iPod and listen to some random mirth. I pulled-to-start, put my earbuds in, and selected “shuffle”. After skipping the first “random” song –wasn’t in the mood- and a Dandy Warhols song, came a Christy Moore song. Great. Then, however, came a Christy Moore duet from a compilation CD. Interesting. But, then, a Planxty song. Of course, Christy Moore sang and played in Planxty. Wow! My iPod was in the mood for some Christy Moore.

Fret not, little ones. As I was pushing the mower back into the shed, the Christy Moore Fest ended. Suddenly, my iPod wanted a little riot grrrl anarchy. I flailed into the house to the beat of Bikini Kill. “That girl thinks she’s the queen of the neighborhood!” My wife thought I was having some kind of “episode”. Really, I was just enjoying the juxtaposition of two of my favorite politically- and polemically-charged artists (see “photo”).

ROCK ON, CHILDREN!

Tags: ipod christy+moore planxty dandy+warhols bikini+kill digital+music mp3 shuffle

Okay. This is just too much. Cucumber Soda?!?

 Maybe some genius will find a way to bring this to the United States for Saint Patrick’s Day 2008!

 Enjoy. Oh, and tawk amongst yourselves.

Cucumber Soda? Pepsi Cucumber Hits Japanese Stores
(Wednesday, June 13, Associated Press)Japanese are staying cool as a cucumber this summer with “Pepsi Ice Cucumber” – a new soda based on the crisp green gourd. The soft drink, which hit stores on Tuesday, doesn’t actually have any cucumber in it – but has been artificially flavored to resemble “the refreshing taste of a fresh cucumber,” said Aya Takemoto, spokeswoman of Japan’s Pepsi distributor, Suntory Ltd. “We wanted a flavor that makes people think of keeping cool in the summer heat,” Takemoto said. “We thought the cucumber was just perfect.” The mint-colored soda is on sale just for the summer and only in Japan.

Must! Find! Musical! Tie-in! Aaaaaah!

Tags: pepsi cucumber vegetable+soda japan japanese+drink

While the Pacer is rapidly becoming the official car of Jonathan Ramsey Musicks, I must deny any and all requests via the Intertubes regarding certain recent developments.

You will not –for at least the next five minutes- see any new posts on JonathanRamsey.com, introducing LOLPacers. While the idea has a certain kitschy appeal, I must put my proverbial foot down on the throat of this vile process that CAN HAS TAKIN OWER TEH INTERNETS. Indeed, my Pacer may be in UR BASE KILLIN UR DOODZ, or IN UR X, Y-ING UR Z. That notwithstanding, I’m here today, in the year 2007, holding the line before a raging phenom.

So, stand faithful, Friends. All is well.

Tags: lolcat amc+pacer band+in+a+bubble meme lolcats+has+been+played

While searching for a Pacer to use for this endeavor, I ran into a bit of trouble… at the residence of one certain Mr. M, of St. Peters, Missouri. Mr. M not only refused to let me borrow his Pacer, but hurt me emotionally with his strong language.

So, the band marches on. We’ll continue to contact Pacer owners about letting their fine automobiles participate in this worthy experiment in musical wonderment. Band in a Bubble… er, Pacer.

Tags: amc+pacer band+in+a+bubble sponsors music dr+pepper recording

This is proving more difficult than I had anticipated. No word from anyone from AMC. Strange, hmmmm?

That’s okay, though. I’ve contacted five local AMC Pacer owners. I’ve left phone messages and emails explaining my need of the sweet ride for a week or so to record my new album.

No word from Neumann Microphones or Mackie.

Now, we’ll see how this goes.

Pins and needles! Pins and needles!

Tags: amc+pacer band+in+a+bubble dr+pepper recording

Ok. It’s in the works. Potential sponsors are being notified –Neumann, Mackie, Chili’s, American Motors.

We’re doing this thing. One month –maybe just a week- Jonathan Ramsey as “Band in a Pacer”, writing, rehearsing, recording, eating sponsor-supplied foods, and doing other things, as needed, into a Folger’s can. [Note to self: watch the caffeine and baby back ribs intake!!11//]

Watch here, as THE spectacle of 2007 unfolds –Jonathan Ramsey, Band in a Pacer!

And watch the Dr. Pepper intake. Okay?

Tags: band+in+a+bubble amc+pacer recording irish+music+recording

Your favorite shows are ending. Your less faves just had their season finales. Fret not! Bud Light, the USARPS, and RawVegas.tv come to the rescue.

Check out this coverage of the Second Annual USARPS Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas:

Tags: rock+paper+scissors sports las+vegas mandalay+bay usarps

Today is an excellent day to honor the tight relationship between Mexico, Ireland, and the United States. You can also find some really great fiestas, private and public, today.

Saint Louis, and the rest of the erstwhile “Louisiana Purchase”, was also once a holding of Imperial Spain, and of Imperial France. So, we have an abstruse connection with the young Mexico pitted against the forces of Napoleon III. If that’s not good enough, Anheuser-Busch of Saint Louis, MO partners with Grupo Modelo in the import/export of A-B products to Mexico and of Grupo Modelo products to the United States. Beer and imperialist origins intertwine to form a lasting relationship that manifest in one heck of a Cinco de Mayo party from Downtown Saint Louis, throughout Soulard, Westport, the Loop, and the Central West End.

¡Bravo!

Now, did you know who wrote the Americas’ first Declaration of Independence? That’s right, William Lamport. A native of Wexford, Co. Wexford, Ireland, Lamport’s exploits took him to Dublin, to study; England, to hobnob, then be exiled; to France; then, to the Irish exile community of Galicia, Spain. This led to his move to Mexico, where he took up the cause of native Mexica, African slaves, and all the oppressed of New Spain. In 1642, Lamport drew up a plan to lead New Spain into independence, end all taxes paid to the King, and bring social equality to all inhabitants in the country. Arrested before carrying out his plan, it was cut short, but the broad points of his vision lived on for almost two centuries before Mexico finally achieved independence. Of course, we celebrate that in September.

For more about William Lamport, check out The Dictionary of Irish-Latin American Biography.

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo 2007!

Tags: cinco+de+mayo mexico irish+mexico irish+history mexican+history william+lamport guillen+lamborto declaration+of+independence

After much comment-watching, I can’t determine what has affected my commentary, this past week or so. I’ve had two consecutive gaffs in my article mentioning Brad Delp’s unfortunate, and terribly sad suicide. First, a huge, and terrible one in the actual piece, then, a smaller, but still strange in the correction that I published, last week.

In a comment on my correction, I was accused of not doing research. Quite frankly, I wish I could say that I didn’t know the circumstances that I had misstated. On the contrary, there was no “research” to do. I read several news stories, in March, that all stated the simple facts that Mr. Delp had died of carbon monoxide poisoning, after burning charcoal in his bathroom. Why I grossly mistyped that he had died of anything else, I have no idea. I must need to get more sleep. Then, in the correction, I got the charcoal right, but the venue wrong. Stating “garage” instead of “bathroom” sounds like an assumption based on knowing about the CO-poisoning, since usually you associate CO-suicides with automobiles. But, I had known for a month that it was in the bathroom.

As I said in my comments to the article, I humbly surrender my non-existent press credentials.

Tags: brad+delp mistakes press bad+reporting journalistic+errors press+credentials

I have no idea what toxic chemical affected me, the other day. I grossly misrepresented Bradley Delp’s death, saying that he died of “an apparent heroine overdose.” (see Fallen Voices…) He did no such thing. Brad Delp died of carbon monoxide poisoning, caused by burning charcoal in the garage.

Fortunately, others were watching. I was bombarded by comments on my lapse. I’ve seen horrible blog entries full of misquotes, and other inaccuracies. Now, it was my turn. I suppose the downside of blogging may be its immediacy. You type. You proofread -or not! You publish. I’m lucky that knowledgeable people read and comment on my errors. Hopefully, I will be more careful on my late-night blogging binges.

Tags: brad+delp journalistic+error