[kj] Fatpotangas Firewatercircus X-mas poll

[Mark Kolmar]

a) How many nights a week do you drink?

I seldom get what you'd call drunk, but have some alcohol almost every
day -- a couple ounces of whiskey, gin, liqueur, or cognac, or glass
or two of red wine.

b) Wu-Tang: Overrated, had a couple of ok moments, or total class?

The 1st Wu Tang album and the first set of solo albums (1st Method
Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, GZA, Raekwon) are classics.  After that, some
of the shine began to wear off, but they put out a bunch of strong but
less impressive records for several more years.  The undisputed low
point was the 3rd ODB album, which was not even good enough to enjoy
ironically or as a tragic document of some kind.  All the group albums
have been very good to excellent, except the live album was just OK at
best.  The last handful of solo records from RZA, Ghostface, and
Raekwon are an improvement, while Method Man is a really dire sellout.

c) Before Sunrise: boring dreck, a good tool for getting points with 

huh?

d) Favourite Twilight Zone Episode?

Too many good episodes to choose just one.  I have seen every episode
of the Twilight Zone, I think, including the hour-long ones.  But I
saw them a long time ago.

e) Top 5 favourite Christmas films/animated features ?

Charlie Brown gets an honorable mention.

f) Do you have any odd/personal Christmas traditions?

I don't go to church, but I did honor the occasion yesterday by
listening to Bach's "Mass in B Minor"

g) Bukowski or Burroughs?

Burroughs

>  h) http://www.ummagurau.com/art/russia/index.htm - Is it just me or are
>  these pictures some of the coolest things you've seen in ages (read the
>  intro, then go to the "Gallery" bit; it makes it mean far more when you 
>  Know they were pre colour photo's)

Check out a film called _The Color of Pomegranates_
  
i) Abbey Road, Rubber Soul, Revolver, White Album:  Is there some



j) Hammer House of Horrors or Universal Monsters?

k) Back to the Future One, Two or Three?

None.

l) Any cover versions you can think of that are definitely better than the
originals?

"Love Sick" by Bob Dylan as performed by White Stripes.

m) What's the most useless or annoying instrument ever, that puts you 
Off listening to something instantly?

None, though an orchestra of kazoos would really test my patience.

n) What's the worst Tom Hanks film ever?

Not a big fan of Tom Hanks or the films he's done.  Neither like nor
dislike really.

o) If there's one thing someone has borrowed off you and never returned 
That you want back more than anything else, what is it?

I hardly ever lend anything to avoid exactly this problem.

p) Is/was Springsteen really The Boss?

"The Boss", yes.  The Boss, no.

q) Ever tried Russian beer?

probably

r) How about Armenian beer?

possibly

s) Best record label of all time?

Blue Note might be over-rated, but that's because no label could live
up to the ridiculous praises heaped on Blue Note.  Still you could
grab almost any record on Blue Note and you'd have a top-notch jazz
album.

Mute has got a hell of a catalog, particularly if you include the reissues.

t) Best new (or new-ish at least) record label?

Stones Throw, maybe.

u) Most interesting instrument (of all time, or one you have a passing
> interest in right now)?

The computer throws open all possibilities.

I'm fond of bass guitar, as so-called "real" instruments go.

v) What computer game has killed more hours of your life than any other?

I think it was Ultima III or IV back at the start of college before I
gave up on video games.

I spent a lot of time playing Tetris, but that wasn't a waste at all,
like that piece of shit adventure game.

w) Robert Johnson or Django Reinhardt?

Django may have a slight edge, but they are hard to compare because
Django is all lead lines in a group, while Robert Johnson was a solo
bluesman playing chords and leads.  I'll give it to Robert Johnson on
the basis of his songwriting and playing added together.

x) Husker Du or the Replacements, and why?

Husker Du.  It may be an arbitrary personal preference, but they broke
out of the confines of hardcore in a way that impressed me most as
someone who was never much into hardcore or punk.  I started on Husker
Du with _Zen Arcade_.  They developed a lot, even if IMO that record
was both their watershed and peak.

y) Greatest moment of your life, and why it was so good?

z) Biggest social gaffe you've ever witnessed, done, or heard of?

Quite possibly Mike Tyson's entire public life.

--Mark