• My friend, Chris Connelly, has a new album out — this one dedicated to his beloved Scotland. Pentland Firth Howl is available on CD and limited edition vinyl; it’s something you don’t want to miss.
• Once a month, I visit Julian Cope’s Head Heritage, and lo and behold, this month I met a site redesign! As always, there is plenty of new music in Unsung and W.S.Y.M., as well as a new album for Spring 2009. (Side bonus: Julian’s wife, Dorian, has an awesome new blog, On this Deity — highly recommended!)
• Shoegazing is making a comeback and one of its original darlings, Mark Gardener of RIDE, is back with a lovely (and standards-compliant) website. He was recently interviewed about this genre’s resurgence by Drowned in Sound and the Times Online. Be sure to get the shoegazing retrospective Sci-Fi Lo-Fi Vol. 3: Shoegazing 1985-2009.
• Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, the documentary, is finally being released on DVD in the US on June 16, and it’s going to have extra content (so I’m going to have to buy another copy!). Pre-order it now. Also check out music inspired by the film — I can’t decide which track I love the most!
• Duran Duran has been recording with Mark Ronson and, apparently, the new album sounds like Rio and Planet Earth! While waiting for that to arrive (next year?) Duranies can enjoy (finally) a double-CD or vinyl set of Rio, featuring both the UK and US album mixes (the CDs also have studio demos, b-sides, and other mixes). Also generating excitement amongst fans is the DVD/CD/download release of the band’s 1982 performance at Hammersmith Odeon! Full details

Plus NME has been reporting about forthcoming new releases from Yoko Ono and Sigur Ros, as well as North American tours in the fall by The Charlatans (UK) and Blur! Woo hoo!

Now the tour is over and life must return to normal. I’ve come to learn that normal for me isn’t what it is for others — the expectations I have of myself leading an extraordinary life constantly drive me to seek out unique opportunities. For a while, there were people in my life who made me feel as though this was an odd way to live, and I was always apologizing for doing the things that I loved to do. But the events and activities of the past year — and the love and support of friends — have helped me find myself again, and have shown me that an extraordinary life isn’t wrong. In fact, it’s what my whole life has been preparing me for.

2009 is going to be a very interesting and exciting year!

My collection of photos and videos from Duran Duran’s Red Carpet Massacre tour on Flickr

They’re playing two shows in Vegas, which will be my fourth and fifth on the tour. So far, I’ve seen them in Concord (where I had a front-row view, a woman made it on stage and grabbed Simon’s butt, and I got backstage to meet Simon, John, Nick, and Roger), Santa Barbara (to which I brought a different camera and also got to hang out backstage), and Los Angeles (where I got to do some celeb sightseeing and took some video).

I realize I say this a lot, but it seems that few people listen to me — if the Durans are performing near you, go see them! This show incorporates the costumes and electronica set from their Broadway run, both of which were great. The set and lighting is all new. The band is well-rehearsed and they’re clearly having fun every night — you will too! Just go already! (I’m tired of hearing that you wish that’d you’d gone!)

And for yet another teaser, here’s the U.S. tour promotion video:

Photos and videos from Friday and Saturday nights in Vegas now online, too!

The large majority of people were not able to attend the best Duran Duran show ever (as determined by the 1,000 fans in attendance at their Broadway “Red Carpet Massacre” show on Friday, November 9, 2007) but, thanks to my friend Kelly, I got great tickets and, with my new Nikon D80, I got some great shots. Check them out!

Also, be sure to check out the band’s new album, Red Carpet Massacre. It’s got some very funky tunes that are sure to get your feet moving. I’m about to head to the store to pick up a copy right now!

Also check out these great front-row photos by my friend Carsten!

1. Today was the fourth anniversary of Kevin and me getting married. We’ve had our ups and downs, but all in all, it was a pretty good idea. After all, it’s nice being married to your best friend. (Thanks for putting up with me, mister.) Well, that’s all changed!

2. This month marks the tenth anniversary of my graduation from Bryn Mawr College and I get to celebrate next week by heading back to campus for Reunion. For two days I’ll get to catch up with classmates that helped shape four very important years of my life — somehow two days just doesn’t seem like enough time, but at least we get to stay in Denbigh. (Thanks to all of my friends, but especially to Melissa, who befriended me early on and has been there for me ever since.)

3. I bought tickets to see Duran Duran next month in NYC. The date is just a few days off from the twentieth anniversary of my first Duran show — June 22, 1987, when they played the Philadelphia Spectrum on the Strange Behaviour tour. My mom went with me in ’87 and she’s going with me now. In fact, there were only a few shows we didn’t attend together. (Thanks, Mom, for putting up with my obsession.)

4. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary friendship with my pal, Alana. We only lived on the same street for about seven years, but no distance (in miles or time) has been able to separate us. Next to my mom, she’s the person who knows me best and has made sure that I’ve always stayed true to myself. I hope I’ve been able to do the same for her. (Thanks, ‘lana.)

   

Note: I listed these anniversaries in chronological order, but if I had to list them in order of significance, they’d be reversed. Really.