Bliss Street Blues: I figured out how to embed videos from You Tube into the blog.

I actually got into a fight with MJ last night over Lady Gaga. Yes, a fight because our voices were raised and I counted about 4 or 5 f-words. This was after an hour discussion about her in a bar with Jill, whose brilliant reaction to Lady Gaga's VMA outfit (pictured left) was: "Can't read my, Can't read my, No he can't read my......lacy monster face?" Anyway, the initial fight was over the song Paparazzi; and whether or not it is overly-presumptuous to write about this kind of theme without proper celebrity status, or perhaps the assumption of a lifestyle not yet experienced.

Prince, however, did assume that 1999 would be a party and no one got on his case about it.

The real argument was over pop music, which is a debate that is arguably split into two camps: people who believe it all falls into the same marketing, money-obsessed basket of pop culture, and people who believe some artists have a more-weighted message or carry out their message more successfully. Blame it on the wine and beer from Sweet Afton, but I was confused at times over which side either of us was on. Even the most cynical of music industry critics have something they consider above the fray. "It's all synthetic crap, except Handel's Messiah."

I think I was on the cynical, "its all the same" side?

Music that comments on politics/society. Who has more right? Rage Against the Machine or Lady Gaga? Very different but same end result, they sell records.

Here is my favorite political song:

Here is a better song, with a cute video:

I forgot that this Kevin Devine song is my favorite. It is so cheesy but with great little riff. There is no way to listen to it on You Tube. So here it is on Last FM. His description of the song is priceless.
Just to make a real shout-out to Mr. Devine, here is an amazing some about being an alcoholic.

After our discussion last night I have compiled some Andy Warhol quotes, even though my interlocutor made it abundantly clear he "don't f%&%$^&g care about Andy Warhol."

"Art is what you can get away with."

"Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art. "

"Why do people think artists are special? It's just another job." (This one is my favorite because I think if you substitute 'artists' with 'tennis players', it could be a Federer quote.)