Haven't written very much as of late. More tired and busy than anything else. And when I'm at the computer, I find myself rarely really interested in typing anything out.

So, selections from the original cast recording:

- Lost my wallet. I'm hoping in my house. I last used it on Monday, I think. I am baffled... I would really like to find it, right now. I have looked what I consider everywhere, but not what the wallet considers everywhere. Because then I would have found it. Right. Fuck.

- I like the new Tori Amos. Maybe a long, rambling review later, but I think it's pretty solid. However, as it has been since Scarlet's Walk, it's far too long. If Tori was still making singles, I could have come up with some awesome track listings that would have kept all the tracks (well, most of them) and presented them in a way that her fans would have creamed over, and wouldn't have cluttered up an album. But what's good is really good. Best: "Bouncing Off Clouds," "Almost Rosey," "Mr. Bad Man," "Digital Ghost," "Body and Soul," and "Smokey Joe."

- Saw Spider-Man 3 and will be in the minority when I say that didn't suck, and that I liked it more than the first two. That said, it wasn't that great (a B- at best) and suffered from pacing, bad casting (Kirsten Dunst, your services are no longer required here), and packing in too many okay subplots instead of one great main one. Tobey Maguire was annoying as ever, Topher Grace was actually quite excellent (I admit, I had my doubts), and while James Franco is quite dreamy, his turn from bad to good was the exact opposite of Hayden Christensen's Anakin from Revenge of the Sith. Just exchange devious Palpatine with dark mojo for unimportant butler with 3 lines of "wisdom."

- Watched Cellular with Matt. While it grows tiresome to hear Kim Basinger exclaim "Oh my God" every few minutes, it was an entertaining 2 hours. Chris Evans was quite likable, and made the picture. And, aw, William H. Macy, you are so cute and clueless. Has he yet played an actual puppy yet, 'cause he could do it!

- Fairytale Night came and went. A lot of work went into it, and the planning for it was so longterm that it's bizarre for it to be over. I actually hesitated in throwing away notes I made for it months ago; I had to remind myself it already happened. It was a good show, though, and I was very happy with each performance. I also enjoyed deviating from the normal Riff Raff of mine and playing the Mad Hatter. My Riff had never been more of a loon. My face did hurt from all that smiling, though. I haven't seen one photo from the actual show, though, which makes me sad since there were a million taken for Zombie Night (awesome in it's own right).

- Went to Switch on Sunday with Jamie. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I don't think I'm going again any time soon, but I really had fun.

I honestly thought more had happened since last week, but maybe not? Just getting through it all as usual.

My love for Tori Amos has never exactly faded, and more "stunted." While I consider her first several albums to be incredible, there was a severe decline in quality down the road, and while many of her recordings since 1999 are listenable, and I can and do listen to them, they just didn't have the repeat-listening quality that the others did. They became more and more abstract lyrically and more and more humdrum in musical production. The Beekeeper would've been a great album if re-ordered and about five songs shorter, but the final product was a mess. Ditto that up for Scarlet's Walk and Strange Little Girls, which got swallowed by a concept. Musically, some good songs, but the ideas behind most of it was pretentious would-be art house shit. Tales of a Librarian could have beena straight-forward best-of, but she kind of fucked that up, too.

That said, whenever she does release something, I am excited because I know that while she completely bought into her own press of "Hey she's a crazah faerie queen" and while that is overblown by magazines, she doesn't do much to dissuade it. So when I hear the term "box-set" with her, I think "oh, cool." And when I hear "5-disc collection with unreleased b-sides and mixes from her early albums to now," I think "Yes, yes, yes! Awesome!"

( Read more... )

Fucking woo-hoo to most of that! Undented referred to it as being "presented in deluxe packaging that resembles a piano’s keyboard, this set will be released by Rhino Records on September 26, 2006, at will be available at regular retail outlets and at the Rhino Records website for a suggested price of $74.98."

Yeah, $75 or so is a fuck lot of money, but for 5 discs, it doesn't seem that ludicrous ($15 each). I could swing that. While Amanda Palmer, Nellie McKay and Regina Spektor seem to be taking the "girl with a piano" concept in a wildly more exciting direction than Tori has been lately, I look forward especially to unheard tracks and alternate mixes of the albums I love.

I'm on the phone with Sony... Weird. Actually it's just an 800 number, but it feels all special and stuff.

Tori Amos' next 3 official bootlegs are out and if you buy them and have bought the previous 2, you get a 6th one free. Bunch of great songs smattered across, with covers of "Father Figure," "Dream On," "I Ran," and "Like a Prayer." So, obviously-- getting them. But my order didn't reflect the free disc, so I am on the phone with a very nice woman trying to figure out if I'm still getting what's coming to me.

Likely culprit: I used two different e-mail addresses for the two different orders. Even though they can be traced to one another, there's apparently some sort of... correction on their end they need to (and hopefully will) do.

Tori's got her new video, "Sweet the Sting" up online. It's not anything particularly groundbreaking, but it's pretty funky. Pretty much just her at the piano with a gospel troupe, intercut with backstage footage and posing and lip-syncing (which she does brilliantly; matches exactly).

Sexy, swanky video full of adorable looks. What's slightly disturbing is her occasional resemblance to Loretta Lynn and Katherine Helmond from Who's The Boss?

Other than that, it's a nice change from the absolute tarmark that "Sleeps With Butterflies" was.

Still think "Parasol" full of Tori in different picture frames throughout a museum could be really cool. Glad at least something new has come from her, though. And decently.

Those hussies that saw Tori tonight in Seattle heard her do "Magic Man" by Heart.

(Not to mention "Horses," "Cool On Your Island," "Blood Roses," and "Damage.")

Eeevil.

::still reeling that we got shafted with "Streets of Philadelphia"::

Shit... So, I haven't written my in-depth review of Tori's concert from Monday, and I'm going to see Cher tonight. The likelihood that I'll have more to say (as in, a song-by-song analysis) about Tori is high, and I may be writing about Cher's concert first. So, damn it, I have to focus.

Ok. So, Monday. I stayed over Danielle's house and we left for Philadelphia by 2 PM. We thought we were going to the Electric Factory, and well, we were. But we thought we were going to see Tori there, but when we arrived at the depleted, somewhat depressing warehouse-type arena, it was dusty and empty. No fans around, no people at all around, and no "Tori Amos" on the marquee. We did some ticket-checkings and some phone calls and eventually made our way to the correct venue, the Verizon Hall in the Kimmel Center.

After parking (which was a mini-adventure in and of itself) and the Dresden Dolls/Tori Amos soundtrack arrival, we were on the town. Danielle, in fishnet, black, and white tank top, Genevieve in leather, denim, and fishnet, and myself in clashing pinstripes and bowler hat, we were likely quite a sight.

Sometime after 7, while sitting in the hall of the theatre, one of the ushers put on the stage-cam so we were able to (barely) see and (barely) hear (seconds of) Tori's soundcheck. She was performing "Rattlesnakes," so we were pretty certain that was going to be on the set-list. And indeed, it was.( Read more... )

Great show, really, though. And while it was brought to severe halt with a deadend search for restaurants still open, and coming home to an empty house, it was a good day and night.

The Tori show was wonderful. Full, exhaustive review to follow. For now, my neck hurts, I'm hungry, sadly alone in the house with a cat I have no patience for, and satisfied with the night's events.

Up next, is a Journey rehearsal in which Matt and I do more wire-work. We did a bunch on Saturday night, but we didn't accomplish nearly as much as Matt was hoping for. It's very distracting to do tech stuff while the actual rehearsal is going on. I want to watch.

After that long night of fun, I'll be going to Danielle's, for sleep, and then tomorrow is our Day o' Tori Amos in Philadelphia. I should probably print out directions to the theatre we're going to.

as you're invading this thing you call Love."

I didn't really want to go into depth about much of anything until I heard from Jake. Why bother, considering it seems he's convinced he doesn't want to speak to me until he's ready and is completely unaware that he's not the one who needs to be "ready". He had time. Nearly two months. If he hasn't put it into perspective at this point, why the fuck did he break up with me then? I'm pretty sure he knows why now. "Gods, he's obsessing this much after the relationship - he woulda driven me crazy!</i>.

Well, fuck 'em. That doesn't mean he's off the hook - the phone call awaits. When I say "fuck 'em", I refer to me saying I'll wait. Why? As if that'll change how I felt before it.

On Saturday, I had the distinct pleasure of Beach Night at Rocky - a lot of fun. Red flaming Speedo, let me just say that. Ooh, baby. I got little call-back ('cept from cast) but that's ok... the audience seemed rather comatose most of the night. All those artifical sun rays...

Saturday night I also took a much needed trip to the diner, where I had fun-fun-fun. CFR ruled as usual, and for once Genevieve didn't have to tabulate the check.

Home, woke up at 8.30 or so by Joyce... We drove to Union and I unabashedly slept in the car while Joyce preached at her church. I didn't get to actual sleep until long after four a.m., so I wasn't really up for an alternate theology. It was ok, though. We made our way to CT and I got to see my grandparents, which was swell. Mom Mom is recovering well, as unintentionally amusing as ever, I assure.

Amy came around and picked me up to hang with her, John, and The Boys (nephews Damien and Crow). That was cool; I read a Harry Potter selection to them for bedtime, watched Almost Famous (rent it), and got an awesome t-shirt from Amy that says "i like boys." I adore it. I watched The Big Lebowski mostly after Amy went to bed (we started it together) and actually finished. I'm amazed I managed. I thought it was utter crap, but that's ok; Julianne Moore was cool in it. I find Jeff Daniels really annoying though. And for the first time ever, I wanted John Goodman to just shut up.

Slept in my clothes and sneakers after maybe one? Maybe later, I don't remember. John was writing in the kitchen, Amy and the Boys had gone to sleep, and I sorta curled on the couch and had a dreamless night [at least I don't remember any... and I've been having some strange, rejection-based dreams recently... except for two really interesting sex dreams within the last week, one with a cast member of mine -which isn't exactly "new", but my faux-partner certainly wasn't in any of mine before; and one with Jake... The one with Jake ended with me not being able to find him afterward and me in the woods somewhere... Wow, that's got hidden meaning written all over it, doesn't it? ::eyes roll::] until late morning.

Went to an amusement park I've forgotten the name of (Compound Lake maybe? I think...) with John, Amy, and Crow (Damien was picked up by him mom [my sister, Michelle] earler that morning; missed her visit entirely due to slumber). I was expecting it to suck, but it was actually rather ok.

I am amazed by Crow (and Damien as well, although I didn't spend as much time with him)... He/they are not the same nephews I recall... They get older just as I get older... I forget this... I remember when I would say things and it'd go right over their heads. I'm not used to it not. :)

Home Monday night after introducing Amy to Dar [not personally] ("If I Wrote You" was on incessant loop for the rest of night), whom/which I hope she liked. I ended up giving her my mix CD, which I hadn't intended to, but I can always burn another copy for myself. Once again, I ended up not keeping a CD I burned; I'm consistent again with me pretty much never burning a CD for myself non-official-policy (just always ends up like that).

Tuesday was me getting blue highlights and hanging at Bangles with Danielle and the Bangles Crew. I like how my hair ended up, but I hope for darker colour next time, which Danielle tells me is possible. They just need to get another batch of colour-y stuff.

We went back to D & C's and watched Cruel Intentions, which Danielle had never seen and Chris had brought up he wanted to see again. I own the DVD, so I brought with me on Saturday but we didn't get the chance to watch it til then. Everyone seemed to like it, and both Chris and Danielle were able to hear "Every You, Every Me" and "Secretly" in the context that I originally heard them, which was cool.

So, then home. Got the new Tori songs from the promo CD. I am evil, but I'm glad. They're nice. Mostly. I have some mediocre feelings (the feelings are of mediocrity, not the feelings themselves are mediocre; but then again, perhaps they are) especially about "Pancake", which "everyone" is raving about over at the Forumz. I've yet to hear the full length "Sorta Fairytale, though.

Speaking of forums, wish me luck that the forthcoming Figg forum doesn't suck as much as the Aimoo one. Ack, $27 wasted on that one...

Well, this was something of a disjointed post with not lots about how I feel about anything. Short answer: I feel ok with everything's that happened.

It's what's not happened that pisses me off.

I have been listening to Tori's "A Sorta Fairytale" for over two hours. I adore it. I generally have songs on loop (particularly when I'm writing an entry for LJ) but this I've not even attempted to remove.

It's stolen, by the way. But I didn't steal it. I just downloaded the stolen song after it was burned off the stolen CD onto a harmless mp3. So, I'm like a guy who buys black market videotapes. I'm bad. But this is very yummy.

I haven't written since Friday. And Friday was an irritating day. I scowled and ranted and grrr-ed at Jake best I could (offline) but I never actually spoke to him about the ordeal. I've talked to Genevieve and Danielle about this. I don't want the last words he ever spoke to me being "I have to go now" in that squeaky-excuse-me-while-the-oceans-pour-from-the-eyes voice... Not that I didn't relish that sound in my darkest hour (not out of spite, but out of the concept that Jake actually FELT something for me... even if it was before that eventful Thursday where I was upset and he seemed to be just ducky.)

Well. "Ducky". Who can say. I'm not in his head. But then again, I'm not numbing the pain away, either.

This is just the way life has got to be. I can be okay with that, right?

Absolutely.

Today... second to last day of classes.
I really don't want to write about that. But it is.

In happier news, I finally wrote something new (albeit about school and it's cynical as fuck and needs editing) and FINALLY got the "Myra Ellen Live" version of "Icicle" by Tori - I am so, so happy. I know that means little to those reading this, but it's one of my favourite stories she's told before a song (at least of the ones I've heard in audio)... So, yay for Audiogalaxy! Chances are good to take!

Episode II again tomorrow - with Genevieve, Mike, Danielle, and Jake! Yay! Making my last day of classes worth it, they are. :)

Today wasn't so bad. I bought stuff! Me buying stuff is always nice.
I got the stage Hedwig CD! YAY! IT RAWKS! I love Borders.
I also picked up a NIN single (because I thought it was something it was not, but hey maybe it won't suck) and Neil Gaiman's "Death: The Time of Your Life". Willow, take solace in the fact that the first thought that came to mind really was "Hey, Willow can borrow this from me too!"
I'm quirky.
Saw the beautiful Tori Amos Lyrics book. $30. Needless to say I put it back. Beautiful, even though I'd seen most of the pictures. There are paintings representing various songs (not all, but several) such as "The Doughnut Song" and "Spark". I'd seen them because they were (and probably still are if I knew the address still) on a website that the painters had made to show 'em off. They are exquisite, several of them. I still say "Datura" warranted a better picture (I said that from the first viewing) and not all the paintings were used, such as for "Merman" or "Blood Roses" (which I hated) which were available on the site.
Peculiar.
Um. Also got shoes. Black eye-liner pencil. Make-up. Black underwear! Boxers! Briefs! Guinea tees! Socks! BEHOLD THE SOCKS! They're white. They're amazing.
I think that is everything.
Yay!

I got a most disturbing e-mail from Tori'spiano22, a most unstable individual at the atforumz (www.atforumz.com) that I frequent. I got lambasted like most everyone else there (especially the boys) for reasons I've never understood. However, this is the first time she's ever e-mailed me. I present her letter and my responses I sent to her. I am mostly appaled, slightly amused, ultimately sympathetic. She is just bizarre.

---

Hey okay you are a fan of female artists, but since you are obsessed and spend all your money on buying their stuff and going to see them, you are nothing but a loser...
Ok, let me know when you stop spending cash to seeing them live and buying CDs from them. For the record, I've only seen Tori twice and never have I seen Madonna.

... and yes I'm sure you want to sleep with Tori Amos, also you are a loser cause you bought everything Tori and Madonna ever made...
Actually, I never plan on sleeping with any women, regardless of their celebrity staus. I don't have everything ever made, but my collection is sturdy. I consider buying only what I want and never what I find unneeded, such as import singles with tracks already on domestic releases. I'm a discriminating buyer. I don't whore myself for the music industry.

... The stuff will be worth nothing in the end. You will pay for your obsession with Tori and Madonna, and they will not love you more than other fans...
That sounds like a threat. And an empty one at that. I am not asking for anyone's love, especially Tori or Madonna's. How pretentious it would be to ask.

...I don't care that Tori told you she loves you at every show you ever went to...
She never has.

...You are just a pimple on the elephant no matter what...
What elephant are you referring to?

...Also she does tell fans who meet her that she loves them, and I know you want to believe that Tori loves you the most cause you are a guy, and guys who are in love with female artists are known as sissies by the way...
Known as sissies by whom? I don't know if I really understand your aggression to me. Why are you threatened by male fans?

... Also do you love Tori cause people hate her?...
Why on earth would anyone love someone for everyone else hating them? And what people hate her? I understand a few do, but are realizing how hypocritical you are sounding?

...And you will pay for your obsession with Tori 1 day, cause no one gets away with obsession...
Again with the threats.

...I'm not saying that I will make you pay, but you will go down the tubes for loving Tori Amos, cause all your money has been going to see her and getting her stuff ever since 88-91 when you fell in love with Tori...
Funny... I didn't become acquainted with Tori until 1999. And not all my money has gone towards her, anyhow.

...Did you pay 500.00 to be with Tori?...
No, actually.

...I was never lucky enough to be with Tori, but next tour I will meet her even if I have to pay...
Tori is not your whore either.

...Please don't make fun of me or brag that you have Tori Amos either...
She's not a doll that fits in my pocket.

I have tried to meet her, but couldn't, I will though.
Well, that was a concluding sentence if I ever heard one.
You're erratic and unstable. Seek help. I don't mean to offend you, but you certainly set out to offend me, but you ended up doing was sounding obsessed, childish, and potentially dangerous to yourself and others. If you are so convinced my life is in ruins for enjoying the music of a particular songwriter, exactly how is your life doing if all you can do is yell at others for exactly what you are doing?

All my best,
George

---

People are weird.

Other news, Kristen finally saw "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"... Yay! Seeing it again was great as was watching the deleted scenes again (hey! I found an Easter egg in the deleted scenes section, yay!) and the documentary for the first time. Sorry Linz couldn't make it, but good stuff. Danielle and I concluding the evening by going over her Magenta blocking and watching RHPS special features. Patricia Quinn rules.