I was finally able to track down some video of when CNN featured a bit of “Bomb Iran” back in February. Apparently, they showed it again last weekend too. It was on a show called News To Me, whose existence is news to me, as I don’t get CNN. But rad! Thanks Anderson (who is of course single-handedly responsible for every second broadcast on CNN)! You can watch it here. “Bomb Iran” is at 1:30 in.
I’m also going to make a video for my new sawng “YouTube Celebrity” soon. It should be pretty rad, and by rad I mean full of GREEN SCREEN. Also, does anyone know how much a Burger King crown costs?
The Library of Congress presentation featuring “Bomb Iran” is now online. The little segment about it is at 43:40, which is where this video should start playing. The whole video is really interesting though, you should watch it. It’s an hour long, but worth it.
Also, don’t forget that I’m going to be on KPSU tomorrow at 9 pm. You can stream it for free from kpsu.org. Listen with ears.
I found out today that Michael Wesch, an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at Kansas State University, made a presentation before the Library of Congress last Monday about the cultural value of YouTube and included a good chunk of “Bomb Iran”! He told me he’s going to post the presentation on YouTube soon. He’s also the author of a well-known YouTube video that I’d seen and liked about “Web 2.0.” So that’s amazing. It amazes me how much mileage I’m getting out of that cheap-ass “Bomb Iran” video.
Some other guy named Milo made a video for “No Wonder.” It’s basically just clips from the movie High School USA, but that is kind of the genius of it.
As for new album news, I’m just about finished. I’m in the fixin’ and mixin’ stage now. I don’t know when it’ll come out because I kind of just want to wait for the right time to release it. I’ll need moneys and stuff for that. Too bad we don’t live in a socialist society where the government gives everyone equal amounts of money to release their albums. I think there’s a campaign angle for you there, Obama.
I am playing at the Mt. Tabor Legacy on July 20 with The Study and maybe another fellow band of minstrels. Mark your calendars and stonehenges!
“Bomb Iran” one year later: from April 20, 2007 to April 20, 2008 there have been 85,730 views, 934 comments, and it was favorited 469 times. It was even shown on CNN! Sure, it’s no “Chocolate Rain,” but I’m pretty surprised at how well it’s done considering it took me about 3 hours total to record and videotape the song and video. Maybe I needed to sing really weird or be a prairie dog? One of these days, the secrets of how to become a YouTube celebrity will be deciphered and I will finally know.
Also, check out this page on the Banana Stand website about my session from last weekend. There are some photos, and the show (mixed by myself) will be posted there very soon as well. Thanks to those guys for having a totally cool place to play/record AND a totally rad webpage! AND they have a great house photographer — Jott Robertson — as well! What a package. Now if only they had Legos…
I was informed via a couple comments on my “Bomb Iran” video that CNN showed a clip of it recently. I don’t really know anything else other than that, but that’s pretty cool! Thanks, Wolf!
Also, KINK will again be playing “The Zaps” on their Local Music Spotlight on April 1 at 9:20 pm. No, this is not an AFJ. It is for realz.
Make Me Dinner is not yet available on iTunes, but it should be up soon. Hopefully. I really don’t have any control over the actual time it takes to get it up there. But it should be soon. Maybe Wolf Blitzer can pull some strings, if you ask him curtly.
Small change of plans regarding the EP: it will no longer contain the song “Bomb Iran,” because I don’t even really like it that much and I don’t wanna deal with any potential legal issues with a song I can’t get behind. Instead, it will be called Make Me Dinner and will be a digital-only release. I just wanna get the songs out. I might add another song or two to the EP as well, and the final track listing will be announced as soon as I lock it down with indestructible chains and a force field.
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I’ve started mixing Missing Briefcase in earnest! It’s gotten to the point where it feels complete, and all the songs are there. In fact, if anything, I could cut another song. I’m really trying hard to keep the album concise and lean. I think Applewine definitely could have had three or four songs cut from it, but you know, it’s hard to kill your babies and everything. I’ve been practicing infanticide quite intensely with MB, though. In any case, I’m hoping to get it all wrapped up and mixed in two or three weeks (which may be optimistic), and then I’m considering getting it mastered somewhere. I usually do that myself, but I’m starting to feel the limitations in my own mastering powers, so I would like to hand that off to someone else who actually knows what they’re doing. Once that’s done, then I’ll be on track to finishing the packaging and getting it manufactured. But even then, that’s ONLY THE BEGINNING, as I have yet to figure out my publicity plan (as well as a possible tour). Missing Briefcase should be available by the New Year though, hopefully. It’ll be worth it; it’s been a year in the works, which is longer than I’ve ever spent writing/recording an album, and I’m really happy with how it’s turned out. It is musical flapjacks.
“BOMB IRAN” HIT WATCH: I just noticed that “Bomb Iran” broke 15,000 views a day or two ago. Man, it sure is the life being a minor YouTube celebrity (Willamette Week’s words, not mine).
“Bomb Iran” just broke 10,000 views on YouTube! And with 135 comments to date, along with its presence on various political blogs, it has become the stuff of LEGEND. Basically like John Wayne.
In album news, I started recording a song called “Waiting While Sleeping” a few days ago. It is popamatic. Bubble. It features a heaping pile of fuzz bass and Solina. It’s the recipe for beautiful mustiness.
