House On Haunted Hill

Good Eeeeevening...

Welcome to our KTWS 5th Annual Halloween Extravanza, where we knock your socks off with horror! And if you are not wearing socks, we put them on you, and then knock them off!

This year we are presenting the 1959 film, House on Haunted Hill, in its entirety. Just click on it, sit back with your popcorn and your sweetheart, cuddle up, and...wait, this is a family blog!

Get this. When I was six or seven, I was at home one rare night by myself. Not that late, but dark. And I had the nerve to watch this film by myself. I suppose it was a rite of passage.

But I now know that truth is stranger than fiction, and far more frightening. It's called getting old.

Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte

This film creeped me out when I was a kid so badly, that I still shy away from it. Dead things should stay dead.

Salem's Lot

The film is a bit campy, but the book is really chilling. If you like that kind of thing.

Halloween II

The night "he" came home.

Bobby "Boris" Pickett - Monster Mash

This song is required. Happy Halloween!

Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper

Needless to say, this is Blue Oyster Cult's greatest hit. Yeah.

And here's a cover by Him.

Emily Wells--Symphony 1 In the Barrel of a Gun

Seeing that Emily Wells has the song well in hand, Thao does not get involved.

Dolphin And Dog - Let's Be Friends

This is very cute.

Barry Goldwater Disagrees With Today's Radical Conservative Agenda

The writers over at Upshot are saying that being against the idea or actuality of the separation of church and state is considered positive in today's radical conservative circles. What would 1964 Republican candidate Barry Goldwater say about all of this?

Well, he was a fiscal conservative. But the social crap weighing down the Republican Party? Here is what Goldwater would have said about these folks.

"I am a conservative Republican, but I believe in democracy and the separation of church and state. The conservative movement is founded on the simple tenet that people have the right to live life as they please as long as they don't hurt anyone else in the process."

"The religious factions will go on imposing their will on others."

"I don't have any respect for the Religious Right."

"Every good Christian should line up and kick Jerry Falwell's ass."

In your heart, you know he's right.

Read more.

The Ballad Of Bob Dobbs

Bob Dobbs, founder of the Church of the SubGenius, wants you to know the meaning of life--it is to get as much slack as you can. We all want slack, right? Don't you want to get a hold of slack and cut off a big hunk?

Don't you?

Thao Nguyen--Bag of Hammers

Thao shows off the beatboxing skills at the beginning of this acoustic rendition of her stomping anthem, "Bag of Hammers".

Happy Italian Halloween

Felice Halloween!

Thao Nguyen--Beat (Health, Life and Fire)

Thao burns through a badass acoustic version of "Beat (Health, Life and Fire)".

Paul McCartney - Somedays

I think "Somedays" is a highlight of McCartney's post Beatles work. Station Agent?

Alice in Chains--It Ain't Like That

From this year's Roskilde Festival. Kudos to the new singer, William DuVall, who fills Layne Staley's massive shoes admirably on this classic from the band's 1990 album Facelift.

John Lennon - Love

Unless you have great speakers, the best way to hear this song is with headphones. The piano intro begins very softly, and if you turn it up all the way to hear it properly it will be too loud once it gets going. But with headphones it's no problem. Anyway, "Love" is one of Lennon's greatest songs.

1970.

Help!

John Lennon - Oh My Love

Beautiful.

Oshen--Between the Bars

Nice tension in this cover of Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars".

Oshen "between the bars" (live) - Elliott Smith cover from Oshen on Vimeo.

Bright Eyes--Lua

From his fantastic 2005 album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning.

Beatles LP Countdown - Oh Darling!

McCartney does his Little Richard routine, and it is very solid. Here's the album version.



Here is a great cover by Florence And The Machine.

Erin Lunsford--No Rain

Erin Lunsford belts out a terrific cover of Blind Melon's biggest hit.

Paul Simon, Tracy Morgan and Chris Rock play Scarborough Fair for Autism Relief

Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan are joined by Paul Simon, or as Tracy Morgan refers to him, Simon Garfunkle, for an old school jam session to benefit autism. You can see more clips and donate here.

Rilo Kiley--Does He Love You

From their show in Santa Monica just about 3 years ago.

Lisa Hannigan--I Don't Know

Very intimate performance of an excellent tune.

The White Stripes--We Are Gonna Be Friends

Fall is here, hear the yell
Back to school, ring the bell
Brand new shoes, walking blues
Climb the fence, books and pens
I can tell that we're going to be friends
I can tell that we're going to be friends
(h/t I can has Cheezburger)

Less Than Zero

In advance of the election, Rachel Maddow looks at the Republican call for corporate tax cuts at a time when many of the largest companies, companies like GE and Bank of America, paid zero dollars in taxes last year.


Actually, it's much, much worse than she thinks. Bank of America, for instance, paid NEGATIVE $1.9 Billion.

Sean, Yoko, and Eric - Yer Blues

The latest incarnation of the Plastic Ono Band.

Blind Melon--Sleepyhouse

No time frame, for what I need to do today
Here at the yellow house. I think I'm gonna play
With free livin' lads down the street aways away
As I feel the moon rise
The time that all feels is the right time
Here in our sleepy house
As I wipe eye bugs away, the candle flickers at me to say
And in my head I sometimes pray...

Blind Melon--Time

My mind is playing tricks on me all the time
To let you know that I am real
And all the worries you build
Up inside your soul
The ones that make your world stand still
Mean you can feel, that it's time to go...

Blind Melon--Galaxie

From Late Night in 1995.

Blind Melon--Deserted

A montage that captures some of the life and times of Shannon Hoon, Blind Melon's lead singer.

Blind Melon--Dear Ol' Dad

So this is me and that's my song
And I guess you can see we don't get along
I've shut the doors on what we had
So now she can sleep with her dear ole dad
My eyes are dry and our hands are clean
And I cant believe all the things I've seen

Blind Melon--Drive

Through his hair he hides the pain
Till that Lennon song comes along...

Blind Melon--Paper Scratcher

Mr. Shannon Hoon passed on this day in 1995. Fifteen years gone and still severely missed.

Does He Love You?

A great cover of Rilo Kiley and the legendary Jenny Lewis. Station Agent?

Blind Melon--Working Class Hero

In Columbia, Ohio, on September 18, 1994, the band opened for the Rolling Stones, and covered John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" in their own haunting way. I saw this band open for Lenny Kravitz in 1993 and there was nothing Lenny could do to live up to his openers. They slayed. RIP Shannon Hoon.

Blind Melon--Mouthful of Cavities

Shannon Hoon and Jena Kraus's duet on this stunning Blind Melon song from their second album, Soup, presages the sound that came to define indie music in the twentieth century.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

Elliott Smith--I, Me, Mine

Nice footage of a clever Beatles cover.

Bob Dylan - Maggie's Farm

The political situation in America reminds me of "Maggie's Farm." Established interests are so entrenched, that of course change does not come overnight--or even in one term. Immature voters get impatient very quickly. What can be done?

Did I mention that the bedroom window was made out of bricks?

Talkin' Glenn Beck Paranoid Blues

Last week, Fresh Air's Terry Gross spoke with real historian Sean Wilentz about fake historian Glenn Beck's bold claims about a nearly century long conspiracy from Wilson to Obama to totalitarianize America. Wilentz explains how the John Birch Society's work in the 1960s presages Beck's spiel now. Also mentioned was Bob Dylan's response to the Birchers, not to be confused with the Birthers.

Here's Dylan's ode to the JBS, "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues".

Creedence - Fortunate Son

Nope. It ain't me.

Beatles LP Countdown - Maxwell's Silver Hammer

Lennon is on record for his lack of enthusiasm for this kind of music from McCartney, like "Honey Pie", "Obladi Oblada", etc. It's just one of the reasons they broke up.

"The Rent Is Too Damn High"

Come on, now. You might think that New York City mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan is a nut job, but isn't he speaking the truth? Isn't the rent too damned high? I'm ready to support The Rent Is Too Damn High Party.

Station Agent?

Elliott Smith--Independence Day

Another look at Elliott Smith from the 2000 Fuji Rock Festival.

Elliott Smith--Son of Sam

This clip from the 2000 Fuji Rock Festival has it all--good sound quality, a fine backing band for Elliott and a brilliant song, "Son of Sam". A rare glimpse of Elliott Smith when he was fully operational.

Elliott Smith--Waltz #2

If you don't know Elliott's work, his label has a greatest hits album out. But here's the thing, all of his songs are great hits.

Jack Conway Hits Rand Paul's Religion

The Kentucky Senate race is getting brutal. Democrat Jack Conway's tactics in this ad are unfortunate. Still, he's a far better alternative than Paul. Too bad the only way to gain any traction in Kentucky is to play the religion card. TPM readers in Kentucky seem to think it will work for Conway.

June Cleaver 1915-2010

Well, actually the actress, Barbara Billingsley, has passed away. June and Ward Cleaver surpassed the Beaver and Wally as American icons. Some would call this a travesty. Ward was anal retentive and as square as Richard Nixon. June was vilified by feminists, or labeled repressed, and they have their point. My wife always wants to know why and how anyone would or could wear heels and pearls to do housework.

Now, I do not know if children need their mothers at home, for there seems to be controversy over this. However, unless a child's mother is a flaming bitch, I don't think anyone would argue that most children want their mothers at home. Should children get what they want in this regard? Again, I don't know. Just saying.

Billingsley was 94.

Read the 1961 article about June Cleaver's outrageous clothes for doing housework.

PJ Harvey--Nickel Under The Feet

PJ Harvey talks about her writing process and plays her cover of playwright Marc Blitzstein's "Nickel Under The Feet."



"Nickel Under The Feet" appeared in the excellent 1999 movie "Cradle Will Rock," which was written and directed by Tim Robbins. Here's a clip from that film.

Rural Alberta Advantage--Don't Haunt This Place

I see your keys hanging in the same place,
They haven't moved for a month or even a day,
This was hard, it was fun,
We should do it again,
Give ourselves some time,
Ten years to the day.

Blind Melon--Change

One of the great songs of the 1990s played live by a great band in their practice space.

John Lennon - Instant Karma

The Station Agent would say this is what music is for. Is that right, Fuseman?

Elliott Smith--Fond Farewell

Sometimes it seemed like Elliott Smith was singing from the perspective of someone else who was deeply concerned about him.

"It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
Who couldn't get things right
Fond farewell to a friend"

Rilo Kiley--Ripchord

This is the version with the entire band that Dr. Diego and I discussed when we convened recently. The song is a heartfelt tribute to the late Elliott Smith, who will be coming up next.

Rilo Kiley--Ripchord

Seriously, where on Earth is Blake Sennett?

Fistful Of Mercy

This is great stuff.

Rilo Kiley--Go Ahead

From an old French commercial.

John Lennon - Watching The Wheels

If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace.

-John Lennon

My Morning Jacket, The Roots--Wordless Chorus

These guys should just form one gigantic, unstoppable band and take over the world.

Beth Gibbons--Tom the Model

I posted this long ago, but this is a much higher quality video and it's an excellent song from the singer of Portishead's lesser known solo work.

Portishead--Wandering Star

A great, stripped-down live version from 2007.

Portishead--Glory Box

Here it is again. Another live performance, not sure when this happened, but it's just superior.

Portishead--Glory Box

Live on Jools Holland's program in 1994. One of the best songs of the decade.

Tori Amos--Silent All These Years

Saved from the anti-Christ by a garbage truck. It's the age old story.

Mr. Show--Monsters of Megaphone

"Elevator, elevator, riding it up and down."

Lisa Hannigan--Personal Jesus

Lisa Hannigan does a stellar cover of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus".

Tori Amos--Leather

Continuing my Tori phase. Gotta see it through.

Tori Amos--Tear in Your Hand

Another performance of "Tear in Your Hand," of which I can not get enough, featuring a nice rock star walk-on by Tori.

Green Day - Holiday

Can I get another Amen?

Jenny Lewis--Untitled

From 2006. The song remains unrecorded, in spite of it's juicy goodness.

First Vegetarian American President

President Bill Clinton has gone vegan, which automatically includes vegetarian (vegan is a more exclusive category, excluding diary, honey, and all animal products). I say it is about time! It is doubtful that a vegetarian could win a Presidential election at this time. Look what the beef industry tried to do to Oprah just for speaking the truth. But this is a very good development. Someday a sitting President will be a vegetarian or vegan.

When we elect a vegetarian lesbian Marxist Hindu, the vision of our forefathers and foremothers will be fulfilled.

Rilo Kiley--Paint's Peeling

Now that you’ve seen almost all of America,
All you can say is, “where is all the water?”
And the war has been over for years since you gave up.

Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind

Tegan and Sara--Back In Your Head

It's real late on the East coast. This is for all you people out there that simply can not sleep.

Building loops the iPad Way

If I ever do buy an iPad, it will probably be because it can do this:

Tori Amos--Tear in Your Hand

Perhaps Tori's finest.

Lizzie West--19 Miles to Baghdad

From JeromeFest in Lupus, Missouri a couple years back. Absolutely brilliant song.

Nowhere Man

Beatles LP Countdown - Something

The lyrics for "Something" were originally "Something in the way He moves." George Harrison had written this song in praise of the Hindu god Krishna, but subsequently realized that most people would think he was singing about a homosexual romance. At any rate, it was his biggest hit.

Tori Amos--Enjoy the Silence

Tori covers the Depeche Mode classic.

Fresh Air Looks Back at Lennon

On Friday's episode of NPR's Fresh Air, the show's hosts talk to Paul McCartney, Cynthia Lennon and Ringo Starr about John Lennon on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

John Lennon - God

It took me a long, long time to understand this song, but I'm glad I finally did. We love you, John.

John Lennon--Imagine

Happy birthday, John.

John Lennon--Grow Old With Me

Randy Lewis of The Los Angeles Times imagines what could have been--John Lennon at 70.

In My Life

John, John, John. We love you. You would have been 70 today.

Real Love

Lennon from the beyond. He would have been 70 today.

Strawberry Fields Forever

He has been called the voice of a generation. It goes without saying.

John Lennon would have been 70 today.

John Lennon - Mother

I know how he feels.

John Lennon Would Be 70 Today

This is the Imagine Peace Tower near Reykjavik, Iceland, dedicated to the memory of John Lennon and his work to spread peace. The Walrus Speaks is dedicated to Lennon, and we wish everyone everywhere a Happy John Lennon Day. It should be an international holiday, don't you think?

You are seeing an empty Grooveshark widget, above, because someone--probably a lawyer, but certainly someone concerned with money--took it off. Obviously they do not understand Lennon's message!

John Lennon - Love

1940-1980.

John Lennon - Woman

Today is John Lennon's 70th birthday. I feel that "Woman" is one of his best songs--so honest.

The First Chinese Nobel Peace Prize

Now, more Chinese will know their own history

Most Chinese have never heard of Liu Xiaobo, but he has won the Nobel Peace prize. So what does that say about China's government? They are like a stubborn parent that only understands corporal punishment, for, supposedly, the child's own good.

Read the article.

Rilo Kiley--Silver Lining

From Jools Holland's program. This is a very tight performance.

John Lennon - How?

The Walrus Speaks is continuing our celebration of John Lennon's 70th birthday.

Evil Is Alive And Well In Mentor, Ohio

Mentor High School

Mentor High School can boast of students that harass other students to the point of suicide. Read this--

"Suzana Vidovic found her sister's body hanging over the front lawn. The family watched, she said, as the girls who had tormented Sladjana for months walked up to the casket — and laughed...Some students say the problem is the culture of conformity in this city of about 50,000 people: If you're not an athlete or cheerleader, you're not cool."

Read the story.

Rilo Kiley, Austin City Limits

Between 2004's More Adventurous and 2007's Under the Blacklight, RK played Austin City Limits. This is an amazing set, which includes the definitive versions of the yet to be released songs "I Love L.A." and "Pull Me in Tighter".

Rilo Kiley on Austin City Limits from sam on Vimeo.

Unified Theory--California

Troubling news out of complicated California. The latest polls show that marijuana legalization is trailing 53% to 43%. Making matters worse, they are out of money.

If you have a few sheckles, send it their way.

Here's Unified Theory:


UPDATE: A more hopeful take on the referendum here (h/t Dr. Diego).

Bat for Lashes--Daniel

From the Current Studios in 2009.

Tegan and Sara--The Con

From the studios of The Current in Minnesota.

Kate Bush--Army Dreamers

Kate Bush is one of the more acquired tastes out there, but I have grown to love her weird approach.

Pearl Jam--Animal

On the eve of the release of their second album Pearl Jam played "Animal" on MTV. I was 19 at the time and it was spectacular.

Belle and Sebastian--Lazy Line Painter Jane

Jenny Lewis joined Belle and Sebastian onstage at the Hollywood Palladium over the weekend.

Can't Sleep With Dave Foley--Lewis Black, Rilo Kiley

I missed this the first time around. Kind of awkward, actually, but it's Rilo Kiley and Lewis Black!

Can't Sleep with Dave Foley: Lewis Black & Rilo Kiley from Jud Pratt on Vimeo.

Family Guy--Excellence in Broadcasting

A surreal episode of Family Guy had me both laughing and completely exasperated at what Rush Limbaugh was willing to say in the service of making a cartoon.

Beatles LP Countdown - Come Together

Here it is folks, the last Beatles album. Let It Be was recorded first but delayed until 1970, and that is why it seems to be their last album, but this is an illusion.

"Come Together" was a monster hit, as one might imagine. Lennon is not actually singing "shooka." He is singing "shoot me", and someone pointed out that this was not a good idea for a lyric for obvious reasons, so the "me" was taken out, and a percussive sound following "shoot" accounts for what sounds like a k. Lennon met his fate in 1980, as we all will, anyway.

I consider Abbey Road to be the Beatles' best album. They went out at the top of their game. They never made a bad album, and needless to say--they defeated the Rolling Stones!

1970.

Tori Amos--Putting The Damage On

From 1996, at her peak.

Marc Maron on Craig Ferguson's Show

WTF host Maron on the TV.

Saigon Kick - Love Is On The Way

I dedicate this song to my friend Donna, who is having a hard time but is hanging in there, out in San Diego, California. Best wishes to you, Donna.

Make Rad Music--Indie Movie

Nice twee/anti-folk ukulele tune for the never-ending talent competition where literally everyone is a winner.

Rilo Kiley - The Absence Of God

This is one of Jennifer Lewis' most beautiful compositions.

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down--Swimming Pools

People of Seattle, report to Pyramid Alehouse Back Lot on October 9th to see this astonishing band. That is all.

Tori Amos--Marianne

I was at this show, which took place in 1996.