Tuesday, October 11

Tuesday Filler

So I'm trying to figure out what to do about iTunes' Celebrity Playlists. One of those Norbizness audit deals would be nice, but there's something like 200 of the things now, plus anytime I don't know a song I'd have to judge it based on the fifteen second preview. Maybe a quick letter grade? Or a review of each celebrity's writing style. Funny how people mostly turn out to be about as thoughtful or as vacuous as you expect them to be. There's thoughtful analysis from Branford Marsalis or Butch Vig, and there's the Joss Stone/Kelly Clarkson school of "o my god this song makes me think of my first crush!!!!!" There's some surprising entries: Elijah Wood taps James Chance, Gang of Four, and Pink Floyd from Meddle, not The Wall. Stephen King, reputed metal head, picks some Spoon, Ollabelle, and James McMurtry, plus the Peter Gunn Theme. Barry Manilow says his favorite male vocalist is Tom Waits.

And then there's this:
"I like this song because my mom's name is Judy and my dad's name is John."

--Avril Lavigne

And:
"I love blasting this in my car while cruising down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills."

--RuPaul

So does everyone else, no doubt.

My thinking at present is to use the Playlists to determine which celebrities to invite to our next cookout. So far, RuPaul and Kathy Griffin are out, because the closest thing to Cher is this house is, well, nothing. Andrew Lloyd Webber, too, because while his list was a tad above theirs he chose the Everly Brothers' cover of the Mickey and Silvia classic "Love Is Strange" and not only will I not forgive the choice, I won't forgive him pointing out that they covered it. Tommy Lee is out for being a walking drummer joke, and Frank Black for choosing nothing but Burl Ives, not because he chose nothing but Burl Ives but because doing so wasn't nearly as clever as he thought it was.

Elijah Wood and George Clinton can come early and stay late. Carole King gets in for picking Dusty Springfield, Elvis Costello, Roxy Music, and Rufus Wainwright, even though she chose her own version of "Up On the Roof". And Penn Jillette, just for remembering John Simon's Journey when I had no idea it had been re-released, but the minute he starts any libertoonian crap about global warming he's out.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I found a good one once, that I actually bought a few of the things that were on it. But I can't remember whose list it was. Or what I bought.

Do me a favor and don't send your cookout rejects over here. If Penn "Secondhand smoke is harmless!" Jillette turns up at my door, we're hiding behind the couch and pretending we're not home, just like we do for magazine salesmen, GOP GOTV Ops, and anybody who feels God wants them to wear matching outfits.

Sweet Christ, but I loathe libertarians. And that "Bullshit" show is pretty much just shooting sad little fish in a dry barrel. Honest to God, guys, you're taking on alien abductees? On national TV? How... inordinately brave of you to take such a controversial stand.
Bullies.

Note to iTunes users: deauthorize your computers before taking them offline and upgrading. It's a bitch and a half to mass deauthorize and then individually reauthorize, and my partner says they only let you do it a few times anyway.

Anonymous said...

Geographical nitpick: It is not possible to cruise Rodeo Drive. The obscene shopping scene/gawkerfest portion of Rodeo would take less than a minute to drive at the prevailing speed except maybe on the weekend before Christmas. Anything slower/louder would have the BHPD on your ass faster than you can say "Zsa Zsa Gabor."

Anonymous said...

Elijah Wood picks Gang of Four? Whoa. Frodo should have blasted "To Hell With Poverty" when he was struggling to toss the Ring off of the precipice in Mount Doom. (I'm not entirely unhappy that Wood actually chose "Damaged Goods." It's one of their better songs.)

eRobin said...

Wow, Elijah Wood just went up a notch in my book too. Gang of Four is one of my favorite bands. I like the celebrity playlists, but I have fangirl tendencies. I remember liking David Duchovny's playlist and copping some songs from it.

But what about the new TVGuide format? Hate it!

Anonymous said...

Elijah Wood's going to play the lead in an upcoming biopic of Iggy Pop. I really don't know what to make of that.