So we didn't get down to J&R Computer/Music World on Park Row (place of all things wonderful that plug into an outlet, where I bought my computer and my window unit...) this afternoon to have our Dylanesque CDs (yeah, yeah, we know the cover's super ugly) signed by Bryan Ferry himself. Instead, I had to interview potential assistants -- one of whom came in dressed in all in black with pinstripes and a vest (yes, in this heat!); if only his samples had been as impressive as his attire. Anyway, I totally wanted a fangirl picture with Mr. Ferry (probably the only one I'd ever stand for!), but I would have been too hot and sweaty -- the weather has finally turned muggy -- and I would have wanted to look more, well, pulled together, so maybe the fact that we missed the big event was for the best.

Still, we caught him, accidentally, really, on Letterman last night, doing his cover of Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" -- all uh, Roxy-fied. Check the castanets and the harmonica!



**

Dang it! When we heard E. Elias Merhige (Shadow of the Vampire, a few Marilyn Manson videos) was directing the video for Interpol's first single, "The Heinrich Maneuver" we thought, "Woo! Paul Banks dressed as Nosferatu? Carlos D. in a cassock for the first time this century?" Instead, this right here is some fucked up, bitter shit. Well, come on, now -- were you expecting something soft and foofy?



(in the event this is taken down from YouTube, the 'official' premiere is on the MTV site)

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Call and response: Fluxblog 6/22/07

We were kind of busy doing other stuff on Friday and didn't get to our usual trawl of daily reads, which means we totally missed the kerfuffle over The National (via Pageblank) and the posting of former Sugababe Siobhan Donaghy's "Ghosts."

The Amazon.co.uk reviews of her album of the same name are a near-riot of people up in arms over the fact that she's "ripping off" an array of sources from Kate Bush to the Cocteau Twins to Tori Amos. Upon further listening, we agreed, to a point. Ms. Donaghy's definitely influenced by Liz Fraser's vocal stylings -- but not from her time with the Cocteau Twins that spanned a good part of the 80's into the early 90's; instead, she's clearly more influenced by Fraser's mid-90's guest turns with Future Sound of London and Massive Attack. Indeed, one song in particular on Ghosts, "Halcyon Days" samples Massive Attack's "Teardrop," better known in this day and age as the theme to "House, MD."

Cocteau Twins -- Carolyn's Fingers
from Blue Bell Knoll

Kate Bush -- Heads We're Dancing
from The Sensual World

The Future Sound of London (feat. Elizabeth Fraser) -- Lifeforms
from Lifeforms

Massive Attack (feat. Elizabeth Fraser) -- Teardrop
from Mezzanine

Tori Amos -- Caught A Lite Sneeze
from Boys for Pele

**

Did we mention it's hot here? Well, the Bermuda High finally broke and it's raining now, but ... we were inspired to make one concession to all this "Summmer of Love" 40th anniversary hoo-ha with the following video:



Big Brother & the Holding Company -- Summertime.