The Case of the Missing Energy

I wrote this for a five-point physics assignment. The objective was to demonstrate concepts we've learned so far in the class and apply them to the real world. I went kind of overboard on it, but I thought it turned out really well. Also, that simile about the lead weight is somewhat of an inside joke. Basically, I accidentally hit my physics professor with a lead weight in front of the entire class of 45 students. I know, hilarious, right? Anyway, here's the story of the Case of the Missing Energy:

I have two books in my desk. One’s a book of matches that light my cigarettes. They make me look cool. The other’s a book of physics that keeps my head cool. I’m Phil Sicks, Private Investigator.
The door to my office creaked open. The most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in months stepped in. I let her know that before she could get a word in.
“Oh, my, thank you. I’m sure it’s just the light. It sure is dark in here,” the dame said, blushing.
“Honey,” I said, “Light is simply a name for a range of electromagnetic radiation that can be detected by the human eye. But that’s a different story. What’s yours?”
“Well, it all started when I was driving home from work the other day. A squirrel dashed out in front of me, and I hit the brakes. The car came to a screeching halt. Like any normal person, the first thing that came to my mind was what happened to the car tires’ energy? It’s like it vanished into thin air. I hear you’re the best when it comes to physics problem investigations.”
“You heard right,” I said. “Now hurry on out of here, and I’ll get back to you when I have answers. This could be an all-nighter…”
After the lady left, I reached for my signature trench coat and, of course, my physics textbook. Then I hopped into my car. After hours of accelerating then slamming on the brakes outside the local Walmart parking lot, all I had come up with were two pairs of worn out tires.
“Okay,” I said to myself, “play time’s over. Let’s get to business. Textbook, do your thing.” So I began to read; shocking, I know. I managed to find a clue in the form of a formula:
Initial Kinetic Energy + Initial Potential Energy + Work = Final Kinetic Energy + Final Potential Energy
“Let’s start with Potential Energy,” I said. “Potential Energy is Mass times Gravity times Height. Well, I’m on the ground, so the height’s gotta be zero. That means I can cancel out both Potential Energies. Suspect P.E., you’re free to go.
“Okay, what’s next? Let’s have a look at the Final Kinetic Energy. Kinetic Energy is one-half times Mass times the Velocity squared. But the car’s stopped, which means my final velocity is zero. Looks like I got rid of another suspect, Mr. Final Kinetic Energy. But the car was moving when she started her story, so there’s gotta be an initial velocity. Not so fast, Initial Kinetic Energy. I’m not done with you just yet. “That just leaves Work. Now that’s Force times the Distance. Well, we definitely have both of those. The Force must be friction between the tires and the ground, in this case.”
Then it hit me like a lead weight to the chest. The energy didn’t disappear; it moved! It must have transferred from the tires to the ground. You managed to make your getaway right under the nose of the beautiful female driver (whose name I didn’t seem to get…). Clever, clever, but not clever enough I’m afraid, Energy. Looks like another case solved for… Detective Phil Sicks. Now to solve the mystery of how I get paid...

An Evening in Eau Claire

Today I walk out of my dorm room, deciding to explore the city of Eau Claire further than I had previously. I've heard good things about the Acoustic Cafe and determine to venture there. I jaywalk across a street and walk over a bridge on Lake Street. A river slowly passes below. I can see a seemingly random painting of the Mona Lisa pasted on the corner of a building across the bridge.I take a left on Barstow and continue my journey on the right side of the street. I pass a couple that look to be seniors on campus and a family of three exiting an art supply shop. I notice across the street is something that would appear to be a movie theater with the word "HOLLYWOOD" plastered above it, but upon closer inspection ends up being a church. There are many Christian-related buildings surrounding it. I come up to an actual budget movie theater. "Up" and "Transformers 2" are playing twice each later tonight. Eventually, I reach the end of this strip of buildings and still no
Cafe. I cross the street and trace my way back from where I came. "Drawing Lessons" by Tin Hat Trio comes up on my iPod. The sound of it seems to fit the mood of this part of the city. I get to a crosswalk and wait for the white light of the walking man to appear, signaling my safe passage across the river of speeding cars. An older woman waits opposite me smoking a cigarette, staring off into space. The light changes, and we each cross paths going our opposite ways. We'll probably never see each other again. I'm not even sure if she noticed me. I come across a model train store. Then a shop selling Native American merchandise. It seems rather ironic. Next up is a school of martial arts. A little boy of no more than ten walks out in his karate uniform in his bare feet. His mother follows closely behind him. The boy begins showing off some of his kicks in front of me, the bottoms of his feet quickly turning black from the dirty concrete. I begin to lose faith in finding the sacred Acoustic Cafe. Perhaps I should stop at that church shaped like a theater. Sorry, bad joke. Anyway, just before I make the turn back across the bridge, I finally spot it. I must have missed it while staring at the ugly-yet-pretty river. I step up to the door. A man outside asks if I have a light. I don't, tell him so, and finally walk inside. Most of the people here are a few years older than me. I order a dish of vanilla ice cream for $1.99, receive a penny as change, sit down at a booth, and write this.

New Shins News

http://pitchfork.com/news/35257-shins-james-mercer-spills-about-lineup-changes-new-album-other-projects/

Be sure to click "MORE>>>" at the bottom of the article.

I'm worried. Mercer has completely changed the line-up and replaced everybody, and now he's saying he's changing his style. The reason I think he's such a great songwriter is because you'd hear some upbeat songs but once you actually take the time to really listen to it, you realize it's actually melancholy. Now he's saying they're going to really be upbeat. What's the point?

So, say what you will, but I think the next Shins album will not sound like the Shins. He claims this is his "best work." I take that to mean it's different from his previous work, which, for me at least, is not good.

A couple of my friends had this to say:
Andrew: I hate line-up changes in general (because they're rarely changes for the better (Coheed & Cambria, Wolfmother, etc...)), so that's rather disappointing. The Modest Mouse drummer is promising, but still just seems really foolish. I like the guy, but Mercer has no reason for doing this...seems like he's forcing an "epic change album" or something, just trying different things to get attention and see if something good will come of it...Almost every time that a band member leaves other bands its because they hate each other or one wants to pursue a solo career. I guess Mercer wanted to go "solo" and keep the band name? Selfish...(Wolfmother?)

As for the less melancholy stuff, I'm not too worried about that. When I think upbeat I think Franz Ferdinand, and that's not a bad thing. I don't think we should label all change as bad. If my theory is at all correct and he's just doing it in hopes of catching people's attention, it could be bad.

And it's a little unnerving what he says about the possible label change..."Because you get more money"... I understand that making money is an issue for everyone, but really? Maybe he's not familiar with the negative connotations of selling out...

Arseny: I guess you can't blame a guy for being happy with life. It would be funny if he flipped the Shins lyric mechanic on his head and started playing heavy metal with really upbeat lyrics
And, I guess in the end... no matter how well crafted the songs might be, I know that at least I always regard upbeat-song bands as sort of... silly? I guess, I just don't take them very seriously. Like The Killers. I like some of their songs, but no matter how hard they try to be a serious band I just think they are sort of... silly. Same with Franz Ferdinand. I like them, but still, they seem a bit un-serious. I just can't take them seriously.
All this comes with a disclaimer, though. I mean, it's pretty glaring, the Beatles are definetely an upbeat band and yet I love them. But the song craftsmanship was so good that it didn't seem silly.

Marc Friedman (The Slip) Interview

The Slip. Heard of 'em? No? WHY NOT!?! Okay, sorry to yell. How about Guitar Hero? Of course you have. One of The Slip's newest singles "Even Rats" is featured in said game as a bonus track. This proved to be a helpful spotlight for the band as new fans began to grab their latest indie rock album Eisenhower. What many of those fans don't realize, however, is the group isn't all about indie rock. The first few albums leaned more toward jazz fusion, while later still they began to experiment more with the releases of Aliveacoustic and Alivelectric. It wasn't until the release of Eisenhower that they began their journey into the realms of indie rock.

Speaking of journeying into new, unexplored realms, let's delve into the mind of bassist Marc Friedman, shall we?

To start off, where did the name “The Slip” come from?

I believe a stork dropped it down the chimney of an ocean-side bungalow one morning. It was early spring in the year 1993 and no one in the band was even awake yet. A moniker that would endure to the present day music of "the slip."

A lot of publicity came for the band when the “Even Rats” single was put into the first Guitar Hero. Was it any different putting a song into a video game rather than an album? If given the chance, would you put a song into a game again?

Not really because all we had to do was choose the song and the company did the rest! It was obviously a new experience when we got to play our own song and also receive a tremendous amount of responses from new fans who enjoyed playing our song in Guitar Hero 1. I like Katamari by NAMCO the best if we're going to talk gaming, but I admire greatly what the Harmonix guys have done for music in the 2000s.

What are your feelings toward being used in a video game?

100% approval if I like the game.

Your latest album, Eisenhower, has a definite indie rock feel to it, yet this was the first time the group went for this sound, as you were originally more of jazz fusion band. What made you decide to make this change?

I have written and edited about five different answers to this question so far. I even translated one into Mandarin Chinese at one point! No, really this is a poignant question and the simple answer is that we didn't just 'decide' to change from a Jazz Fusion band to an Indie Rock band. It is a longer and more complicated story in fact. However, I am fully aware of the confusion we bring to the public and media when we choose to exist as a band that seeks a path of development and experimentation, NOT a path of stagnation. One major outcome involved with making a bunch of albums over 15 years is having people judge and compare them. Also, my other brief answer is that 'change' is written into the fabric of our music, so there will always be genre-bending Slip records. Enjoi.

You’re currently working on your side project Surprise Me Mr. Davis. Will you be continuing this collaboration for a while or do you expect to work on a new Slip album anytime soon?

Currently we are working on both bands. Davis lost 'side project' status a long time ago and is more in "full-throttle" mode right now, working on some HOT new tracks. The Slip is about to go on the road for the first time in 2 years in JUNE. The slip is also starting to throw ideas at the wall for a new record.

Do you plan on re-inventing your “sound” again, ala Eisenhower, or is the plan to stay safe with the one you have?

Not sure. It's against my religion to pre-meditate anything like that.

Which do you prefer: playing live or in the studio?

BOTH. I have different reasons for appreciating each, but it's hard to compare things that are so second nature in my life.

Respectively, what are your favorite songs/albums both from your band and other bands?

You might have to pay more for this answer because this question is a novel in itself. Although, I will say The Walkmen are the band to watch right now and have been for the past decade. Also I usually enjoy everything I hear besides modern country, pop punk, nu metal and the Jonas Brothers.

Who are some of the band’s major influences?

Woody Allen, Martin Scorsece, Chaplin, Omar Hakim, Ang Lee, etc.

What typically goes into creating a song for you?

There are infinite ways a song can get penned. Look into the cosmos and the constellations are always shifting around in their patterns. That is similar to how I feel about music. Its melodies, chords, rhythms, colors, words, and an endless supply of other things that surround us. It's our job as songwriters to pick and choose and decipher the endless options. Eventually a song can be developed from what you choose.

You’ve had many different members of the band come and go, including Sally Taylor, Carly Simon and James Taylor’s daughter. Now you’ve added Nathan Moore for the Surprise Me Mr. Davis side project. Are there any plans to add other new members?

Sally was in the band before my time and I think Andrew's as well. Everyone was pretty damn young back then and overall The Slip had many members pre-1994 but the trio line-up has stayed the same since then. We plan to add or play with Elvis or any other dead-icons if they should happen to be reincarnated or resurrected.

What was your favorite on-stage moment?

I haven't officially labeled this my "favorite" moment but getting sung "happy birthday" by 7,000 or so people on my 30th was very cool. We were playing Bonnaroo that year and the audience pulled off a great rendition for me.

What was it like playing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien?

I was just reminiscing about that day with my roommate last night in fact. We talked about the plethora of sandwiches at the ready in our green room at NBC. I had a tuna, turkey and maybe even a Ham n Cheese at one point. (We were there all day...) It was truly a major highlight of my career to talk to Conan on camera about Boston where we are both from.

What was the most challenging obstacle in trying to achieve success in the music industry?

Having to become transient to make any money at all and having that struggle be tied into our music.

You’ve gone through many different record labels and are currently signed to Bar/None. How difficult was it to constantly keep switching like that?

Not hard at all. Each album has a different feel to it really so the music was well suited to travel around from label to label, kinda like the way we toured all the time...haha.

What are the band’s plans for the future?

1. Taking it one day at a time and getting together all sorts of new ideas for Slip albums and tours.
2. Testing recipes at home in the cities we be: Brookyln and Montreal.
3. One plan I had was to post this very interview on our website, www.theslip.com, to give people a real up-to-date revealing of my soul. That cool?
4. Trying to stay calm about "swine flu".
5. Just the usual.

Matt Pond (matt pond PA) Interview

You may or may not have heard of them, but Matt Pond PA is a wonderful group and so is its founder, Mr. Matt Pond himself. This, dare I say it, is the best interview since Dr. Demento (click that Dr. Demento link on the left). Pond made some really intelligent comments regarding his work and music in general, and I urge you, whether you've heard of him or not, to read this interview and check out their album Several Arrows Later.

What made the group decide to release The Freeep for, well, free last year?

The intent was to make something that had no intention other than it's creation.

Just like when your stomach drops on a turbulent plane, letting go of expectation can certainly be thrilling.

Putting out records isn't all joyful wonderment. In fact, the preparation can sometimes put a bad taste in my mouth. Rather than focus on the negative, I wanted to highlight the core of what I love about music.

The end result allowed us to give something back to our fans. This type of situation is generally referred to as a "win, win".

You had to move to New York and get all new members a while back, so shouldn’t the new band’s name technically be matt pond NY?

Yes, you're correct.

Still, if I may be allowed to disagree with your supposition... Philadelphia's where I first started playing music. I will never waver in my allegiance to that time. I wrote some of my favorite songs fighting off the cold from under a sleeping bag in an un-heatable China Town loft. That love lives on.

You’ve covered songs by Oasis, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. Are they major influences of yours? Who are some of your other influences?

Of course. They are all hugely influential. The purpose of doing covers is homage to those things I love.

Some more: Neil Young, Neko Case, Vashti Bunyan, Early AC/DC, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Lykke Li, Ratatat, Leonard Cohen, The Magnetic Fields, The Smiths, Otis Redding, Pulp, Johnny Cash, Etta James, Blur, Black Mountain, Blonde Redhead, The Wooden Birds... The list can go on and on and on. The truth is if you plan to base your existence upon music, you better love to listen.

Some of those covers were featured on the television show The O.C. What was it like to hear your work on TV?

I don't have a great fondness for hearing our songs on the television. I imagine it's much like being hunted and gutted. After the first time it happened, I made a pact with myself to stay as distant as my legs would allow.

Which do you prefer: playing live or in the studio?

The studio has amazing flashes. In the studio, songs get arms and legs and start running around and making a beautiful mess of everything.

Correction: the mess is usually caused by poorly delivered high fives after nailing a shaky vocal. And most clumsiness in our circle is caused by me. Cellos, basses, guitars -- I've punted a variety of stringed instruments.

Live is when mistakes become magic. Live is when you give everything to only get a sweaty shirt. Live is when our jaws ache from singing all night and talking till dawn.

What was your favorite on-stage moment?

I would say there are millions. But playing the 930 club in Washington DC to a sold-out crowd for the first time was close to transcendent.

I was sick with fear. I thought everything in my life had led me up to that point to prove I was a fake. Brilliant, right? And somehow I loved it more than anything.

Yes. I enjoy stress.

How has your songwriting process changed over the years, if at all?

The process constantly changes. There are floods and there are droughts.

The part I'm confident about is that I have no idea where these songs come from. They just keep on coming.

The group has managed to tour with some fairly big names. Which group was your favorite to tour with so far?

I loved touring with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Night after night, I never got sick of seeing them.

Along with that, the drummer and I have known each other for years. It's good to know your friends are succeeding in this, the least secure of all fake businesses.

What can you tell me about the new album The Dark Leaves that’s (hopefully) coming out next January?

While I can criticize myself like crazy, I've never been that skilled at describing what I do. Some people will like it. Some people will not.

Therefore, allow me to ramble.

Lately it seems people are focused upon constantly recreating themselves. One could say that the new social commerce might be the internet transmission of an abstract idea of 'cool'.

...Okay. Please let me retract some of that pretension and still maintain my point.

People these days are running in feverish computer circles, chasing down less and less tangible ideas. I believe they sometimes even trample those around them in their pursuits.

The album is an attempt at showing the nobility of our individuality. In the same breath, it tries to look at commonality. Our connection is undeniable and we could get so much more out of this whole 'life' thing if we weren't only out for ourselves.

Disclaimer: I don't know if the music actually does what I'm saying, and I'm not a hippie.

You’ve been playing with this band for over 10 years now. What keeps you going?

I don't know what keeps me going. If I were a doctor, I'd probably give it the OCD diagnosis and send myself off to receive a kindly prescription.

I'm considering stopping after this next album and getting an MFA in composition. I think I'd make a fine professor. I imagine myself to be the kind with a classic Corvette convertible. I like the whole idea of having a fake leather wing back chair and walls of finely bound books. Most important, the teacher's lounge would have to have an extremely loud stereo. Yes, that's quite nice.

If I may quote Van Halen, "Class Dismissed!!".

Apology

Right, so it's been a few weeks since I've updated this. It's not that I'd forgotten. There was just a lot going in my life, and I was just too busy to write out interviews. Sure, I could have whipped them out pretty quickly, but they would have been crap. You typically only get one shot at interviewing Big Names, so I wanted some decent questions to ask after researching the bands a bit first.

As for what's been going on lately, last week was a nice, relaxing vacation in Naples, Florida. "But why didn't you write the interviews then?" Cause I like relaxing! Now go away! No, wait, come back. I like weekly viewers.

The other thing that will probably be taking up a big part of my time will be an upcoming webcomic I'm working on with an artist buddy of mine. As of now, it's very work-in-progress, and you probably won't see anything from that for a few weeks. I will say this, though: it's called Attempted Understanding, and it's about a loser who finds a genetically-created dragon. Hilarity ensues.

Finally, be sure to look at the above post as well for my interview with Matt Pond of matt pond PA. Honestly, this one has to be up there as one of my favorite interviews so far. Mr. Pond probably had the smartest answers since Dr. Demento (see: Dr. Demento Interview).

*Sigh*...and Dark Was the Night

Well, I'm still waiting on those interviews so I guess this is another slow week, but hopefully I'll have something within a few days, so be sure to tune in every couple days this week.

As for music, I just started listening to the Dark Was the Night compilation album, featuring duets from famous artists such as Feist with Ben Gibbard, Jose Gonzalez with The Books, the Dirty Projectors with David Byrne, and many more. The album is a benefit for the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. I must say, I'm thoroughly impressed with both the organization and the record. None of the artists felt like they were "phoning it in." Each song feels like a true effort at creating something amazing and worthy of the cause they're promoting. It's comprised of two discs plus a bonus track if you buy it through iTunes (a cover of Queen's Play the Game by Beach House).

For more information on the compilation and the Red Hot Organization, be sure to check out the official site:
http://www.darkwasthenight.com/