Nina Persson solo show at HeimatHafen Neukoelln, Berlin (and theCardigans on youtube)

Just saw Nina Persson play solo at Heimathafen Neukoelln in Berlin, which was strange and ultimately really good but a lonnnggg time coming. 

Here are a few images from my phone: 

 BRIEF HISTORY: In 1998 (or early 99?) I had tickets to see the Cardigans at the King Cat theater in downtown Seattle but then ended up acting in a play that night. Although I rushed to the theatre as quickly as possible after the show I only really caught the last half of the last song. In 2003 (or was it 2004?) we had tickets to see the Cardigans (also in Seattle) on the Long Gone Before Daylight tour but then the show coincided with the opening Gala of the Seattle International Film Festival - my gf's mother's bf was one of the sponsors so it was jsut too good to pass up and we ended up - very reluctantly - stopping by "the 411 house" where we often hung out (also where J. Tillman aka Father John Misty was living at the time) and giving the tickets away to some lucky folks there. So, yea, fast forward to 2014 - Nina Person solo isn't the Cardigans - and I'll admid for the first 4-5 songs I didn't know what I was seeing or if I liked it at all BUT by the second encore I was sold- she's good and she's still got it, it is just different now. THe Cardigans have a small, but very loyal cult following and that's comething I have never really been able to figure out, but every now and then you come across other people wo just love the band and have for years. For me that started when I bought the album "Life" on a whim in 1995. THe doo-woppy pop and milk and honey vocals were nothing link anything else I was listening to a the time (NIN, WEEN, Smashing Pumpkins, etc.) that that was entirely ok.. So, thanks to the magic of the internet - here are a bunch of songs that made me fall in love with the band, Nina Persson's voice and their evolution throughout the 90s and 00s- also realized that - oddly - because I mainly just listened to this band on CD and didn't have MTV that many of the videos which I've never actually seen before posting this): First off, a link to their Official Music Videos on Youtube: HERE And then jus ta whole bunch of other stuff, but do yourself a favor and play it through headphones or fancy speakers: Erase/Rewind The Cardigans - I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer You're the Storm The Cardigans Black Sanbbath IRON MAN cover The Cardigans GRAN TOURISMO (FULL ALBUM) The Cardigans FIRST BAND ON THE MOON (FULL ALBUM) Emmerdale FULL ALBUM The Cardigans - You're The Storm (Live "At Sen Kvaell Med Luuk" 2003) Also apparently they were rehearsing nov 2013...?

Weekend Writing and Henry Miller's Work schedule, 1932 - 1933 aka 11 commandments

I have been trying out a new work regimen for writing on the weekends - when you are a 21st century ADD spaz like me you NEED this sort of thing- a physically restictive invironment - ideally a chair that is big and hard to move and scooted up to a table so that you can't jsut hop up and prance off every time every little whim catches your fancy - no, you barricade your body in and clamp your brain in big cushy headphones and stay put until you have put a fet things down in black and white. 

Anyhow, it was inspired by Henry Miller's Work schedule, 1932 - 1933 aka 11 commandments - who better to turn to than him? I suspected that something like this existed out there, and I think I actually came across it in a twitter post by Brainpickings.com - they have become a favorite (even if I have since deleted the Twitter app from all my devices because I was getting sucked in all too often.)

but my most recent attempt at a regimen involves: 

1 hour and 1 minute ON (timed on iPhone or iPad) 

and 6

minutes 6 seconds OFF (free time where I can do things like write this blog post and make coffee and change the music*

HINT: The most effective alarm is the T-Rex Roar ringtone from Jurassic Park. No joke. It says to the brain in no uncertain terms: "Get back to work before I eat you alive." OK, 6 min are up!

FOUND HERE at BRAINpickings (or is it Brain Pickings?

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/22/henry-miller-on-writing/

*NOTE TO SELF: now listening to Autechre's Confield (purchased at Amoeba records) and Poliça's new album Shulamith (purchased at their show the other day- I aLSO interviewed them for nothing but hope and passion nothingbuthopeandpassion.com - super nice folks!) and Zomby's new album With Love (which I bought on CD at Rasputin Records on Haight Street in SF)