Tatooine Man

I was watching this video this morning and chuckling at the guitarist whose wardrobe and hairdo is just straight Luke Skywalker.

Killer tune, though.

Tonite: Sex Pistols, Next Week: Merle Haggard

For the record: Hag > Pistols

[via American Viceroy]

Willie and Kris

And Willie is playing an electric!

[via Endless Me]

Kirsty MacColl

So here’s today’s little internet adventure. It started with my friend Chet Hondo’s blog where I caught up with yesterday’s posts and listened to the Pogues’ “If I Should Fall From Grace with God.” That had me wondering whatever happened to Shane MacGowan and his teeth.

So I went to Wikipedia and read up on the dude. Turns out he’s still alive! And possibly has teeth now! I listened to “Fairytale of New York” on YouTube. And I wondered about the “Justice For Kirsty Campaign” mentioned on MacGowan’s page.

Things started clicking. I remember an interview with Morrissey where he talked about his friend who’d died in an accident in Mexico. I guess I’d never connected the woman who sang with The Pogues and The Smiths as the same woman. It is, of course, Kirsty MacColl.

So I headed to Kirsty MacColl’s Wikipedia page and learned all sorts of interesting things. Worst of all is the recounting of the accident that killed her when she was struck by a boat while diving in Mexico. Here is one awful detail:

Cen Yam was found guilty of culpable homicide and was sentenced to 2 years 10 months in prison. However, he was allowed under Mexican law to pay a punitive fine of 1034 pesos (about £61 or US$90) in lieu of the prison sentence.

Horrible. But I also learned that Kirsty penned “They Don’t Know” which I rediscover every once in a while with surprise that Tracey Ullman made records. Ullman released the song in 1983. Here’s her version:

And here’s Kirsty’s awesome original from 1979:

I love internet detours like that. Especially when they lead me to really fine songs.

Funny story

I was at LAX last night picking up my parents. The last time they visited, they changed flights for their return so we rushed them to security. I was carrying one of their bags. When I handed it to the TSA agent, he grabbed my arm and flipped it over to expose my wrist.

“Is that Arabic?” he asked in an oddly friendly voice.

“No, it’s Led Zeppelin.”

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