2007 in Review

Things that were great about 2007:

-my son’s graduation
-quotes from an old Slim Dunlap interview making Jim Walsh’s Replacements biography
-Radiohead’s big F.U. to the record industry
-meeting all of my online friends in New York during the self-promoted “Paulisded Weekend”
-two intimate interview/performances by Paul Westerberg in Minneapolis
-my friend Casey’s whirlwind year – meeting Ron and Fez producer Dave MacDonald last New Year’s Eve; their on-air engagement and wedding later in the year; and her recent announcement that she’s pregnant
-the Sopranos finale
-Magic, Bruce Springsteen’s best albums since The River
-Social Distortion in Sioux Falls
-online drama that I could sit back and watch because it didn’t involve me
-indie acts such as Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, Wilco, and The Shins hitting the Top 5 on the album charts
-Diablo Cody’s ascension into media darling
-gradually beginning my day at Black Sheep Coffee with strong coffee, my new 160 gig Ipod, and a good book or magazine
-The Daily Show
-Little Steven’s Garage channel on Sirius
-Adrian Peterson giving Vikings fans a glimmer of hope for the future
-the genius that is Ron Bennington
-whiskey mixed with Amp
-Cheaters Uncensored on DVD

Things that weren’t so great about the past year:

-no new Westerberg album and postponed Replacements reissues
-online drama that involved me
-bloggers who believe they’re journalism’s future
-the writer’s strike
-eight hours on the Chicago runway followed by a flight cancellation that delayed my arrival in New York by 26 hours
-the continued media fascination with Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and the rest of the untalented, famous for being famous crowd
-American Idol
-reality shows in general
-the under-utilization of the Washington Pavilion
-commercial radio’s refusal to acknowledge that a million Arcade Fire/Wilco/Shins fans are right
-Beyonce’s awful commercials
-John Mellencamp’s phony “This Land Is Your Land” copycat song still being used in a Chevy truck ad that runs during every sports commercial break
-Madonna making the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
-Kelby’s “we’re going ahead with this rather you like it or not” proclamation regarding their event center plans that has now expanded to 24,000 seats
-not meeting Pinkslashsteph when I traveled to New York
-the suspicious circumstances surrounding the close-to-immediate sellout of the Arena’s Elton John concert
-having to endure Journey’s awful music after the Sopranos finale
-politicians from both parties putting party politics far above questions of what’s right or wrong

Comments

Happy New Year, Scott.
You had some good highlights, dude. And we share a lot of the same feelings about the downside of 2007.
Have to tell you, I stumbled upon a copy of Slim's Times Like This cd and I love it! Especially "Cooler Then." It still amazes me how much talent was wrapped up in that band...

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