they're just like us
Hello, friends! Rob here. Another week, another five things. Well, four things and a jam. JAMS ARE THINGS TOO whoa okay here we go
Monday: Is my dad... cooler than me?
I think my dad is cooler than me.
Tuesday: Now that football exists, I have a reason to watch broadcast TV again. I never thought I'd miss regular ad breaks, but, after eight months of the same three Hulu commercials (the Progressive sign-spinner guy fell asleep with his sign again, Liberty Mutual is a '70s cop show featuring a large bird, and Carvana will sell me a car OVER THE GODDAMN INTERNET) so many times that they show up in my dreams, it's refreshing to have access to a whole other slate of annoying ads.
But I keep seeing promos for Connecting, a new NBC series about- get this- people in quarantine! It's so relatable! They're just like us! They're stuck at home! They get together on Zoom (or a legally-distinct facsimile thereof) and talk about being stuck at home!
I am WAY too mad at this show for having the audacity to exist. It was fine that Parks and Recreation did the Zoom gimmick for a reunion special, and I'm sure I'll enjoy South Park's hour-long pandemic episode after I've caught up on the latest season, but something rubs me the wrong way about making a whole series out of quarantine. I don't see how they can sustain COVID-19 as a premise for multiple seasons without it starting to drag on after a while. Perhaps, if Connecting had been produced under some sort of clear, unified regulatory guidelines- guidelines that were informed by the recommendations of qualified experts and supported by some form of stimulus that allowed audiences to properly cope with their presence- then it may have run its course after one brief, relatively painless season, and we'd all be that much better off.
I feel a little bad for even mentioning this. Connecting clearly isn't hurting anyone- on the contrary, it is by all accounts a sharp, good-natured comedy anchored by a diverse cast with a ton of chemistry and talent. It's getting glowing reviews. I should probably give it a chance. Anyway, the real villain of this story is Boris Johnson, who dropped the COVID ball almost as badly as we did and undercut a half-decent “the British version was better” joke in the process.
Wednesday: The first-ever Patreon Mailbag is up! I've already talked about it a few times on here, but the basic premise is that I will respond to write-in questions from readers regarding the band and whatever else. So far, it's been mostly the band, but I'm ready to engage with left-field silliness as well! Anyway, you can read it here- only subscribers can submit questions, but the resulting content is available to the public.
Thursday: I haven't been this excited to be on a festival announce in a VERY long time:
We're really honored to be a part of Save Our Stages Fest. Despite the stellar lineup, it's the venues that are the real stars here. These are the theaters, the nightclubs, the concert halls, and the sweat-packed basements that launched a thousand careers. Virtually every contemporary artist you've ever heard of has either played half of these rooms, or is dying for the opportunity to do so. And they may never get that chance unless we take action. These rooms represent the backbone of an industry, and that industry is on the ropes. The fact is, there may not be a sustainable way to experience the visceral joy of live music during a pandemic- no teleconference, no take-home container, no app-based delivery service. With relief efforts on ice for the time being, it's up to us to protect this vital aspect of our cultural legacy. Please sign the petition if you haven't, please tune in next weekend, and if you can, please donate to support this worthy cause.
Okay, also. Come on. This festival is STACKED. I can't wait. I'm gonna watch the heck out of this. Also, I just put a Rise Against song on our Spotify playlist because I was angry at the concept of government a few weeks ago, and now we're right next to them on a festival announce. Weird.
Friday: Prior to this week, I think we've had two Friday Jams that were “I like this” versus three “I like this but I'm posting it because someone died” (I'm counting Khris Royal's “I Can't Breathe” among the latter). Someday, that ratio will shift. That day, unfortunately, is not today. Eddie Van Halen had lightning for hands and was responsible for a quote that has been on my Facebook profile since like, 2006, shrinking further and further from view as the platform shifted its focus towards timelines and algorithms. I digress. He leaves behind a great big hole and a ton of bitchin' guitar solos. A man, a plan, here's a jam, Panama:
“Some people think that a song without words is not a real song. Tell that to Beethoven and he'd kick your ass.”
-Eddie Van Halen, 1955-2020
You know what? Fuck it. Just for good measure, here's nine more minutes of him shredding absolute dick at age sixty:
Hot damn, Eddie. You make me want to curse. In a good way.
