The Obligatory

On one of the days in Seattle, it ended up raining pretty steadily all day. Luckily, this was the only such day while we were there, and it gave us an excuse to spend time browsing the Experience Music Project.

It was one of the most incredible museums I have ever been to. We spent over 5 hours there, and could have easily stayed even longer.

As a self-professed music junkie, I knew I'd enjoy it. When I saw a room full of guitars tracing the evolution from 17th century Spanish guitars through the first crude steel slides and electric flying V's, I knew I'd be spending some serious time there. When my bulky super Palm Pilot / wireless audio tour computer let me actually HEAR those guitars being played, I might as well have set up a lawn chair and beer helmet.

Exhibits on pop music, songwriting, Dylan and Hendrix were all extremely interesting, and there was also a sort of music-lab, where you could learn to play instruments (I tried my hand at bass for a while) as well as studio mixing boards. If you're ever in Seattle, you absolutely have to see it.

Of course, I also kept a small piece of note paper with albums I should buy when I got back to Amoeba. Not good for the bank account, but I've heard it makes me a more well-rounded person when I expand the Music Collection. Or at least, that's what I tell myself when I watch my checking account get smaller and smaller.

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In other music-related news, David Byrne got a warning from the RIAA for one of his streaming radio playlists because it featured too much Missy Elliot. Some weird subclause of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act that says he can't stream more than 4 tracks by a single artist within an hour. Oh well. Just one more digital rights bullshit going down.

For now, though, and for the forseeable future, Radio David Byrne is still up and running, and still excellent. Last month was all old club songs, now it's all old folk and country. Previous months have had Italian operas, All-Dylan, and a really great psychadelic mix to celebrate the IRA cease fire. If you're at work and your ipod ran out of batteries, it's a worthwhile stand-in.

And, if you're interested, NPR has also posted streaming sets of the Calexico/Iron and Wine show in Washington, D.C. If you haven't bought their split EP yet (one of my front-runners for Best of '05), give these a whirl.

OK. That's enough about music. For now.

Labels: travel

Three Things:

1. I could cry knowing that you got to the Experience Music Project and I wasn't there to share the experience with you (okay, and I'm like totally jealous).

2. This blog made me the saddest that I did not see you more. You are absolutely my favorite music snob, and I miss you.

3. Never apologize for adding to your Music Collection. One of the best feelings in the world is purchasing new CDs, unwrapping them and listening on the drive home to something you've never heard for. That's worth every penny it costs.