Christmas (The Political Cartoon Way)

Here's another one I found that was amusing.

Alternative Christmas songs!

As Christmas is fastly approaching us, I thought it would be cool to list some cool Alternative Christmas songs. Here are 5 of them for today.

1. Pearl Jam - Let Me Sleep (Christmas Time)

2. Fiona Apple- Frosty the Snowman

3. Shonen Knife - Space Christmas

4. Manic Street Preachers . The Ghost Of Christmas

5. Richard Hawley - Silent Night

Christmas (The Political Cartoon Way)

It's that time of year again. It's Christmas Political Cartoon time!!! Take a look at this one. It wil make you laugh and think at the same time. Enjoy!!!

Sad News Indeed!

Some Sad News! I just got word of this on Sunday. Laura Kennedy, original bassist for the Bush Tetras, died on November 14, 2011 after a long battle with liver disease. She was truly a fabulous bassist of this NO Wave band. Rest in Peace Laura.

The Discreet Charm Of Morrissey

"I can't act at all, which is very surprising. I can't be natural in front of the camera... I can't even be natural when I'm lying in the bath".

Today in Alternative Music History: November 22, 1997

Today marks the tragic death of INXS' lead singer, Michael Hutchence. 14 years ago today.

On 6 February 1998, after an autopsy and coronial inquest, New South Wales State Coroner, Derrick Hand, presented his report which ruled that Hutchence's death was a suicide while depressed and under the influence of drugs and alcohol:

An analysis report of the deceased's blood indicates the presence of alcohol, cocaine, Prozac and other prescription drugs. On consideration of the entirety of the evidence gathered I am satisfied that the deceased was in a severe depressed state on the morning of the 22 November 1997, due to a number of factors, including the relationship with Paula Yates and the pressure of the on-going dispute with Bob Geldof, combined with the effects of the substances that he had ingested at that time. As indicated I am satisfied that the deceased intended and did take his own life.
Former girlfriend Kym Wilson and her then boyfriend, Andrew Reyment, were the last people to see Hutchence alive when they left him at 4:50 am; he was still awaiting a phone call from Yates in London concerning whether she would bring their daughter Tiger to Australia. Hutchence's second last outgoing phone call was to his personal manager, Martha Troup's voice-mail, "Marth, Michael here. I've fucking had enough". When Troup returned the call there was no answer. At 9:54 am he talked to his former longtime girlfriend, Michele Bennett, who stated that he was crying, sounded upset and said he needed to see her. Bennett arrived at his door at about 10:40 am but, there was no response. Hutchence's body was discovered by a hotel maid at 11:50 am. Police reported that, "He was in a kneeling position facing the door. He had used his snake skin belt to tie a knot on the automatic door closure at the top of the door, and had strained his head forward into the loop so hard that the buckle had broken.

If you get a chance play some INXS music today

New band from Essex , England: Amoriste

This band from Chelmsfold, Essex , England and they are called Amoriste. They are Liam Tolan, Phil Cockerton, David Crawford, and Nic Sleight. They were originally called Soprano when they formed in 2007. The name, Amoriste, was taken from a group of French poets called “amoristes” who wrote about love. They deliver a unique brand of indie pop drawn from a mix of influences including Athlete, Elbow and The Editors.CHeck out the band in their Facebook page! I highly recommend this band!!

El Vagon Alternativo: ONLINE RADIO!!!

Just finished up an edition of El Vagon Alternativo: ONLINE RADIO!!! This show that is conducted in English. You can find it at www.elvagonalternativo.listen2myradio.com Check the facebook page of El Vagon Alternativo and hit LIKE to get the times and dates for this show. Don't forget to tune in to El Vagon Alternativo at www.lametro.com.ec tomorrow night!!!

Word Of The Day

visceral

\VIS-uh-rul\

DEFINITION

adjective

1: felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body
2: not intellectual : instinctive
3: dealing with crude or elemental emotions
4: of, relating to, or located on or among the internal organs of the body

EXAMPLES

The steady, pounding bass lines and infectious harmonies give the music a real visceral punch.

"My mom is the only one who still writes me letters. And there's something visceral about opening a letter -- I see her on the page. I see her in her handwriting." -- Steve Carell, quoted in The Boston Globe Magazine, July 24, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

The "viscera" are the internal organs of the body -- especially those located in the large cavity of the trunk (e.g., the heart, liver, and intestines). The word "viscera" comes from Latin, in which it has essentially the same meaning. Something "visceral" has to do with the viscera. In a more figurative sense, something "visceral" is felt "deep down." Even in the early years of its use, "visceral" often referred to things emotional rather than physiological. For example, in 1640 an English bishop named Edward Reynolds wrote, "Love is of all other the inmost and most visceral affection." This figurative use is the most common use of "visceral," but the word continues to be used in medical contexts as well.

Phrase of the Day

A fine quotation is a diamond on the finger of a man of wit, and a pebble in the hand of a fool.

Joseph Roux

Find Me on Twitter

Hello Alternative music listeners and readers of my blog, you can me on Twitter!! It's @vagonalt.

Over 80,000 visits!

Thank you to everyone who has been visiting my web page! There are over 80,000 visits here. WOW!!! That is incredible!!! Please continue visiting this web page as well as the facebook page of El Vagon Alternativo and hit like!!! Also don't forget to visit me Edwin Poveda at the Facebook page and add me as your friend.

Tune in tomorrow night

Listen to El Vagon Alternativo tomorrow night. 8pm (ecuadorian time) at www.lametro.com.ec

Was Everyone HAppy As I Was?

The best news this week was the reformation of one of the best indie bands of the 8's and 90's. That's right I'm talking about the Stone Roses. Who would have ever thought that this four piece would ever get back together? It was so cool to see Ian, John, Mani and Reni together on Tuesday at the press conference. Two shows have been announced and ticketsgo on sale tomorrow. June 20 and 21 at Heaton Park in Manchester. There is plans for a World tour and to top it off, The Stone Roses are making new music. How's that for you!!! October 18th will be forever remembered as the day the Stone Roses reunited!!!

Radio Show tonight!

Tune in tonight for another edition of El Vagon Alternativo: ONLINE RADIO!!! You can listen to it at www.elvagonalternativo.listen2myradio.com Start time is 9 pm (Eastern time, Euadorian time) 7pm (PAcific Coast time). 2 hours of the best in Alternative Music!!!

Phrase of the Day

A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.

Ogden Nash (1902 - 1971)

Word of the Day

Cockaigne\kah-KAYN\

DEFINITION noun

: an imaginary land of great luxury and ease
EXAMPLES
Located on a secluded white sandy beach, the resort -- with its many amenities, including a first-class luxury spa -- is like a utopian Cockaigne.

"[Simon Patten's] particular genius was in recognizing capitalism's potential to realize something like a modern Cockaigne, the mythical land of plenty that beguiled the suffering masses in the Middle Ages." -- From Daniel Akst's 2011 book We Have Met the Enemy: Self-Control in an Age of Excess

DID YOU KNOW?The term "Cockaigne" comes from the Middle French phrase "pais de cocaigne," which literally means "the land of plenty." The word was first popularized in a 13th-century French poem that is known in English as "The Land of Cockaigne." According to an early English translation of the work, in Cockaigne "the houses were made of barley sugar cakes, the streets were paved with pastry, and the shops supplied goods for nothing." (It's this original Cockaigne that is referenced in our second example above.) Some have theorized that "cocaigne" derives from an earlier word related to "cake" or "cook," but its early history remains obscure.

New Post

So good to be able to write here again. Again I have been awayfor reasons of work and the fact that I am at face book page of EL Vagon Alternativo. I have been busy with work and I have found it impossible to be able to post frequently here. Now before you think that I may stop doing this, you think wrong. This blog will continue, so please continue visiting this page.
Always Alternative,
Edwin

PJ Harvey Wins Barclaycard Mercury Prize Award!

Congratulations to PJ Harvey for winning the coveted Barclaycard Mercury Prize Award for her album Let England Shake. I strongly reccomned you pick this album up. She certainly derserved to win this award and this is her second win. the ionly two time winner. Way to Go!!!

Sorry For The No Posting

Dear readers,
I apologize for the lack of posting in this blog. I have been quite busy with work as well as maintaining the otehr page (The Facebook page) as well as doing online shows through www.elvagonalternativo.listen2myradio.com I promise to be more active here. It is so cool to see the number of visits I have here. THANK YOU immensely!!!
Always Alternative,
Edwin

Thank You

Thank you thank you for tuning in to my radio shows that are transmitted through www.elvagonalternativo.listen2myradio.com Thank you for your comments , they make me want to carry on with these show during the week.

Always Alternative,

Edwin

Word Of The Day

cobalt

\KOH-bawlt\


DEFINITION





noun



1

: a tough lustrous silver-white magnetic metallic element that is related to and occurs with iron and nickel and is used especially in alloys




2


: a strong greenish blue : cobalt blue

EXAMPLES

Cobalt was used for centuries to impart a blue color to glazes and ceramics before it was isolated by Swedish chemist Georg Brandt around 1735.

"In the afternoon when the sun lights the stucco buildings across the street, it's possible to count a dozen different colors of paint, all fading together on the highest parts of the wall: yellow, ochre, brick, blood, cobalt, turquoise." -- From Barbara Kingsolver's 2009 novel The Lacuna

DID YOU KNOW?
The metallic element "cobalt" ultimately draws its name from folklore. In Middle High German, "kobolt" denoted a usually helpful household elf that engaged in nasty pranks only when it was offended. Later, early Modern German "Kobold" came to refer to a variety of less helpful goblins inhabiting fields and mountains. The variant "Kobolt" in the 16th century was applied by German miners to ores containing the metal cobalt, which they considered to be worthless; they believed that mountain goblins had spoiled adjacent silver ores, or had stolen the silver within the ore. The metal itself in relatively pure form was not produced and described until the 17th century, when "cobalt," with its first letter influenced by New Latin "cobaltum," became part of the international language of science.

TUNE IN TONIGHT: ELVAGON ALTERNATIVO:ONLINE RADIO

Hello readers,

Tune in tonight for another edition of El Vagon Alternativ: ONLINE RADIO!!! Great music tonight. Have a great set of rare alterantive bands from the 80's. New bands like LAKE; BODIES OF WATER and more. Tune in to www.elvagonalternativo.listen2myradio.com at 9pm (ECUADORIAN TIME)

Phrase of The Day

The reason lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place is that the same place isn't there the second time.

Willie Tyler

Phrase of The Day

I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.

Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865), speech in Washington D.C., 1865

It's Been A While...

Hello readers,

I know I know it's been a long time since I updated this blog. I will try to get myself back into this. It was a crazy month of June with lots of work. Some updated news: I am not sure if you knew but not only do I have my Saturday show at www.lametro.com.ec but now I am on live with a radio show that I transmit from my house!!! It is called El Vagon Alternativo: ONLINE RADIO. I have been doing shows Sunday nights from 9pm (Ecuadorian time) for two hours as well as show during the week and this morning I debuted a show called "Breakfast with Morrissey and The Smiths" a one hour show that explores the music of The Smiths and Morrissey. You can check out the times at my facebook page of El Vagon Alternativo or find me at Edwin Poveda. I hope you get a chacne to check out these shows. Many fans have said that one show during the week is not enough thus the creation of El Vagon Alternativo: ONLINE RADIO! You Can hear it at www.elvagonalternativo.listen2myradio.com

Phrase of The Day

The things we know best are the things we haven't been taught.

Marquis de Vauvenargues

Word Of The Day

pomaceous\poh-MAY-shus\

DEFINITION:adjective

1: of or relating to apples
2: resembling a pome

EXAMPLES
The back porch held a sweet, pomaceous aroma, and immediately Glen knew that his mother had baked an apple pie for dessert.

"This Festival is devoted to the mysteries of Plant Reproduction, especially that of those wondrous trees, the Angiosperms, with special emphasis upon the Drupes and the Pomaceous Fruits." -- From Margaret Atwood's 2009 novel The Year of the Flood

DID YOU KNOW?

"Pomaceous" was first planted in the English language by physician Edward Baynard when, in 1706, he advised, "Apples and pomaceous Juices, are the greatest Pectorals." ("Pectoral" is now a rarely used word for a food that helps digestion.) Since then, "pomaceous" has mainly been sown by botanists and poets. The word, which is ultimately derived from Late Latin "pomum" (meaning "apple"), was originally used of apples and things relating to apples, but later it was also applied to things that look like pears. (Pears, like apples, belong to the pome family.)

SUNDAY'S TOP 5: JUNE 5, 2011

MY TOP 5 ALBUMS FOR THIS SUNDAY ARE:

1. THE BRIGHTS - A TRIVIAL PURSUIT

2. SELEBRITIES - DELUSIONS

3. MILES KANE - COLOUR OF THE TRAP

4. HEATHER NOVA - 300 DAYS AT SEA

5. ARCTIC MONKEYS - SUCK IT AND SEE

Phrase of the Day

Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.

Christopher Lasch

Word of the Day

gesundheit\guh-ZOONT-hyte

DEFINITION interjection

-- used to wish good health especially to one who has just sneezed

EXAMPLES
"Gesundheit!" said the man on the bicycle as he passed a lady on the sidewalk who had sneezed.

"The air was filled with 'God Bless You' and 'Gesundheit' as our Tuesday study group got together the other day…. We were reading together accompanied by sneezes, but it helped us ignore our stuffed-up heads." -- From an article by Sirkka Holm in the Finnish American Reporter, December 2010

DID YOU KNOW?

When English speakers hear "achoo," they usually respond with either "gesundheit" or "God bless you." "Gesundheit" was borrowed from German, where it literally means "health"; it was formed by a combination of "gesund" ("healthy") and "-heit" ("-hood"). Wishing a person good health when they sneezed was traditionally believed to forestall the illness that a sneeze often portends. "God bless you" had a similar purpose, albeit with more divine weight to the well-wishing. It was once believed that the soul could exit the body during a sneeze, causing ill health, so folks said "God bless you" to ward off this danger. "Gesundheit," at one time, also served as a toast when drinking (much like its English counterpart, "to your health"), but this usage is now mostly obsolete.

Born On This Day: Ian McCulloch, May 5, 1959

The lead singer for Echo and the Bunnymen celebrates his birthday today. Ian was born in Liverpool, England.

Phrase of the Day

Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.

Sir Wilfred Grenfell (1865 - 1940)

Word of the Day

odious\OH-dee-us\

DEFINITION adjective

: arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance : hateful

EXAMPLES
Martin was an odious person: cruel, violent, and deceitful, willing to do anything to anyone to gain the wealth and power he craved.

"The audition process and the testing process is so odious and miserable that you don't want to do it unless there is a prospect of working with great people on the other end." -- From an interview with Martha Plimpton in the Windy City Times, March 23, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Odious" has been with us since the days of Middle English. We borrowed it from Anglo-French, which in turn had taken it from Latin "odiosus." The Latin adjective came from the noun "odium," meaning "hatred." "Odium" is also an ancestor of the English verb "annoy" (another word that came to Middle English via Anglo-French). And, at the beginning of the 17th century, "odium" entered English in its unaltered form, giving us a noun meaning "hatred" or "disgrace" (as in "ideas that have incurred much odium").

Today In Alternative Music History: May 3, 2007

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree runs as a Labour Party candidate in the Westminster area of London for a local council seat. "In my experience of living (in Westminster), it all looks lovely -- there are hanging baskets everywhere -- but you only need to scratch the surface and see that there's a lot of deprivation and a lot of inequality around," says Rowntree. He runs in a predominantly conservative district. He doesn't get elected.

Alt-Rocker Quotes

"The thing about rock is that people are not just interested in bands because of where they want to go. It's where they want to escape from that matters."

Colin Greenwood (Radiohead)

Born On This Day: The Rock, May 2, 1972

Today is Dwayne Johnson's birthday. He is also known as The Rock. One of the most popular wrestlers in WWE history. The Rock was born in Hayward, California.

Phrase of the Day

There art two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness.

Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924)

Word of the Day

vamoose\vuh-MOOSS\

DEFINITIONverb

: to depart quickly
EXAMPLES
With the sheriff and his posse hot on their tails, the bank robbers knew they had better vamoose.

"He raised his handgun and tried to line Reilly down its sight, but there was too much commotion around the agent and Zahed couldn't get a clean shot. Time to vamoose. With his weapon still in his grip, he leapt behind the wheel of the van, slammed it into drive, and floored it." -- From Raymond Khoury's 2010 novel The Templar Salvation

DID YOU KNOW?
In the 1820s and '30s, the American Southwest was rough-and-tumble territory -- the true Wild West. English-speaking cowboys, Texas Rangers, and gold prospectors regularly rubbed elbows with Spanish-speaking vaqueros in the local saloons, and a certain amount of linguistic intermixing was inevitable. One Spanish term that caught on with English speakers was "vamos," which means "let's go." Cowpokes and dudes alike adopted the word, at first using a range of spellings and pronunciations that varied considerably in their proximity to the original Spanish form. But when the dust settled, the version most American English speakers were using was "vamoose."

EL VAGON ALTERNATIVO TURNS 13 TODAY!!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

TODAY MARKS THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF MY RADIO SHOW!!! EL VAGON ALTERNATIVO WENTON THE AIR AT RADIO METRO ON MAY 2, 1998. THE SHOW WAS ONLY AN HOUR FROM 9 TO 10PM. IT WAS THEN EXTENDED FROM 8 PM TO 10PM AFTER 4 MONTHS. AFTER 6 MONTHS THE SHOW WAS EXTENDED TO 4 HOURS. 8PM TO MIDNIGHT EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT. I AM SO HAPPY THAT I AM STILL ON THE AIR AND TO BE ABLE TO TRANSMIT TO YOU EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT, THE BEST IN ALTERNATIVE MUSIC. THIS SHOW IS FAR FROM OVER. THERE IS SO MUCH OUT THERE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AND TALK ABOUT THIS GREAT GENRE IN MUSIC. EL VAGON ALTERNATIVO WILL CONTINUE! THANK YOU TO ALL THE LISTENERS WHO TUNE IN HERE IN ECUADOR 88.5 (PICHINCHA) 95.7 (GUAYAS) 106.5 (AZUAY) THROUGH METRO ESTEREO AND TO EVERYONE WHO LISTEN THROUGH WWW.LAMETRO.COM.EC. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS FOLLOWED MY WEB PAGE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND TO THE FOLLOWERS OF MY NEW FACEBOOK PAGE. I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL.

ALWAYS ALTERNATIVE,

EDWIN

Check out My Facebook Page: El Vagon Alternativo

Hello Everyone,
Please check out my facebook page for El Vagon Alternativo.
Check it out at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/El-Vagon-Alternativo/221489757864552

Word of the Day

ken\KEN\

DEFINITIONnoun

1a : the range of vision b : sight, view
2: the range of perception, understanding, or knowledge
EXAMPLES
The author advised the aspiring writers in the crowd to develop an authoritative voice by sticking to subjects within their ken.

"[Yemeni President Ali Abdullah] Saleh and his military-based regime are steering the country into a demographic and political minefield, and it's already far beyond their ken to steer out of it." -- From an article by Ellen Knickmeyer in Foreign Policy, February 10, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?
"Ken" appeared on the English horizon in the 16th century as a term of measurement of the distance bounding the range of ordinary vision at sea -- about 20 miles. British author John Lyly used that sense in 1580 when he wrote, "They are safely come within a ken of Dover." Other 16th-century writers used "ken" to mean "range of vision" ("Out of ken we were ere the Countesse came from the feast." -- Thomas Nashe) or "sight" ("'Tis double death to drown in ken of shore." -- Shakespeare). Today, however, "ken" rarely suggests literal sight. Rather, "ken" nowadays almost always implies a range of comprehension, understanding, or knowledge.

Born On This Day: Kim Gordon, April 28, 1953

Today is the bass player and singer of Sonic Youth's birthday. Kim Althea Gordon was born in Rochester, New York.

The Discreet Charm Of Morrissey

"I would never, ever do anything as vulgar as having fun."

Phrase of The Day

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.

Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

Word Of The Day

catastrophe\kuh-TASS-truh-fee\

DEFINITION noun

1a : a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth b : a violent usually destructive natural event (as a supernova)
2: utter failure : fiasco

EXAMPLES
The party was a catastrophe; the band didn't show up, the food was awful, and a sudden rain shower sent the guests running for cover.

"The democratization of economics owes much to the financial crisis that first hit in 2007. That ongoing catastrophe, which few economists predicted, tarnished the profession's reputation, prompting some to look elsewhere for answers." -- From an article by Stephen Mihm in The New York Times Magazine, December 19, 2010

DID YOU KNOW?
When English speakers first borrowed the Greek word "catastrophe" in the 1500s, they used it for the conclusion or final event of a dramatic work, especially of a tragedy. By the early 1600s, "catastrophe" was being used more generally of any generally unhappy conclusion or disastrous or ruinous end. By the 18th century, "catastrophe" had come to denote truly devastating events, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Finally, it came to be applied to things that are only figuratively catastrophic -- burnt dinners, lost luggage, really bad movies, etc.

Alt-Rocker Quotes

There's a hell of a lot of freedom in this rock and roll circus... it's where all the freaks go - it's the environment for me.

-Brian Molko

The Most Significant Indie Records

The Ugly Ducklings - Somewhere Outside (Yorktown Records,1967)

Released in early 1967 but containing the band's three 1966 singles, Somewhere Outside skirts the cusp of '66 r'n'b and '67 psychedelia. The LP opens with "Nothin'" and its prototypical garage riff, allegedly recorded on a two-track machine for $300 and pushed into regular rotation just a few weeks later by local deejays. Other tracks, such as the revved-up "She Ain't No Use to Me" and the searing "Just in Case You Wonder", their third single, capture on vinyl the hegemony of cool the Ducklings had over the Yorkville scene in Toronto at the time. Still other tracks, like the Rascalesque, harmonica-tinged "Not for Long", add a quieter balance, while the closer "Windy City (Noise at the North End)", an acid-blues rave-up, echoes Paul Butterfield's excursions of the same year.

Some Sad News

Sadly, the punk world lost one of its great pioneers this week as X-Ray Spex's iconic leader Poly Styrene (aka Marian Joan Elliott-Said) died of breast cancer. She was 53 years old.

The British-born singer was an inimitable voice in the first-generation London punk scene and the defining face of a heroic band that consistently broke from convention. On Tuesday, rumors of her death became increasingly credible, fueled by condolences on her Facebook page, and her UK spokesperson confirmed the news early Tuesday morning.

Poly Styrene was a punk amongst punks," her representatives said in a statement. "A groundbreaking presence that left an unrepeatable mark on the musical landscape, she made history the moment she uttered, 'Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard but I think oh bondage up yours!' The influence of Poly and X-ray Spex has been felt far and wide ever since. Their landmark album 'Germ Free Adolescents' is a landmark work and a primary influence on Britpop and Riot Grrrl. At the centre of it was Poly Styrene, a bi-racial feminist punk with the perfect voice to soundtrack rebellion. Poly never sacrificed the intelligence or the fun in her music and style. Her trademark braces and dayglo clothes were a playful rejection of the status quo and of conformity and complacency. She dissected gender politics, consumer culture, and the obsessions of modern life in a way that made us all want sing along with her."

Loaded with witty, anti-establishment sentiments that seemed to dismiss proper feminism in favor of fierce individualism, Styrene informed the Riot Grrrl movement that would follow, long after she abandoned X-Ray Spex in 1979. The band's one true hit, 'Oh Bondage, Up Yours,' remains a key track in punk history, having proved itself a timeless classic. Like many punk bands from the era, their career lasted just three years with few, intermittent reunions thereafter, but their mark on the genre, the culture and music history at large is immeasurable.

Styrene left X-Ray Spex following some personal incidents which, in hindsight, only further solidified her as a punk goddess -- including claims that she suffered from hallucinations and a period in which she joined the Hare Krishnas. A solo career in the 1980s kept her name out there but was a mixed bag both in terms of the music (which ranged from dance-punk to something more akin to New Age) and in terms of the reception. More recently, she had a more earnest comeback, championed by a new solo album, 'Generation Indigo,' which was a return to form, gloriously recalling her days in X-Ray Spex. In a tragic coincidence, that album was released on the same day she passed away In February, Styrene announced that she had breast cancer. A Facebook update, dated April 19, reads, "Slowly, slowly trying to get better, miss my walk along the promenade. Would be so nice to sing again, and play my new album live. It's nice to have something positive to look forward to, Love Poly X."

She will definitely be missed

Rest In Peace Poly.

Please tune in this Saturday, April 30th. I will be doing a special on Poly Styrene and her group X-Ray Spex. Tune in to http://www.lametro.com.ec/ Saturday night 8:00 pm (Ecuadorian time)

Today in Alternative Music History: April 27, 2009

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament is the victim of a violent robbery outside an Atlanta studio where the band is recording. In the course of the robbery, thugs knock Ament to the ground. He suffers a head laceration.

Phrase of the Day

Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.

Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

Word of The Day

axiomatic\ak-see-uh-MAT-ik\

DEFINITION adjective

1: taken for granted : self-evident
2: based on or involving an axiom or system of axioms

EXAMPLES
The axiomatic concept of supply and demand dictates that if there is a decrease in the amount of a commodity available and an increase in the public need for it, then the price of that commodity will go up.

"It has long been unspoken but axiomatic among those who live in the stratospheric world of the membership rolls of Augusta National Golf Club: people desperate to join never will, regardless of how hard they may try." -- From an article by Larry Dorman in the New York Times, April 9, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?
An axiom is a principle widely accepted on the basis of its intrinsic merit or one regarded as self-evidently true. A statement that is axiomatic therefore, is one against which few people would argue. "Axiomatic" entered English from Middle Greek "axiōmatikos," and "axiom" derived via Latin from Greek "axiōma" ("something worthy") and "axios" ("worthy"). The word "axiom" can also refer to a statement accepted as true as the basis for argument or inference. Such axioms are often employed in discussions of philosophy, as well as in mathematics and geometry (where they are sometimes called postulates).

LOCAL ARTIST: QUITO, ECUADOR: JUAN FER CIFUENTES

Today I bring you yet another local artist from the Ecuadorian Alternative Local Scene. His name is Juan Fer Cifuentes. Juan Fernando Cifuentes was born on August 2,1988 and at a very young age he was always fascinated with music. This is due to his parents influences who adore music. the first instrument that Juan Fer learned to play was the piano. He started at 8 years of age. Stayed with it till he started college. He then made a switch to the drums. He also managed to learn to play the guitar, the bass and also found his voice.He graduated at Música y Producción Musical y Sonido del Instituto de Música Contemporánea de la Universidad San Francisco de Quito. He is the founder, drummer, and producer of the band Humanzee since 2006. His first single as a solo artist is “Mi Perfecta Analogía” It was out in May of 2010. His first EP, “Siempre es hoy”, was released on December 15, 2010. I highly advise you to check this artist out. You can find him at these webpages http://www.myspace.com/juanfercifuentes and
http://www.facebook.com/#!/juanfercifuentes

Alternative/Indie Band To Check Out: The Luyas

Over the past couple of years, the indie experimental band The Luyas, from Montreal , Canada, have made little splashes in a big pond. But things really picked up for the band after their debut album, Faker Death, was re-released in 2008, and following appearances at popular Montreal music festivals. Yet, as far as in the States, The Luyas didn’t start to grab attention until the later half of 2010, especially after their praised performance at New York’s CMJ Music Marathon last October. The Luyas are set to perform at South By Southwest in just a couple of weeks from now. The band have grown in number over the past couple of years, and it has benefited them greatly. In fact, former Arcade Fire French horn player, Pietro Amato (who also plays with Bell Orchestre and Torngat) joined the band. And Arcade Fire collaborator Owen Pallett contributed string arrangements and violin to some tracks on The Luyas’ latest album, Too Beautiful to Work. In addition, the band turned to engineer Jeff McMurrich (Tindersticks, Constantines) for their second album. Founding member Jessie Stein (vocals/guitars/moodswinger) has also played with SS Cardiacs and Miracle Fortress, and is skilled at playing the Moodswinger, a 12-string electric zither created by the Dutch experimental luthier Yuri Landman. Another founding member, Stefan Schneider (drums), plays with Amato in Bell Orchestre. Recently, they added their fourth permanent member, Mathieu Charbonneau (Wurlitzer). With their lush, electro-pop sounds, trippy orchestrated loops and heavy bass lines, heavy use of strings, plus the charms of the Moodswinger and a Wurlitzer. The Luyas are going to hit it big in the alternative circle.

Alternative/Indie Band to Check Out: The Vaccines

The UK band have already gathered a large fan base. They have been compared to Joy Division, Sonic Youth and most notably, they have been labelled as the UK´s answer to New York´s The Strokes. A listen to the short, fast, jagged number, "Wreckin´ Bar" explains why The Vaccines have been compared to so many bands of past and present, however at the same time, they possess a sound which has its own unique quality to set them apart as something fresh. "Blow It Up" is another track to check out. The Vaccines are the atypical indie band - clanging electric guitar riffs, soaring vocals and thumping drum beats - but, they are particularly good at it.

Phrase Of the Day

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers. James Thurber (1894 - 1961)

Word Of The Day

haphazard\hap-HAZZ-erd\ DEFINITION adjective : marked by lack of plan, order, or direction EXAMPLES Because of the haphazard way the cars were parked in the field, it was difficult for drivers to exit in an orderly fashion after the reception. "With bookshelves piled to the ceiling, and every inch of space filled with stacks both meticulous and haphazard, Lippincott Books seems so firmly entrenched in its Central Street, Bangor location that one can’t imagine how it will close its doors this spring." -- From an article by Jennifer Vincent in The Maine Campus (University of Maine), February 20, 2011 DID YOU KNOW? The "hap" in "haphazard" comes from an English word that means "happening," as well as "chance or fortune," and that derives from the Old Norse word "happ," meaning "good luck." Perhaps it’s no accident that "hazard," as well, has its own connotations of luck: while it now refers commonly to something that presents danger, at one time it referred to a dice game similar to craps. (The name ultimately derives from the Arabic "al-zahr," or "the die.") "Haphazard" first entered English as a noun (again meaning "chance") in the 16th century, and soon afterward was being used as an adjective to describe things with no apparent logic or order.

Today In Alternative Music History: March 31, 2010

The Libertines perform an acoustic set at a London pub as part of a press conference announcing their reunion following a six year hiatus. Pete Doherty, Carl Barat, bassist John Hassell and drummer Gary Powell play eight songs. Of course they are a half-hour late for their own press conference.

Today In Alternative Music History: March 31, 1994

Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain walks out of the drug treatment Exodus Recovery Center in Marina del Rey, California and with him goes any chance of survival. Cobain entered the treatment center only three days earlier. He is dead (of a self-inflicted gun shot wound) a week later.

Phrase Of The Day

In the fight between you and the world, back the world. Frank Zappa (1940 - 1993)

Word of The Day

osculate\AHSS-kyuh-layt\ DEFINITION verb : kiss EXAMPLES "I've been osculated by everyone in the building!" Kevin exclaimed, wiping his cheeks to remove the vestiges of kisses planted there by adoring family on his wedding day. "When a pretty girl steps forward fully puckered up and expecting an appropriate response, it would be ungentlemanly to turn away…. But is there a correct way to osculate…?" -- From an article in The Sentinel (UK), February 22, 2010 DID YOU KNOW?" Osculate" comes from the Latin noun "osculum," meaning "kiss" or "little mouth." It was included in a dictionary of "hard" words in 1656, but we have no evidence that anyone actually used it until the 19th century, except for scientists who used it differently, to mean "contact." Today, "osculate" is used in geometry for the action of a pair of curves or surfaces that touch so that they have a common tangent at the point of contact. When "osculate" is used to mean "kiss," the context is often humorous.

The Discreet Charm of Morrissey

"Rejection is one thing - but rejection from a fool is cruel."

Phrase of the Day

The more you find out about the world, the more opportunities there are to laugh at it.

Bill Nye, Interview with Wired.com, April 2005

News From Outside of The Bubble

Fans Go Knuts Over Loss Of Polar Bear

Fans of Knut the polar bear have been lining his enclosure at Berlin Zoo with flowers after his surprise death.
Knut as his legion of fans will remember him
The four-year-old - who enjoyed worldwide celebrity - died suddenly on Saturday afternoon.
He waded into the water at his enclosure before having a short spasm and then dying in front of hundreds of zoo visitors.
Wild polar bears live between 15 and 20 years, but animals in captivity can last much longer.
According to some reports, Knut collapsed after mating with several females.
Berlin Zoo has said it will carry out a post mortem on Monday to establish the cause of death.
Knut was rejected by his mother after his birth on December 5, 2006, along with his twin brother, who died a few days later.
He first attracted attention when his main keeper camped out at the zoo to to give him his bottle every two hours.
Fan clubs soon sprang up across the globe, including in Japan and the United States.
In 2007 Knut even appeared on the front cover of Vanity Fair alongside Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.
Knut retained his legion of fans despite piling on the pounds and his fur turning a yellowy colour.
News of his death quickly spread via Twitter, Facebook and text messaging.

The Discreet Charm Of Morrissey

"I was never young. This idea of fun: cars, girls, saturday night, bottle of wine... to me, these things are morbid. I was always attracted to people with the same problems as me. It doesn't help when most of them are dead."

Word of the Day

savant\sa-VANT\

DEFINITION: noun

: a person of learning; especially : one with detailed knowledge in some specialized field (as of science or literature)
EXAMPLES
Since she knew that Brad was a savant when it came to cars, Millicent sought his advice on which of the year’s new models she should test-drive.

"It takes a certain type of savant to attend a Pink Floyd tribute show and audit every note, tempo, timbre, and sibilance. It takes an even more maniacal enthusiast to confirm which songs would have been embellished into improvisational sub-genres, and for how long." -- From a blog post by Ryan Carey on the web site of the Philadelphia City Paper, February 8, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?
Savant comes from Latin "sapere" ("to be wise") by way of Middle French, where "savant" is the present participle of "savoir," meaning "to know." "Savant" shares roots with the English words "sapient" ("possessing great wisdom") and "sage" ("having or showing wisdom through reflection and experience"). The term is sometimes used in common parlance to refer to a person who demonstrates extraordinary knowledge in a particular subject, or an extraordinary ability to perform a particular task (such as complex arithmetic), but who has much more limited capacities in other areas.

Phrase of the Day

If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day.

John A. Wheeler

LOCAL ARTIST: QUITO, ECUADOR: ELIA LIUT

Today I bring you another artist in the local alternative music scene. He is familiar to this site. Elia Liut is the first solo outing for Ignacio Izquierdo. Ignacio is known in the local alternative scene for his past achievements in bands like Turnover, and Indie faves Motozen. Ignacio is now focusing his talents in American Folk and Alternative Music. His stage name "Elia Liut" was chosen for his passion for aviation. Elia Liut was the first pilot (Italian) to fly across Ecuadorian Lands.
His debut EP is called Complacency and has 4 tracks and to tell you the truth, is a great listen. Ignacio wil soon depart for Los Angeles, California to continue in music, so don't miss out. Catch him live here in Ecuador! I highly recommend you check this artist!! Well worth it!!!

For more information check out his websites:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elia-Liut/154377547933481
http://www.myspace.com/elialiut

Born on this Day: Jerry Cantrell: March 18, 1966

Today is the guitarist, singer songwriter for Alice in Chains. Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. was born in Tacoma, Washington.

Word Of The Day

expatriate\ek-SPAY-tree-ut\

DEFINITION: noun

: a person who lives in a foreign country; also : a person who has renounced his or her native country
EXAMPLES
After college Joshua got a job teaching English in Prague, where he shared an apartment with several fellow expatriates.

"Carlos operated a catering business within one of the country’s large oil camps, which included a nine-hole golf course that was built for American expatriates." -- From an article by Tod Leonard in The San Diego Union-Tribune, January 21, 2011
DID YOU KNOW?
"Patria," the Latin word for "native country," is derived from "pater," meaning "father." ("Patria" is occasionally used for "native country" in English, too.) Speakers of Medieval Latin combined "patria" with the prefix "ex-" ("out of") to form the verb "expatriare," meaning "to leave one's native country," which led to our verb "expatriate" in the 18th century and the adjective and noun "expatriate" in the 19th century. We also have "repatriate" (from Late Latin "repatriare"), which is a verb meaning "to return to one's native country" and a noun meaning "one who is repatriated."

Phrase of the Day

Money's the same, whoever gives it to you. That was the point of money, after all: crisp and clean or wrinkled or disintegrated into quarters - a dollar was always worth a hundred cents.

Scott Westerfeld, The Last Days, 2006

Alternative Music News: March 17, 2011

Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster split up

Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster have announced that they have split up. They announced the split on their Facebook page, Facebook.com/The-Eighties-Matchbox-B-line-Disaster.

"We are sorry to announce that the band have broken up," they wrote. "We all thank you for the years of love and support you have all shown. We are all now working on different projects."

Sad indeed.

Today In Alternative Music History: March 17, 1986

Twenty-five years ago today, Depeche Mode released its landmark fifth album Black Celebration, which opened a dark trilogy — including 1987’s Music for the Masses and 1990’s Violator — that cemented the synthpop act’s evolution from underground cult faves to global chart-toppers.

Born On This Day: Melissa Auf der Maur: March 17, 1972

Former Hole, Smashing Pumkins bassist and now solo artist has a birthday today. Happy Birthday Melissa!

Born On This Day: Billy Corgan March 17, 1967

Singer Songwriter and leader of the Smashing Pumpkins celebrates his birthday today.

Phrase Of The Day

In journalism, there has always been a tension between getting it first and getting it right.

Ellen Goodman (1941 - )

Word Of The Day

galley-west\gal-ee-WEST\

DEFINITION: adverb
into destruction or confusion
EXAMPLES:
A rogue wave knocked the anchored boats galley-west.

"'Get the door, Scott.' 'Daddy, what if he's … there?' 'Then I'll knock him galley-west with this thing.'" -- From Stephen King's 2006 novel Lisey's Story

DID YOU KNOW?
American author Mark Twain is on record as one of the first to use "galley-west" in his writing. Etymologists believe the word is a corruption of dialectal English "colleywest" or "collyweston." The earliest appearance of those words, used with the meaning "askew or awry," dates from the late 16th century. The ultimate source of "colleywest" and "collyweston" is not known but is suspected to be from a personal name. When "galley-west" is used in speech or writing, the verb "knock" usually precedes it.

Phrase of The Day

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.

Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870)

SUNDAY'S TOP 5: FEBRUARY 6, 2011

MY TOP 5 ALBUMS FOR THIS SUNDAY ARE:

1. THE BOXER REBELLION - THE COLD STILL

2. R.E.M. - OUT OF TIME

3. CHRISTINE FELLOWS - FEMMES DE CHEZ NOUS

4. TELEVISION - MARQUEE MOON

5. SUZANNE - SUZANNE

Word Of The Day

gloaming\GLOH-ming\

DEFINITION
noun

: twilight, dusk

EXAMPLES
Crickets were chirping in the gloaming as the newlyweds walked home holding hands.

"Nighttime, not the late hours but the gloaming, when the sun was setting and dinner must be prepared and the long evening stretched out before her -- that's when the loneliness settled in like the ache in her hip on a rainy day, when the regrets, the bad memories, sometimes came to call." -- From Lisa Unger's 2010 novel Fragile

DID YOU KNOW?

If "gloaming" makes you think of tartans and bagpipes, well lads and lasses, you've got a good ear and a good eye; we picked up "gloaming" from the Scottish dialects of English back in the Middle Ages. The roots of the word trace to the Old English word for twilight, "glōm," which is akin to "glōwan," an Old English verb meaning "to glow." In the early 1800s, English speakers looked to Scotland again and borrowed the now-archaic verb "gloam," meaning "to become twilight" or "to grow dark

A BAND AND ALBUM YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT

Another album that has been in my player for quite a while now is from L.A. band Warpaint. Their album The Fool is simply AMAZING!!! Warpaint are signed to indie Brit label Rough Trade Records. The album is haunting, dark, intoxicating. Once you play it I gaurentee that you will be playing it again and again. Check out Warpaint's The Fool, you will not regret it!!