Friday, December 16th, 2005

The Last Thread Of 2005

We’re winding down the year here, then going on vacation. It’s been a ride. It feels like this year has been historic. I really can’t remember as tumultuous a year in over a decade. Not even last year.

In any case, barring something big–like we sign Frank Thomas or I actually get my act together and do a year-end best-of before January 1st–this will be the last thread of the year. It’ll expand with more and more links and stuff. If it gets too big, I’ll start topic headers. Anyway…

Best wishes for a peaceful 2006.

+ Mark Anthony Neal’s Best of 2005.
+ Michaelangelo Matos’s Pazz and Jop List of 2005.
+ Saha Frere-Jones’s Best of 2006. Because 2005 is so last year.

+ Jordan Flaherty’s latest piece: “Death, Abundance and New Orleans”.
+ Clear Channel sells a news center’s name to a bank. “‘Now reporting from the Amcore Bank News Center, here’s WIBA’s Jennifer Miller.'” (Link courtesy Rock & Rap Confidential e-list.) I’m gonna start branding my own properties in 2006. Now sh-tting from my Amcore Bank Asshole…
+ Michael Krikorian on Raymond Washington, founder of the Crips.

+ Junichi’s “Everything I Need To Know About Men and Women, I Learned From The Hit Songs of 2005.
+The FBI spied on Patsy Mink, and questioned her citizenship.
+ Ishmael Reed on Richard Pryor and “getting over”.

+ A great NOLA music blog for anyone who isn’t already convinced that New Orleans did it all, and anyone who believes it ought to continue to do it. Thank you, Steve Kiviat.

+ No Miggy for Manny, but Johnny is now Judas. Bosux fans sound off:

In what has become a sports rivalry of biblical proportions, do you find it ironic that Johnny Damon, aka Jesus, turned out to be, in fact, Judas? Can this rivalry between New York and Boston get any bigger? I know you can’t bear to think of it but the only logical countermove by Red Sox management is to sign Clemens and instigate a brawl by having him bean Damon.
— J. Wood, Natick, MA

Remember the SNL skit from the 90’s labeled “Steroid Olympics” and that guy tries to dead lift 900lbs and as he jerks up, both arms rip clean off his shoulders and are still attached to the barbell on the floor and blood is spurting out everywhere from his shoulder sockets … I hope Damon’s arm comes flying off while he is trying to make a throw home and his hand and arm are still attached to the ball as it weekly (sic) lands in front of A-Rods foot and then A-Rod vomits and passes out and Joe Torre has to come out and give mouth to mouth to A-Rods bloated purple lips … That would ease the pain of this trade
— Mark Faselle, Dallas, TX

posted by Jeff Chang @ 11:10 am | 6 Comments

6 Responses to “The Last Thread Of 2005”

Lindemann says:

December 16, 2005 at 9:21 am

Just wanted to say I’ve really been enjoying your blog and will keep reading in 2K6. I also really enjoyed “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” (even if I didn’t agree with every single viewpoint expressed in it) and have included it in my holiday-shopping regimen for all my fellow suburban hip-hop enthusiasts.
Mark says:

December 16, 2005 at 11:05 pm

http://dorknation.blogspot.com/2005/12/not-quite-top-ten-enough.html
Jay Smooth says:

December 20, 2005 at 10:27 pm

Hmm, i think ishmael was kinda off-target there, in the second half at least..
Brother OMi says:

December 22, 2005 at 10:24 pm

have fun
see you next year
thanks for the book again
twosteps68 says:

December 25, 2005 at 2:44 am

have a nice vacation. I enjoyed your blog.
The Humanity Critic says:

December 27, 2005 at 10:38 am

have a grea time…

Feed Me!

Revolutions

DJ Nu-Mark :: Take Me With You
DJ Nu-Mark remixes the diaspora…party ensues!
El General + Various Artists :: Mish B3eed : Khalas Mixtape V. 1
The crew at Enough Gaddafi bring the most important mixtape of 2011–the street songs that launched the Tunisian & Egyptian Revolutions…
J. Period + Black Thought + John Legend :: Wake Up! Radio mixtape
Remixing the classic LP w/towering contributions from Rakim, Q-Tip + Mayda Del Valle
Lyrics Born :: As U Were
Bright production + winning rhymes in LB’s most accessible set ever
Model Minority :: The Model Minority Report
The SoCal Asian American rap scene that produced FM keeps surprising…
Mogwai :: Hardcore Won't Die But You Will
Dare we call it majestic?
Taura Love Presents :: Picki People Volume One
From LA via Paris with T-Love, the global post-Dilla generation goes for theirs…

Word

Cormac McCarthy :: Blood Meridian
Read this now before Hollywood f*#ks it up.
Dave Tompkins :: How To Wreck A Nice Beach
Book of the decade, nuff said.
Joe Flood :: The Fires
The definitive account of why the Bronx burned
Mark Fischer :: Capitalist Realism
K-Punk’s philosophical manifesto reads like his blog, snappy and compelling. Just replace pop music with post-post-Marxism. Pair with Josh Clover’s 1989 for the full hundred.
Nell Irvin Painter :: The History of White People
Well worth a Glenn Beck rant…and everyone’s scholarly attention
Robin D.G. Kelley :: Thelonious Monk : The Life And Times Of An American Original
Monk as he was meant to be written
Tim Wise :: Colorblind
Wise’s call for a color-conscious agenda in an era of “post-racial” politics is timely
Victor Lavalle :: Big Machine
Victor Lavalle does it again!