Music News

Garage Band
So, I spent all of Xmas Eve fiddling with a little program on my new Mac called “Garage Band.”

You can hear the results here. I have three more, but it seems uploading “songs” you made with Garage Band may not be kosher with them MySpace folks.

And to be clear, I have no musical training. Other than playing drums, of course. I wouldn’t know an F# from a C if both of them hit me on the head. But I can do this. So can P-Daddy.

I’m not sayin’. Just sayin’.

(Cute program. Fucker kept me up until 3 AM.)

Cut Up Boys Are Weeping
And speaking of music, a real musician died today. The Hardest Working Man in Show Business.

Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for the Godfather of Soul. Mr. James Brown.

Xmas Wish
And lastly, my favorite Xmas song. But a little bit of a story first.

In Annie Rush’s brilliant game, The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men, the rule for seeing gingerbread magic is simple. Do you believe in Santa Claus? If you do, you can see gingerbread magic.

Annie snuck a little Xmas Egg into the game between editing and printing. There’s a relative at the house, a grown-up, who can see gingerbread magic because he still believes in Santa Claus. His name is Uncle John.

Some think this is  a cynical song. I don’t see it that way. I see it as more of a warning. Seeing gingerbread magic is a kind of gift that extends beyond the Twelve Days of Xmas. It’s something that lasts all year round.

I’m trying very hard not to lose that. Once you do, you never get it back. Annie’s little game reminds me of her pure infectious joy and how easy it is to keep.

Here’s the song. Merry Xmas everybody. Especially you, little bear.