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Backspacer Officially #1
This really won't surprise anyone in the Pearl Jam-verse who's been reading, well, anything on-line. But the New York Times reports 189,000 copies sold last week, knocking Jay-Z down to the #2 slot.
Labels: Backspacer
All That's Sacred, Episode #20
Episode #20 is now available.
Episode #20 finds me tired, rambling, and trying to recover from my Pearl Jam week last week. And what a great week it was too! I got to meet a ton of other Pearl Jam fans and listeners to the podcast at the pre-parties and shows in both Seattle and Portland. It was a blast meeting everyone and I had a fantastic time hanging out and seeing our favorite band. Today I recount a few of my observations from these shows and spin a few tracks from past LA and Austin shows to prepare the lucky ones for these upcoming gigs – plus I threw in a This Day in PJ History tune and Six Degrees of PJ tune for good measure. We also explore new territory as suggested independently (yet simultaneously) from listeners James, Sebastian, and Andrew in a new segment where we play a song's first live performance – or its "maiden voyage" as Ed likes to say. All of this adds up to this being the 2nd longest episode of All That's Sacred, clocking in at 1 hour 2 minutes and 34 seconds!
Then head to our forums to discuss it!
Labels: podcast
PearlJamTour.tv, Episode Seven
Episode Seven: The Australasian Connection is now available on Pearljamtour.tv.
The discussion continues here.
Labels: podcast, Video-DVD-TV
Jamcast Update
Hey, gang, what's up? We missed you while our server crashed? You didn't need the number one Pearl Jam fan site to celebrate the release of Backspacer and Pearl Jam's shows in Seattle, did you?
I hope you didn't wait for me to tell you to check out
Given to Cast, September 22nd
Music from the Seattle Night I show
Amoungst The Waves
Unthought Known
All That's Sacred #19
The last two nights in Seattle have been incredible -- and lucky me, I still have Portland to look forward to! I pre-recorded episode #19 on Sunday to stay on schedule featuring songs from past Portland, Vancouver, and Utah shows to get everyone ready for these upcoming gigs. In the coming weeks, we are going to feature songs from past LA, San Diego, Austin, and Philly shows so please start sending me your suggestions for that.
Austin City Limits Confirmed!
November 21st!
Thanks to Red Mosquito poster, bsbeamer , for catching this on Yahoo!News.
Labels: Tour
Pearl Jam's Greatest Album (Ten)
I didn't rank them. I'm just passing the word on from Charles Peelle's Examiner posts. Go check 'em out. Harrass him. It's good fun.
The packaging has been damned. The glossy late-80's carry-over production has been bashed. The songwriting's tendency toward anthems has been mocked. Regardless, Pearl Jam's debut album remains its finest LP and the greatest album of the last two musical generations. Tenshines, taking a basic band philosophy, simple instrumentation and fundamental rock and roll song styles and transforming it all into something intense and magical. Last week I ranked the rest of my top 5 Pearl Jam albums and consider all of them masterful classics, but no collection of songs the band has produced has reached the heights of this record. Knowing that these guys had been in previous bands but had never seen any success even approaching the vicinity of what the record would result in makes listening to Ten akin to watching someone catch lightning in a bottle, not once, twice or even three times, but instead 11 times over. With a huge sound, heavy intensity and something indefinable that has carried the band from its infancy to its now mellowing middle age, Ten built the foundation upon which Pearl Jam was based, but managed to help form the house's walls, ceiling and roof, decorate and furnish its rooms and even be the smoke puffing out of its warm fireplace. Emotional, raw, powerful, majestic, anthemic, soaring, spiritual, cathartic, therapeutic and loud, Ten is Pearl Jam's most passionate and greatest album.
Labels: Ten
Happy Backspacer Day!
If you're one of those people who can't figure out who you're going vote for until you walk into the voting booth, perhaps you need some help deciding how to get your hands on Pearl Jam's new album. If so, TwoFeetThick and the Seattle Post Intelligencer have posted buyers' guides to help you out.
Target Commercial
Still pretty busy, but I found time to watch this!
Labels: Backspacer, Video-DVD-TV
Pearl Jam's Second Greatest Album (Vs.)
When I listen to Pearl Jam's sophomore effort, 1993's Vs., I hear the sound of a band, in particular that band's lead singer, coming to terms with the force of something unexpected and somewhat terrifying, an album of pure, unfiltered reaction. Vs. was Pearl Jam's statement to the world following the massive success of Tenand the entire rise of the Seattle "grunge" movement in the early 1990's. Fans, the media, other artists, etc. have slapped labels on Pearl Jam repeatedly over the years, from the aforementioned "grunge" to "classicist/classic rock" to "arena rock" to "post-punk" to "hard rock." The band owned up to all these labels and more on their second album, a combustible attack of energy more worthy of its title than any other LP in the PJ catalogue. Pearl Jam has rocked hard on at least parts of all of its records, but Vs. easily stacks up as the hardest rocking and most aggressive release of the band's career.
Labels: Vs.
Pearl Jam on PasteMagazine.com
It appears to be going on all weekend.
It's hard to believe that nearly two decades have past since Mookie Blaylock rose from the ashes of Mother Love Bone, quickly (and wisely) changing its name to Pearl Jam shortly thereafter. But since those first shows in 1990, the band has maintained a death-like grip on both its principles and its ability to bring the rock. With a new album due out on Sunday, Paste heads into the weekend with the Pearl Jam Takeover—where its all Pearl Jam, all day long. We review the new album, Backspacer, and talk to its producer, Brendan O'Brien. You can watch the Cameron Crowe-directed video for "The Fixer," take our super-impossible Pearl Jam quiz, read Stone Gossard's answers to our Twitter followers' questions and vote for your favorite Pearl Jam album in our poll. We have tour news, a guide to flannel, some news about Backspacer's cover illustrator, a list of our favorite 25 Pearl Jam tracks, an illustrated guide to help you sing like Eddie Vedder, and much more. So put on a flannel, grab a coffee and slack off like it's 1991.
Labels: radio
Pearl Jam Talks Business on NPR
Thanks @timmagaw for turning us onto this clip of All Things Considered, featuring Pearl Jam.
Labels: Backspacer, radio
BACKSPACER! Did You Get Yours?
... I got mine. Always pays to purchase from the tenclub.net. Yeah, it glows in the dark.
Sorry for the lack of updates today. Sadly, my paying job kept me away from the computer all day. If that didn't happen to you, you might have caught this article by TwoFeetThick about Ed's interview with Brad Wheeler of the Toronto Globe and Mail. It's a great read whether you got your CD or not!
And You Thought the 2009 Boots Weren't Coming
I never doubted.
Chicago I
Chicago II
Labels: Bootlegs
Backspacer T-Shirt
Our first look at the exclusive Target t-shirt!
Pearl Jam and Target have partnered with eco-friendly clothing designer, Loomstate, to create a limited-edition Pearl Jam Backspacer t-shirt to be sold in select Target stores beginning Sunday, September 20th.
All proceeds benefit Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. The limited-edition shirts were made in the USA and are 100 % organic cotton. The front of the t-shirt features Backspacer artwork from renowned cartoonist Tom Tomorrow.
In addition to the t-shirt partnership, Pearl Jam will donate $1 per paid ticket from their two hometown shows to Feeding America affiliate, Food Lifeline. Target will match this donation.
Labels: Ten Club
Backspacer's official release is just days away and followed by a couple dates in Seattle at the Key Arena. To make sure everyone is fully prepared, episode #18 features a number of tracks from past gigs in the Emerald City. If you're planning on going to these shows, be sure to check out the "Backspacer Bash" and Midnight Sale at the West Seattle Easy Street Records Saturday night as well as the Wishlist Pre-Parties before the shows Monday and Tuesday night. I plan attending all in some capacity so hopefully I'll get to see some of you there!
Tonight: Stone Gossard in Seattle
... and in case you missed it, TwoFeetThick posted an interview Stone did with 103.7FM.
Labels: HankKhoir, Stone Gossard
Pearl Jam's 3rd Greatest Album (No Code)
Emotions probably run higher about this album than anything else in the band's library. 13 years after its release, No Code remains Pearl Jam's most polarizing LP. Its sheer variety and wild arrangement are likely the reasons why many fans list it at number one, while plenty of others (like the commentator above) believe it to be the band's worse. Some (Yield advocates) cannot handle the inconsistency of the album's moods and themes, others (Ten and Vs. fanatics) are annoyed by its inaccessibility and what it did to the band's career, while many (Vitalogy folks) think the band would have been better off continuing in the dark direction of their previous record. But this is what they chose to do instead. No Code is the unsung hero of the Pearl Jam catalogue. Daring, adventurous, and honest to its core, the album is the finest example of the band writing, recording and performing without regard for the results. In other words, on this album, PJ was doing whatever the hell it wanted. After the astronomical sales of the first two albums and Vitalogy going five times platinum, No Codewas the great destroyer that tore down the entire concept of Pearl Jam up to the point of its release, only going platinum and alienating many listeners with its eclectic take on eastern, world and experimental music, along with garage, punk and classic rock, dashed with a bit of spoken word, folk and country. Sounds like a mess, huh? That mess is part of the allure of the album, an uncompromising, underrated masterpiece in the history of Pearl Jam's recordings, destined to forever fly under the radar for many and to be the quintessential cult classic for both devoted and pretentious Ten Clubbers.
Labels: No Code
Tom Tomorrow: The Mel Duncan Interview
Mel Duncan recently sat down with Dan Perkins (aka Tom Tomorrow) for the Examiner to talk about his new-found Backspacer fame.
Is it good to have important friends or important to have good friends? In Dan Perkins' case, both.
Perkins (aka Tom Tomorrow, his pseudonym) lost a good chunk of his income when Village Voice Media, home to a dozen papers that published his weekly political comic strip, "This Modern World," decided to stop running all syndicated cartoons.
Instead of wielding a sword, Perkins chose a pen by calling friends living in the cities with weekly alt papers affected by the cutbacks. Of of the cities was Seattle, and one of those friends was Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.
Now, in a year that Perkins no doubt figured would be the usual: writing comics, working on a book, maybe upsetting a few conservatives along the way, this relatively obscure political satirist finds himself not only commenting on the news, but becoming news himself.
Between drawing the cover and liner notes for Pearl Jam's ninth studio album Backspacer, a subsequent Spin Magazine cover, and a brand new children's book (his first foray into the genre), Perkins talks with Examiner about the trials and rewards of being an indie cartoonist, his ultimate Pearl Jam mixtape, and unexpectedly finding his art in places he'd never imagine.
Read the interview here.
Spin To Feature Pearl Jam Cover
OK, I have to admit, I can't tell if this article from Spin.com is promsing two Pearl Jam covers or three. I think three. The one below is apparently "too-hot-for-newstands," and subscriber only version is animated. I guess that leaves a non-animated, newstand-friendly cover yet to be seen.
Autumn 2009 is Pearl Jam season: As the Seattle alt-rockers plow through their U.S. tour and release their ninth studio album, Backspacer, on September 20, they'll also make an appearance on the cover of our October issue, on newsstands September 22.
And, for die-hard fans, there's a special, limited edition version of our October issue featuring a 12-page portfolio of classic photographs from Pearl Jam sessions and live concerts, as well as rare behind-the-scenes moments. It also sports a too-hot-for-newsstands cover depicting Eddie Vedder flipping the middle finger. Rock!
SPIN's October issue is also arriving with two additional covers: Newsstand customers get an amazing photo of the band, taken by Rankin, while subscriber copies have an illustration of Pearl Jam on the cover, commissioned exclusively from Tom Tomorrow, the artist who crafted Backspacer's cover art! Every October issue also includes a special pull-out poster of the Tom Tomorrow illustration.
You can buy the special, limited edition version at spin.com.
... and the discussion continues here.
Off The Record - Yakima, WA - GO NOW!
RT @pearljam: Free limited edition orange vinyl. First one gets it. Find it at this location: http://www.twitpic.com/hrgb8
Am I right? Off The Record in Yakima, Washington?
RT @ pearljam: more giveaways in other cities coming soon.
Pearl Jam's 5th Greatest Album (Vitalogy)
From number six to number five, we jump from 2006 to 1994, from Pearl Jam's most recent release (until next week), their self-titled "Avocado" record, to their third studio album, the bizarre, unsettling and black grunge-era highlight Vitalogy. The word "experimental" has been used in reference to our number eight ranked-album, Riot Act, along with LPs still to come later in the countdown, but Vitalogy ranks as the first and strangest of all of Pearl Jam's journeys into the weird. The album was released a mere 13 months after Vs., the band's sophomore effort, but the music reflects changes that reach well beyond a year's time. Eddie Vedder's first full album as the band's musical director created an instant impact. The punk-influenced songs became punkier, there were fewer ballads and the album's entire tone was a definite and direct result of Vedder's own troubled and paranoid state of mind. Additionally, this period marks the only time in the band's history that a member has been fired and another hired in the midst of recording an album. The group has never struggled like it did throughout 1994 and '95, and Vitalogy is the recorded document of that struggle. And while Kurt Cobain took his own life after the band had written most of the material for the album, his suicide is still very present in the dark madness of most of the songs. Vitalogy is not only the music of Pearl Jam in 1994, but also the very sound of the band's exhausted, frightened collective mind at the height of its fame.
Labels: Vitalogy
PearlJamTour.tv, Episode Five
Episode Five: Backspacer is now available on Pearljamtour.tv.
Pearl Jam's 6th Greatest Album (Pearl Jam)
The album was self-titled because it needed to be. No other recording the band had made up to this point had simultaneously been such a conglomeration of the various styles of Pearl Jam, while being a fully collaborative effort between every member of the band, all the while introducing the band to a new generation and re-introducing the band to its own fan base after the tired, soft darkness of its previous two albums. Pearl Jam did exactly what it needed to do. Some claimed it was too easy and therefore a reach for commercialism, while others labeled it a return to form, vintage PJ. Others thought the songwriting to be dull and bland, and some of us believed it to be some of the group's finest. For the album to receive such a wide array of praise and criticism, I figure the band must be doing something right. In the wake of "Avocado," I am anxiously awaiting the future, if only to see where this endlessly imaginative band will take us next.
Labels: Avocado
Given To Cast, 9/12/2009
The September 12th episode of Given To Cast is up.
Song of the Week - "Just Breathe"
Rare Song - "I must not have bad thoughts" w/ Tim Robbins
Contest Winner announcement
Extra Songs: "Who You Are', "Thumbing My Way", "Rise", The boys are back in town" (For the Cowboys fans)
Top Ten VMA Performances: #4 Pearl Jam and Neil Young
411mania.com ranked MTV Video Music Awards performances this morning. Pearl Jam and Neil Young made number 4!
1993 was the year of Pearl Jam at the Video Music Awards as their clip for "Jeremy" garnered a number of awards, including Best Video of the Year. So it was natural for the band to perform at the show; maybe not so natural for the band, though. They had already decided not to make any videos for their upcoming album, and decided to publicly debut a new song, "Animal" for their performance. Luckily for MTV, the band also provided Neil Young who joined them for a raucous performance of Young's "Rockin' in the Free World." But don't forget the performance of "Animal," unfortunately not included in the YouTube clip below. It's intense and powerful, and also notable for Eddie Vedder managing not to move for three solid minutes, which is impressive. But while he was certainly uncomfortable with the whole thing, Vedder still delivered a great vocal performance on both songs.
But it's "Free World" that steals the show, and rightfully so. I've come to believe that it's such a great song and such amazing rock anthem that it's probably impossible to have a bad performance of it; additionally, when you have people like Pearl Jam and Neil Young performing it, then you're probably going to have something special. That was the case in 1993 as everybody on stage delivers one hell of a performance. Although Pearl Jam were the stars of the awards portion of the evening, "Free World' belonged to Young on this night as he infuses it with plenty of passion and gives a lesson in guitar playing. The whole group destroying the microphone stand and the guitar amps made for a fitting end to a spirited performance that remains one of the best not only from the Video Music Awards, but one of the better ones I can remember from Pearl Jam.
Labels: Video-DVD-TV
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Well, diditleak.co.uk is pretty much the authority.
Pearl Jam - Backspacer leaked, due out September 22nd.
[NOTE: A reminder to our posters. It is against forum rules to ask for or offer downloads or links to Backspacer.]
Paste Magazine to Interview Stone
... and you can submit questions via twitter: @pastemagazine
RT @pastemagazine Send us your questions for @PearlJam guitarist Stone Gossard & we'll give you his answers on 9/18.
Labels: articles, Stone Gossard
Backspacer: The TSIS Review
To jump right to the end, Pearl Jam knocked this one out of the park. It's obviously way too early to tell how these songs will age (S/T did not age well), and what will strike a long term chord once the novelty wears off, but for the first time in a LONG time (if I exclude the art tracks in Vitalogy this would go all the way back to Ten for me) Pearl Jam has released a record where every song is pretty good to great. They flow together beautifully, and the band almost never misses a note. Even the songs that I don't love do what they're supposed to do—it's just that what they're supposed to do doesn't necessarily appeal to me. It's definitely a record by a band with a long history—almost every song harkens back in part to something that's come before, but in a way that sounds familiar and comfortable rather than repetitive. They're also trying enough that's new that the record feels very fresh without really deviating much beyond the conventional 2-3 guitars, drum, bass format (BoB does do a really nice job dressing up a bunch of these songs though). The whole album has a bit of an 80s/New Wave feel to it which helps give it that feeling of newness.
I'd recommend listening to Release and In Hiding before listening to Backspacer, since both of these songs help frame what the record is trying to accomplish. More on this in a moment.
With Backspacer I think we can officially divide Pearl Jam's career into two arcs, with Backspacer closing the second chapter. We're all familiar with the first chapter. Ten, Vs, and Vitalogy are angry, forceful records, with betrayal as the theme uniting all three. They are rebellions against a lost inheritance, a lost promise, the corruption of love, trust, and even purity. No Code and Yield are the redemption components of that cycle. We close this chapter with Yield, but it doesn't end the story. As we've seen in the records that follows, Yield's catharsis and closure doesn't hold. It's not even clear that it held on during the record itself. With the exception of Given To Fly and Wishlist these are songs about running and hiding, ducking confrontation. Hell, it's even in the title of the record, and I never noticed this until I started listening to Backspacer. Yield provides an illusion of resolution, and thinking back on this it should have been apparent as soon as we heard Binaural, which begins the second chapter of this story.
Thanks to Red Mosquito, I finally got introduced to Nick Cave, and my favorite song on his most recent record features the following verse
"Oh rampant discrimination, mass poverty, third world debt, infectious disease
Global inequality and deepening socio-economic divisions
Well, it does in your brain
And we call upon the author to explain"
Pearl Jam was always defined by confrontation, and the solution we found in Yield was never going to hold. Binaural is a closed, claustrophobic, almost haunted record. It's trying to fight an enemy it cannot name or even see, but just about every song is trying to confront something—war, death, society, and above all else loss—without ever quite managing to get a handle on it. It's a frightened record, in part because it resets the journey that seemed to have worked itself out in Yield. Riot Act personifies this terror in the figure of George W. Bush, and his weight oppresses that entire record, adding a burden almost impossible to bear. The band finds its footing on S/T and tries to fight back, and the conviction is there, but in retrospect (like Yield) it is the illusion of conviction, or conviction without conclusion. The willingness to fight is there, but it's a fight that they don't necessarily expect to win, and so the burdens are there, and the grandiose statement that is supposed to end the album ends up falling flat.
Backspacer finishes this journey. Bush is all over this record, present in the form of a conspicuous absence. Eddie said in numerous interviews that writing after Bush felt different, and we see the results here. This is a profoundly free and unburdened record, the first in what is just about a twenty year career. It's fun (FUN?!), loose, and utterly comfortable in its own skin. It's a victory lap. In 1991 Pearl Jam closes out Ten with Eddie begging for release. It is one of the most powerful moments in their catalogue, and incredibly cathartic, but for the listener, not for the singer. It's a desperate wish, one that he spent 20 years waiting to be answered. There was an attempt to finally let go on Yield, but I think In Hiding really encapsulates the failure of that attempt. Even on top of the lyrics (which are about the need to escape—which is not a permanent solution since sooner or later you have to come back—you have to emerge) the feel of the song itself reveals the lie. He's trying to convince himself that everything is fine, and the song musically is meant to be simple (compared to the much busier anthems of earlier records), but the simplicity in the end doesn't quite work. There is still too much weight bearing down on the skeleton of this song, and he's still suffering underneath it.
You can hear it almost from the start of Backspacer that this time is different. The world has changed, and Eddie has grown, enough that he (and the rest of the band) have finally set down their burdens. It may be that the weight of Bush is gone (I suspect his legacy will return in future records), it might be the presence of permanent joy in his life (children), or it could be something entirely different, but the person (and the band) performing on this record is just so much freer than they've ever been. The songs are not overlong and get right to the point. They don't fear conclusions (although there are still too many god damned fade outs). They're not afraid to have fun. While everyone does a great job (Matt and Jeff really shine throughout, especially) the real hero of this record is Eddie, and I think we have Into the Wild to thank for quite a bit of this. Eddie's voice will never regain the power that it had 15 years ago, but here he's fully embraced his talent for melody, and just about every song has such a wonderful sense of movement about it. He propels the record along with craft since he can no longer get by on power. Plus he finally commits himself to what each song truly needs, and is alternately soaring, naked, aggressive, or playful as the song requires. This is excellent work performed by an incredibly limber craftsmen.
Okay—onto the songs themselves:
Gonna See My Friend: The way this song just explodes calls to mind Brain of J or Breakerfall, but the vocal melody here is just killer (much better than those two songs, although Brain of J has a better riff), and there's a looseness to it (not in the playing, which is tight, but the overall feel of the song) that makes it playful and celebratory in the way that those songs (which are apocalyptic and judgmental) are not. They figured out how to have Eddie use his screaming go-for-broke voice in a song that makes you smile. This is the kind of song that David Grohl has been trying and failing to write since he formed the Foo Fighters. I love the ending. Even though the obvious comparisons are to Brain of J and Breakerfall because they're openers, you can hear a lot of Habit in this song (although this is a much better song), if habit was a celebration.
Got Some: I love how propulsive this one is right off the bat, and Matt and Jeff really shine here. A few people have commented that the song sounds a little robotic. I think I'd say thin, but I know what you mean. The slower parts of the song sound like they're waiting to be filled in, but the song really picks up steam once it gets past the 'got some if you need it' parts. The backing vocals were a nice touch—understated but they make the song richer. What's interesting here is how this manages to sound dirty and clean at the same time. Excellent outro. The beginning and the end are the best parts of the song. Overall I think this is probably the weakest of the opening 1-2-3 punch (the other two songs sound fuller) but keep that comment in context. All three tracks are very good. I wonder if supersonic would have worked better here instead of Got Some (and move Got Some to later in the record), or just have Johnny guitar serve as the third song.
Eddie's little growl/moan/whatever it is at the beginning is pretty unnecessary. Not sure why it's there.
The Fixer: I've already talked about this at length so I won't say that much here, except to say that this, along with Amongst the Waves, one of the most important tracks on this record (that doesn't mean it's the best, which it isn't). But it is very very good. Infectious, upbeat, deceptively simple (this will be one of those songs filled with little discoveries), I think even people who were not crazy about it will like it more in the context of the record. The lyrics get a lot of undeserved grief because of one clunky line, but they're well written (complexity does not equal quality) and the help capture what's at stake with this record—starting over, letting go, and in the process recapturing what was lost (what Yield was missing). 'Fight to get it back again' may be the most important lyric on Backspacer.
Johnny Guitar: I feared another Love Boat Captain with this one, and every time I listen to this I'm kinda shocked by just how good this one is. This is quite possibly the best thing Matt's written for the band, Matt and Eddie channeling Bruce Springsteen and Mark Knopfler. I'm not sure they could have written a song this playful and fun (these words keep coming up, but they're the ones that make sense) before Backspacer. What's remarkable about this song is that it's a song about being profoundly disappointed, but instead of wallowing in it they celebrate all of our absurd fantasies. Ten years ago they tried to write light and fun and gave us U and Leatherman. Here we got Fixer and Johnny Guitar. What a difference.
On an album full of great vocal melodies this one might be the best.
Just Breathe: If the best vocal melody isn't in Johnny Guitar it's in the verses of Just Breathe Eddie just floats along so gracefully here. Vocally there are a few places where he's just a touch too nasely for me, but otherwise this is an excellent vocal performance. He sounds old, but he's not weighed down by it. He sounds delicate, but confident, lived in, but dignified.
This could have been a song that the band could have overdone, but everyone combines to make this lush instead of crowded. I hope that R.E.M. covers this someday, because this takes me back to Out of Time
Lyrically this one seems pretty strong. One of my concerns with a few post Vitalogy. Eddie lyrics is that I didn't quite buy the wisdom he was offering—at times it could come across as trite and clichéd. He's starting to figure out how to pull it off.
We've got a few songs on here dealing with death (Just Breathe, Supersonic, and The End) but they're all animated by a sense of just how blessed the singer is, how hard it is to let go of a life as full of miracles as his has been. So this song is reflective, and content despite it all. It's not really a goodbye as much as it is a chance to make sure everything that needs to be said gets said so there won't be any regrets later 5 years ago this would have been Thumbing My Way, and it wouldn't work. Imagine a lyric like 'practice all my sins, never gonna let me win' on Riot Act. Actually we don't have to. It's in All or None, but the delivery and the context completely transform the meaning.
I was apprehensive about the chorus of this song, and it is still a little overwrought (certainly the part of the song I like the least) but it works, especially since this song is ultimately a thank you to the people in his life he cares the most about. He's entitled, and the over the topness of the beginning is softened by how well it segues back into the verses..
Amongst the Waves: A very good song that is middle of the pack for Backspacer, which speaks to the depth of this record. The simple riff at the beginning puts me in mind of In Hiding (although I like this one a lot more—better lyrics and a much better melody) but thematically it's much closer to Given To Fly. In theory Pearl Jam should be able to write a song like this in their sleep, but for whatever reason they usually shy away from doing it. They tend to poison their mid tempo anthems so that they stay grounded (Compare Light Years to its earlier incarnation as Puzzles and Games). It's such a relief to see them follow through on one for a change. This isn't the best riff they've ever written, but the band really embraces the song and the whole thing is carried by an almost formless energy. I've listened to Amongst the Waves a few times now and I'm not sure I could hum the music but I know I really like what I'm hearing.
I think I could have gone for a slightly more involved outro—the best pearl jam anthems take you high and then hold you at the peak for a while. This song has that peak, but it doesn't leave me there. Mike's solo in the middle is pretty good, but I'm not sure how well it fits here. It sounds like it should be part of a darker song than this one.
I'm really looking forward to getting the lyrics to this one—some nice lines in what I've heard so far.
As an aside, in a lot of these songs the verses are catchier than the chorus (like here, for instance). Usually it's the opposite.
Unthought Known: This may be the best song on an excellent record. It starts out simple but has that 'Stairway to Heaven' style build with more and more getting added as the song progresses leading to an incredible build. The very best songs (like the best experiences) will have that moment when your step quickens, your heart starts to beat faster, you can't help but smile, and you're just carried away on the energy of the moment. Unthought Known pulls that off. This is a classic Pearl Jam anthem in the best sense of the word, the kind that just leaves you with a feeling of release, the confidence that everything is going to be okay. Eddie and the rest of the band just let this song carry them away and this one SOARS before gently returning to earth. There are a few places where Backspacer channels the promise of Given to Fly, but it never fulfills it more than here.
There's already been some question as to what the "Dream the dreams of other men and you'll be no one's rival" lyric means. On the face of it this can cut a few ways, and my first time hearing it I took it as a call for people to assert themselves, to dream. If you limit yourself to what others think of you you'll never realize the potential within you. You'll be no one's rival because there will be nothing within you for others to be jealous of or threatened by. But others have argued that it should be taken as a call for empathy—imagine others as they see and understand themselves and you'll be able to bridge the barriers that separate us. The lyric right before it "see the waves on distant shores awaiting your arrival" makes me lean towards the first interpretation, but they both work. The last lyric in the song "so whatcha giving?" works for both though. Empathy and human potential are equally worthy gifts.
The last lyric doesn't help I'm leaning towards the second since it is more in line with the general tenor of their music, but they both work.
Supersonic: This is the low point of the record for me, but having said that it's still a decent song, and it answers the burning question in every Pearl Jam fan's mind—what would have happened if Eddie had sang mankind. Now we know
The resemblance to Mankind is unfortunate, since I'm not a fan of that song and it starts the song out with a strike, but it's a pretty good riff and the song is catchy. It's maybe a little too slick and bright for me—too much pop punk here, but it is a fun little rave up and there are certainly parts that I find myself singing along to (Cut the crease, put the shit in the hole).
The problem is that this may be a little too light, given how weighty (which is not the same thing as burdened) the record really is from Just Breathe straight through to The End. The transition into Speed of Sound doesn't quite work for me either. Since it's such a short record it takes some time to build that sense of expectation and importance back up. I can't help but feel like this is exactly what a b-side should be—fun, energetic, worth listening to on occasion, but not really belonging on the record. But to be fair to Supersonic, it's well crafted. It just happens to be a well crafted example of a song style I don't really go for.
The bridge is a great, bluesy mini jam that reminds me a bit of the Marker Bridge, something cool, and probably worth constructing a song around, but it doesn't really get with the song that surrounds it.
Speed of Sound: I can't get my mind around this one. I had gotten pretty used to the demo (which I liked but didn't love) and this sounds so different the whole song feels sort of alien. The music adds to that as well. The song has an alt-country Off He Goes feel to it, but there's so much busy stuff surrounding it that I find myself removed from what would other be an extremely intimate song (especially the lyrics). This song has ADD.
Thematically this one picks up where Just Breathe left off, taking stock of life and pondering mortality, trying to figure out how to just stop and enjoy what's happening while everything is passing by so fast. The music gives the song a more frantic (as opposed to reflective) urgency then the demo had, but again it's so cluttered I'm not quite sure what mood it's trying to develop.
This would be second up from the bottom for me. The only song on Backspacer I like less is Supersonic, but I still like this one. I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to do with this one. If you're still reading this far you know I don't usually have trouble talking about Pearl Jam (I may get it wrong, but I have something to say) and I'm just stymied here. I look forward to the day when this one clicks.
Force of Nature: I was really looking forward to this one, and while it did not disappoint it was not what I was expecting either. I figured this would be Amongst the Waves II, and was surprised with how muscular it ended up being. It's got a really cool deep crunch to it. This song is bad ass, and you don't find many bands outside of Pearl Jam who can write heavy songs like this without sacrificing lyrical depth. I'm only starting to unpack this one but I am expecting this to be the lyrical highpoint not only of this record, but possibly going all the way back to Binaural (or further). And kudos to eddie for writing an entire song about storms without ever using the word waves.
More than any song on the record this one recalls early (Ten/Vs) era Pearl Jam, for its power and its stubborn defiance, but it's tempered by years of experience and maturity. Right now Unthought Known is my favorite thing on this record, but ask me in a month it could very easily be this one.
My favorite Mike part on the record is probably his playing during the outro
The End: This one lived up to its expectations, and this is their best closer since Immortality (sorry Parting Ways) Eddie has never sounded more vulnerable, and the juxtaposition between the immediacy of his vocals, the simplicity of the strumming, and the cinematic quality of the background orchestration is pretty stunning.
There's more texture in Eddie's performance here than in almost anything else he's done. He so fully inhabits this it almost feels like spying. Almost every line has some striking inflection or moment. The way he has that deep break when he sings "slide" was my favorite until the hushed end of the song, especially the gasp underneath the final lyric. WoW
Lyrically this is the dark side of the Just Breathe/Speed of Sound/The End thematic trilogy. The music is peaceful but the performance and the lyric are desperate, begging and clinging. It's nice to hear a song like this about NOT letting go for once. "I just want to hold on and know I'm worth your love"—what a great lyric. The highpoint of the song
But as great as this song is the most striking part of it might be the sudden stop. It's frustrating because the song is so good but it's how this one HAD to end, and there are worse ways a record can end than leaving you wanting more.
Early rankings (I'm not going to give songs 5s and I'm trying, as much as possible, to control for the new album excitement. I want to give Got Some and Amongst the Waves 4s but that might be the newness talking)
Gonna See My Friend: 4/5
Got Some: 3.5/5
The Fixer: 4/5
Johnny Guitar: 4/5
Just Breathe: 4/5
Amongst the Waves: 3.5/5
Unthought Known: 4.5/5
Supersonic: 3
Speed of Sound: 3
Force of Nature: 4.5/5
The End: 4.5/5
I tend to overvalue PJ records when they first come out since they're so new, but I don't know if I ever liked an album of theirs as much on the first listen. I can't call this a masterpiece or rank it next to other albums in a meaningful way just yet, but this is an excellent record that closes a dark decade on a soaring, uplifting note—an album the band could not have written ten years ago, if ever, and one that was well worth the wait.
Pearl Jam's 7th Greatest Album (Binaural)
I didn't rank them. I'm just passing the word on from Charles Peelle's Examiner posts. Of course, as he moves up the rankings, he has more and more to say about each album. I guess he's getting more excited with the build up. I'll cut back to excerpts rather than repost the full article.
While Riot Act is Pearl Jam's most hated and likely most controversial album to date, Binaural is the band's most underrated and forgotten, the lost little gem that fell between the cracks. It rarely reaches fans' Top 5 lists, and is likely the least played album live since its 2000 tour. But like every other Pearl Jam album, something special lurks beneath its surface. While it is ranked second-to-last here, it easily sits atop of my list of most improved PJ albums, growing on me with each listen, always revealing something new, daring and complex...especially if I am wearing my headphones.
Labels: Binaural
Pearl Jam To Be Honored by the Surfrider Foundation
Click here for more information. Tickets will run you $200 for general admission and $250 for VIP.
Thanks to Red Mosquito poster, Nightbird, for catching this.
Labels: Activism
Backspacer To Be Released As an iTunes LP
Backspacer is slated to be released via iTunes as an iTunes LP. It's a new format touted as, "The visual experience of the record album returns with iTunes LP. Get a gorgeous, immersive digital version of select albums -- right in your iTunes library. So while you listen to your favorite songs by your favorite artist, you can also dive into beautifully animated lyrics and liner notes, performance videos, and artist and band photos, and more."
If you squint really hard at the ad below, you can see that your choices are Explore Songs, Tracklist, Photos, Videos, Credits, and More. Do you plop down $10 more bucks to see what kind of content iTunes is offering? If you're a hardcore fan, experience tells me that you won't be getting anything new, but we won't know unless someone tries it out!
Thanks to Red Mosquito poster, sildogg, for the catch.
TSIS Catches Up With TFT
Sorry for the slam of posts in the evenings, but the day job is invading on my blogging. Something about not doing free blogging on unapproved sites on work computers during work hours.
That being said, there are a few things that have been going on at TwoFeetThick since I've been busy that you need to check out.
Backspacer Press Round Up: Thanks, Kathy, for the nifty bullet list.
-2 interview excerpts from Canadian website Canoe.ca
-Reviews from: Mojo, Q, Uncut, Kerrang!, Spin, Spiegel
-Video link: Ed and Matt talk to Germany's 3 Sat
Teraz Rock Interview (with Mike and Matt)
MTV Interviews Mike about the Beatles (What? You didn't know that today was Beatles Day?)
Pearl Jam's 8th Greatest Album (Riot Act)
I didn't rank them. I'm just passing the word on from Charles Peelle's Examiner posts.
8. Riot Act, 2002 - Pearl Jam's darkest album emerged in the Autumn of 2002 as the strongest musical statement produced since George W. Bush took office nearly two years prior, and certainly the boldest protest against Bush since the events of September 11, 2001. The other troubling theme that formed the album's foundation was death, specifically due to the tragedy at the 2000 Roskilde Festival in Denmark, in which nine audience members were trampled to death during Pearl Jam's performance. Due to the heavy subjects at hand, the music resounds in a similarly heavy fashion, nearly every song carrying ponderous emotional and spiritual weight, both musically and lyrically. Even the album's artwork is dark, nearly every single page largely carrying the color black. The result is a downtrodden, mournful and anti-pop recording, a document of the time and clairvoyant vision of the political future.
The music on Riot Act has been described as having "folk, art rock and experimental" (wikipedia, allmusic.com) influences, but the music Pearl Jam has always and forever based its sound around is the broad realm of Classic Rock, i.e. nearly every rock derivative under the sun. Riot Act features no more folk, art rock, or experimental flourishes than Vitalogy, and carries just as much of the less discussed punk and hard rock influences as any other Pearl Jam album. While the forms utilized on this album cannot aptly be described as fitting within the "progressive rock" realm, the songwriting is always a personal progression for PJ with each album.
There is a variety of music on Riot Act, but each of the 15 songs is underscored by a somber, pained tone. It seems as though whenever the music brightened up, Eddie Vedder felt the need to bring it back down with black lyrics or highly restrained singing and whenever the lyrics and singing climbed to anything resembling an uplifting or hopeful state, the band automatically brought the musical themes crashing back down to a murky, dank hole.
While the Bush administration takes the lead role in tracks such as "Green Disease," "1/2 Full" and obviously "Bushleaguer," the centerpiece of the album is the sense of loss, resignation, and the rare, cautious hope found in "Thumbing My Way," "I Am Mine," "Can't Keep," "All Or None" and "Love Boat Captain." These songs, in my opinion, form the backbone of the album due to their lyrics being more direct and potent than any of the rest of the album's tracks, as well as their compositions carrying the greatest weight. They deliver the classic Pearl Jam sound while somehow simultaneously lifting the band to new places and introducing new angles into our vision of what PJ truly is. "Can't Keep" opens the album as a release of lost souls ("I don't live forever, you can't keep me here"), while "Thumbing My Way" ("I turned my back, now there's no turning back") and "All Or None" ("I'm starting to believe that this hopeless situation is what I'm trying to achieve") feature a lonely, lost traveler bearing the weight of the heart-broken world. "I Am Mine" and "Love Boat Captain" are the most optimistic songs on the album, directly addressing the Roskilde tragedy through a brighter lens, the former a declaration from Eddie to himself, his band and the fan base that, "there's no need to hide...we're safe tonight," the latter a sincere devotion to the power of the human spirit over the horrible disease of death: "Once you hold the hand of love, it's all surmountable." (Side note: "Love Boat Captain" is even more special for a couple of reasons - A) The introduction of Boom Gaspar, and B) the obvious, beautiful influence of John Lennon)
"You Are," one of Pearl Jam's most unique songs, is a Matt Cameron composition featuring lyrics by Cameron and Vedder and trippy processed guitars envisioned and played by Cameron. The lyrics, like "Love Boat Captain," tackle the concept of love and its healing and empowering abilities in lines such as, "Love is a tower of strength to me." Another Cameron song, "Cropduster," mirrors the effective choppy chord progression and drum loops of a Cameron Lost Dog, "In the Moonlight," but improves the style due to a more fully developed sound and song and Vedder's insightful lyrics regarding the arrogance of mankind in the 21st century. "Save You" is a full group collaboration that rocks the house every time. While the band plays a sped up version live, the studio outing is powerful in its own right. Vedder's lyrics tackle the subject of watching a loved one disintegrate, likely due to the use of drugs. There is nothing quite like the indignantly angry Eddie Vedder, determined to set right some things in the world that have just gone off the correct path.
Most of the rest of the album is scattershot and features some of Pearl Jam's weakest recordings to date, specifically in the form of "Ghost," "Get Right," and "Help Help." Let us just say that as a composer, Riot Act was not bassist Jeff Ament's finest moment. These three songs are not bad, per se; they just fail to live up to the rest of the brilliance of the rest of the album's tracks. The true realization of Pearl Jam's genius arrives when considering that these three songs still feature moments of awe, i.e. the chorus of "Ghost," the outro and guitar work in "Get Right" and the middle eight and outro of "Help Help." However, while b-sides "Down" and "Undone" certainly would not have fit the tone of the album with their shimmering, up-tempo pop/rock qualities, they easily stand as superior songs to the bottom rung of the L.P.
The only track left to mention is "Arc," Eddie Vedder's wordless, moaning chant. It features nine "arcs" for each of the nine victims of the Roskilde tragedy. A beautiful tribute from Vedder, the track often goes overlooked and under appreciated, even by the most devoted of Pearl Jam fans. Due to its significance, meaning and Vedder's incredible, layered vocals, it stands as a masterful achievement in Pearl Jam's career.
While Riot Act is dead last in my Pearl Jam album rankings, it still has a special spot of its own in my heart. After all, it was Riot Act that carried me through college, teaching me how ballsy this group is and demonstrating the band's depth. Vedder's lyrics proved to be unfortunately accurate in predicting the future, as most of them pre-dated the U.S.'s invasion of Iraq by at least a half a year, some of them longer. The Riot Act tour was when I got to see my first PJ show, and still ranks as one of my all-time favorite years of the band, both personally and professionally. By year's end, I had bought a huge stack of the tour's bootlegs, including the daring and lengthy State College, Mansfield and Madison Square Garden shows. While the band's instruments and Mr. Vedder's voice may have sounded tired and distressed on Riot Act, everyone was wide awake to play the songs live, instilling every track with new life and an inviting, vital force.
Labels: Riot Act
Get Thee to iTunes (Europe, Australia, Canada, and Japan)
The Ten Club has released international websites for pre-ordering Backspacer from iTunes.
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPreorder?id=328084...
50 Things To Hear This Fall
Sorry for the bump, Donny.
Backspacer is one of Time Magazine's 50 Things to See, Hear, and Do this Fall
Their days as a phenomenon are long past, but Pearl Jam have settled comfortably into their role as rock's almost-mature pros. The songs here are built on hooks, covered with guitar fuzz, and then trimmed back a bit so the melody abides. Nothing revolutionary, butBackspacer provides an adrenaline jolt that shouldn't be underestimated either. —Josh Tyrangiel
Labels: articles, Backspacer
Charles Peelle Begins His Album Countdown (Lost Dogs)
After following Charles Peelle's outrageously rich and interactive ranking of over 160 Pearl Jam songs, we were intrigued. Clearly, a deeply-rooted Pearl Jam fan, Charles has earned our attention for his ranking of Pearl Jam's studio albums. Though he declines to rank it, he starts with Lost Dogs.
Before we dive into the actual countdown and ranking of Pearl Jam's eight studio albums, I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate a day to the non-album of PJ's career, the obese b-sides compilation, 2003's Lost Dogs. I did not incorporate it into the album ranking because it is not a proper album and certainly does not fit the description of L.P.s above.
Lost Dogs, 2003
After (at that point) seven studio albums, those of us who were new to Pearl Jam obsession and did not have a collection of all the Holiday singles and unreleased material were astonished to discover how much unreleased material the band had to present for their b-sides and rarities compilation. But what was even more remarkable was the overall quality of these songs. Lost Dogs is the conceptual equivalent of Vedder favorite The Who's 1974 compilation Odds & Sods, but is a far superior release. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from allmusic.com claimed that the double album, "does define their spirit, which is why, against all odds, it's the best album Pearl Jam has yet released." While I almost resentfully disagree with that assertion, it is nonetheless a huge compliment to the band that their b-sides would be called such.
Out of Lost Dogs' 31 songs, at least half would have been album highlights had they been released on the L.P.s that came out of their sessions. The cream of the crop are among Pearl Jam's finest songs ever, including "Sad," "Wash," "Footsteps," "Hard to Imagine," "Down" and "Yellow Ledbetter." Ironically (and frustratingly), the song that had the most success out of this collection was "Last Kiss," one of the most boring songs of the band's entire catalogue. It was actually PJ's highest-charting single, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999.
Lost Dogs features little to no flow, as the songs were written and recorded during varying eras. The one section of the album that does seem to meld together beautifully is the first half to two-thirds of disc two, a magnificent view into the meditative nature of the band that could hold up against nearly any portion of any Pearl Jam album. Its tone is dark and somber, featuring songs about death, approaching death, filth, winter, etc. Due to Vedder's soaring vocals during parts such as, "Things were different" from "Hard to Imagine" and screams during the coda of "Wash," the songs somehow manage to not kill the listener's spirit. The songwriting of the band is on full display here and also take some of the edge off of the music, reminding us how brilliant these guys really are.
There are plenty of weird and silly outtakes as well, such as the surf rocker, "Gremmie Out of Control," the cock rock of "Don't Gimme No Lip" and the grisly tale of a bus driver-turned serial killer, "Dirty Frank." But these strange detours serve as reminders of the band's tendency to travel out of its comfort zone and always challenge itself to try new things, even if those things are not popular, catchy or accessible. Overall, Lost Dogs is a wonderful example of what the band did outside of the themes and concepts of its albums over the years, a journey through every facet of Pearl Jam's personality. Its simple pop-fueled rock, punk attitude, Who-inspired instrumental breaks, funny and strange experiments, "grunge"-styled anthems, mournful ballads and sheer classics are all here and all worthwhile.
Labels: Lost Dogs
Get Thee to iTunes (Europe, Australia, Canada, and...
Ed and Stone Interview with Billboard.Com
New York Times Features Tom Tomorrow
PearlJamTour.tv, Episode Four
Best Pearl Jam Show Ever?
Save the Earth. Win the Tickets.
Grunge Report Apology
Backspacer, As Good As Yours!!!!
Live Bootlegs For Target Shoppers


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Art, Menstrual hygiene day 2019, Period art
Menstrual Hygiene Day: Creating art from stigma
The evolution and impact of menstrual art in the world can change the way we skirt around an important issue in society.
By Suradha Iyer
Destroying period and stigma with her artwork. Credits: Lucy Peach
Today, World Menstrual Hygiene Day turns 5, after being initiated by a German NGO in 2014, to raise an important issue to public consciousness.
The connection between stigma and breakdown in access
As per a report published in 2019, 663 million people lack basic access to safe water and 2.4 billion people lack adequate access to basic sanitary conditions. It also goes on to estimate that half a billion (!) women do not have protected spaces for basic, everyday sanitation. Governments, non-profits, and several businesses dealing in sanitation products, have since championed the cause on a larger scale.
The lack of facilitites and access for women and other menstruators to have a safe period adds to the alarming scale stigmatisation of periods that persists well into the 21st century!
The Indian period ecosystem has long functioned on shame and focuses on isolating the menstruating woman. This exacerbates their condition by creating a distinct void that prohibits them from talking about their periods with others. Till today, about 46% women are not aware of sanitary pads (the most popular option for menstrual sanitation in India) and where menstruation really occurs. One of this years' Oscar winners (Best Short Documentary), Period. End Of Sentence., addresses this lack of education head-on by employing many women in a village in Northern India to make cheap sanitary napkins. The film is 26 minutes, and well worth your time.
That this day has been decreed only after 2014 is an indicator of the extent of stigmatisation. The lack of period conversation and education creates several problems in subtle way—from lack of clean, public toilets, to the well-known (albeit well-ignored) phenomena of girls skipping school during their period across the country, to a complete vacuum in terms of seriousness and concern about women's period health in the formal healthcare system. The price barriers, the pink tax, the lack of sustainable menstrual hygiene products, these are all pertinent questions for the future.
The role of art
Today, there is a rising a crimson wave of period education and normalisation in the West, that is being led by the menstrual art movement. Artists like folk-pop singer Lucy Peach from Perth, Australia, focus on creating shows and artistic experiences that de-stigmatise the period and help women understand their cycle more intimately. Her talks been featured on the TED platform and she has been outspoken about it in various interviews.
In a video interview on Monday, May 27, she spoke about the several principles of period self-care and the need to embrace menstruation for the gift of creation that it is. She talked about the need for people to become more understanding of their women employees, encouraging them to keep their own pace while making deadlines and scheduling meetings. She asks women to chart their cycles to get in sync, and talk to a support group and other women to focus on their physical and emotional states through the 28-day cycle, which comprises of not just the menstrual period, but also the ovulation stage, and the stages of preparation that precedes them both.
Canadian poet Rupi Kaur's recent issue with Instagram taking down her period positive post stirred up a controversy, which led to the debate of whether menstrual blood has a place in uncensored pictures, let alone aesthetics. Her picture has since been restored to public purview.
thank you @instagram for providing me with the exact response my work was created to critique. you deleted a photo of a woman who is fully covered and menstruating stating that it goes against community guidelines when your guidelines outline that it is nothing but acceptable. the girl is fully clothed. the photo is mine. it is not attacking a certain group. nor is it spam. and because it does not break those guidelines i will repost it again. i will not apologize for not feeding the ego and pride of misogynist society that will have my body in an underwear but not be okay with a small leak. when your pages are filled with countless photos/accounts where women (so many who are underage) are objectified. pornified. and treated less than human. thank you. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ this image is a part of my photoseries project for my visual rhetoric course. you can view the full series at rupikaur.com the photos were shot by myself and @prabhkaur1 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ i bleed each month to help make humankind a possibility. my womb is home to the divine. a source of life for our species. whether i choose to create or not. but very few times it is seen that way. in older civilizations this blood was considered holy. in some it still is. but a majority of people. societies. and communities shun this natural process. some are more comfortable with the pornification of women. the sexualization of women. the violence and degradation of women than this. they cannot be bothered to express their disgust about all that. but will be angered and bothered by this. we menstruate and they see it as dirty. attention seeking. sick. a burden. as if this process is less natural than breathing. as if it is not a bridge between this universe and the last. as if this process is not love. labour. life. selfless and strikingly beautiful.
A post shared by rupi kaur (@rupikaur_) on Mar 24, 2015 at 9:02pm PDT
Many artists are making active use of the period blood as a tool to bring viral attention to shareable pieces of art, so as to break the taboo surrounding it.
Sarah Levy's Donald Trump painting with period blood was a direct response to his comment on Megyn Kelly in a 2015 TV debate. As Levy told USA Today: "I was outraged that he was basically using women's periods not just to avoid a political question but also to insult her and all women's intelligence." Menstruation and the emotional struggles have sidelined women in a man's world for too long.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcaEtNqjpLc/?hl=en
From Josefin Persdotter's tampon earring to Vanessa Dion Fletcher's "Own Your Cervix" to anonymous Middle Eastern artist Saint Hoax's Disney-based period artwork, the world is seeing periods in a new light and this body of art creates the opportunity to discuss a stigma organically. It has the power to cut language barriers and inspire world-over, and maybe with time, grow better platforms to catalyse menstruation and sanitation policy that makes periods more safe, enjoyable, and less-life threatening.
#mycervix #mybodymychoice #reproductivejustice #keepabortionsafeandlegal
A post shared by Vanessa Dion Fletcher (@vdionf) on May 16, 2019 at 6:31pm PDT
Suradha Iyer is a writing analyst at Qrius.
Gone are the days of one and done (part 2)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home » Journal » Here is how Ripple avoids classification of XRP as a security. But what would happen it was declared as one?
Here is how Ripple avoids classification of XRP as a security. But what would happen it was declared as one?
Sarah Wurfel
June 14th of 2018 has brought joy to many cryptocurrency enthusiasts. On this day, the Director of the SEC's Division of Corporate Finance, William Hinman, confirmed that Ethereum is not a security. Commenting on the cryptocurrency, Hinman said:
When we think about how ether today is operating, at least, we see a highly decentralized network, not the type of centralized actor that characterizes securities offerings. In its current state, we don't see value regulating it.
Hinman further expanded that the SEC doesn't see "a lot of value" in observing ether as a security, confirming their intention to stay away from regulating it. The statement came days after the SEC chairman, Jay Clayton, confirmed that Bitcoin isn't a security. When asked about this cryptocurrency, Mr. Clayton said:
"These are replacements for sovereign currencies [like] the dollar, yen, euro, etc. [This] type of cryptocurrency is not a security."
After the news dropped that the top two most valuable cryptocurrencies will in fact not be regulated as securities, the question on some people's minds was: what about the rest of the pack? Let's take a look at the next currency in line, the number 3 on coinmarketcap's list of most valuable currencies, XRP.
Read a comparison of ripple vs bitcoin.
Ripple, the company behind the XRP coin, has made it a point in the past to convince everyone it's not a security. Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of Ripple, has spoken about this issue multiple times. In a recent interview to CNBC, when asked about a recent lawsuit from former XRP holders who sued Ripple claiming that it in fact is a security, had the following to say:
"Whether or not XRP is a security shall not be dictated by one lawsuit. The SEC is the governor of that. I think it is very clear that XRP is not a security. It exists independently of Ripple the company. If Ripple, the company shut down tomorrow, XRP will continue to exist."
This sentiment has also been echoed by Ripple's chief market strategist Cory Johnson. Mr. Johnson responded to questions if XRP should be regulated as a security by saying:
"We absolutely are not a security. We don't meet the standards for what a security is based on the history of court law."
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Most lawmakers look back to the "The "Howey Test" when determining if something is a security or not. This test has been created by the Supreme Court for determining whether certain transactions qualify as "investment contracts." If so, then under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, those transactions are considered securities and therefore subject to certain disclosure and registration requirements.
Ripple has changed some of its critical statements from the past, according to The Block founder and CEO, Mike Dudas. Dudas did thorough research on the company, citing Ripple's stance on key arguments related to the company and its cryptocurrency.
What you'll learn 👉
Contradictions between 2013 and 2018
Let's see how Ripple fares against the 4 questions asked by the Howey Test:
What would happen if XRP is declared as security?
As Cryptopotato writes, according to an archived version of Ripple's website, the company had stated back in 2013 that they had created the 100 billion XRP that's in circulation today. Furthermore, the 2013 version of Ripple's site reports that a group of programmers at Ripple Labs "invented" Ripple and released the beta version of the software in 2013, which was made open-source.
"Ripple Labs is the creator of Ripple. We developed the protocol and its distributed payment network, and we now work to support and promote its growth," the company states in an early version of its whitepaper. "100 billion XRP was created with the Ripple protocol. Ripple Labs plans to gift 55 billion XRP to charitable organizations, users, and strategic partners in the ecosystem over time. The company will retain a portion with the hope of creating a robust and liquid marketplace in order to monetize its only asset sometime in the future."
On the contrary, on the current version of the company's website, Ripple states that they didn't create XRP.
"Ripple, the company, didn't create XRP; 100 billion XRP was created before the company was formed, and after Ripple was founded, the creators of XRP gifted a substantial amount of XRP to the company," as currently stated.
Is it an investment of money/assets?
The Ripple company specifically states that XRP is not an investment vehicle. Buying XRP does not give holders any rights within the Ripple company. The token is simply a digital asset created by Ripple and sold to institutions for its intended purposes.
Is there an expectation of profits from the investment?
The Ripple company has never promised that XRP will go up in value while people hold it. They never claimed that it will go up in value at all.
Is the investment of money/assets in a common enterprise?
There is no common enterprise involved, Ripple claims. Most federal courts define a common enterprise as one that is horizontal, meaning that investors pool their money or assets together to invest in a project. While XRP can be bought on exchanges in transactions that don't have anything to do with Ripple, it is important to note that around 80% of XRP is in the hands of the Ripple company. This is a bit of a gray area and Ripple are working with the SEC to fix the issue.
Any profit comes from the efforts of a promoter or third party
The final factor of the Howey Test concerns whether any profit that comes from the investment is largely or wholly outside of the investor's control. If so, then the investment might be a security. If, however, the investor's own actions largely dictate whether an investment will be profitable, then that investment is probably not a security. This is where XRP and Ripple are completely safe as the price of XRP is entirely determined by the people buying and selling it.
Great post about this topic was posted on Reddit:
If XRP were to be deemed a security in the legal sense based in the United States, Ripple the company will be beholden to it's "shareholders" and XRP ownership will represent ownership in the company. It will also put it into a classification that would make it incredibly difficult to fulfill its actual purpose of providing cross border liquidity due to the entirely separate legal framework around securities.
This shouldn't be confused with the possible securitisation of futures contracts with XRP as the underyling asset. For instance, one could trade futures contracts on an underlying asset such as oil or corn or wheat. But that doesn't mean buying wheat makes you an owner of the farm that produced it.
XRP should be classified as a digital commodity, or something similar, so it could fulfill its role of being a bridge currency between fiat. That is only one of its possible use cases, but the primary one being pushed at the moment.
RodneyDDS
Read here about ripple wallets.
All in all, XRP is a digital asset that has a real use case (unlike stocks aka actual securities that can only be held and traded). XRP ledger existed before Ripple and it was "gifted" to the company after it was founded. The Ripple company then used the XRP ledger to develop financial software around and has started selling this software to banks and financial institutions. Buying XRP doesn't give you shares in Ripple and the price of XRP isn't set by Ripple.
The biggest argument to calling it a security is XRP's level of centralization. Ripple knows they are operating in murky waters as they do own a lot of the cryptocurrency which they designed and originally distributed. The efforts to become more SEC-compatible include decentralizing the total supply and creating separate brands for the digital token and the company. Ultimately, the token is a digital bridge asset meant for value exchange and it is almost certain that regulators will soon confirm that XRP isn't a security as well.
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CaptainAltcoin's writers and guest post authors may or may not have a vested interest in any of the mentioned projects and businesses. None of the content on CaptainAltcoin is investment advice nor is it a replacement for advice from a certified financial planner. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CaptainAltcoin.com
Sarah Wurfel works as a social media editor for CaptainAltcoin and specializes in the production of videos and video reports. She studied media and communication informatics. Sarah has been a big fan of the revolutionary potential of crypto currencies for years and accordingly also concentrated on the areas of IT security and cryptography in her studies.
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Tecno offering new form of Camon I and its name will be Air so it imply that up and coming phone which will dispatch on 25th of May will be a successor and certainly it will be a superior phone as contrast with its adversaries present in market. Tecno Camon I's specs are now uncovered by the few sites and now its dispatch date is additionally affirmed that its dispatch is close and keep your fingers crossed to get the main look of Camon I Air with your own eyes in business sectors of Pakistan. Its featured highlights incorporates 5.65 inches screen that bolsters top quality presentation where goals of Tecno's Camon I Air is 720 x 1440. IPS touchscreen stuffed 16M hues to make the presentation more brilliant where the goals is going make show look firm brimming with life. Tecno Camon I Air have MediaTek MT6737 chipset which will deal with quad center 1.3 GHz processor alongside 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM. Back sensor of Camon I Air by Tecno is 13 MP which has the help of Quad LED to make all pictures brilliant even you are taking those pictures in low light conditions. To catch selfies 8 MP sensor is introduced on front side of Tecno I Air which ought to have LED streak too to conceal diminish light issue of smartphone. For security of your phone Fingerprint sensor is incorporated on the rear of Tecno Camon's I Air. Battery of the device is 3050 mAh whose activity is to keep your phone alive for right around an entire day long. There are three shading choices accessible in the I Air which incorporate Midnight Black, City Blue and Champagne Gold.
Disclaimer. Tecno Camon I Air price in Pakistan is updated daily from the price list provided by local shops and dealers but we can not guarantee that the information / price / Tecno Camon I Air Prices on this page is 100% correct (Human error is possible), always visit your local shop for exact cell phone cost & rate. Tecno Camon I Air price Pakistan.
The latest price of Tecno Camon I Air in Pakistan was updated from the list provided by Samsung's official dealers and warranty providers.
The best price of Tecno Camon I Air is Rs. 14,500 in Pakistan in official warranty ( without discount ), while the without warranty Grey market cost of Tecno Camon I Air is N/A.
The price stated above is valid all over Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Muzaffarabad. Slight deviations are expected, always visit your local shop to verify Tecno Camon I Air specs and for exact local prices.


Forstaff, Employment - Labour Hire, listed under "Employment - Labour Hire" category, is located at 1/ 10 Blackmore Rd Smeaton Grange NSW, 2567, Australia and can be reached by 0246461101 phone number. Forstaff has currently 0 reviews.
Browse all Employment - Labour Hire in Smeaton Grange NSW.


What's New For The 2019 Volvo S90?
The 2019 S90 is a handsome vehicle with a classic and modern design. Drivers notice this immediately on the front end. Owners and drivers also like its interior that arrives with the usual display of Swedish luxury. Volvo offers three engines with the S90. For drivers, it is a matter of choice and lifestyle.
The S90 is one of the most competitive sedans in its class, boasting that it was the first vehicle in the US with a semi-autonomous driving technology package. Its wireless technology and USB charging port allows passengers to stay connected to their electronic devices. This vehicle is ready to address any weather condition with all-wheel drive capabilities. Whether the conditions are ice, snow, rain, or sleet, the 2019 Volvo S90 emerges a winner.
The 2019 Volvo S90 offers four trim levels. These include the Inscription, Momentum, Plug-in Inscription, and Plug-in Momentum. These vehicles are ready for any lifestyle. The hybrid trims are the perfect choice for those concerned about gas mileage and protecting the environment.
The 2019 Volvo S90 offers several engine choices. The Inscription offers a base 2.0-liter supercharged engine with four cylinders that can produce 259 horsepower and 250 ft-lb of torque. Depending on the trim, drivers can opt for 250-316 horsepower and front-wheel or all-wheel drive. An eight-speed automatic w/OD and auto-manual is available on all trim models. The twin-engine plug-in electric hybrid has a back seat designed to allow space for its battery pack.
The 2019 Volvo S90 has the expected ABS brakes that automatically sense when a tire stops rotating under extreme braking conditions. Stability control is also a standard safety feature that protects occupants when it senses the driver exceeding the handling limits of the vehicle, helping drivers retain control. Drivers and owners can also expect the usual protection from well-placed airbags. There is also a system that can detect if anyone tries to gain entry without the original manufacturer's key, an ignition-disabling device will activate.
One of the best ways to see the Volvo S90 is to schedule a test drive at Crest Volvo Cars. Our staff is friendly and quite helpful with any questions concerning a lease or purchase. We are also happy to walk you through available warranty options. The world recognizes Volvo for its safety features, and it is one of the main reasons why people choose to drive a Volvo.


text: return require('apicast')

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We all do it: indulge in "comfort" purchases to remedy a bad day or sour mood. While the often short-lived euphoria resulting from this habit may lead to post-splurge guilt, new research suggests some surprising reasons why retail therapy can actually be good for you. Let's put some old myths to rest.
Myth: Retail therapy is primarily a female stress reliever.** Fact:** It's no surprise that women like to shop, but more men really should consider making shopping a daily ritual. A study conducted by the British Medical Journal found that even a small amount of regular retail therapy helped people live longer – particularly older men. Researchers analyzed gender, ethnicity, education, financial and employment status, lifestyle factors, prevalence of chronic conditions, and, of course, shopping habits for 1,850 elderly (65+) people. They then tracked the lifespan of participants by linking their names to national death registration data from 1999 and 2008. The findings suggested that shopping benefited older men the most.
The study revealed that those who shopped more than once a week tended to drink and smoke more than the others. Despite those unhealthy lifestyle factors, the regular shoppers tended to live longer than those who didn't shop as frequently. Male participants who shopped daily were 28 percent less likely to die prematurely, compared with female shoppers who were 23 percent less likely – which brings us to the next myth….
Myth: Retail therapy affects your health only temporarily.** Fact:** The same British Medical Journal study shed some light on this. The researchers believe that the regular out-and-about exercise from shopping, combined with the social interaction with strangers or shopping companions may contribute to the health benefit derived from regular shopping. The life-prolonging effects didn't come from the 'temporary high' of buying something, but rather the incidental exercise and companionship associated with shopping. Since older men are least likely to engage socially with others or exercise, this is probably why regular shopping would benefit their age group so much.
Myth: Retail therapy leads to meaningless impulse buyact: A study conducted by Northwestern University examined the types of purchases student subjects made prior to taking an intelligence test. Students tended to opt for purchases that would help them feel better prepared for their upcoming test, such as a book or a nutritious beverage. They weren't looking to purchase something frivolous just for the sake of buying something, but instead made pragmatic choices based on what they were hoping to achieve.
Myth: People engage in retail therapy after a stressful situation.** Fact:** The Northwestern study also revealed that retail therapy prior to a stressful event is common because it can - in a sense – trick the brain into using shopping to become better prepared. Stressful events tended to motivate smart purchases intended to boost performance or reputation. For instance, before a big work project you may decide to go out and purchase new pens or fancy portfolio paper in an effort to enhance your work. This could make you more prepared for the task, or it can at least help ease the stress by making you feel more prepared.
Myth: Retail therapy leads to depression and regret.** Fact:** While this can't be said for all therapeutic purchases (we've all experienced buyer's remorse or lapses in financial judgment), retail therapy does trigger a reward mechanism in the brain that actually makes us happier. Soothing stress or a low mood with retail therapy is a lot like nursing a bad mood with comfort food; both send a surge of dopamine to the brain. A good example is the feeling of holiday cheer. One reason the holidays may feel joyous is a result of all the additional shopping, which turns into gift-giving and receiving.
In general, retail therapy may not be as bad as you may have thought (overspending and shopping addiction being separate issues). If you're trying to nurse a low mood or stressful time, remember that a daily or weekly shopping break could lift your spirits or help you prepare for your upcoming challenge. And it may even prolong your life. Shoppers rejoice!


Super simple fast and easy , that is the world we live in. In order to be that way our meals need to be too.
I literally threw this in a pan one night and fell in love with it. Now I make it all the time. It's filling and falls in the whole 30, no carb/ low carb diet plans.
Season chicken with salt pepper and garlic powder.
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet , add seasoned chicken cook until golden brown.
Add mushrooms and pineapple, cook until mushrooms are cooked and pineapple starts to brown. Add paprika and chili powder , allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes and enjoy!
If you're not following a whole 30 food plan , feel free to serve over steamed rice or roasted potatoes. If you are following a whole 30 plan , add a small salad to your plate and you have a filling delicious meal!


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text:
Sergei Pareiko (Tallinn, 31 januari 1977) is een profvoetballer uit Estland die speelt als doelman. Hij staat momenteel onder contract bij FC Levadia Tallinn na eerder onder meer voor Tom Tomsk en Rotor Volgograd te hebben gespeeld.

Interlandcarrière
Pareiko maakte in 1996 voor het eerst zijn opwachting bij de nationale ploeg van Estland. Onder leiding van bondscoach Teitur Thordarson maakte hij zijn debuut op woensdag 31 augustus 1996 in de WK-kwalificatiewedstrijd tegen Wit-Rusland (1-0 nederlaag) in Minsk. Hij trad in dat duel al na drie minten aan als vervanger van Mart Poom.

Erelijst
 Tallinna Sadam
Beker van Estland
1996, 1997
Supercup
1997
 Casale Calcio
Coppa Italia Dilettanti
 1999
 Levadia Maardu
Meistriliiga
 1999, 2000Beker van Estland
2000Supercup1999, 2000
 Wisła KrakówEkstraklasa
 2011

Zie ook
 Lijst van spelers van het Estische voetbalelftal
 Lijst van spelers van FC Levadia Tallinn

Estisch voetballer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Exciting news going into 2019 as CCU continues with a passion into its 15th year providing unsurpassed reliability and affordable KU satellite services and video production options to a growing list of incredible customers here in the SF bay area and beyond.
ZERO reverse power these days!
Besides Steve''s entrance as a back up operator we are keeping busy with day to day operations and also exploring further options to expand our IPTV capabilities.
We all believe that providing relaible temporary satellite internet services is our future and we and our partners are committed to keep those options affordable to you our client.
So why not book your next IP event with us?
We say, "it is what it is"
Bottom line for us is a continued commitment to keep our UNIT running perfectly, staying avaialble/affordable for our 500+ clients, no matter what.
upcoming News, Sports & Corporate events?..
CCU remains your reliable option for all things satellite and video.
Please reach out with any and all requests for service. We also do HD quality Video productions most days and package camera and truck deals regulalry.
excellence beyond your expectations in 2019.
YES its winter which means allot of coverage in not always the best of weather conditions. 2019 Nor cal. weather coverage keeps us knee deep in fluffy white stuff.
Proud to be the feed truck for the ingauration of Galvin Newsom in Sacramento a few weeks back. We love new clients and stomping in Sactown.
You are receiving this email because of your relationship with central coast uplink. Please reconfirm your interest in receiving emails from us. If you do not wish to receive any more emails, you can unsubscribe here.


text:
Two New Cases of COVID-19
Health and Wellness / COVID - 19
April 9, 2021 - 12:57 PM
Two new cases of COVID-19 are being reported in Nova Scotia today, April 9.
One case is in Northern Zone and is related to travel outside of Atlantic Canada. The person is self-isolating, as required.
There is also one case in Central Zone and it is under investigation.
As of today, Nova Scotia has 41 active cases of COVID-19.
Nova Scotia Health Authority's labs completed 2,527 Nova Scotia tests on April 8.
There were 536 tests administered between April 2 and 8 at the rapid-testing pop-up sites in Wolfville, Dartmouth and Musquodoboit Harbour.
As of April 8, 138,348 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. Of those, 30,838 Nova Scotians have received their second dose.
Since Oct. 1, Nova Scotia has completed 323,435 tests. There have been 667 positive COVID-19 cases and one death. One person is in hospital. Cases range in age from under 10 to over 90. There are 625 resolved cases. Cumulative cases may change as data is updated in Panorama.
Nova Scotians are strongly encouraged to seek asymptomatic COVID-19 testing, particularly if they have a large number of close contacts due to their work or social activities. Appointments can be booked at https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/, by choosing the asymptomatic option. Rapid testing pop-up sites continue to be set up around the province as well. More information on testing can be found at https://www.nshealth.ca/coronavirustesting .
Visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to do a self-assessment if in the past 48 hours you have had or you are currently experiencing:
fever (i.e. chills/sweats) or cough (new or worsening)
Two or more of the following symptoms (new or worsening):
runny nose/nasal congestion
shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
Call 811 if you cannot access the online self-assessment or wish to speak with a nurse about your symptoms.
When a new case of COVID-19 is confirmed, the person is directed to self-isolate at home, away from the public, for 14 days. Public health works to identify and test people who may have come in close contact with that person.
Anyone who has travelled from anywhere except New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador must self-isolate for 14 days. As always, anyone who develops symptoms of acute respiratory illness should limit their contact with others until they feel better.
Nova Scotians are asked to avoid non-essential travel to the city of Edmundston and surrounding communities in New Brunswick as a result of increased cases of COVID-19 in that area.
It remains important for Nova Scotians to strictly adhere to the public health order and directives – practise good hand washing and other hygiene steps, maintain a physical distance when and where required. Wearing a non-medical mask is mandatory in most indoor public places.
Nova Scotians can find accurate, up-to-date information, handwashing posters and fact sheets at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus .
Businesses and other organizations can find information to help them safely reopen and operate at https://novascotia.ca/reopening-nova-scotia .
additional information on COVID-19 case data, testing and vaccines is available at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/data/
a state of emergency was declared under the Emergency Management Act on March 22, 2020 and extended to April 18, 2021
online booking for COVID-19 testing appointments is available at https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/
Government of Canada: https://canada.ca/coronavirus
Government of Canada information line 1-833-784-4397 (toll-free)
The Mental Health Provincial Crisis Line is available 24/7 to anyone experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis, or someone concerned about them, by calling 1-888-429-8167 (toll-free)
If you need help with a non-crisis mental health or addiction concern call Community Mental Health and Addictions at 1-855-922-1122 (toll-free) weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Kids Help Phone is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free)
For help or information about domestic violence 24/7, call 1-855-225-0220 (toll-free)
For more information about COVID-19 testing and online booking, visit https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/symptoms-and-testing/
All government social media accounts
Archive: news releases from 1995-97
Crown copyright © Province of Nova Scotia


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THE FIGHT JOURNAL
FOLLOW OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AT https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFightJournalBoxing
CES Boxing weigh-in alert!
TFJ BOXING 21 Sep 2021 21 Sep 2021 Professional Boxing
CES photo courtesy of Will Paul
NEW BRITAIN FEATHERWEIGHT Nathan Martinez, left, is one of the seven fighters from Connecticut returning to the ring Friday as CES Boxing teams with UFC FIGHT PASS® for live championship boxing at the Connecticut Convention Center. The official weigh-in for Friday's show will be held this Thursday at noon at the Convention Center. Showtime on fight night is 6:30 pm ET.
HARTFORD, Conn. (September 21) – The official pre-fight weigh-in for CES Boxing live on UFC FIGHT PASS® is scheduled for Thursday, September 23 at noon at the Connecticut Convention Center.
This event is open to the public. Fight night is Friday with preliminary bouts beginning at 6:30 pm ET followed by the live FIGHT PASS stream beginning at 7 with play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators "Sucra" Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi.
*WEIGH-IN INFO
Thursday, September 23, Noon
Connecticut Convention Center
100 Columbus Blvd.
*Open to public and press
Headlining Friday's card are regional rivals Jimmy Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs) of New Haven, CT, and Greg Vendetti (22-4-1, 12 KOs) of Stoneham, MA, who face one another in the 10-round main event for the vacant WBC USNBC Silver Super Welterweight Title. Friday's event also features the long-awaited Connecticut debut of Stamford's own Chordale Booker (16-0, 7 KOs), a rising star in the middleweight division who faces tough veteran Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Yucatan, Mexico in the eight-round co-main event. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.
Also on the card, undefeated super bantamweight Angel Gonzalez (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, who now fights out of Florida, returns to New England in a tough six-round matchup against Dominican Republic-born challenger Juan Gabriel Medina (12-7, 11 KOs).
Featherweight Nathan Martinez (6-1, 2 KOs) of New Britain returns from a two-year layoff to face Mexican challenger Francisco Dominguez (7-11-1, 1 KO) in a six-round bout. Making his professional debut, Providence, RI, heavyweight and former college football standout Timothy Hatfield makes his professional debut in a four-round bout against Ohio's Kaleb Slaughter (1-2-1).
Returning for the first time since 2019, New Haven super lightweight Carlos Perez (1-0) battles newcomer Tyriek Gainey of Paterson, NJ, in a four-round bout and Ramon Caraballo of New Britain makes his professional debut against Montreal's Samuel Lajoie-Dery (1-0, 1 KO). Friday's card also features the Connecticut debut of female welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman (0-1), a Columbia, CT, native, in a four-round bout against "Scary" Christina Barry (1-7) of Manitoba, Canada.
Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, visit ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.
CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC Fight Pass, the world's No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience.
UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world's leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world's largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.
Opened in 2005, the Connecticut Convention Center is the Northeast's most ideal location for trade shows, conventions, business meetings or any occasion demanding a dramatic riverfront setting. Overlooking the Connecticut River, the Center is situated in the heart of downtown Hartford's Front Street District – a rapidly expanding entertainment hub teeming with new restaurants, bistros and entertainment venues. Limitlessly functional and endlessly customizable, the 540,000 square foot Connecticut Convention Center is the largest convention facility between New York and Boston. The Center combines ample meeting space – including 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000 square foot ballroom and 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – with visually stunning touches, creating the ideal backdrop for any event.
Michael Parente, CES, 401-263-4990 or michael@teamces.com.
CES, CES Boxing, CES MMA, Chip Mitchell, Nathan Martinez, TheFightJournal.com
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Published by TFJ BOXING
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My Boy Lollipop singer Millie Small dies aged 72
Best known for her hit song My Boy Lollipop, Millie Small was a Jamaican singer who "took ska international".
Wednesday 6 May 2020 17:51, UK
Image: Jamaican singer and songwriter Millie Small pictured in 1964
Tributes are being paid to Jamaican singer Millie Small, most famous for her 1960s hit My Boy Lollipop, who has died at the age of 72.
She died in the UK after a suffering a stroke, according to reports.
Chris Blackwell, producer and founder of Island Records, described the singer as "the person who took ska international".
Image: Small was welcomed to the 'swinging UK' the year her biggest hit was released
My Boy Lollipop reached number two in the charts in both the UK and US in 1964, and became Jamaica's first million-selling single, according to the National Library of Jamaica. It went on to sell seven million copies worldwide.
In a statement, Island Records said Small was one of the label's "most beloved and celebrated artists".
Paying tribute, Blackwell said: "Millie opened the door for Jamaican music to the world. It became a hit pretty much everywhere in the world.
"I went with her around the world because each of the territories wanted her to turn up and do TV shows and such, and it was just incredible how she handled it.
More on Jamaica
Former DJ Benjamin Alexander to become first skier to represent Jamaica at Winter Olympics
Robbie Shakespeare: Sly and Robbie bassist and producer dies aged 68
Rapper Cashh was deported to a country he barely remembered. Now he's making his comeback
"She was such a really sweet person, very funny, great sense of humour. She was really special."
Born Millicent Dolly May Small in Clarendon, Jamaica, Small was raised on a sugar plantation and the youngest of a family of 12.
At the age of 12 she won a singing contest in Montego Bay, leading her to team up with reggae singer Roy Panton to form the duo Roy & Millie.
Blackwell heard one of Small's local hits and started to work with her, taking her to the UK in 1963 after founding Island Records.
R I P MILLIE SMALL. 'My Boy lollipop' 1964 lite the fuse for Jamaican SKA music, her track went Global making history & developed the foundational structures of Jamaican Reggae Music. SLEEP WITH ANGELS SISTER MILLIE X pic.twitter.com/Ydl0za0st4
— Vas Blackwood (@VasBlackwood) May 6, 2020
A beautiful voice and a beautiful woman. As soon as the football starts again we'll be booming this round the wezzie in tribute to the incomparable Millie Small.
Have a drink for her tonight, and mourn one of the greats.https://t.co/Nf4y3bMaG5
— Frickley Athletic FC (@frickleyafc) May 6, 2020
Millie Small, RIP. Another Jamaican legend moves on to the grand stage in the sky. Your contribution to Jamaican Music was undeniable, Millie! We love you! ♥ 🇯🇲 #milliesmall #Jamaica #ska
A post shared by Western Standard Time Ska Orch (@wstska) on May 5, 2020 at 10:32pm PDT
He decided she should cover the American rhythm and blues song, My Boy Lollipop, originally performed by Barbie Gaye in 1957, and it went on to become a huge hit.
Tributes are being paid to the singer on social media, with everyone from ska orchestras to football clubs remembering Small and her music.
She is survived by her daughter, Jaelee.