So my life in May was pretty much on hold because I was switching jobs.  And as regular readers might be aware, any slight modification in my life results in massive neglect to excellent online (hey, we've been doing this for over ten years, that says something right?).  I was contacted by a recruiter for a Seattle-based company back in February and went through several phone interviews.  After each one, I'd wait a week then politely ask for the status.  Another week would go by then a response saying that I've advanced to the next step.  So persistence is their first test.  How badly do you want this job?  Bad enough for you to keep emailing us?

After four phone interviews (all with their appropriate delays), I get invited for the onsite.  I was pretty anxious this whole time but the onsite interview really kicks it into overdrive.  Now I'm plagued with thoughts like, "how am I going to find a place to live in Seattle" or "will I adjust to the lack of sunshine."  Truely first world problems because obviously I can adjust to anywhere.

While this is happening, I interview with a local company (I'm in southern California, btw) and they offer me the position but I tell them that I cannot accept until I interview in Seattle.  I'm not going to bore you with the details of the interview other then to say it was a full day (10:30am-5pm, also interviewed during lunch!) and was the most intense interview I've ever had.  They asked if I wanted to stay in Seattle an extra day to check out the city.  But I was a big bag of nerves and wanted to get home as soon as possible and get back to my wife and kid.  The weekend was more of the same, a nervous wreck.  They were going to notify me on Monday evening about the status so I was super pissed that I didn't get a response until Tuesday morning.  They declined.  Bummer.

So I accepted the position from the other local company and while I'm sad that I'm not moving to Seattle, I think staying down here is good for me for right now.  So that's why there hasn't been a post in a while.  ;)

So the big news this week is that the My Bloody Valentine reissues are finally going to get released.  Good for them that it's finally getting done.  Also good for Kevin Shields that he's finally working on some new material.  It's only been 20 years.

The other link about Rodney on the Roq is kinda random.  My friend Brian asked me if he was still on the air so I looked him up and was happy that he's still being broadcasted on KROQ in Los Angeles.  His show is where I heard a lot of bands for the first time on the radio.  Granted I was getting most of my new music from friends, reading NME, and watching this public access show called Request Video.  But as Brian pointed out those were simpler times.  You'd read about bands in the NME, then Rodney would play them, then you'd make the hour long drive out to some dingy record store in LA to buy the import single for 10 bucks.  That's right, TEN bucks for three or four songs.

Don't get me started on how pissed I was when bands started doing that CD1/CD2 bullshit.  There are a lot of people that long for the good ol' days of record collecting, but I can't stand it.  Going to a good record store and casually walking around and picking up stuff is fun every once in a while.  But when we were kids we were obsessive about it.  And we poured tons of money into it.  So I'm glad that technology has brought us to this point where we can access way more music for less.  I think it opens it up to more people.  More people who can't spend 20 bucks on two CD's with 6 songs each.  Oh yeah, and since it's a double single, the main track is going to be on both CD's.  Plus that main track is already on the album anyway.  So you're really only buying four bsides for 20 bucks.  And if they just phoned it in by throwing on some bullshit remixes then fuck them.  God I love music but it's so frustrating.

Let's see how much of this stuff I can put together.  I'm trying to keep on top of my links by using twitter (which automatically goes to facebook) so if you wanna get this info faster please follow us there (some of the stuff below is probably duplicated on twitter and facebook as well)

The Killers, The Cure and Paul McCartney will all play, along with Morrissey, My Bloody Valentine, Franz
Ferdinand, Paul Weller and many, many more... - Source

It's difficult not to get cynical about the influx of nostalgia/money-driven reunion tours and reunion records, but if anyone's doing it gracefully and still feels vital and relevant in the process, it's My Bloody Valentine. When I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I was lucky enough to catch MBV on their 1992 Loveless tour with (the also successfully reunited) Dinosaur Jr. -- judging from this multi-camera clip of them doing a lovely, smearing "To Here Knows When" before a frenetic backdrop at last month's Fuji Rock Festival, they haven't missed a step. Or aged. - Source

Check out an extensive review, courtesy of our endlessly entertaining guest blogger Megan B, below. Enjoy her analysis of PJ Harvey's recent Moscow performance here. All accompanying photos (from MBV's June 20th London show) courtesy of Freekorps.It was one of those gigs where you had to isolate yourself from all reviews beforehand; if you caught snippets, it sent a wave of trembling into your gut. Too many of those waves and the anticipation would shake you out of existence before the show even started! Then it was one of those gigs you almost disbelieve as soon as it ends. Did four people really just do that?! By now the legends of how MBV ends their set has spun around & pushed everyone's descriptive powers. I like to keep things simple: they ended with a giant force of noise which they melded together seemingly effortlessly & the shocks of which shake the floor and start creeping up from your boots, to your knees, all the way to your face.A glance over the setlist still won't prepare you for the fact that you will never listen to Loveless or Isn't Anything again without remembering how this music is supposed to sound and at what volume. Every bit was so exquisite, you have to wonder if they waited over a decade to ensure that each particle of air in the atmosphere was in peak condition to conduct their sound waves from the tower of amps to your protected eardrums. Well, at least all but the vocals were perfectly transported. Dazed fans spilled out of Barrowland and onto the streets of Glasgow, most with punch drunk looks of bliss etched on their faces. This scene will repeat itself in every city they choose to play. No other reunion has been this glorious & perhaps the things to come from MBV will be just as heavenly.MP3: My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow - Source

The clock is ticking for My Bloody Valentine to play some shows in North America. While the tour officially kicks off tonight in London (their first time to play in 16 years), the group unofficially had two last minute warm up shows at the ICA in London last week - Source

My Bloody Valentine delighted their fans with a host of old classics as they played their first gig in 16 years tonight (June 13) at London's ICA. - Source

Fifteen-odd years of near total silence, and now they just won't shut up! Fresh off news of the big reunion, the European tour, the insane All Tomorrow's Parties spectacle, and the North American visit, My Bloody Valentine are all up in our grills yet again, harping on about how their two unimpeachable classic albums-- Loveless and Isn't Anything-- will soon get the deluxe remaster treatment. - Source

Well my little gazers of shoe, it's finally happening. My Bloody Valentine have revealed that they will pack up all the Jaguars and Jazzmasters and all the folks who have to constantly re-tune those Jaguars and Jazzmasters for an extended visit to the United States of America (and Toronto)-- one that will include the previously freaked-out-about and recently-expanded ATP New York, along with seven additional dates. - Source