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.

Lots of stuff this week.  I'm using the "predict a coachella appearance" expression a bit too much for my taste.  There are just a lot of tour dates announced and they all put bands in Southern California in late April.  In any case, lots of good stuff this week, enjoy!

Some of you seem to be coming around to Silversun Pickups latest. Take a listen to the whole thing at MTV's The Leak to join the dialogue. - Source

Our last Silversun Pickups post had a Joaquin Phoenix directorial credit attached to it. This was before he embarrassed himself on Letterman. The Los Angeles band's "Panic Switch" appears to be Phoenix free, but frontman Brian Aubert's androgynous vocals (and overall vocal harmonies) remain Breeders-esque, and the band's sound '90s alternative. Because some things don't change. The track's from the Pickups' forthcoming second album Swoon. Like their debut, it was produced by Dave Cooley.Continue reading New Silversun Pickups - "Panic Switch"... - Source

Being in a band from L.A. means having fans like Joaquin Phoenix. It also means having to humor fans like Joaquin Phoenix when they ask to direct your next video. Haven't released an album since July 2006? Who cares, this is (almost) Johnny Cash we're talking about. So Carnavas's watered down '90s -style alternative shoegazer cut "Little Lover's So Polite" is the cut of choice, and Joaquin's concept seems to be a meeting of the surreal (the band playing in something like a flatbed truck while the LA skyline whips by behind them) and the literal (the titular little lovers are like nine years old and apparently romantically involved). Appropriately slow-mo'd and hazy, mostly just plodding and forgettable ... but at least the cameras appear to be high quality. Such are the benefits of working Hollywood style.
- Source