Uncle Joe

Lance Knobel is the man behind Davos Newbies, a blog whose interest has long outlived its title (Lance was once an organizer for the Davos forum). Lance has some sharp observations about the parallels between Bush, et al., and Stalin:

"...I have to confess that there were many points in Stalin where my thoughts turned to today’s Washington. Consider some of the parallels. Stalin’s absurd promotion of the pseudo-science of Trofim Lysenko. Check. The elevation of doctrine over truth. Check. The importance of agreeing with the leader even if decisions are clearly wrong. Check. The relentless manipulation of news. Check."

Given the Trotskyist origins of many of the intellectually inclined "neo-cons," perhaps we should just call them "neo-joes," or "neo-Stalinists," instead?

Remember Me Well

Earlier this week, I heard or saw a news item that buzzed in the back of my mind. About a family in Richmond, who had all had their throats cut -- mother, father, two daughters -- and then the house set on fire as the murderer left. Gruesome, if it bleeds it leads stuff.

Then, this morning, I was idly watching MSNBC in the control room at work, and noticed something:

The father was Bryan Harvey. As in House of Freaks.

Aw, crap.

House of Freaks is one of our favorite bands. I've loved them ever since I saw them open for Midnight Oil at the Hollywood Palladium, way back when. Just two guys -- Bryan on guitar and vocals, and Johnny Hott on percussion. Sounding live like they were five or six guys. Incredibly layered stuff, just brilliant.

That was the period when they were in LA. I knew they had gone back home to Richmond, and haven't seen them since those days. I went to a few gigs they did -- concerts at the Club Lingerie, a record store gig down in Hermosa Beach. I took a few pictures. Here are my favorite two, from the Lingerie in 1988 or so:

Bryan:

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Johnny:

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I'm going to close this out with Bryan's own words, the song "Remember Me Well," off their album Cakewalk:

When I lay down my head
Bound for heaven or hell
After all's said and done
Please remember me well

You can dance on my grave
You can ring out the bells
You can drink to my health
But remember me well

Sing the soldier's lament
Hear the stories he tells
If you all shed a tear
Please remember me well

When my ship's going down
And the band plays its knell
When the mast disappears
Remember me well

In a hundred years hence
With the worms I will dwell
When I'm gone from this world
Please remember me well

You can dance on my grave
You can ring out the bells
After all's said and done
Please remember me well
Just remember me well