No Virgins in NYC

Here's one more thing to chalk up to the recession.

My favorite record store in the whole world, the Virgin Megastore in Times Square is closing in April. Additionally, the Virgin Megastore in Union Square is closing in June.

This gives new meaning to something a friend once told me: There are no virgins in New York City.

I have so many fond memories of both stores.

When I was on the fence about Amy Winehouse in early 2007, Virgin Mega came in handy. I went in one day and listened to "Back to Black" at one of the listening stations. The rest is history.

And in 2006, I checked out a live performance by Sandra Bernhard. She was promoting her one-woman show Everything Bad & Beautiful.

In a city where everything is squeezed in, the stores were noteworthy for being so spacious.It was like being in a Macy's dedicated to music. And because they had tons of listening stations, you could listen to entire albums if you had the time.

I will miss the stores, as they were staples on my visits to New York. I would always go late at night, and the inside would be like a club. The music would be pumping and it would be crazy fun.

That leaves me looking for another cool record store. I never liked Tower Records, but all of its locations in NYC had already closed anywhere.

I fear that the Virgin Megastores are simply irreplaceable.

Introducing Bobby J.

Everyone, meet Bobby Jindal.

He's a boy wonder, Rhodes scholar, and Louisiana's 37-year-old governor.

He's been tagged as the future of the Republican party. Jindal has a good shot at becoming president one day, and has gained much attention of late for vowing to refure a portion of the stimulus funds due his state.

But right now he's the Republican whipping boy for his dismal response to President Obama's address to Congress on Tuesday night.

I was cringing as I listened to Jindal on C-Span radio. His speech was the equivalent of a poorly-written bedtime story. He spoke in short sentences about the spirit of America: "Americans can do anything. When we pull together, there is no challenge we can't overcome."

Rah rah rah!! Lets go get 'em. I'm so inspired now.

Jindal didn't have much to offer besides the usual Repub staples--opposition to government-run health care, lower taxes, no earmarks, etc.

Here's Bobby J. remixed, along with a critique by some of his Repub buddies.

Waiting for Amy

One of the first pieces I ever wrote for the blog, "Waiting for Lauryn," has never actually appeared anywhere.

It was in 2007, the ninth anniversary of her landmark album, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." It went something like, "...until she decides to release something new, we'll all just be waiting for Lauryn."

I ain't waiting no more.

That's why it was so cool when I first heard about Amy Winehouse in early 2007. I liked the style and I liked her sound, particularly her use of live instruments in her band. I even thought she sounded a little like Lauryn back then.

I would be walking around New York, listening to "Tears Dry on Their Own" on my cd walkman (I've never been cool enough for an ipod) with a big smile plastered across my big face.

Then Amy became a tabloid figure. Her issues are well-known, but I'm optimistic that she will pull it together and release new music soon.

Here she is doing what she does best:

Oscar Sunday

In 2000, I was pulling for "American Beauty," and in 2006, I was hoping for a "Brokeback Mountain" sweep.

But when the 2009 Academy Awards are broadcast Sunday on ABC, there's not one particular film I'll be rooting for.

"Slumdog Millionaire" is expected to win big, but I really don't see what all the fuss is about. It's convoluted and not that entertaining. And "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?" I'll pass on you as well. I couldn't bring myself to see two other films nominated for best picture: "The Reader" and "Frost/Nixon." That leaves "Milk," the biopic of slain politician Harvey Milk as my choice. There were some great performance in this film, especially Josh Brolin and Sean Penn.

The film that should have been nominated was Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino," but maybe it was a bit simplistic for the Academy's tastes. I only saw this movie because I had a couple of hours of free time and a few dollars in my pocket. "Torino," largely a story of redemption, turned out to be one of the best films I'd seen in a long time.

The one sure lock (which might not be so sure after all) is Penelope Cruz as Best Supporting Actress for her turn in "Vicki Christina Barcelona." She leaps off the screen and gave the most brilliant performance I saw the whole year. If you haven't seen "Vicki," check it out. It's worth renting for Cruz alone.

This sets up a head-to-head face-off with Viola Davis. Her character in "Doubt," Mrs. Mueller, has the unforgettable tag line, "It's just till June."

I'm just wondering who will win. At least I don't have to wait until June.

It's just till Sunday.

Condoms for Mississippi--An Update

Mississippi has finally seen the light.

A bill has passed the Mississippi House which would allow the state to allow sex education programs in two Mississippi school districts.

House bill 234, in response to the state's abysmal teen pregnancy statistics, would create a pilot program that for the first time allow sex education to be taught in Mississippi classrooms.

Now all that needs to happen is for a similar bill to work its way through the Senate and ultimately be signed by the governor.

And surely the program need to be expanded beyond just two hand-picked school districts. In a state with more than 100 school districts, too many will students will be left out.

But, you have to start somewhere.

At present, Mississippi does not provide state funds for school-related HIV, STD, or pregnancy prevention activities.¹

Further, Mississippi does not require students to receive instruction in HIV, STD, or pregnancy prevention, although the grade 9-12 portion of the Comprehensive Health Framework (2006) addresses prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases if schools choose to offer sex education. Code §37-13-171 (1998) states, "abstinence education shall be the state standard for any sex-related education taught in the public schools" and "any course containing sex education offered in the public schools shall include instruction in abstinence education.²
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Bristol Palin commanded considerable press when it was discovered that she and her teenage boyfriend, Levi Johnston, were expecting their first child.

She's back in the news again. In an interview with Greta van Susteren of Fox News, Palin, 18, balked at abstinence education, saying it wasn't "realistic."

In doing so, she slammed her mother, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who had been the vice-presidential running mate of John McCain in Election 2008. Gov. Palin was well known for opposing sex education in favor of abstinence education programs.

While there is no indication that Gov. Palin has softened her stance, Bristol seems firmly on the anti-teen pregnancy bandwagon.

"I'd love to [be] an advocate to prevent teen pregnancy because it's not, like, a situation that you would want to strive for, I guess," Bristol Palin said in her Fox interview.

Notes: 1 and 2 from healthyschoolsms.org; photo from google images

For Your Consideration--marlboro shand for Commerce

Dear Mr. President Obama,

It seems that you're having a bit of trouble filling the cabinet vacancy at commerce.

Your most recent pick to fill the post, Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), announced his decision to rescind his nomination yesterday, eloquently stating that it would have been very difficult "day in and day out to serve in this cabinet."

Well, sir, look no further.

I've found the perfect candidate to fill the void: ME.

I love both America and Commerce!

For one thing, I'd never pull a stunt like the one Gregg just pulled.

Plus, I'm a local.

I might not have any all of the necessary skills at present, but everyone knows that on each job there's a steep learning curve. I'm sure being Secretary of Commerce is no different.

Feel free to reach me at your earliest convience at marlshand77@gmail.com.

Pic: via nytimes.com

The Lady Still Sings

She has been described as possibly the greatest jazz vocalist, but for a long time when I saw the name Billie Holiday, all I could think of was the character Diana Ross had played in "Lady Sings the Blues."

Now I knew she was a real person, but the film had colored my perception of her. Though the film has very little to do with the life Billie Holiday actually led, the image of Holiday as a hard-living, heroin-addicted jazz singer is the one that remains.

But last year I got to know the "real" Holiday when I read her autobiography of the same name. The only problem is, as many musical historians have noted, that the book is highly fictionalized. In fact, it wasn't even written by Holiday, but by William Dufty, a journalist.

What most agree on is that she lived from 1915 from 1959 and had a crippling drug addiction that marred most of her adult life. Much like the character in the film, she was a hard-living, heroin-addicted jazz singer. And yes, she was a victim--of herself, the system, men, you name it. But she was an artist, and her talent is still undeniable.

Mother Dear is coming to save us; Bulletproof gear required

10 whole days until our favorite man in drag returns... Start buying your tickets now. I have a feeling this one is going to sell out opening weekend.

How many of y'all are planning on checking this out? What's your favorite Tyler Perry flick?

The Grammy's

There's nothing like great live music. That's why I'm so excited that the Grammy Awards will air on Sunday on CBS at 8 pm.

Lil Wayne leads the pack with eight nominations, followed by Coldplay with seven noms, and Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, and Kayne West with six nominations.

A personal favorite, Al Green's "Lay It Down" was nominated for multiple awards in the R&B categories.

The Grammy's, the music industry's top prize, bestows awards in 114 categories, recognizing every genre--from reggae to classical to pop. But there are two categories I'll be watching extremely close:

Category 8 Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. The nominees are:

"Lesson Learned" Alicia Keys, John Mayer
"4 Minutes" Madonna, Justin Timberlake
"Rich Woman" Allison Krauss, Robert Plant
"If I Never See Your Face" Rihanna, Maroon 5
"No Air" Jordan Sparks, Chris Brown

"No Air" by Jordan and Chris is a very nice song, but may be a little too pop for this pop category. Madonna's "4 Minutes" is nice and booming, but how is it different from other Timbaland productions? Rihanna and Maroon 5. Probably not. It'll come down to "Rich Woman" and "Lesson Learned." Allison Krauss has already won more competitive Grammys than any other woman in history; she and partner Robert Plant will likely win in other categories.

My pick is "Lesson Learned." Alicia Keys and John Mayer have both become Grammy favorites and critical darlings. I don't think the academy will overlook them for this wonderful song. It's a minor tour de force with a wonderful lyric about redemption. When Alicia sings: "It's called the past/ Cause I'm getting past/ I ain't nothing like I was before/ You ought to see me now," it's truly an AMEN moment.




Category 4 . Best New Artist (For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.) The nominees are:

Adele
Duffy
The Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

No doubt about it, The Jonas Brothers have this locked up... if the award were for winning the hearts of tween girls. But a Grammy, I think not. And even though I fear that she might bust the windows in my car, I don't think this is Jazmine Sullivan's year. Sorry,baby girl. Lady Antebellum. Who are you? That leaves us with the two Brits. An Adele-Duffy showdown similar to the Christina Aguilera-Britney Spears showdown at the 2000 awards. Duffy, from Wales, scored with her huge hit "Mercy."

But my personal pick to win is Adele. Although only 20, she showcases ability well beyond her years. Her vocals soar in "Hometown Glory," a song she wrote at 16. She performs it as if she were an old pro.

The New Black Anthem

Might take a little flack for this, but it's time for a new "black national anthem"

Thanks to James Weldon Johnson for giving us "Lift Ev'Ry Voice and Sing." The song is a Black History Month staple, and every February it gets a good working over.

"Voice," I love ya so much, but you've served your purpose.

First, you're too difficult to sing. With up-and-down phrasing--"Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us"-- it reminds me of a car repetitively going over steep hills.

Second, the concepts we've been singing about all these years--justice, liberty, victory--are too abstract.

For your consideration, I'm offering "Crack Music," an exceptional song from Kanye West's sophomore disc, Late Registration.

West offers "real black music." The song, a warts-and-all description of contemporary black America, serves up the greatest history lesson since "Eyes on the Prize."

Crack Music (Feat. The Game) - Kanye West

Theater Review--Fabulation

Undine Barnes-Callas isn't exactly the poster girl for "keeping it real."

As the central character in Lynn Nottage's comic "Fabulation or, The Re-education of Undine," she's a prep-school and Dartmouth- educated dynamic diva who was left all alone in the world when her family perished in a house fire.

She's blunt, sarcastic, speaks with authority and calls it like she sees it.

"Send the pussy in," Undine says introducing her accountant, who is, indeed, a pussy.

So even when she receives her eventual comeuppance, it's hard to muster schadenfreude when Undine takes her steep tumble from being an utterly fabulous public relations entrepreneur living on the Upper East Side to living with her family in the Brooklyn projects.

Yep, the same family she told a reporter from Black Enterprise had perished in a fire yet lives. It turns out they just didn't fit the narrative of what her family should be.

That hints at the central theme of Undine's re-education--where does one fit, what should be? Undine's greatest journey is figuring out who she is--stripped of the designer duds andthe lust-at-first-sight husband who diappeared with all her money.

Sure, her comments are withering, but Undine is still immensely likeable. As she struggles with a life turned upside down, you still wish she would succeed because she is finally confronted with truths that were always lies, a past that can never be left behind, a void still waiting to be filled.

The cast, particularly Natalie Venetia Belcon as Undine, are all superb. "Fabulation or, The Re-education of Undine" runs at Baltimore's Center Stage thru March 8.

Great Grammy Performances, Volume 3

From "Purple Rain:" "...It's such a shame our friendship had to end."

It just doesn't get any better than this, Prince and Beyonce's medly opening the 2004 Grammy Awards. I could go on and on, but the video speaks for itself.

(Sorry, guys. Due to Prince's ongoing tyrannical guarding and copyright of his image, the video is not available. In its place, here's an empty box where the video should be. Enjoy!)

Update: I was able to secure an audio clip via Imeem.com. Still not quite the same, but that's what imaginations are for:


Purple Rain Medley - Prince & Beyonce