Friday Covers are BACK!

It's one of those slow days at work and I've been trying to write more lately. I'm on pace to break my record of 37 entries from a couple years back. Also, I've been reading a lot more lately. You can attribute that to Game of Thrones, and comic trades I've been picking up or reading at the local library.

Being that it's slow today I decided to bring back Friday Afternoon Covers, KNOWLEDGE! (FACK!) I just made that up now... haha.. I know it's stupid. But yes, on to the video, the song, and more importantly the artist.

For today's selection I picked a favorite Cure song of mine, Just Like Heaven, from the classic 1987 alternative brit-synth pop/rock album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.



The artist covering this great song, is just as great. His name is Goh Nakamura and he's a local. He's super talented and a really nice guy. I used to go to a lot of his shows at Ireland's 32 in SF on Geary back in the days. He is involved at a lot of the functions at KSW, Bindlestiff and local other Asian Organizations, which is how I found out about him. His acoustic guitars and soft vocals were a great departure from all the punk rock, hardcore and distorted sounds I was used to listening to all the time. We shared a great love for the Beatles, and he would often do covers at his shows. One time, during a set he busted a Bubble Bobble solo on his acoustic and no one picked it up but me... I was a fan ever since.

He's very versatile, and despite all the covers, he's a excellent song writer and lyricist. One song that pops in my head is his ode to Natalie Portman. And all of us geeks LOVE her... Here's a video of that song.



He's gone on to release a couple albums and even star in an indie film, Surrogate Valentine, that has been recently featured at various film festivals all over. He's a real bonafide star! But even though I haven't seen him in a while, he still the nice down to earth guy I've known. And incredibly gifted...

Here's a trailer for Surrogate Valentine:

Surrogate Valentine Trailer HD from goh nakamura on Vimeo.

PIXIES ARE BACK!!!!!!

In the top 5 list of things that can make me squeal like a little girl, the Pixies rank roughly at number 2. (Probably after Zoey D. or The Beatles) For me, when the Pixies reunited back in '02, I cried like a little girl and nearly fainted like I was at a New Kids concert. But I assure you, it's all about the music and it's that good. The steady beats, complex lyrics, the fast and slow/ loud and soft dynamics that define and pave the way for the grunge sound, yet still retain that semi punk/indie rock feel. They are the most important indie rock band to ever grace the stage in the modern era of music. I truly believe that.

I can remember the first time... It was actually the Breeders that I was into first. And they only had one song that I really liked. But I loved Kim Deal's voice. When I learned of her involvement in the Pixies, it was game over. I was overcoming synth pop fever and dabbling into hardcore, and punk pop and even some hip hop due to its popularity at school circa '91-92, but I always wanted to be different. I found the Pixies, and it's be sonic ear love from that moment since.

I opened my email and got a message from the Pixies mailing list for their Lost Cities Tour. I saw that they will be playing in NAPA!!!! FREAKIN' WINE COUNTRY! 10 minutes away from my ghetto ass town Vallejo! That's freakin' awesome... I told my wife that the Pixies are gonna be in our neck of the woods... and she knew that we were going for sure. I wanna call up Joey and see if he wants to hang out! I'll offer my pad to Frank Black and co. You hear me Kim?!!! I'm only 15 minutes away! Show is November 20th. I'm there... To anyone out there in the internets, you're welcome to join me...