8.Iced Tea
Don’t put tropical shit in it! Hold the sugar, svp.
9.The Mighty Boosh
Why hasn’t this British comedy show been released in the United States yet?!
10. Everyone Who Voted
Yes, you. I don’t even care who you voted for. You voted. I’m so proud! Now we need to get Canadians to start voting—help me out!
11. Weird Science
My favorite John Hughes movie. Best watched when super-tired. I love the line where Kelly LeBrock is yelling at Wyatt’s grandpa, saying, “You can’t just go around hitting people with your Rex Harrison hat!” And who can forget Chet?
12. Paintings by Amy Casey
Sometimes when you are making something (in this case, a record), you find another artist by accident who spurs you on. I ran across Amy’s paintings in a magazine. I was so excited and freaked out. I contacted her gallery and asked if I could use some images for artwork on my CD. She said yes! We have since shared Hungarian food, and I had an amazing dream where I was going to see her band play and I got in a fight with a random lady who peed on the toilet seat. Amy is very soft-spoken, funny and paints buildings like they’re living, feeling things. [amycaseypainting.com]
13. Paintings by Sidney Nolan
He’s an Australian genius with a Ned Kelly obsession. His paintings are like twisted folk songs with beautiful colors. He doesn’t shy away from the grizzly, either. I saw some of his paintings at the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide. I loved them so much I had to go back twice on the same trip. Then I had to read True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey. See how art does that? It just keeps showing you new and exciting things! [pictureaustralia.org/nolan]
14. Nick Cave And Warren Ellis Soundtracks
No one can create a cinematic mood like these two. The soundtracks for The Proposition (a great movie also written by Nick Cave) and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford are both juicy. I love to put these on while I work.
15. Co-Ed Rock ‘N’ Roll
Chicks on one side, men on the other = lame. I want my music all-in. I’m not talking about tough-as-hell all-girl bands, just the “women only” camps. They want in your wallet! It’s a gimmick where the joke’s on the ladies. Nine times out of 10 it’s a man’s idea anyway—some lawyer, promoter or manager. Let’s just balance it out by adding more ladies to bands with guys. Then, we all win.
16. Saveur Magazine
Amazing food pornography. And facts.
17. Remembering My Dreams
I think this may be my very favorite thing on Earth. I have a lot of dreams where people who’ve passed away call me on the phone. It’s always a grey princess phone. Hmm. I had a dream where I worked in a jack-off parlor. Is there even such a thing as a “jack-off parlor?” I didn’t actually see any of that go down in the dream; it was more about observing little details about my co-workers, who were a surly bunch of girls. A lot of the songs on my record come from dreams—“This Tornado Loves You” and “Prison Girls” both. Once I dreamt I was getting it on with Steve Earle and Madonna. She told me my hair looked like a wig. I had a dream where Jim James from My Morning Jacket and my friend Jocelyne were driving around in a beat up Smart car looking for an elephant that had gotten loose from a local farm. I guess Jocelyne was going to lead the elephant home by his leash out the window. Jim was using only a walkie-talkie to communicate, even to speak to Jocelyne, who was sitting right next to him—in a Smart car! It was awesome. I could go on. But the best dream I’ve had lately was where my grandma called me on the grey princess phone, and I answered it in the middle of a big green pasture. She passed away a year ago, but she was calling to tell me she was feeling much better and wanted me to know she was looking out for me. She said she was traveling through Thailand and having a ball; in fact she had to go so she wouldn’t miss her connection. “Wait!” I said, “Do you have anything else to tell me?” She thought about it for quite a while. She finally answered in a soft and serious tone, “Make sure you have your say.” She said it like she was telling everyone, so I thought I should let you know. —Love N
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