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Let's see. The top 50 albums that I've listened to of all time—and as of writing this now, I haven't looked at what they are. Should be good...

raistlinsshadow's top albums (overall) 1. Luc Plamondon et Richard Cocciante - Notre Dame De Paris (Acte I) (858) 2. Panic! At the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (632) 3. Benise - Spanish Nights (472) 4. Luc Plamondon et Richard Cocciante - Notre Dame De Paris (Acte II) (449) 5. Benise - Nights of Fire (417) 6. Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High (410) 7. Fall Out Boy - From Under The Cork Tree (360) 8. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play (350) 9. Stephen Schwartz - Wicked: A New Musical (349) 10. Josh Groban - Closer (308) 11. Flogging Molly - Within a Mile of Home (306) 12. Flogging Molly - Swagger (296) 13. Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies (293) 14. Queen - Queen's greatest hits (291) 15. Josh Groban - Awake (281) 16. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife (267) 17. Nightwish - Once (265) 18. Rachel Portman - Chocolat (264) 19. DragonForce - Inhuman Rampage (260) 20. +44 - When Your Heart Stops Beating (253) 21. Asia - The Very Best of Asia (248) 22. Massilia Sound System - 3968 CR13 (237) 23. The Moody Blues - The Moody Blues Anthology (229) 24. Garou - Seul (223) 25. Kamel Ouali - Le Roi Soleil (Acte II) (221) 26. Nightwish - Wishmaster (214) 27. Dropkick Murphys - The Warrior's Code (210) 28. Nickelback - All the Right Reasons (209) 29. Dropkick Murphys - Blackout (207) 30. The Killers - Sam's Town (201) 31. Kamel Ouali - Le Roi Soleil (Acte I) (198) 32. BT - Emotional Technology (197) 33. Klaus Badelt - Pirates of the Caribbean (196) 34. Shakira - Laundry Service (193) 35. Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City (182) 36. Nightwish - Oceanborn (173) 37. Paramore - RIOT! (172) 38. Muse - Black Holes & Revelations (171) 39. Kamelot - The Black Halo (170) 40. Lewis Black - The White Album (164) 41. The Onion - The Onion Radio News (160) 42. Vivaldi - Mandolin Concertos, Violin Concertos, Flute Concertos (158) 43. Nightwish - Century Child (157) 44. Gaelic Storm - Bring Yer Wellies (154) 45. Flogging Molly - Float (154) 46. The Killers - Hot Fuss (150) 47. DragonForce - Sonic Firestorm (146) 48. Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue (143) 49. Enya - Amarantine (143) 50. Hollie Smith - Light From a Distant Shore (142)

moonwalkmcfly's top albums (overall)
1. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (450) 2. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (355) 3. The Mountain Goats - Ghana (260) 4. Elliott Smith - New Moon (240) 5. The Clash - London Calling (239) 6. The Onion - The Onion Radio News (234) 7. The Band - A Musical History (232) 8. Elliott Smith - XO (228) 9. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (220) 10. Guided by Voices - Alien Lanes (215) 11. Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat (211) 12. The Wrens - The Meadowlands (210) 13. Hank Williams - 40 Greatest Hits (200) 14. Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True (200) 15. Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings (198) 16. Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill (196) 17. Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous (193) 18. The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree (192) 19. The Wrens - Silver (180) 20. Memphis Minnie - The Essential (180) 21. Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde (179) 22. Elliott Smith - Either/Or (174) 23. The Kinks - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (173) 24. The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee (169) 25. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (165) 26. The Wrens - Secaucus (163) 27. Elliott Smith - Figure 8 (161) 28. Rilo Kiley - The Execution of All Things (161) 29. Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand (161) 30. Pixies - Doolittle (160) 31. Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks (158) 32. The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies (157) 33. The Kinks - Something Else By The Kinks (157) 34. The Mountain Goats - All Hail West Texas (156) 35. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (153) 36. The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street (149) 37. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (148) 38. Belle and Sebastian - Push Barman To Open Old Wounds (148) 39. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash (148) 40. David Bowie - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (145) 41. Bob Dylan - Biograph (144) 42. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News (142) 43. Lou Reed - Berlin (142) 44. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Armed Forces (141) 45. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (139) 46. The Mountain Goats - Full Force Galesburg (139) 47. Belle and Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap (138) 48. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica (138) 49. The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God (137) 50. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York (134)

Monthly Top Artists

Jul-2005
Mary Chapin Carpenter (88 plays)
Aug-2005
Rufus Wainwright (59 plays)
Sep-2005
Mary Chapin Carpenter (82 plays)
Oct-2005
Mary Chapin Carpenter (92 plays)
Nov-2005
Dar Williams (84 plays)
Dec-2005
Alabama (63 plays)
Jan-2006
Mary Chapin Carpenter (71 plays)
Feb-2006
Catie Curtis (56 plays)
Mar-2006
Mary Chapin Carpenter (43 plays)
Apr-2006
Mary Chapin Carpenter (129 plays)
May-2006
Mary Chapin Carpenter (55 plays)
Jun-2006
The Onion (30 plays)
Jul-2006
Keith Whitley (59 plays)
Aug-2006
The Weepies (63 plays)
Sep-2006
Mary Chapin Carpenter (47 plays)
Oct-2006
The Weepies (34 plays)
Nov-2006
Mary Chapin Carpenter (124 plays)
Dec-2006
Melissa Ferrick (91 plays)
Jan-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (125 plays)
Feb-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (163 plays)
Mar-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (279 plays)
Apr-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (188 plays)
May-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (271 plays)
Jun-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (115 plays)
Jul-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (81 plays)
Aug-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (88 plays)
Sep-2007
Ani DiFranco (23 plays)
Oct-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (25 plays)
Nov-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter (17 plays)
Dec-2007
Perry Como (11 plays)
Jan-2008
Eliza Gilkyson (27 plays)
Feb-2008
Get Set Go (20 plays)
Mar-2008
Ani DiFranco (29 plays)
Apr-2008
Mary Chapin Carpenter (25 plays)
May-2008
Montgomery Gentry (84 plays)
Jun-2008
Trisha Yearwood (93 plays)
Jul-2008
Mary Chapin Carpenter (63 plays)
Aug-2008
Mary Chapin Carpenter (62 plays)
Sep-2008
Mary Chapin Carpenter (186 plays)
Oct-2008
Mary Chapin Carpenter (192 plays)
Nov-2008
Catie Curtis (124 plays)
Dec-2008
Mary Chapin Carpenter (78 plays)
Jan-2009
Mary Chapin Carpenter (72 plays)
Feb-2009
Mary Chapin Carpenter (101 plays)
Mar-2009
Mary Chapin Carpenter (72 plays)
Apr-2009
Mary Chapin Carpenter (82 plays)
May-2009
Mary Chapin Carpenter (64 plays)

Monthly Top Tracks

Jul-2005
Mary Chapin Carpenter : Middle Ground (6 plays)
Aug-2005
Mary Chapin Carpenter : Middle Ground (4 plays)
Sep-2005
Mary Chapin Carpenter : Middle Ground (6 plays)
Oct-2005
Eliza Gilkyson : Man of God (7 plays)
Nov-2005
Catie Curtis : Elizabeth (6 plays)
Dec-2005
Dar Williams : Beautiful Enemy (11 plays)
Jan-2006
Trace Adkins : Honky Tonk Badonkadonk (11 plays)
Feb-2006
Dar Williams : Beautiful Enemy (4 plays)
Mar-2006
Catie Curtis : Hold On (3 plays)
Apr-2006
Eliza Gilkyson : Hard Times In Babylon (24 plays)
May-2006
Eliza Gilkyson : Hard Times In Babylon (9 plays)
Jun-2006
The Onion : Muppeteer's Right Hand In Critical Condition Following Elmo Assassination Attempt (5 plays)
Jul-2006
The Weepies : Painting By Chagall (9 plays)
Aug-2006
The Weepies : Painting By Chagall (10 plays)
Sep-2006
Catie Curtis : Radical (4 plays)
Oct-2006
Eddie From Ohio : Old Dominion (6 plays)
Nov-2006
Catie Curtis : It's A Wonder (25 plays)
Dec-2006
Get Set Go : I Hate Everyone (16 plays)
Jan-2007
Melissa Ferrick : Closer (22 plays)
Feb-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter : Middle Ground (22 plays)
Mar-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter : On With the Song (45 plays)
Apr-2007
Catie Curtis : It's A Wonder (14 plays)
May-2007
Catie Curtis : It's A Wonder (19 plays)
Jun-2007
Loudon Wainwright III : Grey In L.A. (9 plays)
Jul-2007
Mary Chapin Carpenter : On With the Song (6 plays)
Aug-2007
Sarah Bettens : Don't Stop (6 plays)
Sep-2007
Montgomery Gentry : What Do Ya Think About That (4 plays)
Oct-2007
Barenaked Ladies : If I Had $1000000 (4 plays)
Nov-2007
Barenaked Ladies : Jane (3 plays)
Dec-2007
Alan Jackson : Let It Be Christmas (6 plays)
Jan-2008
Eliza Gilkyson : Sleeping (4 plays)
Feb-2008
Jimmy Eat World : The Middle (3 plays)
Mar-2008
Good Charlotte : Riot Girl (3 plays)
Apr-2008
Montgomery Gentry : Lucky Man (3 plays)
May-2008
Montgomery Gentry : Lucky Man (36 plays)
Jun-2008
Montgomery Gentry : She Don't Tell Me To (19 plays)
Jul-2008
Get Set Go : I Hate Everyone (7 plays)
Aug-2008
Jimmy Buffett : A Pirate Looks At Forty (11 plays)
Sep-2008
Melissa Ferrick : Hypocrite (16 plays)
Oct-2008
Melissa Ferrick : Hypocrite (13 plays)
Nov-2008
Catie Curtis : Jane (6 plays)
Dec-2008
The Drifters : White Christmas (9 plays)
Jan-2009
Bruce Springsteen : The Wrestler (7 plays)
Feb-2009
Plain White T's : Hey There Delilah (10 plays)
Mar-2009
Lori McKenna : Fireflies (11 plays)
Apr-2009
Brandi Carlile : My Song (10 plays)
May-2009
Taylor Swift : Hey Stephen (16 plays)

Recommended Songs (sorted by most recommended songs)

Amarillo Sky : Jason Aldean (Score = 166.04)
Guys Like Me : Eric Church (Score = 154.18)
Startin' With Me : Jake Owen (Score = 150.89)
Boondocks : Little Big Town (Score = 150.88)
One Wing In The Fire : Trent Tomlinson (Score = 144.36)
Chicks Dig It : Chris Cagle (Score = 130.59)
Dust On The Bottle : David Lee Murphy (Score = 127.84)
Every Time I Hear Your Name : Keith Anderson (Score = 122.45)
Win 'em Over : Melissa Ferrick (Score = 120.5)
Miss Me Baby : Chris Cagle (Score = 118.25)
Bring It On Home : Little Big Town (Score = 113.39)
Feels Just Like It Should : Pat Green (Score = 112.82)
Sweet Southern Comfort : Buddy Jewell (Score = 112.68)
Good Directions : Billy Currington (Score = 111.16)
Nobody but Me : Blake Shelton (Score = 108.01)
Moments : Emerson Drive (Score = 107.98)
I'll Wait For You : Joe Nichols (Score = 106.96)
Leap Year : Maria Taylor (Score = 106.91)
North Star Grassman and the Ravens : Sandy Denny (Score = 106.61)
If Heaven : Andy Griggs (Score = 106.26)
Train : Sonya Kitchell (Score = 106.26)
Play Untill The Bottle's Gone : Thea Gilmore (Score = 106.09)
Teardrops on my Guitar : Taylor Swift (Score = 105.66)
Xanax (Album Version) : Maria Taylor (Score = 105.39)
The Dollar : Jamey Johnson (Score = 104.78)
All Jacked Up : Gretchen Wilson (Score = 104.12)
I Was Drunk At The Pulpit : Jolie Holland (Score = 103.7)
Micael : Juana Molina (Score = 102.4)
Alright OK : Rachael Sage (Score = 102.18)
Peach, Plum, Pear : Joanna Newsom (Score = 101.87)
mt. st helens : Mirah (Score = 101.69)
Johnny Cash : Jason Aldean (Score = 100.51)
Tell Yourself : Natalie Merchant (Score = 100.3)
We're Both So Sorry : Mirah (Score = 99.79)
Settle For A Slowdown : Dierks Bentley (Score = 99.68)
You've Changed (LP Version) : Joni Mitchell (Score = 99.54)
This Time : Tracy Chapman (Score = 99.28)
In Terms Of Love : SHeDaisy (Score = 98.89)
World Before Columbus : Suzanne Vega (Score = 98.81)
Come On Rain : Steve Holy (Score = 98.78)
Iris's Song (Version 2) : Vashti Bunyan (Score = 98.51)
Workhorse : My Brightest Diamond (Score = 98.29)
Not In This Life (Remastered LP Version) : Natalie Merchant (Score = 98.26)
Money For Floods : We're About 9 (Score = 98.17)
Where Gravity Is Dead : Laura Veirs (Score = 98.17)
Dixie Lullaby : Pat Green (Score = 98.03)
Stolen Car (Album Version) : Beth Orton (Score = 98.01)
Salty Dog : Cat Power (Score = 97.96)
It's Over : Martha Wainwright (Score = 97.95)
Ribbon Bow : Karen Dalton (Score = 96.91)
Alyssa Lies : Jason Michael Carroll (Score = 96.82)
Don't Ask Me How I Know : Bobby Pinson (Score = 96.5)
Shelter : Sarah McLachlan (Score = 95.85)
I May Hate Myself In The Morning : Lee Ann Womack (Score = 95.63)
Ballad Of Easy River : Kathryn Williams (Score = 95.35)
Wave on Wave : Pat Green (Score = 95.15)
Long Trip Alone : Dierks Bentley (Score = 95.12)
Only Skin : Joanna Newsom (Score = 95.1)
Way Over Yonder : Carole King (Score = 94.95)
Foreign Skies : Kathryn Williams (Score = 94.9)
Little Bird : Emmylou Harris (Score = 94.69)
You've Changed : Joni Mitchell (Score = 93.72)
The Beauty Of The Rain (Album Version) : Dar Williams (Score = 93.52)
Stupid Boy : Keith Urban (Score = 93.28)
El Salvador : Joan Baez (Score = 93.11)
Calypso : Suzanne Vega (Score = 93.06)
New Strings : Miranda Lambert (Score = 93)
Carry Me Home : Polly Paulusma (Score = 92.51)
The Path of Thorns (Terms) : Sarah McLachlan (Score = 91.28)
I'll Keep It With Mine : Judy Collins (Score = 90.91)
Fly : Patty Griffin (Score = 90.73)
Never Yours (album version) : Tracy Chapman (Score = 90.46)
One Day : KT Tunstall (Score = 90.45)
Ramblin' Round (Featuring Ani DiFranco) (Live) : Indigo Girls (Score = 90.43)
My Kind of Music : Ray Scott (Score = 89.89)
Who Was I Kidding? (USZO10506312) : Martha Wainwright (Score = 89.47)
Not What You Want : Cat Power (Score = 89.22)
Gypsy Rose : Tracy Grammer (Score = 89.13)
Whispering Bells / Rambler Gambler : Joan Baez (Score = 88.84)
Something To Remember Me By : Polly Paulusma (Score = 88.82)
You Just Need a Home (Spotlight) : Lucy Kaplansky (Score = 88.63)
Anniversary Song : Eva Cassidy (Score = 88)
Cool Water : Laura Veirs (Score = 86.87)
Brief Bus Stop : Ani DiFranco (Score = 86.29)
Favorite State of Mind : Josh Gracin (Score = 86.13)
XXL : Keith Anderson (Score = 85.92)
How Deep Is Your Love? (Album Version) : Jonatha Brooke (Score = 85.24)
I Miss My Friend : Darryl Worley (Score = 85.01)
The Way I Feel (Gordon Lightfoot) : Sandy Denny (Score = 84.95)
Famous Song : Marissa Nadler (Score = 84.77)
An Die Musik [Schubert/Schoberl] : Josephine Foster (Score = 84.7)
World Could End : Jess Klein (Score = 84.27)
The Long Walk : Nina Nastasia (Score = 84.11)
One Old Woman : Nina Nastasia (Score = 84.09)
The Gambler : Thea Gilmore (Score = 83.19)
That's What I Love About Sunday : Craig Morgan (Score = 82.98)
Let Go : Frou Frou (Score = 82.55)
Can't Stop The Girl (LP Version) : Linda Thompson (Score = 82.51)
Cellar Door : Holly Brook (Score = 82.4)
Truth : Patty Griffin (Score = 82.16)

The Onion - Obama Calls On Nation To Put In One Solid Day Of Work

It's a mindless "YR TOP [WHATEVA]" survey to keep me amused for a few minutes!

1. How did you get into 30? (The Onion)
I find the weekly publication somewhat amusing, so I began listening to the podcast.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? (John Vanderslice)
Time Travel Is Lonely

3. What's your favorite lyric by 7? (Ok City Ok)
Either "She gets mad and makes that Kabuki face," or "Navigating by parallel lines that intersect in incoherent lives." It depends on my mood.

4. What is your favorite album by 9? (Modest Mouse)
The Lonesome Crowded West.

5. How many albums do you own by number 13? (Spacehog)
The three officially released ones, plus one promo of their second album (it's different than the officially released one), and another promo EP, plus various singles.

6. What is your favorite song by 28? (Ghostland Observatory)
Silver City

7. Is there a song by 12 that makes you sad? (Toadies)
Not really. Maybe Away, kinda.

8. What is your favorite song by 15? (Gorillaz)
El Mañana

9. What is your favorite song by 5? (Voxtrot)
Blood Red Blood

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? (The Duckhills)
Yes! Plenty! But especially Dumber than a rock

11. What is your favorite album by 24? (Franz Ferdinand)
You Could Have It So Much Better

12. What is your favorite song by 10? (The Real Heroes)
Metal Only

3. What is a good memory you have involving 29? (R.E.M.)
One (?) week during the summer of 2004. Nightswimming.

14. What is your favorite song by 17? (Zero 7)
Warm Sound

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? (OutKast)
Hey Ya!. Not all of the lyrics are that happy, but it's just so damn danceable.

16. How many times have you seen 25 live? (Dewato)
None. They broke up before I knew they were the ones who did my mystery song.

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? (The Boy Least Likely To)
The first one they played when I saw them live... Was it Fur Soft as Fur?

18. What is your favorite album by 11? (Household Names)
Picture In My Head

19. What is your favorite song by 1? (Spoon)
Pft, it changes constantly. Right now, maybe The Beast and Dragon, Adored.

20. Have you ever seen 14 live? (Big Soy)
Yes!

21. What is a good memory involving 27? (The Black and White Years)
Moustaches!

22. What is your favorite song by 16? (The Beatles)
Hmmm... Tomorrow Never Knows?

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 4? (Talking Heads)
Wild Wild Life. I was one year old.

24. What is your favorite album by 21? (Led Zeppelin)
Either Houses of the Holy or In Through the Out Door.

25. What is your favorite song by 18? (The Handsome Charlies)
Do you really have to ask? Coffee!!!

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? (Blowing Trees)
Dark Stares

27. What is your favorite album by 3? (David Byrne)
The Catherine Wheel

28. What is you favorite song by 2? (Brian Eno)
Uhhh... Mother Whale Eyeless, maybe.

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 20? (The Shins)
First one I recall hearing was Phantom Limb, though I'm sure I hard something by them before that.

30. What is you favorite song by 8? (Kissinger)
Shame

Cabaret is a form that has been taken over by those it once proposed to bury.

Cabaret used to be dangerous. Marya Delvard performing in 1901 at the Elf Scharfrichter--a cabaret in Munich with a name that translates as "Eleven Executioners." http://www.nodanw.com/shows_c/cabaret_essay.htm Her tall, thin, form in a tight black dress--imagine Diamanda Galas, but a hundred years ago. Someone whom I'm sure the respectable citizens thought was a succubus. She sang Wedekind's Ilse, a song about a promiscuous teenage girl. The cabaret was associated with the radical magazine Simplicissimus.

Now we're left with people performing limp versions of standards interspersed with the dryest of banter. The form has been neutered, made respectable and boring. There is no sense of danger. No sense of excitement. And no politics. Tragic divas are classic--but it's not tragic to be out of date, just mediocre.

There are a few who still could save the form. Kiki and Herb are vital and skewer the conventions of cabaret in the same way that The Onion and Chris Morris' Brass Eye ridicule the conventions of journalism. Their song choices, the narratives they construct to thread the songs together, all point to a highly developed sense of awareness. Self-awareness is a current necessity. How can you still be barely modern in a post-modern age?

In London, Duckie is a weekly event which features performance. The punters in the audience don't pay that much attention to what's going on stage--their own loss. Last time I was there I saw a performance by the amazing artist Marissa Carnesky where she painted her nude body in colors representing the biblical plagues. I also saw an amusing array of characters portrayed by Jo Neary.

In San Francisco, there was dangerous cabaret at the Odeon Bar, a dive bar which billed itself as a hangout for circus performers. Among those that have performed there are the Thrill-peddlers, who have a historical sense, reviving plays of the French Grand Guignol, where sex and murder are played live in front of the audience. Now they have a home at the Hypnodrome.

Those expensive places with high ticket prices and people who think they are sophisticated but are just tasteless bore me. Empty lies. The bourgouis should not be pandered to by cabaret, but attacked.

I attended the Neo-Dandy Cabaret, directed by Keith Hennesy (also responsible for bringing politics to the circus with Circo Zero), with appearances by Ian Callas of Mutilated Mannequins (whom I accompanied on piano in a soprano opera-goth-pop cabaret act for several years), and writers Mattilda/Matt Bernstein Sycamore and Kirk Read.

Tim Fischer from Germany, whom we were lucky enough to see at the now defunct Josie's Cabaret in San Francisco, is a talented musician and performer, an andogynous angel who interprets songs in several languages.

Antony and the Johnsons--like a faerie embryo wrapped in umbilical gauze, like a new-hatched chick, in a room packed with the knowing, despite the fact of it being his West coast debut and his music available only as imports. Antony is like an alien gracing us with a visit. No wonder he has been taken under the wings of Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson. Antony knows his lineage - Jack Smith and his Flaming Creatures, The Cockettes, Hibiscus, and the Angels of Light.

Momus gets it. In the UK Cabaret was paralleled by Music Hall, and Momus, a.k.a. Nick Currie, uses that as his idiom. He released an album as though it was recorded live in a pre-World War I cabaret called The Cave of the Golden Calf. That name--as though worshipping an idol--is the opposite of iconoclasm. His characteristic songs are full of references political, artistic, and sexual, and he creates vivid characters in his songwriting and performance.

Only people who are doing the positive deserve a mention--our villians shall remain nameless figures of straw. Is that cowardice? Yet they know who they are--they will recognize themselves in the indictment and deliver themselves as though personally subpoenaed. Meanwhile the media commit criminal acts by ignoring these brilliant performers.

Cabaret puts together song and story. Oftentimes it is like making a costume from thrift store items--draping the material to the fit of one's own life, and patching together with monologue. But bourgeois cabaret is spinning dross from gold by trotting out overplayed classic songs rather digging deep in the wealth of neglected music.

I want to produce cabaret in a cave. Cavaret. Lights blazing out at the spectators as they crawl in like troglodytes. Watching the shadows play on the rough stone walls. Torches blazing and scorching the ceiling with their smudge of smoke. A boat anchored nearby to make an escape. The waves crashing against the end of the world. Mad King Ludwig's grotto reclaimed by the overtaxed peasants.

Cabaret should terrify. Art should be relevant. That's not a radical statement, simply fact.

[Written 2004]

1. How did you get into 29? (Paul Colman Trio)

Got given a copy of their album Serious Fun

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? (Thievery Corporation)

Marching the Hate Machines (Into the Sun)


3. What’s your favorite lyric by 33? (Nathan Tasker)

Not sure, probably the chorus from Come See the Morning

4. What is your favorite album by 49? (Jan von Grafenstein)

Only one choice so far, so 13.

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? (Ben Folds)

2 - Rockin' the Suburbs and Songs for Silverman

6. What is your favorite song by 50? (Sons Of Korah)

Psalm 1

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? (Digitalism)

er, no, not really

8. What is your favorite album by 15? (Bitter:Sweet)

Again only one choice: The Mating Game

9. What is your favorite song by 5? (Portishead)

tough one, probably Glory Box

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? (Michael Bublé)

Song for You does most times.

11. What is your favorite album by 40? (Wolfmother)

Yet again, not much choice: Wolfmother

12. What is your favorite song by 10? (dc Talk)

Oooh, a hard one: probably Supernatural. Socially Acceptable from their earlier stuff is good too.

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? (ApologetiX)

Singing their songs with a mate while at a student convention.

14. What is your favorite song by 38? (Radiohead)

Paranoid Android, although that entire album is awesome

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? (Paul Colman)

All U Need

16. How many times have you seen 25 live? (Air)

none, would like to some day though

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? (Jack Johnson)

Bubbly Toes

18. What is your favorite album by 11? (Delirious?)

Glo - 1994

19. Who is a favorite member of 1? (The Idea of North)

Naomi Crellin - her voice is just amazing (although they all are). Andrew Piper comes close second...

20. Have you ever seen 14 live? (Mute Math)

No, I wish I had. Hopefully they tour Aus sometime

21. What is a good memory involving 27? (Mylo)

Summer driving in my work car (Falcon) with Drop the Pressure on the radio...

22. What is your favorite song by 16? (Newsboys)

That's an impossible question to answer. I'm a bigger fan of their earlier stuff, but I think my favourite has to be Lord (I Don't Know) from Thrive

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? (Ulrich Schnauss)

knuddelmaus

24. What is your favorite album by 18? (Ulver)

I really like the new one, Shadows of the Sun, out of the black metal ones Bergtatt is the best

25. What is your favorite song by 21? (Karin Schaupp)

Her version of Gymnopedie No. 1 is very good

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? (Télépopmusik)

Hollywood On My Toothpaste

27. What is your favorite album by 3? (Monty Python)

Another Monty Python Record

28. What is your favorite song by 2? (BarlowGirl)

Never Alone

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? (Danny K)

The Drop

30. What is your favorite song by 8? (Ben Folds Five)

So hard, but probably Kate, followed by Smoke, followed by Imitation of Myself

31. How many times have you seen 17 live? (Relient K)

Zero

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? (Jamiroquai)

Twenty Zero One

33. What is your favorite album by 12? (Thirsty Merc)

Slideshows

34. What is the worst song by 45? (Robert Miles)

Red Zone

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? (Weird Al Yankovic)

Albuquerque

36. What is your favorite album by 48? (DJ Doboy)

Probably Vocal Edition Volume 12

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? (Antonio Vivaldi)

None sadly...

38. What is your favorite song by 36? (Glenn Miller)

Chattanooga Choo-Choo

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? (Nouvelle Vague)

The Killing Moon

40. What is your favorite album by 7? (Massive Attack)

Blue Lines. Better than Mezzanine IMHO

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? (John Mayer)

Daughters

42. What is your favorite album by 41? (Manhattan Transfer)

Don't know...

43. What is your favorite song by 24? (Sky)

Scipio

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? (CAKE)
Singing Short Skirt, Long Jacket very loudly on the way to drop friends off at a train station

45. What is your favorite song by 35? (Rebecca St James)

Forgive Me (feat. BarlowGirl)

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? (The Onion)

I doubt The Onion counts, somehow

47. What is your favorite album by 4? (The Goons)

They didn't really *do* albums, either...

48. Who is a favorite member of 37? (Silverchair)
Has to be Daniel Johns


49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? (Propellerheads)

Unsure, either Spybreak! or History Repeating

50. How many albums do you own by 20? (Madhatters)

one: Friday After Class

Take your top 20 artists. For each of these artists, collect the top 5 similar artists. The resulting number of unique artists is your eclectic score. If the score is small (extreme = 5) your musical preferences are very limited, and if it is large (larger than 80, extreme = 100), then you have an eclectic musical preference. You can compute your own score at http://anthony.liekens.net/pub/scripts/last.fm/eclectic.php

My eclectic score is currently



The 93 related artists for my profile are Albert Ayler Ali Farka Touré Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder (2) Ali Farka Touré, Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Jim Keltner, John Patitucci & Ry Cooder Ali Farka Touré, Jim Keltner, John Patitucci & Ry Cooder Amadou & Mariam Andy Bowers Antonio Vivaldi (2) Armen Chakmakian Bill Evans Bill Frisell Bob Dylan Boubacar Traoré Brad Mehldau Cali Lewis CBC Radio 3 CBC Radio Podcasting CBC Radio Podcasts CBC Radio: The Best of Ideas Charles Mingus Chicago Public Radio Chick Corea cLOUDDEAD commandN David Bowie Deva Premal Devakant Dido digg.com Doctor Tiki Déjà Vu/Tasmin Enigma Eric Dolphy Fela Kuti Frédéric Chopin (2) Genesis Georg Friedrich Händel Hannah Jones/Respect Hariprasad Chaurasia Johann Sebastian Bach John Coltrane John Scofield & Pat Metheny Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett Trio Krishna Das Ludwig van Beethoven (2) Madonna Miles Davis (2) Mitzi B/Tabu Moby Neil Young Nick Drake Nikhil Banerjee Ornette Coleman Pat Metheny Pat Metheny Group Patrick Norton Pharoah Sanders Quirks & Quarks - CBC Radio R.E.M. Ravi Shankar Respect/Shirley Lewis Sada Sat kaur Sage Francis Science Friday Podcast Shivkumar Sharma Simon & Garfunkel Sina Vodjani Sixtoo Snatam Kaur Khalsa Sole Sting Sun Ra The Beatles (2) The Cranberries The Onion The Police The Rolling Stones The Velvet Underground Thelonious Monk Themselves Tinariwen Tulku U2 Van Morrison Vilayat Khan Weather Report Who's That Girl WNYC, New York Public Radio Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (2) Zeava Ben Zen Men