Monday, July 21, 2008

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

"THUMBS UP!"
(A True Story)
Act 1
Scene One

It's late on a stormy and steamy Fourth of July of this year. A group of 4 semi-revelrous adults step into a sparsely crowded West Village bar in Manhattan for a refreshing margarita.

Kristi: "Yeaahhhhhhh!!!"

And with that, the foursome step inside the bar and order their cold drinks.

Bree: "So, how about 'Antartica?'"

Don: "I still like The Meltdowns."

You see, the conversation has been about what would make a good band name. Thus far it has been concluded that the answer is none. There are none good band names.

Waitress walks over to table to take our order, slightly distracted, but mostly tired. Don decides to bring in an outside opinion.

Don: (to waitress) "Let me ask you a question here. I'm gonna give you some band names, and you tell me what you like with a Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down. Ok?"

Don turns to glance over at his company to show he has a master plan. And the true and greatest name of what's been suggested so far, will now be chosen by our unassuming waitress. Just as he's turning back to said waitress with the first band name option, she says...

Waitress: "Ummm...I think I like...Thumbs Up."

Dumbfounded look on all faces concerned.

Waitress: "Yeah. Because Thumbs Down sounds too negative. So I like Thumbs Up."

Don: Ok then. Thank you.

This happened. And I will be thankful for all eternity.

The "Billie Jean" Argument

The story goes like this...

We're at the zany and remote Velvet Elk Studio working on a song, and the song "Billie Jean" gets brought up. Now, this happens more often than you think. It's one of the most simple and brilliant bass and drum intros to a song. I give it tint fragmential adge over Queens' "Another One Bites the Dust." An edge that will most likely switch sides as soon as I next hear "aNother One..."

Anyway, we're discussing the brilliance of the "Billie Jean" bass line and stuffing our faces at the same time. Whilst I am in mid-bite, Paul "Eagle Feather" Garisto decides to chime in with his rendition of the aforementioned bass line. However, he does this incorrectly, or so I believe. An argument, of sorts, ensues. Additionally, I believe I may have won this battle, but Eagle still claims otherwise.

Let's go to the videotape.