This video is predicated upon the (impossible) idea that two candidates running for office must have completely opposed viewpoints at all times. At worst, beginning an answer in a debate by agreeing to part of the other side's argument is great rhetoric. At its best, it represents deep-seated sensibility.

Here's a great book on the subject:
Thank You For Arguing

I'm not sure when or where it started, but I used to play this game with my friends where we'd try and figure out who the "heaviest" legend was in terms of having the clout to bump another superstar from a reservation at a packed restaurant on a Saturday night. It starts to get fun when you work your way up to bickering about whether Robert De Niro bumps Bob Dylan, or Springsteen bumps Bono, but the game quickly runs out of steam when you realize that nobody can top Paul Newman. You can sort of picture Bill Clinton standing at the front of Nobu waiting for a table to pay their check, smiling and whispering "Paul NEWMAN is here!"

Nobody will ever be that cool again.

What a tour.

"...some pictures from this past Tuesday night, less than a mile from the Republican National Convention. We were asked to come up and shoot an unannounced surprise show by our friends Rage Against the Machine on the lawn of the Minnesota State Capitol. And it would have been a cool show in front of about 7500 young surprised fans. Except the second the band got out of their van to walk to the stage, the Minn. State Police confronted them and told them they would not be going on stage, not to try it, and if they did the power would be cut. Then suddenly there were about 300+ Riot Police, in full gear, circling the Lawn. And then they cut the power. With the fans going nuts, and the Troopers not budging, the band were brilliant. Zack, Tom, Tim and Brad, walked around to the crowd in front of the stage, and led the audience in an unplugged Rage protest set through just a megaphone."

Hilarious.

Fascinating Skill Set.

Smart.

Buy me that.

High Art.

Collaborated with KAWS.
(TalentedxNice=Badass)
Coming soon to a front row near you...

Busey was hired by a company called GotVMail to pontificate about all things business. They posted 40 videos to their youtube channel today. Here are my faves:

Lil Demon Vs. Ron Roxworth
(Ron was later disqualified after delivering a powerful and illegal crotchthrust to the face{:30})

Ron Roxworth Vs Evan The Weirdo

Evan The Weirdo Vs Marcocoa Puffs

Kangaroo Vs Man

Customized black PVD Sea-Dweller...

No reason to pay so much for rare pieces when you can make your own...
Only two black Sea-Dwellers with the JMMS dial exist. Love it.
(Bob has the other...)

It's always great to see James play in those rare and special times that our travels line up.

Even though he didn't win the match, it's always exciting to watch him play. I love watching great people do their thing. I'm not sure how he calls up that much energy and focus, but maybe he wonders the same thing about me. No, that's not possible.

Got back to the hotel when Michael handed me the CD/DVD, hot off the presses. The finished product is always a thrill. I watched about a cumulative 7 minutes and then ejected it because, in the immortal words of P.W. Herman, "I don't have to watch it. I lived it."

George Carlin was my favorite comic.
He had what a virtuoso must: control.
Virtuosos take away the fear in you that they will drop the ball,
because they never do.

He would ease you into generally agreeing with his world view and then sneak in the oddest statement he could come up with, like "You ever get hit in the head with an axe?"

One time he told this joke about his grandfather retiring for the evening, telling him "I'm gonna go upstairs and f**k your grandma for a while."

His telling of the Aristocrats joke is by far the most vulgar and graphic.

He was also one of those entertainers whom you "share custody" with someone you love.
My brother Carl and I would recite Carlin lines all the time...

He was known as a "counter-cultural" comedian.
And it's a shame he's gone, because these days there's a hell of a lot of culture to be countered.

It's the only thing I do globally well, playing music. Everything else in my life tips its hat to it...

The Guitar Rig

Chad, David and George Getting Sounds...

See you out there.

My friend Jeorge Tripps started a company in 1992 called Way Huge... he made some of the best guitar effects pedals ever before closing the shop down in 1999. Jeorge has since worked at Line 6 and is now designing pedals for Dunlop. He's going to revive the Way Huge line beginning with this pedal he just dropped off today called the "Pork Loin" (Ignore the name on the prototype.)

You'll be hearing it this summer when I take a solo(s).