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Episode 93: Looking Fourward

By Mickey on Leave a Comment

Show Notes:

Recorded Wednesday, January 7 2009 (9:30 PM – 12:00 AM) at Zodiac Racquet Club, Southgate MI
    “Schmoe, Scott, Mickey, and Mike pick the four JB songs that exemplify the holidays and the new year.  (The Roger Clyne podcast starrts at 20:56.)”

    00:18 – the Steve Jobs-less Macworld keynote had been the day before
    00:27 – our second week or never-ending false starts
    01:11 – Mike said the forecast for Houston was sunny and 76°.  Meanwhile, the Detroit area was under a snowy cold snap which made driving tonight particularly perilous
    02:49 – “Christmas Message from Jimmy” at Margaritaville.com
    02:55 – “Outer Banks Diary, Part 3” at Margaritaville.com
    03:03 – Jimmy in St Bart’s for New Years, according to Buffett News
    03:22 – AP’s “Jimmy Buffett, Mogul of Margaritaville” article
    03:39 – “Lucy Buffett Builds Own Brand” article
    04:07 – “GI in ‘Margaritaville’ Brawl Died of Head Trauma” article
    04:52 – evidently the “G.I. Died of Head Trauma” headline threw me off
    06:28 – StubHub’s Top Tens for 2008
    12:50 – Schmoe and I can be heard talking to Jennifer, our waitress, who had quietly come into the room
    18:46 – as heard in Episode 90
    19:13 – as seen below
    20:50 – Scott also suggested “Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season” along the way, but this didn’t make the final cut
    21:25 – as discussed in Episode 85
    23:08 – a reference to Courtney, the girl who cries at WALL•E

      >  Download Episode 93

Our First Annual Beauty Contest

By Mickey on Leave a Comment

    It’s a free-for-all. Fifty-five episodes enter and … well … fifty-five episodes leave — but! … in what order?
    You decide…

    [Unfortunately, Unspun has been discontinued by Amazon. And with it, the results of our poll.]

    Or keep trying http://unspun.amazon.com/widget/embed/variable/10060?width=448&height=360&assoc_id=uns-20

Episode 42: Mike, the Universe, and Everything

By Mickey on Leave a Comment

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, June 20 2007 (9:30 PM – 12:00 AM), at Joe’s Prime Time, Brownstown MI
    “Scott is back, joining Schmoe, Greg, and Mickey in saying a possible goodbye to Mike. We conduct a wide-ranging, free-wheeling interview with Mike, quizzing him on his Buffetty past. Special appearances by Christina, Greg 2.0, and Schmoe’s and Mike’s brood.”

    00:00 – do I need to mention the episode title comes from Douglas Adams?
    00:17 – Scott injured his knee playing goalie in a soccer game at the Shark Invitational the previous Friday.
    02:32 – the official House Resolution No. 333 of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania in PDF format
    02:57 – the Wizard of Oz? More like Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder version, of course)
    03:21 – and now it’s more like Barry Fitzgerald from The Quiet Man
    04:32 – the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Buffett/Chesney “Tropical Twosome” quiz
    05:00 – the occasional slapping sound is us trying to kill flying bugs
    05:25 – Schmoe is singing “Kristina”, from Rick Springfield’s 1995 album  Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet
    06:00 – Jimmy did not pick up the guitar in high school, as Scott says. He picked it up in college (which Wikipedia confirms), but since the quiz specifies “freshman year” it might still be right
    08:21 – hey look, there’s a poll at the bottom of this entry!
    09:04 – sound effect was requested by Schmoe
    09:35 – The Jimmy Show on MySpace; the Monterey Café in Allen Park
    10:13 – Beer Pong rules
    17::01 – what’s all this crap about 8-track? Try 8-Track Heaven or the Wikipedia entry
    17:34 – Mike and I road-tripped to Deer Creek in 1990 and Cincinnati in 1998
    22:31 – You can hear the Corona PR guy’s announcement here (at the bottom of the page), albeit in crappy RealAudio format. Update: I’ve since made a video of that morning’s non-event, available at our Tape Library page.
    25:39 – the highly recommended Utley/Greenidge CD Heat
    28:17 – Schmoe references the fifth-season “Rosebud” episode of The Simpsons
    29:03 – you might notice an absence of Scott for the next four minutes. He had actually left by now, but he’ll be back for the joke — which was actually recorded before this part
    32:13 – and now my John Candy impersonation: “Orange Whip? Orange Whip? Orange Whip? Three orange whips.”   …Ah, I love that one.
    33:32 – oh-oh, Scott set off the Greg 2.0 double entendre alarm!
    34:15 – Schmoe has confessed to being the one who brushed his script against the mic
    35:49 – Billy Gilbert was a frequent foil of Laurel & Hardy

      >  Download Episode 42

Episode 38: Searching for Our Lost Topic of Conversation

By Mickey on 3 Comments

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 23 2007 (9:30 PM – 11:30 PM), at Joe’s Prime Time, Brownstown MI
    “Discussion of the many covers of Margaritaville, as our second contest ends.”

    00:04 – “God’s Juice” refers to water, or in this case ice water. I am unaware of the derivation of this, but I have a hunch Roger Clyne is involved. Perhaps someone will enlighten us in the Comments.
    01:36 – my out of season “Feels Like Christmas” is a reference to Muppet Christmas Carol
    02:10 – the guys will probably be ragging on Schmoe’s dinner choices for a while. Schmoe has decided to sample all the entrees, instead of just sticking with burgers
    02:54 – it was Designated Driver, at RCPM’s Waterin’ Hole discussion board, who has a problem with our Fargo-ish accents link
    03:08 – did Scott just call us whores?
    05:04 – here’s the press release on the Biloxi casino. My reticence stems from uneasiness that Jimmy might be part of privatizing the post-Katrina coastline, which the New Orleans mayor had warned about. I was unaware however that this new casino replaces a previous casino at the same location
    05:23 – Buffett News has the transcript of Nadirah’s Time After Island Time interview
    10:04 – you can find our Pirate Speak translation at the right … or you can click here
    10:20 – I think Greg is confusing pirates and Vikings
    13:02 – in my defense, I couldn’t “read” the Excel file since I don’t have Excel
    14:04 – also in my defense. Our waitress, Ashley, dropped some change and, because of my lardassitude (and my hernia), it’s a lot easier to kneel to reach the floor than it is stoop over.
    15:15 – oops, I’m repeating myself. My “Margarineville” joke was already used in Episode 34!
    16:28 – you guys don’t need the story about Greg’s “wireless network”, right?
    18:41 – Scott’s requested Raven Symone link
    20:19 – Schmoe’s eBay woes were first mentioned in Episode 21
    26:16 – Marching Band version. Why not record your own?
    27:45 – “unshun”, of course, comes from the “Safety Training” episode of The Office
    29:16 – AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells” provided by Joe’s Prime Time jukebox
    32:10 – Elise was vacationing in Florida, our waitress Tara had already clocked out, and the other waitress, Ashley, flat our refused to be recorded
    32:43 – it’s not over the top; it’s a hymn from St Looney Up the Cream Bun & Jam
    33:38 – Schmoe included some fine print in the script for the oil tycoon: “And did I mention I suck”

Listener Tom provided this information on some of his less recognizable album titles:

    Here’s an explanation to a few you had questions about:
    “Wireless” – This was a show I downloaded off the FTP sites when those were still running. It was from 1999, but that’s all I know about it right now.
    “Raven’s Tailgate” – This is a compilation a fellow Baltimore Raven’s Tailgater put together. It has some catchy tunes on it to get everyone ready for the game.
    “Treasure Box” – This is a compilation of rare tracks put together. It was available from the FTP site and a trading vine on BuffettNEws.com. This set is five CDs. It’s 105 rare/unreleased tracks.
    “Buffett Rarieties” – This is another compilation available on FTP. This was also available on the FTP sites and a vine on BuffettNews.com. This is only four CDs. It’s 58 rare/unreleased tracks.
    “Escape to Margaritaville” – Apparently, this is the same CD that was titled “Pitcher Perfect”. This is the promo CD that came out with Margaritaville Tequila. It has “Margaritaville” and “Tequila”. It’s a smaller CD that was attached to the bottle. I posted a picture of it on BuffettNews.com.

      >  Download Episode 38

Episode 12: Top Ten Breezy Lizards

By Mickey on 5 Comments

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, August 9 2006, (9:00 PM – 11:00 PM) at Big Al’s in Browstown MI.
    “We tried using an agenda this week and ended up with our longest show yet. Bullet points include a look at the Week in Audio, our Top Ten favorite songs, reviews of Off to See the Lizard, and assorted walk-ons.”

    One of my less inspired titles, but I was in a hurry to upload the show this morning and couldn’t come up with anything better. Another sizable turnout with appearances from Mike, Mickey Schmoe, Scott, Greg, Kevin, Greg 2.0, and Meredith.
    I was requesting more structure to the shows (if only so we can up with some kind of formal closing rather than just letting the proceedings peter out like we usually do) so Schmoe typed up an agenda. This might expain all the paper-shuffling. Notice the different mic placement? For the heck of it, since we clustered aroud the end of the table, I mic’d from side to side of the table rather than from end to end. Schmoe’s “That was a big one. That was a little one” makes me think of a Dr Seuss book. The first “frog” (or Red Fish) is Kevin and the second frog (or Blue Fish) is Greg 2.0. Scott alludes to an FSGL incident earlier in the day when Mike failed to yell “Fore!” and his golf ball hit 2.0’s foot.
    You can download the complete Miles Hampton interview here or here, depending on your allegiance. The Steve Dahl interview is somewhat edited (I know I could’ve cut even more, but I liked what he had to say about License to Chill) and the performance of “Sweet Home Chicago” is heavily edited. For the sake of time, I excised a line or two, a couple choruses, and the guitar and piano solos; but at least you get to hear all of Jimmy’s new lyrics. The Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris album Jimmy mentions is presumably this one. Learn more about Gomez here. Keep track of Greg’s nicknames on the FSGL blog. As you can tell, I misquoted the “Nothing But a Breeze” lyric…but, like I said, I only heard it the one time.
    Top Tens:

Mickey’s Top Ten:
      A Pirate Looks at 40
      Volcano
      One Particular Harbour
      African Friend
      Tin Cup Chalice
      Treat Her Like a Lady
      The Captain and the Kid
      The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful
      Chansons Pour Les Petits Enfants
      Brahma Fear 

Honorable Mention:
      Nautical Wheelers
      Havana Daydreamin’
      Baby’s Gone Shopping
      Twelve Volt Man
      It’s My Job
      Last Man Standing
      Pacing the Cage
      The Night I Painted the Sky
      Lone Palm
      Love in the Library
      West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown
      Peanut Butter Conspiracy
Mike’s Top Ten:
      1. A Pirate Looks at Forty
      2. Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season
      3. Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
      4. Cowboy in the Jungle
      5. Come Monday
      6. The Wino and I Know
      7. Defying Gravity
      8. Livingston Saturday Night
      9. Somewhere Over China
    10. Island
Greg’s Top Ten
      Brown Eyed Girl
      Margaritaville
      Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw
      Cowboy in the Jungle
      Boat Drinks
      Take It Back
      Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season
      Last Mango in Paris
      Chansons Pour Les Petits Enfants
      One Particular Harbour
Joe’s Top Ten:
      Dreamsicle
      Honey Do
      Meet Me in Memphis
      Steamer
      Sea of Heartbreak
      That was the Night I Painted the Sky
      African Friend
      Cowboy in the Jungle
      Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season
      In the Shelter 

Honorable Mention:
      Son of a Son of a Sailor
      Why Don’t We Get Drunk
      Come Monday
      Volcano
      One Particular Harbour
      That’s What Living Is To Me
      Take Another Road
      Distantly in Love
      Nautical Wheelers
      A Pirate Looks at Forty
      Pascagoula Run
Scott’s Top Ten
      Banana Republics
      Happily Ever After (Now and Then)
      Semi-True Stories
      I Heard I Was in Town
      Far Side of the World
      Window on the World
      Dreamsicle
      Cowboy in the Jungle
      School Boy Heart
      The Nighted I Painted the Sky 

Honorable Mention:
      The Great Filling Station Holdup
      Death of an Unpopular Poet
      Ballad of Spider John
      Havana Daydreamin’
      African Friend
      Chanson Pour Les Petits Enfants
      Growing Older But Not Up
      Little Miss Magic
      When the Wild Life Betrays Me
      Love in Decline
      If The Phone Doesn’t Ring, It’s Me
      When The Coast is Clear

    I’m compelled to point out how Scott had issues regarding cover versions in our lists, yet includes “Banana Republics” (Steve Goodman) and “Window on the World” (John Hiatt). Pwned, I say, sir. Pwned!
    There’s a curious discrepancy on the Off to See the Lizard release date. Some websites say June 19 1989 while others say June 26 1989. Even more curious, both these dates are Mondays, whereas I thought albums are commonly released on Tuesdays. I had to dig out my journal (way back to the old analog, typewriter days) to settle things. Along the way I found out Jimmy was on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson June 19 and Carson held up the LP and announced the new album was out “today”. A check of all the local record stores the following morning turned up nothing. (My journal also reminds me my job did not have “flexible hours” at this time. I was in fact still freelancing that summer.) My records eventually show I got the CD on Tuesday, June 27 1989, at the Tel-Goddard Harmony House:

    The new Buffett disc was first up in the new releases section [in the racks]. They didn’t have any on the wall or even in Buffett’s section. […] It was marked down to $14.99 but the guy gave me an additional 25% off ’cause of their Summer Sale. I paid $11.24 for it, plus 45 cents tax; total $11.69.
    […] I was pleased to see Hud’s car in his driveway. I hadn’t seen it when I’d left so I took the chance he wasn’t sleeping or anything and pulled up behind his car. He opened the front door, saw me, put up one finger, closed the door, and, bless him, shuffled his dog Bo downstairs. [Bo was huge and had bit me once.] I went back to the car to get the disc and we looked it over in the driveway. Joe’s sisters stopped by too. Joe had just called Hud up, asking about the disc, and his sisters were now off to Fairlane Mall to pick it up for Joe. I showed the disc to them too. It started to sprinkle so Bill and I went indoors. He put the disc on and couldn’t resist calling up Mike. We ragged on Mike, letting him know we were listening to the album and listening to it first while he couldn’t get to it till after work. I stood nearby, rubbing it in more by reading little tidbits from the CD booklet. It was then I noticed Buffett mentioned Michigan. We called around songs one and two.

    The occasional snippets of Off to See the Lizard are from Scott’s MacBook. The CMT show whose title escaped me is Nashville Now; and it wasn’t CMT, it was TNN. “ICE” is the “International CD Exchange” newsletter. It wasn’t St Kitt’s, it was Nevis (scroll to bottom of page). Isabella did not throw a shotglass at the ship’s clock, it was a champagne glass (Tales First Edition, page 152). Evidently I didn’t hear Greg say Jay Oliver wrote “Mermaid in the Night” or else I could’ve told him it was Mac McAnally. And apparently I’m a hypocrite because “I Wish Lunch Could Last Forever” has fake harmonica too.
    And even with a printed agenda, our show endings are just as awkward.

      >  Download Episode 12

Episode 2: Low Battery

By Mickey on 3 Comments

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 24 2006, (9:30-11 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
    “Guests stars: Scott, Greg, Greg 2.0, and Patti. Despite the tape trouble we still manage to talk too long about Buckeye Lake, Buffett parties of yesteryear, and, once again, Alpine Valley.”

    The audio editing was finished Thursday morning, but not soon enough to upload it before the work shifts started. Thus these notes are actually posted in advance of the podcast itself.
    It’s official, our emcee is now Greg 2.0, who begins every show by ridiculing us. Not only are the core three speaking tonight, but we have two guest stars: Sublymonal Greg and Alpine Valley Patti. It was a marathon session, but a large chunk of it was lost due to battery problems. Only the first five minutes of the podcast survive from the first tape; the remainder of the cast comes from the forty minutes recorded on the second tape. (And that constant squeaking noise is a ceiling fan.)
    What was missed: Schmoe is still obsessed with a Nicolette Larson concert CD, sled dogs, and confusing “T” with “P”. And boy was that cat story hilarious! [By the way, as Scott could tell you, if he cared enough to record something, the version of “Margaritaville” from the Nicolette Larson tribute is not available separately in iTunes.] Plus, Mickey did extensive research on concert tickets. Unlike usual, he verified the research before announcing it on the cast, in an attempt to not be so prominently corrected in these show notes; but since it did not recorded, it ends up in the show notes anyway.
    DTE Music Theatre had a two page ad in Sunday’s Free Press (2F-3F) which finally announced tickets for Jimmy Buffett’s September 12 concert go on sale June 19.

First local ad for 2006 show

The Palacenet website states lawn tickets cost $36.50 and pavilion seats are a whopping one hundred dollars more! This makes it the most expensive concert in DTE’s summer line-up. In comparison, Bruce Springsteen is only $92.50; Ozzfest is 86.50; Counting Crows/Goo Goo Dolls are $67.50; John Fogerty/Willie Nelson are $59.50. The second most expensive show at Pine Knob? $128.50 for Crosby Stills Nash & Young.
    Not only is Buffett’s $136.50 the most expensive show at Pine Knob, the Pine Knob show is almost the most expensive stop of this first leg of Buffett’s summer tour. All the other shows are $126.50, but for some reason Jimmy has to add ten bucks when crossing the Ohio border. Maybe this surcharge is the reason he hasn’t performed here for a few years. The most expensive stop is New York’s Jones Beach, where the top ticket price is $156.00. (By comparison Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s top price is an incredible $251! And this isn’t just some high-priced New York thing, since the John Fogerty/Willie Nelson show is the same $59.50, and the Counting Crows/Goo Goo Dolls show is actually cheaper: $49.50.) Remember, these aren’t packages or broker prices; these are face value.
    A quick look at Ticketmaster reveals pavilion seats are still available for Alpine Valley. Mickey was able to reserve three seats, together, in row U of section 201; but, oddly, Mike and Patti were not interested    During Mike’s Bocephus story Schmoe and Mickey are look at a sheet with “the year on the back”. The sheet is a print-out of a ticket for a 1975 Portland (OR) show. The King Kong Trio was a mini-tour in the mid-80s of Jimmy, Mike Utley, and Robert Greenidge. Mickey’s “cartography classes” jest is another Arrested Development reference. Take it from us, it was much funnier on TV. We advertently reported Greg’s leg was amputated following Episode 0.5. This was printed in error. The movie music comes from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory — but you already knew that. And the robot’s name is Ralph.
    Jimmy will be on the Today show Friday morning. Mike and Schmoe will be Cedar Point-bound and will miss it. At his last appearance, Jimmy asked Katie to request what song he would play; conventional wisdom says she’ll point at the middle of the back cover of Songs You Know By Heart and will choose “Cheeseburger in Paradise”. And then, a week later, Jimmy’s tour kicks off in Atlanta.
    As per request, here’s your chance to help decide details of our special remote podcast…
    [And, once again, hats off to 24cast, from whom we get our best ideas.]

      >  Download Episode 2

Episode 0.5: Still Finding Our Sea Legs

By Mickey on 1 Comment

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 10 2006, (9-10 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
Still theme song free!
    “Schmoe brings notes but the conversation still meanders. Topics include Hoot, Fingers Taylor, a theme song, Alpine Valley, last week’s show remembered, and a visit from the wacky neighbor!”

    A sudden downpour at 7:30 sped up the start time to our get-together…but unexpected equipment failure delayed the start of the actual recording. Scott was unable to participate because of that, but filling in for him was Greg. Speaking of Scott, he sent in this comment, along with a theme song suggestion:

I was just listening
it lacks somthing that was really good in the first one, ME!!
How about Everybody Wants to be Jimmy Buffett Sometimes – Eric Stone Boatsongs Volume III!

Steps have already been taken to move away from DAT and record to an SD memory card. We used new mics this week too, incidentally. Last week’s show was recorded with Core Sound binaurals and this week’s with Innovative Specialist mics. Do you hear a difference? Let us know if you have a preference.
    Schmoe and Mickey both spent time doing some preliminary work for this week’s podcast. Schmoe sketched out topics for discussion and Mickey saw Hoot. Mickey adds the following to his movie review:

I’ve read that some conservative columnists are upset with Hoot because of its strong environmental stance. They call it “soft core eco-terrorism”, but there’s something even more insidious at work. What is more noticeable is the main character’s obsession with a boy named Mullet Fingers. From the moment Roy sees the lithe blond Mullet running down the street, Roy feels an immediate and suspicious attraction which occupies much of the film. This is the movie’s true liberal agenda. Take your children to see this at your peril. Tomorrow they’ll be voting yes on gay marriage!

    Mickey’s memory failed him last week, and his eyes fail him this week. Greg “Fingers” Taylor does join in on two songs of the Hoot soundtrack: “Werewolves of London” and the “Floridays” remake. A reunion so monumental we’re surprised Mickey was unaware of it. Evidently the liner notes he says he checked were for the Fingers-less “Happy Ending” instrumental.
    And Schmoe sends in an addendum of his own.

Correction from podcast: Memorial Day is May 29, Mike’s b-day, as always, is May 30, which is the next day.

    Additional links:
    • Alpine Valley Music Theater
    • A more detailed memoir of that ill-fated Alpine Valley road trip
    • DTE Music Theatre (née Pine Knob)
    • Greg “Fingers” Taylor
    • Club Trini
    • Roger Clyne’s Mexican Moonshine
    • Why is rum called rum?
    • Buckeye Lake State Park
    • Verizon Wireless Music Center (née Deer Creek Music Center)

    Late breaking news: our podcast is now on iTunes!

      >  Download Episode 0.5