Kofi's hat is One Year Old Today

A year ago today, I began this blog.

The first group I mentioned was Aqualung... really a one-man group, the man being Matt Hales, who named the blog, and assured me that yes, he really did want to let me "have" his son's name for it. He explained that "Kofi's" should be capitalized and "hat" lowercase, and wrote the name on a post-it note, which I've kept in my Strange & Beautiful jewel case.

At first, I found it difficult to listen to Strange & Beautiful, because it seemed hard to believe that it could capture a sufficient amount of the poignancy or charm of the live show to make it anything but disappointing in comparison.

In time, I grudgingly came to accept that the album stands on its own as excellent and touching. However, I still think the music is especially touching and lovely in concert. Plus, at a show, there are often cover songs and sometimes new songs. And the shows are funny! Er, not during the poignant parts, generally...

The first song I mentioned was an improvised song about Amoeba Music's Hollywood store. Matt Hales sang it during his Amoeba (of course) in-store. Lyrics were as follows:

Amoeba, Amoeba, Amoeba
It's a single-celled organism
That I have grown to love
Simple things, simple things, simple things
Amoeba, Amoeba, Amoeba
And me ... me

The first pre-existing song mentioned: "Strange & Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)", which (formally) opened the set at Amoeba.

Aqualung - Strange & Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You) (from Strange And Beautiful))

First person mentioned at Kofi's hat - me! me! me! In the first sentence of the first post:

What have I gotten myself into?

Wow, how prescient of me. Especially with this daily-posting-thang, which I didn't start until late June. I love the hat, but this "24 hours in a day" thing sometimes makes things challenging. Nevertheless, I've no intention of giving up the daily posts. If I do miss one at some point, the world likely will not end. If it does, it might be some butterfly's fault, not mine. Anyway, the world would be over, so good luck coming here to post a comment calling me out. Ha!

In the spirit of such chaotic randomness...

Seven Songs Randomly-selected by My WinAmp:

1. Oasis - Live Forever (updated to note that "Live Forever" is from Definitely Maybe. "Be Here Now" must have been a typo)

2. Richard Thompson - Let It Blow (from Word Of Mouth's September issue but not previously posted here. Also on Let It Blow. Not my cup of tea but my WinAmp has spoken and I respect it)

3. Bob Mould - Paralyzed (from Body of Song... on the which was previously "randomly" selected by my WinAmp on the one previous occasion I turned over song-selecting authority to it) YSI mirror: Bob Mould - Paralyzed

4. Wolf Parade - It's A Curse (from . Well, I don't think it's a curse, but out of all the many songs WinAmp could have picked, it's just weird that the same one was picked twice. Not even two different Bob Mould songs... that same one. It is a great song)

5. Paramore - Here We Go Again (from All We Know Is Falling. Yeah, "here we go again" is right!) YSI mirror: Paramore - Here We Go Again

6. The Lucksmiths - Smokers In Love (from the Staring at the Sky EP)

7. Nouvelle Vague - A Forest (from Nouvelle Vague)

My WinAmp's favorite song, and artist, seems clear. No other artist, let alone song, is a repeat from the last time. Perhaps there is also an agenda here: to urge more readers to purchase Body of Song.


Assorted Good Tracks:

The Tragically Hip - It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken (from The Tragically Hip - It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken) (from In Violet Light)

Sweet - Blockbuster (from The Best Rock and Roll Album In The World Ever... 2) YSI mirror: Sweet - Blockbuster

The Long Winters - Blue Diamonds (from When I Pretend To Fall, etc.)

Lush - Ladykillers (from Ciao! Best of Lush, etc.)

Camper Van Beethoven - The Light From A Cake (from Key Lime Pie)

Luna - Dear Diary (from The Days Of Our Nights)

Yeti - Never Lose Your Sense of Wonder


Songs from pre-Kofi's-hat CDs-that-came-with-mags:

Smoking Popes - Need You Around (from CMJ Vol. 23, July 1995 issue, also on Born to Quit and the Clueless soundtrack)

Blanche With Jack White - Who's To Say (from UNCUT Presents: 15-Track Pick Of The Best Recent Music, 2004)

Cable - Pocket Promise (from Select - Hot, December 1998 issue, also on Sub-Lingual)

Ash - Jesus Says (Evening Session Version) (from Select - Hot, December 1998 issue)

Sonic Youth - The Diamond Sea (from CMJ Vol. 27, November 1995 issue, also on Washing Machine)

The Rentals - Friends Of P (from CMJ Vol. 27, November 1995 )

P - Michael Stipe (from CMJ New Music Monthly Vol. 28, December 1995 issue, also on P)

For Squirrels - 8:02 PM (from CMJ Vol. 28 December 1995 issue, also on Example)

Neil Finn - Twisty Bass (from Vox, 1998, Spring Collection CD, also on Try Whistling This) YSI mirror: Neil Finn - Twisty Bass

R.E.M. - Imitation Of Life (from Essential Glastonbury: The Greatest Hits From The Greatest Festival, which came with the July 2004 issue of Q, also on The Best Of REM: In Time 1988-2003)

Spain - Untitled #1 (from Mojo: Piece Of Cake (20 Years Of Ryko), November 2003 issue) YSI mirror: Spain - Untitled #1

And now for something completely different...

Gordon Hempton - Meadowlark (from Dawn Chorus. A couple of minutes of the gentle and sweet chirping of a meadowlark)

Monday update: Every time I attempted to edit this post to add a thank you message last night, Blogger stalled on publication. I figured Blogger either did not want me to thank anyone or hated the way I tried to do it. I therefore eventually pouted and gave up.

Take two (and sneaking in some YSI mirror links as well): thanks to all readers. Me appreciate you reading/downloading folks. Thanks to others to be delivered via lavish fruit baskets with sweet, beautifully-written notes attached. Anyone expecting suvh a basket who does not receive one should think evil conspiracy.