On this day in music history: January 5, 1979 - “Armed Forces”, the third album by Elvis Costello & The Attractions is released. Produced by Nick Lowe, it is recorded at Eden Studios in London from August - September 1978. Issued as the follow up to “This Year’s Model”, there are some minor differences between the US and UK releases of the album. The US version deletes the track “Sunday’s Best”, replacing it with “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding?”. Initial copies of the LP also come with a three track 7" bonus EP titled “Live At Hollywood High” which includes live versions of “Accidents Will Happen”, “Alison”, and “Watching The Detectives”. The UK and US releases also feature dramatically different cover artwork. In the US, the original painting of a herd of elephants is replaced with another painting with various splatter colors, with the artist name and title painted in bold yellow. The “Live At Hollywood High” EP is reissued as a Record Store Day exclusive in April of 2010, but contains different tracks (“Pump It Up”, “Lip Service”, “Waiting For The End Of The World”) from the same performance, rather than the original three. In 1982, the song “Accidents Will Happen” is quoted by actor Robert MacNaughton in the film “E.T. The Extraterrestrial” during a brief scene. Costello’s original version is also used in an episode of “The Simpsons”. Remastered and reissued various times on CD since its first digital release in the mid 80’s, “Forces” is most recently reissued on CD in 2007 by Hip-O Records. Audiophile label Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab also reissues album as a 180 gram vinyl LP in 2010, with the front side of the LP sleeve featuring the original UK “elephants” cover, and the back side featuring the alternate US cover art. Universal/UMe also issues a 180 gram LP in 2015 using the US cover artwork. “Armed Forces” peaks at number two on the UK album chart, number ten on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
The rage I feel whenever I read a tweet from Donald Trump almost feels violent.
I’m excited to see who runs against the Donald. I need to see more from Elizabeth Warren but she’s a contender, though she might be too strident for the white women in America - our internalized misogyny doesn’t always work with women who aren’t afraid to show their rage. That being said, I would love to see her square off with him in a debate, she would eviscerate him. I think for those of us who are Dems, we’re going to have to figure out how to manage the inevitable infighting that will come with those who want an ultra-progressive President and those who are cool with a more moderate presence. I hope we can.
I was initially pleased to see Mitt Romney’s critique of Trump but then I flashed back to his big Moral Outrage that got real, real quiet when he thought Trump was going to put him in a Cabinet position so he can go F himself.
Between social media and the news, I need another eight hours in my day.
Warren is still too hawkish for me. Romney… has his binders full of women.
HOpefully Drumpf will be rotting in jail by 2020….
crows have been documented holding ‘funerals’ for many years. however, researchers suggest that they may not be mourning; evidence indicates that crows may be examining the body & surrounding area for potential threats to the rest of the flock.
