The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Death of Guitar Pop, "Cinderella's Fella" from Pukka Sounds (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"He's a vintage German car,
He's an open bar,
When he's got you on your own
He's Don Draper with an iPhone…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Reel Big Fish, "Take on Me" from BASEketball: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I enjoy all kinds of ska, from roots to 2-Tone to fourth-wave "New Tone," but my heart will always soar in a special way to the frenetic, bouncing sound of 1990s ska-punk.

Saints + Scripture: Pascha

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Dance Hall Crashers, "Lost Again" from Honey, I'm Homely! (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: D.H.C. are playing shows again! The Windy City is the closest they are coming to the Wolverine State, but I shall keep my eyes peeled.

Saints + Scripture: Pascha

Simplex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Explorers' Club, № MXCI

Operation AXIOM: Destination Moon—The 60th Anniversary of AS-104
28 May 1965: AS-104 (Saturn I S.A.-8) lifted off from Florida's Cape Kennedy A.F.S., the fourth flight of a boilerplate Apollo C.S.M. & the first night launch of the Apollo program; the boilerplate capsule was equipped with an instrumented reaction control engine assembly; AS-104 deployed the Pegasus II micrometeoroid detection satellite, which remained in operation until 1968 & in orbit until 1979.

Ex Luna, scientia.

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Please Stand By

Please Stand By | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 330.2 lbs. (12 June 2024)
Next weigh-in: ? lbs. (aiming for 11 June 2025)
Difference: +/-? lbs.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Mustard Plug, "Beer" from Evildoers Beware! (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Don't let 'em take it all away!…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Half Past Two, "Girl in a Band" from It's about Time (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Half Past Two want to recreate the fun & energy of the '90s SoCal ska scene. There are thematic similarities between "Girl in a Band" & No Doubt's "Just a Girl."

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Suicide Machines, "S.O.S." from Destruction by Definition (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Today's new episode of the Chris DeMakes a Podcast songwriting podcast was about "S.O.S." (DeMakes is promoting Less Than Jake's upcoming summer tour, with opening act The Suicide Machines, scheduled to be in the Wolverine State on 22 June.)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Memorial Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Cemetery Guns" from Sky Full of Holes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Cemetery guns go bang, bang, bang,
Shootin' the whole sky full of holes,
Twenty-one times in a row,
For the blue war widow in the gray raincoat on the green grass down below…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Reel Big Fish, "Another Beer Song" from Life Sucks… Let's Dance! (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: We had a beer-themed birthday party for my teenage nephew. Yeah, I don't know why, either. It's especially bizarre because his father is practically, though not ideologically, a teetotaler.

The Explorers' Club, № MXC

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Soyuz 18
24 May-26 July 1975: Soyuz 18 lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur, with CDR Pyotr Klimuk & F.E. Vitaly Sevastyanov aboard a Soyuz 7K-T capsule atop a Soyuz rocket; call sign Kavkaz ("Caucasus"); the duo docked with & boarded the Salyut 4 space station; after sixty-three days of experiments, with the station's environmental systems degrading, they landed in the Kazakh S.S.R.

Commentary: Soyuz 18 remained on orbit throughout the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (15-24 July 1975). Klimuk & Sevastyanov set a new Soviet endurance record, more than doubling the Soyuz 17 crew's twenty-nine days in space. As with the Soyuz 9 cosmonauts (1-19 June 1970), the Soyuz 18 duo returned to Earth in worse physical condition than long-duration American astronauts who had spend as long or even longer in microgravity.

Bonus! Space Race Song o'the Day: Soyuz 18
The Littlest Man Band, "Stayed Away Too Long" from Better Book Ends (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Reel Big Fish, "Everyone Else Is an Asshole" from Candy Coated Fury (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I'm not nearly as ornery as this R.B.D.S.O.T.D. would suggest, it's simply that I've had the opening "whoas" of "Everyone Else Is an Asshole" in my head all morning. Also, the song is not true: I'm an asshole, too.

Narwhal Day XXV

After another year of sympathizing & preparing, 'tis Narwhal Day once again! Yes, Narwhal Day, that great & glorious day when all & sundry reflect on & sympathize with the narwhal, the very oddest of whales, far-famed for its curious "horn" (in actuality a tusk) that in times past was oft displayed as a unicorn's horn in cabinets of curiosity (Wunderkammer). The existence & persistence of the narwhal remains transcendent proof that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

The Ancient & Proper Observance of Narwhal Day
First, the wearing of gray attire;
Second, the hearing of "Sympathy for the Narwhal" by D.J. Seaghost, an ally of The Aquabats!;
Third, the swearing of "The Oath of Narwhal Day."

The ancient & proper observance need not be observed in any particular order, though it is probably advisable to don gray attire so as not to observe the ancient & proper observance naked. The wearing of gray is an invitation to others to experience their own sympathy for the narwhal.

The hearing of "Sympathy for the Narwhal" is a communal act, for Narwhal Day is as much a day of celebration as it is as day of sympathizing; the narwhal will frolic & so should we. Via the YouTubes, "Sympathy for the Narwhal" is now available to everyone reading this.

The swearing of the oath is a highly personal act, though it can be done in community; one swears the oath as a jest or a lark only at one's own peril, for one is only as good as one's word. It is in sympathizing with the narwhal that Narwhal Day finds its highest purpose.

The Oath of Narwhal Day
The narwhal is a noble, pitiable creature,
A magnificent, monstrous visage.
An asymmetrical tooth for a horn,
Or sometimes two, or sometimes none,
Half again as long as the beast.

I swear my sympathy for the narwhal.
I will not lie and convince it all is well,
But I will be a friend to the narwhal.
The mocking dolphins and the snobby manatees
Will get their well-earned comeuppance,
And the narwhal will frolic all day.

I dream this dream of the narwhal
And celebrate it in all its oddball, improbable glory,
On this the twenty-fourth Narwhal Day.


the Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)—also narwal or narwhale

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Narwhal Day!
D.J. Seaghost, "Sympathy for the Narwhal" from The Aquabats! and Horchata Records Present Rice Capades Music Sampler, Vol. 1 (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary: "Sympathy for the Narwhal" via the YouTubes: Seaghost-link.

Also, a pair of videos from the children's television series The Octonauts & Friends: "Episode 20: The Narwhal" & "Creature Report".

The Wayback Machine Tour of Narwhal Day
Narwhal Day '24
Narwhal Day '23 | Narwhal Day '22
Narwhal Day '21 | Narwhal Day '20
Narwhal Day '19 | Narwhal Day '18
Narwhal Day '17 | Narwhal Day '16
Narwhal Day '15 | Narwhal Day '14
Narwhal Day '13 | Narwhal Day '12
Narwhal Day '11 | Narwhal Day '10
Narwhal Day '09 | Narwhal Day '08
Narwhal Day '07a & Narwhal Day '07b
Narwhal Day '06 | Narwhal Day '05
Narwhal Day '04 | Narwhal Day '03

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Reel Big Fish, "Everybody's Drunk" from Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: It was quite clear this morning that many of my brother Knights had stayed up way too late last night drifting from one "hospitality room" to another, a "pub crawl" within the hotel.

"Everybody's drunk!
Everybody's drunk tonight!
Everybody's drunk!
Everybody's drunk, ho-ha!

"Uh, actually, I'm not drunk, at all. No, I've got to drive all these people home. Have a good time. Assholes."

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Half Past Two, "1000 Miles Away" from It's about Time (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I walked over seven miles on Thursday, back & forth along Mackinac Island's main street & up & down the hill to the Grand Hotel. I also spent way too much time daydreaming about a beautiful woman with whom I should not be infatuated, another man's wife. Lord, help me!

The Explorers' Club, № MLXXXIX

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars
21 May-16 June 1925: An expedition of Roald Amundson, Lincoln Ellsworth, & four others attemped a North Polar flight in two Dornier Do J Wal flying boats, N24 & N25, reaching an aerial "Farthest North" of 87º 44'; the N24 was damaged & they spent over three weeks preparing an ice runway for the N25; given up for dead by the world, all six men squeezed into the N25 & flew to the safety of Spitsbergen.

Semper exploro.

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Please Stand By

Please Stand By | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 330.2 lbs. (12 June 2024)
Next weigh-in: ? lbs. (aiming for 11 June 2025)
Difference: +/-? lbs.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Someday I Suppose" from Don't Know How to Party (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I heard "Someday I Suppose"—ON THE RADIO!—during my drive up to Mackinaw City, to catch the ferry to Mackinac Island. It was during the station's "Nineties Lunch." Hooray for Nineties nostalgia!

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Less Than Jake, "She's Gonna Break Soon" from Anthem (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Apparently, today is the twenty-second anniversary of the release of Anthem. I was alerted to this fun fact by Less Than Jake, in a tweet. The video for "She's Gonna Break Soon" (2003) starred Alexis Bledel, then starring in Gilmore Girls (2000-2007).

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Johnny Socko, "They Know Us at the Spa" from Full Trucker Effect (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the V Sunday o' Easter

Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sonseed, "Jesus Is a Friend of Mine" from the Jesus Is a Friend of Mine single (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Kalles Kaviar, "I Know a Girl" from Volume 6 (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: A girl in every port, but still lonely.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, "El Matador" from the Lo Esencial: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs compilation (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Wonderful Day for the Race" from While We're at It (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"What a wonderful day for the race!
Everywhere it's taking place,
I swear you hear one wasn't run,
But I'm talking 'bout the human one.
What a wonderful day for the race!
Every smile on every face,
Every day until it's done,
I'm talking 'bout the human one,
The human one!"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Slow Gherkin, "Shed Some Skin" from Shed Some Skin (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Went there to pursue a lifelong calling,
You found only numb toes and helpless longing…"

The Explorers' Club, № MLXXXVIII

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars
12 May 1925: Paul von Hindenburg was sworn in as President of Germany (Reichspräsident), having won a plurality in the 26 April runoff over once-&-future-Chancellor Wilhelm Marx of the Centre Party (also backed by the Social Democrats) & Ernst Thälmann of the Communists; President Friedrich Ebert, a Social Democrat elected in 1919, died on 28 February, before his seven-year term's end.

Commentary: Some of the more moderate parties in Hindenburg's broad coalition of the right were concerned that electing the wartime general would worsen Germany's international standing, especially with the French & the British, but the international reaction was muted. The Hindenburg presidency would see the continued normalization of Germany's role on the international scene.

Lest we forget.

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Please Stand By

Please Stand By | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 330.2 lbs. (12 June 2024)
Next weigh-in: ? lbs. (aiming for 11 June 2025)
Difference: +/-? lbs.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "When God Was Great" from When God Was Great (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: "When God Was Great" is an elegy for the joy, security, & enthusiasm of youth.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Be Like Max, "Sin City Rude Kids" from Against All Odds (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I was nineteen when I started to go to ska shows, able to drink legally in the Canadas but not in these United States. "Sin City Rude Kids" is much akin to Save Ferris's "Under 21," about the trials & travails of underage fans when almost all shows were at bars or clubs that derived most of their revenue from alcohol sales. Many a time, my hand was marked with a big black X to prevent my purchasing drinks. (With permanent marker, not tattooed as in the above photo.)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

Dance Hall Crashers, "Go" from Lockjaw (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Today's new episode of the Chris DeMakes a Podcast songwriting podcast was about a Less Than Jake song that was inspired in part by D.H.C.'s "Go." (DeMakes is promoting L.T.J.'s upcoming summer tour, scheduled to be in Michigan on 22 June.) This inspired me to go back to the source.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the IV Sunday o' Easter

Fourth Sunday of Easter
Marty Haugen, "Shepherd Me, O God (Psalm 23)" from Shepherd Me, O God (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Explorers' Club Special: May-June 1915

Operation AXIOM: The World War
May 1915 saw more poison gas on the Western Front, stalemate at Gallipoli, & the infamous sinking of the ocean liner Lusitania by a German submarine.

Commentary: "The Explorers' Club" was in a bad way in the early summer of 2015, which is why we here present episodes out of numerical order & published from May-July 2015 cover April-June 1915. There won't be an "Operation AXIOM: The World War" post in June, but watch this space for the return in July.

The Wayback Machine Tour of the World War: May-June 1915
"The Explorers' Club," № CDXLIV: The Battles of Kitchener's Wood & St. Julien (The Second Battle of Ypres, Part II; 22 April-5 May 1915)
"The Explorers' Club," № CDXLVII: The First & Second Battles of Kiritha & the Battle of Eski Hissarlik (The Gallipoli Campaign, Part III; 28 April-8 May 1915)
"The Explorers' Club," № CDLII: The Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive (The Great Retreat, Part I; 2 May-June 1915)
"The Explorers' Club," № CDXLII: The Sinking of the R.M.S. Lusitania (7 May 1915)
"The Explorers' Club," № CDXLIII: The Second Battle of Artois (9 May-18 June 1915)
"The Explorers' Club," № CDLX: The Shell Crisis, Part I (May 1915)

Lest we forget.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Abruptors, "Don't Worry" from the Buffalo Ska E.P. (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Not a cover of The Hippos' "Don't Worry."