Yes

more overused thanks! Jezebel, Cholo, Elizabeth Harper, New Idea Society

Union Pool Summary:

The Isles self-destructed on stage but managed a stirring rendition of "it's begining to look a lot like christmas"

A couple people got punched

Someone fell asleep surrounded by a party

The wall, ceiling and some bodies we're splattered with red wine

We have no excuses
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Death to music simulating video games.
Player Piano is a great book

Shows - News- !!

Thanks to everyone who has made the last bunch of shows so much fun.

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I'm switching positions within my company. From one shit-hole to another that I'm less tired of.
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I finished grapes of wrath. Sad book. I just read "chicken with plums" (which was bought for me by a friend) by Marjani Satrapi. Another sad one but clever.

The same friend gave me "Letters to a Young Poet" by Rainer Maria Rilke. It is a collection of letters from Rilke to a student who reaches out to him for guidance. I am enjoying it and can already recommend it.
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oh

We've had some shows. The second was better played than the first but also creepier.

Our next outing takes us upstate to a friends bar and another friends birthday party.

The van's roadworthiness will once again be tested. It's been on probation since it exploded outside of the Lincoln tunnel. A failure which damaged both my and the van's creditworthiness.

I finished Don Quixote. It was superb. I finished Frankenstein. Also great.

Next: Grapes of Wrath

Here we go

not really- I'm at work again. They ran out of green tea yesterday. I've been moved to a new department. I work in a hallway between the real office and the elevators. It's a tunnel of flourescent light.

I'm witnessing the life getting sucked out of this new person at work. It looks like she's being slowly bled. Some vampire is visting her. She doesn't realize. Easily seen in the sunken eyes. Less energetic face. I was in her spot but now I'm somewhere else. I'm glad.

A

Sunday

It's nice out. I tried to work but couldn't get anything done. I have work tomorrow anyways.

A lot of changes. Feels like progress or at least a different type of pressure.

Finished Nostromo, reading Don Quixote.

Here's an ad:

Looking for players.

If you want to play bass/guitar for us send us a message through myspace.

-Andrew

The Isles on NPR: Sharing Musical DNA with Mellencamp

The press push for our first record tapered off over the Winter, but once in awhile I'll hear about an Isles song popping up in a very interesting public context (ie: "Flying Under..." closing out the Perry Elllis Fall '07 show during Fashion Week). First off I have to say thanks to Colleen Crumbcake and DJ Mary Nisi for the tip. Now, if you're like me, you spend a decent portion of your desk time half listening to NPR while you slave away at the computer. Well, Monday May 28th being Memorial Day, I was deep in slumber when the following occurred.

On Morning Edition, Tim Westergren, founder of internet radio site Pandora, came on to explain how sites like his will function after the Copyright Royalty Board's tripling of their current rate; alleged to happen later this summer and subsequently slaughter many of our fave internet stations that won't be able to pay the bills. Pandora works by reseraching the "DNA" of a particular artist or song and building a playlist that the software feels will satisfy the listener. So Steve Inskeep, the host, dives in for a demonstration. NATURALLY, he types in "John Mellencamp" (come on who wouldn't)...a newish John Mellencamp song comes up, after a few moments he asks the program to pick a related song and WHAM BAM, out of the half a million songs on Pandora, The Isles "Flying Under Cheap Kites" pops up. "Does this sounds related to John Mellencamp?" asks Inskeep. A slightly hesitant Westergren replies, "There are differences in the voice". Next song. Fucking hilarious. Weirdly, the verse chord progression always kind of reminded me of Jack and Diane. Looks like the jig is up.

Listen to it here. Its only a 5 minute segment, the part with us starts around 2:20.

You know, we may not be on a 45 date world tour right now, but its nice to know that maybe, just maybe, God is occasionally on our side.

Catch 22

Apparently there was some confusion about us playing Annex this past Saturday with our friends Elizabeth Harper and the Matinee. We canceled about 10 days before. Situation was out of our control. Apologies to those we vexed! On a happier note, a very Happy Birthday to beloved drummer and band youngin' Timmy McCoy who turns 22 this Thursday May 31. -Ben