Thursday, June 28, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: You Should Get Lost in Pan's Labyrinth

So I know we have posted tons of movie info lately, but I couldn't help making another post after seeing the most excellent (insert air guitar here) movie, Pan's Labyrinth.

I am telling you this film was nothing short of spectacular! It was the most beatiful and sad movie I have seen in a very long time. The director does a great job of making us want to believe in the fairy tale and then sanpping us back to the cold reality of the "real world." This movie seriously has the Adam and Jeremy stamp of approval... go out and buy Pan's Labyrinth today.

Adam and Jeremy Say: The Official 100 Greatest Movies of All Time (recap)

Here is the list in its full glory! If you want to read our insight and mindless chatter scroll down to our older posts... if not just enjoy the list; we know it will change your life.


1. Saving Private Ryan
2. Matrix
3. The Passion
4. Brave Heart
5. Fight Club
6. Schinlder’s List
7. Princes Bride
8. Gladiator
9. Forest Gump
10. Garden State
11. Jurassic Park
12. Casablanca
13. You’ve Got Mail
14. Gettysburg
15. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
16. Pirates of the Caribbean
17. Tombstone
18. Dead Poets Society
19. Tommy Boy
20. Office Space
21. Seven
22. A Christmas Story
23. V for Vendetta
24. Spanglish
25. Batman Begins
26. Good Will Hunting
27. Snatch
28. Raiders of the Lost Ark
29. Shawshank Redemption
30. Animal House
31. Breakfast at Tiffanies
32. Swing Kids
33. Romeo and Juliet
34. Dumb and Dumber
35. Farris Buler’s Day Off
36. Wayne’s World
37. Saw
38. Godfather
39. Terminator
40. Ben Hur
41. Chariots of Fire
42. Pulp Fiction
43. Ocean’s Eleven
44. 300
45. Back to the Future
46. Dazed and Confused
47. Lord of the Rings
48. Chronicles of Narnia
49. Jack Ass
50. It’s a Wonderful Life
51. About a Boy
52. Aladdin
53. Theirs Something About Mary
54. Stranger Than Fiction
55. Shakespeare in Love
56. Breakfast Club
57. Ace Ventura Pet Detective
58. Jaws
59. The Wedding Singer
60. Wedding Crashers
61. Rocky
62. The Fugitive
63. Munich
64. Happy Gilmore
65. Clueless
66. Toy Story
67. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
68. Star Wars
69. James Bond – Goldfinger
70. Capote
71. Face Off
72. Shaun of the Dead
73. Hamlet
74. The Usual Suspects
75. Walk the Line
76. Austin Powers
77. Billy Madison
78. Hotel Rawanda
79. Scream
80. The Last Samurai
81. Batman
82. Seven Years in Tibet
83. School Ties
84. James Bond – Casino Royale
85. Crash
86. Aliens
87. Old School
88. Bourne Identity
89. Encino Man
90. Underworld
91. Ghostbusters
92. Scarface
93. The Rock
94. Jerry McGuire
95. Sixth Sense
96. Primal Fear
97. Sleepless in Seattle
98. Robin Hood in Tights
99. Collateral
100.Paradise Now

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: 100 Greates Films of All Time 24 - 1

24. V for Vendetta - Honestly I don't think there was a person in the theater who did not get chills up their spine as that masked army of civilians marched through London.

23. Spanglish - Adam Sandler? Who would of thought such a goof could make so beautiful a film out of such a sad story.

22. A Christmas Story - You don't even have to celebrate Christmas to love this classic movie.

21. Seven - Twists, Turns, Intensity it had everything we wanted... oh and the bad guy gets it in the end.

20. Office Space - This movie was funny back in high school and college but now that we actually work in offices this movie is hilarious! Would there be an "Office" TV show without this movie?

19. Tommy Boy - "Fat man in a little coat fat man in a little coat."

18. Dead Poets Society - Seriously this movie makes me cry every time I see it.

17. Tombstone - The Best Western Ever Made.

16. Pirates of the Caribbean - Who would have though a theme park could be so exciting, so funny and so enjoyable, and now that we have seen how bad it could have been with number 2 and 3 we enjoy the original even more.

15. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Yeah it's complicated and yeah it's a little sad, but in a world full of shame directors trying in vein to write the worlds greatest existential or postmodern love story this film quietly shines through.

14. Gettysburg - Grit, Drama and Glory sounds like a recipe for success, and this one was cooked to perfection.

13. Casablanca - Thousands of years from now when some new culture is studying the American woman this movie will explain everything.

12. You’ve Got Mail - Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan bottle lightning and let it go for what has to be the cutest movie ever made.

11. Jurassic Park - Who does not love dinosaurs?

10. Garden State - It is easy for movies to do one of two things; glamorize the pain and suffering of our fallen world, or they try and gloss over it for some over romanticized version of life. Garden State fell right in between those two pitfalls... perfectly nailing the amazing awkwardness of getting to know some one, the joy of loving some one, and the pain of dealing with all the imperfections that come with having to deal with people, and yeah Natalie Portman is way hot, but it was the fact that so many of the moments in the film hit so close to home with an entire generation that make this film great.

09. Forest Gump - Strip away all the jaded and slanted preconceived notions you have about American History from the 50's - the 80's, and look at if from a completely innocent and completely childlike point of view and you find Forest Gump. A film that didn't make a commentary on American History but about the people who created that history and how strange they really where.

08. Gladiator - A man should be a man and if you are suffering from lack of manliness then Gladiator is the cure. Russell Crow is absolutely a crazed roid head in real life, but its that intense machismo that made this film so thrilling. After seeing it I want to go out and slay lions with my bare hands, and that after all is what a man's movie should aim for.

07. Princes Bride - I guess you could over analyze everything if you try hard enough, but this one is simple enough for a child to understand (after all we were only children when we first saw it) but good enough for an adult to love... if you don't believe me go back and watch it.
06. Schinlder’s List - Some things the mind can't understand until it sees them for itself... the holocaust was one of those things and this movie helped us all understand the horror, but it didn't leave us there... it let us know that there is hope in this dark and dangerous world.

05. Fight Club - Everyone wants to be a member of some exclusive club and that's the way Brad Pitt and Ed Norton made us feel when we saw this... oh and it just happened to be the coolest club ever invented! Add to that an amazing twist and a supers stylized version of reality and you have a classic.

04. Brave Heart - "FREEDOM!" Is it just me or should we broadcast this movie to Iraqis twenty four seven?

03. The Passion - It is impossible for us to grasp what Christ suffered on the cross when He was forsaken by God, but this movie came as close as possible to letting us understand that by showing us His physical pain and suffering.

02. Matrix - How do explain "cool" or "hip" it is really hard without and example... well here is a good example... some how this film made sci-fi and for that matter Keanue Reeves cool... and once again in light of how bad the sequels were this movie may be the best sci-fi movie ever made. However, I should note that I hate Star Wars and Star Trek... so don't get your panties all in a bunch.

01. Saving Private Ryan - The Greatest Generation, the Greatest War, and the Greatest Film of All Time. Seriously did you see Big and Sleepless in Seattle... how did that guy become an American hero? But that was the point, these men are not heroes they are average men fighting for a cause, normal everyday guys willing to put their lives on the line for their country, but more importantly for Private Ryan. Against the amazing backdrop of World War II Spielberg makes heroes out of mechanics and school teachers; spare parts most directors would have pushed into bit parts.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: The 100 Greatest Films of All Time; 49 - 25

Here is 49 - 25 in our 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list

49. Jack Ass
48. Lord of the Rings
47. Chronicles of Narnia
46. Dazed and Confused
45. Back to the Future
44. 300
43. Ocean’s Eleven
42. Pulp Fiction
41. Ben Hur
40. Chariots of Fire
39. Godfather
38. Terminator
37. Saw
36. Wayne’s World
35. Farris Buler’s Day Off
34. Dumb and Dumber
33. Swing Kids
32. Romeo and Juliet
31. Breakfast at Tiffanies
30. Animal House
29. Raiders of the Lost Ark
28. Shawshank Redemption
27. Snatch
26. Good Will Hunting
25. Batman Begins

Adam and Jeremy Say: Free Music and Music Videos

Oh and then there was the music...


Check out this Matches video for "Salty Eyes" that I found on Spin.com... extra bonus points if you can spot the famous video they are riffing without visiting Spin's page (hint the name rhyems with rob willin')





Wanna here new Kelly Clarkson? No?... Well how about a live album from Pearl Jam? A little over done?... we agree... what about the latest album from The Editors? You have no clue who the are?... thats okay we know you will want to hear the new Beastie Boys ablum! Yeah log on to the AOL streaming site to hear all these albums in their full glory and more!




Oh and if that was not enough Much Music is streaming Ryan Adams new album, Easy Tiger, on their website! Good Grief this is too much way too much!









Regina Spektor has a new album in the works titled Keep It Like a Secret, and she gabs all about it on MTV's website... if your looking for something to do.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: 100 Greatest Films of All Time 74 - 50

74. The Usual Suspects
73. Hamlet
72. Shaun of the Dead
71. Face Off
70. Star Wars
69. James Bond – Goldfinger
68. Capote
67. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
66. Toy Story
65. Clueless
64. Happy Gilmore
63. Munich
62. Rocky
61. The Fugitive
60. Wedding Crashers
59. Jaws
58. The Wedding Singer
57. Ace Ventura Pet Detective
56. Breakfast Club
55. Shakespeare in Love
54. Stranger Than Fiction
53. Aladdin
52. Theirs Something About Mary
51. About a Boy
50. It’s a Wonderful Life

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: The Offical 100 Greatest Movies of All Time 100-75.

So we sat down to create our list of the 100 greatest films of all time, but that quickly got boring so we threw all the names of movies we like in a spread sheet and then started ranking them. The end result may not be scientific, but it certainly is authoritative. We'll be doing a series of posts starting with the first 25, and the final post will be a bit special so stay tuned. So here it is:

Adam and Jeremy's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time !!!
Movies 100-75
100. Paradise Now
99. Collateral
98. Robin Hood Men in Tights
97. Sleepless in Seattle
96. Primal Fear
95. Sixth Sense
93. The Rock
92. Scarface
91. Ghostbusters
90. Underworld
89. Encino Man
88. Bourne Identity
87. Old School
86. Aliens
85. Crash
84. James Bond – Casino Royale
83. School Ties
82. Seven Years in Tibet

81. Batman
80. The Last Samurai
79. Scream
78. Hotel Rawanda
77. Billy Madison
76. Austin Powers
75. Walk the Line


A few movies that were just barley out of the top 100. Rudy, Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail, Orange County, Man of Fire, Twelve Monkeys, The Constant Gardner, Blade, Xmen II, Home Alone,When Harry Met Sally

And a few movies we ranked even though we apparently hate them. Shanghi Noon, Motorcycle Diaries, Hoosiers, Joe Dirt, Syriana, The Bourne Supremacy.

Some quick observations to help you understand this list of lists... Adam and Jeremy are Males in their Mid-Twenties ergo the heavy emphasis on Action, comedy and films less than 30 years old. They both have saving relationships with Jesus Christ and thus have a slant towards Christian subject matter hence movies like the Passion hitting the top ten. Adam and Jeremy are both married, which means their wives and girlfriends have been picking the movie for the better part of ten years; so there are a lot of girly movies as well. After that we really can't explain it. Also, we can't really explain what happened to #94?

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Adam Says: Kick Me!


Man what a great Birthday I had! Not only did I get to eat a fabulous dinner with my beautiful wife at Carytown Burgers and Fries, but I also got to see the Richmond Kickers take on DC United from the MLS (Thanks to the Weekly Rant for hooking me up with the tickets.) So it was a little hot, and UR stadium is a little old, but the game was great, and on to top it off the Kickers won! I have no idea why people are not going out to see this teem; I mean they are a CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, but I digress. Get out to UR Stadium and watch so quality soccer action!

For those of you not paying attention; What did we learn from this post?



The Richmond Kickers also AMAZING!


The Weekly Rant has the hook up.
Ah Sweet! Speaking of Richmond... This is the Raddest story you will ever read about Richmond Street Names I Garuntee!

Monday, June 18, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: We May Be Old, But We Still Rock!

Project 86 - Rival Factions, is in stores today! The line up for these hard rockers got a line up do-over and closet poet Andrew Schwab got rid of some hair, but these guys still rock! check out the video for their lead single "Evil," and go pick up Rival Factions by Project 86 TODAY!
Evil (A Chorus of Resistance)

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Oh yeah that other band, The White Stripes, have a new album out today... I think its called Icky Thump... I am not sure but I am told that you should be the first one in line to buy it... if you happen to live near a Best Buy you can get it for less than Ten Dollars! If that's your kind of thing.


Honestly it's my (Adam) Birthday today, so I don't have any time to say anything else... we may be back tomorrow... maybe. Oh one more thing... DMX greatest hits is out today as well... while you may not know this I spent large portions of my high school years secretly screaming "Stop, Drop, Shut Em Down, Open Up Shop..." in my care while no one was looking, with the windows up... ah sweet memories.

Adam Says: I Got Knocked Up: and I Liked It.

I got "Knocked Up" Saturday night and I loved it. Okay so for those of you who live under a rock "Knocked Up" is the summers hot comedy by the genius who brought you "The 40 Year Old Virgin." I though it was hilarious, and I know that my status as a young married man probably made it hit even closer to home for me, but I highly recommend it. UNLESS you are offended by excessive foul language then this is not the movie for you; it is most definitely not a family friendly film.

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Thursday, June 14, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: Maybe They Just Hate God

Here is a story from the Washington Times that talks about the popularity of atheist novels that outright attack God and religion... No other comment just something for you to think about.




The Washington Times
http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Militant atheists topping best-seller lists

By Rachel ZollASSOCIATED PRESS

Published May 26, 2007


The time for polite debate is over. Militant atheist writers are making an all-out assault on religious faith and reaching the top of the best-seller list, a sign of widespread resentment over the influence of religion in the world among nonbelievers.

Christopher Hitchens' book, "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything," has sold briskly ever since it was published last month, and his debates with clergy are drawing crowds at every stop.

Sam Harris was a little-known graduate student until he wrote the phenomenally successful "The End of Faith" and its follow-up, "Letter to a Christian Nation." Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" and Daniel Dennett's "Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon" struck similar themes -- and sold.

"There is something like a change in the zeitgeist," Mr. Hitchens said, noting that sales of his latest book far outnumber those for his earlier work that had challenged faith. "There are a lot of people, in this country in particular, who are fed up with endless lectures by bogus clerics and endless bullying."

Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, a prominent evangelical school in Pasadena, Calif., said the books' success reflect a new vehemence in the atheist critique. "I don't believe in conspiracy theories," Mr. Mouw said, "but it's almost like they all had a meeting and said, 'Let's counterattack.' "

The war metaphor is apt. The writers see themselves in a battle for reason in a world crippled by superstition. In their view, Muslim extremists, Jewish settlers and Christian right activists are from the same mold, using fairy tales posing as divine scripture to justify their lust for power. Bad behavior in the name of religion is behind some of the most dangerous global conflicts and the terrorist attacks in the United States, London and Madrid, the atheists say.

As Mr. Hitchens puts it: "Religion kills."

The Rev. Douglas Wilson, senior fellow in theology at New Saint Andrews College, a Christian school in Moscow, Idaho, sees the books as a sign of secular panic. Nonbelievers are finally realizing, he says, that contrary to what they were taught in college, faith is not dead.

Signs of believers' political and cultural might abound.

Religious challenges to teaching evolution are still having an effect, 80 years after the infamous Scopes "monkey trial." The dramatic growth in home schooling and private Christian schools is raising questions about the future of public education. Religious leaders have succeeded in putting some limits on stem-cell research.

And the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a national ban on partial-birth abortion -- the first federal curbs on an abortion procedure in a generation -- came after decades of religious lobbying for conservative justices.

"It sort of dawned on the secular establishment that they might lose here," said Mr. Wilson, who is debating Mr. Hitchens on christianitytoday.com and has written the book "Letter From a Christian Citizen" in response to Mr. Harris. "All of this is happening precisely because there's a significant force that they have to deal with."

Indeed, believers far outnumber nonbelievers in America. In a 2005 AP-Ipsos poll on religion, only 2 percent of U.S. respondents said they did not believe in God. Other surveys concluded that 14 percent of Americans consider themselves secular, a term that can include believers who say they have no particular religion.

Some say liberal outrage over the policies of President Bush is partly spurring sales, even though Mr. Hitchens famously supported the invasion of Iraq. To those Americans, the nation's born-again president is the No. 1 representative of the religious right activists who helped put him in office. Mr. Bush's critics see his Christian faith behind some of his worst decisions and his stubborn defense of the war in Iraq.

"There is this general sense that evangelicals have really gained a lot of power in the United States and the Bush administration seems to represent that in some significant ways," said Christian Smith, a sociologist of religion at the University of Notre Dame. "A certain group of people sees it that way and that's really disturbing."

Mr. Mouw said conservative Christians are partly to blame for the backlash. The rhetoric of some evangelical leaders has been so strident, they have invited the rebuke, the seminary president said.

"We have done a terrible job of presenting our perspective as a plausible worldview that has implications for public life and for education, presenting that in a way that is sensitive to the concerns of people who may disagree," he said. "Whatever may be wrong with Christopher Hitchens' attacks on religious leaders, we have certainly already matched it in our attacks."

Given the popularity of the anti-religion books so far, publishers are expected to roll out even more in the future. Lynn Garrett, senior religion editor for Publishers Weekly, says religion has been one of the fastest-growing categories in publishing in the past 15 years, and the rise of books by atheists is "the flip side of that."

"It was just the time," she said, "for the atheists to take the gloves off."



http://www.washtimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20070525-105753-5623r

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: Change The World One Vote At A Time




We are not saying who to vote for... we are not saying that the one.org thing is the answer... we are just saying that we have the chance to change the world and anything we can do to help people realize this and tap into it; the better the whole world will be.

Jeremy Says: In a Perfect World...

There would be an Alternate Interestate for people who want to drive as fast as they want.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: Music Mania!

The Countdown is Over... Sorta
The rumors are correct; www.ratm82407.com counted down to a one off show for Rage Against the Machine in Wisconsin. Now we can only wait and posture as to what it will count down to in August? A fall tour? A new album? Whatever the case this has to be one of the best promotional stunts I have seen in the last month.




June 19th to Be Declared National Holiday by Adam and Jeremy!

Everyone I know is excited about the release of the White Stripes new album "Icky Thump" next Tuesday (June 19th) ((Adam's Birthday!!!)), but there are couple of other releases hitting next week that you should get stoked about:

Project 86 - Rival Factions


This Hard rock Christian band challenges the "Christian" stereotype by writing songs about the struggles and failures of faith, and not just the Jesus Loves You stuff. The music is hard, fast, foreboding and passionate and totally Adam and Jeremy approved!


Mooney Suzuki - Have Mercy


Like three years ago these garage revivalist where the next big thing, ala the Strokes, but things did not really pan out... they sold their souls to car commercials and never really lived up to the hype, but this just may be their chance to redeem themselves. We are told this is a more mature album... that's critic talk for "more technically complicated and therefore slower." Well I wont hold my breath, but it will be worth a listen.



M.I.A Cure Epilepsy With Old is New Video.

Check it out! The New MIA video for "Boyz," yeah she is taking this 80's revival thing to the limit, but we are oddly attracted to it... read more at stereogum.

Manson to MCR: "No Seriously I Think You Guys Suck."
Here is the latest in the Marylin Manson Vs. My Chemical Romance beef: My Chemical Romance find it hard to take Marylin Manson seriously. Well join the team guys.

Mediocrity Rules!
AOL is streaming new stuff from Queens of the Stone Age, Paramore, and Toby Keith... Am I the only one who is beginning to lose hope? Oh that John Lennon tribute album drops this week... which is important only because it raises funds for Darfur.

The Fiery Furnaces are threatening to take Ryan Adams "Most prolific song writer" title.
The Fiery Furnaces have a new record label (Thrill Jockey) as well as a new Record "Widow City" that will drop October 23rd.








Rufus Wainright Live in Concert
You can hear the entire June 9th Rufus Wainright concert for free right now on NPR. Think of all those suckers who actually paid to see him live, they must be ticked!


Transformers Take Cue from Spidey.
The Transformers have taking a cue from the highly successful Spider Man 3 soundtrack, and have loaded up their very own sound track with a shockingly high testosterone version of Spideys indie influenced line up. So instead of Snow Patrol and the Flamming Lips, The Transformers soundtrack will feature cuts from the Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park, The Used, Goo Goo Dolls, and a unique take on the cartoons original theme song by Mute Math. You can here the theme song on Mute Maths myspace page. And since we are talking about Mute Math I figure its a great time to play their buzz worthy backwards video for "Typical"... That was your cue to click, well if that didn't work click here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b13rc6DY74A

Interpol
Hey Interpol has a new album hitting in July... they call it "Our Love to Admire," we call it ode to Joy Division 3, but at any rate it should be good... check out their new website and here the first cut from the disc.



Velvet Revolver Cause International Incident
So this should come as no surprise that members of Guns N Roses and Stone Temple Pilots are in trouble with the law again, but it is kind of odd that a group of notorious chain smoking drinkers would get themselves in hot water for smoking during a show, but apparently there is a law against that in Wales... call the UN we may have hit critical mass Here! Whatever NME has the whole story.

Arcade Fire: "The Price Is Wrong Bob."
Arcade Fire = Critically acclaimed indie rock. Arcade Fire = Artistic Integrity. Arcade Fire = Guerrilla Marketers? Yeah well something like that just check out this video of a recent Price is Right episode and see if you notice any familiar faces wearing promotional t-shirts for the Arcade Fire's latest album "Neon Bible."


Saturday, June 9, 2007

Adam Says: Stale Fashion Works Out

I came to a realization today! You can tell when a sensible person has given up on the outrageous cost of "fashion" by what they work out in. In fact you can even tell when they stopped caring about labels and trends by what they wear to work out in. See I frequently work out in an old Polo Jeans Company T-Shirt that looks like this:Because once I go out of high school paying thirty or forty dollars to walk around as a human billboard for some lame company that enslaves children for labor in central Asia seemed like a bad idea, and this is the way it works for most people. So when you are at the gym and you see someone wearing a FUBU shirt you know automatically that about ten years ago they gave up on over priced fashion and now that fashion has been downgraded to their workout clothing....

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Adam Says: Relient k - The Best Thing?

I will admit I have a soft spot in my heart for the Boys K, and even though the video isn't great the song is hella catchy.

Adam and Jeremy Say: RATM82407.com; it gets us all hot an bothered!

By now you have no doubt heard the buzz about www.ratm82407.com. The site appears to dedicated to some news about Rage Against the Machine (thus our giddiness over it), the site features two count down clocks, and the intro to Bulls on Parade (We suggest you kill the sound because the intro becomes annoying quickly when put on repeat). At any rate the clocks count down this coming Monday and August 24th respectively! Speculation about the site abounds but personally Adam and Jeremy hope that the site is counting down to an announcement about Rage Against the Machine getting back together! and then and album... we can dream we can dream.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: They May Hate Us, But Do We Hate Them?

So Jeremy and I wanted to contiune our "They Hate Us and Liberty" Conversation from last week. If you did not catch it here is a link back to it, and I want to appologize in advance for the lenght of these posts, but both Jeremy and I got really into it and we hope that you chime in again with your insights.

Adam: I am really glad people like CJ are willing to hold our feet to the fire and test our faith. We could easily make all sorts of posts about faith, but never actually live out the words we write. I think it is great that people are willing to challenge each other. On some points CJ is right... I have met a handful of homosexual people in my life, and honestly I have always been too afraid to talk with them about their sexuality because I want to act normal around them, and I don’t want to offend anyone. I guess its some twisted logic of mine that I want people who are different from me to feel the same as people who are the same as me... but in that process I learn about jobs, sports, cars, etc. but I never learn about the deeper issues a person is facing. I think the point CJ makes is that we want to be loving and accepting of people, but until we stop “acting” loving and accepting and start getting to know what is going on below the surface then we will never really be able to know and love them... maybe he is right...

Jeremy: I agree. He is right in that Jesus tells us to be loving, and we should definitely do that with everyone including gays. But I also think he makes a good point, that we can say we love them, but if we don't make a little extra effort like "getting to really know one and talk to them about it", then are we really loving them or just simply "treating them normal"? Take for example my brother. I have never had a deep intimate conversation about his sexuality with him (then again, what straight brothers usually have that conversation?). I think he knows I love him, and unlike my dad and sister I have never had an argument with him about it and told him he was wrong. Plus, inviting Gary (my brothers partner) to our wedding I think was an effort of me and Jax to show that we still want them to be part of our lives even though we don't agree. I remember the rest of my family all reacting funny when we told them we were inviting Gary. I’m not trying to buff myself up, but all to say, I think we were making an effort, but I still haven’t gone as far as CJ has described with asking the hard, personal questions.
And the following is probably a good indicator as to why I should ask:
“I don't want to because I know it could make me uncomfortable.”

Adam: I think in some measure you are right in loving your brother and Gary without asking tough questions about their sexuality... I mean you know they are gay... so I don't know if there is a need to go past that... now you may want to talk to your brother about how he discovered his sexuality... or if something like your parents divorce had something to do with it, but I think those are questions about people and not questions about sexual preference... in the end the only difference between you and he is your fondness for the fairer sex right?

It was either Peter or Paul who said that we as Christians should focus on what is good, pure, beautiful, fare, just, etc. in our pursuit of peace, and I think the same holds true with anyone who you interact with... your focus should not be what their sins are or what your differences’ are, but instead your focus should be what is good, beautiful, and pure in them. We are all God's creation and on that level we are all equal.

I don't think we need to speak anymore about Dr. Falwell since that topic has been so overdone of late. So let’s move past that to an interesting point. Several people who commented made reference to living like Christ, and how if we lived like Christ then we would be respected and loved. I have a few thoughts on that. One it is interesting how a conversation about the hateful things people say about Liberty and its students has become so personal to you and I. I think I was originally just ticked at the hypocrisy of people who called themselves open minded but then stereotyped every Liberty student in a negative manner.

I think that people forget what the teachings of Christ where and what they meant... Jesus Christ was killed for his teachings and actions obviously they are not they kind of teachings and actions that make everyone love and adore you. I agree that Jesus tough a great amount about loving your neighbor and doing right and there are many Christians today who do not do anything close to that on a personal level,
However Christ also told us to die to ourselves, to admit that there is a God who created us and is over us and we should obey Him, He taught that we need to sacrifice in order that others can be first, He told us we must serve, all of which runs counter to Americas current culture. Now we want what’s best for us, no matter the cost. We make the rules we decide what is right and what is wrong, we put ourselves first and make others pay. Our society is Greedy, Selfish, and as I said before Shameless. These are all things Jesus preached against, violently at times, just ask the Pharisees in the Temple when Jesus cleaned house. So I don't know if people really mean it when they tell others to follow Christ’s' example or if maybe they just want us to follow the parts of Christ example that are warm and fuzzy.

Finally I think what you and I do in our service to the Lord as far as serving; loving, giving and sacrifice are personal and are not appropriate for this medium. Obviously if someone challenges you on your actions of love you want to respond with a list of all the righteous things you have done, but that defeats the purpose. We are called to love unconditionally not because it makes us look or feel good but because it is what God asks of us. I think Jesus summed it up when told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (I might have the wrong occupation there) who were both at the temple praying... the Pharisee was praying out loud in flowery language so everyone could see how holy he was while the tax collector prayed silently and was humble... in the end Jesus tells us that the righteous man was the tax collector because he was praying to God while the Pharisee was really praying to impress man.

Jeremy: Good call. I don't want to give a list to prove our piety either. I like what you said on focusing on what is good, pure, and right. The hard part about that is that there is a "sexual preference" wall in between us, and I guess we could just ignore it....or can you? I guess the truth is, we can still love them despite them being gay, and we can even be loving in a conversation about it with them, but doesn't that also mean being open and honest from our perspective? I mean we can always sit there and listen and understand, but shouldn't I also be able to be honest about how I feel about it? Can I still be loving and tell them why I think what they are doing is wrong?

Adam: I think you are touching on an important point there... Dialogue! It does not really matter what the difference is; whether it’s sexual preference, political ideals or your favorite music we should all be open and willing to talk about it. That becomes tough though when dialogue turns into abuse, and it is even tougher to begin dialogue when it begins with abuse, as was the case when we began this discussion. I would like to see a place where people could all hold to the same standard in relation to dialoguing differences... it seems so often that one side is required to be accepting and loving while the other side can become offended and vindictive. You are right in saying that you should be able to be honest about how you feel and in return a person who disagrees with you should be honest about how they feel, but I think that too often we make comments about our feelings without giving concrete reasoning behind our feelings, and that can be a problem.

Take the abortion debate for example. I oppose the practice of abortion, and when I discuss this topic if I stopped there and just told people I was in opposition to the practice then the conversation would not get very far, but I try to take it a step or two further. I explain that I support the use of birth control before conception and that I huge supporter of adoption after birth, but I believe that abortion is wrong because it ends the life of a person created by God. Sometimes this gives me an opportunity to talk about common ground with people who do not agree. For example many who support the practice are also supporters of adoption and are more willing to talk about adoption than wasting time trying to beat each other up over abortion. However there are those who will argue and be hateful no matter what, and I guess it is those types of people who began this whole thing... and while we have yet to come up with an answer that satisfies I do think this discussion has given us pause to think...

Do we understand others? Are we giving them a chance to explain so that we can understand? Are we meeting people’s physical needs? Can we comprehend a person’s point of view if we have not had any real contact with that person’s world?

As cynical as it sounds Rage Against the Machine may have had a point when they sang "Know your enemy" not that I view those who disagree and oppose me as enemies but I think it is beneficial to understand who they are.

In the end the Bible tells us that Christians will be known by there love for one another, and I hope that people can see that you and I are loving

Adam and Jeremy Say: Have Some Rock N Roll for Lunch; It's Good For Ya.

New Music From Old Boring Artists
AOL is streaming new albums from Marylin Manson, Paul McCartney, Chris Cornell and Big and Rich... if that don't put you to sleep...

Also releasing this week are indie buzz darlings the Long Blondes.

Tegan and Sara Releasing New Album in July, but You Can Sneak a Peak Now!


Twin indie pop rockers Tegan and Sara will release their new album, "The Con," July 24th; but you can check out two of the tracks on this blog here.




White Stripes Change Tour Dates.

One of Tegan and Sara's biggest fans, Jack White, has announced that he and Meg (the White Stripes) are rescheduling some of their fall tour dates; fortunately this will not effect Adams plan to see them at the Austin City Limits festival!




Dizzee Rascal and Lily Allen Team Up for More Underrated Overlooked Brit-Rap.

Stereogum has an MP3 of the latest Dizzee Rascal track featuring Lily Allen titled "Wannabe." If you are completely lost by everything I just said I suggest you check it out.

Greenday Working Class Heroes for Darfur.

Steregum also has Greenday's video for their cover of the John Lennon classic "Working Class Hero." The track and video where created as a benefit to Darfur; which is something you should be interested in.

Deerhoof and Interpol Rock Respective Houses.

Oh and while you are at your computer slip over to Pitchfork and check out concert photos from Deerhoof and Interpol...





Rilo Kiley Make Dreams Come True for Lonely Hipsters.


Rilo Kiley will release "Under the Black Light" August 21st in the states! I just wet myself.



Vegans Are Too Sexy for Meat.

PETA2 is conducting its third annual sexiest vegan contest... you can log on now and vote for your favorite hottie cleb vegan in both the male and female categories. Folks like; Eddie Vedder, Common, Fiona Apple, Bob Burnquist, Kirsten Bell(Veronica Mars), and of course Natalie Portman (vote for Portman) are all on the list and just begging for your votes.




Foo Fighters Throwing A Monkey Wrench Into the Works for Ten Years!

10 Years ago the Foo Fighters released "the Colour and Shape," and now ten years later they are releasing the epic album with several b-sides and live cuts. We don't know about you, but Adam and Jeremy are all for getting to hear classic tracks like Everlong, My Hero, and Monkey Wrench!

Ryan Adams To Release Yet Another Album, This One Promises to Cure Cancer.


Ryan Adams is releasing yet another album this year, on June 26th you can pick up his album of new material, "Easy Tiger," but now Adams is working on a box set of B-sides and what not... with Adams you never know.... you just never know.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Adam and Jeremy Say: Sufjan Stevens and My Brightest Diamond Take Away Our Breath

Hey we really appreciate all of your comments, and the discussion that has sparked from our last post, and we are seriously excited to revisit and continue it, but we want to take our time so be on the look out for that.

You know by now that Adam and Jeremy are huge fans of Sufjan Stevens (us and three billion others), My Brightest Diamond, and the Take Away Shows website so it would not surprise you to hear that we nearly reached nirvana when the Take Away Shows featured videos from Sufjan and My Brightest Diamond... its amazing stuff you should check it out. I love the French, they also have a long form performance from Sufjan and friends record at the music now festival in Cincinnati that you need to click over and check out!





Seriously check out the Take Away Shows' website and get stoked! Oh and get extra stoked for new Sufjan Stevens in the very near future!!!