I'm not in a band but I blog. That's cool too, right?

Eh, my Mom says I'm cool.

Mark your calendar. Because that was the official beginning of the end of whatever type of scene they were talking about.

Speaking of the extended french kiss the national media has been laying on our fair city, NPR had ANOTHER story about our beloved bike culture.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92836910

This one was complete with a city employee talking about the plan to make some roads miserable for cars, so that bikes can use them. He doesn't say "miserable" I don't believe, but something pretty close.

Portland, Oregon: Where 6% of the population pushes the other 94% around.

Guess who is in for a rude awakening and won't need to wait long?

"Where 6% of the population pushes the other 94% around."
90 years of auto worship, trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars of exclusive infrastructure etc etc. Paint a few white lines for bike lanes and suddenly pure people are being imprisoned by the "other."

Loved the MTV piece. Twenty years ago I was editing a music magazine in England. Now I'm turning the volume way down and wondering how these guys make a living. What a sad old fart I've become.

wow. now I finally understand the statement "Pop will eat itself."

does anybody in Portland under 30 realize there was live music and bands here before 5 years ago?

and that before media began gnawing off its own limbs in a frantic hunt for content, bands like those the video played for beer and their family--because they're not very good?

The great thing is that ten years from now, half the band members in the video will be boring Republican accountants or life insurance agents fighting the crabgrass in their backyards on the weekends.

About 45 seconds is all could stand of that clip.

The media that covers Portland, both local and national, is a perfect example of the 80/20 rule: 80% of the media represents about 20% of music listeners.

I wonder if MTV (or Willamette Week or the Mercury) ever considers showcasing 'musicians' who can actually play their instruments.

"Oregon: Where 6% of the population pushes the other 94% around"

Funny...substitute land mass for population and thats how rural land owners feel.

I'm considering a move to Portland so I can peaceout. Does Portland have a psychodelic band with a happy vibe.

The big question - will these guys have enough money to take a vacation this year?

Wow...thanks for the video Jack.

Portland has reached over saturation on several levels. Spheres of life that come to mind are:

= Too many Bands
= Too many DJ's
= Too many Burlesque performers
= Too many GoGo Dancers
= Too many Strippers

Too many strippers is right. Although I choose not to visit those establishments, I have no problem with people that enjoy adult entertainment. However, do we really need to be confronted with signboards advertising LIVE NUDE DANCERS when we are driving down Sandy Blvd with our kids in the car? I've never seen so many strip bars in one town. A little discretion would be appreciated by this dad.

= Too many mediocre restaurants.

Especially those of the overpriced organically sustainable locally brought to you with the farmer's ass sweat still coating the leaves of your salad ilk. And they keep coming.

Like Portland is like totally organic like you know awesome like it's got everything like mountains and desert and stuff man like close by and like awesome beer like because dude we love our brew and it's like totally liberal man like you know? But it rains like alot man.

Jack,

Does Portland need an old guy band? May we rent your basement? It could be part of our nationwide Soft Food Tour.