Threadless - Nude No More

One of The Blot's favorite sites the past two years is Threadless.com. If you've never been to the site before, it really is your one stop shop for cheap, trendy t-shirts for any occasion. The designs for the shirts are submitted by loyal customers and then voted on by the Threadless community. The company then chooses 5-7 designs per week to print up and sell on the site. Shirts do sell out but if its popular enough eventually Threadless.com will reprint it. The site has really grown over the years and has even graduated to an actual brick and mortar retail store in Chicago.

They have a pretty huge selection so there's definitely something for everyone. Shirts are typically $15 + shipping, but if you time your purchase just right they often have sales where almost everything in stock is just $10. I've been meaning to talk about them for a while but was waiting for just the right shirt design. Luckily there were a few chosen this week that I really like so now I've got some designs to finally share over the next few weeks.

First up is Muzak Homage by Tony Wood and its great...it comes in denim for guys and eggplant for girls.

What I like about it the most is that its a mixer and elevators, and as the music levels increase so too does the elevator riders' reaction to the music. If this catches your eye or you just want to see what other types of shirts they carry definitely head over to Threadless.com and check them out...and don't forget to tell them The Blot sent you, ya hear?

The Blot Says... Trivia Contest #2

Back by popular demand, it's The Blot Says... Trivia Contest! This time around The Blot's going to change up the topic from Television to give the contest a little variety. This round's topic is sports and more specifically college football. So all you football nuts start googling now to see if you can come up with the correct answer and win an official The Blot Says... No Prize.

Here we go...of the 6 BCS Conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac 10, SEC) what two schools in those conferences have the longest current streak of not making a bowl game to end the college football season. One's pretty obvious and one's a little harder to figure out, so I'll give you faithful readers a hint. One of them is already bowl eligible for this year.

As always please post all answers in the comment section for this post (even though The Blot Says... did just recently add an email option to the blog in the left hand column). You have one week from the posting of this contest to answer, so the contest will be officially ending Monday, November 19th. And if you want to be eligible to win the No Prize you need to set up a Google account so you aren't answering the question anonymously. Good luck to all!

New TV Shows I'm Still Watching But Don't Know Why, Pt. 1

For the inaugural edition of “New TV Shows I’m Still Watching and Don’t Know Why,” I’ve decided not to discuss the show that’s on the top of the list but instead the show I happened to watch last night, Bionic Woman. The show airs on NBC, Wednesday nights at 9/8 Central and is actually a remake of the 70’s TV show of the same name staring Lindsay Wagner as Jamie Sommers. Ironically, the original Bionic Woman was a spin-off of The Six Million Dollar Man staring Lee Majors (who will be forever known as The Fall Guy in my eyes). See, I really do try to always bring it back to television spin-offs whenever possible.

Similar to the Lindsay Wagner version, the star of Bionic Woman Michelle Ryan plays Jamie Sommers, who after almost dying from a vicious car wreck is transported to a top-secret bio-tech research facility run by a mysterious non-government sanctioned organization called the Berkut Group. Almost dead, the head doctor for the Berkut Group, and also coincidentally Jamie’s fiancé, goes against company orders and tests his new bionics on Jamie in the hope of saving her life. Obviously Jamie survives but now has one bionic eye, ear, and arm and two bionic legs. She also has some sort of nano-robotics in her blood that rapidly heals any injuries she might incur.

Honestly the premise sounded very cool and there was a lot of hype around the show before it aired a few months back. Since then pretty much most of the reviews have been kind but negative. The show has some great potential but it’s been really saddled with some horrible side plots and the overall poor casting of Ryan in the lead. I don’t know what it is about her but Ryan just rubs me the wrong way and part of that I have to blame on the writers. I think the show has tried to flesh Sommers out as a real person with real problems but all that has done is made me dislike her. Case in point, once Jamie finds out what’s happened to her and how her life’s been turned upside down she runs straight to a bar. Now, that’s probably not so far off from what many people would do but then she proceeds to get drunk, find the first guy that hits on her and drags him off to the bar’s bathroom to have sex. At this point I’m like what? This is one of NBC’s flagship new shows right, and here in the first episode they already have the main character trying to have sex in a bar bathroom? Thankfully the escapade is broken up soon after it began but I just feel like the writers could have gone in so many different directions instead of turning the Bionic Woman slutty before the audience had a chance to get to know her.

Then there’s the unnecessary side story of the cute but annoying little sister. It’s upsetting that I dislike the character of Becca Sommers so much because she’s played by the likeable Lucy Hale who had a brief yet memorable part in How I Met Your Mother last season as Robin Scherbatsky’s little sister. In the first few episodes it’s alluded to and then completely dropped that Sommers’ little sister was in trouble with the law for some sort of illegal computer hacking. Thank god that story line was dropped because if we have to spend any more time listening to Becca whine and complain I won’t be able to watch the show anymore. I know they are using Becca to ground Jamie and give her some sort of normal home life while not out on missions but it just isn't working.

A better idea would have been for the Berkut Group to have faked Jamie’s death to the general public. This would have allowed her to more easily transition into full time super agent and given her something to brood over, the loss of all contact with her sister. This way the show still can show Jamie's human side by focusing on her internal struggle with keeping the truth from her sister for her sister’s own protection vs. reuniting with her sister and telling her the truth. The added bonus to the audience is Becca would only have to be seen from a distance and rarely on the show saving us all from her whiny problems every single week...plus now the show is able to save money on one less regular cast member.

Don’t let me fool you into thinking that the show is all bad, if it was I wouldn’t be watching anymore. It’s just that the characters I really enjoy the most seem to be the shows two recurring guest stars that unfortunately aren’t on every week. The first is Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff. Sackhoff is amazing in the role of the evil/misunderstood original Bionic Woman, Sarah Corvus. Corvus is by far the best character on the show and Sackhoff needs to be upgraded to full time cast member if Bionic Woman has any chance for a long run on NBC. Sackhoff is so believable as the slightly crazy Corvus and is a great foil for Ryan’s naïve and easily misled Sommers. Plus Corvus’ back story is so much more interesting than whatever was really going on between Sommers and her fiancé who *SPOILER* ends up being killed at the end of the first episode.

The other surprising breakout star of the show is recurring guest star Isaiah Washington as Antonio Pope, who has an as of yet unexplained role at the Berkut Group. When it was originally announced that Washington had been signed up for a limited number of episodes before the start of the season, it seemed to be a bit of stunt casting to gain additional publicity to the new show. Especially considering Washington had just been unceremoniously removed from Grey’s Anatomy following his insensitive and inappropriate comments on set. I’ve only see bits and pieces of Grey’s first two seasons but I was never that enthralled with Washington’s character Dr. Burke. On the flip side Pope seems to bring a much needed added element of suspense as a character willing to cross the line of what is morally right to achieve a greater good. Pope seems to test Sommers' way of thinking and forces her to come to terms with what she’s fighting for and why she’s doing it. Next week Washington will be back in what appears to be his last episode. It should be interesting to see what happens to his character this week and if producers decide to keep his character around, at least for the foreseeable future.

In the end, I’m still watching but I’m not sure why…I believe it’s mostly because the show is entertaining despite its flaws. I keep hoping the story will pick up and start to address the larger over arching mystery of whether or not it was an accident Sommers became the Bionic Woman before either one of three things happens: 1. The show gets canceled; 2. The WGA strike shortens the season and nothing ends up happening at all or 3. The show gets a full season, still ends up being kind of a stinker and I never watch again.

Spree No More

Much to The Blot's displeasure, I just found out the Polyphonic Spree show scheduled for tonight in Houston was canceled. I'm pretty bummed since lead singer Tim Delaughter, formerly of Tripping Daisey, and the Spree are one of my favorite bands to see live. And no matter how many times you see them their shows are always amazing. Part gospel choir, part jam band and part alternative rockers, the 24 members of the Polyphonic Spree definitely know how to put on a show. Even if you have never heard of the band before their music will move you. Trust me.

Edit: Wanted to give an update to all The Blot Says... readers, evidently it wasn't ticket sales that caused the demise of the Houston show. According to The Polyphonic Spree's blog The Fragile Army, some members of Rooney came down with a bug and couldn't perform.

Since there's no show to post on, I'll share a few pics from the last time I saw the Polyphonic Spree. It was at the Blender/CK 2007 Lollapalooza after party at the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago. It was a very small party comprised primarily of media and music execs and the Spree were on fire. Al and I had missed them earlier in the day at Grant Park since our flight got in after they had already performed, but thankfully we scored some VIP passes to see them that night. It was definitely one of the highlights of the weekend...plus Al got to meet Perez Hilton.

To find out about future tour dates check out the band's website at www.thepolyphonicspree.com.

Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah Immortalized In Plastic

What seems weird to The Blot is that this toy of acclaimed rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah is labeled a "doll." If anything a toy named after a former drug dealer whose moniker is Ghostface Killah should be called an action figure. Especially when it's rockin the kung-fu grip as show in the above picture. This recently released figure by 4CAST Limited has to be one of the craziest things I've seen in a long time. If you've got a few minutes I definitely recommend checking out the toy's website at www.theghostfacedoll.com.

The Ghostface doll does strive to be authentic, I'll give it that. It comes with Ghostface's old school Eagle Wristband that not only has a real diamond in it but is made out of 14K gold. Also made out of 14K gold is Ghostface's trademark dinner plate pendant and chain. And what's a toy based on a rapper without top of the line clothing? The Ghostface doll comes in a pimp tight robe and a pair of Clarks wallabees, which The Blot loves and still wears to this day. Best of all this rapper turned action figure really talks. Ghostface himself recorded 5 unique phrases for lil' Ghost to spout when hitting on your collection of Barbie and Wonder Woman dolls. It seems like 4CAST Limited has spared no expense, but wait there's more. The best part is that the toy is then packaged in "a box that has remnants of Fine Louis XIII cognac." (Link) You see, The Blot just can't make stuff like this up!

So you might be asking yourself at this point, "wow this sounds great, but how much would a limited edition Ghostface Killah doll cost me?" I'm glad you asked, because this is the part that blows my mind. The doll sells on the 4CAST Limited Online Store for...$499.99! Yup, that's not a misprint, its straight from their store. Now I had a feeling the toy would be steep when they're talking diamonds and gold, but even then I was figuring $100, maybe $200 tops. But over $500 after shipping is crazy. Who's buying this toy? And more importantly who exactly is this company marketing this toy to? What segment of the hip hop community is out there going, man I wish I could buy a $500 DOLL of my favorite rapper? Yeah, I'm stunned too.

Besides, no disrespect to Ghostface who is an amazing rapper in his own right, but I'm pretty sure the Wu-Tang Clan is a little past their peak. I know this toy is "devised to rekindle the feelings of the Golden Era of 90's hip-hop," but this toy probably should have come out during that golden era of hip-hop if it's hoping to sell that many dolls. (Link) The truth is Ghostface even after releasing two amazing albums last year (Fishscale and More Fish) just doesn't have that much clout or name recognition with the buying public. Maybe if this new toy line first launched with more well known established hip-hop artists like Jay-Z or even Dr. Dre it would have a better chance to make it, but I don't see exactly who's rushing out to buy a ridiculously expensive doll of Ghostface Killah. And this is coming from one of a small minority of people who still likes hip-hop, his music specifically and toys.

Regardless of the fact that I'm 100% certain none of my regular readers will be buying this outlandishly expensive and decorative doll, I still recommend checking out the toy's site www.theghostfacedoll.com. Its really well put together, gives you great pictures/explanations of the outlandish accessories the toy comes with and all in all just takes itself way too seriously for what it is, a crazy expensive toy. And I can't forget to mention the best part of the site. 4CAST has even created a blog for its mini Ghostface with pictures of the little guy lounging around and being played with by scantily clad females. If that doesn't sell you on ordering one right away I don't know what will!

Pearl Jam vs. Ames Bros.

The Blot can still remember the first time I ever heard Ten, Pearl Jam’s first album, over fifteen years ago. At that point I had never heard of the band and little did I know that only a few months later they would become one of the biggest bands on the planet, even gracing the cover of Time magazine. Who knew then that even after the fall of grunge Pearl Jam would still be touring as strong today as they ever did.

It’s almost embarrassing to admit this, but I still remember my camp counselor at sleep away camp putting in the cassette tape and telling us to check out this new band. I mean come on, a cassette tape? Does anyone even admit to using those anymore? I wanted to share that anecdote to drive home the fact that even though Ten may have come out during the birth of the CD, Pearl Jam is no longer the little alternative band that could. They are now officially elder statesmen of rock.

Needless to say, after that very first listen I was hooked and Pearl Jam has been my favorite band ever since. I bring this all up to let you know of a pretty cool new release from the band. It’s not an album though, it’s a coffee book titled Pearl Jam vs. Ames Bros: 13 Years of Tour Posters "a chronology of Pearl Jam's celebrated concert posters spanning 1995-2007. Pearl Jam vs. Ames Bros features over 80 comments on individual posters from all five members of Pearl Jam and running commentary from the poster designers -- offering insight into the inspiration, concepts and process of poster creation." (Link)

Concert poster art dates back a pretty far way to the original handbill, which was nothing more than a listing of the artists playing at any particular show. As time went on these handbills became less a listing and more of an art form which incorporates the musicians playing at a concert into the artists’ work. Many bands throughout history have found their concert posters to be an extension of their music and worked with specific artists to translate their sound and message to the viewer.

Like many musicians before them, Pearl Jam takes their concert posters very seriously. The band releases an original limited edition poster for almost every single show. But they have been known in the past to combine shows into a single poster. They work almost exclusively with artists Brad Klausen and the Ames Bros., which is comprised of Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament’s brother Barry and Coby Shultz. I’ve really enjoyed their work over the years and always make it a point to get a poster from every PJ show I’ve been to. The coffee table book looks amazing and it comes in two versions, the standard green hard bound book, which sells for $50, and the limited edition orange which is retailing for $200! The limited edition version comes with a number of extras, including 32 additional pages and three limited edition silk screened prints from the Ames Bros. and Klausen. The orange version has a print run of 3,000 with 2,600 being signed and numbered editions and another 400 being artist proofs. This is a must have for any die hard Pearl Jam fan or fans of concert art in general. Check some sample pages below:

You can purchase the book ether at Pearl Jam’s official website PearlJam.com or at the Ames Bros. official website Amesbros.com.

You can find Brad Klausen’s official website at ArtilleryDesign.com.

Barney-ism Of The Week

"I met a girl last night."

"Really?" - Ted

"So perky and full of life. And not at all fake."

"You're talking about her boobs right?" - Ted

"C. And that wasnt spanish, that was cup size. What up!"

- Barney Stinson

"Dowisetrepla"

How I Met Your Mother

The Blot Has A Posse

Since its seems to be a growing trend over the past year or two for high end department stores and boutiques to carry trendy, expensive OBEY t-shirts, The Blot felt it was important to enlighten readers of where this OBEY clothing line really came from. Especially since the clothing line is based on one of my favorite artist’s work. But, to find out what these OBEY shirts are all about you have to go back to the company’s roots.

The company that many refer to as OBEY is actually named OBEY Giant, and the giant in question just happens to be one of the greatest pop culture icons of all time. You see the OBEY Giant movement began with a simple sticker created by Shepard Fairey in 1989. The picture I’ve created above is actually a spoof of the original OBEY Giant sticker known as "André the Giant has a Posse.” André the Giant, as I’m assuming most of you know, is one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. He also did some acting and is fondly remembered by most as the gentle giant Fezzik in The Princess Bride.


From what I’ve read, the movement came out of the skateboarding subculture Fairey was a part of growing up in South Carolina and later as a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. (Link) Sometime in the early 90’s the WWE, who owns the trademark for the name André the Giant, took notice of the stickers, which were quickly spreading across America, and threatened to sue Fairey for copyright infringement for illegal use of the name. Because of the threat of a lawsuit, the street art campaign morphed from "André the Giant has a Posse” to “OBEY Giant” and more recently to the ubiquitous “OBEY.” As Fairey’s style evolved, the imagine of André has also shifted from the full head shot of early stickers, to the more iconic square outline of his face, to now in Fairey’s more recent pieces of artwork using his facial outline in smaller designs like the star pictured here as a part of a larger image.

It has been reported that Fairey added the OBEY slogan as “a parody of propaganda, but also a direct homage to the ‘OBEY’ signs found in the 1988 cult classic film, They Live, staring Roddy Piper” and directed by John Carpenter. (Link) It really is amazing how I can always tie things back to Rowdy Roddy Piper, don't you think? As the graffiti art campaign continued to evolve, the posters and stickers have continued to take on more of a propaganda look with the outline of André’s face being moved to the background in much of Fairey’s more recent work.

For a better explanation of what the OBEY movement is really about, I defer to the company’s website ObeyGiant.com. In the company’s own words, “The OBEY campaign can be explained as an experiment in Phenomenology. The first aim of Phenomenology is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one’s environment. The OBEY campaign attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the campaign and their relationship with their surroundings. Because people are not used to seeing advertisements or propaganda for which the motive is not obvious, frequent and novel encounters with OBEY propaganda provoke thought and possible frustration, nevertheless revitalizing the viewer’s perception and attention to detail. The medium is the message.”

If anyone is interested in finding out more about Fairey and OBEY Giant, I recommend roaming around ObeyGiant.com and definitely check out this article. Also, for a really great comprehensive gallery of Fairey OBEY artwork and additional information on the propaganda art campaign go to TheGiant.org. And remember, to become an official member of The Blot’s Posse keep coming back to The Blot Says… every weekday and don’t be afraid to post a message.

Headlines That Baffle The Blot

1. Lance Armstrong & Ashley Olsen’s Latest N.Y. Hookup (Link)

Many of The Blot’s fans know that I have, for many years now, had a great admiration for the Olsen Twins’ work. The Blot has tried to support them through thick and thin…the rumors of anorexia, drug use, excessive partying, etc. The Blot’s support has never waned. Until now that is. This is just gross. Maybe it’s all in my head, but the thought of LiveStrong Lance with little Michelle Tanner gives me the heebie jeebies.


2. Reid Has No Plans to Leave Eagles Despite Judge’s Criticism (Link)

Is Andy Reid, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, the only one who doesn’t get it? Given the judge may have been out of line with some of the things he said and maybe he didn't know the whole story, but still, these two kids of Reid’s seem pretty out of control and I have to think his credibility with his players is at an all time low. If a player was caught dealing drugs, brandishing weapons, driving under the influence and smuggling drugs into prison I’m pretty sure they would be banned from the NFL for life. Obviously it wasn’t Coach Reid committing these offenses but I have to imagine it is taking its toll on him, the team and the entire organization. The best thing he can do is take a temporary leave of absence to help his children and let the Eagles try to find their way through their already tumultuous season.

3. Sources say Alex Rodriguez was looking for a $350 Million Dollar Deal from the Yankees (Link)

Say what!?! Is this guy kidding? A-Rod is good, no wait he’s great. On second thought he is absolutely amazing. But no way, no how is this guy worth $350 Million Dollars. I’d feel better giving that much to a stud pitcher. At least a pitcher, in theory, can win a game on his own. A-Rod is still the player who has brought a cloud of losing with him to every team he’s been on since leaving Seattle. He should try winning a championship before talking about those staggering kinds of numbers. That contract would have been the most ridiculous American sports contract in the history of sports contracts. Besides, A-Rod definitely doesn't need to give the general public another reason to dislike him.

4. Music Label EMI Will Crack Down On Artists (Link)


While it’s probably a good thing one of the big music labels has finally decided to clean house and try to right its sinking ship, I would file this headline under “Too Little, Too Late.” It’s great that EMI wants to crack down on advances and crack down on artists they view as not pulling their own weight, but much of the blame and outrageousness of how artists are paid and dealt with can be attributed right back to the record labels. No other industry is handled as horribly as the music industry and these same labels had no problem doing it this way for decades. Of course back then the labels used these same business practices to routinely screw over their talent and make millions off them in the process. Now that albums don’t sell as well the artists are to blame? Seems to me there is still a demand for good music, just not what the music labels are trying to sell.

Maroon 5 - Trying to Break the Curse of the Grammy's Best New Artist Award

The Maroon 5 concert was last Friday night at the Toyota Center in Houston, home to the Houston Rockets. Considering how popular the band has been the past few years The Blot expected a packed, crazy concert with tons of young kids running around. I should have known something was up when we got to the show an hour and a half late (my girl Al and I didn’t have much interest in seeing the two opening bands) and found free parking on the street. In fact most of the paid parking lots around the stadium were only half full. The scene outside was nothing like the many other Rockets games and concerts I have attended there...it was pretty much dead. But at first we just thought maybe because Maroon 5 skewed so young that either most of the kids came in big groups and got dropped off by their parents or the big groups all came with one set of parents.

It was even eerier when we walked in and the concourse was as empty as it was dead outside. I think we saw like 3 or 4 people at the gigantic merchandise station outside our section. This seemed really odd to me because the last two concerts I attended at the Toyota Center, The Police and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, were crazy packed and you could barely walk through the concourse. You could forget about trying to get up to the merchandise table at those two shows, unless you were willing to miss the concert.

When we finally got to our seats The Hives were still on and sounded pretty good. What amazed me was that the entire upper deck was closed and had black sheets covering it. The Blot had bought his tickets presale and figured the show would be pretty close to selling out. Turns out only scalpers were buying tickets and either Maroon 5’s luster has faded away or the ticket prices scared most people off. The entire stadium was pretty empty when we got there and then right before Maroon 5 came on the floor seats filled up, but there were still sections of the lower level pretty empty. I for one was pretty shocked that Maroon 5, the media darlings that they are, were already pass their prime. Their latest album, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, has already sold over a million copies and their first album, Songs About Jane, had been selling really well for years. Either the band has just toured too much recently, this being their 3rd stop in Houston in the past 2 ½ years, or fans are just not that into their new album. You’d think the masses were loving them considering how much airplay the new cd has been getting on the radio. I guess that goes to show how far the power of radio has fallen in this age of iTunes.

As for the concert itself, I thought Maroon 5 was excellent. Al and I had both seen the band play before at the Houston rodeo, but those shows are usually an hour or less and not the most inspired of concerts. I wanted to give the band another shot because I have really enjoyed both their albums. They ended up playing a really long set when you consider they only have two albums worth of material. And, I might add, lead singer Adam Levine put on a surprisingly good performance. Al and I were both impressed.

I don’t know if this is a fair comparison or not but I’ve always seen them as a new version of a band I am a huge fan of, Matchbox Twenty. Not that their music is similar, but just the path of their careers. Both bands had huge selling first albums and then toured behind those albums for 3+ years without any new material. Then when the second album came out it sold well but never matched the first album’s popularity. Both bands have stayed huge media darlings, but only time will tell if Maroon 5’s popularity will slide any farther. The bigger question is whether that slide in popularity will move Levine to start a solo career like Matchbox Twenty’s lead singer Rob Thomas, and whether his solo career can produce the kind of hits and sales that Thomas’ has.


Regardless, the show was great and I would definitely recommend checking out Maroon 5 if they have not yet made it to your town. My only suggestion would be to not buy the tickets from Ticketmaster and save some $$$. If the Houston show is any indication of future shows’ attendance, you might be better off in the secondary market once scalpers realize they won’t be able to make their money back on the tickets and will be trying to their tickets away. After starting this post last night, I was surprised to find Bob Lefsetz, the author of The Lefsetz Letter (http://lefsetz.com/wordpress), also writing on the lackluster turnout for Maroon 5’s current tour and what that says for the music industry. You can read the article here. Lefsetz does amazing analysis on music and the industry as a whole. After writing it for more than 20 years, it is very well known and read by almost everyone in the industry. I strongly urge anyone really interested in music and the music industry to sign up for his e-mail newsletter.