Air
Baez, Joan
Bauhaus
Beach Boys, The
Bears, The
Beastie Boys, The
Beat Rodeo
Beck
Beirut
Belew, Adrian
Belly
Berlin
Beulah
Big Star
Billy Nayer Show, The
Black Flag
Black Uhuru
Black, Frank
Bottle Rockets
Bowie, David
Bragg, Billy
Brannigan, Laura
Breeders, The
Burrell, Kenny
Butthole Surfers
Buzzcocks
Camper Van Beethoven
Cake
Chilton, Alex
Cleary, Jon
Clinton, George
Costello, Elvis
Coulton, Jonathan
Court and Spark, The
Cracker
Dead Kennedys, The
Dead Milkmen, The
Decemberists, The
Dickies, The
DiFranco, Ani
Doe, John
Dr. John
Eskimo
fIREHOSE
Flaming Lips, The
Fountains of Wayne
Franti, Michael (with Charlie Hunter)
Funky Meters, The
Gabriel, Peter
George, Inara
Gone
Grass Roots, The
Grateful Dead, The
Grizzly Bear
Guthrie, Arlo
Harding, John Wesley
Heat, Reverend Horton
Heron, Gil Scott
Hitchcock, Robyn
Husker Du
Iguanas, The
Jarreau, Al
JayHawks, The
Jazz Butcher, The
Kelly Jones
Living Colour
Lobos, Los
Lovett, Lyle
Marsalis, Wynton
Marley, Ziggy
Mike Viola
Minus Five, The
Morphine
Movie Stars, The
negativland
Newsom, Joanna
Old 97s, The
Oranger
Osborne, Anders
Overwhelming Colorfast
Pavement
Pee
Pere Ubu
Pixies, The
Plays Monk
Polyphonic Spree
Prince
Ramones, The
Redman, Joshua
Reed, Lou
Replacements, The
Residents, The
Richman, Jonathan
Rollins, Sonny
Roy Hargrove
Seagal, Jonathan
Seeger, Pete
Semisonic
Shocked, Michele
Shriekback
Silver Spun Pickups
Sioux, Siouxsie
Sippy Cups, The
Sisters of Mercy, The
Snappin’ Box, A
Squeeze
Stone Temple Pilots
Sugar
Sutton, Tierney
Television
They Might Be Giants
Thinking Fellers Local Union 282
Throwing Muses
Trip Shakespeare
Tyner, McCoy
Uncalled For, The
Uncle Tupelo
Vega, Suzanne
Violent Femmes
Voice Farm
Wailers, The
Wainwright, Loudin III
Waits, Tom
Wilco
Wolfgang Press, The
X
Yellow Man
Yo La Tengo
Young, Neil
Zircus
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It's like a mock on Lady Gregory, and her stuck up versions of Irish mythology, now ain't it not bugger?At least Fin mac cool is now ain't he now?
I've gotten really into and read ahead - which may be bad, because it doens't landmark itself in such a way that I can easily remember what and not to discuss. So I will leave it at this - great read so far.
Alas, still no "Two Birds" in hand. It'll be in from the publisher to my valiant independent neighborhood bookstore by Friday.
But an anecdotal survey of its cultural resonance--namely my trip to the SF Public Library today, where all three copies were checked out--indicates that this is one for the ages.
Hope to join the conversation more intelligently next week. Keep the teasers comin'!
Something I was reading... I stowed up a buncha links and lost 'em on my crashy Mac... suggested that Brian O'Nolan would definitely have been subjected to Lady Gregory and other similar Victorian takes on the Tain Bo Cuilaigne.
Just a shout-out here-joining the death dive this week. got my book and snorkel.
I'm still pre-furriskey, but it occurs to me that on some level I'm reading a love poem addressed to Beer. The description of his first drink (29 Dalkey) is amazing.
cort wrote:
"I'm still pre-furriskey, but it occurs to me that on some level I'm reading a love poem addressed to Beer."
I agree. In that way this book strikes me as very Canadian.
Does anyone know who Conan is? Is he an emanation of glorious Finn? Or is he The Poooka Fergus MacPhellimey? Is my book missing a page?
As I think I implied belardedly in a recent post, this is a "hell of funny" book.
(I have just discovered that the verb "belard" does in fact exist. Also that "befist" means to belabor with the fists. "Becomma,",,, to sprinkle with commas. Also: bescab, bescarf, bescurf, becivet. "Bebutterfly," to engross in butterflies. )
I am right bebutterflied by the humours of this work.
.
Me understanding is that Conan is traditionally one of the Fianna. Here's something I found about Conan:
"It is Conan who was the weakest man that was in the Fheinn, because they used to keep him maol (cropped). He had but the strength of a man, but if the hair should get leave to grow there was the strength of a man in him for every hair that was in his head; but he was so cross that if the hair should grow be would kill them all. He was so short-tempered (ath-ghoirid) that he used to be always fighting with them."
(http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/pt3/pt341.htm)
The name Conan is common and several people in the rival clan (Clan Morna; Finn's clan was Clan Baiscne) were named Conan, but the one we're hearing from is probably Conan Mac Lia:
"On a number of occasions, Conan Mac Lia tried to avenge his father's death, but he was never successful in killing Finn Mac Cumhaill. When finally trapped by his father's killer, Conan offered his services and swore allegiance to Finn. Finn graciously accepted Conan's vows, and the two enemies became steadfast friends."
(http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/fianna.html)
Conan is one of the Fianna Eirinn or "Fenians", the band of heroes led by Finn. Each of the named Fianna is distinctive in some way, and Conan's mark is his sass--he is always giving Finn grief. Think of the Irish character in "Braveheart".
This book is a real time travel for me. I'm especially hearing the voices of my great-uncle Lawny and Monsignor Monahan, faith. I'm not saying a thing ("you're a wise man"), boys-a-dear!
I now see that I was misled about the best way to pursue a college education.
i think i better pick i time i can sit and read this thing all at once. I took a break around page 65 for a few days, actually a week, and had no idea what was going on again. it's like i'm starting from scratch again. this book is officially my nemesis.