Wednesday, October 18, 2006

WHAT IS THIS "TWANG"?

Okay, I will tell you. I called it quits just last month, September 2006, with a music-only blog called Agony Shorthand that I'd nurtured like a young suckling lamb for over 3 years. I reckoned I'd probably start something up again in fairly short order focusing on "the written word", 'cuz that's just how I roll. I wasn't sure if I'd be unveiling my long-schemed "political rant blog", my "amateur film scholar" blog, my "militant atheist" blog, or just some total redux of the thing I'd done previously - a buncha blah blah blah about my record collection. So I decided it made sense to do it all, and a little more too.

Implicit in all this is the cleared-eyed realization that, on "the Internet", when you specialize, you tend to bring in targeted, dedicated traffic, and a lot more of it than when you generalize. I know I personally have found blogs that recount the day's events and the passing fancy of the moment to be beyond boring. This'll only have a little bit of that. No, my goal here is simply to have a repository for stuff I want to write about, which could take any form but will likely be centered on culture, the arts, societal stuff - but not my family, my breakfast or my navel. With Agony Shorthand I sort of hamstrung myself into a bind in which any given film or book review would've stuck out like a sore thumb, but there were times when I just wanted to tell you about it so goddamn much that I had to instead place my rant into a special place deep within my belly, where it would fester and grow tumors. I didn't enjoy that, so here's DETAILED TWANG.

"Detailed Twang", by the way, is the name of a record by the crude British uber-D.I.Y. band THE DOOR AND THE WINDOW. That's your (and my) first clue that this blog will probably continue to feature its fair share of music writing. The rut I got into with my last one was setting the self-perpetuating expectation that content would be updated nearly every day, which to my chagrin & sometime frustration, I pushed myself to do in spite of having, like you, a real life away from the computer. I can say now that that won't be the case here, but who the hell knows. I might post some music here, maybe a video or two, might even put some digital coupons on the site so you can go shopping later. I hope you enjoy the good times here, and come back to see us next Monday, when the party really gets rolling.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel at home here already. Nice couch!

Anonymous said...

Good on ya, mate!

Though I have been curious about your navel.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back.

Anonymous said...

coolness

Anonymous said...

Hi Jay - welcome back - looking forward to it

uli

Anonymous said...

I'll drink a Speakeasy Double Daddy for you.

Anonymous said...

man, this is gonna fuck stigliano's shit up & good. way to go!

Anonymous said...

As Ms. Lunch would say: "It is in your blood, Jay. It's a blood disease." Good to have you back, man (I knew you couldn't stay away for long, sniffle sniffle). But, boy oh boy, you are going to throw politics, religion, and film into the mix! My oh my! Things must be really peaceful in casa Hinman if you are looking to mix it up that much on-line. Well, god bless ya! Very much looking forward to the musings.

Anonymous said...

Any blog with a vaguely Mark Perry-esque slant I will support WITH GUSTO. Smooth sailin' to ya!

Anonymous said...

Yes - love the Mark P reference!

Anonymous said...

Ah, you're back. I can stop checking 'Agony' every day, hoping it was only a bad dream. Amongst all the new fun 'n' games, please do keep bird doggin' the cream of the 78rpm comps. I've been relying on you to steer me around the mediocre stuff. Best of luck.

Anonymous said...

Please do not be a militant atheist, elsewise you'd end up as Chris Hitchens. Which would be kinda sad. Let us talk about television and why The Wire & Venture Bros., are the best things on. Ciao

Anonymous said...

Man, you suck. You couldn't "critique" your way out of a paper bag (there's your SST reference). You're like the pathetic hipster who looks around all beady-eyed before passing judgement "hey what do you guys think?" and then simply repeats someone else's stale opinion. Siltblog Jr. indeed, can that guy even make room for your head shoved all the way up his ass??? I thought it was good riddance, and now this new piece of crap, goodnight!

Anonymous said...

I was always hoping for more variety from AS, so this new development is most welcome.

Anonymous said...

Alright Jay! Can't wait.

Anonymous said...

hooray!