Eponymous Tune from Southern Ivy League

Here's the eponymous new song from Southern Ivy League with Matt on lead vocals. We're rocking on this one.

Having trouble with "eponymous"? Here's some help. Don't feel bad; I had to look it up for spelling. I can't tell you how long I've waited to use it in a blog post! The recently defunct REM (as of yesterday) released a "greatest hits" album in 1988 that was titled "Eponymous," which was highly ironic because the album wasn't eponymous, i.e., wasn't named "REM."

Swimming Pools Subject of New Steve Eddy Essay

Steve has a new essay on WBAA, this one about the swimming pools of yesteryear (Mohr's) and those of today (Castaway Bay).  You can listen here.

Astoria is Gatsby Country

I just finished rereading The Great Gatsby and discovered that Astoria, home of Fort Eddy, is in Gatsby country. In fact much of the action of the book consists of the characters flitting between East and West Eggs and Manhattan, always passing through Astoria. In this passage, where Nick and Gatsby are cruising in Gatsby's soon-to-be-notorious yellow convertible on their way downtown for a lunch with the gangster Wolfsheim, Astoria is mentioned specifically:

With fenders spread like wings we scattered light through half
Astoria--only half, for as we twisted among the pillars of the
elevated I heard the familiar "jug--jug--SPAT!" of a motor cycle, and a
frantic policeman rode alongside.

"All right, old sport," called Gatsby. We slowed down. Taking a white
card from his wallet he waved it before the man's eyes.

"Right you are," agreed the policeman, tipping his cap. "Know you next
time, Mr. Gatsby. Excuse ME!"

A few moments later they are crossing the Queensboro Bridge, in the southern end of Astoria, and Nick waxes poetic about the view:

Over the great bridge, with the sunlight through the girders making a
constant flicker upon the moving cars, with the city rising up across the
river in white heaps and sugar lumps all built with a wish out of
non-olfactory money. The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always
the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the
mystery and the beauty in the world.

Much later in the novel Nick finds himself, oddly, in Gatsby's car, but being driven by Tom Buchanan, in the exact same locale:

Instinct made him step on the accelerator with the double purpose of overtaking Daisy and leaving Wilson behind, and we sped along toward Astoria at fifty miles an hour, until, among the spidery girders of the elevated, we came in sight of the easygoing blue coupé.

After a disastrous afternoon at the Plaza Hotel, Daisy and Gatsby leave in his car and, after passing through Astoria again, Daisy runs down Tom's lover and seals Gatsby's fate.

Presumably they drive back and forth on the Northern Road, which swings not too far from the Fort's precincts.

Paul Sings Urban Blues from Fire Escape

Coming to you live from Astoria, New York, here is multi-talented Paul Eddy singing his autobiographical blues hit "City Livin'" while parked half way between cousin Phil's bedroom and the gritty urban fire escape of Fort Eddy.

Matt's Band Puts Out New Song

Southern Ivy League has added another song to their growing repertoire.  This one is called 20 Is a Lonely Heart.  Features a vocal (not Matt) that sounds like John Lennon in one of his mellower moments. Matt plays some banjo on it  it, though not in a bluegrass style.  The band's unique style continues to emerge.  You can hear the song here.

Julia as a Robot

Here is a brief video of a piece that Julia and another girl did for a forensics contest. Julia plays a hyper-cheerful robotic counselor trying to give advice to a woman whose marriage is breaking up.  Very funny and Julia does a great job with a tricky part.

A Song by Miles

Here is a song called "Choices" that Miles wrote, sings, plays all the instruments, and produced (in a studio, I think).  A very big ending; the last minute, starting when the guitar solo kicks in, is bliss.  Take a listen. You'll be impressed, I promise.