BLAKE JONES AND THE TRIKE SHOP

The other night, I watched a local band play 'Goldfinger'....only, instead of the hammy vibrato of Shirley Bassey, the melody was carried by that wonderful quirk of early electronic music, the theremin, as played by....Blake Jones.



Blake's been a fixture of our local music scene for decades. His band, the Trike Shop, exists to realize his eclectic pop music. The band recently returned from a pilgrimage of sorts to London and appeared as part of a local benefit to celebrate the 25th anniversary of college radio station KFSR. After the show, I bought his group's first CD "A-Sides and B-Movies", which contains the song "Ross Used to Play Us His Frank Zappa Records (Cold Pepsi and Croutons)---which happens to have a snippet of some 20th century composer's work embedded in the arrangement. Like a good Zappa record, it was funny and interesting, and after the show I walked up to Blake and mentioned it to him. I appreciated his 'double take', since he doesn't get that sort of reaction every day.

What quote, you might ask? And what could such a band sound like? Well, you should check out the CD for yourself. It's a delight.

CAFE SCIENTIFIQUE, NOVEMBER: "OVER MY DEAD BODY"

The next celebration of science here in the Central Valley will take place a week from tomorrow (Monday) on Nov. 5th, at Lenny's Bistro Deli in River Park Shopping Center, in Fresno. We'll be hearing Dr. Kevin Miller, a forensic biochemist at CSU Fresno, give a presentation on such topics as using DNA typing to identify skeletal remains in both an archaeological and law enforcement context. Should be fascinating! And, given the close proximity to Halloween, kind of timely...in a macabre sort of way!

For more info, please check out Central Valley Cafe Scientifique's web page!

MUGGLES UNMUZZLED

The whole sexuality of Dumbledore flap I find doubly dull, and I'm more than a bit baffled by the many weird criticisms that Rowling's revelation has provoked. It's the kind of backstory that many writers take the trouble to create for their characters privately, but which they rarely make explicit because such details are rarely the point.

At any rate, I think fans of Rowling's work are bright enough to place this unrolling of the scroll in the proper context. This essay strikes just the right balance between informed textual criticism and geeky outrage.