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  • Matt Duke_2's picture
    What a Clever Band Name, Indeed!
    Posted by Matt Duke
    December 14, 2009

    I'll be sure to post a notice closer to the date, but come December 22nd at 9pm Holiday cheer will be spread all over the radio airwaves on WXPN and I was lucky enough to be a part of the fun. Expect a little of this, a little of that, and lots and lots of Holiday tunes.

    Saturday night I moseyed on over to the Blinkin Lincoln to check out Philly locals The Quelle Source. The celebration was centered around the release of their new LP Enjoy the Ridge and yes, members of the band The Quelle Source, I DID enjoy myself very much. There was dancing, there was booze, there were men in women's jeans and even puppets donning labcoats and flanking the band on stage. If I could sum up how great a time The Quelle Source record release party was, just picture this: One excitable fan who, over the course of the set, kept losing one article of clothing after another and, without missing a beat, still managed to give everyone around him a high five. Wait...he's running off to the men's room. I think he might be getting sick...no...wait!...He's Back! And the high fives continue! Huzzah!

    Check them out - The Quelle Source

    I would like to publicly express my love for Cliff Lee. I was excited when we grabbed him last year and am sorry to see him go to the Seattle Mariners. Yes, I'm stoked that getting Roy Halladay means we've beefed up our starting rotation and that we likely have another great shot at a World Series ring, but boy am I going miss Mr. Lee. Best of luck to you in Seattle.

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  • Matt Duke_2's picture
    T-Minus 85 Days until Mushing Madness
    Posted by Matt Duke
    December 10, 2009

    I couldn't sleep last night, but that was OK. HBO was playing Balto at 1 in the AM and by 2:30 I was asking myself, "Is that the voice of an angel or just Phil Collins as both polar bear cubs?" What a dumb question - Of course Mr. Sussudio can do whatever he wants whenever he damn well pleases.

    Other notable dogsledding movies - Iron Will (w/ Kevin Spacey and Brian Cox) and a personal favorite and guilty pleasure, 8 Below (w/ Paul Walker WHO, might I add, is totally badass - he was on a Discovery Channel special wrangling Great White Sharks). I'm fascinated by the Iditarod and even more in awe of the people who can brave the elements and run the race from start to finish. Friggin' awesome.

    Last night I was in attendance for the Tony Lucca/Josh Hoge show at the Tin Angel here in Philly. Great show all around and it was the first time in almost two months I had the opportunity to jump on stage and play the guitar since busting my hand. It felt great and a big thank you to Tony for inviting me to rock out to "Pretty Things". Unfortunately I couldn't stay through Josh's set, but I'm not concerned. I get to share the stage with him in little more than a week at SPACE in Chicago and if his set is anything like what I caught last night, it's going to be an awesome way to spend a Friday night. Care to join in the fun? Come on out December 18th and I promise you will not be disappointed. And bring lots of friends. Let's pack that place.

    Happy Human Rights Day.

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  • Matt Duke_2's picture
    December 3rd: 65 degrees and Sunny
    Posted by Matt Duke
    December 03, 2009

    Weird weather. And by weird, I mean a cool, springtime breeze to kick off the month of December. Whatever - I look at it as Global Warming doing its best to ward off Seasonal Affective Disorder. But before I race outside to grab a tan, let's get up to speed.

    I begin therapy on my right hand this evening and from there, I'm on my way to being better than ever. The worst is over and now it's crunch time - get well, finish writing the rest of the new record, camp out in a studio somewhere and so on and so forth. I've been jonesing to perform and, lucky for me, I'll get an opportunity mid-December opening up for the tattoo-laden, soul-singing Josh Hoge. His is company that I like to keep, a performance worth seeing and we get to share the stage at one of my favorite venues as of late. So, to all in the Chicago area, come on out to SPACE on the 18th. I'm crossing my good fingers that my reintroduction to playing the guitar will be well worth the price of admission.

    Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine.

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  • Matt Duke_2's picture
    TFDI and the Amazing Octopus
    Posted by Matt Duke
    November 23, 2009

    Another brief entry to keep everyone up to speed:

    My hand is not healing as well as we'd hoped, but I'm not too far off track. The only annoying thing that persists post-surgery is my inability to type with two hands and the awkwardness of brushing my teeth with my left hand. I'd give up my right hand to be ambidextrous. The nice thing about taking some time off from being a self-sufficient, able-bodied human being is that I've begun to catch up on some pretty obscure wildlife documentaries such as "The Amazing Octopus" which follows the entire life of said, amazing octopus. You'd think if they were so amazing they could find a way to live longer than two years. I'm just sayin'.

    TFDI is out. Download it on itunes. And check out this thing that Tony made: TFDI

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  • Matt Duke_2's picture
    Human Pinbag
    Posted by Matt Duke
    November 11, 2009

    My God, what happened to Top 40 radio and MTV? I won't go so far as to say that Popular music has ever been my cup of tea entirely, but the quality of music just seemed so much more inventive, emotive and just downright better even 15 years ago! And I know it's old news that MTV has become anything but a music channel, but I remember the days when I was excited to stay up past my bedtime and watch 120 minutes to check out a new Tool video or the fact that the music video for "Sledgehammer" was my first introduction to the Peter Gabriel I grew to love and appreciate. At the risk of sounding cruel, these music videos now that ARE being made are pretty laughable and devoid of anything remotely true and creative. When I say laughable, I mean it - I actually laughed out loud when I caught a glimpse at a music video this morning that shall remain nameless (at least MTV is still spinning videos at 6 in the AM, right? RIGHT?!). There are few exceptions when it comes to good, inspired music videos being made anymore (The Dead Weather) and it's hard to figure out which led to what - did MTV destroy Popular music or was it the other way around? Pop music - Top 40 radio that is - has always been hit or miss, but it's felt like a sure-fire miss now for quite some time. Sigh.

    Give me Cyndi Lauper or give me death.

    You're lucky - I'd keep rambling on about how much I hate MTV and the state of music today, but it's a tiresome thing typing with one hand.

    The doctor cut away my cast yesterday to expose two enormous pins jutting out beneath the knuckle below my pinky on my right hand. Gross, but super cool. As his sadistic disposition would have it, he went ahead and molested my right hand, bending fingers this way and that, drawing a horrifying half-scream from me as I tried to wriggle away from the table. His grip was too strong and his eyes were crazed - I could see him picturing himself at commencement in his late 20's, graduating with honors, accepting his degree and reciting the Hippocratic oath with fingers crossed behind his back. The monster! Seriously though, he fixed the fracture and now it's up to me to rehab it back to the way it was. That's where I'm at as of today.

    If you're looking for something to do between now and Sunday afternoon, go check out Cape and Sword's production of Sweeney Todd over at St. Joe's Prep in Philadelphia (Sweeney Todd).

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