Potter, 10 pages at a time

This is sad. I’m a big Harry Potter fan but find myself reading the seventh book several years after its initial release -- and at only 10 pages a day at that.

Huh, you ask? Exactly.

Not to whine, but I’m a busy and distracted guy. I’m the first to admit I have a short attention span. I love to read, but want to read lots of things every day, starting with three print newspapers then layering on lots of web and  mobile content, tons of magazines, and at least two books at a time (one of which will always be music related).

Anyway, back to Potter. I love J.K. Rowling’s books and the movie adaptations, but it’s only until recently that I’d forced myself to start the seventh and final book in the series. Actually, I’m ahead of schedule in tackling the book, since my normal routine is that as a “Potter” movie nears release, I’ll read the associated book.

This time, however, knowing that the seventh book will be split into two movies -- thus ensuring Daniel Radcliffe will be 32 years old by the time the final scene is cut -- I knew I needed to step up and attack the last novel.

10 pages at a time. At I write this, I have 170 pages to go. So, until Sept. 14, don’t tell me what happens. 

Update on Saturday, September 5, 2009 at 6:30 PM by Logan Molen

OK, just finished the 7th and last book -- ahead of schedule. What a fantastic read, with so many twists and turns and surprises. Real surprises.

And now I understand why the film directors plan to split this book up into two movies. There's so much going on in this book that it makes perfect sense. Of course, Daniel Radcliffe will be 29 when the last movie opens, but, hey, 77-year-old Luke Perry's character was just out of high school when "90210" finally went cold.

"The Social History of the mp3"

Pitchfork has a long take on the 10-year history of the mp3 and raises a thought-provoking question: Will music over the last decade be remembered more for the technology or the music?

I tend to agree with author Erik Harvey in that the technology was the story. Just think past a few short years and marvel at what the mp3 spawned:

• Streaming radio
• Podcasts
• The spread of free music through file-sharing networks like Napster (remember them) and BitTorrent.
• iTunes and the iPod
• Emphasis on singles rather than albums
• Immediate release of music, including tons of live shows, what would have been B-sides and rarities, etc.
• The deterioration of the record labels and the birth of self-sustaining bands.

And that's just music. We're not even touching the side effects that include YouTube, Flickr, etc.

Set aside the debate over the poor quality of mp3s (here's my take), and it's clear that we'll look back on these days at the technology, not Black Eyed Peas

The amazing Charlie Poole

I've found myself diving deeper into old American roots music in recent years, and today got an introduction to the legendary Charlie Poole.

Charlie Poole (courtesy of WNYC.orgSoundcheck, one of my favorite radio shows, presented a terrific interview with Loudon Wainwright, whose new double CD is a tribute to Poole and his music, which laid the groundwork for country music and roots music in general.

Poole sold a half-million records in the 1920s -- remember this was a time when record players (aka Victrolas) were in their infancy. In other words, he was the Garth Brooks of his day.

Sadly, Poole, like many famous musicians, died an early death at age 39, the loser in a 13-week booze binge. I'm not ready to buy Wainwright's album or the box set mentioned in the podcast, but this 23-minute segment is well worth the listen for music fans digging into the roots of modern music.

Update on Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 10:11 PM by Logan Molen

AllMusic has a deeper history of Poole.