UNDERTOW 2.25

RED OCTOBER!

This HAS to be the Phillies year? Doesn’t it? DOESN’T IT!?!

As I’ve expalined several times over the years in my various writing endeavors, I sort-of unplugged my Philadelphia Phandom in my early 30s when other things (wife, kids) took priority. I still watch and care (and spend $1000 on tickets…) but no longer does an Eagles loss ruin my entire week (which is good because it look like the wheels are coming off this season pretty quickly), but it sure would be nice if the Phils could go ahead and win the whole thing this year.

OTHER SPORTS STUFF: The Eagles are in serious trouble as every week it looks like no one is really in charge… JUST LIKE THE GOVERNMENT! ZING! The 76ers are cool and I’ll watch the games with my huge NBA fan son Henry, but nothing really matters for them until May of 2025. If Embiid, Maxey and George go into the playoffs at 100% and the supporting cast does their jobs, there’s no reason they can’t contend for a title. And DO NOT SLEEP on the Flyers. They’ve added a super-dynamic young player to an already-promising young core and, if nothing else, will be veryt fun to watch, but I boldly predict they will make the playoffs and an Eastern Conference Final. Print this and hang it on your fridge.

ODDITY OF THE WEEK: The famous actor Michael Shannon (Man of Steel, Nocturnal Animals) has a touring REM tribute band, currently covering the band’s incredible Fables of the Reconstruction album (which features a Top 5 REM song, Driver 8). I will be touring with my own REM cover band as soon as I become a famous actor. Which I’ve scheduled for next Tuesday.

Speaking of acting (non-famous division), I’ll be participating in a production of Scrooge for the Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Co. in November (Smithville, NJ) and December (Roanoka, VA). I’ll be playing young Ebenezer’s first employer, Mr. Fezziwig, as well as the ghost of Jacob Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Present. If you’ve seen any of my 10,000-ish performances of Scrooge at Elaine’s over the last 30 years, it’s very similar, but just different enough to give me freakish uncontrolled anxiety. You know, normal actor stuff. I’ll post a link in the coming weeks in case anyone wants to buy a ticket.

GREAT MUSIC DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK: As is often the case, this week’s discovery came when I wasn’t even really looking. So, as you can probbaly guess by reading this column every week, I watch a lot of movies and TV. If I’m not working or gigging, I’m usually plumbing the depths of Amazon, Hulu and Apple for undiscovered gems. My watch lists are full of shows I’ll be able to eventually watch, assuming I live to be 198. Last week I found Ridley on Amazon, your basic PBS police procedural starring some English character actor finally given a chance to headline his own show (in this case Adrian Dunbar, whom I think plays a supporting part in every BBC show produced since 1978). The show is… fine. One of those “put it on at bedtime and drift off to sleep while you listen” shows that don’t require 100% concentration like fucking LOST or Twin Peaks. Anyway, half in a dreamlike trance, I hear a song that hits my sweet spot being sung by Adrian Dunbar(!), which I managed to track down and, well, here they are. The first from the show, the second from the composer. (Mild spoilers for Ridley episode two in the first video, in case you plan on watching Ridley.)

Richard Hawley’s 2006 album Coles Corner was nominated for a Mercury Prize, the UK’s version of an Album of the Year Grammy.

And what is this next link, you might ask? Oh nothing, just the new single from The Cure. No big whoop.

Pure Disintegration-era Cure there. No, it’s not the greatest song in the world, but I’m just so glad that in 2024 I got a new Billy Joel song and a new Cure album (11/1). THE 80S WILL NEVER DIE!!!

I’ve studiously avoided getting too political in here, but I spent $123 on basic supplies at Dollar General the other day and it really should be just about impossible to spend $123 at Dollar General. I think it’s in the constitution. I’m voting for the dude that tops out Dollar General trips to about $50.

Olivia Nuzzi is a reporter for New York magazine. It recently came to light that she’d been in an illicit relationship with Democrat presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He broke it off, she continued to bombard him with, uh, let’s say inappropriate texts and images, to the point where he sent a cease and desist order. I do not judge anyone on their weakest moments (there but for the grace of God go I and all that) but “Too Horny For A Kennedy” should come with some sort of award.

CORPORATE BULLSHIT AND/ OR IRONY OF THE WEEK: So I’m in the shower and realize I need a bar of soap so I reach over to our little shelf for a new bar of Zest. The bar is in a box, the box says ZEST CARES ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS BOX MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED MATERIAL. This is printed on every box of our 8-pk and, I assume, on the millions of boxes of Zest on store shelves around the globe. Maybe… maybe don’t put every bar of Zest in a box. I don’t know.

DUMBASS OF THE WEEK III: In impressive fashion, David Miller extends his streak to a Lou Gehrig-like three consecutive weeks. This time he had the right venue but arrived four hours early to the gig. While his season has ended (his summer at the shore has come to a close) we look forward to seeing him in 2025 and anxiously wait to see what records he sets next year! (Also, thanks, Dave, for being a good dude and loyal reader. You hanging out with Alex & Lynn Sosik represented 20% of my readership.)

GIG OF THE WEEK: It was on this above mentioned Saturday night that something very unusual happened; a Terry & Jerry gig scheduled 9-12 at the Rusty Nail actually went until 12! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mad about it, just… usually those 9-12 gigs peter out sometime around 1030-11, if that. So it was a very nice surprise to have an engaged crowd hanging out until closing time. A good night at the Nail is a good night.

PROMISE OF THE WEEK: I walked into that twice-above-mentioned gig with a very sore throat, worried that I wouldn’t make it through the gig with anything resembling a good voice but, I’m not gonna lie, aside from a little extra rasp (which,let’s face it, only makes me sound sexier), I was pretty great. The aforementioned engaged crowd was a huge help (a huge round of applause after our second song, Fire & Rain, was a real up-lifter) because I didn’t know anybody was listening! Anyway, as Jerry Kolber so succinctly put it one night, “You know, if it wasn’t for the constant complaining, I wouldn’t have known your throat was bothering you.” Great guitar playing a putting me in my place. You couldn’t ask for a better partner. (Also, the dude who thanked us for the relatively obscure Murder in the City by the Avett Bros. is the reason I frequently drive Jerry insane learning such songs.)

80S BAND UPDATE OF THE WEEK: ME GENERATION is poised to have its first rehearsal later this week and I can’t wait. It really is a ridiculously talented line-up (Dave Hughes, Emily Bryce, Al Olivero, James Howell and, of course, me) and the song list is a nice mix of super 80s “hot hits” and under-the-radar gems (don’t worry, everything we’re playing has been heard by more then three people…). Launching a new band is always a process fraught with anxiety, but with this group I’m worried about how much I’m not worried. 10/12 & 13 at Anglesea Pub, 8pm.

NEW SUBSCRIBER OF THE WEEK: Kathy Manzetti! Woo-hoo! After sitting at 15 paid subscribers for, let’s see… FOREVER, we have finally broken through to the big ONE-SIX! YEAH! At this rate we’ll break 20 in about 2034, but that’s okay, because I’m here for you, the people that get me. Kathy and husband Pete have been regu;lar readers and faithful followers of the Terry & Jerry experience for quite some time now, venturing to parts north (Jersey Girl, Anglesea Pub) on several occasions and every we here at Undertow Central really appreciate you guys.

SUPER-QUICK MOVIE/ TV REVIEWS BECAUSE I’M ALREADY ABOUT 500 WORDS OVER WHAT I USUALLY POST:

APPLETV+: WOLFS is the new comedy from Brad Pitt and George Clooney. It’s a perfectly fine 2-hour diversion. I hate them for getting more handsome as they grow older although it gives me hope that I, too, may one day be handsome. Be that as it may, the kid who plays the kid, Austin Abrams, absolutely walks away with the movie. Solid flick. Give it a watch.

APPLETV+: Echo 3 is a difficult show to quantify. Part Lone Survivor (man stuck behind enemy lines), part The Searchers (stop at nothing revenge). Intensely well-acted and produced. It’s another cable streamer that would have benefitted from being six episodes instead of ten, but if you stick it out (it is sometimes achingly glacial in its pacing) I think you’ll enjoy it. Just don’t expect a bunch of warm and fiuzzies.

NETFLIX: Emily in Paris recently posted its 4th season and it really feels like a show that should have ended with three (with season five already in production). But, I mean, if you like Emily in Paris you probably don’t care what I think about it, which is fine.

No paywall this week. I’m too excited at adding a 16th paid subscriber! Next week? 6 paywalls…

Til next week, don’t get caught in The Undertow.