Cool Week

James Taylor On West Wing last night? Come on. It’s a sign that might be an omen and that’s why all this week here at This is This has been declared “Cool Week”. I’m writing about cool: what it is and my thoughts on stuff that doesn’t suck.

This month I bought an ipod. This doesn’t make me cool, but it might help me be no less cool than other people who are.

It. Fucking. Rocks. And when I say “fucking”, I mean “rocks”. It’s like a party in my ears. I can put it on shuffle and act surprised (but in a cool way, you know?) when good bands come on. This surprise is just for me, in the way I have private jokes that only I will enjoy.

Foo Fighters! Carole King! Public Enemy! Stan Getz! Nick Drake!

But… (Twist 1)

These are my cool CDs. I single them out to make me look cooler than I am.

It is a playlist for cool people. Urbane, eclectic but interestingly so, broad and diverse. How about a little Billie Holliday? “Your table’s ready for you, Sir.” Early Bowie? “My friend wants your number.” Ali Farka Toure? “Ou est la salle des Impressionistes?”

These are all albums I own, but not all the albums I own.

If I’d mentioned my less cool bands I would have said:

“INXS! Jackson Brown! Sting! Toad The Wet Sprocket! Pop Will Eat Itself! Men At Work!”

That’s just a soundtrack for noogies.

However… (Twist 2)

I am turning cool on its head, because with itunes I can buy singles again. I haven’t bought a single in about 15 years (Heaven Sent An Angel by Revolver) and singles can be cool, because there are lots of songs by uncool bands that are actually very cool. You know I said how the mundane makes the good things exceptional? The egg and the yolk thing? Well there’s a list of cool songs by uncool bands.

Which I have yet to write.

(to be continued)

VO: “This Is This is written in front of live audience and is brought to you by the letter M and the number 4″