If it's Friday, it must be a group LNT. And because LNT was on a sort of vacation this week, we did something that's kind of easy, a What's Playing. This is where we just turn on whatever media player thing we are using at the moment, and see what comes up. And we asked our writers to do the same. We're just hoping to catch them in some embarassing 70's love ballad situation. We trust they wouldn't lie about it. Mostly.

Ian is up first. He's wordy.

Man, screw this late night typing right in the face.

I'm at my parents' house in San Antonio, and I've already been looking for my iPod for about an hour just because I started singing Sinatra in the shower and needed to listen to the real thing. Now I really have to find it. Freaking thing is so small and convenient that it gets lost anywhere.

Under my coat, behind my backpack, next to the cat and wound up in a scarf in a book in a box, I just found it. It'll probably embarrass the hell out of me now too, just for my trouble.

Sweet, it's "Dirty Harry" by the Gorillaz. That could have been much worse, like Maroon 5 or something.

I first got into Gorillaz when the "Feel Good Inc." single came out; a friend's brother got a copy and we were attracted to the sounds of a man laughing maniacally over a funky groove. Shortly after that, I was pretty much addicted.

If you're not into/familiar with Gorillaz, they're a "virtual band" by the lead singer of the punk band Blur (Damon Alburn) and a host of other people (many of whom mysteriously remain anonymous). They combine a funk bass groove that James Brown (RIP Godfather) would be proud of (and no doubt inspired), synthetic rock guitar, punk-inspired vocals and some of the most poetic rap lyrics I've ever heard.

Their first album went double platinum in the U.S. and triple in the U.K., and is very big across Europe. The whole world is jamming to Gorillaz, so you should be too, if you're not already.

Whew, that was pretty painless. Could have easily been Nickelback or Hinder or something utter shit.

Turtle:

I'm listening to "Maradona" by the Business. Kinda of a cool song on a kinda lame album. It's too bad because the song is one of the best they ever did. One thing I always liked about the Business is their total love of soccer, or football over there. They have a tendancy to name songs after certain players who fuck up on the pitch and their hatred of all teams except their own.

Wish I could get so excited about things like that, but it is cool to listen to someone else do it.

Michele:

Right now as I'm formatting this column, I'm listening to Wreckless Eric, "Whole Wide World." It reminds me of something, I'm not sure what, but it has to do with a Christmas party at a radio station I worked out in 1979 or 1980. It's a pleasant memory, and the song is trying to jog something in my brain that I feel like I should remember, but I can't. But I know that Amaretto, a snow storm, a bar called My Father's Place and Elvis Costello play a part in it.

Branden:

Better than Ezra--"Desperately Wanting"

Fuck I hate this band. Same old mid-to-late nineties bullshit. A bunch of crybaby pussies who probably sat in their rooms bawling into a pillow when they were fourteen, thinking, "If only I was in a band, girls would like me." You know the type. The nineties equivalent of emo. Except they're even bigger pussies than emo kids are these days.

This song starts with the wonderful lyrics, "Pass the road to your house, where you never called home." How fucking sublime and clever. Then I hear this whiny little bitch say something about them "pump[ing] out your guts." What the hell is this song about? I don't know, and I don't care.

So why do I have this song on my MP3 player? Because when I started college, MP3s were the new thing. You'd go onto the college network and download hundreds of them at a time. And when I finally got an iPod, I didn't discriminate on which songs I put on there. Hell, I've got 40 gigs at my disposal, and I don't have near enough to come close to filling that up. So I'm left with all sorts of crap on there that I'm too lazy to take off. Silkk the Shocker, Live, Master P, Garth Brooks, oh shit, fucking "Secret Garden" by Bruce Springsteen. These bands are the fucking butt end of the nineties meatloaf--nobody wants to eat it, but it's still there, right in front of your face, slathered with ketchup that would have been better utilized on raw oysters or corn dogs.

I've said too much.

Kory

Right now I'm listening to CCR's "Fortunate Son" speeded slightly with an audio editor. There's an ulterior motive because I'm swiping from the song for a fight scene in a video because of the images of Vietnam it calls to mind. I don't normally run music in the background, via iPod, computer, or whatever... because I'm a total freak.

Kali:

i got "D7" by the wipers. i have no idea where the fuck this came from because i never heard of them before. it rocks and it was 1979 and that's rad. i'm sure i'm a bad punk rocker because i had never heard of them. seriously, does anyone know how i got this song? apparently via wikipedia they're " considered to be among the greatest and most influential punk albums of all time." how come no one told me? gross now i read one dude went on join better than ezra and black rebel motorcycle club. ewww. whatever, this song kinda rocks though...

Pat:

I am listening to ... silence. That wonderful morning silence in my house that happens after the ten cats are fed, the coffee maker has stopped burbling, and before my mother wakes up. It's my little slice of peace and quiet.

My media player spat out Opeth's "Advent" from Morningrise. It's one of two Opeth albums I don't own, and I downloaded the song for a special edition of my radio show a few weeks ago where I did all instrumental tracks. Morningrise is the first Opeth album where they start to develop their signature sound of quiet, reflective parts interspersed with very heavy metal. Hell of a song, that's for sure.

Ernie:

I am listening to Hank III - 'Smoke & Wine'. I got his 'Straight to Hell' record for Christmas and it kicks ass. Hank III puts the c*nt back in country music. Prior to that I was listening to 'Embrace the Gutter' from The Autumn Offering. I find that Hank III and The Autumn
Offering make an excellent mix! Happy New Year!

Keith:

My iPod is on shuffle right now, while I'm at work. It's currently playing Let Love Be Your Energy by Robbie Williams, from his Sing When You're Winning album. Earlier it was playing Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine by The White Stripes.

Ah. It just changed to a Mashup of Marvin Gaye's I Heard it Through the Grapevine and Black Grape's Shake Your Money Maker.

I love my iPod.

Philbrick:

Well, I opened up LaunchCast and got "Few and Far Between" by 10,000 Maniacs. I had never heard this song before, but I will say that I loved this group when I was a teenager and I still like them enough to not turn them off when they come on the radio. What can I say? Sometimes pretty and depressing is better than grinding and angry.

Shawna:

OK. Just turned on my iTunes, changed it to shuffle and hit play. First song to come up was Purple Rain by Prince. Awesome song. Actually, I love the whole album. Prince is amazing.

Deb:

I can't reply to all for some reason (fekking crackberry)... At least I remembered to charge it =)

Currently playing on iPODIUOS is Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole. He's this huge (both literally and figuratively) Hawaiian ukelali (sp?) Player.

Right now I'm listening to his rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

He just rocks =)

The Finn:

Hit the shuffle and see what we get...

"Theme From Don"

Dan the Automator and DJ Shadow pulled a handful of Bollywood soundtracks together and remixed the living shit out of them. They called the end result "Bombay The Hard Way" and it's a funky, eclectic look at hip hop and Bollywood. "Theme From Don" is a theme song to a fictional TV show about an Indian detective who's part spy and part cop. It's a blast to wake up to and the album is great at parties.

Paul:

I opened iTunes and hit play. I got "Rocket Man" by Elton John. My best Shatner impression is of him singing this song. "It's just a job. Five. Days. A Week!"

I like late 70's Elton John and this is one of his better ones, even though it really doesn't make much sense. And just as I'm ready to send this off, the first few bars of "If I Had a $1,000,000" by Barenaked Ladies. That's a great little song.

And that's what we are all listening to today. Or were, when the question was asked.

And now we are asking you - what's playing right now? Be honest. We know damn well that a few of you are closet Barry Manilow fans.

Late Night Typing will resume its regularly scheduled chaos on Monday.

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