NEIL YOUNG

"The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?"

I found myself in the Tenderloin rather early on Saturday morning. In the apartment, at least one wall was a strange shade of aquamarine. No one in the room seemed to be friends, at least that's what I thought at the time. The floor was beautiful, awesomely aged wood that I photographed. The renter, when pressed about his rather nice stereo equipment, related a story about a $38,000 settlement for an accident he'd been in, saying, "how else do you think I could afford this place?" He wore a tank top and had long hair.

Later, maybe, I took a picture of a Back To The Future movie poster, but I think that was from Saturday night. I can't remember. It reminded me to start a list of DVD's That I Really Should Own Or Have Owned And, For One Reason Or Another, Lost, But Should Really Get Again:

• Back To The Future
• Waking Life
• Fletch
• Donnie Darko
• Brick
• JFK
• Tron
  
• Gummo
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
• Existenz
  
• Alice In Wonderland
• Purple Rain
• Stop Making Sense
  
• Meeting People Is Easy
  
• Fantastic Planet

In some ways I think owning these things would make me a better person.

Download "Hey Hey, My My (Out Of The Blue)" by Neil Young.

YOUNG JEEZY

Obama for mankind!

Dear Aaron,

Thank you for your generous donation of $100.00. From the beginning, this campaign has been built and funded by supporters like you giving only what they can afford. By making a donation today, you have joined more than 2 million people who own a piece of this campaign.

But we need to keep building our movement for change, and there are folks right around the corner from you who are potential supporters.

We’ve launched a new tool to help you reach out to them, by making phone calls or knocking on doors.

Learn more and get started today: http://my.barackobama.com/n2n

Thank you again for your generosity,
Obama for America

Download "My President" by Young Jeezy (feat. Nas)

IRON AND WINE

Another raw, delicious San Francisco weekend. Robert Plant! Spaghetti! Supperclub! Spank Rock DJ set! Elvis Costello! Iron And Wine! Rock Band! Coffee! A few good sandwiches! Nearly enough sleep!

I took this picture just as the band began playing "Black Dog" on a banjo. This was, in that moment, the happiest dude in SF.

This dog was a trip, man.

Turns out Frijtz makes a killer open face vegetarian sandwich. Ingredients: Good bread, pears, chipotle mayo, cheddar, avocado, some sort of vinaigrette.

The highlight of Supperclub was the nine minute club mix of Smashing Pumpkins "Zero" mixed into MIA's "Paper Planes." These guys know what I'm talking about. Also, this place has beds instead of tables! And firebreath dancers! And comfortable leather chairs in the bathroom!

Click here to download "Fever Dream" by Iron And Wine.

SOULJA BOY

I sent this letter to the Barack Obama campaign today and I'd encourage you to do the same if you feel the same. Contact the campaign HERE.

To Senator Obama, his staff, and advisers:

I have a serious suggestion for your already-impressive campaign: speak directly to the country via YouTube... every day.

In these dire, frustrating, dishonest times, addressing the nation via YouTube would have the effect of a modern-day "fireside chat." YouTube could do for you what the radio did for Roosevelt: it would give you a direct line to the public. It would, for many, provide a powerful taste of leadership that would likely be amplified by our country's otherwise lack-there-of.

More importantly, a minute of your time daily could suffuse the personal, human flourish that the American political landscape sorely lacks.

The topics needn't be political or combative (although many of your policies and ideas would encapsulate well). Just be honest. If you're tired, say you're tired. Do you know any good jokes? What sort of music do you listen to on the campaign trail? How are you?

I'd be fascinated to hear your thoughts on just about anything, especially the many parts of the country you travel to, the foods and traditions and people and things you encounter. You have a unique and incredible perspective that you cannot do too much to reinforce.

Also, daily YouTube content would allow you to stare directly into the eyes of a future generation, the same generation mobilized (and unified) by YouTube-centric pop artists like Lil Wayne, Lil Mama, and Soulja Boy. These young stars forged identities (and captured the attention of millions of young fans with powerful voices) by posting endless videos to YouTube. Usually, they just said hi or thanked their fans for appreciating their music.

I know the election eclipses something as trivial as first week sales, but you can't deny the power of a young American feeling like he or she is being understood and identified with. When you watch videos of the aforementioned rappers, you can feel them leveling with you, you can feel them ignoring bureaucracy, making their own way, and bucking the conventions ingrained by their industry. They only hope you'll hear what they have to say. In a 2.0 world, YouTube is the ultimate way to say "I am like you, and you are like me, and we ARE important!"

You have an official account and, besides, you already live in the eye of the lens. I think about this every day. This will tip the campaign. This will surge awareness of your style and sensibilities. This will allow the youth to decide their future and prevent embedded views of older generations from controlling expectations and results.

I'm encouraging my friends and family to send similar messages to your campaign. I apologize for any repetition your campaign might see in its busy inbox. But: where you clearly feel passionate about change, progress, and the well-being of our country, I feel passionate about you telling me (and millions of others) about change, progress, and the well-being of our country via YouTube. Daily.

Best to you and yours,
Aaron Davidson
San Francisco

P.S. Thank you.

Again, if you dig this idea, please contact the campaign HERE.

Download some remix of that Soulja Boy song that everyone liked last summer.

TV ON THE RADIO

I had a great weekend at the Treasure Island Music Festival. After struggling with summarizing it, I decided that mocking-up an AIM-style chat session with my alter-ego would be the best way to portray what happened.

BrilliantMP3s: Jack fricken' White!

TheFierceFace: Indeed.

BRLMP3S: That guy is the controller. He looks so famous.

FACE: More things look famous from side-stage, my man. You’ll learn that.

BRLMP3S: Justice looked pretty famous from the crowd of 12,000 people, who all seemed to be wigging out.

FACE: Did they chop up “Master Of Puppets” as part of their encore?

BRLMP3S: Indeed.

FACE: I love that.

BRLMP3S: It was magical. I wasn’t sure what it would be like to watch two guys press play on well-hidden laptops, but they had it figured out. They lorded over the crowd. Those two know how to make an island sound great.

FACE: A beautiful island, that.

BRLMP3S: So true. TV On The Radio were another favorite, and not just because they played in the best slot at any festival: as the sun was dipping below the Golden Gate. They were also extremely raw.

FACE: So it was light when they began, and dark when they finished?

BRLMP3S: Correct.

FACE: Culminating in darkness, I like that. It sounds like something you’d name a song ten years ago.

BRLMP3S: Ha ha.

FACE: How was Goldfrapp?

BRLMP3S: Terrible! The VIP was contractually empty.

FACE: Wha-a-a-a-a-t?

BRLMP3S: I guess no one in her band actually plays instruments live, it’s all a recording. They didn’t want anyone standing close enough to see, I guess.

FACE: And it was still that bad?

BRLMP3S: It was egregious, man! I was told to keep that on the down-low, FYI.

FACE: Better not blog that, then.

BRLMP3S: Good call.

Click here to download TV On The Radio's "Red Dress" from their record Dear Science.