Four Kicks, Who Struttin' Now?, or, Bill Cosby, I See Now How The Kids Don't Understand!

I'm in a fighting mood, people. And I want "Four Kicks" by Kings of Leon to be the soundtrack to my rumble.

"You with your switchblade posse/ I'll get my guns from South/ We'll take to the yard like a cock fight/ Four kicks, whose struttin' now?"

The battles lines have been drawn, and I'm just about ready to absolutely throwdown!

I just had to get that out. But it had nothing to do with the rest of my post.

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I was at the library yesterday. Exciting, I know.

I went to take out a copy of "Angels and Demons", the book that came before "The Da Vinci Code". I liked "Da Vinci", and I heard they were making a movie of "Angels", so I figured I'd give it a go.

After my victorious return from the Adult Fiction section of the library (not that adult, sick fuck!) with a copy of "Angels and Demons" lovingly placed in my arms, I found myself wanting to start on a new adventure.

I ventured onto the cd section of the library. I was looking for a joint Louis Armstrong / Billie Holiday album (as you do), desperately searching for the song "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?". And it really was a desperate search. By the end I was very disheveled, unshaven and unkempt. Picture Tom Hanks in "Cast Away". That's what it did to me.

Tom Hanks was in "The Da Vinci Code" movie, wouldn't you know? See how I'm pulling this all together?

Needless to say, I didn't find the album I was looking for. Damn. But I told myself, "Francisco, don't let it get you down. There's a plethora of other great jazz records right here!" To that I said "By gads, you're right!" And continued on in a search for other great jazz tunes.

I found "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis. I told myself many times I would buy this. All I knew was "So What". But it's an "important" record I felt I should have as part of my collection. I didn't know if I would like it, and I didn't really care. I would use it more for posturing, anyways.

I took it out, along with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's "New Orleans, Volume III", and Harry Connick Jr.'s "20", to see if I'd like it.

I was floored. I was never really that into jazz, but I love this album. I can't explain why. Maybe it's like what drummer Jimmy Cobb said. "It must have been made in heaven".

I wouldn't mind hearing "Flamenco Sketches" in heaven. That'll be nice.

I couldn't explain why it's so good if I tried. You just have to listen to it. If you don't like "Kind of Blue", you don't like jazz.

I can officially call myself a jazz fan now. Officially, I'm cool.

Bill Cosby was right. The kids don't understand! Listening to all that frizzle-frazzle 50 Cent-Piece and the Puff Diddy and the Grandmaster Flash and the New Coke! Jazz is cool!

I need a Jello Pudding Pop.