The first Honorary Basement Dweller is...

Just the other day, I heard an interview that I thought was the best interview I've ever heard in my life. It had just about everything: insight, philosophy, inspiration, dialogue about political matters, humor, discussions about relationships, partying, love, hate, and even a conversation about baseball. If you haven't already heard it, I promise this will be the best interview you've ever heard in your life.

Now if you're wondering about the post's title, yes, I am granting someone the honor of not only Honorary Basement Dweller, but the first ever Honorary Basement Dweller. I'll make it clear that just not anyone will be given the honor of Honorary Basement Dweller. You have to be someone special or have done something really special or both. The first recipient is both. Now on to announcing this individual. The first Honorary Basement Dweller is ....

His name is Carlos Estevez, but he is better known as Charlie Sheen. He is the son of Martin Sheen and the brother of Emilio Estevez. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the man from seeing him in movies and/or on TV. Just in case you've lived under the metaphorical rock, he's starred in such classic films as The Wraith, Major League, Hot Shots, Men at Work, among many others. He's also starred in TV sitcoms Spin City and Two and a Half Men. I use the past tense because as of this writing, apparently the producers of Two and a Half Men halted production and it appears that they don't want Charlie around anymore. You may also have seen him on TMZ or read about him in tabloid publications.

Charlie's career as an actor while trying to ride the coattails of his more talented father and talented brother is not the reason why I'm naming Charlie the first ever Honorary Basement Dweller. There are other reasons. I found out that Charlie is one amazing bitchin' dude from listening to his interview with Alex Jones, an expert on international politics and current events, a highly acclaimed documentary film maker, and one of Charlie's best pals. I learned that Charlie is a Vatican assassin. But this gets even better.

Charlie is winning. That's right. The man is addicted to winning. He was able to overcome his alcohol and drug addictions with the power of his mind. Charlie is the type of person we like here in the Basement and that is why he has been named the first ever Honorary Basement Dweller. He is a winner in life who possesses great ability to use the power of his mind. Wait, there's more.

Charlie lives life to the fullest. He lives life on his own terms, the way it should be. While he is trying to uncover evidence that the New World Order or the Illuminati was behind 9/11, he is out partying in such majestic places as the Bahamas with young beautiful actresses who often act in shall we say a certain type of low-budget independent movie. He also does great things for his family too. He said that he loves them violently while he hates anyone violently who would oppose his family. You better believe it when Charlie says he is like an F-18. Charlie provides plenty of philosophical thoughts into how to live life or I guess they can be called gnarly gnarlyisms.

Charlie cares about his gnarly friends and family. However, if you make enemies with Charlie, you better watch out. I'm sure that dude what's his name again who created Two and a Half Men and his third ex-wife Brooke are finding out that it's not much fun to be among Charlie's enemies. Shortly after the interview, a few haters named Sarah Silverman, Zooey Deschanel, John Stamos, and Denis Leary posted derogatory tweets on Twitter about Charlie. They're just some second-rate actresses and actors who are jealous that they don't get to party with Charlie and be among his gnarly friends to learn lots of stuff from him everyday. They're among the numerous trolls and fools who live loser lives just like that weirdo cult Alcoholics Anonymous. They're also probably pussies just like Thomas Jefferson. I'm not sure it really takes much stones to call the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence a pussy. Now if he has called George Washington a pussy, I would probably bow down to him just because he called George Washington a pussy. Knowing Charlie, I'm sure he'll do just that sometime in the near future.

Charlie Sheen is one awesome gnarly Vatican assassin winning bitchin' badass and the first ever Honorary Basement Dweller. Charlie, you and your beautiful powerful mind are always welcome to inhabit the Basement. Not only did he and Alex put on a great interview, Charlie probably also caused Two and a Half Men to be canceled which frees up 30 minutes of airtime for CBS to air a better show. That in itself is awesome. I'm sure that you have adequate Internet search skills to find his fantastic interview with Alex. However, I am offering the videos of Alex's interview with Charlie as downloads so you can listen to it over and over without using your Internet minutes (for those of you still stuck with limited Internet usage) or you can transfer the videos on your iPod or whatever mobile device you use and play them anytime anyplace. The reason I'm doing this is because everyone should hear this interview as it will change lives and make everyone more enlightened.

Tracklisting:  (links will be back soon)

1. Charlie Sheen Interview with Alex Jones (02-24-2011) part 1 {14:59}

2. Charlie Sheen Interview with Alex Jones (02-24-2011) part 2 {15:18}

3. Charlie Sheen Interview with Alex Jones (featuring Lenny Dykstra) part 3 (02-24-2011) {13:25}

Rutgers Glee Club - 100 Years of Football

Rutgers Glee Club - 100 Years of Football

*special thanks once again to KL from NYC for this gem

KL said that his cover was too ugly or worn out to include so I have chosen the group photo of Rutgers Glee Club to use as the "cover".

This LP was released in 1969 to celebrate the centennial of college football. Rutgers and Princeton are reported to have played the first official tackle football game among institutions of higher education on November 8, 1869 which apparently is why Rutgers is celebrating 100 years of football.

The Rutgers Glee Club is renowned worldwide and yes even better, it has its own page on Wikipedia so you know Rutgers Glee Club is big time if it's on Wikipedia. Rutgers Glee Club was founded in 1872, 3 years after it played the first college football game. It is the 8th oldest glee club in America.
Rutgers Glee Club's repertoire mostly consisted of songs that celebrated school spirit. All of side 2 of this LP has those songs. The first side has renditions of other schools' songs for some reason along with some drinking songs. At the time when this LP was recorded and released, F. Austin "Soup" Walter was the director of Rutgers Glee Club. "Soup" made Rutgers Glee Club a glee club powerhouse and he directed it for 52 years. I have not found out how he got his nickname. I did find a website about Soup that is informative except for the story of his nickname. The drinking songs are a blast and I enjoy those the most. Steven M. Wolf says in the liner notes that "the music embodies the competitive energy and spirit of a sport that, perhaps stronger than ever, celebrates its one hundredth birthday." Who am I to argue?

Rutgers Glee Club is still active in the present. Like this blog, Rutgers Glee Club displays excellence except that it has displayed excellence a lot longer than this blog. Please enjoy this piece of lighthearted entertainment celebrating the school spirit and the top activity of collegiate life.

Tracklisting:  (link will be back soon)

Side 1

ALMA MATERS

1. Old Nassau [Princeton] {0:42}

2. San Souci [Columbia] {1:19}

3. High Above Cayugas Waters [Cornell] {1:43}

4. Navy Blue and Gold [Navy] {1:23}

5. Army Blue [Army] {1:40}

DRINKING SONGS

6. Gaudeamus Igitur {1:24}
Old German Melody

7. Landlord, Fill the Flowing Bowl {1:44}
Traditional Drinking Song

8. Eastern Drinking Song {2:06}
F. Mendelssohn

9. Drinking Song from "The Student Prince" {1:30}
S. Romberg

10. Down Among the Dead Men {1:34}
English Student Song

11. I Know a Tavern from the "Peasant Cantata" {1:56}
J. S. Bach

Side 2

SONGS OF RUTGERS

1. A Rutgers Toast {1:45}

2. Hail Mother {1:52}

3. Loyal Sons {2:33}

4. Down Where the Raritan Flows {2:31}

5. The Old Queens Bell {1:59}

6. The Rutgers History Lesson {2:24}

7. We Sing Thy Praise, Old Rutgers {2:47}

8. A Hymn to Queens {2:30}

9. On the Banks of the Old Raritan {1:38}

10. Vive Les Rutgers' Sons {0:34}

Boomer Sooner - University of Oklahoma

Boomer Sooner - University of Oklahoma

This is a 7" vinyl record released in 1982. It is an EP dedicated to worshipping and praising the University of Oklahoma [Sooners] tackle football team. Five of the six tracks are songs about the Sooners, and the first track being the Sooners' fight song performed by the school band. The last song is a "version" of a song for a commercial of a well-known brand of soda. The band is apparently called Boomer Sooner if the label on the vinyl is any indication. The music is all country except for the first track obviously. There is zero info about this release on the interwebs info superhighway. From what I can tell, a bunch of rednecks or good ol' boys (if that is the politically correct term) who happen to be die hard fans of extra curricular activities of one particular institution of higher learning got together, had a few beers and recorded these songs. After you are finished listening to this, you'll come to believe that the Sooners football team are wonderful, great, (add any other superlative), and most important of all are #1. When this was recorded in 1982, the Sooners were supposed to be #1. It didn't quite turn out that way, but I'm sure that the Sooners are still #1 in the hearts of those anonymous musicians behind this EP. As of this writing, the Sooners play tomorrow on national TV in the spectacle called the Sun Bowl. Go Sooners and um, boomer sooner!

Tracklisting:

Side One

1. Boomer Sooner! {0:31}
performed by the University of Oklahoma band

2. The Brutal War {2:30}

3. See the Sooner! {2:08}

Side Two

1. I'm a Sooner {2:31}

2. When You Play the Sooners {2:05}

3. Coke Is It (Oklahoma Football Version) {0:58}

Art Holst - The Challenge of a Pro

Art Holst - The Challenge of a Pro

LP released in 1969

This is a recording of motivational speaker Art Holst in front of a gathering of sales professionals at a sales conference in Chicago. Art, of course, is trying to encourage and motivate his audience to strive to seek opportunities and meet their goals of selling lots of stuff and making lots of money from sales of lots of stuff . Art uses humorous anecdotes especially during his time as an official in the National Football League, the highest level of tackle football in America. Art is self-deprecating which helps since his job as an official is the most disliked and least respected profession in professional sports despite their job to keep the game in order. Art sure does enjoy hearing himself talk about football. He uses a few football metaphors throughout his speech (BTW, did you know that football season is almost here?).

At the midpoint of his speech, Art assures the audience that hippies or as he likes to call them "bearded, long-haired, dirty, unshaven, stinkin beatniks" won't undermine the free enterprise system and influence over 220 million Americans to change their ways. Bearded, long-haired beatniks seems to sound cooler than hippies. I prefer beatnik over hippie.

Art inspires his audience to meet the challenge of a pro by competing to be a winner because winning is what matters most in the competitive society, the society that the dirty unshaven beatniks are trying to change. That means the listener of this recording, that is you, will be inspired to meet goals, score touchdowns (in sales that is) and be a winner.

Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. The Challenge of a Pro part 1 {23:55}

Side 2

1. The Challenge of a Pro part 2 {21:28}

King Charles and The King Charles Unicycle Troupe - The Tark Attack

King Charles and The King Charles Unicycle Troupe - The Tark Attack

It's only a few days until the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament starts so here's something for the occasion. "The Tark Attack" is the theme song of the 1987-1988 University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebels mens' basketball team. This release has two instrumental versions and a vocal version featuring King Charles and two members of the team, Mark Wade and Armon "The Hammer" Williams contributing vocals. It's a rap song kind of similar to the 1985 Chicago Bears anthem "The Super Bowl Shuffle." The title, "The Tark Attack", refers to then UNLV basketball head coach Jerry Tarkanian a.k.a. Tark the Shark and his style of aggressive fast-paced basketball. Under Tarkanian, UNLV was one of the best teams during the 1980s and early 1990s including winning the NCAA national championship in 1990 by beating Duke University 103-73. UNLV's success came to an end when Tarkanian resigned in 1992 due to allegations of giving unallowed benefits to players, point shaving for gamblers and other unethical behavior.

The King Charles Unicycle Troupe has been described as a basketball comedy act performed while riding on unicycles. It was founded in New York in the Bronx area. Some websites say this act performs shows quite often in Las Vegas which explains their appearance on this record. They're currently active including making an appearance on the show "America's Got Talent."

Tracklisting:  (link will be back soon)

Side A

1. The Tark Attack {3:35}

Side B

1. The Tark Attack (Instrumental I) {3:36}

2. The Tark Attack (Instrumental II) {3:10}

Bill Glass - Get "Up" for the Game

Bill Glass - Get "Up" for the Game

Another one from Bill Glass. On this record, the former pro football player speaks in front of a group of teenagers somewhere in Arkansas. He uses more football metaphors in an attempt to motivate people for not only athletic competitions but for the game of life. The speech on this record has been called by high school principals and university administrators the greatest speech they have ever heard as opposed to the other record where it's merely one of the greatest speeches they've ever heard. That's what the liner notes say so it's quite true.

No doubt this speech will pump up whoever listens to it and instill a winning attitude. Glass makes a strong appeal to the two major coexisting religions here in Oklahoma, football and Christianity. Now if I may be excused as I'm pumped up and ready to go. I have a Super Bowl party to help put together.

Tracklisting:

SIDE ONE

1. Be Yourself and Be Your Best Self/Believe in Yourself (How to Get "UP" for the Game) {15:20}

SIDE TWO

1. Be Understanding of Others/Be Going Somewhere {20:39}

Bill Glass - The Most Important Thing

Bill Glass - The Most Important Thing

To commemorate the gladiatorial spectacle known as the Super Bowl (championship game of the National Football League (NFL)) taking place next week here in America, the Basement presents a talk given by former professional football player Bill Glass. Glass tells anecdotes from his playing days and says how people can apply his football experiences and other football metaphors to daily Christian living experiences. One learns that there is an opponent harder to defend than even the New England Patriots. That opponent is Satan. At some places on this record, Glass comes close to giving a rah-rah speech and the listener feels pumped up enough to want to run through a brick wall for God or at least tackle the hell out of somebody. [Pun sort of intended.]

People from all walks of life such as players, coaches, parents, school principals, leaders and salemen say this recording is one of the finest they have ever heard. That's what the liner notes say so it must be true.



Also from the liner notes is a brief bio of Bill Glass:

Bill Glass made a name for himself as one of the most outstanding football players in the National Football League, playing with Cleveland during their championship years. He was a consensus All-American at Baylor University in 1956. He played pro ball twelve years with Detroit and Cleveland and played in the Pro Bowl in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1968.
Bill retired from football in June, 1969. He has since devoted himself to influencing young and old alike to a more motivated and fuller life. He is an evangelist whom many have compared with Billy Graham. He is widely respected as an athletic consultant particularly in the field of motivation. He is president of the Bill Glass Evangelistic Association which conducts several city-wide crusades across the country each year. He is also the author of three best selling books.

Tracklisting:

SIDE ONE

1. The Most Important Thing in Football {5:52}

2. Giving All of Oneself {1:39}

3. A Touchdown Play {2:41}

4. Trap Play {5:12}

SIDE TWO

1. Know Your Opponent {4:48}

2. The Frustrating Official {3:31}

3. The Wedge Play {2:46}

4. Why the Uniform, Coach? {2:49}

5. Case of the Injured Shoulder {3:06}