Author: Mark Alexander

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Hmmm…

Or is that yumm…?

Gray hankie in the right pocket and a backward ball cap. We know what that means, don’t we? Anyone got some rope?

I am incorrigible, and I’m going to hell…

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Macolyte

H/T to Sean for that.

Ready for Prime Time

Every year I do the same thing. I jump on the macOS beta train, bitch about what a mess it is, uninstall it, and finally end up returning to it shortly before it’s released to the public.

This year was no different. I threw caution to the wind and installed Beta 10 on my main drive a few weeks ago. There were some issues, but nothing I wasn’t able to eventually iron out. Then there was RC1 (formerly known as the “Gold Master” edition.) At this point everything was running smoothly, so like a lot of other Macolytes, I eagerly awaited the release of the official, production OS. I took myself out of the beta program but knowing the final product wasn’t due to be released until the 12th, for shits-n-giggles I checked for updates after Tim’s little presentation anyway.

What? Another beta update? I wasn’t even in the program any more, so I couldn’t understand why I was being offered RC2. But whatever. It was probably the same as the one that would be released anyway, so I went ahead and installed it. No problems.

Then of course, yesterday Big Sur was released officially. RC2’s version number was 20B28. The final was 20B29, so they weren’t identical, but probably close enough that I’d never run into a situation where it would make any difference.

Unlike for a lot of people, my experience downloading and upgrading went off without a hitch.

Everything works as it should; even Avast, which was giving me grief on the beta.

Yes, some of the icons are still butt-ugly and in places it looks like the UI was designed by first-year graphics students, but it’s not a deal breaker; certainly not worth giving up all the positive aspects of the new interface.

Would I recommend an upgrade? Maybe, maybe not depending on what you use your Mac for. For browsing, blogging, email and watching porn, it’s probably a safe bet if you want a brand new coat of paint on your experience. If you’re involved in multimedia editing, I understand there are still some incompatibilities between Big Sur and some well-known audio hardware and software, so in that case you might want to hold off.

 

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Released 36 Years Ago Today

Madonna: Like a Virgin (1984)

From Behind the Grooves:

“Like A Virgin”, the second album by Madonna is released. Produced by Nile Rodgers, it is recorded at The Power Station in New York City from April – May 1984. By early 1984, with her self titled debut finally gaining significant sales and chart momentum, Madonna is anxious to begin work on her sophomore release. She wants to produce the project herself, after being left in the lurch by producer Reggie Lucas when he quits before sessions for the first album are complete. Madonna’s record label Warner Bros isn’t willing to grant her full creative control, and insists that a seasoned professional be in charge of the sessions. Being a huge fan of the band Chic, she asks guitarist Nile Rodgers to produce her. The pair get to work right away, selecting songs for the album. Madonna pens five of the nine songs, co-writing four of those with former boyfriend and Breakfast Club band mate Stephen Bray. The rhythm section consists of Nile Rodgers on guitar and Synclavier, along with former Chic band mates Bernard Edwards (bass), Tony Thompson (drums) and Rob Sabino (keyboards). Even with Rodgers firmly at the helm, Madonna is also very hands on, being present at all sessions, observing and making suggestions to Rodgers and the other musicians. Once recording is completed, the album is held back for several more months as Madonna’s debut is still generating hits. Released at last in mid-November, “Like A Virgin” is an immediate smash. It spins off four top five pop singles including “Material Girl” (#2 Pop, #49 R&B, #1 Club Play), “Angel” (#5 Pop, #71 R&B, #1 Club Play), “Dress You Up” (#5 Pop, #64 R&B, #1 Club Play) and the title track (#1 Pop, #9 R&B, #1 Club Play). The album’s iconic cover, back cover and inner sleeve photos are taken by fashion photographer Steven Meisel (Seventeen, Vogue). The original US and Canadian promo LP copies are pressed on pure white “virgin” vinyl (originally intended for stock commercial copies also, but deemed too expensive) with custom art labels. “Virgin” establishes Madonna as a pop superstar on a global basis, and becomes her biggest selling album, moving over twenty one million copies worldwide. The album is remastered and reissued on CD in 2001 with the 12″ mixes of “Material Girl” and the title track as bonus tracks. The album is also reissued as a 180 gram vinyl LP by Rhino Records in 2016, and as a limited edition clear vinyl pressing in the UK (exclusively through Sainsbury’s) in 2017. It is also reissued as a limited edition white vinyl LP, as part of Rhino’s “Back To The 80’s” series in July of 2018. “Like A Virgin” spends three weeks at number one on the Billboard Top 200, peaking at number ten on the R&B album chart, and is certified 10x Platinum in the US by the RIAA, earning a Diamond Certification.

And that white vinyl version I was salivating over a year ago? Got it!

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Glamor Shots




When I got Anderson, my first MINI, back in 2007, I photographed the hell out of it, like a doting father would do with his newborn. When I got Rabbit this past March, I had intended to do the same thing…and then COVID hit.

Opportunities for road trips and glamor shots have been next to non-existent, although we have managed to eek out a couple over the past few months. Still, it’s nothing like what I had hoped for.

So…when an opportunity presents itself, I go for it, even if it’s someplace local. At least it’s not our carport…