(from left) Peter Asher and Gordon Waller.

R.I.P., Gordon Waller. He was the amazing voice behind Everly-Brothers-British-Invasion wannabes "Peter & Gordon." If you listen to "Hot Cold & Custard," their slightly psychedelic final album together from 1968, you'll find that Waller had this disarmingly deep voice. It sounded a lot like a blanket would feel. Good. Waller died of a heart attack on the morning of the 17th. He was just 64.

Peter Asher & Gordon Waller shot to fame around the world in the mid-60's, during what was known as the British Invasion, when British rock n' roll and pop acts were burning up the pop music scene. Most people know the Beatles, Stones, and even the Dave Clark 5, The Hollies, and Gerry & the Pacemakers. Also prominent were the Zombies, Wayne Fontana, and Peter & Gordon. The duo met in school--Asher was just growing up from his child star status. (His younger sister, actress Jane, famously dated Paul McCartney during the heady days of the Beatles.)

Their songs had a similar formula. Asher harmonised Gordon, who sang lead. Both men played acoustic guitar in a deliberate nod to their idols, the Everly Brothers. In fact, they covered a number of Everly and r&b tunes, albeit not terribly well. Their best work came from tunes penned by Lennon and McCartney, some castoffs. Some, written by McCartney under the nom de plume "Bernard Webb," were meant for the duo. They are better known for hits such as the following:



Peter & Gordon went their separate ways in the late '60s. Asher went off to head A&R at Capital Records, sculpting the careers of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. Waller tried to craft a solo career but without much success. In 2005, the duo reunited for a benefit concert for the late Mike Smith of the Dave Clark 5, who had suffered a spinal injury and needed funds for medical care. From there, they began touring around the world, their final concert marking the 40th anniversary of their last performance in the '60s in August of 2008.

Waller is survived by his new wife, whom he married in 2008, his first wife, their two grown daughters, his two sisters, and, of course, his best friend for 50 years, Peter Asher.

Here is a fun song off "Hot Cold & Custard," their last, and, in my opinion, their greatest album.

01 I Feel Like Going Out.mp3

P.S. I feel somewhat guilty, because I made fun of their cover of Lucille in one of transistorblast's entries on the evening of the 16th, when Waller went into cardiac arrest. :(

Hello friends,

I have neglected the hallowed halls of Akratic Behavior to follow some more serious pursuits, namely studying for the California Bar Examination. Today's passings have given me pause and motivated me to make some mental notes, at least for the sake of documentation.

Growing up in an immigrant family, I was blessed with parents well-versed in Western pop culture, thereby making the assimilation experience somewhat less painful. My father has always been a fan of the King of Pop. Long ago, he convinced me that Michael Jackson was THE best entertainer of all time, a person who could change your molecular composition by the mere act of taking the stage and striking his famous pose. Father knows best. Father was right.

Later, as Michael Jackson was plagued with financial problems, personal struggles, and allegations of child abuse, I couldn't understand how his fans could stand by and support him like they did. I'm not sure I ever will, but I can't understand those who villified or mocked him either. Indeed, he was atypical, to put it very, very lightly, but public opinion always throws the first stone. He was never a monster to me, not even a weirdo--just incredibly damaged. If people thought about his torrential childhood with a bit of empathy, they could perhaps begin to understand the demons that dogged him to his very last day.

If nothing else, I hope Jackson's death becomes a lesson of love and understanding.

Of course, rest in peace, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett. Ed taught me English when I first came to America with his "Star Search," and Farrah will forever remind me of beautiful-hair-Breck, that one-time popular shampoo... that, and a fight for patient confidentiality legislation.

Perhaps, in a heaven that many believe in, Farrah Fawcett is co-starring in an action flick with David Carradine, and Ed McMahon is presenting Michael Jackson's comeback tour. ::sigh::

(Click to enlarge.)

Well, in the last week, I argued two motions in criminal court, graduated from law school, and cancelled an appointment with the Genius Bar to diagnose my ailing iPod (whose name is Julio). I start Bar studies on Monday, and I'm wondering whether those oversize remote controls they sell at Walgreens can fast forward the next two months of my life.

So, no, Beyoncé, I don't think I'm ready for this jelly.

I have no idea what "hot summer style" is this year. I don't read the magazines, and I don't watch cable TV. This is just the ideal outfit I would wear had I existed under more ideal conditions, e.g., amazing leg length, wavy hair.

This might be good-bye for a while. I have no clue what my down-time looks like for the next two months, if I get any down-time at all. Love, luck, and baked beans to you all!

Jeez, my Photoshop skills sure are embarrassing.

As I was making these little illustrated tags for our diversity graduation meal tickets, I realized that I could make a future for myself drawing clip art. The whole concept of clip art is pretty nostalgic, a testament to the speed at which technology and its related trends tend to come in and out of the collective consciousness. I remember when clip part was all the rage. I was twelve-years-old at the time, give or take a year or two. I loved rummaging through Microsoft Publisher for clip art that I would never use, because they were relevant only to those living the cubicle lifestyle. Most of it was pretty ugly. Many of the cartoon people had boxy shoulders.

Oh, and yes, I'm graduating law school on May 15. In anticipation of graduation and studying (read: suffering) for the Bar Exam, I have deactivated my Facebook. Sad news for my 581 Facebook contacts, I am sure. Upon freeing myself from social networking's grubby little hands*, I felt free. Then, I immediately wanted all my lost time back.

Well, now I can study for my final exams in peace, at least.

* Well, not entirely free. I'm still on Twitter as "AkraticBehavior."

It's not secret that Asher is my time-travel boyfriend.

At the risk of tooting my own horn (or strumming the guitar of my very own Everly Brothers wannabe act, as the case may be), I am absolutely in love with how well this turned out. Most of the time was spent figuring out the font. I have a ways to go, but this is a very good start.

For your consideration, the real Peter Asher, and a similar sketch for the late, great Mike Smith of the Dave Clark Five.

Appropriately, I am listening to "My Future Just Passed" by Les Paul & His Trio,
featuring vocals by Kay Starr. Kay Starr had this amazing, convincing vibrato.
She could probably shake you into submission, or tears.


Every now and then, I find myself thinking about college. Granted, it's nearly three years in the past, but the pangs still creep up like heartburn. I studied areas that were equal parts pretentious and embarrassing, the sort of stuff that contestants of University Challenge* would study. I was not always good at it, but I made a point of trying my best, more or less. Still, I was always somewhat behind where many of my colleagues had a head start, either because their parents were professors, or they came from well-educated, non-minority, non-immigrant families. Assimilation is hard, which is a very good lesson I learned in college.

Oh, I remember why I even started to talk about college. I developed a bunch of good drawing habits in college, such as comfort with drawing things like rayguns, despite never being much of a science fiction comics type. Maybe college made me fearless. Well, law school certainly put a stop to that whole "fearless" nonsense. I have so much fear now, I could probably distill it and sell it for good money, money that could pay off loans.

* the British equivalent of Quizbowl

Flyer graphic for a Vietnamese-sandwich-churro-soda fundraiser for graduation.

I think I want to just draw food for a while.

One of the four Valentine's Day grams I made this year for a campus fundraiser.
You may remember the several I made last year.

If you got an LJ, you know the drill.