Friday, December 30, 2011
Joey Gee El
After perusing the site a bit, I find the venture to be quite commendable. And from the looks of the some of the videos JGL has posted on the site and on his blog, he seems to be quite passionate about the idea. Good for him.
Here's a NYTMag piece about one of the "records" that was capitalized.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Touch of Evil
Monday, December 26, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
It Really Does Require Paradise
---
"A few years ago, I decided that it would be interesting to make a cheeseburger from scratch. Not just regular “from scratch,” but really from scratch. Like, I’d make the buns, I’d make the mustard, I’d grow the tomatoes, I’d grow the lettuce, I’d grow the onion, I’d grind the beef, make the cheese, etc.
It didn’t happen that summer, by the following summer, my wife and I had built a new house, started raising chickens, and established a pretty good-sized garden. I realized that my prior plan hadn’t been ambitious enough—that wasn’t really from scratch. In fact, to make the buns, I’d need to grind my own wheat, collect my own eggs, and make my own butter. And I’d really need to raise the cow myself (or sheep, and make lamb burgers), mine or extract from seawater my own salt, grow my own mustard plant, etc. This past summer, revisiting the idea, I realized yet again that I was insufficiently ambitious. I’d really need to plant and harvest the wheat, raise a cow to produce the milk for the butter, raise another cow to slaughter for its rennet to make the cheese, and personally slaughter and process the cow or sheep. At this point I was thinking that this might all add up to an interesting book, and started to consider seriously the undertaking.
Further reflection revealed that it’s quite impractical—nearly impossible—to make a cheeseburger from scratch. Tomatoes are in season in the late summer. Lettuce is in season in spring and fall. Large mammals are slaughtered in early winter. The process of making such a burger would take nearly a year, and would inherently involve omitting some core cheeseburger ingredients. It would be wildly expensive—requiring a trio of cows—and demand many acres of land. There’s just no sense in it.
A cheeseburger cannot exist outside of a highly developed, post-agrarian society. It requires a complex interaction between a handful of vendors—in all likelihood, a couple of dozen—and the ability to ship ingredients vast distances while keeping them fresh. The cheeseburger couldn’t have existed until nearly a century ago as, indeed, it did not."
Taken from this blog.
---
I've said, on a handful of occasions, that I would be fine giving up beef and all other meats, 'cept for pork. In such a venture, burgers would be the only thing I truly missed. And I know there are other types of burgers besides beef, but I'm talkin' a good beef patty. In recent years, I've been intrigued by the "boutique-ing" of burgers. I feel I've been to a handful of cafes, restaurants that take the burger so seriously that they ruin the burger. The patty is too thick; the bun too creative; the toppings too absurd; the lettuce too overwhelmingly ridiculous; the presentation too inventive. These are the types of places where almost everyone leaves saying "oh yea, mmmhm, oh yea," and the few who don't go post highly self-righteous reviews online. (Perhaps they do both?) I'm not entirely sure I've ever left such a place without feeling deeply apathetic.
In contrary to the article above, the burger is quite simple, and (like many things in the modern world) depreciates as you try to 'church' it up. McDonalds holds a probable monopoly on our generation's perception of the burger, contrasted with the homemade-backyard-dad variety (why do all dads create meatballs when they mean to create burger patties?). Five Guys has an oddly respectable model that only falls short in its apparent lack of sustaining local ingredients. Diners typically do burgers better than cafes, and cafes better than restaurants. Sports venues are hit or miss. And sometimes the fine dining gets them right, mainly based on the quality of meat (I've heard Lugar's is great, never had it). It's brunch that's truly guilty of this boutique escapade.
Who do we talk to, to cease this charade of piling, masquerading as improvements on such an absurdist idea of a sandwich? It reminds me of a line from one of the greatest comedy films of all time, in which Cleveland Indians Manager Lou Brown says, "...we ought to hang around for a while and see if we can give 'em all a nice big shit burger to eat!"
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Keplancholia
"Ha," I thought, "what a clever little joke..." but she insisted. "Are they calling it 'Melancholia,' I asked. "No, it's called Kepler-22b... or something," she said.
Odd, I thought. And it got me thinkin...
Will...
become...
?
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Two Turntables and a Microphone?
Chris Thile & Michael Daves
Friday, December 9, 2011
The Armpit Collection XL: I Know
A man whose work is ripe for exploration. Shepp has a deliciously broad approach to musical form, though his tone and sentiment is singular. A Sea of Faces illustrates this characterization very well.
Here's a great piece about Shepp's life and work.
"I did learn to accept whatever my limitations are..."
"I think of myself mostly as a man."
"Music is an intelligent pursuit."
"I really am bitter."
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Never Did Either
Friday, December 2, 2011
PJ20
I've honestly watched this documentary three times in the last week. Cameron Crowe put together an excellent mix of interviews, shows, and behind-the-scenes footage. This brought back a lot of middle school era nostalgia, rocking out to my Pearl Jam tapes. What are middle schoolers doing these days, besides taking naked pictures of themselves with their cell phones?! If you haven't had a chance to see PJ20 yet, even if they aren't you favorite band in the world, I highly recommend you do so soon.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
I'm not playing with you . . .
Friday, November 18, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
My Latest and Greatest Production
My latest and greatest production is a 15-episode comedy webseries also starring Morgan Evans. As you can assume, doing a 15 episode series with professional cameramen, sound, lights, props, locations, etc. can cost a shitload of money, so we started a Kickstarter webpage to help us raise funding. So far we've done pretty damn good, with 70 backers at the time of the posting we've raised over 85% of our goal of $10,000, but we only have 5 more days to raise the remaining $1,500 (so if you know anyone with too much money, or someone that would be interested in supporting our ambitious cause, feel free to pass this along). In the video below Morgan does a fantastic job explaining what we're aiming to accomplish.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Armpit Collection XXXIX: Need = Sunshine
Timber Timbre - Creep On, Creepin' On
This album makes me smile. It's dark, and I smile cause it hits so close to home. All the sounds I love are right there. It's not long, and there are instrumentals, nice transitions. The grooves are inviting. There's a lot of mood with a lot said: a cool-y confident voice rings effected and quiet, but also cuts. There's so much space. Respect the space and flow of things in space. I feel somewhere and also feel them somewhere. "Too Old to Die Young," damn near brings me to tears (with those background chirps).
Do YOU have power??? Over "it"?
The video I posted is for "Black Water," a wonderful lyrical journey that I've quoted above as well.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Chuckspective
Here's a couple of great journalistic pieces from him. One is an interview with Noel Gallagher that offers some interesting insight into various things. The other is a great review of "Lulu."
A couple of gems -
"In the 20 years I've interviewed celebrities, I think Gallagher might be the first one to ever directly say that the process of succeeding is more problematic than the conditions that follow that success. Celebrities have been conditioned to insist that they want their work to be consumed and appreciated, but that they always dread the subsequent lack of anonymity and the vapidity of public recognition; in many ways, Gallagher's response seems like the first honest explanation as to why talented people so often seem depressed and uncomfortable."
"Two historically significant artists merging unrelated genres for no defined reason. Adult, self-aware musicians following their own creative vision, devoid of commercial pressure or responsibility. An attempt to produce something authentically different from anything we've ever heard before, motivated only by a desire to see what would happen. A confident, unvarnished attempt at taking arcane high art and repackaging it for denim-clad teenagers huffing gas in Arizona parking lots."
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Smokin' Campaign Ad, Mr. Cain!
I see SNL spoofing this one in no time.
Monday, October 24, 2011
New C. of Music
I've enjoyed the Flaming Lips ever since I first heard Soft Bulletin (in 5.1 mind you). I deeply respected them after I saw Fearless Freaks. I championed them after I saw them live at the ACL Festival. And I was quite taken with them when they released Embryonic.
Since the late 90s, they've become quite a force in the popular music lexicon, always on the fringe, always intriguing, always refreshing. Upon researching their discography for a mix tape I made to honor their performance at Moog Fest in Asheville this coming weekend, I found they've been quite active in 2011. (The mix will be available on ashevillefm.org) The idea that they can encourage people to think and consume creatively is super commendable.
Check out this interesting take on one of their recent, creative releases.
Check out this press bit about their planned Halloween release.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Old Banner
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Fire is a Devil's Tool
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Shallows
In response to Jason's insightful post, you may want to check out this book by Nicholas Carr: The Shallows - What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains.
Blurb:
Is Google making us stupid? When Nicholas Carr posed that question in a celebrated Atlantic essay, he tapped into a well of anxiety about how the Internet is changing us. He also crystallized one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the Net’s bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply?
Now Carr expands his argument into the most compelling exploration of the Internet’s intellectual and cultural consequences yet published. As he describes how human thought has been shaped through the centuries by “tools of the mind” — from the alphabet, to maps, to the printing press, the clock, and the computer — Carr interweaves a fascinating account of recent discoveries in neuroscience by such pioneers as Michael Merzenich and Eric Kandel. Our brains, the historical and scientific evidence reveals, change in response to our experiences. The technologies we use to find, store, and share information can literally reroute our neural pathways.
Building on the insights of thinkers from Plato to McLuhan, Carr makes a convincing case that every information technology carries an intellectual ethic — a set of assumptions about the nature of knowledge and intelligence. He explains how the printed book served to focus our attention, promoting deep and creative thought. In stark contrast, the Internet encourages the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources. Its ethic is the ethic of the industrialist, an ethic of speed and efficiency, of optimized production and consumption — and now the Net is remaking us in its own image. We are becoming ever more adept at scanning and skimming, but what we are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection.
Part intellectual history, part popular science, and part cultural criticism, The Shallows sparkles with memorable vignettes — Friedrich Nietzsche wrestling with a typewriter, Sigmund Freud dissecting the brains of sea creatures, Nathaniel Hawthorne contemplating the thunderous approach of a steam locomotive — even as it plumbs profound questions about the state of our modern psyche. This is a book that will forever alter the way we think about media and our minds.
Monday, September 26, 2011
"No Blades, No Bows, Leave Your Weapons Here!"
I found some fun stuff from the back log. The only newspaper clipping I guess I've saved is "The Outsourced Brain," by David Brooks, which is from about four years ago. I used to read the printed newspaper frequently in Richmond. Pick up a copy, perhaps some Camel Lights, and then head over to that diner on Broad St. for my lunch break. Clipping articles from newspapers wasn't something I made a habit of, but I recall taking in Brooks' perspective about how technology is facilitating man's quest towards "know nothing," like phone numbers or driving routes. I didn't (don't) really participate in the full bells and whistles.
In the four years since it's publication, social media technology has evolved considerably and saturated the lives of an astounding percentage of humans. My question in this realm has always been, this supposed brain space that is "freed" by these technologies, are we using it to know other stuff that makes it all worth it?
Just the other day, I read an article (digitally) about Facebook's plans for the future. Sounds like the evolution is just beginning.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Classic Bullshit
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Play Just Like Cobain!
For a little less than $2,000 you too can sounds exactly like the 12th greatest guitarist of all time! Fender is now offering the Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar, complete with authentic grunge paint scratches! I'm only surprised they're offer a "Kurt Cobain" guitar in one piece.
While playing your new Jagbain, don't forget to pick up EverTune! A new device that guarantees your guitar will NEVER go out of tune again!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Newell Getting Gutted
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
CIANYPD
This is a fascinating article on how the NYPD has been collaborating with the CIA on anti-terrorism techniques.
Do you prefer liberty or security?
Friday, August 19, 2011
The Dude Abides
The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
Exclusive - Jeff Bridges - "Maybe I Missed the Point" | ||||
www.colbertnation.com | ||||
|
Still dawning the Bad Blake duds from Crazy Heart, Jeff Bridges released a self-titled debut album produced by non-other that the T-Bone Burnett. His voice really ties the sound together. Far out, man. Far out.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
"I'm Your Huckleberry..." Indeed!
Who is this? Yes, Mark Twain. But who is this portraying Mark Twain? Do you recognize the famous movie quote from the Title? Yes, you are correct, it is not Dennis Quaid!
I was just arguing about the integrity of Val to a few friends. Apparently he's trying to get a Twain film financed. I think we can all agree the lead part is sewn up.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Hagerstown Happens
Friday, July 29, 2011
Better Late Than Never
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Saturn Return
And now you're gone
I know better
It's walking-in on
It's not a clinic
It's not a club
It's a foot rub
Grafting while waiting
And laughing/menstruating
Spiralling shimmying
Always approaching
Whisper me something
Wherever you are
I wanna hear
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Guess what they guessed the average is.
Picked up this book a while back... after hearing about it somewhere (wish I could remember where). Started digging into it again the past couple of days and stumbled upon this passage...
"...the revolution would bring better parks to New York, and beautiful places to live, and day-care centers, and hospices. Her idea was that New York should be human. Now, this is simply a mistake. New York is an inhuman machine put together to serve the most ambitious interests of a certain part of American secular society. It has human aspects, because human needs must be me before ambitions can proceed toward realization, but the fulfillment of those human needs is an uninteresting precondition of the life of the ambitions. In human terms, there is no reason to live in New York, and if New York were to become a city in which day-care centers and hospices were the dominant institutions, it would soon be depopulated."
Apropos! The book is an intense scorching (er...perspective) of what media has done to humans. For a more... democratic context, please see the internets.
Here it is published in the New Yorker.
A review of the re-release by John Irving.
Also, what are YOUR thoughts on Dan Rather?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
I said, What IS Up Doc?
Acid No Hitter 06 from source/record on Vimeo.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
A Red Blooded Mother Fucker
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
BD on PS
http://www.thedailyswarm.com/headlines/seriously-watch-bob-dylan-make-cameo-appearance-pawn-stars/
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Rise of Eraser Aesthetics
Perhaps this is just the perception of New York publications. I find the idea that "since he's dead, he's erased" to be a bit troubling. You?
Monday, May 2, 2011
Spring in Central Park
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Smile, Richmond, You Unhappy Lil Bastardos!
Another day, another unhappy Richmonder (Richmondite? Both are showing up as spelled incorrectly). While watching this video a few thoughts come to mind.
- There's a baseball team call the Richmond Flying Squirrels? I remember seeing Bob Dylan play a Richmond minor league ballfield back in 2004. Was I in Squirrely Stadium and didn't know it. Shit, I wish I'd taken a picture.
- When coaches get "thrown out" of ball games, where do they go? I never see the Bouncer Ref walking people off the field and to their cars. Having a cameraman follow the coach all the way to his car would be fun for nothing more than to see what kinda car a minor league coach drives these days.
- Isn't it great that he can scream, kick things, and even twirl around OUT OF ANGER and be given a standing ovation by the fans? What other job in the world is it acceptable to literally scream in someone's face and be cheered on by clients?
Friday, April 22, 2011
One Forgives, One Doesn't
Thursday, April 14, 2011
3 Things to Love About China!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Kurt Cobain Does a Jared Leto Impersonation
I heard today (April 5) was the day Kurt passed away 17 years ago. Can't believe it's been that long. So grateful for his contribution and inspiration. Not sure I'd be doing this if it weren't for him. He gave us all permission to create no matter what our skill set and reminded me that dreams are possible. Thanks for that. This made me recall a short piece of film I shot when I heard they were making a film celebrating his life. I made it to explore the character and explore creative possibilities. I never sent it to the studio or to anyone but thought I'd share it now...
- Jared Leto
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The Armpit Collection XXXVII: Put God Away
Why did you choose to end the album with “It’s time to put God away”?
Because it really is! And it's a culmination song. It's a time-suspending song. You have to put it at the end. Can I just say this is a great record?
This record struck me very clearly with how good it sounded. There's a calm nature to not only the sound, but the opening line. "I started out in search of ordinary things." Sometimes we revel in the abstract because of a disconnect or inability to express realistically. Those journeys may begin with a pining for normalcy, clarity, a direct path to understanding. The relativity of ordinary offers similar comforts among us.
There's a very humble way about Callahan's approach that I find comforting, and that I feel sets this record apart from most singer/songwriter efforts. It doesn't feel forced. He can relish in the weird or intrigue without being contrived. Lyrically speaking, there is great literalism.
Armpit-technically, this album should be an addition to the 21st C. Singer/Songwriter Dilemna. Looking back, it makes more sense for Eagle to be included, than Wicked Grin.
This post was spurred by the release of Callahan's newest, Apocalypse.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
VA/MD "Big Bad City"
Here is a wonderful music video featuring my good friends, VA/MD, produced by yours truly. Watch it in HD if your internet connection allows it. Feel free to leave compliments in the comments.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Luxurious Sly
It is here.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Armpit Collection XXXVI: Heroes & Villains
Never had a single in the collection... The more I listen to this song, the more I'm fascinated by it. Musically speaking, it's quite simple and yet also contains some passages that are complex. Lyrically, I could say the same. The ideas it invokes become more and more relevant to my own perspective the more time I spend here in NYC, amongst artists, thinking about cultural politics.
The Beach Boys have already been considered a Period Piece. To many, they are seen as just such. Brian Wilson, though, pushed his music beyond simple trappings to the point of self-destruction. This song comes right out of that tumultuous period of both his life and culture at large.
The great thing about Heroes & Villains is it's ability to maintain a dichotomous aura. I found this video the other day and was just blown away by it. I submit it as evidence that the Beach Boys escaped shallow cultural perspectives and eventually sought to express ideas more intellectually than most may give them credit for.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
You Walkie, Talkie in Space?
We met this guy last Friday at an Etsy Event. Apparently he's been in space, which makes me feel mighty nice about having shook his hand.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Deep Sea Divers
Friday, March 11, 2011
And the Locusts Sang...
“Bob Dylan at Princeton, November 2000”
By: Paul Muldoon
We cluster at one end, one end of Dillon Gym.
“You know what, honey? We call that a homonym”
We cluster at one end, one end of Dillon Gym.
“If it’s fruit you’re after, you go out on a limb.”
The last time in Princeton, that ornery degree,
Those seventeen-year locusts hanging off the trees.
The last time in Princeton, that ornery degree,
His absolute refusal to bend the knee.
His last time in Princeton, he wouldn’t wear a hood.
Now he’s dressed up as some sort of cowboy dude.
That last time in Princeton, he wouldn’t wear a hood.
“You know what, honey? We call that disquietude.
It’s that self-same impulse that has him rearrange
both ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’ and ‘Things Have Changed’
so that everything seems to fall within his range
as the locusts lock in on grain silo and grange.”