Friday, March 30, 2007
Banned in (Washington) D.C.
Hello, KKKapitol City!
I will inside you this weekend, walking around your streets, studying your dance moves. This will be my first time in Washington so I hope it's not like Philly--gunshots and cheesesteaks, anyone?
I just hope I see Ian Mackaye playing old Minor Threat songs on a random street. If not, I'll be very unhappy.
9:30 Club, what?
Thursday, March 29, 2007
NY?
A friend of mine recently said the New York I live is a disneyland compared to the New York of before. I wanted to confuse his confidence for nostalgia, for a positive cynicism--but, I think he's right. There is a gigantic monster of a Whole Foods in Austin which makes me feel like I'm in Austin. Like when I'm in New York and see a plethora of flip-flops or Whole Foods stores. But, that's not a bad thing, is it? To feel like home away from home in a home that is supposed to be unlike any home in the homely world?
Fuck. Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you. I'm going to cry now.
Neu Books: Alan De Niro's Skinny Dipping...
I haven't read all of Alan De Niro's short story collection but pretty much anything Small Beer publishes is gold. You can count on them. From researching this book, the stories and De Niro himself, it sounds great. You can even download the book here.
Support these authors. Iceland, I'm looking at you.
Hip-hop is jesus, son
Running through playgrounds of eyes
Bjork, Arcade Fire, Manu Chao and the Beastie Boys--why not?
I'll be going to the Sasquatch Music Festival in May for my birfday. I wanted to go to something un-New York, hippie (no way I'm going to Bonaroo) and normal. Plus, I need to see some mountains and hills and beards and loud music and the West Coast. Buildings, buildings, buildings. The place requires camping and seeing Seattle--two things I'm okay with. But, it looks like this.
Hit me up if you're out there and want to say hello.
Sandal with flask in it
I think I found a new gift for the 3,265 people I know like to drink, ahem, water, on the beach. It's right here.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Holy Shit #5
Is this the future of music, you think? The best will be deterritorialized, impermanent and not found in formal spaces. Little kids banging on cans in the middle of a monster's mouth. I guess we are already there, but I love the idea that some of my favorite musicians' works come from illegal sources: YouTube, eMusic (according to the RIAA, damn you DRM-lovers), ( ), scratchy recordings, etc.
David Byrne said it best.
Holy Shit #4
Dragons on Fox News
Matt Cheney's Best American Fantasy anthology will be out soon and includes some great stories and writers. But, I wonder what the Best Nigerian Fantasy anthology would look like? Best Mexican Fantasy or Best Peruvian-you get what I mean.
(I had an after-thought to when I saw China Mieville read in New York a few weeks ago. I thought, in another imaginary time or setting, I would have asked him why people don't apply the same fantastic or imaginitive rigour that they do with literature, with politics? What would if there was a CNN Fantasy?)
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Black glasses need hip-hop
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Secret Science Club!
In yet another reason why Brooklyn is the most amazing place on the planet--free science lectures at a bar! Thanks to my better half, I found out about Secret Science Club, which offers a lecture by physicists, biologists, nanotech nerds and soccer mom robots the first Wednesday of each month at Union Hall followed by music.
Stephen Hawking and Panda Bear, anyone?
I can dream.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Iggy Pop, you look like a poster
I only made it down to Austin this year, after a 10 months of absence from the Lone Star State, for other reasons. But, SXSW was still keeping me buzzing. I flew down Wednesday night with one of the founders of Vice Magazine sitting down the row from me. Four days of rowdy drinking, band after band and sunny weather sounded great. Like most expectations, there were flaws. Last year, I was writing for The Austin Chronicle and had lived in Austin where I enjoyed a homely understanding of the entire thing. But, this year, I was an outsider, flying with other New Yorkers to take over the capital city for a weekend and then leave.
It was bizarre coming home.
Living in Brooklyn will kill any excitement SXSW brings. Disregarding the obvious (The Stooges, Busdriver, 302 unknown indie rock bands from Europe, a Lily Allen acoustic set), I felt a depressing feeling: I can see any of these bands in New York (someday). Plus, the over-arching indie-rock emphasis really drained any sense of depth to the festival. Of course, Houston rap nights, Public Enemy and Lee Scratch Perry added much-needed black presence to a pretty much (white) indie affair, and Latin rock bands represented, but it could have used more DJ and electronic presence. Where were the Ed Banger kids? Obscure Berlin techno or bands that didn't play last year? Plus, last year had "secret" shows from the Beastie Boys and the Flaming Lips where this year, it was Wayne Coyne and company back again.
All in all, it was still fun and worth attending. I missed a zillion things and spent most of it eating Mexican food and drinking Dos Equis, but that is another reason you should go to SXSW in 2008: Austin is still one of Amerikkka's best cities. Just don't forget your tight jeans and British accent.
Panda Bear melts pink brains over dead mics
First great album of the year? Who cares. Buy it.
Despite the digitalization of music being a miracle cure for indie artists, going broke is still a very real possibility. Like my man Subtitle. Ever met a homeless man with rap fans in Japan? The economics of MP3's are bizarre and far from simple. Yet, I wonder who is going to be the first to point fingers at folks who download and don't go out to shows and support. Or, are we facing an era where musicians will have to get normal jobs like everyone else? It's a terrible situation either way. I hope Subtitle gets that rich a$$ indie label deal he wants. MP3 blogs don't pay the rent that often.
But this does!
Gang Gang Gang
From Gang Gang Dance's upcoming tour video/mind-touchy thing, Retina Riddim.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Holy Shit #3
Harmony Korine is either a genius or an Icelandic man-child that lives under a rock in Alabama churning out screenplays for 8 year olds.
Or both.
In my ongoing Holy Shit Series, Korine's new film, Mister Lonely, stars Diego Luna and is the most insane story I have ever heard of since Alejandro Jodorowsky's entire back catalog. Below is a synopsis that I didn't write:
A Michael Jackson impersonator (DIEGO LUNA) lives alone in Paris and performs on the streets to make ends meet. At a performance in a retirement home, Michael falls for a beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-alike (SAMANTHA MORTON), who suggests he move to a commune of impersonators in the Scottish Highlands. At the seaside castle, Michael discovers everyone preparing for the commune's first-ever gala - Abe Lincoln, Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Stooges, the Queen, the Pope, Madonna, Buckwheat, Sammy Davis, Jr… And also Marilyn's daughter Shirley Temple and her possessive husband Charlie Chaplin (DENIS LAVANT)…
In case you don't believe me, here are some stills.
Diego Luna as a Michael Jackson impersonator! Try that, Gael!
Diaz talks new novel, still killing it at MIT
So, how long can you eat off of one book? 10 years, apparently. Dominican-American whiz kid writer Junot Diaz loves Latino life and science fiction--much like I do. The only tiny difference is that he became a New Yorker-published writer whose brilliant debut collection Drown was a hit. Well, his follow-up novel is finally going to hit stores in September of this year.
He said it himself. Listen to the audio interview.
(Thanks Maud!)
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Shower in the purple juice of heaven
Alyson Levy is one-fourth part of the Brooklyn-based crew PFFR that created Wonder Showzen. She makes videos and here is the first of a who-knows-how-many part series called The Hands of God. It's about a Christian puppet conference. What is so hilarious/frightening is the unintentional aspect of this documentary. I appreciate comedy that frames its humor around a sampling ethos. Nothing in this video is scripted or needed to be: it was already there.
I'm scared.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Short stories are like tiny magic
I've been buzzing over some great short stories I've read recently. Two weeks ago I went to go see China Mieville read at a bookstore in Greenwich Village. He was very sweet, erudite, smart and funny. He also looked like he could be in a motorcycle gang in the year 2038. The British Fantasy Award winner and sociable Socialist read from his new YA novel, Un Lun Dun, but I have been reading his short story collection, Looking for Jake. You should check this book out as it displays a great range of controlled, fresh prose in the excellent story 'The Ball Room' where he takes the horror of a children's playground and constructs a haunting medication from the narrative standpoint of a security guard.
That's why I like Mieville, he uses unorthodox perspectives to tell the same story that a cliche writer would from a standardized, well-off character's viewpoint. How much does class matter when your worried about mysterious forces that eat children in a ball room? Apparently, plenty. I'm halfway through the collection and they're mostly all bangers.
I've also zipped through great stories by Cory Doctorows' latest collection ('Printcrime', 'When the Sysadmins Ruled the Earth') and Maureen F. McHugh's gorgeous Mothers & Other Monsters collection. But, I'll leave those for their own posts.
Neu music: Leyode
I wrote about Brooklyn's Leyode for my XLR8R column this month. They're a boy-girl duo on Prefuse 73's Eastern Developments label and will be coming out with a full-length this spring. They sound like hiccup beats mixed with pretty singing and more hiccup beats.
Zonk.
PS That is not a photograph of them, I just liked this photograph and couldn't find one of the band.
PSS What the fuk is up with boy-girl duos? The Blow, Telepathe, Leyode. I'm sure theres 8 million others I'm missing.
PSSS Bleh vs. Anti-bleh
Thursday, March 08, 2007
RIP Jean Baudrillard
Super Deluxe!
I've been salivating over the brilliant comedy shorts and animations at Turner-endorsed Super Deluxe. Those are the geeks who host Adult Swim, remember? What happens when TV stations make better programs on the internet than on TV? Is the internet going to become as stupid, inane and advertiser-friendly as most television. Or will it remain a space for more forward-thinking shit. How much is the internet dependent on (bad) TV?
Babycakes!
Wizards vs. Marketeers
White, male science-fiction writers are like monster giraffes with fangs for eyes that chew verbs when they blink. I like giraffes. But, what I'm talking about is diversity in SF & Fantasy. I can count the successful black SF writers on one foot. Keep the other hand, I just need one to count the Asian, Latino and Native-American writers who use genre for their art. Why is that?
Is the answer shaped by family, class upbringing--how SF is comfortably augmented by middle class tropes? I hope not. Perhaps is wimpy publishers who don't take risks with other writers or maybe there are no other writers. Ghosts have better chances getting published than a Mexican (gay/female/unicorn) science-fiction author. Moreover, how is it that Hollywood has cultivated millions in Tolkien, Philip K. Dick, etc. and they can't pay writers more than 3-5 thousand per book (from what I've researched--which, I hope I'm incorrect about.)
Thats why I support the e-book, Creative Commons download ethos--publishing is slow and poor. Maybe slanging your own fantasy novel about three-headed wizards named Zonk is a better business and artistic model than hoping Tor or Nightshade slang it for you.
I'm just saying.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Vroom, vroom, vroom
We are not alone. 50,000 galaxies, to go, please.
PS Why does all science look like a Windows screensaver from 1995?
Vashti Bunyan's daughter?
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Manu Chao tours Amerikkka
Manu Chao, our favorite vagabond, is zipping through these American states. I missed him when he came to Brooklyn last year and will not do it again. Bring your anarchist bandanas and Gap T-shirts with you--this is going to be nutso.
Manu Chao - 2007 Tour Dates
Sun 03/25/07 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Wed 03/28/07 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
Fri 03/30/07 San Francisco, CA Bill Graham Civic Aud.
Sun 04/29/07 Indio, CA Empire Polo Field - Coachella
Sat 05/26/07 George, WA Gorge Amphitheatre - Sasquatch
Tue 06/05/07 San Diego, CA Bayside
Fri 06/08/07 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Sun 06/10/07 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
Mon 06/11/07 Austin, TX Stubb's Bar-B-Q
Wed 06/13/07 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's Uptown
Fri 06/15/07 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival
Sun 06/17/07 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom
Tue 06/19/07 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Sun 06/24/07 Boston, MA Avalon
Tue 06/26/07 Brooklyn, NY Celebrate Brooklyn @ Prospect Park
Fri 06/29/07 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
e-life
I just wanted to let you folks know that I got up on this "Library Thing" thing. Please feel free to see my library online. I am just getting started.
Monday, March 05, 2007
I sat next to David Byrne
Last Thursday, Miranda July performed a cute and elastic theater piece called Things We Don’t Understand and Definitely Are Not Going to Talk About at The Kitchen in Chelsea. In a tiny room fitting about 200 people, in walks a gray-haired fit man that looked like--yes, it was him. David Byrne walks in and plops down next to me in the third row. I couldn't move or really say anything. No, no, that sounds too polite, too rational.
I froze.
But, due to the interaction from the crowd for July's Jon Brion-scored performance, Byrne was totally down for whatever. He recited what was on the screen, stomped his feet, flicked on a lighter--not like some snooty culturally intelligent snob. The show was awesome, very inspiring and funny and it put me next to David fucking Byrne.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
(tv square)
Small children, 18th century poems, emcees
All will get destroyed by XLR8R TV, who just released their first episode. DAT Politics, Zion I and others get the star treatment from the nice and electro-educated people at XLR8R (Vivian even hosts it!). Support and enjoy.
Techno in the backstreets of Little Poland
Ellen Allien will bring her damaging Berlin blips to Studio B on March 24th, which is down the street from me. It's like a private party...for me. With, you know, hundreds of other people there. Dancing, jumping, yelling in German. March 24th, with Miss Kitten and Lauren Flax.
It's like being here, but not in France.
Asian SF writer, Ted Chiang, returns!
I love Chiang's brilliant short-story collection, Stories of Your Life, and completely bugged out when I stumbled upon word about his new 83-page book. The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate, from what I've researched, follows Fuwaad ibn Abbas as a merchant who tells his story to the Caliph. He tells three stories in this book-length work that should be dope. I wish this guy wrote more, more, more.
Why can't putting out books be like putting out records?
