match-book songs and gypsy hymns

kind shane. kind jack.

2007-03-23T23:25:00.000-04:00

a kind irish boy wrote about my little music project, as well as a new side project i have with mr. johnny lamb.

Girls Doing Embroidery write up

Lapka ee Ovechka write up

The Torture Garden Blog

and then i noticed that my pal, Jack Mudd, had actually found the site earlier and wrote his own review! See here

thank you, kind boys

oh i feel so very blessed!
oh i feel so excited about the gramophone family!
we are looking at whole houses now!

The Tin Drum

2007-03-12T11:58:00.000-04:00

After a pleasant day at The Museum of Natural History, I watched "The Tin Drum" with Mellissa and Ben last night. This is one of several banned films that are on my list.
Based on a book by Gunter Grass, the film was quite bizzare. It's basically about a boy who decides to stop growing at the age of 3 during the time of World War II. The story is intriguing and fascinating; I might read the book now (comparitavly it has more to it, always the case, no?).

The movie was banned for child pornography in Canada and Oklahoma because there are scenes of Oskar (main character) involved in sexual acts. Within the story he isn't a child, remember, he only looks like a child, but in reality he was an 11 year old actor. It is somewhat disturbing, but I recommend it for those that have an appreciation for the obscure and odd. If you liked Freaks, you'll like this.

Stay a Child Forever:

The Young Folks

2007-03-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

It's unrealistic to document absolutely all that I take in. So, instead, I will write about the things I like or really disliked. I'm not so sure I want to keep a list of everything. That's just boring card cataloging...and I'd rather be...blogging.

oh my.

best book recently read: Gift's from Eykis There is a chapter titled "The Secrets of the Universe". This book is very practical and teaches you reality-based thinking. I've applied some of the theories, formula's, and proverbs. So far so good. You can't give what you don't have.

films: I've seen many films since my last update... Brother's Keeper, Welcome to the Dollhouse, American Movie, Science of Sleep, Sex and Lucia, just to name a few. I've liked all of these. I didn't so much like The Gospel According to St. Matthew... looking forward to seeing his other film, though, Salo or 120 Days of Sodom. I found the written version by Marquis De Sade online. I've also found some of J.D Salinger's early short stories.

Here's both links:

http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/120Days/00000010.htm

the salinger one is somewhere in here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.D._Salinger

Have been to Paris since last post... the L'Ouvre was magical (photos on my facebook account)

Lately, fascinated by the art of Anthony Goicolea
http://www.anthonygoicolea.com

Joanna Newsoms Ys is one of the best albums. I'm still soaking it all in. It inspires me. Inspired me enough recently to tell my dear friends that we should live together in an art commune. and we're going to do it, too.

gotta run. always on the run.

love my new best friend. his name is Hope Street.

Hot Coco and Peppermint Sticks

2006-12-08T12:40:00.000-05:00

Music:

today’s play list
Forty Licks, by The Rolling Stones (there's just so many stones albums. I’ll stick with this one)

69 Love Songs, by The Magnetic Fields (great for dancing. fireflies//cuckoo//rabbits)

various songs by The Cold War Kids (nothing real lasting. interesting voice. tolerable)

Through Being Cool, by Saves the Day (nostalgia)

Stay What You Are, by Saves the Day (nostalgia)

( ), by Sigur Ros (music to die to. make love to. cry to. read to. speechless music)

film:
Capturing the Friedman’s
I was told (by Michelle) to not read the synopsis of this film and to blindly watch it (oxymoron, nice) with no prior knowledge of the story. It really caught me off guard when I realized what the story was about. It’s rare that we can experience a film with a blank slate-- what with trailers, and hype and media. The film confronts Hysteria, and I was able to somewhat battle it out because I didn't have these prior judgments. I won't reveal much about it, except that it's a documentary and it’s very much worth seeing. Be sure to see the special features, too, there are helpful interviews, films, and talks. I could not make up my mind about the evidence presented in the film. Very well directed, in the sense that, Jarnecki directed the audience with questions and did not spew answers. Two people can watch the film, and have opposite reactions to the ending. That’s rare.

Book:
Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski
I further (as it was recommended to me) recommend this book to everyone. Especially if you liked Catcher in the Rye. Butowski is an interesting character, and as this book is semi-autobiographical, I sympathized with Henry/Hank the main character despite his unsentimental and harsh way of living. The abuse, the shame, the confusion, and the isolation can be understood by most anyone. I couldn't put this book down, and read it in just a couple of days. It's vulgar, has unsentimental sexual references, and sometimes painful to read through-- but the cynical teen that sprouted from a confused and abused child, turns out to be a character that we would've all liked to know-- even if he said things like
"there's an ass kicking here twice a week, Becker. You just chose the wrong day to come by".
This book is one I will recommend to everyone, especially if I don't know their taste.

The internet keeps jumping in and out at work, and during the "out" parts I write these little entries. It’s cold outside, almost in an unfair kind of way. Shouldn’t there at least be snow on the ground if we have to shiver like this??

Tonight I go to the American folk art museum to see Darger's work. This has been a year in waiting for me. I am eager. Betsy, a nice friend, will join me.

This weekends plans:
laundry
clean my fucking goddam room, can't stand it right now
throw a party tomorrow night
drink
dance
laugh
say some things that I don't mean
go to sleep w/ people all around me

wake up. Clean up. Coffee. Sunset bagel. Sunset special.
Go to Virginia’s and decorate cookies.
Go to Resurrection church (I haven't been to church in a couple of months)
go see a Sounds Familyre show

that’s the plan thus far.

Clean.
Party.
Church.

A nice little sandwich.

(all of these images are of Charles Bukowski)

For what it's worth I like you and what is worse I really do

2006-12-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

My first post will be a recap of the last week (+/- a day)

music:

(more to come)

Bob Dylan- Blonde on Blonde; Highway 69 Revisted.
I especially appreciate the lyrics of Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. Poetry. The metaphors!

The Carnigans- Long Gone Before Dawn
Song: For What its Worth
This album has more of a country sound to it, than the mtv-pop-love-me-love-me image they had way back. I would've never given this album a chance if not for Michelle (my mentor and guide, telling me about Copenhagen at the moment). She's been recommending books, music, and movies, and I have been very pleased with this education.

She is dramatically fine-tuning my tastes. I felt inclined to document this movement considering the high amount of intake at this point in my life (8 hours of music per day. Up to 100 pages of reading each day. And depending on netflix, a film every couple of days).
I'm looking for answers.
These things give me, a mute, a voice.
The more I read the more words I know.
The more I listen the more I can speak.
The more I watch, the more I know what to look for.

reading: Ham on Rye, by Charles Bukowski (will finish tonight).

Recently finished the following books:

The Stranger, by Camu --look into absurdism and existentialism if you find yourself confused by this mans' indifferance.
"As if that blind rage had washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much like myself - so like a brother, really - I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate." -- I read this last page as I was walking down broadway to work. I connected with the Mersault and then went into the office. Queer feeling, it was.

High Fidelity, by Nick Hornby (recommended by Michelle)
A page turner. Its about a man, love, and his record collection. Favorite ideas/quotes:
What comes first, the music or the miserable? Are we miserable because of the music we listen to? Or do we listen to music because we are miserable?.

The Philosophy of Andy Warhol, by Andy Warhol (recommended by Betsy Clifton)
Full of great quotes-- I typed them all out for personal use. The writing gets you into his head, which makes his art work all the more intriguing. It made me mourn his death. "Think Rich. Look poor"

Camping ground, by Dallas Angguish HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It's from "Dumped: An Anthology" full of short stories by various writers (even Raymond Carver!). It's a story about a homosexual youth and his first heart break. Sexually explicit and sometimes troublesome (the Longland twins) yet sentimental and personal. I think I will photocopy it and send it to willing readers.

film:
Watership Down.
This one was hard to watch because it required close attention and because it's animated. I remembered trying to watch it as a child and not being able to follow it... for obvious reasons, within the first 10 minutes, a rabbit uses the word "opressed". This animated film is not for children, and actually contains a lot of profundities. It's an allegory for humanity, but I think it should be remade and better adapted to the book. The author had created his own language for the rabbits even. Original ideas/prefrances of the author should've been more incorporated into the film. Would've made it a little more intriguing and not so obvious in plot.

In the Realms of the Unreal.
A documentary about outsider artist Henry Darger. This was my second time viewing the film. I'll be going to The American Folk Artist Museum tomorrow to see his work. One should watch the director interview in the special features before seeing the film.

The Thin Red Line
A film directed by Terrance Mallick, adapted from a book. One of the better war movies I've seen. Not all gore and guts. Excellent story and character developement. Shows the personal side of war, instead of getting us pumped up about killing people (I've noticed the propaganda of patriotic war movies since we've invaded Iraq).

Coffee and Cigarettes
One has to know the context of the film to fully enjoy it. Also, look up the actors. If you don't know who Tom Waits is, then you can't really appreciate the vingettes. The film itself is a work of art, that should be kept in mind.

I'll have to figure out the format of this blog a little more. As far as music is concerned, I'll write more about what I like than dislike since there is such a high turn over rate. Books and Films I have to read/watch in order to judge and so it'll be a like/dislike judgement, and fair enough to post chronilogically since the turn over rate isn't high.

I should perhaps make more lists. I like lists. Just like Rob in High Fidelity-- constantly making a Top 5 List of everything!

I want my kids to be able to read this and develope proper taste, as I pursue a similar attempt.

i should go eat lunch. i'm getting shakey.