#in my head it’s specifically the live version with david byrne

[bemp0]

¿Buscaban al caos? Pues hallaron al caos

Here’s my entry for the @de-fanzine-cpr-pale Pale_ fanzine! Chose the song El Outsider by Café Tacvba to illustrate Cindy's pov of Martinaise.

You can check out the complete zine here (for free)

Translation (or my best attempt at it):

(Page 1)

I am the outsider, I am the sidestepper

Misfit with a cause, I have found you

And there’s no one like you

(Page 2)

I’ve seen you around, kicking the rules

Walking desire paths better than roads, which are already walked

Life might be sad, for everyone else

(Page 3)

The joy that exists from opening the doors

Laughing at the mugs of those that have us locked up

This way the outsider, this way the sidestepper

Will never have anything, and neither will he need it

(Page 4)

He has himself

This is why, my friend

If you find others that are also other

(Page 5)

Tell them that fire burning away goes

[ifuckinglovestvincent]

LATIMES: For St. Vincent, life under COVID has meant recording a soul-baring podcast and binging on Stalin

Annie Clark, who performs as St. Vincent, in her home studio: “I divide my life into albums.” [Leah Lehrer]

By RANDALL ROBERTS

STAFF WRITER

AUG. 26, 2020 2:15 PM

During a recent conversation, Annie Clark, the Grammy-winning musician who performs as St. Vincent, confessed that she had, quite literally, nothing else scheduled for the day. She had awakened, she explained, knowing that her only obligation would occur at precisely 2 p.m.

“The crazy thing is, because there’s nothing to divide a day, having anything on the calendar to do feels almost overwhelming,” she said. “Like, what am I going to do now that I have this one 20-minute thing that must happen at this specific time? It’s very strange. It’ll be interesting to go back, in some way, to all the spinning plates.”

On Monday, Clark’s new audio project, “St. Vincent: Words + Music,” premieres on Audible, the online audiobook and podcast platform. A 90-minute first-person deep dive into her life and music, the program is interspersed with revelatory new versions of some of St. Vincent’s most popular songs. She offers a fresh rendition of 2007’s “Marry Me,” for example, that highlights dizzying string arrangements absent from the original version.

For St. Vincent obsessives, these versions are essential listens, as are her recollections on her early years as part of the Texas music collective the Polyphonic Spree and her decision to embark on a solo career under a pseudonym. For passing fans, Clark’s conversational way of speaking about the evolution of her work across six studio albums (including “Love This Giant,” her 2012 collaboration with David Byrne) provides a glimpse into her creative methods. An artist whose work has evolved from guitar-driven indie rock to increasingly experimental work filled with electronics and vocal effects, St. Vincent’s music has at this point transcended genre.

The project is part of Audible’s “Words + Music” series, which includes “Patti Smith at the Minetta Lane,” James Taylor’s “Break Shot,” Common’s “Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics & Life” and Rufus Wainwright’s “Road Trip Elegies: Montreal to New York.”

Clark, 37, recently spoke to The Times from her home in Los Angeles.

“I have this theory,” says St. Vincent, “that people who are creative for a living were really dumbstruck, creatively, by the pandemic.” [Leah Lehrer]

How much podcast and audiobook listening do you typically do?

I’m obsessed with podcasts and audiobooks. I probably listen to more audiobooks than I do music. I mean, I certainly listen to music — for enjoyment, for research, for just making sure I know what is happening. Luckily, maybe because I’m a musician, I can retain a lot of information that comes through on the auditory side. I mean, I’ve really been brushing up on my Stalin.

You’ve brushed up on your Stalin?

It makes me feel much better about where we are today. Because they had it bad.

It’s pretty bad now.

It’s really bad now. But it was worse. I’ll go ahead and say it was worse in Stalin’s Russia. So there we are. That makes me feel bright and sunny. I’ve been on a real saucy Gulag Stalin kick for the past many months. Cold war, espionage — all of it.

You want to recommend any specific podcasts or books?

Oh God, we shouldn’t be talking about Stalin. This is already a disaster. I haven’t done this in a minute, you know what I mean? I don’t have my talking points all figured out.

I hope this isn’t a disaster.

No, but if we lead with Stalin, it’s not going to go well for me. Let’s talk about this Audible thing, because it was a lovely experience. It was fun to take old songs and reinvent them. There’s a version of “Digital Witness” on this that’s really funky and I love it. I’m glad they gave me a reason to look at my back catalog and reinvent some old songs.

Did you enjoy the process of recalling where you were in your life during various points?

I did. I divide my life into albums, instead of the other markers of time that most people have. I can go, “Oh, I was in the middle of this tour, and this is what was going on in my life and this is what I was writing about as a result.” That part of it was kind of an archaeological dig.

You reveal a few experiences in the program about your family and private life. I didn’t know, for example, about your father’s white-collar crimes, which landed him in prison in the early ’00s. Did you have any hesitation about engaging with parts of your life that aren’t related to your music?

I would have a long time ago, and I certainly did while it was all going on. I’ve always wanted people to enjoy and take in my music for what the music was. I don’t want it to be like a piece of art on the wall that needs an explanation in order to enjoy it. I want it to be enjoyed and interpreted on its own merit. I don’t think that it makes art more valid because it came from really horrible circumstances. I don’t necessarily want to mythologize something that’s actually quite normal. Things happen. And the crazy thing is to expect otherwise.

I think that in the past I felt way more protective of my family and my privacy because he was still in there. But since then, he’s been released, and we have a great relationship. It’s been a wonderful story of reconciliation, change, forgiveness, all those things. That’s why I feel fine about throwing it out there, because frankly, it had the happiest possible ending.

Another story you share is about being groped during a performance while you were stage-diving, and reacting by hitting the fan with your microphone. Have you stopped stage-diving since that happened?

Yes, stage-diving in that particular way. During the “Strange Mercy” tour, I was straight up hurling myself into the crowd and getting some pretty sick dives in. But then during the “St. Vincent” tour, I was definitely going into the crowd but more like jumping on the backs of security guards and running through that way. I still love the fan interaction. It’s not necessarily the end of my stage-diving days.

A lot of creative people I know are having a hard time with their muse right now. How are you doing with that?

I’m doing OK. It’s been a really productive time, but in a different way. I have this theory that people who are creative for a living were dumbstruck, creatively, by the pandemic, because we all need an element of chaos in our day to be able to grab inspiration. I know that’s a cheesy word, but we need to be able to be walking down the street, see that strange thing that somebody did and think about it, metabolize it and write about it.

People who are creative for a living have had a very hard time being creative during the pandemic. But a lot of people who aren’t necessarily creative for a living are like, “It’s a great time. I’ve finally learned how to knit and I finally wrote that short story that I‘d been meaning to do.” My informal poll of my fellow writers is that they’re banging their heads against the wall. But other people learned how to crochet or how to play “Sweet Home Alabama,” and that’s awesome.

Have you considered how you might present yourself as a performer going forward if, because of the coronavirus, the concert experience evolves into something unrecognizable?

I think about it every day. I wouldn’t imagine that things will ever be exactly back to normal, in terms of live touring. There’s a whole lot of other ways to get creative about how to reach people. And not just how to reach people but have the actual intimacy and energetic exchange of a show. The need for that kind of communion isn’t going to go away. I don’t think that’ll ever go away. It’s going to change, and it’s changed many times over the course of history. But yes, I think about it every day.

I think things that people love, they’re going to love even more, and they aren’t going to fall for things that they don’t love. Everything’s been put into sharp focus. Everybody’s figured out, more and more, what they actually need and what they don’t in these crazy times. I certainly don’t mean to minimize the actual human condition on the ground. But I think it’s going to be an exciting time for art. And that’s a silver lining.

[fauxpromises]

Random musings about Talking Heads & Kuja

Been getting back to writing again and felt like it would be kind of fun to write down my thoughts on the artist and album that inspired some of my thematic ideas for my fic. Though realistically this is more of a general character analysis re Kuja than anything specific to my writing, lol.

Analysis below the cut!

Part of why I was inspired to write is, well, Kuja is one of my favorite characters in fiction and I feel that a lot of his most important themes and characterization go almost completely unexamined. Specifically, I notice fandom tends to focus on his characterization prior to his big change in trajectory. That trajectory results in his constructed persona being pretty much completely destroyed, and in the wake of that, I see his post-arc persona being much more muted and lacking in a solid foundation of identity. No longer the excessively theatrical, outgoing identity that he created in order to convince himself that he was unique and important (neither of which his origin would lead him to actually believe).

And that’s exactly why I relate Talking Heads, and more specifically Remain in Light to him as a character. It’s an album with the central theme of identity conflict, at times in a very abstract way, that I feel fits him as a character so entirely well. The actual style of music has either a chaotic, rapid “racing thoughts” tempo to it, or a subdued sound that nonetheless has feeling of looming dread to it. Sometimes they feel rather casual, but in a superficial way. But the theme is pretty consistent across the track list. Even the title “Remain in Light” and the album cover is meant to convey that something is being obscured and is attempting to come into visibility.

The narrative voice as performed by David Byrne is also extremely fitting. He’s good at conveying a personality that is eccentric and at times seemingly detached from the human experience. He makes quirky, coy observations and tends to muse on the state of humanity or others in ways that almost seem as if he excludes himself from that lot. You could call it somewhat dissociative, while still portraying a lucid train of thought; there’s often a difference in the degree of intelligence the narrator shows in his observations, and his ability to understand the emotions that they yield.

Of the songs on Remain in Light, I believe the ones that most relate to the identity disturbance theme are “Once in a Lifetime”, “Seen and Not Seen”, and the big one for me, “Crosseyed & Painless”. I give a shoutout to “The Great Curve” because it kind of informed the romance dynamic, which, while not supposed to be foremost to the character study, represent something Kuja as a character has almost no interaction with in his canon context (outside of Dissidia anyway) - a tangible connection with another person. That track really complements the theme of delusion that the album insinuates, as it’s a sort of fanciful love song describing an idealized, lofty portayal of a woman. It’s abstract and nonspecific, barely a love song in the conventional sense, but I like the idea that someone who is themself conflicted or deluded about their own identity would struggle to see others as they really are.

Anyway, “Once in a Lifetime” is probably one of the best known TH songs. It’s an almost comedic take on an existential crisis, the narrator reflecting on his uncertainty of the nature of reality to the point of questioning the basic objects he interacts with in his day-to-day (like his wife and his car). “Seen and Not Seen” is a much more obscure track that is an extended metaphor. The narration describes a man who is able to change his physical appearance at will, trying to make it match that of idealized others (like celebrities) or changing it to better suit his perception of himself. It’s a representation of how people shape their personalities and identities, and how they can err in doing so.

But really, I’d say “Crosseyed & Painless” is the song that really, to me, is Kuja’s character arc in a nutshell. I really love the live version from Stop Making Sense specifically for the extended and stylized intro. It starts with a really calm and casual instrumental and guitar line, which gradually (and disconcertingly) transitions into a really fast tempo and guitar which reminds me way too much of “Dark Messenger”. It’s pretty clearly a musical depiction of a descent into insanity as something rather incremental, but ultimately landing with force. It’s definitely something that has to be heard to be understood.

Lyrically, the narrator describes a feeling of identity confusion. Due to an unspecified cause, he feels like he is caught between an assumed identity and a true identity, pretty well explained in the first verse (Lost my shape, trying to act casual). It’s a cause of great distress as evidenced by the third line, “I might end up in the hospital”. And beyond that, the phrase “I feel like an accident” indicates something has occurred that is inevitable.

After the narrator explains his own predicament, to me it seems he turned his skepticism to the reality of everything else rather than admit that the delusion and conflict is within himself. It’s rather clever. He speaks at length about facts, as in the second verse: (I'm ready to leave, I push the fact in front of me/Facts lost, facts are never what they seem to be). Facts are something unavoidable and true by definition, but he focuses his attention on both lamenting their immovability and still trying to rationalize that he can alter them. There’s also talk of doubt, which I expect is related to the aforementioned conflict with facts - despite the denial of them, doubt always voices itself. The chorus in its various versions reaffirm this with the statement “the feeling returns whenever we close our eyes”.

The prominent refrain, however, is the “I’m still waiting” repetition. An annotation on the song on Genius.com sums up the meaning behind it very well:

“What I love about this refrain is that it seems to reconfirm a desire for facts or some kind of master signifier that will give order and meaning to the world, despite the song’s overall critique of facts. The repetition of “still waiting” ties in nicely with the line in the bridge that “Facts cut a hole in us.” This reminds me of what Jacques Lacan calls objet petit a – the object-cause of desire that our desires forever circle around without obtaining.”

If you care to give any of these songs a listen, I’d recommend the album version for all but “Crosseyed & Painless” which has a significantly better version in my opinion on the live album. There used to be an incredibly amazing downmix of the whole album on Youtube but it has since vanished, very unfortunately.

[aliveandfullofjoy]

Review: American Utopia (Lee, 2020)

"We're a work in progress. We're not fixed. Our brains can change. Maybe those millions of connections in our brain that got pruned and eliminated when we were babies somehow get kind of reestablished. Only now, instead of being in our heads, they're between us and other people. Who we are is thankfully not just here, but it extends beyond ourselves through the connections between all of us."

I did not have "become a David Byrne stan" on my 2020 bingo card, but here we are! After having my tiny mind blown by Stop Making Sense a few months ago, I was insanely excited to check out Spike Lee's proshot capture of David Byrne's American Utopia. It didn't disappoint; about thirty minutes in, in the middle of "Slippery People," I caught myself thinking something that hardly ever crosses my mind: "I don't want this to end." Staged by Annie-B Parson (with Tony-nominated director Alex Timbers as production consultant) and anchored on Byrne's unique charisma, American Utopia is a dizzying joyful performance experience. While not offering the audience a narrative in the traditional sense, Byrne's spoken interludes and the kaleidoscopic puzzles in the lyrics of the songs point to a wider, almost unspoken thesis. It's right there in the title: this is a dream of what this country could be, in its own way.

American Utopia, as both a film and a stage show, is a feast for the senses. Visually, the simple, uniform costumes and the beautifully minimal set mesh perfectly with the dazzling lighting design (courtesy of designer Rob Sinclair and captured on film by cinematographer Ellen Kuras). As for the aural side of things... well, it's no secret that Byrne is a once-in-a-lifetime musical genius (sorry, I couldn't resist), but it is genuinely incredible to watch (and hear!) the 68-year-old carry this massive show on his back. Also, his voice is ridiculously healthy -- at some point near the end, I turned to my girlfriend and said something like "How does he still sound this good?!" And kudos to Philip Stockton and Michael Lonsdale, the film's sound team, for masterfully balancing a raucous audience with a complicated and layered musical soundscape.

In Stop Making Sense, Byrne is a well of endless energy, a live wire who moves through the space around him almost like a pinball. In American Utopia, nearly forty years later, he's far more grounded: he can command an audience's attention like few others, but his relative stillness leaves plenty of room for the eleven world-class performers around him. You need to know their names because this ensemble is impeccable and at least 75% of the reason that American Utopia works as well as it does: Jacquelene Acevedo, Gustavo Di Dalva, Daniel Freedman, Chris Giarmo, Tim Keiper, Tendayi Kuumba, Karl Mansfield, Mauro Refosco, Stephane San Juan Angie Swan, and Bobby Wooten III. Whether they're dancing, singing, playing guitar, playing bass, playing the keys, or playing any of the instruments in the endless percussion carousel, they're entrancing.

The highlights are too many to count: "Here," the opening number; "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)," one of the most romantic songs ever written; the dadaist anthem "I Zimbra;" "Slippery People," one of my favorites," "Everybody's Coming to My House," which makes me cry for reasons I can't pin down (especially that end credits version); "Once in a Lifetime," one of the most indisputably iconic songs ever written; "Toe Jam," which has been my most consistent source of serotonin over the last week; the beautiful quasi-finale "One Fine Day;" the infectiously joyful "Road to Nowhere." Also worth mentioning (as many already have) is "Hell You Talmbout," a cover of Janelle Monáe's protest song that specifically invokes the names of various African-Americans killed in encounters with the police and in racial violence. This predominately-white Broadway audience is prompted to say their names with the performers: Eric Garner. Sandra Bland. Trayvon Martin. Emmett Till. Spike Lee gracefully caps this segment with three additions to this list: Ahmaud Abery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. It's as angry and as cathartic as the show gets; its rage and sorrow give American Utopia that much more urgency.

I think the thing I admire the most about Byrne's performance persona is how deeply and sincerely he believes the words that come out of his mouth. Whether he's singing or speaking, there is not a shred of pretense about him. The same is true of the show itself: American Utopia, as captured by Lee, as staged by Parson, as performed by this tremendous cast, is a beautiful, compassionate, humanist masterwork. I loved it so much.

And good God, do I miss live theatre.

[sleepykittypaws]

Easter Favorites

Looking for a little holiday viewing egg-citement? (Yes, that was terrible. I regretted it instantly.) There’s plenty of Easter-specific entertainment readily available, so hop on over to find some of my favorites. (I’m sorry. Can’t help myself. It’s a sickness, really.)

Updated: April 2, 2024

Movie Favorites

Easter Parade (1948) - It really doesn’t get better than this Judy Garland-Fred Astaire classic. Singing, dancing, romance and a classic Garland holiday song, that rivals Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Rise of the Guardians (2012) - This under-seen Dreamworks animated movie spans multiple holidays but it’s tough-as-nails take on the Easter Bunny, voiced by Hugh Jackman, is among its most memorable, making it perfect Easter family viewing.

Peter Rabbit (2018) - This live-action, animated hybrid should really not be good, and yet a star-studded cast—James Corden, Domhnall Gleeson, Sam Neill, Margot Robbie, Daisy Ridley and Rose Byrne, to name just a few—and a clever, yet still sweet take, on the classic Beatrix Potter tale over performs for all ages. There’s even a slightly less good, but still fine sequel.

Hop (2011) - This is about the Easter Bunny’s teenage son who eschews the family business to head to Hollywood and become a drummer and ends up roommates with James Marsden. And, no, I did NOT make that plot summary up. Much better than you’d expect based on that premise, including an appearance from Hugh Laurie as the Easter Bunny, and David Hasselhoff as, well…The Hoff.

Steel Magnolias (1989) - Melodramatic and occasionally overacted? Sure. But this story of a supportive group of Southern ladies with iron will, played by Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah and Julia Roberts always—and I do mean always—makes me cry. What makes this an Easter film you might ask? An unforgettable egg hunt scene.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) - For all those Christmas babies that think sharing Jesus’ birthday is bad, try being mistaken from him. One of the Python’s less quoted, but still supremely funny, movie efforts. 

Harvey (1950) - I maintain there’s a Jimmy Stewart movie for every holiday, and this is one of his best. OK, so this Oscar winner isn’t set at Easter, but it’s hard to find something more appropriate for the holiday than a giant bunny. 

Cookie’s Fortune (1999) - This Robert Altman dark comedy/murder mystery is set over an Easter weekend, and is one of his more under-rated efforts, in my opinion.

The Half of It (2020, Netflix) - Alice Wu’s take on Cyrano is set in a (fictional) small town and culminates at an Easter church service.

Pieces of Easter (2013) - An under-seen road trip rom-com set at the holiday. Kind of fun, plus it’s available on Amazon Prime.

BONUS NON-SUGGESTION: Do ‼️ NOT ‼️ Watch either the 1978 animated or 2018 BBC versions of Watership Down. It’s just the thing to give your kids life-long, bunny-related nightmares. Source: My 7-year-old self. 

Favorite Specials

It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974, CBS) - The Peanuts gang brings holiday heart and laughs for the whole family, with Linus once again pining for another little-known holiday hero.

Here Comes Petter Cottontail (1971, ABC) - A Rankin-Bass classic that's actually better than many of their lesser-tier Christmas offerings, featuring the classic and catchy Easter song.

The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town (1977, ABC) - Another Rankin-Bass holiday must see, this one narrated by the late, great Fred Astaire.

Daffy Duck's Easter Show (a.k.a. Daffy Duck's Easter EGG-citement, 1980, NBC) - Original primetime animated special sponsored by McDonald’s; Loved this as a kid, because it’s one where the animator and his characters interact.

The Velveteen Rabbit (1973) - This original, award-winning, live-action version of the classic tale is a little hard to find, but absolutely magical and completely heartbreaking, in the best way.

Easter Yeggs (1947) - This Looney Tunes cartoon, which originally debuted as a theatrical short, has Bugs meeting a depressed Easter Bunny.

The Velveteen Rabbit (1985, HBO) - Not quite as lyrical as the hard-to-find 1973 short, this animated version is narrated by Christopher Plummer, and is very true to the original book.

A Family Circus Easter (1985, NBC) - Dizzy Gillespie plays the Easter bunny in this lesser-known animated special.

Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (2016, FOX) - We don’t get many modern, Easter specials and this one was slight, yet fun.

A Claymation Easter (1992, CBS) - This very weird, stop-motion animated special from Will Vinton won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. 

More to Explore

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) - This Gene Wilder classic isn’t technically Easter-set, but it’s the perfect viewing for a post-chocolate bunny binge.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) - Ditto the above if you, for some reason, prefer this creepy Johnny Depp version.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) - Yes, this is one of my favorite classic Christmas movies, but there are also several Easter pivotal scenes in this gorgeous Judy Garland classic.

Mall Rats (1995) - Definitely a different tone, but for those that like their holiday viewing a bit (OK, a lot) less sweet, there’s an extremely memorable encounter with a mall Easter Bunny in this Kevin Smith classic.

Hank and Mike (2008) - Slight, but not unenjoyable comedy about Easter bunnies hitting the unemployment line.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021) - Live action-animation hybrid sequel.

Miss Potter (2006) - Renee Zellweger plays Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter giving it a tangential Easter connection.

Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse (2020) - This UK-made Sky movie original is a Christmas story, telling the fictionalized story of a real-life meeting between Beatrix Potter and a six-year-old Roald Dahl. 

Zootopia (2016) - This very good Disney animated offering would definitely be in my top 10 if it was at all Easter-centric, but it’s bunny-heavy plot still makes it a solid holiday adjacent option.

Alice in Wonderland (1951) - If we’re expanding to Disney bunny-centric stories this White Rabbit-centered story, or the definitely inferior 2010 live-action version, are totally on the table.

The Santa Clause 2 (2002) - Yes, it’s mostly Christmas, but Jay Thomas does play a wry Easter Bunny in this Disney sequel.

1969 (1988) - This Robert Downey Jr.-starring, anti-war drama starts on Easter, with Downey and Kiefer Sutherland hitchhiking home to see one of their friends ship off to Vietnam.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) - In case you missed that this James Dean classic is a very obvious death and resurrection allegory, the story also literally begins on Easter Sunday at the police station.

Annie Hall (1977) - The pivotal scene where the very Jewish Alvy, played by Woody Allen, meets Annie’s (Diane Keaton) family is set on Easter with a tense family dinner highlighted by a giant ham.

Easter (2003) - Film festival indie about a church-burning wife.

Redemption for Easter (2021) - A family comes together for the holiday for the first time since being rocked by tragedy.

Easter Sunday (2022) - The highly anticipated Jo Koy, Filipino family comedy was released theatrically in 2022—well after Easter—to not-great reviews, but is now available to watch at home if you’re curious.

A Walton Easter (1997, CBS) - Holiday reunion movie of the long-running, family-centered series.

Risen (2016)- Remember that short-lived 2010s trend of making Bible stories into truly ridiculous, big-budget, action movies with A-list(ish) stars? (Here it’s Joseph Fiennes and Tom Felton) Well, this one’s a doozy. Not so much “good,” as so bad it’s almost kind of sort of fun.

Mary Magdalene (2018) - Bigger stars—Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix and Chiwetel Ejiofor—headline this ripped-from-the-pages of The Bible tale.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) - This new testament allegory based on the C.S. Lewis series certainly makes a fitting Easter watch.

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) - Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning portrayal of Jesus’ life is very well done, but definitely not much fun.

The Passion of the Christ (2004) - Mel Gibson’s extremely gruesome crucification tale.

Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - Less blood, more music, same story.

Godspell (1973) - Just as much music, even more camp.

Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) - This Bollywood classic follows three brothers, abandoned and raised by parents from three different religions. The imagery for Anthony, the Christian-raised brother, includes him popping out of a giant Easter egg in one of the film’s many signature musical sequences.

Greed (1924) - OK, I admit I’m not sure where you’d find this Erich von Stroheim silent classic, but this morality tale features an Easter-set betrayal and Christmas comeuppance, in case you didn’t get the symbolism already.

Lilies of the Field (1963) - Faith-based classic starring Sidney Poitier.

The Ten Commandments (1956) - Annual TV-airings make many feel this Charlton Heston, Bible-based film is specific to Easter, despite its Old Testament story.

Ben-Hur (1959) - This other Heston-starring Biblical epic was not only the most expensive movie made of its time, and the biggest hit of 1959, but it actually tells a Jesus-set, Bible story.

The Prince of Egypt (1998) - A well-done animated tale of Moses is not particularly Easter (Old Testament once again), but the religious overtones, with kid-friendly appeal, make it something that often gets holiday airtime.

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) - Max Von Sydow plays Jesus in this New Testament-based story that was Claude Rains’ final film. The story of the production behind this legendary boondoggle—like how 20th Century Fox pulled out after spending 2.3 million (about $865 million in 2020 dollars) without director George Stevens shooting a single frame—is probably a lot more interesting than the movie itself.

King of Kings (1961) - MGM’s much cheaper, and finished far sooner, version of The Greatest Story Ever Told.

The Robe (1953) - Richard Burton plays a commander of the Roman unit who crucified Jesus, who later converts to Christianity.

Barabbas (1961) - Another BCU (Bible Cinematic Universe) character tale, this time with Antony Quinn playing the criminal that was spared from crucification, in lieu of Jesus.

Jesus of Nazareth (1977, ITV) - This Italian-British TV co-production was directed by the legendary Franco Zeffirelli.

Son of God (2014) - Mark Burnett and Roma Downey cut down their 10-hour History Channel miniseries, The Bible, to make this mediocre, at best, 2-hour movie.

Jesus Revolution (2023) - A soft and fuzzy look at the origins of the modern Evangelical church in the U.S. that elides a lot of the real details, but has been fairly well reviewed for an explicitly faith-based film.

Praise This (2023) - Chloe Bailey leads this original gospel-themed musical contest story being released on Peacock just in time for Easter.

The Miracle Maker: The Story of Jesus (2000) - Animated take on Jesus’ story.

The Dog Who Saved Easter (2014) - Extremely generic family film.

An Easter Bunny Puppy (2013) - David DeCoteau family film.

Easter Under Wraps (2019, Hallmark) - Hallmark’s first attempt at an Easter-themed romance. How well did it go? Well, they didn’t attempt to make another until 2023 (see below).

The Blessing Bracelet (2023, Hallmark) - The Dayspring-branded, faith-based story starring Amanda Schull and Carlo Marks is set over Easter and premieres April 8 on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

An Easter Bloom (2024, Hallmark) - Faith-based, holiday-set romance starring Aimee Teegarden.

The Easter Egg Adventure (2004) - Did you know there was an animated Easter movie starring Brooke Shields and James Woods? Yeah, me neither.

Baby Heuy’s Great Easter Adventure (1998) - Direct-to-video animated movie

Yogi the Easter Bear (1994, syndicated) - One of the last performances of voice great Don Messick.

The Easter Chipmunk (1995, USA) - Not on par with the original holiday Alvin and the Chipmunk specials, this is still fairly sweet.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (1995) - Direct-to-video animated movie.

Easter Bunny Adventure (2017) - Low-budget animated movie starring William McNamara.

Rabbit School: Guardians of the Golden Egg (2017) - Animated, Easter-themed movie based on German children’s book, A Day at Bunny School.

Rabbit Academy: Mission Eggpossible (2022) - Animated, Easter-themed sequel to Rabbit School.

An Easter Story (1983, Showtime) - Paul Fusco puppet special.

The Fat Albert Easter Special (1982, CBS) - Primetime special based on the characters from the Saturday morning animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

The First Easter Rabbit (1976, NBC) - Rankin-Bass’ take on the Velveteen Rabbit story.

Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004) - Direct-to-DVD Disney animation, that’s A Christmas Carol take, but for Easter.

Springtime for Pluto (1944) - Original Disney theatrical short.

Funny Little Bunnies (1934) - Disney Silly Symponies short.

VeggieTales: An Easter Carol (2004) - Direct-to-DVD animated special that, yes, apes the Winnie the Pooh take.

VeggieTales: ‘Twas The Night Before Easter (2011) - Yet another direct-to-DVD animated special from the faith-based, produce pals.

Pooka Lives (2020, Hulu) - Part of the, Into the Dark horror movie series from Blumhouse, and its first sequel, a follow-up to the 2018 Christmas movie, Pooka, this features a resurrection (get it?) of the cuddly stuffed animal turned killer.

Critters 2: The Main Course (1988) - In this horror sequel, the titular Critters kill the Easter Bunny

Easter Bunny, Kill! Kill! (2006) - Holiday horror movie from Chad Ferrin.

[wolfhalls]

@alichay asked me to name a song for every letter of my name and i’ve spent 48 hours trying to think of three songs. who writes a song that starts with z?? anyway. 

z - zero, yeah yeah yeahs. yyy were the fucking APEX of cool when i was 16. karen o remains one of the best frontwomen of all time. they were going downhill by the time they made this but god it’s still fantastic.

o - once in a lifetime, talking heads. i am specifically linking the live version here because it murders the studio version. watch it! a four minute unbroken shot of david byrne losing it and one of the most transcending climaxes to any song ever.

e - e-pro, beck. thought i’d include notable late 90′s/early 00′s small weirdo beck here. i just checked to see how old this song was and it was released in 2005. guess i’ll just die. anyway beck doesn’t really make great albums, but does make fucking incredible songs, ya know?

everyone who looks at this has to do it. unless, you know, you don’t want to.

[ymd3signs]

Famous Graphic Designers Who Changed Everything

Changing an entire industry is by no means a small feat. The list of designers below still managed to profoundly changed the graphic design landscape as we know it. They helped shape the discourse of branding, the fundamental theories of design and did it all with an acute understanding of the cultural backdrop they tried to represent. Here’s how the greatest famous graphic designers made their mark on the world.

1)  Paul Rand

Paul Rand ought to arguably eclipse all of the beneath neath designers in reputation and legacy. The American Modernist's ground-breaking designs for IBM, ABC and the unique UPS emblems have stood corporation in the century. However, it's miles his theories on layout expressed in his mythical books to stand the check of time.  He flipped American marketing and marketing on its head whilst he becomes named Art Director of marketing and marketing organization William H. Weintraub & Co, a function formerly held through the copywriter. Donald Albrecht, curator of the 2015 exhibition on Rand's paintings Design Is Everything, claimed Rand flipped the method to marketing and marketing on its head. Instead of permitting the reproduction to dictate the layout, Rand u-grew to become an attitude and made photo layout the forefront. "He concept he become bringing artwork to marketing and marketing".

In essence, Rand is answerable for telling the arena that layout is, indeed, everything.

2)  Neville Brody

Neville Brody confronted grievance early in his profession after analyzing at The London College of Printing at some stage in the 1970s. His designs had been untried and strove for a brand new shape of mag artwork which sharply contrasted with the school's conventional printing and layout methods. The fashion dressmaker, emblem strategist, and typographer received his suggestion from the enormous push in his profession, the Punk motion. "London has a specific set of politics and cultural impacts that has been surely instrumental in growing the paintings that I do" he defined in an interview with Dezeen. He desired his paintings to mirror and constitute the converting panorama of London, politics and track; letting all designers understand that taking suggestion from the present-day weather can assist form you as a fashion dressmaker.

3)   Milton Glaser

Milton Glaser is entirely unstoppable in his marketing campaign to be topped the maximum celebrated photo fashion dressmaker of all time. His psychedelic method to the enduring Bob Dylan poster is contemplated in his more fantastic latest method to the Mad Men titles, and his stylistic path leaks into his way to typography. Although Glaser warned in his monograph Milton Glaser Graphic Design that he is "now no longer a kind fashion dressmaker", his Baby Teeth typeface which become designed for the Dylan poster advocated designers international to test with extraordinary forms.

His effect is deeply felt of path withinside the Big Apple, however, stretches past New York. Not handiest does the serviette on which he at the start drafted the I Heart NY brand completely are living withinside the Museum Modern Art, however, in 1976 he additionally designed the whole lot of the eating place which resided withinside the World Trade Centre,  Windows at the World. "I had no concept why it have become an icon now no longer handiest for New Yorkers", stated Glaser, "however for the complete bloody international."

4) David Airey

Now, as famed for his extraordinary running blog capabilities in addition to his outstanding layout portfolio, David Airey has made a call for himself as one of the contemporary-day masters of Graphic Design. His ebook Logo Design Love has emerged as a useful emblem all through itself, with a twitter following achieving 110,000 in its call. His speciality is living in constructing emblem identification via layout with businesses tripping over themselves to get a slice of his expertise. One of the various marks he has left up to now is the fee of self-promoting withinside the virtual age for photo designers, and the sheer energy of the net as a platform to excel your profession. "Without my blog, I doubt you'll understand approximately my paintings" he recently claimed in Design M.ag, "The Internet can open such a lot of doors, and it's as much as every one folks to tread our personal path".

5) David Carson

Texan born David Carson has honestly earnt his proper withinside the Graphic Design Hall of Fame and did it and not using regard for the rules. Experimental and formidable describe his ruthless willpower to interrupt the mould of typography and mag layout and stimulated a technology of younger designers to suppose differently approximately typography theory.

Clean reduce typefaces had been scrapped for distorted lettering that demanding situations the viewer, and his paintings in magazines Ray Gun and Nine Inch Nails are used as works to examine publications around the arena. However, his maximum critical lesson is geared closer to coaching photo designers to accept as true with themselves. "One of the early criticisms of my paintings become that it become 'self-indulgent'" he told Huck Magazine, "and I'd say, 'Hell yeah it's miles, I'm absolutely into it, I'm absolutely absorbed in it, and a part of me hopes it receives regarded and I wouldn't need any person operating for me who wasn't simply as into it."

6)   Stefan Sagmeister

Outspoken and unapologetic, Stefan Sagmeister is an imperative parent in contemporary-day pop & artwork culture. His genuine ardour is expressed via album covers, which he believes is the remaining problem for photo designers. "I do accept as true with that track is in the end the maximum emotional of all of the arts. To be capable of create the visible that comes out of that emotion and fasten it to some thing this is inherently non-visible is an exceptionally thrilling endeavor."

The perfect combo of images and typography form his mind-blowing portfolio and incorporating humans into his layout relentlessly captures emotion. His putting fashion certainly caught the hobby of Mick Jagger, Lou Reed and David Byrne, and with a platform of such superstar his paintings, in conjunction with his layout philosophy is deservingly celebrated. "Try to the touch the coronary heart of the viewer".

7)   Aleksandr Rodchenko

Although now no longer a not unusual place family call, Aleksandr Rodchenko helped outline attitudes to fashionable-day layout in significant ways. He becomes a Russian artist and photo fashion dressmaker who become pivotal withinside the Constructivism motion of the Russian Revolution. Born in 1891, Rodchenko demanded that conventional theories of the layout had been altered. The "Constructivists" noticed layout as something to be engineered, no matter gender and classical artwork principals. His designs are nearly scientifically calculated with a restricted colour palette, and it becomes the primary time the arena had visible typography and photographic factors offered in such political paintings.

8)   Saul Bass

Perhaps one of the top family names on our list, Saul Bass' paintings is immortalized inside universally recognizable conventional movie posters. He reimagined how movies had been represented through portraying iconic scenes via a more fantastic summary sample described through symbolism and shapes.  His brand designs on average, have a lifespan of a whopping 34 years earlier than they may be even taken into consideration a redesign, or even then the maximum, minimum versions are applied. His real effect on is living withinside the transformation of establishing sequences in movies. Before Bass got here into the picture, identify movie sequences had been stagnant and dreary. In an interview with Herbert Yager, Bass defined the delivery of film titles as we understand them. As a part of my paintings, I created movie symbols for advert campaigns. I occurred to be operating at the signs for Otto Preminger's Carmen Jones and The Man With The Golden Arm, and at a few point, Otto and I checked out every different and stated, "Why now no longer make it move?"

9)   Adrian Shaughnessy

London-primarily based layout Adrian Shaughnessy spent 15 years as Creative Director of layout studio, Intro earlier than he has become an unbiased fashion dressmaker and writer. His layout instinctively is stimulated through the styles and sorts of the track, and he strategies every layout with bearing in thoughts its ubiquitous presence in a day by day life. His designs stability motive with beauty, experimenting with kind and colour at the same time as making sure practicality stays intact. "Most of what we see is vacuous, or worse, a form of industrial hysteria. But there also are many right and profitable makes use of of photo layout; usages that make our lives better."

10)   Ivan Chermayeff

Ivan Chermayeff's paintings are peppered throughout the US. Pan Am, NBC and Mobil are titans of clients, and who's call will convey Chermayeff into the VIP area of layout forever. Minimal, identifiable and distinguished designs. From company emblems to charity identification, Chermayeff serves as a reminder that every so often in photo layout, heading again to fundamentals with formidable shapes and recognizable colours will create success emblems that last.

11)  Paula Scher

Paula Scher spent nearly two decades in Pentagram as an associate of their New York office. Her passionate technique to intensify the emotion in the back of layout began out to shape after seeing Kathy McCoy speak approximately layout, and claiming the great praise a fashion dressmaker ought to get hold of is that your paintings are 'clean'. "C'mon, there's gotta be greater than that" she stresses "What approximately expression, what approximately emotion, what approximately feeling? ... If you can be neat, it appeared that you can obtain it…If every person can obtain it, why trouble to do it, why don't all of us do it ourselves?"

12)   Annie Atkins

Wes Anderson's movies are famed for his or her exceptional layout and specific, nearly surrealist fashion. Working as a photo fashion dressmaker on Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, Annie Atkins carved her take at the director's imaginative and prescient. When operating in movies usually, photo designers take a script and mark whatever which can also additionally fall below their creative freedom. For The Grand Budapest Hotel, Atkins quickly realized the whole movie ought to fall below her inventive responsibility. The film, with its reliance on snapshots and aesthetics, sincerely allowed Atkins to reinvent photo layout for cinema.

13)   Massimo Vignelli

Visionary Italian fashion dressmaker Massimo Vignelli fashioned his profession through making use of European Modernist view to the American layout panorama. A self-branded "facts architect", Vignelli has included his imaginative and prescient so inextricably from ordinary life, from the New York Subway device to American Airlines and Ford. He noticed layout as a technique to explicit facts; this is difficult to comprehend. His legacy is summarised through primary photo fashion dressmaker Tom Geismar; "What usually amazes me approximately Massimo is his cappotential to take plenty of facts and by some means make clear it".

14)   Alvin Lustig

Alvin Lustig is the King of ebook cowl layout. Pastel colours that offset stunning typography thread in the course of his paintings, and he become properly conscious that withinside the first 1/2 of the 20th century – pretty early days for photo Design - he becomes on the sunrise of an enterprise approximately to boom. "The simple distinction among the photo fashion dressmaker and the painter or sculptor," he writes in his essay titled Graphic Design, "is his look for the 'public' as opposed to the 'private' image."

Conveying literature via photo layout become a knack Lustig had right down to a T, and the use of the image in the course of his paintings is a tenancy that designers can be encouraged through for a long time to come.

15)   Max Miedinger

Born in Zurich in 1910, Max Miedinger created one of the maximum broadly used typefaces in photo layout history; Helvetica. The font is so ingrained inside our day by day lives that few even recognize its ubiquity. Miedinger has likely designed the arena's handiest typeface to have a function duration documentary made approximately it. The international first has Eduard Hoffman to thank, who commissioned Miedinger to layout the sans-serif typeface, which becomes named Helvetica now no longer till 1960.

16)   Armin Hoffman

Originally a lithographer, Hoffman quickly has become one of the maximum famed theorists in the back of photo layout that ever lived. A robust present-day of area and shape body cultural and social troubles that helped power the "Swiss Style" motion. Designers Journal claimed that without Hoffman, contemporary-day photo layout could be unrecognizable. "The clarity and cleanliness of the fashion in addition to its uneven layouts, use of a grids and sans-serif typefaces have helped outline how we layout today."

17)   Max Bill

Maybe one of the maximum uncommon designers we've visible, Max Bill added his specific fashion to paintings, architecture, sculpture in addition to photo layout. Colourful geometric styles are utilized in his poster paintings which contributed to the Swiss Style again. Attention to detail, progressive kind and production of format had been the constructing blocks of the 30's Swiss motion and redefined our attitudes to photo layout.

18)   Anton Stankowski

Famous German-born photo fashion dressmaker Anton Stankowski become at the start a church decorator, who later has become one of the first photo artists to create a Theory on Graphic Design. Not handiest did he create emblems for large organizations inclusive of the Deutsche Bank, however his cautiously calculated structural layout stimulated a brand new manner of thinking.

19)   Wally Olins and 20) Micael Wolff

During the 1960s, Wally Olins and Michael Wolff fashioned one of the maximum pioneering layout studios the United Kingdom had ever visible. Wolff Olins become the maximum regarded industrial branding organization in Britain. They used the globalization of businesses as a foundation to shape their branding, and his ardour for cultivating the accept as true with of manufacturers shines via his paintings. "Brands and branding are the maximum great contributions that trade has ever made to famous culture" Olins boasts in his ebook Wally Olins on Brand, and their efforts to craft success manufacturers from BT to London itself, that humans go back to time and time again.

[nigelgodrichproducer]

Ultraista-era Nigel interview

Magoo: I am curious about how the project came together before you met Laura, when it was just you and Joey. Were you just hanging out between schedules when you were in the same town?

Nigel: Exactly. He and I and another friend named Guss. So many times we just got together and we would be recording or jamming. Most of it we did in London but we are working all over the place. Guss and Joey both have little studios and I have a big studio. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, we just made a concerted effort to get a bunch of backing tracks together. We spoke about a certain aesthetic about electronics and a repetitive rhythm which is played. Obviously electronic music that is repeated is exactly the same. You get a human being in and they can repeat but it will sound different every time. Afrobeat was the reference point. So that’s how it started and then we had an intense 3 day session, like a right ol’ recording party and ended up with bits of music that we would then … essentially what I did was took all the music off and kept the rhythm and started again. That’s the basis of the record.

M: How much of this stuff did you have together before you thought you had to find yourself a singer?

N: Quite a lot actually because we’d done tiny snippets which might have been a minute long or three minutes or whatever. It would be a feeling, a little movement and we would leave it at that and move on to the next one. After a while we would go back and look at things and see how they could build and be structured.

M: Were you at any stage trying to do it without vocals?

N: Originally yeah, it could have been just instrumental. It was a bit of an experiment really just to see how substantial something could be like that.

M: Just to see how it evolves?

N: Yes, because it is always a terrifying prospect to say OK we are going to make some music and find a singer… you’d find a singer first and get them involved. I think it’s very hard to find a singer. With the peculiar relationships that we have… mine and Joeys is such a specific one, once in a lifetime, unique buddy becomes muse becomes .. you know!

M: You have worked with each other for years …

N: Yes, To get someone else in with that chemistry is terrifying. It’s something that is not taken lightly anyway. We only did it because we felt that we would be real pussies if we didn’t try. You know, let’s push this and I think we were very fortunate to meet Laura. She’s incredibly down to earth and rational. One of the most important things about relationships is about being able to communicate with that person.

M: I read about how you put up posters at an art college. You were trying to  find someone who was not even necessarily a musician to sing. Did you actually audition anyone form that process?

N: We actually got replies with music that they had made. We were trying to find someone who was an interesting character, who could sing but maybe hadn’t thought about taking it seriously.

M: An amateur?

N: Exactly. The last thing we wanted to do was have a singer songwriter with their chops together who had their version of what they wanted to do already sorted out. What we did end up finding in Laura, was someone who did have their own thing going, but it was very compatible and didn’t work against what we trying to do.

M: How much did the songs change when she came into the picture?

N: What would happen, is that I would write with her. There are a couple of tunes I wrote myself.

M: With lyrics and melodies?

N: Yeah, lyrics, melodies and me singing and she’d re-do it. We’d improve them and finish them off with her singing then there are things that she wrote over the top of what I’d done and we’d finesse that. Then there’s like a ping-pong thing where you are just throwing stuff at each other and putting it together as you go. There are all sorts of ways of doing it and lyrically it is the same thing. We’d play word puzzles.

M: So did you have that aesthetic before Laura joined, that historic Ultarist poetry movement  (The Ultraist movement was a Bohemian-style literary movement born in Spain in 1918)

N: That was already happening before that word came along. People have said you must have been sitting there with an Ultraista manifesto following the instructions. Well no, it was just a coincidence but it works very well. That word suggested what I was feeling, what I could see along with that music.

M: Do you ever have free time Nigel?

N: Oh I do. I have an awful lot of time to stare at the wall and think about what I am doing. I have a very unstructured life. It’s a blessing and a curse because it can actually drive me crazy but it allows me to drop anything and do something on a whim. I have this amazing studio. I can just run in if I have an idea. A lot of this record was collaborative in that we were all in the same room but quite a bit happened in isolation. I wrote a bit of stuff at home. Laura wrote stuff on her own.

M: Was there a lot of sending files over email?

N: Yes a lot of that. Exactly.

M: When you got to the stage of setting up your own studio, was this something that was ticking away at the back of your head?

N: No, this is not like a career move. I think what happened was that there was gap in the schedule. This stuff had been kicking  around a little bit. It was like let’s get this finished. Am I a man or a mouse?

M: You don’t seem like the kind of guy that is going to have a holiday sitting on a beach drinking cocktails?

N: I really wish I did. I think I really give myself a hard time with time! I have read about so many incredible people, incredibly productive people who describe themselves as lazy… and I think that I am lazy. One of my best friends, Nicholas Godin from Air, who is full of wisdom … says lazy people are the smartest because they always try to get the most using the least effort. I think I am one of those. I’m not like idiots who just work for nothing. There has to be a good economy of your effort. It is very important to being creative. You can’t waste your energy on something that is not really going to contribute to the end result. That goes for anything. If you are a recording engineer and producer, then you know what I am talking about. If something sounds, finished or good, you don’t need to take it apart and put it back together again.

M: I am curious about what kind of hours you work. Will you bash your head against a wall trying to get something done, keep at it. Or are you more … let’s take a break, come back tomorrow and this idea will come to fruition.

N: I think I would answer that question by saying I would probably stop.  Generally what would happen is that I would say stop, this isn’t working and at that moment, something will happen.

M: I always find that I have my best ideas on the toilet. You have that break and have that golden moment, pardon the pun

N: It’s like when people started using Pro Tools, they’d say I miss pushing rewind. When you used to rewind you had this moment to think about things. You don’t get that space any more. I think that I work better at night when everybody else is asleep. The world is quiet, there are no distractions. I am terrible in the mornings as a human being. I am just not a good morning guy. Nothing really good happens until after dinner. That’s fine when it is just me. When I  am working with other people, it’s hard because people don’t all keep the same schedule. Generally the work that I do which is good and happens very quickly is between the hours of 11 and 4 in the morning.

M: I hear quite a bit of Brian Eno in his David Byrne type phase in your work. Is he a bit of an influence?

N: I guess so. I am a big fan of that era Talking Heads

M: The Remain in Light period?

N: Yeah, that was huge to me. It was an incredible piece of work but I’m not a fan of Heroes. There are things I am a fan of and things I am not. Obviously there is an idea behind Music For Airports, the ambient moments which I totally understand and love. I have an enormous amount of respect for the guy but I don’t try to emulate anything he has done and never would. Whereas I would try and emulate Trevor Horn. This is a good example of how things happen actualIy. I try to do Trevor Horn and it sounds like Brian Eno. I understand why you say that. He thinks outside the box. He is not hemmed in by a set of rules he thinks he has to follow. At times he has done things in his career that changed the way that everybody does things.

M: Have you met Brian Eno?

N: I have met him a few times. He is very gracious, a very nice man. The thing that I like about Trevor Horn is … even if it is too pop for me, like Frankie Goes To Hollywood or something, even within this mainstream pop thing, he is incredibly obtuse and bold. Such big, bold things happen that go against the grain and you can feel that intention. That’s the thing I really do try to emulate as an idea, rather than a sonic palate. With Brian Eno … I like the sound of space, the ambience and echo and reverb. I like to see big spaces when I listen to things because I see things when I hear things.

M: Getting back to the Ultraista album … without getting too technical … is that just the way Joey plays, or is there a bit of manipulation going on or a bit of both? To me it sounds like there are a few layers of drums in the way that dance music has multiple loops or some sort of loop and a bit of programming underneath. It feels like you’ve gone for that aesthetic but done it live …

N: That’s exactly right. Basically there are electronics going on that he is playing to which is woven into his sound. Sometimes the drums are being processed through a piece of electronics that is making a rhythm that he is playing to. It’s like they’re rubbing against each other.

M: I just wanted to ask how you go  being on the other side of the glass so to speak, promoting an album?

N: It’s fine. It feels a little bit like uncomfortable but I think that is good. It’s a nice change and it is important to make yourself vulnerable. It’s important not to be afraid of things… and it’s important to just do … stuff! I mean the nature of the business is changing. I think producers are more artists now anyway. I’m not going to just find a band and make a record with them anymore. It’s just not that much fun. I would rather work with people that are my friends, have my input, be upfront and be able to write music. It is stuff I have always done. I don’t know what I will do next. I enjoy the playing, that’s fun.

[losername-here-blog]

Selena gomez porn video

10 Well-known Actors Who Actually Do The Identical Factor In Every Movie Liam Neeson has revealed that he has discovered love again, seven years after the loss of life of his wife, Natasha Richardson. Tom Hanks, the highest actor in box office gross historical past and passionate environmentalist, has an affinity toward the Rolex Explorer on an Oyster Bracelet. In 1994, he became one of many youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. She is now aged actress however selena gomez porn video she is likely one of the sexiest actresses in Hollywood land. Lucas would typically ask Ford to learn traces with the actors who were auditioning; and Ford ended up impressing Lucas so much, that he was cast in a small indie movie referred to as Star Wars. Aamir Khan, a way actor, his range of characterizations remains unparalleled and due to this diversity and his capability to painting different characters believably on display, in the present day he's considered not solely one of many largest Superstars but additionally one of many finest actors of Indian Cinema. An efficient strategy that you need to use on tips on how to turn out to be a well-known actor is going for as many auditions as attainable. The actor will even be starring in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Discover Them 2 as Gellert Grindelwald. One may have an ideal want to be a well-known actor or musician in order that they will specific themselves to as many individuals as doable. Your sweetheart was the earliest international-language actor to seek out international being successful. Spouse of actor William Shatner, drowned in swimming pool whereas intoxicated and with traces of diazepam in bloodstream. Film and television are within the business of make believe, but on the end of the day we actors must be realistic. She co-starred with most of Hollywood's elite male actors and was thought of a serious star at this early stage of her profession. Matt Dillon, the 46 12 months old star of such critically acclaimed motion pictures as Crash (2005), has a youthful brother, actor Kevin, who's been forged in about 29 movies, mostly in secondary roles. It might need one thing to do with the fact that he is the littlest brother of the members of the Jonas Brothers Band, or maybe it has to do along with his position on the Disney channel sitcom Jonas L.A. Lee Jones is a fairly proficient actor with an expression that never modifications, an expression some would possibly name critical. Kim Soo Hyun is a popular Korean actor known for his incredible expertise in appearing, singing, and modelling. The actor and Pulitzer Prize-successful playwright died at his Kentucky house on Thursday (20 July). With this piece, gain insight into what every actor dropped at the character and uncover how they formed the world's most timeless secret agent. He is a dedicated bodybuilder and is famous for taking off his shirt in movies and stage shows. Simply NEVER hand over and at some point you will be looking again to the time you where actually desirous to be famous and be like my dream came true! Elijah Wooden supplied the voice for his most well-known function, Frodo, in multiple video game versions of The Lord of the Rings. Researchers from the University's School of Psychology carried out in-depth interviews with a bunch of 20 Australian skilled actors , after realising that little had been finished to grasp the psychological expertise of the acting occupation on this nation. Being well-known actually is all i take into consideration and it is getting me down how i am not well-known. Born Dayle Lymoine Robertson in Harrah, Oklahoma, in 1923, the actor attracted the eye of Hollywood brokers after a Los Angeles photographer posted his photograph in a display window. He made a number of films with many of Hollywood's lovely starlets, but never achieved the stardom he needed which was to be often known as an ideal actor very like Marilyn Monroe desired. France's most well-known actor, who now lives outside the nation on account of tax-associated issues with the authorities in Paris, has taken part in many drunken scenes in airports or in site visitors accidents, admits that once he starts to drink, he cannot cease. He has gained five Filmfare awards, including two consecutive greatest actor recognitions in 2011 and 2012. Branches poke out the back of his head, adding further top to an already imposing determine. Most of the Bollywood Actresses like Shilpa Shetty, Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor, Kangna Ranaut, Hema Malini, Raima Sen, Neha Dhupia, Nandhana Sen, Sameera Reddy,Malaika Khan and Esha Deol are among the health bodies in Bollywood. The World Struggle II veteran turned actor was known for his portrayal of Dr Will 'Doc' Hayward within the cult '90s TV series, which was co-created by his son, Mark Frost. I really don't know a lot else about this man however he's well-known and doing properly for himself after successful the highest prize on that TV show. A wonderful mix of occupations for the top ten Davids with one athelete (Beckham), one discuss present host (Letterman), two directors (Slade and Lynch), two actors (Carradine and Hasselhoff), four musicians (Gilmour, Byrne, Cook dinner, and Bowie).

[newyorktheater]

Below are 20 recently published or forthcoming books about theater, listed under four categories:

Scripts and Play Anthologies;

Biographies and Memoirs

Theater History, Criticism and Reference

Beach Reads (although I personally recommend you read these at home.)

Each title is linked to its page of Amazon where you can learn more, get a sample, and purchase.

Scripts and Play Anthologies

American Utopia The text from David Byrne’s Broadway show accompanied by more than 150 of Maira Kalman‘s colorful paintings.

The 24 Hour Plays Viral Monologues: New Monologues Created During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Audition Speeches) The texts of monologues that have been written, rehearsed and presented on Instagram weekly since the pandemic lockdown began. The short plays included in the anthology are by such writers as David Lindsay-Abaire, Clare Barron, Hansol Jung, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Christoper Oscar Peña, Jesse Eisenberg and Monique Moses. The book is pitched as material for auditions, but it is also likely to offer a glimpse at the way we are living now.

Slave Play Jeremy Harris’s play about three interracial couples engage in sexual/S&M power plays on a Southern plantation as part of Antebellum Sexual Performance Therapy. It’s safe to say this was the most talked-about play of the Broadway season.

The Methuen Drama Anthology of American Women Playwrights: 1970 – 2020 The plays included are: Gun by Susan Yankowitz Spell #7: geechee jibara quik magic trance manual for technologically stressed third world people by Ntozake Shange The Jacksonian by Beth Henley The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel In the Blood by Suzan-Lori Parks Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage

Plays Worth Remembering – Volume 1: A Veritable Feast of George Ade’s Greatest Hits

George Ade was famous in his day as a humorist, columnist and playwright, whose plays were produced 21 times between 1901 and 1936. His nickname “Aesop of Indiana,” may help explain why, if you’re not from the Midwest, you might not have heard of him. Volume 1 focuses on George Ade’s full plays. (Volume II includes musicals and Hollywood screen plays.)

Biographies and Memoirs

Lot Six: A Memoir

Playwright David Adjmi (The Marie Antoinette , 3C) tells of his journey from a miserable childhood in Brooklyn as a gay kid in an insular religious community, to a new adult identity pieced together from the pages of fashion magazines, tomes of philosophy, sitcoms and foreign films, and practically everyone he meets

Dancing Man: A Broadway Choreographer’s Journey

An easy read that offers a light, slight overview of the six-decade career of accomplished and well-connected theater artist Bob Avian, who worked with Michael Bennett on landmark shows “Company,” “Follies,” “Dreamgirls” and “A Chorus Line,” and then went on to choreograph “Miss Saigon” and “Sunset Boulevard.”

Eubie Blake

A new biography of one of the key composers of 20th-century American popular song, subtitled “Rags, Rhythm and Race.” Together with Noble Sissle, he ccreated Shuffle Along in 1921, generally recognized as the first commercially successful all-black production on Broadway. (A re-envisioned version of the musical was brought back to Broadway in 2016)

This Is Not My Memoir

In collaboration with Todd London, theater director, actor and writer André Gregory tells his story “from wartime Paris to golden-age Hollywood, from avant-garde theaters to monasteries in India”

Ann Miller: Her Life and Career

Peter Shelly’s biography tells the story of the dancer and actor who began her career as a child child acting and accumulated three Hollywood studio contracts, two retirements for marriage, and appearances in film, stage, variety shows, sitcoms. She made a comeback in the stage musical Sugar Babies, earning a Tony nomination as Best Leading Actress in a Musical.

Theater History, Criticism and Reference

Ever After: Forty Years of Musical Theater and Beyond, 1977–2019 Originally published in 2003 as a comprehensive history of the previous twenty-five years in musical theater, on and off Broadway, this new edition of Ever After extends the narrative, taking readers from 2004 to the present.

Flop Musicals of the Twenty-First Century: How They Happened, When They Happened (And What We’ve Learned)

A sort of sequel to Ken Mandelbaum’s “Not Since Carrie,” but Stephen Purdy, a member of the musical theater faculty at Marymount Manhattan College, explores just ten shows: Spider-man Turn Off the Dark, Lestat, Urban Cowboy, The Pirate Queen, Rocky, King Kong, Escape from Margaritaville, Glory Days, Bullets Over Broadway and Dance of the Vampires.

Macbeth in Harlem: Black Theater in America from the Beginning to Raisin in the Sun

Clifford Mason details how African American performers fought for a century and a half to carve out a space for authentic black voices onstage, at a time when blockbuster plays like Uncle Tom’s Cabin and The Octoroon trafficked in cheap stereotype.

Pal Joey: The History of a Heel

A behind-the-scenes look at the genesis, influence and significance of this 1940 Rodgers and Hart show that upended musical comedy convention.

Shakespeare in a Divided America: What His Plays Tell Us About Our Past and Future 

A fascinating book by James Shapiro that looks at eight controversial events over two centuries involving Shakespeare, which he calls “defining moments in American history.” Each chapter focuses on a specific year, a specific play by Shakespeare, and specific issues of the day, reflecting long-standing tensions involving race, class, gender, immigration and other fault-lines in American culture.

Tarell Alvin McCraney: Theater, Performance, and Collaboration

A collection of scholarly essays  that consider McCraney’s innovations as a playwright, adapter, director, performer, teacher, and collaborator, who is the author of Choir Boy, Head of Passes, the  trilogy The Brother/Sister Plays, as well as the play that inspired the Oscar Award–winning film Moonlight

Understanding Tracy Letts (Understanding Contemporary American Literature)

Thomas Fahy views the playwright of August: Osage County, Bug and Superior Donuts, etc. through the lens of disability studies, the conspiracy genre, food studies, the feminist politics of quilting, and masculinity studies.

Beach Reads

Deadly Drama (A Britton Bay Mystery Book 4)

In the latest in a series of mystery novels by Jody Holford, newspaper editor and amateur sleuth Molly Owens takes center stage when it’s curtains for a theater director

Shakespeare for Squirrels: A Novel

In this novel, Christopher Moore turns A Midsummer Night’s Dream into a murder mystery

The Summer Set: A Novel

In this slick new romantic novel by Aimee Agresti, Charlie Savoy was once Hollywood’s hottest A-lister. Now, ten years later, her film career long kaput, Charlie’s latest hijinx gets her sentenced by a judge to community service at the summer Shakespeare theater in the Berkshires that launched her career—and where her old flame, Nick, is the artistic director, and where the ambitious young apprentices also have a summer full of sexual tension.

20 New Theater Books for Summer Reading 2020 Below are 20 recently published or forthcoming books about theater, listed under four categories: Scripts and Play Anthologies…

[jaigeddes]

Turn Up the Music in Studio – Dec’18 Mix

As 2018 comes to a close, we normally find ourselves in a bit of a lull as our clients start shuttering projects for the holiday season … that behavior isn’t too crazy as there are parties and trips to take and between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, and everyone seems to have a lot going on. This is fairly normal for a residential architecture firm, except this year we are busier this November and December then we have ever been and as a result, I have been digging deeper and deeper into my studio playlist to keep myself energized as I put in some longer than normal hours.

One thing that brings me great happiness is when I play something that few people have ever heard of before … and they like it. With the current mix of people in my office, playing something that nobody has heard before is depressingly easy (they irreverently claim “youth” as the main reason they have never heard of the music I play for them) but I still think finding something that they like is a worthy goal.

So combine longer hours at the office with my goal of finding and playing music that exposes my office to something they enjoy and you get my current playlist …which I’d guess achieved a ±90% “I’ve never heard this before” rating.

Maybe you’ll fare better and have heard some of these songs before… or not. Okay, let’s get to it.

All Them Witches – Charles William While they are musically categorized as a “Metal” band, don’t let that fool you or put you off. Sure, they play loud at times but I have never wanted to whip my hair around or hold a lighter up during one of their songs. My typical response is that I do whatever it is I’m doing a little bit faster than I was previously.

I have two things about this video that might provide additional entertainment value to the song … First: Watch the right leg of the drummer, it’ll help show you how the bass drum is driving the beat. If you were me, you will also get a kick at the pattern of the hi-hat. Second: Stick around to the 2:30-minute mark and you’ll see what a rock-n-roll band looks like.

Bonus Track – When God Comes Back I don’t know many metal bands that play with a Rhodes keyboard, this seems more like stoner rock to me. Either way, if this song is playing while you’re working out, go ahead and slide an extra 40lbs onto the bench press, you’ll be able to lift it.

Matt Simons – I’m Already Over You Matt received his college degree in Jazz Saxophone Performance and you can definitely hear the jazz influence in his music. While this is probably not his most popular song, I like the keyboard … a trend I noticed that makes an appearance on a few of the songs on today’s list.

Leon Bridges – Coming Home Hailing from my backyard in Fort Worth, Texas, Leon Bridges has a great throwback sound and a wonderfully smooth voice that is reminiscent of 1950’s crooners Otis Redding and Sam Cooke.

Bonus Track – Smooth Sailing From the genius that is the NPR “Tiny Desk” series, in this song you can get a better feeling for just how good a voice Leon Bridges actually has –

Passafire – Submersible I only recently discovered Passafire and for the last several months, they’ve figured heavily into my playlist rotation. Formed in 2003, they are a reggae band made up from students that were attending the Savanah College of Art and Design … that’s right, it’s a reggae band from Georgia … that makes total sense.

If you want to get your groove on, this is a good group to put on your radar.

Agnes Obel – Familiar Another new artist for me – I originally discovered her from tracking down the music from a “Peloton” fitness ad (which was September Song if you are interested, as you should be).

Pay attention at the 1:35-minute mark. That is still Agnes singing, it just has this interesting male timbre to it that made me go searching to discover who had contributed additional vocals to the track. I learned that Agnes sang that portion herself and had it slowed down to give it the sound that it has. Pretty cool I think.

The Temptations – Papa was a Rolling Stone This is definitely a throwback song for me – but you know how I like a solid bass line. A psychedelic soul song that was originally written for the Motown group The Undisputed Truth. It was re-written as a 12-minute song for the Temptations that went on to hit #1 on the Billboard chart and take home 3 Grammy’s … Most of the time all I can think about is how pissed I’d be if I was in The Undisputed Truth and didn’t get the new version.

But the Temptations are amazing AND this video has them singing the song on Soul Train. If you are like the people in my office and don’t know what Soul Train is, you need to go here  … you can thank me later.

Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Probably my most favorite Marvin Gaye song – which is saying something because all of Marvin Gaye’s songs are amazing … and it also has one of the best bass line hooks ever. This is one of those songs that I think everyone will know until I ask the folks in my office and learn that nobody has ever heard this song before.

Nappy Roots – AwNaw I don’t know what to tell you other than I like this song. Whenever it comes up in my musical rotation, you had better watch out because I just might start bustin’ a move … also, this track is best listened to with the volume turned up. Recorded in 2002, there are a handful of songs from this period that is similar in sound to this one … maybe it’s the unexpected addition of the organ that pushed this one onto the list. Do yourself a favor and try to make it at least to the 45-second mark of the song before you punt out. Besides, it was either this song or Trick Daddy and In Da Wind

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Rascal King This is one of my favorite bands from my college days. Affectionately referred to as “The Bosstones” they are a hybrid ska-rock band and have been around since the early ’80s. They have never experienced huge commercial success but their fans are fairly passionate about the group. My favorite album from them was the 1993 studio album “Don’t Know How to Party” but I couldn’t find any videos from that album so I went with the Rascal King.

Fun fact – there have been 15 members of this band through the years with only 4 being there the whole time; the lead singer, the bass guitarist, the tenor saxophonist, AND THE DANCER!  If you watch the video, the conductor is the dancer – Ben Carr. I can’t tell you how many times I practiced perfecting his moves. (FYI – The dancer in this video towards the end is not the dancer)

The Green – Love I I haven’t met anyone in my life who has heard of The Green – which probably wouldn’t be the case if I lived in Hawaii. The song I have included here is off their debut album, which was named iTunes Best Reggae Album of 2010. I first heard them in an ice cream parlor when my wife and I first brought my daughter there on vacation back in 2011 and I’ve been a fan ever since.

Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime I wasn’t going to include this song in today’s post but it fell into the “Everybody needs to know this song” category. In fact, I’m not sure that we can be friends if you choose to dislike this song. Another great bass line, the genius of David Byrne both musically and from a performance standpoint, what’s not to like? I typically try to avoid providing commentary on the video because they are only here as a medium to allow people to hear the song I am talking about, however, I specifically chose this version BECAUSE of this video.

So there you go – hopefully, there are some new songs and bands in today’s post that are worth adding to your office playlist. This is the 5th entry into my “What Am I listening to” series. Just in case you make it through today’s list and you’re hungry for more., here are the links to the previous four:

Turn Up the Music in Studio

Turn up the music in the studio

What am I listening to anyways?

Architects and their Deserted Island Music

Turns those speakers up to 11 and have a great week!

[newyorktheater]

At the latest theater awards show, it was the presenters who got the spotlight — or I should say the lamplight or, in the case of one presenter, the bathroom light. “You know after a long day of homeschooling a nine-year-old, and perfecting my sourdough starter, now is the time when I duck into my shower for a much-deserved primal scream,” Rachel Dratch said while taking a shower. “But instead of that I’ve made time to announced the nominees for Outstanding Revival of the Lucille Lortel Awards.”

“So, are you drunk yet? Are you high?” host Mario Cantone asked near the end of the 35th annual Lucille Lortel Award, which for the first time was presented online. “When this is over, I’m heading for the tequila, because there’s nothing else.” Actually, there’s quite a lot – more theater than is usual in the month of May, and almost as many theater awards Of course, it’s different this year, as Rachel Dratch vividly demonstrated. Below the latest award nominees,  winners and ceremonies.

    April 2020 Online Theater Quiz

May Calendar of Theater “Openings”

PLUS

plus tonight at Stars in the House on YouTube: The cast of Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series “Hollywood” (many of whom are Broadway veterans): David Corenswet, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier, Joe Mantello, Dylan McDermott, Jeremy Pope, Mira Sorvino, Holland Taylor and Samara Weaving

PLUS

Broadway Does Mothers Day, a star-studded fundraising variety show on — when else? — Mother’s Day (this coming Sunday)

  The Week in Theater Awards

(Next up: The Pulitzer Prizes, this afternoon)

Lucille Lortel Award Winners: Octet, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, For Colored Girls

David Byrne after accepting a theater award

NY Drama Critics Circle President Adam Feldman, applauding everybody

Musical award winner Michael R. Jackson: “whenever we get to the other side of whatever this is, I feel like theater will still be home for me.”

Dierdre O’Connell: “… the challenges are so lush and varied and the writers and theater makers are so fearless and curious, and the audiences have such an appetite for the rich and the strange.”

Presenter Michael Shannon and winning playwright Will Arbery

Watch the 85th annual New York Drama Critics Circle ceremony 

(and read the speeches)

Drama League Award nominations and watch Gratitude Awards video

Don’t know the difference between the awards of the Drama League and the Drama Desk and the New York Drama Critics Circle? Read my guide to the 2020 New York Theater Awards

The Week in Online Theater Reviews

Trump Lear In the middle of the new livestreamed version of the satirical solo show “Trump Lear,” David Carl as Donald Trump sips on a long straw that is fitted into a bottle of Lysol. It is a topical moment, and a funny one. But it’s disappointing that this is one of the few obvious changes in a stage play that debuted Off-Off Broadway in 2017…Yet, there remains much to admire in the show – and something especially instructive about its translation online.

What Do We Need to Talk About? After spending an hour on Zoom with the Apple family in Richard Nelson’s latest low-key play, I was surprised by my reaction, which I could sum up as: Hallelujah! “What Do We Need to Talk About?” is splendid….This fifth play that revolves around a brother and three sisters in Rhinebeck, New York is beautiful and sad, funny and moving, terrifically acted, and perfectly timed – a precise reflection of our sudden new era.

Felt Sad, Posted Frog (and other streams of global quarantine) “Felt Sad, Posted Frog,” the title of this collection of six new works of online theater by playwrights from six different countries (on three continents), is what one of the characters tells us he did on day 11 of his lockdown alone in Berlin…and day 15, and day 16, and day 26, and apparently many days in-between, because he also tells us that one of his “Facebook friends berated me, said he couldn’t stand seeing any more of these Goddamn frogs. ..” I sympathized. As striking as I found some specific moments in the show, I started wondering after about an hour whether I was meant to identify quite so closely with these bored, frustrated characters under quarantine.

The Week in Theater News

“Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration” raised more than $400,000 for ASTEP (Artists Striving To End Poverty). The event has been viewed over 1.8 million times.

Theater Producers “Completely Aligned” With New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Re-Opening Process And Planning, Says Broadway League President

Why one author believes you’re better off using the telephone than Zoom https://t.co/0exTZNW9yB pic.twitter.com/OawzMPtCdg

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 29, 2020

Listen to Missing Sounds of New York, an album of NYC noises

It’s Springtime! I’ve added @Derekklena singing “Younger Than Springtime” for @RnH_Org #RnHGoesLive to the South Pacific section of my O is for Hammerstein post.https://t.co/yyqxwU4P8J pic.twitter.com/3f57pdXyQN

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 29, 2020

Why theater?

This week, I got the following e-mail: “My name is Akriti Sharma and I am a journalism student from India. I am working on an article for my blog that focuses on the future of theatre, as social distancing becomes the norm in this pandemic. As I did the research for my story, a question I thought was important to address was this: why is it necessary to preserve this art form? I have read your theatre reviews on your blog and thought of writing to you to gain insight into the importance of theatre, and why we must, as a society, save this art form, one that is rooted in performing to a live audience, when it is against the basic requirements to be followed in these difficult times.”

What would be your response?

Why is it necessary to have schools, libraries, museums? Its how we exchange ideas, learn about other’s stories & how they reflect our own. Its specifically in coming together they have their best impact. All social gatherings will return at some point. Pandemic is not the Norm.

— specialsmiley (@Ianto_back2_TW) April 29, 2020

Personally, the experience of a group of people in same time, same space living thru an empathetic, emotional experience together is like none other. As community becomes more fragile & fragmented, sitting in a theatre engaged in a communal experience is powerful & healing.

— Patricia Milton (@PatriciaMilton) April 29, 2020

Rest in Peace

Peter Hunt, 81, Broadway lighting designer and director, winner of the Tony Award for directing  “1776”

Zev Buffman, 89, producer of 29 Broadway shows

Roger Horchow, 91, mail-order magnate who became a six-time Broadway producer, winning the Tony for “Crazy for You” and “Kiss Me Kate”

A Shower of Theater and Theater Awards. #Stageworthy News of the Week “So, are you drunk yet? Are you high?” host Mario Cantone asked near the end of the 35th annual Lucille Lortel Award, which for the first time was presented online.