Yes, my children, people really did dress like that almost 30 years ago. Why do you ask?
How Many Ways Can You Say, “This Band Sucks” Monday, Feb 22 2010
Movies 8:49 pm
There’s an amateur band practicing in a duplex across the street from me. And they suck. Really, really suck. I hear nothing but drums and rhythm guitar matching each other. Sometimes there’s the sound of someone ripping their vocal chords out and stomping on them. But mostly it is relentless percussive noise. It’s the sound your brain makes when it’s having a migraine.
My guess is that they’re trying for a sound like The Black Keys: stripped down, rugged and as raw as a skinned knee. I wish the guys across the street would strip down to silence.
I’ve been a music critic for nearly 14 years (an unintentional career path – I was in band in high school, a DJ in college, plus I’ve got is misapprehension that I can write a meaningful sentence or two), and I’ve mostly kept a civil tongue about the extraordinarily bad music I’ve experienced in that time.
They’ve had the cops called on them more than once. At about 3:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, the police answering to a noise complaint actually had to pound on the side of the building to get their attention. It was sucky and loud. Two strikes against them.
So how about it? How many ways can you say: “This Band Sucks.”
Here are mine:
1. They’ve got the suck knob on their amps turned up to 11.
2. They suck so bad that Dan Oreck is filing a patent infringement suit against them
3. Why do they keep playing their sucky music? Because it sounds so good when they stop.
Please feel free to add your own in the comments box.
“. . .and nothing could keep them apart.” Sunday, Feb 21 2010
Digital production and Movies and Video 7:38 pm
Love at first sight can be like this sometimes. Please enjoy Nuit Blanche.
(h/t: American Digest)
“Hope That It’s Enough For Now” Friday, Dec 19 2008
Movies 11:30 am
TCM’s lovely tribute to those we lost this year. Hypnotic music by Joe Henry.
(h/t: Dirty Harry)
“He Looks at the World and Wants It All. . .” Friday, Aug 15 2008
Literature and Movies and Pop culture 007, Ian Fleming, James Bond 11:53 am
“And he strikes. . .like Thunderball.”
Please enjoy 100 Years of Ian Fleming and James Bond: The Fleming Bond Timeline.
And take a look at the other Bondish goodies there as well.
Our Blow-Dried Days Sunday, Jul 1 2007
Movies and Pop culture and Weird Crap 6:28 pm
When we were day-glow green in our judgement. . .
I present this as a later-in-the-decade counterpoint to a previous entry.
(h/t: the Scanner)
Your Monday Morning Dose of BULLITT Monday, Jun 11 2007
Movies and Photography and Pop culture 9:04 am
Taking it easy today. Off from realjob to celebrate my wife’s birthday with her. So please enjoy this behind-the-car-chase look at the supercool Bullitt.
And, presented as a drastic counterpoint, the first Ronald McDonald commercial (this time not linked to Nerve’s Scanner blog). He looks like he’s just been rolled from a dumpster and sounds like he’s been offering candy to the kiddies in the park if they help him look in his pocket for his special friend.
You’re welcome.
Stalin Goes to Berlin! Friday, Jun 8 2007
Movies and Politics and Pop culture 4:57 pm
In film, at least. In reality, he never went. This whole clip was staged.
So why do I keep thinking he’s going to break into song when he walks down the steps from the plane? Imagine the musical: Joe Stalin in Rogers and Hammerskold’s Meet Me at the Brandenberg Gate, Comrade!
(h/t: BoingBoing via Professor Reynolds)
UPDATE: More Vintage Commie theatrics here.
He’s Gaining On You, So You’d Better Look Alive Sunday, Jun 3 2007
Movies and Pop culture 7:42 am
First look, thanks to Nerve’s Screengrab, at the Mach 5, the starring character in the forthcoming feature film Speed Racer, based on the cartoon series.
I find myself deriding the series instead of worshiping it, so I don’t know if I’ll see the movie when it comes out. Back when I was 11 years old, the independent TV station here in town – WDRB, now part of the Fox Network – ran it as part of its daily afterschool cartoon lineup. Right after Presto the Magic Clown. It painted international road racing as deadly, and every episode several unfortunate drivers (usually with cross eyes or buck teeth, indicating they were probably two beers short of a six-pack to begin with) met horrible, flaming deaths when their cars careened into rock walls, midaired and crashed after smashing through guardrails, blown up by a missile-firing helicopter chasing after Speed’s ass.
And Spridol and Chim-Chim always hiding in the trunk, which never seemed to be any larger than those plastic bins you use to store Christmas ornaments.
The Mach 5 was a race car and a passenger car (never got that, and you’d imagine that Speed probably rolled over the odometer a few times racing around the world and driving the car to get there). I’ll have to admit the car’s gadgets were pretty useful and cool. When the roads are slick with a thin scrim if ice during winter, I wish I could press a button on my steering wheel and have a thick layer of extra gripping tread wrap around each tire.
But wouldn’t having those put him at an advantage over the other racers?
Guess it wouldn’t matter, since most of them would be killed anyway.
SPOILER ALERT: Racer X is secretly Speed’s older brother!
Can He Swing From a Thread? Saturday, Apr 28 2007
Well, take a look overhead.
I find this to be incredibly cute. The music doesn’t do much for me, but the concept is, well, sweet.
I've Gotta Fang 