Stumbled across this interview with Michael Penn at Comic Con. The kid conducting the interview sounds terrified but Penn gives him one thoughtful answer after another. I’ve always been a big fan of the guy’s music. Seems like he’s a nice guy too.
luuhow
"She painted pictures/That never dried/Always tried to keep the feeling alive" - Gerry Love
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brain itches Theme by Adam Holwerda.
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We were out for a walk and happened to find ourselves near the Brooklyn Museum, so we decided to stop in about an hour before closing. So glad we did, because we wound up seeing an exhibition devoted to the works of El Anatsui. The Nigeria-based Ghanaian artist takes scrap material (the tops of tin cans, copper wire, bottle caps, etc.) and uses them to create amazing pieces of abstract art. Every one of his works feels like it’s in motion. “Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui” will be at the museum through Aug. 4.
Sure, this was probably staged. But hell, it’s still funny.
Neil Finn has made brilliant music throughout his entire career — with Split Enz, Crowded House, the Finn Brothers and Pajama Club. But I always felt that his 2001 solo album “One Nil” (reconfigured and released in the U.S. as “One All”) was the best work he’s ever done. This video shows Neil, Wendy & Lisa and the rest of his band performing “Don’t Ask Why” around the time of the recording sessions. And there’s more to come: he’s working on his next solo album.
Johnny Marr was on Fallon the other night. For a web exclusive, they got him to perform the Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now.” Words fail.
I’ve long thought that George Jones did his best singing on all those records he made with producer Billy Sherrill. Always loved this song. Rest in peace, sir.
Amazing: the first “Star Wars” movie in 60 seconds.
The Globe, the Times and the Boston Bombings
I’ve been awestruck by the Boston Marathon bombing coverage in the Boston Globe and New York Times, just as I was by the Times’ coverage of Sandy and the Denver Post’s coverage of Aurora. But I can’t help but wonder: how much longer will the rest of us — and by “us” I mean readers, the broadcast media, the commentariat and the blogosphere — be able to count on people with poor pay and severe job insecurity to keep us informed in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster? Wire services are important too, but they lack the staffing to match what even a depleted newspaper can do with a local story. Newspapers in their current form will cease to exist in the not-too-distant future. Then what?
This is the welcome placard for the Applied Design exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Definitely worth a visit — here’s a selection of what’s on display.
The decline and fall of alt-weeklies
In the wake of this week’s closing of the Boston Phoenix, Jack Shafer has a sad piece on the decline of alt-weeklies.
Back when I was a grad student at Berkeley in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the East Bay Express defined for me what an alt-weekly should be — in-depth reporting on topics that the local dailies weren’t covering, excellent arts coverage and a strong sense of civic pride (backed with withering criticism of public officials who failed to serve the local community properly).
When I moved to NYC in the mid-’90s, I thought the Village Voice was, by contrast, shrill and unreadable (other than Nate Hentoff and Tom Tomorrow). Today, I don’t even pick the Voice up for the listings.
Everyone likes to poke fun at the supposed obsolescence of daily newspapers, but it’s their business model that’s obsolete, not their newsgathering function. Newspapers are still indispensable. Back in the day, the best alt-weeklies were too.
Attended an event today at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament on W. 71st Street in Manhattan. Had no idea the interior was so beautiful.
Hypebeast Magazine: HUF Fall/Winter “STANCE” Editorial (2012)
The one at the top really threw me for a loop.
(via flaming-heterosexuals)
Saw these used coffee cups today on Broadway just south of Houston. NYC needs more garbage bins.
