Thursday, August 31, 2006
According the AP, from 11:00 to 21:00 GMT this Friday, the earth's magnetic poles will switch locations, resulting in a near-zero gravity environment for several hours. People are encouraged to stay indoors, with as few heavy objects in the room as possible. As this electromagnetic shift is unprecedented in recorded history, it is impossible to project the extent of damage. Areas in direct line of the magnetic migration - on the eastern seaboard of the amercias, and the middle-east pacific (including Siberia, Japan, Indosesia, New Zeland and parts of Australia) - should prepare for the most extreme effects. Organizations in Canada and the Netherlands have built inflatable structures to take advantage of this rare occasion, despite warnings from the international scientific community.
In other news, I got new shoes today.
(If anyone knows where The Horrors buy their pants, drop me a line.)
posted by Michael Doyle
In other news, I got new shoes today.
(If anyone knows where The Horrors buy their pants, drop me a line.)
posted by Michael Doyle
Helmut Lang, how I miss thee.
Some good news for the narrow and distraught though: According to Wikipedia, Japanese label Theory is acquiring the abeyant brand from Prada. Lang himself is not expected to return to the label that bears his name, but one of our fashion heroes, Cloak Founder Alexandre Plokhov is rumored to take the design helm.
I've always admired Lang's perfect cuts and restraint, but am giddy with the thought of those lines being married to Plokhov's military/fetish detailing.
posted by Michael Doyle
Herbert, the sampling wizard who infuses every sound he uses in his work with political import, is one of electronic music's great muckrakers. Last year's Plat Du Jour, for instance, was a musique concrete slab of anti-food-industry fury, using sounds recorded from crumpling McDonald's packages and the frenzied clucks of factory-tortured chickens to get Herbert's point across in arguably heavy-handed fashion. But his work on Roisin Murphy's recent Ruby Blue seems to have reawakened the British producer's sometimes dormant sense of pop melody. His new Scale (Accidental) is downright happy-sounding-until, that is, until one delves into the lyrics. Lines such as "I just don’t know how to bring about your downfall, damn fool / Go figure out how those Christian bones can orchestrate shock and awe" leave little doubt as to where he stands on matters of the day. Despite his reputation for not suffering interviewers gladly, TONY took a gamble and called Herbert, who's performing live at Irving Plaza on Wednesday 23, in Barcelona as he prepared for a gig.
posted by Chad
Some good news for the narrow and distraught though: According to Wikipedia, Japanese label Theory is acquiring the abeyant brand from Prada. Lang himself is not expected to return to the label that bears his name, but one of our fashion heroes, Cloak Founder Alexandre Plokhov is rumored to take the design helm.
I've always admired Lang's perfect cuts and restraint, but am giddy with the thought of those lines being married to Plokhov's military/fetish detailing.
posted by Michael Doyle
Herbert, the sampling wizard who infuses every sound he uses in his work with political import, is one of electronic music's great muckrakers. Last year's Plat Du Jour, for instance, was a musique concrete slab of anti-food-industry fury, using sounds recorded from crumpling McDonald's packages and the frenzied clucks of factory-tortured chickens to get Herbert's point across in arguably heavy-handed fashion. But his work on Roisin Murphy's recent Ruby Blue seems to have reawakened the British producer's sometimes dormant sense of pop melody. His new Scale (Accidental) is downright happy-sounding-until, that is, until one delves into the lyrics. Lines such as "I just don’t know how to bring about your downfall, damn fool / Go figure out how those Christian bones can orchestrate shock and awe" leave little doubt as to where he stands on matters of the day. Despite his reputation for not suffering interviewers gladly, TONY took a gamble and called Herbert, who's performing live at Irving Plaza on Wednesday 23, in Barcelona as he prepared for a gig.
posted by Chad
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Co-curated by Burnlab's own Phoenix Perry and recently screened at Dethlab's Machines that Feel event, RELINE2 has just been acquired by the SFMoMA for their Media Arts Collection (where it will be rubbing elbows with the works of Bill Viola and Nam June Paik.) Huge congrats to Nix and all the artists involved! The Microcinema site now has preview clips of all 18 films in the collection.
Speaking of the SFMoMA, former Director of Architecture and Design Aaron Betsky was appointed Director of the Cincinnati Art Museum yesterday. The high-profile appointment follows announcement of a 20-year, $200M renovation and expansion program for the 125-year-old institution.
posted by Michael Doyle
Speaking of the SFMoMA, former Director of Architecture and Design Aaron Betsky was appointed Director of the Cincinnati Art Museum yesterday. The high-profile appointment follows announcement of a 20-year, $200M renovation and expansion program for the 125-year-old institution.
posted by Michael Doyle
As a firm believer that the old adage "you can't judge a book by its cover" is complete horseshit, I'm pleased to see Rob Walker's latest The Designed Life series for Murketing.com. Walker explores the relationship between the aesthetics of wine packaging and the quality of the actual wine.
Bethany and I reguarly buy wine based on packaging, and have been batting close to 1,000 with this technique.
Two very basic rules of thumb: Good typography on the label = good wine. Brightly colored monkeys on the label = tastes like monkey piss.
posted by Michael Doyle
Bethany and I reguarly buy wine based on packaging, and have been batting close to 1,000 with this technique.
Two very basic rules of thumb: Good typography on the label = good wine. Brightly colored monkeys on the label = tastes like monkey piss.
posted by Michael Doyle
Monday, August 28, 2006
The Quay Brothers' second feature length film, The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes will debut at select art houses in September. Executive produced by Terry Gilliam, the film has been hailed by Time Out London as "imaginative and visually seductive... a weird fairy tale, a Gothic fable of obsessive desire... magical, bizarre... ambitious and luscious." (Well, obvs...)
The Quay's mentor (and pioneer of animated meat) Jan Svankmajer has just released a new film: Lunacy is now playing at NYC's Film Forum and select theaters in California. It will hit the Detroit Film Theater and Brooklyn's BAM Rose Cinema in November.
posted by Michael Doyle
The Quay's mentor (and pioneer of animated meat) Jan Svankmajer has just released a new film: Lunacy is now playing at NYC's Film Forum and select theaters in California. It will hit the Detroit Film Theater and Brooklyn's BAM Rose Cinema in November.
posted by Michael Doyle
Friday, August 25, 2006
The Detroit Film Theater opens the fall season with Matthew Barney's Drawing Restraint 9 September 8th-10th.
[Also see the official Drawing Restraint project site.]
posted by Michael Doyle
[Also see the official Drawing Restraint project site.]
posted by Michael Doyle
One of our favorite DIY labels, Square Root Records presents the third I Made It Myself Festival this Saturday in Bay City Michigan.
The festival features fourteen live acts, including: Born, the Esperantos, Our Space in Time, Perfect Summer, Spectral Mornings, Thirty (Over) Thousand, A Ferret Named Polo, Centre, the Chauceworth Aif, Padreg Jageillon, Marahmar, Bananahands, Carjack, and OS-2 War.
Click here for a history of IMIM.
IMIMIII
Saturday, Aug. 26th
The Middlegrounds, Bay City MI
11am, into the evening | FREE!
posted by Michael Doyle
The Institute For Figuring has begun a project to crochet a coral reef, a wooly celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine world. Using the techniques of hyperbolic crochet discovered by Dr Daina Taimina, the Institute has been evolving a wide taxonomy of forms - loopy "kelps", fringed "anemones", and curlicued "corals." The reef is made up of four sub-reefs, each with its own distinct styling and colors, currently dubbed the Green, Orange, Blue-Black, and Ugly sections, as markers of their dominant hues. Like its biological counterparts, the crochet reef grows slowly: each piece is hand-made and individually thought out. Though the process is algorithmic, endless permutations of the iterative formulae result in a constantly surprising panoply of shapes. The quality of yarn, style of stitch and tightness of the crochet all affect the finished model so that each is as individual as a living organism. We invite crocheters everywhere to contribute their own inspirations. This is a collective project and all contributions will be fully acknowledged.
The Institute For Figuring is an educational organization dedicated to enhancing the public understanding of figures and figuring techniques. From the physics of snowflakes and the hyperbolic geometry of sea slugs, to the mathematics of paper folding and graphical models of the human mind, the Institute takes as its purview a complex ecology of figuring.
posted by Chad
The festival features fourteen live acts, including: Born, the Esperantos, Our Space in Time, Perfect Summer, Spectral Mornings, Thirty (Over) Thousand, A Ferret Named Polo, Centre, the Chauceworth Aif, Padreg Jageillon, Marahmar, Bananahands, Carjack, and OS-2 War.
Click here for a history of IMIM.
IMIMIII
Saturday, Aug. 26th
The Middlegrounds, Bay City MI
11am, into the evening | FREE!
posted by Michael Doyle
Thursday, August 24, 2006
The Institute For Figuring has begun a project to crochet a coral reef, a wooly celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine world. Using the techniques of hyperbolic crochet discovered by Dr Daina Taimina, the Institute has been evolving a wide taxonomy of forms - loopy "kelps", fringed "anemones", and curlicued "corals." The reef is made up of four sub-reefs, each with its own distinct styling and colors, currently dubbed the Green, Orange, Blue-Black, and Ugly sections, as markers of their dominant hues. Like its biological counterparts, the crochet reef grows slowly: each piece is hand-made and individually thought out. Though the process is algorithmic, endless permutations of the iterative formulae result in a constantly surprising panoply of shapes. The quality of yarn, style of stitch and tightness of the crochet all affect the finished model so that each is as individual as a living organism. We invite crocheters everywhere to contribute their own inspirations. This is a collective project and all contributions will be fully acknowledged.
The Institute For Figuring is an educational organization dedicated to enhancing the public understanding of figures and figuring techniques. From the physics of snowflakes and the hyperbolic geometry of sea slugs, to the mathematics of paper folding and graphical models of the human mind, the Institute takes as its purview a complex ecology of figuring.
posted by Chad
Author, curator, and blogger Ellen Lupton will be speaking at The Municipal Art Society's Urban Center Books Wednesday, Sept. 20th.
Topics include crimes against typography, the world's most common typo, the pillow epidemic, what the new FDA food pyramid really means, and other minor disasters.
Ellen is the author of D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself and Thinking With Type, and curated numerous exhibits for the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, including Skin and the National Design Triennial.
Evening programs at Urban Center Books are free and open to the public.
Seating is limited and reservations are encouraged.
457 Madison Avenue at 51st Street, New York City
Wednesday, Sept. 20 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | FREE
posted by Michael Doyle
It's no secret that we love us some bacon around here. (We're already down with bacon bandages, bacon luggage tags, bacon air fresheners, the bacon of the month club, and of course the delicious Tripple Threat sandwich at Slows.) Perpetual Kid offers up some tasty variants we haven't seen yet, including the all knowing What Would Bacon Do? deluxe spin folder, and stylish bacon wallet. We're not so sure about gummy bacon... why on earth would they make it strawberry flavored? Seems like a dirty trick.
posted by Michael Doyle
One of our faves, The Nice Device is playing live at the Whitney Garden Party tonight: Thursday, August 24th. If you haven't yet, do check out their video for Innocent.
The Whitney
4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit MI
5pm-9pm | $10 (includes hors d'oeuvres)
Also, two new Dethlab dates just announced:
Bethany and I are honored to be headlining IPM Radio's end of summer party Labor Day weekend. IPM has been a free-form internet radio institution since 1998, providing exposure to independent labels and artists, on-demand programming, live broadcasts, concert performances and interviews to a worldwide audience. The party starts at Noon on Saturday, Sept. 2nd, and goes well into the following evening. It's free and everyone is invited! Schedule here and details here.
In October, we will be doing a special Friday the 13th show with 800beloved at the Lager House. Details and other acts TBA soon, but mark your calendars in blood now!
+ don't forget Sex & Sedition VIII with very special guest Lowfish at OSLO on Sept. 29th, and Guggenheim First Fridays with Dethlab and Telefon Tel Aviv Dec. 1st in New York City.
posted by Michael Doyle
Topics include crimes against typography, the world's most common typo, the pillow epidemic, what the new FDA food pyramid really means, and other minor disasters.
Ellen is the author of D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself and Thinking With Type, and curated numerous exhibits for the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, including Skin and the National Design Triennial.
Evening programs at Urban Center Books are free and open to the public.
Seating is limited and reservations are encouraged.
457 Madison Avenue at 51st Street, New York City
Wednesday, Sept. 20 | 6:30-8:00 p.m. | FREE
posted by Michael Doyle
It's no secret that we love us some bacon around here. (We're already down with bacon bandages, bacon luggage tags, bacon air fresheners, the bacon of the month club, and of course the delicious Tripple Threat sandwich at Slows.) Perpetual Kid offers up some tasty variants we haven't seen yet, including the all knowing What Would Bacon Do? deluxe spin folder, and stylish bacon wallet. We're not so sure about gummy bacon... why on earth would they make it strawberry flavored? Seems like a dirty trick.
posted by Michael Doyle
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
One of our faves, The Nice Device is playing live at the Whitney Garden Party tonight: Thursday, August 24th. If you haven't yet, do check out their video for Innocent.
The Whitney
4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit MI
5pm-9pm | $10 (includes hors d'oeuvres)
Also, two new Dethlab dates just announced:
Bethany and I are honored to be headlining IPM Radio's end of summer party Labor Day weekend. IPM has been a free-form internet radio institution since 1998, providing exposure to independent labels and artists, on-demand programming, live broadcasts, concert performances and interviews to a worldwide audience. The party starts at Noon on Saturday, Sept. 2nd, and goes well into the following evening. It's free and everyone is invited! Schedule here and details here.
In October, we will be doing a special Friday the 13th show with 800beloved at the Lager House. Details and other acts TBA soon, but mark your calendars in blood now!
+ don't forget Sex & Sedition VIII with very special guest Lowfish at OSLO on Sept. 29th, and Guggenheim First Fridays with Dethlab and Telefon Tel Aviv Dec. 1st in New York City.
posted by Michael Doyle
The electro-pop of LES MERCREDIS is uber-nerdy joy.
official site [German]
MySpace page [English]
posted by Michael Doyle
Design Times Square: The Urban Forest Project brings 185 banners created by the world's most celebrated designers, artists, photographers and illustrators to New York's Times Square. Each banner uses the form of the tree, or a metaphor for the tree, to make a powerful visual statement. Following their display, (September 1 - October 31, 2006) the banners will be recycled into tote bags and sold at auction, with proceeds going to scholarship and mentoring programs that benefit students of the visual arts.
See all 185 banners here. 22 students in the AIGA NY's Mentoring Program are included along with quite a substantial amount of Cranbrook Academy of Art alumni.
posted by toybreaker
official site [German]
MySpace page [English]
posted by Michael Doyle
Design Times Square: The Urban Forest Project brings 185 banners created by the world's most celebrated designers, artists, photographers and illustrators to New York's Times Square. Each banner uses the form of the tree, or a metaphor for the tree, to make a powerful visual statement. Following their display, (September 1 - October 31, 2006) the banners will be recycled into tote bags and sold at auction, with proceeds going to scholarship and mentoring programs that benefit students of the visual arts.See all 185 banners here. 22 students in the AIGA NY's Mentoring Program are included along with quite a substantial amount of Cranbrook Academy of Art alumni.
posted by toybreaker
Sculptor Anish Kapoor, best known for Marsyas at the Tate Modern and Cloud Gate in Chicago, will be installing his first public work in New York next month. Sky Mirror, a three story polished stainless steel dish, is currently being fabricated in Oakland CA, and will be on view in Rockefeller Plaza from Sept. 19 to Oct. 27.
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
"We're following a Ford GT... with the Ford GT's chief designer in it. That's a lot of a car, that is there."
Sweet.
[View in full-screen mode with the bass all the way up to do this clip justice.]
posted by Michael Doyle
Sweet.
[View in full-screen mode with the bass all the way up to do this clip justice.]
posted by Michael Doyle
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Good news! Theres still hope after Paris Hiltons new album!
"Dear friends, artists, and activists,
You are enthusiastically invited to attend and take part in Port Huron Project 1: Until the Last Gun Is Silent, a performance art
event based on a speech given by Coretta Scott King at a peace march in Central Park on April 27, 1968. The speech addresses the war in Vietnam, poverty, and the power of women."
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
"Dear friends, artists, and activists,
You are enthusiastically invited to attend and take part in Port Huron Project 1: Until the Last Gun Is Silent, a performance art
event based on a speech given by Coretta Scott King at a peace march in Central Park on April 27, 1968. The speech addresses the war in Vietnam, poverty, and the power of women."
http://www.porthuronproject.net
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
Today, August 22nd, 2006 is supposed to be Judgment Day. (I forget exactly where I heard that... either Colbert or Nostradamus... matters not.) The morning started out fine: with no sign of the four kittens of the apocalypse storming from the clouds, this whole Rapture thing was looking less and less likely. Then Gawker has to go and wreck the calm by reminding us that Paris Hilton's album was released today. Fuck. Maybe it is the end of the world.
If anyone is watching The Price Is Right this morning, let us know if Rod Roddy says, "Jesus Christ, come on down!" (That's clearly mentioned in Revelations. If you don't believe me, look it up.)
posted by Michael Doyle
If anyone is watching The Price Is Right this morning, let us know if Rod Roddy says, "Jesus Christ, come on down!" (That's clearly mentioned in Revelations. If you don't believe me, look it up.)
posted by Michael Doyle
This is truly beutiful: The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal. Read more here.
[thanks Christopher]
posted by Michael Doyle
IT'S GO TIME MOTHERFUCKERS
posted by rob
[thanks Christopher]
posted by Michael Doyle
IT'S GO TIME MOTHERFUCKERS
posted by rob
Monday, August 21, 2006
My apologies for missing this news item when it broke, but no less awesome: Bob Ross: the video game.
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
What Right-Wingers See When They Read The New York Times
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
"Are you SURE you want to remove that?"
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Tibetan Wi-Fi
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
Friday, August 18, 2006
Update about tomorrow's Office party at the Magic Stick: due to a shipping error by the manufacturer, the 800beloved cassingles will not be available in time for the show. However, there will be brand new hand screened tee shirts in lovely "fingernail blue" on black.
Doors are at 9pm & 800 goes on at 10pm.
See you there!
posted by Michael Doyle
Doors are at 9pm & 800 goes on at 10pm.
See you there!
posted by Michael Doyle
"Big-haired, squid-flinging Art School ghouls" The Horrors graced the cover of NME this week. With only two 7" singles under their belts, The Horrors have become nothing short of a sensation via MySpace, a one minute twenty second long Chris Cunningham-directed music video (banned on MTV of course,) and word-of-mouth among UK teens. Posing perhaps a greater national threat than shampoo and lip balm, The London Times says of the group, "at last, a band parents can hate."
According to Loog Records, the ghastly quintet will be recording new material with The Bad Seeds' Jim Sclavunos later this month.
posted by Michael Doyle
According to Loog Records, the ghastly quintet will be recording new material with The Bad Seeds' Jim Sclavunos later this month.
posted by Michael Doyle
LA's Pins and Needles might be dismissed by some for sounding like the 80s (not the 80s of shoulder pads, bubblegum beats and neon accessories, but the Ballardian themes and apocalyptic reverb that defined the era for so many,) but Pins and Needles are among a small handful of new bands that pull it off with such expertise and talent that one may be whisked back to scribbling dystopian poetry in the back of an advanced placement English notebook while listening to a third generation dub of Killing Joke's Night Time on a black spray-painted Walkman. While one can hear the presence of both Peters (Hook and Murphy of course,) Pins and Needles' songs are original and well crafted enough to stand up as peers among many post-punk/goth staples, and come off endlessly more sincere than supposed new post-punk bands like The Killers. With talent and sincerity established, I trust they will further grow into their own sound over time, like So Does the Fire and Collapsing New People have.
Pins and Needles perform next Friday at Release The Bats in Long Beach, CA (which is not only the best name ever for a club night, but fully endorsed by Gibby Miller!) Their first LP is available on iTunes.
posted by Michael Doyle
I am very pleased to announce the release of "The Best of Christopher Daniels DVD"
Tris from Singapore had this to say: "As a big Chris Daniels fan, I enjoyed this DVD thoroughly."
posted by chris
Pins and Needles perform next Friday at Release The Bats in Long Beach, CA (which is not only the best name ever for a club night, but fully endorsed by Gibby Miller!) Their first LP is available on iTunes.
posted by Michael Doyle
I am very pleased to announce the release of "The Best of Christopher Daniels DVD"
Tris from Singapore had this to say: "As a big Chris Daniels fan, I enjoyed this DVD thoroughly."
posted by chris
Dear U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor,
THANK YOU!
posted by Doc
Sofia Coppola, daughter of film director and wine mogul, Francis Ford Coppola has followed in her father's foot steps to create a champagne (sparkling wine) of her own.
The Sofia Mini is sparkling wine in a can which comes complete with its own pink straw attached to the side.
"A distinctive blend as unconventional as the woman who inspired it, Mini is for the impromptu, impetuous, live passionately for the moment kind of person. The kind of person who lives like there is no tomorrow!
The Sofia Blanc de Blancs bursts with rich pear, honeysuckle, and exotic passion fruit aromas. Crisp apple, melon, and juicy tangerine flavors fill the palate, with notes of bright lemon and honey evident on the refreshing, mouth-tingling finish"
yup I'll just bet it does...
posted by Chad
THANK YOU!
posted by Doc
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Sofia Coppola, daughter of film director and wine mogul, Francis Ford Coppola has followed in her father's foot steps to create a champagne (sparkling wine) of her own.
The Sofia Mini is sparkling wine in a can which comes complete with its own pink straw attached to the side.
"A distinctive blend as unconventional as the woman who inspired it, Mini is for the impromptu, impetuous, live passionately for the moment kind of person. The kind of person who lives like there is no tomorrow!
The Sofia Blanc de Blancs bursts with rich pear, honeysuckle, and exotic passion fruit aromas. Crisp apple, melon, and juicy tangerine flavors fill the palate, with notes of bright lemon and honey evident on the refreshing, mouth-tingling finish"
yup I'll just bet it does...
posted by Chad
The follow-up to the ad posted on Tuesday:
"Holes, holes, holes in teeth!"
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
"Holes, holes, holes in teeth!"
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Ground broke this morning at the site of the new Yankee Stadium. Read at Curbed + sexy watercolor renderings from Newsday.
posted by Michael Doyle
Can you say supergroup? The Good, the Bad and the Queen is the new brainchild of Damon ALbarn (Blur/Gorillaz), Paul Siminon (The Clash), Tony Allen (afro-beat pioneer), and Simon Tong (late-era Verve). And produced by Dangermouse, which means it should be almost as good as my favorite Albarn project, the sorely underrated Mali Music
posted by joshua
posted by Michael Doyle
Can you say supergroup? The Good, the Bad and the Queen is the new brainchild of Damon ALbarn (Blur/Gorillaz), Paul Siminon (The Clash), Tony Allen (afro-beat pioneer), and Simon Tong (late-era Verve). And produced by Dangermouse, which means it should be almost as good as my favorite Albarn project, the sorely underrated Mali Music
posted by joshua
Our friend Josh Levy recently forwarded Burnlab The Knife's U.S. tour dates, which are:
1ST NOVEMBER - USA, NYC, WEBSTER HALL
3RD NOVEMBER - USA, SF, MEZZANINE
4TH NOVEMBER - USA, LA, EL RAY THEATER
Their rare live shows include layers of projection, set pieces, masks, floating heads, puppets (and reportedly cost $30K to put on.) Bethany and I just purchased tickets for the NYC show on Nov. 1st. See you freaks there!
posted by Michael Doyle
1ST NOVEMBER - USA, NYC, WEBSTER HALL
3RD NOVEMBER - USA, SF, MEZZANINE
4TH NOVEMBER - USA, LA, EL RAY THEATER
Their rare live shows include layers of projection, set pieces, masks, floating heads, puppets (and reportedly cost $30K to put on.) Bethany and I just purchased tickets for the NYC show on Nov. 1st. See you freaks there!
posted by Michael Doyle
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Tied Up: The Q&A
New York Times Magazine columnist Rob Walker interviews the [very] multi-talented Bethany Shorb for his website Murketing.com.
posted by Michael Doyle
New York Times Magazine columnist Rob Walker interviews the [very] multi-talented Bethany Shorb for his website Murketing.com.
posted by Michael Doyle
Guillermo Del Toro's dark fairytale Laberinto del Fauno [Pan's Labyrinth] made a splash at Cannes in May, and is set to be released in North America on December 29th.
View the stunning Spanish trailer here.
[via Suzanne G.]
posted by Michael Doyle
View the stunning Spanish trailer here.
[via Suzanne G.]
posted by Michael Doyle
This Saturday night Office performs at Detroit's Magic Stick with Freer, 800beloved, and The Questions. This will be the last Office show for a while, as they are heading back into the studio to record the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Q&A. Catch them before they blow up (more.)
800beloved will be offering limited edition hand-screened cassingles at the show, featuring newly mastered versions of The Skeleton Collection, Kiss Me Crooked, and an unlisted bonus track. We couldn't imagine a more appropriate format for 800's music, which is best listened to on an early autumn night, driving around aimlessly with good friends, hopped up on coffee and clove cigarettes. If you're not down with magnetic tape, there will also be lovely shirts. Black. Of course.
After le Stick, head down to Corktown Tavern this Saturday night for the August edition of Les Infants Terribles: Dorkwave vs. The Cavity Creeps. Who are the Cavity Creeps? Surely you recall this 1976 TV commercial. Well, perhaps not, but there will be copious merriment and oral hygiene, plus the price is always right: free! Last month was total blast - many thanks again to BMG and Solvent for guest DJ'ing and "keepin' it evil". Photos are here.
posted by Michael Doyle
800beloved will be offering limited edition hand-screened cassingles at the show, featuring newly mastered versions of The Skeleton Collection, Kiss Me Crooked, and an unlisted bonus track. We couldn't imagine a more appropriate format for 800's music, which is best listened to on an early autumn night, driving around aimlessly with good friends, hopped up on coffee and clove cigarettes. If you're not down with magnetic tape, there will also be lovely shirts. Black. Of course.
After le Stick, head down to Corktown Tavern this Saturday night for the August edition of Les Infants Terribles: Dorkwave vs. The Cavity Creeps. Who are the Cavity Creeps? Surely you recall this 1976 TV commercial. Well, perhaps not, but there will be copious merriment and oral hygiene, plus the price is always right: free! Last month was total blast - many thanks again to BMG and Solvent for guest DJ'ing and "keepin' it evil". Photos are here.
posted by Michael Doyle
Monday, August 14, 2006
War Crimes Act Changes Would Reduce Threat Of Prosecution
The Bush administration has drafted amendments to a war crimes law that would eliminate the risk of prosecution for political appointees, CIA officers and former military personnel for humiliating or degrading war prisoners, according to U.S. officials and a copy of the amendments.
Officials say the amendments would alter a U.S. law passed in the mid-1990s that criminalized violations of the Geneva Conventions, a set of international treaties governing military conduct in wartime. The conventions generally bar the cruel, humiliating and degrading treatment of wartime prisoners without spelling out what all those terms mean.
Now that's some smart planning ahead.
Still, US laws don't supersede international courts...
[via BFW Local 734]
posted by Michael Doyle
The Bush administration has drafted amendments to a war crimes law that would eliminate the risk of prosecution for political appointees, CIA officers and former military personnel for humiliating or degrading war prisoners, according to U.S. officials and a copy of the amendments.
Officials say the amendments would alter a U.S. law passed in the mid-1990s that criminalized violations of the Geneva Conventions, a set of international treaties governing military conduct in wartime. The conventions generally bar the cruel, humiliating and degrading treatment of wartime prisoners without spelling out what all those terms mean.
Now that's some smart planning ahead.
Still, US laws don't supersede international courts...
[via BFW Local 734]
posted by Michael Doyle
There is a neat series of conversations between rich media guru Colin Moock and Flash product manager Mike Downey over at adobe. These guys are engineering the future of the interwebs. While you would expect guys who are in charge of the stuff they're in charge of to be like half alien or something, but theyre pretty cool down to earth (and sort of young dudes). Interesting to say the least.
Check it out.
If your into this sort of stuff, its not too late to get your tickets to FITC Hollywood.
One of the speakers at FITC, Saiman Chow, just recently launched his contribution to the Adidas adicolor film series r255g255b255.
black: love will tear us apart
posted by Doc
Check it out.
If your into this sort of stuff, its not too late to get your tickets to FITC Hollywood.
One of the speakers at FITC, Saiman Chow, just recently launched his contribution to the Adidas adicolor film series r255g255b255.
black: love will tear us apart
posted by Doc
Kazys Varnelis is launching the AUDC Network Architecture Lab, an experimental unit at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture. Read an interview on BLDGBLOG about the new program, and best of luck to Kazys and his family on their move to NYC.
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
Friday, August 11, 2006
Not one, not two but three mixes from Alexander Robotnick (complete with track listings) to get you in the mood for his appearances in San Francsico (8/12 RX Gallery), Los Angeles (8/16 Spider Club), NYC (8/17 Tribeca Grand).
posted by BitBoy
posted by BitBoy
iPods aren't just for listening to music or attempting to detonate explosives. They've always been lethal killing devices as evidenced in Eight Ways to Kill Someone using an iPod Nano.
posted by BitBoy
posted by BitBoy
As previously mentined, "We got motherf*ing snakes on the motherf*ing tie!"
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
Tom Waits performs tonight at the Detroit Opera House.
In the mean time, an immaculate confection:
posted by Michael Doyle
In the mean time, an immaculate confection:
posted by Michael Doyle
Thursday, August 10, 2006
One of my favorite poems from classic English literature, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, came up in conversation tonight, discussing one of the minute differences between my partner and I: fresh water vs. salt water. (Trivial, perhaps, but we don't have much else to disagree about...)
Speaking of, Cyberoptix - always on the pulse of culture - will soon be unveiling Snakes on Ties! at finer retailers and museum shops near you. (For real.)
posted by Michael Doyle
Speaking of, Cyberoptix - always on the pulse of culture - will soon be unveiling Snakes on Ties! at finer retailers and museum shops near you. (For real.)
posted by Michael Doyle
This semi-vintage interview between Richie Hawtin and Richard D. James came up in conversation with Chris Bissonnette at the office today. The following part still makes me chuckle:
RH: There are plenty of those [bus tours] going around. I got stuck on one with the Prodigy and Moby once.
RDJ: Moby actually rode the bus?
RH: For a few dates, anyway. He started flying because he couldn't deal with people smoking.
RDJ: When I toured with him, he wouldn't even get on the bus.
[Laughter all around.]
posted by Michael Doyle
RH: There are plenty of those [bus tours] going around. I got stuck on one with the Prodigy and Moby once.
RDJ: Moby actually rode the bus?
RH: For a few dates, anyway. He started flying because he couldn't deal with people smoking.
RDJ: When I toured with him, he wouldn't even get on the bus.
[Laughter all around.]
posted by Michael Doyle
"Modern technology has changed the way we all work and play. It has even changed the way the human art form of music is made... when you mention talent and creativity - that blend equals The Exotic Birds."
Trent Reznor's old band featured on local Cleveland TV in 1986.
+ this is almost too good to be true: Reznor and Peter Murphy performing Warm Leatherette. (A tear of petrol is in my eye...)
posted by Michael Doyle
Trent Reznor's old band featured on local Cleveland TV in 1986.
+ this is almost too good to be true: Reznor and Peter Murphy performing Warm Leatherette. (A tear of petrol is in my eye...)
posted by Michael Doyle
was reading up a bit on "The Fountain", seems to be a new trend to not use CGI:
"Instead of using CGI, Aronofsky chose to do the special effects for the film by using micro-photography of chemical reactions on tiny petri dishes. He has said that CGI would take away from the timeliness of the film and that he wants the film to stand the test of time." (IMDB.com). (might also have something to do with it being a hell of a lot cheaper too)
posted by chris
"Instead of using CGI, Aronofsky chose to do the special effects for the film by using micro-photography of chemical reactions on tiny petri dishes. He has said that CGI would take away from the timeliness of the film and that he wants the film to stand the test of time." (IMDB.com). (might also have something to do with it being a hell of a lot cheaper too)
posted by chris
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Meanwhile, over the internet meme event horizon
posted by Jaron
posted by Jaron
My partner just took the words out of my head about the Democratic party's [former] number one douchebag: here.
If you don't read the news, or listen to the radio, or things like that, incumbent senator Joe Lieberman lost the Connecticut primary to fellow Democrat Ned Lamont, and is now vowing to run as an independent - threatening to split the state's Democratic voters in November. Nice way to put your ego ahead of the team and shove your tongue further up George Bush's ass. With the [reported and debated] highest average IQ in the nation, I doubt CT voters will be paying much attention to Joe from here on out though.
posted by Michael Doyle
If you don't read the news, or listen to the radio, or things like that, incumbent senator Joe Lieberman lost the Connecticut primary to fellow Democrat Ned Lamont, and is now vowing to run as an independent - threatening to split the state's Democratic voters in November. Nice way to put your ego ahead of the team and shove your tongue further up George Bush's ass. With the [reported and debated] highest average IQ in the nation, I doubt CT voters will be paying much attention to Joe from here on out though.
posted by Michael Doyle
Blu-ray, schmoo-ray. Cassingles are the next big thing. (More on this soon.)
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Darren Aronofsky's new film The Fountain is finally complete and coming out. The site for the movie is 67th in popularity in the world, placing it above flickr in daily hits. He spent the last 6 years crafting the film. The very basic story line is a man who tries to save the woman he loves over a 2000 year timeline.
posted by phoenix
posted by phoenix
August 1st, 2006: the day Wikipedia died.
posted by Andy Malone
posted by Andy Malone
Hear ye SF BL'bbers:
Ryoji Ikeda is playing. If you don't go and report back, you'll break my heart.
And you don't want to do that, do you?
posted by rob
The Thames Estuary Army Forts were constructed in 1942 to a design by Guy Maunsell, following the successful construction and deployment of the Naval Sea Forts. Their purpose was to provide anti-aircraft fire within the Thames Estuary area. Each fort consisted of a group of seven towers with a walkway connecting them all to the central control tower. The fort, when viewed as a whole, comprised one Bofors tower, a control tower, four gun towers and a searchlight tower. They were arranged in a very specific way, with the control tower at the centre, the Bofors and gun towers arranged in a semi-circular fashion around it and the searchlight tower positioned further away, but still linked directly to the control tower via a walkway. All the forts followed this plan and, in order of grounding, were called the Nore Army Fort, the Red Sands Army Fort and finally the Shivering Sands Army Fort. All three forts were in place by late 1943, but Nore is no longer standing. Construction of the towers was relatively quick, and they were easily floated out to sea and grounded in water no more than 30m (100ft) deep.
Access for the men posted to these forts was via an entrance at the base of the platform. Parts of the ladders that the men would have used are still visible today, but are in a very poor condition. Indeed, attempting to access these forts is extremely hazardous, and they are best viewed from a boat and a safe distance. All 3 forts saw action during the Second World War, and there is no doubt that they proved their worth. So much so in fact that anti-aircraft command called for the construction of more sea forts on the Thames in the immediate post-war period, and various new fort designs were put forward. However, none of them came to fruition and in 1952 the government decided not to pursue the sea fort construction programme any further. Nore Army Fort sustained damage during a storm in 1953, and tragedy struck the same fort again 2 months later when a ship hit and destroyed the Bofors and one of the gun towers. Four civilian caretakers were killed in this incident. In 1955, the War Office decided that the Army Sea Forts had no further operational value. The Nore Army Fort was dismantled in 1959, but the Red Sands and Shivering Sands Forts are still standing today. They have been used as pirate radio stations during the 60's and 70's, but since then have remained abandoned.
posted by Chad
The Wild Blue Yonder, Werner Herzog's upcoming science fiction film uses the actual undersea Antarctic seascape as a stand-in for fluid extraterrestrial environments.
Instead of spending millions on Spielberg-style effects, Herzog spliced together documentary footage from NASA and the National Science Foundation's US Antarctic Program. He further created characters from documentary-style scenes with actual physicists and astronauts.
posted by Chad
Domino starto!
posted by BitBoy
Ryoji Ikeda is playing. If you don't go and report back, you'll break my heart.
And you don't want to do that, do you?
posted by rob
The Thames Estuary Army Forts were constructed in 1942 to a design by Guy Maunsell, following the successful construction and deployment of the Naval Sea Forts. Their purpose was to provide anti-aircraft fire within the Thames Estuary area. Each fort consisted of a group of seven towers with a walkway connecting them all to the central control tower. The fort, when viewed as a whole, comprised one Bofors tower, a control tower, four gun towers and a searchlight tower. They were arranged in a very specific way, with the control tower at the centre, the Bofors and gun towers arranged in a semi-circular fashion around it and the searchlight tower positioned further away, but still linked directly to the control tower via a walkway. All the forts followed this plan and, in order of grounding, were called the Nore Army Fort, the Red Sands Army Fort and finally the Shivering Sands Army Fort. All three forts were in place by late 1943, but Nore is no longer standing. Construction of the towers was relatively quick, and they were easily floated out to sea and grounded in water no more than 30m (100ft) deep.
Access for the men posted to these forts was via an entrance at the base of the platform. Parts of the ladders that the men would have used are still visible today, but are in a very poor condition. Indeed, attempting to access these forts is extremely hazardous, and they are best viewed from a boat and a safe distance. All 3 forts saw action during the Second World War, and there is no doubt that they proved their worth. So much so in fact that anti-aircraft command called for the construction of more sea forts on the Thames in the immediate post-war period, and various new fort designs were put forward. However, none of them came to fruition and in 1952 the government decided not to pursue the sea fort construction programme any further. Nore Army Fort sustained damage during a storm in 1953, and tragedy struck the same fort again 2 months later when a ship hit and destroyed the Bofors and one of the gun towers. Four civilian caretakers were killed in this incident. In 1955, the War Office decided that the Army Sea Forts had no further operational value. The Nore Army Fort was dismantled in 1959, but the Red Sands and Shivering Sands Forts are still standing today. They have been used as pirate radio stations during the 60's and 70's, but since then have remained abandoned.
posted by Chad
The Wild Blue Yonder, Werner Herzog's upcoming science fiction film uses the actual undersea Antarctic seascape as a stand-in for fluid extraterrestrial environments.
Instead of spending millions on Spielberg-style effects, Herzog spliced together documentary footage from NASA and the National Science Foundation's US Antarctic Program. He further created characters from documentary-style scenes with actual physicists and astronauts.
posted by Chad
Domino starto!
posted by BitBoy
Monday, August 07, 2006
JOCELYN MATSUO
"Trim / Curtail"
Doors open at 7:30pm
Jocelyn's interpretation of Cut Piece is a wardrobe malfunction.
My conceptualization is based on the significance-conflict of occupying the roles of both artist and performer; inviting everyone to take on these roles challenges social rules and raises issues of personal boundaries and comfort, exhibitionism and materialism.
This event is a part of The ReCut Project (2006), conceived and directed by Ming-Yuen S. Ma, with weekly interpretations of Yoko Ono's Cut Piece (1964) every Friday. The ReCut Project is Ming-Yuen S. Ma's contribution to Draw A Line And Follow It, a group show featuring LA-based artists who participated in an improvisational process based on the Fluxus practices of the 60s and 70s, currently on view at LACE through 20 August 2006.
For more information on the Summer Series, visit welcome to lace.org.
LACE (LOS ANGELES CONTEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS)
6522 Hollywood Boulevard, LA CA 90028
t: 323.957.1777 | f: 323.957.9025
posted by Chad
The Hacienda
Manchester, 1982
At the time BKD's largest project to date and the subject of numerous books, magazine articles, documentaries and a feature film, The Hacienda was without precedent, either at home or abroad. It has been lauded as the world's best night-club, much to the pride and amusement of Mancunians, and been acknowledged with reinventing and reinvigorating the genre. Neither a venue nor a disco, The Hacienda was a real-life stage-set, built with the most mundane of materials used to maximum effect.
Recommended to the owners of Factory Communications by their Art Director, Peter Saville, Ben Kelly used his processes and materials-led approach to create a three-dimensional version of Factory Records' innovative visual identity. To this end Kelly cited his attention to the smallest of details as the equivalent of typesetting sleeve-notes on an album cover.
Working to a perfunctory brief; big bar, small bar, food, stage, dance-floor, balcony, and a cocktail bar in the basement, BKD were given unlimited freedom to convert a former yachting showroom — boasting a massive, single volume space — into a true people’s palace.
Within a cooled-down space (painted in blue and grey tones) the emphasis was diagonal and vertical, with brightly clad balcony supports and diagonal stripes painted on columns setting-up various journeys through the building. Siting the stage to one side, and using fly bars for theatre lights, made the space both flexible and dynamic -visual compositions of colour and texture were everywhere. Directional and warning markings created an inside/outside tension - bollards and cats-eyes delineated the dance-floor - a city within a city, of pathways, plazas and bars, which acted as intimate refuge amid the cavernous space.
Enigmatic ideas were intended to spark intrigue. The name itself quotes the Situationist manifesto; The hacienda must be built, while neon bar signs referenced Great British spies - The Kim Philby Bar and The Gay Traitor. From outside, though, the only clue to what lay within was the hand-carved granite nameplate, FAC51 The Hacienda, inlaid with silver leaf and red enamel paint; the code being its Factory Records catalogue number.
It's very fitting that International Orange was used in The Hacienda as it's an active, creative and exhuberant colour, between the passion of red and the mental stimulation of yellow. Orange is full of energy and will always be used to promote vibrant optimism.
Inner Spaces documentary, BBC2, 2004
posted by Chad
"Trim / Curtail"
Doors open at 7:30pm
Jocelyn's interpretation of Cut Piece is a wardrobe malfunction.
My conceptualization is based on the significance-conflict of occupying the roles of both artist and performer; inviting everyone to take on these roles challenges social rules and raises issues of personal boundaries and comfort, exhibitionism and materialism.
This event is a part of The ReCut Project (2006), conceived and directed by Ming-Yuen S. Ma, with weekly interpretations of Yoko Ono's Cut Piece (1964) every Friday. The ReCut Project is Ming-Yuen S. Ma's contribution to Draw A Line And Follow It, a group show featuring LA-based artists who participated in an improvisational process based on the Fluxus practices of the 60s and 70s, currently on view at LACE through 20 August 2006.
For more information on the Summer Series, visit welcome to lace.org.
LACE (LOS ANGELES CONTEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS)
6522 Hollywood Boulevard, LA CA 90028
t: 323.957.1777 | f: 323.957.9025
posted by Chad
The Hacienda
Manchester, 1982
At the time BKD's largest project to date and the subject of numerous books, magazine articles, documentaries and a feature film, The Hacienda was without precedent, either at home or abroad. It has been lauded as the world's best night-club, much to the pride and amusement of Mancunians, and been acknowledged with reinventing and reinvigorating the genre. Neither a venue nor a disco, The Hacienda was a real-life stage-set, built with the most mundane of materials used to maximum effect.
Recommended to the owners of Factory Communications by their Art Director, Peter Saville, Ben Kelly used his processes and materials-led approach to create a three-dimensional version of Factory Records' innovative visual identity. To this end Kelly cited his attention to the smallest of details as the equivalent of typesetting sleeve-notes on an album cover.
Working to a perfunctory brief; big bar, small bar, food, stage, dance-floor, balcony, and a cocktail bar in the basement, BKD were given unlimited freedom to convert a former yachting showroom — boasting a massive, single volume space — into a true people’s palace.
Within a cooled-down space (painted in blue and grey tones) the emphasis was diagonal and vertical, with brightly clad balcony supports and diagonal stripes painted on columns setting-up various journeys through the building. Siting the stage to one side, and using fly bars for theatre lights, made the space both flexible and dynamic -visual compositions of colour and texture were everywhere. Directional and warning markings created an inside/outside tension - bollards and cats-eyes delineated the dance-floor - a city within a city, of pathways, plazas and bars, which acted as intimate refuge amid the cavernous space.
Enigmatic ideas were intended to spark intrigue. The name itself quotes the Situationist manifesto; The hacienda must be built, while neon bar signs referenced Great British spies - The Kim Philby Bar and The Gay Traitor. From outside, though, the only clue to what lay within was the hand-carved granite nameplate, FAC51 The Hacienda, inlaid with silver leaf and red enamel paint; the code being its Factory Records catalogue number.
It's very fitting that International Orange was used in The Hacienda as it's an active, creative and exhuberant colour, between the passion of red and the mental stimulation of yellow. Orange is full of energy and will always be used to promote vibrant optimism.
Inner Spaces documentary, BBC2, 2004
posted by Chad
A new CD compilation Hacienda Classics is delivered by Peter Hook, bassist from New Order, who shared a founding hand in The Hacienda and remembers the good old days:
The Hacienda was built on blood, sweat and tears… I think it's safe to say we made every mistake in the book, that said it was the most magical time and I wouldn't change any of it. I have so many special memories from those days, the way the DJs would select the tunes especially for the club, I remember Sasha's first set, the atmosphere was electric and he played the best set of his life, the music was perfect as was the crowd, when we left you just knew you'd been a spectator of something very special indeed
To mirror The Hacienda’s genre bending music policy as well as provide a cross section of the tracks that created The Hacienda and formed the foundations of UK, even global clubbing as we know it, Hooky has compiled three CD's of definitive Hacienda classics bringing together elements of rare groove, soul hip hop, hip house, house and indie-dance painting a true picture of the highest moments of The Hacienda. Highlights and Hacienda moments from the album include New Order Confusion, Happy Mondays Step On, Orbital Belfast, Candi Staton You Got The Love, and more
posted by Chad
The Hacienda was built on blood, sweat and tears… I think it's safe to say we made every mistake in the book, that said it was the most magical time and I wouldn't change any of it. I have so many special memories from those days, the way the DJs would select the tunes especially for the club, I remember Sasha's first set, the atmosphere was electric and he played the best set of his life, the music was perfect as was the crowd, when we left you just knew you'd been a spectator of something very special indeed
To mirror The Hacienda’s genre bending music policy as well as provide a cross section of the tracks that created The Hacienda and formed the foundations of UK, even global clubbing as we know it, Hooky has compiled three CD's of definitive Hacienda classics bringing together elements of rare groove, soul hip hop, hip house, house and indie-dance painting a true picture of the highest moments of The Hacienda. Highlights and Hacienda moments from the album include New Order Confusion, Happy Mondays Step On, Orbital Belfast, Candi Staton You Got The Love, and more
posted by Chad
New Mac Pro: Whuzza!!
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
Previously posted on Bunrlab, but well worth another look: The SoniColumn [via Gizmodo.]
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
Bernard Farley a.k.a. Outputmessage recently released his debut LP Nebulae on Melodic.
Ever since being captivated by Bernard's Song on Idol Tryouts Vol. 1, I've been anxious to hear what the now twentytwo-year-old Farley would do over the course of a long player. The result is a dreamscape of delicate melodies and metallic rhythms that blend elements of synth-pop, indie-techno, Aphex Twin-influenced IDM and an enumeration of other sources. Nebulae is complex yet clean machine music full of humanity, perfectly suited for dancing under the moonlight.
posted by Michael Doyle
Ever since being captivated by Bernard's Song on Idol Tryouts Vol. 1, I've been anxious to hear what the now twentytwo-year-old Farley would do over the course of a long player. The result is a dreamscape of delicate melodies and metallic rhythms that blend elements of synth-pop, indie-techno, Aphex Twin-influenced IDM and an enumeration of other sources. Nebulae is complex yet clean machine music full of humanity, perfectly suited for dancing under the moonlight.
posted by Michael Doyle
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Lots of photos from Friday's MOTOR show here.
We've never dealt with a group who was so well organized and professional, while being totally easy-going. Not only was MOTOR a pleasure to work with, they completely blew everyone's heads off. It was a full on jihad against everything expected, boring and one dimensional - and judging from the sea of ear-to-ear smiles and pumping fists at Oslo Friday, a most welcome sonic holy war.
What looks like a shutter cable release in Hugo's hand is an audio trigger - used with the wah pedal to create the lead buzz sound on Black Powder and other tracks.
Extra special thanks to Ryan Elliott and Brendan M. Gillen for laying out teh eeevil (BMG played one track in particular that made us sound like "Dethlab Lite",) to Michael McAdow for being video guru, to Jeff, Dominic and all our friends at Ghostly, and to Brook at Oslo for letting us continually push the production envelope in his nightclub.
Other highlights included Mr. No and Bethany having a wasabi eating competition (read: popping entire balls of green fire paste and throwing triumphant teary-eyed double goats,) and taking the guys to see Detroit electro-tech legends Ultradyne at CAID after the show.
More at Toybreaker Blog.
posted by Michael Doyle
We've never dealt with a group who was so well organized and professional, while being totally easy-going. Not only was MOTOR a pleasure to work with, they completely blew everyone's heads off. It was a full on jihad against everything expected, boring and one dimensional - and judging from the sea of ear-to-ear smiles and pumping fists at Oslo Friday, a most welcome sonic holy war.
What looks like a shutter cable release in Hugo's hand is an audio trigger - used with the wah pedal to create the lead buzz sound on Black Powder and other tracks.
Extra special thanks to Ryan Elliott and Brendan M. Gillen for laying out teh eeevil (BMG played one track in particular that made us sound like "Dethlab Lite",) to Michael McAdow for being video guru, to Jeff, Dominic and all our friends at Ghostly, and to Brook at Oslo for letting us continually push the production envelope in his nightclub.
Other highlights included Mr. No and Bethany having a wasabi eating competition (read: popping entire balls of green fire paste and throwing triumphant teary-eyed double goats,) and taking the guys to see Detroit electro-tech legends Ultradyne at CAID after the show.
More at Toybreaker Blog.
posted by Michael Doyle
More Knife buzz:
I'm not much into video games as a rule, but several of our favorite Mute recording artists have put up some very clever Flash-based time-suckers (all curiuosly with a red/black/white colour scheme...)
The Knife's new game features Motomichi Nakamura's characters created for the previously posted We Share Our Mother's Health music video. As a huge incentive to waste company time, top scoring players have a chance to win one of 10 limited edition Nakamura prints.
Play the game here (and when you get tired of lodging scissors in your head, there's always the Motor game and T. Raumschmiere game.)
posted by Michael Doyle
I'm not much into video games as a rule, but several of our favorite Mute recording artists have put up some very clever Flash-based time-suckers (all curiuosly with a red/black/white colour scheme...)
The Knife's new game features Motomichi Nakamura's characters created for the previously posted We Share Our Mother's Health music video. As a huge incentive to waste company time, top scoring players have a chance to win one of 10 limited edition Nakamura prints.
Play the game here (and when you get tired of lodging scissors in your head, there's always the Motor game and T. Raumschmiere game.)
posted by Michael Doyle
Saturday, August 05, 2006
per my last post about The Knife i may well (most certainly) be preaching to the converted, but...i am in the middle of finally watching the "Redux" version of the classic "Apocalypse Now" and it is a sight to see... i had a choice of watching the new "King Kong" or this and, honestly, this film is more impressive in its scope than anything done since ILM had its way in film making. Add that it was inspired by a book (Heart of Darkness) written by a man (Joseph Conrad) who made English (after Polish and French) his third or fourth language, and still manages to be hailed as one of the best English writers and you have, well...
brilliance...Kurtz, if he were real, would be proud
posted by chris
brilliance...Kurtz, if he were real, would be proud
posted by chris
Friday, August 04, 2006
The Great Wrong Place - An article by James Ellroy on LA
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
My dearest Chris, pleae pay attention...
posted by Michael Doyle
posted by Michael Doyle
has anyone else recently had the same experience...i mean...god i don't know how to say it but, listen...what the fuck...the knife. jesus..what the hell is this? i havent felt this dizzy since i first heard the sugarcubes "birthday"
posted by chris
posted by chris
Tonight!
![MOTOR poster [revised blog size]](http://static.flickr.com/33/206593111_14048d285f_o.jpg)
One line-up change to note for tonight's MOTOR show:
Unfortunately, Brian Aneurysm could not enter the country due to passport issues beyond our control. However, BMG of Ectomorph has been added to the bill! Brendan will be breaking out some of his super-rare 7"s and other special treats just for you, and Ryan Elliott is looking forward to playing more aggressive records than he usually has the opportunity to. Tonight will be one thundering electrical storm of a party...
posted by Michael Doyle
Best. Nike. Ad. Ever. Period.
posted by BitBoy
One line-up change to note for tonight's MOTOR show:
Unfortunately, Brian Aneurysm could not enter the country due to passport issues beyond our control. However, BMG of Ectomorph has been added to the bill! Brendan will be breaking out some of his super-rare 7"s and other special treats just for you, and Ryan Elliott is looking forward to playing more aggressive records than he usually has the opportunity to. Tonight will be one thundering electrical storm of a party...
posted by Michael Doyle
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Best. Nike. Ad. Ever. Period.
posted by BitBoy
'Climate Porn' are we ready? and has it really come to this... i guess so...
A recent article on BBC says apocolyptic imagery of the melting polar ice caps make "people feel helpless and says the use of cataclysmic imagery is partly commercially motivated."
"The public become disempowered because it's too big for them; and when it sounds like science fiction, there is an element of the unreal there."
CLIMATE PORN
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
A recent article on BBC says apocolyptic imagery of the melting polar ice caps make "people feel helpless and says the use of cataclysmic imagery is partly commercially motivated."
"The public become disempowered because it's too big for them; and when it sounds like science fiction, there is an element of the unreal there."
CLIMATE PORN
To counter climate porn go to Tree Hugger
posted by Tenzin Phuntsog
For our friends in Europe who watch television, Romuald Karmakar's film Between the Devil and the Wide Blue Sea will be on ARTE August 5th at 0:15. (I'm pretty sure that's quarter after 12 on Friday night.)
The film features live performances, interviews and commentaries from artists who have had some of the biggest influence on the direction of electronic music in recent years, including T.Raumschmiere, XLover, Terence Fixmer and Douglas McCarthy, Alter Ego and more.
posted by Michael Doyle
The film features live performances, interviews and commentaries from artists who have had some of the biggest influence on the direction of electronic music in recent years, including T.Raumschmiere, XLover, Terence Fixmer and Douglas McCarthy, Alter Ego and more.
posted by Michael Doyle
The 2006 Eindhoven Masters Show is now online, featuring some of the wittiest design work you'll see anywhere. Reluct has a photo gallery from the exhibition at Droog last Friday. Thesis work will be on display at the Droog Gallery through August 13th.
[via MoCo Loco]
posted by Michael Doyle
[via MoCo Loco]
posted by Michael Doyle
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
"It's too damn hot."
[created by our very own Doc, in honor of the heat wave.]
posted by Michael Doyle
[created by our very own Doc, in honor of the heat wave.]
posted by Michael Doyle
Behold video clip of the Daft Punk Coffee Table.
Our own BitBoy recently spotted one at Habitat.
The sign reads: "Very important product."
Nice.
posted by Michael Doyle
Our own BitBoy recently spotted one at Habitat.
The sign reads: "Very important product."
Nice.
posted by Michael Doyle
Our frined Brian from Bowling Green Ohio has a some great shots of 800 Beloved and Spectral Morings from Saturday on Flickr.
Also, MOTOR in this week's Metro Times:
Friday, August 4th at Oslo: Few electronic groups of late have pushed the pedal as hard and fast as Motor, a duo made up of Bryan Black and Olivier Grasset. Since 2003, the London-based pair has released original material, done blue-chip remixes - including tracks by Depeche Mode, Throbbing Gristle, Marilyn Manson and T. Raumschmiere - and launched such side projects as XLover, Drugbeat and the Sick. Their newly released full-length, Klunk, is being hailed as a high-speed industrial techno vs. acid electro-house masterpiece. Some of the world's darkest and loudest club spaces have been playing the single, "Black Powder," for months. (An aside to Prince fans: When back home in Minneapolis, Bryan Black did sound design for the tiny dancer at Paisley Park studios.) Motor roars into the Motor City this Friday. Also appearing: Austrian-cum-Texan Brian Aneurysm.
Detroit gets one of only four North American dates before the guys hit the road with Nitzer Ebb and Kraftwerk. (Actually, they asked to play Detroit!) New Yorkers get MOTOR's very first US show Thursday night at the Hiro Ballroom, which is co-produced with the help of our dear friends at Phono/Enabler and Robots.
posted by Michael Doyle
Go TRS-80!!
This chicago group has released a new album today on One Cell and it's really well crafted. Me likes!
posted by devan.simulacra
Also, MOTOR in this week's Metro Times:
Friday, August 4th at Oslo: Few electronic groups of late have pushed the pedal as hard and fast as Motor, a duo made up of Bryan Black and Olivier Grasset. Since 2003, the London-based pair has released original material, done blue-chip remixes - including tracks by Depeche Mode, Throbbing Gristle, Marilyn Manson and T. Raumschmiere - and launched such side projects as XLover, Drugbeat and the Sick. Their newly released full-length, Klunk, is being hailed as a high-speed industrial techno vs. acid electro-house masterpiece. Some of the world's darkest and loudest club spaces have been playing the single, "Black Powder," for months. (An aside to Prince fans: When back home in Minneapolis, Bryan Black did sound design for the tiny dancer at Paisley Park studios.) Motor roars into the Motor City this Friday. Also appearing: Austrian-cum-Texan Brian Aneurysm.
Detroit gets one of only four North American dates before the guys hit the road with Nitzer Ebb and Kraftwerk. (Actually, they asked to play Detroit!) New Yorkers get MOTOR's very first US show Thursday night at the Hiro Ballroom, which is co-produced with the help of our dear friends at Phono/Enabler and Robots.
posted by Michael Doyle
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Go TRS-80!!
This chicago group has released a new album today on One Cell and it's really well crafted. Me likes!
posted by devan.simulacra
The summer of diligence here at the Lab has been paying off big the past week or so. We are flattered beyond belief and grinning from ear to ear with this latest announcement:
Bethany and I have been invited to DJ at the Guggenheim NYC on December 1st, as part of the Gugg's First Fridays series curated by Flavorpill. Not only that, but we'll be playing alongside teh uber awesome Telefon Tel Aviv!
![Art After Dark [blog size]](http://static.flickr.com/66/204078095_00e844c7b5_o.jpg)
[click here for big flyer]
posted by Michael Doyle
Bethany and I have been invited to DJ at the Guggenheim NYC on December 1st, as part of the Gugg's First Fridays series curated by Flavorpill. Not only that, but we'll be playing alongside teh uber awesome Telefon Tel Aviv!
[click here for big flyer]
posted by Michael Doyle
a representative of a band i recommended a while back, my toys like me, let me (thru mike) know that some of their tunes (choons) are now available for download...i wouldnt trouble you about this but, well, they are the shit. as i may have put it before, they're kinda like what Tricky would sound like if his magnificent "Maxinquaye" were to come out in '06 instead of '95. how a band like this is unsigned i have no idea.
posted by chris
posted by chris
I am no big follower of conspiracy theories but the government just released the trial exhibits from the Moussaoui case and they're, well, lame for the most part...Does anyone see any evidence of a plane crash from either of the "crash photos" except for the two shabby "plane parts photos"? They should've hired ILM, shown some savvy, given us something to respect about the US's underhanded dealings...
posted by chris
Check out Motomichi Nakamura's brilliant animation work here, including Saturday's fave Laptops and Martinis for our buddy Otto, and the uber hot We Share Our Mothers' Health for The Knife - which Nix remixed live during our set at the DEMF one Monday night in May.
posted by chris
Check out Motomichi Nakamura's brilliant animation work here, including Saturday's fave Laptops and Martinis for our buddy Otto, and the uber hot We Share Our Mothers' Health for The Knife - which Nix remixed live during our set at the DEMF one Monday night in May.