Just wanted to leave a quick note, expressing my thanks for all those who have read and taken part in the Dumpster Bust experience thus far. I’m happy and excited to say that great things are in store for the coming year, including a complete website overhaul replete with more dynamic content… in other words, much more Dumpster Busting to come!
I also wanted to jot down a few quick thoughts on the year behind and the year ahead. I just finished graduate school (so I need to change my profile on the right-side of this page, among other things) and am hired on a part-time basis, at least, in my newly chosen profession. In the past two years, I got married, moved from one region of the country to another, got laid-off from what will hopefully be my last crap job (read = last lay-off, last crap job) and slammed my way through two years of grad school whilst picking up money through part-time, full-time, contract, and freelance work whenever possible.
I’m extremely lucky to have an amazing wife, a supportive family, and a close-knit group of friends that have put up with my antics from time out of mind.
As 2005 dawns, I’m looking forward to (finally) completing my novel, Possible Ends, and beginning my next Big Project (likely a screenplay this time round), securing full-time employment (no more scans through bloody job websites!), and getting into lots lots lots more of the Dumpster Bust.
Cheers,
Eric Berlin
Friday, December 31, 2004
Keeping It Real Politik: Hey FCC, Who’s Really Complaining?
There’s a lot of Values Talk in America right now. From Janet Jackson’s nipple accoutrements to gay marriage to John Kerry’s decision to put on cammo pants and walk in a field, Values Talk has dominated much of the political and cultural bandwidth in 2004.
This has extended to the area of decency standards in the media, with much talk about the supposed revulsion toward the sexual content of film, television, and radio programs (not much talk about violence, however; that seems to be a-okay in the modern USA). Indeed, the FCC, along with the help of those like conservative Senator Samuel Brownback (R-KS), has pledged to crack down on decency standards violators. Howard Stern was particularly targeted, which finally prompted the self-proclaimed King of All Media to announce that he is jumping ship from the public radio airwaves to the relatively new entity of subscription-based (and FCC regulation-free) satellite radio.
FCC investigations, which may and can lead to stiff fines of $500,000 per offense, are prompted by complaints filed by the public. Generally, incidents that prompt many complaints, such as Jackson’s incident at the Super Bowl, are considered noteworthy.
But who is filing these charges? According to Mediaweek, the FCC now admits that over the last few years, upwards of 99.8% of complaints to the FCC were filed by one activist organization: the Parents Television Council.
Are we letting Values Talk get out of hand in the United States? Are we letting special interests, Sen. Brownback, and the FCC co-opt our rights to free expression, guaranteed by the 1st Amendment?
What about those values?
This has extended to the area of decency standards in the media, with much talk about the supposed revulsion toward the sexual content of film, television, and radio programs (not much talk about violence, however; that seems to be a-okay in the modern USA). Indeed, the FCC, along with the help of those like conservative Senator Samuel Brownback (R-KS), has pledged to crack down on decency standards violators. Howard Stern was particularly targeted, which finally prompted the self-proclaimed King of All Media to announce that he is jumping ship from the public radio airwaves to the relatively new entity of subscription-based (and FCC regulation-free) satellite radio.
FCC investigations, which may and can lead to stiff fines of $500,000 per offense, are prompted by complaints filed by the public. Generally, incidents that prompt many complaints, such as Jackson’s incident at the Super Bowl, are considered noteworthy.
But who is filing these charges? According to Mediaweek, the FCC now admits that over the last few years, upwards of 99.8% of complaints to the FCC were filed by one activist organization: the Parents Television Council.
Are we letting Values Talk get out of hand in the United States? Are we letting special interests, Sen. Brownback, and the FCC co-opt our rights to free expression, guaranteed by the 1st Amendment?
What about those values?
DB Film Squad: Tenacious D movie in the works?
Word on the street, or at least from the always entertaining cast of characters over at Ain’t It Cool News, is that Tenacious D will be featured in a film that will start shooting as soon as Jack Black can untussle himself from Peter Jackson’s (and King Kong’s) hairy grip.
(Link: http://www.aintitcoolnews.com/display.cgi?id=19045)
Tenacious D can only be described as the greatest band in the history of the world. At least that’s what Jack Black (of High Fidelity and Saving Silverman and School of Rock fame) and fellow acoustic-heavy metal superstar Kyle Gass would tell you, at any rate. The thing is though: it’s true.
The fact that “the D” is also the funniest band in the history of the world should only make you come running even faster. When Jack Black (JB or Jables to some) was asked about the criticism his band sometimes takes for being a mock-rock entity, he replied:
“Listen, Beethoven didn’t get any good reviews when he started. Do you think he cried into his soup? No, he went and wrote another masterpiece.”
If you want to get seriously tenacious about the D, beg, borrow, or steal Tenacious D – The Complete Masterworks. It showcases a supremely inspired mixture of comedy and surprisingly rock-solid musicianship and kick-ass rock-itude through a combination of concert scenes (many from a run-down open mike night in LA) and skits that help to set up the twisted paradigm and sublime force of nature that is Tenacious D.
I don’t think there’s much doubt (nay! any doubt) that a Tenacious D movie will be the greatest film this (or any) world has ever seen.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Dumpster Bust 2004 Album of the Year: Tyrannosaurus Hives, by The Hives
I remember clearly the first time I heard The Hives. I was in my car, driving home from work, flipping through the stations. Then a song came on, and I thought it was one of those moments.
I thought then, listening to “Hate to Say I Told You So,” that it was one of those “Smells Like Teen Spirit” moments: a new era in music. Everything’s changed now.
Well, I was wrong. Vini Vidi Vicious, The Hives’ 2000 release, is a damned good listen, but it doesn’t wear well over time. The songs become slightly dull, a little played out. As 2004 rolled around, I didn’t expect very much from thier long-awaited follow-up LP, Tyrannosaurus Hives. I actually had much higher expectations of the sophomore effort from fellow Garage Rock revivalists The Vines after hearing Highly Evolved, their auspicious debut album.
Hate to say I told you so, well all right!
God, was I wrong. Whereas The Vines’ Winning Days devolves into tepid wishy-washy rock mush (aside from the effervescent single, “Ride”), Tyrannosaurus Hives operates (read = Rocks) on a level unheard in a long time. In fact, it’s the most exciting rock record I’ve come across in years.
Why? The Hives unleash an explosion of rock and new wave energy that gives you every inch (and more) of its thirty-minutes flat playing time. It’s a joyous power, a furious party, an unmitigated cornucopia of rock delights. They manage to strip away all that has become self-conscious, affected, and radio-ready in modern popular music and still deliver a bubbling power pop orgy of post-millennial proportions. In other words: yeah, it’s that good.
The album kicks off with the giddily slashy “Abra Cadaver,” which rocks with a kind of beat that makes you want to make like a 50s hipster on The Ed Sullivan Show, snapping your fingers and pointing knowingly. Or throw on a leather jacket and skinny black tie and shake it ‘till the lights flip on. It makes you feel cool, in other words, and what better vicarious act can a rock band conjure up than that?
“Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones” jangles with a jittery energy, the music production expertly pulsing the sounds in-and-out that makes you feel as though you’re riding the best of alcohol highs. The guitars establish their slightly futuristic fuzzy sound here, which nicely ties the whole album together in its consistency. “Walk Idiot Walk” combines Devo-like keyboards and early 80s power chords into a heady mix that almost comes across like a New Wave AC/DC. Not bad for five lads from Sweden.
Tyrannosaurus Hives really kicks into high gear on the fourth track, “No Pun Intended,” which thrashes with a timeless zest, building and falling and building again. You can see with this song where the band came from, that Vini Vidi Vicious, a good album, held the seeds for the greatness that would come later. “See Through Head” keeps up the pace, and is indeed one of the best rock songs I’ve heard this year. The brilliance is in the accompanying Uh uh uh ohs! which bring in a Pixies alt-rock vibe along with pulsing, crashing guitars with tones that crunch just so: ah, glorious it be to thee and thine.
By the time “Missing Link” rolls around, you think there’s got to be a drop off, but it doesn’t come: slightly dissonant guitars lend it a zoomy futuristic punch and mix wildly with a bass line that constantly seems to climb up a high perch before hopping off and beginning all over again.
Partially because of frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist’s exuberant, lurching vocals and partially because its rock doing what rock does best: KISS, the lyrics aren’t really the point here, which is why I haven’t mentioned them until now:
You wake up in the morning and you ain’t got a prayer
Your boss is coming down on you and you can’t pay the rent
Exactly. This is the kind of album you crank in your living room after a brutal day at the cube farm, and scream and dance and shout like The Kids in the Hall put it: Fuck the bank! Fuck the bank! (DB Note: Just draw the shades first so as not to frighten unsuspecting neighbors).
Part The Cars on speed, Part Kurt Cobain on Xanax, and part The Knack getting its Knack on, Tyrannosaurus Hives brings it with the massive force of a, well… large ferocious dinosaur of lore. If you like upbeat, aggressive rock with new wave and power pop undertones, this album demands of you: possess its greatness.
I thought then, listening to “Hate to Say I Told You So,” that it was one of those “Smells Like Teen Spirit” moments: a new era in music. Everything’s changed now.
Well, I was wrong. Vini Vidi Vicious, The Hives’ 2000 release, is a damned good listen, but it doesn’t wear well over time. The songs become slightly dull, a little played out. As 2004 rolled around, I didn’t expect very much from thier long-awaited follow-up LP, Tyrannosaurus Hives. I actually had much higher expectations of the sophomore effort from fellow Garage Rock revivalists The Vines after hearing Highly Evolved, their auspicious debut album.
Hate to say I told you so, well all right!
God, was I wrong. Whereas The Vines’ Winning Days devolves into tepid wishy-washy rock mush (aside from the effervescent single, “Ride”), Tyrannosaurus Hives operates (read = Rocks) on a level unheard in a long time. In fact, it’s the most exciting rock record I’ve come across in years.
Why? The Hives unleash an explosion of rock and new wave energy that gives you every inch (and more) of its thirty-minutes flat playing time. It’s a joyous power, a furious party, an unmitigated cornucopia of rock delights. They manage to strip away all that has become self-conscious, affected, and radio-ready in modern popular music and still deliver a bubbling power pop orgy of post-millennial proportions. In other words: yeah, it’s that good.
The album kicks off with the giddily slashy “Abra Cadaver,” which rocks with a kind of beat that makes you want to make like a 50s hipster on The Ed Sullivan Show, snapping your fingers and pointing knowingly. Or throw on a leather jacket and skinny black tie and shake it ‘till the lights flip on. It makes you feel cool, in other words, and what better vicarious act can a rock band conjure up than that?
“Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones” jangles with a jittery energy, the music production expertly pulsing the sounds in-and-out that makes you feel as though you’re riding the best of alcohol highs. The guitars establish their slightly futuristic fuzzy sound here, which nicely ties the whole album together in its consistency. “Walk Idiot Walk” combines Devo-like keyboards and early 80s power chords into a heady mix that almost comes across like a New Wave AC/DC. Not bad for five lads from Sweden.
Tyrannosaurus Hives really kicks into high gear on the fourth track, “No Pun Intended,” which thrashes with a timeless zest, building and falling and building again. You can see with this song where the band came from, that Vini Vidi Vicious, a good album, held the seeds for the greatness that would come later. “See Through Head” keeps up the pace, and is indeed one of the best rock songs I’ve heard this year. The brilliance is in the accompanying Uh uh uh ohs! which bring in a Pixies alt-rock vibe along with pulsing, crashing guitars with tones that crunch just so: ah, glorious it be to thee and thine.
By the time “Missing Link” rolls around, you think there’s got to be a drop off, but it doesn’t come: slightly dissonant guitars lend it a zoomy futuristic punch and mix wildly with a bass line that constantly seems to climb up a high perch before hopping off and beginning all over again.
Partially because of frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist’s exuberant, lurching vocals and partially because its rock doing what rock does best: KISS, the lyrics aren’t really the point here, which is why I haven’t mentioned them until now:
You wake up in the morning and you ain’t got a prayer
Your boss is coming down on you and you can’t pay the rent
Exactly. This is the kind of album you crank in your living room after a brutal day at the cube farm, and scream and dance and shout like The Kids in the Hall put it: Fuck the bank! Fuck the bank! (DB Note: Just draw the shades first so as not to frighten unsuspecting neighbors).
Part The Cars on speed, Part Kurt Cobain on Xanax, and part The Knack getting its Knack on, Tyrannosaurus Hives brings it with the massive force of a, well… large ferocious dinosaur of lore. If you like upbeat, aggressive rock with new wave and power pop undertones, this album demands of you: possess its greatness.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
DB Up in Your Ear: Between Under and Overrated
Spin has a fun and oddly compelling article that lists the “10 Most Accurately Rated Artists in Rock History.” Noting that musical discussions invariably focus upon which bands are overrated (Sonic Youth) and underrated (Thin Lizzy), Chuck Klosterman took it upon himself to set the record straight and level on the most perfectly rated bands of all time.
Of note:
- The Black Crowes’ (#10) first album sold more than five million copies, which is “exactly the right number.”
- Madness’ (#9) best single, “Our House,” “was a pretty great single, but it’s nobodies favorites song. No one seems to dispute that.”
- Matthew Sweet (#5) albums contain exactly one good song, the first one, and it’s “always utterly perfect… He sells enough albums to live comfortably, and that seems reasonable.” Sweet.
- The Beatles (#4) “are generally seen as the single most important rock band of all time, because they wrote all the best songs. Since both of these facts are true, the Beatles are rated properly.”
- Van Halen (#1) “should have been the biggest arena act of the early 1980s, and they were. They had the greatest guitar player of the 1980s, and everyone (except possibly Yngwie Malmsteen) seems to agree. They switched singers and became semi-crappy, and nobody aggressively disputes that fact. They also recorded the most average song in rock history: “And the Cradle Will Rock.” What this means is that any song better than “And the Cradle Will Rock” is good, and any song worse than “And the Cradle Will Rock” is bad. If we were to rank every rock song (in sequential order) from best to worst, “And the Cradle Will Rock” would be right in the fucking middle.”
All this talk about rating got me to thinking about the way that music fans, real music fans, think about music. There’s something great about owning a bunch of albums by an underrated or unknown band, a band you know in your heart of hearts is super-cool. (For the record: the bands that fall into this mode for me at present include Jurassic 5, Boss Hogg, The Von Bondies, and The Distillers.) These bands and the music they play define you in a way, give you a personal air of the exotic that no one else even knows about. But you know, and that’s what counts.
Occasionally, an underrated band will ascend to perfectly rated or even overrated glory. When The Mighty Mighty Boss Tones leapt to fleeting superstardom off the power of their ska-lounge album Let’s Face It (Dickie Barrett even intones on their superior live album "Live from the Middle East," in reference to the smash single “The Impression That I Get”: “Who wants to hear this fucking song again?”), it was a little bit sad in a way, like seeing one of your children off into the world. You’re happy and elated that they found success, but you kind of miss that completely irrational sense of connection you felt with them, their music, their way of life. And if you ever see snotty 14-year-olds with baggy pants wearing a tee-shirt with that band’s name on it, you’ll walk straight into an elementary school and slowly scratch your fingernails slow and hard against the nearest blackboard until it’s all, all better.
That’s the cool thing about music, though: the pendulum constantly swings. Thanks to the Gods that’s so, as it makes for plenty to talk about, and plenty more to listen to.
Of note:
- The Black Crowes’ (#10) first album sold more than five million copies, which is “exactly the right number.”
- Madness’ (#9) best single, “Our House,” “was a pretty great single, but it’s nobodies favorites song. No one seems to dispute that.”
- Matthew Sweet (#5) albums contain exactly one good song, the first one, and it’s “always utterly perfect… He sells enough albums to live comfortably, and that seems reasonable.” Sweet.
- The Beatles (#4) “are generally seen as the single most important rock band of all time, because they wrote all the best songs. Since both of these facts are true, the Beatles are rated properly.”
- Van Halen (#1) “should have been the biggest arena act of the early 1980s, and they were. They had the greatest guitar player of the 1980s, and everyone (except possibly Yngwie Malmsteen) seems to agree. They switched singers and became semi-crappy, and nobody aggressively disputes that fact. They also recorded the most average song in rock history: “And the Cradle Will Rock.” What this means is that any song better than “And the Cradle Will Rock” is good, and any song worse than “And the Cradle Will Rock” is bad. If we were to rank every rock song (in sequential order) from best to worst, “And the Cradle Will Rock” would be right in the fucking middle.”
All this talk about rating got me to thinking about the way that music fans, real music fans, think about music. There’s something great about owning a bunch of albums by an underrated or unknown band, a band you know in your heart of hearts is super-cool. (For the record: the bands that fall into this mode for me at present include Jurassic 5, Boss Hogg, The Von Bondies, and The Distillers.) These bands and the music they play define you in a way, give you a personal air of the exotic that no one else even knows about. But you know, and that’s what counts.
Occasionally, an underrated band will ascend to perfectly rated or even overrated glory. When The Mighty Mighty Boss Tones leapt to fleeting superstardom off the power of their ska-lounge album Let’s Face It (Dickie Barrett even intones on their superior live album "Live from the Middle East," in reference to the smash single “The Impression That I Get”: “Who wants to hear this fucking song again?”), it was a little bit sad in a way, like seeing one of your children off into the world. You’re happy and elated that they found success, but you kind of miss that completely irrational sense of connection you felt with them, their music, their way of life. And if you ever see snotty 14-year-olds with baggy pants wearing a tee-shirt with that band’s name on it, you’ll walk straight into an elementary school and slowly scratch your fingernails slow and hard against the nearest blackboard until it’s all, all better.
That’s the cool thing about music, though: the pendulum constantly swings. Thanks to the Gods that’s so, as it makes for plenty to talk about, and plenty more to listen to.
Keeping It Real Politik: Iraq 2004 = Vietnam 1966?
Compelling and disturbing analysis of war casualty figures in Monday’s edition of Slate. The upshot is that if you factor in such things as recent improvements in medical technology (battle wounds are fatal at a much lower rate than even 10 years ago), tactics (medical teams are now positioned much closer to the combat zone than ever before), and the number of troops deployed (Vietnam 1966: 385,000; Iraq 2004: 142,000), American soldiers are dying at almost the same rate in Iraq over the past year as in Vietnam in 1966.
(Link: http://www.slate.com/id/2111432/)
“The casualty statistics make clear that our nation is involved in a war whose intensity on the ground matches that of previous American wars. Indeed, the proportional burden on the infantryman is at its highest level since World War I.”
This is just another piece of bad news that keeps filtering home from the warfront. While the Vietnam War took a number of years to turn sour in the hearts and minds of many Americans, the omnipresent 24/7 news cycle – which really became a mainstay during the first Gulf War, and now includes the Internet and its new universe of the blogosphere – has not until now had a protracted and deadly US occupation to sink its teeth into.
Is it just a matter of time before the calls to end the Iraq War become louder? Will elections, planned to take place next month under the shakiest of circumstances, do anything to bolster confidence in the Iraqi-led government both within Iraq and amongst worried observers in the US?
(Link: http://www.slate.com/id/2111432/)
“The casualty statistics make clear that our nation is involved in a war whose intensity on the ground matches that of previous American wars. Indeed, the proportional burden on the infantryman is at its highest level since World War I.”
This is just another piece of bad news that keeps filtering home from the warfront. While the Vietnam War took a number of years to turn sour in the hearts and minds of many Americans, the omnipresent 24/7 news cycle – which really became a mainstay during the first Gulf War, and now includes the Internet and its new universe of the blogosphere – has not until now had a protracted and deadly US occupation to sink its teeth into.
Is it just a matter of time before the calls to end the Iraq War become louder? Will elections, planned to take place next month under the shakiest of circumstances, do anything to bolster confidence in the Iraqi-led government both within Iraq and amongst worried observers in the US?
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
I Scream for iPod
I’ve owned an iPod for about half a year and thoroughly enjoy it. For those of you who may not be hip to it, an iPod is a popular version of a handheld mp3 player. I spent several weeks converting my CDs into digital form (or mp3) on iTunes, the audio software I have set up on my computer, and was therefore able to quickly transfer songs and playlists to my iPod via an easy-to-use USB cable.
The ability to carry several thousands around with you wherever you go – walking the streets, at the gym, on a supermarket line with a screaming baby behind you and the Coupon Crusader at the check-out – is pure bliss.
It’s only been the last few months, though, that I’ve really taken the iPod experience to the next level. The keys are podcasts and iTrip.
Podcasts
Podcasts are free Internet-only radio broadcasts. All you need to do is to set up iPodder, also a free software download. Once you’ve selected the shows that you would like to receive, iPodder will automatically send new broadcasts to iTunes. If you already have iTunes set up, it's a fairly easy process to begin receiving podcasts.
Download iPodder: http://ipodder.sourceforge.net/index.php
Here are some of the better shows I've found... though keep in mind that dozens of new shows are debuting each month.
Adam Curry: Daily Source Code
This is the Sports Center of the podcasting world. Plus, you get some techie news and tips, 80s trivia, and some insight into ex-pat life in Europe (Curry broadcast from Holland for a while, but recently moved to England).
WeFunk Radio
This is the podcast version of a Montreal weekly radio show that is absolutely the best mix of old school funk, underground hip hop, and R&B I have ever heard. It's really a jewel of a listen, and there are about 350 archived shows you can stream over the Internet.
Air America Radio: The Al Franken Show
If you lean to the left and like Franken, now you can take him wherever you go.
Blogosphere Radio.com
Very good, concise news and notes on what's going on in the blogging world. It really helped me to broaden my blogging horizons.
The $250 Million Radio Show and Podcasting from London
They're both devoted to non-RIAA music, one broadcast from a light train in Los Angeles, the other from a bus stop in London.
Real Reviews MWG Blog
Great and substantive movie reviews, including a Cinephile series that recently had in depth looks at Memento and Mulholland Drive.
Song of the Day
Self explanatory and surprisingly good.
A friend of mine claims that "Evil Genius Chronicles" is great, but I can't seem to get it to work for some reason. I also recently hooked my wife up with a show that is supposed to be very good at teaching Spanish.
The biggest overall problem I have with podcasting is that I never have enough time to listen to everything. Tough problem, eh?
iTrip
This was a key holiday season yield. iTrip, a small attachment to the iPod, allows the iPod to wirelessly send a signal to any nearby radio and play mp3s through its stereo speakers. This means that not only can you take your iPod with you wherever you go, you can literally listen to your iPod all day: in the car, at work, at home, wherever.
iTrip: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itrip/
Now, here’s the beautiful part: with iTunes, iPod, podcasts, and iTrip, you get free radio shows, from Adam Curry to WeFunk, pumping into iTunes every morning. Once you’ve quickly synched up your iPod, you can play your favorite shows (or any of your favorite several thousand songs) in your car on the way to work, at work if you like (and/or can get away with it) and all the way home as well.
It will be interesting to see if the podcasting phenomenon continues to explode (it really has only been going since the summer) and if that will have any impact on satellite radio.
But for now, I’m almost hoping to latch onto a job where I can sit back and enjoy my iPod in the heart of LA’s traffic maelstrom.
Note I: Special shout-out to Lawrence Yu for putting me on the path to Podcasting Nirvana.
Note II: I've been having problems with links lately, which is why you've been seeing some links split out from the text. I'm trying to get that straightened out, or Dumpster Busted like.
The ability to carry several thousands around with you wherever you go – walking the streets, at the gym, on a supermarket line with a screaming baby behind you and the Coupon Crusader at the check-out – is pure bliss.
It’s only been the last few months, though, that I’ve really taken the iPod experience to the next level. The keys are podcasts and iTrip.
Podcasts
Podcasts are free Internet-only radio broadcasts. All you need to do is to set up iPodder, also a free software download. Once you’ve selected the shows that you would like to receive, iPodder will automatically send new broadcasts to iTunes. If you already have iTunes set up, it's a fairly easy process to begin receiving podcasts.
Download iPodder: http://ipodder.sourceforge.net/index.php
Here are some of the better shows I've found... though keep in mind that dozens of new shows are debuting each month.
Adam Curry: Daily Source Code
This is the Sports Center of the podcasting world. Plus, you get some techie news and tips, 80s trivia, and some insight into ex-pat life in Europe (Curry broadcast from Holland for a while, but recently moved to England).
WeFunk Radio
This is the podcast version of a Montreal weekly radio show that is absolutely the best mix of old school funk, underground hip hop, and R&B I have ever heard. It's really a jewel of a listen, and there are about 350 archived shows you can stream over the Internet.
Air America Radio: The Al Franken Show
If you lean to the left and like Franken, now you can take him wherever you go.
Blogosphere Radio.com
Very good, concise news and notes on what's going on in the blogging world. It really helped me to broaden my blogging horizons.
The $250 Million Radio Show and Podcasting from London
They're both devoted to non-RIAA music, one broadcast from a light train in Los Angeles, the other from a bus stop in London.
Real Reviews MWG Blog
Great and substantive movie reviews, including a Cinephile series that recently had in depth looks at Memento and Mulholland Drive.
Song of the Day
Self explanatory and surprisingly good.
A friend of mine claims that "Evil Genius Chronicles" is great, but I can't seem to get it to work for some reason. I also recently hooked my wife up with a show that is supposed to be very good at teaching Spanish.
The biggest overall problem I have with podcasting is that I never have enough time to listen to everything. Tough problem, eh?
iTrip
This was a key holiday season yield. iTrip, a small attachment to the iPod, allows the iPod to wirelessly send a signal to any nearby radio and play mp3s through its stereo speakers. This means that not only can you take your iPod with you wherever you go, you can literally listen to your iPod all day: in the car, at work, at home, wherever.
iTrip: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itrip/
Now, here’s the beautiful part: with iTunes, iPod, podcasts, and iTrip, you get free radio shows, from Adam Curry to WeFunk, pumping into iTunes every morning. Once you’ve quickly synched up your iPod, you can play your favorite shows (or any of your favorite several thousand songs) in your car on the way to work, at work if you like (and/or can get away with it) and all the way home as well.
It will be interesting to see if the podcasting phenomenon continues to explode (it really has only been going since the summer) and if that will have any impact on satellite radio.
But for now, I’m almost hoping to latch onto a job where I can sit back and enjoy my iPod in the heart of LA’s traffic maelstrom.
Note I: Special shout-out to Lawrence Yu for putting me on the path to Podcasting Nirvana.
Note II: I've been having problems with links lately, which is why you've been seeing some links split out from the text. I'm trying to get that straightened out, or Dumpster Busted like.
Monday, December 27, 2004
DB on TV: Adam Carolla to Get His Own Talker
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Adam Carolla of Loveline and Crank Yankers and The Man Show fame is heading back to Comedy Central, this time to get his own half-hour, nightly talk show. He’ll likely take over the slot vacated by the cancellation of Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and therefore be paired with The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, one of Comedy Central’s top shows.
It was sad that Tough Crowd got canceled. It was raw and had its down moments, but overall it was a bright spot in late night comedy. Quinn’s gruff but endearing camaraderie with an often goofy band of fellow comics -- kibitzing and talking trash over the news of the day -- was a great and innovative concept, improving upon Bill Maher’s work on Politically Incorrect with its penchant for snoozer guests and uneven forays into serious analysis. Tough Crowd went for laughs first, but it often hit home with a satirical zest only matched by the modern king of that art: Jon Stewart himself.
If anyone should replace Quinn with a new show, it is Carolla. Somewhat marginalized by his long-time status as late night co-host of radio’s Loveline with Dr. Drew Pinsky, it’s easy to miss one of the funniest and sharpest comedians working today. The trick will be to harness Carolla’s sharp wit and ability to take almost any topic and develop an outlandish rant (recent example: the Jews are a fire-retardant people; the reason? They manage to light eight candles during Chanukah whilst possessing long curly beards, untucked shirts, and long flowing prayer shawls with nary a fire), so format will be key. The Man Show was testament to this: while at times funny, it stifled Carolla’s ability to let-it-fly. I also think that losing the amiable but less talented (as showman and live comedian) Jimmy Kimmel will allow Carolla to further shine.
In other potential good news, Norm Macdonald is developing a half-hour sketch comedy show for Comedy Central. If Macdonald can pull off the deadpan sarcasm and straight-faced lunacy that he honed over at Saturday Night Live, there could be good things afoot.
It was sad that Tough Crowd got canceled. It was raw and had its down moments, but overall it was a bright spot in late night comedy. Quinn’s gruff but endearing camaraderie with an often goofy band of fellow comics -- kibitzing and talking trash over the news of the day -- was a great and innovative concept, improving upon Bill Maher’s work on Politically Incorrect with its penchant for snoozer guests and uneven forays into serious analysis. Tough Crowd went for laughs first, but it often hit home with a satirical zest only matched by the modern king of that art: Jon Stewart himself.
If anyone should replace Quinn with a new show, it is Carolla. Somewhat marginalized by his long-time status as late night co-host of radio’s Loveline with Dr. Drew Pinsky, it’s easy to miss one of the funniest and sharpest comedians working today. The trick will be to harness Carolla’s sharp wit and ability to take almost any topic and develop an outlandish rant (recent example: the Jews are a fire-retardant people; the reason? They manage to light eight candles during Chanukah whilst possessing long curly beards, untucked shirts, and long flowing prayer shawls with nary a fire), so format will be key. The Man Show was testament to this: while at times funny, it stifled Carolla’s ability to let-it-fly. I also think that losing the amiable but less talented (as showman and live comedian) Jimmy Kimmel will allow Carolla to further shine.
In other potential good news, Norm Macdonald is developing a half-hour sketch comedy show for Comedy Central. If Macdonald can pull off the deadpan sarcasm and straight-faced lunacy that he honed over at Saturday Night Live, there could be good things afoot.
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Keeping It Real Politik: The Not-So-Boring Harry Reid & Howard Dean for DNC
Slate.com has a slightly tongue-in-cheek refutation of Nevada Sen. Harry Reid’s reputation as being boring, colorless, or, even worse, lacking former Democratic Minority Leader Tom Daschle’s “flair.” (Link: http://www.slate.com/id/2111392/)
Interesting tid-bits include reference to Reid as inspiration for an in-the-pocket Gaming Commission member in Martin Scorsese’s Casino.
All of that’s well and good. On a recent Meet the Press appearance, I thought that Harry Reid came across as tough, intelligent, and crafty: all the qualities that have made him a skillful Senate negotiator and deal-maker.
I mention all of this because Dumpster Bust has been tough on Reid in the past. However, this does not make Harry Reid, the new Democratic Minority Leader in the Senate, the best person to be the face of the Democratic Party for the next several years.
Dumpster Bust and DraftHoward.com are still banking on something of a long-shot: new direction, new leadership, for Democratic National Chairperson: Howard Dean.
Dean is the right person to lead the party heading toward the 2006 mid-term elections. He will continue to excite the party, bring in new members, and create a well-articulated vision for where the party should go in opposition to an across-the-board conservative majority. Victories in 2006 will set the stage for an energized Democratic base for 2008 after two devastating presidential results in a row.
And perhaps the best news of all? Dean as DNC will prevent him from running for President in ’08. This will open the way for John Kerry or Hillary Rodham Clinton or Mark Warner of Virginia.
Interesting tid-bits include reference to Reid as inspiration for an in-the-pocket Gaming Commission member in Martin Scorsese’s Casino.
All of that’s well and good. On a recent Meet the Press appearance, I thought that Harry Reid came across as tough, intelligent, and crafty: all the qualities that have made him a skillful Senate negotiator and deal-maker.
I mention all of this because Dumpster Bust has been tough on Reid in the past. However, this does not make Harry Reid, the new Democratic Minority Leader in the Senate, the best person to be the face of the Democratic Party for the next several years.
Dumpster Bust and DraftHoward.com are still banking on something of a long-shot: new direction, new leadership, for Democratic National Chairperson: Howard Dean.
Dean is the right person to lead the party heading toward the 2006 mid-term elections. He will continue to excite the party, bring in new members, and create a well-articulated vision for where the party should go in opposition to an across-the-board conservative majority. Victories in 2006 will set the stage for an energized Democratic base for 2008 after two devastating presidential results in a row.
And perhaps the best news of all? Dean as DNC will prevent him from running for President in ’08. This will open the way for John Kerry or Hillary Rodham Clinton or Mark Warner of Virginia.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
DB Media Shakedown: Paris Hilton Banned from Lowdown
Stop the presses. Paris Hilton, she of richer-than-you-or-I-will-ever-be-parents and naughty naughty sex videos and exploitive and insipid reality television has finally been brought to justice.
Well, maybe not. But she has been banned by Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown column in New York Daily News. After one last tell-all run-down of vapid debauchery, that is.
(Link: http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/264804p-226754c.html)
Grove runs down a litany of Hilton offenses against nature and society, all of which were, of course, chronicled by Lowdown at one time or another. But no more! he says. Among the crimes:
- She doesn’t strain credulity, she herniates it
- She’s proud to be snobbish
- She’s a bad tipper
- She has distressing taste in men
The horror! The best quote I have read in some time comes from the multi-talented actor/author/director Stephen Fry, one of my all-time favorite writers:
Being Paris "takes a startling vanity, an enormous lack of selfknowledge and a huge amount of greed and desire."
But isn’t that the fuel that makes gossip columns like Lowdown go?
Well, maybe not. But she has been banned by Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown column in New York Daily News. After one last tell-all run-down of vapid debauchery, that is.
(Link: http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/264804p-226754c.html)
Grove runs down a litany of Hilton offenses against nature and society, all of which were, of course, chronicled by Lowdown at one time or another. But no more! he says. Among the crimes:
- She doesn’t strain credulity, she herniates it
- She’s proud to be snobbish
- She’s a bad tipper
- She has distressing taste in men
The horror! The best quote I have read in some time comes from the multi-talented actor/author/director Stephen Fry, one of my all-time favorite writers:
Being Paris "takes a startling vanity, an enormous lack of selfknowledge and a huge amount of greed and desire."
But isn’t that the fuel that makes gossip columns like Lowdown go?
DB Up in Your Ear: What is Ska?
I’ve had a number of formative moments as a music appreciator and slavish devotee. Among the most important was a night in the early 90s when I was taken along to something called the Skavoovie Tour at a little bar in Ithaca, New York. I didn’t know what the hell that meant, but I figured it might be a good time.
God, it was. I was treated to the sounds of three great touring bands – The Scofflaws, Pietasters, and The Toasters – and a style of music that blew my doors down and shattered the windows for good measure.
It’s hard to put your finger on ska. Merriam-Webster defines it as “popular music of Jamaican origin that combines elements of traditional Caribbean rhythms and jazz.” AllMusic.com states: “Although structurally simple, ska has a bevy of influences, synthesizing American R&B, jump blues, Jamaican mento, calypso and other Caribbean styles, big-band swing, Afro-Cuban jazz, pocomania and other local religious folk music, and European ballroom dances.”
But that doesn’t really cover it. Its sound has changed and evolved over the years. Ska matured into rock steady for a while, but really became "noticed" (in the US, at least) when English bands like The Specials mixed in just enough rock and roll to give us the modern ska sound.
Ska relies on a staccato off-beat guitar rhythm for its signature (modern) sound. Think of a pick strumming a guitar: usually you get a down-strum sound and an up-strum sound, right? Now, with ska, on the down-strum sound, instead of letting all of the sound ring forth from the strings, the left hand (the fingers of which create the notes or chord: and with ska you get a LOT of chords) mutes the strings so you get a THWACK sound instead of an ordinary ringing sound. Then, on the up-stroke the full sound is let out.
Therefore, ska produces a thwack-chord thwack-chord thwack-chord sound, with the chords always filling up the off-beats.
Many ska bands utilize a horn section, though not always. The lead vocals are usually clear and melodic, with harmonizing backing vocals for support and texture.
A great example of this sound is on The Specials' "A Message to You Rudy," also one of the all-time classic ska songs.
Ska also combines wonderfully with a myriad of other styles. Take, for instance:
Latin Ska – King Chango is your must-listen here
Ska Punk – Check out Operation Ivy, Rancid, and Suicide Machines for starters
Ska Core – Ska and hardcore: Mighty Mighty Boss Tones and Voodoo Glow Skulls are the best in the business
Ska Lounge – Check out Mighty Mighty Boss Tones’ break-out LP “Let’s Face It”
Reggae Ska – For early influence sound with such classic bands as the Skatalites, check out a compilation LP entitled “Ska Island”
Jazzy Ska – Moon Records out of New York City is your bet here, with such acts as the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble and Pietasters
DB Note: it definitely doesn’t hurt to work the word “ska” into your band title if you want to start a ska band. To wit: Scofflaws, Skatalites, Mephiskapheles. I believe Alaska is still open, but I would need to check on that.
God, it was. I was treated to the sounds of three great touring bands – The Scofflaws, Pietasters, and The Toasters – and a style of music that blew my doors down and shattered the windows for good measure.
It’s hard to put your finger on ska. Merriam-Webster defines it as “popular music of Jamaican origin that combines elements of traditional Caribbean rhythms and jazz.” AllMusic.com states: “Although structurally simple, ska has a bevy of influences, synthesizing American R&B, jump blues, Jamaican mento, calypso and other Caribbean styles, big-band swing, Afro-Cuban jazz, pocomania and other local religious folk music, and European ballroom dances.”
But that doesn’t really cover it. Its sound has changed and evolved over the years. Ska matured into rock steady for a while, but really became "noticed" (in the US, at least) when English bands like The Specials mixed in just enough rock and roll to give us the modern ska sound.
Ska relies on a staccato off-beat guitar rhythm for its signature (modern) sound. Think of a pick strumming a guitar: usually you get a down-strum sound and an up-strum sound, right? Now, with ska, on the down-strum sound, instead of letting all of the sound ring forth from the strings, the left hand (the fingers of which create the notes or chord: and with ska you get a LOT of chords) mutes the strings so you get a THWACK sound instead of an ordinary ringing sound. Then, on the up-stroke the full sound is let out.
Therefore, ska produces a thwack-chord thwack-chord thwack-chord sound, with the chords always filling up the off-beats.
Many ska bands utilize a horn section, though not always. The lead vocals are usually clear and melodic, with harmonizing backing vocals for support and texture.
A great example of this sound is on The Specials' "A Message to You Rudy," also one of the all-time classic ska songs.
Ska also combines wonderfully with a myriad of other styles. Take, for instance:
Latin Ska – King Chango is your must-listen here
Ska Punk – Check out Operation Ivy, Rancid, and Suicide Machines for starters
Ska Core – Ska and hardcore: Mighty Mighty Boss Tones and Voodoo Glow Skulls are the best in the business
Ska Lounge – Check out Mighty Mighty Boss Tones’ break-out LP “Let’s Face It”
Reggae Ska – For early influence sound with such classic bands as the Skatalites, check out a compilation LP entitled “Ska Island”
Jazzy Ska – Moon Records out of New York City is your bet here, with such acts as the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble and Pietasters
DB Note: it definitely doesn’t hurt to work the word “ska” into your band title if you want to start a ska band. To wit: Scofflaws, Skatalites, Mephiskapheles. I believe Alaska is still open, but I would need to check on that.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
DB Up in Your Ear: The Top 40 Kick-Ass Songs of All Time
I was at the gym recently pummeling away at the damnable elliptical contraption when the worst thing in the world happened: the batteries in my iPod kicked out on me. I was therefore subjected to 25 dim and horrid minutes of background gym music. “Toxic,” by Britney Spears, was the only song near tolerable. Yes, it was a time to sweat and think and Bear Down.
I started thinking about Top 40 radio, wondering who listened to this kind of broadly accessible music nowadays. Certainly not anyone that I know, I thought. I then started thinking: What if I could program a radio station and play my Top 40 of All Time Kick-Ass greats?
As soon as I got home, I began to occupy myself with compiling and composing criteria, important geek tasks of the highest order. An all-time kick-ass song, as I defined it, was a song you have a history with: you played it after a job interview in your car and screamed at the top of your lungs. You cranked it to 11 after a final exam until the entire dormitory pounded at your door and told you to have a little respect dude, other people are still trying to study. You used it as a crutch to get you around that last quarter-mile on the track. And on and on.
I started to get into specifics, and realized only certain kinds of songs qualified. For example, some songs make me feel bad ass, but aren’t necessarily all-time kick-ass material, like “Still D.R.E.,” by Dr. Dre. Then there are songs that are compulsive and giddy and great, like “Ma and Pa,” by Fishbone, and “Let’s Push Things Forward,” by The Streets, but don’t quite rank with the kick-ass heavyweights.
The list started to take form and shape. As I looked it over, I realized that in many ways it revealed a lot about me, as though I were letting long lost secrets, notes, and files out of my own personal Musical & Emotional Vault. That’s stupid, though, I thought. But is it?
Without further adieu, here’s my Top 40 Kick-Ass Songs of All Time, in no particular order. Have a look, and please hit me back with your own kick-ass agenda, your own top secret musical files.
Burnt Orange Peels – Beck
Say Anything – Bouncing Souls
Sick of It All – The Distillers
Can I Run – L7
Walking Contradiction – Green Day
Broken Face – Pixies (live)
Crackity Jones – Pixies (live)
Super Rad – Aquabats
Police On My Back – The Clash
What’s Golden – Jurassic 5
Woman in the House – Brother Meat (live)
The Unknown Soldier – The Doors
Peace Frog – The Doors
Pocket Full of Fatcaps – Downset
Know Your Enemy – Rage Against the Machine
Do It Clean – Echo & the Bunnymen
War – Edwin Star
I Just Want to Celebrate – Rare Earth
How’s My Driving – Less Than Jake
Zero – Perfect Thyroid
Damage, Inc. – Metallica
Devil’s Night Out – The Mighty Mighty Boss Tones
My Sharona – The Knack
I Got No – Operation Ivy
Live at P.J.’s – The Beastie Boys
Salvation – Rancid
All You Need – Sublime
Step One – Suicide Machines
Strike – Suicide Machines
C’mon C’mon – The Von Bondies
Insubordination – Voodoo Glow Skulls
Last Party – Voodoo Glow Skulls
Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth – The Dandy Warhols (live)
Suffragette City – David Bowie
Ski Bunny – Boss Hog
Freedom of Choice – Devo
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter – Nirvana
Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo
Trendy – Reel Big Fish
Fall Together – Weezer
I started thinking about Top 40 radio, wondering who listened to this kind of broadly accessible music nowadays. Certainly not anyone that I know, I thought. I then started thinking: What if I could program a radio station and play my Top 40 of All Time Kick-Ass greats?
As soon as I got home, I began to occupy myself with compiling and composing criteria, important geek tasks of the highest order. An all-time kick-ass song, as I defined it, was a song you have a history with: you played it after a job interview in your car and screamed at the top of your lungs. You cranked it to 11 after a final exam until the entire dormitory pounded at your door and told you to have a little respect dude, other people are still trying to study. You used it as a crutch to get you around that last quarter-mile on the track. And on and on.
I started to get into specifics, and realized only certain kinds of songs qualified. For example, some songs make me feel bad ass, but aren’t necessarily all-time kick-ass material, like “Still D.R.E.,” by Dr. Dre. Then there are songs that are compulsive and giddy and great, like “Ma and Pa,” by Fishbone, and “Let’s Push Things Forward,” by The Streets, but don’t quite rank with the kick-ass heavyweights.
The list started to take form and shape. As I looked it over, I realized that in many ways it revealed a lot about me, as though I were letting long lost secrets, notes, and files out of my own personal Musical & Emotional Vault. That’s stupid, though, I thought. But is it?
Without further adieu, here’s my Top 40 Kick-Ass Songs of All Time, in no particular order. Have a look, and please hit me back with your own kick-ass agenda, your own top secret musical files.
Burnt Orange Peels – Beck
Say Anything – Bouncing Souls
Sick of It All – The Distillers
Can I Run – L7
Walking Contradiction – Green Day
Broken Face – Pixies (live)
Crackity Jones – Pixies (live)
Super Rad – Aquabats
Police On My Back – The Clash
What’s Golden – Jurassic 5
Woman in the House – Brother Meat (live)
The Unknown Soldier – The Doors
Peace Frog – The Doors
Pocket Full of Fatcaps – Downset
Know Your Enemy – Rage Against the Machine
Do It Clean – Echo & the Bunnymen
War – Edwin Star
I Just Want to Celebrate – Rare Earth
How’s My Driving – Less Than Jake
Zero – Perfect Thyroid
Damage, Inc. – Metallica
Devil’s Night Out – The Mighty Mighty Boss Tones
My Sharona – The Knack
I Got No – Operation Ivy
Live at P.J.’s – The Beastie Boys
Salvation – Rancid
All You Need – Sublime
Step One – Suicide Machines
Strike – Suicide Machines
C’mon C’mon – The Von Bondies
Insubordination – Voodoo Glow Skulls
Last Party – Voodoo Glow Skulls
Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth – The Dandy Warhols (live)
Suffragette City – David Bowie
Ski Bunny – Boss Hog
Freedom of Choice – Devo
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter – Nirvana
Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo
Trendy – Reel Big Fish
Fall Together – Weezer
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Keeping It Real Politik: Religion, Religiosity, & the New Culture Wars
Exit polling from the last two presidential elections tell us that the Blue State / Red State split, the liberal / conservative split, the men / women split, and a few other splits all pale in comparison to the religious split. And no, the United States isn’t about to implode along Protestant-Catholic or Christian-Islamic lines or anything like that.
But the fact is that one of the most important trends in politics is that those who regularly attend church or a house of worship prefer the Republican Party by a wide margin while those who don’t attend regularly prefer the Democrats by a similarly wide margin.
Why is this so? There are many reasons, but the fact is that this religious divide may define American political and cultural life for some time to come.
Just check the front lines… at cable news, anyway. The folks at Fox and Pat Buchanan over at Scarborough Country seem to be using the Season of Good Cheer as a political weapon of sorts against the ungodly masses. To wit:
“Last week on Scarborough Country, there was Pat Buchanan's distinctly testy-sounding ‘Merry Christmas’ in answer to a guest from the American Atheists association who wished him a happy ‘winter solstice.’”
Meanwhile, the President of all of the religions of the United States wants us to “remember the humble birth of our savior.” This was uttered during a Christmas in Washington variety special.
In this new environment and with a conservative across-the-board government, the religious right is looking to get theirs. Example: Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas will push to “oppose Supreme Court nominees friendly to abortion rights.”
So where does this leave us? I’m not entirely sure. But look for religion and religiosity to be a key wedge issue in national politics for some time to come.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Keeping It Real Politik: No, they didn’t… Time magazine names George W. Bush 2004 Person of the Year
Time magazine has named President George W. Bush as their 2004 Person of the Year.
If the President was chosen for this honor as the person who had the most influence on the past year’s events, then I suppose I can buy it. But if the selection was made in terms of “greatness” (and I paraphrase Yoda circa The Empire Strikes Back to illustrate this point: “War makes a person not great”) then I just can’t stomach it.
Give me the Boston Red Sox, give me Donald Trump, give me Paris Hilton. Just not Bush. Anybody but Bush (sound familiar?).
And I’ll end this gathering with another movie quote, one of my favorites, from The Matrix:
“Not like this… No, not like this.”
Update: Bombs in Karbala, Najaf kill more than 60
If the President was chosen for this honor as the person who had the most influence on the past year’s events, then I suppose I can buy it. But if the selection was made in terms of “greatness” (and I paraphrase Yoda circa The Empire Strikes Back to illustrate this point: “War makes a person not great”) then I just can’t stomach it.
Give me the Boston Red Sox, give me Donald Trump, give me Paris Hilton. Just not Bush. Anybody but Bush (sound familiar?).
And I’ll end this gathering with another movie quote, one of my favorites, from The Matrix:
“Not like this… No, not like this.”
Update: Bombs in Karbala, Najaf kill more than 60
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Dumpster Bust Film Squad: Chomping at the Bit for Serenity
Where have thee gone, Joss Whedon? We Brown Coats be getting our jones on…
For a variety of sad reasons, Joss Whedon, the masterfully inventive creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, was knocked clean out of television last year by the cancellation of Angel after its fifth season. So discouraged is Mr. Whedon by the current climate of reality television and its effect on budgets for new fictional shows that he is said to be content to work on films for the time being.
Thankfully, one of the best shows to never get a real shot at television greatness, Firefly, is getting a second chance on the silver screen under the name of Serenity.
Ahhhh… Serenity now!
Well, unfortunately, not quite now. Serenity’s release recently got pushed back to Fall ’05, so here’s some Hot Stove talk to pass over the time:
Serenity is getting rave reviews in early screenings, as this Ain’t It Cool News dispatch explains. The concept of the show was almost as perfect as its wonderful and eclectic cast of characters. It takes place 500 years in the future, when human kind has taken to populating the galaxy through the miracle of terraforming, turning rocky worlds into habitable and breathable planets. However, the great kicker is that these settlers are now struggling through the early stages of colonization and exist in settings that are Wild West-like (except with the occasional space ship).
Enter Serenity, a Firefly-class ship that holds our crusty yet loveable cast of buccaneers and malcontents. Outcasts from a civil war they wound up on the losing side of, Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathon Fillion) leads his crew on outside-the-law missions in order to stay afloat and away from the corporate, banal Inner Worlds.
So really, everything’s set up for Millenium Falcon missions with a fun and feisty cast that includes the hilarious tandem of Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb) and Alan Tudyk (‘Wash’ Warren). We also get lovely ladies Jewel Staite (Kaylee Frye) and Gina Torres (Zoe Warren) as Captain Mal’s tough and capable right-hand woman. Torres has recently had spicy and recurring roles on Angel and Alias. Adam Baldwin showed up for some memorably in the final apocalyptic episodes of Angel. And believe it or not, Nathon Fillion was one of the main baddies (remember the really super creepy preacher dude?) in the final season of Buffy. So Joss likes to keep his crews tight – and that’s a good thing.
Serenity picks off about six months after Firefly was (brutally) cut short, and will likely reveal more of the mystery surrounding Dr. Simon Tam (Sean Maher) and his troubled, brilliant sister River (Summer Glau) as well as the sinister folks from the Alliance that want to get their hands on her.
But most of all, I’m looking forward to seeing what, if anything, transpires in the romance department between Mal and Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin). Firefly was canceled before any real sparks were let loose, but there were the stirrings of a complex and compelling storyline there a la Buffy-Angel in Season Two of Buffy. A recent movie poster that I saw did not include Baccarin, and it would be a real shame if she were not part of the film franchise. However, IMDb still includes her in the cast list (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0379786/) , so all we can do is wait and hope.
So, Serenity: space opera, western adventure, great cast, Joss Whedon. You can’t go wrong.
Except for the waiting… the waiting hurts.
For a variety of sad reasons, Joss Whedon, the masterfully inventive creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, was knocked clean out of television last year by the cancellation of Angel after its fifth season. So discouraged is Mr. Whedon by the current climate of reality television and its effect on budgets for new fictional shows that he is said to be content to work on films for the time being.
Thankfully, one of the best shows to never get a real shot at television greatness, Firefly, is getting a second chance on the silver screen under the name of Serenity.
Ahhhh… Serenity now!
Well, unfortunately, not quite now. Serenity’s release recently got pushed back to Fall ’05, so here’s some Hot Stove talk to pass over the time:
Serenity is getting rave reviews in early screenings, as this Ain’t It Cool News dispatch explains. The concept of the show was almost as perfect as its wonderful and eclectic cast of characters. It takes place 500 years in the future, when human kind has taken to populating the galaxy through the miracle of terraforming, turning rocky worlds into habitable and breathable planets. However, the great kicker is that these settlers are now struggling through the early stages of colonization and exist in settings that are Wild West-like (except with the occasional space ship).
Enter Serenity, a Firefly-class ship that holds our crusty yet loveable cast of buccaneers and malcontents. Outcasts from a civil war they wound up on the losing side of, Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathon Fillion) leads his crew on outside-the-law missions in order to stay afloat and away from the corporate, banal Inner Worlds.
So really, everything’s set up for Millenium Falcon missions with a fun and feisty cast that includes the hilarious tandem of Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb) and Alan Tudyk (‘Wash’ Warren). We also get lovely ladies Jewel Staite (Kaylee Frye) and Gina Torres (Zoe Warren) as Captain Mal’s tough and capable right-hand woman. Torres has recently had spicy and recurring roles on Angel and Alias. Adam Baldwin showed up for some memorably in the final apocalyptic episodes of Angel. And believe it or not, Nathon Fillion was one of the main baddies (remember the really super creepy preacher dude?) in the final season of Buffy. So Joss likes to keep his crews tight – and that’s a good thing.
Serenity picks off about six months after Firefly was (brutally) cut short, and will likely reveal more of the mystery surrounding Dr. Simon Tam (Sean Maher) and his troubled, brilliant sister River (Summer Glau) as well as the sinister folks from the Alliance that want to get their hands on her.
But most of all, I’m looking forward to seeing what, if anything, transpires in the romance department between Mal and Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin). Firefly was canceled before any real sparks were let loose, but there were the stirrings of a complex and compelling storyline there a la Buffy-Angel in Season Two of Buffy. A recent movie poster that I saw did not include Baccarin, and it would be a real shame if she were not part of the film franchise. However, IMDb still includes her in the cast list (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0379786/) , so all we can do is wait and hope.
So, Serenity: space opera, western adventure, great cast, Joss Whedon. You can’t go wrong.
Except for the waiting… the waiting hurts.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Notes from the Perimeter: Horses & Snowmen
I stalked the streets of Pasadena, the sounds of Baby’s in Black thundering into my ears over and over and over. The call, that call that would Lift me from these years of wandering, placing my Soul into Safe Harbor and out of the Chains of Despair, hadn’t come. Or wouldn’t come. It didn’t matter.
I walked.
Oh dear what can I do?
Baby’s in black
And I’m feeling blue
Tell me oh what can I do?
I shifted my hat so that blinders curved down over my eyes like a thoroughbred primed to race into oblivion, Hell’s own colt deprived of nourishment and bent for the long haul into the Void. The edge. Perimeter talk, indeed.
Then I saw it.
The hips swelled and swayed gently in the dusky breeze. It was one of those animatron lifesize mannequin forms in the shape of snowman. It wore a skirt adorned with Polynesian decorations. The face was adorned with cheap sunglasses, the kind with green frames and a string, which sat upon a plastic carrot nose.
The eyes were dark and stared at me and I started in my racehorse ways but kept approaching so that it wouldn’t back me down. It couldn’t, it wouldn’t. It mattered for reasons only the void could chuckle deeply and knowingly of.
I then had the urge to sink my crumpled fist into the face of that snowman, writhing sweetly with pain as I crushed any future opportunity of marketing and otherwise success with my half-mad deed.
But I didn’t. I could, but I wouldn’t. I walked some more, and later felt the better for it.
Tell me oh what can I do?
I walked.
Oh dear what can I do?
Baby’s in black
And I’m feeling blue
Tell me oh what can I do?
I shifted my hat so that blinders curved down over my eyes like a thoroughbred primed to race into oblivion, Hell’s own colt deprived of nourishment and bent for the long haul into the Void. The edge. Perimeter talk, indeed.
Then I saw it.
The hips swelled and swayed gently in the dusky breeze. It was one of those animatron lifesize mannequin forms in the shape of snowman. It wore a skirt adorned with Polynesian decorations. The face was adorned with cheap sunglasses, the kind with green frames and a string, which sat upon a plastic carrot nose.
The eyes were dark and stared at me and I started in my racehorse ways but kept approaching so that it wouldn’t back me down. It couldn’t, it wouldn’t. It mattered for reasons only the void could chuckle deeply and knowingly of.
I then had the urge to sink my crumpled fist into the face of that snowman, writhing sweetly with pain as I crushed any future opportunity of marketing and otherwise success with my half-mad deed.
But I didn’t. I could, but I wouldn’t. I walked some more, and later felt the better for it.
Tell me oh what can I do?
DB on TV: The Apprentice II Finals
Say what you want about reality television, but I’ve always been a sucker for human drama, though often grudgingly when it’s overly scripted, contrived, and produced. What makes for the best and most interesting reality shows is when there is something real at stake. And I’m not talking about watching someone receive a red rose and a chance at true romance with a fetching semi-stranger.
I’m talking about shows where the players are driven, passionate, and most of all, desperately want to win. Over the last few months, the shows that most qualify are The Apprentice 2 and the Richard Branson-led The Rebel Billionaire.
The Apprentice 2, while losing a degree of its novelty and edge from the exciting first season, still managed to deliver high stakes, dramatic moments, and the necessary array of certifiable lunatics and loopy personalities to keep you tuned in every week.
The major downfall of the second season was that Donald Trump appeared to go for the surprise maneuver rather than the smart decision in the board room on several occasions. Perhaps impulsive might be the better word than surprise, but I would have to dig underneath the famous hair helmet / Andy Capp’s cap to know for sure. Speaking of Andy, I felt that the young Harvard grad’s ousting just before the Final Four round was the worst decision of the season. It was another example that screaming in the board room could stave off firing rather than effective leadership or performance shown during tasks. Another baffling decision was the ouster of the promising-looking Bradford early on due to his “rash” decision to wave his immunity that week in bold defense of his performance during his team’s losing effort.
It was further indication, as seen in Season One, that Trump in the end does not want someone like himself (brash, extreme risk taker, gruff) but a competent yes-man who is tough and competent but will likely never bedazzle you (or outshine the strangely haired head honcho). Enter Bill Rancic and now Kelly Perdew, the Season Two winner.
Another trying part of Season Two was the upgraded role of product endorsements and forays into Donald Trump: The Commercial (as if The Apprentice didn’t already advertise Donald Trump: The Brand enough) as with the addition of thinly veiled skits in which Trump “checks up” on his various properties before doling out the new task of the week.
Still, it was a fun ride and gratifying to see Kelly beat out the leadership-shirking, eavesdropper lurking Jennifer M. in tonight’s finale. I’ll still be on board for the kick-off of Season Three next month, where a new twist has a team of the “book smart” facing off against a team of the “street smart.”
Human drama. Gotta love it.
I’m talking about shows where the players are driven, passionate, and most of all, desperately want to win. Over the last few months, the shows that most qualify are The Apprentice 2 and the Richard Branson-led The Rebel Billionaire.
The Apprentice 2, while losing a degree of its novelty and edge from the exciting first season, still managed to deliver high stakes, dramatic moments, and the necessary array of certifiable lunatics and loopy personalities to keep you tuned in every week.
The major downfall of the second season was that Donald Trump appeared to go for the surprise maneuver rather than the smart decision in the board room on several occasions. Perhaps impulsive might be the better word than surprise, but I would have to dig underneath the famous hair helmet / Andy Capp’s cap to know for sure. Speaking of Andy, I felt that the young Harvard grad’s ousting just before the Final Four round was the worst decision of the season. It was another example that screaming in the board room could stave off firing rather than effective leadership or performance shown during tasks. Another baffling decision was the ouster of the promising-looking Bradford early on due to his “rash” decision to wave his immunity that week in bold defense of his performance during his team’s losing effort.
It was further indication, as seen in Season One, that Trump in the end does not want someone like himself (brash, extreme risk taker, gruff) but a competent yes-man who is tough and competent but will likely never bedazzle you (or outshine the strangely haired head honcho). Enter Bill Rancic and now Kelly Perdew, the Season Two winner.
Another trying part of Season Two was the upgraded role of product endorsements and forays into Donald Trump: The Commercial (as if The Apprentice didn’t already advertise Donald Trump: The Brand enough) as with the addition of thinly veiled skits in which Trump “checks up” on his various properties before doling out the new task of the week.
Still, it was a fun ride and gratifying to see Kelly beat out the leadership-shirking, eavesdropper lurking Jennifer M. in tonight’s finale. I’ll still be on board for the kick-off of Season Three next month, where a new twist has a team of the “book smart” facing off against a team of the “street smart.”
Human drama. Gotta love it.
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