Second Hand News

In addition to 800 other projects, personal and professional and in-between, I have also been taking classes at the School of Visual Arts this winter. Monday night is Flash, and Tuesday night is PHP/MySQL. I am definitely no web developer, but there is something I love about writing the very basic code that I can write. It gives me the same satisfaction that building Legos did as a kid. Not the fancy kind where you build what they tell you to build, like some crummy pirate ship where the Lego men have little mustaches and bandanas—i.e., not making web pages with Dreamweaver—but the kind where you start from scratch and make something up.

But I digress. Tonight I learned something about computers that I never knew. The way computers tell time is by Unix time—basically they count the number of seconds since midnight GMT on January 1st, 1970. The people who developed the modern PC had to decide on what the dawn of time would be as far as computers are concerned, and they chose: January 1st, 1970. Now that I type it, it doesn't seem like that big a deal, but there's something about it that seemed crazy to me when I learned it, that the beginning of time to your computer is midnight, the dawn of 1970, and on an ongoing basis, it knows what time it is by counting the number of seconds since then.

From Russia with Love

I've been on a soundtrack kick off and on for the past several years so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the writing on this record I found says Muzika Iz Kinofilmov or "Music for Films". (I guess I could have figured that out from the illustration, but I sort of thought it was a building or a space station till I looked more closely.) My dad did the translating for me—he learned Russian in the Air Force. In the '60s when the cold war was in full swing, he was stationed in Pakistan, Crete, and a number of other places, listening in on Soviet radio conversations for pieces of useful intelligence. Not surprisingly, he has some crazy stories. That's him, below left.

Unknown from Muzika Iz Kinofilmov MP3

Story of an Artist

Today's issue of T: The New York Times Style Magazine has a short feature on Brooklynite (by way of Seattle) David Alhadeff, owner of the Williamsburg design store The Future Perfect. (Side note: Alhadeff is a long-established Seattle family name best known, at least by me, because Morris Alhadeff ran Longacres for 41 years.) Here's one of the things they mention in the article:

Seattle is one of Alhadeff’s favorite hunting grounds. His most recent designer find is Diem Chau, who creates her "Storytelling" crayon sculptures ($199 each) using a woodblock carving knife. "I’m fascinated when everyday objects become works of art."

Diem Chau has been doing great stuff for awhile now—but it's nice to peer over your morning coffee and see her getting some much-deserved attention in the country's paper of record. I love her work and was bummed to be on the wrong coast to catch her most recent show at OKOK Gallery in Ballard.

Check out her website for more images and information.

Storytelling Crayons image courtesy Howard House and Diem Chau

Every Time I Try to Describe It

Everyone knows I am the most sentimental dude on the planet, so it's no big surprise that I'm feeling this song. The drums are really solid though and I like the little click-clack in place of the high hat. The video is sort of everything that everyone makes fun of about hip-hop scenes that are not in gigantic cities, and he even says "Westlake" at one point.

Whatever, I'm feeling it.

Iron Serenity

Exciting news for all 43 of you: I have upgraded to a PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNT on Flickr and uploaded a bunch of new photos. (Captions TK but have a look if you want.)

"Out there trying to flow and groove"

I regularly—like two or three times a week for the past several years—have nightmares that I am seeing through the eyes of Philippe Petit, walking a tightrope between the tops of the World Trade Center buildings. I'm not an extreme sports guy, unlike my brother, and I'm not particularly afraid of heights. My dime-store self-analysis says it's (a) anxiety stemming from experiencing 9/11, and (b) anxiety over being emotionally pulled between the East and West coasts. In any case, I saw this video tonight on the New York Times' website and it was kind of a revelation for me, in that the guy tightropes over an extremely high height, but he's wearing a FUCKING PARACHUTE. I'm hoping I can incorporate this into my nightmare from now on. Might sleep a little better, I don't know.
This concludes our neuroses-centric programming, and we now return you to pretty records and gritty pictures, and vice-versa, etc.

Sweden: Heaven and Hell

I had been looking for this record forever and finally found it last weekend—Piero Umiliani's brilliant soundtrack to the '60s sexploitation film Sweden: Heaven and Hell. The best known track is "Mah-Na-Mah-Na," which I knew as a kid from The Muppet Show and as something we sang at the top of our lungs around the campfire. Who knew it originally appeared in a film billing itself as an exposé of The most revolutionary, most permissive life-state in the world:

See:
The Love Cruise! A training trip for turned on teens!
See:
The Bachelorette Party! A bride-to-be's last fling!
See:
Moonlighting Nudes! Meter-maids by day—models at night!
See:
The Swap Shop! A trade-in deal for married couples only!

Hear:
Piero Umiliani Beer, Vermouth & Gin MP3
Piero Umiliani You Tried to Warn Me (High Church Treatment) MP3

Watch:
Sweden: Heaven and Hell trailer .mov (31MB)

The Final Countdown

Awhile back I found issues 2 and 3 of Countdown, a magazine published in the sixties in paperback-book form, at a used book store in Brooklyn Heights. Last week when I was walking through Chelsea I was lucky enough to find issue 1 in a pile of books on the street. It's not nearly as refined as Avant Garde or The Evergreen Review, but I love the bold, almost photocopied look of the design, and the form itself (Wooooo is the only magazine I know of that is currently publishing in the classic paperback book size). With contributors like R.Crumb, Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Marc Chagall, Eldridge Cleaver, and Jerry Rubin, Countdown had a lot going for it, but I'm not sure if it lasted more than three issues, and I haven't been able to find any other information.

Go Back Home Again, Boy

With all the (well-deserved) attention on Band of Horses, Cave Singers, Grand Archives and others in recent years/months, and with new albums on the way from Fleet Foxes and Sera Cahoone, I figured it was a good time to bring out some records by another folk/rock/country player from Seattle, Danny O'Keefe. Signed to Cotillion (Atlantic) in the early '70s, O'Keefe worked with greats such as soul mega-producer Arif Mardin, Ahmet Ertegun, Jimmy Haskell, and Eddie Hinton, among many others. Mardin's influence is clearly present in the string arrangements, and there's a subtle funkiness to the drums and bass lines that makes O'Keefe's country/folk style unique. His songs have been recorded by artists as far-ranging as Donny Hathaway, Dwight Yoakam, Ute Lemper, Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, and Waylon Jennings.

I grew up listening to his second album O'Keefe (excuse the pops and scratches), and fairly recently stumbled across his self-titled debut, which includes the first version of what would become his biggest hit, "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues." The song I can't get enough of, though, is The Drover:

I left him there in Pioneer Square
in an empty bottle of Muskatel
He said here's my song and where I've gone
I tell ya boy I've gone to hell
...
I hope you understand
Sometimes you never can
go back home again boy

O'Keefe has never been one to shy away from fairly glum material, but it's always beautifully expressed both musically and lyrically, and often with a sense of humor, as in my other favorite, I'm Sober Now (inspired by a Clarence "Pinetop" Smith song).

Danny O'Keefe's self-titled record and O'Keefe are both available at Amazon, along with many of his other releases.

He still lives on Vashon Island, and he's still writing, recording, and performing around the Northwest. Check out his website and myspace page for more info.

The Weekend in Pictures

.
We decided to be tourists in our own city this weekend. Our sentry, Mr. Littlejeans (aka Fang; Mr. Science), was none too pleased when everyone up and left the house Saturday morning.

First stop was our favorite brunch spot in the city, the Great Jones Café.

After brunch we went to Other Music so I could use up a credit. I love it that most records now come with a code so you can download the MP3s for free—it makes CDs a totally outdated technology. Here's what I got (clockwise from top left: Grand Archives, Gutter Twins, Throw Me the Statue, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks).

Next up we went to the Michel Gondry "Be Kind Rewind" exhibition at Deitch Projects.

There are a bunch of different sets and people can make their own little movies in the gallery.

We also went to the Visionaire Gallery for the Sound exhibition that I've been talking about.

Then I got some more records. I kind of went nuts this weekend because I haven't bought records for awhile. I'll post some MP3s later.

By then it was late afternoon and we decided to go to D.B.A. for a beer, and then to the Cherry Tavern for some more. Tracey took good care of us and they have Straight Outta Compton on the juke so we were quite content.

Next we grabbed a slice at the old East Village standby, Two Boots. It's by no means the city's best pizza (John's wins that battle), but it's unique and delicious nonetheless.

We ended up at Arrow (formerly known as The Rook), where my brother Sky bartends once or twice a week. That's his friend and fellow firefighter Ed on the right.

On Sunday we took a long walk to Newtown Creek, the border between Brooklyn and Queens. It's about five miles from our house in Fort Greene but there's tons of cool things to see on the way.

Kent Avenue, which runs along the East River, is like one big gallery—there's an ever-changing display of a paste-ups, graffiti, and little installations all over the place. This venus fly-trap is painted wood that has been epoxied to the side of a building. More pics from the neighborhood on my Flickr page.

When we got up to Greenpoint we stopped for lunch at this Polish restaurant. Lomzynianka means "girl from Lomza." It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food is excellent and it's like eating a meal in someone's home.

The Polish are super-amped for Easter. There are great displays in the gift stores and bakeries on Manhattan Avenue.

Our final destination was the Newtown Creek sewage treatment facility—kind of smelly, yes, but architecturally really impressive and worth the trip.

The plant has been there since mid-century, but was remodeled by the Polshek Partnership, which also designed the Rose Center at the AMNH.

After that, we took the G train home, watched The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (beautiful score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, amazing cinematography, a very solid movie all around—though sometimes it seemed like Brad Pitt was channeling Eric Bana in Chopper, and Bana himself would have been better). Then we watched the final episode of The Wire, and it was great.

The End.

Buckets of Rain

There's a flood watch in NYC tonight. Flood warning. Whatever. It's going to pour. Perfect weather for staying in, watching Washington Week, and listening to records.

Terri Rae Raining, It's Raining MP3

Burgerworld

.
Last night we went to the Hamburger Eyes opening at Powerhouse. I don't love parties in stores, because you always feel like you're supposed to be browsing or buying something. But the Powerhouse space is really nice and I am not one to turn down free beer (what. just saying). I like how the sound in there bounces off the walls a little—there's something about the DJ being high up above everyone and the slight echo that makes the music sound kind of epic. The photos are really good too. You can see more of them here, and they'll be up at the Powerhouse Arena through April 6th.

Photo by Jai Tanju, courtesy burgerworldchronicles.com
Check out the Hamburger Eyes book here.

Other Sounds

Other Music, in my opinion NYC's best place to find new records, included a good review of Visionaire 53 SOUND in its weekly update. If you don't get their e-mails, sign up—they're knowledgeable, well-written, and a quick way to stay up on new releases that you might otherwise miss.

Various Artists
Visionaire 53 SOUND
(Visionaire)

Since 1991, Visionaire has provided a forum for famous and up-and-coming artists, fashion designers, photographers, and other interesting and well known personas to contribute their own personal take on a specific theme, each edition's beautiful and unique packaging a work of art in and of itself. For their 53rd issue, the concept is sound, and Visionaire takes the form of a sleek acrylic dome that houses five 12" vinyl picture discs, each side designed by artists like Wim Delvoye, Robert Longo, Raymond Pettibon, Peter Saville, Cindy Sherman, and Mario Sorrenti. Even more impressive is the range of people, numbering over a hundred (a large percentage being of interest to the Other Music customer -- although hearing Antony's voice following a Fergie track did make my day), who contribute sound pieces. Obviously too many to mention in these pages, but here's a partial listing: David Byrne, Cat Power, Adrock, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Michael Stipe with Miguel Bose, Yoko Ono, Spank Rock, Dani Siciliano, Vashti Bunyan, Lalo Schifrin, Christian Marclay, Fiery Furnaces, Trevor Jackson, Dntel, Fantastic Plastic Machine, UNKLE, Pet Shop Boys, Fischerspooner, U2, Jose Gonzalez, Dave Eggers, Sunn O))), Gang Gang Dance, DJ Spooky, Christian Fennesz, Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore & Kim Gordon, Courtney Love, Laurie Anderson, Bebel Gilberto, Danger Mouse, Mike Skinner, Miss Kittin, Malcom McLaren, Liars, Dan the Automator, E.A.R., Monolake, the Go! Team, the Knife, Andrew W.K. and Panda Bear, plus fashion icons like Helmut Lang, Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander McQueen and more.

You'll also find a MINI Clubman "Vinyl Killer" record player housed inside the Visionaire 53 dome -- a pretty cool portable record player, the battery powered car plays the music as it drives along the groove of the LP -- plus a glossy booklet with artist credits and track info, and two CDs with the audio portion of the set (total running time just over two hours). Limited to 4000, this is a great collectible for that special audiophile in your life who has everything. [Gerald Hammill]

Click here for my previous post on the SOUND exhibition currently at Visionaire Gallery.

Visionaire 53 SOUND is available at Other Music, or may be purchased directly from visionaireworld.com

Picture disc artwork above by Peter Saville and Anna Blessmann

Hey Joe, où allez-vous avec ce fusil

The Stranger's Paul Constant posted a good/hilarious cover of "Hey Joe" on Lineout today, and reminded me of this French-Canadian version I found a few years ago in Montreal. Nanette is the Brooklyn-born Nanette Workman, who would go on to sing back up for the Rolling Stones ("Honky Tonk Women"), John Lennon, and Elton John. Tony is some dude who picked her up in New York and took her to the great white North to be a star.

Tony & Nanette Hey Joe MP3

R.I.P. Tony Silver

The director of Style Wars has died at the age of 72. Originally broadcast on PBS in 1983, Silver's documentary (co-produced by Henry Chalfant) brought NYC graffiti and hip-hop culture into the homes of unsuspecting citizens across the country and the world.

More on Silver in today's New York Times.
Get the expanded two-DVD set here (definitely one to own).

Postal Work

.
I collected stamps for a few years when I was a kid. A philatelic convention at the Seattle Center cured me of that pretty quickly—I realized I was in way over my head and didn't really have the devotion required for finding the coveted upside-down airplane. Still, I've always thought stamps were cool, both as a concept and as a design icon. Above are some of my favorites (click to enlarge).

Before the www, there were people with whom I traded probably hundreds of letters over the years. So even though I've pretty much given that up for e-mail, it's good to see the USPS stepping it up for 2008 with a couple great stamp designs.

Charles & Ray Eames, out this Summer.

Vintage Mahogany Speedboats, out now.

The USPS offers an exhaustive explanation of how new stamp subjects are chosen here. There's a committee which includes members as diverse as Karl Malden, former second lady Joan Mondale, and Graphis editor Martin Pedersen.

If you want to suggest a stamp design, send them a letter.

Washington Is Our City

.
Big day on the political front. I've got WNYC with Brian Lehrer in one ear, and Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, and their gang of slightly lesser blow-hards in the other. (Actually, I think a lot of them are okay—only Buchanan seriously lowers the bar. Would anyone notice or care if someone just locked the McLaughlin Group in their studio?) Where is Gwen Ifill when I need her? Gwen?

Anyway, it's looking like Obama took Vermont, Clinton took Rhode Island, and Ohio and Texas are still too close to call. Seems like it's going to come down to Pennsylvania, the super-delegate fight, and the possible (unsportsmanlike) do-overs in Michigan and Florida.

But I digress. I have no intention of making this a political blog, even as obsessed with the race as I am. Back to the pictures and records.

In lieu of any good Obama-related songs surfacing so far, here are my two favorite anti-Bush/anti-war cuts from the past several years.

The Evens Everybody Knows MP3
Get The Evens' records directly from Dischord

TV on the Radio Dry Drunk Emperor MP3 via Touch and Go

Photo above by my friend Mike Sacks. We took a roadtrip to Frederick, MD a few years ago to hang out with Joe Bussard (more on that another time). On the way back we stopped through DC for a few hours and this ladies' man was representing in front of the White House. Click to enlarge.

Also in Chelsea

(click to enlarge)

Mean World Blues

.
Emily and I had some rare time to kill after an early party Saturday afternoon, and went to Chelsea to see Andro Wekua's Blue Mirror at Barbara Gladstone. At the same time beautiful and utterly terrifying, the Georgian-born artist's collage, painting, sculpture, and film conveyed to me a sense of underlying, almost gutteral violence in consumer culture, as seen through the eyes of someone remembering their childhood. It's as if the person, represented by several life-size, incredibly life-like female figures, retreats ever inward as incomprehensible and scary things happen around her, and then inescapably replays them all...forever. It was one of the better shows we've seen in the past several months, and there was a palpable emotional reaction from viewers in the gallery.

Blue Mirror runs March 1–29 at Gladstone Gallery, 515 W 24th Street between 10th & 11th. More info and images here.

In the Papers

.
Blake Nelson has a good short interview with Gus Van Sant today in the New York Times. Here's an excerpt:

Does the gray climate of Portland affect you in any way? I think of Elliott Smith or Raymond Carver; many artists that come out of that area seem to have a built-in gloom factor.

I think a person’s darkness or lightness factor is their own point of view. I don’t think Elliott Smith thought of his songs as dark. Kurt Cobain, his songs were pretty dark. Angst-ridden. And booming. And loud. Later, while working on the movie [“Last Days”], I realized that their songs really sounded like falling trees and chain saws. I don’t know if it was an accident or what. They lived in a lumber town. They were using a sound that was relevant to them.

More of the interview here. Van Sant's adaptation of Nelson's novel Paranoid Park opens this Friday.

Film still from paranoidpark.co.uk