Ryuichi Sakamoto Trio 1996 - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
Beautiful, tender music. Why haven’t I heard this before?
Watch them in concert - download the song for free (available for a short time)
This American Life - Super (Simply incredible)
I have mentioned my love for NPR’s This American Life before. But a recent episode was just out of this world. Act 2 had one of the best stories I have ever heard. The theme for the episode is Super, you know, the guys that take care of the apartment buildings. I would suggest you stop reading and start listening. Don’t miss act two.
The show page - the direct link to the mp3 (this may stop working after a while).
The Story - Listening to Nazis
I am a big fan of Dick Gordon. I am always amazed how one program can find that many great stories. Anyways, in a recent episode, Gordon interviews Henry Kolm, a Austrian Jew who witnessed the Nazi invasion and had to flee to America as young kid. Incredibly, as a adult, he was recruited by the American armed forces to interrogate captured German officers.
Currently, it is impossible to get through any respectable news program and not hear how America should interrogate (torture) its captured militants . Kolm has plenty of insight into of all of this. His experiences on his life and also torture are priceless. Kolm is against torture, besides it being the wrong thing to do, he believes you can never trust information that comes from such methods. But another point, a more subtle one, is that war has changed drastically from less than a century ago. Kolm doesn’t think the Al Qaeda’s of the world should be treated as soldiers because they are fundamentally different from Nazi’s. War and how it is conducted is on the slide, after a brief show of civility, we have regressed into being…idiots.
Listening to Nazis page - Download the show (download will start automatically) - Subscribe to the podcast
Moondance
Van Morrison blowin’ horn and jazzin’ up Moondance at Austin City Limits Sep 26, 2006.
Watch it. (Flash Video)
Missing in Action
Since I started a full-time job more than an hour from where I live, it seems impossible to post here on a regular basis. Luckily, Dek has continued to unearth those incredible video jewels to keep this site alive. Hopefully, as I get more comfortable with this life change, I should be posting with more regularity.
Last weekend, I saw Lars and the Real Girl. A thoroughly enjoyable movie that adds to the awesome credentials of Ryan Gosling. The film needed an incredible performance from the lead and he surely delivers. I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the overall film and I am not certain why. It was intelligent, well directed and a quirky story. I loved the characters, all of them, but I wished it ended a little later in the life of Lars. The romance that blossoms at the end was too much of a tease. For most of the film, there was so much lifelessness, in terms of Lars falling in love with a mannequin, that I was hoping for some action with the “real” girl. Kelli Garner as Margo is so bloody cute. I wished there was more of her in the film.
M.I.A has been popping in my radar with more regularity. Her new album is one of most daring albums I have heard recently. And it isn’t music that is meant to be talked about but listened to. To promote this album she did a little interview series with music video legend Spike Jonze. I can’t but help feel a little awed by her multi-national creative streak. Watch part one, two, three, four, five, six.
September Morn
September morning still can make me feel that way…
Listen. (Hold on while the MP3 loads)
P.S. The text is just the Italian translation of the lyrics.
Cazal VS Lang Lang
Two very different executions of the same bit from Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto n.3, played by two virtuosos.
Watch Lang Lang.
Watch Olivier Cazal.
P.S. Yes, I filed it under Stoned-like…
This American Life - Premiere Episode
Oh damn, I need to get Showtime. The television show rocks!! Improv Everywhere is featured in the first episode, we have covered them before. Besides the weird Ira Glass middle-of-nowhere transitions, this is as good as the radio show.
I wonder if all the episodes will be available on the web. And I am not even sure the url to this episode will stick, so check it out now.
Live performance of Philip Glass’ Glassworks
This has been playing in the background the last couple of days.
Also: A series of Metamorphosis starts here. Under related, you will find the rest of the show.
Rush Limbaugh admits he has been lying!!
I saw this a second ago. And I couldn’t leave without posting this. Limbaugh proudly states that he lied because the stakes were high. So from here on, everytime an election approaches or the stakes are high, we can expect him to lie.
Watch and listen to the admission
How to prank a telemarketer
One of the funniest pranks I have ever seen or heard. This is simply too brilliant. Seriously, don’t miss this.
(thanks Scott)
This American Life podcasts
One of my favorite radio shows is This American Life. Sadly, the show’s producers till this week have refused to podcast the show, even though, there has been a big demand for it. But the producers have changed their approach and have finally embraced the podcast medium. There is just one episode available but it is a great one. The first part is one of the funniest pieces ever.
Subscribe in iTunes - Other Podcastcathers – TAL podcast page
Clell Tickle – Indie Marketing Guru
Forget Godfather, forget Scarface, forget Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, the man you need to fear is Clell Tickle. Hilarious mockumentary on Indie Music marketing guru, Clell Tickle played by Aziz Ansari. Again, like the previous short, don’t miss it. Also keep an eye out for music celebs.
Rock Wars
Brilliant editing job in this short film that features the designs from LP covers fighting killing each other.
Pink Floyd’s music syncs with 2001: A Space Odyssey ending
A while back we linked to the Pink Floyd’d Dark Side of the Rainbow syncing with The Wizard of Oz. In this video, his music syncs with the famous 2001: A Space Odyssey ending. It is a long video clocking in at nearly 25 mins. But it doesn’t get tiresome, the music does compliment the video quite well.
Related:
Wizard of OZ & Dark Side of the Rainbow
Pink Floyd scores music for opera
Flying Padre (1951): Kubrick’s First Film
Stanley Kubrick – Day of the Fight
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