How Schizophrenia Became a Black Disease: An Interview with Jonathan Metzl

Shantel & The Bucovina Club Orkestar

Shantel's rather breezy trip-hop productions suffer little considering their stated pop inclinations. Though born in Frankfurt, Stefan Hantel was introduced to clubbing and the music life while studying graphic design in Paris. Back in his hometown he opened the Lissania club, one of the few bastions of earthy grooves in a country obsessed with techno. A noted port-of-call for similar minds like Kruder & Dorfmeister and Howie B., the club's prosperity led to Shantel's first album, Club Guerilla. Released locally by Infracomm, the album was given a 1997 American reissue by Shadow Records, along with Auto-Jumps and Remixes (a collection of EPs from his own Essay label). Shantel signed to Studio !K7 for his second full LP, Higher than the Funk. It earned high praise around the world, even hitting Spin magazine's end-of-the-year charts. Great Delay was issued in spring 2001. (John Bush - AMG)

Scott Johnson - John Somebody (Part 1)

The good Cap'n has done it again...

Investigate

HERE

Dirty Projectors & Bjork - Mount Wittenberg Orca

Dirty Projectors and Bjork: Mount Wittenberg Orca

In April 2009, Brandon Stosuy from Stereogum.com asked me if we wanted to play a benefit concert at a bookstore in New York. I said yes. He asked Björk the same thing, and she said yes. Then he asked us if we wanted to collaborate, and we said yes. Björk asked me what we should do, and I said, "I don't know, I guess I'd really love to write a bunch of new songs for us to sing together?" And she said Yes.

That same month, Amber from Dirty Projectors was walking along a ridge on Mount Wittenberg, north of San Francisco. She was looking out at the ocean and saw a little family of whales, as you sometimes do in April on the Northern California coast. I wrote some songs about it and sent them to Björk, who agreed to sing the part of the mom whale. The songs became Mount Wittenberg Orca. Amber and Angel and Haley sang the part of the kid whales, and I sang the part of Amber. We sang all week long and learned the music just in time to perform it at the bookstore on May 8th.

Then our album Bitte Orca came out and we went on tour forever. We finally got a chance to record Wittenberg last month, almost exactly a year after we first sang it. We went into the Rare Book Room in Brooklyn and rehearsed it for three days, then we recorded it as quickly and as live as possible. We only overdubbed lead vocals and a guitar solo.

DOWNLOAD: DIRTY PROJECTORS + BJÖRK - MOUNT WITTENBERG ORCA

We've decided to give away all the money that Wittenberg generates to the project of creating international marine protected areas. Only 1% of the oceans are protected in any way and this is a huge problem. We're working with the National Geographic Society to create areas of sustainability, so the oceans don't end up like a giant poisonous corpse hugging the continents. You can learn more about this project here and here and here and here.

We're so psyched about how this recording came out and hope you are too. Don't listen on those tinny computer speakers -- put in on the stereo and blast dat shiiiiiiiiii!!

Enjoy.

-- David Longstreth

Tony Rebel - Live Dortmund 27.02.2010

JAH WILL NEVER LET US DOWN / FIRE / SWEET AROMA

CHANT DOWN BABYLON / TEACH THE CHILDREN / SPLASHING DASHING

Tony Rebel sings a peaceful, roots-oriented form of dancehall music designed to inspire his audience to take a more positive approach to life and social change. Born Patrick Barrett, Rebel is a Rastafarian, but rather than simply creating serious, philosophical tunes, he infuses his music with a lighthearted, liberal-leaning dose of humor. Prior to becoming a recording artist in the 1990s, he spent 14 years playing the local dancehall circuit. Examples of his uplifting approach to dancehall can be heard on his 1993 album Vibes of Time; other releases include 1998's If Jah. (Sandra Brennan - AMG)

Christopher Hitchens diagnosed with cancer

Christopher Hitchens, 61, has been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus. Photograph: Eamonn McCabe for the Guardian

The author and polemicist Christopher Hitchens yesterday announced he was cutting short a promotional book tour in order to undergo chemotherapy treatment.

There were reports that the the British-born writer, who was a heavy smoker until giving up several years ago, had been diagnosed with cancer.

In a statement issued by his US publisher, Twelve, the 61-year-old said: "I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my oesophagus. This advice seems persuasive to me. I regret having had to cancel so many engagements at such short notice."

The firm gave no further details other than asking for his privacy to be respected. Hitchens launched a high profile book tour last month to promote his memoir Hitch-22, which tackles subjects ranging from the Middle East and Zimbabwe to his friendships with prominent writers including Salman Rushdie and Martin Amis. The volume has already entered the bestseller lists.

Hitchens has in the past described himself as "an essayist and a contrarian". As a journalist, critic and war correspondent, he has carved out a reputation for barbed repartee, scathing critiques of public figures and a fierce intelligence.

In his 2008 book "God Is Not Great", Hitchens put himself on a collision course with major religions through his advocacy of atheism.

He lives in Washington DC and became an American citizen in 2007, although also retains British citizenship. Hitchens appeared at the Guardian Hay Festival this summer.

Owen Bowcott @'The Guardian'

Warpaint: artists and camouflage

Another jewel from the archive. Patrick Wright, author of many articles and six books (one of which, Tank: The Progress of a Monstrous War Machine, is a favourite of mine) made this documentary about the uncomfortable collision of art and war in the early twentieth century. In particular, it's about a British society portrait painter called Solomon J Solomon and his innovations in camouflage. It was produced in August 2002 by John Goudie, who now, among other things, produces Radio 4's Front Row.
Wright has a brilliant web site with enough clever words on it to keep you going for weeks - including these about our hero Solomon.
The picture shows HMS Furious in about 1918, painted in what is still called 'dazzle camouflage,' another innovation of the period. It's from the Wikimedia Commons (MP3).
@'Speechification'