The Girl On The Train [trailer]

André Téchiné’s moody character study springs from a recent cause célèbre in France: a young woman’s trumped-up story of an anti-Semitic assault on a train.

The act itself is of less importance than the before-and-after for the ever-curious French director, who sections his societal and psychological probe of the scandal into “Circumstances” and “Consequences.” Throughout both, the camera drifts along with the spacey, superficially carefree Jeanne (a magnetic Emilie Dequenne) as she rollerblades around the sun-dappled purlieus of Paris; falls in amour fou with a would-be Olympic wrestler; spends dutiful time with mom Catherine Deneuve; and riles up the country with her troubling make-believe.

While Téchiné’s picture touches upon race, religion, and the all-in nature of media in contemporary France, it’s his insoluble portrait of this femme — folly and all — that lingers long after.

Read the New York Times’ recent profile on Catherine Deneuve and her illustrious career, pore over critic Manohla Dargis’ review, and see how the BBC covered the real-life maelstrom.

@'Flavourwire'

Spoon Live on 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' KCRW - 20/01/10

The Israel Lobby (Part II)

Following my post of a week or so ago, I have just come across an excellent documentary from a couple of years ago of the same title over at VPRO's Youtube channel.

You can watch it 

HERE

It is for the most part in English with occasional Dutch w/ English subtitles but it is very, very good.

As an aside when Christian fundamentalist ministers use the expression "intellectual honesty" I shudder!
Money quote:
"Dick Cheney and his minions (...) have brought the art of lying to a new scale, a new level."
 - Col. L. Wilkerson
(Former Chief-of-Staff to Colin Powell)

Ubudoll @ VPRO

Can anyone help me with this?

There is a link at the Pere Ubu web site that used to link to an Ubudoll (David Thomas & Jackie Leven) gig that was recorded for VPRO in The Netherlands.

Unfortunately it has disappeared since I last listened to it (probably within the last year)

Unfortunately my Dutch isn't good enough to navigate around the site...

If anyone can find it there or indeed if they have a copy of it I would be really grateful if they could get in touch.

Bedankt/
PS: I believe there might also have been a recording made of a gig in Leiden. I do have the Paris gig recording.

Icon

(Nothing to add!)

Doll By Doll - Main Travelled Roads

Unbelievable that they cut off the last line that says in full "Eternal is the warrior who finds beauty in his wounds.” 
Check out this and then read this great write up of the 'Doll By Doll' album that this track  is from here

WANT!

Dalek ad 1966
Via'Mogadonia'

I did try back in the 60's with my home made cardboard Dalek outfit but this is what I should have had.

There was a wee toyshop in an arcade in Glasgow (details lost in the mist of time) but it was such a treat to get in there every couple of months or so and buy these little one inch tall Daleks.

I know my room was messy as a kid but I never forgave my father for the time that he just emptied everything that was in there (all my comics and toys) and took them up to the dump.

Bastard!

Bonus Audio:
Wetdog - Tidy Up Your Bedroom

Bing Hitler (The Musical)

Antony & The Johnsons

G'day Slim

Photo by Jeanette Beckman

How are you my friend?

All round (!) nice guy Slim who came to prominence after winning The Blockhead competition in the NME and was then to be found playing his squeezebox with Roddy Radiation in The Tearjerkers (still have my denim jacket with the logo on the back!)
Played with Wreckless Eric, Wilko Johnson, The Boothill Foot Tappers (even managing to get on Top of the Pops), The Blubbery Hellbellies amongst many others and was the accordian player of choice for visiting luminaries such as Joe Ely when they hit the UK. 
Currently to be found fronting Slim's Cyder Co.

PS:Scurvy Bastard will be bringing a message next time he catches up with you...
 (Thanx Stan!)

Does anyone have this to share?

FLYING MIJINKO BAND - Central Asian Tour
This 2 disc set was issued by the Japan Foundation in limited quantity for "donation to qualified institutions". It centers on a tour set up by the Foundation during August and September 1994, through the Far East. It features musicians from America, Asia and Africa as well as native musicians from the countries visited.
Disc one: Section 1 (16:36): Qi Baoligao - Two Fleet Steeds of Genghis Khan (Mongolian Folk Song) 5:24; Flying Mijinko Band - Niikawa Kodaijin (Japanese Folk Song) 7:11;
Section 2 (16:03): Flying Mijinko Band - Tugrug Man From Texas (BL,Suso) 14:46;
Section 3 (13:55): Uzbekistan Troupe - Azim Daryo Uygurcha (Usbek. Folk Song) 8:35; Flying Mijinko Band, Qi Baoligao and Yema - Kohjoh No Tsuki (Taki) 5:43;
Section 4 (14:38): Flying Mijinko Band - Tsugaru Jongara-Bushi (Japanese Folk Song) 11:35.
Disc two: Section 1 (10:12): Flying Mijinko Band - Tsombon Tuuraitai Khuren (Mongolian Folk Song) 8:00;
Section 2 (6:17): Mongolian Troupe - Gepee Busgui gooj Nanna (Mongolian Folk Song) 3:22; Flying Mijinko Band and Uzbekistan Troupe - Leave Me (Turkish Song) 1:12;
Section 3 (10:23): Flying Mijinko Band - Morioka Sansa Odori (Japanese Folk Song) 9:42;
Section 4 (9:43): Flying Mijinko Band and Uzbekistan Troupe - Wica (Epo) 9:43;
Section 5 (7:00): Flying Mijinko Band - Sii Mai Yahlong (African Song) 4:48;
Section 6 (10:44): Flying Mijinko Band - Akita-Ondo (Jap. Folk Song) 7:25; Flying Mijinko Band - Kelafa (African Song) 1:30.
Akira Sakata: reeds; Febian Resa Pane: piano, keyboards; Asuka Kaneko: violin; Shozan Tanabe: shakuhachi; Michihiro Sato: tsugaru-shamisen; Nicky Skopelitis: electric guitar; Hiroshi Yoshino: contrabass; Bill Laswell: electric bass; Anton Fier: drums; Aiyb Dieng: percussion; Shigeri Kitsu: vocal, percussion; Foday Musa Suso: kora, voice, doussongoni; Kaori Kitsu: vocal, percussion; Epo: vocal; Guest musicians: Qi Baoligao: morin khoor; Yema: ????; Uzbekistan Troupe: Ismailov Khashimzhon: gidjak; Abdurashidov Abdulakad: nai; Turaev Bakhodir: doira; Kholtozhiev Abdurakhman Akbarovich: kanun; Mongolian Troupe: Dashijaviin Tsogbadrakh: morin khoor; Myagmarin Altangerel: khoomii; Segseegiin Enkhbayar: yadag.
Recorded at Ulan Theater, Hohhot on September 21, 1994 and at The Japan Foundation Forum, Tokyo, Japan, on September 25 & 26, 1994. Mixed at Greenpoint Studio. Engineering by Oz Fritz.
Executive Producer: Harumi Nakajima for the Japan Foundation.
Produced by Akira Sakata and Bill Laswell.
1995 - The Japan Foundation, JF-CD 0001-2 (2CD) *****
 

As far as I can make out, this was never officially released to the public but was released to libraries and other institutions.

If anyone can fix me up with a copy of this (my Bill Laswell holy grail) I shall be indebted for life!

Regards/
Dreams do come true!

The Guardian Launches Search Engine for Government Data

The Guardian, ostensibly a UK newspaper, but also a major proponent for opening data held by governments to use by outside software developers, has launched some software of its own: a search engine that unearths datasets and pathways to data sets provided by governments around the world. World Government Data Search is now live. Yesterday the UK government released its new data site, data.gov.uk, to rave reviews (including ours). The new Guardian search engine searches across the UK, US, New Zealand and Australian governments' data sites. The company also offered up a gallery of the 10 best visualizations and mash-ups built on top of government data like this.

The Guardian quotes developer Ben Fry on the future of searching government data: "This is only going one way: there is no trend towards less data."

Following an era when the quantity of data available online increased in orders of magnitude, thanks largely to easy publishing tools for end-users like blogging and social networks, many people expect the next era of development online to focus on strategic moves to make the most valuable data available in standardized formats that facilitate innovation by 3rd parties independent of the original sources of the data.

If large, standardized data sets are a new language, then it's time for a new period of literature to be written.

@'Read Write Web'

 

Talking of (suppressed) government reports, read this and weep

Massive Attack - Live With Me

The Twilight Singers - Live With Me/Where Did You Sleep Laast Night?

Bonus Audio:
The Twilight Singers - Live With Me