Wednesday 13 May 2009
Tuesday 12 May 2009
5 minutes ago from the editor's desk
"I'm writing this week's newsletter in what can only be described - probably unflatteringly - as a full-on pouty sulk. Why am I in such a stroppy, petulant funk?
Well, I was just chatting to our man on the Uncut film desk, Michael Bonner, and with an irritatingly casual flourish, he just happened, in passing, as if it was a matter of little consequence, that he's off shortly to a special preview of the new Michael Mann film, 'Public Enemies', which stars Johnny Depp as legendary American gangster, John Dillinger, trailers for which have been whetting, as they say, our appetites here at Uncut for the last few weeks.
And not only is the appallingly smug Bonner going to see the film at a showing so swankily exclusive only a chosen few have been invited to attend, he'll later be meeting director Michael Mann for a doubtless cosy wee chat, probably over drinks and nibbles. Meanwhile, I'll be here, wrestling with budgetary spread sheets, final proofs and a ton of other things to do before sending the next issue to the printers.
Would it be too callous, in the sour circumstances, to imagine him - Bonner, that is, not Mann - choking on a pretzel, peanut or pistachio and being carried blue-faced and coughing like a dog to a waiting ambulance? Yes, probably, it would - but in my present foul mood, it seems like a not unreasonable price for him to pay for his breezy swagger.
I hope when he meets him, Michael asks Mann what he thinks of John Milius' 1973 Dillinger, starring the great Warren Oates in the title role. It's an almost forgotten classic, Milius' first film as a director, and one of the few leading roles Oates got to play. Here's a link to a great clip. Will Johnny be as good as Oates? We await Michael's verdict with surly interest..."
Well, I was just chatting to our man on the Uncut film desk, Michael Bonner, and with an irritatingly casual flourish, he just happened, in passing, as if it was a matter of little consequence, that he's off shortly to a special preview of the new Michael Mann film, 'Public Enemies', which stars Johnny Depp as legendary American gangster, John Dillinger, trailers for which have been whetting, as they say, our appetites here at Uncut for the last few weeks.
And not only is the appallingly smug Bonner going to see the film at a showing so swankily exclusive only a chosen few have been invited to attend, he'll later be meeting director Michael Mann for a doubtless cosy wee chat, probably over drinks and nibbles. Meanwhile, I'll be here, wrestling with budgetary spread sheets, final proofs and a ton of other things to do before sending the next issue to the printers.
Would it be too callous, in the sour circumstances, to imagine him - Bonner, that is, not Mann - choking on a pretzel, peanut or pistachio and being carried blue-faced and coughing like a dog to a waiting ambulance? Yes, probably, it would - but in my present foul mood, it seems like a not unreasonable price for him to pay for his breezy swagger.
I hope when he meets him, Michael asks Mann what he thinks of John Milius' 1973 Dillinger, starring the great Warren Oates in the title role. It's an almost forgotten classic, Milius' first film as a director, and one of the few leading roles Oates got to play. Here's a link to a great clip. Will Johnny be as good as Oates? We await Michael's verdict with surly interest..."
Allen Jones' 'Chair' as plagiarised in 'A Clockwork Orange'(Yes indeed - it's obviously decadence ALL day long @ 'Uncut Towers'!
Not like the old days in the nissen hut south of the river Allan, eh?)
Adam Sky VS Mark Stewart - We Are All Prostitutes (Crookers Remix)
Video drawn, animated & directed by Angie Reed.
Monday 11 May 2009
'Going Dutch' by Russell Shorto (NY Times Magazine 29 April 2009)
"Picture me if you will as I settle at my desk to begin my workday, and feel free to use a Vermeer image as your template. The pale-yellow light that gives Dutch paintings their special glow suffuses the room. The interior is simple, with high walls and beams across the ceiling. The view through the windows of the 17th-century house in which I have my apartment is of similarly gabled buildings lining the other side of one of Amsterdam’s oldest canals. Only instead of a plump maid or a raffish soldier at the center of the canvas, you should substitute a sleep-rumpled writer squinting at a laptop.For 18 months now I’ve been playing the part of the American in Holland, alternately settling into or bristling against the European way of life. Many of the features of that life are enriching. History echoes from every edifice as you move through your day. The bicycle is not a means of recreation but a genuine form of transportation. A nearby movie house sells not popcorn but demitasses of espresso and glasses of Dutch gin from behind a wood-paneled bar, which somehow makes you feel sane and adult and enfolded in civilization..."
Continue reading the article here.
Russell Shorto is a contributing writer for the 'New York Times' magazine. His most recent book is “Descartes’ Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason.”
Via 'The Netherlands Paradox - Beteween Capitalism & Socialism' @ 'Renegade Futurist' here.
"...This points up something that seems to be overlooked when Americans dismiss European-style social-welfare systems: they are not necessarily state-run or state-financed. Rather, these societies have chosen to combine the various entities that play a role in social well-being — individuals, corporations, government, nongovernmental entities like unions and churches — in different ways, in an effort to balance individual freedom and overall social security..."
Via 'The Netherlands Paradox - Beteween Capitalism & Socialism' @ 'Renegade Futurist' here.
"...This points up something that seems to be overlooked when Americans dismiss European-style social-welfare systems: they are not necessarily state-run or state-financed. Rather, these societies have chosen to combine the various entities that play a role in social well-being — individuals, corporations, government, nongovernmental entities like unions and churches — in different ways, in an effort to balance individual freedom and overall social security..."
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Girlz With Gunz # 38
J.G. Ballard in RE/search 8/9 (reprint)"The Science-Fiction films (in the 40's & 50's) were low budget films, and the directors had to make them out in the streets, so to speak - they couldn't afford to build fancy sets the way people like George Lucas can today. And in that way they maintained their contact with reality, as did film noir. It forces a certain relevance on you. Even...'Blue Velvet' was shot against a very stylised American suburb - but it's a real suburb and that lends a lot of power to that film. I think the lifeline to reality is all-important. - like the umbilical cord between the foetus and the mother."
J.G. Ballard in 'Rolling Stone' (1987)
Via J.G. Ballard - 'Quotes' (RE/search 2004)
Sunday 10 May 2009
My father was a record sleeve...
Label: India NavigationCat. #: IN 3026
Format: LP
Release date: 1982
Music by Phill NiblockFormat: LP
Release date: 1982
Influences
Oren Ambarchi(Photo by TimN)
Where would you place Sunn O))) in terms of musical lineage?
“That's really a question for Greg and Stephen, but I do hear connections to everything from Black Sabbath to Indian music and minimalist music, especially composers such as Phill Niblock.”
“That's really a question for Greg and Stephen, but I do hear connections to everything from Black Sabbath to Indian music and minimalist music, especially composers such as Phill Niblock.”
David Simon - dead wrong dinosaur
David Simon (creator of 'The Wire') has certainly got it wrong concerning blogs and bloggers.story at 'Gawker' here.
Via 'Renegade Futurist' here.
REPOST - Jay Spacebubs, this post is for you
Why did Piglet go to the toilet?He was looking for Pooh!
J - there's a bear in there -
in the 'com-pooh-ta'!
love
X
X
X
(& happy Mum's day to yrs.)
Saturday 9 May 2009
The human (Voice)
Voice (Julie Tippetts, Maggie Nichols, Phil Minton, Brian Eley)Recorded live at The Phoenix, Cavendish Square, London W1, on 13th Oct 1976
Go here.
Veryan Weston (piano) and Phil Minton (voice) improvise at Mopomoso at the Vortex Jazz club in London. 21st September 2008. Filmed by Helen Petts.
An interesting blog 'John's House' here concerned with John Osborne's house/a mirror & Phil Minton amongst other things.
An interesting blog 'John's House' here concerned with John Osborne's house/a mirror & Phil Minton amongst other things.
Nick Cave scores the movie of Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'
(Photo by TimN)The ever wonderful Heather over at 'I Am Fuel You Are Friends' has all the details here.
There is also a 'BBC' arts segment about it to download.
Too kind!
"...been about a 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
decade since we last crawled the net/kerb cos what you really need is one site where someone seems to*ve done all the searching for you, today we found that site and good thing too (it,us, you, fukkit EVERYONE), blog with lots about e.g. Billy Burroughs and Patricia Smith and not a lot about Prefab Sprout, but never mind, we all mean well - www.exileonmoanstreet.blogspot.com "
!!!
Found here.
Check it out/and the back pages...
Luddism/laughs/love & life (through the lens of a cider bottle!)
decade since we last crawled the net/kerb cos what you really need is one site where someone seems to*ve done all the searching for you, today we found that site and good thing too (it,us, you, fukkit EVERYONE), blog with lots about e.g. Billy Burroughs and Patricia Smith and not a lot about Prefab Sprout, but never mind, we all mean well - www.exileonmoanstreet.blogspot.com "
!!!
Found here.
Check it out/and the back pages...
Luddism/laughs/love & life (through the lens of a cider bottle!)
The Art of Memory
I really can't find the words to adequately describe this blog...It describes itself as...
"adventures in minimalism including film, music, literature, poetry, architecture, and art"
Check it out for yourself here.
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