Where oh where do I begin with this one?! It’s totally out-there, folks. I’m still a little shocked by what I just watched. Oh my!
Oh rats! Manhattan woman’s pets are rodents that the whole city hates
(via TDW)
The eccentric English mage, poet, painter and gourmet rice chef would be 135-years-old today if, um, he could like live forever or something…
I’m often asked “Where is a good place to start reading Crowley?” and this is a difficult question because you have to read, pretty much, all of it to make sense of any of it. Going down the Crowley rabbit hole is comparable, I think, to being a scholar of James Joyce (or Ezra Pound) because achieving a proper understanding of the subject takes years, decades even (and then what are you going to DO with all that knowledge, anyway?). But one source that I will point curious folk to is the late Tim Maroney’s excellent “Introduction to Crowley (in Five Voices)” which I published in my Book of Lies anthology in 2004.
Below, Kenneth Anger’s short film documenting several of Crowley’s paintings, “The Man We Want to Hang.”
Update: Today is also Kirk Cameron’s birthday. Is it a mere coincidence that the Darwin-denying, Left Behind actor shares a birthday with the Great Beast???
There is no schadenfreude quite like Republican schadenfreude, especially when there is a male prostitute, hooker or “Nazi hobby” in the mix (note CNN’s lower third text in the video. Superb!). Far be from me to stick up for the sole Jewish Republican in the House—I think Eric Cantor is a complete idiot—WHAT did Rich Iott, the Republican Congressional candidate from Ohio’s 9th District, EXPECT would happen once this particular GOOSE-STEPPING SKELETON fell out of his closest?
This guy is the best candidate the Ohio Republicans could come up with in this entire district??? Apparently so!
Via TPM
During a screening of Jean Rollin’s first horror movie, La Viol du Vampire (aka Queen of the Vampires) in Paris 1968, police stormed the cinema and a riot erupted between the audience and the gendarmerie. The event made Rollin and his film famous, and started a career in fantasy, horror and sexploitation movie-making that has continued for over forty years.
Rollin began his career as an editor, and hung out with Nouvelle Vague film-makers such as Jean-Luc Goddard, François Truffaut, Claude Chabrol, Alain Resnais and Eric Rohmer.
I met most of them at Henri Langlois’ Cinemateque Francaise; we talked, and I saw their films. It was not exactly my cup of tea. It was a movement similar to German New Wave filmmaking, some sort of rebellion against the old directors—not only their approach and vision, but also their technical style. I was always most attracted to traditional, old French cinema, but there is no doubt that the Nouvelle Vague played an important economic role. They proved it was possible for young people without experience to make successful, acclaimed films on a small budget. They gave me and others the courage to attempt the same feat.
However, Rollin had his own vision of the cinema he wanted to make, and it wasn’t long until he tried his hand as a director. As a member of France’s Left, Rollin was asked to make a documentary in support of the Spanish resistance against the fascist leader, General Franco. The experience and the success of the film encouraged Rollin to make his first feature, the fantasy horror La Viol du Vampire.
In general, the fantastic cinema is always political, because it is always in the opposition. It is subversive and it is popular, which means it is dangerous. I made films with sex and violence at a time when censorship was very strong, so that was certainly a political statement as well, although again, not a conscious one. I just happen to have an imagination which doesn’t correspond with those of certain conservative people.
Over the next decade, Rollin made thirty-two films, mainly horror-fantasy, including Le Frisson des Vampires (aka The Shiver of the Vampires), Requiem for a Vampire, Les Démoniaques and Lévres de Sang (aka Lips of Blood). To help supplement the budgets for his own film projects, Rollin made a series of sexploitation films (usually under the name Michel Gentil), the first of which, Schoolgirl Hitch-hikers has just been digitally remastered and is about to be released for the first time on DVD, to coincide with Rollin’s birthday, by Nigel Wingrove’s Salvation Films.
Now in his seventies, Rollin continues to work and his latest fantasy horror flick, The Mask of Medusa was released in France last month.
The Mind Benders: LSD and Hallucinogens. Good production values give this drug scare film from 1967 the sheen of respectability, but it’s still full of the same old bullshit. At a time when kids needed a Psychedelics For Dummies instructional manual, we got the kind of spooky propaganda that caused more bummers than strychnine-laced STP.
When you consider all of the famous and infamous people who William Burroughs met in his lifetime, maybe the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game should be adapted for the late Beat author (I’d have a “Burroughs” of one, as I met him (briefly) in Los Angeles in 1996). At the Reality Studio blog, there’s a fascinating tale, told in great detail, about the time Joy Division shared the same stage with Burroughs, Brion Gysin and Cabaret Voltaire in Belgium:
Joy Division was given its first opportunity to play outside the United Kingdom on 16 October 1979. That alone would have distinguished the gig for the band, but of special interest to Curtis and his mates was the fact that they would be opening for Burroughs. The avant-garde theater troupe Plan K, which had made a specialty of interpreting Burroughs’ work, were founding a performance space in a former sugar refinery in Brussels, Belgium. The opening was conceived as a multimedia spectacle. Films were to be screened — among others, Nicholas Roeg’s Performance (starring Mick Jagger) and Burroughs’ own experiments with Antony Balch. The Plan K theater troupe were to perform “23 Skidoo.” Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire were to give “rock” concerts. And Burroughs and Brion Gysin were to read from their recently published book, The Third Mind.
Before the evening’s events, Burroughs and Joy Division gave separate interviews to the culture magazine En Attendant. Graciously provided to RealityStudio by the interviewer and the organizer of the Plan K opening, Michel Duval, these have been translated from the French and are reproduced here for the first time since their publication in November 1979. You can read the French original or the English translation of Duval’s interview with Joy Division, as well as the French original or the English translation of Duval’s interview with William Burroughs.
After Burroughs’ reading brought the opening of Plan K to its climax, Curtis attempted to introduce himself to his literary idol. This meeting, like so many things about both Curtis and Burroughs, has already become legend — which is another way of saying that its factual basis may have receded into darkness. If you search around the internet, you’ll see sites describing the encounter in terms like this: “Unfortunately when Ian went up to talk to him the author told Ian to get lost.” And this: “Burroughs probably was tired and bored with the concerts and when Ian went up to talk with him the author told Ian to get lost. Ian got lost immediately, not a little hurt by the rebuff.” Chris Ott’s book Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures repeats the story, and Mark Johnson’s book An Ideal for Living asserts that Burroughs refused to speak to Curtis.
To anyone familiar with Burroughs, the thought of him telling a fan to get lost is perplexing. Burroughs tended to be unfailingly courteous, even a touch “old world” in his manners. Typically he was generous with fans and admirers, particularly with young men as handsome as Ian Curtis. What could have prompted such an exchange? Was Curtis insulting? Burroughs in a bad mood? Were there mitigating circumstances?
Find out in William S. Burroughs and Joy Division (Reality Studio)
Today is National Coming Out Day, so here is an appropriate music video to help get the party started right, Diana Ross performing. what else, “I’m Coming Out” at the Inglewood Auditorium in 1981. Congratulations to everyone who had the courage to come out to their friends and family today, it probably wasn’t easy, but it’s going to get better.
Via Shakesville
I love me some surly Lou Reed. The interviewer is WBCN’s Bill Boggs.
Watch and discuss among yourselves.
Is Africa bigger than the combined size of America and China?
This is the kind of question that pops up in local radio ‘phone-in quizzes, leaving irate callers purple-faced arguing the toss, until bluntly presented with the facts.
Well, here it is. Hard to believe, yes, but apparently true. For according to this map the African continent is far bigger than we think, as it can contain the area of the United States of America, China, India, Japan and still have room for Europe.
Don’t believe it? Well, let’s do the maths.
The total land area of China, USA, India, Mexico, Peru, France, Spain, Papua New Guinea, Sweden, Japan, Germany, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, UK, Nepal, Bangladesh and Greece is 30.102 (x1000km2)
Africa is 30.221 (x1000km2)
When it comes to Africa, this map shows why understanding scale is important.
Via Ken Cargill
Two of the most exciting live performances by a rock band that I’ve seen were Killing Joke at New York’s Peppermint Lounge and Limelight in the 80s. Intense, powerful, transcendent, Killing Joke’s influence has been long and deep. Underrated but much loved by their fans, KJ are gods among men.
Here’s a fan-made video interview with Killing Joke’s lead singer and high priest Jaz Coleman. Plus, a live performance by Killing Joke in Munich, 1985.
Parts 2 and 3 of the interview and live performance video after the jump…
Finally! And such an ordinary chap.
Last Minutes with Oden was voted best video at the Vimeo Festival + Awards over the weekend and boy did it deserve to win. The film is a six-minute long documentary about a former addict, Jason Wood, putting down his much loved pooch, Oden. Directed by Eliot Rausch, the short sensitively portrays what it’s like to go through something like this—is there anything more wrenching than having to put a dying pet down?—as well as expertly tying in Jason’s brutal backstory. The film is tightly and economically directed and to say it’s moving is a criminall understatement (I cried my eyes out—just sobbed like a baby—watching this earlier in the year and just now).
The Vimeo awards were held at the School of Visual Arts in New York and judged by folks like David Lynch, Roman Coppola, Morgan Spurlock, and M.I.A. Another winner that I really liked is Andy Brutel’s insane music video for “Scissors” by Liars.
Dunno ‘bout you, but I love Deerhoof. It was the Apple O
This week in New York City, for three night only, Dangerous Minds pal, Ann Magnuson and Adam Dugas will be presenting their Duelling Harps show that knocked ‘em dead in Los Angeles:
A darkly elegant evening of gorgeous melodies with a theatrical flourish. Ann Magnuson and Adam Dugas face off on vocals as Alexander Rannie and Mia Theodoratus strum their harps in this twisted match of musical one-upmanship. The quartet thrusts and parries with an arsenal of tunes ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime: psychedelic calls to prayer, Henry Purcell’s Baroque art songs, Kraftwerk, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Lee Hazlewood, and Pink Floyd, as well as original songs by Magnuson and Dugas. Dueling Harps makes its New York premiere at the Abrons. The show premiered in Hollywood at the Steve Allen Theater and then ran at REDCAT in the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Harps marks Magnuson’s first New York theatrical appearance in nine years.
Dugas and Magnuson meet upon the stage to resolve a grudge; a duel ensues to settle their dispute that is fought using only music. Each singer brings a second to accompany them on the harp, the only other weapon allowed in the duel. Dugas and Theodoratus represent the East Coast, Magnuson and Rannie the West, as a battle rages - with much trickery and tomfoolery. Robin Walsh adds a dash of the surreal with her puppetry, and a special Halloween encore rounds out the night. There will be blood!
The performances are on October 15, 16, and 17 and take place at the Abrons Arts Center at 8pm. You can buy tickets here.
New Yorkers take note, Ann assures me that due to the difficultly, and expense, of staging something like this, that this may be her last performance like this for quite some time on the east coast. And speaking of the costs of mounting such a show, they’ve got an online fundraiser going on where supporters can score posters, CDs, original art, a pre-performance reception and one lucky patron of the arts will receive an onstage LAP DANCE, from either Ann or Adam, their choice!
Episode 6 of the Dangerous Minds Radio Hour finds my fellow blogger and friend since 4th grade Ron Nachmann taking the reins for an expert excursion to many mesmerizing worlds of bass, dub and other booty-shaking points of interest. Listen in to Ron’s expertly textured world-wise selections, sure to become a regular feature of the DM Radio Hour.
Goran Bregovic – “In The Deathcar” (feat. Iggy Pop) Arizona Dreams OST (Wrasse Jamaica)
Junior Murvin & The Upsetters – “Roots Train Number Two” Sound System Scratch (Pressure Sounds)
The Upsetters – “Jucky Skank” Sound System Scratch (Pressure Sounds) pressure.co.uk
dubLoner & Isaac Haile Selassie – “Wicked Man [Kush Arora remix]” (Def’child Recordings)
Sub Swara – “Bend You” Triggers (Low Motion Records)
Commix – “Be True” [Burial remix] (Metalheadz)
I.D. - “Fashionist” (Voltage Music)
Shockman – “Shockout” (Voltage Music)
Mista Chatman – “Sidewinda” (more info)
A.J. Holmes and The Hackney Empire – “Fraudian Slip (feat. Kastro) [Uproot Andy Remix]” (Ghetto Bassquake)
Ibrahim Dicko - “Sida” DJ Spider remix Frikywa Vol. 1 (Six Degrees Records)
Tshetsha Boys – “Nwampfundla” Shangaan Electro: New Wave Dance Music From South Africa (Honest Jon’s)
Last Step – “Soda”You’re a Nice Girl EP (Planet Mu)
Download this week’s episode
Subscribe to the Dangerous Minds Radio Hour podcast at Alterati
Byron Williams prison mug shot.
“I would have never started watching Fox News if it wasn’t for the fact that Beck was on there. And it was the things that he did, it was the things he exposed that blew my mind.” - Byron Williams
Chilling, must-read article from Media Matters about the toxic influence paranoid wingnuts like Michele Bachmann and Glenn Beck have on gullible, unstable—and potentially violent—people:
Byron Williams, a 45-year-old ex-felon, exploded onto the national stage in the early morning hours of July 18.
According to a police investigation, Williams opened fire on California Highway Patrol officers who had stopped him on an Oakland freeway for driving erratically. For 12 frantic minutes, Williams traded shots with the police, employing three firearms and a small arsenal of ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds fired from a .308-caliber rifle.
When the smoke cleared, Williams surrendered; the ballistic body armor he was wearing had saved his life. Miraculously, only two of the 10 CHP officers involved in the shootout were injured.
In an affidavit, an Oakland police investigator reported that during an interview at the hospital, Williams “stated that his intention was to start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing people of importance at the Tides Foundation and the ACLU.”
Fifteen years after militia-movement-inspired bombers killed 168 people in the Oklahoma City federal building, right-wing domestic terror plots are a fact of life in America. Since 2008, violent extremists—many of whom subscribe to the hate speech and conspiratorial fantasies of the conservative media—have murdered churchgoers in Knoxville, police officers in Pittsburgh, and an abortion provider in Wichita.
Conspiracy theory-fueled extremism has long been a reaction to progressive government in the United States. Half a century ago, historian Richard Hofstadter wrote that right-wing thought had come to be dominated by the belief that Communist agents had infiltrated all levels of American government and society. The right, he explained, had identified a “sustained conspiracy, running over more than a generation, and reaching its climax in Roosevelt’s New Deal, to undermine free capitalism, to bring the economy under the direction of the federal government, and to pave the way for socialism or communism.”
In a 2009 report, the Southern Poverty Law Center found that the anti-government militia movement—which had risen to prominence during the Clinton administration and faded away during the Bush years—has returned. According to the SPLC, the anti-government resurgence has been buttressed by paranoid rhetoric from public officials like Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and media figures like Fox News’ Glenn Beck.
Just last month, Gregory Giusti pleaded guilty to repeatedly threatening House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—including threatening to destroy her California home—because he was “upset with her passing the health care law.” His mother told a local news station that he “frequently gets in with a group of people that have really radical ideas,” adding, “I’d say Fox News or all of those that are really radical, and he—that’s where he comes from.”
Read “Progressive Hunter”: Jailhouse Confession: How the right-wing media and Glenn Beck’s chalkboard drove Byron Williams to plot assassination (Media Matters)
In this fascinating article, written for Crawdaddy magazine in 1977, William Burroughs explores the music of Led Zeppelin and discusses Crowley, infra-sound, magic, Moroccan trance music and rock and roll with Jimmy Page.
The essential ingredient for any successful rock group is energy–the ability to give out energy, to receive energy from the audience and to give it back to the audience. A rock concert is in fact a rite involving the evocation and transmutation of energy. Rock stars may be compared to priests, a theme that was treated in Peter Watkins’ film ‘Privilege’. In that film a rock star was manipulated by reactionary forces to set up a state religion; this scenario seems unlikely, I think a rock group singing political slogans would leave its audience at the door.
The Led Zeppelin show depends heavily on volume, repetition and drums. It bears some resemblance to the trance music found in Morocco, which is magical in origin and purpose–that is, concerned with the evocation and control of spiritual forces. In Morocco, musicians are also magicians. Gnaoua music is used to drive out evil spirits. The music of Joujouka evokes the God Pan, Pan God of Panic, representing the real magical forces that sweep away the spurious. It is to be remembered that the origin of all the arts–music, painting and writing–is magical and evocative; and that magic is always used to obtain some definite result. In the Led Zeppelin concert, the result aimed at would seem to be the creation of energy in the performers and in the audience. For such magic to succeed, it must tap the sources of magical energy, and this can be dangerous.”
Here are some freakin’ amazing one-of-a-kind Vans WE Sk8 Hi’s designed by super-talented artist, Ian Johnson. I totally think Vans and Ian need to make more of these fine shoes.
See more images after the jump…
(Points and laughs)
