Madonna Fights Nuclear Waste and Vows, "Restless Leg Syndrome, You're Next!"
When not pissing off parishes and perfecting her phony English accent (yeah, we know you live in the UK now but you're starting to act like some of the arseholes I know who emigrated from across the ocean as fetuses and still won't cut the cord on their faux-Brit patois), it seems Madonna has been thinking a lot about the earth's future and others of late.
It may be somewhat old news, but reports, well, everywhere (it is Madonna after all) claim that she and husband Guy Ritchie hounded the offices of British Prime Minister Blair, the UK Department of Trade and Industry, and British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) with a plan to battle nuclear waste with a mystical Kabbalah-developed liquid. The two believe the solution has already been successful in neutralizing radiation in Ukraine, and Ritchie (apparently a "talking pictures" director of some renown... what will they think of next?!) sent a number of letters along with scientific papers that support the healing powers of the mystical fluid. This is all a bit at odds with the unsubstantiated rumor that the couple were heard quarrelling, as Madonna scolded hubby with, "It's nuclear god dammit, Guy! Not nuculer!"
The old gal can still stir up bad feelings and stomach bile in the most seemingly patient of peeps. Last week, a Dutch priest admitted to calling in a fake bomb threat in an attempt to stop a recent concert in Amsterdam on Madonna's current "Confessions" tour. In Moscow on Monday, the show went on but was opposed by many religiosos, including Orthodox church spokesman Father Vsevolod Chaplin, who, speaking to Pravda online, said, "This lady has been glorifying human passions with the help of religious symbols for years... she now thinks it is time for her to crucify herself in public. It means the singer is in need of spiritual help." No offence Father, but we're guessing the spiritual well-being of Me-donna is where it's always been, behind the megalomanical driving force. Could she be changing her ways?
"I can write the greatest songs (wha?) and make the most fabulous films (WHAT???) and be a fashion icon and conquer the world, but if there isn't a world to conquer, what's the point?" she said according to The Sunday Times. "I've just come to a place in my life where I'm trying to really see what the big picture is and where my energy is better spent, and that's one area I'm really concerned about."
We'll ignore the laughable possibility of Maddy ever actually writing her own songs or making even passably enjoyable films... the concept of Madonna thinking of others is as likely as someone successfully using a stingray for a boogie-board (too soon for Crocodile Hunter jokes?). With experts claiming Madonna's nuclear waste eradication scheme as pure hokum, at least hucksters can have a field day with the notion of magical Kabbalah water. It's only a matter of time until we hear the following at every traveling show and county fair:
"Gather 'round ever'one! Welcome to ye ole' medicine show. All sicknesses cured, plus possibly any nuclear ailments you may have. Get rid of yer liniments and snake oil, rosehips and riboflavin, Carter's Little Liver Pills, mugwump specific, swamp root, Kikapoo Indian Sagwa, 'joy juice', vegetable compound, Doan's Pills, Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People, milk from a witch's tit... Mystical Madonna has all you need by the bottleful ($1.75 for a half-liter, $3.00 per liter). A couple of swigs and y'all w'all be 'I gots ta get me some o' that kwazy kabbally potion!!!' Sick made well, weak made strong. Scarlet fever, cooties, and "female problems" gone. Chewing and cigarette habits cured. Say 'goodbye' to flatulence!..."
Unfortunately the one societal affliction Kabbalah liquid will never do away with is Madonna's incessant spotlight-grabbing and media-whoring.
Charalambides Cacophony of Sonancy Peregrinates Assorted U.S. Principalities
Lately, I have been noticing more and more a disturbing trend amongst artists I listen to on a regular basis: I can't fucking pronounce any of their names. Honestly, how can I name-drop Paavoharju in front of some co-workers when I can't get past the first syllable? And what about Fennesz? Shivers went down my spine merely reading it. And am I supposed to pronounce it "Sunn" or "Sunn O"? Ugh! Maddening. Yes, I realize that some of those names are in languages other than English, and that perhaps in their native countries their names are quite simple. For the most part, I choose to remain ignorant to that fact and long for simpler times. What's so wrong with good ol' American names like "The Who" or "The Smiths"?
All good things must come to an end, I suppose. I have more or less accepted that the glory days of band names that just roll off the tongue are over. The world is growing up. I have even ended my long-time boycott against bands with over a dozen consecutive letters in their names, and for this moral defeat, I hold Charalambides personally responsible. Upcoming tour? 40+ albums and CD-Rs? One of which, titled A Vintage Burden and released in 2006, has a conveniently placed TMT review link right here [TMT Review]? How could I resist? Not to worry: my boycott of movies with subtitles, the five-string bass, "icicle" Christmas lights, fruits without seeds, cup-holders, and any movie playing system other than Laserdisc are all stronger than ever.
Look for a 15-passenger van with "Charal-" painted on one side and "ambides" on the other in your town soon.
11.03.06 - Northampton, MA - Elevens
11.04.06 - Portland, ME - Strange Maine
11.05.06 - Somerville, MA - PA's Lounge
11.06.06 - Providence, RI - AS 220
11.08.06 - New York, NY - Knitting Factory Tap Bar
11.09.06 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Chapel Room
11.10.06 - Asheville, NC - TBA
11.11.06 - Atlanta, GA - Eyedrum
11.12.06 - Nashville, TN - Ruby Green
11.14.06 - Houston, TX - Rudyard's
11.15.06 - Austin, TX - Emo's
11.16.06 - Oklahoma City, OK - Conservatory
11.17.06 - Kansas City, MO - TBA
11.18.06 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
11.19.06 - Iowa City, IA - Hall Mall
11.20.06 - Oberlin, OH - Dionysus Disco
11.21.06 - Washington, DC - 611 Florida
TMT Fills the Whole Front Page with the Catchiest Words We Can Find: "New Pornographers Tour"
When I lived in Baltimore, I eventually made my peace with the fact that I'd have to go to DC in order to see about 80% of the bands I liked. And you know what? Call Baltimore all the names you want (believe me, I have), but DC sucks more. DC is like Baltimore with a few fancy neighborhoods, some government buildings, a subway that shuts down at midnight, and rents almost as inflated as New York. At least Baltimore is cheap and gave us John Waters.
So anyway, here I am, writing an article on The New Pornographers' fall mini-tour, when I come across this thing called the "V Fest" and learn that it's in Baltimore, of all places. At first, I'm impressed. New Pornos: yay! Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: *hand clap*/yeah! The Flaming Lips: wahoo! Wolfmother: hells yes! Scissor Sisters: shut up, I like them. Then I'm disappointed: Red Hot Chili Peppers? The Killers? Gnarls Barkley? The Raconteurs? John Digweed? That guy is still around? Finally, I'm just confused: The Who? Really???? Only when I realize that the whole thing is sponsored by Virgin Mobile does the utter randomness begin to make sense. And then I understand why it's taking place in Baltimore, the randomness capital of the world. Take that, DC!
I guess it doesn't make any difference to me. I'll be seeing them in New York, where it looks like they'll be interviewing the author of that bestseller The Wisdom of Crowds at The New Yorker Festival. I haven't read the book, but, hey, at least I don't have to look at Dave Navarro if I also wanna look at A.C. Newman. And we all know who the real hottie is there.
Jackie dressed in tourdates:
09.14.06 - Mexico City, MEXICO - Salon 21
09.17.06 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
09.23.06 - Baltimore, MD - V Fest
10.07.06 - New York, NY - New Yorker Festival
10.14.06 - Winnipeg, MB - Garrick Centre at the Marlborough*
10.16.06 - Saskatoon, SK - Odeon Event Center*
10.17.06 - Edmonton, AB - Red's*
10.18.06 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall Ballroom*
* with Noverillo Immaculate Machine
ICE Fest Kicks Off Tonight!
Tonight, the International Contemporary Ensemble begins its annual weeklong concert series in Chicago at the Hot House. I could make some kind of lame joke about the initials of this well-known avant-garde chamber group and its relation to a "hot" house, but I feel that would undermine the seriousness of this article (it is classical music, after all). So instead, how about some background? ICE was founded in 2001 for the express purpose of promoting new music and young composers while bringing this music to audiences not necessarily associated with modern classical music. Since then, they've performed in Alice Tully Hall in New York and the Miller Theatre at Columbia University. Their debut there was hailed by the New York Times as a "Top Ten Musical Moment of the Year" for 2003. Now, I think a listing of some concerts is due:
09.12.06 – Chicago, IL – HotHouse
Tonight will feature "classic ICE repertoire," including work by John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, Louis Andriessen, "up and coming" Du Yun, and the night closes with Steve Reich's seminal piece "Different Trains."
09.13.06 – Chicago, IL – Elastic
Featuring the seldom-used duo of clarinet and percussion, this night will feature works by Donatoni, Stockhausen, Lobera, and Manoury, as well as new works by young composers.
09.14.06 – Chicago, IL – The Velvet Lounge
This night's performance centers around ICE and Chicago Symphony Orchestra member Katinka Kleijn and several of her musically inclined friends. There will be works by Alvin Lucier, Bruno Maderna, Dai Fujikura, Alexandra Hermentin, and Frederic Rzewski, and a world premiere by Greg Ward written specifically for this performance.
09.15.06 – Chicago, IL – Pressure Billiards and Café
ICE guitarist will be playing both nylon and steel strings tonight for pieces by Mario Davidovsky, Julia Wolfe, Elliot Carter, Toru Takemitsu, and Peter Gilbert. As an encore, he's preparing a new piece by Yngwie Malmsteen called "Dungeons of HELL!!!"
09.17.06 – Chicago, IL – Green Mill Cocktail Lounge
09.17.06 – Chicago, IL – The Hungry Brain
Thankfully enough, modern music fans will not have to make the tough choice of whether they want to see the balls-out craziness of eight piano hands performing pieces by Ligeti, Kurtag, Messiaen, Schoenberg, Brunswick, Bartok, Tsai-Yun Huang, and three (count 'em, three!) world premieres OR some of the more interesting improvised music in America. Your day's plan should look something along the lines of going to the Green Mill at two to see 40 fingers flying, then heading directly over to The Hungry Brain for the 10 P.M. improvised show (you'll need that much time to get there due to Cubs-related IQ-deprived activity... ugh).
09.18.06 – Chicago, IL – Katerina's
And for you classical lovers out there, the final night of the festival will feature works written before 1940 – outside ICE's usual scope. However, these pieces will be subjected to some interesting arrangements and will feature some very special guests from the Lyric Opera Company and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Among the advertised "four + hours of nonstop classical" will be Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 5" as well as other popular favorites. Sorry, no karaoke.
Robert Pollard Signs Up for Lamaze Classes, Expecting Once Again
Robert Pollard, the coolest "older uncle" if not "father figure" of indie rock. He continuously kicks out the jams, ignoring the strains in his body. He's also pregnant with a new album: Normal Happiness, due October 10. Gentlemen, prepare to break out the cigars.
This is his second album out this year, following From a Compound Eye [TMT Review]. Pollard encourages the album to be bought at independent record shops, adding a bonus live CD of Pollard and the Ascended Masters to all copies sent to independent shops. Take that, condescending security jerk.
Normal Happiness was produced in one month in Pollard's basement. Out of the 47 songs created, 16 made it to the album. Congratulations tracks 1 to 16! Here are the lucky winners:
1. Accidental Texas Who
2. Whispering Whip
3. Supernatural Car Lover
4. Boxing About
5. Serious Bird Woman (You Turn Me On)
6. Get A Faceful
7. Towers and Landslides
8. I Feel Gone Again
9. Gasoline Ragtime
10. Rhoda Rhoda
11. Give Up The Grape
12. Pegasus Glue Factory
13. Top Of My Game
14. Tomorrow Will Be Another Day
15. Join The Eagles
16. Full Sun (Dig The Slowness)
Let's all help him pay his mortgage! Why, isn't that what fans are for? Otherwise, he might have to resort to selling personal items on eBay again. That's okay, too.
11.09.06 - Bloomingtin, IL- Bluebird #
11.10.06 - Chicago, IL- The Abbey Pub #
11.11.06 - Dayton, OH- The Foundry ()
11.13.06 - New York, NY- Bowery Ballroom *
11.14.06 - Philadelphia, PA- World Cafe Live *
11.15.06 - Baltimore, MD- Sonar +
11.17.06 - Boston, MA- Paradise Rock Club*
11.18.06 - Northampton, MA- Pearl St./
# w/ Nassau
( w/ Mitch Mitchell's Terrifying Experience
) w/ Murder Your Darlings
* w/ Starling Electric
+ w/ Portatastic
/ w/ Richard Davies
Village Person Given Suspended Sentence After Drugs Bust; Newswriter Attempts To Shoehorn "Go West" Joke Into Article; Fails
Dude! Fucking... DUDE! Get over here! Check this shit out! You know the dude from The Village People? Victor Willis? The black dude?
Yeah, he got busted, man. Ha! Can you imagine that! The police chief would be all like "arrest that dude from The Village People," and the police would be like "which one??," and he'd be like "The one that looks like a cop," and then shit would get all Benny Hill as they all try and arrest each other. Or maybe the chaps would give it away, I don't know.
But, yeah. Dude got arrested for drugs and weapon possession, proving that even if you've turned yourself into pretty much the go-to guy for lame humorists looking for a gay joke, it doesn't mean you can't party like a rockstar!
Willis was arrested back in March (NEWSFLASH TMT SCOOP MUST CREDIT TMT) but was given an eight-month suspended sentence this Wednesday. He also... Oh.
Er, he also has to attend a 30-day programme at the Betty Ford Center for treatment for, uh, drug addiction. Shit. This, er... This isn't very funny any more. Er, I feel kinda guilty now.
Willis released a statement in June, at the start of his trial, saying "The nightmare of drug abuse is being lifted from my life... Now that the haze of drugs are gone, I'm thinking and seeing clearer now than I have in years... I'm looking forward to living the second part of my life drug free."
Good for you, dude. Good for you. I'm, uh, going to go and sit somewhere quiet and think about what I've done.
European Indie Labels to Vivendi's Universal Music: Put It Back in Your Pants; TMT to American Indie Labels: Take a Hint, Already
Well, at least the Europeans give a shit. You see, Vivendi's subsidiary, our good friends Universal Music, have announced plans to acquire an itty bitty company known colloquially to a few industry insiders as BMG Music Publishing. Now, before you shoot yourself in the head (in this case colloquially known to teenagers everywhere as "dying for the sake of art"), take some solace in the fact that a group of European indie labels are making their dissent known.
Impala Independent Music Companies Association, which includes such heavy hitters as Beggars Group and V2, has launched a formal complaint against the merger. Martin Mills (pictured), Chairman of both Impala and Beggars Group, commented, "The strength of Universal in recording music would make this merger bad news for artists and music. It will also be particularly difficult for the regulators." By way of a response, BMG financial director Thomas Rabe basically said, "Up yours." I mean, he didn't actually say it, but we all know that's what he was thinking.
Now, unlike the dear old US of A, where challenging a corporate quasi-monopoly is functionally equivalent to telling the President to steal a few million dollars out of his own pocket, Impala actually has European precedent working in its favor. Last year, the group's protest against the Sony-BMG merger influenced a European court to overturn the European Commission's original ruling in favor of the conglomeration. Way back in 2000, they were able to block a merger between EMI and Warner Music Group.
Moral of the story? Sometimes David does beat Goliath. Just, um, not in this country. And Merge, Sub Pop, if you're listening out there, maybe it's time to prove me wrong.
Arab Strap break up! Bolivian Benoit Balls now best band named after a sex device
The site message was polite and optimistic: "Yes, it's the end for Arab Strap. After 10 years, six studio albums, three live albums, and all manner of everything else, we've decided the story should come to a close. There's no animosity, no drama, we simply feel we've run our course and The Last Romance seems to us the most obvious and logical final act of the Arab Strap studio adventure. Everybody likes a happy ending!... It is midnight on the 8th of September 2006 and I have just opened a beer. Cheers."
Well it's 7:03 am on September 10, 2006 as I start to write this, and I have just opened a beer too, but it's not making me feel any better about the break-up of Arab Strap. It's true that everybody likes a happy ending, but everybody loves more tales of sexual conquest, crises, and confusion, bitter ass-ends of relationships, quick cummers and two-stroke wonders, nights of binge drugging and drinking, and "blood on the johnnie" too, don't they?
Malcolm Middleton (mostly music) and Aidan Moffat (mostly lyrics) started Arab Strap in the central Scottish town of Falkirk in 1995 and quickly gained a reputation as dour, snarky cynics. C'mon...you start singing stuff like "They've seen me in the shower with shit down my legs" and "Smelling my fingers on the way back home" and next thing you know you are pigeonholed into that commonest of labels, the miserable/drunk/pervert band (FYI... rumored to be the next new Grammy Award category). Fortunately, the band was more known and revered for its dramatic musical originality and lyrical nous, a heady concoction that few bands — especially two-piece-based ones at that — could ever equal. To rub salt in others' wounds, the 'Strap also pulled off getting a song in a commercial for a product that is actually cool. The classic debut single "The First Big Weekend" was snagged by stout giant (?) Guinness for one of their popular UK ads.
So now it's 9:34 am (yes, it took me that long to write the nonsense you just read), and I'm considering draining the maraschino cherries and vanilla extract from the cupboard for a quick brain buzz while I reminisce about embarrassing fumbles with ex-loves and lost plastered weekends, but mostly about a band that wrote about such things with much more thought and dauntless honesty than I ever could.
Not surprisingly, Moffat and Middleton will go out with a celebratory bang, not a confectionary-assisted whimper, by issuing a career-spanning compilation entitled Ten Years of Tears and touring the UK in November and December. The album is expected on October 23 in the UK through on-and-off-and-on-again label Chemikal Underground (early 2007 in North America) and will feature a good representation of the band's back catalogue of lusty smut: early demos, unreleased and live tracks, B-sides and sessions, plus all the "hits." Speaking to the NME, Middleton explained the track choices thusly: "Sometimes the albums were a bit stifled because we were worrying too much about making a good album. I think that live versions of songs and b-sides etc show a truer, more relaxed side to the band. Ten Years of Tears can serve both as an introduction to Arab Strap and also a fitting finale to those people who have followed us along the way."
The tracks of their Ten Years of Tears:
1 Preface: Set the Scene
2 Islands (original 1995 demo)
3 The First Big Weekend
4 Gilded (live from first ever show)
5 I Saw You (first John Peel session)
6 The Clearing (single version)
7 Packs of Three (acoustic, live in studio 2006)
8 (Afternoon) Soaps
9 Rocket, Take Your Turn (Fukd ID 12")
10 To All a Good Night
11 Turbulence (Bis remix, radio edit)
12 The Shy Retirer
13 Blood (live 2004)
14 If There's No Hope For Us (rogue version)
15 Where We've Left Our Love
16 The Girl I Loved Before I Fucked (full band version)
17 Oxytocin (first ever recording)
18 There Is No Ending (7" edit)
The compilation will be preceded by a 7-inch single featuring the edit of "There Is No Ending" and backed with a remix of "The First Big Weekend" by Four Tet. The good news is that after the break-up, the remaining pieces will carry on their respective solo activities. Middleton is recording the follow-up to the superb Into the Woods album with ubiquitous studio helmsman Tony Dougan, and Moffat will continue to pen his personal poemsongs and record his ongoing Lucky/L. Pierre project (a new album, Dip, is due in early 2007). The farewell tour is being planned now and includes at least the 11 dates listed below. Even if Arab Strap always rubbed you against the grain, how could you not raise a pint (and a hug) to a band who were once "disowned" by their hometown of Falkirk after branding it as boring, run-down, and full of violent druggies and alcoholics?
The last live romance:
11.01.06 - Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms
11.03.06 - Norwich, England - Arts Centre
11.05.06 - Portsmouth, England - Wedgewood Rooms
11.06.06 - Liverpool, England - Liverpool Theatre
11.07.06 - Bristol, England - Thekla
11.08.06 - London, England - Scala
11.29.06 - Manchester, England - Academy 3
12.01.06 - Edinburgh, Scotland - Cabaret Voltaire
12.02.06 - Aberdeen, Scotland - Tunnels
12.03.06 - Glasgow, Scotland - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
12.04.06 - Glasgow, Scotland - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
Cat Power has left something special in the litter box for you: A fresh new live EP!
Before I go on to tell you about the live EP that Cat Power has released on iTunes, I must get something off my chest.
I'll just let the "cat" out of the bag. I hate cats. Cats have ruined my life. Now don't jump to the conclusion that this is off-topic or irrelevant. This is an issue that must be addressed by using a sequential timeline beginning with my birth.
August 14, 1985 - Due to a simple mistake, my dad drives my mom to the wrong hospital when she goes into labor. It just so happens to be an animal hospital. After a veterinarian named "Shelly" poorly delivers me, I am forced to stay the night in cage surrounded by several hissing cats. It was that night that the cats created an official pecking order against me, and from that day forth I was on every cat's hit list.
December 25, 1991 - My drunken uncle Ol' Dirty Bastard surprises me with a kitten for Christmas. My face bright with joyful anticipation that a puppy would jump out of the little cardboard box is blown up in smoke when the box is just full of not one, but three dead kittens. Ol' Dirty forgot to put air holes in the box like usual. Of course, I am horrified, but I'm more disappointed that I didn't get a puppy.
April 3, 1993 - Cat Stevens's tour bus breaks down in front of our house. After his roadies eat a nice home-cooked meal with my family, Cat comes with me to my room. He says, "Hey kid, have you ever tripped?" After the night that I dropped acid with Cat Stevens, I began a disruptive downward spiral into "hardcore" drugs and impregnating various women. This lasted until I turned eight, and I got a hysterectomy after my fourth child was born.
February 17, 1996 - My parents announce to me that they are having a divorce while I am watching an episode of Dr. Katz. They also tell me that they don't like me very much, and my uncle gains full custody over me. That night, I cried so hard that my tears ran all the way down to my testicles. My testicles shriveled until they disappeared, and I haven't seen them since.
April 5, 1998 - My uncle legally changes his name to Big Baby Jesus.
October 31, 1999 - After debating for weeks over catsup vs. ketchup, my friend Alex goes on a shooting rampage at our school. Good thing I didn't go to school on that day!!!!
September 11, 2001 - I have a job in New York City as a delivery man for a catnip company called "Hey, It's like Crack for Cats!" While parked in an alley, a gang of badass cats bombard me with threatening hisses. The cats rape me and scar me for life. It is the worst event that happens on that day, and my story is all
over the news.
So...... maybe now you can see I am slightly shaken by Cat Power. However, I know that Cat Power is really Chan Marshall. I can also infer that she is one nice lady when sober. So without further delay, let me say that I don't hate all cats.
As of now, the four-track, live session EP is only exclusively available on iTunes. If there is one thing that I don't hate, it would be giving all of my money to iTunes. Like Marshall has done before, there are three covers and an acoustic version of "Love and Communication" from her latest effort, The Greatest [TMT Review].
Tracklisting (Meow!!!):
1. Love And Communication (Acoustic Version)
2. House Of The Rising Sun
3. Wild Is The Wind
4. Who Knows Where The Time Goes
I'm all out of cat jokes. Remaining dates:
09.12.06 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse*
09.13.06 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre*
09.15.06 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Music Festival*
09.16.06 - Dallas, TX - Gypsy Ballroom*
09.17.06 - Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ*
09.20.06 - Mexico City, Mexico - Venustiano Carranza 25 (solo)
11.01.06 - London, UK - Roundhouse*
11.03.06 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso*
11.04.06 - Brussels, BEL - Ancienne Belgique*
11.05.06 - Paris, FR - Grand Rex
11.07.06 - Zurich, Switzerland - Kaufleuten
11.09.06 - New York City, NY - Avery Fisher Hall (solo)#
* with Memphis Rhythm Band
# Bob Dylan tribute with Patti Smith and Phillip Glass
Dinosaur Jr Get Ganked Like A Week Ago; Get Bombarded With Emails From Fans Who Are, Like, Really Concerned They Won't Have a Concert at Which to Show Off Their New Flannel
For those of you who thought there was already enough information about The Beatles out there – you were wrong! Just in time for Part 2 of my article on the Genius of Yoko, Mrs. Lennon herself has opened up her archives to documentary filmmakers David Leaf (who was also involved with America: A Tribute to Heroes in 2001 and John Scheinfeld for a new endeavour called The U.S. vs. John Lennon).
The film will take place between 1966 and 1972, the years when the Lennonos were very busy campaigning for Peace, with events such as their "Bed In" or "Bag Peace." Of course, we all know how much the United States loves the idea of Peace, so you probably get the picture as to what the tension was like between various U.S. Government officials and the newlyweds. For those who aren't familiar with the story, John Lennon faced many hurdles in his attempt to obtain U.S. citizenship. Apparently, Elvis wasn't too keen on the Peacemaker residing in his country and was out to ensure The Beatles collective were nowhere near it. Poor Presley didn't realize that the only thing Ringo was capable of was an atrocity, such as his cover of Hoyt Axton's "No No Song."
In a press conference regarding the film, Yoko stated, "Of all the documentaries that have been made about John, this is the one he would have loved." With footage culled from the couple's home movies and various incomplete cinefilm, the film will be one to watch out for. The U.S. vs. John Lennon is being shown at the Toronto Film Festival today and will open in New York on September 15. It will get a wider U.S. release on September 29.
Dinosaur Jr Get Ganked Like A Week Ago; Get Bombarded With Emails From Fans Who Are, Like, Really Concerned They Won't Have a Concert at Which to Show Off Their New Flannel
Dear Whoever is Currently Thrashing a '61 Fender Jazzmaster and Pretending to Be J Mascis:
Great job. No, seriously, I bet you've got a ticker-tape parade in the streets of Brooklyn in your honor. Ripping off Dinosaur Jr is really one of the most rock 'n' roll jobs you could have possibly done. Hell, maybe if you'd told them about it beforehand, they would have congratulated you on your disrespect for authority and actually given you all the gear they've lovingly collected over the years.
Except for the fact that Dinosaur Jr bear little resemblance to anything even closely related to the so-called "Man," and you don't actually know how to shred an axe. Just coke. With strings from a B.C. Rich Warlock bass. Wow, how could I have been so stupid!? Everyone knows razorblades are like, so 1978.
I take it all back. Upon further introspection, it's obvious that you really, really needed a trailer's worth of equipment from Dinosaur Jr. I know you just don't have the patience to wait for Shakira's upcoming set at Madison Square Garden. Besides, her gear is totally beat. You made the right choice.
Love & Mace
heidi vanderslice
