Monday, December 20, 2010
Beach House and bubble bathes!
I am not one to bathe in a bubble filled tub surrounded by candles in the dark. The lack of time aside, it's just not my style! I'm more of a shower type guy! Having said that, if I were the type to participate in such a luxurious type of activity, I would only want to listen to one thing, and that would be the new album by Beach House. Here is a video of them in the studio Performing "Walk in The Park" off of that album (Teen Dream).
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Drew Grella: Artist, and what not...
Drew Grella
age: 25
hometown: Medina, Ohio
artistic medium: ink and pencil drawings
1. Me: What is your favorite kind of bubble?
Drew: Soap bubbles, because they have rainbows in them.
2. Me: What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
Drew: Nothing, I usually stay in bed until I'm not tired anymore. well, I guess people motivate me to get out of bed. I get out of bed to be with people.
3. Me: What in pop culture would you say most motivates your artwork the most( e.g. music,
film, literature, etc.)?Drew: I am really influenced by pop culture Dragon Ball Z, Cartoons in general are really magical! Hayao Miyazaki's films,Spirited Away, are super influential(.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594503/.) Music is also definately a tool in creating my art. I listen to music a lot while I draw. Usually what I is drawn from observations in my life.
4. Me: Who would you say, in your opinion, is the best artist producing art currently?
Drew: James Gene, Andrew Hem
Check out these artists work by clicking the links below:
5. Me: If it were your job to create and name colors, what color would you make? What would it look like? and what would you name it?
Drew: I would create a color that would be reddish/greenish/brown and I would name it Carbose! I like red-ish/maroon-ish colors.
To take a look at Drew's work check out his website Compact Sonic Lavender by clicking the link below
or to check out his flicker click the link below:
an uncensored version of the video interview may or may not be available soon once i figure out how to do it...
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Judy Garland Christmas Show (1963)
In 1963 Judy Garland, teamed with CBS, created a television variety show. 26 episodes were aired. This is the Christmas special of that year. To view the episodes click on each link below. Enjoy!
part 1
part 2
part3
part 4
part5
part 6
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Next Best Thing...
Portland, OR born Jeff Luker is the next best thing! If these photos have a familiar gloss, you may have seen his recent work for Urban Outfitters or Levi's and just not put the name with the "face".
Luker recently released a zine by the name of Not Too Many Kingdoms Left. The zine was put out by an independent publishing company out of Berlin, Germany by the name of PogoBooks. Founded in 2010, PogoBooks is specializes in limited edition photography books and zines. Their goal is to make original artwork accessible to the masses. To check out their site click the link below:
If you like these photos check out the zine on booooooom.com by clicking the link below
or check out his website by clicking the link below
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival: Tom Sellecks
I love this video! If you get it, good for you!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Desert Island All Time Top Five(plus one) best websites for live music.
Well, as many of you know I am a music fan. I also spend alot of time "lerking" blogs and websites of various types(e.g. art, music etc.). I decided a few weeks ago to compile a list of my favorite sites under the criteria that they had video of live music. Here is a list of my desert island all time top five( plus one) websites to visit if you like live music performances. The list is in no particular order. Hopefully you enjoy. Feel free to comment...
The A.V. Club is a pretty sweet pop culture website. It covers film, literature and music. One of my favorite shows that has come from this site is "Undercover". Watch the video and it explains the details as to how it works. Just click the link below to hit up the website and check out the other covers. Enjoy!
http://www.avclub.com/
The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition (Live on KEXP)
Just had to add this one to the list. Gotta show the Seattle love! KEXP is actually a radio station. They have an amazing website to compliment the radio station. On this website they have in studio performances. Here's one from The Temper Trap. If your wondering why this song is so freaking familiar it's probably because you share my obsession with Zooey Dechanel and you watched the movie 5oo Days of Summer. Yeah, it's on the soundtrack. You like? you know what to do... check out the website at the link below:
http://kexp.org/
Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeroes NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
I was never a fan of talk radio until I was a bit older. Because of that fact I was under the impression that NPR(National PublicRadio), which is traditionally a talk radio station, was not for me. I was later influenced by my older, and somewhat wiser, brother that I should educate myself a bit and listen. Naturally I, being a northwesterner, was attracted to NPR. It's what we do. If you don't get it it's likely that your just not from the upper left. As I began listening to NPR I quickly learned what they were all about. My eyes were opened to a whole new world of talk radio. I realized that people had more to say than the president sucks and talk about their opinions on politics. I realized that there was radio that would enlighten, inform, and edify with facts and un-bias information.
All that aside NPR not only talks of politics and world events it promotes culture and the arts. Here is a video of Edward Sharp and The Magnetic Zeros live from the NPR "Tiny Desk" concert studio. You can find more live feed and footage of bands in the NPR studio at the website. Just click the link below:
http://www.npr.org/
The Walkmen - The Rat (Live from Juan's Basement)
The Walkmen have been a personal fav. since way back when my best buddy/heterosexual life partner introduced them to me. He threw together a compilation of music that has tested the sands of time and has remained to this date one of the greatest mix tapes I have ever heard, "The Rat" being one of those songs... I must say, this song is epic!
The video comes from a website called Pitchfork which has risen from the ashes of the underground to become the most popular of alt/indie music websites. On this particular site there is a link called pitchfork tv consisting of various shows that the wonderful people at Pitchfork have created for our viewing pleasure, my favorite being Juan's Basement. Juan's Basement is just as it sounds. Bands put together a set list of music they want to play and them proceed to play it in the basement of a young gentleman named Juan. As always, if you like it, go to the website for more golden nuggets of joy!
Just click the link below:
Grizzly Bear - All We Ask (Black Cab Sessions: Chapter Seventy-Nine)
Grizzly bear is a band that I have appreciated for quite a long time now. I stumbled across their epic Friend EP while working in the Seattle area a few years back. I had been bumbling around the local record store looking for something shiny and new. Here is a video from a really great site, one of my favorites, called The Black Cab Sessions. There are many more videos of these great alt/indie bands playing in the "Black Cab" at the site. Just click the link below. Do enjoy!
http://www.blackcabsessions.com/
BEIRUT - FORKS AND KNIVES (La fête)
This is an amazing video from an amazing french blog by the name of La Blogotheque. It is one of my most favorite places to watch music videos. Most of which are played to the backdrop Paris, France. If you enjoyed this video check out the many others at the site. Just click on the link below:
http://www.blogotheque.net/
Mothers raise your boys to be men!
Mothers teach your boys to be men!
Men that are trustworthy, loyal, helpful and friendly.
Men that are courteous, kind, and obedient.
Men that are cheerful, thrifty and brave.
Men that are clean and that show reverence.
These are the men that the world desperately needs.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Blonde Redhead - Top Ranking
I was talking to a friend the other day and I mentioned that over thanksgiving break I would be in Seattle and per chance be catching a Blonde Redhead show at the Showbox. In response she replied, "Who's that?" So I quickly pulled up youtube on the ol' Mac and played her some music. I stumbled upon this video and was impressed! Check it out and you may see why...
Sunday, October 31, 2010
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON, and other stuff...
The other day a lovely gal introduced me to Marcel. He is the cute cuddly shell that happens to wear shoes. Having enjoyed Marcel, I decided to seek out his creator and learn a bit more about him.
His name is Dean Fleischer and yes he has a degree, a point he makes very clear on his website, in fact his degree is in movie making! Surprise, surprise! He lives and works out of Brooklyn, NY. Dean is currently working editing a IFC television show called FOOD PARTY. I watched an episode and was literally blown away! This show is one of two things 1. Off its rocker nuts! (or) 2. Pure and utter genius. It is for you to decide. Either way it's something to be experienced. So that you may do so I've taken it upon myself to include the pilot episode. enjoy!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Minimalists... go figure!
I had never herd of them until that night, although I do remember being guifted a Modest Mouse minimalist poster when I was in high school, at the time not knowing what it was of course! Needless to say that night, looking over countless posters such as these displayed above, I was immediately impressed at the information that could be portrayed with so little.
There are literally hundreds of these posters online for viewing pleasure or purchase. Here are a few links where you can find them.
http://www.urlesque.com/2010/05/04/37-minimalist-posters-movies-superheroes-lady-gaga/
http://www.urlesque.com/2010/05/05/26-minimalist-posters-television-music/
Bad "A" boys, a bad "A" girl and a bad "A" movie!
Moving on! The Kinks wrote one of my most favorite songs ever! Its called Nothin' In This World Can Stop Me. It just so happens that one of my most favorite directors ever used this song in one of his movies, that now happens to be one of my most favorite movies ever! Here is that scene, that happens to be one of my most favorite scenes in the movie, with the song in it...
So after The Kinks made that sweet song and after Wes Anderson used that song in his super sweet movie, a super bad "A" girl named Feist covered that song live, and blew my mind grapes!
Drive-In Theater Intermission clips 23
Lately, for one reason or another, I've taken an interest in the local history of my current place of residence, Idaho. It could have something to do with the fact that I'm kind of bored, I can't seem to sleep or I'm just looking for something to do. For whatever reason in my research I stumbled across this little gem. I had been researching the oldest functioning drive-in movie theaters in Idaho and on one of the pages was this video of old intermission adds. I found them to be quite nostalgic and entertaining. I hope you enjoy!
As far as I can tell, based on my arduous research, the oldest functioning drive in theater is The Spud Drive-In located in Driggs, ID. It has been in operation since July 3, 1953. Just in case you were wondering...
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
One more reason why you should grow a mustache! Haters!
A month ago I fell ill with the flu. Subsequently I was kicked out of my place of living and spent a week crashed out on a friends couch. Over a relatively short period of time I began to grow some scruff. Mostly due to laziness, I allowed the scruff to evolve into a relatively respectable patch of hair.
One evening I was called into work and my boss commented on my appearance, and I was coerced into "cleaning up my act". So I turned my grizzly appearance into a mustache or moustache if your Canadian. I decided to balance it out with a mini soul patch( reference Zoro, Don Juan or Elliot Smith if you need a visual).
After allowing my mustache to mature a bit I began to research mustache care and maintenance. I discovered the AMI(American Mustache Institute) http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/ along with a few other websites I feel less inclined to mention. The one I was most impressed with was Movember.
The story behind Movember starts as any great story would start, with a few Oz's sitting around a table with a few pints of Australian beers. What evolved from that fateful evening in 2003 was an organization of men world wide that raise awareness to men's health and the fight against cancer. They accomplish this goal by bringing back man's greatest symbol of manhood... the mustache! The name Movember was created by smashing the words mustache and November. Basically, MoBros as they call the growers grow the mustaches starting on the 1st through the month of November and the MoSisters(the women that support the men in their quest) help retrieve donations for each grower.
for more information on Movember, how you can participate, or just check out the sweet site, click the link below:
http://us.movember.com/?home
Love & Craft
A few months back I stumbled across a video of a company of chocolate makers named Mast Brother's Chocolate. They Impressed me so much with their love of their craft. I have always been a person to appreciate the creation of things by hand. I find beauty in it. It represents, to me, the potential that our creator has put into each one of us.
to check out the Mast Brother's Chocolate website click the link below
http://www.mastbrotherschocolate.com/
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Jarmusch/Mulatu
The other day I was listening to NPR online at something like 4am, and I came across an interview with Jim Jarmusch the director of a film I had previously seen called Broken Flowers starring Bill Murray. I remembered back that I had really enjoyed the movie primarily for the soundtrack. Jarmusch had chosen some particularly interesting music.
Listening to the interview I discovered that Jarmusch created an entire character just because he really wanted to incorporate the music into the movie. By creating the character of Bill Murray's neighbor as a man from the geographic location that the music was derived, he was able to give reason for its presence in the movie.
After listening to the rest of the interview I researched a little about the music. The artist is a man named Mulatu Astatke. Born in Ethiopia in 1943, Astatke was musically trained in London, New York and Boston and was Astatke was the first African student to be accepted into Berklee College of Music.
He later recorded his first two albums, Afro-Latin Soul v.1&2 in New York. To say the least, the man's music is just crazy good! If you have the means, I highly suggest checking it out. Here's a sample to wet your whistle, click on the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDC7oMOnmCc
To listen to the interview with Jim Jarmusch on NPR click the link below.
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=129529392&m=129529181
Listening to the interview I discovered that Jarmusch created an entire character just because he really wanted to incorporate the music into the movie. By creating the character of Bill Murray's neighbor as a man from the geographic location that the music was derived, he was able to give reason for its presence in the movie.
After listening to the rest of the interview I researched a little about the music. The artist is a man named Mulatu Astatke. Born in Ethiopia in 1943, Astatke was musically trained in London, New York and Boston and was Astatke was the first African student to be accepted into Berklee College of Music.
He later recorded his first two albums, Afro-Latin Soul v.1&2 in New York. To say the least, the man's music is just crazy good! If you have the means, I highly suggest checking it out. Here's a sample to wet your whistle, click on the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDC7oMOnmCc
To listen to the interview with Jim Jarmusch on NPR click the link below.
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=129529392&m=129529181
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Nuevo Mexico: VendrTV
Just in case you were wondering where the remaining members of The Shins went after James "home wrecker" Mercer broke up the band. Here is a little clip I found about former Shins drummer Jesse Sandovai. Eat it James Mercer! Literally!
A useful nugget of joy...
Here's a poloroid from the Band Of Outsiders collection just for added affect.
Jonny Quest - The Mystery of the Lizard Men 1
The Person that posted this on youtube made it impossible to watch it straight from my blog. It's possible to press play and then watch it straight off of youtube. By the way, it's worth the hassle... I love the style of artwork and the storyline is priceless! Why don't they make cartoons like this anymore?
P.S.-My mom used to crush hard core on Johnny Quest! Can you imagine what I would have looked like if it had worked out between them?
P.S.-My mom used to crush hard core on Johnny Quest! Can you imagine what I would have looked like if it had worked out between them?
Sunday, October 10, 2010
In your room, in the shower, wherever...you've done this!
Dont say that you've never done this! I know I have!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
I was almost hit by a car...
I was on a Sunday evening bike ride when I was almost hit by a car. The driver must have not been paying attention to what he was doing. I'm sure he wasn't being I recognized the fellow right away, and he was the type of person that would be lost in thought a million miles away... As My life flashed before my eyes this song popped into my head and it made me feel really good immediately! It was strange! I didnt even have time to feel scared...
Here's to you Mom!
I saw this video and immediately though of my mom. She is the best thing to ever happen to planet earth...
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
As A Man Thinketh...
A few years ago, while on a service mission in Brasil, I was having a conversation with a friend of mine. He was a well read individual and had had much success as a businessman. So much success that he was offered a position as a professor at a prestigious university, of which I am reluctant to mention, on the east coast educating students in business and economics.
Our conversation was on the topic of books. I inquired as to whether he had read any good books lately( basically shooting the shiz) to which he responded, "As A Man Thinketh" by James Allen is the best piece of literature written in the last 100 years". I trust this man more than I trust most people. So I read it.
Being that I was living in Brasil, I had a bit if a search to find it. After a few days I came across a small bookstore on the other side of town and and to my surprise there on the shelf was a copy. I was way over priced! In frustration I gave up my search.
A week or two went by and I ran into an old friend of mine. After a cordial greeting I noticed that my buddy had some pages in his hand. I inquired as to what it was. He informed me that he was reading a book that he had downloaded off of the internet. I was somewhat thrown off! The reason for my disbelief was that he had very few pages. What he had done was lower the font as small as he could and still read it. He took a text that was normally at jut slightly over 100 pages and brought it down to 3 pages. He asked me to watch his tings while he went in to a meeting and I responded that I would. As he entered his meeting, unaware as to how much time it would take, I quickly searched for anything that would magnify the text so that I might read it. I found a shot glass. Over the next two hours, with some difficulty, I was able to read the entire text.
James Allen was born in Leicester, England November 28, 1964. Hailed to be his greatest work, As As Man Thinketh, is one mans view on the power of though in the lives of man. Scripturaly based, Allen bases the entire book off of the premise that "As a man thinketh, so is he..." teaching us how to use thought to create or destroy ourselves and our world as we know it. I can honestly say that if I read this book every day for the rest of my life I would learn something new about the power of though daily. I highly suggest not just reading it, but buying a copy and applying it's principals to your life. No matter what your belief system is As a man thinketh will change the way you think about life!
Monday, September 27, 2010
A tribute to gapped teeth!
As a child I was always self conscious about the fact that I, in my opinion, had a grand canyon sized gap between my teeth. So for all of you that share this plight I dedicate this post to you!
Here are a few pics of beautiful rocking the gap!
Feel self conscious now?
Hitchhiking Eastern Idaho
Over the next hour we discovered a little about 5. We learned that he was actually a pretty successful businessman, that he was employed by a company that hired him to travel around the country and move company vehicles from one location to another and that he would pocket the travel money that they had allotted him and just hitch his way from one place to another. 5 had made a career out of hitchhiking! I was pretty impressed! This guy was good!
5 told stories. when I say stories I mean he never stopped talking the entire time we were on the road (about 3 hours to be exact). He told us about hitching in the 70's he told us about Europe and Canada, Asia and all over the United States. He gave us a lot of valuable information, such as if I were in Thailand and I had an itch for a pizza, sprinkled with pot delivered to me by a naked woman seated on a baby elephant I could have it for about $60, and the price of a girlfriend for a week in Bangkok. Over all it was quite the learning experience.
In the end we dropped our newly found friend off in West Yellowstone, had an ice cream cone and headed home. I will never forget 5. I'm pretty sure every time I see a hitchhiker I'll look to see if it's him.
After walking a few a farmer by the name of Merl picked me up. He drove me all of the way to Twin falls. He was the nicest man! He told me stories of his family, the Mexicans that worked for him and life on the farm. I envied him. He was the kind of man I wish to be when I reach a ripe old age. A real man! Very "John Wayne"!
Merl dropped me off just outside of twin falls next to a field of cows. I walked for about two miles thinking about my life, kicking rocks and feeling the warm sun on my cold face. It was a bitter sweet few miles. I thought about the life I've lived and the things I'd done. I felt at peace with myself. I had not been a perfect man,but I'd lived a life and that life had made me who I was at that moment in time.
Two miles passed pretty quick. Truck drivers aren't like they are portrayed in movies! My thumb in the air was a ghost to every truck driver that passed. I was unsure if they changed lanes to avoid hitting me or just to make sure I knew that there was no chance in hell one of them would pick me up. the cows kept me company though and when my feet felt sore enough someone picked me up. believe it or not it was a Salk Lake Express driver headed home from work. He took me all the way to Pocatello and didn't even mention it when I fell asleep for an hour or so. He just offered me a bottled water upon awakening.
Sure enough my time had come to an end with my new friend upon arriving at the gas station in Pocatello and after a quick lunch I headed back to the road. This time I was not alone! A strange black man accompanied me. At first he was ahead of me, but I figured that the closer i was to him either ahead or behind would throw off the drivers and my chances of being picked up would be less than likely. So I tightened my laces and kicked it into gear. I walked fast! with in a few minutes I had blazed passed the awkward black man and moved on to greener pastures.
Around the time that I had come just a few exits before the Fort Hall Casino A construction worker picked me up. He was worried that I might be picked up by the cops( to my understanding it is not illegal to hitchhike in Idaho, but I was happy for the ride). He managed to drive me to the casino being that he was on his way to waist his earnings or gain a fortune depending on his relationship with lady luck. He was nice enough, but time was short and was less than sufficient to create a relationship from thin air.
Within five minutes of leaving the casino I was picked up. The man asked me if I were a Mormon I replied that I am and he told me to get in anyways. Over the next hour or so he expressed every frustration he had with church. He told me a bit about his passed and confessed a few sins. Its weird how comfortable people can get with complete strangers.
Alas after an hour I was home in my little snow town of Rexburg, ID. My journey was over, but I would surely see the road another day! It would haunt my dreams.
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