The Last Day of June

I'm just doing a simple update with no real profound insight.

I see that NIKE has pulled the Major Threat campaign, which is, more or less, a good thing. I would have liked to see NIKE get more flack for it, but I guess the uproar it's caused through the indie/punk community was unexpected. Good going people.

One thing I miss about the myspace blog, is the little feature that you could tell people what you were listening to, watching, or reading. O.K. I mean it was probably some marketing scam cooked up by the people at Amazon. But it was kind of cool.

With that in mind, I'll just add that I went out and actually bought some CDs. Remember that? Laying down money for music?
After seeing them in Berlin, I was pretty blown away by WEIRD WAR. WW is an indie/punk supergroup of sorts, featuring members of The Make Up, Nation of Ulysses, Six Finger Satellite, and Trans Am. That said, they sound nothing like any of the previous bands (O.K. there is a passing similarity to The Make Up) They play a sort of politico funk psychedelic, and I mean that in a good way! I purchased their newest CD "Illuminated By the Light," while I was in the record shop, I noticed that someone was listening to it at one of the listening stations. One thing I've noticed is that on the recorded versions you can really hear Alex Minoff's guitar slashing and shredding, (guitar terminology folks!) and it becomes apparent that he's the guitar player from Six Finger Satellite, and recorded it has some of that six finger weirdness. The rhythm section is pretty solid, and Ian Svenonious is in top form as always.
They seem to be on a trip that few bands are on nowadays. Dig it!

weird war

Inappropriate Appropriation (Seeing Red)

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/05-06/23.shtml
First read this link.

I've been involved with the skate and punk subcultures for nearly 20 years now, and I can say, while this is not first time I've seen mainstrean Madison Ave. try to break into or exploit the punk and skate subcultures, this is one of the worst and most blatant examples of corporate hubris I have ever seen.

Nike has been trying to get into the skate market for who knows how long, and this is another pathetic attempt by them to gain "street cred." Sadly, the Kids nowadays are not as anti-corporate as they used to be, so what chance does David have against Goliath nowadays? And last year I was talking to a friend of mine who has also been a longtime skater/punker, and he actually thought Nike's new shoes were kinda cool, and that they were making inroads into the world of skating. Uggggh, and this is from someone who should have known better.

Will it work? I have no idea. I hope Dischord sues the shit out of them, but really, what's a jury going to reward them? And honestly, anything Dischord receives is going to be a drop in the bucket for a corporate giant like Nike. Like I said earlier what chance doea David have against Goliath in our times?

But of course indie and punk bands (not to mention famous artists) have done the same to big companies. Skate companies have done the same, I mean the Minor Threat graphic itself has even been appropriated by a skateboard company, and sold as a skateboard graphic! So, what's the difference?
Usually this is done in a different context other than making pure profit, this type of approrpiation is done with the idea of putting the original (idea, ad campaign, logo, etc..) in a different context, and putting a new twist on it's meaning. But this is usually done with the idea of creating something new, parody and satire, paying homage, or at least creating a controversy.

Nike's skate campaign, does none of the above, because we all know Nike is not about promoting culture (or subculture) but about taking whatever they can and making a profit. They clearly are not making an artistic statement, and are not even making a parody or satire. Something like this might actually damage Dischord/Minor Threat's image as a staunchly anti-corporate DIY outfit. Dischord has been a true pioneer in independent and DIY music for nearly 25 years, and what if some of the young skaters might mistakenly think that there is some kind of connection between Nike and Minor Threat? It's ironic, because this is always the argument that big companies make in cases of copyright and trademark infringement. I wonder how many people NIKE has sued because of copyright/trademark infringement?

Let's just hope some of the young kids skating don't fall for it. Maybe if a few pro skaters would point this out, it would really resonate with the kids.

Six Million Years Beyond Believeability

Thanks to Cory for sending me the link to this crazy, hot shit, unbelieveable, INFRAMAN trailer. I used to collect a lot of Japanese live action-adventure superhero stuff. Mostly Ultraman and Kamen Rider, but I learned about others, like Kikada and INFRAMAN, but I had never seen a clip of him in action, and it looks pretty groovy and far-out.

dig it here. INFRAMAAAAAAAN

I have just recently discovered the Films of Satyajit Ray, who is difficult to describe, he's sort of like this 50's nouveau realist film-maker, but not really. Satyajit Ray, was a Bengali director, who worked in advertising, and ended up working in England for a short while and completely absorbed what was going on in the world of cinema. Yet somehow he turned this influence, into something profoundly different, and profoundly Indian, Bengali Indian to be precise. In case you only think of Bollywood when you think of Indian cinema, think again.

http://www.satyajitray.org/

After hearing the title referred to over and over, I finally saw "Arsenic and Old Lace," which is one of the most fucked up-black comedies I have ever seen. I am beginning to appreciate Cary Grant as a classic leading man, there really isn't anyone like him around nowadays, the totally normal guy who ends up in a bizarre situation, yet handles it with grace and just a touch of anxiety. But "Arsenic and Old Lace" is a weird, weird, black comedy (a little bit like Hitchcock's, The Trouble With Harry,) in which the corpses won't go away and keep piling up, directed by Frank Capra who brought you "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Hey we're almost-nearly-completely finished moving into our new studio and shop, more on this as it evolves. We're waiting for our new counter, and we're nearly done!

We've Moved

Hey I just want to mention that we have moved into a new studio. Around the corner from our old studio. But at least this studio shouldn't be freezing in the winter. Oh yeah and we have a shop space, from which we will peddle our goods. Let's hope people are into buying our stuff!

Been digging Ted Leo and the Pharmacists lately. And the Wedding Present.
Oh yeah I've heard that Bob Mould is touring again, and he's playing some of his oldies, (i.e) Husker Du and Sugar. Oh Yeah and Brendan Canty is playing drums with him! He's touring Europe, but of course skipping out on Vienna.

Reurn of the Rat

On my old blog at myspace, I had gotten in the habit of writing down some of my stranger dreams, or just dreams that I happened to remember, I am now contemplating if I should do such a thing on this new blog. It is funny though because I end up dreaming about music, and the people who make music. I had a dream about going to a Slint reunion in Spain ( I was lost in Barcelona, in that dream and never made it to the show!)
I most recently dreamed about a murder plot, in which Greg Sage, the Wipers singer/guitarist/head honcho was the prime suspect! And the evidence was pretty incriminating!
Fortunately that's about all I remember. But when the Wipers came up on (ipod) shuffle play, I remembered my dream.
Weird.

Who is the Drizzle?

Let's see....
We're painting our new studio/shop this week. So not much to report.
The weather is horrible, terrible, this week, if you thought you've experienced June Gloom, come to Vienna. It's cold and rainy this week. Yeuccchhh.

Let's see what's new in my life.
Read Paul Auster's "Book of Illusions" which I highly recommend. Great book about tragedy and loss done in Mr. Auster's unique style. I heard an interview with him on NPR, and I was relieved when he said that his work was not based on theory, but just came from the gut. He tried to read Derrida, and gave up after about 3 pages (Wow, he got that far!)

I picked up, but haven't finished Terry Eagleton's "After Theory" Which seems to ask some important questions, about (in regard to cultural studies) where we are, and where we are going. He manages to explain Post-modernism in one simple chapter, which is funny because there was a total cottage industry based on explaing the POMO. More on this when I actually finish the damn book.

I've been reading some new/old comics. That crazy Sergio Arragones is really great, and you should treasure him, he's pretty freakin' hilarious, and even better because he doesn't use any words. If you aren't familiar with him, he's the guy who did those funny little comics in the margins of Mad magazine, as well as A LOT more. He draws his comics with a normal fountain pen, no pencils just straight outta the pen, which is amazing in itself.

Some Serious Sergio

And I have also picked up what was always my favorite Superhero comic the Dematties/Giffen version of the Justice league. It's like a comic with superheroes, but then it's not. It's probably the best written comic book featuring superheroes ever written. It's like what would a group of superheroes be like around each other? Insulting and obnoxious! They have made two sequel series, "Formerly Known As the Justice League" and "I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League!" The sequels are even better, they have our former heroes (and I mean former!) get into all kinds of meta-human mayhem, and it's all very readable with great artwork.

Finally, I read the DaVinci Code, not sure what to think actaully, I mean it's a fast paced thriller, it's an easy read, it goes fast, and all. But I have no clue why this book has been a runaway best seller. But it actually does raise some intersting points, about early Christianity (even if it's off a bit) and the roots of a lot of our common symbols, (the Cornucopia, Star of David, and the Pentagram!)
But for someone who reads the Fortean Times on a regular basis, the whole Katholic Kchurch Konspiracy, is, like, old hat.
A friend of mine described it this way, and I quote, "DaVinci Code, because it's so well researched and totally like truth but like fiction too."
It's probably the first novel I have ever read, with product placement in the actual text of the novel. When they make the movie, expect to see lots of Smart Cars and Audis.

Oh my god nobody is reading this

Well it's no surprise, really, O.K. so no one cares about my blog. But man NO visits?
Shiiiiii
It's sad.
But it's one of those things, y'know if a tree falls in a forest and nobody is there to see it, did it really happen?