The Kitten Covers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

via Moe

album cover box lunches!!!!

Steve Whitmire totally gives a rat’s ass

[via Oscar]

old Coke machine in Weirton, WV

(where they shot Super 8)

Yugoslav War Memorials

how do we make NSFW specialist Pamela David our boobs wife?

Gorillaz
Madison Square Garden
Rocktober 8th

Damon Albarn was once simply known as the frontman for the Brit-pop band called Blur, who were popular worldwide, but moderately successful in our neck of the shore (unless you count the amount of times ‘Song 2’ has been used in adverts and other stuffs).  Then something happened, something moist incredible: Albarn and his flatmate, renowned animator Jamie Hewlett,  cooked up an idea to make a virtual cartoon band, a Banana Splits meets a hodge-pudge of every musical style conceivable, that could possibly conquer this brave new world

Three albums later, the latest landing at #2 on the US Charts (with the other two within the top 20!), and the furthest thought is that the new world conquerers Gorillaz are a joke.  The combination of Albarn’s voice and vision, Hewlett’s visuals, ingenious producers (first Dan the Automator, then with Danger Mouse, and then Albarn alone!),  a large array of rappers (Del The Funky Homosapien, De La Soul, that dude from the Pharcyde), worldclass world musicians (Buena Vista Social Clubber Ibrahim Ferrer), and long loved, but lately ignored legends (Ike Turner, Bobby Womack) has equaled and continued to equal nothing short of brilliance.  People from the future (we pity you) will look back at marvel at these talents collaborating on what each album has become: a once in a lifetime opportunity, which will stand the test of time

Damon Albarn had finally cracked America, and we were better for it.  The Gorillaz’ first tour in 2002 was a rawkin, yet curious hocus pocus act, featuring incredible theatrics and toons, but left many a concertgoer befuddled and remote from the musicians, since they played the entire show behind a sheet in silhoutte.  Then came the landmark residency shows in Manchester and at the famed Apollo Theater, but 10 masterful shows in total isn’t really reaching your entire audience.  That was a mistake Albarn & Co wouldn’t let happen again, as their latest jaunt to support Plastic Beach is a global one, including multiple stops all over our country

And so, how is the show?  Uh, we saw Roger Waters’ can’t miss Wall show earlier in the week, and our early collected thoughts have the Plastic Beach extravaganza topping it!  Yes!!!!!!!  Sure, the other stops won’t include Lou Reed, Mos Def or Cibo Matto’s Miho Hatori reprising her Noodle ways, but that won’t make the show any less memorable or can’t can’t can’t can’t miss.  This show cannot be missed cause this show will never exist as it is again.  Ferrer, Turner and Dennis Hopper are all dead, and can no longer monkey around with Albarn on stage.  We hope and pray for the long life of Bobby Womack, but lettuce juss say you won’t be able to here him belt out ‘Stylo’ in 30 years time.  Also, how often will Clashers Mick Jones and Paul Simonon play together again, and with Albarn, and with the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble!!!!  O M GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blur was never big enough to play Madison Square Garden, and probably never will (booooooooo!!  although we’re glad we saw em at Hyde Park last summer), but the Gorillaz are, and they did, and even if the show wasn’t sold out, they owned the place and everyone’s attention in it.  Sure, not everyone was digging Def’s ‘Sweepstakes’ entry, but as we left da Garden, heading to the usual White Castle afterparty, people couldn’t help but shout ‘SWEEEEEEPSTAKES!!!!!!!!!’  We’re still screaming it

Gawd bless you Damon Albarn.  Now figure out a way to get Graham, Alex and Dave to the Garden Party

setlist

Orchestral Intro
Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach
19/2000 (with Miho Hatori)
Last Living Souls
Stylo (with Bobby Womack)
On Melancholy Hill
Rhinestone Eyes
Superfast Jellyfish (with De La Soul)
Tomorrow Comes Today
Some Kind of Nature (with Lou Reed)
Empire Ants (with Yukimi Nagano)
Dirty Harry (with Bootie Brown)
El Mañana
White Flag (with Bashy)
To Binge (with Yukimi Nagano)
DARE (with Rosie Wilson)
Glitter Freeze
Sweepstakes (with Mos Def)
Plastic Beach

Encore
Cloud of Unknowing (with Bobby Womack)
Feel Good Inc. (with De La Soul)
Clint Eastwood (with Bashy)
Don’t Get Lost In Heaven
Demon Days

more pictures

+ watch the Gorillaz’ 44 minute triumph on Live On Letterman

The life and times of musicians have always provided prime material in which to make a film from, entertainmentwise and of course, awardswise. That’s been especially true these days with such hits as Ray [TWS review] and Walk The Line [TWS review], which worked well with both audiences and academy members. Howevs, those two flicks were purty by the book, a simple A to Zzzzzzzzz examination of an artist, with not much real insight and more importantly, creativity. This year’s crop have broken from that boring mold and are redefining the music biopic as we know it. While Edith Piaf’s tale, La Vie En Rose [TWS review], was a bit on the straightforward side, it was still far more compelling than the cinematic takes on Mr Charles and Mr Cash’s lives. Luckily for Bob Dylan, Ian Curtis, and Joe Strummer (and for us), three unique directors, with great gifts for sound and vision, tackled their lives in not the most conventional ways. All three of these films may hit theaters this fall, but all three will linger in people’s memories for many years to come

I’m Not There
Another Side of Bob Dylan, And Another, And Another…
Trailers & Mo

Warning: you will not walk out of this movie knowing any more about Bob Dylan than you did before you walked in. This film is not a history lesson, but more of a history suggestion, letting you try to figure out what pieces of the puzzle make up who Bob Dylan ‘is’. And that’s the problem of making a movie about Bob Dylan, cause there are so many ‘is’eseses that it’s impossible to create a linear path from yesterday to today. Enter director Todd Haynes, who recognizes that issue and decided to split the pie of Dylan into 6 slices of his persona (Cate Blanchett as ’65 Dylan may seem like a contrivance, but her bit steals the show. Only Richard Gere’s piece feels a bit undercooked). This hodgepodge of impressions may irk some Dylan diehards looking for a complete portrait, but who really cares when this results in one of the mos creative love letters to an artist ever committed to celluloid. Like with his brills Velvet Goldmine, a kaleidoscopic ode to David Bowie and the glam rock era, Haynes isn’t interested in revealing truth, but instead evoking a certain time and a place by recreating/reimagining it in a mos freewheelin’ way. One could say that his films are heavy on style and light on substance, but Haynes’ style is his substance. He’s probably the single greatest homage-r going. Remember Far From Heaven? It was made in 2002, but show it to someone with no working knowledge of film and they might juss mistake it for one of the Douglas Sirk films from the ’50s dat it’s trying to emulate. I’m Not There works the same way, and Haynes really outdid himself by not only painting different Dylans, but by using different palettes for each of his canvases. By copying others, Haynes has created something wholly original, and in the process, become an artist in his own right

All The News That’s Fit To Mint: do yerself a flavor and read or re-read this NYTimes Mag article on Haynes and I’m Not There

Control
His Pride For Joy… Division
Trailer & Mo

If you’ve seen 24 Hour Party People you already know the whole story about impresario Tony Wilson and how he put Manchester on the map with the help of a lot of memorable music. But there are plenty of stories within Wilson’s story that are worth investigating on their own. Such is the case of the short and most turbulent life of Joy Division’s lead singer, Ian Curtis. Sean Harris perfectly portrayed him in 24HPP, and in Control, a film solely about Curtis, he could have easily expanded on what he started. However, the role was turned over to another gent who’s head popped up in 24HPP, Sam Riley, who played Mark E Smith of the Fall. Although he looks more like Pete Doherty than Curtis, Riley hands in the best performance by a man I’ve seen all year (if yer wonderin which woman is tops, look no further than Marion Cotillard’s work as Ms Piaf, cause that shiz was beyond bestness AND thunderdome!). Riley is the heart and soul of the entire picture, and the heart and soul he’s taking on is a mighty black one. He’s so convincing as Curtis, that images of his dour and helpless facial expressions are still haunting me a week after seeing this film. While Riley works wonders in front of the camera, it’s the man behind the camera that deserves major kudos. Anton Corbijn, a renowned photographer (that Joshua Tree cover shot) and music video director (Nirvana’s ‘Heart Shaped Box’), makes the most of his feature film debut here, beautifully capturing all the ugliness of Curits’ life in stark black and white. Can’t wait to see what’s next for both actor and director, for this love will never tear me apart from either one of dem

Groping Groupie Groupings: Riley’s on-screen mistress is also his off-screen kisstress. Say hello hottie to Alexandra Maria Lara. You might remember her as Hitler’s secretary in Downfall

Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten
Sittin Round The Fire Roastin A Marsh Fellow
Trailer & Mo

Looking for a killer documentary on the Clash? No probs, since one was made seven years ago. It’s called The Clash: Westway to the World, and if you’re any kind of fan, you will mos certainly enjoy it. Yearnin for a bit more? Thought you were, and yer effin lucky cause Julien Temple, the man who did right to The Sex Pistols with The Filth & The Fury, gives the Clash’s dearly missed main attraction a telling tribute. Joe Strummer may best be known as the leader singer of one of punk’s finest groups, but don’t you dare pigeonhole him like that in front of his circle of family, friends and fans (cept Paul Simonon who, for some reason, is noticeably absent). This diverse group of peeps sit around reminiscing at many a campfire, not to bury him, but to praise him! That’s right, campfires, which at first seemed a bit gimmicky for an interview technique, but its later revealed that Strummer was a big fan of that type of gathering where all were equal and could say whatever they wanted. Along with the kind words of others, Temple deftly pieces together a complete picture on his subject, mixing in plenty of hot tunes, personal home movies, photos, and pop culture goodies (like the ye olde film versions of Animal Fram and 1984, along with if…). Between this and his TF&TF, Temple is mos def tops when it comes to rawk docs. Hell, he’s even replaced my other temple as my current house of worship

Not So Easy: whilst Temple may be the man when it comes to the doc and even music videos (Tom Petty’s ‘Free Fallin’), his fictional work could use some work. One of his ‘best known films is Earth Girls Are Easy

John Grisham’s Jizzum (aka Verdict): all three be Breast In Show

I’m Not There opens on November 21st, Joe Strummer opens today, and Control is currently playing at select theaters across the country

until next thyme the balcony is clothed…