savantguard

Bacardi B-LIVE 2009

2009-04-29T01:22:00.000-07:00

I like Bacardi. "Bacardi" rhymes with "party" and the actual meanings behind both words go off without a hitch. So, I guess it makes sense that Bacardi is behind one of the more epic tours of the year, one that includes Santigold, Major Lazer (Diplo and Switch), DJ AM, Jazzy Jeff and A-Trak. It's like a new rave in a box! Leave your glowsticks at home, though.

The FADER is one of the official media sponsors of the tour, so I will be at all of the shows. If you see a short Filipino with a video camera, hopefully that will be me and not some creepy dude trying to get shots of hipster 'tang. If it's me, say "Hi". If not, run like hell. Official tour dates and locations can be seen over at The FADER blog, but make sure to check in at the B-LIVE page to get tickets and see who's playing when and where.

Clipse + Cam'ron = MASTODON

2009-04-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

MTV Shows

Admittedly, my love for Clipse and Killa Cam hasn't been very well documented on this blog, but I've had those dudes on heavy rotation since when Macbook Pros were called Powerbooks. That being said, hearing about the upcoming collabo between three of my dearest coke flow giants got me all sorts of giddy. Needless to say, whatever street cred I can get for listening to them went down the drain once I heard the news and used "giddy" to describe the feeling. Artist's rendering of the upcoming track after the jump.

Mastodon! Check out how many spears of hate that thing took! Nothing can take it down.

John Clement Bollozos: Director

2009-04-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

Commercial Reel - Spring 2009 from John Clement Bollozos on Vimeo.

True story: I spent few weeks doing prep, shooting, editing, etc making two of three spec ads shown on this reel so they would be done in time for grad show. In theory, my friends and family would have attended and watched the damn thing with a room full of strangers and after the last frame, the lights would have gone up and two models would have placed me on their shoulders while the rest of the crowd chanted my name-save for the agents and production company reps who were too busy writing my checks. In reality, my friends and I went off to buy alcohol and came back seconds after the whole thing was over with. Oh well. It's now online to be seen by the six billion people who missed it the first time. Enjoy, hos.

P.S. It can be seen in HD if you click through the Vimeo link.

Where The Wild Things Are

2009-03-25T12:29:00.001-07:00

Can't talk. All I can say is HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY SHIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!

Hammer: Open Projector Night

2009-03-16T22:30:00.001-07:00

Being the center of the entertainment industry is a rather dubious distinction in my opinion, but some Angelinos actually think this factoid should one to be proud of. I would certainly be in that group if A) I actually lived in Los Angeles proper and B) if there was more attention paid to screenings at the DGA instead of the Coffee Bean across the street when Paris or LiLo happen to come by. All bitterness aside, the Hammer Museum does have a rather clever and egalitarian event looming on the horizon. Their Open Projector Night is an event wherein people sign up to screen their short films while the crowd decides how much of it to play. The only way to determine this, however, is to weigh the cheers and the boos and hope your short isn't the one to cause a riot because some type nerds protest against your use of Cooper Black or Wingdings on the opening titles. The screening is on April 9th, if you plan on showing your work, make sure it was locally made and that you bring a thick skin and some brass balls.

Kutiman Mixes YouTube

2009-03-05T18:01:00.000-08:00

Everyone that has ever tried to make it big through user-generated content, all the mash-up dudes, the trailer edits, etc just got owned. Kutiman came out of nowhere an launched his THRU YOU website today, featuring songs he made by sampling audio and video from YouTube clips to make new arrangements. And you thought datamoshing was cool.

Dead Man's Bones

2009-03-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

I'm a card carrying member of the cult of Gosling so take everything with a grain of salt, but what is up with Ryan Gosling being the most awesome dude of my generation? Seriously, dude went from being the slow white cornerback in Remember the Titans to the actor that made me believe he had feelings for a love doll and that someone can not only endure Rachel McAdams, but actually build a house for the bitch with their bare hands. It almost pains me to say that he has a band whose album is coming out soon and they're actually good. Between him being the Bo Jackson of culture while I can't walk and light a cigarette at the same time and LeBron on the road to being Scrooge McDuck by bending space/time while still being younger than me, I'd have to say that I've been really unproductive. Hopefully Dead Man's Bones' album will wash away some of the pain when it comes out. Knowing Gosling, he'll probably make it an album of the year contender just to push me over the edge.

Self-Promotion: The FADER #60

2009-02-22T08:42:00.001-08:00

The new Spring Style issue of The FADER should be out in newsstands soon and it's a good one. Natasha Khan AKA Bat For Lashes shares cover duties with Beirut, the latter photographed with his cat and the former showing off that she's a free spirit by being all sorts of nekkid (sorry kids, no nips). This issue also marks a personal milestone for me, as it contains my first published writing assignment in the NWSPRNT section. Pick it up and I'll sign it if you want. Or you can just save it and use it as a ticket to ride shotty on whatever sports car I decide to buy when I'm making twenty grand a day making television commercials. Real talk.

Datamoshing: Ye and Chairlift.

2009-02-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

The internet has been going apeshit about "datamoshing" since the Chairlift video dropped and even more so with Kanye following suit in less than a week, so it seems almost appropriate that the best way for me to even blog about the damn thing is to get all meta and quote my own Twitter post:

Over two videos in just as many weeks, datamoshing got big and got played. Seems like Ye really reduces the shelf life of non-music shit.

The awkwardly named technique is essentially forced digital compression artifacting and has been around for a few years. The two videos just happen to be attached to two of last year's biggest alt-music acts, which can account for the exaggerated cyber response.

As for my take, I'm not one to hate on dudes for taking avant garde techniques and applying them to commercial work as that's practically been my bread and butter. I do, however, dislike how the effect was pretty much an arbitrary stylistic choice on both videos (Ye's obviously the one that succeeds in using it and overusing it in one fell swoop). To be honest, I'm not sure what song, commercial concept, or narrative could even justify the technique's intentional use, but I'm pretty sure these two songs aren't the ones to do so. And if you want to know, I actually like Chairlift's video more than the Kanye one, despite me being on dude's nuts and him taking the technique to its logical end.

You can watch the videos and read a little more about datamoshing after the jump.

KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Chairlift - "Evident Utensil" Music Video from Data Mosher on Vimeo.

Additional Reading:
A short rundown on the history of datamoshing.
motionographer.com: A more in-depth article about the making of Kanye's video.

Flying Lotus: "Infinitum"

2009-02-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

I caught FlyLo and the rest of the Brainfeeder crew a couple of months ago and I remember dudes talking about how this was the future. I don't disagree, but this new clip adds the argument that dude has his hand on the past and present as well-or maybe his chest like that Donnie Darko dude. Daniel Garcia directed this nice and surreal clip. Oh yeah, the track is nice, too.

Fever Ray

2009-02-16T17:30:00.001-08:00

When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

I've been meaning to listen to the Fever Ray album for a week now and thought it would be a good idea to go through it now that it's all rainy and miserable in Southern California. What a terrible idea. All I want to do now is stay in bed all day with my cat as life passes by outside my window. Admittedly, this is my daily routine, but now that it comes with a terribly awesome soundtrack, it makes me realize how sad and boring I really am. Anyway, the Martin de Thurah-helmed video, "When I Grow Up", just dropped and it's as moody and weird as I expected. If The Knife had tried to do the same thing, I'm sure it would have ended up more like a cover of "Monster Mash" except with white chicks doing body rolls in the background, so thank God that it's for a Fever Ray track instead.

The Depreciation Guild

2009-02-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

If there's anyone who likes free shit any more than me, I haven't met them. It's even more awesome when said free shit is actually something you would proud of owning the next day. New Shoegaze band The Depreciation Guild made their debut album, In Her Gentle Jaws, available for free on their website, making it the best piece of schwag I've come across in a while. Their album is part-Loveless, part-The Radio Dept. jam session, in the end making it the best new album to listen to in a dark room when you've just spent all of your severance pay on opiates. You can check out the video for my favorite track, "Nautilus" after the jump.

Legion of Disco 2

2009-02-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

This is kind of personal for me as Andy Butler's Hercules & Love Affair album is one of the few reasons I survived my long commutes up to this point. Whoever came up with putting Antony over new disco shit is a genius that deserves a pat on the back, so head over to the anniversary party of Shits And Giggles and give him one. Butler is not the only big dog there, as Pat Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem will be doing a set too. The whole thing goes down February 20th-fifteen bucks for presale, twenty at the door gets you in. Bring your cash, leave your leisure suits at home.

KALINA.

2009-02-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

Here are the facts: Noah Kalina was awarded Image of The Week honors a couple of cycles ago and now, dude has a magazine coming out. See where I'm going with this, Mulder? There is no greater way for me to justify my delusion of being a tastemaker than putting myself behind the people who are next to blow and judging by how Noah Kalina is both talented and pro-active, the young photographer is an easy bet to make. Kalina Magazine dedicates each issue to a single theme or concept. The first issue, which is now available here, poses the question, "Why Won't You Love Me?". That sounds good and all, but what I need to know is: would dude have blown up without me? I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

Timeless.

2009-02-09T22:49:00.000-08:00

It's crazy to think that corporate sponsorship is the new patronism. It seems like the most interesting live projects these days have come about from corporate dollars. In my opinion, I'm all for it-the more people are exposed to great and/or under-appreciated artists, the better. ArtDontSleep and Mochilla's ongoing collaboration with VTech-makers of shitty, shitty phones-is one of the more ambitious projects I've heard of, as they have curated a composer/arranger series that shines a light on some of the greatest influences of hip-hop's more illustrious beatmakers. While that may sound like a press release for an expensive excuse to mix more cocaine and weed than Rick James, anything that has David Axelrod coming out is fine by me. The series runs from February to April with tickets to all shows available online at TIcketmaster AKA "the bane of my existence".

Mike Mills @ Family Sundays.

2009-02-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

I recently went to the Silent Movie Theater to check out Cinefamily's first installment of Family Sundays, their collaboration with the Family bookstore. Family Sundays is a monthly series of film screenings wherein friends of both camps are hand-picked to screen a feature film and several shorts that are important to them and their work. Mike Mills screened the Hungarian New Wave masterpiece, Lovefilm, setting a high bar for everyone else. I'm sure that this won't be too hard to reach as one of the confirmed curators for future installments is fellow Beautiful Loser, Aaron Rose. Should be something worth checking out in the future. Look out for an interview with Mike Mills as well as Family co-owner David Kramer in an upcoming episode of LA Is A Nice Place To Live.

Skeleton Boy

2009-01-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

Friendly Fires 'Skeleton Boy' by Clemens Habicht from Nexus Productions on Vimeo.

If you know me at all, you should know by now how much I love Friendly Fires. They're three British dudes who I will stand behind, regardless of whatever football club they have allegiance to-that's saying a lot. Anyway, those blokes recently finished their video for "Skeleton Boy" and boy, is it a doozy. The track is actually is one that I skip on a regular basis, not because it's terrible, but it's been placed in the middle of two of my favorite songs. But seriously, this is one of those videos that makes the song sound better. Remember when that type of video used to come out regularly? I can't be the only one that does.

Bonus video of Friendly Fires' cover of Frankie Knuckles' "I Need Your Love" after the jump. Dudes cover house songs, whowouldathunkit?

Made in U.S.A.

2009-01-15T18:04:00.001-08:00

Made in U.S.A., Godard's awkwardly titled (or translated) 1966 film is finally making its ways to our shores this month. The film, made immediately after Masculin/Feminin, never got an official U.S. release due to some legal issues. The film can be considered a rarity even in the post-"be kind, rewind" era as it hasn't been available on TV, VHS or DVD out here either. Angelinos can catch the film for one week only at the NuArt theater. Rialto Pictures, the U.S. distributor of this release, has cut an appropriately self-reflexive and post-modern trailer-with Anna Karina looking pouty and Jean-Pierre Leaud appearing to do what he normally does-which can be seen here.

All Work And No Play...

2009-01-14T14:41:00.001-08:00

I was watching The Shining the other day before I tuned into the "The Bachelor" (seriously) and I was struck by how weird that film is. To clarify, I've always regarded it as a genius piece of work and it's what first got me interested in the cult of Kubrick, but goddamn, that movie is weird. Perhaps it's just the performances of the actors or maybe it was just the novel idea of someone actually wanting to marry Shelley Duvall, but something just wasn't right in the Overlook Hotel. Anyway, someone was clever enough to publish Jack Torrance's-Jack Nicholson's character-novel and sell it as a tangible item. Congrats to Jack. I know there were moments while I was writing where I wanted to chop people in half with an axe, so it's good to see the dude up on it.

The Auteurs

2009-01-11T23:19:00.000-08:00

While social networking seems to aim to be all-inclusive, there are certain moments where one can let loose their inner snob and lord their impeccable taste over others. While The Auteurs doesn't explicitly aim to give you an opportunity to do so, they do lay the groundwork for the bold and troll-y to act a fool if they wish. The site-currently in a public beta-is one part Hulu, one part Facebook, with an emphasis on high cinema. No streaming of Weekend At Bernie's here, dudes. They have partnered with the Criterion Collection to show films in online "festivals" for free, while other films can be streamed for a small nominal fee. Of course, there is a section to post reviews and list your favorite auteurs, perfect for contrarians or for those looking to meet and get recommendations from like-minded people. I've included a link to my account on the Web Presence section for those that want to link up.

Notorious

2009-01-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

I must admit, I winced at the thought of this project. A Biggie biopic directed by the dude who did Soul Food and Men of Honor? Whowouldathunkit? Over recent months, this project has been getting a decent buzz and now the people over at Flux as well as Nike Sportswear are showing it at The Montalban before it gets it's general release. It's been a good minute since I've hit up that venue, but I think I'm going to this one. Even if the movie blows, at least you can get free Belvedere drinks. Head here to RSVP and make sure you go to the theater early to get a seat. And maybe a drink or two.

Flight of the Conchords + Daedelus.

2009-01-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

While I always talk about SNL Digital Shorts having been a decent stopgap in between seasons of Conchords, I can't help but feel elated to see the folk duo from Middle Earth come through with their second season. Folks in LA will have a chance to check out an episode or two early, as there will be a free screening over at the National History Museum. Daedelus will also be there-to do a set, not just to watch-as well as free food and beverages. I hope by "beverages" they mean "booze". There's only so much sideburn I can handle sober and Jemaine and Daedelus seriously push my limit. RSVP here. It's 18 and over, so find something else to do youngins.

Scion House Party

2009-01-10T11:08:00.001-08:00

Get your right foot ready for some stomping, kids. I hesitated posting this at first, but since it's YACHT-related, I might as well do it. Scion is continuing its House Party series this month with a free party over at The Roxy. YACHT, on a seemingly never-ending tour, will be performing as well as a couple of acts from DFA Records. Normally, I would hype that up a bit more, but since they didn't book Holy Ghost!, they can go fuck themselves. Regardless, it should be fun. RSVP here and make sure to get there early because admission is based on capacity.

Blind Buy: Reprise.

2009-01-09T16:35:00.000-08:00

Drop what you're doing right now and watch Reprise. It's been forever since I've blind bought a DVD, but a recent trip to Best Buy proved fruitful because I picked up this Norwegian film. Joachim Trier-kind of related to Lars Von Trier, but not really-follows the post-Dogme Scandinavian trend of taking the French New Wave aesthetic and perfume commercial preciousness and blending them into some sort of sublime post-modern reflection on love, youth, angst, and identity. Let's just say I haven't walked away from a film feeling this good about the medium since watching Christoffer Boe's similarly bold and equally Scandinavian Reconstruction. While you might not come out of it feeling the same way, I'm sure you'll be at least inspired to go out and buy Fred Perry shirts, Cheap Mondays, and Joy Division records on vinyl.

Abandoned Set of The Wire

2009-01-07T11:48:00.001-08:00

File this under: "shit, cool". LJ blogger, thehoodwatch, recently shot photos of the abandoned set of HBO's The Wire. I'll say this is a convergence of interests, as it combines my obsession with abandoned spaces and the truly transcendent television series. If you're a fan of either, check it out over here. There are some spoilers, so if you haven't seen the damn thing, watch it and then click through.

Nite Jewel @ Tiny Creatures

2009-01-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

Nite Jewel, the Los Angeles-based lo-fi Italo artist (whaaaaaaat?), will be performing at the Tiny Creatures closing event this Saturday. If checking out an artist who's going to blow up like Mickey Rourke's cheeks isn't enough to get you interested, the gallery will, as always, be showing a lot of art by people of a nice pedigree who have somehow gravitated towards Tiny Creatures. Check it out and support, even though the space is shutting down, I think it will be more of an Irish wake vibe than a hanky fest.

Why America is Fucked (Graphically, At Least)

2008-12-17T22:17:00.001-08:00

America Is F*cked.......(Graphically at least) from Jess Gibson on Vimeo.

This video has been making the rounds lately, so I guess it's about time that it finds its way here. Art Director and branding guru Aaron Draplin provides anecdotal evidence on why America is going down the pisser graphically. In my opinion, you can say that about every aspect of the visual arts right now and it all pretty much stems from the lack of respect for history and the never ending chase of Cool. Dudes need to start sitting down and thinking about their shit. I only have so much time in my life and I don't want to waste it sifting through mediocrity. Oh yeah, I like Futura Bold, even though Wes Anderson pretty much owns it cinematically right now.

Hot Episode: Post-It Show 3

2008-12-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

Yay! While I'm sure it has more to do with Giant Robot's built-in base than it does the quality of my work, the latest episode of LA Is A Nice Place to Live has made Blip TV's list of Hot Episodes. The latest issue was shot at GR2's recent Post-It Show 3, where established and upcoming artists created over one thousand Post-Its. By Giant Robot founder Eric Nakamura's own admission, the idea is not a new one, but it is a great way for fans of art and illustration to pick up some cheap pieces for their collection. Anyway, check out the episode and look for one of the official GR doggies.

SPACE: Hipster Runoff

2008-12-16T12:47:00.001-08:00

Interesting. I was linked to this recent post over at Hipster Runoff that is basically a reaction to the fifth episode of LA Is A Nice Place To Live. While I think it's really funny and amusing that they watched it in the first place, reading the damn thing made me remember how valuable spaces such as the one GOOD provides actually are. A physical space where you can interact with human beings IRL and be productive and positive? You might as well be describing the El Dorado if you are at all entrenched in the smug and divisive hipster culture. I recommend everyone head over to GOOD or another space like it and participate in an activity or a workshop. It's actually nice to have a genuine good time once in a while, as opposed to ones brought about by cheap Pabst and $1 Dewar's.

Back(b)log.

2008-12-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

It's been a pretty crazy and busy (and crazy busy) week for me, thus explaining the lack of posts here but a number of posts elsewhere. There are a couple of show reviews up on The FADER blog as well as a new episode of "LA Is A Nice Place To Live". Links to the articles as well as the complete set of accompanying photos can be found after the jump. I'm going back to bed.

Friendly Fires at Spaceland. More photos at Flickr.

Little Joy at Detroit Bar. Even more photos.

New video at the recently opened GOOD space on Melrose. Seriously the most positive vibe I've felt at a space in a very long time.

Macaframa

2008-12-09T22:02:00.001-08:00

Macaframa, the long awaited high-definition track bike video has been making its rounds in various cities across the country past the couple of weeks and will finally be making its way to Los Angeles. I think the project has been in the works for almost two years, now, so it almost matches MASH SF in the amount of times its release has been delayed. I guess that makes sense, as the whole scene changes everyday, and footage gets obsolete the moment you throw it on your hard drive these days. You can RSVP for the whole deal by e-mailing the address on the flyer, then pickup tickets over at Blends. You can check out a couple of the movies many trailers and teasers after the jump.

Macaframa from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

MACAFRAMA Trailer from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

J**z In My Pants

2008-12-08T21:18:00.000-08:00

For those that can't wait another month for the new Conchords, this should help ease the pain.

Miss Dior Cherie

2008-12-04T21:33:00.000-08:00

In the interest of full disclosure I have to admit that, yes, I have seen one full episode of Gossip Girl. And while my taste in just about everything has admittedly become more inclusive over the years, watching it made me die inside a little. I would have gouged my eyes out had it not been for the show's (only) strength: babes in their late-twenties playing babes in their late teens. Anyway, apparently Sofia Coppola helmed the new commercial for the Miss Dior Cherie fragrance and it premiered on the show a few weeks ago. It's very Lost in Translation in its handheld, dreamy visual style, although very airy in content. Kind of like her wine. Zing! Obviously, I still like it or it wouldn't be on here.

Thurston Moore @ The Smell

2008-12-04T19:25:00.001-08:00

File this one under "crazy, shows that will be". After his stint in Europe for his day job, Thurston Moore will be coming to Los Angeles to play a show at The Smell. Some other bands will play before him, but who cares? Jesus could have come back to front an opening noise band act and that shit still wouldn't be as nuts. Be there or be L7. On a side note, some guy at the No Age show the other night was talking about how witnessing the emergence of No Age and their brother and sister bands is analogous to being in New York at the time that Sonic Youth was blowing up. I wouldn't go that far, but it doesn't seem like a coincidence, seeing as No Age idolizes Sonic Youth. Perhaps its no coincidence that Thurston Moore would take the time to hit up No Age's home base, then?

Mike Mills @ The Selby

2008-12-01T23:20:00.001-08:00

You just have to love The Selby. The whole residences-of-creatives thing makes me think of an unironic star map for hipsters (if hipsters were into anything unironic). One of the latest subjects to be lensed is Mike Mills, my mancrush subject and one half of my my favorite multi-hyphenated power couple. Looking at the photos of Mills' house in Silver Lake is realizing how this whole project is so much better than star maps. Instead of creepily cruising past a stranger's house at 5MPH, it almost seems like you got invited in and dude's about to offer you some sweet tea.

Road To 'Till The Casket Drops

2008-12-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

I know I'm posting this pretty late in the day: this shit probably went ghetto gold by the time I click "Publish Post", but who cares? Clipse came out with their long-awaited (by me, anyway) mixtape, Road To 'Till The Casket Drops today. Every time I listen to anything from those dudes for the first time, I'm always surprised that I even listen to Clipse at all. Do I secretly want to push 'caine and Gallardos? Of course not. Well, maybe the Gallardo. Get me one of those in black.

BUZZ: Exclusive Kanye Interview at The FADER

2008-11-25T13:28:00.001-08:00

With Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak release today, the folks over at The FADER have released his exclusive interview regarding the album and it's inspiration available to read online. Incidentally, the article has been buzzed over at Yahoo! Links to the Buzz page and the article can be found after the jump. Make sure to Buzz it up!

Yahoo! Buzz.

HATING: Cinespace

2008-11-23T17:08:00.000-08:00

Text after the jump.

I'm not saying that I've never gone to Cinespace. I've been there a few times and apparently, a few times is enough for me to realize I shouldn't go there without an eight ball of coke in hand. But I have to say, it feels good to hear that someone did a good set there, and that the set didn't consist of a greasy haired dude or dudette rocking a leather jacket and an iPod. We're getting to the end of 2008 here, folks: we've got a black President and people should admit that Misshapes and the twins from Good Charlotte have no right to be on the tables.

Anyway, the set in question comes from Laidback Luke, who brought some house (it gets electro-y here and there) to what I've seen to be the most arrhythmic spot in the world. While he doesn't go as far as playing house tracks with vocals of dudes talking about how great house is, he gets in a bit of "Show Me Love" in there, which is good enough for me. A clip from the set can be seen below:

Snorlax out!

808's & Heartbreak

2008-11-22T18:10:00.001-08:00

Me likey. Kanye just has a habit of coming out with the right shit at just the right time. As everyone may know, his new and completely sung and auto-tuned record, 808's & Heartbreak, comes out on Tuesday, but you can stream the entire album at his MySpace starting 12:01AM on November 23rd. Dude held back his usual bag of tricks on this one and managed to deliver his most personal songs yet. Who knew after listening to College Dropout that Yeezy was one artist that you could grow with?

FADER TV: Abe Vigoda

2008-11-21T01:37:00.000-08:00

The new episode of my LA Is A Nice Place To Live video column is up over at The FADER blog. This one (the fourth, for those keeping track) features the Los Angeles by way of Chino band Abe Vigoda at their recent homecoming show at The Smell. I think the scariest thing about the video is how similar Juan, their guitarist, and I talk. Maybe it's in my head, but the nasal dragging of words might just be an Inland Empire thing.

Watch the Watchmen

2008-11-14T14:30:00.000-08:00

Yessssss. The new theatrical trailer for Zack Snyder's film adaptation of Watchmen is now up on Yahoo! and it just added to my excitement. Sure, comic book movies are getting tired and should be on their way out, but not before we see this damn thing in theaters. This trailer, unlike all of the others, actually focuses on the film's central plot, hopefully making it more palatable to folks who managed to exist over the last twenty years without reading a page of the book. My only concern (and apparently, I'm not the only one) is the overuse of the word "watchmen", which hints at the possibility that they're using it as a replacement for the Minutemen or Crimebusters. Way to chip away at the depth of the text, n00bs.

Edit: Zack Snyder explains its use to the good folks over at CHUD.

The FADER: TV Books Exhibition @ Hope Gallery

2008-11-14T13:44:00.000-08:00

Last week, I interviewed Tim Barber for the third installment of my video column for The FADER blog, LA Is A Nice Place to Live. The episode is now up for view (complete with my least edited writing so far), so head over and check it out.

Prop. 8 Protest Poster

2008-11-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's kind of sad to think about how on the very same election where we elected out first black President, a majority of Californians also voted to take away the rights for gays to marry, rendering them second-class citizens. As you may know, there will be a organized ~~nationwide~~ international protest this Saturday, November 15th. The flyer above was designed to promote the event, with other versions created for their respective cities. Good work for a good cause. Head on over to Join the Impact for more information regarding the protests and to look up where your local one will take place.

Jeff Wall + Bullet Time = Toshiba?

2008-11-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Chalk this up as more proof to Picasso's idiom that good artists copy and great artists steal. The latest and, I'm sure, greatest Toshiba TV commercial takes the whole bullet time thing Michel Gondry pioneered to the next level by taking a page from Jeff Wall's cinematic yet painterly photography (how is all of that even possible?). The whole thing reminds me of a better executed (and bigger budgeted) version of a music video that Patrick Daughters did for King of Leon a while back. Visual references after the jump.

Kings Of Leon - New Music - More Music Videos

The FADER: Kanye and No Age

2008-11-14T10:40:00.001-08:00

Say word? The upcoming issue of The FADER, which should be hitting newsstands next week will have Yeezy and the boys from No Age taking time off from their respective blogs to share cover duties. Oh yeah, they make great music, too. The issue is a good one with separate interviews from both acts that show off how much they have in common. Really.

Edit: Kanye hates the cover. Whoops.

The FADER: Flying Lotus in Los Angeles

2008-11-13T15:27:00.000-08:00

My review of the Flying Lotus/Brainfeeder show at the Echoplex is now up at The FADER blog. Having my shit up at a real publication's online entity really makes me wish that I wrote better and took better photos. Oh well.

MASH TX

2008-11-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

This has been online for forever, but it seems timely as the cooler weather lately has seen me on my bike more often. Earlier this year, the guys from MASH SF flew down to Austin, TX to handle some biz. While there, they got to ride with the only cyclist America knows by name and tentative Tour 2009 contender, Lance Armstrong. Dude's been training on fixed for forever, but I think this is the first footage I've seen of him on one. Well, maybe it's just the first footage I've seen of of anyone blowing through reds in cargo shorts. Needless to say, that dude's fast. I hope he's fast enough to suck every Livestrong wristband into a vortex so I don't have to see another one of those things again.

Hibachis We Believe In

2008-11-13T00:42:00.000-08:00

Hibachi! It's not too often where I can actually side myself with a dude who can build a million dollar pool complete with sharks, but if I had to do it, I'm glad that it's Gilbert Arenas. Dude has the most interesting blog this side of Yeezy and as it turns out, he recently (and permanently) showed his support for the new President-Elect with this "Change We Believe In" tattoo. Crazy. What's even more of a trip of the recently discovered phenomenon of NBA dudes having long and sharp nails. I'll sell them my own personal pair of nail clippers for a millie. Via Ball Don't Lie.

No Age Free at the Troubadour

2008-11-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

No Age, my favorite band to come out of the whole Los Angeles DIY scene, is giving back to their fans (with a little bit of help in the form of corporate sponsorship from Hot Topic). The duo responsible for the most tastefully executed rainbow-themed t-shirt ever will be playing a free(!) show with Titus Andronicus at the Troubadour on December 2nd. Tickets can be ordered online here, and will be available for pick up on the day of the show. Get yours soon, No Age fans are almost as nuts as those Twilight devotees.

Passions Just Like Mine

2008-11-12T10:46:00.001-08:00

Finally. Passions Just Like Mine, the long-gestating documentary about the inexplicable devotion of Latinos in Los Angeles to Morrissey is finally getting its premiere at the Vine Theater tomorrow. This movie is somewhat mythical in some circles, as rumor has it that the project started as a mere assignment at my art school and then quickly grew to be a feature-length documentary. A few of my friends have watched the one copy on campus and have had nothing but positive things to say about it, so this looks like a must watch. If you're in town tomorrow, November 13, you should check it out. The film gets projected at 8PM, doors open at 7:30. Expect a line. The trailer can be viewed after the jump.

"Magic Man" by The Aliens

2008-11-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

Fabian Unternahrer, the dude honored with my inaugural Image Of The Week and overall super cool guy, referred me to this reverse music video directed by John Maclean and Christian McKenzie for The Aliens. To be honest, this completely flew under my radar, so I'm glad that Fabian put me on. The video feels like an amalgam of Jonze, Gondry, and Patrick Daughters, which is a good thing. And the music is handled by former members of the Beta Band, so you know it's on point. Good stuff. On a side note: I was ready to declare a moratorium on the whole reverse video thing after Jaron Albertin's early Jeff Wall-esque take on Metric's "Empty". After this clip, though, maybe we should end it on a high note and put this particular horse to pasture.

Ninja Kittens

2008-11-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a middle-aged cat lady stuffed into the body of a Filipino boy in his early twenties, so I would have posted this even if this commercial was total shit. Luckily enough for you, it was directed by Anonymous Content's Garth Davis, so it's actually pretty good. The tracking is a bit off at times, but seriously, it has cat heads on dudes doing ninja shit! How can you not love that? And also, how does that concept even relate to the Toyota Corolla? Further proof that ad creatives should have balls of steel.

Paul Paper's Postcards

2008-11-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

Paul Paper's a cool dude. First of all, the guy's from Lithuania yet he still takes photos that make it seem like he got a press pass to heaven. Second, his website is called It Is My Party, the lack of contraction skyrocketing him from the status of merely good photographer to the foreign guy who happens to take awesome photos and who you're sure will steal your girlfriend because he's more romantic than you are. Anyway, Mr. Paper recently came out with a set of postcards entitled Tiny Photographs of Melancholy. All of the images used for the postcards have that ethereal lens flare vibe that makes his work so appealing. Don't send them out. These things look so good, you'd be crazy to fuck them up with stamps and bad handwriting.

Beautification Software

2008-11-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

It's kind of a trip to think that everyone you knew was once all about shit like MS Paint and Paint Shop Pro. At a time when almost everyone I know is an expert at Photoshop, it's really funny to look back and think about when people were tripping out over the Emboss Filter. Flash forward to now and we've got computer software from Israel that algorithmically beautifies photographs of you. Big deal, right? We've got retouchers for that. The most interesting part of this development, though, is that there's a fucking formula somewhere that knows what types of chin or cheekbones look the hottest. And there was probably a team of dudes that did nothing but go through Google images as research. Where do I submit my resume for that job? Save your boners, dudes, this is like MySpace angles taken to its logical end.

William Hundley @ Kinsey/DesForges

2008-11-11T15:15:00.001-08:00

Damn, it feels good to see people up on it. William Hundley, who has been my Flickr friend for God knows how long, has been blowing up before my eyes. Hundley creates images that are at once both funny and magical. Most of his work has him taking photos while his buddies jump around draped in fabric. Making the creative process personal is something I'm familiar with, I'm just not all that familiar with the other stuff. You know, like, all the acclaim stuff. Dude recently got interviewed by Fecal Face to promote his upcoming solo show at the Kinsey/DesForges gallery in Culver City, which opens on November 22nd.

The Bird In My Mouth

2008-11-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

It might be because I've been reformatting iChat interviews for my boss over at The FADER lately, but I've been looking all over the places for iChat screenshots. The Bird In My Mouth takes the cake. The site has a collection of a iChat conversations with a range of topics that go from being drunk to the recent Presidential collection. Knowing that my friends and I aren't the only ones that can talk about the search for 'tang to the climate crisis in two or three lines makes me feel just a little bit better about myself.