My beloved is in with noted modernist composer Raymond Deane. Thus we found ourselves on the guestlist for a premiere of his latest new piece in the National Concert Hall. And so we were able to hob nob in the interval reception and get tanked on free booze, which rocked. And whom should I meet there but my old friend and quaffing partner, Conor Kostick. Fun was had by all.
Oh yeah, what was the music like? Ah you know, grand stuff. I’ve never really known how to talk about the old orchestral music, apart from using clichés, and no obvious ones applied here. But I did most definitely find the music very enjoyable, and said as much to Mr Deane. “Enjoyable, eh?” he chortled, and I mumbled something about not having the vocabulary to describe classical music, in a possibly vain attempt to remain on the list for future première invites.
The orchestra also performed Dvorak’s New World symphony, which brought back many childhood memories for my glamorous assistant. Burr burr burr.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Comics Roundup 7/2/2006
“The Exterminators” # 2 by Simon Oliver and Tony Moore
This comics concerns two dysfunctional guys who work as pest exterminators. Unfortunately this issue sees the unlikely death of the more entertaining character, meaning that this comic might already be in decline. Oh well.
“Fantastic Four & Iron Man: Big In Japan” #4 by Zeb Wills and Seth Fisher
The final issue of this bizarre limited series, which saw the titular heroes go to Japan and fight giant monsters. The art carries the story, which is some ways unfortunate as the artist has just gone and died.
“Gotham Central” #40 by Greg Rucka, Kano, and Stefano Gaudiano
The final prog. This comic was a police procedural set in Gotham, where the cops have to contend with costumed freaks in the course of their work. In the early issues Batman tended to appear as a dues ex machina to resolve each story, but he has not appeared so much lately. The last run of stories have seen the main characters (honest cops) face off against the crooks who make up the majority of Gotham’s finest.
I’m sad to see this title end. It managed to deliver nicely character driven stories set in a world of seedy corruption. The story does at least end well (in narrative terms), with the last couple of episodes bringing things to a natural end.
I don’t know if there are any plans to reprint this in trade format, so maybe you have missed the bus.
“Y: The Last Man” #42 by Brian K. Vaughan, Goran Sudzuka, & Jose Marzan Jr.
You know the score: mysterious plague wipes out every male in the world simultanaeously, apart from this escapologist guy and his pet monkey. This episode is mainly about the monkey, now separated from the bloke.
This is a funny title… by its nature it should surely be heading towards some kind of conclusion wherein they somehow work out either how to bring men back into the world or to continue the human race without them. But it never seems to quite reach that point, and never shows any obvious sign of needing to in the short term. Rock on.
This comics concerns two dysfunctional guys who work as pest exterminators. Unfortunately this issue sees the unlikely death of the more entertaining character, meaning that this comic might already be in decline. Oh well.
“Fantastic Four & Iron Man: Big In Japan” #4 by Zeb Wills and Seth Fisher
The final issue of this bizarre limited series, which saw the titular heroes go to Japan and fight giant monsters. The art carries the story, which is some ways unfortunate as the artist has just gone and died.
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“Gotham Central” #40 by Greg Rucka, Kano, and Stefano Gaudiano
The final prog. This comic was a police procedural set in Gotham, where the cops have to contend with costumed freaks in the course of their work. In the early issues Batman tended to appear as a dues ex machina to resolve each story, but he has not appeared so much lately. The last run of stories have seen the main characters (honest cops) face off against the crooks who make up the majority of Gotham’s finest.
I’m sad to see this title end. It managed to deliver nicely character driven stories set in a world of seedy corruption. The story does at least end well (in narrative terms), with the last couple of episodes bringing things to a natural end.I don’t know if there are any plans to reprint this in trade format, so maybe you have missed the bus.
“Y: The Last Man” #42 by Brian K. Vaughan, Goran Sudzuka, & Jose Marzan Jr.
You know the score: mysterious plague wipes out every male in the world simultanaeously, apart from this escapologist guy and his pet monkey. This episode is mainly about the monkey, now separated from the bloke.
This is a funny title… by its nature it should surely be heading towards some kind of conclusion wherein they somehow work out either how to bring men back into the world or to continue the human race without them. But it never seems to quite reach that point, and never shows any obvious sign of needing to in the short term. Rock on.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Film: “Sophie Scholl: The Last Days”
Or – Belle & Sebastian Meet TEH NAZIS, given the nice cardigans and things that the kids wear. Scholl’s story is famous. She and her brother were part of an ineffectual resistance group in Munich during the Second World War. They posted anti-war leaflets out to people and painted occasional bits of graffiti on walls. Then they got a bit cocky and decided to leave their leaflets in the university some of them studied in. Unfortunately, a janitor saw them and snitched them up to the cops. The film follows Scholl over the two or three days from the group’s copying up the leaflets on a Gestetner duplicator, to her arrest and execution a couple of days later. The film is a very effective portrayal of the small ways in which people can face down terrible evil.
You could maybe question why the filmmakers felt the need to focus on Scholl rather than any of the more active people in the group, but I suppose attractive young women sell films. Also, the contrast between her and the pompous and nasty Nazis is very striking. The trial scene does this particularly well. This was meant to be a political show trial where the Nazi regime would strike terror into its internal enemies. Instead, the defendants, and particularly Ms Scholl, exposed the farcical nature of proceedings by denouncing the court and saying that the judges would themselves be on trial in a couple of years. This was not dramatic license on the part of the filmmakers, as everything I have read about the case suggests that Scholl and her brother delivered impressive speeches from the dock that must have been deeply embarrassing to the hard-assed Nazis hearing them. Of course, this did not save them from being beheaded (the day after the trial), but that was probably inevitable from the moment they were arrested, so they were right to go out with a bang.
With this and “Downfall” it is like there are suddenly some top films about the Third Reich coming out of Germany. It is great that the Germans are reclaiming their history and are able to make films which deal with this period in a nuanced and complex manner.
You could maybe question why the filmmakers felt the need to focus on Scholl rather than any of the more active people in the group, but I suppose attractive young women sell films. Also, the contrast between her and the pompous and nasty Nazis is very striking. The trial scene does this particularly well. This was meant to be a political show trial where the Nazi regime would strike terror into its internal enemies. Instead, the defendants, and particularly Ms Scholl, exposed the farcical nature of proceedings by denouncing the court and saying that the judges would themselves be on trial in a couple of years. This was not dramatic license on the part of the filmmakers, as everything I have read about the case suggests that Scholl and her brother delivered impressive speeches from the dock that must have been deeply embarrassing to the hard-assed Nazis hearing them. Of course, this did not save them from being beheaded (the day after the trial), but that was probably inevitable from the moment they were arrested, so they were right to go out with a bang.
With this and “Downfall” it is like there are suddenly some top films about the Third Reich coming out of Germany. It is great that the Germans are reclaiming their history and are able to make films which deal with this period in a nuanced and complex manner.
Friday, February 03, 2006
will I ever learn?
You might think that a sensible person such as myself would not buy books quicker than I can read them. Think again. The latest addition to my book mountain is "The Company" by Arabella Edge. This is a novel about the 17th century wreck of the Dutch retourship Batavia on one of the Abrolhos islands, and the horrific events that then followed. I have previously read Mike Dash's wonderful "Batavia's Graveyard", a non-fiction account of the same events.
Ms Edge seems to have written this book in the first person from the point of view of one Jeronimus Corneliszoon. This is an interesting choice, given that the man was a religious maniac and psychopath who set up a baroque reign of terror over his fellow survivors. I am curious as to whether she attempts to make him in any way sympathetic.
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The old Jeronimus is everywhere these days. The beloved pointed out that he appears as an enigmatic, probably sinister, character in "Desolation Jones", an ongoing comic by Warren Ellis and J.H. Williams III. If you have any fondness for the comics, I recommend picking up some issues of this odd detectivey title, the McGuffin for which is a missing reel of Hitler's own amateur porn.
(Ha ha, Hitler and porn in one post - Google, I command you to bring me the pervertalists!)
Thursday, February 02, 2006
TVOD
I saw some TV round the parents over Christmas. TOTP2 on Christmas Eve was interesting, showing some fascinating bits and bobs from the programme’s history. One spectacularly awful act were Bros. I hated Bros back in the day. Sometimes with these kind of acts, the hatred of the past becomes an almost nostalgic fondness in the present whenever their existence is recalled. However, seeing Bros perform ‘When Will I Be Famous’ is enough to make clear that they truly were one of the most awful groups the world has ever seen. Aside from the haplessness of their singer’s voice, there is the whole creepiness of their appearance, an odd look which combines the rent boy with the Nazi stormtrooper. Then there is their complete inability to dance, and the hopeless nature of the music they perform. Their success can only be explained by the strength of reality bending hallucinogens routinely being fed to teenagers back in the late 1980s.
I understand that some people are still claiming that Bros are makers of great music, but I hope that forced exposure to their "music" will cure them of this terrible affliction.
Beyond that, seeing Pan’s People dancing in the TOTP studios to T-Rex’s ‘Jeepster’ was funny. Pan’s People are a true oddity of the past, and I feel privileged to vaguely remember them. They used to dance in studio to the tunes that did not have a video or performers willing to come in and mime to their song. On the evidence of this piece they managed to be a bit weak in the dancing department yet surprisingly risqué in the suggestive nature of their moves. I wonder has anyone ever released a video of Pan’s People dance routines?
Sadly I missed Christmas Day TOTP due to it being Christmas and having to eat with the parents, but I did see “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” on Stephen’s Day. This is still probably my all time favourite film, given the way it manages to mix genres, be spectacularly funny, and still contain a political message about how Los Angeles managed to go so wrong. Plus it has Jessica Rabbit playing pat-a-cake.
I understand that some people are still claiming that Bros are makers of great music, but I hope that forced exposure to their "music" will cure them of this terrible affliction.
Beyond that, seeing Pan’s People dancing in the TOTP studios to T-Rex’s ‘Jeepster’ was funny. Pan’s People are a true oddity of the past, and I feel privileged to vaguely remember them. They used to dance in studio to the tunes that did not have a video or performers willing to come in and mime to their song. On the evidence of this piece they managed to be a bit weak in the dancing department yet surprisingly risqué in the suggestive nature of their moves. I wonder has anyone ever released a video of Pan’s People dance routines?
Sadly I missed Christmas Day TOTP due to it being Christmas and having to eat with the parents, but I did see “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” on Stephen’s Day. This is still probably my all time favourite film, given the way it manages to mix genres, be spectacularly funny, and still contain a political message about how Los Angeles managed to go so wrong. Plus it has Jessica Rabbit playing pat-a-cake.
Monday, January 30, 2006
The Extremely Uneventful Music project
Over on the Bowlie Forum, there was this thread about extremely uneventful music that evolved into a mix-CD exchange thing. The idea was that people would make and distribute CDs of uneventful music. There was rather a loose definition of what the musical subject was. It did seem initially to lean towards minimalism and 20th century classical, but a lot of what made it into the discs was more like ambient music generally. Unfortunately, it kind of goes with the music that a lot of it does not stand out, but I have had great fun lying on the coach while these discs play, hovering in the zone between sleep and wakefulness.
I tired to pitch the old Frank’s APA to the people to whom I sent discs, but I do not think any of them have bitten. If you are interested, here is the tracklisting of my disc, together with my comments thereon:
1. ‘Koyaanisqatsi’ by Philip Glass. From the album “Koyaanisqatsi”, soundtrack to the film of the same name. I think this film was my introduction to the crazy world of minimal music. Koyaanisqatsi is some Hopi Indian word meaning ‘life out of balance’ or ‘a way of living that calls for another way of living’. I recommend the film highly; it is a spectacular marriage of music and moving images.
2. ‘Tjatrik’, recorded in Java by Suryabata & David Lewiston, from the album “The Jasmine Isle: Gamelan Music”. Gamelan is a style of music played in parts of Indonesia and some neighbouring countries. It is very percussive, based around people hitting xylophone type instruments or ringing little bells and stuff. Apparently it was influential on some 20th century Western classical music, notably that of Debussy who caught some at a world fair somewhere. I like the way it sounds almost electronic, despite being entirely acoustic. Javan v. Balinese Gamelan seems to be the form’s big divide. Based on what I have heard, Javan is the way to go, as Balinese is just a bit too frenetic sounding.
If you ever get a chance to see Gamelan being played live, go for it. It looks and sounds amazing, even played by Whitey.
I think Tjatrik might actually be a particular type of Gamelan rather than the title of this piece.
3. ‘Birth of Liquid Pleijades’ by Tangerine Dream, from the album “Zeit”. Scary Krautrock.
4. ‘Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs, & Orchestra’ by Gyorgy Ligetti, from the soundtrack to “2001 – A Space Odyssey”. Bleak, scary music.
5. ‘Vessel’, by Philip Glass, from “Koyaanisqatsi”. This features the classic Philip Glass switch from slow to fast music.
6. ‘Lux Aeterna’ by Gyorgy Ligetti, again from “2001 – A Space Odyssey”. More scary music, probably the visual accompaniment to Dave Bowman experiencing the alienation of space’s remote depths.
7. ‘Rainstorm Blues’ by Flying Saucer Attack, from the album “Further”. I know very little about these fellows.
8. ‘Aguirre I (Lacrime Di Rei)’ by Popol Vuh, from “Aguirre – The Wrath of God”, soundtrack to the film of the same name. This is the film by Werner Herzog in which Klaus Kinski plays a raving madman attempting to carve out an empire for himself in the depths of the Amazon basin. He ends up trying to organise a load of squirrel monkeys into a crack fighting force.
9. ‘Hell-O)))-Ween’ by Sunn-O))), from the album “White 2”. I cannot recommend going to see Sunn-O)))) live highly enough. Make sure you bring earplugs.
I could probably do up another copy for anyone who has not already heard all these tunes.
Talking of CD giveaways, check out “My Christmas Gift To You”, especially if you like World Pop. I've been a bit overwhelmed by demand for that one, so the one person who asked for a copy is up against a bit of a backlog. But it's all manageable.
By the way, copyright Nazis, all this talk about making copying CDs is entirely for the purposes of humour. As The Arctic Monkeys record label can vouch, digital transferring is killing music.
I tired to pitch the old Frank’s APA to the people to whom I sent discs, but I do not think any of them have bitten. If you are interested, here is the tracklisting of my disc, together with my comments thereon:
1. ‘Koyaanisqatsi’ by Philip Glass. From the album “Koyaanisqatsi”, soundtrack to the film of the same name. I think this film was my introduction to the crazy world of minimal music. Koyaanisqatsi is some Hopi Indian word meaning ‘life out of balance’ or ‘a way of living that calls for another way of living’. I recommend the film highly; it is a spectacular marriage of music and moving images.
2. ‘Tjatrik’, recorded in Java by Suryabata & David Lewiston, from the album “The Jasmine Isle: Gamelan Music”. Gamelan is a style of music played in parts of Indonesia and some neighbouring countries. It is very percussive, based around people hitting xylophone type instruments or ringing little bells and stuff. Apparently it was influential on some 20th century Western classical music, notably that of Debussy who caught some at a world fair somewhere. I like the way it sounds almost electronic, despite being entirely acoustic. Javan v. Balinese Gamelan seems to be the form’s big divide. Based on what I have heard, Javan is the way to go, as Balinese is just a bit too frenetic sounding.
If you ever get a chance to see Gamelan being played live, go for it. It looks and sounds amazing, even played by Whitey.
I think Tjatrik might actually be a particular type of Gamelan rather than the title of this piece.
3. ‘Birth of Liquid Pleijades’ by Tangerine Dream, from the album “Zeit”. Scary Krautrock.
4. ‘Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs, & Orchestra’ by Gyorgy Ligetti, from the soundtrack to “2001 – A Space Odyssey”. Bleak, scary music.
5. ‘Vessel’, by Philip Glass, from “Koyaanisqatsi”. This features the classic Philip Glass switch from slow to fast music.
6. ‘Lux Aeterna’ by Gyorgy Ligetti, again from “2001 – A Space Odyssey”. More scary music, probably the visual accompaniment to Dave Bowman experiencing the alienation of space’s remote depths.
7. ‘Rainstorm Blues’ by Flying Saucer Attack, from the album “Further”. I know very little about these fellows.
8. ‘Aguirre I (Lacrime Di Rei)’ by Popol Vuh, from “Aguirre – The Wrath of God”, soundtrack to the film of the same name. This is the film by Werner Herzog in which Klaus Kinski plays a raving madman attempting to carve out an empire for himself in the depths of the Amazon basin. He ends up trying to organise a load of squirrel monkeys into a crack fighting force.
9. ‘Hell-O)))-Ween’ by Sunn-O))), from the album “White 2”. I cannot recommend going to see Sunn-O)))) live highly enough. Make sure you bring earplugs.
I could probably do up another copy for anyone who has not already heard all these tunes.
Talking of CD giveaways, check out “My Christmas Gift To You”, especially if you like World Pop. I've been a bit overwhelmed by demand for that one, so the one person who asked for a copy is up against a bit of a backlog. But it's all manageable.
By the way, copyright Nazis, all this talk about making copying CDs is entirely for the purposes of humour. As The Arctic Monkeys record label can vouch, digital transferring is killing music.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
The timeless wisdom of political realism
"OK guys, how about we do a deal? Hand over me kecks at least and I'll forget the whole thing".
Thursday, January 26, 2006
In the country of cute animal stories
A deaf dog in Devon is being trained to recognise sign language. His favourite sign means "good boy": http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4650964.stm
Meanwhile, a fireman in Cornwall saved a kitten by pretending to be a dog.
The West Country seems to be the UK's cute animal capital. Back in August the BBC ran an article about Cornwall's football playing dog.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Comics round up
So what comics did I buy last week?
First up, there is “Sgt. Rock: The Prophecy” # 1. I grew up on UK war comics, so it’s interesting to read this new one from Joe Kubert, the US master of the genre. The art is very different from what you would get in UK comics… it does not have the almost trainspotterish concern with accurate depiction of military hardware, but it has a spectacularly kinetic quality that draws the reader in. The story is a bit outlandish… in the middle of 1943, some super secret mission requires that the Americans parachute a squad of soldiers into Lithuania, only instead of sending in special forces they’ve just picked Sgt. Rock and his random squad of grunts. It also does not seem like any great thought has gone into planning how the team will be extracted, although this kind of slapdash thinking is typical of the military mind. The comic has an admirably up and at ‘em quality, and it also features a nice little puppy.
Then there is “Planetary” # 24, written by Warren Ellis and drawn by John Cassaday. “Planetary” is one of the greatest comics to have appeared in the last number of years, but this is one of those issues that treads water, particularly after the excitement of the last couple of issues.
And finally, “All Star Superman” #2, written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Frank Quiteley (in association with Jamie Grant). A dying Superman has revealed to Lois Lane that he is indeed Clark Kent, and carried her away to that Fortress of Solitude of his. It’s all kind of nice, but isn’t every second issue of “Superman” the one where Lois finds out that Superman and Clark are the same person? Still, Frank Quitely art is great, and no one writes the mainstream supers like Morrison. It does also call to mind the general Superman thing about how he is so powerful that you can’t really do stories about him fighting the bad guys… instead everything has to be about corny emotional entanglements with Lois. Ah well.
First up, there is “Sgt. Rock: The Prophecy” # 1. I grew up on UK war comics, so it’s interesting to read this new one from Joe Kubert, the US master of the genre. The art is very different from what you would get in UK comics… it does not have the almost trainspotterish concern with accurate depiction of military hardware, but it has a spectacularly kinetic quality that draws the reader in. The story is a bit outlandish… in the middle of 1943, some super secret mission requires that the Americans parachute a squad of soldiers into Lithuania, only instead of sending in special forces they’ve just picked Sgt. Rock and his random squad of grunts. It also does not seem like any great thought has gone into planning how the team will be extracted, although this kind of slapdash thinking is typical of the military mind. The comic has an admirably up and at ‘em quality, and it also features a nice little puppy.
Then there is “Planetary” # 24, written by Warren Ellis and drawn by John Cassaday. “Planetary” is one of the greatest comics to have appeared in the last number of years, but this is one of those issues that treads water, particularly after the excitement of the last couple of issues.
And finally, “All Star Superman” #2, written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Frank Quiteley (in association with Jamie Grant). A dying Superman has revealed to Lois Lane that he is indeed Clark Kent, and carried her away to that Fortress of Solitude of his. It’s all kind of nice, but isn’t every second issue of “Superman” the one where Lois finds out that Superman and Clark are the same person? Still, Frank Quitely art is great, and no one writes the mainstream supers like Morrison. It does also call to mind the general Superman thing about how he is so powerful that you can’t really do stories about him fighting the bad guys… instead everything has to be about corny emotional entanglements with Lois. Ah well.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
talking politics
I have joined a mailing list called Helicopterview. It was set up recently following a thread on ILX about how it would be nice to have somewhere to talk seriously about politics.
At the moment the list is small and invitational. If you are interested in joining it then I suppose the best thing you could do is go to the original ILX thread "Where do you go to discuss politics?" and either post there expressing interest or e-mail Catherine Leech, the threadstarter.
The list archives are not currently online.
At the moment the list is small and invitational. If you are interested in joining it then I suppose the best thing you could do is go to the original ILX thread "Where do you go to discuss politics?" and either post there expressing interest or e-mail Catherine Leech, the threadstarter.
The list archives are not currently online.
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