I've been watching the US throughout this year's World Cup, as well as a smattering of other games, and I've been meaning to talk about the issue of flopping. Now seems like a good time to address this, after hearing Bob Bradley's comments on the subject.
Soccer isn't nearly as popular in the US as it is elsewhere. Like most Americans, I don't pay much attention to it, although I've watched all of the US's games thus far, because, well, it's the freakin' World Cup. But as I've watched I couldn't help but get irked by the way these well-conditioned athletes writhe around on the ground like 5-year old girls every time someone breathes on them too hard. In fact, "irked" is too tame a word; it simply pisses me off.
I understand that this is kind of a soccer "tradition." I understand that it's done in order to gain an advantage for one's team, and all's fair in love and war, right? Pardon my French, but fuck that. There's a word for going down that fast and hard: it's called being a whore. It's dishonest and utterly disgraceful, and acting of this sort has no place in any sport.
Sports are, in essence, a form of warfare and displaced aggression. I suppose this ideal is waning in today's modern world, but warriors were once expected to be not only the baddest guys on the block, but honorable as well. America being the bellicose nation that it is, we take our sports (and war) seriously. We expect our athletes to uphold the warrior ideal of toughness in the face of great pain. Basketball players play with tweaked knees and elbows. Football players play with concussions. Hockey players get 7 teeth knocked out, go get some quick dental work, then return to play in the same game. It's almost certainly asking too much of them, but it's what's expected of them. To act otherwise is to be branded a pussy.
And I think that this is one of the main reasons Americans have a hard time with soccer. I don't think it's the "slow pace" of the game, or the low scoring that turns off Americans, because baseball is much slower paced, and hockey is comparable in the amount of goals scored. No, I think the issue is the antics of the players. How can you possibly respect a guy who squirms on the ground in mock pain when just last week you watched Rich Franklin knock out Chuck Liddell after Liddell broke Franklin's arm earlier in the round?
Yes, there is flopping in other sports, most notably basketball and hockey. But do it too much, and you're labelled as a d-bag. You lose the respect of the fans and your fellow players. That doesn't seem to be the case with soccer. "It's just part of the game." Well, it's a disgusting, disgraceful part of the game, and I whole-heartedly encourage FIFA to take Bradley's advice and start cracking down on it. It does nothing to benefit the game, and plenty to denigrate it. I played soccer for many years as a kid, and it's a tough sport; these fools are making a mockery of it.
And I think this foolishness is keeping a lot of American fans from truly enjoying it. You may say that soccer doesn't need American fans, that the rest of the world is doing just fine without us. You're not wrong. But that's a pretty poor attitude, don't you think?
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Friday, June 25, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Musicopia: Beatlemania, Part 2
At long last, I have finished Part 2 of Beatlemania. Hope you enjoy it!
1968’s The Beatles (aka The White Album) was the beginning of the end for The Beatles. Whether the appearance of she-devil Yoko Ono was wholly or partly responsible for the discord is open to debate, but my impression is that she was most certainly a monkey wrench in the gears of a previously well-oiled machine. Regardless of the cause of the contentiousness, the studio sessions for The White Album featured a wealth of disagreements, with John and Paul occasionally in different studios recording different songs. Ringo even quit the band for a short period of time before being convinced to come back. The divisiveness of The Beatles at this time is starkly apparent on the double album, which contains a bizarre (yet great) selection of songs.
It’s tough to pare this lot down, but I’ll do my best. I’ll start with George Harrison’s "Piggies", because, as I’ve already mentioned, I love the sound of the harpsichord, I dig the stringed instruments, and get a kick out of the pig sound effects (what can I say? I’m easily amused). "Sexy Sadie" is another great track I just love to sing along to (even those high notes that I can’t hit). Another fun sing-a-long track is "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"; a great song to wail in the shower, I’d say. And speaking of wailing, the simplistic yet highly amusing "Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?" features some excellent wailing by Paul. Love this song, and not just because it was inspired by two monkeys in India going at it (but it helps). "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" is supposedly Paul’s favorite song on The White Album, and it’s certainly in my top five. It’s structurally complex, lyrically interesting, and, in the end, just plain fun. "I’m So Tired" may just be my favorite song on the album. While the song isn’t about depression, it certainly strikes a chord in me. I can relate very much with the overriding sentiment of the song (“I’d give you everything I’ve got for a little peace of mind”), and I love the emotion John puts into his vocals (especially around :38-:45).
The White Album is truly great, and there is a wealth of excellent songs that I didn’t mention. If you’re not familiar with it, I highly suggest giving it a listen. And even if you do know it, I suggest revisiting it occasionally. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone back to it and thought, “How did I miss this song?!”
Yellow Submarine, released in 1969, is an unusual album. Only half of the twelve songs on the album are performed by the Beatles, and of those six, two were previously released on other albums (“Yellow Submarine” on Revolver and “All You Need Is Love” on Magical Mystery Tour). The other six tracks are symphonic tracks from the film Yellow Submarine. I enjoy a good orchestral piece, but I’m not overly impressed by the offerings on this album, and of the four new tracks only "All Together Now" and "Hey Bulldog" (the best new song on the album, in my opinion) regularly make it onto my playlists. If the Beatles made a forgettable album, this one is it.
1969’s second release, Abbey Road, on the other hand, is chock full of goodness. Actually recorded after the majority of Let It Be (the last studio album released by the band), this album represents their final attempt to put their differences aside and “go out on a high note.” I don’t think it’s a coincidence that many of the songs on the album have a wistful feeling to them.
Nevertheless, the album starts off with a bang. The first song, "Come Together" is not only a classic, but also seems to act as encouragement for the band, as if they’re telling each other, “This is the last time, so let’s do this right.” The second track, "Something", is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest love songs ever written. Too bad Yoko’s in the video. But on a happier note, "Octopus’s Garden", where my blog gets its name, is on the album. It’s a fun bit of nonsense, and probably my favorite Ringo track (not that there are a lot to choose from). And speaking of fun bits of nonsense, you can’t go wrong with the short tale of "Mean Mr. Mustard". An interesting bit of trivia regarding the song "Because": it features the chords of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” played backwards. While it’s hard to pick a favorite off the album, "Oh! Darling" may just be it. I recall listening to it repeatedly when I first discovered it, and it doesn’t hurt that it has one of my favorite things in it: Paul screaming his head off. Just a great track.
The final studio album released by the Beatles was 1970’s Let It Be. A documentary of the same name was filmed during the album’s recording sessions. The film ends with the infamous impromptu rooftop concert held on top of Apple’s building (the record company, not the makers of iPods), which was eventually broken up by the police. Apparently London’s business district found the Beatle’s last live performance distracting.
In honor of their last live performance, I thought I’d share the songs they played on that rooftop in London (although the links I provide will be to the album versions). They started off with a couple goes at what was, at the time, meant to be the title track of the album, "Get Back", which was also the last song they played that day. In fact, John’s comment at the end of the recording, “I’d like to say ‘thank you’ on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition,” was taken from the rooftop recordings and spliced onto the end of the album version. The next song, "Don’t Let Me Down", was recorded during the Get Back (Let It Be) sessions, but ended up being dropped from the album (it appears later on the Past Masters album). I can’t imagine why it wasn’t included, as the raw emotion in John’s vocals makes it one of my favorite Beatles songs. "I’ve Got a Feeling", an amalgam of two different songs (one by Paul, the other by John), was the next song played, and in this case the recording from the rooftop performance actually made it onto the album. On the heels of “I’ve Got a Feeling” came "One After 909", a song that wouldn’t sound out of place on an early Beatles album. This is another track taken straight from their rooftop performance (John’s “Danny Boy” ending being a goofy ad-lib). The last unique song played that day was another of my multitude of favorites, "Dig a Pony". Again, the album version and the rooftop version are one and the same. That “Hold it!” yelled at the beginning is Ringo asking everyone to wait, as he had a cigarette in hand at the time. I can’t say why, but the inclusion of that moment on the album just makes my day. After “Dig a Pony,” they played “I’ve Got a Feeling” again, followed by another performance of “Don’t Let Me Down.” As I said earlier, they finished with “Get Back,” and yes, John, I’m pretty sure you passed the audition.
1988 saw the release of the Past Masters album, 33 tracks on two CDs that included all the bits and bobs that hadn’t made it onto the previously listed albums. Perhaps “bits and bobs” is a deceptive choice of words, since the album contains such seminal Beatles songs as "From Me To You", "She Loves You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "I Feel Fine". And that’s just Disc 1!
The second disc is full of Beatles classics as well. You can never go wrong with "Hey Jude", and if you can hear “na na na na-na na na” without singing along then you, my friend, have a soul as black as the night. The disc also contains 1965’s lighthearted "Day Tripper", a tongue-in-cheek ditty about half-assed hippies, and "We Can Work It Out", which was originally released on the same single. Another song close to my heart is "Paperback Writer", mostly because it’s a fun song, but also because I wouldn’t mind being a paperback writer myself. You're probably unfamiliar with the song unless you’re a big fan, but I’ve grown quite attached to Harrison’s "Old Brown Shoe". I just wish the audio was better; it definitely sounds like an old "Brown Shoe." Despite Satan’s minion, Yoko, being a prominent feature of the song, I can’t help but enjoy "The Ballad of John & Yoko". If only Mark David Chapman’s aim had been off.
The three Anthology albums were released in late 1995 and early 1996. Not for the casual fan, the albums contain a wealth of alternate versions, demos, live performances, and the like. For Beatlemaniacs, it’s a fascinating look at the creative process of the Beatles. There are recordings of rehearsals where it’s obvious that the lyrics were yet to be finalized (I just hate it when doctors smink of gin), takes featuring false starts, and even a take completely derailed by a giggle fit (I have a feeling all were not sober at the time). And remember “Old Brown Shoe” and it’s bad audio? Oddly, the demo sounds quite a bit better.
In 2006, Cirque du Soleil began their show Love, based upon the music of the Beatles. To the extreme pleasure of this Beatles fan, they tapped George Martin and his son Giles to remix a wonderful selection of the Beatles catalogue. The hard work of the Martins (and George’s intimate familiarity with the music) produced a work of sheer genius.
This album introduced me to a song I had previously overlooked: "Lady Madonna". I fell in love immediately, and, while biased by hearing this version first, I feel that it’s an improvement over the original. I wish I could present "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" and "Octopus’s Garden" as a single piece, because the way they are tied together by the string portion of “Good Night” is absolutely beautiful. Instead, try queuing them both up and starting “Octopus’s Garden” as soon as “Lucy” is done; you’ll get the general idea. For those of you who think “Hey Jude” is too long (and I won’t blame you if you do), give this version a try. Not only is it significantly shorter, but it’s also got a sweet bass line added in for most of the last minute. The bass line actually appears ever so faintly in the last six seconds or so of the original, but bringing it to the fore makes for quite an improvement (as does dropping everything but the vocals and percussion prior to the bass line’s appearance). As mush as I love the revamped “Hey Jude,” I think the new "Strawberry Fields Forever" is the pinnacle of the album (Strawberry Peak?). The original is surely a classic, but I’m batshit crazy for the way the last two minutes or so of this song turned out, seamlessly integrating parts of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “In My Life,” “Penny Lane,” “Piggies” (did I mention that I love the harpsichord?), and, most notably, the “Hey-la” section of “Hello, Goodbye.” This, my friends, is a work of art.
And so we end Beatlemania on as high a note as I can think of. I hope I was able to shed some light on an unfamiliar song or two. I think the Beatles are the high water mark of music, a brilliant mixture of the profound and the profane, the ordinary and the sublime. And as I said before, I dare you to find another band who evolved so much in so little time, and who has inspired so many, both musicians and laymen alike.
Now will someone please perform the ritual that sends Yoko back to her place among the nine circles of Hell?
*I should note that I have once again leaned on Wiki for many of the facts used in Beatlemania. All opinions are my own.
1968’s The Beatles (aka The White Album) was the beginning of the end for The Beatles. Whether the appearance of she-devil Yoko Ono was wholly or partly responsible for the discord is open to debate, but my impression is that she was most certainly a monkey wrench in the gears of a previously well-oiled machine. Regardless of the cause of the contentiousness, the studio sessions for The White Album featured a wealth of disagreements, with John and Paul occasionally in different studios recording different songs. Ringo even quit the band for a short period of time before being convinced to come back. The divisiveness of The Beatles at this time is starkly apparent on the double album, which contains a bizarre (yet great) selection of songs.
It’s tough to pare this lot down, but I’ll do my best. I’ll start with George Harrison’s "Piggies", because, as I’ve already mentioned, I love the sound of the harpsichord, I dig the stringed instruments, and get a kick out of the pig sound effects (what can I say? I’m easily amused). "Sexy Sadie" is another great track I just love to sing along to (even those high notes that I can’t hit). Another fun sing-a-long track is "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"; a great song to wail in the shower, I’d say. And speaking of wailing, the simplistic yet highly amusing "Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?" features some excellent wailing by Paul. Love this song, and not just because it was inspired by two monkeys in India going at it (but it helps). "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" is supposedly Paul’s favorite song on The White Album, and it’s certainly in my top five. It’s structurally complex, lyrically interesting, and, in the end, just plain fun. "I’m So Tired" may just be my favorite song on the album. While the song isn’t about depression, it certainly strikes a chord in me. I can relate very much with the overriding sentiment of the song (“I’d give you everything I’ve got for a little peace of mind”), and I love the emotion John puts into his vocals (especially around :38-:45).
The White Album is truly great, and there is a wealth of excellent songs that I didn’t mention. If you’re not familiar with it, I highly suggest giving it a listen. And even if you do know it, I suggest revisiting it occasionally. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone back to it and thought, “How did I miss this song?!”
Yellow Submarine, released in 1969, is an unusual album. Only half of the twelve songs on the album are performed by the Beatles, and of those six, two were previously released on other albums (“Yellow Submarine” on Revolver and “All You Need Is Love” on Magical Mystery Tour). The other six tracks are symphonic tracks from the film Yellow Submarine. I enjoy a good orchestral piece, but I’m not overly impressed by the offerings on this album, and of the four new tracks only "All Together Now" and "Hey Bulldog" (the best new song on the album, in my opinion) regularly make it onto my playlists. If the Beatles made a forgettable album, this one is it.
1969’s second release, Abbey Road, on the other hand, is chock full of goodness. Actually recorded after the majority of Let It Be (the last studio album released by the band), this album represents their final attempt to put their differences aside and “go out on a high note.” I don’t think it’s a coincidence that many of the songs on the album have a wistful feeling to them.
Nevertheless, the album starts off with a bang. The first song, "Come Together" is not only a classic, but also seems to act as encouragement for the band, as if they’re telling each other, “This is the last time, so let’s do this right.” The second track, "Something", is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest love songs ever written. Too bad Yoko’s in the video. But on a happier note, "Octopus’s Garden", where my blog gets its name, is on the album. It’s a fun bit of nonsense, and probably my favorite Ringo track (not that there are a lot to choose from). And speaking of fun bits of nonsense, you can’t go wrong with the short tale of "Mean Mr. Mustard". An interesting bit of trivia regarding the song "Because": it features the chords of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” played backwards. While it’s hard to pick a favorite off the album, "Oh! Darling" may just be it. I recall listening to it repeatedly when I first discovered it, and it doesn’t hurt that it has one of my favorite things in it: Paul screaming his head off. Just a great track.
The final studio album released by the Beatles was 1970’s Let It Be. A documentary of the same name was filmed during the album’s recording sessions. The film ends with the infamous impromptu rooftop concert held on top of Apple’s building (the record company, not the makers of iPods), which was eventually broken up by the police. Apparently London’s business district found the Beatle’s last live performance distracting.
In honor of their last live performance, I thought I’d share the songs they played on that rooftop in London (although the links I provide will be to the album versions). They started off with a couple goes at what was, at the time, meant to be the title track of the album, "Get Back", which was also the last song they played that day. In fact, John’s comment at the end of the recording, “I’d like to say ‘thank you’ on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition,” was taken from the rooftop recordings and spliced onto the end of the album version. The next song, "Don’t Let Me Down", was recorded during the Get Back (Let It Be) sessions, but ended up being dropped from the album (it appears later on the Past Masters album). I can’t imagine why it wasn’t included, as the raw emotion in John’s vocals makes it one of my favorite Beatles songs. "I’ve Got a Feeling", an amalgam of two different songs (one by Paul, the other by John), was the next song played, and in this case the recording from the rooftop performance actually made it onto the album. On the heels of “I’ve Got a Feeling” came "One After 909", a song that wouldn’t sound out of place on an early Beatles album. This is another track taken straight from their rooftop performance (John’s “Danny Boy” ending being a goofy ad-lib). The last unique song played that day was another of my multitude of favorites, "Dig a Pony". Again, the album version and the rooftop version are one and the same. That “Hold it!” yelled at the beginning is Ringo asking everyone to wait, as he had a cigarette in hand at the time. I can’t say why, but the inclusion of that moment on the album just makes my day. After “Dig a Pony,” they played “I’ve Got a Feeling” again, followed by another performance of “Don’t Let Me Down.” As I said earlier, they finished with “Get Back,” and yes, John, I’m pretty sure you passed the audition.
1988 saw the release of the Past Masters album, 33 tracks on two CDs that included all the bits and bobs that hadn’t made it onto the previously listed albums. Perhaps “bits and bobs” is a deceptive choice of words, since the album contains such seminal Beatles songs as "From Me To You", "She Loves You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "I Feel Fine". And that’s just Disc 1!
The second disc is full of Beatles classics as well. You can never go wrong with "Hey Jude", and if you can hear “na na na na-na na na” without singing along then you, my friend, have a soul as black as the night. The disc also contains 1965’s lighthearted "Day Tripper", a tongue-in-cheek ditty about half-assed hippies, and "We Can Work It Out", which was originally released on the same single. Another song close to my heart is "Paperback Writer", mostly because it’s a fun song, but also because I wouldn’t mind being a paperback writer myself. You're probably unfamiliar with the song unless you’re a big fan, but I’ve grown quite attached to Harrison’s "Old Brown Shoe". I just wish the audio was better; it definitely sounds like an old "Brown Shoe." Despite Satan’s minion, Yoko, being a prominent feature of the song, I can’t help but enjoy "The Ballad of John & Yoko". If only Mark David Chapman’s aim had been off.
The three Anthology albums were released in late 1995 and early 1996. Not for the casual fan, the albums contain a wealth of alternate versions, demos, live performances, and the like. For Beatlemaniacs, it’s a fascinating look at the creative process of the Beatles. There are recordings of rehearsals where it’s obvious that the lyrics were yet to be finalized (I just hate it when doctors smink of gin), takes featuring false starts, and even a take completely derailed by a giggle fit (I have a feeling all were not sober at the time). And remember “Old Brown Shoe” and it’s bad audio? Oddly, the demo sounds quite a bit better.
In 2006, Cirque du Soleil began their show Love, based upon the music of the Beatles. To the extreme pleasure of this Beatles fan, they tapped George Martin and his son Giles to remix a wonderful selection of the Beatles catalogue. The hard work of the Martins (and George’s intimate familiarity with the music) produced a work of sheer genius.
This album introduced me to a song I had previously overlooked: "Lady Madonna". I fell in love immediately, and, while biased by hearing this version first, I feel that it’s an improvement over the original. I wish I could present "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" and "Octopus’s Garden" as a single piece, because the way they are tied together by the string portion of “Good Night” is absolutely beautiful. Instead, try queuing them both up and starting “Octopus’s Garden” as soon as “Lucy” is done; you’ll get the general idea. For those of you who think “Hey Jude” is too long (and I won’t blame you if you do), give this version a try. Not only is it significantly shorter, but it’s also got a sweet bass line added in for most of the last minute. The bass line actually appears ever so faintly in the last six seconds or so of the original, but bringing it to the fore makes for quite an improvement (as does dropping everything but the vocals and percussion prior to the bass line’s appearance). As mush as I love the revamped “Hey Jude,” I think the new "Strawberry Fields Forever" is the pinnacle of the album (Strawberry Peak?). The original is surely a classic, but I’m batshit crazy for the way the last two minutes or so of this song turned out, seamlessly integrating parts of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “In My Life,” “Penny Lane,” “Piggies” (did I mention that I love the harpsichord?), and, most notably, the “Hey-la” section of “Hello, Goodbye.” This, my friends, is a work of art.
And so we end Beatlemania on as high a note as I can think of. I hope I was able to shed some light on an unfamiliar song or two. I think the Beatles are the high water mark of music, a brilliant mixture of the profound and the profane, the ordinary and the sublime. And as I said before, I dare you to find another band who evolved so much in so little time, and who has inspired so many, both musicians and laymen alike.
Now will someone please perform the ritual that sends Yoko back to her place among the nine circles of Hell?
*I should note that I have once again leaned on Wiki for many of the facts used in Beatlemania. All opinions are my own.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Musicopia: Beatlemania, Part 1
By now you’ve surely noticed that I enjoy a wide variety of music. If I had to pick a favorite musical genre, it would probably be hip-hop, followed by good ol’ rock and roll. My favorite musical act, however, is without question The Beatles.
People often say that you’re a Beatles person or an Elvis person, or, perhaps, a Rolling Stones lover. With all due respect to Elvis and the Stones, there is absolutely no twentieth century musical group or individual more important or influential than The Beatles. Pick a music artist these days and I guarantee that one of their influences is The Beatles (and if they aren’t, then someone directly influenced by them is).
Whether you enjoy their music or not, there is no denying their influence on music in the Western world and beyond, and I dare you to find another group or artist who evolved as drastically as they did over their seven years of recording. They began as a pop-rock group who essentially conformed to the conventions of their predecessors, but before long they were blazing their own trail, experimenting with feedback, sound effects, and unconventional instruments such as the sitar. And, amazingly, their experimentation and growth did nothing to hinder their popularity. If anything, it enhanced it, setting them apart from the wealth of exceptional acts that surfaced in what I consider to be music’s Golden Age, the 60s.
This is why I can’t just stick The Beatles in with the rest of the B’s. My love of their music requires that I give them special attention, for they deserve to be elevated above all. And so I give you a Musicopia special edition: Beatlemania. In Beatlemania I will explore each of the albums within The Beatles canon, consisting of their twelve UK albums, the US version of Magical Mystery Tour, and the Past Masters albums, as well as a smattering of tracks from the Anthology series and the (relatively) newly released Love, which was created for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name. If you’re a Beatles fan already, then you surely won’t mind being reminded of why you love them. If you’re unfamiliar with their work, then I urge you to take this opportunity to explore it. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
P.S. Damn you, Yoko!!!!
The Beatles’ first major album was Please Please Me, released in 1963. I used to consider much of their early work to be inferior simply because it was (at the time) fairly standard rock, rather than the barrier dismantling work that they did in their later years. Thankfully I’ve seen the error of my ways, for their early work, while not unconventional, is nonetheless excellent rock and roll, and still has all the Beatles charm that one finds in their later work. The album’s first track, "I Saw Her Standing There", is classic Beatles—up-tempo, cheerful, and about the ladies. Other great tracks, like "Love Me Do" and the title track will surely ring bells with most people. But songs such as "Misery" and "Chains" may be new to the casual fan. And c’mon, without this album’s last track (among my all-time favorites) we wouldn’t have one of my favorite moments in movie history, the fabled Ferris Bueller parade scene.
1963 also saw the release of their second album, With The Beatles. I must admit that I find this to be a weaker album than their first. Of the original songs that they composed for the album, "All My Loving" is easily the best, followed by "Hold Me Tight" and "Don’t Bother Me". But other than “All My Loving” I think the strongest tracks on the album are the covers of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" (which features some great guitar playing by George), and The Marvelette's "Please Mister Postman".
Two albums were released in 1964 as well. The first was A Hard Day’s Night, the soundtrack to their first movie, and the first Beatles album comprised entirely of original material. The album’s title track and "Can’t Buy Me Love" are among The Beatles’ best early work (“Can’t Buy Me Love” being one of my favorite Beatles songs). The rest of the album is solid as well. Even the songs that don’t regularly make it onto my playlists compel me to break into song when I listen to them (to the utter dismay of those around me). Among my favorite tracks on the album are "I Should Have Known Better", "Tell Me Why", and "Any Time At All". Great songs all.
The second album released in ’64 was Beatles For Sale, and (I’m sensing a pattern here) I feel it is weaker when compared to A Hard Day’s Night. But we’re talking about The Beatles here, so “weaker” is a relative term. The album contains another of my favorites, "Eight Days a Week" (I seem to have a lot of favorites, don’t I?). As with most of their early albums, there are a number of cover songs included, such as the Carl Perkins song "Honey Don’t", and another Chuck Berry cover, "Rock & Roll Music", featuring a great example of John’s vocal chops. Other than “Eight Days a Week,” my favorite original works on the album are "What You’re Doing" and "No Reply", which I’m especially fond of (especially the bit from about 1:03 to 1:32).
Another year, another movie. Their second movie, Help!, was released in 1965, and the soundtrack is once again solid as a rock. There are only two cover songs on this album, with the best easily being Ringo’s rendition of "Act Naturally". Love that song (and Ringo’s gotta get the spotlight every now and then!). But I’ve gotta tell ya, this album kicks some serious ass. The title track is one of their greatest songs, certainly among their early work. I can’t begin to describe the über-awesomeness of the song. But it doesn’t stop there! With tracks like "You’re Going to Lose That Girl", "Ticket To Ride" (with a wonderfully silly video; lo siento para los subtitulados en español), "It’s Only Love", and one of Paul’s most famous and beloved songs, "Yesterday", this is surely their best album thus far.
The Beatles’ sixth album, Rubber Soul, is where they started off into territory heretofore unknown to rock bands. Remember that roommate I had back in college (mentioned in the last installment of Musicopia)? Well, this is his favorite Beatles album (or it was back then), and understandably so. This album, also released in ‘65, represents a sea change in the work of The Beatles, both musically ("Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" features George’s first use of the sitar in a recording, and "In My Life" features a piano solo that sounds very much like a harpsichord) and lyrically (as John’s philosophical and self-deprecating lyrics in "Nowhere Man" demonstrate). This album is so good I want to post every song, but through a superhuman demonstration of willpower I’m going to mention only three more songs: "You Won’t See Me" (because I like Paul’s voice and the ooooo la-la-la’s), "Girl" (a favorite which I’m embarrassed to say had escaped my notice until I watched Across the Universe), and "I’m Looking Through You" (just because).
If Rubber Soul was the beginning of their trip into the wild musical unknown, then Revolver sees them setting up shop there with the intent of staying for the long haul. While consistently overplayed, "Yellow Submarine" is probably the most sonically complex Beatles song yet (with the possible exception of "Tomorrow Never Knows"), with a wealth of sound effects and vocal silliness that sets it apart from the rest of their work thus far. "Love You To" is classic George, prominently featuring the sitar and other Indian instruments. Their sound continues to fill out on this album (released in 1966), with brass instruments prominently featured on "Got To Get You Into My Life", and some great piano playing by George Martin (“the fifth Beatle”) on "Good Day Sunshine". The album also contains the most depressing song in the universe, "Eleanor Rigby", so there’s that. But seriously, this is probably in my top three favorite Beatles albums, and I left a bumload of good songs out, so go get it. Get it now!
The Beatles’ next album, 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, is where it all began for me. I was visiting my mom at work and one of her co-workers had the album on cassette. I can’t remember whether he was listening to it and I asked to borrow it, or if the guy just knew it would blow my mind and offered it to me, but blow my young teenage mind it did. I’d heard "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" before, of course, but the album in its entirety was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I listened to it. Again. And again. And again. Thus began my Beatlemania.
Paring the album down to a handful of songs is like asking me to club a truckload of doe-eyed baby seals, but do it I must. The title track must get mention due to both its greatness and the way in which it sets the tone for the rest of the album. I must also mention "Fixing a Hole" because I overlooked its greatness for too long, and because I love the harpsichord. "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" also deserves mention simply for its sheer zany awesomeness. In my book, any song mentioning a waltzing horse is a good one. "When I’m Sixty-Four" is one of my favorites on the album. It’s sweetly sentimental, and I love the clarinets. As odd as it may sound, "Lovely Rita" may be my favorite song on the album. This is Paul at his whimsical best. I love the fact that he asks Rita out, then lets her pay the tab for dinner. For some reason that just cracks me up.
As with Revolver, there are so many great songs on this album that I was unable to mention them all. I urge you to get the album. I don’t care what you do in order to procure a copy. Rape. Pillage. Plunder. Do whatever it takes (ok, maybe not rape); just get this album! If you don’t enjoy it, then I’m sorry, I’m going to find you and jam an ice pick in your ears. Not enough to kill you, mind you; just enough to irrevocably deafen you. If you don’t like the album then aural pleasure is obviously beyond you and your ears are wasted on you anyway.
That's all for now, cats and kittens. Part 2 will be out as soon as I manage to finish it, which might be as late as next week, since I tend to get distracted and listen to some of the songs multiple times, thus ensuring that this takes much longer than it needs to. But The Beatles are worth the wait.
People often say that you’re a Beatles person or an Elvis person, or, perhaps, a Rolling Stones lover. With all due respect to Elvis and the Stones, there is absolutely no twentieth century musical group or individual more important or influential than The Beatles. Pick a music artist these days and I guarantee that one of their influences is The Beatles (and if they aren’t, then someone directly influenced by them is).
Whether you enjoy their music or not, there is no denying their influence on music in the Western world and beyond, and I dare you to find another group or artist who evolved as drastically as they did over their seven years of recording. They began as a pop-rock group who essentially conformed to the conventions of their predecessors, but before long they were blazing their own trail, experimenting with feedback, sound effects, and unconventional instruments such as the sitar. And, amazingly, their experimentation and growth did nothing to hinder their popularity. If anything, it enhanced it, setting them apart from the wealth of exceptional acts that surfaced in what I consider to be music’s Golden Age, the 60s.
This is why I can’t just stick The Beatles in with the rest of the B’s. My love of their music requires that I give them special attention, for they deserve to be elevated above all. And so I give you a Musicopia special edition: Beatlemania. In Beatlemania I will explore each of the albums within The Beatles canon, consisting of their twelve UK albums, the US version of Magical Mystery Tour, and the Past Masters albums, as well as a smattering of tracks from the Anthology series and the (relatively) newly released Love, which was created for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name. If you’re a Beatles fan already, then you surely won’t mind being reminded of why you love them. If you’re unfamiliar with their work, then I urge you to take this opportunity to explore it. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
P.S. Damn you, Yoko!!!!
The Beatles’ first major album was Please Please Me, released in 1963. I used to consider much of their early work to be inferior simply because it was (at the time) fairly standard rock, rather than the barrier dismantling work that they did in their later years. Thankfully I’ve seen the error of my ways, for their early work, while not unconventional, is nonetheless excellent rock and roll, and still has all the Beatles charm that one finds in their later work. The album’s first track, "I Saw Her Standing There", is classic Beatles—up-tempo, cheerful, and about the ladies. Other great tracks, like "Love Me Do" and the title track will surely ring bells with most people. But songs such as "Misery" and "Chains" may be new to the casual fan. And c’mon, without this album’s last track (among my all-time favorites) we wouldn’t have one of my favorite moments in movie history, the fabled Ferris Bueller parade scene.
1963 also saw the release of their second album, With The Beatles. I must admit that I find this to be a weaker album than their first. Of the original songs that they composed for the album, "All My Loving" is easily the best, followed by "Hold Me Tight" and "Don’t Bother Me". But other than “All My Loving” I think the strongest tracks on the album are the covers of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" (which features some great guitar playing by George), and The Marvelette's "Please Mister Postman".
Two albums were released in 1964 as well. The first was A Hard Day’s Night, the soundtrack to their first movie, and the first Beatles album comprised entirely of original material. The album’s title track and "Can’t Buy Me Love" are among The Beatles’ best early work (“Can’t Buy Me Love” being one of my favorite Beatles songs). The rest of the album is solid as well. Even the songs that don’t regularly make it onto my playlists compel me to break into song when I listen to them (to the utter dismay of those around me). Among my favorite tracks on the album are "I Should Have Known Better", "Tell Me Why", and "Any Time At All". Great songs all.
The second album released in ’64 was Beatles For Sale, and (I’m sensing a pattern here) I feel it is weaker when compared to A Hard Day’s Night. But we’re talking about The Beatles here, so “weaker” is a relative term. The album contains another of my favorites, "Eight Days a Week" (I seem to have a lot of favorites, don’t I?). As with most of their early albums, there are a number of cover songs included, such as the Carl Perkins song "Honey Don’t", and another Chuck Berry cover, "Rock & Roll Music", featuring a great example of John’s vocal chops. Other than “Eight Days a Week,” my favorite original works on the album are "What You’re Doing" and "No Reply", which I’m especially fond of (especially the bit from about 1:03 to 1:32).
Another year, another movie. Their second movie, Help!, was released in 1965, and the soundtrack is once again solid as a rock. There are only two cover songs on this album, with the best easily being Ringo’s rendition of "Act Naturally". Love that song (and Ringo’s gotta get the spotlight every now and then!). But I’ve gotta tell ya, this album kicks some serious ass. The title track is one of their greatest songs, certainly among their early work. I can’t begin to describe the über-awesomeness of the song. But it doesn’t stop there! With tracks like "You’re Going to Lose That Girl", "Ticket To Ride" (with a wonderfully silly video; lo siento para los subtitulados en español), "It’s Only Love", and one of Paul’s most famous and beloved songs, "Yesterday", this is surely their best album thus far.
The Beatles’ sixth album, Rubber Soul, is where they started off into territory heretofore unknown to rock bands. Remember that roommate I had back in college (mentioned in the last installment of Musicopia)? Well, this is his favorite Beatles album (or it was back then), and understandably so. This album, also released in ‘65, represents a sea change in the work of The Beatles, both musically ("Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" features George’s first use of the sitar in a recording, and "In My Life" features a piano solo that sounds very much like a harpsichord) and lyrically (as John’s philosophical and self-deprecating lyrics in "Nowhere Man" demonstrate). This album is so good I want to post every song, but through a superhuman demonstration of willpower I’m going to mention only three more songs: "You Won’t See Me" (because I like Paul’s voice and the ooooo la-la-la’s), "Girl" (a favorite which I’m embarrassed to say had escaped my notice until I watched Across the Universe), and "I’m Looking Through You" (just because).
If Rubber Soul was the beginning of their trip into the wild musical unknown, then Revolver sees them setting up shop there with the intent of staying for the long haul. While consistently overplayed, "Yellow Submarine" is probably the most sonically complex Beatles song yet (with the possible exception of "Tomorrow Never Knows"), with a wealth of sound effects and vocal silliness that sets it apart from the rest of their work thus far. "Love You To" is classic George, prominently featuring the sitar and other Indian instruments. Their sound continues to fill out on this album (released in 1966), with brass instruments prominently featured on "Got To Get You Into My Life", and some great piano playing by George Martin (“the fifth Beatle”) on "Good Day Sunshine". The album also contains the most depressing song in the universe, "Eleanor Rigby", so there’s that. But seriously, this is probably in my top three favorite Beatles albums, and I left a bumload of good songs out, so go get it. Get it now!
The Beatles’ next album, 1967’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, is where it all began for me. I was visiting my mom at work and one of her co-workers had the album on cassette. I can’t remember whether he was listening to it and I asked to borrow it, or if the guy just knew it would blow my mind and offered it to me, but blow my young teenage mind it did. I’d heard "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" before, of course, but the album in its entirety was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I listened to it. Again. And again. And again. Thus began my Beatlemania.
Paring the album down to a handful of songs is like asking me to club a truckload of doe-eyed baby seals, but do it I must. The title track must get mention due to both its greatness and the way in which it sets the tone for the rest of the album. I must also mention "Fixing a Hole" because I overlooked its greatness for too long, and because I love the harpsichord. "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" also deserves mention simply for its sheer zany awesomeness. In my book, any song mentioning a waltzing horse is a good one. "When I’m Sixty-Four" is one of my favorites on the album. It’s sweetly sentimental, and I love the clarinets. As odd as it may sound, "Lovely Rita" may be my favorite song on the album. This is Paul at his whimsical best. I love the fact that he asks Rita out, then lets her pay the tab for dinner. For some reason that just cracks me up.
As with Revolver, there are so many great songs on this album that I was unable to mention them all. I urge you to get the album. I don’t care what you do in order to procure a copy. Rape. Pillage. Plunder. Do whatever it takes (ok, maybe not rape); just get this album! If you don’t enjoy it, then I’m sorry, I’m going to find you and jam an ice pick in your ears. Not enough to kill you, mind you; just enough to irrevocably deafen you. If you don’t like the album then aural pleasure is obviously beyond you and your ears are wasted on you anyway.
That's all for now, cats and kittens. Part 2 will be out as soon as I manage to finish it, which might be as late as next week, since I tend to get distracted and listen to some of the songs multiple times, thus ensuring that this takes much longer than it needs to. But The Beatles are worth the wait.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Musicopia: The A's, Part 2
The Allman Brothers Band is one of those bands I’ve been meaning to get to know better but haven’t managed to get around to yet. Nonetheless, you can’t go wrong with "Ramblin’ Man".
The first Amy Winehouse song I ever heard was, of course, "Rehab", and I nearly fell off my seat. I’ve been saying for years that if we’re going to retread musical styles of the past, then Motown is long overdue for a revival. And here was proof that I was not mistaken. After devouring her Back To Black album, I came to two conclusions: this was an excellent album, and this chick’s got issues.
But the fact that Amy’s nuttier than squirrel poop is irrelevant. She’s got a great voice and she’s not afraid to be honest (as he first album’s title, Frank, implies). Mix in great production that borrows from some of the best eras of music (Back To Black, as I noted, has a definite Motown vibe, while Frank leans more towards jazz), and you’ve got yourself some excellent music. Here’s hoping her stint in rehab hasn’t affected her ability to flip her contemporaries the bird and do her own thing.
Finding favorites is hard, since both her albums are solid. But I can’t list everything, so I’ll do my best to be selective. "Me & Mr. Jones" is definitely in my top five, due to both the wink and nod towards Billy Paul’s “Me & Mrs. Jones,” as well as the constant use of the word “fuckery.” I just dig that word. Don’t believe me about the Motown thing? Listen to "Tears Dry On Their Own". You can’t tell me that doesn’t sound like a Marvin Gaye song! "Stronger Than Me" is a great song off the Frank album (all the others so far have been off of Back To Black). It’s a funny little song, and it seems that, despite the attitude, Amy likes to adhere pretty strictly to gender stereotypes (if her “Are you gay?” quip is any indication). And if we’re talking about her amusing knack for honesty, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention "Fuck Me Pumps", an ode to all those skanky chicks you see at the bar. I think I’ll stop there before I get carried away, but there are plenty more that I haven’t mentioned, so check out both of her albums. This is quality music, my friends.
If you’re not from the Bay Area then you’ve probably never heard of the rapper Andre Nickatina. He’s hit and miss, as far as I’m concerned, but you gotta love a guy who samples Tchaikovsky. Check out "All Star Chuck Taylors" and see what I mean.
A little research has taught me two things: "The House of the Rising Sun" was a traditional folk song before The Animals got to it, and their rendition of the tune is, arguably, the first folk rock song ever. When I think “folk rock” this song definitely does not come to mind, especially after watching the video and seeing that lead singer Eric Burdon looks like Damien from The Omen all grown up (I’d always pictured him with wild shoulder-length hair and looking a little like Jim Morrison, not standing stoically in a suit like a Beatles reject). Regardless, it’s a classic tune and worth mentioning.
Anyone who was born anywhere between the late 70s and early 90s probably knows the show Animaniacs. It was bizarre, hilarious, and, at times, educational. "Yakko’s World" (as it’s called on The Animaniacs’ Wacky Universe album), is one of those educational moments. I’m still not sure what I find more impressive: the fact that they managed to name (almost) all of the countries in the world (at the time) in the song, or that it’s a damn entertaining song. I miss that show.
People mock the hell out of disco, but I love it. It’s fun, upbeat, and makes you wanna wiggle your ass. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, as far as I’m concerned, and Anita Ward’s "Ring My Bell" is a great booty shakin’ song if ever I heard one.
Annie Lennox is another artist I need to get to know better. She was great with the Eurythmics, of course, and her voice is still exceptional. And her video for "Walking On Broken Glass" gets extra awesome points for starring John Malkovich and Hugh Laurie (looking quite a bit like the moronic prince he played in Blackadder the Third).
I first saw Anthony Hamilton performing "Comin’ From Where I’m From" on Chappelle’s Show, and I was immediately hooked. His album of the same name is solid, containing great tracks like "Charlene" and "Cornbread, Fish & Collard Greens". His next album, Soulife, didn’t live up to my expectations, but I still thoroughly enjoy the tracks “Ball & Chain” (which I couldn’t find, but these guys do a pretty good cover of), and “Ol’ Keeper,” which I couldn’t find at all. Bottom line: if you like soul then you’ll like Hamilton. He’s got a great voice and is one of the few artists these days keeping soul music alive.
When I went away to college I shared a dorm room with some dude who kept his noggin in headphones all the time, editing some self-shot movie called Sprinkle Me. Once he got done editing the flick (months later) and took his head out of the headphones we became fast friends, bonding over our music collections (ok, at that point my collection was minimal, so it was pretty much his collection we bonded over). "Tighten Up" was one of the songs he had that dropped my jaw and fueled a fire in me. This is funky stuff, boys and girls. Too bad an insurance company defiled it by using a bastardized version in their commercials. Screw you, corporate America. Screw you.
The 60s were weird, man. How else do you explain a bunch of forgettable cartoon squares like The Archies having a chart-topping hit? Regardless of the epic lameness of Archie and company, "Sugar, Sugar" is still a fun song. But if I want weird cartoons made by guys on drugs, I’ll take Scooby-Doo. Scooby dooby Doo!
No collection is complete without representation by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Everyone knows the song “Respect,” of course, but if that covers the extent of your Aretha knowledge then you, my friend, are missing out. It started for me with a mission from God. Jake and Elwood’s, to be exact.
The Blues Brothers soundtrack is exceptionally good, and Aretha’s track, "Think" is one of the best songs on the album (along with Ray Charles’ “Shake a Tail Feather” and Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher”—but I’ll get to them later). Then there’s the incomparable "Chain of Fools". If I had to pick a favorite Aretha album it would have to be I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Containing the aforementioned “Respect,” the title track, "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", and my favorite Aretha song, "Baby, Baby, Baby",and more, this might as well be a greatest hits album.
Anyone who remembers the group Arrested Development knows they were a unique bunch. As I recall, there were about 452 people in the group, all wearing daishikis, head wraps, and other traditional African garments. I can’t say much for their sense of fashion, but the Metamorphosis Remix of "People Everyday" will always be a favorite of mine (borrowing from Sly and the Family Stone certainly didn’t hurt).
I thought Rage Against the Machine was toast when Zack de la Rocha left, but replacing him with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell was a stroke of luck. Ditching the name Rage Against the Machine for Audioslave was also a savvy move, since Rage ain’t Rage without Zack. I haven’t paid too much attention to Audioslave, to be honest, but "Show Me How To Live" is a rockin’ song that perfectly highlights Cornell’s vocals, and any video with a Challenger in it is worth watching. That is one mean looking car!
I’ve decided that, based on the intricately layered samples comprising their music, the Avalanches must be a group of hardcore obsessive compulsives. Or they’re just very patient and detail-oriented. And, if the "Frontier Psychiatrist" video is any indication, batshit crazy. But in a good way.
And that’s the A’s, ladies and gents! Guess I could have been more selective, but what the hell. I told ya I love music. The B’s are on their way, but I can’t say when. This takes longer than I thought it would!
The first Amy Winehouse song I ever heard was, of course, "Rehab", and I nearly fell off my seat. I’ve been saying for years that if we’re going to retread musical styles of the past, then Motown is long overdue for a revival. And here was proof that I was not mistaken. After devouring her Back To Black album, I came to two conclusions: this was an excellent album, and this chick’s got issues.
But the fact that Amy’s nuttier than squirrel poop is irrelevant. She’s got a great voice and she’s not afraid to be honest (as he first album’s title, Frank, implies). Mix in great production that borrows from some of the best eras of music (Back To Black, as I noted, has a definite Motown vibe, while Frank leans more towards jazz), and you’ve got yourself some excellent music. Here’s hoping her stint in rehab hasn’t affected her ability to flip her contemporaries the bird and do her own thing.
Finding favorites is hard, since both her albums are solid. But I can’t list everything, so I’ll do my best to be selective. "Me & Mr. Jones" is definitely in my top five, due to both the wink and nod towards Billy Paul’s “Me & Mrs. Jones,” as well as the constant use of the word “fuckery.” I just dig that word. Don’t believe me about the Motown thing? Listen to "Tears Dry On Their Own". You can’t tell me that doesn’t sound like a Marvin Gaye song! "Stronger Than Me" is a great song off the Frank album (all the others so far have been off of Back To Black). It’s a funny little song, and it seems that, despite the attitude, Amy likes to adhere pretty strictly to gender stereotypes (if her “Are you gay?” quip is any indication). And if we’re talking about her amusing knack for honesty, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention "Fuck Me Pumps", an ode to all those skanky chicks you see at the bar. I think I’ll stop there before I get carried away, but there are plenty more that I haven’t mentioned, so check out both of her albums. This is quality music, my friends.
If you’re not from the Bay Area then you’ve probably never heard of the rapper Andre Nickatina. He’s hit and miss, as far as I’m concerned, but you gotta love a guy who samples Tchaikovsky. Check out "All Star Chuck Taylors" and see what I mean.
A little research has taught me two things: "The House of the Rising Sun" was a traditional folk song before The Animals got to it, and their rendition of the tune is, arguably, the first folk rock song ever. When I think “folk rock” this song definitely does not come to mind, especially after watching the video and seeing that lead singer Eric Burdon looks like Damien from The Omen all grown up (I’d always pictured him with wild shoulder-length hair and looking a little like Jim Morrison, not standing stoically in a suit like a Beatles reject). Regardless, it’s a classic tune and worth mentioning.
Anyone who was born anywhere between the late 70s and early 90s probably knows the show Animaniacs. It was bizarre, hilarious, and, at times, educational. "Yakko’s World" (as it’s called on The Animaniacs’ Wacky Universe album), is one of those educational moments. I’m still not sure what I find more impressive: the fact that they managed to name (almost) all of the countries in the world (at the time) in the song, or that it’s a damn entertaining song. I miss that show.
People mock the hell out of disco, but I love it. It’s fun, upbeat, and makes you wanna wiggle your ass. What’s wrong with that? Nothing, as far as I’m concerned, and Anita Ward’s "Ring My Bell" is a great booty shakin’ song if ever I heard one.
Annie Lennox is another artist I need to get to know better. She was great with the Eurythmics, of course, and her voice is still exceptional. And her video for "Walking On Broken Glass" gets extra awesome points for starring John Malkovich and Hugh Laurie (looking quite a bit like the moronic prince he played in Blackadder the Third).
I first saw Anthony Hamilton performing "Comin’ From Where I’m From" on Chappelle’s Show, and I was immediately hooked. His album of the same name is solid, containing great tracks like "Charlene" and "Cornbread, Fish & Collard Greens". His next album, Soulife, didn’t live up to my expectations, but I still thoroughly enjoy the tracks “Ball & Chain” (which I couldn’t find, but these guys do a pretty good cover of), and “Ol’ Keeper,” which I couldn’t find at all. Bottom line: if you like soul then you’ll like Hamilton. He’s got a great voice and is one of the few artists these days keeping soul music alive.
When I went away to college I shared a dorm room with some dude who kept his noggin in headphones all the time, editing some self-shot movie called Sprinkle Me. Once he got done editing the flick (months later) and took his head out of the headphones we became fast friends, bonding over our music collections (ok, at that point my collection was minimal, so it was pretty much his collection we bonded over). "Tighten Up" was one of the songs he had that dropped my jaw and fueled a fire in me. This is funky stuff, boys and girls. Too bad an insurance company defiled it by using a bastardized version in their commercials. Screw you, corporate America. Screw you.
The 60s were weird, man. How else do you explain a bunch of forgettable cartoon squares like The Archies having a chart-topping hit? Regardless of the epic lameness of Archie and company, "Sugar, Sugar" is still a fun song. But if I want weird cartoons made by guys on drugs, I’ll take Scooby-Doo. Scooby dooby Doo!
No collection is complete without representation by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Everyone knows the song “Respect,” of course, but if that covers the extent of your Aretha knowledge then you, my friend, are missing out. It started for me with a mission from God. Jake and Elwood’s, to be exact.
The Blues Brothers soundtrack is exceptionally good, and Aretha’s track, "Think" is one of the best songs on the album (along with Ray Charles’ “Shake a Tail Feather” and Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher”—but I’ll get to them later). Then there’s the incomparable "Chain of Fools". If I had to pick a favorite Aretha album it would have to be I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Containing the aforementioned “Respect,” the title track, "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", and my favorite Aretha song, "Baby, Baby, Baby",and more, this might as well be a greatest hits album.
Anyone who remembers the group Arrested Development knows they were a unique bunch. As I recall, there were about 452 people in the group, all wearing daishikis, head wraps, and other traditional African garments. I can’t say much for their sense of fashion, but the Metamorphosis Remix of "People Everyday" will always be a favorite of mine (borrowing from Sly and the Family Stone certainly didn’t hurt).
I thought Rage Against the Machine was toast when Zack de la Rocha left, but replacing him with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell was a stroke of luck. Ditching the name Rage Against the Machine for Audioslave was also a savvy move, since Rage ain’t Rage without Zack. I haven’t paid too much attention to Audioslave, to be honest, but "Show Me How To Live" is a rockin’ song that perfectly highlights Cornell’s vocals, and any video with a Challenger in it is worth watching. That is one mean looking car!
I’ve decided that, based on the intricately layered samples comprising their music, the Avalanches must be a group of hardcore obsessive compulsives. Or they’re just very patient and detail-oriented. And, if the "Frontier Psychiatrist" video is any indication, batshit crazy. But in a good way.
And that’s the A’s, ladies and gents! Guess I could have been more selective, but what the hell. I told ya I love music. The B’s are on their way, but I can’t say when. This takes longer than I thought it would!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Musicopia: A Guided Tour Through Polymathic J's Music Collection - The A's
I’ve had a bitch of a time trying to write lately. The thoughts just aren’t flowing well for me, whether I try writing fiction or non-fiction. It’s been frustrating, to say the least.
But it occurred to me that one of the maxims of writing is “write what you know.” I’ve always assumed this was meant mainly for fiction writers, but it occurs to me that there’s one subject that I know quite a bit about: music.
I may not be versed in the technical aspects of music, but I love it. I mean love it. My autobiographical memory sucks, but I can tell you that the first time I heard The Cardigans’s “Lovefool” was in high school at my friend Kate’s house and that it was featured on the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. I can tell you that I acquired The Fugees’s album The Score in 1996 right before taking a summer trip to Europe to compete in a track and field tour (and that I listened to it incessantly on that trip). And I can remember that on the way home from what must have been a Warriors game when I was about 8, my dad blasted a little Prince to screw with us and wake us up. Some of my earliest memories are of watching MTV (y’know, back when they actually played music 99% of the time), like the time my cousin Chris was babysitting me and wanted to watch the just-premiered “Thriller” video, which scared the ever-lovin’ shit out of me.
I can’t explain it, but music imprints itself on my brain like nothing else. As such, it often fills in the gaps that I seem to find in my past. A good song reminds me of the thoughts and feelings I had when I used to listen to it, of my girlfriend at the time, of what stage of my life I was in when I first fell in love with the song. Music is dear to me in a way that nothing else is.
This is probably why I’m a glutton for it. I will never, ever have enough music. My current collection consists of approximately 13,000 songs, and covers almost every genre of music possible. I love pretty much everything, as long as it’s good (and sometimes even when it’s not), and I love to share it with others. My dream job would probably be DJing on a station that would allow me to play anything I wanted, regardless of genre or explicit lyrics, or perhaps being an executive for a record company, greenlighting great new acts. That ain’t happening, but I thought it would be fun to share my collection with you through my blog.
And so I present to you “Musicopia: A Guided Tour Through Polymathic J’s Music Collection.” Over a series of (who knows how many) blogs I’m going to share my favorite songs and bands, regardless of their cool quotient. If I love it, I’m mentioning it, and, hopefully, providing links to places where you can listen to it. It won’t be my entire collection, of course, but it will be an excellent cross-section of it.
Feel free to give me shit for the bad songs; I won’t care one bit. And feel free to suggest songs and artists that you feel I’m missing out on. Believe me when I say that I’m not a music snob. Why bother limiting myself to what other people think is good when I’ve got excellent taste in music, thank you very much? I’ll give anything a fair go, and I think the diversity of my collection reflects that.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Here come the A’s. (Note: When I say A’s, I mean iTunes A’s, so Al Green is an A, not a G. Also, I'm breaking this in half, because the A's are exceptionally long.)
The first song on the list is the first song in my collection: a-ha’s “Take On Me”. I was born in ’79, so the first decade I remember is the 80s, and man did I love the 80s. Saturday morning cartoons, kick ass toys that were actually made out of metal rather than cheap plastic (my Optimus Prime was, anyway), and the birth and Golden Age of MTV. What a great time to be a kid.
This song is quintessential 80s, and so is the video. Back then it was a pretty high-tech achievement mixing live action with animation, so this was one of those videos that grabbed everyone’s attention and held it. And c’mon, you gotta love the use of the 80s’ favorite musical tool, the synthesizer.
The next entry is a band, not a song: AC/DC. Until recently, my AC/DC knowledge was gleaned from one album, AC/DC Live, which is essentially a greatest hits album. It’s a great album, but it’s not enough. I recently acquired the album T.N.T. and my suspicions were confirmed—I need everything they’ve ever made, ‘cause they kick some serious ass. In fact, I think they just managed to become my favorite rock band. Period.
This, my friends, is high voltage rock ‘n’ roll. Whether it’s the exceptional guitar playing of the Young brothers (especially Angus), the band turning the volume up to 11, or the in-your-face vocals of Bon Scott and, later, Brian Johnson, AC/DC is everything a rock band is supposed to be. I was going to say that the song “School Days” seems to be a modern day Chuck Berry song until a little research showed me that it actually is a Chuck Berry song. Regardless, AC/DC obviously respects their forebears, and "It’s a Long Way To the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" even features some kick ass bagpiping. Yes, bagpiping. Now I’m cool with bagpipes, but you know your band is bad-freakin’-ass when you make the bagpipes rock.
Want your AC/DC fix? Here are a handful of my favorite songs: the epically awesome "T.N.T.", the hard-hitting "Thunderstruck", the classic "Back In Black" and, of course, the bane of every religious parent’s existence, "Highway To Hell". Enjoy.
"Goody Two Shoes" by Adam Ant is another 80s favorite. A little repetitive, sure, but it’s nice and upbeat and I love me some horns.
Aerosmith has had a lengthy career, and I’d like to personally thank them for featuring Alicia Silverstone and Liv Tyler in their videos smack dab in the middle of my adolescence, but I have to say that I feel that they’ve sold out in their later years. Nevertheless, "Dream On" will always be a rock classic. And you’ve got to give them credit for helping to legitimize hip-hop by teaming up with Run D.M.C. on a video that literally broke down the barriers between rock and rap.
Shame on you if you have a discussion about classic hip-hop without mentioning Afrika Bambaataa’s "Planet Rock". This was one of those watershed songs that changed the face of what hip-hop/electro/freestyle was considered to be. And you just can’t go wrong with Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force’s Parliament-style costumes. The only thing missing is Bootsy Collins on the stage in a diaper.
Ahmad’s "Back In the Day" has been a favorite of mine since it came out in ’94. Sampling Teddy Pendergrass’s music definitely doesn’t hurt, especially when it so perfectly complements the tone of his lyrics. I was all set to call him a one-hit wonder, but I just discovered that Ahmad is back and killing it! Fittingly, his style has grown, and he is, in my opinion, a much stronger rapper than he was back in the day. Check out his new stuff!
I love me some soul music, and one of soul music’s greats is Al Green. I first got to know him through the Pulp Fiction soundtrack (Quentin Tarantino knows his music, boys and girls), specifically the scene where Butch and Marcellus have a little pre-fight discussion while "Let’s Stay Together" plays in the background. It’s been a real love affair since then, as in "Love & Happiness", and “L-O-V-E (LOVE)”, which, tragically, I can’t seem to find anywhere. And when I found out the ol’ Reverend Al had a new album out with tracks featuring Anthony Hamilton ("Lay It Down", just about the most pimpin’ song ever) and Corinne Bailey Rae ("Take Your Time") I just about had a stroke. Modern classics, if ever there were any. Too bad my girlfriend doesn’t recognize how damn sexy these songs are.
No list would be complete without mention of one of the original shock rockers, Alice Cooper. I’m not too familiar with his stuff, but "I’m Eighteen" is all kinds of good, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t committed one of the ultimate college cliché’s, turning up my speakers after the last final of my freshman year and blasting "School’s Out" out of my dorm room window.
I can’t say that Alice In Chains is high on my list of bands to listen to (I’ve only got four of their songs), but any fool can see that songs like "Would?" and "Man In the Box" are worth throwing on the ol’ iPod. “Man In the Box” rocks especially hard. I love the way Layne Stanley belts out the chorus.
I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of Alicia Keys, but I definitely respect her. She’s got a great voice, she writes her own music, she plays a mean piano (and a bevy of other instruments as well), she’s intelligent and she doesn’t shake her ass in order to fuel her popularity. In short, in a world full of Britney Spears’s and Fergie’s, she’s setting an excellent example for the youthful girls of America.
And she’s hot. Smokin’ hot.
But that’s beside the point. She’s a musician in an industry full of image-conscious personalities, and she should be applauded for swimming against the current. We’ve all heard "Fallin’" and "No One", of course, but these are hardly my favorites. I’m a big fan of "You Don’t Know My Name", although I could do without the spoken word interlude in the middle of the song (I hadn’t seen the video before hunting it down for this blog, and was stoked to see that Mos Def is the guy she likes. Love that guy!). "Wreckless Love" and "Teenage Love Affair" are my favorites off her As I Am album (I laughed my ass off the first time I heard the double entendre mixed into the lyrics “First base: because I feel you/Second base: want you to feel me too”). But my favorite may just be the Karmastition Remix of "Karma", a brilliant use of a Stevie Wonder sample if ever I heard one. This is one of those rare remixes that’s better than the original.
Hmmm…Maybe I am a huge fan of Alicia after all. And did I mention that she's hot?
That's all for now. Don't want to overload you. Too much. I'll get the rest of the A's out later this week.
But it occurred to me that one of the maxims of writing is “write what you know.” I’ve always assumed this was meant mainly for fiction writers, but it occurs to me that there’s one subject that I know quite a bit about: music.
I may not be versed in the technical aspects of music, but I love it. I mean love it. My autobiographical memory sucks, but I can tell you that the first time I heard The Cardigans’s “Lovefool” was in high school at my friend Kate’s house and that it was featured on the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. I can tell you that I acquired The Fugees’s album The Score in 1996 right before taking a summer trip to Europe to compete in a track and field tour (and that I listened to it incessantly on that trip). And I can remember that on the way home from what must have been a Warriors game when I was about 8, my dad blasted a little Prince to screw with us and wake us up. Some of my earliest memories are of watching MTV (y’know, back when they actually played music 99% of the time), like the time my cousin Chris was babysitting me and wanted to watch the just-premiered “Thriller” video, which scared the ever-lovin’ shit out of me.
I can’t explain it, but music imprints itself on my brain like nothing else. As such, it often fills in the gaps that I seem to find in my past. A good song reminds me of the thoughts and feelings I had when I used to listen to it, of my girlfriend at the time, of what stage of my life I was in when I first fell in love with the song. Music is dear to me in a way that nothing else is.
This is probably why I’m a glutton for it. I will never, ever have enough music. My current collection consists of approximately 13,000 songs, and covers almost every genre of music possible. I love pretty much everything, as long as it’s good (and sometimes even when it’s not), and I love to share it with others. My dream job would probably be DJing on a station that would allow me to play anything I wanted, regardless of genre or explicit lyrics, or perhaps being an executive for a record company, greenlighting great new acts. That ain’t happening, but I thought it would be fun to share my collection with you through my blog.
And so I present to you “Musicopia: A Guided Tour Through Polymathic J’s Music Collection.” Over a series of (who knows how many) blogs I’m going to share my favorite songs and bands, regardless of their cool quotient. If I love it, I’m mentioning it, and, hopefully, providing links to places where you can listen to it. It won’t be my entire collection, of course, but it will be an excellent cross-section of it.
Feel free to give me shit for the bad songs; I won’t care one bit. And feel free to suggest songs and artists that you feel I’m missing out on. Believe me when I say that I’m not a music snob. Why bother limiting myself to what other people think is good when I’ve got excellent taste in music, thank you very much? I’ll give anything a fair go, and I think the diversity of my collection reflects that.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Here come the A’s. (Note: When I say A’s, I mean iTunes A’s, so Al Green is an A, not a G. Also, I'm breaking this in half, because the A's are exceptionally long.)
The first song on the list is the first song in my collection: a-ha’s “Take On Me”. I was born in ’79, so the first decade I remember is the 80s, and man did I love the 80s. Saturday morning cartoons, kick ass toys that were actually made out of metal rather than cheap plastic (my Optimus Prime was, anyway), and the birth and Golden Age of MTV. What a great time to be a kid.
This song is quintessential 80s, and so is the video. Back then it was a pretty high-tech achievement mixing live action with animation, so this was one of those videos that grabbed everyone’s attention and held it. And c’mon, you gotta love the use of the 80s’ favorite musical tool, the synthesizer.
The next entry is a band, not a song: AC/DC. Until recently, my AC/DC knowledge was gleaned from one album, AC/DC Live, which is essentially a greatest hits album. It’s a great album, but it’s not enough. I recently acquired the album T.N.T. and my suspicions were confirmed—I need everything they’ve ever made, ‘cause they kick some serious ass. In fact, I think they just managed to become my favorite rock band. Period.
This, my friends, is high voltage rock ‘n’ roll. Whether it’s the exceptional guitar playing of the Young brothers (especially Angus), the band turning the volume up to 11, or the in-your-face vocals of Bon Scott and, later, Brian Johnson, AC/DC is everything a rock band is supposed to be. I was going to say that the song “School Days” seems to be a modern day Chuck Berry song until a little research showed me that it actually is a Chuck Berry song. Regardless, AC/DC obviously respects their forebears, and "It’s a Long Way To the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" even features some kick ass bagpiping. Yes, bagpiping. Now I’m cool with bagpipes, but you know your band is bad-freakin’-ass when you make the bagpipes rock.
Want your AC/DC fix? Here are a handful of my favorite songs: the epically awesome "T.N.T.", the hard-hitting "Thunderstruck", the classic "Back In Black" and, of course, the bane of every religious parent’s existence, "Highway To Hell". Enjoy.
"Goody Two Shoes" by Adam Ant is another 80s favorite. A little repetitive, sure, but it’s nice and upbeat and I love me some horns.
Aerosmith has had a lengthy career, and I’d like to personally thank them for featuring Alicia Silverstone and Liv Tyler in their videos smack dab in the middle of my adolescence, but I have to say that I feel that they’ve sold out in their later years. Nevertheless, "Dream On" will always be a rock classic. And you’ve got to give them credit for helping to legitimize hip-hop by teaming up with Run D.M.C. on a video that literally broke down the barriers between rock and rap.
Shame on you if you have a discussion about classic hip-hop without mentioning Afrika Bambaataa’s "Planet Rock". This was one of those watershed songs that changed the face of what hip-hop/electro/freestyle was considered to be. And you just can’t go wrong with Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force’s Parliament-style costumes. The only thing missing is Bootsy Collins on the stage in a diaper.
Ahmad’s "Back In the Day" has been a favorite of mine since it came out in ’94. Sampling Teddy Pendergrass’s music definitely doesn’t hurt, especially when it so perfectly complements the tone of his lyrics. I was all set to call him a one-hit wonder, but I just discovered that Ahmad is back and killing it! Fittingly, his style has grown, and he is, in my opinion, a much stronger rapper than he was back in the day. Check out his new stuff!
I love me some soul music, and one of soul music’s greats is Al Green. I first got to know him through the Pulp Fiction soundtrack (Quentin Tarantino knows his music, boys and girls), specifically the scene where Butch and Marcellus have a little pre-fight discussion while "Let’s Stay Together" plays in the background. It’s been a real love affair since then, as in "Love & Happiness", and “L-O-V-E (LOVE)”, which, tragically, I can’t seem to find anywhere. And when I found out the ol’ Reverend Al had a new album out with tracks featuring Anthony Hamilton ("Lay It Down", just about the most pimpin’ song ever) and Corinne Bailey Rae ("Take Your Time") I just about had a stroke. Modern classics, if ever there were any. Too bad my girlfriend doesn’t recognize how damn sexy these songs are.
No list would be complete without mention of one of the original shock rockers, Alice Cooper. I’m not too familiar with his stuff, but "I’m Eighteen" is all kinds of good, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t committed one of the ultimate college cliché’s, turning up my speakers after the last final of my freshman year and blasting "School’s Out" out of my dorm room window.
I can’t say that Alice In Chains is high on my list of bands to listen to (I’ve only got four of their songs), but any fool can see that songs like "Would?" and "Man In the Box" are worth throwing on the ol’ iPod. “Man In the Box” rocks especially hard. I love the way Layne Stanley belts out the chorus.
I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of Alicia Keys, but I definitely respect her. She’s got a great voice, she writes her own music, she plays a mean piano (and a bevy of other instruments as well), she’s intelligent and she doesn’t shake her ass in order to fuel her popularity. In short, in a world full of Britney Spears’s and Fergie’s, she’s setting an excellent example for the youthful girls of America.
And she’s hot. Smokin’ hot.
But that’s beside the point. She’s a musician in an industry full of image-conscious personalities, and she should be applauded for swimming against the current. We’ve all heard "Fallin’" and "No One", of course, but these are hardly my favorites. I’m a big fan of "You Don’t Know My Name", although I could do without the spoken word interlude in the middle of the song (I hadn’t seen the video before hunting it down for this blog, and was stoked to see that Mos Def is the guy she likes. Love that guy!). "Wreckless Love" and "Teenage Love Affair" are my favorites off her As I Am album (I laughed my ass off the first time I heard the double entendre mixed into the lyrics “First base: because I feel you/Second base: want you to feel me too”). But my favorite may just be the Karmastition Remix of "Karma", a brilliant use of a Stevie Wonder sample if ever I heard one. This is one of those rare remixes that’s better than the original.
Hmmm…Maybe I am a huge fan of Alicia after all. And did I mention that she's hot?
That's all for now. Don't want to overload you. Too much. I'll get the rest of the A's out later this week.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Village
This was originally posted on September 12, 2008.
I just finished watching M. Night Shyamalan's The Village, and I've got to admit that I loved every second of it. I was struck by the implications of the plot twist, as well as by how horribly marketed it was.
Let's start with the latter point. I should probably start by mentioning the fact that, in general, I think the people in marketing and advertising fall somewhere in between prostitutes and Nazi soldiers in terms of moral fiber. They seem willing to do or say just about anything to get our money, and seem to feel no remorse when pulling a fast one on us. Not only that, but their apparent lack of humanity seems to make it hard to relate to actual humans.
This is especially true in movie advertising, where marketers seem to take special glee in revealing the best moments and surprises of a given film in the trailer. This is why I've stopped watching the trailers for movies I'm really looking forward to; they invariably ruin at least one special moment.
Amazingly enough, this was not the case with the trailers for The Village. Instead, those responsible for the trailers took another common route: completely misrepresenting the movie. I guess something about Shyamalan's movies just throws them off, because they did the same thing in the trailers for Lady of the Water. In both instances, the advertisers attempted to make each movie appear to be a horror movie. I guess they figured that since The Sixth Sense did so well, they'd try to fit these two square pegs into its round hole. As a result, people often left both movies disappointed, and why not? If you pay over $10 for a movie and it ends up being nothing like you expected, odds are you're going to be at least a little disappointed. Mediocre reviews and even worse box office earnings are the result.
At this point you're probably wondering what this has to do with anything. I suppose it is a bit tangential, but it irks me when a good movie (or anything else, for that matter) is underappreciated, at least in part, because the people in charge of marketing it didn't understand it. Then again, maybe I'm being too hard on these guys. For all I know, there's an IQ limit at marketing firms and they should actually be applauded for even being capable of using their computers for inter-office e-mails. Regardless, I encourage them to bone up on what they're advertising in order to represent it fairly.
And this movie definitely deserved to be represented correctly (and this is where you should stop reading if you care about spoilers; if you haven't seen the movie I highly suggest that you watch it first, because I'm about to ruin everything). Like all of Shyamalan's films, it has tremendous heart enveloped in a shroud of mystery and confusion. For much of the movie, you are constantly wondering, "What the heck is going on, exactly?" I love when a movie engages me in such a manner. I enjoy applying myself to what I've seen in the hopes of figuring out the mystery before the big reveal. Perhaps this stems from my childhood fascination with Scooby Doo, but I really couldn't say for sure.
Much like The Sixth Sense (and most of Shyamalan's other movies), The Village reveals its plot twist at the last possible moment. I wasn't even blown away by the fact that this little community was squirreled away in our modern world (I half expected it). What grabbed me were the ethical implications of starting a community cut off from the outside world.
As I'm sure you're all aware, this world of ours is a mess. It's probably not too hard to relate to these "Elders" who decided to forsake modernity for a simpler, more peaceful life. Hell, I've thought about it myself, and continue to do so on a fairly regular basis.
But instead of going Amish or moving to some secluded little town, these people created a community completely cut off from the rest of the world, even going so far, it seems, as to bribe someone to keep planes from flying overhead. Not only that, but the founders swore an oath to never return to the modern world, and created tales of horrible creatures who lived in the surrounding woods to discourage others from venturing too far.
And this is what truly fascinates me. Like I said before, I can relate to these people. The world can be a horrible place. But is it fair to deprive the ones you love of something so simple as choice in order to keep them safe? How far should we go to protect the ones we love?
There are surely people out there who will be able to answer these questions immediately. "Simple," they'll say. "It would certainly be wrong." And perhaps they're right. What these people have done, in a sense, is rob their children of their free will (or at least a large part of it). Perhaps their children should be educated about the outside world and be free to choose their own path.
But don't fool yourself into thinking that there's anything simple about the choice faced by the Elders. The funeral that begins the movie is proof of that. This man, played by Brendan Gleeson, believed so strongly in what they had created (and was so disillusioned by the outside world) that he refused to leave the village in order to obtain the medicine that may have saved his child's life.
Some may find the very concept monstrous, but there's also nobility in this choice. He put the needs of the community before those of himself and his family. This is practically an alien concept to those of us in the individualistic West, but I imagine that many Asians would understand.
Are the Elders wrong? Is it wrong to be so frightened by the state of our world that you'd risk the lives of those closest to you in order to avoid it? I honestly don't know. It is telling, however, that regardless of their isolation, they were unable to escape the demons of man. There will always be someone out there who is either immature or selfish enough to kill for what they want or believe that they deserve. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't expect or desire more from ourselves and others.
I just finished watching M. Night Shyamalan's The Village, and I've got to admit that I loved every second of it. I was struck by the implications of the plot twist, as well as by how horribly marketed it was.
Let's start with the latter point. I should probably start by mentioning the fact that, in general, I think the people in marketing and advertising fall somewhere in between prostitutes and Nazi soldiers in terms of moral fiber. They seem willing to do or say just about anything to get our money, and seem to feel no remorse when pulling a fast one on us. Not only that, but their apparent lack of humanity seems to make it hard to relate to actual humans.
This is especially true in movie advertising, where marketers seem to take special glee in revealing the best moments and surprises of a given film in the trailer. This is why I've stopped watching the trailers for movies I'm really looking forward to; they invariably ruin at least one special moment.
Amazingly enough, this was not the case with the trailers for The Village. Instead, those responsible for the trailers took another common route: completely misrepresenting the movie. I guess something about Shyamalan's movies just throws them off, because they did the same thing in the trailers for Lady of the Water. In both instances, the advertisers attempted to make each movie appear to be a horror movie. I guess they figured that since The Sixth Sense did so well, they'd try to fit these two square pegs into its round hole. As a result, people often left both movies disappointed, and why not? If you pay over $10 for a movie and it ends up being nothing like you expected, odds are you're going to be at least a little disappointed. Mediocre reviews and even worse box office earnings are the result.
At this point you're probably wondering what this has to do with anything. I suppose it is a bit tangential, but it irks me when a good movie (or anything else, for that matter) is underappreciated, at least in part, because the people in charge of marketing it didn't understand it. Then again, maybe I'm being too hard on these guys. For all I know, there's an IQ limit at marketing firms and they should actually be applauded for even being capable of using their computers for inter-office e-mails. Regardless, I encourage them to bone up on what they're advertising in order to represent it fairly.
And this movie definitely deserved to be represented correctly (and this is where you should stop reading if you care about spoilers; if you haven't seen the movie I highly suggest that you watch it first, because I'm about to ruin everything). Like all of Shyamalan's films, it has tremendous heart enveloped in a shroud of mystery and confusion. For much of the movie, you are constantly wondering, "What the heck is going on, exactly?" I love when a movie engages me in such a manner. I enjoy applying myself to what I've seen in the hopes of figuring out the mystery before the big reveal. Perhaps this stems from my childhood fascination with Scooby Doo, but I really couldn't say for sure.
Much like The Sixth Sense (and most of Shyamalan's other movies), The Village reveals its plot twist at the last possible moment. I wasn't even blown away by the fact that this little community was squirreled away in our modern world (I half expected it). What grabbed me were the ethical implications of starting a community cut off from the outside world.
As I'm sure you're all aware, this world of ours is a mess. It's probably not too hard to relate to these "Elders" who decided to forsake modernity for a simpler, more peaceful life. Hell, I've thought about it myself, and continue to do so on a fairly regular basis.
But instead of going Amish or moving to some secluded little town, these people created a community completely cut off from the rest of the world, even going so far, it seems, as to bribe someone to keep planes from flying overhead. Not only that, but the founders swore an oath to never return to the modern world, and created tales of horrible creatures who lived in the surrounding woods to discourage others from venturing too far.
And this is what truly fascinates me. Like I said before, I can relate to these people. The world can be a horrible place. But is it fair to deprive the ones you love of something so simple as choice in order to keep them safe? How far should we go to protect the ones we love?
There are surely people out there who will be able to answer these questions immediately. "Simple," they'll say. "It would certainly be wrong." And perhaps they're right. What these people have done, in a sense, is rob their children of their free will (or at least a large part of it). Perhaps their children should be educated about the outside world and be free to choose their own path.
But don't fool yourself into thinking that there's anything simple about the choice faced by the Elders. The funeral that begins the movie is proof of that. This man, played by Brendan Gleeson, believed so strongly in what they had created (and was so disillusioned by the outside world) that he refused to leave the village in order to obtain the medicine that may have saved his child's life.
Some may find the very concept monstrous, but there's also nobility in this choice. He put the needs of the community before those of himself and his family. This is practically an alien concept to those of us in the individualistic West, but I imagine that many Asians would understand.
Are the Elders wrong? Is it wrong to be so frightened by the state of our world that you'd risk the lives of those closest to you in order to avoid it? I honestly don't know. It is telling, however, that regardless of their isolation, they were unable to escape the demons of man. There will always be someone out there who is either immature or selfish enough to kill for what they want or believe that they deserve. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't expect or desire more from ourselves and others.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Roger Goodell: Bane of the NFL
I won’t write many blogs on sports here in the Garden, but the recent news that the San Francisco 49ers will be playing a “home” game next season in London has raised my ire.
I appreciate that there are NFL fans in Europe, and I understand that it must be tough to catch games in the wee hours of the morning. Anyone who stays up until 3 or 4 in the morning watching a live NFL game is a true fan, without a doubt. However, it is unfair to send American teams across the Atlantic to play, especially when the "home" team is being robbed of home field advantage.
The simple fact of the matter is that traveling to Europe takes a physical toll that can take days or weeks to recover from, especially for a West Coast team like my Niners. I, a mere tourist, went to Italy a couple of years ago, and I didn't sleep right for 3 or 4 days once I arrived. I'd go to bed around 10-12, then find myself waking up around 2-3 in the morning, utterly unable to get back to sleep. Imagine trying to compete in a highly physical contest on a professional level while sleep deprived. That's a recipe for injury. Then there's the trip back to the US, with further sleep issues. That's at least two weeks in which the affected teams aren't getting the rest that they need in the middle of a grueling, physical season. It's just plain unfair to the athletes, not to mention dangerous.
The truth is that Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, is too busy devising ways to make extra money to care about the players or teams in his charge. He cares nothing for the players; he cares nothing for the game. If he did, he wouldn't risk the health of his players by sending them to JetLagLand. He wouldn’t be considering extending an already long and physical season to 17 or 18 games. He never would have implemented the Draconian rules that require penalties for the displays of joy that one sees from a guy like Chad Ochocinco. Some consider his antics to be the actions of an attention-seeker; I merely see a guy with genuine love for the game, and who does his best to enjoy his short time in an elite sport (and entertain the fans while he’s at it). And speaking of Chad, a commissioner who cared would have let him wear the number of his recently deceased friend and teammate, Chris Henry, for one game. Who would that have hurt? I'm actually surprised that Goodell didn't ok that idea simply so that he could sell limited-edition Ochocino #15 jerseys.
I understand that the NFL is a business and that money must be made, but, in my opinion, it is first and foremost a form of entertainment. This means that the final product is for the fans. I've got nothing against the European fans, but the fact is that there was an NFL Europe and it folded. With all due respect to those in Europe, they had their chance and it didn’t work out. Bringing US teams across the Atlantic to satisfy an enthusiastic minority is unfair to the players and fans of the teams involved. Want an NFL game in Europe? Hold the Pro Bowl there. It’s a throw away game that has no impact on the season, and features the best players in the league. Sounds like a great deal for the European fans, as well as for the players who get to go.
Holding regular season games in Europe is unfair to the "home” team involved, giving the visiting team the advantage of a neutral field. It's dangerous for the players, whose circadian rhythms are blown out of whack for at least two weeks, increasing their risk of injury. It's unfair to the fans that are robbed of a chance to watch their team play a true home game, and it’s unfair to the “expatriate” fans of the visiting team that get robbed of their once-every-eight-years chance to watch their team in person.
This is about money, plain and simple, and it disgusts me to see this blatant disregard for the teams, players, and fans that are the foundation of this league. Until Goodell’s attitude is adjusted, I fear that money, not the players or fans, will be the NFL’s priority. And that’s poor entertainment indeed.
I appreciate that there are NFL fans in Europe, and I understand that it must be tough to catch games in the wee hours of the morning. Anyone who stays up until 3 or 4 in the morning watching a live NFL game is a true fan, without a doubt. However, it is unfair to send American teams across the Atlantic to play, especially when the "home" team is being robbed of home field advantage.
The simple fact of the matter is that traveling to Europe takes a physical toll that can take days or weeks to recover from, especially for a West Coast team like my Niners. I, a mere tourist, went to Italy a couple of years ago, and I didn't sleep right for 3 or 4 days once I arrived. I'd go to bed around 10-12, then find myself waking up around 2-3 in the morning, utterly unable to get back to sleep. Imagine trying to compete in a highly physical contest on a professional level while sleep deprived. That's a recipe for injury. Then there's the trip back to the US, with further sleep issues. That's at least two weeks in which the affected teams aren't getting the rest that they need in the middle of a grueling, physical season. It's just plain unfair to the athletes, not to mention dangerous.
The truth is that Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, is too busy devising ways to make extra money to care about the players or teams in his charge. He cares nothing for the players; he cares nothing for the game. If he did, he wouldn't risk the health of his players by sending them to JetLagLand. He wouldn’t be considering extending an already long and physical season to 17 or 18 games. He never would have implemented the Draconian rules that require penalties for the displays of joy that one sees from a guy like Chad Ochocinco. Some consider his antics to be the actions of an attention-seeker; I merely see a guy with genuine love for the game, and who does his best to enjoy his short time in an elite sport (and entertain the fans while he’s at it). And speaking of Chad, a commissioner who cared would have let him wear the number of his recently deceased friend and teammate, Chris Henry, for one game. Who would that have hurt? I'm actually surprised that Goodell didn't ok that idea simply so that he could sell limited-edition Ochocino #15 jerseys.
I understand that the NFL is a business and that money must be made, but, in my opinion, it is first and foremost a form of entertainment. This means that the final product is for the fans. I've got nothing against the European fans, but the fact is that there was an NFL Europe and it folded. With all due respect to those in Europe, they had their chance and it didn’t work out. Bringing US teams across the Atlantic to satisfy an enthusiastic minority is unfair to the players and fans of the teams involved. Want an NFL game in Europe? Hold the Pro Bowl there. It’s a throw away game that has no impact on the season, and features the best players in the league. Sounds like a great deal for the European fans, as well as for the players who get to go.
Holding regular season games in Europe is unfair to the "home” team involved, giving the visiting team the advantage of a neutral field. It's dangerous for the players, whose circadian rhythms are blown out of whack for at least two weeks, increasing their risk of injury. It's unfair to the fans that are robbed of a chance to watch their team play a true home game, and it’s unfair to the “expatriate” fans of the visiting team that get robbed of their once-every-eight-years chance to watch their team in person.
This is about money, plain and simple, and it disgusts me to see this blatant disregard for the teams, players, and fans that are the foundation of this league. Until Goodell’s attitude is adjusted, I fear that money, not the players or fans, will be the NFL’s priority. And that’s poor entertainment indeed.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
I'm With Coco
Unless you’ve been living under a rock or have no internet connection (in which case I must ask, “How the hell are you reading this?!”), you’ve likely heard about NBC’s decision to move the faltering Jay Leno Show from 10 PM to 11:35. This would bump Conan’s Tonight Show from its long-standing time slot and move it to 12:05, which, as Letterman astutely noted, would make it the Tomorrow Show. This, of course, is lunacy, and Conan said as much in a statement.
Full disclosure: I don’t watch late night TV. I am, however, awake at such hours, and my occasional late night flybys of the networks have left me with the impression that the late night hosts should be ranked in the following order: David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Fallon, Carson Daly, whoever is on Telemundo, Johnny Carson’s corpse, a flock of retarded geese, Jay Leno.
The long and the short of it is that I don’t like Leno. Never have. I’m not sure if it’s his obnoxious voice, his Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade-sized chin or what, but he’s always gotten on my nerves. I’ve long preferred Letterman, who has been nothing short of hilarious whenever I happen to catch him. As for Conan, well, I’m a geek, so we’ve certainly got that in common. And he wrote for The Simpsons, which gets him automatic cool points in my book. And whenever I’ve caught his show, it’s been funny, intelligent, and weird. I can dig that.
Leno and NBC went out on a limb and created a show at 10 PM. I’ve never seen it, but it sounds like it blows goats. I’m assuming there’s at least one metric shit-ton of money involved with the show, so NBC is scrambling to keep it afloat, and this debacle was their answer.
Explain to me why Conan should pay because Leno screwed up? Does that seem fair to anyone? I realize that life isn’t fair (my parents assured me of this at least 15.2 billion times when I was a child), but there are certain things that simply shouldn’t be done. Those things include rewarding mediocrity, and making someone else pay for that mediocrity. This is exactly what NBC is trying to do. Conan says he won’t stand for it. I applaud him for this, and stand behind his decision.
I ask you to do the same. Voice your displeasure and sign the petition to NBC here. Tell them, "Moving Leno's unfair! Stick with the Hair!" For those of you on Facebook, join the group I'm With COCO. If you’re apathetic but like Bill Hicks, listen to him rip Jay Leno on YouTube.
I’m with Coco. Now will someone please explain to me why the hell he’s nicknamed Coco?
Full disclosure: I don’t watch late night TV. I am, however, awake at such hours, and my occasional late night flybys of the networks have left me with the impression that the late night hosts should be ranked in the following order: David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Fallon, Carson Daly, whoever is on Telemundo, Johnny Carson’s corpse, a flock of retarded geese, Jay Leno.
The long and the short of it is that I don’t like Leno. Never have. I’m not sure if it’s his obnoxious voice, his Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade-sized chin or what, but he’s always gotten on my nerves. I’ve long preferred Letterman, who has been nothing short of hilarious whenever I happen to catch him. As for Conan, well, I’m a geek, so we’ve certainly got that in common. And he wrote for The Simpsons, which gets him automatic cool points in my book. And whenever I’ve caught his show, it’s been funny, intelligent, and weird. I can dig that.
Leno and NBC went out on a limb and created a show at 10 PM. I’ve never seen it, but it sounds like it blows goats. I’m assuming there’s at least one metric shit-ton of money involved with the show, so NBC is scrambling to keep it afloat, and this debacle was their answer.
Explain to me why Conan should pay because Leno screwed up? Does that seem fair to anyone? I realize that life isn’t fair (my parents assured me of this at least 15.2 billion times when I was a child), but there are certain things that simply shouldn’t be done. Those things include rewarding mediocrity, and making someone else pay for that mediocrity. This is exactly what NBC is trying to do. Conan says he won’t stand for it. I applaud him for this, and stand behind his decision.
I ask you to do the same. Voice your displeasure and sign the petition to NBC here. Tell them, "Moving Leno's unfair! Stick with the Hair!" For those of you on Facebook, join the group I'm With COCO. If you’re apathetic but like Bill Hicks, listen to him rip Jay Leno on YouTube.
I’m with Coco. Now will someone please explain to me why the hell he’s nicknamed Coco?
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Bastard: Can We Just Enjoy a Movie, Please?
I have yet to see Avatar, but it looks like a visual masterpiece, if not the most compelling intellectual fair. Whether I’ve seen it or not is immaterial; I can’t help but get irked by some of the criticism I’ve heard about this movie.
The first ridiculous bit of whining that I’ve come across is that it’s a liberal anti-war movie. Say what? Whether you’re liberal or conservative, does anyone consider themselves pro-war? Think about that for a second. How much of an asshole would you have to be to complain that a movie has a message that denounces sentient beings killing one another? I think you’d have to fall into that exclusive club of nutjobs including Hitler and his Nazi cronies, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and the Manson Family to think, “This whiny, liberal anti-war message just pisses me off!” Regardless of one’s affiliations and affinities, I fail to see how a human being with an ounce of compassion can be pro-war. I can’t help but hope that there’s a special ring of Hell for people who get upset about a movie with an anti-war message. Maybe one where they have to endlessly navigate minefields in the nude while it rains glass and lemon juice.
The other bit of criticism I’ve heard is that the movie is racist. These people are upset because a white man comes to the planet and acts as the savior of the naïve colored natives. Really? Really?! Why does race even enter into this equation? Would this same bit of idiocy be brought up if the main character was black, Asian, or Latino? I doubt it. To these people I say, “Look to your left. Remove chip from shoulder. Look to right. Repeat.”
This has nothing to do with the color of the main character’s skin. Nothing. Sure, you can see it that way if you’d like, but I can also see boobies in a Rorschach test if I really want to. This is the reality of the movie: a man from a technologically advanced civilization infiltrates a technologically primitive civilization, learns to appreciate their way of life, sees the error of his people’s ways, and does his best to save the natives. What matters is that he has knowledge that the blue people don’t. Without that knowledge, they stand little chance of prevailing, not because they are inferior, but because their knowledge is inferior. It’s a bit tough to go from riding animals and hunting with arrows and spears to analyzing, duplicating, and using guns and mech suits. I’ll repeat this point one more time, for the feebs in the back talking on their cell phones: the main character is able to save a race of technologically naïve natives because of his knowledge, not his skin color.
I’ve learned something recently, and it’s a lesson that took me ten years of depression to figure out: you see what you want to see. If you look at the world and want to see racism, you’re going to see it. The same goes for sexism, ageism, and antidisestablishmentarianism. Conversely, if you want to see kindness, altruism, and love, you’ll find that too. With either view you’re going to end up being wrong some of the time and end up with false positives (to borrow a medical term). For example, if you choose to take the former path, you’ll see racism that isn’t there, but if you choose the latter path, you may see kindness where there isn’t any. Given the choice (and I assure you that it is a choice), I’ll take the latter, thank you very much.
I’m tired of focusing on the negativity in the world. As a depressive, I understand that it can be hard to change the way in which one views the world. But it can be done, if imperfectly. So can we all please just sit down, shut the hell up, and allow ourselves to be entertained by a goddam movie?!
The first ridiculous bit of whining that I’ve come across is that it’s a liberal anti-war movie. Say what? Whether you’re liberal or conservative, does anyone consider themselves pro-war? Think about that for a second. How much of an asshole would you have to be to complain that a movie has a message that denounces sentient beings killing one another? I think you’d have to fall into that exclusive club of nutjobs including Hitler and his Nazi cronies, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and the Manson Family to think, “This whiny, liberal anti-war message just pisses me off!” Regardless of one’s affiliations and affinities, I fail to see how a human being with an ounce of compassion can be pro-war. I can’t help but hope that there’s a special ring of Hell for people who get upset about a movie with an anti-war message. Maybe one where they have to endlessly navigate minefields in the nude while it rains glass and lemon juice.
The other bit of criticism I’ve heard is that the movie is racist. These people are upset because a white man comes to the planet and acts as the savior of the naïve colored natives. Really? Really?! Why does race even enter into this equation? Would this same bit of idiocy be brought up if the main character was black, Asian, or Latino? I doubt it. To these people I say, “Look to your left. Remove chip from shoulder. Look to right. Repeat.”
This has nothing to do with the color of the main character’s skin. Nothing. Sure, you can see it that way if you’d like, but I can also see boobies in a Rorschach test if I really want to. This is the reality of the movie: a man from a technologically advanced civilization infiltrates a technologically primitive civilization, learns to appreciate their way of life, sees the error of his people’s ways, and does his best to save the natives. What matters is that he has knowledge that the blue people don’t. Without that knowledge, they stand little chance of prevailing, not because they are inferior, but because their knowledge is inferior. It’s a bit tough to go from riding animals and hunting with arrows and spears to analyzing, duplicating, and using guns and mech suits. I’ll repeat this point one more time, for the feebs in the back talking on their cell phones: the main character is able to save a race of technologically naïve natives because of his knowledge, not his skin color.
I’ve learned something recently, and it’s a lesson that took me ten years of depression to figure out: you see what you want to see. If you look at the world and want to see racism, you’re going to see it. The same goes for sexism, ageism, and antidisestablishmentarianism. Conversely, if you want to see kindness, altruism, and love, you’ll find that too. With either view you’re going to end up being wrong some of the time and end up with false positives (to borrow a medical term). For example, if you choose to take the former path, you’ll see racism that isn’t there, but if you choose the latter path, you may see kindness where there isn’t any. Given the choice (and I assure you that it is a choice), I’ll take the latter, thank you very much.
I’m tired of focusing on the negativity in the world. As a depressive, I understand that it can be hard to change the way in which one views the world. But it can be done, if imperfectly. So can we all please just sit down, shut the hell up, and allow ourselves to be entertained by a goddam movie?!
By George: A Rebuttal
This blog was originally released on August 17th, 2008.
I won’t normally do requests in this blog, but I was asked for an opinion about this article, and couldn’t resist (and it gave me a chance to learn just enough HTML to embed that link. Yay!). The article seems to be, at least in part, a response to the new Star Wars: Clone Wars animated flick that premieres this month. Essentially, the author begs George Lucas to stop making movies.
This seems to be a popular opinion among the geek population, and it’s one I definitely understand. Many people were able to overlook the tinkering Lucas did with the original trilogy, despite the narcissistic undertones of the project. Yeah, we all hated Greedo shooting first, and adding Jabba into the first movie was ridiculous at best (what kind of mobster allows you to walk away with your kneecaps intact after you step on him?!), but the faithful were willing to put all that aside, because we were so excited to be getting a new chapter in the saga.
And after waiting over 15 long years for a new Star Wars flick, we were all treated to…Jar Jar Binks?! That’s bound to piss people off. The gut reaction from Geek Nation was a unified howl of disbelief, mingled with a side order of outrage. “How could Lucas, the master storyteller who pulled inspiration from such intellectual and cinematic greats as Joseph Campbell and Akira Kurosawa, deliver to us this corny, over-rendered CGI ball of cheese?” complained the geek masses.
Apparently, they’d never really seen the first three movies. They’re just as corny, people. Can you seriously tell me that you can listen to Luke whine about “going to Tashi Station to pick up some power converters” and not feel the need to whack him upside the head with a decommissioned lightsaber? As Bilbo Bagshot (the sage who runs the Fantasy Bazaar comic shop on the show Spaced) once said, is Jar Jar any worse than those fuzzy little Ewoks? Not really. I think that we were treated to a perfect storm of events that revealed Lucas for what he really is: an old-fashioned cornball.
Let’s take a look at some of the projects Lucas has given the world. Original Star Wars trilogy? Corny, but good. Indiana Jones movies? Cheesy, but entertaining (he survived jumping out of a plane by riding an inflatable boat, for God’s sake!). Willow? I love it, but everyone else seems to loathe it for some reason. It’s filled with corny moments nonetheless. Then there are shows like The Ewok Adventure, and the Star Wars Holiday Special (which featured Chewbacca on his home planet of Kashyyyk). I mean, the name of his planet has 3 y’s in it. What part about Lucas’s cornball status is in question here?
All the last trilogy did was expose George for good. The cornball factor was less apparent in his other movies, but the leaps in technology that have been made since have allowed even Lucas’s cheesiest ideas to see fruition. C-3PO “losing his head” on Geonosis in Attack of the Clones is a prime example (Hell, the title “Attack of the Clones” is a prime example, although it has nothing to do with updated tech).
The real question people should be asking themselves is, “Is cheesy really that bad?” True, I’ve always enjoyed self-aware cheesiness (called camp, for the uninitiated) more than the accidental sort, but is there really that much of a difference between the two? You’re still getting cheese.
No, I think the real problem is that this latest trilogy was missing the one thing that the majority of geeks have lost since the first trilogy. No, not their virginity (they’re “saving” that for the girl who will dress up for them as Slave Girl Leia). I’m talking about their sense of childhood wonder. When you’re a kid almost nothing seems corny, so we accepted Ewoks and whiny saviors alike. But as jaded and cynical adults (who, even worse, are sexually frustrated), they are no longer willing or able to overlook the corny parts and enjoy the whole.
Lucas has created an entire universe. To simply attempt such a feat takes some serious cajones. Yes, there are corny patches, but the story as a whole is extremely satisfying. Don’t think this is just about the movies. The original trilogy is great, the second is fine, but the real meat of Lucas’s universe isn’t on the silver screen. It’s in the myriad books and comics that have come since the “Holy Trinity” was released.
Anyone who’s read Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy (which stars Luke, Leia and the gang and takes place after Jedi) will tell you they would have much rather seen it made into movies than The Phantom Menace and its two buddies. Anyone who has read the comic book Knights of the Old Republic and seen its wonderfully detailed art will tell you that it blows The Ewok Adventure out of the water.
The reason behind this is simple: these were written by actual writers. Lucas is not a writer; he is an idea man. I know, because we can smell our own kind. Idea men may write and produce works that capture the imagination, but the actual writing is usually adequate at best. Just look at the dialogue in any Star Wars movie. It’s as wooden as R2’s ancient ancestors. But the world he has created is as real and varied as our own. Lucas had created one of the greatest playgrounds in all of creation, and a multitude of writers and artists have made the most of it.
So let’s give old George a break. Instead of acting like spoiled kids on Christmas who didn't get the present they wanted, instead of mocking him for his bad dialogue and cheesy writing, we should be thanking him for creating a place where talented writers and artists can go to let loose and express themselves. I hope that one day I may find myself in such a position, disgruntled geeks and all.
I won’t normally do requests in this blog, but I was asked for an opinion about this article, and couldn’t resist (and it gave me a chance to learn just enough HTML to embed that link. Yay!). The article seems to be, at least in part, a response to the new Star Wars: Clone Wars animated flick that premieres this month. Essentially, the author begs George Lucas to stop making movies.
This seems to be a popular opinion among the geek population, and it’s one I definitely understand. Many people were able to overlook the tinkering Lucas did with the original trilogy, despite the narcissistic undertones of the project. Yeah, we all hated Greedo shooting first, and adding Jabba into the first movie was ridiculous at best (what kind of mobster allows you to walk away with your kneecaps intact after you step on him?!), but the faithful were willing to put all that aside, because we were so excited to be getting a new chapter in the saga.
And after waiting over 15 long years for a new Star Wars flick, we were all treated to…Jar Jar Binks?! That’s bound to piss people off. The gut reaction from Geek Nation was a unified howl of disbelief, mingled with a side order of outrage. “How could Lucas, the master storyteller who pulled inspiration from such intellectual and cinematic greats as Joseph Campbell and Akira Kurosawa, deliver to us this corny, over-rendered CGI ball of cheese?” complained the geek masses.
Apparently, they’d never really seen the first three movies. They’re just as corny, people. Can you seriously tell me that you can listen to Luke whine about “going to Tashi Station to pick up some power converters” and not feel the need to whack him upside the head with a decommissioned lightsaber? As Bilbo Bagshot (the sage who runs the Fantasy Bazaar comic shop on the show Spaced) once said, is Jar Jar any worse than those fuzzy little Ewoks? Not really. I think that we were treated to a perfect storm of events that revealed Lucas for what he really is: an old-fashioned cornball.
Let’s take a look at some of the projects Lucas has given the world. Original Star Wars trilogy? Corny, but good. Indiana Jones movies? Cheesy, but entertaining (he survived jumping out of a plane by riding an inflatable boat, for God’s sake!). Willow? I love it, but everyone else seems to loathe it for some reason. It’s filled with corny moments nonetheless. Then there are shows like The Ewok Adventure, and the Star Wars Holiday Special (which featured Chewbacca on his home planet of Kashyyyk). I mean, the name of his planet has 3 y’s in it. What part about Lucas’s cornball status is in question here?
All the last trilogy did was expose George for good. The cornball factor was less apparent in his other movies, but the leaps in technology that have been made since have allowed even Lucas’s cheesiest ideas to see fruition. C-3PO “losing his head” on Geonosis in Attack of the Clones is a prime example (Hell, the title “Attack of the Clones” is a prime example, although it has nothing to do with updated tech).
The real question people should be asking themselves is, “Is cheesy really that bad?” True, I’ve always enjoyed self-aware cheesiness (called camp, for the uninitiated) more than the accidental sort, but is there really that much of a difference between the two? You’re still getting cheese.
No, I think the real problem is that this latest trilogy was missing the one thing that the majority of geeks have lost since the first trilogy. No, not their virginity (they’re “saving” that for the girl who will dress up for them as Slave Girl Leia). I’m talking about their sense of childhood wonder. When you’re a kid almost nothing seems corny, so we accepted Ewoks and whiny saviors alike. But as jaded and cynical adults (who, even worse, are sexually frustrated), they are no longer willing or able to overlook the corny parts and enjoy the whole.
Lucas has created an entire universe. To simply attempt such a feat takes some serious cajones. Yes, there are corny patches, but the story as a whole is extremely satisfying. Don’t think this is just about the movies. The original trilogy is great, the second is fine, but the real meat of Lucas’s universe isn’t on the silver screen. It’s in the myriad books and comics that have come since the “Holy Trinity” was released.
Anyone who’s read Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy (which stars Luke, Leia and the gang and takes place after Jedi) will tell you they would have much rather seen it made into movies than The Phantom Menace and its two buddies. Anyone who has read the comic book Knights of the Old Republic and seen its wonderfully detailed art will tell you that it blows The Ewok Adventure out of the water.
The reason behind this is simple: these were written by actual writers. Lucas is not a writer; he is an idea man. I know, because we can smell our own kind. Idea men may write and produce works that capture the imagination, but the actual writing is usually adequate at best. Just look at the dialogue in any Star Wars movie. It’s as wooden as R2’s ancient ancestors. But the world he has created is as real and varied as our own. Lucas had created one of the greatest playgrounds in all of creation, and a multitude of writers and artists have made the most of it.
So let’s give old George a break. Instead of acting like spoiled kids on Christmas who didn't get the present they wanted, instead of mocking him for his bad dialogue and cheesy writing, we should be thanking him for creating a place where talented writers and artists can go to let loose and express themselves. I hope that one day I may find myself in such a position, disgruntled geeks and all.
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