Interesting stuff. So I went to Arlington to get Indian buffet and British soda and candy before going to the movie. Turns out I had a hell of a lot of time to kill beforehand so I went into the Orpheus Record shop.
Now, the second-in-command there (I know the owner is Rick; this is the other guy) was the guy whod been playing Yes that time I was in there which got me to listening to all this post-Close to the Edge Yes. He was playing Tales from Topographic Oceans that time, but said it was a debate with him and Rick; Rick thought that was the best album, while 2nd-guy thinks Relayer is. Today, coincidentally enough, he was playing Beefheart, which as you recall I bought when I bought Yesshows. I go to talk to him about this stuff; lo n hold, hes putting on Shiny Beast (the one I just bought) as I do. We got to talking about Yes, Beefheart, Zappa, and when he talked about Beefhearts/ Zappas management woes, I started talking about Dr. Johns, since I just read his book. We talked about Beefhearts umm mental problems understanding contracts (he signed four record contracts at the same time: Virgin, Warner, Mercury, n someone else a court case decided how his later albums got divied up), how Lowell George left Zappas band (Id heard conflicting stories Id heard that Zappa kicked him out of the band for making drug references in Willin and I heard that Zappa thought it was such a great song that he suggested George form his own band well, the latter is true. Zappa even broke the news early to George that he was breaking up The Mothers of Invention before telling anyone else in the band so he could get a jump on forming Little Feat [which, of course, he did with Roy Estrada from the Mothers]), and I was talking about Dr. Johns management troubles and his studio-session work on the first Zappa album when a woman came in at that exact moment and asked for some Dr. John albums!!
She had been to his show on Mardi Gras you know, the one I MISSED due to work?? She saw him at this new theater in Rockville. Turns out the whole audience was yuppies who wouldnt get up and boogie. She said Dr. John kept exhorting them to get up and GET THE FONK UP (can you imagine? Dr. John The Night Tripper having to beg the audience to boogie his own audience on Mardi Gras?????). At the end of the show, they sat quietly for an encore. Didnt make much noise, or break out lighters after a while, the drummer came out and told them that since they had been so square Dr. John was pissed and refused to give an encore!!! MAN, I missed it, that wouldve been funny as hell. (I think encores are silly, anyway I know at the very least The Manic Street Preachers and Kenny Rogers agree) Its nice to know the Doctor still has some fire and integrity and wont bow down to the lames.
So I left the store and got Cruxs call that she couldnt make it to the movie so I knew Id go to a later show in Shirlington, more convenient to me, and since I had more time I went by the Central Library in Ballston. I checked out a VHS of Mystery Train and a crap load of CDs. THEY HAD ALBERT AYLER on CD!!! Ive had the cassette forever, so this is hellasweet. Live at the Village Vanguard, the one with the bitchin-ass Truth is Marching In on it. I also got a 3-CD edition of The Village Green Preservation Society, some Basie and Gillespie, Wolf Eyes, The Kings of Conveniences Riot on an Empty Street annnd I found a special treat for Crux in the sales bin! I will keep it a secret, other than to say- Crux, I now have 4 different media of entertainment items for you (well, 3 for you, 1 for your mom).
I also looked at a bunch of Caspar David Friedrich paintings in a book. I have been seriously sleeping on this cats ouvre. Sure, I knew some of his work, but good golly Miss Molly he is all that; powerful stuff. Such as- Monk by the Sea you know, they did infrared studies of that painting. Hed originally included two ships in the distance, battling the waves. Also, someone whod visited his studio said he was putting in a bright star and moon he zapped all of this. Pared it right down to the bones like pygmys sky! Made it a statement of mans tiny place in the universe. Sand. Man. Ocean. Sky. BAM; thats it. Reduces you to nothing. Kinda like Zaphods machine in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
So I went to Me and You and Everyone We Know. Very good movie. Anyone who says It just drifts and has no plot or Its just quirky is either not paying attention after the first half-hour or theyre just a moron. The end clearly, clearly ties things together and you talk about emotional resonance (as opposed to those who say They all act emotionless) I got misty-eyed twice at the end of the movie. Emotion? Several of the characters are going through divorce and despair hell, of COURSE theyre feeling things, theyre just pretty crushed about them. Duh. Im gonna go as far as saying- this is the best film Ive seen this year. Yes, its better than A Tout de Suite or Mysterious Skin. And those are good ones. Araki and Jacquots films are moving too, sure, and more grounded dramatically, but thats what I like about Julys film- its a bit spacy and free, drifting in ways I certainly didnt expect. If you read my comments on movies at all, you know how I value unpredictability and movies that arent like other movies. I definitely give Miranda two "back and forth"* thumbs up.
*it's a secret
Now, the second-in-command there (I know the owner is Rick; this is the other guy) was the guy whod been playing Yes that time I was in there which got me to listening to all this post-Close to the Edge Yes. He was playing Tales from Topographic Oceans that time, but said it was a debate with him and Rick; Rick thought that was the best album, while 2nd-guy thinks Relayer is. Today, coincidentally enough, he was playing Beefheart, which as you recall I bought when I bought Yesshows. I go to talk to him about this stuff; lo n hold, hes putting on Shiny Beast (the one I just bought) as I do. We got to talking about Yes, Beefheart, Zappa, and when he talked about Beefhearts/ Zappas management woes, I started talking about Dr. Johns, since I just read his book. We talked about Beefhearts umm mental problems understanding contracts (he signed four record contracts at the same time: Virgin, Warner, Mercury, n someone else a court case decided how his later albums got divied up), how Lowell George left Zappas band (Id heard conflicting stories Id heard that Zappa kicked him out of the band for making drug references in Willin and I heard that Zappa thought it was such a great song that he suggested George form his own band well, the latter is true. Zappa even broke the news early to George that he was breaking up The Mothers of Invention before telling anyone else in the band so he could get a jump on forming Little Feat [which, of course, he did with Roy Estrada from the Mothers]), and I was talking about Dr. Johns management troubles and his studio-session work on the first Zappa album when a woman came in at that exact moment and asked for some Dr. John albums!!
She had been to his show on Mardi Gras you know, the one I MISSED due to work?? She saw him at this new theater in Rockville. Turns out the whole audience was yuppies who wouldnt get up and boogie. She said Dr. John kept exhorting them to get up and GET THE FONK UP (can you imagine? Dr. John The Night Tripper having to beg the audience to boogie his own audience on Mardi Gras?????). At the end of the show, they sat quietly for an encore. Didnt make much noise, or break out lighters after a while, the drummer came out and told them that since they had been so square Dr. John was pissed and refused to give an encore!!! MAN, I missed it, that wouldve been funny as hell. (I think encores are silly, anyway I know at the very least The Manic Street Preachers and Kenny Rogers agree) Its nice to know the Doctor still has some fire and integrity and wont bow down to the lames.
So I left the store and got Cruxs call that she couldnt make it to the movie so I knew Id go to a later show in Shirlington, more convenient to me, and since I had more time I went by the Central Library in Ballston. I checked out a VHS of Mystery Train and a crap load of CDs. THEY HAD ALBERT AYLER on CD!!! Ive had the cassette forever, so this is hellasweet. Live at the Village Vanguard, the one with the bitchin-ass Truth is Marching In on it. I also got a 3-CD edition of The Village Green Preservation Society, some Basie and Gillespie, Wolf Eyes, The Kings of Conveniences Riot on an Empty Street annnd I found a special treat for Crux in the sales bin! I will keep it a secret, other than to say- Crux, I now have 4 different media of entertainment items for you (well, 3 for you, 1 for your mom).
I also looked at a bunch of Caspar David Friedrich paintings in a book. I have been seriously sleeping on this cats ouvre. Sure, I knew some of his work, but good golly Miss Molly he is all that; powerful stuff. Such as- Monk by the Sea you know, they did infrared studies of that painting. Hed originally included two ships in the distance, battling the waves. Also, someone whod visited his studio said he was putting in a bright star and moon he zapped all of this. Pared it right down to the bones like pygmys sky! Made it a statement of mans tiny place in the universe. Sand. Man. Ocean. Sky. BAM; thats it. Reduces you to nothing. Kinda like Zaphods machine in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
So I went to Me and You and Everyone We Know. Very good movie. Anyone who says It just drifts and has no plot or Its just quirky is either not paying attention after the first half-hour or theyre just a moron. The end clearly, clearly ties things together and you talk about emotional resonance (as opposed to those who say They all act emotionless) I got misty-eyed twice at the end of the movie. Emotion? Several of the characters are going through divorce and despair hell, of COURSE theyre feeling things, theyre just pretty crushed about them. Duh. Im gonna go as far as saying- this is the best film Ive seen this year. Yes, its better than A Tout de Suite or Mysterious Skin. And those are good ones. Araki and Jacquots films are moving too, sure, and more grounded dramatically, but thats what I like about Julys film- its a bit spacy and free, drifting in ways I certainly didnt expect. If you read my comments on movies at all, you know how I value unpredictability and movies that arent like other movies. I definitely give Miranda two "back and forth"* thumbs up.
*it's a secret
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~cheers
~cheers