Old Joy (2006) – This is some of the best writing ever and once Will Oldham comes in, this movie explodes out of it’s “hard to watch local/indie” first few minutes.
A Star Is Born (1976 remake) – I laughed a couple times what with the kitch and all but mostly you just almost hurl.
COURTNEY TAYLOR-TAYLOR
“Anything big and dead serious is perfect for comedy. The bigger the target and the more it takes itself seriously the better.” – Bill Coker (retired director)
My neighbor was the 1st asst director on the Smokey and the Bandit movies and we were discussing the personal nature of what people think is brilliant comedy when that gem came out of his mouth.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfGgorajsro
COURTNEY TAYLOR-TAYLOR
Well I tried to think of a great Autotuned® song but I can’t.
Anyhoo I’ve been in Denver for a few days and even went skiing for a half day. Nice. Jeez I’m sore. Well Denver was apparently just recently rated the most liveable city in America by someone who knows. Puh leeez. There’s a mall for every neighborhood and they’ve also distributed real big city ghettos so evenly that wheather you’re in a $300,000 or three million dollar neighborhood, you’re always three to eight blocks away from an actual ChicagoDetroitWashingtonDC styley ghetto.
Here’s the only photo I took:
COURTNEY TAYLOR-TAYLOR
Alright I know how to solve this problem of Autotune® that is tearing this great nation apart. How about we do some songs with autotune and some without? Go ahead, call me crazy, because this is the same jibber jabber that comes from the same part of my brain that believes Dallas and Guadalajara are both cities in Texico. Like Austin. Which as soon as we have the technology will be transplanted to Eastern Oregon where it belongs.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9JB2ETgatI
This is one of the greatest songs without autotune. Ever.
COURTNEY TAYLOR-TAYLOR
I think it was FatHead and I who saw this band open for I know not who (it was a long time ago). And they were without a doubt the most singular band I’ve ever seen. By the third song they had dudes yelling “fuck you” at them from the crowd. I guess I just don’t get it. We loved them.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOr_L5BebS0
Oh, I think they were opening for Malkmus. Maybe Dino jr.
COURTNEY TAYLOR-TAYLOR
I went to the beach with a couple of my old friends from high school. Time moves very slowly at the beach and there’s not much to do. Or rather time moves slowly anywhere when there’s not much to do. Yes that’s the Goonies rock. We used to call it Haystack Rock.
So of course we watched a couple movies: Team America and Spinal Tap. You could read my review of Team America but I’ll save you the time… TEAM AMERICA IS THE FUNNIEST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wmw8UB4HCU
Now, Spinal Tap on the other hand is not funny at all. It’s very serious. Very real. It also got me thinkin about my time spent in the industry. I did so much bitching about it when i was on Capitol Records but really, the first group of people there were amazing. And I miss it’s ability to get art into the world.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv5FwzRBc_Y
For example, these were people who got very good at their own little tweaker things. This can only really be done alone, without the immediate rewards of applause or even a big pat on the back. Generally in teenage bedrooms. Here are three examples from my alma mater:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV74PsUo1dc
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_anbEJsr6s
COURTNEY TAYLOR-TAYLOR
Hey there whoever is reading this, it’s Courtney and I have recently acquired a handheld personal wireless device so I’m going to have Gothman (or whomever) put up anything cool that I run across in my daily wanderings about.
We are going to put up a new website (which is currently under construction) and it will be far simpler to navigate, so for now he will just stick it in the “news” section.
Okay. Yesterday whilst finishing my “Amigos” remix with Jacob, he showed me this:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae7Ld_8Y6tE
It reminded me that Bauhaus is indeed my favorite band ever and why. Also that I was the singer for Bauhaus for a few minutes in DC once. I like to call it that cuz it’s funny but really all I did was sing “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” with Daniel, Kevin and David J. which is pretty much the same as when sammy hagar sang for van halen but that we were smart enough to limit it to one song. Ever.
Sorry for the cheap shot, Sammy, but it was just right there, ya know.
Anyhoo.
This next clip is dark, sweet and campy and basically everything I love about old film. the lighting is so beautiful and the story is obviously very sad. Marlene just looks amazing. She actually did have Bette Davis Eyes back when they called them “bedroom eyes”.
Now here’s a quick look at Marlene Dietrich, my favorite female archetype ever:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BniYAiuQBeg
Incidentally she is also my favorite singer from the 20’s / 30’s era largely because she has a low voice that never gets shrill as many of those old recordings do. btw the movie is called Dishonored.
COURTNEY TAYLOR-TAYLOR
