i have a giant crush on Kristofferson.

Ash is cute too. I like his erratic eyebrows and homemade costume

New York Magazine’s holiday cover

Even Bergdorf Goodman is feeling a little fantastic during the holidays.

Go to anothernormal.com for more photos of the holiday window display

when are the toys coming out?!?!

So this is picture number seven, I’ve actually gotten through the whole week, wowza.

This is my new best friend, Kristofferson. My mam got him free with a Happy Meal from McDonalds and I stole him.
I’m aware it’s very childish but oh well,nobody is going to die because of it.

Have you ever gotten a free toy or something in general that you can’t let go of because it just makes you feel so happy? Tell me about it in the comments if you have :]

Whatever else it is, Fantastic Mr. Fox is bang on brief: a Wes Anderson interpretation of a Roald Dahl creation.

In other words, a quirky American sensibility brought to the grand-daddy of quintessentially English children’s authors. Quentin Tarantino doing Wordsworth might make for a similar coupling- interesting and accomplished but sort of very wrong.

The rustic-style stop-frame animation in a rural countryside setting is nostalgic and inhabited by three farmers who are nicely menacing, albeit in a slightly odd ‘Lock, Stock’ way. The script is witty, the music inventive.

But drop George Clooney, characters called Kristofferson and a sushi joint in the village marketplace and it gets a tad derailed.

The two main problems with the movie are also its selling points: Anderson’s style and the Clooney superbrand.

By means of a small but well-formed body of work Anderson has created one of the most distinctive film-making footprints in Hollywood: visually rich, theatre-like set-pieces; functioning dysfunctioning high-brow family units; a plot segmented by witty titles, wrapped in a droll humour relatively new to American comedy (We get irony! We love The Office!).

It’s a rejection of schmaltz in favour of emotional authenticity, offset using stranger than fiction characters as vehicles.

There’s no doubt a weasel real estate agent delivery predictable sales patter about a walnut tree is funny and the naming of the animals by their original Latin terms in order to motivate them has an intelligent charm.

But wasn’t this a book written for kiddies? Scenes that refer to Mrs. Fox’s easy virtue pre-marriage and end with the line, ‘I love you but I should never have married you’ suggest this detail may have slipped through the net.

Nevertheless, it is actually this sort of Anderson trickery that holds the attention, the story somehow falling short of the promise of the title as Mr. Fox reveals himself to be more arse-tastic than fantastic.

Despite his wild animal instincts defense it is hard not to feel irked by his self-inflicted predicament, which he manages to exacerbate on the behalf of his family and friends with a series of substance-less ‘plans’, to the point where the plot summary might have read, ‘annoying fox forces mean farmers to terrorise him further and further underground’.

Of course, they all pop up again in a balls-out action scene at the end but they are still living in bare cells below ground level and not in a light-filled hill-top tree, their hunting imperative replace with supermarket aisle treats.

When I left the cinema it was George Clooney rather than his furry alter-ego who left a taste in my mouth and not in the smooth, velvety chocolate way of popular myth.

The character he voices and the one he projects in real life blend so seamlessly it is hard to imagine Anderson would have proceeded with the project without Clooney’s acceptance of the role.

The result is that it’s hard to know where the oleaginous national treasure with the unerring sense of his own significance end and the movie’s eponymous hero begins. What Mr. Fox really needed was a lovable rogue to redeem his selfish actions when what he got was the poster boy of smug reinforcing them.

I am unrepresentative of an adoring Clooney strong-hold and Anderson’s artistry is undeniable.

But ultimately the movie is a vintage wooden toy: original, flawed and intended for the amusement of children, destined to be appreciated as an artwork by parents.

Speaking of fall music, Kris Kristofferson’s new album Closer to the Bone is about as crisp & pleasant as a misty October morning in the country.  I wasn’t sure what to expect besides having read that it is a folk album.  Of course the first thing that stands out is Kristofferson’s spent voice–-smoker-raspy, at times strained, but sincere throughout—which is surprisingly listenable and even soothing (think Johnny Cash’s voice on Hurt).  The production is simple and clean and the playing is reserved and smart.

The title track is a jangly, relaxed start to the album with clever lyrics and simple, pleasant harmonies that sets the pace for the rest of the album.  Nothing about this record says ‘rushed.’  The instrumentation is subtle & still upbeat with hints of acoustic bass, slide acoustic guitar, accordion, & mandolin.  Oh, and his harmonica, which is mixed at vocal levels and played in a Dylan-chord-blast fashion.

Some of the tracks are haunting (‘Hall of Angels’), some are romantic, and ‘Good Morning John’ channels Cash all over again.  Closer to the Bone’s interesting stories and sophisticatedly understated musicianship all nod to one underlying truth found in many places in our lives: there’s something about experiences related by the ancient, weather-beaten voices of older people that is inherently powerful.  They carry the weight of time and can pluck at a deeper heartstring, like the scenes with the old lady reminiscing in Titanic.

Kristofferson moves at his pace on this album.  When he talks about heartbreak or the end of a decades-long relationship you know he’s not in the throes of something immature or raw.  You can tell that if he takes the time to sing about it he probably really means it.  He’s a little cynical and lot real.  He’s not surprised by much because he’s seen it all before, dozens of times over.

That feeling, the feeling that is captured so well on this record, is exactly why you sit down for a few hours and listen to that person so many years your senior tell about their life (or lives, as it sometimes seems).  That’s why many times you’re a little more moved by their words and expressions and tears than by those of someone younger.  You know that the hurt in Kristofferson’s voice and words and guitar is there because the hurt is there, and has been for a long time, aging, becoming weathered, calloused, and even grand.  And he doesn’t care if you don’t listen, cuz it happened all the same and life is too short, its problems are too small, and tired old eyes have seen enough to know better.

And this fitting quote from the title track:

Ain’t it kinda funny?
Ain’t it just the way it goes?
Ain’t you gettin’ better
Runnin’ out of time?

Cincinnati, OH, December 2009: Available for immediate purchase; nationally distributed through Amazon.com. Miraculous tale of how a boy, born into unimaginable physical and emotional pain and destined to be a misfit, finds his way in a world of “others.” Few could survive so many torturous years of surgical intervention and a ensuing lifelong struggle with drugs and alcohol addiction and come out ahead. This moving tale reveals not only the struggle and heartrending elements of generational lives “gone wrong,” but also the love and growth of a human being overcoming the odds and determined to find a way to live life to the fullest. Based on a true story, the author’s unapologetic prose prompts enduring ethical questions and makes a gripping, personal read.

This newly edited release of Norma Jean’s Sun will certainly exceed expectations. The story is not only convincingly true, but will rivet the reader with its genuine and unassuming pathos. Norma Jean’s Sun is painfully reflective yet ultimately hopeful, a story told through the eyes of a boy who believes he has been mistakenly born into the world and a man who conquers physical and emotional injustice–and thrives. The reader will be challenged to answer the difficult questions of right and wrong as they may apply to his or her own life. It is clear that it is the hope of this author that the reader’s conclusions will lead to a more fulfilled view of the “parallel beauty that lives just beneath the surface for us all.”

An artist in spirit and gift, Kris Courtney has lived much of his life in the Midwest and currently resides and works in Oxford, Ohio. Surrounded by talent and gifted students of life, he is dedicated to service and volunteer work. A percentage of the earnings from Norma Jean’s Sun book will go to research for Parkinson’s disease and colon cancer in recognition of the illnesses that attacked his grandmother Flossie and his mother, Norma Jean.

Read a portion of Norma Jean’s Sun or purchase the online eBook Kindle version on Amazon.com at: Amazon Books

With continued growth in awareness and sales, Cover Art and Nomination for Best Memoir 2009, Norma Jean’s Sun is surpassing my wildest dreams. I am so glad that you and those who have left comments are finding the spirit I intended in my original writing.

Please be sure to pass the word around and share your opinions with others as well. Thank you…

May 21, 2009

You can download this week’s show by clicking HERE

OR

Download past shows by viewing the recent entries on the right.

            You can probably tell that I am just doing the show ay any point during the week.  My goal is to still keep doing it once a week.  Thank you for taking the time to read this and listen.  It means a lot.  I can’t say that enough.

            This week’s show is action packed.  For some reason, even when I think I don’t have any more songs to share, I manage to find something I love to share.

From left: Kristofferson, Cash, Jennings, Nelson

 Waylon Jennings made last week awesome for me, and I shared a song he recorded with you.  He formed a group with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson called The Highwaymen.  Hopefully I can get around to listening to a CD that was handed off to me so I can get some Highwaymen on for you soon.  For now you get a song about cowboys since we all have a little bit of cowboy in us, right?

There is a cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” by Yael Naim.  Naim is an Israeli-born Parisian whose self-titled debut is definitely worth checking out.  She has a great voice and even sings in Hebrew and French on the record.

            There is a little “Did-you-know?” segment after “Epistrophy” by The Thelonius Monk Quartet with John Coltrane.  You will be schooled – or not. There is some Bo Diddley, 2pac, Outkast, and an awesome OK Go song mixed in there too.

            Other than that, the rest are songs that I think are either really pretty, catchy, fun, meaningful, danceable, or any combination thereof, so please enjoy and don’t hesitate to contact me if you want to hear anything or tell me whatever.  Pass it on to your friends who may like this, and have a good week.

            I picked up some awesome stuff at the store yesterday, so look for some A.A. Bondy and Gnarls Barkley, amongst other things, next time.

            Thank you so much for reading and listening.

-Ray

Playlist for May 21, 2009

OK Go – What To Do / ST

Waylon Jennings – Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys / Greatest Hits

Nappy Roots – Awnaw /Watermelon, Chicken And Gritz

Bo Diddley – You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover / Say Man: 20 Greatest Hits

Dashboard Confessional – A Plain Morning / Swiss Army Romance

The Raspas – Sensi / Cani Bus

Christina Aguilera – Ain’t No Other Man / Back To Basics                                               

Paul McCartney – Jenny Wren / Chaos And Creation In The Backyard

Tupac Shakur – Brenda’s Got A Baby / Greatest Hits

Michael Jackson – P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) / Thriller

Sublime – Same In The End / ST

Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane – Epistrophy / At Carnegie Hall

Tristan Prettyman – Simple As It Should Be / twentythree

Outkast – B.O.B. / Stankonia

Sia – Little Black Sandals / Some People Have Real Problems

Yael Naïm – Toxic (Britney Spears cover) – ST

Jim Croce – One Less Set of Footsteps / Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits

Outkast - Stankonia

The four-times-married Peters, who counts Warren among his ex-wives, also says in the proposal that Streisand enjoyed “life-imitates-art affairs with Robert Redford on ‘The Way We Were’ and Ryan O’Neal on ‘What’s Up, Doc?’ and had just ended another with Kris Kristofferson, then at his hunkiest (on ‘A Star Is Born,’)” the Post said. The newspaper said representatives for Streisand, Warren, Redford and O’Neal didn’t return its phone calls seeking comments, and Kristofferson’s publicist declined to discuss the story. Peters, who served as a producer on “Superman Returns,” “Wild Wild West” and “Batman,” said he also had romantic relationships with Kim Basinger, Pamela Anderson, Nicollette Sheridan, Salma Hayek and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Streisand has been married to actor James Brolin since 1998.

With all due respect to article: here

Well I think what they’ve done is well worth doing

And they’re doing it the best way that they can

You’re the only one that you are screwing

When you put down what you don’t understand.

- Kris Kristofferson, If You Don’t Like Hank Williams (You Can Kiss My Ass)

I was raised on country music, specifically outlaw country.  By people of my nationality and generation – to many of whom Johnny Cash became acceptable only when, very late in life, he started covering U2 and Nine Inch Nails – this is generally seen to be some kind of shameful confession; something for which I really ought to atone.  I have no truck with this kind of prejudice, often simultaneously uninformed and incredibly smug.  I have particularly little patience when the people affecting to be far, far above liking country music subscribe to the depressingly new fashion (new in comparison with the span of his career) for finding Johnny Cash acceptable.  It’s a dirty little word, acceptable.  And for far too many people, Cash only became so when he moved away – in their eyes – from country music, although in fact he never did.

I never intend to atone for my country background.  In fact, I am deeply grateful to my parents for introducing me, live and in recorded form, to artists who have stayed with me ever since.  One such is Kris Kristofferson: singer, songwriter, actor, activist, veteran, Oxford graduate, former helicopter pilot and Blake enthusiast.  Today’s post will look at his lyrics.  Song lyrics are too often overlooked as a literary form, but the best songwriters, in my opinion, produce lyrics that stand alone as poetry even when stripped of the added impact of music and voice.  Kristofferson’s music is simple – in the best sense of the term, elegant and punchy and memorable – and his voice rough around the edges.  All the subtlety is in his lyrics.  The balance is sublime.

This article can in no way be comprehensive enough to give more than an idea of the extraordinary richness and complexity of Kristofferson’s songwriting.  Instead, I will have to restrict myself – reluctantly – to a brief overview.  Here, then, are five essential things you should know about Kristofferson; five things I very much hope will inspire you to explore his work further (even if it is – insert shudder here – country).

Kristofferson is a poet

Casey leaves the hollow sound of silent people walking down/ The stairway to the subway, in the shadow down below/ Following their footsteps through the neon-darkened corridors/ In silent desperation, never speaking to a soul/ The poisoned air he’s breathing has a dirty smell of dying, ’cause it’s never seen the sunshine and it’s never felt the rain/ But Casey minds the arrows and ignores the fatal echoes of the clicking of the turnstile and the rattle of his chain… (Casey’s Last Ride)

As we will see below, Kristofferson’s songwriting is nothing if not eclectic in terms of content.  What unites his creations, from protest songs to love songs to breakup songs to breakdown songs, is a particular skill with – and joy in – language that is unique to him.  Kristofferson plays with internal rhyme, assonance, consonance and alliteration with an apparent ease that would make strong poets weep.  Read the extract above out loud and see what I mean.

Recommended songs:

Why Me, Lord?

Darby’s Castle

Josie

Kristofferson is a comedian

I was running through the summer rain, trying to catch the evening train/ And kill that old familiar pain weaving through my tangled brain/ But when I tipped my bottle back I smacked into a cop I didn’t see… (The Best of All Possible Worlds)

This skill with language, combined with a heavy sense of irony, makes for some of the best bittersweet comic songs (I believe) in any genre.  Kristofferson rarely if ever goes in for pure comedy: his songs always carry an edge of sadness, of anger or of indignation.  Nothing is straightforward: he sprinkles literary references through songs about bums, hobos and miscreants, and his most damning indictments of social and political hypocrisy are strongly tinged wth self-deprecation.

Recommended songs:

New Mister Me

Once More with Feeling

Blame it on the Stones

Kristofferson is a tragedian

Don’t look so sad, I know it’s over/ And life goes on, and this old world just keeps on turning/ Let’s just be glad we had some time to spend together/ There’s no need to watch the bridges that we’re burning… (For the Good Times)

This might be surprising to those who know the more traditional form of the sad country song (for those who don’t, go and look up He Stopped Loving Her Today) but the great strength of Kristofferson’s songs about love and loss is their lack of sentimentality.  His saddest songs are sparse, pared down and elegant, both lyrically and musically.  He can convey a world of sorrow in a few well-chosen words.  Warning: if you’re anything as soppy and susceptible as I am, listen with care…

Recommended songs:

I’d Rather be Sorry

Nobody Wins

Loving Her was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)

Kristofferson is a polemicist

So thank your lucky stars you’ve got protection/ Walk the line and never mind the cost/ Don’t wonder who them lawmen was protecting/ When they nailed the Saviour to the cross/ ‘Cause the law is for protection of the people/ Rules are rules and any fool can see/ We don’t need no riddle speaking prophets/ Scaring decent folks like you and me… no siree… (The Law is for Protection of the People)

When it comes to the things he sees as unjust, Kristofferson does not hold back.  His usual subtlety tends to fly out of the window when it comes to Nicaragua, or poverty, or the police state; I won’t pretend that these are his most technically accomplished songs.  But good Lord, are they satisfying.

Recommended songs:

Under The Gun

Jesus was a Capricorn

Don’t Let the Bastards (Get You Down)

Kristofferson is a chameleon

Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose/ Nothing ain’t worth nothing, but it’s free/ Feeling good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues/ Feeling good was good enough for me, good enough for me and Bobby McGee… (Me and Bobby McGee)

Janis Joplin, Perry Como, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare, Jerry Lee Lewis, Patti Page and Brenda Lee are only some of the artists who have sung Kristofferson.  His ability to write for a diverse range of artists across a number of genres is one of his great strengths, and it’s also the reason that many people are unaware just how influential his work is.  However, I maintain that the greatest pleasure is hearing Kristofferson sing his own songs.  His interpretation always reveals some extra layer of meaning, some particular impact that other performers overlook.

Recommended songs:

Help Me Make it Through the Night

Sunday Morning Coming Down

The Taker

For information about Kris Kristofferson’s recordings, biography and tour dates, visit his official site here. All citations in this article are from memory and as such any errors are my own.  The picture of Kris at the South by Southwest Festival 2006 was taken by Ron Baker and is licensed underCreative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 License.

There are 3 CDs that I’ve been playing frequently the last week or two. The newest CD by Ben Kweller, Changing Horses, is a friendly little recording, that grows on you with each listen. It is more country than BK’s past recordings, but I prefer it to other things he has done. The instumentation is spare – most of his backup comes from Kit Kitterman, who plays pedal steel and dobro. Bass and drums also lurk in the background, but the sound is mostly Ben and Kit. This is a great CD to play on a sunny afternoon sitting on your porch as the afternoon turns to early evening. My favorite cut, Wantin’ Her Again, is so good I had to learn to play it, and I’ll be adding it to my live shows.
The second CD I’ll mention is Written In Chalk, the newest recording from Buddy and Julie MIller. This CD has been #1 on the Americana charts for weeks and there has been plenty said and written about it. What I like about it is that Buddy and Julie seem to have created an album with songs that they wanted to hear and play. There is no indication that they were concerned about the commercial viability of the CD – it is a bit sad and dark. But it is a beautiful recording and bears repeated listening no matter what mood you may be feeling. Some think that Julie’s voice is a bit shrill, but when she and Buddy harmonize, the sound is pure heaven.
Finally, I’ve been listening carefully to Kris Kristofferson’s 16 Biggest Hits. A recent article in Rolling Stone, written by actor Ethan Hawke, highlighted Kris’ contributions to country and rock music over the past 30 years. It made me go back and listen to some of his music that I had really forgotten about. Although some of the arrangements now seem a bit dated, there is no doubting the power of the songs and Kris’ way with words. “Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.” Now there is a lyric for the ages. Or how about this one: “Hear the whisper of the raindrops/blowing soft against the window/and make believe you love me one more time/for the good times.”
Go ahead – give a listen to these. You won’t be disappointed.

Download this week’s show by clicking HERE

Download previous shows by checking out the BLOGROLL on the right.

Hey.  How y’all doin out there?  That’s good to hear.  Thank you so much for taking the time to even read this and thanks to everyone taking it further and listening to the show.  I really appreciate it.

I found a clean copy of a song by A Tribe Called Quest, so you get to hear Separate/Together off their album Beats, Ryhmes, & Life.  I picked up a lot of new music this week and I’m very happy to share the songs with you today.

Ani DiFranco is weird, but she can play the damn guitar like a champion.  I played “Way Tight” from her newest release Red Letter Year.  She put a nice little composition together on this track. 

The new Mastodon album is pretty sweet too.  Metal is not my preferred genre of music, but after reading an article about the band and their singer, Brent Hinds’, coma leading him to write the album, and seeing his awesome forehead tattoo, I had to check it out.  There is an awesome song called “The Last Baron” that I couldn’t play due to length, but it’s worth checking out.  Instead, you get the title track off Crack The Skye.  The article in Rolling Stone is definitely worth checking out too.

I told a little story about Ms. Janis Joplin and Mr. Kris Kristofferson towards the end of the show as well.

An awesome show is coming to the Orpheum tomorrow.  Person L will be opening up for Mae along with Barcelona and Tokyo.  I’m a big fan of both Mae and Person L.  Person L have been recording in Lakeland with Copeland’s Aaron Marsh and a new album is on the horizon.

            Thanks for reading.

Ray

Playlist for April 20, 2009

Rocco DeLuca & The Burden – Swing Low / I Trust You To Kill Me

A Tribe Called Quest – Separate/Together / Beats Rhymes & Life

*Ani DiFranco – Way Tight / Red Letter Year

Earl Greyhound – Welcome Back Father / EP

Neil Young – Light A Candle / Fork In The Road

The Greyboy Allstars – Still Waiting (Feat. Inara George) / What Happened To Television?

The Early November – Sunday Drive / The Acoustic EP

Mae – Just Let Go  / Singularity

*Person L – Sunshine / Initial

The Rolling Stones – All Down the Line / Exile on Main St.

Koufax – Any Moment Now / Strugglers

Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee (Feat. Fred Foster & Kris Kristofferson)                       

Kris Kristofferson – Sunday Morning Coming Down / Kristofferson

Millencolin – Bullion / Life on a Plate

*Mastodon – Crack The Skye / Crack The Skye

Millencolin - Life On A Plate

Without telling anyone beforehand, except my parents who while only in town for a few days graciously agreed to watch Isa for the night, my Baby Brother and I attended the Portland performance by Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson.

1. First, this was by all accounts a performance, not a concert or a show. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. Two aging country stars at the Schnitzer Concert Hall – maybe I should back up and even explain what I was doing there. I hate concerts, maybe more so than going to see movies at the movie theatre. I have no desire to ever go see ANYONE play at the Rose Garden, or the Clark County Amphitheatre, or the Gorge, or any other venue that is going to seat more than a couple thousand people. Music is many things to me, but two of the most important are its function as art and emotion. Music in the way it is structured is a mystery to me, sort of like math (and I understand the two have much in common). I can understand the basics and I can learn as much as I can, but it is not something intrinsic to my soul like some people. My Baby Brother and Fish have this ability, this control over music (or maybe music-making or music-playing?) that I don’t have and have resigned myself that barring a stint on a desert island with a guitar, probably never will. But that’s okay, because I appreciate it all the more because of its perceived complexity. And in this way, it is art. Songwriting, especially good, original songwriting, is an art form in itself, and I hang on to song lyrics that carry emotion with them. Music, and specifically songs, explain my own emotions to me. It helps me to understand both myself and the world around me better. Music is very intimate. And that is the problem with concerts, they lack such intimacy. But I figured that two country legends playing in a concert hall was going to be the closest thing I would get to the live performance I’d prefer. Aside from MTV Unplugged concerts, there is one televised performance that I remember that seemed like the pinnacle of performances to me. I saw it on CMT once, it was Gretchen Wilson performing “I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today” in what looked like a random living room. The band was sitting in a circle on couches or the floor. The lights were dimmed. A couple guitars, fiddle, and an egg shaker were all the instruments. And Gretchen sang with such feeling, I thought at one point she might cry during the song. It was all so organic, natural (looking, it was still contrived to a certain degree), and emotional. But the chances of me being able to sit in with a band while they played their hits in such an atmosphere are slim to none.

So I bought tickets, and we went, and I had a good time.

The stage was set up like an Opry performance or a jamming session: there were two microphones up front and the backing band, which consisted of an electric guitar player, an electric stand-up bass, drums (but I think it was only a snare drum and a couple cymbals – I don’t think they even had a bass drum, and a rhythm guitar / fiddle player, formed a semi-circle behind them all packed in close rather than strewn across a grand stage. There were no “sets”, no explosions, no lasers, no smoke, no theatrics. It was just Haggard and Kristofferson trading off playing songs they wanted to play. Ideally if I could have kept the crowd to me and the first three rows of people it would have been perfect. But short of winning the lottery that will never happen, so I was content to take what I could get. As a performance, or show, it was very satisfying.

2. The audience was quite the amalgamation of different socio-economic levels. The majority of the folks were what I would call your standard “theatre-goers”. They are white, affluent, most likely retired, and have plenty of disposable income to blow on things like season tickets to the Broadway in Portland series. They all sat politely, probably straining against their fading eardrums to hear what Haggard was playing and saying. They nodded their heads or swayed them from side to side, and had enormous trouble keeping a clapping rhythm going through any song. I like to imagine they were there because at one time in their youth Haggard and his simple, small-town American ideals were important to them. It was a nostalgic trip for them.

The second noticeable group were the cowboys. There was probably some overlap with the theatre-goers, but there was your fair share of young cowboys there as well. They were easily identifiable by their cowboy hats, boots, and honky-tonk shouting through the songs. They tried their hardest to turn the Schnitz into a smoky, rowdy, country bar, but there just weren’t enough of them.

Finally, there were the hipsters there. The music lovers, who appreciate good music regardless of genre. They had their tattoos and ear spacers and probably were a little confused by how subdued the audience was. I doubt it’s like that at a My Morning Jacket concert (and by the way, I have no idea who My Morning Jacket is, it’s just a band name I saw  the other day in an article so I assume they’re cool…I’m so old it’s depressing).

Except for the general douchebaggery of a couple cowboys shouting throughout much of the performance (I heard one of the theatre-goers, to my amazement, state, “It was a wonderful performance, except for the asshole sitting behind us.”) it was a good mix. But seriously, what is the motivation for some idiot to keep shouting out “Sing it, Kris” or “I could use some free bubble-ubb” or just a “Whoooo!” at the top of his lungs? I understand getting involved in the music and wanting to express those feelings out loud, really I do. But much like some arm-raisers at church, the guy who makes one-liners during a bad movie, or the guy who shouts “JESUS!!!” at Christian concerts, at some point the motivation turns from adding to everyone’s enjoyment of the main act to turning the spotlight on yourself. And for that, you are a douchebag.

3. There were five songs going in that I wanted to hear: Mama Tried, Okie from Muskokie, and Rainbow Stew from Haggard, and Why Me and Sunday Morning Coming Down from Kristofferson. I got my wish. They all lived up to expectations, except for Why Me. They chose to close the show with Why Me, with Haggard singing the second verse. The problem was they both seemed confused (or at least more so during this song than others) as to who was doing what or taking what part during the song and so it came off as unprofessional or poorly played. And then the show was over. Why Me is my favorite Kristofferson songs, one of my favorite old country songs, and can either be Gospel in it’s presentation or a plaintive cry from a sinner if done right, but as a duet it came off as hollow. The emotion behind the words was lost somehow. It was just a song and no longer something personal to Kristofferson, and that made me sad.

4. I really can’t sum it up better than the comments I heard from fellow attendees as we were exiting. Haggard’s voice sounded as good as ever, and got stronger as the concert went on. Age certainly hasn’t slowed his ability to play a mean guitar and sing his songs with feeling. Kristofferson’s voice still sounds a little like death itself. But Kristofferson has always been more a songwriter, than a singer/performer, so that was understandable and excusable. In fact, I wouldn’t mind having Kristofferson’s gravelly baritone voice, it’s unique and he doesn’t try to do more with it than he can.

5. I was a little sad Kristofferson didn’t really play anything off his most recent album, “This Old Road”. It was easily one of my five favorite albums that I picked up last year (not sure when it came out originally, but sometime in the last couple years). His songwriting is all so personal, it almost comes off as blues rather than country. There are several songs to love, but there is one in particular, “Thank You”, that is so reflective and loving that I would love to learn it and play it to my Beautiful Bride on our 50th wedding anniversary. “Thank you, for a life that I’d call happy…” These are the kind of things music does to me. 

Final verdict: it was a good experience. I saw about the most intimate performance I’ll ever get to see and I wasn’t too distracted by the Public. I can say that I saw Haggard and Kristofferson – I can’t imagine they have that many years left in them. I heard some new songs. I was entertained and I got out of the house. I guess those were the point of it all anyway. (Here’s a much more articulate reflection on the concert they held in Santa Rosa a couple nights prior. Most everything seems to have been unchanged between the two shows, except Haggard didn’t perform “Folsom Prison Blues” at our show)

Every sunday, somewhere, somehow, I post a version of this song. Today I thought about how Kris Kristofferson felt the day Johnny Cash died. I’m about to loose a good friend to brain cancer and I wonder how I’ll face that day. Not that facing death is new to me. I’ve lost relatives and folks I looked up to, dare I say idolized, but never a close friend. I know as I age I’ll lose more and I suppose, sadly, get used to it. I know I’ll watch this video again and again but from now on it will have a strange new meaning and bring up some fond memories of my dear friend.

Intro for eventuelle nye lesere:

Som i fjor kommer jeg til å avholde min egen lille julekalender her på bloggen for enhver som gidder å lese. Som i fjor er konseptet at jeg teller ned de 24 beste filmene jeg har sett på kino i løpet av året. Som i fjor kan dere tippe hvilke filmer jeg setter på de 4 øverste plassene.

Foreløpig deltakere:

dabju: The Dark Knight, Cloverfield, Wanted (15), (tom plass)

Ottar Karsten Hostesaft: The Dark Knight, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Burn After Reading

Stein Galen: The Dark Knight, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, WALL-E

Lars Østhus: The Dark Knight, No Country for Old Men, Hot Rod, Quantum of Solace (17)

FRISTEN ER GÅTT UT.

Men nå er vi klare, så sett deg ned, sleng beina i været og les et innlegg om en film jeg synes er bra!

8. I’m Not There

Regi: Todd Haynes

Manus: Todd Haynes og Oren Moverman

Med: Cate Blanchett, Ben Wishaw, Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Marcus Carl Franklin, Heath Ledger og Kris Kristofferson.

Land: USA/Tyskland

Spilletid: 135 min

Det er vanskelig å beskrive filmen. Det er 6 forskjellige skuespillere som portretterer Bob Dylan, i mer eller mindre overført betydning. I alle historiene er Dylan ved et veiskille i livet, og til sammen er dette et forsøk på å gi et fnugg av innsikt i det kompliserte livet til mannen. En annerledes musikerbiografi.

Jeg kan lite om Bob Dylan. Jeg regner ikke meg selv for Dylan-fan engang. Mitt inntrykk av musikken har vært at det varierer fra skikkelig bra til litt plagsomt. Men musikken i denne filmen er i hvertfall helt fantastisk, jeg satte veldig mye pris på den. Men som sagt, jeg kan lite om Dylan. Så hvor nøyaktig disse karakteriseringene treffer på han, eller deler av livet hans, det kan jeg ikke si noe særlig om.

Det jeg kan si noe om, er at jeg likte filmen veldig godt. Det må være noe med følelsen. Musikken, satt sammen med den rolige måten å legge fram historien på. Her har vi tid, og derfor bruker vi tid. Det er også en fryd å se de ulike skuespillerne leke seg i rollen som den samme personen, men på såpass vidt forskjellige måter. Selv syns jeg kanskje Cate Blanchett sin tolkning ble litt for mye etter en stund, at det begynte å bli litt småirriterende. Men Gere, Bale og unge Franklin imponerte meg stort. Eller, Bale er jeg blitt vant med skal være utrolig flink, så han innfridde kanskje mer enn han  imponerte.

Stilen på de forskjellige delene er jo åpenbart forskjellige, og det liker jeg. At det veksles mellom farger og svart-hvitt osv. Fotografen har gjort en usedvanlig fin jobb, en av årets beste når det gjelder fine bilder, spesielt på delen der Gere spiller Dylan. Den delen var også favorittdelen min av de seks, med åpningsdelen på en god andreplass.

Nei, dette er rett og slett en fin opplevelse, en film inspirert av Dylans mange liv, som den reklamerer for seg selv med. Hvordan Dylan-fans liker den, er jeg litt usikker på, men av de som så den med meg, så virket det som om de syns det var ganske bra. Jeg fikk hvertfall en god stemning i kroppen etter å ha sett denne, og to drøye timer fløy fort forbi. Forresten den eneste filmen jeg har sett på såkalt “luksuskino” i Stavanger, med gratis kaffe og twist, og gode lenestoler. Jeg gikk ut og tenkte: “Dette var vel verdt 140 kr.”

Filmen ble nominert til en Oscar, Beste kvinnelige birolle (Blanchett). Det har jeg ingen problemer med, hun spilte eksemplarisk. Det jeg slet med var at selve karakteren hennes begynte å gå meg litt på nervene.

Dom:

DHF: 9/10

IMDb: 7.2/10 (14 840 stemmer)

VG: Terningkast 4 (Men det virker som om den eneste kritikken her er at det ikke er en standard biografifilm? What?)

Dagbladet: Terningkast 4

Fun Fact: Nå har det vært to filmer på rad med titler som begynner med “I’m”. Litt forskjell, ja, men samme betydning. Artig, og sant. Ergo, fun fact. Legg gjerne igjen en kommentar!

…no, really I’m not…(sorry, could not resist).

IMDB: I’m Not There

“Six incarnations of Bob Dylan: an actor, a folk singer, an electrified troubadour, Rimbaud, Billy the Kid, and Woody Guthrie. Put Dylan’s music behind their adventures, soliloquies, interviews, marriage, and infidelity.”

Ok.  I opened my little portable DVD player, inserted the disc, hit menu, selected play and off I went into all that is Bob Dylan.

I have the knowledge of his being a voice to a cultural revolution in which social justice was demanded – and, well, other than that I have no realization of “all that is Dylan”.  By not knowing his life and times I was unable to parallel him to the movie.  Did that stop me from thoroughly enjoying the movie?  No.  I loved the music, the cinematography and the creative use of actors in this Todd Haynes work.

In researching what other things Todd Haynes has worked on that I may be familiar with, I have come across the title “Dottie Gets Spanked“.  The lack of a synopsis had me checking Netflix to see if they had it and I could add it to my queue – it was, I did.

Moving on.

I truly loved the actors.  That Cate Blanchett was able to play the part of a man (and played the part well) makes me happy.  It does not surprise me though, given her range as an actor, that she was able to accomplish this feat.  Seeing Ledger was a bit eerie.  He played the brooding artist very well.  Bale was genius.  Although I appreciate Richard Gere, in this movie I was unable to connect to his character.  I love me some Kristofferson.  His voice is effectual.  It was fitting for the narration of this piece.

Now let me mention Marcus Carl Franklin.  That this young black man will one day be able to tell his grandkids that he played one of the souls of Dylan….that is impressive.    If this movie is a prologue to his acting career, I will definitely be watching for more of his work.  He was strong and pulled off a kid portraying an adult with what seemed to be ease.  I am interested in seeing how well he worked with the director and how hard he had to work to get the part down.  Kudos Mr. Franklin to a job well done.

In the end…I enjoyed.  I will definitely have to read up on Dylan, listen to more of his music and then go back and watch again.  I am interested to see if I would have enjoyed the movie just as much by knowing “all that is Dylan”.

Watch it, let me know what you think.

Well I woke up Sunday morning,
With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad,
So I had one more for dessert.
Then I fumbled through my closet for my clothes,
And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
An’ I shaved my face and combed my hair,
An’ stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.

I’d smoked my brain the night before,
On cigarettes and songs I’d been pickin’.
But I lit my first and watched a small kid,
Cussin’ at a can that he was kicking.
Then I crossed the empty street,
‘n caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin’ chicken.
And it took me back to somethin’,
That I’d lost somehow, somewhere along the way.

On the Sunday morning sidewalk,
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned.
‘Cos there’s something in a Sunday,
Makes a body feel alone.
And there’s nothin’ short of dyin’,
Half as lonesome as the sound,
On the sleepin’ city sidewalks:
Sunday mornin’ comin’ down.

In the park I saw a daddy,
With a laughin’ little girl who he was swingin’.
And I stopped beside a Sunday school,
And listened to the song they were singin’.
Then I headed back for home,
And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringin’.
And it echoed through the canyons,
Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday.

Real estate magnate Throck Morton made an expensive spill during this week’s VIP art exhibit at the Dallas Art Museum. The show was a showcase for hip new American artist John Stafira. His painting titled “Lovers Embrace” was not up for sale and was only on display before moving on to a showcase in the French Louvre in Paris.

(Artist John Stafira, Heiress Gina Luksusowa, & rocker Raydon)

Throck Morton stated, “I was leaning over talking to Carrie Underwood about this diamond I’d hooked her up with at Jones & Son when one of the losers from last year’s show The Bachelor bumped my arm. Now I own a painting.”

(Carrie Underwood)

The painting is appraised at close to $12 million dollars according to a spokesman at Sotheby’s. Throck wrote a check on the spot to the renowned artist John Stafira for the full amount. “I kind of had to buy it. I didn’t want the French thinking all our paintings smelled like booze. This is a big art piece for me. I’m not big into art. My last painting was a $9 oil painting of two squirrels sword fighting…it looks good in my office though. I only came to this function because Carrie Underwood said her hot belly dancer friend was going to be there…and the dancer didn’t even show!” Throck Morton’s new 200 story office building in Dubai unveils next week.

The Dallas Art Museum and the Lourve could not be reached for comment.

All media and publicty care of zMarketing

Reports have leaked out of France about Throck Morton’s arrest late Tuesday night outside a Marseille’s disco. The rumored incident unfolded as the eccentric billionaire rode a bull into the club. Security was unable to stop the tycoon or his steed. Before local police could arrive the bull did damage to the bar and several tables. Mr. Morton did buy two bottles of Cristal champagne which he offered to anyone who was fearless enough to get close enough for him to pour.

When contacted Throck told us, “This is all rumors. It is totally false. I was not at a party with Emmanuelle Chriqui when a farmer came along driving a herd past the condo. I did not offer the farmer money for the bull. I did not buy two bottles of Cristal and ride around serving them to the disco crowd. If I did buy anything it would have been four bottles of Dom Perignon…and did the bartender mention the tip he got? But as I said it didn’t happen. Now I need to go shower because I smell like cow and Emmanuelle owes me some Euros.”

French authorities could not be reached for comment.

All press and publicity via zMarketing

All information is copyrighted and protected under United States Law.

Veldig mange folk, kanskje spesielt ungdom på min alder, svarer som oftest at de hører på de fleste musikksjangre, “men ikke country da”, legger de hurtig til. For country er jo harry og for gamle folk, mener de. Jeg tror faktisk denne tankegangen har mye med uvitenhet å gjøre.

Det er jo faktisk variasjoner i country også som i alle andre sjangre. Mye hiphop f.eks er jo mildt sagt dritt. Men det finnes noe som er veldig bra. Det samme gjelder metal (som det forresten er svæært mange undersjangre innen for de alt for mange blant de eldre som ikke er klar over det), og andre musikksjangre. Jeg tror det er bare èn sjanger jeg ikke takler (av ganske åpenbare grunner for de som kjenner meg) og det er black metal. Stygt er det også.

Tilbake til countryen. Her har jeg plukket ut det jeg anser som 10 gode musikkvideoer fra sjangeren. Er det ingen av disse dere liker, så kan jeg heller være tilbøyelig til å tro på at dere ikke liker country-musikk ^^

NB: La det være sagt at vi MÅ til USA(!) for å finne god country. Norsk country? DET kan jeg være enig i er harry. Sånt rører jeg ikke med en ildtang. (vel vitende om at jeg snakker av begrenset erfaring så jeg kan like godt ha et forenklet syn på norsk country. Men face it: Rune Rudberg, Jenny Jensen osv. Nei takk)

Taylor Swift – Our Song

Toby Keith – I Love This Bar

Tim McGraw – Shes My Kind Of Rain

Shania Twain and Willie Nelson – Forever And For Always

Dolly Parton – Jolene

Carrie Underwood – So Small

Dixie Chicks – Landslide

Johnny Cash – Ring Of Fire

Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson – Higwayman

Brooks & Dunn – I Believe

Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge: Help Me Make It Through the Night

Photo of the Day: My Sleeping Parisian Beauty

done

Kris Kristofferson & Rita Coolidge: Help Me Make It Through the Night

Technorati: Photo of the Day, Photograph of the Day, Sleeping Parisian Beauty, Sleeping Beauty, Paris, France, sexy, stud, sexy stud, hunk, sexy hunk, beefcake, sexy beefcake, naked stud, naked hunk, nude, art, gay, gay life, gay pride, GLBT, photo, photograph, photography, culture, cultural, social, social life, society, world
Please Be Social:

Yup, iSaid it….and its true. Here it is Halloween weekend in 2007 and the best dressed costume of the year came from Cupertino. Leopard (OS X) is nothing special. At. All. iBlogged some digg crap calling it a “tipping point” dang, i’ve seen Malcolm Gladwell speak live, even met the man and i am willing to bet he IS NOT considering this marginal OS upgrade a “tipping point.” Or even gives a crap at all. iF Anything it gives MSFT time to kick the sh*t out of Apple again. Sure they got the momentum, SJ (Steve Jobs) will retire within this time frame. He came, he saw, he kicked f”ning ass. But Bill Gates did well too, they both did, and after Leopard, iPhone, iPod and the 45 nm paradigm shift has occured… iPredict Steve will retire. He should in my opinion, obviously he can do whatever he wants forever, he started Apple, he revived it, he made the keypad on my MBP glow, i owe him a foot massage and as awkward as that would be, more awkward still would for Steve to keep, “innovating.” Zaxxon high score reached. Time up. Not “game over…” Anything goes in bidness, but really, for this round, “time up.” Aside from a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, endorsed motor oil, or personal Hallmark division i don’t know what else the man can do, b/c he HAS DONE EVERYTHING.

• developed the skill
• used it.
• made it a reality
• nurtured it.
• hit the top
• the bottom
• came back
• did IT AGAIN.
• A Billionaire x 5+… his first AND last names are part of the American lexicon if not more.. there might be richer people, but there is truly only one Steve Jobs, a Demanding personality who has changed with the economy, not for the better or worse, but for survival, and that spirit has created idolzization through-out the computing community, film community, and beyond (fashion,style, AKA grace)

F’ it. He is a dman good man, os x has worked well, unless it accelerates like Moore’s law, he should hang up his cleets, even Sweetness would smile at such a Godman American icon like his Sweet-ass self. When you know you are that good, its time to skip the Pro-bowl. Steve, Sweetness, all y’all involved, thank-you, Leopard IS better, but it’s just an OS, and even though it is that, it is ALOT better than ANYTHING ELSE EVER, so congratulations, but still all-in-all we are all the same as the day before no matter how big our dreams for tomorrow and i’ll go to sleep thinking of this George Romero classic, or how to re-mix that Open Source, Vincent Price Video, but iWon‘t even think about Leopard whilst falling asleep, i came, i saw, i know Cupertino kicked ass. The Rocky’s of their time, like Steve and Bill, something the Google and Yahoo founders will never get, something that happend before they exisited,t heywill never truly taste the future. Or Zuckerberg, or Tom, or all 37 signals combined. Good luck, and good night Nolte & co. Good luck & good night, yon.