So my brother showed this to me and right when it started i said “who is this toolbag” haha. Give it a shot, the video is beautifully shot, the lyrics are spot on and the story and message is relevant. The video is also relevant because Nate and I both love and appreciate rap, we both love the urban style, and both appreciate the art of filmmaking. The video is, in my opinion…perfect, cheesy, but affective.
Enjoy
Havnt posted anything in what seems to be forever, but once i saw this video i had to share it. Basically, Darren Aronofsky is the man, and when i met him i told him, stuttering, turning red, i gave him my book REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, opened it to the page which had his foreword and asked him to sign as i said “Darren…just wanted to say…You are the man” which he replied “haha thanks man” and signed “No you are the man, D. Aronofsky”
Genius
“What, indeed, is a New Yorker? Is he Jewish or Irish? Is he English or German? Is he Russian or Polish? He may be something of all these, and yet he is wholly none of them. Something has been added to him which he had not had before. He is endowed with a briskness and an invention often alien to his blood. He is quicker in his movement, less trammeled in his judgment. . . The change he undergoes is unmistakable. New York, indeed, resembles a magic cauldron. Those who are cast into it are born again” - Charles Whibley
I recently came across a project called Humans of New York. It “began as one man’s effort to construct a photographic census of the city of New York.” Brandon Stanton, the photographer behind this continually growing, epic work of art, is capturing the heart and soul of a city that I hold very dear to me. When I first looked through all the pictures (yes, all of them), I was overcome with nostalgia and couldn’t help but feel homesick. Links for the full project are at the bottom. Enjoy
If you haven’t seen Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, I’ll have you know that the concert was actually held right next door to the Broken Angel house (seen in the background) where this guy lives with his wife. They’re some interesting people to say the least
“At the end of a street in Brooklyn, I discovered a castle.
By the door there was a rope, with a sign that said “Pull.” So I did.
This man came out, and explained his mathematical theory of the universe.”
“Do you mind if I take your photo?”
“What?”
“Do you mind if I take your photo?”
“What?”
”Now for the million dollar question.”
“What’s that?”
“Did you break the foot while riding the unicycle?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“OH MAN, I thought I was going to have a great caption.”
“Well, there is good news.”
“What’s that?”
“I broke it playing Quidditch.”
The Tumblr (The Good Stuff)
“New York still has so much pizzazz, because people make it new every day. Like all cities, it’s self-organizing. People looking for a date on Third Avenue make it into a place full of hope and expectation, and this has nothing to do with architecture. Those are the emotions that draw us to cities, and they depend on things being a bit messy. The most perfectly designed place can’t compete.” - Jane Jacobs
This letter has been blowing up online. Not positive about whether or not its true, but I’m guessing over the next couple of days it’ll be actual news if it is. Until then, take a gander
“Hello,
After more than 20 years, I’ve finally decided to tell the world what I witnessed in 1991, which I believe was one of the biggest turning point in popular music, and ultimately American society. I have struggled for a long time weighing the pros and cons of making this story public as I was reluctant to implicate the individuals who were present that day. So I’ve simply decided to leave out names and all the details that may risk my personal well being and that of those who were, like me, dragged into something they weren’t ready for.
Between the late 80′s and early 90’s, I was what you may call a “decision maker” with one of the more established company in the music industry. I came from Europe in the early 80’s and quickly established myself in the business. The industry was different back then. Since technology and media weren’t accessible to people like they are today, the industry had more control over the public and had the means to influence them anyway it wanted. This may explain why in early 1991, I was invited to attend a closed door meeting with a small group of music business insiders to discuss rap music’s new direction. Little did I know that we would be asked to participate in one of the most unethical and destructive business practice I’ve ever seen.
The meeting was held at a private residence on the outskirts of Los Angeles. I remember about 25 to 30 people being there, most of them familiar faces. Speaking to those I knew, we joked about the theme of the meeting as many of us did not care for rap music and failed to see the purpose of being invited to a private gathering to discuss its future. Among the attendees was a small group of unfamiliar faces who stayed to themselves and made no attempt to socialize beyond their circle. Based on their behavior and formal appearances, they didn’t seem to be in our industry. Our casual chatter was interrupted when we were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement preventing us from publicly discussing the information presented during the meeting. Needless to say, this intrigued and in some cases disturbed many of us. The agreement was only a page long but very clear on the matter and consequences which stated that violating the terms would result in job termination. We asked several people what this meeting was about and the reason for such secrecy but couldn’t find anyone who had answers for us. A few people refused to sign and walked out. No one stopped them. I was tempted to follow but curiosity got the best of me. A man who was part of the “unfamiliar” group collected the agreements from us.
Quickly after the meeting began, one of my industry colleagues (who shall remain nameless like everyone else) thanked us for attending. He then gave the floor to a man who only introduced himself by first name and gave no further details about his personal background. I think he was the owner of the residence but it was never confirmed. He briefly praised all of us for the success we had achieved in our industry and congratulated us for being selected as part of this small group of “decision makers”. At this point I begin to feel slightly uncomfortable at the strangeness of this gathering. The subject quickly changed as the speaker went on to tell us that the respective companies we represented had invested in a very profitable industry which could become even more rewarding with our active involvement. He explained that the companies we work for had invested millions into the building of privately owned prisons and that our positions of influence in the music industry would actually impact the profitability of these investments. I remember many of us in the group immediately looking at each other in confusion. At the time, I didn’t know what a private prison was but I wasn’t the only one. Sure enough, someone asked what these prisons were and what any of this had to do with us. We were told that these prisons were built by privately owned companies who received funding from the government based on the number of inmates. The more inmates, the more money the government would pay these prisons. It was also made clear to us that since these prisons are privately owned, as they become publicly traded, we’d be able to buy shares. Most of us were taken back by this. Again, a couple of people asked what this had to do with us. At this point, my industry colleague who had first opened the meeting took the floor again and answered our questions. He told us that since our employers had become silent investors in this prison business, it was now in their interest to make sure that these prisons remained filled. Our job would be to help make this happen by marketing music which promotes criminal behavior, rap being the music of choice. He assured us that this would be a great situation for us because rap music was becoming an increasingly profitable market for our companies, and as employee, we’d also be able to buy personal stocks in these prisons. Immediately, silence came over the room. You could have heard a pin drop. I remember looking around to make sure I wasn’t dreaming and saw half of the people with dropped jaws. My daze was interrupted when someone shouted, “Is this a f****** joke?” At this point things became chaotic. Two of the men who were part of the “unfamiliar” group grabbed the man who shouted out and attempted to remove him from the house. A few of us, myself included, tried to intervene. One of them pulled out a gun and we all backed off. They separated us from the crowd and all four of us were escorted outside. My industry colleague who had opened the meeting earlier hurried out to meet us and reminded us that we had signed agreement and would suffer the consequences of speaking about this publicly or even with those who attended the meeting. I asked him why he was involved with something this corrupt and he replied that it was bigger than the music business and nothing we’d want to challenge without risking consequences. We all protested and as he walked back into the house I remember word for word the last thing he said, “It’s out of my hands now. Remember you signed an agreement.” He then closed the door behind him. The men rushed us to our cars and actually watched until we drove off.
A million things were going through my mind as I drove away and I eventually decided to pull over and park on a side street in order to collect my thoughts. I replayed everything in my mind repeatedly and it all seemed very surreal to me. I was angry with myself for not having taken a more active role in questioning what had been presented to us. I’d like to believe the shock of it all is what suspended my better nature. After what seemed like an eternity, I was able to calm myself enough to make it home. I didn’t talk or call anyone that night. The next day back at the office, I was visibly out of it but blamed it on being under the weather. No one else in my department had been invited to the meeting and I felt a sense of guilt for not being able to share what I had witnessed. I thought about contacting the 3 others who wear kicked out of the house but I didn’t remember their names and thought that tracking them down would probably bring unwanted attention. I considered speaking out publicly at the risk of losing my job but I realized I’d probably be jeopardizing more than my job and I wasn’t willing to risk anything happening to my family. I thought about those men with guns and wondered who they were? I had been told that this was bigger than the music business and all I could do was let my imagination run free. There were no answers and no one to talk to. I tried to do a little bit of research on private prisons but didn’t uncover anything about the music business’ involvement. However, the information I did find confirmed how dangerous this prison business really was. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Eventually, it was as if the meeting had never taken place. It all seemed surreal. I became more reclusive and stopped going to any industry events unless professionally obligated to do so. On two occasions, I found myself attending the same function as my former colleague. Both times, our eyes met but nothing more was exchanged.
As the months passed, rap music had definitely changed direction. I was never a fan of it but even I could tell the difference. Rap acts that talked about politics or harmless fun were quickly fading away as gangster rap started dominating the airwaves. Only a few months had passed since the meeting but I suspect that the ideas presented that day had been successfully implemented. It was as if the order has been given to all major label executives. The music was climbing the charts and most companies when more than happy to capitalize on it. Each one was churning out their very own gangster rap acts on an assembly line. Everyone bought into it, consumers included. Violence and drug use became a central theme in most rap music. I spoke to a few of my peers in the industry to get their opinions on the new trend but was told repeatedly that it was all about supply and demand. Sadly many of them even expressed that the music reinforced their prejudice of minorities.
I officially quit the music business in 1993 but my heart had already left months before. I broke ties with the majority of my peers and removed myself from this thing I had once loved. I took some time off, returned to Europe for a few years, settled out of state, and lived a “quiet” life away from the world of entertainment. As the years passed, I managed to keep my secret, fearful of sharing it with the wrong person but also a little ashamed of not having had the balls to blow the whistle. But as rap got worse, my guilt grew. Fortunately, in the late 90’s, having the internet as a resource which wasn’t at my disposal in the early days made it easier for me to investigate what is now labeled the prison industrial complex. Now that I have a greater understanding of how private prisons operate, things make much more sense than they ever have. I see how the criminalization of rap music played a big part in promoting racial stereotypes and misguided so many impressionable young minds into adopting these glorified criminal behaviors which often lead to incarceration. Twenty years of guilt is a heavy load to carry but the least I can do now is to share my story, hoping that fans of rap music realize how they’ve been used for the past 2 decades. Although I plan on remaining anonymous for obvious reasons, my goal now is to get this information out to as many people as possible. Please help me spread the word. Hopefully, others who attended the meeting back in 1991 will be inspired by this and tell their own stories. Most importantly, if only one life has been touched by my story, I pray it makes the weight of my guilt a little more tolerable.
Thank you.”
Source: hiphopisread.com beforeitsnews.com
A few shorts that I’ve also rediscovered (turns out I’ve forgotten about a lot of movies that I’ve seen).
Validation
Fifty People, One Question - This one is pretty deep, and combined with the music it makes for a great 8 minutes that makes you stop and think
Oh, The Places You’ll Go at Burning Man! - I had heard about Burning Man from an old manager of mine who had gone down for the 25th anniversary last summer. Coincidently, right after that Sean and I were bored on youtube (not cruising on netflix, for once) and he showed me this video that was made by two guys he went to school with. It’s amazing to see what these guys are doing with film. In their mid-twenties, they’re up and comers, if you will, so of course I’ll be checking up on them and feeding any of their ingenuities right here for your viewing pleasure
As you know, I love films that come in all shapes and sizes. So when I came across a short called “Forevers Not So Long” back in the beginning of last year when I had a serious addiction (should’ve gotten a shrink for it) to stumbleupon, I was ecstatic. After the 12 minutes it took to watch, I immediately had an excuse to continue my “addiction” (its not bad when its for a good cause…right?). Its the best film short I’ve ever seen, and if you know of a better one, please send it my way because I’d love to take a gander. I’m not sure why I just remembered this now, but I know you’ll take a liking to this one.
After I showed it to Louis he put me on another short called “I’m Here”. It took some getting used to only because its a love story portrayed in a way that I’ve never really seen before. By the time it was done, I too was in love (stories like these get me all choked up inside). They wont let me share it, so check the link below. Enjoy
- EL RCNTR
“Discovery can be such a beautiful thing. Maybe even more beautiful, is finding something you forgot about, then recapturing the feeling you had when you discovered it in the first place”
I’m here from Mitch and Murray. And I’m here on a mission of mercy!
Now that we got the pleasantries out of the way, I’ve been called upon to be a guest writer on this marvelous and mind-altering blog to talk to all you fine people about some good old fashioned cult TV. We’re gonna talk about some shows that didn’t receive the claim it should have, or, in my opinion, receive more than it already has.
Think of this as an elaborate recommendation/nostalgia list for you to see what you’ve been missing out on all these year amongst the evils of the Jersey Shore and the Kardashions (I refuse to look up how to properly spell their name), and all those other reality show entities that are simply weapons brought upon us by the almighty Cthulhu.
Sherlock (BBC)
I was torn between putting Sherlock or Luther as my first recommendation, but since Luther tends to drag itself down by Series 2, I figured I’d pick Sherlock. The shows is able to take a character that has been redone so many times over and over again (including the newest Robert Downey Jr adaptations) that the concept of this show would instantly turn you off to the idea.
But the writers and actors of Sherlock are able to take a modernization (set it in present times) of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s material and make it something so much more fresh, new, and exciting. The end result is a product that easily trumps the newer Guy Ritchie adaptations. While the Downey films are much more action packed, making the mental components take a back seat, Sherlock puts the mental complexities of the character at the fore-front while giving him new quirks and attitudes based on the technology now given to such a character.
The duo of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman is a showstopper to put it in the corniest terms. They both perfectly embody the parts, and have wonderful chemistry together. I always love a good bromance, and Sherlock and Watson is one the oldest bromances in history, which this show loves to flaunt.
While Series 1 ends on an awesome cliffhanger, I have yet to watch Series 2, but have heard nothing but good things (wish i could say the same about Luther). But, the three 90 minutes episodes on Series 1 hooked me in completely and I’m sure they can hook you in as well.
If you’re looking for something much more intelligent and better styled than the action packed romp that is Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, give Sherlock a try. Series 1 is on instant view, so it shouldn’t be too hard to locate and watch.
Dinosaurs
I am NOT talking about the awful CGI film made in 2002. This is simply one of the best sitcoms I’ve ever seen. When I was growing up in the ’90s, this was one of my favorite all time shows. Even when I got a little older, I never grew tired of popping in the VHS tapes I had of Dinosaurs. Sadly, I only owned a couple of episodes, and could never scrounge up more VHSs.
Luckily in around 2005, Disney finally released the entire series on DVD. Being older now and watching Dinosaurs I was SHOCKED. The show is so adult. It finds the perfect “Jim Henson” tone of balancing out adult humor with children humor.
Every episode of Dinosaurs is delivering some sort of message. The message is buried under innuendoes and metaphors within the universe of Dinosaurs. For example: The young daughter of the Sinclair family gets extremely embarrassed when her tail finally starts growing in. The guys at her school begin to notice her more, and her dad & brother get nervous. This is an obvious metaphor for girls going through puberty, but it is so perfectly buried into the universe setting that younger kids wouldn’t be able to tell.
The tackle a lot more touchy issues such as racism, sexism, the abuse of TV, and even the mistreatment of senior citizens. The shows deeper meanings are only further supported by the hilarious comedy that comes with the hijinxs of the Sinclair Family. Earl Sinclair has hands down been one of my favorite TV characters of all time. His crowning moment comes in one of my favorite episodes “And the winner is” in which he become a pawn for his boss when he tries to run for Chief Elder (political satire much).
(start at 5:22)
As you can see the show is extremely easy to find on youtube. The DVDs are also very cheap to purchase on amazon. If you’re into amazing puppetry work, Jim Henson style humor, and some of the best voice overs ever (the mom is Lucille from Arrested Development for starters!) this is the show for you!
Spaced
I was sitting on a big fat pile of money during the hay day of my summer job, so I decided I blow some of it on amazon. On the top of my recommendations list was a show unknown to me called Spaced. It had recommendations from guys like Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, and Bill Hader (all my idols). It also had a high review rate, so without hesitating I purchased it. I was NOT dissapointed.
Spaced is a TV series from the guys that did Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz (and also the director of Scott Pilgrim VS The World); and let me tell you, it shows! This series is for all of those super-nerd out there. They fit a very simple plot into a world filled with pop culture. Comic artist Tim and wanna-be writer Daisy pretend to be a couple in order to live in a “couples-only” flat. In doing so, they need to constantly be pretending that they are together in front of the other house mates.
Now this seems extremely easy going and traditional, but when Edgar Wright whips out his big guns of fast editing, bazillion pop culture references, and awesome actors, you see why this is such a hidden gem of fandom and awesomness. They talk about everything from Star Wars to Pulp Fiction. The homages/tributes are so endless, there’s a pop up on the DVD that can inform you when something is being homaged. But, it’s not just about the homages, the show is also able to create its own niche which make these pop culture tributes all the more enjoyable.
More importantly you grow to really love all of the characters. They are just zany and crazy and filled with hilarity that you never want to stop watching the show. The beauty of it is, the entire series is neatly wrapped into two season/series and feels like just enough to cease you from ever getting bored or tired from watching the same old thing. If you’re a super sci-fi/comic/horor/brit nerd this is without a doubt the show for you.
The Wire
What can one say about The Wire? It could potentially be the best TV drama of all time. I have it neck and neck in my book with Breaking Bad. But no matter what you say about it, The Wire is THE most realistic show in TV history.
The story is a sprawling epic about Baltimore police trying to take down the ever growing drug trafficking business in Maryland. Every season, their investigations shift main cases (Season 1 is one main drug dealer, but then get down to Season 4 and it becomes more about the school systems). The beauty of the show comes from its ability to be constantly creating unforgettable characters and scenarios that just always have you aching for more.
No one on the show looks like make-up’d super models or one of the crap actors from CSI. These all look like REAL human beings. A lot of the “drug” related characters in the show were casted straight from streets in Baltimore. Things like this just make the show better. Nearly every cold opening for episodes just rocket you into the drama and intensity that the world of the Wire is more than ready to deliver.
People’s main problems with is that there is too much material in the show for the brain to handle. But, I’ve only felt that way when I wasn’t completely paying attention. You go into The Wire with a deep concentration, you will guaranteed be in for a treat.
I don’t wish to start naming all of the characters because the list will double the length of this blog, but you will see a lot of familiar faces and super-underrated actors such as Amy Ryan and the brilliant Idris Elba pop up throughout the duration of the show.
Take it from me The Wire is the #1 show you want to add to your netflix as soon as possible.
Well this was fun, I hope you all enjoyed it, and felt decently informed on new shows to get into. If you didn’t…well…I just can’t help you anymore. I’m out of time.
A while back when Sibi and I were talking, he mentioned that I should do something on Freaks and Geeks. He introduced me to the show during one of our typical late nights in his basement and I immediately fell in love. After much deliberation (and even more re-watched episodes) it was clear to me that a cult list must be made; with some tweaks of course, since most cult tv show/movie lists are (for the most part) the same give or take a few minor differences. This list, and the ones to come, will be a combination of my favorite cult movies, tv shows and music, with some not-as-cult-like lesser known/appreciated favorites peppered in. Also, I’ve consciously decided to heed Sean’s advice and do the Top 5 bit for every list (in NPO, unless otherwise noted). Maybe one day he’ll actually read one of them…
5) This Is Spinal Tap - In this rock music mockumentary we follow Spinal Tap, a British rock band, as they embark on a US tour. Although it was meant to satirize the culture of hairbands throughout the 70′s and 80′s by being completely over the top and ridiculous, it’s portrayal of that era wasn’t far off. In an interview with a member of an actual hairband (I’m almost positive it was in “The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years”, but don’t quote me on that), the interviewee said that when he saw “This Is Spinal Tap” he almost cried after realizing that this was exactly what the rock scene had turned into. On a more comedic note, if you are interested in being a rock drummer, I wouldn’t audition with Spinal Tap. All of their drummers have died, most under odd circumstances (Two from spontaneous combustion, and one from a freak gardening accident, among others). Authorities said the deaths were better left unsolved. This movie should be, if it isn’t already, the poster child of what a mockumentary should be like. Watch, laugh, then thank me later. ”Oh, there actually is, uh… there was a Saint Hubbins?” “That’s right, yes.” “What was he the saint of?” “He was the patron saint of quality footwear.”
4) The Iron Giant - One of the last great hand-drawn animations. Unfortunately it didn’t do well in the theaters, which directly led to the downsizing of Warner Brothers Animation staff. One of the best animated movies you’ve probably never seen, The Iron Giant will steal your heart as it tells the story of a young boy who evades the government while trying to keep his discovery, an iron giant, a secret. Easily one of my favorite animated movies of all time, and without question my #1 non-musical. P.S. Really cool article I read about this movie last week. CAUTION: there are spoilers. Check It ”You stay. I go. No Following”
3) Out Cold - Very loosely based on Casablanca, Out Cold has been called the “best worst movie ever”, and I couldn’t agree more. The story is mediocre at best, but it’s so unbelievably funny that its impossible not to love. The actors, a couple of whom are actually professional snowboarders, are horrible, but having the hilarious Zach Galifianakis there brings everything together. Being that Out Cold was one of the first movies he ever did, the character he plays in every movie (which has since devolved considerably) that we’ve all learned to love, and and now gotten sick of from over-repetition, is raw and untouched, making it that much better. This is one that gets better and better the more times you watch it, so go ahead and check it…then after you’ve seen it a couple times drive your friends crazy with all of the epic one-liners. “No regrets, that’s my motto. That and everybody Wang Chung tonight.” Enjoy
2) Airplane! - Almost everyone on the airplane gets sick and the only person fit to fly is an ex-fighter pilot who is afraid to fly. With Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun) starring as the doctor on board, subtle hilarities, and war stories always followed by the listener’s suicide, this movie is easily in the top 2 of my favorite comedies of all time. “What kind of plane is it?” “Oh, it’s a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol.”
1) The Big Lebowski - Lets be honest, you probably should’ve seen this coming. Done by the Coen brothers (True Grit, O’ Brother Where Art Thou and No Country For Old Men, among others) starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi an appearance from Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who I love), this movie is a classic. The Dude’s life, in his eyes, is perfect; “I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.” However, this turns upside down he gets confused with another man named Lebowski and has his perfect world shattered. “That rug really tied the room together.” It’s on netflix. Open a new tab, and Enjoy
Honorable Mentions:
Clerks – “I’m not even supposed to be here today!” Two convenience store (or bodega, if you will) workers in New Jersey go about one day at work dealing with ridiculous customers along with (making their cinematic debut) Jay and Silent Bob (played by Kevin Smith who was the director, co-producer and writer). Of all the movies about nothing, this is the one to see. I only wish I could have a job where there was enough downtime to talk about utterly meaningless topics. ”My friend here’s trying to convince me that any independent contractors who were working on the uncompleted Death Star were innocent victims when it was destroyed by the Rebels.”
The Warriors - I’ve already talked about how good the music is for this movie, so let the shock of me mentioning it again pass over quickly. The Warriors isn’t great, but what makes the cult-fanatics (guilty as charged) so crazy about it is that its original, exciting and (at least for me in the case of this movie) makes you think about what you would do if you were in it. Could I get from The Bronx to Coney Island in one night? Of course. Could I do it with every gang in the city chasing me? Hell no. I’m a little bias with The Warriors because I am from New York and whenever I see movies set in places I’ve been, I get excited watching them. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed. “Warriors, come out to play-i-ay.”
Donnie Darko - The movie only that will make you scared of bunnies (besides maybe Monty Python and the Holy Grail). Not much else to say other than go hit this up. ”My mom had to get a restraining order against my stepdad. He has emotional problems.” “Oh, I have those too! What kind of emotional problems does your dad have?” “He stabbed my mom four times in the chest.” “Oh.”
Can be viewed on Netflix online: Donnie Darko, Clerks, The Big Lebowski & Airplane
I figured it would be absurd to go a month without writing something, so here is a nice segue back into the normal routine.
Ultra Music Festival has been going on all weekend long in Miami, and they’re streaming it live on their Youtube channel. Being that tonight is the last night, the biggest names are throwing down. HARD. Currently playing is Armin Van Buuren who was voted #1 DJ in the world four years in a row between 2007 and 2010. Fedde Le Grand just finished his set and it was one of the best sets I’ve ever heard. If you like Electric Dance Music (EDM), hit this up tonight. It won’t disappoint.
http://www.youtube.com/user/UMFTV
Top 5 Soundtracks! (read just like Abed’s line)
This one was a tricky one to pin down. Do I include original soundtracks? Half original and half borrowed? Juke box musicals? Disney movies? Well as I’m writing this I still don’t know how its going to turn out (chances are I’ll include everything then have a huge honorable mention list)
5) O’ Brother Where Art Thou? - The movie has taken a while to grow on me, but the music is just so good I was down with it from day 1. This soundtrack is the perfect fit, however unlike the other ones on this list, there aren’t any songs on it that are huge hits (although the album did win Album of the Year at the Grammys) except for “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” (see below).
“I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” Soggy Bottom Boys & Dan Tyminski - My buddies Darren, Mike and Rachel played this freshman year for a class assignment. It sounded so good with Darren ripping it up on the slide guitar.
“Down To The River To Pray” Alison Krauss
4) Almost Famous - Great movie, great soundtrack. It brought together all of the best music from a genre that was dying and made it flow perfectly with the scenes in the movie. I could say that about most of these movies, since that is what a soundtrack should do, so from now on lets just come to that understanding so I don’t have to sound redundant. “You’re coming along in a very dangerous time for rock and roll. The war is over and they won”
“The Wind” Cat Stevens
“Feel Flows” The Beach Boys - The awesome sound from this song comes from Carl Wilson’s voice being recorded with reverse echo (a recording trick used to place the echo before the actual sound which makes it sound like the tape is being played backwards). Jimmy Page says he invented the trick (he used it on “You Shook Me” and “Whole Lotta Love” with Zeppelin as well as “Ten Little Indians” with the Yarbirds).
“America” Simon And Garfunkel
“Sparks” The Who - ”Listen to Tommy with a candle burning, and you’ll see your entire future.”
3) Blow - This might be one of the finest collections of music I’ve ever experienced, but because I don’t like this movie as much as I do the next two, it’s coming in third. I would feel bad about doing this because this list should just be about the soundtracks, but at this point we’re just splitting hairs so I’m oddly ok with it. Sorry if that was too much of a run-on.
“Black Betty” Ram Jam
“Blinded By The Light” Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - But Mama, thats where the fun is! I LOVE this song
“Keep It Comin’ Love” KC & The Sunshine Band
2)) The Warriors - I wish more people knew about this movie. One of the best movies of the 70′s that no one knows about. The music in this movie is half original scoring and half soundtrack, but since it does take songs that were already recorded I’m including it. We can fight later if you want
“Nowhere To Run” Arnold McCuller
“Last Of An Ancient Breed” Desmond Child
“In The City” Joe Walsh
1) The Wackness - Set in New York City in the summer of 1994, this is one of the best coming of age movies you’ll see (in my personal opinion it’s up there with Stand By Me, but keep in mind I’m a little bias). This soundtrack fits this movie so perfectly. Firstly, it embodies what is going on in the movie. “Can I Kick It” plays when Dr. Kingsley is trying to quit drugs, and at the beach house towards the end of the movie they play Neil Diamond and Mott The Hopple to set a nostalgic mood when both Kingsley and Shapiro are completely lost (figuratively speaking) and are trying to find out how they can be happy. Secondly, the music fits New York City so well. I’ve been listening to this soundtrack for the last couple of weeks and whenever I do, I get in a mood that I only get when I’m walking around in the city (Manhattan, for those who aren’t from New York). Now more about the music itself. I’m a little shocked/disappointed they didn’t include any De La Soul in here. The Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album “Ready To Die” is prominently featured in this movie even though his album didn’t get released until after the summer was over. When Shapiro goes to buy from his dealer (Method Man), “The What” by Biggie Ft. Method Man is being played in the background except for all of the verses where Method Man raps. It’s in this scene that Meth gives Shapiro the Ready To Die tape…sorry for the spoilers. I REALLY wish that they had set the movie in the summer of ’96 instead of ’94 so that they could include Jay-Z’s debut album: “Reasonable Doubt” even though it would’ve taken over the whole soundtrack in place of Biggie’s “Ready To Die” (Biggie is on 5 songs, including 3 from his debut album).
Let me further clarify what I was saying before by saying that the vibe of the soundtrack which goes along with that of the city isn’t experienced by rushing everywhere, taking a taxi, going to see the empire state building or the statue of liberty. It is most certainly not experienced by driving around in a car. You need to be able to free your mind and just walk around for a while. Next time you’re there, try walking up Broadway from Chinatown to Columbus Circle with your headphones in and tell me you don’t feel something. To be honest its the reason I keep going back.
“Flava In Ya Ear” Craig Mack Ft. The Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Rampage & Busta Rhymes - The first 10 seconds when P. Diddy is hitting the bottles against each other is a play on the last scene from The Warriors (Diddy only has 2 bottles, but in the movie there are 3) which is also in the beginning of “Last Of An Ancient Breed”(see above). ”You mad cause my style you admiring. Don’t be mad, UPS is hiring”. P.S. I’m throwing up the video simply because I’ve never seen anyone act as cool and collected yet so pimpaliciously gangster (coining that) in a video as LL does here. Check It
“Out On The Weekend” Neil Young - I love the harmonicas that he uses. They add such a nice touch to the song
“Bonita Applebum” Tribe Called Quest - The 7 note riff that plays right before the first chorus starts was sampled in The Fugee’s “Killing Me Softly” (which Lauryn Hill goes nuts on)
“Around The Way Girl” LL Cool J
“The World Is Yours” Nas - I feel like a lot of people from the west don’t know about Nas, which is sad because 1) his lyrical content is on point, and 2) without him Jay-Z wouldn’t have sat down for 2 days, written The Blueprint, recorded it in 2 weeks, then released it unto the world. Also, Kanye would’ve had to wait longer for his big break, and he would have had to give “Heart of the City” to someone else which is nothing short of blasphemous. The line at the end of the first verse “I’m out for presidents to represent me. I’m out for dead presidents to represent me”, was sampled by Jay in the chorus of “Dead Presidents II” on Reasonable Doubt. Later, when he released The Blueprint, his song “The Takeover” (Produced by Kanye as well) features the line “So yea I sampled your voice, You was usin’ it wrong. You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song”, referencing “The World Is Yours” and “Dead Presidents II”. Back to my original point. If you haven’t listened to Nas, go download Illmatic and thank me later.
“Everyday Struggle” The Notorious B.I.G. - This is my favorite Biggie song and definitely my favorite song on this soundtrack. I really could go on and on about what I like about it, but I found these two youtube comments (give it a chance…) that perfectly describe how I feel:
“One of the realest songs ever written. If you didn’t know this already, this was Christopher Wallace’s favorite song… And if you’re thinking, who is Christopher Wallace and why is his opinion important? Please leave this page immediately. No more R.I.P. because legends never die.”
“Biggie wasn’t fat, he was just full of lyrics”
Post Script: In Reference to my last post, I should’ve included Snatch in my favorite scores list. Sorry guys (and girls), I’ll do better next time.
Post Post Script: I decided two seconds, give or take, after I wrote the first paragraph that I wasn’t going to include musicals and all the other options I mentioned because that takes a lot of research and one big honorable mention list wouldn’t do them justice. So there is a good chance you’ll see those later. Cheers
“Blogging isn’t writing, it’s graffiti with punctuation”
