Microlog: Sound & Screen

The 50 most intriguing games of 2010 Fri 22 Jan 2010
New games for the Wii are conspicuous by their absence. Nintendo, what are you doing?

Charlie Brooker: why I love video games Fri 22 Jan 2010
The man really does love his videogames. But sadly not the Wii, which has its place for casual-but-interested gamers such as myself.

Touch and Go: The Complete Years Fri 22 Jan 2010
The fanzine that begat the label that begat a metric shitload of bands that changed people’s lives forever.

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle draws just 1 million Wed 25 Mar 2009
To be fair, even if it was heavily promoted (I didn’t even know it was on till I read this), my mind simply can’t reconcile the terms ‘Stewart Lee’ and ‘mass appeal’.

New trailer for Cloverfield Tue 20 Nov 2007
So it looks like that’s what it’s officially called now, Cloverfield. Hmm. In any case, it’s shaping up to be a mindlessly fun yet vaguely thoughtful disaster spectacle, and it’ll be out in just two months’ time. Which is nice.

The AV Club interviews the Meat Puppets Wed 31 Oct 2007
They’re playing ATP the weekend before the one I’m going to; I hope they’ll hop over the water and play a show in Dublin, too. But while I’m in Dublin, of course.

Outtakes from the first Meat Puppets album Wed 31 Oct 2007
You know, the one that no one likes because it’s too noisy and screamy and it hasn’t got ‘Lake of Fire’ on it.

The AV Club interviews documentarian Errol Morris Fri 02 Feb 2007
It might be more than a year old, but it’s still worth posting; I always find the background workings and politics of film production a fascinating read.

Electric Picnic set times announced Thu 31 Aug 2006
I won’t be going, but it’s nice to dream — and consider whether I’ve crossed a threshold in my life when I realise I’d rather see Sparks than Yo La Tengo.

OMM readers recommend 10 songs about the police Tue 15 Aug 2006
Pleasing to see my name in print! But I can’t really take the credit; someone else suggested the song, and I merely corrected it to cite the original artists. My own suggestion was Black Flag’s ‘Police Story’, but it didn’t make the cut.

American Hardcore Sun 06 Aug 2006
If this gets released in cinemas over here I’ll be a very happy bunny [c/o Fimoculous].

The Top 50 Movie Endings of All Time Sun 06 Aug 2006
I love movie spoilers, me [c/o kottke.org].

Voices of Family Guy Wed 02 Aug 2006
So that’s what they look like! I expect it gets painful after the millionth take, but it seems more fun than most workplaces, that’s for sure [c/o TCAL].

HydraHead set to reissue Botch singles compilation Thu 27 Jul 2006
Something to look forward to, this. Botch were a great band while they lasted.

Bravo to Bravo for picking up [adult swim] Tue 18 Jul 2006
It’s on every night from midnight, hopefully a permanent fixture. First impressions? I’m loving Robot Chicken and The Brak Show, but the rest isn’t as funny as I’d been led to believe by the internets.

Primer timeline Tue 18 Jul 2006
I think I get it now. Or maybe not.

Mike Watt on Double Nickels On The Dime Sun 09 Jul 2006
The man just loves to talk! And I’ve got a whole new level of respect for him after seeing Thurston’s deleted scene on the We Jam Econo DVD.

Heavy Theater Sun 09 Jul 2006
David Byrne on seeing Sunn O))) in concert. Face it, people: metal is legitimate.

Screen Wipe gets two more series Sun 09 Jul 2006
Excellent news! Charlie Brooker is the funny; I eagerly await his return this summer.

Great Barbelith thread on scary (as distinct from horror) movies Sun 09 Jul 2006
I posted my own choices, then promptly forgot about it for a month — and look what it turned into! A great community they/we’ve got there/here.

SUPER AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sun 09 Jul 2006
This makes up for me neglecting to take pictures at the Boredoms gig a few weeks ago.

New Sonic Youth Thu 08 Jun 2006
Uncut magazine is streaming all 14 tracks ahead of the album’s release on Monday (which means it’ll actually be in the shops tomorrow, three days before).

OMG!! Lordi wins Eurovision 2006!! Sun 21 May 2006
And Australian MeFites have a hissy fit about this thread being a spoiler because the poor babies had to wait for the tape delay broadcast. Well you know what? Tough titty, wallabee-wankers.

Meat Puppets reunite! Sun 21 May 2006
The Kirkwood brothers are back together and working on new material, which won’t nearly be as good as Up On The Sun. But still… it’s the Meat Puppets!

How Pink Got So Violent Sun 21 May 2006
Another grindhouse sub-genre gets the reissue treatment — and some socio-cultural context [c/o MetaFilter].

MetaFilter on Chic-a-go-go Fri 12 May 2006
Remember that Bobby Conn video from the late ’90s? Well it’s from a real TV show. Who woulda thunk it?

The Go-Betweens' Grant McLennan Dead at 48 Mon 08 May 2006
Bit of a shock, this. At least it seems he died a happy man. And I’m glad I got to see them live on their comeback tour a few years ago, too. He will be greatly missed. (See also: Pitchfork links to a video for Bachelor Kisses, one of my favourite Go-Betweens songs.)

May is National Album Recording Month Tue 18 Apr 2006
Like NaNoWriMo, but for rocking out: 31 days to make a 31-minute record. Will you be joining in? I will, as is my want, be taking the concept one step further, by improvising and recording a one-minute track each day throughout the month. Oh yes. To be continued…

Movie Genre Primers Mon 10 Apr 2006
If you don’t know your Dogme from your Troma, this is the place for you [c/o kottke.org].

Talk isn't cheap Sat 08 Apr 2006
A witty introduction to the world of the voiceover artist.

Happy Birthday, D. Boon Sat 01 Apr 2006
Screw April Fool’s — the 1st will always be D. Boon Day to me.

Jack Black's Nacho Libre Confessional Fri 31 Mar 2006
Five words: Jack Black as a luchadore. That’s about as high-concept as it gets, ladies and gentlemen.

Happy Birthday, Ornette Coleman Sun 19 Mar 2006
Seventy-six years young today, and still going strong.

Bill Cosby's lawyers threaten Waxy.org Fri 03 Mar 2006
But Andy’s having none of it. Fight the good fight!

The Optimo No Wave Mix Wed 11 Jan 2006
Sweet compilation of dance music from the New York underground. To tide me over till New York Noise Vol 2 comes out [c/o del.icio.us/jack].

Derek Bailey, 1930-2005 Wed 11 Jan 2006
I’ve been familiar with the name for some time but not the music. This is a reminder to check him out.

The Internet Movie Script Database Wed 11 Jan 2006
Filing this for future reference.

Top 10 Reasons Why King Kong Was A Disappointment Wed 11 Jan 2006
I wasn’t blown away either, but not for any of these reasons [c/o Projectionist].

The Distorted Tune Test Tue 10 Jan 2006
Full marks for me. I knew I wasn’t tone-deaf anyway, but it’s nice to have proof [c/o Mind Hacks].

What Would D. Boon Do? Sun 08 Jan 2006
Marking the 20th anniversary of his passing last month. Start your own band, paint your own picture, write your own book.

Mothers Against Noise Sun 08 Jan 2006
The crazy rantings of ignorant fools, or a big self-referential double-bluff hoax? I’ll let you decide [c/o MetaFilter].

Columbia Law School Music Plagiarism Project Fri 06 Jan 2006
“A repository of the music industry’s most famous copyright infringement cases of the past 100 years.” Man oh man! Only in the crazy world of the recording industry could someone be sued for plagiarising himself [c/o MetaFilter].

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan: Ramblin' Man Tue 03 Jan 2006
Songs from the upcoming collaborative album by yer one from Crystal Tips and Alistair with that fella from the Screaming Trees. Weird. But intriguing.

For Whom Hell's Bells Toll Tue 03 Jan 2006
“Two decades after it was first used to demonize the ‘devil’s music’ we take another look at the oddly fascinating Hell’s Bells documentary and what it says about morality, youth culture, and music criticism.” The list of bands indicted for ‘moral crimes against God and humanity’ has to be seen to be believed.

An Iconic Image Is All That Stands... Tue 03 Jan 2006
On a related note, my post on rock and roll graphic design might be of interest here.

The most interesting pieces of pop music trivia that you know (that are 100% false) Thu 29 Dec 2005
I meant to post this ages ago. The list is creeping up to 1000 entries and still going strong. (I’ve got two in there; the former you can ignore but I’m quite proud of the latter.)

Meat Puppets Live Repository Thu 29 Dec 2005
For all your live Meat Puppets needs.

Learning to Scream, on Cue and in Key Tue 20 Dec 2005
An interview with a vocal coach for metal growlers and screamers. If I ever start that new-wave/noise-pop/grindcore band I’ve been planning for years, this will come in handy [c/o del.icio.us/merlinmann].

I find your lack of faith disturbing Sun 04 Dec 2005
The weblog of Josh Friedman, screenwriter. If this doesn’t turn into a book, I’ll eat my left shoe.

The story of Superman V Sun 04 Dec 2005
If you thought Hollywood producers were morons before, just wait till you read this.

George Carlin and John Carpenter, interviewed Wed 16 Nov 2005
I’m posting these together, because they look a lot alike. Don’t they? Hmm. Maybe it’s just me.

The Worst Album Covers of All Time Wed 16 Nov 2005
And only one modern rap album cover? They could have filled the list with them.

Barbelith discusses record label loyalty Wed 16 Nov 2005
I expected greater participation, but howandever. Good stuff here.

Family Guy or The Simpsons? Wed 16 Nov 2005
My opinion? Nothing beats The Simpsons from Season 3 up to about Season 10, specifically that Superbowl episode. From then on, it’s Family Guy all the way.

'Blog-ish'? Sun 13 Nov 2005
I wish journalists wouldn’t try to pass judgement about topics they’re completely unfamiliar with. The Pitchfork criticism might be valid, I’ll give that much, but ‘Blog-ish’? What is this person on about? And is there are shortage of subeditors at the Observer right now? Because frankly, it shows.

Room 204 Sat 12 Nov 2005
Instrumental post-rock from France. A friend of mine is helping promote their short Irish tour next week; if you like early Don Caballero, like I do, they’ll be right up your street.

The man who invented album covers Fri 11 Nov 2005
This is why I love the internet, #574.

Hong Kong movie pirate sentenced Fri 11 Nov 2005
What’s worse than this guy going to jail is knowing the movies he went to jail for.

Van Morrison's Contractual Obligation Record Fri 30 Sep 2005
This is great stuff, much better than the music he’s famous for. If only Van the Man had continued along the Wesley Willis route…

Blue Velvet, analysed frame-by-frame Fri 30 Sep 2005
Check in again in a couple of years when it gets to the scary parts.

The A.V. Club interviews Bob Mould Fri 30 Sep 2005
He seems like a cool guy and all, but he really doesn’t think he was as much an asshole as Grant and Greg, does he?

Pitchfork interviews Boards of Canada Mon 26 Sep 2005
I had no idea they were brothers. But it seems obvious now.

In Memoriam: Joe Ranft of Pixar Mon 22 Aug 2005
He was the voice of Heimlich in A Bug’s Life. I loved Heimlich!

To the girl in the pink Killers shirt at the Killers concert Mon 22 Aug 2005
Funny stuff. I’m tempted to say that it serves him right for going to a Killers concert, but I’ll hold my tongue.

Southern Records' John Loder passes away Tue 16 Aug 2005
Scroll down through the comments for tributes from friends, colleagues, label partners and band members.

100 songs in 78 minutes and 19 seconds Sat 06 Aug 2005
Don’t worry, the majority of these are from bands and independent labels who won’t sue you indisriminately.

For the Music Sat 06 Aug 2005
A short feature on John Zorn’s new live venue in Manhattan. It’s child-friendly too, which is a refreshing change. I’m all for educating the young folk.

lift yr. skinny fists like antennas to heaven! Sat 06 Aug 2005
An Irish music blog that — shock horror! — actually looks beyond the Irish music scene?! It must be some kind of trick…

The Reactionaries Wed 03 Aug 2005
Oh happy day! Merlin and Mat, I know you’ll both appreciate this one.

Ryan Adams vs Pitchfork II: The Rematch Tue 02 Aug 2005
That Adams guy’s one crazy damn fool, yo.

Vision on Mon 01 Aug 2005
For anyone interested in the context of popular music, this is a must read — and a great taster for Reynolds’ book.

The Chalets play 'Feel the Machine' Mon 01 Aug 2005
Yes, the very same Chalets who’ve been gigging around Dublin for the last couple of years. They’re not too bad, actually. Great video, too.

Yat-Kha play post-punk Mon 01 Aug 2005
I don’t know what to say, really.

Sigur Ros have a Flickr account Mon 01 Aug 2005

Ernest Lehman, 1915-2005 Mon 01 Aug 2005
As a tribute, here’s Lehman’s working script for a true noir classic, The Sweet Smell of Success (c/o MetaFilter).

Michael Chabon's Fantastic Four Mon 01 Aug 2005

The Onion A.V. Club interviews Negativland Sun 31 Jul 2005
Don’t say I told you this, but you can get the ‘forbidden’ U2 single right here. Sshhh!

Music and the Internet Sun 31 Jul 2005

The Lost Generation Sun 31 Jul 2005
I actually have read this one. It’s a bit too Lester Bangs for my liking, but there you go.

New York Rock: A Critical History Sun 31 Jul 2005
I’ve yet to read this, I’m posting for later reference. Check the MetaFiler thread for some context.

The Observer Music Magazine Poll Sat 30 Jul 2005
Some intriguing findings here. And others not so.

Chris Griffin takes on A-Ha Thu 28 Jul 2005
Priceless!

James Doohan, 1920-2005 Thu 28 Jul 2005
Scotty beams up for the last time.

Accessible Nostalgia Thu 28 Jul 2005
Some? Definitley. Others? Not so much.

Lock and Load Thu 28 Jul 2005
Sarah Vowell contrasts the Arizona minutemen (boo!) with San Pedro’s own Minutemen (yay!).

The Onion A.V. Club interviews Dinosaur Jr Thu 28 Jul 2005
I love that passive-aggressive tension between J and Lou, even after all these years.

TransFormers finally rolling out Mon 18 Jul 2005
I linked to this two years ago, but now it’s finally happening. Pity we’ve got to wait another two years before we see it.

40 Things That Only Happen in Movies Mon 18 Jul 2005
I’m sure there are a few more.

The Guardian's Toon Tester quiz Mon 18 Jul 2005
I got 9 out of 10, no cheating. Booyah!

Spin's 100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005 Mon 18 Jul 2005
My opinion? Slint (94), the Meat Puppets (86), Soundgarden (84) and At the Drive-In (83) should be far higher than they are.

Salon interviews Bruce Campbell Mon 18 Jul 2005
Some more Brucey love for you.

Q&A with Bruce Campbell Mon 18 Jul 2005

Q And Not U to Disband Sun 17 Jul 2005
They never bothered to play here, the buggers.

Ulysses Speaks! Thu 30 Jun 2005
My old college acquaintance Noel would appreciate it, I’m sure. I never bought into the whole NoU thing, but their first album is so good it sounds like it was recorded tomorrow.

The Flipside Fanzine Memorial Thu 30 Jun 2005

Interview with Devo's Jerry Casale Wed 22 Jun 2005

A 7-year-old questions the continuity of the Star Wars series Tue 21 Jun 2005
Did a better job than me, too.

iTunes Celebrity Playlist Roundup Sat 14 May 2005

Somebody out there really hates George Lucas Wed 11 May 2005
Whoa, don’t hold back there, mister.

The Krypton Factor to return Wed 11 May 2005
If it doesn’t have a) the flight simulator and b) the assault course with the thingy you grab onto to whizz down the cable at the end, then it’ll be shite.

American cinema chain to advertise 'actual' start times Tue 10 May 2005
Isn’t this article a bit pointless? I don’t see what the big deal is. When I worked for UCI it wasn’t any secret that the features started 15 minutes after the billed time (that was standard; we had it on our schedules so we’d be ready for cleaning the theatres). All that ‘busy moviegoers’ stuff is crap, anyway: if you’re so bloody busy, why are you going to the fucking movies?? And besides, hasn’t anyone thought that giving an earlier time means stragglers won’t interrupt the start of the movie so much? Didn’t think so.

NPR interview with Ian MacKaye Mon 02 May 2005
Hard to believe that he and Henry Rollins grew up as buddies, considering their current relative positions in popular culture.

Sleater-Kinney's new video, 'Entertain' Mon 02 May 2005
As far as I’m concerned, they haven’t had a great album since The Hot Rock. I don’t think the new one will change things, either.

The world's biggest Devo fan Sun 17 Apr 2005
I hereby confess my own love of Devo — especially the last album before the first break-up; it’s the Eighties through and through, and it’s bloody marvellous.

High school band covers Wolf Eyes Sun 17 Apr 2005
I wonder what the teachers made of it.

Roger Ebert's tribute to the late Russ Meyer Sun 17 Apr 2005
No introduction necessary.

Sasha Frere-Jones reviews Slint Sun 17 Apr 2005
I could have gone to see them here last month, but money is tight, and I didn’t want to spoil the magic. Live shows can kill it for me. In a way, I agree with Patrick Bateman’s views on the live music experience.

Straight Outta Compton: the unclean version Fri 15 Apr 2005 | 1 Comments
It goes without saying that this is NSFW. (See also: Fuck Tha Police: the ‘edited’ version)

Thurston Moore on the power of the mix Wed 06 Apr 2005
Call me a luddite, but mix tapes for me are far superior to mix CDs. Even something simple like the shift of mood between two sides of a tape can’t be replicated on a single disc. They’ve always been more about emotion, about capturing the moment, than about sonic fidelity.

Dischord for download Thu 31 Mar 2005
iTunes already has most of them. Must… resist… temptation!

White Stripes record new album in 10 days Thu 31 Mar 2005
Ten days? Big deal! The Huskers recorded Zen Arcade in three days — and that was a double album, too.

Mike Watt is coming to Ireland Tue 29 Mar 2005
Hot damn! Watt’s first ever headline show in Ireland! I am so there!

Devo's "Whip It", Powerpoint-style Tue 29 Mar 2005

Mike Watt: Burstedman Sun 27 Mar 2005
Direct download link here. If you’re on dial-up, be warned; it’s over 40MB.

The Simpsons Body Count Sun 20 Mar 2005
It’s a conspiracy I tells ya!

Eno's Music for Airports Sat 19 Mar 2005
A good introduction to Eno’s ambient music. I’ve got the fourth in the series, On Land, and I’d recommend it to anybody.

How tunes get stuck in your head Thu 10 Mar 2005
Whenever I get a bad tune stuck in my head, I use Steve Albini’s advice: just play Tina Turner’s ‘Private Dancer’ in your head, and all will be well again. (It’s the utter shapelessness of the song that makes it work. Or something.)

Video for The Futureheads' Decent Days and Nights Tue 08 Mar 2005
I dunno, it seems a little overdone to me. The original video is much more restrained, it doesn’t distract from the song. But that’s just me. (Be warned, it’s a 44MB download.)

Porco Rosso is out now on DVD Tue 08 Mar 2005
Back in the mid-’90s I used to read a magazine called Super Play. If you don’t know it, it was an unofficial magazine for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System; for those who do, I’m sure you remember it fondly. You see, what was different and special about Super Play was its focus on ‘grey market’ Japanese import games, which went hand in hand with regular reports on other facets of Japanese pop culture like manga and anime — those alluring alien ideas that made each issue compulsive reading for me. I was never a big gamer, but the likes of Super Play, and the irreplaceable Digitiser on Teletext, made me feel like a part of the greater gaming world, appreciating my interest regardless of my lack of skill (and boy, was my skill lacking!) and neither was afraid to step away from the console for a while. It was in Super Play that I first read about Porco Rosso, in a context where it wasn’t too weird to discuss a cartoon about a pig flying a warplane. I still miss Super Play.

Gang Of Four on BBC Radio Tue 01 Mar 2005
It’ll likely be gone by March 6th, so hurry up!

Clairvoyance Reissued Sat 19 Feb 2005
I’ve always wanted to hear this one, their early stuff is brilliant.

Minutemen movie trailer Sat 29 Jan 2005
I can’t wait to see this!

The Onion A.V. Club interviews Seth MacFarlane Thu 27 Jan 2005

Buddyhead interviews Kevin Shields Wed 26 Jan 2005
I was in the same room as Kevin once. Granted, that room was Whelan’s during a J Mascis gig, but even so… boy I can’t wait till ‘You Made Me Realise’ gets re-released.

Gunman kills Dimebag Darrell on stage Thu 09 Dec 2004
This is just fucked up.

Mike Watt and the Secondmen at the Iron Horse Music Hall, 25/10/04 Sun 28 Nov 2004

Fairlight synthesiser samples Sun 14 Nov 2004

Launch of iTunes Music Store in Ireland stymied by disagreement with IMRO Fri 29 Oct 2004

Why I haven't bought anything from the iTunes Music Store Wed 15 Sep 2004

Kill Bill Vol. 1 -- in ASCII Tue 07 Sep 2004

Kottke discovers Blue Monday Wed 25 Aug 2004

Deaf to the World, iPod Addict Unplugs Wed 25 Aug 2004

Freddy vs. Jason vs. ...Ash? Fri 20 Aug 2004

Honest Album Titles Tue 03 Aug 2004

Musical degrees of separation Tue 27 Jul 2004

John Darnielle on file sharing Tue 27 Jul 2004