ZZZzzZz... If you were perfect,

THE ONLY PARTY I WANT TO BE INVITED TO

SATURDAY.  MARCH 10, 2012.  12:56 PM

CSS.  ”Alala”.  Cansei de Ser Sexy, 2006.  

CSS “Alala” from Sub Pop Records on Vimeo.

THIS CHARMING MARIO

TUESDAY.  MARCH 7, 2012.  3:34 PM

8-BIT MORRISSEY.

WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT IS DONE

MONDAY.  FEBRUARY 27, 2012.  9:18 PM

After two days in San Francisco, I got back to an all consuming “real life” in Los Angeles.  I fought the good fight, kept things afloat, flourished in a natural love, and watched Charlie’s Angels (2000) 2.5 times.  Twice and a half, in succession.  Mainly for one reason:  My inability to resist the charm of Crispin Hellion Glover.  To many, he is an anomaly; but what’s not to like?  An intelligent, sharp dressed man with talent, creativity, and a particular command of language.  A performer, an artist, an author, and a collector of esoterica.  He’s probably really into some weird stuff, you know? Hmmm.  .  .

From the moment I laid my young eyes on him in Back to the Future, I didn’t know why— but, I liked what I saw.  So, for those of you who are informed or are yet to be educated on why he is so good, let me break it down.  Olivia Neutron Bomb.  Rubin Farr.  Into the Night with Juliette Lewis.  Volcanic Eruptions.  Wild at Heart.  What It Is and How It Is Done.  Thin Man.  Ben.  Friday the 13th, Part 4.  Clowny Clown Clown.   Etc, etc, etc.  Completely Google-worthy.  If I meet you on the street and you ask me, “Who is being brushed?”, you will incite a warm, fuzzy fondness in me and perhaps, I will let you take me out to dinner.  I am the proud owner of three of his published works: Concrete Inspection, Rat Catching, and Oak Mot.  It is true.  So true.   Please master your lexicology.  I will be impressed.  

For your viewing pleasure:

CLICK HERE to watch Crispin Glover’s spoken word sensation: What It Is And How It Is Done.

INDUSTRY OBJECTIVE

WEDNESDAY.  FEBRUARY 8, 2012.  4:37 PM

M.i.A:

M.I.A, Bad Girls from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

TYGA:

TYGA - RACK CITY from ANTHONY SUPREME on Vimeo.

NIGHT of the CREEPS

SATURDAY.  FEBRUARY  4, 2012. 7:17 PM

One of my favorites.  You can’t go wrong when a 1950’s flashback sequence leads into an 80’s frat party.  
Night of the Creeps - Trailer by ohmygore

MICKEY MOUSE x JOY DIVISION… ??

TUESDAY.  JANUARY 31, 2012.  5:48 PM

Last week, Disney made available for purchase a “Waves Mickey Mouse Tee for Adults”.  A clear homage to Joy Division’s 1979 Unknown Pleasures release.  This caused my heart to flutter in the best of ways, as I love both of these conflicting ideas equally.  Disney; the ultimate hallmark of imagination, good old-fashioned wholesomeness, The Little Mermaid, and “The Happiest Place on Earth”.  Joy Division; a symbol of post-punk sonic broodiness which I would pine away for those solitary nights as a teenager in the San Fernando Valley.   A match made in representational heaven.  

It’s really quite genius.  Obvs.  Also, apparently highly upsetting to many people.  According to Rollingstone.com and a billion other internet news sources, Joy Division’s “fans didn’t have much of a sense of humor” about the whole thing, even citing “outrage”.  Stereogum goes as far as to call it “utterly bizarre and inexplicable”.  What’s the big deal?

Is anyone really that shocked and surprised anyway?  Yes, Joy Division’s story is heavy with tragedy.  Although on the surface Disney’s m.o. is squeaky clean, they’ve flirted with the subversive for decades.  Heck, I went to one of the best art schools in the country founded by the will of Walt Disney.  It is an environment that champions critical thought and going against the grain.  People walked around naked, took dumps in student gallery spaces for the sake of performance art, and found comfort in a makeshift triage area equipped with a nurse and ambulance in case of accidental alcohol poisoning during our school parties.  Supposedly.  Allegedly.  For any legal opposition.  In my opinion, this graphic designer deserves some sort of award and probably went to CalArts (hah).

All the publicity has inadvertently sparked a possible Joy Division/New Order reunion.  The shirt is sold out.  Or “pulled from the shelves”.  Either way, I still want one. 

Barf. I think I’m gonna Barf.

SATURDAY.  NOVEMBER 5, 2011.  9:02 AM

Since we all know that Google has the answers to all of life’s inquires,  I decided to finally make an attempt to satiate a lingering curiosity.  For the past couple weeks, I have been wracking/racking my brain to place a name and identity with some sort of performance/video art/installation pieces that involve string and vomit as seen at the 4:02 mark of Rihanna’s ubiquitously awesome “We Found Love” (featuring Calvin Harris):

Rihanna - We Found Love (Official Video) by rnbpromotv

Ribbon vomit. I have seen it before.  Do you know who the artist is that does ribbon representations of vomit and blood?  Do you know that the bleached-blonde, alien adonis in this video is Dudley O’Shaughnessy, a London-born boxer turned model, who she hand picked and has supposedly, allegedly fallen in love with??  Do you know that when you Google “art, vomit yarn” a large number of loosely related results appear?  Such as:  Knitting websites, inquisitive ponderings like “Why does my cat swallow string and vomit?”  Videos, like:  Guy Uses Vomit to Make Works of Art  and this gem:  YarnVomit.com.  I am equal parts offended, bemused, and thrilled by such Interweb offering as my future New Year’s Resolution was to get rid of all my clothes and replace them with only sweaters of that nature.  

Guy uses vomit to make works of art?  I’ve seen that before.  Dean Cain is so cheesy and how 90’s is that video clip?  Isn’t there a girl that gets all high-fashion and barfs all over the place to make art?  Oh yeah, Millie Brown.  I’ve seen that, too.  What was particularly interesting to me was a viewer comment,  ”If I barf watching this, will it be considered art, too?”  Oh, the tiniest parade in the world exists for your clever wit.  But, that’s a really good question.  My answer is yes… and no… but, ultimately yes.  I think.  

Why?  Well,  if, in fact, the viewer does barf from watching the video, the barf- as a tangible, material result of a strong visceral reaction, indicates a genuine biological response.  This accomplishes two things.  One, it proves the original work is art because one of my qualifiers for “What Makes It Art?”  is that it incites an answer.  A verbal or a physical one.  Love or hate, but none in between.  And if aggressively losing your lunch isn’t apparent enough of a strong opinion, I don’t know what is.  Two,  the second generation barf becomes art as well because the attempt is sincere.  Sincerity, being another qualifier on the “What Makes It Art?”  List.  Though you may say that the sincerity is debatable, the definition of “sincere” is straightforward, honest, and actual.  I’m quite sure this viewer knew he/she was being a facetious brat, so regardless of being aware of my qualifiers,  he/she would try all they could to not validate the work with a real response.  On a basic level, any publicity is good publicity and any response is a good response when it comes to the Art World.  Here are the facts:  1) Vomit is uncontrollable and honest.  2)  The vomit in this theoretical situation would’ve actually happened.  So,  honest + actual = sincere.  Math.

The “no” part of my answer stems from my reservations on subjectivity.  You can’t consider art without examining aesthetics.  What are references that stimulate emotional, cerebral, or subconscious feedback?  Color, texture, consistency.  Materiality.  To really asses if a piece becomes art in an individual, illustrative sense,  more questions must be asked.  For instance,  is something really working for you or is the whole thing just totally forgettable?  What are these “somethings”?  How are these things pleasing/disgusting to you?  Are those same things that are pleasing/disgusting to you, universally pleasing/disgusting?  Almost impossible to absolutely label it “art” in this way because perspectives vary so greatly from one person to another.  What we can analyze are fundamental characteristics that make up the detectable details of the work itself and decide whether or not we like it as art.      

In this case, let’s examine the vomit of both parties.  The first party completely unaware and unaffected by the second parties’ existence.  Pure.  The second, having produced the material as a direct result of the first parties’ performance.  Slightly influenced.  As far as looks go, I’m sure this is obvious, but it depends on whether or not you approve of how the stuff looks.  Do you favor the pigment or do any bubbles have a cool shape?  Is the puddle and any corresponding spatters to your liking?  So on and so forth.  Materials used are a huge factor that can greatly sway our general impression of a work.  For this purpose, however, the two works of vomit are equally as unpredictable and intrusive and the only things that can provide measurable variables are what each person had for lunch… but those possibilities are infinitely endless and the combination and outcome speculation can go on forever…so.  Eh.  But, I guess if all systems are go for you— and you’re really into what you see,  then it is safe for me to reinforce that you can individually label it as art on your own “aesthetic” merit.   

So, even though I’m not into the expelling liquids and solids from your mouth thing,  I will say that it is art.  Also, if anyone can call Rihanna and ask her where she got that idea, I’d really like to not take anymore Melatonin to cure my sleepless nights.  

A SONG for my love, lover from a NEU-Romantic

SUNDAY.  OCTOBER 23, 2011.  1:01 PM.

Whoever you are, I bet you’re awesome.  I would be the most fun, coolest, supportive, understanding, loyal, bad-ass girlfriend, wife, whatever.  We would both be pretty lucky to find each other.  So, here’s a song to tell you how I feel; the possible, theoretical you.  Oh, I’m also pretty sure you’re a guy. 

HECK YEAH. THE CRAMPS.

FRIDAY.  SEPTEMBER 30, 2011.  5:00 PM

I’ve got a low down dirty feeling

THURSDAY.  SEPTEMBER 22, 2011. 11:44 AM

So.  I love the Stray Cats.  And the thought of Slim Jim Phantom (circa 1983) serving me breakfast in the morning makes me faint.  In fact, watching the Stray Cats play their 2 hour set with my best friends at 2003’s Hootenanny was like witnessing a unicorn giving birth to a baby seal.  In other words, magical.  Little Richard the next day was also magical.  Was that 8 years ago?!? Oh geez.  I’m gonna go take a nap.   

KRIS KROSS

SUNDAY.  SEPTEMBER 4, 2011.  12:32 AM

Anyone that wears their clothes backwards and jumps around is okay in my book.  Especially when you perform on In Living Color where the dance segments are choreographed by Rosie Perez.  And… J-Lo standing right next to Marlon Wayans.  Epic. 

For your consideration: 

Kris Kross, “Jump”.  In Living Color, 1992.  

Flashes of Fire

TUESDAY. AUGUST 23, 2011. 11:12 AM

Everything you know about Murphy’s Law is wrong

FRIDAY. AUGUST 19, 2011.  8:19 AM

We can enhance our understanding of the Universe through certain applied laws.  I’ve always been particularly fond of Newton’s First Law of Motion.  But I often seem to find that Newton’s Third Law of Motion is most relevant, in most cases.  And let’s not forget Murphy’s Law (aka Second Law of Thermodynamics).  This old adage is as follows:  ”Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”  True?

Murphy’s Law can also be found in Matthew Barney’s Cremaster 3: The Order (2002), literally… vs. Agnostic Front.  Furthermore,  Aimee Mullins is cool.