Photo by Benjamin Rowland
My Favorite Films and Performances of 2019
4 years ago
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
A VISIT FROM DAP: Milk, it does a boody hood
Hima posted one of my favorite things of all time a few months back, the wolf shirt page. That involved a tasteless/INCREDIBLE t-shirt with 'BORN TO ROAM' emblazoned on it. This is a one-gallon jug of Tuscan Whole Milk that Amazon allowed users to leave comments about.
Combine with other foods!, August 5, 2006
By J. Fitzsimmons (Milwaukee, Wi) - See all my reviews
Has anyone else tried pouring this stuff over dry cereal? A-W-E-S-O-M-E!
Overrated "masterpiece", December 11, 2008
By TerretYeth (Eugene, OR) - See all my reviews
Serves me right for ordering art off the internet. I spoke with a customer representative about my Tuscan Whole Milk, and they assured me that the product will soon be available in different sizes and colors. I ordered the item believing I could exchange it if my decor didn't match, and I was dismayed to discover that the attractive Tuscan Whole Milk label only appears on one side. Its bulbous shape makes it unfit for wall hanging, and three sides of uniformly boring color (aside from the accenting red cap) make it impossible to display in the round. Purely a curio cabinet item, at least until alternative versions are designed. While the piece works conceptually, highlighting the dichotomy between consumerism and evanescence, it's practical realization is a disappointment. I'd recommend ordering a print, rather than the sculpture itself.
Be warned, there are about a thousand of these. Try and read one milk review a day for three years and then come see me.
Combine with other foods!, August 5, 2006
By J. Fitzsimmons (Milwaukee, Wi) - See all my reviews
Has anyone else tried pouring this stuff over dry cereal? A-W-E-S-O-M-E!
Overrated "masterpiece", December 11, 2008
By TerretYeth (Eugene, OR) - See all my reviews
Serves me right for ordering art off the internet. I spoke with a customer representative about my Tuscan Whole Milk, and they assured me that the product will soon be available in different sizes and colors. I ordered the item believing I could exchange it if my decor didn't match, and I was dismayed to discover that the attractive Tuscan Whole Milk label only appears on one side. Its bulbous shape makes it unfit for wall hanging, and three sides of uniformly boring color (aside from the accenting red cap) make it impossible to display in the round. Purely a curio cabinet item, at least until alternative versions are designed. While the piece works conceptually, highlighting the dichotomy between consumerism and evanescence, it's practical realization is a disappointment. I'd recommend ordering a print, rather than the sculpture itself.
Be warned, there are about a thousand of these. Try and read one milk review a day for three years and then come see me.
Music: HEY LADIES*
Victor put me on to L'Trimm while in the lab working on DR the other night. We started working on a new joint called ASTRO BROWN that's heavily influenced by them. L'Trimm was a Miami Bass duo consisting of Lady Tigra and Bunny D. Their first record, Grab It! in 1988, was made when they were eighteen. Most recently, Lady Tigra did the jingle for Pinkberry.
Zach put me on to JJ FAD like three years ago and I just remembered fools while digging for some L'Trimm. Just Jammin Fresh and Def was an L.A. trio of fem-rappers with names like MC J.B., Baby-D and Sassy C. They were on Ruthless Records and produced by Dr. Dre. The following joint, Supersonic, was released in 1988 and peaked on the billboard at #31.
A DJ called "Fancy" at the NYC bar Lady Tigra manages was responsible, with Matt Goias, for forming Fannypack. Fannypack's a revivalist Miami Bass group from the early 2000s. They did that joint Cameltoe. One of the three girls in Fannypack later joined Holy Hail, who are signed to Kanine Records.
*Hey Ladies is the name of a Beastie Boys song from one of the best three rap albums ever: Paul's Boutique. Paul's Boutique will be reissued for its 20th (wow!) anniversary. "We remastered it too," MCA added. "So now it actually does have enough bass to shatter your one frozen testicle." Expect a long detailed post on the awesomeness of Paul's Boutique from myself or Dap, who's prone to calling it legitimately THE BEST ALBUM EVER.
Music: New Hov: When the Money Goes
"I ain't asking you to do a life bid with me/ I don't want you to die for me, baby, live with me/ I'm just saying when the going gets rough, don't forget all the shine at the time when I was showing up/ Show me the same love you showed me when I was blowing up/ You told me it was Roc for life, throw it up,"
When the Money Goes - Via Steve and via ZShare and via all of the internet
Music: New Lykke Li Video: "Tonight" + Shugo Tokumaru
Dear Lyyke Li,
Everyone's like all crazy about you these days. Not even these days. To be fair, they've been crazy about you for a while now. All my cool, rooted-in-hip-hop-but-listen-to-more-than-just-that, friends want to marry you. I totally want to marry you too. Maybe soon I'll add you to my Girls I Wish My Parents Would Arrange My Marriage With post. And if it's worth anything, I knew about you hell of long ago because my homie Leif did a dope cover of your joint like a year ago or something. He's the man.
It must be hard to make a video that's just you, emoting into a camera, and a black background for like four minutes. Though if I know of anyone that could pull it off, it's you. Yesterday I mentioned that the 5 elements of rap are Swagger, Breath Control, Stage Presence, Metaphors, and Swagger. You're like the best rapper ever, ma.
Senk You,
Hima
Via Stereogum:
Oh man.. How was Shugo Tokumaru on MTV or whichever bastard child of an MTV channel this is? So good.
A VISIT FROM DAP: Vince Offer: Luv Deez Nutz
I'm sure you've seen this ShamWow commercial without giving more than a passing thought to the guy who's soaking up all that "coler" from that white carpet. He's the same guy who tried to sell the DVD of his feature-length film "Underground Comedy Movie" on cable television. He's the same guy who sued the Farelly Brothers, Anna Nicole Smith AND the Church of Scientology. He's the last guy you want to run into at a party (unless you're looking for blow).
And now he's back with the SlapChop (which is also the name of my Steven Segal-Chow Yun Fat movie, out in 2010).
And finally, rather than dubbing the ShamWow commercial, Vince decided to flex his Español:
FUCK YOU, RON POPEIL (not really tho)
News: The Black Lips vs. India: 1-0
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Black Lips vs. India: 1-0
Dear fans,
Unfortunately, we have had to flee the country of India due to having our whole tour canceled and having to escape being held by police for indecent exposure during our most rawkus set in Chennai atthe Campus Rock Idol showcase.
After the fiasco, which the kids seemed to like, the financial backers of the event were furious and threw us off the tour. They tried to get security to restrain us until the Tamil police arrived. We locked the door while they were kicking and banging on it. Meanwhile, we slipped out the other emergency exit.
When we got to the hotel our tour guide informed us that the that the Campus Rock Idols sponsors were pressing charges and that the police would make their arrest. At that point our tour driver informed us we would have to drive six hours to get to the next town and cross state lines where we would be out of the Tamil authorities jurisdiction, because apparently the jail in Chennai is no joke. Word on the street said that it was teeming with tuberculosis, violence and live maggots so instead of risking going there we fled the scene. The drive ended up taking 10 hours because of a horrific accident on the road. We were also informed that all of the shows on our tour had been canceled effectively fucking all funds for the trip. This was a cultural clashing shit storm.
When we got to the next hotel a mysterious man and someone who worked for our Indian booking agency tried to run off with ourpassports they got to the car when we caught them. That's when our VBS.tv documentarian Rob went postal on them. We surrounded them until they gave back our passports. After that we booked the first flight to Berlin to instead work with another Indian, King Khan, on an upcoming EP. We are flying out as soon as sunrise hits this far away land and we have to have the US embassy's phone number on hand in case any more troubleshit starts popping at the airport or something. We would like to thank the four Hindi speaking tour guides, and Rana Ghose for helping us get through these enormous trials and tribulations, and for future reference we really enjoyed the people of India and we hope western rock bands will be able to tour there in the future.
- The Black Lips
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A VISIT FROM DAP: Miracle Fruit
This is that Miracle Fruit (active compound: MIRACULIN). Also know as Miracle Berry, Magic Berry, Miraculous Berry or Flavour Berry, which interestingly enough all sound like store-brand cereals my immigrant mom bought when I was a kid. It fucks with your taste buds so sour foods taste sweet. Folks have been having "flavor-tripping" parties, which are apparently "a novel take on the dinner party." I hate dinner parties, so I think we should get high, eat these and drink King Cobra/eat lemons till we're sick. We could call it a "party", we don't even need the stupid miracle fruit.
I'm yet to try some but I'm on the hunt. Like all good things they're currently available only in pill form. I'm looking at you, Chinatown!
Music: THE BUG - SKENG
FLOWDAN (and KILLA P) rapping over production by THE BUG. This is good...
good...
good...
good...
SKENG!
And now, the best comments from the Youtube comment thread of Skeng:
bombsiteweed (1 month ago)
Artful. Some people say that they don't know whether its parody. I can't judge.
666wickedman666 (1 month ago)
pussyole ya na no meeee. no parody, jus bout bein a skengman, stop commentin like its sum fuckin art gallery u middleclass wasteman
(I know exactly how 666wickedman666 feels...)
Music: RAP FUN FACT
Rap fun fact: One of the five elements of rap is SWAGGER. The other four five elements of rap are: breath control, metaphors, stage presence, and SWAGGER.
Fashion: LANVIN MEN'S READY-TO-WEAR FALL 2009
Dear Lanvin,
I really dig what you're doing. I talk about you on my blog all the time. Look, I did it here, here, and somewhere in here. I even talked about how people often pronounce your name wrong. I don't know how to pronounce it correctly, but that's besides the point. Your most recent RTW Fall line struck my fancy. You were wilding with those silhouettes. Although, I was - to be honest - put off a little by the subtle school-boy vibe you set with those hats. Overall though, tres chic. Unfortunately, you're a little out of my income range. Do you think maybe you can send me some free clothes so I can continue to blog about you and spread the good word?
Thanks, Hima
Stolen from Kanye's blog who stole it from some other joint.
Monday, January 26, 2009
WIDEO: "Spaceman" - the Killers
Ray Tintori, with a crew including like five fellow Bard alumni, recently dipped to Las Vegas to work on the Killers video. This is amazing on like 4 different levels... Get it? Ha!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Music: The Unusuals
The Unusuals are Daniel Lynas, Brian Trent, Yoni Rabino. Yoni Rabino went to Bard with me. Daniel Lynas went to Stuyvesant with me. Daniel has recorded a lot of the DR songs we've done. He's what I like to call a "solid dood." Take the time to peep the new EP from The Unusuals - Daily Routine has been on repeat in my world:
http://www.wonderfulrecording.com/mp3/asusualep.zip
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/theunusualz
Art: Thukral and Tagra
(Jiten) Thukral and (Sumir) Tagra are an art duo out of Delhi that my dear friend Sara'o brought to my attention. Here's something I found from an interview of theys:
Q. As Indian artists your works in the form of sculptures, paintings and installations are aesthetically very 'un-Indian' and distinct. Could you tell us about your journey as artists and the influences along the way?
T & T: This 'un-Indian' aesthetic has come naturally to us as when we look around everything is inspired, influenced and pursued with 'un-Indian aesthetics' as you say. We were trained as communication designers, our education being a mix of art and design principles. Observing and creating have become a part of our routine. "Everyday life" influences us. It's more the observations which instigate our process, beliefs and manifestations.
Q. As Indian artists your works in the form of sculptures, paintings and installations are aesthetically very 'un-Indian' and distinct. Could you tell us about your journey as artists and the influences along the way?
T & T: This 'un-Indian' aesthetic has come naturally to us as when we look around everything is inspired, influenced and pursued with 'un-Indian aesthetics' as you say. We were trained as communication designers, our education being a mix of art and design principles. Observing and creating have become a part of our routine. "Everyday life" influences us. It's more the observations which instigate our process, beliefs and manifestations.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Cause I'm From New York...
I've been wanting to do something like this for a while. I cut out some of the doods from these Amar Chitra comic books I got in India when I was there in 2006. Amar Chitra comic books are educational tools to make learning about Hinduism and Indian History heck of enjoyable to kids. Glued them onto some NY post cards. I don't know how to work a scanner so I took some picture joints with my camera phone. Then I played with the saturation and shit. Maybe I'll start doing more and scanning them properly...
Hanuman 1:
Subhas Chandra Bose Meets Ben Kingsley:
They Will Know Where I Can Find The Herb:
John Q:
Lists: Himanshu's Things
Blogs are about lists. Like remember that time I made a Top 50 Songs of 2008 list, complete with 3 or 4 songs I never even heard? Here's a list I just made with some help from Ashok. It's like Oprah's Things:
10) Arj Barker's character on Flight of the Conchords
9) Hating Guyanese people
8) Swizz Beatz and his fond appreciation of Basquiat
7) Calling the cops and telling them a bouncer is selling E after you've gotten kicked out of a bar
6) Replacing S's with Z's (i.e. Tap Dat Azz)
5) Making violent jokes about your parents (i.e. I'm going to go home and knee my Dad in the face bro!!!) - This could be replaced with that one thing on the Simpsons where the spoiled kid is being a dick to his mom and Bart's trying to get his Bonecrusher video game.
4) Google Image Search
3) Pretending large bottles of Mango juice are 40 Oz. bottles of malt liquor
2) Calling animals and inanimate objects "faggot" (i.e. I gotta take the faggot train now.)
1) Spanish girls (aka The New Books)
Obama: The South Asian Angle
Sohale Siddiqi (also Hal Siddiqi) was the best friend and roommate of Barack Obama while he attended Columbia University in the early 1980s. He is identified as “Sadik” in Obama’s memoir, Dreams From My Father. Obama describes Saddiqi as “a short, well-built Pakistani” who smoked marijuana and snorted cocaine. Siddiqi was from Karachi, Pakistan and came to America from London on a tourist visa. He overstayed his visa becoming an illegal alien.
Obama and Siddiqi would go out together and enjoy the nightlife of New York City. Siddiqi claims Obama stopped using drugs when he arrived at Columbia. Obama eventually moved out when Siddiqi’s partying began to interfere with his studies. [Link]
Obama had an international circle of friends — "a real eclectic sort of group," says Vinai Thummalapally, who himself came from Hyderabad, India. As a freshman, he quickly became friends with Mohammed Hasan Chandoo and Wahid Hamid, two wealthy Pakistanis. [Source]
(Brought to my attention by SepiaMutiny.)
Not only were their wilder Indians in the 1980's, who look awesome, but our new President used to hang out with them in hood-ass apartments in New York? I've always been a fan of New York in the 70's and 80's - one of my obsessions. It's the reason books like Please Kill Me and the photography of Ricky Powell appeal to me so much. It's the reason I love the band Television. To imagine a young Obama living in Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights, two of the five residences Columbia lists Obama as having lived in while attending the school, in the 1980's in New York is just something else. He lived in Brooklyn before it was the cool thing to do. To imagine Obama living in the Upper West Side with a Pakistani wilder while I myself crashed many a night on the couch of two good friends in an apartment on 106th that we called "The Rat Hole" is another little way dood's brought hope into my life. And those boots are cool.
Oh and as for Sohale Soddiqi, I will find this Pakistani man and I will chat his ear off...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Boner for Barry: Inauguration
How many of you minority folk watched the speech with fingers-crossed, cringing for it to end as quickly as possible so he could get off stage? And rather than celebrating his presidency it was the fact that he didn't get shot that made you clap? Operation: Don't Get Mercked was a success today. God bless America!
And this also marks the first inaugural address to include a shout out to Hindus! A cause to celebrate. So who's going to Animal Collective tonight?
We On That Youtube: Biggie
I don't know if I'm going to see that Biggie biopic. Though I was just talking to a good friend of mine about how I'd rather watch this video on repeat for 90 minutes:
Or this interview from 1994 one time and then maybe once again a week later:
Or how I'd just watch the first season of A Different World over and over again because I love anything Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy, of course) ever said in that awesome Southern accent or because I love that Marisa Tomei was on the first season of the awesome Cosby spinoff, set at an all-black college, or because I love anything involving Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet, as if you didn't know)...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Music: Fever Ray
January 20th is a big day. It marks the end of President Bush's eight years of stoopid. It marks the beginning of President Obama's how-many-ever years of "at least he's not president Bush". It's the day Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion officially releases, as in not only on vinyl. It's the day I'll see Animal Collective live at Grand Ballroom, vibing dolo in the cut. It's also the day you read about Fever Ray on my internet web log.
Fever Ray is the solo project of Karin Dreijer Andersson, one-half of The Knife. Remember the Knife? They had that song "Heartbeats" that you loved, then you hated, then you loved again. You loved it but then you kind of stopped liking it when it became "that" song, the one everyone had to play at their dance party. It was like Rhianna for the kids that fancied themselves too cool for Rhianna - which no one is. And then when people stopped talking about it because they started liking some other shit, you started liking it again. Tough Alliance got boring after four months and you could only appreciate Swedish electro-pop (until M83 came out and then eventually other stuff) because fidget house and bass was beginning to get way too abrasive for you and you were amazed that people still talked about Justice because it was 2008...
Here are three new MP3's from the upcoming Fever Ray album, ganked from the awesome ObscureSound.com:
-- http://mineorecords.com/mp3/fray-now.mp3 - Now's the Only Time I Know
-- http://mineorecords.com/mp3/fray-tri.mp3 - Triangle Walks
-- http://mineorecords.com/mp3/fray-whe.mp3 - When I Grow Up
I don't know if this is the official video, or what.... but here's a YouTube of If I Had a Heart, which I believe is the lead single:
Friday, January 16, 2009
I'm Very Offended ...
A couple of weeks back we had the opportunity to take some cool photos with a lovely lady named Victoria Jacob. Definitely visit http://www.victoriajacob.com/ to peep some of her swate photos. I was recently sent a couple of "snaps," as we say in India, from our shoot . I leave you with 3 photos. There should be mo' to come, including some more standard YO! type of joints...
We'll be playing at The Shank, a cool new DIY venue in Greenpoint, on Jan 30 with Kristi Yamaguchi and at Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick with our buds IN on Feb 6. Try to come to those. I will go to there.
Also, we should have some more rap songs completed soon.
Fashion: Krane
Sorry about the lack of posting here, faithful 3 readers. Things seem to be picking up at work which makes my usual perusing the web for cool things to steal a little more difficult. I'm trying to do big things - trying to stack that guap. Duckets.
I'm not a businessman. I'm a business, man.
I'm not a garbageman. I'm garbage, man.
I'm not a burger, man. I'm a burgerman.
But I digress... I come to you today with a lookbook of one of my favorite brand's Spring/Summer 09 collection. Canada's Krane has been one of my favorites since I started looking into non-street-wear fashion. (Slowly street-wear and high-end seem to be converging in a funny way anyway - or at lease that's how I'm going about dressing). Peep their look book for the Men's line and their always awesome bags:
http://www.kranedesign.com/catalogue/Krane_ss09catalogue.pdf
Here's a look from their Fall/Winter '09 line. Should be dropping soon as the fashion event (capsule) in NY will be holding a preview on Monday:
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
We on That Youtube: Fan Death
Video for Veronica's Veil by Fan Death. They play at Le Royale on Feb. 5th:
Youtube Comment Highlights:
- derquads said "one has nice behind and one has nice breasts, both have good style and good music!! "
- corkman1890 said "very sexy at the end when they touch underwater"
Monday, January 12, 2009
Girls I Want My Parents to Arrange My Marriage With: Fatima Bhutto
This first Girls I Want My Parents to Arrange My Marriage With of the new year is a difficult one. Although this is a new year and with it and the new administration in the U.S. comes hope.
Despite the sour relations between Pakistan and India, I have like 4 (maybe 5)Pakistani friends. One of these friends, who I highlighted here as a rising political star is a Mr. Ali Naj. 2 or 3 weeks ago Ali mentioned that I should want my parents to try to arrange a marriage between myself and Fatima Bhutto. Bhutto? "No way bro," I thought to myself. There's no way my parents would approve of a holy union between myself and a Muslim, let alone put their necks on the line to set up a marriage. I decided to let it rest. But I couldn't. I thought to myself, this estranged niece of the recently-mercked Benazir Bhutto is worth the fight. She's a poet and a writer, and I love words - that's no coincidence people. Then I found out she got her undergrad degree from Columbia, in the city of my birth and upbringing! And she got her Masters in South Asian Government and Politics, from the School of Oriental and African Studies, my alma mater of a semester! I watched the movie Bombay. I rewatched the movie Bombay. I decided it was worth the fight. Tonight I'll approach my parents in hopes of having them set this union up.
Previously on Girls I Want My Parents to Arrange My Marriage With:
Claudia Bassols
Freida Pinto + Priyanka Chopra
Kristen Wiig + Maya Rudolph + Tina Fey
Nadine Velazquez
Lakshmi Menon
Claudia Bassols
Freida Pinto + Priyanka Chopra
Kristen Wiig + Maya Rudolph + Tina Fey
Nadine Velazquez
Lakshmi Menon
Who else should I try to get my parents to arrange my marriage with? I need backups. Like I said, this one's going to be tough.
SNL Digital Short: Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris hosted SNL this past weekend and it was actually amazing. Anyone who's watched How I Met Your Mother, which is no-joke one of my favorite tv shows, knows that dude has got great comedic timing. Even his monologue was entertaining as he discussed Fred Savage getting the offer to host over him: "So I turn to my girlfriend at the time and I'm like 'what is this guy, allergic to timing?' and she goes 'why wont you kiss me?' and I go 'not right now, i mean look at this guy!" The highlight for me was this digital short on the awesome Doogie Hauser MD theme:
*Also, while roaming the net for feedback on how awesome Neil Patrick Harris was, I came across something more awesome than anything on SNL this weekend:
THE TRUTH Jan 12th, 2009 - 04:58:18
LOOK UP 'PROP 8 MUSICAL' ON YOUTUBE AND U WILL SEE HOW NEIL PATRICK HARRIS TOTALLY INSULTS JESUS CHRIST. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE AND DISGUSTING! I WAS A FAN, BUT I WILL NEVER SUPPORT ANYTHING HE EVER APPEARS IN AGAIN. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AFTER YOU SEE HIS FILTH. THANK YOU. SORRY FOR WRITING IN ALL CAPS, MY KEYBOARD IS STUCK.
News: AR Rahman Wins Golden Globe
When Slumdog Millionaire came out I wrote a pretty long piece about why I was excited for the film and one of my main reasons was the soundtrack by AR Rahman. He also came up here while discussing Gang Gang Dance's most recent album Saint Dymphna and their appreciation for him. One of the personal highlights of the film for me was noting that I wasn't the only person who's interest rested heavily upon its soundtrack as during the end credits, at Angelika Theatre where I saw the film, several people in the audience clapped when Rahman's name came up. Last night dood finally got the global shine he's deserved for years with his win of a Golden Globe. The film also brought home Golden Globes for Best Director, Danny Boyle, Best Screenplay, Simon Beaufoy, and Best Film. And to think, all it took for Indian films to get the shine they deserved was some white people!!! (And I don't care what the reasoning is - this is an Indian film.) Let's see if Rehman and the others can rack up some Oscars too.
And here are some of my favorite joints from Rahman which I've previously posted here:
Tu Hi Re - from Bombay
Yaire - from Rangeela
Chaiyya Chaiyya - from Dil Se
Also, no homo, who saw Maggie Gyllenhall's sweet Lanvin dress?
Friday, January 9, 2009
Fashion: New Lanvin Sneakers/Shoes
Lanvin continues to kill it, with regard to both their gear and their increasingly-sweeter sneaker game. And speaking of game's, step your pronunciation game up - it's not LANNN-VINNN. Here are new looks from their sneaker and shoe S/S '09 line. Also some throwbacks to their '08s to peep the progression.
Lanvin Spring/Summer 2009 Sneakers:
Lanvin 2009 Spring/Summer Richelieu Shoes:
Lanvin Fall/Winter 2008 Sneakers:
Lanvin Spring/Summer 2008 Sneakers:
Previous Lanvin on Gordon Gartrelle:
And while I'm on the topic of sneakers I'd love to rock the shit out of but cannot afford, the only other fools getting my attention are Kris Van Aasche and Raf Simons. Peep these Raf Simons joints:
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