Friday, November 23, 2012

HEALTHY SLO MO SLUTS

A REBUTTAL MIX TO STAR'S "RABID MOFO VIRGINS" PLAYLIST. 

Over at "THE SEASON OF PLUM AND COBBLESTONE", Lisa* posted a mix tape she made back in 1994.  I thought it was such a keen-o mix that I decided to make a "rebuttal" mix which would feature the "opposite version" of the songs on her mix.  And for a limited time, there it is to listen to over on the right in the box there.

Her first song is Green Day's "Dominated Love Slaves".  Now that sounded very constrained and . . . well . . . dominating.  So I thought I'd start with something liberating which is "Free" by Deniece Williams.

Her second song was Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way?".  This implied to me someone inviting someone along to accompany them.  So I chose as rebuttal the anti-social "Baby Get Lost" by Dinah Washington.

Her third song was Creedance Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising".  Well, the opposite of a moon rise is a sun set, so I chose the Kink's classic "Waterloo Sunset".

Her fourth song on the mix was "Bombtrack" by Rage Against the Machine.  Now bombs seem real belligerent to me so I thought the opposite would be a pretty little flower.  That's why I chose the Carter Family's "Wildwood Flower".

Her fifth song was Pink Floyd's "Time".  What could be more opposite than "No Time" by The Guess Who?

Her sixth song was "Typewriter" by Louie Rankin.  Now, a typewriter is a really old-fashioned instrument so I countered that with a more modern writing thingy:  "My Computer" by Prince featuring Kate Bush.

Her seventh song was "I'm Nuthin'" by Ethan Hawke.  Sounds a little down on himself.  So I rebutted with a more self-confident "I'm Lucky" by Joan Armatrading.

Her eighth song was "Another Man Loved Me Last Night" by Loretta Lynn.  Sounds a bit unfaithful, if you axe me.  That's why I chose to rebut with "Faithfully" by Journey.

Her ninth song was Depeche Mode's cover of "Route 66".  That's a great big busy highway so I countered with a quieter thoroughfare like Ray Charles' "Lonely Avenue".

Her tenth song was "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by the Smiths.  Cheer up, Moz.  How 'bout with Terra Naomi's "I'm Happy".

Her eleventh song was "Fly Like an Eagle" by the Steve Miller Band.  What's the opposite of flying around like that up in the sky?  David Bowie's "Underground", that's what.

Her twelfth song was Billie Holiday's version of "Stormy Weather".  I countered that with "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (Live)" by Sammy Davis Jr.  Ka-chonk ka-chonk!

That was the end of side one on her original mix tape.  Side two began with Stone Temple Pilots' "Sex Type Thing".  Gee, that sounds very naughty, sexy like.  I countered "sex" with "death" and the "sensual" with the "spiritual" by choosing Anuna's "Media Vita".

Her fourteenth song was "Hip Hop Lyrical Robot" by UB40.  The opposites of robots is human beings so I chose "Human Beings Want To Be Happy (Interlude)" by King Britt featuring Ursula Rucker.

Her fifteenth song was Jim Morrison and the Doors' "The Ghost Song".  OK, ghosts are dead so I chose "Alive Again" by Trey Anastasio.

Her sixteenth song was Bob Marley's "War".  Easy, what's the opposite of war?  I went with "Peace Tonight" by the Indigo Girls.

Her seventeenth song was Harry Chapin's "Better Place To Be".  Sounds like a place where things are improving so I rebutted with things getting worse in "Slipping" by Neil Patrick Harris from the "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" soundtrack.

Her eighteenth song was Barbra Steisand's "I'd Rather Be Blue Over You".  Again, cheer up Babs!  How 'bout with Trini Lopez's "If You Wanna Be Happy"?

Her nineteenth song was "Sweet Toxic Love" by Boy George.  I countered sweet with bitter by choosing the Jam's "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)".

Her twentieth song was Judy Garland's classic "The Man That Got Away".  Well, I didn't let my choice get away; I captured "I Got You" by Split Enz.

Her twenty first song was House of Pain's "Top 'o the Morning To Ya".  The opposite of good morning is nighty nite so I rebutted with Will Kimbrough's "Goodnight Moon".

Her twenty second song was "A Man and A Woman" by Francis Lai.  Don't be so grown-up.  I countered with "Boy Meets Girl" by Mel Brooks & Marlo Thomas from the "Free To Be You and Me" soundtrack.

Her twenty third and final song on the mix was the Cure's "Closedown".  Opposite of close down is open up, right?  So I ended with "Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In" by Frente!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

FROM THE LAND OF CERPTS AND HONEY!

 








Tuesday, November 20, 2012

DAVID THOMSON TELLS RICKSTER WHAT TO WATCH

MARTIN SCORSESE DID IT EARLIER THIS MONTH SO DAVID THOMSON GOT JEALOUS. 

As part of my "Tell Rickster What to Watch" Challenge (inspired by Edgar Wright, of course), this time around film historian David Thomson is gonna provide me with some watchin' fodder.  Actually, not really.  But Thomson's fantastic and indispensable book "HAVE YOU SEEN...?", which features one-page essays on 1,000 films recommended by the author when asked "What films should I see?", is going to do it for him.  Now, a good deal of the 1,000 I've already seen and the rest is still too big a list for me to conquer in any reasonable amount of time.  So instead I'm going to go through Thomson's book and I'm going to cherry-pick a dozen or two films that I would like to see the most -- and THAT will be the equivalent of Mr. Thomson telling me what to watch.  See?  Mr. Thomson commands I watch:
  • AIR FORCE (1943)
  • ASHES AND DIAMONDS (1958)
  • LA BAIE DES ANGES (1962)
  • BLACK LEGION (1937)
  • CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974)
  • DIARY OF A CHAMBERMAID (1946)
  • HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT (1937)
  • MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW (1937)
  • MIDNIGHT (1939)
  • PANDORA'S BOX (1929)
  • PLAYTIME (1967)
  • SEXY BEAST (2000)
  • SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1942)
Now, I have chosen a "baker's dozen" here because, quite frankly, CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING is impossible to buy, rent or steal; so knowing I'm going into it with one impossible-to-find film, I stuck another one on the list.  And that David Thomson has already done a pretty good job recommending movies -- just for your edification, these are the films that I've already seen as a direct result of reading Thomson's book:  Act of Violence (1948), Alphaville (1965), Le Amiche (1955), Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud (1958), Bande a Parte (1964), The Big Lebowski (1998), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Carrington (1995), Cinema Paradiso (1988), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), Le Doulos (1963), The Great Train Robbery (1903), Late Spring (1949), Madame de... (1953), Mad Max (1979), The Man With a Movie Camera (1927), The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Les 400 Coups (1959), 'Round Midnight (1986), The Rules of the Game (1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), The Sting (1973), Tokyo Story (1953), Underworld U.S.A. (1961), Wagon Master (1950) and You the Living (2007).    

Thursday, November 15, 2012

WHAT DO YOU WANT ON YOUR FOUR-COLOR TOMBSTONE?

CALL IT HALLOWEEN LEFTOVERS, IF YOU WILL . . . but since Halloween is 365 no justification is needed.  Since mostly these days I feel like crawling into the grave and pulling the dirt up over my head, I'm going to post a cover gallery of comix featuring tombstones on them.  A surprisingly effective way to boost sales over the years!  This goes out to all the friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery!