a staggering understatement

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Shot Topics

DENNIS HOPPER 1936 – 2010. Dennis Hopper was an enigma to me. An enigmatic enigma I guess. One of those movie stars whose personality outshone the roles he was given. Never one of my favorite actors but I totally got it. I understood why my mates dug him and saw him as some sort of alpha role model. He was a truly engaging presence in front of the camera and continued to make headlines off it. Ironically my favorite Dennis Hopper performances are when he’s playing support. The art collector in ‘Basquiat’. The drugged up photographer in ‘Apocalypse Now.’ and my personal favorite. Clarence Worley’s dad in ‘True Romance’ I haven’t seen ‘Easy Rider’ since I was a kid and ‘Blue Velvet’ never really did it for me but Dennis Hopper was one of the few icons of a bygone era left and now he’s gone. I guess I bought into the myth too as I felt compelled to write something.

Film of the Day
If you ever come to my apartment you’ll find plenty of posters. Jazz album covers. Posters of reggae artists ,soul artists. Pictures of my wife. My mother. Photo’s I’ve taken. Photo’s taken of me. You get the picture. (Pun intended) amongst all these images this self-described cinephile has one movie poster. Directly above my television (my friends call it the shrine) between my dvd and cd collection hangs the poster for this movie ‘YakuzaPapers’. To say I hold this movie in high regard would be a staggering understatement. It stars one of the greatest movie stars of all time Bunta Sugawara trying to navigate his way through the treacherous world of the yakuza whilst witnessing his comrades fall. It’s in five parts so it’s more like a mini series. Yes you do have to see all five installments and yes it’s in Japanese with subtitles but truth be told it’s up there with the ‘Scarfaces’ ‘Goodfellas’ and Godfathers of this world. Amazing score. Top draw wardrobe. Tasteless violence. Kenji Fukasaku directs. You won’t be disappointed.

Gary Coleman R.I.P

Feb 8 1968 – May 28 2010

Album of the Day

Frank Sinatra found his niche with this sixties classic. Sparring with the king of Bossa Nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim he delivers if not the most celebrated, certainly the hippest addition to his extensive oeuvre. Much more than ‘the girl from Ipanema’. This is an exercise in restraint. Years of experience finds Frank displaying a vocal poise totally in  sync with Jobim’s iconic arrangements. Two titans flexing their creative muscle to create something timeless.

all that jazz

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Shot Topics

Don’t really know what to make of Kara Walker’s work. Opportunistic maybe. Engaging definitely. I examined it at the MET and walked away feeling entertained and guilty for it. I felt that perhaps I should have been engaged in some kind of deep longing or sense of injustice. Her work is so direct, Silhouetted black images placed on a white background evoking the rituals of a bygone era. Some celebrational, many delving deep into the dark taboo cauldron of slavery and all that jazz. I’d advise anybody who hasn’t seen it to make their way to the MET and check it out. Anyway. Did Gap just totally and brazenly rip her off for their latest store campaign or is it me?

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Album of the Day

One afternoon I was at My Aunt Edna’s place in Brixton (London). They had some kind of special on David Bowie on television. She quite casually glanced at the screen and told me that she used to see Bowie playing his guitar outside of Brixton Station back in the sixties. She said that he looked so skinny and dishevelled that sometimes she would bring him a plate of food cause he looked so malnourished. He always seemed appreciative and would wolf it down with gusto. So what I’m saying is this… My Aunt Edna gave David Bowie the fuel he needed to carry on and if it wasn’t for her he would never have gone on to record one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Lets give the credit where it is due.

BAD PHOTO’S OF PEOPLE I ADMIRE

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry live at Central Park was way better than this photo

Film of the Day

I never really had much time for war films. I could never quite get to grips with the genre. Overweight guys chomping on cigars, sending young men off to war. Cut to some dude screaming into a portable telephone. Yelling something like. “Kirk’s been hit sir!! ” while bombs go off all around him. Saving Private Ryan changed all that. It was the first war film I saw that gave me a tiny inkling of what it might have been like to be thrown in at the deep end. Life or death. Survival by chance. I’d take the first fifteen minutes of this flick over any of the dozens of hammy war films that I was subjected to as a kid. (Courtesy of my older brothers) with the exception of  ‘Full Metal Jacket’, ‘Hamburger Hill’ and  ‘Platoon’ of course.

BAD PHOTO’S OF PEOPLE I ADMIRE PART 2

I finally get to see McEnroe play and this is the best I could do?!

taking no shorts

Shot Topics

Avedon is kinda like the Beatles to me. There’s a lot of it and it’s all good but it get’s to a point of saturation cause everyone digs it and everyone references it in conversation. “He’s a great photographer kinda reminds me of Avedon. “It has an almost Avedon quality to it” so on and so forth. you get my drift. It got to the point where I would deliberately criticise his work  just to add a little spice to the conversation. Same old same old black n white portraits of pretentious fashion types, or people of power and privilege who cares! What about Halsman or Parkinson blah blah blah. Truth be told Avedon is my favorite portrait photographer. Nobody got to the essence of a subject like this guy. Manipulating his artform to attain something timeless and at times extraordinarily raw even when shooting editorial for Vogue. Why I included this book in my shot topics segment was not for the photography cause it’s mainly photo’s of him on various sets. it’s because as well as being one of the all time heavyweight champs of portrait photography he was a man that oozed style from his every pore. No man could rock a sweater, jeans and boots combo like this guy throw in the iconic shades and you got all the more reason to hate on this genius who always gets his just dessert.

Film Of The Day

Mqcueen is released from jail a little earlier than his release date which means he owes somebody big time. In order to pay off his debt to organised crime he’s roped in on a bank heist. He holds up his end but ends up being double crossed. Of course Mcqueen gets his money back but then these ungrateful hick gangsters decide to ambush him in a hotel as if they don’t know that this is wrong guy to mess with. He gets his vengeance with a pump action severing limbs and taking no shorts. Sam Peckinpah directs this machismo masterpiece. Ali Mcgraw assists and Mcqueen hold it down as only he can. A legend at the top of his game.

FOCUS ON MINDLESS OBSESSIONS

I OBSESS ABOUT MY VINTAGE TEE COLLECTION

I ALSO OBSESS ABOUT MUSIC BOOKS

I HAVE AN OBSESSION WITH KEEPING MY OLD IPODS

Album Of The Day

“1998 senior year Garvey High. When all the guys were corny but the girls were mad fly” I think that’s the line. I’m sure you know the rest of the verse. I’m sure you know that this is one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time by one of the great hip hop acts of all time, who’s first three albums reinvented the genre. I know you have the album prior to this and the one after. You might as well spend the next few seconds checking out the cover cause there’s nothing I can say about this album that you don’t already know. Is there?

revered amongst funksters

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Shot Topics

I’m not quite sure what Mitch Epstein is playing at. I’ve never really been a huge fan of his work. People staring out into no mans land or groups of people eating turkey or whatever. His images tend to leave me puzzled and disconnected. Then he releases a book of unreleased photo’s called ‘recreation’ (how fitting I thought)page after page of people looking into no man’s land and gatherings of folk doing mundane stuff and I love it. Why is that. Why is that Mitch!

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Film of The Day
‘Crazed Fruit’ is the title and here’s how it goes. There’s two brothers. they take a trip to the equivalent of Tokyo’s Hampton’s where their family have a beach house. The younger brother spots this pretty young thing at the train station. He sees her again at the vacation spot and though he’s kinda shy he makes his move. She’s open to it and they end up dating. His older brother who happens to be a thug sees her at a club with another dude and feels torn between the urge to protect his brother from this scheming nymph and his lust for this lady who’s as grimy as he is. Lust wins out and he proceeds to get his wicked way with her. She in turn is mutually attracted to this alpha version of his shy younger brother. Of course little bro finds out and he ain’t too happy about it leaving us with a gripping gruesome finale. Now if that aint enough for you to watch some old black n white Japanese flick you’re a lost cause.

KEEPING IT TRUE TO FEEDBACK

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After my last blog where I mentioned my early days as a soul boy. I was inundated with comments and feedback  from a number of people who shared the same passion and commitment to the groove as yours truly. therefore in no particular order.

I have to mention that my list does not include the likes of Marvin Gaye, Barry White, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Earth Wind & Fire or any other colossal heavyweight in the soul field cause that would be like stating the obvious.

Also. I never included groups such as ‘War’ ,  ‘Candido’ or ‘Brass Construction’ cause that’s leaning toward funk / boogie kinda stuff and that’s a whole other genre (the dude in the photo above is probably jamming to some real heavy Candido joint) I’m focusing on the rare groove scene (I believe you Americans call it two step)

MY TOP FIVE RARE GROOVE ARTISTS

Roy Ayers: You can pretty much cop anything by this guy and it will be on point. He also has his side projects ‘Roy Ayers Ubiquity’ , ‘Ramp’ ‘Eighties Ladies’ etc but as I said. It’s all good!

Donald Byrd: One of the pioneers of jazz funk. You should also mess with his group the blackbyrds. He has a really good best of compilation that will get you acclimatized with his work.

Minnie Riperton: aficionados tend to focus on her work with ‘Rotary Connection’ but throughout her brief career she consistently hit the mark and is revered amongst funksters. She passed away in 1979 at the age of 31. Way too young. Way too cool..

Johnny Hammond: I think gears is his masterpiece but he’s one of those guys that will always give you a few gems to savour per album

Leroy Hutson: Too good to dissect. Get everything by this guy.

As if that wasn’t enough here’s the link to the podcast I put on my very first blog. Few people noticed this because it was stuck at the bottom. I’ll have a new podcast next week.

http://c2live.podbean.com/mf/web/hv3yu2/pod13_29mp3.mp3

Album Of The day

This album may well have been overshadowed by Nas ‘Illmatic’ or Mobb Deeps ‘The Infamous’ when it came out in 1996 but Capone n Noreaga’s  breakout album deserves its place among those classic hip hop gems from the borough of Queens. Not for the light-hearted. This is thugged out hip hop at its rawest. It’s before Nore got fat and started doing Reggaeton music and it’s a couple years shy of his half decent debut album N.O.R.E. Not sure what happened to Capone.

a cultural phenomenon

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Shot Topics

My mate Matt wants me to write about the movie Wall Street. Why? I hear you cry. Hears why. Anybody who knows me reasonably well knows that Wall Street is my favorite movie. I bring it up in conversations where it has no place. I’ve seen it countless times. I quote lines as part of my everyday vocab like “lunch is for wimps” or “if you need a friend, get a dog” I’ve bought the movie for friends. I’ve defended its worth with many a cineaste determined to ridicule my love for Gekko over Truffaut. It’s made all the more frustrating cause it’s hard for me to intellectualize my love for this film maybe that’s what’s so compelling about it. I saw this movie the same week that I watched Scarface for the first time and while Scarface had a band of followers I could affiliate with, I was left as an almost solitary Wall Street fan. There were a few appreciative colleagues scattered around but on the whole I was flying solo on this one. To many it’s just another eighties flick and that’s exactly what it is except this eighties flick gets me percolating at the sight of the opening credits. I’ll have to leave my Wall Street review for another day as i’ve already committed to the film a few scrolls below but i’ll be sure to give you a heads up when I get round to it Matt. Cheers.

Album Of The Day

When I was a teen in London I quickly became infatuated with the soul boy (and girls) club scene. I’d head to the West End rockin my funky dreads vintage Levi’s and brogue boots in search of a groove I used to see this skinny white kid at every rave I was at. His standard attire was a big wooly hat, boot cut cords and adidas gazelle sneakers. We never really knew each other but we’d acknowledge one another. One night I ran into him at ‘the ‘funkin pussy’ or it could have been ‘soul kitchen’ not quite sure. Anyway we get to talking and he informs me that he’s a singer and that he had just auditioned for the Brand New Heavies. Fast forward a year later. I’m upstairs at the Wag Club chilling in the funk room and this group shows up on stage to do a quick set and lo and behold it’s the same guy! They break into ‘when you gonna learn’ and I almost jump out of my skin. I had that track on white label (a kinda bootleg vinyl pressing) for months it was a kinda underground cult tune plus no one really knew  who Jamiroquai actually were. (I personally thought Jamiroquai was a female.) After the set we grab a drink and he proceeds to tell me that he just got signed to Sony and is about to go on a European tour. He then downs his beer and  leaves to become a cultural phenomenon. True story. This is their first and best album. The two albums that follow are essentials as well.

WHY NOT SHOES?

Here are a couple of pairs of shoes that I dig same brand different gender

Adrian wears Paul Smith sample shoe (no name)

Vera wears Paul Smith shoe. (Men Only line)

Film Of The Day

I know James Cameron proclaimed himself “top of the world” after Titanic and he reaffirmed his first class status with Avatar. Okay Terminator 2 is the glitziest jewel in the trilogy and ‘True Lies’ lived up to the hype but for me Terminator 1 is my James Cameron joint. I sneaked into the cinema to see this as a kid and the story was so intoxicating I sat through two viewings and never even left my seat to get a free second helping of salted butter popcorn. Arnold’s at his best as the big bad android sent to earth to terminate little Johnny O’ Connor. Heart stopping action. Well thought out stunts way before Cameron had the budget to pretty much do as he pleased. Remember when our hero Kyle Reese steals that fresh pair of Nike Dunks when he’s hiding in the clothes store strapping those eighties hard to find butter Nike prototypes to his feet before taking it to the streets with Ahnauld! Come on now. It gets no better. Word.

as progressive as the next guy

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Shot Topics

Gordon Parks was not only one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century. He was a poet, musician, novelist, journalist, activist and artist.

His profiles reflecting the social injustices of his time won him accolades and his 1961 photo esaay on Flavio Da Silva a poor Brasilian boy from the slums that was dying from bronchial pneumonia and malnutrition whilst trying to help provide for his family saved the boys life after contributions came flooding in after his heart story was published. He created portraits of many of the most iconic figures of his time from Malcolm X to Barbara Streisand whilst simultaneously delivering fashion shoots for Vogue Magazine. He later went on to direct a number of films and documentaries most notably Shaft. An incredible artist on so many levels. He passed away March 7 2007

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Album of the Day

I know that I keep reviewing old albums but you have to understand that I am slightly obsessive compulsive and prior to starting this blog I lined up all the albums I wanted to review in a certain random order. Well it so happened a lot of those albums that were first on that list were old classics. I do have a number of contemporary albums that I want to honor on my blog but they are a little further down my list. Usually It takes a few years for an album to really seep into my consciousness to the point that I can label it a classic thereby gaining entry to my blog. I’m as progressive as the next guy but will Kings of Leon stand the test of time. I dunno. Anyway. A Kind Of blue is widely considered to be the greatest jazz album of all time.

Keeping It Real With The Followers Of My Blog

I was at Duane Park for burlesque night last Friday with my mate Jonathan. We were a few drinks in and being a friendly drunk I promised him that I would add his suggestions to my blog. Now if I was sober I doubt I would have promised anything of the sort but being a man of my word I hereby present Jonathan’s (very good) suggestions.

SUGGESTION 1

Having read my review of Bill Withers live at Carnegie Hall. Jonathan ( who is a very capable amateur drummer) suggested I give a shout out to the under rated, under appreciated legendary drummer from Bill Withers band Mr James Gadson.

Film Of The Day

You ever have a movie that you loved as a child and then you don’t see it for, say. Twenty years and you watch it again and realise that you still really really really love that movie. Paper Moon is that movie for me. Everybody knows Tatum O Neal was the youngest person (at the time) to win an oscar for her role as Addie, the chain smoking wise cracking cute kid but Ryan O Neal’s immaculate portrayal of a smooth talking, liquor running con man is sadly overshadowed by his littlun’s performance. its a shame really. Peter Bogdanovich directs this antsy flick. The hilarious Madeline Kahn co’ stars and I co sign this as a cinematic classic..

Keeping It Real With The Followers Of My Blog PT2

So me and Jonathan are at Duane Park getting more hammered on scotch. We get to talking about snooker (Americans can switch off here) which leads us to talking about one of the great snooker players of all time Steve Davis who I happen to know is a well respected vinyl enthusiast. Jonathan informs me that Steve Davis’s his favorite band is a band named Magma who are apparently so bad that they’re good. Of course I had to suggest they make an appearance on my blog so..

SUGGESTION 2

left to the will of the gods

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Shot Topics

Andrew Moore captures a city left to the will of the Gods in this captivating photographic expose ‘Detroit assembled’. Abandoned buildings, gutted factories. a bygone era left to ruin, captured beautifully by Mr Moore’s acute eye for desolation.

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Film of the Day

Max Julien plays ‘Goldie’. Fresh out of jail this ex con decides to go for the ultimate score. Nope. not a heist. He’s on a mission to be the best pimp there ever was. Armed with his macking skills and a willing crew of female disciples he reinvents the pimp game causing him to butt heads with ‘the man’. You see, the man is trying to make Goldie an ally in his corporate takeover of the streets. Their inevitable confrontation leaves you rooting for this brother trying to get his piece of the American pie. Richard Pryor co – stars, Willie Hutch soundtrack, dialogue heavily sampled by Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg. Yep. Its the Mack Daddy of all mack daddy flicks.

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SOMETHING I DID FRIDAY NIGHT THAT WAS FUN!

burlesque night at Duane Park restaurant Tribeca.

Album of the Day

In my final year at university I did a short thesis on ‘Ready To Die’ I focused in particular on the opening track. ‘things done changed’. I formed an argument that this track was a sociological poem of sorts confronting the issues that inner city kids face when the values that their parents instill run contradictory to their aspirations. I called it a generation a part. I received a B. I think. Classic album.

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SOMETHING I DID FRIDAY NIGHT THAT WAS NOT FUN!

I sat opposite this guy on the way home.

it was a rare privilege

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Shot Topics

Made it down to the Aperture Gallery for the Eikoh Hosoe book signing for his book ‘kamaitachi’ Hosoe is best known for his psychologically charged images. His series entitled kamaitachi were a series of photographs that referenced stories of a supernatural human being that haunted the Japan of his childhood. His collaboration with the writer Yukio Mishima as his subject created some of the most startling photo imagery of post war Japan.It was a rare privilege to observe this giant of photography.

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MY VIEW FROM UNITED ARAB EMIRATES STADIUM. LONDON

(i have my own seat even though i now live in new york)

COME ON ARSENAL!

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Film of The Day

Ethan Hawke dreams of flying to the stars but in a futuristic post modern world where everybody wears Prada unless you’re a specimen of physical perfection,  you’re confined to cleaning toilets and hanging out with Ernest Borgnine. Ethan refuses to let his physical shortcomings get the best of him and decides to fake his own DNA. Jude Law plays the bitter paraplegic donor. Ethan pounces on his opportunity and hastily pursues his dream. Then somebody gets murdered, in a cruel twist of fate his brother is heading the investigation. There’s a chase of some sort and I can’t remember how it ends but it’s a great movie. Good wardrobe.

MY VIEW FROM THE MARACANA. RIO DE JANEIRO

BOTAFOGO!

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Album of the Day

My mate gave me this album before i really knew who Van Morrison was. Being a deejay he was on the mailing list for a number of record labels. For some reason one of these labels sent him a top twenty classic albums of the last thirty years package. He didn’t want ‘Astral weeks’ said he found Van Morrison “too folksy”  and offered it to me. I definitely didn’t want it and tried to get him to part with his led zep IV. He wasn’t having any of it so I went home with the album. The next day I got up early went to my local record store and bought the best of van Morrison. I then went to the library and rented the unauthorised biography. I’ve had a fixation with ‘Van The Man’ ever since. If you ever go to Rio de Janeiro play this album while watching the women surf on Arpoador beach. Lovely…

last of a dying breed

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Shot Topics

My photograph (above) is a modest attempt to capture the style of one of my favorite photographers Elliott Erwitt. Born 1928. He has a way of injecting sly humor into everyday observations. One of the fore runners of photojournalism he has been a member of the prestigious magnum agency since 1953 and continues to work to this day. His work has been exhibited at the MOMA as well as many other museums.

low brow thumbs up

UK  rapper Giggs

For me. Right now. He’s the hottest UK, MC out there. Point blank. as we say back home

Film of the Day

Bob le Flambeur is a classy criminal. A professional gambler and the last of a dying breed. He has one last big heist in the works but first he has to rescue a vulnerable young nymphet. School these new jack wannabees to the rules of living the street life. get the police off his back and lose some money at the card table. That’s pretty much it. Jean Pierre Melville delivers this pre new wave classic.

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middle brow thumbs up

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Not too familiar with Patti’s music, never been a fan of Mapplethorpe’s work but ‘just kids’ is a great read

Album of the day

Maybe Bob Marley has a better album on his resume, certainly ‘Catch A Fire’ is a masterpiece. ‘Natty Dread’ springs to mind but honestly when it comes to Bob I can’t really dissect his discography by  album cause his overall output is so stellar. But for me I especially connect  with this album cause I spent a formidable part of my childhood playing air guitar on my brothers wilson tennis racquet to this record. It’s the first album i knew back to front and it still holds up to this day. The genesis of my infatuation with music.

high brow thumbs up
Carmen Opera at the Met

Okay. I haven’t actually got around to checking it out yet, but I do love this story