Wow so this is what being in the 3rd decade of my life feels like... the same as my earlier decades... as I wind down from my week long birthday festivities this mothers day, I cannot think of a better way than to begin this new chapter (cliché bleh) than with compiling a detailed essay list of my favourite music that has been my soundtrack for the last 30 years PSYCH!! That would be the audio equivalent of the great wall of china stuffed into a speaker. Instead I'll opt out of the "this is the music that shaped my life" blog and just post the gems that have seen me through the transition this past week, way way way better..
Classixx - Hanging Gardens (Album)
Not so much a song but as a whole album, I have been waiting for a debut album from these guys for years and thank the (insert your deity of choice) they have released it not only that but also to stream the FULLL ALBUM online! This my friends is an act worthy of the day you first noticed the funny feeling in your pants was attached to the one in your chest, of course im not that tech savvy yet to post whole album (you can do that here) so I'll just post a lovely remix they did for The Gossip...
Du Tonc - Surging Memories:
I mean when you put two guys like Matt Van Schie and Mighty Mouse together you are bound to get fantastic results, their second offering for me at least is less darker than their first "the heavens have opened" outing but no less amazing. Set to start their first tour in the next months, all I have to plead is: Come to Berlin Du Tonc!!
The Presets - Fall (Ta-ku Remix):
We love The Presets and we love all kinds of music esp this kind
Flight Facilities - I Didn't Believe feat. Elizabeth Rose (Extended Version)
These guys have been releasing great stuff for while esp their 'triple j Mix Up mix tapes, which condenses decades of music with excerpt from historical events. Not to mention the Paul Simon remix.
I guess its time to actually do something with this blog which has become the online equivalent of a 2 week old takeout in the fridge (which reminds me...)
So I'm currently residing in Berlin, Germany for the past 5-ish months, and no I wont start vomiting German phrases and "coolest places to go around town" coz honestly even after a couple of night outs and Deutsch Lernin, I'm still at a dramatic hand gestures and utilising my limited Afrikaans to get by. Plus I want to avoid sounding like a dick....
Its been quite an interesting couple of months and by interesting I mean cold. Just cold. did I mention cold? oh and snow, oh god the snow.... one might think you would become accustomed to it after awhile but sadly you just become numb literally and mentally. The one thing driving you through the Christmas until April, is the promise of "the best summer ever" for which you record for future; "YOU LIED TO ME" or "YOU WERE SO RIGHT!!" referencing. All is definitely not lost in Berlin, I am not living in a cupboard anymore, the food, cheap booze, 24 hour trains during weekend, awesome people and the party until 7 in the morning vibes (which I am still manipulating my body clock around)
I have a feeling its gonna be a ride for the Berlin Chapter of my life and I can guarantee you will be reading about it here whether you want to or not, at the very least you can find good music here :)
I'm good, can you believe I've been in the UK for 2 years now, its really crazy! If you think about it, I'm still trying to wrap my head around what I want and where I want to be headed in my life, but I know that this is were I should be.
Its tough trying make the right decisions and leaping forward not knowing the outcome, which I would guess is what life's about. I've come to accept the hardships and "tests" that the douchbag called Reality throwups at me. Of course I do have my moments of teardrops but I hold them for the dancefloor which is the best place to release stress. See what I did there? "Teardrops" is song and in the lyrics there's a line that says " Teardrops in my eyes..." funny yeah? ha ha ha ... anyway.
I think these sessions with you are really great and that we've gotten over our past and moved forward. Wow. I'm so full of positivity and shizzle and really do hope you are too, but lets face it it's about me, tho, I mean who's ever heard of a Dairy wth issues? not me! LOL! To be honest I have had a glass of wine, so its made it easier to open up. (shhh I wont tell if you wont)
I suppose the thing that draws me to fantasy and fiction is probably what draws everyone else; the underlying human emotive subtext interpreted through fantastical form, you thought I was gonna say men in tights? or if I was straight... the big boobs and action. Alas no, my brain even exposed to an abundance of alcoholic beverages on a weekly basis, yurns for something a bit more than American Pie: The Reunion.
People tend to think Anime as a sort of geeky wankfest of the virgin kind (well I guess there is that sub niche market for that) but truth be told the Asian sort of toonage has more depth and rich character development than what the Americans seem to churn out, esp these days. Of course I could go straight to Studio Ghibli but this time I'm gonna yak about Ergo Proxy.
I saw this anime series a couple of years ago, the first episode just got me hooked, in a pistachio nutshell its about a futurist post apocalyptic city in which humans are grown in artificial wombs and the AutoReivs (robots) are their maids and expensive blow up dolls. Yeah I know you're saying; "ring ring, hello? oh hey Ghost in the shell". Where Ghost goes in the way of cyber detective, Ergo merely uses that as the stage to which it plays out its tragedy. Referencing artists and philosophers from the days of a flat world, it can get really confusing and brain urgness but they do have info at the end of each episode, to help you at least think you have a clue. The questions of self awareness, where am I going in my life? what does it take to be me? and do I really know me? Are what I got out of Ergo Proxy plus a kick ass intro complete with song.
Definitely one of my best Anime series of all time! give it a go, or not and be boring, its your choice.
I trust you had a great festive season, (don't tell me about it, its just an expression). I can honestly inform you guys with about as much as 1% sarcasm that I'm really looking forward to 2012.
First important thing is the MUSIC, so many artists which have taken a 3 year gap year are all coming back with new albums, if you don't know who, then should one bother to tell you? (send your answers to whogivesafuck@justjoking.co.uk)
Second, the movies its gonna be a commercial year for me (The Avengers, Prometheus, Resident Evil, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hobbit, Cabin in the Woods, Dark Shadows) unless, which is for certain, some underground/indie film house whacks me over the head with a whopper. For the film enthusiasts around check out my sisters blog, as she is at The Sundance Film Fest at this very moment and there is bound to be some interesting stories to occur.
Thirdly is the unexpectancy of where this boys life going to be headed this year, its great and all but seriously testing on the nerves and tummy, at least just throw me a friggen bone for a starter (wink)
As far as resolutions go, I've decided to forgo them for next year but if any of you would like to share theirs with me please stuff them in an email and send them to idontcare@justjokes.co.uk.
Its Friday, wooohoo so work hard and get trashed harder later, if you have kids (like 50% of my friends have) then have a nice night of barney and baby puke, HA! I love you guys!
Another year another Halloween Movie Palooza, feel pity for this one as I have been suffering a bout of flu the whole week what convenient timing, I should be out and about scouting for a Halloween outfit|(s) yet I am in bed-ish dealing with a throat that seems to be possessed by Bobcat Goldthwait. eek!
But enough about me....
1: Rosemary's Baby.
Possibly one of the hugest influences in my or any ones film life, this one introduced me to the notion that not every scary movie needs to have prosthetic monsters jumping out at you or psycho serial killers chasing you up the stairs in your bra. All you need is some good directing and drugged up sex with Satan. Plus Mia Farrow nuff said.
Best Death Scene: um not really, tho the ending is creepy and full of cray cray (campy) characters
2: The Fourth Kind.
This film is based on actual events that occured Nome, Alaska (Balto fame) in 2000, spliced with acting and real footage, depicting interviews about alien abductions and what really happened. This one upped the creep factor by a thousand and asks the question: Is that really an owl looking at me outside my window? oh and Milla Jovovich nuff said.
Best Death Scene: Crap two in a row, nope but the owl freaks the f%^& out of you.
3: Ju-On.
I, like many of you were first introduced to the series of Ju-On by the American remake starring everyones favourite (say yes bitch's!!) Sarah Michelle Gellar. The US version was really good, nice and stylized, creepy and friggen scary, so when I decided to watch the original I thought I 'd know what to expect...uh f$$%^ no. The Japanese really know how to make a person go crazy without any gimmicky tricks and 3D graphics but with just using our own minds
to freak us out, our own minds? now that s scary. This is a staple in any horror buffs collection.
If you want to get the whole story of Ju-On go here to start and there's even a game
Best Death Scene: They are all freaky scary, this ones long but its all about atmosphere in Japanese horror, not big tits die in two seconds.
I havent seen the remake but this 1985 classic made me suspicious of all of my neighbours and first got me hooked on Vampyres, all the 80's elements are here; girl in trouble, synths and the hair.
Best Death Scene: Evil Eds transformation from wolf to man with a table leg through his chest, check it here but I would like to show a cool fan made music video which drips of 80's horra cool!
5: The Human Centipede
Okay this one is pure OMGWTF ness, the name says it all, with a crazy concept and a harrowing execution, you cannot help but feel shiddy for the the people that were unfortunate enough to meet Dr. Heiter the movie sick Dr. Psycho, be warned this movie is not for the faint of heart, body horror at its most inhumanist-ist. The sequel came out a recently and it actually takes the crazyness to new levels.
Best Death Scene: um I'd rather not say. if you cant stomach the trailer then give it a pass.....
okay so not much with the gore on this one but all are good, Have an awesome weekend and I shall leave you with a Halloween mixtape courtesy of the cool Uncle TNUC
