“With all due immodesty, I think it doesn’t help to lose me because people have told me they read The Voice not only for me, but certainly for me.” In another troubling indicator of how bad things are getting in the world of print journalism, the venerable institution Nat Hentoff is laid off from The Village Voice. “‘Nat Hentoff wrote liner notes for every great musician that I’ve ever loved, from Billie Holiday to Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin, and that’s not even what he’s been writing about for the last 30 years,’ said Tom Robbins, a Voice staff writer.”
Category: Music
The Playwright and the Muse.
The Ambient Bones.
As discovered while tracking down the first three Coraline posters above: In an intriguing meeting of the minds, it seems Peter Jackson has locked down the very talented Brian Eno to score The Lovely Bones for him.
For a possible taste of things to come, you really can’t go wrong with “By this River” (or anything off of 1977’s Before and After Science, for that matter) or “And Then So Clear,” from 2005’s Another Day on Earth.) As these two songs suggest, Eno will no doubt come up with something appropriately ethereal, evocative, otherworldly, and beautiful for Jackson’s long-awaited adaptation.
(The Man Behind the) Curtain Call.
“In my mind I’m barely scratching the surface here, and not because of what my interpretation means or what inspired the actual lyric, but because there are so many possible interpretations and mine doesn’t really that much matter in the long run. So no, I don’t think I’ll regret sharing a few ‘secrets’ with those who really care about the songs.” (I finally talked to Michael Stipe, he touched me on my arm…) In honor of Matthew Perpetua of Fluxblog completing his recent R.E.M. side-project, Pop Songs ’07-08, Stipe drops by to answer your questions about the lyrics. [Part II, Part III.] Great score, Matt, and congrats on finishing up the R.E.M. oeuvre.
A Government for Hire in a Combat Site.
Another choice link by way of Web Goddess. Until half an hour ago, I probably would’ve told you my favorite apocalyptic-pop Youtube video was this creepy-weird German mashup set to Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around”. But now it’s probably this ska-happy rendition of Dubya crooning “ITEOTWAWKI (AIFF).” Both are worth watching, if you can get around their innate “not lovely lovely Ludwig Van” eeriness.
They’ve lost control again.
“This is a very unusual theft and I am confident that someone locally will have knowledge about who is responsible or where the memorial stone is at present.” By way of Ted, someone has walked away in silence with Ian Curtis’ tombstone. (Here’s the scene of the crime.)
To live inside the law, you must be honest.
“In the lower courts, according to a study Professor Long published in the Washington & Lee Law Review last year, Mr. Dylan is by far the most cited songwriter. He has been quoted in 26 opinions. Paul Simon is next, with 8 (12 if you count those attributed to Simon & Garfunkel). Bruce Springsteen has 5.“
With great lawyers, you have discussed lepers and crooks: By way of Ted at the Late Adopter, the NYT examines Chief Justice Roberts’ use of Dylan in court opinions. “Mr. Dylan has only once before been cited as an authority on Article III standing, which concerns who can bring a lawsuit in federal court…The larger objection is that the citation is not true to the original point Mr. Dylan was making, which was about the freedom that having nothing conveys and not about who may sue a phone company.”
(Maggie’s) Farm Policy.
“‘Actually, one of my favorites during the political season is “Maggie’s Farm,”‘ Obama said of one of Dylan’s tracks. ‘It speaks to me as I listen to some of the political rhetoric.‘” But does he like the RATM version? While doing the obligatory secrets-of-his-iPod conversation with Rolling Stone — he’s a huge Stevie Wonder fan, which explains “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” on the trail — Sen. Obama sings the praises of Dylan. (Dylan did the same of Obama earlier this month.)
Don’t Look Back (Look to Barack).
“You should always take the best from the past, leave the worst back there and go forward into the future.” Take that, Sean Wilentz. In an interview with The Times (concerning his touring art show), the freewheelin’ Bob Dylan backs Barack Obama. “Well, you know right now America is in a state of upheaval. Poverty is demoralising. You can’t expect people to have the virtue of purity when they are poor. But we’ve got this guy out there now who is redefining the nature of politics from the ground up…Barack Obama. He’s redefining what a politician is, so we’ll have to see how things play out. Am I hopeful? Yes, I’m hopeful that things might change. Some things are going to have to.”
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
“Elvis was not first; I was the first son of a gun out here, me and Chuck Berry. And I’m very sick of the lie…You know, we are over that black-and-white crap, and that was all the reason Elvis got the appreciation that he did. I’m the dude that he copied, and I’m not even mentioned…I’ve been out here for 50 years, man, and I haven’t ever seen a royalty check.” Bo Diddley, 1928-2008.