While Todd Haynes works on getting his Bob Dylan biopic off the ground, MTV has a scoop about the Man In Black: Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon will play Johnny Cash and June Carter respectively in the forthcoming Walk the Line, to be directed by Girl, Interrupted‘s James Mangold. I’ll give it a chance, for the subject matter if nothing else.
Category: Music
Not Dark Yet.
Kestrel’s Nest points out this extraordinary video for Johnny Cash’s version of NIN’s “Hurt”, which plays like an early eulogy for and from the Man in Black. (And sit down, Duvall. Cash is definitely more grizzled.) A powerful tribute to a lion in winter.
Marat’s Bathing.
Speakin’ in tongues, it’s still worth a broken lip. R.E.M.’s Murmur turns twenty. (Via Looka.) Unlike the cover bands of today (The VU Strokes and Interpol/Joy Division immediately come to mind), these four Athens lads put out a first record (Chronic Town E.P. notwithstanding) that still sounds original and distinctive two decades later, and we’re still reaping the rewards. Up the stairs and to the landing…
Lonesome Shadow.
The tracklisting for Counterfeit 2, Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore‘s second solo cover album, has now been released (07.02.03 story.) Longtime DM fans will know that the original Counterfeit EP, following up soon after 1989’s Music for the Masses, was a very worthy pickup. This one, due out April 28, includes more well-known tunes than the first, including songs by Brian Eno (“By this River”), John Lennon (“Oh My Love”), Willie Nelson (“Stardust”), and the Velvet Underground (“Candy Says”). DM frontman David Gahan also has a solo album coming out later in the year, which should be…interesting, I guess.
Forever Young.
Looks like Bob Dylan’s film career is taking off. Aside from Masked and Anonymous (blogged the other day), Zimmy’s also given his blessing to the Todd Haynes biopic project.
Pat Garrett II: Lily, Rosemary, and Jack Fate of Hearts.
Sundance premieres Masked and Anonymous, Bob Dylan’s return to the big screen. I’d heard about this project awhile back, but I hadn’t realized it was actually filmed and in the can. I’m very curious…it’s got a stellar cast, and Zimmy, of course. I could see this being really interesting or really embarrassing, but if nothing else comes out of it than introducing me to that Italian hip-hop version of “Like a Rolling Stone” on the first clip (found on Google/Kazaa as “Come una pietra scalciata” by Articolo 31), it’s been worth it.
Big Time Sensuality.
Upon the release of Bjork’s greatest hits, the New Yorker pauses to appreciate Iceland’s finest.
And the tap goes drip drip drip…
Break out the black turtleneck – it’s the return of mope rock! The Strokes be damned – Here‘s a derivative trend I can get into. And, strangely enough, I’ve had Joy Division in the CD player all week…who knew I was catching the zeitgeist? At any rate, hopefully some of these new acts can erase the bad memory of those fools Orgy butchering “Blue Monday.“
Denim Goldmine?
There was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it twice. Fresh off the extremely well-reviewed Far from Heaven (which I haven’t seen yet,) Todd Haynes preps a film about Dylan. Interesting…but, as the talkbacks rage, who will play him?
Only a Pawn in their Game.
The NYT surveys politicans’ constant appropriation of Dylan lyrics, including several ridiculous uses of “The Times-They-Are-A-Changin'” and Gore‘s campaign-threatening use of “My Back Pages” last week. (Kindly sent along by All About George.) Well, Al, I got one for you: “You got a lotta nerve to say you got a helping hand to lend, You just want to be on the side that’s winning…Yes, I wish that for just one time, you could stand inside my shoes. You’d know what a drag it is to see you.”