Koios’ Neighborhood

Thought this was shiny and exciting -

http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?idf=SEMEVLXRA0G&type=V

Some day I'll add something of substance to the presentation of these links... maybe.

In no particular order.

1. Juno's I love you scene

2. Patch Adam's graduation

3. Little Miss Sunshine's "Fuck beauty pagents" bit

4. Pirates of the Caribbean's rum burning

5. Vera Drake in the dock

6. Man on the Moon's Carnegie Hall

7. Lost in Translation's big bum opening

8. Clerks II's rooftop dance lesson

9. Elizabethtown's mix tape and map

10. Hook's imaginary food-fight.

To the list of comedians that I like, I'd like to add Eddie Izzard - he's very funny and he's just run over 40 marathons in almost as many days.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/sep/15/eddie-izzard-charity-run

I realize that most of my recent posts to this blog have just been links. Perhaps there are better media for this type of post, but I quite like having somewhere to file and share them. My latest discovery has been Josie Long's stand up shows. The clips available on youtube aren't really any more than tantalising glimpses of her stand-up, but I'm pretty much hooked already. Her first show was titled 'Kindness and Exuberance' - the choice of which is explained in the clip below - and i can't think of any better way of summing up her conduct on stage.

I enjoyed this film so much that i've added it to the 'favourite films' section on my facebook profile. insanely beautiful.

gah!

nothing else really, just listening to Everclear and liked that line.

NANOWRIMO Word Count

2 comments

That's all.

:oD

So here's a trimmed down (believe me :)) selection of songs from the Manics. The band has been around for 20 years now, and as such they have gone through a lot of changes. I've tried to get a song from most of the 'eras' of the band. I've skipped a couple of eras because they were, in my humble opinion, quite atrocious. I've left them in the chronology thoughm to leave you the option of exploring :). I've included links to some album reviews, which may hopefully give you an idea of the context in which they arrived, and some pics of the band.

The Early Years - Generation Terrorists (up to 1992).

Broadly characterised by clouds of feather boas, crap-loads of polemic, and kick ass guitar parts :) In my view, one of the more interesting periods of the band's career.

1. Stay Beautiful - Find you faith in your security... We're a mess of eyeliner and spray-paint; DIY destruction and Chanel Chic. One of my all-time faves. Best when live, the chorus creates a situation in which the audience are invited to scream 'Why don't you just .... FUCK OFF' at the band, and the band likewise at the audience. Granted, it worked better when everyone hated them, and they had plastered themselves in polemic and contradictions, but it still has a resonance i think.

2. You Love Us - Throw some acid into your face... You love us like a holocaust Another big fan favourite, basically a message to the musical press that was mocking them mercilessly (which was, in fairness, a position they had fought hard for in interviews and letters sent to reviewers, sort of like Eminem's approach to publicity, only with less cursing and more Neitzche quotes).

3. Motorcycle Emptiness - Under neon loneliness, motorcycle emptiness Often considered to be the best track on GT, it was the biggest hit, and most polished song on the gargantuan debut album. It looks at the life of motorbike gangs in California.

The Difficult Second Album - Gold Against The Soul (1993).

Not quite the wilderness years (though some of the photo shoots certainly point in that direction...), but a little over-polished and lacking in soul. Still some great lyrics in there though :)

4. Suicide is Painless (theme from M*A*S*H) - Included here because I just really like the way it builds up. Also their biggest hit to date (released for War Child).

The Reaction - The Holy Bible (1994) (scroll down the page for an enjoyable review of the album).

The final album as a four-piece. Recorded at a similar time to In Utero, and with a similar tone. They jettisoned the oppulence of GATS and recorded in Cardiff's red-light district at a cheap-as-chips studio. the single most formative album in my life. Not easy-listening, but i find the un-guarded honesty of the lyrics and correspondingly raw sound go well together.

5. Yes - For sale? Dumb cunts, same dumb questions.... He's a boy. You want a girl? Tear off his cock, tie his hair in bunches, fuck him, call him Rita if you want. Richey said of this "Prostitution of The Self. The majority of your time is spent doing something you hate to get something you don't need. Everyone has a price to buy themselves out of freedom." Not for everyone, but for my money, one of the greatest album openers.

6. Faster - I know I believe in nothing, but it is my nothing... A truth that washes, that learnt to spell. I don't know that I entirely get this song, but i love the lyrics (still the polemic, but a lot more thought-through I think) and the way that the song seems to continually collapse in on itself.

The Post-Richey Album - Everything Must Go (1995-1997)

Richey Edwards (essentially the artistic director and chief lyricist of THB, plus vestigal rythm guitarist) disappeared in early 1995 and was never seen or heard from again. Everything Must Go is the album that the band released a year after Richey disappeared. Their most successful album to date, the first single reached number 2 in the top 40 (beaten by Return of the Mack dammit). A much smoother and polished record than THB, and easier listening.

7. A Design for Life - Libraries gave us power, then work came and made us free The most successful, and most universally lauded single of their careers. Quite different from previous releases, more mainstream, but still retaining a core lyrical soul.

8. Everything Must Go - And I hope that you can forgive us, but everything must go. In part a reaction to Richey's disappearence, and the band's decision to go on.

9. Australia - I don't know if I'm tired, and I don't know if I'm ill One of my favourite songs to rock out to.

I'm just going to list the rest of the songs on the list because I'm really tired, but just want to get this done. Maybe I'll revisit it in time and tidy it up, but don't hold your breath :)

Post-EMG - This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours (1998)

10. If you tolerate this, your children will be next If I can shoot rabbits, then i can shoot fascists

11. Tsunami / The Everlasting

Know Your Enemy (2001)

12. Ocean Spray - It's easy to breathe only air, where life should be The first song lyrics written by singer James Dean Bradfield. Written for his Mum who was dying of cancer at the time. (Video's sound is v. poor, I believe Last FM has a stramable copy)

Lifeblood (2004)

meh.

Send Away The Tigers (2007)

This is the album with Your Love Alone... on.

13. Autumn Song - Wear your love like it is made of hate.

Journal for Plague Lovers (2009)

An album with lyrics taken from a portfolio of Richey's lyrics given to the remaining band members shortly before his disappearence.

14. Jackie Collins Existential Question Time - Oh mommy, what's a Sex Pistol?

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd that's IT. :) Sorry it's taken so long. Hope you enjoy at least some of the songs, and maybe I'll come and tidy it up one of these days. (oh and the title's taken from the Manic's Greatest Hits album).