This documentary film from Raymond Gayle examines “the struggles of the black rock musician and the stigma they face in the black community and the music industry.” It features tons of great performance footage and interviews with journalists and musicians like Angelo Moore of Fishbone, Vernon Reid of In Living Color, and Cody ChesnuTT. Although the film is a bit rough around the edges, it’s got a lot of heart and certainly tackles an interesting and timely subject. The success of bands like TV on the Radio (one white guy) and Bloc Party (fronted by a black guy) might signal a shift toward an acceptance of more rockers of color. Watch it here, or by all means go buy a copy.
And here’s the Saturday Night Live performance that first made me a Fishbone fan.
If you answered yes, click here. I want to buy this place and throw parties where The Wife and I play nothing but this song over and over again. I’ll be wearing a yellow, v-neck cashmere sweater with the sleeves pushed up. You’ll find it at the Macy’s Men’s Store in the Liz Claiborne collection. It’s called “The Al Jarreau.” She’ll be wearing a vintage DVF number with no bra. Yeah. It will be that kind of night.
I’m pretty sure a porn star was murdered in this house. It just has that vibe. Also…
Dear Internet,
It’s 2009. Why the fuck are you still resizing my browser?
A brief word of explanation. During a repeat viewing of Gladiator, my wife and I noticed Joaquin Phoenix’s incredibly high “creep factor.” In the real world, this inherent skeevyness is almost always a liability. As an actor, it can open the door to a host of juicy roles. (This is, of course, not a testament to an actor’s true character. In interviews, Willem Dafoe comes across as affable and charming. On screen…creepy.) In a nod to the lingo of the movie, we christened Phoenix as Creepius Maximus. So that explains the title of this blog entry. What follows below, I have no explanation for other than to fall back on my old standby: Rock star trumps everything.
God knows I’ve had this argument on many occasions.
Donald Fagen Defends Steely Dan To Friends
NEW YORK—While having drinks with friends at a local bar Monday, Donald Fagen, 60, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and cofounder of the multiplatinum-selling American rock band Steely Dan, was once again forced to defend his appreciation for the multiplatinum-selling American rock band Steely Dan.
“Look, I understand. It’s an acquired taste,” Fagen said after putting his group’s 1978 hit “Deacon Blues” on the bar’s jukebox. “I wasn’t that into it at first, either. But when you really listen to the unbelievable production values and the wry, perfectly crafted lyrics—it’s just great art, okay? You should definitely give ‘the Dan’ a shot.”
I had the pleasure of being the first return guest in the esteemed history of the podcast Jordan, Jesse, Go! If you like old timey baseball lingo, Nebraska, and Queen Latifah, then this is the show for you. Give it a listen right over here. Who you calling a bitch?
