Help Kickstart Catechism Cataclysm
September 19 '10
Our friend Todd Rohal, is working on a new film. Todd directed “Guatemalan Handshake,” winner of Best Film at the 2006 Slamdance film Festival. He’s not talking much about the new film. But we do know it has something to do with black metal, a priest and a Japanese Huck Finn. And it stars Steve Little, who plays Band Director, Stevie Janowski in HBO’s East Bound and Down.
You can help the project by pitching in a few dollars on Kickstarter. If you pledge $50 or more Todd, DP Ben Kasulke, and actor Robert Longstreet will prank call the individual of your choice. More details here.
The Art of Bruno Novelli
September 2 '10
Brazilian artist Bruno Novelli, aka Bruno 9li, creates phantasmagorical works, full of rich color, detail and a puzzling mix of the organic and mechanical. See more here
Paintings of Alec Dartley
May 20 '10
Alec Dartley was born in Englewood, New Jersey in 1973. He received his BA from Parsons School of Design (95) and was later awarded the prestigious Skowhegan residency. His paintings explore the psychic space between intuition and composition and have been shown at Jessica Murray, Luxe Gallery, and others. (lifted from his bio)
See more here
Letterhead Collection
May 5 '10
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Our friend Brett at Stiles Design discovered this collection of old letterhead designs at letterheady.com.
Art by Demetrius May
April 7 '10
May is a recent graduate of Art Center. He’s based in LA and making amazing work. He paints, designs, silkscreens. Check out his self promotional cereal box. Other works here
Fiddlestixx
April 5 '10
Taking animal kindness to the extreme, The Zellner Bros created a trilogy of Sundance-worthy short films exploring the trials and tribulations of Fiddlestixx, The Original Party Primate. Go forth and discover why more often than not kids of all ages answer “Fiddlestixx!” when asked what they want for breakfast. Rumor has it the Zellners are developing a Fiddlestixx LARP. Additionally, a fall semester a UT Austin graduate level film course will explore the rich subtext of the Fiddlestixx trilogy.
And be certain to attend Zellneroids! at the Alamo Drafthouse on Monday, April 12.
Face Painting by Alexa Meade
March 31 '10
Washington, DC-based artist Alexa Meade is a 23-year old face painter. Not the paint a dragon on your kid’s face at the Renaissance Faire kind. But one that paints masterpieces directly onto the human body, creating the illusion of a canvas. When I first saw the work my reaction was that she’s a great painter. But when I realized these were living, breathing works I was floored. Her flickr page gives greater insight into her technique and genius.
Andy Votel – Brazilika
March 30 '10
British DJ and audiophile Andy Votel is at it again. This time bringing us a seamless mash up of Brazilian psychedelia from the 70’s. Votel’s collections are a must-have for fans of obscure, but listenable music from the past. Imaginary Sci-Fi soundtracks, Hungarian acid rock and Japanese/French children’s opera are just a few of the weird and wonderful offerings from his Finders Keepers label.
Listen and/or buy Here
Thanks for a great BYOC 5
March 25 '10
Thanks everyone who joined us Sunday, March 21 for our finest BYOC yet. Even though we had to reorganize the party in less than 24 hours, changing from Saturday to Sunday was a smart move. The weather was near-perfect and the bands that joined us short notice were extraordinary. Very special thanks to The Silent League, Natalia Mallo & Sinamantes, Little Stolen Moments, Peelander-Z, The Woes, Elk City, Terrible Twos and Shiny Ribs for bringing their art and music to our gathering. If these performers come to your town please support them.
Special thanks to The Butler Bros for all of your hard work. Thank you Pedernales Lofts board and tenants for allowing us to play in your field. And without the generous donations of our sponsors the party would have been just another kegger with music. Thank you mac&cheez, Keen Footwear, Brett Stiles Design, Libby Russell for our poster, Association of Music Producers, Tequila Mockingbird, Allison Hughes, Dave Mead Photography, Brown Distributing, your beyond and Rogue Running.
See our flickr photo gallery here
Kashmere Stage Band – Thunder Soul
March 25 '10
Thunder Soul is the story of Conrad “Prof” Johnson, a Houston high school band instructor who in the 1970’s transformed a mediocre high school jazz band into the internationally-acclaimed funk and soul sensation The Kashmere Stage Band. According to Johnson, stage bands in the 70’s were traditionally covering swing and jazz music. But “Prof” wasn’t having any of it. Instead he took his inspiration from James Brown and Funkadelic. And he taught his kids to play that music with style, energy and charisma.
Johnson was the truest kind of mentor – he insisted that his students not only become great musicians, but upstanding people first. Out of respect for their mentor, two of his ex-students decided to reunite the band 30 years later to perform a tribute concert for Johnson. “Thunder Soul” is the touching story of that reunion.
The film is centered on the importance of creative arts in education and the role great educators play in young people’s lives. Johnson, 92 at the time of filming, said “Any school administrator who doesn’t think that art and music belongs in the schools should be fired.”
Have a listen: KashmereSuperBad
Buy the CD here
BYOC 5 Music Fest – Saturday, March 20
March 17 '10
Poster designed by Libby Mae Russell
We’re gearing up for another great Bring Your Own Chair event. We created the party with ButlerBros because we believe working stiffs like us and their kids needed a proper SXSW experience. It all started four years ago on a stormy SXSW Saturday, with 30 or so of us huddled under Pedernales Lofts gazebo listening to a couple of bands. It’s become a musical free for all, with more than 800 guests last year and great music from all over. Join us. And remember to bring a chair.
The lineup:
12 pm The Jordans Brooklyn
1 pm Lucy and The Popsonics Brasilia
2 pm Natalia Mallo & Sinamantes Sao Paulo
3 pm The Woes NYC
3:45 pm Little Stolen Moments Austin
4 pm Peelander-Z NY
5 pm Jeff The Brotherhood Nashville, TN
Special thanks to sponsors and friends:
10 Bands To See At SXSW 2010
March 14 '10
Death was making punk rock when Disco was King. Read about “the band that was punk before punk was punk” in a NY Times article here.
Rainbow Bridge from Olympia, Washington make a joyous blend of outsider surf and psych. If you’re fans of Danielson Family, Beat Happening or bedroom jams of any kind you’ll want to cross over with Rainbow Bridge.
Recruited by Thurston Moore for his Ecstatic Peace label, Awesome Color is Brooklyn-based heavy rock inspired by The Stooges & MC5. Best female drummer since Mo Tucker of Velvet Underground.
The Nashville duo Jeff The Brotherhood is a rock and roll house party. They’re intense, fast, tight and their songs stick in your bobbing head. And they appear to be having a damned good time making great music. Catch them at our own BYOC 5
Thee Vicars
Thee Vicars are a UK band with shades of the 60’s garage blended with British punk.
Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt – A Saturday morning cartoon dance play date. While the theatrics of audience-participation, light saber fights and pepperoni pizza costumes are front and center, the music runs the Mad Hatter’s Ball a close second. It’s like Dan Deacon, except there’s more of them.
Sau Paulo’s Garotas Suecas are putting a fresh spin on The Tropicalia of Tom Ze and Os Mutantes. While the Brazilian roots are abundant, they blend American R&B and Memphis-style horns seamlessly.
Peelander-Z is Kabuki Monster Movie Thrash. Prepare yourself for a Japanese Gameshow of weird and well-rehearsed brain damage. Stand back so no one gets hurt. See them Saturday at BYOC 5.
The Whitsundays - Edmonton, Alberta
This from their Myspace page: “It could just as easily be 1967. But no matter the year, Edmonton, Alberta’s the Whitsundays certainly have a knack for writing yellowed, reverb-wrapped pop music, borrowing from the grand tradition of English psychedelia, garage, and vintage organ rock. With reverent nods to the flower-picking whimsy of the Zombies, the red-faced bluster of the Animals, and the delightful inanity of Syd Barrett, the Whitsundays’ self-titled debut is a vintage gem, and a charming hodgepodge of ’60s musical ephemera.”
Big A Little a are a Brooklyn-based group that plays prety much anywhere they can gather – street corners, parking lots, bus stations. Featuring multiple drum kits, it’s core is tribal. But flavors of avant rock and dance music are present, too.
Alice by Jan Svankmajer
March 7 '10
Skip the over-hyped Tim Burton film “Alice in Wonderland.” Watch Czech animator Jan Svankmajer’s 1986 classic version of the story, “Alice.” Mixing live action and stop frame animation, the film is funny, odd and creepy in places. Watch it here
Music To Die For
March 4 '10
Dr. Gil Alterovitz, A Harvard researcher, is working to turn the bleeps and burps of hospital machinery into music. When the body is okay or improving things sound pretty. When stresses in the body occur the music might become more dissonant. Cool futuristic sci-fi stuff. Perhaps when a heart attack occurs the machines could play “We Will Rock You.” Read full article here
Anorak Magazine
February 16 '10
While browsing Domy Books I stumbled across Anorak – a British magazine dedicated to kids art. In British slang an “anorak” is a person obsessive in niche subjects. And in this case the subject is cool art and creative projects. The drawing issue contains a comic strip featuring stuffed animals, how to make a sandwich that looks like the Anorak mascot and a brief history of the pencil. The magazine also showcases drawings from kids around the world. While it is targeted at youngsters, it’s a great browse for anyone interested in illustration and design. Be sure and check out the creators work on the issues page of their website.
Selleck Waterfall Sandwich
February 4 '10
This bit of webphemera just hit my inbox. Pictures of Tom Selleck in waterfalls accompanied by half-eaten sandwiches. So next time you’re in the great outdoors be careful. A pack of highly-trained attack dobermans could be just around the corner. Thanks mac&cheez for sharing.
Tequila Mockingbird label
February 2 '10
While dumpster diving in my hard drive, I rediscovered this tequila label we created a couple of years back for Austin music studio Tequila Mockingbird. I’m a fan of designer Milton Glaser. So I decided to mimic – scratch that – rip off his 1966 poster for Bob Dylan. According to Glaser, the Dylan work was inspired by a silhouette cutout made by Marcel Duchamp and Glaser’s exploration of Islamic painting.
Read an interview with Glaser here
Urgh! A Music War
February 2 '10
Released in 1981 as a feature-length film and companion double lp, Urgh! A Music War contains live performances of some of the more influential bands of the punk and new wave era. In the summer of 1982, the Dallas-Ft Worth PBS affiliate aired the film with a stereo simulcast on its sister-radio station. My older brother and I flipped when we learned of the broadcast. We were well-versed in the catalogs of the more popular new wave acts on the lineup like Devo, The Police and Wall of Voodoo. But we lived in the suburbs and were too young to drive to the good record stores in Dallas.
Our parents left town the night of the broadcast, a rare occasion. To enjoy Urgh! in all of its splendor we cranked up all of the radios throughout the house and tuned to the simulcast. What followed was 2-hours of mind-altering music and performance – Gary Numan powering a tiny electric car while singing “Down In The Park”, Lux Interior of The Cramps swallowing his microphone in what appeared to us to be a nervous breakdown, Klaus Nomi dressed in Kabuki makeup and a deco spacesuit singing falsetto. Too many strange and great moments to recount here. Seeing these bands making music their way was more than an expansion in our musical vocabularies. But more importantly the realization that beyond our narrow borders was a world filled with chaos and surprise worth looking into.
Rent This It Rules – Shotgun Stories
January 29 '10
Jeff Nichols is an Austin-based filmmaker whose 2007 debut tells the tale of feuding Arkansas half brothers after the death of their father. Mike Shannon, who recently supported in Revolutionary Road, plays the lead. It’s an unpredictable and original film. It’s beautifully shot by Adam Stone and scored by Jeff’s brother Ben, the front-man in the band Lucero. The dialogue is smart and frequently funny. Roger Ebert liked the film so much that he invited Nichols to 2008 Ebertfest to accompany Paul Schrader and Ang Lee on a panel. Ebert said “For me, Shotgun Stories is the great discovery of this year’s festival.”
If you love lesser-known works of any kind – films, books, artists, music – share them with the people you know. Because news travels fast these days. And if we don’t we could all very well be devoured by a rabid pack of Beverly Hills chihauhaus. Official poster by pals TheButlerBros.
Add it to your Netflix Queue here
Artist Roman Signer
January 26 '10
While researching a job I stumbled upon the works of Swiss artist Roman Signer. Signer, 72, creates action scultpures – collisions, explosions and the projection of objects into space. Watch one of his experiments here.
Logorama
January 26 '10
The short film Logorama was created by the French design/directing collective H5. Four years in the making, the 17-minute animated short features no fewer than 2,000 logotypes borrowed from corporate brands abroad. Taking a break from his day job poisoning people, Ronald McDonald apparently creates some hearty mischief in the film. Learn more about the film at Creativity.
Other Music
January 25 '10
Other Music is a Greenwich Village record store offering a broad selection of rare and unusual music. They also have the regular bands, too. The store recently added an online digital section, which is a great way to discover old, new and interesting music. Sign up for their new releases e-mail and you’re a click away from an auditory schmorgisborg.
Rent This It Rules – Goliath
January 24 '10
The Zellner Bros film “Goliath” was an Official Selection at 2008 Sundance Film Fest. Dave Zellner wrote it, directed and plays the lead. Brother Nathan produces this time and stars as well. It’s the story of a man down on his luck – he’s amidst a divorce, his job sucks and he loses his only remaining companion – his beloved cat Goliath. With the Zellners at the helm pain is funny. The film is original and full of strange surprises. Rent it. Enjoy it. Tell your friends.
Add it to your Netflix Queue here
Rent This It Rules – Guatemalan Handshake
January 22 '10
Filmmaker Todd Rohal recently relocated from New York to Austin. In 2006, his film “Guatemalan Handshake” won the Special Jury Prize at Slamdance Film Fest. We screened it at a Shiny AV Club gathering a few months back. The movie is funny as hell, tender, strange and smart. Everyone who came to the screening agreed it was something special and new. Please rent this and share it with people you know.
Add it to your Netflix Queue here
Nature and technology can be friends
January 22 '10
French Artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot created this installation at The Barbican Art Gallery in London. The work features a flock of finches frolicking on electric guitars and other musical instruments. Thanks Nick Smith for sharing.
Want some crap?
January 22 '10
The Pump restaurant in NY is “making it easy for people to eat well.” This viral clip, directed by studio Dark Igloo, is an irreverent mix of short films showing how gross most fast food really is. We’re fans of smart, bold advertising made on meager budgets. Cool people with cool ideas making cool things for cool brands. Thanks motionographer.
The Sculpture of John Borofsky
January 22 '10
“Walking to the Sky” is an 80 ft tall sculpture residing in the Nasher Sculpture Garden in Dallas. According to Borofsky, 68, the work was inspired by a story his father told him as a child. In the tale, the two of them would travel to the sky and visit a great Giant, sharing ways that people needed help back on earth.