Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Dents and Shells

An album by Richard Buckner that you should listen to. I think I might have mentioned that one before...

Naama from tonight. You should listen to her too. I know she's been featured here before, which means I've mentioned her. She's mentionable.



The following lyrics are by Beck on "Modern Guilt", another album that you should listen to. I think I might have mentioned that one before, too...

Listen.

"Some days
we get a thrill
In our brains
Some days it turns into malaise
See a face
In the rear view mirror
Reflecting
On the surface of fear
Because you know
I'm never better
Than that
Some days are worse
Than you can imagine
How'm I supposed
To live with that?
We're on this train dancin on with the rhythm

Hey
What are you gonna do
When those walls
Are falling down
Falling down on you?

Hey
What are you gonna do
When those walls
Are falling down
Falling down on you?

You got warheads
Stacked in the kitchen
You treat distraction
Like an instant religion
The battlesticks snap
At the rhythm
You give your best
With the souls
You've been given
'Cause you know
You're nothing
Special to them
Going someplace
You've already been
Trying to make sense
Of what
They call wisdom
And this riff-raff
Life ain't with them

Hey
What are you gonna do
When those walls
Are falling down
Falling down on you?

Hey
What are you gonna do
When those walls
Are falling down
Falling down on you?

You're wearing all
Of the years on your face
And your tombstone's not in the place
And your heart
Only beats in a murmur
But your words ringing out
Just like murder"

Now, go buy the album. It's better than anything else right now.
Including me and you.

And with that, I'm taking a break...

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

“Not to Maneuver, Other Than to Place the Object Astern, if Possible.”

What does this mean?

The answer is here.

I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist. Not a nut, mind you (and I've met and talked to those folks) but there's a lot we take for granted and there is a whole lot that our Government is trying their best to hope that we take for granted.

I don't even like "The X Files" that much, and have no plans to see the current overblown film - but...

...I don't think that we are alone.

I also don't think that we ever walked on the moon, but that's another conversation...

None of this shit is really that important - - until we can all love each other on THIS planet.

Which I have my cynical/realist doubts about, too.

Some things just cannot be explained...or they can.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

It's All Life and Fire and Lunacy...

Right, Mr. Cave?



A shot of me taken by photographic genius and my Brother From Another Mother, Chip Willis (see link to the right).

Mr. Willis makes me look halfway decent.

Regardless of the truth...

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Rules Are Good



The Prospect Park TeePee Rule Book:

1. Please do not litter.
2. Please do not take apart the teepie
3. you can add stuff to the teepie but Please do not take anything away
4. Do not take away the notebook and pencil!
5. Do not hurt the insects!
6. use the chair to sit not to play around!
7. No Smoking.

Meagan and I obeyed all the rules...except maybe for #7...

-----

Something profound just occurred to me:

Sonic Youth's "Death Valley '69" has got to be largely influenced by X's "Johny Hit And Run Paulene."

Or maybe it's the Jack and Coke typing...

Friday, July 25, 2008

A Salty Salute

The Club is open, but the fucking Hotel is closed.

Permanently.

Listen.

"Disarm the settlers
The new drunk drivers
Have hoisted the flag
We are with you in your anger
Proud brothers
Do not fret
The bus will get you there yet
To carry us to the lake
The club is open
Yeah, the club is open
Hey, the club is open
Ah come on, come on, the club is open
C'mon, c'mon, the club is open
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, the club is open..."



Guided By Voices and Angela.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

"She's Got on a Cactus Crown...

...With a Dot, Dot, Dot on Her Brow."

Here's Sarah. No dot dot dot, as far as I know...



Shit, sorry...a lot of ellipses. I like ellipses...

The new Beck album is fantastic. Dude just keeps getting better and better, which is inspirational.

I saw him walking around at the Guggenheim during the Matthew Barney show several years ago which seemed incredibly appropriate. My favorite kind of art is absurd, dark and impactful. Barney's is absurd. Beck's is all of the above.

"Profanity Prayers" steals the riff from Neil Young's "Mr Soul" - in a good way! Go Danger Mouse, go!

"Who's gonna answer profanity prayers?"

The last song on the record, "Volcano," struck a chord with me. A big chord.

He's tired of "evil" and "people."

I hear ya, brother...

Listen.

"I've been walking on
These streets so long
I don't know
Where they're
Calling me anymore
But I think
I must have seen a ghost
I don't know
If it's my illusions
That keep me alive
I don't know what I see
Was it all an illusion?
Or a mirage gone bad?
I'm tired of evil
And all the things
That I don't know

And I've been drifting
On this wave so long
I don't know
If it's already
Crashed on the shore
And I've been riding
On this train so long
I can't tell
If it's you or me
Who is driving us
Into the ground

I don't know
If I'm sane
But there's a ghost
In my heart
That's trying
To see in the dark
I'm tired of people
Who only want
To be pleased
But I still want
To please you

And I heard
Of that Japanese girl
Who jumped
Into The Volcano
Was she trying
To make it back
Back into the womb
Of the world?

I've been drinking
All these tears so long
All I've got left
Is the taste of salt
In my mouth

I don't know
Where I've been
But I know
Where I'm going
To that volcano
I don't want
To fall in though
So I want my bones
On the firing line"

I want to shoot him, too.

(Edit) After the 35th listen, it's not fantastic anymore. It's a masterpiece, clocking in at 33:38. Beautiful, succinct and perfect.

"Modern Guilt" joins my top four of 2008 with The Gutter Twins and Elbow and Nick Cave.

Word.

She Is Not Alone

Today.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Legacy?



Carly (see photos below) put this up on a modeling site yesterday as her avatar.

A modeling site that bans nudity for avatars.

It warmed my black (and white) little heart.

Then I Go To Sleep

My friend Lauren started this and I'm gonna finish it. I don't know what came over her Wall Of Voodoo-wise, but fuck it, that's enough for me.

I feel like I'm in a factory, albeit my choice. New York City.

The chord progression of this song sometimes sums up my city, depressing, fluid, always moving.

And beautiful.

Sometimes not so much, but mostly. I hear it often. And loud.

I heard it all day today, which is why Lauren was so spot-on.

Back home. Mustang fenders. Chrome.

Listen.

Carly. From yesterday.



Harmonica and detuned, quickly strummed guitar, that Carly...

...and exceptional lyrics, too.

At least Lauren wasn't calling Bunnyhutch headquarters...

...or maybe she was...

Sunday, July 13, 2008

One More to Add to the Tons...



Carly and I have been exchanging emails, drink invitations, etc.. for over two years now. A former resident of Austin, she has recently moved to a Brooklyn neighborhood not too far from mine.

She invited me over this afternoon for a very casual, very free-form, and long overdue shoot.

And she has four brand new kittens.

Kittens!

Carly reminds me of a less-severe Tilda Swinton (or a more feminine David Bowie, BFAM) and all of that in a good way.

I've always thought shoulders and necks were sexy as hell, and I just now realized that perhaps that's what I'm after here...

It's Late...



I had a great shoot tonight with my friend Sarah. The last time we shot was for my "CHAIRS" series 2 1/2 years ago in SoHo.

She was in Detroit then and has recently moved to NYC.

Her friend Travis was a gentleman, scholar and a great addition to the after-party.

I hope they got home safely.

I'm beat. And wide awake.

I gotta do something with the "White Light" series. I've got tons of them...

Friday, July 11, 2008

Will We Pass Through Undetected?

My Muse, Meagan, in Prospect Park this past Tuesday. The light - natural, and it seems to me, that I might have made it "my bitch."

I shot one spool of 400 Kodak 120 film.

Here's one-fifteenth of the labor.

I love this shot. Leaves thrown at me:



She's wearing a "Vintage 60s Black & White POLKA DOT BIKINI Swimsuit XS/S" courtesy of her exceptional stylist, Holly Ross.

But don't bid on it, bitches, 'cause I'm buying it for my girl...

A lot of ennui lately. And a lot of soul-searching. AND A LOT OF MUSIC LISTENING AND POOL PLAYING.

My advice always: Surround yourself with loved ones and good friends and listen to good music that speaks to you and/or makes you feel happy/sad - but most importantly - alive.

Frank Zappa nailed it - "Music is the best."

Indeed.

The song that goes with this photograph, tonight, is by Sonic Youth and is called "Disconnection Notice."

I try to put myself out there just like they do.

They've already won that battle...

Listen...

"Did you get your disconnection notice?
Mine came in the mail today
They seem to think I'm disconnected
Don't think I know what to read or write or say
Glossaries injected daily
Words and numbers spell out the price to pay
It simply states "you're disconnected baby"
See how easily it all slips away

This is no direction
Prepare for the city
Angels turn on heaven's light

Hurry up, the stage awaits you
Don't forget to memorize your lines
Can you hear them congratulate you?
Out of step just can't find the time
Will we pass thru undetected?
Everything's right here inside our file
You're not so free to be so unprotected
A secret Mona Lisa hides behind her smile

This is no direction
Prepare for the city
Angels turn on heaven's light

Did you get your disconnection notice?
Mine came in the mail today
They seem to think I'm disconnected
Don't think I know what to read or write or say
Glossaries injected daily
Words and numbers spell out the price to pay
It simply states "you're disconnected baby"
See how easily it all slips away"

Thursday, July 10, 2008

When I Came Up From Out of the Meat-Locker...

...the City Was Gone.



Archives kick ass...

...as does Nick Cave.

I think I might have mentioned that one before...

I like it here.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

A Song About My Hometown(s)

Feeling a little nostalgic after yesterday's show here.

Listen...

It's called "Chapel Hill." It's by Sonic Youth.

"...and The Char-Grill Killers..." I am one of them.

Jesse Helms is also referenced, and not in a good way. Evil fuck that he was. May we never see the likes of him again...

And that Bozo guy too. Fucking clowns...

Angela Ryan on the left, after makeup, on the right, in makeup.

May we see the likes of her more and more often...

The magic of photography and a great team! Thanks Anna!

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Independence Day (Something I Saw Today...)



NYC style...and UPLIFTING!

Kim forgot the lyrics to "Drunken Butterfly" off of "Dirty" and Thurston's response was awesome...

"Sing that shit twice, just do it..."

They also played "World Looks Red," "Schizophrenia," and the 4th side of "Daydream Nation." That's right, bitches, the 4th side...

Happy fourth of july...for whatever it's worth.

And oh, by the way, Jesse Helms FINALLY fucking died! As a liberal son of Raleigh, North Carolina, I raise a toast to the Grim Reaper!

But god, Mr. Reaper, what took you so long?

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Panic Attack Symptoms



Double feature this morning of Olivier Assayas' "Boarding Gate" and Sidney Lumet's "Before The Devil Knows You're Dead."

Bad idea.

Don't get me wrong, they are both with their merits. "Boarding Gate" stars Asia Argento, who gets my vote for skank I would most want to molest, and "Before the Devil" is an amazing film...

...it's just that they were both profoundly depressing. I should know better, but I don't.

And now I'm listening to Radiohead's most uplifting album, "In Rainbows" and it's bumming me out.

The spiral heads distinctly downward...

It's how I'm wired, it's how I roll, it's how I am.

Fuck.

Played some gratifying games of pool tonight, drank some gratifying drinks tonight, talked to some beautiful friends tonight, but still, here I am...

...fine, and with my greatest gifts. Like Angela Ryan (above).

Just down.

At least I can admit it.

July 4th - too many memories, fuck July 4th.

Independence - from what? We are shackled, or at least we shackle ourselves...

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

This Take...Don't Give a Fuck...

Kind of how I feel right now...

Billy Corgan's spoken outro to the beautiful mess that is "Silverfuck" off of their ONE masterpiece, "Siamese Dream." Which is redundant, but I felt the need to mention that I don't really like The Pumpkins' other work.

Don't know what this has to do with anything, except for the fact that I was digitizing a bunch of CDs from the "S" section tonight (Sonic Youth, Swearing At Motorists, Slint, The Shins, The Smiths...) and I came across it and remembered how much I love this album. And that's about it for their catalog - although I did like the photos on that later one - what was it called - where D'arcy had the see-through dress on. She's hot - I want to shoot her...

Whatever.

Been scanning pictures of Scar.

Here's several. Konica Auto-Reflex half-frame. Fuji 1600 color shit.

Gotta go watch a movie or talk on the HATEFUL phone or something - I'm bored.







Tuesday, July 01, 2008

'Cause the Game is Never Won By Standing in Any One Place for Too Long



Fretful day. Bad cellphone replacement. The whole time the dude was "selling" me I felt like I was getting shafted - thanks AT&T!

I hate my new cellphone. I don't know how to increase the volume, or how to send a quick text. But man, it'll take a 2 megapixel "photo" in a fucking heartbeat...

GREAT...

I just want to be able to talk to the few people that I want to talk to.
I guess tomorrow I should read the instruction manual...

And it only cost me $50.00 - thanks AT&T!

Angela (in the photo above) is coming to visit NYC in July and staying with me. My girl is coming down to shoot with her and The Chipsta will be here as well. I normally hate playing host - really - but she is so godammed cute (and I mean in her demeanor) that I'm really looking forward to showing this girl from Newfoundland a real cool time.

And I'll have help. My girl has all sorts of plans for her (which will go unmentioned), and The Chipsta is shooting her here, etc...

She asked me tonight if we "could go see drag queens?"

So godammed cute...we will.

Here's another Nick Cave nugget from his new album. Listen quickly before the MPAA shuts my ass down. And buy "Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!" - It's a masterpiece.

Listen.

"I stepped out of the St. James hotel
And I left you behind curled up like a child
A change is gonna come
And as the door whispered shut
I walked on down the high-windowed hall

You lay sleeping on the unmade bed
The weatherman on the television in the St. James hotel said
That the rains are gonna come
And I stepped out on the streets
All sparkling clean with the early morning dew

Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
You came on like a punch in the heart
Lying there with the light on your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars

Well, I kept thinking about what the weatherman said
And if the voices of the living can be heard by the dead
Well, the day is gonna come when we find out
And in some kind of way I take a little comfort from that
Now and then

'Cause people often talk about being scared of change
But for me I'm more afraid of things staying the same
'Cause the game is never won
By standing in any one place
For too long

Maybe it was you or maybe it was me?
But there was a chord in you that I could not find to strike
You lying there with all the light in your hair
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars

I see the many girls walking down the empty streets
Maybe once or twice one of them smiles at me
You can't blame anyone for saying hello
I say hey
I say hello… I say hello…

Will it be me or will it be you?
One must stay and one must depart
You lying there in the St. James hotel bed
Like a Jesus of the moon
A Jesus of the planets and the stars

I say hello... hello... hello..."

I Wish I Could Close My Eyes and Stop This Room From Moving...

Developed four rolls (Angela, Scar, Sibyl and Sara) tonight myself with the help of a very good friend. Eleven minutes in Rodinal, five minutes of fixer, thirty minutes washing, an hour and a half drying and hanging...

In the meantime:

Had a conversation with my friend's Super about heart palpitations and wine and wodka...enlightening, but only in the "dude, you're still smoking a cigarette" kind of way...

Watched four hours of "South Park" - all the most intense episodes...

Cellphone died...not the battery but the speaker. I CAN'T HEAR YOU anymore.

So off to Cingular tomorrow and hoping that my cellphone "insurance" will pay for a new CAMERA phone.

FUCK. New York City, me and my shit...

Regardless, the negs look great. The second time in twenty years I've developed my own. The first time was last week. Thanks, Chris.

The room is not moving. That's from a Martina Topley-Bird song that I'm listening to right now. Her new album is due out in the US any day now (let me check) shit, US release date not available...

Here's the album cover, or at least the UK album cover.



I want to shoot her.

Great weekend, with some not-so-great moments...

Sleep now...

There is nothing sexier than a girl wearing nothing but my shirt. Jus' sayin'...