Robert Rauschenberg: 1925-2008

Robert Rauschenberg
(born Milton Ernst Rauschenberg; October 22, 1925 – May 12, 2008) was an American artist who came to prominence in the 1950s transition from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art.

Rauschenberg is perhaps most famous for his "Combines" of the 1950s, in which non-traditional materials and objects were employed in innovative combinations. While the Combines are both painting and sculpture, Rauschenberg has also worked with photography, printmaking, papermaking, and performance. Rauschenberg had a tendency to pick up the trash that interested him on the streets of New York City and bringing it back to his studio to use it in this works. He claimed he "wanted something other than what I could make myself and I wanted to use the surprise and the collectiveness and the generosity of finding surprises. And if it wasn't a surprise at first, by the time I got through with it, it was. So the object itself was changed by its context and therefore it became a new thing."

Robert Rauschenberg

Bed
1955
mixed mediums, ca. 75 x 32 x 8 in.
Museum of Modern Art

SOURCE: Wikipedia, ArtNet

Kayo Dot is…

…an American avant garde group that was formed in 2003 by Toby Driver. They released their debut album Choirs of the Eye on John Zorn's Tzadik Records label that year.

The music of Kayo Dot bridges several genres, from heavy metal to classical music. Their songs involve complex instrumentation (composed by singer and frontman Driver). They are substantially longer than typical rock songs, often ranging from 8 to 15 minutes in length.

Tzadik's descriptive label on that album reads: "Kayo Dot powerfully integrates elements of modern classical composition with the layers of guitars and vocals more common to rock and metal. With a compositional map that is strict in form yet malleable in execution, Kayo Dot uses a vast array of instrumentation to create an exciting convergence of violence and serenity."

SOURCE: Kayo Dot, Wikipedia

New Muxtape mix!

Future sounds from London

Daniel Burka - FOWD London 2008 from Future of Web Design on Vimeo.

SOURCE: DanielBurka

Black Postcards

A wickedly honest and unsparing account of a journey through the music world-the artistry and the hustle, the effortless success and the high living as well as the bitter pills and self-inflicted wounds-by a brilliant and fearless participant-observer, Black Postcards is absurdly rich in rewards for anyone who was ever in a band or just took an interest in indie music over the past twenty years-a sort of Kitchen Confidential written by a different species of front man. Black Postcards also captures what has happened, for good and ill, to the entire ecosystem of popular music over this time of radical change, a time when categories like "indie" and "alternative" started to morph beyond all recognition. Rolling Stone called Dean Wareham's band Luna "the greatest band you've never heard of " and named its album Penthouse one of its 100 greatest rock albums of our time. Black Postcards is also about what it's like to have to pretend to be civil as you answer the same helpful question over and over again, "Why aren't you guys more famous?" Why indeed?

SOURCE: PenguinPress

My Morning Jacket is grand

SOURCE: BrooklynVegan

Documentally speaking…

SOURCE: Documentally

Bloody well told!

When people think of "Activism", most envision some form of awareness program, protest or public disobedience. While these forms of Activism are functional and important, they often only operate on a limited level, usually failing to address root causes. In fact, our whole society tends to address any and all social problems from a superficial standpoint.

SOURCE: zeitgeistmovie.com

In The Year of the Pig

Simultaneously nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary and the subject of bomb threats and innumerable editorial attacks, In the Year of the Pig became a rallying cry for the growing anti-Vietnam War movement and a sensation whenever and wherever it screened. In the Year of the Pig remains not only a great document of the era but also a sad and still relevant meditation on the hubris of power.

Print courtesy of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
SOURCE: Film Society of Lincoln Center

Portishead: 3rd times' the charm

What Barrow and Gibbons have cooked up now ain’t no party, ain’t no disco, ain’t no fooling around.

SOURCE: PASTE

Say It Loud!

Village Voice Poetry Roundup

Last week's annual Poets House Showcase held in the West Village displayed more than 2,000 poetry books and related materials published in 2007. As impressive and even overwhelming as that number might seem, it represents a sliver—as any overview must—of poetry's current state, a large portion of which also exists off the page in readings and classrooms, on the Internet, and via word of mouth. [READ MORE]

SOURCE: VillageVoice

Steve Gullick is a badass!

Photo by Steve Gullick

Trust your tribes

In the company's own words:

Praized Media is a startup company working on a web-based application that will enable you to find and discover local places and merchants with help from people you can trust. It’s also a tool that will structure local conversations within blogs and a new platform for local search providers to generate leads from the untapped social media market.

SOURCE: PraizedMedia

Dave Eggers gets it!

SOURCE: TED.com

Amy Tan on creativity

SOURCE: TED.com

Frank Zappa remembered

Go ahead and…

He who speak to fork tongue

Pitchfork invited El Guincho to submit to a guest list column. See how he answered the extremely banal questions.
[CLICK HERE]

Jazz On Edge

Jazz On Edge launches Vol. 1 on Saturday, Aug 23 at 9pm, at Taste in Orlando FL. The showcase of new, original jazz features Brian Groder ("Best CDs of 2007" -Downbeat Magazine) with Grammy-nominated bassist Doug Mathews; piano trio Eastside Combo; and jazz cellist Claire Courchene, and is produced by Joseph Hayes. See the website, Jazz On Edge, for artist details, music clips and a map. Already planning Volume 2 for February!

SOURCE: JazzOnEdge

What did you eat for lunch?

The peanut butter and jelly sandwich, (PB&J), also known as a peanut butter and jam sandwich in the UK and Canada, is a sandwich that includes a layer of peanut butter and either jelly or jam on bread, commonly between two slices. Jars of pre-mixed peanut butter and jelly are commercially available for making these sandwiches.^[1] It appears to have been invented by GIs during World War II.^[2] The sandwich has the advantage that it does not contain any perishable ingredients, so it does not require refrigeration in hot weather, making it suitable for lunch bags. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich is very popular with both adults and children in the US and Canada. A 2002 survey showed the average American will have eaten 1,500 of the sandwiches before graduating from high school.<sup>[3]

SOURCE: Wikipedia</sup>

Eno/Byrne unite forces again

Thirty years since Brian Eno and David Byrne collaborated on Talking Heads records, and 27 years post the original release of My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, the pair are
joining forces again.


SOURCE: Stereogum

Interesting take on an old adage…

Don't forget…

Fanboy supercuts = hilarious

SOURCE: Waxy.org

iTunes Indie finder

Independent music is exploding, but it can be a challenge to find the gems. These podcasts will help you discover some of that great new music. Tune into samplers like Noise Pop or The Fader. Browse the astounding collection of full live performances in NPR's Live Concerts From All Songs Considered. And be sure to check out the Indie Music Spotlight feature on iTunes for the best new albums.
SOURCE: Apple

Existence

You are not accidental. Existence needs you. Without you something will be missing in existence and nobody can replace it. That's what gives you dignity, that the whole existence will miss you. The stars and sun and moon, the trees and birds and earth — everything in the universe will feel a small place is vacant which cannot be filled by anybody except you.

This gives you a tremendous joy, a fulfillment that you are related to existence, and existence cares for you. Once you are clean and clear, you can see tremendous love falling on you from all dimensions.

SOURCE: OshoZenTarot

Kensington Heights is good…

Discover good music here…

The artist in his own words:

"My father, Jimmy is a great soulful guitarist, bassist and singer. My brother Josh is a phenomenal writer, singer and rapper who also happens to be one of the best drummers I know. My uncle, John the Baker, is a great writer and activist working at Alternative Tentacles and fronting several punk and hardcore outfits on the west coast. There is definitely something in the genes, although each of one of us is stylistically unique. Our passion is truly what we have in common. As an artist I strive for balance. When it comes to expression I do not favor one polarity over another. Im not trying to be dark in what I create but Im also not going to sugar coat my feelings about the world. A friend once described my music as a dark night of the soul that delivers you to the light.
I dont think I could have put it any better myself."

— Joey Eppard

Hungry?

News you can use

SOURCE: Infocalypse

Social media productivity checklist

1. What’s first in your day? What do you do before any other social media task?
2. How do you listen? (example, I use Google Blog Search and Technorati search)
3. Where do you connect with your communities?
4. How many communities do you visit?
5. Is your social media use primarily for personal use or business or both?
6. What are your goals with using social media?
7. If you could list a bunch of tasks you perform with social media, what would they be?

SOURCE: chrisbrogan.com

Earth Day Network

Founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide.

Earth Day Network is a driving force steering environmental awareness around the world. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect, interact, and have an impact on their communities, and create positive change in local, national, and global policies. EDN's international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in our campaigns every year.

SOURCE: EarthDayNetwork

Think globally, act locally

Ceiling Cat Godhead

You can tape it to your ceiling,
his rightful place. Print and cut out the pattern
and stick it together, this one it quite easy to
make.

SOURCE: TubbyPaws

Gracias, Pablo!

El Guincho
Alegranza!
[Discoteca Océano; 2007]

Alegranza! does two things that often appear separately in records you fall in love with, but rarely together: On the one hand, it reminds you of so much other music you love, and on the other, it sounds little like any of them.

SOURCE: PitchforkMedia

JohnDenver via Muxtape

3 lessons learned about haircuts

Subject: Warm hands

I sought out a simple haircut to rid myself of the shag of tribulations past. This would for most be a simple endeavor in which one gets their haircut, tips the hairdresser and moves on. Unfortunately, in my life it's just the beginning of yet another long tale.

Lesson one: Small talk means small talk

Lesson two: Warm hands mean no hair left

Lesson three: Keep eyes open, mouth shut

I went to my local hair dresser for a quick trim and thought it
would be a swift transaction at best. The girl who usually cuts my hair hates me and likes to get me out of the chair as quickly as possible. She does a good job, but does not want me there. This works for me as I hate to get me haircut as I feel the memories of mom, bowl, and friends’ laughter haunting me like pastrami burps that run deep into the night. So, I step to the stylist and ask for my trim. She sits my down, places a leopard pattern apron around my neck, and asks what I want. I ask for a trim with scissors.
Reaching for her water bottle, she says ok! As she is spraying my hair, I can sense that she really likes the song on the radio as she is singing it word for word without a mistake. It was at this point that the storeowner comes over to me and asks if I like the song as well. Being an agreeable chap, I said "Sure it is a nice song." This is where the trim became a full haircut. Once I said I liked it, she told me she wrote it. I could have kept my mouth shut and kept to lesson number one, but no, I had to tell her that I was a musician as well. As she shared her trials and troubles about life as a budding star, I could see the site of my once precious mane becoming shorter and shorter and it was when I came to lesson number two, did I realize the reason I could feel how warm her hands were. Cutting and chatting in a way that was more suitable for tea and crumpets, I watched the continued amputation of my locks as they were dislodge from there former place of rest and fell helplessly to the floor.
When she could no longer get her fingers between my scalp and hair, she stopped. I sat transfixed on the mirror and thankful I had my hat with me when I came to lesson number three, paid her and left.

SOURCE: MakrD

'Nuff said

Love in the Time of Twitter

SOURCE: Twitter

The Feelies Reunite

Think of a band you like and they probably like the Feelies. The New Jersey act has made an impression on more than a few folks since the seminal Crazy Rhythms LP landed in 1980, but-- barring some reunion-like activity back in 2006-- they haven't played a proper live gig in over 15 years.
Look for that to change this summer.

SOURCE: PitchforkMedia

Bonnie Prince Billy

Introducing: Vittorio Adinolfi

SOURCE: Wuzu

Prose for the forgotten me…

Subject: No fun here

Well another week has passed since I lost my identity. I thought I had it when I started the week, but somehow during the discourse of the entangled body of work and play, it slipped away yet again. No triangulation of interplay could better it find it now, but I am now convinced that I had never really owned my identity, but more likely rented it.
This may seem overly simple or possibly deep to those who actually think beyond your next drink, however it is a realization that belonged to the now empty cavernous vessel that once housed a joyful spirit and optimistic and futuristic gaze. Oh pity the sadness that is attached to the loss, A selfishness connected to selflessness. A twisted plight of ambivalence and haze.

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to give honor to the identity that was never stolen but relinquished; never owned so rented; never there, but here. It is collected in a pool called consciousness and there it sits forever to quiet your thirst for knowing by letting go of what was once held so tightly.

Goodbye dearest me!

SOURCE: MakrD

Are you down with BPP?

SOURCE: GaryVaynerchuk

This just in…

SOURCE: DeepJiveInterests

Rabbit Bites

SOURCE: RabbitBites

Introducing: Muxtape

"a simple way to
create and share
mixed-tapes"

Matisyahu

Trust

Osho Zen Tarot
29. Trust

Don't waste your life for that which is going to be taken away. Trust life. If you trust, only then can you drop your knowledge, only then can you put your mind aside. And with trust, something immense opens up. Then this life is no longer ordinary life, it becomes full of God, overflowing.

SOURCE: Osho The Sun Rises in the Evening Chapter 9

April Fools

Find out if it's April Fools Day.
Click here.

With hope not hype…

…we await the new release
from Mills, Buck and Stipe.

If yr in the neighborhood…

Moby autograph signing in New York

The first 500 people to purchase Moby's new album "Last Night" beginning at 9am on Tuesday will receive a wristband to meet Moby and have him sign the new CD:

Tuesday, April 1st — 7-9pm
Virgin Megastore — Union Square
52 East 14th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 598-4666

SOURCE: moby

NEW BLOOD, Jordan Eagles

Jordan Eagles' "FK11 VFK"

Jordan Eagles preserves blood on clear and white Plexiglas within layers of resin, suspending the organic medium’s fluid forms under the resin’s glass-like surface. For nearly a decade, Eagles has been using and preserving blood in his multi-dimensional works as a method to explore themes of regeneration and metaphysical connections between body, spirit and nature.

SOURCE: JordanEagles

Who knew?

SOURCE: remhq

Foals, Foals, Foals!

Introducing: The Dodos

Photo by Jeremy Harris

More, please…

Siriusmo - Allthegirls EP (Exploited)

Siriusmo is Moritz Friedrich, Berlin-based producer, remixer and performer who has positioned himself over the past couple years into a bonafide auteur of revisionist electro-funk and disco—the kind that appeared right at the end of disco's reign and might have been sampled early on in hip hop by the likes of Grandmaster Flash.
Released 01.15.2008

SOURCE: 75orless, boomkat

Portishead…

…from All Tomorrow's Parties 2007.
The song is 'Machine Gun'.
Enjoy!

SOURCE: DrownedInSound

Veggies and meat

Plants and Animals
Parc Avenue
(Secret City; 2008)

Plants and Animals’ For/Avec EP has at least one surefire moment where one’s eyebrows find their hairline: when the listener realizes that three white dudes are covering a Nina Simone civil rights narrative.
Parc Avenue often strays too far into excess and departure for departure’s sake to enjoy the brand of a songwriter’s tour-de-force. “Faerie Dance,” “New Kind of Love,” and “Guru” all stray close to or north of seven minutes, often crashing through multiple songwriting ideas before settling on a coda. But as a fully realized and lovingly sculpted aesthetic, there may be few stronger full-length debuts waiting in this year’s wings.

SOURCE: CokeMachineGlow

Recommended: These New Puritans

My Bloody Valentine to headline Bestival 2008

My Bloody Valentine are the first headline act to be announced for this year’s Bestival.

The returning band will play the Isle of Wight event on the Friday night as a UK festival exclusive, as will Aphex Twin who head the Big Top on one of the nights.

The dates for the fifth Bestival, again at Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle of Wight, are Friday 5th until Sunday 7th September 2008.

SOURCE: DrownedInSound, Efestivals

Harp will be no longer

Seven-year-old Harp, the "sophisticated rock and pop magazine," is no more. In a statement written by editor-at-large Fred Mills and published on Pop Matters, Glenn Sabin, CEO of Guthrie Inc., the company that purchased the magazine in 2003, says "Harp's critical acclaim never translated into sustaining commercial success. Harp's lifecycle was ill timed with the precipitous decline of the music software industry, coupled with the consolidation of the consumer magazine newsstand business and rising paper and postage costs."

SOURCES: MediaBistro/Fishbowl NY, HarpMagazine.com