Caught Stealing (2025)

Darren Aronofsky is an arthouse favorite from Pi to The Whale, passing through The Fountain, Black Swan and The Wrestler), and this Caught Stealing might be his most commercial film yet. But that's not a bad thing. At all. 

Taking cues from the Coens and Guy Ritchie, he revisits New York of 1998 in a dark irreverent comedy thriller complete with an English Punk mohawk, a cat, Russian mobsters and two Rabbi killers. 

Written by Charlie Huston, based on his book from 2004.  It's actually the 1st book in a series of three, about the character Hank Thompson. If Caught... (great Romanian Title, Prins cu mata-n sac....NOT) is a hit. Hopefully it will and Butler will carry on. 

A major influence, as also checked is After Hours (Scorsese, 1985), see the video in the comments.

Very cool cast, including Griffin Dunne from After Hours, who could be actually the same character, Paul, Village bar owner, mentioning Lou and Andy ;), Austin Butler (his third important lead, after Elvis and The Bikeriders), Zoë Kravitz (Blink Twice), Regina King, rappers Bad Bunny & Action Bronson and brit Matt Smith. Plus the fantastic duo of Liev Schrieber and Vincent D'Onofrio. Another fantastic duo, the Russians -Nikita Kukushkin (Microbe)  and Yuri Kolokolnikov (Alexei). Also featuring Carol Kane. But the absolute highlight is Bud the Cat, played by Tonic. 

Shot by Aronofsky's regular, Matthew Libatique in 1.85: 1. Some impressive camera moves and angles, great location value, NY truly lives in every shot. Lots of graffiti dressing. Libatique shot this back to back in NY locations with Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest.

 

Songs by post-punk band Idles, score by Rob Simonsen. Including a cover of Police and Thieves, made famous by The Clash in 1976. Some Bowie references, a lot of pop culture around, all soundtrack songs here.

Lynch would've been 79 (LMA !)

 David Lynch died 4 days ago. Today he would've been 79. 

                                                                     Lynch by Lynch

*

from his X account:

David Lynch, our beloved dad, was a guiding light of creativity, love, and peace. On Monday, January 20th—what would have been his 79th birthday—we invite you all to join us in a worldwide group meditation at 12:00pm NOON PST for 10 minutes. Let us come together, wherever we are, to honor his legacy by spreading peace and love across the world. Please take this time to meditate, reflect, and send positivity into the universe. Thank you for being part of this celebration of his life. Love, Jennifer, Austin, Riley and Lula Lynch

(that is Ten PM in Romania)

*****

Toototabon's song  from You Don't Know Jack !, Lynch's short film is on Netflix released on his 74th birthday !

Yesterday I saw Blue Velvet's Extended Cut. 47 minutes of lost footage put together by Felipe Guerra, it's here on youtube. 

Today I'm watching his commercials, love the ones for Japanese Georgia coffee with the Twin Peaks cast.

here are Lynch's Ten favorite films. 

Six of his films are on MUBI, streaming now for free (one week).  under the title: Delusions and Dreams !

Top albums 2024

& here are my Top albums of last year (2023)

The The -Ensoulment (could easily be the album of the year for me, lyricswise it's brilliant, poetry and elegy / eulogy

Bruce Dickinson -The Mandrake Project  (and a cancelled concert :((()

Elbow-Audio Vertigo

Judas Priest -Invisible Shield

                                        

Deep Purple =1

Another masterful Bob Ezrin production with DP, his fifth with the band (starting with Now What ?! " in 2013), an elegant classy album of a bans that had nothing more to prove a long time ago, and now it's just having fun !

The Black Crowes-Happiness Bastards 

-great comeback, Rock'nRolla ! their first album since 2009 !

Mark Knopfler-One Deep River -just good old MK !

Ian Hunter - Defiance Part 2 Fiction (part 1, in 2023's top)

Bill Wyman-Drive My Car  -Wyman is 87 !

MC5- Heavy Lifting

new material released after Wayne Kramer and Dennis Thompson''s deaths, featuring Tom Morello, Slash, Vernon Reed.  First album of the band in 53 years !!! Again Bob Ezrin's in the cooking !!!

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/mc5-new-album-heavy-lifting-1235034356/

                                                Wayne Kramer & Bob Ezrin in the studio

Like the Nick Cave (Wild God), liked The Cure, but they ain't my bands.

A mention to the new David Gilmour -Luck and Strange, but can't say the album satisfied me.

Liked more the Body Count version of "Confortably Numb" , featuring David Gilmour.

Discovered a new great band, punk garage rockin' Australian: 

Amyl and the Sniffers -Cartoon Darkness 

found out Kasabian reunited: Happenings 

COMPILATION:

Various Artists: The Power of the Heart- A Tribute to Lou Reed 

-featuring Keith Richards' Waiting for the Man !

ARCHIVE:

The Michael Schenker Group - Is It Loud Enough (Michael Schenker Group 1980-1983) 6 discs

*and what could be the 'anthem" of the year, the unreleased instrumental Edward & Eddie Van Halen song, Unfinished 

BLUES:

Slash -Orgy of the Dead

Rob Tognoni-Rebel

Luke Winslow-King -Flash-A-Magic

Walter Trout-Broken

Longlegs (2024)

 Longlegs does not have such looong legs, falls short in some aspects.

Or the advertising has been so huge, "the best since this and that", serial , it's not even about serial so much.

Takes elements of not only The Silence of the Lambs but a combo of Lambs with Manhunter/Red Dragon, Zodiac, Se7en, X Files, Carrie< Carrie's mom, Rosemary's and Omen, too much Satan and Satanism for me, I'd rather go with Late Night with the Devil or Oddity or Maxxine (that being a fun film as opposed to this one, bleak, dark and all tense), of recent horror fare.

No one mentions David Lynch and the Twin Peaks vibe, or a Lost Highway kind of creepiness.

It's set in the mid 90's in Oregon and it follows a female FBI agent (Maika Monroe, who gives everything to the screen), investigating a 30 years old odd killing spree of a mysterious character known as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage in one of his career high), with which she seems to have a strange connection.

Inspired by the Satanist craze of US in the Nineties, and a real creepy case (see here). 

It's a heavy film, filled to the max, volume of scares and movie tricks to do that amped to the max. 

It's Osgood Perkins' fourth feature film, and all of them are horror films. I've seen them all in time, Gretel and Hansel (2000) is espcially a retelling of that creepy (this is the main word of this review ;) fairy tale, more like a nightmare, very stylish and scary. Did I say creepy ? Osgood is the son of Anthony Perkins, the legendary star of Psycho, but he seems to live and dream in that (creepy creepy) House up the Hill. 

The music is by Osgood's brother, Elvis, under the pseudonym of Zilgi ! Creepy music ? Yes ;)

But music plays a greater part on the plot, from T. Rex (Bang a Drum, from which the film quotes directly & two more Bolan songs), to Lou Reed, Bowie and even a weird connection to Duran Duran's Rio. Plus Longlegs himself seems to be a failed rock musician. He also kinda sings in it !

Definetly the Nicolas Cage Award of 2024 !!!

6 out of 10 / 3 out of 10 

-for A splendid Nic Cage (some would say Creepiest-a cross of Marilyn Manson and Mickey Rourke's worst lifting), great costumes too, absolutely fantastic sound design, photography gimmicks.

I didn't go for the subliminal s**t, too many tricks of the trade. Absolutely fantastic 'cos such a low budget and indie film has such universal success (budget 10 mill. $, BO 'til now Ten times more!!!) , bravo Oz and Good ;) 

Keith Richards-I’m Waiting for the Man (SOTD)

Keef honors Lou Reed. March 1st.  

I'm Waiting for the Man  is  Velvet Underground song recorded for their debut album in 1967.

His Birthday being March 2nd.

“To me, Lou stood out. The real deal! Something important to American music and to ALL MUSIC! I miss him and his dog.” - Keith Richards

Communique:

The digital single & music video are out now and featured on the upcoming album The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed, which includes newly recorded covers from Keith Richards, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams, Maxim Ludwig & Angel Olsen, Rickie Lee Jones, Mary Gauthier, Bobby Rush, Automatic, The Afghan Whigs, and Rosanne Cash. This special collection will be released by Light in the Attic Records and available on Vinyl & CD at fine independent record shops worldwide on Record Store Day (April 20th).

It goes without saying that the legendary Lou Reed was a true rock ’n’ roll pioneer. From The Velvet Underground’s debut in 1967 all the way through the end of his days, Reed sang truth from his heart. He lived life to the limit—and then some. The Power of the Heart is a tribute to Reed’s freedom of expression with covers spanning his groundbreaking years with the Velvets into his majestic solo career. Each track is a glorious extension of the Rock ’n’ Roll Animal’s soul, ever adventurous and avant-garde.

Perfect Days (2023)

"Now is Now and Then is Then."

Perfect Days is a masterpiece, a Japanese film made in Tokyo in Japanese by a German filmmaker. Wim Wenders, made at 77 years of age. Like Wenders' Tokyo Story. 

But Yasujiro Ozu is Wenders' master. And Ozu being a poet, this homage to him (Wenders did also a documentary, Tokyo-Ga, about his trip to Ozu's Tokyo, back in 1985), is also a Poem. A poem in the rhyme of Rock 'n Roll. 

Do yourself a Favor and do go to the cinema. It's in limited release and it will vanish shortly. Kudos again Bad Unicorn for bringing it on the big screen ! Click on the link , scroll down and you'll see where it screens in Romania. ! And if you go, stay 'til the end of the credits !!! 

It's slow, it's dreamlike, it's funny and tender, it's beautiful and sad, it's heartfelt. About the meaning of life (really!). Not in the Monty Pythonesque sense. More like budhism. 

Absolutely gorgeous soundtrack, Lou Reed (the title comes from Lou's "Perfect Day" song) , Patti Smith, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Ottis Redding, Nina Simone, The Animals & House of the Rising Sun (in Japanese even), Sachiko Kanenobu, and all with a purpose. Like a shiver in the trees leaves.

One of last year's best, should've been in my 2023 Top Films but I saw it in january 2024 ! It is nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film. Won best actor in Cannes and Koji Yakusho's performance is one of the best there is. Also won the Ecumenical Jury in Cannes. 

Also it's one of Wenders' best, up there (for me) with Paris Texas, Das Himmel uber Berlin, Der Amerikanische Freund, Der Stand der Dinge. Shot beautifully by Wenders' collaborator since Land of Plenty (204), Franz Lustig, in the academical format of 1.33.1 (4:3), sharply edited and with a subtle sound design (re: the leaves, the dreams). 

great interview with Wenders on Eye for Film here.

Wenders' favorite films on Kombini Video here. A lot on Ozu at the beginning of the video.

Komorebi...

                    

Alice Cooper "Rock & Roll" (SOTD)

Just one week ago this new Alice Cooper song was released, "Rock & Roll" , from the upcoming album Detroit Stories, out on February 26th 2021.  For  week i'm struggling to post this but finally...

---The song sounded familliar , sure, why ? Its a cover of the Velvet Underground song  "Rock & Roll" , composed by Lou Reed in 1969 and out in 1970 in the album Loaded and a part of his later repertoire. So, investigating further, co s Alice changes New York station with Detroit station, surely, where Rock n roll was heard by Jenny, when she was 5 years old :) . There was a cover by Mitch Ryder with his band Detroit in 1972, with Detroit instead of NYC on the lyrics. So Alice's cover is more this one than Lou.  For completists, there's also a Runaways (The) cover of this song, with LA station instead of the mentioned above. Can't wait for more of Alice's Detroit Rock n roll stories...

Jenny said when she was just five years old
There was nothin' happ'nin' at all
Every time she puts on the radio
There was nothin' goin' down at all, not at all
Then one fine morning, she puts on a New York station
You know, she don't believe what she heard at all
She started shaking to that fine, fine music
You know, her life was saved by rock and roll.

David Bowie has left the planet...

unexpected. or not. for the moment I am too shattered to write extensively about it. Saw him live twice in 2003, on the Reality tour, in Germany and France (thanks, Arne, hello Enne, Melanie ) just the year before he had the heart attack on stage, and afterwards kinda retired or paced down.
Still coping with Lemmy's demise, just saw yesterday nite his funeral service (wow), and in the morning, past Golden Globes, got the shattering news. Bowie was 69 on Jan. 8th, the realase date of his latest (now, last) album, Blackstar ( * ). He died of cancer Sunday January 10th, the birthday of my dear friend and bro from the land of the midnight sun, Terje, turning 50, a huge Bowie friend and foe, and the one who got me into the most meaningful conversations about him and his work. For me, except the actor that I cherished, he was also the saviour of Iggy and Lou Reed, in their times of trouble, the Cat People anthemic "with the Gasoline", The Width of a circle and Be my Wife. The man Who Fell to Earth.


about Bowie, the film star, from Guardian

The Stars (Are Out Tonight) !

Jimmy Scott RIP

-Little_Jimmy Scott, legendar si unic cintaret cu o voce unica si o viata si cariera dificila, a murit pe 12 iunie 2014, avea 88 de ani !

Cult trivia, a aparut in Twin Peaks, cu piesa Sycamore Trees, si a cintat alaturi de Lou Reed, care l-a luat in turneu si a zis ca Scott are “the most extraordinary voice I’ve ever heard in my life.”.
necrolog si biografie in Washington Post.

Top albume 2013

stiu, e final de ianuarie, dar am ramas dator cu acest top si chiar mi-a fost dificil sa gasesc 10 albume care sa imi fi placut atit de mult..a fost un an agitat si dificil; cu musoni si tornade personale, evenimentul nec plus ultra a fost piesa Giorgio by Moroder si revenirea in atentie a unuia din compozitorii care mi-au marcat copilaria, acum gratie celor de la Daft Punk...stiu ca numele sunt oldies...but goldies... ar fi trebuit pus Sound City dar l-am trecut la soundtrackuri si apoi nici acolo, ca e la documentare :D, şi Metallica-Through The Never, film-concert şi dublu cd live cu piesele lor cîntate altfel, care ar fi albumul live al anului 2013.

Daft Punk-Random Acces memories
previzibil, au luat 4 premii Grammy, including the best record of the year.

si apoi fara o ordine speciala:
Mark Kozalek & Desertshore-Mark Kozalek & Desertshore (despre care am scris in ultimul numar Sunete pe anul acesta), Hey Bastards, I'm still HERE !!!

Paul Mc Cartney New

David Bowie The Next Day (the stars are out tonight...)

Fleetwood Mac Extended Play -EP -4 piese doar, dar ce piese, Sad Angel...It Takes Time...

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts-Unvarnished -un comeback energic si vitalist

Deep Purple Now What ?! –al 19-lea album de studio DP, produs de Bob Ezrin, contine piesa Vincent Price !

Eric Burdon -Til my River Runs Dry
a scos si Clapton Old Sock si mi-a placut varianta lui la Still Got The Blues a lui Gary Moore dar merg cu Eric Burdon...Before You Accuse Me...

Peter Gabriel And I’ll Scratch Yours
albumul nr. 2 de coveruri, continuarea la Scratch My Back (2010), de data asta ale altora pentru el. Contine si ultima piesa a lui Lou Reed, Solsbury Hill.

Elton John -The Diving Board (The New Fewer Waltz)

*
mentiuni sau pozitii alternative: Rob Zombie, pe care am avut onoarea sa il vad live la Viena in 2011, cu Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor, care poate ar trebui sa fie in top in locul lui neena Elton sau Peter G., care nici macar nu cinta el. cu un cover dupa Grand Funk Railroad, si We're an American Band. Cam monoton totusi, The Girl Who Loved the Monsters si Rock and Roll (In a Black Hole),c ele mai energice piese. Cu titulri precum, Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga, it ain't no Lords of Salem :D
Cum zice croncia de pe allmusic, some kind of blend of cheap rock & roll and B-movie exploitation.

Michael Monroe (ex Hanoi Rocks, cu Horns and halos (punkish), best: Eighteen Angels

danezii de la Volbeat...Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies, inspirat de westernuri, cu piese precum Lola Montez (shady lady if ever was one) si Doc Holiday (more gentleman than outlaw ?).

& un noul album Edwyn Collins, Understated (Dillema, 31 Years, so on)

la capitolul remixuri si resisuuses, Mike Oldfield, cu Tubular Beats, asta pina la noul album pe care il astept cu nerabdare...chiar si Depeche Mode, Delta Machine Blues, un sound inedit pentru ei, mult criticat de fanii DM..
si Serj Tankian, cu albumul de "jazz'al anului: Jazz iz Christ:)


**
Nu Black Sabbath 13, nu mi-a placut si nu mi-a prea intrat sub piele, nici NIN (Hesitation Marks), nici Jonathan Wilson (nice try), Bill Callahan (neascultat destul), Arcade Fire (placut mult piesa Reflektor dar cam atit). Motorhead-Aftershock e by the numbers (get well soon, Lemmy :). Un soft spot pentru Anthrax si ep-ul lor de covers, Anthems.

Solsbury Hill/The Power of The Heart: SOTD

in onoarea anuntului concertului Peter Gabriel la Bucuresti:

Lou Reed (death of the year :( ) cinta irecognoscibil Solsbury Hill, ceea ce este ultima sa piesa scoasa in viata, hitul lui Gabriel pe And I'll Scratch Yours, noul album PG, cu piesele sale cintate de altii, dupa ce a scos in 2010 Scratch My Back, cu el cintind piesele celorlati (si a lui Lou Reed; Power of The Heart (2008), originally the song he wrote for a Cartier watches campaign !!!!

aici cu New Blood Orchestra...

Lou Reed RIP

Lou died yesterday, he was 71. I'm still shattered and in disbelief...see...The Day (OUR) John Kennedy died...Set the Twilight Reeling...

stirea here
Uncut aici
si marturii ale prietenilor si colegilor aici
Intre 1998 si 2008 l-am vazut pe Lou Reed de cinci ori...prima oara live and in person si am vorbit cu el, in 1998, la festivalul de film de la Karlovy Vary, unde a fost prezentat documentarul despre el, Rock and Roll Heart (care se poate vedea integral aici), unele, lucruri povestite in cartea editata de Ioan Big, Era Punk. L-am vazut la Lucerna la Praga in 2000, dupa ce scosese Ecstasy, in prezenta lui Vaclav Havel, fanul si prietenul sau. La Sighet in 2001 ?, unde l-am filmat cu o camera Hi8, pe lumina si cu un setlist redus, de festival, la Munchen in 2003, dupa ce scosese Raven, si nu ne-au lasat sa ne ridicam in picioare. Si ultima oara la Paris, in 2008, la salle Pleyel, cu BERLIN, in prezenta lui Roman Polanski si a sotiei sale, Emmanuelle Seigner, cu Steve Hunter la chitara , cu prietenul meu Misu, din primul rind. Si
l-am ratat in Slovacia anul trecut. Este eroul absolut al prietenului meu norvegian, Terje, care m-a facut sa il inteleg si apreciez mai bine. A fost o relatia nu sinoasa, ci si de love and hate, care a inceput pentru mine cu albumul New York, tras pe caseta, si s-a incheiat cu Lulu, alaturi de Metallica, albumul anului 2011 pentru mine, hard to listen si controversat si azi. Tocmai am primit inapoi cd-ul New York, crezut pierdut definitiv de aproape 2 ani. Mi-e greu sa scriu mai mult acum :(
"The news I feared the most, pales in comparison to the lump in my throat and the hollow in my stomach. Two kids have a chance meeting and 47 years later we fight and love the same way — losing either one is incomprehensible. No replacement value, no digital or virtual fill...broken now, for all time. Unlike so many with similar stories — we have the best of our fury laid out on vinyl, for the world to catch a glimpse. The laughs we shared just a few weeks ago, will forever remind me of all that was good between us."

JOHN CALE
si remeberance by Laurie Anderson, widow and friend aici
Lou was a prince and a fighter and I know his songs of the pain and beauty in the world will fill many people with the incredible joy he felt for life. Long live the beauty that comes down and through and onto all of us.

— Laurie Anderson
his loving wife and eternal friend (via Moonsun :)


Lou Reed -March 2, 1942 – October 27, 2013.

Metallica: Through the Never

Dupa un proiect risky cu Lou Reed (Lulu, 2011), mult anuntatul proiect filmic al metallicilor, in 3 D cu un narativ halucinant, Through the Never, a ajuns in fine in cinema !
Un roadie (numit Trip ;), care seamana cu David Bowie tinar (Dane DeHaan) e trimis intr-o "misiune" in timpul unui concert one night only, sold out Metallica (filmat la Vancouver, la Rodgers Arena, si Rexall Place, in Alberta, tot Canada, cu hi-tech camere 3D si pirotehnie la greu), concert interjectat cu elemente de horror si suprarealism, some kind of monster din alta poveste, plus un mcguffin :) !

Regizat de maghiarul Nimrod Antal (Kontroll, Armored, Predators), cu un story by Metallica si Nimrod.
Muzica e la nivel Ride the Lightning, si tehnologia la fel. 3D si Imax combined...state-of-the-art...
-la Cyanide m-am gindit la Rosia Montana :)
*
Behind the scenes si interviu cu Metallica aici

si video; behind the scnes cu Lars Ulrich.


*
NB:de pe 27 septembrie, pentru numai o saptamina (in Bucuresti) in IMAX 3D. Faceti-va un serviciu si vedeti-l acolo ! De pe 4 octombrie in cinema in 3D (selected theaters :) but not 4 long...

Albumul (dublu) contine piese clasice Metallica (de pe fiecare din cele 9 albume de studio), inregistrate live, cintate la nivel superlativ.
Disc one
1. "The Ecstasy of Gold" 2:01
2. "Creeping Death" 6:19
3. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" 4:40
4. "Fuel" 3:57
5. "Ride the Lightning" 6:54
6. "One" 8:25
7. "The Memory Remains" 5:43
8. "Wherever I May Roam" 6:18
Disc two
1. "Cyanide" 7:01
2. "...And Justice for All" 9:18
3. "Master of Puppets" 8:25
4. "Battery" 5:14
5. "Nothing Else Matters" 7:22
6. "Enter Sandman" 6:22
7. "Hit the Lights" 4:40
8. "Orion" 8:27
Through the Never succeeds as pure sense-swamping spectacle. It is a blow-out banquet for Metallica fans, and a blockbuster rock-and-rollercoaster ride for any heavy metal tourists curious to see this music played at major-league level.

The Hollywood Reporter

Sitges 45: The Lords of Salem

Rob Zombie did it again. shocking the world that is. Al cincilea film al rockerului shock il are in centrul sau pe sotia sa, Shari Moon Zombie, blonda cu dreadlocks, acum in rolul unei ziariste rock radio in Salem. Un soi de riff la Rosemary's Baby,
The Lords of Salem mai are elemente de Prince of Darkness (John Carpenter) si The Beyond al lui Lucio Fulci, complet cu imagini soc satanico-catolice, care vor face deliciul spaniolilor, cu siguranta. Rob Zombie nu a venit la Sitges (l-am vazut insa live anul trecut la Viena), unde filmul e prezentat in sectiunea Official Fantàstic Galas, in schimb au venit actritele Dee Wallace (care ieri a prezentat proiectia speciala aniversara E.T., v. pe feeder aici) si Meg Foster.
Soundtrackul, extrem de interesant, atmosferic, de John 5, contine o piesa ciudta si paroxistica, bazat pe rifful din Venus in Furs al Velevet Underground, compusa de Lou Reed, si care niciodata nu va mai fi la fel. Shiny, Shiny, shiny boots of leather... la fel All Tomorrow Parties. tot Velevet U. Reqviemul de Mozart, Bach, Rush (cu The Spirit of Radio), si o piesa compusa de Bruce Springsteen, completeaza acest film ciudat, intunecat, care va fi greu de distribuit si care ii va adinci reputatia controversata a lui Rob Z. In schimb ca regie si atmosfera, nu ai ce sa ii reprosezi. Bazat initial pe piesa sa, Lords of Salem. Cu un soi de Nico hippie in rolul Rosemaryei si cu influente Jess Franco.

Tot azi e prezentat in Competitie Sightseeres de Ben Wheatley, pe care l'am vazut insa la Cannes.

Si diseara concert Claudio Simonetti (pour les connaiseurs:), PER LA PRIMERA VOLTA EN ESPANA.
a continuar aqui....

LMA Lou !

Lewis Alan Reed a implinit 70 de ani ! wow ! still taking no prisoners as u did with Lulu !

RIP Vaclav Havel

"Truth and love must win over lies and hatred!/Adevărul şi dragostea trebuie să învingă asupra minciunii şi urii."

Václav Havel


Pe cind am fost prima data la Praga, in 1997, prietenul si fratele meu norvegian Terje, mi-a aratat turnul de televiziune, si mi-a zis, "Uite, aici s-au intilnit si au luat masa Havel si Frank Zappa, cind i-a propus Havel sa devina ambasadorul culturii (sau al Cehoslovaciei la ONU-nu-mi amintesc exact formula)!" Wow ! M-am gindit ce presedinte au cehii si ce se-ntimpla la vremea aia in Romania ! In 1990 presedintele Romaniei libere chema minerii sa bata studentii, in 1990 presedintele Cehoslovaciei ii chema pe Rolling Stones sa cinte in Praga libera ! Un presente fost detinut politic, dramaturg, scriitor, intelectual de clasa, dedicat adevarului si idealurilor libertatii, adeptul "rezistentei non-violente", conceptul lui Gandhi ! Pe vremuri, fiind student sau la un schimb cultural, Havel a adus cu el din America in Cehia prin 1967 un disc al unei formatii avantgadiste, Velvet Underground (cel cu banana, din 1966 !) . Acesta a adevenit un port-stindard al intelectualitatii de dupa invadarea Cehoslovaciei, si a ramas un simbol al Revolutiei de Catifea, Velvet Revolution, prin trupa Plastic People of the Universe, trupa de art-huose rock, care cinta piesele Velvet, si Lou Reed a fost tradus ca poet pe vremea cind mergeam eu pentru prima data acolo. Sa nu mai vorbim ca si Warhol se trage dintr-un satuc din Slovacia..el fiind autorul bananei de pe acea coperta...Lou Reed era prieten cu Václav Havel, asa cum erau si Zappa, si The Rolling Stones.

Lou a venit in 1990 in Cehoslovacia si l-a intervievat (din cele 2 interviuri pe care le-a luat in viata lui, celalalt fiind Hubert Selby jr.), si a fost primul artist rock major care a cintat acolo, tot in 1990. L-am vazut pe Lou la sala Lucerna din Praga in 2000 in tour-ul Ecstasy, in loja era presedintele Havel, "the president who loved R & Roll". Iar in 2005 au aparut impreuna la televiziunea ceha intr-o dezbatere, "the odd couple" .
Impresiile lui Lou despre Havel, intilnirile lor si filosofia comuna, de la Columbia aici...

In 2003 Mick Jagger si-a sarbatorit a 60-a aniversare la Praga, cu 2 zile inainte de concertul de Forty Licks, 40 de ani de Rolling Stones, al doilea concert pe care l-am vazut cu ei. In uriasul Letna Park trupa a fost introdusa de Václav Havel, la acea ora retras de citeva luni din pozitia de presedinte al Cehiei...un discurs emotionant despre ce a insemnat si inseamna rocknroll-ul-spiritul libertatii ! Da, Havel a fost unul din oamenii-cheie al secolului XX, mai mult decit un presedinte rock...un simbol al democratiei culturale si al libertatii celor ce cred in acest spirit pentru care (poate sa sune patetic si e :>) unii din noi au luptat si vor lupta toata viata !
Mesajul presedintelui Havel din octombrie 2011 pentru romani, integral pe situl centrului Ceh !
RIP ! Ať odpočívá v pokoji !

scris pe "Shine A Light", concertul Rolling Stones documentat de Scorsese !-Shine A Light, indeed !

The View-videoclip de Darren Aronofsky & more Lulu

Dupa cum am povestit aici, primul videoclip oficial din controversatul album Lou Reed/Metallica, LULU, a fost regizat de Darren Aronofsky. Alb-negru, flashy, cu imagini miscate, fete cosmaresti, spre Francis Bacon, dar filmat in timp ce ei cinta.

Louallica au fost din nou live, acum in Germania, la Koln, in cadrul unui show tv cu public. Au cintat 6 piese de pe LULU, si au dat un interviu de aprope 20 de minute. Lou nu s-a putut abtine sa fie... Lou, adica sarcastic si sa atace moderatorul care punea intrebari prostesti, cu un umor..teuton :>

Darren Aronofsky takes on LULU

from here:

Noted film director Darren Aronofsky, who worked on Black Swan and The Wrestler, will direct the next video for LouTallica.
The Metallica/Lou Reed collaboration have chosen “Iced Honey” to be the next song to be give the video treatments. According to a report in FMQB, it will be shot in the San Francisco Bay area and will be available for viewing later this month.
The story quoted Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich as saying, “As if making a record with Lou Reed is not enough, now I get to make a video with Darren Aronofsky, who has been among my very favorite filmmakers since his first movie, Pi.”
Lou hopes Aronofky’s video for song “Iced Honey” off the new record Lulu will be “his Black Swan.“

LouTallica were for the 1st time live with LULU on Jools Holland 's show, November 8th !
interview here or below:

"-Is Hamlet dark ?
-Yes !
-Then, it's dark." :P

Lulu EPK & more thoughts on LOUALLICA

Lou Reed & Metallica discuta albumul lor, "Lulu.", care se poate asculta integral aici.
*
sunt din ce in ce mai convins ca e un moment istoric de avangarada in stilul "metal machine" Lou si ca Metallicii au facut extrem de bine (Lars si James surely) ca s-au bagat. Cinea ar fi crezut acum un timp ? Lou si Metallica, doua planete diferite, 2 generatii distanta, dar care pot comunica, intr-un fel unic. Dark, very dark. Si extrem de dens si sofisticat, si un produs muzical non-comercial, cred ca poate sa ramina albumul anului 2011, si material de controversa for many years to go…
deocamdata am un inca amalgam in cap. Deocamdata. As taia ultimele 10 min de la Junior Dad, (existenta anterior intr-o varianta si mai experimental si psihedelica, coscrisa cu Laurie Anderson si cu sax-ul lui John Zorn), cu stringsurile atmosferice, care-s un fel de sound design, o oprire dintr-un dans al mortii, noaptea valpurgiilor, intr-o elegie post-mortem, probabil cums e scurge toata viata pina la final fade out. Fade to Black :>

Lou a fost si a ramas un tip extrem de acid, sarcastic, pertinent, dur si direct, si aici se regasec toate temele lui recurente. Si povestea trista a dansatoarei Lulu, Cutia Pandorei lui Franz Wedekind si a ei, readusa in context azi, si cu final tragic dar previzibil.
versurile complete ale albumului: Aici

piesa de opening: Branderburg Gate, classic Lou cu elemente de gothic horror expresionist:

"I would cut my legs and tits off
When I think of Boris Karloff and Kinski
In the dark of the moon
It made me dream of Nosferatu
Trapped on the isle of Doctor Moreau
Oh wouldn’t it be lovely
I was thinking Peter Lorre
When things got pretty gory as I
Crossed to the Brandenburg Gate"

The View-primul single: F dur, “for worship someone who actively despises you”
"cheat on me", cos its about cheting on yourself…

ideea e ca e un disc pe care o sa-l mai ascult de 100plus ori, si sunt sigur ca va creste, dar cuvintul pentru marea de rockeri care asteptau ceva customised, e in titlul piesei "Frustration"...

Lulu listening party !

Finally ! intreg albumul LULU, Lou Reed si Metallica, povestea dansatoarei berlineze despre care a facut Pabst film !, poate fi ascultat pe situl oficial aici.
adica: http://www.loureedmetallica.com/listen-to-lulu.php
rokerii si metalllici par sa nu fi inteles schema, dupa cum citesc pe metalhead, fanii lui Lou sunt incintati, colaborarea inedita e unul din albumele MUST ale anului si way more than that !
out eveywhere pe 31 octombrie. La noi de la 40 ron (special pt Romania, la 327 ron deluxe edition) !

si cronica lui Brushvox (Ticke) aici !
io am zis deocamdata:
"it's really a hard one to swallow in one, needs spacing, way too much and last 10 min of junior dad just strings, could ve been easily turned off then"
and Mr. T aka Mr. Lou Reed #1 global fan:
"Well so far i like the 2 first songs anyway...big newspaper in Norway just panned it totally today, not such a popular effort i guess."