One of art's crucial functions, personally and socially, is to propose new worlds, different from the ones you know; and this is unsettling enough in itself. But perhaps even more crucially, and potentially more important still for society, art can make you pay attention to things you take for granted, make what you think you know be strange to you, and thereby change your relation to life's actualities and its possibilities. Part of growth is recognize the profound ways in which both your learned feelings for what at first seems alien and beyond you, and your transformed understanding of what has always been at your feet and around you, can become the most satisfying and intimate parts of your relation to the world, empower you and give the greatest texture and depth to your life. Otherwise you may remain deaf to music that might resonate with you, blind to forms that might become the touchstones of your vision, and pass through your life without living it. -excerpt from Kirk Varnedoe's Commencement Address at Stanford University, 1992.
kindred spirits, stalwart souls who will challenge me, those who create, those who see things as they could be, those who mean what they say, backrubbers, hairbrushers, toesuckers, photographers, nature lovers, music lovers, art lovers, book lovers, film lovers, dancers, gypsies, computer geeks, people who aren't afraid to eat, people who stay up late and sleep in, thunderstorm/fireworks/shooting star enthusiasts, those who've seen the dark side, travellers/adventurers, optimists, those who live with passion.
It's my life. My tastes run from ABBA to Zen Guerilla, with thousands of stops in between. I'll populate this list on a day where I have time to kill. Ha. Currently listening to French Toast, Cat Empire, RunRunner, Calla, Brown Recluse Sings, My Latest Novel, Camera Obscura, Beth Orton, Richard Hawley, Buzzcocks, The Dears, Bardo Pond, Mogwai, Ratatat, Clayhill and The Bathers. Looking forward to the new Georgie James album coming soon. (My music diet changes daily, of course.) I believe the quality of John Frusciante's solo work completely supersedes his involvement in the RHCP. ***Thanks to the best Christmas present ever, I attended Coachella again this year. Three summers ago, I photographed Kim Deal, one of my rock heroes, playing with the Pixies at Jones Beach in July for the band's website. I also shot Gang of Four on their Fall 2004 tour. What an honor! Recent concerts I've attended and/or photographed include: Os Mutantes, Morrissey, Calla, Future Tips, Georgie James, Run Runner, Burt Jansch, My Teenage Stride, Brown Recluse Sings, Surefire Broadcast, Photon Band and The Swimmers. My Nikon D70 is finally fixed! I'll be shooting concerts once again. Let me know if you'd like some live shots of your band.*** Most of my friends are what you'd call "music people"- they either make music themselves, they are djs or are avid appreciators like myself. I'm always happy to sit and have a conversation about music and to hear new music. I bought my first bass guitar and hope to be band-worthy myself someday. There are some fantastic bands making music in Philly right now, links to just a few of them: The A-Sides , Bells Bells Bells , Bottom of the Hudson , Grammar Debate! , Dr. Dog , Elevator Parade , Espers , Like A Fox , Mazarin , National Eye , Pony Pants , Red Rocket , Relay , Run Runner , Snow Fairies , Spinto Band , The Capitol Years , The Lilys , The Teeth , Voodoo Economics , Walker Lundee and War on Drugs . All that said, I won't add your band to my friends list unless I know one of the members and/or I *really* love the music. Sorry.***RIP Tony Wilson 08.10.2007
Again, too many to mention. (Maybe on a rainy day.) My tastes run more toward the indie/arthouse films. I love watching the world through someone else's brain. The last three movies I saw in the theatre were 'Transformers', 'Yo-Yo Girl Cop' (in SF) and 'Black Book'. I make a point of catching a film at the Angelika when I'm in NYC. I love IFC and the Sundance Channel. I also have a thing for kung fu flicks and anime, so go figure. I watch 'Amelie', 'Truly Madly Deeply' or 'High Fidelity' when I'm feeling sad and want to stay in and shut my phone off. I scream loudly at jumpy-outy bits in scary movies, so don't say I didn't warn you. I have a new-found love in "Carry On" films and want to know why I just found out about them. 'Hot Fuzz' disappointed me a bit, but I have high hopes for future projects from that lot. I have a thing for Wong Kar Wai and Wes Anderson movies. Pedro Almodóvar ranks right up there, too- you need to see 'Volver'. Now. 'Movie Mondays' at the Troc are a bargain at $3 (which goes towards a drink or snack) and one of the treasures of the Philadelphia nightlife on a budget.
I rarely watch TV, but if I do, it's often BBC's 'Little Britain', and sometimes 'Big Love', if I'm bored in my hotel room. I'm really more of a movie person, to be honest. TV usually just irks me. I generally don't understand people who plan their life around catching shows on television. Life is for living, right?
I got a new library card last year and kick myself for not using it more. The last book I read was "Please Kill Me- An Oral History of Punk". I'm currently reading "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Chronicles" by Bob Dylan. I love history books and fiction of all kinds. (Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference with certain authors. *Snicker*) I've been an insatiable reader since I was a child and wish I had/made more time to read. My favorite book of all time is currently 'Les Grandes Meaulnes'. I would love to write the legendary great American novel, so that people everywhere could just cross that off their to-do lists once and for all. I wish people would reach for books instead of the remote control. I love to read aloud and to be read to by others. (Especially if "doing voices" is involved. It's a nearly lost art form.)
My mom. My grandmother. People who persevere(d) to make it happen. People who dream/dreamt big dreams for the rest of mankind.