pearl

We're All In This Together...

Back in the Wiredown days, I wrote a short news blurb about the Phish reunion which turned into nonsensical gibberish. I was only voicing my distaste for public hiatuses and much hyped reunions. I remember getting an comment on that article, by a casual user, which stated that "Phish has more talent than any band you probably listen to." While I think that comment was a little derogatory, my demeanor in the article was a bit aggressive. So it goes, that Phish's entire reunion at the Hampton Coliseum was made available in high quality mp3. A staggering 3 day, 6 set, 12 hour concert was now available for free. I must admit and confess my complete and utter enjoyment thought these multiple days Phish has been playing throughout my apartment. Reviews of this show have been mixed with many people commenting on the limberness of the music after a 5 year hiatus. This show is widely not accepted the zenith of creativity and versatility (sources point to new years 1999), but it is a decent shot. It is like the 40 year old who gets caught up in a 20 something year old adventure. Sure he will be tired in the morning, but he never complained during the time. This Phish reunion soundboard tapes have opened up my jam band scab which has hardened over the years under layers of Metal, Indie Rock and various forms of electronic music. I am now in complete enjoyment of long electric jams and hours and hours of energetic improvisation. To please my critics, Phish does have talent which cannot be ignored, however, whether or not that talent eclipses other bands who are in my library is still up for debate.

Free Mp3's: http://www.livephish.com/

Slim Whitman vs. Vocoder

Daft Punk vs. Tr2n

Last time I tried to watch Tron was 2 years ago during spring break. I contracted Strep Throat and fled to my parents basement for three days of eating soup and yogurt. During that time i rented a pile of movies to keep on 24 hours a day. I tried to watch Tron but passed out and never finished the movie. The news of Tron2.0 or Tron2 or Tr2n has caused me little excitement. I missed the movie when I was 2 and thus missed out on the nolstalgic hook. Although the incredibly outdated technology could excite my retro-futuristic fetish; it is just a movie I never got into. The original score for the Disney film was composed by transexual genuis; Walter Carlos. To follow in the hip electronic trend, Disney has hired French Electro-robots, Daft Punk to compose the score for Tr2n. Perhaps this will be interesting. Whether or not Daft Punk will be enough for me to sit in a theater full of families and stoners is another.

Dark is the Knight

Dear Fan.

Hello, you are receiving this Email because of your membership on the
Knight Rider Online forum.

Tonight in the US at 8PM EST/7PM CST, NBC will air the finale episode for
this season of Knight Rider. After 17 episodes, the show is starting to
find its groove creatively which will lead us into a strong second season.
But we're not there yet. Because of the economy and weaker viewership
across all episodic television, networks are making tough choices about
next season schedule. It is important that we as fans work together to make
our presence known. Only then will NBC be forced to see that we are an
international community strong in support for Knight Rider

If you were planning on tuning in tonight, thats great - but please tell a
friend, and then ask them to tell one as well (specially if they are a
Nielsen viewer!). If you tuned into the beginning and were turned off,
please try it one more time as the show 17 episodes ago is completely
different then tonight's. If you're a member of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace
or any other social network - let your friends know what you'll be
watching.

It's been an uphill battle for Knight Rider. With little promotion from
NBC, no one has any idea that the show is still on the air - and skipping a
week last week does not help. We need to remind people of Knight Rider -
now.

I received the above email and felt ashamed. I did not feel shame for being apart of the Knight Rider Online Forum community, but rather from a failed project venture. In the fall of 2008, I wanted to view the life of a television show. Every season, shows are lit like fireworks with every good intention only to crack to the silence of an absent audience. Shows that fail to capture massive attention are lined up and shot outside the studio walls. The reboot of Knight Rider promised to give me the scope of a filed television venture. I predicted the show would not live to see a second season. I intended to watch the entire season. I watched two episodes and stopped. Fast forward to this morning when a desperate plea goes out across the internet. Save Knight Rider? I forgot that show was even on. Now I feel shame. I feel shame for letting this television project fail. I feel more regret because it appears that Knight Rider is in its death throes and every prediction I made is coming true. Knight Rider is in line for the proverbial sharpened toothbrush to the kidney. What is even more fascinating is that the online community for Knight Rider seems strong. Whether that support will manifest itself into a second season we have yet to see. Although as this television season comes to a close and undesirables are taken out to the back, we await a new set of shows that promises to contain at least one new candidate for study and analysis.

An Epic Failure

RIP
2005-2009

I read the Chronicles of Narnia series when I was a kid. I also read it in college when I was a deadhead who loved reading on the lawn (see Bonaroo post). Because of that time, I was REALLY into fantasy and thought the Narnia series was so much more epic than CS Lewis perhaps imagined it. I used to sit on the lawn with my jaw dropped at the monumental forces which were at work in front of my eyes; finding connections with quantum physics beneath the melting pages. These were also kids books, so reading one of them in a few hours made me feel accomplished. I also formed a personal attachment to one of the characters: Prince Caspian. Because I liked the name, I took the title and applied to one of my characters in my novels and artwork. Back in 2005, I was really excited at the announcement that they were going to take the series and make it into seven films. The first film (Lion Witch and the Wardrobe) was released in 2005 to many underwhelmed fans. three years later in 2008, I sat watching the second film (prince Caspian) by myself, surrounded by families. Now in 2009, I have learned that the third film (Voyage Of The Dawn Treader) has been pushed by to 2010. The films adaptation to the story is fair, even to the point of loyal. However this gap between films is corroding my fascination with talking lions and wood nymphs. There are a number of reasons why the seven films will never get made. Despite constant rewrites and lack of directorial vision, the audience for these films is not as strong as it should be. Lord of the Rings had the unwavering support of the high fantasy crowd. The Star Wars series had a stranglehold on the Science Fiction Scene. Chronicles of Narnia is a children's fantasy which has the nostalgia of parents but can never lock into the Young Adult demographic. Perhaps if the movies were released yearly, interest could be kept up, but changing fasincations will certainly delay further pictures. These films are certainly catered to children who identify more with singing high school students and romantic vampires than the magic of talking animals. The fourth film (Silver Chair) in this series is planned but it is anyone's guess whether or not we will see it.

And The Award...(2009)

It feels like ages ago since I sat through the Love guru trying to drown out the insanity with wine. The Award Season ends with the grand finale of The Oscars and the Razzies. Im sure you have heard by now that the Indie/Indian firecracker Slumdog Millionare swept the Oscars. Additonally it is also garnering hatred from pretentious film critics who sung its praise for just before it gained demigod status. While I still firmly believe the award season has nothing in common with artistic merit, I will still keep an ear open for the worst film awards. As with most Razzie ceremonies, certain movies stand out to be the worst overall and leagues above other movies in poor quality. This years grand slam belongs to Mike Myers cosmic insult to the nation of India in the The Love Guru. I guess the same year India is recognized as a major cinematic force is a poor time to make the Love Guru. Actually I think anytime is bad for the Love Guru.


Worst Picture: The Love Guru
Worst Actor: Mike Myers, The Love Guru
Worst Actress: Paris Hilton, THE HOTTIE AND THE NOTTIE
Worst Supporting Actress: Paris Hilton, REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA
Worst Supporting Actor: Pierce Brosnan, MAMMA MIA!
Worst Screen Couple: Paris Hilton and either Christine Lakin or Joel David Moore, THE HOTTIE AND THE NOTTIE
Worst Prequel,Remake, Rip-off or Sequel (Combined Category for 2008): Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull
Worst Director: Uwe Boll, 1968: Tunnel Rats, In The Name of The King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, and Postal
Worst Screenplay: The Love Guru , Written by Mike Myers & Graham Gordy
Worst Career Achievement: Uwe Boll, (Germany’s Answer to Ed Wood)