Catty Comments

A must-read for anyone involved in the arts today - NY Times article

This article, published yesterday in the NY Times, is a fabulous example of marketing in the 21st century - internet-based, self-promotion, and not only putting your art out there as a brand, but your individual personality as well.

Too many times I meet aspiring musicians & performance artists who want to make it *big*. And somehow, they want to sit around and passively be discovered, as if they were a 14-year-old Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss in the streets of London. So many excellent, undiscovered artists put all their time into securing local gigs every now and then, happy to play to less than 20 people in a local dive club, instead of adapting to the internet.

Oh, and if you don't have a free NY Times account, quit whining and go get one.

Let The Video Wars Commence!

Previously the nominees for Best and Worst music videos were posted here -  now here we have one that is TIED for Funniest, Weirdest and Most Persistent Earworm Video. Do NOT say you were not warned. From Norway, may I present Hurra Torpedo, the world's most famous (and possibly only) kitchen appliance band, with their rendition of the Eighties classic song  "Total Eclipse Of the Heart". The song, and you, will never be the same again. The only excuse I can think of for these guys is that they are in fact Norwegian. That is all.

(I have only put up the link, as the video starts playing automatically. You DO want the sound on, and loud. You DO NOT want to watch this at work, or while eating or drinking. Failure to heed this warning may result in personal injury such as aspiration of liquids. This website is not responsible for the consequences.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br-D7UneS0E

SF & O-town playlists

Because sometimes, you're crusing down MacArthur in your convertible, or chilling on the 22 Muni bus (Fillmore route) and saying to yourself - what would go with this journey? Like a wine pairing, these SF Chronicle writers have your suggested playlists:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/01/03/DDG35GFIAB1.DTL

Your tax dollars at work?!?!

Recent FBI files released show that paranoia knew no bounds during the reign of J. Edgar "I'm Having Trouble Finding Drag Queen Sized Pumps For My Gunboats" Hoover. Apparently no one was safe from being "investigated" no matter what walk of life they came from. It has come to light that the entertainer Liberace was being  watched because he liked to play the horses. Honestly, I did not know that was a crime, and if it is I am in so much trouble.... This was during the height of the Cold War frenzy, mind you. Did they really have nothing better to do??? Another target was Lucille Ball, suspected of being a Communist sympathizer.

Ooooh, LUUcyyyy, you got some 'splainin' to do!

And here is the Hoover era FBI's idea of a dangerous man:

Yes, this strikes fear into my heart, but not for the reason they think. We are witnessing the real reason for the worldwide sequin shortage that paralyzed Western civilization during Liberace's lifetime. Now it can be told!

This is just TOO easy.....

...like shooting fish in a barrel, but here goes. I got to thinking, after seeing the Britney Elle cover, of Courtney's 1997 Harper's Bazaar cover. She was hailed as one of America's most stylish women, here:

Now, fast forward to 2005, and see what has happened to the (aptly named band) Hole singer :

Oh yeah, baby - that's STYLE! I gotta get me some of THAT!

Also, she has been re-enacting her cover girl pose a lot lately, with mixed results:

After the Celebrity Roast of Pamela Anderson, source of the above lovely pic trio, she admitted recent drug and alcohol use. I must say I am shocked, SHOCKED. To even think that the skankiest woman in America, (sorry Xtina, she's been at it a lot longer than you) would do something so un-ladylike. Mercy me. What next - Pamela And Tommy hooking up again? Oh, wait... krep.

Scary song list

Here is VH1's list of the 50 Most Awesomely Bad songs EVAH - discuss! (Kudos to FARK for the link.)

http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/50_most_awesomely_bad_songs/series_countdown.jhtml

Flashback to the Eighties anyone?

The group Earth, Wind & Fire played at the Emmys, embarrassing themselves by altering the lyrics of one of their best known songs to mention Emmy-nominated shows and Michael Jackson's pedophilia trial. Here is how they appear now:

I must say they are lookin' GOOD, and dressed to the nines. I always wondered why Philip Bailey (the middle one) did not have a bigger solo career after he teamed with Phil Collins on the mega-hit "Easy Lover" . Well, now I think I know: this is the kind of album art he went for  back in the day:

Silver lame' pleated pants tucked into scrunchy boots was never a good look no matter how cute you were - I'm just sayin'....plus the prancing pixie pose does VERY little for me.