November 18, 2007
Alicia Rocks
I can't get enough of this song, I found this video of Alicia Keys performing my new favorite song at the Fashion Rocks Show in October.
Posted by Catherine at 2:54 AM
June 12, 2007
Boyz in the Hood
New M.I.A. video. Check it.
Bonus footage! The making of Boyz video in Jamaica. Girl's picked up some moves. Respek!
Posted by Catherine at 12:09 AM
February 10, 2006
Bow Our Heads
Backspin Promo, the publicist for BBE Records, just announced that producer-extraordinaire J-Dilla, aka Jay-Dee, real name James Yancey passed away this morning.
I am a bit overwhelmed right now.
Posted by Catherine at 8:07 PM
September 27, 2005
Collecting the Cosmic Dust aka Making Sense of It All
There have been a few pinpoint moments along the timeline of my recent cultural and trend-spotting tours. I've been a longtime fan of psychedelia — in pop art, graphics, movies and music. The first marker came with making the acquaintance of the artist Dan Kopp who is also from the Midwest. He paints stark landscapes in a psychedelic, super-natural color palette. They may seem like black-light poster reproductions to some, but I totally get it. Then came Jeremy Blake's solo exhibition Reading Ossie Clark at Feigen Contemporary Gallery. The video art collages revealing narration from the fashion designer's diary with sketches of personalities in his life, and flowery digital imaging; resulting into a psycho-visual trip inside the designer's world.
Earlier this year, I was treated to a Fischerspooner Odyssey show at Canal Room. The entire band was wearing white military-style suits ala Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, while kaleidoscopic images projected on them. FS has the best art direction of any live act... Watch the Just Let Go video
A parallel, yet equally compelling trend is old Brazilian music from the 1960s and 70s. First, I happened upon a mixed CD of Brazilian folk music by Prefuse 73 for Triple Five Soul, then a music-maker friend gave me a mix of vintage Brazilian mixed by Yoshi of Kyoto Jazz Massive and Especial Records shop. As you may know, Brazilian music — like its culture — is a rich mix of rock, samba, funk, jazz, and bossa; and the music of that era is unparalleled for its originality and spirit. I am planning a Christmas/NYE research trip to Rio de Janeiro, etc.
Looping back to the psychedia-rock trend, Rolling Stone magazine splashed an amazing photo of Jimi Hendrix on the cover of their August 11 issue to promote a new biography. Jimi is sporting the romantic military fashions of the late 1960s. Inspired by this era of rock and the pre-revolution Russian soldier uniforms of Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof, I started to think about making my own capelets as an alternative to heavily buttoned jackets available.
As color schemes and patterns floated through my mind, the musical influences solidified. The girl at my favoriote tea shop played Os Mutantes, a psychedelic rock group from Sao Paulo Brasile who are affiliated with href="http://www.caetanoveloso.com.br/index.php?language=en">Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil's Tropicalia movement. The same day, I heard about a documentary, Brasilintime: Batucada com Discos, that was made in Sao Paulo featuring LA-based hip-hoppers from Stones Throw label jamming out with Brasilian drum legends.
The spiral of events, at last, seemed to flourish and blossom into a new attitude and a foundation on which to pull from for my own creative expressions. News of creations to come.
Posted by Catherine at 8:43 PM
July 6, 2005
Cool Down from Warm Up
Last Saturday was the kick-off for 2005's Warm Up at PS1. With the combination of new sponsors NOKIA and Target, plus a bunch of new staff, chaos was the keyword. I worked the VIP line as the Warm Up "Press Consultant," and received the crowds, each armed with multiple dramas, face on. I was so spent from the endless interaction with strangers, press, and acquaintances that I slept all day on the following Sunday.
Complaints ran from long beer and food lines, to bad music, to an awkward architectural installation. Everyone liked the art though, and most visitors left with smiles on their faces. By the end of the nite, it wasn't hard to hype up next Saturday's lineup with Norway's Lindstrom and Prins Thomas.
Overall, a little challenge never scares the GAG. And I think this summer's lineup really has something for everyone; and the Greater New York show alone makes the trip worthwhile.
Posted by Catherine at 12:25 AM