Rob Wickings's Blog, page 34
October 2, 2020
The Cut
Michaelmas has come and gone. The nights are starting to draw in. We are heading into spooky season… like things weren’t freaky enough already. Oh well. Draw the curtains, pull up to a bottle and join us as we flag up the pings on our radar this week. We have a metal god, a robust response to some poorly-judged street art and a song that could well be the anthem of 2020.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
We rather enjoyed this listicle of the best meals in the movies, especially as it shuns some of the obvious choices (anyone bothered with Babette’s Feast lately?) but has the wisdom to mention Miyazaki. Some tasty picks here. Dig in!
Sometimes, Twitter can be a force for good. Case in point: a warm and lovely thread which recast the Lord Of The Rings entirely with Muppets. Well, nearly all. If you could keep one human actor in the whole shebang, who would it be?
https://news.avclub.com/twitter-bands-together-to-fancast-the-muppets-into-lord-1845182743
Long-time X&HTeammate Dom reached out to us after last week’s issue and said ‘it sounds like you want the whole thing to be over.’ Yes, I think we can all agree with that, although what shape we’re in when and if that occurs is yet to be determined. We are living, as Nick Couldry and Bruce Schneier point out in this excellent piece on CNN, in horizonless times. The world is so unsettling now because we simply can’t imagine what the future is going to look like.
One more depressing bit and then we’ll be back to the fun stuff. The release of Donald Trump’s tax returns has unsettled many while leaving most of us under-surprised. It’s the extent and brazen nature of the cheating that amazed us. There’s been plenty of analysis on this slow-motion bomb blast, but we particularly enjoyed this dose of truth serum from author and burrito-sensei John Scalzi.
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/09/28/what-we-knew-what-we-know-and-why-it-matters/
Phew. Right, relax. Let’s enjoy some conversation. More specifically, a chat that Melvins boss-man Buzz Osborne had recently with Metal God Rob Halford, the leather-clad driving force behind Judas Priest. Rob is about to release his autobiography, which promises to be a balls-out thrill-ride. Buzz is an obvious fan of Rob and his music, and the whole conversation has a warmth and enthusiasm which gives the old rockers amongst the Cut staff a pleasing glow.
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/melvins-buzz-osborne-interviews-judas-priests-rob-halford
We make no excuses about our continuing and ever-enduring love of all things R.E.M. This deep dive into the creation of one of their more esoteric deep cuts gives us big happies. And of course we dug out Dead Letter Office, the album in which it appears. A must!
We are hardcore font-heads and typography nerds, as well as massive Trekkies. Find a post that mixes the two and boy howdy step back cos you just lit our touch paper. Typeset In The Future is a particular favourite website for us, and this type-heavy nose into the design of Star Trek – The Motion Pictures gave us much pleasure. Much to enjoy here, even if you’re not into the differences between Eurostile Bold Extended and Microgrammatica…
https://typesetinthefuture.com/2020/08/17/startrek/
While we’re on the subject, Reagan Ray’s clever extraction of artist names from jazz album cover art really lays bare how well designed they were. Plenty of great ideas here if you need a band logo.
https://reaganray.com/2020/09/22/jazz-lettering.html
As we move into the spookiest of months, what better way to whet the appetite for shadows in moonlight than this Dangerous Minds overview of the French obsession with those of us who are hairy on the inside? We see a bad moon risin…
Meanwhile in Whitechapel, the historic stomping ground of the most infamous serial killer of them all, a piece of spectacularly ill-conceived street art had the locals enraged. Then one man took on the task of setting things right with a simple but very clever retort…
And finally. Our Music Desk is exceedingly excited by the prospect of a new Bruce Springsteen album. Letter To You, out later this month, sees The Boss reunited with the E Street Band in a blast of joyful noise that was apparently down on tape in five days. To celebrate, the Desk has put together a Spotify playlist of songs in the key of Springsteen—from artists that have inspired or been inspired by the man from Freehold, NJ. We call it From The Fireroad To The Interstate. Hope you like it.
Which brings us to our Exit Music. We present a song featured on our Spotify playlist, which seemed to suit the spirit and mood of the times so well it’s been on rotation in the office ever since. As an anthem of our horizonless, Acadian future, we don’t think you could do better.
See you in seven.
The Cut
Michaelmas has come and gone. The nights are starting to draw in. We are heading into spooky season… like things weren’t freaky enough already. Oh well. Draw the curtains, pull up to a bottle and join us as we flag up the pings on our radar this week. We have a metal god, a robust response to some poorly-judged street art and a song that could well be the anthem of 2020.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
We rather enjoyed this listicle of the best meals in the movies, especially as it shuns some of the obvious choices (anyone bothered with Babette’s Feast lately?) but has the wisdom to mention Miyazaki. Some tasty picks here. Dig in!
Sometimes, Twitter can be a force for good. Case in point: a warm and lovely thread which recast the Lord Of The Rings entirely with Muppets. Well, nearly all. If you could keep one human actor in the whole shebang, who would it be?
https://news.avclub.com/twitter-bands-together-to-fancast-the-muppets-into-lord-1845182743
Long-time X&HTeammate Dom reached out to us after last week’s issue and said ‘it sounds like you want the whole thing to be over.’ Yes, I think we can all agree with that, although what shape we’re in when and if that occurs is yet to be determined. We are living, as Nick Couldry and Bruce Schneier point out in this excellent piece on CNN, in horizonless times. The world is so unsettling now because we simply can’t imagine what the future is going to look like.
One more depressing bit and then we’ll be back to the fun stuff. The release of Donald Trump’s tax returns has unsettled many while leaving most of us under-surprised. It’s the extent and brazen nature of the cheating that amazed us. There’s been plenty of analysis on this slow-motion bomb blast, but we particularly enjoyed this dose of truth serum from author and burrito-sensei John Scalzi.
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/09/28/what-we-knew-what-we-know-and-why-it-matters/
Phew. Right, relax. Let’s enjoy some conversation. More specifically, a chat that Melvins boss-man Buzz Osborne had recently with Metal God Rob Halford, the leather-clad driving force behind Judas Priest. Rob is about to release his autobiography, which promises to be a balls-out thrill-ride. Buzz is an obvious fan of Rob and his music, and the whole conversation has a warmth and enthusiasm which gives the old rockers amongst the Cut staff a pleasing glow.
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/melvins-buzz-osborne-interviews-judas-priests-rob-halford
We make no excuses about our continuing and ever-enduring love of all things R.E.M. This deep dive into the creation of one of their more esoteric deep cuts gives us big happies. And of course we dug out Dead Letter Office, the album in which it appears. A must!
We are hardcore font-heads and typography nerds, as well as massive Trekkies. Find a post that mixes the two and boy howdy step back cos you just lit our touch paper. Typeset In The Future is a particular favourite website for us, and this type-heavy nose into the design of Star Trek – The Motion Pictures gave us much pleasure. Much to enjoy here, even if you’re not into the differences between Eurostile Bold Extended and Microgrammatica…
https://typesetinthefuture.com/2020/08/17/startrek/
While we’re on the subject, Reagan Ray’s clever extraction of artist names from jazz album cover art really lays bare how well designed they were. Plenty of great ideas here if you need a band logo.
https://reaganray.com/2020/09/22/jazz-lettering.html
As we move into the spookiest of months, what better way to whet the appetite for shadows in moonlight than this Dangerous Minds overview of the French obsession with those of us who are hairy on the inside? We see a bad moon risin…
Meanwhile in Whitechapel, the historic stomping ground of the most infamous serial killer of them all, a piece of spectacularly ill-conceived street art had the locals enraged. Then one man took on the task of setting things right with a simple but very clever retort…
And finally. Our Music Desk is exceedingly excited by the prospect of a new Bruce Springsteen album. Letter To You, out later this month, sees The Boss reunited with the E Street Band in a blast of joyful noise that was apparently down on tape in five days. To celebrate, the Desk has put together a Spotify playlist of songs in the key of Springsteen—from artists that have inspired or been inspired by the man from Freehold, NJ. We call it From The Fireroad To The Interstate. Hope you like it.
Which brings us to our Exit Music. We present a song featured on our Spotify playlist, which seemed to suit the spirit and mood of the times so well it’s been on rotation in the office ever since. As an anthem of our horizonless, Acadian future, we don’t think you could do better.
See you in seven.
The Cut
Michaelmas has come and gone. The nights are starting to draw in. We are heading into spooky season… like things weren’t freaky enough already. Oh well. Draw the curtains, pull up to a bottle and join us as we flag up the pings on our radar this week. We have a metal god, a robust response to some poorly-judged street art and a song that could well be the anthem of 2020.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
We rather enjoyed this listicle of the best meals in the movies, especially as it shuns some of the obvious choices (anyone bothered with Babette’s Feast lately?) but has the wisdom to mention Miyazaki. Some tasty picks here. Dig in!
Sometimes, Twitter can be a force for good. Case in point: a warm and lovely thread which recast the Lord Of The Rings entirely with Muppets. Well, nearly all. If you could keep one human actor in the whole shebang, who would it be?
https://news.avclub.com/twitter-bands-together-to-fancast-the-muppets-into-lord-1845182743
Long-time X&HTeammate Dom reached out to us after last week’s issue and said ‘it sounds like you want the whole thing to be over.’ Yes, I think we can all agree with that, although what shape we’re in when and if that occurs is yet to be determined. We are living, as Nick Couldry and Bruce Schneier point out in this excellent piece on CNN, in horizonless times. The world is so unsettling now because we simply can’t imagine what the future is going to look like.
One more depressing bit and then we’ll be back to the fun stuff. The release of Donald Trump’s tax returns has unsettled many while leaving most of us under-surprised. It’s the extent and brazen nature of the cheating that amazed us. There’s been plenty of analysis on this slow-motion bomb blast, but we particularly enjoyed this dose of truth serum from author and burrito-sensei John Scalzi.
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/09/28/what-we-knew-what-we-know-and-why-it-matters/
Phew. Right, relax. Let’s enjoy some conversation. More specifically, a chat that Melvins boss-man Buzz Osborne had recently with Metal God Rob Halford, the leather-clad driving force behind Judas Priest. Rob is about to release his autobiography, which promises to be a balls-out thrill-ride. Buzz is an obvious fan of Rob and his music, and the whole conversation has a warmth and enthusiasm which gives the old rockers amongst the Cut staff a pleasing glow.
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/melvins-buzz-osborne-interviews-judas-priests-rob-halford
We make no excuses about our continuing and ever-enduring love of all things R.E.M. This deep dive into the creation of one of their more esoteric deep cuts gives us big happies. And of course we dug out Dead Letter Office, the album in which it appears. A must!
We are hardcore font-heads and typography nerds, as well as massive Trekkies. Find a post that mixes the two and boy howdy step back cos you just lit our touch paper. Typeset In The Future is a particular favourite website for us, and this type-heavy nose into the design of Star Trek – The Motion Pictures gave us much pleasure. Much to enjoy here, even if you’re not into the differences between Eurostile Bold Extended and Microgrammatica…
https://typesetinthefuture.com/2020/08/17/startrek/
While we’re on the subject, Reagan Ray’s clever extraction of artist names from jazz album cover art really lays bare how well designed they were. Plenty of great ideas here if you need a band logo.
https://reaganray.com/2020/09/22/jazz-lettering.html
As we move into the spookiest of months, what better way to whet the appetite for shadows in moonlight than this Dangerous Minds overview of the French obsession with those of us who are hairy on the inside? We see a bad moon risin…
Meanwhile in Whitechapel, the historic stomping ground of the most infamous serial killer of them all, a piece of spectacularly ill-conceived street art had the locals enraged. Then one man took on the task of setting things right with a simple but very clever retort…
And finally. Our Music Desk is exceedingly excited by the prospect of a new Bruce Springsteen album. Letter To You, out later this month, sees The Boss reunited with the E Street Band in a blast of joyful noise that was apparently down on tape in five days. To celebrate, the Desk has put together a Spotify playlist of songs in the key of Springsteen—from artists that have inspired or been inspired by the man from Freehold, NJ. We call it From The Fireroad To The Interstate. Hope you like it.
Which brings us to our Exit Music. We present a song featured on our Spotify playlist, which seemed to suit the spirit and mood of the times so well it’s been on rotation in the office ever since. As an anthem of our horizonless, Acadian future, we don’t think you could do better.
See you in seven.
The Cut
Michaelmas has come and gone. The nights are starting to draw in. We are heading into spooky season… like things weren’t freaky enough already. Oh well. Draw the curtains, pull up to a bottle and join us as we flag up the pings on our radar this week. We have a metal god, a robust response to some poorly-judged street art and a song that could well be the anthem of 2020.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
We rather enjoyed this listicle of the best meals in the movies, especially as it shuns some of the obvious choices (anyone bothered with Babette’s Feast lately?) but has the wisdom to mention Miyazaki. Some tasty picks here. Dig in!
Sometimes, Twitter can be a force for good. Case in point: a warm and lovely thread which recast the Lord Of The Rings entirely with Muppets. Well, nearly all. If you could keep one human actor in the whole shebang, who would it be?
https://news.avclub.com/twitter-bands-together-to-fancast-the-muppets-into-lord-1845182743
Long-time X&HTeammate Dom reached out to us after last week’s issue and said ‘it sounds like you want the whole thing to be over.’ Yes, I think we can all agree with that, although what shape we’re in when and if that occurs is yet to be determined. We are living, as Nick Couldry and Bruce Schneier point out in this excellent piece on CNN, in horizonless times. The world is so unsettling now because we simply can’t imagine what the future is going to look like.
One more depressing bit and then we’ll be back to the fun stuff. The release of Donald Trump’s tax returns has unsettled many while leaving most of us under-surprised. It’s the extent and brazen nature of the cheating that amazed us. There’s been plenty of analysis on this slow-motion bomb blast, but we particularly enjoyed this dose of truth serum from author and burrito-sensei John Scalzi.
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/09/28/what-we-knew-what-we-know-and-why-it-matters/
Phew. Right, relax. Let’s enjoy some conversation. More specifically, a chat that Melvins boss-man Buzz Osborne had recently with Metal God Rob Halford, the leather-clad driving force behind Judas Priest. Rob is about to release his autobiography, which promises to be a balls-out thrill-ride. Buzz is an obvious fan of Rob and his music, and the whole conversation has a warmth and enthusiasm which gives the old rockers amongst the Cut staff a pleasing glow.
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/melvins-buzz-osborne-interviews-judas-priests-rob-halford
We make no excuses about our continuing and ever-enduring love of all things R.E.M. This deep dive into the creation of one of their more esoteric deep cuts gives us big happies. And of course we dug out Dead Letter Office, the album in which it appears. A must!
We are hardcore font-heads and typography nerds, as well as massive Trekkies. Find a post that mixes the two and boy howdy step back cos you just lit our touch paper. Typeset In The Future is a particular favourite website for us, and this type-heavy nose into the design of Star Trek – The Motion Pictures gave us much pleasure. Much to enjoy here, even if you’re not into the differences between Eurostile Bold Extended and Microgrammatica…
https://typesetinthefuture.com/2020/08/17/startrek/
While we’re on the subject, Reagan Ray’s clever extraction of artist names from jazz album cover art really lays bare how well designed they were. Plenty of great ideas here if you need a band logo.
https://reaganray.com/2020/09/22/jazz-lettering.html
As we move into the spookiest of months, what better way to whet the appetite for shadows in moonlight than this Dangerous Minds overview of the French obsession with those of us who are hairy on the inside? We see a bad moon risin…
Meanwhile in Whitechapel, the historic stomping ground of the most infamous serial killer of them all, a piece of spectacularly ill-conceived street art had the locals enraged. Then one man took on the task of setting things right with a simple but very clever retort…
And finally. Our Music Desk is exceedingly excited by the prospect of a new Bruce Springsteen album. Letter To You, out later this month, sees The Boss reunited with the E Street Band in a blast of joyful noise that was apparently down on tape in five days. To celebrate, the Desk has put together a Spotify playlist of songs in the key of Springsteen—from artists that have inspired or been inspired by the man from Freehold, NJ. We call it From The Fireroad To The Interstate. Hope you like it.
Which brings us to our Exit Music. We present a song featured on our Spotify playlist, which seemed to suit the spirit and mood of the times so well it’s been on rotation in the office ever since. As an anthem of our horizonless, Acadian future, we don’t think you could do better.
See you in seven.
The Cut
Michaelmas has come and gone. The nights are starting to draw in. We are heading into spooky season… like things weren’t freaky enough already. Oh well. Draw the curtains, pull up to a bottle and join us as we flag up the pings on our radar this week. We have a metal god, a robust response to some poorly-judged street art and a song that could well be the anthem of 2020.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
We rather enjoyed this listicle of the best meals in the movies, especially as it shuns some of the obvious choices (anyone bothered with Babette’s Feast lately?) but has the wisdom to mention Miyazaki. Some tasty picks here. Dig in!
Sometimes, Twitter can be a force for good. Case in point: a warm and lovely thread which recast the Lord Of The Rings entirely with Muppets. Well, nearly all. If you could keep one human actor in the whole shebang, who would it be?
https://news.avclub.com/twitter-bands-together-to-fancast-the-muppets-into-lord-1845182743
Long-time X&HTeammate Dom reached out to us after last week’s issue and said ‘it sounds like you want the whole thing to be over.’ Yes, I think we can all agree with that, although what shape we’re in when and if that occurs is yet to be determined. We are living, as Nick Couldry and Bruce Schneier point out in this excellent piece on CNN, in horizonless times. The world is so unsettling now because we simply can’t imagine what the future is going to look like.
One more depressing bit and then we’ll be back to the fun stuff. The release of Donald Trump’s tax returns has unsettled many while leaving most of us under-surprised. It’s the extent and brazen nature of the cheating that amazed us. There’s been plenty of analysis on this slow-motion bomb blast, but we particularly enjoyed this dose of truth serum from author and burrito-sensei John Scalzi.
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/09/28/what-we-knew-what-we-know-and-why-it-matters/
Phew. Right, relax. Let’s enjoy some conversation. More specifically, a chat that Melvins boss-man Buzz Osborne had recently with Metal God Rob Halford, the leather-clad driving force behind Judas Priest. Rob is about to release his autobiography, which promises to be a balls-out thrill-ride. Buzz is an obvious fan of Rob and his music, and the whole conversation has a warmth and enthusiasm which gives the old rockers amongst the Cut staff a pleasing glow.
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/melvins-buzz-osborne-interviews-judas-priests-rob-halford
We make no excuses about our continuing and ever-enduring love of all things R.E.M. This deep dive into the creation of one of their more esoteric deep cuts gives us big happies. And of course we dug out Dead Letter Office, the album in which it appears. A must!
We are hardcore font-heads and typography nerds, as well as massive Trekkies. Find a post that mixes the two and boy howdy step back cos you just lit our touch paper. Typeset In The Future is a particular favourite website for us, and this type-heavy nose into the design of Star Trek – The Motion Pictures gave us much pleasure. Much to enjoy here, even if you’re not into the differences between Eurostile Bold Extended and Microgrammatica…
https://typesetinthefuture.com/2020/08/17/startrek/
While we’re on the subject, Reagan Ray’s clever extraction of artist names from jazz album cover art really lays bare how well designed they were. Plenty of great ideas here if you need a band logo.
https://reaganray.com/2020/09/22/jazz-lettering.html
As we move into the spookiest of months, what better way to whet the appetite for shadows in moonlight than this Dangerous Minds overview of the French obsession with those of us who are hairy on the inside? We see a bad moon risin…
Meanwhile in Whitechapel, the historic stomping ground of the most infamous serial killer of them all, a piece of spectacularly ill-conceived street art had the locals enraged. Then one man took on the task of setting things right with a simple but very clever retort…
And finally. Our Music Desk is exceedingly excited by the prospect of a new Bruce Springsteen album. Letter To You, out later this month, sees The Boss reunited with the E Street Band in a blast of joyful noise that was apparently down on tape in five days. To celebrate, the Desk has put together a Spotify playlist of songs in the key of Springsteen—from artists that have inspired or been inspired by the man from Freehold, NJ. We call it From The Fireroad To The Interstate. Hope you like it.
Which brings us to our Exit Music. We present a song featured on our Spotify playlist, which seemed to suit the spirit and mood of the times so well it’s been on rotation in the office ever since. As an anthem of our horizonless, Acadian future, we don’t think you could do better.
See you in seven.
September 25, 2020
The Cut ⛏ Issue 20
Praise the Lard and pass the ammunition! Issue 20 marks our five-month anniversary of blogtastic linkeration. Stopping is now no longer an option. We’re too far in now. As we shift into Season Three of The Situation, please take comfort in the ever-present point in your weekly schedule that includes this slumgullion of nerdery. We know what you like. Well, we know what we like. If you like it too, that’s the bonus.
This week, we check in with one of the great but near-forgotten voices of Britpop, look at the work that went into an iconic piece of cinema, and wonder what would have happened if HG Wells had been paid a visit from a certain visitor from Venus.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
Britpop was very much a boy’s game. Oasis vs. Blur, Loaded Magazine, all that laddy shenaniga. Sure, there were plenty of female fronted-bands in the mix: Elastica, Sleeper, Echobelly. But they always suffered either from second-string status or worse, having their lead singers belittled as (dread term) ‘ladettes’. Skunk Anansi stood alone from all that nonsense. Coming from anarcho-punk roots, they blended that glorious noise with rock, funk and reggae to create something very special.
Then there was Skin, the black girl up front who gave no fucks and took no prisoners. Back in the headlines last year after she gently reminded Stormzy he was not the first black performer to headline Glastonbury (although her claim to the crown was equally false, an error she graciously later admitted to), she’s releasing an autobiography spilling a canful of beans. She is one hell of of a character and this is one hell of a story.
https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/k7qvba/skunk-anansie-skin-memoir-it-takes-blood-and-guts
2020 seems to have been a year for significant anniversaries. For film fans, the 30th birthday of Goodfellas is a pretty good reason to celebrate. BBC Culture takes a fascinating look at one of the key moments of this most influential of gangster flicks—the eye-popping Steadi-cam Copa shot. You may be surprised to learn that the creative force behind it was not Martin Scorcese. Bada-bing!
2020 has also been a year of loss. For the SF and film desks at The Cut, none has been felt more keenly than the passing of Ron Cobb. His designs for films like Alien and Blade Runner would define the look of cinematic science fiction and continue, to our mind, to do so today. He will be keenly missed.
In tribute, we present a Hollywood Reporter obit, and our own fannish overview of his work from 2010.
https://excusesandhalftruths.com/2010/02/01/the-man-who-draws-the-movies/
We remain wary of cheering any aspect of the change to working practices brought on by The Situation. It has been hard on all of us. However, this thoughtful piece from The Stylist makes the point that a shift to online may just level the playing field for a very significant portion of the global workforce…https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/introverts-working-from-home-coronavirus-self-belief/428559
Our Long Read this week looks to the stars. Ok, a little closer. Humanity, it seems, is not just great at filling the seas with trash. We’re also doing it to the skies above. We have no-one to blame for this and no-one to hurt but ourselves…
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/09/28/the-elusive-peril-of-space-junk
And just to be clear, this is a problem that is only going to get worse. The ISS had to be moved last week to dodge a very literal bullet.
https://gizmodo.com/iss-maneuvers-to-avoid-space-debris-in-what-s-becoming-1845152811
One last blast from our Space Desk. Writer and escatologist John Higgs has long been on our bookshelves and newsfeeds for his smart analysis on matters Fortean. We were pleased to note that he’s co-written a musical, the premiere of which was Situationally postponed. We love the premise and the song he’s posted, which is available for your listening pleasure via Bandcamp for a couple of weeks. A lovely tie-in to the discovery of potential life on Venus, this…
https://johnhiggs.com/life-on-venus-the-song/
Right, who’s hungry after all that? Larb is a classic Thai dish of fried ground meat and aromats that’s just the thing to wolf down with bread and rice and a couple of beers. Bon Appetit’s version tweaks it into a simple veggie tray-bake that frankly would still hit the spot as we drift into autumn.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/fall-larb
Seems a bit healthy? We got ya back. After last week’s epic McRib throw down, here are a few simple fast food tweaks that are filthy delicious. When in doubt, throw in a hash brown!
https://www.seriouseats.com/2020/09/the-10-minute-window-for-the-perfect-mcdonalds-mash-up.html
There’s a lot to parse in this bit from The AV Club about Paul Thomas Anderson’s collaborations with sunny rock sisters HAIM. Not least the notion that the whole project may be a movie-length musical sneaking out one YouTube friendly nugget at a time. Whatever’s happening here, we’re diggin’ it.
https://music.avclub.com/haim-has-given-paul-thomas-anderson-an-unlikely-second-1844993788
Annnnnd finally. A tip from our Ninth Art Desk we couldn’t resist dropping in. A short set of one-pagers from 2006 featuring Thanos, Darkseid and Doctor Doom carpooling. We especially like the bit where the kids get involved. There’s even a catchphrase. This is delightful, silly and geeky in all the right ways. Custom made for us… and hopefully you, Readership.
http://plasticfarm.com/2016/04/thanos-and-darkseid-carpool-buddies-of-doom/
Apart from deaths and anniversaries, 2020 has also been great for unexpected musical treats. Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, you name it, it’s surprised us. We were especially delighted to see Fleet Foxes poke their noses back over the prow of the hill. The new album, Shore, is a lovely thing. For your Exit Music, we offer up the film shot by Kersti Jan Werdal to celebrate the new arrival. A 16mm ode to the beauties of the Pacific Northwest coastline, we can’t think of a better way to ease you into the weekend.
See you in seven.
September 17, 2020
The Cut
Let’s see if we’ve got this right. It is now unlawful to meet in groups of more than six people unless you’re working, travelling to work, in school or grouse shooting. There were people on our feeds this week wondering how problematic it would be to give their kids and their friends shotguns so planned birthday parties could go ahead. And that’s not even the weirdest thing to happen this week. Best crack on with it, then.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
As far as we’re concerned, the big news this week was the announcement of possible life signs on Venus. For a second there the SF geeks on staff got very excited and started babbling about Edgar Rice Burroughs, rain-infested jungles and green-skinned alien princesses. Sadly, the situation isn’t quite as pulptastic as all that, but the discovery and implications are nevertheless extremely exciting. Science Focus has a decently straightforward breakdown on the news and what happens next.
We kick off our film section with a look at a parallel movie universe. No, not one where cowboy movies make a big comeback instead of superhero flicks. This is all the more fascinating… because it’s real! Race movies, the studios that made them and the stars they created were big business for forty years in the early part of the twentieth century. They were, however, almost invisible to the mainstream. Messy Nessy Chic gives us the skinny on this marginalised corner of cinema history.
More worryingly, it seems like a lot of our cinematic history is quietly slipping from view. Although there’s a very definite uptick in creators shooting on film, the skills required in its preservation are almost exclusively in the hands of artisans reaching retirement age. A lot of amazing work can be done with old film electronically, but the material still needs careful handling before it can be digitised. The men and women who know what to do with a film splicer are few and far between.
Our X&HTeammate Rob Kaiju pointed us at this short film which lays out the big problem ahead, and what it could mean for over a century of popular culture.
In some areas, though, the gentle art of restoration is going through a bit of a purple patch, as viewers realise watching skilled artisans at work is actually kind of relaxing. We are big fans of The Repair Shop, a BBC featuring some of the cleverest restorers in the UK bringing old and well-loved objects back to life. The big reveals of an old rocking horse or a writing desk returned to their owners in tip-top shape can be quite emotional. Open Culture looks into a phenomenon that has only become more popular in lockdown.
http://www.openculture.com/2020/09/the-joy-of-watching-old-damaged-things-get-restored.html
A couple of food links for you. First up, a look at a foodstuff that has been with us for a long time. Honey is well-known for having antibacterial and preservative properties. Some ancient cultures used it in the process of mummification. Alexander The Great’s body was borne across Europe for burial in a vat of the sweet stuff. What’s less known is just how long-lasting honey can be. Forget that jar of Rowse’s lurking at the back of the cupboard. Archaeologists recently unearthed some seriously well-aged honey.
https://link.medium.com/Vz4jwDW5E9
Fast food treated seriously is, in our opinion, the most delicious of all. So when culinary mad scientist Kenji Lopez-Alt takes on the iconic McRib sandwich, you should pay attention. This is no half-hearted project. It’s a day’s work, involves two different kinds of pork and two different cooking methods. The final result looks none more epic, but would barely last for two minutes before we scarfed it.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/09/how-to-make-homemade-mcdonalds-diy-mcrib-sandwich.html
In our random but useful advice section, here’s a nugget for you. Trust is important, but how do you quantify it? Is there a way to figure quickly and easily how trustworthy your friends, family and workmates really are? Well, yes there is. It’s simpler than you think. Thank us later.
http://read.medium.com/WEW3EKV
A couple of guitary links. It’s gratifying to see the swell in interest in the old six-strings in the face of That Flippin’ Situation. Nothing says ‘screw you, intolerant and uncaring universe’ better than blasting an A minor chord through a cranked up Les Paul Junior or Fender Mustang and a cheap amp with your teeth bared. Best therapy going, in our humble experience.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/style/guitar-sales-fender-gibson.html
This, in our opinion, is the feel-good story of the week. A tale of the raddest bass guitar on the planet, and how it finally found its way back to the man who caused it to be in the first place. Seriously, this gave our raddled ould hearts a bit of a glow.
And finally. We’re throwing in an interview with comic creator Nick Abadzis for several reasons. Firstly, the Ninth Art Desk fondly remembers Deadline Magazine and considers it a much more important publication than simply the launchpad for Tank Girl. Second of all, Nick is warm, witty and open about the nuts and bolts of comic-making, with insights that fascinated us. Third of all, Hugo Tate is an excellent strip that deserves a wider audience. Can’t say fairer than that, can we?
https://neotextcorp.com/culture/nick-abadzis-revisits-his-beginnings-with-hugo-tate-with-hugo-tate/
In celebration of the exciting news of possible life in the atmosphere of our celestial neighbour, there was only really one choice for this week’s Exit Music. We very, very nearly went with the Bananarama cover, but felt the original just shaded it for us. All together now… “goddess on a mountaintop, shining like a silver flame…”
See you in seven.
The Cut
Let’s see if we’ve got this right. It is now unlawful to meet in groups of more than six people unless you’re working, travelling to work, in school or grouse shooting. There were people on our feeds this week wondering how problematic it would be to give their kids and their friends shotguns so planned birthday parties could go ahead. And that’s not even the weirdest thing to happen this week. Best crack on with it, then.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
As far as we’re concerned, the big news this week was the announcement of possible life signs on Venus. For a second there the SF geeks on staff got very excited and started babbling about Edgar Rice Burroughs, rain-infested jungles and green-skinned alien princesses. Sadly, the situation isn’t quite as pulptastic as all that, but the discovery and implications are nevertheless extremely exciting. Science Focus has a decently straightforward breakdown on the news and what happens next.
We kick off our film section with a look at a parallel movie universe. No, not one where cowboy movies make a big comeback instead of superhero flicks. This is all the more fascinating… because it’s real! Race movies, the studios that made them and the stars they created were big business for forty years in the early part of the twentieth century. They were, however, almost invisible to the mainstream. Messy Nessy Chic gives us the skinny on this marginalised corner of cinema history.
More worryingly, it seems like a lot of our cinematic history is quietly slipping from view. Although there’s a very definite uptick in creators shooting on film, the skills required in its preservation are almost exclusively in the hands of artisans reaching retirement age. A lot of amazing work can be done with old film electronically, but the material still needs careful handling before it can be digitised. The men and women who know what to do with a film splicer are few and far between.
Our X&HTeammate Rob Kaiju pointed us at this short film which lays out the big problem ahead, and what it could mean for over a century of popular culture.
In some areas, though, the gentle art of restoration is going through a bit of a purple patch, as viewers realise watching skilled artisans at work is actually kind of relaxing. We are big fans of The Repair Shop, a BBC featuring some of the cleverest restorers in the UK bringing old and well-loved objects back to life. The big reveals of an old rocking horse or a writing desk returned to their owners in tip-top shape can be quite emotional. Open Culture looks into a phenomenon that has only become more popular in lockdown.
http://www.openculture.com/2020/09/the-joy-of-watching-old-damaged-things-get-restored.html
A couple of food links for you. First up, a look at a foodstuff that has been with us for a long time. Honey is well-known for having antibacterial and preservative properties. Some ancient cultures used it in the process of mummification. Alexander The Great’s body was borne across Europe for burial in a vat of the sweet stuff. What’s less known is just how long-lasting honey can be. Forget that jar of Rowse’s lurking at the back of the cupboard. Archaeologists recently unearthed some seriously well-aged honey.
https://link.medium.com/Vz4jwDW5E9
Fast food treated seriously is, in our opinion, the most delicious of all. So when culinary mad scientist Kenji Lopez-Alt takes on the iconic McRib sandwich, you should pay attention. This is no half-hearted project. It’s a day’s work, involves two different kinds of pork and two different cooking methods. The final result looks none more epic, but would barely last for two minutes before we scarfed it.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/09/how-to-make-homemade-mcdonalds-diy-mcrib-sandwich.html
In our random but useful advice section, here’s a nugget for you. Trust is important, but how do you quantify it? Is there a way to figure quickly and easily how trustworthy your friends, family and workmates really are? Well, yes there is. It’s simpler than you think. Thank us later.
http://read.medium.com/WEW3EKV
A couple of guitary links. It’s gratifying to see the swell in interest in the old six-strings in the face of That Flippin’ Situation. Nothing says ‘screw you, intolerant and uncaring universe’ better than blasting an A minor chord through a cranked up Les Paul Junior or Fender Mustang and a cheap amp with your teeth bared. Best therapy going, in our humble experience.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/style/guitar-sales-fender-gibson.html
This, in our opinion, is the feel-good story of the week. A tale of the raddest bass guitar on the planet, and how it finally found its way back to the man who caused it to be in the first place. Seriously, this gave our raddled ould hearts a bit of a glow.
And finally. We’re throwing in an interview with comic creator Nick Abadzis for several reasons. Firstly, the Ninth Art Desk fondly remembers Deadline Magazine and considers it a much more important publication than simply the launchpad for Tank Girl. Second of all, Nick is warm, witty and open about the nuts and bolts of comic-making, with insights that fascinated us. Third of all, Hugo Tate is an excellent strip that deserves a wider audience. Can’t say fairer than that, can we?
https://neotextcorp.com/culture/nick-abadzis-revisits-his-beginnings-with-hugo-tate-with-hugo-tate/
In celebration of the exciting news of possible life in the atmosphere of our celestial neighbour, there was only really one choice for this week’s Exit Music. We very, very nearly went with the Bananarama cover, but felt the original just shaded it for us. All together now… “goddess on a mountaintop, shining like a silver flame…”
See you in seven.
The Cut
Let’s see if we’ve got this right. It is now unlawful to meet in groups of more than six people unless you’re working, travelling to work, in school or grouse shooting. There were people on our feeds this week wondering how problematic it would be to give their kids and their friends shotguns so planned birthday parties could go ahead. And that’s not even the weirdest thing to happen this week. Best crack on with it, then.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
As far as we’re concerned, the big news this week was the announcement of possible life signs on Venus. For a second there the SF geeks on staff got very excited and started babbling about Edgar Rice Burroughs, rain-infested jungles and green-skinned alien princesses. Sadly, the situation isn’t quite as pulptastic as all that, but the discovery and implications are nevertheless extremely exciting. Science Focus has a decently straightforward breakdown on the news and what happens next.
We kick off our film section with a look at a parallel movie universe. No, not one where cowboy movies make a big comeback instead of superhero flicks. This is all the more fascinating… because it’s real! Race movies, the studios that made them and the stars they created were big business for forty years in the early part of the twentieth century. They were, however, almost invisible to the mainstream. Messy Nessy Chic gives us the skinny on this marginalised corner of cinema history.
More worryingly, it seems like a lot of our cinematic history is quietly slipping from view. Although there’s a very definite uptick in creators shooting on film, the skills required in its preservation are almost exclusively in the hands of artisans reaching retirement age. A lot of amazing work can be done with old film electronically, but the material still needs careful handling before it can be digitised. The men and women who know what to do with a film splicer are few and far between.
Our X&HTeammate Rob Kaiju pointed us at this short film which lays out the big problem ahead, and what it could mean for over a century of popular culture.
In some areas, though, the gentle art of restoration is going through a bit of a purple patch, as viewers realise watching skilled artisans at work is actually kind of relaxing. We are big fans of The Repair Shop, a BBC featuring some of the cleverest restorers in the UK bringing old and well-loved objects back to life. The big reveals of an old rocking horse or a writing desk returned to their owners in tip-top shape can be quite emotional. Open Culture looks into a phenomenon that has only become more popular in lockdown.
http://www.openculture.com/2020/09/the-joy-of-watching-old-damaged-things-get-restored.html
A couple of food links for you. First up, a look at a foodstuff that has been with us for a long time. Honey is well-known for having antibacterial and preservative properties. Some ancient cultures used it in the process of mummification. Alexander The Great’s body was borne across Europe for burial in a vat of the sweet stuff. What’s less known is just how long-lasting honey can be. Forget that jar of Rowse’s lurking at the back of the cupboard. Archaeologists recently unearthed some seriously well-aged honey.
https://link.medium.com/Vz4jwDW5E9
Fast food treated seriously is, in our opinion, the most delicious of all. So when culinary mad scientist Kenji Lopez-Alt takes on the iconic McRib sandwich, you should pay attention. This is no half-hearted project. It’s a day’s work, involves two different kinds of pork and two different cooking methods. The final result looks none more epic, but would barely last for two minutes before we scarfed it.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/09/how-to-make-homemade-mcdonalds-diy-mcrib-sandwich.html
In our random but useful advice section, here’s a nugget for you. Trust is important, but how do you quantify it? Is there a way to figure quickly and easily how trustworthy your friends, family and workmates really are? Well, yes there is. It’s simpler than you think. Thank us later.
http://read.medium.com/WEW3EKV
A couple of guitary links. It’s gratifying to see the swell in interest in the old six-strings in the face of That Flippin’ Situation. Nothing says ‘screw you, intolerant and uncaring universe’ better than blasting an A minor chord through a cranked up Les Paul Junior or Fender Mustang and a cheap amp with your teeth bared. Best therapy going, in our humble experience.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/style/guitar-sales-fender-gibson.html
This, in our opinion, is the feel-good story of the week. A tale of the raddest bass guitar on the planet, and how it finally found its way back to the man who caused it to be in the first place. Seriously, this gave our raddled ould hearts a bit of a glow.
And finally. We’re throwing in an interview with comic creator Nick Abadzis for several reasons. Firstly, the Ninth Art Desk fondly remembers Deadline Magazine and considers it a much more important publication than simply the launchpad for Tank Girl. Second of all, Nick is warm, witty and open about the nuts and bolts of comic-making, with insights that fascinated us. Third of all, Hugo Tate is an excellent strip that deserves a wider audience. Can’t say fairer than that, can we?
https://neotextcorp.com/culture/nick-abadzis-revisits-his-beginnings-with-hugo-tate-with-hugo-tate/
In celebration of the exciting news of possible life in the atmosphere of our celestial neighbour, there was only really one choice for this week’s Exit Music. We very, very nearly went with the Bananarama cover, but felt the original just shaded it for us. All together now… “goddess on a mountaintop, shining like a silver flame…”
See you in seven.
The Cut
Let’s see if we’ve got this right. It is now unlawful to meet in groups of more than six people unless you’re working, travelling to work, in school or grouse shooting. There were people on our feeds this week wondering how problematic it would be to give their kids and their friends shotguns so planned birthday parties could go ahead. And that’s not even the weirdest thing to happen this week. Best crack on with it, then.
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
As far as we’re concerned, the big news this week was the announcement of possible life signs on Venus. For a second there the SF geeks on staff got very excited and started babbling about Edgar Rice Burroughs, rain-infested jungles and green-skinned alien princesses. Sadly, the situation isn’t quite as pulptastic as all that, but the discovery and implications are nevertheless extremely exciting. Science Focus has a decently straightforward breakdown on the news and what happens next.
We kick off our film section with a look at a parallel movie universe. No, not one where cowboy movies make a big comeback instead of superhero flicks. This is all the more fascinating… because it’s real! Race movies, the studios that made them and the stars they created were big business for forty years in the early part of the twentieth century. They were, however, almost invisible to the mainstream. Messy Nessy Chic gives us the skinny on this marginalised corner of cinema history.
More worryingly, it seems like a lot of our cinematic history is quietly slipping from view. Although there’s a very definite uptick in creators shooting on film, the skills required in its preservation are almost exclusively in the hands of artisans reaching retirement age. A lot of amazing work can be done with old film electronically, but the material still needs careful handling before it can be digitised. The men and women who know what to do with a film splicer are few and far between.
Our X&HTeammate Rob Kaiju pointed us at this short film which lays out the big problem ahead, and what it could mean for over a century of popular culture.
In some areas, though, the gentle art of restoration is going through a bit of a purple patch, as viewers realise watching skilled artisans at work is actually kind of relaxing. We are big fans of The Repair Shop, a BBC featuring some of the cleverest restorers in the UK bringing old and well-loved objects back to life. The big reveals of an old rocking horse or a writing desk returned to their owners in tip-top shape can be quite emotional. Open Culture looks into a phenomenon that has only become more popular in lockdown.
http://www.openculture.com/2020/09/the-joy-of-watching-old-damaged-things-get-restored.html
A couple of food links for you. First up, a look at a foodstuff that has been with us for a long time. Honey is well-known for having antibacterial and preservative properties. Some ancient cultures used it in the process of mummification. Alexander The Great’s body was borne across Europe for burial in a vat of the sweet stuff. What’s less known is just how long-lasting honey can be. Forget that jar of Rowse’s lurking at the back of the cupboard. Archaeologists recently unearthed some seriously well-aged honey.
https://link.medium.com/Vz4jwDW5E9
Fast food treated seriously is, in our opinion, the most delicious of all. So when culinary mad scientist Kenji Lopez-Alt takes on the iconic McRib sandwich, you should pay attention. This is no half-hearted project. It’s a day’s work, involves two different kinds of pork and two different cooking methods. The final result looks none more epic, but would barely last for two minutes before we scarfed it.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/09/how-to-make-homemade-mcdonalds-diy-mcrib-sandwich.html
In our random but useful advice section, here’s a nugget for you. Trust is important, but how do you quantify it? Is there a way to figure quickly and easily how trustworthy your friends, family and workmates really are? Well, yes there is. It’s simpler than you think. Thank us later.
http://read.medium.com/WEW3EKV
A couple of guitary links. It’s gratifying to see the swell in interest in the old six-strings in the face of That Flippin’ Situation. Nothing says ‘screw you, intolerant and uncaring universe’ better than blasting an A minor chord through a cranked up Les Paul Junior or Fender Mustang and a cheap amp with your teeth bared. Best therapy going, in our humble experience.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/style/guitar-sales-fender-gibson.html
This, in our opinion, is the feel-good story of the week. A tale of the raddest bass guitar on the planet, and how it finally found its way back to the man who caused it to be in the first place. Seriously, this gave our raddled ould hearts a bit of a glow.
And finally. We’re throwing in an interview with comic creator Nick Abadzis for several reasons. Firstly, the Ninth Art Desk fondly remembers Deadline Magazine and considers it a much more important publication than simply the launchpad for Tank Girl. Second of all, Nick is warm, witty and open about the nuts and bolts of comic-making, with insights that fascinated us. Third of all, Hugo Tate is an excellent strip that deserves a wider audience. Can’t say fairer than that, can we?
https://neotextcorp.com/culture/nick-abadzis-revisits-his-beginnings-with-hugo-tate-with-hugo-tate/
In celebration of the exciting news of possible life in the atmosphere of our celestial neighbour, there was only really one choice for this week’s Exit Music. We very, very nearly went with the Bananarama cover, but felt the original just shaded it for us. All together now… “goddess on a mountaintop, shining like a silver flame…”
See you in seven.
