Scott Brown skit on SNL
I have been tuning into SNL since the days of Eddie Murphy. Easily its the most loyal I have been to any show in my lifetime. If I am home on a Saturday night, you can be sure I will be dialing in SNL at 11:30. As you can imagine a show with such a long history will have it’s lulls and its high points. 2008-2009 was one of SNL’s best years on record mostly due to the election. But since then it has been a major bore. last night I fell asleep watching SNL. Today I saw a blog post about a Scott Brown piece that aired as I lay sleeping. It featured Jon Hamm as Scott Brown and is one of the funniest I have seen in a long time. Wish I caught it Live. Anyway here it is.
Also check out the interview Texas and I did for URB Mag with SNL featured player Fred Armisen (who is also in the piece above playing Congressman Barney Frank). Fred Armisen was one of my favorite interviews.
TrevzNewPop
Top 5 Favorite TV Intros Ever.
Favorite TV intros of all time. It’s amazing they all come from the 70′s and 80′s. Which is saying allot since there were only 3 major TV networks back then. What happened? Honorable mentions listed below.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Honorable mentions:
“Family Ties”
“All In The Family”
“Moonlighting”
“Taxi”
Mixoligist Joaquin Simo
I had the pleasure of documenting Mixoligist Joaquin Simo for the “Creator Of” series I am doing with Pernod. Joaquin talks about the art of Mixology and also gives a breif history of Absinthe which was banned in 1915 in the United States and in most European countries. It was portrayed as a dangerously addictive psychoactive drug and blamed for the ills of society. This stigma contributed to it’s popularity with the art scene of it’s time. Very similar to the way marijuana is demonized and simultaneously heralded today. Check out the video along with the artist depictions of Absinthe from the early 20th Century.
TrevzNewPop
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Oliva
iPad. Big Fuckin Deal!
I am a big fan of the iPhone, and today’s iPad unveiling was a huge letdown. It’s a big iPhone. It falls somewhere between the iPhone and a Laptop. Guess what? It also falls somewhere between me wanting to pay for it, and ever actually paying for it. I’ll use my iPhone as my mobile device, and my laptop for the heavier lifting. This has no home. That Verizon misfit commercial where the iPhone lands on the isle of misfit toys would be more fitting for this device.
I prefer to use something like this. Check out this product by Bonnier
TrevzNewPop
Patti Crash Interview On Gak City
The folks at Gak City interviewed Patty Crash about living with Nikki Jean, working with The Roots, and dumping her lover for her music. I documented Patty about a year ago at a Lick event and thought she was really talented. Check out the interview here and then the video we shot here.
TrevzNewPop
The Anatomy of Cool
It always fascinates me when something considered cool generations ago becomes vintage cool for a contemporary generation. Often the past is a great indicator of what will be cool in the future. Go back around 20 years and you will often find indicators of the trends of today. That 20 year window leaves a great un-mined resource of vintage films, fashion and music to be re-examined and re-packaged for today’s generation. I would like you to consider another film that falls out of this 20 year pattern of appreciation.
The film “Anatomy Of A Murder” (1959) is an American trial court drama directed by Otto Preminger. This film is known for being one of the best trial movies ever made. What stood out to me and most critics of the time was how it incorporated jazz in the musical score. It was the first film to extensively do this. The use of what was the alternative music of the time was a novel approach. The Jazzy opening sequence with music by Duke Ellington and artwork by Saul Bass also added to the cool aesthetic. Imagine yourself as a teenager 1959 not knowing much about what is going on in contemporary pop culture and then you see this trailer or this poster. You may say to yourself ‘This ain’t your daddy’s music,’ and suddenly you wonder about the world outside of your small middle American town. Sound familiar?
Check out the embed below, and if you get a chance to see the movie on TCM or pick it up on Netflix I do recommend.
Enjoy
TrevzNewpop
Revolutionary Road
Last night I found myself watching “Revolutionary Road.” It is an adaptation of the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It’s a dark commentary on American life in the 1950s and had some stunning performances and beautiful photography. The performance I found most captivating was the portrayal of John Givings by Michael Shannon. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role. The scene below was the best in the film. Michael Shannon’s character is a former mathematician who is now under psychiatric care in a mental institution. His character is the voice of truth in this film. As I start to shoot and write myself I am beginning to view films in a completely different way, with a new appreciation for how writers use characters to make their points. I notice how multiple characters are used to convey the message of a single voice. I see subtle ploys who’s genius are revealed only upon dissection. I see the dance, the give and take between the communicator and receiver. In the scene embedded below notice how Yates uses the Michael Shannon character to say what Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are thinking but to afraid to say. The couple played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet planned to move to Paris to escape the mundane suburban life. A trip that Leonardo’s character was much less excited about than Kate’s character. A trip that gets cancelled because Kate’s character becomes pregnant by Leonardo’s. Take a look at how this scene plays out.
Michael Shannon makes two appearances in this film, and in both cases Yates uses his character to move the story along by stating the truth. To have the characters get to the truth themselves would have lengthened the storyline. As an editor I appreciate the value of shortcuts. Some may argue that it is an easy out. I say it is unless it is artfully done. In this case it is.
One other note about this scene. The framing is genius in it’s simplicity. The balance achieved by the straightforward composition may look elementary at first glance, but takes an artful eye and courageous spirit to pull it off. Ask yourself would you frame it with such simple composition? With millions being invested in this film would you be tempted to try and make it more complex? Or would you trust that such a simple composition could carry such a heavy scene?
If you want to see more it is currently available on HBO or you can grab it on netflix.
TrevznewPop
One Year Ago Obama. Today Brown.
Yesterday’s stunning upset in the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts of Democrat Martha Coakle by Republican Scott Brown ends the Democrats 60-seat filibuster-proof “supermajority” in the Senate, and may mean the end of the Health Care Bill and any chance of significant Healthcare reform. Suddenly everyone is looking to lay blame at someone else’s feet. Understandably people are upset, but the problem isn’t campaign mismanagement. It runs far deeper. Ironically the seat lost was occupied for 47 years by the Late Ted Kennedy, healthcare’s most visible supporter.
One year ago today it seemed like the world had changed. I was there. I was in Washington when Obama was inaugurated. I slept in the street and stood in the cold with tens of thousands to welcome in change. We had spoken and our voices were heard, this was our day. One year later Obama’s approval rating is down 20%, and those same voices demanding change have seemingly gone on with their lives. We treated Obama’s election as the end and not the beginning of a long struggle. Somehow we missed the point that Obama is a representative for the people, he is our voice. Who can forget this Obama quote “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” We embraced that mantra and moved like a tidal wave over a nation fed up with the Bush regime and centuries of oppression. We washed away old ways providing fertile ground for change. We had arrived.
One year later it appears that the fertile ground for change we sowed is being reaped by another group. A new movement is saying to our President that the Democrats are getting a little ahead of themselves. NJ, Virginia, said it loud and clear, and now Massachusetts is saying it again. This is how our political system works. The loudest voices will be heard. It’s not about racism, or sexism, or anything else. Its about vocalizing your concerns and getting out to vote. That is the only voice that matters. It is unfortunate that this lesson may have to come at the expense of Healthcare reform, but if we learn from our inaction now, maybe it won’t mean learning this lesson when the November 2010 elections or the 2012 Presidential elections come around. If you disagree about what is happening now make your voice heard. There are no excuses. One year ago today, we showed the world that we can bring on change in the face of overwhelming odds. We proved the system worked. One year later, It is the same system.
I posted a video of my trip to Washington for the inauguration one year ago. It’s an intimate reminder of where we were one year ago. Check it out. And listen to the wise words at the end stated by Andrea. Listen and ask yourself what are you doing?
Trev
The Naked City – Williamsburg Bridge 1948
The film “The Naked City” is a 1948 black-and-white film noir directed by Jules Dassin. The movie, shot in documentary style, was filmed on location on the streets of New York City. It is known for having one of the more famous quotes in movie history. “There are eight million stories in the Naked City; this has been one of them.” I actually watched this entire film just to hear this quote in context after hearing it out of context my entire life.
One scene that I took note of during this film was the final chase scene on the Williamsburg Bridge. The transformation of the Williamsburg Bridge from then to now is pretty fascinating. The West bound side has incoming and outgoing traffic, and the current eastbound side has a stairway that leads to the walkway. The most striking difference is how folks back then (Assuming that this portrayal was true to life.) utilized the Manhattan side walkway as a park. You can see kids rollerskating, jumping rope, playing marbles, etc. The only bridge in NY that bears any resemblance to that now is the Brooklyn Bridge. However the Williamsburg Bridge 1948 seems to have been a playground for locals as opposed to the tourists who cross the Brooklyn Bridge now. Also fascinating is how little Delancey street has changed. Haha.
Another interesting note about this film. The visual style was inspired by the New York photographer Weegee who published a book of photos of New York life entitled Naked City (1945). Weegee was known for his stark black and white street photography. Check out the embed below that has both the Williamsburg chase sequence and the famous quote. And if you get a chance see this film by all means do. It pops up on TCM every now and then or you can order it on Netflix.
“Sweet November” 1968 Bohemian Brooklyn Hipster Love Story
Last Sunday while the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers were playing one of the most exciting games in NFL playoff history I found myself surprisingly switching between this incredible game and the TCM airing of the film “Sweet November”. When I first stumbled on it I had no idea this was a remake of the 2001 film starring Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron bearing the same name. I fell asleep watching the remake on HBO a few weeks earlier. What drew me into the original film was it’s commentary on the beat generation and it’s 1968 beautiful portrayal of my native Brooklyn. It also had a carefree charm that drew you in only to surprise you with a more ominous plotline. Wikipedia description: “Charlie Blake is a fanatical business man. He meets Sara, a woman very different from anyone else he has ever met. She beguiles him and convinces him to spend a month with her on the promise that she will change his life around.” It’s also worth noting that Sara convinces Charlie to stay under the condition that at the end of the month he will leave no questions asked. Inevitably and quite predictably Charlie falls in love with Sara and tries everything he can to convince her to let him stay longer, even going as far as changing the dates on the calendar just to buy him a couple of extra days. After numerous failures Charlie comes up with a clever and touching plan to try and win over Sara’s heart so she will allow him to stay past his alloted time. Scene posted below:
The plot twists are quite surprising, and it gives keen insight into the bohemian “hipster” lifestyle of the time. I highly recommend watching the rest of this film if you get a chance. It doesn’t seem to be available on Netflix but you can purchase it on the TCM website. As for the remake, I would not recommend it at all. Seemingly there is a touching ending in the remake that may have changed my view had I not fallen asleep. But the point is I FELL ASLEEP! Plus It was universally panned by fans and critics alike. According to wikipedia “Due to the poor response the film received from critics it was nominated for Worst Remake or Sequel and both Reeves and Theron nominated for Worst Actor and Worst Actress at the 2001 Golden Raspberry Awards.” So save yourself the headache and enjoy the original instead.
TreVzNewPop
Why Watch Watchman? Well…
The most endearing thing I find in Superhero movies is the vulnerability of the characters. The fact that Heroes have to deal with the everyday problems that plague us all makes it easier to suspend our disbelief. Movies like “Spiderman”, “The Incredibles”, “X-Men” and more recently the television series “Heroes” have all made vulnurability an integral part of their plots.
One film takes the cake when it comes to this portrayal. Watchman is set in an alternate-history 1985 at the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It received mixed reviews but there was one part of this film that was universally praised by critics and fans alike. That was the opening sequence. This sequence was effective in portraying these Heroes as gifted individuals grapling with problems of the time. Not only was this sequence technically masterful, but it had a quirky element that was endearing. My favorite clip in this sequence is the one where Neil Armstrong lands on the moon and you can see a reflection of Dr Manhattan in his visor taking his photograph. The question arises… How does a being like Dr Manhattan with the power of God himself get an assingment like taking photos? What I also found very peculiar about this shot was that you can also see the credits in the reflection of the visor. Something I did not pick up until much later. A very interesting quirk that added to the appeal of this montage. The Bob Dylan track “Times Are A Changing” is also very appropriate addressing the topic of “change” while simoultaneously enhancing the mood of this montage.
Compared to other Superhero films I found that these Heroes were portrayed with even more more human qualities than what I have become used to. This montage embodies this sensibility. Check out the clip below and then watch the movie whenever you get a chance. It’s currently playing on HBO. If you don’t have HBO do the Netflix thing.
I had to upload and embed video to thenewpop site because youtube would not let you embed this clip. Sometimes youtube just doesn’t play well with the Fair Use act. Enjoy.
Sky Captain to Avatar to PopBot
I saw Avatar this week and like just about everyone else I was blown away by the motion graphics and 3D animation. The story line was a bit simplistic and predictable, but because of it’s eco-friendly message it worked in spite of this. Technically speaking, it was the most imaginative movie I have seen to date. What made this movie so incredible was how realistic the CGi technology blended with the human actors.
This got me to thinking about another little known film that revolutionized blending CGi actors with humans. Do you remember the 2004 film “Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow”? Well it was one of the first films to be shot entirely on a digital backlot. Soon after that films like “Sin City”, “Immortal” and “300″, followed suit. I remember a couple of years earlier I came across this graphic comic called “PopBot” by the Australian artist Ashley Wood. This comic had an irreverent quality that mixed these sexy robots with journey man heroes and Pulp like characters. I loved everything about it, even the title which utilized my favorite word “Pop”. When Sky captain came out with it’s vintage stylized feel I got so excited that I saw it a couple of times. Up until then the only popular use of this technology was for the Star Wars prequel “Phantom Menace.” The “Sky Captain” movie was more sophisticated, more sexy, and I believed “PopBot” would be even more so if it were made into a film. I imagined it being a CGi cross between “Pulp Fiction” and some sexy arthouse French film. “Sky Captain” didn’t quite achieve that balance but it was one step closer. Critics loved “Sky Captain” but the film lost money at the Box Office. Anyway you should definitely order this on Netflix if you get a chance. I posted the trailer and some images from the PopBot comic below. Coincidently both “Avatar” and “Sky Captain” featured Giovanni Ribisi in a supporting role. Enjoy.
P.S. I heard they are going to adapt “PopBot” into a film so look out.
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Some Revolution!
My girlfriend Sylvie Sunshine bought me this cool book for Christmas called “Free Press Underground & Alternative Publications” It contains a collection of images dating from 1965 – 1975 from strange small-run newspapers, zines, flyers, mags, etc. I was thumbing through it today and this image stood out. I’ve seen it a dozen times but for some reason this time I stopped and took notice. This image takes aim at the “Hippie Revolution” in the late 60′s early 70′s and it’s from a publication called OZ. I think it is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago. The caption reads:
He drives a Maserati
She’s a professional model
The boy is the son of the
Art Editor of Time Magazine:
Some Revolution!
Fiction Meets Fact. “E-Paper”
There is this clip from Minority Report (one of my all-time favorite films) where Tom Cruise’s character tries to flee capture by casually strolling on a metro train. Just then an image of him pops up on a E-Newspaper being read by a fellow passenger. It was one of the more memorable scenes from this movie that made me say, wow!!! I thought how cool it would be if someone were able to invent something like that. Well 8 years later it looks like someone is getting ever so close. Yesterday I ran across this really cool post on HypeBeast about this cool new device that just might revolutionize and save print. Its from Bonnier and it is what a true Digital Magazine should look like.
Check out the two clips I posted below. The first is the short clip from Minority Report that I mentioned above. The second is a feature on the prototype from Bonnier. Maybe one day you will see TheNewPop published on one of these babies
iPhone Camera Flash
As you guys know I love taking photos and video with my iPhone. Capturing cool moments with something as convenient as an iPhone is the dream of every documentarian. The one problem is that the little bugger does not have a flash. Adding a flash is not something to be taken lightly. Hear me out. One major reason we all love the iPhone and the Mac brand is because of their cool and functional industrial design. Mac products are among the most beautiful ever made. Adding a flashbulb to something as cool as the iPhone is not something that you would do without great thought. Done wrong and you could go the way of the Zune MP3 player. Done right and you add to the mythos that is the Mac brand. I always suspected that cautious approach is the main reason the iPhone did not have a flash. I mean something so seemingly simple should be a cake-walk especially when you consider the other revolutionary features incorporated into this “phone”. Its like inventing a flying car, but not adding a rear view mirror.
Today I saw an ad for the new Google phone that highlighted the flash as if to say we got one and MAC does not. So it got me thinking about how would Mac incorporate the flash without messing with its sleek aesthetic. I looked at the phone and I thought to myself, self, why not turn the cool Apple logo into a flash? Genius!!! In less than two minutes I had solved one of the major challenges in modern corporate design. I would be worshiped by Mac users world wide and hailed the saviour. I considered writing Steve Jobs himself, not to ask for millions in compensation, but just a free iPhone with the flash and recognition for my heroic achievement. That’s all I wanted. I would be the noble genius who embraced the inventors mantra of doing it for the love, not for the money. It was one of those glorious moments one has in one’s own head knowing that reality is just one google search away. Sure enough I googled “iphone apple logo flashing camera,” and what I found was a host of people with the exact same idea. Here is a video from a couple of Russian iPhone fans who replaced the Apple logo on the back of an original iPhone with an eye-piercing, glowing version. Below that is a mockup image of what this phone would look like with a flash. All done by folks like me who just love the iPhone. I hope Apple incorporates the flash soon. Its reason enough for me to buy a new phone.
TrevNewPop
Putney Swope, Corporate power and Race.
Putney Swope is a 1969 film written and directed by Robert Downey Sr. and starring Arnold Johnson as Swope. Swope is the only black man on the executive board of an advertising firm who is accidentally put in charge after the death of the chairman of the board. Renaming the business “Truth and Soul, Inc.”, Swope replaces all but one of the white employees.
I caught this on TCM the other night. According to Wikipedia “It criticizes and plays with black militant rhetoric, the portrayal of race in Hollywood films, the white power structure, and nature of corruption in any struggle for power.” What compelled me to watch this was the fact that Robert Downey Sr. directed it. Yes he is the father of actor Robert Jr. I had seen the movie “Tropic Thunder” where Downey Jr. plays a white man in blackface bringing up issues of race in Hollywood. Hearing that his father also dealt with the subject of race in this film peeked my curiosity. This film deals more with race in the corporate structure than Hollywood.
This film is not really well acted or well shot, In fact Robert Downey Sr. had to redub all of Arnold Johnson’s lines because Johnson could never remember them. There are some funny moments and if you are a fan of vintage movies dealing with Mod Fashion and Black Exploitation you may find this as interesting.
The two clips I added below deal with the shift in the power structure in Black and White America, a topic that is very relevant today with the election of the first Black President. I will deal with this issue in more depth in future postings. The second clip is a bit funnier to me personally because it deals with freelance artist relationships with the corp structure. And more specifically negotiating of ones rates which for the most part is completely arbitrary. If you’ve been in this situation you will take comfort in being able to laugh at it since you probably did more than enough bitching by now. The final clip is just a goofy ad from the “Truth and Soul” agency. The gimmick was that Truth and Soul, Inc were such a novelty that everyone wanted them to shoot their ads no regardless of wether they made any sense at all. The satire in this film is an accurate commentary on Madison Ave and Pop-culture today.
Who Are You, Polly Magoo?
The 1966 French film “Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?” is a satirical art house movie spoofing the fashion world and its excesses. It stars native Brooklynite Dorothy McGowan as supermodel Polly Maggoo who is being followed by a French television crew. I caught this on TCM one night and was drawn in by how it poked fun at the cool mod style of the late 60′s. The director William Klein is a well known photographer and one of my inspirations. The asthetic beauty in this film, balanced with the cutting satire intrigues me. It draws many parallels to the world I work in today. Beautiful, inspiring and cool, while hilarious, silly and superficial. The difference with this film and a film like Zoolander, is there is a insiders perspective and reverence that acknowledges that there is something to love about this world. Zoolander tosses it all aside as fodder for laughs. Don’t get me wrong I love Zoolander, but “Polly Maggoo” deals with the dichotomy of that love hate relationship in a serious way without fishing for the big laugh.
The first clip is the opening scene from the film. It is a fashion show where the “clothes” are so outlandish and impractical that the models are cut by the material and the designer has to make modifications with a wrench. It illustrates just how silly the fashion world can be. The second is a trailer just in case you were thinking of renting or buying it. There isn’t much substance in terms of storyline, but if you are intrigued by cultural commentary about the super cool today, tomorrow, or 40 years ago, I would say go for it.
Le Mans 1971.
Caught the movie Le Mans on TCM yesterday. The movie starring Steve McQueen is about 24 Hours of Le Mans and was filmed on the circuit during the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans race. What makes this race unique is instead of focusing on the ability of a car company to build the fastest machines of the time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans would instead concentrate on the ability of manufacturers to build sporty yet reliable cars and the endurance of the drivers. But what I found compelling about this movie was the culture of sophistication surrounding this event. How true to life this is then or now I don’t know. I am well aware of how easy it is for filmmakers to present things as they see it, but since this was filmed in part at the actual event and not entirely staged I am less cynical about it’s accuracy. The vibe felt more like a Polo match than what I have grown to expect from car racing. I suspect the European sensibility about art and culture that seems to permeate everything they do has allot to do with this. Especially when the two main cars involved were Porsche and Ferrari.
The clip I embedded below is a conversation between Mcqueens character Michael Delaney and Elga Andersen character Lisa Belgetti. After a serious accident that involved Lisa Belgetti lover she asks Michael why do men risks their lives for sport? Michael responds with the following famous movie quote. “A lot of people go through life doing things badly. Racing’s important to men who do it well. When you’re racing, it… it’s life. Anything that happens before or after… is just waiting.” This is followed by a beautiful montage that illustrates the subtle and not so subtle beauty of the sport, focusing not only on the cars, but on the faces in the crowds, and the lifestyle that surrounds this event. It is a beautiful piece of filmmaking. This all takes place in the first 4 minutes so don’t let the 9 min duration discourage you from viewing the clip. And if you ever get a chance to watch the entire movie or if you have a Netflix account, you should give this film a chance.
Trev
“Elvis was a hero to most…” Suspicious Minds
Yesterday was Elvis’ 75th birthday. I have never really been a fan of Elvis myself. After all I grew up listening to Public Enemy. The track “Fight The Power” taught me that “Elvis was a hero to most/But he never meant shit to me A straight up racist, that sucker was/Simple and plain Motherfuck him and John Wayne”. The feeling among many folks was that he stole from Black culture and became hugely popular because he was a novelty. I am not sure if this qualifies him as a racist, or just a smart and talented showman. (More about this topic in future blog postings).
Anyway yesterday I was channel surfing and I ran across two documentaries on TCM about Elvis. If you didn’t know during his lifetime Elvis was the biggest thing on the planet, and this is back in the days before paparazzi was paparazzi, the days of 7 channels and no internet. So big was big. But I never really got it. Even as an adult who tries to view things as objectively as possible I just didn’t get why people thought he was so great, until last night. One of the documentaries I watched was pretty much a live recording of a 1970 vegas show. It was called “That’s The Way It Is” and I suggest you watch it if you ever get a chance along with “Elvis Presley On Tour 1972″ Anyway in “That’s The Way It Is” his performance of “Suspicious Minds” was one of those rare glimpses into what a real superstar is and to me is the definition of Stage Presence. He was anything but “Simple and Plain”, He was a megastar and I saw it. I won’t bore you with any more with my attempts to describe the indescribable just watch.
TreV
Cool Hunting Video: Nike Flagship Japan
So when I launched Thenewpop back in 2005 the folks at coolhunting.com were the only other website I could find who were also doing video blogging. It was comforting knowing that I was not the only independent voice forgoing traditional visual media to tell my stories online, but it also was intimidating because they were so damn good. Since those early days of vlogging many have hopped on the bandwagon, some good, so many bad. Through it all I still check the coolhunting website on a regular basis for inspiration and information. Check their latest video about Masamichi Katayama who designed the interior of the Nike Flagship store in Tokyo.
Trev
Thunder Perfect Mind
A lovely ad made for Prada with the beautiful Daria Werbowy reciting Thunder Perfect Mind. Thunder Perfect Mind is a poem discovered among the Gnostic manuscripts at Nag Hammadi in 1945. It takes the form of an extended, riddling monologue, in which an immanent saviour speaks a series of paradoxical statements concerning the divine feminine nature.
Paper Mag Nightlife Awards
As you know TheNewPop was born out of covering the nightlife, and even though I don’t cover nearly as much nightlife as I use to you can still find it’s influence in just about every video edit I do. I’ve always been intrigued by what is going on in nightlife and as far as I am concerned the King of nightlife coverage in this town is still Paper magazine. Launched in 1984 by editors Kim Hastreiter and David Hershkovits as a black and white 16-page fold-out (printed in the offices of The New York Times), it remains an inspiration to me. Over it’s 25 years in publication it still remains independent AND relevant. Here is a video from their Nightlife Awards ceremony. Great to see Patrick Mcmullen finally get an award. He is THE original nightlife photographer. Enjoy.
TreV
Lady Gaga Interview You’ve Never Seen!!
So my good friends and fellow vlog pioneer Jeremy at GakCity is always exposing me to new faces on the scene before they hit the masses or even the underground. I found out about artist like Janelle Monae, Chester French, Danielle Merriweather, Heavy, Madcon as well as some of the dopest events from NY to the Hamptons thru Gak City. But by far the brightest star he interviewed was Lady GaGa before she was the international star that she is today.
I remember seeing this in early 2008 before anyone knew who she was and thinking, I never heard of this girl but she has more presence than any one I ever interviewed on New Pop. Sure enough she is the most famous artist on the planet right now. Every time I see her I can’t help but think about this interview. Comparisons to Madonna are justified. She is the first artist to have a truly inspiring vision since Madonna’s blonde ambition swept the planet almost two decades ago. No coincidence that both artist cut their teeth on the downtown scene before making it big. Have a look at Jeremy’s interview where she talks about her now famous NYC hustle. Then peep the music video and take note of just how far Gaga has come since Jeremy interviewed her at that small LES bar. Sounds like their aren’t 10 people in that audience.
“Creator Of” series featuring James Fuentes
I am working with Pernod Absinthe on a new web series called “Creators Of”. This series features local artist, entrepreneurs and personalities who are making a name for themselves by being originators in their respective fields. Our first video feature features James Fuentes who was the former gallery director for Deitch Projects and now runs his own Gallery on the edge of Chinatown and the L.E.S. Check it out. Also if you’re an artist Pernod is giving away over 2k in prizes and a New Pop video feature in its “Creator Of” contest. click here for more details.