Saturday 15 May 2010

The fall of the BNP




So, if you think the election brought about nothing better than the chance for the Liberals to play government with the Tories you should think again. Amongst all the anti-climactic live blogging about Labour and the Tories flirting with Nick Clegg something (arguably - certainly in the wider scope of society) much more important happened— the BNP imploded.

Rather than trying to explain exactly how and why this happened, I'm just going to point you in the direction of the excellent : article the guardian published in the G2 yesterday about the fall of the BNP...

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Every beard type





The facial hair theme continues with this great blog about one man's quest for every beard type

Friday 7 May 2010

Gorilla @ KK Outlet


In case you hadn't noticed Gorilla have a show starting at KK gallery today, here are a selection of images from KK's flickr account. Love their work.










More here
www.kkoutlet.com

Monday 1 February 2010

Where The Wild Things Are..

It's been a while (again), so apologies.

So, anyway, I've actually managed to watch a lot of films recently (still no books though..) and it has completely re-affirmed my belief in modern cinema. I shall start with one of my favourites, and probably the one that is freshest in my memory.




If you've missed the hype and avoided the hipsters running around in Max's costume recently then you're in for a treat. Directed by the excellent Spike Jonze, the film is an adaptation of (or an extrapolation from) the children's book of the same name. I never read the book as a child, and in fact only got to look at it properly a couple of days ago in Magma, Manchester—after watching the film twice. Considering I attach no childhood sentiment to the story, I found it deeply emotional and involving.

It is interesting to note that I have received mixed opinions on this film from a lot of people, but many seem to fall for the lack of obvious narrative— the film mirrors the book, in that it doesn't always fully explain the transition in the story and also never fully explains the relationships between characters. However, this pseudo-literary, less-is-more approach taken by the writers results in a film that is even more full of meaning and emotion than it would have been had everything been spelled out to the viewer.

This inter-character relationship between Max and the Wild Things (particularly with Carol, played superbly by James Gandolfini), and the relationships between the Wild Things themselves was what made the film so utterly absorbing. Contrary to appearances the Wild Things aren't dressed up Teletubies, they are complex characters who live out an almost bi-polar existence— balancing their need for stability and re-assurance from a king, with their 'wild' nature. Carol is the best example of this, with his visible conflict between his playful, loving, trusting half with his violent, self-destructive and frightening other. Something that is an amplification of what Max struggles to contain.

Perhaps the most apt description of the film is bittersweet—there is an ongoing conflict between the beauty of the cinematography and the flawed characters. I loved that the makers avoided providing a hollywood resolution to the fragmentation of Max's relationship with the Wild Things, leaving them wild but with a dim sense of hope.

A special mention should go to the excellent soundtrack by Karen O And The Kids, beautifully poignant at times and raucous at others— perfectly in tune with the film and key to the overall magic.

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Thursday 31 December 2009

Oddly Specific

Just the most brilliant blog of strange signage, brought to you by the same guys as the legendary Fail Blog.

A selection of the incredible signs on offer at Oddly Specific:




Audi Rubik Cube advert

Just saw this on tv - great concept and as always with Audi's stuff, beautifully produced. I think it's been around a few months. Maybe I don't watch enough tv..

Wednesday 25 November 2009

Meaty goodness



Blergh, spotted this on the CR blog today. I can't decide if it's quite funny or just massively revolting... read the full article here

Friday 20 November 2009

Thursday 19 November 2009

100 Best Wire quotes


LOVE the wire - if you haven't watched it by now then don't admit to it, people will only spoil it for you. Instead watch the video above, and then ask for all the DVD box sets for Christmas.

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Moustaches

Ok so I missed the boat on Movember a little. I have always wanted to grow a moustache, but unfortunately look stupid and also worry about my hipster index going through the roof.

This being about the best I've managed (this was just a post ski holiday beard trimmed into a 'tache rather than a bespoke job though):


I spotted this picture gallery on The Times today and thought I would share it with you:



And finally a quick plug for Harry who is actually taking part in Movember this year and needs your money!! Check out Harry's mospace and donate! I have...
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Apologies..

.. for being a bit slack about this blog recently. Have been writing full time on the Grafik blog - www.grafikmag.com

Will be less shit from now on - expect new stuff shortly.

x Dan

Wednesday 16 September 2009

MF DOOM in the new yorker





When Dumile began performing as MF DOOM, he extended hip-hop's obsession with façades. While other MCs fashioned themselves after outlaws, thugs, or drug dealers, Dumile, whose handle is inspired by the Fantastic Four villain Dr. DOOM, called himself “the Supervillain.” When he raps, he often refers to DOOM in the third person. Other MCs are obsessed with machismo; Dumile is obsessed with “Star Trek” and “Logan's Run.”

When I rediscovered Dumile, in his new guise, I was on the cusp of fatherhood and life-partnership, and considering divorce from the music of my youth. My outlook was that of any Golden Age proponent - I was worn down by the petty beefs between rappers, by the murders of Tupac and Biggie, and by the music's assumption of all the trappings of the celebrity culture in which it now existed.

DOOM's music was revancne, and me DOOM persona felt as though it had emerged from the graveyard of rappers murdered by glam-hop. Onstage, DOOM looked the part. He cultivated a dishevelled aspect - ill-fitting white tees or throwback Patrick Ewing jerseys. His paunch gently rebelled against the borders of his shirt. He was visibly balding. His manner suggested a retired B-boy tossing off the trappings of domesticity for one last boisterous romp.

The mask “came out of necessity,” Dumile explained. It was a warm afternoon in Atlanta, where he lives now, and we were sitting in black vinyl chairs in an alley in midtown. Dumile wore a green polo shirt, matching green shorts, a pair of black Air Jordans without socks, and a New York Mets cap. His glasses were missing a lens and sat crooked on his face. He removed the Mets cap and placed it on his knee.

Dumile, who is now thirty-eight, was raised on Long Island, home of several prominent rap groups of the Golden Era - De La Soul, Public Enemy, EPMD, and Leaders of the New School. He started performing during the infancy of hip-hop, when no one had yet realized the potential for big money in a guy talking into a microphone.

“Rhyming wasn't that popular back then, but it was fun,” Dumile told me. “And people would say, 'Oh, you rhyme? Oh, snap, say a rhyme for me! Say another one! Say the one about the girl!' Everybody had a cousin who came out for the summer and could rhyme. And you'd be like, 'Oh, he rhymes? Oh, he rhymes? I gotta meet him.'”

“Ever since third grade, I had a notebook and was putting together words just for fun,” Dumile went on. “I liked different etymologies, different slang that came out in different eras. Different languages. Different dialects. I liked being able to speak to somebody and throw it back and forth, and they can't predict what you're going to say next. But once you say it they're always like, 'Oh, shit!'”

For MF DOOM, Dumile wanted to create a character with a complete backstory, which he would reference through a series of albums. “The story was corning together, and it worked and became popular. And now people wanted to see shows, and I'm like, how do I do that?”

“I wanted to get onstage and orate, without people thinking about the normal things people think about. Like girls being like, 'Oh, he's sexy,' or 'I don't want him, he's ugly,' and then other dudes sizing you up. A visual always brings a first impression. But if there's going to be a first impression I might as well use it to control the story. So why not do something like throw a mask on?.........”






full article here...

Tuesday 15 September 2009

Eddie Izzard in charity marathon madness


Comedian Eddie Izzard has (unknown to me until today) run 43 marathons in 52 days, having trained for 5 days. Previously he'd never run more than 5 miles.

I admire his determination and it's really an incredible achievement, but it's also BLOODY stupid. Doing 5 weeks training before running that far and that long is insane, more than anything it means that your ankles and knees won't be supported properly by the muscles around them (as they won't yet be strong enough). This virtually guarantees injury, and permanently fucked joints in the future.

People train for a year to do ONE marathon, what kind of mental idea is it to do 5 weeks and then run 43 with barely any recovery days?

Lego Calender




Lego are set to launch their first UK Calender, all proceeds to charity. Get one!

they'll be on the lego shop soon