Is it spring break yet??
Hey! By the time you read this, I'll be en route to Tennessee for a weekend of egg hunts, bourbon and barbecue. I haven't been back since we moved last summer, and I miss it like crazy. (Taco Garage, here I come.)
I've had a week of epic procrastination — in fact, I spent the last 25 minutes just messing with fonts — so let's hop to it:
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What I'm into right now:
A few things steaming my trousers at the moment:
TV: FLEABAG doesn't return to Amazon until May, but since it already aired in the UK, you can find the new episodes pretty easily. I loved Season 2 so much, and a few days later, I cruised over to Netflix to marathon CRASHING, Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 2016 series. It's also very good/funny/dirty. ... And speaking of the Brits, shout-out to my friends/former Londoners Lisa and Erika, who told me about a popular UK game show called NAKED ATTRACTION. It's kinda goofy like THE DATING GAME, only the contestants are all naked! It's on YouTube, but maybe don't watch at work. Those Brits don't stick black bars over body parts like Americans do.
ANIMATION: If you loved MTV's LIQUID TELEVISION back in the day and crave some twisted stop-motion animation, I must recommend THE SHIVERING TRUTH. Created by WONDER SHOWZEN's Vernon Chatman, the short episodes mix absurdity with horror and defy boring explanation. (For instance, there's one scene where a sore on a boy's arm morphs into a church.) Anyway, somehow I missed this show when it aired on Adult Swim last year, but all episodes are online. Vimeo named the pilot one of the best videos of 2018.
BOOK: This week I was so psyched to get a copy of MOVING FOREWORD, the book where I'm a contributor alongside way more impressive folks like Shirley Manson, Moby, John Oates and the late Adam West. Edited by Jon Chattman, it includes a bunch of forewords to made-up books. I wrote something about the Kool-Aid Man.
MOVIE: On Monday I went to a 30th anniversary screening of SAY ANYTHING at the Alamo, and dang, that movie holds up. Everyone in the audience got props, and it was so moving/hilarious to see the crowd hoisting foam boomboxes along with Lloyd Dobler. ... I also saw HER SMELL, the movie where Elisabeth Moss plays an unhinged rock star. Eric Stoltz, who's pretty rad as the band's manager, posted a bunch of behind-the-scenes photos on his Instagram. (Eric Stoltz is another one of those rare celebrities you never hear a negative word about. Great guy, so many great performances.)
PODCASTS: Did you know Russell Brand has a podcast? It's been putting me to sleep every night, which I swear is a compliment. ... And this is more of a playlist, but I stumbled upon the Old Punk Podcast the other day and have been digging these mixes of classic and rare punk songs. Thanks, Old Punk, whoever you are!
MUSIC: I dug this seven-minute video about Juliana Hatfield (which I wish were 70 minutes). ... I'm dying to go to Dinosaur Jr. camp, so if you're an editor who wants to send me there, get in touch! ... The new Beck song, "Saw Lightning," puts me in a good mood. ... I'm also digging Las Robertas, a Costa Rican garage-psych band that just released a new EP (stream it here). The song "Not Enough" is also worth cranking; they just played Coachella and I'm guessing are pretty amazing live.
READING: This Keanu Reeves profile in GQ is *breathily sighs for 23 seconds*
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And YOU recommend:
MUSIC: Mike from St. Louis recommends local band Seashine for some shoegaze magnificence. "They're mostly kids in their 20s who listen to Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine and put their own spin on it," he says. "Keep an eye out for them."
MOVIES: Robin told me about a film series in Medford, Mass., that showcases "Reel Films, Fake Bands." Even if you can't go, you can always line up your own little film fest at home. ... And MANY of you are into the wonderfully disturbing JOKER trailer.
BOOKS: Jerilyn recommends MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb. "She’s a therapist who discusses some of her patients as well as her own experiences in therapy. Sad, funny, human," she says.
CONCERTS: A missive from Jay: "Bob Mould recently played his 40th anniversary gig in the town where it all began for him, at the wonderful Palace Theater in St. Paul, Minn. I’m a casual Bob fan and didn’t know a ton of the songs (he played a lot of Hüsker Dü at the end), but it was neat to see him soak it all in between the main set and the encore, when his band left and Bob just sat on the drum riser. (He also had his old bassist’s band, Porcupine, open the show. Pretty cool gesture. And I hope I have half the energy Greg Norton has at 60!)" He adds that the Star Tribune also interviewed Bob. ... And Nelson in Virginia reached out to share his excitement about this summer's big Dead & Company tour. Get your tix now.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Tell us what you're into via email or text/voicemail at 929-515-1988. I'll share your recs in a future newsletter!
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New releases 'n' premieres:
TV/STREAMING:
- Comedian Chris Lilley (SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH) conjures some LUNATICS (April 19, Netflix);
- BOSCH returns to Amazon Prime (April 19);
- THE NEW NEGROES WITH BARON VAUGHN & OPEN MIKE EAGLE highlights A+ standup and music (April 19, Comedy Central);
- Ramy Youssef stars in the comedy series RAMY (April 19, Hulu);
- Fab 5 Freddy narrates and directs the marijuana doc GRASS IS GREENER (April 20, Netflix);
- MTV delivers HOW HIGH 2 (April 20);
- Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross are among the stars on MOTOWN 60: A GRAMMY CELEBRATION (April 21, CBS);
- New drama series GENTLEMAN JACK is based on the life of Anne Lister (April 22, HBO);
- The miniseries 1969 tells the story of, well, 1969 (April 23, ABC);
- Tim Robinson helms the star-studded sketch series I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE (April 23, Netflix);
- The wonderful COBRA KAI returns for a second season (April 24, YouTube Premium);
- SUPERNATURAL ends its 14th season (April 25, CW).
IN THEATERS (ALL OUT APRIL 19):
- Alec Baldwin and Salma Hayek are DRUNK PARENTS;
- FAMILY stars Taylor Schilling as a woman ill-prepared to take care of her niece;
- The doc HAIL SATAN? may be the year's most patriotic movie;
- The doc INSTANT DREAMS tells the fascinating story of Polaroid;
- Tessa Thompson stars in the drama LITTLE WOODS;
- The Kenyan love story RAFIKI has gotten outstanding reviews;
- Judi Dench stars in the thriller RED JOAN;
- Giancarlo Esposito leads STUCK, a musical about strangers stuck on a subway;
- Andrew Garfield and Riley Keough star in UNDER THE SILVER LAKE;
- And BREAKING HABITS features marijuana-loving nuns.
MUSIC (OUT APRIL 19):
- I adore the band Drugdealer, which releases RAW HONEY;
- Sunn O))) bestows us with LIFE METAL;
- Lizzo unearths CUZ I LOVE YOU;
- Cage the Elephant delivers SOCIAL CUES.
BOOKS (OUT APRIL 16):
- MOVING FOREWORD features forewords to imaginary books, penned by Shirley Manson, Moby, yours truly and others;
- Jon Savage gives us THIS SEARING LIGHT, THE SUN AND EVERYTHING ELSE: JOY DIVISION: THE ORAL HISTORY (April 23).
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WE LOVE YOU:
April 19: Tim Curry, Paloma Picasso, Ashley Judd, James Franco
April 20: George Takei, Jessica Lange, Steve Erickson, Crispin Glover
April 21: Elaine May, Charles Grodin, Iggy Pop (pictured), Patti LuPone, Tony Danza, Robert Smith, myself (yep, it's my bday!)
April 22: Charlotte Rae, Jack Nicholson, John Waters
April 23: Blair Brown, Judy Davis, John Oliver, Kal Penn
April 24: Shirley MacLaine, Barbra Streisand, Tony Visconti, Eric Bogosian, Damon Lindelof
April 25: Al Pacino, Talia Shire, Andy Bell, Renee Zellweger, Jason Lee
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Finally, Melissa G. in Waco, Texas, shares this intriguing photo. "One of my favorite things as a local is the Gorilla on Austin Avenue," she says. "In front of someone's home, the owners paint and decorate this giant gorilla for different holidays and occasions. I was pleased to see this week that the Gorilla was telling Waco that 'Winter is Here.'"
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See ya next Friday!
Enjoy the weekend! Email me anytime (just hit reply) or text/call 929-515-1988 to leave a message and/or hear mine. If you wanna send me stuff, email to request my mailing address. Would you like to advertise or hire me as a freelance writer/editor/speaker? Again, just email.
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Dissed in the Malibu,
Louie De Palma
"I would rather write or record something great and have it overlooked than do mediocre work and have it be popular."
- Patti Smith
"Find my baby / Gonna find her now / She looks like Patti Smith / Surfin' cow"
- Dead Milkmen, "Surfin' Cow"
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