Forgotten Youth News

Shame: A film by Steve McQueen

2012-01-23T00:04:00.004-04:00

Shame is the second feature film by British director Steven McQueen. The lead character, Brandon Sullivan, is portrayed by German actor, Michael Fassbender (also in A Dangerous Method this year), his sister Sissy Sullivan by Drive's Carey Mulligan and his boss David Fisher by Rubicon's James Badge Dale. The film received a NC-17 rating because of the explicit sexual content.

Brandon lives a double life, as a business man in modern-day NYC and as a sexual addict who can't control the time or space for his perverted behavior. Masturbation, cyber sex, downloading pornography at work or one night stands with total strangers are some of his daily activities. This becomes a problem when his sister Sissy, a free spirited lounge singer, crashes indefinitely in his apartment.

Fassbender's performance is groundbreaking and over the top. Mulligan's support acting is marvelous and compelling. The director creates an atmosphere of loneliness, desperation and hopelessness that captivates even the most difficult audience member. Aside of all full frontal nudity in some of the characters, the movie is much more than a softcore Cinemax-type. It explores human relationships between siblings of difficult upbringings, the two sides of the candy-coated corporate world, perverted lewd conduct and how humans react to sudden change of their routines.

McQueen has done a great job with his second effort. Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, with back-to-back great performances in 2011-2012, are becoming Europe's new promises for the indie film making movement. 8 stars out of 10.

GV30: TSOL, Bad Religion and Youth Brigade @ Santa Monica Civic

2011-12-18T23:03:00.007-04:00

TSOL, Bad Religion, Youth Brigade and three opening acts played at Day II of the Golden Voice 30th Anniversary show. A full capacity crowd at the legendary venue, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, for a night reminiscent of an old school SoCal punk rock bill. Several generations of punk enthusiasts gathered for this larger-than-life event presented by legendary rocknroll show producer, Gary Tovar.

The first act was a lousy band called A Pretty Mess. Female-led generic punk that left everyone wanting the headliners as soon as possible. The second worse thing, aside of this, was hearing a Ramones-only soundtrack between bands. A lack of variety that reminded us that definitely, the best was yet to come.

Mystic Records 80s outfit, The Grim, hit the stage for their blend of hardcore surf punk that set the tone for the rest of the night. Fast songs with potent guitar riffs that initiated circle pitters to wreck shit up. Things to highlight were the tallest bass player ever and the lead singer throwing out their entire merch to the crowd.

Sin 34, the female-fronted 80s hc band, came next. Led by singer Julie Lanfeld and drummer Dave Markey (from We Got Power Films fame), they blasted songs from their classic "Do You Feel Safe". It was so good to hear live, a sort of underrated band from that era.

After this, arrived one of the main dishes of the feast, Youth Brigade. 2/3 of The Stern Bros, Shawn and Mark, accompanied by two young guns to play all their classics. "Blown Away", "Modest Proposal", "Men in Blue", "Fight to Unite", "Violence" and they ended their set with singalong classic "Sink with Kalifornja"(in the latter, the remaining Stern brother Adam as well as producer Gary Tovar, join them on stage for the encore).

The main reason for our attendance, TSOL, brought mayhem to the stage with their presence. Lead singer Jack Grisham with a full-face of make up and a suit joined by the other original members: guitar extraordinaire Ron Emory and pounding bass player Mike Roche. Keyboard-player (Greg Kuehn) included, they passed through their classic discography with great taste. Fast punky stuff like "Superficial Love", "World War 3" and "Abolish Government" and horror punk anthems as "Sounds of Laughter", "Silent Scream" and "Wash Away" kick some major ass. Grisham's witty and irreverent talk between songs stand them out as great punkrock performers, a thing musicians in general lack. Their classic necrophiliac tune "Code Blue" ended their round set like a bomb.

Bad Religion closed the fest with an hour-long wall of sound full of their 3 decades repertoire. "Fuck Armageddon, This is Hell", "Do What You Want", "You Are the Government" heated up thousands of kids, old timers and walk ins. Their 3 guitar attack of Hetson (Circle Jerks), Baker (Minor Threat) and Gurewitz (Epitaph Records) was outstanding. Graffin (UCLA professor) and Bentley (original bassist) completed the full five-man front row performance. Songs like "I want to conquer the World", "Modern Man" and "Supersonic" continued the singalong extravaganza. Finally, to time travel to the eighties decade, they played never-before stuff from their first album. This was a great way to end this show because it completely fulfilled the purpose of showing the attendees how was punk rock back in the day. As Gary Tovar said: "Don't ever underestimate the power of Bad Religion".

Post Scriptum: This fest started on Friday with X, Adolescents and Social D. and ends on Sunday with Descendents, Dickies and Vandals.

A Dangerous Method by David Cronenberg

2011-12-14T19:35:00.003-04:00

Legendary canadian auteur filmmaker, David Cronenberg, delivers his latest cinematic effort A Dangerous Method after four years apart from motion pictures. A film that goes back to the birth of psychoanalysis and its pioneers Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Starring are Viggo Mortensen as Freud, Michael Fassbender as Jung, Keira Knightley as Sabina Spielrein and Vincent Cassel as Otto Gross.

Jung, a Swiss Christian, and Freud, an Austrian Jew, were psychologists who disagreed over the way patients should be treated and this gave birth to Psychoanalysis. Everything Freud did was from a sexual perspective. Jung was more ortodox by helping patients recover to be functional beings. Jung began treating Sabina, a hysteric russian woman who was molested by her father, that her intelligence allowed her to become a doctor. After several months of treatment, Jung and Sabina began a sadomasochistic affair which eventually "cured" her. Jung ended up using extramarital sex as an escape to his boring married life. Freud hardly convinced the status-quo that his theories would play an important part in the study of human behavior.

At the end, this two important social scientists were nullify by the World Wars that later arrived. Freud ended up committing an assisted suicide, while being in exile in England, in the verge of World War II. Jung died tormented and hopeless in the 1960s.

The performances in this film were brilliant. Keira Knightley made a great performance as the hysteric Sabina Spielrein and Viggo Mortensen made a very credible Freud personification, smoking tobacco and a jewish-nose included. The scenery was beautiful and served as background to the early 20th century setting. Cronenberg added another good film to his prolific and versatile repertoire. If "A history of Violence" and "Eastern Promises" (in both films Mortensen was the lead) were violent and gory as his earlier work, this witty flick puts him in the list of the greatest North American auteur filmmakers without a doubt. 8/10 stars.

Melancholia by Lars von Trier

2011-11-20T15:03:00.006-04:00

Melancholia is the newest film by danish auteur filmmaker Lars von Trier. Starring are Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Keifer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard (Eric from True Blood), Charlotte Rampling and John Hurt.

The story evolves around Justine (Dunst) who is getting married to Michael (Skarsgard), in a larger-than-life wedding paid by her wealthy brother-in-law John (Sutherland), who is married to Justine's sister Claire (Gainsbourg). Justine's relationship with Claire is not the best. Also their parents, Gaby (Rampling) and Dexter (Hurt), hate each other. After several events during wedding day, Justine ends up living at her sister's mansion. They wait there for Melancholia, a strange planet about to collide with Earth, and everything will change forever.

Lars von Trier tells the story in two different parts. 1st part is Justine's wedding day and 2nd part is Claire's family life at the mansion. Both of them are part of the end of the world story of Melancholia hitting planet Earth.

The camera shots are very reminiscent of his Dogme 95 days. They follow the characters with no apparent purpose as the actors wander through the gorgeous and iconic settings. As the story comes to an end, all the shots made perfect sense. The photography and editing are very interesting as well as strange, but serve the purpose of telling the unconventional story, just as prior's von Trier films.

Dunst performance is her best seen so far. She won the Best Actress Award at the 64th Cannes Film Festival. She also sounds for at least, an Oscar nomination. This isn't for baring all her clothes but for the dramatic scenes that compose her interpretation of a depressed and confused Justine.

During Cannes last edition, von Trier made some politically incorrect comments about sympathizing with Hitler, something that made him "persona non grata" at the prestigious festival and banned him from competition.

All in all, its very good storytelling about the end of the world told by the best Scandinavian filmmaker of the last 20 years. Entertaining, unique and somewhat controversial. 8/10 stars.

Filmage: The Story of the DESCENDENTS

2011-10-26T20:20:00.002-04:00

Very stoked for a documentary about the DESCENDENTS.

Julieta Venegas @ Bakersfield, CA

2011-10-23T23:29:00.006-04:00

Mexican indie pop icon, Julieta Venegas, played at the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, CA. We made a 2 hour road trip from Los Angeles with our good friends Carlos and Zoey to watch some catchy pop tunes sung in Spanish.

We arrived at 8:00 pm to the venue where Korn (actually, they hail from this city) launched there 2006 World Tour [sounds random but we acknowledge it because they had a commemorative plaque outside the venue].

This convention center had several events at the same time (like Disney on Ice) but our venue was a medium-sized theater with seats. It was kind of empty but Julieta's performance was well worth it. She was accompanied by 6 all-around musicians (two kick ass chicks included) who changed guitars, keyboards, trumpets and other instruments between themselves.

They delivered a very warm and intimate set which reminded me of Belle and Sebastian's DC gig back in Oct 2010. The comparison came to my mind because it was a lot of musicians and instruments on-stage delivering beautiful music. The difference was that it was done with a very mexican flavor to it. In addition, the drummer played with only one stick during the entire set, which was very cool. The interaction between the band and the public was very good.

Julieta sang hits such as Canciones de Amor, Eres para mí (in which she rapped Anita Tijoux's verses), Lento, Amores Perros Me Van A Matar (from the classic Iñarritu film soundtrack), Debajo de mi lengua, Me Voy, Ya Conocerán (which she announced will have a music video soon), Algo Está Cambiando and a cover of La Jaula de Oro by Los Tigres del Norte.

After an hour and a half, the band left the stage but returned to sang their last three songs Revolución, Sin Documentos and Andar Conmigo. Overall it was a great show, full of her hits. Even though it was a very small audience, Julieta and his backing band played with tons of energy. Definitely would see Julieta Venegas again but never going back to Korn's hometown.

The Skin I Live In by Pedro Almodóvar

2011-10-17T03:40:00.005-04:00

The Skin I Live In is the new film by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar. Starring are Antonio Banderas as Dr. Robert Ledgard, Marisa Paredes as Robert's mom Marilia and Elena Anaya as his patient Vera Cruz. All of whom have appeared in previous movies by the legendary manchego filmmaker.

Dr. Robert, an innovative plastic surgeon, has invented a powerful synthetic skin. He has lost his family to tragic events and therefore uses his time to develop his scientific experiments on his guinea pig, Vera. His mother Marilia has return to help him in the house duties. Life is getting better for Robert but unexpected events will get things back to the usual.

The story is very Almodóvar-like in many aspects. The dark humor, the shocking themes and dialogs, the bright colors of the scenery, the feminine identity, Art and music presenting the tone, homosexuality in some form, nonlinear storytelling using flashbacks, a movie inside the movie itself, strong sex scenes and a final twist at the end are all elements in this flick.

The performances by Elena Anaya and Banderas are great. Anaya's unconventional role uses more body language than words, making it very interesting. Bandera's character is a bad guy with the social acceptance to do whatever he wants because of his profession. Both are worth any nomination in the festival circuit.

Almodóvar never dissapoints on my book. His stories are unique and told in an original and bizarre way. If you have not seen any of his movies, avoid this. If you are a fan, then sit back and enjoy, his latest entertaining gem. This film was nominated for the Palm D'ore at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. 8 out of 10 stars.

50/50: A Jonathan Levine Film

2011-10-08T03:00:00.003-04:00

50/50 is the new film by director Jonathan Levine (The Wackness). Starring are Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam, Seth Rogen as his friend Kyle, Anjelica Huston as Adam's Mom, Anna Kendrick as therapist Katherine and Bryce Dallas Howard as his girlfriend Rachael.

Adam is a young radio writer who suddenly gets a rare type of cancer. His life torn apart but with the help of Kyle, Katherine and his family, his journey becomes one of self-discovery and acceptance.

The film goes back and forth between comedy and drama. Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes an outstanding performance that is really Academy award nominee material. Adam is one of those characters that you feel happy for them when things are getting better and very sad when things go bad. Seth Rogen does the same funnyman character we are accustomed to see and Anna Kendrick's character brings up the feelgood elements of falling in love and sexual tension with the main character.

It is all based of a true story. The script being penned by real-life "Adam", Will Reiser. He got cancer while working as a writer for HBO's Da Ali G show and his best buddy at that time was actually Seth Rogen, who plays the friend in the movie.

Worth seeing if you are into switching emotions in a limited time period. Avoid it if you hate sad movies or Seth Rogen type comedy.

7.5 of 10 stars.

Early 80s gems

2011-10-06T03:16:00.003-04:00

Here's some rare videos from early 80s bands.

JFA-Little Big Man, 1983 at The Mad Gardens in Phoenix, AZ

Agression-Money Machine, 1984 L.A. Olympic Auditorium

Descendents-Catalina, Hey Hey, Bikeage and Jean is Dead, Early 80s. Milo with a Bad Brains shirt. Same footage as Flipside Video Fanzine Vol. 1 but with more songs.

D.I. and The Dickies coming to my town

2011-10-05T02:29:00.010-04:00

D.I., the legendary Orange County punks, and The Dickies, L.A. punk pioneers, presented their anthems at the House of Blues of the Sunset Strip. The opening band was Juicehead and the closing one was The Misfits. As a matter of fact, it was the second straight show at the HOB that we went for the opening acts rather than the headliner.

The doors opened almost at 8:00 pm as hundreds of metalheads, rockers and punks with the obligatory Misfits shirts, entered the venue. Juicehead threw a set of 90s punk tunes that even included the Operation Ivy standard, "Knowledge".

Half an hour later, Orange County's finest, Casey Roger and company jumped on stage with their blend of skate punk rock. They opened with "Johnny's got a problem" and continued with classics such as "Imminent War", "Hang Ten in East Berlin" and "Guns". A couple of covers like "Amoeba" (Adolescents) and "Falling Out" (Rikk Agnew) followed in their repertoire. They ended with their best known tune, "Richard hung himself". In general, it was an intense set with lots of energy that left the crowd asking for more.

Our "headliners" came next to ripped the stage apart. The Dickies sounded like it was 1977. Very fun and energetic as their appearances in the old Flipside Magazine videos. Frontman Leonard Graves Phillips and guitarist Stan Lee, the only original members, began with "Rosemary" and played songs from all their early albums such as "Give it Back" "You drive me ape", "I'm ok you're ok", "If Stuart could talk" and the Sabbath cover "Paranoid". "Gigantor" was their last song. The best part was Leonard using different props like gorilla masks, snorkel masks, inflatable women or penis puppets.

We left before The Misfits because I have seen them twice in the past and it was late for a weekday. As we walk to our car, some punks broke into a fight in the street, apparently for something that occurred at the pit. Anyhow, it was a great punk rock show with two of the most legendary punk bands of Southern California.

8/10 stars.

2011 Eagle Rock Music Festival

2011-10-02T03:34:00.005-04:00

The 13th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival was held at the infamous Colorado Boulevard featuring music acts from electronica to rock, passing through hip hop and singer/songwriters. Upcoming and established groups from L.A. and beyond for all musical tastes. Rooney, the indie rock band featuring the youngest Schwartzman-Coppola, was headlining and were joined by other eclectic acts like Fuxedos or Barrio Tiger.

Since we live in the same neighborhood, we made a half hour walk to where the action was happening. After some oinkster pastrami fix, we head to the Razorcake stage to see the almighty Fuxedos.

This band is no joke in terms of their genius (although, any normal-type person can see them as a "joke band"). One of the most entertaining acts I have seen in my lifetime (with the permission of The Adicts or Belle and Sebastian). Theatrics combined with almost every prop unimaginable, accompany the sonic delivery which crosses boundaries so diverse as punk, jazz, country, opera, metal and any kind of sound from the musical spectrum. Their encore of The Beatles "I wanna hold your hand" fits perfectly the latter description.

Musicians followed singer Diabolical Danny Shorago like an orchestra follows a director. This says much of a band that changes from city to city (L.A. and S.F., different bands with same singer). After their jaw-dropping performance rock, we saw just a couple of tunes by Barrio Tiger and walked to the farthest stages to catch Rooney.

At the Kingsize stage, we awaited for Robert Coppola Schwartzman's band. A lot of underage girls began filling nearby the stage as if it was a Backstreet Boys concert circa 1999. The peak was their new upbeat single "Holdin On" and their hit "When Did Your Heart Go Missing", this one shortened because of the 11:00 pm curfew.

The highlights were Rooney, Fuxedos, the $1 cupcakes, free good clean fun for all the family and the closeness to my crib. The downgrades were Rooney's set cut off and annoying drunk teenagers hanging out instead of seeing the bands. 7/10 stars for the ERMF.

Late 80s and Early 90s Puerto Rico Hardcore Punk

2011-09-27T20:00:00.006-04:00

While living in Europe, I bought the compilation "Delirium Tremens Vol. 23: Puerto Rico Hardcore Compilation" from a guy named Marko Orava of Sweden who actually released the compilation back in the day. I sent him 3 one-euro coins wrapped in newspaper to the Nordic country for this piece of history. It was released in 1992 and was assembled by Fernando Díaz, from old school Puerto Rico punk band Fobia Estatal and the label Fuera de Orden Records.

Infamous bands such as No More from Sábana Grande, Unión de Defensa (an oi band featuring some members of No More), Werner and Paíto's first punk band Frontside Generation, Aguada's Chicken Shit (later Demasia), Crossover legends Sham Pain, Long-standing hardcore outfit Golpe Justo, ska band Pies Negros and Rotten Core (about whom only know that they were from the West Side) complete this long out of print sonic gem.

To make long story short, recently I have seen this compilation posted in a couple of European blogs and decided to put my copy for download (since it was private in my Mediafire files for so long lol)..

Artist : Various Artists
Album : Puerto Rico Hardcore Punk Compilation: Delirium Tremens #23
Genre : Hardcore
Label : Delirium Tremens
Year : 1992
Source : Tape
Tracks : 21
Time : 40:37 min
Size : 36.15 MB

Tracklist:

1. Rotten Core - Never [01:30]
2. Rotten Core - Society Rules [01:52]
3. Rotten Core - I Don't Care [01:23]
4. Frontside Generation - No More Politics [01:34]
5. Frontside Generation - I'll Break All My Promises [01:34]
6. Frontside Generation - No More War (Pagan Babies cover) [03:52]
7. Shampain - Mosh It Up [02:11]
8. Shampain - No Más [02:25]
9. Chicken Shit - Cerdos [02:50]
10. Chicken Shit - Soldados [00:51]
11. Golpe Justo - Golpe Justo [01:37]
12. Golpe Justo - Fuerza Bruta (live) [01:56]
13. Golpe Justo - Maldita Opresión [02:03]
14. Unión De Defensa - Pensamientos Contra El Racismo [01:27]
15. Unión De Defensa - Oi! For Respect [02:02]
16. No More - Represión En La Prisión [01:46]
17. No More - No Somos Penes [02:10]
18. No More - Twenty-Five [01:41]
19. No More - Steppin Stone (live) [02:01]
20. Los Pies Negros - El Espíritu Del Gran Guerrero [01:00]
21. Los Pies Negros - Niño De Sangre Azul [02:42]
-------
40:37 min

Get it, here.

Picture: No More at Steps Club 1989.

25 songs about surfing

2011-09-21T15:02:00.007-04:00

Surfing is another extreme sport popularized in Southern California. Surf-inspired music has always been present in punk rock and its derivatives. Here's a sample of some of the better surf themed songs:

1-The Crowd: Suzy is a surf rocker

Song about surfing from one of the first hardcore punk bands from Huntington Beach, CA. They influenced other O.C. bands such as TSOL, Adolescents and Social Distortion. Fast and catchy rock n roll punk. This song appears in the seminal Posh Boy compilation "Beach Boulevard".

2-Agression: Locals Only

Best song about surfing by a hardcore punk band. A scream for surfing localism. "This beach is for locals only, Take your silly and get it off of our streets" says the classic chorus. Agression was involved in the skate-punk scene known as Nardcore. From their classic "Don't Be Mistaken" on Mystic Records.

3-Millencolin: In a room

Swedish punk band from the 90s Epitaph boom. Song about "Surfing in my room". This tune was a constant in surfing and bodyboarding soundtracks during the 90s. From their first ep "Use your nose" on Burning Heart Records.

4-Surf Nazis Must Die: Theme Song

Short-lived German thrashcore outfit. From their sole Ep "Anti-Everything".

5-Flema: Surfiando en el riachuelo

Legendary and prolific Argentine punk rock band led by the late Ricky Espinosa. "Surfing in the river" is the english translation. From their 1998 album "Resaka".

6-Dos Minutos: Aquaman

Argentine punk legends sang about Salvadorian surf punks in this tune from their album "Advertencia" .

7-Airbag: Prefiero La Playa

Andalusian pop-punk band. Song about preferring the beach at all times. From their debut "Mondo Cretino"

8-Beach Boys: Surfin' USA

The most influential american 60s rock n roll band. Their classic tune "Surfin' USA" from their 1963's album of the same name. Surf-inspired music anthem.

9-Nig Heist: Surfbroad

Tongue-in-cheek SST punk band fronted by Black Flag's roadie, Mugger. A former runaway turned CPA. Their members were Black Flag members with wigs.

10-Surf Punks: Locals Only

Mid-80s surf rock group from Malibu, CA. Other song about localism in surfing.

11-The Gears: Let's Go to the Beach

Classic surf-punk band from 80s SoCal. Catchy and edgy rock n roll punk. From the homonymous 1979 single ep.

12-Simpletones: California

1978-1980 pop punk band from O.C., CA. The Vandals covered their hit "I have a date". From their 1979 single "California / I like drugs". Singer Snickers died in the 90s.

13-Ramones: Surf City

From one the last albums of the fathers of punk rock, "Acid Eaters". Great song. It's The Ramones for christ sake.

14-Pearl Jam: Big Wave

One of the better known bands of the Seattle late 80s and early 90s Grunge movement. This track talks about riding big waves and appears in their 2006 s/t album.

15-The Queers: Surf Goddess

80s New Hampshire punk rock legends led by Joe King "Queer". This is one those bands that has been playing for 30 years and plays everything from fast and bratty to poppy and surfy. From their 1995 same name Ep on Lookout Records.

16-Weezer: Surf Wax America

From their hit debut "The Blue Album". L.A. nerd rock n roll that has been on the mainstream ever since.

17-Homegrown: Surfer Girl

90s Cali Punk group. From their second album "Act Your Age". Very poppy stuff.

18-Los Fabulosos Cadillacs: Surfer Calavera

Song about a surfing skull by this classic ska-punk-reggae band from Argentina. From their album "Fabulosos Calavera".

19-Smut Peddlers: Fugitive Surfer

Redondo Beach's own Smut Peddlers deliver this surf-hardcore-punk song in their 2001 "ISM" album.

20-The Surfaris: Surfer Joe

California 60s rock n roll. No revival band, this is the real deal.

21-Legendary Pink Dot: Chain Surfing

80s UK experimental rock. From their "All the King's Horses. Good stuff.

22-The Stupids: Wipe Out

80s British skate-punk. Very rare skate music coming from the UK isles. From their 1985 Lp "Peruvian Vacation".

23-D.I.: Hang Ten in East Berlin

Song about surfing and communism from this legenadry O.C. skate-punkers. From their first album "Ancient Artifacts".

24-Toy Dolls: Wipe Out

The classic surf instrumental by this 70s English fun punk rockers. From their 85' "A Far Out Disc".

25-Descendents: Tonyage

The almighty Descendents with a tune that mentions surfing. From their first full length "Milo Goes to College" from 1982.

Skate-related punk (Cont of Previous post)

2011-09-20T13:23:00.011-04:00

Although not referencing skate in their songs, some punkrockers in the early days skate while playing for punk rock bands. Here's a couple of them:

Darby Crash (Germs) with a skateboard

Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat) skateboarding.

Tim Kerr (Big Boys) kicking ass!

D.I. playing in front of a bowl.

Code of Honor: Fight or Die cover art

31 songs about skateboarding!

2011-09-19T19:52:00.007-04:00

Skateboarding is an aggressive and creative sport born in Southern California. Hardcore-Punk is a ferocious style of rock n roll created in the same area. Both complement each other since the late 70s and early 80s. Hip Hop music has also crossed in skateboarding's path because of its aggressive origins. Here's a brief look into some of skate's music most representative anthems:

1-Bones Brigade: Thrashin' USA

The first track of their debut "I hate myself when I'm not skateboarding". A song about thrashin' with your skate the entire USA. Bones Brigade epitomizes modern-day skate punk and takes their name from the legendary skateboard crew.

2-JFA: Beach Blanket Bongout

The definitive skate-punk anthem by the inventors of the genre. The clasic line "Surf Punks We're Not, Skateboard We Do" is a standard singalong in their shows since 1981. As a matter of fact, they still skate and surf 30 years later.

3-Gang Green: Terrorize

A song about terrorizing people with your skateboard while cruising through a shopping mall. Gang Green is a classic hardcore punk band from the suburbs of Boston, MA. While other early 80s Boston outfits were talking about boring stuff, GG were talking about skate at 150 mph.

4-Agression: Intense Energy

The best skate punk song ever by a skate punk band. The line "Have you ever seen a skateboarder surfing in a pool, Flying over the coping with a skateboard as his tool" is the essence of skate-punk. They were part of the Nardcore scene in the early 80s.

5-Riot.303: Skate Punx

Hailing from Calgary, Canada, this short-lived band released this pretty self-explanatory song in the first Thrasher Skate Rock compilation in the early 80s. Compilations done by the bible of skateboarding Thrasher Magazine.

6-Black Flag: Wasted

The 2nd song of the b-side of 1978's "Nervous Breakdown" Ep of the most influential Hardcore-Punk band ever. Singing is the first vocalist Mr. Keith Morris, who later fronted the Circle Jerks. Who by the way, do a much faster version of this song but not as great as Flag's 78' gem. "I was surfer, I had a skateboard". Classic!

7-The Faction: Skate and Destroy
The Faction were a punk band formed in 1982 by legendary skateboarder Steve Caballero. This is probably one of the most recognizable tunes in the genre. They come from the northern part of the state of California, San Jose.

8-Teenage Bottlerocket: Skate or Die

Pop-punk group from Wyoming formed in the early 21st century. A track that talks about making skateboarding a threat again. Their guitar player was part of seminal 90s pop-punk band Lillingtons.

9-Diente Perro: Muerte en Patineta

One of the first songs of this Puerto Rican punk outfit. Re-recorded for their latest album "Muertos en la Noche". The translation means "Death in a skateboard". The quintessential skatepunkers from this tiny Caribbean island.

10-The Panty Sniffers: Sexo,Skate y Rock n Roll

Opening track of their first and only full length "Sexo, Skate y Rock n Roll" released in 2005 by Rokirol Records. The song is about sex, skateboarding, punk and surfing in one night. They played between 2001-2011 and also released a Complete Discography CD/Fanzine and a music video. All the members from their several line-ups hailed from Puerto Rico.

11-Teenage Hell: Corriendo Olas de Concreto

Short-lived skatepunk band from Puerto Rico. Short, fast and loud and about riding concrete waves. They were all teen skaters who were into Zero Boys, Agression and Germs.

12-Common Enemy: Skate that Shit

From their 2000 self titled Ep. Late 90s Skatepunk band from Pennsylvania. They are skaters and D.I.Y punkers. They even visited Puerto Rico sometime in 2010.

13-Charles Bronson: Skate for God

90s Power violence pioneers from Chicago, IL. They were skaters, straight edge and sarcastic as hell. This track is from the "Possessed to Skate" compilation LP. They released a 100 + songs discography of their 30 sec or less fastcore tunes. Their drummer Ebro played in Los Crudos, a seminal latin hardcore punk band from Chicago.

14-Suicidal Tendencies: Possesed to Skate

Mid 80s skateboard anthem by Venice Beach skate thrashers. Led by Mike Muir, whose brother was part of the original Dogtown Z Boys.

15-Descendents: Doug rides a skateboard

Demo outtake from the Enjoy sessions of 1986. Not officially released but appears in bootlegs like "Still Hungry", "Milo Gets Bootlegged" or "Rareage". Its the almighty Descendents with a skate punk song. As good as it gets.

16-Flema: Fernando anda en skate

Seminal Argentine punk rock band. They were formed in the late 80s by lead singer Ricky Espinosa, who kill himself a couple of years ago. This song translates as "Fernando rides a skateboard" and is from their sophomore album 1994's "Nunca nos fuimos". Catchy as hell punk rock.

17-Desde el Campo: Tributo a la skate

Hip Hop group from the West Side of the island of Puerto Rico. They are skaters and this tribute to skate track appears in their 2010 mixtape "Sustancia Controlada" (Controlled Substance).

18-Gritando HC: Ande de skate e destrua

Brazilian hardcore punk act. Track from their 2000 album of the same name. Translation from portuguese means "Skate and Destroy". Their original singer died in 2001.

19-Guttermouth: Do the Hustle

Late 80s Huntington Beach, CA punk legends with several controversial and sarcastic punk albums out. This song is from their classic LP "Musical Monkey" and rants about lousy rollerbladers getting in the way of skateboarders.

20-Screeching Weasel: We Skate

13 sec. classic song from Chicago Mid 80s punkers. This song is from their 2nd album "BoogadaBoogadaBoogada". After their first two albums, they became one of the most important (and imitated) pop-punk bands in the world.

21-Suicide Machines: Vans Song

Tribute to Vans skateboarding shoes by this influential hardcore-punk/ska band from Detroit, MI. They formed in 1991 and this song appears in several of their early recordings, most notably in their 1996 studio debut "Destruction by Definition".

22-Adolescents: Skate Babylon

Song about skating from their 2nd album "Brats in Battalions" from 1987. This stuff is good but quite different from their classic Blue Album tunes.

23-Violent Children: Skate Straight

Early-to-Mid 80s Connecticut hardcore band who featured a young Ray Cappo playing drums. He later went to front seminal bands such as Youth of Today, Shelter or BTA1000. Cappo is remembered as one of the most militant straight edge and Krishna people in the United States.

24-Pharrell: When Skateboard Came

Track about skateboarding from N.E.R.D. and Neptunes MC/Producer/Drummer Pharrell Williams. This track is from his first mixtape "In my mind: The Prequel". He skates also, so go figure.

25-Beatnik Termites: Skateboard

90s Pop-punk ala Screeching Weasel with a heavy surf influence. This skateboard song appears in their best known album "Bubblecore".

26-Satanic Surfers: Don't Know what to do

Swedish 90s punk band. From their "Skate to Hell" Ep.

Punk Bands featuring Pro Skaters:

27-Free Beer: Premature Enlistment

Early 80s Northern California punk band featuring skate legend Tommy Guerrero. Alternative Tentacles released their discography "The Only Beer That Matters" as the first of their Skate Punk series.

28-Political Crap: Slow Death

First punk band fronted by the Master of Disaster, Duane Peters. He is better known for his later outfit, US Bombs. Song appears in the 1981 "Who Cares" compilation. Great stuff.

29-Skoundrelz: Jimmy Closet

Venice Beach punk band formed by the first truly influential skateboarder Tony Alva. He played bass in this group that also featured ex-members of Suicidal and Wasted Youth. Alva is the original Z Boy from Dogtown that revolutionized skateboarding forever. This song is from Thrasher Skate Rock Vol. 1 compilation.

30-McRad: Greed

Early 80s Philly hardcore punk band featuring pro skater Chuck Treece. This song is from their classic Ep "Dominant Force". Treece is a multi-instrumentalist that has even played in the Bad Brains.

31-Mike V and the Rats: Never Give Up

Mike Vallely is an unorthodox pro skater who wrestles professionally, acts and plays in punk bands. His most famous act was Mike V & The Rats, which sounded like Black Flag Rollins era and Minor Threat. This track is from the self title Ep.

Drive: Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

2011-09-18T03:14:00.005-04:00

Drive is the new film of danish director Nicolas Winding Refn. Starring are Ryan Gosling as a movie stunt driver, Carey Mulligan as his love interest, Bryan Cranston as Gosling's boss and Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman as the L.A. crime bosses.

Driver lives a quiet life between his two jobs as a movie stunt driver and a mechanic in a car repair shop. Because of his badass driving skills, sometimes at night, he works as a getaway driver in heists.

In his apartment building lives Irene with his son Benicio, both with whom Driver has began a heartfelt friendship that adds spice to his apparently boring life existence.
When Benicio's dad comes back from jail and needs to do a last roobery in order to pay for a crime debt, Driver helps him but things get out of hand and everything goes downward spiral after this. A bloodshed tour de force that can only be stop by Driver's love for Irene.

The film builds up with an intensity that at the end seems like a whole different movie. The main character who at the beginning speaks in monosyllables and smiles at the end becomes a bad-ass vigilante type, so cold-blooded that scares his love interest away. Gosling's performance is marvelous. He perfectly incarnates an oxymoron (an almost innocent cold blooded slasher).

A movie that combines gore and romance in a non-formulaic way can't go wrong. It is a very entertaining flick which will probably earn Gosling an Oscar nomination. Movie and TV stars like Cranston (Breaking Bad) , Brooks (Weeds) and Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) make a great supporting cast with badass performances as well. Go see it if you are into ironic-type characters, gore or action-packed films. Avoid it, if you are looking for a romantic happy ending type. 4 out of 5 stars.

2011 FYF Fest=DESCENDENTS

2011-09-04T15:06:00.012-04:00

DESCENDENTS headlined the 2011 FYF Fest at the L.A. Historic Park in downtown Los Angeles. The SoCal kings of hardcore-punk-pop played for the second time in their hometown after more than a decade. In addition, other great acts such as OFF, Dead Milkmen, Kid Dynamite, Weakerthans, Guided by Voices and Cults played across the four stages named after our four favorite famous painters.

After watching a couple of decent bands such as Tijuana Panthers and Ty Segall in "Michaelangelo" and "Donatello", came one of the most anticipated bands by ourselves, OFF. This kick-ass band features legendary Black Flag and Circle Jerks lead singer, Mr. Keith Morris, and Steven McDonald from Red Kross. Hardcore Punk with an early 80s sound that provoked a couple of fights and broken noses at the ferocious circle pit. Songs like "Fuck People", "Peace in Hermosa" and "Jeffrey Lee Pierce", the latter dedicated to Gun Club's lead singer with whom Keith used to hang out at Chinatown's Hong Kong Cafe in the early 80s.

Then we went to the main stage aka "Leonardo" to see Cults, an indie band, who for my surprise sounded very neat. Catchy vocal harmonies and mellow songs that invited to chill out after OFF's energetic set. During their repertoire, a huge California Republic flag waved as the sunset started to go down.

We continued across the other side of the park to the isolated "Raphael" stage to see the Weakerthans and Kid Dynamite. After passing the merch booths of Amoeba Music, RevHQ and LA Weekly, we sat down to see Canadian folksy punks The Weakerthans. Good overall set with no major anecdotes.

The highlight of this stage came next with Philly Hardcore Punk legends Kid Dynamite. Old school hardcore anthems interpolated with melodic punk songs that invited to circle pit and stage dive. Almost during their entire set, lead vocalist Jason was singing at the space between the stage and the pit. Their sound sent me back through time to the late 90s hardcore punk scene. At this point: sun, fun and Raybans were gone and a kinda cold night was awaiting us.

After that, headed back to the main stage to prepare for the almighty fucking Descendents which was the main reason we were in this fest (our last one being 2008's Cultura Urbana). We sat down to see Broken Social Scene through the giant screens. Their set was ok and then it was the turn of 80s Ohio indie rockers Guided by Voices.

We took advantage and saw their entire set in the first row. They played some good punk-sounding stuff. Neither great nor bad, but served to see first hand, Bill Stevenson setting up his drum set. The excitement was reaching its highest point.

The clock ticked at 9:40 pm when Milo Aukerman, Bill Stevenson, Stephen Egerton and Karl Alvarez a.k.a. DESCENDENTS came on stage. They began with the song "Descendents" who excited thousands of screaming fans who were there to see history in the making. Milo put on a Dodgers cap that the crowd threw at him and sang the hymns of every album (the song selection was perfect).

Songs like "Pervert", "I like food", "Silly Girl", I'm not a looser", "Sour Grapes", "Bikeage", "Hope", "Rotting Out", "I'm the One", "Coffee Mug", "I don't wanna grow up", "Suburban Home", "Van", "Clean Sheets", among others completed their 1 hour set.

At the stage you could see Matt Skiba, Fat Mike or Fletcher from Pennywise singing as every other fan who was there. One of the highlights was during "All-O-Gistics" that a couple of young kids (I supposed some of their sons) recited some funny-as-hell postulates made for the occasion. In "Hope", Dr. Milo Aukerman went down to the pit to sang with his fans.

The constant stage diving and singalongs helped the South Bay legends make the best set of live-music I have ever seen. I waited 15 years for this and it was all worth it. It was perfection defined.

As good as it gets, we went back to the tiny isolated stage for the Dead Milkmen performance. They opened with their classic "Tiny Town" and continue with a couple more, such as "Punk Rock Girl". Good set but we were tired as fuck and needed to walk almost 2 miles through downtown to get back to our vehicle. After 12 hours of sun, fun, good music, organic food, attention-whore hipsters, punk rock and DESCENDENTS, I slept with a big smile on my face.

Hardcore Punk Pioneers: Rhino 39

2011-08-31T00:31:00.003-04:00

Long Beach's Rhino 39 are definitely one of the first hardcore punk bands ever. They formed in 1976 and released their classic EP "Prolixin Stomp/No Compromise" in 1979. Shortly after, lead singer Dave Dacron died in a car crash.

Some might say is The Middle Class, the Bad Brains or even The Neos from Canada but Rhino 39 were one of the first punks to began playing faster drum beats and guitar rhythms. Enjoy the vid!

A bill from the early 80s

2011-08-29T13:34:00.005-04:00

JFA and Angry Samoans presented their punk rock classics at the House of Blues in the Sunset Strip. A bill reminiscent of the early 80s California hardcore punk scene with the addition of newer bands such as Death Punch and The Casualties.

At 7:00 p.m., the doors opened to hundreds of youngsters attire in classic punk bands shirts and spiky hairs. While waiting in line, Metal Mike, lead singer of The Angry Samoans, approached some of the attendees with a punk rock game to give out some free Samoans shirts.

In the background, some well-known punk bands sounded as fans continue to filled up the venue. Around 8:00 pm, local band Death Punch appeared. They looked sort of like The Casualties but sounded like generic punk with emo vocals and breakdowns. Their highlight was the Operation Ivy standard "Knowledge".

The main dish were definitely Arizona's skate-punk pioneers JFA. Dozens of kids circle pitted to classics such as "Out of School", "Jodie Foster's Army", "Beach Blanket Bongout" and "Preppy". Brian Brannon, the lead singer, played some keyboards during their surf tunes that slowed down the atmosphere quite a bit after several skate punk songs. Their mythical guitar player, Don Redondo, sponsored by "Independent trucks" clothing blasted that guitar like it was an early 80s show. Pure surf, skate and hardcore punk.

After the highlight of the show, came one of the true power houses of the L.A. punk scene, The Angry "Motherfuckin" Samoans. Metal Mike, Bill Vockeroth and cia rocked all their hits "Gas Chambers", "Todd Killings", "Light's Out", "Homosexual", "Hot Cars" and "Right Side of my mind" to hundreds of cheering punkers. Mike and Bill switch between drums and vocals as usual. And to add more greatness, they played two covers: "Slave to my dick" (Canadian Subhumans) and "Wasted" (Black Flag). Punk Rock as its finest.

We left after that and did not saw the "headliners", The Casualties. I have seen them in other occasions and didn't want to hear the same song for an entire hour. Anyhow, great punk show with JFA and Angry Samoans sets.

Lewd Conduct in L.A.

2011-08-20T12:05:00.006-04:00

The Lewd, a legendary 77' punk outfit from San Francisco (via Seattle), has played at The Redwood Bar & Grill in Downtown Los Angeles. The bill was completed by Old School L.A. punkers RF7 and two relatively new bands called Rough Kids and Neon Maniacs.

Everything was unpredictable for many reasons. Starting with the venue, a tiny restaurant/bar near the LA Times building, who improvised a stage putting out some dinning tables. Continued by the arrival of dozens of punks from the oldest, not-so-new or new scene, as the entire Rhino Records "No Thanks" served as prelude.

Around 10:00 pm, The Rough Kids started blasting their upbeat 77' punk. They probably rip off stage every other band that follow them. Catchy songs, tight drumming and in-your-face guitar rhythm that even included the Simpletones tune "I Like Drugs". Their sound remind me of a cross between The Stitches and The Crowd, so definitely worth checking out.

Neon Manics came up next. Their sound was very lo-fi garage punk with raunchy backing vocals and loud guitars. It was a very energetic set with tons of attitude. They somehow reminded me of The Webelos from Spain with their out of tune vocals. So far, so good.

Then, RF7 entered the stage with original vocalist Felix and guitarrist Nick. SoCal early hardcore punk with heartfelt songs. They played hits such as "Raised on Heroin" and "Fuck Money", in during which the vocalist burned a one dollar bill. Their set was one of the highlights of the show.

Past midnight, The Lewd appeared featuring vocalist J. Satz Baret and guitarrist Blobbo. Satz, who looked very old and fucked-up, babbled the songs while the band played sloppier versions of their classics "Climate of Fear", "Trash Can Baby", "Mobile Home", "(Go To Hell In) Hollywood" and "Fight".

For $8 dollars, it was a good show but definitely expected to hear The Lewd classics' better performed. Anyway is punk rock, so fuck it.

NOFX pays tribute to 80s hardcore punk

2011-08-12T14:47:00.004-04:00

In the vein of great covers' albums such as Slayer's Undisputed attitude, Ratos de Porão's Feijoada acidente? (International), Guns N' Roses' Spaghetti Incident and The Hives' Tarred and Feathered Ep, NOFX has released an 80s hardcore punk cover's album with classic songs from Battalion of Saints, Stretch Marks (Canada), Necros, D.O.A, Agnostic Front, Urban Waste, Rebel Truth, Sin 34 and Social Unrest. This 9-song ep is only on vynil.

Also, NYHC outfit H2O will release a punk covers album called "Don't Forget Your Roots" with songs from Ramones, Dag Nasty, Madball, Rancid, Circle Jerks, Descendents, Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, The Clash, Government Issue, Verbal Assault, Gorilla Biscuits, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 7 Seconds, Embrace, Social Distortion, Sick of it All and Warzone.

Get NOFX's Hardcore covers Ep and be on the look for H2O's release this fall.

FC Barcelona is Mes que un Club

2011-05-29T14:45:00.008-04:00

FC Barcelona won their 4th UEFA Champions League tittle against Manchester United by 3-1 at Wembley stadium in London, England. Canarian striker Pedro opened the score at 27' with a wonderful pass from catalan legendary midfielder Xavi. The "Red Devils" tied at 34' with a powerful goal by brit bad boy Rooney. Several other shots at goal were made by the catalan side but the halftime stop with both sides tied at one.

The culés controlled the ball almost 70% of the time during the game. Then at 54', argentine foward Messi put the 2-1 with a long distance goal which took Man U's dutch goalkeeper Van Der Saar by surprise. It was Messi's first goal in english soil. To wrap the wonderful performance by the blaugranas, Spain striker David Villa scored at 69' with a play started by Man of the Match, Messi, and a pass from catalan defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets.

At the end, french defender Eric Abidal (who had battled cancer in the previous months) raised "La Orejona" to celebrate the azulgrana's 3rd UEFA Champions tittle in 6 years. The catalan side also won in 2006 against Arsenal (2-1) and in 2009 also against Man U (2-0).

Messi was the competition's leading scorer with 12 goals equaling Van Nistelrooy's previous 2002-03 record. "La Pulga" ended with 53 goals and 25 assists in the entire season and is in the run for his 3rd straight FIFA Ballon D'Or award.

Barcelona's head coach Josep Guardiola got the 10th tittle of his three year span. 3 straight La Liga tittles (2009, 2010 and 2011), 2 UEFA Champions Leagues (2009 and 2011), 2 Spanish Supercups (2009 and 2010), 1 European Supercup (2009) and 1 FIFA Club World Cup (2009) and 1 Copa del Rey (2009). Also, he is the only coach in history to have won a Sextuple by winning all the tittles possible in a single season of European football.

FC Barcelona has three more competitions to complete their almost perfect year. In August 14th, they face arch rivals Real Madrid in the first leg of the 2011 Spanish Supercup at Bernabeu stadium. The second leg is at the Camp Nou in August 17th. This competition faces up Liga Champions and Copa del Rey Champions.

In August 26th, they play the 2011 European Supercup against UEFA Europa League winners, portuguese side Porto, at the Stade Louis II in Mónaco. In December 8-18, they will compete for the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup against the winners of the Champions League of the other FIFA world regions. They qualify for the latter three competitions by winning the 2011 UEFA Champions League.

Beastie Boys Short Film

2011-05-02T18:09:00.004-04:00

Beastie Boys-Fight For Your Rights (Revisited) Short Film.

Featuring Will Farrell, John C Reilly, Elijah Wood, Jack Black, Stanley Tucci, Susan Surandon, Rainn Wilson, Danny Mcbride, Seth Rogen, Ted Danson, Jason Schwartzman, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Rashida Jones, Mike Mills, Roman Coppola, Amy Poehler, Alicia Silverstone, Laura Dern, Kristen Dunst, Maya Rudolph, Orlando Bloom, etc.

Spanish Hip Hop against Racism

2011-04-13T09:39:00.002-04:00

Spain's biggest Hip Hop stars united against Racism. El Chojin, Locus and Nerviozzo of Dúo Kie, Gitano Antón and El Langui of La Excepción, Nach, Lírico, Kase O and Sho-Hai of Violadores del Verso, Xhelazz, Titó and El Santo of Falsalarma, Zatu of SFDK and Ose appear in this.

Record-breaking Barça

2011-01-17T18:50:00.018-04:00

It's only half season of Spanish La Liga (19 games played) and F.C. Barcelona have won 17 games with 1 draw against Mallorca and 1 loss against Hércules. Making them the best Winter Champions ever (adding 52 points, out of a possible 57). This including the "manita" (5-0) win over arch rivals, Real Madrid, at the Camp Nou.

They have similar success in the other competitions. Currently in quarterfinals at Copa del Rey against Liga Adelante's (Spain 2nd Division) current leaders, Real Betis. Barca won the first leg, 5-0. In the UEFA Champions League, they are scheduled to play against London legends, Arsenal FC, on the Round of 16 (first leg on Feb 16, 2011).

Individually in Liga, Lionel Messi has 18 goals (second to CR9's 22). David Villa has 14 goals (3rd after its argentine teammate) and canarian clutch striker Pedro has 10 goals. Manchego wonder, Andrés Iniesta, has 6 goals (tied his career high already).

Playmaking-wise, Messi is leading the league with 13 assists. Pedrito has 8, brazilian Dani Alves has 7 and Villa has 5. Star-duo of midfielders, Xavi and Iniesta, have 4 each.

Combining all competitions (League, Champions and Cup), Messi has 31 goals and 16 assists. In Champions, the argentine has 6 goals, tied second with Bayern Munich striker Mario Gómez. The current leader is Inter Milán striker, Samuel Eto'o, with 7 goals.

Culés, David Villa and Pedrito, overall have 16 goals and 7 assists each. Iniesta has 6 goals and 6 assists. Messi has scored 3 hat-tricks (three goals in a single game) this season. Against Sevilla in Supercopa de España, against Almería (final result 8-0) in Liga and against Real Betis in Copa del Rey, this last one was his first of 2011.

Pep Guardiola's team hold a club-record of 28 games unbeaten after their most recent 4-1 win over Málaga. Second-place Real Madrid trails Barcelona by 4 points at the top of La Liga standings (52 against 48). Also, they have won nine times for 4 or more goals( six in Liga, one in Champions and two in Cup).

Blaugrana's have scored in Liga 61 goals and only received 11 goals, a 50 goal differential. 48 of those goals scored by Messi, Villa, Pedro and Iniesta.

Added to their greatness in the field, La Masia alumni Messi, Xavi and Iniesta were the top three nominees for the first ever 2010 FIFA Ballon D'or award. Which merged FIFA World Player and France Football's Ballon D'or in one. An award won by Messi and crowned FC Barcelona's game as a whole. Messi won both awards previously in 2009.

We are definitely looking at one of the best sports team in history. How many more records would be broken when the season ends? Who knows. But definitely, Mes que un Club!

The Subhumans (Canada)- Fuck You (1979 Stiffs cover)

2010-11-22T23:43:00.003-04:00

Original song from Vancouver B.C., Canaduh outfit, The Stiffs, who featured later Subhuman, Gerry Useless.

The Subhumans performing "Fuck You" in 79'

Tote King's new video. No More live at Steps.

2010-08-29T11:58:00.004-04:00

Tote King-Redes Sociales

No More Live at Steps 1989

Video extracted from Decadencia del Cuchifrito DVD, which I already got from Computer Crime Records. Get into it

New stuff from JFA

2010-07-19T15:20:00.004-04:00

Skate-Punk pioneers new music vids and album

JFA's new album, yay!

More vids by old school bands

2010-07-08T12:33:00.005-04:00

La Decadencia del Cuchifrito Video Compilation Trailer (Computer Crime Records)

Fobia Estatal-Live 1992

Nalgada de Oro-Live 1997

These hardcore-punk bands used to play at Steps Club (Río Piedras, PR) in the late 80s and early 90s. They were documented by the incredible Jeff Spazz. More vids, here.

Cuban MC, Rxnde Akozta, in BCN

2010-05-16T00:57:00.005-04:00

Amazing live performance and interview to Cuban MC Rxnde Acozta, done by catalonian indie collective Fauna Nocturna. Enjoy!

New flicks from the usual auteurs

2010-05-15T20:23:00.005-04:00

Todd Solondz's Life During Wartime

Gaspar Noe's Enter the Void

Chris Nolan's Inception

Robert Rodríguez's Machete

Hip Hop, TV and History..

2010-03-20T21:21:00.004-04:00

After a four month hiatus, I'm back with a couple of things worth checking out. The first mixtape by Fort Apache, a valencian hip-hop duo featuring Nega from the infamous political hip-hop outfit, Los Chikos del Maíz [Children of the Corn in spanish], called "Cine, Ideología y Cultura de Masas".

Then, a few cool promos of Breaking Bad Season 3, that begins tomorrow Sunday March 21st, 2010 in AMC. Finally, a trailer of 2008's documentary "The People Speak" that features famous personalities reading pieces from Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States". RIP, Mr. Zinn, one of the greatest american intellectuals of the 20th century (meaning greats such as Hunter S. Thompson, C.Bukowski, W. Bouroughs, A. Ginsberg, Hemingway, etc)

One Nine Nine Four: a 90's punk documentary

2009-11-29T18:10:00.003-04:00

One Nine Nine Four is a documentary about the birth, growth and explosion of the SoCal 90s punk scene. Featuring nineties trademarks such as Rancid, NOFX, Pennywise, Bad Religion, Offspring, Warped Tour, Epitaph, Fat Wreck Chords, Lookout records, among others.

S.E.V.I.L.L.A. City

2009-11-20T19:40:00.003-04:00

SFDK's first video clip from their highly anticipated sixth album, Siempre Fuertes 2, is called S.E.V.I.L.L.A, an ode to their hometown, the andalusian capital. Featuring cameos from Jesuly, Dogma Crew, El Límite and the Malviviendo guys. Album comes out November 24th.

Also from Sevilla, Tote King is releasing his documentary "Tengo que volver a casa" (I have to return home) on December 11th. Done by Xclusif & Conflict Films and filmed in Sevilla, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia and Alicante. Features appearances by La Mala Rodríguez, Juan Solo, Ernesto Sevilla, Pachama Crew, La Excepción, Dive Dibosso, Shotta, Felipe Reyes, Chico Ocaña and Antonio Orozco.

Some piece of the history of Puerto Rican Punk

2009-11-09T09:06:00.006-04:00

Here some late 80s-early 90s video gems from Puerto Rico's pioneering punk bands. Intro to doc "La Decandencia del Cuchifrito", Abuso Legal (Oi/Punk from SJ), Sham Pain (Hc/Punk from Carolina), Rechazo Social (Punk Rock from Bayamón), Hypocrite Solution (Hc/Punk from Sábana Grande) and Corrupted Society (Hc/Punk from Isabela).

Then, via Boricuas Bestiales, an interview with Puerto Rican descent-Connecticutian Jeff Spaz, founder of Computer Crime Records.

This label released in 1991 the seminal "V/A House Arrest" featuring Frontside Generation, Sham Pain, Subculture Underground and Hypocrite Solution. They also released the first recordings by Sham Pain, Golpe Justo and Hijos de Nadie.

In 1993, CCR released the first Puerto Rican punk documentary "La Decadencia del Cuchifrito" featuring Volcanic, Hijos de Nadie, Fobia Estatal, No More, Resistencia, Descojón Urbano, Sham Pain, Golpe Justo and Abuso Legal.

Intro "La Decadencia del Cuchifrito"

Abuso Legal Live 1989

Sham Pain-No Más

Rechazo Social Live 1991

More Vids:
Hypocrite Solution Live 1988
Corrupted Society Live 1988

Interviews/Articles: (In Spanish)
Jeff Spaz from Computer Crime Records
Computer Crime Records Discography

The Limits of Control by Jim Jarmusch

2009-08-28T08:45:00.004-04:00

Jim Jarmusch's new film is called The Limits of Control. Starring is Isaach De Bankolé with supporting roles by John Hurt, Bill Murray, Gael García Bernal, Tilda Swinton, Óscar Jaenada and Paz de la Huerta.

The loner (De Bankolé) travels throughout various Spanish cities meeting with strange characters in Cafés who exchange with him matchboxes containing instructions in codes. Several vignettes with repetition of sequences, stunning photography and minimalist dialogues.

The mysterious characters talk to the loner about music, art, bohemian life and other themes that reflect Jarmusch's view. It is constructed very smoothly but without the unity of his prior work, although the nudity and the multilingual scenes is a reference to this other films. Overall is an art film that has a lot of abstract messages, with non-acting performances that are followed by the camera. Definitely, his most incoherent film and not for everybody (specially those not familiar with his other work).

Defensa Personal Release Party

2009-08-23T09:03:00.007-04:00

The release party of Correa Cotto's album was in La Respuesta (Santurce, Puerto Rico). It started at 1:00 am with Velcro in the turns. The first mc was Profound, from New York, who rapped in english and one song in spanish. He forgot the lyrics on one of his songs and the crowd did not respond after that. Next was The Kings of Mic, J'Rebu, Guajiro and Embajador, who rocked the stage with their energetic set. These puertorican hip hop pioneers were dressed in camuflage resembling their No Mel Syndicate days.

Correa Cotto was presenting every mc while Velcro was at the control putting the beats. Then came Babalú Machete from barrio La Marina in Isabela, Puerto Rico (West Side). A veteran of the local scene sang his gangsta-rap hits "Gángsters de Borinken" and "Cosa de Borikua", as well as some english tunes from the Infinite Clip recordings. This mc can truly flow in both languages perfectly and the crowd was singing along excited. Definitely the highlight of the show.

The west side invasion continued with Mayaguez/Añasco's own, Desde el Campo. Only 2/3 of the group came on stage but rapped very tight. They began with their hit "Me Gusta" and followed with "Puerto Rico", "No creo en promesas", featuring Shaggy from Absoluto Independiente, among others. In their set, they invited a spoken word guy who recited a poem. The set ended with a freestyle/improv by the two mc's, Fico and Souldier.

It was quite late and we left without seeing the remaining acts (Velcro, Nébula and Correa Cotto) that we have seen in other occasions. Very good show but it began rather late for my taste.

Pictures vía Hip Hop Boricua Blogspot.com

Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino

2009-08-22T11:04:00.004-04:00

The latest flick by writer/director Quentin Tarantino is Inglourious Basterds, based on the italian movie "Quel maledetto treno blindato". Starring are Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth (horror movie director), BJ Novak (The Office), Mélanie Laurent and Julie Dreyfus (Sophie Fatale in Kill Bill). With cameos by Mike Myers and Sam Jackson's voice.

To Nazi-occupied France is sent a US guerilla command led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Pitt) to kill as many nazis as possible. The Basterds are blood-thirsty jew mercenaries who terrorize SS and Gestapo soldiers because of their out of control manners of killing them.

Like prior Tarantino's films, the storytelling is divided by non-linear chapters and the dialogues prime over all. Gory, funny and entertaining as only the eccentric director can make it happen. Also, with references to his prior films and a twisted take on the Nazis (From Minister of Propaganda, Goebbels to the newbie nazi officer). Superb performance by Waltz as nazi Col. Hans Landa, who dominates the screen entirely and speaks perfectly in german, french, italian and english. Two-hour and a half tour de force film, who is definitely one of his best films yet. Run to see it!

Funny People by Judd Apatow

2009-07-31T12:19:00.006-04:00

The third film by comedy writer/director, Judd Apatow, is named Funny People. Starring are Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Eric Bana and Leslie Mann. The story of the comedian, George Simmons (Sandler), who after being diagnosed with a terminal illness decides to hire up-coming comedian, Ira Wright (Rogen), as his personal assistant and ghost writer. Both of them have failing careers, Wright's roommates Leo Koening (Hill) and Mark Taylor Jackson (Schwartzman) have better gigs than him and Simmons lives a lonely superficial life while still loving his ex-fiancee Laura (Mann), now married to aussie business man Clarke (Bana) and with two girls (both played by the real-life daughters of Apatow and Mann; Maude and Iris Apatow).

Apatow's proves himself again as a comedy genius. Original stories with an actual entertaining plot to it. Mixing romance and drama with those jokes for laughing-out-loud. Sandler and Rogen complement each other very well on-screen. Sandler's unforced jokes with a serious face makes jokes funnier and Rogen's witty punchlines are off-the-hook. Overall great acting by the ensemble cast and great cameos by rappers RZA and Eminem, and comedians Paul Raiser, Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick and Ray Romano. Good soundtrack, real video footage from Sandler's beginnings, fake movies made just for the film , pop-culture references and unconventional storytelling makes this film, Apatow's best effort yet. If you wanna laugh your lungs out, run to the big screen right now.

Tetro by Francis Ford Coppola

2009-06-27T19:37:00.004-04:00

Tetro is the latest film by acclaimed writer/director Francis Ford Coppola. Starring Vincent Gallo as Tetro, Maribel Verdú as Marina, Carmen Maura as Alone, Leticia Brédice as Josefina and Alden Ehrenreich as Bennie.

Bennie goes from New York to Buenos Aires to visit his long-lost brother Tetro, who is living a very pathetic life as a failed playwright. Tetro's girlfriend, Marina, helps Bennie as she gives him Tetro's unfinished play. Bennie decides to finish it and discovers the real reason why Tetro left. Bennie prepares the play and it gets into the hands of literary critic, Alone. She invites them to participate in the important Patagonia Festival. While there receiving the prize, their famous orchestra conductor father dies.

The film has the typical themes of Hollywood films like family relationships, opposed siblings, love or tragedy. But Coppola's film is very minimal aesthetically, shot in black and white but with color flashbacks. Inside this simple history, Coppola combines weird theater plays, cinema references, argentinean tango, female nudity and absurd dialogues. Gallo's and Ehrenreich's performances help the film throughout the end, because it clocks past the two hours.

Is not a masterpiece but seems like a personal and low-budget film that the director would do thirty years ago, prior to his hit saga (The Godfather). Although it is predictable at times and too lengthy, it is fun to see mid-level and unknown actors do an unconventional film penned by an established Hollywood director.

Limp Wrist at Madrid

2009-06-24T19:48:00.003-04:00

Limp Wrist, the legendary queer hardcore punk band, played at the madrilean venue, Sala Boite (looks like a strip club without the poles). The opening act was the local punk band, Muletrain. I have seen them a couple of times (opening for The Adolescents, twice) and it was their best performance so far. They get me bored easily because their songs are too long, they sang in a very bad english and every song sounds the same.

Almost an hour later, Martín (former Los Crudos frontman), Paul, Andrew and Scott came on stage. Hot pants, vests and biker hats were part of their wardrobe. They played a lot of songs from their discography with a tremendous energy. Martín crowd-surfed and sang in the pit with the young spaniard "moshers". He dedicated the song "Ode" to Darby Crash (Germs), Gary Floyd (The Dicks) and other pioneer gay punks. The last song was their classic "I love Hardcore Boys, I love Boys Hardcore". Overall was a good show but kind of short. Anyhow was worth it, only for the main act.

Pure Hell

2009-05-21T16:12:00.002-04:00

Prior to the Bad Brains, there were a few all-black punk bands in the late 70s. Pure Hell, began in Philly in 1974 then move to NYC and the UK. They released a single called "These Boots and Made for Walking" b/w "No Rules". Here's a short documentary on them.

Hip hop in spanish

2009-05-08T06:32:00.011-04:00

Hip Hop music was created by African-American New Yorkers in the late 70s and early 80s. But in that early scene a couple of puertoricans like DJ Disco Wiz, Prince Whipper Whip, Prince Markie Dee and Wise from Stetsasonic made their contribution to the growth. By 1985, the first rap in Spanish arrived with Vico-C, born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. His influence in the spanish-speaking world is undeniable in the late 80s and early 90s. All latin american countries as well as Spain by the 90s developed a hip hop scene in their own kind of way.

In Spain, hip hop evolved into a popular genre between their youth with major acts like Violadores del Verso, Nach, SFDK or Tote King along with minor acts like Los Chikos del Maíz, Jesuly, Shogun XL or Dogma Crew. These acts are not millionaire celebrities like the major north american rappers or the reggaeton artists but have the respect of the entire spanish-speaking community with their good lyrics, great beats and non-gangster attitudes. Any of these spaniard acts goes to Latin America and sold-out their shows to loyal fans.

In Latin-America has remained very underground. Events like Red Bull Batalla de los Gallos or the Hip Hop Summits/Festivals in Venezuela, Colombia or Dominican Republic have created a sense of unity between the countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America and the latinos in the US.

Puerto Rico is a unique case because of three reasons:
1-Reggaeton's huge impact in the population helped Hip Hop became a reactionary underground movement rebelling against the status-quo in the late 90s with rappers like Ovrdoze (Tek-1 and J-Mo), Conciencia Poética (Luís Díaz, 79 and producer Yall'zee), EA Flow, Ciencia Fixión (Dr.Who, Centro, Dreuxifer and DJ Nature from the Texas), Mad Steelo, Velcro, Welmo, Nebula, No Mel Syndicate, Gunzsmoke, etc.
2-The majority of these rappers grew up on Cable TV (Yo! MTV Raps for example) as the same time of stateside americans.
3-The constant flux of puertoricans between New York and Puerto Rico because of the US citizenship of puerto ricans helped create an understanding of hip hop culture very early on unlike the rest of spanish-speaking countries.

The result is a tight scene of great mc's/producers/dj's with an US/Early spanish rap pioneers like Vico-C influence who can flow well in both spanish and english. Their lyrics are intelligent as most of them are middle-class and college-educated (Velcro is a Harvard grad and Luís Díaz has an MA degree, for example) or self-educated in socio-political themes. Also, most of them have communication with stateside puerto ricans who are involved with hip hop in their own states (Babalú Machete, Joell Ortiz and Thirstin Howl III from New York, Yeyo of "The Dey" from Miami, Temperamento from Rhode Island, Chino XL from New Jersey or Termanology from MA, for example). These stateside puertoricans collaborate with the islanders (Tropical Storm compilation of the late 90s made by Babalu Machete, for example) very often helping to create a sense of unity between puerto rican rappers in both places.

Cuba is another unique case because of their socio-political status. They have created the most fierce, well-read and real hip hop since the glory days of hip hop in the late 80s and early 90s. Acts like Randy Acosta, Papá Humbertico, Los Aldeanos, Los Paisanos and Anónimo Consejo are praised by fellow spanish-speaking rappers around the world. Their most famous export is Orishas, who moved to Europe and gained success in countries like Spain and France although their style is more commercial. Hardcore-Rap icon Randy Acosta, now living in Finland, with two great albums under his wing like "Jodido Protagonista" and "Zangre, Zudor y Lagri+" made huge impact in latin america. Other notable export is Mahoma from Explosión Suprema, married to andalusian rapper La Mala Rodríguez, and one of her hypemans. In all, Cuban hip hop is mostly underground, political and very real.

Other countries like Chile (Makiza, Tiro de Gracia, Némesis and ZicutaEjecuta)
and México (Boca Floja, Cartel de Santa and Control Machete) have big rap artists. Also there's hip hop culture in Dominican Republic (led by Lápiz Consciente, Espadasofia, Circuito Negro, etc.), Argentina (Frescolate; winner of the Red Bull battle in 2005), Colombia ( the most famous being Tres Coronas and La Etnnia) and the rest of latin america.

To conclude, hip hop in spanish began in Puerto Rico in 1985 but did not evolved into a full fledged culture because of the reggaeton virus. It remain underground with high-level artists with no media exposure. Stateside puerto ricans have helped the scene but not that much to compete with the radio-friendly reggaeton. In Spain, it became a great youth culture with major acts that can live from the music and are icons in Spain and Latin America. Cuba remains as the purest form of the genre and mainly reflects the reality of cuban life. Mexico and Chile have greater hip hop scenes but don't transcend to the whole lot of spanish-speaking countries. And the rest of the countries have small scenes but serves as the outlet for the youth to fight against their social inequalities.

Post Scriptum: Highlighted are the most important artists but feel free to lookout for any of these spanish-speaking rap artists through their official webpages or myspaces. Very recommended.

Zatu from SFDK acting

2009-05-07T18:00:00.003-04:00

Zatu, mc from sevillian hip hop legends SFDK, has a couple of lines in the hit independent web-series Malviviendo. Check it out. Hilarious!

The International by Tom Tykwer

2009-05-02T06:52:00.004-04:00

The International is the latest feature film by German director, Tom Tykwer (director of Run Lola Run and The Perfume: The story of a Murderer). Starring are Clive Owen and Naomi Watts with a little cameo by Ben Wishaw (The Perfume and I'm not There).

An action-thriller that follows Interpol agent Salinger (Owen) with the help of NY D.A.'s officer (Watts) attempting to uncover an arms deal scheme by a International bank based on Luxembourg. They travel through Berlin, Milan, New York and Istanbul following the bank's greedy manners to control arms deals in Third World African and Asian countries.

Tykwer's take on international action-thrillers (think Bourne's series) is actually very good. It has an intelligent social commentary on how these international banks control governments, corporations and individuals by generating an infinite debt. The photography throughout the European, Asian and American cities is stunning. The camera shots and the editing construct a suspense storytelling that keeps you wondering how it's going to end.

Owen's performance is very credible but Watts' role seems like an excuse to add a female character to an entire testosterone driven cast. The NY Guggenheim scene exceeds the shots-fired barrier for my taste but one thing I sure like was that it did not end in an Owen-Watts romance like a predictable film of this type will end. Kudos to Tykwer for an enjoyable social-awareness feature that stands alone in that sort of modern Hollywood genre.

III Urban Fest at Torrejón

2009-04-26T16:23:00.006-04:00

The third annual Urban Fest was celebrated in the Madrid municipality of Torrejón de Ardoz. The venue, "Recinto Ferial", held various activities related to the hip hop culture like breakdancing, freestyle battles and a couple of rap acts. As the event was totally free it was full of youngsters and rappers from the entire Madrid community. The weather was a bit cold for our taste making a weird atmosphere of the Sunday afternoon.

It began with the b-boys making their stage antics to a crowd of clueless youngsters who only cheered the "windmills" or the "flares". The crews did not have any organization or coordinated pieces like all b-boy crews have. Any of the b-boys stand out that much and the majority were very sloppy. But the winners were a crew called "Madrid King Vandals". After that, the mc freestyle battle who was a little wackness. The only one with inventive, flow and punchlines that did not seem previously written was the winner, a chubby mc which name I can remember.

Then came the rap acts starting by Primizia, who played a lot of time and I did not like at all. After that, Torrejón local mc, Artes, enter the stage to sang some tunes from his last album "La Banda Sonora de Nuestra Vidas". He was accompanied by Frank T and Rob Vendetta in a couple of songs. After that, we left because the event was getting monotonous and the weather didn't help. We missed Rapsusklei, Xhelazz and Falsalarma, the latter two we have seen them live before so its no big deal.

Rudo y Cursi by Carlos Cuarón

2009-04-24T19:23:00.005-04:00

Rudo y Cursi is the first feature film directed by mexican screenwriter Carlos Cuarón. The movie is produced by Cha Cha Cha, a company integrated by fellow mexican directors Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Guillermo Del Toro. Starring are Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna with supporting roles by puertorrican actress Jessica Mas and argentinean actor Guillermo Francella.

The story of brothers Tato "Cursi" Verdusco (Gael) and Beto "Rudo" Verdusco (Diego) who work in a plantation in their poor Mexican town. They also play in the local soccer team. One day a scout, Batuta (Francella), arrives and watches them playing. Tato is the first who is drafted to play at a soccer club in DF called "Deportivo Amaranto" but he also wants to be a singer. Rudo eventually is scouted to another team in DF to play as the goalie. They both become famous players but Cursi falls for a beautiful model (Mas) who is a social climber and Rudo becomes an avid gambler. Both brothers are against each other at the final soccer game of their lives.

Cuarón's debut as a director is very-well accomplished. The photography is great because of the contrast between the poor coastal mexican towns and the urban life at the DF. The story flows very smoothly without flashbacks or any goofy camera tricks that enhances a non-linear storytelling. His brother's camera work, like long takes are seen a couple of times throughout the film as well as the use of a voice-over narrator who explains the context. Gael and Diego's acting complement very well the kind of funny but very real story that Cuarón tries to tell. The script resembles his shorts like "Me la Debes" (You Owe Me One) and his famous movie "Y tu mamá también" in the sense of being a simple, funny, sexy and thought-provoking drama that can be enjoyed anytime.

Carlos Cuarón along with brother Alfonso, Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Guillermo Arriaga and Carlos Reygadas are the new generation of mexican filmmakers who are making spanish-speaking cinema stand for itself nowadays.

Bad Brains documentary.

2009-04-19T08:55:00.001-04:00

Trailer for the documentary on the hardcore-punk pioneers from DC/NYC, The almighty Bad Brains.

Puerto Rico is not important

2009-04-18T10:00:00.006-04:00

During the recent Summit of the Americas, The Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega expressed in his speech that the event cannot be called of "The Americas" because two countries like Cuba and Puerto Rico, did not participated in it. President Obama in his speech forgot completely about Ortega's mention of Puerto Rico. I ask myself: It was deliberate or just forgot? Who knows.

Also, some of the leading news agencies in the world (AP, EFE, etc) and as a matter of fact the major newspapers (NY Times, Le Monde, SF Chronicle,etc) only quoted Ortega as saying Cuba, they omitted the other Caribbean island. Only a local Trinidad paper reported on this. It's a shame, the misinformation.

I'm aware of the "great news" it is Cuba because of the 40 year plus US embargo on them and the non-existent relationship between the US presidents and the Castro brothers. But Puerto Rico is still the oldest colony in the world. Where human rights are being violated to 4 million US citizens who are treated as second class citizens who neither can vote for the president of the US nor received decent incomes compared to the 50 states of the union (our per capita is lower than the poorest state which is Mississippi).

Puerto Rico's status has to be resolved as soon as possible. But Obama and the media have to put our problem in the international forums and not omitted it like they did. Our commonwealth is a transitional status and it should be changed. Our society is composed of politicians who only want to perpetuate the colonial status to continue robbing the federal aid and a dormant population who only likes to "party" and not to think. The chances of independence were undermined as the nationalist movement was erased with Pedro Albizu Campos and such who where the ones who really fought for a free nation.

So, in the 21st century it's either a Hispanic statehood to the US or a territorial disposition by the US Congress as stated by political analyst Juan Manuel Garcia Passalaqua. A Hispanic statehood is more viable now as the Hispanic population stateside is rapidly growing each year. The US was created as a melting pot, a nation of immigrants. With Obama, part of a minority, as President is possible. Now or never.

Zack and Miri make a porno by Kevin Smith

2009-04-12T08:13:00.005-04:00

Zack and Miri make a porno is the latest film by indie writer/director,Kevin Smith(View Askew Productions). Starring are Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Traci Lords and Craig Robinson (Darryl from The Office).

The story of Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) who are roommates that run out of money to pay the bills so they decided to film a porno movie to raise money. Their friend Delaney (Robinson) has a little extra money so Zack borrows it to film their new adventure. They began looking for actors and actress (i.e. Bubbles played by Lords) for a couple of extra scenes besides their "first time" having sex. After several events, Zack and Miri realize they are more than simple roommates.

Kevin Smith's trademark humor is there and combined with Apatow's usual suspects like Rogen, Banks and Robinson make a heck of a good funny tour de force film. It is a very simple story, more about love and finding something you like to do than actually making a porno. The film is making fun of that over abundant celebrity sex tapes but uses it to tell a good and funny story about finding love.

On a side note, the film also used an alternate poster because the title caused some controversy for having the word "porno" in it.

Control by Anton Corbijn

2009-04-09T19:51:00.004-04:00

Control is the biopic about Ian Curtis, late vocalist of English post-punk band Joy Division. The film is based on Deborah Curtis book "Touching from a distance" and is directed by acclaimed rock photographer Anton Corbijn. Starring are Sam Riley (Ian), Samantha Morton (Deborah) and Alexandra Maria Lara as belgian mistress Annik Honoré.

It presents Curtis' troubled short life that ended in May 1980 by the way of suicide. It covers from his early days as a Manchester lad in love with Bowie, his early marriage with Deborah, his absent parenthood to Natalie, the forming of Joy Division (first named Warsaw), his epilepsy and seizures during concerts, his affair with a Belgian groupie, his depression, his problems with Deborah and finally his struggle with fame in the verge of their first USA tour.

The film shows also contemporary bands like Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols and even a cameo by punk poet John Cooper Clark that gives a real edge to the film. It is very well photographed with Corbijn's trademark black and white shots. The soundtrack, full of the band's classics, was played by the real actors. And Riley's performance was outstanding. He portrayed Curtis was a depressed young adult who felt so much guilt by his actions that decide to end his life and become a rock n roll martyr.

Agent Orange at Madrid

2009-04-08T20:40:00.006-04:00

Agent Orange, the surf-punk legends from Orange County, played at the Wurlitzer Ballroom in the spanish capital. The opening act was The Shitty Limits from the United Kingdom who played energetic hardcore-punk ala Surf Nazis Must Die. Their singer was within the crowd roaring the fast skate-punk blasts as the rest of the band lay on stage to play rapid fire guitar riffs and out-of-control drums. Very impressive band. After this good set, came the spanish heavy rock/punk band Zero 5 who played a couple of tunes reminiscent of Motorhead, but not that good.

At last, came the southern california power trio lead by vocalist/guitarist Mike Palm. They sounded tight and powerful even though the venue's sound is not the best. Their usual instrumental surf tunes were between the faster punk songs. Some of the songs played were "Bloodstains", "Too young too die" (dedicated to the late Lux Interior of The Cramps), "The Last Goodbye", "No Such Thing", "Living in darkness", "Pipeline" and "I kill spies". Also they played two covers: "Police Truck" by the Dead Kennedys and "Message from the Underworld" by The Weirdos. Great set overall, energetic as it gets but with some chill out surf tunes to listen.

Picture by MCJ Photography (c).

A new kind of TV series

2009-04-08T08:46:00.005-04:00

Well, certainly you have heard the expression that nowadays "tv sucks" or the so-called "junk-tv". For the most part is true but there are exceptions to the boring television programs that you are accustomed to see. Also, the most famous tv series (in the US) are either medical or police/agent related themes that are kind of always the same.

The "good" tv series (like classic Lynch's Twin Peaks) have good storytelling, great direction, well-develop characters, suspense and all those things we love from cult or indie cinema. They are in channels like ABC, NBC, AMC, CBS, HBO, Showtime, just to name a few. Here are my favorite ones and I would recommend you all get into it.

1-Lost (ABC)-Created by JJ Abrams. Currently in its fifth season (ends in May 09') and the final season its due on May 10'. It follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, after a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles crashes somewhere in the South Pacific. See this if you like suspense, mystery, mythology, science, flashbacks, flashfowards and well-develop characters. With Lost you will never know what's going to happen next.

2-Weeds (Showtime)-Created by Jenji Kohan. Season 5 begins in May 09'. About a widowed housewife (Mary-Louise Parker) from an affluent California suburb who becomes her neighborhood's marijuana dealer to make ends meet after the death of her husband. Its a comedy filled with irony, sarcasm and the real stories behind those "Little Boxes" (nice suburban homes) and its sometimes hypocritical and pretentious inhabitants. It has suspense, crime and hilarious moments. An all-around good series.

3-True Blood (HBO)-Created by Alan Ball. This golden-globe winning series begins its second season in June 09'. Based on the Sookie Stackhouse book series. It centers in the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional small northern Louisiana town. The series centers on Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress at a bar, who falls in love with vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). What a good combination has this series: Vampires and the southern culture of the US. Romance, mystery and suspense all the way.

4-Jericho (CBS)-Created by John Turtletaub. Unfortunately it got canceled after two seasons only (the second season has only 7 episodes). Centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States. Starring are Skeet Ulrich and Lennie James, as Jake Green and Robert Hawkins respectively. Well-told action filled apocalyptic drama with good character development about an inside job nuclear attack on almost half of the states of the country, resulting in a corrupt government and corporation alliance that plans to control what they are calling "Allied States".

5-Sons of Anarchy (FX)-Created by Kurt Sutter. The second season will begin in September 09'. About the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California. Starring Charlie Hunnam (Children of Men), Ron Perlman (Hellboy), and Katey Sagal (Married..with Children). Club antiheroe members primarily make money by importing illegal weapons and selling them to drug gangs in the East Bay, along with protection runs for local businesses by protecting valuable truck shipments from hijacking. It is based on Shakespeare's Hamlet as Clay (Perlman) represents King Claudius, his wife Gemma (Segal) represents Gertrude and her son Jax (Hunnam) represents Prince Hamlet.

6-Lie To Me (Fox)-Created by Samuel Baum. Currently in its first season that ends in May 09'. The main character, Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), aided by some colleagues detects deception by observing body language and microexpressions using this talent to assist clients like law enforcement. The character is based on Paul Ekman, notable psychologist and expert on body language and facial expressions. This X-files type show has mostly two cases per episode where the experts try to know if the parts involved are lying or why are they lying.

7-Breaking Bad (AMC)-Created by Vince Gilligan. The second season currently on the air until May 09' (the first seven-episode only season was cut short by the writer's strike). Staring Bryan Cranston as Walter White, a struggling high school chemistry teacher with a handicapped teenage son (RJ Mitte) and pregnant wife (Anna Gunn). When the already tense White is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he breaks down and turns to a life of crime, setting up a meth lab with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) in a desire to secure his family's future financial security. This show, one of the best shows currently airing, is full of drama, crime, suspense and comedy. You can laugh, learn about chemistry, feel pity, see a lot of action and great dialogues all in a span of an episode. Brilliant!

8-The Office (NBC)-Developed by Greg Daniels from an original british series of the same name. Currently in its fifth season until May 09'. Starring Steve Carell as regional manager Michael Scott, this series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The Office is made in the form of a documentary. Hilarious comedy about employees in a failing paper supply company with a wannabe-funny boss (Scott) and other notable acting by John Krasinski as smart-ass salesman Jim Halpert, Rainn Wilson as freaky salesman/assistant to the RM Dwight Schrute and Jenna Fisher as receptionist Pam Beesly. The rest of the cast is funny as hell too. Some of the actors write episodes. The Office is pure good fun.

9-Fringe (Fox)-Also created by JJ Abrams. Currently in its first season ending in May 09'. Follows the exploits of FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, scientist Walter Bishop, and his son Peter as they investigate aspects of fringe science (telepathy, levitation, invisibility, reanimation, genetic mutation, psychokinesis, teleportation, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, precognition, dark matter, cybernetics, suspended animation, transmogrification, etc). All over the world, a series of apparent experiments collectively referred to as "the Pattern" are occurring for reasons unknown. Olivia, Peter, and Walter are in charge of investigating these strange events to determine their source. This X-Files type series goes through a different case very episode. See this if you like this type of show or any pseudo-science related themes.

10-Malviviendo (Internet)-This series is created by unemployed students from southern Spain and only airs through their site (and youtube). These fresh take on spanish-speaking television uses good cinema techniques. Every episode is a concept episode (i.e. backwards as Gaspar Noe's Irreversible or as spanish tv reportage adressing only the problems from Andalusia). Drugs, fun, crime, laughs, good acting, cheap settings,etc all make this series different but very enjoyable.

If you don't have tv and want to watch any of this series go to:

Project Free TV
TV Shack
Surf The Channel
Yidio

Towelhead by Alan Ball

2009-04-05T19:48:00.003-04:00

Towelhead is the first feature film directed by Alan Ball, writer of American Beauty and creator of HBO's hit series Six Feet Under and True Blood. Starring are Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Toni Collete, Peter Macdissi and Summer Bishil. The alternate title of the film is Nothing is Private because it caused controversy between some middle eastern anti-defamation groups.

It is the story of Jasira (Bishil), a 13 year old lebanese american girl, who lives with her mother (Bello) and her boyfriend in New York. After her mom's partner becomes interested in her sexually, she is send to live with her dad (Macdissi) in Texas. There, she will experiment sexually with one classmate and an adult neighbor (Eckhart) resulting in fights with her dad and being protected by a pregnant neighbor (Collete) and her husband.

First-time big screen direction by Ball is a tour-de-fource film of sexual experimentation, pedophilia, politics and racial discrimination. It is reminiscent of Solondz's Happiness and Clark's Ken Park in the way the themes are presented. Although not that visually graphic than the aforementioned but it suggests all that shocking and disturbing stuff that candy-coated mainstream cinema avoids.

Jasira struggles between her father strict ways and her sexual desires, her parents constant egoistical behavior towards her and each other, the pedophile neighbor who only wants to satisfy his sick appetite, her school boyfriend wanting to sleep with her and all that suburban environment who wants to control her life. Bishil and Eckhart's performances are outstanding and the rest of the cast contributed for the sake of the great storytelling. All in all, Ball proved with his feature debut that he can be a great director in television series as well as in films.

The Burning Plain by Guillermo Arriaga

2009-04-05T07:38:00.005-04:00

The Burning Plain is the first film directed by acclaimed mexican screenwriter, Guillermo Arriaga (Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel; all directed by fellow mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu. And also wrote, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada directed by actor turned director Tommy Lee Jones). Starring are Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence and Joaquim de Almeida.

The story of Mariana (Lawrence) who lives with her family in a mexican border town. Her mother (Basinger) is having a clandestine affair with a mexican man (Almeida). After several events, she meets the mexican man's son with whom she later had a little girl, Maria. Time passes, Sylvia (Theron) has a tormented life as a restaurant hostess in Portland who has promiscuous sex with several men. Her ex teenage lover, Santiago, has a plane crash resulting on him asking a friend, Carlos, who along with his daughter go and look for Mariana so that they can see each other for the first time.

Arriaga still uses his trademark multiple stories that are connected but with a little change, is only one story in different times and spaces. There is an "accident" that connects the characters and storylines (the plane crash) as in his previous movies (Amores Perros and 21 grams; car crash and Babel; the gun shot). For a first time director is very well told, it runs back and forth between the three stories and reveals the facts gradually as it evolves.

The photography and the music fits perfectly with the great performances by Theron and Basinger. The use of both spanish and english language gives a more realistic tone to the film. Arriaga proved that he can be a good writer but also can direct a good complex and entertaining film.

El Chojin at FNAC

2009-03-31T16:46:00.005-04:00

El Chojin, the veteran rapper from Torrejón de Ardoz(Madrid), presented his tenth album "Cosas que pasan, que no pasan y que deberían pasar" at FNAC Leganés. Accompanied by his DJ and two back-up singers, Chojin performed various tunes from his newest recording like "Un paso atrás", "No importa lo que me cuenten", "Superheroes" (the first single and videoclip) and "Odisea". He is a great master of ceremonies and in between songs controlled the crowd of youngsters with his humor and charisma. It was a short set of 30 minutes but totally worth it, to see one of the best mc's Spain has to offer.

Picture courtesy of MCJ Photography (c)

Los Abrazos Rotos by Almodóvar

2009-03-29T08:41:00.003-04:00

Los Abrazos Rotos is the latest work by castilian-manchego writer/director Pedro Almodóvar. Starring are usual collaborator and Academy award-winning actress Penélope Cruz (as Lena), Lluís Homar (Mateo Blanco/Harry Caine), Blanca Portillo (Judit García) and Lola Dueñas (Lip reader).

Mateo Blanco is a film director who went blind and becomes his alter-ego Harry Caine to forgive his past. In his final film "Chicas y Maletas" he tried to do a comedy and met the love of his life, Lena. Lena has a relationship with an old rich man who is the producer of the film. He, as an act of jealousy, uses his son to film every step of the filming and a lip reader that can translate every word said during the set. The story goes back and forth from Madrid 1994 to Madrid 2008, where Mateo is telling the story to Diego, one of his employees.

The film, the 17th feature for the Spaniard director, is very well edited, directed and told. The scenes are joined perfectly in true Almodóvar style, the use of different camera shots to see the storytelling as unconventional as possible and the colors are mind-blowing. The usual themes are there: love, betrayal, homosexuality, lies, secrets, etc. You passed from laughing out loud with his witty humor to feel pity because of the way things finally turned out. He point outs references to the Spanish political arena, his previous films and even a fake vampire movie named "Dona Sangre".

One downgrade is that lacks the sick twists his previous films had. The clock stops at more than two hours but is at-large an entertaining film, as everything "El Deseo" does. Is not a masterpiece like "All about my mother" but worth checking out.

Rapeando en Rojo

2009-03-27T22:02:00.014-04:00

In the center of the Malasaña neighborhood, in Sala Taboo, the event "Rapeando en Rojo" took place to a full venue of punkies, rappers and "commies". Featuring Los Chikos del Maíz from Valencia and two other hip hop groups from Madrid. The first act was Mentenguerra who sang a couple of tunes accompanied by one hypeman, NoGobal, and one hypewoman, Greta from hardcore punk band Antitedax (in which Mente also plays the guitar). His stage presence was ok but the flow was kind of generic. One bad thing is that the two hypemans don't help the mc standout much.

Then came madrilean hip hop group, Aire & Humo, who definitely impressed me a lot. Three mc's (Punki, Koah and Lío) who have great flow and politically-charged lyrics with catchy punchlines. During their set, they were joined by Moha from "Arte de Liar". They are very underground and compromised with the socio-political causes, but worth checking out.

At last, came the headliners from Valencia, Los Chikos del Maíz (Mc's Tony and Nega), with EZLN-type masks to sang their hits to the crowd. Songs like "S.O.S. Mc's de Combate", "Spain is different", "Estilo Faluya", "El Gobierno lo niega", "Trabajador@s", "Sultanes del Funk" and "B-boy Parade" from Nega's album were sing-alonged by the attendees. During "A Dios le pido", they changed their clothes to some Maradona's soccer jerseys. Although Nega was a bit wasted, their set went very well as the public responded great to their ironic, sarcastic and anti-capitalist songs. It was a different rap show but very entertaining because we got the chance to see political rap acts who are very underground and of course, The Children of the Corn from Valencia.

Pictures by MCJ Photography (c)

Blindness by Fernando Meirelles

2009-03-20T20:49:00.006-04:00

Blindness is the latest film by brazilian director, Fernando Meirelles (City of God and The Constant Gardener). It is an adaptation of the novel, "Ensaio sobre a cegueira", by portuguese Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago. Starring are Julianne Moore (Doctor's Wife), Mark Ruffalo (Doctor), Alice Braga (The Dark Glasses), Danny Glover (The Black Eye Patch) and Gael Garcia Bernal (King of Ward Three).

An epidemic of white blindness attacks the city and its first victims are quarantined without much food nor help from the authorities. The Doctor's Wife is the only one able to see but keeps it a secret from the rest. Mayhem overcomes as one of the three wards (Ward Three led by a self-proclaimed king and a previously blind man) imposes the other two wards, selling food for the valuables and having sex with their women. The people from the outside world eventually gets the blindness and the world falls into an apocalyptic stage where chaos and destruction overcomes civilization.

Meirelles adapts this literary classic very outstandingly. Through the images we feel how the characters struggle with their sudden blindness. The white color is abundant in all the shots as well as the light that gives this atmosphere of hopelessness. Rare camera shots as in his previous movies (City of God-esque shots in the rape scenes). The storytelling is unconventional and the use of some characters as narrators apart from the main storyline give richness to the story. We get suspense, violence, dramatic and feel-good scenes throughout the entire movie.

The themes presented are human relationships and how they remain the same although we cannot see each others differences. Some people try to control others and others gather to live better. The politics where the government handles disasters in a not humanly way. Also when humans don't have the power to do something they understand more how is to live without a disability. The movie as well as the novel is a critique on the human flaws that divide us and make us vulnerable when major things occur.

This movie was very under looked in this past film award season because of the social commentary or the artsy way Meirelles presented it. But it was a good flick, well acted, written and directed, that can make us think about life and the course that has taken civilization.

Hip Hop contra el Olvido

2009-03-15T19:20:00.005-04:00

Hip Hop Contra el Olvido was a benefit concert celebrated in the madrilean Sala Heineken to remember the murdered video reporter, Jose Couso, in hands of several US soldiers back in 2003. The host for the evening was Doble Ache from Hip Hop Nation's fame. The first two acts were totally forgettable, Menteguerra and Acqua Toffana, and didn't do any notable songs. Then came the legendary madrilean hip hop outfit, Duo Kie, to cheer up the crowd with their tunes "Nosotros lo hicimos", "Yeah" and "No me cogereis vivo". After this great and short set, Frank T arrived in stage to sing his hymns "Exito en un tomo", "Optimista y Soñador", among others.

In between acts, some family members of the dead reporter like his mother and brother (Javier Couso, the ex-drummer of madrilean anarko punk band, Sin Dios) talked to the crowd about how the money from the benefit was going to be used and criticized the spanish government for not accusing the soldiers who killed Couso. Kamikaze, ex-member of pioneer spanish rap group CPV, came next to sang a couple of tunes, one featuring Kase-O. The headliners, Rap Solo rapper's Doble V, Xhelazz and Sr. Rojo, was the reason why it was so packed the venue. The highlights were"Solo importa el rap" (Xhelazz with Doble V), "Una Mirada" (Xhelazz) and "Vicios y Virtudes" (Doble V). It was a good show but was too crowded and some of the sets were too short, but just seeing Duo Kie, Frank T, Xhelazz and Doble V in one night was worth it.

Pictures courtesy of MCJ Photography.

Stiff Little Fingers at Madrid

2009-03-13T20:25:00.006-04:00

The infamous northern irish punk rock band, Stiff Little Fingers, played at the madrilean venue Joy Eslava. The opening act was Delincuencia Sonora, an early 80s punk rock band from Madrid, who were kinda disappointing. Music-wise they are ok but the frontman does not have any kind of energy and his voice sounds too monotone.

At ten o'clock, the legendary band from Belfast came on stage. Their frontman/lead guitarrist, Jake Burns, had an accident after their previous show in Bilbao but that did not stop him of performing. Along with original bassist, Ali McMordie, the SLF rocked the stage with energy. Jake's voice is still sounding great and the music was tight and powerful.

They played classics like "At The Edge", "Suspect Device", "Barbed Wire Love", "Nobody's Heroes", "Tin Soldiers" and "Alternative Ulster". Also, two covers: "Johnny Was" by Bob Marley and "Doesn't Make It Alright" by The Specials. And some of the newer songs like "Liars Club" (dissing Bush and Blair) and "Guitar and Drum" (making fun of American Idol) proved that their politically-charged punk rock has not lost its edge. In "Strummerville" they paid homage to The Clash's leader, a band they have been compared to in the past. Their catchy pop hooks and energetic punk rock, that have influenced later generations of punks like Screeching Weasel, Blind Pigs or Rancid, is still relevant and fresh as in 1977.

Picture by MCJ Photography.

The Limits of Control Trailer

2009-03-10T11:20:00.003-04:00

The Limits of Control is the new flick by acclaimed indie director, Jim Jarmusch.

SFDK Records Tour

2009-03-08T21:38:00.006-04:00

SFDK Records Tour presented their concert, featuring artists from the label, in the valencian venue, Sala Greenspace. The opening act was Puto Largo, Legendario and DJ Lazer (3/5 members of Dogma Crew) that rapped songs from Largo's album and a few of Dogma's like "Nacen de la bruma". The crowd helped them in the choruses and they interacted very well between songs. Then, newcomers El Limite went on stage but in my opinion were good but not great, the crowd slowed down a bit when they performed.

Jesuly featuring hypeman Chukky came next and pumped the crowd to the extreme. They rapped their fierce punchlines in songs like "La Ventana", "Nada", "Venimos Fuertes" and "Parto Natural" with Legendario, to name a few. After this great performance, the headliners SFDK, Zatu, Accion Sanchez and hypeman Barrabas, came on stage. They did songs from their five albums and controled the crowd like a professional group who have been playing for over 15 years can do. Songs like "Liricista en el Tejado", "En la oscuridad", "Donde esta Wifly", "Fumar Cagando", "Original Rap", "2005", et al were chanted by the whole venue full of loyal fans. During "Pruebalo" all the previous artists came on stage to sing with Zatu the single from their last studio album. A highlight was Zatu rapping acapella a part from the old song "Querer es Poder". As the four hours of sevillian hip hop ended, they put "Jump Around" from House of Pain to say farewell to the atendees.

Pictures courtesy of MCJ Photography.

HP Squad at FNAC

2009-03-05T19:07:00.006-04:00

Andalusian hip hop masters, Hablando en Plata Squad, presented their new double album "Libertad/Hambre" at FNAC Leganes (Madrid). It was a little showcase but very powerful as the group's three MCs (Capaz, Sicario and Rayka) roared their witty horror-inspired punchlines to the crowd. They rapped various tunes like "Criminales", "El Castigo de los debiles", just to name a few. Their DJ/Producer, Sr. Narko, and acclaimed producer from Malaga, Big Hozone, were in the turntables and sound, respectively. After their short set, they stayed to sign a couple of albums to their loyal fans.

The Buzzcocks at Madrid

2009-03-05T10:15:00.006-04:00

As part of the "Another Bites" 2009 Tour, the almighty Buzzcocks, from Manchester, played in the infamous venue "Sala el Sol"(from "La Movida" days) in Madrid to a capacity crowd of punkers, rockers and old-timers. The opening act was the punk rock outfit from Seattle, Cute Lepers (formed by Briefs' guitarrist/vocalist, Steve E. Nix). They played a quite energetic show with some good rocknroll tunes with catchy choruses, accompanied by two female background vocalists. In their repertoire they did "Fall in Love" by The Vibrators.

After this good start, the pop-punk pioneers from the 77' UK Punk Class came on stage. Main vocalist, Pete Shelley, with lead guitarrist/singer, Steve Diggle, began their performance with the intro of their classic "Boredom", which they played only the music(this song was originally sang by original line-up singer, Howard Devoto, that after their first EP, Spiral Scratch, left the band). In their first set, they performed classics like "I Don't Mind" and "Ever fallen in love" along with some lesser-known songs. After a short break, they came back to play all their hits like "Orgasm Addict", "What Do I Get", "Promises" and "Oh Shit". The Buzzcocks, after 33 years playing, are one of the best pop-punk outfits ever.

Picture courtesy of MCJ Photography.

Che Part Two: Guerilla

2009-02-28T13:47:00.003-04:00

Guerilla is the second part of Steven Soderbergh's film about argentinean revolutionary , Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Benicio del Toro plays the role of Che's final months (1967) in the bolivian andes where he formed a small guerilla to overthrown the bolivian military government. In this second part, as well as in the first part, we have Demián Bichir (Weeds) as Fidel Castro, Rodrigo Santoro (300 and Lost) as Raul Castro and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) as Aleida March de Guevara. Also we have actors like Gaston Pauls (Nine Queens) as argentinean painter/guerillero Ciro Bustos, Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba) as Secretary General of Bolivia's Communist Party Mario Monje, Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) as only-female guerillera Tania, Óscar Jaenada (Noviembre) as bolivian guerillero Darío and Matt Damon as parish priest Father Leo Schwartz.

In general this part of the film has more action but does not have any good character development other than Che's character. Also, the editing sometimes made it difficult to differentiate between who was from the guerilla or who was from the bolivian army. Del Toro's performance was great as he transformed literally to become the charismatic leader. The other actors were ok, some did not pull out the correct accents (i.e. puerto rican actors speaking like puerto ricans instead of cubans) but Franka Potente stand out in a perfect argentinean accent (she is german) and puertorican actor Norman Santiago (Maldeamores) spoke a good cuban accent. The story was a bit sloppy in occasions but overall was not boring. At least, we got to see the final months of Che's struggle to bring communism to latin america. Not Soderbergh's greatest piece of work but one of the best performances by the puertorican actor, Benicio del Toro.

Benicio del Toro recently won the spaniard award Goya for best actor for the first part of the film, The Argentine. As well as the best actor award in Cannes 2008 for both parts of the movie.

Lexicon Devil: A Germs Documentary

2009-02-22T09:22:00.002-04:00

Lexicon Devil: A Germs Documentary is the new documentary about the infamous late 70's punk/hardcore band from Los Angeles, California, The Germs, and it's singer/leader, Darby Crash. The film is scheduled to be released in 2009 and in the trailer we see never-before-seen footage of the Germs live performances. The documentary has all the usual suspects like Keith Morris, Mike Watt, Alice Bag, etc. Also has appearances by Fat Mike and Flea. After, the germs biopic (which was not so good) this seems like a good piece of work. Can't Wait.

The Wrestler by Darren Aronofsky

2009-02-20T19:08:00.004-04:00

The Wrestler is the new film by acclaimed indie director, Darren Aronofsky (PI and Requiem for a dream). Starring are Mickey Rourke as old-school wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson, Marisa Tomei as aged-stripper Cassidy and Evan Rachel Wood as Randy's daughter.

Randy, a legendary wrestler from the 80s, is wrestling 20 years later because is the only thing he knows and is his life support. He struggles to pay the rent and to stay in shape, so he also works in a supermarket deli and fixes himself with some roids, respectively. He frequents a stripper bar for cheering his life up and flirts with his favorite stripper, Cassidy. He has no relationship with his daughter, Stephanie. After a hardcore match, Randy has a heart attack, resulting in not being able to wrestled again. He looks for his daughter to tell her, but she does not want to relate to him. Randy's life goes downhill when he cannot even get company nor love from his favorite stripper and only "friend". So he returns to wrestling, the only good thing he does, no matter what are the consequences.

Aronofsky's look at the decadent life of an old school wrestler who is trying to revive his old illustrious career. Visually is the simplest of his films (no cool shots and no fast editing), but is a closer look to a simple story of having to live with your circumstances, having to endure the rough life of being alone and not being able to at least do what you love. A good element of the direction is that at first, you don't get to see Randy's face (a lot of back shots of Rourke's big body and long blond hair) for the sake of good storytelling. The emotions of decadence and pain are well presented with the camera shots of dirty places, the quiet trailer home, the dressing rooms and the strip clubs (as in Requiem for a dream when you feel that emotion of sickness, pain and decadence all in once).

Rourke's role is very well-done as he was himself a wrestler for a couple of time and the looks are there. Tomei's performance as the stripper who feels old for the job (the same as Randy) but still is doing it because is her only income, is greatly performed as well. But the important thing about everything is the story itself and the emotions it provokes as you watch it (the pain in the hardcore match, the sadness in Randy's attempts to get back his daughter and the pity for that wrestler who in the outside world can't make it). Great film overall, unconventional but very good.

Mickey Rourke won the Golden Globe and Bafta for Best Actor and Aronofsky won the Golden Lion in the Venice Film Festival. Rourke and Tomei are nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-14T16:18:00.004-04:00

Slumdog Millionaire is the latest film by versatile english director, Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, etc). The screenplay, adapted by Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty), was based on the novel "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup. The story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an orphan from the slums of Bombay, who is playing the indian version of the game show "Who wants to be a millionaire". He earns 10 million rupees by answering all the correct answers but when the final question comes, only the destiny will tell if he is going to win.

Boyle created one of the best films of the new century. A visually striking and deeply moving story of the destiny of a young orphan who is in search of the love of his life, a girl named Latika (Freida Pinto). It evolves around the development throughout the years of the city of Bombay in India, when a pair of brothers, Jamal and Salim, grew up alone and having to survive the tough life in the streets. The game show serves as focal point to tell the story of Jamal as a homeless kid who learn from life itself, the things to survive. These things learned are luckily the answers for the game show, for him the destiny was written.

The storytelling is original, told from the point of view of Jamal, in the game show and in the police station, explaining how he knew all the answers and how was his life prior to appearing in the show. It is constructed as a journey through the colorful streets of India. From the Taj Mahal to the dirtiest slum from the poorest house to the wealthiness of today's indian economic growth. It has a City of God-esque feel to it with the violence of the streets but with comedy elements and the feel-good scenes of a good "Bollywood" film. The music goes great with the images and the story is well-connected in every sense. It is a celebration of living without fear, never giving-up and hope, that any human being can relate to. Boyle proves being a great film-maker who can adapt to any kind of story or environment.

The movie won 4 Golden Globes (Best Movie, Best Screenplay, Best Music and Best Director) and is nominated for 10 Academy Awards.

Inglorious Basterds Trailer

2009-02-11T21:07:00.003-04:00

Tarantino's new film, Inglorious Basterds, starring Brad Pitt, BJ Novak (The Office), Eli Roth (Hostel's Director) and Mike Myers.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-02-07T07:55:00.003-04:00

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the new film by acclaimed director, David Fincher (director of Fight Club and Seven). It is an adaptation of the short-story written by F.Scott Fitzgerald, author of the classic 1920's novel The Great Gasby, who is part of the "Lost Generation" of american writers of The Jazz Age or Roaring 20's. The script was written by Eric Roth of "Forrest Gump" fame, starring are Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with supporting roles by Tilda Swinton and Elias Koteas.

Fincher is one of the greatest american directors of our time and with this film he proves it once more. The storytelling is very original and creative. The story of Benjamin Button (a man who ages backwards) is told from a diary written by Button, who is readed by his daughter, who is in the hospital because her mother is dying. The main character at the beginning is an old and fragile man (marvelously played by Pitt) who does not fit anywhere, he lives in a home full of old people but he is merely a kid with an old man's look. He experiences things in life (first kiss, first drink, first love, etc) as an old man. He grows but gets younger every year and so on, until he dies as a recent-born like child. Anyhow his life is a normal one but very sad because he cannot experience things others do at the same time and he cannot relate to almost anyone. He loves Daisy (Cate Blanchett) but they can't stay forever together because as Daisy grows like an old woman, Benjamin keeps getting younger.

The story is based in New Orleans, Louisiana and it covers from the time World War I ended throughout the recent times when hurricaine Katrina was attacking the city. It is the time as seen by a man who grows differently from the norm but still experiences the same human feelings. Benjamin lives through the Pearl Harbor attack, The Jazz Age, The Great Depression, The Beatles prime, Racial discrimination times, among others. It is similar to Forrest Gump being "different" and having accomplished so many things in his life. The essence of life without barriers is told by this incredible story. It is a very moving and deep story that anyone can relate no matter how old or young they are.

The movie was nominated for 5 Golden Globes (no wins) and has been recently nominated for 13 Oscars (including best film, director, lead actor and adapted screenplay).

Pop-Punk in the spanish capital

2009-01-31T11:07:00.009-04:00

Pop-Punk is one of the most popular punk sub-genres in Spain. Madrid also has its share in the pop-punk scene of the Iberian Peninsula. Two madrilean groups, El Caso de la Habana and Viernes 13, and a basque one, Nasti de Plasti, played at Gruta 77 their interpretation of the genre popularized by The Queers and Screeching Weasel. The opening act was the power trio, Nasti de Plasti, from Bilbao who played a fast pop-punk similar to Lillingtons with catchy hooks and melodies, they also played "Do you wanna dance" (The Ramones version of the Bobby Freeman classic).

Then came the infamous pop-punkers from the outskirts of Madrid (Móstoles), El Caso de la Habana, formed in the early 90's, who were presenting their new ep, "Six Punk Rock Songs". They played a very tight and catchy 77' punk rock ala Ramones with fast punk songs here and there. They played "Nunca Volveré a Nueva York", "Di que me quieres", "Sal mi vida", among others. Their vocalist/bassist, Mariano, sounds a lot like Joey Ramone and they end their set with three Ramones' tunes: "Do you remember Rock n Roll Radio?" and versions in spanish of "California Sun" and "Do you wanna dance"; they said goodbye as the Ramones also did in their concerts when a friend came on stage with a monster mask and a sign with the words, "Gabba Gabba Hey", as they sang the same words from the final of the Ramones classic, "Pinhead".

The last group of the night was Viernes 13, a female fronted pop-punk outfit who also were presenting their new album, "Rockaway Hits". The crowd was a lot less when they played and that affected their performance. They played songs like "Mi novio es un hombre lobo", "Pizza y pelis de terror", "California", among others. As the other previous groups they played some covers too like Green Day's "Jesus of Suburbia" and Groovie Ghoulies' "Till death do us party". In general the show was fun but not the greatest.

Pictures by M.Cabrera.

Hablando en Plata Squad new album!

2009-01-31T10:46:00.004-04:00

The andalusian hip hop legends, Hablando en Plata Squad, are back with new album called "Libertad/Hambre" in stores on March 3, 2009, according to their label Boa Records. The group's three mc's, belguim-born Capaz Fernandez, Sicario and mc/producer Rayka, and DJ/Producer Mr. Narko recorded the doble-album (32 tracks) at Malaga's classic producer, Big Hozone, Showtime Studios. The productions are from Big Hozone, Rayka and Mr. Narko and the featurings are from international R.A The Rugged Man, young reggae singer Shabu One Shant, the groups usual collaborator Elphomega and Lisandra.

The first single and videoclip will be "El castigo de los débiles" and the tracklist is as follows:

1.- Pago Por Visión (Flesh)
2.- Te Voy A Hundir
3.- Violencia En La Música feat R.A The Rugged Man
4.- Criminales
05. Forbidden
5.- Slasher
6.- Ya Estan Aquí
7.- Ojos De Dios
8.- Nada Que Perder
9.- Vida Rápida
10.- Plenilunio
11.- Antes Del Alba
12.- El Castigo De Los Débiles
13.- Nos Fotean
14.- Afunkalypse Now
15.- Mienten Por Dinero
16.- Ratas
17.- Colt 42
18.- Jugar Con Fuego
19.- Cómo Decir Que No feat Lisandra
20.- H.A.M.B.R.E.
21.- Educación
22.- Ven A Mi
23.- Whatcha Mouth feat Shabu One Shant
24.- Monstruos Del Fin Del Mundo
25.- Números
26.- Mmmm Oh
27.- La Muerte De La Mañana
28.- El Blues De Los Mas Buscados Hoy Feat Elphomega
29.- Lluvia Negra
30.- El Hablar De La Calle
31.- Inocencia
32.- (Track Oculto) Tengo Muchos Vicios

Dalí, Buñuel and García Lorca

2009-01-28T12:10:00.002-04:00

Little Ashes is a new independent film about the early years of three of the most important spanish artists of the 20th century, aragonese film-maker Luis Buñuel, catalan painter Salvador Dalí and andalusian poet Federico García Lorca.

Punk no Brasil

2009-01-24T13:31:00.004-04:00

Brazil, the land of feijoada, caipirinha, g-strings, best soccer players ever and 6x world champion bodyboarder Guilherme Tamega, is one of the first Latin American countries to have punk rock music back in the late 70's. It started with bands like Colera, Ratos de Porao, Lixomania, Lobotomia, just to name a few. Here's a documentary called "Botinada: A Origem do Punk no Brasil", that documents its origins, the early bands and the entire early history of the punk scene in this portugese-speaking country of the Americas.

As the 90's approached, The Blind Pigs (now called Porcos Cegos) emerged with their kick-ass blend of melodic hardcore/punk, first with the label, Grita!, and then on their own Sweet Fury Records. This band put Brazil in the punk rock map with their classic "Sao Paulo Chaos". Around the late 90's, we interview lead singer, Henrike, for our previous printed fanzine and he told us in one of the questions about a couple of local brazilian bands. I did not get into any, until now. One of them is a rad skate punk band called Gritando HC, they have only one album out with their original line-up called "Ande de skate e destrua". Their lead singer died in 2001 but they left this incredible piece of recordings. Enjoy!

Revolver by Guy Ritchie

2009-01-18T16:23:00.006-04:00

Revolver is Guy Ritchie's last movie before his latest one, Rocknrolla. It has not been widely released or distributed anywhere (besides the UK). Starring are Jason Statham (also appears in Ritchie's: Snatch and Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels), Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore (of Soprano's fame) and Andre Benjamin (from hip hop group, Outkast). It is written and directed by Madonna's ex-husband and the screenplay adapted by Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita).

The story is about Jake Green (Statham), a man who is released from prison after 7 years, and in a span of two years begins winning a lot of money gambling. Casino owner, Mr. D (Liotta) invites him for a game, when he loses and gets insulted wants to kill Green. Zack (Pastore) and Avi (Benjamin) are loan sharks who are willing to protect Green from Mr. D in exchange for all his money.

Ritchie presents his most thought-provoking film to date. The major theme in the movie is the human ego. Both leading roles are people who have giant egos, Green is a consistent winner at gambling and Mr. D is a powerful casino owner with a lot connections in the underworld. As the story evolves we get to know that Green is not that perfect of a gambler and Mr. D is not as powerful as he thinks he is. The thesis of this film is that our enemies don't exist and they are only an imaginary creation of our ego. Our ego is what makes us take decisions of whether to continue living in peace or expose ourselves to the dangers of life. At the end of the film, Ritchie uses testimonies from several experts (M.D.'s, P.H.D.'s and scientists) in the field to support his thesis.

Regarding the style of the film, is a well-developed script. His trademark elements are there: visually great looking with fast editing, great music, a narrator who in this case serves for knowing what the minds thought and use of rare camera shots for flashbacks, dreams and dialogues between characters. He adds the use of animation for the sake of a more entertaining storytelling. Also the actors are a mix between brits and americans with Statham being the usual suspect from previous Ritchie flicks. The film is well-written and directed, it has that witty british humor we all love and at the end it leaves us thinking about Freud, egos and human imagination; What else can you ask for?. 9/10 stars!

Xhelazz invades Madrid City

2009-01-16T20:32:00.005-04:00

Xhelazz presented in the spanish capital his latest album called "El Soñador Elegido". The venue, Sala Heineken, was tight packed. El Sr. Rojo from Madrid (also in Doble V's Rap Solo label) was the opening act for the show. He is an ok mc, not catchy and neither has a good stage presence. The highlight was the song "Amarga Bilis" with Kase-O. He also sang various songs featuring Aaron from Hermanos Herméticos and other madrilean mc's. His act, almost an hour long, became boring after a while.

Then came the main act, Zaragoza's own, Xhelazz. The stage presence is one of the best between all of Spain's hip hop acts. His interaction with the crowd was pretty good as he was stoked by seeing the place full and every soul there sing-alonging his songs. He played "Hijos del orgasmo", "Solo son vidas", "La soledad comienza", "Confesionario de papel", just to name a few. In the song "Alas Rotas", he throwed to the crowd some copies of Khalil Gibran's book of the same name. Also he sang his verses acapella in "Estamos Rayados" and "Algo más que recuerdos" (both songs are originally recorded featuring sevillian hip hopper Tote King). He played "Son cosas del Rap" from his previous group Cloaka Company and sang a song with his old bandmate, Fran Fuethefirst. The highlight of the evening was definitely when Kase-O and Lírico from Violadores del Verso came up to the stage to sang the hit "Solo importa el rap" with Xhelazz; the crowd went crazy as Kase rapped perfectly his verses. At the end, Xhelazz, Fran Fuethefirst, Lírico and Aaron freestyled some rhymes for the crowd. Two thumbs up, for this great hip hop show.

King Shot: the new film by Jodorowsky

2009-01-12T09:41:00.004-04:00

Alejandro Jodorowsky's new film after 20 years, King Shot, is being produced by another great writer/director David Lynch. Starring are Nick Nolte, Asia Argento and Marilyn Manson.

Milk by Gus Van Sant

2009-01-09T17:25:00.005-04:00

Milk is the new feature film of acclaimed american director, Gus Van Sant. It tells the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected to the public office in the state of California, concretely to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Sean Penn portrays Milk as one of the best performances of his career (he has been nominated to the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards). Also starring are Josh Brolin as Dan White, Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones, James Franco as Scott Smith and Diego Luna as Jack Lira.

Van Sant is a great director visually and this movie proves it once again. The storytelling is creative and innovative by mixing it with real footage from the 70's, unconventional camera shots or simply by not telling the story in a lineal boring way. Also Penn's performance gives a very emotional picture of the gay struggle in the 70's against the conservative right wing. Even if you are not a gay yourself, you can identify with what that group of men and women made in favor of the concept of tolerance. Franco's performance was good after his hilarious portrait of a pothead in "Pineapple Express", Brolin, as a great actor himself, makes the perfect anti-thesis of Milk, youngster Hirsch (previously directed by Penn in 07's classic "Into the Wild") makes the job as the young gay activist and Luna's performance was not that good because he was type-casted as the token latino guy who dies, not having that much speaking time. Anyhow, the movie is great and my highlights are Penn's performance who was marvelous, Van Sant never goes wrong directing because he is one of the great american storytellers and the theme is well-developed in a entertaining, visually atractive and moving way. 9 out of 10 stars.

Best of 2008

2008-12-31T09:25:00.042-04:00

Top 10 Movies

1-The Wackness

2-Transsiberian

3-The Oxford Murders

4-Into the Wild

5-XXY

6-The Kite Runner

7-Paranoid Park

8-Lars and the real girl

9-4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days

10-Burn after reading

Top 10 Albums

1-Shotta-Sangre

2-ToteKing-T.O.T.E.

3-A3Bandas-Galería de Héroes

4-Dogma Crew-La 8va Plaga

5-Jesuly-Mi Llama

6-Guerra-180 grados

7-Xhelazz-El Soñador Elegido

8-Falsalarma-Ley de Vida

9-H Mafia-Barrabás

10-Nach-Un día en Suburbia

Top 10 Concerts

1-Nach at Sala Heineken

2-Duo Kie at Festival Cultura Urbana

3-Dwarves at Gruta 77

4-Rafael Lechowski at Café La Palma

5-Adolescents at Wurlitzer Ballroom

6-Tote King at FNAC

7-Vibrators at Gruta 77

8-Airbag at Neu Club

9-Violadores del Verso at Festival Cultura Urbana

10-Arianna Puello at Sala Heineken

Top 5 Documentaries

1-SFDK-Blackbook

2-Spanish Players 2

3-Beautiful Losers

4-Loose Change: Final Cut

5-Punk’s Not Dead

Top 5 TV Series

1-Lost

2-The Office

3-Weeds

4-True Blood

5-Plutón BRB Nero

P.S. Algunos de los elementos salieron a finales de 2007 pero se incluyen porque fueron vistos o escuchados por este blog durante enero a diciembre 2008.

Airbag: Tributo a The Ramones

2008-12-30T21:13:00.004-04:00

Los malagueños, Airbag, se presentaron en el Especial Anual de Ramones de la Gruta 77 de Madrid. Primero, entraron a hacer un repertorio de todos sus discos entre las que tocaron “Roswell”, “Territorio Dagger”, “Elena”, “El Resplandor”, “La Chica No”, entre otras. Tuvieron un receso corto, mientras los presentes nos deleitaban con una banda sonora estrictamente de los de Queens, y regresaron a tocar covers de los Ramones. Algunos de ellos fueron “The KKK took my baby away”, “53rd and 3rd”, “Comando”, “You’re gonna kill that girl”, “Oh, Oh I love her so”, “Loudmouth (donde les acompaño el cantante de DDT)”, entre otras. Fue un concierto muy bueno y único por poder escuchar a los Airbag haciendo covers de los Ramones.

Shotta: Soy el mejor!

2008-12-21T20:08:00.002-04:00

El evento “Keep it Rappin” se llevó a cabo en la Sala Heineken del centro de la capital española. Se presentó primero el grupo de Móstoles, Bajo Mínimos, con solo uno de sus mc’s, Isaac, que cantó varios temas de hip hop ante un público no muy motivado; cabe destacar que una de las pistas sobre las cuales cantó fue producida por el mc/productor de Barcelona, Ferran M.D.E. Luego intervino, el colectivo La Calle Familia que tienen un rollo gangsta rap / reggaetón con cuatro mc’s y dos chicas que le acompañaban en tarima. Como parte del show de esta gente salió una de las chicas, La Chinah, a cantar un “rap” vestida de pornstar y con un flow bastante malo. Después de este fiasco, entró el puto Shotta desde Sevilla City con su hypeman, Ego de Zero Positivo. Estaba borracho pero aun así cantó temas como “Sangre”, “Me Gusta”, “El Justiciero”, “Coches de Choque”, “Soy el mejor” y pedazos de sus clásicos “La Infanta”, “Ternera Podrida”, entre otros. El público no estaba motivado exceptuando unos pocos al frente de la tarima pero aun así fue bueno oír en directo los clásicos de este mítico rapero sevillano.

Adolescents regresan a Madrid

2008-12-14T21:33:00.003-04:00

The Adolescents se presentaron por segundo año consecutivo en la capital española como parte de su gira europea de invierno. El escenario fue la pequeña sala, Wurlitzer Ballroom, en el mismo centro de Madrid. Como acto de apertura tocó la banda local, Muletrain, (que también le abrieron el concierto del año pasado) que tocaron por casi una hora un punk-trash con letras en inglés; el sonido se escuchaba bastante mal y no se pudo apreciar muy bien su música. Después entraron los Adolescents con Tony en las voces y Steve en el bajo, con un nuevo baterista, un guitarrista que tocó en Joyride y el guitarrista jovencito. Empezaron con “No Way”, “Monsanto”, “Who is who” y tocaron los clásicos “Amoeba”, “Creatures”, “Word Attack”, “Rip it Up”, “Democracy”, “Wrecking Crew”, “Kids of the Blackhole”, “California Sun” , “I hate children” y algunas más. La mayoría del público tarareaba las letras pero se les veía motivados con estas leyendas del punk californiano.

Life during wartime

2008-12-11T14:28:00.003-04:00

Hace un año se lleva rumorando sobre el nuevo filme del cineasta indie norteamericano, Todd Solondz, de que le faltaba una productora que le financiara su nuevo proyecto. La nueva productora, Werc Werk Works, se tomó a la tarea de ayudarle a sacarla adelante desde agosto de 2008. La película es una secuela no convencional de Happiness (su hit del 1998) donde aparecen las hermanas (Joy, Trish y Ellen) interpretadas por otras actrices y estando otras etapas de sus vidas personales, que se entremezclaran con nuevas historias y personajes. Además, se rumora que actuarán Charlotte Rampling (Swimming Pool), Paul Reubens (Pee Wee) y Paris Hilton, entre otros actores. La filmación comenzó en Noviembre de 2008 en San Juan, Puerto Rico. Nuestra colega punkie y bajera de los Pepiniyoz, Zuania, se ha tomado una foto con el aclamado director. Que Envidia!

-Foto sacada del myspace de Zuania-

Beautiful Losers: Arte actual y cultura urbana

2008-12-05T17:04:00.003-04:00

La exposición Beautiful Losers: Arte actual y cultura urbana se presenta en La Casa Ecendida (Obra Social de Caja Madrid) de Madrid. Nos presenta artistas de la década de los 80’s y 90’s como Harmony Korine ( escritor de Kids/ Ken Park), Ed Templeton (skater y fundador de Toy Machine), Glen Friedman ( mítico fotografo de la escena 80s L.A. Punk), Raymond Pettibon (hermano de Greg Ginn de Black Flag y flyer maker extraordinaire de la escena punk los angelina de los 80s), entre muchos otros. Entre las obras de la exposición se encuentran los fanzines que editaba Harmony Korine con el skater Mark Gonzáles como "Adulthood", el zine de fotos de Ed Templeton "Teenage Smokers", además de una colección de fotografías y pinturas sobre skate, sexo pervertido, mujeres desnudas, etc del mismo Templeton. Otras obras sobresalientes eran un gran collage de fotos de skate, surf y punk rock que representan las subculturas de los finales de los 70 y principios de los 80 en California, el arte que Pettibon usaba para los míticos flyers de Black Flag y las clásicas fotos de Friedman de Minor Threat, Public Enemy y el original z-boy de Dogtown, Tony Alva, todo esto acompañado por un radio que emitía el soundtrack de estas subculturas como Germs, Avengers, Minor Threat, Stiff Little Fingers, entre otros. Además habían piezas alusivas al graffiti y el arte urbano hip hop. Una excelente exposición que le lleva al público normal las subculturas que nos definen como personas a muchos.

Frank T y Guerra, díselo y bien alto!

2008-12-05T10:17:00.002-04:00

Como parte de la serie "Alternativas en Concierto" de la Comunidad de Madrid, se presentaron en la Sala Live el colectivo hip hop "Serios Producciones". Ante un público bastante reducido comenzó Frank T con algunos temas, después le siguió Artes 1/29, Rob Vendetta y el menor de los hermanos Nsombolay, el Shogun XL. Mientras cada uno cantaba temas, los restantes cuatro le asistían en los coros o hacían colabos entre dos de ellos. Al final de esta primera sesión entró el jóven cordobés, Guerra, a cantar varios temas de su nuevo álbum "180 grados". Como era de esperarse cantó el tema "Díselo" junto a Frank T (tema que alegadamente Frank T arremete contra SFDK). Luego intervinieron casi en el mismo orden cada mc, cantando dos temas cada uno. Como highlight, Frank T cantó "Optimista y Soñador" y el clásico del hip hop español "Éxito en un tomo". Al final, Guerra hizo un freestyle bien guapo y terminó Artes haciendo lo mismo pero sin microfono. En fin, fue un concierto poco concurrido pero bien refrescante la propuesta de cinco mc’s cantando temas todos en una misma tarima.

Rafael Lechowski cautiva Madrid

2008-11-28T20:03:00.003-04:00

Rafael Lechowski se presentó en el Café La Palma de Madrid para promocionar su último disco "Donde duele inspira". La sala estaba llena a capacidad y se quedaron muchos afuera porque se agotaron las entradas. Este fue el resultado de querer presenciar a este poeta callejero nacido en Polonia y críado en la capital aragonesa, Zaragoza, por primera vez en Madrid hace un tiempo. Comenzó el DJ poniendo temas de jazz y al tiempo aparece un saxofonista para completar el sonido que acompañaría a Lechowski. Luego entra a cantar sobre bases de jazz los temas "Loco por ti", "Por amor al odio", "Donde duele inspira", entre otros del último disco, los intercala con rapeos acapela y samples de soul de los 60’s y 70’s. En el intermedio, Rafael invita varios chavales del público para que hagan freestyle sobre las bases, algunos mejores que otros pero después Lechowski coge el microfono e improvisa por varios minutos dejando con la boca abierta a muchos de los presentes. Este poeta/mc demostró ser uno de los mejores en rapear con un sentimiento real y puro que motiva a reflexionar a cualquier persona. Tremendo concierto y para la próxima anunció que traerá a la banda completa de jazz para que le acompañe.

Tote King presenta nuevo disco

2008-11-27T20:26:00.005-04:00

Uno de los más grandes raperos de habla hispana, Tote King, se presentó en el FNAC de Leganés (Madrid) como parte del lanzamiento de su tecer larga duración, T.O.T.E. Antes de comenzar, el ingeniero de grabación Jorge Gascón le preparaba el sonido como él solo lo sabe hacer. DJ Randy (La Alta Escuela) estaba detrás de los platos cuando salió Tote y su hypeman Senepe del grupo Zero Positivo. Cantó temas como "Rapear", "El Tendedero", "La reunión", "Ahora vivo de esto", "Como en casa", entre otros. Fue un concierto corto pero preciso que dejó con ganas de ver un concierto completo para apreciar los nuevos temas y oír sus clásicos habituales.

Jesuly en FNAC

2008-11-25T19:04:00.005-04:00

El escenario para la presentación del nuevo disco "Mi llama" del joven rapero sevillano Jesuly fue la tienda FNAC de Leganés, en las afueras de la capital española. Entre un público reducido se encontraban SFDK, Zatu y Acción Sánchez, apoyando a dos de los artistas de su sello, El Límite y Jesuly. Comenzó Acción Sánchez demostrando sus dotes en el scratch bajo temas conocidos del rap nacional e internacional. Luego siguió, El Límite tocando varios temas de su nuevo álbum "Vida en Crisis". Para finalizar entró Jesuly acompañado del hypeman, Chukky, a ladrar (así lo desribía Zatu desde el público) los nuevos temas como "Nada", "Mi llama", "Venimos Fuerte", entre otros. Fue un concierto corto pero muy entretenido, a los que compraban el disco de Jesuly le regalaban el vinilo de su anterior trabajo "De Oro".

Par de cosas locas...

2008-11-20T18:38:00.002-04:00

Voy a dejarles algunas cosas para que vean:

1-La movie de los Germs, What We Do is Secret.

Mini Documental del 79

Entrevista a Ache, productor de hip hop boricua, que hizo un maxi con Pablo de los zaragozanos Tres Monos.

Un junte de varios raperos ochentosos boricuas: Vico C, Brewley MC, Ruben DJ, etc.

Next Week: Jesuly, Tote King y Lechowski. Gozaeraaaaaaaa!

Arianna Puello..en tu cuello

2008-11-08T11:31:00.003-04:00

El escenario fue la Sala Heineken de Madrid para el concierto de Arianna Puello, presentando su último disco, 13 razones. Comenzó a las 20:30 horas con un grupo de r&b/reggaetón latino llamado Skylee Cru que sinceramente no me gustaron nada. Mientras tocaban, me tomé la caña (traducción: vasito de cerveza) más cara de mi vida (5 euros). Luego entró Gt Castellano que cantó varios temas de hip hop, que aunque en comparación con lo anterior era mucho mejor, no me motivó mucho.

Después salió Nomah desde Gerona, Catalunya con un hip hop pesado con letras agresivas; me gustó su interacción con el público y su flow era algo parecido a Hate de Doble V. Estaba acompañado atrás en los platos por un DJ y su productor, Factor Primo. Terminó y el DJ scratchió varios temas clásicos de hip hop de Dre, Wu Tang, Dilated Peoples, Fugees, entre otros mientras se veían en las pantallas los visuales de cada parte de canción.

El plato principal de la noche, Arianna Puello, entró en tarima acompañada por dos hypemans, uno fue Nomah y el otro Factor Primo, y una corista que complementaba muy bien los rapeos con una voz femenina. Ari tocó muchos temas de su último disco como “Juana Kalamidad“, “Rap Swing“ y le acompañó en tarima Frank T para el tema “Ley de Murphy“ y Zenit y Frank T de nuevo para otro tema. Al final, Arianna se tiró al público y cantó entre sus fans. En fin, fue un concierto muy divertido y los que llegamos a tiempo nos regalaron el single de “Juana Kalamidad“. Score!

T.O.T.E. pronto!

2008-11-03T09:56:00.005-04:00

El 26 de noviembre sale al mercado el nuevo álbum del mc sevillano, Tote King, titulado "T.O.T.E.". Según HHDirecto.Net, cuenta con 17 temas y colaboran Shotta, Juaninacka, Lírico, Ego, Titó, Quiroga y Chico Ocaña. Algunas de las producciones son de productores internacionales como Oh No, Dametaylor, M-Phazes, Auditory Beats, así como los productores españoles Cookin Soul, Metodo Shintaro, Equisman, Dj Randy y Voodoo Etnies.

El tracklist del disco:

1.- Introheroina
2.- Todo Lo Que Quiero
3.- Yo Soy
4.- Rebelde Por Defecto con Juaninacka
5.- No Sonrío Pero Todo Está Bien con Lírico
6.- No Voy A Estar Allí
7.- El Tendedero con Chico Ocaña
8.- Ya Está
9.- Demasiado Pesado
10.- Ven con Shotta
11.- Ahora Vivo De Esto
12.- Barras De Terror
13.- La Reunión con Juaninacka
14.- Como En Casa
15.- Rapear con Ego de Zero Positivo
16.- Hace Tiempo Que.... Con Titó y Quiroga
17.- Conspiración

Y el nuevo video clip: de "Ahora vivo de esto"

Transsiberian

2008-10-28T09:10:00.004-04:00

Transsiberian es el nuevo film del director norteamericano Brad Anderson, mejor conocido por su anterior película The Machinist. En esta nueva obra cinematográfica Anderson nos presenta un thriller repleto de suspense y twists que te harán mantenerte en tensión durante las dos horas que dura el film.

La historia de una pareja de estadounidenses, Roy y Jessie, (Woody Harrelson y Emily Mortimer) que estaban en Beijing ayudando a los más necesitados como parte de un viaje de su Iglesia. Cuando deciden volver a casa, tomarán el mítico tren transiberiano que les lleva de China a Russia en una semana. Allí conocen a otra pareja, Abby (Kate Mara) y Carlos (Eduardo Noriega). En una de las paradas, Roy no llega a subir al tren a tiempo por lo cual Carlos y Abby acompaňarán a Jessie en la próxima estación para reencontrarse con su esposo. Después de este suceso, se complica todo el asunto y luego se ven relacionados a una investigación del oficial ruso de narcóticos, Grinko (Sir Ben Kingsley).

Brad Anderson se ha convertido en uno de los nuevos directores/guionistas independientes norteamericanos de culto con esta nueva película. Uniéndose a sus compatriotas de mismo apellido, Wes y P.T., así como a decenas más que están poniendo a EEUU en el mapa del cine de autor presentando una alternativa al trillado cine hollywoodense.

The Argentine

2008-10-22T05:07:00.004-04:00

Benicio del Toro estelariza y produce la nueva película del director norteamericano Steven Soderbergh titulada "The Argentine". La historia del médico argentino, Ernesto Guevara, luego convertido en líder revolucionario latinoamericano, El Che, desde que conoce a Fidel Castro en Ciudad de México para los 50s hasta que lucha en Cuba para derrocar el régimen de Fulgencio Batista. Los revolucionarios del Movimiento 26 de julio batallan desde la Sierra Maestra hasta llegar a la Habana donde acaba esta primera parte de la saga que tiene como segunda parte, el otro film "Guerilla". Además se intercalan los discursos de El Che en la ONU.

La actuación de Benicio del Toro es excelente y por tanto obtuvo el premio al Mejor Actor en el Festival de Cannes de 2008. Tanto el y otros de los actores son puertorriqueños por tanto el acento de la isla caribeña está presente en muchas ocasiones. Destacan las apariciones de Norman Santiago (Maldeamores), Eugenio Monclova (hermano de René Monclova), Catalina Sandina Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), Victor Rasuk (Lords of Dogtown), Rodrigo Santoro(300), Israel Lugo (El Clown), Julio Cesar Morales (Y No Había Luz), entre muchos otros. Algunas de las localizaciones son en Puerto Rico, como por ejemplo la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras. Es una tremenda película, que te adentra en las hazañas de este héroe revolucionario de culto, durante su estancia en la Revolución Cubana. Además presenta otras figuras claves como Camilo Cienfuegos (interpretado por el venezolano Santiago Cabrera), Fidel (por el mexicano Demián Bichir) y Raúl Castro (el brasilero Rodrigo Santoro).

Burn after reading

2008-10-12T17:35:00.004-04:00

Los hermanos Coen (después del éxito de su "No Country for Old Men") nos presentan en su nuevo largometraje, Burn After Reading, una genial comedia negra que entrelaza dos sectores muy atípicos, los funcionarios federales de Washington DC y varios empleados de un gimnasio. Con un reparto estelar que incluye a Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton y Frances Mcdormand. Un analista federal (Malkovich) es despedido de su puesto por lo que decide escribir sus memorias. Esas memorias caen en manos de varios empleados del gimnasio (Pitt y Mcdormand) que intentarán sacarle partido a su situación a cambio de dinero. Otro empleado federal (Clooney) se acuesta con la esposa del analista (Swinton) y aquí es que se complica el asunto entre los personajes. Espera una película divertida con sus twist's ala Coens, muchas carcajadas, ironía, sarcasmo y un Brad Pitt que te hará llorar de la risa.

Their leading us into World War III

2008-09-14T10:57:00.006-04:00

Quedan pocos días para elegir al presidente de los Estados Unidos. Obama tiene su fan base pero la señora ultra conservative Sarah Palin y el GI Joe Mccain están avanzando mucho. El Daddy Yankee les apoya y aunque el rapero 79 le tiró en su nuevo single "Quédate Callao" como quiera la gente ignorante (los cegados ultra republicanos y los "no-future" reggaetonero fans) lamentablemente son la mayoría y es difícil doblegar eso. Berlusconi, el premier italiano y aliado republicano en Europa (al igual que el presidente francés Nicolas Sarkozy, el premier del Reino Unido Gordon Brown y la canciller alemana Angela Merkel), banió la nueva película de Oliver Stone del Festival de Roma titulada "W", por esta ser una crítica a la vida del presidente que mas daño le ha hecho a los EE UU en la opinión pública mundial por su afición a la guerra y al petróleo. Si sale McCain y con casi todos los dirigentes europeos de derechas (excepto Zapatero en Spain) lo que se avecina es la tercera guerra mundial.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

2008-08-29T09:57:00.004-04:00

Para no perder la costumbre anual, el cineasta newyorkino Woody Allen estrena en las salas de cine su nuevo filme “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”. Allen trasladó la ambientación de esta nueva historia a la capital catalana, Barcelona, a diferencia de su anterior trilogía (Match Point, Scoop y Cassandra’s Dream) filmadas en el Reino Unido. Estelarizada por Rebeca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem y Penélope Cruz en los papeles de Vicky, Cristina, Juan Antonio y María Elena respectivamente. Un pintor asturiano (Juan Antonio) invita a dos turistas estadounidenses (Vicky y Cristina) a pasar un fin de semana en su natal Oviedo para enamorarlas y seducirlas. Luego de la aventura, aparece María Elena, ex esposa del pintor, en escena para complicar la situación entre el pintor y sus amadas “guiris”. La trama es bastante divertida, la mezcla entre español e inglés en el diálogo, el humor clásico de Allen y la actuación de Penélope como mujer neurótica, agresiva y reacia a hablar en inglés hacen de esta película una que no te puedes perder.

The Wackness

2008-08-25T09:52:00.005-04:00

The Wackness es una de esas películas que vas a verla sin ninguna expectativa y te vuelan los sesos. Dirigida y escrita por Johnatan Levine y estelarizada por Ben Kingsley, Famke Jenssen, Olivia Thirlby (Juno) y Josh Peck. La historia de un joven drug dealer(Peck) que le suple marihuana a su psicoterapeuta (Kingsley) y establecen una amistad que los lleva a conocer mejor así mismos y sobrellevar sus depresiones. Luke se enamora de la hijastra del doctor (Thirlby) que será su motivación en lo que se termina el verano antes de comenzar la universidad. Ambientada en el NYC de 1994 donde el hip hop de Notorious BIG comenzaba y se refleja muy bien en el soundtrack que adorna la historia. Tomas raras, elementos de la cultura hip hop (tags, mixtapes, etc), historia de amor/perdida de amor, diálogos que te transportan a esa época y la aparición del Method Man como suplidor de drogas con acento jamaiquino hacen de la historia una bien divertida y original. Una de la mejores “indies” que he visto últimamente. De 10 estrellitas se las otorgamos completas.

Review del reunion de Panty Sniffers

2008-08-13T19:12:00.004-04:00

Debido al obvio conflicto de intereses me tome el atrevimiento de postear el review de un tercer partido no vinculado con moi.

Foto y Texto sacado de lo nitido.com:

The Panty Sniffers Reunion Show
Por: L.S. Silva

El pasado viernes, 8 de agosto, se celebró un evento musical en Taller Cé, conmemorando la reunión de la banda de punk rock local, The Panty Sniffers. Demás está decir que la actividad cumplió las expectativas de la mayoría de quienes se dieron cita allí para disfrutar del espectáculo.

La lluvia refrescó la noche calurosa y con algo de retraso, abrió el show Dienteperro. Esta banda siempre se destaca por su sonido pesado y el carisma de su cantante, a quien cariñosamente apodan “Pelu”. El repertorio sentó pautas para con el ánimo colectivo y prontamente ya se iban aglomerando las gentes, quienes bailaban y cantaban al son del punk rock.

Siguiendo a Dienteperro, hizo entrada los más esperados de la noche, The Panty Sniffers. Luego de algún tiempo sin presentarse, la legendaria banda local demostró una vez más sus destrezas en tarima. Entonando viejos himnos, Panty Sniffers activó sólidamente a quienes les escuchaban: bailes, cánticos, golpes, fanáticos frenéticos compartiendo micrófonos y mucho ruido.

La banda Jenny Fatale y los Degolladores, cerró con broche de oro. Con sus canciones de líricas y ritmos pegajosos, esta banda definitivamente era la perfecta para culminar la actividad. Mientras los espectadores bailaban y cantaban, se desató una graciosa y divertida guerra de cojines voladores, mientras la banda tocaba sus canciones más conocidas.

Verdaderamente, siempre es imperativo señalar y difundir el hecho de hacer este tipo de eventos de forma responsable. Esta actividad estuvo marcada por la diversión y el consenso a través de la música. Esperamos próximas reuniones de The Panty Sniffers y que sus invitados sean agrupaciones tan divertidas y talentosas como Dienteperro y Jenny Fatales y Los Degolladores.

Nuevo disco del Tote King

2008-08-05T22:30:00.003-04:00

El mítico mc sevillano, Tote King, lanzará su próximo disco titulado “Barras de Terror” en noviembre 2008. Aquí tres canciones en directo de lo nuevo del Tote, miembro de La Alta Escuela y ex hypeman de SFDK. Definitivamente el 2008 ha sido de los mejores años del hip hop de la península ibérica por los clásicos discos que han salido de Falsalarma (Ley de Vida), Nach (Un día en suburbia), Shotta (Sangre), H Mafia (Barrabás) y Duo Kie (21 cm). Se esperan además nuevos discos del Dogma Crew (La 8va Plaga) en septiembre y de Juaninacka (41100 Rock) antes de que finalice el año.