Wednesday, December 2 2009
Lone Wolf and Cub Part 1: History and Influences
This unparalleled tale of honor and vengeance illustrates the full scope of human drama. In this introductory feature, appearing monthly, a brief overview of the series is sketched.
Tuesday, December 1 2009
“We’re Trying to Make Our Own Kind of Mythology”: An Interview with Wild Beasts
Bruce Springsteen? Drowning rats? Steve Reich and the joyous art of hedonism? These are the least interesting topics that Wild Beasts talk about following a year of well-deserved acclaim for their sophomore album.
Monday, November 30 2009
Selling Out to Survive
Placing songs in advertising remains a touchy subject. PopMatters spoke with a few artists whose music has appeared in advertising to find out what motivates them to do what some people claim is “selling out.”
The World Is All There Is: An Interview with Fool’s Gold
Rising Afropop titans Fool's Gold are bringing a unique cultural heritage to rock music: singing in Hebrew, changing their lineup with virtually every performance, and having one hell of a time shattering conventions ...
Wednesday, November 25 2009
The Story of a Soul Survivor: ‘Private Dancer’ at 25
On the eve of Tina Turner's 70th birthday, PopMatters salutes the 25th anniversary of Private Dancer. Join us as we celebrate the making of a modern classic while David Bowie, Nona Hendryx, Janelle Monáe, Bryan Adams, and more than 20 artists and producers pay tribute to the girl form Nutbush who conquered the world stage.
The Gospel According to Butch: Part 3—The Artist
Here songwriting is the focal point and Walker talks about his time working with Avril Lavigne, gives props to "The Macarena", and how he shouldn't try to make songs that are "post-gleeful".
Tuesday, November 24 2009
“With Our Love, We Can Save the World”: The Beatles Within and Without the Late ‘60s Zeitgeist
The Beatles were consistently constructed as symbolic avatars for the social and cultural shifts of their time and place, even while they were still in the midst of that time and place.
In My Own Life: 20 Indirect Beatle Memories
Unlike other bands that have come and gone, the actual fabric of my life is laced with unusual -- and even eccentric -- reminders of the Fab Four's impact.
‘Revolution in the Head; The Beatles’ Records and the Sixties’ by Ian MacDonald
Every corner of this book is filled with characterful touches. You can look, but you will not find this level of writing in any other Beatles book.
20 Questions: Sandra Brown
Bestselling author Sandra Brown chats about her weep-inducing, wavering confidence and advises that one should be wary of hiring a discount hit man.
Monday, November 23 2009
20 Beatles Buried Treasures
A list of the nearest things in the most overexposed catalogue in the history of popular music to “deep tracks”.
Sgt. Pepper Sets the Stage: The Album as a Work of Art
For the first time on a Beatles record, every song seemed connected in some way, however small. It didn't feel right to listen to just one song at a time; it felt right to listen to the whole album, front to back, every song.
Hitting ‘The Road’ with Director John Hillcoat
Director John Hillcoat talks to PopMatters about the hazards of being intimidated by legends, the funny side of cannibalism and Viggo Mortensen's sweet tooth as his adaptation of the seminal apocalyptic novel The Road hits theaters.
Friday, November 20 2009
Viva Pedro: The Almodóvar Interview
What could possibly be better than getting face time with one of the most legendary filmmakers of all-time? Getting face time with Almodovar and getting him to talk about some of Matt Mazur's favorite things: Jessica Lange, Ingmar Bergman, and actresses behaving badly. Generous, energetic and all-around amazing, Almodovar talks to PopMatters about his new film, Broken Embraces and much more.
Masters of Horror Manga: Kazuo Umezu and Hideshi Hino
Perhaps more so than any other artists, Kazuo Umezu and Hideshi Hino defined the genre of horror comics in Japan, an influence that extends to the West, and also to the world of J-horror films.
Thursday, November 19 2009
Lost in Translation
Though Almodovar's work seems to have penetrated the xenophobic American critical monolith, winning Oscars and scoring major points with stateside critics, he has often been taken to task by the European press. Bringing a special insight into Almodovar's place in the world of European filmmaking is a correspondent from Madrid, who turns a microscope on Pedro's role in post-Franco Spanish cinema, and the importance of his work as a European auteur.
Reuben Butchart [New York]
The former pianist for Antony & the Johnsons "awakens" with his most elaborate solo work yet.... and it features a plastic bag! Here's the story behind Reuben Butchart's boundless creativity.
Wednesday, November 18 2009
Woman or Object: Selected Female Roles in the Films of Pedro Almodóvar
What many of the women in Almodóvar’s films do have in common, despite their characterization as victim or martyr or heroine, is that they are survivors.
Pedro Almodóvar’s Quintessentially Pansexual Oeuvre
Almodóvar’s insistence on pushing boundaries and transcending confining definitions of acceptability, gender, sexuality, and narrative structure place his body of work amidst (among others) a queer cinematic canon that acknowledges and appreciates his placement of queer bodies and characters in essential strands of the narrative structure.
The Gospel According to Butch: Part 2—The Performer
The ever-prolific producer/songwriter Butch Walker notes how live shows lack a genuine mystique these days, his secret for surviving a tour, and why he'll probably never see Third Eye Blind in concert again ...
