Quick Clicks

2001 was a good year for music.

PopMatters interviews famous film score composer Ennio Morricone.

Leave it to the Japanese to put LEDs on something like this.

The Hold Steady front man Craig Finn is set to direct the film version of Chuck Klosterman’s Fargo Rock City.

Michael Cera is 12. Swear to god.

I’m certainly not interviewing for Oxbridge, but what a great list of books.

Women Will Overtake Men in the Workforce This Month

The US Labor Department statistics would seem to coincide with what John Broome predicted in this 50′s era science fiction comic:

I just laughed so hard that I died. Yeah.

And the Best Part Is That It’s Mercury-Free

…you know– so I won’t miss any of my performances in Speed-the-Plow on Broadway. I don’t think that’s ever going to get old. So. I’m thinking about making this to bring to a Halloween party I’m going to in DC next weekend:

Candy Sushi!

This particular recipe involves fruit roll-ups, which function the way the seaweed does in traditional sushi, and rice krispy treats, which function as the sticky “rice” component. A number of other candy treats go inside and on top of the roll. There are tons of other recipes out there, too. Some of them look so realistic!

What do you think?

Quick Clicks

Your “no shit” news of the day: Glenn Beck is an idiot.

NIN’s “Pretty Hate Machine” turned 20 years old. I’m not even going to pretend like I wasn’t three when it came out. I didn’t catch on until later.

A revolting collection of vampire-themed merchandise that shouldn’t exist.

R. Crumb retells the story of Genesis in a graphic novel format.

Speaking of, seems like everyone is interested in the Bible as text these days: Check out the tracklist and stream the songs here. Great album.

Depression has its evolutionary perks, particularly if you’re a writer. But we’ve always known that.

More than you ever wanted to know about the Smurfs, who made their debut 51 years ago this week.

I Wanna Do Bad Things

I came across this list of the Top 10 TV Theme Songs from current shows. There are some good ones on here, but there are also some odd ducks too. Two of the “Honorable Mentions,” True Blood and Mad Men, would certainly be on my list.

I mean the True Blood opening sequence won an Emmy for god’s sakes. And it’s just SO evocative of a particular place and cultural milieu, the cut scenes of religious imagery with nudity and dancing and blood and rotting animals… it’s pitch perfect. They couldn’t have picked a better song to go with, either.

And the Mad Men sequence is just sexy. I just learned that the opening song is an RJD2 song: “A Beautiful Mine.” Something new every day.

Quote of the Day

It is necessary to work, if not from inclination, at least from despair.

-BAUDELAIRE

How Much More Black Could It Be?

NOT FAIR.

Nintendo is releasing a Black Wii in the UK ONLY this Christmas. What’s worse is its price tag: 179.99, otherwise known as 300 USD. The standard white Wii has just come down in price fifty dollars to a neat $199.99 here in the US, too. I don’t have the cojones to drop an extra hundred on a color but GOD DAMN! It’s sexy. I’m still waiting to replace mine, which was stolen in the now infamous Bushwick Break-In of 2009. So glad I moved away from that wretched neighborhood. Looks like it’s back to white for me. Either way, I need an IV infusion of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess stat.

Quick Clicks

A 1979 Polaroid that Andy Warhol snapped of the late Farrah Fawcett is going up for auction at the Children’s Museum of the Arts in NYC. The photo is already valued at over $8,000.

The Housten Press music blog lists 5 decent bands named after Star Wars terminology. The “decent” qualifier is what scares me: that means there are more.

The travesty that is Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is going to be hard to find. Thank god.

IFC picked up the rights to air Arrested Development.

Ben Gibbard has a scene in Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, the film based on David Foster Wallace’s novel and directed by John Krasinski (!)

Bizarro: James Franco’s brother Dave has a role on Scrubs now.

Crave lists 8 overhyped bands you’ll soon forget. But I love Bon Iver!

Some bitchin’ NYC street art of our lady Madonna.

This Is How Mad You Are

…that I haven’t updated in eons. I blame the deadly graduate school/full-time employment diet I’ve been on. Sick.

Anyhow. We’re back online. With a vengeance.