hipsters, unite!

Call yourself a hipster or not, I am sure that you’ve partaken in some sort of fashion, beer, music, what-have-you. We’ve all done it. It’s hard not to when you see it everywhere. This is a good attempt at decoding some of this nonsense.

When we see hipsters everywhere we know them, and can pick our their type. There’s no need to pick them out of a crowd, for they are the crowd. I’ve had many conversations about who and where they’ve come from and what we can compare them to in our past. Because, let’s face it. That’s what we do. We look at something in our lives and take a look at history and try to explain it through something familiar to us. It’s how we function, usually.

At first you could say they are comparative to the hippie. But the hippie fought for something right? Peace…..free love….weed. They were fighting for something then, being constructive and demanding. It wasn’t something everyone else made fun of. It was envied and thought of as new. Then I thought, maybe they could be like the Beats- people who have an intellectualism going for themselves. Then I remembered that hipsters aren’t too intellectual and just wear a same brand of strange clothes like the beats did. Then this article (see above link) was presented to me, and it makes perfect sense.

“An artificial appropriation of different styles from different eras, the hipster represents the end of Western civilization – a culture lost in the superficiality of its past and unable to create any new meaning. Not only is it unsustainable, it is suicidal. While previous youth movements have challenged the dysfunction and decadence of their elders, today we have the “hipster” – a youth subculture that mirrors the doomed shallowness of mainstream society.”

When you see another Christmas sweater, or go into Urban Outfitters thinking it’s going to be a good choice (when it’s not) or when you move to Brooklyn to take photos with your fish eye and go see Best Coast, think again. What’s really going on here?

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I’ve been saying this all along. The Velvet Underground IS fucking genius. And if you haven’t yet, it’s about time.

OK. I’ve been getting much more into solo Lou Reed. I recent won 100 bucks off my dad on a bet. We were talking about Lou Reed, for reasons I’m not sure why. My father has never expressed any interest let alone knowledge about the man. Which is why I won. He proceeded to promise me that Lou Reed played on a studio record with the Eagles. I’m pretty sure, if memory serves me right, that I laughed in his face. We called our phone-a-friend, my dad’s former colleague, life long friend and known-to-be genius, also my god father (not sure why I have one, also he’s the most Jewish man I will ever meet): Danny Gold. He works for the New York Times and used to edit Frank Rich. Enough said. In a nut, I was right. I am a Coney Island Baby.

Preferably tied for first with Wilco, but that remains to be seen, the Velvet Underground is IT. The beginning of punk, housing four original geniuses, the biggest asshole in music history (we love you Lou) and the greatest (chick) drummer EVER. period.

Check out All Songs Considered. As from the first link above, they have interns review classic records said interns have never heard before. (Can you even imagine never hearing your personal favorite and getting to hear it for the first time over again? It must be like magic.) As you’ll guess, it was the first, The Velvet Underground & Nico, the most OVERRATED of all VU records but still you cannot ignore it. Either way, keep up with All Songs Considered. They are no underground like Pitchfork (they’re hiring!) and they aren’t the new rave of national breaking news (ahem rollingstone.com, that shit is real, at least for now.) I’d call it a middle ground. After their ‘Best Opening Tracks’ show, they asked for listeners’ favorite closing tracks. I was too late to join to mention that my favorite is Oh! Sweet Nuthin on Loaded, but at least I’m getting it out here.

All I’m saying here is– it’s never too late to get into the Velvets. And, if you’re ready for some real emotional discourse and disturbance, Lou Reed himself. Warning, it gets strange.

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eww

Here is another reason to hate, or just contemplate, Lady Gaga. I know she’s well educated- Tisch school at NYU and all- but that doesn’t make me like her more. My sister loves her as does my brother-in-law. That makes me hate her even more because they are two of the smartest people I know. I don’t get the fad. But when I saw this article this AM on one of the greatest blogs, I figured I’d share it. I’ve never seen the telephone video. I’ve had it described to me and almost reenacted by said sister, but I have no desire to watch it.

Many artists of the past have changes their appearances just for shock value, and for stranger reasons (ahhem Michael Jackson- its almost the one year anny. of his death-weird!) but that doesn’t make her more like great artists of the past. Or does it? I mean Madonna did it. (Maybe in future decades Gaga will bring us religion crazes too?) I know Lady Gaga can make a great pop song that ya’ll enjoy while dancing in whatever club you go dancing in- but her crazy behavior should make you think a little more than usual, right? I don’t get the face hiding and the Kermit the Frog dress and I don’t get that crazy look in her eye. Maybe someone can explain it one day.

Until then, whose in??

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i made a friend….once

Yes, I’ve played chatroulette and yes, I have made a friend once. We both even commented about how it was nice to find a stranger to chat about nothing with and not run into penis. Some call it creepy, which it totally is. And yea, it’s strange. But, hey! I was bored and needed an excuse to put off doing work. I’ve ran into some people from Australia and Essex, England, some from Spain and few from around U.S. (mainly high school kids)- but all of them were only interested in one thing. This is just a fun thing to check out. Plus- who doesn’t love the New Yorker? Also, even though it’s fiction…check this out. A new one from our good friend Woody Allen. I found myself reading and enjoying it. Something will shake me out of this no-fiction-phase. But it’s not this.

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comics, music, growing up, etc.

So Spring Break, right? It’s Eels, James Brown and On The Beach (thanks, michael) while riding my bike through a neighborhood that I cannot manage to get lost in, despite the fact that I do not know my way around. It’s all a big circle. After many rainy days, OK-two rainy days, and a completed/mailed internship application to Chicago Public Radio and a house to myself I am enjoying time however I want. In the last day I’ve eaten about an entire pound of green grapes. Also, I am on the look out for an inexpensive road bike to purchase. Please keep me informed. Until then, here are things I want to share with you that I’ve stumbled upon.

VICE magazine. I want to work there, maybe. Here we have this. The picture below compliments it well I think.

Also, VICE brings us the latest in butt health.

click the pic for the story

Basically everything YOU are interested in comes from VICE’s latest publication……check her out.

Also, there’s GOOD magazine. Here is an interactive on the two earthquakes that recently quaked Chile and Haiti. And if you are a ‘young adult’ (yes, erica, we are growing up SOMETIME soon…) you might want to move away to explore something new. Four of these cities are in Texas. The only two people I’ve ever met FROM Texas (Austin, that is) are really great, smart people. Don’t write it off. Until then, peruse some internet, ride some bikes and listen to poly-sonic-pleasantness, however you may define it.

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i don’t get ben stiller…

But people love giving him press. And people love him! He’s been in movies none of which are my favorite. I’ve always hated Zoolander (no matter what, you cannot convince me.)  Although I do love the Royal Tenenbaums, who doesn’t love Wes Anderson?!

The New York Times is almost-kind-of profiling him because of this new independent movie he made called “Greenberg“. I do not know what it is about. I did see the trailer quite a few months ago on apple trailers. I remember being unimpressed by it. Who knows, maybe we’ll all be surprised?

My spring break is just as great as driving to Miami. I am sitting on my couch listening to ‘From the Beginning’ Wilco. I have five extra days to complete my Chicago Public Radio application. I am reading uncontrollable amounts for class. And it’s rainy, which means lazy schneeging. Tonight my parentals and I are going to see Alice in Wonderland (more to come on that.) All is well here. Plus, how can we top last year’s spring break? I don’t know about ya’ll but I drove from Los Angeles to Vancouver and back last year. If you have the time (and money) go out and do something crazy! If not, enjoy whatever. I’m spending time writing, reading and music dorkin’…so the usual.

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happy mardi gras?

I am glad that the Saints won the bowl. And it makes anyone even happier for Mardi Gras because New Orleans deserves all the good economy it can get. I love it! Although I have never given up anything for lent (I’m not starting now) one of my favorite things to do is exercise my self control. Even though it is exercising self control for something I could never believe in, I still enjoy people bettering themselves and personal motivation. Whatever you might give up, I’ve seen friends give up pop, chocolate, other unmentionables and their favorite foods, good luck with that! I’m going to enjoy things in moderation, but also enjoy them!

My only real personal story relating to Mardi Gras goes back to eighth grade, first year of french class. My best friend at the time, Robin, and I were one of many groups who had to bake a King’s Cake. The King’s Cake has a tiny plastic baby in it (I know, woahhh) and whomever gets the small plastic infant in their bite of cake, they are the King for the day. Our cake involved a lot of frosting dye (purple, green and yellow of course) and it was a kind of cinnamon role deliciousness cake. I kind of wish I had some now.

Now this holiday has a lot of religious celebrations and is originally a religious holiday. I am not sorry that religion has never been a part of my life, and my only story typically revolves around food. I don’t mean any disrespect here, I just only know the cake side. And since I’ve never traveled to New Orleans (which I would one day for Mardi Gras) and am now only 21, I’ve never had the uncontrollable drunken experience of Mardi Gras. I’m sure some readers out there have.

Any good Mardi Gras stories out there to share? Lets hear them, please!

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black and white beauties

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There are a lot of subjects that a lot of people call themselves experts of. Rock and roll is one of them. A lot of people love rock and roll, you all know I do. We enjoy it every day. It inspires us to do whatever we are supposed to be inspired to do. It can act as a life narrative or just as a soundtrack to whatever you might be doing that day. You can find loads and loads of books on the subject of “rock and roll.” Sometimes its hard to weed out the ones that don’t get their facts straight, or the ones that are just kind of a jumble and don’t really have anything going for them. When such a topic is on the table its hard to filter out all the crap. Luckily- you have me.

Among the many books there are a lot of photographs. And every once and a while a great book comes out- and this time I think I have found it. I mean, its not the greatest book of all time on the subject, but it can provide time for your rock and roll imagination to adventure around in that crazy head of yours. Who Shot Rock and Roll, A Photographic History 1955 to the Present is a new book. And here is a new slide show of included photographs .

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Backstreet Boy

Childhood stars will grow up and always be remembered for whatever role it was they had in their youth. That guy from the Wonder Years was in some sitcom a few years ago, but I just remember him from the Wonder Years. Screech from Saved by the Bell is a standup comic/porn star now, but I’m sure everyone that sees him imagines him as the curly-haired nerd stuck in a locker. Lance Bass from N*Sync almost went into space, but then came out of the closet, but he was just remembered for being the vulnerable looking one from N*Sync. Which bring us to Kevin Richardson, remember him, from the Backstreet Boys? He was the darker one, the quieter one. No, not AJ. Here, remember?

Since his BSB days, Richardson has been working with animals – in a BIG way.

he wanted it this way

he wanted it this way

Now 32, Richardson lives with giant cats in South Africa. That’s more than Nick Carter can say. He was recently jailed for assaulting brother, Aaron.

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the pic is the link

must72-550x275

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