I still remember the initial excitement I felt first reading about the Red-One last year. Seems that original promise has, if anything, been exceeded by the product itself.(how often does that happen?)

There’s a fascinating background piece about the company and it’s founder over at Wired, articulating just how disruptive the introduction of a cheap, high spec digital camera could be on the staid world of traditional film making. But, as John Gruber points out, I think it’s the consumer level “Scarlet” which has me excited.

Reminds me of the revolution in music-making that occurred with the introduction of pro-quality/consumer priced hardware and software.

Anyone want to be part of the cinematic equivalent to House music?

A game-changer in the making.

“That record was up against the paranoia of radio and the power of corporate record labels. That time, the record and the artist won. These days, neither one would have had a chance in hell.”

The story behind Prince’s ‘Kiss‘.

From the wondeful Mixonline archive.

via mefi

and Dave Rat’s take on Prince’s live show;

What is it about Prince’s show that has my defenses up ……… It was the the words still resonating that were forced into my own and everyone else’s ears, that define it best, “What’s My Name?, Say My Name!” and watching the crowd respond quasi-unified act as commanded and I realize that Prince’s show is all about the perpetuation of the ‘ME’ that is the ‘him’ that we are occasionally allowed to call Prince.

Defitinely felt a similiar vibe at last year’s London shows.

pic via

A super-positive first review for the new coen brother’s movie.

Man I’m looking forward to this.

(previously)

Prints etc on etsy.

Nice.

This is my biggest tune right now.

Hitting that beautiful sweet spot between 80’s analog funk, early electro and UK hiphop, Reflections On Creation & Bass‘ new track has caused ructions everytime we’ve played it. Whereas other Quaid productions have sometimes found their natural home in the headphones rather than the dancefloor, with this project Quaid’s deep detroit influences have a natural counter with MC Ster’s wickedly off balance flow.

It’s the sort of music that seems instantly timeless and that the UK used to be able to make with ease (but we’ve somehow forgotten). It takes something we recognise and twists it into something new and does so without losing the dancefloor.

There’s an LP due early next year, till then, as exclusive as it gets.

Reflections On Creation & Bass- Got to Go

Don’t sleep.

Stanley Fish on Kim Novak’s enduring, and often misunderstood, appeal;

MacMurray plays a cop assigned to ingratiate himself with her in the hope that she will lead him to her gangster boyfriend. But, as TCM host Robert Osborne observed, one look at Novak and he’s lost. When he’s not watching her, the camera is, for the plot consists largely of a surveillance operation; a team of detectives spends endless hours looking at Novak through binoculars, as do we. It is voyeurism from a distance, and emphasizes her status as a glittering something beheld from afar.

via greencine

The United States, Roubini went on, will likely muddle through the crisis but will emerge from it a different nation, with a different place in the world. “Once you run current-account deficits, you depend on the kindness of strangers,” he said, pausing to let out a resigned sigh. “This might be the beginning of the end of the American empire.”

link

Andria Lisle, looks at Memphis’ incredible musical legacy in today’s Guardian.

As the legend goes, if you plant your pocket change on the silty banks of the lower Mississippi River, copper and silver trees will spring up overnight. Maybe that’s not entirely true - but what Memphis, Tennessee lacks in monetary riches has, in musical wealth, been harvested a hundredfold.

It’s a great piece and especially poignant in light of Isaac Hayes’ recent passing.

I’d forgotten how much I loved his music till I listened to the Wattstax album again this week. During my first year of college, just getting into soul and funk in a serious way, one of my friends picked up a copy and we would listen to the Isaac Hayes section over and over (and over) again. Listening to it now, more than 10 years later, I still know all the changes, each note of the solos, it one of those records that has been aurally seared into my memory.

It’s a killer set and as close to the perfect example of live soul music as I’ve ever heard-amazing musicians playing the gig of their lives at the peak of their abilities. My only hope is that over time, Isac Hayes as ‘Chef’ and the easy media focus on ‘Theme from Shaft’ gives way to a better appreciation of his incredible contributions to popular music and that the Black Moses will keep leading us to back to the promised land of those halycon Memphis years.

For ever and ever.

Amen.

Isaac Hayes-Ain’t No Sunshine/Lonely Avenue (Live at WattStax)

Aint it Black, last night, was it’s usual explosive mix of eclectic music and up-for-it party crowd. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun deejaying, it’s like a massive, slightly mad house party.

The best thing about it, for me, is the people I’ve met. In a cynical and sometimes harsh city like London, it’s such a blessing to meet so many humble, generous and life affirming people (who love to party). Given that club culture can seem sometimes feel full of desperately self serving people, lacking any kind of integrity, constantly trying to hustle, Ain’t it Black is like some kind of tiny miracle.

Part of the night’s extended fam are an amazing Sarf London production crew going by the name of The Insomniax. They played live last month (and rocked it) and have just posted some serious edits on their myspace.

Check out their version of ‘Electric Feel’.

It’s all about that airhorn baby.

MGMT-Electric Feel(Insomniax mix)

Also responsible for the amazing United Airlines adverts that are around at the moment, The Black Heart Gang are a team of animators based in SA.

Beautiful work.