A few weeks back I was tipped off to the Curious Case of Justin Bieber. If you are not one of the 80 MILLION people who have watched Bieber's videos on YouTube, there are just a few things you need to know. One, Bieber is 15 years old and looks, in traditional adolescent boy style, even younger. Here he is, in all his backwards-hatted glory:
The second thing to know is that Bieber is rapidly making a name for himself as a pop musician who sings songs about loving girls and having fun and being romantic. The last thing that is important to keep in mind is that, apparently, our nation's youth are OBSESSED by this pint-sized popster. He doesn't even have an album out yet and he is all over the place. (And by place I mean the Internet, the Billboard Top 40 Chart, the talk show circuit, and probably your younger cousin's bedroom wall.) Usher and Justin Timberlake had a bidding war over this kid, for Pete's sake.
Bieber appeared on Ellen this afternoon (video after the jump) and watching him got me thinking, What the heck is going on here? Why are America's youngsters losing their shit over this guy? And why is Justin Bieber making me feel like such an old lady?
Welcome to Grandmothers of electronic music, Part 2: Wendy Carlos
Last week I brought you Delia Derbyshire,
sonic experimenter and BBC soundtrack writer supreme. Today, we'll take
a look at the work of American, Wendy Carlos (née Walter Carlos).
Well, here we go: it is the end of my time at Bitch. And the end, sadly enough, of She Pop. That happened really fast, you guys! I kind of felt like we were just learning how to talk to each other! But it has been a good ride, I would think. And I hope it has been so for you as well. There has been a lot of shouting, some excitement; all in all, everything you want from a show.
Oh, hey, it's Halloween everybody! Halloween, of course, is the holiday when we celebrate terror, goofy outfits, and bad life decisions made at parties that get ever-so-slightly out-of hand. I'm sure lots of you will be celebrating this sacred day with "costumes" and "parties" and "actually leaving the house." But, as for me - having failed, for the second year in a row now, to assemble a sufficiently creepy Dov Charney costume (BEHOLD THE TRUE FACE OF FEAR*) - I will be celebrating by "blogging." And I invite you to celebrate with me! Put down your various judgment-impeding beverages, leave your friends behind, and join me, on this guided Internet tour of POP-RELATED CELEBRITY HORROR. Featuring:
It's Halloween, and even though we all know that the holiday is mainly about a.) dressing up in lingerie and some kind of animal ears and b.) candy, it's important not to lose sight of the fact that it's also an excuse to bust out some truly chilling tunes -- songs that aren't Halloween-themed so much as they are sincerely creepy. My picks are mostly classic-rock selections that I heard for the first time as a kid and have since had visceral, chilling reactions to. Share your own spooky playlists in the comments!
Portland's annual women-centered arts fest Siren Nation is back, from November 5-8! This three-day festival is packed with women musicians, filmmakers, artists, and craftsters. Siren Nation's mission is to showcase and support women in the arts--and inspire other women to make their own. This year's festival promises to be as great as ever! The film lineup alone is awesome: four documentaries on four strong women, including Ahead of the Majority on Patsy Mink, the first Asian-American woman to run for president, and Ridin' and Rhymin' on cowgirl-cum-poet Georgie Sicking. As for music, check out this rundown of lineup, including Lovers and Tender Forever:
Northwesterners, get your tickets now! For non-Portlanders, it's worth it to check out the line-up for unknown artists you didn't know you were missing.
I
love electronic music—a genre that had its mainstream heyday in the 90s
with a small resurgence in the form of electro-clash in the early
naughts. Throughout my years listening, I've gathered quite a
collection with my favorites including: Aphex Twin, Plaid, µ-Ziq,
Boards of Canada, Bogdan Raczynski, Venetian Snares, Squarepusher and
on. Guess how many of those musicians are women? Zero. Sure. I like
Mira Calix and Ellen Alien...but they are rare in their field.
So when a friend posted a mash-up
on his Facebook page featuring one of the early innovators in
electronic music, who happened to also be a woman, I was intrigued.
So, Halloween is upon us once again. Or, as I like to call it, "The Night of a Thousand Gagas."
You guys! SO MANY PEOPLE are going to be Lady Gaga! You can find tips on how to be the Gaga of your choice; you can design your own Gaga; a close friend of mine is getting into the spirit by manufacturing multiple Gaga costumes for a Gaga-themed party.
The appeal of the Gaga costume is undeniable. For one thing, it is easy. It goes (a) blond wig, (b) sunglasses, (c) the most absurd thing you can think of. Do you have a leather jacket? Would you consider wearing it with a swimsuit? Lady Gaga sure would! BLAM, Halloween costume achieved. But then, there's another factor: the fact that the entire "Lady Gaga" concept is, basically, a Halloween costume already. Gaga just wears it all year round.
To commemorate the end of Bed, Bitch and Beyond and to honor those naughty Halloween costumes that currently are flying off the racks, I bring you a very special, very sultry, totally Kenny-G-free compilation of sexy jams. Turn down the lights and turn up the mood music.
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