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SPOTLIGHT | EDWARD SAID

1/22/2020

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i came across the works of COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY literature professor EDWARD SAID while still in high school, which made since given that he also attended NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON. he is primarily celebrated for his post-colonial book ORIENTALISM (PANTHEON, 1979) which discusses the ways in which the west misperceives and distorts their perceptions of near-eastern cultures based on various remnants of outdated colonial thinking.

i believe i read it as part of a history or comparative religions class my sophomore year, but what it did embed in me, much like the work of HOWARD ZINN which i read years later, was the idea that my perception of the world was based on narratives with agendas.

within a year of being exposed to ORIENTALISM i was living in KUWAIT and unfortunately i was there on 9/11. my family lived in a PALESTINIAN enclave (most people don't know that KUWAIT has a large PALESTINIAN population, YASSER ARAFAT being one before returning to run the PLO) and on that fateful day people around me were celebrating. it twas my understanding of SAID that made me not go ballistic, especially at school the next day. the world is complicated and there are competing narratives, one of which was the UNICEF figure of 500,000 IRAQI children dead as a direct result of AMERICAN sanctions on SADAM HUSSEIN. i don't remember that being spoken about much in the aftermath of 9/11. i'm not promoting any conspiracy theories here, i am an AMERICAN who knew someone that passed on that terrible and was worried about the safety of my family, as we were physically in the MIDDLE EAST during that period. what i am saying is that just like in GESTALT PYSCHOLOGY and POST-STRUCTURALISM, the same event/sign can have different interpretations and both can be true.

being abroad most of my life i was always searching for these native understandings and narratives, not that i agreed with them but i certainly made an effort to acknowledge and understand them. to me that is the legacy of SAID.

FILM REVIEW | LOST IN TRANSLATION

1/21/2020

photo manipulation by nacrowe

for me, SOFIA COPPOLA's acclaimed film LOST IN TRANSLATION (FOCUS FEATURES, 2003) is one of the few films that vividly evokes the displacement that occurs to one's psyche and sense of identity when being abroad. being a THIRD CULTURE KID growing up overseas i am acutely aware of that heightened sense of awareness, especially regarding mannerisms, patterns and thought processes given that happen when you are aware of your own foreignness to your immediate surroundings. it takes some getting used to and some people lose the plot along the way.

speaking of which, for me this film is much less about the plot as it is about that need for connection and sense of home when you are far from anything familiar. i've seen it play tricks on people, especially in PEACE CORPS were relationships happened out of seeming necessity, both partners connected by this unique experience with all the excitement and fear of their new predicament mirrored in a newfound affection. but once the situation normalized and became routine, these same people regretted these trysts as they were initiated during a moment of weakness and insecurity.

in the film, the two main characters find each other despite outside considerations like marital status or age difference. being in TOKYO somehow alleviates them of their past identity.

in my mind the film raises the question of the extent to which our individual identity is fluid and contextualized based on external cues. choices you would never make back home are presented anew in a foreign context.

having been home for 2+ years now since living abroad for 8, i have the opposite problem. its beyond reverse culture shock at this point, my normal is being in an unfamiliar surrounding. maybe that is why i gravitate to this film.

if you haven't seen it, definitely seek it out.

NEW "SYNTHESIZER SHOW" EPISODE AVAILABLE NOW

1/20/2020

cover by nacrowe

click HERE for the most recent episode of THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC where hosts Vince and Reed talk via the magic of the internet an ocean apart from each other and celebrate Vince's recent news that he has been inducted into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME.

as always, you can access all past episodes of THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW via the DEER GOD website as well as those of MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, DEER GOD RADIO and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

BOOK REVIEW | "I'M THE MAN: THE STORY OF THAT GUY FROM ANTHRAX" BY SCOTT IAN

1/20/2020

photo by nacrowe
to access our review of SCOTT IAN's other 2017 memoir ACCESS ALL AREAS click HERE

much like his other release ACCESS ALL AREAS: STORIES FROM A HARD ROCK LIFE (DA CAPO PRESS, 2017), which i covered in a previous review, legendary THRASH METAL guitarist SCOTT IAN of ANTHRAX is a more than capable narrator of his own life story in his debut book I'M THE MAN: THE STORY OF THAT GUY FROM ANTHRAX (DA CAPO PRESS, 2014), which sees him overcome a troubled childhood with a neurotic mother, two failed marriages and surviving the music industry over 30 years with his mind and band intact.

it may be due to his long-term sobriety (minus a few PANTERA and OZZY tours) that the detail of his recollections seem to be precise and noteworthy. i made the point before in the other review that his writing style is very utilitarian, much like his guitar playing and this is holds true with this book as well. he tends not to embellish and hold himself to account for past misjudgments and moral lapses, which only further gains his voice credence in the reader's mind.

of interest to me with this book, which is very much a traditional chronological affair (unlike ACCESS ALL AREAS which is more a series of interesting stories), is the beginnings of THRASH METAL and MEGAFORCE RECORDS. specifically the stories IAN chooses to tell about his friend and legendary bassist/composer CLIFF BURTON (R.I.P.) and the formative years of METALLICA and ANTRAX. sharing the same indie label and manager provided him a front row seat to their early development which is compelling in historical terms. you really get a sense of the brotherhood of that early scene that carried on throughout their entire career, most famously in the BIG 4 concerts that happened this past decade.

i have to say that i also enjoyed his humor. too many times METAL bands take themselves and their image way too seriously (i'm looking right at you SLAYER) and even though ANTHRAX come off juvenile and goofy from time to time, in the end they come across as themselves: a bunch of METAL dudes from NYC.

and i can't fault them for that.

if you're interested in THRASH METAL, this book is worth your time and is a painless read, which is not always the case (cough, cough COREY TAYLOR).

DOUBLE-BILL DEER GOD RADIO TONIGHT AT 8PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC

1/19/2020

parodies by nacrowe

tonight starting at 8PM on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC there will be a double-bill of two separate DEER GOD RADIO episodes showcasing both the virtuosic, psychedelic bliss that is 1970s PROG ROCK and the lyricism, grit and legacy of SHAOLIN NYC HIP HOP legends WU-TANG CLAN.

past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

PROG ROCK

WU-TANG CLAN

NEW "MAKE HER SPACE" EPISODE WITH GUEST ANJOLI CHADHA AVAILABLE NOW

1/18/2020

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watch the latest streaming episode HERE of MAKE HER SPACE as MAGIE and JEN interview choreographer/dancer ANJOLI CHADHA about her past performative work and current residency at the STATEN ISLAND CHILDREN'S MUSEUM at SNUG HARBOR.

past episodes of MAKE HER SPACE as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like DEER GOD RADIO, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

CHECK OUT THIS BAND | RED FANG

1/17/2020

photo manipulation by nacrowe

the OREGON-based SLUDGE METAL/STONER ROCK band RED FANG is renowned as much for their comically infantile yet ingenious music videos often depicting such blue collar staples as SASQUATCH, DAGORHIR, TIME TRAVEL and PABST BLUE RIBBON as they are for their crushing BLACK SABBATH meets MELVINS sound.

just an awesome consistent band that keeps on delivering. check out their music.

THURSDAY THROWBACK | JANE'S ADDICTION AT OZZFEST JAPAN 2015

1/16/2020

photos by nacrowe

been a fan of JANE'S ADDICTION since my teens and are my all-time favorite rock band. only THE SMITHS and DEVO, two very different bands, come close in admiration.

luckily i've gotten to see the band play in various iterations over the years, but none more bizarre than a 2015 gig in TOKYO at OZZFEST 2015. first off, the show itself was all kinds of strange as you had two main stages, one with american bands of various genres like A DAY TO REMEMBER, HATEBREED, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and OZZY & FRIENDS and the other japanese bands, namely BABY METAL. japanese metal is weird, its all mixed with J-POP music so there is lots of hand-clapping and choreographed dance moves. BABY METAL has a legit rhythm section so they absolutely crushed, if you ever get the chance definitely hit up their live gigs. BLACK SABBATH had to back out due to health concerns surrounding TONY IOMMI's battle with lymphoma, so essentially OZZY & FRIENDS was the legendary singer with his band plus guest guitarists DAVE NAVARRO, TOM MORELLO and his first performance with ZAKK WYLDE in over 10 years. too bad OZZY sounded awful. he just sounded old and tired. i left early.

but my reason for going was strictly JANE'S ADDICTION. living in the greater LOS ANGELES area in my formative years, i have memories of riding around with my dad heading off to soccer games in at-risk MEXICAN soccer leagues listening to K-ROQ blasting songs off RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL (WARNER BROS, 1990). to me, JANE'S ADDICTION is LOS ANGELES, the land of my youth.

the show was great with the requisite dancers and swinging models fearlessly suspended above the fray with hooks in their backs (a then-recent hobby of guitarist DAVE NAVARRO). it was everything you'd expect from them, something a bit raunchy, dangerous and obscure to go with a setlist made up primarily of their transcendent genre-defining efforts NOTHING'S SHOCKING (WARNER BROS, 1988) and RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL. if they never do anything of merit again, those two records are canonical in my opinion.

so in summation, having attended several OZZFESTS in the early 00s, this version had little of the feeling of those events which was as much due to the lineup as it was about the location. it was more like a LOLLAPALOOZA/OZZFEST hybrid which was fine by me, although historically a bit absurd given that OZZFEST was created by SHARON OSBOURNE after not being able to secure her husband/client OZZY a gig on one of the initial LOLLAPALOOZA. regardless, i had a great time soaking in the absurdity of it all and JANE'S ADDICTION sounded killer. too bad OZZY had an off night. he really should retire. he more than deserves his time off. ALL HAIL!

DOUBLE-BILL DEER GOD RADIO TONIGHT AT 8PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC

1/16/2020

parodies by nacrowe

tonight starting at 8PM on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC there will be a double-bill of two separate DEER GOD RADIO episodes showcasing both the progged-out master riffage and sonic mayhem of MASTODON and the innovative, creations of post-war GERMANY now commonly referred to as KRAUTROCK. gonna be an intense night. enjoy1

past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

MASTODON

KRAUTROCK

"DEER GOD RADIO 69: BECK" NOW AVAILABLE

1/15/2020

parody by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO complete with a playlist celebrating the enigmatic, shapeshifting career of 90s postmodern ALTERNATIVE ROCK icon BECK.

past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!