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Friday , July 10, 2009

The DJ Freak Illness Guide to Home Movies: Michael Jackson Memorial Edition

As a special Friday treat, we bring you this guest post from nogoodforme pal DJ Freak Illness aka Katie Perry (not to be confused with Katy Perry, who we're not friends with at all and will never ask to guest-blog for us.) Enjoy!

I am a sucker for many things, but my hands-down Numero Uno sucker-maker is dancing. In that category, my top sub-sucker-makers are: dancing at weddings, choreographed dancing in general, and anything that involves both dancing and Michael Jackson. Put 'em together and what have you got? Choreographed dancing to Michael Jackson at weddings!

And I ain't the only one! Browse the YouTube and you will find many many wedding tributes to the King of Pop. There are others, sure (the way lamer Nobody-Puts-Baby-In-a-Corner first dance, the Country-Music-Morphs-into-"Low"-by-Flo-Rida first dance, some "Baby Got Back" first dances, which I admit I find somewhat charming), but MJ leads the pack by a healthy margin. I have some theories about it: a bride and groom are vulnerable on their wedding day, partly because they are in the midst of a very public display of their wide-open little hearts (ideally anyway), and MJ was a balls-to-the-wall, wide-open little hearted performer. Onstage, he was raw in a way that, say, Madonna isn't. Who better to imitate on the day you bring everyone you know to the same place to show them how disgustingly in love you are?

I had some other theories too, but I forgot them. ANYWAY. Last year, I got really obsessed with Thriller wedding videos, which almost always cheer me up when I'm feeling blue. Now that I've been feeling blue about MJ's passing, I've revisited a few of them. Here, for your enjoyment, a sampling of clips from the Three Major Types of Michael Jackson Wedding Dances:

THRILLER IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL - GROOMSMEN STEAL THE SHOW

This is one of my favorites, I think mostly because of the way they zomb into the frame at the beginning and then how the main guy is always just this side of Really Into It but he's still pretty good. I also like to pretend he's Win Butler.

MJ AS WINDOW INTO THE BEDROOM, OR: "WATCH OUT! WE'RE UNPREDICTABLE!"

This is one from the "surprise first dance" genre, in which the newlyweds start out shuffling in earnest to something acoustic and love-y, and then BAM! The rug is pulled from under our feet! Like the story of the Titanic, it's way predictable, but the ending still gets me.

I like this one because when they're dancing to Jack Johnson the wife seems a little twitchy and uptight, but then when "The Way You Make Me Feel" hits, and especially around 1:47 and 2:27, I feel like they really want the audience to think a lot about them having SEX! Which is fine, I guess. Also, the high-five at the end kills me, I admit it.

THRILLER WITH LAUGH TRACK: EVERYBODY LIMBO

Then we have the bride + groom + wedding party-style Thriller, which has a more celebratory feel since the whole gang is in on it. This one I enjoy mainly for the occasional zoom on the bride grabbing her crotch and the fact that the audience is howling with laughter the whole time.

Sigh. Farewell MJ. May your moves be mangled by generations to come.

Tags: DJ Freak Illness, Michael Jackson, sexiness, Titanic, weddings, Win Butler, YouTube

Wednesday , February 18, 2009

Random Video Entry: Courtney Love Throwing Her Makeup at Madonna, Who Totally Deserves It

Speaking of awards season, today I was gonna do an "All-Time Top 5 Best Awards-Show Moments"-type post, but then I realized it'd probably all just be stuff from the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. Nothing interesting ever happens at the Oscars, and even the Bob Dylan/Soy Bomb Grammy thing is mostly boring when you watch it now. So instead I simply give you this really weird video of Courtney Love crashing a Kurt Loder interview with Madonna at the MTV Awards in '95 or something: C.L. grabs their attention by throwing her MAC compact at Madonna, storms the little interview platform, then somehow sounds kinda sincere when she asks, "Am I totally interrupting?" What follows is some bizarro back-and-forth in which the ladies praise Alanis Morissette's vocal abilities ("There's some pipes, there's some pipes," nods Courtney) and debate Dennis Miller's hotness while Kurt Loder mostly just stands there looking befuddled. Then Madonna takes C.L.'s clever rock-world-as-hospital analogy to a really bitchy place, and C.L. does a Warren Beatty impression that sounds almost exactly like her Kurt Cobain impression from a few seconds earlier. Comedy gold! Madonna's a big jerk! Courtney's sort of a mess but at least she seems pretty psyched about life! And yes, the video-poster is right that you should "skip ahead to 2:35 to avoid the dull part." It's actually more like 2:40.

Tags: Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain, Kurt Loder, MAC, Madonna, MTV, Soy Bomb, the Oscars are boring, videos

Tuesday , January 20, 2009

Random Video Entry, Special Inauguration Edition: Debbie Harry + Iggy Pop's "Well, Did You Evah?"

If I were attending the inauguration today, I'd take Iggy Pop as my date and we'd saunter around to every ball and give a running commentary of all the fabulous goings-on. Not every line totally applies, but the most important lyric works 10,000 percent: It's all just too SWELLEGANT!

P.S. That Jimmy really is the handsomest devil in all the world. And a fine actor, too!

Tags: awesome fun, Barack Obama, celebration, Cole Porter, Debbie Harry, James Osterberg aka Iggy Pop, parties, videos

Sunday , October 5, 2008

Random Video Entry: "Powers of Ten" by Ray & Charles Eames

Powers of Ten by American designers Charles & Ray Eames is one of my favorite anythings of all time. If I had to make a Laura Jane time capsule explaining to a future alien-android everything good about the twenty-three years I have lived so far, a DVR (I guess) of this vid would most definitely be included (along with I Me Mine by George Harrison, a Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs LP, Muppet Babies Happy Meal toys, a Super Big Gulp of Diet Coke, and nogoodforme.com, somehow).

Powers of Ten explains the relative scale of the Universe through the visual power of the Powers of Ten. It is so cool and beautiful I can barely even deal with it. The only reason I've never posted it to nogoodforme.com before is because I thought I already did, but I didn't. So here you go! Enjoy!

PS: It always pays off to name-drop your interest in this video when trying to impress people at bars, work-related events, or via your Facebook profile.

Tags: Charles & Ray Eames, diet coke, George Harrison, Muppets, Powers of Ten, the Universe, videos

Wednesday , September 24, 2008

Random Video Entry: Favorite moments in Sesame Street rock

Last weekend a buddy o'mine told me about this mega-genius (and insanely happy-making) YouTube video of Bert and Ernie rapping "Ante Up" by M.O.P.:

So then I went and YouTubed all my favorite Sesame Street pretend rock videos from back in the day - here's the three that seem to hold up best:

1. "Born to Add"

Whoa, these dudes look totally crazy and vaguely strung-out. But I guess that's what happens when you live your life endlessly maligned for your wild and undying arithmetic lust. I fully dig the headbanging, as well as the chick's fabulous neck scarf.

2. "You're Alive"

As the same buddy who told me about the Bert and Ernie vid once remarked, "Machinehead" by Bush is such a ripoff of "You're Alive" by Little Chrissy & The Alphabeats (lyrically speaking, at least). Of course, "You're Alive" rocks about a thousand times harder, and is it weird that I kind of have a crush on Little Chrissy? Furthermore, WHY AREN'T MORE BOYS NAMED CHRISSY?

3. "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"

Okay, I'm cheating - this last one's The Muppets. I was gonna post either "Letter B" or "Hey Food" by The Beetles, but something about both was just rubbing me the wrong way. (I think it's the red hair, maybe.) So here's Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem doing Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover." The most amusingly bemusing thing about this one is how it's basically just a straight-up cover - who knew Muppets had lovers?

Rowlf, by the way, is so my Spirit Muppet (although I relate much more to his Muppet Baby self). Also, should I be Janice for Halloween this year?

Tags: hip-hop, Muppets, music, Sesame Street, spirit Muppets, videos, YouTube

Saturday , September 13, 2008

Dream Dude: John McEnroe

If there's one trait I can't resist in a dude, it's a complete inability to control himself. John McEnroe is definitely the loosest cannon in the history of all professional athleticism; in other words, John McEnroe is totally the John Lennon of tennis. And if there's one trait I can't resist in a dude (besides a severe deficit of self-control, that is), it's "being a John". It also helps when said cyclonic, out-of-control, Lennon-esque jerk happens to be wearing little shorts and has big poofy Jeff Lynne hair tamed by a red sweatband.

Over the past couple days, my favorite activity in the world has become Youtubing videos of classic John McEnroe tantrums. Homeboy's a madman! I'd probably assume he was an alcoholic if he wasn't so on-the-ball about, um, literally being on-the-ball, and besides: who needs alcoholism when you have rage issues this extreme? It's gorgeous. McEnroe's on-the-court free-form freak-outs are hilarious, sexy and totally commendable. John McEnroe is basically the smartest person ever. He understands how toxic it can be for the human psyche to suppress your anger- you need to get that negativity out!

Throw your racket on the court, John McEnroe! Tell that stodgy British umpire who's boss! ANSWER MY QUESTION, JERK!

Seen below is my personal favorite Youtube compilation of John McEnroe at his most irrationally, irascibly aggressive. This video is the best thing I have ever posted to nogoodforme.com. I hope you all watch it a billion times.

Tags: anti-anger management, dream dudes, John McEnroe, livewires, loose cannons, temper tantrums, tennis, TOO DUDE FOR YOU

Friday , January 18, 2008

Video magic: "Gypsy" by Fleetwood Mac

I saw this for the first time - or the first time I can remember, anyway - last month on a red-eye from L.A. to Boston, really early on Christmas Eve-Eve morning after a night of fitful sleep during which I kept my ear buds in while The Darjeeling Limited played twice in a row on my little JetBlue seatback screen. I kind of have no idea what the hell's supposed to be going on here, but the video makes me like the song about a thousand times more than I did before. I think it's all the happy twirly dancing: It'd be so hard to pull off happy twirly video dancing these days, and almost no one uses sets with make-believe cliffside forests under cotton-candy-pink skies.

Anyway, a few observations:

-I'd maybe like my entire apartment to look a lot like Stevie's video bedroom. And then I could spend my afternoons staring wistfully into my big oval mirror while doing the splits.

-Thigh-high socks + flowy dresses = yes please!

-The flashback sequences segued into magical forestland really make me want to watch Annie followed by many episodes of Faerie Tale Theatre, if possible. And maybe The Dark Crystal?

-I deeply covet Depression-era Stevie's hat.

-I think the video's greatest strength is its handling of that "maybe once, maybe twice" coda. Stevie's lip-synching at 3:20 is just exhilarating, for instance. And the leaping lovers! But then they sort of lose me when the vocals end and all the stupid flashback choreography starts up.

-Dudes, I'm officially over Lindsey Buckingham. Give me Mick Fleetwood any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

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Friday , August 17, 2007

Sofia Coppola, Video Star

A little while back in the city of San Francisco I found a $4 used copy of Teeth by Hugh Gallagher at some bookstore on Valencia and bought it because (a) I'd read nice things about Hugh Gallagher in Sassy, like, 15 years ago; and (b) Hugh Gallagher is the boy responsible for what I'd consider one of the most outstanding pieces of journalism Rolling Stone has ever published. It was this fun/terrifying first-person story in which the author locked himself in a hotel room and did nothing but watch MTV for an entire week, and I remembered it so fondly that I ended up scoring a copy of that issue (published on April 29, 1993; Eric Clapton on the cover) on eBay the day I got back from SF. Written diary-style, the article's as great as I remember and full of moments both beautiful (Hugh talking about riding around D.C. on the back of his big brother's motorcycle while listening to the Chili Peppers' "Breaking the Girl") and gross (Hugh vomiting up his coffee during an episode of Headbangers Ball).

Anyway, the whole reason I'm bringing it up now is there's this entry on the second day of his experiment (3:32 p.m. on December 30, 1992, just two days after my 15th birthday) in which he writes: "Something about the Black Crowes' anti-heroin song makes me want to try heroin." And then about an hour later, there's a much more lengthy rant about Madonna's video for "Deeper and Deeper" (excerpt: "My God, the woman is completely insane. She's a national security threat - you can see it in her eyes, howling orbs of vacant, heavy rotation. One of these days she's going to whip out a Cobray submachine gun and mow down a roomful of fashion freaks at a Jean-Paul Gaultier runway show"). What he doesn't mention is that both the Black Crowes video ("Sometimes Salvation") and "Deeper and Deeper" star a girl named Sofia Coppola, who would've been about 21 years of age back then. Those weren't her only video appearances; she was also in the one for "Mildred Pierce" by Sonic Youth, which probably came out in 1990, and then, in 1997 or so, the one for "Elektrobank" by The Chemical Brothers (directed by the ex, Spike Jonze).

The point it's taken me a thousand years to get to is that: It's kind of mondo bizarro that Sofia Coppola used to be in music videos, and those videos actually got played on MTV. And while I do recognize that maybe she works much better behind the camera, I do miss that moment in time when she turned up not just in videos but in fashion spreads and on her own short-lived TV show, largely just because her dad made lots of big, big movies. It's that whole famous-for-being-famous thing, but wouldn't it be nice if there were more such ladies out there today who leaned more toward dilettante than celubante? I think so.

Anyway, here's a little trip through Sofia's brief but bright career as a video actress. I can't decide which one is my favorite.

1. Sonic Youth, "Mildred Pierce"

Okay, this one probably never got played on MTV, except maybe during "120 Minutes," but it might even be too weird for that. It's Sofia as Joan Crawford, by far the most animated we've ever seen her. (In fact, I watched this about five times before realizing that was her - it's so surreal to see her making so many different facial expressions. I thought she just had the one, that endearing little almost-sneer.) The air-surfing by the Hollywood sign is lots of dorky fun and makes me wish Sonic Youth's L.A. phase had lasted a little longer. However: Thurston, please put your shirt back on!

2. Black Crowes, "Sometimes Salvation"

This makes me feel sad for my highly impressionable 14-year-old self, already subjected to so much heroin-chic imagery (Kurt, those Calvin Klein ads, etc.). But I do love Sofia's coat. Chris Robinson's too.

3. Madonna, "Deeper and Deeper"

Oh, this one's the most fun (though I don't get the whole "Sprockets" thing going on). Yes to the crimped hair; no to that foofy thing around Madonna's neck (Hugh Gallagher calls it "a Muppet frock"; Hugh Grant (in About a Boy) would call it "some kind of yeti costume"). The banana thing is cute but that long-haired boy in his skivvies: not so much. Sofia looks lovely and Debi Mazar = hot hot hot. The video makes me miss her despite the fact that I see her all the time on Entourage.

4. The Chemical Brothers, "Elektrobank"

Sofia as gymnast, and she's very good at the awkward-teenager thing. It really slugs my heart when she hurts her knee. And the scrunchie is just perfection.

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Monday , July 9, 2007

Forgotten Favorites: The Red Aunts, "Rollerderby Queen"

"Rollerderby Queen" was pretty much erased from my memory until late last week, when a dear friend informed me that's he's gearing up to referee for his local rollerderby team. And then I went and YouTubed the video, and it's mostly kind of bad. (Starts off really kick-ass, but then why all the slo-mo skating? LAME.) Nevertheless, the song still makes me go "YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH!" over and over (in my head at least, or maybe sometimes to my cat) like it did when a boy put it on a mixtape for me my freshman year of college.

Released in '95, "Rollerderby Queen" was so much more immediately appealing to me than Bikini Kill, whom I discovered via the very same mixtape. I knew I was supposed to want to bow down to Kathleen Hanna, but I had way more fun with the Red Aunts and L7 and Babes in Toyland and other similarly tuff, occasionally ridiculous bands when it came to that mid-90s genre of "girls with snarly guitars who scream a lot." (It's dumb to throw them all in the same category, I know, but my memories of those bands are so inextricably tangled up, probably because I first heard of them all while reading Sassy.) I also wholly appreciated that the Aunts were really into the punk-name thing, each taking on several noms-de-punk throughout the band's lifespan ("Sapphire" and "Taffy Davis" for lead vocalist/guitarist Kerry Davis; "Angel" and "Louise Lee Outlaw" for guitarist Terri Wahl; "E.Z. Wider" and "Connie Champagne" and "Debbi Dip" for bassist Debi Martini; and "Ishino Destroyer" and "Cougar" for drummer Lesley Noelle). I can't really think of any bands that make use of punk names today, except for The Donnas, who win none of my love. (And I just realized that I pretty much bash The Donnas every chance I get, but I can't help it: I think they're so boring and annoying.)

Anyway, watch the video, at least for the first 15 killer seconds. It might make you dream of t-shirts and pleated miniskirts, and high ponytails and red-red lipstick. Which is a hot dream indeed.

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Thursday , May 31, 2007

La La Love for Courtney

Last time I saw Courtney Love up close, she was wearing devil horns and a blood-red gown while tearing through some really sloppy but goosebump-giving rendition of "House of the Rising Sun" at The Wiltern in L.A. That was Halloween 2004, and ever since then the sporadic bloggy gossip about the Widow Cobain's latest bad news have had me biting my nails to the quick. I love Courtney so much, even when it's hard (and it most often is, because everyone always thinks you're legit bananas). But my favorite thing is how she always comes back to kick ass just when you're sure she's gotta be down for the count - which she seems to have done yet again.

Our most recent glimpse at Miss World, the just-shot YouTube clip below shows her all cleaned up and shiny and very reminiscent of her Golden-Globe-nod-scoring, Edward-Norton-dating, Bazaar-cover-appearing self of 10 years back. It's glammy in this classy, understated way that might seem completely out of place on her if she didn't wear it so well. And the song sounds damn good too.

Apparently Courtney's going to be making an appearance at the Linda Perry show tomorrow night at the House of Blues on Sunset Strip. I'll be on the other side of town, catching the insanely awesome lineup of Matt & Kim, Japanther, No Age, and Mika Miko at The Echo, but a big part of my heart will be with Courtney and what will hopefully mark her next crazy comeback.

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