ELEMENTS & BREAKS:
Friday, October 26, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Downloading can't compete with charms of record store - SOUND IT OUT
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| Handout photo A band peforms an in-store concert at Sound It Out. |
By: Randall King
This documentary portrait of the very last surviving vinyl record shop in Teesside, England, serves as a nice cinematic bookend to the Canadian doc Vinyl, Alan Zweig's portrait of the lonely passion of record collecting.
Doc director Jeanie Finlay, herself a product of the film's Stockton-on-Tees setting, offers a more consoling perspective. Here, the act of running one of the last record shops is presented as a heroic pursuit. In the age of the anonymous digital download, the store is a social centre, obliging its customers to go out into the world to hook up with the music they love.
Sount It Out owner Tom Butchart doesn't look like a movie hero, mind you. He looks a lot like a hipster entrepreneur with a sardonic sense of humour and nicotine stains on his fingers.
But cool runs deep in this guy (a high school pal of the director), as we see when we observe him dealing with his diverse client base, including:
-- Two wannabe dance music DJs who operate an Internet radio station out of a shed.
-- A pair of metalheads, one of whom shares the startling confession that the record store, and the music it sells, is the only thing that keeps him from suicide.
-- A solitary Status Quo fan named Shane, ostracized from an early age because of his cerebral palsy, but seemingly at peace with his life, devoted to his music library.
Finlay's low-key directing style -- she spends much time filming in the store with her handheld camera -- allows her to capture the everyday encounters of music lovers and store staff with authentic vérité spontaneity. Witness a cheeky middle-aged man come into the store intent on buying the Dire Straits tune Sultans of Swing and actually engage in flirtation with the woman behind the camera.
You can't get much more integrated into your surroundings than that.
Crowd-funded by some 315 online investors, the film is ultimately upbeat. The store survives and apparently thrives in a place where all businesses, not just record stores, are closing. (At the time the film was made, independent record stores in Britain were closing at the rate of one every three days.)
But there is the touch of eulogy about it too. As with the vanishing video store, the record store offers a sense of community that is denied in the online entertainment options.
The notion of the hyper-knowledgeable Tom Butchart without a record store is as poignant as a preacher without a flock. In fact, the two things may be very much the same.
randall.king@freepress.mb.ca
Other voices:
Selected excerpts from reviews of Sound it Out:
Finlay's smartly assembled film is an affectionate portrait of a shrinking group of record collectors under technological siege.
-- Daniel Gold, New York Times
It's a delightful, real-life version of Nick Hornby's novel High Fidelity, a song of love, sadness and mortality with everyone involved doing it their way as they face the vinyl curtain.
-- Phillip French, Observer
A cheap and cheerful documentary about a properly endangered species: the record shop.
-- Andrew Pulver, Guardian
Proof that, in the right hands, documentaries boast as much heart as any feature. This one got soul too. Wonderful.
-- Ian Nathan, Empire magazine
Sound It Out isn't just good, it's important, as a chronicle of everything we lose when the music industry decamps to the Internet.
-- Matt Singer, IFC.com
For a seemingly naive film, it is amazing how well it works.
-- Derek Malcolm, This Is London
Finlay takes a gentle approach with her subjects, letting their passion -- and hers -- guide the doc.
-- Linda Barnard, Toronto Star
Finlay's handheld style is as casually intimate as her subjects, and the film stirringly posits music as a path to communal bliss.
-- Nick Schager, Village Voice
-- Compiled by Shane Minkin
Movie review
Sound It Out
Directed by Jeanie Findlay
Cinematheque
G
78 minutes
three and a half out of five stars
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 15, 2012 D5
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Beat Diggin' Documentary with Godfather Don, Showbiz, Diamond D, Evil D, Mr Walt
Beat 'Diggin, sebuah film dokumenter 30 menit yang dibikin tahun 1997, menjelang akhir dari apa yang kini dianggap sebagai era keemasan hip hop. Sedap buat para sejarawan hip hop dan Beat Diggers.
Diamond D (D.I.T.C)
Mr. Walt (Beatminerz)
Showbiz (D.I.T.C)
Evil D (Beatminerz)
Godfather Don
Paul Lepe
Monday, September 24, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Penampilan Jam Master Jay di TVRI Tahun 1986
TV Series That First Introduced Me to Jam Master Jay in 1986
Setelah berusaha mencari-cari, ternyata sampai sejauh ini belum satupun arsip video serial sit-com "Better Days" berhasil ditemukan di internet. Hanya ulasan ulasan produksi di Wikipedia dan IMDb, itupun setelah beberapa tahun berselang setelah sebelumnya mencari cari tanpa hasil (artikel Wikipedia tentang film ini di buat tahun 2012, dan artikel IMDb tahun 2006). padahal besar sekali hasrat untuk menonton Better Days episode Run DMC , untuk bernostalgia dan mengenang almarhum Jam Master Jay dan sekedar mengoleksi footage video nya.
Better Days adalah sebuah film seri televisi 11 episode produksi Lorimar Telepictures dan Magnum/Thunder Road yang pernah ditayangkan TVRI disekitar tahun 1986. Saya lupa setiap hari apa seri ini ditayangkan, yang jelas sitcom ini menjadi satu satunya menu favorit di TVRI buat saya yang saat itu duduk di kelas 3 SMP.
Kegilaan saya terhadap Afro-American, Funk, Ghetto, Street Gangs, bahkan Voodoo, sedikit terpenuhi oleh film ini. Tempat-tempat seperti Brooklyn dan Bronx, memang sangat mengobsesi saya saat itu (sampai sekarang). Film ini menceritakan Brian McGuire (Raphael Sbarge), seorang remaja Los Angeles California yang terpaksa harus pindah dan tinggal dengan kakeknya, Harry di Brooklyn, New York untuk mengatasi masalah keuangan orangtuanya. Brian tentu saja mengalami kesulitan untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan lingkungan barunya. Lalu Brian berkenalan dan akrab dengan Luther Kain dan Anthony "The Snake" Johnson, dua rekan kulit hitam di tim basket SMA Braxton. Banyak joke rasial yang dikemas sangat "hip hop" dalam film ini.
Film ini menjadi sebuah pencerahan buat saya, karena di kota Sukabumi dimana saya tinggal, sangat sulit untuk mendapatkan informasi apapun tentang "black thangs" dan hip hop culture. Tidak ada toko buku atau rekaman yang menyediakan "kebutuhan khusus" itu. Kecenderungan lingkungan sekeliling yang "ta'at" akan kehendak industri dan latah terhadap trend, juga turut andil dalam sulitnya mendapat informasi tentang black culture.
Pada salah satu episode nya, Better Days menghadirkan Run DMC sebagai bintang tamu. Tidak bisa terlukiskan betapa girang hati ini. Dalam episode itu memang hanya Joseph "Run" Simmons lah yang tampil paling lama, namun figur Jam Master Jay sebagai Beat Maker sangat mengobsesi saya.
Episode ini lah yang memperkenalkan seorang bocah Sukabumi pada seorang Jam Master Jay di tahun 1986, dan semakin menguatkan cita-cita nya untuk menjadi seorang DJ, Beatmaker dan Producer.
Goldmine Grading Standard
Grading:
Mint (M) Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed.(More on still sealed under "Other Considerations"). Should be used sparingly as a grade, If at all.
Near Mint (NM or M-) A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly)that no record is ever truly perfect. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling. An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves and the like. Basically, an LP in near mint condition looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap. Near Mint is the highest price listed in all Goldmine price guides. Anything that exceeds this grade, in the opinion of both buyer and seller, is worth significantly more than the highest Goldmine book value.
Very Good Plus (VG+) Generally worth 50 percent of the Near Mint value. A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount. In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
Very Good (VG) Generally worth 25 percent of Near Mint value. Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them. Goldmine price guides with more than one price will list Very Good as the lowest price. This, not the Near Mint price, should be your guide when determining how much a record is worth, as that is the price a dealer will normally pay you for a Near Mint record.
With Still Sealed (SS) records, let the buyer beware! Unless it'a a U.S. pressing from the last 10-15 years or so. It's too easy to reseal one. Yes, some legitimately never-opened LP's from the 1960's still exist. But if you're looking for a specific pressing, the only way you can know for sure is to open the record. Also, European Imports are not factory-sealed, so if you see them advertised as sealed, someone other than the manufacturer sealed them.
Goldmine Grading Standard:
Mint [M]: Absolutely perfect in every way - certainly never played, possibly even still sealed. (More on still sealed below). Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.
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Near Mint [NM or M-]: A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record shows no obvious sign of wear. A 45 rpm sleeve has no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling. An LP jacket has no creases, folds, seam splits or any other noticeable similar defect. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same is true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, and the like. Basically, Near Mint looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap.
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Very Good Plus [VG+]: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some slight signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but is should be barely noticeable. The center hole is not misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turn-up corners, or a slight seam-split. An LP jacket my have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
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Very Good [VG]: Many of the defects found in a VG+ record are more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise is evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during the song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as will light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.
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Good [G], Good Plus [G+]: Good does not mean bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear. A jacket or sleeve has seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. If it's a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it.
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Poor [P], Fair [F]: The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and/or writing. The LP jacket barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, and written upon. Except for impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, records in this condition should be bought or sold for no more than a few cents each.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Resistencia: Hip-Hop in Colombia
View this movie at cultureunplugged.com
Perkembangan hip hop di Colombia lebih dekat dengan hakikat hip hop pada awal kelahirannya di Amerika, dan sangat jauuuuuh berbeda dengan perkembangan hip hop di Indonesia.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
George Duke Trio @Java Jazz Festifal 2010
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| George Duke & Christian McBride |
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| George Duke & Christian McBride |
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| Ronald Bruner |
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Beat Mining With The Vinyl Hoover – BBC Crate Digging Documentary
Release date: 28 March 2009
Broadcaster Toby Amies digs into the archives to discover the value and significance of old vinyl.
He uncovers a network of dealers and buyers, supplying a community of 'crate diggers' and 'beat miners' and a world in which samples from records bought for a few pence in a car boot sale can provide the basis for a million-selling hit.
Crate digging and sampling culture is examined in the 45 minute BBC documentary entitled Beat Mining With The Vinyl Hoover. Notable interviewees include Steinski, 45 King, Tuff City’s Aaron Fuchs, Mr. Scruff, and more.
Listen on BBC
Listen on BBC
Vinyl Lovers
Vinyl Lovers from Jumperman Films on Vimeo.
Vinyl Lovers takes us on a journey to explore the views of various collectors and who have an extreme passion for vinyl. Whether it’s for the cover, sound, or ability to physically manipulate the beautifully made discs, passionate music lovers will always feel the need to dig deep and endlessly pursue these analog wonders.
Notable Quotes:
"Records are drugs… they’re addictive"
"I’ve seen 40 year old women that don’t look as good as these records"
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Vinyl Documentary: To Have & To Hold
To Have & To Hold - Taster Tape from Jony Lyle on Vimeo.
belon dapet donlotan nya nih...ada yg tau?
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Teu Boga Duit (Kassaf Mashup) - 2012
I made this mashup in August 2009, only this time I got a match footage for the video. Many thanks to Kent Truog ( www.kenttruog.com ) for the footage.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Official 2011 Capgomeh DVD Cover
It is an honor for me, was commissioned to design the official DVD cover of the 2011 Capgomeh annual festival in Sukabumi.
"Widhi Sakti", one of the great spiritual entities in Sukabumi, commissioned me to design a cover with freedom of expression, combined with material from my photo stocks and the monastery's photo collection.
Arieffin Natawidjaja, representing the Widhi Sakti Monastery, wanting updates on the cover's atmosphere, which in terms of style, perceived not change much from year to year. And this is how the results became. May this design provide benefits to all communities. Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Shukitatta.
Arieffin Natawidjaja, representing the Widhi Sakti Monastery, wanting updates on the cover's atmosphere, which in terms of style, perceived not change much from year to year. And this is how the results became. May this design provide benefits to all communities. Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Shukitatta.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
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