So, I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.
And now, you can follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
This week saw Alex Billington take flight to Cannes and the raves that Pixar’s UP has been getting is far too much for me to bear as I slowly wade my way to the day when the screening happens. As well, I’m getting things together in order to bring you an interview with *the* Ari Gold from ADVENTURES OF POWER.
LAND OF THE LOST
Couple of bits of information for you kids this week as we head in closer to the premiere of LAND OF THE LOST on June 5th. I got sent a link to an online game set up for the film and, while it doesn’t have the same panache as the online game for DAWN OF THE DEAD, it is at least worth you checking out as I will have tickets to the advance screening in Phoenix:
CHAKKER GAME:
Will, Holly, and Rick are in trouble, and Chaka is the only one who can save them! Help Chaka maneuver across the treacherous terrain, avoid contact with all kinds of Land of the Lost critters, and finally rescue his friends! Try your hand at the rescue mission at www.landofthelost.net/game and challenge your friends to join in!
GIGANTOR
Have any of you ever sat in wonderment at a cartoon?
I have heard in hushed whispers about the glory that is this black and white beauty of a cartoon, Gigantor and I recently had the opportunity to check out the DVD that has collected this series in one slick package and should be on anyone’s list of DVDs worth spending your money on. I think, apart from the fact that when this series came out in 1966 it was envisioning a world set in the year 2000 the show has an exuberance that is lost on most of the caffeine injected action cartoons that have been produced in the last few decades.
Forget your G.I. Joe, your Tranzor Z, this series made me reflect on what was quite possibly the wet dream of every young boy who watched this program. Yes, some of the footage obviously overlaps from one episode to the next but, please, we’ve already established that even Walt Disney reused animation from his films to be used in other films. What makes this series so nerd cool is the embrace of modern technology which, if you again realize this was made in 1966 was quite impressive. The press release follows and I couldn’t have enjoyed this trip down a memory lane I never was down before…
Never fear, the great GIGANTOR returns this spring to save the world from evil criminals, enemy robots and hostile aliens. The influential cartoon series> about a giant heroic robot and the young boy that controls him blazed a new trail for Japanese animation in America. Long unavailable on home video, E1 Entertainment presents the classic cartoon in a newly packaged 4-DVD collection of 26 uncut episodes in their original air-date order, with bonus interviews and commentary, six complete Gigantor comics on DVD-ROM, and a brand new collectible 16-page booklet. GIGANTOR: THE COLLECTION ““VOLUME 1 arrives in stores May 5, for $39.98 from E1 Entertainment.
In the “future” year of 2000, young Jimmy Sparks has control of a virtually indestructible flying robot built by his father. Gigantor was originally designed as a weapon, but has been reprogrammed as the ultimate guardian of peace. With the help of Dr. Bob Brilliant, secret agent Dick Strong, and Inspector Blooper, Jimmy and Gigantor must battle to save the world from a never-ending as sault by ruthless villains.
Gigantor began as the brainchild of Japanese cartoonist Mitsuteru Yokoyama (Giant Robo, Sally the Witch) who released 92 anime episodes in Japan in the mid “˜60s as “Tetsujin 28-go.” The series was soon acquired for broadcast in the United States, adapted for U.S. audiences by producer Fred Ladd (creator of Pinocchio in Outer Space, “The Big World of Little Adam”), and aired for two seasons (52 episodes) starting in 1966. GIGANTOR: THE COLLECTION ““ VOLUME 1 features the first 26 of these uncut, black and white episodes, digitally transferred from the original 16mm film. Enlightening extras include an in-depth interview and audio commentary on select episodes with director/producer/writer Ladd, and an interview with anime historian Fred Patten from Animation World magazine. In addition, this deluxe set features special DVD-ROM content ““ issues 1-6 of the Gigantor comic book series from Ben Dunn and Antarctic Press, published in 2000. The 4-disc set also includes a 16-page collectible booklet with a brief history of the series, episode summaries as well as rare archival press materials/photos.
MODERN TOSS – INTERVIEW
One of the most strange and wonderfully enrapturing series to air this year has to be Modern Toss. The best way to explain this show to someone who has never before come near its beauty is imagine a live action and animated program that uses foul language in ways that are not only creative but wicked, toss in a British sensibility, some strange series regulars, weird premises and wrap it all in laughter. What you come up with is Modern Toss, a program, to quote Wikipedia, that stars some of the following animated harbingers of anger:
- Mr Tourette: a French sign-writer who produces offensive signs bearing no relation to his customers’ instructions. This usually culminates in his customer being totally unhappy with the work and Mr Tourette calling them “some kind of cunt”.
- Alan: a sociopathic, scribble-like creature who plays extreme practical jokes on his middle-class brother-in-law, usually involving Alan turning up uninvited to a social event, causing a large amount of destruction to the tune of “I Like To Move It” by Reel 2 Real before running away, leaving his brother-in-law to shout “Come back, Alan, you wanker!”
- Prince Edward, Royal Entrepreneur: the prince tries to make money out of anything associated with the Royal family, no matter how tasteless.
- Citizens Advice: irate and often illogical complaints from members of the public about goods, services and employers, usually concluding with the question “where do I stand legally?”
Created by Mick Bunnage and Jon Link ,Modern Toss started as a comic book that starred some of the series’ regulars. The comic made its way a couple of years later to a late-night television in 1996 on Channel 4 and finally, 3 years later, made its way to IFC. The program makes you scratch your head, wonder at its idiosyncrasy and marvel at its ability to be entertaining even though you may not have a firm grasp on what’s happening. It’s worth seeking out and I recently had a chance to catch up with Mick and Jon to talk about their series.
CHRISTOPHER STIPP: Gentlemen. How are you doing?
MODERN TOSS: We’re doing well.
CS: Great. I have watched the first three episodes and I am absolutely blown away by what I thought British humor, traditionally being more reserved, sly, what have you, was supposed to be. I shouldn’t say shocked but I was surprised by the level of sort of in-your-face comedy.
TOSS: Was it the bad language?
CS: Well, it was quite a change of pace from what I’ve come to expect from what British comedy has to offer.
TOSS: It was an experiment. I normally don’t let people like us near the telly but things are going well so far.
CS: Where did this begin? Where did the real genesis for Modern Toss come from?
TOSS: Well, we both used to work for a magazine in the 90’s. And we drew funny little cartoons to pass the time really and started sticking them in the magazine. One of them was about a cockney villain who just went around punching people in the face and that worked out very well and that’s how we got started. Then we did another cartoon after that which was about violence in the workplace that worked out well.
CS: And can I ask about the genesis of some of these characters? Obviously you have lots of different things going on here but I’m really interested to learn how Drive By Abuser began.
TOSS: Oh, that’s a tricky one. He’s not sophisticated but he does make us laugh….a sort of poet on a motorbike.
CS: He seems to just take pleasure from such mundane things and his whole persona is predicated on overreaction to the most simplistic things.
TOSS: Yeah. He’s trying to make friends as well. Trying to make conversation, really. Not that anyone understands what he’s trying to do but he’s doing his best.
CS: And then from there, one of my favorites is Alan, who doesn’t say hardly anything but where did he come from?
TOSS: Yeah, Alan. He’s a bit like a force of nature really. He’s everyone’s kind of troubled friend. Not a lot of family support around Alan. If you are having weddings or christenings, for heaven’s sake, don’t invite Alan.
(Laughs)
CS: This is my first entry into the series so this is all new to me but for you gentlemen, this is going on three years. You have obviously lived with it for a few years, so how has it progressed? When you first started you must have had an idea of where you wanted to go and what you wanted to do with it, so how has it grown for you?
TOSS: I don’t think we had a plan really. It’s all a big adventure for us. We kind of make it up as we go along. We started off with a comic and we had to learn how to do that and we didn’t really have a plan. We had a vision but no plan. Didn’t know where we were going. It’s developing all the time.
CS: And how did it go from being just a comic until someone said, “You know what, I’d like to see this on TV.” There are so many comics out there. Who took a shine to it and said, “I really want to turn this into something?”
TOSS: We’re a bit old fashioned in a way. It’s not a very normal thing in England. Everyone does narrative stores now. I think maybe that’s what made us unusual. We put in as few words as possible. We bring it right down to the basics and don’t worry about the drawings. We usually take the first take and that’s something we stick with. There’s no polishing.
CS: And now you just released the newest comic, Volume 5?
TOSS: Yeah. Complete with plastic bag.
CS: I saw that bag ““ I want that issue just for that bag.
TOSS: We’re going to take America by storm and apparently somebody has put it up on a website.
CS: I am going to buy it and went through all 3 episodes last night and really enjoyed it .
TOSS: We’re going to send one of those bags to Obama as well.
(Laughs)
We think he’d really get on board with the message.
(Laughs)
CS: That brings up a good point. This kind of show wouldn’t fly on our network stations here. What do you think about the way we consume our content here in America? We don’t like our bad words or nudity ““ we reserve that for our really far off channels, whereas every other part of the world doesn’t have a problem with it.
TOSS: British TV is still pretty conventional ““ there are a few channels that show our stuff but not many. It’s mainly about celebrity, comedians, and such like that. And our stuff is pretty much out there, even for England. How it’s going to go down in America is unknown.
CS: Mr. Tourette, if I had a favorite, he would be mine. He is so bizarre with the nonsensical words that he comes up with but I find myself just endeared to the character. Where did this guy come from?
TOSS: France.
(Laughs)
I think people like him is because he does what he wants. He’s got a good attitude for work. It would take like an English plumber to get some of the jokes.
CS: The show, and I think you should be commended for it, which I like, it never goes for the cheap gag, it’s pretty minimalist but it’s straight forward. I look around me and I see a lot of shows where you try to dumb everything down and this show doesn’t compromise in that fashion.
TOSS: Yeah, we’re dumb enough.
(Laughs)
The company that commissioned it in England just pretty much left us alone and we just did what was right. It just worked. The best kind of comedy programs are the ones that take few chances anyway.
CS: Ah, but that’s where some people can get into trouble where they see that they can make a quick buck or make a name for myself if I just do what everyone expects or wants.
Was there ever anyone trying to speak in your other ear saying maybe you should make this more consumer friendly? You said you were left alone but was there anyone trying to get their way?
TOSS: No. They just left us alone.
CS: What are you gentlemen doing now? Volume 5 of the comic book series just came out, are you producing more episodes of the show?
TOSS: At the moment, we are going to do a live version of it but it’s pretty sketchy beyond that, especially in England. Doing PR for an animation type series at the moment but not part of the sketch show. There are different things we are developing.
CS: Regarding that, when I look at what you’ve done with this show, is this something you think you can keep doing? I know there are some leanings to at least the way I perceive things is when you have a really successful show in England, you do a few seasons and then you are done with it basically, whereas here, we just keep cracking them out year after year and people just never leave. Is there a time when you will say, “I’ve said everything I want to say?”
TOSS: No. We started with a comic, then TV stuff, and live TV stuff and back to comic. We’ve never run out of stuff.
CS: Well I think if you were to compare I think this is something very real to the two of you and there has been no compromises with what gets on the screen.
TOSS: That’s right. We just go for it.
CS: Thanks gentlemen, so much, for talking to me. I really enjoyed the show.
TOSS: Thank you, Chris.
PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL – BY RAY SCHILLACI
PFF Highlights: And the winner is…
Let me queue you in, I have never been a documentary fan, although I have been more open-minded to them of late. I think I was originally turned off to any educational media at an early age with a combination of far too many viewings of “Mr. Wizard” (a kid’s science show in the late 50s and 60s) and Disney’s “Jiminy Cricket” children’s educational show, “I’m No Fool” ““ the 16mm reel still endlessly rattles in the back of my head. Much later in life I was to discover that documentaries could be as powerful and more effective than the average cinematic experience with my first viewing of 1978’s “Scared Straight!” a group of cocky juvenile delinquents (Are there any other kind?) spend a no holds barred day with actual convicts ““ “Oh Bubba, I’m too young to be somebody’s bitch.” Fast forward to this year’s crop of fine documentaries at PFF. What a pleasant surprise had by all. It was no easy feat picking “Best Documentary”. It eventually came down to a couple of emotionally powerful one-two punches, “The Way We Get By” and “Shooting Beauty”.
I’ll cut to the chase; “The Way We Get By” won Best Documentary by a nose, and I will challenge that on a technicality, of course this is just my opinion and I’ll explain later. That is not to take anything away from the winner. “The Way We Get By” is a valiant achievement by director Aron Gaudet, capturing the lives of the senior citizens who’ve found a higher calling by greeting our military men and women who come and go to the Iraq war. This older set shows their resilience and support of our troops (and not necessarily the war) with handshakes and hugs, and the power that accompanies these small but grand gestures.
Over 800,000 soldiers and Marines have been met with warm and heartfelt enthusiasm at the Bangor International Airport 365 days a year. This is a far cry from what are men and women experienced after Vietnam and it is a point beautifully driven home. The story focuses on three of the seniors, Bill Knight, Joan Gaudet and Jerry Mundy who let us get more than a glimpse into their world and views. They struggle with the conflicts that many Americans are facing today and couple it with the wisdom of their years while doing battle with loneliness, and for some poor health. This is in no way maudlin or manipulating. This story could have gone the easy route and just tugged at our heartstrings, instead it approaches the subject matter with an insightful wallop that makes us think rather than cry. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there are teary moments, but they are not relied on to move this informative piece along and it makes us appreciate director Gaudet and his players all the much more.
Especially thought provoking is WWII veteran, Bill Knight. An eccentric lost soul after the death of his wife, Bill grapples with bouts of uncomfortable solitude and the inevitable short time he has left on this world. Gaudet’s close-ups on this tired old trooper capture more meaning than anything said. It is Knight’s thoughts and recollections of years gone by that set the mood for the entire piece. Yet the movie refrains from being a downer with the reaction of our troops to the seniors and their well-placed intentions. It is in these moments that the movie really shines capturing warmth and a crossover appeal between generations. This is truly a captivating experience for all. With that being said, on to something really special…
As mentioned before, I am not taking anything away from the winner, but the later film, “Shooting Beauty” goes beyond the call of duty as a documentary and as a film in general. There are few times in cinema history that one is swept away with a wave of emotions and taken on a journey that is so unique, the experience sets it apart from the rest. The films that come to mind; “Elephant Man” “Cinema Paradiso” “Life is Beautiful” and dare I say, “E.T.” (Set aside the crass commercialism that accompanied it) These are films that are to be experienced and not just seen with a bag of popcorn and soda. They put us through a meaningful emotional journey and that is exactly what “Shooting Beauty” does with one exception ““ it is not scripted. Director George Kachadorian and his partner/wife, Courtney Bent beautifully captures the human drama (and comedy) of their tale of triumph of the human spirit, unconquerable by adversity.
Aspiring fashion photographer, Courtney Bent, has an enjoyable refreshing visit with a small group of people with severe cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Her attempt to capture the experience with her camera becomes hindered when she inadvertently discovers that her own deep-rooted prejudices blurred her vision, developing pictures that are depressing and dark. Taking a step back, Ms. Bent comes upon a revelation; why not have the group take the pictures themselves and capture a unique journey that can be shared by all. This is no easy task having to create makeshift apparatus to enable the group the freedom to shoot how they see themselves. Thus we are taken on a remarkable odyssey bringing us into a world rarely seen that is as informative as it is poetic.
Kachadorian and Bent had to be guided by the hand of God to encapsulate the remarkable lives of these people. Bent’s unusual assignment turns into a fascinating look into some very genuine people. Mary Joe, EJ, Ernie, Cheryl, and Kerri are just some of the amazing personalities that end up making us laugh out loud at their veracity and crush our hearts with the love and affection that we (in our world) can barely imagine. Especially standing out amongst the group is Tony Knight who provides wonderful motivation with his view on a world that attempts to treat him different, and Tom Herrick, the loner, whose life is not only heart wrenching, but ultimately born again by the camera experiment. Watching him come out of his shell is like witnessing the birth of a butterfly for the first time.
What transpires from all of this will leave you cheering for everyone involved. This documentary is an eye opener, and I am hard-pressed to even describe the wave of emotions this film evokes. This is probably why it won the Audience Award at PFF. Perhaps now is the time to let you in on the reason it may not have won Best Documentary. Both documentaries are very powerful and focus on worthwhile subjects, but “The Way We Get By” was a far better film technically. The problem with that thought is, people with disabilities photograph much of “Shooting Beauty” and they are not professionals. This is the charm and power of this ingenious documentary, which for my book puts it as the very Best Documentary I’ve seen in years. Kudos goes out to George, Courtney and the wonderful people at UCP Day Experience Program in Watertown, Massachusetts.
I had the pleasure of chatting with George and I was surprised to discover that he was still seeking distribution at the time and representatives of PBS had turned him down. I could not fathom how this was possible nor could so many others at the festival. Last I heard, a prominent documentary filmmaker had caught a screening and made a quick call to HBO. HBO contacted him right away. No word yet if they have picked it up. Currently they are running in the festival circuit with great and well deserved word-of-mouth.
Next highlights from PFF will include air drumming, a social dysfunctional gamer generation, and “Clerks” meets “The Breakfast Club” (may not sound appetizing, but it is appealing). None of which are documentaries. Till then, stay Swine free and happy!
There are many catalogue titles whose arrival in high definition have been long awaited, and near the tippy top of the nerd list (I count myself amongst you, my brothers and sisters) is the Star Trek feature films. The arrival of JJ Abrams’s big screen revamp means that we get the 6 films comprising the original cast’s own cinematic adventures, all contained in the 
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When she’s not bluffing her way through college courses or looking passably attractive from a distance, Molly Lewis enjoys playing ukulele, microwaving marshmallow Peeps, talking to cats, and Twittering. Early last year, she wrote two original songs, “MyHope” and “Road Trip”. “MyHope” is about the inevitable day when our children will learn how to navigate the interweb and how they will LOL at our old internet presences, namely MySpace; of “Road Trip”, Molly says it’s about “that astronaut lady who went crazy and wore the diapers, you remember that?” She has not written any songs since. Hopefully this competition will remedy that. When Molly was in middle school, she took up the guitar. That sank into the swamp. So she took up the mandolin. That sank into the swamp. So she took up the banjo. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the ukulele has stayed. And that’s what you’re going to get, Quick Stop Entertainment: the strongest ukulele in all of Tacoma, Washington. Molly defeated Masters Paul & Storm in Masters of Song Fu #3.
I suppose I am what you could call a “Multi-Instrumentalist”. That is a nice way of saying “Jack-of-all-trades, Master-of-none”. I began playing drums as a teenager and spent a great deal of energy during my 20’s trying to “make it” in the music biz. As a drummer, I have had the opportunity to play with some pretty incredible musicians, garnering literally DOZENS of fans over the years. In 2004 I joined the band Celestial Static, and spent several years melting some face with good friends Jeremy and Julie Elzerman. Once that ran its course, I decided to spend more time locked away in my studio, writing my own songs and learning to play guitar, bass and sing. It doesn’t pay the bills, but I have a good time doing it.
Edric has been writing music (off and on) since the early nineties. He wrote and directed a musical, The Pushcart War, based on Jean Merrill’s wonderful novel. He has written and/or arranged a number of songs for various friends – some commissioned, some as surprises. He loves acting in community theatre, and is inspired by the music of Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. He is also happy to finally return his Happiness Board to the Internet. Check out the link on his web pages.
I’m “BucketHat” Bobby Matheson. I used to make cartoons for the internet, and sometimes still do, but mostly focus on my music right now. Lately, I’ve been getting more into recording other singer/songwriters in my little, make-shift studio than I have been recording myself. I want Masters Of Song Fu to change that. I don’t really know what genre my music would fall under. Influences range from Klezmer to folk, to punk and back, which ends up sounding more like Zydeco than anything else (who’d have guessed?). I’ve been thinking of dropping the “BucketHat” from my stagename, but fear change.
Mike Lombardo is a piano-playing pop-rock singer-songwriter who likes to use hyphens when describing his occupation. A recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, he spends most of his time banging on pianos, teaching children how to bang on pianos, or playing shows with his band, the Mike Lombardo Trio. Feel free to go to his website and send him lots of money. Or cookies.
Legendz foretell of a mighty duo, born in the frozen North. Two neighborz and friendz will unite to form “Gödz Pöödlz” and battle the Mazterz or Song Fu for glory and bragging rightz! Gödz Pöödlz are Rüss Rögers and Röd Dürre. Rüss Rögers was once a member of “Kit and Kaboodle” (still available on iTunes) and currently performs in “Rusty’s Rocking Jamboree!” Röd Dürre wrote and performed with the Goth Rock Godz “Sear”, and last year Röd won the Coor’s Light “Take the 4:53 to Happy Hour” songwriting contest! Remember, the heaviest of metals are soft!
Bram Tant is a 19 year old Belgian student with a distinct love for music. Ever since going to music school as a kid, he’s enjoyed singing and playing the guitar, and has been writing songs for some years now. While he’s still learning to play the guitar, sing and write songs better, he improves with each attempt, and he makes up for it (and the lack of proper recording equipment) with his passion and enthusiasm. He would like to become a professional musician someday, but for now he’s satisfied with writing and performing for friends, family, and strangers on the internet.
Hi, my name is Steve Chatterton, the quintessential one-man-band singer/songwriter net-based recording project. Mom always said I marched to the sound of a different drummer, but she never mentioned which one. Dad had a fondness for bagpipes. Fortunately, neither of them have any direct influence on my music. Specializing in quirky little guitar-oriented pop songs about bugs, the Scooby gang, pirates, palindromes, superheroes, old movies, infectious diseases, imaginary friends and sideshow freaks, I guess you could say I pretty much write love songs. I’m a cheesy bastard at heart. I’m a stay-at-home dad who’s looking to find more time in the studio when my youngest starts school in September. I have an ever-expanding back catalog (at least 3 albums worth & counting) I’m dying to share with the world one download at a time.
Johannes “Jutze” Schult (from Germany) likes to live in a dream world where there has been no Grunge and where he is a talented singer. Sometimes his little folky pop songs find their way into the real world. Here they suffer from his hoarse voice and the do-it-yourself home recording production, struggling to appeal off and on beaten musical paths.
Although he has no formal training, Jarrett is an accomplished pianist who has been composing music for nearly twenty years. A relative newcomer to the world of online amateur competitive songwriting, he burst onto the scene earlier this year when he filled out an entry form just before the deadline. While earning his living as a graphic artist and website developer, Jarrett secretly dreams of leaving behind the glamor and prestige of internet publishing so he can focus on composing music for songwriting contests full-time. With no fanbase, loyal followers, obedient minions or friends, Jarrett will rely on his music-crafting skills alone to win over converts and earn votes.
Forged in the furnace of irony, molded with the hammer of satire, flattened on the anvil of righteousness, and cooled in the water of awesomeness, AudioMohel was thrust upon the world. Named from the lost audio transcripts of ’09, AudioMohel serves as a public-service backlash against the anti-circumcision trend sweeping the so-called “enlightened parents” crowd, AudioMohel urges their more devoted and impressionable fans to undergo the snip two or even three times. AudioMohel enjoys experimenting with new breakthrough genres like speed blues and death classical even though most of AudioMohel’s tunes reside firmly in the ethereal realm of vapor-ware. Some of AudioMohel’s members admitted to being a bit intimidated by the professed experience and actual musical talent apparently possessed by the Song Fu Masters, but finally it was decided that if the need arose, sabotage would not be out of the question. To be used as a last resort, naturally, but not out of the question.
In the far off land of Chandler, Arizona, where the rivers flow with sand and cacti, our leader and master, the Lord of Our Lady Gwynyth, guitar and microphone in hand, called for the greatest musicians in the land to assemble a rock and roll group like none other. Unfortunately, they were cut off on the road, and the Jalapeño Habañeros made it there first. With The Rogue Bohemian on saxophone and The Boxcar Bassist on bass and keyboards, the Lord was pleased. Now, they roam the streets of Chandler, playing epic songs and rocking faces, much like Bon Jovi. Unfortunately they are paid in change, and often get thrown into the street, also like Bon Jovi. Their lives have intertwined, and the era of the Jalapeño Habañeros has begun. Be prepared.
On stage I am Timmy Vendetta. I’m 18 and I live with my mom and her wife. I hope to become famous and live vicariously through a hamster.
The Scribbles are one of the most popular ukulele-based trios in their entire 6th grade class. Oh sure, there is the rumor that Peter Choi hates them. Meh. He’s a hater. Ha ha. The Scribbles formed last November when they all agreed on the name. After that they bought some instruments and started writing songs and stuff. So far, they’ve played a handful of shows around their hometown of Springfield, MO. Everyone’s favorite song seems to be “The Robot Song”. Maybe it’s because robots really are taking over the world, or maybe because Connor wears the robot suit during that song and that’s pretty funny. Thanks to MySpace, they are now friends with really cool people like The Beatles and Weezer and Tom. They’ve said some really nice things like “iloveyouguys:D” and “thanx for the add:).” Oh, and by the way, Peter Choi, The Scribbles still luv u.
Gorbzilla is a musician/band teacher in Mid-Michigan. He has been in a few bands over the years, most notably as the bass player/vocalist for the band “Satin Jones” and the guitarist/vocalist for the band “Jimmy Likes Pie”. The proud father of two future rock maniacs, Gorbzilla has been writing music for the past twenty years, and is currently working on his first musical Beer ““ Finally a Musical for Men based on the Haiku by Patrick “Horkmeister” Sweet entitled, “I Think I Threw Up”. He has been happily married for eight years, and is looking forward to this competition.
Darrell Maclaine has been devouring comedy songs and interesting music ever since he was old enough to know better, and is taking part in this competition essentially as penance for the amount of free music he has obtained via the previous rounds. He plays piano and keyboard bass as one fifth of oddball UK pop group The Directors (another fifth of the group, Mathew Cornah, possesses both more instrumental expertise and a much better home studio than him and will inevitably be press-ganged into contributing to his entries), and has decided to exercise his rusty songwriting muscles in the most embarrassingly public way possible.
Berg and Jerry are a small suburban acoustic group comprised of Andrew Berg (Lead Vocals, Melodica and, maybe, eventually the Ukulele) and Jerry Geleff (Guitar and Backup Vocals). Mid-summer ’08, Berg and Jerry began writing songs together and since then… well, basically nothing. As rookies to this competition, these guys hope to at least make one good song, and entertain at least one person (*fingers crossed*). Berg and Jerry have a fun ska/indie/punk acoustic sound and often try to write clever witty lyrics. So listen, laugh, and something else that starts with an “L”, because Berg and Jerry are ready to slightly attempt to be THE MASTERS OF SONG FU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andy’s interest in music really began in high school, when he was under the false impression that it could get him laid. He started playing drums and guitar, while dabbling in songwriting. After attending Berklee College of Music, he gained a distinct interest in songwriting. He is currently working on a solo release, while drumming as part of the (Song Fu competitor) Mike Lombardo Trio. He intends to take full advantage of Mike’s coattails.
Derrek J. Thompson is an irresponsible and unimportant song-writer and all-around creative type that lives in the middle of nowhere. His hobbies include sleeping and performing Bach at old-folks homes. He plays keyboards in a band called Anthropophobia but they don’t seem to be going anywhere. He hopes to become more disciplined with his creative endeavors as a result of Song Fu.
The Mysticbuzz Band is from Washington, IL. We are currently working on our first album, and may have a real song released soon. We are a little off in our lyrics and sound… and that’s a good thing.
Jeremy’s turn-ons include big eyes, belly laughter, and long walks on the beach. Turn-offs include bad breath, knobby knees, and fungal growth. Huh? This isn’t my post for eHarmony.com? Oh. It’s for what? “Song Fu”? What’s that? I voluntarily submitted to participate? I’ve participated before? Oh. That. I didn’t get any votes last time? Oh, only a few? How many is “a few”? Eight? Why am I participating again? The challenge of it all and the friendly competition? Just to be considered, however briefly, a peer of Jonathan Coulton? Sweet.
Denise lived in a grey house in the city of Austin. Her favorite pastimes were playing piano, polishing her guitar, and tormenting the geeky programmer boy who lived there. His name was Michael, but she never called him that… Isn’t that a wonderful bio???
Lex Vader was born to a single mother who worked as silicon tycoon’s personal assistant. When she died of poor hygiene, Lex was sent to an orphanage where he showed interest in organizing races and laser fencing. After being recruited into a religious order, he spent the next few years between several of their private schools. In his final year, Lex lost his hand in an argument with a professor over Kryptochlorians. Despite this, Lex was able to achieve a successful business career and even a knighthood. Tragedy struck, however, when a former classmate’s arctic home caught fire during a business lunch, scarring half of Lex’s face. At this point, Lex’s behavior became erratic. When he managed to buy SithCo, the cult that schooled him, he was shunned by the corporate world. No longer taken seriously, Lex started an evil empire and now moonlights with his evil emotronic alternapop band.
Tom Milsom is a musician, writer, artist and videomaker who has had nearly 2,000,000 views of his YouTube videos and has released an album, Awkward Ballads for the Easily Pleased, to murmurs of critical success. Faced with this onslaught of vague acceptance, he plans to release his second album, Painfully Mainstream, later this year, and is thrilled to be a part of this frankly charming and delightful competition.
Caleb became a software engineer instead of a musician because the type of music he likes best went out of style at the end of the 18th century. Self-taught in music theory, he is more comfortable writing a four-part instrumental fugue than he is writing a verse-chorus-bridge song. After discovering the likes of Weird Al, Dr. Horrible, and especially Jonathan Coulton, he realized that “modern music” can be fun too. Now he is on a quest to update, expand, and diversify his musical knowledge and experience. In addition to singing, he plays a whole family of recorders (not usually all at once) and baroque flute, pretends to play keyboard, and most recently, ukulele. He also uses virtual MIDI instruments because a real orchestra costs too much.
Miles from Nashville was born in early 2009 when multi-instrumentalist Charlie Wolf and harmonica player Michael Ruhland ran into each-other one day at the Albertson’s supermarket in Hermosa Beach, CA. Miles from Nashville play an eclectic mix of country, folk, rock, blues, pop, indie rock, rap (just kidding), and polka that they like to call “guacamole rock”. They are currently working on their debut album, Songs about November, and have their very own website (though who doesn’t these days?). If you happen to have large sums of money and/or expensive guitars that you don’t need, they’ll be glad to put them to use for you. Miles from Nashville plays shows around Los Angeles, CA every so often, so be sure to check the website for gigs.
Hello. I am singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, filmmaker, writer and activist Andrew Jon Thomson. I am honored to have played, collaborated, performed, and recorded with many outstanding musicians from many fantastic bands including the following current and past collaborators: The Memphis Horns, Dweezil Zappa, Anton Fig, Chuck Rainey, Tom Roady, Charlie Chalmers, Roades Chalmers Roades, Arthur Barrow, Walfredo Reyes Jr., Tommy Mars, Clayton Ivey, Charlie Morgan, Pablo Herrera (Cuba), Richard Nelson (Ireland), Mike Garson, Pat Mastellotto, Marc Muller, Rob Paporozzi, Sammy Merendino, Graham Maby, Paul Robinson (UK), Paul C. Robinson (US), Pete Lockett (UK),Victor Indrizzo, Fima Ephron, Dave “Fuze” Fiuczynski, Bassy B Brockman, David Gilmore, Victor Damiani, Todd Roper, Greg Brown, and DJ Qbert.
To Whom It May Concern: Caleb didn’t want to write his own bio (musicians, eh?) so I will do the honours. After peddling his wares leading the criminally unnoticed Yay For Squares (
Hailing from a small town in Southern Minnesota, Richard Clayton Spring has risen above the norm, blossoming into a beautiful butterfly of acoustic guitars, pianos, synths, electronic beats, and vocals ranging from the softest of whispers to the yelp of the Great Wolf. The only style of music Richard can’t write incredibly is generic pop music, or else he would be in a limousine drinking champagne with Lady GaGa. But he has acquired an auto-tuner, so he’s working his way there.
Parsons is a 20-year-old student from California. She can leap small buildings in a few bounds. She fears large fish, but for some reason not sharks or whales. Parsons always makes the same New Year’s resolution: to survive to see the next year. So far, this has worked well for her. Parsons comes from an impressive songwriting pedigree: her older brother wrote the song “Blue Moon” in 1934, managing to overcome his crippling dyslexia and the fact that the song was written 51 years before his birth. Parsons’s songwriting influences include Beethoven, The Beatles, and Weird Al. Her sense of humor comes from The Simpsons, Mystery Science Theater 3000, and her frequent injections of concentrated doses of Vitamin K. Parsons hopes to go far in this competition. If she doesn’t emerge victorious, she will be forced to turn to Operation Omega. Nobody wants that to happen.
With only two members, the name may be misleading, but that seems to be a theme here. Austin Morley and Jeremy Pudak have been playing music together for several years now, and have never really settled on a genre or a name. In their younger days they would draw on rock influences like Rancid or The Ramones. In recent years, they have settled into slightly quieter influences like She & Him and Bob Dylan. Jeremy has always had a talent for the guitar, but Austin was not so lucky and decided to stick with a bass guitar. Austin & The Pudaks will be rocking your face off, but may not actually be in a rock genre. Be careful, as exposure to this amount of awesome has unpredictable effects.
Melissa and Ian are two amateur musicians with a longtime love of composing and performing classical music. Whether this is useful or relevant for a songwriting competition remains to be seen. They are eagerly awaiting the “Write a song in the style of an obscure Baroque composer” round, ’cause somebody totally told them there would be such a round and why would someone lie like that?
In the Audience is a band headed by 19-year-old Jordan Stowell. The band combines their love of Third Eye Blind-style pop hooks with the DIY ethics of the Microphones. The band will release Baritone Ukulele Classics in June and begin touring the same month.
Over the twelve years since young-ish midwesterner Travis Norris first picked up a guitar, he has played and written music in a wide variety of genres ranging from rock that a-billies, metal of a medium or heavier weight, “outlaw” country (aka “the good kind”) and “frosty” jazz (not a real subgenre). Left to his own devices, something like “U2 meets Jonny Lang meets various two-to-three-hit-wonder bands of the ’90s indie/alternative scene” is what you’ll usually get. Travis’s instrumental talents range from lead guitar, 2nd lead guitar, rhythm guitar, auxiliary guitar, and bass (sorta). He can also drag and drop drum loops like you wouldn’t believe. He comes to this competition armed with three electric guitars, a neglected bass, an Ebow, and absolutely no fan base or public recognition. So be nice, eh? I hear he’s real sensitive when people that aren’t him make fun of him.
When we’re not turning scrap metal into transportation and weaponry suited to post-apocalyptic life, studying the obsolete sociopolitical establishment of the twenty-first century under the guise of civil service, or scouting subterranean wilds for a suitable base of operations, The Gremlins are dedicated to sabotaging the destructive technological forces that have become your way of life through whatever mischief is at our disposal. Banjos are fun, too.
The Gorgon’s Gaze is the alias of Tim Wilkinson, recent resident of “the music capital of the world”, Austin, TX. Originally hailing from hard to pronounce Worcester, MA, he began his musical career as the drummer of metal band Tempus. His drumming proficiency led him to join infamous fun-core band Bison Bison, creators of the annual Molluskfest, and toured the US. Tim loves to talk about himself in the third-person and is joining MSF to rock out with “y’all”.
Mike Federali is a singer/songwriter from Virginia. He has two albums under his belt – The Great American Novel and Never Be Lonely. Mike wrote a song a day, everyday, in 2007 as part of a project called “365”. Mike has been called “The Beatles, Jayhawks and Pixies all rolled into one devilishly handsome dude” and “A One Man Music Army”. His songs can be heard on iTunes.
When two musicians marry one another, it’s a wonderful thing. When a multi-instrumental songwriter marries an amazing vocalist, it’s even better. Bud (oldest of three, one insane sibling of each gender) was born and raised in sunny San Diego, CA ““ a drummer first, guitarist second, and just about everything you could imagine third through last. Christin Joy (youngest of four, with 3 older brothers) was born and raised in beautiful Annapolis, MD ““ with the voice of an angel and the compassion to match; she is quite a wonderful singer and writer. The Perfect Place is a Husband/Wife duo that enjoys writing and performing music in their spare time. While their main area of expertise is theologically minded, they have been known to get a little silly from time to time. Masters of Song Fu should prove to be an interesting challenge, one we await with eager anticipation. Woot!
His Name Is Legs is a newly-created rock band comprised of guitarist/vocalist/Song Fu veteran Hazen Nester and bassist Cameron Accola, who collaborated with Nester on two of his previous entries. Born out of a mutual love of Rush and talented musicians in general, His Name Is Legs pledges to provide listeners with an eclectic array of sounds designed to stimulate and elevate. What makes this band unique is that neither Accola nor Nester have ever met each other in person.
Oh no! Just when you thought it was safe to hang out at the Quick Stop…
What was just a fleeting opportunity to promote another DVD turned into something of a curiosity to me.
After thinking about the highest compliment I can confer on this film it would be this: I want to see this movie again.
There’s this great Night Court episode that has always stayed with me ever since I saw it air decades ago. Harry, played by Harry Anderson, has to convince a very deranged woman who is brandishing a grenade in his court that what she sees on television is not reality. The blend of humor and the very not funny threat of someone dying was emblematic of a series that blurred the line of what a sitcom was. So, too, is my love affair of Lost.
CS: And you mentioned something about Lost having something close to a bible. The pantheon of fans out there…that there’s no detail that goes unnoticed with the people who really dig this show. How was that knowing that every tick, every peculiarity is poured over? I don’t know if you ever now gone back to see what people are talking about and see if people are really on the mark or off the mark with about what’s to come later on in the season?
CS: And one of the interesting things about the show itself too, for how many years it’s been on, you don’t hear anything about any petty sort of in-fighting or anything associated with some programs that are on a very long time that most succumb to. Any ideas of how they’ve managed to avoid needless drama? 
As a child of the 80’s, I was absolutely taken with Ghostbusters when it came out. I had the toys, I used to pretend I was a Ghostbuster, and before everything turned sour with Ghostbusters 2, I delighted in the Saturday morning adventures of the guys on The Real Ghostbusters. After a few disappointing single-disc collections from Sony, Time Life has hit the ball out of the park with the wonderfully packaged 
You know, life can be a bit uninteresting sometimes. And serious. Every once in a while, you want something totally, utterly frivolous to just goofily look at with a dopey smile on your face. Something like a solar powered glow-in-the-dark lightbulb encased in lucite. That’s exactly what the 
It’s just been remade with Martin Clunes, but the original 
Why is it that we get bucketfuls of tripe on TV here in the US, but the UK gets a wonderfully quirky rom-sit-com like 
One of those shows that I watched intermittently when it was on, always enjoyed it when I did, and am now happy to catch up on via DVD all these years later gets its second season release. 
I went into 
Picking up where Rock Profile and Dead Ringers left off, 
Fans are still buzzing over the recent new Doctor Who Easter special, as the adventures of the 10th Doctor rapidly come to a close. Let’s go back to the adventures of Doctors 4 & 7 with a pair of new DVD releases – the Tom Baker 
It’s the chemistry between Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson – as a pair of strangers whose chance encounter in London leads them both to believe that perhaps romance is not dead- that carries the romantic comedy 
The first season came out a few months back, but now fans can pick up the Blu-Ray edition of 
Ol’ Blue Eyes is back with a pair of brand new, remastered deluxe additions to the Frank Sinatra Collection – 
Knowledge is power – or, at the very least, interesting – and such is the case with Niall Ferguson’s documentary 
The series was released years ago on DVD, but the classic Japanese animated series 
Josie Lawrence & Miranda Richardson star as a pair of Englishwoman who hope to escape their drab lives by heading to the Italian Rivera in 
New year, new kids, but the teens of Roundview College are just as awkwardly randy in the 3rd series of 
It’s not the massive batch of previous months, but Paramount continues their release of catalogue titles on Blu-Ray with a trio of new discs – 
The original Broadway cast recording of 
If your kids are not yet aware of the classic Disney characters – that’s Mickey, Donald, Goofy, etc. – pick up the latest Mickey Mouse Clubhouse release, 
When a movie’s main selling point is that it stars not only George Wendt, but also Joey Piscopo (Joe’s son, of course!), it’s understandable that you may be somewhat wary. Or really wary. Well, 
BURBANK — There’s a black hole sucking up all the stars. Who could have imagined in such a short period of time we’d lose Dom DeLuise, Bea Arthur, J.G. Ballard and Danny Gans? Was there enough pages in People magazine give proper remembrance to these dearly departed? All the pages written by Proust wouldn’t cover their greatness.