So a few weeks ago I woke up hip to Imani Coppola, a multi talented musician who is 10 years deep in the game. Her sound crosses every style imaginable; Alternative, Rock, Classical, Hip Hop, R & B – you name it! I never heard of her until I heard her song “Woke Up Hwite” on somebody’s myspace profile, and fell in love with her sound immediately. After listening to a few of her other songs, it affirmed the best things come unexpectedly. Imani’s put out nine albums, her first being Chupacabra, released in 1997 on Columbia Records. Her most recent disc, The Black and White Album, was released this past January on her own label, having songs showing the authentic, soulful strength of this now independent artist.
The whole Black and White Album is a musical journey in self exploration. The melodies and lyrics are unpredictable, but still allow the listener to follow Imani on her journey, as they tap into their own being. The irony hits you like “damn,” like in “The Black and White Jingle #1” when she says “Sometimes life may feel like it’s sucking you up/but it’s not, it may just be you sucking . . .” All around, this CD should be ranked among the classics. Pick it up and get ready for the ride! If you still need convincing check out some tracks on her MySpace Page.
When doing the phone interview I was on a local college campus – a place where people learn new ideas, and attempt to find their place in the real world. Respectively, in the school of the entertainment industry, Imani learned many lessons, knows her place in the “music world,” and expresses a style all of her own. “When I first got signed I was confused by the business conflicting with creating musical art,” Imani explained. “An up and coming artist with a message can break in the mainstream, but they’ll have to make a single where they’ll more likely be saying something they don’t want to. It sucks, that if the major label you are on doesn’t like what you say in a song, you are screwed.”
There were certain songs she couldn’t put out when signed because her label didn’t think they had enough commercial, mainstream appeal. Determined to get her musical message out, she released Little Red Fighting Mood independently in 2001. This CD was made up of songs not picked for her first two albums. Making positive of any situation and a strong will are not only reflected in her music, but her personality as well. Despite being under the weather, she schooled me on her experience in the industry, and was just as witty and insightful as her songs.
As a businesswoman she wears multiple hats, acting as her own manager, and promoter. She personally answers all business emails, and sends CDs herself to the online sites that sell them. “Every artist will need outside help eventually, but being independent helps boost one’s self worth as an artist. You make goals, achieve them, and celebrate – it’s like playing an instrument, and getting better as you practice.” That she has experience with as she writes, composes, and arranges all the music she does.
Her goal for this current album is to get it out to the masses, and start working on another CD. She also wants to continue composing and branch off into composing music scores, and even voiceover work.
People can buy her music and find out more about her at www.imanicoppola.net.
–Copyright 2007 Keneteph Entertainment
Iron Maiden is set to become the first metal band 
When Dr. Peter Coogan appeared at New York’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art last September to talk about his book Superhero: The Secret Origin of a Genre (MonkeyBrain Press, 2006), he said that of all the characters who possibly might be superheroes, he was most asked whether the Shadow and Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer qualified under his definition. Coogan’s answer in both cases was no.
It was strange but as I was channel surfing one afternoon Tanya gave an interview to a local reporter in Chicago about an upcoming show she was getting ready to do with her band Belly. During the story they played a clip from the “Feed The Tree” video. While I took enough notice that I’ve never forgotten about it, and this is the important part of the story, it didn’t do a whole lot for me. Nothing, in fact. What happened, though, during the following weeks is notable in that the news segment stayed with me. The clip replayed over and over again in my head. I was humming “Feed The Tree” to myself every now and then when it played on the radio. The tune had such internal resonance for me that Belly’s STAR would be the very first Rock album I would ever purchase in the USED section of a small record store and, to this day, represents where my musical renaissance began.
DONELLY: Thank you very much.
DONELLY: It’s very varied but it’s what labels don’t like. I guess”¦I don’t know”¦Children’s music, so we’re told, except for a few very lucky instances, children’s music doesn’t really sell well. Stuff like The Wiggles will because it’s completely catered”¦and this is not at all. This is like regular rock music with just lyrics that are appropriate. So, people are just having a hard time figuring out just how to market it. At this point, the woman who started the whole project, Chris Tappin, she’s probably going to put it up on CD Baby and we’re waiting to hear”¦she’s going to let me know if that happens and then I’m going to let people know.
CS: And that wasn’t difficult? Exposing her to that kind of music as a kid? I only ask because I’m thinking of mounting some kind of campaign to get my kid to listen to Wilco, Neko Case”¦
DONELLY: Yeah, I know, I know. You just have to mourn that and go, “Alright, how do I get it done now?”
DONELLY: Well, the main thing that I want to release are the demos. For STAR, which are actually Breeder’s demos, which, unfortunately, when I went back to try to mix it down the integrity of the tape is a little bit compromised”¦because they’re so freakin’ old”¦but I think Ivo Watts-Russell, who used to run 4AD, I think he has a CD of it. I’m going to see if I can wrestle that away from him and just put it up as-is.
The only thing is”¦is sometimes I wish I could get this music to more people. That’s the only thing but it’s never a lifestyle issue for a second.
And when Belly broke up, and with my first solo record, they sent me back in a few times, it was mixed a couple of times, they made me write more and take songs off and put songs on. They were very”¦on top of that one. Which, at the time, I was kind of in a panic myself, that was my year of panic, and then after that I calmed down.
CS: And your husband, Dean, is an amazing musician as well. I remember seeing him play live when he toured with Juliana Hatfield, has he been a good sounding board for your music or do you have your own way of doing things?
CS: Then what’s the deal? They’re like ten pages long. I read them every night. It’s the biggest con in the book business. Just write ten sentences and you’re golden, you’re done”¦
CS: Does he have like the big, expensive high fidelity set-up in the house?
While I thought the big-screen adaptation of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy was a bit hit or miss (though more hit than miss), it’s not often that the entire live action cast and director take their act to the small screen – and succeed. Both Mignola and director Guillermo del Toro have returned as creative producers for the first in a series of Hellboy: Animated films, Sword of Storms (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). Even better than the tight, Asian-influenced story (our hero must tackle a pair of ancient Japanese demons) is the streamlined, evocative adaptation of Mignola’s art style for animation. Combined, they make the kind of fun yet adult action-adventure series that Spawn only wished it could have been. Bonus features include an audio commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, interviews, and much more.
Dark Horse has also jumped on the Hellboy: Animated bandwagon with a whole slew of merchandise, including collectible character magnets ($7.99 SRP each), stationary ($4.99 SRP), and journals ($9.99 SRP).
It’s not very often that you get a DVD release that contains just a single episode of a show – the pilot, in fact, but that is exactly what you get with the DVD release of the pilot for the animated adaptation of Mike Mignola’s steampunk adventure The Amazing Screw-On Head (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), about an articulate, seemingly immortal head (voiced by Paul Giamatti) that uses a series of robotic bodies to defend the country against supernatural threats – such as his maniacal former manservant, Emperor Zombie (David Hyde-Pierce) – at the behest of President Abraham Lincoln, with only his current manservant, Mr. Groin, and his dog, Mr. Dog, at his side. It’s offbeat and fun, and with a little more development it probably would have been an adventure in the vein of The Venture Bros., but sadly this seems like all we’ll get. The DVD features an audio commentary, a featurette on the adaptation process, storyboard comparisons, and trailers.
TwoMorrows, I love ya. Not only have you given me entries in your Modern Masters artist spotlight series featuring John Byrne, Walt Simonson, George Perez, and Alan Davis, but you’ve added Kevin Maguire to the list (TwoMorrows, $14.95 SRP), and for that I thank them. In fact, flipping through the selection of artwork contained in the volume, it reminded just how much I adored his run on the Justice League, bringing to brilliant life the scripts of Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis – a run, sadly, that has been completely destroyed by the incompetent mooks at DC (I’m looking at you Dan Didio… ya schmuck). Until Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Max Lord, and the Dibneys find a way back from DC’s idiocy, at least we can remember the good times.
It’s a shame that Hollywoodland (Universal, Rated R, DVD-$29.98 SRP) largely came and went from cinemas, because Ben Affleck turned in quite a memorable performance as the late George Reeves – an actor whose most memorable role, much to his chagrin, was that of TV’s Superman, and whose life ended either in suicide or murder at the height of his TV fame. The film itself is largely the story of a P.I. (Adrien Brody) who tries to piece together the pieces of the puzzle, even though the LAPD has already ruled it a suicide. Was it a scheming fiancée that killed Reeves? A jealous husband (Bob Hoskins)? Or perhaps the police were right after all, and a despondent Reeves – a serious actor who lamented the typecasting his superheroic role brought him – did take his own life. Bonus features include an audio commentary with director Allen Coulter, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and more.
It’s aged rather awkwardly in some sections, but by and large, Eddie Murphy’s Delirious (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP) remains a legendary bit of stand-up, and is a wonderful document of a performer at the height of his powers. Not only does the DVD feature additional bonus footage, but a brand new interview with Murphy as well.
It’s been almost 3 years since the last full season release of Mad About You, and when the “Best Of” collection was released a few years back instead of another season, I despaired of seeing things back on track anytime soon. Thankfully, things are back on track with the arrival of the complete third season (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$39.95 SRP), featuring all 24 episodes. For the recurring appearances from Cyndi Lauper alone, this is a great season – and it’s the era just before things went downhill when the once brilliant sitcom decided to do “very special” episodes.
If you’re under that yellow journalism and political mudslinging in the American press is an invention of the 20th century, let Eric Burns’s Infamous Scribblers: The Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Beginnings of American Journalism (Public Affairs, $15.95 SRP) set you straight. The title itself comes from a George Washington quote describing the journalists of his day, and the portrait of the Fourth Estate painted by this tome – and the politicians that both manipulated and were mauled by it – is far livelier and altogether surprising that one would expect.
You know, you think there’d more themed releases like Van Morrison: At The Movies (EMI, $18.98 SRP). The disc collects 19 Van Morrison tracks featured in movies ranging from An Officer and a Gentleman to The Departed. It’s a great idea, and hopefully it inspires other artists to follow suit… If only to get that McCartney release containing both “Band on the Run” and “Spies Like Us.”
In the early 90’s, an odd thing happened – Richard Lewis and Jamie Lee Curtis co-starred in a network sitcom called Anything But Love (Fox, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) as a pair of best friends and co-workers who set aside their long-standing refusal to give in to their attraction for each other for fear of ruining their friendship, only to discover it’s every bit as tricky as they’d feared. Thankfully, it was actually quite a funny sitcom, as you’ll discover with the 28 episodes contained in this first 3-disc volume, that also features commentary from the stars on select episodes, plus brand-new featurettes. I do, however, want to also mention that Fox has become maddeningly cheap with their packaging choices, and it’s leading to damaged discs. It’s bad enough that they insist on continuing their use of double-sided discs, but when you combine that with lousy DVD cases, you get loose, scratched discs. Please, Fox, stop doing this crap to good releases.
Love is in the air and a brand new batch of themed catalogue releases are out just in time for Valentine’s Day, as Warners rounds up a batch of oft-requested titles from the vaults. The 5 tittles include Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue in A Summer Place (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), George Segal as an ex-wife obsessed lawyer keen on rekindling romance in Blume In Love (Warner Bros., Rated R, DVD-$19.98 SRP), Judy Garland and Robert Walker as wartime paramours in The Clock (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), Amy Irving as the object of her matchmaker grandmother’s attentions in Crossing Delancey (Warner Bros., Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP), and Jane Wyman and Van Johnson as two lovestruck strangers in Miracle In The Rain (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). All 5 discs features the original theatrical materials, while The Clock gets vintage shorts and the radio adaptation, and Miracle contains a pair of vintage behind-the-scenes segments.
I’ve watched it twice – just because I loved Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind so much – but Michel Gondry’s solo writer/director effort The Science Of Sleep (Warner Bros., Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP) is a largely incomprehensible visual exercise about a dedicated young dreamer (think a French version of Brazil) that is quite nice to look at, but very hard to care about. It’s a shame, because there’s obviously a lot of brilliant ideas in Gondry’s head – I just think he needs a collaborator to bring them out in a form an audience can connect with. Bonus features include an audio commentary with Gondry, behind-the-scenes featurettes, a music video, and more.
Based on numerous recommendations from friends (and a healthy plug from the likes of Derren Brown and Penn & Teller), I finally sat down and read Richard Dawkins’s treatise on religion, The God Delusion (Houghton Mifflin, $27.00 SRP). Regardless of which side of the religion debate you fall on, I can’t recommend this highly enough to those with an open mind.
Of all the kids TV out there, very little of it is suitable for adult consumption. On that very short list, I can add the adventures of 10-year-old Ben Tennyson, whose discovery, while on holiday, of a mysterious wristwatch buried in a meteorite gives him the ability to transform into any of 10 alien heroes – a handy thing now that he has to fight the villainous Vilgax and his alien hordes. The 2-disc set features all 13 first season episodes of Ben 10 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), plus commentary, drawing lessons, and a sneak peek into the future.
Speaking of palatable kid’s shows, another that fits the bill is Teen Titans, and you can now pick up their feature-length adventure Trouble In Tokyo (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP), as our heroes take on the seedy underworld of Japan’s big city and the villain Brushogun. The disc features an additional “lost episode,” “Robin’s Underworld Race Challenge.”
While watching The Grudge 2 (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$28.95 SRP), I couldn’t help but be nagged by the feeling that I had already seen the movie. I had, of course, and it was called The Grudge. Just swap out the quickly dispensed with Sarah Michelle Gellar for Amber Tamblyn, and hit “repeat” – there you go, instant sequel. It’s certainly an acceptable diversion, but nothing to remember 5 minutes after the credits roll. The unrated edition features the obligatory extra gore, plus an intro from Sam Raimi, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
It’s no When Harry Met Sally, but as romantic comedies go, Trust The Man (Fox, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP) is likeable enough. Most of that is due to the cast, which includes Julianne Moore and David Duchovny as a New York City married couple whose marriage is in serious trouble – but so is the relationship of Moore’s brother-in-law, played by Billy Crudup, who’s having trouble committing to his novelist girlfriend (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Bonus features include an audio commentary, a making-of featurette, and deleted scenes.
Those wanting to complete their Hitchcock collections will probably want to snag a copy of the 3-disc Alfred Hitchcock: Collector’s Edition (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), featuring 5 of the master’s earliest films – The Ring, The Manxman, Murder!, The Skin Game, and Rich and Strange. The set also features the documentary Pure Cinema: The Birth of the Hitchcock Style.
If you’re addicted to sites like “The Smoking Gun” and “Defamer,” then odds are that you’ll get a kick out of Celebrity Secrets: Government Files on the Rich and Famous (Paraview Pocket Books, $14.00 SRP). The title is pretty self-explanatory, as author Nick Redfern dives into the files of celebs like Lennon, Hemingway, Costello, Presley, Monroe, Princess Di, and many more. Prurient, but engaging, reading to be sure.
Shopping for a toddler in the family (as I constantly am for my nephew Cameron)? You can’t go wrong with a pair of new collections from two of Nickelodeon’s most popular shows – The Backyardigans: The Legend of the Volcano Sisters and Dora the Explorer: Musical School Days (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP each). Both discs feature 4 episodes, plus additional songs, games, and sneak peeks.
And speaking of DVDs for toddlers, the BBC has put out the third volume of Charlie and Lola (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which features outtakes, games, and hidden surprises.
Proof that not everything he touched turned to gold, Darren Star’s stab at soapy sitcom – about a group of 6 young actors forced to cope with instant stardom when their show becomes an unexpected success – met with much indifference after only 17 episodes, but the great age of DVD means you can get that complete run of Grosse Pointe (Sony, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP) for your very own library. Bonus features include audio commentaries on select episodes and an interview with Star.
I know somewhere there’s an audience of a touchy-feely tale of a rebellious 16-year-old and her horse, but I know I’m not it. Still, for those of you who fit that category, there’s Flicka (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP), starring Tim McGraw, Maria Bello, and Alison Lohman. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, bloopers, and a music video.
