Some people hang the holly, others decorate the tree, and a few even terrorize the neighborhood with off-key caroling.
Not us.
Here at Quick Stop Entertainment, we’re celebrating the holiday season by giving a little something back to you, our readers (you know who you are).
Every weekday leading up to the holiday break, we’ve got uber-exclusive gifts provided by a whole range of artists, actors, comedians, and studios. One a day, straight from them to you (and you can check out last year’s fun here).
Ain’t that cool?
Today, we’ve got an exclusive track from Matt Berry – star of THE IT CROWD, SNUFF BOX, DARKPLACE, & THE MIGHTY BOOSH – from his upcoming album, WITCHAZEL.
Not only that, we’re also premiering the cover to the album.
As for the tune, it’s titled “Roosting Time”, and here’s how Matt describes it:
“‘Roosting Time’ about an owl at roosting time who watches over all the little creatures that she may fancy for her supper.“
You can find out more about Berry – and get information on how to pick up copies of both his previous album, Opium, and Witchazel – at his official MySpace page –
www.myspace.com/mattberrysmusic
We’ve also got an in-depth interview with Matt coming soon… But first, check out today’s Holiday Havoc from Matt Berry’s Witchazel…
To view a larger version of the album cover, CLICK HERE
Download “Matt Berry – Roosting Time“:
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Check out the rest of this year’s Holiday Havoc – and past Havoc – HERE
SCOOT MCNAIRY: Hi Christopher. Where are you?
So it was just a whole bunch of guys getting together who used to make films together on the streets of Boston for no money and we all got back together to make another film in our life and we had no idea it was going to get the legs that it got. Everyday has been a surprise for us the last two years.
MCNAIRY: ABSOLUTELY. I learned so much. I produced other things like some trailers to music videos and some shorts but nothing that ever had to deal with the business aspect of it. This was a huge learning curve for me and through the entire journey anything that happened, like, “Let’s go to Tribeca…should we get a publicist?” I was like I want to get a publicist, I know we don’t have the money for it, let’s just find it and we’ll put the money up for it because at the end of it I want to know that this film failed, if it does fail, I want to know that we did everything right and the film failed because it wasn’t good.
CS: It did. It recalibrated my own expectations for what a film like this should be. It seems that this film, and why the movie is getting wonderful reviews, is that this film feels more genuine than anything 
I remember getting a screener for the Elton John documentary 
I think we’re just now starting to get the distance necessary to effectively dramatize the ground events of the Iraq War, and the first project that feels like it’s accomplished the task is HBO’s 
There’s nothing I can say about 
Paramount has unplugged the taps and released a flood of new-to-Blu-Ray titles this week. Special features-wise, they’re direct ports from the standard DVD versions, but you know you just want them for that high-definition fix you so desperately crave. Those titles making their debut are 
There’ve been releases cobbled together from the episodes in the public domain, but you can now get the “official” first season of 
If you think The Hills should be sent into the wilderness and Gossip Girl‘s twenty-something teens don’t represent the reality you faced in high school, you’ll probably find more familiar territory in the documentary American Teen (Paramount, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.99 SRP), which follows a group of Indiana teenagers as they try and navigate the pitfalls of senior year. Bonus materials include cast interviews, blogs, deleted scenes, and trailers. The DVD is currently a Target exclusive.
Years in the making and hours in the watching, the remake of 
For all of the on screen sturm and drang of 
It may not be the smartest show, but there is a goofy energy and fun to be found in the first 2 seasons of 
When holiday season is over, if you’re lucky, you’ve got a few extra bucks filling up your pocket. With that in mind, Paramount has unveiled another clutch of new-to-Blu-Ray catalogue releases in order to get you to impulse buy some favorites. The 5 titles they’re tossing into the fray are 
If you want to spend the holiday season with a costume drama that brings a little spice, then you’ll probably be happy with 
One of the more disturbing things I’ve seen in a long time would have to be the 
There’s no doubt that 
Mindless popcorn films are all well and good, but it’s nice to pop in a flick like writer/director Alan Ball’s 
Long since jumped the shark, 
FURNISH: It all depends.We need to define excess spending.A lot of that stuff came out of a trial where people were trying to paint Elton as being a financially irresponsible person.Elton is not a financially irresponsible person at all.Actually when the figures came out and they said you spent a whole lot of money in a short period of time, what Elton did was spend it on property and on collecting art work. All art work which creates a beautiful environment in your home which inspires him and myself artistically and also pieces of art that have hugely increased in value and actually proved to be an investment, so in the end he’s actually quite prudent with his money.I wouldn’t call it irresponsible or excessive.At the end of the day he earns what he earns and works very, very hard for what he does and gives more back to charity.
CS: Right.There is another touching moment in the documentary of Elton’s reflection on the way he felt sort of remorse for his ex-wife ““ that whole situation ““ and looking back at 1995 that was still pretty fresh of a wound at least, and tying into all that as well, when you played bat for him the therapist talking about Elton’s buying people’s friendships and his response to it, how has he evolved in the last 13 years as a result of seeing this?
This had to be the most deceptively easy and rewarding interview I have done all year.
CS: Right. And on that point that it was almost a run and gun approach ““ you did it in three months, was it January, February, March?
Boyle: It starts with the writing. Doesn’t feel like flashbacks. Very few people describe them as such because they don’t work like flashbacks. Everything feels like it’s now. Even though you know it’s not because he’s 7 and he’s the same guy and we’ve see him and he’s 18. He’s obviously different but it feels like now. It feels like it’s all happening now and you can visit – and you can go backwards and forward just for a line. You can go back 10 years just for a line and then come straight back again. There’s no whiplash. His mental strength going on that show and being able to access this terrible past and some of the things that has happened to him ““ to access that and use it is amazing. I love that kind of determination. You need to have that in the actor. And he does have that despite the rather charming exterior. The only thing he’s done before was kind of a goofy comic part in a TV show in Britain. He’s got that kind of determination. He was 17 when we flew him to Bombay and dropped him in it and sent him to work in all these terrible places to give him a taste of the city and he was shocked but also determined to get through it, you know?
CS: What came through in the editing?
There is no question that Nacho Vigalondo is doing the kind of filmmaking that many of his peers wish they could do.
CS:
VIGALONDO:
Oh no! Just when you thought it was safe to hang out at the Quick Stop…
Paul and Storm are a comedy music duo, and they have been performing as a duo since 2004. Before that, they were one half of a cappella band Da Vinci’s Notebook for about 12 years. A Paul and Storm show is part music concert and part standup/improv comedy”“just enough of both to fit neatly in neither category. They like to engage the audience, and are known to award snack cakes and/or other prizes for good (and sometimes bad) behavior. Their show would be PERFECT as a cable special, and would make lots of money for whichever brave channel decides to air them first.
Jeff MacDougall 2: Electric Boogaloo – You may know Jeff from his short-lived stint as reigning challenger in MoSF#1 – ultimately losing to master Jonathan Coulton. He’s back and ready to make the holidays his bitch. Because really, nothing says Christmas music like the sweet sounds of Jeff MacDougall.
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.
My name is Joe Lamb, I’ve been known online as JoeCovenant, or JoeCov, Or just Cov for the last decade or so. I’m 45 and have been performing for 40 of those years. Up until 2005 I was solely a professional actor/singer, but I am now also a Civil Servant and work for Her Majesty. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 10, but still think Bar Chords are things played in pubs. (I can’t do ’em!) I’m not too bad on the Bhodran and can pick out a tune on a keyboard when pushed… really hard. I’ve always been frustrated that my ideas outdistance my abilities, so my output is always rather simplistic… But I like to think that, occasionally, synergy does it’s job well! My last album, a passel of LARP songs written ‘in character’, was recorded in the same way the songs for this contest will be recorded… Analogue, in my living room, through a quickshot stick-mic (Yes, really!) Hearing some of the songs that have been created through this contest I feel privileged to be involved! I’ll do the best I can!
“BucketHat” Bobby Matheson is an awkward teenage accordionist and multi-instrumentalist who specializes in superhero-themed and “Comedy” music, and who works for minimum wage in the fast food industry. With his style varying from polka to folk, punk to pop, and then again from rock to bluegrass, we’re left unsure what to expect. One thing for certain is that Bobby doesn’t like talking about himself in the third person, and therefore will stop this silliness right now.
Charlie Wolf has always been much better at writing songs than at writing third-person biographies about himself. While still a teenager, Charlie Wolf is already an accomplished ‘multi-instrumentalist’, playing guitar, bass, accordion, and keyboards. In the past year or so, Charlie has began playing private parties and coffee-house gigs in the Los Angeles area, which sounds way more interesting than it actually is. His music ranges from hilarious comedy songs to tender ballads, and more often than not, somewhere in between. He would like to thank the academy, but cannot, because he does not know where the academy is or how they would like to be thanked.
“Rusty’s Rocking Jamboree” is a one-man, music and comedy show for family audiences, starring Russ Rogers. While in college, twenty-some years ago, Russ Rogers was in a band called, “Buc Blaster and His Ukulele Rangers.” There are several noteworthy alumni of “The Ukulele Rangers,” including Song Fu Master Michael J. Nelson. Later, Rogers and Andy LaCasse (also a Ukulele Ranger) partnered to form the almost near famous, children’s music and comedy duo, “Kit and Kaboodle.” After ten years and three albums (still available on iTunes and CDBaby.com), “Kit and Kaboodle” broke up over musical differences. LaCasse was musical … an d Rogers was just different. Now, “Rusty’s Rocking Jamboree” has been entertaining family audiences around Minnesota for the past five years.
The Masked Stranger (a.k.a Neal John Mac Rae), is a self proclaimed noise/folk artist from Nova Scotia, Canada. Although his work has gone completely unnoticed on an official level, he has still managed to garner several fans from Australia and amoungst his close friends. The Masked Stranger project started in 2004 when Neal John recorded “The River Song”, a simple panflute tune he furiously augmented and destroyed on his computer. Since then he has created roughly 30 other distinctly more destroyed and demented tracks under the moniker of The Masked Stranger. His music has been described as “a total disregard for musical theory”, “aaaaaaaah!”, “raw and grating”, “annoying”, “Twisting is a word I want to use to describe it… Very natural and earthly”, and “disturbing and yet… strangely enjoyable”. His most well liked and most consistant piece “Rue The Red” was described by Cape Breton goregrind artist Devin Meaney as “a posessed man jigging out on the strings of his creator. Like a puppet, devouring the flesh of god. And this is exactly what it reminds me of, no joke.”. This awkward and soil laiden musician’s journeys into the abrassive and the tribal only threaten to continue.
Heather Henderson has been entertaining America since she was seven years old. She got her start as a mini dancing superstar and co-host on Dance Party USA. Her career then made the natural progression towards Sesame Street and most recently a principal role in the Disney film Annapolis. Striving constantly to develop as an artist, The Big H sings with the bad-ass 60’s retro soul group SOULAMITE!, performs with the Revival Burlesque troupe in philadelphia, makes short films, writes funny songs, and is always looking for the next good audition. She hopes to have her own totally crappy and misquoted Wikipedia entry one day.
Scott Wolfson has been performing and recording since he was 13 years old. For more than half of his life he’s been a part of the New York City music scene – most notably, as the guitarist and songwriter for the “freak pop” band The Right Bastards, and most recently as the front man for The Buzzkill All-Stars. A graduate of NYU, he majored in musical performance and minored in music theory and composition. His songwriting strives to combine the wit and wisdom of Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, and Tom Waits with the pop sensibilites of Squeeze, XTC, and Crowded House. His unique voice and stylings add another dimension to the already strong songwriting.
Bryce Jensen has been writing songs off and on for over twenty years, but he has rarely shared any of them beyond his friends and family. His styles range from a capella to heavy metal with a lot of wimpy finger picking stuff in between. As most of his songs are horrible, Bryce has agreed to enter this contest as a service to the other contestants, making them appear even more talented by comparison.
