Linoleum

Just a small note in these times of disorder at work to slip the set list of the excellent (yet sadly poorly filled spectator-wise speaking) concert of Pain of Salvation in the elysée-montmartre for the LP Linoleum.

Setlist Pain of Salvation:
1. Remedy Lane
2. Used
3. Diffidentia
4. Linoleum
5. Ashes
6. Undertow
7. Falling
8. The Perfect Element
9. Fandango
10. Handful of Nothing
11. Drum Solo
12. Spirit of the Land
13. Inside
14. If You Wait
15. Nightmist

Encore:
16. Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)
17. Conditioned
18. Disco Queen

Feed to feed

Just a small note about the set list of the concert of Oceansize in le nouveau casino.
The band was a bit off sadly (the drummer was ill and they had to cancel a bunch of dates afterwards) and pklayed a top 1 hour and an half only.
The new songs are cool check them out !

http://www.myspace.com/oceansizeuk


Ransoms
Unfamiliar
Legal Teens
Paper Champion
Rocket
Massive Bereavement
Laurie's Head
A Homage To A Shame
You Can't Keep A Bad Man Down
Home & Minor
It's My Tail

Rappel :
Meredith
The Charm Offensive

Rapid Eye Movement

Saturday was Riverside day in one of the last Concert ever in la Locomotive near the moulin rouge.
With 2 hours late for an early show, the guys from poland delivered a great show with a full rendition of their excellent last album Anno Domini High Definition.

The set list as always...


02 Panic Room [with extended intro]
Second Life Syndrome [with Schizophrenic Prayer snippet inside Pt. III]
The Same River
In Two Minds [with The Time I Was Daydreaming snippet after the song]
Hyperactive
Driven To Destruction
Egoist Hedonist
Left Out
Hybrid Times

Stuck Between
Reality Dream II
Reality Dream III

Rapid Eye Movement

http://www.myspace.com/riversidepl

Octane twisted

Yesterday was another concert night.
At the olympia was playing Porcupine tree for its latest record 'the incident'.

On the first part we had the pleasure to be entertained by mister Robert Fripp with his frippertronics and soundscapes who were sadly not of the taste of the people coming to see a prog metal band.
The very atmospheric set was a bit spoiled by the chatter and shouts and whistles of many people who apparently had no idea who or what the first part of this concert was about.

After a small message of no pics and no recording thank you, PT started with the full rendition of the first CD.
The sound was clear and nice, the set list below for 2 hours show of excellent quality but lacking as usual pré-lightbulb sun era songs.

www.porcupinetree.com

1. Occam's Razor
2. The Blind House
3. Great Expectations
4. Kneel and Disconnect
5. Drawing the Line
6. The Incident
7. Your Unpleasant Family
8. The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train
9. Time Flies
10. Degree Zero of Liberty
11. Octane Twisted
12. The Séance
13. Circle of Manias
14. I Drive the Hearse

Intermission.

15. The Start of Something Beautiful
16. Russia on Ice (without last part and almost chained to...)
17. Anesthetize (middle section)
18. Lazarus
19. Strip the Soul
20. .3
21. Normal
22. Bonnie the Cat

Rappel

23. The Sound of Muzak
24. Trains (without any incident for once ^^)

Daughter of the night

Went on the 8th at the Elysée Montmartre for a Triple metal female voice gig.
Some oldies goodies allready seen like Delain (though the lead singer was a bit ill, it showed) who managed to pull a nice show with a lot of energy.
Opening was the Outburst with the ever lovely sarah on vocals and their great songs though I might (as always ) add a small keyboards with arabian sounds encoded would make a great addition.

And of course the parisian based Whyzdom with a new bass player (so long tristan) with a nice sound and the dark whyzdom choir who put out a great show.
Telya starts gainning confidence as a frontwoman, the band do its thing very well and tears were flowing at the end of the show for the girl with the voice of an angel.
Keep it up guys !

http://www.delain.nl/

http://www.theoutburst.com/

http://www.whyzdom.com/

Progressive nation 4 oct 2009

Just a quick post to say a word about the progressive nation I attend (partially anyway) this sunday.
First was the montreal based the Unexpect. a bit metal prog something, I must say I was not thrill with music with lot of break in pace and melody so....

The LA (apparently) based Bigelf was a nice surprise. Inheriting from the 70ies from the beach boyz to black sabbath, the long bearded quatuor did put a nice show with some help with a bluebearded mike portnoy on one of their song.

And then Opeth, with the witty and ever pleasing Åkerfeldt on good vocal shape.
They truly set the zenith aflame with a nice set list.

And in the end of course Dream Theater (which I did not see for I was a bit ill all week end and I prefered to play it safe)

So a pleasent evening placed under the metal prog sign (even bigelf played loud and rythmy stuff).
Hopefully they'll be back next year with more bands .

More info and link here

http://europe.progressivenation2009.com/

Hughes ....Hughes ..... Hughes .....

John Hughes RIP.

ba ba ti ki di do

Just heard yesterday of the passing of Merce Cunningham.

I went to see a representation of split sides with music by radiohead and sigur ros (who were playing it live)

Can't say much about him though... he showed at the end , outlining a small pas de danse.

Hope his art will live on for many years . Funny concept he has was to play the order of costumes, choregraphy, music and background at heads or tails for there were two sets of each, making virtually every show a different one.

RIP.

http://www.merce.org/thecompany_r-splitsides.html

Gone too soon

Michael Jackson is dead.

I will not dwell in the futur conspiracy theories who will be going on probably and the media circus that will spread and take over other news for days to come.

Thoughts of course go to the family and friends and a bit to the fans who lost truly an idol.

Now, what I really want is to express about one's feeling. My feelings.

I do not feel sad. Yes, he was a great musician who changed the world and truly left a mark into the world.
True his life took some changes not for the best but it matters not in death all is not fair as in love and war.

But I digress.

Michael Jackson of course rocked my world for a bunch of years when I was young.
I heard a bit of thriller but I fell for it at BAD. And I drifted out after Dangerous.

But some of his songs still touch me.
Liberian Girl, Man in the Mirror, remember the time.....

I recently saw a show with all his best videos... It was great pop for sure.

Hell I even learned the moonwalk.

I'll probably buy some of his albums because it is part of my youth and memory and because of course it was great stuff worth listening to.

Now i'll probably hum beat it and gone too soon for the rest of the day and let the medias and the insurance and the IRS sort out the pieces of the body but in the end it matters not..."for you'll always be in my heart"

Born To Amuse, To Inspire, To Delight

Here One Day

Gone One Night

Thank you Michael for the kind memories.
They are mine but you were part of it.

The Freak Show

Listening on my shuffle the new live from Pendragon concerto maximo, I shut it down on this song. The album Pure will have it's own post for it is a very good album indeed.
This note is mostly motivated by a small overview of the John Byrne Forum, urging me to write as I said before about the dedicated forum of an artist.

Now you see where I'm getting at....

Officials forums and fan clubs forums are great to find fans, get up to date news, insights or even interact with their favorite creator.
Sure they are great for that.

Sadly in most of the dedicated-to-a-group-(or artist)-fan-forums, there is a golden rule.

The artist IS GOD.

Point.

Even if the artist is a nice person without an inch of surpersized ego, he IS GOD and his Word shall maketh Law.

Just to remember the name " Fan" do come from "Fanatic", a word rarely used in a good way, especially when it comes to religion. And when it comes to art and artists, man sometimes it sure gets religious on your a$$.
The artist becomes God, its work is almost always flawless, everyone daring to criticize even a little is almost always banned or burned alive; whatever is the most handy.
It's amazing how people when they are together brings the worst of themselves, hell it looks like army camp all over again, please leave your brain and your thinking matter outside, you'll have no need in here, we'll think for you.

Of course, the human being human, the more people starts defending a point of view without real criticism, the more the opponent starts bashing more and more the point of view in question.
So quickly, the flame war rages on the forum between the moudjahidine and the infidels.

It is amusing to see these persons barking at each other throat as if they really gonna make the other person change his mind.

In almost all the dedicated forums I saw, you have to face that kind of people, of Fans. And boy does it scare me to see so much lack of open mindess.

That is why I rather very much go to general forum. There you'll find people from different walk of life and most of the time with more open mindness than the one who could come across on the dedicated ones.
And you could criticize, argue, debate and even starts a flame war but most of the times, it is way much more open and in the end, that is better for them, you and the wonderful act of debating and exchanging point of views.

And if you want to see the Freak Show going on....

R.I.P HUGH HOPPER

Hugh just died of cancer... Bassist for Soft Machine and many prog outfits...
I saw him with the polyson people and the friend of my dad and Louis Sclavis frequent drummer François Merville in Saint Germain en laye.
Apparently a benefit concert was to take place in Paris at le Triton on the 27th of June... might not make it but sure gonna have a thought about him.


http://www.letriton.com/fiches%202/0627-HughHopper.html
http://www.hugh-hopper.com/

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #26

Written by John Rozum, art by Scott Hampton, cover by Michael Wm. Kaluta.

Years ago, The Spectre unleashed his terrible vengeance against predatory killer Ray Walker. But some evil can't be snuffed out so easily, and Walker's ghost continues to haunt the city of Dakota! His victims must turn to David Kim, the Xombi, to right the wrong. Don't miss the Xombi's first footsteps in the DC Universe!

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on August 19

I'm doing a shameless plug here to celebrate the return of a great comicbook character, David"Xombi" Kim into the DC universe.

David Kim is a character from the Milestone imprint done by DC in the old days ninety-Mbmrmrm something.

But don't let that scare you. Xombi was pretty much a self contained universe.

Running 21 numbers (plus an origin 0 issue drawn by denys Cowan), Xombi chronicles the story of scientist David Kim who enters a world of esoterism and supernatural after becoming ... a kind of undead.

David Kim was brought back to life by his work on nanotechnology, becoming almost immortal since his body regenerates thanks to the nannies in his bloodstream (Bit like Wolverine.. you know him do you ?)

Anyway, David Kim dives after his death and rebirth into a world full of stranges creatures, angels, demons, odd people who are after his work.

Xombi was a great read, praised by lots of people, Alan Moore being the first.

The whole run by John rozum and with pencils painted by JJ Birch was a bit off beat kinda vertigo taste in mainstream super heroes, a truly great run well worth the read.

And now Xombi is back from the dead.

Go buy, pre order that issue. It's self contained, it's by Rozum with art by Scott Hampton and gracing a cover by Kaluta. Enough to buy by itself.

Hopefully it will spark interest so they can do another Xombi run or at least reprint the series in trade forms.

If not go find also the back issues. Very different, a truly magical serie with well written characters that made me cry once.

And not a lot of them comics makes me cry I assure you.

So go preorder, and stop buying that wolverine comics that month... Hell you're pratically sure to find it on back issues later.

Rise & Fall

Many times we, amateurs of Fine Arts, are obliged to face the good old problem I call the long time band problem.

You discover a band, you like the album. You go to the concerts, all is fine.
They put out a new disc. By likeness or completism, you buy it, listen to it.
And so forth for a certain number of times. And then you feel confronted with two choices. (Especially when you go on the internet and on band forums, which is the worst but that is for another time)

First the band does the same album, different songs of course but same type, same construction, same M.O. Of course that is what you liked in them the first time.

Second, the band changes style (radically or not) at every other album or so. Now it's getting tricky because you don't seem to recognize the band you fell in love with.

And so the internet breaks in half over the new album with those who complain because it is the same album all over again and those who complain because the band betray themselves and what they were at first (or before).

People expect from artists certain things... Quality, recognisable patterns and clichés.
But really can you expect from people to change at all what they are doing or even to expect a small change.
Most of the artists have a personality of their own with their hopes and habits.
As anyone can (and want) to change there is always a bit you can recognise for we humans are creature of habits.
We like patterns, familiar rituals we can do to feel safe because the biggest fear out there is -well-the unknown.

That is why when we like an artist, we feel safe and comfortable (and so he is) with doing a bit of the routine stuff. And that’s why we do feel betrayed when there is change.

Yet sometimes, the opposite strikes. Our thirst for new things, that curiosity that have driven humanity down many roads including technology, space and genetic manipulation ; all that drives us to seek , if not something new, at last something part new, something like evolution.

So everyone is doing their part to create express in any medium to build things, moral constructs or pleasant interludes for ourselves and our fellow humans. The fragile balance is to be attained between being better at our craft and try to evolve, to do other things to broaden our view and let other faces of our diamond-shaped talents shine a bit more.

Life is creation and is movement and it's never-ending and perpetual.

Flashing red light means go

Went to see a couple of groups last week...
First and foremost Delain, a nice female led kinda métal-early gathering band which was a nice venue, charlotte the main voice is a lovely lady with one of the most beautiful smile ever.

But on first part was Whyzdom, a year old band with a disc coming, a project by a connaissance of mine Vynce Leff who found in Telya Melane a beautiful voice.

Whyzdom goes all the way down the traditional heavenly métal female voiced and sure can make themselves a place given time among the others bands in the same style.

And speaking of foreplay again, I managed to see the londonian combo the boxer rebellion again. I previously saw them with oceansize and I must say their post-prog-pop -whetever rock was, if not original, somehow well done.

I had to see them again (and get their new album Union)

So I went to the quidam/brakes/TBR concert in le point Ephemère on Monday.

And they are great... If the music, in the likes of radiohead/sigur ros/marillion/coldplay is not original, the songs are good and not as good as Live I must say. Definitly a band worth checking out...

http://www.whyzdom.com/

http://www.theboxerrebellion.net/

Bridge across Forever.

The news is out...

Transatlantic is back !

yeah baby !

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=161348037&blogId=483555364

www.transatlanticweb.com

Tick Tock

Went to see on sunday Gazpacho. After a good ozric tentacles like band from belgium named Quantum Fantay, the very few people in the alhambra in paris had teh pleasure to find the norwegian of Gazpacho.

Great band with 5 albums (last one was played in its entirely that night) in the vein of Marillion (H period) , which is no surprise at all considering the history between the two bands.

Great melodic rock with bits of violins. The singer had a bit of throat problem but was a bit better used to the scene (though it's a loooooong way to FISH baby).

Nice evening and a nice album who will go on the play list soon.

http://www.myspace.com/quantumfantay

http://www.gazpachoworld.com/

MILK

Saw the Gus Van Sant movie yesterday.
Not much to had to it. Sean Penn is incredible, the cast is great, the score is perfect.
Tender, gripping, my kinda movie.

Go see it.

In Aurélia

Yesterday was another venture in the absurd and poetic world of the Chaplin - Thierrée family.

Last night was the daughter (with a little help from the mother), Aurélia.

It's funny to see the same universe made of poetry, danse, acrobatics and magic but seen through other eyes.

Aurelia's oratorio is a little piece of world where people danse among large red drapes, were people disappear into sand and waltz and fight with empty coats.

It is absurd and candide , naïve and poetic all together. Even if she lacks a bit of the lyrism her brother has, she does develop a small world of her own which makes you smile and laugh and wonder and leaves you with little stars in your eyes.

Until the Hellhounds sleep again...

Yesterday was at the locomotive near the famous Moulin Rouge where Three groups on an HellHound fest were touring.
Ava inferni, the 69 eyes and Tiamat.
If the first was quick to pass with a nice heavenly metal group, I must say it was too little to see if they had a real soul and depth among those many female voiced nightwish-within type of group that put out records out there. But fans of that type of music can lend an ear.

After that came the helsinki vampires, the 69 eyes. Visually, imagine a mix between the cure and the sex pistols. I'm afraid I did not know these guys at first but they put out a nice show very goth'n roll as the t-shirts say.
Very rocky, great energy (especially with the drummer.. how he has not disjointed his shoulders is beyond me) with great titles (hell I even remember them) very rock 80ies with a deep voice like never say die, the rocker, lost boys, devil or christina death.

And after that Tiamat. A very small set sadly but man do they rock with a perfect great set list and despite of a slightly over mixed keyboards and bass.
The set list for Tiamat (Apparently the same for all the shows)

Will they come ?
Raining dead Angels
Cain
Until the HellHounds sleep again
Do you dream of me ?
Divided
Vote for Love
Equinox
For her pleasure
Brighter than the sun
Wings of Heaven
Via Dolorosa
-----------------------
Sleeping Beauty
Gaïa

http://www.ava-inferi.com/
http://www.69eyes.com/angelsite/
http://www.churchoftiamat.com/

Kobaïa my love.

Last thursday, I had the chance to go with my father to see one of the best drummer still on this plan of existence.
Magma was at the casino de paris for its 40 years of evolution tour.
Subtitled the music of the forces of the universe , Magma is a great group full of wonderful musicians. I don't know much of teh group so I won't be delving nto their history, the concept of Kobaïa and such.
I wanted just to send a note about the drummer and main force behind Magma : Christian Vander.
That is my second time witnessing him play and boy it's getting better and better... Christian as a way of playing that can only be described as flowing. Music coming from his set is flowing, precise, not over powering.
Reminded me of the Zhuang Zi fable of the butcher. Christian has such a complete mastery over his drums that all his movements and gestures, even the most swift ones reek of perfection and feel natural yet precise.
It is an amazing experience to witness people having so much mastery in their skill.
Truly magical moment..

http://www.seventhrecords.com/

New stars are born

One tiny thing plagues nowadays the movie entertainment and that is called Star.Stars are those beautiful people that make the front page of the magazines, are spread all over the movie posters and make most of the time the tabloids's headlines.
First, don’t get me wrong. I like actors, the job, the harsh work of trying to be somebody else and to sound and act someone else. Stars I don’t like. Mostly because they used to be actors and now they just play themselves on the movies, being paid hideous sums of money that probably account for most of the producing bill.
You’re gonna tell me they are in front of the lens so it is natural to be the PR of the movie, especially if they are beautiful, sexy and glamorous.
Pretty sure the second assistant of the director of the photography is not good enough for the front cover but still.
Even if these Stars are sooooo huge they are allegedly the main magnet for viewers and so retrospectively speaking producers and money, why all that ?
So they have to be on the posters. All over. Hopefully if the filmmaker is also bankable, he’ll be in fat letters too but most of the time you really hope the title is good enough to explain to you what the movie is about (I mean… besides being a movie by Spielberg about Tom Cruise for example’s sake).
No, today it’s all about the Star, maybe a bit of filmmaker and the rest hopefully in the story and theme. A bit of a rotten way to make business considering even if actors are the most visible part of movie making, an essential one, they are far from the biggest part.
But Stars, whenever they are oversized egomaniacs or not, have this strange power to make things sell. And moreover, the power to make themselves be asked everything.
It’s amazing to see month after month of periodicals with interviews of them about life, babies, fashion or whatever.
I understand they have a right to have opinions, detailed or not, passions or such. Hell I’m doing the same here. But since when exactly did people who earn big sums of money for lying or at best recreating a life for fun and entertainment started being more interesting than medical doctors, philosophers, activists and specialists and historicians ?
Oh but they are gorgeous, and sexy and live in this golden dream full of strass and paillettes that is the dream-movie land of Hollywood.
Pretty sure if the doctoress shows some legs and stockings, with good make up and Photoshop sure they could sell a lot more of good articles.
But Stars… They shine way too bright and blind us in the end.

A Kind of Heaven

Multi instrumentalist Julien Gaullier finally completed his first album.
We're talking here good old prog rock with bit of opeth and marillion thrown for good measure among the mandoline and the mellotron.
It's free for Download to listen to and cheap for a download in a good encoded MP3 for enjoying more.
It's a great debut album with its share of problem and mistakes, the voice of Julien is a bit unsure at sometimes but overall it is a nice release with nice things in it so give yourself a treat and go listen (and buy if you like)

http://www.spleenarcana.com/

Open Mind

If curiosity killed the cat, I must say lack of curiosity kills culture.
It's a bit of an understatement of course but it has to be said.
In those days of mass media communication, I feel like there is a bit of curiosity and open mindness missing around.
As stated before, People tend to go buy what everybody is talking about. And more than that, they don't usually do a review of it. People buy, consume and wait to buy the next one.
Not that all that is in the spotlight is bad, of course not. Hopefully not. But People do wait for the next article to tell them what to read... and the more general the source is the more they stick to the usual suspects.
People lack open mindness. Try to find by themselves, or to hear good journalists and critics that actually do some research to find new interessant stuff.
Sure it has a cost but the worst one is that you'll find something you will like. Almost everybody started small before becoming household names.
On the other hand, snobbery must be kept at bay... Why most of People feel like theit artist sold out because the 'common' People starts taking interest into him... It's just a matter of liking and feeling and what makes you tick.
Go forth and try something else... because a guy told you you might like it, as I said before... The worst that could happen is that you will like it.

Ayreon - 01011001 ( or Y)

The new album from dutch hippie metal prog dude Arjen Anthony Lucassen is a milestone. A milestone in the career of the multi-instrumentalist maybe not creatively speaking at least in the big Ayreon story.

Though I will not dwelve into the deep and rich Ayreon history, i'll just lay a few ligns for those you do not know the guy and his project.

Ayreon is A.A Lucassen, metal prog hippie dude fan of TV series, movies and SF. He makes records but not your average ones.

He writes a concept, and go find other instrumentalists and mostly singers away to come and sing on his prog rock metal concept opera rock record.

Yes it may sound like a huge melting pot but Lucassen way, production and music (he composes almost everything and plays half the stuff) gives it a strong sense and direction.

It is not merely an album... it's an Adventure !

So the new album is well the last about a long running SF concept that went through the final experiment, the electric castle, universal migrator and human equation.

01011001 (or Y in binary) wraps up the concept of the story. The alien species called Forever are dying on their planet and decide to shoot a comet to earth to insure the survival of their species...

But unto the music itself. The 2 discs version (with dvd for fans too) is filled with music divided between songs from the planet Y (with it's horde of singers listing there. http://www.ayreon.com/ayreon/ay_01011001.html

and the songs from planet Earth.

The opening track age of shadows is pure ayreon, heavy riff with metallic sound and the singers coming slowly one after the other starting the tale. Rightaway you want to headbang and you let yourself goes on the ayreon rollercoaster. For event if the songs from Y are not really originals as far as Ayreon songs goes, you cannot take it that the chorus lines sink in pretty quick and the riffs stay in the head long.

Here is pure ayreon, nothing new for those you like change but damn efficient.

The change is coming from the 'earth' songs who are mostly quiet and well a bit off from the concept and well break a bit the flow of the disc. If the last one to fit well story-and-music-wise, the other two on the first disc are really odd (though they are nice songs in themselves ^^)

The last song is well really a testament, a legacy, the quintessence of ayreon and the concept and is ( but of course ! ) sung by the man itself.. for he is the main protagonist.

Apart that, the production is as good as always, the chorus ligns insure a good uniformity though each singer still can be recognise with their vocal 'trademarks' (daniel G. hmmmmm yeah ! moaning ^^)

So a strong release, with the concept and lyrics being a real added value as always.

Find your own truth but hey a bunch of them are in there.

Diamond Dogs

It 's starting to get all over the Net ; Diamond raises its order minimums.

http://comicsworthreading.com/2009/01/16/diamond-raises-order-minimums/

Diamond has a quasi-monopole over comics distribution which means two things mostly.
Independents comic publisher will either disappear from diamond's catalog and or they'll stay but probably raise their price in order to match the new benchmark.
A little math is done there on this blog.
http://blog.comichron.com/2009/01/order-cutoffs-and-charts.html

That's a sad news because indies will have to raise their price and try to go for quick and cheap plot in order to sell asap and amap.
Hopefully this may be the rise of a secondary distributing market or maybe make the wave of digital comics grow stronger and bigger... We will see.

I want it all.

If my precedent post was about the effect Media has on the buyer, i must turn now to a similar yet different habit that plagues the person looking to purchase any art item (music , movie, comics...) in any form.
The completism.
The completism is that thing that push us to buy EVERYTHING a guy did, all his art, all the music he did even if it was just a small guitar solo or a singing on a single track. You feel compelled to have everything, to satisfy an urge to possess or even a sure method to explore all the facets of an Artist in order to comprehend his work or well, Him.
Mind you, completism is a good thing on some accounts. It well helps the guy you support live and create more and it also lead, by the ways of multiple works, discovery of other artists.
I started small but I ended up discovering many bands by just following a bunch of creators I liked.
In that completism is a good thing... but it has also Major drewbacks.
First and foremost is the fact that if you buy everything at least read it and enjoy it.
If you start reading something by alan moore you fell is crap event after 10 reading then ditch it.
Matt Wagner (of grendel fame) used to say that it's first 3 issues of grendel would never have seen print as he thought they were crap. Pression made it reconsider his word and he did reprint it. Interesting historical document but let's face it... Art sucks, storytelling sucks, story not even finished. After reading it I could understood what he meant and wanted.
So do you need to have everything (if possible money and time wise ?) ? No we should limit ourselves to things that makes you really feel something (good eh ! Not feel bad or disgusted ^^).
There are so many things out there to see, hear, read you cannot bother to keep on reading/ seeing/hearing things that leave you cold.
You can skip issues of X-men... Yes you won't have the complete collection but at least you won't have a longbox of comics you never read and just keep because you need a complete collection.
It does not matter if one thing is a classic to have if you do not enjoy it.
Feel free to buy the next thing your artist did because you like what he does most of the times and you want to enjoy some more stuff from him.
And then, ditch it if it sucks.
Yes you may have holes , you may miss numbers, records of else but hey if you have it but do not use it... What is it for ?

City of Lanterns

I must admit I'm baffled. I love comics but sometimes I can't understand People.
During the 90ies, the comic book market crashed because of over speculations, multiple gimmick covers and such.
And now, it's the nineties all over again.
Barrack Obama is on the cover of amazing spiderman and people are selling this issue on ebay even before it is out (now it's out and the second printing is already on the way...).
http://www.examiner.com/x-591-Childrens-Book-Examiner~y2009m1d9-Obama-Spiderman-already-on-Ebay

I'm puzzled to see people still going for this limelights. 'Oh great Obama on a spiderman issue, let's buy.' It's touching but the worst is that few people will stick around to buy other comics, let alone read it before bag it or resale it as incredibly rare first printing.
Of course it does bring a light on MARVEL and spiderman comics thought I doubt it will change anything sale-wise speaking besides a huge peak on this issue.
It's a bit sad to see that people still follow the blindling lanterns without looking around and try to go beyond mere publicity stunts.
Don't get me wrong, I can understand the editorial staff of the House of Ideas doing that kind of stuff to attract people, it's their jobs. I don't know if the issue is any good but the problem is not there.
Stunts like that one, the death of captain america and such or the uber huge crossovers are good to bring back people to the fold of an Art which probably suffers from it's image of senseless-kid stuff. The main problem is People. The People who follow blindly the lights of lanterns of media market. People who buy an issue without really looking into it. People who buy 20 $ an issue who is gonna be on sale the day after fo 3.99$ (yeah probably gonna sell fast but hey you could try). People who buy things because it's been talked about on the telly without really exerting a real critical look on the item.
How many Da Vinci code sold without the people really looking and admitting it is badly written (well provided they do have other references to realize it is badly written but that 's another problem.) or not so great.
It is hard to have an objective look at things but if anything is stupid is just not to really look at it, not to look with your own eyes and develop your own point of view.
The lanterns are there to show the path not to blind yourself.
Go buy your Obama if you like, pay it the hard way if you want first printing for collecting, but if you just want a pic of Obama in Spiderman you can wait second printing or the trade. And read the story and see if it moves you in any way. That's the whole point of a comic book.

The Old Road

One thing that make me despair with today technology and downloading is the impact it has on our society.
Moreover it goes beyond the sad facts that people loose money, cannot live from the craft the people crave so much they bleed it dry, it strikes straight in the heart of Art and its purpose.
Not that I'm going to indulge myself with a definitive definition of the purpose of Art (yet) but I must show the collateral damage and consequences of Downloading.
When people download music for example, it's because it's free, because they can, because CDs cost too much...Not as much as the I-pod Nano probably but anyway they cost too much.
In old times, you had little money so you bought a record you barely knew anything about. Maybe you heard something on the radio or heard the buzz among your friends.
So you grab this vinyl or CD or tape, you put it on and you listen. You listen a lot because you don't have a lot of other record to listen to.
You impregnates yourself with it, you listen to it 'till you have discovered all its depths and highs.
Nowadays, a song and a record are just a bunch of Mo on a walkman; among how many others Mo ?
These songs become the equivalent to fast food for music...Instant music for instant result or the shuffle death will strike...
How many people do you seen looking at their Ipods shuffling and shuffling and shuffling among the hundreds of songs they have ?
For free or even bought, overconsumption is the key problem of this.
With so many songs available, people starts to spend less and less time on it... nor even artists do the same composing. The music loose its added value. Songs must catch the listener right away to please and /or sell.
Art becomes fast food, fingerlickin' good but with no real taste, no real craft in the making and without a real sensation of fullfillment.
Art is starting to become senseless because we stop taking time to look into it with a grid of understanding and meaning. Mass consumerism is slowly killing Art and all the good it can bring. Don't get me wrong... Plenty of choice is good, free legal download is good to discover things but in the end take time to discover things that can really rock you world.

Connecting the dots

I indulge myself with a rewriting of an old text I used to post on internet forums... People who knows me ,knows I dislike Illegal Download (or DL).
So here's a bit of the 10 commandements about Illegal downloading (of whatever movies, music...)


1- It is illegal to download if not permitted.
Meaning, if it is not legal, it's illegal and therefore makes you a thief and guilty. Period. That's law.

2-Only the creator/owner of the art should be the one putting it on the net.
More than the downloaders, there's the people who put it on the net...The Uploaders. They should be the first to pay...It like dealing... Here lies the source of the Problem.

3-Majors ! Only thiefs who make money on the back of the artists.
You don't buy pricey CDs from filthy robbers majors... You rob the majors AND the artist. Who's the bigger thief ? Great solution.

4-I should be able to hear before buying.
Indeed that's why lots of great bands put free DL (and legal !) so you can get a taste of their music.If artists make that people can discover without buying first. Easy step to make everybody happy. On the other end you never ask for a sample of food at the restaurant. You go, you make your experience and taste and go there again or not.
4.1-I only like one song, won't buy the CD.
Well a system of Pay-per-song could be created on bands site or DL platforms.(if not already done)

5-This cannot be found in a store near my house.
Well if you can find it on the net/mule/torrent, you can really find it on a e-seller or the bands site (who should be SSL encrypted and up to date.)
5.1-This band is no more... can really find it or at incommensurable price.
Yeah, lost bands... Ican understand especially if nothing is still in sale, I can understand that one but that is really not the majority of music round here...
5.2 Live bootlegs and such.
Depends on the policy of the band ( who should be clear on that) Most bands I know accept recordings as long as it's not a show who's gonna be out someday and if it's not for sale.. Trading 's free I mean. At least the man who recorded paid for the show.

6-Madonna or the majors won't need my money with all the one they make.
Yeah right... except then the filthy majors won't make enough money, they won't fire Madonna or change habits. They won't sign younger artists, that is prise de risque (not risk free).And they fire the low ranks people...I mean, even when they make profits they do so. You don't buy and your neighbour is gonna end up fired. Madonna ? She's fine indeed.

7- It's too expensive.
Indeed, CDs are a medium that did not change for many years and even dvds are starting to lower their price. CD MUST cost less if it is too survive but well if you can't afford a car , you just steal it ?
7-1 I pay a tax of virgin CDs so Ialready pay for DL.
Yeah right? Sadly that tax (in France) exist because of DL. That's a vicious circle. But I pay it and I only use for safeguarding data. Should I get money back from you ? As well , they wanna make pay all internet provider as a tax. I don't DL why should I pay ? Always a case-by-case scenario at the end.

8-Access to culture and music should be free/inexpensive/obligatory...
Yeah right. Everybody should have a right to descent house, food, central heating and such. Not the point. It is culture but it is also the money-making job of people. Radios and free download can get you sample of culture and there's lot of legal stuff round here of culture. I mean, everybody should be allowed great sex...

9- I' ain't a robber.
Sadly illegal DL IS against the law, so people using it ARE robbers.And the 'funny' thing is that NO ONE I know DLing is feeling like a robber stealing like you steal an apple.
9.1 But I replicate there is no loss nor theft.
Yeah and the day your boss says he'll not pay you for answering the phone because well there's not product you're gonna be happy.
And that is finally one major problem cause you end up like that....

10-You are stupid to pay.
You can get anything on the net for free....Here the Problem, changes of mentality. People are feeling that if things are free, you are not stealing... And I met one of this a$$.... who was saying to my face I was stupid to buy the cds, that you can get all for free so paying is stupid. I was furious. Labor is not regarded as something to be paid.
10-1.10 Go of music.
And that's another problem finally 'cos people get lotsa and lotsa music for free and finally never listen to half of it... Compulsive eating people we are becoming and so many wonderful tastes for fine [i]palais [/i]around... Like those digital cameras; making tons of pictures but not real meaningful ones most of the time but more on this later.


So... here's some solutions about that. I wouldn't criticise only...

FROM THE MAJORS.
1.LOWER THE PRICE OF CDs.
CD has not evolve, even dvds is getting cheaper nowadays. They must follow the market and make a gesture.
1.1 MUTIPLY THE DISCOUNTS.
on the old catalog and such... lotsa things bit cheaper so all can buy...

2.PUT ON LEGAL DOWNLOADING
2.1 FREE FOR DISCOVERING
2.2 PAY PER SONG
For I wanna the single only.


FROM LABELS.
Same as above and promote well
1.MAKE THE STUFF AVAILABLE.
CDs and such... you can find them and buy them... is great.

FROM THE LAW.
1.GET THE NET PUTTER TO PAY.
First of all get the people putting on the net, slash their net access, make them pay.Not on the net, no DLor UL.
2.GET THE DLers TO PAY.
Prison is too harsh I can relate to that, but making them pay and more if they have lots of it.

FROM THE PEOPLE
1.BUY FROM THE BANDS
if you really want to support the people behind the music and not the majors, buy at concerts or on their wesite.
2. GO TO THE CONCERTS.
they make most of money there... if people come (hell sometimes they loose money playing for you guys).
3.BUY AT YOUR LOCAL STORE TOO.
Yes a bit less cheap than the net but at least you'll help people live too.

Thanks for bearing with me on that and remember... in the end if no Art is done everybody loose.

Double Feature : Traces and Wake of the Abyss

Like in the good old days (who were not so good come to think of it in some ways...) here a double feature... 2 reviews instead of one.
Here's 2 events I saw on the 30 and 31 of December 2008. First (but last) was Traces. 4 guys from canada and a Girl from france gives us an entertaining show of physical prowess, dance and music. Very impressive bunch of guys climbing mast, skating, using basket ball ballon to deliver a very entertaining and funny play where a bit of emotion seems to rear its lovely head (especially coming from Héloïse). But the bulk came from the proposal on stage by one of the performist. Cheers Francesco !



The second and first event was James Thierrée, Veillée des abysses.


With one member short (and poor lad was he not missed at all I must say), James and his crew delivers one truly magnificient spectacle. Pantomime, danse, music, burlesque, athletics and acrobatics, all this melts in a delightful yet powerfully emotional work of living art that cannot leave one's insensitive.


And at some times... You seems to discovers the traces of the famous grand father in james 's work... How he should be proud.

2 great shows, a bit different yet similar I can only urge you to see... Be amazed or be moved but feel.

In Memoriam....

William Erwin Eisner
March 6, 1917 - January 3, 2005
www.willeisner.com