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‘In the European concert of usual nations, France remains absent: since at least Lully, it has been accepted that the French are not musical, or even music-loving. It is true that the French language does not naturally encourage expression in the form of sound, that Cartesianism rejects arty vagueness but has not for all that created forms which are guaranteed to last. It’s hard to know what will get you first – the avalanche of imitative Europop, Johnny Hallyday’s clunky cover versions or the moans and heavy breathing from the many French attendants of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. Discourse on music easily exceeds the music itself, giving rise to more literature, debate, controversy and polemics than would seem reasonable.’ — Maurice Fleuret
‘I don’t think there is any real French identity in music. We had our fair share of classic composers but since the 20th century there have been few French singers that have become world famous. There’s this famous quote, I don’t remember exactly who it’s from, but probably someone from The Rolling Stones said “French pop music is like English wine”. Still, for my generation of pop stars at least, you haven’t grown up alone in a bubble. You take stuff from all over the world, but at the same time your parents or society are giving you something that might be more… nationalist. Maybe the next generation will be more lost in this, with national specificity decreasing, not only culture and arts but… It’s globalization. I think there is no way to fight against this, it’s definitely stronger than us.’ — Zazie
Mylène Farmer
Lorie
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Christophe Willem
Fatal Bazooka
Alizée
Yelle
Sliimy
Marc Lavoine
Nolwenn Leroy
Les Rita Mitsouko
Brigitte
M. Pokora
Naommon
Vanessa Paradis
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‘First single from her second studio album Ainsi soit je…, it was first released on 16 October 1987. It was a great hit in 1987 and is among Mylene Farmer’s three best-selling singles. The song mentions the Chevalier d’Eon, a French diplomat, spy and soldier who lived the second half of his life as a woman, that which provides some ambiguity as to the identity search. Following the success of the song, a website claimed that Farmer was actually a transsexual. Major arguments of this theory were that the photos of the singer’s childhood were modified with Photoshop, she did not have children, her childhood was almost never mentioned and there were some inconsistency in her interviews. This rumor was false and the website is now closed.’ — paroles-musique.com
Mylene Farmer ‘Sans contrefaction’
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‘Lorie is a multi-platinum singer who has sold over eight million albums and singles worldwide as of December 2007. She is sometimes also referred to as the French version of Britney Spears. “Je vais vite” was released as the first single from her fifth studio album, 2lor en moi?. It was first made available for download on September 23, 2007 and then was released as a physical single on December 3, 2007. The song, which has dance and electro sonorities, achieved success in France, and Belgium, but unfortunately for Lorie, the change in her music style from the squeaky clean image for which she was known to a harder, sexier sound and look didn’t attract enough fans; therefore, unlike her previous singles, it was never certified despite sales of over 73,000 copies.’ — Wikipedia
Lorie ‘Je Vais Vite’ (2007)
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‘Charlotte Gainsbourg recorded “Elastique” in 1986 for Phillips Records. The song is lifted from her first album Charlotte Forever, which she recorded when she was 15 years old. In parts of the world, the album was released under the controversial title Lemon Incest. Like all the tracks on the album, the song was composed and produced by her father the legendary French songwriter and recording artist Serge Gainsbourg and was inspired by the film of the same name that he directed and in which they both starred. The song was a top ten hit in France. After the album’s release, more than twenty years passed before she released two albums as an adult (5:55 and IRM) to commercial and critical success.’ — The Quietus
Charlotte Gainsbourg ‘Elastique’
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‘Christophe Willem is a French singer and the winner of the fourth edition of Nouvelle Star (French version of American Idol) in 2006. “Double je” was composed by the French artist Zazie. It was his third single and the second one from his debut album, Inventaire. In France, the single entered at number-one on the French Singles Chart, on 2 June 2007, selling 38,002 units this week. It remained for seven non consecutive weeks at the top, then dropped slowly almost every week. The single stayed for 18 weeks in the top ten, 24 weeks in the top 50 and 35 weeks in the top 100. Certified Platinum disc by the SNEP, the song was the best-selling single of the year in France, with 309,481 sales.’ — ultra pop.be
Christophe Willem ‘Double Jeu’
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‘Fatal Bazooka is a French spoof rap band consisting of Michaël Youn, Vincent Desagnat and Benjamin Morgaine. The act originated in a 2002 radio show which its members hosted at the time. Fatal Bazooka is also the name of the fictitious singer of the group, played by Michaël Youn. The group transposes the urban style within the framework of the snow-covered mountains of Savoy, and caricatures certain French rappers there. This single parodies the song “Confessions nocturnes” by Diam’s and Vitaa. Michaël Youn, alias “Fatal”, parodies Diam’s character, while Pascal Obispo, alias “Vitoo”, takes on Vitaa. The music is identical to the original song, but the words are modified. The single peaked at #1 in France in January 2007 and sold more than 550,000 copies.’ — Fatal_Bazooka.com
Fatal Bazooka ‘Fous ta cagoule’
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‘”Je suis un homme” is a 2007 pop song recorded by French singer Zazie. It was the second single from her sixth studio album Totem and was released in early October 2007. It was the singer’s most successful solo single, being a top ten hit in France and Belgium. Written and composed by Zazie, alongside Philippe Paradis and Jean-Pierre Pilot, the song deals in a critical and pessimistic way about the human behavior towards the environmental issues and the consumer society. The song was nominated at the 2008 Victoires de la Musique in the category ‘Original song of the year’, but did not win.’ — TV5.fr
Zazie ‘Je Suis Homme’
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‘Alizée was discovered by Mylène Farmer, following her winning performance in the talent show, Graines de Star, in 1999. While collaborating with Mylène Farmer and Laurent Boutonnat, Alizée released two albums, both of which were hits inside and outside of France. “Mademoiselle Juliette” was released as the first single from her third studio album Psychédélices. It was released September 30, 2007, Alizée’s first single in 4 years. The single debuted on position twenty-two on the France Top 100 Singles chart. It only held its peak position for a week, later falling to position fifty-two, dropping thirty positions. After falling to position fifty-two, “Mademoiselle Juliette” stood on the charts for six more weeks. Eventually falling to position ninety-nine and leaving the chart afterward.’ — Musique_Radio.com
Alizée ‘Mademoiselle Juliette’
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‘”À cause des garçons” (French: “Because of the Boys”) is a song first released by the French duo À Caus’ des Garçons comprising Laurence Heller and Hélène Bérard in 1987. It was covered by French trio Yelle on their 2007 debut album Pop Up, released as its lead single. It reached the number 2 position in the Belgian charts and number 11 in the French charts. The Riot in Belgium remix of the song is featured on the soundtrack to the Electronic Arts video games Need for Speed: ProStreet and Euro 2008. Even though their songs are sung exclusively in French, Yelle have enjoyed a significant following overseas in non-French speaking countries.’ — auralstates.com
Yelle ‘A Cause Des Garcons’
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’20 year old French Moroccan-Algerian singer-songwriter Yanis Sahraouis is known to his French fans simply as Sliimy. The unusual nickname rhymes with “Jimmy” and according to Sliimy, “the two ii’s are just meant to make you smile.” While still in high school the quirky young singer from Saint-Etienne, France has already earned a gold record in his home country where he is signed to Warner Bros. At 20 years old, and three days before the release of his first album, Sliimy came out in the media as gay. Both the single “Paint Your Face” and the album of the same title from which it was lifted reached number 2 in the French pop charts in 2009.’ — sur-staragora.com
Sliimy ‘Paint Your Face’
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‘Marc Lavoine is a French singer born near Paris. He was labeled a heart throb at the beginning of his career and remains popular. He released his first album, Le Parking des Anges, in 1985 with his song “Elle a les yeux revolver” as a favorite among teens. After notching up impressive sales figures of 300,000 copies of his latest album – and 600,000 copies of his chart-topping single “J’ai tout oublié”! – Marc Lavoine bowed to popular demand and returned to the live circuit in 2003. Fast approaching 40, but having lost none of his dark good looks and seductive charm, the singer proved a big hit when he took to the stage at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint Martin in Paris (14 – 25 May). Lavoine’s concerts, which included old favourites from his early days as well as more recent hits, attracted a massive turn-out of fans.’ — rfimusic.com
Marc Lavoine Feat. Florent Pagny ‘Un Ami’ (2007)
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‘Nolwenn Leroy is a French singer and songwriter, discovered by the French television reality show Star Academy. “Nolwenn Ohwo!” is a 2006 song recorded by Leroy. It was the first single from her second studio album Histoires Naturelles. The song was written by famous singers-songwriters Laurent Voulzy and Alain Souchon. it entered the French single chart two days before, at #47, before climbing straight to #1 the week after. Leroy’s music has been studied for its neurological impact in geriatric populations. Researchers found that Leroy’s recordings might have a more beneficial effect than other music. To describe the phenomenon they coined the term the Nolwenn Effect, saying: “the music of Nolwenn Leroy appears to have a different effect on brain-based modulation of gait and stance than other music tested to date”.’ — lescharts.com
Nolwenn Leroy ‘Nolwenn Ohwo’
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‘Les Rita Mitsouko began performing in the early 1980s in alternative spaces such as the Pali-Kao, a squatted factory building in Belleville, Paris. The band first achieved major popular success in 1985, with the release of the second single from their first album: “Marcia baila” rose to number 2 on the French record charts that summer. Philippe Gautier directed a vibrant and widely viewed music video to accompany the record. “Marcia Baila” is an homage to Argentine choreographer and dancer Marcia Moretto, with whom Catherine Ringer had studied and performed in the 1970s. Moretto died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 32. On Wednesday 28 November 2007, Fred Chichin died from cancer while the band had just cancelled their previous concert dates in Paris. He was only diagnosed with the disease two months before.’ — lescharts.com
Les Rita Mitsouko ‘Marcia Baila’
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‘One day in 2008, in a falafel restaurant on rue des Rosiers, singers Sylvie Hoarau and Aurélie Maggiori formed Brigitte—a retro-folk duo of self-professed broads who get high on ABBA and gangsta stories. Recently profiled in French Elle and featured on Virgin Radio, Brigitte is currently making waves on the Paris club circuit with the pair’s sexy brand of hippie sounds and stories of falling apart in the presence of gorgeous guys: “Si j’avais le coeur dur comme une pierre/ j’embrasserais tous les garçons de la terre/ mais moi j’ai un coeur comme du chewing gum/ tu me goutes et je te colle.” (If I had a heart hard as stone/ I’d kiss all the boys on Earth/ but I’ve a heart like chewing gum/ taste me and I’ll stick to you.) They are the French music darlings of the moment.’ — Girl Talk
Brigitte ‘Ma Benz’
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‘Mega-popular French pop star M. Pokora is very famous for his body tattoos including: “POKORA” meaning humility in Polish (also the artist’s adopted artistic name) inscribed on his right arm in capital letters. “Only God Can Judge Me” on the right arm in English Chinese calligraphy signifying “Creativity”, “Peace” and “Patience” surrounded by a dragon on his left shoulder. The letter M signifying his name (Matthieu) surrounded by colorful flames on his left arm. A tattoo on the calf symbolizing dancing. A famous saying in Arabic calligraphy on his neck. “Ambition” on his lower back in Chinese calligraphy surrounded by chains and two wings. Letter X on his right wrist signifying brotherhood/friendship, as a tribute to his close friend Djibril Cissé, a footballer who makes the X sign with his arms every time he scores in a soccer game. A star between his left thumb and forefinger. Star-flower near his left ear.’ — Skyrock
M. Pokora ‘They Talk Sh*t About Me’
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‘“Electro-purple-fluoro-plastic-sulky-acid-housey-soul-clashy-disco-sequin-pop” is how Paris-to-Harlem transplant Naommon aptly describes his music. A child of the Eighties, teen of the Nineties, clubber of the 2000s, Naommon embodies—both musically and physically—a myriad of continually morphing influences from the spaceglam of Bowie, androgyny of Prince and acidfunk of Deee-Lite, to London’s creatively fucked up NagNagNag parties and New York’s popping Downtown scene. It was Naommon’s appearance on the French talent TV show, “Popstars” (similar to MTV’s “Making The Band”), that sparked collaborations with hot electro producers Christophe Dallaca and Stéphane Deschezeaux (Kiko & Gino), resulting in several hot singles.’ — livingelectro.com
Naommon ‘You Go to My Head’
‘Vanessa Paradis was a teen pop sensation in her native France in the 1980s. At the age of 14 she recorded a pop single about a Paris taxi driver, titled “Joe le Taxi,” which spent eleven weeks at at the number one spot in France and became an international smash hit as well. Paradis’s second LP, Variations sur le Meme T’Aime, featured lyrics written for her by French pop raconteur Serge Gainsbourg. Finished with school, Paradis moved on to a career in modeling. She was signed by Chanel as a spokesmodel for its Coco fragrance in 1991, with an ad that featured her dressed as an exotic caged bird. Romantically linked with rocker Lenny Kravitz by then, she began to learn English in preparation for her self-titled English-language debut album in 1992. The record gained a small measure of attention in the United States, but reviews were mixed. A critic for Time found that “even [the] best songs have a predictable, surface appeal.”‘ — emotes
Vanessa Paradis ‘La Vague A Lames’
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*
p.s. Hey. Let’s see … oh, please keep those favorite books lists coming in, thanks! I think that is all from me for now. ** Allesfliesst, I think you may be in Italy already. Glad to hear it went so splendidly up north and to learn that Stockholm lived up to, well, my dreams of it, at least. No, I didn’t know of Mette Ingvartsen’s work, and, based on a quick viewing of the first few minutes, it does look very interesting. Gisele probably knows that work. Everyone, Allesliesst tips the work of the Danish choreographer Mette Ingvartsen, and you can watch a video of one of her pieces, ‘To Come’, where she, in the words of Allesfliesst, ‘works with the (re-)arrangements of bodies in porn’ here. It looks pretty interesting, and you might want to check that out. Thanks! That poster was certainly intriguing. It’s a film? Seemed so? No, I haven’t received a copy of the performance research issue. If they don’t mind, I would love a copy. If it’s not their thing to send copies to minor contributors, I’ll just try to find and check out the magazine during my Paris travels. Safe, fruitful trip. ** David Ehrenstein, Good morning, David. Ah, George Putnam … I grew up bemused and often guffawing at his local TV antics. If he’d been born a few decades later, he could have given Beck and Limbaugh a run for their audience. That doc sounds hilarious. I’ll watch for any signs of it. How did that panel go? It sounds potentially quite fascinating. I’m curious about that Sal Mineo bio. I’ve heard a lot of advance buzz about it. ** Ken Baumann, It was indeed, my friend. Thank you extraordinarily again. Love, me. ** Matthew Polzin, Hey, Matthew. Thanks for your list chipping. Wholesome sounds exciting to me. The grass is always greener and all that. How was your weekend? ** Katalyze, Hey, K! Wow, yeah, that Teenage Bedroom blog is killer indeed. Bookmarked. Everyone, artist and d.l. Katalyze directs all of us who might be interested — and I suspect that interest in this case will be a fairly universal thing — to a blog called Teenage Bedroom. I bookmarked it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you do too. Books/favorites of any kind are most welcome, obviously. Cool. Yeah, isn’t Patrick’s novel terrific? Totally. You good, pal? How’s art work and everything else going? ** 5strings, The Louvre’s basement aka the ruins of the Louvre’s predecessor is kind of the best part, but I guess only or mainly if you’re into looking at Paris’ skeleton like I am. After saying that about the French not being paranormal lovers, there was this documentary on TV last night about how popular psychics are among provincial French people, so never mind. The show followed around this very successful French psychic who had the bespectacled face and svelte, nerdy body of a French intellectual type topped off with a giant afro that put Angela Davis’s one to shame. Psychic charisma, I guess? I have a Halloween mask post coming up, but I don’t think they’re latex. Well, I don’t know, maybe. Didn’t see any Ben Coopers in my research, sorry. I saw at least one of the ‘Howling’ movies. I only remember the first one. It was hyped as having the best human-to-wolfman transformation scene ever. Maybe it did at the time. I bet now it looks neither here nor there. ** Sypha, Greetings, Mr. S. ** Joseph, Goodness gracious, man! How awfully nice it is to see you! Holy shit, what’s been going on? Weren’t you living in DC the last time I spoke to you? (If I’m spacing/mixed up, forgive me). Yeah, come back. Start by telling me what’s what and what has been what and etc. re: you, if you don’t mind. Or, if you do, dude, hello supreme to you to say the least, pal. ** Armando, Hey! Awesome that you got to see ‘Jerk’, and super awesome that you liked it! Thanks a lot. Yeah, Jonathan is amazing. Yeah, thanks a lot, man. I’m really, really happy to hear that! Oh, about ‘Oliver Twink’, hunh, you just reminded me that someone in the UK asked me if he could turn it into a … short film or performance piece or something a year or more ago, and I said yeah, and then I never heard anything from him again, so I don’t know what’s up with that. You can totally direct an ‘Oliver Twink’ piece if you like. Consider this my official permission. What an awesome idea. Yeah, thanks again and a ton, man! ** Sublethal, Hey. Oh, sure, I have that feeling all the time. That’s part of what drives the blog since it gives me an official reason to discover things and research them in the process of having to come up with 6 posts a week. It never ends. And that’s one of the big reasons I long for immortality. Kevin is a total force of nature. Let me join you in awe and wonder at his genius and its evidence. Ha ha, I haven’t read the Nicholson Baker interview yet — I just got my copies of TPR a couple of days ago — but that is a pretty funny quote. Thanks, man. ** JoeM, Hi, Joe. That CAD poem is great. Yeah, I kind of figure that anyone who wants to corner me correspondence-wise knows exactly how and where to do it. My only guess on that MJ recording, and this is giving the doctor credit for which he probably isn’t deserving, is that maybe he recorded it to play back to MJ to prove to him how fucked up he was? Yeah, it doesn’t look good for the doctor as far as the trial goes, but I have this feeling the defense is going to go for the Republicans’ strategy of ‘fuck the truth’ and obfuscation, and, in America these days, there’s nothing to say that won’t work. We’ll see. I don’t know Liz Lochead — I’ll hunt her stuff down — but I do know Edwin Morgan’s poetry. I remember it being pretty good too. ** Pisycaca, Hi, Montse! Nuit Blanche was really big fun. Paris was packed to the rafters, which was cool, although the giant length of the lines to see the coolest stuff meant that I didn’t end up seeing anywhere close to the amount of things I’d hoped. Hm, I’ll see if there’s good evidence of NB out there, and I’ll see if it’s enough on its own to warrant post appearance, and, if so, yeah, I might just do an NB post. I’ll check. Sorry to hear about the burger joint’s mediocrity. I wish new things were always reliably better than old things. That’s the way it should be. Love to you. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben. Well, I certainly would hope your 10 seconds got a great response. They were 10 seconds extremely well spent. Hooray about the imminence of the new YnY! Yes, please, an alert as soon as it becomes available, and thank you kindly. ** Steevee, I always get hungrier as soon summer turns to fall. I don’t know why, and I don’t know if that’s a universal syndrome. I hope your appetite levels out without outside help, obviously. ** Chris Cochrane, Hi, C. Sure, my social security number will be on its way to you today. 50/50 split? Sure, I guess so. Does that seem like the way to go to you? Thanks for reminding me about The Wire guy, shit, yes, I’ll ask Gisele today. Things have been kind of crazy here, and I’ve been spaced/scrambled. Thanks about ‘FH’. Have a killer of a time at Cornell. ** Bernard Welt, Hi, B, old pal! Aw, thanks about the PR interview. That’s cool and kind of you. It sure would be nice if the interview changed the general perception of my subject matter, but I’ve learned not to hope too much in that topic’s regard. Great about the great time with the Uncanny. And with the Uncanny class too. Yeah, just send me word whenever word seems timely. ** Misanthrope, Good, good. Yeah, I mean, whatever it was, you really need to get on improving your health right now and use that incident as a wake-up call. Improving your health isn’t going to cost you anything unless the doc prescribes some kind of medication to help you, in which case, you just have to bite the bullet and sacrifice other things if necessary and do what he says. Period. Okay, enough said for now. You see the doc tomorrow? I want to know exactly what happens, okay? A wedding full of homosexuals? Welcome to the 21st century, I guess. Sounds fun. I would think that with all those homos around, you’re lucky to have come away from that glory hole quip with your propriety and taste buds in tact. ** Bill, Hi, Bill. Oh, I don’t really expect the readers of the Cycle to pick up on all that heavy, complicated structural stuff. That was a system or rather interlocking series of systems that I devised for my own benefit. I needed that there to write the Cycle. In some cases, a reader would have to really hunt and pry pretty intricately to find the structure. I guess I think that if a reader is a type of reader who likes to know how things work, knowing that system is there could add some levels to the work’s effect. But I didn’t intend the system itself to be in Cycle’s forefront. Awareness of and interest in it is optional, I guess I would say. Making lists is a particular, vexing yet fun thing, for sure. It’s like you have to find just the right position in relationship to the form, and just finding that position is tricky. Main thing: have fun with it, and thanks much for doing one. Bon Monday. ** Kevin Killian, Mr. Killian! Thank you again, my great and generous friend and colleague and hero. Yes, Joe Brainard’s work and its recognition has that problem supreme. I looked over David E.’s shoulder and read about that Kylie/Carax film. Amazing idea! Wow! I’m going to see if I can find out more about that using my French contacts. Her Michael McClure mention in that interview made me go back and read his poetry for the first time in ages, and I liked it a bunch more than I expected. You met Elijah Burgher! I’m so pleased that the blog had something to do with you guys getting to know one another. I’ll bet he’s heck of a guy, just like his work. Once again, all my thanks to you for the enlightened and enlightening weekend, Kevin! ** Charlie m, Hi, Charlie. Glad you enjoyed it, man. ** Tender prey, Hi, Marc. Thanks a lot about the Halloween post. No, I only learned of Bartlett’s work very recently and during Gisele’s and my hunt for artists to include in one of the shows we’re curating for the Pompidou festival. We’re going to show one or two of his dolls and some of his photographs. Interesting about your evolving curatorial stuff. Yeah, G. and I are in high speed evolution on ours at the moment. Comparing notes with you via Skype would be cool if you feel like it. Sure, I’ll check with Stephen when he gets back from the Sunn0))) tour about contacting Alan Moore. They know each other and have done two or three collaborations thus far. I so wish you could see the Munch retro. It’s really unbelievable, really revelatory for me, and I had already loved his work. But seeing it in person, Jesus! You’ve met Winkfield! I did too several times in the 80s through, yes, also poet friends. He’s a sweetheart. I’m going to see what I can find about the Mike Kelley show online. There’s a terrific show here right now by his compatriot Jim Shaw. Thanks, Marc! Happy new week to you too! ** Okay. Today I give you a gig composed of what might be characterized not inaccurately as some of my French pop music guilty pleasures, some less guilty than others. Since, apart from maybe one or remotely, possibly two tunes up there, all of you outside the borders of France are unlikely to have ever heard that stuff before, consider this post either a good deed or an unnecessary, trashy onslaught from the French hit parade as you like. That is all. See you tomorrow.
Now available in North America 
Hi Dennis! Enjoy Nuitblanche? Did you happen to see the NASA-residency based piece by SemiConductor? They're old acquaintances of mine, still Brighton-based, and make very interesting computer-based work on the interaction between science and landscape. Also did that Mum video with the flock of birds… anyway, just wondered what you thought.
I'm OK – somehow the beautiful weather induced a shitty cold, so I'm kind of gloopy, but I'll live. Will send my Book List in the next 24 hours. Multiple choices from a single author is OK, right? Otherwise I'm gonna get all " Sophie's Choice" about it!
Love from here!
Great post. I worship French music (although more retro stuff, usually: Serge Gainsbourg and Juliette Greco are gods to me). Les Ritas Mitsoukou rocked in the 80s. If anything, their song C'est Comme Ca is even better than Marcia Baila. Catherine Ringer in her prime was so freaky she was like a white Grace Jones!
haha i remember alizee.
I'm ok man, i hate being unemployed…it makes me feel like shit, i've worked since i was sixteen but these last few years i've had at least three periods of long unemployment and they are always, without doubt, the least inspiring, least motivating periods of my life
…but there's not much i can do about it now except try to counteract the depressive aspect of it somehow. Swimming, cooking, Tarkovsky films are all helping. I got stuck on/am stuck on the novel and that was/is doing my head in ….feeling talentless as well as poor is a bad combination. Anyway i think im coming out of it now + there's a few jobs coming up that i might have a shot at.
Also im chomping at the bit for november to come.
You got the day i sent right? I can't remember if you said you had it or not.
The key to French pop is how unabashedly cheezy it is. I love it all — even such disreputable tyeps as Hohnny Hallyday ( a passable popstar but a truly superb actor ) and Sylvie Vartan.
Les Rita Mitsoukos appear in Godard Soigne Ta Droit rehearsing a song (much like the Stones did in One Plus One) They'e big hot "Don't Forget the Night" plays a pivotal musical/dramatic role in Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train
The panel was great fun. Jennifer Grant was really realy nice and lively. Sam Irvin is of course DA MAN. Plus the authors of the Sal Mineo and karen carpenter books were good too. Sal Mineo's love Coutney Burr was there and I had a chance to talk with him. Very nice guy. He and Sal were togethjer for the last six years of Sal's life — which as I trust everyone knws ended tragically with his being knifed to death in a mugging in WeHo. Courtney Burr takes great solace in the fac that Sal hasn't been forgotten. He's iconic and always will be — the first gay teenager in American movies.
Ryan Murphy has a new horror series
The human-to-wolf transformations in were quite good but what made the film was Joe Dante's uniquely bizarre sense of humor. John Caradine played a werewolf so old his main problem was he didn't have any teeth. Plus the characters were named after B movie directors. Carradine was "Erle Kenton." Slim Pickens "Sam Newfield" Patrick MacNee "George Waggener." John Sayles is credited with the script but it's joe all the way. As he told me "Just like with Croman we had no money so when the werewolves attack we used hand-puppets!"
Dennis and Michael. Holey Fuck. 'French Hole' is gorgeous. I'm so thrilled to have got one. I wasn't going to read it for a while because I'm in a kind of avoiding influence zone at the moment – I hadn't even picked up on the 6pm being dinner time thing – but I soon succumbed, and now I've read it three times. The writing is incredible, and I totally love how the voice works. Kind of baroque and crystalline with subtle use of everyday and cultural references. Like a DC narrative from a different dimension. So many wonderful sentences and images. I particularly loved those penultimate images of the stripper and the rain cloud. They seemed to say so much so succinctly about desire and allusiveness. With this and Ken Baumann's beautiful HTMLGIANT piece, I'm totally hanging out for 'The Marbled Swarm.' Great to see Halloween rolling around here too.
New Alan Hollinghurst novel sounds super
Uhm, French pop music….uhm….no, I like Serge Gainsbourg.
Dennis, I spent a large portion of my Sunday making my book list! it's not quite finished yet, but almost there!
We were attacked by giant spiders last night. We killed 'em all.
Katalyze, love the teenage bedroom blog! I would have included it for sure in this essay I wrote in 2009 about teenagers and icons/idols, has I known about it then (if it already existed).
Very cool!
Oscar, last night I dreamed my house was overrun by giant spiders. Weird. I don't mind spiders too much. Bees/wasps/hornets are another story though.
Dennis, finished reading my third fantasy book today (the one I finished writing last week). It was okay. I wrote down some of the better passages to reuse for my professional stuff. As I said on Facebook today, now that I've finally wrapped up this loose end from my past, I plan to set aside genre fiction to write something more "literary." One thing I did like about the fantasy book though was seeing what characters did the most by adding up the number of pages they appeared on. Of the 144 named characters, only 8 appeared in over 100 pages, and not one of them hit the 300 page mark (the character who did the most came the closest at 299 pages). But the fantasy book was less about characters and more about setting and story I suppose.
I've realized that my depression has returned, after a brief break. I've called my shrink and left a voice-mail message about this. so far, my appetite seems under control today. I've got my fingers crossed.
I've found a New York-based actor whom I'd like to approach about appearing in my short if the L.A. guy falls through.
I'm seeing A DANGEROUS METHOD tomorrow. Will Cronenberg, Viggo and Michael (channeling Jung and Freud) lift my spirits?
French pop to me means Je t'aime, Ca Plane Pour Moi, even though Plastique Bertrand didn't sing on it (the Belgian writer did), and Joe Le Taxi. I still remember all the jokes…
Maybe the Jackson doc did want to shock his meal ticket out of drugs. What's particularly damning to me is that when the paramedics arrived he didn't immediately say 'I think I've given him too much Propofol' but in fact never mentioned it. Doesn't seem like he had MK's best interests in mind, only his own. The defence are doing the OJ thing of trying to create doubt in the Jury's mind by endless obfuscation. Unfortunately the witnesses are all highly professional cool and calm medical experts and only the lawyers look confused.
Speaking of court cases: Amanda Knox has just been cleared. Well legally anyway.
Dennis, hi! I was just breezing through the PS and caught the bit about the psychic French stuff. Enjoyed that. I've read cards in French restaurants in New York for a long time, and I'm very proud of the readings I get to do in French. To be psychic in French is an experience. Once I read a French woman and got the name Monsieur Homme. She told me she was seeing me to ask about a Monsieur Homme-BORG (not sure how to spell it). Something about financing her film and I said he wouldn't. She called me soon after to tell me I was right.
But get this, and I swear, I'm not making this up: Last night I read someone at Les Enfants Terribles and kept getting the name Angela Davis!! I didn't know why until now. See, I told you we're connected. Thanks for fulfilling that sort of prophecy. Ha-hah.
I love electronic music from France. It's not necessarily in French though. But I do see an eerie identity in it, thinking of Air, M83, Télépopmusik etc.
"To Come" is amazing, I feel like I could watch it forever. Somehow it makes me very relaxed.
X
Latest FaBlog: Fait Diver– Amanda Knots
Oscar B – I'm glad you liked it. I saw someone post the link on twitter and was glued to it for the evening. I loved the self portrait day DC did ages back with photos of everyone's rooms – if only we all had photos of our teenage bedrooms.
Dennis – I finished 'The Sisters Brothers' last night and I loved it. I wish I had more time to read it (it's in demand and on 7 day loan at the library). I'll buy it when I can though, it's one I'd like to have around. Now moving on to 'Knockemstiff' as recommended by Jesse H.
I'm glad you enjoyed the Teenage Bedroom blog too (and see above re the old S.P day. Maybe that could be one for a revival?) Speaking of old S.P days… do you remember one that was like lists of things people hate? Or am I imagining it?
I'm ok. Kind of preparing for the holiday. I have to get a new painting done by the time we leave – someone in the uk asked me to do one for them so I have to get a move on with that. I've not painted something before specifically for someone else so I hope it works out ok!
Hi Dennis! have an idyllic day
Hey Dennis, thanks for the shoutout and the attending on the event – gave me a real kick, for sure. Just been busy as hell getting my shit together for it. Finally got it done and slept for 12 hours, feel almost human again. It should go live on window.auckland.ac.nz later on tonight. Got a video up there too.
Fuck i gotta send my book list that reminds me. I wrote it a couple of days ago, dunno how accurate it actually is. Major brain fog. I'v e had this cough for a month now, last night I was coughing and it sent my head into this weird spasm where sound went all like cd skipping and i passed out for a few seconds and woke up drooling on my keyboard and staring at a page of my collage which made things even more buzzy. So weird, the closest thing I would compare it to is buzzing out on nitrous. infact it felt just like that.
ok briniging my hypochondira here now, im sure im not dying of brain pressure, but i wouldn't be surprised!!
Hey Dennis,
Busy couple of days here, but I will have my book list for you sometime in the next 24 hours.
Nice post today— knew about some more of this stuff than I thought I would, but I guess that's…uh, expected, being as obsessive as I can be.
For some reason, it made me think about the group known as dOP, who are from Paris, I believe. They do a weird, live-instrument thing that sometimes approaches weird loungey house music, but sometimes is…the most challenging-yet-danceable music being put out of France at the present. You might appreciate their quirkiness.
Seems it might rain on my birthday plans tomorrow, but maybe I'll just have a bonfire in my kitchen. Fuck this piece of shit slumhole anyway, haha.
Hope all's well with you.
xotrees
JoeM, According to the doc's defense, it would make sense that he wouldn't tell the paramedics that. He's saying that MJ administered it himself without his knowledge. If that's true, then he wouldn't know that MJ had too much.
Eli, I get that too. A lot. Almost every time I cough, I almost pass out. I usually have to lie down and take deep breaths. I think it's high blood pressure in my case.
Dennis, Wow, hahaha. Um, well, er, okay, since you like these acts, I'm gonna keep my little trap shut. You did that for me about The Killers a long time ago, so I'll do the same for you now. ;D
My appointment is Tuesday morning at 10:05am. So 4:05pm your time. I'll give you an update. A new med or two wouldn't be a problem because I'd get him to prescribe one on Walmart's $4 list and that wouldn't be much of an expense.
Something like a stress test, however…man, I just checked my bank account today and it ain't pretty. I'm probably not going to be able to make it to NYC in November after all. Still gonna try, even if it's a day trip, but things are looking really shitty right now. Maybe I'll get the $1,100 due me for my last proofing job by then.
Haha, yeah, when I let loose with that quip, it was all straight guys in the bathroom, including my friend David, who went with me. He just giggled because he knows I'm a fucking fool anyway. Plus, I think he was farting everywhere and stinking up the whole place. Tit for tat we are, so to speak.
It was an odd mix of people though. But when I think about it, I guess not. My friend married a guy in the Navy, so along with the homosexuals, there were a bunch of Navy guys there and also a lot of Republicans (I found out talking to them). Interestingly, these were Navy guys who don't give one shit about Don't Ask, Don't Tell – they even think it's wrong and bogus – and Republicans who are more Libertarian and were complaining about Bachmann and Perry jumping into people's bedrooms and doctor's visits. So everyone got along really well actually.
And the mung was tasty! RAWR!
The first time I went to Paris we stayed at Roissy.
Roissy looks like WWII France to me, bombed-out and en ville.
We arrived in the evening and took the train to Paris that night.
We went to The Louvre first thing.
It looked like an old thin tea cup in the beautiful Paris dark.
We were standing in the courtyard looking at The Eiffel Tower as it exploded shimmering with dazzling exitement.
Upon my first visit to The Louvre there was a contemporary art installation in the bowels and an exhibition in that little
gallery just before the Egyptian Sphynx.
I can't remember any of it, everything in Europe looked kind of Neon on my first trip.
My second trip to The Louvre I felt almost sick walking around the old fortress walls.
My boyfriend and I got into a fight in the crypts of Notre Dame.
The Catacombs are a very special place, I could sleep so sweet there.
It's really weird walking around Medieval Paris, much more confusing than what I know of Belgium's streets.
The Haussman design is in a way very tragic.
I was happy to learn a lot of those buildings have interior courtyards.
I saw a cooking show in Province, they had a voluptuous dish of like steamed root veggies with garlic and fish.
Provincial people are probably very superstitious.
There's not a lot of culture or people to deal with in the country, it leaves things kind of open.
Hm I don't know, I think the French are an easy sell.
Hollywood is in its way a very American phenomenon.
I had a substitute-teacher who saw Hendrix play on the street in Paris in the 60's.
When I was in Salem, I was saying goodbye to the town and thinking of Laurie Cabot, as a skunk ran across my foot.
I think Parisian's are probably more into phantoms, ghouls, and flinchers.
Halloween Masks Post, Yeah! I remember your favorite Halloween Mask LOL.
Yeah man, that Howling transform is pretty tasty.
These transformations are very beautiful
Cat People
American Werewolf in London
And speaking of transformations! Did you know Poppy Z. Brite is changing to a boy?! She's got a little beard stylin'
Diggin' on some FH, what a strange little thing it is
Regards
PS. Some of my favorite memories of France is lying in bed watching music videos. Anxious to check these tunes. Thanks!
Hey, I’m back. Did I miss anything?
Still wiped out from jetlag.
Got something in the mail. Thank you!
I kinda like Charlotte Gainsbourg. Can’t say i like that song, but the video is haunting. I definitely like Les Rita Mitsoukou. That is definitely not their best song.
Jesse Hudson’s day was great. The latest Halloween post too. That Ossian Brown book is a find.
I’m pretty sure Joshua Cohen’s ostensible interpretation was simply a passive-aggressive rhetorical device contrived to get you to slit your own throat. And I think he was calling you “foremost” in your own mind. The avant-garde is dead! Joycean pastiche is the authentic voice of contemporary literature!
I was wondering about the asshole/secret passage thing. Thought I might have missed something. I do seem to remember an asshole/peephole metaphor.
Bill,
Thanks for your comment. I tried to respond in Japan but it didn’t work. I actually thought of you one night when we went out for Chinese food. I think you once told me you don’t care for Japanese Chinese food.
Misanthrope,
You know I’m with Dennis on this one. Btw, quitting smoking is a good way to save money. Let us/me know how your appointment goes.
Jesse,
If you’re out there, loved your day.
hey dennis!!
So Halloween Horror Nights was awesome!! Tons of fun! I was thinking about making a halloween post for the blog… do you have any slots left in october? I was thinking about talking about the houses i visited and then also maybe just talking about the event in general (history of it and such). Has there ever been such a day? Lemme know what you think 🙂
Also what are the details for the book list? Should we include photos of our top 10? Put why we love 'em? I ask just because I know too much would then make the post split into 5 days given how much most of us like books 🙂
Just got French Hole today! So excited to read it and savor the language until the actual novel comes out! Which reminds me that it looks like I might not be making it up to NYC due to my parents being busy and my finances used up with buying too many zines and records 😛 Actually I finally was able to be an accountant and found that I only lost 46 dollars on the whole project of the first issue, which is pretty awesome in my opinion (although really I should have lost way more, but my dad "helped" out by supplying money for some of it for odds and ends like envelopes and some shipping. Thanks dad!)
So that's a bummer obviously….
On the bright side we totally ate at the Hard Rock Cafe before being frightened and the nachos were oh so yummy!!! Apparently the location we were at was the largest hard rock cafe with 2 floors. They sat us in the CBGB room which was super cool with parts of the walls and crap loads of CBGB-related memorabilia.
Well anyway i gotta go, but before I go I should also let you know that Criterion is releasing it's blu-ray edition of Salo today and in honor of it i'm hosting a viewing of said blu-ray when i receive it today and we're gonna eat shit (nutella) and piss (inca cola) to make the party even more interactive!! I shall raise a glass of piss yellow soda up in the blog's name!
xxfrank
Haven't had time to check out all of these but so far I kind of like Yelle…
the video's funny for that one too…
Dennis – yeah, chatting about projects and so on sometime would be great – could be really helpful for me in fact. Merci!
Any time good / not good for you? Shall I drop you an e-mail and try and make a date?