Memo: Witch House
Dated: 08/23/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Music, Video
I was introduced to the witch house subgenre this weekend. There seem to be some people having a fit and complaining that it’s nothing special. There are also people who are just wowed by the whole thing. I believe any time there is a whole group of people looking to say nasty things about something new it is almost assuredly a successful movement. You know you’re failing if all you hear is praise or, worse, nothing. Here’s some White Ring for you:
No Addendums
Memo: Good Night, Pete
Dated: 04/15/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Blogs, Music, News, Video
Peter Steele died yesterday, April 14th from heart failure My twitter feed looks like a funeral procession today. Rather than saying a million standard death-cliches, let’s just have a few words from the man, himself, on people and dying. Good night, Peter.
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Memo: Machetes and Eyeliner
Dated: 04/14/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Music, Video, WTF
I’m not sure what led up to these “events” but it must have been a problem. Suffice to say, I’ve been enjoying videos lately. Especially warped ones. With machetes. And blond wigs.
Pulled from Jhonen Vasquez’s Twitter feed.
HEALTH “We are Water” from Eric Wareheim on Vimeo.
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Memo: Into the Holes
Dated: 03/26/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Internet Culture, Music, Video, WTF
I don’t even remember where I first found this video, but it still makes me just a touch queasy. Worse, I just can’t stop watching it. The combination of the music and the visuals is enough to compel and turn the stomach at the same time. Cheers for an unsettling time.
Into The Holes from VonSwank on Vimeo.
1 Addendum
Memo: Alice
Dated: 03/26/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Internet Culture, Music, Video, WTF
I went to see Tim Burton’s Alice this past weekend. Suffice to say, I agree with many of the critics. Burton has fallen into a rut and I fear we may have seen the best of his work come and go already. That said, I was searching Rotten Tomatoes for input on how other people felt about the movie. What I came across first was a surprise. A mixed live-action and stop-motion animation movie was made back in 1988 called “Alice.” Moreover, Rotten Tomatoes gave it 100%. I’ve never seen a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes before in my life so I had to see what I could find.
What I uncovered on YouTube was everything which was promised. Weird, kind of cool and, as my wife put it, creeptastic. I need to buy a copy of this movie. I need to do so ASAP. From the clips I’ve seen it makes me think of David Lynch, re-making Eraserhead around the Alice in Wonderland story line.
I recommend turning the sound down on the movie, and playing Alice from Sunn O))) as the background music instead. It adds an extra, creepy-longing feel. Both are provided below.
1 Addendum
Memo: Nikola Tamindzic
Dated: 03/18/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Images
Sometimes I like being just a little bit repulsed by art. Maybe it’s the masochistic part of my being that looks for pain wherever it can find it. Maybe it’s the sadistic part of me that likes peering in on someone else’s suffering so I know I’m not doing so bad. Maybe I like being slightly queasy. Regardless, there can be a fine line between beauty and horror. I think Nikola Tamindzic does pretty well.
Her portfolio bounces from the profane rot of the gutter to the plastic glamor of the fashion hot lights. I like seeing something beautiful and then being impaled by something terrible. It’s just so appealing. Take a look.
MGG2 by Nikola Tamindzic
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Memo: Woahohoho what a feeling…
Dated: 03/15/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: News, WTF
… When you’re dancing on the freeway.
Take THAT Lionel Ritchie!
I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. A guy was fatally hit on the 805 freeway in San Diego because he was dancing in the lanes. I actually heard about this on the radio this morning, on the way to work. What is the correct response to something like this?
Man dies while dancing on the freeway
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Memo: Eliza and the Batman
Dated: 02/23/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Blogs, Images, Internet Culture, WTF
I have a thing for religious icons. I don’t know why, but their straightforward portrait style warms my heart. Eliza Gauger states she has developed a Batman fetish and plans to draw only Batman for the entirety of this year. I find her particular style fun and amusing. Below is the latest Batman creation I am aware of, the Batman Ikon.
Batman Ikon
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Memo: Suck.
Dated: 02/18/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Blogs, Internet Culture, NULL Bloggery, News
Suck.com, how I miss you. It’s been many years since I last read you, but I knew you had to still be out there. Sure enough, you are. On the other hand you aren’t. You went fishing in 2001 and never came back. Did the Loch Ness monster eat you? Perhaps Lycos drove the final nail. Either way, I miss your clever quips. Your insightful yet patronizing tone. Your bad attitude. Thankfully, I still have the archive to refer to. Thank you for that.
To the rest of you, it’s all your fault. So says the image.
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Memo: Look at this Thermochromatic Silly Putty
Dated: 02/15/2010
Posted By: Ast Riske
Under: Images, NULL Bloggery, WTF
Just look at it.
Thermochromatic Silly Putty
(Source: me. Location: Somewhere in Northern California)