Your 90's-ologist misses Aaliyah. Great contemporary R&B singer, Brooklyn native and true child of the 90's, Aaliyah would have turned 30 years old yesterday. Aaliyah died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001. Her plane malfunctioned and went down shortly after attempting to leave the Bahamas (where she had just shot the video for her wonderful 2001 single "Rock The Boat") for New York. She is buried at Ferncliff Cemetery located in Hartsdale, NY (the town where I went to high school, incidentally).
She was famous for many things, including being secretly married to mentor R. Kelly when she was only 15 years old, but above all she was an innovative artist who reflected the times she lived in by being open-minded and interested in other types of music outside of her own genre, including metal (she was a fan of bands like Korn), incorporating those styles into her own music (with the help of famed R&B/Hip-Hop/rock producer Timbaland and songwriter Missy Elliot). I really enjoyed this creative aspect of her sophisticated and modern songs. BabyGirl was an original, adventurous spirit who continues to influence scores of young pop and R&B artists today (I'm talking to you, Rihanna!).
Though she had only three albums to her credit upon her death, "Age Ain't Nothing But A Number (1994), "One In A Million (1996) and "Aaliyah" (2001), it feels as if Aaliyah had countless songs that struck emotional gold and stick with you even now. She was beautiful, inside and out, and it's a shame more pop stars don't follow suit. Here are videos for songs off of each of her albums:
AGE AIN'T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER (1994)
Aaliyah - Back and Forth
No matter what you may think of R. Kelly and his neverending embarrassment of riches, he is responsible for nurturing Aaliyah's talent in the early years, and was lead songwriter and producer of her debut record.
ONE IN A MILLION (1996) (My personal fave!)
Aaliyah - One In A Million
Aaliyah - If Your Girl Only Knew
Aaliyah - 4 Page Letter
AALIYAH (2001)
Aaliyah - Rock The Boat
Aaliyah - More Than a Woman
Aaliyah - We Need A Resolution
Aaliyah - Try Again
This is a track from the 1998 "Dr. Dolittle" soundtrack:
One of the aspects of the 90's that I always loved was its abiding concern with getting folks turned on politically, especially young people. It was also a decade that saw gay rights cut a much wider swath in the fabric of political and social life in the United States.
On Election Day in November 2008, the fight for gay rights and equality saw quite a setback with the passage of Prop 8, which has made marriage between same-sex couples illegal in the State of California, repealing an earlier California Supreme Court ruling (May 15, 2008 - "In re Marriage Cases") which found it unconstitutional to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples. On February 12, 2009, National Freedom to Marry Day will consist of same-sex couples requesting marriage licenses from their local County Clerk's offices to highlight the negative impact that Prop 8 and continued discrimination based on sexual orientation has on the gay community.
As a political activist and concerned citizen, I wholeheartedly support this action, and if you feel like I do, please go here for more information on how you can be involved. As a newlywed, I can only say that my reaching this important milestone in my life has been bittersweet in the face of this loss for not only gay Americans, but all Americans. See you at the courthouse!
THE VERVE - "ON YOUR OWN" (FROM THE 1995 ALBUM, "A NORTHERN SOUL")
When it comes to 90's British rock bands, if Oasis was the Beatles, then The Verve was the Rolling Stones, and I am a Stones girl all the way. Before "Bittersweet Symphony" and "Urban Hymns" was this song. I remember seeing the video for "On Your Own" late at night on one of MTV's "alternative" rock shows, probably "120 Minutes," and was entranced. From frontman Richard Ashcroft's adorably Mick Jagger-ish English gauntness, to the haunting cinematography that perfectly complemented the equally haunting melody, I was hooked. I think I am actually more in love with this song than any other one in The Verve's entire output. It's that good. Enjoy please:
The 2008 film "Marley & Me," featuring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston as the world's most obnoxious dog owners (or owners of the world's most obnoxious dog--whichever), is mostly set in the 90's and has the soundtrack to prove it. So here is a list of all the 90's tunes that show up in the film:
1. R.E.M. - "Shiny Happy People" (from the 1991 album, "Out of Time"):
This song drove many a person crazy, from the earworm of a hook to the almost sickeningly shiny and happy video (featuring Kate Pierson of the B-52's, who sings on the track), but it is and will ever be, incredibly 90's.
Bonus points to those of you who can identify Jane Pratt, editor-in-chief of the defunct and beloved guide-to-the-90's magazine "Sassy" (1988-1994, R.I.P). Here's a hint: in this miasma of 90's fashions, there can only be one daisy-covered dress.
2. Ben Folds - "Rockin' The Suburbs" (from the 2001 eponymous album)
This song is not technically Nineties, but Ben Folds sure is. 90's babies, I've got a gun to your head, sing "Brick!" Louder! You could belt out every word, because that's how big Ben Folds Five was. I myself liked the song "Underground," one of those 90's ironic commentary songs that I mentioned in the last post. In fact, instead of "Rocking The Suburbs," here is a video of Ben Folds Five playing "Underground" live in 1998 on "Sessions at West 54th:"
Check out that dude pull off a backflip at 3:44.
3. Hootie and The Blowfish - "Only Wanna Be With You" (from the 1994 album, Cracked Rearview)
Ah, Hootie. One of the funniest parts of Cameron Crowe's 1996 film "Jerry Maguire" was when the little boy in the airport walks up to Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s football player character and asks him if he's Hootie. It makes me wonder how many times people walked up to singer Darius Rucker and called him Hootie to his face.
Hootie and The Blowfish - Only Wanna Be With You (Live 2008, Joe's Bar, Chicago, IL)
4. Us3 - "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)" (from the 1993 album, "Hand on the Torch")
This song was a big favorite of my Mom's. She tends toward more polished, sophisticated sounds, and this track, which sampled Herbie Hancock's Blue Note Records recording "Cantaloupe Island," certainly met those standards. Us3 was an English group, and I was a big fan of dance and electronic groups out of London at the time, so this song fit right into my tastes. A fun and cool track that makes you miss well-crafted radio singles.
Sorry about the out-of-sync sound.
5. Bruce Lash - "Lithium" (2003 cover of the Nirvana song from the 1991 album, "Nevermind")
I had never heard this cover of Nirvana's "Lithium" before seeing this film. It's actually quite appropriate considering that lounge music and lounge covers of rock music became somewhat popular for a short time in the 90's.
6. The Verve - "Lucky Man" (from the 1997 album, "Urban Hymns")
All one has to say to 90's kids is "Bittersweet Symphony" and visions of hysterical drunken nights and bleary-eyed Walks of Shame (avec Walkman) dance in their heads. The Verve is a pretty legendary 90's band, with great songs to boot. "Lucky Man" is one of them. Peace out.
LOCAL H - "EDDIE VEDDER" (FROM THE 1996 ALBUM, "AS GOOD AS DEAD")
I cannot stop humming this song for some reason. Since I'm in a jangle-pop mood at the moment, I figured I'd talk about it.
Local H was, and continues to be, an interesting band. Starting life as a two-piece (Scott Lucas, the band's singer/guitarist and only permanent member, Joe Daniels on drums), their raison-d'etre was to ironically comment on the then-existent frenzy that ensued in the music scene in the wake of the insane popularity (and bankability) of Nirvana. In fact, they were often compared to Nirvana, and I'm sure it bothered these fellows quite a bit.
There were more than a few bands in the 90's that were in the business of ironic commentary on the music scene (see Smashing Pumpkins'"Cherub Rock," Pavement's "Range Life") or trends in popular culture at the time (Deadeye Dick's "New Age Girl"), but Local H's songs were particularly biting, and therefore, entertaining as hell.
"Eddie Vedder," as a song and a concept, is damn near perfect. It has a melody that swims in your head for days (I stop short at calling it an earworm since it's so good), jangly and crunchy guitar sounds for that caramel plus nougat quality, and lyrics that will make you laugh if you remember the rock supremacy of Pearl Jam back in the 90's. Like I said, perfect.
Here you go:
What was also pretty cool about this original Local H lineup was that the drummer was black. This could not be underestimated in the 1990's rock scene.
Gin Blossoms, a somewhat-guilty-but-not-really pleasure for me in the 90's, is playing the House of Blues in West Hollywood, CA on February 19. You should also know that they have a new record available called "Major Lodge Victory," off of which the single "Let's Play Too" is featured in the Owen Wilson-starring comedy "Drillbit Taylor."
1992's "New Miserable Experience" was the public's introduction to this Arizona band, and although they had a reputation of being just a little cheesy and bland, this was one of the first records that I consciously thought was truly sad. Though the music was brightly lit, with infectious hooks, the overall tone of the album was rather melancholy, and kind of ushered me into a lifelong love of sad-core music. My belief in the band's essential sadness was intensified by the knowledge that Doug Hopkins, the Gin Blossom's original primary songwriter, committed suicide in 1993.
This band probably wriggled its way into my purview because they played the kind of jangly pop-rock that I still love to this day. They were like R.E.M. Jr., or just a placeholder until you discovered Buffalo Tom, The Tragically Hip, Polaris/Miracle Legion, and Camper Van Beethoven (not to mention Camper's 90's incarnation, Cracker).
Here are some videos of my fave tracks off New Miserable Experience. They're mostly live performances since Universal Music Group has disabled embedding of their clips on YouTube. Beware: the crowds sing every word and are very loud. Enjoy:
Gin Blossoms - Found Out About You (Live, Quad Cities Summerfest)
Gin Blossoms - Until I Fall Away (Live 2006, Springfield, OH)
Gin Blossoms - Allison Road
I have to point out how great frontman Robin Wilson's voice sounds in the live recordings. He looks different, but sounds almost exactly the same as his old recordings. Wonderful.
I just finished watching the very good 2008 film "Frozen River" featuring the actress Melissa Leo, who was on NBC's classic TV show "Homicide: Life on The Street" for about four years as Det. Kay Howard, until she was unceremoniously booted from the show for not conforming to Hollywood's standards of female beauty. Why this would matter when Melissa and the show were so kickass, I have no idea. But I could not let my memory of such a moving and exciting show go by without a mention here on Damn The Man.
Kay Howard was, for a time, the only female detective on this cop show (such a show now holds the fancy-dance name of "police procedural") set in Baltimore, which was in keeping with the show's source: David Simon's 1991 true crime book, "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets." David Simon would later go on to create one of the most critically acclaimed cable shows ever, "The Wire," a show that I also admire that continued Homicide's legacy of hard-hitting, uncompromising storytelling. It only helped that film director Barry Levinson served as executive producer (I love "Diner" to little bitty pieces).
This was a show so good that although it aired on Friday nights after the second season, and I was teenager at the time, my bum was glued to my seat in front of that screen every week. What made it different from other cop shows, and nearly every other show in general, was how gritty and no-nonsense it was. Then and now, these types of network shows tend to have a plastic veneer on them, a cheesiness that's both off-putting and superficial. "Homicide: Life on the Street" sought to give a true picture of what the Baltimnore streets were like for criminals, cops and civilians alike. The naturalistic documentary-style filmmaking helped to contribute to this air of authenticity.
The diverse cast was also a big draw of the show, including the aforementioned Leo, Andre Braugher as Det. Frank Pembleton, Kyle Secor as Det. Tim Bayliss, Yaphet Kotto as Lt. Al Giardello, Richard Belzer as Det. John Munch, Ned Beatty as Det. Stanley Bolander, and Daniel Baldwin as Det. Beau Felton. While the whole cast was impressive, and grew ever more expansive as the show went on, it was really Dets. Pembleton and Bayliss that ensured that viewers came back each week. Pembleton and Bayliss are truly one of TV's great duos; their intense questioning of suspects was the emotional Molotov cocktail that is missing from today's "procedurals." The rest of the cast and each week's stories kind of revolved around these mooring scenes, and the effect was hypnotizing.
I love this show. I know alot of folks missed out on this show because of its scheduling back then. I encourage you to pick up its DVD sets if you like "Dexter" or "The Wire." This precursor to these shows is only rivaled by, possibly, "Hill Street Blues." Possibly.
Please enjoy some clips from the show here. Prolific 90's music video director Mark Pellington (Pearl Jam's "Jeremy") co-directed an early opening credit sequence for the show. A very young Jake Gyllenhaal and Robin Williams are in the second one:
Pembleton and Bayliss!!!
Here are a few clips of the fifth episode of Season 1 called "Three Men and Adena." Check out the video Bayliss is watching in the first clip...very 90's:
They sometimes did crossovers with "Law and Order"...Check out Baltimore filmmaker John Waters! OMFG!! I love their NYC vs. Baltimore dialogue here:
Please check out the trailer for "Frozen River" featuring Melissa Leo of "Homicide":
KOSTARS - RED UMBRELLA from the 1996 album "Klassics With a 'K'"
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fantastic Luscious Jackson side project, Kostars, and their beautiful summer song, "Red Umbrella." Keyboardist Vivian Trimble and bassist Jill Cunniff formed to produce only one record under this name, but the effort was well worth it to produce this light, floating piece of bossa nova acoustic goodness. I am a big fan of Brazilian samba and bossa nova like Astrud Gilberto, and this song is a fitting update of the genre. It's sexy, it's wistful, it's nostalgic...kind of like the 90's itself.
Enjoy the lovely video to Red Umbrella:
Tell me that video is not a breath of fresh air. It makes me want to grab my movie star sunglasses, a couple of shift dresses and jet off to Mallorca or somewhere. If only.
This collection of three songs from their demo record and four new tunes was a staple in my listening cycle in the early 90's. At the time, I was deep in the process of expanding the types of music I listened to, and this record helped smooth the transition from shiny pop and dance music to more eclectic hip-hop and rock with its clever melange of all these styles.
Unfortunately, it's probable that even fans of Luscious Jackson don't know this record at this point, but I remember when this EP made quite a splash with music critics, so much so that all the heavy breathing practically forced me to use my allowance money to trek to Tower and buy it. I was not disappointed. It's as rough-hewn as a demo record nearly all the way through, but it's mesmerizing in its ability to surprise the listener with its consistent hooks, sometimes aggressive nature and female coolness. It's Riot Grrl with more melody; hip-hop with less gloss or floss.
Here's a track off the album courtesy of YouTube. Enjoy!
Luscious Jackson - She Be Wantin' It More
Sorry if bad kitty offends you. I don't know what is with some of the folks that post mp3s on YouTube, although I commend their efforts.
So apparently in 1995, Michael Stipe of R.E.M. performed "Evil Woman" with Luscious Jackson as the backing band at Madison Square Garden on their "Monster" tour. I could not find this tape, so you're going to have to be happy with a video of ELO themselves playing the song. Though the vocals are out of sync (sorry), I will use any excuse possible to play this song. It's the jam.
After mentioning the Beastie Boys art tribute, it looks as if it's a Grand Royal kind of day, so I want to talk about one of my very favorite 90's bands, Luscious Jackson. Known as "The Female Beasties" for a good part of their early career (drummer Kate Shellenbach was a member of the Beastie Boys in their incipient hardcore days [way back in 1979!!]), they ended up being a semi-controversial (critics often railed on their sometimes lacking live shows and flat vocals) but always empowering and influential (Northern State, M.I.A. and Santogold owe a little something to L. Jackson) group.
Though I was introduced to the band by their 1992 EP "In Search of Manny," I was hooked in as a fan by the single "Citysong" off their 1994 album "Natural Ingredients." Though it is worth talking about this excellent record in its entirety, "Citysong" is unique to the adventurous spirit of 90's rock music.
What I love about this song is that I totally related to it as a young girl forging her identity in New York City. It manages to capture the hazy laziness of a miserably humid NYC day, coupled with the contradictory itchy frustration and elation that residents feel at the frenzied pace of the city. It's one of the loveliest musical snapshots of the city ever taken, and it's got a hot beat that you can actually dance too. And, white chicks are playing it.
This last aspect I felt was harped on too much with this band: I loved the quintessential New York-ness of four white women creating street-credible, attitude-laden hip-hop and rock. New Yorkers transcend boundaries and categories of every stripe, and they were no different. They were kind of like the white version of ESG (70's and 80's South Bronx-based post-punk/dance/hip-hop band), whom you should also check out by the way.
Here's the perfect video that accompanied "Citysong" back then:
Tamra Davis (who happens to be married to Mike D of the Beasties), who so ably directed this fine video, also directed a slew of memorable 90's videos, including a bunch for Sonic Youth and The Lemonheads, and one of my fave 90's films, "Guncrazy" (1992), featuring the then-newly-skinny Drew Barrymore. She also directed "Half-Baked" (1998), which garners her points in my book.
UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ART TRIBUTE TO THE BEASTIE BOYS - GALLERY 1988, LOS ANGELES, CA
The Beastie Boys, the whiteboy rap fiends who found incredible success in the mid-to-late 80's but rocked the 90's with their smash hipster hit albums "Check Your Head" (1992), "Ill Communication" (1994), and "Hello Nasty" (1998), as well as with their defunct record label Grand Royal which nurtured an interesting aesthetic that was part-New York graffiti-inspired street style and part Japanese-inspired colorful cartoon wackiness (on which 90's lady band Luscious Jackson dwelled for their exemplary albums, including "In Search of Manny" (1992) and "Natural Ingredients" (1994)), are being paid proper tribute in the month of January with art by 100 artists featured at Gallery 1988 at 7020 Melrose Avenue (East of La Brea).
I love this idea, as I grew up creating art inspired by music and musicians. If you enjoy this kind of art too, I recommend stopping by if you're in L.A. If you need details on gallery hours, artists, etc., Flavorpill can help you out.
My super-cool niece-in-law got Rock Band for Playstation on her 11th birthday and this song nearly kicked our collective asses trying to beat it. On "Easy." Enjoy:
The Beastie Boys - Sabotage from "Ill Communication" (1994)
Spike Jonze directed the shizz out of this video. Funny and original.
Your 90's-ologist realizes that this is a belated greeting, but you have to forgive me: being newly married, my IQ has already fallen 10 points. I kid! But really, the vacation ended up being way more than five days, with our jaunt extending from the Poconos in Pennsylvania up to Rochester, NY to hang with my new sister-in-law, who is pretty rad, btw. We're just getting back to L.A., and I'm energized and refreshed and ready to dish more 90's ish!
Merry Christmas! I'm on my way to a 5-day wedding/birthday extravaganza on the East Coast today, so I will be back with more 90's culture in about a week! In the meantime, check out 90's rock babe Aimee Mann's (she found fame in the 80's band Til Tuesday, but had significant success providing music for Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 film "Magnolia") "Christmas Carol" videos:
Woo buddy I loved this record in the 90's. First things first: Pearl Jam's seminal 90's album "Ten" is being reissued in March 2009 in four different packages, each containing a digitally remastered version of the original album (with additional artwork by Ten's original graphic designer, PJ bassist Jeff Ament) with a special treat, such as the two versions including the DVD of PJ's 1992 "MTV Unplugged" set, which I highly recommend picking up. More info about this release and the impending avalanche of Pearl Jam reissues here at Paste Magazine.
Now, on to my utter surprise that you don't own this effin' record. As Mike Myers's Wayne Campbell points out in the eternally-funny 1992 film, "Wayne's World," Peter Frampton's "Frampton Comes Alive!" was sent to suburban kids in the mail with sample boxes of Tide. Pearl Jam's "Ten" was similarly issued to 90's suburban brats.
Where to start with this controversial record? Controversial in that it spawned more than its fair share of terrible imitators: singers refusing to acknowledge the vulnerability in Eddie Vedder's impressively emotive baritone, instead merely Xeroxing its power, ending up laughable caricatures of masculine ego-tripping (see: Creed) and the bands themselves mangling Pearl Jam's nascent melding of punkish energy and 70's style arena rock.
"Obsessed" is not strong enough of a word to describe my passion for this record. Though the fervor has faded, I still stroll back and take in the occasional listen to this still quite effective album. Though some songs sound somewhat dated, the raw power the songs exhibit is what keeps the real rock fan coming back to this classic.
SIDE ONE: "Once" kicks off the album strongly with dark lyrics involving guns and loss of control, making sure you understand where the record is going; on to the exceptional powerhouses "Even Flow, and "Alive," the latter of which is an epic Oedipal saga that has become part of PJ lore; "Why Go," another barn-burner of a song with a funky rumbling bassline that makes rock chicks like me shake it...to the blessed "Black," the song that I credit for my introduction to rock music. I have no idea what Eddie is going on about in "Black" to this day, but it is beautiful.
Then of course, "Jeremy," who spoke in class today, as you well know. I watched that video so many times that I'm sure I could direct a shot-by-shot remake of the the thing from memory. I always enjoyed the last half-minute after Jeremy blew himself away in front of his classmates and they're frozen in place, shielding themselves from his bright red blood. You can check this Mark Pellington-directed version of "Jeremy" here. Also, if you love this video, you may want to rent a copy of Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky's 1962 film "Ivan's Childhood." There are quite a few visuals in this film that are incredibly similar to Pellington's version of "Jeremy." Flip the tape.
SIDE TWO: I always felt that the B side of this tape (Yes, I AM that old) was the more sensual, underrated side of Ten. Okay, so I definitely excerpted "Oceans" for the quote in my high school yearbook, but don't let that deter you from enjoying a truly lovely song about a boy and his surfboard. I love its Led Zeppelin-tinged sound, so dreamy.
"Porch" was actually my favorite track off Ten for a little while. PJ performed a terrific version of this song on their "MTV Unplugged..." some of you may remember when Eddie Vedder jumped on top of his stool as the band wailed on this tune, and teetered up in the air while scrawling "PRO-CHOICE" on his arm with a black marker. This is actually quite remarkable when you consider our current post-Janet Jackson "Nipplegate" pop culture where hardly anything truly spontaneous happens on TV anymore; "Garden" and "Deep" are both emotionally immersing experiences, full of angst while stroking our need for catharsis...both have powerful choruses that just plain feel good to belt out.
"Release" is the quiet storm of the record, a slow cookin' jam that I find sexy, moving and emblematic of the attractive vulnerability of the Eddie Vedder persona at the time. I think what the Scott Stapps of the world missed about Eddie Vedder's charisma was that he didn't think of himself as a god (there's even a PJ bootleg called "No F$#kin' Messiah!"), but as an angry, mixed-up kid. Like all the rest of us.
Pearl Jam's "Ten" also had the bonus tracks "Wash" and "Dirty Frank" that could only be found on the UK/German imports. "Wash" is my shizz. It is one of my top five fave PJ songs by far. It is down and dirty sex. Download yourself a copy. "Dirty Frank" is a fun riff on Red Hot Chili Peppers-style funk, if somewhat un-PC; hence, fun. On Japanese import only was their cover of The Beatles' "I've Got A Feeling," which I love so much that it will appear in its own "Baby I Love Your Way" column here on Damn The Man.
Enough dancing about architecture...Pearl Jam videos!! Enjoy:
Pearl Jam - Porch (MTV Unplugged)
Pearl Jam - Jeremy (Alternate Version of Video)
Pearl Jam - Black (MTV Unplugged)
Pearl Jam - Wash (1991 - Live at Tower Records, Yonkers, NY [My Hometown!!Y.O. Represent!])
Someone in the comments to the video of Pearl Jam at the Tower in my town totally feels me: "Goddamn I used to love that store." Tower Records in Yonkers was a mecca to disaffected youth of all stripes for the entirety of the 90's. It no longer exists (although with other Yonkers freak hangouts like Rockin' Rex...), but is sorely missed. This PJ video blows my mind. You couldn't have told me they played in Yonkers. I can't believe I missed this show.
Like Duke Ellington, I'm in a sentimental mood since I'm officially a Missus as of today...Fiance and I did the deed in fine assembly line fashion at the Old Orange County Courthouse, along with at least twenty other couples. Some would find the "marriage factory" atmosphere of the courthouse somewhat off-putting, but me being a Capricorn, I loved the communality of the experience and the clinical filling out of forms. You sign, I sign, done.
Well, we're actually having a ceremony with more pomp and circumstance back East in a week, and thinking about the year-plus long planning process (and subsequent nervous breakdowns) involuntarily makes me think of one of my undercover favorite films of the 90's, "Father of the Bride."
I say "undercover" because some may remember this Steve Martin-starring remake of the 1950 film of the same name (which starred Spencer Tracy and my personal fave, Elizabeth Taylor) as goopy and saccharine in its unrelenting corniness. If you don't have a heart, this may indeed be true. But for the rest of us, one of Steve Martin's last genuinely touching film performances (in the grouchy yet caring Dad role he played in the more acerbic 1989 film "Parenthood"), Kimberly Williams's (a Westchester girl--from Rye, NY!) lovely innocence as his daughter, Diane Keaton (who just has to show up to be great), and Martin Short's hilarious gay wedding planner Franck, make this film a genuine pleasure to sit back and escape into. I don't think there's a day that's passed since I started planning my own wedding that I didn't have Martin Short's voice in my head intoning, "Armani don't make a blue tux-ado!"
This movie touched me because as a young girl who was just attempting to form her conception of her own personal future, this film was a veritable fever dream of wishful thinking when it came to the perfect wedding. My actual wedding reality is somewhat far off from Father of the Bride's construct of the contemporary wedding, but all the attendant shock,confusion, nostalgia and finally, euphoria is universal.
I have other stuff to tell you, and since I'm the little woman now, I have to cook dinner, so I'll just leave you with a clip of this fine 90's movie to tide you over 'til the next wedding that you have to attend:
As a burgeoning punk rock girl, I secretly loved Candlebox in the 90's. They were on the 2nd tier of popular "grunge" inflected rock bands, kind of alongside bands like Silverchair and Blind Melon. Famous, but not as well respected as Nirvana or Pearl Jam. There was a reason for this too: Even more heavily derivative than the top tier of 90's bands, these bands often lacked their own original voice, seeming cookie-cutter-ish and juvenile. But when "Far Behind" played, I swooned like a geisha in an opium den. What a crackin' tune. In fact, their self-titled 1993 record contained quite a few listenable songs, including "Far Behind," "You," "Change," and "Cover Me." There was something unfashionably hair band-flavored about Candlebox, and I liked it. If you know what I'm talking about, check them out in NYC on the 12th if you're on the East Coast.
Here are a couple of videos for songs off of their debut album, Candlebox (1993). You're going to enjoy this, believe me:
I just want to take the time to thank all of you who stop by my page and hang out in the 90's...I really appreciate it. Please remember that I welcome comments, especially constructive and/or positive ones! To the Anonymous fellow who felt that my review of the recent Smashing Pumpkins show was whiny, you should come to my house sometime with some cheese! You ain't heard nothing yet!! If you were there, I'd love to hear what you thought of it. The great thing about this blog is that it is MINE, and you will hear my honest opinion on things. If you like it, welcome. If you don't, WHATEVER, as Cher from Clueless would say. There's lots more to come in 90's culture on Damn The Man, Save The Empire, so stay tuned!
SMASHING PUMPKINS - GIBSON AMPITHEATRE, UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3,2008
First off, let me just say that the above photo is no longer accurate, as D'arcy and James Iha are no longer in the band. So there's that. Then, as far as the show went...how do I say this nicely? OK, you've seen "This Is Spinal Tap," I take it? Yes. Especially the "Jazz Odyssey" part? Exactly.
This show was an audacious shambles. It was especially dispiriting considering Billy Corgan's still-apparent talent. A.) He's a lovely singer, who brought the audience to tears with his rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" early on in the set. B.) He's a tirelessly excellent guitarist, who can and will bust out any style you want on that thing. C.) Those SONGS! The man's got songwriting chops that he flat-out refused to show us after a sprinkling of hits at the beginning. He pulled a bait-and-switch, and we're not happy about it.
Here's what he did play: He started off quite nice and strange with "Ava Adore," dressed to the Halloween hilt in a long black cossack-style robe and a pumpkin basket full of glitter to shower on the front row. He had some little kids with baskets to help him onstage as well. The whole show had a very bizarre flavor due to Corgan's eccentricities and "piss off" attitude. This is not as cool as it sounds. He also managed to eke out "1979," "Disarm," "Cherub Rock," "Landslide," and a spectacular "Zero," which is clearly one of his best songs.
That sounds great, right? Well, subtract that half-hour from almost three hours of playing and a disgruntled 90's baby you will find. Billy Corgan and his massive band (he had at least 7-8 people onstage at any given time, and it seemed to swell to almost 12 during some of the more symphonic arrangements) cycled through every prog rock band you can think of, plus a couple of other styles for good measure, with nary a Smashing Pumpkins tune in sight. It was like being at a Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Genesis, Yes, ELO, Fela Kuti (yes, there was some Afrobeat in there), Bad Company, Paul Simon, and King Crimson show all at the same time. Plus, add some musical theater in there with some kind of weird arrangement of "Little Red Riding Hood" (complete with embarrassing wolf howls) and I'm reaching for my revolver.
Now, if this sounded cool, like TV On The Radio's 2006 "Return To Cookie Mountain" album, then this might be excusable. But this was nothing but out and out wankery. And it was boring. People were literally bailing out during the set, or, if they stuck around, they were yawning and falling asleep. Not cool.
Here are some videos for some Smashing Pumpkins songs that I would have liked to hear. Enjoy them instead of wasting good money in this recession on this hot tranny mess of a live show:
Smashing Pumpkins - Today (from their 1993 album, Siamese Dream)
Smashing Pumpkins - Siva (from their 1991 album, Gish)
Smashing Pumpkins - Drown (Live at Chicago Metro, 1992 - from the 1992 Singles soundtrack)
Smashing Pumpkins - Glynis (live; from the 1993 compilation record, No Alternative)
Smashing Pumpkins - Blue (from their 1994 B-sides compilation, Pisces Iscariot)
Smashing Pumpkins - Stand Inside Your Love (from their 2000 album, Machina/The Machines of God)
I hate to go off like this, but I felt he really did a disservice to his fans last night. Billy Corgan went off on how, the last he checked, he wasn't anybody's bitch, and even berated a guy for asking the band to play "1979" again. Some gullible, corny older rock guy standing behind me and my fiance was like, "Well, you can't tell an artist what to do." No, you certainly can't, but it is also the responsibility of the artist to stay in tune with his audience and show them respect, since they slapped their hard-earned money down for a ticket and all. I just found the show and Billy Corgan rather inauthentic, barring fleeting moments of genius. That is all.
SPANKING THE MONKEY (1994) - dir. David O. Russell
This 1994 film still makes people uncomfortable. It was nearly impossible to find a picture of the poster, let alone stills from the movie, so this article will go without glossy screencaps for you to ogle.
I saved the best for last, 90's babies: Jeremy Davies is one of my favorite actors from the 90's. I cannot tell you how overjoyed I was when he was recently added to the cast of "Lost," one of my current television obsessions. He is as terrific there as he is in nearly every role he takes on, even in ones he's bad in, like Charlie Manson, a role in which he was still terrific. Let me explain.
Jeremy often brings the creepy. He's actually quite a handsome, if skinny, boy, hence the acting. But he can be creepy. Sometimes, he's so creeptastic in a role, it can go way overboard into cheesy silliness (Manson). But when he's good, he's really good, especially as a henpecked medical student in Spanking The Monkey.
This film is famous for being the "incest movie." And it is. But it's also a very well-written and directed film with incredible nuance and sensitivity, which is amazing considering that director David O. Russell is not known for either of those in his real life (ask Lily Tomlin). The plot is simple: A young medical student is forced to turn down a summer internship in order to take care of his bedridden mother (who has broken her leg) while his salesman father goes away on business. Fair enough. But stuff goes down between mother and son, and well, you know, incest.
Jeremy Davies is remarkable in this role simply for underplaying his character's obvious angst, alienation and confusion. He's creepy but he's accessible to the viewer as well. He hadn't yet perfected the twitchy, spastic performances he would later become known for, so we're free to enjoy this character's torment just through his dark eyes and pained grimace.
Please enjoy the first 9 minutes or so of the film. If you are David O. Russell or Fine Line, please don't sue me. I love you!
Tom Hank's 1996 directorial debut "That Thing You Do!" is like manna from heaven to a rock music geek like me. It's a thoroughly-scrubbed but still fascinating and highly entertaining look at 60's rock music culture in the wake of Beatlemania and the explosion of girl groups, and the continued success of pop singers like Gene Pitney and Lesley Gore. At the center of a fine group of performances (as The Wonders, a Beatles-style band formed in Erie, PA) by actors like Tom Everett Scott (Tom Hanks's not-so-Mini-Me), Jonathan Shaech, Damn The Man's mascot Ethan Embry, Liv Tyler (in a heartbreaking role as Jonathan's girlfriend and the band's #1 Fan), and even bit parts by Charlize Theron and Giovanni Ribisi, stands Steve Zahn's energetic and sweet performance as the guitarist "Lenny," who just wants to play music and wants no part in the band's politics and personal snafus. He's kind of the optimistic, playful heart of the band, and it's a wonderful performance by an actor who is much more talented than his roles would sometimes have you believe.
Steve Zahn's performance in "That Thing You Do" is a sharp contrast to his role as a traumatized POW in "Rescue Dawn;" in fact, these characters are psychic opposites, but provide a nice glimpse into this fine actor's range. His ability to easily elicit joy, sympathy and grief in audiences is astounding. His role in That Thing You Do is a bit smaller than some in the rest of the cast, but he exuberantly and hilariously supports the ensemble, as is evidenced here in the trailer:
Please see this little gem of a film if you haven't already. If you are a Steve Zahn fan who hasn't caught up to this film, Netflix now. Here's a part of the "That Thing You Do" reunion interview featuring Steve Zahn:
Period films are some of my favorite films, but they can be mucked up pretty easily in the care of an unsure director. Luckily, 1994's adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's 19th century novel "Little Women" had Australian director Gillian Armstrong (whose own career saw a 90's height with 1997's great film "Oscar and Lucinda," starring Ralph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett) guiding its cast and crew, and the result, IMHO, is a holiday classic. It is also late-night bedroom pornography for teenage girls everywhere because of its inclusion of Christian Bale in the cast as Theodore Laurence, friend and neighbor to those incorrigible March sisters.
Christian Bale was already a sensation among ladies of all ages for his preteen and teen standout performances in films such as Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun" (1987), "Newsies" (1992), and my personal fave, "Swing Kids" (1993), which put an oh-so-very-wrong veneer on teenage crush daydreaming, what with the Nazi theme and all. But "Little Women" was the clincher for me and many other women, I'm sure. Though Bale is now known for "brooding intensity" and quite an impressive facility with an American accent (see the Christopher Nolan-directed "Batman" franchise), I will always treasure Bale's romantic turn as "Laurie" in Little Women.
The thing about Bale in this film that, in my mind, differs from his acting now, is how vulnerable he was. The scene where Laurie first declares his love for Winona Ryder's Jo March, ending in an awkward kiss, is notable both for the fine trickle of spittle that clings to their lips as they pull away, and the heated passion that Bale brings. There was no doubt how this cat felt about this stupid girl who rejects him in the end for an admittedly sexy, but quite older Gabriel Byrne. Somewhere in her heart, Jo March regretted her choice, I know it. Christian Bale truly upped his value as an actor by including "romantic lead" on his resume. Check it out:
RESCUE DAWN (2007) - Featuring Christian Bale, Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies
Yesterday I watched American film director Jonathan Demme interview German (or Bavarian, as he explained that he prefers in the interview) film director Werner Herzog on one of the special features of Herzog's strange and wonderful 2007 documentary about Anarctica, "Encounters at the End of the World." They discussed Herzog's terrific 2007 narrative film "Rescue Dawn" in depth, and it occurred to me that I had a Damn The Man moment on my hands.
I quite enjoyed the film "Rescue Dawn," and besides my love for the highly eccentric Werner Herzog, this movie also contains three formidable actors who found their strides in the 90's: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies. For the next few posts, I will talk about a favorite 90's film featuring each one of these actors.
Since "Rescue Dawn" is not a 90's film, I won't go on about it, except to say that if you haven't seen it, do. It is a very moving film based on Herzog's 1997 documentary, "Little Dieter Needs To Fly", which profiled Dieter Dengler, a German-American pilot. Rescue Dawn features a startling dramatic performance by a normally comedic actor, Steve Zahn. It is truly a shame that they didn't throw awards at this guy for his acting in this film. Check out the trailer, folks:
Smashing Pumpkins are playing the Gibson Ampitheatre at Universal City in Cali TODAY and TOMORROW. Sorry that I was slow on the uptake on that, but the tryptophan from the Thanksgiving turkey is still coursing through my system.
As we 90's fans all know, Smashing Pumpkins were huge. They HAD to be spoken about in the same breath as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. I have not seen them play live yet, so I am really curious as to what Billy Corgan's going to bring to these sets. He was famous back then for having an iron hand grip on the band, to the extent of playing all the instruments on the records, and eschewing songwriting input from fellow band members. He thought he was the jam, basically. From hearing from those people who have already seen this 20th anniversary tour, this may not be the case.
Barring what's happening with this band today, they were an innovative and often hard-driving band with some admittedly killer tunes under their belt. The entirety of 1991's "Gish" is an excellent driving record (I figured out many a problem by jumping in my car and blasting this album); 1993's "Siamese Dream" was an instant rock classic with "Cherub Rock," "Disarm," and the perennial "Today"; 1995's concept album-ish "Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness" was somewhat indulgent and bloated, but boasted some barn-burner tracks like "Bullet With Butterfly Wings," "Zero," "1979," and my favorite, "Thirty-Three." This kind of track record is not to be underestimated. See them if you can.
Here's some videos for songs off of each of their 90's albums:
Smashing Pumpkins - I Am One from their 1991 album, Gish
Smashing Pumpkins - Quiet (Live in Atlanta 1993) from their 1993 album, Siamese Dream
Smashing Pumpkins - Thirty-Three from their 1995 album, Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness
Smashing Pumpkins - Zero from 1995's Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness
Smashing Pumpkins - Ava Adore from their 1998 album, Adore
And for you fans of hardcore out there:
Evergreen Terrace - Zero (Live in Toronto) from their 2004 album, Writer's Block
The Butthole Surfers have been around since the early 80's, but they never really caught mainstream success until the release of their 1996 record, "Electric Larryland," which contained the weird, surreal, yet immensely hummable tune, "Pepper." I wanted to mention their December 12 show in New York because The Buttholes have been coming up time and again for me lately. The Butthole Surfers are mentioned as quite an obvious influence on The Flaming Lips in their 2005 documentary, "The Fearless freaks"; and, as a result of The Big Dig at my parent's house over the Thanksgiving break, I found a copy of Michael Azerrad's fabulous book called "Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991," which features quite an informative section on the Butthole Surfers long history as a band and the influence that they've had on other successful rock bands.
Though "Pepper" was an amusingly Beck-esque radio airplay diversion, I knew who the Buttholes were before through their 1993 record " Independent Worm Saloon," and especially the frenetic single, "Who Was In My Room Last Night?" I loved this song because it was kinda crazy and had near-industrial levels of noise in it, which was required listening for a 90's teenager like myself. Enjoy:
Butthole Surfers - Who Was In My Room Last Night? (1993)
Butthole Surfers - Pepper (1996)
Gibby Haynes is pretty awesome.
*CORRECTION: This post originally stated that the December 12 Butthole Surfers show would be at Irving Plaza. Damn The Man is sorry about the error.
