Apologies for the inertia. I never intended to skip out for a week. I just kind of decided to enjoy my Memorial Day weekend, which started Friday and ended yesterday. Oops.
And here I am with nothing again. I was at least going to post a YouTube clip to ease back into things. I'm reading Marcus Reeves' amazing Somebody Scream!, which examines the history of hip-hop as a political movement via key figures (Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa, Biggie, etc.). He talks about N.W.A.'s 1989 appearance on Yo! MTV Raps thusly: "Fab Five Freddy...devoted an entire show to N.W.A, letting its members lead his cameras on a tour through the streets of Compton while millions of youthful viewers, especially suburban white kids, came along for the ride." Sounds amazing, right? I looked it up and the footage (in actuality, little more than between-video interstitials) is so lame and uninformative, they might as well be in front of a backdrop. It's a step away from Wayne's World's, "We're in...Delaware" bit. All I wanted was a little bit of culture, and instead the most exciting part of the YouTube clip (which could, of course, be incomplete) is when N.W.A meets the Boys (of "Dial My Heart" fame). Watch it if you must, but I don't really suggest it.
(An aside: Somebody Scream! is just as much a history of the political state of black America from the mid-'70s through today, as it is music journalism. The section on the early '90s and political correctness that comes via an examination of Salt-N-Pepa's prominence, contains a passage that I found fascinating: "The conservative Christian right and its political cohorts, under the pretext of protecting America's family values (read: white conservative families), attempted to beat back the artistic and cultural voices now screaming within American popular culture. Rap, with its exploding popularity and hostile social outlook, had become a leading example cited for such deterioration." Remind you of anything, like, oh, I don't know, shit that's going on right now that's virtually too depressing to even talk about? Same culture war, different target. What shit.)
And then I was going to post the opening sequence of Dario Argento's Four Flies on Grey Velvet since a band needs to rip it off for their own music video, like, now, but the video I uploaded is out of sync on YouTube, thus entirely defeating the purpose. So that's a fail, too.
So here I am posting about posting. Shoot me. I'll be back to normal tomorrow.
Relaxing is important too! See ya tomorrow... :-)
Posted by: Holy Cuteness | May 27, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Rich, honey, I don't care if it was a post about an action packed day of clipping your toenails and lying about on the couch with Rudy curled up and purring on your stomach. I'm just happy to have any content at all. (Yes, it's sad, but there ya have it.) I'm excited that I have a new book to read that I won't feel bad about reading (like my usual escapist vampire smut). Thanks for the recommendation!
Posted by: torrinpaige | May 27, 2009 at 01:25 PM
Aww, but look at Puf N Stuf. So cute. So worth it.
Posted by: Miss Lisa | May 27, 2009 at 01:32 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8THpY2vaY-E
:)
Posted by: Julie | May 27, 2009 at 02:03 PM
Hiya, Rich....glad you are all relaxed and stuff. You deserve it.
Posted by: Dara | May 27, 2009 at 02:38 PM
Oh Rich, I don't care what you post it's always worth it.
Posted by: Dany | May 27, 2009 at 06:05 PM
interview with marcus reeves about the book here:
http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2008/07/jamoeblog/hip-hop-author-marcus-reeves-discusses-somebody-scream-.html
Posted by: sally | May 27, 2009 at 08:59 PM
You should review Canada's Next Top Model in your spare time. The first episode just aired yesterday, and although it lacks tyra, Mister J is almost as crazy. Could be fun!
Posted by: Alex | May 27, 2009 at 09:26 PM
So take a day off, we'll keep reading. Even when you're meta, you are fabulous.
Posted by: Becky | May 28, 2009 at 05:58 PM
1726aX
Posted by: Gtexufxc | July 14, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Thank you for introducing me the wonderful information.And .....Totally boring.!
Posted by: Health News | March 10, 2011 at 06:39 AM
actually,it's curious the music from Argento's films is better than the film. Anyway awesome post you have done a great job!
Posted by: viagra online | April 13, 2011 at 02:49 PM
You are such a smart, accomplished woman and a doggone wonderful person. Your writing is a reflection of your beautiful mind and heart. Brava you!
Posted by: POP display stand | November 15, 2011 at 03:11 AM
Thanks so much for this piece. I am just starting, in my mid-fifties - to go for success in writing. I appreciate it!
Posted by: Display stand | November 15, 2011 at 03:14 AM
This was the scariest story to me!!! I would run out of the room rather than hear it re-told, that caused trouble when it was my classroom I was running out of. I was afraid I'd dream about it, a fear I had about pretty much everything as a child...
Well told.
Happy Halloween!
Posted by: frame stand | November 15, 2011 at 03:16 AM