October 27, 2008
PIRATE INTERRUPTION NEWS!
CHOCOLATE CAKE SLICE
I said I would upload this fleshed out version of the Chocolate Cake Slice pirate radio interruption that we played on the 6 Music show a few weeks back so here it is. I think you can download the MP3 and keep it for ring tone purposes or whatever (right click or ctrl click on the link). I may try to do a video for this track too, but I feel like I should do a vid for my Quantum Of Solace song before. Oh golly, so much to do, so little point…
October 22, 2008
BUG 10 NEWS!
BOOK NOW FOR BUG 10!
You know the deal by now, right? We show around 15 or so recent very good music videos and the occasional very good short film that you may not have seen before and I host the thing. It’s always enjoyable, happening as it does in the luxurious confines of the big cinema at the BFI Southbank where the seats are comfy and the bar staff are attractive. It always sells out pretty fast so book now! If you can’t get a seat for the first show on Thursday November 6th, we’ll be more or less repeating the programme as BUG, The Directors Cut on Wednesday November 26th so come along then. Looking forward to seeing your smiley face already!
You can book tickets for BUG 10 here
You can book for BUG 10 The Directors Cut here
October 15, 2008
MVA NEWS & GIDEON
MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS VID
Last night I hosted the very first UK Music Video Awards at The Odeon Leicester Square. It was mainly an industry thing but there was a great crowd of some of the music video world’s top directors, producers, commissioners etc. Everyone seemed to have a good time and although I’m still no Stephen Fry when it comes to award hosting, I felt like I did OK. I’ve posted the video I made for the occasion below. I had to put it together quite quickly so it’s a little raggedy (a shot of Capitol Hill was as close as I could get to the White House), but it got a good enough response on the night despite a lame Amy Winehouse joke (which should all be consigned to the bin along with Michael Jackson jokes really) and a mystifying Fuck Buttons joke. Hey ho.
All in all it was a fun night tempered by the fact that many people there were still reeling from the news that someone many of them knew well had died tragically just a few days before.
GIDEON BAWS
I find that a really great music video for a fantastic song is one of the most inspiring things I can see. It brings a bit of warmth and even meaning to a world that is all too often cold, meaningless and random and it doesn’t get much more random and meaningless than the accidental death last weekend of Gideon Baws, one of the founder members of Shynola, whose work so often communicates that warmth and meaning. He was only 33.
The Shynola video for Is A Woman by Lambchop, which follows the journey of a single leaf downstream until it finds some friends and starts grooving, is one of those bits of art that makes you feel like crying, (in fact to be honest, the first time I saw it I did) not just because it’s so poignant but because it’s so beautifully done and infused with so much love: for the music, for the animation, for leaves, for grooving and for pretty much everything that’s worth anything. If Gideon had never been involved with anything else in his life, his work on that video alone would have made his time on the planet more than worthwhile in my book. I would bump into him at gigs from time to time and it was always good to see him. Witheringly critical opinions would be underpinned with such real sweetness and enthusiasm one couldn’t fail to be charmed.
Hmmm. It’s always the people you want to hang out with most that leave the party earliest isn’t it? It’s very selfish and it ruins it for everyone left behind. I hope Gideon’s buddies at Shynola, his girlfriend, friends and family can find some comfort in seeing how well he was loved.