The Day the Music Died

Whenever I hear that song, I think of all the great musicians who died before their time: Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday,Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, and tons more. The 50s, 60s, and 70s were such a tremendous growth period for American music. Now, we hear the phrases "canned music", "prerecorded vocal tracks" and "auto-tune". I have been wondering what happened to the music industry for years. Until I started using iTunes, Myspace, and launch.com to help me find musicians, I had a hard time finding great music. Sure, there's the occasional pop song that's so catchy, so well done that it's hard to ignore it as it plays over and over on the radios. Britney Spears is a great example. "Hit Me Baby, One More Time" was so catchy that I can sing every word despite the fact that I don't think Britney is a especially talented singer. However, musicians that push the genres and continue to evolve and cultivate their music are often ignored.

"Before the Music Dies" (on hulu) is a documentary examining the plight of the musician and just why the music industry has changed so drastically.  They talk to legends like Eric Clapton and Dave Matthews about where the industry is going and what they think can be done.  They talk to executives in radio and in the recording industry about how they chose who gets air time and who doesn't.  They also get advice from the musicians about making music in this environment.  

I really enjoyed this film.  It's not just about the music industry.  It's about American industry.  Everything is getting watered down.  The thinking is as long as it doesn't taste bad, it's good.  The great thing about recessions are they are like wildfires going around clearing the fields.  Now is the time for small business seeds to blow in and enrich the soil again.  It's time for the big guys to fall and the little guys to pick up the pieces.  Sure, it means we'll all have to live uncomfortably for a while, but it won't be long before innovation, invention, inspiration and independence from big business brings America back to her feet.

America, wake up!  Demand the best artists by supporting local bands.  Go to the free concerts in the city.  Buy tickets to the opera and symphony concerts.  Visit your local art museums and by art from locals instead of the poster company online.  Shop at your local farmer's market.  Listen to the independent radio stations and call in requests for up and coming artists.  Go to the local guy's restaurant instead of the chain store.  Go to the local hardware store instead of Walmart.  Yes, times are hard and yes, those big businesses are important to the economy.  You won't shut them down.  Eventually, you'll have to go to the Walmart or the grocery store, but go to the local guys first.  

I can smell the fresh turned soil and I'm ready for America's rebirth.  It's time for a revolution.  Don't wait on the US government.  Use your pocketbooks, use your time, use your resources to change the world.  Don't be another brick in the wall.  Don't eat from a can.  Demand more.

Time to Change?

I have several sites pointing to this blog.  I'm looking for a job and one of those sites is LikedIn.  I never really liked the name I stuck this blog with, I'm thinking of changing it.  Of course, with the name change comes a URL change.  Still, with the problems that may cause, I think it needs to be done.  It seems that there's a pattern of my blogs.  They're always about TV, Movies, and Music.  So, time to change?  I think so.  I'd appreciate any name changes you might think of.  I'll be wracking my brain myself.

*UPDATE* 

I changed it.  I decided to keep the URL, for now at least.  I changed the title to "What Misty's Playing" and made a simple header using FCP's Motion.  I've decided to focus on all things Media.  Including websites, which I haven't included in my header, but don't expect to review as many of them.  

Taking it to the House

I resisted watching "House" for years.  I'm not sure why... it's on Fox?  I really don't know.  I poo pooed other's enthusiasm for it, writing it off as just another medical drama.  I've watched 8 episodes or so now, it's not just another medical drama.  I dismissed it as this jerk who was mean to everyone.  He's not just a jerk.  In fact, as I watch each show I'm surprised I was engaged and enjoyed myself and look forward to the next episode.  It is so far outside my usual tastes when you look at the show on the surface.

The thing is... I think I like House.  Just like all the characters on the show, I respect him because he is a genius.  His staff brings him a bunch of pieces to a puzzle, lay them on the table, he looks at them and says, "it's a cat by a vase of flowers" and walks away.  They put the pieces together, sure enough, it's a cat by a vase of flowers.  Ok, that doesn't happen, but you understand, right?

Medical mysteries he excels at, but he struggles with his social skills.  He's in a tremendous amount of pain, therefor a jerk.  Also, he's highly analytical and everything becomes a puzzle to him.  With puzzles, his mind is off his pain.  Everything is a chance to test and prove theories, a chance to push and pull people for his own amusement.  I find this incredibly interesting.  Not so much the actual things that happen in the show, though they usually are, but the idea of this happening in real life.  I like the idea of predicting how people will react if you do this or say that.  We already do this, action and consequence, but we don't actively test other people just to find out what the consequence is.  Children do.  I guess I do to an extent.  Maybe we all do, we just don't take it to the extreme House does because we value having friends.  House, however, is exceedingly good at it.  Imagine how refreshing it would be to have House as your shrink.  Well, to some, it would be a nightmare, but I think I'd like brutal honesty.  I'd like to taste it anyway.

Mostly though, I like "House" because I find myself thinking the entire episode.  I identify with House.  I can't predict what's wrong with the patient, it's not the mystery of it.  That's why I like to watch some shows, the who-done-it factor.  Not this show.  No, this show is more about House pushing and pulling me.  When he is asking questions, I'm thinking of my answer.  When he gives the answer, I try to figure out if he's right or not.  

House loves to figure out everyone else's puzzles, but ignores his own.  I think I'm like House in that way, but I also wonder what it would be like to have a friend figure out all your puzzles for you.  Would it matter if they did?

This is how you know you're watching a good show.  This is why "Heroes" is often good, it questioned meaning of life, religion, morality.  This is why "Life" is good.  He also is on a quest of self discovery and discipline.  If a show can make you think after the credits roll, it's more than a show, it's art.

Watch "House" on Hulu.

The Color Gray

Heroes is better than ever. Seriously, you need to watch this show Monday nights on NBC at 9PM eastern!

Heroes has cool special effects and people who can fly and do other cool things, but if that was all Heroes was, it would just be another superhero show. Heroes is about so much more. It's about relating with people, making decisions, how your actions can effect not just those around you - but maybe even the future or the whole world. Of course, it's hard to think of others when you have your own problems and that brings us to a central theme of Heroes. "Morally gray" characters and decisions are sprinkled throughout each episode. The king of morally gray is "HRG" or Noah Bennett.

A few episodes into Season One we learned that HRG was a family man. Everything he did, he justified as being 'for the family'. Kill someone, it was to protect his daughter Claire. Betray his friends, Claire again. And then, half way through Season Three, the people he worked for gave him his freedom. They gave him his retirement money and told him to go home to his family. Turns out, he missed his job. He didn't always do things to protect his family, sometimes it was because he ENJOYED his work!

Now, his wife kicked him out of the house and he has nothing left but his job. Still, he's comfortable with morally gray... extremely comfortable. He has practically sold his soul to the devil.

Speaking of the devil, Sylar lives in his own morally gray area, though the rest of us might call it black...

It's interesting to think of a character like Sylar, who is a serial killer having some sort of moral standard. Yet, he views himself as a character not unlike HRG, a man who lives in the morally gray area of life. I think watching Sylar self-analyze and push himself to the extremities of good and evil is one of the most interesting aspects of the show. The episode "Dual" from Volume 3 is one of the best in this respect. Sylar does the opening narration and forces the other characters to choose whether they'll be angels or monsters. It's like a mad scientist with his lab rats.

We're all teetering one bad decision from morally gray. It's hard to balance the needs of others and our own desires. Heroes just has more adventuresome extremes than most of our humdrum lives!

"Viva la libertad — A Friend."

The Rage in Misty

I'm always reviewing old movies because I'm always watching things on Hulu.  There may be nothing on TV or in the theaters, but you're sure to find some quality things on Hulu!  

Today, I watched "The Rage in Placid Lake".  I almost passed it up because I thought it was a horror movie, but I read the description and found out it was a comedy.  Some thoughts that crossed my mind while watching:  "why can't American comedies be smart like this one?", "these characters are so me, but am I Placid or Gemma?", "Gemma, I'm definitely Gemma", "This movie is hilarious, and somewhat crude at times, but it has an excellent moral." and the rest of the time, "wow, this is good, I LOVE this movie!".  

The movie is all about being who you are.  Placid believes he can beat the system by joining into the system meanwhile, Gemma who was always a part of the system tries to break out of the system.  The system being the expectations of others and fitting in with the rest of the drones that make up society.  However, there's also something to be said about being selfish and only looking out for your own interests.  There's a point that you can take this beating the system too far.  The movie stresses that as well.  

But, this movie isn't a sermon on loving who you are.  This movie is an excellent comedy.  Really, the best comedy I've seen in a long time.  The Aussies know how to make a movie!  Loved all the US references in the film too.  I've heard that Australians like to geek out on American pop culture.  We're brothers, the Aussies and Americans.  You'll love the film, check it out.

Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity

"Long Life, Happiness, and Prosperity" is the cutest movie.  It was a winner in the Vancouver Film Fest., and it's easy to see why.  It focuses on a little Chinese girl living in Canada.  She's hard at work trying to turn her mother's life around by practicing Taoist magic for good luck.  The problem is, it seems her magic is directed in all the wrong places with some hilarious consequences.  There are also many heartwarming scenes and a nice look at westernized Chinese culture.

Click on the link and watch it on hulu while you can.  It really is worth it.  Now I want to watch the rest of the Vancouver Film Fest winners featured on Hulu.