Hey, MTV, We Don't Need You

Here's the deal.  I hate MTV.  Not because it blows and it's a reality suck fest.  But because it used to be really good.  It used to stand for something.  For music.  And music journalism.  And counter culture. And alternative programming. And Something Different.

MTV in the 80s and early 90s was the thing you couldn't help watching.  It was groundbreaking. Then it betrayed us.

MTV is like my cool older brother who sold out and went corporate.  And not only that, he still thinks he's cool. But he's not.  He's woefully embarrassingly not.

But even without MTV, music videos continue.  And you may not watch them.  Or know where to find them. So I've compiled a few of the best ones of the year.  (If you don't have time to watch every video, move down to the last one right now.  It's amazing.)

WILD FLAG

If you didn't know Sleater-Kinney, then you didn't rock enough yet.  After Sleater-Kinney broke up, they split into two mega bands.  Here is one of them.



THE BLACK KEYS

A music video? By definition, sure.  Mostly it's just an excuse to watch an awesome dancer.



AIR REVIEW

Literally, never heard of this band until yesterday.  Tyson Schenk put this band in one of his blogmail mixes. I freaking love this song.  And the video.



BEIRUT

This might be my album of the year.  This song and East Harlem made my summer.  If you want to understand my sense of humor, watch this video.  Because I think this is hysterical.



ARMY NAVY

Another new band on my radar. I highly recommend them.  Just perfect power pop.  But this, hands down, is the BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR.

The Seven Adorable Wonders of the World, Part 2

Just videos this time. And I might not even have the final two yet. But I do have these. And these will set your eyes on fire. And when they melt, they will turn into gooey little candies that taste like rainbows. Warm rainbows.

DRUNK BABY

Have you seen this? It will destroy you. I can't wait to see this whole movie. This will win the Oscar shorts next year. If it doesn't I'll punch every Oscar voter in their brains. Because they are broken.

OTTERS HOLDING HANDS

I know you've seen this. But let's watch it again. Let's all buy otters and put them in our bathtubs. No. Let's clear out the living room and make it an otter room. And watch their little tiny arms all day. Until we die. From bliss.

I Heart Sport

This is for Val. The Summer Olympics are only a year away.

The Reason for My Blog is ________________

I think the problem is that I'm using this forum for too big an idea. A work space to show work only. Or a place to write down whatever has struck me as life changing or thought provoking.

Blah to that. I like blogs. I read them fairly often and I liked having this blog when I first started it. Then I got out of school and I started working in TV/Film and the hours are always 12 minimum and all that and so forth.

I'm back. (I always say this.) I write a lot. And lately its been a lot of scripts which are hard to post here. But I'll put some of that up.

Because why not? Why not do whatever I want here. Valerie covers so much of what we accomplish from day to day in New York. But I'd like to follow suit. And she does so much she's not telling you.

Does everyone know she's in graduate school? I bet they don't. Because she doesn't tell anyone anything. While I, on the other hand, blab every tiny thing I'm involved with.

Alright. Here's something dumb I made at Xtranormal. I use this site for script writing exercises.

Army Husbands Ep. 3

So this one was a weird one. I had an episode written and then we decided to scrap it. About four days before we started shooting. We came up with a new episode. Disagreed on that. Kept it. Worked it. And ended up with this. There's some fun stuff. Ken Beck who plays Landon Langdon was awesome to work with. He's an actor and comedian here in New York. Hope you dig.

Other Things, A Break

So I'm shooting Army Husbands Ep. 3 this weekend and it's going to take a lot of time and less sleep. I'm going to not kill myself and just put my project on hiatus until Sunday.

Also, here's this.

Army Husbands Ep. 2

We finished it. We premiered it at Channel 101. It was well received and we're pleased. This episode was fun because we had so many more people involved. We brought on Evan Cohen as DP and he brought his fabulous camera. Which is why this one looks so much better than the first. Enjoy. Hopefully I can get the video embedded.

Here's Episode 1 for those of you who haven't seen it.

The Coolest Thing I've Seen Today

This crazy video is from an Italian 70s funk singer who is singing not in English but in what he thinks English sounds like.

It's gibberish. It's amazing. And the video is great. If you want it, I'll post up a link so you can download the song.

Kill Your Radio: An Update

A summer cover by the Local Natives. Xylophone solo? Always tremendous.

So I know I'm preaching to the choir but really, truly, people need to turn that radio off. There is NOT-A-THING good on it anymore. Have you listened to a radio station lately? Blech. The gap between corporate music and indie is so wide now there is nothing that even resembles goodness. If I hear that Kelly Clarkson song one more time, I will throw a rock.

The other thing that I love about indie music is the continued dedication to the music video. The music video is now the realm of the independent artist since MTV gave it up for more Real World and Sweet Sixteen stuff. Here's some music videos for your enjoyment that I like. The first one is just a cover but the other two are pretty great. And there's a little Michael Jackson tribute in one of them.



UPDATES

I haven't posted in a while. A few things in my life are on the cusp and that is frustrating. It begins to feel like nothing is happening because everything is just on the verge of happening. Sometimes I need to learn to just keep going when I'm waiting on the Big Stuff.

Valerie and I aren't really doing any improv proper right now but we have started a new recorded series of improvved debates called the JV Debate Club. J for James, V for Val. They'll be posted on the American Nobody show website as soon as we start putting up new episodes with Jon. But I'll post some longer versions here.

Other updates:

I still have three poems coming out in Sow's Ear Poetry Review, and The South Carolina Review.

I'm reading at the I Had It Bad reading series next week. I'm reading some poems and essays about unrequited love.

I have a new old desk chair from the abandoned Catholic High School they just gutted across the street. Valerie got it for me. It rules.

I'm back to writing plays and I'm working on some sketch.

I just saw the movie Moon and I highly recommend it. I don't even want to hint at what's going on in the movie.

Your mother and I went on a date.

Fleet Foxes - SNL Performance of Mykonos

Check this out, Emma. And here's the song for download when you're swayed.

Fleet Foxes - Mykonos

Bobby Moynihan - Best Addition to SNL in Years

If you didn't see this clip on Saturday, never fear! I finally tracked it down. Hopefully, the clip stays up so you guys can watch this. I used to watch this guy do comedy at Upright Citizen's Brigade and he is hysterical. Enjoy this pepper inferno.



For some reason the video isn't centering for everyone, so here is the link to the Bobby Moynihan Clip.

Star Wars Posts

Allen and I were geeking out on Star Wars awesomeness and we're both putting up videos. If you don't already check out his blog, go here: Allen's Blog of Eternal Stench

Here's the first clip. Darren introduced the song to me. He's to blame and thank for this. The Boba Fett video Allen found.

Easter!

For Ohio and Texas - If you won't listen to Valerie, listen to Tina

Something For Awesome's Sake

I'm now devoted to the idea that my future children will only watch Star Wars. And maybe Willow.

A Short I Saw at Sundance

My Love for Stop Animation

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Uploaded by Bingofilm

Awkwardian

Here's some funny and awkward stuff I've come across in my days. Darren and Joe's blogs make me laugh so much with the amazing pictures and the links to inanity. Enjoy.

Gem Girl Music Video

Aaron Ackerson Music Video for Kids

Tron, Champion of the Bits and Way Too Many Bytes

I have some more I'll post later.