"Judy Henske who was the then reigning queen of folk music, said to me at The Troubadour: 'Honey, in this town there are four sexes: Men, women, homosexuals, and girl singers.'”
—Linda Ronstadt
Ever since I was a kid, I always thought David Byrne was one of the best dressed rock stars in the business.
He takes these very simple, serious men's staples and makes them look silly, playful and creative. Here, a simple grey suit is maximized in size on his extra thin frame.
Everything he wears looks monochrome in shades of light grey, blank white and deep noir. Yet he pairs them with a clean white pair of ked-like shoes (before guys were doing it now) and the fabric choices and fits always have a flow to them.
One of my favorite pictures of him
Two of the greatest, most creative rock musicians hanging out behind the mixing board.
This is one of my favorite songs from the Talking Heads. I love the back up singers. They look great, sound amazing and look like they are having the time of their lives performing with the Talking Heads.
Apparently black folks in the 80s were really into the Talking Heads. I think the appeal is that there is so much soul, real soul music here. This is something most rock bands have difficulty getting at when they are trying to make "black music" that has been perfected by people like Miles Davies, Fela Kuti and James Brown. Some newer bands are trying to add elements of African rhythms, American funk and soul music without really getting it (are you listening Vampire Weekend?). It isn't a kitch or accent, black music has heart in each song (i.e. the rhythms, percussion, the carefully orchestrated, beautiful choruses and harmonies). David Byrne understands this and he has made some of the most soulful music ever to come out of the 80s.
August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009
Not only that, but Steven Wells of Husker Du died of pancreatic cancer on Tuesday.
Dossier
Jalouse
Playboy
Having Jane Birkin's blood in you only means one thing: the best outfit to wear is your own skin.
M and I have rules in our house. First thing you do when you come home is take off your shoes and pants. Everyone who comes over tell us our apartment is too hot. Our only solution is to go pants-less.
It seems like Lou does the same with her shirt.
In this household, we watch movies. A lot of movies (an event that includes: fresh popcorn, snacks, home-cooked dinners, baking, vacuuming, grooming our two cats, sweeping, blogging, guitar-picking). We don't watch television during what little free time we have. I honestly don't know anything about what programs are on. I think that most shows on TV are creating 3 second, ADHD-inducing attention spans (really, pay attention to all the cuts. They are often 3 seconds!!!).
For some reason, I've been going through that phase where all you want to do is get inspiration from films. It's pretty clear that I'm big on anything French from the 60s, especially movies and music. Recently I've been going back to all my favorites.
Due to my love of Godard films, I'm a huge Anna Karina fan (she is one of my top 10 style icons). Anna is what every woman wants to be. She has style, grace, charm, a great sultry voice, a playful coquettish demeanor and near-perfect beauty. I think she is comparable to Audrey Hepburn, in grace and loveliness. I know a lot of people feel Hepburn is a god and that this is not a possible feat. I honestly have to disagree.
This image is pre-Godard, pre-movies. She supported herself by modeling and selling her paintings while in school before she moved to Paris. As a model, she met and worked for people like Pierre Cardin and Coco Chanel, but ultimately wanted to be in films. This is from Marie Claire.
Here is saucy soap commercial before she became famous for being Godard's muse.
You can tell that Godard, her husband through the 60s, was deeply in love with her during this time and made her the ultimate leading lady (she was often featured singing and dancing in musical-inspired scenes, in sexier, seductive roles or was often expressing deep and passionate love on screen). Her collaborations with Godard left big shoes to fill after they broke. Godard's young wife after Anna, Anne Wiazemsky, was highly intimidated by trying to follow Karina, in the marriage and in Godard's films.
Here are some favorite scenes from her I have not posted already.
Band of Outsiders
Alphaville
Vivre Sa Vie
Perriot Le Fou
An interview featured from the Une Femme Est Une Femme supplements
Her amazing songs. This record was re-released on vinyl. Get it. It's awesome!
She is still pretty cute and a great dresser.
images from my Godard folder, older Anna Karina photo from the Pusan International Film Festival
This is, hands down, one of the greatest musicians of all time. Yes, of all time.
Human Rights Activist. Composer. Multi-instrumentalist. Controversial polygamist. Political maverick. Kalakuta Republic and Movement of the People leader. Intellectual. Legend.
It's unfortunate how ethnocentric most Americans are. It is especially telling that the only people who I've ever met who know who Fela Kuti is are: musicians, music students, music nerds and students of African culture, people in black pride/black power organizations. I wish people who like James Brown knew that something more powerful came from his influence. That a whole group of Nigerian musicans collectively came together, with Fela, to demand justice, rights, independence and African unification from a militaristic dictatorship.
At Lennon's death, aprox. 100,000 people showed up the following Sunday to express their loss. Kuti's funeral at the old Shrine compound had over 1,000,000.
This is my favorite image of him. It is cunning and magical. Playful, yet powerful. I also think that he had amazing style too. Tight, second-skin trousers and button-downs. A beautifully painted face. Loafers without socks. Bright blue speedo!
This is 6 parts from the French documentary "Music is the Weapon." His story is a truly moving one. Especially part 4.
In one clip, he controversially singles out Bob Marley, but I sort of understand. I think Marley felt at a time that he was a sellout. Marley himself claimed he was put off by how most people going to his shows were white (little to no Jamaicans or black folks). His music is now a commodity enjoyed by bros and people who don't know what it is like to be a person of color. Does that mean he isn't moving black people to unite against oppression? Or, perhaps, it is Fela's own ignorance, his own arrogance. What are your thoughts?
There are definitely reasons why I dress the way that I do and Meiko Kaji's role in the Stray Cat Rock series is certainly one of them (I'm a huge Meiko Kaji fan. Have been for years).
There is so much good going on in this movie. Meiko as the gang leader, biracial girl group The Golden Half, awesome fashion, racism in Japan and a badass girl gang who party when they aren't in the middle of a knife fight.
Meiko's huge, wide-brim hat, black waistcoat, trousers with a large buckle and the white cotton dress shirt is so iconic. This le garconne look echos in other 70's films that has permanantly influenced me (1977's Annie Hall) and other Meiko Kaji films (the Female Prisoner Scorpion series).
The whole film has great style. The end of the swinging 60's for the decadent 70's is clear throughout the film with a mixture of shift dresses, bell sleeves and flared trousers.
some Meiko influenced style
Meiko kicking ass :)
And she has amazing records too!
Poly Styrene with Lora Logic. Absolutely brilliant. Poly makes me miss having a mouth full of steel like when I was 16. I still think I looked better when I had them.
The classic cover of their only full length LP
This will hopefully be a Jammies flyer
She was always good at making girl punk look cute in a way that didn't sell out to commercialism (like the Go Go's or Debbie Harry)
