Indy Watch

I can hardly contain myself anymore...the more teasers Paramount and Lucasfilm release about the latest Indy flick just gives me a smile from ear to ear. This past week at Comic Con Spielberg announced Karen Allen will be rejoining the cast for the latest film. Allen you will remember played Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Arc. She is reprising the role of Ravenwood. Also....that only leads to the next big piece of news/rumor...head on over to Indianajones.com and see the revamped website featuring a Fedora and Bullwhip laying on top of a wooden crate (much like the crate used at the end of Raiders that the Arc was placed in). Also, go a little deeper into the site, their just seems to be news on the latest film as well as just pictures posted from Raiders...I am beginning to sense a sequel within the storyline for Indy 4. Other great things they have posted were a behind the scenes short film from the shoot in Connecticut and Hawaii. Check it out...its all too mind blowing to put into words.

The National Live on Letterman

Buzz Band The National made their TV debut this past week on Letterman. Check it out..saw these guys open for The Arcade Fire back in May, solid band and solid performance.

Quick News

After a recent mini-tour in South America, Coldplay were so inspired by Latin American culture and music that they have uprooted the recording of their latest record to Barcelona, Spain. The band are recording and mixing in old Spanish churches and cathedrals. A spokesperson of the band known as "Prophet," posted this on their website saying "We've been traveling light, an acoustic guitar, a couple of mics, a laptop and some headphones. [...] The music and lyrics have begun to reflect a Hispanic theme. No maracas or castanets, but a vibrancy and colorfulness that owes much to the atmosphere of Buenos Aires and Barcelona." For more on Coldplay and the "Prophet," head over to www.coldplay.com .

Interpol bassist Carlos D can also add actor to his resume. His latest project finds him scoring and starring in a horror film called My Friends Told Me About You. In the film Carlos plays a Marijuana dealer.

Its been 30 years since the world first heard the screaming vocals of Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols. One of the worlds most famous punk bands is re-issuing their debut (and really their only record) Never Mind The Bullocks Here's The Sex Pistols on special edition Vinyl. The packaging will include the album, a 7" B-Side and a poster. It hits shelves in October.

Indy Watch

Dark Horse Comics have officially picked up the rights to all comic and graphic novel publications for the Fourth Installment of Indiana Jones. They will be creating a comic book tie in to the film, both are slated to be released next summer. Dark Horse are also filling in the time gap between Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade and the latest film by creating graphic novels about the time Indy has spent between the end of World War II until 1957, the year the latest film is taking place.

In other Indy news...Remember The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles TV show?? Well if you do or need a refresher, Vol.1 of the series is set to be released on DVD October 23.

Welcome to America

The sports event I have been waiting for all year...David Beckham takes the field tonight (only in a suite) to say hello to the U.S.

Live Review- As Tall As Lions at Highline

Deep in the heart of New York's Chelsea district, you will find the brand new Highline Ballroom which opened in April. The Ballroom is one of the key elements of the restoration of New York's Highline Park. Yet on Friday night, the music from ballroom reflected the restoration of New York's music scene when As Tall As Lions sold out the beautiful venue on the last stop of their first headlining tour. It was one of the most anticipated homecomings of the summer when the Lions jammed through songs from their latest self titled record (and one of the best of 2006), and had the crowd dancing and waving to-and-fro for 90 minutes. Performing songs such as "Stab City," "Song for Luna," and the single "Love, Love, Love (Love, Love)," the band also retreated to old songs from their debut Lafcadio, closing the first set with the beautiful "My Glowing Morning Dreams." Singer Daniel Nigro has a charisma seen in the likes of Thom Yorke and Chris Martin, while Nigro's band mates frolic on stage as if they were playing metal music rather than alternative, but its just that- the presence As Tall As Lion's have on stage when they combine and perform make it not only an event for your ears but your eyes as well. The music and sound the band makes becomes much larger and much more atmospherical live in concert and is something that no disc or mp3 will ever do justice, it hits you not only in your bones but in your heart as well.

Quick News

The Cure are not only hard at work on a double disc (slated for a fall release), but they are also putting together a documentary to celebrate the bands 30 anniversary. The film will feature rare interviews, never before seen studio and concert footage and behind the scenes look at one of the most influential bands of all time. No word on when the film will be released.

Legendary guitar based band The Yardbirds are joining the reunion bandwagon of 2007, with founding members Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck coming together for the first time in four decades with their original line up of bassist Chris Dreja and drummer Jim McCarty. McCarty and Dreja have prolonged the Yardbirds for the time being since Page and Beck have no been apart of the band. When Page left to join Led Zeppelin, he was replaced by Eric Clapton and the rest is history. After many line up changes and singers, the band is said to tour this fall, no word on who is singing, the original singer died in 1976.

Jenny O (not to be confused with Jenny Owen Young's) just got signed by Universal and her album will probably go on to sell 10 million copies...(thanks to Bill Reese for that segment)

The Fire Flies are officially the best unsigned band in New York City. They recently won the 2007 Emergenza festival/contest and are now trekking to Germany to open for Gogol Bordello and Pink. Congrats guys!

Jonah Matranga has recently posted new songs from his forthcoming album entitle and... Head on over to his myspace page to check it out http://www.myspace.com/jonahmatranga

ATAL Live on Jimmy Kimmel

Long Island boys As Tall As Lions made their Primetime TV debut this past week on Jimmy Kimmel..So Proud!

Movie of the Month - La Dolce Vita

If you ever want to know how to open a film, look to Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita. Opening with a stone statue of Jesus Christ being transported by a helicopter around Rome, this divine God-like image creates a swell of symbolism, imagery and creativity. One of the most controversial films of all time, La Dolce Vita was released in 1961 with immediate backlash. In Europe, in the 50's films were censored by Catholic priests before being show to the public. Yet La Dolce Vita, broke every single barrier that the church had ever censored, displaying orgies, adultery, murder, sex and sexuality. These themes are all displayed in the films most famous scene, when Anita Ekberg seductively dances in the Trevi Fountain. Fellini, who is my second favorite director of all time (right behind Martin Scorsese), wanted his audience to see an feel what they were always dreaming of and wanted in cinema. The film is about a tabloid playboy journalist Marcello (Marcello Mastroianni) who tries entering the world of celebrity as one of them, yet always is alone with everybody. Marcello is a confused soul, looking for love, wealth and just something more out of life. It is hard for him to be accepted into the celebrity world, because in all fairness he is not a celebrity, just someone who is always around them. The admiration I have for La Dolce Vita, and all of Federico Fellini's work is that the films are so old, yet so modern. The themes and situations Marcello gets himself into are issues we still see and hear about all the time in the media. It is a film that displays our obsession with celebrity, people who are something more than what we are, God-like figures if you will, right here on Earth. Much like its opening, the film symbolizes our infatuation with those who we put on a pedestal.

Underrated Classic - Bruce Springsteen "Nebraska"

When you are Bruce Springsteen, anything is inevitable. Bruce's sixth record, a stripped down folk record, recorded entirely in his garage in his New Jersey home with a guitar, harmonica and microphone, would be one of his finest achievements, yet always overlooked. 1982's Nebraska doesn't contain his raging E Street Band, no roaring choruses and fancy guitar licks, its all Bruce. Its one of his most political and social records containing songs like "Johnny 99," "Highway Patrolman," and "State Trooper." Nebraska would later pave the way for some of his other inner monologues; 1994's Ghost of Tom Joad and 2005's Devils and Dust. Yet, Nebraska has a twang unlike his other folk records, upon its release it was his most honest and venerable efforts and is displayed in songs like "Mansion on a Hill," and the haunting "Atlantic City." I find this to be the record I always go back to from Bruce's studio collection, it happens to also be my favorite release of his. Nebraska sounds like it was recorded with a bad Radio Shack recorder and the songs sound more like demos than polished radio singles. Perhaps, this is what draws me into the record. It's stories are masterpieces, they are very complex and disturbing and yet poorly engineered. Bruce unfortunately will never be able to remaster or re release Nebraska, the songs have never been properly mastered, however, that is what could make the album so intriguing. If you are looking to hear Bruce in a new sound, look to Nebraska and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Playlist

I have been away on vacation in Sicily for the past two weeks...which probably explains my MIA..But have no fear, I am back and here is my Mediterranean/Southern Europe play list, it is a little flamboyant, but then again, so is southern Europe.

U2- "Instant Karma"
Green Day - "Working Class Hero"
Paulo Nutini - "Rewind"
Scissor Sisters - "Shes My Man"
Nelly Furtado - "Say it Right"
The Police - "Message in a Bottle"
Depeche Mode - "Martyr"
Corrine Bailey Rae - "Venus as a Boy"
Chemical Brothers - "Do it Again"
VHS or Beta - "Cant Believe a Single Word"

Indy Watch

Here is my first exclusive on this blog...I raided the set of Indy 4 in New Haven yesterday...here are some shots:

Since the film takes place in 1957, here are the cars..

Ford's Stunt Double

Extra's

..And the highlight of the day... Ladies and Gents, Mr. Steven Speilberg!

Good to see you back Harrison!

First Unit Motorcycle rig.