Being the major procrastinator that I am, I’m writing my English paper right now. Since I’ve chosen one of my favorite bands of all time– Can, as my topic, I figured I might as well mention them here. An influential group within the krautrock music scene, Can (then comprised of members bass guitarist Holger Czukay, keyboard player Irmin Schmidt, guitarist Michael Karoli, and drummer Jaki Liebezeit), had already made some noise within the krautrock genre, including a few additional members that have come and gone. But it wasn’t until Damo Suzuki joined Can that the band had created a truly innovative music style through much improvisation of vocals, sound and lyrics. Their extremely unconventional lyrical style along with their instrumental sound composition is vivid throughout their classic albums such as Tago Mago, Ege Bamyasi, and perhaps Future Days. Though the band has since split, you can still find thousands of avid Can listeners today. And due to other bands and artists covering Cans songs as well as crediting them as being a musical influence, their fan base continues to grow.

Kanye Wests “Drunk and Hot Girls” featuring Mos Def. (sample from Cans “Sing Swan Song”)

Original (Live) version of “Sing Swan Song.”

Having nothing better to do, I watched “Rocket Science” earlier tonight. It’s pretty much your typical coming-of-age indie flick, (nothing too original), but it has its own cute, quirky moments. The colorful film centers on Hal Hefner (played by newcomer Reece Daniel Thompson), a stuttering boy who reluctantly joins the Plainsboro High School Debate Team due to the suggestion of a pretty girl. The film cast progresses as Hal decides to enter the state finals to amend himself after much public humiliation and a broken heart. The actors are basically spot-on with their characters. They fit well into their often awkward scenes, as the film has a rather unpretentious depiction of high school set in a New Jersey suburb. The film itself is nothing fancy; it resembles other independent youth flicks, but its simple scenes come off the screen as a very genuine effort from the actors and director, Jeffrey Blitz. Heston (played by Aaron Yoo), in particular, stands out as Hal’s somewhat creepy, but loving and supportive best friend. He adopts his character well with the quiet demeanor and unusual personality, right down to his ineptly shaped bowl haircut. The soundtrack, which features songs from Clem Snide frontman Eef Barzelay, also tends to grow on you. I can’t say I loved it, (some of it was slow-paced) but overall, it was a pretty fun film to watch.

 
But to me, its nothing compared to Wes Andersons “Rushmore.” I prefer Andersons soundtrack too.

Last night RAD held a fabulous event of art, music, and clothes over at Diamond Bar’s “It’s a Grind” coffeehouse. And we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at RAD’s new designs for their second line.

RAD, or “Random Artistic Design” Clothing, may be a newcomer to the industry (the company was launched about five months ago), but they are making a name for themselves. A favorite amongst local fans, this innovative team of creators has come up with some really fun and awesome T-shirt designs. As their site suggests, “some are complex with meaning, and some not.” But much like their signature “Zelephant” shirt, many are, in fact, random. They have stuff for girls and guys, and these graphic tees will surely garner you attention wherever you go. Clothing with a story. Do yourself a favor and keep a look-out for their upcoming ventures because RAD is definitely true Future Rockstars of America in the making.

Here are a few samples from their new line:

Read the rest of this entry »