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Gangsta art


Los Angeles, mural by Mac, lettering by Retna
(click to enlarge)

PS: Beh, che sorpresone. Grazie a Deemo, a cui non sfugge quasi mai quasi niente, adesso sappiamo che il modello del murale qui sopra è nientemeno che Flycat, MC italo-losangelino della primissima ora (e uno dei pro-motori del primo hip hop italiano). Insomma: vai a LA, fai una foto a un muro e sopra c’è uno che conosci (e saluti: hi dude, whazzup?): tres bizarre.

PPS: Dice sempre Deemo, a cui in fatto di immagini non sfugge mai proprio niente: “La roba di El Mac devasta”. Come dargli torto?

The © we deserve

Extreme Elvis is certainly one of the most amazing performance artists I’ve ever come across on the Internet. I found out about him around 2001; someone sent me the link, I clicked it and there was a picture, some links and a sentence: “Every generation gets the Elvis it deserves”. Absolutely perfect. The man, who looks like Elvis as much as anyone else, sang these trashy (but extremely sophisticated) versions of Presley’s songs while performing, often naked. The video bit I liked best was him sitting in a wheelbarrow, covered with corn, singing Love me tender while some chicken ate the corn from his body: sublime.

I’ve tried to visit Extreme Elvis’ website again recently, but it was shut by FBI for copyright infringment – in september 2005. You can see the FBI warning sign, still online. My guess is that the infringment wasn’t just in the website but also in the act itself. In which case EE could be in jail, or perhaps out but unable to resume his act. In any case a story worth knowing, and telling.

If you have seen or heard about EE lately, or you know what’s up with him, let un know in the comments. Of course, thanks to Archive.org and its essential Wayback Machine, you can still browse EE’s website throughout the years, and take in all the artistry of this little known but fabulous gem of the American Art landscape.

PS: I searched some more and he seems to be still active: cool, because we certainly still deserve him.

Ill kunst

 One of my favorite Dj/producers is DJ Muggs, the man behind Cypress Hill’s best music, as well as the multiplatinum evergreen Jump Around, by House of Pain. Muggs’ label is called Soul Assassins, it has a website and a whole lot of musical goodies in free download: vintage mixtapes, demos, previews – the lot. It’s a fantastic example of how Hip hop communities operate, here on the West Coast and elsewhere. A side note: SA isn’t just a record label; among its artists you’ll find Mr Cartoon, tattoo artist extraordinaire, and the photographer Esteban Oriol. This is a true art collective, exactly the way I feel art collectives should be.

One of my favorite flavors of Hip hop (and House too) is when it’s mixed with Jazz, a la Waldeck for example. On the SA website I found this fabulous Jazz/Hip hop mixtape made DJ Solo & Roger Jao. It’s called Jitterbug Driveby, and it features amazing bits, including Iggy Pop, Parov Stelar, Cab Calloway, De La Soul, Basement Jaxx… It’s truly a crosscultural music experience, that will shake your butt while enlightening you on how very diverse music can bounce together very nicely. Dope art for the 21st.

iPai

It’s been my mobile ringtone for almost two years now, and I still like it very much. It was made by Painé Cuadrelli, and it’s available for free right here (in Mp3). What’s more, now there’s an iPhone version, complete with simple installation instructions. Enjoy.

Dynamite Woman


Koko Taylor
(1928 – 2009)

Sweet Home Chicago Blues

chimrqIt’s finally time to go, leave Chicago and head back to Europe. I’m sad: I loved it here, I had fun, I met great people, I learned a whole lot of stuff, I produced interesting work and I have reasons to believe I helped others produce some more. All this wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of a number of persons whom I’d like to name here – bear with me:

SAIC: all professors, faculty and staff who put up with my lack of academic experience and helped me to do a good job. All my undergrad students in both classes, talented and smart folks who made exciting for me to go to class. My graduate advisees Morgan Gliedman, Ye Mimi (Chiao-Hsiang Lin), Shirin Mozaffari, Beau C. & Lily R. Sage and Carolyna Weath: all great souls, fantastic artists and now good friends. The grad students and alumni whose work I’ve seen, sometimes critiqued and often loved, and especially (in no particular order): Oli Rodriguez, Stephanie Burke, Dave Murray, Steve Daly, Jessica Hyatt, Alan Strathmann, Elise Goldstein, Ting Xu, David Lakein, Daniel Everett. My T.A. Bret Petersen, who indeed went beyond the call of duty. Daniel Dietzer, Karina Natis and the NY Armory Show expedition crew. The Parlor Room Lectures Committee. Razvan Botea, who filmed the Realcore performance at the Columbus Auditorium and gave me a copy of the raw footage. Rob Drinkwater and Lou Mallozzi at the Sound Department. Bruce Jenkins, Lisa Wainwright and of course the person who originally thought I could do all this, the fabulous Barbara DeGenevieve: thank you, it was a blast.

John Thompson, who gave me some crucial tips on this city and took me to very cool places.

Claudia Hart & Kurt Hentschlager, welcoming and kind folks.

The Swimming Pool Project Space, Liz Nielsen and Josh Kozuh, for hosting the Boleros live premiere, and Tom Mamola for the PA system.

Clarisse Thorn, Teri & Kevin and everyone @ the Pleasure Salon: such a welcoming, nice and sophisticated bunch of perverts ;)

Yana, Luca, Nicola & Matteo for making my stay in L.A. absolutely unforgettable.

Everyone at IED Milano for putting up with my disappearance with a smile, and especially Rossella Bertolazzi, Painé Cuadrelli and Federica Colombo.

Harold’s Chicken Shack on south Wabash, Zemsky’s family clothing store (south side rules!) and Sears (whatever happened to Roebuck). Plus of course the city of Chicago: friendly, funny, scary and endlessly marvelous. I’ll miss you.

So long, Bill

dvdcrrdn2
David Carradine
(1936 – 2009)