Firebreather TV

Midnite Movies- Sigh

2008-01-10T22:35:00.001-08:00

Sigh- Midnight Sun. Started out as straight Black Metal in the early nineties. First non- Norwegian band signed to Euronymous' Deatlike Silence label. Great great band. Wacky as black as metal ever got.

He's Got My Vote

2008-01-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

...Seriously, his platform is Amazing!

Frank Moore for President!

Midnite Movies: Radiopuhelimet

2008-01-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

It would seem this is all I am doing for this blog these days. It's just degenerated into cool and weird music videos, but so be it. This one is by a great Finnish band I was recently introduced to, Radiopuhelimet. Bite it off. I forget what being electric is like.

Midnite Movies- the Slits (Jubilee)

2007-12-30T22:42:00.000-08:00

All Hail Discordia. Midnite Movies- KLF

2007-12-22T22:50:00.000-08:00

"the KLF have now left the Music Business." With a hail of blank bullets and Extreme Noise Terror, the millionaires in the dance powerhouse duo KLF left the music biz until "peace is declared all over the world," deleting their entire back catalog so as not to be mistaken for a marketing gimmick, and entered into the art world where they began to burn (literally) a lot of the money that had accumulated. All Hail Discordia!

Midnacht Movies: Sun City Girls

2007-12-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

Sun City Girls- Cloven Theater. Vintage Great Bizzareness. Thanks for reminding me Carl.

Midnite Movies: Mysterious Stranger

2007-12-10T22:21:00.000-08:00

A Segment from the 1985 Will Vinton "children's" film, "The Adventures of Mark Twain." This scene is taken from a story Twain never completed called, "The Mysterious Stranger." Fun for the whole family!

Midnite Movies: Part of Videodrome

2007-12-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

Ala David Cronenberg. Via Alogos. Good Night Kiddiwinks!

It's Catching Up!

2007-12-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Chimps are outperforming humans at a memory test these days, before you get on your high horse, watch the video, and see if you would be defeated by a chimp as well. I certainly would be. We're slipping people!

from New Scientist

Shox Lumania

2007-11-28T07:48:00.000-08:00

Band from the 80's my friend James just turned me onto. Their attributes appear to be: being amazing, and impossible to track down. Have the fun suckers.

Midnite Movies: Howls for Sade

2007-11-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

Just before this was to begin, Guy Ernest Debord was supposed to step onto the stage and make a few introductory remarks. Had he done so, he would simply have said: "There is no film. Cinema is dead. No more films are possible. If you wish, we can move on to a discussion."

Midnite Movies: Brakhage- Comingled Containers

2007-11-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

I watched some Brakhage for the first time in a long while earlier tonight. This tiny youtube video is a far cry from how these should be watched, but even so, it remains a beautiful piece of work. You can't watch Brakhage like you would anything else. His films are paths in and around our minds. You have to open yourself up to the "experience." Many many things have been said about his work much more eloquently than the job I am doing right now, but he remains a singular inspiration.

He made over 400 films in his lifetime. The first film I ever saw of his was his last; just weeks before he died. I come back to him every once in a while, and I find that on each return I can see deeper. If this is you first encounter, I hope it finds you well.

Complaints Choirs

2007-11-04T19:08:00.000-08:00

The Chicago Complaints Choir has just finished up. The first official Complaint Choir in the US, we got together just under a month ago. Last night we performed the the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Empty Bottle. Today we we bussed all over town, and sang in front of the Clod Gate at Millennium, a Whole Foods Parking lot, and yes, another parking lot. It was a good time. Lots of official video and documentation will soon appear, but for now, here is a sampling of some of the other Complaints Choirs around the world.

Midnite Movies: Arthur Brown- Fire

2007-11-01T22:47:00.001-07:00

From Top of the Pops, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.

Crispin Glover at Sundance, Everything is Fine!

2007-11-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

Crispin Glover in and around Sundance promoting his new movie, "It is Fine, Everything is Fine!" You cna find out even more about Crispin and his new film at {firebreather} because I talked to Crispin Glover about it the other week. It's a singularly arresting and moving film, and he's touring around with it right now, so if he comes to your town, watch out!

Link to Crispin Glover Interview

Midnite Movies: Professor Peabody's Last Lecture

2007-10-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

An old Night Gallery episode entitled "Professor Peabody's Last Lecture." Which is straight out of the Lovecraft mythos. More of a fun introduction to all his "Old Ones" than anything, but in the spirit of the coming fall and the month of October, I hope you enjoy.

Also check out my list of some of my favorite short horror stories over at rotovator.

Midnite Movies: Pere Ubu- Birdies

2007-09-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

In honor of having just seen them live (they were great by the way). Here's an old clip of Pere Ubu playing "Birdies" from the film Ugh! A Music War. See as many of the old guard as you can. I can't believe I can still see a band like that.

John Cage- Water Walk

2007-09-26T22:46:00.001-07:00

Fantastic 1960 Appearance by John Cage on a TV Game Show call "I've Got a Secret." The performance is entitled Water walk.

Something Came Over Me -TG

2007-09-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Got TG's new disc Part Two in the mail today. It's fucking fantastic! Somethings age well, and others never age. TG is the latter.

Midnite Movies: Thirteen to Centarus

2007-09-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

A JG Ballard story adapted for a British Twilight Zone-esque show calle Out of the Unknown. Great sci-fi from a great mind.

Everything is Permissable...

2007-09-10T16:13:00.001-07:00

I don't even know how to react to this ad. Mostly with horror, but it affects me on a number of other levels beyond that.

the Shock Doctrine

2007-09-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

With Alfon Cuaron, director of "Children of Men" and Naomi Klein, comes this delightfully terrifying little film.

the Colbert Factor (or The O' Reily Report)

2007-08-19T16:33:00.001-07:00

Lyre Bird of Orpheus

2007-08-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

The cold irony of attracting a mate by mimicking the destruction of your world.

Virgins from Hell

2007-08-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Midnite Movies: Claude Shannon Juggline Machine

2007-07-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

Claude Shannon, the father of Information Theory, unicycling and juggling enthusiast, demonstrating his juggling automaton.

The Cramps oughtta be Committed... oh

2007-07-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

I know this got BoingBoing'ed and everything already, but goddamn, it's cool! The Cramps live at an institution!

Constitutionalism

2007-07-22T23:35:00.000-07:00

Seeing as our current President refers to the Constitution as "a goddamned piece of paper," you might want to start investigating your options.

Vote!

2007-07-20T21:08:00.001-07:00

Vote you goddamned fucking pieces of shit who are classified in the same generation as me. And all the rest of you too. If I hear "don't blame me, I didn't vote." one more time in the entirety of the rest of my life, I am seriously going to lose it. You deserve no protection of a government (functioning or otherwise) if you do not participate.

Here's two candidates worth taking a look at if you're as sock as I am of posturing, payoffs, and pundits. Mike Gravel and Ron Paul. Get registered, vote in the primaries, and maybe, just maybe, we'll get the opportunity to vote for someone worthwhile. Stop voting lesser of two evils, vote with your mind.

Midnight Movies: Cinema Holocaust!

2007-07-18T23:14:00.000-07:00

The first EVER Chicago Cinema Holocaust will be THURSDAY August 2nd at 8:30PM. The location will be 1304 N Western Ave. Apt #3 Chicago, IL 60622. On the East side of Western Ave just one block North from Division on the corner of Western and Potomac above a Puerto Rican restaurant. RSVP by leaving a comment on this post.

The film will be the Herschell Gordon Lewis' classic BLOOD FEAST which will follow about an hour of TERRIBLE, BASE, and PSYCHOTIC trailers, shorts, animations, and otherwise stupid pieces of crap.

Tell everyone to tell everyone. If this goes well, we wil expand and conquer for future showings. Hope to see you all there. Death to decent Cinema!

Video Bizarre

2007-07-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

Attention video junkies, psychotic maniacs, gore freaks, exploitation mavens, and cult covetists: come check out and join, and contribute to this great new community over at Video Bizarre. Destined to be a haven for the aforementioned characters. You know, people like me give or take. Regardless, it's an exciting little pocket of the internet I have recently found, and I'm just doing my part to fill it out. See you there.

Midnight Movies: Street Trash

2007-07-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

This movies is incredibly bizarre, and only slightly what it is about. Recommended for people who don't have much use for portions of their brain. I enjoyed it!

Via my new hangout Video Bizarre

Africa Addio

2007-07-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

I just found out that one of the most brutal, intense, and powerful documentaries ever made (in my humble opinion) is up in it's entirety on google video. The film is Jacopetti and Prosperi's harrowing Africa Addio (Goodbye Africa). And it appears in it's entire 2hr and 18 minute European cut. The American cut by compare is vulgar and insulting, whereas the full film is one of the most intense, terrifying, and complex films I have ever found. It is NOT AT ALL for the squeamish. THIS MOVIES IS ROUGH. One of the roughest I've seen. The directors went to Africa right as the British were pulling out. They simply chronicle the chaos that ensued all over the continent. From poaching, to genocide, they captured it on film. The documentary was harshly criticized for racism, but I can find no case in the official cut. The exploitative American cut however, is another story entirely, and and unfortunate blemish on two incredibly intelligent and highly respectable filmmakers.

15 Minute Excerpt:

Entire Film:

Be ready. Be Dilligent.

2007-07-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

I just got this because NO ONE FUCKING COVERED IT! See NSPD-51

Midnite Movies: U-Men

2007-06-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

Seattle's U-Men: Dig It A hole. DIG IT!

Midnite Movies: the Huns

2007-06-21T19:47:00.000-07:00

Austin's exceptionally volatile the Huns live in 1979.

They couldn't play, they couldn't sing, and they were fucking brilliant. LINK to an excellent article by former Huns drummer Tom Huckabee. Yer welcome!

Surface to Air

2007-06-20T20:35:00.001-07:00

I'm sure the tech blogs have been abuzz with jabber about this for months, but I still think it's pretty cool. I'm not saying that I need one, or that this is even the revolutionary machine. I think rather that it hints at the future thinning of boudaries between interaction with digital interfaces. I find what Surface implies to be much more interesting than what it does.

Gallium

2007-06-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

Gallium has a very low melting temperature as demonstrated by the cup of tea.

via periodictableru

Midnite Movies: Wizard of Gore

2007-06-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

Inexplicably, the original Wizard of Gore is one of my favorite movies of all time. I have viewed it way more than many "good" movies, and continue to enjoy it more with each viewing. It is a fine wine of a bad movie. There are many subtle tastes and aspects to it that are only revealed to the discerning viewer. To the novice, it is merely an amateurish insufferable hour and a half they will invariably feel was stolen from them. For me it has provided hours and hours of entertainment and more insight into the functions of film making and narrative than any Best Picture Winner I've ever seen.

The Wizard of Gore

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To my joy/ horror (yet to be decided) they recently decided to re-make this gem with none other than Crispin Hellion Glover at the helm. I've no doubt that he will be a more than capable Montag (perhaps too capable), but after finally catching a glimpse of the trailer, I have little hope left for the rest of the film. Although Jeffery Coombs (Herbert West of ReAnimator) has a role, so it's got that going for it, which is nice.

Ultimately it will be up to us to decide what reality really is.

Herschell Gordon Lewis' MySpace page.

Uh-oh!

2007-06-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

Some Czech pranksters injected this clip of a nuclear explosion into otherwise peaceful panning shots of daily weather forecasts. The group is called Initiative Ztohoven. They may have a website and some documentation on them, but I sure as hell can't read it. Try and learn English next time guys! Just kidding. Czechoslovakia is a beautiful place. Too bad it got nuked.

Balanced Anarchy

2007-06-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

I think it is both refreshing and inspiring to go back from time to time, and hear of the hope that so many great thinkers once put into the internet. Before there was MySpace and all the other junk now clogging up the tubes, there was that glimmer of utopian hope that many of the old revolutionaries scorned. That many of us have forgotten about. That is still out there today. But for how much longer? Keep the internet anarchistic; it will never happen again.

James Burk from his series, The Day the Universe Changed.

Those Amazing Octopi

2007-06-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

Don't leave your mouth open while watching this video, it'll crawl right down your throat.

The Strange Case of Charlie Ours

2007-06-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

For THIS, these kids have been expelled (later reinstated) and now sued by a teacher who they allegedly parody in the film. You can read all about the story here(s):
IndyStar
BoingBoing
Muzzie Award
ABC News
Fox News
MSNBC

This case is of particular interest to me because I grew up with Charlie Ours' brother, Joey Ours. He has sadly passed away, but we were the best of friend and play in the rocking and way ahead of their time punk band the Koaskies when we were about 13. We also made many movies almost EXACTLY this stupid! They never broke the 10 minute mark, whereas this one is supposed to be over an hour, and we never got into any trouble, so good for Charlie. He's already much further along than Joey or I ever made it. Give em hell kids. Now that you've got the Blogosphere at your back, that teacher is probably going to be in a world of trouble he never could have imagined.

Combination Lock Crack

2007-05-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

A nifty tip for all you would-be forgetters of the combinations for locks you have legally purchased.

How To Crack A Combination Lock - video powered by Metacafe

Kim Peek: the Real Rainman

2007-05-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

Midnite Movies: Jodorowsky

2007-05-25T00:02:00.000-07:00

He is the father of midnight movies after all. From the new Anchor Bay box set:

:WARNING: This shows the end of Holy Mountain, which is one of the best ends of a movie in film history. View at your own risk or after you've seen the movie.

A longer interview:

Got me through college

2007-05-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Online Videos by Veoh.com

This film actually and truly garnered me a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Animation. The following was my actual proposal.

Film Proposal. At best.

A banana begins to scoot across a kitchen counter, my kitchen counter. At some point it catches on fire. It burns for a while and then begins scooting once again. Then the drawers and cabinets fly open. Knives come out and dangle in the air. Banana stops. Everything returns to normal. Banana moves again. The End.

Most of the film will be rotoscoped. The portions where the least amount of action is happening will be the most labor intensive. Sections with lots of action will be simple or simply source video footage. I want the maximal amount of production for the least amount of product.

It will be one take, one shot. The action will be controlled by strings. It will probably be about a minute in length, but depending on how I’m feeling, it could be anywhere up to 15.

The sound will be that of waves gently rolling in. When the banana catches on fire there will be one sound of a seagull. That is all.

The film will be titled: “A Banana Begins to Scoot Across the Counter. At Some Point It Catches On Fire. Drawers and Cabinets Open Up and Things Come Out of Them. Parts of It are Rotoscoped.” Either that or: “Douglas Kinsey, Resulting in The Great Confusion.” But it wont be called that.

The why is because this is no less pointless than anything else being made. I happen to find it much more hilarious than any scenario I could devise involving any combination of characters involved in humorous menial sturggle. As long as large video game studios are producing games like “Uber Soldier” for thousands of dollars, where you assume the role of a resurrected Nazi super-soldier zombie, fighting with the French Resistance; and movie studios are financing “Jurassic Park 4” in which dinosaurs are crossed with humans, as well as robotic components, which costs millions of dollars. I see no shame in producing the dumbest, least entertaining, least interesting, least funny (except to me) film for absolutely no cost. In that regard I’m clearly the victor. It costs me nothing to not accomplish anything …thereby accomplishing something. Thus we go on and on ad nauseum.

My apologies. I recognize that I am misplaced. It is not my intent to be any more of a pain in the ass than necessary. I merely wish to be left to my own devices, and make these stupid, esoteric films. Oh yes, and graduate college will a BFA in Animation.

Germs Decline of the Western Civilization

2007-05-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

The Germs were my life changing band. The one that sent me over and into the void; never to find my way out. Before the Germs, it would have been incomprehensible to me that any band could be that horrid and have that much power, and be so good. Not like New York Dolls bad, or Sex Pistols bad. The Germs were a whole 'nother universe of disjointed and furious shit.

I saw the reformed Germs play their first two shows in New York two winters ago, and it was still one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life. Even without Darby that band has a power and a fury that has never really been matched.

Midnite Movies: Suicide- Ghost Rider

2007-05-17T22:51:00.000-07:00

If only there were still bands like Suicide instead of bands that just sound like suicide.

Circuit Friending

2007-05-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

C'mon. You know all the cool geeky kids are doing it. You know you wanna do it. Bend that circuit.

Midnite Movies: Dead Kennedys

2007-05-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

Dead Kennedys have always been one of my all time favorite bands. These videos were a great find. From a lost recording session. All of these songs eventually ended up on the excellent Plastic Surgery Disasters EP.

Moral Majority

Nazi Punks Fuck Off

Hyperactive Child

Arachnophobia

2007-05-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

To tie in with my post on Smart Now I have dug up some videos of the creatures of my nightmares as further illustration.

The Goliath Bird Eating Spider (chicken eater is supposed to be even larger):

And the Camel Spider, which is surrounded in controversy, but this one is clearly eating a gecko.

Midnite Movies No. 23

2007-05-03T22:04:00.000-07:00

And why not. Here's one of my old contributions to the internet. Assembled completely out of clips from the film Cannibal Ferox, which is not a good movie under any circumstances.

Midnite Movies No.22

2007-05-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

Blast the past with Question Mark and the Mysterians- 96 Tears

REAL ID

2007-05-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

A REAL Nightmare:

DHS-2006-0030-0001

Comment code:
802330ad

From my position of little influence, I urge those who would make decisions to exercise caution before charging wildly into untested areas, particularly on issues concerning private citizens personal information. One of my many fears, and that of many citizens is that the REAL ID act makes us less secure against not only potentially corrupt governmental monitors, but criminals as well. It is my belief that, regardless of laws or regulations, the more information that is available, the less we can control it. Please consider the possible repercussions before hastily requiring all citizens to compromise their own security.

I urge all five of you to voice your opinions on this subject. HERE is a link to the Privacy Coalition which will help you to donate your two cents. But you must act before May 8th, because the doors will be sliding shut, and we will have even less say over where the dust settles.

For more sentiment on issues like this see:
Stopping Points
and Future War both previously published on {firebreather}

Previously on {tv} see:
Stop the Big Brother State
and the excellent documentary Suspect Nation

Stop the Big Brother State

2007-04-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

:Mysteriam: Dancing ManMan

2007-04-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is the Dancing ManMan an associate of the group :Mysteriam: that I am doing some live video work with. If you are in Chicago, you might consider going to Martyr's on Tuesday the 8th. I'll be there anyway. I have to. I'm doing stuff with this band :Mysteriam:

Midnite Movies No.21

2007-04-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

You've got Foetus on yer Breath!

MidNacht Movies No.20

2007-04-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

The Stille Nacht Series (minus number 2 for some reason) from the Brothers Quay. Enjoy. Gute Nacht.

Z'EV

2007-04-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

This is some footage from the same tour that I just saw Z'EV on. I conducted an interview with him at the Empty Bottle in Chicago.

Thanks Pullybulpit.

Here is the interview with Z'EV that I did for Thirsty Media

powered by ODEO

Frank Zappa is intelligent

2007-04-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

As evidenced by this old clip from Crossfire.

Thank You Mask Man!

2007-04-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

A phenomenally funny short devised and voiced by the great Lenny Bruce. This particular little gem was brought to my attention by the Chicago Short Film Brigade who are truly an organization worth supporting if you find yourself in and around the Midwest on a quarterly basis. I would go to their event tonight, but I have to go see Z'EV! Such is the tough life I lead.

Midnite Movies No.19

2007-04-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

Big Black- Bad Penny. Steve Albini would love for you to hate him. Sorry Steve, I love ya. One of my favorites from Big Black.

Kurt Vonnegut...

2007-04-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

In honor of a particular man who passed away last night. This is the first segment of an entire documentary on the man, via Gottfried Geist

Midnite Movies No.18

2007-04-07T23:35:00.000-07:00

Two from the Buzzcocks comin atcha!

Ever Fallen in Love:

What Do I Get:

Good Night!

Midnite Movies No.17

2007-04-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

After a quick succession of: Sid and Nancy, the Great Rock n' Roll Swindle, and Repo Man, the eternal flame of punk rock that burns in my heart has been re-nurtured into a four alarm fire. And because Sid was just a junkie, and Steve Jones, and Paul Cook were kinda wanks, I have chosen Johnny Rotten (Lydon) as the subject of tonights installment. Specifically his involvement with the group PiL which was the musical realization of Lydon's vision of nihilism and obliteration. Better than the Pistols any day of the week for my money. Johnny was the only one of the lot with any ideas in his brain. Feast on this noise:

Careering:

Rise:

(This is Not a) Love Song:

Oh My God(men)

2007-04-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

In case the Christian wasn't masculine enough, here's a group of dudes, called the GodMen, doing their duty to make it more "bad-ass." If he coulda, Jesus whoulda played electric guitar and ridden a Harley. Sorry ladies, it's:

Midnite Movies No.16

2007-04-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

Another from Svankmajer: Et Cetera

Midnite Movies No.15

2007-04-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from Robert Rauchenberg's 1966 film, Linoleum.

I was wrong!

2007-04-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

I had never thought of it this way before. Clearly, these guys have thought of EVERYTHING.

But I guess...no, that doesn't make any sense either. I was going to try and use logic against this sort of thing, but then I was tipped of to the profoundly smoking gun of banana cultivation. Hmm, seems that bananas evolved to get to the point where we could use them as incontrovertible proof that evolution doesn't occur. Sorry science, looks like you lose again.

Fela Kuti

2007-03-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

The radical "King of the Afro Beat." Do youself a favor and get to know him. Start with this documentary:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Each of the parts is about 10 minutes long. I don't care if you want to take breaks in between.

Midnite Movies No.14

2007-03-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

Somewhere between Surrealism and Disney this cartoon, "Bimbo's Initiation" got created. Wonderfully bizarre early animation.

From the mixed up files of Nikola Tesla

2007-03-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

I watched "the Prestige" the other night, which is not nearly as good as it is long, but nonetheless Nikola Tesla via David Bowie plays a part in the goings on of the film which got me curious about Tesla all over again. I had done some rudimentary investigations into the man in the past, but I dug up this documentary on the subject of his invention of AC power.

Midnite Movies No.13

2007-03-29T22:01:00.000-07:00

From the great Czech animator Jan Svankmajer; "Breakfast." That's pretty much all you need to know.

Joseph Bueys

2007-03-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

A short documentary on Joesph Bueys specifically his "I Like America" (Coyote) piece.

Midnite Movies No.12

2007-03-28T22:19:00.000-07:00

Some short film works by Duchamp, to whom everything currently recognizable (or not) as Art is indebted.

Dreams That Money Can Buy (feat. John Cage)

The Fall of the House of Usher

Anemic Cinema

Midnite Movies No.11

2007-03-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

A quick one from everyone's favorite robots, Kraftwerk this one is called, of course, "the Robots". Enjoy. Gute Nacht.

Midnite Movies No.10

2007-03-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a double shot of Clinic, one of my favorite new(ish) bands who can't seem to stop kicking out good albums. Both of these songs are off their new album Visitations.

Harvest:

If You Could Read Your Mind:

Gute Nacht.

Humanity Lobotomoy: Save the Internet

2007-03-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

I'm sick of preaching to the choir. Anyone who is watching this video on the internet already agrees on this issue. It's no longer a question of that. It's a question of stopping these giants before they squash us out. Or we can all just look forward to becoming internet outlaws.

Cordyceps Plague

2007-03-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

A Fascinating look at the devastating and bizarre cordyceps fungus.

Smart Now post on Cordyceps.

Midnite Movies No. 9

2007-03-23T23:47:00.000-07:00

Crispin Hellion Glover, whom I had the pleasure of talking to, put out an album in the 80's called: The Big Problem /= The Solution, The Solution = Let It Be. From this album comes this song, and the corresponding video: "Clowny Clown Clown." ...It's something alright.

Anyway, the album is wonderfully bizarre, as are all of his books, and his film (which is merely the first part of a planned trilogy) What Is It?

More on Crispin can be found at his personal site Volcanic Eruptions.

And for you convenience here is the interview I conducted with Crispin in conjunction with the Chicago stop on his Big Slide Show.

powered by ODEO

And what the hell, for your further enjoyment(?) here is the trailer for part two of the trilogy: It Is Fine, Everything is Fine

And Crispin performing a reading from his book: "What It Is, And How It Is Done."

He performs these readings beat for beat and gesture for gesture exactly the same each time.

He is a fascinating character who is much more Dali or Duchamp than McFly. Highly recommended if you can stomach it. There is a lot of really intelligent stuff lurking underneath all the outer weirdness, listen to the interview and read his essay in Apocalypse Culture II if you're interested in scratching the surface. In the meantime, good NITE!

Midnite Movies No.8

2007-03-22T23:58:00.000-07:00

How about two videos from thee great Psychic TV for tonights Midnite!

Unclean:

And Godstar:

Also, for more self-vomit, dash your brains on the new AlTruistic Radio Podcast for all your weirdo-music nightmares, hopes, and dreams. Goodnight.

the History of Hacking

2007-03-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

An interesting look into the early days (Mitnik, Wozniak, Draper, etc...) of Hacking, or as I like to refer to them: really intelligent people.

Midnite Movies No. 7

2007-03-19T22:18:00.000-07:00

Here's three parts of a live show from one of the best and most original bands in history. England's This Heat. This band is really without equal. Somewhere between krautrock and Joy Division, but better. Dark, exciting, fierce, cool, pretty, and music still hasn't caught up to what these guys were pumping out in the early 80's. Enjoy these rare live clips, and if you like anything even remotely having to do with proto, post, or pre punk, then track these guys down.

SRL: Weird Weapons of WWII (with a cameo by me)

2007-03-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is a segment from the History Channel's "Weird Weapons of WWII" featuring Mark Pauline from SRL demonstrating the "shockwave cannon" which was a failed bit of Nazi technology that was supposed to decimate aircraft with a powerful column of air. It never quite worked, as evidenced by the fact that at the end of the clip MYSELF and two of my good friends appear getting blasted by the cannon on top of Mark's Trailer. This was filmed two summers ago when I was out in San Francisco working for RE/Search.

Self-Puke

2007-03-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

I'd like to think that I aspire to being more than a cross-referential regurgitron, but there comes a time in every man's life when he does something so great that he is forced to face facts. That day has come early for me, because Idiot Fiction has gone VIDEO, and I believe I can lower my unassailably high standards for one evening to spread the excitement. Here it is. It's about Robocop.

Why We Fight

2007-03-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

A phenomenal and revealing look into the evolution of America's Military Industrial Complex starting with some sage words from Eisenhower up till the present. A top notch documentary, and even more fantastic that the film makers have published the entire thing on Google Video. Progress? See for yourself.

Resonance Effect

2007-03-16T09:10:00.001-07:00

Here's another interesting video displaying the physical properties of sound.

Midnite Movies No.6

2007-03-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

Great Live cut from the great Gang of Four. This one's called To Hell With Poverty.

Reubens Tube

2007-03-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

Physical audio-visualization that brilliantly illustrates the movement of sine waves.

Midnite Movies No.5

2007-03-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

I know it seems like this is all I do anymore, but the weather has turned again, so I'll be bored and indoors tomorrow, so we can all get back to learning something. In the meantime, here's "No Business" by Negativland.

Midnite Movies No.4

2007-03-12T23:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a video from one of my favorite old Kraut bands, Amon Duul II. Be warned, it's REALLY psychedelic.

Midnite Movies No.3

2007-03-08T22:16:00.000-08:00

Beauty is the enemy: by cEvin Key and Genesis P Orridge. Should be fairly self-explanatory, but as a :: WARNING :: this video may be very difficult to watch for some people. The animation at the beginning shows you pretty much exactly what to expect, but the actual footage is still pretty startling, so be warned.

The song and video refer to an ancient mystic proverb: In order to be Whole, one must bring the sum of your parts into accord, as opposed to separate, working against each other, dependent upon external influences for support.
As long as we are in this state of un-wholeness, we will be nothing more than the sum of the machine, merely imitating life rather than living it. Incessantly struggling in our own self manifested Hell that we mistake for Heaven.

Here also is a link to the original film that the footage is from, and a Wikipedia article on the nature of the experimments and the film.

Hyperland

2007-03-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

Excellent old Douglas Adams documentary on hypertext, tv, and the internet. Dated, but somehow still amazingly timely.

Burroughs

2007-03-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

On the subjects of mind control, hallucinogenic drugs, conspiracy theories, paranoia, and early industrial music, here's a documentary on the great Bill Burroughs for you all.

Midnite Movies NO. 2

2007-03-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

Here's No.2 in the Midnite Movies Series. This installment by the boys at 23 Skidoo who were label and ideological mates to the early Throbbing Gristle, Clock DVA, and Cabaret Voltaire. VEry powerful band, who is a lot more "enjoyable" than the early efforts of many of their contemporaries (not to say "better").

Vegas El Bandito

Kundalini

Codename: Artichoke

2007-03-06T10:11:00.000-08:00

Everybody loves a good conspiracy, so here's a great one with CIA mind control experiments, assassination, brainwashing, Nazi concentration camps, and memory manipulation.

Midnite Movies No.1

2007-03-05T23:07:00.000-08:00

I've decided, since I'm usually up at this late hour, and since there should be an outlet for not necessarily "smart" stuff on this venue, that at midnight (or thereabouts) I will start posting weird stuff that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with anything except being mind expanding. So gear up, suit up and strap in cuz here's MIDNITE MOVIES NO.1

This first installment is two great old videos from one of my fvorite, and one of the weirdest bands of all time, the Residents kind of a musical version of David Lynch for the uninitiated. These guys are great, and these two videos are perfect for kicking off this new segment. So enjoy, and take care. Good (mid)nite!

Hello Skinny

Picnic in the Jungle

Nice Guys Finish First

2007-03-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Before he was the opponent of God, Ridhard Dawkins was actually a very brilliant evolutionary biologist. This is a wonderful documentary in defense of his seminal book, the Selfish Gene.

2600 NY Hackers

2007-03-03T12:14:00.000-08:00

Doc exploring the NY 2600 Hacker culture from it's history in the MIT model train club up through (nearly) present day. An interesting look at an important culture.