watched two movies last night - the filth and the fury and nico icon - ahh, the music video nerd-out night. filth and the fury proved not as lousy as expected although splices of cheesy shakespeare films and embellished portraits of the late 70s england climate tainted the general truthfulness. enjoyed the bill grundy moments immensely - play by play with commentary after each uttered profanity. the whole thing seeks to paint malcolm mclaren as evil as possible, which he truly seems - like the runaways guy, only less perverse, more high-minded.
nico was strange - low budget post-fame gaze at a ruined starlet lost to her own self-inflated sense of mystery. damaging to think about that low, sultry voice meaning nothing to anyone in her whole, junked up and decidedly unglamourous life. ended with john cale at a grand piano in this warehouse playing the 'sail away' song from marble index, only his voice interpreting over living, strong as he ever is. that's my second fav. nico song, after one on chelsea girls unfortunately written and played by the young jackson browne, who was one of her lovers (lou reed, jackson browne, jim morrison, iggy).
plenty of people want to sing like nico, who wants to sing like bjork? who wants to be in a band that sounds like U2? is production more important than playing? reading this led zeppelin bio (hammer of the gods, recommended by one modest mouse), i am appalled by my own lack of ability to play - to really play, and think about the history even of rock music, and how punk changed it not so much because of sweet shortness, attitude or equipment, but rather in the idea that there had to be something behind, not ability but at least knowledge of the 'ol boys.
my band only knows eight songs and if you asked us to play a cover, we'd laugh you out of the crowd. that is of course, because my keyboardist can't hear a tune, let alone improvise over a chord structure. but ha! we have no chords, as we have only bass and keys, so....
am anxious to get home and spin 'gris gris' by dr. john, but have to see this band hurricane lamps first...
