What's In A Name? 4
In case you were wondering, there is an actual canine named Lucky in our life. He's small and scrappy and sometimes he comes and hangs out in the studio. He likes to bark and he has a very funny walk. Actually it's a prance. As for breed, he's a mix: part terrier and part polecat. All in all he's a stunning little fellow and very hard to describe in words. Recently we had our friend Jane Colclasure take some glamor shots which we subsequently had framed for the office.
This first shot features Lucky in his "Employee of the Month" pose. See how dutifully and expectantly he's looking at the camera? This is a dog that likes to please.
This next shot was a runner up for a "Founder" portrait. Here you can see Lucky in a more contemplative mode, head down and paw out. Of course, the faux hawk shows that this guy still has a wild side.
First Day of Autumn
Today, Louie pays Ghost Dog.
OK, OK. Er, let's see...
I don't pay him by the job.
He'll only work if I pay once a year on the first day of autumn.
First day of autumn, I settle up for that past year, see?
The first day of autumn... OK, OK.
Let's skip that part. Where does he live?
Fucked if I know. That's the next strange thing.
I can't call him. He contacts me only through a bird.
Since I first started contracting stuff out to him,
the bird comes every single day.
Hold it, hold it, hold it.
Did you say he contacts you through a fucking bird?
Did I just hear that?
What particular species...of bird?
It's a pigeon. It must be a carrier pigeon or whatever.
Passenger pigeon! They've been extinct since 1914!
Theme(s) From The Godfather
We've been digging the Professionals version of "The Theme From the Godfather" ever since the Corporal turned us on to it a couple months back.
As for the Basenji Dog version of the song. . .
Hey Bulldog 3
Rare footage of thee Beatles recording "Hey Bulldog." Description reads:
A few years back Apple Corps discovered that film footage of the Beatles, that was used for a promo film for "Lady Madonna", was in fact footage of the Beatles recording "Hey Bulldog".
It was shown on ABC's 20/20, but with Elizabeth Vargus talking over the entire piece!!! But thanks to the magic of non-linear editing I was able to place a recording of "Hey Bulldog" over the 20/20 piece.
Ah yes. Thank you, you magic-of-non-linear-editing guy, whoever you are.
1-2-3-4 3
Alright already! So many of you have directed our attention to this video we finally got the hint. So here it is in all it's purple, yellow, green, and red dancing glory. And you were right. It is all-around awesome. It's the kind of video that puts you in a good mood. It's the kind of song that puts you in an even better-than-good mood. And as far as grooves go, that's one helluva high-dollar shuffle!
Other points of interest: does the camera work in this video qualify as a long take? It sure feels like a long take. Long takes are cool. Also, is it just me or did they have a mic open on the set? Those whooooos and hand claps ain't on the studio version of the song, nor is all that airplane-hanger reverb. And finally, since a feist is a type of small dog developed in the rural southern United States, does this entry qualify for our "Dogs" category. Discuss.
Links:
Word Songs
Rarely does a piece of Youtubery come along that runs through so many of our blog categories like this video from Lemon Demon. The title of the song is "Word Disassociation" and we can't pin it down with just a single category tag. On our blog, this gem qualifies for Audio Goodness, Music, Web Goodness, and Words. Plus I'll give it Dogs for the one shot with a-Benji-ish mutt paired with the word "jellyfish" (though there are more cats than canines in this music video's mis-en-scene) as well as Advertising since the word "advertisement" made it into the song. So that leaves only Food and Drink, Luck, and Recent Work unchecked. Oh well. You can't win 'em all.
For what's it's worth, that sped-up piano and that dry and wry vocal style bring They Might Be Giants to mind. But more than anything, this song's Dada lyricism reminds me of the almighty Wire and their stream-of-consciousness, pop masterpiece Kidney Bingos:
Barkies
From 1929 to 1931, MGM Pictures produced nine "Dogville Comedies." These movies featured all-dog casts and parodied the major films of the day (one was called "So Quiet on the Canine Front"). Voice overs were provided primarily by the films' directors, Jules White and Zion Meyers. Supposedly the studios used taffy and fishing line to achieve the dog tricks, which moves these shorts from the category of cute to cruel. But, I have to admit, I think these "barkies" also exhibit a weird, campy charm. Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to be dressing up my dog in a zoot suit any time soon. Nor do I condone forcing animals into uncomfortable postures for the sake of a laugh. But, context and historical background information aside, I think there's a kind of comedic surreality achieved here that's not entirely a bad thing.
Then again, this insight could very well be the allergy medicine talking.
Bolivian Dogs
Matthew Baldwin, of defective yeti fame, wrote an awesome remembrance-of-dogs-past this week in The Morning News:
