Another (un)Selfish Plug!

Since early this week I pushed my friend Eli’s trailer for his recent short film I feel it necessary to share another friend’s recent piece. I’ve shared the stage a number of times with Kamtin Mohager and now he has his own solo act: The Chain Gang of 1974. He’s also recently polished a nice video that all-in-all translates perfectly the music to sights. So here it is, enjoy!

Welcome to New York Fashion Week! NO cell phones, cameras or BLOGGING!

In New York City this last week, one of the biggest shows in a city where shows aren’t lacking is going on. It’s a week full of fashion and yes…fabulousness. It’s a convention for the couture. It is New York Fashion Week (Sept. 5 – 12). Now, if you know me you know I love fashion. Like I always say, if I could I would wear a tie every single day and I enjoy being overdressed. I will admit first though that I have started to tone down in that area. Maybe because my interests and passions have turned to work which will hopefully enable me to once again partake in the pricey world I only dream of right now. I will also admit that one of my favorite shows is Project Runway (I still think Jillian Lewis should have won season 4 – I want her to make me a coat). Anyways, yes one of my many sides leans out and wishes I was a designer but I’m not. I can still dream though and watch what other terrifically talented people are doing and one of my goals in life is to partake in fashion week and for a few days feel like I belong. However, I better find a way to sneak in and according to a recent article in The New York Observer I better not be a blogger!

Now, let me say when I first came across this and read it I was not at all shocked. I mean, I didn’t think it was as bad as it was; I thought at least a few popular fashion bloggers had broke the mold and gotten in. But when I think of the NYC fashion scene I imagine an elite, snobby, social scene where only the New York insiders have a key of which is obtained by either pedigree or, at the very least, a fierce place in the Hamptons. A place where groundbreaking, cutting-edge or innovation certainly does not flourish. Where change is painfully drawn-out then accepted. I still have to wonder though that in this day and edge where the blogosphere has become almost the front-line for real-time news, why has Bryant Park failed to be open to it? Kelly Cutrone, the b#$%h (sorry) behind People’s Revolution sums it up best:

“I don’t want to sound completely outdated because I’m in fashion and we’re not the quickest as far as technology goes. But at this point in time, the blogging world is the Wild West. It’s a new media, and we’re all the rats in the laboratory in what this is going to mean. … Once something has been said, it’s like taking a nail and putting it in a piece of wood. You can take the nail out, but the hole is still there. Once it’s up on the Internet, you can’t get it off; it’s just there forever.”

On Ms. Cutrone’s take, first, as I previously noted, yes the fashion world is notoriously behind to the outside and technology often equals change. One aspect of this that I’ve complained about for some time is the lack of use of the internet by designers. They fail to have updated websites, they fail to promote their designs to the world via the largest market medium favoring instead the same small, elite group that sit next to the runways during fashion week hoping for a possible mention in a 200+ page magazine that reaches a fraction of those looking in. And perhaps my biggest complaint is THEY DON’T SELL ONLINE!! I have yet to figure truly why not (though bluefly.com is taking advantage and making headway). I’m hoping soon an elite designer will open up a full online store of their product. If one has let me know ‘cause I have yet to find it. I also want to somewhat agree that the “blogging world is the Wild West”. It is in the sense that it’s growing, continuing to be explored and developed, and it’s open to everybody. But it is not, as her intention seems to point out, a place of just lawlessness where cowboys and outlaws rule the information flow. True, there are extremists and it is home to a vast and diverse bunch with all sorts of aim. In fact, I have been critical before of the blogosphere’s take on politics in that we sometimes fail to take it as commentary, most often plagued with bias and instead take it as news and fact. There is a responsibility to be a bit more critical of the information within this open media. However, that is also what makes it great. It is a real-time flow of conversation. Whether it is politics, sports or even fashion.

What Ms. Cutrone fails to answer though is why exactly the fear? She hints at it by referring to “rats” in a “laboratory”; that in a carefully constructed world they don’t need outsider breakin’ in and exposing often for what it truly is. But my take on it is simple: they fear criticism from the “normal people”. We’ve seen this before. Politics was already filled with critique from elite writers in the major papers, it didn’t need the average joe’s (voters) pining in. Today though, they are on the front lines, raising (and sometimes answering) the tough questions, and they are keeping politicians on their toes 24/7. It’s that exact same action that scares the fashionistas though. Fashion is art, what makes us qualified to critique it? I’m going to answer that though. You see, unlike the art that hang on walls and rely often on interpretation and an understanding between the artist and the viewer to be appreciated and scorned by everyone else…fashion is like another form open to critique: music. Fashion, like music, is regularly consumed and as such it’s open to consumer reaction. Sure, not every (or even most) of the designers showing at Bryant Park are readily consumable to the average shopper but the trends that derive from it are. Why shouldn’t we then have a voice and thus a say on what in some form or another we will be wearing next spring/summer?

It does appear that things are beginning to change though. Ms. Fredrickson of Coutorture.com (from the Observer):

“…this year has been the best yet” for access —besides Ms. Cutrone’s, that is. “I think a blogger is so much more likely to get more coverage about a designer than, like, an assistant accessories editor from Marie Claire who might feature a shoe of theirs on like page 132”

Yes! Hopefully after some pain and suffering and time the fashion world will realize that there is actually benefit and opportunity in opening up dialogue and participating in conversation and pushing advancements. It’s begun in other ways. Project Runway is a good example. It has found and elevated talented designers that may have fallen through the cracks. It brought exposure to Bryant Park and instilled the desire in others to pursue design. No doubt we will hear in 5 or 10 years that Project Runway is the reason why a designer started to design clothes. But there are still barriers and the New York Observer piece does a good job looking into and exposing those barriers so definitely check it out. In the meantime, I’ll be waiting and watching from the outside looking for the day when conversation becomes an aspect of design. I believe only social media can make that happen.

Kings of Leon: Only by the Night

Finally. Only by the Night has been leaked.

I’m usually not a fan of leaks and always wonder how the band feels when it happens. But this was an album I have been dying to hear. So in a guilty-pleasure sort of way, I am glad it happened. Though I expected it to happen much earlier and really could have waited two more weeks to get it on the release date. Although I will also say, it would have been even better to see it released in similar fashion to Bloc Party’s Intimacy. The album was done and polished and instead of making their fans agonize or lose its build-up to a leak online they just pre-released it online with the hard copy shipping on its regular release date in October. But don’t worry KOL, I’ll still be buying it when the album officially releases and will also be seeing you October 23 when you stop by in Denver so you’ll still be getting some of my cash.

Nonetheless, as this was an album I have been picking to be possibly my favorite of ’08 (with Bloc Party’s in the bunch as well) I did find a way to listen to it and I’ve spent a good chunk of my day doing just that. Now, I usually don’t do music reviews and you can read here why that is. I don’t categorize myself with that bunch. But as I attempted to make a joke last week about the album being pushed back to November due to the frequent complaining from friends that they couldn’t wait any longer, I felt that here I too should first, apologize: I’m sorry, I was kidding. Second, say ‘congrats, the wait is over!’ And third, share my thoughts as there has been quite some discussion on it throughout the day and as a musician and one who lives by music…why not!

My thoughts then. Getting right to it (and to prevent wasting the time on a 2500 word review) on the initial measure from the opening track my ears were pleased. Closer opens Only by the Night with a rhythm that welcomes you to an album with expectations that this is going to be big and it’s only just begun. Followed by Crawl, a driving song that hangs onto the coattails of much the same emotions developed from the opening song, you really do feel that by track 3 or, at the latest, track 4 this album is going to explode wide-open with a rock sound meant to ring across oceans. Or at least stadiums. But, if you had already heard the single Sex On Fire and you realize it’s track number 3…you are left with, well, the same emotions as tracks 1 and 2. Great songs which keeps your expectations up but the album almost slows right when you expect it to do the opposite. But again, good tracks so far so no hard feelings.

Now for track 4, Use Somebody. The big sound: check. Driving force: check. Consistent: [blank]. Over-Production: maybe. The elements I was expecting are there but they fail to carry throughout and a fear that a turn for the album already is about to come about begins to somewhat scare me. But…

Then. Manhattan. This was THE track I’ve been waiting for since habitually listening to some rough live recordings on Youtube the last two months and the reason for the high standards I was placing on this album. Now, again by track 5 I was thinking ‘bigger’ by now but I’m happy to be hearing my song. A little problem though: it’s slower and less powerful than the live versions I’ve come to love. WHY?! ‘It’s ok’ I tell myself. I’m a man of reason. I realize I tend to always like live albums over studio versions and the live sound of a rock band represents its true element. So I realize also that it’s tough to capture that in the studio and even though I think they could have tried harder to accomplish that same sound, I still love the track (yes, love). I even become ok with it as a studio track, especially with the second half of the album still left, and it just leaves me even more excited for the real thing.

Now for Revelry. It seals the fate of the turn in the album I was fearing earlier. My expectations to this point have not been met and now the album is about to fade. Yet, I still at this point find myself not concluding for some reason that I’m fully disappointed. I will admit that I am lost. I’m still holding onto something. Just not sure what. What exactly were my expectations? Were they really the ones of being bigger, louder, heavier that I’ve already mentioned a million times in this post? In a way, yes. U2 was in my head going into this album (based on Manhattan somewhat) but not necessarily Joshua Tree U2. I mean, that would have been great. But I loved All That You Can’t Leave Behind and it didn’t carry that same large sound that’s come to define them. So, I begin to become comfortable with what Only by the Night is offering. Plus, 17 hits home [cough*cough].

Moving on…the final four tracks contain three tracks on par with the entire first half of the album. Notion, Be Somebody and Cold Desert. The same emotions I described before are evoked. In fact, the only song I have yet to become comfortable with after listening through the album four times today is third to last, I Want You.

This is all from first go with the album.

Whew! By the end of this first turn I’m left with a good album and a transcript of an internal debate. After quickly jumping back in with an open mind and less based on unfounded expectations…I realize though that I really do love this album. It’s more than good. Great? I’m not going that far ‘cause great usually means almost all of my very high expectations were met. But nonetheless I am convinced this is a special album that I will become more and more fond of. Plus, even after listening to just the first half of the album on the first spin I could already hear the awesome live translation that will become of it and when that happens by track 5, how is that not a good thing? Again, I live for music and most of the time to me it’s best live.

So, those are my thoughts. As there were so many people also waiting for this album, I would also really love to hear your thoughts! There already seems to be much chatter about it! Here is another review to check out…and far better written than mine!

Delivery (the movie)

So here is some (not-so selfish) promotion:

Delivery is a film done by a really good friend of mine, former Boulder-ite, fellow college alum, drinking partner, and Sundown Salloon frequenter, Eli Berg. It also stars another friend of mine, Chris Reinhard, whom you can pretty much use the same connections listed previously to describe our relationship (though soon to be flat-mates as well).

Anywho, the trailer is up! It’s a great short and hopefully you’ll all be able to catch it soon! 

Synopsis: Delivery is a coming-of-age comedy that threads a needle through the lives of two flower delivery boys on their final day together. One, a 17-year-old high school senior with a college acceptance letter and a case of the ‘what-ifs,’ trying to find his place in the world; and the other, a 35-year-old stone-jawed modern day superhero searching for meaning in a seemingly dead-end job. Dark comedic antics abound as the two encounter a series of unfortunate mishaps, from a pyromaniac hitchhiker, to a creepy cult, to a young girl who might just be clairvoyant. And at the end – in the wake of a hysterically misguided carjacking – both characters come to epiphany-inducing realizations that will redirect the course of their lives forever.

Also, check out www.deliverythemovie.com

New Kings of Leon Delayed til November

It looks like it’ll be another few months before the new KOL album comes out. The band has moved it back to November according to the official announcement: “After listening to the final cut we all sat around and felt like this album is just really like…November. That’s the best adjective to describe it. So we’re going to release it in November.”

Wierd. But damn, I’m going to have to wait longer now.

UPDATE: the rumors have been confirmed by another very reliable source

The Future, if YOU will…

Yesterday afternoon I had beers with an individual who’s just as excited about the future of how we will interact and the technology that will play a part in that as I am. It got me so excited in fact that I began to think about what that will actually look like and the neat thing about it too is I don’t think we are too far off. In the tech industry already buzz about virtualization and cloud computing and SaaS (the jargon that will someday make your lives much more easier and much more fun and much more connected) has exponentially grown month to month and action is already beginning to take place. Now, people a lot more brilliant than me with far greater vision can better describe the world right around the corner involving technology and our lives but I’ve decided to share what my vision is. Besides, if you’re reading my blog…most likely you’re not reading theirs! (That’s not a knock on you either, thank you for reading this, but those visionaries blogs tend to be too techy and the only other readers tend to be other techies)

So, my vision…it began with a comment that Online videos are the next big thing. I agree with this. They’ve already begun to push and consumers are buying into ‘em. But it’s not the same watching it on a 17” screen with headphones. Plus, laptops aren’t getting bigger…they’re getting smaller. So for online videos to really change the way we rent or buy movies they are going to have to translate on a bigger scale and be available a lot quicker. The vision that I have then centers on a lot bigger screen: our television. But it’ll be soon much more than that. Now, of course this isn’t at all groundbreaking and nothing I write here necessarily will be. Hopefully though, it pushes you to think about the change that’s on its why and where you’ll fit in because YOU are going to be playing a much bigger role; not simply standing behind the keyboard or remote.

Back to the television though…it’ll will be more of a portal than a television. Think of the Yellow Book commercial with the woman touching the screen looking for information regarding someone to erase a tattoo. It’ll be almost that. Everything from TV to the internet to movies to software/programs it will be there but not limited to the confines that your computer limits you. In fact, in a way the personal computer will go. Instead you will have this portal that connects to the virtualized center where all your info/tainment and all the info/tainment you want will be stored. Now, I know after reading that security concerns already are probably popping up in your head. “Does that mean my personal information will be stored on a web that can be hacked into by others?” That’s a question and concern that will certainly have to be answered as these technologies come about. It’s already a key discussion piece surrounding cloud computing (the power behind this technology = the data centers that will be home to this massive amount of information).

That’s the tech stuff though, which I find fascinating and of course look forward to what that will all look like. But it’s the interactive aspect that really fascinates me. It’s how you will play a role. You see, because of the interaction between us as consumers and the technology that’s going to open up this world, this new platform will be more social than ever. Social Media already has changed the way we interact in a lot of ways but it’ll go beyond community sites such as MySpace or Facebook or at least they’ll have to keep up and transform. But your whole life will (or I should say ‘can’ as you decide how much you see fit) be an interaction. The way you communicate, the way you shop, the way entertain…the way you share. Now why does this matter? Because on the other end, the companies and the brands are going to be only finger tips away. If you don’t like a product or a service you will be able to let them know and not only will they will be listening but the world will be listening. It’s already begun in the blogosphere and message boards. Companies are already putting their ears upon this new ground and listening to what’s being said. But this new world will put everyone on the map. Your interaction with that company will be much more instant. That’s not to even mention the prices of certain products too are going to be more competitive than ever. Again, you’ll only be fingertips away from finding better deals.

This all translates to the fact that your behavior will play a much bigger role in the decisions of companies product, movement, etc. That might seem scary, too much big brother, but really this is already happening. But it’s going be on a much larger level and we are going to have to accept it and, more so, embrace it. It used to be that evil marketers determined for us what to by using copyright as bait. But things have changed. Of course advertising is still there pushing us but you as consumers and how you consume is more important than ever and they are watching you. It’s not simply how do we get consumers to buy but how do we get connected with them. It’s not “follow me”, it’s “can I join you?” Let’s enjoy that aspect as consumers and play our roles! This is where social media will continue to evolve too! Companies such as me.dium are already building products based solely on interaction and that’s just a search engine! This is where I see this new virtualized technology taking us. Again, probably not groundbreaking but have you thought recently how you will play a role? If you’re a marketer have you thought about where you’ll fit in? The thinking needs to begin now to stay ahead. I see these advances happening sooner than later.