Contemplating David Bowie -- Live!

Spent a little time this hot Sunday morning watching some David Bowie live videos on Youtube. It's interesting that the MSM continues to beat the dead horse of Michael Jackson and the general public laps it up -- ignoring the fact that a REAL performer is out there, 10x the entertainer that Jackson ever was (in the big picture) and he's still performing and engaging and relevant (at least he still sound fantastic). As a witness for my case, some clips for your amusement:

Tomorrowpeople -- Live 6.27.09 -- Cedar Hill, Tx

Tomorrowpeople played a private party out in Cedar Hill, TX this past Saturday (6.27.09). It was an outdoor affair with lots of kids running around, adults munching on fajitas -- lots of beer drinking -- and the band sweating in the 100 degree heat in their rock and roll fancy pants.

It was our first performance since March at the NX35 Fest in Denton. Despite a few flubs here and there, the recorded show is actually pretty listenable.

Scroll down and download the tracks.

Our next appearance is July 24th at the Barley House in Dallas. It's an early show -- 8pm.

1.America's Deathrow Sweetheart
2.Cruel
3.Awful Secret
4.What Deener Was Talking About
5.Mercitron
6.Vacation Destination: Earth
7.Mission
8.Windows Wide
9.Youth in Orbit
10.Love Machine
11.100 Years Ago

Ennio Morricone -- I Film Della Violenza

Landed a near mint vinyl copy of the two platter Morricone comp, I Film Della Violenza, last week. Been checking it out the past couple of days.

I'd kinda been in a rock mood lately, so I was surprised how good this sounded to me. The vinyl is in excellent shape and sounds fantastic on a Technics 1200 turntable (old skool Stanton 500 cartridge -- nothing fancy) through my buggy Yamaha AV receiver and Bose 2.2 Series II speakers. Something about that Euro vinyl.

The gatefold set also came with a cool b&w booklet -- in Italian -- with synopses of all the films this compilation drew from. Lots of pix including posters and lobby cards.

I was surprised that I actually didn't have a lot of the material here. Some of it just sounds so awesome after listening to it on my iPod. The recent vinyl resurgance has unearthed some classic discs. In a way, I hope this never gets re-issued -- but I'll definitely put it on for ya when you're over at mi casa.

Track Listing:

Disc One

Side 1

1. Titoli - Citta Violenta
2. Piume Di Cristallo - L'Uccello Dalle Piume Di Cristallo
3. Guerra E Pace Pollo E Brace - Grazie Zia
4. Storie Di Vita E Di Malavita
5. Un Amico - Revolver
6. Coincidenze - L'Ultimo Treno Della Notte

Side 2

1. Verso Il Futuro - Queimada
2. Titoli - Milano Odia: La Polizia Non Puo' Sparare
3. Speranze Di Liberta - Sacco E Vanzetti
4. Un Uomo Si E Dimesso - La Tarantola Dal Ventre Nero
5. Un Uomo Da Rispettare

Disc Two

Side 1

1. Svegliati E Uccide
2. Il Diavolo Nel Cervello
3. Da Uomo A Uoma
4. Titoli - I Pugni In Tasca
5. Ultimo Atto - Mussolini, Ultimo Atto
6. Valzer - La Corta Notte Delle Bambole Di Vetro
7. Bambole - Spasmo

Side 2

1. Il Clan Dei Siciliani
2. Come Un Madrigale - 4 Mosche Di Velluto Grigio
3. Escalation
4. Titoli - La Proprieta Non E' Piu' Un Furto
5. Giordano Bruno
6. Ricera - Senza Movente

Download MP3 of CITTA VIOLENTA

Karl Malden Dead at 97

Ok, I'm not gonna say anything about MJ...not a peep about Farrah. Ed McMahon -- more like Dead McMahon. Billy Mays -- we hardly knew ye!

But this one is different. Not because it was unexpected. Actually, for many baby boomers -- it might even be regrief. But after 97 years on the planet, actor Karl Malden has shuffled off this mortal coil. The actor (who is probably better known for his role as spokesperson for American Express in the '70s and '80s, although I knew him on The Streets of San Francisco) was born Mladen Sekulovich in Gary, Indiana (MJ's hometown, for what that's worth) in 1912. His work with Marlon Brando in the '50s and early '60s represented some of the two actors' best work -- A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront and Brando's One-Eyed Jacks, which I recently screened here in Dallas as part of my Cinemania film series.

I had remarked more than once in the past year how remarkable Malden was still with us -- and actor with ties to the Golden Era of the Silver Screen. Mr. Sekulovich, thanks for the memories.