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Dance Music By People Who Hate Dance Music

murphy slaw — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:02:14 -0800

I recently rediscovered the song "Man, It's So Loud In Here" by They Might Be Giants, and the delicious juxtaposition of the New Order/Pet Shop Boys pastiche of the music and the sardonic treatment of club culture in the lyrics leads me to my question: What are some other songs that sound like typical dance music but which have lyrics that are critical of dance music or club culture in general?

How was that Gödel, Escher, Bach carving made, and how can I do it at home?

cog_nate — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:10:46 -0800

I've always been fascinated by this book cover for Gödel, Escher, Bach. Anybody know how the woodcarving was designed, how it was made and how I could perhaps make one myself? Would it even be feasible to do by hand or a jigsaw? I have access to a jigsaw, but I'm not fantastically crafty

Thanks in advance.

Looking for the definitive DVD collection.

Mutant — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:45:06 -0800

A single DVD collection defining Modern Cinema? I'm taking an extended break from work, wanted to take a casual interest in film up to the next level, and was hoping that someone could suggest a single collection, if it exists, that might help me towards this goal.

From casual interest in the past I'm aware of Janus' offering, The Essential Art House, but was curious if there were other, perhaps broader offerings?

I realise that I could pick up DVDs from folks like Criterion, Amazon or even smaller DVD stores, and frequently do. I'm also aware of smaller, either genre or director focused collections, already have several myself, but the problem with those solutions is I'm doing the selecting. And I don't know what I'm doing!!

Ideally I'd like to make a single, large purchase of DVDs, hopefully a collection that is well regarded by those working in the field, a set of films that would help one gain a solid overview of modern cinema.

If a single purchase isn't doable (I understand the logistical and licensing issues), then what offerings should time & resources be focused on?

Peppercake Orchestra?

ninebelow — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:54:46 -0800

Who are the Peppercake Orchestra? Before Christmas I saw a large group of buskers outside Borough Market in London playing a cover of The Mariner's Revenge by The Decemberists. I asked what they were called and I am sure they said the Peppercake Orchestra. However Google reveals nothing related to this name and I wondered if anyone else had heard of this ensemble?

Look-and-Feel

Taksi Putra — Fri, 16 May 2008 03:47:59 -0800

Is there a database of looks-and-feels out there? I grok that the term itself is pretty broad. Is someone trying to map the feature space of all ls-n-fs? What I mean: is there a system out there to model any arbitrary l-n-f?

E.g:
(1) 'Describe the feature space of a picture taken with a Pentax SF1 with a Takumar 70-210 mm lens with Fomapan 135/400 ISO under such-and-such lighting conditions and aperture/shutter speed settings.'

Or:
(2) 'Find a mapping between (1) and the l-n-f of a screenshot of BeOS circa 1992.'

Or:
(3) 'Find the distance between Dziga-Vertov's Chelovek s kino-apparatom and nuglah's Cassandro Crumbrow'.

Subsets of such mappings are pretty run-of-the-mill these days: e.g 'convert [arbitrary picture] to grayscale / cmyk / etc'.

GUI / L-n-F APIs cover some of this ground too.

Is there anyone trying to define a superset of such mappings?

If not: how would you go about defining and modeling such a system?

Thank you,

-TP

Your art was the prettiest art of all the art...

disillusioned — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:25:51 -0800

How do I mount my enormous masonite painting? So I just received my painting and I'm thrilled and yet have no idea how to mount it. I've read something online about using stretcher bars... but... what works best?

I don't want to frame the piece, it's about 1/8" thick and it has nothing on the back. We have whiteboard wainscot at the office that's of similar dimensions and we use velcro on the back, to the wall, but that seems... tacky and too permanent for an art piece.

Non-destructive, secure suggestions?

What song is this?

brownbat — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:14:32 -0800

What folky song is about the things we used to say/do, but don't say/do anymore? When I was in Boulder, it was, maybe 11am or noon on March 7th, I heard this song on the radio. Somewhere in the middle of the dial that was playing some folky, independent stuff (though I can't recall the exact station).

The song was on the radio just before lunch, but I can only remember vague details. Lead singer with guitar, craggy but prevalent vocals, kinda like Tom Waits or Nick Cave; had some (light) background vocals. The lyrics were a repeating pattern, something like, "We used to say, {catchy quote}. {Anecdote about rambunctious youth calling for that catchy quote}. But now we're older, and we don't say that thing anymore." Repeat with different catchy quote or maxim.

I know this is vague, anyone have any hints?

Is there a name for this style of art?

johnofjack — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:16:29 -0800

Is there a name for Satoshi Kitamura's art style in Creepy Crawly Song Book? Recently I found the Creepy Crawly Song Book at the library and really like the artwork (cover, page inside) : simple, deliberately crude with distorted angles, thick lines, and bold colors.

It reminds me a bit of Eric Carle's work (especially The Very Hungry Caterpillar), except Carle is less interested in strong black lines and much more interested in blending colors.

Is there a formal name for this style of artwork? I find people online calling it folksy, naive, bold, etc. but I'd like to know if there's actually a recognized movement it would be put into (with, naturally, similar artists to look into).

Which of Holst's Planets Sounds the Best?

bach — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:29:45 -0800

Seeking the definitive recording of Gustav Holst's The Planets. In planning for the 2008 competitive marching season, we have selected music from The Planets. The entire staff has listened to several versions of the work, but thought I'd use my bi-weekly question and query the hivemind as to the best recording of this work since we cannot seem to settle on a particular interpretation.

The 90s weren't all grunge...

I EAT TAPAS — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:31:39 -0800

What movie defines the 90s? It seems like at least once a decade, there's a hugely successful movie that taps into the contemporary social zeitgeist that shapes a large part of how people remember an era. Back to the Future in the 80s. Saturday Night Fever in the 70s. Easy Rider in the 60s. Rebel Without a Cause in the 50s.

What film will future generations look at and say "Now that was the 90s"?

Songs about America

DoorFrame — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:08:30 -0800

I'm driving cross country and am looking to make a mix CD for the road using songs about America. Ask Metafilter has previously tackled similar questions dealing with songs about Los Angeles, California, New York, New Jersey and even Europe, but what are some of the best songs about America?

The whole world's watching the cameraman

lionelhutz5 — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:07:54 -0800

Does anyone know of an online source for what movies are filming at any given time in New Orleans (and where)? There's a movie filming in my building right now. I'm curious enough to have asked a few people and spent 15 minutes Googling, but neither my schedule nor my level of curiosity is consistent with more extensive inquiry into this particular film. Still, I come across enough film shoots in New Orleans that I'd love to know if there's a source that would let me quickly identify them.

(I'm not in the business, so I'm not looking for job postings. I just like movies and am curious about the goings on in my city.)

What's this song?

JamesJD — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:43:41 -0800

What's the song in this trailer? What's the song in this trailer?

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/thewackness/teaser/

I tried googling the lyrics to no avail. Thanks!

Chariots of the Globs

Artw — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:13:16 -0800

Help identify a (most likely European) comic with Von Daniken style ancient astronauts that I vaguely remember from childhood. I would have seen it in the early 80s, and it came in softcover Tin-tin sized volumes. It concerned (as I remember) a bunch of ancient astronauts knocking around on Earth befire the evolution of man, carving the Nasca lines in Peru with spaceship born lasers, that sort of thing.

(No, it wasn't Jack Kirby)

Best TV Series Blog?

IZ — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:26:18 -0800

What is the best blog or site on TV Series to find the latest news on things like new season start date, ending of series etc. I'm looking for news on Lost, Grace Anatomy, Desperate Housewives etc (you know, the popular stuff).

Anyone know the GP announcer in Speed Racer?

skybolt — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:41:08 -0800

Anyone know who the Grand Prix announcer was in Speed Racer? NOT Andres Cantor ... I just saw Speed Racer today. It was the most beautiful movie I've seen since CARS, I almost cried through the whole thing.

As I was watching it, I *almost* recognized the announcer for the final race, the Grand Prix. I checked the cast list, including the _large_ list of announcers, but he doesn't seem to be listed. The person listed as the GP announcer, Andres Cantor, was *not* the person I saw. The man I saw was British, silver haired, and articulate. (No offense to Mr. Cantor)

I watch a lot of Formula 1, and I could swear he's a Formula 1 announcer, but he might just be an actor I didn't recognize.

Can anyone help me out? I'd love it if the W-brothers went to the trouble of getting an actual race announcer, much less F1.

How to salvage a bad wedding photography experience?

bristolcat — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:57:01 -0800

Trying to salvage a bad wedding photography experience. How do I utilize and process these files and help a burned bride? My brother and sister-in-law got married late last year and hired a somewhat sketchy wedding photographer to save on the budget. This photographer's communication skills were very poor and we were all relieved when she actually showed up for the wedding. She shot quite a few photos then left for the night saying she'd see the couple again soon. She was never seen or heard from again.

My sister-in-law is not someone to be messed with and after waiting six months and not getting any of her phone calls, e-mails or letters returned, she took legal action against the photographer to get their photos. At long last, a CD with a signed copyright notice came with no explanation for the delay and none of the fees or albums she should have gotten back ever surfaced.

So, my brother and sister-in-law turned to me. I'm a graphic designer with a web and screen printing experience and some print experience. They wanted me to take the unprocessed photos and color correct/touch them up. No problem, I thought. I was wrong.

The files are less than great. They are JPGs - a nice 80 inches wide when I load them into Photoshop, but they are only 72 dpi. Awful. We think these are actually the files the photographer shot and that she didn't use RAW or TIFF.

My second problem is that the bride, feeling burned my photographers in general, wants me to do her prints and album. I've never done anything like this before and don't know exactly where to start. I started contacting some album companies, but they will only work with established photographers. I know that this is understandable and they do this to protect their clientele, but it is frustrating for me.

I've taken the files to a popular local photo processing place and had a large test strip run to see how the resolution would print. It was not bad and probably good enough to hang on a wall.

I need to proceed from here, now. My questions are:
-Does anyone have any tips for how to process the photos so that I can get proofs to the bride and help her get the prints she wants? Should I go with the local processor or is there a lab somewhere that would work with a graphic designer?
-Are there any album companies that will work with a graphic designer? My bride is very picky and wants a flush-mount seamless album of good quality.
-Any tips for photographic color correction? I have practical experience from prior jobs doing catalogs, but somehow this seems different and a little more daunting.

Thanks so much for your help. Normally I would tell my sister-in-law to take this to a photography professional, because I would just as soon give the business to a skilled individual who knows what they are doing and has more resources. I really want to do this for them though, if I am able. This is my brother and his wife and they have done a lot for me in the past and I'd really like to help them out in this situation. Thanks again!

BBC Documentary Filter

Hutch — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:09:13 -0800

Looking for the name of a BBC documentary involving people performing interpretive dances which portray the lives/mating rituals of insects. I was talking with a friend over lunch about Isabella Rossellini's recent "Green Porn" short films and the documentary in question came up. As an amateur, mainly sample-based VJ, I'm always looking for interesting material and this documentary sounds intriguing. Other suggestions are also quite welcome.

Where to find 35mm films (movies) to use for training?

markblasco — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:24:13 -0800

Where to find 35mm films (movies) to use for training? We have a 35mm projector at my work, and our film program has been declining. This means it is hard to keep trained projectionists, since nowadays we only do one or two 35mm films a month.

I need to find at least one 35mm film to train staff with. It doesn't have to be anything in particular, heck, even a copy of Death to Smoochy would work, but we do need to find something that we can use for practice and training of our new projectionists. Our system requires changeovers, so it needs to be long enough to split onto two projectors.

Where would I go about finding 35mm prints to purchase? Due to work policy, Ebay is not an option, it needs to be through an actual company. We would need to own it outright, since the training would most likely end up destroying the print within a few years.

Music for wife in labor...

keith0718 — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:03:31 -0800

Music for wife in labor... What is the most soothingly beautiful music you can think of for me to play for my wife during her labor and homebirth?

TV blogs?

mooza — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:16:55 -0800

Needing recommendations for TV blogs, including British TV I've been liking Televisionary a lot. I like the script reviews and previews and ep recaps. Are there any other blogs like this the Hive can recommend?

In particular, I want to track down some British TV blogs. Televisionary will often talk about Brit TV, but I want to know more, and sooner!

Looking for a CG-generated Mr. Potato head

jaimev — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:02:51 -0800

Where can I find a higher resolution image of this computer graphic generated Mr. Potato Head? I think I grabbed the original from the Toy Story movie web site when the movie was first released in theaters, resized it down and converted it to this tiny GIF with a transparent background. But after spending a lot of time with Google image search, I can't find anything remotely resembling this pose (waving + scrambled face).

Name that Tune

jak68 — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:06:20 -0800

Whats that song? In an advertisement featuring the Concorde, showing it taking off (in slow motion with heat fumes rising in the foreground), the ad played in the early 1990s, and the song went "(something) (something) with Jesus... the great (something) in the sky" and there was cowbell. (It sounds like ELO to me but I cant find or name the song). Thanks, Borg-mind ;)

Using My Right Brain

netbros — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:49:35 -0800

How can I improve my art awareness (i.e paintings, sculpture, crafts, etc.)? I missed out on art and art history during my uninspired college years many moons ago. I'd like to do something now to improve that situation. What should I look for online; what books can I read to get a feel for the masters, as well as contemporary artists? Then, once I understand a bit about what I'm looking for, where should I go (museums, galleries) to enjoy the work? I live in the U.S., so I'd probably want to start there, but I plan to travel internationally when I retire. I would like to make art a part of my discoveries. As always, thanks very much in advance for your suggestions and ideas.

Can you recommend a literary agent or attorney?

Anonymous — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:40:41 -0800

Can you recommend a literary agent or attorney? I'm in the US. Someone at a big-name talent agency is interested in one of my books, and I own the TV and film rights. I don't want to handle the discussion myself. Can you recommend an agent or attorney to help me, starting immediately? If they know how to use their e-mail, that would be especially good.