Rebel Rebel, you might as well

Wonder Woman Day 4 is about to kick off, September 31st to October 24 in the Lara Sydney Gallery at 1230 NW Hoyt St. Go check it out, and keep an eye out for the blue Wonder Woman water color. That's me! It's an online auction as well, so if you see something you like give it a go-- all proceeds go to battered woman shelters.

Major personal problems. Not sure when they'll continue, but when things iron out I'll do a double post, promise.

Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children.
- George Bernard Shaw

There's a saying that goes "the children are our future." Well if that's the case in these videos, that future is pretty terrifying. From fist fights to brandishing weapons, and demon posession to frickin' telekinesis. If these kids are our future, I'm not sure anyone is going to live to see it.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control
This is the video that inspired the list. It's so dark and twisted, you can't help but be afraid of all the kids in it. Warning: Simulated violence and dead animals.

Lordi - Hardrock Halellujah
Who hasn't felt ostrasized at some point in their life? High school is particularly lame for some people. Now imagine if you had your own zombie cheerleader squad. Would've been better, right?

Tamar-Kali - Boot
One of the most punk rock little girls around. Check out more of Tamar-Kali in the awesome documentary Afro-Punk.

Operator Please - Leave It Alone
Jackson Pollock meets teenage angst and fiddles.

Box Car Racer - I Feel So
In all honesty, I've heard from more than a few friends that this particular song saved their life. Hearing someone else talk about the same dark feelings you have is intense. But seriously, these kids have telekinesis. That's pretty scary.

You think I'm unemotional, isn't it? For Christ's sake! I cried like a child at the end of Terminator 2!
- Tim Bisley (Simon Pegg), Spaced

I'm not afraid to admit that some things make me cry, whether they make me feel sad or really good, or simply because they hit real close to home. It takes a lot of effort to make you really feel something in a three-minute period, below are five videos that do it for me. Now excuse me while I go get some tissues and start doing push-ups.

Foo Fighters - Best Of You
When the videos director, Mike Pellington, shot this video for the band his wife had just recently succumed to illness. To me, the emotion comes through amazingly, and the juxtoposition of powerful imagery and music makes it the perfect example of montage.

Straylight Run - Existentialism On Prom Night
This video feels so ethereal in its handling of a common situation like riding the train. Everyone is in sync, and nobody knows it. This one just makes me feel really good.

Amanda Palmer - Runs In The Family
Having grown up with family dealing with bi-polar disorder, and having had friends with their own psychosocio issues, this video strikes close to home. The mania in the video purveys exactly how it is sometimes.

My Chemical Romance - Ghost Of You
The horrors of war are something we all know too well after the last eight years, and while this oft overlooked video showcases World War 2 it's still a reminder of the realities some have to face.

Finch - What It Is To Burn
Honestly, it's hard not to imagine putting yourself in the place of the main guy and imagine how you'd react in his place.

 

Bear in mind, these are videos that just make ME cry, so do me a favor and let me know which ones turn YOU into an emotional pile of sobs, and it might show up in a future list!

5 Videos That Give You A Stiff Neck “There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.”
- Franklin D. Roosevelt

We're so used to watching films that move, and cut, and zoom, and generally feel very cinematic. But there's something incredibly understated about a video that's able to just set the camera down, and let the action play out in front of it. Below are five videos that do just that; the camera stays in one position, and everything else goes.

Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity
The great thing about this video is not so much how cool it looks to see everything move in the room, but the fact that Jamiroquai can dance the whole time.

Björk - Violently Happy
This video creeps me out not because they're so spastic, but because everything is too cheery!

The Bright Light Social Hour - Back And Forth
I could do to see that guy get a little more nekkid.

I Heart Hiroshima - London In Love
The colors really add to the feel of this video, in their own subtle way.

The All-American Rejects - Move Along
Kind of a cheat, since there's a lot of regular camera movement-- but you have to admit that when the quick cuts jump in, it's pretty intensely awesome.

Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive.
-Walt Disney

I once took a stop-motion class in high school; I had always been a fan, so it was cool to actually try it first hand. After finishing my final project-- a skateboarding Godzilla falling off a bridge, of all things-- I got a real understanding of just how complicated the process is. Below are five examples of people who were crazy enough to make two to five minute long videos in this style, which is definitely nothing to sneeze at

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
I absolutely love the subtle beauty in this video. It actually took me a second viewing to really understand what was going on, which is pretty rare for music videos.

Shanandoah Davis - We; Camera
I tried to be friends with a bird once. Long story short, I needed about sixteen stitches.

Bright Eyes - Bowl Of Oranges
Who wouldn't want to grow their own boyfriend? Sure as hell beats meeting people online.

Smoosh - La Pump
As almost-creepy as it sounds, I'm a huge fan of these two teen girls. Especially when they incite revolutions!

Green Jelly - Three Little Pigs
The pigs in this video are just too cute, I want to gobble them up!

What do you get when you combine Tori Amos, Regina Spektor, and a handful of gingersnaps? Amanda (fucking) Palmer. Formerlly of the band The Dresden Dolls, she joined forces with Ben Folds (of all people) to go into a studio and flesh out her solo-project into a full fledged album. Not the sort to stop there, they promptly went about and filmed several videos for the first group of songs meant to be watched in a particular order-- already linked in spirit-- and released them for her fans to view.

Without further interuption, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Pt. 1, Intro

Pt. 2, Astronaut

Pt. 3, Ampersand

Pt. 4, Runs In The Family

Pt. 5, The Point Of It All

Pt. 6, Strength Through Music

Pt. 7, Guitar Hero

Pt. 8, Another Year (Credits)

Pt. 9, Everybody's Gotta Live (Epilogue)

What you're probably expecting to see, if you haven't seen it already: A movie about a flamboyant Austrian fashionista trying to strike it in the fashion industry, making fun of celebritards, and making people generally uncomfortable about gay folk. Bruno not what you expect ...

People will look at the ashes of Westerburg and say, "Now there's a school that self-destructed, not because society didn't care, but because the school was society."
- J.D., Heathers

School sucks. Hard. Everyone, from public schoolers to home schoolers can testify to this. You've got structured learning, crazy teachers, and general freefloating anxiety that infiltrates every aspect of your harmonal life-- let's relive that together!

And, by all means, feel free to buzz these journals, or suggest to be featured.

Missy Elliot, ft. Ludacris - Gossip Folks
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but those dance battles were the only thing that broke up the monotony of every day high school for me.

KillRadio - Do You Know (Knife In Your Back)
In an ironic twist of fate, this is the bands only single off their only label-released album, and it just so happens to perfectly fit what happened to them-- did you know they were on Colombia? No, because they got stabbed in the back and dropped.

Die Ärzte - Unrockbar
It can't be helped that some people really just need some old school schooling on how to be a rocker. No matter the cost. And don't worry if you can't understand them; it's not gibberish, they're German.

Amanda Palmer - Strength Through Music
First of two from Amanda Palmer, off her Who Killed Amanda Palmer video series. Fun fact: the opening narrator is from the flash series Strindberg + Helium.

Amanda Palmer - Guitar Hero
Second of two from the video series. If you haven't seen the rest of them, I totally insist you do. In fact, I may post the whole thing et al next week-- stay posted!

Did I miss any other great videos? Have a favorite video with a great theme? Comment or message me, and they just might show up on a list down the line! I swear, I watch every video you suggest.

I'm one of the winners of the Bruno Ticket Giveaway!! WOOO! I'm going with my older sister, and like whoever else won the contest. I'M SO EXCITED!

Not about the movie, but about making out with Panasonicyouth. Totally awesome.

"All the world's a stage,"
- Jaques, As you Like It by Shakespeare

Theatre. Where performance truly got it's start, and yet how we forget the humble beginnings of what turned into the peoples main source of entertainment. Well, not truly forgot. Below are five videos that assimilated traditional theater means for their videos, and totally rock more because of it.

The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist
Definitely ranks up there as one the most well controlled chaos videos out there. Fun fact: much of the samples are from the John Waters film, Polyester.

Moulin Rouge - Lady Marmalade
Somehow seeing four pop/R&B starlettes dressed as prostitutes doesn't surprise me, but... is Missy Elliot their pimp, or something?

Bjork - Bachelorette
One of the more ingenious collaberations between Bjork and director Michel Gondry. Try and count just how many ways this becomes a story within a story within a story-- it's in more ways than you think.

Tegan And Sara - Back In Your Head
One of the few videos that almost makes individuality seem like a bad thing!

Laura Marling - My Manic & I
A haunting song, a haunting tale, yet beautiful in it's unfolding.

Did I miss any other great videos? Have a favorite video with a great theme? Comment or message me, and they just might show up on a list down the line!

PS: The 5 A Week Music Video series is officially back on, after way too long of a downtime. Every weekend, expect more!

Forming a queer punk band in the San Fernando Valley, but I totally still need a guitarist or two to round out the band. Have bassist, drummer, and myself on vox. Influences vary from Bear Vs. Shark, to Limp Wrist, Super Black Market, and anything from punk to post-hardcore. Anyone know anyone? Practice in Reseda. Give me a shout.

AIM: WashIsMyCoPilot

Email: RemyAlva@Gmail.com

So I posted a thing last night on Craigslist looking for a queercore band, and, well I got an email back from the host of Crash Test Radio, Rocco Burro, at Idobi Radio about being interviewed TONIGHT about the queercore scene.

Whaaaaaaa?

Listen TONIGHT, 6pm pst and 9pm est, online at IdobiRadio.com OR on iTunes. I don't know if there's a way I can record it, but I'm gonna damned well try. If you know how, let ME know so I can do it!

EXCITED!

It's late notice but LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN!

I'm coming home for real real. I'm leaving Washington next thursday the 14th, and I'm going to be staying in Northridge, near LA, with my family. Maybe for good. Who wants to meet up and make out?

I won't have a computer after monday, so let me know ASAP so we can figure this out ^_^

PS: Kristine / ScarletLark, you don't count. We're gonna be hanging out like all the time anyway.

So yeah, wow, I've been asked to co-present a workshop on Queers In Punk at the UC Davis Queers Of Color conference in San Francisco. Totally fucking outstanding! So if you're in San Francisco, I'll be coming down from at least April 2-3, hopefully a bit longer. I just need to get the money for it, haha.

I'm so freaking stoked, this post really doesn't give it justice.

Welcome to the special edition Life Is Miserable wednesday edition of the series. I’ve been out of commission for a while ‘cause my computer busted, I just quit my band, and altogether I’m in a grumpy ass mood all the time. So I needed to take some time out and find some videos that made me giggle-smile! And by all means, reply to this blog with videos that make YOU giggle-smile too!  

Natalie Portman - SNL rap
She may not be a rapper by career, but goddamn this chick can spit! Totally cracks me up EVERY TIME.
 

We Are Scientists - Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt
Honestly, it’s the retro-mustache that gets me. Also the bear.
 

Junior Senior - Can I Get Get Get
This one is just a feel-good video altogether! To make the video, they got fans to send in clips of them jamming out to the song, and it makes it one of the most heart-felt videos I’ve ever seen.
 

Minus The Bear - Throwin’ Shapes
Nothing like two schizophrenic geeks finally finding each other in the big city. Though I wouldn’t say no if that guy found me first.
 

Amanda Palmer - Oasis
The hands-down feel good video of the year! Even if it is about rape, abortion, and losing all your friends.

So yeah, my laptop  died a few days ago. Like, died dead. Died so much, in fact, that the three months worth of blog postings I had saved up and pretty much ready to go are long gone. So, sad to say, until I can afford a new laptop of my own there won't be much from me at all. But soon as I can, I will resume.

And if you have any spare money I'm willing to exchange sexual favors. Just sayin'.

Much love,

Jeremy

Last Week | Next Week

Politics and music go together like coke and rum, or some equally delicious and intoxicating analogy like that. Some argue that talking politics in music takes away from the experience, but as the following videos show-- that's quite the opposite.

Ignite - Bleeding
Hands down one of my favorite songs.

Anti-Flag - This Is The End (For You My Friend)
If you don't already know, this band is one of the quintessential politically minded punk bands out there. I was stuck between this video and their video Press Corpse-- but this represents their message best.

Black Eyed Peas - Where's The Love?
Back before they were getting retarded about humps, the Black Eyed Peas preached love, equality, and positive mental attitudes.

Rage Against The Machine - Sleep Now In The Fire
The video that shut down Wall Street!

Don't let the abundance of hair and mid-high falsetto fool you, there's more to Coheed & Cambria than meets the eye and ear. While the New York based foursome keep their feet firmly planted on Earth, the music they compose is out of this world, to say the least.

Each album that the band has put out is but another book in an epic story penned by singer and conceptualist, Claudio Sanchez. Every chapter a new perspective from any combination of the plethora of characters, from the namesake husband and wife Coheed and Cambria on the lam from those who created them, their son Claudio trying to find answers, The Writing Writer biding his escape from both reality and the unreality he's made, or a possessed ten-speed bicycle haunting The Writing Writer's life. Robots, mages, murder, space chases; if you're a sci-fi and fantasy geek who loves good music, you're probably already a fan.

Alongside the music there's also a comic series that coincides with each album, both adding weight and sometimes clearing up things from the music. If you want to know more about the world, a group of fans have been so kind as to explain the story a bit.

Musically, they're a bit hard to pin down. Metal, that's for sure, but weird math-hair-fantasy-Rush style without really touching any of those. The best way to really understand is just to listen to them. The story is continuous through the albums, but you don't necessarily need to know that to enjoy music. And so, in no particular order, some of my personal favorites: 

Devil In Jersey City
Blood Red Summer
The Crowing
Everything Evil
33

Last Week | Next Week

There's something amazing about videos that are done in a single shot-- also known as fluid master shots. The choreography, preparation, and execution have to be so concise, it's borderline insanity. But damnit all, they are some of the COOLEST LOOKING THINGS EVER!

OK Go! - Here It Goes Again
This video, while only just barely qualifying as a fluid master, is by far one of the most recognized single-shot videos of recent time. Not to mention it's totally awesome and fun!

Feist - 1 2 3 4
I'm still not entirely sure if this legitimately a single shot, BUT you can't deny that it's exceedingly well done and colorful as hell.

Wax - Southern California
It's attack of the 90's! I have no idea whatever happened to this band, but I know that it's director-- Spike Jonze-- has gone on to make a lot of the more amazing videos out there. Look him up!

Spice Girls - Wannabe
Attack of the 90s two, The Reckoning! This is definitely by far one of the best examples of well crafted and choreographed examples of a fluid master. Not to mention, y'know, Spice Girls. I mean, come on.

Ciba Matto - Sugar Water
Where I said that Wannabe was one of the best examples of a fluid master, Sugar Water is by far the best one. It's one of my favorite videos by one of my favorite directors-- Michel Gondry. Also, it's a bit confusing the first time through, so be sure to watch it again. And again. And again.

Enjoyed the list? Help me make more! Every sunday I'm going to post another music videos list with a theme, but I can only find so many on my own! I need suggestions to keep this going! I don't care what genre of music it is, just send me a private message with a link to a video and which theme you think it fits in. I'll trim it down to the top five best. Here's a few to keep in mind:

Five Deceptively Simple Videos
Five Live Performance Videos Done By Audience Members
Five (official) Live Performance Videos
Five Film Noir Inspired Videos
Five Best AMVs (Anime Music Videos)
Five Videos That Are Montages
Five (Insanely Intricate) Single Shot Videos
Five Horror Videos
Five Videos That Give You The Warm Fuzzies
Five Videos Where Children Are Our Future (And That Future Is Terrifying)