Manafonistas

Since my childhood days I have been attracted to crime series on TV. There were The Avengers (with Emma Peel and John Steed), there was even mainstream stuff I liked, 77 Sunset Strip, Rockford and many others. Then Peter Falk entered the scene with his dirty old automobile.

Many years later, David Lynch extended the limits of crime and mystery with the glorious first season of Twin Peaks. Unforgettable: Angelo Badalamenti’s soundtrack. And several scenes (the dream with the dwarf) that burned deep into the unconscious. With HBO and the hard core suspense counter terrorist dramas of 24 a new period of television started. Homeland, for example.

During the last two years, other outstanding crime stories wrote TV history: Broadchurch, Sherlock Holmes, Top of the Lake, Die Brücke revealing that Scandinavia, New Zealand and England could contribute to top notch crime dramas. Germany is a wasteland in this field. I was thrilled by them all. But, nothing matched the quality of TRUE DETECTIVE. Sometimes it was really dangerous to dive into the story, cause I easily forgot breathing. And this is for fans of great soundtracks: the way T Bone Burnett provided the musical score with original instrumentals and a bunch of songs from the Americana genre (oldtimey folk, gospel etc.) added another layer – a perfect mix of sounds and sceneries!

Right to the end, True Detective danced around cop drama tropes and transcended them. It was pitch black, philosophical (the spirit of Albert Camus!), unabashedly entertaining, thoughtful and ultimately hopeful and human storytelling that trusted its audience’s intelligence and their capacity to be challenged. And the last song is a real closer: „The Angry River“, with Father John Misty.

(Remix from June 2014)

„Books on the go this summer include: The Awakening by Kate Chopin, an exquisite novella about a woman in 1890s New Orleans chafing against the strictures of her times; the modern classic Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, about a Berliner in 1940 who embarks on a campaign of sending anonymous anti-Hitler postcards, and the Gestapo officer ordered to hunt the dissenter; Fell by Jenn Ashworth, a fresh, lyrical novel about a sick girl, a faith healer, the woman the girl grew into, the spirits of her parents and unfinished business. In the last week I’ve finished Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (out in 2017 from Head of Zeus), a deep, broad, addictive history of a Korean family in Japan enduring and prospering through the 20th century; and the new book by Peter Ho Davies, The Fortunes (Sceptre) – a poignant, cascading four-part novel about being Asian and western, about immigrants and natives, about belonging in a country and one’s skin. It’s not out until August, but if your bookseller owes you a favour, cash it in for a reader’s proof. It’s outstanding.“

www.bbc.co.uk / programmes …

Anders als Gregs bin ich kein Freund des Films Lisbon Story von Wim Wenders (der da zu viel schlaumeierte) – ein Werk, das dennoch dazu beitrug, der Gruppe Madredeus zu grosser Populärität unter melancholiewilligen Deutschen zu verhelfen. Nun ist das reine Empfindungssache, aber ich bin bei Fado-Musik ähnlich auf Fluchtreflexe konditioniert wie bei stimmungsseligen Salsa-Parties. Auch kann ich bei aller Liebe für Stunden wahrer Empfindungen Fernando Pessoas Buch der Unruhe (ein Klassiker fraglos) rein gar nichts abgewinnen, und erinnere mich, wie, als das Buch in meiner Studentenzeit in Mode kam, betrübte Germanistik- und Romanistikstudenten noch etwas betrübter als sonst beim Anblick des Milchschaums ihrer Kaffeetassen ihren oft nicht ganz so schrecklichen Nöten nachhingen und Sätze in Pessoas Depressivum anstrichen. Nun aber haben sich die Zeiten und Dinge geändert. Nach dem Sieg der Portugiesen über die Franzosen kann der Fado abgeschafft werden. Wenn schon Drama, dann a la Ronaldo: diese Wandlung von der tragischen, tränenreichen Figur zu einem, am Spielfeldrand in Louis de Funes-Manier rumtobenden, co-coachenden Irrwisch, wird Geschichte schreiben. Dass Ausgelassenheit und reine Euphorie einmal portugiesisches Recht werden, hätte man seit der Erfindung des Fado nie für möglich gehalten.

Generally speaking, strange chalices of vision, cups all up in a cloud, possibly reflecting transience or the overimagination or confusion of whoever makes them appear. Accordingly, they have been associated with wishful thinking.

There is some dispute as to what the 7 symbols in the cups mean, but Tarotologists have some suggestions as to the meanings. Know though that the exact elements within the vision may be less important than the very act of conjuring them.

Seven of Cups arguably represents temptation, choice, self-delusion.
 
The cups offer the following possible representations:
 
 
A human head – companionship, love

A shrouded, glowing entity – the burning need for the conjurer’s self-illumination

A snake – passion and desire, resultant powerful transformative knowledge

A castle or tower – power, stability, place of birth

A treasure hoard – wealth, not necessarily material or monetary

A laurel wreath – victory, honour, status. The skull inscription on the cup itself may be a reminder against triumphalism

A dragon – so many levels to this one. Partly it’s a signal that you need to visit Wales. No psychogeographer can visit Wales and leave unaffected by its magic. Dragons are also memetical – a myth that – until the dinosaurs‘ existence was proven by archaeologists in the 19th Century – was just a myth.
 
 
Paraphrased / reworked from Wikipedia

Guernica (2016 Konzert zeitgenoessischer Musik, Urauffuehrung in Duesseldorf) komponiert von Bojan Vuletic. Mit dem MIVOS QUARTET waren Musiker eingeladen, die sich streng an die Struktur des Tryptichons hielten und erstaunlich gut den musikalischen Kontext rueberbrachten. 3 Violinen, eine Viola. Ihre meist hellen, schrillen Toene zerriessen jegliche Friedlichkeit. Die Blasinstrumente, am Saxophon die wunderbare Ingrid Laubrock, schlagen eigentlich warnend die Trommel. Ingrid Laubrock blaest mit all ihrer Luft in ihr Instrument, als ob sie noch eben dem Rauch der Kanonen entfliehen will. Sie blaest so heftig, dass alle Notenblaetter davon fliegen.

An ihrer Seite scheppert der Trompeter mit einem Streifen Zink ein staehlernes Gewitter herbei. Gaensehaut. Der zweite Teil wird durch Stimmengemurmel eingeleitet, eine diffuse Masse, versucht dem Tod zu entfliehen, aber gewaltige Explosionen folgen. Die Viola versucht zu retten, was zu retten ist, zeigt mit ruhiger Melodie zum Stairway to Heaven, der orchestral von den drei Violinen begleitet aus dem Tal des Elends zu den Engeln der Hoehen fuehren soll. Was fuer eine gelungene Rekomposition des grossen spanischen Dramas, was fuer ein wuerdiges Echo auf das riesige Gemaelde von Picasso.

Did you ever dream actual music? Muted harmonic simplicities gently rocking back and forth. It could be the sound of the space between buildings in an industrial estate in the blue-grey half light of morning, where only seagulls walk. There are only empty Coca-Cola and Fanta cans, and crisp packets blowing in the wind. It’s nothing. Much.

Glial cells in the brain shrink during sleep increasing interstitial space in brain tissue, allowing an increase of fluid to wash toxins away: reality’s maker remade in the dream-space, just as real and true as the empty crisp bags and rusty cans, foxes, phantoms, yesterday’s dead half-lit in the pale half-light of blue-grey morning. The music is in there, actuated by what? What immortal ear or eye could rock this harmonic symmetry?

And, and, and … and if we think more closely about our ordinary/mundane concept of reality, maybe we don’t consider real the whatever-the-fuck that actually happens. Instead, we consider real a type/manner of happening that is familiar to us to be it, to be reality. Not tonight, said the cymbal, my head hurts.
 
Based on 10 listens to Arvo Pärt’s „Summa“ (Estonian National Symphony Orchestra)
 
*
 
+ Cheetah
 
CHEETAHT2 [Ld spectrum] nice closing moments, clean/uneasy CHEETAHT7b hip hop handclaps weird phantom wash CHEETA1b ms800 genuinely amazing wtf moment, it’s like „
The hideous operating and programming system (2 digit LED) may drive you crazy but there’s nothing else quite like it for low-fi digital weirdness on the ultra cheap. Sum up:One for the adventurous/experimental/patient/mad“ retro in a way but something forward in the production that lifts it out of the retro toybox. „CHEETA2 ms800“ „CIRKLON3 [Колхозная mix]“ 8:13 6. „CIRKLON 1“ 7:17 7. „2X202-ST5“ This stuff is so fucking great, it makes my heart burst
 
 
Stolen lines: Russell Hoban, William Blake, Philip Larkin, BBC News, Roddy Doyle, New York Times
 
 
 

What’s the best British crime TV series you have been watching within the last two, three months?

Oh, that’s simple. LINE OF DUTY, Season 3. Highly addictive, psychologically compelling, incredibly performed. But you have to start with the great season 1 to get inside the „Internal Affairs“-team.

What has been the best documentary lately?

Laurie Anderson’s HEART OF A DOG, does certainly live up to the „Hörspiel“-version of it. It’s a meditation on life, death and contains, apart from that, one heartwrenching dream of turning time around.

Did you recently think of a book you have read a long time ago?

Funny, you ask that. Some stories linger on forever. It’s one by Ernst Augustin, EASTEND. A German writer who should be known to a much bigger audience. EASTEND had been avalailable, once upon a time – with a red cover and a small London bus photo on it – at „Suhrkamp Taschenbuch“, that great series with monochromatic covers. A love story with twists and turns, and a showdown, yep, in London. A unique voice, this „Augustin-sound“. Another cracker of his: DER AMERIKANISCHE TRAUM. You still can get his books at C.H. Beck Verlag.

What is the crime novel you’re reading these days?

The last novel of Michael Koryta, LAST WORDS. It’s a book with many layers, and a considerable portion of it is happening under the planet’s surface, in the world of caves. No book for people with claustrophobia. Full of ghosts, but no mystery novel. The ghosts are all coming from the inside.

What has been your last concert movie?

Neil Young’s RUST NEVER SLEEPS. Now reissued on DVD ans BLU RAY with a good surround sound. In the first part, Young plays alone with acoustic guitar, after which he gets into a bed and is carried off. When he returns, he is accompanied by Crazy Horse, the greatest, funkiest bar band ever to play packed stadiums. The music sounds indescribably immense, and the band seem to be shredding their very nervous systems to provide it. You have to hear it LOUD!

Has there been a movie recently that you have seen again and again?

One. THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY. Another very special love story situated in a lesbian colony of the British hinterland. In fact I’ve till now seen it about six times, still hesitating to look at the version with the audio commentary. It‘ so immersive. I still don’t want the „outside“-perspective. It succeeds on every level. The natural sounds and the music are gorgeous, it’s one of the best dramas on control and surrender I’ve ever seen. I sent a copy to Brian Eno. He hasn’t yet answered. I think he’s still speechless :)

questions: Manfonistas Headquarter

stolen lines (only a few): James Griffith

 
Smash the radio
No outside voices here
Smash the watch
Cannot tear the day to shreds
Smash the camera
Cannot steal away the spirits
The rhythm is around me
The rhythm has control
The rhythm is inside me
The rhythm has my soul