In which I bring the glorious din of Swans to KPCC’s unsuspecting listeners. Walt Martin too.
Category: Music & Film
Rose McGowan Talks ‘Dawn,’ Weed, and Music
I made it back to Sundance for a second year and scored a hugely entertaining interview with Rose McGowan, who was in town supporting her terrifying and poignant new short, Dawn. Click above to read about her karaoke jams of choice, and that one time she hired an entire brass band while stoned. Also, that’s Rose in my (former) Hit City U.S.A. bandana above.
Sundancing With Aaron Paul and Josh Wiggins
I made it back to Sundance with SPIN again this year and instead of merely reviewing a snow bank’s worth of films (although, I did that, so scroll down), I also knocked out two interviews. Here’s my favorite: a sit-down with Aaron Paul (!) who talked about touring with Radiohead. His Hellion co-star Josh Wiggins was there too, and each shared his go-to karaoke jam.
Take Two: Broken Bells and Marissa Nadler
The first Take Two session of 2014, and I might actually dig Shirley Halperin’s picks a lil better than my own. She’s got Uncle Tupelo and Band of Horses. Me? Broken Bells and Marissa Nadler.
The Lost SPIN Film Reviews: Frank, Memphis, Look of Love, Milkshake, and Escape From Tomorrow
I caught a lot of great movies at Sundance 2014, but Frank grabbed me like no other. It was strange and beautiful and hilarious, plus cast Michael Fassbender (a noted looker) as a freaky music savant who wears a giant papier-mâché head at all times. Oh, and Carla Azar from Autolux is the drummer in the band. Go ahead and read the review before I rewrite it all. You’ll find a few other flicks below too, reviewed over the course of two Sundance trips. Continue reading
The Lost SPIN Film Reviews: Whiplash, Under the Electric Sky, Mud, and The History of the Eagles
This one’s late and on time since everyone’s talking about Whiplash (look Ma, I’m on the poster!). I caught the world premiere of this brutal film at Sundance and wrote nice things about it. You’ll find that review and a couple more from my time(s) in Park City below. Continue reading
The Lost SPIN Film Reviews: A Most Wanted Man, Big Sur, Charlie Countryman, and Afternoon Delight
I’m sure it’s gauche to repost your own trailer quotes, but I’m not a film critic by trade so fuggit. That one above hails from A Most Wanted Man, the John le Carré spy thriller brought to life by music video legend Anton Corbijn. It’s also one of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final movies. Read that review at SPIN, and peep a handful that I failed to share from 2013. Continue reading
The Lost SPIN Film Reviews: Hellion, The Sleepwalker, In Fear, Sweetwater, and More Aaron Paul
Yes, I’m milking the 30 minutes I got with Aaron Paul (see the Sundance interview), but Breaking Bad. He was in a movie that showed at the fest which I dug. Peep the review below, with one for The Sleepwalker (score by Sondre Lerche) and a few from ’13. Continue reading
Fearing & Loathing Music’s Biggest Awards Nights
Whatever you think “going to the Grammys” means, we guarantee it’s less glamorous and more bizarre than what you’re imagining. At least for most of the press, who sit in small room adjacent to the ceremony, watching the thing on TVs and praying that a famous person will make a wrong turn and wind up on our measly little stage with a microphone miraculously in hand.
And it’s not just Music’s Biggest Night. In the awards season bridging 2012 to 2013, I attended the MTV Video Music Awards, the American Music Awards, and, yes, the Grammys, and my surreal behind-the-scenes experience wound up the stuff of an unexpected trilogy. In 2014, I returned to the Grammys just to make sure its was still weird (spoiler alert: it was). Continue reading
Holy Ship 2014: High With Skrillex on the High Seas
We went on a rave cruise and it was ridiculous. For your vicarious enjoyment (not ours, no, of course not) we left from Miami on January 9 and returned three days later, stopping along the way at two private Bahamian islands for beach parties featuring the likes of Diplo, Chromeo, Disclosure, and Duck Sauce. There were also a ton of skull-drilling EDM performances within the hull of a mega-ship. And 4,000 fellow revelers. And a never-ending pizza buffet. And that time Skrillex smoked us out onstage while Pharrell performed two feet away. Continue reading
Chris Writes Things 