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“command performance”
the arthur magazine email bulletin no. 000153
june 25, 2009
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Well hello there,

EVENTS! EVENTS! EVENTS!

Arthur Magazine “Bull Tongue” columnist Byron Coley co-curates “Unicorns Versus Mermaids,” opening IN MERE HOURS (Thursday, June 25)in Chelsea (NYC):
http://bit.ly/17tdk7

Also TONIGHT!!!! From Arthur comics editor/Floating World impresario Jason Leivian:
“Join us Thursday June 25 at Holocene (1001 SE Morrison, Portland OR) for the full Floating World Animation Fest…three-plus hours of mind melting, soul loving psychedelicanimation… this summer’s ultimate videocation, featuring mind melting video art and psychedelic animation from the secret world of motionography. ‘Secret’ meaning these are the geniuses that make music videos, on-air graphics, commercials, credit sequences, and movie fx by day… but a closer look at their resumes reveals a true passion for artistic expression and creativity in their short films and experimental personal work. This year’s fest screens at Holocene with a special bonus program curated by Show Cave Gallery (Los Angeles). Trailer features: Nicolas Djandji, David O’Reilly, Mato Atom, Carolina Melis, Justine Ashbee, Nofun, Steve Scott & Will Sweeney, Peppermelon, Kaliptus, Rohitash Rao, Yoshi Sodeoka, Robert Seidel, Superbrothers, Eve Duhamel, Bruno Dicolla, Erin Dunn, Throne Boogie, Dale Hayward. Info, vid trailer:
http://bit.ly/S6YVf

Frequent Arthur contributor Plastic Crimewave hits NYC TOMORROW (friday, June 26) at Cake Shop. He sez: “Bring guitar/amp/powerstrip/extension cord and get ready to drone out in E.” Info:
http://bit.ly/83tpm

And Friday, June 26 at the Gnostic Society in L.A.—Dr. Stephen Hoeller concludes his series of free lectures on classical alchemy’s stages of transformation with a look at “The Red Stage (Rubedo): The melting of all realities in the red-hot Alchemical fire. The ultimate fusion of the opposites. The unifying of reality (Unus Mundus).” Info:
http://bit.ly/gWtv7

Also in L.A.—on Saturday, June 27 5 p.m. at Book Soup (8818 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood), author Dean Kuipers will read and discuss his new book Operation Bite Back: Rod Coronado’s War to Save American Wilderness, which details Coronado’s life, how his direct action against the vivisection, fur, and trapping industries helped spearhead the notoriety of the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front, and how the movement he helped build “was ultimately forced to turn its back on him.” Info:
http://bit.ly/iuxIy

And THIS SATURDAY (June 27, 7:30pm) in Philadelphia:

This will be the Philadelphia debut of New York City’s PETER STAMPFEL AND THE ETHER FROLIC MOB who, Stampfel promises, will “stick our hands up the ass of American music, grab it by the throat, and pull it inside-out. It’s 21st century 19th century American music played in a vast variety of 20th century styles.” We’d expect nothing less—Mr. Stampfel is a founding member of the Holy Modal Rounders and the Fugs, and Frolicker JOHN COHEN is a founding member of the New City Ramblers. (That’s them in the photo above.) Two sets from the Mobsters, who, tonight, will be:

* Peter Stampfel/ vocals, banjo, fiddle, guitar, ‘juke (steel strung National Steel Ukulele tuned like a banjo), assorted percussion
* Jeannie Scofield/ vocals, percussion
* John Cohen/ vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin
* Hubby Jenkens/ vocals, guitar, percussion, ‘juke, ukelele
* Eli Smith/ vocals, banjo, harmonica, fiddle, ukulele
* Jane Gilday/ vocals, banjo, harmonica, fiddle
* Walker Shepard/ vocals, banjo, guitar, fiddle, ‘juke
* Annabelle Lee/ vocals, guitar, percussion

BROTHER JT (pictured above) will be playing a mix of psychedelic spirituals on acoustic guitar, accompanied by Steve Gigante (Dark Inside The Sun).

“For the past twenty years Brother JT has made records that exemplify the ‘freeness’ and dark-green/blood-red hazy warmth of true psychedelia. As a songwriter, he is so proficient that no one takes notice; as a guitar player, he subtly outshines any slinger around (besides the Cheaterslicks’ Dave Shannon) with riffs, leads and solos that are consistently bewildering; as a rock star…well, he was just born for the job, regardless if anyone ever figures it out. He writes one-liner bits of philosophy that are as memorable as those of Yogi Berra, H. L. Mencken, or Will Rogers. JT is, in short, the most hidden of greatest treasures.” —David Katznelson, Arthur No. 8 (available from Arthur store)

Baltimore’s IAN NAGOSKI (compiler of “Black Mirror: Reflections in Global Musics 1918-1954″) will play recordings from the 78 rpm era including pieces from his new collection of music from the first half of the 20th century, “A String of Pearls” (Canary/ Mississippi Records), including music from Constantinople, Milano, Bucharest, Uttar Pradesh, Armenia, Sunda, Thrace, Jamaica, Serbia, Cairo, Huilotita, Seville, Hue, Aleppo, Rajastan, the Carpathians, a Zuni reservation and much more.

Ian on Baltimore public radio, playing and discussing his 78rpm music finds from around world:
http://bit.ly/130m0w

Updated info on this ALL-AGES show at the Arthur website:
http://bit.ly/eWC3T

Now, onto the news…

R.I.P. SKY SAXON 1946-2009. News:
http://tinyurl.com/nychpo
Vintage Sky Saxon & the Seeds:
http://www.arthurmag.com/2009/06/25/rip-sky-saxon/

“At least 35,000 years ago, in the depths of the last ice age, the sound of music filled a cave in what is now southwestern Germany”–New York Times report on the earliest evidence of human music-making instruments–a bone flute:
http://bit.ly/Ns0RN

Rufus Harley, late great jazz bagpiper/philosopher of Philadelphia – vids of doc and local tv:
http://bit.ly/mvLJH

Dorian Cope memorializes singer/songwriter/guitarist/journalist/punk prophet PETER LAUGHNER (Rocket From the Tombs) who died 22 yrs ago Monday:
http://bit.ly/GnmtE

Andy Warhol & Nico as Batman & Robin —pictorial in Esquire, 1967:
http://bit.ly/psGe9

Vintage Arthur photo/interview feature on Scandinavian metalists Gorgoroth, Satyricon, Darkthrone, Einherjer, Carpathian Forest, Helheim, Battlelore, Hagalaz Runedance, Mortiis and Mayhem by Stacy Kranitz, May 2005, finally posted online:
http://bit.ly/16gygK

New interview with Ralf Hutter, Kraftwerk’s last remaining original member:
http://bit.ly/O04N4

“She’s the Hippest Girl in the World”—ultrabright Mod Love comix from 1967:
http://bit.ly/4Lsuj

Genius rubber faced cartoonist Basil Wolverton as a show on at Gladstone in NYC through August 14, curated by Cameron Jamie:
http://bit.ly/26TJu

An online database that makes it easy to locate beautiful, natural swimming holes in your area:
http://bit.ly/15Vfpe

“Noctilucent clouds are not like other clouds. They light up at night, electric blue, after regular clouds go dark.”
http://spaceweather.com/

From Arthur Poetry Editor Charless Potts: “ritual for wild dogs”—new poem by Jeremy Gaulke:
http://bit.ly/AsEfn

NYTimes on rooftop urban farming in the USA:
http://bit.ly/iEf3q

Ex-Stone Roses singer Ian Brown on the working class band’s debut LP, released 20 years ago: “Everything between the first and last songs was a call to insurrection.” http://bit.ly/uKZ6B

Hilariously straightahead reportage on L.A. rich kids from last Sunday’s NYTimes: “Hudson Franzoni, 17, started drumming five years ago. To encourage his develoment, his parents built him a studio at their home in the Malibu hills. His screenwriter father invites agents to watch Hudson’s bands play in the family’s backyard, with its panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.” More:
http://bit.ly/JtWyz

“Perhaps this child would fare better as an offering to the dark woods BEYOND.” — new “Blood Wizard” comix by Skinner:
http://bit.ly/pO5YW

Memories from WizardFest, an open desert music, art, magic & puppetry event held recently in Locomotive Springs, UT:
http://bit.ly/CpFnX

Arthur editor Jay Babcock interviews underground legend Calvin Johnson (K Records, Beat Happening) on the history and ethic of all-ages music events, from late-’50s Little Richard to the 1965 Rolling Stones to W1976 Wings to 90s Fugazi and At the Drive-In to the present day:
http://bit.ly/Y3u6F

And, from the June 22, 2009 New York Times:

Only scraps of information are known about Ms. Neda Agha-Soltan. Her friends and relatives were mostly afraid to speak, and the government broke up public attempts to mourn her. She studied philosophy and took underground singing lessons — women are barred from singing publicly in Iran. Her name means voice in Persian, and many are now calling her the voice of Iran.

Her singing instructor, Hamid Panahi, offered a glimpse of her last moments.

He said the two of them decided to head home after being caught in a clash with club-wielding forces in central Tehran. They stepped out of the car. “We heard one gunshot, and the bullet came and hit Neda right in the chest,” he said. The shot was fired from the rooftop of a private house across the street, perhaps by a sniper, he said. On a Facebook posting along with the video, an anonymous doctor said he tried to save her but failed because the bullet hit her heart.

“She was so full of life,” said a relative who spoke on condition of anonymity. “She sang pop music.”

A woman called Hana posted a comment on Mr. Karroubi’s Web site: “I am alive but my sister was killed. She wanted the wind to blow into her hair; she wanted to be free; she wanted to hold her head high up and say: I am Iranian. My sister died because there is no life left; my sister died because there is no end to tyranny.”

“The way power works in the world is: they tell you stories that make sense of the world.” — Adam Curtis, the most dangerous filmmaker in the world (The Trap, The Power of Nightmares, The Century of the Self), in a new interview with the Guardian:
http://bit.ly/1aBOus

Pushin’ too hard,

Arthur Red Stagers
Fishtown * Eagle Rock * Manchester * Munich * Tehran * wherever you are

p.s. The Dead Sea Scrolls of psychedelic music —the eagerly-awaited-for-40-years 10-CD (!!!) THIRTEENTH FLOOR ELEVATORS boxset—has arrived at Arthur’s Munich bureau:

Previously on Arthurmag.com:

1. Arthur Email Bulletin No. 00160
2. Arthur Magazine Email Bulletin No. 161
3. PDF: Arthur No. 5 (June 2003)
4. Arthur Email Bulletin No. 000163