Drum Attix

This past weekend Drum Attix founder 100dBs and I visited the music photography exhibit Who Shot Rock & Roll at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. A large show taking up several long rooms, Who Shot Rock & Roll is an engaging look at musicians--and their fans--on and off stage. Among the exhibit's highlights are the original photos used in iconic album covers, sweaty and spontaneous concert shots and intimate photos of daily life including numerous images from the early careers of Elvis and Bob Dylan.

Yet, while the overall quality of the images is high, other curatorial decisions are confusing. As to be expected, the show largely features famous musicians from early innovators like Little Richard and Ike Turner to more contemporary artists like Bjork and Radiohead. Questions start to arise when more outre faces show up. It's great to see the likes of Fugazi, Lydia Lunch and Grace Jones--who commanded half a small room displaying several photographs and a video installation--sharing wall space with the obligatory John Lennon and Mick Jagger shots, but one wonders why these were included and not other sort-of obscure luminaries. There's a has-been like Eminem looking supremely douchey with a rocket on his dick but where's say, Kraftwerk, who have remained influential for years? Then there was a superfluously tiny section I like to think of as Who Shot Tupac and Biggie (Plus A Couple Other Rappers Who Haven't Been Shot Yet). While these photos have merit--particularly the mid-90s era photo of Method Man posing with an undoubtedly colorful hobo named Huckleberry something or other--their inclusion in a self-proclaimed rock-and-roll exhibit seems tacked on hastily. If anything, such a limited nod highlights the narrowness of mainstream rock.

Despite these flaws, Who Shot Rock & Roll is an excellent way to spend an afternoon. Plus, there's 2 for 1 admission until the end of December when you present your metro card.

(As a nice supplement to the exhibit, check out the museum's online collection of 1960s psychedelic concert posters from San Francisco).

DJing the opening party for Zero Film Fest tonight at the Invisible Dog. Fun little fest with a bunch of films running about 10 mins or so each.

I'm not up on all the directors, but I did see Chloe Sevigny up in that preview clip so, boom. Instant indie cred.

They also got a complimentary happy hour going down, so it's gonna end up being beer 'n shorts weather no matter what...

(File that last one under "Humdingers")

Why do we use slang, and how does it benefit us socially? No matter how old you are or what group you identify with, you probably use some form of slang. Some people get so bent out of shape over its use that they are trying to ban it. Besides the fact that this would be incredibly difficult to enforce, I also think it's a step backwards. Most modern languages have loan words from other sources that have been incorporated into their lexicons, and this article from the BBC raises a great point: smart people don't shun slang; they figure out where it came from and how to use it in context. Sounds like just another form of crate digging to me.

From December 8th through the 22nd, Cameo Gallery will be hosting the Perspectives on NYC art show, with works from AVone, Christopher Rini, Kate Seward and more. The opening will take place tonight from 7-10pm at Cameo Gallery, and I'll be on the decks spinning funk, soul, and reggae. Come out for art, drinks, music and a damn good time.

My name is René and my favorite food is sandwiches.

Let me tell you why:

Anything can be made into a sandwich.