Here are two versions/snippets of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” at the Hollywood Bowl performed almost a year to the day of each other (is that the way to write that?).
I was there for both performances.
Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (Elvis version) - September 17th, 2008
* watch it all the way through.
Here is an excerpt from a 20/20 transcript in which Martin Amis discusses his relationship with his father Kingsley Amis. I saw this about a decade ago in Ithaca with another friend who worshipped Amis. The segment was broadcast with Father’s Day in mind. Martin nails it, as always.
Happy Father’s Day, everybody!
Excerpt -
RITTER: (VO) After Kingsley’s death, Martin became entangled in resolving legal issues of his estate. One night in his sleep, he says he had a visit from his father. He read to me what he says was the hardest part of his book to write.
Mr. M. AMIS: That night my father came to me in a dream. He was all business. He came not as shade, but as envoy. He said nothing. And I felt he didn’t want to be touched. With gestures only, with looks, with pauses, he gave me to understand that I had all his trust in the prosecution of his wishes and in everything else. Because my wishes were his wishes and the other way around. ‘So, it was incredibly warming to see you, Dad, and why don’t you come more often like that as a messenger and not just as a shade whom I swamp and harass? It is incredibly warming to see you, but I didn’t really need the reassurance about your wishes, because my wishes are your wishes, and I am you, and you are me.’
RITTER: What did you feel when you—when you wrote that line?
Mr. M. AMIS: An emotional ruin, but, you know, strongly moved. But you are your dad. And your dad is you, basically. And that—that’s—that’s the essential fact.
RITTER: Is that true for all of us?
Mr. M. AMIS: It’s more especially true for me, perhaps. But for everyone, I think that’s universal. Even though we were two writers, we were most essentially just a father and a son.
Lykke Li covering Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles) - My absolute favorite song of all time. Unfortunately, I was hoping to hear her versions of A Mili or Hustlin also, but instead she opted for this one and also a cover of Knocked Up by the Kings of Leon.
5 months ago • 0 notesDANCE DANCE DANCE - Lykke Li at the Masonic Lodge @ the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
There’s really nothing spooky about the lodge itself - downstairs are the admin offices for the place and the venue itself is adorned with vintage 70’s movie posters on the walls (The Long Goodbye, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, The Godfather, Star Wars, etc). I had seen Will Sheff here last year and the acoustics are decent.
What was spooky about this show was the setup itself - chairs on stage that looked fit for King Arthur’s round table, enough candles to raise the dead (and concerns of a fire hazard), and an abundance of fog and smoke. I made a comment at one point that Lykke Li looked like a modern day witch.
I went to this show by myself, despite a very good effort to find someone to go with me. I ended up giving the ticket away to this girl behind in me in line, who was driving her friends to the sold out show in hopes of scoring a ticket herself. I ended up hanging out with them during the show. They were pleasant enough, we talked mostly about music and work (my fault, that’s what you get when you’re a workaholic).
This is one of the highlights of the night. My only disappointment was that she didn’t play Everybody But Me, which would have been appropriate for me, but not for her as she seemd to be really enjoying herself throughout.
I was very close to rallying a bunch of people around me to move all the chairs in the facility to the back to create a dance floor. I abandoned this idea realizing that it would probably violate fire codes and the show would be shut down (also because mostly everybody was drinking and it would have been a disaster).
Here’s a commercial I edited that aired during the finale of 30 Rock, Dancing with the Stars and maybe Ugly Betty. I don’t really watch TV, so it’s probably not a big deal.
I got to go on set for this shoot as the editor, which is rare, but it did afford me the luxury of meeting Jane. She’s one of those people who is really really attractive in real life. If she were a bank, she’d be too cute to fail.
You can watch the full webisode at www.smoothanddreamy.com and also the behind the scenes stuff. Don’t blink - I’m the guy wearing the pink shirt and the guy leaning over the computer in a purple-striped Michael Kors shirt. I dressed up on set so as not to be confused for being a PA. It worked out really well.
*****EDIT**** - KUDOS to Brewster Parsons - an amazing VFX house for their awesomeness + patience, director Gail Mancuso - who ended up not killing me in the end, Rob Newman - for making the decision to fly me to NYC, Mindshare Entertainment - the creators (y’all owe me a bottle of Ambien), TWC - my prod co for believing in me and being cool about me sleeping in my office.
Extra special thanks to Saara and Hannah who helped in providing the scratch VO’s in the beginning and going out of their way to do so.
My iPhone went psycho on me and posted the birthday cookie cake pic like a million times without my knowledge.
Worry not, I’m gonna punish my iPhone by dangling it above a toilet.
