The History of Brad Pitt's Hair: A New Wave Playlist

February 1, 2013, 1:29 pm

≫ Next: The Best, Worst and Weirdest of the Week

≪ Previous: The Allure of Donna's Scarlet Fever

$

0

0

In this weekly column, MC/DJ Hesta Prynn pairs pop culture stories with an original playlist.

Once upon a time -- before Channing Tatum danced to "Pony" and Ryan Gosling uttered "Hey Girl" -- we had but one heartthrob, and his name was Brad Pitt. First dreamy (Thelma & Louise), routinely sexy (Fight Club) sometimes arty (Twelve Monkeys), often overexposed (Brangelina) and occasionally insane (those Chanel No. 5 ads), his relevance fluctuated as much as his hair. In anticipation of the Super Bowl trailer for his new movie, World War Z, this week's Five 'n' Five takes a New Wave sonic journey through the many looks of Brad Pitt.

1. 1990: Tears for Fears, "Head Over Heels"

Hey girl, I'm the hottest guy ever.

2. 1993: Roxy Music, "More Than This"

It is safe to say that Brad Pitt stole the entire film True Romance as the super-stoner roommate Floyd. He would take hits from the bong while Soundgarden played in the background -- cut to every female born in the '80s swooning. This photo was taken at the film's premiere. More than this? No, there's nothing.

3. 2002: OMD, "If You Leave"

Fight Club, Se7en, Twelve Monkeys - there were so many amazing movies (and hairdos) in the years that immediately preceded this devastating departure from taste. Looking back at the 'mountain man' look BP was sporting from '02-'03, it is clear that something was not right in paradise. Perhaps this was a cry for help?

4. 2005: Bananarama, "Cruel Summer"

Proving that there is such a thing as too blond, Brad wore this buzzed do (its technical name is "Cheater Hair") to the premiere of Mr and Mrs Smith. Over the sound of thousands of brokenhearted Friends fans cursing his name, Jennifer Aniston called him out in Vanity Fair for looking like a tool. Well played.






5. 2013: The Cure, "Pictures of You"

Pitt finally emerges for the fated Chanel ad, the World War Z promo machine begins - and lo and behold! The long hair is back! The insane facial hair is gone! Suddenly Brad Pitt is both hot and relevant again and all is right with the world. Perhaps this track speaks not just to the fact that we read columns about Brad Pitt's hairdos, but to our obsession with celebrities and tabloid culture on a meta level: "I've been looking so long at these pictures of you that I almost believe that they're real."

---

The Best, Worst and Weirdest of the Week

February 1, 2013, 2:30 pm

≫ Next: GIFs of the Week: R.I.P. 30 Rock

≪ Previous: The History of Brad Pitt's Hair: A New Wave Playlist

$

0

0

Best Budweiser Commercial That Made Us Cryyyyyyyy: See above. God dammit, Budweiser! -- Elizabeth Thompson

Biggest Musical Losses of the Week: Ohio Players singer/guitarist Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, jazz-funk guitarist Jef Lee Johnson and avant-jazz conductor Butch Morris. So glad I got to see Johnson play in Brooklyn this December. -- Jonah Wolf

Best Surprisingly Good Read: The Love Song of Johnny Valentine. The narrator of the novel is basically Justin Bieber, yet the whole thing is very insightful. -- Max Kessler

Best Quote We Heard All Week: "Hmmm, little Taylor Swift. I would keep her well-fed in a room away from her guitar and most importantly away from boys," Alan Cumming, when asked what celebrity he'd like to adopt. -- Abby Schreiber  


Best Wig EVER: Al Pacino wearing a poodle's ass on his head as Phil Spector in the new Spector HBO movie. -- E.T.

Best Envy-Inducing Story About Rich Russians Who Order 20 Couture Outfits at Once Because They Can: Cathy Horyn's post about how well Dior is selling under Raf Simons thanks to the globalization of couture. -- M.K.

Best Song We Can't Stop Listening To: Yadi's "The Blow" -- E.T.

Craziest R&B/Hip-Hop-Related News We Heard All Week: R. Kelly will be headlining Pitchfork Music Festival this summer. Let's hope his set consists entirely of all 33 "Trapped In the Closet" chapters. -- A.S.

Worst Idea of the Week: Nominating Chuck Hagel in the first place. -- E.T.

GIFs of the Week: R.I.P. 30 Rock

February 2, 2013, 11:07 am

≫ Next: MATTE's Black Ft. Matthew Dear and The Virgins

≪ Previous: The Best, Worst and Weirdest of the Week

$

0

0

Welcome to GIFs of the week. Please watch all GIFs in their entirety. [TheFrogman]

First, something totally unimportant: Kitten vs. Potato. [PleatedJeans]

OK. What happened this week. Well, 30 Rock ended. [JennaMaroney]

Lebron James freaked out at the White House. [@MichaelHayes]

This little dude got down at a Pacers game. [Buzzfeed]

Alicia Keys was named Creative Director of Blackberry for some strange reason. Guh this week was kind of stupid, right? [BobbyFinger]

Ahh, real news. Gabby Giffords addressed Congress for the first time in two years. I like this hug. [@MichaelHayes]

Patrick Stewart. GIF Human.[regalkinghiddles]

Side Note: I should be killed for promoting this GIF. [RealityTVGIFS]

MATTE's Black Ft. Matthew Dear and The Virgins

February 1, 2013, 1:30 pm

≫ Next: Beyonce Is the Light, the Truth and the Way

≪ Previous: GIFs of the Week: R.I.P. 30 Rock

$

0

0

New York City MATTE, are hosting a big event called "BLACK" -- "the color that defines New York" -- on Thursday, February 21st at Capitale (130 Bowery) with live performances by Mathew Dear and The Virgins, plus DJ sets from The Rapture's Vito & Druzzi and Jim-E Stack. They're also planning big art installations by Charlie Nesi, Young & Sick and Trevor Owsley. You can buy $30 pre-sale tickets HERE -- while they last -- and then the price goes up to $40. New York-based artist/producer/remixer Mathew Dear's fourth full-length album, BEAMS, is out now. The Virgins' new album, Strike Gently, comes out on March 12.

Beyonce Is the Light, the Truth and the Way

February 4, 2013, 5:00 am

≫ Next: L.A. Chef Sang Yoon Goes For Pig's Blood Soup At Ruen Pair

≪ Previous: MATTE's Black Ft. Matthew Dear and The Virgins

$

0

0

All hail Queen Bey.  [ImWithKanye]


Last night, we were all Shaq passionately lip-syncing "Halo" at the Superbowl.
 
She had a baby. Like not that long ago. [EatlikeTheresNoEnd]

Beyonce flashed the Illuminati symbol because she is a beautiful, beautiful Freemason..

One more Beyonce GIF.  [MichaelHayes]

The culprit behind the Superbowl power outage? Latavia. [BobbyFinger]

And the award for the cookie with the most on-top-of-it social media team goes to Oreo, who posted this during the Superbowl blackout last night. Damn. [AfternoonSnoozeButton]

Saddest GIF of the Superbowl. [MichaelHayes]

And moving on.....

Tortilla chips of death. [ClearlyDope]

No thank you. [Megret]

Next time you have to start an email with a "sorry for my delayed response, I've been so busy with..." sentence, just attach this image instead. [CampBasement]

Papermag viewing party? [Mlkshk]

Sweater of our dreams. [ThisIsntHappiness]


Us too! [TuffStuff]

Oh no, a deer getting tender face pets! [LaughterKey]

L.A. Chef Sang Yoon Goes For Pig's Blood Soup At Ruen Pair

February 4, 2013, 8:15 am

≫ Next: Girls Recap: A Tale of Two Dinners

≪ Previous: Beyonce Is the Light, the Truth and the Way

$

0

0

Each week in our new Off Duty series, we'll talk to some of our favorite chefs and industry folk around the country to find out their secret late-night spots where they like to grab a bite and a pint when their kitchens are finally closed. Next up: Sang Yoon, the chef behind L.A.'s Father's Office (and its world-famous burger), avant Asian bistro Lukshon and the forthcoming Helms Bakery, a project that sees the chef partnering with Sherry Yard (pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck) to re-open the classic L.A. institution that closed in the late 60s and turn it into a "bakery/cafe rooted in the old Americana," Yoon tells us. Read on for his late-night picks. 

Where's your favorite place to go in L.A. for a late-night bite after you leave the kitchen?
The thing about L.A., especially the West Side of L.A., is that it's not really known as a late-night town. But luckily, we have an amazing Koreatown and Thaitown so between the two -- which are in the middle of the city -- you have a lot of late-night options. In the Thai neighborhood there's a place called Ruen Pair. It's very popular amongst the Thai population -- it's quite authentic. [It's also] a favorite among chefs. I know several guys who end up over there and I think they're open til at least 3 or 4 in the morning.

What are their specialties?
They do a lot of the Northern Thai raw beef preparations and raw seafood preparations. The preparation on the raw beef, for instance, is pretty classic. Lot of fish sauce, lot of chili and lot of lime. It doesn't come with anything -- almost everything there comes with cabbage. You can order rice. They also have a really good crab fried rice that's pretty popular.

What's your favorite thing to order there?
They have a couple of noodle dishes that are pretty awesome that involve curdled pig blood -- a pig's blood soup that has little gelatinous cubes of pig's blood floating around in the sour-spicy soup. I don't know the official Thai name -- I couldn't say it and do it justice. Most everyone orders by number there. I know where it is on the menu so I just point [due to] the language barrier.

How did you first discover it?
Some chef friends told me about it. Some Thai chefs, actually. It's very Thai-heavy and when you see chefs, it's generally after midnight.

Any fun memories you can share?
There's plenty of funny things that happen but nothing or no one I can talk about.  A lot of these places -- though not Ruen Pair -- aren't licensed to serve alcohol. On occasion, some of us chefs have been known to bring our own, which leads to funny things happening. There's one place we used to go where they would let us drink there but we'd have to bring some for them. I don't think that was an official policy but they just said, "Bring us some and we won't say anything."

Ruen Pair, 5257 Hollywood Blvd., L.A.; Mon-Sat, 11am-3am

More From Our Off Duty Series

Girls Recap: A Tale of Two Dinners

February 4, 2013, 9:00 am

≫ Next: "You Said You Knew Elton John, and That Was a Lie"

≪ Previous: L.A. Chef Sang Yoon Goes For Pig's Blood Soup At Ruen Pair

$

0

0

Episode 4 of the second season of Girls revolves around one major theme: mistakes. The characters, tortured by the consequences of their poor judgement, struggle to determine where they stand with each other and, even more importantly, with themselves. There are moments when their lack of self-assuredness feels a bit overblown (if you wanted to scream at Marnie to stop whining, you weren't alone) but for the most part, the vulnerability is fun to watch.

The episode is centered around two dinner parties, neither of which go well. On one side of town, Hannah hosts dinner at her place after kicking Elijah out (please, oh please, let this not be the end of his character) to celebrate JazzHate publishing her first story. Charlie and Audrey show up first and seem, for all intents and purposes, happy. But when Marnie arrives, things get awkward fast. Hannah admits she's surprised Marnie would come given their recent fight, but refuses to let either party leave. I mean, she's making organic pad thai. Cue the bitchy small talk:

Audrey: So what are you up to Marnie, I heard you were looking for a job?
Marnie: Oh, no actually I've been hosting at the Wedgebrook Club.
Audrey: Oh so you're hosting like a slam poetry night or like an open-mic night type thing?
Marnie: I'm a hostess.
Audrey: Oh, so when people come to the restaurant, you like show them where their table is. Got it.

Ray and Shoshanna arrive, which cools the air for a brief moment, but things get ugly over dinner. Audrey confronts Marnie about why she insists on being around all the time and calls her a "Stepford psycho." It comes out that she knows Marnie showed up at Charlie's apartment asking to sleep in his bed, but Marnie is too selfish to feel bad ("Well he fucking let me in"). Finally, Audrey asks Hannah to pick which one of them should leave but Hannah nervously deflects to Charlie, sending Marnie to the roof in a hissy fit. Charlie follows, of course, because he's the same sucker he was in season one.

The scene that follows made me want to throw up -- not because it wasn't believable, but because Marnie and Charlie might be the two most desperate characters on this earth. First, Charlie tells Marnie that Audrey is only combative because she's threatened by what they had. Then Marnie, scrounging for compliments, whines about how there's no way Audrey could be intimidated by her because she's a hostess and has no direction and wah, wah, wah. (This is the same girl that smugly bragged about how she liked being around "ambitious" people.) Unsurprisingly, Charlie falls for it. Showering her with sappy compliments, he leans in to kiss her only to have her confess that she's been dating Booth Jonathan, breaking Charlie's heart all over again. This was, of course, her plan all along.

Downstairs, it comes out that Ray has been temporarily living with Shoshanna, and Shoshanna hasn't even really noticed. She's upset, but her reasoning is sort of adorable: "I would just like to have been informed of that fact so that I could have, you know, bought some new sheets or called my aunt for advice about what it's like to live with someone for the first time!" At the subway, Shoshanna admits she's disappointed in Ray, telling him he should have more passions and interests. The fact is, Shoshanna tends to view life like a Nora Ephron movie (or another girly NYC series we once knew). In her eyes, there are strict rules for engagement and high expectations. Ray is no Mr. Big: he's 33 and living out of his car. But strangely, she loves him anyway. And he loves her, too. And they both say it. And Girls viewers everywhere squeal because frankly, it's cute, but also it's nice to see one couple on this show legitimately care about one another instead of just wallowing in self-reflection. All hail Ray and Shoshanna.

Meanwhile, Jessa and Thomas-John have dinner with Thomas-John's parents. Off the bat, you know this is going to be good. It's the first time Jessa is meeting them and, well, what follows is gruesome. They begin by discussing Jessa's travels, but her in-laws not-so-subtly pry to find out why there hasn't been any mention of her career. Thomas-John explains that she's an artist and will probably end up in graphic design, but one look at Jessa tells you they've never had that conversation. In fact, you get the sense that everyone (Thomas included) is embarrassed by Jessa's lack of ambition, which, in turn, makes her peeved.

My guess would be that Jessa is used to people fawning over her free-spiritedness because until now, it's been somewhat enviable. But at 25, it's become embarrassing. Spitefully, she cranks up her already heedless personality to drive home the fact that that she doesn't give a shit what people think about her. (Yes, Jessa, you're wearing head-to-toe mesh, we get it.) Taking every opportunity to get under their white bread skin, she casually reveals that she went to rehab for heroin and that she doesn't believe in God. The look in her mother-in-law's judgmental eyes is priceless.

When Thomas-John and Jessa get back to their apartment, the break-up scene (or I guess, divorce scene) I've been waiting for finally arrives. Jessa tries to defend her frivolous lifestyle and calls him out on being boring. Thomas-John rises to the occasion and points out that she isn't so disgusted when she's spending his money (and that, yes, money is clearly a factor). But in Jessa's world, money is only something dirtbags and squares discuss, so she lets him have it. "I'm embarrassed when we walk down the street because you're so fucking average," she tells him. "I tell my friends you were a test tube baby just so you have a little edge."

It's a nasty scene, but we saw this coming. Thomas-John is freakishly insecure (evidenced by the fact that he likes hookers "because they respect me" -- um, gross) and Jessa can barely commit to wearing underwear, let alone being married. This match was doomed from the start. However, I'd argue that it happened for a reason. Underneath Jessa's cool exterior, there's a panic ensuing. She has no career, few talents, little work ethic, un-invested friends and a rocky home life, or so it sounds. Thomas-John may have been a wretched person, but at least he solved a few of her shortcomings. After this divorce, she'll be back at square one (and probably a few paces behind her more straight-laced friends) with only the $11,500 she scored from Thomas-John to lean on. Oh, how the mighty fall.

After the blow-up, Jessa returns to Hannah's in tears. They sit naked in the tub and Hannah can tell it's over with Thomas-John. She lets Jessa cry and watches as she blows her nose into the water. It is truly disgusting, as Hannah thankfully points out, but am I the only one who hasn't been sharing tubs with my friends? Whatever happened to eating Ben and Jerry's in pajamas? Finally, Jessa starts to crack up and we get the sense that she'll rebound from this eventually. Is Laird still around? Something tells me they're operating on the same wavelength.

A preemptive note for episode 5: Now that Elijah's out of the picture, it would be nauseatingly convenient if Jessa moved in with Hannah. Should this happen, everyone who has ever had to list a room on Craigslist should protest because that is too good to be true.

"You Said You Knew Elton John, and That Was a Lie"

February 4, 2013, 9:00 am

≫ Next: Adam Levine's Perfume Bottles Aren't Shaped Like His Torso, Regrettably

≪ Previous: Girls Recap: A Tale of Two Dinners

$

0

0

Twins delivered in different decades -- Amelia on December 31, 1989 and Pat on January 1, 1990 -- London's bentcousin deal in deadpan bubblegum phrasings that might remind you of the Moldy Peaches or Orange Juice. Take a listen to the duet "I Quit You," on which the Innit siblings take turns dissing a former lover over sticky gobs of "la la las." As Amelia teaches, "You said my eyes were average. You talked about your ex in bed. You started taking me for a fool, and that's not cool."

bentcousin's Everybody's Got One is out February 19 on Team Love Records.

---

Adam Levine's Perfume Bottles Aren't Shaped Like His Torso, Regrettably

February 4, 2013, 9:19 am

≫ Next: Lights Lights Baby: Vanilla Ice's New Lighting Line

≪ Previous: "You Said You Knew Elton John, and That Was a Lie"

$

0

0

Adam Levine -- who, if you recall, tweeted in 2011 "I also would like to put an official ban on celebrity fragrances. Punishable by death from this point forward." -- officially has his own fragrances for men and women. We know that he would probably be sued by Jean Paul Gaultier if the bottles were modeled after his own torso, but why oh why couldn't they be modeled after his torso?? [via Fashionista]


Here's a sketch of Beyoncé's Superbowl outfit by Ruben Singer. He also reaffirmed that the Knowles are "so respectful, it's almost painful."




And if you needed more Bey looking fashion-ey in your life, check out this amaaazing video for her UK tour directed by Jonas Akerlund. [via Selectism]
  

Patrick Li -- the new creative director of T magazine under Deborah Needleman -- described the new T as being like "Azzedine Alaïa. It's super-restrained, but there's something very directional about it, in a very subtle way, I guess. Or not so subtle sometimes." The new issue comes out on the 17th and with a description like that, we can't wait to see it.  [via The Cut]


This morning, WWD tweeted: "John Galliano attends a Paris court hearing into his suit against former employer Christian Dior Couture." So far there haven't been many details released about the case, but there have been rumors that Galliano is suing Dior for almost $19 million. [via Fashionista] 

For all of those who covet Oscar de la Renta but can't afford it: ODLR is doing a capsule collection for The Outnet. The clothes in the collection feature the same patterns, fabrics and manufacturing techniques as the main line, but cost between $325 and $1295. [via fashionologie]




We love a good bag inspired by food, and this Charlotte Olympia croissant bag is no exception. [via High Snobette]


On the even less expensive end of things, we're lovin' this Maison Martin Margiela-inspired cap by 40 oz. NYC.

Lights Lights Baby: Vanilla Ice's New Lighting Line

February 4, 2013, 9:25 am

≫ Next: Flying CGI Dolphins and Bears in E4RTH's "Goo Get It"

≪ Previous: Adam Levine's Perfume Bottles Aren't Shaped Like His Torso, Regrettably

$

0

0

Stop, collaborate and listen, Ice is back with a brand new ....collection of chandeliers and wall lamps in collaboration with New Jersey-based company Capitol Lighting. Whaa? According to Dezeen, Vanilla (née Rob Van Winkle) debuted his collection of  two wall lamps and a chandelier (available in polished nickel and vintage brass finishes) at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show last month. We need to start hanging out at more Fort Lauderdale boat shows! (Just kidding, no one ever needs to go to a Fort Lauderdale boat show.) Prices range from $250 to a cool $1400.

Here's a commercial featuring Ice plugging Capitol Lighting and reminding us that, when decorating, "if the lighting isn't right, the whole room can just look blah." True story.



Another video featuring Vanilla Ice's chandelier, which was apparently inspired by a  Swarovski crystal necktie:
 

Flying CGI Dolphins and Bears in E4RTH's "Goo Get It"

February 4, 2013, 2:15 pm

≫ Next: Surf Legend Herbie Fletcher Turns Wreckage Into Art

≪ Previous: Lights Lights Baby: Vanilla Ice's New Lighting Line

$

0

0

The latest video from E4RTH (a.k.a. Alan Astor, also of PUNCHES) was made low-budget with open-source software and freely available 3D models. It looks like something out of a '90s Playstation game, or maybe the CGI scene in Holy Motors. You can read the full treatment here. "Goo Get It" leads off E4RTH's new mix G4ME OF L1FE, which is full of life-affirming Eurodisco synth washes and huge-sounding trap beats.

G4ME OF L1FE by E4rth on Mixcloud

Surf Legend Herbie Fletcher Turns Wreckage Into Art

February 4, 2013, 2:30 pm

≫ Next: Bush Tetras Span Time at the Echo

≪ Previous: Flying CGI Dolphins and Bears in E4RTH's "Goo Get It"

$

0

0

Herbie Fletcher, Pipeline Wrecktangle XI, 2012

Artist and surf maestro Herbie Fletcher is bringing six pieces from his Wrecktangle series to The Hole for a new exhibit opening this Saturday, February 9. Featuring "wave-munched fragments of broken boards," each of Fletcher's pieces blend geometry with destruction, technology with logos. The broken boards -- many of which include stickers and decals from various brands and surf competitions -- merge together to form pinwheel shapes, creating beauty and precision from the wreckage. Check out a few of Fletcher's designs above and below. 

Herbie Fletcher, Pipeline Wrecktangle XII, 2012

Herbie Fletcher, Pipeline Wrecktangle XIII, 2012

Wrecktangles runs from February 9-February 28

Bush Tetras Span Time at the Echo

February 4, 2013, 2:45 pm

≫ Next: Internet, Meet Your Latest Local News Interview Hero

≪ Previous: Surf Legend Herbie Fletcher Turns Wreckage Into Art

$

0

0

Led by singer/provacateur Cynthia Sley and guitarist Pat Place, Bush Tetras rose to prominence in early-'80s New York alongside Liquid Liquid and other punk-funk outfits. Deprived of late original bassist Laura Kennedy, the group returned to the West Coast for the first time since 1981 last night. (Even that, Part Time Punks promoter/DJ Michael Stock explained, was only after five years of begging emails.) Ostensibly, the gig was part of a promo ramp-up to celebrate the proper release of their grunge-era Happy! LP, shelved for 15 years by their major label. The band is also riding a sizable ripple of dancefloor popularity following a superb "East Village" remix of their churning "Snakes Crawl" by Irish DJ Phil Kieran, which is now a staple of sets by techno-OG Laurent Garnier and nu-disco nu-jack Filrouge.

Sley and Place indulged cowbell, maracas and glockenspiel on noisy-disjointed funk songs that showed the sizable crowd -- which included Vincent Gallo in a patched tweed sportcoat and John Frusciante in an argyle v-neck; what is it about LA winters that makes people dress like Oberlin professors? -- that their sound is about "spanning time." The only obvious concession to the band's history was the closing "Too Many Creeps," the closest the BTs had to a hit back in the day, a good half-decade before most of the Echo audience was born. Any nostalgic afterglow was immediately stubbed out by their encore, a raw-powered version of John Lennon's "Cold Turkey," and the most timeless curveball of the night. Bravo, welcome back, and hopefully LA won't have to wait, as drummer Dee Pop joked, until 2027 for the next gig. (New York, on the other hand, gets two chances when the band plays the Slipper Room March 29 and 30.)

Internet, Meet Your Latest Local News Interview Hero

February 5, 2013, 6:30 am

≫ Next: HBO's "Phil Spector:" So Many Wigs

≪ Previous: Bush Tetras Span Time at the Echo

$

0

0

Internet, meet the latest addition to the Local News Interviews With a Well-Meaning But Insane Person Hall of Fame: Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker. In the video above, you'll hear about how Kai unwittingly became the passenger of a batshit crazy dude who thought he was Jesus and pinned a construction worker between his car and a truck before trying to attack a woman. Fortunately for everyone, Kai happened to have a hatchet and began beating up the attacker. "Smash, smash, SM-UH-ASH!" [via Uproxx]

We would totally subscribe to Geek's Quarterly. [via Tall Whitney]

Love this shot of Keith Haring reading a book in the street. [via Pizzza Time; Photo by Larry Ashton]

Feminist Valentines. [via Rats Off]

Attention everyone: David Lynch has an important announcement to make. [via Rrrick]

Buzzfeed has a fun round-up of dating sites you didn't know existed. One of our faves? "Cupidtino" for Apple super fans.

Are they still casting? [via Im With Kanye]

The Ninja does not mess around. [via Knusprig Titten Hitler]

Lil B released a mixtape on the night of the Super Bowl and his album art is just .... wow. Freud would have a field day with it. [via The Fader]

Watch Russell Brand (and Jimmy Fallon as Russell Brand) read Star Magazine. "Jessica Chastain looks Zero Dark Flirty." [via Jimmy Fallon]

HBO's "Phil Spector:" So Many Wigs

February 5, 2013, 7:10 am

≫ Next: Swim Deep Go to the Mall

≪ Previous: Internet, Meet Your Latest Local News Interview Hero

$

0

0

The wig industry is having a banner year thanks to HBO's upcoming Liberace and Phil Spector biopics. Here's the trailer for the latter, starring Al Pacino as the deeply disturbed originator of "the Wall of Sound" who had the anger of a gorilla on crystal meth and the hair of an elegant standard poodle. Spector is currently in prison for fatally shooting actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. Phil Spector is out March 24th.

---

Swim Deep Go to the Mall

February 5, 2013, 8:15 am

≫ Next: André Leon Talley May Get His Own Talk Show

≪ Previous: HBO's "Phil Spector:" So Many Wigs

$

0

0

From Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" to the New Radicals' "You Get What You Give" and now to Swim Deep's "The Sea" -- there's a history of mid-tempo feel-good rock songs with music videos set in malls. The cast of "The Sea" includes a breakdancing troupe and a karate instructor in addition to the long-haired flannel-clad quartet and their face-painted fans.

André Leon Talley May Get His Own Talk Show

February 5, 2013, 9:05 am

≫ Next: Riff Raff Talks About Inspiring James Franco

≪ Previous: Swim Deep Go to the Mall

$

0

0

Everybody freak out: André Leon Talley is in talks to get his own late night talk show! [via Fashionista]


Idris Elba looks like the way we wish we felt right now on the cover of British GQ. Sigh. [via Fashionisto]


This is cool: Macy's is collaborating with Made -- a creative group that "connects and supports emerging talent," including designers, photographers and artists -- to make a line inspired by fashion industry influencers. Made is responsible for the staging of a bunch of downtown-y runway shows (Altuzarra, for example) during NYFW, so this is sure to be a fun collection. [via Fashionista] 


Gisele is the new face of Chanel's Les Beiges makeup collection. [via The Cut]


Karl Lagerfeld will be writing a column on discipline for the new WSJ. Given his track record, we can't wait to see what he has to say. [via Fashionista]





We liked the Commes des Garçons x Hermès scarf collab Comme des Carrés in color. But we love the Comme des Carrés collab in black and white. [via HypeBeast]

Meanwhile we're not sure whether we like or are creeped out by James Piatt's finger trap bags, which attach via -- you guessed it -- leather Chinese finger traps. [via Dezeen]

Riff Raff Talks About Inspiring James Franco

February 5, 2013, 11:00 am

≫ Next: Superchief Gallery Infiltrates the Lower East Side

≪ Previous: André Leon Talley May Get His Own Talk Show

$

0

0

We can't wait for Harmony Korine's awesomely demented new movie Spring Breakers to come out for many reasons but at the top of our list is the chance to see James Franco in corn rows. It's pretty obvious that Franco's character takes some major inspiration from rapper Riff Raff's "progressively flamboyant, yet tastefully disrespectful to the basic-minded haters" style and the rapper knows it, too. Riff Raff talked to Fuse about his opinions on Franco and we don't know what's the best part: the rapper thinking that you can get a "damn 100 on the SATS" or the fact that he spent what felt like 20 minutes talking about his "deep sea space 9 icy" jewelry. Everything's cool with him right now, but if he doesn't get his check eventually he's "calling the house." Harmony, you better pay up! We love you Riff Raff, never change.

Superchief Gallery Infiltrates the Lower East Side

February 5, 2013, 11:45 am

≫ Next: Beach House Head Outdoors For New Short Film

≪ Previous: Riff Raff Talks About Inspiring James Franco

$

0

0

"We don't really like boring art shows," says Superchief Magazine's 23-year-old co-editor William Dunleavy. He's explaining the ambition behind the 65-piece group show that inaugurated Superchief's year-long residency at Lower East Side bar/gallery Culturefix, where Dunleavy and his editorial and curatorial partner, Ed Zipco, 37, have resolved to host a new exhibition every week. He's also getting at the youthful energy behind their regular performances and parties (so many kids packed into their opening party last month that they reprised it, impromptu, three nights later) and the curatorial vision behind Superchief's shows. "We've been cultivating this art community amongst our friends for years," says Dunleavy, "so we kind of feel like we know everybody who's on our aesthetic." That aesthetic derives from the Bushwick punk scene and the international anarchist movement -- "You should just seize all the assets of public life and make something better, I guess" is how Dunleavy describes his philosophy -- and draws on tattoo art, DIY show flyers, underground comics and graffiti. From Zoo Lion's pornographic collages (link very NSFW) to Metro Zu's Day-Glo doodles, the work is occasionally grotesque, undeniably puerile and far removed from the froideur of so many new L.E.S. galleries.

The Superchief Gallery owes some of its distinctiveness to its setting, which isn't simply a gallery but a licensed bar. The business model -- based around selling drinks, not paintings -- allows for more stability than in Superchief's previous location in Williamsburg, which operated from May to December 2012 despite a skeptical landlord and inimical neighbors. "One time we had a show called 'Creepers,'" Zipco recalls of the space. "It was all about juvenile obscenity. So we had Mike Diana, who was the only American artist ever to be thrown in prison for his artwork. There was a performance artist nailing a nail into the head of his penis."

"We had that act in here," interrupts Culturefix owner Cole Schaffer, 27. "I wonder if it was the same guy."

"That's why I feel good about us being here: they've been through it," concludes Zipco. "They've been on the Lower East Side for two and a half years. You can't really shock them with some shit that would shock our landlords in the past."

A Florida native and Pratt-educated photographer, Zipco founded Chief magazine in 2006, then spun it off into Superchief with "photo bud" Dunleavy in 2009. (Zipco says the name was inspired by Mario Brothers: "When it's the second one, it's Super Mario.") Schaffer started Culturefix in 2010 with Ari Stern, a co-worker at Jeffrey Chodorow's China Grill. The four parties were brought together at the end of last year by Johnny Sagan, 32, an itinerant curator and promoter who works under the name Snowy Wilderness.

Plans for the year include a House of Ladosha retrospective to coincide with Fashion Week; a show of Heather Benjamin's gruesome cartoon porn; a book release party for badass documentary photographer Paul Kwiatkowski. There's also going to be a party to celebrate the end of their Kickstarter campaign and the thirty-day weed fast Zipco is taking to promote it. Says Zipco, "I would give you 50/50 odds that we have more than fifty-two shows in 2013." Whatever doesn't fit on the walls they plan to showcase on their website, which will also provide PR and host an online store of all the work shown over the year -- not to mention such recurring columns as "Smoke Weed to This." "We just like taking opinions on things and then having fun with it, sharing it with people," says Dunleavy.

Superchief Gallery is located at Culturefix, 9 Clinton Street. Tuesday-Thursday: 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday: 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday: 5 p.m.-1 a.m. House of Ladosha's "Whole House Eats" opens this Thursday, February 7 at 6 p.m.

Opening party photographs by Elliot Goldstein.

Beach House Head Outdoors For New Short Film

February 5, 2013, 11:45 am

≫ Next: The 50 Autocomplete States

≪ Previous: Superchief Gallery Infiltrates the Lower East Side

$

0

0

Ethereal, dream-pop group Beach House has created a beautiful short film with Pitchfork that has them performing in the wilds of Texas amongst deserted highways and horses from the early dawn and into the night.  The film, which is over 26 minutes long, is sort of ghostly and at times resembles scenes from David Lynch's "Lost Highway." But the darkness found in this lengthy music video is balanced out by Victoria LeGrand's softly soulful vocals on the four tracks played from the band's latest album, Bloom. The dark desert doesn't seem so spooky when Beach House is performing there, now does it?