Holy Fuck? God, Yes!
Film Fests Are a Beach
Some of this stuff originally ran on OC Weekly's staff blog, The Blotter. Nobody ever cares about the opening speeches at film festivals, but here's a synopsis for those who weren't there.Greg Schwenk, festival director (paraphrased): “Hundreds of people helped make this happen, and I shall thank each and every one of them by name …
The Reconquista Begins! (Book Edition)
The book version of ¡Ask a Mexican! officially hits stores mañana, but a quick look through the SanTana Barnes N Noble reveals it's already in stock. In anticipation of it, I've done mucho interviews in the past week–and it's only begun. Below is a quick run-down: San Antonio Current Rocky Mountain Chronicle Squeeze OC (yes, …
Daily Pilot Dimwit Disses Daniels
As the world continues to react to yesterday's LA Times column by sports god Mike Penner about his decision to become Christine Daniels, leave it to Orange County to dick (pardon the pun) with her courageous story. Daily Pilot publisher Tom Johnson used his column today to announce changes in the Times' Newport Beach-Costa Mesa …
Room Service
Initial media reports about April 22's improbable double killing at a ritzy Laguna Beach resort didn't mention who did the killing. Call me jaded, but that's odd. Always pause when journalists fail to provide answers to the basics: Who? What? When? Where? How? In this case, the Who? and the How? were missing or wrong. …
Orange County History Via KOCE
We love KOCE-TV Channel 50, watch it for television genius (and Orange County Business Journal editor) Rick Reiff's wonderful coif, the in-depth author interviews conducted by Maria Hall-Brown, and the Register-friendly worldview of Real Orange. So it pains us to discover that KOCE president Mel Rogers is apparently a doofus. In the latest issue of …
Questions about the Montage Resort Killings in Laguna
Initial media reports about Sunday's improbable double killing at a ritzy Laguna Beach resort didn't mention who did the killing. Call me jaded, but that's odd. Always pause when journalists fail to provide answers to the basics: Who? What? When? Where? How? In this case, the Who? and the How? were missing or wrong. Oops. …
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Curb Your Cynicism, Pt. 2
In which the music editor pithily enthuses about new releases and reissues he thinks will enhance your life and erode your cynicism about the state of music, circa now. Black Moth Super Rainbow Dandelion Gum (Graveface; graveface.com) Release date: May 15, 2007 That band name; that album title; that CD cover. They all scream PSYCHEDELIC …
Shins-ing the Night Away: A Sounds Eclectic Evening
[photo by Marc Goldstein] Making a classic SoCal newcomer mistake, I only gave myself 45 minutes to drive from Costa Mesa to Universal City's Gibson Amphitheatre, where influential public radio station KCRW was holding its sixth annual Sounds Eclectic concert; this year proceeds go to help convert its vast music library into digital form. After …
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Journey From the Fallout Boy
Vincent Nguyen just emailed a comment to us from the director of Journey From the Fall, regarding Scott Foundas' review of the film. Director Ham Tran basically touches on the same points everyone else offended by the review did. Tran's comments are here. Our whole online package on the uproar is here.
Don Bolles in Trouble with the Law
We just received word that legendary punk-rock drummer Don Bolles (Germs, 45 Grave, Kitten Sparkles) has been taken into custody by Newport Beach police for possession of a bottle of Dr. Bronner's soap, which contains hemp seed oil, a substance whose very presence can lead to social anarchy and extremely hygienic human beings. This bulletin …
European Imports of Import
The mighty Forced Exposure distribution company is America's lifeline to the fertile global electronic-music underground—as well as many other arcane sonic delicacies. Whenever a package from FE arrives, I can be assured a bounty of excellent sounds from the planet's most forward-thinking sound sorcerers. Below is a survey of releases from the most recent batch …