Cute of the Week – endangered edition

I’m currently reading “No Turning Back: the Life and Death of Animal Species” by Richard Ellis. Needless to say, it’s a little depressing. But I have learned of many animals on the brink of oblivion who need our help.

 

This fluffy green guy is a kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), the world’s largest parrot. Kakapos are native to New Zealand, where they were once numerous. Thanks to habitat destruction and the introduction of non-native predators, kakapos now reside on just a handful of small islands.

It’s a parrot that looks like an owl, or a giant budgie. It cannot fly, although it has large wings. It walks and jumps and is an excellent climber. It is nocturnal and can be found feeding on the ground or 20m up a rimu tree. It “skraarks” loudly like other parrots but you might mistake other calls for a braying donkey, a grunting or squealing pig, a booming bittern; and it also produces a nasal metallic noise called “chinging”. A feature most people notice, is that the males in particular, have a distinctive musty odour.

Unlike most birds kakapos do not breed every season, but only when food is particularly plentiful. This has contributed to their decline. Today, conservationists make sure that the birds have plenty of food to encourage breeding.  They are very long lived; many individuals have been studied for decades and are believed to be in their sixties.

Today the kakapo population is 90 birds.

The kakapo recently beat the iconic kiwi, being voting New Zealanders’ favorite bird.

Go make a donation – kakaporecovery.org.nz

Donate, mofos! $$$$$!

kakaporecovery.org.nz

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, the Rolling Stones, “It’s Only Rock’N'Roll”, 1974

A rare 1974 television appearance. Notice Mick rocking the one glove looks at a time when Michael Jackson was still in short pants. Although you may also notice that at some moments Mick wears no glove at all, ergo, this is actually two shows spliced together. Also, love the adorable gay ringmaster outfit. Mick, you’re the hottest.

On June 10 2007 (my birfday) two generations of drug fiends came together at the Isle of Wight Festival. Amy Winehouse joined the Rolling Stones onstage for a cover of the Temptations’ ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’. It was truly a historical moment. Can you begin to imagine what went on backstage that day? Although Wino does appear to be in pretty good condition here; this was before she descended into the depths of crack hell where she resides now.

Here’s a 1966 clip of the Temptations. Check out David Ruffin’s awesome geektastic glasses action!

If you have to wonder, yes I will usually choose the skinny white boys cover of a Motown classic over the original. Not that I don’t like Motown. It’s just not my area of expertise. I’m here to tell you about certain pasty British people, that’s all.

Ain’t That So

Ain’t That So, Roxy Music, “Manifesto” 1979

 

 

You may have noticed that I posted a lot more pictures than usual. You’re welcome.

We’ve hit somewhat of an area of obsession for me. Roxy Music occupies an area of passionate feeling that few other bands come even close to. Bryan Ferry is a huge, huge crush of mine, right below David Bowie. My God he’s sexy. I would say probably even sexier that Bowie, because Bowie is not human and only partially sane. Ferry is really an ideal man (not the ideal, an ideal); someone sophisticated, with great hair, who can really wear a tux like he means it, who has great taste, is romantic, romantic, maybe secretly a bit kinky, a little mopey in a Byronic way, poetic, stylish, classy, the kind of man who pines for unattainable women, very romantic but also kind of predatory, a romantic womanizer, drinks martinis and good wine, smokes cigars, frankly I don’t think men like that exist and if they do they’re probably scoundrels. And I know this is an image, and illusion. Bryan Ferry is just a working class bloke from County Durham whose father was a farmer (and whose son is a gamekeeper). That’s fine. I think he’s hot, hence ten million pictures.

Ain’t No Cure For Love

“It’s written in the Scriptures, It’s written there in blood”

Uncle Len is our favorite Canadian.

This song is from the 1988 album “I’m Your Man”. The album was a relative success and featured the hit title song. As in all of his work, the themes of love, pain, desire and spirituality combined with a darkly humorous view of modern life. ‘Ain’t No Cure For Love’ is a straight-up love song, very romantic with religious overtones. The truimph of Cohen’s poetry is his ability to equate sexuality with spirituality,  bodily desire heavenly and religious yearning sexy.

Cohen first found success in the sixties, when the likes of Judy Collins began covering his songs. He was by this time already a published poet and author. He is a decade older than the folk-rock contemporaries who first brought his work to public attention. He’s now in his seventies. To me, there’s always been a disappointing disequilibrium between the mental images associated with Cohen’s songs and the man himself. His lyrics and his voice are incredibly sexy. But he’s an ugly old Jew. Very disappointing. Oh, and his novels are unreadable. Just read the poems and listen to the songs.

Ain’t No Cure For Love

(L. Cohen)

I loved you for a long, long time
I know this love is real
It don’t matter how it all went wrong
That don’t change the way I feel
And I can’t believe that time’s
Gonna heal this wound I’m speaking of
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure for love
I’m aching for you baby
I can’t pretend I’m not
I need to see you naked
In your body and your thought
I’ve got you like a habit
And I’ll never get enough
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure for love

There ain’t no cure for love
There ain’t no cure for love
All the rocket ships are climbing through the sky
The holy books are open wide
The doctors working day and night
But they’ll never ever find that cure for love
There ain’t no drink no drug
(Ah tell them, angels)
There’s nothing pure enough to be a cure for love

I see you in the subway and I see you on the bus
I see you lying down with me, I see you waking up
I see your hand, I see your hair
Your bracelets and your brush
And I call to you, I call to you
But I don’t call soft enough
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure for love

I walked into this empty church I had no place else to go
When the sweetest voice I ever heard, whispered to my soul
I don’t need to be forgiven for loving you so much
It’s written in the scriptures
It’s written there in blood
I even heard the angels declare it from above
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure,
There ain’t no cure for love

There ain’t no cure for love
There ain’t no cure for love
All the rocket ships are climbing through the sky
The holy books are open wide
The doctors working day and night
But they’ll never ever find that cure,
That cure for love

 

Ain’t Got No

This is a song from one of my all-time ultimate favorite movies ever! ‘Hair’ is the 1979 adaptation of the 1968 American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. The original Broadway play was written by Galt McDermot, Gerome Ragni and James Rado, and was revolutionary and influencial for its use of rock music, countercultural themes, drug use, interracial relationships, nudity, anti-Vietnam War sentiments, and semi-linear structure. The play was reivived earlier this year and played in Central Park. The movie was directed by Milos Forman and choreographed by Twyla Tharp. The plot was streamlined and the ending is different, some lyrical changes were made, but message and attitudes are intact. The cast includes John Savage and Treat Williams.

In this short song, the hippies are celebrating all the things they don’t have. Complete with Spanish subtitles!

The original Broadway cast recording is available, but I prefer the movie soundtrack. This is mostly my personal preference, as both version are good and quite similar. I do think the movie songs feature better production value and less hysterical sounding vocals. The main reason I prefer to hear the movie versions is because I associate them with the characters in the movie and they have more resonance for me.

For me, the movie is very, very moving. It’s one of few movies that almost make me want to cry. (I have never actually cried over a movie) It’s also one of the great, great fashion movies. The hippie costumes are far-out fantastic! This is one of those movies that make me want to dress up and dance.

I wish I could find more pictures. Well, just watch the damn movie.

Oh, and have a boozalicious Tanxgivin’ !

Agolo

‘Agolo’ by Angelique Kidjo from “Aye” 1994.

Really neat video, I wish it was better quality. Everything on YouTube looks like crap, even if it’s official from the record label. It’s like a rule or something “make it look crappy”.

Anyway, enjoy this fun party song.

Creepy!

Is there more where this came from? It’s, like, addictively gross and disturbing. Sweet dreams!

Viva La Vida

This is NOT my song of the day today!

This is what scientisits like to call a ‘guilty pleasure’.

 

The first time I heard this song I thought it was kind of boring and derivative. But then I wanted to hear it again. I still think it’s derivative, of what I can’t tell. But now I like it. Must be that patented Eno magic.  This does not mean that Coldplay is suddenly in any way cool. (omg probably you’ll see me go out and buy all their albums – just kidding). Chris Martin is the pussiest rock star ever, but at least he doesn’t pretend to be anything but.

After the Goldrush

‘After the Goldrush’ by Neil Young. This is the title track from Young’s third solo album, released in 1970.

I like the video, with its appropriately poetic images of ‘burned out basements’. Very befitting the mood.

Iron Giant

I missed this one when it came out in 1999. I mean missed out. This in one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. It has beautiful old fashioned 2-D animation, not that cgi stuff. It’s directed by Brad Bird, who went on to cgi hits like ‘The Incredibles’. It’s based on a story by the late poet laureate Ted Hughes. It wasn’t a big hit in theatres, but gained a cult following on dvd. I can see how it’s not really blockbuster stuff. It’s sad and not at all silly.

The story is, a huge robot crash lands from outer space (in 1957), and befriends a lonely boy named Hogarth. Before long, the government comes gunning for the giant and Hogarth must protect him. The context, of course is Cold War paranoia. However, it’s equally relevant to our own times and the ignorant, gun-happy ways of our leadership lately. Ted Hughes was never the cheeriest guy (even before his wives cooked themselves) so the tone is somber throughout, with very little in the way of comic relief. Again, the hand drawn animation is stunning. The childlike giant is deeply expressive, and his bond with the boy is touching without being sappy. I applaud the filmmakers for not including sap-sucking ‘inspirational’ songs or trying to shoehorn a big preachy lesson where it doesn’t belong and just let the story speak for itself. One thing I’ve come to hate about Disney movies (“Iron Giant” is from Warner Bros) is that they can’t just let things be. All children’s movies are essentially lessons in friendship, family, love, courage and growing up (children’s books too). I just hate how in Disney movies somebody always has to sit there and say dumb shit like “I guess I learned a lesson today” or “Friends are the most important thing” or “It’s who you are inside that counts” while drippy violins play in the background and everybody has big goo-goo eyes. Um, kids can figure it out for themselves, you don’t have to spell it out in big capital letters, or sing about it. No such grossness here, though. No singing, talking animals, or meta inside jokes, or any jokes at all actually. Just sweet.