Alaskan Iñupiat artists

Posted on March 22, 2012 by bigbadwolf_admin

Last weekend I returned from a wonderful week in rural Alaska. Friends of Alaska Native Arts Foundation as well as reporters from Alaska Dispatch let me tag along as they followed the coastal leg of Iditarod 2012. While they were cheering on mushers at checkpoints I was interviewing artists in their homes in Unalakleet and Nome. It was an incredible opportunity to meet Alaskan Native makers to hear about how they balance artwork and crafting with subsistence living. From ivory carvings, to narrative paintings to parkas with giant fur ruffs the work was incredibly crafted and locally inspired. [Below] Lorena Paniptchuk from Unalakleet shows off a handmade fur parka while Sylvester Ayek hunts seal out on the frozen Bering Sea in Nome Alaska.

Eugene ONeil’s Early Plays

Posted on March 4, 2012 by bigbadwolf_admin

Deftly directed by Wooster Group’s Richard Maxwell in collaboration with New York City Players, Early Plays is an unusual and satisfying theater experience. The actors deliver their lines in a stylized, dead pan way that takes a while to adjust to. But once you settle into this non-naturalistic world, the acting is excellent, and the set and sound design delightful. My pal Keith Connolly of NNCK plays the part of Cocky.

Read the Culture Vulture review.

Ed Sanders – Fuck You / A Magazine of the Arts 1962-1965

Posted on February 10, 2012 by bigbadwolf_admin

Thursday February 16th Boo-Hooray Gallery are hosting a booking signing and companion exhibition for Ed Sander’s new book Fug You, An Informal History of the Peace Eye Bookstore, the Fuck You Press, the Fugs, and counterculture in the Lower East Side. Looking forward to reading this piece of radical, beatnik, NYC history.

Room 237

Posted on February 8, 2012 by bigbadwolf_admin

Premiering this week at the Sundance Film Festival is the New Frontiers documentary feature Room 237

Several film deconstructionists cracked open their skulls to obsess over The Shining. The documentary explores hidden meanings, secret symbols, and the untold horrors within Kubrick’s masterpiece. Jeff Ryan of Excepter is one of the film theorists to contribute. Check out his compelling film blog KDK12.

Dennis Cooper on the work of Byron Coley

Posted on December 27, 2011 by bigbadwolf_admin

In his latest blog post, Dennis Cooper selects must read missives from Byron Coley’s oeuvre. If you haven’t read Byron’s commentary on John Fahey make amends right now…
Read the full blog post here.

Michael Chapman featured in The Wire’s top albums of 2011

Posted on December 14, 2011 by bigbadwolf_admin

The Wire magazine’s year end review named Michael Chapman’s experimental album The Resurrection And Revenge Of The Clayton Peacock on Ecstatic Peace! number six in the top albums of 2011. There’s also an interview with Michael and reviews of current releases. This past year has been a whirlwind for the Chapman’s, the loss of dear friend Jack Rose, two tours in the US with William Tyler and Smog respectively and the release the above mentioned lp plus the re-release of Michael’s seminal lp Fully Qualified Survivor. The Wire’s accolades are a wonderful conclusion to 2011.

DJing Coke Weed/A>G>E/Trummers show at Littlefield

Posted on November 8, 2011 by bigbadwolf_admin

C’mon down to Littlefield Tuesday November 8th at 8pm. You will hear folksy tunes from Trummers, mellow grooves from A>G>E and rockin’ jams by Coke Weed from Bar Harbor, ME. I’ll be spinning some folk rock goodness. Should be a real fine time.

WFMU Record Fair

Posted on October 29, 2011 by bigbadwolf_admin

Had a terrific time wandering around the WFMU Record Fair, seeing old friends and digging for vinyl. Wound up mostly buying country rock from my pal Dan at the Gimme Gimme Records booth, including the above Billy Burnette and Bamboo lps.