The Britbox

A new thing I just discovered today is a collection of British rock called The Britbox. The box contains music from the Smiths, the Verve, and some of the best Britpop from the '80s and '90s.

Other bands featured in this collection are Pulp, the Cure, Cocteau Twins, Oasis, Blur, Stereolab, etc.

The Britbox contains music from a total of 78 British performers and it is bound to prove educational for those interested in music.




graph per B&N

Steve Martin's Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life

"Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life" is Steve Martin's new book release. It is a funny, sweet, personal, and well-written text. Those who enjoyed his play "Picasso at the Lapine Agile" and afterwards the novella "Shopgirl," will not be disappointed by "Born."

In 1977 Maureen Orth observed the following about Martin: "If Woody Allen is the archetypal East Coast neurotic, Steve Martin is the ultimate West Coast wacko."

Well, the "West Coast wacko" has come a long away.

While some of his recent cinematic choices leave something to be desired, the literary Martin continues to deliver.

And thank goodness he is not satisfied with such movies as "Cheaper by the Dozen 1 & 2."

Keep that keyboard active, Steve!



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Clapton's Autobiography

Eric Clapton's autobiography provides a good measure of fun for lovers of rock&roll. The book does not just contain rock&roll information about the uber-successful musician but also interesting tidbits about his zeal for collecting art, hunting and fishing, and his reflections about the self-destructive choices he made as a younger man.

And of course, there's Pattie Boyd and Clapton's life-consuming obsession with George Harrison's wife. It's sort of like reading about the Lancelot-Guinevere-Arthur triangle in a rock&roll, 20th-century setting.

The new Clapton release is an interesting read for the holiday season. It's got it all: the drama, drugs, unrequited love, and of course, rock&roll.



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I'm Not There: Deconstructing Dylan

A film I am looking forward to seeing is Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There: Deconstructing Dylan"

I think Bob Dylan is a true institution and I would watch any film that had anything to do with him. However, another reason why I cannot wait to watch this new film is the fact that Cate Blanchett is one of the six actors who portrays Dylan.

Even though Richard Schickel gave Haynes' film a stingy review on the NY Times, I will still see it.

After all, it's not every day that the very talented Cate Blanchett plays a man on the silver screen.

I'm sure she will be more convincing than Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria.

http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
is Schickel's review:

graph per nytimes