Serge Gainsbourg Night at Bordello

Wednesday, April 2 - Bordello - $10
SERGE GAINSBOURG NIGHT

with cover versions of Gainsbourg originals from
PAPILLON 11:30p
BJORN TUROQUE and ELENI MANDELL 11:10p
PARELLOGRAMS 10:45p
ADELE JACQUES 10:15p
JOEL VIRGIL 9:50p
ALEX AND SAM 9:25p
COLORFORMS 9p
NICOLE SIMONE 830p

The Fold in Bordello (MAP)
901 E. 1st Street
Los Angeles, CA
US 90012

Richard Widmark Forever

The God Like Genius of Thelonious Monk

There is no need to anything, just listen and see....




Epistrophy


Blue Monk


Round About Midnight


Lulu's Back In Town


Don't Blame Me


Ruby My Dear


Nutty


Off Minor


Evidence


Rhythm-a-ning

Boris Vian's THE DEAD ALL HAVE THE SAME SKIN out on April 1, 2008

TamTam Books is proud (as usual) to announce the publication of Vernon Sullivan’s (or better known as Boris Vian) masterpiece of noir-gone berserk – “The Dead All Have The Same Skin” (Les morts ont tous la meme peau).

Written one year after the controversial (putting it mildly) “I Spit on Your Graves,” you think Vian would have known better. But no, he decided to do another violent shocker that is ripped out of today’s (or was it all in my head?) headlines. This surreal masterpiece of ‘dark’ writing is about Daniel Parker who is a bouncer in a drink hell bar hole somewhere in New York City (Vian, a French man never been to the States) who is blackmailed by his long lost brother who is black and threatens him to tell the truth about his brother’s racial blood. Parker is not going to take that. His life, by that admission, becomes a tipsy topsey one-way ticket to hell.

If that is not enough it also includes a short story by Vian “Dogs, Desire, and Death” which is an erotic tale of a bad girl, a helpless driver, and the need for destruction and sexual release.

And no not even that is not enough; we have a small essay or more like a rant by Vian regarding the history of his first controversial shocker “I Spit on Your Graves.” And not only that, but also a thoughtful and informative introduction by Marc Lapprand.

Translated from the French by Paul Knobloch. Tom Recchion did the design work.

The book is 122 pages.

$18.00

978-0-9662346-5-7

Distributed by AK Distributions

“The Dead All Have The Same Skin” will be released April 1, 2008

ANTONIN ARTAUD Documentary (With English Subtitles)

Without a doubt one of the great figures in 20th Century literature and theater. Antonin Artaud. Another film from the collection of GottfriedGeist and with thanks from YouTube.




Part One


Part Two


Part Three


Part Four

JEAN COCTEAU Documentary (with English Subtitles)

A very good documentary on Jean Cocteau which is basically a very long interview with the artist/poet/filmmaker/etc. Special thanks to YouTube and a certain GottfriedGeist.


Part one


Part two


Part three


Part Four


Part Five


Part Six



Part Seven

The Wonderful World of TAMA

When I lived in Japan the only thing I could connect to was the Japanese pop band TAMA (たま ). One reason was because they were on this TV show that was on late on night. It will start around 11pm and end at 4 am every Saturday night. Here young bands would fight it out in front of a group of experts (Nagisa Oshima among them) and eventually they would get gonged or told to leave. Sort of like American Idol, but this show had a particular edge to it. More Rat Pack feeling. It felt like a club in a way.



You should watch the first part because imagine being in the Japanese countryside, and not be able to communicate to friends in English is both scary and fantastic at the same time. TAMA above wins the big contest and they do a fantastic song live - which reminds me of a Japanese pop version of Brian Wilson's "Smile."



This is the more 'arty' aspect of TAMA. There are two songwriters in the band. One is sort of the Paul McCartney and the other has that bitter John Lennon genius thing going.

The beauty of the band is that they are a throwback to Pre-war Japan. I like their clothes, vintage instruments, and compared to other bands in Japan at the time - they surely stand out from the rest of the pack.



i don't know too much about Japanese pop, but I do know the essence, and TAMA is like a cool breeze on a very sad and blue day.

The Dead All Have The Same Skin in my hands by April

Boris Vian's masterpiece (credited to a certain Vernon Sullivan) "The Dead All Have The Same Skin" is currently at the printers.  I should get copies of the book by April 1st.  It's mega-great.  Trust me on this one!

The Moontrekkers - Night of the Vampire

joe Meek had no understanding of his world except to live it. This must have been his 'theme' song as he walked on Holloway Road North London without a care in the world. But Meek did have a care in the world. He wanted to make the world in his own vision (as well as have hit songs).

The Outlaws with Ritchie Blackmore and of course Joe Meek

There is something so beautiful in this recording - it seems like another time that can't be a particular time. Joe Meek's production does that to me. In the essence there is nothing there but the mystery.

The Honeycombs' "Have I The Right"

The greatest record in my life time. Joe Meek production. Nothing more perfect than this. Nothing. And the song "Eyes" is just as great.

Brett Smiley

While looking up information on one of my favorite figures in pop music culture Andrew Loog Oldham, I found this clip on YouTube with him and an artist he was managing in the mid-70s by the name of Brett Smiley.



By the time the clip was over I downloaded his album "Breathlessly Brett." What can I say, the album is great. It is totally fake glam but done with such flaire, it is truly going to one of my all-time favorite albums.



There is also a book by Nina Antonia called "The Prettiest Star: Whatever Happened to Brett Smiley."

Jean Paul Yamamoto in Performance

Teo Macero (1925 -2008)

Teo Macero produced various Jazz classics for Columbia Records - including the entire Miles Davis Columbia recordings as well as the first Lounge Lizards album. Magnificent!

Alain Robbe-Grillet and Alain Resnais' "Last Year at Marienbad"

Alain Robbe-Grillet (1922-2008)

A great film ...

...written by this man, Alain Robbe-Grillet, who also wrote great novels.

TamTam Books' Tribute to the Late and Great HENRI SALVADOR

Henri Salvador was one of the last links to the Boris Vian era as well as the Saint Germain-des-Prés boho scene circ. late 1940's. A wonderful singer and a great guitarist, Salvador had the charm to become one of France's top entertainers as well as the first one (with the help of Boris Vian) to make a rock n' roll record in France. And with that in mind Vian and Salvador
had a close personal and working relationship. They wrote a ton of songs together and were very close friends.


Vian with Sartre and Vian with Salvador

For me personally I have become a huge fan of Salvador's music via the world of Vian. The following albums down below are some of my favorite recordings of his:



The first mighty recordings of Henri. He meets Vian during these years.



Henri before he enjoys the rock. More jazz and pop mood.



The first collection of Henri doing 'rock n' roll' with a few Vian/Salvador tunes plus Vian's A&R on this album.



An early EP by the great man.


This maybe my favorite Henri album. It is just him, his electric guitar, stand-up bass and light drumming. Kind of laid-back and very sexy. Vian A&R on this record as well.



Sort of a greatest hits collection but focusing on his jazz recordings.



A tribute album to his friend Boris Vian. Recorded sometime in the 60's. Essential of course.



Another cool single by Henri.

And now see Henri move and shout:


Juanita Banana


Le travail c'est la santé


Minnie Petite Souris
Twist


Pubblicita americana (pretty funny)


Henri Salvador, you shall be missed!

The Dead All Have The Same Skin (Book Cover)

Boris Vian's (Vernon Sullivan) THE DEAD ALL HAVE THE SAME SKIN

TamTam Books is proud (as usual) to announce the publication of Vernon Sullivan’s (or better known as Boris Vian) masterpiece of noir-gone berserk – “The Dead All Have The Same Skin” (Les morts ont tous la meme peau).

Written one year after the controversial (putting it mildly) “I Spit on Your Graves,” you think Vian would have known better. But no, he decided to do another violent shocker that is ripped out of today’s (or was it all in my head?) headlines. This surreal masterpiece of ‘dark’ writing is about Daniel Parker who is a bouncer in a drink hell bar hole somewhere in New York City (Vian, a French man never been to the States) who is blackmailed by his long lost brother who is black and threatens him to tell the truth about his brother’s racial blood. Parker is not going to take that. His life, by that admission, becomes a tipsy topsey one-way ticket to hell.

If that is not enough it also includes a short story by Vian “Dogs, Desire, and Death” which is an erotic tale of a bad girl, a helpless driver, and the need for destruction and sexual release.

And no not even that is not enough; we have a small essay or more like a rant by Vian regarding the history of his first controversial shocker “I Spit on Your Graves.” And not only that, but also a thoughtful and informative introduction by Marc Lapprand.

Translated from the French by Paul Knobloch. Tom Recchion did the design work.

The book is 122 pages.

978-0-9662346-5-7

“The Dead All Have The Same Skin” will be released April 2008

TamTam Books' Tribute to Shuji Terayama (Part One)

Shuji Terayama is probably one of the most interesting figures to come out of Post-War Japan. He’s up there with Yukio Mishima, but I don’t think one could separate Terayama from his time period.

At the time Tokyo arts were going big-time in the sixties. A lot of great stuff was being produced during this period, and Terayama was one of the great figures of that era. He was a writer, playwright, filmmaker, poet, visual artist, graphic artist and essayist.

For information on him in English, go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuji_Terayama

Here are some of his artworks and images.













Here are some of his films. And don't be afraid of the language, they're visual treats. Trust me on this!


Emperor Tomato Ketchup (Excerpt 1) (1971)


Emperor Tomato Ketchup (Excerpt 2) (1971)


Emperor Tomato Ketchup (Excerpt) 1971


Movie Guide For Young People Blue Screen (1974) A masterpiece!
Trailer for "To Die in the Country (1974)


A still from one of his films


A shrine to Shuji Terayamam