It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's "The Aquabats!"

THE AQUABATS!

What better way to start than with a pair of singles from everyone's favorite crime-fighting superheroes, The Aquabats!.  The first single, "Pajamazon!," is available now and it's the perfect upbeat theme to help get you through these quarantined days.  The band addresses the positives of staying inside while combining sax and trumpets with insanely catchy lyrics.  It's the first taste of The Aquabats' first studio album since 2011 and the family-friendly swinger the world needs.

The band's second single, "No One Wants to Party!" comes out on May 1st and it sees the band trying to figure out why no one wants to party at their place. Could it be the man-bun?  Both singles are from the band's upcoming eighth album, Kooky Spooky...In Stereo, which is scheduled for a summer release and will be available on CD and LP as well.

Michael's Musings

The Quarantine Shuffle
Michael Shinafelt

In this weeks episode of As The Quarantine Turns I got stimulated yesterday. "Yes" that's correct minions, my stimulus check got deposited directly into my bank account. Thanks Nancy Pelosi!

What's that? Yeah, it's time to move sideways, as the world is these days...

WTF? This week on Vanderpump Rules why don't we do an infomercial for LVP's cocktail garden at Caesars Palace? That's exactly what they did, blech!

Overheard: I am not arm candy, I don't shave my pu$$y 

Behind every sh!tty meme is a person that tried to make you smile

You think Quarantine is bad check out the Puddle Of Mudd cover of the Nirvana classic About A Girl. My ears are still bleeding!

Need a mask? A B Cup works better than a D Cup. That is all.

#TBT #ThrowbackThursday Remembering the days when you could find toilet paper at the crocery store - sigh

The longer Quarantine goes, don't you think Jack Nicholson held it together pretty well in The Shining?

Don't let the cat out, no matter what it tells you

Woman Crush of the Week - Dua Lipa because Future Nostalgia is music to my ears

If last night's premiere episode of this season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is any indicator of how the rest of it is going to go - I'm all in!

Give it a name: It's called self care

It took a pandemic for me to learn _________ tell me, by filling in the blank

My new home school

Guess what I'm wearing at present, guess

Find out the answer to that here:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

Hump Day & Chill

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"Food As A Machine Gun"

ENEMY RADIO SURPRISE FANS WITH DEBUT ALBUM,

"LOUD IS NOT ENOUGH,"

AVAILABLE NOW

 

Chuck D and Flavor Flav Reveal Recent Breakup Was a Hoax,

A Commentary on Social Media-Driven Disinformation

And Hip Hop's Negative News Spin,

As They Collaborate on

"Food As a Machine Gun" by Enemy Radio Featuring Public Enemy

Enemy Radio, the DJ+MC auxiliary unit of Public Enemy made up of Chuck D, DJ Lord, Jahi and the S1Ws, release their debut album today, "Loud Is Not Enough." The album is led by the single, "Food As a Machine Gun," which features a special guest: Public Enemy (including both Chuck D and Flavor Flav), revealing their "War Of The Worlds" inspired hoax that began on March 1 when Chuck D announced Flav would no longer be a part of the iconic group following a public dispute.

 

"I had watched Orson Welles' 'War Of The Worlds' from 1938 when he pulled the wool over the public's eyes as they put 100% belief in the technology of radio," explains Chuck D. "Most people followed like a Pavlovic dog just like they do now. Flav doesn't do benefits and stays away from political events - we been cool and always agreed about that. Enemy Radio was built for that reason, to be a DJ+MC auxiliary unit of Public Enemy, a no-slack homage tossback to DJ+MC roots. It is DJ Lord, myself and Jahi with the S1Ws. Hearing the confused mush of political talk while under the bowels of Trumpotus made me use a presidential stage as my platform. Out of this storm came a plan between Flav and me to remind people that what's important should have as much, if not more, value than just what's popular. Thus came the HOAX, our 'War Of The Worlds.' Believe half of what you hear and NONE of what you see."

 

He also used the hoax to illustrate how the media disproportionately covers bad news over good news when it comes to hip hop. While Public Enemy has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and toured the world for over 30 years including performances at Coachella and Glastonbury, it was the conflict between the group's frontmen that made Chuck D a trending topic on social media and garnered global media attention.  Read Chuck D's full statement on the HOAX here.

 

"So it's April 1, 2020 and as we hoard food and empty store shelves, Chuck D and Flavor Flav hijack it as April 'FlavChuck' Day to end the HOAX with Enemy Radio's new song, 'FOOD AS A MACHINE GUN.' 'Don't Believe The Hype' 2020 style" says Chuck D. "That's right, this is Enemy Radio featuring Public Enemy, with more around the corner: Enemy Radio's debut album, 'LOUD IS NOT ENOUGH,' is here. 'FOOD AS A MACHINE GUN' is the first taste, an attack on the food industrial machine that opens minds to the direct need, dependency and necessity - yet killer - of our current lives, taking inspiration from Kristin Lawless and her book, 'Formerly Known As Food.'"

 

Enemy Radio's debut single sets their sights on the dangers of an industrial food system that adds chemicals and preservatives to grocery store products at the cost of nutrition, resulting in devastating changes to brains and bodies. The concept was inspired by advocate and author Kristin Lawless. "The industrial world food machine rolls like gangbangers in the 21^st century of chaos. Who protects us from the weapon formerly known as food?" asks Chuck.

 

"The cracks in our food system have busted wide open," explains Lawless. "The way we produce our food has helped to create this pandemic and the poor-quality products we consume leave us vulnerable to infection. Radical change around food production is required now if we want to prevent future pandemics, protect our planet and save our lives."

 

"Does it take doing crazy shit or catastrophe to wake people up? Obviously so, even when paying attention is the cheapest price to pay," he continues. "So if you got that in your wallet, Enemy Radio is serving up 'FOOD AS A MACHINE GUN.'"

 

About Enemy Radio

Enemy Radio is the DJ+MC auxiliary unit of Public Enemy, a no-slack homage tossback to the group's roots: a soundsystem of mics, turntables and the political essence of protest. They performed throughout Europe with Wu-Tang Clan and De La Soul as part of the Gods of Rap Tour last May and at the Sanders rally on March 1.

Bang A Pot & Give A Yell!

Clan, Clang, Clang Went The Pot...
Sarah Silverman 

Apparently there is a new tradition happening in NYC during this time of quarantine. The citizens of the Big Apple take to their balconies at a designated time and bang pots and yell in support of essential workers "healthcare workers, delivery store workers and delivery people."

What a great way to boost morale in the hard hit city. Above we see Sarah Silverman enthusiastically joining her fellow New Yorkers in the much deserved recognition. 

Thus I leave you with this notion, try to do something every day that helps put a smile on you and other peoples faces. Trust me it is amazing. The few times I venture out during the week I always smile at people as I pass them on the street or shop side by side with them for groceries.

It's a simple yet powerful thing to do.

Keep on keeping minions!

Sarah on IG -
https://www.instagram.com/sarahkatesilverman/?hl=en

Happy Easter Lockdown

It's All An Illusion...
Michael Shinafelt

My name is Michael, I'll be your Easter Bunny today, give it up do as I say, give it up and let me have my eggs...

This is my current Easter Mood, black & white, with the beautiful Los Angeles skyline in the background and a mysterious bunny, that is symbolizing who knows what?

While times are uncertain, there is still beauty in the world and this captures all of that and more, depending on what you take from it.

Honestly I felt like Frank the bunny from Donnie Darko when this was shot. However I don't believe the world is that bleak, I always choose the ray of light over the darkness. That doesn't mean I don't have my moments, I am realistic, but my will and belief in the good of others is strong.

Wishing you and yours the best. 

Happy Easter from Michael Bunny!

Hop to it with me here -
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

Virtual(ly) "No Exit"

Coin & Ghost Presents

No Exit [-19] 

A Digital, Quarantined Reimagining of Sartre’s Classic

Directed by Alex Demers & Zach Davidson

Presented on Zoom

Saturday, April 11, 2020 @ 6 & 8:30pm PST

Tonight!!! 

Coin & Ghost, LA’s theatrical home for remixed mythologies, will present its latest digital adventure, No Exit [-19], by Jean-Paul Sartre. With two performances on Saturday, April 11, 2020 (6:00 and 8:30pm PST), the performance takes Sartre’s classic and streamlines it, placing it directly in the context of today’s world: quarantine, Zoom, and a collective sense of existential dread. 

In No Exit [-19], three recently dead strangers find themselves trapped together in Hell, but it isn’t the Hell they had expected—no flames, no torture, no demons—just two other humans connected via Zoom, and some disappointing furniture. Over the course of the play, they come to discover that they have been confined together intentionally, that the three of them are so incompatible that Hell, for them, is just being trapped together for eternity. Co-directed by Coin & Ghost Artistic Director Zachary Reeve Davidson and frequent collaborator, Alex Demers, No Exit [-19] is a thoughtful, timely, and surprisingly funny take on the Hell we are all currently living in. For information and to join the Zoom call for the performance, please visit https://coinandghost.org/noexit19. Tickets are a suggested donation of $5, and half the proceeds will be donated to the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

The cast of No Exit [-19] is comprised of Davidson (Garcin), Jessica Antenorcruz (Inez), Elisa Rosin (Estelle) and Demers (Host). Choreography is by Rachael Caselli, with stage management by Niki Armato, technical rebellion by Will Cotter and documentation by Meredith Adelaide. The ambitious team is made complete with Coin & Ghost’s inner circle that includes its Managing Director Marguerite French, Associate Artistic Director Kendall Johnson and Director of Community Engagement Joseph Baca (with Davidson, Rosin, and Armato rounding out the admin team).

LINKS:

• No Exit [-19] info & tickets - https://coinandghost.org/noexit19 

• Coin & Ghost - https://coinandghost.org

• C&G Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/coinandghost

• C&G Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coinandghost

• C&G Twitter - https://twitter.com/CoinAndGhost