I'd Let You Watch, I Would Invite You, But... Michael Shinafelt
"I've never been interested in being invisible and erased" - Laverne Cox
Pride Month is still happening Minions and I'm still celebrating along with the rest of my LGBTQ brothers & sisters. As you can see this week I am giving good rainbow face.
"Yes" good rainbow face is a thing, I just made it one. So there, move along now, there's plenty to see here, no one is invisible or erased.
Last night's RHOBH was so boring the only thing I remember was the "In 2 Days" Jurassic World: Dominion logo in the upper right corner the entire time.
Saw David Cronenberg's Crimes of the Future this past weekend, while not his best, still a provocative film with great performances, anything Cronenberg does is a must see in my book!
When The Bougie Man is under your bed: "Wow, the thread count on these sheets is pathetic"
Ever resented a salad all the way through?
Is your cuteness "out of bounds?"
That time when you someone introduces themselves to you and you are going to reciprocate and they say: "Nice to meet you Michael" before you even give them your name...
When life gives you lemons ignore the five on the ground and reach for the most difficult one on the tree, yeah that's it
So you think you can dance, and you can jive?
Woman Crush of the Week - Judy Garland who's 100th Birthday Celebration is tomorrow. Thank you for the magic and the memories!
Ask yourself: Are you hot enough to be in a celebrity threesome?
Take your purified water, sit down and STFU
When someone has access to every hole you have, discuss...
Ever wonder if cauliflower wings have bones?
I'm gonna head to Mimosa Beach today, no that was not a typo
Well Minions you have undoubtedly heard by now that Neve Campbell will not be a part of Scream 6 due to salary negotiations. Can't say I'm surprised when I heard Hayden Panettiere was coming back as fan favorite Kirby Reed, my thought was: Neve won't be returning.
I am sorry to say my thought has come to pass. Seriously though the whole Scream series has been about Sidney Prescott, like WTF?! Hard to believe they would not pony up for Neve in this day and age. This truly makes me wanna "Scream!"
Suffice it to say, my expectations have now been lowered for the upcoming installment of this consistently good franchise. Paramount if this tanks you know why and it's on you!
Will I see it? Not sure yet, I have a you'll find out attitude presently. I'm not even sure how this will work, if at all...
Michael has left the building!!!
For more 411 check out the Deadline article below -
Happy Monday Minions! (say that three times fast) - I thought we would honor Pride Month with one of my favorite Pride Anthems today.
George Michal's "Freedom! '90." Shortly before officially coming out as gay in 1998, George Michael recorded "Freedom! '90", a track that explores his struggles with his personal identity. With lyrics like, “There’s something deep inside of me / There’s someone else I’ve got to be," this classic song endures as a powerful ode to embracing your honest self.
I'll leave you with the song and video below...Enjoy your week with Pride everyone!
INDEPENDENT PROJECT RECORDS ANNNOUNCES PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ARCHIVAL SAVAGE REPUBLIC AFRICA CORPS LIVE FROM THE WHISKY A GO GO 30th DECEMBER, 1981 AND EXPANDED EDITION OF BRUCE LICHER’S EXPLORATORIUM ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2022
Each Will Be Released Digitally and on CD with Vinyl Coming Later In The Year and Feature Hand-Letterpress Printed Die Cut Packaging with Inserts
Independent Project Records (IPR) confirmed today the release of two titles in late Summer, the previously unreleased archival concert, Savage Republic – Africa Corps Live at the Whisky A GoGo 30th December 1981 and an expanded edition of Bruce Licher’s self-titled experimental guitar project Exploratorium.
Both albums will be released on compact disc and via digital services on September 16; a vinyl version of the two releases will follow. Each will feature the iconic hand-letterpress printed die cut packaging by label founder Bruce Licher. Full track listing and further details will be announced shortly.
This soon-to-be-released Savage Republic/Africa Corps live album comes on the heels of the expanded Real Gone Music reissue of Tragic Figures. In their review of this 40th anniversary version of Savage Republic’s debut The Vinyl Guide recently wrote that “one of the more undersung (if not necessarily criminally overlooked) bands of the era is Savage Republic of Los Angeles, one of the few US outfits that can legitimately be described as post-punk in orientation”.
The upcoming IPR archival release Savage Republic - Africa Corps Live at The Whisky AGoGo 30th December 1981 fiercely catapults listeners in front of one of L.A.’s most iconic stages, back when a young band of UCLA students (Bruce Licher, Mark Erskine, Philip Drucker and Jeff Long), by then still called Africa Corps, was starting to make its way in the punk underground. The board recording original tape has now been remastered by Warren DeFever (His Name Is Alive) and unearths a most cathartic performance. Africa Corps had only been playing together for about eight months when this was recorded - in different hands this amalgamation of punk, industrial, art rock, psychedelia, Eastern sounds, avant-garde, no wave, surf and minimalism would have eventually proved contrived, pretentious, or at least confusing. But as the loud Whisky crowd - regulars mixing with friends, art school students mixing with tough punks - seems to suggest, with Savage Republic it worked, as if by magic. And as if by magic, it still does.
Originally released in 2006 as a mini-CDr in a limited edition of 300 signed and numbered copies, Exploratorium’s immersive selection of solo recordings by Savage Republic, Scenic and Independent Project Records founder Bruce Licher finally gets the expanded reissue treatment. The three original tracks are now accompanied by a fourth instrumental that ventures into atmospheric electronic territory. It’s a mesmerizing blend of ambient and post-rock, noisy shoegaze and pastoral melodic structures, droning avant-garde and soundtracks at their most sparse and yearning.
Additional IPR releases will be announced shortly and will feature both remastered and expanded IPR classics (and in some cases bring long out-of-print titles back in print) as well as new music that fits the IPR aesthetic both musically and in design. By utilizing IPR's iconic hand-letterpress printed artwork created at Independent Project Press, the label will carry on with the design aesthetic that began in 1980 and has become the label’s hallmark.
ABOUT
Founded in 1980 by musician and artist Bruce Licher, Independent Project Records has created more than sixty releases since its inception. IPR and its sister entity Independent Project Press are known for their instantly recognizable hand-printed record covers for bands including Camper Van Beethoven, For Against, Polvo, R.E.M., Savage Republic, Silversun Pickups, Stereolab and more. Aside from creating all artwork on his vintage two-ton hand-fed letterpress, Licher was nominated for a Grammy Award for his design work on the IPR released debut album from For Against. In 2020, the label was relaunched by both Licher and Jeffrey Clark with new and archival releases with distribution from Darla Records. It is based in Bishop, California, at the base of the Eastern Sierra Mountains.
For More Information, Please Contact Joshua Mills at
The Montalbán is honored to present Horizons: A 21st Century Space Odyssey, the latest immersive live experience from World-renowned physicist, Professor Brian Cox for two nights, Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18, 2022. Horizons is a celebration of our civilization, of our music, art, philosophy and science; an optimistic vision of our future if we continue to explore Nature with humility and to value ourselves and our fellow human beings. Cox will once again be joined by award-winning comedian Robin Ince, his co-host on the BBC’s The Infinite Monkey Cage, Returning to the historic Montalbán (the site of his Cox’s last sold-out engagement in Southern California), the show will start at 8:00pm. Tickets cost $65. Located near the legendary corner of Hollywood and Vine, the venue is at 1615 Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028. For information and tickets, please visit https://www.themontalban.com/briancox.
In the midst of a 29-city North America tour produced by WestBeth Entertainment, Horizons demystifies planetary science, cosmology, and quantum theory for an all-ages audience through advanced LED screen technology, comedy, and live Q&A. The tour will also visit arenas and theaters throughout the U.K., Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia. As the Edmonton Journalrecently wrote, “Only a handful of scientists can sell out arenas lecturing on some of the most complex issues vexing particle physicists today. Cox is one of them. His capacity to distill some of the most complex questions researchers ask about space, time and things above and beyond it into something the lay person can grasp is rare.”
Professor Brian Cox Photo: Mark Harrison
Horizons takes audiences on a dazzling cinematic journey; a story of how we came to be and what we can become. Using state of the art LED screen technology, venues will be filled with images of far-away galaxies, alien worlds, supermassive black holes and a time before the Big Bang. What is the nature of space and time? Why does the Universe exist? How did life begin, how rare might it be and what is the significance of life in the Cosmos? What does it mean to live a small, finite life in a vast, eternal Universe? The deepest of questions will be explored using the latest advances in our understanding of quantum theory, black holes, biology, planetary science, astronomy and cosmology.
“I loved the 2019 world tour because it gave me the opportunity to discuss the most profound ideas with tens of thousands of people in front of the most spectacular images of the Universe,” stated Professor Cox. “When the tour was over, I immediately started thinking about how I could delve deeper, tell an even more profound story and make the show even more spectacular. I’m very excited about what has emerged! I hope the evening will make people think about how fortunate and precious we are, how strange and wonderful our Universe is, and the limitless future we have to look forward to if we make the right choices over the coming decades.”
Her Call-to-Action Song and Visual Encourages Queer People Be Proud, Keep Fighting and Shake Sh*t Up
Talia Keys is celebrating Pride month with the release of a new music video that calls for today’s queer generation to be loud and proud in who they are. Written and produced by Keys, “We’re Here” is a reggae inspired, feel good anthem that is broken into three parts. The first verse is about the internal struggles many LGBTQ youth face when their outward appearance doesn’t quite fit the societal mold. The second verse challenges them to smash the patriarchy of society’s expectations around gender binaries. Finally, the outro encouragesall to ownwho they arebecause by simply existing, they are changing the world into a better place.“We need to fight the status quo,” asserts Keys, “Because like it or not, We’re Queer, We’re Here and We aren’t going anywhere.” Talia Keys’ “We’re Here” is available now on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms. Its music video is on YouTube.
“I was inspired to create ‘We’re Here’ because I grew up in Mormon Utah as a closeted queer Catholic girl,” Keys reflects. “Being different in Utah put a target on me. In school, I was bullied for being a Tomboy and then I became a bully to protect my secret.” When she finally came out in her mid-twenties, Talia, a successful musician, lost fans and gigs, but she kept her drive. Today, she uses her music and performances to preach the good word of love, acceptance and fucking shit up. “I see the stage as my platform to spread awareness.”
That message is echoed in the “We’re Here” music video. It was shot in an empty theater because, as Talia explains, “Sometimes it feels empty when you come out and the support you once had is gone. As queer people, though, we learn to be strong willed and to perform with our entire heart, even if it is to an empty room.” She also wanted to shed light on the fact that queer art is suffering during the pandemic.
The video features several queer, trans,enby artists and drag queens.“We’re Here” stars Madazon Can-Can, a gender non-binary drag king, burlesque dancer and clown. “I first saw Madazon Can-Can perform at our local Pride and was captivated by their ability to entertain rowdy queers, dance burlesque, shine as a drag king and make us laugh and cry as a clown,” Talia says. “When I began visualizing the We’re Here’ video, Iimmediately thought of Madazonwhose multifaceted talents would be able to convey the messageof the song.”
She also cast local drag artists Kay Bye (they/them), Lilia Maughn (she/her/they/them) and M’Lady Wood (she/her), as well as local musician Zaza Historia VanDyke (She/Her) in the music video and assembled an all-Queer crew to shoot the video.The award-winning filmmaker Melahn Atkinson (she/they) produced, filmed and edited “We’re Here.” Talia directed, produced and acted in the video. Ismene Vetas and Marz Catrow (they/them) long-time collaborators, were the additional camera operators.
Talia Keys is an activist-musician who has enjoyed a loyal following in Salt Lake City clubs for over a decade, and has made a name for herself on national tours and jam festivals from coast to coast. Growing up, she and her brother were raised by a single mother. Her dad struggled with addiction and his battles forced Talia to grow up sooner than one would expect.
Still, she was a kid with a big imagination and whether she was pretending to be Michael Jordan or impersonating Elvis Presley, Talia could entertain herself for hours. She began piano lessons at age 9, drums at 11, guitar at 16 and mandolin at 22. Music was always very prevalent throughout her youth, beginning with The Beatles and turning to Bob Marley in middle school. Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, and Talking Heads were some of the other artists that played a big role in her musical development. She even had a Kris Kross phase (and yes, she wore her clothes backwards for a time). It opened Talia up to rap and hip hop and she became a huge fan of Tribe Called Quest, The Fugees and Blackalicious.
Talia Keys’ trademark fire and brimstone stage presence is an amalgam of her journey, identity, and musical influences. While her physical appearance may scream LESBO, her music does not. It presents a modern twist on the rock n’ roll troubadour singing songs of struggle and ultimately, triumph.
Talia Keys’ “We’re Here” is available now on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms. Its music video is on YouTube. Visit Talia’s website and follow her on Instagram @ taliakeys
