The Happy Gentleman

Gloomy Sunday

2010-06-26T15:26:01-05:00

Kevin Blechdom put up an interesting remake of the Song to the Siren (originally by Tim Buckley). I'm always interested in songs that are frequently and successfully remade. How a single song can take on many lives, each version unique. One of my favorite frequently remade songs that I have collected many versions of is 'Gloomy Sunday'. Here are a few versions that I like...

Merzbow & 13 Birds

2010-06-03T16:01:08-05:00

I still remember the very first Merzbow album that I stumbled upon in a little hole in the wall record store. Somebody said it was noise and I thought, "that's for me!" Despite the confusion that set in when I actually got home for my first listen, I was lured back again and again and on to other works... The prolific artist became a gateway for me to Kurt Schwitters and onward through Duchamp interviews and academic tomes on dada--one of the first breadcrumbs on a trail that would lead me through the forest of my constructed reality.

I admit I've followed Merzbow more sporadically after his box of 500 discs was released and he moved into the digital realm. Perhaps the overwhelming volume of work left me hopeless, maybe even pessimistic at times. In the last year or so I've picked up Merzbird and Merzbuddha, a handful of others. Now I'm confronted with the massive 13 Japanese Birds project, listening to sample tracks, I'm again amazed at the transformation in his sound and his ability to relentlessly produce more and more work.

Check out 13 Japanese Birds. Here's a link to some audio files and if you want to buy me the box set, well then be my guest!

Honey Glazed Chicken

2010-05-09T19:25:54-05:00

Mix: 2 tbls of chili powder (I used Penzy's Cajun mix), 1 tbls of honey, 1 tbls of freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper.

You get something like this.

Now just dip some chicken legs into mixture. I used four leg quarters and there was no mixture left after dipping the fourth. Put this on a rack over a baking sheet and bake at 475. I cook all my meat with a thermometer. Chicken is done at between 174-176 and is tender and juicy.

As a side, I mixed grilled corn (a favorite of mine lately) with basmati rice and guacamole.

Early Projects...

2010-05-06T19:23:58-05:00

Before moving to Houston, Kristen and I worked for a short time on a project about roller derby. The main idea was a set of interviews and portraits unfolding the story of a derby league. Kristen and I were not so interested in the sports achievement angle, but in how derby connected to the life and identity of the individuals who granted us access.

We learned a lot about interviewing and the logistics of this kind of work from the project. Recently Kristen and I have been discussing starting a new project in Houston. Sorting through old paperwork and hard drives, I found this portrait.

Crème Fraîche & Chipotle Corn & Salmon Dinner

2010-05-02T19:20:12-05:00

I originally started this blog as a cooking blog. Since then it's gone through many different revisions and redesigns and along the way cooking has disappeared. Just as we loose sight of little joys in our day, so too had I lost sight of the pleasure of cooking a good meal and sharing the experience with others. This is a deceptively simple meal for a low key Sunday.

Get some crème fraîche for your sauce. Do the following... Put six tablespoons of crème fraîche and one tablespoon of lime in a bowl. Add a dash of salt and one chipotle pepper finely chopped (I included the seeds). Chop, finely some cilantro and set aside.

The next part is easy. Take four corn husks and remove the silk inside, leaving the soft inner husks. Grill on high for 15 minutes (I think you can try the broiler if a grill or bbq is not accessible). Simply sautée a half pound of salmon in olive oil and garlic.

Plate the corn and salmon over some jasmine rice. I cook all our rice in a cooker. I did add fresh squeezed lime to the water this time and it gave the rice a very pleasant understated flavor to compliment the rest of the meal. Drizzle the crème fraîche / chipotle sauce over the corn and give yourself a little drop to dip for the salmon. Sprinkle cilantro everywhere and hide any Julia Childs books or photos you have in your kitchen drawers.

Birding.

2010-05-02T16:15:57-05:00

I had my first birding experience the other day. Texas hides away some very beautiful coast line and interesting birds, none of which I was really properly equipped to photograph. But I did enjoy capturing the landscapes and culture of birding. On the way back we took the first free ferry that I've ever been on.

Ten Albums I've Been Listening To Lately...

2010-04-18T20:13:21-05:00

Here are ten albums that I've been listening to a lot lately...in no particular order.

1) Mika Vainio & Lucio Capece - Trahnie

(experimental sax meets finnish minimalist electronics -- great writing music)

2) Anna Domino - Self-Titled (80's indie at its best)

3) Morrissey - Years of Refusal

(I love to sing along with Morrissey albums on those wretched commutes)

4) Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir - Litany to Thunder

(More great writing music with a dark and mystical aura)

5) Kevin Blechdom - Gentlemania

6) Jape - Self-titled (great lyricist)

7) Bettina Koester - Queen of Noise (Soulful and melodic treats from Malaria! veteran)

8) Lykke Li - Youth Novels

9) PJ Harvey - White Chalk

10) Zola Jesus - Stridulum

Hyungkoo Lee

2010-03-07T17:51:16-06:00

Hyungkoo Lee is just one of many, many talented South Korean artists that I admire. This image comes from a series of interesting images created with invented "medical inspired" braces. They remind me the fantastical "pseudo-science" of French sci-fi like Jeunet & Caro's Le Cite Des Enfants Perdus

and Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys

which itself was adapted from the French film La Jetee.

Plant

2010-03-04T21:50:58-06:00

We bought this plant the other day. I'm not sure what it is, but we're in the process of seeking a pot. We really like many of the local plants here in Houston (or plants that have become local). This was surprisingly cheap.

Bone Chapels

2010-03-02T15:50:39-06:00

I enjoy this myspace blog, the gentleman travels a lot and these images are from portugal. I am continually fascinated by bone chapels, both because of the notion of the body as architecture, but also because of the way in which these images and places have been cast out of our cultural consciousness... Check out the blog here.