Today, the word is: Pie
Pear pie rules.
‘Why waste those cute little tricks that the Army taught us just because it’s sort of peaceful now? ‘
The original movie made in 1960 with the Rat Pack (Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr, Bishop, Lawford) centers around a group of eleven army veterans that Danny Ocean (Sinatra) convinces to run a heist in the biggest casinos of Las Vegas.
Catchy punchlines and coolness ensue.
Dean Martin and Akim Tamiroff (également vus dans La Classe américaine)
The movie takes place during Christmas and New year’s period
Dean Martin is crooning
Planqué dans les poubelles dans l’attente des éboueurs: le grisbi, le pognon, la thune, l’oseille…
The glowing footsteps: a smart trick used by the 11 in the heist, and nice images for the screenshot fan
Ocean’s eleven: an entertaining heist movie, with witty lines and charismatic actors (Sinatra as a leader, Martin as a crooner, Richard Conte as a dying man crushed by his responsibilities). The scenes in Las Vegas show the huge cinematographic potential of the city and casinos with their beautiful settings.
The reasons why it’s the perfect to watch it during end of year period:
- The heist occurs during New year’s eve
- Dean Martin’s voice is, as usual, heart-warming
- Las Vegas climate and atmosphere will cheer you up
‘Magistrates is over, thanks for everything, we will all be working on other musical projects, we’ll let you know more news in the new year. I’m sure we will meet again.’
As seen on their facebook page.
I discovered them at the Eurockéennes Festival, in France. Under the scorching sun and in front of a scattered crowd, they gave an intense performance, full of promises for their album.
A sad ending for a band that could have released more great songs:
More:
Take away show for the Blogothèque: *¤*
An article by the Guardian: *¤*
Their myspace: *¤*
‘And all together it went well
We made pretend we were best friends
Then she said “oh you’re a freak”
“They ordered me to make mistakes”
Together again, like the beginning
It all works somehow in the end
The things you did, the thing you hide
For the record it’s between you and I’
from’ Barely Legal‘
The album that permanently left its mark on me during this decade is The Strokes’ ‘Is this it?’.
The first time I heard of the Strokes was during a 2 week language trip I did in Lowestoft, England, in 2001. With a group of French teenagers, we spent most of our time listening to our CD players, chatting about music, and sharing albums. A girl from my class had bought ‘Is this it?’ from the second-hand record store located in front of our school; drums and electric guitars playing loudly through her headphones, she told me with a gleeful face that these sounds were produced by a band called the Strokes. At that time, I was keen on Jamaican music and 2-tone, and uninterested in rock music, so didn’t ask to borrow her CD.
My knowledge of the Strokes remained undeveloped until a few years later (around 2006), when a friend of mine lent me the CD, and I finally was open-minded enough to give it a try. I sat on my desk, and played it. Instantly, the first song, ‘Is this it?’, intrigued me, as I had never heard anything like it.
Casablancas’ juvenile and mild voice, the catchy guitars, the laid-back but lively melodies, and the lyrics about a youth’s daily life, sometimes mysterious and abstruse, yet always authentic…
For all those reasons, I listened to the album over and over, three to five times a day, often twice in a row. I seldom like all the songs from an album. ‘Is this it?’ was the first album I could listen to repeatedly, loving (or liking) each of its tracks.
‘Is this it?’ had an amazingly fresh attitude; I admired the band’s coolness (and to be honest, also the way the dressed, hence my habit to wear ties). Genuine, bold, effortlessly brilliant; so were the Strokes.
My two favourite tracks:
- ‘Barely legal’: this song begins gently, and then an unforgettable chorus follows (see the beginning of the article)
- ‘Hard to explain’: making sense can be tough
Where are they now?
The Strokes were aged from 21 to 23 when they made that album; the following albums did not equal the quality of ‘Is this it?’, except for some songs. Cf 12:51 and You only live once.
Albert Hammond Junior made two great albums; Julian Casablancas released his solo album in December 09 and is currently on a world tour.
The band is to reunite and record a new album soon; with each member solo’s experience, 2010 could be the beginning of a new successful creative cycle for the band.
- Infernal Affairs III
- Clint Eastwood cycle: Magnum Force
Mannequin en mousse!
For those who had a doubt about Dirty Harry’s views on peace and usage of violence
Back from Julian Casablancas’ gig. It was sometimes wild, particularly in the beginning, with people pushing and squeezing, especially girls (Casablancas attracts lots of female fans).
A few notes:
- Girls began to faint at the first song (30” after Julian grabbed the microphone)
- Despite the songs sounding more electro than rock, people were still jumping around and moshing
- Julian tried to slam on the audience twice, but failed each time
- There were two drummers: a bearded guy and a girl who was standing while hitting the drums
- Left right in the dark performed live is awesome
- I’ll try anything once performed live is OK
- Was annoyed by two girls talking loudly in Spanish, and met one Corsican guy (that’s how he introduced himself, I didn’t know it was a nationality…) with Bolivian origins, and discussed with him in French
- Received some beer in the hair (I missed that); was hugged by two guys on two separate occasions (maybe I looked like one of their friends)
- The HMV Forum in Camden is a nice venue; piece of advice: avoid watching a concert upstairs (get in the moshpit and get crushed cheerfully instead!)
PS: this blog is not dead, more articles will follow this one
‘I just nod, I’ve never been so good at shaking hands’
‘Forgive them
Even if they are not sorry’
Julian Casablancas will be in London for two concerts; I’ll be there on the 15th December.
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