nicholas latkovic

“Heart of Glass”. Written by Deborah Harry and Chris Stein.

Related:

Blondie: One Way or Another. Dir. Matt O’Casey. BBC. 2006.

Don Everly narrowly escapes a mess-up on the lyrics to “Walk Right Back”, but not before Phil shoots him a glance [0:25].

“Walk Right Back”. Written by Sonny Curtis.

While at Mystic Aquarium for a wedding, Mariachi Connecticut pauses in front of a beluga whale for a serenade.

“Choucoune” (re-written in 1957 with English lyrics as “Yellow Bird”). Composed by Michel Mauleart Monton. Lyrics by Oswald Durand.

“Early Morning Rain”. Written by Gordon Lightfoot.

“Bizarre Love Triangle”. Written by New Order.

“The End of the World”. Music by Arthur Kent. Lyrics by Sylvia Dee.

Davis, Skeeter. “The End of the World”. The End of the World. RCA Records, 1962.

“No More I Love You’s”. Written by Joseph Hughes and David Freeman.

“Show #379″. Late Night with David Letterman. CBS, New York City. 12 May 1995.

“I Just Called to Say I Love You”. Written by Stevie Wonder.

“A Touch of Wonder”. By Bill Cosby and Matt Williams. The Cosby Show. NBC, Los Angeles. 20 Feb. 1986.

“We’re living in a moment of extreme ADD, extreme exhibitionism. There’s so much going on in front of us at all times as consumers, as viewers, as listeners, you know? I walked in on my husband the other day and he had a computer, an iPad, and a television going all at the same time, you know? And he was reading a book!

So, while we’re living this kind of over-loaded life, I think artists feel they have to shout to be heard.

The Grammys have traditionally focused on the kind of showmanship that foregrounds music — still showmanship. I think the voting members of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences who are all working within the music industry recognize that Pop, now, is a multi-media form. It’s not only about music. So, how do you honor artistry that flowers in music but also flowers in visuals, and fashion, and poses and spectacle? It’s an interesting question.”

- Ann Powers, Chief Pop Critic for the LA Times, on the 2011 Grammy nominations

Listen to the entire interview here.

“Ann Powers On The Grammys: A Mix Of Sublime, Ridiculous”. NPR. 12 Feb. 2011.

“Kanske Är Jag Kär I Dig” (English: Maybe I’m in Love with You). Written by Jens Lekman.

Recording artist and Grammy winner Billy Ocean chimes in on what brings his audiences today, and why it’s important to acknowledge that.

“Swing It, Sister”. Music by Burton Lane. Lyrics by Harold Adamson.

Strictly Dynamite. Dir. Elliot Nugent. Pro. Pandro S. Berman and H.N. Swanson. Perf. Jimmy Durante, Lupe Velez. RKO Radio Pictures, 1934.

“Pictures of You”. Written by Robert Smith.

Singing in a variety of environments gives a poetic base to the music video. Certain locations provide excellent acoustics, while others practically render the song inaudible. These variations, subtle but awkward, amplify each performance required to quilt the video together.

The inconsistencies enhance each take, and any poor qualities we’d select to edit defects are retained for their effect. Richer sound from ideal locations compliments the song, while poorer sound compliments the nuances of unfavorable atmospheres. The result is no one bad place to perform, only different places to perform.

Regan, Fionn. “Be Good or Be Gone”. The End of History. Lost Highway Records, 2006.

Mucca Pazza is a 30 piece self-described “circus punk marching band” based out of Chicago. Conceived by composer Mark Messing, the band, whose name comes from the Italian for “crazy cow,” has been performing in and around the Chicago area for over four years. Here, a performance from Lollapalooza 2005.

Official: mucca-pazza.org
MySpace: myspace.com/muccapazza