So glad you asked! But before [ai] answer that question, check out our new video for “Dirty Old Man”:
See what we did there? The formula for “Dirty Old Man” = Bob Dylan + Black Sabbath. We like to think of this track as an example of what producer Bill Laswell calls “collision music.” A pioneer of “punk jazz” whose motto is NOTHING IS TRUE, EVERYTHING IS PERMITTED, Laswell is known for combining different musical genres to create new, surprising, and potentially monstrous soundscapes. As the producer of PiL’s 1986 album Album, he surrounded former Sex Pistol John Lydon with a diverse and eclectic group of supporting musicians which included Steve Vai, Ginger Baker, Tony Williams, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and himself on bass, then sprinkled some world music instrumentation on top (didgeridoo, clay pot drums, etc.). Another famous example of “collision music” would be Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road,” which has been described as an amalgam of bluegrass and heavy metal. Can you think of any others? What are your favorite examples of “collision music”?
Metaverse or Megaperverse?
[ai] usually promote new videos on Facebook, but this past month we were told our video for “Rondo Polynésien” violated company policy related to “adult content.” The video features the Post-Impressionist painting Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? by Paul Gauguin, which inspired the lyrics of the song. But [ai] guess those depictions of Tahitian women in their natural state overstimulated the dirty mind of Mr. Zuckerberg, because he and his minions refused to run our promo. Aren’t you glad the billionaires of Silicon Valley are protecting you from learning about art history?
Brother Number One branches out
Our dear leader now has his own Substack! Subscribe to receive regular updates on all things Mark Will, including weekly installments of Texting, the new podcast MW hosts with Moscow-based writer Tomek!
Stages on Life’s Way?
Not sure this is what Kierkegaard had in mind, but it’s a lovely tune which still resonates more than thirty years later:
Tommy, can you hear this?
[ai] don’t know about you, but [ai] find it a bit unsettling how well Jack Black impersonates Ann-Margret:
Coming in July . . .
Next month, [ai] celebrate “the return of the anti-hero,” as we premiere the new lyric video for “Rice King”! Until then, remember: [ai] 愛 you all!