|
Why Berry Gordy's Motown is the answer to your existential pangs and much more! $$PLAIN_TEXT_PREVIEW$$
MY FAVOURITE THINGS |Hang On In There Baby
|
‘Don't judge yourself by others' standards…have your own. And don't get caught up into the trap of changing yourself to fit the world. The world has to change to fit you. And if you stick to your principles, values and morals long enough, it will.’ — BERRY GORDY
|
|
In these unprecedented times, I’ve gone and infused the newsletter with a little list of articles, books, playlists, movies, podcasts, LPs and tee-vee shows to keep you from losing your head. Sending lots of love from Down Under. Let’s rise above the noise and make sure to spread love in the face of uncertainty. Xo
|
|
I can’t tell you how much joy has been brought into my life reading Nelson George’s extraordinary accounting on the birth and legacy the Motown sound. I still remember driving past Hitsville USA while scouting locations in Detroit years ago and marveling at the fact that this humble one-story abode was where so many dreams were forged. While I’m only halfway through, it’s left me all charged up, causing me to put together a playlist of hits from this storied time. You can thank the Gordy family for putting a smile back on your dial.
|
|
Our sincerest apologies for the month-long hiatus but my quirky little film podcast with Kane Senes is back for Episode Six! Tune in to hear us harp on about our latest fascinations here or wherever your get your podcasts! We’ll be rolling them out on a more regular basis for the foreseeable future and if you have a few seconds please rate and review us. Help get our baby a ticket to ride!
|
|
A brilliant turn for the former King of comedy. This W. Somerset Maugham adaptation was conditional on Bill Murray’s starring turn in Ghostbusters. This passion project offers an intimate glimpse into the interior life of a man looking for more than the trappings of stardom. While I can well understand why the picture sank at the box office, the film is a phenomenal turn for the Illinois native. Its failure would lead Murray to take a sabbatical year off in Paris where he would study philosophy at the Sorbonne.
|
|
I’ve been meaning to dive into season two of this action-packed BBC America series. Starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer (a relative newcomer who knocked my socks off in season one) it makes for the most quality binge-viewing around. I can’t wait to see what Phoebe Waller-Bridge has in store.
|
|
My fellow Libran Kelly Geddes shared this amazing little playlist yesterday and boy does it bring the noise. Jam-packed with an assortment of classics and chill vibes, it’s the perfect antidote to these angst-ridden times. So set that bad-boy to shuffle, park your derrière on your favourite chair and watch your troubles float away.
|
|
I stumbled across this 2005 documentary on the legendary comic book writer thanks to a fan upload on YouTube. While Alan Moore’s physical appearance might be cause to unsettle, you’d do well not to judge this book by its cover. His fascinating thoughts, shared alongside his awe-inspiring creative output makes for transcendent viewing. A true prophet.
|
|
I remember being blown away by this extensive profile on the life of Astrid Holleeder, the sister to one of the Netherlands most notorious crime figures. After listening to this fascinating podcast, dexterously produced by the New Yorker Radio Hour, I was once again sucked in by the entire tale. Holleeder, who played a seminal role in putting her brother Willem behind bars for life, has gone underground. Forced to hide her true identity from the world. An incredible bittersweet story.
|
|
I can’t remember the last time a film got under my skin in all the right ways, leaving me equal parts angered and spooked. As we discuss on Popcorn Therapy, the film, remade in the wake of #MeToo, has gone and captured the zeitgeist. Cleverly updating from the Kevin Bacon-led The Hollow Man, it sheds much needed light on an incredibly uncomfortable side of relationships. Leigh Whannell, our very own wonder from Down Under, has hit the sweet spot with this low-budget horror.
|
|
This Rolling Stone article — recommended by Tim Ferriss’ weekly newsletter — is embedded with so many life lessons. It’s easy to write off the Australian icon’s success with a shrug but Sia Furler’s ability to reinvent herself time and again is reason enough to bend the knee. A fascinating read.
|
|
If you slept on this six-part mini-series, an adaptation of the Joseph Heller classic last year, now is the time to repent your sins. A tragic farce on the horrors of war starring the next generation of talent, it is a masterful turn from the minds of Aussie wonders Luke Davies and David Michôd.
|
|
I’ve been diving back into the nineteen-eighties with a vengeance, screening this Eddie Murphy classic over the weekend. This quasi-spiritual caper is just what the doctor ordered, serving up a memorable turn from the comedic giant. Watching Murphy hunt down this missing Tibetan child helps to remind just what star power looks and feels like.
|
|
It’s pretty fascinating to think that the NASDAQ, in the face of this pandemic, has finally reached lows equivalent to the 1987 stock market crash. Which makes this Seth Rogen/Evan Goldberg series all the more relatable. Tune in for the second season of this balls-to-the-wall comedy. Don Cheadle is the king of kings.
|
|
Ever since I first laid eyes on Mickey Rourke as a young punk, I’ve been constantly searching for answers that help to explain the ineffable magic behind this eighties heart-throb. While this Stuart Rosenberg vehicle is ultimately a flawed masterpiece, it paints such a gorgeous portrait of the Big Apple before Disneyland came to town. The bromance between Rourke and Eric Roberts is something to behold.
|
|
Kieran Hebden is one of my musical heroes, a prodigious artist whose musical appetites know no boundaries. I remember seeing him share the stage with Steve Reid in celebration of their 2007 album Tongues while living in London and being blown away by their collective sound. While I don’t have my finger on the pulse like I used to, there seems to be a real resurgence to the days of early nineties dance culture. Both Caribou’s Suddenly - released last month - and more specifically Four Tet’s Sixteen Oceans coming back to basics in delivering music that gets the blood flowing. Imbued with his touchstone spiritualism, this album proves yet again why the London-born talent is the undisputed maestro.
|
|
|
|
|
