My friend Sebastian Quezada passed away a few hours ago today. Jabe Bloom just posted this photo, it is from when we were all at Bard College. We really went to the most magical school ever, I am so lucky to have experienced it will all these amazing creative (and crazy) people. At Bard Collage, Sebastian hosted some of the very first dance parties I ever went to. It was at these parties, that I met my best friend Abigail Feldman. Abigail was too busy humping speakers to notice me at the Old Gym techno parties. I eventually got her attention, in the darkroom where we were intellectually nurtured and spoiled with amazing teachers and tools and fancy view cameras. Abigail and I are still sisters in life and photography. The last time I saw Sebastian was at The Bunker, he came just to see me, and we reminisced about the good ol’ days. Rest in peace Sebastian. I hope your little girl will grow up smart and strong, even without you.

Mario Laboccetta’s illustration for Charles Baudelaire’s Fleurs du Mal/ Flowers of Evil (1933)

I can’t stop listening to “Says Elliott” by Sibylle Baier from her album “Colour Green” which was recorded in Germany 1970-1973.

Says Elliot by Sibylle Baier

I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot
I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot

I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot
I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot

I love this dark and beautiful Peter Christopherson tribute mix by Surgeon. It is available to download from his site here.

My friend Tony Lee, also a huge Coil fan, posted a two part mix on his Xiled Radio site here.

In 2007 I curated an exhibition on psychedelic art, named in honor of the Coil record Love’s Secret Domain. The show is archived on this site: http://seze.net/lsd

I finally got around to listening to my copy of the beautiful and haunting compilation Dark Was The Night.  Maybe I was waiting for just the right day to really appreciate it.  Buy your copy today, and all the revenue goes to AIDS charities.

James Jean’s portfolio site: www.jamesjean.com

James Jean’s blog: www.processrecess.com

My favorite new thing today is A Place to Bury Strangers.  They kind of sound like a harder and faster Jesus and Mary Chain, but that’s alright with me.

http://www.myspace.com/aplacetoburystrangers

Bettie Page, Queen of Pinups, Dies at 85

Our beautiful pinup queen has passed away.  Photographer Unknown.

My dearest friend and fellow good witch Dame Darcy had her art opening today at Sloan Fine art.  Tonight, I arrived right on time at her opening and I waited (with her best friend) for her to arrive.  We looked at her amazing illustrations and talked about how much we love Darcy.  I have adored her work since high school and since then we have become close friends.  After 40 minutes I went home and with a fresh copy of Gasoline in my arms.  I can’t wait to cuddle with her drawings and her story tonight.  I am so proud of her for finally publishing her book and I hope that she will have a brighter and better future once she moves out west.

Darcy, I know you are leaving New York with a broken heart but my heart will always be with you….

Gasoline original illustrations
Nov. 19th – Dec. 20th 2008
Sloan Fine Art
Gasoline art exhibition of original
illustrations from graphic novel and Gasoline painting series by Dame Darcy
128 Rivington st.
press release

Here are some free song dowmloads from this great new comp Halloween of Bloody Nightmares.
Special thanks to AeroCCCP Recordings for letting me share these tunes and for helping to bring Messer Chups to my party Kiss & Tell last March.

End – Everything in Excess (Halloween Version)

Messer Chups – Inferno Image (First Version)

Happy Halloween and enjoy!

The best Halloween costume I ever had was when I was six, my mom sewed a Snow White costume for me.  While I wore it and it I truly believed I was the real Snow White.  I grew up in a large apartment building in Midtown Manhattan.  So we trick or treated by ringing all the doorbells on each floor and waited to see who opened their door.  Some people would give us candy and some slacker bachelors would give us small change.  The year I was Snow White someone gave me a red apple, just like the apple she was given to fall into a deep sleep in the fairy tale.  When I got home my mom peeled the apple to serve it to me.  Much to my mother’s horror she found a sewing needle in the apple!

Currently listening to Bob Dylan’s Halloween Theme Time Radio#26

I can’t wait to see this movie (watch the trailer).

© 2007 Prima Linea Productions / Pierre Di Sciullo 

© 2007 Prima Linea Productions / Charles Burns

© 2007 Prima Linea Productions / Richard McGuire 

Jamie’s photos at an exhibition at Bard College, in 2007 taken by Tom Boettcher

Jamie Livingston started to shoot a Polaroid a day when he was a Senior at Bard Collge in 1979.  He is now deceased, as documented in his last photo from 1997 (the year I graduated from Bard).  However, each image is documented on his site.  I also studied photography at Bard, where I even convinced the head of the department Stephen Shore to let me have a tutorial in Polaroid photography for the full college credit of a regular photo class.  It was an expensive medium, but the sweet thrill of seeing your image immediately made it all worth while.  Now that I carry a digital camera I have almost forgotten the sheer bliss of that magic moment of watching a photo develop before my eyes. Go get lost in his lush visual diary.

Jamie Livingston’s polaroids: http://photooftheday.hughcrawford.com

Last night I was one the lucky few to see a special solo performance by Michael Gira at The Stone, a tiny little venue in the lower east side.  It was just Micahel Gira and a guitar, which in my opinion is the most intimate way to experience someone’s music.  The highlight of the show was when he played Blind, one of my favorite Swans songs ever.  It was a real treat to hear his stripped down version.  If you are unfamiliar with the magical sound of The Swans, Love of Life is a good record to start with.

Blind
written by The Swans on Drainland

Now some of us are weak, and some endure
And some people live their lives, with a violence that’s pure and clean
But I saw a man cry once, down on his knees
In the corner of a darkened cell, and his pain meant nothing to me

But I was younger then, and young men never die
When I walked out in the sun, I was strong, clear minded,
and blind

And please don’t ask me a question, you’ll just be misunderstood
And if you could step inside me, you’d feel what hatred brings
And if you could see with my eyes, you’d see what self-deception means

I was younger once, and I created a lie
And though my body was strong, I was self-deluded, confident,
and blind

Now show some pity, for the weak of will
Because when we’re drinking, we can never be filled
And show some undentanding, for the lonely fool
Because when l’m drinking, l’m out of control

No I was never young, and nothing has transpired
And when I look in the mirror, I feel dead, I feel cold,
I am blind. 

Photos of Michael Gira by Mark Benney

This lovely black and white movie was much better than I expected it to be.  It was so exciting to see the first film made by one of my all time favorite photographers Anton Corbjin. Each shot was more gorgeous than the last and the acting was really impressive.  It was so true to life, at times I thought I was watching a documentary.  I can’t wait to see what Corbjin comes up with next.
www.corbijn.co.uk

http://icanhascheezburger.com

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Directed by Andrew Dominik

I watched this gorgeous film yesterday and the best treat was the stunning cinematography. Each scene was crafted like a carefully composed luminous photograph. Many shots were all about the way sunlight fills a room, or the way dust travels through air. I loved the use of blurry lens vignettes, an very Victorian effect that I rarely see anywhere anymore (other than in the timeless photographs of Sally Mann). The story was kind of slow but this beautiful film is well worth watching. The cast was amazing too. Highly recommended.

Sally Mann, Untitled from “The Motherland Series”