SESSIONS Vol. 6 : The Sr Shrink of Seattle Serial
591842
OMG this series is finally ended. I have really enjoyed reading this author's books. All the volumes were good, but this one was the amazing one of all. So much drama, mystery and sexual romance in this story. So exciting to read and it was excellent in this story. The characters were great in this story. ENJOY
1756073
Volume 6 is only 40 minutes long, #5 is like an hour and 20. The special features on #6 aren't so special. I liked how they did a city by city thing in volume 5. Volume 6 mainly focuses on Alimoe and Hotsauce, its not bad and I don't regret buying it. This dvd did not show off the 2003 tour real well. I'm sure there will be a better 2003 tour dvd later.
3264633
Note: The Starred review here is more for the cycle itself than this cd release which I have not heard. I have a copy of this cycle on a 1975 reissue on SineQuaNon Records.

First things first... ABC Records junked the original 3-Track masters of the entire Command Classics catalog (along with Dunhill's) in the early 70's. If Universal Music Group has any tapes of these sessions (and they may not considering the recent vault fire they had) then they're mixdowns and not the originals. This is a shame since William Steinberg's recordings in Pittsburgh in the 60's are woefully under-appreciated mainly because they've been suppressed for so long and this Beethoven cycle was the crowning achievement of that run.

These recordings were made by members of the old Mercury Living Presence team and have a similar feel. Very in your face yet natural stereo separation using three separate unidirectional mics hung over the orchestra. Command gets some flak for boosting the sound a bit further in the cutting stage but its not that bad a problem. What you're getting is sound about on par with Mercury except its a vinyl rip.
658602
This slim book features two series of black-and-white self-portraits by the famous photographer Cindy Sherman:  "Bus Riders" and "Murder Mystery People." Sherman took the photographs in 1976 (a year before she started her best-known series "Untitled Film Stills"), but they were printed only in 2000 for an exhibition at Glenn Horowitz Bookseller in East Hampton, New York.

Each photo is in portrait orientation, about 12x19cm in size on a 15x23cm page. All have the same white background and a similar lighting scheme (based on the shadows cast); all show a foot-activated remote shutter release cable on the wood floor; and all prove that Sherman had some skills with makeup, props, and photography early in her career.

"Bus Riders" consists of 15 untitled photos; using Amazon's "LOOK INSIDE!" feature you can see #1-#6. Sherman portrays various types of people you might find on public transit, like a guy with sunglasses and a briefcase.  In all but the last image, Sherman is sitting on a chair; in five photos, she is made up to be black.

"Murder Mystery People" consists of 17 photos such as "the press" (also shown on the cover of the book), "the son (at funeral)," and "the actress (at murder scene)." "LOOK INSIDE!" shows only #17, "the drunken wife."  Overall, I thought this series more successful than "Bus Riders" because it shows a greater variety of poses and outfits, because it evokes both laughter and sadness, and because it leads one to imagine a narrative that might fit the photos.

The back cover contains a CD, "The Cindy Sessions."  This has 16 musical pieces by "The Glove Compartment, aka Gian Carlo Feleppa" that combine "found sounds" (like spoken snippets from answering machine messages and radio shows) with instrumentals.  Examples of the song titles are "Stereophonic Nagging," "Barefoot Sound," and "Finally We Have No Hair."  I'm unsure how to classify the music, but the word "weird" comes to mind, and I'm also unsure how to connect any of the pieces with Sherman's work.

Among the problems here: (1) The book design is uninspiring and uninviting. For example, what's with the UPC code on the red back cover? (2) The Foreword by Edsel Williams gives little information or insight. (3) The shots are apparently uncropped, but judicious cropping (especially in "Bus Riders") would have cut out extraneous background, shoes, etc. and focused attention on Sherman. (4) Finally, there is little reason to have this book if you have the catalog "Cindy Sherman" from the Serpentine Gallery (2003, with essay by Rochelle Steiner).*

If you are a Cindy Sherman fan, purchase this and other books by/about Sherman from Amazon.com!

* In specific, the Serpentine Gallery catalog has:  (a) most of the photos from this book, although in a smaller size:  "Bus Riders" photos 13 & 15, and all the "Murder Mystery People" photos (but with different numbering and in a different order); (b) a much better essay; (c) a composite photo of "Murder Mystery People" not in this book; (d) four close-up photos of Sherman's face from 1975, predating the photos in this book; (e) a lot of photos from more recent series by Sherman; and (f) a biography & bibliography.
3182523
I can take or leave insiders' accounts of behind the scenes events, although these are better than most. The best part of this volume, for me, was just having the opportunity to revisit some cherished and memorable favorites.

I should have learned my lesson. I had to find the rules for 43-man-squamish on the internet because I gave away my MAD magazines from the 60's, but at least everyone seems to recognize MAD. I may be the only person who remembers the TV show "That Was the Week That Was", but Tom Lehrer's collection of songs from the show is still around as a CD. NBC recycles Saturday Night Live so often it has become as ubiquitous and annoying as "It's A Wonderful Life". You can even still find Ernie Kovacs episodes, and he invented modern sketch TV. But when SPY disappeared it disappeared completely and totally, leaving behind a huge footprint for which it never gets credit. SPY was to edgy modern magazines and web sites what sound was to silent films, but it has just faded from memory.

It's good to have this memento.
1992792
A great memory.  I remember watching this simulcast in a movie theater on Halloween night 1980.  The material on this DVD is not everything from that night, some is cut, and some is added from the night before.  This was the end of the 1980 acoustic/electric tour (15 shows in CA, 2 in the midwest, 8 in NY). These were the final two shows in NY.

These same shows were released in piecemeal compilations as "Reckoning" and "Dead Set".  The Space > Fire On the Mountain is the same as on the Dead Set CD.  Unfortunately, on Dead Set, they chop the Fire jam near the end and splice in Greatest Story Ever Told -- a nasty flaw on Dead Set.  Here, you will hear/see the entire Fire jam (one of the better ones played in the early 80s) and the jam segues into Not Fade Away.

Much better that that flawed Dead Set recording, but unfortunately, this show is cut up as well.  After Not Fade Away, Jerry played an absolutely exquisite Stella Blue on 10-31-1980.  A great version.  But its not included here.  The DVD cuts out Stella Blue > Goin Down the Road, and cuts straight to Good Lovin'.

All in all, this is still a great selection of their playing from 1980, a year when Jerry was healthy and full of energy, and the band cleaned up their sound and broke out the acoustic guitars for old times sake.  A real gem from one of the last years the Dead were still a great band.
3920674
Wow this is an amazing set of interviews!!! I love how it's gets so personal! JR when are you doing a follow up for the rest of the characters??
3089988
"Re/Search 8/9: J G Ballard", which dates from 1984, is the single best book that's been published on Ballard. This latest offering from Re/Search brings us right up to date, containing a variety of interviews and discussions with the author taken over the period 1983 to 2004. There's lots here on Ballard's usual themes - psychopathology, death of affect, and so on. But the guts of the book lies in the three lengthy interviews in 2003 and 2004, in the course of which Ballard also visits such contemporary issues as 9-11, neo-cons, globalization, the end of the 'Age of Reason', and terrorism. As a counterpoint, there's a series of more informal, and often amusing, discussions that the Re/Search people have had with Ballard over the years they've been associated with him.

Whilst the interviews don't quite reach the heights of those in "Re/Search 8/9: J. G. Ballard", it's a worthy addition to Re/Search's portfolio of books by or about J.G.B., and a great companion to "J. G. Ballard: Quotes".
3228039
The justice system in America failed Nikki miserably. A killer, stalker and just plain waste of space, after point blank shooting a man in the head with several witness's and video, will be able to walk the streets again.

Thank you Nikki for sharing your experience in such detail.  This was a great book!
3089004
A great record from this four-piece from Seattle. Led by Karyn Palmier who sounds like a more pissed off (or jaded is a better word?) Chrissy Hynde. Some strange cool chord guitar work from Dave Holmes of the legendary Fall Outs. The rhythm section is solid and propulsive. Mostly upbeat...a brooding number on here too. A great listen overall.
2752539
I love that the meet me in seattle series spun off into this series. I was sad seattle ended but happy as hell for this series picked up
4771867
When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had its Ribbon Cutting in Cleveland, Ohio a few years ago, Yoko Ono was a prominent presence helping to open the doors.  She was the guest of Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone, who  would often provide Yoko a forum for her rantings (pro: John; anti: Paul).  I never understood this and after reading this book I wonder when the  honeymoon between Ono and Rolling Stone will end?  Does Yoko have pictures  of Wenner or what? From this book and others, it looks like Yoko wrecked  the world greatest rock and roll band and killed the soul of a great solo  artist!  Perhaps she should be inducted into the the Rock and Roll Hall of  Shame.  Poor John Lennon but he chose her and made his own bed.  Pitty  John....Paul, George,Ringo, Phil Spector and George Martin.  I would think  that at least 1,000 other rock n' roll artists deservered to be at the  ribbon cutting session ahead of Yoko.  I could not put down this book  because the Yoko PR machine had made Lennon into some kind of saint.  This  book is brave since the author faces the possibility of a large  multi-million dollar law suit that could ruin him or take years defending  him.  I admire this guy for that.  It seems to buttress itself with  numerous eye witness accounts from staff at the Dakota and from musicians.  I was surpised by the bad parenting, drug abuse, crazed occult,  permissive  sexual behavior,  authoritarian Yoko, and mental problems. This reads in  someways like a British Brian Wilson story--but thank goodness Brian is now  touring and making music again. I am so glad that I am not rich and famous!  I treasure being able to go out--like I did today--get a meal, go to a  bookstore, and music store without fear of being hassled.  John Lennon  seems like he lived like a prisoner at the Dakota--a sad and pathetic  existence.  Yoko does not come off very good in this book. One time she  ordered John to have ten days of silence or forced herself on the Double  Fantasy record or find another consort (May Pang among others).  I wonder  too with a billion dollar empire what she is doing with her money to  promote world peace, ecology or hand gun violence?  Where was she at  million mom march against guns?  At 67 years of age, she still has a chance  to rewrite her legacy by doing some good with her money.  Since she is  reading all of these reviews on Amazon.com, I hope she will realize why she  might be considered one of the most hated women in the world.  Does she  have any redeeming social values?  y the way, this is not the best Beatle  book, check out the under appreciated "Get Back Sessions:  The True  Story of the Disasterous Let It Be"  That book is amazing in detailing  from tapes of the sessions how Yoko wrecked the Beatles! Even if this book  is even half true--I think bixexual behavior and the suggestion that he was  responsible for the untimely death of one of the Beatles before fame  hit--is a bit much and takes away from the book so I dropped it by one  star!  Cry if you must but this is a tragedy!  I can't wait for the movie!
2128291
Vancouver, Washington, I said.
You mean, Vancouver British Columbia, don't you?
No, I mean Vancouver, Washington, that little city across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.
So?
Well, I got an interesting poetry anthology to tell you about that hails from that city.
Oh, no! Not poetry?
Shut up your face and listen.

Christopher Luna (recently named Clark County's Poet Laureate) and Toni Partington have put together a collection of poems selected from the poetry of those who have read at the Ghost Town Poetry open mic from 2004 through 2010. The open mic which includes featured poets from California to Seattle (and points East of the Cascades but West of the Rockies) takes place the 2nd Thursday of every month at a little book store in North Vancouver, called Cover To Cover Books. Google if you don't believe me. Mostly free verse, the collectionGhost Town Poetry: Cover To Cover Books 2004-2010: An Anthology of Poems from the Ghost Town Open Mic Series (Whew!)is a lively representation of all that poetry has to offer in the Pacific Northwest. You can't help but be entertained while you get an idea of the kind of poetry that the West Coast has long been known for. Production values are top notch so it's a good-looking book to hold in hand as well as a handsome read. Also, friends, if you've never experienced an open mic event, I tell you that a read through Ghost Town Poetry will give you a delightful taste of that experience. So buy the book and go to an open mic event. You'll be glad you did.

PS: In December 2013 look for another Ghost Town Poetry anthology by means of which Christopher and Toni will mark 10 years of putting together open mikes at Cover To Cover Books.
362409
The last guy who wrote that review, Ed Perry, was one of the original partners in Junk Records, so his review is kinda biased but in the right place. Ed and I are still friends although he left Junk right after this record came out (don't ask).

I think I still have the original artwork for the front cover, which was a painting by some Portland girl artist. Mastered way too low, prob caus I wasn't there and my other partner smoked way too much weed. But these guys were one of the best live bands I've ever seen in my 40+ yrs of drinking and driving. They used to do like 7 or 8 national tours a year caus they hated being in Portland, probably caus most of them were couch-surfing all the time.

Anyway, they do a cover of the Teenage Frames' "(Do the) Lemondrop" which is worth the price of the used record price. Frames were another Portland band who moved to Chicago, put out a few records (the first which Junk distributed caus we loved it so much) and are now based here in LA. And I think there's a version of "Learn How to Dance" but the 7in version on Junk is alot better. They'll probably hate me for this review but I just got slagged in Carbon14 magazine by them so payback's a biatch, right?
3412927
With the practice of being present, writing a zen "memoir seems like a dicey proposition.  And critiquing a zen memoir and even more perilous endeavor...lol.  The recounting of his life does not attempt to make sense of or understand anything, so its got that going for it...lol.  However, being lost in memories while sitting zazen in a forest seems like the kind of activity which would be rewarded by the keisaku stick by Katagiri Roshi.

Of course, someone has to document what went on in the formative years of the San Francisco and Minneapolis Zen Centers, don't they?
2561428
Once again, Robbins Entertainment releases their latest installment to their "Best of Trance" series.  Unfortunately, just like with a few of their past albums in the series, a lot of the tracks on this compilation are not really "the best."  They're boring.  Calling those tracks the best in the trance genre is like calling the Pinto a luxury car.  I've listened to many trance tunes, better than a lot of these tracks on this CD.  Haven't the people at Robbins searched deep enough?  I don't see why this series is still running after volume three turned out to be a borefest with only a few good tracks on the disc.  It wasn't like that with volumes one and two.  The first two volumes had plenty of good stuff.  Volume four was an improvement to the series after volume three.  But it still wasn't enough.  We are now at volume five and I still don't find this as interesting.

This CD has 15 tracks in all and is unmixed.  Either than the many tracks on this disc that bore me like waiting in line at the post office, there are still some very nice tracks here.  There's Ian Van Dahl's "Where Are You Now?"  IVD's single has some sweet percussion.  I like the drumrolls the best.  Armin Van Buuren's also on here with "Burned With Desire."  Another good choice I have to say.  The vocals of Justine Suissa fit very nicely into the song and Armin doesn't fail to show his effort for the single either.  Another nice track on this CD is Benny Benassi's "Hit My Heart."  Just like with a lot of his other works, Benny still uses that synthesizer that sounds like a robotic bumble bee for this tune.  But there's another synth used in the song.  It's lighter than the robotic bee synth.  Not exactly what I expected from Benny Benassi.  But I like it.  There's also Black Rock's "Blue Water."  It's the longest track on the compilation, only seconds shy from eight minutes.  This song goes at a slightly slower pace than the usual trance speed (140 BPM).  Either than that, I like the beats.  I also like Tiesto's "Just Be."  Even though Tiesto's been voted number one DJ in the world, he's not number one in my book.  But he can sure make quality trance.

There are some tracks that are okay.  But they're not as good as the ones I've already mentioned.  Plummet's "Cherish the Day" was good when it was still fresh back when I first heard it last September.  I got bored of that song months ago.  It's the same story with "Turn It Around" by 4 Strings.  This doesn't even match the quality 4 Strings' 2002 trance hit "Take Me Away (Into the Night)" had.  "Surrender" by Lasgo's okay.  But I liked their past singles, "Alone" and "Something" better.  QED's "Hardly A Day" isn't as good as their past trance single "Love Bites" from 2003.  But it's still alright.  Just about all the other tracks on this CD are boring.

If this really was the best of trance, I would've been done with this genre soon enough.  I'm not through with trance because I've heard more than this.  I've heard plenty of quality trance from the likes of Ferry Corsten, M.I.K.E., Sasha, Cosmic Gate, and many others, and they haven't appeared in any of these CDs (I find this amazing how Robbins didn't use Ferry in their "Best of Trance" CDs.  He's a trance genius for god sake!  How can they miss him?!).  If they were used in these CDs, maybe I would've liked them more.  I wouldn't call this compilation, the best of trance.  But it's still an okay album overall.
2261365
Dr. Ross has provided a record of the subprojects and experiments done by doctors associated with the C.I.A. under the MKULTRA project. Ritual abuse survivors have been telling us that their abuse has been under the direction of those exploring the objective of the C.I.A.'s MKULTRA project. The C.I.A. was actively pursuing the creation of mind-controlled operatives who would spy and kill for them and be amnesic to their orders. Add to that suicidal and willing to prostitute and provide material for blackmail and extortion and it should become clear that it would be nave to not believe survivor accounts. I also recommend "In Search of the Manchurian Candidate" by John Marks.
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Search-for-the-Manchurian-Candidate-The-CIA-and-Mind-Control-The-Secret-History-of-the-Behavioral-Sciences/dp/0393307948/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Search for the "Manchurian Candidate": The CIA and Mind Control: The Secret History of the Behavioral Sciences</a>