MOVIE NIGHT: HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT

It's movie night at the only movie theatre that you can clip your toe nails in:

www.jamiedoesmusic.com. 

For your viewing pleasure tonight, we have the great 80's cult classic Heavy Metal Parking Lot.  It's about a bunch of dimwitted Judas Priest fans.  File it under 'comedy.'

And now our feature presentation—please locate the nearest exit, btw—Heavy Metal Parking Lot:

Now look under your seat. Wow! It's a wonderful digital Judas Priest compilation, courtesy of www.jamiedoesmusic.com.

But wait! There's more.  You're going to Hawaii! OMG!

MOVIE NIGHT: THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (1990) WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ICE-T, JELLO BIAFRA (DEAD KENNEDYS) AND TIPPER GORE

This is a particularly controversial and entertaining episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show.  Topics include the fear of censorship, controversial lyrics in music, the parental advisory sticker, and the potential for certain music to promote anarchy, racism and sexism—whether it was the artist's intention or not.  The panelists include Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys, Ice-T, Tipper Gore of the Parents Music Resouce Center, Juan Williams (then of The Washington Post,) music critic Nelson George and Rabbi Abraham Cooper.  Before we watch, it's important to familiarize ourselves with some of the albums mentioned on this program.  Click the album title and you will be redirected to a review from the finest critics in the world at www.allmusic.com.  Without a doubt, these reviewers "know their shit" more than anyone.  

Frankenchrist (partial album) by Dead Kennedys

Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A

The Iceburg/ Freedom of Speech...Just Watch What You Say by Ice-T

G N'R Lies by Guns N' Rose

And, finally—I'd never thought I'd say this—let's watch The Oprah Winfrey Show.  It's divided into four parts.

Here's my take.  Frankly, I don't care.  I'm 23, I don't have kids and my seven year old cousin curses more than I do.   That said, I don't think this is a censorship issue and I'm completely in favor of the "Parental Advisory" sticker.  If certain movies can have an R-rating, then I don't see the problem in having essentially the same system for music.  One criticism I do have—and it is the same issue I have with the MPAA— is that the sticker is often used too liberally and unfairly.  

I'd like for everyone to keep this in mind.  Artists and musicians are pretty much exactly like screenwriters and actors.  They take on characters and write stories.  Both, more often than not, produce works of complete fiction.  No matter how biographical they sound, song lyrics, in no way, indicate definitively what an artist's belief or ideology is.  Sometimes the line between satire and realism is much more difficult to see in music—particularly because you aren't seeing anything.  Whether his or her point is obvious or obtuse, I will always take the artist's perspective as the song's true meaning.  

Hey!—feel free to comment below.  I feel like I'm distributing a magazine on the moon.  If you're out there, I wanna hear your perspective.  

Movie Night: Let It Be

Essential viewing.  The fifth and last Beatles movie Let It Be stands apart from the others because it doesn't satirize the personalities and lifestyles of the fab four.  Rather, it documents the band's final recording sessions for the albums "Let It Be" and "Abbey Road," which would be released in the opposite order they were recorded in.  The performances are obviously brilliant, but the behind-the-scenes moments are both enlightening and heartbreaking.  While there isn't a sort of MTV Road Rules/Real World tension, there isn't any friendliness either.  There's civility and an obvious respect for each others' talents.  But, there isn't an illusion of anything other than a "working friendship."  The final minutes of Let It Be are the most rewarding and are "worth the price of admission."   What was famously dubbed as "The Rooftop Concert" was The Beatles first and last public performance since 1966.  The performances are terrific and feature "Fifth Beatle" Billy Preston on keyboards.   As you will see, no announcement of a concert was made to the public.  The magnificent faces of onlookers adds so much to The Beatles legend.  The subsequent soundtrack album Let It Be was one of the only Beatles albums to not receive universal acclaim from critics.  What overthinkers.  The album is great.  

NOTE: You might have to turn your laptop sideways.  I know...I suck.  But, it's doable.