Vanina Marsot in Berlin

(click image to enlarge)

street art

copyright © 2009 Vanina Marsot

Click here to order your copy of Vanina Marsot's new book, Foreign Tongue: A Novel of Life and Love in Paris.

Deep Water

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Antiques of Capistrano

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

From a Philadelphia Notebook

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Xmas Balls

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Xmas Balls

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Vanina Marsot in Berlin

(click image to enlarge)

here you leave the capitalist sector

copyright © 2009 Vanina Marsot

Click here to order your copy of Vanina Marsot's new book, Foreign Tongue: A Novel of Life and Love in Paris.

Xmas Balls

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

John Blum Performs @ Pianos NYC TONIGHT!

John Blum: Piano

Charles Gayle: Bass

Sabir Mateen: Saxophone

Michael Wimberly: Drums

Monday, December 21

Sets at 9:30 and 11:00

Pianos NYC

158 Ludlow Street

$5, no minimum

Josh Alan Friedman Remembers WEIRDO

“First floor, ladies lingerie and French parfume, second floor, men’s hernia trusses,” sang out the bulbous-nosed Irish elevator men...

Josh Alan Friedman takes you on a stroll down memory lane that leads to Crumb's Weirdo. Please provide your own Leroy Anderson soundtrack.

Click here to read it at Black Cracker Online.

Xmas Balls

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Xmas Balls

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Antiques of Capistrano

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

The Booth Table

Here's to Ye Olde King's Head in Santa Monica; there aren't so many places around town you'll find a photo of the late, great James Booth (b. 19 December, 1927) on the wall, sunbleached and faded though it may be.

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Xmas Balls

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Birthdays Worth Remembering

Little Jimmy Dickens
Alvin Lee
Professor Longhair
Phil Ochs

Have Yourself a Borgnine Christmas!

Christmas comes a few days early this year for the good people of Sherman Oaks when the great Ernest Borgnine visits the local Borders this Saturday, December 19th, to sign copies of his autobiography, ERNIE (details here).

Starts at 2 p.m. Drink a few bottles of Borgnine's Coffee Soda if you expect to keep up with the man, God Bless Ya!

See "The Importance of Being Ernie" here.

Vanina Marsot in Berlin

(click image to enlarge)

street art

copyright © 2009 Vanina Marsot

Click here to order your copy of Vanina Marsot's new book, Foreign Tongue: A Novel of Life and Love in Paris.

Deep Water

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Josh Alan Friedman Talks With Doc Watson

"...He said, ‘Dad, what do you think about goin’ commercial?’ And I said, ‘You want an honest answer, son?’ He said, ‘Yeah, and I hope it’s the way I feel about it.’ I said, ‘I don't want no part of that rat race. Let’s do what we’re doin’ and try to stay alive in the business.’ He said, ‘Them’s my thoughts, exactly.’”

"The Circle Unbroken: Doc Watson" by Josh Alan Friedman.

Read it here, at Black Cracker Online.

Chris D. all'Italiana!

Thanks to Black Milk magazine for alerting the Italian-speaking (and reading!) world to New Texture's publication of the new anthology by Chris D., A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die:

http://www.blackmilkmag.com/bm/2009/12/unantologia-di-scritti-per-chris-d/

To purchase copies of A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die, click here.

Chris D. w/Byron Coley, Thurston Moore TONIGHT in NYC!

Byron Coley and Thurston Moore join Chris D. to commemorate the advance release of New Texture's MASSIVE new anthology of his work, A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die!

Saturday 12 December - NYC - Gavin Brown's Enterprise
Reading/signing with Thurston Moore and Byron Coley, 7 pm
620 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10014
(212) 627-5258

Or, order your copy of A Minute to Pray... here.

Antiques of Capistrano

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

A MINUTE TO PRAY... Now available for purchase!

GREAT NEWS for the many readers unable to attend Chris D.'s reading events:

The long-awaited anthology of Chris' writing, A MINUTE TO PRAY, A SECOND TO DIE, is now available for sale on Amazon.com!

PLEASE NOTE: We will be offering signed editions of the book (also via Amazon.com) in mid-January. Watch this space for details and availability.

Japan Society hosts Chris D. TONIGHT in NYC!

Tonight in New York, the Japan Society hosts Chris D., curator of their film series The Double-Edged Sword: The Chambara Films of Shintaro Katsu & Raizo Ichikawa. Chris will be the guest of honor to christen the series' opening, and the evening will include a reception and book signing.

Friday 11 December - NYC - Japan Society
Screening of Samurai Vendetta (d. Kazuo Mori, 1959) with reception and book signing, 7:30 pm
333 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017
Box Office: (212) 715-1258, Monday - Friday, 11 am - 6 pm, Weekends, 11 am - 5 pm.

* Read/download a copy of Chris D.'s curatorial statement on the film series here.

Chris D. reads TONIGHT in Florence, MA!

Chris D. commemorates the advance release of New Texture's new MASSIVE anthology of his work, A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die, in Florence, MA!

Thursday 10 December - Florence, MA - Glass Eye Books/Yod
Reading/signing with Byron Coley, 8 pm.
221 Pine Street #441, Florence, MA 01062

Vanina Marsot in Berlin

(click image to enlarge)

map of the wall

copyright © 2009 Vanina Marsot

Click here to order your copy of Vanina Marsot's new book, Foreign Tongue: A Novel of Life and Love in Paris.

Birthdays Worth Remembering

Walter Orange

Deep Water

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

BBP!'s Jason Lenzi Explains It All for You.

Plastic Man: Jason Lenzi

One look at their catalog and you've got to agree Bif Bang Pow! is a pretty cool company. And for an operation with so many high-profile licenses in its stable, it was built on and maintains an admirably DIY philosophy.

Honcho Jason Lenzi is a friend, so we've been following BBP!'s growth from the beginning. And it's been rewarding and inspirational watching someone fulfill his lifelong dream with nothing in his corner at the start but desire and drive.

Lately Lenzi's been filing a regular column - Plastic Soul - over at Action Figure Insider, where he's been peeling back the curtain on the toy business, explaining just how a thing goes from famous/beloved entertainment property to merchandise, and revealing a few trade secrets in the process.

Whatever your feelings about toys and toy collecting, if you're interested at all in popular culture you'll find Lenzi good company. He's a spirited writer with strong opinions on subjects that extend well beyond things plastic and poseable, and his entertaining columns are worth your time.

Particularly his latest, "Tribulations of the Trade," in which he shares some of his memorable experiences in the frequently frustrating world of licensing and approvals. That's the part of the process where studios and stars get to have their say, and anyone who knows even a little about the entertainment industry knows that that's the time when things tend to become...interesting. Things certainly do for Lenzi, and he's naming names.

Click here to read "Tribulations of the Trade" before the injunctions are handed down.


photo by Wyatt Doyle

Josh Alan Friedman? Not a big football fan.

"I hate the tailgate parties in the parking lots—a heart-attack land of barbecue smokers, “pulled pork” sandwiches and big bellies. I hate the Fritos, the Cheese Doodles, the pork rinds, the guzzling from industrial beer tanks. The headache-inducing white noise of “the game,” omnipresent on TVs and radios, in restaurants and clubs..."

"Football Hate: Don't Tread on Me" by Josh Alan Friedman.

Read it here at Black Cracker Online.

Chris D. in Los Angeles, Bill Dixon in Philadelphia!

Get dressed to go out!

In Los Angeles, Chris D. reads with Mary Woronov at La Luz de Jesus. Starts at 6 pm! Click here for details.

In Philadelphia, Bill Dixon performs with Exploding Star Orchestra. 8 pm at International House. Click here for details.

Big night tonight no matter which coast you're on, and if you're somewhere in the middle, well, pick a direction and get moving!

Antiques of Capistrano

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Chris D. reading/signing in L.A., NYC & MA!

Grab your calendars and make note of a flurry of public appearances by Chris D. to commemorate the advance release of New Texture's new MASSIVE anthology of his work, A Minute to Pray, A Second to Die!

In addition to tomorrow night's reading with the incredible Mary Woronov in Los Angeles (@ La Luz de Jesus Gallery - details here), Chris will be making a handful of East Coast appearances the following week.

Saturday 5 December - Los Angeles, CA - La Luz de Jesus Gallery
Reading/signing with Mary Woronov, 6 to 9 pm.
4633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027
For further information contact La Luz at (323) 666-7667, or E-mail them at sales@laluzdejesus.com

Thursday 10 December - Florence, MA - Glass Eye Books/Yod
Reading/signing with Byron Coley, 8 pm.
221 Pine Street #441, Florence, MA 01062

Friday 11 December - NYC - Japan Society
Screening of Samurai Vendetta (d. Kazuo Mori, 1959) with reception and book signing, 7:30 pm
333 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017
Box Office: (212) 715-1258, Monday - Friday, 11 am - 6 pm, Weekends, 11 am - 5 pm.
* Read/download a copy of Chris D.'s curatorial statement on the film series here.

Saturday 12 December - NYC - Gavin Brown's Enterprise
Reading/signing with Thurston Moore and Byron Coley, 7 pm
620 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10014
(212) 627-5258

Vanina Marsot in Berlin

(click image to enlarge)

the Berliner Dom

copyright © 2009 Vanina Marsot

Click here to order your copy of Vanina Marsot's new book, Foreign Tongue: A Novel of Life and Love in Paris.

Deep Water

copyright © 2009 Wyatt Doyle

Chris D. Runs 'Em Down

While the marks and suckers gear up to beg Santa for more useless trash, Chris D. has been drafting a far more exciting list: He's compiled his Top Ten favorite records in a new essay for NewTexture.com.

So who's logged the most time on his turntable? His choices may surprise you...

Click here to read it.