In today’s New York Times, culture critic Michael Kimmelman writes about the beauty and mystique of Polaroid pictures. The article features a slideshow of Polaroid specimens from Found Magazine–pictures that must have been casual snapshots, but with a certain depth and dreamlike quality that’s unique to Polaroids.
From Found Magazine, via New York Times. Photographer unknown.
MMJ takes the stage at the Chicago Theatre tomorrow and Sunday night. Here are two pictures I shot of the band–both for Magnet–the top in 2001 and the other in ’07.
My Morning Jacket, 2001. Photo: Jim Newberry
My Morning Jacket in 2007. Photo: Jim Newberry
“Monks–The Transatlantic Feedback,” will be showing at the Gene Siskel Film Center from Friday until Tuesday (12/26 to 12/30). Thirty years before alternative became a retarded marketing buzzword; decades before mopey indie rock became the anthem of Jetta commercials; years ahead of the Ramones and the Sex Pistols and Sonic Youth; there was the Monks: a gang of American GIs who shaved their heads like monks and devised their own abrasive, rhythmic, anti-pop sound, making ingenious use of banjo, electric organ, and unhinged vocals with lyrics like:
Well I hate you baby with a passion, yeah, you know I do
(But call me!)
Oh, you know my hate’s everlasting baby yeah, yeah, yeah
(But call me!)
Here’s a picture of front-Monk Gary Burger performing with the Goblins (yes, that masked longhair is none other than The Phantom Creeper) in 2006.
Gary Burger of the Monks performing with the Goblins (The Phantom Creeper in background)
Update: Do you know what GI stands for–as in GI Joe? Galvanized iron, according to many Internet sources. Anyone out there have a real source for that?
Time is running out! Bombaby Video, on Devon Avenue in Chicago, is going out of business, and prices are slashed. The place is stuffed to the gills with unusual and fascinating CDs, audio cassettes, and videos from the Indian subcontinent and beyond. The exotic titles available here for another week or two are not likely to be found at iTunes or your local hipster record store (not to mention chain stores). Head over there with a wad of cash and do some holiday shopping. Say hello to Sujay, the friendly and charismatic proprietor, and then get some delicious Indian food at one of the many Indian and Pakistani restaurants in the vicinity. (Thanks to Liam for introducing me to Sujay.)
Bombay Video, Chicago. Photo: Jim Newberry
Bombay Video, Chicago. Photo: Jim Newberry
Sujay Shah at Bombay Video. Photo: Jim Newberry
Untitled photo: Jim Newberry
You’d be a fool to miss Chris Ligon and Heather McAdam’s Country Calendar show at Fitzgerald’s tonight. Here are some pics from the 2006 CCS.
Country Calendar Show 2006 at Fitzgerald's. Photo: Jim Newberry
Your hosts Chris Ligon and Heather McAdams bring you the 2009 country Calendar Show. The Lineup includes: Jon Langford, Robbie and Donna Fulks, The Polkaholics, Nora O’Connor, The Long Gone Lonesome Boys, The Western Elstons, Jane Baxter Miller and Kent Kessler, Devil In A Woodpile, Vernon Tonges and Stacey Earley, The Joel Paterson Trio, The Lawrence Peters Outfit, and Patty Elvis.
Also 16mm Films of Country Music Legends projected on the big screen!
I’ve been thinking about holding photography workshops at my studio. If you think you might potentially be interested in a photo workshop with me, would you mind taking a very brief survey? If so, I’d really appreciate it! The survey can be found here. It’s short and you don’t need to sign up or register for anything.
A few years back, my friend Laura was telling me about a book she was reading that was really funny, one of the highlights involving the author’s friend, a performance artist known as the Mangina (aka Harry Chandler). As it happened, I had actually met Chandler—my friend Katherine Chronis was taking a road trip with the gifted photographer Donna Ferrato and their third traveling companion was none other than the Mangina himself. On their way through Chicago they had stopped by my studio for a beer.
So when Laura alerted me to the existence of the Mangina it was pretty funny to be able to respond, “oh, I’ve met the mangina.” The book was “My Less Than Secret Life” by Jonathan Ames. Little did I know at that time that a couple years later I would be spending a long day with Ames at the Odeum in Villa Park taking photographs at Gothicfest for a Spin article he was writing.
Well, Ames will be back in Chicago for a Bookslut-sponsored reading at the Hopleaf on Tuesday, December 9th. It should be a treat–Ames is a brilliant writer and highly entertaining in person.
Below are a few of the Gothicfest photos.
(left to right) Michelle Russo, Jonathan Ames, Marc Seawell at Gothicfest 2005. Photo: Jim Newberry
A goth girl and her dad at Gothicfest 2005. Photo: Jim Newberry
David Wilcox at Gothicfest 2005. Photo: Jim Newberry
OK, this is the last PKN post for a while, I promise. Here’s a picture I took as I was giving my three dimensional photographic show and tell, and below that, a shot of Derek Erdman presenting his hilarious, poignant, and slightly deranged tale involving transpacific travel, a tattoo that is now sadly obsolete, bare breasts, and love that goes from unrequited to requited and back again.
Pecha Kucha Night 7 in Chicago. Photo: Jim Newberry
Derek Erdman presenting at Pecha Kucha 7 in Chicago. Photo: Jim Newberry
A reminder that Martyrs’ is hosting Pecha Kucha Night tonight, and I’ll be showing 3D slides. Here’s another stereo picture–you’ll need red/cyan anaglyph glasses to get the 3D effect.
Movie XXX incense underwear. Stereo photo by Jim Newberry
Former Sunny Day Real Estate frontman and Emo-pioneer Jeremy Enigk will be taking the stage at the Bottom Lounge this Wednesday, December 3rd. Here are photographs I shot of Enigk in 2006, for Magnet magazine.
Jeremy Enigk, 2006. Photos: Jim Newberry
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