ROBERT FRANK's ''The Americans''.

A must see show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you are in the NYC area, GO. Robert Frank's photographs are not only beautiful to look at, but make striking astute political statements. Just what I want from MY art! PS: Charley Patton will be continued tomorrow. Till then Peace and hair grease.

THIRD EBAY SALE!!! On Now...!!!

THIRD EBAY sale on Now!!! A nice selection of designer/vintage suede jackets ( LaMatta! ), jeans ( RRL!! and Ralph Lauren ), casual jackets/raincoats ( DKNY ) and vintage and designer shirts!!! ( Versace, 50's camp shirt ) Really affordable, so stop reading this and go buy something! Git Ya Style ON....!


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140354038541#ht_500wt_1182

CHARLEY PATTON. Father of the DELTA BLUES. Part 2

Continued: In 1900 Charley and his family moved 100 miles from there former home in the Hill country of Mississippi, to the large Dockery Plantation near Ruleville, a legendary location in the annuals of the Blues. It was at Dockery's that young Patton fell under the spell of Henry Sloan, a near mythical Bluesman who was never recorded ( oh if only I had a Time Machine! I would have loved to have heard HIM... ) It was Sloan's instruction that he developed his amazing style. That style consisted of a gravely, gin soaked 500 yard voice, a guitar that would seem to follow along with his vocal line, using the guitar as a ''drum'' to bang out percussive rhythms, and a 'singing', stinging slide guitar that goes right to the core of you when you hear it. 50 years before Rock and Roll Charley Patton was playing the guitar between his knee's, over his head, or behind his back. Writer Robert Palmer describes Patton as a "jack-of all-trades bluesman" who played "deep blues, white hillbilly songs, nineteenth-century ballads, and other varieties of black and white country dance music with equal facility". This is true. Patton traveled all over the south with his amazing abilities, astonishing everyone who heard him. From NPS.Gov: ''After the turn of the decade Patton began playing music with Willie Brown, a guitarist who would later appear on many of his recordings. Patton's music began to exert a considerable influence; guitarist Tommy Johnson had moved to the Dockery vicinity circa 1913 and was soon playing Delta blues including Patton's "Pony Blues." Around 1914, Patton began playing his guitar with members of the Chatmon family, working picnics and frolics. Bo, Sam, and Lonnie Chatmon and guitarist Walter Vinson later would gain fame as the Mississippi Sheiks. Bo Chatmon also recorded many titles as soloist Bo Carter. Patton continued playing and rambling around the Delta, going north to Memphis and as far west as Arkansas and Louisiana. By 1926, a young Robert Johnson had begun following Patton and Brown to gigs trying to learn from the veteran guitarists''. All the above mentioned are great Bluesman in there own right. In 1928 or so Patton was heard by talent scout/furniture store owner H.C. Spear. Then things really got interesting...to be continued!

A little EYE candy, by way of Germany a little filler for in between posts for Mr. PATTON. Enjoy!!!

CHARLEY PATTON. Father of the DELTA BLUES.

Many people have asked about my ''colorful bio'' in the 'about me' section of my blog. Questions like, ''What the heck are you talkin' about'' and ''where you high when you wrote that'' are some of the typical responses. The most common question is who is ''Charley Patton?'' Sacrilegious!!! Who is Charley Patton they say...he was the father of modern music. Without him there is no Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, ROCK and ROLL, Rolling Stones, ELVIS, Jerry Lee Lewis, BLUEGRASS, COUNTRY MUSIC, Led Zep, or any classic rock/pop music from the last 50 years or more. Blues is the bedrock, the foundation of what we consider modern music. But lets turn back the clock for a second. Lets go back in time about...say 120 years. The first and second generation of African Americans born after the Civil War and Reconstruction in the southern states find themselves in new form of 'slavery' called sharecropping. Working the land for rich ( almost always white ) landowners, they raise the crops, supposedly to share in the profit of the harvest. Of course it never turned out quite like that. The sharecroppers had to borrow the tools, food, seed, and other materials to work the land, and would often end up owing the landowner at the end of each season, in a never ending spiral of debit, ( sort of like MY SCHOOL LOAN!! ). One of the ideal places to sharecrop was the rich bottom lands of the Mississippi Delta ( not a true Delta, but a alluvial plain, sort of like a huge old riverbank that has build up over time ) whose soil proved most satisfactory for growing crops like Tobacco and Cotton. There where huge ''Plantations'' in the Delta and in 1881 ( there is some dispute about the actual date ) near one of them in Hinds county, Charley Patton was born. To be continued....

''The LEAGUE of EXTRAordinary GENTLEmen''+The Victorian UNDERWORLD!

To most comic book fans ''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'' is OLD news. But this book is so awesome and imaginative, I have been re-reading it lately. The movie, though incredibly commercial, was a nice try, but for the FULL experience you must read the book. Alan Moore crafts a world in which you can literally find yourself lost in. The work is a intriguing mix of old novels, myths and legends and obscure references from classic literature reconstructed to form something entirely new. Of particular interest are the short, written stories in the back of each issue of this limited series which deal with the heroes of the story's world wide journey and the strange places they encounter. I am also reading ''The Anti-Society, an account of the Victorian Underworld'' by Kellow Chesney. Think ''Oliver Twist'' with a real TWIST. What's real kool is the victorian slang at the back of the book with translation. Geeks like me love this stuff. Check the links below for more info, till then Cheerio, Guv'!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_League_of_Extraordinary_Gentlemen


http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/329589.Kellow_Chesney

Check out this clip of the New York Art World, circa 1977. This is a awesome doc. Take a look....

QUINTESSENCE. RAW FOOD restaurant.

If you are in NYC area check this place out. It is one of my wife's and I favorite places to eat. It is totally RAW, totally kool and OH SO good! Check the link below: Enjoy! Oh and before I forget,

PS: Thanks to ''Gaila 3'' for the photo from flickr.

http://www.raw-q.com/

Savage ''SELVAGE'' Style! ''RAW"" or ''cooked?''

It will come as no surprise to most of you to discover that I LOVE jeans. In the past ten or so years I have owned probably close to oh, say 50 to 60 pairs, probably more. Of course that is not the amount of pairs I currently own ( close to 12-15 or so ) If you were to hear from my wife, she will tell you I STILL have that many. No so, but I am currently on a quest for the BEST jeans. The ultimate, the pinnacle, the TOPS. Being the obsessive compulsive personality that I AM, this has lead me to SELVAGE DENIM. These are two pairs that I own above. Both are by Ralph Lauren. The first pair is a RAW pair I found on EBAY. Love em'. The other is from a brand by Ralph called RRL. Artificially worn out, I wear these when I am feelin' ''grungy'' which is often. Throw on a pair of vintage army/or engineer boots, and an old leather/or suede jacket, plaid shirt and ''newsboy'' hat and pretend it is 1932, which won't be that hard given the state of this country lately. Anyway, check this description from the Context Clothing site regarding selvage denim:

''Only the finest jeans are made of selvage denim.

Selvage denim is made on old-style shuttle looms rather than modern, projectile looms. In simple terms, this means during the fabric weaving process, the cross-thread goes back and forth as one continuous thread, rather than as individual threads for each cross weave. As a result, selvage denim has a clean edge. Modern, single thread weaving has a frayed edge.

Traditionally the fabric made on shuttle looms was so narrow, a pair of jeans required approximately 3 yards of fabric. To maximize yield, jean-makers used the fabric all the way to the selvage edge with a straight outside seam. When the cuff is turned up, the two selvedge edges, where the denim is stitched together, can be seen (it's also seen on the inside of the coin pocket). The selvage edge is usually stitched with a colored thread and on vintage jeans, you'll find red, white, green, brown or yellow thread running down the edge, the most common being red. This distinction was made by fabric mills to differentiate between fabrics. True vintage jeans can be recognized the selvage edge.

Japanese selvage denim is the finest and most rare on the market today.

Historically, American denim was considered superior. In time, however, because shuttle looms only made 30-inch wide cloth, they became obsolete. In the 1950’s, when American jean manufacturers saw demand for their product skyrocket, they searched for faster, less expensive methods for producing denim fabric. They mothballed the traditional shuttle-type looms in favor of modern, projectile looms which could make a 60-inch wide fabric (or wider) for much less money. The fabric produced, however, was lighter and less durable. Manufacturers also replaced real indigo dye with synthetic substitutes and began pre-washing all fabric in order to control shrink and twist. The byproduct of these changes was an article lacking character with no potential for greatness.

Three decades later, select Japanese companies saw a market for traditionally made denim. They bought up most of the old, American shuttle looms and began crafting denim for small, local clothing companies. When the “Premium Denim” craze began, a few forward thinking companies introduced jeans made of selvage denim dyed with real indigo.

Quality denim is indigo dyed using loop dying machines which, like the looms, are rare and ancient machines., They feed a rope of cotton yarn through vats of indigo dye and then up to the roof of the factory to allow the indigo to oxidize before the 'rope' goes back down into the next vat. Some brands use up to 30 dips, creating a rich, deep indigo blue color with excellent character.

As for the raw materials, the best manufacturers use 100% cotton threads, which though they break more easily during the sewing process, are more authentic. Other original production techniques are reproduced at every stage, including the chain stitch at the leg opening which gives a thick stitch-line at the hem. This stitching requires a special machine, which again, has not been produced for the past 40 years. Whenever possible, superior denim manufacturers use Union Special brand machines, the "Rolls Royce" of American sewing machines from the fifties.

The immense care put into the detailing of this unique denim fabric, from the raw material to the weaving, dying and stitching, creates a jean of exceptional quality. Denim produced on shuttle looms is naturally irregular and these irregularities are enhanced as the jeans age, causing every pair to develop a unique and beautiful pattern as it fades. The deep blue color and the way the jeans fade can only be achieved by using the loop dying system. These details give the jeans authenticity and give you the knowledge that you own an article of the highest quality. Like fine wood, jeans made of selvage denim will only become more beautiful with age and wear, acquiring a patina unique to the wearer that is impossible to reproduce artificially. Each pair transforms in to a one of a kind piece. Owning and wearing jeans made of selvage denim is a very personal experience that no other item of clothing can give you.''

Thanks to Context Clothing for the description. The current trend in mens jeans is toward a RAW unwashed jean. Slim, fitted. The deal is, you are supposed to wear in the unwashed jeans yourself making the final product unique to you. PRE washed ( by factory ) ripped, or artificially distressed Selvage jeans are in MY humble option just as good ( even though hard core JEANS purists will insisted otherwise ). I wear both types, to suit different moods. If I have piqued your intrest for a pair of selvage jeans ( and you have da dough ), try these brands/stores:

http://www.worldjeanshop.com/

RRL does NOT have a website, but you can find info on stores here:

http://stores.ralphlauren.com/search_results.asp?keyword=NY&state=NY&zip=

Try these stores for PRIMO japanese jeans in the NYC or/on line:

http://www.selfedge.com/

http://blueingreensoho.com/

http://www.contextclothing.com/

MY top 12 FAVORITE FLICKS...What are YOURS?

These are some of my favorite movies, in no particular order...we all have favorites, I would love to know what your are. Feel free to list them if you like. If you never seen any of these, you are missing out. Get over to Netflicks or Blockbuster and take a look see. Anyway, my top twelve, they are:

1. Citizen Kane:

On word. ''Rosebud''....Considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made. Orsen.

2. The Third Man:

Super ''Noir'' film set in post war Europe. Has anyone seen a Mr. Harry Lime?? Orsen again.

3. The Godfather ( 1 and 2, counts as 1. ):

Needs No introduction.

4. 12 Monkeys:

Mr. Willis travels back in time to prevent the outbreak of a plague that wipes out most of mankind. My man Gilliam.

5. The Dark Knight:

The best. 2nd BEST superhero movie ever made. Period.

6. Unforgiven:

Brilliant ''post modern'' western. Can't go wrong with Mr. Eastwood.

7. Malcolm X:

Spike's best. We all know WHY this never won an Oscar.

8. The Devil and Daniel Webster:

Man sells his soul for 7 years good luck. ( no it's not about Mayor Bloomburg. )

9. Brazil:

Terry Gilliam masterpiece.

10. Unbreakable:

Love that Mr. M.Night. Best ''superhero'' movie(?) Mr. Willis again.

11. La Dolce Vita:

Sylish Fellini flick. And Anita Ekberg jumping around in a large fountain.

12. Moby Dick:

Accursed WHALE!

''CALL FOR AID'' NEW art WORK (completed!)

I finally finished my latest collage piece,''Call for Aid'' inspired by a scratched up sign I saw at the Lightrail station by my house. Looking at the sign on my way to work on day, I was struck at how much it resembled ( in my mind anyhow ) an abstract artwork. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Art is all around us we only have to learn to see it.

ARE YOU DOWN WITH the ''CREW?'' J.CREW dat is.

As mentioned in my previous post, Classic AMERICAN style is HOT right now. If you have a yen for some of that timeless american kool, get yourself over to J.CREW. They are doing some amazing things with long standing american manufactures such as Sperry Topsiders, Barbour, RayBan, Levi's, Mr. Freedom, Timex, and Red Wing Boots, to name a few. All these brands are easily searchable on there own or you can check out there collaborative efforts with J.CREW. If you are interested, check the link below. Go ahead stimulate the economy! President Obama will appreciate it (as will the rest of us!)

http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp

YOU DON'T KNOW ''JACK''...Jackson POLLOCK that is!!

The aftermath of World War 2 in the United States brought a new tension and angst that would prove to be the catalyst for a number of profound artistic movements that would make there presences known on a global scale. I have perviously discussed the impact of this era in film, ( Film Noir ) Now I want discuss one of my favorite artists from the late 40's/50's: JACKSON POLLOCK. He was one of the most innovative of the new breed of american artists which included such notable figures such as Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Arshile Gorky and Clyfford Still. Pollock was the father of what would become the terms ''action painting'' and ''abstract expressionism''. He basically rewrote the book on what and how a painting should be made. Instead of painting upright, he laid his canvases on the floor and poured the paint directly on the picture from above using sticks, brushes and other objects. the result was pictures which in my mind resemble atomic particles, outer space or perhaps explosions. Instead of the sometimes vapid and over intellectualized abstract painting that was made up until that point, Pollock's pictures have a visceral, emotional impact. They seem to envelop the viewer from all sides, at once. If you have never seen his work in person, get over to MOMA and have a look. On another note, from the vantage point of style, Pollock epitomized 1950's rebel cool. The dark, unwashed jeans, work shirts and black t-shirt's, khaki's, heavy boots ( all old and battered, covered with paint ) would look modern on the streets of Williamsburg or the L.E.S today. If you want to find out more about Jackson Pollack, see/rent, buy the film ''POLLACK'' starring Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden, or better yet find/read a book about him. See the links/video below as an extra treat. Enjoy!

Jackson_Pollock