Music

Massive Attack in Lincoln Car Commercial

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I enjoy about half the tracks on Massive Attack’s latest album, Heligoland, but after the first listen a few months ago I immediately identified Paradise Circus as the stand-out cut. I wasn’t the only one; a unique remix was recently used in a television commercial for the 2011 Lincoln MKX.

I didn’t expect Massive Attack to pop up in such a commercial commercial, but the group has donated all income from the production of music for the commercial to the clean-up effort in the Gulf of Mexico. This is a responsible way to offset money earned from the auto industry.

The commercial use of Paradise Circus is in stark contrast with the official video (NSFW), featuring a former small-time porn star reminiscing on her video work during the 1970s, against the song as a backdrop.

Watch the commercial — and more importantly, listen to the music — after the jump.

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Jason Derulo at Rider University

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On October 22, I photographed the Jason Derulo concert (with special guests Super Mash Bros.) at Rider University, hired by Reid Sound. The intent was to take photographs of the event that capture Reid Sound’s motto: “The room comes alive.”

Here are a few of the shots (after the jump). I apologize in advance for the intrusive watermark.

My biggest problem with these concerts is the constantly changing lighting. Reid Sound produces a superb lighting show, particularly at this concert, but the ever-changing color casts make it difficult to come up with images that are exposed correctly, have contrast, or look like they came from Earth. In addition to the tough lighting, the concert took place in a gymnasium, not the friendliest type of room for photography, but probably slightly better than a bar.

The tools I put in use were my Canon XTi, a monopod which was helpful to raise the camera above the audience for some overhead shots using the timer, 50mm f/1.4, 28mm f/1.8, 100mm f/2.8L, and 10-22mm. I met a few students photographing the show for the university, possibly a newspaper, but I never got around to finding out where I could see their photos.

Wide open with high ISO was the name of the game. A firmware hack allowed me to push the XTi beyond ISO 1600 in some cases.

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Two of My Favorites: Ben Folds and Improv Anywhere

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Most people know Ben Folds is one of my favorite musicians. When I say “most people,” I do mean most people in the world. Some people may also know that I’m a follower of Improv Anywhere and hope to be involved one of these days.

This would have been one mission I would have liked to be involved with. Improv Anywhere invaded two of Ben Folds’ New York concerts, with help from the band. Good stuff. Read it.

Yet Another Season of “Volunteering”

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Somehow, I once again agreed to run marching band competitions this fall for your favorite organization and mine. They also want me to stop by their “new” office in Allentown, Pennsylvania — they moved several years ago, so it’s not really that new, but I haven’t been there — to teach the newest incarnation of the revolving staff how to use a database program I designed in 2000 or 2001. Transmission of communal knowledge is like a game of telephone, and by now, the connection seems to have become pretty bad. I haven’t seen the software in years, and I bet people have tried changing tables, queries, and other stuff they shouldn’t have been touching.

Apparently, I’ll be visiting the office during one of the weekends I’m not already signed up for a marching band show. I’m not taking off a day from my real job to visit them, although that is what they requested. Yeah, right.

Singing to Dead People

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I just realized that two of my favorite Ben Folds songs includes lyrics seemingly being sung to dead people. There’s something about communicated with the dead that makes for good entertainment. Observe:

Boxing’s been good to me, Howard [Cosell]…

Elliott [Smith], man, you played a fine guitar…

Syd Barrett Dies

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syd.jpgRoger Keith “Syd” Barrett, an original member of Pink Floyd who set the creative direction of the band in its early years, passed away a few days ago. (Thanks for letting me know, Doobie.)

He wasn’t the greatest guitarist in the world, but he had a unique imagination that I really enjoyed. Pink Floyd was never the same since he had to leave the band, as anyone who has listened to Shine On, You Crazy Diamond should know.

Here’s the last song he wrote for the band, Jugband Blues. It’s actually incredibly sad, and shows the workings of a mind that was almost completely gone, thanks to excessive drug experimentation:

It’s awfully considerate of you to think of me here
And I’m most obliged to you for making it clear
That I’m not here.
And I never knew the moon could be so big
And I never knew the moon could be so blue
And I’m grateful that you threw away my old shoes
And brought me here instead dressed in red
And I’m wondering who could be writing this song.

I don’t care if the sun don’t shine
And I don’t care if nothing is mine
And I don’t care if I’m nervous with you
I’ll do my loving in the winter.

And the sea isn’t green
And I love the queen
And what exactly is a dream?
And what exactly is a joke?